video ↪ un: crowe (cw for mention of policework/real world current events)

[pridecroweth]

（ the image opens on sam, obviously pretty comfortable with being on camera. zoom calls will do that to a guy, even the one who'd prefer by far to be an absolute luddite. ）

Whoever got to bring their Jaeger, text it, I'm mad jealous. Do you do ride-alongs?

（ the gundam. he's talking about the gundam.

of course, he wouldn't have wanted his car here — poor old blue isn't built for offroading, and it's not like this place has a gas station just around the bend. ）

I'm new. Trying to get the lay of the land. Was wondering if anyone's done a headcount yet? The better we're looking after each other, the less likely anyone will slip through the cracks. Somebody goes off and falls down a well, no Lassie to warn us, could be a bad time. This goes double for anyone who doesn't know how to use the comm devices.

I understand not everyone's going to be on board with announcing themselves or handing over their name — that's fine. I don't need anyone to tell their life story or even their real name, just basic identifiers so we have a rough idea of how many people should be here. You also don't have to tell me, but — if there's someone here you think you can trust, let them know if you're going out on your own. Call it a personal favor.

（ sam's spent years working with at-risk kids, he knows how to gentle himself. his tone is mild, his body language is open. not a threat. ）

Name's Sam. I'm from Earth, for the familiar, year 2021. I'm a detective with the Chicago PD, which I know isn't going to make me the most popular guy around — ACAB, trust me when I say I get it. I also served with the 75^th Ranger Regiment, 2002-2009. I know a thing or two about a thing or two, but alien planets are a little out of my wheelhouse.

（ a bit of a crooked smile. magic and the like? werewolves? vampires? sure. all that, he can handle (which he wouldn't announce anyway) but the rest? yeah. ）

That said, if anyone needs a second pair of eyes on patrol or someone who can lift heavy shit and doesn't care if I bitch about old football injuries, I'm your man. Peace.

Comments

text ; un: wanda

[chaoswitch]

If alien planets are outside your wheelhouse, what would be considered in it?

[pridecroweth]

Well, I'm a youth outreach worker and a detective in the Juvenile Investigations Division. Used to do fraud investigation, white collar shit.

（ he hasn't drawn his gun in years, is what he's saying. at least, not in the line of duty. ）

Photography.

Mario Kart.

[chaoswitch]

Mario Kart might be your closest experience it seems like. That's okay, I don't think you're alone in that.

My name is Wanda. It's nice to meet you, Sam.

[pridecroweth]

You too.

So what's your story? If you don't mind my asking.

( un: starless| text )

[morozova]

Earth appears to be quite popular.

What is a 'jaegar'?

[pridecroweth]

So I'm hearing.

It's a type of mecha. Large machine that you can usually ride in or on.

[morozova]

Can't imagine it'll fair well against the acid rain.

I'm not from Earth, personally, so you'll have to forgive me if I misunderstand half of the references. Other than that, I don't believe we have.

Perhaps Security has some sort of record, but I can't imagine them simply volunteering it.

[pridecroweth]

Yet, the desiccated husk of an actual dragon persists. That's the wild part to me.

Nothing to forgive. If you want or need anything Earth-based explained, happy to do it. I feel like those of us from Earth have a natural advantage, seeing as how the Adamant's survivors are from the same place — albeit a few centuries in the future for me.

That's Rémi's department, yeah? I'll talk to him.

@lance

[lifetothefullest]

I don't know, Chicago's kind of like an alien planet. Maybe your experience is more applicable than you think.

[pridecroweth]

Depends on your proximity to the Bean, I guess.

[lifetothefullest]

That's the super-reflective art installation, right?

[pridecroweth]

Anish Kapoor's great masterpiece, yeah. That's the one.

video; @nina

[neversmall]

[ Saints, there's a man moving on her watch feed.

Moving and talking. She'd... known about the talking, and she'd been exposed to the "texting", but the moving?

This is TOO MUCH, please excuse her. Mind blown. She is running off to find the nearest patient who is willing to explain to her how to use this now, because she HAS to try this thing.

(And is also making a mental not to make sure the watch is off, in a pocket, or Someplace Safe the next time she wants a private moment, thank you.)

Anyway, there's a bit of wrangling, and when the feed opens up you can mostly see... the wall of the Aid Station.

Nina: "Is it like this?"
John: "No, the camera's there, see?"
Nina: "No, I don't -- that's a camera?"
John: - laughter - "Just," and the picture adjusts to see about half of Nina's face, "like that? See? You can tell up in the corner there."
Nina: "Oh, I really need to brush my hair, why didn't you tell me--"
John: -more laughter, reassurances-

And look, eventually- there's most of Nina's face. ]

Hello, Sam! I didn't know the watch could do this. I'm going to have to try now. I'm Nina.

[pridecroweth]

（ well that's the cutest fucking thing he's seen all week, thank you, nina. sam is actually grinning when he opens up the video back — it's not a common expression on him. ）

Hi, Nina. Nice to meet you. Your hair's fine, by the way.

[neversmall]

[ Yes, her hair is fine, but it's the sort of statement that's a good safety valve. It also serves as a measure, though she hadn't meant to employ it in that sense - it's a kind response that she's receiving, with the sort of laughter that draws a circle around both people, not exclusive, not cruel. She knows the difference. And she laughs too. ]

Saints, you heard all that? It seems like every week I'm learning something new about this place. Not that it's been very long - about two months. But no official - or unofficial - headcount yet, as far as I know. It's a good idea.

@A.Price

[cryptoherpetology]

Dr. Alex Price, also from one of the Earth variations. Mine has more sapient species than other peoples' and has been known to randomly spit people into other realities already, which seems to be something of a genetic predisposition for my family.

Normally I'd be pulling out my tongue before saying any of this to a police officer to avoid being committed or made into a suspect for something, but I'm finding current circumstances are weird enough that my status as a cryptozoologist locked in a blood feud with a cryptid-hunting cult isn't the secret it needs to be back home.

[pridecroweth]

You know what? Fair enough.

Though in all honesty, I'm really not sure Chicago PD has jurisdiction here. Just saying.

[cryptoherpetology]

I'd still be using a fake name if I thought anyone had jurisdiction here.

As for matters of patrol, I can help you get the lay of the land in the "what not to touch, eat or startle" sense and my skills as a field medic have definitely improved in the last two months.

un.vidar

[spalten]

[ he read through what a jaeger is. ]

It's a hassle more than anything else considering there isn't a hangar to properly store it.

But I'll allow rides, so long as you do your best not to fall off.

omg i missed this somehow i'm so sorry pbls forgib

[pridecroweth]

I'm actually astoundingly good at not falling off of things, believe it or not.

So what's it called? Huge robot nerd over here, they don't really have that sort of thing where I'm from except in movies.

no ... no forgib .....

[spalten]

The term for it is a mobile suit; the frame for each mobile suit is unique and dependent on the class and type. Mine is a Gundam.

@weaverville

[wittingly]

Hey man
Ian
I work with the engineering corp. I've been mapping out the schematics for that Jaeger a little in case it breaks down, it's pretty amazing technology

as for location, it's kind of
-earth up to the 2018 apocalypse
-possibly alternate earth in 2512
-now here, I guess

You're adapting pretty well it seems like, that's impressive

[pridecroweth]

Ian, nice to meet you.

I will profess to slight jealousy about the mech.

As for the apocalypse — okay, you've got my attention.
Time travel really has my attention.

And thank you. I like to think I'm an adaptable guy. Roll with the punches and all that.

'Waking up in an egg' is something I'm still trying to wrap my head around.

（ ironique, since he's a bird. ）

[wittingly]

I like to drop buzzwords like 'apocalypse' and 'future' to make myself sound more interesting at parties. Pretty good success rate so far.

For the record, I can pretty much guarantee you something way weirder than waking up in an egg is gonna happen to you sooner rather than later. That's kind of how it goes.

[skagzz]

[ Tina sends him back a 12 hour loop of carmeldansen. Don't worry, she has a solid terrabyte of storage that is mostly full of nonsense. ]