maskormenace | (backdated to pre-Pan plot -- also threadjack Miles in the comments!)

[There is a thin, angular man with dark neat hair and intensely focused hazel eyes on the screen. He clears his throat when the vid starts; he's had to swallow down his nerves and put on his calm political mask to speak. His accent is a gravelly, guttural sort of Russian, as if Russians went into space and were fast-forwarded a thousand years. Which they did.]

Hello. My name's Greg. I'm adding to your barrage of new arrivals. It's still very surreal to be here, if for no other reason than that I'm on pre-space travel Earth.

[He does look honestly bemused by that.]

I was wondering what the regulations are for obtaining jobs around here. They've assigned me one, but I was hoping for something... low key. Normal, menial work. [A quirk of his lips.] I have experience putting in lights, if that's relevant, and as a navigator.

I was also looking for confirmation that all of the, ah, abilities listed in our files are real. I'd prefer not to test something like this to find out.

Thank you.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Oh god, that face. Hermann. Newt considers turning off the feed to give them some privacy because, wow, Hermann-insecurity is not a thing Hermann would want broadcast.]

As a biologist, Hermann, let me assure your mathematical brain that we humans are a lot more than just our DNA. FUNNY, I know! Things are more than just what they're coded to be.

[He nods, although from a programming standpoint, it doesn't make sense. But Newton's a biologist- and a brilliant one at that- so he'll take some comfort in that for now.

And there's no reason they should have any similarities beyond facial structure. Once that was proven, all of them could feel better about it. He patted Newton's hand]

I'll take your word for it.

[But you're NOT taking his word for it and that pat feels more patronizing than reassuring and he's not happy with you. ]

You said once to me that self-pity didn't suit me--well, it sure as hell doesn't suit you, you asshole. Look. [His movements imply putting something together, although it's more building blocks (or putting things into a box, who knows) than mechanics in the motions.] You could take the exact same code, same specs, same kind of parts and paint and finish and whatever else and make a shiny new Cherno Alpha. It could be the Exact. Same Thing. down to the nuts and bolts. Still wouldn't be your favorite. Without the Kaidonovskys piloting, it's still NOT Cherno. It's not the same. It's the same code, but it's--the history is different, the experience is different, the-- [Grasping motion. Trying to make a point here.]

It's not HIS tape down the center of our lab, okay? Happy? God damn, Hermann, stop being a kicked puppy.

I am not-

[There's that anger again, flaring and confused without direction. He pulls away and shuts off his feed, then marches his way into the kitchen for tea- or maybe a drink. He's unsettled and frustrated, impatient and wishing they could perform that testing now before they left so he didn't have to worry about it while they're on vacation.

Hermann opens the fridge, closes it, then rifles through the cabinets for their various packs of tea.

They're not the same- they aren't. But it still bothers him. Two Hermanns. What if there were similarities? Significant ones. And the man is young, he half-resents him for that alone. Then he also has the gall to be friendly.

Everything was fine until Newton started talking to him. Mostly, at any rate.]

[Shoved this here to spare their inboxes]

(backdated to pre-Pan plot -- also threadjack Miles in the comments!)

video

video

video

video -> action

action