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

[donkeyballs]

Yeah. You did. [ And Alex believes that, completely. Miller gave his life for it. He's earned his rest.

Only apparently he wasn't resting. Alex took another long drink . ]

Anyway, the point is - [ He turned his head to catch Miller's eye, his expression grim but firm. ] I'm glad to see you. Don't know how in the hell you're alive, but I'll take it.

[pampa]

[ there it is again. alex is relieved, he's glad. miller can't quite wrap his head around it. ]

Why? [ why does alex give a fuck if he's alive or dead? especially in a place like this, where he can already glean he'll be about as good as useless. ]

[donkeyballs]

[ The question makes his brow furrow a little bit, like he doesn't quite understand it. Why wouldn't he be glad? Despite everything that happened, did he really think Alex would rather see him dead?

Still frowning, he shifted the glass across the bar a little bit. ]

'nough people are dead. [ His voice dropped a bit. ]

We couldn't save you. Would have, if we could. We ain't had enough wins to disregard this one.

[pampa]

Ehhhh. [ he groans and makes a face, swatting a hand through the air like he really doesn't want to hear it. because he doesn't. ] Didn't ask you to save me.

But I guess since I'm alive and all that frees me up to drink myself to death. [ he takes another swig, this one triggering a shiver up the entire length of his spine. ]

[donkeyballs]

Yeah, you made it pretty damn hard to even try. [ Mildly. Don't think he doesn't know you have a bit of a death wish, Miller. But he sighs. ]

Look. I know this ain't where anyone wants to be, but we're all gonna need each other to be able to find a way off this damn thing. So maybe settle for drinkin' yourself into a stupor, huh?

[pampa]

[ that inspires a shallow grin. ] Sounds like me. [ but fine, he'll play ball. miller holds out his hand for the liquor bottle, plying alex with a truly pathetic expression. ]

Oh, I'll show you a stupor alright.

[donkeyballs]

[ Alex sighed, and didn't hand Miller the bottle, but he did fill his glass. ]

Look, Miller. I ain't gonna pretend to understand. The shit you've been through - what you remember and what you don't - I know that ain't somethin' I'm ever really gonna get. But I'm serious. We're gonna need you, same as you're gonna need us. So try an' keep it together, huh?

[pampa]

[ they're going to need him, huh? he's not as surprised by the sentiment as he is about alex admitting it. and he gives a grateful nod when the other man tops up his glass, leaving his hand wrapped around it for the moment. ]

What do you think this place really is? [ he can't promise to keep it together and drink himself stupid okay so he leaves that one alone for now. alex has been here for weeks. surely he must have a theory. ]

[donkeyballs]

[ The question at least means Miller is thinking, which is a good sign. So Alex tops off his own glass. ]

Ain't got the faintest. Far as I can tell, a space station, and it's gotta be connected to earth, somehow. Someone found a copy of Moby Dick, so it ain't alien. But this system - we're so damn far out that I couldn't even start to figure out where we are. Thousands of light years, at least, since none of the damn stars line up.

[pampa]

Moby Dick. [ he snorts, humorless. ] Is that the one about the whale?

[donkeyballs]

The white whale, tha's right. [ Not that Alex had ever read it - books about oceans and whales were almost impossible to visualize. He'd never seen so much as a lake.

It also isn't what they're talkin' about, but:]

Don Quixote would have been a little too on the nose, I reckon.

[pampa]

Don't think I know that one, but I'll take your word for it, Duster.

Belters aren't big Readers.

[donkeyballs]

Can't say I've read it either, but I got the highlights from the Cap.

[ It was, after all, where the name for the Roci had come from. He'd been curious. ]

My point is - the station's definitely got some connection to Earth, somehow. But it ain't look like any Earth tech I'm used to, and far as I know, no UNN ship can melt its doors, either.

[pampa]

Yeah... there do seem to be a disproportionate amount of Earthers on this float. Weird, that.

[ to say nothing of the lot of them having no idea what anyone from the roci is talking about 100% of the time ]

[donkeyballs]

Far as I know, only Martians on this station are Bobbie and myself, and the only Belters are you and Naomi.

[ He doesn't sound very enthused about this concept. ]

Nearly everyone I've met claims to be from before we even colonized Mars.

[pampa]

Claims to be? You don't believe 'em?

[donkeyballs]

Honestly, I don't know what the hell t' think. We've been on Mars for two hundred years. That ain't something that just - doesn't happen.

But they ain't got a reason to lie.

[pampa]

This girl I met - Kamala - she seemed pretty damn sure there was no colony on Ceres. Eros, Mars... none of it. She said she only knew where they were because she aced Astronomy class.

[donkeyballs]

Miller, almost every damn person I talk to has said they came from the twenty first century.

Hell, all Rogue remembered about Mars was the Curiosity, Spirit, and Opportunity Rovers.

[pampa]

[ jesus christ. time to down this glass too, that's enough nursing it. he sets it aside though, feeling his vision go splotchy as the vertigo kicks in. there it is. that's the stuff. ]

So we're from the future. [ spooky hand motions go here ] If not for this junk heap, then most of the people on it.

[donkeyballs]

Yeah. Accidentally broke a few hearts, I think, lettin' people know.

But a lot of what they remember sure as hell don't line up with the history I know.

Take Mako, for example - she's a pilot. But she don't pilot ships, she pilots giant fighting robots. To fight aliens. On earth. In the twenty-first century.

[ It blew his mind, brother. ]

[pampa]

So it's like... a really heavy-handed Mandela effect, right? [ he snorts, humorless and managing to sound like the simple expelling of air took a real effort on his part. painful, almost. ] Alternate realtities. That shit is for Sci Fi TV.

[donkeyballs]

Yeah. Though god damn, is it ever above my pay grade.

Hurts my head just tryin' to think about it.

[ Which is why he is just going to pour himself another glass, now. ]

[pampa]

You aren't kidding. [ he definitely already has a headache, whether that's from the drinks or conversations he's had is another matter entirely though. ] At least we're still qualified to get blackout drunk.

[ miller: always looking on the bright side ]