@all (from @r.asuka)

[luciformis]

[ On the morning of the 15th, there is a network-wide ping issued approximately twenty-three minutes after the roster is released to the public. ]

Hello.

As I'm certain you all are aware, a roster has been sent to each of our devices. Given that this is yet another item on a growing list to be examined by us all, I believe it's important for each of us to come together to discuss any possible concerns or ideas that may require teamwork.

@PALPATINE and I earlier discussed the possibility of a non-compulsory meeting to sort through these issues. We agreed it would be in our best interests.

If you're inclined, please come to the Mess Hall at 19:00 in three day's time.

[ ooc: so! this will be broken down into sub-headings as discussed on the ooc plot post and utilized as a kind of "catch-all." if you think anything needs to be added at any time, please feel free to contact me through pm, at rasasvada, or on disco at morning star#3715. or, you know, add it yourself! i don't mind.

noticeably, this is self-directed! if you character wants to speak or make a point to everyone, feel free to do so. no one is policing how this goes or making introductory comments or whatever else. open floor, y'all. ]

Comments

ROSTER.

[luciformis]

i'm so sorry

[wingstosee]

[ as people filter in, venus waits for someone to take some sort of initiative. surely there are going to be people clamoring to speak first, right? people trying to give opening remarks, or long-winded sermons, or anecdotes about growing up. that's how this always goes.

but that doesn't happen. and as people keep filing in, and as nobody actually says anything, venus... raises her hand into the air. and then realizes how young that probably makes her look, so she clears her throat and speaks up. ]

Okay. Well, uh. I guess I'll go first?

[ ohhh boy. all eyes on her. even if she doesn't dislike the feeling, it's definitely sort of nerve-wracking. she crosses her arms out of nervous habit, biting her bottom lip before she gives her unrehearsed speech. ]

...sorry. All I really have to say is this: I don't think we need a captain. Or a station head, or chiefs of anything, or- or especially not a warden. If we really want people working on those, they can work together, right? Why do we need one person to listen to?

[hopefragment]

[Wings. Wings with eyes on them?? Wings with eyes on them.

Hajime's really trying to do his best not to stare at her wings, and instead focus on what she's saying, because it sounds important? But also uhhhh.]

I... agree with that, [he says finally, with a little less resolve than he would normally. Just focus on the human face, ignore the wings. Maybe they're also an elaborate costume?? Yeah.] The last thing we need is... people deciding who ranks where.

[hopefragment]

[Hajime looks fairly uncomfortable, and doesn't speak up immediately. He needs a little time to build up his confidence, okay? That's normal, isn't it?

At a lull in the conversation, he ventures,]

Has... anyone been able to figure out where this roster originated from, anyway? Like, did someone on board send it out, or was it from an automated system? Or, I mean...

[He holds up a hand, as if literally offering his point.]

Isn't it possible that someone was playing a prank and just set their username to Reverie Terminal to mess with us?

[uragiru]

[ if worst comes to worst, Akechi knows he can function in a dictatorship. he's spent his whole life trying to abide by what will make him useful, wanted, necessary. but the difference then was that he had a goal to make it worth it. he'd rather not go through that kind of exhaustion again until there's an end in sight — so, unusually, he finds himself speaking in favour of something he'd expect to leave to the Phantom Thieves and their ilk.

when he speaks, his voice is soft and pleasant, perfectly controlled; his expression is neutral, gentle, and he stands like he's giving a speech at a podium, to a crowd that would judge any misstep. ]

I have to agree with Venus-san. [ deferring his point to the one who originally made it deflects ownership and responsibility. he's used it before, in his time as a detective. ] Leadership is functional in a small group with a clear goal. But anyone vying for control over a situation like this is either convinced they know best, which is sheer arrogance, or they're simply power-hungry.

[ he smiles, just for the sake of looking a little more amiable. there are still adults here, and it's likely that some of them won't take kindly to a statement like that, so he has to appear earnest, or at least helpful. useful. ]

If people want to take charge of specific projects — for instance, Okumura-san and her hydroponics, or cleaning out the pool — then I think that kind of ambition is admirable. However, these things can be done without titles and hierarchy.

[ @SAMUS IN THE GENERAL CHANNEL. ]

There are less than a hundred of us here. The only purpose a title would have is putting yourself above others in importance.

[mapsio]

[And in the corner of the room for this discussion stands Haru, possibly joined by at least two or three other people. It seems that they don't have much to add at the moment, but they (she mostly) is taking note of all of the things said around them.

Basically, you have some judgemental teenagers in your town meeting about authority, what are you really gonna do about it!?

Her only remark loud enough to hear is:]

Why would any of us try to gain authority over one another when most of us barely know each other?

[It's a real bad idea, folks.]

[counterfeitheart]

[Wow, those sure were some points people were bringing up and discussing. Kira is here because he wants to make HIS intentions clear, and what better way than to declare it publicly in person?

So while everyone else is actually debating things and talking around the issue, Kira raises his hand for just a moment before he just yells out:]

SO!

I'm just gonna be real clear and concise here. I ain't fuckin' listening to anyone on this fuckin station. I'm not voting for any of you, and if everyone else does, I still won't respect your authority. Ain't no one on this junkheap have any claim to authority over me, even if the majority votes them in. Didn't work in Tokyo, sure as fuck not gonna work now.

So let's all forget about the idea of leadership right now unless we want a big ass mess, alright? We've got more pressing issues than 'who gets to be in front of the line', anyway. Like shit. We can't even access this whole thing, and if we run out of supplies up here, we'll have a lot of fun bickering over the leadership while we starve to death.

A list comes out and we all start thinking we can build a society, like having roles for each other will give us some semblance of normalcy. Goddamn idiots.

[oddbod]

Alright.

[The metal chair squeaks as Clara stands up on it, hands clasped in front of her, face alert and authoritative.]

My name's Clara. I know a thing or two about space travel, but more importantly, about leadership in crisis. I hear most of you feel that a single person bossing the rest of us around is a bad idea - [much to her disappointment] - but that doesn't mean structure is. Without it, crisis can be chaos. And as nice as a good old town hall meeting is, if we're faced with a real emergency we need to be better organized than this. Leadership shouldn't be about control, or power. It should be about protection, about being accountable for others.

I'm not proposing a captain, or even some kind of oligarchy, but I am proposing teams. Emergency response, supply management - volunteer groups who can get everyone mobilized in the event of a threat. We have no idea what we're facing, and there won't be time for a round table discussion if worst comes to worst.

EXPLORATION IDEAS & STATION LIFE.

[luciformis]

[merging]

Uh, hey. Palpatine here. [And then he pauses because wow, he really just said that.] My name's actually Ezra Bridger, but that's not my point. Um. Anyways...

I'm pretty familiar with stuff like this, being out in space, piloting starships, working with droids, just... this general level of technology? And that's not the case with everyone. That guy [he points to Ryo] and I talked about how it might be helpful to go over that... stuff, if anyone wanted. Like if you have any questions or need help or anything? That's all.

[bu773rfly]

[Okay so this is the one thing that Erika planned on speaking up about here and it needs saying. She fucking rehearsed it. She spends most of the meeting sitting by Hinata near-silently and stock-still and just watching and listening, but eventually, during one lull, she raises her hand, takes a deep breath, looks at the ground somewhere in the middle of the room, and gets going, voice flat-toned and with only a bit of a waver in it.]

This probably doesn't really need saying, but I'm going to say it anyways. There's a room on this station that has direct-neural-interface virtual reality headsets in it. Don't - do not put any of them on.

I go by "Hudie" on the network. I've talked to some people about virtual reality technology. It's something I have a lot of experience with, so I feel qualified to say that those terminals are not safe for use. Hypothetically, they could be. But we don't currently have the means to find out where they're loading sims from, what's in those sims, or what processes they're using to interface with the user's brain, so there's no way of knowing for sure, and as physically degraded as they are the odds are very bad that they're safe to log into.

Just so you understand how serious it is, VR mishaps can set off real, physical neurological conditions. [She starts counting off on her fingers.] Seizures. Hallucinations. Interrupted motor control. Amnesia. Comas. I can't overstate the possible risks. Don't use them.

[pause.]

...Also, if you ever find any other VR equipment on the station, or if you've logged into one of these units before, I'm open to being contacted with questions about it, or just to have a look and see if I can get anything out of it.

[....]

Thank you.

[ppphhhhhwoof. Success.]

[veristitalian]

I have serious concerns about the risks associated with the environment we're in, specifically decompression.

I'm not from a world that travels to space, but I've been given to understand that if we breach the wrong wall here, everything inside this station will be sucked rapidly outwards. The fact that doors lock and seal the way that they do is probably a safety mechanism designed to engage if there is some kind of rupture.

Take the observation deck- if something comes through that window, the doors into that room should lock and protect everyone on the other side of them. However, someone went through one of the wall panels there in an effort to rescue the screaming voices from when we arrived. That would let the vacuum penetrate deeper, and claim more lives.

We should explore. We should find our way through doors. But we should be equally careful to repair the tears we make.

Please let someone with a better understanding of the realities of life in space speak to this issue?

[solarcharged]

[ Apollo sticks to the sidelines, arms crossed as he leans against the wall, and watches the initial discussions. He quietly decides to keep most of his opinions to himself (for now); his main objective in being here is to make sure that nobody gets any funny ideas about filling any of the more militaristic positions on the roster. Because fuck that.

But when it comes to exploring the station Apollo realises he has plenty more to say.

Apollo steps forward, clearing his throat; he fits the classic superhero dimensions, tall and broad-shouldered, with muscles to spare and a faint golden glow about him that’s quite literally his sunny disposition. ]

For those who don’t know me already, I’m Apollo. Or 'Apollo2' according to the network. [ He raises a hand in greeting, knowing this is the first time some people have met him in person. ]

I’ve got a pretty select skillset and I want to apply it to making sure we get off this station as quickly as possible. Or, if it isn’t possible, to making sure we survive out here as long as it takes for someone to rescue us. If we manage to find out along the way who brought us here and why then that’s great but I’m not too bothered about stopping to ask questions.

[ Which is to say, someone else can do the thinking. Apollo’s here to do the punching. ]

I’m sure people have said this already but I’ll say it again: finding the command deck feels like it should be the number one priority as far as exploring is concerned. That’s where we’re going to find answers about where we are and if we can take this station out of orbit or not. Which means getting through those locked doors until we find a command center.

So does anyone have any good ideas on which doors to focus our efforts on? We aren't short on locked doors but our resources are finite, what with the defense mechanism. I was thinking it would make sense for it to be on deck one, but I guess it could be anywhere.

Any thoughts?

VOLUNTEERING & SERVICES.

[luciformis]

[iustitia]

[Hm. Okay. Time to get this job fair started, I guess. Here comes Terezi, the hopeful young college graduate, looking bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in her nicest business attire (by which I mean her jumpsuit) as she's on the hunt for the most elusive of all prey: a fucking job.]

Of course, this is pretty contingent on ever finding or unlocking the dang thing, but... I'm a little interested in working in the library! I don't really have any skills that are very applicable here. I don't know much about computers or engineering or medicine! I mean, my resume is mostly just being very good at tricking people and also kicking a whole lot of ass, and I have exactly zero interest in doing any kind of security work.

But... I kinda want to keep busy! I need a job! Gainful employment! I have had it with being bored in space for years. I will just melt into a melodramatic pile of goo if I have to.

So I guess I'll just make myself useful and pick up trash or something until then? I guess? Unless someone else has any suggestions they'd like to give me. But books have a nice smell, and I think I'd like to work somewhere quiet in my old age.

[this is clearly A Joke. terezi can't be older than twenty.]

[reposing]

[By this point of the town meeting, Alucard has fallen asleep leaning against a wall with his arms crossed. He doesn't snore in so much as he breathes heavily, his long golden hair a river down his shoulders.

When there is a moment of silence, ironically, is when he opens his eyes and awakens.

Alucard looks up, sighs, rubs the bridge of his nose, and speaks.]

I've already made such an announcement, but for the time being until there is one more qualified, I will be your doctor. You may ask me any questions related to that, if you wish.

In addition, I am willing to teach basic aid, and I will be looking for assistants.

[setpoint]

[Alright, so here goes nothing.]

I'd like to start a group focused on repairing and unlocking the station. My background is in mechanics and engineering, and I have a little programming knowledge. I used to work on Jaegers back home—massive robots, and I was in charge of a project to repair and upgrade one that was nearly destroyed.

[So, that's what she's good at, and those are her credentials.]

I don't have any experience working on a station like this, though. Space travel isn't common where I'm from. I think a lot of my skills will translate, but there's plenty of knowledge I'm missing, too.

[veristitalian]

I'm compiling a list of unanswered questions, based on the discussions we have here. I'll share it with the network when it's as close to comprehensive as possible.

[The timing couldn't have been better, in terms of the arrival of the blank notebook, the quill and ink. Jasnah settles in to jot down every detail she can capture.]

If you can think of anything specific you've wondered, please see me before you leave. The more thorough the list, the more useful a tool it will be.

[contorta]

( prax woke up less than twelve hours ago. his life has been turned upside down, but not only by his arrival here: the destruction of ganymede station, not knowing where mei is, whether she's alive or a hybrid or dead, whether he'll ever see him again, staying on the roci... his life was turned upside down a while ago and it hasn't righted itself yet.

and still — he's here. mei isn't and he doesn't know how to get off this station and return to the search for his little girl. alex and amos don't know, either, though they've both told him not to give up, that they'd find a way somehow. he hopes that's true. he has to keep hoping. he can't give up on mei, he can't.

it's just that he's scared and this? this is something he knows. this is something he can do. so at some point, he speaks up. there's nothing demanding attention in his bearing, his posture or his tone. he's quiet, shoulders curled inward a little, a barely-healed cut on one side of his skull, still stapled together. )

My name's Prax. Prax Meng. I used to live in a place called Ganymede Station. I was a botanist. Am a botanist. I've heard there's some hydroponics here and some attempts to get an air filtration system going.

I can help with that.

( and for a moment, it seems like that's all he can say, but then his brows draw together, forehead crinkling. ) If anyone's seen or heard of a little girl called Mei, please tell me. She's my daughter.

[oorah]

[ frank slips in after the meeting is underway with a big, brown dog and sits at the back of the room without announcing himself. he already volunteered on the network as trashman, but he won't mind reiterating it here... once people cool it a little. he's an anarchist okay, he doesn't want a leader any more than the next high-strung loser in space, but there are jobs that need to get done here until they find a way home. so he waits through all the bickering and loudness until things begin to calm. max seems to be relaxing as well, his heavy head pillowed on one of frank's magboots.

he thinks of what wanda said to him, that he's suited for helping people. no one's ever said that to him before. it was always his skills killing them that mattered. but now things are different, and not just because his war is over. he thinks of alex's wedding ring, and of mako and raleigh. there are people here who need to get back. if he can help them do that, even do a small part - he's obligated to, isn't he? he stands abruptly and max reluctantly sits up at his side, looking annoyed at being woken up but trying to be a Good Boy anyway. ]

I'm Frank - Frank Castiglione. I posted to the Network about - trash. [ he shrugs a little helplessly before going on. ] I'm not a nerd, I mean a genius, or an engineer or anything. I'm just a dumbfuck Marine, but... I want to help out. Even if that's just, staying outta the way.

[ he lifts his hands dismissively, exposing the still-healing burns and his slowly-mending right palm, before sitting back down with his dog. no one can ever say he didn't try. ]

[subplot]

[Karen shows up on time, but lingers outside the mess hall and lingers in the back of the room observing everyone else. Typically she might be in the front of the crowd asking questions to get some answers, but without having any expertise in anything being discussed here she hangs back and watches. She's taking notes as best as she can as she observes, keeping track of people she knows and what they volunteer to do. Anyone that speaks she watches intently, trying to sort out who will be the most useful and if there's anyone that seems better to avoid. She eventually makes her way to the last row of seats and slides into an empty spot. Just like she's been there the entire time. Which she has, just creepily distant from the rest of the group.

When it seems like everyone's settled down she figures it seems like a good time to speak up with the one question that hasn't been asked yet. Or at least, one she hasn't heard mentioned yet while she was paying attention.]

What about the people who aren't qualified for any of the work that's been mentioned? [Obviously this isn't in relation to her, she takes whatever job she wants regardless of experience or qualifications.]

How should we decide the best way to find a place for everyone to be productive? Do we even care if everyone carries their own weight?

[morphogenia]

[Kamala has been listening during the meeting. One because she's been waiting to see if anyone would try to take over. That's kind of historically how it goes down in high pressure situations like this. Two because everyone else seemed to be on the same page as her as far as realizing how likely it is a power hungry person may try to use the kidnapping to gain control over the other kidnappees.

Now seems like a great time to speak up though. Kamala rises to her feet and raises her hand politely. She's a tiny thing who looks even younger than she actually is, but how she carries herself makes up for it. Mostly.]

Okay so I'm a high school student. I'm on honor roll and all that, but I don't think that actually qualifies me for anything in real life yet much less a space kidnapping.

[She's determined to be useful though which becomes clear very quickly.] It does make me an excellent student so is there any job that really needs a helper you're willing to train? [She adds quickly since Alucard was kind enough to offer just that already to everyone. She doesn't want people to think she isn't paying attention.] One we really, really need like immediately. I want to be wherever I could be most useful.

[She adds more chipperly,] I can probably take more than one too! I have a lot of hobbies back home and I don't even have an incentive there to fill as many hours as possible. Seriously this whole situation is creepy so I could use the distraction. If I can spend seven hours mastering six different subjects five times a week, I can handle learning like two things for however long I'm awake every day.

[lssj]

[The funny thing about your entire culture revolving around being a FIGHTING WARRIOR RACE, being one of the few members of said race who's kind of shitty at it and hanging out with a bunch of delinquents who don't contribute to society is...no skills. No skills whatsoever.

Despite that, Kale's taken it upon herself to try and be a bit more proactive in putting herself out there. With Caulifla absent and her time here amounting to be a big old [undetermined], she can't exactly shy away the whole time.

Unfortunately, selling herself is not her strong point.]

I, um...[...very, very lengthy pause. Deep breath.] I don't...really have anything to offer. Um...I'm not all that good at anything and I'm kind of clumsy and I get in the way a lot...

[Another pause.]

But...I don't want to leave everything to everyone else here, either...I want to help. I just don't know what I'd be very helpful for.

As far as things go, I guess...I can fly. And I can lift heavy stuff. [Despite the fact her build would suggest she can't lift anything. But given she doesn't have much confidence in herself to begin with, she might be a fairly reliable gauge of her capabilities after all.] And...I'll do my best. I promise. I'll try not to get in the way.

a brief summary so far (& ryo's personal opinion)

[luciformis]

[ It isn't that there is no desire to speak on Ryo's end.

More, it is that he's inclined to first listen. As the Station's inhabitants file in and conduct themselves peaceably (in part), Ryo is quiet. He lingers at the edge of the group, not uncomfortable, but observant. His eyes follow those who speak with clear attentiveness, his expression placid — neutral. As the meeting progresses, he keeps a running, mental summary of current, persistent arguments. He notes those who wish to provide their services.

Once the meeting has reached a sufficient lull and Ryo felt as though he'd heard the majority, he takes to the format that was offered to begin with.

He lifts one, pale hand. ]

Thank you for coming here this evening, [ he begins, moving without trepidation to the front. His mouth bows into a small, pleasant smile. He's tall for his age — a slip of a thing, but his voice carries smooth and effortless. ] Your ability to discuss our shared issues with consideration and respect for your peers is admirable. I've been listening to your suggestions and your personal concerns. Like you, I too have my own thoughts and opinions on what we should do.

[ He presses his right hand to his chest. ]

I would like to offer my support for volunteers. At this stage, it's hard to know who among us we can trust. Without our usual tools to measure a person's capabilities, much more a mutual history, who can say we would have made the right decision on who we selected? Certainly, while elected individuals have betrayed many of us before, these stakes are unlike what many us of could have imagined.

[ He pauses, continues as he lifts his hand from his chest to make a small sweep of a gesture to the room before him. His eyes scan those gathered here, gaze steady and sure. ]

The situation is stressful and many of you have already felt its effects. Some have taken to filling positions already without due process, which has appeared to me as troubling. My hope here this evening was to come to a more unified agreement about can be done and formally present it. As I've seen, many of you share my perspective. I believe that between our offer to summarize what has occurred here and a show of mutual support, we can find a way to navigate what reality now has been thrust upon us.

These matters aside, I would also like to give my support for the training of inexperienced hands for possible, extended life on this station. While our volunteers may be numerous, their energies and efforts are not limitless. Having more individuals with the necessary skills needed to make our lives more comfortable would be of immeasurable benefit. For these reasons too, I believe it would be in our best interest to standardize this process. As many of you know, I've asked for what possible skills you felt you could offer your peers. This is easily extended beyond the document I will be soon be giving you all to a publicly accessible sign-up on the network. Or, for those who would feel more at ease, a physical roster where you are free to add and remove yourself at a centralized location.

[ Another, small smile catches at the corners of his lips. ]

Thank you again for all of your cooperation.

[ He inclines his head slightly, as much a seeming recognition for their time and attention as it is a signal he's finished. If he's permitted, he'll return to where he was originally seated. ]

[counterfeitheart]

Oh my god...

[Listening to him drone on and on, Kira gets a feeling, deep down in side. He's gotta stop this. 'This' being 'the most boring part of the meeting'.]

Boo! Get off the stage! [There isn't really a stage but that's not what matters.] You're so boring you put my boyfriend to sleep! [That's you, Alucard.] ...Now he does that from time to time, but I'm sure this time was because of how boring that was to listen to.

Anyway, I volunteer to give you literally any other hairstyle. A very generous offer for the whole station, I know.