network video from red fish bridge;

[aberrant_type]

Who: Zoe Hange
Broadcast: Video
Action: for Red Fish crewmates
When: Tuesday... October 7... midday...?

[Someone is experimenting with shipwide broadcast. The screen shows Hange sitting with her hands folded in front of her, grinning amiably at the camera.]

Hmm. Is this thing working? I think so... [She pauses for a couple seconds and then laughs.] Well, I guess I'll find out! Hello, everyone, this is Captain Hange of the SS Red Fish speaking. [She winks.] I just got the paperwork turned in. Sorry to surprise you, Nunnally and Skull, but I decided I'd be up for it and thought it was better to get it done!

Now, I'm addressing everyone today to mention the tiny thing that's been embedded in our skulls! I'm guessing everyone has noticed that they have something in the back of their head that's difficult to even touch. It feels maybe bottle-cap sized! I hope that's familiar-sounding to all of you? I'm a little reluctant to actually open up someone's head but I wonder if anyone has tried that yet! Have you removed someone else's implant? Have you removed your own? If so, amazing! How did you do that? Nunnally let me experiment with hers a little, noninvasively of course, and reported discomfort that seemed unnaturally strong even when another person was just touching it! Thanks for your contributions, brave girl.

Also, as I told some of you, I didn't know anything about space before arriving here, but suddenly upon arriving I do! Also, we have a little room on this ship where I know how to use everything! That's unusual, given my home doesn't have anything close to this level of technology. I'm still exploring that equipment, but I wonder what others have noticed! I certainly don't understand everything on the ship, but I'm guessing if I mysteriously understand this one room, others will understand some other parts! What do you know now that you didn't know before? If you feel up to it, please let me know!

[holy talking, batman. She takes a moment to breathe, grinning at the screen still in an I know I know many words fashion.]

Great to meet you all, by the way! Let's get along and work productively together!

Comments

[aberrant_type]

I'd be curious why such things don't happen in my world, then.

[scout's deaths are certainly unusual and full of strong feelings, full of unfinished business... maybe some of them lacking resolve, but even so.]

[wilder]

Who knows. I'm not an expert on the matter to say one way or another.

[a pause]

Still, I wouldn't feel bad that it doesn't happen. It's a pitiful fate, to linger as a ghost.

[aberrant_type]

I'm a scientist, so I'd like to quantify these things.

[And she's entertaining the conversation, but does she really believe? No, she doesn't. Not yet. Maybe he's observing localized phenomena that superstition has explained... maybe something else.]

How many people who die are ones you'd say linger on? Just a rough estimate.

[wilder]

Are you? I would have never guessed.

[And he considers.]

Maybe less than one percent, if we're just talking about straight up ghosts. Like I said, it's really not common.

[aberrant_type]

"Just straight up ghosts"? What else is there?

[wilder]

Well, there's a type of...gem thing, called an Exsphere. Anyway, if someone's wearing one when they die- it'll absorb their soul and all that stuff, so they can't move on...or move at all.

[aberrant_type]

... is there supposed to be something appealing about that?

[wilder]

Not at all. I'd say it's a fate worse than death.

But Exspheres can be used to boost a person's power- but they don't work unless someone dies with one attached first. So a group called the Desians would round humans up, put uncompleted Exspheres on them and then...harvest them after they died.

[aberrant_type]

[She sounds properly serious talking about this.]

I understand... I presume they'd do things like help the humans along with their dying, too.

[wilder]

[Which is good! Since yeah, all around awful]

Yeah. They'd work them to death in places called Human Ranches.

[aberrant_type]

And these Desians, were they humans themselves?

[wilder]

Half-elves. So...half-human.

But don't get me wrong- there were humans doing those sorts of crimes too. Just without the ranches.

[aberrant_type]

I'm not surprised. You'd think that humanity being near extinction would deter some of our local criminals, but no...

[wilder]

[He shrugs]

People look out for what they think's important. And for folks like that, it's them and only them. You see that anywhere you go.

[aberrant_type]

[She laughs.] You're a cynic, Kaneis.

[wilder]

What? Hey-

[Okay, even he can't deny it]

Maybe a little, but c'mon. Am I wrong?

[aberrant_type]

That's not saying I disagree.

[wilder]

That mean you're a cynic too?

[aberrant_type]

Do I sound like a cynic to you?

[Well she sounds... very cheerful. Perhaps not a cynic as just someone with a very clear grasp of how awful a human can be. Of how awful a world can be.]

[wilder]

Well....

You don't seem to be experiencing psychosis nearly as much as I first thought you did....

[That may have been a joke.]

1/2

[aberrant_type]

[aberrant_type]

[look at her face though]

Don't be so sure...

[wilder]

[It is a pretty psycho face, he'll give her that]

...Ah. Yes. That's exactly the sort of face I wanna see on our new captain!

[aberrant_type]

I'm not your captain... although if you were really inclined to come on over maybe something could be arranged...

[wilder]

It was a general our!

But no, I'm afraid I'm quite content on the Wonderduck. It's just got a name that screams elegance and I'm finally getting the cockpit to be the way I want it!