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[detectivewonder]

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?

Comments

action;

[treasureling]

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?

action;

[proteusmoon]

[ 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.

action;

[treasureling]

[ 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. ]

action;

[proteusmoon]

[ 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.

action;

[treasureling]

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. ]

[proteusmoon]

[ 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.

[treasureling]

The circumstances aren't your fault.

[ His anger isn't directed at her. ]

[proteusmoon]

[ She understands the sentiment all too well. ]

Let's see if we can do something about increasing the odds in our favor, shall we?

[ She holds out the firearm to him. ]

[treasureling]

[ And when it comes down to it, he hesitates. This is a weapon. Men do not fight. It's a prohibition emphasized to him his whole life.

He grits his teeth and takes it, holding it flat on his hand. He doesn't know how to hold it. ]

Show me what to do.

[proteusmoon]

[ She slowly takes his hand between both of hers, fitting his fingers around the weapon, but being careful not to put his finger on the trigger. Then she pulls away and begins to point out the different parts of it. ]

Grip. Trigger. Muzzle. Rear sight, front sight. Barrel.

Now, do not put your finger on the trigger unless you intend to use this weapon. Pulling the trigger will cause it to fire and you can, obviously, injure someone if you are not careful.

[treasureling]

[ It's easy to mold him; he's obedient, he listens to every word she says. ]

All it takes is pulling the trigger?

That seems... easier, than a sword.

[proteusmoon]

Well, you have to aim and hold it properly too. With a sword, you have complete control over the killing part. With this? Not so much.

[ She lets him holds the weapon on his own, stepping away to grab the cup that she was previously drinking tea from. She sets it up on the desk nearby, making sure nothing but wall is behind it, then walks back over to stand beside him. ]

Use the sights to shoot the cup.

[treasureling]

A sword takes strength. It has a balance to it. It has to have harmony with the arm and the body.

[ He knows an awful lot, for not being a warrior.

Somewhat reluctantly, he takes aim. In squeezing the trigger, he is tense; the shot goes wild. ]

[proteusmoon]

[ Thankfully the gunshot doesn't ricochet. ]

Here--

[ She reaches out again to guide him. She shakes his wrist a little in the universal gesture for him to loosen up, then rearranges his arm so that it's outstretched, but his elbow isn't locked. ]

Relax. Try taking a breath and firing as you hold it. Try again.

[ She's quick to mention the obvious. ]

For someone who doesn't know how to fight, you awfully know a lot about the philosophy of wielding a warrior's weapon.

[ She sounds impressed and approving. ]

[treasureling]

I'm a blacksmith. A swordsmith, in particular.

[ He focuses again. Can't help tensing up, against the recoil, but he fires again, and again, and he starts to get used to it. The shots drift a little closer. ]

[proteusmoon]

Better.

[ She laughs softly in disbelief when he tells her he's a blacksmith. ]

That's amazing— and it explains your knowledge.

[ This time she takes a step behind him to lead his aim, correcting little things about his stance here and there, helping him set up the next shot for him before moving away to let him hold the stance and pull the trigger himself. ]

[treasureling]

[ He draws in a hint-too-sharp breath when she gets close to him. He's controlled, if not exactly tense, when she's close. Maybe a caution that he can't quite turn off. ]

It isn't so amazing.

[ The next few come decently close. ]

[proteusmoon]

[ She is obviously pleased by the progress, nodding in approval and smiling too. She doesn't ask about how he tenses up immediately when she gets closer to him. ]

Good, good.

And how can you say that? It takes dedication for one who is not a fighter to understand a swordsman's perspective. Smithing is a sort of art form. To a warrior or a soldier, their life depends on the sword and the crasftmanship of a good weapon is both appreciated by its wielder and meant to take credit for his or her survival. You should take more pride in your work. It is a valuable skill.

[treasureling]

It is an art.

But I take more pride in the beautiful things I've made than the deadly things.

[proteusmoon]

A sword can be beautiful. It doesn't always have to be used for killing. Some are used for protecting, some are used for decorum.

Have you made other things besides weapons with your skills?

[treasureling]

A sword is a weapon. I can give it a beautiful blade or a jeweled handle, but it won't stop being a weapon.

[proteusmoon]

[ Hm. Not a perspective she disagrees with, but it is something she didn't expect from someone who agreed to training with a much more easily abused weapon. She gently stops him from trying to hit the cup anymore and tries to take the firearm from him. ]

How do you feel about the probability of us having to fight against a threat at some point? Truly, honestly. And I don't mean against rats.

[treasureling]

[ He surrenders the gun without trouble. ]

I think I don't want to be helpless. And if a weapon is what it takes, then that's what it takes.

[proteusmoon]

And you're not simply doing this because I suggested it?

[treasureling]

I don't want to be helpless.

[ He repeats those words.

No, he's not doing it because she suggested it. He gives off the impression of that kind of obedient - he's worked at it, in fact, in the past - but in reality he fits poorly into that mold. He wishes he fit better. ]