driftfleet | GXZRI HFJVH ERLIO NDXWY UBXMZ HPZLT EKGKG LLFVT O

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GXZRI HFJVH ERLIO NDXWY UBXMZ HPZLT EKGKG LLFVT O

Who: Crew of the First Breath & Visitors!
Broadcast: Video: First Breath/ Open To The Fleet!
Action: On the First Breath!
When: Right after the shuffle.

[First Breath Only]

This is your captain speaking. Apparently. I'll try not to give any orders you don't want to follow - key to a good commander, right?

We should establish a chain of command. Talk about goals. And maybe see if we can manage fancy uniforms as a ratings stunt.

[Fleetwide]

So. How seriously am I supposed to take my new rank?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ It's a question he asks of women - an assumption he makes.

He is going to have trouble deciding who to listen to, he realizes. He likes Tim well enough, but this woman has the weight of authority that he's so used to seeing. ]

Are the two of you going to fight over leadership?

[ He sounds a little resigned. And he definitely doesn't consider himself a candidate for the position. ]

[ That's... a bit strange. Did he overhear them arguing already? They weren't really arguing about who was going to be captain-- just about how to deal with their captors. ]

It's as I told him-- I'm not a sovereign here. My title has no meaning in this place. Besides that, leadership here isn't a role that means very much as far as Atroma is concerned. It depends more on the crew of a ship to decide that.

[ A nod. ]

Where I come from, women are the leaders. Nearly always. But I'm - adapting. [ Or he's trying to. ]

[ She's legitimately confused now. ]

...Adapting to what?

Men leading. Men - as warriors.

In most worlds, including the one I am from, it's unusual for women to be leaders and warriors. I myself was judged more harshly than my male counterparts when I was still in training, before I obtained my proof of knighthood.

Tim is young and inexperienced to a degree. He seems clever and intelligent, and I don't doubt he's quite responsible as well, but his age concerns me. My world was recently at war and many young people his age and even younger were drawn into the fighting. I would prefer to not see that happen here too.

[ A nod; he defers to her opinion, clearly a longtime habit, or a survival mechanism, or just a way to avoid thinking. ] You are protective of someone his age?

Men are always the last to fight, on Spinward. Male strength defends the home. Male instincts.

[ But he can accept that there are different reasons to protect someone. Gender, or age. ]

At least they didn't make me captain.

[ She laughs a little bit at that. ]

I'm protective of someone your age as well. Perhaps not as much, but still to a degree.

[ That said, she's sort of beginning to see that perhaps he's more vulnerable than even Tim. ]

Perhaps it is because I chose a profession that was not generally expected of a young girl, but I've always resented the idea that one's sex should determine one's future. It is the heart and the spirit that make a person who they are, not their body. It's possible you'd be a fine leader too and you shouldn't dismiss the notion so quickly. There are only three of us here and the responsibility of making quick decisions that are in everyone's best interests might very well fall to you at some point.

I can make decisions. I don't know about giving orders.

[ He is vulnerable; he is alone, he is adrift, he doesn't know what he should be doing in a place like this. ]

Of course, I've never followed orders before, so... [ A little bit of a shrug. ] I'll do my best.

You won't know until you try.

As for following orders... they aren't absolute. If you disagree with something or are uncomfortable, say so. Keeping it to yourself won't help us function together as a crew well. It's all right to question.

[ This makes him pause. It's clear he's not really sure what she means by all of this - he's never seen a warrior who didn't want people to follow her orders. Exactly. ]

[ It's easy for her to take notice and she tilts her head to the side curiously, only a tiny bit concerned at the moment. ]

Is... everything all right?

Yes. It's fine.

Um... well, great.

[ She thinks. She can't tell if everything is fine or if he's just saying that because it's easier than the alternative. She doesn't press him for now though. ]

I'm in the armory, by the way, if you wanted to stop by.

[ It's really a thinly veiled invitation, but her tone is light and as gentle as always in what should be a clear sign that she's definitely not giving him an order. Of course, whether or not he interprets it as such is yet to be seen. ]

There's an armory?

[ But he starts moving. Not because it's an order, but because he would rather speak in person than over these little screens. ]

Er, yes, but I'm not sure it's exactly like what you would expect. Last room on the left.

[ He didn't bat an eyelash when she mentioned she was a knight and he used the term "warrior" instead of "soldier" or "fighter" when he asked her if she was one, so she's thinking he's maybe from a world similar to hers. She shuts off the video feed and gets up from her seat to meet him at the door. ]

[ Doesn't take him long to get there - the ship's not large. ]

Did you think I expected swords and halberds? I know this place isn't what I'm used to.

...hello.

[ She laughs at the remark and shrugs her shoulders. ]

Well, I did until the implant started to inform me it'd be much different.

I try to think it through.

[ In person, Malak is slim but wiry, the kind of upper body that's strong from heavy use. He holds himself tightly, shoulders curled a little inwards, but his eyes are sharp. He looks over the armory. ]

I was hoping for a solution to the rat problem. Do you think there might be something in here?

[ She takes note of how he carries himself, trying to read more into his personality from his body language. She herself stands straight, her carriage all confidence and elegance, posture near perfect, but her smaller frame has little rigid tension to it.

She doesn't look much like a warrior at first glance. ]

Well, I thought I would teach you to shoot, if you've not handled a weapon like this before. I'm your security officer, so the knowledge is already--

[ She taps behind her ear where their augment chips are implanted. ]

--you know. I had some, er, field practice with them as well in the couple months I was here before I was taken away.

I might be able to find small traps too, for when we can't watch them ourselves.

[ He is contained. Cautious. Like someone who's aware of how much danger the world really holds. He's submissive, calm, controlled without being controlling. He is complex. ]

I haven't. I - I haven't. But I can learn. [ He should be leery of fighting, like a good man, but he wants to be able to defend himself. ]

[ She would raise a brow at the hesitance with which he responds if she wasn't concerned with spooking him by being too forceful, so she merely keeps her expression cool and neutral, nodding in approval. ]

Good. If you're willing, we can definitely do that.

[ She crosses to one of the lockers, opening the gate to get access to the weapons inside of it. She takes out a sleek silver firearm -- just small enough that the kick won't be too shocking -- and moves back to him. But before she hands it over, she puts out a hand to shake. ]

Cecil Harvey, by the way.

Malak. [ Just one name; he's already decided to discard his clan name, especially if it's meaningless here. It makes it sound like he hasn't even fathered children.

He takes her hand. There's unexpected strength in his grip. ]

[ To her, it makes it sound as though he doesn't want to talk about where he's from, so she makes a mental note to not ask any questions unless he volunteers the information himself like he just did moments ago.

She smiles again as they shake, friendly and warm as can be. She feels better than she did earlier after talking to him, more comfortable and less concerned with being the largest source of tension amongst her crew. Again.

She still feels she probably will be, but he's easy to have a conversation with, kind and non-confrontational, if private. It makes it easy for her to be herself. ]

I'm sorry for the circumstances, but it's good to meet you properly now, Malak.

The circumstances aren't your fault.

[ His anger isn't directed at her. ]

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