audio;

[welcome]

[Cecil's had a rough couple of days. The giant bird attack wasn't pleasant, but hey. It happens. The near-drowning situation was a little more traumatic, but he's past that, too. He's trying to settle in.

Except -- he keeps hearing things. Seeing things. On the one hand, it's like being home again. On the other hand, it's terrible.]

Ah, hello, everyone.

[Still, he feels like he should introduce himself. For the time being, these people are his new community. If he wants to thrive here, he should get to know them.]

I hope you all managed to survive the recent holidays. If someone stole your heart, I hope you took it back and re-positioned it carefully within your ribcage. If you stole someone else's heart, you should return it. Or you should bury the heart in a cherry oak box; whatever your god slash cabal slash gardener demands --

[Carlos's voice suddenly echoes in his ears. The words are unintelligible -- something about stir fry or centrifugal motion -- but the abrupt, impossible nearness of his words makes Cecil falter.]

-- and, uh, at any rate! I'm Cecil, and I'm happy to be a compliant member of this program. If the American government requires me, then here I am. Proud to serve my country. Proud to be experimented on by my country. Proud to be detained without suggestion of release. By my country.

[His voice is deep, sonorous, warm. And, by all accounts, entirely sincere.]

It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.