001 | video;

[righteously]

[Dean's been around a while now, long enough to get settled in and learn how to work the stove, so he figures it's about the right time to give the Tranquility a formal greeting. Video feed opens up to Dean clearly trying to keep himself in frame, chin ducking once he's sure everything's set up and running.]

For anyone I haven't met yet, which... I'm sure is probably most of you, my name's Dean Winchester.

[It sounds a little rehearsed. He's run it through his head a few times, and it drags on a little as the words spill out.]

I'm, uh... well, apparently I'm not exactly new here, but for all intents and purposes, let's just go with that. If I knew you any more than, say, a month ago, I hate to break it to you, but all that's pretty much gone now. Blank slate. Sorry.

[He doesn't seem all that perturbed by it, but he's been through it too often to really put a lot of heart in the sentiment. He does offer up a tight sort of grimace in apology, but a second later he plows on. His eyes duck down for a second, and then they're back on the camera.]

I've got a couple of questions for anyone who thinks they can answer them. First of all- has anyone ever been anywhere before this? I'm not talking about back home on Earth, or... wherever it is you're from originally. I mean, has anyone ever been bounced to another dimension, or universe, or... something like this ship, but different? Possibly 80% less Star Trek?

[There's a sort of awkward pause there, and it looks like he wants to extrapolate on that. His lips twitch, and then he shakes his head, evidently changing his mind.]

Second off, does anyone know anything about tech crap? See, I got this...

[The camera jiggles a little as his head ducks, he searches through his pockets to find another phone. It isn't a ship-designated communicator, but it looks similar. He holds it up irreverently, flipping it back and forth to display it.]

This other thing, but it's... [He gives it a floppy shake] dead as a doornail, and I can't exactly pick up a charger from the nearest Apple store, so. If anyone has any ideas on how to give it some juice, I'd appreciate it. I'd like to get some crap off of it.

[It's shoved absently back into his jacket pocket.]

Oh, and uh- one last thing. Any word on why some people aren't popping out of the space womb tube things? Is there an ETA on that, or is it step one to getting shipped back home? What's the deal with that?

[It's asked with a sort of consternated, displeased expression. Obviously his phone isn't going to answer him, so after a weird second, he shrugs it off. Scratches awkwardly at his cheek.]

That's pretty much it. Anything you got for me would just be... awesome. Over and out.

[The camera gets a lovely second of vertigo wherein he shifts the view from his face to his boots before he can finally cut the feed.]

Comments

video;

[servator]

Commander Shepard, SEC. You're not the only one who was here and doesn't remember it.

[ She looks a little subdued, sighs, and straightens up. ]

I can answer any tech questions, but I'm not sure what you mean about a different universe. Were you on another ship before this, Dean?

video;

[righteously]

[It's good news for both of them that he recently learned what SEC was, otherwise this conversation might start him off on the wrong foot. He's not surprised by the fact that the amnesia-struck decided to pipe up, it's a pretty crappy experience and misery loves company. Rather than going through that whole spiel, though, he decides to focus on the later end of the conversation.]

Not exactly.

[He bobs his head.]

What I'm saying is there are other places that do the same crap as this ship does, and I'm thinking it's a trend.

[video]

[songofhappiness]

[ As much as she doesn't want to talk to this guy, considering their last encounter, the question about people not popping out of the gravcouches has her attention.

Her best friend is nowhere to be found, even after hours of searching. Caroline doesn't know if she's relieved or worried that this might be a common thing this jump.

So, blowing out a breath and straightening her shoulders, she contacts him and pretends she wasn't a total jerk to him the first time they met. ]

I think something's up this time, with the goo tubes, or gravcouches, or whatever. My friend didn't wake up this jump, and it seems like there's a lot of people who didn't. [ Look at that, she's being all cordial, since she was in the wrong before. Giving him crap about the goo and all. ] Maybe some kind of holiday surprise from the ship.

[ Her tone makes it clear - it's not a surprise she appreciates. ]

[video]

[righteously]

[His lips part for a second in surprise at the person that appears on his screen, and then his face settles into something equal amused and antagonistic. She can pretend all she wants, but Dean's a petty asshole and he's not going to let it slip by unmentioned.]

Still pretending you've got friends huh? No, yeah, I appreciate your commitment to the bit.

[...But no for real he's actually pretty serious about this whole thing, so he tacks on a solemn part B that's more on point.]

Whatever it is, I don't like it. I'm about one bad space sitcom away from trying to plan prison break with goo.

[Video]

[alldamned]

Look at you, puttin' those stellar people skills to work.

[Translation: Benny is seriously enjoying watching Dean fumble his way through all those grabs for information.]

I might be able to help you out a little, ace. Been here awhile now, and I ain't much for mingling, but I sure as hell know how to watch and listen. You pick things up.

[Video]

[righteously]

[Har har, you're a hilarious guy, Benny. The unimpressed look on his face suggests that he wouldn't terribly mind if Benny slipped in the shower.

He's just going to skip past that first part and ignore it, thank you very much.]

Alright, well, you watch and listen and pick up anything to do with the whole wombnapping thing?

[rebelled]

It's happened before. People remaining in their pods beyond the jump.

[it's a passing comment, coming from a few feet behind dean. because that's just how he rolls. hi bro.]

You haven't spoken much about the place you were before.

action;

[righteously]

J-

[Mr. Christ is cut off at the J when Dean's teeth slam together and clench, body jerking away from the sudden presence at his back. His eyes flick to the ceiling for one long moment like he's praying to Space God for patience and the ability to keep himself from shooting Cas in the face, because seriously? Seriously?

Once upon a time he was totally starting to get used to that, but time and literal space and distance sort of erased all his progress. He takes a second to pass a hand over his mouth, and ultimately decides not to tell Cas to suck a big one. He's just gonna. Get back on subject like nothing even happened.

Hey bro.]

Not much to tell.

[He says, but the way it lingers says it's a bold face lie. There's a whole shitload to tell.]

It was a douchey magical mansion in the middle of nowhere, stuffed with people who were supposed to be dead.

[Like Jo. And Dad. And Ellen. It was pretty damn close to home.]

video

[raisedontolkien]

[What was that, Dean? Did you say you had tech that needed looking at?

Cue one brightly grinning redhead who, by the way, is super impressed at your attempts at being civil and stuff.]

You said something about tech?

video

[righteously]

Yes.

[He declares seriously, pointing at the camera just as soon as her face pops up. He should have thought of Charlie right off the bat, but for whatever reason, it totally slipped his mind that she could be the solution to all of his problems.]

Perfect. Yes. Good. You think you can swing by and take a look? See if there's anything you can do to get it up and running?

video;

[uncurse]

It happens sometimes—people staying asleep for the whole jump in the grav couches. Usually it's just one or two, but ... Just a couple jumps after I got here—026 maybe?—it was a whole slew of them. Most of them woke up just fine the next jump. In the grand scheme of weird crap this ship pulls, that's pretty much DEFCON 5.

video;

[righteously]

[He doesn't seem all that put at ease by the explanation, judging by the way his brow wrinkles.]

So, what, the reason is there's no reason?

[Excuse him if he's not a fan. It means that at pretty much any time, he could be out of commision for a month, trapped in one of those wombs.

Thumbs down.]

Well that's stupid. Is there some sort of- I don't know- emergency contingency plan for if you gotta bust someone out of one of those things?

[majestyofthethrone]

I can probably try and help you with the tech.

[righteously]

Really? The Throne of God knows hardware?

video;

[blackmagus]

I've been to other universes before.

[Fortescue's accent — English to most ears — is a bit thicker than usual, given that not too long ago she'd been taking a nap. She's sitting in her room, her cat occasionally making noises in the background as he tears around and plays with a few bottlecaps she's brought back for him as makeshift toys.]

It's a big thing back home. What do you need to know?

[He'd paused, after asking, but she can't tell exactly why.]

video;

[righteously]

[Now there's a familiar face, but not exactly a familiar voice. Hot damn, it's Anne Hathaway. Judging by the lack of bodysuit, he's gonna go with Not Catwoman Hathaway. He's got to study her for a skeptical second before he gathers his words up to reply. Just pretend like he totally didn't double-take.]

Were any of 'em like, I don't know, here for example? Pull you in against your will, steal your memories, leave you running around thinking there are alternate versions of yourself?

video;

[capsize]

Done plenty of different worlds, mate, but none quite like this.

[ None he hasn't managed to get out of, more like. ]

I take your inquiry to mean that you have. [ And he should possibly leave this question off to look more like he knows what the hell's going on, but after a thoughtful pause: ] What's Star Trek?

video;

[righteously]

[He squints for a second at the guy on screen, trying to figure out just how exactly he's familiar. It's definitely a familiar voice, definitely a familiar face, but for the life of him he just can't put a name to it. His lips part to say as much, but he's thrown off by the affronting question.

He pulls an are you kidding right now face.]

It's pretty much, like, the best show on television in the eighties and nineties.

[Well, alright, that's Next Generation, but whatever. He wasn't really around for the original series.]

They made it a blockbuster a couple years ago. It was a pretty big deal.

[...in retrospect, the fact that this guy's been to plenty of different worlds, mate probably shouldn't inspire a lot of confidence in his pop culture knowledge, but.

Star trek is awesome and Hook is therefor wrong.]

permatext!

[klutziness]

you sure won the jackpot
i've been to another dimension and i know "tech crap"
name's rikku

permatextalicious;

[righteously]

Nice to meet you, Rikku. Wish I could say it was a pleasure, but under the circumstances

first, what's the deal with your dimensional crap?

Video

[likescats]

[Have a voice arrive kinda in your head already, like bypassing the ear route. Also Death is on the screen.]

I WAS PREVIOUSLY AT A PLACE SIMILAR TO THIS ONE. A SMALL TOWN THAT WENT BY THE NAME OF MAYFIELD. IT ALSO DRAGGED PEOPLE THERE.

video;

[righteously]

[Excuse him a second while he blinks, looking around like someone trying to swat a fly. He gives his ear a little shake like he's trying to confirm, but- yeah, no, definitely in his head.

He pins the camera with a hard look.]

Hold up- is that- are you in my head?

[Oh wow wait, you look a little like the grim fucking reaper.

What the hell.]

video;

[familybusiness]

Let me know if anyone gets that thing working. Maybe they can get my laptop up and running, too.

video;

[righteously]

I'm thinking your laptop might be an easier fix. For starters, it's not fueled by magic.

[Nope, not joking, no matter how annoyed that last word came out.]

[Video]

[sophically]

Magic and technology don't interact very well, so I don't think that route would be very efficient. As for people arriving here - or not as the case may be - I think that's something the ship decides. I thought, at first, it was completely random, but there are connections between people.

Be patient. The people you want to see could arrive during any jump period.

[video]

[righteously]

It ain't so much about the people I want to see as the people who are already here.

[He responds, shifting unhappily in his chair.]

See, they're already in the pods, but for some reason a handful aren't waking up. Word on the vine is this happens from time to time, people get stuck for a month like they're in some kind of damn coma, and they pop out after the next jump. What I want to know is why.

[text]

[ryuuzaki]

If that's an Apple device, someone on board may have a compatible charger. Powering that kind of device isn't the problem: it's the file format that won't be compatible without finessing.

[text]

[righteously]

Yeah not so much. That whole apple thing was a joke. It's actually a hell of a lot more complicated than that, so. Who knows. It's probably beyond repair.