TEXT [AUGUST 28TH, EARLY MORNING]

[squadgoals]

Hi all, just some quick housekeeping:

• I've doubled the security on the Mako. Fair warning: any attempts to hack its console will result in consequences. This is not a challenge! If you need it for anything, please get in touch with me first.
  
  
• It seems I'm your new Assistant Head of Tower duties, with Ryuuzaki functioning as our Head. I'm looking forward to working with all of you from here on out.
  
  
• I've already spoken with Ryuuzaki regarding my transfer from Engineering to Assistant Head of Tower duties, but I still haven't managed to locate how I was approved and placed in the role in the first place, as it was an application process. If anyone has an idea, please let me know.
  
  
• I was absent for a month in cryosleep, so my apologies for not being completely abreast of every on-board situation for the time being. Unfortunately, I have nothing new to add to cryosleep: I don't know what brought it on, I didn't go anywhere, and I don't know what stopped it.

To all crew old and new, feel free to message me with questions at any time, or stop by Mero Deck #022 for a chat. Or while the doors are still portaling, walk through my room unexpectedly.

-Shepard

Comments

[squadgoals]

Asleep. Fell asleep in my bed, woke up in cryo. Thought it was the next morning, turned out it was a month later. Damnedest thing.

And thanks. How have things been for you?

[soldiergenes]

Yeah, something similar happened to me a while back, but it was only for two weeks.

I had to deal with a few new people from home. The ship, or something outside of it, decided to mess with our ages for a while. Other than that, things have been fine.

[squadgoals]

Remember the Ingress planet? Amissis-Re? I passed out for a little less than two weeks after coming back from one of the worlds. No more for me, thanks.

People you knew personally?

[soldiergenes]

Too bad we don't have much control over it. I know people who've gone into cryo more than once.

It's complicated. One of them I know personally, but he's from an alternate world as far as we can tell. The other two I had an encounter with once, but they're both younger than when I knew them.

[squadgoals]

Not liking the sound of that. Wonder what the connection is.

[She blinks at the second text, re-reading it a few times before responding. Alternate world, and younger versions? Snake might be winning the "weird timeline shit" contest, at this rate.]

Yikes. Starting to feel glad my biggest concern is that there's three of me. How's that working out for you?

[soldiergenes]

You know, I meant to ask you about that. The thing where there's three of you, I mean. Didn't know if the multiple Shepards was just a coincidence, but I figured not, knowing this place. How's that all work?

[ Yes, he pretty much ignored her question but Snake's been wondering about this for quite some time now and hadn't wanted to ask without an opening. ]

[squadgoals]

It's still taking me a bit to wrap my head around it, honestly.

Two of us look the same, one doesn't. Two were born on a colony planet, one was born in space. Two of us share a name, and one doesn't. But we all sound the same, and have similar current histories, from what I'm told.

We're the same person, alternate universes. That's as far as I've gotten.

[AND SHE TRIES NOT TO THINK ABOUT IT TOO HARD.]

[soldiergenes]

[ The alternate universe concept is one that Snake's had to accustom himself to after speaking with Raiden and Milly. Which doesn't make it that much easier to wrap his head around, honestly, but he doesn't think Shepard is nuts or anything. The proof is right here on the ship in the form of two other people. ]

Gotta wonder why the Ingress was so set on bringing in different versions of you specifically.

Who got here first?

[squadgoals]

Terrible sense of humor?

My mirror image. She arrived almost half a solar year before I did.

Why?

[soldiergenes]

Because I think I talked to her not too long after I got here and I didn't realize it wasn't you.

[ Which is a pretty startling revelation for someone like Snake who's usually pretty good at keeping track of these things. ]

[squadgoals]

I don't blame you. We're the same person after all, and outwardly, we're mirror images. It's when we compare histories that things start cropping up.

It must confuse the hell out of new arrivals.

[soldiergenes]

So what exactly are the differences? I want to make sure I don't end up mixing you up again.

[squadgoals]

Physically? None. No real signifiers, except for anecdotal evidence that she may frown more than I do.

Psychologically speaking, though, we're from completely different backgrounds. She's more of an individual than I am. [TRANSLATION: AN INTROVERT WHO PREFERS THE COMPANY OF HERSELF]

Probably easier just to ask if she's the Mero deck Shepard or the Nomo deck one.

(I'm Mero deck. :))

[soldiergenes]

[ "More of an individual"? It seems like a strange way to describe someone, but Snake tries to read between the lines all the same. ]

Yeah, I guess that would be the easy way.

[ He'd like to learn how to tell them apart just through interaction, though. ]

Have you spoken to her much, or do you usually avoid her?

[squadgoals]

Wish I could help more. There's been suggestions of us wearing different armbands.

Or hats.

I try to speak to her when I can, and she responds on and off. Always seems pretty focused on her work.

PRIVATE

[squadgoals]

Honestly, I'd like to get to know her a little better, but I feel like she holds me at arm's length.

PRIVATE

[soldiergenes]

It's got to be weird, talking to your double.

[ Snake doesn't equate Liquid with it because they're so wildly different, even if they're clones of the same person. These two Shepards literally are the same person. ]

I probably wouldn't be comfortable either, in that situation. You might just need to give it time.

[squadgoals]

Agreed. I'm not in any hurry.

It can be a little weird.

Like if your mirror's reflection started asking you about your favorite food.

[soldiergenes]

Has she actually asked you what your favorite food is?

[ It's probably some weird space cuisine that Snake wouldn't even recognize. ]

[squadgoals]

Not directly.

But I haven't asked her hers either, so who am I to judge?

[There's a moment between texts, then:]

(It's bacon, in case anyone's asking.)

[soldiergenes]

Not a bad choice.

But I appreciate you answering all my questions. It'd been bothering me for a while.

[squadgoals]

Not a problem. I can't imagine you're the only one!

Since we're on the subject, though: favorite food?

[soldiergenes]

Hard choice, but I'd have to say jerky.

That, or Alaskan salmon.

[squadgoals]

Both good choices, not sure I've tried salmon of the Alaskan variety, though. Big difference?

[soldiergenes]

Well, sometimes I caught it fresh. That makes a pretty big difference.