[network] @ADMIN; Arrival

[snowblindmods]

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[thewarningafter]

[Meanwhile, Stephen's checking through the records himself. He hears you re: radiation zone, even if he's internally boggling at the idea of a raccoon who knows what he's talking about when he says the words radiation zone.]

Good news is the nanomachines are going to keep you alive. Bad news is that building is rated yellow, so you're not going to want to stay there more than a night --

[The suspicion in the new guy's voice puts him a little on edge, but Stephen can sort of guess where he's coming from.]

He's from my same universe -- which means you're from my same universe, weirdly enough. I consider him a friend of mine.

[procyon_lotor]

[ He has a suspicion that radiation, while still dangerous, might take longer to affect him than normal — most people didn't have machinery operating parts of their bodies. But still, better not to take chances. ]

Someone told me there's maintenance tunnels nearby. You been to 304 before?

[ It's funny how quickly he can shift from just calling people names to practical conversation. But here they are. Still, when Beyonce says they're from the same universe, and that Peter's his friend, Rocket has a hard time picking which thing to ask about first. ]

Same universe? [ There's so much to unpack here, enough to smooth the suspicion out of his voice. From what he knows about Terran technology, there's no way someone from Earth would say something like that, because they haven't progressed far enough to really discover the galaxy yet. Not REALLY. Except, well, Rocket doesn't know that people on Earth have developed some crazy powers lately. ] What planet are you from?

[thewarningafter]

I've been in that general area, yeah. You can reach the tunnels from 309; if you go north you won't have access until you get all the way through Hsiaoke Pass --

[This probably isn't helpful. He cuts himself short.]

I'd head to 309, take the tunnels wherever you want to go from there. The passage on the surface is harder. And I'm from Earth. Not this Earth, I don't think. At least, I hope not this Earth.

[A thought occurs to him.]

Actually, I don't think we're that far from you.

[procyon_lotor]

[ Hsiaoke Pass. He'll remember that detail later, even if it means nothing to him now. ]

Tunnels it is. And whatdaya mean exactly by this Earth? Are you telling me there's more than one? [ Because while they've battled crazy galaxy-bending celestials before, he hasn't battled the concept of alternate dimensions or parallel planes. For all he knows, Rocket thinks that well: ] Did some idiot name two different planets the same thing?

[ But wait a second. He'd started moving again, but stops, and holds the tablet up instead of letting it hang a little by his side. ]

We?

[thewarningafter]

[He lets the questions about Earth slide by for now. He can explain multiverse theory later, because right now it looks like they're back to Stephen trying to explain that he is, in fact, friends with Rocket's friend.]

We. I'm traveling with Peter and a couple of other guys right now.

private

[procyon_lotor]

You're ... literally together.

[ Okay. Rocket officially declares that this forum technology is last millennium junk.

That's the entirety of the message. One sentence, before the video is over. But a couple of seconds later, Rocket sends both @beyonce and @PetertheGreat a private video. ]

Okay then, Peter, Beyonce. In the spirit of none of us needing to repeat ourselves. [ You can tell from Rocket's tone that he's not a fan of repeating himself, but it only lingers in that one sentence. ] Where are you two.

private

[thewarningafter]

It's Stephen.

[Just getting that out of the way.]

Building, uh...two-seventy-six, now that House changed all the numbers.

private, ongoing

[procyon_lotor]

It's Stephen? Then what does Beyonce mean?

[ A nod of the head acknowledges he's heard the number, and he's already searching for it on the maps he's been given. ]

private, ongoing

[thewarningafter]

She's a singer. Really famous, usually people get the reference.

[procyon_lotor]

Are you like, a big fan or something?

[ Sorry Stephen. Rocket's very ... Rocket, when it comes to this stuff. ]

[thewarningafter]

I woke up in a strange house in a frozen wasteland; I wasn't going to give them my real name.