[.088] Video

[timesbureaucrat]

Has anyone taken samples of the ash and analyzed it? It might be useful to know whether it originates from a standard wood fire or whether it's something else entirely, such as animal tissue. [i.e. "Are there people being immolated in some nearby dimension?" This is Narvin's cheerful way of saying hello, he's back, and feeling better after off-

Comments

notif fail!

[timesbureaucrat]

I'll leave it to your K-9, then. I trust him, at least, to do a thorough job and not get distracted half-way through.

[Wait, we're going to talk about *relationships*? Awkward pause, then:]

Technically...last November.

[timesbureaucrat]

Yes, I do say that.

I...thank you. [Narvin doesn't know what to say in reply, either.] The...ah...courtship wasn't formalized until a few weeks ago.

And my name is not Fussbudget.

[nicebluehat]

Pleasure to see you've returned.

I've run what tests I can. Nothing conclusive, and the consistency is nothing I recognize. Closest to wood ash, but unless I was to see the source...

[timesbureaucrat]

Thank you, Miss Shirogane.

That's a helpful initial analysis. [And a relief that the ash is probably not a person.] Unfortunately, unless the Admiral decides to open up dimensions to give us a closer look I think the source will remain somewhat mysterious.

[nicebluehat]

Naturally. And I doubt that's a possibility. It seems he's even more remote than of late, at least from general chatter. I haven't been here long enough to judge.

[timesbureaucrat]

The Admiral's been more unhelpful lately, certainly. Which is quite a feat. When I first came on board, aside from the flood and the ports he mostly didn't interfere. Now it sometimes seems like he's actively making things difficult. Like spontaneously switching our inmates for a few days.

[Private]

[yeahscience]

[Damn!] Cool. Welcome back, boss.

[Private]

[timesbureaucrat]

...Thank you. [Basic social politeness always sits a bit awkwardly on Narvin. And he's always a bit surprised to see it from other people, too.]

[Private]

[yeahscience]

[Especially from Jesse of all people, really. In the lab at the moment, he glances at something offscreen.] I got those readings you wanted.

And this... [He nods to his own little setup, but doesn't move the camera to show Narvin.] ...I can probably finish it up tonight, have it cleaned up by morning...? [One more batch, at least...]

[Private]

[timesbureaucrat]

Good. Send the data package to me over the network.

Chemistry is it? So long as the mess is gone by nine, that's acceptable.

Private

[flashy_magic]

Brilliant! Want me to come over or would you rather come here?

Private

[timesbureaucrat]

Why don't you come here. There's... I'm not sure if you'll want all the cosmetic supplies and there's no sense in dragging over things you're not interested in.

[Narvin's version of shopping for hair gel was to wander cluelessly into a salon, say that he was looking for things for a friend who wears lots of black and styles his hair in a vertical fashion, say that money is no object, and then let the salon folks hand things to him.]

Re: Private

[flashy_magic]

I'll be right there!

Spam!

[flashy_magic]

[Soon Drake was knocking on the door.]

[Private]

[most_feared]

I will have been in five days.

Does it bother you?

[Private]

[timesbureaucrat]

No. It just seems like it's been longer. I should be used to rapid changes by now, but... ["Rapid" in conservative Gallifreyan = "something that happened in less than five centuries"]

I'm beginning to think that choosing to come here has turned out to be one of the most important decisions of my life, on par with joining the CIA or siding with Romana in the civil war instead of with Darkel. I don't regret my choice.

[Private]

[most_feared]

But you didn't know that choice was gonna be so defining for you.

[This is Kay, wondering more on this introspection he doesn't quite understand.] It feels pretty short to me.

The rapid changes will be tough to adjust to, won't it? [Damn, they're going to have to talk about that.]

[Private]

[timesbureaucrat]

I thought of it as just another assignment, one more unlikely and absurd than most.

It won't be so difficult if there's near-constant crises. If that happens, I won't have much time to think about the changes that are occurring. [He sounds almost hopeful for crises. This is how he adjusted to rapid changes pre-Barge. It is the method he knows.]