01 ♥ text/spam

[synchronous]

[ For now Dirk is staying holed up in his cabin trying to get his bearings, reading through old entries on his communication device. Most of what he skims is completely meaningless to him, but he gets the basic idea.

Prison ship. Rehabilitation. Ha ha ha, yeah, no. ]

[ text ]

I'll spare you the "You're a bunch of big meanie kidnappers, I want to go home, woe is me", as I'm sure you've heard it a million times before, but know that the sentiment is there all the same.

I do have a few questions, though.

- Where, exactly, is this ship?
- What constitutes "rehabilitation"?
- Is there some kind of new prisoner FAQ available? Guide to prison life? Anything like that?

That's about it.

[ spam ]

[ Maybe an hour or so after his post, he finally gets his shit together enough to leave his room and look around. Might as well learn everything he can about this place.

He can be found everywhere. Yes, everywhere. Well, everywhere inmates are allowed into. Okay, not other people's cabins. Most places, then. He's just walking around, snooping really, giving off a vibe of aloofness and devil-may-care-ness. ]

Comments

[godsays]

I understand.

It's not a perfect place. It can be horrible. It's not safe. It can damage as much as it helps.

I'm Zane.

[synchronous]

Now we're talking.

Dirk. You another abductee, or one of our oppressors?

[godsays]

...yes.

[ Both, as it happens. ]

[synchronous]

I was looking for a more specific answer than that.

[godsays]

You could ask a more specific question.

[synchronous]

Which are you.

[godsays]

A warden.

I was an inmate first. But this is my home now.

[synchronous]

Don't got anything better to return to?

[godsays]

I have a place I could go - it's just not better.

[synchronous]

Wow. My condolences.

[godsays]

Don't judge so fast. I have people I love, here.

I could be somewhere with flowers, and sunlight, and freedom, and a God that cares. Or I could have family.

It's family, for now. The people on this Barge are more loyal than any I've ever known. Once you have someone's friendship and respect, you don't shake it, not ever. We've all seen the worst of people and come out the other side.

[synchronous]

Ah, I see.

[ That just makes Dirk wonder how long it's going to be until he sees his friends again. His surrogate family, he guesses, though he'd never put it that way out loud. Or even really to himself outside of fleeting thoughts like this one that he shoves back down into the furthest recesses of his mind.

Then again, they're probably better off. ]

Then good for you. I mean that non-sarcastically.

[godsays]

And I'm sorry you have to cope with the bad things that happen here. I mean that.

[synchronous]

I'm used to bad things happening, but thanks.

[godsays]

Most inmates are.

[synchronous]

Or else we wouldn't have been led down the path of crime or whatever, right?

[godsays]

We do what we have to.

[synchronous]

My thoughts exactly. Hence not being too pleased with this turn of events.

[godsays]

Yeah.

It's not under your control.

So what are you going to do about it?

[synchronous]

[ A long, long pause before Dirk responds. ]

As if I'd give you the exact details of my escape plan.

[godsays]

[ Hint of a laugh in his voice. ]

All you had to say was 'escape'.

[synchronous]

Yeah, ok. Escape. That's the plan.

[godsays]

Let me know how it goes.