And we're back

[thespaceopera]

[On this perfectly normal day in the Drift Fleet (in as much as any day here can be called "normal"), everyone's personal communicators and network terminals crackle to life with an incoming message. It's impossible to change the channel as a peppy jingle begins to play, followed by--could it be? The saccharine voice of one of the Drift Fleet's long-lost hosts. Diamond has finally come calling again.]

Good morning, Drift Fleet! It is so good to be able to speak with you again after so long... Absence makes the heart grow fonder, doesn't it? We have quite a bit to catching up to do!

You'll be happy to know that while you and I may have been out of communication lately, our darling audience has been keeping up! In the interim, each passenger has had their very own montage made and broadcast for them, covering their histories and current struggles... [The pride can be heard brimming in her voice.] There have been several episodes dedicated entirely to introducing everyone to all of the new faces who've joined us over the past few months, as well.

[With a heartfelt sigh:] I have missed you all so very much, and I do apologize for the lack of contact. It turns out that we needed to extend the calibrations to more systems than previously anticipated, and a few things had to be disconnected in order for those repairs to take place. Some of you may have noticed the slight increase in new passenger arrivals while the system was resetting and reestablishing contact... But that glitch has been taken care of!

[There's a rustling sound in the background of the broadcast, as though she was shuffling through some papers.] Speaking of which, the SS Blameless has been added to the Fleet to relieve some of the pressure. So hello, Blameless! I hope that you know that you're already making quite a name for yourself among the fans.

And related to our recent repairs... A software update will be released very soon, so please excuse any hiccups that may occur between communication devices, power grids, or the gravity drives. I promise that it will all be temporary.

[The sound of a page turning.] Finally, thank you so much for your cooperation in completing that important delivery with our friends aboard the HS Maldua, despite the little incident with the Starlight's security. I assure you that our cargo was completely harmless and that we'd made all attempts to register with the station... But some of the paperwork must have gotten lost in the process. You all know how tangled the red tape can get, sometimes. Many of you persevered regardless and made sure that the trade was completed, and we are terribly grateful for it.

It is so nice to know that we have some true allies among our beloved ranks. Teamwork is everything, you know.

[A small, happy sound.]

Until next time, remember... The worlds are watching!

[And with that closing phrase, the broadcast ends... Or does it? The channel is still open, and anyone is welcome to try replying... They just may not get an answer from anyone other than their fellow passengers.]

Comments

video;

[bolder]

[Are you serious right now?]

So where the heck have you been through all this crap? I was almost free of that stupid jingle.

video;

[robitussin]

You. I have words for you.

[maschinenpistole]

A hiccup in gravity drive. ... How likely is that?

[ Her expression says she's suspicious, but there miiight be some hints of curiosity, too... maybe even possibly excitement, if you're really squinting, because, well, Does she get to play around in zero-G?! ]

[video]

[sonofgold]

Oh, our "current struggles". How nice of you!

[video]

[pompous_today]

Oh yes, we all know how troublesome bureaucracy can be. Dealing with law enforcement can be such a delicate process.

[The sarcasm is just dripping here, but then he becomes sincere again, feeling bold.]

Especially when nobody on any planet we visit seems to have heard of your popular little show.

video;

[revivo]

[where does she even begin with this.]

So you really do exist. I was starting to believe you were just an old wives' tale.

[kickingand]

Our histories?

[ EXCUSE YOU. EXCUSE YOU. This is not okay with him!!!

-- gently flips a table. ]

[ video ]

[beardstrokes]

[ Well. Now they finally have a face of sorts. Obi-Wan puts on his most flattering smile. ]

And what kind of software update would that be?

[child_of_bhaal]

[Hello, Diamond. She didn't miss you. Glad you're still around. She's going to kill you someday. c:]

Someone explain what a "montage" is, please.

[The please is for the other prisoners of the Fleet. It is not for Diamond.]

[geonomy]

In this case? It's like clips of your life put together to show to the audience.

[child_of_bhaal]

And clips are what in this context?

[It's obvious she aware this is probably annoying, but she has to ask our her imagination will do wild things. You clip things like hair and nails, not lives
]

[geonomy]

Oh, it's like -

[He's not sure if she's seen a television around here before or anything like that, so... hmm.]

You know how some people do video broadcasts on here? And you can see what they're doing on the device we have? That's a clip of them. So, them saying they're showing clips of our history is like... Those, but of different parts of our life put together.

[And he knows how terrible it is. If what they said is true, then it's yet another invasion of privacy for the entertainment of others.]

[child_of_bhaal]

[The explanation has her frowning, more out of irritation than confusion, and certainly not directed at the gentleman explaining it to her.]

I see. Thank you, for answering my questions, sir. I'm at a disadvantage around all this mechanical stuff.

[touchofrogue]

[Talking with these faces was always so pointless. She felt the instinctive and visceral fury she was sure many of them did at the mention of the montage, their histories...

And then she decides not to even bother responding to this 'Diamond' character.]

video

[mistyday]

[Maybe this is awkward, considerin' everyone else's reactions so far but well. She feels obligated. And frankly, she doesn't give a shit if some alien audience has seen her past.

Not that she ain't suspicious. Of course she is. But credit where credit's due, you know?]

Look, I was startin' to wonder if y'all were really real or not, but looks like you are so I guess I better get on with it. My daddy always taught me to thank people who oughtta be thanked. I don't know about all the rest of this... calibration nonsense and I'm damn sure people got a right to be angry about it, but I wanna thank you anyway, for getting me out of... the place I was. Here's a lot better than there, as I'm sure you know.

[From what she's heard, they don't answer, but... she'll wait a minute, just in case.]

[gifted_witch]

[Lily blinked slowly, questions rose and sank in her mind as she did so. That was quite a statement from their hosts wasn't it? And it still failed to explain much of anything. It was sounding like the Ministry more and more all the time.]

Are any of us really that interesting?

audio

[experiencepoints]

So, back to where we can't talk back to you? That isn't how to make us think you're not behind that attack from before. Or that you're not using us to smuggle illegal shit, with that Starlight problem.

not here

[bythewaves]

Everything? Maglor pales, staring at the broadcast, and bites back a whimper, curling over in his room on the Marisva, hands beginning to ache.

No, please...

Video

[save_the_souls]

[Oh Lord he had almost forgotten how much he did NOT miss these broadcasts. And hearing the news that apparently their histories were covered to the audience? Ugh. Like he wanted countless strangers to know about his past. The idea just pisses him off]

[But he knows very well Diamond never responds to these, so there's no point in wasting breath. So instead, while his feed is on, he'll just give a very rude hand gesture at the camera]

[Yeah. That sums up his feelings about all this]

not here

[bolder]

[Yeah! What he didn't say!!]

Video

[alwayscomeback]

I hate you. I hate you so much.

[geonomy]

[...]

Anyway.

video;

[bloodbiter]

You've aired our histories?

video;

[theirinurpants]

A mon-what?

video;

[universal_charm]

You realize that stressing certain words doesn't make them any more believable.

_{[ Aka, he is not impressed. ]}

[grandstanding]

[He could respond to this, with a threat or pointed comment. But he's seen the lack of response everyone is getting, so he won't waste his time. No, what he's going to linger on is we have some true allies among our beloved ranks. That sends a chill down his spine. Mention of their broadcast histories brings more of a fire.

He slams the communicator down, an ugly look on his face.]

[audio]

[ecclesiophobic]

[A montage. Of his history.

He hasn't seen any evidence of such being broadcast among the captives, and surely if it had been Logan would've come for him by now (the man never did have much patience,) but the possibility sends cold chills down his spine.

So he responds, after a few minutes to compose himself, in the only way fitting; in a falsely light and friendly tone.] I very sincerely hope mine was edited. Wouldn't want to give the children psychological scarring--or their parents, for that matter.

audio;

[diplomacme]

[ Before she turns her communicator on, Padmé unleashes a flurry of swears and insults in its general direction. So if anyone on the Heron hears a long string of swearing in several alien languages, that's just her.

It takes everything in her diplomatic arsenal to maintain a calm, even reply. The Atroma will stonewall her if she's not careful about what she says. ]

Which worlds are watching? I would like to acknowledge my fans by name.

[ A total lie. But maybe, just maybe, they'll give her something. ]