ataraxion | FIVE: video

Entry tags:

FIVE: video

[The jumps have been making Taylor incredibly ill for several months, but she's been doing better the past couple, and this one she seems much more lucid – pale, but not looking like she'll collapse or throw up at the slightest movement. She's frowning, though, and her shoulders are hunched inwards slightly, tense. She's quiet for a moment before she finally speaks.]

Anyone that knew him, Dean Winchester's gone.

[Quiet for another moment, looking like she's going to say something else, but then she just reaches over to filter the rest of the message.]

[FILTERED TO SECURITY + KIRK | ENCRYPTED 95%]

We need full reports on what happened down on that outpost. I know a load of you went. If you're not used to doing reports then it's time to get used to it. We've only got ourselves for information here.

[Her voice gets steadier and harder as she goes, trying to settle into a position of giving out these kind of instructions.]

We just had a new wave of people come in, so ask around, see how many you can get on security. Check them for training and experience. If they don't have any and still want on, send them my way. And trust your gut about it. We don't need any psychos here with access to Gunnery, we've got enough shit to deal with already.

[FILTERED TO KIRK | ENCRYPTED 95%]

We're gonna need to talk. Can't let things slip, right?

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[ There's a slightly soft quality to Oxford's surprise; it's almost a little sad. He and Dean might not have gotten along very well, but the man had saved his life, and they'd developed some very private, unspoken sort of respect for each in the process. For the little ways in which Oxford was getting used to the ship, the knowledge that Dean was gone was strangely uncomfortable. ]

You're absolutely certain?

[ Mouse knew Dean, and knows that Tayor knew Dean. ("Knew" being a euphamism here for, I'll put a sock on the door or whatever, Mouse; when you see it, don't knock.) He'd been an alright guy, and he made Taylor feel okay, and so Mouse can always guess (they never really talk) as to how she feels about the whole thing.

He doesn't bother with text, just flips over to video and stares into the camera for a long moment, looking almost chastised by her announcement. AT-AT shuffles over and tries to steal the limelight for a moment, but Mouse nudges him back down with elbow and a soft quit it. Mouse lifts his hand; wiggles his fingers. ]

Hey.

[ Ariadne may not have known Dean like Tyke did, but she had grown oddly fond of his annoyances while he was here, and she can't help but be saddened by the news. ]

I'm sorry. [ it's quiet and perhaps tired sounding on her part, but it's still filled with a sadness. as she knew (or more assumed) tyke and dean were friends, which could only have her wondering how tyke was taking the news.

a beat, asking with concern: ]

Do you know what happened?

[ One of these days, Reaper will stop talking to people on the network while cleaning his assault rifle. Apparently that day isn't today. ]

You want written or verbal reports?

We arrived at Strela at approximately 02:00 hours on the twenty-fifth calendar day of the previous month. Ward and Resnik proceeded to negotiate for supplies while anyone who had attended the flight down was free to explore the premises.

The natives met on the station were all silent and communicated solely through body language. Twenty four hours later some of us became aware that the station's inhabitants operated by telepathy and were synchronized in nearly all movements. The term "hive-mind" was used, and behaviour outside the 'norm' for these people began drawing attention. Visitors were encouraged to keep a low profile until negotiations were finished.

On the twenty-eighth visitors from the Tranquility began to go missing. We discovered that anyone acting out of line was being taken to isolated chambers to undergo an assimilation process. Some of our number taken were Charles Xavier, Hikaru Sulu, Niccolo (001 099), Miles Edgeworth, Wichita, Tate Langdon (full list to be forwarded.) Myself and active members of the Enterprise, along with anyone still operating under their own accord (full list to be forwarded) returned to the bowels of the station to spring those who had been captured.

In our search we discovered that the unknown entity previously on the Tranquility had followed us aboard. The message YOU'RE WELCOME was painted on the outer wall of the isolation chambers, the door unlocked to the assimilation room, and all guards slaughtered (images attached.)

In some instances we did not arrive in time and a number of our people were fully assimilated. They were returned to the Tranquility and whatever effects they have been under seem to have worn off. They are still under medical supervision.

For a more detailed report, contact Commander Spock.

abductedlist.txt
rescuelist.txt
yourewelcome.jpg

[then, a pause, and the encryption changes to include ONLY TYKE AND KIRK]

This is a lot of responsibility you're taking on.

Edited 2012-08-09 02:35 (UTC)

[She frowns sharply for a moment, but there's something too tired in her voice for it to come out as angrily as it might normally.]

No, just felt like telling everyone for shits and giggles.

[It's weird to have Mouse going for video immediately, but she smiles slightly (brief, it doesn't last long on her features at all) at AT-AT's antics before she lets that concern her.]

Hey. You doing okay?

[Taylor frowns, not looking directly at the camera. This would all be easier by text, but somehow that hadn't felt right - despite how uncomfortable she feels now. She doesn't know what to do with I'm sorry, just shrugs.]

He's gone home. Same as everyone else that disappears.

[Taylor seems entirely unfazed by that - though really, it says something for his skills.]

Unless it's something you can't trust the network with, it doesn't matter. It'll be recorded either way.

[ He hasn't hid the fact that he's military at all and won't, just as he hasn't and won't hide the fact that he's armed. What he has hidden is what else he is, and he'd like to keep it that way.

Reaper probably won't be able to, but still... he can hope. ] You want the report now, then?

Not got anything better to do with my time. Red smile's been feeling helpful again. Never sure if that's a good thing.

[She opens her mouth to say something non-committal, whenever you want, maybe shrug as well. But that wasn't right, was it. She shifts her shoulders slightly, frowning.]

Yes.

[ In that case: ] John Grimm. Staff Sergeant in the US Marines, not that it matters as much here.

[ His assault rifle is set down so he can focus on the camera, on giving his report. ]

Five shuttles went over to Strela Outpost on the twenty-fifth. AIs were largely in charge of getting the shuttles there, though pilots were also on board. When we arrived, the shuttle bay was empty of life, except for us. No one came forward to offer assistance. I stuck around the bay for a while before proceeding into the outpost proper. In addition to the shuttlebay there were the projects, which were the main housing quarters for those living on the outpost and included kitchens and livestock holding, and a locked area known as the stockroom. Any logos that were once on the outpost were gone, either painted over or scratched out, though that was easy to miss. Plenty of people started stealing while they were down there, especially when it became clear that the locals weren't open to trade, due to not speaking. They weren't unfriendly, not at first; smiled and waved, but the more time we spent there, the stiffer and more uncomfortable they seemed to get. On the twenty-eighth, they sent out guards to relocate people and take them to a room that I've since learned involved assimilation of some sort. I'll let someone who was actually there talk about those rooms. Either way, the guards had no weapons other than cattle prods, but they weren't shy about using them. I avoided capture through a combination of combat and sticking to hiding places, tried to help out others before the guards could drag them off, too. On the twenty-ninth and thirtieth, as people started to escape, I continued helping fend off the guards and guiding people back to the shuttles.

There were a couple of empty seats on those shuttles. I don't know if people died or were left behind or just disappeared, but we were missing a few. I remember a girl -- black hair -- who'd been on the shuttle on the way over, but I didn't see her on the way back. Ward and Resnik weren't going to wait anymore, though.

[ He arches his brows a little, though that is his only immediate response to the way she answers him. His voice otherwise remains fairly level. ]

It's a big ship, Tyke. I just wanted to be sure.

I'm willing to collect, catalog, and file all reports.

[She listens, attentive, but not always necessarily looking at the camera as she does it. It's not disinterest, just that sometimes it's easier to concentrate. When he's finished, she nods.]

Sounds like we did decent, situation like that.

[Walking in completely ignorant and managing to get as many out as possible - every situation they've had to deal with, so far. It was concerning that they'd lost some, but the only thing to do was try to prevent that in future.]

Another marine. How long?

Could've been a lot worse.

[ He thinks of Olduvai, of only himself and Sam getting out alive. He doesn't shudder, but it had been easy to fall back into that mindset. ]

Ten years.

[ He half considers letting the dog steal the show, letting AT-AT just commandeer the feed in order to keep Taylor smiling and distracted. Mouse isn't good with cheering people up beyond letting the big kids in the Calling toss him around for shits and the occasional giggle. But Mouse gets that isn't going to work on Taylor.

(It's okay. He gets it. Still wishes he could do something.)

Awkwardly, he nods. ]

Enough boy scouts, [ Mouse says with his eyebrows lifted. (Boy scouts, that's what he called helping other people like in medbay or during the jumps.) A crumpling noise as he goes to pull the note still pinned from the hem of his jacket, showing it to Taylor even though she's already seen it (he'd been proud of it when he'd thought it up in the room during the hours leading up to the jump). ] Uh. Totally worked.

[ He abandons the note with another paper rustle. ] You cool?

[She recognises this number, frowns slightly.]

You're on security?

[It's curious more than disbelieving, at least.]

[Edgeworth scowls, immediately defensive.]

I am. Is there something wrong with that?

Story of everything on this fucking ship.

[It's said dry, but not bitter, really. When things weren't being really fucked up, she didn't mind the Tranquility so much.]

That's good. We could do with more experience like that.

[That kind of reaction would normally have her defensive (aggressive) in turn, but she tries to stay steady.]

Can you fight?

[His response to that is less aggressive, because the question means she wasn't dismissing him out of hand.]

There's more to security than just fighting.

Yeah, I know. We've been needing to tighten shit up for months. [It's half of what she's trying to do, talking about reports and recruitment.] But you've got SEC on your arm, you're gonna need to know how to defend yourself. Do you know how to use a gun?

[She's quiet for a while, just staring at the screen, before she finally explains,]

His scent's old.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 1 of 8

FIVE: video

voice;

( V I D E O | P R I V A T E | NO ENCRYPTION )

voice | encrypts 85%

video, security filter;

text [SECURITY ENCRYPTION]

video;

( V I D E O | P R I V A T E | NO ENCRYPTION )

video | encrypts 85%

video, security filter;

video, security filter;

text [PRIVATE | ENCRYPTED 95%]

video, security filter;

video, security filter;

video;

[security filter, voice]

video, security filter;

video, security filter;

( V I D E O | P R I V A T E | NO ENCRYPTION )

[security filter, video]

[security filter, video]

video, security filter;

[security filter, video]

[security filter, video]

[security filter, video]

video;