( video | un: offseer )

[offseers]

[ this is strange to do without the iris network, but it isn't hard. every network is the same after all. ]

Hello. I have a few questions, if people don't mind.

1) How does time work here? Does it pass? Do people really get older?

2) Has anyone died on a mission?

3) How old are you?

I'd really appreciate it. Thank you.

Comments

[offseers]

[ alien. moebius weren't alien, but they certainly looked it. giant, hulking monsters. ]

How did you fight them?

[groupiedrifter]

Well...

Are you familiar with giant bipedal robots in your world?

[offseers]

Yes.

[ probably not the answer newt expected. but newt might find there are a lot of similarities between him and noah's world. ]

We call them the Ferronis. They're usually piloted by a person. Someone of great strength.

[groupiedrifter]

Oh, no shit? That's awesome — put a pin in that, you gotta tell me more later.

But, yes! Perfect, great. That's what we have. They're huge, and they take more than one person to pilot it. The human brain couldn't handle the neural load it would take to walk a Jaeger by themselves, so a really awesome scientist invented a special device that allowed people to share one single neural link. Two pilots, one mind. You drift together and share memories, feelings, thoughts... and become one lean mean mental unit.

That's what we used to combat the creatures that invaded our planet.

It was a pretty wild chapter in human history, not gonna lie.

[offseers]

[ two pilots, one mind. noah's breath stops short, his eyes wide. it couldn't be. ]

You learned how to Interlink. But you used machines to work them. That's . . . incredible.

[ does that mean anyone could interlink? just use this device and/or robot? not that noah ever could again. not without mio. but this — this could be what the city needs. ]

I can do that. Except I — we became the — the Jaeger as you call it.

[groupiedrifter]

Interlink... That sounds awesome! Or as awesome as drifting, anyway; you gotta tell me more about it! Where'd it come from? When did it get created? How does it work? Do you turn into a big mecha together? Is magic involved?

[NOAH YOU'VE MADE A GRAVE ERROR-]

[offseers]

[ oh boy. ]

I don't know how to answer all of that.

1/2

[groupiedrifter]

[groupiedrifter]

... I could do one question at a time, I guess.

[HE GUESSES!!!]

[offseers]

Where would you like to start?

I'm afraid I don't know the science of interlinking. Or how the Ouroboros came to be.

[groupiedrifter]

Well, starting with this Ouroboros business is a good place to start.

I wanna learn about your world!

It's kinda my thing, learning about different planets and universes.

[offseers]

It's a world of war. It's always been at war. A neverending war where people take life in order to live.

We live by a flameclock. By harvesting life, we get to live . . . only up to ten years though. But the Ouroboros are different. They're freed from the clock and they can Interlink with one other.

[groupiedrifter]

[He makes a face.]

... Yeesh... Sounds like something an orb would cause, honestly.

I wouldn't be surprised if any of us had one hidden away on our planets...

[A pause.]

Who gets to be an Ouroboros member, anyway? Luck of birthright?

[offseers]

It usually has to do with training. Skill, mental fortitude.

In my case it was more of an accident.

[groupiedrifter]

[He blinks, curious.]

An accident? How do you accidentally end up in a group like that?

[offseers]

We were in the middle of a battle.

Someone took a chance on us. Who felt we deserved better than a life of endless war.

[groupiedrifter]

Someone took a chance on you, huh? I can relate a little bit.

... But mine wasn't quite as intense...

Who was this person? Leader with a bleeding heart?

[offseers]

I didn't know him well. He died soon after.

But . . . we know his name. Guernica Vandham.

[groupiedrifter]

Mmm. I lost the person who took a chance on me, too. He was a good guy. A hero, all the pretty words you'd give a hero that he'd probably totally hate.

[Pentecost, he was one of the best bossest who ever tolerated him.

And trust him, he'd been through a lot of bosses.]

That's all you know, though? Just his name.

[offseers]

We know a little more. His family, his life.

But . . . that's all.

[groupiedrifter]

Hey, that's not nothing! Knowing his family and life, that's kind of a big deal.

[offseers]

It doesn't feel like much. Considering his sacrifice.

[ they didn't even have a body to return. just some dog tags. ]

[groupiedrifter]

Well, to you, maybe. I can't deny I'd want to know more myself.

But from his point of view, he might have just been happy to know you cared.

[offseers]

How do you know that?

[groupiedrifter]

I guess I don't.

But why wouldn't be be happy about it?