The Ptolemy [Open/Safe Zone]

[indeliblepast]

Sumeragi was glad that despite it's outward appearance as a simple carrier, the Ptolemaios was, in fact, a war ship, and had both the physical and electronic defenses to match. It had taken an hour to dig up the hardcopies of the cryptographic verification scheme, another hour to actually run them and make sure VEDA hadn't been compromised by whatever had taken over everything else, and then another half an hour to get VEDA to verify the rest of the ship's systems. But they were safe.

The first thing she did after this was switch all the systems she could to manual access only, followed by locking down the bridge controls, the MS hangar, and the VEDA chamber. If she was going to invite strangers on board, she was going to be careful about it. But if the ship was clean, it would be safe - if it really came to it, they could try to cut their way out of the Hangar and drift in space until whatever this was cleared.

After a quick announcement on the comms about the ship's availability, she grabbed a rifle and went to go secure one of the airlocks, to let people in.

[Image refs: Exterior, Bridge, corridor 2, viewing room. No set layout to the ship!]

Comments

[a_mere_human]

He held out his gun, in an offering for her to take. She wanted to do more, right?

[dhianeila.livejournal.com]

For a brief moment she looked Setsuna in the eye before shaking her head, putting a hand up. "No ... no. I only meant ... the machines that this new AI had summoned. Because they're machines they cannot be reasoned with, and are simply controlled. And if this ... SHODAN possesses more that just a simply AI, there is no way I can tell, like this."

[a_mere_human]

He's quietly glad she refused, though his expression remains as neutral as always. He would have shot her had she went for the gun. Now, at least, he knows she's not a robot in disguise, or something.

"You've lost some of your... abilities." Superpowers. Or whatever she preferred to call them. He had seen mention of that on the comms, but didn't know how accurate that information was. now, at least, he had some level of verification.

...which also meant that he had finally breached that ten meter halo of hers.

...

He'll worry about why he bothered to notice something like that at some point later. Maybe. He checked the viewscreen near the airlock, and the cameras didn't show anyone else in the hangar at the moment. He could take something of a break, he supposed.

"Princess Dhianelia Y Lieshia Altoria Ol Yunos, follow me." He can at least escort her to one of the conference rooms and see what she knows about the situation so far.

[dhianeila.livejournal.com]

"Yes."

With a nod, she moved to follow Setsuna closely. Though her eyes kept wandering, when they chance passed other viewscreens.

[a_mere_human]

He briefly glanced back at her as they walked, but shoved whatever he was thinking off to the side and kept his eyes straight ahead.

The Ptolemy's corridors all looked the same, though having lived on the ship as long as he had, Setsuna wasn't about to get lost. The ship was designed with function in mind over aesthetics, giving it a somewhat sterile and lifeless feel, though that always suited him just fine. Even the conference room they arrived at was just four plain walls, a metal table, two benches.

He motioned for her to sit.

"What else can you tell me about the situation on the rest of the ship?"

[dhianeila.livejournal.com]

And sit she did, exhaling softly as she put together words in her mind. It was strange, not hearing anything but her own thoughts inside her head. Even when she was far enough away from people to not hear their thoughts, she could feel their emotions instead. She couldn't even do that at the moment, which felt so odd when she looked up at Setsuna.

"It's not much different from here. The places that are safe for the time being, anyway. Everybody is doing their best to keep those looking for refuge safe. As for everywhere else..." She trailed off, recalling some of the things she'd seen during her movements. "There is a lot of damage from the fighting. These machines that SHODAN has released appear to be very strong. And uncaring to the environments around them. Those who are trying to stop them are all doing their best. I hope ... I hope they're all okay."

[a_mere_human]

Sorry, princess, you're going to have to learn how to read his stonefaced expressions if you want to know what he's feeling. Though, truthfully, even Setsuna wasn't entirely sure what he was feeling right now. Though mostly he was focusing on the more strategic aspect of what she was saying.

"So SHODAN's machines have control over most of the ship." Less of a question and more of an extrapolation, really. But if they were going to intervene, they'd have to be careful about it.

"And what do you intend to do now?"

[dhianeila.livejournal.com]

"When the attacks began, I moved to make sure that those looking for refuge found it. I wish to make sure that there is nobody still in danger, but it is ... difficult to know where the crew members who may be hiding are, like this." She looked to the side. It felt so strange, being unable to sense other near her. While many people might have assumed it was a good thing in some ways, to Dhianeila the bad outweighed the good. Especially in the situation they were in.

[a_mere_human]

Setsuna regarded her in that way of his, like he was still trying to see through all the layers of her personality.

"You'll remain here, for the time being." It wasn't a suggestion, so much as a decision that was made. He had a feeling that, if given the opportunity, she would go back out and look for whomever else she could, something that would get her killed.

"The communications system still works. You can use it to check on everyone else."