@cjk [ audio ]

[signifies]

Hello everyone. My name is Clark. I'll try and keep this brief.

Firstly, I've drawn up a blank list and placed one on the bulletin board on each housing floor. If those with medical expertise feel comfortable, they can put their name, residence here, and — if they have one — specialisation, in case of an emergency. We have several residents who aren't from the same point in time, so if you'd like to volunteer to update someone's medical knowledge, please mark your name with an asterisk.

Secondly, ah-- [ a bit of a laugh. ] I'm from Kansas, which some of you might recognise as being host to some pretty bad weather. Now, I'm not going to say I'm paranoid, but-- I like to think ahead. So, I've made up some kits with some of the usual survival paraphernalia back home and distributed them between floors. Feel free to help yourselves if you need them.

[ No one has to use them, but he’d rather everyone knows they're available. ]

Thank you for your time.

( all replies in audio unless otherwise stated )

Comments

[signifies]

[ Now, definitely from his world. Clark sits up. ]

Just had his first front page exclusive.

[ It's not a good memory for Clark. He moves on quickly. ]

Very few people recognise Metropolis here. I've had more luck mentioning New York.

[keepitup]

Huh. That's odd. It's a big city, even before Superman made it famous.

And 2013 ... you're right. Wow. First front page exclusive huh? Where was that — probably on the Daily Planet?

[ Sadly, he doesn't know the paper well enough to recognize Clark Kent as one of the reporters, nor is Ray in his own future enough to tell him about Supergirl arrival in National City. He does however, know a few other things. ]

I've been to Central City too, a few times. That's much closer to Metropolis than we are. The people at S.T.A.R. Labs are fantastic.

[signifies]

[ The lack of recognition had made it easier, somehow. Nobody had any preconceived notions of Superman. Clark might've gotten a fresh start and a place to figure things out.

He's not complaining. This is good. ]

Yes. Actually, I work for the paper.

[ He laughs softly. ]

Maybe I should ask you for some scoops instead. Do the Eagle Scouts have any rules on those?

[fingerstripes]

Call it a hunch. [ It comes off light, like it's nothing. ]

So how's the future shaking out, if you don't mind me asking? We knock out flying cars yet?

[ He's really kind of thinking Clark would dropped a hint by now if the name Grayson rang any bells, but hope springs eternal. ]

[signifies]

[ Clark's not entirely convinced, but willing to move on. ]

Not yet, sorry to say.

[ He can't make out a listening device or a tracker in the phone, but that doesn't make them secure. Clark doesn't want to mention making first contact with Krypton. This is the first person who's come from a recognisable world. What's he going to think?

Little does he know. ]

What do you do back home, [ Clark checks the ID. ] Mr. Grayson?

[ No recognition. Sorry, Dick. ]

[fingerstripes]

[ Expected or not, it's a solid little punch to his heart. The man he owes his name to. His life, a dozen times over.

But he's rolled with this (something like this) before. If there's a trace of hesitation there he's quick to cover it. ]

I'm, uh- well, I'm almost a cop. Bludhaven PD. [ And he's damn proud. ]

Still a few days shy of graduation.

[signifies]

Congratulations.

[ He means it sincerely. From what Clark's read on Bludhaven it's not the smoothest town for that kind of work. ]

Did they give you something similar here?

[fingerstripes]

Yeah. Passed my exit exams. [ Which is entirely the kind of thing he would have called Clark to share, in another world. The kind of thing Bruce would never understand. It's also dangerous and a little self-indulgent here. ]

Looks like I'm gonna be standing in as an agent, if you can believe that. [ And he's suddenly... very aware of what that sounds like.

There's a reason he'd wanted to do this the hard way. See the infrastructure from the inside. Start from the bottom, climb the ranks as Dick Grayson, not Bruce Wayne's ward. ]

[signifies]

[ He's nodding, and replies with a bit of a laugh. ]

I work for the Daily Planet, and they put me on the local paper here. They're playing to our strengths.

[fingerstripes]

Yeah? [ Oh, that's delightful. ]

You must have some stories. I know the Metropolis where I'm from tends to have his own brand of... weird. [ tread carefully. ]

[signifies]

[ There's a noticeable (to a detective) pause Clark's end.

Weird could mean anything. He still needs to bring up the Superman question. ]

Tell you what... how about coffee? We can talk.

[keepitup]

Are you a reporter?

[ Ray's experience with journalists are pretty plentiful, given how often he spoke to them when launching new products. But ever since he decided to put his resources towards protecting Starling, back when it was still called that, suddenly the reporters he was dealing with all changed. It was no longer the ones covering technology, but rather the ones covering politics, and well, Ray had never made a long-lasting connection with any of them.

The joke about scoops though gets him laughing too. ]

Well, since you're from the Planet, I can tell you one thing. The paper's still good and strong in 2016. CatCo Magazine over in National is starting to get bigger, but they aren't competitive yet.

[ Clark might start getting the impression that Ray's heard of these publications not because he's an avid reader, but because he pays attention to big businesses. ]

[signifies]

Yes.

[ Clark's aware it announces a specific personality. All the good reporters he knows are annoying as fuck to somebody out there. ]

I'll be sure to tell my editor as soon as possible. Thank you.

[ If they're still going strong, and Ray says Superman's on the news, that must mean Clark's been able to do good and find some balance in his life.

He hopes.

It's not tangible to him yet. ]

What do you back home, Ray?

[keepitup]

[ Some days, he really does find them annoying. But Ray will also admit that he doesn't know any reporters who organizes people to publicly post up their medical expertise for the safety of people in communal housing.

So ... Clark's got a head start, 'cause Ray likes him already. ]

Have you heard of Palmer Tech?

[ If this was home, or if Clark was from 2016 or later, Ray probably would've have said anything. But neither of those things were true. And Palmer Tech is big. Like Microsoft and Apple big.

And well ... his username is @r.palmer. ]

[signifies]

[ So that explains a lot: Ray's not a reader, he's on the receiving end. ]

No, can't say that I have. When did you found your company?

[keepitup]

Ohhh right sorry. Technically it was only called Palmer Tech after 2014. I guess remembering you're talking to someone from the past is something I'll have to get used to.

Which — actually now that I think about it. Starling City is what we used to be called back in 2013. Should've said that earlier too.

[ But he's rambling now. Back to answering Clark's question. ]

I invent and make things for a living. Usually technology or energy related. But I've been ... taking a break lately. Trying to figure out what I want to do next.

[ And then he has to ask. Not because he wants to be a reporter, but because Ray likes getting to know people. ]

Why did you go into journalism?

[fingerstripes]

Sounds good. [ He sounds a little too relieved. ] I hear the coffee's good at [ some small place ], if you haven't checked it out.

[ And there's a few spaces there with a reasonable expectation of privacy. ]

[signifies]

[ Before Clark can think about the answer to that question, what Ray says at the beginning is like a freight train to the head. ]

I don't mean to ignore your question... but as far as I know it's always been called Star City. Home base of Queen Industries?

[ It's not as big as WayneTech or LexCorp, but there's few people who wouldn't recognise it. ]

[signifies]

Sounds good. I'll be in plaid and black glasses, probably in a corner if one's empty.

See you in an hour?

( to action? )

action!

[fingerstripes]

See you there.

[ And it's not until he's hung up that it suddenly registers that he'd forgotten to return the favor. He hadn't even told him his name.

But it gives him a little time. Time to think, to get his head straight. A sense of safety is a fragile thing, and it's little more tied up in secrets than probably a lot of them would like to admit. More than that, it's deeply personal. For all that he'd trust Clark with anything he's a stranger to this one. Is it fair to risk taking that away from him?

On the other hand, it's not as if he won't know exactly who Dick Grayson is the second he runs across Nightwing, which is the other half of the issue. It'll be harder to work together, harder to solve the problem of getting the hell out of here if he has to dance around this indefinitely.

Dick gives it an hour, then an extra two minutes and thirty-five seconds. Then he heads inside, looking for Clark with what he hopes isn't too much conspicuous eagerness. ]

Hey. Thanks for showing. [ He extends his hand, offering up a true, genuine grin. ]

Call me Dick, by the way.

[keepitup]

It's always been called Star City? As in ... since you can remember?

Queen Consolidated, where I'm from.

[ And then Ray just pauses, because his mind is already trying to think through the potential explanations for why this might be. ]

[signifies]

[ One possible explanation is that Ray's from the future. The others? Clark's not sure. ]

Does it change its name?

[signifies]

[ On Clark's side, he's scanned the waitstaff and other customers for concealed weapons. It seems a lot of people here do, and while Clark isn't a suspicious person, it seems a good habit to get into.

They're unarmed, and their corner is occupied just by them. He recognises Dick's voice immediately, and returns his smile, two degrees warmer than his usual amiability. His voice call had radiated someone genuinely friendly without being overly familiar, and Clark relaxes at experiencing the same in-person. ]

You too.

[ He shakes Dick's hand warmly, the grip mindful of his strength. ]

Have a seat, I've got a spare menu.

[ Clark will only be checking Dick for weapons too, just in case. ]

[keepitup]

[ Well, this is starting to get complicated. ]

Where I'm from, Starling City was renamed to Star City in 2015.

[ What he doesn't say, is that the reason why Ray remembers this so painfully clearly, was that it was done in memorial to him. Everyone still thinks he's dead. ]

[signifies]

[ It's an interesting little detail. ]

So our worlds have a lot of overlap. It makes you wonder what else might be different.