[IC] TEST POST

[dendarii]

[ Miles Vorkosigan cuts an unusual figure even under the most extraordinary circumstances: tiny and somewhat hunchbacked, his curved spine obvious even beneath his custom-cut Imperial Security green military uniform. Unless you're bitty like him (and he's met few adults below his height of 4'8"), he likely comes up to your shoulder or a little lower.

There is, however, a manic energy to the man that makes him fill up more than his physical space. Sharp, penetrating gray eyes take in the world around him as great refreshing gulps of information. Depending on the situation, he may be taking in you as well. ]

A - Canon

[ In his case, you suddenly find yourself in an empty and rather old-fashioned looking house. Old-fashioned except for the high tech consoles installed in various areas, anyway, and if one looks out the window a relatively sci-fi-esque view can be seen interspersed with vaguely Russian architecture. Miles looks up, startled by your sudden appearance. ]

I'm sorry, have we met?

[ In other words, how the hell did you just waltz into the Vorkosoigan House without him being alerted by the guards? Visiting his father or mother, maybe? That's the only thing coming to mind. ]

B - Mask or Menace

[ Staring, Miles can deal with. It's depressingly normal and almost comforting, given the circumstances. But having people approach him like some kind of celebrity is damned unsettling. It feels like some awful combination of being both Lord Vorkosigan and Admiral Naismith at the same time ... which is technically true, but he's not enough at ease with himself to cross those wires just yet.

Speaking of which. He fixes a brilliant smile on his face as his confident swagger threatens to knock over anyone within a five meter radius of him. The space operatic Admiral Naismith persona in full force and practically spilling over. After all, when faced with a wall, Miles tends to charge right the hell on through. First obstacle to be defeated: finding out what the hell is going on and why his head is feeling strangely full all of a sudden.

He's about twenty or so, though with a face like his he could be anywhere between early twenties and early thirties. The tell-tale import barcode flickers at his wrist; he hasn't quite realized what that means for himself or anyone else. In a remarkably flat, pseudo-American accent: ]

You know, I think I've gotten myself lost. Any chance you're more familiar with this place?

[ Heropa is where he's come out first, but by now he could be in any of the Porter cities. ]

Comments

[dendarii]

[ He's foundering already. Goddamn, what a mess. How did he get out of it while with the mercenaries? Distraction tactics, primarily. ]

Isn't that what parents are supposed to do? And if she's a human on Vulcan, she must be an offworlder.

[scienceping]

She was, yes.

[dendarii]

[ Oh no. Not the distraction he meant. ]

"Was"?

[scienceping]

She did reside on Vulcan, though both she and Vulcan no longer exist.

[ If someone were to be paying even half attention to their conversation, they might have missed what Spock said for his casual tone just then, similar to talking neutrally about the weather.] ]

[dendarii]

[ Miles' breathing stops for a moment. He must have misheard. ]

I - I'm sorry for - your whole planet?

[scienceping]

Affirmative. It was destroyed when a singularity was artificially created at the planet's core.

[dendarii]

[ He's never heard of such a thing. It's terrifying to contemplate. ]

How?

[scienceping]

[ Probably just as terrifying is Spock's manner in talking about it so blandly ... ]

By the use of a material simply known as "red matter". As a means of revenge for a perceived slight, a Romulan known as Nero used his mining vessel to drill a hole into the planet and injected the red matter, causing it to ignite at the core. The resulting singularity consumed the planet and its six billion inhabitants. There were only approximately ten thousand survivors.

[dendarii]

[ And he thought the war with Cetaganda was bad. That had left scars all over Barrayar; to have no scars at all because the planet itself is gone is beyond comprehension. He's badly shaken by the thought. ]

I ... I see. I think I am very glad that technology does not exist where I come from.

[scienceping]

It was not known to exist until it and Nero were transported back in time to create an alternate reality, my reality.

[dendarii]

[ That's ... even worse. Good god. His head hurts just thinking about it. ]

So there's another you. And everyone else for that matter.

[scienceping]

Affirmative.

[ ... Best save the information about having met his Prime self for now. Don't want to melt the poor man's brain just yet. ]

[dendarii]

[ Probably for the best. ]

So ... in a sense, you're a clone too.

[scienceping]

[ His eyebrow cocks again. ]

If you apply a loose definition of the term, then ... affirmative.

[dendarii]

A copy of the original. The difference being that you will never encounter your progenitor...

[scienceping]

[ ... Sigh. He tried. ]

That can be said for others in my reality, but not for myself.

[dendarii]

[ Miles' turn to tilt his head. ]

You have encountered him?

[scienceping]

The circumstances that brought Nero back in time also included Spock. Having changed events in his past, he is now stranded from his prime reality which is approximately 129 years ahead of mine.

[dendarii]

... That must be unsettling. For both of you.

[scienceping]

Not particularly. The events that Nero initiated were by far more unsettling.

[dendarii]

Well - yes, in comparison, but -

[scienceping]

It was surprising, though his presence explained a number of details in the events that occurred.

[dendarii]

Like what?

[scienceping]

Namely the origin of the red matter and the method of their arrival in the past. He had possessed the red matter so that the resulting black hole would absorb a star that had gone supernova, thereby saving the inhabitants of the surrounding system. The engineering comprehension necessary to artificially create a black hole could theoretically be manipulated to create a tunnel through space-time.

[dendarii]

Ah ... otherwise you may not have known about Nero's origin.