driftfleet | party on the pathstone

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party on the pathstone

Who: Pathstone crew + ANYONE EVER WOW
Broadcast: nah bro
Action: YAH BRO
When: whenever bro

[Is the Pathstone more capable with a captain missing and another one replace with someone who does their job? How many people can fit into a captain's nest? Why is there a captain's nest? Has Solas painted the entire interior of the ship yet? Has Cole talked to each and every plant? Has Duke discovered that his ship has been previously worthless since basically the beginning of time? Will Crowley ever try to get his captain status back?

Tune in now for the answers to these questions and more in this episode of As The Pathstone Turns!]

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[A majority of the time, Jove can be found hard at work in the engine room or outside the ship working on the last of the repairs that need to be done after the attack. The ship is slowly making its way to being in good shape, but it's a bit on the slow side when they have only one Engineer augment and a handful of helpful crew members.

When she isn't working on the ship, Jove is in her bedroom that now looks more like a greenhouse with a bed than anything else. There are etchings and paintings on the exposed bits of wall now, half completed works of art that Solas has been working on at her request to make the place feel just a little bit more like Skyhold.

No matter where she's found, the response to guests is the same as it always is. A smile, warm and welcoming as she puts aside whatever it was she had been doing because honestly, there's just about nowhere in the Fleet she wouldn't be happy to see.]

[ When Duke runs out of things to do on his own, he wanders. Wandering usually results in peeking into the engine room, and ah, there is Jove. ]

... Would you like any extra hands?

[ Duke, when he isn't terribly invested in some project or another, settles into patterns. Wake, wash, eat something either with a bit of effort into it, or.. absolutely none at all, check everything in the armory, even if he didn't touch it after he did this the last time he cleaned the place. Pace the ship once or twice. Stare out into space because it is still fascinating.

Sometimes he settles in the kitchen - in a random chair, in the corner on the floor, or very occasionally on nothing like it is a chair - and works on a project. The current one involves a length of pale purple light.

Whether he's very focused on something, or just walking around, Duke will usually tilt his head slightly toward anyone who approaches once they reach two yards from him. Anyone sensitive to magic can find that there's an increased concentration of magic right where Duke starts noticing people. ]

[That's a voice Jove is still not quite used to on the ship, but when she sees Duke she does in fact have a smile for him. When she had been new to the ship hardly anyone pulled her weight and really, she's just glad new people are coming to a ship that's starting to turn that perception around.]

Well I'm certainly not about to say no. It's only too bad that this had to be part of your introduction to living on this ship.

[ It's part of searching for things to do, part 'maybe I can learn to do tiny things so Jove will be able to focus on harder ones' and part trying not to make enemies of the people he's more or less stuck living with. ]

Was already better than the previous introduction I had. [ He doesn't mean the arrival on Marsiva. But more importantly, let him roll up his sleeves, pull his magic back in, and.. probably just shove his hair down the back of his shirt. ]

What would you have me do?

[Regardless of the fact that Jove is not the Inquisitor that Cassandra knows best, it's still strange to be going to the Inquisitor rather than having her come to Cassandra. At least in terms of a purely social visit. Cassandra usually kept those to somewhat a minimum, understanding that there were far better uses of the Inquisitor's time.]

[But here she is, turning up on Jove's ship in the engine room where she appears to be hard at work. Perhaps she should have called first. Too late for that now.]

[Cassandra clears her throat.]

Inquisitor.

I've had to replace quite a few moving parts, so if you'd take that grease there [she points with one hand already covered in stains of the stuff] and smear it anywhere you think looks like it might need grease, that would be helpful.

[Really she's just following along with what her augment tells her is correct, but there's little about this that actually makes sense to Jove. So far her guesses and charging forward have seem to have been working out for the ship, at least.]

How have you been settling in, by the way?

[Hard at work and quite distracted, so when Cassandra chooses that particular moment to drop by Jove is entirely focused on her work. It feels strange to have the implant in her head be telling her what to do to fix the ship, but by now she's at least had the voices from the Well of Sorrows to get her used to this kind of thing.

It can be quite crowded in her head and she doesn't hear Cassandra come in. Thus, at the sound of her clearing her throat and speaking, Jove jumps and very nearly smacks her head on the engine she had been tucked under to get a very specific part she had never actually heard of before today.

Smooth. At least she didn't drop anything.]

Cassandra? Just- give me a moment, I'm a bit trapped. Small spaces, you understand.

[She couldn't have come when Jove was in complete control of herself and the situation, could she. Figures.]

[ That looks like a pain to get out of.. everything. Duke is suddenly very glad that he already tucked his hair out of the way. But he picks up that container and looks for something that.. might move. Or is moving and doing so too stiffly or .. something.

... uh.. like this thing. Maybe. ]

Well enough? The space is smaller than I had gotten used to, but the view is fascinating enough that I forget the ... enclosed nature. Food is pretty terrible, when you want to eat something for it's flavor.

[When Jove jumps, Cassandra fully expects to hear a bang or otherwise sudden and loud noise from Jove hitting her head. So Cassandra bends down about halfway, stopping when no sound comes and Jove manages to spare herself the head injury. Cassandra feels immediately a little guilty because way to almost knock her out, Cassandra. S m o o t h. Note to self: make a little more noise next time.]

Of course.

[She straightens and waits patiently for Jove to work her way back out.]

[ Most of the time, Solas keeps to himself. He spends a lot of time in his room, reading and painting, drawing the things he remembers from home and the people he has met here - which includes Jove and Cole, the rest of the Inquisition and his crewmates. Solas isn't capable of being particularly helpful when it comes to maintaining and repairing the ship, considering his augment, but he does what he can to offer advice and companionship when he can.

When he leaves his room he has his art supplies with him, paints and notebooks bought for him by Jove, and he spends a few hours a day working on her room with her supervision, as well as offering his services to anyone else that might want it. He enjoys the idea of decorating the entire ship with etchings and paintings, with memories of the Fade and Thedas and plants they go to, and he looks forward to it.

If he is approached he will be kind and polite, as always, welcoming anyone that might be tipping near stranger rather than friends. Anyone else will get something a little brighter, especially if he cares about them. ]

[Crowley certainly hasn't made any attempt to get his captain status back. In fact, he's rarely on the Pathstone at all, instead settling for lavish hotel rooms, a lot of gambling and even more drinking.

He does return to the ship once in a while, though. Mostly to dump his winnings (which look most to be Houseplants) onto the ship. He's talking to a luscious looking ficus (which may or may not be his from home, who knows) as he sets it down on the communications console. ]

Okay, this is your new home from now on. Looks pretty sweet, doesn't it? Well, don't get too comfortable, because if I see one brown leaf, even a hint of wilting, you're going through the airlock. It'll be hasta-la-vista for you, my little friend. Are we clear?

[Cole's been away visiting, but he comes back to the Pathstone and slinks his way into Solas' room. He looks frayed, uncomfortable and unhappy and somehow...

Less real. Fragile.]

[ Solas says nothing for a long, drawn out moment. Then he moves, putting his notes and charcoal to one side before he stands, walking over and leaning down to look at Cole. ]

Shall we sit?

[Cole rocks, sways a little, not that he's faint, but he moves and then he focuses on Solas, hands coming to pet awkwardly at his chest, feeling his hurt and the blossoming concern. Concern? It's something he knows.]

She wasn't the opposite. She was the absence. It hurt. It hurt like the Fade tugging at me.

[ His hands lift, cover Cole's, and he nods his head, careful. He is here to be an anchor for this boy, a sweet comfort, all that he can give. ]

Does it still hurt?

No.

Yes.

[He doesn't know. He's still keenly aware of the absence of compassion, empathy, anything that he knew.]

She hurt them and didn't care. There was nothing. No care. No despair. Nothing. How do you be nothing and someone?!

[He quiets immediately after the outburst, but his chin gets closer to his chest.]

With great difficulty. Come, Cole.

[ Solas draws him into the room, into the safety of his mind and nothing else, and he leans down, taking care with him. ]

Focus on me. You know me. I will not hurt you.

[He's not really settling yet, still looking around restlessly, but coming back to Solas before looking on.]

Anger, disgust, contempt, no despair. No compassion. Prickling, plucking, picking apart the edges...

[He follows with Solas, keeping his hands on him. Trying to make himself focus on the emotions that are here.]

Focus, now, Cole.

[ He sits down on his bed, urging Cole to follow him, each movement careful and slow, a production. ]

Let it go. I know you can do it.

[Solas might regret trying to keep Cole close and following him, because Cole promptly climbs into Solas' lap, trying to curl up enough to listen to his heart.

Cole is not half as small as he seems to believe he is.]

[ Unexpected, but not entirely unwelcome; Solas adjusts his weight, shifts back so he can lean against the wall before he allows Cole to settle against him. He is not a small boy, not as he might imagine, but he is careful and capable of making himself appear smaller, which is more than enough for Solas.

Lifting a hand, Solas lets it lie upon the back of Cole's head, gentle. ]

You may stay here as long as you wish.

[He's determined, which is almost the same as actually being small. It takes a bit of wriggling, and sitting sideways across Solas' lap to fit in, and the hat has to go, but he sacrifices it because he'd sooner have this right now.

He gets curled in and then there's a hand on his head and all he can take in the Solas' warmth, affection and concern for him.]

I don't want to unravel.

Then you won't. You are strong, Cole. You can hold on.

[ He nods his head, his words filled with all the faith that he has in Cole, all the knowledge he has about spirits and their power. He believes in Cole, in his power, his nature, and that is more than he can say for many things.

Solas holds him, draws the boy close, and relaxes, eyes closed. ]

[His sheer will to be in reality.

But Solas' conviction settles him a bit more. He relaxes into Solas' embrace, starting to actually cuddle back, an arm snaking around the older man to hold back.]

Thank you.

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