ohmyarceus | MAY - JUNE TEST DRIVE MEME

[Steven takes that hand and shakes it easily. His handshake is firm, without being crushing. The kind of handshake that humans consider to be trustworthy.]

I'm pleased to meet you too, Garak. Has anyone really gone over how things work here on Team Rocket with you?

And-- would it be accurate to say that you're another one of us otherworlders who've been unexpectedly press-ganged?

[Because most information about the base and what you can find on it isn't necessarily located on the Pokegear--so if Garak is reading about 'things to find here' on it, that probably means he's not from around here either.

Good. Steven likes being the person who first talks to the otherworld new recruits. It's ever so handy for establishing himself as someone that's both trustworthy and a relative authority. Even the colossal fuck-up that was his lunch with Solus hasn't changed that.]

[Well, Garak is not a human and he considers no one trustworthy, so there's that.]

Not as such. I would certainly appreciate the perspective from someone so knowledgeable.

[The words might remind Steven of Solus, but Garak sounds utterly sincere. And he mostly is, first-hand information is the best source after all.]

Indeed I am. It's all rather shocking.

[Solus, luckily for Steven's peace of mind, would have been much more conspicuously archaic.]

It is, isn't it? Especially if your body undergoes... alterations in the process.

[He's just tossing that out to see if Garak will react to that. He doesn't need to specify if he's talking about Garak or himself unless Garak asks. But it seemed prudent to mention, given how many of them haven't been standard human.]

Ah, may I? [he asks, indicating the chair across from where Garak had been sitting.]

But yes, [he adds,] it can be somewhat overwhelming when you're first brought here. Have you read the letter and handbook they left for you?

Edited 2020-05-21 22:17 (UTC)

[Garak weighs for the briefest moment the consideration of playing the role he's been forced into--mild mannered human--but he's been looking at the network--he's seen other people complaining about their current state, and here this man is also making the insinuation.

Decision made, Garak's smile widens, sharpens a little.]

Now, was that a very good guess, or was I somehow transparent?

[Trick question, he knows it isn't the latter. He knows enough humans to pass. He waves a hand in welcome.]

Please, be my guest.

I have, but frankly, personal experience is so much better.

No, no, you do a very good human, [Steven reassures him as he takes his seat]. But half of us otherworld transplants on the Team aren't, so I thought I'd put out the idea and see how you reacted.

Ah, I just realized I haven't said. My name's Steven Durante. I'm... mm, I guess I'd say I'm a senior member of the particular crew you'll likely join after Mandatory Training Hell. You don't have to, of course, but we'd be happy to have you as part of it.

[He smiles in a friendly way at Garak. Such a welcoming attitude, this one.]

We otherworld transplants tend to stick together, you see. Especially on Team Rocket, where we're the only crew that regularly gets anything done. Well. Anything of note, anyway.

How curious. I saw some allusions to such on this--[He waves the Gear in his hand for emphasis]--but I wasn't certain how widespread the phenomenon was.

[Garak sets it off to the side then, folding his hands on the table in front of him.]

Believe me, I would only think of aligning myself with a group that can 'get things done,' as you say. Granted, I haven't put my skills to use for petty crime before, but what is the Human saying? 'When in Rome'?

Do as the Romans do, yes.

[Steven folds his own hands in front of him.]

I don't know if it's half the transplant population at large, no. Honestly, I suspect it's not. And honestly, half the crew is still more or less normal human in origin. It's just lately we've been skewing otherwise, so I wanted to see if the trend persisted.

And-- it's not all petty crime. On occasion it's grand larceny.

Edited 2020-05-22 05:22 (UTC)

How apt.

[Garak just keeps smiling his best friendly smile.]

These transformations do seem to be quite comprehensive. It's not unheard of in certain circles on my own world, of course, but it's an extensive medical procedure. Certainly not performed quickly or on a whim.

Ah, I do mean 'world' as in 'planet', though I understand that's not the common parlance here.

[So does Steven. Too incredibly friendly and polite liars sitting across from the table from each other.]

No, it's not. We've generally meant it to be 'universe,' since most of us are from different ones, but a lot of us are from the same planet in those different universes.

[That would be Earth.]

But yes, they've extremely comprehensive. I've been told by people who've been here longer and quite a few different ones that it's this world-as-in-univere's god who brings us here and transforms us, for whatever his capricious whims might be.

Edited 2020-05-22 19:15 (UTC)

How very fascinating. My people have not held much faith in gods for quite a long time. Neither have the humans I've met, frankly.

[He's leaning more towards capricious omnipotent being that might seem like a god, he's read the Federation reports on Q.

...so what if they're classified?]

Though I've never been to Earth, so possibly a small sample size is the reason.

Really? In my time it was still fairly common among humans. My mother was religious and my sister-- well, with her, it was complicated. I never was, though.

I suspect we're from wholly different eras, however, if not different universes altogether.

[He shrugs.]

They call it a god here. It's something powerful, at least.

Where are you from, might I ask?

That is entirely possible, if individuals are brought from any sort of time and place.

[He wonders for a brief moment--Cardassians aren't well-welcomed in many parts of known space, and he supposes there could be someone here that would feel that way, but better to know that now than find out later. It's not like being the lone Cardassian in hostile territory is new for him.]

My homeworld is Cardassia. It's quite far-flung, nearly sixty light-years from Earth. Certainly not a day trip, even if we were...unfortunately a bit less than tolerant of visitors in general.

Mm. Well, except for Kanto, Johto, and Sevii, I'm afraid that describes a lot of the regions of this world. I suppose people are people, whether from Cardassia or Earth.

But I haven't heard of it before. You-- might be the only person from it here. I'm sorry.

[His voice and expression seem genuinely apologetic.]

Do you want to talk about it? You don't have to, if it would hinder more than it would help.

[Well, no recognition is fine with him. Depending on any other Cardassians here, he could have found a friend, but more likely an enemy. Still, he gives a little sigh, and a shake of his head, acting disappointed.]

It's quite alright, I'm rather used to it.

[He shakes his head.]

I'd rather not, I haven't lived on Cardassia for quite some time. Though I have to say, I now know why humans keep their surroundings so cool and bright. I'm actually rather warm here.

You'll get used to it, [Steven promises.

He spreads his hands out on the table.]

So. What kinds of things would you like to know about Team Rocket and this world in general?

[He's been exiled for years, he already is--this is...not quite as unpleasant, for his new physiology, but completely unfamiliar surroundings means he has to build from the ground up. No contacts, little knowledge--he's done it before, so he's not concerned.]

I suppose, with regards to this team of ours...what is the point, would you say? I've read what we're supposed to do, certainly, but I'd like to hear from someone with lived experience. Especially since there's really nothing to stop us from simply turning in wild-caught beasts.

It's not that I've been known to shy away from doing what must be done, but I simply prefer to know why I'm doing it.

[Steven sighs deeply.]

I'm sorry, Garak. If there's any greater purpose to Team Rocket than to line the pockets of Boss Giovanni, it's nothing they tell to privates like me--or even Betas or Alphas, like Dirk and Jack.

[Well, that's troublesome. He tuts, sounding a bit like a disappointed high school drama teacher.]

Well, it is what it is, I suppose. We can't all serve a higher purpose.

[Though he had, and really rather would. Cardassia might not be as egalitarian as Earth is, difficult to be with the scarcity of resources, but he had never truly been in anything for the money, not even tailoring.]

Though I really have no idea what a simple tailor is expected to do in these circumstances.

[Steven shrugs.]

I'm sure you'll rise to the occasion. It's surprising how quickly and easily one adapts to a life of crime. I'd never engaged in any violence whatsoever before my first heist. A week later, I strangled a security guard.

[He probably doesn't look as concerned by that as a person should, for someone who's supposedly just a 'simple tailor', especially when someone he's just met is telling him it's okay, he'll get used to ~~being gay and~~ committing crimes.]

My! You certainly did jump right in.

[Strangling people is so messy. And needlessly difficult. He's gonna have to teach you precocious kids some pointers, isn't he?]

[But it's so fun!

Steven does note the lack of concern, filing it away in his memory.]

I suppose I did. Still, it's done me well. I made Private within my first month here, which I understand is fairly quick, as far as ranking up goes.

Congratulations are in order, then! I'm glad to know that our benefactors reward skill and effort. I'll need to endeavor to follow your example.

[Maybe not quite by strangling people, he's definitely capable of it, but he prefers to not get his hands dirty unless it's necessary. Though he does mean literally, his hands are plenty metaphorically dirty already, that's fine.]

[Getting your hands dirty is fun, though. At least Steven thinks it is.]

Thank you. And yes, they do. Quite a few of have been promoted over the months and years. They won't let us rank any higher than Alpha, I'm afraid, but we do have an Alpha: Handsome Jack. He's the leader of our crew of otherworlders, such as it is. You'll want to talk with him if you need someone to intercede with the admins for you. Just below Jack is Dirk Strider, our resident Beta rank, and then Carly Nagisa, Lydia, Tyler Huang, Steve Palchuck and I are all Privates now. I'm afraid the rest of you are Grunts.

[It's probably a good thing that they're bringing in new Rockets, given how they're getting low on grunts and the two native mooks that Jack sometimes commanded are in jail now, after they'd been caught with a warehouse full of Lapras.]

[But it plays merry hell with your nails.

He commits all those names to memory, and the ranks.]

Grunt, now that is a title that inspires morale. Isn't that the word for those disgusted noises humans make?

[Really now, let your poor footsoldiers have some pride in what they're doing. At any rate, he doesn't really intend to stay a grunt for long.]

[Steven laughs.]

Unfortunately, yes. It's also army slang for the lowest ranking footsoldiers--I don't know why Team Rocket uses it at all. But yes, it's a particularly unpleasant title--that's one of the reasons I worked so hard to shed it as fast as I could.

[That and if he ever wants to be a radio host, he'll have to get Beta rank. But one thing at a time.]

MAY - JUNE TEST DRIVE MEME

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if london gets in, assume he also mentioned her

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