Deer Country Network

[ elster hasn't been much for posting on the network. she's done it here and there, but largely she just keeps an eye on things.

the video starts with a stylized symbol of a bird and an acronym beneath on a black background, while a voice calls for attention—achtung. achtung. achtung. static, then—

it's another dreary midday on some distant corner of the beach. a dark-haired woman with polymer and metal climbing her neck, crossing her face, stands in a black jacket next to some rusted metal... thing. a wreck? her speech comes with a light german accent, almost musical even with her largely flat affect. ]

For those I haven't yet met, my name is Elster. This is a call for any other engineers or technicians in the city. A derelict spaceship came through one of the portals; its nuclear reactor is heavily decayed and unshielded. The radiation on board has fallen to relatively safe levels, but I'm concerned about the long-term effects if it starts to leak into the water. I'd... prefer to avoid that problem.

[ the camera shifts, pulling out into a wide shot of the ship, showing the crushed and buried nose of the machine in the sand and the fuselage extending out into the water. finally, elster's facing it again. ]

Any assistance would be appreciated. If we can salvage something of the reactor itself, you're welcome to it.

[ something flinty and serious enters those electronic eyes. ]

One rule. You avoid the other areas of the wreck, and try to keep your curiosity to yourself. I can answer any relevant questions for the work, and I have the ship's technical documentation.

[ if someone wants to snoop and explore, that can be on their own time. ]

Once the problem's solved, I'm scrapping the ship.

[this, like most of the posts that anna makes, comes in the middle of a sleepless night. she's gone as anonymous as she possibly can, at least. maybe that will stop people from calling her out. maybe one day she'll learn how to talk about her emotions without sounding like a theater kid turned supervillain.]

How are we all feeling in the wake of January?
Are we feeling whole? Normal? Like ourselves?
Suppose you aren't. Suppose you walked, or flapped, or slithered away from the shedding ceremony feeling extremely different.
Could any of you pinpoint that change, do you think?
Would any of you even still be aware that you used to be someone different?

And on the other side of the coin, for people who returned to "normal".
Do you remember what happened? Do you remember who you were?
Or is it all turning into some kind of soup within your own brain?
Do you have any way to stay that gnawing feeling of dread inside you when you think of the way you're losing touch with your own identity?

And if you have no idea what I'm talking about... call it a thought experiment.

[Rose looks perturbed, chewing on her lower lip]

I...realize that we all have our concerns right now, but I was--well, I was hoping for assistance?

Valentine's Day is quickly approaching and I want to do something really special for Snow now that we're together. Something beyond the usual flowers and chocolates and cards, although she'll get all three from me.

But of course this depends on whatever we're being put through this month. I'd still like to find some way to make it special. [and her expression turns stern] And if The Doorway chooses to do something truly awful to us, I'll never forgive them!

[and back to smiling!]

In any case, I appreciate your assistance and your ideas most of all. Thank you.