driftfleet | (no subject)

Who: Zoe Hange
Broadcast: Yes, fleetwide video
Action: If you're on the Red Fish
When: 2/16 early afternoon

[Tap-tap-tappity goes Hange's finger on the mic, and the speakers pop-pop-pop in response. There's a moment's pause, and then Hange flicks the setting from audio to video and grins at the camera.]

Good afternoon, everyone! New arrivals and parties being planned, I see everyone's keeping busy. Good, good! The fastest way to get bored is to give yourself nothing to do!

Speaking of that - I've been working on a little something I'd like to rope the whole fleet into, if ships are willing! It'd be to the benefit of all of us, hopefully, and I think it would boost morale around here too. We aren't meant to be crammed in these cans with no sky and no trees around. So!

[Up pop some drawings, in front of the screen. It looks like a vertical setup of... troughs? Deep troughs with some other stuff thrown in there. Hange's voice continues cheerfully from behind her papers.]

What I'd like to do is get us microfarming! I took as many samples as I could from that forest, so we have some stock to start with. I'm looking especially at producing edible plants and those with medicinal purposes! Vertical arrangement would be more space-efficient then horizontal. I'm hoping to start things off on the Red Fish, and if we see success, build similar setups in the ships of those who are interested! One of our young engineers seems confident he can set us up with growlights, so that'd mitigate the lack of sunlight we see on these ships. And I know we have some people around who are excellent at working with plants!

[She drops the papers, grins sunnily at the camera again.]

Of course, they'd require tending to. That's why I'm broaching the idea to everyone!

[Kaneis]

Say! Introduce me to your botanically-inclined crewmate!

[Hiro]

You're still on board for this, right?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Hm! Fair enough. [Though her tone is light, it does sound like she's taking him seriously. Well, she is. She's still gauging him, though.] What's your leadership experience like as it stands, kiddo?

Four years of small unit tactics as leader or... co-leader of a team.

And how old are you, precisely?

Eighteen, and a single-digit number of days.

Well, kiddo, you made it! Happy birthday! [She sounds... just thrilled to be able to congratulate him]

Thanks.

[Oh, Tim. Now she really does sound amused.]

What's the matter? You didn't get a party to your specifications?

It's just not my biggest concern at the moment.

Not everybody gets an eighteenth birthday, you know. Appreciate it when you get it!

... Okay. Good point. Happy birthday to me, I guess.

That's the spirit. [Said with some kindness.]

Anyway, you have the experience to be a good captain... at least, you have the beginning of it. With time, they might come to respect you more as you prove yourself.

You could always transfer ships, as well.

It's not like there's somewhere else in the fleet I'd rather be right now. I know maybe half a dozen people, almost none of them shipmates.

We'll see what happens.

I'll wish you the best working things out with your shipmates regardless.

I'll take all the good wishes I can get. Thanks.

As for this plant setup - I plan to work out some of the kinks here on the Red Fish. It'll be easiest to do a test run on location. If things work well and you want to build a similar setup, I'll be happy to share whatever knowledge we've gained.

I'll look forward to your progress reports, then. Thanks again.

Talk to you later, Captain!

[He'll grin and toss her a jaunty salute before shutting down the connection.]