012 ⌥ VIDEO. filtered away from the OUTER AUTHORITIES, if that's a thing.

[femshep]

[ Judging by the tired-of-this-shit look on Shepard's face, she's finally biting some kind of bullet when she shoves the back of her hair up and lifts the camera to see the back of her metal Outer Authorities collar. The hand pushing her hair aside lets go of it in favor of taking hold of the collar and trying to give it a wiggle. It doesn't budge, clearly fused to the back of her spine. ]

I want this thing the hell off me. If any of you med-tech types need a pet project, get in touch.

[ And that's it. The feed cuts off there. ]

Comments

[Audio | Private, Secured Channel]

[nodavinci]

[The reply's a little tinny, as though it's filtered first through some sort of speaker system - almost like a hardsuit comm with the quality shifted a notch or two downward.]

We're a little busy preventing the destruction of the multiverse. But we might be able to fit you in next Tuesday.

[femshep]

[ You. She remembers your 'sense of humor'. ]

Fine, but bump me up if you get a cancellation.

[ Because playing along might get her a little farther at this point. ]

[nodavinci]

I'll have my secretary put you on the waiting list.

[There's a pause. It's probably not someone on the other line warning him to not be an asshole, but one can always hope.]

Refresh my memory - is that an artifact of the old regime, or did you rob a bank?

[He's seen the comm archives, he's as up on the early history of the ship's refugees as anyone who wasn't there can be, but what he isn't is sure whether she's from the deleted history he remembers, or the new history he doesn't.

Damn time travel.]

[femshep]

I broke through the dome. [ That is to say 'old regime'. The new regime doesn't have a dome, at least not nearby. ]

[nodavinci]

Sounds like I missed a great party.

[It's possible she means one of the far flung domes - but unlikely.

You know you're in trouble when Occam's razor actually does point to time travel.]

After the doctors get tired of inventing new orifices to probe, I'll take a look. Most of their toys have similar designs.

[Video]

[kazeninaru]

[Here, have a staring and androgynous young woman. Seriously, the "woman" part is hard to tell. She has a slight accent, Japanese if Shep would recognize it.]

What the hell is that...?

[Yes, she's seen collars. No, she hasn't seen one that does that.]

[Video]

[femshep]

Call it a parting gift, from back when our friends the Outer Authorities wanted each and every one of us dead.

[ Who's still bitter? This marine right here. ]

[Video]

[kazeninaru]

I remember that. They killed me, once. I am still not very comfortable with them, to be honest.

[She still isn't happy that they don't take her seriously, either. Double-standards, what are those?]

[Video]

[femshep]

Glad I'm not the only one.

[ She really is. She's had a bad taste in her mouth ever since she found out that Kaidan and the other Shepard were peechy-keen on the OA these. days ]

[Video]

[damn_it_jim]

Oh good, I didn't have to actually hunt you down and sit on you.

[Bones and Shepard didn't exactly overlap. He's still heard stories.]

Colour me surprised but cautiously hopeful. The name's McCoy. Dr. Leonard McCoy. And if that thing's grafted to your spine, then don't wiggle it.

[Video]

[femshep]

It doesn't move. [ She reassures him, and while her face is just wearily determined, you could just about swear there's an exasperated eye-roll in her tone. ]

You the guy Kaidan mentioned? [ Or could he plausibly be a guy that Kaidan would mention in this context, since he obviously wasn't there to know one way or the other. ]

[Video]

[damn_it_jim]

Show me fresh scans proving that on a micro level and I might actually believe you [is Bones' thoughts on whether or not the implant is as fixed as she claims it to be. He huffs a short breath.]

And that depends. If the major was mentioning me as a brilliant and underutilized surgeon who's actually familiar with technology beyond the primitive set-up they have here, that would be me.

[Video]

[femshep]

Then it sounds like you're my guy. [ She decides, her tone a little dry. ] Just say when and where.

[Video]

[erranthero]

Kriff...

[She's HEARD of those things but...]

If that hurts, I can at least do something to numb a bit of the pain.

[Video]

[femshep]

Kerra. Glad to see you're still in one piece. [ But there's a note of humor in her tone. From what she heard, Kerra's encounter was more ridiculous than dangerous. ]

[Video]

[erranthero]

[She nods, grinning.]

Yep, no big deal. That big ape Vegeta wasn't much help, but your guy Alenko got us out no problem.

And that offer was serious, if you need it.

[Video]

[femshep]

[ Her guy Alenko. She appreciates the sentiment, whether or not it's true anymore.

As for the offer, she shakes her head. ]

Hasn't hurt since the day after they put it in me. [ Slight exaggeration, but the point stands. If it does still hurt, her system's used to it by now, to the point that she doesn't notice. ]

[cantcatchme]

That's...

That's one hell of a fashion don't, lady.

[Pietro's staring. A lot. Ouch.]

[femshep]

No kidding. [ Spoken dryly, but there's an underlying edge of seriousness to it. She is so ridiculously sick of this thing, there are no words. ]

[cantcatchme]

[Pietro shakes himself, struggling to look less freaked out than he is.]

Yeah, well... good luck with that. Ain't exactly in my area of expertise.

[femshep]

What is, then? [ Kid's gotta have an area of expertise to have room to say that this isn't it. ]

[video | filter]

[girlworthfighting]

I don't know who you are, I don't believe we've even met before but...what did you do?

[Her voice is sharp, and it may be clear she's consciously choosing to ignore pleasantries. Mulan knows what these collars are for; she wants to know who the hell this person is and what they tried to pull off to make this happen.]

[video | filter]

[femshep]

Were you here before the shake-up? [ A mild term for entire timelines being altered, but the question stands. ]

[video | filter]

[girlworthfighting]

The... [It takes her a beat to gather what that's likely in reference too.] Yes, yes I was. Why?

[video | filter]

[femshep]

I punched through the dome.