I’ve traveled all this way for something

[maskormods]

WHO: YOU.
WHERE: Eden East's cruiseship
WHEN: Saturday February 15th, around 5 PM EST
WHAT: Registration in motion... among other things.
WARNINGS: None anticipated; let us know if this should be edited.

" The new frontier of which I speak is not a set of promises -- it is a set of challenges. It sums up not what I intend to offer the American people, but what I intend to ask of them. It appeals to their pride, not to their pocketbook -- it holds out the promise of more sacrifice instead of more security. But I tell you the new frontier is here, whether we seek it or not. "
( from jfk's speech "the new frontier," 7/15/1960. )

The sun hasn't set yet and the temperature hovers somewhere just below 70 degrees this evening; imPorts, both recently arrived and not, will have been escorted to this event so that they can meet each other, have a good time, and of course officially state their registration status. Or lack thereof. It's your decision, they emphasize, even though the unspoken "but" is always there.

It's an elaborate spread, certainly much more elegant than last time. Eden East herself, elegant in her backless champagne-colored dress, meets and greets each and every imPort as she flutters to and fro. She'll find you and chat for a few moments, shaking your hand and complimenting your dress. She'll know your name, and she'll have an entourage of aids and cameras following her wake. Captain Holiday, in contrast, maintains the energy of someone who feels out of place holding the Swear-In ceremony somewhere so extravagant. As imPorts arrive he tells them where to be for the ceremony part of the evening, but that they are free to enjoy themselves until then and after.

( Please state your character's official status -- REGISTERED or UNSETTLED -- in the subject header of your thread. Characters who are UNDECIDED may be contacted later in the week for their decision via their IC contact post. )

Comments

[pyms]

[ Considering he talks to ants, this shouldn't be a big surprise. But Hank's eyes widen and he impolitely stared at Ace for a good solid minute.

He examines Ace's fur, the collar, anything that might give him a hint that there's a communicator on him. And there was nothing. Maybe the dog's telepathic. That wouldn't be the strangest thing, right. The Inhumans have a dog that teleports for christ sake. Hank collected himself and grabbed a plate full of those bacon wrapped things. ]

They're scallops.

[ Hank's staring intensifies just a bit more while he waits to see if the dog really did just talk. ]

[ifnotloyal]

[ The intense staring goes unnoticed, as Hank now has a plate of food that he means to give to Ace. This means he's paying more attention to that, of course. ]

Scallops? What are those from?

[ Because he sure hasn't heard of that kind of meat before, mostly because he's never really gotten much fish in general before now. Most of it isn't too interesting when compared to what else there is to eat here, but, well, the bacon... ]

[pyms]

[ Of course, food is more important. He would have noted that except he was too busy staring and tilting his head at the absurdity of having a talking dog at a ball. Has stranger things happen? Maybe, but it doesn't take away from the surprise of this. Hank spoke slowly, as if emphasizing each word explains why Ace understood him before. ]

They're mollusks from the sea. [ Yes, because that explained it much better... Hank cleared his throat and tried again. ] You're eating a type of meat that comes from the ocean. I hope you're not allergic to it. If you are, you might get really itchy starting in the next 30 minutes.

[ A beat before he addressed the bigger topic. ]

I'm not really going insane and you are talking to me.

[ifnotloyal]

So they're from what the ship is on.

[ Whatever a mollusk is, though... Well, apparently they are what scallops are, so Ace will have to assume they're vaguely round and small. He watched the plate with them for a second or two longer before shifting his gaze to focus on Hank again. ]

And no, you aren't going insane. I can talk. I can also understand you just fine.

[ Don't think he didn't notice that slowdown there. ]

[pyms]

[ Hank squatted down so he can level with Ace. He reached with his hands and paused mid way. It would be rude to shove his hands into the dog's fur, wouldn't it. What if he's just a guy trapped in a dog's body? He settled his hands on top of his knee instead and let his curiosity flow. ]

Canines have vocal recognition just as humans do, but the fundamental difference between how human and canine vocal cords are shaped shouldn't allow for you to make any sounds that resemble our words. So how are you talking? There doesn't seem to be communicator on you, so there can't be another person speaking through you.

[ And he's reaching for one of the bacon wrapped scallops on Ace's plate. ]

[ifnotloyal]

[ It's been a strange night of people who keep hesitating to so much as give Ace a pat on the head once he begins speaking, so Hank's pause and decision to refrain is no surprise. He has to wonder about it, though, if there's something wrong with him now, that talking is just too weird for all these humans. ]

Can't say I really know anything about the how, but they said it's my power now. [ Like he needed any more of those. ] Before most humans couldn't understand me, now I can speak to them just fine.

[pyms]

Of course, your power!

[ Hank slapped himself on his thigh. It's so obvious. The new imPorts get powers. He just already had his and forgot that new arrivals can get new ones. ]

Well, I'm glad to hear that's the case. For a moment, I thought you were a human who was turned into a dog. But you're just a dog given the ability to expand your vocal range. That's amazing. I wonder how they did it...

[ And then there was a moment of staring again before Hank reached his hand out and gingerly patted Ace's back, trying finding a collar of some sort. ] I'm Hank, by the way.

[ifnotloyal]

I've been getting that a lot lately...

[ "Werehusky" or what have you, but he's trying not to let that get to him too badly.

As for a collar, there is one, and Ace is calm enough to let him pat around for it. It's just a simple black leather one with his original tags from Burden Hill, a place much, much farther north than Florida. His name is Ace, but Hank will hear that from him directly before he gets that far. ]

I'm Ace. Hi.

[pyms]

Well, to be fair, we don't get a lot of dogs that talk back.

[ Hank shared a sympathetic look, and thought 'Do dogs recognize facial expression.' And if he was a more aware man, he might be concerned about how this looks to other people. But never mind that, he let go of Ace's collar and went to fill the plate with more bacon-scallop things. ]

It's a pleasure, Ace.

[ifnotloyal]

Not like I get a lot of talking humans, either.

[ Because being able to recognize some sounds as commands hardly counts as having been able to understand the majority of mankind before. Still, despite how weird the situation is, he still wags his tail (although that might be because there's a chance for even more bacon-wrapped things on the way). ]

Likewise, Hank.

[pyms]

[ For reasons unknown to himself, Hank is stuck on the idea that this is more telepathic than a physical changes in vocal ranges. But the idea of a machine being able to do that is a scary thought. ]

Did they set you up with a job, as well? Well, historically, the Russians trained dogs to deliver bombs... They won't be doing that to you, of course. It just wouldn't make sense.

[ifnotloyal]

Bombs?!

[ Sorry, Hank, he's too startled by that little historical tidbit to answer the other question just yet. ]

But don't those explode?

[pyms]

A good friend of mine told me this, he's a big history buff. Well, he plays a big part in it so he would be.

[ Hank rambles for a bit before he caught up. ]

Hm? Oh, yes. They do. Ironic part of that story, the Russians cancelled that program because the poor things would get scared by the gunfire and run back to the owners. But like I said, you don't have to worry about that here.

[ifnotloyal]

And blew their caretakers up right along with them...

[ If there was ever going to be something to kill his appetite this evening, that would be it. Hank gets the gold star and Ace is left looking down at his paws forlornly, ears pinned back. ]

It's good they don't do that here, because then I'd have to do something about that if they did. What a terrible thing to do to a dog.

[ Since, he assumes, Russia is far away, although knowing the program for that there is cancelled is at least some relief. ]

[pyms]

[ Good job, Hank. Only you can make a dog sad. Not quite knowing what to do, Hank took a knee and stroked the fur on top of Ace's head. ]

I'm sorry for bringing that up, Ace. Humans—humans tend to forget about ethics and morals when they deem something has a greater purpose. We're not going to forget that here, I promise.