(no subject)

[experiencepoints]

Who: Nightingale and you
Broadcast: Video, fleetwide
Action: On the Bishop
When: Now

[The video feed starts, showing Nightingale sitting at a table, shuffling a few papers around awkwardly until she's sure the video is on.]

Something I've noticed for a while now is that there's a lot of new people showing up near-constantly, and they all seem to have the same questions. And since they're stuck on the Marsiva for a week, they don't really have people to give them that information, past asking the network, which doesn't always work so well. Especially while people are on a planet, or busy trying to repair their ships, or things like that. And even if everyone is around to give answers, answering the same thing over and over again gets really tiring after a while.

So, I've been working on a sort of an introduction guide, for the new people. [She indicates the papers on the table.] The problem is, I haven't been here that long myself, comparatively to some. I don't know a lot, and there's a lot that people need to know. Apparently that fleet of ships that messed us up a little while ago actually attacked us once before? And I think that's something pretty important to know, in case they come back again, so we can be more prepared for fighting them off. Or anything else important that's happened.

I'm looking for people who have been here for a while and are willing to help with that project, providing information to help write this guide. So... Please let me know if you can help.

[There's a small pause, then she adds:]

Also, has anyone seen Riley Matthews lately? She also goes by Lark. I haven't been able to get a hold of her in a while, and I'm starting to get worried.

[And with that, she turns off the feed.]

Comments

[mikangirl]

It's a good idea. I can imagine people constantly asking questions would get old.

[experiencepoints]

It gets pretty dull, yeah. I keep worrying I'm going to forget something, or that some new person won't get any answers at all.

[mikangirl]

If you get an information pack together, is there any way you can link it with one of these things? [Just tapping her comms device.]

[experiencepoints]

Yeah, one second. I'll send you what I have.

[I'm not actually sure how linking things works, but whatever, you get a link.]

[mikangirl]

[Oh cool, the same sort of network is here too, then.]

Thanks!

[It'll be a few minutes before she responds after that, poring over what's here. It's bunch of useful stuff she didn't really know yet, so handy.]

You've been around a while? Or are you getting some of this secondhand?

Video

[dancingmd]

[Beverly's tone is not friendly, exactly, but she has noticeably lost her previous stiffness towards Nightingale.]

I think this is a good idea. I try to catch new people but well... I can't always be watching the network. What do you have so far?

Video

[experiencepoints]

[Meanwhile, Nightingale is actually a lot more stiff- the desire to not fuck up has made her extremely self-conscious.]

Yeah, I barely do anything, and even I miss things a lot... One second, let me attach it as a document here.

[After a moment of fiddling with her comm, she sends over a text document. With purple font, because she can. Shhh.]

Video

[dancingmd]

[When she receives the document, she takes a moment to look over everything, nodding as she reads.]

Looks like you have a good start here! I can't think of anything else to add to the introduction... any longer than what you have might be too overwhelming. However, I can definitely help you with the descriptions of the various stops and events since I arrived, which will cover about half the time since this all began.

[Now that's an unpleasant thought. Let's not linger on it.]

Video

[experiencepoints]

Thank you. You've got a point about it being overwhelming if we give too much more... I think that's everything important, though. The timeline is going to be the important part.

[At the second part, though, she perks up.]

That would help a lot. Do you remember roughly the dates they happened? A timeline would be useful, but if nothing else, just an order of events and knowing what happened would still be the most important thing.

Video

[dancingmd]

Mmm, I've been trying to keep logs as we go along. Even if I don't have exact dates, they should be within a couple of weeks of when things happened.

[unfulfilledpotential]

I haven't been able to reach her either - or her dad, for that matter. [Which is not a statement he ever thought he would make.]

They're not listed in the registry, so did they... Go home, maybe?

[He hopes. Home would technically be better than this place.]

[experiencepoints]

[Shit. She cringes at Shawn's suggestion, since it's a lot more complicated than that.]

... Her dad, maybe, but Lark couldn't have.

[unfulfilledpotential]

Huh? How come?

They both came from the same place and time, right? [Just when he thinks he's starting to understand these time-space shenanigans, someone has to throw him a curveball.]

[experiencepoints]

Sort of.

[She doesn't want to advertise the castle to people who aren't related, and she doesn't know this guy well enough to judge that. So, how much can she say without giving things away?]

They're originally from the same place, but while her dad came straight here from there, Lark was taken to a different interdimensional shithole first, and came here from that one. If they were both returned, then Lark has to have gone back there.

[unfulfilledpotential]

Oh.

[That makes sense, in a weird way. Cory came from New York, but if Riley was sent somewhere else then... God. His stomach's immediately twisting in knots, because this is his niece they're talking about.] Wait, hold up - you're saying my Riley's gonna go back to this interdimensional garbage dump? And there's... not really anything I can do about it?

Action

[preformthisneigh]

[Oh hey, it's you. Cheese will trot over, having to get onto his hind legs to peer at what she's doing, resting his forehooves on the too-big-for-him table. ]

Huh, that's a pretty neat idea. They had flyers like that in Paradisa, eeexcept eventually the people who were handing them out all kinda...left. One of the downsides to everypony coming and going all the time.

[experiencepoints]

[Well, at least she had been warned, so she was prepared for the pony this time. As long as there's no music, she'll be better able to cope... hopefully.

It's also perhaps worth noting that for some reason, she's written all these papers in purple ink. She really likes purple, huh.]

I think that's why it's important to get all the information from the people who have been here the longest before they leave. If we get that information, and we make a digital copy so we can just send it around, it can be sent to everyone who arrives, and then they'll have their copy to send around to new people who arrive after them.

[preformthisneigh]

[The threat of music was ever present. Lingering in the background to everything Cheese did, like some kind of polka demon. He notes the purple ink. Files it away for some future use.]

Maybe some of the communications folks can put it in the jo- in the communicators. You know, so it's always there. Like those crazy games that you need thumbs to play.

[experiencepoints]

That's... actually a really good idea. I don't know how the communications augments work, but if we can put it in the network itself so someone can always find it even if they don't have anyone... We'll also need to add a way for someone to keep it updated with current events, too.

[preformthisneigh]

I don't know much of that, I'm afraid. Not very adept at the technology stuff.

[Paradisa was very medieval, and Equestria has a very strange balance between magic and technology.]

But hey, I'm sure somepony will want to help you out.

video;

[notkittenaround]

I have not.

[ Her hesitation supports the thoughts behind her words; They have not seen her because she is not here. Yet again, someone dear has been torn away into another place. ]

video;

[experiencepoints]

... I met her uncle.

It... seems like she and her dad are both gone.

[Not that she needs to say this- Marhi's on the ship with them. She must know already.]

Re: video;

[notkittenaround]

Indeed so. I pray that they have gone together back to the world from which they sprung.

[ Her tail hangs low, her ears flat with dejection. But she musters a brave face. ]

If they have not, I will pursue them until they are delivered safely.

video;

[experiencepoints]

... Lark probably went back to the castle, didn't she? I mean... Her mirror wasn't complete. Or anywhere close.

Re: video;

[notkittenaround]

A familiar world will make it all the easier to find her.

[ She has no intention of letting a Takshaka be abandoned. ]