VIDEO ▒ 003 ▒ OPEN BROADCAST ░▒▓█▛▟▛▙▚▞▗ ▘

[tranquiliorem]

[ The camera flicks on to reveal Ward and Resnik on the bridge, the lights dim in the background (almost as if they’ve been dialed down in order to ease the crew’s jump headaches). Ward is characteristically neat, but the dark smudges under his eyes make it look like he hasn’t slept since well before the jump. Resnik, by contrast, looks far cleaner than usual, missing the tell-tale streaks of engine grease from her forearms and face; unlike Ward, she looks like she’s gotten a full night’s sleep.

It’s Ward who speaks first, cursory and flat. ]

Contrary to popular belief, Flight Lieutenant Southey’s death was an accident. We know how it looks, and we know you’re suspicious, but we’re sorry for his loss. He was a good man. [ Ward’s face is as unsympathetic as always, but his voice, at least, has the ring of sincerity. ]

We’ve taken the liberty of setting up a small shrine for him in the oxygen garden. If you have any mementoes to leave or words to say, do it there.

[ Resnik nods, partially to herself, and continues: ] That being said, we don’t want this happening again. Eridan has the right idea: please arrive at the medbay at least one hour before the jump begins, so if you get stuck, I can postpone the drive and we can help you.

[ Ward pauses slightly—it’s too self-assured to be called a hesitation—and takes a breath before speaking again. ] Southey came to us to discuss the transmissions he found in shuttle one-four. [ Resnik reaches forward to type out a command, and two files pop up: ]

> ONE
> TWO

[ Those sent, she turns back to the camera. Her voice is level and perfunctory, her face neutral, like she has no secrets to hide. ] Gallagher was our previous captain. The second transmission wasn’t broadcast to the ship at large, so it was the first we’d seen of it. As we explained to Southey, he went insane after the first jump and attacked the passengers; we think he made that transmission because he thought the crew was out to get him. When he became violent, he was incapacitated by our security team and disappeared when the rest of the crew did.

[ She executes the lie perfectly, then pauses. There’s a crack in the exterior, some feeling behind her next words: ]

We’re sorry we didn’t tell you. [ They’re not. ] We didn’t think we’d ever have another crew to explain it to.

So if you have any further questions about it, now would be the time.

[ Ward steps in again. ] One more thing: we’re advising you to avoid engaging Smiley. Kirk's told you, and now we are. [ It’s phrased as advice, but Ward’s tone brooks no argument. ]

Our best guess is that it isn’t human, but antagonizing it further won’t end well no matter what it is. We’re almost certain it won’t stop until it gets what it wants, but until we know what that is, stay away from it. If past events are any indication, things onboard the ship are probably going to get much worse.

[ Resnik leans forward. ] We’re sorry this ever happened to you. But we don’t want you hurt. Any of you.

OOC NOTE ▒ Direct your comments to either Ward or Resnik by placing their name in the subject line, along with the type of return transmission (video, audio, or text). Comments without a specific name in the subject line will be treated as a question directed to the both of them.

Comments

EITHER <3

[consulting]

Does another person have to die before you two
decide to speak up again? You may perhaps consider the loss of your
crew member proof that there are no advantages in withholding information.

SH

same,

[cutsofftheirlimbs]

I'm with him.

OPR » 002 » 035

both, if okay c:

[longevities]

[ well, this was certainly interesting to arrive to. the information they've presented only caused more questions, but Helen supposed she should start with something more neutral.

Though she made a mental note to inquire about this 'Smiley'. ]

You are the flight crew, then?

[Video]

[myninjainfocard]

[Kabuto's going to be a dick as usual, because these authority figures are still absolutely awful in his opinion.]

Curious that he goes insane and it makes such a convenient out for having done something dirty. You'll have to excuse me if I'm anything but placated in this particular situation.

[Locked 80% to Ward and Resnik]

I suggest the two of you become better with your lying, even a child could see through it. It may not be this particular batch of information, but the way the both of you continue to speak always seems to be another batch of bullshit to feed us. And when a trained spy who has lived on lies is telling you this, then it's serious.

Or you could ignore my advice and wait until someone on the ship inevitable kills the both of you. Perhaps this Smiley guy has a point, this ship is far too full for my liking.

[ video ] [ locked 80% ]

[archimedeia]

[ Killing them would be a terrible idea. But she doesn't say it; just inclines her head coolly. ]

We're not lying. [ She pauses, considering. ] Are you planning on thinning out the numbers?

video, sent to both of them!

[jurisimpudent]

Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth. I've only just arrived. What investigation has there been of the scene of the crime?

both;

[stacked]

Wow, that was some impressive bullshit.

voice | both;

[dilemma]

You guys should've practiced that one a few more times in front of the mirror before your big performance.

[voice] EITHER

[yardbird]

What I wanna know is, if the captain lost his goddamned mind 'cause of these jumps, are we under the same kinda risks?

[No, he doesn't want to know how he's here, why all of this is happening to him, or any of that. He's tossed all of those questions behind him when he found himself tortured by an entire town that found his weakest spots, and started jabbing jagged needles into all of his wounds.

[Murphy just wants to make sure that he's not going to go insane and start attacking people after one of these jumps as well. Or, alternatively, that he's going to have to fight off someone he knows, instead.]

video; both

[entrapments]

Alright. I think if I hear the word 'accident' one more time, I'm going to yak. Hotspur was a one man NASA. He like, made a space shuttle out of some soda cans and yarn, I think he could figure out how to get to the grav couches.

Seriously. I'm a teenager and I've got the process worked out.

And I get the whole lets not panic vibe? You know, after that uber-fun fear gassing? But come on. This is like, a full on breech of bullshit capacity.

[consulting]

Seconding that statement.

Southley's been with us for seven jumps.
The only jump he finds information and then he suddenly doesn't
'make it' is cause for suspicion.

SH

RESNIK ;; text ;; ENCRYPTED 100%

[lieutenants]

[ H M. just lots of thinkyface before she sends the text; ]

I'm aware of the unlikelihood that Lt. Southey kept the both of you informed every step of the way, but do you have any information on what exactly he was looking for, or even which console in one-four he was working on, when he came across those transmissions? Even a vague hint could be of use.

[ It's clear she wants to take a look at it herself, though she won't just say it. she hasn't exactly finishing weighing the pros and cons of doing so either, because she knows it's a risk she knows, but if there are answers there she has to go after them. ]

text ;; ENCRYPTED 100%

[archimedeia]

He told us that he'd come across the transmissions in the shuttle's black box. I'd checked them before, all of them, for any scrap of leftover data - and he had too - but it's possible they were interfered with prior to him finding the information.

As you can see, the text is in red.

Anon Text. Both.

[spider]

The smile told better stories.

S

text

[archimedeia]

I'm sure it did.

TEXT

[rixatus]

oh dear.
ẗ̴̢́͐͋͆ͣͦͨ̄̍͏͍̥̘̹̙̹̪̭͓͞ḣ̴̛̻̟͙̰͎͐ͥ͑̔ͫ̉̂ͪ̂̑̅̑̔̉͊̊̚̚i̵̧͍̙̳̹̺̥̳̱̟͍̲͔̹̱̯̦̒͂̈̈̉̓̿ͤ̌̊ͪ̐̎ͭ̈́̕͢s̢̳̳̪̥̪͈͈̫̰̤̪̬̼ͬ̄ͬͨ͊̇̆̏ͣ͜͟͜ͅ ̸̴̸͎͖̯̮̜̪̘̪̲̲̗̹̎̇̏̈͑ͤ̍ͫͨ̀̉͠ȋ͋ͮ́̐ͤ̂̾͜͏͔̘͍̖̺͟s̫̫̤͙̭̭͇̝̜̟̈͒̇̉ͥͮ̋ͦ͒̈̂̾̐̀͜ ̶̡̝̞͎͙̮͈̳̺̥̮ͤͬ͐̔ͭͫͩͮͥ̎̔̒̾ͫ̀͘͞q̨͈̤̲̹̤̝̜̝͓̬̯͇̟͖͇̙̑͂ͫ͂̚͟͢u̴̙̝̭͔̜̥ͪ͒̐ͬ̊͆̏ͤ̆ͭ̍ͩ͋̅͟͟ì͗͊ͤ̽̃ͯ̊ͭ҉̶̷̛͎̮̹̹̻̟͍̰̦̯̼̜̰̪̗̝͞ͅt͊͊ͭ̒̃̀̑̒́ͤ̊̇͂̏̾ͧ̅̀̚̕͝҉̜̬̭̼̦̝̝̝ẽ̛͖̤̼̝͇̝͎͍̲̮̲̪̤̣̄͋ͪ̂͐ͅ ̵̦͚̘̬̉͑̉̏͢ǎ̸͉̮̦̹͈̫͇̱͙̥̏ͦ͂̎̉͗ͥ ̵̧͔̹̝͚̱̭͎͇̰͉̩̠̓ͭͥͨ̏̾p̷̧ͤ̑͐̋̃̆̈́̆̀͋͏̗͖̣͓̭̮͇̲̯̞̦͉̳̱̪͜i̫̻͎̘̜͕̝͓̠̪̺̭̪̗͍̬̠̜͂̈́́̑̊ͣ͌ͥ̌̒͘c̷͍̜͇̱̦͖̩͇̮͙̣̬̰̜͕̜̘͑͋̈̇̓́ͩ͐̇ͣͪ̾ͮ̈́͒͋̄́͟͟ͅͅk̯̖̤͖̬̫͋͂̃̔̔̄̆̇̈́ͤ̿͜͠l͍̫͓̳̗̣̄̍ͫ̓͆̉ͪ͂̔ͤ̄́̀͘͟͜ͅę̢͉̳̥̻̺̩͔̳͚̟̦͕̱̘͈̏̓̇͐ͤ̋ͦ̈ͩ̄̎͋͛̿̈́͒͐̾̀́͘͝ͅ ̴̧̝̙͎͕̱͙̙̣̤̤͚͓͌̈́̽͘ͅy̶̢̰̩̩̥̬̣̹̮̠̲̺̘̔ͤͬͧͨ͐͑̍ͣͫͫ́͞ͅô̶̴̮͕̳͈̪̻͕̞̈́ͫ́̊̀́́͝͞ų̧̤̣̞̰̾̽̓̑͐̃ͫͣͬ̌ͬͫ̉̿̀̚̚͘͢'̶̷̡͍̹̗̹̘̠̮̗̟̖̻̳̖̣̺̊ͨ̌̆̅̂͆ͨ͂͐͐̿̕͜r̨̧͎̘͙̼͚̖̝̜͎̾̆̂̆̽ͩ̃̇͆́ͅe̶̸̻̯͇͔̖̬̪̥̱͕͇̘̦̋̀̌̌̆͗́͗ͨͦ̾̓̃́̈́̈́͌̕͝͠ ̊̐ͪ̆̽̆͗̅̂̒̑̍̇̆̔͋͝͏̩̘̞̙̲̦̺͓̭į͈̥͕̼̤͚͎̩͕̫͔̱̫͉̳̘̇ͤͬ̂̉̄̐͒ͤ̇̇ͧ̄ͣͤͧ̏͐̚͢n̐ͯ͆͋ͩͪ̇̒̌͏̻̘̮̘.͕͇͕̺̝̥̱̝̫̲̞̒̊͌ͪ͢ͅ :)

Anon Text.

[spider]

[A few moments to fool around and along comes this silly little file: letsplay.gif

A game. Grandmother's Footsteps, that sounds appropriate.]

One, two, three, four, five jam tarts.

S

[Go for it. Move. Break the rules. React.]

leaning toward Resnik, but either

[handelaar]

[So his survival strategy so far has consisted, generally, of "lay low". And. Well. He's survived, so that's something.

But he's got a burning question and at the moment it's more important than staying under the radar.]

How much control do ya have over the ship?

[Now his concern is over the gardens, but he figures it's a valid question, in general.]

TEXT

[archimedeia]

Some. Enough to run it. It seems to be holding up.

There's only so much one person can do, however.

voice; whoever!

[northerner]

[ all the face-scrunching... ]

This creature has named many of us. Should we not step forward to meet it if it calls us forth?

private text;

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

NO.

[GDI ROBB SHE WILL TEACH YOU TO HAVE NO HONOR IF IT KILLS HER :C]

voice ; either

[shoyu]

[ he'll believe pretty much everyone they're saying. still -- ]

May I ask exactly what you mean by 'not engaging' with the smiling face? It seems fairly intent on grabbing people's attentions, to the extent that ignoring it seems fairly difficult.

voice ;

[archimedeia]

If it speaks to you, you ignore it. [ Simple as that. ]

[voice] i guess to resnik since she actually said his name

[uncodlyawwesome]

...Wwait, wwhat?

[oh wait yeah no this is good, they're agreeing with him, and he's just going to ignore the rest of this broadcast because ha ha ha, he's a moron.]

...Yeah, okay, good, you knoww I'm right, that's a great fuckin' start. Wwould'a been better if you all wwould fuckin' keep an open line'a communication, in case you can't fuckin' tell that wwe're all, y'knoww, fuckin' dyin' to talk to you. ["sometimes literally" goes without saying.]

But anywway, I'm gonna side wwith the other questions. Are wwe gonna go fuckin' nuts too? An' do you evven havve control here? Like, seriously. First Megamind got all high an' fuckin' mighty, then there wwere the demons, then the fear gas, an' noww...

Shit, do you guys seriously just not fuckin' knoww anythin'?

[voice]

[archimedeia]

[ Lend her strength, etc. ]

We're two human beings with limited knowledge onboard a ship with a crew who doesn't trust us. As far as control goes, I don't think that's very promising, do you?

It's been... months. [ Probably. ] If you were going to go insane, you would have done so by now.

[video] To Ward, since that makes the most sense~

[cargojet]

[ He's not even going to touch on any of the topics everyone else is up in arms about, if only because he fancies himself as anything but a pile of squishy human flavoured slurpie. But frankly if 'don't believe everything they tell you' is true, and you play opposite day with the whole post, what you come out with is a lot more honest than how things are originally presented.

And if that's the case, Smiley's a fucking saint.

So he knows what to do, and he'll do it, because he'd rather take his chances with the smile that shares their feelings about the bridge crew than the bridge crew who're lying through their damn teeth. Only seems fair. ]

Two questions--more like suggestions, really, but bear with me.

First of all, if you're gonna be backing Kirk's advice I suggest you make him honorary ship's master. Not gonna explain my reasons, they should be pretty obvious. Ship needs structure; order.

Second, Hotspur intended to bring the idea of forming a chapel to you, and I don't know if he managed that before he got blasted into a human puddle. I'm gonna do it with or without your permission, but I'd rather have it.

[video]

[yardbird]

[Oh, hello. Murphy is just going to peek in here real quick, and...]

Hey, uh. Need any help with that chapel?

voice. TO BOTH oops

[therangerking]

You expect us to do nothing.

voice.

[archimedeia]

[ That's what they said. ]

Until we know what it is.

Video. Either.

[fly_like_pie]

[...

Okay, he's already uncomfortable with how familiar that man looks in that second transcript. Too similar. Both bewilderment and fear combines into the most lovely chill crawling up his spine, continuously creeping along as he actually decides to reply.

He's getting the impression this won't go very well, indicated as he nervously clears his throat, fumbling with his hands. Where do hands go—right, clasped together and on his lap. Right. Look sharp, Pie Maker.]

Well, other than staying away from confrontation, what do you suppose we all do?

text; ward

[fronds]

T)(e accident was a broken lock, rig)(t? W)(at a bummer. 38(
So, are you going to give t)(e s)(ip a maintenance c)(eck?

/THREADJACKS because oh my god

[consulting]

>ATTACHED FILE: noteridan.txt

The accident was a broken lock, right? What a bummer. 38(
So, are you going to give the ship a maintenance check?

voice, either

[statsraaden]

[Stats might be the least impressed about all this, and that's saying much.]

First, you've been having a crew for six months. We could have been told much earlier.

Then, I wonder how nobody though about something as simple as coming well in advance for the jump, until just now. [Himself included.]

You will have a better explanation, young ones.

video; either

[stimulations]

[Josias keeps his voice neutral and reasonable, inquiring and curious rather than any accusation that might be fuelled by Hotspur's death. It was alarming, and suspicious, but he can't see how being hostile with Ward and Resnik will get any answers.]

Forgive me, I haven't taken much time to investigate any history you may keep on board about your technology or space exploration, but has anything quite like this happened before? The incidents we're experiencing with this red smile or your previous captain's unfortunate mental break. It's a frequent motif in fiction, where I'm from - some form of 'space-madness', that is - so I wonder how valid it is in reality. Assuming there have been ships before this one, of course.

voice; both (second part directed at Resnik)

[theguidinghand]

Consider yourselves fortunate that you are human, then, for if you were Wraith, this mistake would be entirely inexcusable.

I asked you earlier why this ship had no inertial dampening. You must have the capacity for it, if you have the ability to send a ship this size through an artificial wormhole once every thirty days.

text; either

[testgasm]

if it's not human what do you think it is

voice; either

[swagneto]

And I should trust either of your explanations, why?

voice; either

[redhotsummers]

Last place I was in had two leaders who couldn't do shit, and allowed someone to torture and slaughter us. Claimed they had no control, and were victims just like us.

None of us believed them.

So explain to me why we should believe a damn word that comes out of your mouths?

Cause all I see is two people trying to make themselves look better by putting something dangerous out there.