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01 | Video

[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.

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Those don't sound appetizing at all. Not like a good bottle of wine and some pastila.

( look, peter, find some twinkies and ivan will absolutely try one. )

I get that you're from the past now, if you don't have spaceships. Which explains why I've never heard of those -- even on Earth.

I'm seventeen so I'm, like, legally obligated to not say anything about the wine. But off record, dude, come on. Hard liquor. Even my mom doesn't drink wine. And I don't know what pastila is. Am I saying that right? Sounds weird.

[He's going to get twinkies for everyone, just to prove a point.]

Wait, where are you from? Past? I mean, yeah I guess Wanda's from like way in the future. I've been trying not to think about it. But the 70s isn't that far back, right?

You're not allowed to drink under a certain age? ( that sounds awful, and peter gets a sympathetic wince from ivan. ) Hey, hard liquor is great, but wine's traditional where I'm from. And my uncle's got the best cellars in the capital.

( you're a true hero, peter. )

For me it is. I'm from the 31st century and the planet Barrayar.

( ivan says, not at all smugly.

ok there's a little bit of smug. he just can't help it, although he would like someone else to show up in the ballpark of the 3000s, just so that he and the rest of the people from his universe aren't the only ones. )

Yeah. Just another year though, for my state. [Thank god for the lowered ages of the 70s] I mean, doesn't really stop anyone. Mom just leaves her stuff lying around the house, right? And like, it's 19 in some places but if they're shipping you off to fight at 18, then who's going to stop you from drinking before you die?

[If it comes out a bit bitter, well, someone's seen enough of the news to have opinions on the current war going on back home.]

Dude, what? Like the wine thing would make me think Europe, but you're like an alien? You look normal. No green skin or bug eyes or anything. Kind of boring. You should complain.

( ivan doesn't know enough about earth history to place the comment, but he at least generally understands the sentiment on a vague level. )

Eighteen? They don't send us out into combat until we're twenty and graduated the Service Academy. And even then it's not like anyone not posted to ship duty or ImpSec ever gets to see action. ( and to think the rest of the universe calls them barbaric! peter sounds like he's american -- it's a betan accent, only not, and he's coming to recognize one when he hears it. and beta colony came from america way back when. )

Good God, no. I'm as human as you are. The rest of that sounds like mutations gone horribly wrong. Wrong-er.

( ivan vorpatril, no. )

[There's a lot Peter could say to Ivan's little speech. A discussion of war, the complicated feelings brewing back home about Nam and the presidency, questions about this far off future and it's political culture. All sorts of questions that a kid who grew up on Lost in Space re-runs and the Jetsons would love to ask about the future. But he can't think about asking anything like that when something like that is hanging in the air.

Any trace of good humor has fallen from his face; his expression left hard and brittle.]

What do you mean horribly wrong? What's wrong with mutations?

( the distinct feeling of having stepped in it will come later. )

The part where they exist? S'nothing a good gene clean won't catch these days, but you know -- no one wants to be running around with a mutation. Everyone's still jumpy about it, though. Miles gets confused for one all the time on account of looking like, well, he does.

( yeah, later than this. )

[No one wants it? Peter's fuming at this point.]

Dude, what the fuck is your problem? Gene clean? What, like, you'd just get rid of someone for it? What have you got against mutants? You're an ass. Total ass. There's nothing wrong with it.

What? It's a gene clean, it gets rid of all the things that could kill you or whatever that lurks in your genes, not infanticide. I mean, not anymore. ( ha ha whoops. okay now he kind of feels like he might have said something wrong. ) I'm an ass? What the hell-- why does it matter? It's not like you're one.

( ivan, no )

[He'll just ignore that perfectly serviceable explanation because if he listens that sounds a whole lot like they're talking about different things. He's just going to skip to anger. Anger is better.]

Guess again, asshole. I am and I'm pretty pissed.

( wait, what? )

But you don't look like one. S'something you can't see?

( that's not helping. )

What? Oh hell. Just. Oh my god. Wasn't the hair enough of a tip off? Geez, what am I supposed to look like?

Haven't you heard of hair dye? And all... deformed, and whatever. You know, like mutants. ( hang on a second. ) That aren't you?

[Tugging angrily at his hair.]

This is natural! No one's deformed. Mutants might have freaky powers and maybe some freaky looks but they aren't deformed. I'm not deformed. Seriously, just dig the hole deeper. Who thinks its a good idea to talk shit about mutants to a mutant?

I just-- ( wait. hold up. ) Freaky powers? No one said anything about having powers.

[So much sighing and rubbing his eyes.]

You're talking shit about mutants and you're not even acknowledging the powers? Come on, the abilities are the best part.

[The screen becomes a blur and Peter's in the mess hall instead of the rec room.]

Powers! That's why everyone has such an issue with us, right?

( what the hell did he just do? teleport? no... )

What, no. It's about harmful mutations in the genome and threatening the stability of a limited population-- you're a mutant and you get powers?

( there is only one person who has powers in his universe and ivan doesn't even know that telepath exists. )

[The screen blurs again and Peter's on the observation deck, drink in hand. He gestures with it at the screen, undoubtedly making a mess.]

Duh. Haven't you been listening? Of course we get powers. What are you babbling on about genomes and populations?

Because that's what mutations do -- if they gave you powers we probably wouldn't be so jumpy around them, that actually sounds useful.

( and not, you know, horrifying and damaging. )

That's not what mutations do? Dude, what are you talking about?

[And now Peter's starting to catch on.]

You don't even know about the powers? Why are you freaking out then?

It's ( ivan's mouth works, he frowns, and the shrugs. ) a Barrayaran thing? It makes sense when you're on my planet.

Well, it's freaking offensive where I'm from.

[He groans, takes a few laps around the room to burn off the frustration.]

Look, just don't go saying stuff about mutants okay? Like, explain this calmly and without saying anything gross.

Like it's not back home. Only it's offensive to be called one, I guess. ( instead of this. ) Even if it's true where I come from? ( ivan waves away this with a hand ) Yeah, okay. Explain that mutants threaten a limited population pool back home to anyone who self-identifies as one here.

( he's got it. probably. maybe. a little. but then he squints at the feed curiously. )

So. What is your power?

Yes, that's exactly what I'm asking you to do. Explain. [He says it slowly, like maybe the guy didn't understand him the first time. He does tend to talk fast when he's upset, better slow it down just in case.] Why are they a threat?

I'm fast. Very fast. Like outrun bullets fast.

They were, back when we were cut off from the rest of the Nexus. Only 50,000 original colonists on a planet bathed in radiation when it's already trying to kill us? Yeah, mutations are bad -- destabilizes the population.

( or something. he's probably the worst at explaining this. )

What about energy weapons? Seems like a nice talent to have, I guess.

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