can you spot the drama queen

[noctiphile]

Who: Mattias Larnaca
Broadcast: video; fleet-wide
Action: marsiva so NO ONE
When: 2/17

I don't understand. [The screen is black, the voice is ragged, raw. Wet with sobs that gasp and hiccup out of him. The comm scrapes against the floor of the ship and a glimpse of space can be seen ] I-it's dark. She-[He chokes, splutters, coughs.]-She's gone. Is this... [A deep, bedraggled breath. The screen brightens, adjusting to the color of fluorescent lights and a young man's weary face, wet with tears. Despite his appearance, he's smiling. The kind of smile seen at births, marriages, a baby's first step. He's overcome with emotion, excited and battling it, fighting disbelief in order to confirm that this, any of this is real.]

This is a communication system. I don't-[He swipes a hand across his face, wiping his eyes clear.]-I don't know how I know that but... [muttering:]... it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. Whoever's out there-[He chokes again, this time laughing.]-Goddess. I really am. Above the clouds. In her domain. I never-[He swallows, trying to contain his excitement again.]-I never thought this would happen. I could never even imagine it. Not like this. Not-Goddess.

[Falling back to one hand he sighs, pulling a hand through his tired hair, loose waves spilling between his fingertips. After a few minutes, he seems to remember that he's broadcasting. Eyes glimmering with elation, he leans forward, unable to stop the smile from spreading across his face.]

Please. Anyone. Tell me. [He turns the comm quickly and presses it against the glass. The screen fills with the void of space, stars glittering in their myriad.] Has night finally come?

Comments

voice

[amarant]

...are you alright?

[ You seem a bit emotional, dude. ]

[noctiphile]

Alright? [He balks, laughing.] How can I be? This is-[Everything he sacrificed for.] This is too much.

Please, just. Tell me this-[He gestures to the window, strands of hair falling loose.]-is permanent. Please.

[amarant]

Yes, it's always like this.

[ Still a bit wary, not sure what he wants to hear. ]

Do you like the stars?

[noctiphile]

The stars, yes. [Another chuckle.] You could say that.

[But, a question: why doesn't she seem as excited as him? Surely this has to be new to everyone.] Do you disagree? It's a rare sight. We should treasure it.

[amarant]

It isn't, though.

[ Lightly, a bit confused. ]

video

[birdsbirdsbirds]

It's always night out there, friend.

[of course he couldn't stay. he's a sucker for anyone who's got a lot of feeling in them--and this one sounds so fascinating.]

always video

[noctiphile]

[It takes a good few minutes for that answer to hit. When it does, he sobs, one hand clapping over his mouth as more tears well up.

Finally...] I did it. I-[He laughs, shoulders shaking.]-After everything, I did it. That explains it. Thank you, I-you don't know how much this means.

[She's alive and free, with no sun in sight. He did it. Despite the Decay, the kidnappings, the attacks, she was out there and he-he was alive.

Alive. It finally hits him, hands flying to grip at his stomach.] There's no wound. [His eyes round, he looks to the communicator again.] There's no wound. Did someone save me?

[Was it you? is heavily implied.]

so much video

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[when the communicator get flipped around, there will be a tall, pale man sitting in on the video feed--he smiles and gives his new, sobbing acquaintance a friendly little wave.]

That's interesting... Atroma must have patched you up. It was a substantial wound, I take it?

every video in the world

[noctiphile]

[His eyes light up at the appearance of a face yet dims slightly at the question.]

I-I was stabbed. [His fingers dance over his stomach, voice dropping closer to a mutter.] Awhile ago. I had been relying on the goddess for it but-[He laughs, gesturing quickly to the window.]-with her gone... [He shakes his head.] I must thank them.

[Provided they don't want something else for the service. That seemed to be a trend lately.]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[he laughs, lightly--] Well, if you get to thanking them, tell us about it. No one has gotten a chance to meet them yet, or even see them.

Have a seat, little Nightjar. [regardless of whether or not he is already technically sitting.] It sounds like you've got a little catching up to do.

action forever;

[mysterzie]

That isn't night, that's space.

[ Here's someone to ruin your emotional moment. He's standing behind Mattias, hands in his pockets and brows furrowed. ]

It's always space in space.

[noctiphile]

Oh, pardon me. [In the presence of company he stands hurriedly, wiping his face clean as he can. Which isn't clean. At all. At least he offers a sheepish smile to make up for it? Yes? No, no that doesn't work at all.] But it's the same, isn't it? The darkness, the stars, the moon.

[He draws in a quick breath then spins back to the window.] The moon! I hadn't thought. Do you think we can see it?

[mysterzie]

There's always space but it's not always night.

[ Aaron moves closer to the windows to peer out, pressing his forehead and hands to the glass so he can look left and right. ]

Nope, I don't see it. What's getting you all worked up anyway?

[noctiphile]

Are you blind? It's this! [He spreads his arms out.] All of this.

[His gaze softens as he watches it, falling to something almost loving.] Just think. We're the first people to see it. Do you know how long mankind has waited to see the night sky?

[A beat. He glances back with a timid grin.] Space, rather.

video;

[heresyandlace]

[oh, how he wishes he could sense the emotion through the screen. as it is, he's left with guessing, peering at the little details of the man's face]

...You've been waiting a long time, have you?

video forever and foralways

[noctiphile]

A long time? [He laughs out another sob.] My life. Everything I've done. It's all been for this.

[He tries to dry his tears but more come. His hands are trembling, you can see it from how the communicator shakes.] Truly, I was starting to believe I'd never see it.

[heresyandlace]

[he cants his head a little. surely he must be misunderstanding this situation somehow, because it really seems like...]

Nighttime? ...Is that really what all this excitement is about?

[noctiphile]

[He laughs again. Really, what is with all these questions?]

Well, it certainly wouldn't be about the light! Is it really a surprise?

Video

[onlyanapple]

Well, that was unnecessarily dramatic.

same

[noctiphile]

Ah, was it? I'm sorry. You'll have to forgive me. [He wipes at his face, scrambling to his feet.] I'm afraid I got overwhelmed. My emotions, they got away from me. I'm not usually-I'm not used to this.

[onlyanapple]

I'm sure the viewers loved it, you'll probably earn yourself some decent ratings for that display.

[noctiphile]

"Ratings"? "Viewers"? You can't mean to say someone was watching that? Other than... you all, I mean.

video;

[idealistic]

It's always like that out there.

[ he'd been watching the whole thing, curious and just a little concerned over how the guy was acting over seeing stars. granted, Lloyd loved the stars more than the average person, but this guy sure did seem a little too excited about seeing nighttime.

so much so that Lloyd can't help but ask: ]

You don't have them where you're from?

video forever

[noctiphile]

No... The night, the stars-it was sealed away years ago. Generations haven't seen them.

[He hesitates before speaking again, still struggling with the concept.] You've seen it? Your world... it has them?

[idealistic]

Seriously?!

[ that's crazy! then again, it's not like Lloyd doesn't believe him. for most of his life, the sky he always looked up at was nothing more than a projection. a fake. ]

...I guess it's not all that different from what happened back home. But yeah, we could see the stars back home. We had 'em both: day and night.

...We couldn't see as many stars as what's out here, though!