Video

[cognomen]

[The camera is situated properly, pointing at a bearded man in a padded, quilted tunic - the kind worn under heavy armor - and beyond him, into a regular ship's cabin, typical of the Mourning Star. The subject of the video is Thom Rainier, older now than he was in the days of the Inquisition both physically and spiritually. It shows not just in the creases about his eyes, but in his eyes themselves: he looks tired, but determined. At peace, even.

As for the rest of him, he's a bear of a man, barrel-chested and broad-shouldered: the very definition of "burly". An inmate would be hard-pressed to deal with him without some magical aid on their side. He has fought dragons and won, after all.]

Good afternoon. My name is Thom Rainier.

[He has a voice to match his build, deep and gravelly, but somehow gentle all the same. He's not a brute; in fact, the entire effect of him is an aura of kindness and protection.

As for the name, he doesn't stumble over it when he introduces himself. Not anymore. It's been too many years since the Inquisitor told him to atone as the man he was, and he shed the title he'd stolen.]

Captain Adams brought me aboard to be a warden. [His beard twitches with a smile. The irony isn't lost on him.] I thought the cause was a good one, and that it lined up well with my own, so I accepted.

I don't know yet which inmate I've got, but I did take on the job of ship's carpenter in the meantime. I'll be looking for help from anyone willing to give it.

My expectations are simple: we work together. We give this ship a crew to be proud of. If you're an inmate, don't cause trouble and we'll get on fine. If someone's causing trouble for you, you come see me. I'll put a stop to it.

[Always the defender, always the chivalrous hero.]

I think that's everything I needed to say. I'm not accustomed to these -

[As he speaks, he reaches out to touch the recording device, and suddenly the video cuts out. Not the audio, however.]

Maker's balls!

audio;

[blacksheeps]

[Chappie's a bit hesitant to show his face these days. After all, he's a hunted robot, and humans...humans don't understand. Until he's comfortable showing himself, he's going to keep to audio. When he speaks, the synthesized voice is higher-pitched but clearly male, and his accent South African, peppered with Afrikaans pidgin.] Eyyy, fuckmothers, how's shit? I'm Chappie, I'm new 'round here. [The R in 'round' is rolled, and 'here' sounds more like 'year'.] So, warden...it's kind of like I'm like the p'lice, ja? Never had much 'sperience bein' the p'lice I can remember.

Hey, all you inmates - I'm not your enemy, verstaan jy? I used to be the p'lice before I was me, and now I'm me, I'm Chappie, and my mommy and daddy are like you, and so was Amerika, nè? My family. I promise I'm not going to 'urt you, you didn't do anything to me. And my Maker says you can never break a promise.