texted during the meeting, displaying as being from Nova Barnett

[petridish]

[Those who check the contact list may notice there is now only one Jane Shepard listed, but this user looks almost identical to her, just mad.]

Suggestions for ways to change your appearance? Long term but not as permanent as that asteroid's genetic modification, both things that can be done on the trip and recommendations for service providers for when we get back.

[All Nova's replies will also be in text unless otherwise specified.]

Comments

it's okay!

[nishizono]

well that sucks for you
but it's great for them because you're a loser who won't avenge yourself

[petridish]

I think killing someone for no reason is pretty loserish.

[nishizono]

so getting murdered is no big deal for you
got it
why fucking bother changing your appearance if actually dying matters little to you then
it's a pride thing?

[petridish]

I've been meaning to change things for a while anyway. This was just extra motivation to get it done.

[nishizono]

nothing like the threat of being accused of murder, huh
try getting surgery

[petridish]

Maybe. I wouldn't know how to pick what changes to make, though.

[nishizono]

what's your murderer known for? their prominent features? eye shape, nose shape, haircut?

whatever they're usually recognized for, change that.

[petridish]

Hair, I think. I don't know. Usually people talk about how great she is and the things she's done, not her looks.

[But hey, there are people suggesting dye elsewhere on the post.]

Thanks.

[The digression on revenge was unhelpful, but this is useful!]

[nishizono]

[ the hell you mean unhelpful, that was really good advice ]

just beat her in her own game or something. be better than her. be someone who's so good that it doesn't matter if she's the best at something, because you can beat her in whatever it is she's known for.

be the best version of you there is and it'll not matter if she was first.

[ this cheesy-as-fuck advice was brought to you by seven years of murder and destroying fellow clones, though. take it with a basket of salt. ]

[petridish]

The things she's known for range from things I want nothing to do with to things irrelevant in this galaxy to things I was already trying to beat her in. Part of figuring me out.

[That last part got more personal than it has been, she realizes only after sending it.]

[nishizono]

you're at that "figuring myself out" stage. good luck with that. you'll hit the "i don't care anymore" phase soon enough, don't worry.

[petridish]

How long did it take you?

[nishizono]

[ hah what a question. ]

about a year, maybe two.
then again i'm usually an exception to most rules back home.

[petridish]

[Nova nearly laughs in the middle of the meeting.]

That's not exactly "soon" when it's how long I've been alive.

[Aware, really. She doesn't really count the tank.]

[nishizono]

[ can it be? he's older than someone??? ]

eh that's not so bad
i'm officially 19 or 20
but i'm roughly half that
this version of me anyway

what's the average life expectancy for you guys?

[petridish]

I was made to replace a thirty-year-old in the middle of a war. Humans in our galaxy usually live to around 150 in peacetime, but I don't know about me.

[Truly, she doesn't. She knows her cells were aging too rapidly, and she knows Doctor Yewll fixed that, but she doesn't know where that leaves her in terms of expectancy.]

[nishizono]

i was accelerated
not by much, it slowed down after a while
maybe that's just something we have to deal with
shorter life spans

make the most of it and shit, right?

[ he's decided: they both need better, saner, healthier clone peers. ]

[petridish]

So was I, but a doctor on the Moira stopped it. (She left before we reached Thisavrou, or else I'd refer you to her.)

The Savrii doctors seem willing enough to bring people back from the dead so I'm not too concerned.

[And she still doesn't see much point in being alive anyway.]

[nishizono]

it's fine, i'm avoiding doctors anyway.
they're risky.

and try not to die anyway, you never know if they add something in on the respawn.

[ at least they'll agree on the "what's the point" part, if nothing else. what is the point to being alive like this, anyway? ]

[petridish]

[Nova narrows her eyes at her tab. What is this, someone she's only talked to on the network expressing concern for her life status......]

As long as they don't add anything alien.

[nishizono]

[ clones have to help each other wow get on with the program, don't be a human ]

or just don't die, why would you risk it? that's dumb.

[petridish]

It's not like I'd die intentionally.

[Any more.]

[nishizono]

don't count it out yet, you never know when your hero moment might strike
depressing as that sounds

[petridish]

Me, a hero. [Yeah, she works the rescue service when she's not being punished for other people's crimes, but she gets paid for that.] I'll believe it when I see it.

[nishizono]

haha yeah it was a bit funny to say
but hey
don't count it out
weirder shit's happened before