driftfleet | Sixth Blight

Who: Riona and you!
Broadcast: Yus
Action: On the Blue Fish, if you'd like!
When: Now?

[There's the distinct sound of a canine sniffing nearby when the feed turns on. Anyone with an acute ear may also hear a different kind of sound, something akin to snuffling. The animal causing it is revealed a moment later. To those not from Thedas, it looks like a pink, hairless mole. But any Thedosian would know that it's a nug.

The camera pans over to Riona, who's feeding said nug while Kiter cautiously sniffs at the other animal. She shakes her head.]

A favor for a favor, I suppose. Sister Nightingale has fallen into one of those comas. For the time being, Schmooples here is in my care. If you were expecting to see her in the interfaith center, I'm afraid it'll have to wait. [She looks over at her puppy, smiling conspiratorially.] You and I will be brainstorming what to draw on her face. Tit for tat, too.

[When she looks back at the camera, her smile falters, and pronounced concern sets in its place.]

Also, Dr. Beverly Crusher seems to be missing. Normally I'd suspect she's gone home, but her things are still here and her name still shows up on the communication device. Something is amiss. If anyone has seen her the past few days, please do let me or any of the crew on the Blue Fish know.

[Her disappearance puzzles her, along with her obvious worry. It's not like Beverly to do that, and with them having left the planet, there are only so many places she could be.]

Those matters aside, we've now returned to the dull void of space and to confinement in our ships until we make land again. There's only so much to entertain in the fleet, especially when you've been here awhile. Recently, I returned home for a few months. Here only a handful of days passed, but it felt much longer. I find myself feeling a bit homesick. So, I have a request.

[She pauses, uncertainty flitting across her face. For a moment she glances down, and finds herself fiddling with her wedding ring, which she's recently gone back to wearing on her hand. She clasps her hands together and looks back at the camera.]

But first, I suppose I should introduce myself to those who don't know me. My name is Riona Cousland [And here there's the slightest pause, a moment of hesitation. She swallows the trepidation back.] Theirin. I've been here nearly eight months.

[Whatever caused her hesitation seems to have passed. She relaxes, and continues:]

In my time, I've heard quite a few things about people's worlds. Comparing them to Thedas - where I am from - always interests me. I love hearing stories, and I'm always happy to share ones from my world, in particular the ones of my home country.

So. Let's do an exchange. A tale for a tale. It can be anything you experienced, or perhaps a legend or fable from your world that you're fond of. And I will tell you one in return. Simple enough, and a good way to pass the evening, no?

[She smiles, wiggling her fingers in good-bye before shutting off the feed.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I would think so. When someone leaves, everything of theirs is gone and they're removed from the communication list.

[She nods, understanding wanting to see it in person rather than just taking someone's word for it.]

Sure. Though I do not know how to send them to you from here. I'm not terribly familiar with the system. My first mate had to show me how to even look at the logs.

I guess that's true. Though that doesn't explain where she is. [Or what's currently being done to her.]

Okay. If you'd prefer I can come over there and look at them.

No, it doesn't. And it's very worrying. We've all put our heads together to try and figure out where she is.

[To no avail, though it was suggested to her she may have fallen into a coma on the Iskaulit.]

I'll bring them up for you on the bridge. Perhaps you can see something we missed? [Unlikely, but worth a try.]

I'll see what I can find. [She'll have to have her communicator read them to her, but she's used to dealing with that format of information.] I'll be there shortly.

[And she is, good as her word.]

[Riona will be waiting for her at the bridge, the logs pulled up and ready for her. She's sitting in one of the chairs, arms crossed, but she'll straighten up as soon as she sees Wrath enter.]

They're right here.

[Wrath is all formality now. She doesn't salute, but she nods sharply. She's on someone else's ship.]

Thank you.

[She settles down to start reading the logs, which actually means having her communicator read the logs to her, though very quietly. She's concentrating very hard.]

Of course.

[She lets her read - or have it be read to her, for a long while. Eventually, she clears her throat gently.]

Anything?

[Wrath runs a distracted hand through her hair.]

Nothing.

Any way of telling if your records have been tampered with? [This is feeling more and more like a recode to her, except for the fact that everyone obviously remembers Beverly. But it's making her really paranoid.]

I... do not know. I barely understand how these work, let alone changing them in any way. No one on the ship would have done such a thing, and I don't know of anyone I've seen on here who would do that, either.

I don't think it would have been anyone on the ship. [This is setting off every one of her old paranoias.] There isn't anything we can trust about this situation.

But Atroma has the ability to just take people off these ships without anyone realizing or leaving any trace.

Or they can make us think that.

How do you think they do it, then?

Any kind of networked computer can be altered remotely. And they have techn implanted in us. For all I know, it's like the ports I used to have, and they can use that to remotely control us or alter our memories or something.

[Admittedly, a lot of that terminology flies over her head. The joys of being from a medieval fantasy setting. But she gets the gist of what Wrath is saying.]

So you're saying they could change anything on our ships or with our augments from a distance? I suppose that would make sense, given their lack of physical presence here. They have to do it somehow.

I don't know if they actually can or are doing it. But I know where I'm from, that shit got done to us all the time. So I would be really surprised if they weren't remotely controlling or interfering.

[If nothing else, what happened to Winter is a major piece of evidence in favor of that theory.]

So if nothing else, if things seem off or wrong, it's probably not you. And if someone acts weird, there's a good chance it's not their fault.

[She nods along, at least until the last bit. That, oh that makes her pause. There's a frown set in place as she looks back at Wrath.]

...do you think that Atroma could, ah, interfere with someone's memories?

I don't know. [She looks even more grim.] But they did that to us all the time, where I'm from. So I know it's possible.

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