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To the inhabitants of the Tranquility I, Tiberius Claudius This, That, and The Other send greeting.

We the Tranquilitii have many rooms called libraries, but few books as I have known them. Now, I am certainly less knowledgeable than most of my fellow passengers of what has passed in literature since my own day, which was a good deal earlier than that belonging to many of you, so my puzzlement over the contents of the books I have found therein is likely not shared by all. But I have read and heard enough laments at a lack of paper books that I have busied myself in seeking to gather together those we do have.

I arrived, myself, with a complete set of Livy's Books from the Foundation of the City, and Pollio's history of Rome, to which I have added several works previously collected by Petyr Baelish before his departure. All of these I would be glad to share with any who wish to borrow, and I have thought that perhaps a room might be designated a paper library.

This much I have done, but I must now ask assistance in the setting up of such a room. I thought one of the media libraries might serve, but some shelving must be cleared and the books carried in, with any other furnishings you would want in a library such as books and chairs or couches. If I am to act as librarian, it would be easiest if the books could be held within an easy distance of the tenth floor or at least the lifts, as I cannot walk very far without assistance. I am also willing to tutor anyone who is interested to read the languages I know.

Finally, if any among you possess books you would be willing to share with your fellow travellers, I do not demand them in recompense for the borrowing of books, since even if this were feasible it would be ungracious, and certainly there may be papers too delicate or precious to their owner to be lent out among strangers. But whatever you may share would be much appreciated.

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some former passengers had a room for regular books

could see if it's all still there

My thanks for telling me! Do you know where it was?

fifth floor. again, if it hasn't been cleaned out

Do you speak of Petyr Baelish's collection? Those books I have already.

oh. yeah, that's the one.

other people may have gotten more books during jumps, then. i mean, i've got my animal encyclopedia, but that's got my notes and shit all over it.

[ So many things written in the margins of that book. ]

I hope they may, and that they will be willing to share, if for no other reason than because I have read all those I have. As for your own book, I have often found marginalia to be as informative or amusing as a text itself, so your notes would be no detriment in my opinion. But what is an encyclopedia?

yeah, but they're my notes.

it's a... book. [ wow well done ] it has information about all sorts of things. mine's an animal encyclopedia, so it has a bunch of information about animals.

Of course if the book is too precious or personal to you I would not have you give it up, friend.

What sort of information do you mean? I am sorry to be so ignorant, but the word looks as though I ought to understand it and yet I have never heard it before.

don't worry about it, plenty of people around here don't get stuff. i don't get stuff all the time.

all sorts. where you can find it, how it was made or built or discovered. behavior, special features. history. and there are pictures.

It sounds a very useful sort of text. What sort of topics are these books written on, and by whom?

anything, everything. sometimes a specialist writes them, sometimes a group of people do. they're good for research and stuff.

The books I have received carry notes in them and are precious to me even more than most my jewels. Yet I am copying their content and writing down the poems I can remember on parchment and those I would give, if you would have them.

[ beaming ] I w-would be m-most grateful, my dearest child. I am glad to know you have found pleasure in those books y-you have and w-would not part you from them, but it is gracious and sweet of y-you to take the work to share their w-words with others. I do l-look forward to reading any new p-poems you may remember.

I shall give you those I have and any other that I will put into writing, then. I hope you would approve of my handwriting and deem it readable to others.

I have no doubt it is lovely, as everything you do is, Lucrezia. But even if it w-were not I am hardly likely to know, as your style of script is q-quite different from my own. I never cease in my mystification at how th-th-the translation between all our l-languages is contrived.

Perhaps I can teach you. We have nothing here but time, and it would please me.

[ how many people can really say they taught anything to an Emperor? ]

[ Depends on the Emperor and whether he's okay with people saying they taught him something. ] That w-would be kind of you. I would be glad to learn at any timme that s-suited y-you.

We have nothing but time on this ship. I can visit tomorrow.

I have no paper books myself or knowledge of where they may be found here, but I would welcome such a place to read or to work with more familiarity and would offer my assistance with the setting up and finding of such a place.

What languages do you speak, sir? I have a few, but am interested to improve in some.

Latin and Greek are my milk tongues, but I think I may say I am a very good scholar both of Phoenician and Etruscan. Besides these I have a working knowledge of several other languages, and dialects too, such as Punic, Numidian, Aramaic, Hebrew, Oscan, and Faliscan. Egyptian, too, I can speak, and read the new script but not the old.

I do not know if any of these are of interest to you. I have been told many are lost in the passage of time, and even in my own I am, as far as I know, the last man living who is fluent in Etruscan. They are of use to me as a historian, of course. But if you wished I would be glad to give instruction in any.

I would be most grateful, too, for your assistance in setting up the place. I am lame since birth, and by now a long way from my birth, so my ability to move furnishings about is, I fear, limited.

[Not that he'll see it because this is text, but Combeferre just grinned. Really grinned in fact.]

Monsieur, those are extensive. I do have my Latin and Greek; I was to be a physician at home, but so many of those others of which we have no record. I would welcome speaking with you about them.

I can certainly lend assistance with that. And I suppose that I should introduce myself. Conventions on this network are still odd to me, but I am Michel Combeferre, lastly of Paris in the year 1832. I can imagine how far YOU have traveled.

I would be delighted to oblige you. There are few enough at home who will bear me speaking on my favorite subjects, let alone welcome it.

And I am Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus of Rome, called Claudius by most. The date in the form popularly used here is a source of some uncertainty for me, but I believe it to be either the fortieth or forty-first year of your lord. My nephew Gaius, better known as Caligula, was assassinated a few days before my arrival.

That is a pity. Such things should not lost, and how else are they preserved but by the sharing of them with others, or the recording in order to share later? I do confess, though, some of my friends do the same with my own work in the sciences. That men do not all share one vision is an understandable, and a good thing, but it makes for some lonely work, I will admit.

Cladius, the Uncle of Caligula. I...Truly this ship has managed to bring MANY people here. So much time has elapsed between our own two times, let alone the future we are now speaking in. At times I can scarce believe it. This seems like a grand opportunity indeed, sir. I will look forward to meeting you.

I don't have any books, but I'll help with whatever else you need done to get a library set up. I've been wondering if there are any real books around here.

Your offer is much appreciated, friend. I am glad to meet another book lover.

May I ask your name?

"Book lover" might be taking it a bit too far, but no problem. It'll be good to have something to do.

Firo Prochainezo. What's yours?

[Tiberius Claudius? The Roman Emperor?

That aside: books, language and living history... consider him pinged. (Even if Livy's works certainly aren't his utmost favourite.)]

Sir, it is marvelous idea you've struck. I have little in the way of books in the usual kind, but what I have I am willing to share. I am also most interested in seeing your collection, and it would be no trouble-- in fact, a pleasure-- to help you with arranging the room and its treasures within.

[He's trying not to be giddy, but this scheme warms him completely.]

[ Be glad that you didn't get the other Roman Emperor Tiberius Claudius. ]

I appreciate your generosity, friend. I would be very happy to loan my own books at any time. I knew both historians - indeed, Livy was my own tutor - so I have a special fondness for them both, and would welcome a chance to discuss them.

[He is glad enough with this one, be sure!]

I am called Jehan. Please only let me know where I may go to assist you, and you will have me at once.

It would be a joy to have someone to discuss such things with. Though I believe I am capable in the languages of their authorship, if I can be so bold to enquire with you as to the finer definitions of certain phrases, and of your perspective on certain events, it would be most appreciated.

My own pair of works are in French and Italian.

Edited 2013-04-03 02:50 (UTC)

[ Between Claudius and his uncle Tiberius, you probably want to go with the one who's not a vicious, moody pedophile. Just as a general rule. ] I am called Claudius by most. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Jehan.

I would be very glad to lend you guidance in Latin or in Greek, with Livy or Pollio. I knew both of them, besides having had something of an unusual perspective on the more recent parts of their history-writing, and I am generally quite willing to bore people with my thoughts on history at the least encouragement. [ There's also the fact that his copy of Livy's Ab Urbe Condita is vastly more complete than those portions that made it out of antiquity, and Pollio was wholly lost to time. But Claudius has no way of knowing that. ]

[You Julio-Claudians are an interesting batch, that's to be certain. That is a good rule to follow.]

A pleasure to make yours as well.

I am fond of both Latin and Greek, and your instructions on their nuance would be of such great satisfaction to me that I scarcely know how to thank you. It could never been seen as a bore; I look forward to your accounts, when you are in a mood for giving them.

[Jehan rarely was bold enough to express his excitement so plainly, but the thought of such a welcoming teacher and such old tomes was too much to let sheepishness get in the way of.]

[ Interesting in the "may you live in interesting times" sense, in many cases.

Claudius, in turn, is sort of helplessly flattered, as he's not used to compliments of this nature, and which appear to be honestly motivated rather than an attempt to gain favor (if anyone had ever bothered to court the favor of Poor Old Claudius - what would be the point?). He quite looks forward to meeting Jehan. Although... ]

I must warn you that I do have an impediment in my speech, matched with more than one affliction of body, which many find difficult to tolerate. To be plain, I stammer, and am hard of hearing, though not I hope hard of understanding. Still, I have been called half-witted often enough that I must beg your patience if you are to meet me in person.

Edited 2013-04-03 03:22 (UTC)

[This description, in fact, gives Jehan a slightly clearer clue as to whom he is addressing.

Times were not always kind to men of affliction, but Claudius would find no unhappy listener in Jehan, who also had his imperfections, as did everyone. They were superficial in the face of learning and it gave him a pang to think of what this man had been called.]

Your warning is not necessary, sir. Patience I have, though perhaps I should beg it of you, as my interest may manifest itself in more questions than are polite.

[If he could get them out in person, rather than over text, where he'd be somewhat more abashed. Still, the idea of the literature and of hearing his stories assures Jehan that if anything he'll be too animated rather than too shy-- rare indeed.]

I have no objection to a quantity of questions. It is the most direct means of gaining knowledge, and the pursuit of knowledge is the work closest to my heart. Therefore I look forward to meeting you, Jehan.

I have it in mind that I shall inquire further as to spaces available for our library, and then contact you and the others who have professed themselves willing to help in the next few days. Would this be acceptable to you?

Mine as well. I am so looking forward to meeting you in person also.

It is very acceptable, yes.

In the meantime, if I can do anything to assist you, please let me know.

[Since he had mentioned a difficulty walking very far.]

[Oh, some day he really hopes he's able to tell his father about this.]

I'm afraid I don't have any books to contribute, but I do have a strong back and arms to help you with setting up your library.

[ Oh, the video function. Claudius tends to use it when communicating with his friends, because he's not a very fast typist (or even aware of the word "typist" actually). But with others, he's still always a bit concerned he'll be mocked for his stammer and after getting used to not being mocked continually that would sting. He's outnumbered on the Tranquility even just in being old, and looking it, and it's hard not to be self-conscious occasionally. It does seem rude not to respond in the same form one is addressed, however, so after a bit of dithering he switches the video function on. ]

As I lack both those s-strengths, y-your assistance w-would be much appreciated.

Are y-you fond of books, y-young man?

Then consider them at your service.

[There's no mocking, or even a blink.]

I enjoy reading, but not as much as my father did. I have fond memories of spending time with him in his study. And I'm Noah, a pleasure.

I have only one text upon me, and it is from my home. A telling of The Adventures of the Black Fox, a legendary figure where I am from. I am happy to lend it to any who wish to read it, if you would care to list it, although I would rather stay it's keeper myself that I may track where it goes. We have so little of our homes, it seems unwise to give it away too easily lest we give away ourselves with it.

I shall tell any who ask it is available. Are the legends in question amusing, or sad, or frightening, or a mix of all of these? Are they suitable for the young, or only for adults?

For children or adults, ser, so long as the children are not too young. It is a tale of a rogueish figure who disrupts the plans of a tyrannical lord, often humorously, a hero to the common folk who gives them hope. He has a great many adventures avoiding the lord's men.

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