004. ☾ Re-Intro { Accidental Video / Action }

[proteusmoon]

Who: Cecil Harvey and you
Broadcast: Fleet wide video
Action: Marsiva
When: 1/29

[ There is little more jarring than being suddenly snatched from your home, dropped into a new potentially highly dangerous universe with a bunch of strangers, going to sleep one night only to wake up a month later in a completely different place than you fell asleep.

Honestly, Cecil has no idea what she's been doing for the last month, but she likes to imagine she went home, even if she can't remember anything. Needless to say though, she's not happy to have been moved and her mood is making her feel pretty anti-social until she can clear her head. The sterile smell lingering on the Marsiva doesn't help much with that though.

It's a good thing Atroma clearly has other plans, right? The network panel nearest to her is broadcasting her little brooding session as she stares out a viewport at the stars, dressed in the red and ivory finery of her kingdom — mantle, crown, and all — completely still and silent, unaware her return is currently being announced regardless of how she feels about it. ]

Comments

j.crew will be the next sponsor. after floot loop

[aberrant_type]

[She can't read Cecil's mind or anything, but she can see her facial expression and read her tone and that reply doesn't say much to start with...

All right, so. She'll filter it, since they have that capacity. Thank you, comms officers.]

Everything all right?

I endorse this idea 5000%.

[proteusmoon]

[ Cecil doesn't really feel like discussing the topic though, much less if they have to broach the subject of Zhas along with it, so she only pastes a smile on her expression easily and nods reassuringly. ]

Certainly.

[ Quick! Time to make up an excuse! ]

I was just thinking... It makes sense that they would only return us to our homes if they could erase the memories of us being there, to decrease the risk of us becoming less dynamic. And we already know they can alter our memories.

PRIVATE from now on | get some fashion on these ships

[aberrant_type]

Hm.

[She's not entirely buying it -- but for the moment, she'll let it slide.]

So, let me check. You're suggesting that you did return home, but they erased your memories of it.

If so it'd be a better alternative than you being frozen or kept in storage somehow on that ship... I suppose.

Yes, yes.

[proteusmoon]

I do not doubt that placing us in cryostasis is indeed a high probability. Personally, I merely prefer it to think it's not what happened to us. I've experienced stasis before; there would be more obvious physical side effects upon awakening...

...unless they of course have the technology to eliminate this.

[aberrant_type]

I'm not sure which one I'd rather. Something that made it possible for us to fight, I suppose.

[proteusmoon]

Well, I don't think this has much bearing on that— unless you count the possibility of being able to return home almost confirmed an advantage. I have heard though by many that leaving is often an option, in places like these, if not a frequent or easily accessible opportunity.

[aberrant_type]

Why would they bother to return us home, though? To send Nunnally home and then bring her back, and to do the same with you?

[To stir them all up, perhaps. That's her best theory right now.]

[proteusmoon]

We are essentially enslaved entertainers. If we cannot produce our own high ratings, they will intervene to create the ideal feedback from the audience themselves, I imagine.

[ Basically, that's her best guess to. ]

[aberrant_type]

Mmm...

[God, she hates this.]

Well. As much as I'd rather you were safe at home... it's good to see you again.

[proteusmoon]

Likewise, though it feels it was only yesterday to me.

[ An awkward smile. ]

Still, it's disorienting to know it wasn't at all.

[aberrant_type]

Everything is transient here, so I wouldn't worry. You haven't missed anything that you can't catch up on.

Do you have any questions?

[proteusmoon]

Not especially... How are you?

[aberrant_type]

I'm well enough. We've been in range of a forest planet for the past month or so. At first, music familiar to the listener played over the speakers of each ship. Then we came across the planet itself. When you ventured into the forest, vivid illusions appeared and would try to drive or tempt you off the path. When you reached the end of the trail, however, you'd be given a small gift...

That's what the latest excitement has been.

[proteusmoon]

[ She... doesn't like the sound of that much. ]

A small gift...? Why don't I feel confident that what would be given was truly something to appreciate?

[ Like those virus-carrying gems they were given on the October planet. ]

[aberrant_type]

Your worries may be legitimate. We'll see what the new month brings... for now, I believe most people are carrying their things.

[As is she.]

Personally, I took several samples. I think it may be worthwhile to start up shipboard gardens.

[proteusmoon]

Mm.

Did you obtain a "gift"?

[aberrant_type]

A flare gun. Unloaded.

[proteusmoon]

A flare gun?

[ She's not too sure what that is. Her augment gives her knowledge as to what a gun is, of course, but more than that, she doesn't know. ]

Any particular significance?

[aberrant_type]

We use it to give each other signals when we're outside the wall, riding in formation.

It's not really a sentimental object but I don't have many personal things to start with. It could be useful, if I can get hold of flares.

[proteusmoon]

Hmm... and everyone else? Did theirs also have some personal significance for them?

[aberrant_type]

I'm not sure. I haven't asked around so much about what others got. It'd be something to work on.

[proteusmoon]

If there is in fact a pattern, I believe that would be rather telling as to what might be in store for us in the near future.

[aberrant_type]

Just for that, it might be worthwhile trying to find one.

[proteusmoon]

Once I'm sorted to a ship, I'll help you and see if we can't put the pieces together.

[aberrant_type]

We're five for five on the Red Fish at the moment. But we'll see each other on waystations and so on.