Look - up in the sky...!

[thespaceopera]

Suddenly, the SS Pathstone and the SS Golden begin to move on their own... slowly, calmly, they drift to two different points, a certain distance apart, away from the other ships of the fleet. Then, just as slowly, they turn to face each other.

And that is all the warning there is before the engines engage -- full speed ahead.

Like a pair of rockets, the ships torpedo toward each other, perfectly lined up for a head-on collision, and there is nothing to stop them. No matter what buttons the crews press, no matter how much they might panic, nothing is going to stop the inevitable. Any other ships watching will not have time to attempt any sort of interception.

CRASH!!

As if to shield spectators' eyes from the horrors of ships colliding in space, there's a blinding light upon impact -- and once it gradually fades, the results can be clearly seen by all: There is no wreckage. Nothing is broken. But where there were once two ships... now there's only one.

One ship that is... very clearly made up of parts from the SS Pathstone and the SS Golden, but somehow seems well put together, at least!

-----------

On the bridge, the crews of the SS Golden and the SS Pathstone arrive, along with the usual pop! of Atroma confetti and ridiculous jingle music upon a successful shuffle. Sitting in the captain's chair is a round cake, just large enough for everyone to have one slice. There's a single candle, and the following message scribbled on top in yellow icing:

"Congratulations - SS Goldstone!
Happy Fusion!"




... What, did you think you were going to die? Sorry about that.

Comments

[noprophecies]

I think a few dozen years have been shaved off of my life thanks to the scare, but otherwise I am fine. Are you?

[experiencepoints]

Same here. I'm at full HP, but damn if I didn't just have a heart attack.

[noprophecies]

Trust the Atroma to do whatever it is they do in the most dramatic and annoying way possible.

[she's gonna kill them so much when she gets a chance]

[experiencepoints]

I don't know why we ever expect otherwise.

[noprophecies]

[she mutters an Elvish curse under her breath and huffs] Bastards.

. . . there is cake. [her tiny captain has it]

[experiencepoints]

...

That's a kid. That cake is probably poisoned or something. I'm gonna take that.

[noprophecies]

He is our captain. [as if it is completely normal] . . . taking it may be a good idea.

[experiencepoints]

On it.

[GETTING THE CAKE AND STOWING IT IN HER INVENTORY.]

[noprophecies]

[wait . . . where did the cake go]

Thank you.

. . .

So is all of this to mean we are one ship now?

[experiencepoints]

I have no idea. But if we fused by crashing, I'm going to scream.

[noprophecies]

I think that is what happened . . . I am going to check the rooms.

[her plants better be there or she's going to be mad as hell]

[experiencepoints]

Good call, but... Don't go alone?

[noprophecies]

I suppose I shouldn't . . . would you like to come with me, then?

[experiencepoints]

Sure. I need to check out some areas, anyway.

We are going to be an incredibly unbalanced party, though.

[noprophecies]

Unbalanced . . . ?

[wait, wait, she can figure this out.

. . . she kneels down to pull her knife out of her boot] Are we balanced now?

[experiencepoints]

[... she laughs.]

It's better, yeah.

[noprophecies]

[she nods, satisfied, and begins the way down to where her room and the rest of them one were]

[experiencepoints]

[She's looking around...]

... So, how do we know whose room is whose?

[noprophecies]

We are looking for my room, it is rather hard to miss as there are plants all over.

[she says it as if it's the most normal thing in the world]