Subject: Mixing it up 2: Derik and Nume
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Posted on: 2019-02-25 03:49:00 UTC

[Nume stalks into the room, where Derik is already seated.]

Nume: All right, what's so goddamn important that you had to drag me back from— *he looks around and realizes what's going on* Oh, sonnova... *tries to leave, but the door is locked* Dammit! *kicks the door* ... Ow.

Derik: *has watched this performance in some bemusement* ... Might as well get it over with as quickly as possible?

Nume: *siiigh* *actually looks at Derik* Oh. It's you. Great.

Derik: I'm sorry, have we met?

Nume: *eyebrow* A few times, here and there. You happened to be recruited during one of my missions. Guess it makes sense you wouldn't remember me. On the other hand, you are a lunatic I wouldn't forget even if I forgot things. This is going to be special. *finally sits down*

Derik: ... Quite. :/


1. Ahh yes! Welcome to the interview! Please introduce yourself: name, species, continuum of origin?

Derik: Derik. Human. Dragonriders of Pern.

Nume: Can I just say my answer to all questions is "go sit on a tack" and leave? *glances at the door; nothing happens* ... *siiigh* Supernumerary, human, World One and a bit? We're not really sure, but apparently what I've got doesn't really happen in World One proper.


2. So, what department are you in, and who is your partner?

Derik: Mary Sues. Gall Knutson.

Nume: DIC, Ilraen-Aroline-Fothergill when he's not babysitting some hopeless wet-behind-the-ears recruits.


3. Let’s start with the basic questions. How old are you?

Nume: Is it 2019? If it's 2019, I turned 41 back in November of 2018.

Derik: ... You know, I've been telling people I'm 37 for a while—"I'm 37, I'm not old," you see—but if you're one of the people that recruited me, I'm fairly certain I'm older than you. Maybe I should upgrade to 42.

Nume: *snort* The answer to life, the universe, and everything?

Derik: *flat grin* Exactly.


4. Height and weight?

Derik: 1.88 meters, bit over 90 kilos.

Nume: Oh god, he speaks metric. I'll translate: 6'2", about 200 pounds. As for me: 6'1", 175.


5. Sexual orientation?

Nume: [Bleep]ing [bleep], when are you people going to realize I am never answering this question? Go [bleep] yourselves.

Derik: *wince* ... I'll never understand why Terran culture places so much importance on this. I'm typically attracted to women, but that never stopped me from fooling around with another boy a time or two when I was younger, even before I was a dragonrider. After that, well, there still weren't that many female greenriders at the time. I never minded. Plenty of attractive women at Landing if I wanted female company. *shrug*

Nume: *staring* Do you realize your life is my worst nightmare?

Derik: *frown* I don't need your approval. Look, the expectation for most of Pern is simply that you do your duty by the next generation so the population doesn't die out during the next Pass, and the expectation for a rider is that you do your duty by your dragon. Duty is duty, who you choose to sleep with on your own time is up to you, and there's no shame in any of it. It's not strange if you're born to it.

Nume: Sure, but... No, forget it, I'm not debating this right now. Or ever. *sits with arms and legs crossed*


6. IQ?

Nume: *smirk* Qualified for Mensa when I was 18. Granted, that was 1969, so I don't know what that means now. I might have lost some brain cells in this job, too.

Derik: I'm told I occasionally show "remarkable intellectual aptitude for a mortal"? On the other hand, I'm also told I'm a bloody idiot with some regularity. *grimace*


7. Bra size? / Boxers or briefs?

Nume: Remember the tack? Go sit and spin.

Derik: *rolls his eyes* Boxer-briefs. Excellent innovation. I hope the Weaver Crafthall discovered how to make them in AIVAS' databanks.

Nume: Dammit, I don't want to think about this...


8. Let’s cut the boring questions. Firstly, how many weapons are currently on your person?

Both: *blink and glance at each other warily*

Nume: Pff, please. I am notorious for being so awful with weapons that I'm more likely to hurt myself than anyone else.

Derik: A belt knife, but it's more a tool than a weapon. I don't carry my hammer around with me.


9. Are you wanted for any crimes?

Both: No.

Nume: ... Unless the authorities found out I smoked pot in college and I just vanished before they got me. *smirk*


10. And the age-old ‘Are you a virgin?’

Nume: *stiffly* I refer you back to the thumbtack.

Derik: *tilts his head at Nume, starts to say something, shakes his head instead* No. Clearly. *runs a hand over his face*


11. Do you ever fantasize about same-sex relations?

Nume: God dammit, you prying, nosy [bleep]s. No! I do not fantasize about anything besides having my private life be goddamn private!

Derik: *rubs a spot above his temple* No... nor any other sort, really. Not much room for it between actually being with the woman and being bloody terrified for the sake of what that's wrought.


12. Lovely. So, what is your favorite curse word?

Nume: Oh, here's one question I'm happy to answer. *takes a deep breath*

[A rendition of the swearing scene in The King's Speech (NSFW, duh) was omitted for time and to save our eardrums from the bleeps. It was highly accurate save for the substitutions of "arse" with "ass," "willy" with "welnitz," and "tits" with "frell."]

Derik: ... *slow clap*

Nume: *smug smile* Okay, your turn.

Derik: Oh, no, I couldn't possibly follow a performance like that. It would be anticlimactic.


13. When was the last time you threw up?

Nume: That's... actually a bit fuzzy. Must've been pretty bad. So it was probably sometime during "Subjugation." *shudder* If it wasn't that, it was that godawful blue-red time fold in "Fullmetal and the Hogwarts Mishap."

Derik: *grimace* I've had one of those. The only reason I didn't throw up was that I was disguised as a Space Marine. When did I, though? *thinks* ... Huh. I haven't been that drunk in almost two years. What do you know? So, the most recent would be sometime in the last couple of months, when Gall took a turn and I wasn't quick enough to shield myself. >.<


14. Have any mental illnesses?

Nume: *laughs* If what I've got isn't classified as a mental illness, there's something wrong with the world.

Derik: ... I'd argue there's a difference between "ill" and "broken," but broadly, I suppose so.

Nume: Trust me, we both have more than one problem.


15. What is your biggest phobia?

Nume: My fears are all completely rational.

Derik: *snort*

Nume: What?

Derik: Well, come now. We've been in this room together for ten minutes, and it's obvious that you're terrified people might learn certain details about you, which is absolutely irrational. I don't know if there's a name for that, but you've got it, clear as a bell.

Nume: ... You're full of [bleep], fekface.

Derik: *rolls his eyes* As for me... I am afraid that I will hurt the people I care about.

Nume: You're a deranged lunatic; that's not irrational.

Derik: *stares coldly at him for a few seconds* *takes a breath, lets it out* All right, then. Bugs. Little ones with lots of legs, crawling under my clothes.

Nume: Entomophobia.

Derik: *sneer* I shall note it down in my diary.


16. Do you crossdress often?

Nume: Never, and [bleep] you for asking.

Derik: *shrug* I'd do it for a costume, but no, not often.


17. Have any addictions?

Nume: No; Bleepstuff doesn't count.

Derik: ...

Nume: Go on. Admitting you're an alcoholic is the first step to recovery.

Derik: I quit getting drunk, though.

Nume: If you still want to drink 'til you puke and you don't want to admit it, you're an addict.

Derik: *sigh* Fine. I'm an addict. But it's under control now, so—

Nume: Spoken like a true addict. Don't skip your meetings, bub.

Derik: *mutter* I don't do that anymore, either.


18. What is the closest you have ever been to dying? Or have you ever died?

Both: ...

Nume: Can we not?

Derik: Let's not.

Both: Next!


19. Have the FicPsych nurses ever taken you away?

Nume: *grin* That's how you got here.

Derik: *growl* Yes, that would be the second—no, the third time I almost died and the worst day of my life, thank you.

Nume: ... Well, they didn't have to take me away, I went in by myself, eventually. I was a prick about it, but I did it.


20. Are the FicPsych nurses after you?

Nume: Only the crazy woman who insists on being my friend for some damn reason. Bet she doesn't leave you alone, either.

Derik: Actually, we don't talk much. It's... awkward. For both of us.

Nume: *open-mouth stare* Frell me dead. I figured, what with you being...

Derik: *icy stare* What?

Nume: *survival instincts kicking in* Never mind. Lucky you, that's all.


21. Do you snore?

Both: No.

Derik: And whatever Gall says, she's lying.


22. Are you drooling right now?

Both: *look at each other*

Nume: *shrug* Only in the metaphorical sense of being stark slathering bonkers for being here. And I include myself in that.


23. Let’s say that HQ was about to explode, and you could save one other person in here. Who would you choose?

Derik: Gall. At least until... *fret* Maybe even... *fret, fret* No, I couldn't... but... *fret fret fret* Well, at least I don't have to worry about Thoth. Maybe he'd...? *fretting intensifies*

Nume: Jesus Christ, stop. You're making me anxious, and I do not care.

Derik: Well, what about you?

Nume: Hrm. ... I guess I'd have to save my idiot partner. He'd probably be trying to do something heroic and stupid, and I'd have to be the one to save his furry blue butt, again.


24. When was the last time you used the toilet?

Nume: What?

Derik: That's going a bit far for decency.

Nume: Oh, thank Christ, boundaries. Skip?

Derik: Skip.


25. Have you ever kissed a girl? / a boy? / another species??

Derik: Yes, yes, and... yes, if Mary Sues count. *scowl*

Nume: No. No, no, [bleep]ing no.

Derik: *blink* Why would you lie about that?

Nume: Excuse me?!

Derik: *wince* I'm sorry, I'm trying not to hear, but you lie loudly.

Nume: *apoplectic* Stay the [bleep] out of my head!

Derik: I'm not in your head; I've just gotten more sensitive to this sort of thing with my defense training.

Nume: Well, stop it!

Derik: I'm trying! Calm down and it'll help!

Nume: I will not calm down, you—!

[The feed cuts out for several minutes.]


26. Did you like it?

[Derik and Nume are now glaring at each other with their chairs as far apart as they'll go.]

Nume: I swear to god, if you say one word...

Derik: *to the camera* I. Liked. Every. Second.

Nume: *scoff*


27. The little voices in your head. Do you talk to them?

Derik: *abruptly gets up and walks around the room, muttering to himself*

Nume: ... Huh. Well, no voices here...


28. Were you made fun of in school? Why?

Nume: *snort* Geek, freak, weirdo, mutant, queer, spaz, nerd, psycho—need I go on? I can go on.

Derik: *quietly, from the wrong side of the camera* No one made fun of anyone in my hearing. Not after I pounded Sebrin the second time, anyway.

Nume: *raises an eyebrow* So you were, what, the biggest, baddest bully?

Derik: *silence* *walks back around and sits down again* ... *sigh* Maybe.

Nume: ... Eh. As long as you never stole anyone's glasses or put their head in a toilet, you get a pass from me.


29. I can’t think of a question to ask you. Have any comments?

Nume: [Bleep] you, [bleep] your mother, [bleep] you very much.

Derik: Seconded.


30. This interview has ended? Are you gleeful? Or would you like to complete our 100 question survey over thumbtacks?

Nume: You already know what you can do with your thumbtacks.

Derik: *snort* Heard and witnessed!

[They exit in not quite the worst of spirits.]

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