mingle part deux

[summerschild]

Who: Blue Fishes (and visitors)
Broadcast: Nah
Action: SS Blue Fish
When: January 22nd and beyond

[We've seen Blendergate 2K16, and now it's time for... AZULAGATE. And all means of other shenanigans.]

Comments

[broadcast + action]

[honorbends]

[ it takes a moment to figure out what he wants to say, but occasionally, zuko acts like the ruler of a nation. and while he's kind of upset and 99% a hot mess right now, he needs to channel all of that away in order to sound, you know. like he knows what he's talking about. ]

Hi.

[ good start, zuko. ]

My sister, Azula, just arrived on the Fleet. She has no idea that I'm the Fire Lord of my country, or that she's lost her war. As far as she knows, I'm still loyal to our father. She's going to be asking questions about me, about what I know, and about what I'm doing. She'll figure out pretty quickly I defected, but what she can't know is that she lost.

[ zuko draws in a breath. ]

Keeping her in the dark and letting her think that she won is the easiest way to keep her stable. She won't harm anyone unprovoked, and I'm going to do my best to keep her that way. But antagonizing her, or making her feel outnumbered, is just going to make it worse. Keep an eye out on people talking to her, warn them if you feel necessary, but don't make her feel like she's a target. It's just going to make it worse.

[ zuko pauses ]

Thank you. And you can ask me whatever questions about Azula that you need to know. I'll try to answer them.

[ if you need zuko, he will be in his personnel room, quietly sitting against the wall in a corner. ]

action

[kyasdaughter]

[ nope. nope nope nope. katara isn't even going to knock before she barges into the personnel room. ]

You want me to let her think she won?

video

[bryces_pup]

[There's just no getting away politics, is there?

But she does respect the way and how quickly Zuko's addressing the issue. She'd never have pegged him as a ruler, but seeing him now, she can believe it. And clearly this is a serious problem, given the way he's describing his sister. Unhinged people in power never ends well. She's seen it firsthand.

Also she's kind of activating ruler mode herself, trying to think all this through and what it might mean. Not just for herself but for the whole ship.]

Thank you for the warning. I haven't spoken with your sister, as I had nothing to tell her, but I'm glad I didn't. [Something about Azula had made her uneasy, though she couldn't pin it to any one specific thing. Now she knows.] Let's hope she isn't brought to our ship then. Will she be welcome to visit the Blue Fish, once she's off the Marsiva?

Action

[alwayscomeback]

[Unlike his UNCIVILISED SISTER, Sokka will actually knock on the door before entering, moving to lean on the wall with an annoyed exhale. Zuko's right, and he knows Zuko is right, but that doesn't mean he's going to not hate this any less.]

You know I can't let her step toe on here. Even when she's sane, she's still dangerous. Especially if she's in that manipulating people to do her bidding stage. It's hard enough dealing with her with your guy's bending, but half the people on the ship would be sitting ducks if she suddenly decided she wanted a new toy to play with.

[All business right now. He's got a whole ship full of largely unpowered people to keep safe. It's not the time for jokes or sarcasm. Right now, Sokka's doing what he does best: planning. Trying to get them prepared for the worst possible outcomes, so they can get out the other side alive. He hates Azula. He absolutely and completely loathes her, but now is not the time to let his personal feelings get in the way of keeping everyone else alive. ]

We still need to come up with a back-up plan. Just in case she actually figures it out at some point. Or Atroma decide to do that for her, I wouldn't put it past them. If, or more likely when, that happens, we need to know what we're gonna do with her. Preferably before she sets fire to the entire Fleet.

action

[dancingmd]

[Beverly has been paying close attention to Azula's arrival on the Marsiva, once Zuko's name was mentioned. And well... what she saw and heard is not particularly encouraging - especially Sokka's reaction. She's never seen him react so negatively to someone before.

So, here she is, adding to the series of knocks on your door.]

[action - personnel room - after Sokka's announcement]

[kingofbadlifechoices]

[Everyone has their family feuds. The only problem is that said feuds could bring harm to others, and maybe, in this case it could. Everyone acted as if some single woman could destroy their ship. Robb had to know what they were up against.]

Ser? [He knocks the door softly after speaking up.] I need to speak to you. About your sister. [He waits patiently before Zuko allows him to enter.]

[broadcast]

[theoniongirl]

[so soon after arriving herself, it's not the most reassuring message...but it's a familiar one. She'd caught Azula's showy broadcast, and it hadn't set right even then. This just confirms it.

The weight of it, even details unknown, hangs like a lead weight in her stomach. When she responds with her own question via the network, it's a rare moment where she almost looks like her actual 30 years. This time, there's no smile, and her tone is down-to-business, if still gentle]

If someone becomes a target, are there things that might help defuse the situation?

Action

[save_the_souls]

[For the past couple days, Allen had been staying on the Vanquish until he had time to fully cool off from his fight with Zuko. BUT even if he was still kinda pissed, the arrival of Azula was more than enough for him to pack up his things and head back to his beloved Blue Fish]

[Though thanks to space traffic (that exists?), he'll be showing up a bit later than he had planned- notably after Zuko's announcement went down. But sure enough, eventually he'll be stepping off his shuttle with his bag over his shoulder, and a travel mug of coffee he got given for the road...space road...]

Hey! I'm back!

[WHAT'D I MISS]

[summerschild]

[There's a gentle squeak as Bran wheels out of wherever he was snooping in the cargo hold. He isn't quite sure what's going on with everyone today, but he knows what's at the center of it. With a conspiratorial glance towards Allen, he says in a low voice- ]

Don't go inside. Everyone's angry because of Zuko's sister.

action; visitor

[ino]

[ SO, after Azula makes her post, she'll be hopping over to the Blue Fish to see ... what sort of state they're all in. Surely they're probably talking about what to do about her, and being someone who knows what she's capable of and somehow played on the same Quidditch team as ... she decides to head on over and look for the nearest person who seems like they'd be in the know about the situation.

So she'll be looking around for a sign of anybody, really! ]

action;

[save_the_souls]

[Allen meanwhile has been in the cargo bay- he only got here recently and honestly maaaay be feeling reluctant to go talk to the Gaang at the second]

[But when he sees Ino, it's a relief. He'll give a smile at her]

Ah- hey Ino. It's good to see you.

sometime... after the 22, but before the next event

[dancingmd]

a. action, cargo bay, ota

[While she always has been diligent with practicing her mok'bara every day, her crew may have noticed her sessions have been running longer as of late. It's relaxing and familiar, a connection to home. Should anyone wish to join her, she can be found early in the mornings in the cargo bay, near the exercise equipment, either meditating or kicking poor old Punchy the punching bag around.]

b. voice, private to Daneel

[This is, fortunately, not one of her late night calls after another nightmare or simply not being able to sleep. Those are coming less frequently, though they do still happen. Now, it's the middle of the day and her tone is warm, maybe even a little... eager?]

Daneel! Are you free this evening?

[thezerothlaw]

[Ah, she sounds happy. That's... encouraging.]

I certainly am. Did you need my assistance with something?

Re: sometime... after the 22, but before the next event

[tobeajedi]

[Vima is a regular visitor to this particular Fish... so she is surprised to turn up in her shuttle and find it locked.]

Huh?

[She could page Dr. Crusher, but first she'll try using the Force... but it's a little too fiddly.

So she'll just try hacking into it. She's never studied computer slicing but hey, there's a first time for everything, right?]

closed to allen!!!! ALLENS ONLY

[honorbends]

[ so, after contacting his friends, and talking with sasuke, zuko is still feeling.. overwhelmed. frustrated. angry, scared, and sickened. he still hasn't forgotten what sokka told him about azula escaping, and he knows the general consensus is that the idea of not letting azula know anything is that the plan is stupid. but zuko has nothing else, and he can't think of anything else.

he just knows his sister. that, alone, should be enough. but it's not.

so far, he's snapped at katara, and allen, and sokka -- sasuke, to a certain extent, too. he's really in no mental and emotional condition to deal with a spar, but zuko had promised allen. what's one more poor life decision for today, he's already on a roll.

so zuko is in the cargo bay, sitting up on a crate with his swords in his lap, eyes closed and focused on his breathing. he's feeling suitably calmer than he had been two hours ago, but still not up to speed. and he hasn't sparred in four and a half months.

it won't be a pretty end, but it will hopefully begin to mend things with allen, which is really what the end goal is. ]

[save_the_souls]

[Honestly, there was part of him that knew that actually challenging Zuko to a fight wasn't the best idea. That their group was supposed to be showing some sign of unity under the face of Azula showing up. That fighting wasn't supposed to be the answer to their problems. He can imagine just sort of lectures he's going to be getting for this one.]

[But Allen knew he was still angry. Feelings like that needed to be settled, and quickly under the current situation. And he knew he was much better at resolving his feelings through his fists than his words. He was a weapon, after all.]

[More than that...he was worried. Worried that the past couple years of not being on the front lines had made him rusty. Sure, he still had been training every day and there was the occasional sparring match, but that was hardly the same as fights. He had to make sure he could still fight before he could be sure of his promises to protect himself and his crew. For truthfully...no matter how much the Gaang believed they'd handled the Azula problem themselves, years of living in Paradisa had taught Allen that he just couldn't rely on other people if he wanted him and those close to him to stay alive.]

[So eventually he'll be coming out into the cargo bay, after there's been enough time for Zuko to get every thing settled. He's got the claymore he picked up on the planet Mor months and months ago. ]

Are you ready?

Action + Broadcast

[alwayscomeback]

Action:

[Throughout the night, you will find Sokka working on the various bays and doors leading into the ship. He has his tools with him, and seems to be installing some keypad systems. The usual smile and jokey attitude have gone. It's not the time for it right now, and he honestly can't muster the energy to fake it for anyone's sake. For now, he's utterly focused on getting the ship safe. He'll sleep after it's done. ]

Network; Video - Blue Fish Only

[DING DONG. THIS IS YOUR CAPTAIN SPEAKING. It's the early morning by the time Sokka's finished, so when he appears, he looks and sounds exhausted. That with a side order of annoyed and worried, but mostly really fucking tired. ]

Hey guys. So, as you got from Zuko, his sister is here and she's about the worst visitor from home we could get after their dad. She's very dangerous. You guys need to be really careful around her. There's a very good chance try to manipulate, hurt or even kill you, if she sees it as a way of getting at Zuko. Especially once she figures out he's not on her side any more. Just...be safe, when you're off the ship, okay?

Aaand on that, I've had to up the security here, until we figure out a safer way of dealing with her. She's absolutely and completely banned from the Blue Fish. This is gonna be a safe place for everyone here, and I'm not prepared to let her aboard and risk any of you getting hurt. I've installed keypads on every entry point into the ship. I'll give you all the code, but please, please don't give it to anyone off ship. Visitors are still super welcome here, but they'll need to be let in by one of us first. If someone off ship gets it, I wouldn't put it past her to use any means necessary to get that code off them. Probably just to spite us because she'll be told she can't come aboard. Don't think you can't have your friends over or...anything like that. It's just a precaution.

[He runs a hand through his hair, the ponytail is long gone, and gives a sigh. He hates doing this. He prides himself on running a friendly, open ship. Somewhere anyone can come and feel welcome. He still wants it to be like that, but right now...]

I hate to have to do this, and I'm not making anyone a prisoner here. Everyone can come and go as they want. Just...believe me when I tell you this girl is very, very dangerous and this is the best way I can stop her from getting aboard and hurting you guys on short notice. Once we get a better way of handling her figured out, I'll get rid of the locks, I promise.

video; private

[dancingmd]

[Even if she didn't trust Zuko's word on how dangerous Azula is - which she does, she absolutely does - seeing Sokka in this exhausted, worried state would be enough proof to her.]

Sokka, when's the last time you slept?

[It's not her Mom Voice, or even her Friend Voice, it's her Doctor Voice, her Gotta-Take-Care-of-My-Captain Voice.]

Action

[save_the_souls]

[After the broadcast (but somehow, before his fight with Zuko because what is time continuity), Allen goes to seek Sokka out to check on his bro.]

I have to admit, I was really hoping I'd never see Azula again.

video

[bryces_pup]

[Riona can hear the guilt, and she understands it. Raising security and your guard - and having everyone do the same - is just an awful time all around. But it's a must.]

Thank you for all the efforts you're undertaking to keep us safe. Let us hope she does nothing to warrant all the precautions.

[And now have a worried frown.]

Have you slept at all?

video;

[kingofbadlifechoices]

I need a proper description of her, captain.

[The announcement sounds very serious, yet Robb cannot entirely believe that such security is necessary because of one woman.]

How she looks. So she can be recognised and be dealt with before she can hurt anyone.

visiting. again.

[eyeforaneye]

[ After this roller coaster conversation Sasuke has a bone to pick. Or at least a ship to inspect for various damages and signs of a fight, halting at the airlock door.

But as soon as he tries to open it he's met with a strange beep and a flashing red light on a newly installed lock, staring at it blankly.

... pushing his finger against the light accomplishes nothing, nor does punching in a code at random. So naturally the next step is to free a small blade, charge it with electricity, and literally start trying to cut right through the door itself because his patience is equivalent to the width of a neutrino. A lack of success in that leads to him delivering one solid punch to that door, rattling the frame and walls but otherwise accomplishing a hell of a lot of nothing.

Right. Maybe if he just stares down at it in muted frustration, then. Feel free to walk in on or overhear any phase of this process. ]

[ino]

[ Welp. Since Allen apparently needs some healing, she's heading on over to help with that. Disembarking the shuttle means she sees Sasuke pretty quick, and she's wandering over to just kind of lift an eyebrow at what he's doing. ]


Um ... Sasuke?

[post announcement sulking]

[honorbends]

[ so after the fight with allen, zuko is actually feeling somewhat better. after the fight, you can find him in the kitchen, with a bandaged arm, idly reheating tea. or attempting to. he's feeling a little off, but now that allen is no longer mad at him, he's finding his center focus again.

also, he just needs to eat something, and so he is eating a sandwich.

failing that, zuko will be in his personnel room, idly weighing whether or not texting katara to heal him would cause him more injury. ]

[kyasdaughter]

[ so what is it, zuko.

are you texting her or not. ]

action | followed after Sokka's announcement

[kingofbadlifechoices]

[Robb liked it that the captain showed some backbone regarding this. Yet, to put fear inside the hearts of the entire crew on a ship because someone had a mad sister, it should have been handled with more discretion.

There should have been briefings and plans, a strategy. The woman should have been contained even before she could get a chance to advance. When being under siege it is never wise to give the other an idea of how the castle looks. Every castle had its secret hideouts and secret passages.

And in a way ships were like castles. If the lady Azula wanted to force a way in she would find one. So Robb is hurrying around the ship, providing some of his crew members with weapons and giving others instructions.]

I am giving you a small weapon and when you have need of me, reach me through the black box.

[save_the_souls]

[When he reaches Allen, he's at his desk catching up on first mate paperwork (what's it about? Who knows). He'll look up and smile at Robb politely when he speaks]

Thank you, Robb, I'll keep that in mind. [The contacting part] But the weapon isn't necessary for me.

action

[theoniongirl]

[All-in-all, Jilly's taken the first week with the Atroma fairly in stride, though even she was getting a bit irritable after five days on the Marsiva. Reading through the network was more troubling than reassuring and living in close-quarters with Sasuke and Caboose was enough to get anyone thinking pessimistically.

...So it's with some relief that she finds herself on the Blue Fish with a private room, a job to focus on, and crew where (hopefully) she won't get accidentally crushed by an kind-but-overly-oblivious armored puppy dog soldier.]

A. Her Bunk - Day 1

[The first thing she does after arriving is hide in her room, shutting the door and simply being. Away from people and accidental cameras (as far as she can ascertain, anyway), she lets the cheerful mask slip away.

Anyone who knocks or seeks out their new cook will be greeted, but her eyes might be a bit red above her smile when she opens the door]

B. Kitchen - E'rr Day, All Day.

[If there's one thing Jilly likes, it's having something to do. Sans paints, being given a job is the next best thing. Her augment lets her know what the various foodstuffs and appliances in the kitchen are and what technically might work, but there's no teacher like experience. Starting small, she'll be trying little experiments with ingredients, as well as scrounging the network and (at first opportunity) the library at the space station for new recipes. Some work! Some......really don't.

As the month goes on, she'll be making the more successful things en-masse to try and keep up with Sokka and Allen's twin stomachs, but the experiments will continue. Come by to help out, taste-test, or get her to stop reading and grab whatever has started burning on the stovetop. Oops.]

B

[alwayscomeback]

[It's the best that Jilly is here. THE BEST.

Forever.

Sokka will be heading in after a day of working on the station to find the delights of a working kitchen. He's so happy he could die. It can be burned, it can he half cooked, he doesn't care. THEY CAN HAVE ACTUAL FOOD AGAIN. The smell of food brought him into the kitchen, and he beams happily.

...Which given the crappy week he's had, is only a good thing. ]

Mmmm, something smells good in here.