Video: 003 Re-awakening

[did_i_say_percy]

[When the video switches on, Armand appears dressed, his shirt collar and shoulders are visible, and leaning with his back against a wall inside the Ship.]

I cannot say I'm surprised to be here.

Do any of the people I knew remember me? It's Armand. [He lifts a hand into view and waves, fingers waggling.] Uh, St. Just [pronounced san jyoost], if you don't know me.

What's the weather like? If it's not freezing, I don't mind walking a reasonable distance. Unless the wildlife has gotten faster. [He doesn't seem too certain about that last, but he knows that not everyone out on their own gets eaten.]

At the moment, I'm by the pods still, but I don't plan on staying here. This Ship makes me feel uneasy.

Is there anything else I should know before leaving here?

Comments

[professorwolf]

Yes, to Poseidon. The Old City is really more of a military base these days, and very few people stay there. I don't actually believe anyone from the ship is living there anymore-- I was I think the last.

[He sets the bike on its stand-- it does, indeed, quiet down when he kills the motor-- and comes over with a smile and an offered handshake in greeting.]

It's good to see you again, Mr. St. Just.

[did_i_say_percy]

[Armand shakes Lyall's hand, but then he scoots closer and gives the man a quick hug. He drops back quickly, not really waiting for a reaction, as if he knew it would awkward but he just couldn't help himself.]

I suppose if you hadn't offered to get me they would have told me how to get to Poseidon. But I am just as glad not to have to talk to them in person today.

What do you think of this city? Quickly, because I know we should go there, but--has Kaylee changed her name since she married? She thought Poseidon had many more conveniences. I'm not used to those, but I wonder where it leaves someone who doesn't-does not take to them as easily.

[professorwolf]

[The hug takes the gentleman by surprise, and he responds with a pat on the back that he hopes isn't too awkward. He hasn't been hugged... well, in a very long time. Not by someone who wasn't a child, and even then, it was rare.

The questions, though, make him chuckle.]

Miss Frye is now Mrs. Skywalker, yes. And Poseidon does have more amenities, but I promise you they aren't too difficult to manage for people such as us. They're even largely avoidable, if you really find you don't like them.

[He turns back to the bike, motioning for Armand to follow.]

We'll walk down the mountain, since it's a bumpy ride otherwise, and we can speak more of it.

[did_i_say_percy]

[Armand is tickled by any response. The more reserved the other person is, the happier Armand is at small responses. He wants to melt the stiff English-ness (as he thinks of it) of any and all.]

She's so sweet. I hope we don't have to be formal, but I don't know her husband much. [If at all.] I'll have to remember. Madame Skywalker. What a funny sort of name, but they're space-sailing people aren't they?

[Armand doesn't quite trust the bike to behave and stay quiet, but he follows Lyall just the same.]

You look well enough, professor. It's such a relief to see people I know.

[professorwolf]

They do seem to be. Far beyond our time, either of us.

[It does stay quiet, though, as Lyall doesn't start up the motor again, he just nudges the stand up and wheels it quietly down the path, slowly and far enough over for Armand to walk alongside him.]

There will probably be others. Some people come and go quickly, but most of us linger. Were you here for the great jump in time? I can't recall just when you vanished from among us.

[did_i_say_percy]

[Walking and talking are tasks that Armand can easily handle.]

I don't recall anything like that. The last big thing I remember is spending some time with Todd and his creatures. And cows. The cows weren't Todd's, obviously.

I hope there still some livestock around here. I wasn't raised in the country at home, but I don't know much anything of use in a great city with all those conveniences Madame Skywalker likes so much.

[professorwolf]

Oh, there are still farms outside the city limit. We are not quite so advanced as that. Poseidon isn't even that large of a city-- larger than the populated part of the Old city, surely, but not as large as London in my time, not nearly. Really, the worst you will have to content with are kitchen appliances and motor vehicles, like this one, I think.

[He adds, a bit more wrly:]

And mister Tolansky still has one of his beasts, so that will certainly still be about to contend with.

[did_i_say_percy]

So long as no one expects me to control one of those, I think I could live with it. [Live with, not like it his tone implies.]

How is Todd? I hope his other creature didn't die.

And, I was worried to ask before, but is Miss Potts still around?

[professorwolf]

I'm not honestly sure what happened. It seemed as if there were two, and then when we came back from the time travel ordeal, there was one. I'm sure he can explain better than I can.

[Honestly, Lyall is fairly pleased that he can handle the motorcycle on his own. A larger vehicle would be far too unweildy-- and expensive-- but this gives him mobility during the day, which these days he sorely needs.]

Miss Potts is indeed still with us, as is Mister Stark, Doctor McCoy, Major Alenko, and many others I'm sure you remember. I could give you a list, if you--

[He pauses, both in voice and in step, and blinks a few times. Guess what, Armand, you just got to witness Lyall's first memory jump. He shakes his head to clear it, momentarily confused, and definitely not sure just what prompted that particular... daydream? Was that a daydream?]

I'm sorry, what was I saying?

[did_i_say_percy]

[Armand waited a moment for Lyall to continue, then realized he was distracted, very much distracted.]

You were speaking of people who were still here, but professor, you didn't look well a moment there. Will you be--

[Armand didn't think he was in any shape to deal with something serious, except to call for help. The man hadn't passed out, so perhaps they'd be able to get back to the city.]

Should we call someone?

[professorwolf]

No, no, I'm well enough....

[He rubs briefly at his forehead, frowning more in confusion than pain or anything else like that. He's trying to figure out just why he decided to flash back to a night out on the town with Alessandro now, of all times. It isn't as if he was thinking about his paramour, or anything even remotely related to him. Not unpleasant, certainly, but also not expected.]

It's just not like me to get distracted like that.

[That comes out more in a mutter, to himself, but he rallies quickly enough to offer Armand a little smile.]

But I'm quite all right, now.

[did_i_say_percy]

If you're certain you'll be well. [Armand isn't as certain, but he isn't going to try to force his opinion on a grown man either. He trusts that Lyall will ask for help if he needs it; he doesn't seem overly prideful.]

I am anxious to see people. I suppose anxious isn't the word, but if so much has changed I want to see how my friends are doing. And I do hope I can fit in better this time. I don't feel I was quite pulling my weight before, although I tried.

Too many choices can be as confusing as too few.

[professorwolf]

It can be, indeed. Miss Potts will certainly have a direction or to for you, however. She seems to have become something of a central point of contact for half the city, and most of us from the ship. I can take you directly to her bar, if you like-- that's the only free housing left, I'm afraid. The Flop burned down several weeks back.

[He'd offer his couch, except his couch appears to still be full of Nick Burkhardt. Eventually the man will find his own place, but in the meantime, it's not unpleasant having more company. It just means there's no room for anyone else.

Lyall really ought to get a bigger place, one of these days.]

[did_i_say_percy]

[Armand thinks for a moment before answering.] I wouldn't mind seeing Miss Potts right away if she knows about housing and work. Do I want to know why The Flop burned? [He is hoping it was some kind of accident. Those still happen.]

[professorwolf]

I was there, actually. It happened in a spate of riots that occurred in the wake of Nem's murder and an unpopular political appointee from a neighboring city-state to replace him.

[Sorry, Armand, he answered your question without even thinking of whether you'd want to know.]

[did_i_say_percy]

[During that description, Armand looked increasingly worried.]
There are neighbors? [Someone getting murdered sounded serious, but Armand couldn't understand even the idea that there were more communities on Verdana.]

[professorwolf]

Quite a few, actually, Poseidon certainly isn't alone on this planet. Bellona is the neighbor in question, though they're several days' travel away, as I recall. They seem to be the largest in this part of the continent, however, and the most keen on interfering in the politics of others'.

[did_i_say_percy]

Is Bellona another city? What's it like there? [Armand is a little worried about war, and probably more than a little cautious about actual civil war. He knows how nasty those can get.]

I don't want to sound cowardly, but what good would it do to cause such trouble under these conditions?

[professorwolf]

Really more of a city-state, with some control over the surrounding territory, but yes. I haven't been, but I hear it's more advanced than here, but also under much stricter control. That, I believe, is part of the reason for the unrest. No one here really wants to become like Bellona.

[Lyall, for example, doesn't really like the idea of stricter control over their personal lives. Just this curfew is bad enough.]

And considering the trouble in question resulted in several executions last week... I wouldn't blame you in the slightest for not wanting to cause any yourself. There are other routes to take which are less destructive, anyhow.

[did_i_say_percy]

Executions? [Armand can't help his horror at that idea.] I understand that riots aren't a good thing, but executions? You can be certain I won't want to cause any trouble at all.

Though . . . I wouldn't shirk from doing what's right, law or no.

[professorwolf]

I know you wouldn't.

[Lyall reaches over the bike to pat the boy lightly on the shoulder.]

You don't really seem the rioting type, anyhow. Most of us aren't. They were all locals, and the ones executed were deemed the instigators.

[did_i_say_percy]

People should be able to express their opinions of a government, especially if it's going wrong. [Armand tries to take comfort from that kindly pat. He knows how reserved Professor Lyall is.]

Perhaps we shouldn't look down so much on the locals. [Something in Lyall's tone reminds him of a few of the more unkind things some of the League would say about the average French citizen, the poor people who were just following along and hoping that their new leaders would help them better than the old ones had. Not everyone was either the cream of the Committee or the abject victim of the same Committee's cruelty. There were many, many people in between who kept their heads down and just lived through the troubles. Surely, the people here weren't that different.]

It worries me to see people in a position to be belittled, especially by people who are in a position to know better what might be done to improve the world.

[professorwolf]

[Lyall glances over at him with some surprise.]

I wasn't-- or at least, I didn't mean to. I merely meant to say that none of us caused or participated in any riots, that I am aware of. And, while I approve of dissent in the proper channels, destruction of property and endangering of lives really should not be a tolerated method of expression opinion.

[He's of two minds on the execution. As a werewolf, he tends to veer on the side of violent justice, but as an investigator in his own right, he does wish he knew more about how they had come to be charged.]

[did_i_say_percy]

[Armand bites his lip. He doesn't want Lyall mad at him.]

Maybe they were bad eggs, the kind of people who like to cause trouble. But don't you think causing violence isn't most people's first choice? I barely knew how things were run before when there were less natives, and people mostly left one another alone except the Outer Authorities. [Who so far as Armand knew were considered a necessary evil at best before if not outright enemies.]

And now they're allies of the government?

[He shuts up then. Armand knows he has to think things through, and he's not any good at making decisions. He just doesn't know enough.]

I suppose this all too much to worry about today. I need a place to live and a job and-- [Deep breath. He needs his long dead mother to cry on, or at least his sister. So blink, and lots more deep breaths.]

[professorwolf]

[More puzzled than anything else by Armand's, to him, sudden and very direct interest, Lyall tilts his head as they walk, and offers:]

We get by as we can. On the whole, we are on decent terms with the local government, though, yes. This isn't a distant Outer Authority who swoops in now and then to wreak havoc. It is a city like any other, and it must function as one, which means it requires a government.

[Lyall slows to a stop, now that they're at the bottom of the mountain path. The Old City is just beyond them, and a hard-packed road crosses in front of them.]

We'll find you a place, most likely with Miss Potts. Then we can see about explaining everything properly.