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

[namisan]

[She shifts at the sound of her name, though her expression is still a little blank. And she recognises Remy. But give her brain a few moments to catch up to the fact that he shouldn't be here, because all she does is blink at him for a moment, and then shake her head a fraction.]

I'm okay.

[cajunspice]

[He wasn't sure if she really was, so Remy kept his hand there for a moment longer, offering a link to here and now and not what was on the screen.] Hey, why don't we go 'nd see if can find something warm to drink 'round here? [A small offer of a smile to her.] Won't even make ya pour it, since ya off the clock.

[namisan]

[It was a shock, sure as hell, and the sound of that drill is probably gonna give her nightmares. But it isn't the worst she's seen, by a long shot. This is what Nami tells herself, anyway; walk it off.

All the same, it was very sudden, so it takes the shock a few moments to wear off enough for her to actually pay attention to what Remy was saying. And, of course, the fact that he was saying it in the first place. Blink.]

...hey. You're back.

[Give the girl a prize for understatement. But though she's not smiling, there's a sudden brightness there. She missed you, man.]

[cajunspice]

Yeah, I am. [Not going to mock her or make a joke out of her observation skills after that shock feed to them, just a bright smile instead.] Miss me? Hope ya still lookin' for staff at the bar.

[namisan]

[Finally she grins. It's a little more subdued than usual, sure, but she can always dredge up some sass no matter the situation.]

Definitely. We're only down to one chef and I miss your spicy chicken. How long have you been back?

[cajunspice]

Ahh, hope ya managed to keep a stock of spices 'round then, 'cause 'm guessin' my stash of it been cleared out since 've been gone, though won't find that out 'til I get back onto the Duck, or 'nother ship I guess. [It was sad to think he had lost his supplies he had collected over his time here, but it wouldn't be the worse thing in the world, or worlds, to start over again.]

Been here 'bout a week, I would say just settlin' back in, but considerin' we doin' this again, that's had to wait.

[namisan]

Whatever you left in the Space Bar's kitchens is still there. I don't think Vash uses spices the same way you do.

{Again, huh.] You were here for the last time this idiocy happened?

[cajunspice]

Ya mean 'over kill'? [Which, yes, Remy had done in the past, even by his tastes. Since he was cooking for others he had to tone it down more than he would for himself, so not to burn anyone's taste buds off.] Good to know, would be a sad, sad day when I don't have access to a spice rack.

With the dreams? Yeah, was 'round for the last go 'round of it. Don't remember it all too well, but was quite a thing. Be glad to see the back of it again, always feels weird to be off the ships now days.

[namisan]

[That gets a sharper and more with-it look, at least.]

How long did you spend at home?

[cajunspice]

Home? Ahh, I don't remember the dream I had too well, think it was of back home, feel like it was.

[Unless she means his vanishing.] Oh, non, non, nothin' like that. It just felt like I went to bed one night here on the Fleet, woke up six months later, didn't get the option to head back home, or whatever happens with that all. [Which was a little sad to think about, Remy would had liked the chance to just visit back home, see family, his hometown.]

[namisan]

But you were gone. [That's not a happy thought at all-- if he didn't go home in that time, where was he? Lately all she's been hearing (and now seeing) is news that stabs giant holes through all her theories here.]

Everything feels the same? Do you feel like you were asleep six months?

[This is very troubling.]

[cajunspice]

Ahh, [Remy drew that sound out before moving onto the next word, it equally drawled out with his accent as he added a shrug onto it.] Yeeeaah. I was. But... I wasn't, not for me at least. Just felt like a normal night's sleep, nothin' strange 'bout it.

It would had been nice though, even if the me back home doesn't remember 'ny of this. Just to see it all for a bit. [Yeah, now he was more than a bit sad in missing out on that.]

[namisan]

...I guess you didn't wake up with all the side effects of being in a coma for six months. [That would suck. It's also the only blessing she can think of. Weird that he just vanished like that for so long-- not exactly adding to her mood, all things considered.

She sighs, though. Gives him a small grin.] Well. People missed you. I mean, I missed your spicy chicken, so there's that.

[cajunspice]

Oh yeah, that, that be a real nice part of this all. [Yes, Remy was very happy to not have those side effects, either real world ones or whatever wrapped ones that might happen on the Fleet.

His grin widened at her comment, giving her shoulder a little nudge with his own.] Only m' food? Not m' sparklin' personality? 'm hurt chere, really, right here. [Raising a hand to put it over his heart, but his grin never left as he joked.]

[namisan]

[Her grin slowly becomes a bit more natural, reverting to teasing.] Well, I suppose your sparkling personality does kind of help with sales.