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

[ahappylie]

[Nothing's wrong, but her indecency!!!

But nah, it's cool. He'll just casually not look at her clothes. Doot de doot.]

No, not at all.

[n o t h i n g]

Not many here can do that though. At least, no one that I've met.

[experiencepoints]

Are... you sure?

[well, whatever, ok then.]

Yeah, I've noticed. I have to explain it every time. It's frustrating.

[ahappylie]

Yes.

[n o]

I'm sorry to make you explain it again then. My world doesn't seem as advanced or... curious as others.

[In fact no one even seems to care that he walks around in kimono all day long, every day except for laundry days where he stays away from people until his clothes are dry again.]

For one, we can't make fire appear at will. Or have such cute names.

[experiencepoints]

"Curious", huh.

[She sounds a little bitter, but his next bit confuses her.]

... Cute? And, um, my name isn't something I got in my world.

[ahappylie]

It isn't?

[He tilts his head.]

What was your name in your own world? And where did "Nightingale" come from then?

[experiencepoints]

Nightingale is the name my team gave me.

More than that, isn't really your concern.

[in other words, grind up your s.link.]

[ahappylie]

[He considers that a moment, and then a smile spreads across his face and he bows his head.

He has to respect her privacy and he understands that. He is, after all, still lying to everyone on his own ship. There's only one person who knows his real name, and that was by accident.]

I understand. I apologize for prying, Nightingale-san.

[experiencepoints]

... It's all right. Thanks for understanding.

[She has... a complicated relationship with her own name.]

But I'm kind of being grilled over here, but you're not saying much about yourself.

[ahappylie]

Well, that's probably because there isn't much to say about me.

[Liar.]

I'm from so far in the past compared to everyone else, I must play catch-up to learn what all of you consider common knowledge.

[That's the truth. He points up to the ceiling.]

For example, the lights in the ceiling. And all this metal everywhere.

[experiencepoints]

... Oh. You're from before electricity?

[That does make things hard.]

[ahappylie]

Mm. [He nods and then clasps his hands behind his back.]

So many things here are new to me that I have to ask questions to find out what is normal and what is not.

[experiencepoints]

... I... hope you've gotten that figured out.

[please don't ask her what's normal. please.]

[ahappylie]

[He laughs a little and nods.]

I'm learning, bit by bit, don't worry.

[experiencepoints]

Okay, good. Because my home runs on very, very different rules from most, I think.

[ahappylie]

I find it fascinating to learn what is normal for some and abnormal for others.

[He motions to her whole...self.]

The magically disappearing things for one example.

Meanwhile.

[He then gestures to the ship around them.]

These things.

[experiencepoints]

[she looks at the ship like it has personally wronged her.]

These things are definitely not normal, even for worlds that did have spaceships.

[the gesturing at her annoys her, but she lets it slide.]

[ahappylie]

Our mechanic would have known better than I about that.

[Before she went home, or wherever it is that people go. He misses Kaylee sometimes, and wonders where she went.]

But what about this ship, beside the sudden mashing together, that has you annoyed?

[experiencepoints]

... Everything?

[that's an answer right]

[ahappylie]

[He bursts into laughter, trying to hide it (ineffectually) behind his hands.

She has a point, but he wasn't expecting that answer.]

[experiencepoints]

[okay, fine.]

The food we're provided looks like shit, and tastes like it looks. The ships are way too small, there's barely room. The walls are way too thin. We have no privacy. There is a chance the ships may actually be alive somehow. We have no way to escape, and getting too far from our ships results in us being simply teleported back.

Also, control can be removed from us at any time and hurtling into any objects the Atroma choose. That's a big one.

[ahappylie]

[He calms down long enough to listen to her answer, but wipes at his eyes nevertheless.]

I'm sorry. I agree with you entirely, but I just wasn't expecting such a bluntly honest response.

I do wish there was a way to expand the ships a little and make them more comfortable for everyone. With all these new people, it'll be a little more difficult for everyone, I think.

[experiencepoints]

It's definitely going to make preparing meals harder... Especially since all the kitchen appliances here are shit.

[She sighs.]

I actually room with my girlfriend now, so I just want to combine the spaces of our room and make one bigger room, but... No way that's possible, or allowed.

[ahappylie]

[He really wouldn't know about the kitchen appliances. They're all so foreign to him anyway, that he's just left that to other people to figure out. He misses a simple hearth and fire.]

Perhaps if we upgrade our rooms a bit more, you two could have a more comfortable accommodation? [And there's the captain's suite, but that belongs to Takeshi for now.]

That is a thing we can do, yes? Make them better?

[experiencepoints]

[about that...]

She's the captain, so we've got the better room than most. I don't actually know what the so-called 'upgrades' actually do for rooms.

[ahappylie]

Ah-

[That is going to cause a problem actually. If there are two captains now, who will actually be the lead? He tilts his head to the side and decides that can wait for now. Figuring out which captain will be the actual captain and who will become the vice captain is an issue he's seen play out very poorly before. He doesn't think it'll come to assassination here of all places, but it still leaves him with a little doubt.]

Well, as far as I know, the beds will become much nicer and we should get more storage. Perhaps a bit more space?

[He considers that.]

Perhaps you can commission for a special room, with enough credits between the two of you.