001. video

[servator]

[ If you’ve never seen someone who’s very close to death, you have now. The image broadcast is of a wearied-looking soldier who is fairly torn up, sporting dozens of gashes to the face and badly-cracked military-grade armor. The woman in question looks tired, yes, but there’s something almost relieved about her expression, about the way she sighs long and deep before speaking, taking her time in sending out a message. ]

Never thought being dead would look and feel just like living. [ Does that sound too unamused? Ah, well. She pauses, considers what to say; it’s difficult when you’ve recently been more or less dissolved into atoms and then woke up in a gooey pod. Among... other things. ]

This is Command-- [ The woman cuts off, brows knit as she reconsiders. ] ... This is Shepard, formerly Commander of the SSV Normandy, Alliance Navy. I don’t know where this is, exactly, but I think I know what it’s supposed to be.

[ Do the specifics of the afterlife matter so much once you're dead, though? Shepard smiles distantly, voice surprisingly easy despite all the unknown factors. ]

I need to find the bar. Promised someone I’d be there.

Comments

[video]

[circumitus]

[Squint.


[...Squiiiiint.






[A few seconds of squinting later:] You look different.

text

[alsohawkeye]

Do you have like a sister or a cousin or something who's also in the Navy?

ETA: and there's a bar on every floor, pretty much. Look for a weird blue glow and you'll find it.

video

[godsdamned]

[Hannah squints into the video feed, holding it uncomfortably close, because what the fuck are video cameras even? She's scrutinizing the face on the other side, the cuts and blood, the cracked-but-weird-looking-armor.]

You look fucked up, but you don't look all that dead. [And Hannah knows dead pretty well.]

But damn would I go for the bar right now.

private.

[darkart]

If this is a joke you need to work on your humor.

voice.

[kutte]

[ zero to Strong Emotional Response is go. ]

Bullshit.

video;

[uncurse]

Commander Shepard died four jumps ago.

Video

[acapriciousthing]

[Death never knew the previous Shepard. So she's zeroing in on a different point entirely. One that comes up a lot.]

This isn't the afterlife.

video

[conscientiae]

[ Here, at least, is someone who has no idea who Commander Shepard is or was. All she sees is someone who looks hurt. ]

Do you need any help? I've only just arrived myself, but I can help you find the medical bay, or treat some of your injuries myself, if we can find any handy medical equipment.

voice;

[seidhr]

[This man's voice flows like smoke through jagged glass, low and liquid and not as sympathetic as it could be.]

Oh, dear. How awkward for you.

video;

[dogbane]

Hello ma'am, [William smiles at the camera. The Medical Bay is quiescent and white behind him.]

This is William Tsang, Chief Medical Officer of the Tranquility. I hear you're interested in establishing the genetic differences between yourself and Lydia Shepard. Sadly we haven't got a DNA profile for her on file, but we have got a pretty thorough physical workup for her including her blood type. Come on by anytime-- same place as the slime tubes yous was shot out of a few days ago.

We'll do what we can.

[makedo]

Are you really.

[ the flat tone suggests it isn't much of a question, the frown suggests it might be one after all. ]

text.

[brainsqueeze]

( +1 more to the 'do not like' brigade )

What is it supposed to be?