bye bye love - bye bye sweet caress - hello emptiness...

[thespaceopera]

[It’s been nice and peaceful for a few days, hasn’t it? Everyone in their little cages with their creature comforts, learning all about each other through the strange rooms that have opened up at night… It’s been a wonderful experience, wouldn’t you agree? For some, that blood-curdling scream from the first day has not been forgotten.

A few days into calibrations, the main screen that has been conspicuously silent (aside from passenger use) flickers to life. Anything already playing on the screen is overwritten by a video feed of plain metallic walls not unlike those housing the Passengers. It’s difficult to tell what is going on offscreen. Shadows are uncertain, dancing everywhere; nothing can be gleaned from the shapes no matter how much they are analyzed.

The audio, however, is loud and clear.]

—can’t do this to us, [a woman pleads, her usual saccharine tone absolutely dripping with fear. Some may recognize the voice as belonging to Diamond.] You can’t! We followed orders exactly. It was in the terms! I don’t underst… oh no. No, no, please no don’t do this no no NO NO NO!

[Her voice increases in pitch and tremor until it’s drowned out in a garbled shriek of pain. The shadows dancing on the wall grow frantic and violent. The show is accompanied by sounds of heavy things slamming and the unmistakable whirring of a drill.]

I DON’T WANT TO DIE!! NO NO NO NO NO N—

[The woman’s shrieking cuts off immediately. In the newfound silence, something else drags itself weakly across the floor, getting closer and closer to the camera. SLAM. Until that stops, too.

A man’s voice comes through this time, thready and weak like a dying heartbeat. It's Beau, though he hasn't been heard by Passengers for quite some time.]

A-and now… you come for me. [The speaker makes a choked sound like a laugh or a sob.] All we ever did... was try to... make you happy.

[The whir of the drill begins again, but the feed ends.]

Comments

[tallasaking]

Well yes, but why show us? They could have just as soon as sent in some new hosts and let us know what had happened to the last ones. Showed us their broken corpses.

[His fingers stroked over his beard.] IF one of your guesses was - try to scare us - they really should have used more effective leverage.

[As he did not give a damn what happened to Diamond or Beau.]

[cajunspice]

Now, [That word was drawn out, said lazily and letting it hang for a moment for the emphasis.] Never said they were an 'ntelligent bunch holdin' us, but we do have a wide variety of folk on board, could had been very effective to them. [It felt like a scare tactic. A warning to behave, or else.

Or.] Or just some really weird alien custom that we don't quite get. Maybe this really be 'retirement' for them. [Or Remy could be an ass and throwing in a bit of bad humor for the sake of trying to lighten this all up.]

Either way, quite a statement.

[tallasaking]

[Tyrion really wished he had an accent he could drawl on like that. Now ended up saying a great deal more with a drawl like that.] That is true -- and hah - not really sure I like their retirement plan, even if it reminds me of home.

[So ... very strongly of Westeros.] I will believe they are trying to scare the heartiest of us when they put the heads on spikes.

[cajunspice]

Think 'd be happier to end up on a beach somewhere with something nice to drink. [Ha! As if Remy would ever retire... or would get to an age that he could retire.

He did however raise a curious brow at the comment.] I just can't see the point in tryin' to make us scared. What can we really do to them that they feel the need to do such a thing, make their ratin's for their show tank? [A shake of his head added.] Hate to say it, they do hold all the power over us. Not like we can just abandon ship or vanish off 'nto space somewhere, so if that their plan, it a waste of energy.

[tallasaking]

I would rather be happier to be on a beach where I wish to drink nice things. [He stated dryly.]

[He pressed his fingers together.] I have a feeling ... I have a feeling we found something that they didn't like. I just have no idea what it is.

[cajunspice]

That... makes quite a lot of sense. [And they were just reacting with an aggressive answer, trying to scare them into not acting.] Shame all it does is makes me wanna try harder to find what that thing be. [Yep, Remy was the type to push back, especially to a threat like that.]

Feel like I got a lot to catch back up on while 've been away.

[tallasaking]

[He arches an eyebrow with a smirk.] Myself as well. It looks like we will be getting into a lot of trouble together, my friend.

[He huffed out a breath.] I have not missed anything since I came to this place. It is ...without a doubt, right beyond our reach.

[cajunspice]

[Remy gave a chuckle as an answer, letting his arms cross over his chest as he did take another glance at that monitor that started this all, shaking his head at what they had seen and why they had.] Ya goin' to be one of those people m' Tante warned me 'bout, ain't ya? Then again, I be one of those people m' Tante warned me 'bout, so I guess that really don't count.

I would be 'nterested to know what be done to make them worried, but it more out of curiosity than 'ny attempt to get home or 'nything. [He confessed.] Miss home, but do rather like it here too. [There were too many friends, too many memories, Remy didn't want to lose about what he had gone through.]

[tallasaking]

[He smirked, rubbing one hand over his face.] Probably. I am one of the people most people warn other people about.


[A long sigh.] I would rather wander this galaxy than mine -- but I do have a life to live. Responsibilities.

[cajunspice]

Yet those turn out to be some of the most 'nterestin' people... [Remy mulled with a smile before it sobered at that comment, nodding along in agreement. He really had them as well and felt a little guilt he had been ignoring the fact he had them.]

Who knows, cher, maybe there a copy of us all back home doin' what we need to be doin', or maybe time just stands still for us 'til we get back. It's hard to know, all really just guesses, but in the end, can't really do much 'bout it while we stuck here, non?

[tallasaking]

Oh, I am quite interesting... [He holds his hands out wide, a smile sliding over his face.] I'm just also very dangerous to know.

[He nods his head thoughtfully.] ...That would be nice. Some other me out there, finally meeting Dany and getting this whole war on Westeros started. That would be delightful. [He smirks.] Sometimes all I think I have are my inventions, my theories, and a wine supply.

[cajunspice]

Then 'll be sure to try 'nd stay on ya good side. [No reason to go ruffling feathers, not when they were all stuck together in the same Fleet. And Remy had enough enemies in his life without adding more to the list.]

Well, when ya compare kidnappin' aliens who takin' ya sight seein' 'round the universe 'nd bein' in the middle of a war, I think I know what side I would pick. Though that is 'ssumin' there is less blood shed on the Fleet, 'nd never know dependin' on the planets we land on.

[tallasaking]

As I will try to stay on yours. [Mutants, Tyrion had decided, made much better friends and allies then enemies. Thank you, Gemini.]

I would think it sort of coming out even in the proverbial wash, right now. Enough blood around for everyone.

[cajunspice]

[A real peach, wasn't she?]

Ahh, that really don't take much to do, 'm easily bribed. [A wide, bright grin to back up that joke.] Good drink, good food, good company. A lack of back stabbin' would also be nice, but know I can't ask for everything. [But hopefully that would be limited to their hosts and their own staff.]

[tallasaking]

[If you mean - a piece of fruit that is rotten all the way through? Then yes.]

Bribery is the most sincere form of 'please do not kill me'. [Tyrion mused, before he smirked in turn.] Well, we can dream, can't we?

[cajunspice]

I would also say to stop someone givin' out certain 'nformation, but think that lends more to blackmail than bribery, dependin' on ya point of view, that be. 'nd know what side of all this I prefer to be on.

Though, [And it was said with a bit of a sigh.] Haven't really had a need to do 'ny such things since bein' on the Fleet, don't have that bad a group of people here. Or I at least seem to avoid those that could need it.

It's a nice change.

[tallasaking]

I personally prefer bribery. Blackmail can get very, very dangerous very very fast for everyone. Sooner or later someone realizes it is easier to make sure that you are dead rather than paid.

[He snorts softly.] No ... mostly a good bunch. No group is perfect but these are ... surprisingly decent folk.

[He could not say that of back home. Here ... here was always better.]

[cajunspice]

Funny, most I know tend to skip the 'payment' side 'nd go straight to the tryin' to kill me part. [And with the way Tyrion was talking, it sounded he was accustomed to that too.

Though for what side, that was harder to pick.]

Ahh, this place ain't so bad, 'nd it's nice to be in a place that doesn't call for such situations or skills, normally at least. [Then giving a nod of his head to the screen where that oh so wonderful scene had played out.] Might need to change that up a bit. A shame, really. [It was rather nice, if not a little boring, to get to play 'normal'. Or as normal as being on a space ship could be.]

[tallasaking]

You know ... it really depends on who I have been working with on which kind of outcome I get with that. It can go either way, in Westeros. [The faintest of smirks. He had made his best allies and worst enemies.]

I think we might want to update the vistor's information, as it stands. Changed from 'may be horribly murdered' to 'probably will be horribly murdered'.

[cajunspice]

Ah, still like those odds, wouldn't bid m' money on it, but do quite often with m' life. [It was just part of it all back home, being a Thief and a mutant.] Almost feels like home, gives me a warm 'nd fuzzy feelin'. [A chuckle and grin to go along with his bad joke.]

But think I will be carefully checkin' those sponsor packs we get from now on, just to make sure they ain't booby trapped, though don't see the point in them killin' off us, we suppose to be their source of income, in theory. [Then again, people did just vanish and go missing, not always to return, and that was a rather sobering thought with combination to what had happened today.]

[tallasaking]

Well why waste a valuable resource like money when you could bet something far more satisfying, like your own mortal coil. [He smirked faintly.] But yes, it is rather like home for most of us, isn't it?

In theory.... I really wish we had less in theory and more in fact.