o2. spinning wheels (video; un: burton)

[tumang]

[ The camera filming is the one from the console in the wall of the garden, the one that Haru put together. It shows Amos, fingers brushing along the plants hooked together along the wall. He has a smile on his face, and his touch seems incredibly gentle, his lips parted as he looks at the greenery. ]

Have you ever seen something more amazing? These plants are keeping us alive. Literally. Scrubbing up the air we breathe, putting it back out as something we can use. They take so much work, so much patience, so much knowledge. To keep them alive, help them grow. So amazing.

[ He stops, his face closing up all of a sudden. His jaw ticks with a muscle under the beard, and his hands turn into fists. He pulls away from the wall. It seems like a sudden change in mood, something like a switch has been flipped, all of a sudden. His posture tenses, his eyes start stinging. ]

This place is killing us. It's - it's killed my friend, already. He's more than a friend, really. He's my brother.

[ If you've met Amos, had a chat with him, you might realize that this video is pretty... well, unlike him. He doesn't seem to really recognize that fact, though, looking straight at the camera with his eyes slightly teary. ]

Be careful. This station does shit to us. [ Pause. Amos wipes at his eyes. Sniffles. ] Oh and by the way, guys, it's a station, not a ship. Don't make me say it again.

[ He doesn't sound angry, even when he says this, tired of having to repeat himself. There's a suspicious complete lack of anger throughout the whole entry. ]

Seriously, we need to get off this barge. All of us. If you think there's nothing you can do, I promise you, there is. We gotta work together.

Comments

[donkeyballs]

You're whiplashin' through emotions faster than a ping pong ball. [ Does Mars have ping pong? Who knows. It does now. ]

That ain't normal for anyone, but it sure as hell ain't normal for you. Almost seems like a hormone I'm imbalance or somethin'. You eat anything weird?

[tumang]

[ You know, he hasn't thought about it, until it's put right in front of him in clear terms. He really is feeling... a lot of things. Maybe it's because he's so unused to it that he keeps on shifting from one to the next, not knowing what to do with either. He looks down, feeling almost... sheepish? Is that how that feels like? ]

Not that I can recall. Just the usual protein shit.

[donkeyballs]

[ He lets a breath out of his nose and then looks at Amos a little helplessly. ]

Well... hell if I know. You ain't hearin' anything weird, or seein' anything, right?

[tumang]

Nope. No voices in my head aside from my own. No hallucinations. Nothing.

[ Amos grins, a little crooked, before sobering up. ]

Gotta say it's a little... much.

[donkeyballs]

Yeah, it sounds it. [ For his part, Alex sounded sympathetic, but also at a total loss.

He just didn't know how to help, or what had caused it in the first place. ]

Guess we'll just have to - wait it out. See if your mood starts to even out.

[tumang]

What do I do in the meantime? I feel like I should sit in a dark corner and stare at a wall to keep myself from saying, or doing the wrong thing.

[ He makes a noise of dismay. ]

Shit, this stuff is irritating.

[donkeyballs]

Nah, you don't have to do that. Though maybe no more network posts, for a bit.

[ He paused, before looking over at Prax's plants. ]

Why don't we just work on the plants, for a while? I ain't gonna hold anything you say against you, specially now that I know what's goin' on.

[tumang]

[ Amos takes a moment, but then nods, slow. He likes the idea of having Alex close, just to be able to keep an eye out for him. ]

Yeah. Okay, let's do that. But if you ruin any of them, I'll have to sic the doc on you.

/end scene?

[donkeyballs]

[ He offers a warm - if edged with worry - smile. ]

And I would take that punishment with full gravity, I promise you.