Video

[fullmetalbrat]

[The video feed cuts in on a blond teenager squinting dubiously at the camera. His eyes widen a moment later when he notices the video display on the screen.] —Is it working?

Uh—hey. Can people really see this? If there is anyone watching, I'm looking for a guy in a huge suit of armor. Goes by the name Alphonse. [He leans closer to the camera, pointing emphatically.] If you see him, tell him his big brother's looking for him!

Now that I've got that out of the way, I got some more questions for all of you. Someone told me that when people leave this world they forget everything about it, but they might remember if they come back. Is that really true? Is there anyone who's left and come back that I could talk to?

I want to know more about this registration scheme they've got here too. I heard plenty about what you get for it, but what's the catch?

And, [he starts, pausing to glance at something laying just below the camera's field of view], what's a "pop star"?

Comments

[resoundingpledge]

That's why it's 'still working on it'.

[ Which sets up the most unfortunate of segues . . . ]

. . . did they tell you this country's at war now?

[fullmetalbrat]

This is the first I've heard of it.

[But the way his posture stiffens up and his jaw clenches says he's more familiar with the concept than he'd like to be.]

With who?

[resoundingpledge]

The USSR—that's the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. You'll hear a lot of people just use 'Russia' though, especially imPorts . . . for a lot of us the USSR broke up a while ago. Russia is the biggest country in it.

They declared war on the United States of America about seventy four days ago. That's where we are now.

[fullmetalbrat]

Out of one fire and into another . . .

How much has war advanced in a hundred years? Where—When I'm from I got to see one of the very first tanks made. Brand new tech.

[resoundingpledge]

What about airplanes?

[fullmetalbrat]

Those deathtraps with wings?

[resoundingpledge]

Yes, but . . . no. Later.

Planes changed things a lot. America and the USSR don't share any land borders, but the distance doesn't really matter when both sides can fly.

[fullmetalbrat]

Seriously? Those things can barely manage to carry a single person . . . can't they?

[resoundingpledge]

There's planes that can carry tanks now. And whole divisions of people. And . . . other weapons.

They're mostly . . . outside of war, they're used for most worldwide human transportation now, and for transferring goods and mail that need to move faster than ships or trucks can go.

[fullmetalbrat]

But of course a military wouldn't use them for anything so . . . peaceful.

[resoundingpledge]

No.

Planes can carry bombs, and after they figured out how to get planes to fly, they gave bombs wings too. 'Missiles'. And the bombs they've made . . .

They're . . .

[ It takes her a moment. ]

. . . strong.

They call it 'mutual assured destruction', now. That if one side fired seriously, and the other fired back, both sides would be wiped out. Both countries—not just their armies. Everyone.

[fullmetalbrat]

What . . . Why would— [He can't really finish the question. Why is obvious enough to anyone who's been at all involved with the military.]

. . . How many countries have that kind of power?

[resoundingpledge]

Two, here. You . . . probably already know which.

There may be other countries with nuclear weapons, but I don't think it's on the same scale.

[fullmetalbrat]

How . . . Just how the hell are we supposed to stop them from using those?

[resoundingpledge]

I don't know. I don't know if we can . . . there might be an imPort that's able to, somehow.

. . . that's . . . kind of the thing. Just by existing, we've already changed everything. The arms race isn't focused on bombs anymore.

[fullmetalbrat]

Do I want to know what it is focused on?

[He can guess, but maybe—maybe he's wrong.]

[resoundingpledge]

Do you?

All this . . . it's a lot, for a first day. Even if you were asking about registration too.

[fullmetalbrat]

"A lot" . . . It is, even for someone like me, but it feels like if I stop to think about it I'll . . .

[The sentence just hangs there, unfinished. Maybe he just doesn't want to think about the crash that's going to happen when he stops to let any of this really sink in.]

[resoundingpledge]

Mm. I think . . . I can get that.

Would this be okay . . . ? I can answer your questions now, as many as I can. But after this . . . get out a bit? Walk around, or take the trains and the bus . . . see the cities, and the people. Don't let all of today be just about countries and powers and wars. Meet your neighbours, and your coworkers . . . and go buy pyjamas, and a toothbrush.

[fullmetalbrat]

Maybe . . . I'll think about it. If I don't today, then tomorrow.

[Maybe.]

[resoundingpledge]

Is there anyone else from your home here?

[fullmetalbrat]

A couple of them. My mechanic and C.O.

[resoundingpledge]

[ She was obviously going to say something else, but some pings are too strong to be ignored. ]

—you have a mechanic?

[fullmetalbrat]

Oh—yeah. She maintains my arm and leg for me.

[He raps his knuckles on his left arm. The ring of metal is muffled through his jacket, but still distinct.]

[resoundingpledge]

[ She tilts her head at the sound of that. ]

Cybernetics?

. . . that's another difference. This Earth and my own . . . we didn't develop things like that until a lot later.