ataraxion | third history lesson ◈ [ video ]

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third history lesson ◈ [ video ]

[ fun fact tranquility, you are looking at a guy who just had a best friend fully assimilated and a step-daughter half assimilated. that's a fun thing and really proves that he cannot leave anyone from where he comes from alone for any period of time. because then this happens. whatever, he's calm, he's okay with all of this. really.

he does have one question for all of you though. and it's important, even if he looks like he's jotting down some notes on his bed while he asks the question. ]

Most of us welcomed getting off the ship, didn't we? I know we had some people stay behind and I don't blame you, because sometimes you don't want to be on a slightly crowded shuttle going to some place in the middle of space that you don't know. I'm sorry, but the last time we docked anywhere was Tansei and that was several months ago. Or jumps ago. Either way, nothing really went wrong in Tansei. Was it apparently too much to ask for a repeat of that? Was it too much to ask to have the temporary vacation be innocent and not some incredibly twisted version of 1984?

[ he pauses. ] Pretty sure we didn't lose anyone and I could ask you guys how you are, but I'm entirely sure I want to know. So, hey, everyone who stayed on the ship, did anything out of the ordinary happen here? Or did all of us who went to Strela get the short end of the stick?

[ locked to damon salvatore and elena gilbert, encryption 80% ]

You two aren't escaping the question like everyone else, though. Are you two feeling alright? Or I am playing the game where I'm the sober one today? Because if that's the case, I'd like to be able to tell Jenna that's where I'll be until you two are fine.

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We did lose at least one person.

[ well shit. that makes him feel a bit bad for saying they hadn't. ]

Friend of yours?

yeah.

Can't find her on the ship. She was on the station--I saw her.

[And he hadn't been able to find her before he had gotten out with Dave and Erik.]

When was the last time you saw her on there?

[ He knows that she's probably stuck there, if she's even still alive, but he's curious, because she could just be lost on the ship. ]



Before getting dragged into the room.

[The room he had managed to break free from--he should have saved her. But he failed. It was never good enough.]

[ damon's...well. he can't say the experience was traumatizing in every way. after resisting was no longer an option, the whole being brainwashed thing wasn't painful, except for remembering not being in control. it was like all of the bad bits of being compelled rolled up into one.

of course, he's going to pretend everything's just fine, but if ric's paying attention he'll notice damon falter under the question. ]

A little collectivism beats hanging around Airship One every day.

[ nonchalant shrug. just a little mindrape, no big deal ric. ]

[ ric has been dealing with damon long enough to know when he falters and when damon is just being damon and thus deciding whatever happened is something he doesn't need to worry bout.

he could just avoid mentioning anything and just let damon be stupid, but at the same time, he doesn't want to. ]

Of course, because everyone enjoys losing their free will like that. I don't even know why I didn't sign up while I was down there. [ he rolls his eyes. ] Probably would have made you starve down there and you wouldn't have even given a shit.

You know me. Hate civil liberties. What's a little mummification for the greater good?

[ that comment is just about so sarcastic it hurts. he pauses, debating for a long while whether it's worth asking about elena. ric had practically become her stand-in parental figure; needless to say, she was an awkward topic after experiencing the past year during the jump. ]

How is she?

Don't make me have to make the Confederate joke. And as tempted as I've been to see you look like a mummy in the course of our friendship, it's a bit more of a problem then you think it is.

[ there's a long pause on ric's end where he actually considers telling damon how exactly elena feels versus just telling him a lie. ]

Better than you. Still a bit off kilter, but I'd be more concerned if she was acting like it was anything else. I keep checking on her every so often, just for precaution.

[ which is to say, he really is just concerned that if he doesn't, something bad will happen to her while he's not looking. ]

Nothing happened here, at least that I'm aware of. Feel like filling me on the details of the trip?

Not too sure if that's what I wanted to hear or if I would have preferred you told me something happened. [ he pauses. ] You want me to start from the beginning or just start where everything went sideways?

Considering the shit this ship as pulled, I'm going to go ahead and say it's better nothing happened. [ And it's not the fault of the people that stayed that something happened to those who didn't. ] May as well start at the beginning. It'll keep me from asking too many questions. [ Maybe. ]

Yeah, I feel fine now. Weirded out beyond belief, but physically fine.

[ kind of brow furrowy and tired-looking, but at least that's an expression backed by an emotion? which is more than what she had during this little field trip ]

I'll take weirded out beyond belief over numb in this case. Being physically fine is even better.

[ the emotion is good, because it means that whatever was going on didn't properly take in the slightest and that she's still elena. in the grand scheme of things that are important to ric's life, that's one of the big things. ]

You want Jenna or me to come over?

You don't have to. We can talk on here, here is good. I'll being using our video chat as a replacement for a cup of coffee, though. Hope that's okay by you. Still haven't managed to get my hands on any. [ she's trying to shake off the tiredness, the residual feeling of weeeiiird that's making it tricky to answer in the most Elena-like way, but it's like trying to force yourself awake when you haven't had enough sleep. she's even rubbing at her eyes and pushing her hair back off her face. wake up, wake up. ]

-- How's Damon?

It's fine with me, you're going to have to forgive me if I fall asleep, because as much as I love you, my body does occasionally love sleep a bit more. Try cold water on your, by the way. It worked a few times I've had to pull an all-nighter. [ a part of ric wonders if just letting her sleep would make the tiredness and the weird feeling she has go away, but then again, it could just make it worse. it's a catch-22 of sorts and at the very least, maybe one night might do her good. ]

You really want the answer to that? [ because really. ]

I'll sleep eventually. [ when her body isn't in overdrive, defense mode. like having a constant adrenaline buzz and no means of sating it. ]

Of course I do. [ sigh, browfurrow ] He's mad at me, but that doesn't mean I'm mad at him too. I just want to know if he's okay, that's all.

Whenever you do I want a message once you wake up. Otherwise I'll be that parental figure that goes to your room and yells through the door. [ if elena can't tell, him saying that is really just an effort to just diffuse the tension. to try and make her relax a bit, and to hopefully make what happened wear off. ]

He's- He's being Damon. You know how he is, with everything. I think it was different for the two of you, but don't quote me on that, because the science of that brainwashing isn't anywhere near my area of knowledge.

sometimes you just pick a bad planet for shore leave
it happens

[ sulu, he doesn't even know if he should laugh or cry a lot at that. it's like you were talking about it being a tuesday or something and that's worrisome. ]

Some of us don't get to even enjoy shore leave planet options. You remember that right?

Shore leave at home is typically getting to go home.

[ BUT THIS IS JUST NORMAL FOR HIM kind of ]

sometimes you're too far from home to just go home
doesn't that happen where you're from too?

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third history lesson ◈ [ video ]

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video; locked to alaric, encryption 80%

video; permalocked to damon, encryption 80%

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permavideo; encrypted 80% same lock we've mentioned

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