let us bow our heads

[thespaceopera]

[it may be too optimistic to hope that it has something to do with respect, but Atroma has been very quiet. in the wake of the growing stillness on the Iskaulit, neither of the fleet's hosts have broken the peace with their chipper voices.

if the passengers are being watched as closely as they always claim, it is being done in silence.

whether or not the remainder of the living bugs are being kept somewhere for observation, and regardless of the fact that the discussion of what to ultimately do with the ship is still ongoing, it has been generally agreed that something respectful should be done with the dead, and that the remaining spores should be washed away.

so, this will all be done through a combined effort of vacuum and fire, and the time for this purge has been set.

feet on the ground are needed to prepare the foreign ship for purging--securing anything that could be damaged, and safely packing away delicate data-storing instruments and anything belonging to the fleet itself. anyone willing to help could surely find something to do.

and for anyone wishing to bless, reflect, honor, or pray... now is the time to do so. whether aboard the Iskaulit itself before the purge, offering a voice over the network, or simply watching from nearby shuttles and ships, this is the fleet's moment to help send off the crew of the Iskaulit with dignity.]


ooc: this is the final IC mod post for June! the purge itself will be implied for the most part, but anyone with skills in mechanics or fire-controlling may assume they were involved.

this post specifically is for any interactive threads involved in the final days before the Iskaulit is cleaned, and anything funerary, including broadcasts. even if you just want to put up a closed comment describing what private way your character is taking part in this makeshift 'ceremony,' go for it.

an OOC post summarizing and officially wrapping up the rest of June will go up as soon as we're able.

Comments

[thezerothlaw]

[Daneel draws in his breath, thoughtful.]

I have learned much, and grown much. Still, few humans live such extended lives, and it is sometimes... troubling. The human I admired most, my former Partner Elijah Baley, has been dead for sixteen decades, and that is never easy to think of. Death is, by its nature, a violation of the First Law, but it is not one that can be stopped.

[stayinthecar]

[ Zeta looks deeply troubled now, indeed. He's realizing for the first time that he's going to outlive Ro, if he lives. ]

I'm not certain... that I will want to continue, without my partner.

[thezerothlaw]

[Daneel's brows draw together, worried and thoughtful.]

Partner Elijah spoke to me of the insignificance of one human life against what he called the tapestry of humanity. He was, I believe, attempting to make his death easier for me, but it is something I have often thought on. I am... better, for having known him. He had a deep understanding of human nature; that is why he was such a skilled detective. I can do good by emulating him as much as I can.

[stayinthecar]

I am better, for having known Ro. I suppose... [ Zee thinks, tapping a finger on his chest ] ...I did not think I would survive here without her, either, and yet here I am.

[ The sense of devotion and sadness Daneel might be getting off Zee right now could knock him over. He misses Ro more than anything in the world. ]

[thezerothlaw]

[Were Zee human, the choice to reach forward and touch him reassuringly on the arm would be easy. For a fellow robot, it's... different. It's not, however, pointless, or at least it wouldn't necessarily be for him. So Daneel does touch him, gently.]

Then honour her in your actions. Revisit the memories that give you pleasure.

[stayinthecar]

[ Zee looks up at the touch, blinking. ]

I think of her often. Is it supposed to make me feel better?

[thezerothlaw]

I am not sure about 'better.' In my own case, however, revisiting those memories lets me revisit the pleasure I had in them when they happened. I... find that I function better, under those circumstances.

[stayinthecar]

My basic function hasn't been affected by feeling sad.

[ He's considering this whole thing very seriously. ]

[thezerothlaw]

You must judge for yourself whether the pain of loss is worth the pleasure of a friend's presence. I have found it so.