oo1. ( video | the first birdsong )

[ownership]

[ With a slight shake, the feed clicks on. It is very, very quiet. There's a girl staring blankly into the camera, no older than eighteen or nineteen; the only suggestion that audio is even working is the slight static filtering through. For a minute or two, all she does is stare, wide eyes owlishly blinking at the screen. This stretches on for a little while — there's no morse code embedded in her blinking either — just staring with the quiet crackly hum in the background.

Then, eventually, just before it gets a little too awkward: ]

I am Operative Rosella. 010 » 022. [ Two blinks, followed by a frown: it's a pretty shocking thing to see on such a previously blank expression. ] As a new passenger I do not understand our objective on board the Tranquility. Are we to kill to survive until only one remains? [ Her frown deepens. ] From my understanding, our arena changes frequently. This is my hypothesis. I wish to hear from anyone with previous experience and a deeper understanding from their stay here. Recreational activities such as sports and the care of animals seems frivolous and a use of our time.

[ Without a smile or another glance upwards, the feed cuts to black. ]

Comments

text;

[blunted]

[ JESUS CHRIST ]

this isn't a fucking gladiator arena

perma-video!!!

[ownership]

[ Blink. ]

Were you given guidelines I was not?

( V I D E O )

[wont]

[ Rosella, how are you a real person? Alayne seems mortified (and a little upset because taking care of a direwolf is a big deal, okay). ] We aren't to— to kill one another, Rosella.

( V I D E O )

[ownership]

[ Okay, see, this is Rosella's attempt to be reassuring. ]

You would not go first. [ A considering beat. ] Your animal appears strong and fast. It would protect you.

text;

[puppydogeyes]

We don't kill each other.
No known objective.
Make your own.

perma-video!!!

[ownership]

[ Hey, text it may be, but it's authorative enough that Rosella stares at the message for a lengthy amount of time. Then: ]

I do not understand.

[ MAKE YOUR OWN????? ]

voice;

[leaps]

[ oh my god. ]

No, we don't--it's a spaceship, and we're the crew. What made you think we're supposed to kill each other off?

perma-vid!

[ownership]

[ Something in Rosella's jaw jumps. It makes her look young and for some reason is a lot like when a teenager rolls their eyes. And also, she thinks you're an idiot? ]

I have never been on a spaceship. I have a limited scope of experience to draw my conclusions.

text;

[altercate]

No.

vid;

[ownership]

[ Well that's succinct. One-sided staring contest into her device IS A GO. ]

Proof?

voice;

[learnedtosmile]

Let's try to refrain from killing people at random. Our objective currently isn't known. We want to keep violence to a minimum.

[Great, some creepy young woman who thinks she has to kill people.]

videooo.

[ownership]

[ Oh, it's you. Recreational Activities Man. Still, you kind of sound like you know what you're talking about, so... Points? ]

Struggle strengthens a person. [ To the tune of: why not. ] Would you not want individuals to improve?

voice

[omicron]

[ UM WHAT NTY ]

No! No killing. None. Zero murder. Not an arena.

video!!!

[ownership]

[ MORE STARING. And then something in Rosella's mouth twitches, like she's smiling, except that looks weird and alien on her face? Yeah. Yeah, just like that. ]

You are panicked. Your vocal cadence suggests you would be one of the first.

video;

[dilemma]

As interesting as that would make things—Well, you have a wealth of other perfectly good answers to your question.

[ownership]

Interesting? [ Damon, things aren't interesting when they just are. Her shoulders hitch together into the mildest of shrugs. ] Everyone will die. I do not understand the depth of responses that seem alarmed.

AUDIO; ENCRYPTED

[widowing]

[ oh honey no ]

We're not here to kill one another, the ship will do a fine job of that on its own.

PERMAVID; ENCRYPTED (piggybaaack)

[ownership]

[ MOMMA SPIDER DID I DO SOMETHING WRONG :c ]

I do not believe in the sentience of this vessel. Do deaths not suggest that the end game is survival?

[ voice | 50% encryption read if you so care ]

[amethysts]

Everybody saying we don't kill each other is a fucking liar.

It just hasn't come down to that yet, so. Don't stab anybody, especially not anybody popular or well-known, not until they start it. Better that way.. Read the info packet?

[ perma-video | piggy-back encrypt! ]

[ownership]

[ Okay. A survival test about endurance. That's a pill that's easier to swallow than the rest of the responses, at least. ]

Yes. It is lacking in places. [ A blink. ] I should clarify I would not kill until I was clear about the objective. I have only a hypothesis. [ Also, blades are not how she rolls? ]

video;

[scamp]

That'd make sense, actually.

[Says the boy with more than a couple of bruises on his face.]

perma videoooo;

[ownership]

[ Bruises club. +100 POINTS. ]

Would it? [ Not snippy: a genuine request for clarification, though hre blankfacing probably isn't helping. ]

text;

[felinely]

Rather ominous way to look at things don't you think?
I don't think many would survive here if it were true.

[ at least not as far as she could see. ]

[ownership]

Survival is for the fittest. [ As in: of course only a few would survive. (Duh.) ] Is this not true in the depths of space?

video;

[tumbleweeds]

I don't know about the others, but my animals are for food. I kind of like eating.

video;

[ownership]

Do they have names?

voice;

[nock]

[ she replays the message twice. the girl speaks of killing to survive and only one remaining and a frequently changing arena, and even in katniss' state she can bring herself to respond, because it confirms or at the very least fuels suspicions she already has. she wouldn't otherwise, hasn't bothered to contact anyone and only silently retreated to the room that's supposedly hers, even with her injury -- but she has to pick up her device and speak to this stranger, though she definitely doesn't trust her any more than the rest.

there's a few seconds of silence, and she sounds wary, but she does ask the question. ]

A hypothesis.

Based on what?

permavideo;

[ownership]

Experience. [ Short, clipped, immediate: Rosella doesn't really beat around the bush much. ] But I have come to the understanding the scope of mine are limited. It is— [ She frowns. ] Frustrating, to not have all the given data. It minimizes efficiency.

voice;

[alittlesideways]

Your hypothesis. Where'd you come up with that brilliant idea?

[And you're his neighbor. JOY.]

permavideo;

[ownership]

[ Well, kind of. She may or may not move rooms? But whatever, semantics!!!! ]

Through my experiences. Is this not how you solve a problem?

[killarevolution]

Come by that idea all on your own, did you?

[And ping goes Panem's radar.]

permavid!

[ownership]

Yes. [ Blink. ] But I am aware others have been here longer than I, and I may be missing components in my assessment.

[voice]

[jurisimpudent]

[A deep frown is audible in his voice.]

No. We are, apparently, traveling to a destination. As such, the objective is rather to stay alive. Do you comprehend that?

[ permavideo! ]

[ownership]

Yes. [ And even though the cadence of Rosella's voice hardly changes, it sounds like a teenaged duh. ] Do survival rates not increase when you look after the individual?

[ permaaudio ]

[signatures]

Oh, great. This will be fun, I'm sure.

[ permavidddd ]

[ownership]

[ Frysquint.jpg!!! (Only, it's Rosella, so maybe there's more linefacing and blinking involved at the screen.) ]

I do not understand. Do you enjoy killing?

[video] late tag in, sorry

[the_vishual]

[ Now this--this is Chase's language. She perks up almost instantly and responds just as quickly. ]

Thank you, miss. You're absolutely correct. Should need more information as to what's going on, I believe I can help you--there are quite a number of theories, and I've been here from the beginning.

[ A beat. ] I'm Chase.

[ permavidddd ] no problem no problem!

[ownership]

[ Two creepy girls with weird views on mortality and morality just what space needs!!! ]

I have perused the files and spoken to Operative Tyke. [ A tilt of her head. ] Hello, Chase. Is survival our end goal?

( V I D E O | encrypted 100% )

[adlered]

[ Huh. Well wasn't that conversation you had with Tyke interesting, Rosella. ]

Do you only kill, Rosella?

( V I D E O | encrypted 100%; piggybaaack )

[ownership]

[ A tip of her head. ]

That has been my primary objective, unless otherwise stated. I have had experience with extraction of both information and physical items, when necessary.