ataraxion | Backdated to mid-October

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Backdated to mid-October

[The video begins with a view of Galadriel and Thranduil standing side-by-side in the gardens. Galadriel gives a small, formal nod before addressing the camera]

Well met. What we would say is pertinent to all who reside aboard the Tranquility and, while we are known to some of you, we are certainly not known to all. It seems, therefore, that introductions are in order.

I am Galadriel, Lady of Lothlórien and this [A gesture to the man standing next to her] is Thranduil, Elvenking of Mirkwood.

For a month, the both of us were kept in an extended sleep and visited by a strange dream- one which we both believe to hold truths about the past of this ship and implications about its present.

[Thranduil's eyeline drops slightly below camera-level.]

In the dream, two men stood alone in a long hall. A door was behind them, with a sign that read 'Biolab.' One of the men stood with hands in pockets and his weapon on the floor although the other warned him he would be sent to the brig if anyone noticed him so. They both said it was very cold, to the point of discomfort. They blew on their hands.

They called one another Ruiz and Nichols. Ruiz was the one with his gun on the floor, I remember, but Nichols was his superior. Nichols began to set his weapon down when a terrible sound, one I haven't the words to describe for I have heard it not outside this dream, came from the door. It did not seem natural to me--a machine of a sort we do not have in Middle-earth is my guess. Following it was--

[Thranduil's eyes are completely hollow and glassy, face expressionless.]

--a scream. A scream that made both men flinch, although I believe they must have heard such things often enough by now. A loud, wet scream. The two men began to smoke little cigarettes--foul things--and were silent for a time, when there was another scream. An animal scream it was, not like the one before it, and it was born of great pain.

Nichols reminded--reassured Ruiz that they had only two hours left of this, and told him they were to remain silent and pretend they saw and heard nothing. They did not like the situation, but it seemed to me that they would be in danger if they spoke of it with anyone. They picked up their guns. There was one last, terrible scream that was cut short, then an equally terrible silence.

[Bright eyes flicker to the side for a moment, then he turns to Galadriel and inclines his head to her.]

[And she takes up where he left off, keeping the same solemn expression on her face.] It is clear enough that atrocities were committed in this lab, though of what nature you know as much as we. [She has her guesses, of course, but she will let you all draw your own conclusions.] Regardless, we urge caution to any who should come across this lab. We know not what may lurk within it still.

[Thranduil continues.] Your warning may be that you have reached a very cold part of the ship--for why would it be so cold, if not purposefully, when they most likely had full control over the ship in those days? Still, use caution if you are lost, and expect it around any corner with or without warning. There is no need to repeat what happened when the genetics lab was discovered.

[He reaches out to cut the comm, but a look from Galadriel makes him stop in his tracks and tuck both hands behind his back very formally.]

Until next we meet. [And, then, with another little nod, Galadriel reaches out and cuts the video.]

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[ The lack of surprise is a tell tale sign that Nathan has heard this story before. Ned told him about it, moments after he woke. If he has any disagreements about sharing the information with the network, then it doesn't show. In fact, Thranduil and Galadriel's post is a balanced, careful warning, not intended to frighten but to instruct, and Nathan knows he couldn't have done any better, even if he'd wanted to. ]

So it was a shared dream.

By at least three of us--the Lady, myself, and Nederlands.

I'm glad you've already discussed it with Ned--I was gonna suggest that myself.

The bit about the temperature in the corridor? I'm glad you added that.

[ The gardens are where she almost always is, and an announcement like this makes her want to seek Thranduil out immediately, to tuck in close to his legs like a frightened pup. She makes herself walk instead of run, but seeing as she does it as a long-legged mare, her strides longer and more powerful than they would otherwise be, perhaps it doesn't count.

Still, she tries not to be nervous; not anymore nervous than she usually is now, jitters and odd speech having taken over where bravado and slang once ruled. The mare finds Thranduil, nose to his shoulder, and Jaye breathes in before she changes back, head tilted to look at him. ]

The manticores were mostly people. Experiments. Weapons. Something. Something created in a lab, and who knows what else.

[ It's only then that she looks at Galadriel, as if seeing her for the first time. Jaye blinks, hums slightly, and immediately shifts down into a cross-legged seat on the ground. ]

Hello.

You both had this? The same exact dream?

Caution should be used regardless, when travelling this ship. I'd hope no one walked these halls on their own.

[ a pause, and then. ]

We uncovered their quarters. The guards. It was several months ago, when we'd stopped and half our number explored the station, the Cyllene.

[It's startling enough to see a mare make its way into the gardens; Galadriel is already curiously regarding Jaye before she changes back. Once she does, Galadriel's expression shifts into something a little softer. The girl had obviously come here seeking comfort and suddenly, Galadriel can't help but feel a little as if she's intruding.

She offers Jaye a faint smile]

Hello. [She'll leave the main points to Thranduil, since it was clearly him to whom it was addressed. For once, she tries to make herself unobtrusive.]

We did- and another also. Thranduil has spoken to him; I have not.

[He touches the mare's muzzle when she approaches, knowing full well who it will be. When Jaye transforms and begins to sit, he reaches to clasp her hand and hold it.]

The Lady and I both thought the dream was of manticores in their making. In our world, there are such monsters that have been made by torture and corruption. The Lady Galadriel has long stood against the Darkness.

[That last is meant to make Jaye feel safe in Galadriel's presence.]

Little River Tam said something of the sort. Know you more about them?

If you have further questions, Nathan, you may ask them.

[Sort of trying to urge the man away from lauding something Thranduil knows he has a lot of experience with. Why are people always surprised by him being as competent as he claims?]

I am Thor Odinson, of Asgard. I thank you for your warning. Your shared vision is indeed troubling.

If I might ask a question, what occurred with the discovery of the genetics lab?

[Thranduil inclines his head to Thor politely. Greeting.]

When we first stumbled upon it by accident, it was infested with manticores and very large rats. Many were wounded and fell ill. [Including his son, and Elves are immune to disease. It was freaky.] At the time we did not know of its existence, and since then it has been destroyed. The Lady and I believed it prudent to keep any lost in the halls from being surprised by the biolab as we were with the genetics lab.

[Whatever the difference between them is.]

A wise precaution. It seems there are many mysteries on this ship.

[Thor frowns at the information. He's not too concerned for himself, since fighting manticores and large rats doesn't sound like too much of a challenge for him. But he won't disregard the warning either. He's in unknown territory here.]

You seem certain that what you saw was in the past. Have you seen visions like this before?

[And Galadriel will answer this one. She also begins with a little nod of her head.]

Such visions are among my gifts, though, I will admit, this dream was a different sort than those to which I am accustomed.

But it stands to reason that this was a vision of what has been. The guards we saw spoke of orders, superiors, shifts- surely they were the crew that once sailed this ship. It seems unlikely that such an organized force exists within the shadows of the Tranquility, having escaped our notice altogether.

A projection of a memory.

Can't be a dream--doubt that, now.

[He's trying to remember the bits of information he's heard about the ship since he woke up here.]

Do we know how long it has been since the crew abandoned this vessel?

This information is appreciated-- [A respectful pause.] --Lady Galadriel, Elvenking. I hope the both of you are faring well, despite the extended sleep.

...If that is so, then who does the memory belong to?

[That's something that didn't occur to him before. It couldn't be Nichols or Ruiz' memory. It wasn't from their point of view.]

We are, Lady Stark. Perhaps even because of it. I understand rest was an elusive thing for the rest of you, and am sorry to hear it.

Ianto Jones has written a summary of the situation. Have you read it?

[By which he means, "Why don't you go read it so you're not wasting the time of a couple of immortals who don't actually have anything better to do but would like to feel like they do?"]

[ Jaye still stubbornly sits on the ground, but one hand is held in Thranduil's, fingers lacing with his. She had missed him while he was asleep, more than she's let herself say; that her own little blanket fort of a living area is tucked away from his in the gardens is simply because Jaye is well aware that people like privacy. It hasn't stopped her from returning to his at night, curling up as a fox and sleeping while he... does whatever elves do instead of sleep. Wait, she guesses.

Soothed by the fact that both the elves have thought of the manticores and that this lady is, apparently, friendly, Jaye looks up at Galadriel and waves with her free hand. It's just a wiggle of fingers, but it's something. ]

There were new ones, when you slept. Monsters from a different world came, but there were ones like manticores with them. They looked more human and tried to drain you dry, like a vampire, only... worse. [ Because Jaye knows and loves vampires, and many are still far, far more human than the manticores are. ]

A foreboding dream; the sort that advises those with inquiring minds to quell their curiosity before it leads them down a troublesome path on this ship. [Not that such a thing has stopped Loki before, but that is besides the point.] A shame, since in the end it merely dangles more questions before us all.

Well, now you've done it.

[Ah, he knew this would come about sooner or later. A critic. Everyone loves thinking they have the right answer, or a better way of doing things. Thranduil decides to give the same speech as always.]

Sometimes it is the least of all evils that serves best of all the choices given. I do not know you, but I do know you have not been here long and were not present for the discovery of the genetics lab. As you were not, trust that we have made the choice to disclose this information with due consideration. If some choose not to heed our warning, then they will do so regardless of how much or how little we tell. The Lady and I have defended our realms and led our people in trying times for thousands of years, and are old enough to know that even the carefullest choices of the Wise may go ill.

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Backdated to mid-October

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