driftfleet | (no subject)

Who: Wrath
Broadcast: video to everyone
Action: Iskaulit, interfaith center (feel free to treat the action as a mingle)
When: broadcast is current, action happens the next day

[Wrath, all uniformed up and serious. Anyone who's seen it before will recognize this as her "in command" face, though she mercifully looks less pissed-off than she ever has before in this mode. More... thoughtful.]

This is a message aimed at the ship captains and first mates in the fleet, but I don't think it's a bad idea for other people to hear it. I'm Wrath, now captain of the Windrose.

This place is... weird, because we're given officer titles without an actual command structure in place, and without a legal code, oath, or universal moral authority over us. As someone who was a military officer for... I guess over twenty years, I find that really difficult.

It's pretty obvious that the intention for these ranks to be hollow, and for that to be a source of stress and drama that will entertain the audience. But captain is only an empty title if you let it be. And while we don't have any kind of unified mission or directive, there's one part of being an officer that can and should always apply: we take care of the people under our command.

I know a lot of you have gotten these arbitrary ranks without wanting them or having civilian or military command experience. I think it'd be helpful if we talked. I've got experience I can share, and I know other people do as well. And maybe together, we can come up with some ideas that will make everyone's lives better.

Stefan's said he doesn't mind if we borrow the meeting space in the Interfaith Center on the Iskaulit. This isn't for religious reasons, but because it's a nice space with plenty of chairs and hot drinks and stuff. If you want to participate in this discussion, let's get together tomorrow afternoon while we're still drifting, get to know each other, and talk.

Wrath out.

[Wrath doesn't really have expectations as such for people showing up, but she's made sure to get together some refreshments (tea and coffee-esque beverages, juice, and water) and some vegetarian snacks.

The space is set up to be friendly and welcoming, for people to talk in groups large or small, rather than as some kind of lecture thing. She's serious about wanting to keep it informal for now.

To hopefully keep the atmosphere relaxed even if she's in a more focused, serious mindset, Jellybean and Officer Snuggles are wandering around and will be happy to have attention from anyone.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I'm not sure I really qualify. As far as I know, the Atroma just drew my name out of a hat, but we get by. I figured it couldn't hurt to see how others do it, huh?

No, it couldn't hurt. I'm in the same boat as you - our captain left, and for some reason they promoted me.

That's exactly my story. But hey, if your ship hasn't blown up yet, you've gotta be doing something right. Right?

If there's any explosions on my ship, we make sure to keep them controlled and isolated to the lab.

[he says it with a grin like it's a joke, but - no. He's totally serious]

...mad scientist on board?

[She's only half kidding.]

Two of them.

[look at this straight face]

Oh, boy. [Kinda glad she's not on your ship tbh. She has very little patience for things that go boom in the night.]

And are you one of them?

I am. But I'm exaggerating a little bit about us being mad scientists. We're very careful.

I think there's only ever been one explosion, and it was more of a short than anything.

[Snickering.] Well, so long as you don't accidentally blow a hand off. I've seen what happens when scientists and engineers are more mad and less careful.

Heh, so have I. We're both incredibly careful, and - honestly, it's the same thing we do back in our worlds, more or less.

For any particular purpose, or do you just like experimenting?

I mostly like building things - or helping build them here. I don't really do experiments.

[They've gone from mad science to building things, and it does make her think a little of Franky. But only a little.]

What kind of things do you build?

Anything. [it sounds like a cop-out answer, but coming from Hank it's literal] Back home I help run a school, and a lot of what's used are things I've built - or upgraded. I don't do it as much here - but I'll help my engineer out when he needs it.

[Well, 'anything' is acceptable really.]

That must be one interesting school. [Given it sounds like it's, uh. Upgraded a lot.]

It's something, mm. [look at this proud little smile] It's a school for mutants - ah, people with abilities in my world. So it isn't a regular school.

Really? [She blinks.] Like teaching people how to use their abilities? That sounds... ambitious.

Mm, just like that. It's - mm, when I was growing up, there was nothing like that. So we'd have to learn on our own, if we even wanted to. And it's pretty - intense, in some cases. Most people aren't born with their powers - they develop in their early teens, sometimes earlier. So it can be pretty stressful and frightening for them.

I mean, we have regular classes as well - it's a full school, but that's what makes it different.

Are all the powers similar?

I mean-- in our world, we've got nothing inherent, but you can gain power from eating a kind of fruit. [Because One Piece.] But everyone's literally unique; they more or less have to teach themselves because there's nobody else in the world who can do what they do.

A . . . fruit? [what is your world] Ah - they're all unique where I'm from, too. Even children of mutants have different powers from their parents. We're still studying it.

[Just don't ask about the fruit, man. Nami thinks it's screwed up and she comes from there.]

That must make it pretty challenging to teach someone how to use their power, sometimes.

[he isn't going to ask, because he doesn't think he can. He'll give himself a headache trying to figure out the science behind it]

Mm, it can be a challenge, especially because of the differences. Charles is the one who mostly works with the students and their powers, and he has a gift when it comes to helping them.

It sounds like an interesting place. I'm... assuming mutants aren't common. [Given the name and all.]

Mm, yes and no? They're a lot more common now than when I was a kid. [he shrugs and smiles a little wryly] I didn't meet another mutant until I was in my twenties. Now . . . well, some are open about their powers, others aren't. So it's hard to really determine just how common it really is.