ᴏɴᴇ. [ video; later afternoon ]

[secondcomingof]

[ Despite his reputation as a prominent figure, Casval Mass still held a certain aversion to showing his face in public when he deemed it unnecessary. The fact that he's doing so to what he's deduced to be a bunch of strangers, seemingly picked at random by some outside force, makes him all the warier.

But what Casval likes even less than an overabundance of frivolous contact is a serious lack of answers. And answers were nowhere to be found, in this situation. Those strange lights, those strange numbers connecting him to faces and places he didn't recognize, but above all else, that haunting name, Char Aznable, which plagued his dreams and stole away what little sleep he managed to grasp at night.

So even though anxiety prickles through his consciousness, he figures a straightforward effort on his part may be the only way to find those answers he's seeking—and with a click of a button and a flurry of digits he couldn't discard from his memory even if he tried, Casval makes his first appearance on the network. ]

Greetings. This is Captain Casval Mass, though I'm sure that name means nothing to any of you. In fact, from what I've gathered so far, none of our names mean anything to each other.

[ Leaning back in his office chair, Casval folds his hands, staring sternly at his monitor and speaking with a swift, sure tone, lightly accented, the mark of a tested politician. ]

While some of you appear to have written this off as some kind of joke or hoax, I would advise you that such a possibility is highly unlikely. I am no believer in gods or the mystical forces surrounding them, but for now, we have to accept that what's going on is beyond our present capabilities to understand.

And I would like to understand.

Therefore, I would request—merely for the purposes of resolving this matter, mind you, I've no true personal interest in how you may spend your time—that you all tell me a little bit about yourselves. More specifically, any recent happenings in your lives that have stricken you as odd, or out of place, something that you saw, heard, or felt, anything that can might be interconnected. Because we are all accessing this same "network", we must all then share something in common, even if it isn't immediately coming to mind. I, of course, will disclose whatever you wish to know, within reason.

As a final note, I am currently stationed at Fort Turner, on a joint military venture with your country. I don't expect to be staying very long, so if you would prefer to discuss matters in private, feel free to stop on by; just ask for Captain Mass at the gate and they'll wave you on through. [ His face twitches, briefly, as if to say any juvenile jokes regarding my name will result in painful strangling, courtesy of myself. ] We could always use an extra hand or two around the base, if you've skill with a wrench or some related field.

[ Casval bows his head to his audience and offers up a polite smile. ]

I look forward to working with all of you to arrive at a logical, and mutually beneficial, resolution.

[ And click! goes the feed. ]

(( Respond however you like here! Casval will be sitting at his computer drinking tea like a boss or I left it open to anyone interested in some action for swinging on by the base. Public areas only, obviously, since they're not going to let just anyone go wandering around, but other than that have at it. Casval is NOT wearing any mask whatsoever, so you can disregard that in my icons for now. ))

Comments

[11ady]

[See, she would really appreciate it if her laptop would stop acting possessed by sending her all these messages. She's seen Paranormal Activity 4, ok? Watching somebody on webcam for extended periods is a bad idea especially if they're talking about something particularly creepy.

Yeah, might be best to stick to the chat box on the feed.]

Does this have anything to do with the government? CIA?

[Well, it didn't hurt to ask.]

[secondcomingof]

[ Casval's response is prompt, at least, though it may not exactly be what Elle is looking for. ]

Even if I were privy to that sort of information, spreading panic with it is the last thing I'd want to do. But whatever's happening is clearly the work of a larger, more organized force.

Whether or not that organized force is a government is not for me to say.

[11ady]

So basically, you don't know anything.

text

[dorkytracksuit]

My blood is yellow.

[ text; typed... hesitantly into computer ]

[secondcomingof]

[ Well, that's definitely... worrisome. ]

It wasn't yellow before?

[ text; typed very quickly]

[dorkytracksuit]

No!!!

Why would it have been yellow?! Have you ever heard of someone having yellow blood!?!!!

Text

[shiromadoushi]

Other than everything today, can't think of anything.

[[Nothing he's going to share anyway. He's not stupid enough to tell a stranger that there's times he feels like he's going crazy.]]

[ text; typed into computer ]

[secondcomingof]

And what exactly constitutes "everything today", if you don't mind my asking?

[ Yeah, this one's a bit nosy. You'll have to either deal with it or work around with it, somehow. ]

[shiromadoushi]

Oh, you know, nothing much. Just my math notebook writing back to me, texting a dead number only to get replies from a bunch of people and a cash register. Things like that.

[Text]

[professorwolf]

[Lyall isn't entirely sure he can take this fellow seriously, with all that pomp and self-importance, at least not enough for a video reply. He might be too tempted to snicker. So he keeps to what's most comfortable to him, anyway: typing.]

Randall Lyall, local biology teacher. And I hate to break it to you, but three people who responded to my own accidental foray onto this network are familiar to me: two former students, and one current student.

As for changes in my life, all I can think of is the odd numbers that open this connection, and perhaps an aversion to being out in the sun. But that could merely be an excess of some vitamin in my diet.

[Okay, the weird buzzing sensation is probably not caused by anything natural... but he's not going to get into that with a stranger.]

[ text; typed into computer with EXTRA POMPOUS FLAIR ]

[secondcomingof]

[ Look, just because you're not classy enough to appreciate the effort he's putting forth here... but what the man divulges is interesting, so he'll set any misgivings regarding attitude aside and skip straight to business. ]

Hm. You raise an interesting point, but that still doesn't explain how complete strangers suddenly have a direct line of communication to each other.

What is consistent with what I've heard is this number. It almost seems as if it infects whatever it touches, pulls the user into the network. Like it has a life of its own, even.

Action post, let's go!

[twopercent]

[For all his pomp and wordiness, Casval is after one of the things Jack's been considering -- what could possibly tie this all together. Even though he spent most of his time overseas, he still knows a few older faces around the base, and as he drives down, he considers a secondary objective: stopping in to say hello... and to ask a few questions about this visitor they have on the grounds.

Jack's got other reasons for making the visit in person, too. But the one weighing on his mind the most is, after all this discussion on the network... he still hasn't spoken to anyone in person, for assorted reasons. Hasn't confirmed that any of it is real. If the reaction at the gate is "Captain who?", then he can call this settled, go home, and try to forget any of these conversations ever happened.

But that's clearly not the case, as the young guys at the gate point him in the right direction. All he can really think about as he knocks on the door is how potentially awkward initiating this conversation is going to be...]

Captain Mass?

WE DOIN' THIS

[secondcomingof]

[ Not nearly as awkward as Jack might expect, actually. He's hosted his fair share of parties, gatherings, and more intimate occasions, some with little to no prior notice, so meeting someone in this sort of venue under these auspices, suspicious though they may be, is trifling at worst.

That doesn't mean he's particularly excited about the prospect of interacting with someone face-to-face, and he'll definitely be popping a pill or three thought the day to keep his nerves steady, but by the time Jack arrives, Casval is more than ready for him.

As ready as he can be, anyway. ]

It's open. Come on in.

[ He'll get up to greet him in just a second. Stock portfolio fell again? Today really is shaping up to be worthless... ]

[text, computer]

[northless]

[He pauses, fingers hovering over the keyboard. The man's serious about all this, and funny name aside (Captain Mass, really), Robb's inclined to believe what he says. But god, even just thinking back on--on whatever it was (the weight of the axe, blood on his clothes and the rain pouring down, forgive me--) makes his skin crawl.

But he types it out nonetheless. Anyway, it isn't like anyone will know who he is--he's in the computer lab. He's anonymous. Right?]

I dreamed I beheaded somebody.

[ text; typed into computer ]

[secondcomingof]

[ Yes, Captain Mass, really. And at last, the promised time has come, when the immature children have left the building and the functioning adults provide him with legitimate information to piece this mystery together. Bless the Lord, for this well of patience hath run dry. ]

Do you know who it was?

[Text]

[chalicejoker]

Right, because the military's always into these things for everyone's good.

I got shot during a mugging a couple of weeks ago and now my cash register's possessed. That's all.

[He'll just...not mention that his blood turned green shortly after that bullet grazed him.]

[ text; typed into computer ]

[secondcomingof]

Former military, actually. I'm just here as a courtesy to the American government.

[ The mugging doesn't seem all that relevant, but as for that register... ]

Possessed in what sense?

[text, on her laptop]

[reapsthewind]

Woah, I wasn't going to watch this, but you're Captain Mass? I actually have heard of you, you're with the RAF, right? Or were? Something?

[She actually doesn't know much more beyond that. She just really likes planes. And air forces. And the military.]

Re: extra hands, do you guys pay? I'm an engineering grad student, so I know my way around tech. Do you have planes I could look at?

[oh please say you have a harrier she can at least look at please please please]

[ text; typed into computer ]

[secondcomingof]

[ ...oh. Another one of those. Casval braces himself with a heavy sigh. ]

Yes, that would be me. No, I'm no longer affiliated with the RAF. I would prefer not to discuss it.

[ Moving right along from that really, really awkward topic now. ]

I'll make certain you're properly compensated for your time spent here, should it prove to be of value. However, we're not currently offering any sight-seeing tours, so if that is your primary intention, I suggest looking elsewhere.

[struckout]

Some weird network randomly connects us and you're expecting us to tell you about ourselves?

[ Not spilling details to strangers- that's like, basic internet sense 101. Granted, this ... isn't the internet really, but. She mad anyway. This is really fishy. ]

[secondcomingof]

I'm asking for any information that may lead to further unraveling of our predicament. A polite inquiry is not quite the same thing as a unequivocal demand.

[ F Y I, sister. ]

[Facetime, via an iPhone]

[thewalkingdork]

[Paul has never been a leader and encountering someone willing to it not take charge, but at least get 'er done is comforting to him. So, without thinking about it-]

Uh, I'm Paul Ben. I'm seventeen, five sisters... Uh. I don't really know what you want me to say.

[ video; using ordinary skype because he's not a fucking hipster stupid americans ]

[secondcomingof]

[ Other than "my daddy should've kept it in his pants more"? Seriously. ]

Anything notable besides that?

action w/e i just got him in

[masterofbling]

[Big Dick's just gotten clearance to tour Fort Turner. As a potential investor, he's getting quite a show from a recruit who's eager to show him around. So far, he's acting as unimpressed as possible. It's best to just to observe and listen, see if something valuable slips. This may very well be the site of the next David Petraeus scandal if the rumors about one of the captains based here is correct. He just has to read between the lines he's being fed.]

And do you know how I might get an appointment with Captain Mass, Sergeant?

[Big Dick's smile is genial as he stifles a laugh at the name. His own nickname isn't much better. Maybe he'll get along with Fucksilocks. Yeah, he's seen the pictures. A man with hair prettier than his call girls can't be clean.]

SLAMS INTO THIS action forever

[secondcomingof]

[ Fort Turner's not a particularly scenic location, as far as military installations go—big, expensive, though not notable for much beyond that and its history—but all the dramatics surrounding the Captain's arrival have made for a decently impressive show, which said eager recruit is more than happy to comment upon. In extensive, bubbly detail.

When "Big Dick" finally interrupts him to ask a question, he's more than happy to pipe up with a peppy response.

"His office's open all day, sir. I can walk you right on over. Lots of people coming and going before you. Seems standard procedure, though it's always hard to tell with that guy. Keeps things close to his chest, you know? Strict, even for a military type. He'll slide you a nice drink under the table, though, that's what I heard. Heard some other things about him, too, but better not to talk about that. Oh, yeah, and this over here is our lovely..."

Well, Richard, for what it's worth, the Captain's office isn't too far. You'll only have to endure a bit of overeagerness for awhile longer. ]