[ Dick’s sitting in a nondescript corner of what’s probably the cafeteria, facing the screen at a front and center angle that could almost pass for a little rehearsed. He’s tired and drawn, posture curled in and oddly small. He has a hand in his hair, awkward and unsettled. If he's been practicing this, it's not showing much. ]

I, um. Hey.

I just wanted to say I’m turning myself in now. As one of the guys who brought down the systems and took over the base. [ Specificity is important. His eyes aren't on the tablet anymore, but he's still speaking. ]

-Which I know I could’ve done couple of days ago. But I didn’t because I thought maybe... [ a faint, rushed breath out. ] –maybe I could still fix it. And maybe it’d just be easier if I didn’t say anything. [ For the people in jail. And the people on the outside. ]

...But it wouldn’t be. That would just be me letting somebody else take the whole rap for something a lot of people already know I had a hand in. And then not speaking up is on them too. So it has to be this way. [ He’s thinking about you, Kate. 8( ] ( cut for long-winded rambling + an addendum )

[Sonya appears on the screen without her usual preambles or cheerful introductions. Her manner is very, very controlled. The casual Bronx vowels that occasionally creep into her speech are gone. The profanities are gone. Every once in a while, she glances down; this is a prepared statement.]

Earlier today, Jesse Pinkman snuck into one of the prisoner cells under false pretenses. He’d been friends with one of the mutineers before all of this happened, so he claimed to merely want to visit.

While he was in there, he mutilated this prisoner in spirit and soul. He ripped from her her ability, her inborn gift, to cast spells. He tore away from her something as vital to her as eyesight or touch might be for you. And did he did this to defend someone? To stop an attack or a threatened attack? No: he did it to punish her. To make her suffer. And then he said to her that this is how things are running now.

( fuzzy drama funny drama drama drama fuuuck (ps not an ic cut) )

Hey, Jesse Pinkman.

I don't know who you are but you suck.

[Peter is ... angry. Angry is a good word for it, because he's mixed up, he's confused, and he's hating that he's hearing what's going on. Threats of torture? Maybe they were said in anger—and he's definitely done stupid things in anger himself—but that's not helping. But all he's seeing is a weird understanding that maybe SHIELD had the right idea by taking the reins back home, because this is what happens when people are left to their own devices.

Then again, SHIELD isn't really good at keeping the psychologically unstable types off the street. He knows that all too well, too. SHIELD also probably doesn't give a damn if people are infighting as long as they've got buttons to push and to control in the process.

He debates responding to Sofiya's commentary instead, but he has some sweeping questions that need to be answered.]

Have any of you ever read Lord of the Flies? Or ... I dunno, Battle Royale? The really terrifying thing about these books is the idea of humans going out and hunting one another. That we're a game. There was a guy on TV a year or so ago who decided he was gonna go after Spider-Man. It was stupid, but he thought that he'd make big ratings because he'd be able to take down this guy that everyone was calling a masked menace. Of course, as you should know right up front, Spider-Man's a good guy. Not a good guy as in let's-all-be-friends-with-Spider-Man, but he definitely isn't out there to hurt anyone, he's just wearing the mask for a reason ... he's a vigilante, but not the type that hurts people to prove something. Or kills. None of that. No bullets, no necks snapped, none of it.

[There's a pause where he breathes out, because that was a lot of quick babbling with very few pauses.]

If you can't make the connection from my well-placed pop culture references or my babbling about Spider-Man, what I'm seeing here is a lot of infighting. People are hurting each other and disagreeing over how we're meant to do this. People are talking about the law, but honestly, what law? We're locking people up because it's generally what is deemed the right thing, but none of us really know what we're doing. I mean, I've seem some crappy cops in my time, and believe me. You guys need some work.

Uh, but no offense, because I'm not here to criticize everyone. That's just gonna create even more infighting amongst us.

But I do think that all of us sitting down and agreeing we're in over our heads is a good place to start. Got it. You sitting yet? Actually, I bet you're turning this off, which fine, suit yourself.

What's happening is that we're going all Lord of the Flies on one another. We're going all rated-R Survivor to ensure that none of us get off this moonbase alive. And above all else, we're being idiots and making this about ourselves. Okay, I don't doubt that the release of those files might be some well-timed emotional manipulation, and I'm a bleeding heart who gives in to that crap. I can't deny it.

And maybe things will stop, but all I see is us redirecting our tensions elsewhere, and honestly, I ... I don't want people to die. I don't want any of that sort of thing to happen. That's my thing. I helped out with the guys who were trying to undo the mutiny's mess because I saw that as a danger to everyone's life. But I think moving forward, we need to try to be a little less Lord of the Flies and a little more boy band.

Don't get what I mean?

Come on, just look at the Backstreet Boys. I bet anything those guys didn't get together all that willingly. But they all stand together in uncomfortable leather pants and continue to sing terrible songs even though they're definitely nearing fifty. They're outliving The Beatles! Except one of the guys left, but that really says something about situations like that. It leaves room for imperfection.

So we can all band together and get really stupid haircuts and manicures and wear leather pants and ...

My point is, can we try to work together a little more? Just maybe? And instead of remarking on all of the above, let's hear some suggestions moving forward. You might think it's not the time, but I'd rather stop this from escalating.

( So here's a friendly robot-face for you, network. Between the big political speeches and the kittens because he has always had excellent timing. But he's looking significantly less beat-up than he did previously, dents straightened out and looking polished up. )

Okay, here's a question for you. If you've decided to settle down on your home planet that's suddenly not-dead and start up a new government after a civil war that lasted for ages, would you elect the one bot who served directly under the guy who started the entire thing in the first place?

Because I'm really trying to see what anyone could have seen in Starscream and I just don't get it.

( He's really sorry about your problems, Exs, but he's not here for organic squabbling. If he was even aware of it in the first place. Which he isn't, because he just got back from his own universe. )

So, what'd I miss?

Excuse me.

The computer "AI" - the one that helps run the Initiative - said that radiation levels in the city are back to normal. Does that mean we can return to it? I thought that it would be years or - decades - but, if the computer says so, then - ?

[If she sounds a little scattered and nervous, it's probably because she's a little scattered and nervous. She understood what to do with the zombies (punch them), but the mutiny and the fallout from that she's still struggling with. She prefers to have someone in charge to tell her what to do, not have everyone fighting over it with her in the middle.]

Please do not turn this into cats. Even though they are cute.

So, I've been thinking the last couple of days, watching and listening to everything that's going on and something that... uh...

[Hold on, he's checking the post history.]

...Collette mentioned earlier on popped into my head. Odds are we're never going ot agree on someone to lead us, let alone make decisions for everyone - we're from way too many different worlds for that.

[Although he also doesn't really think that should be a giant obstacle, but considering the giant buckets o' opinions this place has...]

We don't even really have a set of laws to govern us - or a government. Which is understandable, given we're basically a bunch of refugees. Anyway - Collette mentioned putting together a code of conduct we can all agree on - or at least most of us can - and that we use to sort of guide our interactions with each other.

It won't be a law, we won't really have punishments or anything set out. But at least we'll have an idea of what's not OK to do to one another. And maybe it'll let us get ourselves sorted out so we can really start addressing how we're going to win this war and get off of this rock.

[No offense, people who like Earth's moon.]

We're not exactly going to be able to do that if we're busy yelling at each other about... cirme and punishment. Maybe I have more sympathy for that line of thinking, since I'm in a rebellion back home.

What do you guys think? Oh, and sorry Collette. I know it's your idea, but I thought I'd get it out there for people to see. Uh, hear.

Okay, so. I'm just wondering, are we idiots, or do we ac
( CAT PHOTO )

[[Private Text to Tori]]
Tori? Can I get you to come over to the lounge? I need to rant to someone before I

( [Pidonus: Even her PMs get cat'd.] )

So I was wondering, what with all the zombies, rebelling, systems going down, infighting, arguing and the impending threat of...well, everything really...

[A pause.]

...does this mean no cookies next month?

[Now here is someone who's been absent throughout the mutiny mess, if the confused look on her face that appears briefly is of any indication. Gently combing through her wavy hair with a free hand, manicured fingers wiggling in and out, Sheryl lets out a soft sigh as she purses her lips to frown deeply.]

Well, well, well... if what I'm getting from hearsay is all true, then I'm so relieved to miss the disaster completely!

[She parts her mouth like she's about to say more. Angry rants at the people involved, massive scolding for dragging the rest of the Transports into their troubles and causing destruction, nicely-worded yet sharp insults at their direction. Instead, she slowly pushes the momentary look of anger aside, gaining her composure while she rubs her cheek and sits up straight, blue eyes locked on to anyone viewing this feed. Sheryl appears calm now, but she's nowhere near her boisterous self, not after learning what happened to Jesse (or what he did).

Still, she manages to sound happy enough. Only a little.]

Anyway, there's something I've been very curious about and I'm hoping to hear excellent answers from you. Now be good people and lend me your ears, all right? It'll only be for a moment.

[A faint smile morphs on her lips, but it lasts for a split second before she frowns, looking thoughtful. Cue the long pause.]

Have you ever wondered if you feel any differently after growing up in this war for so long? I'm not talking about emotions alone, but if you've changed completely after dealing with the Initiative, the UE, that irritating AI, these missions... everything. I've been here for almost a year now, and there were so many experiences I'd never thought I could possess. I wonder, does this mean I should feel older because of it? There's something to be said about war causing people to grow up so fast, after all...

[Like joining forces with a resistance to fight another country, using her own songs to drive the enemy soldiers literally down to their knees. The way she speaks contains genuine ruefulness to her tone, but it's not too long before she smiles once more.]

As of today, I'm officially eighteen, and yet I still feel like I'm seventeen.