a blip

[thespaceopera]

[the fleet has been clear of the musical signals for a day or so... but things still aren't quite right. signals occasionally fail, there is static in the wires. and, apparently, the ships' scanning equipment hasn't been as sensitive as it should be.

it isn't until the fleet is far from the last planet's range that some kind of invisible cloud clears... and several blips show up on every ship's radar. those ships that have a communications officer on-board will actually hear a little alert. and those that don't may miss it entirely, if no one else on board happens to glance at the monitors.

--you aren't alone.

for the first time, there is something showing up on the scanners that isn't the innocuous signatures of local traffic between stations, or the lone, short-range ships out doing their jobs. this is something else.

the communications officers and pilots can attempt to scan them, maybe try and hail... but they lie at the absolute far edge of the equipment's range. just hovering--maybe watching, maybe waiting. maybe not realizing that the drifting fleet is unblinded enough to see them. and there's no telling how long they may have been there.

and once noticed, they only remain for a few minutes before disappearing again into the black.]

...

ooc: this is an entirely-optional mini-event. you can reply or not, and there is no rush to do so. the ships on the radar cannot actually be reached, and will disappear regardless of what is attempted. but if you want to try anyway, post reactions, etc., go ahead and knock yourself out here. they won't answer, but maybe they are listening regardless. this can also be used as a mingle, if anyone wants to talk to each other, or try to bludgeon their communications officer into getting off their butts to actually do anything.

this is just a small event, or clue, and can be played with or ignored as you all wish! enjoy!

Comments

aboard the ss bishop

[carreau]

[ Your captain is indeed a communications officer. He is also really excited about this. ]

Hey, hey~ Come look at this! There's something here!

[ladiesss]

Huh?

[she, instead of passing by, comes closer to lean in and take a look...]

Hey, there's a thingy!

SS Pathstone

[onlyanapple]

[Crowley spends a lot of time at his Communications desk, mostly so he can listen in on everyone else's conversations. It kills the time. This...is something new, though.]

...There's some weird shite going on out there. Just thought I'd let you know.

[He's not actually going to do anything about it, unless pushed. Be glad he let you all know.]

[carreau]

There is~ So there's someone out there~

[ He looks way too excited. He probably thinks this means war. ]

[amarant]

...anything else you know?

[ GOOD SHIT? BAD SHIT? ]

Three Twins // Comm

[serpentis]

a. Three Twins

[Dorian is still figuring out the details of the communications equipment, but he knows the basics, somehow. He tries not to think about it too much. With Nel mostly out of commission, he's been spending more time at his station.

Today, he's browsing the smaller communicator, feet crossed at the ankles and kicked up onto the top of the console. Things are quiet, mostly, save for...

What is this...?

[He speaks to himself in Tevene, his native tongue, taking his feet off the console and shifting in his seat, leaning forward. That must be a mistake, right? A novice's mistake? He clears his throat, trying to send out a communication to the ships that the equipment found.]

Well, hello there. Who is this?

b. Open to Fleet

[Getting nothing, Dorian sends out an open, unencrypted message to the rest of the fleet.]

Perhaps this isn't the best time, but did anyone else happen to notice their equipment detecting ships? I am willing to believe it may have been a novice mistake.

[onlyanapple]

This place has been a sesspit of drama for the last few days.

[Oh, wait, she meant...the things. ]

I dunno, ask Finrod.

[amarant]

Thank you, as always, for your help.

[ladiesss]

[simmer down there, captain. she scoots in for a closer look.]

...They look like they're just sitting there.

[carreau]

Eh? That's boring...

hello Three Twins

[thespaceopera]

[if he's not mistaken... there is an open channel formed between his ship and the newcomers. there is empty air; they theoretically might be able to hear him.

but there is no reply.]

SS Wonderduck

[devilsinthedetails]

[Who cares if he was just recently stabbed and poisoned, Cole's going to be hanging out in his comms station to stop the boredom and fretting and sad looks from everyone else. Aaand hey, there's something out there while he's scanning and poking around.

Something omnious. Guess who is now bellowing loud enough for the entire ship to hear. Thank god for demon lungs. Even though it hurts. ow.]

Something's on the scanners!

[onlyanapple]

I'm here to serve. Yadda yadda.

[wilder]

[This past week sure has been something. After what happened recently, Kaneis has been nice enough to keep his distance from the demon for a bit. Since really, it's understandable that angels might make the guy jumpy]

[That is, until he hears Cole's bellow. Then he'll head up to the bridge. Since oh yeah, someone might actually have to pilot this thing]

What is it?

HELLO MYSTERIOUS HOVERING ALIEN CRAFT

[serpentis]

[Dorian brings his hand to his chin and then fusses with his mustache in thought. His sad, unwaxed mustache.

Well, there's dead air...time to fill it. He decides to open a video stream. He did that right, didn't he? Well, good enough...

He leans down into the camera, smiling a bit.]

Good evening! I suppose it is evening, though I am not entirely certain. Time is relative, and all that. My name is Dorian Pavus, and I'm curious what might bring you to our little corner of...wherever this is. Are you searching for adventure, or perhaps something else?

Regardless, your presence has not gone un-noted! I'd like to properly welcome you, if you'd care to reply to this. I wouldn't mind a nice little chat. Think it over, wouldn't you?

[devilsinthedetails]

[Surprisingly, Cole isn't anywhere near jumpy when it comes to the angels. He's lived with far worse than a poisonous angels. He looks over at Kaneis and taps the screen to show him.]

No idea. They're at the range of our sensors and just...lurking there.

[wilder]

[Cole maybe you should be more picky with the roommates you get off craigs list god. He steps closer to view the screen, frowning]

Well that's not ominous or creepy at all. Any hails from them?

[amarant]

Of course you are.

ss huntress;

[merchantprince]

[Varric is more than done at this point. Stick a fork in him, he's basically charred. But he can't ignore the weirdness that is the change in screens. He's always interested when another ship goes by, minding its own business; it's a nice reminder they're not the only ones, that this isn't some kind of weird illusion. There are other people out there.

But this is different. It's not zooming by, it's just. Sitting there.]

The hell?

Tourist

[got_it_memorized]

[action]
[Axel rather likes the communications augment, it helps him keep up his tendency to be nosy. He likes to know where the other ships are, he likes to check up on other people's conversations, just to make sure nobody's talking about anything interesting without him. Today, though... today there's something very interesting, and it's got nothing to do with gossip.

He can be found at his station, trying in vain to scan the ghostly new blips.]

[open hailing channel]
Yo, anybody there? You really ought to introduce yourself instead'a just lurking, you know.

[devilsinthedetails]

[He'd be more picky if they weren't his in-laws. Or wife. Moral of the story is never live with three witches and a whitelighter.]

Nope, nothing. Which actually makes it creepy. [He laughs and then winces. ow.] Maybe we shouldn't have gone with horror films for movie night.

[onlyanapple]

It does say so on my job assignment and all.

[wilder]

Shhh, don't let Flora hear that. We'll get stuck with romance movies.

[He walks over to his pilot chair and sits down, pulling up his own system's readings.]

Weird...

SS First Breath

[proteusmoon]

[ Normally, Tim would be on the bridge more than she, but it's a bit late by now and she thinks he might be off preparing to sleep. In her typical insomniac fashion, that leaves her wandering around the ship alone and the bridge is often where she ends up because it has the largest view of the outside and because it's where she's used to lingering from when she was captain of the Wonderduck.

When she catches sight of the spacecraft, she furrows her brow and leans in closer to the viewport, as though it will help her see the thing better. She tries to adjust the ship's controls to enable her to see it more closely, but she's neither a comms officer nor a pilot and so she doesn't really know how to work it well. She doesn't keep trying for fear of seriously damaging something after her first couple attempts. Instead, she just continues to watch it quietly before turning to opening the network. ]

( Open network video; )
Hello, this is security officer Cecil Harvey of the SS First Breath. I'm sorry to disturb the fleet at this hour, but is anyone else picking up the unidentified spacecraft in the distance? Has anyone managed to establish contact with it?

Video;

[serpentis]

Ah, hello there, Cecil. This is Dorian Pavus, of the Three Twins. I've attempted to open communications, but it would seem they are not swayed by my charms. I've received no reply.