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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]

Hello, this is Joshua. It's good to speak to you again, and you still remain as analytical as ever!

There are no survivors, as far as we have been able to gather, I'm afraid. Are any of those outsiders aboard the ship, now? Were any taken in?

[circumitus]

what about the people of the strela outpost and arima colony? there were survivors when we left. are they dead?

fairly certain that the only outsiders that were ever taken aboard were some livestock.

[refracti]

[A dark video feed with a pale, haggard face leaning forward, a snarl twisting his mouth.]

They killed them all.

[circumitus]

You are certain of this?

[refracti]

I've seen what they do with the criminals they catch. They say they've been there, then Arima is dead.

[circumitus]

[Curious.]

Who are these people?

[refracti]

Bloodhounds for Van Rijn.

[circumitus]

...Understood.



Hypothetically speaking, if we were to be detained by these bloodhounds, would you say we would be given the same treatment as those on Strela and Arima?

[refracti]

[There's a pause. Something in his expression seems distracted, derailed from the anger of before, and he seems to retreat slightly from the camera.]

Strela was a ghost story.

[circumitus]

Our being there would indicate otherwise. What do you know of Strela?

[refracti]

Same as everyone. Word was there was an accident there. Critical failure of life support systems, a few explosions, no longer habitable. [A beat.] But some people would say it was something worse. And they were hiding it.

[circumitus]

Strela was quite habitable when we last saw it -- if you disregarded the hivemind and their inclination to assimilate you into their collective.

Doesn't make sense. Why would this Van Rijn destroy Strela?

[eripui]

He didn't. It had already been destroyed, like all the rest.

[circumitus]

Has this happened anywhere else, or just the locations we have visited?

[eripui]

No survivors taken in by your crew, that is unfortunate. Is there a reason that no one was taken in, that you know of? Are only the livestock considered safe, to your crew?

We're still attempting to discern what happened when your ship docked at Strela and Arima. Any information you might have on the subject would be welcome.

[circumitus]

the strela outpost was populated by a hivemind who were attempting to integrate us into their fold. some of us were captured. others were very nearly destroyed. we only barely escaped.
the livestock were the only willing participants to come back to the ship, so that is your why.
we were likewise not all too welcome on the arima colony.

why are you so interested in the details when you know we are not at fault for what happened in these places? am having a hard time seeing how that helps you help us.

[eripui]

A 'hivemind' - I'm sorry, what is a hive mind? Was it dangerous?

We do not completely understand what happened in those places, and your crew are the only ones who were there, and are still able to tell us, you see.

[circumitus]

hivemind means they were all connected. one thought, one movement. after awhile they attempted to round as many of us up to be assimilated with them.
so yes, it was dangerous.

people were still alive when we left strela and arima. strela tried to assimilate us. arima became hostile. cyllene was for the most part abandoned when we arrived there.
what more do you need to know?

[eripui]

I see. Was a hivemind ever encountered before, to your knowledge? Are those upon the ship familiar with hiveminds? Were any assimilated, as you say?

Arima became hostile. That is information which is new to us, thank you. In your opinion, was this unprovoked or provoked, either by crew members from the Tranquility, or perhaps a feeling in Arima's people was instigated by the same phenomena associated with past incidents that have followed the Tranquility itself?

This is all quite helpful, thank you. We would like to know anything that you discern is relevant, as we do not know much and do not still know what questions to ask.

[circumitus]

we have not experienced a hivemind to the same degree as the strela outpost, but we've experienced incidents of shared dreams and memories, both with each other and previous crew



wait.


are you suggesting that the people on arima might have been somehow affected by this ship? that other locations we stop at are at risk of this "phenomena"?

are we a risk?

[eripui]

To the same degree, no, but in another capacity? I would like to hear about your incidents which were experienced, and your thoughts on them - sir? I'm afraid I've no good way in which to address you, though we know one another.

We are unsure as to what occurred on Arima, though past landings from the Tranquility have resulted in the same type of destruction.

We're unsure if you're at risk, or not - we would endeavor to prevent such happenings to occur to you, though we're unsure as to how we can help, and as such we are requesting more information about events that passengers here have experienced. Please be assured that you are not categorized as a risk. You have all been quite helpful.

[circumitus]

apologies. name is rey.
after certain experiences, have felt more "connected" to some of the people here. arima, for example: although some of us had wanted to, a handful endured this need to return to the tranquility despite our best efforts to escape it.

and what same type of destruction would that be? apparently strela is some ghost story after an alleged failure in its life support, but you're implying that this ship could have had something to do with its end.

it's possible that the previous crew went insane. those people are likely all - or mostly - dead. killed each other. think some of them have been turned into monsters. the same thing may be happening now. there's a possibility you may not be able to help us at all. it wants to keep us.

[eripui]

Rey, it is! Hello. I'm Joshua Sachin, as I believe you do know at this time. I'm very pleased to formally introduce myself to you.

I'm quite sorry this is so rushed, but you see, I don't think we have much time to speak. I must mostly ask questions at this point in time.

Can you describe this connection to me in more detail? What other times has it occurred? Were the same needs experienced, by either you or others? How would you describe this "need", as you call it?

All residents of Strela and Arima are deceased. It is not known how, fully. Again, any information you may have regarding

I'm sorry -- monsters? Information regarding said monsters, and any information you may have as to whether they remain a threat, is more important. Our foremost interests are involved with the lives of those on the ship.

[circumitus]

understood. can't stay on for much longer, either.

don't know. it's really hard to concentrate right now. sometimes it feels like something wants us to stay. wants us to think this place is home.

fine. just need to know one thing about the cyllene, though.
were you able to go there? need to know if you saw anything.
in the hallways.
please.

yes. monsters. they're in some parts of the ship - usually the hallways. don't know much about them, except that it seems they somehow have a way of surviving the jumps. they are occasionally a threat, but not in the more inhabited locations.
most of us can usually handle them. don't worry.

[eripui]

I still have many questions, but for now I will answer yours. Thank you, Rey.

The Cyllene's condition was discovered after the Tranquility had passed through, it does seem. We at first did not receive a distress call, and we're unsure as to the time that transpired between your ship landing and our knowledge of the event occurring. Upon boarding, we encountered upon figures who -- we're not quite sure as to what they were. Any information there would, again, be quite helpful. Our best approximation is that they were the 'ghost' figures that some from the Tranquility seem to speak of, or perhaps hallucinations. The condition of the ship itself was unusual as well.