driftfleet | (no subject)

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(no subject)

Who: Anders
Broadcast: Video, fleetwide
Action: The Marsiva, if at all
When: Today

[The video turns on to see a bunch of fabric. A keen eye might notice it looks kind've like a skirt. A knowing eye would recognize it as mage's robes. The man holding the communicator isn't paying it any attention beyond having picked it up, he's too busy making kissing noises as he searches the too empty ship.]

Pounce! Ser-Pounce-a-lot! Here, kitty!

[The tone of voice he was using was higher and probably sounded a little ridiculous.]

Please don't have gotten into any trouble...

[But there was definite concern in his tone as the man searched for his missing kitten.
At least until his step staggers and then stops and there's a catch in his breathing that could nearly be called a gasp.]

Well...would you look at that...

[Not that anyone could with the screen still faced away, but Anders had no thought for the device or much of anything aside from his kitten and the large window displaying the vast emptiness of space before him.]

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Oops. [She doesn't look that remorseful with her cheeky smile.]

I must be making better first impressions these days. [She probably is, but she blames most of this response on Anders. And now for story time.]

Our captors are called the Atroma. They'd been keeping a low profile for most of my stay—three months now. But recently a representative of theirs addressed us. Apparently, they used to do that in the past too. We know very little about them except that they have a lot of control over us.

Ah, excellent, that's my favorite kind of captor.

[It was the Circle all over again, except maybe a little less if their ability to talk to one another was as open as all this. He'd have to wait and see.]

And do I ever get to see another person face-to-face or is this the new 'in' thing from letter writing?

[It was hard not to notice the complete lack of...anyone. He didn't like that part very much at all.]

You can't leave the Marsiva and no one can get to it, but there might be other people on board if not now then soon. It's sort of the holding zone before they ship you off to one of the other ships in the fleet which shouldn't take more than a week at most. There you'll have crewmates and you can take a shuttle to visit any other ship or the surface of wherever we're stationed and someone can visit you too.

[Smiling.] But the network is very in. You won't find a lot of letters.

Now that is good news. Probably the best I've heard so far.

[An end in sight was a novelty.

He isn't sure how he feels about that whole lack of letters thing, but he had to admit this was a lot simpler. And faster.]

Does that mean I could have the pleasure of coming to visit you sometime?

Me? [Is this where she should mention she's seeing someone?] Yeah, sure if you want. I'm on the Windrose.

[It was far too forward, but that was him and he didn't take it back even if it might seem like more than what he was trying to say.]

I'll remember the name, then, when a little more freedom is granted to me.

[He pauses, uncertain how to phrase what he was thinking without giving anything away.]

Thank you, by the way. We're strangers, it's true, but in an unfamiliar place, a friendly face isn't something someone should pass up appreciating.

[And she did have quite the face to appreciate, but that he kept to himself. Flirting for fun was all well and good, but not more and certainly not the illusion of more.]

It just so happens I keep my face with me wherever I go, so if you do find me I can almost guarantee you'll be able to see it. [She gives him a smile, relaxing a bit and not feeling the need to start name dropping Winn into the conversation.]

Have you heard from anyone from home since you've gotten here?

Well, that's awfully convenient!

[The mentions of others causes a brief mixed reaction but it slides off his face like water. Nope, not the time for the confusing bundle of everything that was.]

I have! There's quite a few people here who remember me from home but I haven't met them yet and one person I know who hasn't met me yet, it's a party around here.

Oh good, maximum weird. Although it's always better to either have died or to see some people who have already died if you really want to spice it up. Or versions of people you know, but they're from other realities so they're different somehow. [Welcome to the life of a Marvel.]

...right...congrats! You win weirdest experience.

Can't say I'll look forward to that possibility.

[He'll take his tragedy-ridden Thedosian life over that chaos.]

The competition no one wanted to win. [She smiles at him.] Do you feel better about your own stuff at least? It's a good consolation prize.

It's true, you really deserve a medal for it.

[The smile he gives her is small but real and he nods.]

Surprisingly, I do. Thank you.

[He hesitates, half uncertain if he even wants to ask the question her comment spawned. Alternate people..was that what had happened here? He couldn't be sure.]

Not so strange of a question, considering context, but you didn't happen to know the 'other me' that was apparently here before, did you?

If I had I would have told you. It's weird to tell people things like that, but it's weirder not to I think. I've only been here since the beginning of February. Not that we couldn't have overlapped but the fleet's big enough that I still haven't met or even come across everyone yet. [And that's with actively monitoring the network and seeking people out to better learn her surroundings and community.]

[His relief is visible.]

Thank The Maker for that.

[He's not even sure what 'February' is but it's fine, he believes her and she isn't just being nice to him for the sake of a familiar face.]

Then, thank you again. It is weird, but that would have been a rude surprise.

Edited 2016-05-27 02:07 (UTC)

Not enjoying that bit? I would have warned you if I'd known. It's actually never happened to me. Though I have seen a lot of people return with no memories of me. [It gets common, but not necessarily easy.]

I can think of plenty of other things I would rather experience, yes. [Putting it simply.

Something she said bothered him, though.]

If it happens often, how can anyone make friends with people here? If they're just going to vanish and possibly come back with no memories of being here, what's the point in getting attached?

Life.

Life is the point. You don't just put yourself on hold until conditions improve because the might not. Maybe they only get worse. You have to hold on to what you can.

[Oh, she gets the pain of it. The way loss eats at you every time instead of getting easier. But she isn't ready to just trade the good times with the bad for being alone instead.]

[That hits deeper than she likely meant. She was right. He'd spent so long not letting anyone in and then he'd met Karl and he'd been so drawn to the other lost mage boy, they'd grown close without meaning to. He'd lost Karl, had to watch as his only friend and loved one was taken from him by those who ruled their lives, but he wouldn't trade the memory of those years for anything.

Even if that memory hurt. He just didn't think he could feel that hurt again and come out the other side.

He pastes on a simple smile.]

Hadn't thought of it that way, I suppose you have a point. It's something to think about, certainly.

[She looks at him thoughtfully, but doesn't read too much into a momentary hesitation of a man she only just met. She'll let the teasing continue if a bit lightly.]

Does this mean you might not be dropping by? Too much of a risk to get to know me?

[Now his smile widens and that teasing tone returns.]

Perish the thought, my fine lady! I would surely be the poorer for that decision.

As it is, I'm certain I would miss your fantastic smile if it was suddenly gone, I'm afraid I'm already in too deep.

You are like this close [Holding two fingers close together] to writing a song about me. I can feel it.

Absolutely. Perhaps even poetry.

For both our sakes, I'll find someone else to sing it.

My boyfriend has an excellent voice. I'm sure he'd be happy to help you out.

Perfect! No better person to perform it, really. As soon as my muse returns, I'll send him the finished product to serenade you with.

[His grin grows and he can't help but laugh at the end, he maintained the joke as long as he could, but even he had his limits. Maker knew he couldn't write a pretty thing if his life depended on it.]

Thank you for humoring me.

Hey, humoring people is like half of my job. Or none of it. It's definitely one of those two things. [The none of it one.]

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