001 ♖ [video]

[writeswrongs]

[The man on your video screen is wearing a tux. He's not James Bond though.

In fact he's a writer from New York City, who was on his way to get married (for the third time) when he blacked out while driving and woke up in a pod. It was by far the oddest experience he's ever had, and Richard Castle has had many odd experiences. At first he thought he was in some kind of government facility, that the SUV with the black out windows that had been tailing him had put him here where some kind of weird experiments happened. Waking up in a pod in your boxers is enough to throw anyone. He'd put on the clothes he'd been wearing, found in the footlocker next to the pod and managed to locate the rest of his stuff. His cell phone was deader than dead, of course, so he couldn't call Kate. It seemed, other than the creepy pods filled with what looked to be people, nobody was around keeping him in one place. He wasn't a prisoner, so he decided to explore.

Stepping out of the hatch, he observed a completely different world. It was not New York. It was possibly not even Earth.]

Uh. I take it this isn't the Hamptons?

[What the hell has he gotten himself into now?]

Comments

[unofficial_ambassador]

If you're lucky, maybe someone else here will know what that is.

[writeswrongs]

A credit card. But I don't think my bank has intergalactic service anyway.

You mind if I ask your name?

[unofficial_ambassador]

Certainly, my name is Inara. I . . . don't normally greet newcomers by yelling at them, my apologies.

[writeswrongs]

That's alright. I guess whoever that guy is who looks like me is a pain in the ass to you.

[unofficial_ambassador]

. . . You could say that.

Be careful on your way into town.

[writeswrongs]

.... Is that a sentiment or a genuine warning?

[unofficial_ambassador]

Things are bad out there.

[writeswrongs]

What should I be looking out for? Highway robbers? Wild animals?

[unofficial_ambassador]

Probably not animals. I don't think that the . . . things have come close to the city for a while.

The locals really don't trust outsiders right now, and you're going to look new. If the Authorities stop you, cooperate with them. If anyone else tries to stop you, keep your head down and keep going.

[writeswrongs]

..the fuck [Said under his breath.] Well can you stay on the line at least? Then if something comes after me you can send help?

[unofficial_ambassador]

[This is really unsettling. Mal would probably have belittled her or called her names three times by now.]

Of course. You're going to be all right, it's a road we've all walked. Just be careful.

[writeswrongs]

[Castle is most definitely not Mal. He can shoot a gun, but he doesn't happen to have one at the moment, seeing as how he'd been on his way to his wedding.]

I just don't want to get mugged on top of all this.

[unofficial_ambassador]

[If it helps, getting mugged is probably the least of your worries.]

I know. I'm sorry this happened to you.

[writeswrongs]

Well. Thanks. I'm sorry it happened to you too.

[He started carefully down the road.]

You know, I can keep it on and just put the phone in my pocket if you've got other stuff to do.

[unofficial_ambassador]

I should be thanking you for keeping me out of these ledgers for a few minutes.

[writeswrongs]

Anything that supports procrastination...

[He checked his surroundings carefully. At least the land was pretty open and he would probably see anything before it reached him.]

[unofficial_ambassador]

I know I should be pushing myself to improve, but it's all bad news and worse penmanship.

[Sorry Neville, but it's true.]