(1) Voice

[outofthepast]

[There’s a few minutes of unsure tapping on the communicator’s microphone, accompanied by some quiet mumbling about radio frequencies. A voice with a Chicagoan accent that is just faintly reminiscent of Humphrey Bogart finally makes itself audible.]

Been a long time since I’ve seen one of these. Hope I’m not accidentally talking through somebody’s refrigerator.

Anyway, good afternoon, to everybody listening. Nick Valentine here. Nice to meet all my fellow "Imports," I guess, is what they're calling us. Figured I should get used to the broadcasting life, since that's what they've hired me to do. I always thought I had a face for radio.

[The slightest of pauses while he gathers his thoughts.]

I’ve been to a couple of hardware stores now and I think it’s time to swallow my pride and just ask. You folks wouldn’t happen to make Assaultron circuit boards yet, would you? Anything with titanium wiring and rad-guard circuits would work, though. My last diagnostics didn't look so good and I'd rather fix it before it gets too out-of-hand.

I’m starting to get the suspicion I’m out of luck on that one.

While I’m on the subject, though, anybody know a good mechanic? I’m not half bad myself, but I could probably use a primer on all this old tech. Don’t want to end up turning into a toaster or anything.

Give me a ring if you’ve got anything for me. Thanks, and... hm. I'd better come up with a catchy sign-off, pretty quick here.

Comments

[outofthepast]

[Um. Well...]

It takes a pretty optimistic eye to find much good about the Commonwealth.

But the way I see it, people are working their way back up from being kicked down about as low as you can go. There's troubles, sure, but for the first time in a long time, things are being rebuilt rather than destroyed. People are getting stable again, and things are getting better.

[viced]

That's... pretty beautiful, actually.

I'm glad to hear that. I mean, when everything goes sideways, at least people bounce back, in the end.

[outofthepast]

Oh. Well, thanks.

[Sideways, upside down, and into a nuclear crater, even!]

People are pretty adaptable. They get knocked down, but they're pretty good at scrambling to get back up, too. I'd say it does my heart good to see it but, well. You know.

[viced]

Well, your...mechanical heart?

Although from the way people have spoken to me before -- some people seem to think machines are pretty heartless, so...

[outofthepast]

That is the big question, isn't it? Where's the line between machines and people? I can't say I've always enjoyed being a big ugly question mark right in the middle of that line.

What do you mean by that, Senator? You got a little machine in you, too?

[viced]

Ah... not exactly? [ Scratches. At the side of his face. He totally does. ]

I, uh, talk to them.

[outofthepast]

Well, you certainly do, in the brief time I've known you. [It's almost like he pauses for the rimshot.]

[viced]

Ha. Ha.

[ Dryly. ] What is it with you guys and witty comebacks. It's... not like that. It's a hell of a lot different, and way more uncomfortable. For you, anyway. Hence why I'm not doing it, right now.

[outofthepast]

So it's not talking, really. It's talking.

Mind elaborating at all?

[viced]

Er --

IT'S STILL TALKING...


[ but nick will notice its deeper, somehow. Like he's talking to every part of him, individually.]

[outofthepast]

Damn. Damn.

[There's a new sensation! Not a particularly comfortable one, either.]

What-- does it actually do? Could you do, I mean?

[viced]

I can...listen. It's like... someone like you is a symphony. Less complex machines are like a quartet.

I can also...tell machines what to do. Good news for you, though, most of you can fight it. Apparently free will gets in the way of commands. [ A smile, then, a touch sarcastic. ] Imagine that, huh?

[outofthepast]

Senator, you could at least buy me dinner before you start that kind of sweettalk.

[If it was anybody else but the so-far amiable Senator telling him he could control, or even attempt to control him, Nick would have been a lot more nervous than he is.]

You may not find a more stubborn machine than me. Though I appreciate the heads up, and the discretion, there, pal.

[viced]

Yeah, I'm...not exactly in the game of telling people what to do. Convincing, but... Not actually ordering.

So unless you're going to die if you don't duck, you probably won't hear it from me.

[outofthepast]

Thanks. I appreciate that reassurance.

Hasn't been something I've had to deal with, thankfully but the very idea gives me the creeps. [Particularly when it meant the Institute would be the ones pulling the strings, back home.]

[viced]

No shit, I don't blame you. It'd give me the creeps too, if I were you.

[ A shrug. ]

Hence why I don't use it much.

[outofthepast]

You seem to be a pretty thoughtful guy there, Senator. What on earth are you doing in politics?

[Bet you've never heard THAT one before, Mitch!]

[viced]

[ nooooope ]

You know, I'm starting to think you're a little crazy. Nobody says that about me. [ Or maybe it's the fact that he favors machines. ]

But to answer your question... I tried other fields, but they didn't...take. At all. This was the one job I was able to do some good in, since...I got these powers. [ The ~Accident~ ]

[outofthepast]

I never claimed not to have a few screws loose. [see what he did there]

Eh, you gotta do whatever you can do your best at. I can understand how that goes. I was a handyman for a bit before I settled into the detective life.

I guess you could say it's just a part of me.

[viced]

You went with what made you comfortable, right?

[ A beat. ]

With your radio show, you could always be more of an investigative reporter, you know.

[outofthepast]

You like something, you're good at it, you can do good with it-- might as well put it to use for you.

I've thought about that, really. I'm going to run out of stories of my own cases eventually. I'll have to make some new ones to tell.

[viced]

Well then, that'll be the time, right?

Or you can get started on it early. I'm sure there's a...shitload of stuff in the import community. We get pretty weird.

[outofthepast]

We do seem like an exciting bunch so far.

Says the machine-man.

[viced]

Aw hell, you don't know the half of it yet. If you're calling us exciting already, just you wait.

It gets worse.