un: aximili | voice [forward dated to 12/24 evening]

[canadese]

[For those uninitiated, suddenly experiencing thought-speak is probably pretty strange. It's sort-of-but-not-quite like telepathy, almost, and it's apparently coming out of your communicator. Weird!

The "voice," such as it is, sounds young, male, and somewhat wary.]

<Hello.

Does anyone here know what "protocol S-1704" is?>

Comments

[ouzel]

[ Cassian starts, coming to his feet suddenly and frowning at...nothing.

There's no one in the room.

Someone is speaking to him directly through his mind. ]

...no.

wuh oh

[canadese]

<Yes?>

[Sudden deja vu.]

LOL I MISREAD THE POST GO ME

[ouzel]

I don't know what that is.

[ He keeps his voice low because he is not going to lose his shit at the voice from the communicator sounding...so close. Hngh. ]

I didn't know these communicators broadcast voices like this.

[canadese]

[Sigh. This is what humans get for communicating in such inefficient ways.]

<It is how my species communicates. This is Captain Cassian Andor, isn't it?>

[ouzel]

...huh.

[ He'll just. Note that down, mentally, somewhere. ]

Yes. Is this Aximili?

[canadese]

<Yes, it's me. It was a surprise to me as well that these communicators can transmit thought-speech. In my experience it is usually beyond humanoid technology. Perhaps whoever designed this ship is used to more sensible methods of communication.>

[He definitely doesn't sound smug.]

[ouzel]

Alternatively, they were prepared because they knew someone was coming who could utilize that option on the device.

[ Someone doesn't buy the idea that they're here on accident. ]

What is protocol S-1704?

[canadese]

[Ax is inclined to agree. ...Though that particular angle hadn't occurred to him. He will have to shelve that alarming implication for later.]

<It's something I overheard just now from one of the staff. Whatever it is sounded urgent.>

[ouzel]

[ Cassian frowns alone, in a dark room. ]

Where were you? When you overheard this?

[canadese]

<The atrium. It was some kind of transmission that a staff member received.>

un: (´｡• ᵕ •｡`)

[straycloud]

That's a real problem.

1704? That's too many protocols. How could anyone remember them all to observe them?

( un: maine )

[rumbling]

[ He doesn't like this form of talking. It reminds him of things he doesn't want to be reminded of. ]

no.
who's asking? and why?

[canadese]

[u can't see him but he's rolling his eyes]

<It is probably a reference to a code rather than a numbered list.>

[canadese]

i am aximili esgarrouth isthill and it is something that i overheard in the atrium

[straycloud]

That seems almost as bad. If it's a code, you still have to memorize what the different parts mean, right?

[ Given how he's fussing, he absolutely deserves to be judged. ]

Ahhh, I hope there's not a test on things like this. Maybe someone would have a cheat sheet.

[canadese]

<If there is a test, it would have been as part of their own training. I doubt you would be expected to know it unless you are staff.>

[Which is the whole problem. Are you gonna be helpful or not???]

[straycloud]

Ha, that's a relief. That means we don't have to try to get anyone to share the answers.

[ He hums thoughtfully under his breath. ] Then again, it might be worth it just to be on the safe side. Pop quizzes are the worst.

[canadese]

[????????]

<I'm not asking because I'm worried about a test. It might concern the status of this ship.>

[straycloud]

The worst. [ He says it as if he'd received agreement. ] Some people like to share their notes freely, but most people don't. When I was still studying, sometimes thanking others in advance helped.

[canadese]

<If you are not actually going to listen to me I am going to turn this communicator off.>

[straycloud]

We should all be sure to listen carefully. That kind of test can be tricky.

[canadese]

[Never let it be sad Ax doesn't make good on his promises!!

Click.]

un: longshot

[andreios]

Never heard of it.

[ But now he's wary. Anything that starts with the term protocol never seems to end well. ]

You got a context for that?

[ouzel]

[ He wonders if he should get dressed and go see what's up. ]

What are they doing there?

[canadese]

<A transmission received by a staff member that I overheard in the atrium.>