{Unified Universe Project} [Video]

[adstring_npc]

[The PCD comes on, focused on a rather orderly desk. The 'inbox' on the desk is full and Donna is standing next to it. Chairman Springsteen leans into the shot, reaching to grab and open one of the files.]

No, they all say the same thing. Reasonless panic. [He shrugs and moves it to the 'outbox.']

It's not their fault that you have them looking for anything that changes. Or that they're stupid mice, the most of them. How big is the change? [Donna's smirking and leaning over the desk, toward him. It can be noted that her blouse is low-cut, and her heels are perhaps a bit higher than are professional.]

Less than .002%. Nothing to panic over. Though the chemists are bothered. Some substance they were messing with turned into cola. [Springsteen is smirking as he rests his elbows on the desk.]

Well. This world is... [Donna shrugs.] ...predictable in its unpredictability. If they're so bothered, send some of them out. Bao wants out of her cage.

[The Chairman shakes his head.] No. I have her busy with other things.

[Donna straightens, clearly pissed off. Her lips tighten.] Another side project that you didn't tell me about?

[He snorts.] Hardly. It got approved by all of us months ago. It's just taken time to get her to head down that road. She's hardly as biddable as Morimoto was. He was useful, you know.

To a point. [She no longer looks quite as angry.] Send some of the mice out to look around, then. Ones that the snakes won't bite.

Snakes don't bite mice. They swallow them whole. [Another file gets opened; he's not paying so much attention to Donna anymore.] But some of ours should be safe. Send Andrew in on your way out. We'll pick a few.

[Slowly, very slowly, Donna adjusts her blouse. Her voice is frosty.] On my way out. There were several other things on the agenda, as you--

[The PCD times out.]

Comments

[cornered-circle.livejournal.com]

No reason, she just likes naming things, I s'pose.

...you 'ave books you can look me up in?

[adstring-npc.livejournal.com]

But normally parents name.

No. I have a file on you, but that doesn't help me much. I have a book on religious terms, though.

Tell me about yourself, Arienette Sophia.

[cornered-circle.livejournal.com]

They do that too, but why stick with just one name, when it wears out?

Nothin' much to me, so no need for a book. An' there's nothing to tell. Don't have any powers, never seen any of th' good wars. Entirely normal!

[adstring-npc.livejournal.com]

Names wear out, on your earth?

Entirely normal, with a very different outlook on things. I'm not so sure you are normal.

[cornered-circle.livejournal.com]

Sometimes they stop applyin', so you have to stick a new one on top.

It's normal to me... What's wrong with thinking 'round things?

[adstring-npc.livejournal.com]

That's when you add Sophie?

I didn't say it was wrong. How attached are you to your DNA?

[cornered-circle.livejournal.com]

Didn't get t'add it, though. Not even hyphenate it. Woulda settled for semi-coloning it too.

DNA? Not sure how much I 'ave left.

[adstring-npc.livejournal.com]

You could add it now. Or we could. We could call you Arienette-Sophie.

All we'd need is a hair with its roots attached. Though a blood sample would be useful as well.

[cornered-circle.livejournal.com]

Sophia! Th' "a" at the end is important. I like names that end in a. Starting, not so much.

... Can't say I have much of either of those to spare.

[adstring-npc.livejournal.com]

Renetta-Sophia?

We could take a swab from inside your cheek. Painless, simple.

[cornered-circle.livejournal.com]

Kind of like the sound of it, actually!

Not sure what you'd get from that... an' what's all this about?

[adstring-npc.livejournal.com]

Then your file name has been officially changed.

DNA. I want to know what frequency yours vibrates at, and what it says about you. This, Renetta-Sophia, is science.

[cornered-circle.livejournal.com]

Really? Thank you!

I don't think much of anythin's vibrating. But if it... says anything odd, anything weird, what would your science do?

[adstring-npc.livejournal.com]

You're welcome.

Everything vibrates. It just studies. We won't do anything to it or with it. You won't be harmed. Come to [x,y] so we can get this, please?

[cornered-circle.livejournal.com]

I don't mind helping, and I don't much think any of you could harm me. ... Well, alright. Sure. Might as well.

[adstring-npc.livejournal.com]

That's a lot of confidence for a human.

Thank you. Some of my men will meet you there.

[cornered-circle.livejournal.com]

Maybe. I suppose it depends on the definition of 'harm', really.

I'll head over.