maskormenace | [video] pull point plot - aged-down Newt & Hermann

[His hair still looks like he's just woken up from being passed out on someone else's sofa, but it's shorter, spikier. Instead of his usual perpetual five-o'clock-shadow, Newt now sports a beard with mustache, scruffy, not terribly well-groomed, like he's a college student. This younger version of Newton Geiszler is anywhere from 5-10 years younger by appearances. He's in better shape--if only because a body in its mid-twenties deals with a poor diet of too much caffeine and sugar differently than a body in its mid-thirties--and though his tattoo sleeves are complete, most of the rest of his tattoos have not yet even been conceived.

He holds the phone. Judging from the slight wobble of the camera, his foot is probably jiggling off screen, tapping with uncontained energy. Behind him are chalk-board walls with the remnants of what had once been a drawing/erasing war.]

Hey, so whoever did the rooming assignments? ...Can suck it. Anyone out there looking for a place to stay? --Because I'm about to kick out my roommate and so I've got an extra bedroom--

[The butt of a cane comes into view suddenly, cutting across the feed like it's capable of physically cancelling out the offer. A familiar British growl is audible moments before a much younger-looking Hermann Gottlieb (or is it Miles?) edges into view]

You most certainly do not. Obviously this apartment has been modified to my own specifications. Therefore, if either of us is getting kicked out, it's going to be you.

[He reclaims his cane and stands straighter, sniffing] Best of luck finding anyone else to put up with your awful habits.

Your speci- Just because there's obnoxiously dusty walls doesn't mean you get to call dibs. We've already established: that was MY handwriting.

[With a flip of the wrist, Newt raises his hand at Hermann but does not look at him. Talk to the hand. Then, to the camera:] So please forward any and all applications to Newt Geiszler-- [Pause, then with exaggerated saccharine and a mocking expression:] Hermann, be a dear and go find out what address we're at, hmmmm?

Sod off.

[Hermann looks at the camera, does a double-take and jerks back] You're recording this drivel? Unbelievable-

[He leans in, abruptly snatching the device] I am absolutely not going anywhere.

Like hell I'm living with yo-WHAT THE!!! [The feed ends.]

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[ That he shrugs off easily. ]

Oh, I've had it since I was born. It's - uh - teratogenic. [ Again said slowly but precisely. And then, with a stronger flash of heat: ] M'not a mutie or anything.

... Mother and Da an' Gregor an' my armswoman. And I'm Lord Auditor Vorkosigan today.

Of course you're not.

[He has no idea what that is, but it sounds like something he's heard before]

Well Lord Vorkosigan [also said slowly bc what?], I'm glad you have your family with you.

[ Miles is pleased - but also grinning sheepishly. ]

Lord Miles. Or Lord Auditor. Not Lord Vorkosigan, that's my Da.

[What a precious child.]

Lord Miles, then. Well take care.

Huh? I'm not going anywhere. And you haven't said a thing about what you study, and I have to investigate you too.

[Hermann laughs, entirely amused and charmed by this kid]

Oh of course. Well allow me to elaborate then. I program giant robots to combat aliens. I'm also working to locate a wormhole located somewhere in my world's Pacific Ocean.

[ Miles' eyes get real big at all of that, then skeptical. ]

Can't have a wormhole in the ocean. How d'you get spaceships through?

Unfortunately we don't have any spaceships. All we have at the moment are rockets and satellites. No, we suspect the aliens are coming through the wormhole, but we have yet to determine its precise location.

... Giant aliens? To go with the giant robots?

Yes, unfortunately we needed to build the robots to scale with the aliens to have a shot at taking them down. Not quite as wonderful as you'd imagine when entire coastlines are at stake.

So what are you doing here? Did you use your science to do this?

To be honest, I don't know what I'm doing here. While I'd love to profess to having some sort of transdimensional ability, that is sadly not the case. In any case, it is a fascinating mystery I intend to work to decipher immediately. It could be related to my world's wormhole. It would be unfortunate, but fascinating all the same..

Makes sense though. Can't go to other planets without one.

[ His brow furrows a bit. ]

But what about the other thing? Everybody's all age-scrambled, but nobody knows who did it.

Yes..... although I was nowhere near the wormhole. In theory. I suppose it could be near Lima, but that wouldn't match up with the data we've collected thus far. Not to mention we're rather certain it's underwater; we would have caught sight of it by now if it weren't. But then, no one knows much about wormholes yet- something I fully intend to fix before this war's over.

I don't know much about that other issue at the moment. Sounds absurd, but then, so were giant aliens and wormholes a few years ago.

I know a lot. I hafta study them in school, 'cause it's important to Barrayar. Like really important.

... And I know it's weird, but it's true. I remember all kinds of stuff. And all the clothes in my room are too big.

Do you have wormholes in.. Barrayar?

Not in Barrayar. That'd destroy the planet prob'ly. It's out in space nearby.

[Precocious]

Fascinating. And you use them to travel?

Yep! Barrayar's only got one so it's tough. It was collapsed for hundreds of years so everyone was stuck for a long time.

Unfortunately our Earth has yet to make those advances. Perhaps as we're lacking in such a convenient wormhole. Heaven knows the one we have now is causing us no end of trouble.

I don't suppose Barrayar has ever suffered invasion via your wormhole?

Oh yeah, we had a big war. A lot of people died, and the capital of my district is gone now. You can see it glow in the dark if you're up in the mountains around it.

How terrible. And you still would rather use it to travel than safeguard your world?

'course. I'd be dead otherwise. Grandda says so all the time.

Does the wormhole have other functions then? Or is there a resource you need to access through it?

Um ... I mean, there's a lot of things. But Grandda said that the old ways would've still been around properly. And the old ways don't let people like me stay alive.

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