Windrose Mingle - November

[passingthrough]

Who: Windrose crew and the people who stalk them
Broadcast: Probably not!
Action: Windrose
When: November

[It's been a month of loss for the Windrose. We've lost Ordis, Tenno, and now our captain The Vision. We could probably use some visitors and ship togetherness.]

Comments

OTA, random visitors with or without CR welcome

[passingthrough]

[Duties/Loss/Around the ship]
[Kitty's been spending more time on the Windrose ever since Ordis and Tenno left. She figured she was the only pilot and even though the ships kind of took care of themselves in that regard she still wanted to be around more. And then Vision was next. She really liked Vision. She didn't even realize how much until he was gone. He was a calming, guiding presence somehow even when he was just making a nice meal for everyone to enjoy. It feels like a turning point when you're officially no longer the new kid in the fleet and you've logged enough parsecs that it feels like you're losing people more than meeting them. Or maybe it's just a phase. She should be the master of phases, right?

You'll find her on the bridge a lot of the time, but she'll also be checking on the engineering. She doesn't have the augment for it, but it's a knack she always had and Vision was training her. It seems like something he would have wanted. She'll also be frowning at a lot of her food. She hasn't really restocked her non-protein-based stock in awhile. It was one of the things encouraging her to hang out on the Marsiva to play games for awhile. Nights will still be split with The Tourist, but they'll lean heavier to the Windrose and when they do of course she'll have Winn with her.

She's not in the brightest of spirits even if October did end on a high with the Halloween party.]

[Text to Sascha]
Are you up for visiting the Windrose?

[Wildcard]
[All the things! Whatever makes sense at whatever point you're tagging this! Or whatever doesn't make sense. I'm easy.]

text

[pneumo]

[ Then moment he gets the text message Sascha perks right up, at attention and eager as he types back: ]

Am I allowed back now??

text

[passingthrough]

[That comes with a delay because she and Winn haven't really talked about it again. He did say they could turn the lights out though. Progress! Okay, it's not enough. Definitely not fast enough. She wants better for Sascha when he didn't do anything wrong, but there's Winn to consider who needs to be able to feel safe in his home, and she should really type something here.]

I'd like to see you now if possible.

text

[pneumo]

[ Luckily Sascha doesn't look into the pause or the way she doesn't answer his question; he's just happy for the attention and what her words mean, and his reply comes much faster: ]

Okay! I'm free

[mistyday]

[Ordis was hard enough but with Vision gone too, Misty is at a loss. When she’s not with Stefan on the Paisley or in the Interfaith center, she hovers around her other crewmates almost constantly, as if keeping them in her sights will protect them. Today she’s with Kitty in engineering, her dutiful robot Rhiannon quietly beep-booping at her feet with what sounds almost like concern.]

Do you need any help?

[In other words, Please let me help.]

[passingthrough]

[The true answer is no because she's only about 82.6% sure she knows what she's dealing with and there was no problem, but she wanted to keep herself familiar with the systems and giving them a look over makes her feel like she's being productive and useful.]

That'd be great. [Which is why she says yes. She figures Misty might be in the same boat. That, and she could use the company.] Hold the light so I can get a good look at these conduits?

[mistyday]

[Misty nods, relieved to have something to do, even if it is small. She picks up the flashlight and kneels next to Kitty, shining the light onto the panel she's working on.]

That good?

Well hello, fellow person who has been promoted

[pain_train]

[Wrath waits until it's just the two of them on the bridge. The abrupt promotion for her was... abrupt. Though thankfully not battlefield promotion-style abrupt.]

You got any changes you'd like to make to the division of duties?

Oh, captain, my new captain

[passingthrough]

Mmm, I'm not sure I know what all you and Vision had in place, but I'm flexible. I told Winn I wanted to spend more nights here just in case. [Of course he agreed. He always will, but she knows how much he loves and misses his ship and how terribly he sleeps and there aren't has many places for him to go and people for him to talk to on the Windrose when he sneaks out of bed.]

Gonna call Kitty "Starbuck" some day

[pain_train]

It's always best to have someone that's the enforcer and someone that's the softer touch. I was the enforcer for Vision. But I was used to being the soft touch since normally it's the higher officer that's the hard ass. But I don't know what you're more comfortable doing.

[winn]

[ it feels like the atroma's been punishing them for having such a good time on halloween - ever since november rolled around, it feels like one hit after another. with friends and strangers disappearing and so few additions to the fleet, along with the creepy message of the creepy planet of creepiness it's hard not to feel like something bad is about to happen. walking around all day with that feeling doesn't help the already insomniac winn get any more sleep at night.

with every person disappearing he feels more and more obligated to stay with kitty on the windrose but at the same time, every disappearance makes him want to cling harder and harder to the tourist. sitting in the hallway, back pressed against the wall right by kitty's door in the late hours of the night - or early hours of the morning, depending on the point of view - he wishes he were on the tourist right now. kara, jim, or fenris would be awake. and kara would share in his grief over losing his little brother. he hadn't been much of a brother to sascha since the attack, but he's tried, no one can say he didn't try. it just doesn't feel like enough now that he's gone, and winn finds himself hoping that he's disappeared to another kidnappy realm - not one of the terrible ones, another one like the fleet, maybe that cuddle town he's heard about! sascha would love that one - just not home, not back to his loneliness.

scratching the fuzz that he's been letting grow on his chin since he found out (it just doesn't feel right right now, to be captain nobeard without his first mate), he goes back to stitching his christmas present for margaery, trying not to wonder too hard whether she'll get to receive it, whether any of his friends will still be here when christmas rolls around. will he still be here? ]

[passingthrough]

[She's always been the "good sleeper" of the couple, but that doesn't mean she's always so good at it. Ever since he slipped away from her side tonight her mind has been restless, filled with unwanted dreams of trying to hold on to people but being unable to be solid and they just slip away. She wakes with a gasp and immediately feels Winn's side of the bed only relaxing at all when her fingers curl around the origami he left for her so she knows he's not there, but not gone either. It's something, but it's not enough. She gets out of bed to go look for him in her shorts and oversized shirt. She doesn't have to look long. The moment she phases her head out of the door she sees him.]

Hey. [Hoping he heard her footsteps from the other side of the door so this is less startling for him at least. Either way she'll continue her way out and sink down next to him. She needs to be close. She hopes he doesn't mind a little of the same.]

[winn]

[ before he was attacked, he would've been caught completely by surprise, because he would've been able to relax enough to get wrapped up in his own head. no more. the moment she starts making a sound, he's aware of it, so he's only slightly startled when her head peeks through the door. ]

Hey. [ he offers her a small attempt at a smile in return, and instantly wraps an arm around her, rubbing her shoulder. far from minding, he needs it. ]

Did I wake you? [ he tried to be quiet, he picked working on margaery's gift because it makes almost no noise. ]

Wrath

[pain_train]

[Well, she's captain now.

In a way, this is what Wrath has needed. Her best and longest memories are of being a lieutenant in charge of an entire platoon, after all. There isn't necessarily that much of a difference; she's still the hardass, covered with a veneer of good cheer. She expects the ship to be a bit cleaner and more organized than before, but isn't terribly overbearing about it.

But mostly, it means she's more focused on what's going on with the ship, and with catching up with her crew. Less painting, more being on the bridge and just being around.

She misses Vision. She misses Ordis and Tenno. But she is determined to tough it out for morale. It shows when she has a quiet moment alone, though.]

[stefanged]

[Stefan's not a frequent visitor to the Windrose, but he's around more in Vision's absence. (He might've also borrowed the kitchen to brew more tea than he had any right to.) For once, though, he's on the bridge without his usual mug.

As he gazes up at the stars, he takes in a deep breath, before realizing that he's not quite alone.]

Hey, Captain. [His smile doesn't quite reach his eyes as he approaches.] How're you holding up?

In which I realize I never spell Stefan's name right on plurk and I am sorry.

[pain_train]

[She offers him a smaller smile than normal.] Hey, Stefan.

I'm okay. Just gotta learn all the new routines and stuff, I guess. Kitty's going to be a good first mate.

[stefanged]

for Misty; the universe just keeps on taking

[After the most recent shuffle, Stefan doesn't hesitate to rush over to Misty's room. This month's sucked, big time: not only did Misty lose Ordis but Vision too? The universe just kept taking and taking and - and he wasn't sure if they even went home.

He keeps picturing cyrobeds, the ones he had drawn in his diary, and he lets out a low, steady breath as he knocks on her door.]

Misty, habibti? Can I come in?

OTA; around the ship

[After he and Misty've talked, Stefan lingers a little longer than usual. He's in the kitchen, waiting for a batch of masala chai to cook over the stove: he brought over the powdered milk, the tea, and even the spices, so no fear - he's not utilizing hard-earned supplies.

While it's bubbling, and filling the kitchen with fragrant ginger and cinnamon, he's tapping his fingers against the counter and writing. It doesn't seem particularly important, as he'll glance up at the first sign of company.

His expression isn't particularly cheerful - his smile doesn't reach his eyes - but he sure gestures for them to come inside.]

[mistyday]

[Losing Ordis was bad enough - she worries constantly, is he a ship again, is he safe, is he alone? - but Vision disappearing makes her feel as if the floor has dropped out from under her. He was everything she wanted in a leader: he was gentle and patient and generous, just like Cordelia. For the first time in her life, she felt like she belonged somewhere and now she's scared that will change.

When Stefan knocks on her door, she immediately pushes it open and throws herself into his arms, burying her face into his shoulder so he won't see her crying. Again. At least he's still here.]

[stefanged]

[Now, more than ever, he wishes there were some magic spell to make this all better. He doesn't have Vision's patience or considerate nature, and he's nowhere near a leader - every ounce of his confidence is faked. They're drifting again, into the empty void, and the Fleet feels far emptier than when he'd arrived.

Stefan's heart keeps sinking as he wraps his arms around her.] Sssh, hey, hey. I'm right here.

Action Closed to Kurt

[passingthrough]

[She walks the halls and her footfalls sound too loud to her ears. She focuses on it to keep herself from thinking about what she needs to tell Kurt. She knocks on his door and it's too loud too.]

All aboard the trauma train

[ecclesiophobic]

[The Kurt that answers the door is a rumpled version of his normal self, clothes hastily pulled on and hair curling around his ears. He blinks at her blearily for the second it takes to register the expression on her face. Something snaps to in his expression, sleepy vulnerability gone in the wake of concern.]

Kitty, what's wrong? What's happened? [He's reaching for her even as he speaks, his mind racing through the possibilities. Has something happened to Winn?]

Choo choo!

[passingthrough]

[She goes ahead and hugs him partially because she needs it and partially because he's about to.] Bigby called. [Well, he texted. And while Kurt probably knows who it is about now and may even have a guess she needs to finish the sentence even if it feels more real when she does.] Sascha's left the fleet.

[ closed to kurt ]

[axiomed]

[ Charles doesn't like visiting other ships. He's sensitive to people's personal spaces and he never feels . . . invited enough to come visit. For Wrath, of course, he'd do anything but otherwise he keeps to the Heron where it's safe and he knows who wants to be around him as opposed to . . . people who don't.

But he braves it for someone else today. The Fleet seems quieter of late and Charles has put a few of his demons to rest. So it made sense to do the same for someone else. He wheels himself through the corridors and knocks on Kurt's door. ]

Re: [ closed to kurt ]

[ecclesiophobic]

[Nothing good has come from Kurt answering his door recently, and for a second when he hears someone knocking, he's tempted to teleport away. Only knowing that it would just delay the suffering spurs him to get up and answer.

Of all the people he expected to see on the other side, Charles is not one of them. He blinks dumbly at the man for a moment before his eyes narrow.] I swear to God, if you've come here to tell me someone else has vanished..

[axiomed]

[ He blinks, surprised by that non sequitur before shaking his head. ]

I have something I'd like to share, that's all. I can leave if you want.