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[darkart]

The xenobiology and genetics department would like to note that should anyone find themselves struggling after contact (of any kind) with what would be considered dark magic, that we are equipped to offer you help.

In the interests of cataloging ship-induced phenomenon, we would like to know if any passengers experienced either of the following:

a) A desire to return to the Tranquility while on the Arima colony, contrary to personal expectation of such desire or otherwise

b) Any out of the ordinary emotion or incident while on board the Tranquility while others were on the Arima colony

The information will be used to further such activities as sitting around and thinking about it, given lack of other options.

[ If this sounds slightly friendlier and more sedate than usual coming from this ID#, it's because Charles and Nuala are both hovering over his shoulder, attempting to ensure Severus doesn't act like a total jerk to people while speaking on behalf of the department. (Despite this, he may have adlibbed that last line and gotten away with it.) It is unavoidably logical for the staff member fluent in dark magic to helm an offer concerning it, or somebody else would be making this missive. ]

Comments

[uncurse]

Re: A

I was planning on staying and hitching a ride out of there, and then suddenly I wasn't.

[darkart]

Did it make you feel at all anxious?

[uncurse]

Not really. Countdown on the shuttles made me nervous, and knowing we probably wouldn't get a second chance to make the choice comes with a healthy dose of anxiety, but I wouldn't say anything out of the ordinary.

Why? What are you thinking happened?

text.

[c24]

[ Xenobiology department? ... Really? ]

Just how big is this department? How many people?

text.

[darkart]

[ Is this going to be another SCIENCE muggle freakout? ]

A truly staggering five.

I believe physical science may have two.

text.

[c24]

[ WOW MAYBE? Get off your high horse, blacky! Ever since he became an alien he's trying to be more tolerant, but it takes time, okay? Gosh. ]

Wow. Very.

So since when have they been handing out doctorates in alien biology? Or is this more of a club than a research department?

[ HE'S SIMPLY ASKING! Don't get offended. Or do, but don't expect sympathy. ]

text;

[peckish4action]

Okay, I think I've got a friend who'd be really interested in the fact that you're doing magic queries while working for the *xenobiology and genetics* department. And that's a good thing. Though he's not here, so I'll just be here cheering from the sidelines.

text;

[darkart]

[ He types out 'if you must' but is forced to delete it, unfairly. ]

Magic is an active part of the lives of many people on board. It would be an oversight not to involve it.

text;

[peckish4action]

Fair enough, yeah. So, as somebody who obviously has some ideas about it to a newbie, just what should I expect, when it comes to magic? Like, are most people here with some sort of magic, are there magical fights or something...? Just curious.

text;

[thebreakingwave]

Over the past year, the ship has regularly and repeated altered, adjusted, enhanced, or removed emotions. What happened on Arima wasn't the first time. I've been trying to find a way to manage it, but nothing's really worked so far.

Also, A.

text;

[darkart]

Yes. [ He knows. But, ] We are currently looking at this specific timeframe.

Noted.

text;

[humanistic]

Are those separate from the dark magic question or are you trying to link them?

text;

[darkart]

They are unrelated.

text »

[unbalancer]

So, the information won't actually matter.

[darkart]

I would prefer that the information be gathered, dissected, and used to draw conclusions about the nature of the ship and our roles on it, but I neither wish to oversell the collective capabilities of the department while being forced to work within the limitations inflicted on us, nor accidentally imply something nefarious will be done with the information.

[kutte]

Meaning what, you're going to ask everyone about their experiences then stick it in a file for later?

[darkart]

It's ammunition for my paperwork assault, Mr Teller.

[ merlin h christ is he joking about something ]

text;

[wellthatsimpractical]

I wasn't aware that dark magic was actually a sub study of genetics or... xenobiology, is it?

text;

[darkart]

[ Forwards her this. ]

[brainsqueeze]

What caused the conclusion of dark magic?

[darkart]

Being magic of a dark nature.

anon text;

[growling]

Does the offer only stand for space-related dark magic? Things that have happened since we arrived here, I mean.

[darkart]

No.

text

[look]

How do you intend to distinguish between dark magic and the effects of technology beyond someone's understanding?

text

[darkart]

That is partly the point of setting magic and science alongside each other in this department, so that we may combine efforts for better understanding and application in both areas. It is a case-by-case ordeal; magic is often able to be sensed for what it is, and sometimes if the technology used to manipulate something is indistinguishable from magic, then either method of aid is acceptable.