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[Audio/Video | 001: Arrival ]

[It's definitely a smart phone. It's definitely not her own. But, this one has signal and the other one doesn't, and she's just gotten herself out of one pod to find that she's surrounded by thousands of them. If there's anyone who knows what's going on...]

Tony?

[To most ears, she sounds carefully neutral. Calm, if you miss the little quaver that underpins the words.]

What's going on? Is it the chitauri? Is this--

[She ends the audio call on that, returning a couple moments later in the form of a video of a slender woman in a good quality business suit -- somewhere late-20th or early 21st century by its cut, and conservative enough to really fit any time that women are wearing modern suits. The backdrop is still the ship and she sems a lot more composed.]

I'm not sure who's out there, but if anyone can tell me what's going on here, I'd appreciate it. Was there another invasion attempt?

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[Finally! Someone Tony actually wants to see.]

Hey you. [Look, he was trying to play it cool, but now he's just grinning like an idiot. It might be a disaster, but now he has Pepper to take care of him, so it's okay.] Uh, so far it looks like we all pulled a Cap for a few years and ended up on a different planet? Yeah, that doesn't sound suspicious at all.

Hello, Mr. Stark.

[Pepper's answering smile wavers a little more than she'd like, but if Tony's alive and grinning (Idiotically. Adorably.) at her, then things are either going to be just fine, or explode suddenly, but they are unquestionably looking up.]

That's, um... well, I guess I can't say it's a little hard to believe when we've got Captain Rogers as an example--

[And then her brain catches up to her ears.]

Another planet? How many years? Where are you?

[Tony doesn't know how to answer those questions, but he also doesn't want to admit that he doesn't know all the answers, so he just mostly ignores them.]

You by the ship still? I'll come get you.

Ship?

[She glances around in the video feed, one hand reaching out to brush at a bulkhead, and looks little more illuminated.]

That would make sense... and just how many plans do you have right now to fix it and fly away? I'll wait here for you.

Hi! I hope it's not weird if I just respond...? I'm probably not the best person to explain since there are a lot of people who've been here way longer, but I can do my best to answer questions.

Oh, and I'm Judy.

In my experience, the best person to answer questions is the person who actually shows up to do it. So... thanks, Judy. My name's Pepper.

How did you get here? Does everyone wake up in one of those pods?

Edited 2012-06-29 13:53 (UTC)

Well, I did; there are some people around here who I think are just native to the planet but as for those of us on this network, I think that's the case. That we woke up in the pods, I mean.

Native... are they aliens?

I mean, I guess technically anyone not born on Earth would be one. But, well, you know what I mean.

Well, the people that live out here where we do look human enough. Although there are also some dinosaurs, I guess? Which look like proper dinosaurs, and not like from-another-planet dinosaurs.

I don't know about the people who live in the domes, though; I've never met one. I think some of the others have, though apparently we aren't on good terms with them. Mostly I've been warned to GTFO when they come around.

Humans and dinosaurs. Either the original colonists saw Jurassic Park as a how-to guide, or... well, I can't actually think of an 'or'. I'll, um, watch my step, though.

It's a little crazy right now, I think, since there were, um, significantly more dinosaurs here before I woke up, I think. And there was a fire? Anyway, I want to say if you head out from the ship and just head straight you'll eventually run into us?

Will do. I have someone I know here already and meeting me, so that should help keep me safe, and someone called the Doctor has told me the hospital could use some help, so... I guess I'm set.

Work until your head stops spinning, right?

Pretty much. Story of my life in some ways, so it's not a huge change, at least. Lucky that you've got someone you know here.

[...sometimes Rachel is frustrating, but what she wouldn't give to find her out here, for serious.]

I'm not exactly sure whether to hope you find someone you know, or to hope that they didn't get yanked here too.

[Pepper admits this with a crooked little smile.]

Either way, let me know if you need anything, or if you just want to meet and talk some time.

[The Doctor offers a smile, but his battered appearance probably isn't very reassuring.] Rather the opposite, actually. You're on another world.

None of us are certain why or how you ended up here, I'm afraid.

Oh... wow. Um.

[She peers at him, concern creasing her features.]

Has something happened? You look a little--

Dreadful? [His smile turns rueful.] There was a bit of a fire, in the forest. Which caused a bit of a stampede.

We're in the midst of rescue and reconstruction now.

[His smile fades in favour of concern.] Are you still near the ship? It may not be safe; there are still predators lurking about.

[Whether it's Tony's new heroic outlook on life that's rubbed off on her, or simply her use of order as a coping strategy, 'reconstruction' brings a sharp focus to her eyes.]

I'm neither an engineer 'nor a doctor, but if you need help with the organizational side of that, let me know -- I've got a little bit of experience in herding cats at a moment's notice. And, um... I'm still on the ship, actually. I have someone coming to me, though.

[That definitely draws a grin.]

We can always use more organisation. The hospital's a bit hectic, honestly - for the most part, we're simply treating people as they come in, and we're stretched a tad thin.

[Congratulations, Doctor, you've found the key to un-freaking Pepper Potts: give her something to do. She nods quickly, and promptly begins to juggle the mysterious new smartphone she's talking on with her trusty no-signal-detected personal one, the better to bring up a notefiler program.]

What can you tell me about the hospital in terms of numbers? Doctors, nurses, semi-skilled laypeople... that sort of thing. And what kind of injuries are coming in, mostly?

[An admiring smile quirks at his lips before he gets down to business.]

The hospital was dreadfully understaffed before all this, and now...well. We've three actual doctors - there were four, but one was wounded. There are two apprentices helping with the more minor cases. There are eight nurses on site, two with the SAR teams.

There are about a dozen volunteers, but they don't have much medical training between them. ...I'm not technically qualified myself, but I've a lot of experience to go on.

Our supplies are dwindling quickly. I estimate we've a week at the outset, perhaps more with proper organisation.

There are a variety of injuries, between the predators and the debris, but the majority seems to be varying degrees of blunt trauma.

[Pepper's expression isn't lacking in compassion for the injured, but there's a cool quality to it as she nods, homing in on where she herself might be able to do some good.]

Organization I can do. Would they be willing to accept help from someone who's, um, about as fresh off the boat as you can be?

[The Doctor recognises that, and he can appreciate that sort of focus.]

They'd accept help from most anywhere at this point, I think.

Then, if you can give me directions or coordinates for the hospital, I'll go there as soon as the person I'm waiting for arrives. Are there any hazards other than wildlife I should look out for?

[Belatedly, something dawns on her, and she colours faintly.]

Oh! And my name's Pepper. Pepper Potts.

Of course. [His directions are clear and concise, taking the debris into account.] It's always best to watch out for the Outer Authorities, but I imagine they're busy with the breaches to the dome.

[And the grin is back!] It's a pleasure, Ms. Potts. I'm the Doctor.

I don't know much more than you right now, Ms. Potts, but I can say that it's definitely not chitauri.

Captain Rogers, is that you?

[Well, whatever's happened to bring them here, she's at least not alone.]

Are you all right? Tony said something about this being some future time and place...

[Technically, he referred to it as 'pulling a Cap', but Pepper would find that impolite to parrot back to the Cap in question.]

Yes ma'am, it is.

[Even though she can't see him, he gives a nod of affirmation out of habit. At the second question he gives a small, wry smile.]

Everything is the future to me, though that sounds about right. Wouldn't have guessed the future to be a place for dinosaurs.

O brave new world, that has such people in't.

[Pepper's voice is wry as she recalls her Shakespeare.]

Although... dinosaurs? Are you talking metaphorically, or am I going to have to look out for a T.Rex?

[Steve winces visibly.]

More like a triceratops?

[At least that one he's seen.]

Well.

[Pepper's voice has cone faint and slightly distant as she processes this. If it were anyone but earnest Captain Rogers, she'd be inclined to believe someone's having her on.]

At least that's, um, one of the herbivores.

Well that's a positive.

I wish I had more information for you, Ms. Potts. Maybe we'll rendezvous at a time when things aren't going to pieces. [With this crowd, good luck, but he's staying optimistic.]

Absolutely. Someone else I've been talking with suggested that the hospital could use my help, so if you want to find me...

[She trails off with a crooked smile that appends an unspoken 'unless Tony has other plans'.]

Um. Stay safe out there, all right?

You can bet on that, Ms. Potts, on both accounts. Try to keep Mr. Stark out of trouble. [which translates to: I'm wishing you well too but any kind of goodbye is difficult to say out loud, considering]

Chitauri?

Is that one of these?

[Wing will hold up the front part of a stegosaurus carcass he's been transporting out away from the Old City and the ship.]

[It's not the large robot suit talking to her that leaves Pepper staring, because after all, she's growing accustomed to men making suits of modern armour, in various sizes, and zooming around tearing up scenery in it.

The dead dinosaur, however...

Pepper is silent for a moment, lips parted slightly in bemusement, before she presses them together and finds her voice.]

No. That looks like it's a dinosaur. A, um, stegosaurus, I believe.

[That's better than he'd expected: normally he's been met with the suspicion of the 'you robots tryin' ta take over the world' variety.]

[It's actually somewhat of a relief to be taken as, well, normal.]

Dinosaur. Yes, that's what the others were calling them when they stampeded through.

You have these where you're from?

[One shouldn't give Pepper undue credit, mind you -- she's pretty sure there's a person inside the robot, rather than one that's fully autonomous and sentient.]

Not... in a very long time. Millions of years, actually. Mostly, they seem to have their fossiliized remains dug up and put in museums. And then there's the occasional science fiction film where people have found a way to clone them...

That, um, usually doesn't end well. Is that why they're here?

[He'll take what he can get.]

Clone them?

[From what he's seen of the Authorities and their war, it wouldn't surprise him.]

It's entirely possible, yes, that they are leftovers from the war.

...like us.

War?

[Pepper's expression grows wary at that -- the chitauri invasion was hell enough on New York and it was beaten back]

The only thing I remember that would class as a war was a single strike that was ultimately pushed back.

[He nods.] The Authorities apparently fought a war. Long ago.

They've retreated to their domes, leaving those outside to fend for themselves.

There's a theory that we were brought here to be weapons in their war.

Well, that's interesting. It would explain why a couple of people I know are here. Me, though...

[She shakes her head. Unless the mysterious force behind her arrival wanted meticulously organized supply chains, she's not seeing it.

(Although it's possible they did.)]

So the, um, ship has been crashed for a while, then?

[Wing laughs.] I do not believe in war, so why they'd choose me, as well, is a mystery.

[Pacifists are terrible weapons.]

The ship has been crashed long enough to be half-buried, forgotten by the locals.

When we began waking, the Authorities seemed...unpleasantly surprised.

[She can pretty much hear the capital letter used there, and she catches her lower lip between her teeth to worry at it gently.]

You'll have to tell me more about these 'Authorities'.

[Oh he'd hate to think he's making her upset.]

There's not much that I do know. They live in domed cities. They did show up, once, after we'd awakened. They attacked us and tried to destroy the ship.

One of them, a refugee, left the dome and ended up in the Old City, but, [ he shakes his head--it's obvious why he doesn't know much of what happens in the Old City: his size] you'll have to ask someone else about that, I'm afraid.

[Pepper nods in, if not understanding, then at least the glimmers of it.]

You've been very helpful even so. Thank you, Mr.--?

I wish I knew more. I can't help but think that our way home is paved through understanding how we got here. And why.

...Wing. Simply Wing.

Well then, you've been very helpful, Mr. Wing.

[She dimples at him briefly. Her boyfriend gets referred to by a teasing 'Mr. Stark' on a regular basis, so the 'Mr' appended to the large robot is probably staying put.]

Someone suggested I might be able to lend a hand at the hospital, so I think I'm heading there as soon as I meet up with someone I know.

If there's anything else you need, please contact me.

[He'll just blink at the 'Mr'.]

You might, based on what I've heard, find the hospital...in great need.

[Captain Jim Kirk had been less than impressed with their medical care, for one thing.]

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[Audio/Video | 001: Arrival ]

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Video - sorry this took so long!

No problem! I saw the mod info post for you. :P

Video <3

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[video] because why not

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