1☆ video; as soon as the network comes back up after transports arrive

[getoffmyearth]

[It's been a long time since he's had to think about this. Peter hasn't been an astronaut in years, and at some point he just became so used to space that he didn't even think about how to adapt to all the changes anymore.

So here he is: one very tired looking man, with a chipped mug full of coffee, and a well-worn uniform, because he's got to do something and space is his thing and somebody's got to do something to help, and the person to do something has always been him.]

So, to start this whole thing off, I guess I'd better introduce myself. My name is Peter Quill. I'm the Star-Lord, and the leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy. I don't expect you to have heard of us around here, what with all the many wonderful alternate universe options available. But we're very much around, and we're going do whatever we can to get some of this mess fixed up.

[Swear to god Gamora and Adam you had better not dare contradict him on that.]

Before I was the Star-Lord, though, I used to be an astronaut. Our space base was a little bit fancier than this, when I was around, but it was pretty much the same set-up, so I figured I would offer up some advice on how to deal with living in a place like this.

First, you might have noticed the moon doesn't abide by Earth hours anymore. Really try to make yourself keep to them anyway, because otherwise you're going to be in for a really rough ride and we'll probably run out of coffee way before the week's out. Repair guys, if we could maybe get something running to simulate a natural cycle, that would help a lot.

[Not that he even notices it anymore. One reason for all that coffee: he's been so many places that his system is probably fucked for good.]

You might have noticed that this place is technically really small. You may start to feel a little bit cramped, or start sleeping a lot, or start getting really paranoid that your roommate might be stealing your stuff or trying to kill you in your sleep. That's called cabin fever, and if you think you have it, try to get the hell out of here and take some kind of mission that gets you back on Earth, because you're doing nobody any favors trying to tough it out or pretend it's not happening. Especially since we're all going to be here for the foreseeable future.

[He can't really pretend he's happy about that, either, but at least he's used to having no privacy and living in close quarters with other people by now. Even people he kind of hated! It's amazing what you can get used to.]

Oh, and all that freeze-dried food is going to get really old, really fast. I'm not kidding. That crap is awful. Trust me, you will get sick of it so fast you won't even believe it was possible. So whoever ends up being responsible for restocking supplies, I beg you to try to get anything that lasts that's not that.

[Pause, for a dramatic sip of coffee.]

If you've got anything else you're worried about, feel free to come ask me about it. I'll be around.

Adam, Gamora- we're going to try to set up base in the first convenient reclaimed space there is, so until then we're gonna have to operate out of someone's bedroom. And so help me Gamora, if you left behind that coffee pot, it's on you to replace it. I don't care if it might not even work, it's the principle of the thing.

Comments

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[getoffmyearth]

Yeah, fortuitous coincidence for everyone involved. Provided we can actually do something about all of this. Does Gamora know you call her that?

[HE'S NOT TOUCHING THE REST OF THAT WITH A TEN FOOT POLE except for how he will, actually. Privately. Where Gamora in theory won't know.]

And what exactly do you mean by "doing so much better"? Did something happen?

all private text forever

[crocodilesmiles]

She does! Ellie used to too, but she was sent home really recently. We call her Mora right in front of her -- but yeah. We like her.

Things have been hard for her I think. You guys (or some of you) were here before, though I didn't get to meet you. And since then it's been Gamora on her own, like when she was a kid again for a while, then through all the stuff we've had here, and if you know her then you know how hard emotions are for her so she's been getting more connected to people and then those people leave? The whole "i care but don't know it and can't show it" that frustrates her and then more of the United Earth being total jerks and now we're on the moon and I think it's just really good that you're here for her now so she doesn't crack and have nowhere to turn to, you know?

Even if she's from when there isn't a you (Guardians) anymore and whole universes were locked or broken or -- well. She showed me things, months ago.

I'm just glad, that's all! She needs people who know her and take her as she is, too, as support. For all her grump and stuff, she's not as heartless as like... zombie kings we've had around.

Though she is a way better fighter!

[getoffmyearth]

Ah. Yeah. Well. Can't say any of that surprises me really. I guess it's nice to know she hasn't changed? And I always assumed if she wasn't trying to kill me she was probably happy to see me, or at least not, I dunno. Angry? I don't think she's ever done so hot all on her own. Gamora's got to have something to do and somewhere to go, or she gets...stuck. And I know that being here has definitely made her feel stuck, or she wouldn't have climbed so far up my ass about, uh, things.

[crocodilesmiles]

So she was happy to see you!

[getoffmyearth]

When she yells at you a lot and doesn't kill you afterwards, that's usually a sign that she's not unhappy to see you.

[crocodilesmiles]

That and when she doesn't kill you after a hug!

[getoffmyearth]

You've hugged Gamora?

[crocodilesmiles]

Yep! It was a very trying mission we were on. One great big hug there at the end!

[getoffmyearth]

She didn't stab you at the end of it? Or during it?

[crocodilesmiles]

No. There were no stabbings at any point!

[getoffmyearth]

Oh my god, it's a miracle.

[crocodilesmiles]

Wow you realize that makes this whole thing sound like, twenty times freakier than it is, right?

[getoffmyearth]

You are aware that she once tried to stab the man she loved in the back, right? Literally stab him.

I mean, she was possessed by the Phalanx at the time, but that's definitely a thing that happened. And I know for a fact even before that she prefaced their whole relationship with "never trust me". And I told him there was a reason for that, too.

[crocodilesmiles]

If you are holding people to standards of what happens when they are literally not in control of themselves then that's very silly indeed.

Not for the rest, 'Mora's really obviously not able to like, figure out what feelings are, even when she has them, and her whole master thing did a number on her but -- well -- she's one of the most dependable people here. And she took me on a battle run in the VR once!

Which was horrible but that was sharing and sharing is something friends do!

[getoffmyearth]

I am just saying it was not utterly out of character at her, given past experiences, and she WAS pretty into Rich.

But I think that the more important point here really is that you are a relentlessly optimistic and friendly person and I am beginning to see how this works.

[crocodilesmiles]

Hahaha, yeah, people have definitely said that about me before! Who's Rich?

[getoffmyearth]

Our former commander. My best friend. Her...ex, now, I guess? I try not to ask for too many details about what they get up to.

[crocodilesmiles]

Then you guys all know each other well!

[getoffmyearth]

As well as we're ever going to, probably. Yeah.

[He doesn't have the heart to tell this poor girl that he and Rich are about to die a horrible death.]

[crocodilesmiles]

( Yeah, yeah, everyone's life and death sucks here. Join the group! No t-shirts; the dead don't need 'em unless they're resurrected. )

I'm glad about that, though! Everyone needs people like friends around. Teammates, if nothing else!

[getoffmyearth]

[He personally will, in the future, be the first one in life if they do ever make those T-shirts. He will need one that says "I got trapped in a dying universe and all I got when I resurrected was a costume change and a lousy dye job."]

Just how much has she actually told you about our team.

[crocodilesmiles]

You know how Gamora tends to skim over details if she's not thinking they're important?

[getoffmyearth]

Like you wouldn't even believe. So, nothing really, then?

[crocodilesmiles]

Bits and pieces! I can tell she did care about everyone, in her way, which means she says she doesn't a lot and calls everyone some kind of dummy. But it's the thing I think she's been missing, having her dummies around to figure things out with. I know you guys are kind of... uh. I'm not sure if the word I want is different than expected, a word for that? Anyway, you handle things in a way most people here probably wouldn't.

[getoffmyearth]

We don't live the sort of lives most people here do.