video | first

[spacerhyme]

[ the video feed flickers onto the face of an older gentleman; unflattering low angle, poor lighting, eyebrows hanging heavy over his eyes and lips tightly pursed. he's wearing a nice, heavy coat over a hoodie and a t-shirt featuring a sick ass space shark, though much of the ensemble's coated in a fine yellowish dust. looks like it could use a wash.

not his main concern right now. ]

Really? [ one corner of his mouth quirks up, wry. ] Cast across time and drifting lost and alone amongst storms of raw negative energy, but you've got social networking. How very... human, I bet a human knocked this up. D'you call it Spacebook or something?

[ original dad joke, do not steal. no apology is forthcoming.

the camera swings round, losing sight of him for a second as he sets the device down on something solid. re-adjusts it until it's centered properly on his face, steady now. ]

Hel-lo, Avagi. I'm the Doctor. Yes, just the Doctor. I arrived on your quaint little space station only recently — not the worst I've encountered. Well done. Probably... well, possibly not even in the bottom ten, but I mourn for some of your equipment. Someone made off with two-thirds of your laboratory, you realize, and ohhh, the state of your computers...

[ briefly aims the camera up at one of the aforementioned storms. ] But I must say, the open-plan observation station is a bold design.

[ casually tossing topics out as he rapidly approaches the actual purpose of this broadcast. this time he points at the screen, seriously, ]

Has anyone established themselves as your de facto leader yet? I'd like to know who to ignore.

The rest of you, tell me about the Ingress as it was, and the planets you've visited. Any of them.

[ over and out. ]

Comments

[spacerhyme]

[ if there's a faint moue of distaste crossing his face, it's surely nothing personal. it's just that he can almost sense the aura of military (he's rather intimately familiar with such things); and he may not be quite as ardent about it as he used to be, but he's still not a great fan.

he'll be civil, though. ]

I believe I said you're not in the bottom ten [ "probably"], it was nearly a compliment.

[ bordering on complimentary! take it. ]

But yes, I could write you a list. I'm not a list-writing person, though, so I don't think I will. What have you lot been actually doing, since you've arrived?

[squadgoals]

I believe your exact wording was "probably", or even "possibly". Backhanding a compliment usually takes it out of the running for niceties.

[It's shit! Just say it's shit.]

This and that. Sprucing the place up. Spring cleaning. What have you been doing? Seems like we could put you to work, since you're technically a member of this lot, now.

[spacerhyme]

[ he'll let his backhanded compliment hang, moving right on to: ]

No, no no. [ waggling an emphatic finger at the screen. ] That's not how this works.

You don't 'put' me to work. I help you wherever I can help you, but I'm not taking a job.

[squadgoals]

Far be it from me to give you one—I'm not in charge. No one is, in fact.

But I do have a list of places that could use a hand. If you were bored, that is. Just a... hobby, kind of thing.

[spacerhyme]

I'm sure.

[ or at least, no one wants to admit that they're basically in charge . . .

her answer seems to appease him, though. the last thing he wants is for people to attempt to relegate him to some simple, boring task — or, heaven forbid, expect him to report to someone. n o t happening. ]

Send it to me. I may have already wrung all entertainment value out of re-configuring our room's broken ventilation unit, and wandering the same corridors over and over. [ and over and over—

being trapped here, aboard a single space station for an indefinite length of time, is maddening enough. ]

[squadgoals]

What, all of it? If it's still broken, feels like there's got to be a few good hours of entertainment left.

[There's a pleasant ping on the good doctor's ACE device, and a helpful text post and subsequent spreadsheet offer themselves up for perusal.]

Each category could definitely use another hand—or two, if you're willing. Since we're dealing with a lot of with organics on-board, sanitation and life support is always going to be important. Right now, I think they're just trying to make sure it keeps on functioning more or less on its own—but nothing's perfect. I'm sure you'd have ideas no matter where you went.

[spacerhyme]

[ he briefly scans the document, and starts entering his name under several sections. he's nothing if not enterprising, and also has the attention span of an adolescent gnat. it's just fortunate he's an enterprising gnat with a load of applicable skills.

he can't help but feel something's missing, though. ]

And all of the other, non-engineering, non-medical sciences...?

[squadgoals]

Believe it or not, you're the first person to bring it up properly.

Want me to add on a category? No harm in making a more complete list—and I'm sure you'd get a volunteer or two there.

[spacerhyme]

[ give him a second, he's gone ahead and taken the initiative before she even asked, ]

Done.

[ it's a pretty wide umbrella of a category, but that can be sorted out if anyone actually volunteers. or he can just science all by his lonesome; fine by him either way. ]

Well, you're only on a space station with a leaky interdimensional portal, packed with a variety of lifeforms, surrounded by an ominous space storm. If you can find one or two people interested in our continued survival, do send them to me.

[ if that sounds a bit snippy, it's only because he cares. about science. ]

[squadgoals]

[The attachment pings, and she flits a smile on the camera. Initiative! This guy was great.]

Appreciated. Science. Very straight-forward. [Very scientific, really.

If she's at all bothered by his tone, it doesn't show—conversely, she seems energized by it, crossing her arms and chuckling]

People who value the continuous state of being alive? Hmm. No guarantees, but I'll see who I can round up. Looking for any particular kind of expert?