054 ☣ save our ship

[fridgetothefire]

[Warden Filter]

I have a proposal I'd like everyone to listen to.

I know the Admiral is being an unbearably condescending inscrutable prick about this. But I honestly believe him when he says he doesn't have the strength to fix our ship and chase down that other one. He's too proud to claim that kind of incompetence if it weren't true, and you can hear how aggravated he is. It's why he's being extra dickish at the moment.

So we need to hold it together, if we ever want to see our friends again, if we want not to be siphoned away until the floors start going dark and airless like they were over there a few months ago. I need to hold it together. And I need help.

Volunteers are welcome, of course, and anyone who has any experience in carpentry or plastering to help with training others would be even more appreciated. But frankly we also need you all doing your own jobs and watching out for the inmates, and they could stand to have a little less free time to cause mischief in.

So. I'd like to formally request that upper-deck privileges be restricted. No pub, no CES, no CTS, and no firing range access for any inmates who don't complete, let's say, fourteen hours of maintenance service a week, to my satisfaction, or that of a deputy, with no sabotage or dawdling. Fewer hours for inmates already performing other work details, I'm open to numerical suggestions.

All of those locations are privileges, and always have been despite how casual we are about them, and the chapel and greenhouse are still available to inmates who are unwilling or unable to work but who need some mental respite. I'll make an announcement to the inmates soon and maintain a list of everyone in good standing if you all agree.

I realize this is probably hopeless. I need unanimous cooperation. Even one of you with an item can scuttle it. If you have doubts about whether we should do this, or how, or why, please talk to me.

For those of you who were inmates on the other ship, who are wardens here, listening to this - I know it sounds like I'm asking you to help us take you back to hell, but I swear I'm not. Iris - you don't know her, but she's a version of Bianca who never went cruel or possessive. She's exuberant and dauntless and compassionate and amazing, and she's over there right now suborning that ship with nanites that can affect the barge substance on a fundamental level, that transformed this one almost completely. There's hope for unmaking that place, without abandoning the innocents there, yours or ours. But not if we disintegrate and give that place all our strength to fight her assault.

You can hear this because you're all good people, whatever you've done, however you've struggled. Please help me.

...and if you could all respond, at least in acknowledgement, that will let us know if we have anyone posing as a warden now who isn't one.

Comments

[sickjoke]

I'm on board. Vergil will cooperate if he wants to keep his supply of entertainment, and I can bring Derek on board easily enough. I'm stepping up to say I'm taking over for his wardening at the moment since Megamind is... indisposed.

We have one other minor problem -- someone needs to take Arthas in hand, fast. He's already made a play to contain Bianca, and while I understand his fear, we don't have the time, energy or resources to give to managing the full warden watch rota on Zero. It needs to be, at this point, for violent offenders.

This isn't to say Bianca's not pulling some strings. She is. She played him -- and me -- like a violin. So I need to ask she get a firm, prepared warden who can handle her.

[fridgetothefire]

I can handle Arthas.

[Period.]

I don't need any inmates forced into this. If they're genuinely resistant, they'll only cause trouble and slow things down. But if you're will to help me enforce those terms, I'm grateful.

[heisrisen]

I can look after Bianca. Unlike people from your side, I actually know her.

[He doesn't really want to do this. But. He can, and it needs to be done.]

[lastincident]

I can assist in whatever way I can; I'm not sure of where we stand on infirmary staff, but I can certainly pick up for taking over an inmate who isn't paired at the moment and making sure they're seen to.

[fridgetothefire]

As long as you don't help anyone cheat, that's enough for me. You're doing important work where you are.

[shakenandlimp]

I think young Mister Dillon will agree.

[fridgetothefire]

Oh - is he - damn.

Well, if he can be persuaded, he did a fair amount of good bolstering the other one, at least he knows how it goes by now.

[whatthewrackspurt]

Could magic help?

[fridgetothefire]

I suspect it can, one way or another.

When are you free? My office is on level 7, I need an idea of what kind of magic you can do.

[americasdirtiest]

You really mean that? We help out here and you can change our ship?

[fridgetothefire]

Nothing's certain. I hate to say that but it's true, I won't pretend otherwise.

But your barge is vulnerable. To this. I think we can do it.

[400yearsofsurvival]

If it means being rid of that nightmare and helping you guys? You have my word.

[fridgetothefire]

Thank you.

[deshabille]

I can be wherever you need me whenever you need me.

[fridgetothefire]

Probably most training, at first, depending on how many people we get.

It's good to have you back.

If you start having spells again as we approach, let me know, okay?

[patheticvillain]

I, uh. Don't think I can make Anita do anything she doesn't want to do right now. But I can keep her in restricted areas. [Probably.]

[mistconduct]

We can dogpile on her now that Slevin's gone.


...But in a way that sounds way less filthy.

[indispensible]

Understood. Do you need a guard?

[fridgetothefire]

I hope not. It's not actually in the mirror warden's interests to sabotage this, but there's never any guarantee they'll be rational.

It would be good to have you on site. And if you're willing, strength and speed would be just as useful for building.

[Thanks to Ben's volunteer work after the carnival, she has an idea how to use that well. Want to do helpful mistborn things that don't involve killing?]

[bodilesswarrior]

[Barbara's smile is worn and strained, but profoundly approving.]

All sounds reasonable to me.

I'm not a master carpenter, but I know my way around a buzz saw. I could oversee some people.

[fridgetothefire]

I'm going to need good overseers.

[Good, here, meaning - won't let anyone get away with anything, can get things done. Anya's gratitude is profound and obvious. She trusts Babs to do that more than almost anyone.]

[youwillgotohell]

I don't have an inmate, but--

[She's a little torn; this is the sort of thing that would have riled her as an inmate, the sort of thing that would have infuriated her - but there is a big picture. She nods.]

I won't let anyone above deck that shouldn't be there.

[fridgetothefire]

Thank you.

[She knows.]

Will you - help talk to them? I want us to help them while they're here, if we can. But I'm going to be tyrant's lackey.

[That's what they'll see. That's acceptable, as long as the work gets done.]

[youwill]

I have no desire to return to that ship.

But I will not strand those who do not know it there.

You have my assistance.

[fridgetothefire]

Thank you.

I promise, we'll do everything we can not to abandon you or the others. We've been doing this - over and over, with no information and rarely our own heads. But we're finally starting to understand what's happening.

[Which means they can change it.]

[godsays]

Sylvanas is... very difficult to force to do anything.

So I'll promise for anyone that isn't her.

[fridgetothefire]

I don't want force.

She can choose to forgo the CES. She's stubborn. I imagine she will.

I know usually we use these amenities to help people, small-scale. I know you want to do that for her. But she is single-minded and bitter and petty, and if she can skirt the system, I wouldn't put it past her to derisively announce it and encourage everyone else to strike.

All I need is for you not to let her upstairs.

[twin_guns]

I don't have an inmate to look after - 'cept my brother, but I'm all green lights for keeping the peace. I'll help ya where I can.

[fridgetothefire]

[She almost wants to launch into something, advice about family sometimes being too close, too personal - but she has enough on her plate, she really does.]

No family favors?

[A little wry, but the question is dead serious.]

Thank you.

[notgonnabeopencasket]

Whatever's needed, I'm willing to chip in. Don't have much experience with carpentry myself but if you want someone to help make sure all these people are getting their hours in, I can supervise.

[fridgetothefire]

We'll need that, thank you. And we have people who teach, if you're willing to learn. The walls are simpler than - building a chair, say.

[punched_hitler]

I agree with the rest of it - but Anya. You were right the first time.

We need to hold it together. This isn't on just you.

Let me know if there's anything else I can do.

[Because he feels a little helpless, on this one, and that's pretty much exactly the opposite of what he likes.]

[fridgetothefire]

I'm right every time.

[The smile is a little shaky, but. Fake it till you make it.]

You were good last time. I'll pencil you in to train people.

[strangehistorian]

I'm here! I haven't heard from Touko yet, though, which concerns me. I will let you know.

[fridgetothefire]

[A little frown.]

Please, yeah. I - I hope she's okay.

[Private]

Do you...think this is a good idea? Like. Workable. Short term.

[myresponsibility]

Send the big guns my way, I can handle them.

[He doesn't really sound like the same teenager who said stuff like that before, though. He still sounds tired, and old, but there's a little more resolve and a lot less depression, so that's progress.]

Are you okay?

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[fridgetothefire]

[A little breath of relief, even though she already knew he was himself, that he's here, that he's with her, that the understood offer is explicit, confirmed, spoken.]

Yeah. Good. I don't know what I'd fucking do without you, you know that?

[And she hasn't quite got to choked, but her voice is rough, heavy. She blinks fast, looks down, hands clenched tight.]

No. I'm not okay.

[notdreaming]

You have my help with anything you need.

[fridgetothefire]

I'm going to want you scanning and burning again - making sure we get all the rot out. It's pretty clear it doesn't need a remnant to reestablish itself, but if we're going to do this, we're damn well not going to be sloppy about it.

[interns]

[ Gwen nodnodnods along to all of this, even though it's just making her think, over and over, that she has to find Mason, see if he's still- Mason, or if he's been swapped out too. and if that's the case, she's going to do everything in her power to get him back here where he belongs. her stomach is kind of twisting up at the idea of him being over there with people who- yeah. no. not okay. ]

I'm with you on this. I still have to get in contact with my Inmate, but I'll be sure he complies.

[fridgetothefire]

Thanks, Gwen.

But it's not just him. It's - friends, inversions of friends, anybody asking please just this one favor. No - runarounds, you know?

Like, I don't think you would. But I need everybody to be clear on it.

[They need a united front. Or close enough to pass for it.]

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[seizurings]

I can help. I don't have an inmate right now. [Which is probably for the best with everything going on...] So I can be wherever you need me.

[Look, she's helping - because if she's learned anything in the past few days, it's that the mirrors - her mirror included - were incredibly bad. Some of them worse than the alphas.

She could try and help fix it. She was capable - far more so than she'd been before. She could do something.]

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[fridgetothefire]

You ever done anything with drywall before?

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[flashin]

[Okay, here goes nothing. If he looks and sounds a little hesitant its because, well, he is. This is the first time he's thinking of spilling his secret ID, and as much as it's needed it's... still hard to do.]

How much work do you need done and how much time do you need it done in?

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[fridgetothefire]

You've seen the ship, right?