ONE. » video

[rideofthefearlings]

[ The screen turns on to show nothing but an almost completely black room. If the viewer watches long enough, their eyes might adjust to see dull shapes of what could be furniture but it's hard to tell. Then something darker than the gloom, a black-on-black shadow, moves past the screen and a voice comes across. For some, it will be audible and some, perhaps not. ]

What a charming little city you all have here. So bright and colourful, so full of life.

[ A disembodied mouth appears against the blackness of the background, grinning a razor smile. It's followed shortly after by a pair of bright gold eyes, the voice low and amused and confident, ]

And yet like most things there is a touch of darkness to it. With that in mind I pose a riddle, for those of you who choose to play along: when is a captive not a captive and a cage not a cage?

---

((OOC: Remember to check out his permissions post for whether your character can see/hear him. Thank you!))

Comments

audio; starfleet comm; private

[hischair]

Someone along the same species as Toothiana, if you've met her.

audio; starfleet comm; private

[logistical]

I have not.

His name is Mr. Black?

[Yeah he peeked at your feed and he's no wiser.]

audio; starfleet comm; private

[hischair]

Pitch Black. I can see his eyes sometimes and his mouth, but it's fuzzy and out of focus. Able to hear him just fine, as creepy as that is, and he sounds like he isn't unfamiliar with space travel or the science behind it.

audio; starfleet comm; private

[logistical]

That suggests he is able to manipulate light, to bend around him.

[A beat.]

Is he a type of ghost?

audio; starfleet comm; private

[hischair]

I hope not. I've had enough of guys wandering in and out of my shower uninvited recently.

audio; starfleet comm; private

[logistical]

[A beat, and Spock is now fiddling with his PADD. Guys wandering out of the shower - he's not sure whether Jim's joking about that and really doesn't want to know.]

Can you describe what you are seeing, in the video feed?

audio; starfleet comm; private

[hischair]

[ Hah, if only he was joking about Q. ]

I just did. Eyes, mouth, lots of shadows ... I can't see him properly because I don't know who he is, so I'm staring at him trying to figure out what it is I can't see so I can.

... This system of belief is fucked.

audio; starfleet comm; private

[logistical]

[Spock owes Q a nerve-pinch 8(]

I see. How does that experience make you feel?

audio; starfleet comm; private

[hischair]

[ Yes, Spock, ty. ;; ]

Annoyed? Weirded out. Why?

audio; starfleet comm; private

[logistical]

Since it does not function on a scientific principle I have determined that it may be a fantastical one. Naturally, I have no frame of reference and thus defer to your expertise.

audio; starfleet comm; private

[hischair]

What could be creepier than a ghost, though? Monsters, maybe ...

audio; starfleet comm; private

[logistical]

[Spock looks over some of the other replies to Pitch's post.]

What is a bogeyman?

audio; starfleet comm; private

[hischair]

[ That gets a laugh. ]

Oooh, boy. Okay, uh. The Boogeyman is this story that people tell their kids when they want them to go to sleep without making a fuss. "The Boogeyman will come and get you!" Dumb stuff like that. Usually in stories he hangs out under beds, waiting to snatch your ankles and tug off your blankets.

You think this is him?

audio; starfleet comm; private

[logistical]

[... Humans are so weird.]

I have no intention of making assumptions. I am currently examining the other responses to this message in an attempt to gauge the being we are speaking to.

Jim, you are familiar with the anecdotal evidence, are you not? Does it corroborate?

audio; starfleet comm; private

[hischair]

... Uh, yeah. [ Does he sound distracted? He is. ] Ten-four on the Boogeyman thing. He's ... really strange to look at.

audio; starfleet comm; private

[logistical]

[!!! TO THE SCIENCEMOBILE]

Define "strange".

audio; starfleet comm; private

[hischair]

He looks like what a rebellious teenager going through their awkward goth stage would have as a poster on their bedroom wall.

audio; starfleet comm; private

[logistical]

[...]

[...]

[... Humans.]

I do not understand what that means.

audio; starfleet comm; private

[hischair]

Grey-skinned, black-haired, yellow eyes, sharp teeth ... Moody-looking. Anything that could induce a sense of anxiety, Spock, imagine that.

audio; starfleet comm; private

[logistical]

['Moody-looking' doesn't say much, but the description helps. He can see an outline of Pitch now.]

You yourself have frequently remarked on my lack of imagination. Anxiety would thus be difficult to induce.

[He might be trying to be funny. This bogeyman business is annoying him, a little.]

audio; starfleet comm; private

[hischair]

[ He can tell, the sass is uncapped when Spock's alternatives tend to shut down, as a rule. Jim's been paying attention. ]

He's a living construct from a different reality, believe in that much and you should be able to keep an eye on him just fine.

audio; starfleet comm; private

[logistical]

Yes, sir.

[And now he's going off to talk to Pitch and determine exactly who and what he, Jim, and the crew have to deal with.]