MERCER

isola affiliated ed mercer.

[captmercr]

ED MERCER ( The Orville )

We need no longer fear the banana.

app. stats. rules.

A spaceman straight out of the 25th century. Adventure is his calling and he'd prefer not to stay in one place for very long.

Uses humor not only to mask his fear , but to cope as well.

Still not over his divorce.

Quick to start petty arguments for the hell of it. One of his favorite pastimes.

A man who's been burned by love one too many times , and yet he still reaches towards the flame.

TOWNHOUSE 211.

[promcsis]

[ 🛸 ] Promosis turned her head, revealing her large orb-like silver eyes. "I'm not sure. There was a loud noise from that weapon. I don't like it." She wasn't in pain, just emotionally distressed. "You can have it, if you want. I don't need such a thing.."

She still remained curled up, but she pointed at the B.B Gun which had unceremoniously been tossed aside.

[captmercr]

As far as aliens are concerned , she's the most " stereotypical " he's seen , so to speak. But it does explain her reaction to the noise , at least a little. Any species wouldn't have much knowledge on a place like this - so closely resembling 21st century Earth , and yet horribly different at the same time.

His gaze followed to where she pointed , recognizing the same gun that was given to him. After a moment , he knelt down to her side. ❛ I see they gave you one of those , too. ❜ But those guns don't really make much noise , do they ? ❛ Can't say I've gotten much use out of mine , don't know if I need another. ❜

[wshingwells]

" Would anyone care to try these ? " She's got a tray of what looks like pumpkin cookies in her hands. It's her first time using a modern oven and she almost burned her hands several times but it's okay. She's got this. Baking is a coping mechanism and a favourite hobby, nothing was going to stop her.

[captmercr]

He almost walks right past her ( he's still trying to find a job , but that's mostly on him more than anything else ) but seeing a kid holding a tray of cookies out of the corner of his eye does get him to stop. ❛ Wow ― ❜ That's the one thing about being here , he supposes. Everything's homemade as opposed to being replicated. Although he really wasn't expecting to just see someone with baked goods on the sidewalk. But there really isn't much he is expecting from this place , really. ❛ Those smell amazing. How long have you been baking for ? ❜

[promcsis]

@captmercr

[ 🌃 ] Promosis stood, holding the weapon she had been given by the stars. In both hands she turned it around, observing it like it was some strange organism. ...Just a B.B gun, but she didn't know what it was, or how she was meant to use it. It looked like a device she did have, but this was clearly not that. "I don't understand. How does this--" All of a sudden the B.B gun shot out pellet. The pellet hit a metal trash can which in turned frightened a feral cat out from it's hiding spot, which also cause Promosis to drop the weapon and cower.

'AHHH! I didn't mean to! What happened?! I'm sorry!! I'm sorry!' She sat crouched on the ground, knees bent, and hands over her bald head to protect herself.

[captmercr]

The crash of a trash can being hit by something was enough to grab Ed's attention. His head whipped towards the source of the noise , only seeing the cat scramble by out of the corner of his eye. He scans his surroundings , gaze finally settling on the stranger curled up out of fear.

❛ Woah - ❜ He looks both ways before jogging over to her. ❛ Is everything okay ? ❜ There's no hesitation as he kneels down next to her , keeping his distance as to not frighten her anymore than she already is. He can't make out much of what she looks like because her head's hidden in her hands. But from what he can see , she must not be used to much of .. this. ❛ You're not hurt , are you ? ❜

[doctornota]

"YOU'VE BEEN TO ONE?" It catches him by surprise - Leonard's only seen those things in the vids, read about them in history books. They certainly don't exist anywhere in the Federation, but then Ed's not from the Federation ( no matter how often Leonard tends to forget that fact; his Union just seems so similar in so many ways ).

But maybe they shouldn't be talking about morbid things like zoos. Kind of killing the mood, and it's hard enough to get into a mood that isn't abject misery to begin with. God, what a week. What a month, in Leonard's case.

At least Ed's been putting himself out there. "Well, hey, that's good. I don't know what you're talking about - Starship Captain ticks all the boxes. Leadership," he begins to count on his fingers and then immediately falters. Staying calm in a crisis would work if he's trying to become a first responder. "Uh, teamwork. Communication..."

...He supposes that is all rather generic.

"There's got to be something."

[captmercr]

❛ Not to one. ❜ He begins , shaking his head. It's one hell of a story. ❛ In one. ❜ He's still not certain if it's the strangest landing party that he's ever been on. It's up there , seeing as there was a good chance that he and Kelly both would have been stuck there had Alara not saved their asses. The more he thinks about it , the more the comparison feels right. The only thing that makes this different is that they didn't replicate his old apartment. That and they can't see the people watching them. Other than that , the feeling is the same.

❛ Uh huh. ❜ There could be something there if he looked hard enough , but he was still trying to get over the " holy shit my crew's going on without me " phase. That's a very hard phase to get through.

❛ I'll figure it out. ❜ He says with a shrug , turning towards the lane they're seated in front of. ❛ But now's not the time for drafting a job application , is it ? We're here to get wasted off our asses and see if we can even hit one pin. ❜

[recgistrator]

He hums - makes the sound of it, that is - and looks up at the stars again. To have a profession such as that, a space explorer, charting their way through the boundless expanse of the universe...

"That sounds fascinating, mon ami. I would love to hear more if you are willing to share." Regis laughs, a little self-consciously (though it is difficult to say if it's genuine) and adds, "Ah, I'm afraid my position is far more mundane than that. The kind that requires both feet to be planted on the ground, so to speak."

(And if that is mostly so he can take off running at any moment, well, that's something he can keep to himself. No need to begin introductions with his rather lengthy criminal record, after all.)

[captmercr]

Ed nods to himself , the stars still visible even as he closes his eyes. Granted , the view is different. When his eyes are closed , he's still sitting on the Captain's chair , seeing them through the glass of the Orville's bridge. When he opens them again it's a lot more lackluster.

❛ Oh , well - ❜ He's already said enough to land him in jail if he was ever going back home. No use in holding back. ❛ What do you want to hear ? I can tell you , some aspects of it are a lot more exciting than others. ❜ The actual charting part may be the most boring. That and the diplomacy. And even the diplomacy has it's moments.

❛ There's nothing wrong with that. ❜ He replies , shaking his head. ❛ If everyone were in space there would be no reason left to explore it. ❜ There's a beauty that comes with knowing you're stepping foot into something completely and utterly unknown. He would be out of a job if everyone else was out there , too. There'd be nothing new left to see.

[viladlind]

the blanket is soft under her legs. the air is cool with nighttime settling on the city, and the sky is as clear as it would be on a winter evening, no clouds in sight. it was a perfect opportunity to follow up on her promise and take ed somewhere, and after some brainstorming, they decided to meet up here.

   the eternal tree in the cotes ward offers a feeling of safety, and the grass is still warm after an entire day of sunlight shining down on it. they picked a spot with the river close enough for them to be able to hear the rushing water, a repetitive sound that calms the mind. and there's the closeness, of course, of being curled up next to ed as they settle in for a few hours, with nothing to do but chat and gaze.

   and perhaps a few other things, if she's lucky.

   for somebody who spent the last few months sleeping under the stars, she's oddly excited about this. there's an intention to it that she hasn't had in a long time. when was the last time she truly thought about the stars? perhaps when she was on dovesong, looking at the sky and wondering what's out there for her.

   ' stargazing was a lovely idea. ' still sitting up, she starts fidgeting with her boots, slowly unlacing each of the knots, which will admittedly take a while. she steals a quick glance towards ed as she goes, smiling warmly. ' leave it up to the starship captain to come up with it. are you hungry? there's some snacks in my basket. '

@captmercr

[captmercr]

There's a peace that washes over him , enveloping heart and soul. It's not often that he really got to feel at peace. Even when he was on break , at any moment he could be whisked away from it and back to his duties as Captain. That is what he signed up for , after all - he knew the risks of it when he joined. But there's an almost oddly melancholic feeling that comes with this newfound sense of relaxation. Nobody's lives are on his shoulders. There's no one to command. He really didn't think he would ever be able to find a life outside of it.

Ed hums softly as he gazes up at the stars. The view from down here is nothing like being amongst them. In space , it's easy to take it for granted , because all you see is stars. Perhaps a planet or two , if you're lucky. The view from the ground , however , is different. Not as beautiful as being immersed in them , he would say , but it's beautiful in it's own right. You see things you can't see , this way. The constellations. The way the stars align in relation to each other. He glances at Fiyero next to him. Well , at first he didn't think the view was as beautiful. He learns very quickly that opinions can be changed.

❛ I'm glad you think so. ❜ He truly is. He can't remember the last time he was able to do something like this without the worry of it being rudely interrupted. Either by a red alert , call from the Fleet , or even just someone barging into the holodeck out of turn. He'll admit , half of why he suggested the idea is because he felt homesick. The Orville was his home , and the stars are the closest thing he has to it right now. He tilts his head up towards the sky again , his expression changing briefly into one of thoughtfulness. He wonders where they are , right now. If the ship's up there somewhere looking for him. He hopes so.

He leans over to take a look in the basket. ❛ Wow - you really prepared , huh ? ❜ He grins. ❛ Now I feel bad for not bringing a drink or something. ❜ He makes a mental note. Just in case.

[viladlind]

   ... you're both divorced???

[captmercr]

yep. got divorced almost two years ago. i'm doing great. just great. :]

[captmercr]

^ also divorced

[doctornota]

ED'S EASY TO PICK OUT OF A CROWD— his attire doesn't do him any favors in the way of blending in. At least Leonard resigned himself to buy an outfit or two, no matter how much his rapidly-dwindling funds gave him pause.

"Like giving enrichment to a zoo animal." Hey, Starfleet gave them one, too, and he's not counting it as a point in their favor, either. He gestures up and down towards Ed once the captain is close enough, towards his whole everything, the way he's evidently falling flat on the whole adapting thing. Leonard's barely a step ahead, but at least he's trying, and he really is concerned about the other's claim to wallowing in misery over his crew this whole time.

"You really weren't kidding. What've you been doing for the last three days?"

[captmercr]

The very last thing on his mind was buying a new outfit. His uniform has served him well thus far , and he doesn't plan on staying long enough to need any other clothes. Maybe that sounds like misplaced hope - but he's not giving up that quick.

❛ Y'know , that's exactly what this feels like , too. A zoo. ❜ He hates that he knows the feeling. It's a familiar sensation , being watched. He's lucky that the last time it was only for a few days. Which is exactly why he hasn't lost the hope that the Orville will be here any day now. He shakes his head. He can't believe humans used to have zoos with animals in them. Let alone having zoos full of species that you can properly communicate with.

❛ Job searching , mostly. ❜ If you call staying at his townhouse and fucking with the phone he was given " searching. " But he's not admitting that out loud. ❛ If I'm gonna be here , I might as well have some income. Still don't know if being a Starship Captain will do me any good in terms of experience , though. ❜

[salfxsher]

Sal nodded his head, then let out a light chuckle. "Hah, yeah I get that. All of this--" He mimicked the gesture that Ed had just done; using his free hand to do so. "-- isn't easy to settle in with. It took me awhile to get even remotely comfortable." Even with the precious friends that Sal had made, he still wasn't 100% on-board with it. Yes, guilt also came with that.

He had been stolen from his home, and life. As terrible as that life had become, it was still his!

"Huh...this? Well...since I was a teenager." Sal was a little surprised that Ed had asked a question about his skating. Mostly because the newbies of Spirale would bombard him with much more pressing issues. "You know..." He slung the board over his shoulder.

"I've been around here for awhile. If you've got like...other questions. You can ask those too. I don't mind. " Sal offered an olive branch, just to make the guy feel more comfortable.

[captmercr]

Ed nods , his face falling slightly at the other's response. Well , that certainly wasn't the kind of reassurance he was hoping for. ❛ . . so you've been here for a while , huh ? ❜ He tries not to sound too disappointed that getting out of here may take a little while longer than he wanted it to. But , what the hell was he expecting , really ?

There's a small bout of silence before he shrugs in response. ❛ I figured that you'd have gotten just about every question about this place under the sun. Didn't want to bother you with that immediately after almost making you eat shit. ❜

However , maybe getting directions from someone who's been here a little bit longer might save him some trouble in the long run. ❛ But now that you've offered - I heard something about there being an observatory around here somewhere. Do you have like . . a general direction ? A ward that it's in ? Then I'll get out of your hair , promise. ❜

[viladlind]

fiyero can practically see the poor man stop working. he freezes in place with the bold touch, and his cheeks flush scarlet, like the colour of fiyero's lipstick. for a moment, he stands and wonders how the two would look together. it's a tempting idea, one he's determined to figure out sooner rather than later. especially if affection lures such delicious reactions out of the captain.

   ' that colour looks nice on you, ' he murmurs in consideration, with a satisfied smile. he wants to reach out again, but holds himself back for the time being. not that he's not ready to give in abundance, but sometimes leaving somebody wanting makes touch all the better in the long run. so fiyero remains still, pulls out the phone he was given upon arrival. he's still unfamiliar with the modern technology of the place, but after yuri showed him how, it's fairly easy to pull up ed mercer in the list of contacts, his talons clacking against the screen.

   grinning to himself, he sends him a little winky face. ' i'm so glad to hear it. here, i sent you a message. i was on my way to somewhere else, so i must be going— but we can write, yes? figure out something fun to do together. i can't wait. '

[captmercr]

Ed shifts from foot to foot , trying his best to maintain some sliver of his composure. Being flirted with is something he's never truly gotten used to. Granted , he can't say it happened to him often. In actuality - he can only truly recount one time he's ever been flirted with by someone other than his ex - wife. And even then , he's positive that it was a fluke. He can't say he dislikes it , though. It just makes him feel uneasy. The divorce was over a year ago. Why does he still feel like he's doing something wrong every time he tries to move on ?

❛ Wh - ❜ He takes a deep breath. He knows how red his face is. He can feel the heat in his cheeks , and he can't focus on anything other than the situation at hand , even after averting his gaze from Fiyero's. With how much he's stumbled through this conversation already , he makes the decision to not embarrass himself further by trying to choke out a response. Instead , he watches as the other gets out the device that he assumes they all have been given - something he has yet to actually figure out.

There's a soft ding that comes from his pocket as the message is sent , and he pulls out his own phone to look at it. ❛ A - alright. That sounds great ! ❜ It's not much different than a communicator , he realizes. Just . . strange. The thought is quickly shrugged off in favor of returning their grin with one of his own. Something fun to do. Well , he supposes it's better to get out and actually do things than sitting in his house and wallowing in self misery. No matter how much he wants to try to free himself ( and everyone else stuck here ) he's afraid that it may be up to the Orville to find him. Wherever they are. ❛ Ah , well , have a good one ! I'll make sure to . . uh . . keep in touch ! ❜

[captmercr]

[txt] that's the most personal information you're getting from me for another two months

[txt] sounds good to me

[doctornota]

[txt] that was entirely unprompted it is clearly not a struggle to get personal information out of you but okay 🙄👍

McCoy's got no idea where exactly Ed lives, which means he's not entirely sure how long it will take him to find the place in actuality, and therefore he doesn't feel too bad about getting situated with out him.

It's not as sleek as the Enterprise's bowling alley, that's for sure - the tacky carpet is a significant downgrade - but it's got everything else he would expect, right on down to the ugly shoes. He reluctantly forks over the cash to grab the two of them a lane not too far from the bar. Priorities.

[captmercr]

[txt] whatever

It takes a little more than ten minutes for him to find the place ( he still can barely navigate this damn city , but he finds his way eventually ) and make his way over to Leonard. His head looks from left to right , taking in his surroundings. It looks similar to the one they programmed into the holodeck - down to the carpet with the colorful pattern.

Ed walks through the room , passing lane after lane until he finally ends up at the one the other's situated at. And right next to the bar , too. Nice. ❛ Don't know if we'll ever find out why we were brought here , but at least they were kind enough to give us a bowling alley. ❜ Sucks that they have to pay for it , though. If you're gonna pull a man from his life against his will , why would you also make him have to earn money ? That doesn't make sense to him.

[doctornota]

[txt] ...okay, we're going to have to try and dissect that over a drink or something

[txt] i'll send the address. meet you in ten.

[captmercr]

[txt] that's the most personal information you're getting from me for another two months

[txt] sounds good to me

[doctornota]

[txt] excused

Sorely tempted to ask whether holodeck bowling even counts as real bowling ( surely the weight is all wrong ), and wow does their ship not just have a bowling alley built right into it?, and who is in charge of writing up the shift rotations on the Orville because that schedule sounds like a nightmare. But he refrains.

[txt] look. to be honest i don't have a job. 🤷‍♂️ do you have a job

[txt] because if we're both unemployed bastards then we're going right now

[captmercr]

[txt] i've been here for two days and i'm still trying to get over the crushing emptiness that not having my crew fills me with

[txt] of COURSE i don't have a job

[txt] lets go then

[doctornota]

[txt] i've been in a lot of cities that had a shitton of bars and no bowling alley so that logic doesn't track 👎

[txt] but this one does, i checked.

[txt] pavel and sulu always kicked my ass back on the ship. my odds might be a little better here, but that depends on how you answer my follow up question

[txt] are you GOOD at bowling

[captmercr]

[txt] well excuse me for assuming

[txt] i don't know. can't say i remember the last time i've properly been bowling

[txt] only got to play on the holodeck a few times because i only got like an hour a week

[txt] ED MERCER IS TYPING. . .

[txt] so when are we going

[captmercr]

@doctornota asked :

[txt] THOUGHTS ON BOWLING

[txt] do they have a bowling alley here?

[txt] i mean they have a bar so obviously they'd have a bowling alley

[txt] i can't remember the last time i've properly bowled that wasn't in the holodeck