{i think you know too much, but the mind knows what the mouth wants}

[brokencopy]

Who: B; anyone who happens to be on the SS Heron
Broadcast: Nope.
Action: All over the Heron.
When: Januaryish ... all month, if you like.

{This is a ship mingle! Come get your socialization on.}

Comments

january 21 {cw fire + hallucinations}

[brokencopy]

[On the morning of the 21st, B wakes to the smell of ash, smoke, and gasoline filling his nose. Throughout the day, he can be found in all parts of the ship, fire extinguisher in hand, putting out fires that remain unseen to everyone but him.]

[maschinenpistole]

[ The first time Kotoha notices him "extinguishing" a wall, she doesn't... really do anything about it, because 1) she's comfortable where she's sitting right now, thanks and 2) he probably has his strange, strange reasons. She just goes about her day.

Later, the second time she notices him "extinguishing" a box in the cargo bay, it's time to say something. She hurriedly makes her way over. ]

Hey, hey -- what's going on?

[brokencopy]

I'm trying to make sure the entire ship doesn't catch fire.

[Obviously, his curt tone says.]

What else would I be doing?

[redactions]

[ Jim isn't following him, but the odd behaviour. It's not unsettling, just familiar in a sad kind of way. There were kids in the war who'd keep stabbing a body long after it was dead, barely understanding what was happening. He follows, not silently. ]

What are you seeing?

[brokencopy]

There are fires catching all over this ship.

[And B is doing his best to stay calm about it, but there's a strain to his tone that indicates he's anything but. He spots another spark of flame out of the corner of his eye on the other side of the room and all but leaps over to put it out with a short burst of extinguishing chemicals.]

Has this sort of thing happened before?

[redactions]

[ Hm. ]

[ Asking where these fires are isn't going to help. Instead, he picks up a spare extinguisher, ready to hand it to B if necessary. ]

No, never.

[brokencopy]

[B chews agitatedly on the end of his thumbnail, eyes narrowed at the puddle of chemical foam in front of him.]

Related to the temperature control issues, perhaps? Faulty wiring, or - something else breaking down.

[redactions]

We just checked the wiring.

[ They both did, and recently. ]

It must be something else.

[brokencopy]

Well, what then?

[B's voice comes out a little sharper than is typical for him - evidence of his mounting frustration. He scratches the top of his head, frowning.]

Fires don't just start without a cause. There has to be a catalyst of some kind at work here.

[redactions]

[ Jim's unruffled. This is very far from trying his patience. ]

I agree. Do you want to contact anyone you know on the other ships to ask if this is something the Atroma are doing?

[brokencopy]

I don't know anyone else on the other ships.

[B nibbles on the end of his thumbnail as he considers the rest of the question.]

Are you suggesting Atroma is responsible for setting the fires?

[redactions]

Around here? If there's no immediate discernible cause, there's a high chance it's them.

[brokencopy]

For what possible purpose? A drill of some sort?

[He's pretty sure that's not it.]