Day 11, Morning, Open

[resnipstance]

Who: y'all
When: Early on Day 11, as everyone's still getting breakfast
Where: Around... idk the communal campfire...??
What:

[Ahsoka bangs on a piece of scrap metal until it seems like she has most people's attention.]

Hello? Hey? Is this everyone?

... I'm sorry to be all business so early in the morning, but this is important. I know some of you have already noticed, but... by my count, five of our original number are missing.

If it were just one or two people, I'd be inclined to write it off. But five is more concerning. Especially when the cases all seem to be identical. In each case, as far as I can tell, we don't have any record of the people concerned saying that they were going off on their own somewhere, and nobody saw them go. If anyone else has any information to the contrary, please speak up.

Of course, there are plenty of logical explanations, but I think we should start taking precautions so this doesn't become a pattern. This might be an unpopular suggestion, but I think we should discuss setting some ground rules that we all agree on. Such as nobody goes off on their own without at least one other person with them, and when you do leave to go somewhere, you tell someone else and leave a record of it-- the direction we're going, how long we plan to be away, that sort of thing. Maybe we could set up a log book.

... I also think it might be worthwhile instituting a daily headcount in the morning and in the evening. That way if anyone else does go missing, we'll know sooner rather than later, which gives us at least a chance of tracking them. Prints disappear quickly here, so by the time each person's disappearance was noticed, it was too late to find anything to track.

What does everyone else think?

Comments

[resnipstance]

I don't know. That's the problem. We just don't have enough information.

All the cases are exactly the same: nobody noticed them gone until after a day or so had passed, so there wasn't anything left to track. None of the missing people informed anyone that they were going anywhere, as far as I'm aware.

[anewhope]

I haven't heard anything. Or felt anything to indicate that they left. Or worse.

[ Because the worst has to be considered but Clark doesn't believe it can happen without a trace. ]

[resnipstance]

[She hesitates.]

... In ... at least one of the cases, I have to assume that he's either dead or no longer on the planet. If he were still here and alive, I'd be able to sense him.

[anewhope]

[ That helps. Clark didn't need the guilt of knowing he failed someone. ]

Then I don't think they left willingly. They must have been picked up somehow.

[resnipstance]

You'd think so, wouldn't you?

But then again-- if that were the case, you'd also think one of us would spot a craft approaching. It's not exactly like the landscape or the sky here is dotted with possibilities, you know?

[anewhope]

[ He shakes his head. ]

We're working with the confines of what we know. But everything about this — how we came to be here, the places we come from and the disparities between them . . . is it so surprising that we wouldn't see them?

[resnipstance]

[She folds her arms.]

I guess they could have some kind of cloaking device. But I don't get it. Why all the secrecy?

[anewhope]

Why not?

We don't know what they want or why we're here. Nothing about their motives are clear.

[resnipstance]

Argh, I know! I mean-- why dump us here and then take us away again, for that matter? Nothing makes any sense!

[anewhope]

[ Clark remains calm in the face of her frustration. ]

Not to us. At least not yet. But we'll find the truth.

[resnipstance]

[honestly clark you would make a good jedi]

... Hopefully sooner rather than later.

[anewhope]

[ Clark nods, his tone gentle. ]

As long as we have hope, we'll get there.

[resnipstance]

[A sigh.]

... Hope is important. But I'd rather have results and progress.

What do you think about the idea of having someone on watch at night? We've been assuming that we're alone out here. But if we aren't, that makes it pretty dangerous for all of us to sleep at the same time.

[anewhope]

[ He considers this. He doesn't think they're alone out here. ]

It would certainly make things safer. And it gives some of the people who are less battle-ready some security.

[resnipstance]

[Ahsoka nods.]

I'll put up a roster for people to sign up.

Four two-hour watches?

[anewhope]

[ He absorbs that steadily before replying in his steady cadence. ]

That seems fair. It'll take the edge off.

[resnipstance]

Preferably in pairs.

It helps with staying awake.

[anewhope]

[ He smiles. ]

I think everyone is open to getting enough sleep and being safe.

[resnipstance]

[Ahsoka smiles back with good humour.]

I'll say.

I never thought I'd say this, but... I miss caf.

[anewhope]

Caf? . . . Oh, right, caffeine.

[ Clark doesn't generally drink much of that, though he enjoys a cup or two. It doesn't do anything for him after all. ]

I imagine there are a lot of things people miss.

[resnipstance]

... I don't miss that much, honestly. Food is the main thing.

But that one surprised me.

[anewhope]

Why?

[ It seems normal. Granted, Clark hasn't had time to sit down and think about it. There's too much grief to fully process. ]

[resnipstance]

I think it was one of those things I just took for granted. I never really thought about it that much until-- suddenly, it's gone.

[anewhope]

Isn't that how it always is?

Still . . . I don't think that means it's gone. It may be out of sight for a while, but it'll come back.

[resnipstance]

[That makes her think about the Order-- there one day, gone the next.]

... I suppose it is.

[anewhope]

[ He looks away. ]

There's more than one way to keep it alive.

[resnipstance]

[She gives him a long look, then.]

... Are we still talking about caf?

[anewhope]

[ He smiles faintly with a shrug. ]

Caf is very important to some people.