[ TEXT ] in which cambridge makes a polite enquiry about her location

[mindsext]

[ Hello, fellow crewmembers. If your device wasn’t on before IT CERTAINLY IS NOW! Cambridge - still nursing the mental wound of her power being so rudely culled and currently feeling obnoxiously disorientated - technopathically shoves a text transmission your way: ]

if somebody doesn't tell me exactly where the fuck I am then I am airlocking the

Comments

[text]

[babbletechno]

My comm doesn't appreciate you forcefully overriding it. Please don't do that again.

[seriously. so rude. and he doesn't even make a mention of the airlocking threat.]

No one knows our situation. The crew hasn't made an appearance yet. We only have the general location of: space.

[a few seconds after the first message is sent]

How did you force your message to the top of the queue?

[ text ]

[mindsext]

[ the reply is instantaneous! ]

'no-one knows our situation'. then who in god's name is driving this dinghy.

[ aaaaand she ignores that last question for now. ]

[ text ]

[babbletechno]

The crew hasn't made an appearance yet. The ones you're asking don't know anything.

Can you actually reach the airlocks?

[fine then, he'll just ask more questions.]

[ text forever'n'ever etc etc ]

[mindsext]

how unbelievably rude.

[ you just can't get the staff these days, apparently. ]

there are quite a few airlocks, actually. i could decompress the whole ship in an instant.

[ Cambridge wouldn't call it a lie exactly, more of a creative bluff. ]

audio

[statsraaden]

Well, I don't think it would help answer your questions, as there wouldn't be anyone anymore to figure this out.

[ audio ]

[mindsext]

[ with a begrudging mental flick Cambridge switches to audio to match the new voice. ]

Quite. [ her tones are short and sharp with a rich southern English accent that almost sounds a little fake. She raises her voice; the next bit is meant as much for any crew that might be listening as it is for anyone else: ] So if the crew of this damned vessel fancy maintaining whatever it is they're doing, they had better provide us with some answers.

Re: [ audio ]

[statsraaden]

Exactly. [Stats has a posh English accent, due to the translation nanites.] However, I don't see any means to remind them, if they're even still around.

[ audio ]

[mindsext]

This is my means. [ she informs him in primm haughty tones. ] If they don't want everything in their precious ship flushed out of an airlock then they will have to talk to me.

[force_killer]

[What even.]

Threatening the other people that just woke up will definitely get you every single answer you could hope for.

And if you're that good of a Slicer, couldn't you get the answer from the ship?

[ text ]

[mindsext]

[ slicer? That had better not be some kind of insult. ]

what did you just call me.

[ audio ]

[force_killer]

A Slicer. You slice computer systems to get them to do what you want.

[This is completely common slang for him.]

[ switchin' to audio, aw yeah ]

[mindsext]

[ A pause. Slicer. She supposes it isn't as bad as she initially thought. ]

Perhaps I just know how to send a damn good email.

( video )

[jedimindkink]

[ He props his chin up in the palm of his hand, frowning and still looking incredibly woozy and slightly pained. ]

Funnily enough, my dear, I believe you aren't the only one suffering from the unfortunate predicament of not knowing where in God's name you are, so I highly doubt that essentially threatening your fellow captives in such a manner is a bright start to these proceedings.

[ video ]

[mindsext]

[ ohhhhh, Oxford. Did you just suggest she was stupid? Cambridge purses her lips and fixes the video feed a narrow eyed stare. ]

We can't all be prisoners. A complex ship like this won't run itself.

[jedimindkink]

A look at the majority of messages on the network might suggest otherwise. [ His head is far too sore for banter, so he settles for an entirely flat tone instead, gazing at the feed with eyes that are half closed. ] I take it you've a way with technology, perhaps?

[ c a s u a l question, not trying to imply anything at all (obviously) ]

[mindsext]

Something like that. [ Prickly and evasive, Cambridge doesn't sound best pleased with his question: the cotton wool fuzz that seems to have enshrouded all the technology within (mental) reach is absolutely maddening. ] Enough to kick up a damn fine fuss if the right people don't start paying attention to me.

[habitformed]

GOO TUBE = BAD.
AIRLOCK = WORSE.

[ text ]

[mindsext]

[ ugh what is this ]

this = makes you look like a provincial-minded little beast. do use your words.

[ text ]

[habitformed]

[ This is a superpowered gutterpunk from the deserts of Nevada, Cambridge. ]

LITTLE = CHECK.
BEASTIE = CHECK.
'PROVINCIAL' = ??? IDK. DESERT COUNT?

[mindsext]

[ she'll add him to her stamp collection. ]

apparently it really does. you had better not be one of the fellows in charge of this.