savetheearth | first; video

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[ The man shown on the feed looks anxious and rather frazzled; while he holds his phone in one hand fairly steadily, the other can’t seem to stop messing with his hair, his fingers smoothing through it as though it will somehow help. It doesn’t. Keith can’t understand just what it is that’s happened in regards to this strange network; this is the only way he can think of to find out. ]

Ah, hello! I realise that you all likely have to put up with a lot of confused messages such as this. I apologise for adding to them. But, you see… I arrived in Locke City a few weeks ago, and have just started out as a police officer. But as I'm sure you can understand, things are rather…

[ Just before he gets to finish that sentence, he’s interrupted by a rather large golden labrador jumping up into his lap, and suddenly Keith drops the phone so that he can deal with the sudden addition to this broadcast. Eventually he speaks again, though his phone is now face down on the floor. ]

S-steady, John, steady!

[ A few seconds longer and a rather loud bark later: ] What I meant to say is that if someone could explain this current state of affairs to me, as well, I would be in your debt. I've never seen anything like this before.

Despite my confusion over this network and suddenly being able to connect in this kind of way, please allow me to help you, as well! I will do my best to serve you all in any way that I can. After all, as a police officer, it is my duty to assist the people of Locke City!

[ And perhaps someone can dispel him of some of his oblivious enthusiasm...? ]

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[The one connecting isn't on the screen - but a hoarse and high voice comes through.

From a suppressed cough.]

We have a guide, sir -- I can... [Swallows.] -- can't -- show it to you, un - unfortunately -- because I'm connecting on paper. I - don't know how to link -- but I could, uhm. Try -- if you have any questions to start with...

[Recoiling down to a trailing-off mumble.]

There is a guide? Thank you for letting me know! I will do my best to locate it. As for questions, well...

[ He has to think about that for a moment. ]

What else can you tell me about this network? How long has it been around for?

[Answer's started automatically - actually articulated with a drag-in in case.]

...Since April; it's when, the -- first of us - found it... No one has -- been using it until then, uhmm.

[That "uhmm" was in case he thought of anything else to add - but that really is all there is to answer that question, isn't it... The one wit the direct and specific point, anyway!]

-- It can be accessed - with... a -- anything you can uhm. "Use" - your number on... [Throat-clear into one light conversational laugh.] I thought mine - was... -- a phone number - at first... -- and - and then my... biology teacher -- answered - ...

Anything that we can use our number on...? Is that what you meant by using paper, then? That is incredible! To think that such a network would be so easily accessible!

But...

[ He pauses, then. ] If it has been around for so long, why do only some have access? What does that mean?

[Hesitates on his end of the connection - ] -- Not everyone in the city -- ! -- Can access, you mean...

- I'm sorry...

I... you're sorry? What do you mean?

[ Now he's confused. ]

I -- [Whoops!] -- I'm sorry I had to ask! - It's a habit; I'm sorry...

[And whoops again, but to hopefully swerve back off of it...]

Were - were you asking why it's only us who -- ...learn numbers? -- To access this with...?

Oh, it's quite alright! It doesn't hurt to make sure, after all.

[ ... make sure of what, Keith. ]

But yes, that is what I was wondering. To me it seems rather strange.

Oh -- we don't -- ...We don't know, un - fortunately...!

[Coughs to steel his voice back up some - keeps it a little low, a little husky, a little restrained.] -- No one - of us knows -- the numbers until we have our first pulse...

If you - uhm, haven't -- been told - about them... yet... you should have felt, a -- heartbeat - when you realized you... -- first knew the numbers...

[Picking up speed all the more absently into hasty muttering.] -- And something else - should have -- happened, at the - same time -- they can cause visions or -- other things, including mutations, they'll -- keep happening... -- Ma - maybe more people could -- be able to... - connect to us and, um. -- Perhaps they haven't had their first pulse yet...

[ There's silence on his end for a moment; Keith is considering something. He hadn't thought too much about that particular vision, at the time, but now that he's thinking about it... ]

I didn't realise that the visions were common. I hadn't thought to mention it to anyone else, because it seemed so strange. But you're right - something did happen to me at the same time.

[ This is a really weird day. Keith feels like he needs to sit down somewhere. ]

Will they continue to happen indefinitely?

[That was taken more smoothly than it has in the past, good...]

Uh -- yes...! I don't uh -- think that any - any of us has ss - ? Stopped -- having them... -- But they - are "caused". -- They don't happen randomly. Normally they happen when we -- are doing - when we're performing actions or -- when we're in danger...

[ Part of him is wondering if he'll wake up and this will all be a dream. But Keith has no reason not to believe it, so he's trying his best to hear everything out. ]

Danger? From one another, or is there a different threat that we must contend with?

There is, yes -- ... [Slipping increasingly thin - and then hauled back up for better projection - ] -- Something -- something is looking for us; they -- say it's an alien -- there was a -- reference - to an invasion, in -- the past; one of us was killed -- ... actual - actually...

[He doesn't want to say "for going to the police - not after how this man's introduced himself, but there's got to be some delicate or at least reasonable, not terribly ominous way of putting it...]

-- Some -- people, in -- places, are -- involved, in -- cluding some with the police - ...

I... have heard that some of the police are involved with this.

[ He doesn't sound pleased about it, but there's no escaping it. By being involved with this network, Keith is about to figure out that things are more complicated than he'd originally anticipated upon posting. ]

Someone died? Do you mind if I ask you more about that?

[He gives his head a shake to one side.

Takes him a moment to remember that he's not in the frame, silly him - ]

Uhh -- no. -- Of course I don't. -- He, uhm.

It was -- Paul Ben, whose -- family's house burned down in spring; it - was -- to - cover that -- he was murdered -- most likely.

It uhmm -- was recorded - on the network. Several of us saw it... -- When he was shot, that - is. And it was definitely him; some of us - went -- to the same school. As him.

[ He feels bad for all of the questions that he's asking, but at the same time, he's very grateful to him for helping out. ]

His family's house was burned down... I see. It seems as though things here were worse than I originally feared. What happened after that?

[Anthony's meanwhile grateful for being permitted to help; if he sounds a little dispirited, it'd mostly because he has no idea how well he's doing it.

Here's a point on which that especially stands - pauses. He's unsure what to count as what happened next.]

We only realized that we can't go to the police... unless -- they... - are someone -- from here...

-- We can uh - usually... - only be sure we can ask -- each other, for anything, uhmm. - Unusual.

[Unless...]

-- Unless you mean in general! I'm sorry -- after that - after that was... the werewolves -- I think; before the - Dead District was bombed were giant - uhmm, dogs. It was after the first statue by David Proud was put on display - there -- some of us, erm. Chased -- them off -- and we killed some.

[He has difficulty saying "we" on that point, as he wasn't one of the ones who did any actual killing.]

I apologize, is -- that what you meant -- ? [High rasp snuck in there, not quite a crack, but sort of self-consciously on-edge!]

Yes, you needn't worry at all! You are being very helpful, and I am grateful for your assistance in this matter.

[ Keith is listening to everything intently, even though none of the news is particularly good. Even so he's taking it about as well as can be expected, given that he's new to all of this and it's a lot of information to take in at once. ]

As an officer myself, I will do my best to assist, even if I'm not entirely sure how I should do that yet. There must be something that I can do to make it easier.

You should -- speak to - the other police, here -- if you haven't - already, sir... -- Perhaps they - perhaps they -- can tell you... -- How you might, uhm.

I apologize that I can't - really -- help you more...

[He'd like to think that there are a number of potential questions floating around that by now he could easily and readily answer - but what can he tell a policeman what a member of the force can do with his position?]

Yes... I will certainly need to speak with more in order to see what I can accomplish from here. But please, you needn't worry - you have been a great help to me. I very much appreciate the effort that you have gone to.

[ If only Keith hadn't started them off on such a rough topic... ]

Uh -- no... Thank you! I was -- I was glad if -- ...I could help...

[Light-ish note in his voice, if the rest of it's somewhat cowed - did it sound as if it needed effort...?

Pause - picks back up tripping - ] - Can you -- ...

[And cuts that off; "can you let me know" frames it similarly to asking for a favor, granted it'd be one for his piece of mind - that isn't the point - and restarts.]

Uh -- you can let anyone -- who... -- you've already spoken to know if -- you have any other questions, also, sir; if you -- ...use - their number, it - will... connect you - directly, umm -- to them... - Instead of the network...

I shall indeed, thank you! My best friend is also new to the network, and so he may have some further questions as well. I will try and inform him as best as I'm able, using what I have been told here.

[ There's a slight pause, and then he starts sounding confused. ] Like calling their cellphone number?

It er -- [Unseen nod on his end.] -- it is...! -- Like - that...

[Except of course that much like using one's own number it requires neither phone nor computer, but hopefully that's implicit!

Bit more of a consciously-smothered cough, much more a throat-clear.] -- Good luck to - [Sticking. Unsticks at a point of sheepishness.] - you and your friend -- sir.

Thank you again for your help! It has been very useful. Without you, I fear that I would have been at a loss for quite some time. And Ivan will no doubt be grateful as well.

[ Keith just knows these things. ]

I am sure that we will be able to come to terms with it in due course.

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