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]

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.