video » un:millerlite

[pampa]

( they’re standing in front of what looks to be a garden, even though it’s empty at present. miller is standing there in his porkpie hat and for once he looks… happy? he claps prax on the shoulder with a small smile and gestures back through like they should show everyone around. )

I told you we’d find it, didn’t I, botanist?

( prax is smiling, too, eyes not focused on the camera but on the rows of hydroponic installations. )

You did. ( that’s soft. a little more firmly, addressing not just miller even though he still isn’t looking at the camera: ) This is enough space to ensure food supply and air filtration, if we’re creative. And if the seeds are still viable, there’s almost enough to fill the spaces in the mess hall tables and the corridors, too.

( and the chapel, don’t sue him for forgetting that. )

Potatoes, mushrooms. ( and then, with obvious pleasure: ) Soy.

( miller raises his arms up to the ceiling in apparent victory, just as excited though he doesn’t know dick about gardening. )

Air is good, isn’t it? Air is nice. ( he addresses his smartwatch again after the brief distraction, ) That doesn’t mean you assholes can smoke, got it? Keep it classy, Inners. We’ll keep everyone breathing easy with these greens, but you all have to do your part and not fuck it up.

( prax nods. he wouldn’t have put it in those terms but yeah. ) We’ll need to test these seeds for viability. Plant them, if they are. Figure out the proper mineral solution needed for long-term stability.

( he glances at miller, then - finally - at the camera. he looks hopeful. ) This is good.

( miller nods at prax a final time and gets a last word in before cutting the feed: ) We all might not die. ( his optimism truly is something to be admired, isn’t it? )

Comments

un: burton; video

[tumang]

[ Amos almost just writes out a text as soon as he sees the video. It's strange, to see Prax and Miller side by side when one died just before the other joined them, but it fits, somehow. They're both desperate men, who will stop at nothing to get what they want or need, and Amos respects that. The two of them teaming up and discovering this doesn't surprise him, even if he does look mildly impressed when he turns to video to reply. ]

You need me to help, I'm here, Doc. How did you get this to open?

video; un:millerlite

[pampa]

We'll need everyone to help, beratna. [ he doesn't mind being ignored, but he does give amos a look. ] We just got lucky, I guess. Or put in about 2 million codes til the thing gave up. Either way.

[tumang]

[ This isn't about you, buddy!!! ]

What, you manually put code after code after code? How long did it take?

[ Guess it's something to do while they weren't sleeping, with the music shit. ]

[pampa]

About two weeks.

[tumang]

I could have helped.

[ Or did you want time alone with Prax, Miller? Is that it? ]

And there was nothing in there but the plants? Nothing weird? Nothing we should be worried about?

[pampa]

You're not the patient one, no offense there, lunky. Next time I need someone to stay up all night with putting codes into a box you're at the top of the list, ke?

Nothing in here at all, Burton, except seeds and tubes. Come see for yourself.

[tumang]

I can be patient.

[ He's been patient. Waiting for orders, waiting for boarders, waiting for instructions, waiting for everything he's told to wait for. He can wait. It's not really something Miller has had a chance to see much, though. ]

I'm on my way. Prax had started teaching me a bit about what he does, back on the Roci. I can be helpful.

[pampa]

Okay. Next time for sure then.

[ he smiles, for once in good spirits. ]

I don't doubt it, brother. Get the hell down here then.

[contorta]

( prax is too excited, too pleased to feel awkward about what happened between them during the musical interlude. he's smiling at the camera now, glad to share this with amos. )

I - we - could use an extra pair of hands.

( a beat. ) Miller got it open.

[tumang]

[ When he responds to Prax, Amos's face softens up a little. While they haven't talked since they kissed, it doesn't seem to matter, right now. Prax doesn't look to be mad at him. He's not looking at him like he's scared. He's just looking happy. ]

Any time. I'll help you with anything you need.

[ It's no question. ]

But you were with him, right?

[contorta]

Thank you, Amos.

( the words don't carry their usual gravitas. he feels none of the helplessness he feels so often when amos has to save him again, has to help him.

this? this is something he knows. something he's good at. )

Yeah, I was.

[tumang]

So you helped.

[ Amos, time and again, is just trying to get Prax to realize just how much he's actually helping. How he matters, and he's doing good, and useful things. Amos tries to remind him as often as he can.

Sure, if Prax had seen this room on the map and had gone to Miller and not Amos, well - fine. It's not what actually matters. ]

Anyway, does it look like you can work with this?

[contorta]

Not much.

( and miller's the detective —but it hadn't been prax's initiative, so amos has no reason to be jealous either way. )

Oh, yeah. I mean, I will still need to test for viability, but yes. This looks good.

[tumang]

[ Amos clicks his tongue. They could talk in circles for hours like this. ]

Should I bring tools? Is there everything we need up there, or does stuff need fixing first?

[contorta]

I think we have everything we need, but maybe just to be safe? I haven't checked everything yet.

[tumang]

Okay. I'm on my way.