[The video clicks on and the view sways sickeningly for a moment. The small light on the camera does very little to penetrate the darkness of the catacombs under the city. Once it focuses on the man holding the tablet, the light only succeeds in making him look oddly pale and drawn.]

I need medical attention. Sooner rather than later would be nice--

[So maybe it's not just the camera making him look like shit. Charlie shifts, which cues a snarled string of expletives and a jostled camera.]

--or just a hand out of these bloody catacombs. I think my leg's busted.

[Getting here and being thrown right into the thick of things? It's kind of like hitting the ground running, and he's nothing if not good at acting on exactly what he's given. But, he thinks in some ways it's made processing everything that much harder.

Too much information, not enough context. It's not exactly a pleased expression he's wearing, but it's not hostile either]

This is Captain James Kirk, of the USS Enterprise. If any of my crew, or any other active member of Starfleet happen to be here, do me a favour and report in.

[He pauses to weigh his next words carefully. Considering the communication methods were given to him, he doesn't trust them to be secure from the people behind this whole thing. Anything he wants to say- It's either got to be coded or done in person. So he changes track entirely]

The rest of you? I wouldn't mind hearing about what you do for fun around here, or just about anything else about this place you can tell me. [Because you never put everything on the travel brochure for tourists, and he wants to know everything the higher ups aren't telling him. Everything that's only figured out with first hand experience and time.

A beat] You know what? Why don't my new roommates check in too.

[It takes some determination on Murphy's part but he finally gets his tablet to work. Once he is sure he is broadcasting he clears his throat.]

Hello. Murphy here. I'm new around here. Um... I'm just trying to get some things sorted in my head about this place - like when do we get to return to our home worlds? And - is this real? I keep figuring this has to be a dream or a nightmare.

Also, I'm roomed in UNIT 1 2 0 3. I think I have some roommates around... somewhere.

Guys. Guys! This is the most amazing thing I've seen yet...

( Collette holds up some sort of smartish or at least MUCH BETTER THAN THE 90'S cellular phone in blue. She grins, looking at someone offscreen, then actively begins demonstrating for the tablet. Talk about weird angles and table and propped up provided steadycam. )

This? Is a cell phone. It takes pictures! It plays games. It even plays music. Sure the reception in the future is totally bad but that doesn't diminish how amazing this technology is! Look at it! This is the phone your phone could aspire to be!

( Then, from off-screen: )

... Please give my cellphone back. ( That? That is a very heavy Japanese accent because REALLY NOW. NAOTO WANTS HER PHONE PLZ. )

[GODS how do you use this thing? Hiccup will be pushing buttons and every now and then there's a short 'Wow', or 'Well that didn't work.' or... various other mildly frustrated phrases and then finally.]

Okay... so I push this and... tilt it like. Oh! Hey, I think it's working. If that... green light thing means what I think it means.

Okay! So. ... Everyone. I guess. [Man, how's he going to put this? He'll speak slowly, it's obvious he's double thinking this. Enjoy the elaborate hand gestures as he tries to describe his sentences.]

I haaave a question for you.

[More hesitation and some minor background noise since no one responds right away.]

I guess I should just come out and say it then, huh?

Right um. So how does everyone feel aboooouuut dragons?

Not that. You know, it's a big deal or something to be worried about or anything. Just... a general question of curiosity. Right. [Not suspicious, nope. NOPE.]

I'll just... hope somebody actually heard that.

[When the shame of his increasingly unpredictable behavior started outweighing the shame of asking, Henry finally sought help. And if he's going to be perfectly honest with himself, the Initiative's consent to feed him inspires just a little disappointment. Backed by a concern for public safety, It would have been so easy to convince somebody here to put him out of his misery.

But the will to persist is an annoying little fuck. He takes the lifeline.

To say his first feeding in Exsilium is messy is a sin of an understatement. Henry awakes afterward with little recollection of it, but the shredded remains of the plastic pouches his gifted meal had been stored in, and then the stream of blood drying down his front and flecking even the furthest corners of the room tell him enough about it that he's happy to forget the rest.

Though he's settled matters with his stomach, Henry's nerves are in need of some attention. So he cleans himself up.]

I'm making shisha. If you've anything interesting to contribute to the flavor, I might be convinced to share a bowl with you.

[Henry's tucked himself into the corner of one of the quieter bars, his homemade hookah occupying the center of the table beside the open netbook while he works..]