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

[treasonista]

It certainly is. They're certainly better prepared now than they were.

[fullmoon]

Do you know where they want to take us? [ Somewhere nice, he's gathered that much, but of it's also somewhere populated— ] Or how they're planning to keep from ending up like all those others who were too close to the ship? Can they keep it contained?

[treasonista]

For now, you'll be taken aboard the fleet vessels. I chose to stay with the fleet after my rescue, but it was not the only option open to me. We can't know if they can contain this if they aren't allowed to try.

[fullmoon]

I think the ship's come for your friends, not the other way around. [ He nods—and despite Odessa's personal history as a near werewolf outer and all the signs pointing toward Van Rijn being the universe's slimiest dick, there's nothing ingenuine about his expression at the moment. And not because he's that great an actor. ] If they have a plan to neutralise it, they might avoid a lot of casualties letting us try first.

[treasonista]

[ It's as if a light goes out in Odessa's eyes. ]

I've considered that. The appearance of the Tranquility didn't seem to be a happy accident. It's like she returned home by design. I don't know what that means, but I know an opportunity to mount a rescue when I see it. Won't you let us try?

[fullmoon]

That's hardly up to me. [ He smiles, tightly. Extinguishing eye lights wasn't the goal. ] But I would feel better about the possibility if we had some assurance that anyone at all knew what they were doing. There's nothing on this ship that can be beaten into submission.

[treasonista]

Let these people worry about that. You've all suffered enough.

[fullmoon]

Yes, but we've gotten good at it.

[treasonista]

You shouldn't have to be.

[fullmoon]

I won't argue with that. [ That sad face, man, why wasn't she this nice when she was here? ] But we can endure it a while longer if it means not dragging the rest of this universe in with us.

Do they at least know what it is?

[treasonista]

[ Because she was miserable, okay? Gosh. ]

Nothing's certain. There's theories, but... I'm not sure they have anything better than what the rest of us had. But this is their ship. They have the best chance of figuring out what went wrong.

[fullmoon]

It was their ship. [ Not to imply that it's theirs now instead. It seems to belong to something else. ] I don't suppose they would be willing to send you over with a small team first. We could see how the ship will react to being boarded by outsiders. You know it didn't end well last time.

[treasonista]

I know. I don't know if they would be or not. Especially given that some of the responses I've received so far indicate that I would be walking into my own execution.

[ Not that Odessa suspects there would be much dithering over whether or not to offer her up. ]

But I can ask, [ her gaze flickers to something off, then back ] if you think it will help.

[fullmoon]

They're only upset that you didn't say goodbye.

[ Really guys. Simmer down. At least while all the guns are aimed this way. ]

I think it would ease some fears, if they agreed to it.

[treasonista]

I'd have taken more of you with me if I'd only had the time.

[ I mean, maybe. This version of Odessa seems to mean that. She's not quite like the person people came to know on the Tranquility, however. Who knew a person could grow a conscience over two years of living well? ]

I'll see what I can do.

[fullmoon]

[ Funny how that works. ]

Every one of their people who survived long enough for us to recover them— [ excluding a few shh ] —is alive. We've kept them safe. You can tell them that.

[treasonista]

I'm glad to hear that. I'm sure the people here will be too.

Thank you.

private.

[altercate]

Careful.

[ remus what are you doin' ]

private.

[fullmoon]

[ Gimme a G. Gimme an R. Gimme a Y. ]

A few of them on foot can't hurt us. [ Some of us. Sorry about your vanilla humanity, Derek, but everyone else will protect you. ] And if there's something she isn't telling us, we need to get her out of their earshot. Or closer to Charles.

private.

[altercate]

[ GRY???? ]

You don't know that for sure.

[ don't be overconfident remus!!! ]

Can we get Charles closer to her without inviting her and her bodyguards onto the ship?

private.

[fullmoon]

[ Are you really going to make me do the whole thing. ]

I like the odds for a few of them coming to us a lot better than the odds for a few of us going to them.

private.

[altercate]

[ LMFAO OH GRYFFINDOR ]

Maybe.

[ SO BEGRUDGING. ]

If they don't bring everyone else on board after the fact.

private.

[fullmoon]

[ 8D ]

We'll meet them at the door.

private.

[altercate]

Don't do anything stupid if you do.

[ weird attempts at concern??? ]

private.

[fullmoon]

[ Awww bro. ]

Of course not. I fought a war, you know, between last time and this time. I learned a thing or two. [ A pause. ] Two. Definitely at least two things.