hadriel | 001 | Joint Video

[ This video opens with an up close and personal view of a dark brown eye. ]

How do we know if it’s even working? I could be speaking to no one right now.

[ The eye narrows, and then the camera wheels back to show a large, dark-haired man next to a smaller, paler, and much prettier blond. The first looks, at the very least, invested in what he’s doing. The second looks like he’d rather be examining his nails. ]

My name is Damianos of Akielos. This – [ Gesturing to the blond beside him. ] – is Laurent of Vere.

These…devices show people speaking to us. Assuming that this is how you all talk to each other, we wanted to introduce ourselves. We have questions, if you can answer.

[ With a show of reluctance, Laurent draws himself up to answer the camera. ] The typical answers you give to newcomers will suffice. How are we here, why are we here, how do we leave. So on and so forth. [ He waves his hand in dismissal. ] If you need a truer list, I can continue. I am sure you've heard all of it before.

[ With a moment of thought, he adds. ] As well as where I can get in-depth information. If anyone has consolidated any information I may read or any other materials I can look through.

[ With that, he falls back to a more relaxed and bored pose. That's all he's got. He's in no mood to give more. Or even thank anyone for the effort. He leaves the rest to Damen. His requests have little to do with books. ]

Beyond that, I want to know the state of your defence. [ He’s seen monsters in caves and general mayhem. It seems unlikely there’d be no organisation at all. ] To whom do I speak about rotation of guards, weapons and drills? If there is someone in charge, direct me to them. If not, the Captain of the guard will do.

[ ooc: Damen is red and Laurent is blue. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You military? [He talks like someone who is, someone with a mind for putting defense first.] There's a few of us here. We could make a routine. I'm willing to bet a lot of people would enlist.

[People seem different here. Maybe it's because they're all in the same precarious situation. But Steve hasn't met anyone who hasn't been helpful.]

I'm with you. There was a way in, that means there's gotta be a way out. I've been here about a month.

[That brings the little crease to his forehead. It's hard to believe that it's already been that long. At the same time, it seems much longer.]

Some people have been here several months.

So I've heard. One spoke of six months in this cage.

[ That's not something Damen is willing to accept. There is too much at stake in his world, too much that he needs to do and complete. He needs to go back.

And these people deserve that same chance. If he can free them, too, he will.

Steve's attitude is one he likes, though - honestly, Damen is at least three times his size. It's hard to imagine Steve in any kind of fight. Perhaps there's more to him than meets the eye. ]

I've commanded armies before. I'm a King, and before that, I was a Prince, and champion of my people. [ He explains this like it's a statement of fact. The royalty of his country are always soldiers. Akielons are known for that strength. ] The best defence comes from routine. If there is no structure, we should make one.

What is your experience?

[Steve's not willing to leave anyone behind either, but a few people have made him think that it might actually be better here than it is in their home worlds - as hard as that is for him to believe. It's still a prison, and how can anything be worse than that.

And then there's Bucky, always Bucky but not the one that he knew. What happens to him if he leaves and goes someplace that Steve can't follow? He doesn't like the idea of it. It's enough to keep him awake at night.

His eyebrows raise a little ore with each thing that Damon says, impressed on top of impressed. And then comes the logical question of him.]

I'd just finished basic training in the United States Army.

[And survived. That's gotta count for something.]

[ United States. That’s most probably a country, though not one Damen has heard of. He imagines it as a collection of city states bound under a central government, which is to say, he imagines it as somewhat similar to Akielos.

He’s really quite wrong. Basic training, though, is a thing he understands. ]

So you have yet to see battle. That may change here, sooner rather than later.

Is defending these people something you plan to do?

Depends on what you mean by 'battle'.

[He didn't make it to the war, to the front lines that he's maybe romanticized a little. But fights...he's seen plenty of those.

Lost every one of them, but he's no stranger to them. No coward, either. There's no hesitation in his answer.]

Is all I want to do.

Battle, with an army beside you and another in front. That's what I mean.

[ What he means is that Steve seems green, and if he's right about that, then fighting the monsters here will test more than his skill.

That doesn't mean Damen won't fight beside him, though. The boy is clearly willing, and that matters as much as anything. ]

If I put a blade in your hand, could you use it?

If not, would you wish to?

I haven't.

[It hurts something in him to admit that, because other men have, and Steve sees no difference between himself and them even if the recruiters did.

But here's someone willing to offer him that elusive chance, and Steve has a history of taking those chances. At least this time he's not volunteering to pump himself full of a mystery juice that may or may not kill him.]

I could learn. If that's what it takes to keep other folks safe, I'm willing.

[ Damen nods.

His assessment of Steve, even over this tiny video, is physically unflattering; this boy is not built to carry a sword or wear armor. His willingness is half the battle, but in a real fight, you need real strength. Otherwise, you'll be slaughtered.

Which is why he's offering to teach, first and foremost. ]

You'll need to keep yourself safe before you guard any other. All men who fight have a beginning, and I'm told there's an armory ready for use.

There is, at least I've heard. I've never been there myself.

[Steve's head lifts a little, the proverbial light bulb appearing above his head.]

I bet Bucky has. He's always got a knife or a gun or something on him.

I’ve heard of guns. They’re new to me.

[ Though, interesting. He wants to see one in action before he makes a judgment, but Miriam’s description had certainly appealed. ]

This Bucky, he’s a friend of yours? Another soldier?

Yeah. He's seen war, and I don't even know what else. But he's a soldier through and through.

[ Damen nods. ]

That's good. Very good. Do you think he would be minded to help defend the city here? We could use a man like that.

I can talk to him about it. Maybe see if he'll meet you so you can talk to him for yourself too.

[ Hmm. ]

Your friend is shy?

[ It doesn't overly matter. So long as he can fight, Damen will be pleased to meet him. ]

I'd be glad to. This town needs soldiers. Can you contact me with this?

[ He waves the camera to indicate it, not realising that this does little but make the picture shake. ]

No, he's just not very social.

[Huh. Steve's the social one now. Well that's weird. He takes a deep breath and pushes the thought to the back of his head.]

Yeah, sure. You'll be hearing from me if nothing else.

I know the feeling.

[ Says Damen, with an arch glance towards Laurent beside him. The other man has stuck to text from the beginning, and it will likely stay that way for the foreseeable future. ]

If two of us can talk, it's better than none. Let me know when you'd like to train.

[Steve follows his eyes, and it makes him smile a little.]

Yeah, I don't doubt that. Kinda feel a little bit like I'm looking into a mirror.

[He sits up a little straighter.]

The sooner the better. He might even come along.

[ That makes Damen smile. ]

Invite him. I'll ask Laurent, too. I can make no guarantees for him, but we can try.