001.

[ukan]

[The first thing Lark does is follow his nose. He gets himself some food, enough to clear his mind, and then finds a quiet corner up on the deck where he can watch the universe drift by. He watches the network first, making cursory judgments of the people there. And then he turns the camera on himself.

He's not sure any of this is real, but it's always safest to pretend it is. If it's real to these people, it needs to be real to him.]

Monarchism depth doubtfully entrancing.

[He closes his eyes, no. Not right. Slow breath in: who am I?]

Sorry. My name is Lark. I've already introduced myself to the cafeteria, [he holds up his clean spoon] You eat pretty well here. Better than I've had in other cages. I can tell what most of the things on my plate were originally. In a place like this, in times like these, that's a blessing.

[Now the question. Time to find out the important things. He should have waited, but he doesn't have time to spare.

Who am I? Lark. Where am I? That, as Shakespeare said, is the question.]

I'm still monkey lid drudging cloud?

Comments

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[ukan]

A man rarely does.

text;

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

What does he mean?

text;

[ukan]

I'm lost. Ran too far from home, it seems.

text;

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

A man didn't run here. He was brought here.

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[ukan]

By the Admiral?

text;

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

Yes. They'll say a man died. It isn't true.

[A beat]

It isn't always true.

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[ukan]

I hope not. I don't think I died. I assume you didn't either?

text;

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

A girl didn't. But they tried to tell her she did.

text;

[ukan]

How did they say it happened?

text;

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

They didn't. Just that it did.

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[ukan]

I hope they were lying.

text;

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

Does a man remember dying?

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[ukan]

[He can't remember.]

Everything is gone fuzzy. Isn't it that way for you?

text;

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

No. It wasn't fuzzy. Are other things fuzzy?

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[ukan]

Yes but it will clear up. Once I remember what I ate for breakfast last week.

text;

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

What does a man need to remember that for?

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[ukan]

Because I have trouble remembering what I did an hour ago. I want my memory sharp again.

text;

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

Did a man hit his head?

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[ukan]

I spent too long being something else.

How well do you know your instincts?

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[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

A girl trusts them, if that's what's meant.

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[ukan]

Good. That's refreshing to hear.

I got lost in mine. I had no thought. Just instinct.

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[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

Like a wolf. [That's what it's like, when she slips into Nymeria's skin, at least for the first few moments.

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[ukan]

Exactly like a wolf. [Literally.] You know the feeling?

You like wolves?

video;

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

[She doesn't reply, just turns on her video feed and focuses it on Nymeria, who's laying down a few feet away. Her bed is in sight, which shows just how fucking huge a direwolf is. She's pony-sized.]

Yes.

video;

[ukan]

[Lark is stunned. He's a fairly large wolf himself--not bulky, but lean and long--and he's nothing to sneeze at. But this wolf is huge.]

You must be absolutely fearless. What's her name?