Chapter One [Video/Action]

[thebestseller]

Who: Richard Castle and you
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: The good ship Windrose
When: RIGHT NOW

Video

[Castle is looking dubiously at his bowl of celebratory chocolate pudding- at least he thinks that's what it is- as he broadcasts to the network.]

Dear video diary,

Today is the start of my new life as a space reality TV contestant. It can't be much worse than paparazzi and serial killers, right? Right. I have been assigned to the good ship Windrose and hope to be an asset to her crew. Oh, diary, I do miss New York City, but I might as well make the best of things while I'm here.

Love always, Castle.

Action

[Upon exploring his new digs, it didn't take Castle long to find the tiny cleaning droids. He was attempting to line them up, but as they seemed programmed to go and clean on their own, he was having some difficulty.]

Come on, stand still and be a good robot army.

[Or perhaps you'd like to run into him elsewhere? Just name the time and place.]

Comments

[peacockherald]

You toured for your book? You sound like a Bard but for the written word. You were famous in your land?

[thebestseller]

Yeah, a bit like that. I would travel around the country to meet my fans and read from my book and give out autographs. I was very well-known, so it was weird to come here and find out that nobody knows of me.

[peacockherald]

I see. Fascinating. I did not know that being an author could garner quite so much fame. What did you write about?

[thebestseller]

Mysteries! Detectives who would solve crimes and bring the bad guys to justice. I actually ended up basing a new character on my fiancee- a smart, savvy female detective.

[peacockherald]

Oh, they sound very exciting. Do you have any with you? I would very much like to read them if you do.

_{[ He's perfectly serious, Castle. He loves to read and mysteries and fiction novels speak more to him than magic considering that magic is just a way of life to him. ]}

[thebestseller]

I wish- I only came in with the clothes I had on my back. I don't suppose there's a library here anywhere...

[peacockherald]

Oh, there is. I believe it is located on the Bishop if I recall correctly.

[thebestseller]

Awesome. Even if I can't find my own books, it'd be nice to have stuff to read- authors are often the most voracious readers, after all.

[peacockherald]

I know the feeling. I have come to enjoying quite a bit. The Castle had an extensive library from many worlds - one of its few perks.

[thebestseller]

Now that would be something I'd love to see. Maybe I'd find books by a me in a parallel universe that writes romance novels instead.

[peacockherald]

Heh, it is a possibility, though I cannot say for sure. Perhaps that is how the Bishop's library might work? I am not sure how they get their books, honestly.

[thebestseller]

I am not too proud to ask. I'd love my ship to have a library, too- or maybe the fans will send me some once they find out I want them.

[peacockherald]

Ah yes, the fans... if they exist.

[thebestseller]

[Well, this was interesting. Castle was definitely attentive now.]

Really? There might not be actual fans?

[peacockherald]

It is only a theory I have - something I have thought from time to time. According to what we are told, people watch us, watch our lives. But we have never seen true evidence of this, have we? I have not, and the 'letters' are easily forged.

_{[ He shrugged. ]}

It is only a thought, though. I have no proof of my theory either.

[thebestseller]

[Castle nodded.]

Seems like a pretty reasonable suspicion, though- if contact between us and our fans is at a minimum, and we're stuck in an area where our hosts are always watching us, then it is easy to fake the idea that there's an audience. Atroma knows enough about us to tailor letters and gifts and the like.

[peacockherald]

Precisely. Telling us there are fans could simply be a distraction. Though why Atroma would need one, I cannot say.

[thebestseller]

Yeah, that's the question, isn't it? How much control do they really have over our lives, why did they pick us of all people? It's enough to make you paranoid.

[peacockherald]

You learn to live with it. Not much comfort, I know, but it becomes a bearable weight.

[thebestseller]

Like anything, really. I'll still be paying attention, though- trying to figure out the mystery of who's behind this. And why they picked us.

[peacockherald]

Perhaps your mind is better suited to the task than mine. I think perhaps to straight forward. Though Paradisa always remained a mystery to me over the years. But answers would be nice, I admit.

[thebestseller]

I do enjoy a good puzzle- I've solved a few of them myself. I do have a feeling this one's not going to be easy to crack, though.

[peacockherald]

From my experience? Any chance of solving it will be years in the making. I do hope you are not to scare of the unknowns of space, my friend.

[thebestseller]

I'm up to it- though our benefactors may not appreciate me poking around.

[peacockherald]

I doubt it, but they should have expected it at the least. Did they truly think we would so quietly accept our new places in the universe?