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[eripui]

Boy, that was a close one! That gas formation was a clever trick.

Hello there.

I know I've already spoken to some of you—I had hoped to do this individually—but it appears we need to move things along more quickly than we'd realized. That ship of yours seems eager to shake us, and we simply can't let that happen.

My name is Lina Barnez. The rest of the team and I have been working on contacting the Tranquility for some time. Unfortunately, our tech isn't perfectly compatible with what you're running on. It hasn't been easy, but we're managing. I don't know how long we'll have.

We're here to help you, but in order to do that, we'll need you to help us. You've been through a lot on this ship: it's a miracle so many of you are still with us. We'd like to make sure you stay that way, but we can only do that if you're completely honest with us.

We know about the events on Strela, the Cyllene and Arima, as well as the Scylla. What happened to those poor people was not your fault, and you have my word that we have no plans to hold you responsible for those events.

But we need to work together to make sure it doesn't happen again. The more you tell us about what's been going on aboard the Tranquility, the more we can do.

[ NOTE: All conversations will be cut off before too long by the engines suddenly powering back up, and the jump alarm sounding to alert characters to proceed to medbay immediately. ]

Comments

[eripui]

However we can. The more information we get from you, the faster we'll be able to find out how to best do that.

[righteously]

Seems like we're getting by just fine with food and fuel, pal, so the kind of help we need is a hell of a lot bigger than that. Hell of a lot bigger than you can give us, probably, if you can't even manage to tap in to the wifi. We're talking multiversal transportation needs, and you can't even hack into a couple of smart phones long enough to monitor the ship yourself.

[eripui]

The problem lies in compatibility with your internal network, not our technicians' skills.

[righteously]

If you were good enough to solve our jump problems, you'd probably be good enough to figure out that compatibility crap easy. The kind of help we need's the kind that would make that look like cake.

Hate to sound like a debbie downer, but getting contacted by voices in the dark making crappy, vague promises in exchange for a glimpse at our inner workings ain't exactly the sweetest deal. If you're trying to win over the trust of a hundred jaded kidnapping victims, you're gonna have to step it up a notch, is all I'm saying.

[eripui]

Our assistance depends on the nature of the information we receive. Until we know more about what is happening in the ship, we can't stop it.

[righteously]

Assistance at a price ain't charity, it's a business transaction. Information's worth a hell of a lot when it can be used against us.

Maybe you're really trying to help, and hey, if that's the case, thanks for that. But you gotta give us more of a reason to trust you than your smiling face and a celestial thumbs up. You couldn't even sell whiskey to an alcoholic with a pitch like that.

[eripui]

What do you suggest I do?

[righteously]

Tell us a little about your resources. What you have to offer just in general, never mind our specific needs. Trade, therapy, snickers bars, condoms, what do you have that you can give to help?

A thing or two about yourself wouldn't hurt either. Who are you, where are you from, how do you know about us, what are your people like? Convince us that you're an actual goddamn race of something with the capabilities of helping, instead of just an ominous stranger promising to solve our problems if we give our weaknesses away.

If you can prove that you're real and you're genuine without asking for anything in return for a few minutes, maybe we can take your offer on faith a little easier.

We're already at our wits end here. Honestly, it ain't gonna take much, it's just gonna take something.

[eripui]

Necessary resources will be provided by Prime Minister Van Rijn pending our reports. The more information you give us, the more helpful resources we will be able to enlist.

My name is Lina. I studied in Alexandria, and now I work on a team tasked with learning more about you so that we can help. I have a sister, back home. There are others on my team: for example, some of you may have spoken to Josh, and Russe is our pilot.

Does that help?

[righteously]

You know what? It kinda does.

[Even though he doesn't know what half of that means. Whoever the hell their president is, wherever the hell Alexandria is, whoever the pilot is. It's all useless information, but it's humanizing information, and that goes a long way.]

I'd say it's a pleasure to meet you, Lina, but given the circumstances. You know.
This ship kidnaps people. And I don't just mean from different planets, I mean different UNIVERSES. Different dimensions. Wipes their minds sometimes. Is that what you're looking to hear?

[eripui]

[ doo dee doo jump alarms. ]

I would return the sentiment, but you haven't given me your name.

It is. Can you elaborate on what you mean by wiping minds?

[righteously]

[jeSUS FUCKING CHRIST they came out of nowhere.

Just when he was getting somewhere, too. Son of a bitch.

He fires back one last text:]

Dean.

Sometimes people forget they've been here. Sometimes people forget they've been other places, other universes. Sometimes they go home, come back, and it's like a blank slate. I've heard I've been here before a couple times myself, but that's not what I remember.

That's all you're getting from me- if we're not in the pods in like ten minutes our insides are gonna be our outsides and our outsides are going to be on the walls. But hey, never mind our monthly near-explosion, good luck with YOUR thing. Sounds like a real challenge. Over & out.

[Tralala time to go deep throat a trach tube. Everyone's favorite time of the month.]

[eripui]

Stay safe, Dean. :)