First Voyage; Introduction {Video}

[whynotamus]

{There's a video feed coming in, of a large early Victorian sitting room and fireplace. The first thing one might notice, however, is not the period furniture or the formally dressed man in the middle of it, but rather the crowd of animals puttering around him. They're smaller animals, to be sure, but there are a lot of them-a dog, guinea pigs,

Comments

[tadwizard]

[Tony has a beautiful rainbow boa coiled around his shoulders.] And this is Machu.

[whynotamus]

Good-day to you. {Looking directly at Machu.} And good-day to you, sir! My, what spectacular colouring. Wherever did you find such a marvellous creature?

[tadwizard]

He was my ex-boyfriend's. He left him behind when he left the Barge.

[whynotamus]

Oh. Ah. {Awkward pause.} That is very good of you, snakes have such distorted reputations. {Still a bit awkward.}

[tadwizard]

Yeah. [Awkward pause as he realizes the reason for the awkward pause.] Really, they're not bad.

[whynotamus]

Ah, well, I will defer to you on this, as I...have no experience...on the matter. {He's...not talking about snakes.}

[tadwizard]

...yeah. [Tony's sensing this.]

[whynotamus]

{Awkward shift back to talking about the snake.} Do you know how old he is? Or from where your...acquaintance obtained him?

[tadwizard]

He's about...a year and a half old. And I don't know where he's from. He came from the Admiral, but I don't know where he got him.

[whynotamus]

He's a remarkable specimen. Quite creatures, snakes. So few of them have anything much to say; the most valuable bit of snake tongue you can learn is 'I'm sleeping; I'd rather not be bothered,' since it the most likely thing you're liable to hear.