Entry One: Video Entry

[themountie]

[The camera turns on to show what appears to be an actual cabin in the woods, quite small, but complete with a roaring fire blazing in the hearth. The man holding the camera is wearing full Mountie regalia, including a Stetson hat, and looks pleased as punch.]

My thanks for the accommodations, Admiral. It's rather more space than I need, but I'm sure I'll finds ways to fill it.

[There's a bark from offscreen, and the man raises an eyebrow and says, quite pointedly:] No. Not with Krispy Kremes. We don't even have a Krispy Kreme on board, as far as I know.

[He turns his attention back to the camera, clearing his throat.] I beg your pardon, everyone. My name is Constable Benton Fraser, RCMP. I first came to the Barge-- well, that's not important right now, but I'll be here as a warden for the time being. I'm very much looking forward to it. [Horrifyingly, this appears to be genuine.]

Comments

[ Video ]

[themountie]

Well, reads, of course. Understands. [He's straight-laced, but not actually stupid, and he understands now that he's being mocked. The change is very subtle: a slight narrowing of the eyes, a stiffness in the expression.]

I'd be happy to demonstrate, sir, if you like.

[ Video ]

[surfaceshine]

[Ironically, Dean was pokerfacing while he was mocking; he has a certain appreciation, though, for cheerful eccentricity. For people, in all the odd and amusing shapes and sizes and colors they come in. Sometimes it's not enough to keep him from doing or saying something stupid, but what's making him nearly-smile is actually a sincere kind of benign amusement. He ignores the narrowed eyes for now.

Sure. How'd we do hat?

[ Video ]

[themountie]

Well, we are video conferencing, aren't we? Hold on a moment, please. [Fraser sets the camera down, shifting it until both he and Dief are visible in the frame. He bends slightly, sets his hands on his knees, and says to the wolf:]

Atii, innarviut aivuqtutit?

[And lo and behold, Dief pads offscreen, and returns with a little leather bag in his jaws. Fraser grins and scratches his ears.] Thank you kindly, my friend.

[ Video ]

[surfaceshine]

[Dean nods in acknowledgement of a very good, obvious point, eyebrows raised as he watches and holds on politely. He has no clue what the man says or even if the dog actually did whatever was asked of it, but the grin and the camaraderie between them is enough to shut the smarmy hunter up for now.]

Nice. I'm surprised you got to bring him with you. [And kinda jealous but not really because corpses would be no fun. His car would've been, though. Mechanics and physics aside.]

[ Video ] - Hell yes he did, I looked that shit up!

[themountie]

[Dean is the second person to say this, which is making Fraser starting to wonder just what kind of place this really is.]

I only asked. Is it uncommon for wardens to be allowed pets? I had thought we were to be allowed our relative freedom... these floods aside, at least.

[ Video ] - I believe you!

[surfaceshine]

I dunno - I don't have any pets, so I didn't think to ask. Not to mention I kinda didn't wanna argue or waste time getting on board, in case His Highness changed his mind.

It's not that we're not allowed our freedom, it's just that I've seen that the rules are pretty flexible. Not always in the good way.

[ Video ]

[themountie]

[The first part is encouraging, because Fraser likes to see another warden who's as gung-ho as he is. But the second... he raises a brow, rubbing a thumb absently against it, a nervous tic.]

Anything in particular I should know about?

[ Video ]

[surfaceshine]

[Heh. Oh Fraser, Dean is going to like you, though he may not be quite sure why. Because he is ridiculous like that.]

It's... hard to explain. Just don't rely on knowing what's going on just because you've encountered something similar back in your own world. This place isn't like anywhere else that I've been, and a lot of people seem to share that opinion.

...I'm not tryin'a be cryptic. It's just. [Dean waves a hand vaguely. He doesn't even know what he's trying to say - it's difficult to warn people about all the weird going on here without them having experienced some of it firsthand.]