VIDEO ▒ OPEN BROADCAST ▒ FORWARD DATED JULY 30 ░▒▓█▛▟▛▙▚▞▗ ▘

[eripui]

[ The feed begins with a single tone, low, as if testing the audio capabilities of the devices. On the screen is an older man, white haired with bright blue eyes, standing in front of a deep blue banner emblazoned in gold with a circular symbol containing three five-pointed stars. Though his face now is solemn, there are laughter lines soft at corners of his eyes, the set of his mouth one clearly used to the curve of a smile. He only waits a moment before beginning to speak, voice level, carrying an assured authority, a confidence borne from experience. ]

Residents of the Tranquility, I greet you today after many, many years of waiting. My name is Hendrik van Rijn, Prime Minister of the Miraxian Triad, the people who built and launched the ship you've been trapped on. You may not have heard of me, but I have heard of you, and all the terrible events you've been forced to endure as a result of the unprecedented malfunction which took the Tranquility so far from her intended path. I offer you the deepest sympathies of my people, and myself. Mistakes have been made, and I give you every assurance that now, with your return to us, we will find the cause of this tragedy and set things right.

I know you may have heard promises before, and met with the unfortunate souls in our society who prefer to cheat and steal than offer a helping hand. I know you have no reason to trust me; if I'd been through as much as you have, I wouldn't trust me either. But we have someone else here to speak to you, and I hope hearing from her will help to show the truth of our intentions, and allow us to begin the forging of a strong partnership as we move into the future.

[ With a last look to the camera, he steps back, turning his attention to the side and holding out a hand to greet and guide the woman joining him to take center. The woman's face is one known to many aboard the ship. She's gracious as she steps into view, appearing to squeeze the man's hand before she lets go and takes her place.

Odessa Knutson. ]

Thank you, Prime Minister.

[ Her attention turns to the camera then, head tilting to one side as a wide smile spreads across her familiar features. She has a look of health to her. A better diet, some proper sunlight, and time will do that. ]

Hello, Tranquility. [ Spoken in the same way one might ask, did you miss me? ] It's been a long time. Too long. For all of us. [ That smile turns a little sad. They've been through some horrors, haven't they? Time and distance has allowed much of it to become a distant memory. ]

The time has come to stop running. When I left the ship, I didn't know what to expect. We received so many conflicting stories, didn't we? I expected all the worst ones to be true, but it was a risk I was willing to take. I'm sure many of you can understand why. Still, I was afraid that I would find monsters. That I would be thrown in a dark cell and never see the light of day again. Now, I don't say this often, but... [ Her hands spread out to her sides, palms up in a gesture that says just look at me. ] I was wrong. After my escape two years ago, Prime Minister van Rijn's people found me. They gave me food, clothing, shelter, a new life and a new purpose...

To find all of you, and help you to be rescued as I had been rescued. I know most of you aren't like me; I'm starting over here, and I'm happier than I've ever been, but many of you have lives you want to return to. [ The delight she has in sharing this good news seems genuine enough, especially (or even) to those who know her well. She clasps her hands in front of her, a light in her eyes. ] I've seen what the Miraxians have been working on myself. There's hope, so much hope.

Pack your bags, my friends. We're coming to take you home.

[[ OOC: van Rijn exited stage left once off camera, and responses will come from Odessa Knutson only. ]]

Comments

[video]

[tongueamok]

I don't mean to sound rude in regards to all of this, but what if we'd rather just go back to the home we were taken from in the first place?

[treasonista]

[ Odessa's smile is broad, cheerful. ]

That's what we're expecting! I'm certainly in the minority about not wanting to return home. I've opted not to. The rest of you? Can have your wish.

[tongueamok]

I see.

[He smiles too, though his is definitely laced with some private concern.]

I don't mean to doubt you, miss, but is there some way that they'll be able to prove that? That they're not just spiriting us somewhere else that's equally as terrible as this ship has been?

[treasonista]

I would be shocked if you didn't doubt me. I'm making a great claim.

The fact is that I don't know if it will work. I hope very much that it does, and I'm sure that those working on the project will do everything in their power to be absolutely certain that things will go according to plan before they attempt to send anyone home.

Although... I'm not sure there's any place as terrible as the Tranquility.

[tongueamok]

I can think of one place, and I'd rather not go there, either.

As much as I would like to go home, some people seem rather attached to some of the...

[He waves his hand, trying to think of a good word for it, and eventually chooses one that doesn't exactly fit his personal opinion:]

... amenities this ship provides. I'm sure there are some who, for as terrible as this ship seems to be, would rather stay than trust you or that Prime Minister fellow. I've only heard his name a few times, and I can tell you none of the context was favorable.

[treasonista]

I was prepared to fight to my last breath against van Rijn. I was a vocal supporter of striking first before they could take us.

I can tell you that staying in that place is terrible. What you are proposing - refusing rescue - is what I would propose if I had never left. But now I know better. These people want to help us. In return, they get their ship back. They get their hope back.

[tongueamok]

Why was this ship made, anyway? Who crafts such a horrible vessel, and why?

[treasonista]

It wasn't supposed to be like this. It was supposed to carry people to new homes. It was meant to save lives, not destroy them.

[tongueamok]

What went wrong?

[treasonista]

I don't know. I don't think we'll find out until we're able to get the ship under control, and study the records.

[tongueamok]

[His brow furrows.]

Under control? Desth, it isn't actually a living thing, is it? Because someone mentioned that once, and I would rather not think of the implications that we've been trapped inside a sentient ship this entire time.

[treasonista]

Whether it's living or not, something is in control of it and that has to be stopped.

[tongueamok]

On that note, is that something the same something that brought us here from our homes, or was that supposed to happen? You mentioned the ship was supposed to save lives, but it doesn't seem to have done a good job so far.

[He's fumbling with some papers off-screen. Hoo boy, there goes the note-taking.]

[treasonista]

No, it hasn't. Something went wrong, and we aren't sure what. I don't know if there are multiple forces at play within the Tranquility, or no. All I knew while I was there was that place was terrifying, and no one deserves that hell. That's why I'm here to try and bring you all to Alexandria. I've built a life here. It's not a bad place to wait for your trip home.

[tongueamok]

What's it like? This place that you're living in now.

[treasonista]

It's... nice. I mean, the air is clean, there's sun, and gardens. There's a pond outside the building I live in. I think there might be ducks, but I'm not sure they call them ducks.

They could have left me to fend for myself, maybe given me a little cash and sent me on my way. They didn't ask for anything from me. They were even surprised that I wanted to integrate into society here, and contribute. I have a successful medical practice. It's not perfect, but I've never been happier. Not in my whole life.

[tongueamok]

Gifts come with a price. They always do.

[treasonista]

Maybe the price has already been paid.

[tongueamok]

How so? Because if you're suggesting the misery endured on this ship qualifies as payment, I don't see how that benefits our would-be saviors.

[treasonista]

I was thinking of it more as a balancing of karma.

[ That's probably not how karma works. ]

[tongueamok]

The balancing of what?

[He wouldn't know.]

[treasonista]

It's this theory that the amount of shit you endure is balanced out by the amount of good. Or something. Forget I said anything.

[tongueamok]

That sounds completely asinine. There are plenty of people who do nothing but good, but end up dead anyway -- or worse.

[treasonista]

People get reincarnated to better lives, or something. I don't know. It's a comforting lie we tell ourselves.

[tongueamok]

Much like the one where someone would be so altruistic as to help all of us without getting something in return, aside from access to a cursed vessel that ought to be sent to the depths.

[You know, if space had depths like the ocean. This is all beyond him.]