Calibration Post 1, "Daytime"

[thespaceopera]

[ Not long after the shuffle, there's a ripple of static over the network - loud, sudden, and seemingly with no origin. It's puzzling, but there's no indication that it's going to happen again...

Until a minute later. Another surge of static comes in over the speakers, and then a voice - one some may find familiar, though not necessarily welcome, after all of this time... It's Diamond. Long time no speak, hmm?

Clearly, not all is well. She sounds very far away, for one. For another, she sounds... skeptical, almost alarmed. There may actually be real concern in her voice. ]

Again? Twice in one c--

[ Her sentence is cut short with a strangled gasp, followed by a moment of silence. What follows may be the sound of metal dragged across metal, but it's hard to place. When she speaks again, it's uncharacteristically monotonous. ]

... Bring them in.

[ A blip of lost time passes right after those words, before every passenger mysteriously wakes alone in their own unfamiliar room. The style of decor resembles that of the Marsiva's Hospitality Deck, if any passengers should remember what that's like. It sounds and smells the same as the host ship as well, all clean and chrome, but this set of rooms has only been used once, and for the very same purpose that befalls the fleet contestants now.

As for their hosts, there is no immediate sign of them, though some may recall a series of hideous, half-electronic screams before their memories begin to blur upon arrival...

Welcome back to the Marsiva, dear passengers. It's time for round two of calibrations. ]

[ This mingle will cover all non-calibration room interactions. Please continue to come back to it for the duration of the plot! You are, of course, free to post any other mingles/posts/etc. that you'd like. ]

Comments

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor shifts obligingly ]

Ah... [ He blinks at him and then ducks a little, looking away ]

As... well as can be expected. I just... I'm not ... quite there, yet.

[helmsplitter]

[He flops into the provided space and briefly takes a look outside. The dark expanse is too much for him though. It reminds him too much of the darkness in the warehouses and he quickly looks away again, focusing back on Maglor. The edge in his voice softens as he watches him.]

You need another anchor?

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor opens his mouth to refuse and then hesitates. Doudanuki isn't kin, so he won't blab to Maedhros. He's not Soujiro, who Maglor sees too much of himself reflected. And he's not Vash, to fret over him breaking, or Tyrion, who has worries enough of his own right now. ]

I... it would... probably help. [ He admits slowly ]

[helmsplitter]

[He nods and then looks around. His sword was taken from him upon coming here. He knows it's nearby somewhere or he couldn't be on the Marsiva the way he is now. It's somewhere, but that doesn't help Maglor.

So, after a moment of looking around, he reaches up and takes his scarf off. The long black piece of fabric is tattered in places, especially along the edges, but the rough material is sturdy and thick. It has a good texture to it, which might help Maglor focus.

After unwinding it from around his neck, he holds it out to the elf.]

Here. It ain't as good as my blade, but they took it from me, so this is all I got.

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor smiles at him and accepts the scarf, running gentle hands over it and obviously finding comfort in it ]

Thank you, my friend. It does help.

[helmsplitter]

It ain't much, but if it helps...

[He lets go and allows Maglor to hold it himself. He's seen how the elf can just disappear into the Song, and it's dangerous. There aren't as many enemies here, but the threat was always looming after that video broadcast.]

Is there a song here that's distracting you?

[bythewaves]

It does. [ Maglor smiles and shakes his head ]

Not this time. But this...the dreams...they pry at my walls. I have been using starsong to rebuild them.

[helmsplitter]

[The dreams...? He doesn't immediately recall having any terrible dreams here, but he rarely remembers any dreams he has. He's been living with the memories of so many swords for so long, it's hard to tell what's his and what's theirs anymore.

But if Maglor has been having bad dreams...]

When did the dreams start?

[bythewaves]

Since we came to the Marsiva. [ Maglor grimaces ]

I can't always recall them clearly, but ... what I can... well. I am only grateful neither Maedhros nor Fingon has featured - I do not want them to worry, and they certainly would.

[helmsplitter]

[A lot of weird things have been going on here since they arrived. The feeling of the place and those weird computer panels which he thought were just random bits of glass at first. A lot of weird things have been going on. And he gets the feeling he's forgetting something...but he can't tell what it could be.]

What do you remember then? [Gods, he's not good at this sort of stuff really.]

...I dunno how I can help, but I can try? I'm better if you can show me what to stab to make it go away, but...

[He waves his hands in a vague circular motion.]

You probably don't want me to stab your head just to make some dreams stop.

[bythewaves]

I... I remember dreaming of my past - this is not unusual, mind. But having visitors in my dreams is odd. I dream of shattered mirrors and blood and fire - and then someone from the Fleet visits. Or I dream of other people - friends, mostly. I dream their dreams. It's all very confusing.

[ He laughs softly ]

Thank you for offering, but no, it probably wouldn't help much. It's... my mind isn't very safe, and stirring up the old memories like that... it ... upsets my balance. That's all.

[helmsplitter]

[Visitors?

Something about that triggers the barest of memories in his own head. The feeling that someone has been intruding into the closed loop of memory in his head. The ability to pass from dream to dream, to visit people in their most vulnerable place, is vaguely terrifying. But he also can't recall anything of his own dreams yet, so he just has a sense of unease, which is relatively easy to ignore considering the entirety of the Marsiva is currently breathing down his neck at all times.]

Do you always dream of stuff like that? The blood and mirrors, I mean. ...And what do you need t'do to get your balance back? That song thing is helping, right?

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor tips his head consideringly ]

Sometimes, although it is usually not quite so metaphorically literal as that. Mostly I walk in memory, and that is bad enough, usually.

[ He nods ]

Mm. I... it was a trick I learnt, to ... soothe the jagged edges back to sleep, I suppose. It's not very healthy, I suppose, to wind song around a feeling until it sleeps, but it does seem to help.

[helmsplitter]

[Picking his feet up, he sat with one leg up and used the other to gently kick Maglor in the shin.]

I ain't one to be talkin' about what's healthy with feelings and all, seeing how I only really just got 'em two years ago, but even I can tell that's not a great way to fix what's broken.

[It's like just slapping new metal on top of a chip in the armor. It won't make the chip go away, just make you less likely to cut yourself on it.]

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor smiles at him sheepishly ]

I know. But I am no healer, and I do not want my kinsfolk to worry. Poor Maedhros has trouble enough! This way... I can function, at least.

[helmsplitter]

[He sighs and drops his head back against the wall, shaking it disapprovingly. Things are so much easier when he can just punch the problem away. Learning to be more "human" has been difficult, especially when everyone he's close to has emotions, but aren't exactly human themselves. It's times like these that he wishes another sword were here. They might at least have a better handle on emotions than he does.]

Ain't they gonna worry anyway? It ain't like they don't know you got problems.

[bythewaves]

They always worry.

[ Maglor says fondly ]

Maedhros, especially. I think he can't help it. But... he doesn't realise how bad it truly is, and I ... would prefer if he doesn't.

[helmsplitter]

[If that's what Maglor wants, then that's what Doudanuki will do. He isn't human enough to know that this is an unreasonable request. He doesn't know that people, things with hearts and feelings, need help beyond just doing what they say and punching whatever is in their path.

The failing of being a sword is that he still doesn't understand the heart.]

Alright. If you want to keep it a secret, fine. But you might wanna get some kinda talisman to help you in case no one else's around.

[bythewaves]

[ Teaching Doudanuki all the bad habits W H O O P S ]

Thank you, my friend. I'll be alright as long as I can hear the stars, though. And Daeron is here, now.

[helmsplitter]

[All the worst habits.]

...Daeron? Who's that? Another family member?

[bythewaves]

No - a...

[ How to describe that complicated relationship ]

A rival, I suppose. A compatriot. Daeron... he understands.

[helmsplitter]

[Well that was a confusing explanation. He stares at Maglor for a second and then shrugs. It must be like with Nagasone and Mutsunokami. Or...any of the Oda swords and Souza.]

I know a couple swords like that. Their masters were on opposite sides of a war, so when we all got summoned to the same Citadel under the same master, well...

[He makes a vague hand gesture like two rocks crashing together.]

Like molten steel and oil half the time. They fought like idiots all the time, but when it came down to it, they're the only ones who really understand what that time period was like.

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor smiles and nods ]

Yes! That is actually very close to it. I... we were never directly in conflict, but what my folk have done to his is unforgivable. But equally so, he and I... we are the last. And he understands me, as I do him.