[video] un: linneus.

[inaurare]

Hello every… ah, anyone who might see this. My name is Linneus. I... am not sure if this is working.

[leaving comments on other people’s posts is one thing, but putting his own out is quite another, and there’s a certain degree of nervousness that hasn’t been present in his everyday interactions, accentuated by the fact that he is clearly chilled and just about holding off a shiver]

I was hoping perhaps someone might be able to help. Someone in Olympia, that is. You see I returned from Wyver just now and-- well, look.

[the shift in camera angle is clumsy, but eventually he steadies the device on his surroundings. A broken-in window, the snow blown inside in small drifts. As he pans it’s clear that what little home he had started to make for himself has been quite overturned, covers tossed back and pulled off beds, cupboards and shelves standing empty, but he doesn’t linger too long on those. His main focus is on the window, one hand reaching into frame to gesture as he draws closer]

I can manage much of the housework and the cleaning, but it’s this is the trouble - it’s sort of a sash window, but it draws to the side instead of up. [a careful tug - broken glass notwithstanding, it’s clearly stuck open] I’m not sure I can manage to take it off its track by itself - I think the glass will break further if I try. But I hoped someone might try and help me with finding a replacement and perhaps fitting it?

[turning the camera back on himself, a slightly shy smile.]

I should forewarn that I may not be capable of instant repayment, but I would consider myself in your debt and endeavour to do what I can. I… await any reply, even if you’ve only advice to offer, but I shan’t be instantaneous in my replies, you understand. I have no small amount of cleaning up of my own to do…

Comments

[inaurare]

I-- I wouldn't know, sir.

[alas, the "sir" may not be going anywhere very quickly; certainly not given Linneus' slip-up]

That is, I'm likely not well-versed enough to understand the punchline.

[and perhaps that's a blessing, if his race is the butt of everyone's jokes...?]

[centurian]

Garrus.

[ the correction is gentle, but he really doesn't like sounding as old as his dad. ]

It's a joke that goes back to the Relay-314 incident. [ wait... ] The first time that my species made contact with the humans. There was a little bit of gunfire exchanged, a planet occupied... [ ... ] But it was all just a big misunderstanding.

[ oh, was this conversation already awkward? well, it just got a little more awkward right now. ]

[inaurare]

I still don't understand.

[a shake of his head, apologetic]

I think because we come from very different places. But I'm sure it is a fine joke, si--Garrus.

[a little smile, half-serious, half-teasing-]

Mr Garrus?

[centurian]

I guess it's one of those "you have to be there" sorts of things.

[ it's actually a little racist, but that's ok. see, they've got plenty of racist jokes about humans too. but they're really not that funny. other than a few notable exceptions, turians are all kinda jerks.

at the "Mr Garrus" his mandibles twitch back and forth just a little. he'll take it. ]

Have you ever met any non-humans before?

[inaurare]

It must be, but that can't be helped.

[he'll take that as a small victory, then. just as well - it is difficult for Linneus to throw away manners completely]

I haven't, no. Only other humans. Is that unusual?

[centurian]

Well, where I come from it's definitely weird, but it seems like there's a lot of humans here from pre-first contact. There's a good dozen or so different races out in the galaxy back home. Here, I think I'm one of the only people awake from my universe.

[ it's a little lonely, to be honest. ]

[inaurare]

I'm still getting used to the idea that people can travel in the... in Space.

[not "the space" - he's trying to catch his slip-ups when he can]

We knew of the stars where I came from, the patterns in them, but people didn't travel there. It wasn't even considered something one could do... yet there are people here who tell me flying is common place. And that the stars have been explored; though the extent tends to vary...

[centurian]

[ it was really strange, especially considering his people had been out in space for ten thousand years. but hey, alternate dimensions, what can you do? ]

Yeah, it's the same for me. My people have been out in space for ages. But it was more recent for humans. They only achieved spaceflight a couple hundred years ago, and only ran into the rest of us about thirty-some years back.

[inaurare]

How strange...

[a chuckle and a shake of his head]

The longer I spend here, the more convinced I am that my world must be rather backward, in comparison. The only real transportation we have are horses and carriages. And ships, occasionally...

[but he has never seen a ship.]

[centurian]

Hey, it's not all bad. It just means that you have something to look forward to.

[ or wait... ]

Or, had something to look forward to, I guess. And, I guess that means everything for you here must be pretty exciting!