Song for a Summer Night

[thespaceopera]

[It hasn't even been a week, but the jingle announcing the Shuffle chimes out from every speaker. And your host's voice follows quickly, sounding just as bright and confident as she has all month.]

Good morning, dear passengers! Are you ready for another Drift Fleet Shuffle and letter from your adoring fans? I know I sure am! What a lovely, lovely month this has been-- an impromptu summer vacation you could say. We will all be so sad when it's over.

Even the influx and departure of passengers has been lazy this week. It's barely a ripple in the water.

Oh-- and don't you worry about those minor malfunctions we've been experiencing. Our technicians have them almost squared away, I'm sure. Not that I've heard many of you complaining, however...

[She breathes a knowing little chuckle before she continues, and there is a rustle of paper near the microphone to signal the upcoming fan letter.]

Now, this letter comes to us written on lovely blue paper. It really fits the theme. I wish you all could see it.

Ahem, "dear Drift Fleet, I have been watching you for several cycles now, and I wanted to say that I've been enjoying the camaraderie that the passengers have been showing this cycle, but it still doesn't compare to the ninth. Are we going to be disappointed again? I'm concerned that these passengers don't have any drive. So, my question to each passenger is, what is your motivation to win? Why do you think you are going to win the Drift Fleet?"

[And Diamond just can't help but take a big, thrilled breath upon the conclusion of the letter.]

--Well! What a good question! It's one that I think we've all been wondering for some time now, so please... do tell us all why you are the one that has what it takes to win.

And remember, the worlds are watching!

[Once again, the broadcast silences but the line is left open and waiting.]


ooc: → here
(as before, those who responded to the last Shuffle broadcasts will have had noticeable little bonuses to their ratings earnings for the week. apparently, audience participation really is a big hit!)

Comments

[child_of_bhaal]

This is not a game. These are real people, real lives, all of which have been forced into something we never asked for. We're not toys.

[She's not raging, but definitely frustrated. She shakes her head.]

I don't know why I bother. This is like talking to a wall.

[experiencepoints]

Because my win conditions are different. If I go back to where I was before, or set the Atroma on fire, I win. Bonus would be setting all of you fucks who watch this on fire, too, but I'll take what I can get.

[really, how is she getting bonuses out of this.]

video;

[demideific]

Because fuck you, that's why.

[ Noah says, as he flips double birds to the camera. This is what you get for asking. ]

Video;

[preformthisneigh]

[Cheese has noticed the increase in his ratings, and is very aware this is a very specific Game that's being played. He might be pretty damn crazy, but he's not stupid. You play by their rules until you know, absolutely and completely, that you can't lose.

As such, he gives another wide grin to the camera. He'll use his Cowpony voice. It's that kind of day. ]

Howdy Blue Paper Fan, thanks for the letter. I have no idea what happened to the Ninth cycle. Maybe one day Atroma will send us the footage, so we know just what you guys love the most. I'm sure they want us as entertaining as we can be. [Suck on that, space captors :) ]

As for winning, sometimes, that's not the most important thing. I think the journey is the thing that we all should focus on, if we make that the best we can, the rest falls into place, easy as anything.

Catch you again, faithful watcher.

[faithfulwisdom]

[Finrod gives the camera the sweetest smile you can possibly imagine and leans in, as if addressing a friend] That is a difficult question to answer, knowing as little as we do about the game we are playing. Perhaps if we knew more- about how we are judged, about the fates of both the 'winner' and the 'losers'- we might be inspired to greater strategizing.

Drive we have- knowledge of how to apply it, less so.[He leans back from the camera.]

For myself, I must confess that the thought of winning has not weighed heavily upon my mind. I do oft think of myself as a player in a game. [Was that an insult delivered in the most cordial tone ever? Yes, yes it was.] But to all who watch, I would say this: it does not do to underestimate a son of the House of Finwë.

video

[averagestar]

To be honest, I don't really know enough about how things work to say what my motivation to win is. What does winning even mean in the first place? The augments have given some information, but... Isn't the information about winning kind of... backwards? To win, you need the highest ratings so that they'll let you leave? Doesn't that mean the entire show is built around maintaining low ratings? No matter how you look at it, it's weird.

If we're going to talk about why I want to win.... Maybe it's so that I can get some sort of clue about what's going on here? I kind of want to find out what happens when you win, so let's say that's the reason I want to win for now.

As for whether I have what it takes to win for not... Well, that's ultimately up to the audience, I think. Still, I'll do my best!

Video

[save_the_souls]

[ Allen was in the middle of eating some noodles when the shuffle comes on. He pauses, mid-chew, when the question gets aired ]

Well, I can't say I am interested in winning so much as making sure everyone gets out of this. So I'm not sure how high my chances of winning in the way you imagine are.

[There's another pause, as he swallows.]

...But if I did win, it's probably because I cheated.

[Yeah. That seems legit. Is he done? He's going back to eating now.]

[initforthemoney]

Hold one a hot second there, toots.

This is a competition? WHat are we playing for?

Cause I ain't puttin' any effort in for anything less than a million mazumas. I got standards.

video

[blindoptimism]

[Nunnally has had an idea rolling around in her head for a while now. Thinking about the... gifts sent by viewers she's starting to get a clearer idea of who her fan base is Hint, they are young and are big fans of princesses. The members of the fleet have so little control over their captors, any way to influence the world that is watching them might be one step closer to their freedom. So even though she doesn't want to, it's time to suck it up and play a role. Maybe if she can get the kids on their side... maybe?]

P-Princess Nunnally thinks.. [no, she sits up straighter, smiles brighter, and tries her best to imitate the sort of shows that she and Euphie saw when they were little] Thinks that being mean to your friends is no good! It's important to be nice to your friends, and that's why I wouldn't want to win! Not if it means one of my dear friends would be sad.

Princess Nunnally thinks it's important for us to go home together, so that we can all be happy! [s-she even gives a little peace sign at the end.

Lawdy. First rolling around her ship as a comedy bit, now this? When the video switches off she feels a startling need to examine her life and examine her choices...]

text; private

[theboogieman]

[...she gets a text a couple minutes later...]

... princess?

text; private

[blindoptimism]

[she pauses, thinking what to say in response. It's something she's been mulling over for a while]

Doesn't it sound like a name that children would like?

text; private

[theboogieman]

[he mostly thought it was silly... and may be debating whether or not he already thinks of her as a princess in the same way he tends to see everyone through a fairy-tale lens.]

it does.

text; private

[blindoptimism]

I get dresses and dolls sometimes. maybe they're from little girls and boys. If they tell their parents that they don't like the show any more, maybe it will help?

[...]

But it was a little embarrassing to talk that way.

text; private

[theboogieman]

as good a place to start as any

was kind of cute

text; private

[blindoptimism]

A princess should be elegant and graceful, not cute.

[lamo but she's totally blushing a bit like a nerd] But, thank you.

[theboogieman]

[he will not text anything back... this convo got squishy enough as it is.]

[geonomy]

[Oho. He noticed that little bonus, too. But still, Clay's interested in responding even without that bump in ratings.]

Well, I don't know what we're going to win, but that's why we've got to keep going! As long as you don't give up, you can keep on fighting! My motivation is to explore the unknown, in space and in this race. If I give up, how am I ever going to learn the truth?

And also, I'm not the only one here. My crew means a lot to me, you know? I'm in it for them, too.

We'll never give up! And we'll always keep fighting the good fight!

[pompous_today]

I want to "win" so I can go back home. I do not belong here, and seeing my girlfriend again would be nice.

[survivalistcookbook]

If winning was just a matter of wanting it enough, most of the fleet would win, probably. We all have lives we want to go home to, things that are important to us back there - whether it's the work we do, or the loved ones who aren't with us now, or just being in a world where we know which way is up.

[If Eugene sounds somber it's because he is - sat up in his bunk, looking down at the camera, heartsick and tired by the only answer he can give the question.]

If it comes down to a fight, the winner's either going to be the strongest, or the person who's the best at throwing the other guy under the bus. If it comes down to wits, it'll be the smartest. So on, so on. Unless it just comes down to dumb luck-? I'm not winning this one. And I- you know. I've come to terms with that.

Sometimes, the best you can do is try to make peace with whatever your new situation is. And whoever, whatever you've lost . . . you just try to keep the best parts of that with you. You do that, and you hope.

That's it.

[touchofrogue]

[Rogue DID notice the bonus to her ratings. And, as she might have mentioned somewhere, she really wants coffee. So even though this is not something she'd normally reply to - entitled jerk - she decides to respond.

...and oddly, the question makes her think. This hasn't been something she's really been concerned about, but now that she's thinking on it...]

I'm not real worried about winnin'. I'm more worried about what's happenin' back home. Is time still goin' on like it's supposed ta be, or would I be able just slip right in like I'd never been gone? And what happens to the people who lose? If they're not sent home... then what?

So why don't you tell me, Concerned Viewer [tiny eyeroll morphs into direct challenging stare], why should I care about winnin' this game?