meditatio unum | video

[realimperfect]

The video feed begins in a rather dark room, the ship dark because, as a passing clock reveals, it is nearly 2 AM in the ship's day cycle. The girl in the picture is pale - so luminously pale, in fact, that the light source she does find to light this little feed makes her dark attire and blue eye shadow make her look a little... well, ghostly. She is illuminated by only the blue-ish glow of the light from outside and the faint nightlighting in the room, face glowing white in the enveloping blackness behind her. Thoughts run wild, now that they were orbiting the planet that they were meant to set foot on, now that she could see it and -

It brings a strange sense of wonder, but not in the way that a child plays with a new toy, or how she had looked at the stars outside of the ship the first time she'd crossed paths with a window. No, it's the deep kind of contemplation that comes with an almost nervous energy that kept her up and pacing well past the time she probably should have laid her head down to sleep, considering she had no idea what the coming days would bring. A manicured thumb nail reaches her mouth, though she doesn't begin to chew it, seemingly chewing ideas more than anything else.

"Seeing the view of this planet makes me wonder what my own looked like from orbit - what.. the people who were dropping back to Earth after thousands of years saw all that time that they were living in space, completely separate from the rest of us in our domes actually on Earth." She looks to the camera for a moment, and then away, before speaking again, just a little.. lower. More thoughtfully.

"Did they view it as something they would have to conquer, in their own way, as we're looking at this planet? Or was it more like a homecoming if your home had been left to gather dark and dust for years with no one caring for it? I imagine the latter, since humankind had been on Earth long before space... But then, what are we to this planet in particular?

"I remember a certain quote from Newton that said 'Thus this Earth resembles a great animall or rather inanimate vegetable, draws in æthereall breath for its dayly refreshment & vitall ferment & transpires again with gross exhalations, And according to the condition of all other things living ought to have its times of beginning youth, old age, & perishing.' 

"So.. what happens if we land on this planet and find it's inhabitants much more worthy of working with than stealing from? Or exactly the opposite? Could we be the ones that bring old age and perishing, depending on what is already occurring there? 

"Or am I just debating too fiercely with myself over something that isn't an issue? I'm sure Daedalus would tell me as much." 

That seems to be all she has to say for the moment, contemplating quietly for a moment before cutting the feed without as much as a goodbye. 

(OOC : Feel free to use brackets or whatever to reply - this one just kind of... came out this way and I wasn't in the mood to transfer it to bracketing. :) ) 

Comments

[ouzel]

You could always tell them you would rather not participate. I don't think they'll retaliate as a result.

[realimperfect]

There is also that problem. But I think I will stay on the mission. It may mean I have a few alien prices on my head but, it is what it is. I've made a commitment and, let's be frank, I'm very curious about alien planets. We'll just hope that this relic is something like a special gem or something..

Who knows what aliens idealize anyway.

[ouzel]

Probably similar things to anyone else. Items of historical or cultural importance. Things that are rare and hard to find. But what does this ship need with any of that?

There may be alien prices on all our heads by the time this is done.

[realimperfect]

I would assume that it's not something that would just sit around and look good, that's for sure. Perhaps a fuel source or... life source of some kind. I suppose we'll find out when we get our hands on it, but I doubt in a space ship they're looking for something like a shelf decoration.

And justly so, I suppose.

[ouzel]

There's always the chance that we are simply agents for causing more strife between the parties by 'rescuing' this artifact from where it belongs. That's the trouble with not having enough information for the bigger picture.

[realimperfect]

Of course there is. However, playing the part until there is hard evidence either way would be more advantageous.

[ouzel]

True.

What's your name?

[realimperfect]

Re-L Mayer.

And you?

[ouzel]

Cassian Andor.

[realimperfect]

Cassian- easy enough to remember. Do you know anyone else on the teams?

[ouzel]

Kay and I have known each other for over ten years.

[realimperfect]

I have to admit I've been very curious about him. He seems like a more.. rudimentary, I guess would be the term, version of my entourage Iggy. We'd been together for close to sixteen years before he was.. put out of commission would be the easiest terms.

[ouzel]

Feel free to ask him questions; I won't promise his responses will be polite but they will be honest.

[realimperfect]

I never programmed Iggy to be polite either .. I enjoy the kinds of things processors can come up with in a sarcastic tone of voice.