4th Abnormality - Dictated

[teratologist]

[there is a soft clearing of her throat and a pause, one could almost hear her wringing her hands]

I need to offer an overdue apology to you all, at least a good number of you. In my return I seem to have lost my head and nearly did the same to others.

For any offense I may have given in my time as the Queen of Hearts, I apologize most humbly and can only hope you can forgive me.

If you cannot, I can accept that as a consequence of my actions as well.

I am so terribly sorry.

[It's heartfelt, even a little choked with emotion, as much as a Victorian lady can allow.]

Comments

[teratologist]

Oh? And where is that, exactly?

[originalcopy]

Just some shit-hole planet I was stationed at.

[teratologist]

You were stationed on another planet?

[originalcopy]

Yeah... the time and place I'm from, humanity has spread itself out pretty far into space.

[teratologist]

That extraordinary, have you encountered other life? Non terrestrial in origin?

[originalcopy]

Yeah... it... it didn't go well.

[teratologist]

What happened?

[originalcopy]

Well, you know how it goes... Something about our existence just pissed them off and they started killing us.

Officially the war is over now, but things are still pretty tense.

[teratologist]

So you did learn to live in coexistance. Well that is encouraging at least.

[originalcopy]

uh... sure, right.

[He wasn't really up to explaining how both the aliens and humans were only playing nice because they were more worried about civil wars. And that the "peace" was only two years in. Let her be optimistic for the future.]

[teratologist]

[She never said peaceful coexistence, just coexistence. Helen has spent too many years tending the Sanctuary Network to kid herself into thinking there will always be a peaceful resolution to tensions between species.]

It's a start at least.

[originalcopy]

I guess you're right, who knows... but I do know an idiot who will either find some fucked up way to help or send us all back into war.

[teratologist]

One man could cause a war to re-erupt?

[originalcopy]

One idiot and his abomin..er...kid...

It's kind of a long story, but one of the guys I was stationed with got himself knocked up by an alien.

[teratologist]

[So many questions...but no.]

I see. And the resulting off spring could cause war again?

[originalcopy]

No, Tucker would be more likely to do something stupid than Junior. But you never know...

And how did this turn into a conversation about me and my universe?

[Seriously, what the hell? Here he is gabbing away with a chick that not long ago was willing to lop his head off. This place must really be starting to mess with him.]

[teratologist]

I believe you brought it up and the topic was actually fascinating so I asked for more details.

[You have fallen into the trap, Helen is amazingly easy to talk to, she gets you going without you realizing it.]

[originalcopy]

Did I?

[Poor Church, he really isn't a chatty guy... but something about the way she asks questions and steers the conversation just keeps him talking. It feels just a little odd to him now that he thinks about it.]

Well, I guess you got some then.

[teratologist]

You did.

[She confirmed and allowed him his moment to think on things and respond.]

I did, you have a very concise way of answering that gets to the details of things.

[originalcopy]

Oh, well... thanks.

I guess it's all the practice I got having to deal with those idiots from home. You'd have to keep things short and simple or you'd completely loose one and invite an hour long debate from the other.

[teratologist]

So you must have been some sort of leader among your fellows. People often need a strong leader more than they admit, sadly it can often turn into herding cats just as easily.

[originalcopy]

Well, someone had make the decisions. Guess it just fell to me more often than not.

Sometimes I think I would have been better off with cats.

[teratologist]

Try Abnormals; fire elemental, lizard men, mermaids... I think I understand your conflict.

[originalcopy]

[chuckle]
I'll trade you...

[teratologist]

I don't think I would wear the armor as well as you do.