[video]

[ifbymyhands]

[Kano is struggling with a futuristic, overcomplicated globe puzzle. She pokes at it, tries to jam pieces into place, and pulls things out to try and rearrange them. Finally, she slumps over her desk.]

I've been trying to solve this thing for years. Any help?

Comments

video

[xuwu]

[ For years? Seriously? How pathetic. ]

It cannot possibly be that hard.

PUZZLES YOU SAY

[lookprofessor]

[If children could vibrate with excitement that is what Luke would be doing at this exact moment. She has a puzzle she wants to solve!]

Ah! Maybe I can help you!

[ifbymyhands]

Yeah, actually. You haven't done one of these, have you?

[ifbymyhands]

Really? It's some weird alien puzzle I got from a "superior being" with too much time on his hands. Not to say it wasn't a nice present, because it was nice to get anything, but I never seem to make any headway on it.

video;

[tenminutes]

Glue it and it'll stick together however you want it to.

[ifbymyhands]

What about the non-cheap way?

[lookprofessor]

I'm not always that good with sliding puzzles, but I've done lots.

[Luke is peering into the camera as if to get a better view of the puzzle.] They can be really hard.

[ifbymyhands]

Have you done any from space?

[It definitely looks complicated.]

[lookprofessor]

Puzzles from space?

Um...no. I haven't done any puzzles from space.

[He tilts his head.] I've not done anything from space.

[ifbymyhands]

Had to ask. Places like this have a weird mix of people.

[lookprofessor]

No, Miss Kano. I'm from London. I've not been to space ever and I don't really want to go. It's awfully high up, and rather dangerous.

Did you say you've met an alien before?

[ifbymyhands]

My life's kind of interesting.

[lookprofessor]

Kind of!?

That's amazing. You've met aliens! Have you been to space too?

[ifbymyhands]

Mostly just at home. The thing is, where I was before here, I was kind of connected to really persistent inter-world magical internet.

I swear.

[lookprofessor]

Inter..world..magical...internet?

[He is so confused.]

I believe you. I've just...not ever heard of anything like that at all.

[ifbymyhands]

Usually, people wouldn't. There are a couple other people here who were there.

[lookprofessor]

Oh. You've got friends from home too!

[ifbymyhands]

Yeah, you could say that. You do?

[lookprofessor]

Mm-mm. [Luke shakes his head slowly.] I'm the only one from home here.

[ifbymyhands]

That's kind of sad. Especially if you had friends back home.

[lookprofessor]

[He nods slowly.]

I miss the Professor, and my mum and dad. It's lonely sometimes.

[ifbymyhands]

I miss my sister, too. She'd probably freak if she knew what was really going on. I don't know if I'm okay with sacrificing something to open a door, though.

[lookprofessor]

Are you a big sister or a little sister?

[The boy keeps his chin resting on his hand.]
I didn't know that you could open a door to somewhere, though.

[ifbymyhands]

Younger. She basically raised me.

Yeah, those archways you might see in the satellite cities.

[lookprofessor]

Ahh...you two must be very close then. I don't have any brothers or sisters.

[He pauses.]

Opening an arch seems like it would be dangerous. Why would they just let us have something from home if they won't just let us go home? They'll probably do something awful to you if you want an arch opened.