controlledvariable | exsilium; ic inbox

It's mostly been information gathering. Blue ran a fair few of them that had us collecting data with the AI, but it doesn't seem like anything big enough to do this. [She's thought about it a lot, once they got back, but it isn't her area of expertise.] Before that there were a couple missions to change how genetics and cloning was done in the UE, but again - pretty small stuff.

[Maybe it's the small stuff that makes the difference, though.]

Doesn't really sound like any big deal, but what the hell do we know about what's a big deal?

[it's not like they know how they ended up in ice-age exsilium instead of flattened-by-nukes exsilium, either.]

There was a movie like this, back home, a guy living the same day over and over while nobody else remembered it. Except I'm pretty sure his time loop got fixed when he got the girl. But since he had pretty much all the time in the world, he learned to do all kinds of stuff. So if we're stuck, maybe there's time to figure out why.

...when did those new people show up, though?

Groundhog Day, yeah.

[She's sure that getting the girl won't fix it for them, but Peter has a point about them having plenty of time to figure it out.]

I think it was the second day we were in Vegas? I didn't find out straight away.

Oh, cool, you have it too.

[he's never sure when things are going to overlap.]

So basically a whole week early. And now it keeps being the 7th over and over. Mysteeeeeeerious.

Same as it used to be, almost. It's not the first time people have come in on random days, but usually it's because they've been here before.

So there's a problem, probably, but maybe there's two problems. Or something.

I don't know, girl wonder. I'm a pretty shitty detective. I feel it, just before I black out, but couldn't tell you what it feels like.

[She's quiet for a long moment, thinking it over.]

It might be localized. The time loop or whatever we wanna call it. Maybe it'll stop if we get away from the Transporter.

How far is away? I mean, everybody's not gonna leave, and the guys who run the thing can't. If you do get out, what happens if you come back? Are the people still inside stuck?

I fuckin' hate time travel.

[She's just - pinching the bridge of her nose, because yeah, fucking time travel.]

I'm guessing it'd be like a bubble where everyone's caught on repeat while the rest of the world or universe or whatever carries on as normal. [He can't see her, but she's making hand gestures to go along with the explanation.] If we managed to get out, I'd say that we'd find ourselves in whatever day it should be? I'm not really an expert, though.

Right but then how do we get back? Or get anybody else out? Or...I don't know. This is giving me a headache.

I dunno either. Might be that signals can still get in and out just fine, but I'm not about to send a distress signal to the UE.

[a beat, then:]

Do we know if anyone's still on the moon?

...pretty sure there were a couple stragglers who preferred cold space to cold winter. Crazies.

I wonder if they're going through the same thing, 'cause that'd rule out any sorta contained effect.

Guess we do have a network thingie we could use to ask 'em.

The network thingie, huh?

[Even panicking a little, she can still tease him.]

That's the technical term.

I'm glad I've got you to enlighten me, otherwise I'd have no idea what anything was called.

[what if she just makes jokes instead of dealing with things]

It's a valuable service I perform.

[well if she thinks it's going to be peter keeping them on task that will only lead to disappointment.]

Think of the possibilities, though. Experiment with hairstyles, get falling-down drunk without a hangover or wasting any booze...

[There's laughter, and she switches to video so she can show off her new haircut.]

One step ahead of you, Rumancek.

[wolf whistle? wolf whistle.]

Damn, girl wonder.

[There's a distant who was that? from Saul, but Steph shushes him before turning her attention backt to the screen.]

I used to wear it like this when I was doing the whole Spoiler thing, 'cause long hair didn't fit under my mask, and the ponytail sticking out the back looked kinda silly.

[peter laughs at saul, and also at steph shushing him.]

Just looking, not touching!

[and then at a more normal volume]

It's good on you, though.

Don't encourage him.

[That's to Peter, actually, even if she's laughing, because no one needs to give Saul a reason to fuss any more than he already does.]

Thanks, not sure I'd want to keep it for real, but it was fun to cut it all off.

It's not like I can reach through the screen.

[peter rolls his eyes, but he's still chuckling. nobody better tell saul about the matching tats.]

Guess you can decide later. Gonna try crazy colors tomorrow?

[TOO LATE

There was some fussing for a while but she fixed it by being sentimental at him.]

There's still a lot you can do through a screen.

[Just gonna add an eyebrow waggled to that comment.]

I didn't think to bring any dye back, unfortunately. Maybe I'll try an undercut or something, I know Lisbeth has clippers.

[Bailey would be so proud.]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

and suddenly video

well fine, video then

suck it

oh he would

p l s

no subject

no subject