Sixty-Fifth Theory [Video]

[i_speak_softly]

[The video feed clicks on, and Don looks thoughtfully at the camera for a moment before speaking.]

Another Christmas in Luceti.

[His tone is direct, just stating a fact, but somewhere behind it is a note of melancholy.]

This is my third. All of them have been in this house. All of them have been with different people.

[He slides back from the journal, revealing a corner of his winter room. He's been gradually moving into it over the past week, and has more or less taken up residence now.]

I've seen a lot of people come and go. There probably aren't many left who remember when Luceti didn't have electricity.

[He picks up some small bit of tech and squints at it.]

When I arrived here, the drafts were just starting. There were no missions. The Battle Dome didn't exist. We didn't have a farm and there was a desert where the ocean is now.

[He carefully threads a length of wire through a hole in the tech part.]

The buildings were shorter. Some of the stores and restaurants weren't open. [A pause.] I think I'm forgetting things...

[The wire slides through, and he knots the loose ends to form a loop.]

Does anyone remember other things that have changed? Or, does anyone want a history lesson? I'll be here all day.

Comments

[irritate ALL the boyfriends]

[semper_cogitans]

[Perhaps Robert will need to make himself noticeable then.

Or he could just sidle in there with his rudimentary ninja-ing skills... nah, probably a bad idea.]

... hello, Don...

... Am I interrupting?

[/puts up with]

[i_speak_softly]

[Don looks up, and smiles brightly.]

Not at all. Come in. [He pushes the pile aside, making room on the floor.] Behave yourself; the video is still on.

[Voice]

[mysicksadlife]

[The voice is as bland as the girl in the picture is plain.]

I'll take you up on that history lesson. It sounds like it's a bit more interesting than I thought.

[geniustheveil]

< I'll get her. Just a moment, please. >

[Ami steps away from the journal, and into the other room to look for Rei, to let her know.]

(ooc: and rei-mun's gonna slip in right now, so we can switch to threeway from here :D )

Written

[faithfulflame]

< Hello, Donatello-san >

[Rei's handwriting is in difficult flourishes, but simple words]

Not Written

[i_speak_softly]

[Rei, why are you writing. T_T Don mentally subtracts the flourishes, and is able to read the words relatively quickly.]

< Good morning, Rei-sensei. How are you? >

[Voice]

[i_speak_softly]

Any particular area? I'm not really sure where to start...

[Video]

[i_speak_softly]

Almost makes you wonder whether the Malnosso are trying to make our stay more comfortable.

[There would seem to be a strategic opportunity here, along the lines of "get enough people in Luceti and the barrier will break!", but Don can't see any realistic application of the idea.]

video

[stilldontgotit]

Think that goes for just about everyone.

[He groans.]

You'd think they'd get bored of it after a while.

video

[i_speak_softly]

Not to defend their actions, but - scientists don't get bored of doing experiments.

Written

[faithfulflame]

< Well enough. And you? >

video;

[bestevolving]

How did missions come to start anyways?

[She's pretty curious about that.]

[you're too good to him]

[semper_cogitans]

[He'll behave himself, don't worry.

Robert crosses the short distance to the floor and sits there, drawing his legs up underneath him primly in a sort of seiza. It's almost automatic at this point.]

Your topic on the journals is... quite interesting. [Said as he studies the pile of origami-and-technological-bits.] ... Would you be... amenable to sharing some history with me, as well...?

[Yes, he may have asked already, but... he'd like to learn more.]

video;

[i_speak_softly]

That's a good question. Several years ago someone named CJ contacted us to explain them. He said the Malnosso needed volunteers, and we could win rewards for signing up. Why they suddenly decided to ask for our help on relatively reasonable terms, I couldn't tell you.

[i_speak_softly]

Eavesdropping, Robert? [He doesn't really mind, aside from being a little disappointed that you decided to do your listening from another room.] What kind of history are you interested in?

[semper_cogitans]

[A sheepish look.] N-Not... not deliberately. I just happened to... hear your broadcast while I was working in my own room...

... and this is... why I am here. [So he could ask straight from the source.] I would like to know more about... what Luceti was like, when you first arrived.

[He is indeed sensitive to the fact that the topic might be... difficult. But he's curious anyway, and if Don will indulge it...]

[i_speak_softly]

[Don studies Robert for a moment, and decides to give him a more personal version of Luceti history than what he told other people.]

[He reaches over to close the journal.]

Let me tell you about my first day in Luceti.

[semper_cogitans]

[That was more than he was hoping for. Rather than answer verbally, Robert sits back a little and looks up, into Don's face, with a look that says "go on".]

[Voice]

[mysicksadlife]

Well, considering I only arrived about a month ago... anything would be worth at least hearing.

video;

[bestevolving]

Several years ago and they still need volunteers? They must need volunteers often? Were the drafts any different?

[i_speak_softly]

[Don resettles, looking at the floor and thinking before he begins.]

I was working on the train car I had brought home not long before - I think you have seen it. I fell asleep. I woke up in a library. This was very exciting for me, but also scary, because there were many humans. Some of them were there, in the library, and some of them talked to me through a book that had my name on it.

[semper_cogitans]

[Robert listens quietly, not wanting to interrupt. He tries to picture it in his head - the interior of the library, perhaps smaller and less furnished than it is now, and Don - fresh from his home, in a completely unfamiliar place and completely exposed.

The scientist knits his fingers gently, and nods.]

video;

[i_speak_softly]

They ask us to do a lot of different things. I don't know if they'll ever run out of assignments.

The drafts are very different. If your name is called, you have to go. Anyone can be called. I think most people don't enjoy them...

video;

[bestevolving]

I guess it's something to keep everyone busy. What did people do before missions?

Have you been called on many?

[geniustheveil]

[Ami lets Don and Rei talk briefly before interjecting anything herself.]