driftfleet | 001 - Action/Video

Entry tags:

001 - Action/Video

Who: Qing and anyone
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Marsiva's hospitality deck
When: Now

[It's amazing, how immediately things can change. How much can be lost in the span of a few eyeblinks, a whole walk home, a night of normalcy swirled in the realms of "probably" and "who knows". It permits the growth of terror in an individual, waking up in an unfamiliar place that feels like a hospital - simple metal walls, painfully clean, full of just the barest attempts to make it feel livable. It doesn't take long, fueled by that very same terror, to want out.

His only help is the familiarity of the qipao - not that he would have fallen asleep in the dress, he's sure - and the pair of hairties resting next to his communicator. Did someone drug him? There's no chance to be sure, though... they would have to, wouldn't they? Between the communicator mysteriously at his side and the faint feeling of something tugging at the back of his neck - the not-so-faint rigidity of something there when he reaches back to investigate - it seems clear. What isn't, of course, is why.

Why is something he won't find the answer to in a strangely-comfortable bed inside a metal box. So he does what he must - gathering what shreds of courage he can and sitting up - only to find the sight of a place that provides no comfort in spite of its attempts at amenities. When he speaks, the tone is soft and high, almost unequivocally feminine.]

... What is this... place...

[The question is asked to the open air and his arms wrap around his chest for a little warmth. His eyes widen when his gaze settles on the windows - the view of the open space beyond them - and he can't seem to look away for the longest time. This isn't possible. It can't be possible. The shock is clear on features far too smooth, too young for his age, wide violet eyes trembling a little in the very, very visible struggle to compartmentalise terror. Red hair hangs down to nearly his waist, furthering the illusion of femininity and adolescence.

Getting up almost too quickly, the wrinkles of his dress smooth and fatigued legs creak under him, but he ignores all that to move, to find someone to talk to - some answer to what the hell is going on. Anything to dim the fear that's still burning in the pit of his stomach.]

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Hey, everything OK?

[Jennifer had gotten to know pretty much every member of the Fleet during their long stay on the Marsiva, so new arrivals tended to stand out- and this poor young person was almost definitely new.]

Ah-- yes! Er...

[By now, he'd gotten his bearings just a little - enough to at least figure out what the locations were and the options they had here. People filtered in and out now and then, and he was... well, not exactly unhappy not to have demanded attention from too many thus far. Those who had, so far, had proven fairly friendly.]

I'm just feeling a little... overwhelmed, I suppose. [Ha-ha. Offering a wry sort of smile, Qing bowed to Jennifer - a brief, automatic thing.] I've heard the same information more than once now, but... it's a little hard to take.

[Jennifer smiled back and nodded.]

Yeah, I totally understand... and this isn't even the usual routine here, so it's even weirder. Have you been able to find your way around yet?

Not really. [Qing sighs lightly.] I'm sure I'll get used to it soon, but the layout is confusing. [Well no, the layout itself is straight-forward. It's the fact that everything looks the goddamn same that's confusing. He pauses again, though.]

... My name is Qing-Yuan.

I'm Jennifer. Nice to meet you.

[She then sighed.]

It's easy to get turned around, huh? It's a little like walking through a neighbourhood where every house is the same. Want me to show you around?

And you. [Despite the circumstances, he's quite glad to see most people are pretty friendly here.]

It is. It's nothing like Chinatown, certainly. [Getting lost there had more to do with the colours and winding backroads, after all.] Ah, if you don't mind, I would appreciate that. It's... always a little easier with someone else. How long have you been here, if I may?

Yeah, I can only imagine. [She nodded and began walking down the hallway, motioning for Qing to follow.] I've been with the Fleet for... 7 months, maybe? I think it's been that long, anyway. Normally new arrivals get assigned to smaller ships, but we've all been stuck here on the Marsiva for a month now.

[7 months... Qing tries not to look too perturbed at that idea, though it's almost impossible not to be a little bothered.]

So everyone's usually more separate than this? Isn't that a little non-contributive to the idea behind this place?

You'd think so, but since I assume Atroma edits what's put before the audience for consumption, they can pick and choose who to show and what story they want to tell. Plus, we normally make stops on planets and waystations we pass, so we go back to being in one place, usually to solve a problem.

That's... it really is just like a reality show. [It's both mind-boggling and nonsensical, really.]

Do you... ever get to see home, though? Or is it just always whatever's nearby? [As much as he has no love lost for the home he came from, he still cares for his parents despite their differences.

And he still wants to ask about their little communicators, but that can wait a few moments.]

Yeah, it is. Oh, I forgot to mention that we can visit other ships, too- every ship has its own shuttles, so it comes in handy when we want to get together.

[She shook her head.]

No. I've been here for 7 months and haven't seen any signs of home yet... but people say that time freezes back home, so it's not like there would be anything happening for us to see.

Ah... that's good to hear. It'd probably drive people a little batty, just seeing one ship for most of the month.

... How do you know what ship you're on, anyway?

[Ah, that's...]

... I suppose that's good news, too. Nothing to see save the people you miss, right? [His smile remains, though naturally it's a little wistful.]

Normally, once a week Atroma does what they call the Shuffle and you get beamed into your ship's cargo hold, but they've been keeping us here for reasons nobody's really clear on. I hope it'll go back to normal soon...

[She nodded.]

Yeah... at least they won't be missing you, either. My boyfriend would be tearing the universe apart to find me if I vanished.

[Huh...]

It sounds like I just picked a strange time to arrive here... it must be pretty disorienting if you're hoping it goes back to how it was.

[There was a brief pause at that, and Qing laughed lightly, the words slipping from his lips before he could stop them.]

I'm a little envious of that. I don't know that anyone would do the same for me.

There's that, and the fact that I just don't like being idle. I'm not the kind of person who's content to sit and read and watch TV or listen to music all day... at least back on our ships I'd have a job to do.

[Jennifer blushed softly.]

I feel blessed that I have him, believe me.

I can understand that. It's more difficult being idle, at least with nothing to do.

[Covering his mouth with one hand, Qing chuckled at her words.]

It's important, after all. Having people you can trust and who care for you. I'm happy for you on that side, you seem like the kind of person who really deserves that.

Yeah- and I'm a doctor, so I'm used to having an overflowing schedule. Here, I don't even have so much as a bandage to give someone.

[She blushed softly at that.]

Well, thank you. It's nice... just to have a place to belong. I didn't have that for a lot of my life.

Ah... I can understand that, too. [Really fucking well, judging by the quietly sad expression on his face.

There's a moment of quiet before he glances up again, rubbing the back of his head.]

Um... if you're looking for something to do... I was going to be looking into more than the basic first aid training I have, since that seems to be what I'm... here for... [What an awkward laugh he has all of a sudden.] I could use some help, sometime when you aren't busy.

[Jennifer definitely brightens at the idea.]

I'd be happy to. I've been teaching first aid lessons to some of the others in the Fleet, actually. Not every ship has a medbay, and in case we're ever dealing with a large number of injured people, the logistics of taking people to the ships that do could be a nightmare. So the more I can do to help everyone take care of their own, the better.

[He nods, smile returning (and more naturally to boot) as she speaks.]

Especially if there's a lot of urgency when it comes to the severity of the injuries... does it happen terribly often, people getting injured?

[... That's probably not something he should ask.]

Only a small handful of times since I've been brought here, but it does happen. We've been attacked by other ships before, and another time, we came upon a derelict ship that was occupied by a species of bug-like creatures called the Nunnilis. They're normally peaceful, but unfortunately this group suffered from a neural- a brain infection that made them aggressive, and they managed to injure some people.

Ah... then at least it really is more just being prepared. [He seems a little relieved, like he was more worried than he let on.] It seems like people generally work together pretty well here... I hope I can match up. [His laugh is light and gentle, at least. He's not being too hard on himself... probably.]

I'm sure you will- when you get assigned to a ship, your augment will give you a role. Some people are pilots, some are security, some are communications... we all work together, and we all have jobs to do and roles to play. And when we land on planets, you can find work or fun as you choose.

I see. That makes it a little easier, I guess. [He huffs a laugh, shaking his head.

There's a brief pause as they continue walking, where he realises he's starting to recognise things as they pass. Well, that's good to know.]

I wonder if I could find work waiting tables somewhere, short as I imagine we're there... [That's absently stated, a little thoughtful.] Thank you again for showing me around. I feel a lot more comfortable here now.

No problem. And I'm not sure you'll find any tables to wait here, but I know one of the augments is cook. Atroma tends to provide things that match our skills. [Most of the time anyway.]

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