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[March 4]
It had been days since had come to this hell. He was unsure of how many. When one lived as long as he time sometimes got away from one. Days, months, what did they matter but to measure sleep or plan an attack in darkness?
When he had set off to explore he'd eventually found a weak flashlight. It helped a bit. His night vision was not as it should have been either. It had always been marginally better than humans. Now, it was just another way he had been diminished.
When he first saw the giant window to the stars he had stood there, hand against the glass, for hours. It had driven reality home. He was really in the vast, unknown blackness. No soil, no green anywhere, most likely for unfathomable spans. It would account for his connection to his sister being gone. Such was never meant to endure such unimaginable distances.
The stars. He recognized none of the constellations, but why would he from a different angle and remoteness? From all he had heard the others were all from different times, different worlds. Different realities.
In some what he had long witnessed had come to pass. Humanity had greedily used up the world and went off to devour other ones. The realm of the unseen had passed.
He had made a perfunctory examination since then. He'd found living quarters where some of the others had settled themselves, and then found his own as far away as possible. In cleaning the place he had found a gold ring on the sink in the bathing room. It was the kind humans used to mark themselves married. They were sentimental of such things and he wondered why one had left this. He had also come across a infant's pacifier in a hallway.
He'd hears the soft scraping in the walls and on occasion sought sight of small movement in the shadows. Likely rats. Where vermin went other vermin followed.
In the poor light he had mapped the corridors, noting maintenance plates and testing doors.
He had found this treasure. It was as dusty as every other area which is why he was working now to clean it. The padded floor spoke of it's purpose, and the size was impressive enough to allow free range of techniques. He considered the mirrors foolish. Any decent use would shatter them. At least if there were made of common glass.
It had been days since had come to this hell. He was unsure of how many. When one lived as long as he time sometimes got away from one. Days, months, what did they matter but to measure sleep or plan an attack in darkness?
When he had set off to explore he'd eventually found a weak flashlight. It helped a bit. His night vision was not as it should have been either. It had always been marginally better than humans. Now, it was just another way he had been diminished.
When he first saw the giant window to the stars he had stood there, hand against the glass, for hours. It had driven reality home. He was really in the vast, unknown blackness. No soil, no green anywhere, most likely for unfathomable spans. It would account for his connection to his sister being gone. Such was never meant to endure such unimaginable distances.
The stars. He recognized none of the constellations, but why would he from a different angle and remoteness? From all he had heard the others were all from different times, different worlds. Different realities.
In some what he had long witnessed had come to pass. Humanity had greedily used up the world and went off to devour other ones. The realm of the unseen had passed.
He had made a perfunctory examination since then. He'd found living quarters where some of the others had settled themselves, and then found his own as far away as possible. In cleaning the place he had found a gold ring on the sink in the bathing room. It was the kind humans used to mark themselves married. They were sentimental of such things and he wondered why one had left this. He had also come across a infant's pacifier in a hallway.
He'd hears the soft scraping in the walls and on occasion sought sight of small movement in the shadows. Likely rats. Where vermin went other vermin followed.
In the poor light he had mapped the corridors, noting maintenance plates and testing doors.
He had found this treasure. It was as dusty as every other area which is why he was working now to clean it. The padded floor spoke of it's purpose, and the size was impressive enough to allow free range of techniques. He considered the mirrors foolish. Any decent use would shatter them. At least if there were made of common glass.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-07 03:19 am (UTC)From:For some reason, she's struck with an incredible sense of deja vu. Even with all the differences, it still reminded her very much of her first day on assignment on the SSV Normandy. That felt like ages ago now.
It is then, in the midst of reminiscing that her hand finds that where there once was solid wall, there is nothing.
With a slight frown, Shepard steps into the room and direct her flashlight at the wall.
She does not yet notice the room's other occupant.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-07 03:44 am (UTC)From:"If you're going to stand there, at least move out of the doorway," Nuada growled impatiently.
He was usually a patient man, but being surrounded by the thing he reviled and finding himself... He had swore his people would not fade, yet it appeared that he was. He was weakening and he didn't know by what measure, or if it would continue. So his patience had evaporated.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-07 03:49 am (UTC)From:Wordlessly, she steps inside; a few wayward mice squeak and scatter as she presses forward.
"Commander Shepard," she says by way of introduction. Her eyes turn back towards Nuada. "And you are?"
no subject
Date: 2012-03-07 04:26 am (UTC)From:"I am Prince Nuada... Silverlance. I should say I am from Earth as apparently it cannot be taken for granted here." He made no move to approach her but he did stop his cleaning. He did motion with his hand to the room. "It is a training room. No weapons, however. Not even wooden practice ones."
And hadn't that been a disappointment.
(*Gaelic =And now I have to speak to them, Daana help me.)
no subject
Date: 2012-03-07 04:39 am (UTC)From:"Maybe we can find something," she says, still padding through the room, light directed at the floor in front of her. "I found a couple of different things since I arrived here. Nothing as useful as a weapon, though." She never thought how strange it was to be walking around without a gun at her side; its absence was ever-apparent. It made her feel a little uncomfortable -- not that she'd ever admit it.
"Have you found anything?" she asks, glancing back over in Nuada's direction. "Or is this room just it?"
no subject
Date: 2012-03-07 05:18 am (UTC)From:However he was not about to mention how the clan was now kingless. He flinched his mind away from such things.
"If you mean things left behind, there was a gold ring and a infant's pacifier. The light," he inclined his head to the flashlight he had brought, "I don't think the dust counts. I have yet to see them, but there are mice or rats about."
He mentioned the last because human females seemed to fear such things.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-07 05:39 am (UTC)From:If he expects her to tremble at the mention of mice or rats, he'll be sorely disappointed; she's dealt with things far worse than mice or rats. "We should probably do something about that," she comments idly, running a finger over her scarred brow. "We don't have any idea how long we're going to be stuck here, and I haven't seen a first aid kit anywhere. The last thing I want is someone getting sick before we have the appropriate supplies to take care of them."
A beat.
"What do you think of all this?" she asks, nodding a head towards the wall, though she isn't talking about that in particular. "The stuff left behind. The people who were here before us." A beat. "Are we here to replace whoever those people were?"
no subject
Date: 2012-03-07 06:09 am (UTC)From:"I know not. If we are replacements there are many a poor choice. Myself included. I know nothing of how to use computers or any of this technology. I prefer goblin machines and more delicate inner workings."
Nuada looked around the room once more then shrugged. "That things were left behind suggests a hurried exodus. But there is little personal effects, so it was a prepared leaving no matter how hurried. Perhaps the illness mentioned made them abandon this place for fear of contagion."
He looked the woman over more carefully. These uniforms were detrimental to assessing anyone's skills. But he had seen her hand twitch near her hip. "Are you a soldier or from law enforcement?" He arched a brow.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-07 06:20 am (UTC)From:Shepard considers his words; she hates to think that illness might have driven them off this ship, but if they did leave (and they're sure as hell gone now), that had to mean that they were able to get off this station somehow.
"Soldier," she says. And though the explanation will likely be meaningless to him, she still gives it. "Commander of the SSV Normandy, and Spectre for the Citadel Council." Commander most people seemed to get -- but it was unlikely he'd be familiar with the Alliance or the Citadel, or what the Spectres even were.
"Alliance is the universal human government," she says. "And the Citadel Council is the governing body of all of Citadel Space."
She looks back over at Nuada. "That wasn't too confusing, was it?"
no subject
Date: 2012-03-07 06:41 am (UTC)From:"My concern is how long this place has been empty. The dust suggests quite some time. It also suggests a lack of air filters or the breakdown of such things. If we cannot get some control, all will be moot. Eventually the power will fail and we will suffocate if we don't starve from the food dispensers loss of power." He spoke flatly. Not to get a reaction but to state facts as he had considered them. He was not a fool and he was quick to learn.
Then again, they could eat whatever was in the walls for a little time, if they could be caught. He'd survived on such diets before.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-07 07:20 am (UTC)From:But Shepard's not the biggest pessimist in the room, apparently. "I'm sure there's someone out there who's good at tinkering with mechanical things," she says. Or at least she hopes so. "We should probably have an organized meeting at some point." A beat. "Or something like that. Figure out what everyone can do. Give people duties. I don't know. It beats wandering around the ship endlessly with no purpose in mind, anyway."
no subject
Date: 2012-03-07 07:40 am (UTC)From:However, the female was correct. They did need to organize. They needed those with the skills to start applying them.
"So call one," he crossed his arms, "Determine a time and place and tell all you meet and have them pass it on as well."
HE wasn't about to lead a rabble of humans. They needed someone with experience in spacecraft.
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Date: 2012-03-07 07:53 am (UTC)From:"Can I expect that you'll be among the attendees?" she asks.
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Date: 2012-03-07 08:07 am (UTC)From:"I seem to have an open schedule." His smile was tight. "I am curious."
And it was likely to be deeply entertaining. Who would scheme, who was waiting to stab the next person in the back? Some things would never change. He almost wished he had some of that... popped corn that Mr. Wink had taken a liking to.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-07 08:11 am (UTC)From: