video; un: geraniums

[rootlessly]

[The feed opens on the face of a young man who looks about in his early twenties. He gives the camera a little wave with his prosthetic arm. There's some obvious cracks in it. Vash, for his own part, doesn't seem overtly troubled.

Still, some practicalities need to be dealt with. So:]

Ah, hello! I've never done something like this before--I hope I'm doing it right, ahah. But my name is Vash. I'm new around here, and I was wondering if anyone was familiar with the maintenance of prosthetics? I might've damaged my arm a little bit before I was brought here, and my usual mechanic isn't here...

[He rubs at his neck, a little sheepishly.]

I can't offer much in exchange, but I'd be glad to help out with anything you might need! Thanks in advance. I look forward to working with everyone!

Comments

un: newt | text.

[groupiedrifter]

Dude, ANOTHER one???
If I knew prosthetic arms were such a hot commodity, I'd have focused way more on robotics and engineering in college.
But no sweat, I could totally help out with that; I'm already working on two arms here, myself, so what's one more to the smorgasbord? Willkommen, my guy, let's see that busted arm of yours up close and personal!!!

[It's good to stay busy. Ximilia 101.]

[rootlessly]

Losing limbs sounds like a terrible thing to have in common with people, but I'm really glad there's someone here people trust to help out!
Sorry to be adding to your workload, but if there's anything I can give you a hand with (haha), let me know?

[groupiedrifter]

Psht, no way! I love having a workload. I spent the last 20 years of my life with a busy workload, alien invaders not included, so it'd feel all kinds of wrong if I didn't now. If I can't get it squeezed in before the next mission, I can at LEAST get it going and finish it while we're out on the job. Whatever that job is!

Hopefully not a caveman mission where we all lose our technology and our magic.

Fingers crossed for a sci-fi equipment utopia~!

Anywhere you wanna go in particular? Some pretty wild planets out there!

[rootlessly]

[Alien...invaders.....you know what, this alien is going to gently put that on a shelf and not think about it. He's not ready to jump down that rabbit hole today.]

Whenever it's convenient is fine, really. I can still use my arm for now, so the situation isn't very urgent.

I hadn't thought very much about it, honestly. But it might be nice to go somewhere that's like the Sunlight Room.

[Somewhere filled with greenery, that is. He's never seen it anywhere but Luida's dome on Ship Three, and that was artificially supported by Plants.]

[groupiedrifter]

[Vash, he would be tickled pink that you're an alien. 100%.

His reply comes like .5 seconds later:]

You like the sunlight room?
Then I'll take my stuff there!
We can do some arm maintenance in a nice sunny place.
And as payment for me working on your arm, you gotta bring something from the kitchen!
I'm thinking pasta picnic.
Totally pasta picnic.

[rootlessly]

[It takes a moment for this old needle noggin of his to catch up to the fact that Newt not only means now, but he's also willing to do so in a location that's probably not too convenient simply because Vash expressed a fondness for it.

He's honestly kind of touched.]

A pasta picnic sounds great!
Is there any particular kind you like?
Oh, and should I bring anything to drink, too?

[groupiedrifter]

[What better time than the present? He's already collecting a case full of technological goodies.]

Buddy, I am STARVING, I will eat anything that fits the criteria of 'pasta'. Surprise me! I've got a crate of yoohoos in the lab that I stole from the last item drop if you like chocolate or strawberry-flavored drinks. So freaking delicious, man, a staple of my planet. 🤩💖
But I won't say no anything (as long as isn't SPARKLING WATER I will airlock any sign of sparkling water I see).

[rootlessly]

!
How did you make the little pictures?

[They're so cute...]

Hahaha, definitely no sparkling water, then. I'll see what I can find, and meet you in fifteen minutes?

[groupiedrifter]

Oh, it's super easy. I'll give you the basic 101 on emojis -- little pictures like that, I mean. But you can send all kinds of images if you'd like! You just gotta practice forming them and sending them. Pretty freaking cool, right?

15 minutes!!! I'll be there!

[And another image sent, for special measure:]



[BE THERE OR BE SQUARE, NERD.]

text -> action

[rootlessly]

[Emojis...what a clever idea, putting images in with your words like that. Vash is tickled by the concept.

(The Ximilia will probably come to regret letting Vash learn how to do this)

At any rate, for the time being people are safe, since Vash is more occupied fetching some pasta from the kitchen. None of the items are precisely familiar, though, so he almost ends up bringing a package of uncooked instant ramen just based on the picture on the front until he realizes said package is a little bit stiff to actually be ready for eating.

Eventually, though, he does make his way to the Sunlight Room with a proper container of pasta topped with a generous helping of marinara sauce, as well as a couple cans of lemonade. Since chocolate and strawberry were already covered as far as flavors, citrus seemed like a natural choice for something different.

With his free hand, he gives a little wave to the man he spots sitting with some tools, assuming him to be the person he spoke to over the network, though he doesn't move to sit down himself just yet.]

Oh, I just realized, I never asked your name!

action

[groupiedrifter]

[Oh yes, he definitely has tools. He's got two boxfuls — and how he got them all here in one trip is anyone's guess! Judging by the light sweat on his brow and the way his legs are kind of flopped out, he'd definitely had some kind of struggle. Bless.

But he immediately brightens the moment the man and the food comes into view.

Hoping to his feet, he moves to collect the cans.]

Oh, I'm Newt! Sorry, most people seem to know me before I introduce myself.

Dunno why.

[:|]

It's cool to meet you, dude! Love the haircut; it's very punk lite.

[We love a good buzz on the sides.]

[rootlessly]

Ahaha, I haven't really spoken with much of anyone yet, honestly, but I'm sure I would've heard great things!

[He seems like a perfectly pleasant man, anyway, and if there's anything that's perhaps less so, well -- everyone has flaws. He'll take them as they come.]

It's good to meet you too, Newt. I'm glad you like my hair!

[He's not 100% sure what punk-lite means but this man is very enthusiastic about it, so he can figure that out later. Onto the topic at hand, so to speak, he gestures to the tool boxes.]

I really appreciate this, by the way. Hope it wasn't too much trouble to bring all that out here...

[He would've been just as happy to go to your lab, man, you didn't have to put yourself out for him like this!!]

[groupiedrifter]

[Newt has never done anything wrong in his life ever. Don't cite that.

As he flops down, there's definitely this aura of someone too much energy for a little dude, holding one of the cans with four fingers while the fifth pops the tab (clearly something he does way too often, as if the other hand is always too preoccupied). Speaking of the other hand, it's already digging around one of the boxes to pull out some of the more basic tools used in things like these.]

Man, it's no problem. This kind of stuff keeps me busy, yanno? And if I'm busy, I don't get bored; you don't wanna deal with me when I'm bored. [Hermann would have a list of write-ups he'd sent to Pentecost that would speak to this. But anyway!] Honestly, I feel like a pro at prosthetic arms at this point; not legs, sure, but arms! I'd made a pair for Viveca forever ago too, for her robo-bod. You met Viv yet?