( the tech is unlike anything holden has ever seen before, but between the protomolecule and the storm, there's so much he hasn't seen before. dead people coming back as investigator-hologram-whatever-the-fuck-miller's-turned-into, hybrids and all, there's a lot he hasn't seen before that he's been dealing with lately. that they've all been dealing with.

at least this tech, it seems, is being used for good. drones are nothing new, but the mechas and the connection between pilots they require? that is. he thinks about his crew, figures him and naomi would've had the best chance -- but then he remembers how much there is about naomi that he just doesn't know. a whole past he's barely scratched the surface of. he misses her, but does he know her?

a thought for another time, when he's not about to step into the mecha for a first test run with a complete stranger. )

Hi. I'm Jim.

( space stations are nothing new, but laboratories with sentient slime? for a long moment, holden only stares, then he turns around and tries to get the doors to open again. except the slime balls are -- friendly.

should someone else walk through the door sooner or later, they'll find one (1) james holden, captain of the rocinante and alleged hero of the entire system covered in slime playing fetch with the slime balls by tossing a slime bubble toward the far end of the lab. he turns, forehead creasing, expression somewhere between embarrassed and -- happy? )

It's not what it looks like.

( it totally is. )

●●●●○ THESA

JAMES HOLDEN
@roci (30), earth

CONTACT

IGNORE

I WAS: dishonorably discharged from the un navy, captain of the rocinante

I'M SKILLED IN: idealism, fighting figurative windmills, giving a shit, lost causes

I'M LOOKING FOR: my crew and my ship

ALSO, I'M: the only child born to eight parents

My name's James Holden. ( that ought to get his crew's attention, if they're awake. the attention of anyone from the same system, really, seeing how his name's made the news multiple times -- which means the rest of this message matters less.

well, except to holden: ) Please tell me there's coffee on this station.

( the storm.

holden can't believe it yet, can't let himself believe it yet -- they've all fought so hard, they tried so hard to keep the solar system from annihilating itself, from using the protomolecule to do it. for what? if none of it mattered, if the storm wiped it all out in the end, all of the deaths and sacrifices and losses were meaningless. he failed in the end, because he didn't see this coming at all. couldn't have, probably, but that doesn't seem to matter to the weight that sits on his chest, on his shoulders, bowing his neck.

he failed everyone.

should've stuck to being xo on an ice freighter, keeping his head down and not getting involved, but then life has proven time and again how phenomenally bad he is at not getting involved. in front of the stasis pods holding members of his crew (his family) and other familiar faces, he lingers on that thought. he failed everyone.

and then he turns and goes to find coffee. there's work to be done here, too, and all these people are alive, at least, for all that they're in stasis. one step after the other. he'll get them out of stasis, but he'll help who he can in the meantime, too. )

( hit me up for ANYTHING i am not kidding all of these prompts are so good!! want someone wearing magboots to tell you how to cope with zero g? berate you for not wearing mag boots yourself? BODY HEAT CUDDLES while the temp is down? i am so here for it. or catch him in the mess hall making orgasmic faces because he's found coffee.

or hmu @ abiosis for something specific )