001 - anonymous text/action

[justlittle]

[Bean waited a long time before posting to the Network. At first he was unsure who exactly was watching. Is this like the desks at school? Would he have to make a fake post to prevent whoever is in charge from learning anything he did not want them to know? Or was it innocent, just a means of communication or entertainment? Either way, Bean saw no real interest in it. From what he saw of the recent posts, the people here seem obsessed with clothing and amenities. Nothing he can relate to. Besides, the terminal in his suite has been acting oddly all day. He decided to explore the city instead. He hasn't been in a city since Rotterdam, but he's sure he can get back into the swing of it. Being a rather large city, there's sure to be street gangs of abandoned kids somewhere-- maybe not in the wealthy-looking metal sector, but somewhere. Maybe he'll find them, restart his old life. Maybe not. For now he's just exploring, gathering data.

At some point he happens upon a café with anonymous hookups. This, he decides, would be the perfect opportunity to give the Network a try. He hangs around the café for a few hours, looking in, buying something to drink, but never signing on. Then finally, he makes his move.]

So they have us on the back of a turtle. Slow and steady wins the race, they say, but where is the rabbit? What shore are we swimming towards, and where was the starting line? And what happens when the turtle stops swimming?

[He signs off, satisfied with his post, and waits to watch the responses. It's as much a fact-finding mission as anything, and he's interested to see who will respond and what they might have to say.]


[ooc: feel free to either respond to his post or see him around any of the sectors. A scrawny looking seven year old can only be so inconspicuous.]

Comments

[imaginate]

I wouldn't rule out the possibility.

[justlittle]

Great. Are there any vets in the city who specialize in giant turtles? [Guy needs his net access.]

[imaginate]

Not that I know of, no. The Emperor brings us here to "help" [yes, one can hear the quotation marks] and then withholds information we could use to that end. [because like hell they'd listen to being forbidden to do so.] We have to sit tight due to sheer lack of knowledge about what we're dealing with. [Anathema. Kyle's glad Bean will understand just how frustrating that is without him having to explain.]

It would help if we knew their language, I think. We could at least start deciphering documents.

[justlittle]

I can learn it. [Total confidence. Not entirely bragging, though it might come off that way.] The man who announced the rations said he'd teach me if I paid him, but he also said there were kedan texts in the library, and I've taught myself from texts before. [Granted, he's never had to learn a new writing system. Yet.]

[imaginate]

[Oh, of that he had no doubt, what with the precocious child and all.] When you do, do you mind teaching me? I'm not quite that proficient at learning from books, but I'm quick if I have a teacher. We can negotiate adequate compensation for your time and effort.

[justlittle]

[Bean's never been a teacher. Commander, yes, teacher, no. But Rayner seems smart enough that he won't annoy Bean to work with.]

Sure.

[imaginate]

[Kyle takes the agreement as a compliment, considering how people must have reacted to the kid back home. It occurs to him, he doesn't even know what Bean's seen.

At least the lessons will be a start to them getting to know each other.] Anyway, this is Wood Sector. Good for seafood, on account of inventing the local fishing rod, and other tools.

[justlittle]

I'd have thought Water Sector would have more fish. [Not that Bean has eaten much seafood. They don't serve it in space and it wasn't exactly readily available on the streets. Only when he was living with Sister Carlotta did they have fish every Friday.]

[imaginate]

It does, but nobody tries to catch them as often, I suppose. [And out of curiosity-] What sort of food did they have at your mess hall?

[justlittle]

Processed stuff, tailored to our individual dietary needs. [He kicks a pebble.] They always gave me too much, but I gave the extra to other kids.

[imaginate]

[How much of that lost childhood can he discern from those words? There is a weight on his shoulders, and he feels every ounce acutely. Rarely has he felt so angry and so saddened at the same time.] Field operative, or War Room?

[justlittle]

[The terminology is different, but easy enough to translate.] War Room. We were trained to command.

[imaginate]

Field commander. [That is all he can really offer in reply as to his own position in the Corps. Internally, he is extremely relieved the kid isn't out there watching people die, but that doesn't mean they weren't affected by the other downsides of command: learning to use people like chess pieces, for the good of all.

He thinks of how he himself doesn't mind being used that way, and quietens the storm in his heart.]

[justlittle]

[No, he just got to watch little lights die on a screen. But he tried. He said a prayer for them before they sacrificed their lives to save humankind. If he thinks about it too much, though, he might get emotional, and he can't let that happen.]

Does that make me your superior?

[imaginate]

We'll adapt as the situation demands. [This is a man who recognises and defers to expertise when he sees it, while also maintaining that he has something of his own to bring to the table: his sheer amount of experience.] It pays to keep an open mind, especially here.

[justlittle]

[Bean smirks.] I'll make an effort.

[imaginate]

[Kyle grins back.] Don't get ahead of yourself, sir.

[justlittle]

Is that insubordination I detect?

[imaginate]

What on earth gave you that idea?

[justlittle]

I think you mean what on turtle.

[imaginate]

This soldier offers the counter argument that the turtle is on a planet of some kind.

[justlittle]

This soldier counters that that planet still likely isn't Earth.

[imaginate]

Unfortunately there is no proof that it is or isn't, so it seems this remains undecided due to lack of conclusive evidence. However, the objection is noted, and this soldier will attempt to be more accurate in the future, provided there is no comedic value in being otherwise.

[justlittle]

[Bean could go into statistical probabilities and the like, but that would be too far. I stead, he sticks his hands in his pockets and keeps walking. The smile stays, though.]

[imaginate]

[Kyle's smile stays too, and they walk towards Water. The streets become narrower and most of the space is taken up by the wide canals. The water is only starting to cloud slightly, but otherwise looks normal. The area is mostly quiet this time of day, and a few people are standing around the fruit shops. He points to one.] Sea prunes. Unadvisable unless desperate. Everything else tastes like fresh fruit that one can get planetside.

[He wonders just how long this rationing is going to last, and how long it might be before they receive anything as fresh.]