driftfleet | (no subject)

Who: Aaron
Broadcast: Network - OTA
Action: Anywhere aboard the SS Bloodsport
When: Saturday

ACTION » SS BLOODSPORT

[The new arrival on the bridge makes a quick getaway, out of the lights and the sounds of the area and into the corridor, slipping as best he can with his 6'1" frame into the shadows just on the other side of the doorway (but not before pocketing a couple of those pudding cups, one can never be too greedy when it comes to sources of food).]

This can't be real.

[The words are uttered just above a whisper before he reaches to his belt, where an empty knife case hangs, and his slightly uneasy disbelief is quickly replaced with panic as he pats his pockets (however unlikely it is that he absentmindedly slipped a big knife into a pocket instead of his holster). He takes a steadying breath, eyes darting about before heading forward warily, slipping into the kitchen/galley area. Seeing no one else around after checking several hiding places, anyone who investigates the sounds of opening drawers will find a man with curly, dirty blood hair rifling through the utensil drawers looking for...something.

Once he's found a steak knife (which is better than nothing, thanks), he's going to continue exploring every door he can open on this ship, so the odds of him stumbling upon another crew member are pretty high. No matter what state he finds them in, he raises his hands to show he means no harm.]

I don't want any trouble. I just need some answers. My name is Aaron.

NETWORK BROADCAST » AUDIO

[Later, once he's gotten his bearings more he makes the following broadcast, careful and diplomatic in his wording. He still doesn't know what to make of this place or the people in it, and he doesn't blindly trust people the way he used to.]

Hello. I've only just arrived recently, and I'm under the impression many of you have been here for much longer. If you can offer me any sort of insight into this setup, I'd really appreciate it. To start things off slow and hopefully on the right foot, my name's Aaron, and I've been assigned as a Communications Officer on the SS Bloodsport.

Also, if the following names sound familiar, or you happen to own any of them, I'd be happy to hear from you:

Rick Grimes. Daryl Dixon. Glenn Rhee. Maggie Greene. Abraham Ford. Rosita Espinosa. Michonne. Carl Grimes. Sasha Williams.

[He lets a moment pass before ending his broadcast.]

Thank you for time and any help you can offer.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Steak knives are still pretty likely to break off in an actual fight.

[He's...used a lot of knives and shoved them into a lot of skulls...]

Just...a sixth gun just appeared? That's...you know, given all the other wierdness, I'll accept it.

[He smiles at the offered hand, though, and shakes it with a nod.] Nice to meet you, Lorden. Like I said, my name's Aaron. I'm in Communications apparently.

[He nodded again at his point, though.]

That's only fair, though...live ammunition in a space ship sounds like a bad idea...

Fair enough. Haven't found anything to fight seriously since I got here, but it's only been a couple days.

[He nods.] Kind of bizarre, but things here don't work the way I'd expect them to anyway. Good to meet you, Aaron.

[And he perks up.] Check it out, they're energy weapons. Pew pew laser guns. [He checks the safety on one of them and hands it over so Aaron can inspect it.] They recharge here on these little docks, and you can get a decent amount of shots off before you have to do that. I haven't actually tried to fire them at the hulls yet, but I'm guessing they're shielded to prevent a breach.

In my experience, that's pretty good odds.

[And says a lot about where both of them come from. A lot of not good things.]

Yeah let's...forego blasting a hole in the hull until after we make sure that's not actually the vacuum of space out there, okay?

[He takes the weapon, turning it over in his hands easily, with an expression that clearly says he's familiar with firearms. He re-checks the safety, noting as he turns the weapon that there wasn't, as Lorden explained, anyway to release or insert a clip.]

How many rounds are 'decent'?

[He nods in agreement. Not that there haven't been peaceful stretches before, but it's kind of weird. Then again he's used to being able to hop around the system to take the fight wherever it needs to go.]

Ha! Right? On the other hand, better if we figure it out before we get boarded. Maybe next time we hit a station or a planet, I can test it out when the ship's docked.

[He goes over the weapon specs, which I don't think the mods have specified.] And then after that you gotta swap it out or recharge. So I'm hoping I can grab some analog backups soon. [He gestures to the knife.]

Just make sure the shields are up. [He pauses for a moment.] That's a thing, right? Shields?

[It would have to be, if this science fiction is actually reality.]

[He smirks at the description, though. Heh. "Analog".]

It definitely looks like a worthwhile investment, yeah. [He crosses his arms, looking thoughtful.] Maybe there's a place here to train.

[Lorden grins.] Yeah, the guy in Engineering takes care of them. And there's a couple ship-mounted weapons, too. Never been in an actual ship-to-ship battle though.

[He taps his fingers against the wall, looking thoughtful.]

There's a couple places on the Iskaulit - that's the big insecty ship, kind of like a public area. You want to trade techniques some time?

Well, you've got one up on me, then. [He smiles.] This is my first time on a spaceship.

[He nods.]

It never hurts to stay sharp.

Welcome to space, then! If you're used to moving around a lot it can get a little claustrophobic, but apparently we get to visit systems pretty often. Only been here a couple days myself.

Thanks. There are some celebratory pudding cups back on the bridge if you want to crack one open. It looks like there were chocolate and vanilla, and you can't beat those classics.

[The sarcasm was delivered with a slight smirk, because honestly, this is probably the most ridiculous situation he's ever ended up in, and there have been some doozies.]

Ooo, vanilla. I think I only got chocolate when I showed up. Could grab some blue-flavored drink and make a real party.

[What does blue-flavored drink taste like? We just don't know.]

The food here isn't exactly fine dining, but there's plenty of it and you can make some pretty funny combos. People complain, but--at least we have enough food, you know?

That does sound like a party.

[It tastes like blue Gatorade. Everybody knows that.]

And I know exactly what you mean. Food's become a precious commodity in my world, too. If they give me protein paste, I'm going to like it, because starving is never a good time.

[Gator-what?]

Right on. See, you'd fit right in back home.

[He pauses.]

Which is a good thing, by the way.

[It's really not important, Lorden.]

Great. I'm glad I would fit in back home.

Right on. And hey, if you feel like shopping for better weapons planetside, I'd be happy to help figure out how the hell their economy works.

[And until this very moment, it hasn't occurred to Aaron that there is an economy. Theirs crashed nearly two years ago.]

You know, I'm not gonna turn that down.

[There is an economy in his world, it's just...completely different. When your currency is your main consumable, the whole idea of gathering other resources is weird.]

Sounds good. Other than that, just let me know if your sidearm needs maintenance.

You bet.

[And he motions to the charging pistols.]

So...if one of those is mine, do you...mind if I carry it? I mean, in the event we're attacked, getting to the armory might not be possible.

[In response, Lorden takes one of them off the charger and hands it over.]

Here's the safety. If you don't need to fire it, be sure to give it a booster charge about once a month just in case. Otherwise just swap it out with another one after target practice or whatever.

[He nods when he's handed the weapon, shoulders losing some of the tension they'd been holding.]

Thanks, and listen, if you want me to prove I'm a decent shot, I'm sure we can find a range somewhere.

[He knows that feeling, though. Whether or not there's anything to defend yourself against, there's a firm sense of security in having something more than bare fists to do it with.]

Yeah, there's gotta be. Once you get the recoil and rate of fire figured out, hit me up.

Of course. [He nods.] Thanks again, but I think I'm going to check out the rest of the ship, maybe find the room that's mine.

[He nods and gives a two-fingered salute.]

Sure thing. See you around.