voidtreckernet | symphony 18, morning [video]

[ It's Kaiba checking in from the games car, lower level. The game boxes are neatly stacked once more, he has one of the VR sets in hand, and he's...smiling? Huh. ]

Morning. I hope everyone found their broccoli quiche edible today. If it wasn't...well, kitchen's open, you can always cook for yourself.

But I'm not here to talk about cooking duty. I wanted to bring up something else...did you notice the arrivals two days ago? That more of our older crew members returned than usual? Welcome back, by the way. I know this isn't likely where you want to be, but. It's good to see you, I worried you were all drifting loose out there.

Some of you are newer and might not know what I'm talking about, so to sum up quickly: our souls, or life essences, or some equivalent, are tethered to this train, and that's why we can't leave until that tether is severed. We still don't know what causes specific tethers to weaken, but when they do...that's what causes people to leave through the gates at the platform. We learned recently that when people leave, their tethers are still there...just weak, and no one who leaves and returns remembers anything between leaving and coming back.

Except this: my friend Daia on Orange was one of the returning crew members this time. When we met again, he told me he remembered hearing my voice, and he was able to repeat a message I sent him through the void some time ago. And the meditation techniques we recently learned on the void base to try to reach the people at the ends of the weakened tethers relied on emotional connections, right?

My point is this: it's working. We can reach the rest of the crew, and we probably won't get them all back, but it's definitely worth keeping up the effort. I'm going to keep meditating in the rock garden car, and if anyone wants to join me, or learn the technique...I'm probably not the teacher you want, but I can do it if needed.

And if you have any questions about any of this, ask. I know it's a lot to take in.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I mediated with that stone in the greenhouse.

[ Given that he was reaching out for Persephone, that seemed the better area. ]

Did it every day since we left the station, and now Persephone's back.

I saw. I'm happy for you.

There's still a long list of people I haven't found, but...our searching means something. I'll keep going.

I'm... I'm going to try and search for Otoha, Yondu, and Soldat. Each of them have a keepsake I made, which gives me more to search with.

[ In a sense, they have a piece of Thanatos with them. ]

I helped look for Yondu when we were back on the base. I'll try again. And...that's a good idea, I'll go through some of my gifts. They might be useful as anchors.

And I think we had more memorial stones for some of the other lost crew somewhere?

People left letters and origami in the garden. There is also the memorial stone there if anyone carved more names on it.

[ Thanatos never did. He did leave some pieces of origami for some of the people who had left until Persephone. His encounter with Zetta stopped him from continuing, and he didn't attempt to even after deciding to search the Void.

However, soon after giving that message, Thanatos shifts into the game car where Kaiba is. He is unannounced beyond the bell toil and lights momentarily taking more of an eerie green hue. In his hands are a few jewelry pieces from the art carriage, findings that Thanatos had donated a platform earlier. They are just pieces and not an actual keepsake. ]

These are similar materials to Yondu's keepsake. There's no power of mine within them, but his keepsake was to help locate who he wanted to find. If you have them, maybe it'll help you do the same.

[ Although... if Kaiba continues stressing that he wants to find people... maybe Thanatos could try making a copy of Yondu's keepsake for Kaiba to use. And keep. ]

[ Whoa, there's a sudden Thanatos. Kaiba startles a little, but quickly recovers enough to regain his professional facial expression. He gently offers his hands to take them. ]

If it's connected to something he liked...I knew of Otoha and Soldat too, though not as well. I'll remember to keep my focus on them.

I'm not sure yet how or why this works. I know you and a few others were strongly focused on Persephone...but there aren't that many people left who still remember Daia. It might be strength of feeling, not numbers.

[ Thanatos drops the crystal and golden finding into Kaiba's hands. ]

I don't know Daia, but you might be right. The stronger the bonds, the more likely they can be found and retethered.

Do you think Daia searched for you in the Void?

[ Not remembering doesn't mean it didn't happen. ]

...you think he could have?

[ He takes a sharp breath. ]

It's possible. Maybe reaching out makes it easier for them to find us. I'm sure Persephone knew you well enough to find you.

You said Daia heard you. Might not remember anything else about being in the Void, but Daia held onto that.

[ It's enough of a reach back for Thanatos. If they normally retain no memory between the platforms, retaining anything is significant because it gives more importance to the fact. ]

She claimed me as one of her people. That is not something Death takes lightly.

[ Even if it sounds impossible given their circumstances. ]

Wait. So you're saying that those who leave are just floating out there?

[He had always assumed that those who left were simply returned from where they came. But then again, being newer as he was, he was never quite sure. He remembered hearing as certain bratty teenager with dog ears mentioning people floating out 'in between' before but, he just assumed that was a one time thing.]

And we never fully lose our tether?

[He wasn't sure how he actually felt about all this.]

[ Kaiba's expression softens a little at the sight of a newcomer. It's a lot to take in. He'll explain as best he can. ]

As far as we know. They're unconscious and unaware of anything, as if they just went to sleep between the time they left and the time they board again. So far, everyone who's left has a tether still there...it's just very weak. So we can use that to find them again.

But I believe there is a way to get them home at the end of all this. Tethers can be properly disconnected so people can return, as far as I know, we just haven't solved that problem yet.

[He's not used to it. That sight of compassionate pity. He had faced it plenty of times in his life but he never knew how to deal with it.

Really it only reminded him how little of this whole situation he really knew.]

You sound pretty optimistic.

[That was something he saw a lot of so far by those others who inhabited the Voidtrecker.]

I spoke to one other who said they thought it was possible, not just for those who left, but for us as well. What makes you so sure?

[ Kaiba laughs at himself little. Him, optimistic...that would've been ludicrous a year ago. But he's a changed man. ]

Because I've heard of other voidcraft being able to detach tethers and send people home. And some of us actually participated in sending untethered people home, a while ago.

And I'm not going to stop searching until it's possible, or I'm dead. Too many of us have lives we need to go back to---but for those who can't go back, the train offered to let them stay too. We just need to get a handle on this tether situation.

Interesting. So you've actually encountered situations where it's happened before.

[How interesting. At least, it was most certainly different from the others he had spoken two who had responded with similar optimism.]

Those who chose to leave, once they lose their tether would they no longer be able to return?

[Just asking, you know, for reasons]

...that I don't know. I personally believe it'd be possible for a voidcraft to find you again through navigation, but I'd ask before disconnecting. And I'll keep researching this.

... I see.

[Ah. Yeah. He did not like the uncertainty of that answer. It left him with the same empty feeling most other responses to his inquiries on the Voidtrecker had.

Still, at least there was some certainty now.]

I appreciate the work you're willing to put in for such an answer. If...

[Gods, he can't believe he's actually doing this.]

If you ever need any help, whether in research or physical inquiry, I'm willing to help.

[A true miracle has occurred today.]

symphony 18, morning [video]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

video to action because Thanatos is just like that

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject