video;

[virology]

[Have a Marta, everyone. She's sitting at a cafe console for the first time since her initial arrival last week. After the last few days of recovering from being on the run, exploring the city, and keeping an eye on Aaron's wounds, she's finally ready to see just who's around.

Hair pulled back in a ponytail, and with a cup of tea not far from her hand, she starts a video feed.]

Good morning, everyone. My name is June. [Look at that, she didn't stumble on the fake name or anything!] I've been looking around the city and--it's quite incredible isn't it?

The level of technology is a great deal less advanced than where I'm from, however. Has anyone seen anything remotely resembling a laboratory or a hospital here?

[She pauses briefly, a moment of awkwardness, then summons a half-smile.]

Thank you for your time.

Comments

video

[virology]

A shame you didn't have a chance to enjoy what it had to offer then, even with its crowded population and traffic.

video

[shootingshields]

I'm sure I'll get back soon enough, with more free time. Assuming we ever manage to escape this place, of course.

video

[virology]

Yes, there's always that hurdle to get past first.

[Sigh. She rubs a hand over her face.]

Any theories on how much of what they've told us is true, and which parts?

video

[shootingshields]

To the best of my knowledge, it really is a turtle's back we're living on. Unfortunately, it's a bit hard to confirm or deny anything, since we get our answers shoved off as "the Emperor's business."

video

[virology]

So it's not just us who had that problem.

[Us as in she and Aaron.]

What about their whole thing about this being a place between life and death and dreaming?

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[shootingshields]

It seems most people do.

That -- well, to be honest, I thought I'd died at first, but it may very well be some sort of in-between world, as strange as it sounds.

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[virology]

[Marta simply nods.]

I can't recall a recent instance that may have led to my death but this is all well out of my depth and experience so who's to say. An in-between world sounds strangely logical, if such things can be believed.

video

[shootingshields]

That was part of it, too. There weren't really any recent fatal incidents I could recall either, but it didn't strike me as impossible to be suddenly killed.

And with the amount of people from a fairly large variety of words, perhaps it's some kind of -- not gateway, exactly, but maybe a connection between them all.

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[virology]

That does seem reasonable, well, as much as it can considering the supernatural nature of this that we're discussing.

[And talking ~magic~ really isn't her thing. Science, science is dependable. This otherworldly stuff is not.]

video

[shootingshields]

[Peggy's never been a big believer in the supernatural either -- all the technology she's seen can be explained through science; even if some of it goes over her head, there's nothing fantastical about it]

The supernatural part is the hardest to grapple with, but I'm sure there's an actual explanation to be found. There must be.

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[virology]

I agree. There's usually a scientific explanation for most everything that seems fantastical. It's just a matter of finding that first lead.

[Marta sighs, rubbing the bridge of her nose with her fingertips.]

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[shootingshields]

I'm not much of a scientist myself, though I do understand that. There are so many things I never would have thought possible that I've seen come to life through science and technology.

video

[virology]

It is rather incredible, the things that people have managed to do these days. I imagine you must see a great deal of that in the military.

video

[shootingshields]

I do, mostly in terms of weaponry, though a lot of it is under the public radar.

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[virology]

Well yes, of course.

[Marta knows all about government projects being kept under wraps.]

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[shootingshields]

I did mean that in a general sense, for the record. But I'm not much involved in the actual development as much as others.

video

[virology]

Your expertise lies in other areas then, I assume?

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[shootingshields]

The least complicated answer would be to say firearms, but there are a number of things I'm involved with. I'm not at liberty to say much, though it largely revolves around intelligence work.

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[virology]

I wouldn't want to put you in an awkward position and ask you to break confidentiality agreements for the sake of my curiosity.

[She understands that Peggy's told her as much as she's able...to a stranger in any case.]

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[shootingshields]

I appreciate it. Differing worlds or not, low key organizations function best when they remain that.

And what about you? What did you do back home?

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[virology]

[Marta hesitates a moment, and then picks through her words carefully.]

A great deal of research, to be honest. Biochemistry and genetics, some virology. A few days before I arrived here the project ended, however, so I was between jobs.

[She doesn't mention the project's government ties, or the fact that the project had been shut down in fatal ways.]

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[shootingshields]

[Peggy nods, though something akin to recognition flashes in her expression at the word "genetics." She picks up on the hesitation, suspects a careful choice of words -- it's part of her job to read people -- but she doesn't push the issue.]

I can't possibly claim to know as much as you probably do, but I can understand the sort of work that might entail.

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[virology]

[Grateful that Peggy leaves it at that, she nods, gives the other woman a wry smile.]

Many long work days with long hours in a closed laboratory.

[Not what Peggy meant, but it's all she'll say publicly.]

Not the kind of work I've been doing here but the break is nice.

[And it gives her some time to get her head straight about her work in general. Things hadn't really ended on a good note, and she'd been left with many questions as to the nature of her work and what her involvement had resulted in.]

video

[shootingshields]

Sounds about right. I'm not sure I could handle that, to be honest. [It's said with a small smile.]

What sort of work have you found here then? It feels like there's quite a variety.

video; Marta needs more smiling icons.

[virology]

There's a little restaurant near my suite. I joined on as one of their waitresses. I haven't worked a restaurant in years but it's amazing how quickly that sort of thing comes back to you.