thisavrou | 1 [audio/video]

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[There is a really, really unpleasant banging noise, like someone's thwacking their tab against a rock because (surprise) that's exactly what this particular someone is doing. A feminine, Australian accented voice cuts in after a while.]

-would have been nice if they’d given us a bloody crash course in how to use these things. How do you even-

[There is jarring sound of static and then a burst of distortion as a finger jabs at the TAB]

-tell-

[Another jab and more distortion.]

-if it’s-

[One more jab and for some strange reason, the image feed is flipped upside down and everything is strangely… purple.]

-working?

[There’s a sigh, and then coming through the upside down, purple video feed there’s a woman with dark hair looking quizzically at the TAB with a furrowed brow until she sighs.]

Some week this is shaping out to be.

[She jabs at the tab again, and while the feed returns to right side up, it’s still conspicuously purple.]

Okay. I don’t get it. Never did go in much for the whole sci-fi thing. First person to tell me where I can get a beer and a back rub in that order is my new space best friend. Name’s Chloe by the way. Chloe Frazer.

[She squints at the tab and then rolls her eyes.]

Shit, did I break it? Fantastic...

[ooc: backdated to during week two!]

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Um... by a bush, I think. Is there a way to send coordinate- oh hang on.

[Did she just accidentally send them across? Perhaps she did!]

Is that any good to you?

No, it—oh, there it is.

[Maybe she's a phone savant or something.]

Gimme five minutes or so and I can head your way.

[Time enough to finish some important conversations, perhaps.]

[A phone functionality whisperer. She giveth and she taketh away.]

Okay but look, most importantly: do you have anything sensible to drink because it's really beginning to take the piss right now.

Chloe, I'm so, so sorry.

[She's not going to catch a break is she?]

Fine. Get over here you big lummox and lift my spirits instead.

[As promised, Nate shows up soon, eyes scanning the area for her. He looks more or less the same as the last time she saw him, except he's got 1) kind of a beard going on 2) a wedding ring. Also, no Drake ring.]

Chloe! Hey. Welcome back to space.

[Chloe is chilling out on a rock, the exact same rock she'd been using to 'fix' her TAB, but when Nate appears she immediately sets it aside and stares at the beard. Good lord.]

Oh my god it's an abominable space Drake.

[But there's a pretty good natured smile on her face anyway.]

[Way to relax, Chloe. Also, rude.]

Ha ha, very funny. This is just what happens after an entire spaceship crash lands and we have to hike to where we were going.

Seriously Nate, you look like you've been in the bush for a month. Is that as fluffy as it looks? Come here, let me pet it.

[She makes a queenly beckoning wave with her right hand, grinning wickedly.]

[Nate rolls his eyes but keeps smiling as he strides forward. He knows better than to try to deny her, so she actually does get the chance to pat his face if she wants to. Special privileges for special friends.]

I'm not fluffy. I'm just conserving our remaining razors after the crash.

Aw, we both know you're a big ball of fluff deep down.

[She pats his cheek fondly, and then awkwardly pushes herself off the rock so she can throw her arms around her friend and give him a hug.]

There's really no beer?

I lied a little—I have some packed away, but I was saving it for when we get somewhere more civilized.

[Not that he's ever had an objection to roughing it, but crash-landing on an alien planet is a little different from going on an expedition. Nate hugs her back, but he's frowning when he pulls back. Something about her balance is wrong.]

Chloe, are you okay?

Okay, but you're going to hold one of them back for me when we get there, right?

[She's holding onto his upper arms, and when he asks her, she shakes her head and lets the bluster fall a little. If she can't be honest around him, then there's not many people she's likely to drop her guard for.]

No, not really. My legs are crook, I can't even feel the right one now.

[She laughs, trying to make light of it and failing miserably.]

You know, this is turning into a really shitty day- present company excluded.

[He nods—of course he will—and his expression shifts into real worry.]

And someone just gave you the lowdown, handed you a TAB and left you here?

[What a dick. Of course, Chloe's not one to show weakness around someone she doesn't know or trust....but still, a dick.]

Okay, new plan. [He turns and crouches, looking over his shoulder to nod at her.] Climb on. I'll give you a ride.

I know right? Shitty hospitality in space.

[Of course she hadn't let on about it; her leg had felt totally numb, like a bad case of pins and needles. Walking had been slow and steady progress, but more than once her other leg had just fallen out from under her for no good reason and it was enough to make her feel nervous enough about her own self preservation to want to play it carefully.

When Nate hunkers down and offers her his back, she can't help but smile playfully. There are small mercies to be thankful for, close friends are certainly amongst them.]

Well there's an offer I didn't expect to hear from you again. You're a married man, people might talk.

[He is, but they won't, since this is clearly a platonic ride even though sure, years ago and far away Chloe had ridden him in other ways—but before he can make a dumb joke back at her, the implication of her words hits him. Considering what she remembers, she shouldn't be mentioning that, unless...]

You've been talking to Elena.

[It is perhaps at this time that Chloe might notice a wedding ring firmly ensconced on his finger. A new one, sure, but the meaning is the same.]

I have been talking to Elena, and so, it appears, have you.

[He gets a friendly punch on the arm before she slides her arms around his neck and straddles his back.]

You know I'm not one to say 'I told you so' but...

[Yeah Nate, she totally told you so.]

Good for you. I knew you'd figure it out.

[All right, she gets one free punch because he deserves it. Nate dutifully scoops her up and stands.]

Yeah, eventually. It only took getting drugged, getting kidnapped, surviving a sinking ship, crashing a plane, walking the desert for three days and getting drugged again for me to figure it out.

[He adjusts his hold on her legs, keeping them firm over his hips, before heading back in the direction of central camp.]

It was a busy week in Yemen.

Bullshit, you only left Syria two days ago. I know there's some time difference but come on.

[She tightens her grip on him, feeling nowhere near as secure as she ought to. Having no feeling in her leg feels bizarre, and the other one is already tingling like it's about to fall asleep.]

Now what the hell did you mean by 'welcome back to space?'

[He's gonna take these out of order so as not to blow her mind. Further.]

So, you know how the Ingress just yanked us out of our lives into a different dimension or whatever? Sometimes it randomly drops us back, apparently. At least I hope that's what happens when people vanish. And sometimes it grabs us again but it's a complete reset and we don't remember the first go-round.

[He takes a few steps before continuing.]

That last one hasn't happened to me, but I know it does happen, because you were here before. And then you weren't. And now you are again.

[She's scowling at the back of his head as she listens and it... well it all sounds completely farfetched to her and hard to swallow, but it's coming from Nate. If there's one person she can trust to get the whole picture from, it's him.]

Right. So... I've been abducted twice and had my memory wiped to go with it?

[What do you even say to something like that?]

Well. Someone must really like me on the abductions committee. Maybe they've got a thing for good arses.

[He can't see her expression with her on his back, but Nate can imagine what it looks like. And he doesn't blame her. It sounds like crazy bullshit; it just happens to be true.]

That's clearly why they brought you back, yeah. Anyway...Ingresses can also pluck people from just whenever in time, and not all at the same time. Elena's from a week in the past compared to me, and Sully's from three years ahead. Makes it a little awkward sometimes.

Okay, so that puts me the furthest behind you guys I guess.

[Honestly, Chloe's impressed at how calmly she's taking this. Perhaps the reality hasn't set in yet, or perhaps it's just really tough to get wound up when you're hanging off a friend's back with no feeling in your right leg.]

And you're sure there's no mythical artefact or secret organisation or anything to do with Francis Drake that's responsible for all this?

I'm pretty sure this is beyond Drake.

[It's beyond anything they've seen before back home. Shambhala had been like another world, but it was still in their world.]

Even if it weren't, I'm done chasing him. I'm sorry, Chloe. You were right about me trying to prove something, but I didn't need to.

[There's a silent wait before Nate gets a gentle pat on his shoulder.]

This is why you should listen to me sometimes you doughnut, occasionally I make sense. Everyone whose opinion should matter thinks the world of you for some reason.

[But on that note...]

Can't speak for Rafe Adler, but then again I didn't know you rubbed shoulders with rich boys like him.

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