First Breath Mingle!

[detectivewonder]

Who: The crew of the First Breath + visitors.
Broadcast: Nope!
Action: Aboard the First Breath or in station docking bays.
When: 4/25-4/31.

[Every week, regular as clockwork, Tim has a new plan to up ratings - although he doesn't put it like that to anyone out loud. This week, it's a bonding activity for the whole crew - painting their shuttles bright, custom colors. For his part, he doesn't have a color scheme in mind - he's focused on detail work, adding snarling mouths to their front, and impressive fictionalized kill tallies on their sides. If they might face raiders again, every little thing they can do to make themselves more impressive could coutn for a lot...]

Comments

[howcanihelp]

[ Steffa is coming back from doing some shopping for the ship with a bag of groceries in one hand and something apple-like that she's munching on in the other. She stops to survey the progress being done, smiling a little. ]

...We should do this on the Bishop. I'll bet Hiro and Krista would have a blast.

[detectivewonder]

I can bring over any paint that's left here when we're done. Are you thinking the shuttles, or the whole ship?

[He turns with a smile, easily engaged - pleased the idea seems popular, because that means he's probably right that it will help ratings, although the more people who do it, the more diluted that effect might be.]

[howcanihelp]

That's a very kind offer, thank you!

[ Well, he'll probably get the most of the ratings, if that's any consolation. ]

I don't know, I'd probably poll the rest of the Bishop. ...Did you hear Krista stepped down as Captain?

[detectivewonder]

What? No! Why?

[howcanihelp]

[ Wow, that was emphatic. It surprises her a little, actually. ]

She said that after the attack, she felt like... she wasn't really in a position to lead the way she wanted, more or less.

[ she fidgets with the hem of her sleeve ]

She, ah. Asked me to be her replacement.

[detectivewonder]

Well... she made a good choice, anyway.

[howcanihelp]

[ Steffa blushes a little, but grins ]

You think so? I hope she did. I agreed, of course. It would hardly be the most daunting command role I've taken, but... it still makes me nervous.

[detectivewonder]

It seems a lot less symbolic now that we know we might come under attack.

Still. Welcome to the club, Captain.

[howcanihelp]

[ Steffa laughs. "Commander" she can handle, but "Captain" is strange and unsettling. Go figure. It seems ridiculous even to her. ]

Thank you, Captain.

I have to admit, this is more authority than I had as a Warden and less than I had as Commander of the Grey, so I'm... a bit at a loss. What should I even be doing for my crew?

[detectivewonder]

Make sure they can keep their heads in a crisis, and they know to listen to you when one hits. That's... really, that's about it.

[howcanihelp]

Ah, so it's very much like being the Warden-Commander then.

[ That's a joke, technically. She's... not expecting anyone to get it, though. Anders is pretty much the only one who would. ]

Well, we're all pretty responsible. So far, it bodes well, for them listening if I have to give orders. Not that they'll just listen to me, but we don't really... do much that requires giving orders if it's not necessary.

[detectivewonder]

Before the attack, I think I'd given exactly two orders. And that was just trying to keep crew disagreements to a minimum.

[howcanihelp]

Being a leader in a crisis is... not my favorite experience in the world. But I have that experience, and Krista trusts me, so... [ she shrugs ] Here we are.

I would've expected her to give it to Hiro, honestly. I think he'd do well with it. But he's First Mate, and I trust him, so it's nice to have that backup, at least.

[detectivewonder]

Hiro... could do it if he had to. But if he can still be a kid, we should let him. Most people don't get a second chance at that.

[howcanihelp]

True. He deserves it if anyone does.

[ Tim, are we speaking from experience?

Because Steffa feels you, if so. ]

[detectivewonder]

[Very much so. And he knows just enough about Steffa to be sure she gets that subtext, too.]

With how little control we have over things, I wonder why they bother to name Captains. But it's good to have you in the ranks with us.

[howcanihelp]

Probably so there's someone to blame if something goes terribly wrong.

[ she smiles wryly - she's enough used to being used as a scapegoat for things she couldn't control that it's not too hard to joke about it.

Ah, the life of the Hero of Ferelden. ]

Well. I'm... Glad to be in the ranks, I think. I'm glad you'rein them with me, at any rate.

[ Oh Maker's breath, that was awful. She can do better than that, surely? Perhaps? ...If she's lucky? ]

[detectivewonder]

Thanks.

[He flashes her a grin on reflex, flattered. It's good to be appreciated. But he doesn't think anything more of it, yet.]

The only problem is, now I have to give up my plans to poach you onto my own crew.

[howcanihelp]

[ FFFF. With that grin. UGH. She may flush, just a little, at his comment, and grin back. ]

Well, I suppose if you ask very nicely, I may consider it.

[detectivewonder]

I couldn't do that to your crew. You're out of my league now.

[howcanihelp]

I would be loathe to leave them, certainly.

I wouldn't say I'm out of your league, though. Perhaps just... more of a challenge.

[detectivewonder]

Well, who'd take over? Krista again? We agreed we wouldn't want to do that to Hiro... besides, this way we have two ships conspiring with each other. A fleet within a fleet. Wingmen.

[Yeah, he's missing the point.]

[howcanihelp]

Finrod is responsible and quite likely more experienced than all of us combined. I think if it came to it, he'd be the one I asked.

[ she ducks her head and grins ]

However, I will admit that having our ships in cahoots is a good tactical choice.

[ GOSH TIM DOES SHE HAVE TO TWIRL HER HAIR AROUND HER FINGER WHILE SHE SAYS IT? ]

[detectivewonder]

Haven't met him, so I don't know how well I'd work with him. But yeah. Cahoots are good.

[Honestly there's only about a 60% chance he'd notice even that.]

[howcanihelp]

[ You make this difficult, Tim. Here she is and she's only got the most basic flirting levels unlocked and you're a complete failure. Zero levels in flirting. Negative levels. ]

If we're in cahoots, though, we should probably have an official meeting. Work out our official tactical responses to various situations.

Among other things...?

[ Yeah, she's reached about the limit of what she can do without getting a little awkward. LOOK SHE JUST. WANTS TO KNOW IF THERE'S A CHANCE HERE.

PLS NOTICE HER, SENPAI. ]