THE DRIFT FLEET

[ There are secrets hidden way beneath the deepest, thickest depths of the mist here - fallen ruins, sunken islands, a great creature that threatens to consume the land bite by massive bite... and something else, something pulsing faintly in the depths, unknown to anyone on the surface. But Atroma knows it's there, and Atroma hopes it won't be found. So... ]

-----

[ This time, it's Chase that appears to the network - alone. She has the kind of charismatic smile on her face that puts shareholders and business heads at ease, and she seems genuinely excited for whatever announcement it is she's about to make. ]

Hello again, dear Fleet! On behalf of all of us here, thank you all for continuing to be your wonderful selves, and we hope you're enjoying the friendly skies and open adventures this system has to offer. This place is quite the exciting getaway, isn't it?

[ The shine in her eyes suggests she'd be out there adventuring it up too, if given half the chance. But alas, business first! She clasps her hands together, index fingers steepled, and points to the camera. ]

Not to take you away from your fun too much, but we have a little surprise for you that we hope will bring some added excitement to your life... from you beloved fans, even! How does that sound to you?

We hope you're ready, Fleet - because it's time... for some fanmail!

[ On the blank white wall behind her, an image appears: a picture of a space in the Iskaulit, just beside the landing docks. Against the wall is something new: A network access kiosk sitting beneath a banner with "DRIFT FLEET FANMAIL CONNECTION" painted across the length of it in obnoxiously bright blue lettering. Chase directs the viewer's attention to the image with the ease of a practiced speaker, and as if on cue, it lights up - with a cutesy little animation of envelopes gliding across the screen like shooting stars. ]

Now, we know we've brought some fan questions to your attention in the past, and whenever we did, the viewers at home just absolutely loved it. We've wanted to do it more often, but well, the lot of you seem to get yourselves into all kinds of adventure and excitement well enough on your own, there just wasn't any way to predict when we might be able to schedule such a special broadcast! So, we thought, why not let all of you take the initiative? [ Her smile grows mischievous, excited. ] You'll find this mail point on your SS Iskaulit, and I think you'll find it very easy to use! You can access your own fanmail at any time - but only yours! It will detect both your fingerprints and your assigned augment when you use it, so there's no need to worry about anyone reading any of your juicy secrets or love letters. We respect your privacy, after all!

Go ahead and give it a try, won't you? And if you feel the need to respond to your fans, well, that's what the show is all about - go ahead and broadcast your answer to the whole universe! They're always watching, after all, so why not let them get to know you even better?



(( ooc: oh look, more distraction - but this time, with some added interactive elements! From now on, there will be a fanmail kiosk on the Iskaulit! Characters can read fanmail about themselves at any point, and whatever those fan letters say is entirely up to you! Want to embarrass your character on intergalactic reality TV? Well, here's your chance~ More details, including a few rules and stipulations, can be found on the OOC post here.

Thanks so much to RJ for the fantastic idea for this mechanic! We're excited to see what kind of fannish craziness that players will inflict on their characters!

And if you have any questions for Chase, well... she's all on her own this time, maybe you can get her attention here~?

Keep pushing, if you want to find those secrets beneath the mists, dear Fleet - you're doing great so far! ))

[You know that giant screen beside the mysterious counter? It turns out that it's not just there to watch cartoons on. A couple days after that ominous broadcast, an old jingle rings from the speakers... and the screen beams to life.

Veteran passengers may remember the blonde-haired, blue-eyed Diamond. But today the special guest is someone different: a woman perhaps in her twenties, with perfect red curls and eyes of a near-glowing shade of aquamarine. She smiles with blood-painted lips.]

Good morning, dear passengers. [Her voice is the very definition of svelte.] I apologize for any inconvenience you’ve experienced in the past few days. We’ve been having some… technical difficulties, so we’ve gathered you all together while we iron those out.

[She draws her nails along the desk in front of her. Click, click, click.]

Please, please make yourself comfortable-- and do let us know if you need anything.

[She isn’t alone. Another appears - a figure in a suit, hair cut short and eyes harboring the same near-glow as the redheaded lady she moves to stand beside. There’s a smile playing at the edge of her own purple-painted lips as she casually drapes an arm over her co-host’s shoulders, though her attention is clearly on the camera -- the viewers. The cameras are rolling and the show must go on, after all.]

We hope your stay here is a restful one. You deserve a break after all the hard work you’ve done this season, don’t you agree? And of course, we’re more than glad to help with that. So please, make yourselves right at home.

[And there’s a suave, charming wink for the camera~]

[ooc: The new hosts will be taking a few questions. Feel free to say something! Also be sure to check out the plot update!]

[ Calibration Rooms ]
( for N-Z characters )

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ROOMS BY CHARACTER

N - P Nami Natalie Goodman Natasha Romanoff Noctis Lucis Caelum Nono Okita Souji Otono-Tachibana Makie Pavel Chekov Prompto

Q - S Riona Cousland Theirin Rip Hunter Sam Winchester Seymour Krelborn Shinji Ikari Shouta Aizawa Signy Mallory Sokka Sorey Steve Rogers

T - V Takashi Shirogane Takeshi Tyrion Lannister Uraraka Ochako Vash the Stampede Velvet Crowe Victor Nikiforov

W - Z Yuan Ka-Fai Zaveid Zelda

[ Not long after the shuffle, there's a ripple of static over the network - loud, sudden, and seemingly with no origin. It's puzzling, but there's no indication that it's going to happen again...

Until a minute later. Another surge of static comes in over the speakers, and then a voice - one some may find familiar, though not necessarily welcome, after all of this time... It's Diamond. Long time no speak, hmm?

Clearly, not all is well. She sounds very far away, for one. For another, she sounds... skeptical, almost alarmed. There may actually be real concern in her voice. ]

Again? Twice in one c--

[ Her sentence is cut short with a strangled gasp, followed by a moment of silence. What follows may be the sound of metal dragged across metal, but it's hard to place. When she speaks again, it's uncharacteristically monotonous. ]

... Bring them in.

[ A blip of lost time passes right after those words, before every passenger mysteriously wakes alone in their own unfamiliar room. The style of decor resembles that of the Marsiva's Hospitality Deck, if any passengers should remember what that's like. It sounds and smells the same as the host ship as well, all clean and chrome, but this set of rooms has only been used once, and for the very same purpose that befalls the fleet contestants now.

As for their hosts, there is no immediate sign of them, though some may recall a series of hideous, half-electronic screams before their memories begin to blur upon arrival...

Welcome back to the Marsiva, dear passengers. It's time for round two of calibrations. ]

[ This mingle will cover all non-calibration room interactions. Please continue to come back to it for the duration of the plot! You are, of course, free to post any other mingles/posts/etc. that you'd like. ]

[Wherever you are, passenger, whether on the surface of the planet, the way-station, or safe in your ship, all network terminals and personal communicators crackle to life. The Hosts have come calling, but there are a few differences, this time. Splashed across every screen in the Fleet, an eye-catching new image demands the attention of the passengers. And instead of the usual space-age jingle, your hosts see fit to interrupt the day with the sound of a much older song...

For the old-timers and archive-readers out there, this song has been heard once before. Much like last time, the familiar voice of Beau can be heard crooning pleasantly along in the background.

Unlike that other recording, however, Diamond's voice sparkles to the foreground before much time can pass. It would seem that the Drift Fleet's hosts are a little more on-top of things, this year.]

Hello, my darling passengers! We are here to wish you all an absolutely wonderful birthday. Sure, it's technically an anniversary, but we much prefer the idea of a birthday. It sounds better and the parties are so much more fun! You could even think of it as celebrating the beginning of a new life--two magnificent years spent under the stars...

[She sighs happily, and Beau pauses in his singing to chuckle fondly in her direction.]

And so, we have a very special present for all of you! We've been working very hard to make it a reality; it has taken quite a bit of time and effort... but we think that each and every one of you deserves it. I hope you all know how much you mean to us and to your adoring audience.

If you will look to the Marsiva, you'll notice that a special new hangar bay is open, waiting for you to arrive! That's right--we've opened up a special party room for all of you to go celebrate. We've provided games, food, and plenty of prizes. It has been hard to keep the secret quiet, but... oh, the looks on your faces when you see it will make it all worth it!

So, let's party! Relax, enjoy, and spend time with your friends... Your fans would be disappointed not to see all of their favorites there! The audience has been looking forward to this--so I'm sure it will be quite the ratings boost for everyone attending.

[Another pleased sigh, and she claps her hands!]

...But why wait? Let's start celebrating now! To kick off this special time of year, we have two questions from the audience: what would everyone like for their Drift Fleet birthdays, and if you could pick one vacation destination in all of the worlds, what would it be? Respond to this frequency with your answers, and who knows... wishes might just come true!

I am honored to have spent a second year with you wonderful people, and I can't wait to see what the next one has in store.

Enjoy your party, dear passengers! And, as always... the worlds are watching!

[The song finally comes to an end and the line remains open, presumably waiting for responses from the Fleet at large. And for those who head to the Marsiva to check it out, it turns out that Diamond's promises are true this time.

Happy second birthday, Drift Fleet!]

[On this perfectly normal day in the Drift Fleet (in as much as any day here can be called "normal"), everyone's personal communicators and network terminals crackle to life with an incoming message. It's impossible to change the channel as a peppy jingle begins to play, followed by--could it be? The saccharine voice of one of the Drift Fleet's long-lost hosts. Diamond has finally come calling again.]

Good morning, Drift Fleet! It is so good to be able to speak with you again after so long... Absence makes the heart grow fonder, doesn't it? We have quite a bit to catching up to do!

You'll be happy to know that while you and I may have been out of communication lately, our darling audience has been keeping up! In the interim, each passenger has had their very own montage made and broadcast for them, covering their histories and current struggles... [The pride can be heard brimming in her voice.] There have been several episodes dedicated entirely to introducing everyone to all of the new faces who've joined us over the past few months, as well.

[With a heartfelt sigh:] I have missed you all so very much, and I do apologize for the lack of contact. It turns out that we needed to extend the calibrations to more systems than previously anticipated, and a few things had to be disconnected in order for those repairs to take place. Some of you may have noticed the slight increase in new passenger arrivals while the system was resetting and reestablishing contact... But that glitch has been taken care of!

[There's a rustling sound in the background of the broadcast, as though she was shuffling through some papers.] Speaking of which, the SS Blameless has been added to the Fleet to relieve some of the pressure. So hello, Blameless! I hope that you know that you're already making quite a name for yourself among the fans.

And related to our recent repairs... A software update will be released very soon, so please excuse any hiccups that may occur between communication devices, power grids, or the gravity drives. I promise that it will all be temporary.

[The sound of a page turning.] Finally, thank you so much for your cooperation in completing that important delivery with our friends aboard the HS Maldua, despite the little incident with the Starlight's security. I assure you that our cargo was completely harmless and that we'd made all attempts to register with the station... But some of the paperwork must have gotten lost in the process. You all know how tangled the red tape can get, sometimes. Many of you persevered regardless and made sure that the trade was completed, and we are terribly grateful for it.

It is so nice to know that we have some true allies among our beloved ranks. Teamwork is everything, you know.

[A small, happy sound.]

Until next time, remember... The worlds are watching!

[And with that closing phrase, the broadcast ends... Or does it? The channel is still open, and anyone is welcome to try replying... They just may not get an answer from anyone other than their fellow passengers.]

[The weekly Shuffle doesn't happen quite as it should. No new passengers appear on the ships, and no message is sent in from the hosts. The usual day comes and goes without a stir.

And then, on the second day, another one of those surges of static comes in over the speakers, breaking apart for a voice in the background. It's Diamond, and she sounds too far away from the receiver. She also doesn't sound quite like herself-- her tone flat and cold. Disappointed.]

--I know. I can't. [A pause of empty air, before a short, decisive sigh.] ...Yes. Bring them in.

[A blip of lost time passes right after those words, before every passenger mysteriously wakes alone in their own unfamiliar room. They have never seen this room before, but those familiar with the Hospitality Deck of the Marsiva might recognize the style of decor. It sounds and smells the same as the host ship as well--clean and chrome--but this set of rooms have never been ventured into before.

Welcome back to the Marsiva, dear passengers.]

ooc info:
Happy belated birthday, Drift Fleet! This is the first official mingle for the Season Finale event. As always, this is very backtag friendly-- including the Hosts section below. Take a look at the event information, then jump in and enjoy!

Event information → Here!

[The day of the weekly Shuffle broadcast has certainly come and gone, easy to miss with ships acting up and augments malfunctioning... but now, Atroma is making contact through its usual frequency anyway. Regardless of whether the ships are flying smooth, acting up, or completely powered down and silent, every speaker in the Drift Fleet suddenly crackles and sizzles with loud static.

The frequency isn't coming in very well, though. It's difficult to understand between all of the stutters and lags, but there are two distinct voices... One is purely monotone and digital, almost jarringly clear and audible, while the other seems to be Beau--a boisterous and familiar voice to many in the Fleet.

He's too far away from the microphone, though, almost muffled, and he doesn't sound quite right.

Nothing sounds quite right.]

BROADCASTING IN TEN. [...] NINE.

I told you. I'm not calibrated. Check-- EIGHT. --Check it again.

SEVEN. Look at them, it's a mess... SIX.

[a loud crackle.] ...Yes, fine. Get her in here. FIVE. --Come on, hurry up! [...] FOUR.

[The man's voice gets even quieter, hushed. Like he's holding half a breath.] Just smile, champ. Always smile... You can do it, you're legendary...

THREE. Big breath, and-- TWO.

[There is a pointed pop of static, and a surprised, frustrated gasp.]

--Wait! No, no, start it over, the settings are all--!

ONE.

[...The Fleet is treated to the first few bars of that familiar jingle, but it quickly breaks apart into the buzz of empty static. Then, the comms lose the frequency entirely.

We seem to be experiencing some technical difficulties, folks.]



(ooc: if you have any reactions or discussions you would like to play out here, knock yourselves out! you can try calling Atroma back if you want, but the signal is gone. this post is just a thing that happens.)

[It's that time again, kids. A familiar little jingle rings out through every speaker, and your host's voice is right behind it, sounding as chipper as ever. Her cheer could almost outshine the sun!]

Good morning, dear passengers! I hope you are all enjoying the sunshine on your shoulders and the sand between your toes. Don't forget your sunscreen, though... there's no telling what sorts of silly things a foreign sun might do to your skin!

Also, we apologize for any little hiccups in the functionality of some of your augments--there are a few harmless technical difficulties that are being resolved as we speak. So, if anyone is feeling a little funny, there is absolutely nothing to worry about. Just relax, and it should be resolved in no time.

As for the Shuffle, I hope you're all not too busy with your summertime fun to take time and welcome this week's batch of new faces, as well as congratulate Captain Matthews on his promotion!

[Oh, remember that scattered, distant laughter and applause? It's back! All must be right with the worlds.]

And since last week was such a big hit-- here is another letter from some lucky audience member!

[She clears her throat.]

"Hello! Long-time watcher, first-time writer, here... and I'm always just so impressed by the crazy skills and hilarious backstories of the passengers. I was wondering, if each passenger could share one piece of advice with us, what would it be?"

--Well! You heard them, folks. Your audience awaits your answers! Make them good.

[And then, just before she signs off, she leaves one last hurried warning.]

Finally, be sure to jettison your temporary, Atroma-licensed, land-and-sea recreational outfits before the fleet leaves this system's range!

And remember, the worlds are watching!

[As before, the signal goes quiet, but the line is left open. Someone is listening.]


ooc: → here
(also, anyone who responded to Diamond's broadcast last week is free to have noticed by now that they've received a suspicious little bonus to their ratings payout. audience participation pays off??)