video.

[micycle]

[For a second after the feed fizzles into life, Mike just sits there, blinking at his device in urgent confusion. Normally it would be astonishment, but the kid's been through hell and (part of the way) back, and it shows on his face; this is going to be the coolest once he gets a good night's sleep under his belt, but right now - ]

Um. [He pushes a pair of dust-coated goggles up into his hair, and coughs. The scarf below his chin seems coated with a similar substance.] Is there an Indiana here?

[A brief pause. He knows how dumb that question sounds.]

I really need to call someone.

Comments

[micycle]

Years? Holy shit.

[This is unacceptable?!??!]

Everything about this sucks.

[couldbebeautiful]

Yep. You could go back home before then, but that's up to the Porter and not you. Some have gone home a few times and then come back.

[And others just don't come back at all.]

[micycle]

What if you were here for a super long time, and you got really old? Wouldn't people notice when you got sent back?

[couldbebeautiful]

I don't think so.

[At least not for herself, anyway. It's not like she's got anything to go back to.]

You'd have to ask someone who went back home for that. But rule of thumb is that everything's stuck back home while you're here, and once you go back it's like everything here never happened. [She snaps her fingers.] Just like that.

[micycle]

That's so stupid. They just use us like experiments, and then mess with our minds?

[The idea pisses him off, understandably.]

[couldbebeautiful]

I don't know, experiments take place in a controlled lab situation, usually. This? Is pretty far away from anything even vaguely controlled.

[micycle]

It's bullshit. And I'm sick of hearing about stupid Russia.

[couldbebeautiful]

You, me, and everyone else in this mess.

If it helps, they don't actually expect you to come fight for them. I've been here for months and so far I haven't been conscripted into fighting a war.

[micycle]

What, so basically there's no point to this at all?

[couldbebeautiful]

Pretty much. If it helps? They're not happy we're here either, we're all just trying to make the best out of a shitty situation.

[micycle]

If they aren't happy, they should just send us all home!