001 [video]

[did_i_say_percy]

[Armand found his clothes and the communicator and his way as far as the base of the ramp exiting the ship. The utter unfamiliarity of the landscape hit him hard, and he didn't make it much further yet. So he fiddles with the device until his fingers find the combination he wants, though he has no idea why he knows it.

The tip of his nose is already red from the cold. He speaks with a noticeable French accent, and his voice is pleasant and cheerful, at least for the moment.]

I'm game if someone wants to tell me the trick. This is hardly England, nor France either. And it wasn't this cold last I knew.

[A pause, as he looks around yet again. He's not wearing a jacket over his shirt and waistcoat. Apparently he didn't have one with him when he was spirited from there to here.]

I'd go back inside, but it doesn't seem hospitable in there. I can see a city, but it looks a fair way off to walk. Is that where I should go?

Has anyone seen or heard of Sir Percy Blakeney or Marguerite St.--I mean Lady Blakeney? If you have, could you tell them I've been found though I don't know how I was lost this time? It's not my fault, anyway. I'm Armand. St. Just, that is. Margot's my sister.

The short of it is that I'm cold, and if I should just go back inside for a bit, I will, but I'm hoping to hear of a better alternative.

Comments

[professorwolf]

You could try knocking first,

[Is Lyall's dry suggestion to that. He eases down into one of the chairs out in the front room, motioning for Armand to do the same in one of the others.]

A good summary. All you are missing are the overview of how to get by in this city, and to be careful what you say on the network-- on that communicator you sent that call on, earlier. Do you have any specific questions? Besides the one about the communicator, itself.

[did_i_say_percy]

[Other than a fierce flush of momentary temper, Armand doesn't seem overly upset at the correction. And he takes another chair near Lyall, perching in it nervously instead of relaxing.]

I think Ms. Potts mentioned being careful what to say. I forgot to say that.

I wanted to know how many people were living here. In the city, I mean. It looks very big from a distance, but now I'm here, it seems very quiet. Is that because of the danger? [Seriously, allowing Armand to ask questions is like opening a tidal gate.]

[professorwolf]

[Lyall is a professor. Sort of. He can handle questions, or so he's certain!]

There are not terribly many people here, no. The population is currently at a little over two thousand-- less than it was several months ago, and much less than it was a century ago. War and plague both have taken their toll, I'm afraid. Obviously this city was originally meant for many more people, but I'm sure you saw some of the disrepair the place is in, on your way here.

[did_i_say_percy]

[Armand absorbs all that like a curious little French sponge.]

It was a very advanced city wasn't it? Are there many businesses and such left?

[professorwolf]

Quite. Much more advanced than in my time, even. It seems more comparable to the era around the turn of the millenium, the year two-thousand, from what I have learned from others who come from around that time. The technology of the domed city beyond the barrier is much higher, however, developed in the hundreds of years since they withdrew-- and the technology from the structure those of us "out of time" all came from is higher, still. That is where your communicator came from.

[did_i_say_percy]

[At the mention of the communicator, Armand fishes it from a pocket.]

That's a very odd device, isn't it? I don't know why I know how to make it work. [Without having the least clue why it works.]

Is everything here focused on just surviving? [He would understand the answer either way.]

[professorwolf]

May I see it?

[Lyall holds out a hand, curious and hoping he can offer some kind of explanation once he gets a look at it. Then again, perhaps not. His, after all, took him a few tries to figure out, and it looked at least superficially like something he was familiar with.]

Most of the locals are only concerned with survival, at least from what we can tell. There may be some source of rebellion somewhere, but with winter upon us and plague just recently behind us, it must take back seat, I imagine. Those of us from the ship do have other projects.

[did_i_say_percy]

[Armand hands the device over.]

It must seem paltry next to having heat and food and clean water, but I wondered about cultural events. My sister was an actress. It seems to me that a difficult life might seem less difficult with some diversion, even if it just a little music making or story-telling during meals.

[professorwolf]

Music, there is, though not often in a formal fashion, and there are occasions for dancing and feasting. Acting performances, however, I have not seen, and story-telling I believe occurs more in private than on a public sphere.

[As he speaks, he examines the communicator. It definitely does not look like his....]

There is no form of currency here. Everything is done in barter and trade: goods and services, both. So paying for performances of such a nature becomes more difficult.


((so what DOES his communicator look like? a default, or something from his own time period? ^^ ))

[did_i_say_percy]

[Armand listens.] I can see that about not having money. If there were enough resources, I could see an acting or opera troupe being supported by community sponsorship, of sorts. But people would have to have enough left over not to mind.

[But thinking so deeply or hard isn't really his nature.] It's complicated isn't it? I'd like to participate in some of the dancing sometime, when I know what I'm doing around here.

((His is the standard alien model. I couldn't think of anything from his period that would work.))

[professorwolf]

I'm certain you could find someone willing to teach you the local steps.

[Considering the prettiness combined with the politeness, Lyall has no doubt about that. He hands the communicator back to Armand.]

It is not like anything I have ever seen, I will admit. But you may have noticed, upon waking... the rooms and style of the ship seemed a little familiar? It is a bit like that. I think whoever put us into those pods did something to us, somehow, to put knowledge into us about the ship and its devices. Or else removed it, and we had been there longer than we currently recall.

[Either one is possible, given what he's seen since his arrival here.]

[did_i_say_percy]

[Well, Lyall probably doesn't know too much about the awkwardness, but Armand is still young. He'll grow out of it. Armand is still thinking a little about dancing, maybe with a pretty girl he hasn't met yet, then shakes head when Lyall moves on to talk about the technology.]

I did notice that. [He didn't like it. It was probably the main reason he spent as much time as he did freezing out in front of the ship instead of inside it.] Wing said we were brought here to fight, but that war's over. Are you saying it's possible that we already did fight? And now don't remember? [What a horrifying thought.]

[professorwolf]

Anything is possible, it seems. Though I believe the people here would have legends of that. I believe whatever our purpose was in being snatched from our homes and times, it was foiled when that ship crashed on the planet. We still may be able to fulfill our purpose, but we can only guess at what it is, now.

[He shakes his head, too, a little disapproving of the whole affair.]

The ship has been there, disabled and abandoned, for at least a century, perhaps more. If we can get it functional again, we have a chance to make it home. Until then, we must make do with what we have here.

[did_i_say_percy]

So perhaps not. [It never occurred to him that the ship might be crashed and not simply aging.]

But I don't even know what use I would have been. Is that what people want, to live inside it?

[professorwolf]

No, most of us live out in the city, here. Some live here, in the Flop, and others find their own homes outside. As there is no currency, there are no property owners to lease from, simply people who live in particular places. Almost everything you find will require rebuilding, but there are people who will help with that, for barter.

[did_i_say_percy]

I wouldn't want to cause so much trouble, but I do know that I wouldn't want to live completely alone. [He dips his head and blushes.] So long as I don't have to compromise any poor woman's dignity or reputation. My sister was very strict, and I'd like to live in a way that would allow her to be proud of me if she knew it.

[professorwolf]

There are plenty of young men about you could room with, I'm sure. If all else failed, you could stay with me, though I imagine you wouldn't enjoy that much. I live underground, after all.

[did_i_say_percy]

I didn't realize that. I'll find something. [He doesn't sound confident, but he is going to look diligently.]

You're already too kind to me.

[professorwolf]

Do let me know if you can't or are uncomfortable with what you do find. I have been here long enough that I have a few connections I can call upon if need be.

[And he says it with the kind of parental sternness that comes with being a werewolf Beta, that he hopes a young man like Armand can respect and obey.]

Simply call me on that--

[He motions to the communicator he'd handed back.]

--and if I am awake, I will answer. If I am not, I will answer when I wake again.

[did_i_say_percy]

I will. I promise.

[Armand responds to tones like that almost automatically.]

It won't wake you? Like a messenger?

[professorwolf]

Sometimes I can be quite a heavy sleeper, depending on the time of day, and whether or not I have been awake for most of it.

[He waves a hand lightly to dismiss the worry, at least pleased that Armand is such a polite young man.]

Do not concern yourself with it. I imagine I will get back to you shortly enough, regardless. What other questions do you have, so far?

[did_i_say_percy]

I don't have any specific ones. Mostly, I'm completely overwhelmed. [He shakes his head.]

I probably need to sleep or something. I don't know if I can grow used to living here.

[professorwolf]

You may surprise yourself. I imagine you will be just fine, given some time. You're young. And more flexible than some.

[Lyall can only think of his alpha, one Lady Maccon, who has far more in the way of adjustment hurdles than one young man. And he smiles a bit, somewhere between amused and encouraging.]

Eat something. Sleep a bit in one of the empty rooms; there should be several here, after the plague docked our numbers here. Look around and talk to people. You'll find your place, I'm sure.

[did_i_say_percy]

I feel so out of my element. Though meeting you has helped. You seem almost like someone Percy would have known, if he'd lived in the right time. [And that does make Lyall seem comfortable to be around. It's just as well, Armand doesn't know everything about him yet.]

I'll take your advice. I hope I find an empty room. I'm terribly tired. It must be the cold and all the changes.

[professorwolf]

You will. There should be plenty for you to find one, at least.

[Lyall is glad to be of help, as well as a comfort. He certainly understands the feeling of being out of time. He pushes himself to his feet.]

Remember to call me if you have any need, any more questions, or cannot find somewhere suitable to stay-- good?