First Report [Video]

[hawkejunior]

[By now, Carver and his sister have been frightened enough times by the bizarre, talking magical books that appeared in their possessions. They speak in voices and change every day, so it took some tinkering before they were able to figure out how, precisely, to work them.

But now they have. Sort of.

Carver's face appears in the image, glaring, focused in entirely too close for him to know what he's doing with it. He taps on it a few times and once he can see himself, tries to adjust so he's a little easier to see.]

Hello? Is anyone there? Can anyone hear me? [It statics, because he's yelling into it.] Maker! Damn this blighted thing...

[Giving up on trying to make the communicator work, he goes back to the subject at hand.]

If anyone can hear this, my name is Warden-Ensign Carver Hawke. My sister and I- I don't know how we got here, but we're here. We came out of that- that metal building back there.

We're holed up in a little shack not far from that metal building, on the south side of the mountain. I don't know if anyone else is out there, but if they are--

[He coughs, clears his throat, and his voice turns all business.]

I'm going to go ahead and assume this is somewhere in the Anderfels, so you'll probably know what a Grey Warden is. So in that case I'd like to request some food and supplies for both myself and my sister, who is not a Warden, but you're going to be damned bloody sorry if you refuse to her.

And if nobody else is out there... well, then we're in a pile of shit, aren't we...

Comments

[circler]

It's almost like going out with Brother on his adventures again.

[She smiles.]

Only it's just the two of us. It's actually a bit-- well, not exciting. Daring, maybe?

[hawkejunior]

It's quieter.

[He tries to be serious with that remark, but he ends up grinning at his own joke.]

We'll be fine together. Anything that gets past your magic won't get past my blade.

[relicrebellion]

You could, for all I know, be from a subterranean human tribe. I have not encountered any, but that does not mean there might not be a representative waking up tomorrow.

[She frowns slightly.]

There are many more worlds than the one you come from. This is one such - if you are familiar with the sky of your world, you will see it's not the same, if you look up at night. The differences are more than could be explained by merely venturing to a different sector of the globe.

[Video]

[standsentinel]

Well, there are other people out here, but there are still plenty of shit piles around so don't feel that you're missing out.

[Hello, Hawkes. Kaidan is at least getting familiar with the arrival of people who appear to be refugees from RenFaires at this point. His smile is crookedly reassuring, at least, for all that he's wearing something that says 'military uniform' but also says 'absolutely nothing like ones you'd recognize.]

You're on a world called 'Verdana', Ensign. The metal building is a space ship -- a vessel designed to travel between stars. It wrecked on this world long before any of us woke up inside it, so I can't tell you too much else about it right now.

Food and supplies are a little tight right now -- there have been some troubles with an opposing force -- but there's a place set up for new arrivals. It's called the 'Flop', and you can get food and a bed there to start with.

If you need a guide there, just say it -- my name's Major Kaidan Alenko, and I've been here for about a month or so, now.

[hawkejunior]

[Wow... that's a lot more help than Carver expected to get. He nods gratefully for the advice.]

Thank you for the help, Major Alenko. My sister and I will thank you in person when we reach the settlement.

Am I to understand this is sort of a... permanent arrangement, us being here?

[hawkejunior]

Well, I was busier huddling for my life in a shack last night than I was looking at constellations.

[Was he trying to sound so cranky or did it just slip?]

Anyway... I'll figure it out. We both will.

[standsentinel]

[Kaidan's just Captain Canada over here. One hand lifts, rubbing wearily at the back of his neck, as the smile fades out to something a little more absent-minded.]

For the moment. We don't know just what year this is, but we do know that people have arrived from different times, different worlds, and even different realities. Some folks are studying the ship for clues. Others are trying to sort out the situation here -- there's, ah, a bit of a war on. So be careful on your way to the Flop.

[Hey, compared to the apocalyptic scale of the threat posed by Reapers, the Authorities count as a 'bit'.]

[hawkejunior]

War and the unknown. Well, at least this place is doing its best to make me feel at home.

[He sighs and reaches up, adjusting the gauntlets on one of his hands.]

Thanks for the warning. Between my sister and I, we can handle pretty much anything. [Excepting ogres, that one time.] Anything else we should know before we head out?

[standsentinel]

[Kaidan huffs a laugh at that, wryly appreciative of the sentiment, and runs one hand across the silvering patches at his temples.]

You and me both, kid. But I think that's it, at least to get you to the Flop safely. South side of the mountain, near the ship... hang on.

[His eyes drop downwards out of focus, and a moment later Carver's communicator pings, chimes, or does whatever it does to alert to a new message and/or file. Have a map, Hawkes.]

[hawkejunior]

[KID? Carver tries not to show his ire at that, biting back an angry retort... if only because Kaidan's been so helpful.

He just might jump a bit ]

Thanks. We'll be on our way shortly.

[Video]

[canandhave]

Carver.

[This might be the happiest she's ever sounded to hear from him. Although it's a little surprising for her that he describes himself as a Grey Warden.]

It's not the Anderfels, but there is a place that you can get food and supplies.

[Although she suspects someone might have beaten her to saying that, which would probably be for the best.

The 'sister' gets a pause, although from speaking to Sebastian, Carver could mean some female version of Garrett, but Carver never spoke of Garrett with that sort of fondness. But Bethany was dead.]

[circler]

[She laughs, too. Brother seemed to just have a naturally loud voice along with his presence.]

It might actually be kind of fun, knocking out monsters together again.

[standsentinel]

[Kaidan's half a grin suggests he's picked up on a little of that bitten-back ire and, both several steps up the rank ladder and just old enough to theoretically be Carver's dad, by the look of the young ensign, seems a little amused by it, in an affable fashion.]

Raise me on this thing when you get there, or if you need a hand along the way -- you can contact specific people here if you have their name.

[hawkejunior]

Aveline.

[Yeah, he noticed that. He'd have thought the captain of the Kirkwall guard would be glad to be rid of him, the way things went just before he left on the expedition.

But that hardly matters now.]

So I've heard. We'll be on our way in a little.

[hawkejunior]

I think so. As long as they aren't too big, and as long as we're the ones doing the knocking around this time.

[That wasn't really funny, but it's either laugh at that crack or cry about it, so Carver goes with the former.]

[hawkejunior]

[Do yourself a favor and never, ever say as much to him, Kaidan. He'll freak right out.]

I think we'll be all right, but I will, Major. Thank you.

[relicrebellion]

[Yeah, she gets that sometimes.]

It would be safest if you figured it out from within the bounds of the settlement. The wildlife can be quite vicious. And incredibly large.

The road should be easy to follow, if you can find it. If you've gone too far afield, find a landmark you can describe, and someone will come for you.

[circler]

We're both stronger. We both-- understand so much more, now.

[She falls silent. It's strange, thinking about that day... but with Carver still at her side.]

[hawkejunior]

Yes. We're older now.

[A pause.]

Well... how old are you? Are we both 22?

[circler]

[She nods.]

I don't know what I'd think if we weren't the same age. That'd be-- way too weird. Just- Maker.

[canandhave]

[This place is an unknown quantity, and even as a...gray warden, she knows Carver.]

Good. And how is your sister? Not injured, I hope?

[Otherwise why would Carver be making this announcement?]

[hawkejunior]

Good. That would have been bloody strange. [At least some things in the world stayed constant.]

Did you learn anything new in the Circle?

[hawkejunior]

No, she's fine. We both are.

[An awkward pause.]

Is Brother here?

[canandhave]

[Wait...]

Maybe you should refer to your siblings by name, because I have to confess now to being a little confused. Is...Bethany there with you?

[hawkejunior]

[Carver might ordinarily be a bit annoyed at the confusion, but even he can offer her that one... he's confused too.]

Yes. It's Bethany. Please don't ask me how.