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metal gear: solid snake

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[Zam really wishes this weren’t necessary. It’s bad enough that he has to divulge a weakness to the entire crew, without the added rub of having to ask for help at the end of it. But seeing as the captains have given no indication that this temperature problem is going to fix itself anytime soon, he doesn’t really have any other options. He takes a short breath and then reluctantly speaks.]

There’s not really any way to sugarcoat this, so here it goes: you know how a lot of races have that thing where their body temperature self-regulates? Mine doesn’t. Which means, I don’t do very well in the cold. As in, my metabolism will slow down until I eventually enter a hibernatory state. Which I’d really, really like to avoid.

Basically, I need help staying warm. And staying awake. [Interpret that as you will. Zam is in such a state that he doesn’t even bother making it into an innuendo. It’s that bad.] I’m in Moro Deck #003.

Also, if you’re on Moro Deck and you’re missing your blanket… Well, I guess you know where to find it now.

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Aren't you the one I'm supposed to be sharing a room with? I thought you were a human.

If you’re the big orange one, then yes, I’m your roommate, and no, I’m not a human. [No point being coy about it now.]

Hmh. You looked human. What are you, then?

A Clawdite. Does that word even mean anything here? [Besides humans, he hasn’t been able to identify any of the other alien races represented on the ship. He half-suspects he’s as much of an anomaly to them as they are to him.]

Not to me... I've seen a lot of worlds, though. After a while you don't bother keeping track.

Anything I should know about Clawdites?

[Oh boy, what a question.] We’re all extremely clever, beautiful, and charming, without exception.

[It's a shame Zam can't see the UTTERLY UNIMPRESSED face Jasper is making.] Really. I hadn't gotten that impression.

It’s okay. It takes a while to take it all in. [He doesn’t seem offended; just amused.] Just out of curiosity, what impression did you get of me? [He honestly doesn’t remember much of their interactions besides the fact that they themself were… not at their most clear-headed.]

[A brief pause – in person, Jasper's folding her arms. There's the sound of a quiet, vaguely annoyed sigh.] You sounded like there was something wrong with you.

[That at least gets Zam’s attention.] Something wrong with me? Like what?

You were incoherent and confusing. [A pause, and then, kind of sarcastically:] More so than humans usually are.

[A pause.] I don't know if you noticed, but I was drunk.

[Another. Pause. Jasper doesn't understand this colloquialism.] ...You were what?

You know... Inebriated. Intoxicated. Had one too many. [There's an incredulous tone to his voice.] You really don't know what I'm talking about?

[She considers his words for a moment.] ... You were poisoned?

[Zam laughs.] I guess you can think of it like that. It’s something that happens to you when you drink too much alcohol. You become… [He considers for a moment.] Well, it varies from person to person. Generally speaking, you become forgetful, uncoordinated, impulsive… [Wow. Come to think of it, it does kind of sound like poisoning.] It can also change the way you feel and act. So someone’s drunk self isn’t always the same as their sober self.

Which is why I was wondering what I was like. Believe it or not, I don’t actually get drunk that often. [Though at least some alcohol in his system would make him feel a little warmer.]

Hmh. I've never heard of this 'alcohol'. What's it for if it isn't poison?

[This conversation is getting weirder and weirder. Has Jasper never been on a planet with a bar before?] People drink alcohol for all sorts of reasons. To be more confident, to fit in, to forget…

[A smirk appears on Zam’s face.] You want to try it some time?

[Jasper is perfectly confident as is, has no desire to fit in with a crew that's for the most part full of humans, and she can't really think of anything she'd like to...

Well.]

... I think I'll pass, Clawdite.

[Zam shrugs.] Suit yourself.

[ Snake is still in an adjustment phase after being brought to the Moira, and so the idea of alien species is brand new to him. That being said, there are enough crew members here who apparently fall into that category that he's going to need to adapt quick.

There will be situations like this one, some unpredictable problem that might not be a huge issue for a human, but is for some other species. When it comes down to it, Snake would rather offer help than accept it for himself, and so after a moment of contemplation he replies. ]

My room has an extra bed that's not being used. It's heaped with blankets. Are you able to move?

[ If not, Snake could bring them over, but it might be good for this guy to get his blood flowing. ]

...Yes. [It’s a syllable that’s said with extreme reluctance. Getting up and walking somewhere would mean leaving the comfort, however meager, of the pile of blankets he’s gathered in his room.] Pretty sure the captains warned us against leaving our quarters alone, though. [He doesn’t know if they actually gave a reason. From what little he’s gathered about the captains, he honestly doubts it.]

Yeah, the captains have said a lot of things.

[ In other words, Snake doesn't really care what their opinion might be. He's not going to let their warnings stop him from doing what needs to be done. In this case, it's a delivery. Maybe the stranger can move, but it doesn't sound like he's big on that idea, so... ]

I'll head over. Just focus on staying awake. Find something to keep your mind busy.

[ This is Snake's roommate calling in with another thought; possibly not as good as Snake's itself, however. ]

My room has some spare blankets? I could bring them to you, if you want. We have spare pillows too, if you want more of those. And, uh, I mean, I'd be happy to keep you company, if you wanted? To help you stay awake.

[ He'll have no idea what to talk about, but hey, he's willing to suck it up to help this poor guy out! ]

Yes. To everything you mentioned. [He doesn’t recognize the person he’s talking to, but more blankets and some company are welcome all the same.]

Okay.

[ Wash doesn't wait for any further answer, just gets up and starts grabbing blankets and pillows. ]

I'll be there asap.

[ And with that, he's out the door, carrying a pile of comfortable goods, making his way to Moro Deck. Keeping in mind the room number, it shouldn't be long before Zam hears a knock at his door. ]

[Zam answers the door still wrapped in blankets. Look, he’s already basically begged for bedding materials on the ship’s public network, it’s not like he has much dignity left to lose.] Hey, [he says in way of greeting, eyes on the pillows and blankets bundled up in the man’s arms.] Come in.

[As Zam walks into the room, the veritable nest of blankets becomes visible behind him. Zam retakes his seat at the center of the pile. He nods towards the blankets and pillows held in the man’s hands.] You can just throw those on anywhere.

[ Nodding at the invitation, Wash follows Zam into the room and glances around with interest. Of course, his eyes fall on the nest in the end, at which point he ends up watching the man take his seat again. ]

Right, okay.

[ Nodding again, Wash first sets the pillows down on the bed around Zam before then setting the blankets on the floor temporarily. Grabbing the top one from the pile, he unfolds it and hands it out to the other man, though he's thoroughly willing to wrap it around the guy if that's what works better in the situation. ]

I'm Wash, by the way.

[Zam takes the proffered blanket and wraps it over his shoulders along with the other blankets already piled onto the bed.]

I’m Zam. Thanks for coming over. I know this is kind of a weird situation. [Mostly because when a key life support system goes down, one usually dies before they get much chance to complain about the chill. But here they are, on a ship that manages to be uncomfortably cold without doing the courtesy of killing any of them.

His gaze sweeps over the man’s armor. It doesn’t look like any he’s seen from home, but then considering the Ingress, it wouldn’t.] I don’t think I’ve seen you around the Moira before. [The unspoken question is clear: ’You’re new here, aren’t you?’]

No problem. I've actually been in weirder situations, and if it's for someone's safety, I don't mind a little weirdness.

[ The smile Wash wears then can't be seen, but it can be heard in his tone of voice. It's friendly and, admittedly, compassionate. He cares about the wellbeing of other people, even ones he doesn't know. That was a big reason for his joining the military in the first place, after all.

At the next comment, Wash's movements get a bit sheepish, and he nods. ]

Yeah, I'm new around here. Only been here a few days now.

It’s a good thing you’re used to weird then. We get a lot of it around here. [People from different universes, unknown planets, a ship that doesn’t make sense… “Weird” might be putting it mildly.] I’d tell you you’ll get used to it eventually, but I’ve been here for a few weeks now and this place still manages to catch me off guard.

[He regards the man again, an inquisitive look coming over his features.] Just out of curiosity, what were you doing before you came through the Ingress? [There’s a somewhat probing tone to his voice, as if he’s searching for one answer in particular.]

Really? It gets that weird around here?

[ He sounds surprised. And to think he thought the weirdest thing would be the fact that people from different universes were sucked onto the ship, but if it's still managing to weird out someone who's been here that long... Huh. ]

What kind of stuff happens?

[ At the inquiry from the other man though, Wash glances downward at himself, figuring that it's his armour that's tipped off the question. Clearing his throat, he shifts a little uncomfortably, a slight little wry smile tugging at his lips, hidden behind his visor. ]

Just before? I was waking up in the medbay of a different ship after being unconscious for a few days. But uh, in general before I came through? I was fighting in a war, hence the armor.

More than you know. [This little power outage is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of how strange things can get on the ship.] Since I got here, I’ve seen a planet made out of glass shatter into pieces, a man turn into a monster, and met people who had never even heard of other planets or races before stepping foot on the Moira. It’s like this place goes out of its way to be impossible.

[He listens to the man’s answer intently. One thing about it in particular seems to catch his attention.] Do you actually remember waking up? Or is it possible that you could have… I don’t know. Dreamed it?

[ Wash is silent for a few moments while he takes all of that strangeness in. ]

...Alright, yeah. That's pretty damn weird. And you think it'll only get weirder from there?

[ That's hard to believe, given what he's just heard, but if the place really does go out of the way to be impossible... And given all that's apparently already happened... It seems likely that things will yeah, only get weirder from here on in. ]

...Dreamed it? What, my life as a soldier? [ It's a weird question, and Wash isn't entirely sure of how to answer. Except that he knows for a fact that he didn't dream anything. Everything happened. ] I do remember waking up. I had conversations with my friends before I ended up coming through the Ingress.

[Zam shrugs.] Don’t see why it wouldn’t. [It’s certainly proved itself a pattern thus far.]

Just the part where you woke up, [he clarifies. Hearing Wash’s answer, a brief expression of disappointment flickers over his features.] Hm. [It seems that in terms of arrival, Zam still remains the outlier.]

Well, I guess it doesn’t matter now. We’re all stuck here for the time being.

Oh.

[ Wash is quiet for a moment, thinking. Trying to figure out how to word things delicately. ]

...Do you think you dreamed everything before being here?

[ That would be...kind of scary, actually. To not be sure if you really came from somewhere else or not. To be uncertain of something so important... ]

No… I mean, when I first got here I thought I had dreamed some of it, but now I’m pretty sure it was real. [The glass on Cadacus Primary had shown him that much. He pulls the blankets tighter around himself, a pensive look coming over his features as he decides whether or not he should elaborate.]

Uh, the thing is, before I showed up here, I was… well, I was in the process of being killed. So if you had actually died in that medbay, then that would make two of us. [He realizes how bleak that must sound.] Don't worry. I’ve talked to a lot of people on this ship and as far as I can tell, no one else died to get here, so you're probably in the clear.

Oh.

[ See, that makes things clearer. ...And more horrifying. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't a little worried that he's actually dead now, even with that reassurance at the end of the explanation.

It takes him a minute to think of what to even say to any of that, and his body doesn't seem to take the cue to respond right away, anyway. But, eventually he realizes he should say something and that it's been too long since he has, so he snaps back to attention. ]

...Sorry. That sucks. Like, a lot. [ He's really good at this, obviously. ] Sorry--I uhm. I don't really know what to even say to that. It just...sucks.

[Zam grins sheepishly at the man’s extended silence.] Sorry, did that get too dark? It wasn’t that bad. Really.

[He does his best to sound sincere. At least it hadn’t hurt. They hadn’t even had time to register the pain of the saberdart piercing their neck before the neurotoxin kicked in. After that, it had been like someone turning out a light.

Waking up had been the hard part.]

I mean, the alternative would have been just dying. So if you think about it, I caught a lucky break by waking up here. It’s probably worse for people like you who were still alive and had things to do before the Ingress took them.

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this is so late i'm sorry! tell me if you'd rather handwave things

friend, I am fine forever with backtagging <3

yay! :D

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