ataraxion | 01

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[The video frame shows little more than a man from mid-chest up. He's wearing the crew uniform, but he's also wearing tall gloves over top and a smile that straddles the line between friendly and insincere.]

It occurs to me that, despite being aboard for half a month, I have yet to properly introduce myself. A terrible faux pas on my part, and I apologize profusely for it.

[Though he certainly doesn't sound nearly as broken up or shameful about it as his words would imply.]

I am Colonel Jade Curtiss of the Malkuth Imperial Forces, although as I understand it, that has little bearing on our present situation. I have also seen that you have been made familiar with a fellow Auldrantian, one Dist the Reaper. Let it be known that this man does not represent all the people of my world -- he merely represents the most incorrigible of narcissists.

Ah, but enough of him. There are more important matters to discuss.

As I understand it, there are a handful of you who are more knowledgeable about space travel than others, but it is an open question regardless. Have any medical complications arisen from being so far removed from the surface of a planet? Fatigue, shortness of breath - slot block or casting failure, for any fonists among us? A tendency toward biting others on the chest? I would suggest malnutrition or scurvy, but the ship seems to be well-provisioned enough that neither should be a problem for now.

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Mind elaborating more on the, Malkuth Imperial Forces, what exact is that?

It is my home country's - the Malkuth Empire's - armed forces. Our army and our navy, if it was not already obvious.

Can't say I heard of that one. So I take it, you haven't come across space flight until now then?

No. There has been some talk of it among fontech enthusiasts, but we have only rediscovered flight. I do not imagine that we will be able to build space-worthy vessels for decades.

Most of the disorientation is immediate, sir. From what I can gather and what's happened previously.

Sometimes, a nice shower and a long nap will do the trick.

I'm...not..sure about biting.

[His smile grows a little bit more genuine, but only a bit.

Haha, I meant that as a joke. Although it would be quite the twist if the cause for those attacks a few weeks ago was travel-related, wouldn't it?

[ That never occurred to her. Her eyes widen and it takes her a few moments to respond. ]

That...

Would be a striking coincidence, yes.

[He tilts his head to one side slightly. She's well-spoken for her age, but for all he knows, she's trying to get him to play along in some game. Ah well, why not play along with her?]

A striking coincidence, you say? How so?

People have reacted different ways to the jump, sir.

The attacks could very well have a direct correlation.

[His expression shifts slightly, becoming more serious than playful. She's still a child, but there's none of the urgency in her voice that would suggest that she simply wants a playmate.]

Would you care to elaborate on these different reactions?

[ Not...really. Chase takes a deep breath, weighing her options carefully--she could either bring the ship panic, or.. ]

It's not improbable for the more disoriented patients to lash out and attack.

[His expression does not change.]

I take it that this has already happened before?

[Why bring it up if it hadn't? It's not an entirely unfathomable idea, though. Jade himself was on edge when he arrived. He's just been trained to restrain himself more so than most. Someone less restrained could very well lash out upon arriving for the first time, being both disoriented and very likely scared.]

[Jim, on the other hand, thinks the biting comment is an interesting one. considering he had been.

he decides to avoid the topic for the time being when he turns on his communicator.]

The ship automatically adjusts to the passengers on board. All of the readings suggest the ship was designed to support a mostly human crew, though, so anyone experiencing those symptoms might not be fully human or their planet had different atmospheric pressure to what the ship has averaged out at.

[He means it as an off-the-cuff joke, but if he had known the real cause, he might not have made it.]

[... Or he would, but only to the Wraith's face.]

Ah, but atmospheric levels can be adjusted. Pressurized compartments are not entirely a new concept to my people.

I've yet to hear from any fonists, though, and I'm not sure if I should take that to mean that all is well. Have your people ever suffered any ill effects by being so far removed from a source of fonon flow, Kirk?

Phonon flow?

[they're obviously not speaking the same language right now, because the definiton he knows doesn't really make that sentence make sense.]

I can't say I'm familiar with the term.

[Well, that's not promising.]

Your people must have another term for fonons. I have to assume that you are familiar with atomic theory, at least? That all matter is composed of base particles?

Fonons are one such base particle, although separate from atoms. Does this sound familiar at all?

[Jim's eyes narrow as he tries to recall his physics classes. admittedly, this wasn't exactly what he was wholly interested in. but he can keep up.]

If I remember correctly, phonons are a state of being, not exactly a separate particle, but I think you're talking about something else entirely.

So it would seem. [There's a small metallic noise. He's adjusting his glasses. There's also a mildly disappointed sigh; he doesn't want to explain common knowledge again. At least Kirk is quicker on the uptake than Luke.]

All matter is composed of fonons and atoms at its most basic level. Solids, liquids, people, cities, planets - everything. There are six naturally occurring fonic elements and a seventh artificial element. The first is called 'Shadow', the second is called 'Gnome', the third is 'Sylph', the fourth is 'Undine', the fifth is 'Efreet', the sixth is 'Rem', and the seventh is 'Lorelei'. We do not arbitrarily call them these names; when enough of a pure fonic substance gathers in one place, it develops sentience. All seven aggregate fonic sentiences have been observed, and none are especially unfriendly to humans.

Each fonic element has its own attribute. Efreet is the fonon of fire, for example, Undine is the fonon of water, and so on. Fonists, such as myself, are able to channel fonons through our bodies to produce spectacular effects called 'artes'. I am a military fonist, so my artes are focused on harming my target. An associate of mine is a melodist, and she can use her artes to heal as well as to harm. We're only two people among many who can use artes, and ours are both focused on combat - most fonists devote themselves to much less exciting careers.

Unfortunately, to use artes, I must be in relatively close proximity to a reliable source of fonons that are not being incorporated into matter. On Auldrant, I had the Fon Belt that surrounds the whole planet. Unfortunately, the Tranquility is so far removed from any planet that I may as well be living in a vacuum.

... It's a rather simplistic explanation, but it will have to suffice for a primer. A full understanding of fonons requires several years of study, and I'm afraid that I do not have the time or patience to teach it when it has very few practical applications.

[that's too bad because, after listening to this, it's actually pretty fascinating.]

Yeah, we don't have anything like that on Earth. I can't recall contact with an outside world with that sort of ability either.

You said you'd suffer adverse effects being away from it for too long? [and it has his brow creasing, the worry working it's way into his voice.]

Color me surprised. All living things - at least on Auldrant - have the capacity to process fonons. Humans are simply the best at it.

Truthfully, I do not know if I will suffer for being so far away from home. We have only just re-discovered flight after two thousand years. Spaceflight is well beyond our current capabilities. The only adverse effect that I have suffered is that I cannot cast my artes.

[Not that he could do much to begin with, what with having his fon slots sealed.]

Stay on top of that, then. Since we don't know, it's better safe than sorry.

[he shakes his head, though Jade can't see it.]

The diversity around here is crazy.

Grrr! How many times do I have to tell you?! It's Rose! Dist the Rose!

At least I serve to show these poor fools that not all Auldrantian's are sociopathic!

[Look, he's even opted to forgo the video option! Certainly not a narcissist, nope.]

[Well, well. It's about time that he heard from Dist the Runny.]

No. You provide a better example of an Auldrantian hypocrite. [Because showing a blatant lack of empathy by calling everyone fools isn't sociopathic at all.]

By the by, how are your fon slots holding up?

[Melodramatic sigh #I've lost count]

No better than yours, I would wager, since you felt the need to ask. I don't suppose you've got that primitive weapon you go gallivanting about with?

And here I thought an engineer such as yourself would be impressed by a spear's elegance and simplicity. Are not the best designs the ones that are the least complex?

[Which is to say yes. Even in space, he'll never pass up the chance to imply that Dist is lousy at his job. Oh well, moving forward.]

The fon slot seal is interfering with my ability to accurately gauge the state of my own fon slots, while yours are unsealed. If there are any harmful effects brought on by our present location, you would be a more reliable test subject than I.

A 'fonist', Colonel? [ Alayne does not know what a 'colonel' is, any more than she is aware of what a fonist is. But the man had presented it as a title, and Alayne knows there is weight to those. ]

[Oh dear. Explaining this is going to get old terribly fast, isn't it?]

I do not know to whom I am speaking, so forgive me for asking a question myself: are you familiar with atomic theory as well?

You speak to Alayne Stone, born of the Vale. And I am afraid this 'atomic theory' of which you speak is as unfamiliar to me as a 'fonist'. I can only assume it is a learned study of some kind, but beyond that— I could not say.

[This does not bode well for any explanation that he might offer.]

Let's try a different approach, then. Alayne, are there people in your world who can call down lightning from the sky at will, or who can start a fire without a flint and tinder, or who can heal cuts and bruises instantly with just a few words?

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