nexus_crossings | (no subject)

(no subject)

It is starting to dawn on Adia that this might not be the Nexus she remembers.

It is the first time in months that she has been able to leave New Caprica without risking awareness from either the Cylons or her fellow humans. She has never told anyone about the strange, wonderful place she stumbled upon, nor does she plan to. It won't be much help to the colonists, and it'd be a dangerous weapon in the hands of the Cylons.

But in the short time she has been sitting on a stone bench, reading an old paperback, she hasn't seen a single familiar face. And come to think of it, none of the landmarks look the same to her, either. True, the Nexus is always changing, but shouldn't she recognize at least some of it?

Curious, and a little nervous, she gets up and brushes off her dusty but serviceable coat, then walks over to a convenient Nexus computer terminal. That hasn't changed, at least.

How do you go about finding someone that you used to know? When is it not worth the risk to try and find them?

There is no giant blinking neon sign in her line of sight instructing her to ask a question, but she hopes someone answers anyway.

((ooc: Hey everybody, Adia is an OC from Battlestar Galactica, her timeline currently in the beginning of Season Three. I used to RP her at dear_multiverse on Livejournal, hence all the "not the same Nexus" references. She's a human with no special powers. Have fun!))

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Wolves? One of these things is not like the others!

There is water. Too much, sometimes. I don't know if the mud would be able to dry. It might be worth trying. To be honest, Adia is a little sick of mud, considering how much of it is around her. But it is a good suggestion and she doesn't want to be dismissive.

I like to bicycle. I haven't done that in a while, sadly. I didn't usually play organized sports. It was too competitive, and I didn't like people watching me play, I was always worried that I'd screw up in front of everyone.

She's surprised and a little amused by Reynard's reaction. The only habitable part of the planet is along the equator. There are cycles of rain and not-rain. Mostly it just drizzles.

I didn't train them or anything like that, but I did encounter them often enough to understand them.

He hums aloud before typing, That would be a problem. Maybe local rocks could be turned into a kind of cement. A pause and then,

 But that might make carving might a better option. I think I had best leave shaping your new land to you.

That is a shame. Sports are meant to be enjoyable. Playing. Should we meet I promise never to make you feel judged for any activity you do with me.

What is that? A constant Autumn? You poor soul, no wonder you come to the Nexus!

Never mind the robots and the oppression…

Oh, I see. What are they like in the wild? It's okay, I appreciate the advice. We're fortunate that we haven't lost information on how to do things, it's more a question of time and manpower. And tools, as well.

She smiles at the screen. You must be very encouraging as an instructor. I hope we do meet in person sometime soon. When I ask questions in the Nexus, I prefer text, but I'm not afraid of talking to people in person. Most of the time.

Autumn on Leonis was my favorite season. This is nothing like that. She feels annoyed suddenly, but not at Reynard. When we were still fleeing the Cylons in our ships, we had an election for a new President, but really it was more of a decision between two paths -- settle on New Caprica so we could avoid Cylon detection, or continue to look for Earth. I voted to keep looking for Earth. I wish I hadn't been in the minority.

Edited 2016-09-13 16:40 (UTC)

Beautiful from a distance, dangerous up close. Not beasts to underestimate or mistake for common dogs.

That is always the issue in the end: Time. Well, you'll either get there eventually or find somewhere nicer. With a bit of hard work either way.

He actually snorts a little at that.

It depends on who I'm instructing, but for you, I'll always be encouraging. I also hope we meet in person. I'm a regular here and not hard to spot, so you may spot me before long.

Autumn is a good Season to like.

Not too difficult, however, with there being a fifty-fifty chance of choosing a Reynard-approved Season.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, isn't it? At least you know now, given the chance to try again, that it would be better to continue searching.

I've only seen them on nature documentaries. How often did you get up close to them? The Cylons live on their ships. They haven't offered to help us build better housing. Just the detention center. Well, I appreciate it. I don't do well with boot-camp style instructors. I'll keep an eye out for you when I'm here. She doesn't bother to ask what he looks like. If she can handle meeting sentient robots in the Nexus, she can handle anything.

If we ever escape the Cylons, I hope we try to find Earth again. Sometimes I wish there was a way I could tell people that I've been to Earth -- in another universe -- without sounding like I've gone crazy. I know I could take someone somewhere via my PINpoint, but I'm so afraid that the Cylons will find it.

More often than I was comfortable with. There aren't any where I live now, which makes for a change of pace. Even if I do almost miss them.

Then you truly aren't allies. At least if they were pretending properly, would they not help you? They might put in features you dislike or protest against, but on the surface they would be kind, benevolent people.

And I you.

Not exchanging descriptions makes it rather like a game, which is always interesting.

When faced with temptation like that I find it helpful to imagine how such a decision might be thought of in hindsight. At least you are not alone in being a person here who must keep this place a secret. Really, there should be a support group for it already.

Were there are a lot of wolves? Or were you just deep in their territory? What's it like where you live now? They tried, at first. They shared some of their resources. Sometimes I feel like it's a game to them, and every so often they get bored of us and put us back on the shelf. They don't need to eat as often as we do, or as much. They sleep less, and they can survive with fewer material possessions. Maybe they don't understand how much a human needs to survive. Do you keep this place a secret as well? I'd be happy to start a support group. The Nexus has plenty of chairs and free coffee. You'll have to bring the doughnuts, though. :)

A bit of both, depending on when and where I was. The place I live now is cold, wet and wild. Most of the larger animals have been hunted to a pittance of what they once were. In this part of the world wolves are extinct now.

Ah yes, the trials of being under the thumb of beings who are different to you. I assure you, however, that humans can treat each other just the same when they war against each other. It follows demonising our enemies. 

Not with any difficulty. I'm used to having to keep secrets. Although I would never turn down a chance to meet interesting people such as yourself on a weekly basis.

That's a shame. Some of the colonies had issues with cities and suburbs encroaching on natural habitat, but I don't think we caused any extinctions. Yes, I know. The colonies have only been ruled under one federal government for about 50 years. There was 2000 years of history before that, and some of it was bloody. Even now, there are stereotypes and prejudices that keep us from being as united as we could be.

Adia doesn't know how to respond to that. She doesn't think she's that interesting. Her universe, maybe, in comparison to Reynard's... You can still join us. Sometimes it's nice to have a secret. It's hard to have a private life in close quarters.

Humanity here was quite fond of causing extinction. It's only now that some are trying to avoid it.

It would be nice if your people took this opportunity to learn.

He had almost forgotten about that. So much time and effort had gone into making sure he lived in a remote, secluded area, that having to share every inch of space with others was a distant memory. An uncomfortable one. Very true, and it is so important to have some things, some time for yourself.

Likewise. It's only after she hits send that Adia sees the irony. Well, I mean before the Cylon War. Now we're just trying to avoid our own. It's... better. I shouldn't be so harsh on my own people. It's not like anyone was physically fighting one another, in addition to the Cylons. I really do wish that the Sagittarions wouldn't be so resistant to modern medicine, though. Contagious diseases can run absolutely rampant through our settlement if left unchecked. You must get a lot of that, on your adventures.

It doesn't pass by Reynard unnoticed, but he leaves his recognition of it to a wry smile.

I hope you succeed.

Trusting in something new and strange is difficult. Especially when tradition and identity is so important, now that you are under Cylon rule.

And yet he wouldn't let someone else's fears endanger him...

But when it comes down to it, you must protect your people.

I have done my time having no solitude. If I need to climb a mountain to get it, I will.

Thank you. And if we do find Earth, it's supposed to be more advanced than our colonies. Maybe they've found a successful way to protect their wildlife. Believe me, I am not one to step all over other people's beliefs. And in a sense, they have good reason to distrust advanced science, because that's how the Cylons came about. But it's a difficult position for me to understand, as a scientist, and especially as a microbiologist. I have no doubt you have the skills to do it. That's actually why I came here today. I had some time that I could leave the settlement, unnoticed, so I came here with a book. It was only after reading for a little while that I realized that this place isn't the same as I remembered.

Now that I would like to see. 

Maybe there is a tradition you have and hold dear that could help you understand. Imaging being told that replacing it with something different would be better.

Some day if you would like a bit of peace and quiet we could meet and I could show you a beautiful place to sit and read in the Wilds. I promise I won't talk too much.

I think, if we find Earth and meet the thirteenth tribe, I'll feel free to tell them about the Nexus. Or at least have visitors. I'll think on that. I've been told sometimes that I'm good at seeing other people's point of view, but science versus tradition is definitely a blindspot for me. That's very kind of you. It's been a long time since I've been somewhere beautiful.

That would be a good day. Just make sure you can trust them first.

I am more like your friends there. It has taken me a long time to trust the science and technology that I do. You might understand it, but they don't. Fear of the unknown, Adia. The age old terror.  

Peace is an easy thing for me to find. Good company to share it with is much more difficult. It would be my pleasure.

Adia blinks at Reynard's advice. That's not something she's thought of at all. Not so much because she assumes that the thirteenth tribe is flawless, but because she had never let herself imagine actually meeting them. They will have to make sure they can trust us, as well.

Huh, that's interesting. It really adds to the theory that Reynard is an old soul. What helped you to get over your mistrust?

I'm glad you consider me good company. Sometimes I worry that when I talk to people in the Nexus, it's me sharing my sob story over and over again.

That will be a challenge in and of itself.

Time. Generous amounts of it. And the occasional situation that forced me to try new things.

Well this is interesting. Reynard strokes his beard before typing back,

Is it a sob story? I read the things you write and see them as the struggles for survival that you and your people face, the small battles and the large.

It's all a moot point, anyway, if they can't escape New Caprica. If they're anything like the people of Earth that I've met here, I think it will work out. That's one thing we sadly don't have. I am seeing more blended families, though. People from different colonies helping one another and living together. I think that helps. I'll take your word for it. We don't really talk about our struggles on New Caprica. With everyone suffering, there's no perspective.

This can be your practice for first contact! You'll be an expert on it on your world.

A good sign. It's funny what good a common enemy can do, and a common cause.

Good old fashioned brooding. You should be careful of that, you know. It's a rot if you can't put it into something productive.

Adia can't help but laugh to herself at the idea of being some sort of ambassador for the colonies. Then again, Reynard has a point... It can't be any more strange than the Nexus. If we do reach Earth, I'll offer my services to President Baltar. Well, if he's still president.

Don't worry about me. I still have my work. Despite the occupation, the Cylons have not shut down our lab.

In your capable hands it will certainly go smoothly. His lips curl into a smile.

 Who knows, you might be president by then.

They must see the value of the sciences. It would be more than bit ironic if they didn't.

Even if I were qualified to be president, there is no way I would take that job. But thanks for your vote of confidence. True. Several of them are devoted to scientific study. The one I was friends with, the sleeper agent, he was a microbiologist like me.

She almost types more, about how Caspar had great attention to detail, how he was able to help her with her own work without being patronizing or impatient. But she doesn't know where the false human memories ended and the Cylon abilities began, and it feels like a betrayal to laud his good qualities, after everything that's happened.

I should get get back to my lab. I can only be here for so long, if I can't explain my absence then it will be harder to keep this place a secret. But I'll look for you the next time I'm here. Where in the Nexus do you spend the most time?

His smile only widens.

You really are a clever woman.

That doesn't surprise me.

There it is, the reality check. Though she can't see him, he nods in understanding.

A good plan. When here I tend to wander, mostly in the Wilds and the Plaza, but you will find me in the old styled bars around here. There is a particularly nice one around the corner from the Plaza's main centre. It does hearty meals and good drinks.

Adia is glad this conversation is in text, because Reynard's compliment has her rather flustered for a moment. She's never been good at accepting compliments, except perhaps in the context of her work. More sane than clever, but thanks.

I'm usually in the Plaza, because of the computer terminals and the free coffee. I used to visit the park, too. She hasn't visited the bars or cafes, because she assumes those cost money, and the currency on her home world is worthless. If you let me know when you are at the bar, I can try to stop by.