On the Prowl

[beholding_archivist]

WHO: Jon & OTA
WHERE: Around the Agrii Ship
WHAT: The Archivist is hungry and prowling an alien space ship on the hunt for wild tape recorders and your fear
WHEN: Late September
WARNINGS: None yet.

Ever since the Agrii have been rescued and the Graq returned to their own home planet, things have calmed down more or less around the large ship the Agrii have been staying on and that is still on its way back to Agra 10, where, in all likelihood, they are expected to resume their rebuilding efforts.

And yet way too many questions remain, at least for Jon. The Archivist has spent a lot of time asking their alien captors all sorts of questions and not always has received satisfying answers. But as the weeks pass by and he finds fewer things to ask, Jon’s curiosity is slowly replaced by something equally nagging: Hunger.

It’s not an unfamiliar feeling for Jon, though it’s also not one he finds himself entirely able to ignore. He has lost enough weight as it is and while the turtlenecked poncho-like piece of clothing he has picked up on their brief stop and has come to wear around the ship to feel less cold makes these things less obvious, Jon at least remains aware that it’s not entirely healthy.

And so he is wandering the large ship, eyes and ears open for the familiar sight of an outdated tape recorder or the unmistakable whirring noise of one.

A - Mess Hall

The mess hall is a place for food, right. Not quite the food Jon consumes anymore, but he has tried a few of the offered items - Only to be met with an atrocious taste.

Though the mess hall is also a place where people met. And talked about stuff. So chances are that one of those curious recorders might be around, quietly recording away one conversation or another. Which means Jon is more or less prowling around between the tables, head cranes forward to peek under the various tables and benches and counters.

“Excuse me...” He mutters distractedly while moving past someone with their tray of food.

B - Medbay

Another place Jon suspects, or at least hopes, to find a recorder in is the medbay. It may not be as much of a social place as the mess hall, but people still pretty much talk in there. And that’s not rarely important talk. And probably quite to the liking of those curious little devices.

So he pushes the door open cautiously and peaks as well as listens around for a moment before stepping inside and into the center of the room, simply letting out a sigh at the lacking presence of a tape recorder.

C - Engine Room

The engine room is an unusual place for the Archivist to show up in, and it’s not entirely intentional to begin with. He just finds himself wandering in, then notices the large core set in the middle of the large room and stops short, staring for a couple of moments in blinking silence.

“.....Jesus Christ.” Is all he utters before slowly backing towards the exit again.

D - Anywhere Else?

[[ Basically your wildcard if you want to hit me up on Plurk or Discord. ]]

Comments

[in_extremis]

This whole video thing was feeling incredibly unsuccessful by the minute, making Tony watch Jon as he spoke with a frown of concern and drop his hand down Jon's back to rub between his shoulders again. "Or you're just an inspiring presence," he tried to smirk, and made it mostly to self-deprecating. It had to be addressed, because Tony's fix wasn't working out yet, and Tony looked respectfully away as though there was something very interesting on the screen to consider as he said, "I know you're not going to outright ask, and I get why, and I don't want to put you on the spot. And, listen, we're talking about a finite source here. My life might make a very interesting soap opera, but I don't know how much of it is going to work for your thing, so--so this isn't a solution. But..." He opened his free hand again, welcoming the interpretation.

[beholding_archivist]

As reassuring as the touch to his back may be, it's Tony's words that make Jon frown and blink twice before casting a look over to the other man, grimacing ever so slightly. He then straightens his face again and takes a deep breath before turning towards Tony and reaching for his free hand with one of his own. "I am not going to consider that, Tony, but... Thanks." And it's with the softest smile that he gives Tony's hand a gentle squeeze. "I will keep looking for a recorder. Maybe you find one? I- I don't really know what their radius is, I'm afraid, but... I rather keep searching than risk subjecting you to one of my nightmares."

[in_extremis]

It wasn't that Tony didn't know the consequences, but he was sure watching Jon get any more thin would be much harder on his heart, and besides, "I'd rather you were there." With a smile in return, he combed Jon's hair back to press a kiss to his forehead, just something to think about, it was an option. Until then, Tony pulled his hand free to gesture again at the console and step away, encouraging, "See if you can find anything on there, something might work. I'll take a look around for you, see what I can...scare up." He grinned and waved a hand, don't address it, move on, and backed away toward the door, where he might have been going to hunt for tape recorders, but it did look more likely that he was going to try his spooking the crew tactic until one of them shook off enough latent fear-nutrients for Jon to sniff out. Or yelled at him, whatever came first.

[beholding_archivist]

That's not the response Jon would have expected and he could, maybe should argue that wishing to have any of those nightmares is foolish. Instead, Jon finds himself unable to raise any such point and instead remains silent, merely blinking up at Tony at that small, surprisingly sweet gesture that leaves him with a bit of a blush on his cheeks as he watches Tony leave and finds himself alone with the controls, the screens and what just may be an endless amount of video footage of people he may or may not recognize.

Well then.