001 . voice

[biotictouch]

[ There's a dull noise in the background, one might be able to discern it as music being played off of an impossibly outdated device; perhaps just a low quality pair of headphones, or speaker. Either way, it's just enough in reach of the microphone on this...other device, that it picks up the last few verses. Above that sound though, clear as a bell and soft as velvet, is a slightly accented woman's voice. ]

I don't supposed I'm the only one about looking for a bit of work, so all things aside.

If anyone knows where someone with a...medical engineering set of skills could put their skills to use other than that of this Lunar Scientia...

I'd appreciate a few pointers. I'm willing to take on private expenditures as well.

Serious inquiries only. [ She remarks flatly before terminating the message.

Someone's a bit tired of being stalked. ]

Comments

[spah]

Yup, R&D. I like it, taught me a lot when I started out here... but I've been thinkin' of strikin' out on my own myself. Contract work, like you said.

[He misses the freedom his last job offered him, really. Back when, he could come up with whatever the hell he wanted.]

You have music just for bein' stuck in an elevator? [Snrk.] I'm just curious. I remember Man Who Sold the World back a couple years ago... guessin' that makes you ahead of me, too.

[Don't worry, he's used to this weird time screw by now.]

Good to hear he made new stuff. Kinda like that fella.

[biotictouch]

It's always better when you can be your own boss.

[ There's an underlying sound of fondness there; someone's a big deal at home, huh? ]

I have a colleague who's fond of playing pranks, making life incredibly hard for the sake of her entertainment. I have a questionable amount of things planned for in case she really can't recover from her own screwing around.

[ If the fondness wasn't apparent in her voice before, it is now. ]

He did. For nearly forty long years afterwards.

[ She does the mental math, recalling odd years and time frames he could possibly be from. ]

2076. Am I roughly a hundred years ahead of you? I'm almost envious.

[spah]

No argument there. [He nods to himself, not that Moira can see it. He doesn't miss out on her tone, though, especially when she goes on about her colleague, and chuckles quietly.] Sounds like a boy I knew on my old team. He's a loudmouth, obnoxious Boston kid, so his "pranks" usually involve buckets in doorways or drawing teammates gettin' hit by cars. Usually Spy.

[The Spy ones were pretty funny, though, not going to lie.

That year does sound familiar, though...]

You too, huh. [When he thinks about it, Angela or Genji must have mentioned it to him in passing.] Near enough. 1972 for me.

[biotictouch]

[ She smirks, amusement obvious from the other side. ]

Hers are a little more elaborate. Like shutting down elevators, wiping backup drives, or locking doors from the outside.

[ There's not fondness there for Sombra, don't mistake that amusement for fondness or anything. Maybe a mote. ]

But she does her job incredibly well. So. She stays, despite her obsession with chaos.

My my. Over a hundred. How time is a fickle thing...[ A beat. ]

You know, now that I'm thinking about it. I thought your engineering expertise was impressive before; with context to technology in your era, it's more so.

You've not even breached the mobile phone yet, have you?

[spah]

[Engineer doesn't comment on her tone of voice, but he understands it.]

Yeah, Scout ain't that smart.

[The merc stiffens a little, though, not that Moira would be able to tell beyond a short silence. He knows Moira's not insulting him, necessarily, but he's... touchy about the way some people talk to him when they learn what "time" he's from. He doesn't like being considered out-of-date.

He tries to relax, though. He already got irritated at Otacon and Angela over it, wrongly so. There's an audible shrug.]

Ain't no more impressive than what the Australians've done. They made mobile phones way before I ever thought about comin' up with my own.

[Context: His world's version of Australia is full ridiculously intelligent buff people who invented teleportation, the internet, and most of the world's technology well before the 1960s. Team Fortress 2 is stupid.]

[biotictouch]

[ She's oblivious for the most part; had she known? She'd probably relate, honestly. It is a topic left alone though, a compliment's a compliment, she didn't see the need to try and drive it home.

Until he mentions the other factor here. ]

The...Australians? Hm.

[ You know. Mad Max. ]

Equally as impressive. Our realities must be vastly different, then.

And yet, similarities abound. I wonder what other parallels we might have in common, aside from music?

[spah]

Wouldn't be the first time someone's said that to me.

[No Junkertown only mustache fights and Australia-shaped chest hair.]

Hm. You know who Tom Jones is?

[Technically still music-related, but please don't tell him his universe was the only one blessed with that man.]

[biotictouch]

Tom Jones...[ She has to think about it for a moment, as he falls outside of her normal range of interests, but it does spark a bit of curiosity. Moira has to pause her other device to think. ]

Oh! Yes, of course. I do. [ She taps her nails on the desk she's working at, trying to find the words. ] Ah, What's New Pussycat, am I correct?

That wasn't the only one, but a rather recognizable one. Another man of several decades worth of music.

[spah]

Yeah, it's a real shame--[What.] What.

[DECADES, she says.]

... Huh.

[Context: Tom Jones is dead where he comes from. Because Soldier, Engineer's old teammate, killed him. Broke into his house and snapped his neck for like, no reason. Team Fortress 2 is STUPID.]

[biotictouch]

[ There's a moment of pause; she's not sure what's going on on his end. ]

Is...there a problem?

[spah]

[Another silence. Finally, Engineer clears his throat.]

I just thought he was... dead.

[ ]

[biotictouch]

I mean.

He is now.

I'm sorry, I don't follow exactly.

[ You did it, Eng. You lost her. ]

Regardless, I'm sure I could find something new of his somewhere.

[spah]

Yeah, he died about... a week ago, for me. Mid-twenties. His roommate snapped his neck, or somethin'.

[Okay, so we definitely found at least one major difference.

I mean, besides the entire country of Australia.]

Huh. Guess I oughta.

[biotictouch]

Oh, goodness.

[ She sounds shocked, pursing her lip behind the video screen. ]

I’ll see about collecting some for you. Did you care for his music in particular...?

[spah]

Yeah. Been the talk for a while now.

[Well, a week. The roommate was arrested, but Engie still had a sneaking suspicion it was Soldier.]

More of a Willie Nelson man, but sure. I liked Sex Bomb as much as the next fella.

[biotictouch]

As much as the next person, indeed.

[ She doesn't sound displeased; but she sounds...inquisitive. ]

I know who he is...as for music, I'm now truly, at a loss.

[spah]

What, Tom Jones?

[biotictouch]

No, Willie Nelson.

I have a Tom Jones record somewhere.

[spah]

Oh, you'll like him. I'll have to get my guitar out sometime, see if I can remember the chords to Whiskey River.

[biotictouch]

Oh, you play?

[ Lighthearted, genuinely curious. It's the most genuinely innocent she's sounded so far. ]

Brimming with talent, par for the course for you so far.

[spah]

Ah, shucks. Guitar's easy. But you sure as heck know how to butter somebody up. Thanks.

[He chuckles.]

[biotictouch]

I beg to differ.

Not at all. I thought my achievements were impressive, but credit goes where credit is due.

[ She clears her throat, returning to her businesslike tone. ]

If you ever do leave R&D, let me know. I think you'd be a valuable asset should any project happen to fall into my lap while I'm here.

[ Moira-speak for 'We should hang out.' God forbid she ever be social for mere pleasure; always about work. Always. ]

[spah]

[Engie gives something of a "heh" at that, trying to keep himself modest. Not that he's not fairly proud of his personal achievements. Anyway.]

Ma'am, you'll be the first person I think of.

[That's not just flattery (but it is a little), he really will. Dell can always appreciate having someone to talk shop with.]

Speaking of jobs, I just thought of something. There's some folks here who sorta fancy themselves like an old-time adventurer's guild. S'called the the Hearth Fire... I think.

They'll take requests from the general public, usually the "adventuring" kind, and post 'em up there. I know that's a far cry from medical engineering, but... maybe you'll find a request in your wheelhouse, somehow?

[biotictouch]

[ She mulls it over; thinking about it for a half second before laughing lightly. ]

That's very kind of you.

I hung that all up years ago, though. 'Adventuring' and the like. [ Spec ops. Black ops. And undocumented espionage and reconnaissance.

Now she just advised on it. ]

Perhaps I'll tell you about it some time.

Regardless, I should get back to work.