First Stripe; Audio

[sandpaperbreath]

[The voice is just above a whisper, raspy and familiar to some. The tone is unimpressed. Could be entirely possible he was put up to using ShipNet at all. That’s right-he doesn’t like your comms, Redd.]

I’m looking for information. ‘Bout this ship, the crew, yourselves.

…Name’s Torn.

[And he’s very wary aboot this whole social network thing.

Comments

[ecopiracy]

[Torn's name has caught his interest. It's unique enough that this is very likely the same person that had kept coming up in Ashelin's thoughts. He hadn't pressed the issue then, but now...

Well, why not find out about the man straight from his own mouth?]

Phoenix. Captain of the Phantom Blade and formerly from Aeropa. This ship and its crew are bound on a voyage whose purpose no one seems to deem fit to share, but if you're looking for the man to blame for your presence here, his name is Captain Redd.

[sandpaperbreath]

Aeropa?

Why does that sound familiar?

[It may be nothing, but he slipped that in regardless. He's still under the impression that everyone is from his world, even if he's already heard otherwise. Hard conviction to shake.

Lucky for him, he has heard of Aeropa. You should jog his memory, Feenie~]

Phoenix. How long have you been here?

[ecopiracy]

It's a city on the Brink.

[He knows that feeling intimately. He's still adjusting to the fact that most people here are not from his world, even if they say things that make it sound like they are. In this case, though, he knows that Torn is almost certainly from Haven, and so he feels no need to elaborate on what "the Brink" is. Torn should know well enough.]

As for myself, I have been here for roughly two weeks. Far too long, if you ask me.

[sandpaperbreath]

The Brink?

[Yuppers, that's where he remembers that name from. Fuckall, that's retarded. No way.

...Ashelin's look is saying 'Way.' Oh damn it all to--]

Never heard anythin' substantial about that place really existing.

You're sayin' it does.

This boat is full of surprises.

[If he thinks that's surprising, he's in for a long haul, huh, Feenie?]

[ecopiracy]

[Torn doesn't know the half of it.]

Oh, it exists, I assure you. I've sailed the skies there for more than half my life.

So. Does this "exchange of information" go both ways?

[Because he really wants to learn more about you, Torn.]

[sandpaperbreath]

[The idea instantly puts him on edge. Years of secrecy forms certain ticks and habits after all. Still, Ashelin's been making it pretty clear they're safer than back in Haven, if that's possible. Or rather, he, the fugitive, is.]

To a point.

[ecopiracy]

[Bingo.]

Then tell me a little about yourself, if you would? Who are you and what sort of things do you do?

[sandpaperbreath]

[After looking to Ashelin for guidance, he...puts out two truths and a lie.]

'm from Haven. Used to work with Ashelin; you two seem t'know each other.

'm deeply religious.

[See, it's a lie because he's only moderately religious.]

[ecopiracy]

[Torn must have had contact with Ashelin already, then. Little did Phoenix know that Ashelin was actually listening in.]

Yes, she mentioned something about you being her contact in a resistance. What sort of resistance, may I ask?

As for religion...

[He shrugs.]

There's evidence enough at the Brink to make a believer of any man, but I'm not inclined to follow the idea that they still control our destiny.

[sandpaperbreath]

Lemme ask you something, now;

How much do you know about the goings on in Haven?

[He's wagering not much, but two weeks is enough time to find out something.]

[ecopiracy]

[Phoenix considers what little he's gleaned, both from conversations he's had on this ship and from what he's heard back in his own world.]

Hmm. Very little, to be honest. I know that Baron Praxis was not well-liked and that he had his hand in certain unethical experiments. I'm told that the city nearly fell while under his command. I'm a little vague on all the details, however.

[Haven politics hardly mattered in Aeropa.]

[sandpaperbreath]

You know enough.

Those who didn't like the Baron--

[He mockingly exaggerates the name to the point it's almost childish.]

--formed a resistance. One I'm apart of.

[ecopiracy]

[And Ashelin "affiliated" with this resistance. In what way? For what purpose? Did she side with them, or was she just keeping track of them?

Unfortunately, he highly doubted he would get answers to these questions from Torn.]

If you don't mind my asking, what exactly has he done that prompted you to resist him?

[He had rebelled against Skyheed because of the Dark Warrior program, and now he knew that Baron Praxis was also involved in that. Was Torn's story the same as his, then? Or was it something else?]

[sandpaperbreath]

Besides increasing the divides between social classes, squandering the riches of the city for himself and his tight ring of supporters, turning a blind eye to crime, and sacrificing innocents to continue his stolen rule built on lies and under-the-table deals with the Metal Heads?

I don't like his face.

[ecopiracy]

[So, no, their stories weren't the same, but Phoenix could understand his perspective. He's seen corruption in the aristocracy before, though not to the extent that Torn is describing.

His mouth quirks into a wry smirk.]

Appearances do matter a great deal.

[Yes, of all the reasons Torn listed off, he chose that one to comment on. He doesn't feel like siding with the man at the moment, so he's just going to be very mildly facetious.]