text.

[ex_varnish905]

This isn't the most pleasant of welcomes, is it? Symptoms seem to reflect impaired circulation to the brain. I'm no doctor, but I would suggest everybody increase their salt intake, orally or intravenously, and perhaps the ship-wide oxygen levels should be tested — independently of the regular instruments, if possible.

I have several questions:

Is it true that the higher floors are currently uninhabitable, and for what reason?

If I were looking to trade potentially valuable possessions or my artistic talents for some personal items I require, is there some sort of market or bartering system?

Is there any organized news system or newsletter circulated among ship residents or does blogging suffice? Is this network monitored? Censored?

Is there an agreed upon legal code or list of established rights of sapience (human or otherwise) that Security personnel enforce?

Thank you for your time.

Comments

[treasonista]

The higher floors aren't uninhabitable. Rather, the population was spread too far and wide. For reasons of practicality (only having to stock kitchens, or have patrols on ten floors rather than thirty), residents have voluntarily consolidated to the lower levels.

Does that answer your first question sufficiently?

[ex_varnish905]

It does, thank you. The walls are painted to instruct people to turn back. Somewhat melodramatically, it seems.

[treasonista]

Spray painting the entire explanation on the wall would be cumbersome, I imagine. And probably illegible. Handily, we now have this post some clueless soul may stumble upon and alleviate any confusion!

[ You don't know it yet, but there's a healthy dose of cynicism there. It's okay, you'll learn. ]

As to the bartering, there are plenty of people aboard willing to trade, but as our resources are very limited, you may have difficulty finding what you're looking for. There are, however, some people aboard this vessel willing to give goods or services for free, oddly enough.

[ex_varnish905]

I do endeavor to be a help.

Say I wanted some sewing done. Is there a list of services offered beyond the tasks implied implicitly by people's affiliation with official departments?

text; anon

[trynotodie]

you think there might be something wrong with the oxygen levels?

[oh god, it's the ark all over again.]

text;

[ex_varnish905]

I think we may be suffering from cerebral hypoxia, whether from internal or external factors. Several other parts of the ship seem to be malfunctioning, oxygen distribution may be amongst them.

text;

[trynotodie]

cerebral hypoxia... that's when the brain isn't getting enough oxygen, right?

text;

[ex_varnish905]

Essentially, yes. Whether due to restricted blood flow, low blood pressure, or low oxygen saturation. Is there some reason you feel the need to solicit this information anonymously?

[ and more importantly how are you doing it, because an anonymous device would be very useful to her tbh. ]

anon; 80% encrypted bc someone's been taking a nap since the eighties sry

[lostsoldier]

what sorts of items?

100% encrypted, get with the program bucky.

[ex_varnish905]

[ yes, this is more like it. anonymous interest in buying and selling bodes well for the possibility of some sort of black market. ]

Paper. Canvas. A second communications device that can be spared if it's broken and some sort of electronic device — preferably a smartphone. Sleeping pills. Perhaps other things.

[ she's not quite willing to admit she wants drugs, explosives and bullets in her first interactions with a stranger. ]

100% encrypted, o thnx

[lostsoldier]

[ explosives would be easier, but he appreciates an intelligent degree of caution in any first dealing. ]

in exchange for?

assuming anon/text/encryption combo for the rest of the thread

[ex_varnish905]

Goods: diamonds, silk, high quality wine, in small amounts. I also have some items that may have increased in value simply due to their rarity on a space ship — beauty products, lead pencils, batteries, that sort of thing. I'm

Services: There are also a variety of talents I would be willing to display at the right price.

video.

[forgodssake]

[ Because texting is hard when you are both ssslightly intoxicated as well as unwell, this newcomer gets a video call. The man on the other end is drowsy, rumpled, half flopped back against a wall as he roughly angles his comms device at himself. ]

As you aren't a doctor, I'll thank you to not make recommendations, harmful recommendations, love. Please everyone, [ grinds fingertips absently around an eye socket ] avoid raising your sodium levels, especially intravenously, and instead drinks lllots of fluid. The nausea'll dehydrate you and the cramps'll get worse otherwise.

Alternatively, do whatever you like, or what jump thirty-four suggests. But we probably all just have a space cold.

video.

[ex_varnish905]

[ she chose text for its efficacy in communication, given the number of questions she had, however she's quite willing to match whatever format is used at her. which in this case is video. ]

[ her own expression is somewhat unimpressed, both with his scruff, his inebriation, and his advice. ]

I may not have a medical degree, but I'm pretty sure salt is necessary for rehydration.

[ she sounds different than in text, far more american, though the accent gets a bit clipped as her natural british leaks through, making her more westchester than jersey. ]

Not to mention increasing circulation. Plenty of water couldn't hurt, but if they can't keep it down, saline's going to be more effective.

video.

[forgodssake]

[ Alcohol isn't exactly the best medicine, granted, and yet, there's the telltale clink of a heavy set glass being set down when Xavier switches back on his video feed. The room is dim, as if to reflect a time of day that doesn't exist, here.

He doesn't look impressed that she is not impressed with him. Blonde hair and cute face, though-- ]

Well, it's a good thing neither of us are medical doctors. Most people aren't and are just as likely to make their symptoms worse if they start messing with their salt intake.

What's a not-doctor doing throwing around words like cerebral hypoxia?

video.

[ex_varnish905]

I like to read. I think it's important to know the world.

[debts]

The news system is a good idea. I'm sure somebody in Communications has something to say.

Trading depends on what you're after.

[ex_varnish905]

Communications is the department in charge of the network, is it not?

I was hoping there might be some way to solicit trades without simply relying on the method of asking every individual individually.

[debts]

Efficiency isn't a strong suit. People here take on a more communal effort.

[ One that Natasha only tangentially has enough fucks to give about. (Good or not good isn't really a judgement that applies.) A beat, then: ]

If you want a weapon, you can ask Gunnery.

[ Assuming. Most people worry about that first. Natasha doesn't really count herself outside of that number, either. ]

[ex_varnish905]

I'm afraid I'm not great with a gun. I was actually hoping for something to help me sleep.

text;

[peckish4action]

Robin from Communications, here.

The network is monitored to make sure it's working as best as it can be. Censored? Not by us. Though the recent glitches would turn a 'no, it's not' into a bad joke.

And the network *is* the closest the place has to a news system - when something's happening, people try to let others know about it ASAP. But that's about the extent of it.

text;

[ex_varnish905]

Hello, Robin. Thank you for your response.

I suppose social media overriding journalism for information distribution isn't a first. And Communications takes no jurisdiction over that information?

video;

[seidhr]

[The Tranquility shall now kindly provide a short video clip of another long-haired fellow in a dim room, chin in hand, loosely curled fingers partly obscuring his mouth, with a sullen frown on his brow. He's quite thin, and wears no shirt to obscure his smooth shoulders; the glow of the screen lends his skin a moonlike pallor, more so even than usual. This young man's just sitting there, staring not quite into the lens, while something—his other hand—moves in the picture's periphery. Scrolling through text.
Just sitting there. Reading this post and its assorted commentary.
Sniffing once, miserably.

In the next moment, the sullenness becomes a jolt of surprise and aggravation, with a glimpse of teeth, and the picture jerks once beneath the angry press of a finger before the feed cuts out.]

Bloody ship...

video.

[ex_varnish905]

[ loki showed her his, as the saying goes, and therefore jamie does him the consideration of replying in kind. with a shirt, of course. she tries not to look too amused. ]

Don't be shy, now.

[ you little stalker. even better: she's been known to quietly browse through other people's business herself, and so she's already aware that he's, at the very least, a little bit interesting. ]

voice, private;

[seidhr]

[Ugh. Loki takes his sweet time in getting back to the network once he's turned it off. He puts his shirt back on, first of all. Exasperation still suffuses the weary smoke of his voice when he replies, despite the long delay—and there's no picture this time, even though this new connection is locked and he's no longer a half-naked spectacle waiting to happen. One eyeful is quite enough, thank you very much indeed.]

You've seen what Security has to offer in the way of enforcement. Why bother asking?