then, one day, i was not alone

[corkscrewed]

» WHO? Martin Blackwood, Jonathan Sims, & anyone else!
» WHEN? Mid-May.
» WHERE? Crew quarters (closed) & observation deck (open.)
» WHAT? Martin looks for his boss and probably also talks to strangers.
» WARNINGS? Probably at least one discussion about a bloody pipe murder.

CREW QUARTERS (closed)

Martin is still faintly sure that this has to be some sort of weird fever dream, or maybe a much-delayed reaction to spending so much time in the tunnels beneath the Institute. Waking up here had been terrifying, but he'd gotten over it if only because he had no choice. So he'd collected himself and his strange new outfit, found a room of his own, and had finally begun skimming through the network on the weird little communication device he'd been given.

Answers. He'd hoped for answers, and he'd found Jon, and that felt like it had to mean something.

Which is why he's now on Deck Five with no idea where to go from here. "Jon?" he calls out hesitantly, trying to clumsily queue up Jon's contact on the comms device again. "I'm here," he sort of just shouts outside the doors to the crew quarters.

OBSERVATION DECK (open)

There's a tall young man standing right up at the window, not quite pressed against it - but nearly. He watches the planet that the station orbits, and there's something nervously pale about his face. Despite his clear uneasiness with this situation as a whole, he'll still offhandedly greet literally anyone who comes within earshot of him.

"You think there's anyone down there? On the planet, I mean. Not that I really buy into the whole 'aliens' thing, but I wouldn't have bought into 'kidnapped to space with a ship full of strangers' before this morning, either, right?" He's very English and a little desperately earnest, even if he doesn't pull his eyes immediately away from the window.

Comments

[question]

Good plan, honestly. Jon has no idea how to respond appropriately to that sentiment.

However it's later (the next day? Some indeterminate space ship time period? After Martin's met a whole lot of new CR and not a moment later?) when he sends Martin a text using their communicators.

Worked out how to use the console in the room. Can move my entire two possessions a little closer if you'll tell me your floor/room number.

[corkscrewed]

You actually want to move closer to me?

He doesn't mean for that to come off as - accusatory, really, as it sounds. It just happens that way.

[question]

We're on a spacecraft that may only have a limited amount of fuel to support us, not to mention the possibility of the same sort of nonsense as plagued us back home having some effect here, or the potential threat of the nearby planet. I'd like to be able to reach you quickly in an emergency.

[corkscrewed]

That's probably a good idea, right. One second.

He hasn't actually memorized his room number.

It's 3.05? I think one of the rooms next to mine is free.

Martin is just so used to Jon being - well, tetchy and downright paranoid, honestly, that this is all a very pleasant surprise.

[question]

Good.

And that's. All he sends. Not a particularly effusive communicator, at least not by text. But he does move his things down two floors (decks, Jon, decks, it's a space station not an apartment building.) Takes up new residence next door to Martin. It's not really that different.

Did you arrive with any tapes?

[corkscrewed]

I didn't. Should I have? Did you?

Was he supposed to have tapes on him?? He's going to just give his room another once-over, in case they were there and hiding or something.

[question]

One. In the recorder. I thought perhaps, given you use them for your own frivolities, you may have had an extra.

[corkscrewed]

No, sorry. After I had to record that statement I really haven't wanted much to do with them unless I had to.

[question]

Of course. Understandable.

It's different here. Recording.

[corkscrewed]

Is it? Does it still feel strange?

Is that the way you felt every time at home, Jon? Because I don't know how you did it.

[question]

Somewhat strange, but I no longer feel watched. I have not yet recorded full statement to test what other differences there are — there's no backlog of written work here, of course, so I am relying solely on interviews.

[ jon stop doing work.



jon answer the other question. ]

[corkscrewed]

Yeah, well, that's good to know, at least. Did it ever get easier for you? [ yeah, he's not letting that go. ]

[question]

A little.

Moreso because I adapted than because the rigors of the process lessened in any meaningful way.

accidentally checked "don't auto format"...

[corkscrewed]

Well, then, I don't really love that we've been kidnapped and dumped on a creepy space station and given amnesia, but I'm glad you're getting a break from them. Little things, I guess.

[ this. this is why he doesn't text jon often. he tries to reel it back. ]

So we're neighbors! This is exciting. :)

[ nailed it. ]

[question]

Quite.

[ that's it. that's the whole reply. to both those statements. though then he feels slightly bad, given moving had been his idea, adds: ]

:)

[corkscrewed]

Oh.

No. Don't do that, please.

[question]

No, of course. Bad idea. Never again.

[corkscrewed]

Probably for the best, honestly.

[ how thin are these interior walls, anyway? because it's highly possible jon is going to hear martin stifling laughter from his room next door. ]

[question]

Are you laughing at me, Martin.

[corkscrewed]

[ he snorts as he stifles the sound. ]

Are you eavesdropping now, Jon??

[question]

Can't help it, we're neighbors now, after all.

[corkscrewed]

I'll try to keep rowdy parties to a minimum, then.