[video]

[kestreldawn]

[In frame: a young woman, seemingly in her early 20's, though the weariness of her gaze and the downward turn of her lips would suggest someone who's much older. Or, perhaps, someone young who's been forced to grow too much, too quickly. She doesn't say anything right away, looking like she's gathering her thoughts and is regretting having not done so before recording. She inhales a quiet breath, huffs it out through her nose.]

Jyn Erso here. [She clenches her jaw, purses her lips. She absent-mindedly taps her finger on the glowing tattoo under her skin.] The last thing I remember is - light. Bright light. Heat and energy and light. [Her gaze is unfocused, mind elsewhere as she remembers.] We'd been fighting, on Scarif. We - [Her voice hitches in her throat, which she tries to clear. When she speaks again, her voice is hoarse and worn.] I don't know if anyone got away. I don't know if anyone lived. But they'd followed me down to the beach. I'm the reason they - [Another breath through her nostrils as she steels her nerves and her eyes go cold.] The fact of the matter is, I'm here, and I'm not sure why. And all I really want to do right now is shoot the ever-living kriff out of something, preferably something inhuman and non-sentient, like a dummy. I'm in some place called - De Chima? It isn't its own planet, which is - that's a different story all together, and just - look, if anyone knows where I can find something like that, please let me know. [A few more seconds of silence before the video goes black.]

Comments

Audio;

[reexamined]

I didn't.

[She'll know his voice. Video would be pointless.]

Get away, that is. But you already probably knew that.

[Of course he's not going to get emotional about it, for a variety of reasons. Jyn definitely seems like she's having a bit of a moment though.]

[kestreldawn]

[If he could see her, he would've seen the color drain from her face, would've seen the tremble in her lips and the expanding of her eyes. She clenches her jaw, willing the bile bubbling at her gut to stay put, stay where it's supposed to.]

We heard you - we heard you, in the data vault. [She swallows thickly.] You said 'goodbye.'

[reexamined]

I did. I experienced total shutdown three seconds after that.

You sound upset.

[kestreldawn]

[If it were anyone else, if it had been any other time, after any other circumstances, she'd threaten some sort of bodily - or electrical, in this case - harm. He's fortunate, this time.]

And you sound as well as you ever did.

"Oh, I'm happy you're somehow alive, Jyn!"
"Why, thanks K2. I'm happy to see you lived, too."

[reexamined]

[ He won't be as fortunate next time, which is why he should make the most of it now, while he still can. ]

I didn't think you cared that much.

[ And he's not saying it to be rude, exactly. He just... didn't think she did, genuinely. He didn't think anyone but Cassian actually cared about him.

There's a 78% chance she's going to deflect from admitting she does care about him, by responding with some kind of sarcastic remark. He could save her the embarrassment, by changing the subject. But he won't. Because there's still a chance she won't avoid the subject. ]

[kestreldawn]

Well, I don't anymore. Not after seeing how unenthusiastic you seem to be.

What was that thing you said to me back on Scarif? Continually unexpected, I think it was. It seems more like you continually underestimate me than whether or not I fulfill some sort of quota for 'caring.'

[reexamined]

[And this is why he really shouldn't talk to people when they're emotional. Not that this was an unexpected reaction, but it's definitely not helped by his awkwardness.

He pauses for a moment, and then turns on video- on his side. He knows it doesn't mean anything really, because his face doesn't show emotion either, but it's the thought that counts.]

I did underestimate you.

[He underestimates everyone.]

I don't know how either of us are alive, and I don't trust it. But I am glad you are, Jyn Erso.

[kestreldawn]

[At seeing his video, she lets out a bright chirp of laughter - flooded with joy, surprise, awe, and comfort. She takes a breath, steadies herself, and returns his video with one of her own.] If I didn't know any better, I'd say you look happy to see me. [It's a joke, K2. Don't worry.]

I don't understand it, either. And I guess - I guess we don't have to trust it since it's happening whether we do or not. But - [Her expression softens as she nods.] Likewise, K2.

Where are you? Are you in this De Chima place, too?

[reexamined]

[It's weird, that apparently just seeing him makes her happier, even though she knew he was fine. It's also weird, how he feels... relieved, somehow now.

It's almost as if they didn't actually go on a suicide mission and things are fine. Maybe Cassian is just off-screen somewhere, and not completely annihilated.

Given both of their appearances here, there's at least a 9% chance Cassian really is here, somewhere. Given that potential, he decides to not ask Jyn if she's seen him, and allows himself to believe in that 9% for at least a little while longer. It will probably last about an hour or so. ]

I'm also in De Chima. I've been assigned a house here to live in. With roommates.

[His photoreceptors bore into the camera feed, and he doesn't need an expression to convey how he feels on that matter.]

[kestreldawn]

[A small part of her curses his lack of facial expression; it means she has no way of surmising what he might be feeling (do droids feel?, she wonders) at any given point.

But, much to her surprise, the sight of him, lack of facial expression and all, bring her comfort of some kind. She bites the tip of her tongue, wondering whether to ask if he's seen Cassian but the mere thought of his name makes her want to scream. She decides not to.]

You are? I wonder how far apart we are. I'm in - er, 003, I think it was. [Her eyes glitter with amusement.] I'm used to cellmates, so room mates are a bit of an improvement. Have you met yours?

[reexamined]

[He shifts his head, as if he's looking out a window, and continues on without bringing his attention back to the communicator.]

I'm in zero-zero-two. Right next door.

[He's looking out the large window next to him now, staring at 003 in this moment. Might be a little unsettling, if there's anyone in 003's living room right now.]

I haven't met them yet.

[He doesn't even particularly want to stay here. He doesn't trust easy, and being forced to live with several people he doesn't know let alone trust, sounds like a bad idea.]

Have you?

[kestreldawn]

I wonder if that's coincidence. [She glances around as though unsure of whose ears might be listening before finally bringing her gaze back to the camera and shaking her head a bit.] I haven't. It makes me wonder if I have any, or if we simply keep missing each other.

[reexamined]

The likeliness if it being a coincidence is twenty-five point three percent.

[She probably missed this right? The percents. Totally.]

Are you there now?

[kestreldawn]

[She exhales a huff of air as though annoyed, but the light in her eyes is a very quick and obvious betrayal of the feigned irritation.

She nods.] I am. Meet you outside in five?

[reexamined]

[Roger roger.]

Yes.

[But, it's not like he's going to be hanging around inside for any reason. He'll already be outside her "house" by the time it's been five minutes, and he's just looking around at ... everything. A mailbox. Trimmed bushes. Lawns. Anything that falls under the category of "suburban neighborhood" is regarded with vague curiosity.]

[action]

[kestreldawn]

[Most of the following five minutes are spent mentally, emotionally preparing herself for seeing K2 again. Some of it's trying to etch out the sound of his voice coming through the comm outside of the data vault. Some of it is peeking around the house to see if her room mates are around only to find she's alone.

She itches at where the tattoo is on her wrist, though it's more psychosomatic than real. She slips out of the door to be greeted with the sight of his gargantuan form, his spindly limbs, the familiar whirring of gears and mechanics.]

What the kriff is this place, am I right?

[action]

[reexamined]

Completely.

[He agrees, turning to look up at the sky. It's probably the only thing around that looks "normal."

As a reprogrammed Imperial droid, there's three places he's been for most of his existence. Rebel bases, Imperial bases, and all the shady backalley-filled planets in between. Nowhere that was ever just... nice and peaceful. There's no such thing as peaceful, with the line of work he was utilized for. But at the same time, due to both sets of his programming, he never exactly desired a peaceful situation anyway.

He glances back down to Jyn with a slight click of his machinery. She looks just like he last saw her, but less panicked, and not in a disguise.]

...The temperature here is moderate, and the atmosphere is that of a Type-1 planet. The population is mostly human- I haven't seen another droid, or even someone non-human, yet. Technology is advanced in some areas, but at a complete halt in others- like space travel. There has been notably no major encounters with outside species aside from imports.

[It's the kind of run-through he'd give Cassian, if they were on a mission... But he doesn't have anyone to tell it to now, besides Jyn. He thought maybe going through the motions would help things feel less unusual. Kind of helped.]

Did they give you a "job assignment" as well?

[kestreldawn]

OOC: Meant to ask you, Jyn has telepathy/memory reading abilities; are you okay with that? .. I wonder if it'd work on a droid, seeing as he doesn't have a 'brain.'

[She listens to his report, wondering if this might be a typical conversation between he and Cassian. It's information she doesn't really know what to do with, but she's grateful for it all the same. It's a sterile pile of facts.] It seems, with the few I've spoken to, that many here haven't heard of space travel at all. Someone called it 'science fiction,' in fact.

They did. I'm to be a Data Files Manager at a place called Devastation Records Industry or Company or something. [The tone of voice would clearly indicate how unenthused she is about this.] What did you get?

[reexamined]

[OOC: Yeah, that'd be fine!]

"Science Fiction?" Are they really that backwater here?

[It's rhetorical, because of course they are. Of all the planets for them to wind up on, it's one that doesn't even believe in advanced scientific development. Probably still wouldn't, even if he was standing there, about to slap them in the face.

At least Data File Manager sounds like something he could do. He gives her that "look" he gets again, and his tone is as absolutely dry as possible:]

Sports Commentator.

[He doesn't even know what Earth sports consist of.]

ACK i have no idea what happened! i never got this tag notif! sorry!

[kestreldawn]

[A voice floats into her consciousness - almost K2's, but not quite - talking rather gruffly about their current situation, their lack of technology, his lack of enthusiasm about his job, his confusion about Earth sports.

She blinks up at him, unsure of where this voice might be coming from - whether it's his, whether it's some side effect of being transported here. After a few more moments, she manages to release a semi-strained smile.]

Sounds like the perfect job for an ex-Imperial droid, don't you think? [Sarcasm, so much sarcasm.]

Np!!

[reexamined]

[Well that's an odd look she just gave him for a moment. But maybe she just does that. He's only know her for less than a week, in total. It's not enough time for him to have catalogued her average behaviors. He supposed he should start now.]

I think they have as much competence assigning me a job as I have in lying convincingly.

Which is to say they're very bad at it, and there is a 98% chance I'm going to be fired within my first shift.

[kestreldawn]

This isn't what I normally do. [She suddenly retorts his thoughts, though to her, she thinks she's heard them out loud.] This - This isn't an average behavior of mine. I don't - I'm not sure what's happening.

At least there's a 2% chance of hope. You'd probably be rather good at it, if you tried. Entertaining, at the least.

[reexamined]

I didn't say that out loud.

[ Kay says suddenly, photoreceptors looking Jyn over once again, with an air of suspicion. ]

How did you know I was thinking that?

[kestreldawn]

You - You didn't? [Jyn furrows her brows as she considers him.] But - I heard you, I heard you speaking and saying -

I heard you.

[reexamined]

[ Kay tilts his head at her, and then rather than speaking out loud, very clearly projects: You're right Jyn, I learned how to lie in the past thirty-six seconds. ]