001 // video

[compressions]

[Richard looks like he wants to say something, but he hesitates and gets off to a few false starts before he manages to say what he wants to say.]

Hi, uh, my name's...I'm Richard, I'm from Palo Alto - some other world's Palo Alto anyways, I'm new here, I don't know anybody, and honestly I'd probably rather have used the texting function but I'm curious to see how clearly this video will come through.

Is there anyone here who's actually worked on this network, by any chance? It's really interesting and I'd love to chat about it. Or anyone who knows about tech here in general.

[He looks away for a moment, and rubs the back of his head with one hand.]

Also, is there anyone else here who has never ever fought crime, not even once? I'm not actually sure how we're picked for, uh, this, but I'm feeling a little underqualified right now.

Comments

[audio]

[devoutish]

You're asking about the tech because it's new to you, or because you've got an interest? Or both, I suppose.

[audio]

[compressions]

Oh, an interest. I'm a programmer back home and I'd like to keep being one here.

[Because it's his only real hobby.]

[audio]

[devoutish]

A programmer is somebody who programs websites?

[Alfie definitely falls into the "it's new to me" category - though he's been here for nine months now, so he's learned a bit.]

video;

[flowerette]

Fighting crime is overrated anyway. You have plenty of other people to do that. So I would say, simply focus on living your life here and not getting killed if you can help it.

[ Raina says with a teasing smile. ]

video;

[compressions]

Yeah, that's -

[Pause.]

Uh, wait, did you say 'killed'? Is that a concern? Like, more than usual?

Video

[ret2go]

Are we counting pirates...?

Video

[compressions]

I guess so. I don't see too many people actually get arrested for piracy, though.

[Yeah he's thinking about pirates as in people who download copyrighted materials, not swashbuckling pirates.]

[video]

[carbonfrozen]

I don't think there are any qualifications to meet.

[A moment's pause, during which Han debates talking about the civil war in his home galaxy, before he settles on:] And I was more the criminal than the crime-fighter anyway. [He does not sound like he regrets it.]

[video]

[compressions]

Okay. That's good.

What kind of criminal? [Aka: 'should I be scared of you or not?']

[ Video ]

[drivesadesk]

Oh, don't worry. I'm pretty sure we're grabbed at random.

That said, I do know some things about tech. Enough to set up a dead man's switch type of deal to release a bunch of information about the reptilian invasion if I ended up dead.

[Is he bragging about his clever plan? Yes, he is.]

[ Video ]

[compressions]

...Reptilian invasion?

[Either this guy's joking, he's from a world where there really was a reptilian invasion, or he's a tinfoil hat conspiracy theorist. Richard can't really tell.]

[audio - using alias Tanith Ponta]

[kestreldawn]

What sort of questions do you have about the network?

[compressions]

Just general stuff. I'm really into networking lately but I've never actually worked on anything large-scale, so talking with someone who had would be both educational and fun.

[ video ]

[hostage]

Somebody worked on the network a while ago. Made this thing called MIRRORNET, which I guess is more secure than this one or something. We all kinda assume the feds are watching this network, but they can't see the MIRRORNET. It's an imPorts-only type deal. You oughta have access already, since it generates a key for everybody in the government's imPort database.

And you should talk to my girlfriend, Daisy Johnson. She'll nerd it up with you over this stuff.

As for crime-fighting, don't sweat it, man. Most people just go to school or work or do whatever they want. And if you're gonna be using your powers, you might as well make a profit off it.

[ video ]

[compressions]

That's a relief. About the crime-fighting, I mean. That's not really my area of expertise.

[aka he'd get the shit kicked out of him]

Is the person who made MIRRORNET gone? I'll check it out, anyways. And I'd love to nerd it up.

video

[knaval]

I've never fought crime before. Not in the traditional, human sense anyway.

video

[compressions]

Out of curiosity, what other sense would there be?

[video]

[continuousgroaning]

I'm only 13, so I've never fought crime and don't plan to. That and my powers aren't... really suited for it.

[video]

[compressions]

What are your powers?

video

[am_i_a_monster]

I've never fought crime, far from it. The picking is really random.

video

[compressions]

Seems that way. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one, though.

[ Video ]

[ghoulking]

A lot of people never fought crime and don't want to start.

We are all picked randomly by the Porter. Sometimes she even picks animals. [ he remembers a dog named Ace being here. Sure, the dog talked, but it was still a dog ]

[ Video ]

[compressions]

That's a relief, then. What do you use your powers for, then?

video.

[puppydoctor]

Closest I ever came to crime-fighting was hitting another kid with a stick when I was eight.

[One very human science nerd to another.]

I was a surgeon, back home.

video.

[compressions]

Yeah, that's about as close as I've gotten, too.

And that's cool. Medicine's interesting, but I'd be way too anxious to be a surgeon.