@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

[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?

[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. ]

[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?

[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.

[keepitup]

That's ... fascinating, really.

[ If the little details are the only things different, what if it's just because they aren't talking about the big ones? ]

Did the Allies win WWII?

[signifies]

Er-- yes.

( saying this conversation is a private call, if that's okay? )

[keepitup]

( yes absolutely okay )

Star City and Metropolis are cities in the United States of America?

[signifies]

Yes.

There was a Cold War with Soviet Russia for much of the last century?

[keepitup]

Yes.

[ He needs something that's an off detail. Something that Clark would remember still, from a few years back. ]

2013 ... Taylor Swift. Sweet country girl turned pop superstar?

[signifies]

She just released Red.

[keepitup]

Okay well clearly the most important things have stayed the same.

[signifies]

Seems they have.

... Is the name General Zod familiar to you?

[keepitup]

General Zod. Hm.

No I feel like I would really remember a name like that.

[signifies]

[ So, they found another difference. ]

We made first contact with another civilisation earlier this year. He was their leader.

[keepitup]

Wait. What do you mean by ... another civilization?

[ That's just not something people say anymore. You meet "another civilization" when there's still land you haven't explored and you run into some new people you've never seen and don't speak your language.

Earth is fresh outta that kind of thing in Ray's understanding of it. ]

[signifies]

[ Er. ]

I mean aliens.

[keepitup]

[ Just silence, for two long seconds as Ray processes. ]

From another planet? [ In a galaxy, far far away? Ray doesn't say that last part out loud, even if he can't help but add that sentence in his head. ]

[signifies]

Yes.

[keepitup]

[ Again, just more silence, before a little bit of muttering from Ray's end, before he cuts himself off: ] I always knew there-

Right. No General Zod here.