AUDIO: Whoops.

[kingtyrantranger]

[Whoops. That'd been a thing for a while.

His voice snaps onto the omnicomm, filled with good humor. Jason's still not comfortable with the omnicomm's video function, especially since he's still having to dot his face with anti-fungal cream.]

I'm gonna start this off with a warning. Doublecheck to be sure that the mail you're opening is actually yours. I had to figure that out when I accidentally picked up something meant for Brainiac 5. The good news is that I'm now out of quarantine and the med techs are pretty sure I'm not going to grow any more mushrooms.

Thanks, guys. I don't know if I can look at a pizza the same way again, though.

[He'd spent most of the past few weeks trying to learn the Interlac alphabet on his own, without the earpieces translating for him. Might keep those mix-ups from happening again.

His voice takes on a wry tone, almost apologetic.]

So it sounds like I missed some action and a few new romances. Sorry about that, gang. For the new guys I missed, hey. I'm Jason, from Angel Grove, California, and I don't really do anything exciting. Nice to meet you all.

Comments

text

[googledox]

It was meant to be rather mean-spirited prank at my expense. It's not atypical -- there are many that blame me for the rest of our team going missing and our subsequent limitations in protecting the United Planets since.

I usually scan most of my mail before opening it but Jason opened it by mistake. Fortunately, the infection was easily treatable.

[deafleppard]

so this actually kind of normal for you?

wow. jerks.

[googledox]

Quite frequent. I usually get a packages like this at least once a week. Possibly even more hate mail in letter form, but I don't bother with any paper missives -- if something is important, it would also be sent digitally.

However, I do occasionally requisition certain mechanical parts for my work or for repair around the ship, and the packages aren't always clearly labeled so I have to scan them all to make sure they're not biohazards. Or explosives.

Like I said, many blame me for the incident. The Legion is well-loved by some of the public and many citizens in some of the UP member worlds of Lost Legionnaires see me as responsible for killing "their" Legionnaire.

Part of the issue is that while most of us believe our comrades to be dimensionally displaced, most of the UP believes that they're dead, which means they're rather uncompromising in their hostility and in seeking someone to blame.

[deafleppard]

i think what surprises me most of all is that people still use paper this far into the future. wow.

but if it means anything, i kind of get what you're going through.

granted, i haven't yet experienced someone trying to blow me up or poison me by mail but. you know.

[googledox]

I will hazard a guess that you mean that back home someone has attributed some heinous act as your doing, regardless of the actual details of the incident involved?

[deafleppard]

got it in one.

[googledox]

Get used to it. This isn't the first time I've been scapegoated during my superhero career and it certainly won't be the last.

You won't find it so easy to escape, either. The public loves a good pillorying.

Quite fortunately, public approval is not what our work is about.

[deafleppard]

yeah, sure, i get it

i'm just saying it would make my life a little bit easier if they stopped reminding me.

doesn't look like the people here have caught on to me. so that's cool.

[googledox]

So far you've opted to join a team of strangers to protect a galaxy of civilians that you have no connections with and owe nothing to. And your very first public act as a Legionnaire was saving the UP Council and Madame President.

It's entirely possible they may turn against you at some point, but for now, you're in their good graces, and it's my hope that I can get you home long before any of you are in the public's crosshairs.

[deafleppard]

yeah, well. making an impression is better than no impression at all.

and thanks, by the way.

[googledox]

For what?

[He's really not used to being thanked for things. Even though he knows his friends appreciate him, usually after the part where they scream "Brainy, we need you to do the thing nowwwww!" they're too busy celebrating over not being dead to thank him.]

[deafleppard]

for the conversation. s'good stuff.

[precious socially awkward child.]

[googledox]

[There was a time where Brainy was far more socially awkward himself. He still is at times and he knows it. But he also understands what this is.]

There's no need to express gratitude for any reassurances I've given you.

They're simply the truth.

[deafleppard]

yeah well

you're getting my thanks anyways