ataraxion | 001 / video.

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001 / video.

[a little fumbling, a nice view of the pad of someone's thumb, vague muttering, and oh-- voilà! there is an old man with a great big hat and a small pair of glasses perched on the end of his nose peering at the camera with a mix of curiosity and hard scrutiny.

forsooth, he speaks:] --my, this interface is extraordinary... Image, sound, and text... Never even considered--

[oh hi. he's talking to himself. realising this, he clears his throat, smiles a little embarrassedly, and directs his gaze not at the communicator itself but at his unseen audience.] Apologies. This technology, though, it's all so advanced. Rivalling even my own, in its own way. [though the way he says it, he doesn't sound particularly convinced... ahem.]

My name is Qilby and, ah, I am an Eliatrope. And no stranger to space travel, for what it's worth. But to tell the truth, I hadn't expected to be on the move again quite so soon.

In any case, I understand we have quite the long journey ahead of us. Seeing as we've got the time, I'd be very interested to hear about all your worlds. Where you've come from, what life was like. Perhaps what you were doing before you... Arrived here. [le tired smile. he doesn't seem to still be groggy from the jump; maybe that's just how he normally looks.] I'm afraid I have nothing to offer in return but my own story, but I'd understand if listening to an old man blather on doesn't sound particularly appealing...

[a pause, and casually, as if an afterthought:] ... And I understand that there are people I may talk to about helping out on the ship?

[ooc: feel free to notice he's chillin' in the common area of one of the passenger's quarters, if you'd prefer action!]

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What Is An Eliatrope

[oh what pretty text...] Forgive me for continuing to use video. Text is still-- rather difficult for me.

We were, are, a spacefaring race combining science and our portal-creating magic. Though we were a peaceful people, and lived in close harmony with nature, we weren't without our enemies. A very, very long time ago, we were beset by attackers and... Most of us have been gone ever since. [an apologetic look.] It's rather a long story.

What exactly are you looking to do?

To do? [an arched brow.]

... It's been a very long time since I've had the opportunity to meet people from other worlds. I'm curious. [and faintly embarrassed now too--] I suppose this is a little questionable coming from a complete stranger, especially in our situation. My apologies.

[ her nose crinkled slightly at that, shaking her head apologetic. she isn't meaning to come across wrong, just her need to fully understand what each person has planned while here seems to be more important to her. ] No, no it's fine. [ a beat ] You asked about helping out on the ship. I naturally was curious as to what you would be looking to do.

[ a pause, brow furrowing as she considers just what to share next. ] I'm from Earth by the way.

Ah! I'd nearly forgotten I asked--

[that's what you get for being all over the place, dude.] Where the ship's concerned... In the past I was a scientist and inventor -- improving quality of life, mostly. But I take a particular interest in the study of fauna, native or alien, should there ever be a chance to encounter some.

[a smile.] I keep hearing a lot about Earth, though I don't think I've ever encountered it in my travels or my studies.

[ hey, it's okay, ariadne just tends to focus on the details that might help them understand is all. ]

There's a few scientist aboard already. Capa might be able to guide you to something with that. [ she can only assume. and she honestly might point him in some direction with that. ]

Honestly? I can't say I've heard of an Eliatrope also. [ which causes her to offer him a slightly apologetic smile. though it quickly turns into something more curious then anything as she lets out a low sigh, adding: ] I assume you have no idea what a human is then?

I've met plenty of humans before but-- [a pause and a frown. how to explain...] --their forms and appearances are far more diverse than what I, so far, understand is available to people from Earth. I'd think neither you nor anyone else on the ship would be inclined to call them human at all.

I have seen men made of sand and held together only by their bandages and sheer force of will, fairy-winged women with the gift of healing, and before I awoke here I was even the guest of a grassy-faced people with a deep connection to plants. To them, and to me, they are all human.

[his laugh is cheerful enough, but there's an undeniable hint of wistfulness as well.] I don't suppose there's anyone like that from Earth. It seems all we have in common is our science and technology -- and thank you for the advice there, Miss...?

[ she falls silent for a moment, taking a moment to honestly consider all that he is telling her. and the expression showing on her face seems to be a mix of disbelief and amazement. ] Can't say I've ever come across anything like that - maybe in books, but that is pure imagination there. Sorry

[ she quickly makes a small face then, her nose crinkling, as she realizes she has forgot her own introduction. adding: ] Ariadne -- my names Ariadne.

I find it interesting we share the science and technology aspects between our worlds though, Mr. Qilby. I'm curious as to if it's used the same though.

A pleasure, Ariadne. [and he laughs again.] And just "Qilby" is fine. "Mister" makes me sound so old.

[he's joking, right? if he is, he's darn good at keeping a straight face...] Nothing I've seen here so far is extraordinarily far beyond the scope of my understanding. More advanced, in their own ways... Our methods of long-distance communication were not quite so sophisticated as these devices here, for example. And not so frequently used, either. [a headtilt.] I gather technology in your world is used to make up for the lack of magic that we have.

[ she gives that a faint laugh, nodding slightly as she does. glad that he was able to joke about that. ] These devices -- almost seem to be reminiscent of extremely high tech phones from where I'm from. [ which has her tapping the screen lightly, looking slightly impressed by the whole things still as she does. she has to appreciate the beauty that goes into designing and creating something like this after all. ] But yet, they still aren't phoning home. [ joke. lame joke. but she is trying. ]

Where I'm from, sadly we depend so much on technology, it would honestly be nice to be back where we didn't have to. [ she admitted with a small shrug of her shoulder as she looked into the screen in thought a moment. ]

Why it's interesting all the ones that have come from something far more advanced then where I am. Who knows what they all can do.

HoLy mOtHeRfUcKiNg sHiT ThAt hAd iS MaD WiCkEd, BrOtHeR.

[oh dear this text is not quite as pretty as the other.]

My hat is not villainous in any way. [a beat, then, incredulously--] It's a hat.

It's tHe wIcKeDeSt hAt eVeR, mOtHeRfUcKeR. hOnK!

Er-- did you just honk?

i was playing a game before i got here
a really important one!!!
but i was sent to this place before we could finish D:
what were YOU doing?

An important game? [it's almost an oxymoron...] I hope it's the kind of game that can wait until you return...

Me, I was making preparations to free my people. [if this was text, he'd put a little D: of his own in there.] They've been gone for a very long time, and a king is not much of a king without his subjects.

i hope so too!
because if we dont get back there in time, two whole universes will be destroyed...

oh, i am sorry to hear that!! :(
but youre really a king then? like the ones in fairytales??

Do I look like someone out of a fairy tale? [a good-natured laugh.] But yes. I am a king, of a very great people.

[he frowns.] My duties have never come close to shouldering the responsibility of entire universes, though -- just what kind of game are you talking about, with such stakes?

[ On her wanderings, Rose finds Qilby passing time in the area. His appearance is unlike any other she's seen here, and she can't help but come up to him. ]

That's an unusual... [ what to focus on, what to focus on? She picks one. ] ...hairstyle.

[though it was hard to resist tinkering with it further, Qilby had put his communicator away some time before Rose approached. as it is, he's in the middle of playing with another device -- a small metal box not unlike a Rubix cube.

it's not the complete object of his attentions, though, as at Rose's approach he looks up and offers a customarily lazy-eyed smile in greeting. huh! for a second there, he thought she was going to say "hat."] You must be rather unimpressed with our new lodgings, if my hair is what you find most unusual here.

[ She shrugs. ] It's been a month, and I've had encountered more startling things than here in the course of one day playing SBurb. [ She indicates the device. ] What does that do?

This? [he gives it a dirty look.] A battery, of sorts. It used to do quite a lot, but since coming here--

[he holds it before him in the palm of his hand and closes his eyes; the cube floats momentarily, suffused with a blue, crackling energy, then quickly splutters out and falls.] --it seems to have been damaged.

[Qilby takes a break from being annoyed at his inventions to look back up at the girl, mildly curious.] That name, though-- that's not the first time I've heard it. Are there other people from your world here too?

[ She nods. } Some of my friends have also been brought here. May I...? [ She reaches hesitantly towards the battery. It's just. Way too interesting not to pass up. ] What is that supposed to do, then?

You may.

[he hands it over -- a little cube engraved with spiral patterns. a dull white core's suspended in the middle, somehow.]

Among other things, it powered my people's space ship. We haven't needed it for a very long time however, so it was used mostly to either communicate with each other, or store energy for particularly costly tasks.

[a wry smile.] I'd last drawn on its reserves to open a portal that... Accidentally brought me here. Perhaps that's what exhausted it.

[ Rose takes the object and turns it over and over in her hands. ] You are a queer species. Albeit a highly advanced one. [ It doesn't do anything for her, so she hands it back. ] You believe you were brought to the ship under your own power, however accidentally?

[an arched brow, and a mildly-amused reply.] Of course.

And, I believe that if I can get my Eliacube back to the way it was, I'll be able to take myself back. For that matter, I could send everyone here back to their respective planets if they so desired.

[he accepts the device and rests it on one seated knee.] Now I'm beginning to wonder if I'm the only one who was, considering how upset others seem to be at their own arrivals. [scrutiny.] But how was it you came to be here?

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i'm so sorry this is slow.

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