MOM CAN YOU DROP ME OFF? (IN RUSSIA?)

[maskormods]

TEST DRIVE MEME

Considering apping into MASK OR MENACE? Want to dip your toes into the setting and get a feel of whether your character will fit into it? Or maybe you're just cruising and want to play around? Then you've come to the right place! If you'd like, take a look at our ATP post!

Pick any of the following scenarios below or feel free to make up your own, but don't be afraid to throw yourself at someone else's thread, either!

And remember to have fun!

01. The city of Heropa is what one might expect from a small, bright and cheery place. The locals are friendly enough and local shop owners might offer a free drink to welcome you to their fair city. Some of the locals might thank you for always lending your service to the nation and others might not say anything. In fact, some people might back away from any imPort who quite obviously looks like they aren't from around the neighborhood. Once in a while there's a look of disdain on someone's face and hushed voices. A snippy voice wonders aloud: "My taxes are going to their parties and other expenses? When are they going to do something for us for a change? Why if they weren't around, I bet the Soviets--" These naysayers may, however, find themselves hushed with a judgmental: "You couldn't do what they do even if you had powers. They don't have to help us, you know!"

02. De Chima, Virginia, is a large city with a healthy economy, and though it's quieter, there are just as many citizens awed at your presence. Heavy winds have people grasping at their newspapers and constantly brushing hair out of their faces, but that doesn't distract them from crowding you in excitement if you're obviously from a different time or world, or just let it slip that you're a newcomer. Children and young teenagers are especially likely to ask for an autograph and a photo.

Some locals seem less enthused to see you. They never make an approach, but they can be overheard scoffing and muttering something about cameras and an incident involving gas. "Biological warfare... we sure some of them haven't defected?"

03. Maurtia Falls, Pennsylvania, is normally known for being a little more on the apathetic side, but there's been tension in the atmosphere lately, contrasted by headlines broadcasting petty, unimportant local news and no worldly news.

People are not as friendly in this city and go out of their way to avoid walking down the same sidewalk as the more obvious looking imPorts pass through. Local cops say nothing, but they scowl at those imPorts and mutter under their breaths resentfully about "vigilantes". However, not all locals turn the other way seeing imPorts; some of them will offer a polite enough smile and thank them for their hard work. They don't stop to clarify what they mean, though.

04. Nonah, North Carolina, is the liveliest of all cities. It's loud, busy and there's some kind of energy in the air that gets everyone buzzing with excitement. Anyone who they come to determine an imPort is bombarded with all sorts of offers; job offers, advertising gigs, spokesperson for advocating children stay in school, etc. Anything and everything! You name it. Shops offer discounts for food and clothing, whatever they need. Advertisements are abound for imPorts to make appearances at various, televised celebrations, luring them in with promises of free food, merchandise, and payment. ImPort action figures and merchandise are on sale now, and every corner's coffee shop is still serving festive peppermint goods of every shape and form.

Comments

[overemotionally]

[He lets out a small bark of a laugh.]

Don't know how far it went after a couple more of those.

[Well he had an idea based on where he woke up the next morning, but there was a lot of sloppy flirting before there was a gap in his memory. Not one of his finest moments.

And then he looks at his conversation partner, playing around with the remaining drink by swirling his glass.]

From Iowa, been living in San Francisco for the past 3 years. What about you?

[vorbarra]

[At least he has a sense of humor about owning up to his misadventures, Gregor thinks wryly. He's heard a lot worse.

He sips from his own drink before answering.]

Barrayar. About six wormhole jumps and a thousand years from now. I've never actually been on Earth before. [A quirk of a smile.] I'm not even sure where Iowa is.

[overemotionally]

[He was in the middle of another sip when he nearly choked on it. Scotch going down the wrong pipe is not pleasant. He coughs a few times, tears in his eyes. Clearly the Prime Directive here is not of much concern to these people.]

Not important. Nothing much happens there anyway. Been to San Francisco?

[He jokingly switches on his charm here, a small half-smile, raise of an eyebrow:]

So what brings you to this part of the universe?

[He's also wracking his brain at this point. He can't recall ever hearing the name of that particular planet. Also from "A thousand years from now" was quite interesting. He had to quell all of the questions rising in his throat about the technologies from the other's home.]

[vorbarra]

[They're way too hard sci fi where Gregor's from to even have time travel as a real possibility, so no, the Prime Directive is not really a thing. He winces sympathetically at the coughing, feeling badly, but not too surprised at this reaction either. He's used to being nearly the furthest in the future.

That amount of charm as recovery instantly revises his assessment from Ivan to Miles, though. Some combination of Ivan and Miles? A little frightening in one man.]

No, I've barely left the coast, [he admits, then says dryly,] Forcible interdimensional kidnapping. Hasn't been too bad so far, though. Feels like very bizarre historical tourism to me.

[Since let's just say this is before the Russians kidnapping everyone.]

[overemotionally]

[It's absurd what he's hearing so he has to laugh incredulously.]

"Historical tourism"? Is that a thing where you're from?

[Aaaaand nope. Jim Kirk has wracked as much of his memory as he could and he didn't recall hearing of that planet ever.

Still, there was one thing that stuck out to him. Kirk's amusement dies down a bit as the bartender put another drink in front of him.]

By "interdimensional" do you mean only time as a factor? You mentioned being from another time only but...

[Well, today certainly made a believer out of him in the multiple-universe theory. Today is a helluva day to be James Tiberius Kirk.]

[vorbarra]

Ah-- no, truly interdimensional. This isn't the same way history went on Earth in my universe.

[A wry, sympathetic smile. Gregor had had to process all of this in a bewildered rush, no time for incredulity, on his first day here.]

As for historical tourism, not in the way you mean with time travel. But Earth is popular as a destination for that sort of thing. Looking at old monuments, going to museums, period costumes... [A half shrug.] Birthplace of humanity and all that.

[overemotionally]

Got it.

[Kirk accepts the explanation with ease, something that in and of itself made him want to laugh out loud at himself. A small smile escapes him wondering how this conversation might have gone 24 hours ago before Delta Vega.]

Speaking of which...uh...human?

[The question where he's from isn't the most polite thing in the world to ask but no one knows that here. He's genuinely curious.]

[vorbarra]

[ Gregor doesn't seem troubled by the question at all, largely because he has no frame of reference for it, but he does spare a moment to hope no one asks Miles that question. ]

Yes, we don't have anything but, where I'm from, [ he says agreeably. ] Maybe we'll stumble on someone else eventually. There's been xenobiologists chomping at the bit for centuries, waiting to become xenoanthropologists.

[overemotionally]

[Kirk doesn't bother hiding his surprise. He can't imagine a universe with just humans.]

Wait wait wait, so where you're from, humans are spacefaring but you haven't run into any of the other hundreds of other intelligent lifeforms out there?

[He's practically gaping now.]

[vorbarra]

If they even exist. Different dimensions, [ he reminds him. ] But yes, that's correct.

I take it you have a whole array of non-human sentients? [ Gregor is pretty obviously curious about that, too. It all seems like it must be a political nightmare to him. ]

[overemotionally]

True, but if you're human and you're here now, there must have been a decently similar course your universe must have followed in order to produce you. Therefore I'd think it decently reasonable there's a chance at least one other species evolved on another planet, especially considering in any universe it's considered a biological miracle that humans evolved at all.

[He takes a thoughtful sip of his drink. Infinite universes in which humans existed and infinite universes in which they didn't. Sometimes the sheer number prospects were mind boggling.]

Yeah I can't remember how many member species are part of the Federation but there's a few. [And xenoanthropology is hell. Kirk can't imagine what kind of training Bones had to go through in order to get his license to practice--he knew they'd have to be able to practice medicine in at least a few of the other species most prominent in the Federation.]

[vorbarra]

I'm not discounting it. I'm just saying I wouldn't like to be in charge of first contact. [ Gregor gives him a wry smile. He can't possibly know the very real possibility that as Emperor, if it were a Barrayaran who found them, it'd all ultimately come back to him.

He is completely on board with xenoanthropology being hell. ]

I've met a few since arriving here-- I count it as one of the perks. [ Gregor is a naturally curious, intellectual person when he has room to be. ]

[overemotionally]

You might get lucky like we did and first come in contact with a species that abandoned violence a few hundred years ago.

And none of them convinced you yet that you'd wanna be in charge of first contact?

[He smiles. He's just teasing.]

[vorbarra]

[ Abandoning violence completely sounds like a pipe dream to Gregor, if a nice one. He's having a hard time really imagining any of these things taking place back in his home universe. Or maybe it's just that Barrayar is such a violent place... But even Beta Colony doesn't manage to stay out of the arms race. Not by far; they profit from it. ]

Present, yes, in charge of, no. [ He reads the teasing easily and teases back, dryly. ] That way when the inevitable cross-cultural catastrophe occurs, it won't be on my head.

[overemotionally]

You're thinking way too far ahead for someone that hasn't even contacted non-Terrans before.

[Kirk shrugs here.]

That happens with humans anyhow. Not much different with alien species other than making sure they can't read your thoughts or something. You work through it.

[Kirk then realizes something.]

My name is Jim Kirk by the way.

[He holds out his hand]

[vorbarra]

[ Thinking far ahead is sort of his job.

Gregor has gotten much smoother at shaking hands by now, so there's barely a hiccup this time. ] Greg Vorthys. Does that happen often? The mind-reading? How do you deal with it?

[ His curiosity has amped up to personally invested. Gregor had shown up here and discovered he has a telepathic link to all liege relationships-- which, as Emperor, means all Barrayarans. He's been figuring things out with Miles with varying successes. ]

[overemotionally]

[Kirk blinks a bit the second their hands contact, when he perceives emotions that he's vaguely aware aren't his own. His mind goes back to the medical record he had read.

This must be the touch telepathy.

Curiosity, he felt. An interest that was directed mostly at him. But then underneath, something sobering and swirling in the background--a sharp attentiveness he wouldn't have associated with the otherwise seemingly laid back person in front of him. Kirk wasn't very good at hiding his reactions to all this.

His hand lingered a split second too long until he let go and was immediately relieved of the strange feeling of invading thought.]

Uh not...really often from what I was taught. We're trained in some mental defense but humans are psi-null so we can't do too much if they're overcome.

[vorbarra]

[ That stutter in his response was definitely noticed, but Gregor doesn't know what to make of it. He raises his eyebrows at him but says nothing, merely filing it away for future reference should it happen again. ]

Psi-null, [ he muses, accepting the phrase. ] That must create security nightmares for no few higher ups. Do you just not let those species in the same room as the people with all the necessary secrets?

[ Gregor wouldn't be allowed within a mile of one at home, he's sure. Which is too bad. It's fascinating, if unsettling. He only accepts Miles in his head because it's Miles. Absolutely anyone else is not nearly as welcome, and Gregor is just glad he'd had this month to figure things out with the link on Miles before anyone else showed up. Now he knows how to shut his end off. ]