oo1 / video ; action

[mysterzie]

WHO Aaron
BROADCAST Fleetwide video
ACTION aboard the Marsiva
WHEN February 17th
WARNING actually a twelve year old, also please check permissions

This is all some kind of trick, right?

[ Hello, Drift Fleet. There's currently a very comfortable-looking young man on one of the Marsiva's hospitality couches eating some of the bland processed food and looking at the communicator that is obviously placed next to his plate on the coffee table in front of him. Comfortable-looking, maybe, but twitchy. ]

We're on a television show, in space, and that is very cool, yes. But it's a trick. Maybe we're actually in space, but we're stuck and I don't get stuck. So this is obviously some kind of... master plan by the government trying to cage people in. Forced labor or something.

[ The last part is mumbled as he eats more, chews, swallows. Takes a long drink from his cup. ]

What's the catch?

Comments

video forever;

[mysterzie]

[ Ugh, ugh, ugh. Hidden catches make his skin crawl, especially when he can't just leave. ]

What else would have enough pull to put us all in space?

[howcanihelp]

There's no power in my world that could do this, even in Tevinter. And we do not have space travel.

If it is a government, it must be a government here, not where we come from.

[mysterzie]

Uh... we do have space travel. [ Wait. Ohhh. It's like that guy was saying. ] What's Tevinter?

That just makes it worse.

[howcanihelp]

It's a country in Thedas, where I'm from. The Tevinter Imperium used to stretch over most of Thedas, but it's lost much of its power and reach since then. They still have strong magic, though.

[ wrinkles her nose ] I agree. Though I think it's bad any way you cut it - we've been dragged here for entertainment, with no estimation of when they'll send us home or any guarantee that they actually will.

[mysterzie]

Magic? [ What. Magic isn't real. People don't have magic. ] That's real where you're from?

Entertainment? What's going on here?

[howcanihelp]

Mm-hmm. [ Stephanie grins crookedly ] If we ever meet off the ships, I could show you. I don't have a staff to help focus it, so my control is a little worse than usual and I'm a bit afraid of damaging the ship, or I'd just show it off now.

Well... that's what I was told. We are part of something called "reality television", and people are watching us all the time as entertainment. That's all I know, unfortunately - I don't really understand the concept of this "reality television", but I'm sure I'll understand it eventually.

[mysterzie]

I'm stuck here. [ That's still terrible and awful and Aaron wants to stop thinking about it but can't. ] You need a staff?

Reality TV? That's so stupid. We're on TV right now?

[howcanihelp]

You won't be for long. They'll assign you to a ship, and there are shuttles so you can get other places.

[ she smiles a little ] Staffs are specially treated to act as a focus for magic. Like... a lens in a telescope makes far away things sharper and clearer. I can do magic without one, but other than my healing spells which I'm just not all that great at to begin with, I have less control over the effects.

And... yes? I think? Assuming TV and television are the same thing...

[mysterzie]

[ Psht. Shuttles. ] What kind of ship?

Oh, well that must suck. Having to rely on something to make your powers work.

Yup. Same thing and just as annoying. Anyone else here is on TV too?

[howcanihelp]

One that travels through space? [ Very specific. ]

I believe all of us are potentially on television at any given time. There's something about "ratings", which I think means if people enjoy what they're watching, you get more of these ratings to spend on upgrades for your ship or the augment they put in us.

[mysterzie]

I really hope all these ships travel in space. That's all you've got?

It's a points system? [ He sounds so exasperated by this. Why. But then he's thoughtful while the rest sinks in. ] All over whether people like you?

[howcanihelp]

We don't have anything even remotely like this where I'm from, I'm sorry.

I... suppose so? [ she shrugs helplessly ] It's all rather unfamiliar for me.

[mysterzie]

What do you have?

I'm noticing a lot of stuff is unfamiliar for you.

[howcanihelp]

It is. This... technology, it's nothing like anything we have. We have horses, and wagons, ships that sail the ocean. Candles, torches, swords... there's so much that seems to be hopelessly outdated in a place like this.

It's a bit of an adjustment.

[mysterzie]

Wow. You're from the dark ages. You're not going to have some kind of heart attack from the shock or anything, are you?

[howcanihelp]

[ dryly ]

I think if I was inclined toward it, it would've happened already.

Things are strange, but the augment helps. I'm getting settled well enough.