01 | VIDEO.

[shallnotreturn]

I have the worst sense of deja vu right now.

[ The camera is at an angle, so initially all a viewer can see is the right half of a young woman in an orange t-shirt and shorts, her hair worn down and loose, even a little messy. Like she was hanging out at home just before coming here, not doing anything remotely exciting. It's not immediately

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[expectremorse]

[Have an older sort of fella looking a little careworn. It's time for that monthly influx of people which means a lot of people getting angry and upset.

Least she seems to be trying to make a statement.]

...No hospitals or labs. [pause] you've been to the morgue before? That's a place you regularly end up?

[shallnotreturn]

[ Threnody's immediately just grateful to get any kind of response, some proof she isn't shouting into the void. He doesn't look like any kind of Marauder, either, though that only does a little to curb her wariness. ]

Once. Long story.

[ ... ]

There was a--uh, medical error.

Anyway, look, I'm not so focused on the past right now as my immediate present, which appears to whatever the hell this place is. It's important I get home before anything bad happens there.

[expectremorse]

[Hoffman hesitates. This just hurts.] It's-

Your home is safe. I promise. Nothing bad is going to happen.

[It could have already happened. That could be what brought her here. The question is, is she a warden or an inmate?]

You're stuck here for the moment however.

[shallnotreturn]

Oh. Kind of had a feeling. Shit.

[ Stuck here. She is silent for a second, jaw tense. When she speaks again, it's careful, intent. ]

How do you know it's safe? I don't even know what this is.

[most_feared]

[Here comes the fun explanations. Which suck after last month.] You shouldn't be missing any time. You're currently aboard an interdimensional prison ship and you're either about to die or have just died back where you are from, and most likely an inmate.

My name is Agent K and I'm a warden here.

Threadjack!

[yeahscience]

Way to soften the blow, man.

[most_feared]

[And shrug. Because he'd rather be up front with people here than beat around the bush.]

threadjack back!

[shallnotreturn]

It's fine. I mean--no, actually, none of this is fine, but if this is the real deal, I'd rather know.

[sixthanimorph]

Oh, hey. I see we're getting new people again after all. You got the whole story yet?

[shallnotreturn]

[ David, you are so nonchalant that she actually puts her hand to her face for a second and laughs, horribly and almost-mirthlessly, just for a second. ]

Yeah, I sure did. Enough people have said "welcome to being a dead girl on space prison boat" to me that I'm pretty sure I'm actually believing it.

[sixthanimorph]

[And who's not surprised? This guy. After eight months he doubts anything's gonna surprise him here anymore.]

So that means you're an inmate. Me too. You can blame a whackjob called the Admiral for bringing you here.

[shallnotreturn]

That guy. I've already been told he's eminently unpunchable due to also being unfindable. [ LAME. Not that she's as savvy at punching as some folks, mind you, but she'd certainly be willing to give it a go. ]

[thegooddrjones]

I'm sorry, but Agent Kay is right. You're here because someone thinks you deserve a second chance at your life.

[shallnotreturn]

I would have been fine without it. [ rassafrassin'. ] Are you one of the wardens?

[thegooddrjones]

Yeah, I am. I'm Martha, I'm a doctor and the head of the infirmary.

[shallnotreturn]

Oh. Hey. [ A pause. Weighing her own current tendency toward spare details against the fact that she hasn't had medical treatment in actual years, even after having a child all of a week ago. ] I'm Threnody. You must keep pretty damn busy here.

[to_be_caprican]

[ Figures most people have done all the explainy bits, so, zeroes in on some keywords and asks; ]

Are you a doctor?

My deepest apologies if you are. Or any sort of learned, sensible person.

[shallnotreturn]

Not a doctor, no. "Learned and sensible," you'd probably get some arguments on from some. [ Her faint smile is three things at once: crooked, rueful, and a little bit exhausted. ] But I'd like to think so.

Who are you?

[to_be_caprican]

Dr. Gaius Baltar. I'm an inmate here.

Here being exactly as what's likely been described to you. Anyone gone into how it defies physics, sense, all that? It's a bit hard for... people who prefer a more logical kind of reality to reckon with.

[shallnotreturn]

Threnody. [ First usage of her name, go. ] I'm also an inmate, but that's pretty obvious, I guess.

I know a little--the "interdimensional" bit. I mean, I've read a nominal amount of Everett and DeWitt, and we've got weird universe-hopping at home, so the idea isn't new to me. But a prison?