[it's a question that had come from a time long before this jump. one born from his very arrival; exacerbated by those weeks spent alone in the ship. he needs answers, and he knows that he should be looking to the other jedi for them. but obi-wan isn't an option now. not while he's still dealing with the truths he's learned most recently. quinlan, a master, and still too unapproachable for him. the same again for lucien, a complete stranger. and then there's luke.

no, this is the way it has to go because there is no other option. it's one time where he needs to look beyond the will of the force. he needs to find advice.]

This ship is capable of bringing together those from different dimensions, as we are all aware. But so too is it capable of gathering those from different moments in time.

What do you do, then, if you hear tales of your own future? What if you learn that you will one day go against all that you believe?

[don't worry sw nerds, he isn't talking vader-level issues. more fathering a child-level rule breaking. a child that he isn't around to raise himself.]

Do you take what you have learned as a single, unchangeable future, or do you set all you have learned aside?

Is it even possible to ignore an accomplishment that you know shouldn't have taken place?


[and then, a second post. one unlinked to the first and filtered directly to a single person.]


[locked to luke skywalker]

[despite starting the message, there's a long pause at first. a moment to try and build himself up to it. the force had told him, han had confirmed it. but he still needed to hear it from the one person- the only person -who he knows he can trust completely about this. about their connection.]

I need to hear it from you. I need you to tell me who I am.

[he needs the truth]

[The feed clicks on to show Gold clearly sitting at a table somewhere, an apron on over his suit. He isn't looking at the camera - a bad habit of his, or maybe it's deliberate - and seems to be working on something, though the angle of the camera means what, exactly, is out of frame. For a moment it seems like maybe the device just clicked on accidentally, but then Gold finally starts speaking - tone perhaps a little more terse than most have heard from him in the past.]

As charming as I'm sure we're all finding these story exchanges, I'm afraid I'll have to break the topic with a reminder of our current circumstances. More specifically, leaving and returning.

[A pause. Too late to stop now, but he still really doesn't want to air this out so openly. It's messy.]

I've heard that several of you have done it, and no, I'm not going to ask how. I believe we're all fully aware it's out of our hands. [He definitely sounds annoyed there, though he doesn't linger on it.] I'm more interested in the details of the experience - how long you were gone for, whether time had passed there, whether you remembered the Tranquility and whether any other unfortunate passengers that you happen to know were absent. That sort of thing.

[Another pause, and he finally turns his attention to the camera.]

Any answers will have my appreciation. But if you don't subscribe to the free flow of information we seem to have adopted here, I'm sure some other recompense could be arranged.

[He doesn't often get on the network like this. Responding to things, sure, but he doesn't generally have a reason to put himself out there like this. But he needs something to do now that the fledglings are independent. For those who've been around him the last month or so, he's looking better--more color to his face, definitely sleeping and eating more.]

I am Thranduil Oropherion. [Not my name is because Oropherion isn't a name, just a way of sticking out less in a crowd of Firstname Lastnames as opposed to saying son of Oropher and spurring more questions about how does he keep track of who he is without a last name.]

The number of you who have animals may be glad to know I am skilled in beast-lore and bird-lore. I would like to offer my services as such. If ever you believe something is wrong with your animal, or if they seem disturbed, ill, or uncomfortable, do not hesitate to ask for my help.

[Can't even offer his services without making it sound like a command. This isn't nearly as nostalgic as it should be. He's earned some nostalgia at this point.]

For my qualifications, I have done this a great number of years even for an elf, in three separate kingdoms. I am capable of quickly determining the problem and am an expert in their physical languages. ["I talk to animals."] If you wish for a reference, I have worked in this capacity for the lady Morgana these last two months. She might vouch for me.

[Not that he asked her to do so. Surprise!]

There are three young songbirds in the gardens now. Please do not disturb them.

Thank you for your time.