revivalproject | Public Network Video - (Plus Two Private Messages)

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Public Network Video - (Plus Two Private Messages)

Public Video - [Posted During Ship Lock-Up]

[The video comes on and there's Tommy, a touch blurry around the edges. The background changes behind him constantly. One second he's pacing in what was clearly the dorm of the ship he's on. The next second he's in a mess hall, the protein paste machine in the background. Then the hangar. Then the bridge. Back to the mess and dorm and mess. This will be true for the whole video. There is no denying that he's very agitated, like ready to run up the walls. Or through them if he could.]

Dudes, who in the world decided this was the best plan that there was? Like, seriously, this plan? It's bogus. Being locked up on a ship is one thing. I wanna go to space. Space is fucking cool. All the stars and planets and traveling and that shit. But here, on the fucking ground, and there's like no way to go and travel between them and the space is small and itissosmallandthewalls are everywhere andican'tgetthrough

[He's shaking harder now, as he comes to a stop. This is miserable.]

Yo, Agrii or whatever. I don't fucking CARE about making friends. I can do that on my own time. But I want the fuck out. Let me go back to the greenhouse. I swear I just found a door that led to a whole section of a floor that was just fucking MINT. I like mint. Let me at the fucking mint.

justletmeoutofhere!

Private Message to Billy - October 13th

[He's calmed down a bit at this point, and it's important that he does this. That he seems calm for this. Because Billy deserves it.]

Yo, happy birthday, bro. Was gonna make you this whole salad with things from the Garden. But some ASSHOLES in charge here absolutely decided to blow birthday plans. I'm sorry this all sorta got blown up. Who you on wherever you're on with? I'm with Wanda. Which, you know, awkward. You know where V ended up? Whatever, not like it matters. Just be okay, right?

Private to Vision - October 13th

[This one has a more nervous looking Tommy. Like he isn't even sure he should be sending this.]

It's today, right? You sorta said that the math would come out to today, yeah? So you know, I don't hold it against you. Forgetting. And not, you know, doing the whole thing you said you would. But it's fine, right? I get it, that you'd want to. So don't worry about me, okay? Just make sure you wish Billy a happy birthday. This will probably be the first time he has to celebrate it without his family or friends or all that. It would mean a lot, I think, for you to reach out.

Because, you know, it's a good Dad thing to do. And he's used to having a good dad. So, you know Vision, do your best. We're nineteen now, so I guess throw that in too?

[OOC: If anyone of Tommy's cohort wants to run into him while he's recording messages, that's cool too. Just hit me up at

churbooseanon and we can set it up.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[The reply comes almost as instantaneous as the network will permit.]

I did not forget, Tommy. I was waiting until morning, in fact, but I suppose I shouldn't count on anyone having a regular sleep schedule.

Don't worry. I've made something for your brother as well.

Happy birthday, Speed.

[Attached to the message is an image file. Rather than a photograph, it looks like a painting - the colors might be familiar to Tommy, as the Vision has been testing various plants in the greenhouse for pigments, although he'd said at the time it was for developing ink for writing. (Which was technically true. It had been for both.) Most of it had been done by hand, but there are places, especially in the background, that have been added or touched up digitally, thanks to the unexpected trip to a spaceship before the work had been completed.

The subject of the painting is, unsurprisingly, one Thomas Shepherd. He's running on the shallow lake with water in a plume following him; his expression is happy, laughing. Wanda and Billy are both floating in the air nearby, as if cheering him on, and the Vision is waiting at one end of the painting on an iceberg with a birthday cake.]

[Hilariously, he'd forgotten about texting. About someone keeping up with him. About the promise to talk at speeds that were more Tommy's standard. And he almost forgets to type now. He does remember to turn the video feed off. No one needs to see how he's in just short of tears from the gift. He remembered. He remembered and made something. Better than a rock. Something that's undeniably family. Them as they always should have been. In his world. In Vision's. Them as a family, something he'd never really had. Yeah. Choked up was something Tommy didn't know he could be.

And oh boy does his fingers fly over the keys. It's clumsy and fumbling for a while as he tries to adjust to the maximum input rates of the system, which are still slow, but it's something. And thus his own reply is almost instantaneous too.]

fucking hell i don't know how to use computer things well
how do i save this?
can i make this a background on something?
no that's a bad idea that would totally give everything away if wanda saw it
but seriously how do i save this?

Edited 2019-10-09 19:01 (UTC)

[And here comes unintentional gift number two: someone who can text back at the same speed.]

It should automatically save to the device; there is a Files section where you can access it at will.

Wanda's seen it, though she doesn't know the significance beyond that the two of you have worked with your world's version of her. I have the physical painting back at the shop where we have been staying, though it is only about 83% complete. I had hoped for a few more days to work on it.

[He'd picked up painting back when they were often trapped for weeks at a time on this kind of ship. A digital painting frame is a good way to whittle away the hours, as it happens, and he'd been the keeper of a mural on one of the large ships as well.

Also, that's definitely an "I like this" reaction from Tommy, so he's pleased.]

It's nowhere near the same, but you could take the chocolate protein gel and freeze it for a poor ice cream substitute. If we can acquire real cream or an equivalent, I can teach you to make ice cream using the liquid nitrogen supplies in the ship.

[That's a gift that can't be taken lightly. Not in the slightest. Really, Tommy needs more robot and android friends. Still, the more he's doing this, the more he's 'talking' with Vision and realizing he really can do this at his own speeds, that he can type more comfortably and still expect quick responses, the more his typing style shapes up. No doubt by the end of the month Vision, at least, will actually get reliable punctuation and paragraphs.]

i'm really surprised that you did all this near here and she didn't really question it. like that's super weird but i'll take it for what it is.

when we get out of these tin cans you're going to teach me how to find this file function
because i can't be bothered to do it now

[Such a lie. He's going to be looking at this thing a lot.]

and you take the time you need to finish the real one because i've got to get the agrii to understand the idea of nails and a hammer and maybe whatever wires or strings or whatever people use to put up pictures. gonna put it in my room with billy

and can i just say all this protein paste/gel shit?
it's amazing like it's not PERFECT for me but it's definitely better and i can be speedy some
so i'll try the whole ice cream substitute the best i can though i think someone has a cow

[Too bad he didn't end up on Robot Ship with Delta and Connor...only not, because he's on Wanda's ship, and if the Vision can't be there himself to make sure Wanda's okay, he at least trusts Tommy with that.

Odd to think, but he does.]

I would be happy to. It will also store any photographs or videos you'd like to keep, much like a Starkphone. You could actually ask Wanda about it - she's taken the Communications data point.

Hmm. Perhaps a frame, and then use the glueberries to attach the frame to the wall? Just be sure to clean the wall first or the glueberries won't stick very well.

I'd hoped that was the case. I know you said you preferred a high-carbohydrate diet, but the protein gels are nutritionally complete, and that does count for something. Back in the Fleet, we'd managed to upgrade the kitchen facilities so that there was a powder form of the gels. Just mix that with cream or milk and then carefully add the liquid nitrogen, stirring regularly.

A shame the pumpkin spice flavor isn't available. It would be appropriate for the season.

i mean i don't know how comfortable i am with her seeing how much i feel about this because i don't want her to think about this stuff too deeply because i don't wanna get her upset about me and billy being here and existing and all that

and i really don't want the glueberry method because what if i want to move it?

i wish the agrii had let me bring all my food options and bring really awesome things

I see. In that case, I understand completely.

[That's...all right, good choice on the painting as a gift, Vision. If it's going to make Tommy feel that strongly, it's a good job. And, well, yes, Wanda probably would get upset at first, even if in the end she came around to liking the idea of Billy and Tommy's existence as much as the Vision does. It's still something the twins want to bring up to her on their own terms, and he respects that.]

True, at least until we find an appropriate solvent. Perhaps one of the areas marked on the signs will have more construction supplies, if we can find our way out of the ships in a reasonable amount of time. Our hosts really do need to learn about the concept of 'consent'.

Oh? Have you found or made more awesome things lately?

i'm not really a 'maker' of things. like my mutation is all about de-making things. if i was more durable i'd be a great battering ram.

consent doesn't really tend to figure in to my life. people take me places whether i want it or not, you know? but i really wish you were here. Wanda could use it.

[It's all a mess. And he doesn't know what to do about all of this. But there is so much they have to figure out, and it's not something that Tommy really understands enough to think about. He's a reacter, not a planner. Which is sad because he has all the time in the world to think, right?]

i think there's a part of the greenhouse that is like all mint and all of that
which is great because mint is great for dealing with bugs

And my powers are about changing density and flying. I picked up painting as a hobby during interstellar flights, though you'd likely find physical painting too frustrating. They say watching paint dry is very boring.

[See, that's the problem, Tommy. Consent really should figure into his life more--all of their lives, really. Oh well. There's enough of a pause before he continues that Tommy can no doubt sense it for the conversational marker it is.]

At least she has you and Sansa to keep her company. It was difficult enough for her to shield her mind when I was there to help.

I think once we're out, I'd like to explore one of the more intact-looking shops for shelving. The cargo bays of these ships could be outfitted with shelves for potted plants, and mint would be a good one to start with as it's quite hardy and useful as well.

most of the world is watching paint dry for me, pops

[He hesitates over that word choice for a while. He's... not ready for dad. Not just yet. Though this definitely went a long way toward that.]

she has bad dreams. wanda. i sorta ended up in one of them and no i really don't wanna talk about it

but yeah if that's an invitation to go on a shopping spree i can totally help. maybe we can find some lighting methods, or talk to some of the engineering people. might be able to set up hydroponics or something on the ships.

["Pops" makes him smile, though Tommy can't see it over text and Natasha's told him not to use emoticons.]

I'm sorry to hear about the bad dreams. I hope she becomes more comfortable so they will be less powerful. I'm afraid I don't think they'll ever go away completely.

Small-scale gardening should be completely possible. My original plan with the Windrose was to give it a few weeks of self-sufficiency in case our life support systems became damaged. The garden helped with both food and air recycling.

There's no one in my cohort with the Engineering skill, which is becoming a problem. We have at least one member who requires a higher ambient temperature. I could take it for myself once we have the opportunity, but I truly do prefer the agriculture specialty. I'm not sure what to do.

[Fuck that, emote the hell up in this bitch.]

vash
the dude is on my ship and he said that he knew you and mom, i think he does that engineering shit. seen him tinkering. maybe ask him for help when we're off of this, or call him, maybe he can help talk you through shit

but i guess it wouldn't hurt to start thinking about what i could do to about plants for different ships
because i gotta be doing something. this place is like fucking cells

[But it's not professional!

...Then again, he doesn't want to have a professional relationship with Tommy. Maybe he should use emoticons.]

Ah, that's good. Vash was a pilot back on the Twin Roses - one of our captains, as it happens. He was in the Fleet longer than anyone, and although I found his temperament to be rather immature at times, he is also capable of great kindness. If you ever manage to find or make donuts, he will do literally anything for them.

[He'll definitely have to call up Vash and ask about adjusting the environmental controls.]

Yes, I can see how it would be. There's a great deal we can do to personalize the ships once we have the opportunity. What sort of other hobbies would you bring, if you knew ahead of time you would be spending time in a place like this?

[And Tommy was never very professional himself. And never will be.]

dude i would do a lot for donuts myself
i wasn't really a hobby person. parties and stuff like that

It's a good thing you're faster than Vash, then.

Throwing them or attending them? I'd guess the latter, but if it was the former, you could do worse than to arrange something for your own cohort.

i'm faster than everyone here so yeah
attending, clearly i'm not the sort of person that can be trusted to arrange shit

Pity. I don't think there are any party planners I've met here yet, which means there will be few to attend. Unless our hosts arrange another one, which would certainly prove interesting.

Considering what I learned at the last one, of course.

yeah i'm really not into the idea of these assholes who decided to trap me in a freaking tin can for my birthday planning parties for us so yeah no fuck that completely fuck that

[There's another momentary pause.]

It's fall too small for you, isn't it?

it's too much like a place i was back home that was really bad
it's not about the size
it's about what it's like in here
and being trapped in it
i want out of here

I see. I'm sorry it reminds you of that place.

I won't deny we're trapped, and that the countdown timer is running quite slowly. But--

Tommy, I need you to take care of Wanda while I cannot.

i'm trying to okay? i got stuck in one of her dreams and it was

it just wouldn't stop happening

No, it doesn't, and I am sorry--I shouldn't ask it of you. The situation is beyond our control, and it brings fear and anxiety. She is not the only one to react strongly, but because of her strength, that reaction is more damaging to others.

Will you be all right?

in our dreams she's already done something that no one back home every thought of doing for me, so yeah, we're fine
it's just
how am i supposed to keep her from knowing like this?

Lacking control over your subconscious mind, that may prove difficult. Though if she does learn in a dream, it can always be attributed to the dreamscape rather than reality.

But it might be best to talk to Billy and see about approaching it on your own terms, rather than being afraid of an accidental reveal.

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