video; 01/04

[keelahselai]

[It's basically the middle of the night cycle when you might notice - or be woken up by - the sound of the engines starting to fade down to almost nothing. Machinery usually powerful enough to reverberate - albeit very softly - throughout the ship goes still. It's just about completely silent when the MID broadcast goes out.

Tali's isn't a face - or mask, right now - that's seen on the network much, but here she is anyway. There's a slight air to her of having prepared this in her head.]

If you just noticed the engines shutting down, don't be alarmed. They're just in standby so I can do some maintenance. [Her eyes are only just visible as glowing points behind the opaque visor, but her whole head moves to pay attention to something below the MID - and there's the sound of her keying in commands one-handed.] I'd like to tell you it's routine maintenance, but tiny bots eating into the manifolds isn't routine in most places I've been.

It'll be done in a couple of hours. [...Pause.] I don't think I need to tell you that life support's still running... Do I?

[Well, she just did. She's about to sign off when--] Oh! Almost forgot.

I asked the captains a while back if I could start doing some research into the Ingress. How it works, what's wrong with it... Anything we can use, anything that might help us repair it, or...or something. [This is clearly not rehearsed.]

It'll be slower work on my own, so I'd really appreciate some help looking into it - and anybody who works with the Ingress probably knows it better than I do right now, too.

Let me know.

Comments

[hyperkinesia]

[ Bruce can't lie to himself, some memories of his time in the Moira he could've gone without. But if he could choose between keeping them all or none whatsoever, he would gladly go with the former. He's lived with plenty awful memories so far, he'll keep on doing the same now. Even if that means waking up from a nightmare about people screaming and running, visions of blood and imploding planets that keep him from falling back asleep. So long as it comes with the good things too, he'll manage. ]

There's plenty of ways it could go worse. [ Wow Bruce, optimistic to the last. ] But I know what you mean. On both counts. Nothing wrong with thinking about things, but sometimes you just need to tune off.

[ Bruce understands that better than anyone, really. As she likely knows at this point. ]

[keelahselai]

I try not to think about all the specific ways. [That's a lie.]... Too much.

I wish I could just zone out and...do something that wasn't working and sleeping, though. My whole life feels like it's just...putting a bad patch over a hull breach and hoping for the best.

[For a moment, she sounds exhausted, then shakes her head.] Sorry. I don't mean to keep unloading everything on you. [She grins, forcing it into her voice.] I don't plan this, I promise.

[hyperkinesia]

No, it's fine. [ He smiles and shakes his head. ] It's a good way to put it. Putting a bad patch over a hull breach. I can relate to that, believe me.

[ She knows, he's pretty sure of that. And he doesn't mind the topic, doesn't mind if she unloads everything on him. If it makes her feel better, then it's something. Even if he's not really a therapist, so there's only so much he can do to help. (And at least she's not as long-winded as Tony, so there's that.) ]

Why don't you take up a hobby? I know there's only so much you can choose from on board this ship, but you should have a few options. And you can always pick up new things from planets we visit. Like games, that sort of thing.