driftfleet | this is dr. death defying signing off

[Metal and pipes echo hollowly through the empty ship. The Paisley, after more than a year of service, floats along without anyone to poke at her innards or bang pots in her kitchen or destroy the blender. A terrible fate indeed. The ship wanders on its own, slowly but surely moving to pass by the Marsiva to circle around the rest of the nearby solar bodies.

Those who happen to be at their communicator consoles will notice a sudden sharp uptick in energy, some kind of invisible wave that sets out from the Marsiva itself. The type of energy is impossible to define; the instruments scramble for a minute or two. It's not unlike the effect a massive solar storm has on electronic devices. Personal communicators may also be affected by this.

But windows still work, and all the other ships have a clear view of what happens next.

As the Paisley wanders within range, the Marsiva in all its awkward rounded glory splits vertically. It's less like a mouth or a hinged jaw and more like a void. There are the tiniest hints of stars if you look closely, but stare too long and you'll be overcome with a sudden and completely irrational fear of the darkness and/or falling. It opens wide, its size dwarfing the small ship like Earth meeting a gaseous giant, and then--

-- the Paisley is gone.

The Marsiva resumes its normal shape. A deep vibration knocks the consoles back online, like the belch of a universe.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I... I don't know. A lot of the crew on that ship has either transferred off or disappeared from the Fleet.

[Keith sounds really distressed. He didn't handle loss well.]

The whole Paisley crew transferred. [Shiro has that STOP MAKING BIG BRO TIRED tone in his voice.] We're having a little talk about communication after his birthday is over.

Shirooooo. No lecture!

[Pout.]

How was I supposed to know the Paisley would just get nommed on like that? I was going to tell everyone this weekend I transferred!

You should've informed everyone regardless of ship eating voids.

[...]

And don't think I didn't hear you laugh.

I was distracted by the birthday stuff!

[.........]

No idea what you're talking about, buddy. You must have been hearing someone else.

Lance. I'm only a few rooms away, not in another dimension. It's not funny.

[He'll just be grumbling to himself about the irony of that statement.]

Fine. I'm sorry, okay?

[He would be offended, but you know what? No. That will teach him why this isn't so funny. Not the same feeling being on the other side of it, huh?

Approving nod.] Apology accepted. Next time make sure everyone knows about important decisions like this.

(no subject)

the_tailor - 2017-08-04 23:37 (UTC) - Expand

padadin - 2017-08-04 23:44 (UTC) - Expand

HE COULD HAVE TOLD US THAT WHEN HE DID IT!

I know. [A sigh.] I thought he did.

Nope. Not a word.

[ANNOYED.]

[SAME HERE, BUDDY. SAME HERE.]

And that's why we are all having a talk tomorrow.

Wait- all of us?

[...]

Why? He's the one that didn't share important information here.

I know, but a reminder won't hurt anyone. Besides, this has made me realize we do need to plan for situations like this now there are many of us around but all in different ships. We aren't just a bedroom away anymore.

tempredmental - 2017-08-04 03:32 (UTC) - Expand

I'm here! I know your lives and the universe in general would suffer without my presence within it, but worry not, my friends! I, uh, I transferred to the Blameless like a day or two ago. I was going to tell you all once all the birthday shenangins were done with.

[Oh good, Lance didn't get eaten.]

[And now that Pidge isn't worried, she's pissed.]

You ass.

[Oh no. Oh no, he knows that tone.]

What??? I really didn't know it was gonna end up being a big deal!

[This is where she would be throwing things at his face if they were in the same room.]

You ASS. Why didn't you tell us that sooner?!

I, um, left my communicator in the other room?

ARE YOU QUIZNAKING SERIOUS?!?!

the_tailor - 2017-07-29 23:47 (UTC) - Expand

pidge_out - 2017-07-30 00:04 (UTC) - Expand

the_tailor - 2017-07-30 04:06 (UTC) - Expand

pidge_out - 2017-07-30 04:43 (UTC) - Expand

the_tailor - 2017-07-30 04:45 (UTC) - Expand

pidge_out - 2017-07-30 04:49 (UTC) - Expand

the_tailor - 2017-07-30 05:02 (UTC) - Expand

pidge_out - 2017-07-30 05:04 (UTC) - Expand

the_tailor - 2017-07-30 05:06 (UTC) - Expand

pidge_out - 2017-07-30 05:18 (UTC) - Expand

the_tailor - 2017-07-30 05:22 (UTC) - Expand

pidge_out - 2017-07-30 05:23 (UTC) - Expand

the_tailor - 2017-07-30 05:26 (UTC) - Expand

pidge_out - 2017-07-30 05:30 (UTC) - Expand

the_tailor - 2017-07-31 20:26 (UTC) - Expand

You transferred how long ago?

A day or two! I didn't think it'd end up being such a big deal!

We're in a weird, possibly enemy alien fleet with no way to get home! We need to keep each other informed of these things!

And I was gonna keep you informed!

[Clearly, it wasn't soon enough.]

When? Three months from now?

Geeze, Lance. We can't mess around with that kind of stuff here.

the_tailor - 2017-08-01 02:53 (UTC) - Expand

tempredmental - 2017-08-01 03:29 (UTC) - Expand

the_tailor - 2017-08-01 03:32 (UTC) - Expand

tempredmental - 2017-08-01 03:44 (UTC) - Expand

the_tailor - 2017-08-01 04:01 (UTC) - Expand

tempredmental - 2017-08-01 04:10 (UTC) - Expand

the_tailor - 2017-08-01 04:10 (UTC) - Expand

tempredmental - 2017-08-01 04:18 (UTC) - Expand