kismet_loop | [video: on the eve]

Entry tags:

unknown armies | samantha patchowski (oc

[video: on the eve]

[Once again, Sam's addressing her fellow Haveners through an open broadcast; this time, from her own apartment. She's sitting on the couch, rolling a glass back and forth between her hands.]

Okay, so! The clock's rolling over in just five more minutes, so I need to know: who's at home and awake? If you're a friend of ours and not awake, I'll apologize now because we might be waking you up in the next couple of hours. Depends on your door.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Another something special already?

And aren’t you usually recharging, erm...sleeping about now? [He’s so confused.]

Yeah, this time of year usually sucks weather-wise, so there's lots of celebrating to sort of balance it out. Christmas in December, then New Years, then for the next few weeks everybody recuperates, and then there's two days back-to-back in February.

And I am, but part of the deal for the New Year is to stay up until the rollover, and then make a lot of noise.

Interesting. What are the two in...February? [Did he pronounce that right?]

Glad you think so. In my home territory, the cold weather is brutal and long-lasting, so the holiday stuff is pretty much the prime motivation to go out and do things beyond what's strictly necessary. And there's Valentine's Day on the 14th, which is a celebration of romantic relationships and also chocolate, and Family Day on the 15th which is for getting quality time with family and friends.

[Her attitude shifts into one a little less jovial throughout the explanation---Valentine's Day has soured for her, what with the fallout of dropping off the face of the Earth, and she still wants nothing more than to somehow tell the people at home she's unmurdered and okay---but she doesn't get too down. Fuck that noise, it's New Year's Eve, and she's going to have a good one.]

Sounds like good things to celebrate. It’s interesting hearing about traditions of other places.

I think so, and, again, I think so. Got any you wouldn't mind filling me in on?

We have celebrations based around various historical events, like when Nova Prime set out on the first Ark to discover new worlds, or a new Prime named. [He shrugs] We celebrate would probably start a new holiday if new sparks were ever found again...

I'm going to invite you to elaborate on everything you just said, or any bits of it you're especially inclined to. I'm not a really science-y person, but that doesn't mean I don't want to know everything I can learn about Cybertronians---and, y'know, the other peoples around---because hey. Despite the drawbacks of being stranded here, how cool is it that we get to hang out with and chitchat with actual aliens?

[He laughs] Would I count as an alien? Since I’m technically from the planet, if not the version of it.

As far as the holidays... [shrugs] What’s to say? We gather with friends to toast to the crew of the first Ark and wish them the best and to someday return.

When a Prime is named there’s some ceremony about it. That’s not a set holiday, though if we ended up with an exceptional good prime it might become one.

And...well, new sparks used to be found in the open wilds of Cybertron. They were harvested and new bodies formed. That hasn’t happened in a very long time, and so any new Cybertronian’s today are...well...fabricated. Some people have learned how to create new sparks and build assembly line bodies for them. For a new field of sparks to be found? That would be a day to remember indeed.

Since I'm talking? Yes, yes you would. Not sure where the other Cybertronians would stand on that, but the bottom line is you have alien life forms to talk with, I have alien life forms to talk with, nothing I read as a kid fully prepared me for this but praises be to Ray Bradbury and all the authors I can't name for coming close.

[That said, she listens with great interest as Subzero speaks.]

That's wild, about the sparks... and it brings me to something I've been meaning to ask.

Who names you guys? It might be a bit of a weird thing to ask, but I've been wondering for a while.

[He shrugs] We often name ourselves, or there are times someone will give a name to another.

That's interesting. For most people on Earth, it's like 'don't like your name? tough luck,' though changing it is really mostly a matter of patience... and expensive paperwork.

The name thing isn't unrelated to another question. When you guys are new to everything, who's giving you the scoop on the world? Someone shows you the ropes, right?

Depends really. All Cybertronians are given basic knowledge that everyone needs. For any specifics after that, they can get training and education.

For the basic knowledge, is it just... there from the start, or you get mentors, or what? And should I say sorry for twenty questions, or are you just going to pay me back in kind?

It’s there from the start. Mentors come later if you need specialized knowledge in a certain area. For instance, I came online knowing who our current leaders were, geological knowledge of the city I was in and where it was in relation to other cities on Cybertron, that I could change forms and how-though actually doing so the first time can be a challenge for some new sparks, and knowing I needed to figure out what I wanted to now do with my life.

New Cybertronians are met by greeters who give us a temporary dorm room and information on some low-level jobs so we can work on getting the money necessary for our first home. I got a really small place and started saving up for Iacon’s top engineering and science academy. [He shrugs, and will stop his story there. Things turn nasty for him before he graduated, and really isn’t relevant to the current conversation.]

That's also pretty wild, speaking as someone who had to start from square one. I mean... [Cybertronians and humans are similar enough to reach most understandings easily, but every so often some light's shone on a staggering difference---and this is one, so far as Sam's concerned.] Man.

And it seems like we got a fair few science types. It's probably not going to mean much to me---I took like one chem class and a bit more bio---but what did you plan to go in for? I'm over on the other end; originally went in for literature, ended up in sociology instead.

Little bit of both actually. I’m actually a decently well known inventor. [And filthy rich, but he’s not gonna brag about that. It’s been interesting finding himself suddenly in a place where money doesn’t matter. It’s weird, but nice.]

Oh, right on and good for you! What did you put out? [The question comes quickly---of course she's curious, and would be even without a gadgeteer in her apartment.] I was hoping to be an entrepreneur, but then all this happened.

Ah, well...[shrugs] The holo screens that are so widely used back on my Cybertron. [He essentially invented the flat screen tv, okay?] An energon converter that’ll filter energon into a higher grade, or convert most oils and energies into energon. Things like that.

Oh, damn, that's cool! [She means it, too. Though Sam is, by her own admission, not a science person, that doesn't mean she doesn't appreciate science stuff.] I say again, good for you.

Thank you. I enjoy seeing if a new idea can be made into a working item.

D'you have any favourites, from what you've put out? Or good stories from flops? I'm not trying to give you a hard time---you'd know if that were the case---but.

[And she shrugs.]

[He laughs] Most of my “good” stories are likely those ones in which I had my medic friend threatening to reformat me into a holo-projector if I blew myself up again.

I think my favorite was a converter and refiner that could turn various substances into energon, and refine it into better quality fuel.

Again?

How many times have you blown yourself up?!

[She can't help but ask it laughingly, because Zero, really?]

[He laughs] More times than I really cared to keep count of?

[He shrugs, and spreads his hands.] The hazards of working in a lab?

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