001 : VIDEO

[ancillary]

[ Exosuits with climate control were the work of the lord here in Florida. Miranda teased a lock of already fraying black hair between her thumb and forefinger as she locked anyone on the network in chilly, appraising stare. ]

Spare me anything starting with wormhole and temporal displacement. If the scientific community lionized by the other imPorts is anything to go then I'll just read their thesis and shake their hands at the next swear-in party. [ Her clipped words are cagey but otherwise confident in that this was a bridge to be crossed at a later date. Theories are for people without decent funding. ] What I want to know is why the government have been sidestepping my demands for access to information on their orbital defense system that isn't some goddamn telescope.

If they are pulling people out of their own dimensions, and cannot even be bothered to look up then consider any arrangement they sought with me shot to hell.

Comments

[video]

[smarterthandad]

They either don't have orbital defenses or they're hiding 'em so well there aren't any leaks.

[Yeah, hi, it's a three year old child who shares Miranda's contempt for this Earth's space program.]

[video]

[ancillary]

Well hello.

[ Miranda shifted the tone for her unexpected audience on a dime; she was careful to be warmer without being patronizing. Also, that was way too shrewd to be something a kid would hear and repeat without context. ]

It's 2014 the former is probably the sad truth of it. Doesn't NASA still ask for handouts on public television?

[video]

[smarterthandad]

["Shrewd" describes Val quite accurately.]

Cold War's ongoing, so they're not hurting for funding, though I assume most of it's military.

Video

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

Miranda.

[Jacob's on screen, wearing local clothing- shorts and a t-shirt, nothing fancy. He gives her a greeting nod, looking as composed as though they were just starting an ordinary work day instead of dealing with interdimensional abduction bullshit. Inwardly, he's divided between being pleased someone he knows and trusts is now on-scene, and bracing himself. She is not going to be happy.]

I got taken here about a week ago. I can fill you in on some things. Afraid it's mostly bad news.

video :

[ancillary]

Jacob. [ Touching reunion over. ]

I've built my career on bad to worse, but I would love to hear what you have to say. Is it just us?

video :

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

[There's a lot to be said for efficiency, reunion-wise.]

From our galaxy? Yeah, far as I know.

The main thing you need to hear is that the tech levels here are completely messed up. They've got no idea how to run the thing that took us, or even where it came from. As for orbital defense...

[This is Jacob's disdain face.]

Humanity's still too busy waving nukes at each other to worry about protecting Earth from any outside threats.

text;

[hoboagogo]

orbital defense?
for what someone trying to launch shit as us from the moon?

[whoops ignorant millennial here.]

either way i dunno how open the government actually plans to be with us

text;

[ancillary]

[ Her replies are slow because the display isn't haptic, and she might as well be using smoke signals. #twentythirdcenturyproblems ]

I'd be more concerned with neighboring clusters such as the Perseus Veil or Caleston Rift; the Terminus system has been a throne in our side since first contact. The Sol system is never going to be a threat to anything but itself now, and why the moon? Sacrificing a valuable theater like that is suicide.

[ what are jokes ]

[hoboagogo]

[also lets be honest, those touch screen keyboards on phones suck.]

im gonna be honest here
i dunno what the hell you're going on about
but if we're already a threat to ourselves why bother looking for more threats?
deal with not nuking each other, and then we can go look for- whatever.

video;

[iampretty]

[Hans has no clue what any of those words mean! enjoy trying to explain all of that to Disney Prince here]

Actually I think...[a very confused pause before he decides no, if she explains it, he'll just get confused.] Don't worry about it. Anyway, welcome to Heropa!

video;

[ancillary]

[ Hans you came straight out of Game of Thrones. ]

No, I want to hear what you think. [ You have made the fatal mistake of showing hesitance she is going jump on it. ]

[detriments]

Maybe you just need to be a little more persuasive about it.

[haha christine you're so funny shut up]

[ancillary]

That really isn't something you want to solicit from me.

[ Any more persuasive and it would have been wet work. ]

video.

[selfequipped]

They only give us the information that they want us to have, and apparently it's not that.

[There's a pause.]

But some aspects of this place are backwards. Still, I recommend looking into their space program. It might illuminate some matters, and you're an imPort, so you're ripe for what they want for space.

Hopefully it's not too late ...

video.

[ancillary]

Then they really don't know how to use the resources they've been given.

[ Miranda considers herself an actual resource and finds management to be lacking. ]

I suppose it's time to brush up on ancient history.

voice;

[notdaredevil]

They are extremely close-mouthed about any of their systems and processes.

[Really, guys, outdoing the government he's used to, and they have people like S.H.I.E.L.D.]

You could always go ask NASA. It's right there.

[Mostly a joke.]

voice;

[ancillary]

I suppose this pissing contest with Russia that should have fizzled out years ago has something to do with it? [ S.H.I.E.L.D. at least got creative. ]

I'll knock on their door.

Voice

[liverletdie]

You know, something tells me you're from a place that's a bit more advanced than this.

I'm afraid you're going to probably be shouting at a brick wall, on that request.

Voice

[ancillary]

When the phone they gave me didn't even have haptic display I knew I'd be working out of a shoe box, but this- [ She waves her hand to encompass how her disappointment with really just about everything. ]

At least a brick wall doesn't lie to my face.

voice;

[waiting]

[ Blink. ]

You don't mess around, do you?

voice;

[ancillary]

[ You can almost hear her shrug. ]

I was never one for small talk.

VIDEO.

[osreborn]

The government doesn't know very much, it seems. [ His voice suggests both smugness and annoyance at that fact. ] If you're looking for scientists, we have plenty of those.

VIDEO.

[ancillary]

How comforting. [ Last time humanity went poking at something it shouldn't it sparked a galactic war nbd ]

So I've heard; I just hope they're as good as I've been led to believe.

audio;

[filthyworld]

Someone's got a temper.

[ His voice is surprisingly gentle, though. Frizz or not, she's pretty and has an edge to her. Tate can appreciate that. He makes a mental note to sink his claws into her if he can, and moves on: ]

I like how they think they can just rope us into this shit.

audio;

[ancillary]

Standards are not a sign of poor temperament.

[ Teenagers ]

'They' are not the least of my concerns.