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

[He snorts.]

Likewise. But it sounds like I'm going to have time on my hands until I'm moved from this ship. So I might as well.

No, what you might as well do is savor the food you get over there. The food on the ships we get here is shit.

How bad is it?

"Protein paste".

When I said it was shit, I was being far more literal than you think.

[He's... well. He's had worse in his life, but that doesn't mean he has to like it.]

Something to look forward to.

[Said in the most disparaging manner possible.]

Yeah. It seems like most of us stockpile food whenever we visit a planet or station like this to tide us over until the next one, so we don't have to eat... that.

[He makes a note to himself: do that. As soon as possible.]

Is there anything else important I should know?

I think the guide covers most things. Do you know what augment you have?

[He frowns, trying to think about it. Think around it. What stands out?]

It seems to involve mechanical things.

[He's no stranger to the workings of mechanical items, but usually he needs blueprints or a sense of something before he can work with it. Engines... that seems like a new addition.]

That sounds like engineering? You'll be able to repair the ships.

... Not that that's likely to ever come up again, I think.

So it's been necessary before.

Once. We were attacked by a fleet far too similar to ours.

I'm pretty sure the Atroma set it up. But when I accused their spokesperson of it, she freaked out so bad her boss had to come in and take over. It was actually pretty great.

[She assumes Blade can appreciate making their captor's lives even a little bit harder.]

[It does make him smirk.]

The poor thing. Shouldn't spokespeople be able to handle anything they're asked?

That is interesting, though.

You would think. But if you hear an Atroma woman talking called 'Diamond', she seems to be the low-ranking one among them. And, she's totally incompetent, so you might be able to get information out of her if she's actually listening to us.

[Filing that away for later.]

I'll keep it in mind. But I imagine I have some settling in to do.

[Which, judging from the slight scowl that crosses his face, isn't something he looks forward to.]

Yeah, get comfortable. When you want to hear more and you're not on the Marsiva anymore, call my communicator and we can meet up to discuss things further.

[He glances at the communicator again. Okay. He can probably use some of his time on Marsiva to figure out how it works. The rest of it can be spent trying to get through the walls.]

Yes, all right. I appreciate it.

And, when you do get off the Marsiva, for all this place's other problems? There's bars on the Iskaulit.

[If only he hadn't decided to quit drinking again.]

Good to know.