[Jesus Christ, this kid landed in Taxon screaming and on fire. Levi isn't going to assume-- even though he totally is-- and imagine that the guy is a vampire right off the bat, but usually people don't kill each other by setting each other on fire. So, Levi's going to be kind to his own and speak up.]
I'm afraid the phone call might be unavailable, but an explanation and possibly a shower are thing that I can provide.
[...is this a phone? A space communicator? Does Ben really care what it is if it's hooking him up with information and getting the ash out of his hair? He picks the tablet up and eyes it, then sorts through the function before he replies.]
Hello? Is this working? Hey, yeah, both of those would be great, is this a prison?
Yes, it's working. [Levi chuckles.] You could call it that, I suppose. The official name seems to be Taxon, and the general consensus is that we've been kidnapped by aliens.
"Godspit and fuck!" It doesn't matter how old you are, seeing a man on fire is pretty rare. Seeing a man extinguish himself and recover with determination and something like grace is even more remarkable. "No call, our jailers are not so kind, but food and a shower can be done."
"What kind of food are we--" Ben pauses when he notices the Brucolac' scarring, and can possibly be forgiven for glancing down at his hands dubiously before returning his eyes to the screen of his tablet. "Maybe I should stick to the shower."
But now that blood's on his mind, it's not going anywhere else; he needs to eat, and soon. Whatever just happened to him took a lot out of him, and the insistent whisper of iron splinters in his jaw won't stay a whisper for much longer.
Yes yes, he's hideous, he knows. Here, flick flick, as long as we're doing this, you might as well have the tongue moment while you're at it.
"Any you wish. Here are the practicals: You are in a place called Taxon, and you are safe for the moment. Why and how, I will get to later. In order to leave the room, pick up this device - it's called a Tablet - and walk toward the door. Outside, you will notice a recess in the wall with a glass plate. There are many of these things, and they are called hatches. On one of your wrists you will, if you have not already, notice a metal bracelet. Place that hand on the plate and focus your mind on anything you want. As long as it's not a living thing, the hatch will produce it, gratis."
Ben is very new, and so the tongue thing elicits gaping he barely conceals by tearing his gaze away to become very interested in the door. It does something else, too, which is remind him instantly of Anna for reasons he doesn't reflect on at the moment--that prompts him, in turn, to pick him jacket up and search for his phone, which is charred but amazingly still lights up when he opens it. (It must have been caught between his stomach and the ground when--he doesn't think about it
( ... )
Certain parts of Sol's history - parts that he's never been given the distance and time he'd need to properly deal with - have recently been made much closer to him. Ambrose was never far from the surface, but it's different when it was only a matter of weeks ago, and Sol's response to what he sees doesn't involve registering the words.
His tablet drops, hitting the floor sideways, and he bolts from it, barefoot, until he can't be seen but he can be heard, violently ill in Leila's bathroom.
"...well, that's great," Ben addresses the sky, with an air of being deeply put upon masking a deep unsettlement--he checks his reflection in a convenient nearby mirror while Sol is sick, but besides the ash he certainly doesn't think he's vomit worthy.
He considers asking the tablet's owner some variant on 'what the hell', but refrains, on the grounds that if this guy actually has something to say he'll get to it after he's done throwing up. You don't have to be a bartender to know that people who are vomiting are terrible conversationally.
...eventually, after emptying his stomach of its contents for the past thirty-four years, rinsing his mouth and washing his face, Sol comes back to pick up his tablet and...realize that it was broadcasting. Well, that's great. That's fantastic.
"Sorry," he says, briefly, "offhand I can't think of worse welcomes but for my sake let's pretend there have been." He's- still a little drawn, but he's not going to take off and hurl again. Probably. "Burning to death, fond memories, etc- did you get the rundown yet?"
Yes, let's just...go with that. Look, he's off-balance.
"You burned to death," Ben gathers, with the very faintness trace of dryness that can be put down to having had approximately the longest, stupidest day of his life. "Yeah, I got it, kidnapped by aliens, mysterious scheme, we're at their mercy, have fun sunbathing. The whole nine yards. And I didn't even get hosed off when I arrived."
There's a question he should ask: "Are you okay? You don't actually have to talk to me, it's fine, I've got things covered. Go take care of yourself."
Comments 40
I'm afraid the phone call might be unavailable, but an explanation and possibly a shower are thing that I can provide.
[he means that in the least creepy way possible]
Reply
Hello? Is this working? Hey, yeah, both of those would be great, is this a prison?
Reply
Reply
[says the vampire.]
Reply
Reply
But now that blood's on his mind, it's not going anywhere else; he needs to eat, and soon. Whatever just happened to him took a lot out of him, and the insistent whisper of iron splinters in his jaw won't stay a whisper for much longer.
Reply
"Any you wish. Here are the practicals: You are in a place called Taxon, and you are safe for the moment. Why and how, I will get to later. In order to leave the room, pick up this device - it's called a Tablet - and walk toward the door. Outside, you will notice a recess in the wall with a glass plate. There are many of these things, and they are called hatches. On one of your wrists you will, if you have not already, notice a metal bracelet. Place that hand on the plate and focus your mind on anything you want. As long as it's not a living thing, the hatch will produce it, gratis."
Reply
Reply
Certain parts of Sol's history - parts that he's never been given the distance and time he'd need to properly deal with - have recently been made much closer to him. Ambrose was never far from the surface, but it's different when it was only a matter of weeks ago, and Sol's response to what he sees doesn't involve registering the words.
His tablet drops, hitting the floor sideways, and he bolts from it, barefoot, until he can't be seen but he can be heard, violently ill in Leila's bathroom.
Reply
He considers asking the tablet's owner some variant on 'what the hell', but refrains, on the grounds that if this guy actually has something to say he'll get to it after he's done throwing up. You don't have to be a bartender to know that people who are vomiting are terrible conversationally.
Reply
...eventually, after emptying his stomach of its contents for the past thirty-four years, rinsing his mouth and washing his face, Sol comes back to pick up his tablet and...realize that it was broadcasting. Well, that's great. That's fantastic.
"Sorry," he says, briefly, "offhand I can't think of worse welcomes but for my sake let's pretend there have been." He's- still a little drawn, but he's not going to take off and hurl again. Probably. "Burning to death, fond memories, etc- did you get the rundown yet?"
Yes, let's just...go with that. Look, he's off-balance.
Reply
There's a question he should ask: "Are you okay? You don't actually have to talk to me, it's fine, I've got things covered. Go take care of yourself."
Reply
Leave a comment