01 || River Tam || Day 45

[enchangement]

[ The shot opens with two small toy dinosaurs, standing facing each other on the railing of a wooden bridge.

A young woman's voice begins talking: ]

We've played this game before. We are veterans in the sport.

Perhaps it was an oversight to bring a professional lab rat to a new lab. Perhaps she broke their teeth before they put her down she can't remember.

There's something in the water.

[ The camera angle shifts - here is a face full of an older teenage girl, long hair damp and brow furrowed. She seems to understand that this is recording, peering at the communicator intently before waving her arm wildly in a futile attempt to shake it off.

Quietly: ]

So what is the difference between a sport and a game? Hunting labrats is fun for the ones holding the gun, pull the trigger if you're ruthless, put down the broken specimens, they're just dragging down the standard deviation isn't that it?

Keep them fighting keep them starving keep them sleeping keep them kept.

[ She sighs and rubs a hand over her face. ] We are not a fan of these particular sports. Lab rats can still chew through the ropes, the wires, the bones.

Just give us time.

Just...

[ Her voice cracks at this point and there's a small sob snuffled in there, but the girl regains her composure fairly quickly. ]

Be polite, River. Say hello.

Hello.

Comments

audio: private

[charring]

Wow.

[Charlie can relate to all of those thoughts, disjointed as they are.] From one veteran to another, sweetie I am so sorry.

audio: private

[enchangement]

Scatter the apologies like huā into the wind.

Maybe they'll make more trees to support all this virulent stupidity posing as science.

audio: private

[charring]

[Yes, Charlie does in fact find that comment about virulent stupidity posing as science hilarious. She's laughing. River is the first person to make her laugh in this place.]

So, what did your scientists think they could do?

audio: private

[enchangement]

[ Better laughter than being upset. River lets out a startled little laugh too. ]

Anything. Everything. They broke so many and here I stand, shining and furious but never whole again.

video

[hellofist]

[The things Cass sees in River are disjointed, fractured, but still possible to read and what she gets sparks the immediate desire to be someone this girl can rely on.]

I'm Cass. Can find you, if you say... where you are. Or show again.

[She's still learning the layout of the little town, a bridge isn't too helpful as of yet.]

video

[enchangement]

I'm planet-bound, trapped by this gravitational well! [ Angry frowning but River climbs up onto the bridge's support and turns a rapid circle once, twice, three times.

Then she stretches her arms out and does it again, only in the opposite direction and slower. Any excuse to show off form and the ability to keep her arms steady.

The park and gazebo are easily identified in her sweep. ]

I'm here.

Whatever here is.

Under glass and observation.

video -> spam

[hellofist]

[There's no response after that because Cass has no response. Instead she just turns her comm off and goes to find River on her bridge.

When she gets there, she's not in costume. She found normal clothes, thankfully. She's just a girl when she jumps up onto the bridge beside River and smiles at her.]

Here is Cape Kore. Hi.

actionspammy

[enchangement]

Kore. Core? Center, nucleus. They didn't give me any capes. [ River rolls her eyes and spins on her bare toes, her boots unlaced and left ignored on the actual bridge before she puts her feet in fourth position.

Already showing off, she must like you Cass. ] Hello again.

( video )

[retrograding]

[ First things anybody watching will notice: Jet has a lot of hair, and an eyepatch. No, he is not a pirate. Mildly: ] Labrats with a rather large cage, yes, I think that's the point of this place. Your name is River?

( video )

[enchangement]

Can you pilot with that? The depth perception would be all off, all wrong.

It was assigned, at birth, a little blip in the system, a lack of imagination. River. [ She snorts and shrugs. ] This cage has grass, we are not impressed.

( video )

[retrograding]

Hm. I can drive with it decently enough. I haven't ever tried flight, however. [ He's thoughtful, then: ] You could always change your name. It is not such a difficult thing to do.

Is that a royal We? Perhaps you could change your name to Victoria.

( video )

[enchangement]

[ Wistfully: ] But the stars are so far.

Let's steer our seabound ship and run it aground, does that bring the labcoats running hither and yon?

Easy enough to remember. River River Burning Bright. Water takes everything apart, forces it back together. It's fine. I don't care that much.

It is we because thinks of herself and she thinks of herself in parts that are not always in agreement but we are not impressed.

[ Video ]

[hark_and_hush]

[ Ruby looks a little thrown off, but she shakes it quickly. ]

River? I'm Ruby. I guess you figured this place out, huh? Are you... okay?

[ Video ]

[enchangement]

Gemstone. Ruber. Chronium. Precious. Al₂O₃.

Better than diamonds, but we're all carbon based aren't we?

I see the maze, but not the cheese. Why make it so pretty.

She's never been okay. Dinlo. Everything is in it's unexpected place.

[ Video ]

[hark_and_hush]

I actually get the feeling that a few of the people here might not be carbon-based.

[ Some of them make her look normal. ]

Hmm, well are you as physically intact as you were before you got here, at least?

[ Video ]

[enchangement]

If not carbon then what? [ She's taking that comment very seriously. ] Silicon? Germanium?

Intact. Not bleeding.

video

[hung_garian]

Hello.

[What? He's intrigued. People have already made helpful replies, so there's time for some unhelpful chitchat.]

video

[enchangement]

[ Peering at you Gabe. Tap. Tap tap tap.

Do you understand morsecode? She plans on finding out.

... .... . / --. .- ...- . / .... . .-. / -. .- -- . / --- -. .-.. -.-- / ..-. .- .. .-. / -.-- --- ..- / -.. --- / - .... . / ... .- -- . ]

Re: video

[hung_garian]

[He probably does, if he makes the effort.

However, he's not going to make the effort. He doesn't like effort.]

Hablas ingles?

[manofiron]

Please tell me the dinosaur theater means that you brought actual dinosaurs with you.

[enchangement]

Cry havoc and let loose the ceratopsians of war! [ River breaks into a peal of laughter. If only, Tony, if only. ]

[manofiron]

[ He grins. Oh, now this one he likes. ]

Just remember, we gotta keep our stealth tyrannosaurs in reserve. We can't show our hand too soon or the whole war's lost.

[agentx13]

[ Sharon's voice is careful, cautious, but also light. No need to worry yet, right? Ha. Bullshit. ]

Hello, River. I'm Sharon. I'm... a fellow lab rat.

Is there anything I can do to help? Our food's running low, but it sounds like you already figured that bit out. Clothing or a place to stay?

[enchangement]

[ Oh Sharon. Don't be light. This is all fucked, and River knows it. ]

Have they marched out the wolves yet ? ow does one hide a wolf in a rat's fur?

Help help help no. Cass is coming, Cass is here. Are there dresses?

The windchill is high and the marine layer is thick.

Need to start a farm when the earth is soft enough to turn.

[agentx13]

[Sharon's frown deepens as she listens to River ramble on here and there. Wolves, rats - like inside men?, need to farm... Something is odd about this girl, obviously, but perhaps it will be useful nonetheless.]

There are dresses around, yes. What size are you?