video/action » un:millerlite

[pampa]

[ miller got with the program... quick. he wakes up near the observation deck and snaps up the communicator that won't stop chirping at him and julie's necklace that's also within his grasp - he rubs his fingers over the beads before pocketing it. jumpsuit... magboots. back to square one. god, he hates space. in his fugue at first he thinks it's julie's voice, but it's not. and just as quickly he pieces together that this isn't eros. he sneers at the foreign insignia on the wall and starts scrolling through menus until the stupid recording stops. he logs in after a few different username kickbacks and pulls up a video feed. no time like the present to figure this shit out, right?

a surly-looking man with a (fake) mohawk appears on the network, the giant window of space his backdrop. he hasn't actually looked through said window yet though. ]

You tried to save the world? Yeah, okay. I was just risking my neck to save the whole goddamn Solar System, but I guess. You know, fine, that's great, I can always take a detour. [ he does not look like it's fine OR great okay. ] So what is this? Dusters, Earthers... I know this is an Inner operation. No way Belters are in the kidnapping people business. Unless it's profitable. And let me tell you right now, I'm about as useless a pickup as they come.

[ miller scrubs a hand over his mouth and turns, finally, to the bay window. concern flickers over his face, maybe fear too. but when he turns back to the video his expression is clear. he can't let this distract him, he has a job to finish. ]

Can I get a headcount at least? I'm sure I'm the only Belter on this rust-bucket too. [ he smooths two fingers along the seam of the window, making a little huffing sound when it comes back dirty. ] Well, here's something that might interest you Earthers: Eros is on a collision course for your precious blue globe, so hook me up with an escape pod. A frickin' catapult, I don't care. I was busy, you don't get to just take grand gestures like that away from a guy. [ okay this is edging towards counterproductive so he just groans and shakes his head, ending the feed after a terse: ] Miller out.

[ if anyone comes by the deck, he'll be just as grumpy, looking over the stars and wondering why he doesn't recognize a single one. miller rubs at his eyes, his free hand reaching into his pocket to touch the necklace - oddly the only thing they didn't take from him. and yet it was the only thing of value he was carrying other than a vac suit and a goddamn nuke. when you get close enough, you'll probably hear him muttering nonsense to himself but the gist of it is: ] I hate space.

Comments

[morphogenia]

Well be careful! [Kamala starts to lecture. She's gonna look out for the weird and mysterious stranger!!!! Unless of course she gets distracted.] Wait only twenty minutes ago? Seriously? Ugh this place is so weird.

[Back to what he was saying like five minutes later.....] Huh? Oh. It's probably nothing. You just seemed upset to see me for a second. I wasn't sure if I stole your spot in like at the gyro shop or something back home.

[pampa]

Be careful... of doors?

[ he lifts an eyebrow with a healthy dose of skepticism, waiting for an answer when instead he gets... a string of words that mean next to nothing to him. ]

It's not like an Earther to admit stealing something from a Belter. [ and then an audible deflation because he doesn't think she'll even know what that means. ] Don't sweat it, kid.

[morphogenia]

I literally have no idea what you're talking about. I will say that I have a policy of taking responsibility for my mistakes.... because otherwise Ammi will yell a lot. She really has the scariest looks.

[Cue dramatic sigh!!!!!] My point is feel free to ask for help! [This has nothing to do with her point at all.]

[pampa]

[ he's not really sure what she's talking about either, but it's never stopped him before. miller shrugs. ]

What is it you think you can help me with, Earther?

[morphogenia]

[Kamala huffs.] Well for starters it's Kamala. Second, how do you know I'm from Earth?

[pampa]

[ he levels her a seriously unimpressed look. does she think that's scary...? because it's actually kind of adorable, not that he'd say so. ]

Can spot an Earther from miles away. Besides, you just confirmed it for me. [ but seriously, there was no way she was martian or a belter. then again, that didn't appear to be the only option here, somehow... he concedes a second later: ] Kamala.

[morphogenia]

[Wow she's so intimidating!! She took a whole lesson on it!!! He is giving her an inch so she is quick to forgive him. Kamala smiles brightly.]

I don't know how, but that's okay! Before I give you warnings about this totally awful place, can I ask what a Belter is? That seems important since I think you are one? Right?

[pampa]

Because you walk like someone who grew up in consistent gravity. And you talk about gyro shops whatever the hell those are. Earthers are easy, they have plenty of tells.

[ but fine, he'll explain this shit again. because like, what else is he doing right now? ]

You're damn right it's what I am. Born and not-raised on Ceres. Never left it either, not until this case grabbed hold of me and wouldn't let go- [ it's obviously about a girl. okay back to ceres. ] You know where that is, in the Asteroid Belt?

[morphogenia]

[Kamala shuts up for once because this is so educational!!!] Oh yeah I do!! I'm really good at Astronomy. That's so cool! You're like a spaceman or something.

[pampa]

[ wow yep he sure hates this conversation so much. ]

Not a spaceman. What part of "my first spacewalk was last week" did you not understand?

[morphogenia]

[Kamala crosses her arms. Prepare for an argument and more huffing.] Oh come on! That's way more space experience than I have! I don't count being held prisoner in a space station as space experience FYI.

[She shakes her head.] You're so defensive, Mr. Belter!

[pampa]

[ mr. belter - he mouths the words, bemused for a moment until he realizes she's upset. at him. he might be an asshole, but he doesn't go out of his way to bully kids, believe it or not. she's right anyway. ceres is basically one big space station and he could help her, if he took his head out of his ass long enough. thinking of the girl back home that he'd seen playing from his balcony, he sighs, moving to get down on one knee so they're closer to eye level. his magboot clangs loudly off the metal as he miscalculates, wearing a friendlier expression than he had been up til now. or at least clearer. ]

Wanna know something, kid? I threw up on the transport. [ he remembers diogo laughing him on the way to eros the first time, the barest of smiles touching his lips. ] And it's Joe.

[ he says both items like secrets, precious and held to his chest, though they aren't. not really. everyone knows his name back home, they just prefer to call him miller. it probably makes him easier to hate or something. he'd never really thought about it before, and he's trying not to think about why he wants this girl to call him by his first name instead. ]

[morphogenia]

[Kamala looks a little wary at first when he literally gets on her level. Once she gets what he's doing though she softens immediately. She shares something in return.] Thanks, Joe. Sorry. I really want to help, but the truth is I don't know much except for the fact this place seems to be low key trying to kill us in weirdly specific ways. The rest is just hypotheses. I just didn't want anyone who got sucked into this mess to be alone. I mean speaking from experience it totally sucks.

[pampa]

[ he nods, supposing now is as good a time as any to hear her out. he leans both elbows on his knee to show that he's attentive. ]

Alright. Tell me what the fuck is happening.

[morphogenia]

[Kamala holds up a finger as she enters serious talk mode.] Here's what we know for sure. Everyone here says the same thing: some stuff here is locked, our things are missing, and none of came here willingly. We just showed up in weird places on the station in these outfits which is super, super creepy.

[She shudders. No, Kamala is never getting over that.] Since then people have been giving reports of doors liquefying and trying to swallow them whole. There was even a video of it with people who aren't a part of the current group here as far as we can tell which... yeah. That goes into hypotheses. Moving on, wires also showed up inside some people's bodies which is super gross. Some of the stuff that was stolen is also showing up... along with a dog. Seriously they kidnapped a dog too. There was also a weird week where we could hear people crying for help in the walls, but when we opened them up no one was there. Oh! And apparently the food caused hallucinations for a bit. I missed that part. But, yeah that's pretty much the situation as we know it right now.

[pampa]

[ a dog. um, okay. different idiots but also current idiots getting stuck in doors. body horror, weird movie devices. yeah suffice to say he's frowning pretty hard, running a hand over his hair and letting out a sigh. ]

No one's seen any... weird blue shit around, have they? [ he's sure the first thing the crew would have told him is that the protomolecule is here, if so. but he's still going to ask someone who's paying attention. Just In Case. ]

[morphogenia]

[Kamala shakes her head.] Nope. And trust me we'd have heard about it. Everyone has actually been really great at sharing information and confirming what other people have seen.

[pampa]

[ he nods ] Just had to check. It's the only stuff I know of that could make shit like that happen. Or even come close.

[ is this another test? on everyone this time? there seem to be way more earthers here than anything. maybe run by a duster group?though miller still thinks even martians would test this shit on belters before earthers, if eros was any indication. but not the protomolecule this time? maybe something even worse. he straightens up after another second, waiting to see the truth. but he needs more info than apparently any of them have to crack this case. ]

I think this might be above my paygrade. [ which you know, is technically zero. but he's qualified to throw himself bodily into situations he has no business being in??? so at least there's a precedent. ]

[morphogenia]

Paygrade...? [Kamala pauses to think about it before snapping her fingers. She knows this reference!!!!] Oh! You're a cop, right? Or a detective? That would actually be super useful right about now. I mean I am on the honor roll at school, but you know I'm not exactly trained in investigating kidnappings especially not my own. This is exactly what we need!

[pampa]

[ he gives a little wince at the snap, shrugging a shoulder. ] Used to be, kid. Ironically enough, i was on a kidnap job when I got let go.

[ he's never been exactly what anyone needed. he really wishes she wouldn't say that ]

[morphogenia]

[Kamala offers a sympathetic look despite having no idea how good or bad he was at said job.] Oh no. Was it like on those cop shows? Where you didn't close a case fast enough or got too invested? Where I come from it's usually budget cuts.

[pampa]

[ he snorts. budget cuts. ] All of Ceres is one big budget cut, but in my case... in Julie's case, I was gettin' too close to the truth. Some people at the top didn't like that.

[ but it just meant he was right to become so invested, as she put it. he pulls out julie's necklace from his pocket and looks down at the beads in his hand. ]

Sometimes doing the right thing doesn't make you very popular. Especially when they're used to you rolling over.

[morphogenia]

Yeah... I mean minus the rolling over part. I don't really know how to do that at all. I think it's great you were willing to lose your job to stand up for someone. It's like something Captain America would do.

[She informs him helpfully as she blatantly stares at the necklace.] Also no fair! They totally stole my jewelry and let you keep yours... which is super pretty by the way. I am actually glad you got to keep it while also being insanely jealous of you.

[pampa]

[ uhhhhhhhh ] Who? [ yeah he's got nothin' ]

It was hers. Julie Mao. [ he tosses the item once in the air, and it comes down slow in the low gravity before he catches it neatly again. he catches her eyes in the same moment. ] Sorry they took your stuff. I'm pissed they took my gun, if that helps.

[morphogenia]

American superhero. Does the right thing pretty much all the time. He's basically the best. [Kamala explains without skipping a beat. Then she's watching him toss the necklace with childish wonder pretty plain to see.]

Wow... I always forget we can do that. Anyways, it actually doesn't help. They stole Pernani's wedding bangles. Back in her day, she managed to hang onto them while pregnant with Naani and running for her life because we kind of weren't welcome in India anymore. Long story. The point is I'm the first one to lose them and probably brought tons of shame of my family. It sucks.