ataraxion | video; backdated to jump day

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video; backdated to jump day

[the woman on the video has a smile on that's attempting to be confident, but seems just a touch wobbly. Her hair is brown with a vivid red streak on one side, and she seems to have coordinated the rest of her outfit with said streak, down to the ribbon trim on her white bowler hat, which, while clean, has definitely seen better years. given what she's discovered about the size and history of the ship, she's decided that she might be better served not coming out swinging with her normal confidence. this wasn't pandora, after all, and it seemed like people often actually helped a girl in need. weird.]

Hey, so, I bet you all get this a lot, but I'm looking for some people. They're kinda important--well, at least one of them is--and I ended up here with some really, really awkward timing. So, Sash, if you're listening to this, call me already, wouldja?

Guess I should introduce myself, huh? I'm Fiona, and I'd say I'm fresh off the boat except for how I'm actually fresh on the boat. So to speak.

[that had sounded better in her head.]

Yeah.

Anyway, if anybody has the latest ECHOcast newsfeed, catching up on current events would be great. Or any idea where I could take a room that's maybe near some people? That would be cool too.

[there's a moment of silence where she seems to be contemplating turning off the feed, but then she snaps her fingers, as though remembering something.]

Oh, right, Rhys and Vaughn, if you're around you should give me a call too. Don't ask me how, but I've still got the thing.

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The thing?

[There's a pause. Considering that for a moment.]

What thing? Your half of the you-know-what thing?

[And then he takes a moment to put his priorities back in order...]

...hey, you're here.

[In the most casual way someone can muster a 'welcome to the reality-bending ship, sorry I didn't see you at the Jump but at least this means that we didn't have to look at one another naked also it's pretty cool that you're alive' sort of introduction.]

No, the whole you-know-what thing. Remember? With the gun-pointy escort service? You almost dropping it? Attack robots?

[her voice gets slower and less sarcastic between each question.]

Any of this sound familiar?

...of course I'm here. I guess. I mean we were in the same place when...

[she shakes her head. whatever gortys might be, it's their mysterious thing, not for public consumption.]

Where're Sasha and Vaughn?

Wait, the whole you-know-what thing? How come it's not all doing... you know, the thing? That it does?

[People from Pandora are so good at not being suspicious, you know.

Still, at the question, he sobers up a little, not quite expecting something like that. Has she gotten the grand explanation yet?]

They're... not here. At least, I haven't seen them, unless they were in the last jump or something. [And he does look! Well, he sort of looks. Mostly, he tries not to be naked amidst dozens of strangers. Apparently, he's not great at looking, since he missed Fiona, but- but he looks.] Just you and me.

[A thought strikes him, though. Not a pleasant one.]

Do you think this has something to do with the you-know-what?

Huh? The thing that it does is--

[then it sinks in that sasha and vaughn aren't here. or probably aren't here, since they haven't answered and rhys doesn't know.]

...just you and me, huh? Son of a skag-licked taint.

[her expression goes thoughtful. did she press the detonator? what happened after rhys somehow did...whatever it was he did? does that mean that they disappeared with the gortys project and sasha and vaughn are still being held at gunpoint, or worse, just plain shot for not being useful anymore? shit. shit shit shit.]

It might have something to do with the you-know-what, since we were kinda in the middle of the thing when you did the other thing...

...you know what, maybe we should meet up somewhere.

Edited 2015-04-10 04:29 (UTC)

I did the- I didn't do the thing.

[THIS IS GETTING A LITTLE CONFUSING, BUT ALSO HEY-]

Wait, if you have the whole you-know-what then how do I have my piece of the you-know-what? Did you...

[Hey Fiona, that's the smartest thing he's heard all day! Meeting up would probably help with them both being able to understand what the fuck is going on without speaking in code, because that's apparently getting them nowhere and also making them look suspicious as fuck, so.]

-right. We can meet in my room, or there's an open bar on the floor above me. Your call.

You definitely did the thing. And what the hell do you mean you have your--

[she puts her face in her hands. what in the everloving hell is going on? her next words come out muffled.]

Your room. I get the idea we'll need the alcohol later.

...so uh, where is your room?

Floor four. Room, uh- [He has to check really quick.] -one-fifty.

[Fiona really isn't making much sense either, tbh. They're probably going to need lots of alcohol later. Given what happened last time Rhys got tipsy, this doesn't really bode well at all.]

See you soon, I guess?

[EXCUSE HIM WHILE HE SHUTS OFF THE FEED AND CLEANS UP A BIT.]

Floor four, room one-fifty. Got it.

[you just tidy up there rhys, while fiona figures out the lift system and then walks down a hallway for awhile. when she finally knocks, he'll open the door to her standing there with her hip cocked and a rather large metal ball resting on it. damn thing gets heavy after awhile. despite the pose, though, rhys might know fiona well enough at this point to see that she's several kinds of worried.]

Hey.

[It's probably for the best that Fiona is here. For the best that someone from his galaxy is, at any rate. Bonus points that it's someone he knows, double bonus points that it's one of the few people he knows who doesn't want to kill him.

Anymore. Maybe. The whole 'throw Rhys out of a moving vehicle and save your bullet' thing was kind of overridden by the whatever-the-hell they found, but they were probably past that. He hoped, anyway.

Regardless, as much as he'd have really liked to see Vaughn again, Fiona isn't a bad person to have around. As long as she doesn't try to throw him out of any more cars.]

Hey.

[Rhys steps aside to let her in. His room is pretty sparse, minimalistic at best, save for his half of the key sitting on his bed. It's not, like- always there or anything, he doesn't sleep with it under his pillow because that would be weird. He just pulled it out so they could talk about it, since Fiona is thusfar the only other person on the ship who already knows about it.]

Just to clear things up- you-know-what is the map, right? You know, my piece, your piece, 'is that a vault', big light show?

The ball on her hip is weird, but who's he to judge? Maybe she picked it up somewhere here. Or stole it off someone. Either way, that's not really what his focus is now.]

[when fiona's eyes fall on rhys' piece of the map, something in her stomach abruptly drops too, sinking heavy as the key and making her insides go cold. what's going on here? how is this even possible?]

Not exactly, anymore...

[she enters the room and sits at the foot of the bed, holding the ball on her lap like it's something precious. mostly because it is, and even moreso now.]

What's the last thing you remember?

[Well isn't that a Final Jeopardy question.

The last thing that Rhys remembers is Jack- or rather, the first manifestation of him, when he talked about the Vault and killing him (killing both of them?). That doesn't seem like a smart thing to bring up right now. He's already the evil company man, and the idea that he's haunted by some kind of artificial intelligence of his dead boss who razed Pandora in fire probably won't go over well with the native Pandoran.

So he shrugs, folds his arms across his stomach, and leans his back against the closed door, facing her so they can talk.]

Falling into that bunker? I'm totally fine, by the way, thanks for asking. We found that watch and then the two pieces of the map, right? Holographic display, showed the planet, probably where a Vault is or something?

[A pause.]

...why, what's the last thing you remember?

[fiona first answers that question in the form of some of the most colorful cursing a pandoran can come up with. there might have even been some psycho in her little hissy fit. then she takes a deep breath and forces herself calm.]

I hate to tell you this, but you're way, way behind in our little madcap adventure. After we left the Gortys site your favorite company started moonshotting us, and you and Vaughn...kinda fell off the caravan. But we met up again and went and found the secret base, except your best friend Vasquez and everyone's good buddy August were there. You and I went on some short field trips, shoved our puzzle pieces together, and...this [she pats the sphere on her lap] is the newest version of the Gortys Project.

But...we were kinda in a situation when I ended up here.

[Okay, that's a lot of information to take in and he's going to process it in a second and be very confused and intrigued at their mutual futures together

but first.]

You threw me out of the caravan? Was trying to shove me out of a moving vehicle once not enough for you? What is it with you two and high speed murder attempts?

[THE REST OF THE INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT, RHYS, COME ON.]

Oh my god, I can't believe this. I helped you try to get the money back! We had, like, a temporary truce or whatever!

You fell out! We weren't trying to get rid of you, a moonshot blew off the whole back of the damn caravan while we were on a speed boost. [she stands up, defensive and almost angry now, holding the ball in front of her like she's protecting herself with it.] Hell, you were driving until Vaughn slipped and then you went after him and I went after you. Maybe you should buckle your shoes tighter so your feet don't slip out of them at high velocity!

Leave my boots out of this!

[YOU'RE MAKING SENSE BUT I DON'T WANT TO LISTEN TO YOU WEH.]

You probably- you got the whole key and decided that was it for us, right? Then you decided to satisfy your weird need for vehicular manslaughter? [Rhys throws his arms up, exasperated.] Your cover story doesn't even make sense, how could I be driving without shoes?

[He definitely sees through your con artist, bandity ways. Take that, Fiona! (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ]

Pay attention, you had your boots on until you fell out of the caravan! And you had your half of the key the whole time, you jerk. It fell apart again before we even left the secret thing and nobody could touch them but us.

[it kind of pisses her off that she can't hold the key and cross her arms over her chest at the same time, but she's not putting it down, either, now that he's being a dick.]

Get your head out of your ass, Rhys. I called you my friend, goddamnit.

You called me- [He blinks.] -wait, what?

Was that before or after you conspired with Sasha on the best way to murder us? [His tone is still hard, like he's trying to keep up the heat of the fight, but it's obvious that he's starting to actually think back on what she's saying. It... it kind of makes sense. Maybe. If you take out the weird parts about Hyperion sending moonshots at them and Rhys losing his well-oiled skag skin boot.

Rhys sort of falters then, folding his arms defensively and looking toward the wall in a sulk.]

Well... you can't deny that you have a track record with trying to screw us over. How was I supposed to know?

Look, we stopped trying to kill you awhile ago. Like around when you saved Sash in the death rally and Felix screwed us all.

[another huge sore spot there, that one.]

And you'd know if you listened. to. the. words. coming. out. of. my. mouth. We're all thoroughly screwed with Hyperion, even your weird loader bot.

Okay, okay. I'm listening.

[First time for everything, right? Still, there was something she said before, and the way she's holding that thing close to her, like it's something that needs an eye kept on it...

Wait.]

That ball is the key now?

The ball is what happened when we put our keys together inside this...machine thing in the real Gortys headquarters. It was floating in the air, you dropped it and it almost fell, and that made some Atlas drones way pissed at us. And then there was a lot of holding Vaughn and Sasha at gunpoint and I took the ball and pulled out a grenade but then you did--something--with your hand and maybe the robots were listening to you, but my finger was on the grenade trigger...

[she sighs and sits back down on the bed, or more like collapses back down onto it, ball still cradled in her arms.]

And that's it. I woke up in a tube of blue goo.

Uh...

[That's a lot of information to take in at once. Rhys rubs at his eyes with his human hand, trying to make sense of everything- though, the question of whether or not he wants to make sense of everything sort of arises somewhere in there, because whatever it is that happened, it doesn't sound good.

Fuck. Things just keep getting better and better, don't they?]

So- your solution to saving my friend and your sister was to... blow us both up?

We had what they wanted. The idea was to not have to blow us up. People start reconsidering where they're pointing their guns when you endanger their priceless artifacts in exchange. If they hurt Sasha, hell yes I'd take Gortys down with me.

[seriously, rhys, don't you get this loyalty thing? nah, probably not, considering hyperion. she sighs, and her voice comes out small.]

It's not just Sash. Your Hyperion option must really suck, cause Vasquez was real specific about wanting you alive. Somehow I don't think it's for your stunning personality.

So, you were hoping that they wouldn't call your bluff.

[Dangerous, Fiona, Rhys isn't sure if he approves. But the comment about Vasquez, about wanting him alive- well, he doesn't know how to take that. He doesn't think that the idiot would need to sate some sort of torturous inclination, so maybe he'd just want to kill him in some sort of special way?

Not that that's really any better. Ugh.]

You'd take Gortys and me down with you, you mean. And probably Vaughn too, if we're dead. [Which he doesn't like at all. Still, though-]

You said that I hacked the robots?

I wasn't bluffing, but yeah, that's the idea. And if they didn't care enough to stop me, what do you think Vaughn's life was worth to them anyway?

[she sighs. sometimes the big bluffs are all there is left. but then rhys had really, really one-upped her.]

Sort of. You kinda said you weren't, really, but it was definitely your arm doing something, and your eye went weird and gold.

Well, that fills me with confidence about our mutual future together.

[He sighs.]

So, we're probably all dead then. Okay. [There's a pause, while Rhys thinks.] I guess that means we try to stay here for as long as possible. On this ship, in this universe, and pray that Sasha and Vaughn find their way here too. We have the Gortys... whatever, it might still be useful.

You were controlling the robots. Or your arm was, whatever. And also...there, so...yeah, I'd say things are getting a little weird even for Pandora.

[she sighs, shaking her head.]

I wouldn't count us dead yet. Something's going on with...I don't even know, but you've been here and I know you were with us there, and you've still got your piece even though we put it together, and it's not like you disappeared after the last thing you remember...

[sasha had always said she was the optimistic one, usually with a sarcastic sort of smile. this seemed like a shit time to stop.]

Figuring out the science-y stuff isn't my gig. But I think you're right about the rest. Sit tight, hope they show up, and try to figure out what the hell is so valuable about this thing. Not like we can just ask nicely to go home anyway.

Science isn't exactly my gig either, you know.

[He sighs, but yeah optimism is gonna be needed if they're going to get anywhere.]

Something weird is going on. But at least it's you. [Pause. Wait, was that too sappy? Rhys gives an awkward cough.] -I mean, it could have been Vasquez or that September guy in that pod, but you've gone like.... almost a full day since your last attempt on my life, so I'm counting that as a win.

Yeah, I know. But I don't think Vaughn or Sasha would have any better ideas, so let's go with 'everything is weird, must be Tuesday.'

[she gives him a cocky little grin she doesn't quite feel, but it's a good imitation.]

It's okay, Hyperion, you're allowed to like me a little. Not like we're alone on a crazy spaceship out in who the hell knows where or anything.

[despite the insulting nickname, fiona sounds kind of...fond. things are definitely weird.]

Damn right you're lucky I'm not Vasquez or August. Vasquez wears way too much eau d'douchebag and August eats cute little guys like you for breakfast.

You don't think I could take him? I could totally take him.

[He offers her a look, as if daring her to size him up. And then... deflates a little.]

...no, you're right, he'd kick my ass. It would be embarrassing. Let's not talk about that anymore.

Hey, you might be able to get the jump on Vasquez. Just not August.

[it has obviously been a day, because fiona reaches out and pats him on the shoulder reassuringly, and then, with endless mercy, changes the subject.]

So, how does a girl get a room around here? I got the memo that we're not supposed to live where we're...supposed to live, but what's the deal?

Yeah, you pretty much just claim whatever isn't locked.

[He shrugs, but sort of looks at her hand when she pats him on the shoulder, like he's not quite sure what to do with it. Okay...]

You should get one on this floor. It's a pretty good floor. Bar's right above us and there's not a ton of people around.

That's...deceptively simple. So this is a good floor, huh? I like the sound of close bar access. Maybe I'll grab the one next door. Or a couple down. Whatever.

Eh, make it a couple.

[He makes a face. Sorry Fi, in Rhys-world you're still not really friends yet.]

Don't want anyone getting the wrong idea.

Slow down there, cowboy. What kind of idea is there even to get about two people from the same place rooming next to each other? It's not like we're sharing.

[is she a tiny, wee, squidgy bit insulted? yep, so she'll just toss it back at him along with an eyeroll.]

As if, anyway.

Yeah, well, you know.

[Defensively!!! He folds his arms across his chest with a sigh.]

Just do what you want, I guess. But don't- [There's a pause there, a weakness that he doesn't really want to show.] -don't go too far. I mean, just- weird shit happens here. I don't want to get separated if something goes down.

You know Rhys. [ it's equal parts intrigued and a sort of amused-resigned. clearly the tone of someone who has at some point spoken to rhys for more than ten seconds. ]

Yep, sure do. We're friends, but if he's done anything particularly embarrassing I'm not going to apologize for him. Hyperions are weird.

[yeeeeah she knows rhys.]

Besides legitimately contemplate plugging his internal shit into the local hardware? I get the feeling he's been what you'd consider 'alarmingly tolerable'.

In his...kinda-defense, being plugged into the local hardware was normal for him. I think he was always connected to the Hyperion network.

[that and she's witnessed first-hand rhys' unfortunate tendency to plug unknown things into his head, and the subsequent results.]

Alarmingly tolerable is weird, but good. Probably. If he's gotten punched in the face less than a dozen times we're doing well.

[he's kind of grown on her. sorta. sometimes.]

Anyway, I'm Fiona. How did you get introduced to our mutual friend?

I informed him that he should probably panic and he hired himself into my department instead.

Ooh, I might like you. What's your department?

Engineering. We keep shit running.

Ah, the technical details. Nice, sounds right up Rhys' impeccably polished alley. I'm better at using things than making them.

Using things, huh? You sound like a woman of many vague talents.

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video; backdated to jump day

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Video --> Action

Action forever

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TFTBL SPOILERS

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pretend this isn't late.

it's never too late.

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