skate 01 | text; user: katsuki

[yokunaru]

I hope no one minds answering this: What languages did you speak or write back in your world/galaxy/universe/etc? If you have the time, could you also write out the alphabet of the languages you know and attach a picture of them in your reply?

I recently found out that a language I know matches up with someone else's, and we aren't even from the same galaxy. It could be interesting to see if any others are the same. I don't know if this information will be useful later on, but I'm going to keep a record of it all just in case.

I'll send a copy of the file to anyone who wants it later. Thanks.

Comments

[genice]

All thirty-three letters are now yours! If you wanted numbers as well, let me know. I see some have been including numerals.

No, I don't generally have a reason to speak French around you. I could, if you like.

[yokunaru]

I wouldn't understand a word of it, but I'm sure it would be nice to listen to.

[Implying that he just likes to hear Viktor's voice in general...]

I wanted to ask you if you could teach me Russian though. I meant to ask back home but we were so busy with training then.

[Just as well that this is all in text form, so Viktor isn't subjected to the way Yuuri's hands shake or the way his expression twists into something painful as he types this out.]

[genice]

I'm happy to talk simply for the sake of being listened to anytime. You just have to ask.

Which of course, now you are with Russian...! I'm happy to teach you as much as I can. I'm not the perfect instructor, but... let me make a deal. I help teach you conversational Russian, and you help teach me conversational Japanese. We'll fit it in around work and training here.

( He doesn't need to be there to guess. Not when it hits his own heart, still, like an aching scar that still throbs, not quite healed, but trying. )

slides this tag at you a million years later...

[yokunaru]

Sounds like a fair exchange to me. Let's start ASAP.

[Aaand now he's switching over to the encryption. Cassian's programming makes this incredibly easy.]

Did you get the encryption code from Captain Andor yet?

falls on you fatly, hey bb <3 // encrypted

[genice]

it was quite the inventive feature. I almost wonder if we shouldn't ask each of our technologically gifted friends to add their own version, but! I might just be Russian.

( is he joking. is he not. don't... don't really ask. )

Yet switching over... ah, what's on your mind, Yuuri?

<33

[yokunaru]

Captain Andor and I both noticed only the newer arrivals have been using the network. I've been talking to people in the Shopping Centre to see if I could find an answer.

Did you know most of them don't even have communicators like ours?

[genice]

Ah, wait, are we speaking about the people who work in the Centre, or the people who work as crew members of the ship?

[yokunaru]

The people around the Shopping Centre. I haven't tried talking to the crew members yet.

Why, did you find something?

[genice]

Some differences in stories, that is all. I feel as if those who are amoung the crew have a different level of understanding than those who work in the Centre. Understandably. They're much more... ah, organised?

[yokunaru]

So you think it's the crew members we need to talk to?

I thought asking the people in the Centre would help, if they've seen people like us come and go.

[genice]

The crew have, too. They may know more about it, too... it's hard for me to say. They were more forthcoming in our conversations than the people in the Centre, in the sense that there was a little more variety in what they had to offer.

[yokunaru]

Are you back in your room? It might be easier to talk in person.

[genice]

I am! Just planned on hitting the shower and giving Makkachin a good belly rub or two.

[yokunaru]

I'll head over after I finish replying to the rest of these messages. It shouldn't take too long.

Don't forget to pet Konpeito, too!

[genice]

I'm going to delegate that task to you.

See you soon!

action

[yokunaru]

[Once he reaches Viktor's door, he swipes the dog tag across the lock and lets himself in....]

Viktor, I'm here.

[He spies Konpeito on the desk and immediately scoops it up to fulfill his tribble-petting duties.]

[genice]

( Viktor exits the restroom around a minute later, dressed and still toweling his hair dry. He smiles, tipping his head toward Yuuri and the dustbunny, while Makkachin thumps his tail from where he's lounging on Viktor's bed. )

Hey. Konpeito behaving itself?

( He heads toward his bed and sits down, still pressing the ends of his hair between sections of towel. Viktor... )

[yokunaru]

Isn't it always? [The tribble purrs under his fingertips, and Yuuri pauses just as he's about to join Viktor on the bed.]

I mean... when it's not mysteriously appearing in my room. Did anyone ever figure out how it's doing that?

[genice]

( Viktor quirks an eyebrow, looking between Yuuri and Makkachin. )

Did you ask anyone else?

( He looks a little amused. )

I still have no idea how it eats, if it eats, or drinks, or... anything. It just is. It's fascinating — and mildly disturbing.

( He shrugs, letting the towel drape over his shoulders. )

[yokunaru]

No... [Yuuri glances at him, hand still resting on Konpeito.]

I haven't seen any besides Kon around. How many people on board have them?

[Now he holds Konpeito up in his hands, pouting a little.] I watched it for hours that first week I got here and I've never seen it do anything but sit there and purr.

[Okay he might be exaggerating the amount of time he spent watching the tribble, but it was a long time.]

[genice]

Hours?

( He asks, still visibly amused. )

You're a dedicated man. Either way, I half think it's actually some kind of robot, powered by an internal battery. It's the future. They have got to have super advanced robotics.

( This belief mostly allows him not to feel guilty when absolutely nothing is eaten. If the dustbunny doesn't need food or water, then... it's okay, right? It sure hasn't died in the last few weeks. In fact, it seems to be going fairly strong.

Viktor pats the bed at his side, inviting Yuuri and Kon to sit with him. )

[yokunaru]

[Yuuri takes that invitation gladly, sitting beside him, mindful of Makkachin's who's scooted closer to nose at him and Konpeito.]

No way. [Though he pats Makkachin's head, Yuuri's wide eyes are firmly on Viktor.] You really think Konpeito's a robot?

[genice]

( Viktor nods, reaching out to wiggle his fingers in Konpeito's fur. For better or worse, he's serious. )

Yep. After talking with the newest arrivals, the people like us? There are all kinds of robots and androids and cyborgs and Artificial Intelligences out there. Everyone loves something small and cute and soothing, right? It would explain the fur, too.

( That's far too close to Makkachin for his ease of mind, when he's honest. )

And how no one's ever heard of anything like them before.

[yokunaru]

[Don't mind him just dubiously staring at Konpeito now. Still cute... but a little too realistic to be a robot, in his opinion. Even if what Viktor says makes sense.]

Well, that would explain how it doesn't need to eat or drink anything...

[Makkachin woofs softly, seemingly in agreement.]

You think someone might have made these as a...a low maintenance kind of pet, maybe?

[genice]

( Ah, Yuuri... they were trying for realistic toy robots even in their day. To varying degrees of debatably success, true, but how far off is this from a high-tech furby?

(Freaking Furby.) )

Maybe. Kon's pretty soothing. Pets are meant to reduce stress and improve quality of life, or something like that. Right, Makkachin?

( Viktor reaches out to scratch under his dog's chin quite vigorously, earning a happy closing of Makkachin's eyes and a lolling of his tongue. Konpeito is temporarily forgotten. )

The weird part is the sneaking into rooms to leave them here with other gifts. I haven't seen any others anywhere in the Shopping Centre. Not that I've checked with less reputable sources.