trans_9 | Greet the (New) Meat! (no, don't eat them!)

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Greet the (New) Meat! (no, don't eat them!)

By hook or by crook or by avoiding hook and crook, the crew assembled from the previous podpops eventually made it up to the Living Area to greet their new crew mates. The creepy sculpture was also there, though less to greet them than it was always there.

The strange, fleshy seating had multiplied. You really, really don't want to know how.

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Jono's not exactly the most social of the crew. But when Stacy said to be somewhere? Well, it was generally in his best interests to go. If only to avoid the blinding headache she often gave him.

He adjusted the top edge of his uniform, pressing it down smoothly against his skin before glancing around. He nodded when Billy did, then looked back a moment later. While empathy wasn't exactly the direction his powers ran to, he didn't need to be when he realized that the guy was new. And Jono remembered all too well what that had been like.

He headed over, glancing around a bit as he got closer. Despite the looks of 'em, most of 'em don' bite. Least, not 'at I've seen. His accent was British. Slightly Cockney. And it didn't look like anything had moved where his mouth should have been under the facial covering.

Well, that was helpful. Billy's stance relaxed a little, but he again felt the unsettling sensation that Jono was inside his mind. He'd been able to rationalize Stacy as an almost-omniscent being, like Zordon had been, but he began to suspect that ESP around here was far more sophisticated than his early attempt at building a thought-transfer device had been.

The silence was beginning to stretch on a bit long as he mulled over the possibilities, so he decided to end it.

"Most? That's...somewhat reassuring. How long have you been with the crew?" He's not quite sure where to begin a conversation, but that sounds reasonable enough to him.

While Jono, for his part, was doing his best to ignore Billy's thought processes. He was slightly more ethical than that, after all. And he didn't bother correcting the bit about ESP, since he supposed telepathy did fall under that term.

Jono put his hands in the pockets that the outfit created naturally, leaning back against the wall next to Billy. Don' roightly know, he admits after a few moments of thought. A while. Gets sorta hard t' keep track after a while.

His shoulders slumped. "I imagine it would. This disconnect from our lives won't be easy to adjust to."

Another question springs to mind. Stacy's lack of answers had left him wondering what he was supposed to be doing here. Or what exactly 'here' was. That would probably make itself known soon enough, but...

"What is this place? All I've been able to gather is that the technology is mainly organic and that we're detained here indefinitely, because we have been chosen for some task or another."

Jono rubbed his nose, then made a motion toward the windows. Windows that showed lights flashing by in a dark background. Except the lights were stars and...well, it wasn't that hard to figure out just where they were, vaguely.

Starship. Stacy's been forthcomin' with that much, at least. 'Sactly what we're doin' here? He shrugged. We're the ship's crew. Though I'm willin' t' bet most of us ain't got a scooby how t' navigate. Not that they'd had to navigate at all, yet. There're some other computers. Only really know of Andy, though. She's pretty willin' to talk to us, but she don' know much more 'an we do.

Billy turned to the windows as they were pointed out, fascinated by the passing stars. So he really was out in space. Prodigious. As foreign and threatening as the situation seemed, he couldn't help but feel awed. He had a brief flashback to his childhood dreams of becoming an astronaut, but they'd never involved throbbing walls or tentacles.

"Other computers? So Stacy is an artificial intelligence?" That was somewhat surprising. His imagination had provided possibilities that seemed more...unexplainable, somehow. Not that there was much that could be explained. The lack of information was really beginning to irritate him.

Jono raised a hand, see-sawing it back and forth. Think Stacy's actually the whole ship, really. Know she's a bloody massive psychic presence, at the very least. At that, he reached up and rubbed his temple. Just because he'd gotten his shielding back up to snuff didn't mean that Stacy was any less of a massive psychic pressure on him. It just kept it from being quite as overwhelming. But yeah, she's a computer. An' we're her crew. Us an' whoever else she lets outta the pods.

Psychic presences. He's still not entirely accustomed to that idea, given a lifetime of skepticism, but the explanation helps ease the uncertainty a little.

The mention of the pods piques his interests. "I was unable to observe the pods on the way, due to my temporary lack of visual correction. It's incredible. All those people, in stasis to serve a purpose?" He also considers it unethical, but would rather not discuss that.

Billy wonders fleetingly about the possibility of any of his friends being aboard, but quickly dismisses it. He'd prefer that Angel Grove retain as many Rangers as possible. In the meantime, he'll fulfill his mission with the rest of the crew and Mr...oh. He'd forgotten all about the introduction phase.

"I've forgotten to introduce myself! My apologies. I'm Billy, pleased to make your acquaintance."

Dunno, Jono replied, glancing around again. Possible crew, for certain, though there's a theory 'at they could be used as hostages 'gainst us if we get shirty. Which they hadn't, yet. Partly because nobody knew who was in those pods. Reckon it's a safe enough bet t' start with that if Stacy thinks yer useful, she's gonna figure there're people you know what're useful, too.

Yes, Jono figured pretty much anybody he knew was in those pods. It wasn't a bad place to start from, at least.

When Billy introduced himself, the corners of Jono's eyes turned up slightly. As close as the young man came to a smile. Name's Jono. Likewise, I'm sure. He offered the young man his hand.

Admittedly, that's a logical conclusion to reach. But that doesn't mean he has to enjoy the thought.

"The pleasure is mine, Jono." He shook the offered hand tentatively, accompanied by a slight smile. Score one for civility. There might be a few positive things in this disorganized army after all.

"How have you been occupying yourself around the ship?" Hey, he's still curious about what a crew does.

Yeah. Nobody enjoyed that particular thought. In general, Jono tried not to think about it. Unfortunately, there wasn't often enough going on around him to keep him from it.

He tilted his head in thought. Well, there's a crackin' media library here. I'm mos'ly workin' me way through the music section, but I know a lot of people've been usin' it fer research.

Now that kicks his brain into high gear. A library! Billy is quite eager to engage in research. There might be resources that he never could have dreamed of finding on Earth!

"I'd like to begin some research of my own. The resources there could be useful later on. How would I go about reaching it?"

Jono straightened from the wall. Can show you where it's at. Probably easier 'an tryin' t' explain where it is. Also, it gave him something to do for a bit. Though ain't so sure Stacy's gonna be lettin' us leave jus' yet.

"I'd like that---but you're right. It's probably for the best that we take this opportunity to integrate with the rest of the crew. There should be time available later."

He cracks a small smile at Jono. "Thank you."

Jono nods, tilting his head a bit. Some expressions are just so difficult without a mouth, but he manages. Yer welcome, mate. Ain't too far from here. Should prob'ly show you the simulation rooms, too.

At this rate, he'd be giving the fifty pence tour in no time.

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Greet the (New) Meat! (no, don't eat them!)

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