[Text]

[devwocean]

Attention citizens.

You havve made the stupendous mistake of kidnappin one Commander Orphaner Dualscar, destroyer a wworlds an' scourge a the stars.

In light a your obvvious ignorance, and the admittedly pleasant surroundins, I'll be generous. You havve half an hour to explain wwhere I am, howw I got here, and wwhy, and to showw me the exit. It's the ocean, I can make my owwn wway from there.

I'm wwaiting. Don't fuckin disappoint me.

One last wwarnin: I'm not a vvery patient troll.

[OOC: I'm happy to do action tags/prose in the comments, too. Anyone who wants to run into him in person can find him wandering the main thoroughfare around the Lamufao, using his starfish phone thingy to monitor the network]

Comments

[p2iioniicii2t]

It wath not my dethire, thir. I--

[ He makes an almost pained sound, shaking his head. Everything about his posture speaks of a sudden, frantic need to submit entirely to the seadweller. ]

Thiith thythtem hath been attempting to keep itthelf in an appropriate condithion for Her. To better therve Her when it ith returned to Her pothethion.

[devwocean]

[Okay, that is reassuring, though he's still wary. He reaches out and touches the Helmsman, rubbing fingers gently into its hair and a thumb brushing the base of one horn, like he did when he was training it.]

Vvery good, then. If that's wwhat you havve been trying to do, then I wwon't punish you. You'll servve my needs until wwe can return you to her, a course.

[p2iioniicii2t]

[ There is, perhaps, something strange and familiar about that gesture, but he doesn't recognize it on a conscious level. He does lean faintly into the touch, well trained to respond favorably to positive feedback. ]

Thith thythtem ith currently under the authority of an engineer due to damage it thuthtained, but it will therve you however it ith capable.

[devwocean]

An engineer? [He continues to stroke, giving it the feedback it needs to calm and grow accustomed to him] The engineer is under my authority. But for noww, all I require is information.

First, tell me about the leader wwho types in grey.

[p2iioniicii2t]

A youth of unuthual charithma. Karkat Vantath. He ith a heretic and a thtrategitht that motht prethent trollth are loyal to, and he hath cultivated allieth of many humanth.

[devwocean]

[A rumble]

And you? Havve you been followwin him, since you'vve been out a touch an awway from your station? I wwon't punish you if you tell me the truth.

[That last might be a lie]

[p2iioniicii2t]

I do not recognithe hith authority.

[ Technically accurate. He's never particularly had to listen to Karkat; the poor kid's always taken care to step lightly around the Helmsman and sworn creatively at his inability to separate himself from his programming.

Now, would he if he could? Different story entirely. ]

[devwocean]

Good.

[He strokes for a bit longer, then asks the dangerous question]

And the Signless?

[p2iioniicii2t]

...I cannot. I am under the thole authority of the Empire.

[



Holy shit, he just kind-of-sort-of lied to the highblood. ]

[devwocean]

[His fingers still for a moment, his body tensing. Was that a lie? He's walking a fine line here, and he knows it. He needs eyes and allies and this one is so powerful, even if he is just a lowblood, he is a useful tool that Dualscar wants more than ever.]

I don't believve you, Helmsman. He trusts you, doesn't he? You'vve resumed your friendship wwith him. You havve one more chance to tell me the truth. I can be merciful if you are obedient an truthful.

[His fingers tighten in the Helmsman's hair]

Do not evver lie to me.

[p2iioniicii2t]

But the thythtem doeth not therve him-!

[ He should have never tried to obscure his relationship with the Signless, but he'd just wanted to avoid causing anger. A seadweller in a rage was a horrible thing. ]

It lived in hith hive, that ith all. The- he- he inthithted...

[devwocean]

[The grovelling is slightly irritating, but worth it in this instance. He lets out a breath and resumes the stroking, rubbing the Helmsman's horn a bit more, soothing him and rewarding him for telling the truth.]

A course he insisted. He wwants to corrupt you, like he did before. You said 'livved', though. You don't livve in his hivve anymore?

[p2iioniicii2t]

[ Not groveling seems like a shortcut to a highblood temper tantrum, something the Helmsman knows better than to provoke. There's some small part of him that thinks he would not mind this very much. It is a very quiet part, however.

His shoulders slump, some of that tension bleeding slowly out of him. He wants to pull his head away, demand that hand get off his horn, but that is the same quiet part of him that wishes uselessly to rebel. ]

I left upon your appearanthe on the network. He wath dithpleathed with me.

[devwocean]

[An eyebrow rises and Dualscar chuckles softly. A choice needs to be made between having the Helmsman return to his living situation, or remaining. But there's another issue]

And wwhat of this Engineer you're attached to. Does he livve with the Signless, too?

[p2iioniicii2t]

[ He shakes his head faintly. ] He attemptth to avoid contact and doeth not engage in herethy.

[devwocean]

Good. I wwant to talk to him. You wwill arrange it, but not right noww.

[He gives the Helmsman one last rub, then takes his hand away]

Arrange for some housing for me. Then you may return to the Signless and tell him howw kind I wwas. I wwill require you to check in regularly, and if I detect signs of... backsliding, I may change my mind.

[p2iioniicii2t]

[ The statement leaves him reeling internally, and he lifts his head up finally. His eyes have a faint, dull glow that gives away just how disconcerted he is. ]

At onthe, highblood. [ A pause. He doesn't question why because that is not his place. ] I will arrange the betht of living condithionth for you.

[devwocean]

Of course you wwill. [He sees the surprise, and smiles faintly. The smirk shifts towards a more approving smile when the Helmsman doesn't ask questions]

I'll wwait here wwhile you make the arrangements. Return wwhen you're done. I havve a feww more instructions for you.

[p2iioniicii2t]

Yeth, thir.

[ Dualscar might note that the Helmsman has to use his psionics to get up, he's still in the midst of physical therapy and it hasn't paid off that much. He leaves without another word, aware of where he needs to go to arrange the highblood's accommodations. A seadweller won't accept anything less than the best.

There is a somewhat significant time gap before he returns and he'll sink right back down to the ground without hesitation, waiting for permission to speak. ]

[devwocean]

[Dualscar pets him for a moment before speaking]

Showw me wwhere my hivve is.

[p2iioniicii2t]

[ There is a faint shiver at the touch, a sense of trepidation nearly overwhelming him. He was in very real danger of displeasing the highblood. He nods, rising with that faint blue and red glow. He does not engage in small talk, quiet save the assertion. ]

There ith no better rethidenthe available than thothe in the area known ath Ordo. That ith what hath been acquired for you.

[devwocean]

If it's the best, then you'vve done wwell.

[Dualscar rises as well, and moves to follow, also remaining silent until they reach the apartment. His anticipation turns into disappointment when he sees it, but he enters and looks around with an expression of distaste. It's alien in design, and far too small]

This is the best there wwas avvailable?

[p2iioniicii2t]

[ He flinches visibly. He had hoped relative best would have been good enough, but... ]

Yeth, my lord. The humanth have a unique thenthe of dethign.

[devwocean]

[He sighs and drops onto the sofa, grimacing as he looks around]

Wwell, it'll havve to do. Wwhere are the drones?

[He hasn't seen a single one yet. Who will perform basic necessary tasks for him like answering the door?!]

[p2iioniicii2t]

[ He is immediately cowed, looking down. Of course he'd find this to be unsatisfactory. A seadweller needed drones. Drones that did not exist in Vatheon.

Stupid, stupid, stupid helmsman. He actually thought this might go over alright. ]

Humanth perform thethe tathkth themthelveth...?