[video/action]

[candothat]

Enterprise? Do you read?

[A curly-headed boy, almost certainly not out of his teens, frowns at the screen. His words are rendered somewhat incomprehensible by a thick Eastern European accent in spite of his obvious attempts to annunciate.]

Ensign Chekov to bridge. Uhura? Sulu? …Mr. Spock? Chekov to engineering. Mr. Scott, can you hear me? There may have been a... ah, a malfunction with the teleporter.

Can anyone hear me?

[He sighs and fiddles with something on his device. The video feed distorts momentarily before returning to normal. When the teenager speaks again, his tone is low and words less painstakingly produced as if he’s speaking himself.]

Ai, what is this? There shouldn’t be interference this far out from the magnetic anomaly. Eto piz`dets…

Comments

[candothat]

Henry is from your home? I am sure he has some talent.

[He likes being right. He also realizes he's been doing most of the talking.] Tessa, tell me anything about you, please?

[likeboudica]

Yes, he is a Shadowhunter from the Institute in London that took me in. He is always inventing things and very enthusiastic about it, but so far none of his inventions have worked, truly.

[ It is a little strange, because she has told him about herself, very much, but now he remembers none of it. ] I— I have lived in New York with my aunt and my brother for most of my life, but then my brother went to England and a little later my aunt died [ she pauses, swallowing dryly. She told him before, but it does not get any easier regardless. ], my brother had sent poisoned chocolate that he knew I would not touch it. I do not like chocolate, you see. So she died and I went to England where I was kidnapped by the Dark Sisters and I learnt that I am not human at all.

[candothat]

Enthusiasm, I think, can be as valuable as talent.

[Chekov takes his time processing this information.] Your life has been very difficult.

[likeboudica]

In that case, he is very valuable indeed. [ Smiling a little at that, but her expression quickly grows serious, dark, as she thinks of everything that has happened. ]

There is a man obsessed with me and what I can do, and he would stop at nothing. He has built an army of clockwork men, and he has killed to get to me. He wishes to marry me so as to control me. [ she doesn't tell him that she would sooner die than let it happen. he did not like the thought when she told him last time and though it still holds true, she would do it, she doesn't wish to upset him. ]

[candothat]

[That's all rather worrisome regardless. Chekov pats Tessa's arm reassuringly.] That will not happen. Even if it does not seem possible to escape from this, you will. Someday, then, you will be safe and you can live in a library and read.

And for now, you are in the City. This man is not.

[likeboudica]

[ allowing a small smile. she wishes— she wishes that what he says will come true. wistful: ] That sounds nice.

No, he is not. For that, I am very grateful.