Bitter Ambrosia Part 2

Oh, there's a series of stored messages here. They contain no text, but each has an attached video.


PRIVATE RECORDING 1 SD 331 JM1 8:00 PM

The sun has set on Gaia. The camera pans to show hundreds and hundreds of people in a heavily forested area, around several campfires. Many seem miserable. Lucian pokes his head onto the screen with a smile.

Lucian: Hullo, Svipal! Surprised? Haha, I snuck out this commlink! I didn't want to say anything with the dragon around in case his ears were a bit too good. Right now I'm just sending this videomail to the Enterprise's computers since you didn't pick up. I'd guess you've already gone to bed, which is a shame. In any case, you know I wouldn't be able to do this sort of expedition without keeping in touch, right my love?

He points the camera around more.

Lucian: Everyone is having some trouble adjusting to life here. We had it pretty good on the ship. Bit of a pampered life with everything tailored to our needs. Many are beginning to regret their decisions. But it's not all bad. Here, have a look.

He gets up and begins walking a short distance. The sound of rushing water becomes apparent, and after a moment, you can see an enormous waterfall pouring over th e edge of a rock formation into a stream running down the land. The waters are an inky black of night, and reflect the glimmer of the pale full moon.

Lucian: I plan on capturing how this spot looks come morning. Speaking of which... --he sighs happily-- I'm picturing you as you must be right now, in your flowery nightgown, covers pulled tight over your body and head full of sugarplum fairies, as it were. I already miss you terribly, love. But there's little time for regret when so many lives hang on your actions. Give me a ring tomorrow, okay? I love you, Svipal, and goodnight.

PRIVATE RECORDING 2 SD 331 JT1 6:53 AM

The sun is riding over the lip of the basin in the distance, sending cascading colors over the waterfall and its stream. A sweep around the area shows everyone's packing up.

Lucian: We seem to have survived the night! These first few days are the easy part, however. We were allowed to bring food and water, and other provisions Bahamut deemed suitable but once we run out, that's it. We're on our own. I've drawn up a plan to start harvesting all of this abundant lumber to start making into tools. What do you think, can you see me with a bow and arrow? Maybe eventually I'll rig up a crossbow! --he laughs-- The dragons seem intent on going their separate ways for now for some reason. They shall be missed. Anyway, I know you always get up and check your messages at 7:00 proper, so now I just need to sit back and wait, hm?

PRIVATE RECORDING 3 SD 331 JT1 12:01 PM

Lucian seems a bit more concerned, looking at the commlink.

Lucian: I'd normally be sure you'd gotten my messages by now. The ship -should- be sending you automatic alerts. ...hm, actually I suppose with the sweeping change to the ship's population density, everything must be in the process of updating and all of these messages are on a queue. That must be it, my silly worrying is going to look even worse when you get all of these at once. Very well, I'm patient! Love you always!

PRIVATE RECORDING 4 SD 331 JW1 2:07 PM

This one's significantly further down the river, the signs of working humans in the background, trying to figure out how to carve up a tree they've pulled down with ropes.

Lucian: The ship should have definitely been through updating by now... Svipal, you're getting these, aren't you? The comm is showing a positive confirmation that these are being stored in the logs. --he frowns-- You're not... angry at me, are you? I didn't -want- to have to choose between them or you, you know. Let's at least talk about this, don't give me the silent treatment please, Svipal... I love you...

PRIVATE RECORDING 5 SD 331 JF1 5:43 PM

The humans have managed to split a rock open and are using the sharp edges to crudely saw the wood.

Lucian: It's been rougher going than I imagined. We don't even have basic tools properly done yet. As you can tell from the log date, it's been five days since we've left the Enterprise. I estimate we'll actulaly only have another week of food at this rate, which worries me. At least we have plenty of water. Too much, in fact, it looks like it may rain. We haven't even got shelter properly, really, we're going to have to bunker up under the trees and use our blankets as tents. Svipal, if you're watching this, please, any sort of response will do. --There's some calling from a bit aways-- I need to go. Love you...


The records are plentiful and show some slow progress, but the next relevant one is:

PRIVATE RECORDING 10 SD 331 JW2 3:30 PM

Lucian: I think I realized what must have happened, now. It's a bit obvious and embarrassing in retrospect... --he seems to be in a better mood-- You've put yourself into suspended animation, haven't you? You're waiting for me to come back. I understand then, love. I'll try to be strong without contact from you, then... In the meantime, we've gotten quite a bit of progress made, as you can see!

The camera pans out over the makeshift camp where now everyone is hard at work putting together swords of sharpened stone, axes, bows, shovels and other tools.

Lucian: We -should- be good to go from here. We're going to build our stockpile of tools, hunt and preserve some food, and set to exploring this wide world. Wish us luck, darling. I can't wait to watch all of these videos with you, together.

PRIVATE RECORDING 32 SD 331 DTT3 5:02 PM

It's quite some time later and the ragtag group of pampered humans seems to have evolved into a small caravan of experienced hunters. They have chocobos now, pulling large wooden carts along long, flat plains.

Lucian: We're making our way across the plateau, now. We've noticed a strange thing. The mist that lurks in the deep forests and caves seems to attract much more horrific beasts than normal, and odd peculiarities have fallen over our men who have camped in these places. So we've taken to the open plains for now - not a splotch of Mist as far as the eye can see. Of course, we haven't seen any people, either.

The videos continue like this for a while as Lucian seems to take detailed care in chronicling their journey. He goes over the meeting with a curious tribe of people who possess horns and can call forth the power of magnificent creatures, much like Bahamut. Inexplicably, everyone seems to speak the same tongue, though Lucian posits that it may be a power of Bahamut's employed when they arrived. The tribe and those of the Enterprise mingle and travel together for some time before coming across a city built around a small fort, that the Summoners call Alexandria. Many of the Summoners come to rest here, and a few of the people of the Enterprise too, Lucian included. Others move on.

PRIVATE RECORDING 107 SD 333 JNW4 1:30 PM

Lucian has started to grow a beard, two years after having left the Enterprise. He looks contemplative as he speaks to the comm.

Lucian: Jane, the summoner who lives next door - remember her? She's got a young boy of about five. Mm... how should I put this... We've grown rather close over these past several months, and yesterday, she asked me to be hers. ...I turned her down. I see her more as a friend or a sister, and her son more like a little nephew. We've always wanted kids of our own, haven't we? Haha... but... I knew that I just couldn't love anyone else but you. You've always been my shining star in the darkest nights, and this wedding ring still proves that love burns as strongly as ever. --he absently rubs the golden ring on his finger-- I've decided, Svipal. I'm coming home.

PRIVATE RECORDING 109 SD 333 F1 9:27 AM

Lucian is on the move again, but he doesn't seem as well as he did mere days ago. He's wearing a cloak and walking through a morning rain towards the Forbidden Forest.

Lucian: Svipal... I think I've come down with some sort of illness. Pneumonia, maybe. or something worse. -cough cough- Of course, our immune systems still aren't quite used to Gaia yet and without moder- --COUGH cough wheeze-- ahem... without modern medicine, treating things like this is a pipe dream. Still... I'm coming. I only hope I can make it there. Please, Svipal, wait for me... I do not fear Bahamut, what is life without you...?

ENTERPRISE SECURITY LOG 5000 SD 333 TT2 6:39 PM

A tired-looking man stumbles in to the maintenance area, looking weary and surprisingly gaunt compared to his full features mere days ago. He carefully walks through the silent arrangement of tanks, one moment pausing and vomitting on the floor nearby for a good half-minute. He shudders, and approaches Svipal's tank. Hands brush along familiar machinery, not used in ages, a dim recollection across his face. The smile he has is evident when he sees the sleeping Svipal, floating there, but as he looks over the diagnostic log, he looks crestfallen. He slumps to the ground and leans against the tank, resting his head against it for a moment.

Lucian: Svipal... what happened to you, my love? ...I'll have to remember how to fix her, but... first... a little rest...

...

...

He seems to go to sleep. And then, he does not stir. It's not until 24 hours later that a group of spiderbots carry his body off.

NAME: LUCIAN STUART
JOB: CHIEF ENGINEER
AGE: 25
CAUSE OF DEATH: UNKNOWN ILLNESS
STATUS: INTERRED WITHIN SHIP MORGUE, LOCKER 2039
NEXT OF KIN TO BE INFORMED