A query, for those who have been aboard a while...

How is it you find the will to continue, when you have lost, over and again, those dear to you on board? Losing the ones from your own world or time feels like a deep enough blow... but equal are those from other worlds, who you cannot hope to see again should you be spirited home.

To add insult to injury, when sometimes these dear souls appear again, they are quite anew. They recall nothing of your friendship, or their time here, and are as strangers.

It's a melancholy truth, is it not? We can stomach death, for death promises the bliss of a great beyond where all are one, or otherwise, nothing at all and we shalln't be bothered by what we cannot know.

But this? This waking between death and life, where people reincarnate as themselves, but not the same...

How do you keep from letting it smother your joy? The idea that your loved ones can be taken from you in a moment, and almost worse: may return to you changed, and distant. And can we even hope they should return, to such a place as this?

[Added, as a quiet aside:]

...Poor Feuilly, patient man that he is, who puts up with me asking such things constantly.

But I should truly like to know how others cope.

[Some things never change. ANd one of those things was crises interupting attempts to plan anything. He's been wanting to ask about this matter for a while, but then they'd had to decide what to do about Van Rijn's people and then that thing had gotten loose. If it wasn't one thing, it was another.

So he's asking now before anything else can come up.]

Is there any place on board that I might be able to find rings? I can manage without, but if we have the option, I'd like to do this properly.

[Call him old fashioned, call him a hopeless romantic, it's all probably true. But in the end, the important thing is that he's going to marry her. And it's important enough to overriding his feelings about network communication.]

[ See comments for action headers! Flying lessons, shuttle repair sessions and chapel interactions available! ]

My name is Leoben Conoy. I'm with Flight. For you guys who volunteered to learn to use the shuttles, I'll be giving one on one sessions. They're in your own time if you're not already a full time trainee, minimum two hour sessions. They need to be booked in advance, but we can schedule ahead of time; we're all very busy.

I'm also available to train some of you in the basics of repair. We'll use the shuttles, because they need the work, and also many of the systems are simplified versions of the bigger thing. If you ever wanted to find out how to help out when things are broken, this is your chance. Maybe I can show you how to get in and outta the spacesuits, too.

If anyone is interested-- [ And here he scratches the side of his head awkwardly. ] I'll be teaching yoga in the oxygen gardens at oh seven hundred every morning. It's a hobby of mine, from my time on Caprica.

[ Leoben's voice has been soft but authoritative throughout, firm, but now he smiles and cocks his head slightly to one side. He seems to sparkle on this topic: ]

Finally I uh--I wanted to know... I read that there are some of you on the ship who worship various gods, and I want to hear all about it.

[ so that was...some shit, huh?

in light of just how grim everything had gotten, it seems the perfect time to roll out a little something to lighten the mood, and river has been rehearsing for at least half an hour prior to actually addressing the network.

(it needs to be perfect, okay? delivery is everything in comedy) ]

I have a joke. ..More than one, but one for now. We're all very tired.

[ she clears her throat a little - bless she's actually kinda nervous - before continuing, a little rustling following as she even sits up straighter. ]

How many existentialists does it take to screw in a light bulb? [ pause for effect ] Two - one to change the light bulb, and one to observe how it symbolizes an incandescent beacon of subjectivity in netherworld of cosmic nothingness!

[ ok you can all laugh now ]

[ click! video starts recording, and here's kasukabe carefully setting the camera down on a table, making sure it's angled up. once he sees it's recording properly, he waves a hand into the camera. ]

Hello.

[ and then he reaches down, picks something up, and sets it down on the table so the camera can catch it:



yes, that is one of the rats from the gen lab jury-rigged to a huge, ghetto-ed together battery strapped to its back. despite its evident frankenstein-ification it doesn't seem uncomfortable; it snuffles quietly at the camera, wiggling its nose. the light embedded in its tail glows steadily. ]

This guy doesn't have a name yet. But if you see him around, don't be alarmed! He's very docile and I'm testing out how well he can act as a scout or retriever. He won't bite or attack people.

[ pause. ]

I guess he might be a little slow to react, so if you accidentally step on him or something, let me know. He should be able to take a little wear and tear, but just in case.

Oh, and if you have any name recommendations I'll gladly take them.

[the feed opens to a shot of anakin sat on the edge of the swimming pool. it can't be seen through the feed, but despite seemingly being fully clothed (outer robe aside), his legs are underneath the surface of the water. he sounds far more subdued than usual; has been since those weeks in the corridors. but for once, it's his overall sense of (heavily fought for) peace that's keeping him calm. the dark can't reach him if he doesn't let it.]

There was a man here who spoke to Carolyn Fry about alternate fuel sources for the shuttles. If you're still here, could we talk? I'd already begun some modifications before the last jump, so your input would be helpful.

[because it's about time he gets back to work again. three weeks is too long a break]

Also, I was wondering if anybody knew where I could find a second communicator? I know we're provided with them when we arrive, but I need access to a second one for a project I'm working on.

( [locked to carolyn] )

( [locked to obi-wan] )

( [locked to wichita] )

[hey everyone it's your favourite cocksure captain seated in his green Starfleet shirt to address you all]

To everyone still confused, welcome aboard the Tranquility, a colonization vessel located in an alternate universe to your own. My name is Jim Kirk and I'm sure I'm not the only person up here to wish we were meeting under better circumstances. As it stands, you'll be up here with us for a while, and because of that I highly recommend you stay informed. We've got plenty of reading material, but if you want a cliffnotes version, I'm happy to answer your questions.

[moving on, though, for the time being.]

Before the jump we discovered the genetics department. Passengers are not to go down there without clearance. The place is crawling with, for lack of a better word, monsters. These things are lethal. If you want some details as to what they'll do to you, I'm sure medical would be glad to give you the run down. For the time being, that area is considered off limits. Plans for clearing and extracting information from the department are already under way.

[even if Kirk isn't the captain, he says it as though there is no room for argument on this topic. Security plans on clearing out the monsters, if possible, and Cambridge has already made a call for those interested in information retrieval.]

Passengers should exercise caution when moving around the ship. Just last month we had an elevator malfunction that had people lost in the ship for at least a week. I can't stress enough that you need to keep in touch with one another, even if all you're doing is going to your department.

On that note, if you've just arrived and are looking to get involved, every department is looking for help. I head the Gunnery myself, and we're looking for individuals with previous weapons handling experience. If you're interested, give me a shout.


{ FILTERED TO ENGINEERING }
From what I gather, Isaac Clarke has gone missing as of the jump. [which he brings up because, up till now, Clarke was unofficially heading the department] Just checking to see how things are going down there.

{ PRIVATE TO TOPHER BRINK: KIRK ENCRYPTION 100% }
Brink, I need to speak with you regarding a patient that needs some tests run. Contact me when you've got a chance.


[the following links will blink to life on everyone's communicators and are accessible as text or audio.

• FAQ
  
• EXTENDED FAQ
  
• JOB LIST
  
• SHIFT ROSTER]

[ooc: and last but not least the new GUNNERY FAQ!!]

( image )

Y'know, since we survived not murdering one another for being clingy (I mean you, Wrench Guy) and escaping the clutches of the Empire, I figure that I should hand out some handy advice:

1.) The ship is going to try and kill you.

2.) Don't try to rewire the roombas to make them go faster, they just freak out and go in circles.

3.) The shuttles in the shuttle bay are terrible and you can't honestly work in those conditions. Whoever did the wiring on the fuel cells to them wasn't even trying. The engine, if you can even call it that, is an absolute joke. It's like they don't want us to escape or something.

4.) Keep your eyes on your own property in the showers.

5.) Then, there's this guy. He goes by Ben or Obi-Wan or whatever ridiculous names that Jedi choose for themselves. This is what is going to happen: he is going to come to you when you make port on the worst possible planet you can imagine (Tatooine: don't go, don't stay), in a hive of the worst people you can possibly imagine and he's going to offer you a job. You will take that job, you will think it is amazing money for very little work. Here's the thing about Obi-Wan, he's going to get you in trouble. He's going to get you caught in a tractor beam and you're going to be stuck in enemy territory that's probably the size of a small moon. And the best part about it? You're not going to get paid. So, in summary: if Obi-Wan Kenobi comes to you and offers you a job, no matter if it's rescuing a Princess, doing his laundry or overall a favor: listen to the bad feeling in your gut, and say no.

Trust me, you'll thank me later.

[Edgeworth sounds characteristically brisk and serious.]

I would like to ask everyone to take a moment to speak here - or to leave a text message - about what it is that they most wish to get home to, or what it is they most appreciate here.

There's a jump approaching, and not too long from now. As we all know, jumps rarely bring good things - they herald lost friends, new disasters. This is a difficult life we have here aboard this ship - one fraught with pain, with misery, with fear. It's far too easy to become lost in the morass of despair. It's too easy, with each jump, to think: what if I don't? What if I do not go to the jump bay? What if I simply sit back and let it all end?

I ask that you, in this post, remind everyone why it's worth it to keep on. Why it's worth it to suffer through these jumps, month after month, and why it's worth it to keep cautious and not just go seeking our death in those hallways, and why it's worth it to keep trying to make life better here. As we approach this new jump, as we prepare ourselves to welcome and console these new arrivals, let us remember why we should continue to fight.

Thank you all for your attention and cooperation.

[Hey, Tranquility, have the fuzzy, broken-up picture of one very frightened mechanic. She's not in a part of the ship that she would normally be in - not in a part of the ship that is recognizable at all, as a matter of fact.

Sorry for the crappy quality, she's doing her best, but it keeps cutting in and out.]

- on the lifts? [More fuzz, snowy picture quality, like a TV with bad antenna reception.] -ost. This ain't funny -

[And the feed cuts.]

[ Lucrezia is in one of the lounges! Sprawled on one of the sofas, fingers busy turning a pendent of gold in the shape of a sea-horse. There are no poems today, no joyful greetings, something is different. She looks more pensive than anything else but there is a shade of concern there as well as quiet annoyance.

When she speaks, her voice is devoid of any of it. Her eyes still focused on the sea-horse. ]

A riddle, Tranquility.

How to mourn for someone who does not deserve it?

If your duty demands it and you have no desire to - do all men need to be mourned for? Is it a a more grievous sin not to mourn than it is to speak false words of grievance?

[ a beat. ]

Perhaps I must fast again.

[ a moment later she puts down her necklace, smiles. ]

I would have a cup of wine with your answer, if any of you have some to spare. You will join me in the lounge.

[ and it is not a question. ]

This is supposed to be a colony ship, right?

[ Judging by the video, John is sitting on his bed, the camera focused on the empty bed across the room. ]

So not only were there crew members living on board, but there were civilians, too. Couples, families looking for a new life. And all of them are gone now.

[ There's a slight shift, a creak from his bed. ]

When someone disappears from here, their stuff is usually left behind. So... what happened to the stuff from those people? Did they take it with, or did something happen to it?

[ The comm is flipped suddenly, facing up at John from his lap. He's frowning, not really looking at the device. ]

I guess that's another question we may not ever get an answer to.

[ Behold, Lucrezia in pale pink dress and an elaborated braid in the first video broadcast since her arrival. By the looks of it, she is in one of the lounges, a few books in her lap. They look used, little notes scribbled at the edges of each page. She will read one. ]

I am, I confess, a sinner, but one who, far from weeping for her sins, weeps only for her lover; far from abhorring her crimes, longs only to add to them; and who, with a weakness unbecoming my state, please myself continually with the remembrance of past delights when it is impossible to renew them.

[ a pause. ]

Heloise and Abelard were truly doomed. But better doomed and loved than safe and lonely.

(  Private to close CR and friends  )

[ despite the warnings to not wear the masks, ariadne couldn't resist temptation and now here she was, sitting alone in a random hallway of the ship - wearing her mask (she’s been doing it for some time now - wearing it here and there - always in private) and poking the network via anonymous text.

this should be fun. ]

How do some of you manage to go on day to day, pretending as if nothing is wrong - that you aren't lying to others or that you didn't do horrible things back home?

How do you live with your guilt?

[ yep, a vague text from a girl that is obviously going through a bit of an identity crisis at the moment and just wants to understand what she is doing wrong. someone help her. ]


[ ooc: so yeah, obviously ariadne is wearing her mask in some random hallway (lets say not far from the oxygen gardens) so feel free to action this post up and spot her wearing her nifty mask or just keep poking her via text. she also sort of fails at anon (though she doesn't think so) so folks that have talked to her long enough should be able to pick up that it is her talking here. ]

Umm, hi. I'm Thrice, from Earth, and I was thinking that, well, back home, I teach, well, I mostly research, but I also dabble in information-theoretics and OTPs like See-Spring and t...this is going poorly.

[He makes a bit of a hand-flappery gesture before continuing.]

If you're not from a time or place or have a lot of experience with computers and encryption, I'd be happy to meet you, walk you through the basics, and help you learn how to encrypt your messages.

Given all that has happened lately, we need more help down in Shuttle Bay.
We currently have 5 shuttles properly running and we need more if we ever have to leave here.
So if you're interested in helping there let one of us know, we'll answer any questions you may have.

We're also looking for a few others who are willing to learn to fly – idiots need not apply.

- Capt. K. Thrace (battlestar galactica)

[ Wait, something’s wrong. When you open the message to start your reply, it seems to glitch, and then Casey’s face appears on the screen. ]

Hah, got it. Now listen up, if you’re hearing this it’s because you’re about to throw in and offer your no doubt endless talents to a good cause down here in the shuttle bay. I thought it only fair to warn you that we don’t take nerds who can’t keep their mouths shut down here. [ No breaking Obi-Wan, okay? ] We want hard workers and only hard workers, because if the shit hits the fan you lot are going to be grateful that there’s a fleet of shuttles kept ship shape to save your sorry asses.

And if you want to learn to fly, you’d better have a good sense of direction and survival instinct, because with Captain Fry as your teacher you’re going to need it.

Casey out. [ The video feed crackles and is dead. ]


[ ooc: this is a basic call to arms from your lovely flight crew, and any questions your character may have will be answered from any one of them. Please sign up and join the team…they play poker, drink, bitch and get things done. ]

It seems we're all in the same predicament. I read the information provided, and thought it best if I introduce myself. My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi, I'm a Jedi Padawan. I'm seeking any who are familiar with my order.

There is another Jedi here, I can sense them - if you can hear me, my Master is Qui-Gon Jinn. I'm hoping you're familiar with him, at least.