ataraxion | 001 ☼ video

[ The video feed clicks on to reveal Robert Capa — a man in his mid-thirties with shaggy hair (still damp from the tube where he awoke) and a five o'clock shadow and narrow shoulders covered by the ship's uniform he found in the locker marked with his identifying number. His eyes, bright blue, are particularly striking in that they are wholly calm, despite the latest series of events. The rest of his face is calm as well, the muscles of which never really rearrange themselves much to convey this emotion or that. When he speaks his voice is measured and even, though there is a certain start-stop to the cadence.

His words are prefaced with an inhale. It seems to steady him. ]

I guess I should start with the obvious question. We can figure out where to go from there, depending how the answers trend. [ Capa rubs his chin; the scrape of his stubble is audible. ] Is anyone here part of the ship's natural crew?

[ He pauses, letting that inquiry and whatever implications it may carry set in. There's a vague flicker of emotion, maybe worry, in the set of his mouth but it's as understated as the rest of him. ] And maybe, more importantly: can anyone recall how they got here?

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Good. [ She doubts he actually is as fine as he says, but he's handling it, which is as well as any of the rest of them can be. None of them would be fine, not coming from the place they did. Not being pulled from that mission, still incomplete. And even besides them, waking up floating in iridescent blue goo with a piece of plastic lining your trachea isn't the most conducive thing to emotional or mental stability.

But that's a matter for once they figured out where the hell they even are. ]

The nausea is going around, I think. It must be something to do with the-- [ Wait... come again? Warp drive? Her eyes focus on the screen hard, brow furrowing. She considers asking Capa if he's feeling alright a second time. ]

...It sounds like someone's been watching a little too much Sci Fi channel. [ A disbelieving glance around the room and a chill goes up her smile, setting her nerves on edge ] Maybe all of us have.

That really complex exercise in lucid metaphorical dreaming doesn't sound too shabby now, does it. [ It's delivered dryly, though in a well-meaning way. Capa's not so socially out-of-sync that he doesn't understand levity and how it works in conversation. He's just not very good at it, per say, though that he tries it now is a good indication that they — as a whole — are way beyond the pale.

He tries to sell the levity with another quick smile, this time with his mouth and not with his eyes, which makes it seem a little more forced than his previous. After a moment, though, he shrugs. ] I'm not sure what else to tell you. The guy seemed solid in everything else he said. In fact, he seems more grounded than I am in all this.

[ She gives a smile, wide, lips pulling across white teeth, and a short laugh. It's comfortable, almost, with the unease still lingering underneath. She's been around you 16 months, Capa. If she doesn't get your attempts at humor by now, it's pretty much hopeless. ] Metaphorical dreaming, hm? Too bad Searle isn't--

[ She stops, sentence dying on her tongue as something in her throat swells, emotion bubbling up. The humor in her voice drops, the last part devoid of the good nature that should be in the words - merely rushed, moving on to the next topic. ] Well, that or we've all finally gotten sun sickness and are going through group hallucinations.

[ A crease in her forehead comes as her eyebrows knit, rolling the information over in her head, applying theories, going through the steps of scientific analysis. Corazon gives a quiet hum, conflicted, but managing it for the time being. ] There's not much to really say at this point. We'll take note of it. See everything for ourselves, then figure out how it works in. Sound good?

Edited 2011-12-08 11:59 (UTC)

[ Capa's expression darkens at the mention of Searle, the set of his mouth shifting to something more plainly grim. It's not that he's been avoiding the subject — both in conversation and in his mind — but there are more productive things to do than dwell on the miscalculations and errors of the past. Capa has never found guilt or regret to be helpful sentiments, though he sees the necessity of them and would rather people be with them than without. But acknowledging the importance of something doesn't mean prescribing to it himself.

The mission was paramount, so their priority was to return to it by whatever means possible. Which meant: assessment, informatics and context. Followed by: return to Icarus II and mission completion.

If they managed that, then Searle wouldn't be as much of a sore point anymore, if only because Searle's death would then be part of an equation that yielded ultimate success. Less of a waste, more of a necessary means to an end.

Capa tries to take some sort of comfort in that thought. He has to because all other outcomes aren't options. ]

Best plan I've heard so far. I'm trying to set someone up in the Medbay. Just to keep an eye on the new arrivals, send up a red flag if someone seems worse off than stasis sickness.

There haven't been any injuries yet, but—

Edited 2011-12-08 15:39 (UTC)

[ She registers the tension in Capa and swallows dryly, trying to look away while he processes that. Tries to file it away. She knows how it works - they've all been doing it since Kaneda. Since they first stepped on to the Icarus and watched as the sun pulled them ever closer for the last sixteen months. It's coping.

What's important is making an inventory of what they have left - finding Cassie and someone else who knows what happened to the mission and the Icarus II. They'd figure out where to go from there - no jumping to conclusions or losing their head. The inner mantra of it is half just Corazon trying to keep leveled. ]

That's a good plan. We should see if any of the new arrivals have medical training. Just to be around in case, and it couldn't hurt to look over new arrivals not handling the nausea well.

Not... everyone here is used to space travel... it seems. [ Which is another factor that just doesn't fit. All square pegs and round holes. They're some of the most well educated, well trained people Earth had to offer, though. They'd figure it out. ]

I've managed to find a couple scientists, a few that are acclimated to space and have worked on ship before. [ Capa looks off and shuts his eyes and exhales. There's nothing particularly demonstrative about it, but it adds another measure to the cadence of his words, making them seem even more handled and level-headed. ] No medical doctors, though. And no training beyond first aid.

[ It's a meager situation, slim pickings at best, but it's the reality of the situation and they've been trained to attempt the most hypothetical of hypotheticals to answer the utter worst of realities. Which means they're used to this sort of thing. That doesn't mean they like it; but that does mean they'd wage through it, regardless. ]

There are kids here, Corazon. Bonafide, children. [ Something hardens in Capa's voice for just a moment. Hardens and then dissolves again. ] It doesn't make sense.

Good, that's sure to help at least getting a lot of this situation figured out. [ She worries a lip at the lack of medical training. This many people, someone's bound to get injured sometime. It doesn't bode well. ] Perhaps we'll need to send out a request for them over the comm devices. All these people, there must be at least some one.

[ The subject of the children tenses her. Of the people here, it's what she's most worried about. Those ignorant of space travel and how to handle it can be taught, but there's dangerous equipment, areas they shouldn't be in, a thousand different things not safe to have children around here and no one with the kind of time to keep an eye on them at this point. ]

I know. [ Spoken grimly, eyes falling over the crowd around her. ] I found a girl that can't possibly be over 13. Smart for her age, but still. Why would you ever bring a child into space? Even on a luxury ship?

Edited 2011-12-11 11:37 (UTC)

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