op2024
Cyberlad
Half Pint
Ezekiel
PatientBean
Mao Mao
Retired
Qia
Festive
mickilennial
Red Morrow sat in his room's one chair and stared into the darkness, thinking.
It had been quite a week. He'd by now made himself well acquainted with his living quarters and at least cursory greetings had taken place amongst all of the new people who would be making up this team. Obviously more time had been spent with some than others, but he'd tried to be welcoming and hope that people would be receptive to it.
Strangely, again, some had been moreso than others. And as a result Red had spent more time with those people. It did strike him strange that some viewed his presence as a nuisance on occasion. After all, Red knew that others had also been informed that they were to function as a team. A unit. Red's virtual education formed analogy of a computer comprising of various components, all functioning in unison for a set of predetermined tasks and queries. Or to better work with the 'team' descriptor; goals.
Surely at some point these other people would realise that it remains in mutual interest to come together on the same page in order to function effectively? Julian might have to specifically delegate roles for individuals if they couldn't prove themselves capable of collaboration. Not an impossible way to lead, but one which lacks the versatility of a team capable of both working together and on self-driven goals.
Still, it was early days yet. And even the people Red had spent time with it was most often spent with the distractions of this world he woke up in, so it was hardly other people's problems alone. If he was going to be able to function as a valuable teammember he was going to need to have a basic understanding of common aspects of culture and society, so that he wouldn't be fooled or distracted by new things out in the field. And new things in society weren't the only distraction.
There had been times he'd been helping 'spot' his new friend Kevin on the rack in the gym, and he'd get lost in thought and find himself staring at Gabi whilst she was running on the treadmill, and somehow time would pass and he'd hear a gurgling underneath him as Kevin was having trouble putting the bar back up, so he'd have to help him red-faced after being caught negligent in his duty. Or sometimes he'd be listening to something Hayden had been talking about which was honestly really interesting and he'd normally be concentrating really hard and then Selene would walk in the room and his eyes would just follow her across the room until Hayden would have to snap him out of it, and they'd be upset, but Red didn't know why his attention would just stray. Or when Hana would say something lewd and provocative to the group and everyone else would kind of keep moving on with the conversation as if it had never happened whilst his mind just seemed to stay there, thinking on it for some reason. Or Cece.
Just Cece. For some reason. So many different occasions he'd just dropped what he was doing when she'd needed help with something. Even when he was already doing something else. There was just something about Cece. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. And what it could have to do with these other instances where his attention had wavered.
Wait a-minu-- An idea just hit Red.
The lights flicked back on just overhead.
A voice called through the crack in his door, distracting him from his moment of illumination. "You know Julian's had lanterns downstairs for during the blackout, right?"
"I'm in my room. I know everything that's in here already. What's there to see?"
The only response to this was a loooong whistle, as if something was falling. Apparently Red had given another "interesting" response.
"What's there to see he says..." The voice mutters as it's owner went down the hallway.
Red tried to go back to his thought, but it was gone. He sighed at the lost train of thought, then scowled back at the door at the distraction. He saw Hana walk past the cracked open door and his brow raised in interest. He got to his feet, hearing the raucous noise of teenagers announcing movie night elsewhere in the depths of the house.
The cultural education continues.
