[Audio]

[mindoirsurvivor]

[The post opens with an insistent, repetitive beeping sound, emanating from every island-issued computer or smartphone. A moment later, there's a grumbling, incoherent streak of swearing in the background, and then Shepard's voice, sounding bleary, tired, but still sarcastic as always. It seems to be one side of a conversation, the other half is not audible.]

What the Hell do you mean 'emergency announcement?' If you have an emergency dispatch, can't you just broadcast it yourselves rather than making me read it from a -- no?

Isn't this more the Chief's job than mine?

He doesn't wake up to rhythmic alert noises?

Fine, whatever.

[The last bit is nearly a snarl. immediately following, his voice takes on a bored sing-song quality, reciting from a script -- only gradually changing to anger and alarm as he realizes what he is reading.]


Deep-space radar has detected a cometary fragment moving towards Earth with improbably high speed. Calculations show that it will strike within fifteen miles of New Moore at 1:07 AM on January 17th. Its mass and velocity are sufficient... to cause an extinction-level event?

Upon impact, it will... release six teratons or four zettajoules of explosive force, cause worldwide seismic and volcanic events, including megatsunamis, atmospheric combustion, and a burst of infrared radiation, together exterminating eighty percent of all biological life on the planet. Perhaps needless to say, the forcefield protecting the island will be insufficient defense.

The administration of New Moore... encourages you all to make peace with your place in the universe... and enjoy the remainder of your existence on the planet.

[There is a long pause.]

What do you mean, 'no further communication will be forthcoming?'

[The beeping sound resumes. After thirty seconds of it, the transmission ends.]

Comments

[loseashoe]

[She laughs quietly and accepts the refill.]

Paperwork is overrated. I never bother with it.

[mindoirsurvivor]

I miss those days.

[His voice sounds less nostalgic and more anticipatory.]

[loseashoe]

You weren't always a policeman?

[mindoirsurvivor]

[Slightly ironically, he draws himself up into a military posture and salutes.]

Commander John Shepard, Systems Alliance Navy, N7 Special Forces Marine, 5923-AC-2826, detached indefinitely to the Citadel Council, Special Tactics and Reconnaisance.

Which is about where the paperwork started getting complicated.

[loseashoe]

I bet it did.

Systems Alliance? I'm unfamiliar with the term.

[mindoirsurvivor]

Yeah, you and everyone else here.

[He drops the salute.]

As near as I can tell, I'm from farther in the future than anyone else on the island. Humanity has colonized dozens of systems across the galaxy. The Systems Alliance is half of what keeps us safe from... everything else.

[loseashoe]

A space navy?

[Fascinating. She takes another sip of her drink.]

Yeah, definitely further on than me. I imagine it's a fascinating time, though.

[mindoirsurvivor]

That's one word for it.

Had enough of meteor impacts to last me a lifetime, though.

[loseashoe]

I imagine.

Still, it's not over yet.

[mindoirsurvivor]

Not by a long shot.

[He polishes off his second drink, and eyes the bottle, considering.]

[loseashoe]

[She holds out her empty glass with a grin. She never stays drunk long, it's not a problem for her.]

Got any plans?

[mindoirsurvivor]

[Another refill it is, then.]

That depends. I'm not going to sit on my ass with a comet bearing down on us, but until we're sure... and until I know what the department is doing...

[loseashoe]

Well, good luck on whatever you do. Let me know if I can help.

[mindoirsurvivor]

[For that, he raises his glass a moment, toasting or saluting to indicate a deal.]

[loseashoe]

[She grins and raises her glass back before finishing it and standing.]

I should get going. I'm sure we've both got things to do.

[mindoirsurvivor]

[Smiling slightly, he downs the drink.]

I'll see you around, then.

[loseashoe]

[Is that a flirtatious look? Oops. Probably.]

I hope so, Commander. It's been a pleasure.