video; @c.silva

[childofaxios]

[ When the video kicks in, it's clear that Chyler is in one of the Perimeter Guard's offices. She's standing close to the lens, adjusting the feed until it lines up to her satisfaction. Then she steps back and stands at attention.

For one brief, brief, oh-so-brief moment there's a flicker of exasperation on her face. Then she locks her gaze on nothing in particular and shouts like she's in the middle of a drill: ]

MY NAME IS CADET SILVA AND I AM A CLOCK.

[ A pause, oh-so-brief a pause, but her expression doesn't waver this time. ]

IF AT ANY POINT YOU REQUIRE THE LOCAL TIME, IT IS MY DUTY TO PROVIDE IT DOWN TO THE SECOND. I AM REQUIRED TO DO THIS REGARDLESS OF WHERE I AM OR WHAT I AM DOING AT THE TIME OF YOUR REQUEST.

IF AT ANY POINT I REFUSE, PLEASE INFORM PERIMETER GUARD SQUAD LEADER JOHN SHEPPARD OF RR-1.

[ Chyler snaps off a salute, then reaches forward and turns off the feed with equal crispness. ]

Comments

video

[childofaxios]

[ She could reply with text. She could. But then he wouldn't get her deadpan stare directly into the camera. ]

Ten-o-eight-o-one. O-two. O-three. O-four. O-five. O-six.

[ SHE'S JUST GONNA KEEP GOING DUDE. ]

text

[brightline]

has anyone ever told you you have a pretty voice?

video;

[childofaxios]

[ Now her deadpan is a glare. ]

O-ten. O-eleven. O-twelve.

text;

[brightline]

fine fine. as much as I like the fact you totally can't shut me down when you're counting, I don't need the time THAT bad.

text;

[childofaxios]

[ No sooner does he say that than she switches off the camera. ]

I don't care if you think I have a pretty voice.

text forever;

[brightline]

[Ouch.]

I thought so, but hey, it was worth a try, right? so what'd you do to get sheppard to make you into a human clock?

[childofaxios]

[ A delay as she debates whether or not to answer that question. ]

I commented on his lateness.

[ She told him he was hung over and should have had more water wherever the beer and games and popcorn was happening and that then maybe he would've be on time. ]

[brightline]

nice. can't believe you're actually doing the clock thing, though. I guess that's why I'm not in the military back home.

[childofaxios]

If you hadn't told me, I never would have known.

[ This is Chyler when she's not being super serious, 100% sass 100% of the time. ]

[brightline]

what? that I wasn't in the military? I can't believe how that got by you.

you don't need to be in the military to win a war though. ;)

[childofaxios]

Yes, I remember, the animal thing. Heaven forbid you meet a game hunter.

[ As though it's not REALLY COOL but like hell she's gonna tell him that. ]

[brightline]

if I can handle walking salad shooters, I could handle a dude with a rifle.

[Aw come on, just admit it. Totally cool.]

[childofaxios]

Walking salad shooters.

[brightline]

yeah they're called hork-bajir. seven feet tall and covered in blades, heads like snakes. I could turn into one sometime and show you.

[childofaxios]

[ That sounds familiar. That sounds horrifyingly familiar. It takes Chyler a moment to get her fingers to stop shaking before she can reply. ]

Yes, please.

[ She wants to know. She has to know if they're the same thing. ]

[brightline]

[After all the many, many times she's blown him off or made jokes about him, that seems like kind of an easy yes. It throws him off for a moment, so he's a little slow to respond.]

really? uh, sure. when do you want to see?

[There's some alarm bells. He should know better than to ignore them, but things have been so easy here compared to home, and he can't put his finger on why they're going off. So he'd rather just believe she suddenly thinks he's cool. That's a way better thing to think.]

[childofaxios]

When are you available?

[brightline]

for you, anytime.