01 | Video

[takeitslow]

[The video jumps around a little, shaky as he moves around the rec area. Thankfully he's going at a pace that can actually be seen by the human eye. The screen is just a shaky shot of the pool area, jerking a bit as he speaks.]

So, the pool. That's a really nice touch. Almost makes up for us being stuck in space. But, you know, I'm going to give it to you guys because I've always wanted a pool- well a bigger pool. We had one of those blow up kiddie things, but no one over the age of eight wants to be caught dead in that thing. Anyway, this. This is a step towards making this place less like a weird prison sentence.

What's not cool, on like the top ten list of really screwed up things about this place, is what you're lacking. You do have some issues with with rabid dogs and apparently you guys blew up a planet, like what? And while I'd really like to punch whatever lost my headphones, hey. I'll live. But the worst thing?

[Peter finally comes into view, a frowning mess of silver hair and bad fashion.]

I've not found a single Twinkie in this place. No Ding Dongs, no Ho Hos. Not even a Sno Ball. You guys are really killing me here.

Comments

[takeitslow]

Dude! You managed to get sodas on board?

[vengeance_driven]

Yeah, I had them leftover from the last ship I was on. All my shit came in the mail, including the soda. It was Mountain Dew, which is different from the brands I know from home but it did the job.

[And tasted awful but he wasn't in it for exquisite flavor.]

[takeitslow]

Ugh, yeah. It's no Coke. But like, hey. At least you're getting the sugar man. I'm having some serious withdrawals. Death by lack of corn syrup. Remember me fondly.

[vengeance_driven]

Hey, if you want one, I'd give it. We can consider it a trade if you can get me some pretzel stand style pretzels at some time. I think this would be fair trade.

[takeitslow]

You'd do that for me? Man, you. New second space favorite. [He points at the screen, grinning.] If we stop on some planet with pretzels I'll steal you a ton, promise.

[vengeance_driven]

I hope the first space favorite is pretty cute.

[And he seems to have no problem with this whole stealing idea.]

I am on Mero deck. Number #009. Stop by and grab it whenever.

[takeitslow]

[The pause isn't just long by Peter's standards, it stretches out a near minute.]

....It's my sister.

Do you mean whenever as in now or later? Cause I can get there five seconds flat.

[vengeance_driven]

Oh. Well that is true. Family does take top slot by default.

[He's a Slav, and very much about that Slavic family loyalty tradition. Makes sense to him.]

Ah... I guess now if you want. I am here.

video-> action?

[takeitslow]

Good man. You know it.

[The feed is already turning to a blur as he runs, stopping outside the door.]

So am I.

Re: video-> action?

[vengeance_driven]

I would like to know what the hell your sneakers are made out of that they live through you doing this shit.

[He opens the door.]

Come on in.

[Into the bachelor pad of cocky military guys. He goes over to his little round weird bed and grabs a duffel bag, and out of that a couple of Mountain Dews.] You seem to be handling being away from your family pretty good.

action

[takeitslow]

I actually go through them pretty fast.

[But honestly, he's got no idea. Everything weird in his life he just chalked up to his powers and left it at that.]

It helps having a sister here. [He takes the soda with a smile, holding a can like he's been given gold.] Mom will look after the girls at home. Besides, they can't keep me here forever.

[He's flippant about it, but really he's avoiding the reality of the situation. If he thinks too much about his mother and sisters, he'll have to feel something about it and that's just not on right now. Besides, it's not the kind thing you admit to some tough guy you just met.]

Re: action

[vengeance_driven]

She is actually here? [He asks curiously, before sitting down himself, crosslegged in that weird egg thing.]

You can have a seat if you want. Roommates won't mind. Or run in circle. Whichever works.

Sometimes you stop at places and they have junk food. I got some on Emiri. [Because apparently too much healthy food will kill this man or something, who knows.]

[takeitslow]

Yeah. Well, sort of? A version. It's weird, but, like, cool-weird.

[He snorts, because honestly the man's not too far off. He really hates sitting still. But he's not going to start running yet. Ruining the floor doesn't seem like an endearing kind of thing.] I'm good, I'm good.

Okay so that? That's what I needed to hear. I would have actually gone crazy if there was no hope for it at all. But hey, this just gives me something to do when we touchdown again. Might even bring you back something, gratitude and all.

[vengeance_driven]

I hear you. I am not much for a lot of American things. But the junk food? I can't say I have too much against it.

Other than eating too many of the burgers has made my cousin very fat.

[Love ones family, and all that.]

[takeitslow]

Probably why I'm always getting yelled at for eating so much. But, come on. With how I move, that's never going to happen.

So, saying American like that? And the accent too, I guess. Where are you from? What's the story? Hey, hey.

[vengeance_driven]

I'm a Serb. Balkan war vet. I came to America to stay with my cousin. I live in a place called Liberty City. It ah... I guess it is New York in some worlds? Different name?

Not too interesting of a story. No more than anyone else here.

[takeitslow]

Didn't pay any attention in history class. I have no idea what the Balkan way is. They mostly just talked about Hitler and communism and Vietnam when I did listen. But hey! New York. That's cool. I always wanted to go. Better than being stuck near DC.

Hey, man. You can't beat yourself up just because you're not one of the robots running around. War vet's are still pretty cool, come on.

[vengeance_driven]

I was twelve or thirteen when I became a soldier. I don't remember which. I forget when my birthday is. [He scratches behind his ear, squinting.]

War is shit no matter what the war. It is always two sides fighting for stupid reasons. I'm very good at using a gun now, but usually the people that need me to are jackasses.

[takeitslow]

[He scratches the back of his neck, fidgeting awkwardly.]

I didn't mean like- [Disrespect? To bring it up? Peter just flaps his hands quickly.] You know? Shit sucks. Least that's what they keep saying about 'Nam and, like, I guess other wars are the same. You know. Just sucks.

[vengeance_driven]

I did not think you did. [He shrugs, opening a bag of chips for himself.] I just have a lot of thoughts about it and don't keep too quiet when it's brought up. Maybe it's a bad thing, but whatever.

Hey, don't worry about it. I complain about that sort of thing a lot.

[But he's still willing to put a bullet in someone's head.]

[takeitslow]

Probably not a bad thing. I mean, I'd never shut up about. I never shut up anyway, so. Complain away.

Is that why you came to America? Cause it sucked and all?

[vengeance_driven]

Part of it. I have a cousin there. He's a good man- full of shit and makes things up, told me how good his life in America was and all the nice things he had. Was all crap. But he's my cousin, you know? And I love him and family is important.

So I came to stay with him. Part of it was a crazy ex-boss decided he wanted to kill me.

I wanted a new start. I didn't really get it. Maybe if I had, I would have liked America a lot more. No green card, either. [Which meant he was extra fucked.]

[takeitslow]

Whoa, whoa, whoa. He tried to kill you? Dude, you've had it rough huh?

And shit. Couldn't you have convinced some girl to give you a shotgun wedding?

[vengeance_driven]

[He actually manages to look awkward over this instead of the intense depression the subject had brought up in the past. Instead he quirks his mouth to the side.]

Actually some other guy that wished to kill me killed the woman I wanted to be with instead.

I have a lot of friends but to be honest some people really wanted me dead.

[takeitslow]

Shit man. Just- [Peter waves his arms around, trying to convey the enormity of it.]

What do you even say to that? Uh, sorry. Like, really that's the worst. Sorry about your girlfriend and friends and all that.