driftfleet | Just Passing Through...

Who: The Interceptors… And You!!!
Broadcast: Yes -- ONLY over the private, non-Atroma network!
Action: Planetside
When: Network contact is RIGHT NOW, any planetside action begins ICly 2 days later at least.

[ Well, Fleet, long time no speak -- when it comes to addressing anyone, anyway. ♥ On the exclusive network, safely away from Atroma, an audio message appears, from your faraway pals! And on the other line is the very obvious voice of one particular Interceptor super scientist lady. ]

Drift Fleet Twelve, this is the Interceptor fleet. Based off our own trajectory, we're predicting that you guys are in the RR-0451 Aquilae system and - more importantly - near Libuscha IV. Can you confirm? A crewmate and I are in a shuttle right now, and we've got some... digging we'd like to do there.

[ There’s a new voice, one that Drift Fleet Twelve hasn’t heard before, in the background. And he sounds amused? ]

That’s one way of putting it… [ Can you just see the smirk now? The scientist continues as if there’d been no interruption.]

I'm attaching a file with some notes we've taken on a particular metal alloy that's naturally occurring and very abundant on that planet. It's apparently not that hard to find once you get far enough below the surface, and we have intel that there are vast cave networks. Have any of you guys seen those by chance?

And, uh… before we leave, we're probably gonna need to refuel while we're at it.

I told you we should have gotten gas before we hit the road, but did you listen to me? Nooooo...

Anyway! Since we'd be in the neighborhood - literally - we thought it might be a good chance to swing by and say hello, maybe share some stories, exchange some presents… [ Hey, someone mentioned ribbons to them - and they're happy to share this metal alloy, so… win/win? ] Discreetly, of course. What would Big Brother think if he knew, after all?

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(( You can directly respond to this post if you wish to speak with the Interceptors over this newfangled secure network you created!! If you have a preference as to who responds, let us know somewhere in the comment or subject line.

If you wish to join them planetside to scour the caves for metals, help them restock and refuel, or just to try asking them some questions, each will have their own toplevel comment soon. And if for any reason you want to use this post for mingle purposes amongst yourselves, feel free to do so! ))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Ah. I'm not very recently arrived, but still haven't been here very long so I could have missed your previous communications.

The network was Captain Shiro's idea and it took some effort, but I think it paid off indeed.

It's true. We sort of avoided a lot of contact. Our channel wasn't secure enough. Using it too much meant the Atroma would eventually find a way to break into it.

Yours seems pretty good so far, though. We're impressed.

Thank you. It seems it will prove useful.

I will have to pass on mining activities, but I hope you find what you need.

Not into digging in tunnels, huh?

Nah, it's all good. It's not for everyone.

I can be underground if really needed, but I do not particularly like it, no. I am sure you will find enough volunteers, though.

If I may ask, you were once a part of the fleet yourself, were you not? How did you get out?

Yeah. I'm pretty sure we will. No worries.

[Duo hesitated just a moment. It hadn't been an easy escape.]

I was. Not this cycle... the previous one. We were able to use a nebula to disrupt the connection with Atroma, but... it hit us hard. We lost a lot of people. We're hoping to find a better way for you guys.

So we as a group are not the first to go through this?

[Plus, there were many casualties the first time around? He can believe that, given how the Atroma restrict their movements. And also...]

How about the augments? Did you manage to get them out?

Nope. You're the 12^th group. I was in 11.

[Duo hesitated... a very long pause...]

It's uh... Not all of them. And... it... [He sighed.] I wouldn't recommend trying it right now. Too much risk for casualties. There's a reason for that deep feeling of dread when people try.

[Duo had been through a lot in his life, both back home and in the previous DF cycle, but the experience of breaking away had left a deep psychological scar on quite a few of them... Duo was one of them. Biffy could probably hear it in his voice.]

Oh, I wouldn't dare. I had to suffer through a glitch recently, and that was more than enough.

But I do wonder how it works for you out there if some of you still have them. How can you escape Atroma's influence without having it out?

Oh, yeah... those can be rough, depending on what happens.

It was something with that nebula. We haven't been completely able to recreate the conditions, but somehow, it managed to upset some of the components in there, we think. It's been a while, and they've been trying to track us down for a while. So, we're still being pretty careful. I wouldn't be surprised if Atroma does manage to figure out how to get us back.

It would probably be good for their ratings, too.

[Duo sounded pretty sour on that last statement.]

So they are still searching for escapees...

[Lyall scoffs lightly at the ratings comments.]

I still have a hard time believing that this is all entertainment for some people. And if it is, why the kidnapping, really?

I have no reason to believe they're not.

They took a pretty heavy pot-shot at us not that long ago that wiped out a good portion of our own fleet, too. It was... pretty hairy.

As for the kidnappings? They probably ran out of contestants. There was some information we managed to nab from a secret stash over a year ago... maybe almost two now? You guys have some of it logged on paper. All the digital copies that were placed on Atroma's network were deleted, though.

A few of you told us about some stuff you all found during the last calibrations, too. I imagine that was written down, too. You have a few pretty detail-oriented people over there.

I will look for it.

What are... calibrations, if I may ask?

[How come he is learning more about what's going on from someone on the outside? Although it's true they're being kept rather busy at times....]

Atroma likes to do this thing where they make sure all their equipment is good and in working order. So they pull all you back to the Marsiva for a time to work on that. It can make for some interesting situations... like dream and memory sharing. I'm not sure why that all happens, but it does. Ultimately, it's pretty harmless in that no one really gets hurt or killed, but it can be like suddenly finding yourself naked in the middle of the street. Everyone ends up learning your secrets.

In that way, it kinda sucks.

.... I don't think I like the sound of that.

Not at all.

[There was a small chuckle, but it was dry and humorless... almost bitter.]

Yeah. It wasn't cool.

Unfortunately, there's no out for it. It happens to all of us. You'll see other people's stuff, and they'll see yours. Not everyone. I don't understand how some people see stuff and others don't, but, either way, it happens.

Well... there's not much we can do about it, I suppose, except be prepared in the knowledge that it happens.

Pretty much. I wish I had better news on that front.

But, hopefully, we'll figure something out before it happens again.

So... see you when we get to the system?

Well, I do not know if we will have the pleasure to it, but I will be looking forward to it if we do.

You got it. Until later, then.

Just Passing Through...

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