103 | [Voice]

[with_discipline]

Shortly after I first arrived here, leaves began to fall on deck and demons boarded the ship. That was two years ago. Last year, leaves also fell. We visited Earth during the twenty-first century, in a city called Salem. Many of us purchased costumes there, and later found ourselves turned into what those costumes depicted.

Now it is October again, and the Barge has begun to corrode. Potentially familiar figures have appeared, but not contacted us. I'm reminded of the time we spent without the Admiral's attention. [Yeah remember that time we were dead in space. That time. :|]

This month culminates in a traditional, and very old holiday on Earth. Halloween. As I understand it, the purpose of this holiday is manifold: to obtain vast amounts of sweets, to scare as many people as possible, to experience fear in a relatively safe environment, to celebrate harvest, to mourn the departed, to hide from the departed. I understand very few of these, but there is a typical theme on the Barge of following Earth's holidays.

Two years ago, a demon pierced my hand with a spear. [...On a chain. Whatever. Details. :|] Last year, we were given a certain grace period, possibly due to the port in the abandoned mental health facility.

Our last port was in a 'fairy tale' environment. [I.e., we are due for some awful fucked up shit, guys.]

[Private to Kay]

How likely do you believe it is that these entities were former workers here?

[Private to Spock]

How have you been settling in? [She's absorbed small talk. Sorry you have to sit through it. :c]

[Private to Trip]

It may be prudent to begin carrying your phase pistol with you.

[Private to Slade]

Have you noticed anything that has gone unmentioned, about these entities or their sounds?

Comments

[Private]

[most_feared]

I think they might be.

I think they may also be a symptom of the Barge's deterioration more than anything responsible for it.

[Yay, Vulcans also deal with this shit entirely too well.]

[Private]

[with_discipline]

[It's maybe the cat-like-ness. Or something.]

Perhaps. Have you heard anything beyond your door at night? Footsteps, for example.

[Private]

[most_feared]

Barely. My door is pretty thick. Which is what makes it odd that I'd be hearin' 'em.

[Like they're specifically loud enough for him to make out.]

[Private]

[with_discipline]

You think we're intended to hear them?

[Private]

[most_feared]

I do. But last time when I turned on the camera on my door, it was dark and there was nothin' there.

[Meant to be Private but Accidentally Public]

[truth_is_cold]

What happened with the demons and the mental health facility? More specifically, I mean?

Re: [Meant to be Private but Accidentally Public]

[with_discipline]

Many experienced heightened emotions, particularly paranoia and fear: the entered through our mirrors, spoke with us, and eventually disappeared, not long after the end of the month.

As to the latter, several people fell overboard. The landing was very rough: I don't recall disembarking. As far as I recall, I - and all the wardens who recalled themselves - woke up in cells, far below the facility. Many of us suffered early nineteenth and twentieth century psychotherapy sessions.

[Meant to be Private but Accidentally Public]

[truth_is_cold]

That sounds unpleasant. [Understatement. He enjoys it.] So you believe this, whatever it will be, will be proportionate in damage?

...If that is the case, I would like to go with you to your universe very briefly, if permitted. I want to take something off the Barge before it has a chance to be corrupted. I would return to retrieve it once we've ascertained the cause of the events or they've gone through their full cycle.

[Meant to be Private but Accidentally Public]

[with_discipline]

It seems likely. There is some balance between floods and ports - and we have had no floods at all this month. Usually, there's one within the first week.

[Paaause hmm.] Of course. May I ask what it is?

[Meant to be Private but Accidentally Public]

[truth_is_cold]

That is true. Though there was also a quiet period before.

It's a DNA sample. I need to keep it secure until I finally do leave.

[una_persson]

If I follow your logic there, it sounds like we may be well and truly buggered this year.

[with_discipline]

Agreed. Halloween, like Christmas, has been a prevalent holiday on the Barge. Every year, something happens, and given the variables surrounding this year - and the state of the Barge itself, now - it's unlikely we have anything positive to look forward to.

[una_persson]

The question is, what do we do about it? Sit and wait for something to happen?

[with_discipline]

Preferably not, but we've proven incapable of influencing happenings on the boat. I'm curious when the Admiral was lat heard from.

[una_persson]

Good question. Certainly the last public announcement was at the end of the month, when pairings were announced.

I suppose we'll see what he does in three days.

[Private] lmao dat tag :c

[inhistorybooks]

You should probably think about doin' it too. To think I used to really kinda enjoy Halloween.

[Private] You're welcome. c:

[with_discipline]

Why? [You and your ghost stories, go find Travis, get him to scare you. PREFERABLE TO SPEAR THROUGH HAND SITUATIONS.]

[darknessb4me]

Hide from the departed?

[Attempted private, actually public:]

I'm... sorry how I treated you a few months ago after Palmer exorcised that thing from the ship.

[with_discipline]

[Pause. Paaaause.] The alterations to our identities are often complex and trying. Your apology is unnecessary. [But thank you, is what she means.]

[darknessb4me]

Thank you.

Do your... worlds have undead?

[with_discipline]

No. The dead do not return. [Even deals with the Admiral rewrite history.]

[private]

[frompurelogic.livejournal.com]

[Spock is so not good at this. Especially when it's someone like T'Pol, for whom he has a great deal of respect.]

Well. I find several aspects of this vessel fascinating, although many appear to defy analysis. It has been... a challenge.

[private]

[with_discipline]

To put it lightly. I believe as October draws to a close, we'll find it more and more difficult to explain the happenings on board.

As I understand it, the Science Directorate accepts time travel and the existence of parallel realities in your time?

[private]

[frompurelogic.livejournal.com]

There was little choice but to accept both as fact.

[And quick subject change.] I am finding it difficult to understand why the occurrences here are so easily accepted as... supernatural, for lack of a better term. Although I have grown accustomed to lapses of logical reasoning while serving aboard a Human ship, even one of my more irrational colleagues agrees that this behavior is peculiar.

I thought perhaps given the time you have spent here, you may have some insight.

[private]

[with_discipline]

[A pause, she's gotten so used to just going with it.] There is a human saying regarding the fact that all magic is simply science that has yet to be explained. I imagine that most simply find it easier to accept that understanding why we endure floods and the like is impossible.

I spent over a year studying the floods, attempting to understand their cause. It became a fruitless mission. We're simply unable to obtain the information required to prove that there is nothing supernatural at work.