driftfleet | (no subject)

Who: Misty Day
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Marsiva
When: January 5

[A woman wearing all black lies face up in her bunk, perfectly still, her arms straight out by her sides. It's impossible to tell if she's breathing or not, but surely she must be, right?

Right?

Watch long enough and you'll see her come alive, shooting straight up with a gasp that becomes a heart-wrenching sob. Tears stream down her face and she rocks back and forth. She's saying something over and over, but the only word that can be heard clearly is "No, no, no." This goes on for a long minute before she really seems to realize where she is.

Or rather, where she is not.]

Cordelia?!

[She scrambles out of the bed and stands in the middle of the room, calling out in her thick Louisiana accent.]

Zoe? .... Myrtle?

[She sinks back on to the bed, clutching her head in her hands, her breathing becoming increasingly labored as she tries to fight the panic.]

Shit, shit, shit. Oh God, please, help me. This ain't right at all.

[Not knowing what else to do, she assumes her prior position, closes her eyes, and starts to chant. Those from Earth might recognize it as Latin.]

Spiritu duce, in me est. [Deep breath.] Spiritu... duce. Spiritu - [Another sob and she rolls over on her side and curls into a fetal position.] No, no. I can't... I can't go back there.

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[He nods, forcing a thin smile. Souji doesn't like to dwell on Melasurei, but it's difficult to leave behind, especially when it keeps coming back around to him, like this, or like in the calibrations, when he showed the demon to some of the people here.]

It's nice to meet you, Misty. My name is Souji Seta.

[Which he mentioned before, but is far too polite to remind her about.]

I know this is a difficult situation, but I think you'll find that people here are good at taking care of each other. You're on the Marsiva right now - that's where people always show up, at first - but you'll be assigned to another ship with a crew in a few days. There's a kitchen there on the Marsiva, and the food is probably a little different from what you're used to, but it's not completely awful.

[Says the boy with the cast-iron stomach.]

Is there anything else I can do to help you? Any other questions I can answer for you?

[Admittedly, she's still a little freaked out by the whole situation but there's a thought forming there that maybe this is where she's supposed to be after all. She certainly doesn't want to go back to hell and if everyone in space is as nice as Souji - even after she threatened him - well, maybe she'll find her real tribe. She never really felt the Salem Coven was it anyway.]

Does that mean I can't leave the Marsiva yet? Til I get my new crew? I don't wanna just talk to people on the computer. Ain't the same, you know?

Yeah ... I'm sorry. [He nods again, smiling thinly.] But it's really should just be for a few days. I know talking on these devices isn't the same as talking to someone in person, but at least you're not completely alone.

Doesn't look like I'll be alone again for a long time.

[Which gets a smile from her.]

Can I come visit you? When I do get my ship?

[The request is both eager and sad at the same time. Maybe he doesn't want anything to do with her now. It's happened so many times before...]

I'd be very happy if you did. I'm on the Three Twins. Each ship has shuttles, so you can move pretty easily from ship to ship once you're off the Marsiva. It seems like the transfers usually happen on Saturdays, so you should only have a few days to wait.

Really?

[And now her face just lights up.]

The Three Twins. I'll remember that!

[He nods, smiling warmly.]

Stop by any time. I'm sure everyone else on the ship would be glad to meet you as well.

Well, I hope they're all as sweet as you!

I think they are. My cousin Nanako is on the ship, too - she likes everyone.

You mean they'll bring more than one person from the same world?

[That's a sobering thought.]

Sometimes, yes.

[There's a slight strain evident on his smile. Nanako isn't exactly from the same world as Souji; his Nanako died, and this one didn't.]

I don't think there's really any sort of pattern to who shows up here, though.

Well, there's more than a few people I hope I never have to see again.

[There are a few Souji could do without having to see again, too. Namatame, for example.]

Then I hope you don't have to see them here. And you can change ships, too, if you don't like the crew you're assigned. But I hope you get along with everyone.

Thank you, I do too.