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[clericals]

[It's her first post on the network. It won't be her last. Karen slides her fingers through her hair, obviously looking for a place to start.]

Okay, does anyone feel like they've actually adjusted to all of this? I know I haven't been here for long, and even when you know for a fact that there are aliens, when you've seen them come down and make a mess out of New York City, you just never expect to be taken on board an actual spaceship. [There's a nervous little laugh at that before she takes a deep breath.] But this happened, so...

[Karen looks directly at the video and smiles.]

So I guess I'll start. Uhm...for those I haven't met, my name is Karen Page. I'm from Vermont, originally, but I moved to New York. Hell's Kitchen - I know, it sounds like a terrible place, and it can be. But there's also some really good people. I work at a law firm there. I'm not a lawyer, I'm...I make coffee and answer phones and I'm the deciding vote in things like whether or not we're having pizza or Thai food for lunch.

[And it's worth noting that the more she talks about her life, the more her face lights up.]

So, who wants to tell me more about themselves? Like where you're from and what you do there, or anything - just anything.

[Conversation always makes for the best distraction. She catches her breath.]

I promise I'll listen.

Comments

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[bloodredsky]

You've got a head-start on getting used to it compared to me. I always sort of thought aliens existed but I've never seen any until arriving here. I don't think I'm used to it yet, but...it's kind of neat.

Oh, I'm Akito. Akito Wanijima. It's nice to meet you, Karen-san.

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[clericals]

Did you ever wonder? Like, maybe think about what space and aliens would really be like?

It's nice to meet you too, Akito.

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[daintylegs]

It's not hard to get used to. I come from a ship called the Lost Light, and I think less weird things happen aboard the Moira than the Lost light.

[They haven't done any time travelling or accidentally created an alternate timeline because of a misunderstanding yet, so the Moira is one step below the Lost Light.]

Anyway, I'm Tailgate and I come from the planet Cybertron. Umm... I'm six million years old and my favourite colour is blue and... I like old folk music. Mostly when they're sung by people I like. Earth music is fun to listen to sometimes too, even if I don't understand the context for some of it.

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[clericals]

Six million?

[There's a lot of amazing things about this - most of its amazing. But she starts with that.]

You have got to tell me what kind of moisturizer you use.

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[ventifact]

my home planet is a desert wasteland complete with a spaceship graveyard and i scavenged ship parts to stay alive

[sharing is caring right??]

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[clericals]

That sounds really challenging.

This might be a stupid question, but do you ever miss it?

[vengeance_driven]

I am originally from the Balkans. And then I moved to Liberty City. From what I hear, New York is basically the same place.

No aliens there. Just assholes and gangs and organized crime and shitty politicians.

[clericals]

That's a fancy name. But all of the other stuff does sound really familiar.

What did you do in Liberty City?

[warandpeace]

I'm originally from Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan. I was born in the 40s, after the second World War. But I've been a little bit of everywhere since then.

No alien invasions. Not yet anyway.

Examples of superhuman abilities are becoming more prevalent, whether it's minor skills related to combat or things like telepathy or electrokinesis. Still at a very extreme minority, though.

[clericals]

It sounds like we could almost be from the same world. We have people with extra special skills and abilities too - like the Avengers. And Daredevil. Some would argue that he's not on par with them, but I think he's amazing.

[And she's biased.]

[imaginary_wife]

I got to be on the other side of the "showing up at Earth and making a mess of things" party. But, in our defense, our planet just blew up and we really needed a place to go.

I'm Dr. Meh Yewll. I'm an Indogene. I came from the Votanis System, which had a habitable range that supported many planets and even more races on those planets. Our technology was advanced enough for us to build Arks and leave our worlds.

We now live in one of those, "you lie and call it peace but everyone is a little bit bigoted and pretends they're too good for that", sorts of peace. If you know what I mean.

[clericals]

To be fair, there's plenty of people already on Earth who've messed it up a little too.

I'm sorry to hear about your planet. That must've been awful.

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[cardboard_boss]

I'm Ahab or Venom Snake if you want to use my codename. We've spoke already before, haven't we? [Only briefly when DD ran away from his stand up bath.]

My line of work is being a soldier and I'm the leader of Diamond Dogs. I'm over fifty years old and have more scars than most people have had dinners. [Because yeah.]

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[clericals]

That is an amazing codename. And yeah, you're the one with the dog, right? How is he?

Not Here

[whoami]

[ Sam doesn't like talking about himself, but it is supremely awesome to see what he would consider 'normal' people on the network. Since he's an MID tech he can be a total creeper and watch these conversations. ]

[VIDEO]

[dust_of_life]

[Okay, that's adorable. Or maybe it's just been a long time since Fatima's seen an a/s/l conversation anywhere.

She comes on the video feed. Not much more than twenty, but wearing an affected air of sophistication--along with way too much makeup. It's an eternal struggle on her part to try to look older and wiser than she really is. So nothing can faze her.]

I'm not sure you ever really get used to the multiverse. Just when you think you're starting to get a handle on it, it'll throw a nasty surprise or two you way.

Believe me.

[VIDEO]

[clericals]

I...can actually believe that.

You sound like you've been on the ship for awhile.

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[cassidyneal]

[Neal hasn't yet taken advantage of the network system like this, and he figures this is as good a time as any, so he sets up the video and replies back.]

You ever been to Anejo? The Tequileria place? Food is good, booze is great.

I'm Neal, by the way. Lived in Manhattan.

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[clericals]

Oh my god, yes. You know it? That's amazing! I guess it really is a small world - universe. Whatever.

Anyway, it's nice to meet you, Neal.

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[ersatzeverything]

I'm from the future, or at least that's what most of my fellow Earthlings here have told me. 2287.

[And he's been here a short enough time to still get a kick out the fact that he can legitimately use the word "Earthlings" to describe people, because there are so many people here who aren't.]

Boston was my old stomping ground, before I came here. [Although his accent sounds Californian.]

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[clericals]

Wow. Yeah, you've definitely got a couple of centuries on me. I guess Boston has changed a little.

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[seeingscarlet]

Home was Novi Grad, in Sokovia.

[Which means absolutely nothing to most people on the ship. She rarely talks about it now and never with someone from her world, but it's been on her mind a lot since Peter got hurt.

Aliens attacking New York City happens often enough in the movies that it doesn't really register that they could be from the same version of Earth.]

I live in New York now, too. [She isn't quite getting the distinction between the 'City' and the state - as far as Wanda's concerned Hell's Kitchen is just a really strange name for a town.]

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[clericals]

I've heard of Sokovia.

[Not as much as Karen will hear about it, should she ever return home. But she pays attention to the news, and give its history, it does pop up from time to time.]

I'm surprised that there are so many New Yorkers on board, native or not. Maybe we should form a little club.

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[yer_pretty_good]

So pizza or Thai food? Which do you like best?

[She did ask them to talk about themselves, but he finds her more interesting.]

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[clericals]

Oh wow, I didn't really expect anyone to ask that. Uhm...

[Karen rubs the back of her neck thoughtfully.]

Pizza. Pizza makes everyone happy, right?

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[whatdidisay]

Vorbarr Sultana. ( ivan offers, not expecting her to have ever heard of it. ) It's the planetary capital of the Barrayaran Empire.

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[clericals]

Wow, capital of an empire. I'm picturing something very fancy.

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[straightouttacarbonite]

You know, in some places the spaceships are the normal part.

Maybe not the kidnapping. Well, maybe the kidnapping, too, there're some sketchy systems out there.

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[clericals]

Space definitely doesn't have the monopoly on kidnapping. There's plenty of that on Earth.

Sounds like this is almost normal for you.

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[forfeits]

It's pretty amazing how many people are here -- it's easy to forget how big this place is. I still want to know more about why and how we're here, but.

I don't know that I'v adjusted, but it feels a little more normal than before. Better than nothing, right? But there's a lot to study, a lot to learn, and I guess that helps keep me pretty occupied. I've never heard of those places, before, though. We're a little bit behind, where I'm from.

[ He shrugs, not much he can do about that! ]

All of this stuff is still pretty new to me.

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[clericals]

You have a really great way of looking at it. And I guess we are able to see more and experience more than most of us would ever get the chance to.

We'll get home eventually, so let's just enjoy it, right?

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[ergon]

[ he doesn't need to see her to know she's nervous, and grasping for anything to allay it. ]

Breaking the tie is a very important job. Nothing like a mee krob fix from that little joint a few blocks away.

[ There's a smile in his voice that's obvious; Karen tends to underestimate herself a lot of the time. ] You're excellent with our clients and paperwork, too. Don't sell yourself short.

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[clericals]

Or a pepperoni and extra cheese from the other side of town.

[Sorry Matt, she didn't always side with you, you know. But she definitely sounds more relaxed now that she's talking to him.]

Well that's easy. Nelson and Murdock always stands up for good, decent people. The paperwork, though, you're definitely right about that. My system should be patented.

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[hatesimprovising]

I feel like I'm fairly adjusted to all of this? But I'm used to space travel, so that probably helped a lot.

[ Wash smiles a bit as he speaks, though it's a sheepish expression. He's also been here for almost five months, so he's had a lot more time to get used to all the other weirdness that goes on. ]

Back home, I'm a Freelancer. Which is...basically a specialized, highly trained soldier in the military. And humanity is sort of in the middle of a war with aliens.

[ Not "sort of", they are. But explaining what his life is like where he's from feels sort of weird when it seems like he's talking to someone who's from the past in a similar universe. ]

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[clericals]

I think that definitely gives you a head start.

[Karen shoots him a playful smile in return, though she looks more serious as he continues.]

How long's it been going on?