OTA Log

[doubled_speed]

WHO: Tommy Shepherd and Anyone
WHERE: Graq Planet, Agrii Ship
WHAT: Harvesting seeds, capturing animals(?), and trying to learn Science! (TM)
WHEN: During the Return Journey
WARNINGS: None Anticipated?


A. Farming Boy | OTA | Graq Homeworld

Was it strange that he found this world so damn fun? Probably not. The trees were strong, the food was abundant enough that for the first time since coming to their damn level of reality he was full as he needed to be. It was a relief. And the food? Fuck the food was good. Good enough that Tommy had been poking around at the Graq trying to ask questions.

Which was silly. Who needed questions. Tommy just needed the fruits and vegetables. Or at least, the ones he can find that have seeds.

Anyone approaching will find the speedster laying out a variety of fruit on a large piece of stone, considering them before he raises his hands at them.

"You might wanna stand back," he warns, because he's going to try playing with his powers in a whole new way. "These... could explode in a juicy manner. Not sure. Haven't been able to do an explosion since getting here but... well, it's try time."

His hope was that it was just the Agrii ship and planet that fucked with his powers. Then again, if it hadn't... then he had the most awesome idea for trying to get some seeds to long term storage really fast.


B. Bacon Time | OTA | Graq Homeworld, minor Network

Meat. Protein. Fucking GOOD long term food that can be bred and brought up to size with foods that are less desirable to mainly human constitutions? Yeah, Tommy's all on that. Right from the world go on tasting his first side of bacon, he resolves a plan. One that he broadcasts out to the network as a group-text.

Listen. Some of us need meat and protein and all that shit in greater quantities. So I suggest this. A 'hunting' party. We can cure and preserve some of the meat. But I also wanna capture one or two breeding pairs? So we can, like, have more meat in the future? I'm sorry if you're squish and all that, but some of us need this.

Anyway, I'm starting at about noon or whatever noon is here. That's an hour or so. I've put a coordinate point up, and I've woven nets from vines and trip ropes and other stuff. Anyone wanna help?

And at the appointed time, Tommy will be standing at those exact coordinates, with one of those hats like you'd see on an episode of some nature documentary with a wise-cracking Aussie in it. Where he got the hat will have to remain a mystery. Just like why he's doing an Aussie accent. Horribly.

"Well get on their mate, we're huntin' food!"

Horrible


C. Learning Science | OTA | Agrii Ship

The problem with only needing to sleep four hours a day when you're travelling on a ship where the aliens operate on a thirty hour day is... Well, a lot of things. Including keeping oneself entertained when trying not to go crazy from a sense of confinement. Sure, the Agrii ship is a LOT larger than the ships the 'guests' of the Agrii have used, but sooner or later, every space feels confined when he doesn't have a whole planet to explore.

Which had led to the strangest behavior from Tommy Shepherd. All throughout the day the young man can be seen loitering in all sorts of places. He loiters on the bridge, watching the Agrii manage their consoles there. He loiters in the engine room, watching the Agrii and Stark and Tuesti and anyone else who comes in as they look at the new engine core. He crawls through the confined spaces of the Jeffries Tubes and maybe nerds out a little over the idea that he's in a fucking Jeffries Tube because he just happens to be a closet Trekkie and looks at where all of the wires go. He even hangs out in the hangar and watches the people who know how to do it mess with modifying their ships.

Why is he doing it? Well, Calibrations had taught him one thing, if only from the way Tony had stared at him.

Maybe, just maybe, Tommy wasn't as dumb as everyone had always told him he was. Maybe he even wanted to explore that.

So, if he happens by someone studying something, he pipes up with a question.

"How do you think that works?"

And if someone catches him staring as an Agrii is working hard, he waves them back for a second, watching a delicate process complete before looking at them.

"What's up?"

Comments

[doubled_speed]

"The gleeful arm-bearers working on a force field generator that I... sorta messed up when I was annoyed after it turned off. I might have kicked one of the emitters because I almost concussed myself."

Was it fair to blame the force field? Nope. Had he done it anyway? Totally.

[beholding_archivist]

"Ah." Comes the simple answer and Jon turns his attention to the working Agrii. He at least won't blame Tommy. Mot while he himself is still guilty of breaking the force field around the Green Room when he tried to pull information from the Graq.

The Archivist crosses his arms. "I kind of wish they would just disable them entirely. We saw some of them discharging quite unpleasant looking energy surges while trying to make our way around them after we lost control of the systems." There is a certain concern here. And maybe a little wonder as of what exactly these are meant to accomplish within the ship itself.

[doubled_speed]

"It's a safety thing," Tommy muses. But his tone says he's not pleased by them at all. Things that interrupt his movement piss him off.

And if he learns how they're repaired, he can learn how to take them apart. He hopes.

"The energy surges WERE bad. Hated it. Fuck, this was a horrible few days."

[beholding_archivist]

"It is intended for safety, yes. But we all have seen how flawed this design is in an actual emergency. They lack a manual override." Sure, the technology behind them may be intriguing and maybe even useful in various ways, but Jon is very willing to agree that these force fields were much more a hindrance than anything else when they were trying to reach various places.

Jon sets the matter aside for a moment and turns his entire attention to Tommy, head inclined a little to the side. "Are you enjoying our flight back so far?" It's a harmless question and more gauged to get an idea of Tommy's mood regarding their situation than anything else.

[doubled_speed]

"I've seen the flaw at pretty high speed. But I think I get why it's there. Because, see, a force field is better than bulk heads for issues with decompression, right? Because you can't shoot through them to tear it open again. And they come on pretty instantly, since it's just projected light and energy, so they close faster too, reducing the depressurization."

That's... a smart and insightful thought for Tommy. He's learning, slowly, to accept that the things he spends hours of relative time considering may only be seconds for people but still let him get to 'smart' conclusions.

"You can also potentially cut through a bulkhead if you're an invader. This, you have to hit electrical systems, AND redundant electrical systems. But if you need to do a total shutdown so people can get through, it's easier than trying to PHYSICALLY pry a bulkhead open."

Those are just his thoughts. And once he's said them, he's moving on.

"This ship is bigger. Which makes it better."

Jon had seen him in transit, must have felt the constantly, low-key terror over how small the ships were. This... It was still confined, but the terror wasn't nearly as bad.

"Plus Lorna's back."

Curiously enough I got no email notif for this tag but your other one...

[beholding_archivist]

Jon looks at Tommy as he listens, then gives a soft little chuckle and a shrug. "I'm not a physics expert, so point taken. Personally I would still prefer to face a simple fire door I can open with the push of a handle should I end up running from an actual fire." Though that may be personal preferences. And Jon not being too used to considering the threat of potential invaders.

"We will be back on Agra 10 eventually." He then nods. Of course Tommy could always use one of the smaller shuttles to be there faster if he wishes to. "And I have spoken to her briefly - Your aunt, right?"

same. I got the notif for Tommy but not Reeve earlier

[doubled_speed]

"That's true of fire, Jon. But... space."

Yeah. Space.

"Yeah, we will be back. Gotta take care of my pants. And Lorna's my aunt. Controls magnetism and metals."

[beholding_archivist]

"Space is admittedly not a place I ever wanted to go." Jon says with a little shrug and a glance about the corridor.

He gives a little smile. "You are gathering your entire family on Agra 10, aren't you." The Agrii must find them quite useful. Then again, Tommy's entire family, including himself, are very powerful beings.

"Your pants? What happened?"

[doubled_speed]

Tommy wouldn't have wanted to either. He doesn't even know that he's going to back home.

"Nah. And we don't want that. My grandfathers, for one. But I wouldn't mind Uncle Pietro."

Pants? Tommy groans. He spoke too fast. "Plants. Meant to say plants."

[beholding_archivist]

Still a little baffled from the slip, Jon blinks twice, but then replies with a silent 'Oh.' at Tommy clearing up the mistake. Then the Archivist simply nods, setting the occurrence aside without mentioning it. These things happen.

"Right. The greenhouse. Will it be okay with us having been gone this long?" Yes, that's a worry. Part of their food supply is being grown there. "Which reminds me... Have you checked the plants they have on this ship? If there is anything we may grow in Temba as well? Also, if you don't mind me asking... Does every member of your family have any of these powers?"

[doubled_speed]

"IT was... okay while we weren't here. Why wouldn't it be okay now?"

It's frustrating. But he wants to be back there. It was easier then. But no, it would never be easy again. Not when he knew what the secrets were. That things were happening.

"I haven't looked at the plants here. Been working with the stuff I found with the Graq."

Oh, powers? Tommy grins.

"Pietro is fast, like me. Except not as fast, and he can't make things blow. And Gramps is like Lorna. Controls magnetism."

[beholding_archivist]

"Oh, ah... I don't know. Don't plants need to be taken care of as well? Never really bothered with keeping any since they just- You know. They kept dying." Jon responds with a shrug. Though that's also why he never even considered keeping a pet. If he can't keep a plant alive, then a pet... No. That's nothing he would have wanted.

But something else seems more intriguing at the moment. "You found something on the Graq homeworld?"

They can come back around to Tommy's family in a moment. Quite obviously they are all incredible people - And some stories Tommy may not feel comfortable with sharing. Which is alright, though.

[doubled_speed]

"They survived well before we showed up," Tommy admits, with a sigh. So how useful is he? He doesn't know. They were mostly overgrown, but others could help with that. It doesn't have to be him.

He feels useful if it's him.

"Lots of good plants. Seeds we're going to want for the future.I like good foods."

[beholding_archivist]

Well, Jon could argue that there is yet a difference between basic survival and actually doing well. But they don't need to argue over plants. So he simply nods at Tommy's answer regarding his findings on the Graq planet.

"I'm sure everyone will appreciate your effort to add to the variety of food choices." He says, then inclines his head a little. "I'm admittedly a little surprised no one has started breeding livestock for meat yet."

[doubled_speed]

"I mean, I'm sorta partially responsible for feeding people now, with the diner and all."

All he wanted to do was make sure people were fed and taken care of. And since he couldn't protect everyone one, fed would do.

"I keep telling people we should use glownies for that, but no one wants to. Though Raph gets me blue-crabs or whatever from the shore to get some meat. And I worked with Raph to trade for dried meats. And, I may have gotten some boars from their planet. Baby ones. Male and female. I'm keeping them secure, so we can breed them."

[beholding_archivist]

"Right, the diner..." Jon muses aloud. Tommy has taken over that once Eli has left, right. And many still go there for food. Which is not the worst way of handling the matter of managing food supplies. "Do you enjoy cooking?" Now that's a question purely stemming from Jon's own curiosity.

But he also nods at Tommy bringing up the glownies. "I'm not surprised to hear that. Not many... Have it in them to end the life of another living being. I believe it's even more pronounced with animals like the glownies. They have no intention to harm any of us..."

[doubled_speed]

"I enjoy eating," Tommy admits with a shrug. "I never cooked before coming here. But I gotta learn. People are hungry."

And the protecting thing. Yeah. That.

"It happens. Death. It's not easy, but you do it. It's them or us. Don't care if they are cute. Food is food."

Practical. Probably not the healthiest.

[beholding_archivist]

Jon just meets Tommy with a smile. He's really trying to look out for everyone, too, isn't he. But he isn't wrong. Most of them need to eat. And while he agrees that in order to feed them it may be necessary to take the life of a glownie, the sentence food is food has the Archivist pause, Helen Richardson's words coming to mind. 'We do what we must if it comes to feeding.'

So while the Archivist's smile falters, he gives a slow nod, closing his eyes. "... right. You are right..." There's a pause. Then a sigh. "At least you don't have to worry about me. I'd... Rather not waste a resource I don't need to survive."

[doubled_speed]

Oh come on, he didn't mean to upset you, old man. Ugh, people are so sensitive.

"Not everyone is different like you are. And the people you are feeding off of have to survive too. Right?"

[beholding_archivist]

"No, no they're not..." Jon agrees, though the faint resignation doesn't leave his voice. He doesn't want to be different. He doesn't want to feed off other people...

Pushing two fingers under his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose, Jon sighs, trying to discard those thoughts. "I'm sorry. Suppose I... Have it easier than others. In a way."

[doubled_speed]

"No," Tommy counters. Because Jon doesn't have it easier. And Tommy is pretty sure of that. They talked that one time, about the whole 'don't wanna be evil source of bullshit' thing. The 'more than the magic' conversation. "You don't. Your feeding makes people suffer. That's got weight, man. That isn't easier for you. Not in any way except for harvesting."

[beholding_archivist]

That answer is a surprise to Jon and he blinks twice at Tommy. He isn't wrong, but it's not something he'd expect people to consider when faced with the entire feeding on other people's fears matter. Then again, Tommy especially is a surprisingly clever young man that keeps surprising him.

So the little nod Jon replies with isn't devoid of a little smile.

"...can't hide the little details from you, I suppose." He sighs once, then raises a brow, appearing a little amused. "So harvesting is an acceptable term for it now?"

[doubled_speed]

Tommy doesn't even know he's clever, but he's trying to get there.

"I don't like it. But I don't think you do anyway. How about... preserving. Like salting pork and all of that. So you can eat it later.?"

[beholding_archivist]

"You mean like the tapes." Jon offers, "The recordings of statements I happen to find every once in a while." He has referred to them as ready meals before when trying to explain them. They aren't quite the same as live statements, but they are sufficient for him to survive.

"There isn't a lot in terms of written statements for me to fall back on, but... I have the tapes."

[doubled_speed]

"Will they sustain you? Or are there other things we can give you to help?"

Because he wants to help. Jon's been helping them, so they owe him something as well.