Fifth Transmission

[allfunandgamesuntil]

[York's image comes up on the communicator, and even with armor on he looks fairly confused. He's sitting in the hotel, and Sparky's in his usual position on top of York's head.]

Okay, so I know I've been kind of distracted most of this week, but what the heck happened on the Mother of Invention? Is everyone okay?

Comments

[allfunandgamesuntil]

[York starts to point out that several people have told him already, but stops at the second comment.]

Did you pick up a new friend?

[allfunandgamesuntil]

From what people told me, they hear a growling sound sometimes, and sometimes they get attacked. And sometimes, like with me, nothing happens other than feeling like you're being watched.

[York heaves a sigh. He didn't want to have to think about the past, but the ship seems to want to drag all of that up again.]

No one's ever seen anything during the attacks, not a shimmer, not anything. I haven't talked to North, but I'm sure he'll have set his motion trackers so he can see something coming.

[allfunandgamesuntil]

So there's no guarantee you won't be attacked, but going on the ship doesn't mean you'll definitely be attacked either. That doesn't make any sense.

[fearmylaserface]

Did Carolina mention our reunion? She let me keep what she and Allison got for killing nightmares on the Mother of Invention. [After she made him snap out of it to get them out of there.]

I used them. And it keeps trying to eat things it shouldn't. It's kind of like a goat crossed with a reindeer.

[allfunandgamesuntil]

You've got a point; the aliens were from worlds other than Earth, but I think a lot of people here fit that description. I haven't seen anyone here who looks like them.

[There's no good way to try to sense someone else, other than motion trackers. There's no way to tell how the silent ship might be messing with their sensors, either. For all he knows, it could be disrupting any motion trackers too.]

If he were critically injured, we'd definitely know. If it were just someone wandering around, though, their AI wouldn't have to answer if one of the other AIs called them.

[York shakes his head.]

Maine had an AI, but...

[But what? York didn't think he'd attack a friend? He'd done exactly that to Carolina.]

He left, so I don't think he'd be interested in protecting the ship.

[guerriera]

I had that - that sensation, of being observed. When I went to fetch Church. But I didn't hear anything. Dax didn't either. [there's an affirmative whistle from the floor, though Dax is looking a little confused at his Person's reactions.] And I know Church would have said something if he or his dream eater heard a noise.

[ Epsilon hadn't been attacked, though. Some kid had been. Her hands remained clenched, all the better to hide the tremors.]

Then maybe we need to talk to North.

[allfunandgamesuntil]

Carolina mentioned that she wouldn't be happy if you went back in and got yourself stuck again. You okay?

[York laughs.]

Sounds like North's new one; are all the things on the Mother of Invention gonna try to eat everything?

[allfunandgamesuntil]

Probably so, but he's bunked down in there, and I'm not sure it's a good time for a return trip, Boss.

[He shrugs. He's glad that Church got out of there okay, but he still wonders if Church could get the ship to respond when no one else could. Maybe they could try on the bridge sometime, if Church was up for it.]

[4letters4ninja]

Well two questions:

First, any idea on what those attacks are? I have been putting off going there because of them...and I told someone I would not go alone.

Second, and this sounds so...unimportant...but do you know if there is any sort of weaponry on it? I...lost my sidearm when I was home.

[guerriera]

We were given communicators for a reason. If he's still there, and not in his room here, we can reach him that way.

[There's a level look at him; he can't see her jaw muscles flex as she keeps her temper battened down.

...Don't do that, York. You know Carolina better than to say things like that. ]

No one said you had to make any trips.

[ It's certainly possible - FILSS had not acknowledged her commands, but had mistaken Church for the Director. If the AI wasn't actually asleep, or gone completely, perhaps... ]

[fearmylaserface]

I remembered things. Lost myself for a while. I'm fine. And I promise, I won't get stuck.

It even tasted some of my ammo.

[lessabrasive]

Were aliens common on your ship before? [there might be a small hand gesture. Back Then. Whenever the ship was last active, before the dream.]

If it's injured, then the injury wasnt likely done by one of us, so I'm inclined to think it is likely in the pink of health. [..Not literal pink, however. She wasn't aware of any paint successes with that colour.]

[ ... ]

Would he be interested in harming it - or those who happened to be on it?

[Switching to private channels]

[allfunandgamesuntil]

No; the way war went for us, boarding parties weren't exactly a thing that happened.

[Nope, no aliens on THIS ship. York hesitates for a long moment.]

If he were, then he'd be focusing on the people from there. Look, have you ever been part of a mission that went bad in every conceivable way?

[allfunandgamesuntil]

If you decide to go in again, I'd like to come with you.

[Those leaderboards aren't going to shoot themselves, after all.]

[allfunandgamesuntil]

I wish I did have any idea. If you decide to go, just give a heads up on the network; I'm sure people'll go with you.

[So Wash didn't want her going alone. York couldn't blame him; Wash hadn't really dealt well with Ziva's leaving and he didn't think Wash would deal well if Ziva were nearly beaten to death in their old stomping grounds.]

If you're looking for firearms, you should check it out. Should be at least a rifle and a handgun somewhere in the lockers there.

[allfunandgamesuntil]

[York, through a truly herculean effort, manages to not point out that it's not like Church is using his ammo anyway. He glances over as Delta appears next to him.]

I am glad to see that you made it out safely.

We both are.

[guerriera]

I don't plan to go until I have more intel on the situation. But if you want to, I won't stop you.

[But she couldn't say she wouldn't like it if you did come. Carolina relaxes, slightly; her hands aren't gripped quite so tightly.]

[seasaltkeys]

Whatever it is, it's picking and choosing its targets. Maybe some have something it wants.

not-quite-threadjack? o/'

[guerriera]

[ Something cyan tips into the corner of York's camera view; Fluffy might recognise the shade, even if Ziva does not. There's a faint murmur directed to York barely audible in the background. ]

(..Who's that?)

[allfunandgamesuntil]

[York turns to answer Carolina.]

(It's Ziva; she and I've been hand to hand training buddies for a while. She's good.)

> edging in from off camera ftw

[guerriera]

[ Carolina moves a little more into view, incidentally leaning against York's shoulder as she glances from the comm back to him. ]

(Really. I'd like to see that.)

[..That's an almost worrying note of interest there.]

[unrecovered]

Probably because they're avoiding you. [Wash had done it himself in the old days - angry Carolina was scary as hell when you were new.] What did you even do?

>> [PERMA-PRIVATE FILTER]

[lessabrasive]

I see. That must have been some war. [In truth, she doesn't know the scale of it - and it would likely take Lin some time to take it all in if she did.]

[ She can see the hesitation. When the sudden switch in channels occurs, she's already sitting a little straighter, expression serious. ]

Not a good parting of ways when he left, then?

[ Lips part at his question, her right cheek twitching in response.

But that was a long time ago, and she knows of a much more recent, much greater failure on her part that she already knows the results to - even if she hasn't technically lived it yet. ]

Yes. I have.

[guerriera]

[ There's a distinctly withering tilt of her helmet to one side. No really, Wash, what gave that away.

Carolina really hasn't gotten any better when she's angry. Just ask Epsilon. ..Actually, don't do that, that'd be a bad idea. She stops leaning on York, if only to draw back in defensive hostility. Well, muted hostility. Mostly.]

Made a poor first impression. [ya think, Carolina.]

[allfunandgamesuntil]

The project we were part of was put together to try to find a way to beat our enemies. We were outclassed from the start and looking at the deaths of the whole human race if we didn't find a way to stop them. But that meant that the government was willing to overlook if the projects weren't exactly...ethical towards the subjects.

[York huffs. And that was definitely what they were, even if the freelancers hadn't realized it. Subjects. Valuable subjects who would be held up if the project worked, but subjects.]

And we were some of the subjects.