[video]

[logicunlocked]

[ The scene: Space Babylon, a counter-top view with the recording lens pointing at an upward angle. The view of York's face is shadowed from the colored lights on the ceiling, which are starred in the camera's view because of their brightness and proximity.

Your host is a rather inebriated York, whom friends and acquaintances may have noticed has been missing in the week since the jump. The feed opens to him holding a drink, but he sets it down off to the side of the recording lens and leans back in his seat. ]

You ever feel like the ship has it in for you?

[ Until now York's made it an especial point to separate the ship from whatever entity is running it, but now in his drunken and emotional state, he doesn't seem inclined to make the differentiation. ]

Like, hell, at first I thought it wasn't so bad, not like everyone acted like it was. And even when I had something to worry about, the ship ended up fixing it for me—I was given something I'd lost when I showed up here. And since that thing happened to be my best friend, you know, I was pretty chill with it all. I mean, now he's in his own body, and that's kind of weird, but we've been dealing with it, okay? It's all good.

But ever since then; ever since then...

[ Here he reaches for his drink and takes a swallow, setting it back down with a careful clink, blinking at the lens and leaning in a bit. ]

...I don't know how in the hell they know about what our pasts are, but I know I don't appreciate this shit being rubbed in my face. The helmet, okay, the grenade, yeah, that I could handle, leaving D stuck in some kind of coma? That's the last straw with me.

[ York picks up his comms device and moves it to try to get a better angle on his face, but it's off to the side now and more off-kilter even than before. ]

Whoever's in charge of making these decisions, 'cause, yeah, I know you're listening in on this. You come out of hiding. I got a bone to pick with you.

Comments

[video]

[circumitus]

...Coma?

[video]

[logicunlocked]

Yeah, a coma. His grav couch never opened and he's still stuck in there.

[video]

[circumitus]

Oh.

...

That hasn't happened in awhile.

[video]

[logicunlocked]

Yeah, a long while. Long enough that it seemed like a fluke before.

[video]

[circumitus]

Fluke? [She thinks about that.] Doubt it. Things hardly ever seem to happen by chance here.

video;

[gothchicklit]

[ There's a lot here to comment on and October wants to ask if he's okay (though he clearly isn't) or if there's anything she can do (she doubts it) but there's one word in all of this that catches her attention. ]

Coma? [ Please, God, not again. ] Tell me you mean he's in medical and not stuck in his grav couch.

video;

[logicunlocked]

No, nope, he's in the grav couch. And it's not like that time when like half the ship was left in their tanks. There are six of them this time. Six, and D's one of them.

It's such bullshit, October. It's like they dangled everything good in front of me so they could take it away. All I need now is for Tex to disappear.

video;

[gothchicklit]

You might want to knock on some wood, [ she says dryly. Honestly, she's not sure if the lower number is better or worse. ] Dumb question, but can I do anything? Other than offer to drag your ass back to your room when you're done drinking so you don't pass out on the bar?

video;

[logicunlocked]

[ He rubs his face with one hand; she's been a help to him in the past in dealing with things and her company would be appreciated right now. ]

If you think you can talk me down, I'll take you up on that. I just need some distraction.

video;

[gothchicklit]

I'll do what I can. [ She hops off her bed and pulls on her shoes. ] Space Babylon, right?

video;

[cargojet]

Maybe you should cool it a bit. Ain't a thing you can do about it, even if there were someone you could punch in the face.

[ Yeahhh. Touchy subject. ]

video;

[logicunlocked]

[ Oh, thank you for stirring up a new emotion. York's tone is bitter. ]

That's the root of it, isn't it? We're at their mercy.

video;

[cargojet]

Some of us more'n others, seems like. It's important that we prove we ain't gonna let it get to us, but...

[ But Peter and Lauren are locked in those things, and Nathan is more worried than he's admitting. ]

video;

[logicunlocked]

...but you think drawing attention to ourselves like this is a bad idea, right? Like they don't already know that they've upset me.

audio

[ghostthatlingers]

This isn't going to help D.

video;

[logicunlocked]

What am I supposed to do, Tex? Sit here and wait for him to wake up?

voice;

[oftwoworlds]

Past attempts at baiting our captors into a discussion of our position via the network have been notably unsuccessful. I fail to see how this attempt is likely to yield differing results.

You have alerted the medical staff as to your friend's condition?

video;

[logicunlocked]

Oh, the docs know. There's six of 'em down there, it's kind of hard to miss six people floating in stasis fluid when everyone else has woken up.

And yeah, I know it's not a big chance someone'll actually come out of the woodwork for me to yell at 'em so I did the next best thing.

voice;

[oftwoworlds]

[There's a raised eyebrow. The human impulse to yell at the wall and make yourself feel better will never really make sense to him. There's just not a lot of logic to it.]

Is this a frequently occurring phenomenon?

voice;

[logicunlocked]

What, the comas, or people going on the network to blow off steam?

voice;

[oftwoworlds]

The comas specifically, although an alternate perspective on the psychological habits of this ship's inhabitants could also prove useful.

video;

[notthesecondworstfighter]

[Having noticed his absence over the last week, it's a relief to see York making an appearance on the network. ...Even if his condition is less than thrilling.]

York. I understand that you're upset, I know that Delta being stuck like that is hard for you, but you need to calm down. Acting like this, getting drunk and calling out whoever's in charge, isn't going to help anyone.

[His tone of voice is firm, but not entirely unkind, either.]

Where the hell have you been, anyway?

video;

[logicunlocked]

Just...out there. I had to get away, Wash. I can't just sit next to his tank and watch him float there. It's bullshit.

video;

[notthesecondworstfighter]

'Out there.' Right, out there where? Out there where you can get lost, or even killed? That's bullshit, York. I get it, okay; I get that you feel like you can't just sit around while Delta's in a coma, but wandering around on your own here? Something could have happened to you. You were missing for a week.

[In other words, he was worried the whole time and how dare you.]

video;

[logicunlocked]

[ He has to stifle a sigh. ]

Yeah, well, it might look stupid, but I've been out there before and came back to tell the tale, so I figured there wouldn't be much harm to it. Just avoid going out so far as where those weird creatures are and you're fine.