video;

[entrapments]

[ the feed begins in audio, and on the opposite end of the communicator, hayley chews on her bottom lip. the pause only lengthens after she clears her throat, and discovers that she's managed to find the video function. the lens remains pointed at her knee for one beat, then another- before the image is righted, and she turns an apologetic smile to the feed. ]

Sorry. I'm not really used to the. You know, [ cue the demonstrative finger wiggles ] future stuff yet.

[ a small crease appears in her brow, but softens as soon as the communicator is set on the table, so she can settle down to look into the feed directly. her shoulders hunch, and she plays with her fingers anxiously as she begins again. ]

Anyway um, so I know I should be really freaked out about the dimension hopping spaceship thing, and the mutiny thing, and I will be. Once it like, processes. And I don't mean to sound super insensitive or anything? But um, I don't suppose anybody's managed to find like, some books or anything just hanging around, have they?

I'm pretty desperate for anything at this point, especially since it's only a matter of time before we get back into the jell-o baths, you know? And I know that all you super cool space heroes are like, up to your eyeballs in shenanigans, but there's just not a whole lot of stuff for- kids around here.

The whole, no tv, no internet, no ipods thing is kindof like, [ a sheepish laugh ] hell on earth for a teenager. Or. Not earth. Since we're in. Space now.

Comments

[testgasm]

I don't really...see...the problem, here.

[entrapments]

I guess I'm just used to being a little embarrassed, you know. Talking about it? Old habits dying hard and all that stuff.

[entrapments]

Oh, um.

I never thanked you. You know, for that, warning about the whole, gun thing.

[testgasm]

Right, right. Normal girl world. I'm remembering that, now.

But, uh. You're welcome. Hopefully that particular bit of information was...useful.

[entrapments]

Don't worry about it. You're not missing much, being blissfully uninvolved in it.

And it was, really. I even got in and out of the kitchens without anything- I dunno, blowing my head off or something you know, equally unattractive.

-Any way I can make it up to you?

[testgasm]

Oh, good! That's good. Always good when things like that work out. What do you mean, uh. Make it up to me?

[entrapments]

Well- I dunno. I guess, I wanna do something nice to pay you back.

[testgasm]

Like...what...

[entrapments]

Well I was kinda hoping you could tell me.

[testgasm]

Oh! Right. Sorry. I'm not--well, um. People don't usually do things. For me. So.

Maybe we can just...say you owe me one, and then when I think of something, I can...tell you.

[entrapments]

Alright, I guess I can roll with that. [ a wide smile ]

Count this as me officially owing you one then.

[testgasm]

Great! It's a deal.