video | un: Mercy

[valcurie]

Hello there! ( the image that appears is of a smiling blonde woman, healthy and bright looking, dressed now in pristine weight to present herself, projecting poise and elegance and friendly invitation to hear her out. her German Swiss accent is quite strong, though, so hopefully no-one is overly attached to their w's. ) I hope everyone is doing well this evening. I am coming onto the network to reach out to anyone I might not have been able to yet. My name is Angela Ziegler, and I am a doctor from Earth. Human, as you can see. ( a light, pleasant laugh and an even more pleasant smile ) You may also know me as Mercy. It's my agent name from when I was in service to a global peacekeeping organisation known as Overwatch.

I'm from the 21st century, so the treatment that I can offer you is science based ( a slight pause here as if she's considering one last time how to phrase this ) rather than magic based, but I have a good deal of practical experience with general medicine so there's almost nothing I haven't seen or dealt with. My expertise is in applied biotics, and I also have experience with gene therapy, prosthetics, and cybernetics, if there is anyone here who may need more specialised care. My qualifications also include emergency and trauma response so, if you ever find yourself wounded and in need of immediate attention, please do not hesitate to contact me. Think of me as personal 999 for refugees!

If you do come to me for any kind of care, I promise to do the best I can help you, while upholding all the oaths I've taken as a doctor to do no harm and to protect my patients. I'm not charging anything at this time.

And, if you'd like to humour me and help me to understand our group a bit better, I have a set of questions: do you believe you have a soul? What makes you think you do or don't have one? And is such a belief common where you're from? ( she doesn't mention religion, because it isn't strictly speaking a religious idea. she's known plenty of atheists and nay-theists who thought there was something beyond intelligence that made people paramount to other species. whether they called this unique internal animating light a soul or not, it didn't really matter. )

Comments

[valcurie]

It's not souls themselves, but rather what the belief in them says about a person's outlook on life.

It's more relevant me because--well. ( a pause here, as she's about to bring up something rather dark, though it is just a fact of her life. ) Most of the care I have provided recently is urgent and emergency to those in a conflict zone. Depending on what they expect to happen, my treatment might have had to vary, regardless of my own views on the matter.

[coolerjunpei]

Oh—yeah, right. I guess that'd be helpful to know... [Death is real and permanent, totally missed that one for a second there. He makes a face that's not quite a grimace like he's thinking about something else entirely, then shakes his head a little. Never mind.]

So are you writing this all down just in case...?

[valcurie]

( She just writes it off as not being something to occur as obvious to him; it's really not something that comes up unless people are actually truly afraid for their life. The grimace seems to be the result of a reminder of his own mortality, which most people don't care to have. )

Is there something specific you'd like to go on record?

[coolerjunpei]

Wait, what? [He meant just to ask about whether or not she's going to keep this list updated, or if it's a list at all—but, ah. That throws him. Now he's thinking about his own mortality, in the uncomfortably permanent sense.]

I hadn't really thought about it until just now... Can I take a rain check on that one?

[valcurie]

You certainly can. You may do whatever you like.

( there's some matter-of-fact amusement in her voice, though it fades by the time she speaks again. the topic can bring on existential dread, so she doesn't want to come across as unconcerned or spurious in her attempts to help. )

I am not looking for specific answers, really. General and vague ones are fine. That's what a lot of philosophy is anyway. Something like this isn't meant to be logical.

[coolerjunpei]

Put me down for the side with souls, then. If I think of my own last rites, I'll let you know.

[Cheery! Now then, away from the death topic...] So... what's up with you?

[valcurie]

Ah, well, I would prefer not to have to say them. I will do what I can to ever prevent that from happening.

( even if he meant it as as joke, her promise is a heartfelt one. ) Oh, you know, settling into a routine on an alien planet. How are you, Junpei? Have you gotten a codename yet?

[coolerjunpei]

Oh... thanks. [As long as it doesn't involve needles, he's good. He's doing good enough, but codenames! Now that actually makes him perk up a little. You know, like a loser.]

What do you think of Star?

[valcurie]

Of course, Junpei. ( there's that extra bit of comfort to acknowledge his thanks.

after that, her hand comes to her chin and she's actually giving this some thought. she did make promise to him after all! )

Star? Did you pick that one?

[coolerjunpei]

I'm doing my own survey. Uh, really informally. So what do you think?

[He literally already put it in his username but clearly this is something he still wants opinions on... like he hasn't made up his mind that Star is the best possible thing he can come up with.]

[valcurie]

( from what she can tell usernames can be changed, and, honestly, with video conversations she hasn't been paying that much attention to them. they are only really needed with text and voice, if she does not recognise a person's voice.

also, she notices he doesn't answer her question. so probably that's a yes. )

Hmm. We-ell, I think you could do better. Why not something feisty like Barracuda? Or maybe jaunty like Yolo Bro?

[coolerjunpei]

[You could do better... Right in the codename dignity. Truth be told, he hasn't given it any thought since being up on the station; things have been much too dramatic here on the ground to think back on code names.

But still, he liked Star.]

Yo... what? Nobody's going to call me either of those.

[valcurie]

( a fair enough point and, really, she hasn't been giving it the thought she said she would.

but, still!!! some originality might make it better. )

Well, I think you deserve something more unique than that. Give yourself some more credit!

What about Blackstar, and then Star for short?

[coolerjunpei]

Hey, I think Star is pretty good! [All of his creative energy went into that!!] What's a blackstar? Like a black hole? That's a little depressing...

[valcurie]

Well, not a black hole. It's the name of a song, actually. I was thinking, you could change your username to it.

★ ( she sends this to him in a text message to show what she means. )

I like a name like that. But Star can be good, too, if that becomes an aspiration for you. To become a Star!

[coolerjunpei]

[Maybe Snake should change his name to ★ instead of prince if it's musical, that would be great, Junpei sports this alternate idea.]

Oh, uh, well... It's more numerical than cosmic, actually. [....] The five points? I guess this whole code name with rules thing got a little out of hand...

[valcurie]

( there are so many great song and band names, though. it's tough to choose.

for right now, she puts a hand on her shoulder and smiles. )

Ah, now that I did not think of, but I do like it. Not necessarily, as long as you're still having fun.

And if it's still important to you.

[coolerjunpei]

[If only he were That Cool!! He makes a face - having fun, well, sure, that's one way of putting it - but just shrugs.]

I guess the only person who'd really get it doesn't care, so... Uh, I don't mean that in a mean way.

[...] I've been thinking of code names for the moon, instead.

[valcurie]

None taken, Junpei. I promised I would help you get one. All I can do is my best. But, as I get to know you more, I feel more and more close to coming upon the right one for you.

( she smiles at that, amused. ) Like what? Home base? I think we could use one so we don't risk the natives overhearing it and getting confused.

[coolerjunpei]

Thanks, I think. [That's such a mom thing to say, he's a little taken aback, but it makes the tiniest hint of a smile cross his face, so - points for her. She did it.]

But we were thinking something with "phase" in it, you know, because of the moon?

[valcurie]

You're certainly welcome.( a small nod, and then she puts her chin in her hand. )

Yes! It has phases. That is certainly a start. It is also interesting that they worship it, but I'm not sure what to make of that. Maybe don't put that in the nickname?

[coolerjunpei]

That's a little too obvious. We just need a name for it so we can say we're going there, you know?

Phase... zone.

[valcurie]

Phase me up, Scottie?

( that is something that totally exists within her universe. well, exited, something like a century ago. she's not exactly a classical science fiction expert. for some reason she is giving this as much thought as he is though. ) But yes, I agree. Something which subtle. Like a finely aged wine.

[coolerjunpei]

Beam, right? [Junpei is so into the old school scifi, so—so yeah.]

I guess we could always just develop a sudden interest in astronomy.

[valcurie]

If you say so! I think you are the expert in this area. ( a laugh, and she means well by it. she will always listen to an expert!! )

Wouldn't that be astrology? Since being so interested in the phase of the moons seems more like that. Actually, I wonder what their horoscopes are like here. ( sexy? )