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

[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?

[thebestseller]

Tell me about it. I just got engaged back home- I'd like to, you know, plan my wedding. I'm not going to wait for them to decide to send me back.

[peacockherald]

My congratulations and wishes for a happy union. As for the rest - as I said, it will not be a swift solution.

[thebestseller]

Appreciate it. I'm hoping everything goes off without a hitch- I've done it twice before, but I feel like I've finally got it right this time.

I'll do it if it means we can all go back to doing what we're supposed to.

[peacockherald]

Third time is the charm, I believe is the phrase.

I think that suits most people here just fine.

[thebestseller]

Yeah... and this time just feels different. Now if only I could convince her that we should get married in space.

[peacockherald]

I shall not be much help there, my friend. I would much prefer the warmth of sun and breeze to the stars.

[thebestseller]

That's okay, I think Kate feels the same way. And she usually gets to do things her way- which is just fine by me, to be honest. It's worth it to make her happy.

[peacockherald]

Happy wife, happy life, as they say.

[thebestseller]

Precisely.

[peacockherald]

Good luck to you, Mr. Castle. Perhaps sometime soon we might meet for a refreshment and discuss literature some more, yes?