Malcolm Bright (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
abrightboy) wrote2030-04-30 04:28 pm
abrightboy) wrote2030-04-30 04:28 pm
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Voicemail (IC Contact Post) OLD - at capcha
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“I’m worried she’d be too small for that crowd. Though she isn’t upset at all about Winston’s visits,” Malcolm tells him. He looks at Shaw. “Have you considered a pet?”
Maybe it’s her now because he killed her. Is that a memory someone got from you during the event?
"No," she says - looking up again, and clearly a little surprised by the question. "I mean, not really; I think it's weird that you can just wish up pets."
Here she glances at Will.
"No offense. I'm talking more about ones that aren't... specific pets. If you just ask the Admiral 'get me a dog', where does it come from?"
Here she glances at Will.
"No offense. I'm talking more about ones that aren't... specific pets. If you just ask the Admiral 'get me a dog', where does it come from?"
"No clue," replies Will. Even if he's never mentioned it to anyone, he has thought about this quite a bit. "The dogs I have are mine. I'd be able to tell if they were some sort of recreations, I think. Winston is Winston and Jet is Jet. Maybe they're from a timeline to the left of mine or something, but-"
He shrugs. "I don't know about a more general request. You could ask? Or maybe it's possible to ask for something more specific. 'I'd like a dog that was on its own or just given to a shelter," something like that?" He looks to Malcolm, wondering how much experience he has with requesting things from the Admiral. They're all relatively new here.
He shrugs. "I don't know about a more general request. You could ask? Or maybe it's possible to ask for something more specific. 'I'd like a dog that was on its own or just given to a shelter," something like that?" He looks to Malcolm, wondering how much experience he has with requesting things from the Admiral. They're all relatively new here.
[ Will's shaking his head, even before Malcolm says the second sentence. ]
No, never lost that one. But it's not- it's never....
[ He trails off. Whatever just happened, none of it makes sense. Maybe it is picking up on some of the mythology he's recently read, making new symbolism that he hadn't previously attributed to it. Maybe him talking to his imaginary Hannibal has forced the wendigo into a new position. Maybe...
Will looks miserable as he breathes out heavily, intensely frustrated. ]
It doesn't feel right. But none of this does, and the- what am I supposed to do when what I see isn't something I can interpret, anymore?
No, never lost that one. But it's not- it's never....
[ He trails off. Whatever just happened, none of it makes sense. Maybe it is picking up on some of the mythology he's recently read, making new symbolism that he hadn't previously attributed to it. Maybe him talking to his imaginary Hannibal has forced the wendigo into a new position. Maybe...
Will looks miserable as he breathes out heavily, intensely frustrated. ]
It doesn't feel right. But none of this does, and the- what am I supposed to do when what I see isn't something I can interpret, anymore?
...What if it's not you? If you've always been able to understand the things you see, whether they're real or not, even under Hannibal's malevolent 'care', maybe there's some sort of outside influence. Like... space radiation or... someone onboard with supernatural moods that can influence you without you even realizing it.
Space radiation.
[ He says it bluntly, but not sarcastically. It's not something he's ever been concerned about. But he has no idea what's out there. Apparently sometimes it just does whatever to the people here. ]
Yeah, I guess there could be something out there that I'm more susceptible to than the rest of the ship.
[ He looks up at Malcolm. ] The only time it hasn't made sense- after I hit adulthood- was when I was sick. Even then, that was- it was new imagery, not retooling the old.
[ He says it bluntly, but not sarcastically. It's not something he's ever been concerned about. But he has no idea what's out there. Apparently sometimes it just does whatever to the people here. ]
Yeah, I guess there could be something out there that I'm more susceptible to than the rest of the ship.
[ He looks up at Malcolm. ] The only time it hasn't made sense- after I hit adulthood- was when I was sick. Even then, that was- it was new imagery, not retooling the old.
Have you had any symptoms besides the hallucinations?
[ He shakes his head. ]
Not that I've noticed. Other than...I have been sleeping worse. But that's not usually related to anything.
Not that I've noticed. Other than...I have been sleeping worse. But that's not usually related to anything.
Have you met any new arrivals this week? Anyone who gave you the heebee jeebees or anything?
“Neal requested my bird. As a Christmas gift. Hey. Do you guys think it’s weird that a Warden can ask for their inmate to get their potentially dangerous superpowers back, but apparently can’t ask for a therapeutic soaking tub for them for their mental health? Doesn’t that seem weird? Like the thing that could endanger everyone if ill judged is totally up to any single Warden’s discretion but something completely mundane is behind a ‘the rules are the rules’ firewall. I think there has to be more to it than that,” Malcolm muses on a tangent.
Shaw is quiet for a few beats too long, mostly because she's doing a little internal spiral over HOW would you be able to tell if the dogs were recreations, would you REALLY be able to tell, it's a LOT harder than you'd think - all of which she decides not to voice. It's probably for the best.
"I think it's weird that wardens can ask for inmate superpowers, period," she says, finally.
"I think it's weird that wardens can ask for inmate superpowers, period," she says, finally.
Will can see at least a little of that spiraling, but decides against commenting on it. Because yeah, probably better to move on. He might talk about that with her later, though, why he's so sure.
Malcolm's complaint seems rather easily explained, to him. "I could see some powers being important for health reasons, depending on what the situation is. As far as the tub goes, that- I think- is a way to demarcate our two positions."
That distinction is important, as far as he's concerned. "There's so much afforded to inmates here, in an attempt to make us feel less punished and more helped. But the difference shouldn't be lost. The cabins are what the Admiral's decided on to make his- it's- point, I think. And there are workarounds. A warden could always offer their spa of a bathroom to their inmate if they want to help that way." He shrugs.
Malcolm's complaint seems rather easily explained, to him. "I could see some powers being important for health reasons, depending on what the situation is. As far as the tub goes, that- I think- is a way to demarcate our two positions."
That distinction is important, as far as he's concerned. "There's so much afforded to inmates here, in an attempt to make us feel less punished and more helped. But the difference shouldn't be lost. The cabins are what the Admiral's decided on to make his- it's- point, I think. And there are workarounds. A warden could always offer their spa of a bathroom to their inmate if they want to help that way." He shrugs.
"I mean, you can argue classism - that's almost always valid - but the size and breadth of the suites Wardens get compared to Inmates is already that. So is the access Wardens have to areas of the Barge that Inmates don't. Rich people have opulent bathrooms in any world, but poor people still have a toilet and a faucet of some kind. The Inmate bathrooms are pretty much the only concession the Barge makes to being a 'prison' environment. So why give the Inmates cabins at all? Put them in a dorm. Communal living, communal bathrooms. It can't just be keeping the wheat separate from the chaff. Unless the Admiral's culture connects some special significance to bathing in private as a status symbol but sleeping in private doesn't mean much," Malcolm points out. "I think there's something we don't know and we're just not asking the right questions."
"He called it that," Malcolm says, pointing to Will.
Will breaks into a laugh- almost a giggle- at the back and forth. "I mean, if 'hero' and 'villain' are classes, then I guess. Maybe. And I could be off- but I don't think I am. More like- the Admiral doesn't want this place to come off like a normal prison environment. That's not going to work on the type of inmates here."
I mean, that's clear, right? He looks to Shaw, figuring she probably has an idea of the sort of things he went through in his 'hospital'. "I see it as trying to be 'helpful' but also trying to keep the lines in place. And yeah, it could've been anything else- meal privileges, access to entertainment, whatever. But it would have to be something that's not necessarily a deal-breaker to someone's rehab. Something innocuous. So tubs makes sense to me." He raises his hands up in a 'shrug' gesture. "You have a chance to argue that with the Admiral yet, Malcolm?"
I mean, that's clear, right? He looks to Shaw, figuring she probably has an idea of the sort of things he went through in his 'hospital'. "I see it as trying to be 'helpful' but also trying to keep the lines in place. And yeah, it could've been anything else- meal privileges, access to entertainment, whatever. But it would have to be something that's not necessarily a deal-breaker to someone's rehab. Something innocuous. So tubs makes sense to me." He raises his hands up in a 'shrug' gesture. "You have a chance to argue that with the Admiral yet, Malcolm?"
Thank god she ended up with an inmate who has some sense, Shaw thinks. Sure, she could have handled one who rattled on about classism and whined about unfairness, but it would have been really annoying.
She doesn't say anything, but she smiles again, just a little.
She doesn't say anything, but she smiles again, just a little.
"Not yet. I'm still working on the question. But I still think it's doable if the case is made properly. I don't even have a specific need for anyone to have a tub, I just think the Admiral isn't as black and white as people assume he is just based on them asking for specific things and him refusing them," Malcolm explains. "That's one thing that's been held up as an example. If I came across another but more urgent example, I'd look at that instead."
"Oh, now that I do agree on," Will says. "And I hope you get through to the Admiral. But if you don't? That tells us something, too."
He thinks it over for a moment, then remembers- "Ah, I've still got to write up what I was going to, about the shooting range. I've traded my psychology books for feline anatomy lately, probably got going too hard on that." There's that, and there's also the great deal of not-sleeping he's been doing. "Requesting that might be a good test, too. See what the Admiral's capable of." Because that's bigger and a lot more involved than a tub, but it's also something in particular to ask for.
He thinks it over for a moment, then remembers- "Ah, I've still got to write up what I was going to, about the shooting range. I've traded my psychology books for feline anatomy lately, probably got going too hard on that." There's that, and there's also the great deal of not-sleeping he's been doing. "Requesting that might be a good test, too. See what the Admiral's capable of." Because that's bigger and a lot more involved than a tub, but it's also something in particular to ask for.
[ Okay, they're diagnosing now. Will can stay calm as he tries to remember details. He closes his eyes a moment, practically daring the visions to come back as he recollects. ]
The only one I've met is Nita- she's a warden. She'd been here before. So if something about her caused a problem with people, it probably would've come up already, but maybe.
I did learn something interesting from her, but that's probably...unrelated. Apparently, I'm in a book? A fiction book, that is, not a True Crime Special.
The only one I've met is Nita- she's a warden. She'd been here before. So if something about her caused a problem with people, it probably would've come up already, but maybe.
I did learn something interesting from her, but that's probably...unrelated. Apparently, I'm in a book? A fiction book, that is, not a True Crime Special.
Names not even changed to protect the innocent? Or. Like. You and your friends? [He considers that. He's met Nita. Did he know she was gone?] When Abigail showed up at your door... was there anything weird about how she spoke to you? Anything that wasn't idiomatic for her? Use of particular words or phrasing or inflection?
Name's not even changed. She knew me, Hannibal, Jack, and Chilton. And the book's focused on Hannibal...obviously.
[ Even in this bad of a state, he can manage an eyeroll and a shake of his head, as if Hannibal's giant ego brought the entire book into being on its own.
But right. Questions. He approaches that more carefully, and after some water. ]
No, she...she was quiet, but it usually takes her awhile to open up. She talked about graduating, a little. She wasn't...uh, she wasn't afraid. I thought that was just the...that she'd gotten better here.
[ Even in this bad of a state, he can manage an eyeroll and a shake of his head, as if Hannibal's giant ego brought the entire book into being on its own.
But right. Questions. He approaches that more carefully, and after some water. ]
No, she...she was quiet, but it usually takes her awhile to open up. She talked about graduating, a little. She wasn't...uh, she wasn't afraid. I thought that was just the...that she'd gotten better here.
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