001.

[anewlanguage]

[Cain has no interest in vlogging, but his video feed was switched on accidentally as he got settled into his room. So for a long while there's no sound, and the only picture is of the side of his leg. Then he notices that it's not cooperating, and he's not such a stoic prisoner that he'll just turn it off and pretend it hadn't happened.]

This is some kind of reality show, huh? 'True Lives of the Deadliest Inmates'?

Comments

[omaera]

We died and the Admiral returned us to life for entertainment purposes and so-called redemption. Slightly less than half of the ship is here for this same reason. Are you different?

[anewlanguage]

I figure I was being moved from one prison to another, ended up in this one. And that's about it. But now you mention it, I'm not a redemptive type so I must be here to be amusing.

[omaera]

As we all are. You said it yourself.

[anewlanguage]

All right, all right, fair enough. I meant our "crimes" probably aren't the same but for all I know we aren't here cause we're criminals anyway.

[omaera]

Not all of us, no. The qualifications for "redeemed" and "redeemer" seem somewhat arbitrary, at that.

[And now she's been on the same face for a while and she's getting bored, although this change is subtle. Her eyes narrow, voice cooling slightly as she brushes her hair out of her face.]

You asked what I bring to the table, but what are you planning to offer?

[anewlanguage]

[Nothing. Well, that's probably the wrong thing to say.]

I have a pretty finely honed set of skills. Doubt they're anything you haven't seen from people like Slade, but I can't think of any other reason I would've been brought here, except maybe to be a punching bag for the people out for my blood.

[omaera]

That probably is the reason, you know. As you said: we're here for his entertainment.

[anewlanguage]

There's the rub then. Do we give him somethin' to smile at or not?

[omaera]

What kind of punishment can we expect if we don't? That's the real question.

[anewlanguage]

Big punishment never scared me off a good enough job.

[omaera]

Naturally. But if you walk into something not knowing the consequences, you have only yourself to blame when the trap springs on you.

[anewlanguage]

Wise words. I don't see a whole lot of traps here, though. We're already caught.

[omaera]

There will be more. Haven't you heard about the floods?

[anewlanguage]

Not much. Lot of people complain about 'em, that's all I know.

[omaera]

You'll learn soon, then.

[anewlanguage]

You sound like you enjoy it. [There's a little bit of sarcasm there, but he is sort of impressed with how she refers to them compared to the hysterics and moaning that everyone else has whenever he's asked about the ship's workings.]

[omaera]

Heh. Why would I?

[anewlanguage]

Cause you strike me as the sadistic type. Just a hunch.