driftfleet | (no subject)

Who: Erik Lehnsherr & anyone
Broadcast: Fleetwide video, unintentional
Action: The Marsiva
When: 26th Feb

[When the feed begins, Erik is already awake. Awake, but not yet moving from the bed. He's holding himself in the kind of intense stillness that preludes a burst of activity. And it comes shortly after, as he rolls swiftly to his feet and surveys the deck. This isn't the mansion, that much is clear. Nor is it part of any realm he's been in that he can tell. His brow furrows as he glares daggers into a featureless wall. While there is nothing of particular interest about it - it's just a wall - he seems to be observing something he finds off-putting about it.

He shakes his head abruptly, a quick jerk of the chin.] No. [With nothing further to say than that, he turns and stalks out of frame, with only a cursory glance at the communicator left behind.

Ten minutes pass, the feed holding on a truly exciting shot of that empty bed and floor.

But soon enough he re-enters the frame, wearing an expression somewhere between frustrated and resigned. This time, he does notice the communicator. After a considering pause, he walks over, reaching out ... and turns it with a finger, pointing the camera at the wall. His voice rings out clearly a moment later.]

If someone is watching, I'd appreciate an explanation. I haven't got much patience for these kinds of games anymore.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

So we can do what we want, except for the one thing we want the most.

For the meantime. That too, will end eventually. They always do.

[ He watches him carefully, his head cocked to the side. Not like Charles, not unlike, not quite human. ]

Are you worried for your home?

[It's unnerving. Talking to him keeps Charles firmly in his mind, though he wouldn't have been far from it even without this.]

Right now, I'm worried about myself.

[That's true enough. The rest of it - his world, his people, his loved ones - they all stand behind it like shadows. Erik can only deal with himself right now. The rest will follow.]

[ His lips quirk into a whimsical smile. ]

I think you'll be fine.

What are you basing that on?

Intuition.

[ To some degree. ]

You have your skills . . . and I have mine.

[That's a nice deflection. One he might pursue later. For now, he has bigger problems.]

I take it you're on board one of these other ships I've heard about.

The SS Golden. Why, would you like to move in with me?

Not particularly. I'm just getting my bearings.

A ship will be assigned to you, though they do allow transfers. Many ships are filled to their capacity of late. There's been an influx of new people, much like you and me.

[Assignments, crews, transfers. It's a whole machinery they're stuck in.]

Is that unusual?

[ He considers this, looking away for a moment. You get the impression he's consulting - or checking something, though you may not know how ]

Yes and no. It's been known to happen, but it does not happen consistently.

So there's no pattern as such.

No. It's not as simple as people leaving and others coming in to fill the slot, so to speak.

[Nothing there to rely on, then.]

Some television producer would be in charge then, if I have the basics of this situation right.

[Not that he believes that, either. Television executives don't have the power to rip people out of space and time. At least, they shouldn't.]

Perhaps. Though I wonder whether our benevolent overlords are more magical than technological, despite our settings. It would explain their powers.

[ Or at least, some strange blend of both. He certainly doesn't think it is the Personae at all. ]

It would make more sense to me.

Ah, but sense rarely comes to play when it comes to these . . . beings. Beings of power, beings of the unknown. Who we never see, but remain behind the curtain.

Sound familiar?

I get the feeling you don't need me to answer that.

Need? No. Very little need comes to mind. But I believe it answers most of the questions you have. Asked or unasked.

[Now that's presumptuous.]

Not in a satisfactory way, but you are right in one thing. It's an answer I'm used to.

[ He shrugs again. ]

What will you do now?

See what can be found in this ship, since I can't go elsewhere for now.

You won't find much.

[ Leto had scoped out that ship not long ago. ]

Though I lack your senses.

[Erik won't admit it, but he's lacking a significant portion of them himself right now. He can feel everything that resonates magnetically in the open areas. Anything beyond that? It's just a vague fog. Very annoying.]

I don't have much else to do besides conversation. [A beat.] Or use an exercise bike.

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