"You were left behind."
"I- I wasn't left on a planet. I'm still on the Tango Tek- but."
"My brothers have left- one killed me, one left not wanting violence and the other-"
"...he went Out."
-Gem, First Mate of the Tango Tek
Ah, hello there.
My sister went Out a while ago now, she came back, but as you said I was left behind.
Left behind by my sister with no way to get in contact with anyone, well these tape recorders, harmonicas, but I doubt they would let me interact with my crew, not how these things work, ya know
"Yeah. I talked to her. She- well she sounded mournful, but she still shouldn't have left you."
"..."
"It isn't how they work, or I'd have yelled at Impulse and told him to come home ages ago. Yelled at Joel."
"...I'd have two of my brothers back. The third- first really, seeing as he's my only blood brother- they say he's not dead but- ...if that's true then- well that's a terrifying thought."
Well-
Yeah didn't think so would be nice, a Lyf delivered a message from me to them so at least, at least they know a little bit.
Everyone that I knew on my home planet is long dead I'm sure, watched most of them die with my own eyes.
"...My brother killed me, only Cleo and I left the ship or so I thought. Apparently he was found by someone named Carmilla- don't know who that is."
"Glad your crew know you're alive. I uh. Don't know who Lyf is but I'm sure they're probably a friend."
OH-SO THAT'S, oh so he's most likely definitely alive-that's-that's who-I don't know if it's the same Carmilla but someone named Carmilla mechanized me and a good number of my crew..
Lyf, well Lyf, how do I, the ship's 'doctor' air quotes if you can't hear them, picked them up after being in prison for sixty years. They're, they're odd, a good type of odd but odd.
"She's your Captain? Oh our Captain's Joe! He's great, he and Cleo have known eachother for forever- Cleo's our quarter master."
"...Do you not like your Captain?"
"huh. Scar- our so called doctor- is on a planet with our Archivist and Science Officer at the moment."
She was our Captain, she was-listen she really fucked us up, like mentally, I can barely stand maintenance on my heart cause she used to go in there just to fuck around to see what I'd come back from. So no I don't like her, she got thrown out of the airlock by someone.
I miss her sometimes but no she needs to stay gone.
Ah so you're well, that's certainly an interesting time in the story. I wonder if what happened hear will happen there.
"Oh."
"That- oh."
"..."
"Where in the story? No one will tell us when Impulse- the engineer- will come home or- anything really. Spoilers they say."
Oh absolutely spoilers, I ain’t telling shit.
Part of that is also that it can’t be promised that it will turn out like mine has.
But I’ll put money on him returning one day.
"...Right."
"That's what other worlds say. A- ...another universe's engineer said he'll come home, that I've just got to wait."
"I don't want to wait. I want my brother back home."
"..."
"Your crew will come back for you. They will."
"...if only to make you a grave, or well- that's what your sister thinks. But they'll come back for you."
…you will have to wait. It sucks, the waiting, but it is worth it.
Oh? They’ve made her think I’m dead?
Well the person she left here most certainly is, dead and gone, I’ve changed so much from that person.
Fitting when she’d planned to die in the cold of space.
"They have. Yeah. I thought you were dead until the kazoos told me that you're alive. I may have been...a little mean to her. I don't regret it though."
"It is fitting. Yeah."
I see, just her though. My crew knows I’m alive and that’s really what’s important.
She deserves it, thinking me dead, thinking she killed me, people being mean to her. I am mad, angry at her.
"She deserves it."
"I can only imagine what Joel would say, if he knew. Nothing nice. I'd tell him but well- we haven't been able to get in contact with him or Lizzie in a while."
Yeah..
God Aurora must be so upset with her..
She must be cold..
…
I’m sure you’ll get in contact with them soon, we can never stay away forever, simply not how that works
"She should be used to the cold. The Void was cold and she chose it."
"...I don't know if I will but-"
"But thank you. I hope- I hope I will."
"They'll find you, Jonny. They will."
"Like you said- the crew can't be separated for forever- that's not how it works."
…yeah but-no no sorry, it’s just she’s still my sister and I remember holding her as she bled out red for the last time..it’s hard, I’m mad at her and hurt so incredibly hurt because she should have known but I still miss her.
Crew sticks together, might take a bit but we’ll always make it back to each other.
"...Yeah."
"I'm gonna stab my brother- Impulse- when he gets home, but I'm not letting him go. I hate that he left, but I miss him and I'm not gonna let him leave again."
"Crew sticks together."
"Even if some crew members kill eachother everytime they see eachother."
"..."
"Void I'm happy Martyn's off ship, Scott's in a mood again and I don't need them shooting eachother contstantly. I think I'd gut them like fish."
That’s-that’s very fair, I think I gave her a hug? Then shot her?
Crew sticks together.
Ha-
Oh what I wouldn’t give to watch my crew kill each other..
"I will be gutting Impulse like a fish."
"I've got myself a nice shiney trident and some damn good knives."
"Well you can when they find you."
"...I do have a question."
"A few really."
"I just- ...The other crew I've met was different to mine- what's yours like? If you don't mind talking about them?"
My crew, oh crazy sons of bitches.
We’ve got 12 people on the ship in total. Well TS doesn’t like being called a person but it’s easier.
Aurora our ship, sassy fucking insubordinate ship.
Nastya Raspuntia, obviously our engineer, mechanism mercury blood, dating our ship, my sister, a bitch herself currently.
Drumbot Brian, our pilot, mechanism everything but his heart, got a switch for his morality, Ends Justify the Means and Mean Justify the Ends, which upon looking at it now having all these lives around humans, kinda fucked. He's-he makes sure people take care of themselves mostly, he's an asshole about it well all of us are assholes.
Ashes O'Reilly, our quarter master, mechanism their lungs. The only one those fuckers listen to with any sort of consistency, shit consistency but consistency, never play them in cards they cheat, so do I but like they really cheat. They're firm and mean but they make sure we're not gonna stare because we totally would.
Ivy Alexandria, our Archivist, Jonny snorts, and Navigator, mechanism her brain. she has to remember everything every morning-oh-oh Ivy she's had to-okay she's-don't destroy her books or mess up the library, that will get you murdered, she's brilliant and one of our only braincells.
Gunpowder Tim, master at arms, master of arms, he's in charge of our weapons. He's from here actually, like thousands of years in the future but still, his mechanism is his eyes, got them burned out when he blew up the moon. He's crazy and mad, and loves explosives and violence, but he's also sweet, he knows what kind of weapons, guns, everyone likes and goes out of his way to make sure we have the ammo for them.
Raphaella la Congnizi, our science officer, mechanism her wings, made them herself crazy bitch. Mad scientist, experimenting near constantly, you want her to do something all you have to do is act like it's an experiment and she'll do it. She..cares in her own way, the way she shows that is through doing maintenance on our mechanisms, helping out that way, but well I've got tons of issues, she's brilliant though, just bad with boundaries sometimes.
Marius von Raum, our 'doctor', again air quotes, doesn't have no medical degree, mechanism his right arm. He's something, he's annoying and likes to try to psychoanalyze us or make us talk about our feelings, he-his mechanism hurts him and I wish we could fix it. He's energetic and gives 100% to anything he puts his mind too. He's also not a half bad doctor most days, don't tell him I said that.
The Toy Solider, not really a mechanism, doesn't have a role either. It's kinda just on the ship, it's freaky and uncanny. It likes tea parties even though it can't eat, obeys every order you give, I..try not to order it unless I have to. It tries, pretends to be a person for us, but it's-consent's weird with it. It's very cheerful and sometimes that's what I need.
Lyfrassir Edda, also not technically a mechanism and also doesn't really have a role, not that they need one, probably good they don't have one, for their own mental health. Former Inspector Lyfrassir Edda Second Class. They've been changed now but well spoilers for how they got on the ship and how they're immortal. They hold another one of our braincells and are so very done with us but they're one of us and have literally melted people for threatening us, even though we're immortal.
And then there's the two that live in the vents and deeper parts of Aurora.
Scuzz Nishimura. our resident vent ninja, mechanism her left leg. My other sister, older sister. She's well-we barely see her, just lives on the ship with her wife. She's happy, that's all I can ask for, and she comes when I call for her.
and Drumbot Beta, our resident vent bot, mechanism well most of xem, again Bot. I actually don't know which parts of xem are organic, I don't think that's my business anyway. Beta hangs out in the vents with Scuzz mostly, xer nice though, taught Brian how to garden and about flower language. Claimed Brian as xer sibling as far as I know.
And me, the first mate, but well, I'm not all that interesting.
"Our crews are...similar mechanism wise."
"In order of joining we have our Quarter Master- Cleo, their mechanism is their lungs, they're from the City actually. They're really in charge- something happens and they deal with it. They have a bit of a stray collecting problem."
"Then The Captain- Joe Hills, his mechanism is his tongue. He's chaotic and always doing something new and talking in riddles, but he's great. Cleo and Joe are both from the City- they grew up together, they're basically siblings at this point."
"Then we've got Lizzie and Joel- they were friends of Joe's. Joel was first then Lizzie. Joel's basically a brother figure to me, really. They're not on the ship anymore- they left after the Rose Red war- they didn't want to keep fighting anymore."
"I was next, the First Mate with a mechanical heart. Cleo found me, decided she liked me. I have scales- the Ocean decided it liked me and well- Cleo was taught that those claimed by the Ocean are sacred, they see me as such."
"Then we've got my other brother, Impulse, our Engineer. Mercury Blood. I found him, a miner who didn't want to join the revolution. I found him with his throat slit and begged for Cleo and Joe to fix him. I couldn't lose anyone else. ...I've lost him now."
"Oh and of course our ship- Tango, Impulse actually was one of the original engineers of the Tango Tek- Tango's great- a menace, but great."
"Then there's Skizz- his mechanism is his voice box, he's great. He and Impulse are from the same planet. Skizz was a radio host! He's part of why we started preforming, actually."
"Then there's Scott who's our Pilot- he's sassy, his mechanism is all but his heart and skin. It's kind of my fault he nearly died- but he's really Cleo's stray- they knew him first. He was our mortal friend, constantly traveling."
"Then Pearl- she's our master of arms. I found her during the Rose Red War. She wanted to see the moon again, while dying of sepsis. So- well I had Joe mechanize her and now she's seen so many moons."
"Then we have our Archivist- mechanized brain. His name is Mumbo- we made his story into a song. He created an evil AI that just wanted a friend. Tango found him, insisted we take him on board."
"Then our Science Officer, Martyn, mechanical wings. He- well he was born with wings. He lost his best friend Jimmy waiting for Scott- the three of them were friends. Scott- well time doesn't work well for immortals. By the time he saw Martyn again he was dying and Jimmy had been killed. Martyn had lost his wings. Scott made sure he got new ones."
"Then we have our so called Doctor, Scar. A salesman and scammer that Mumbo found and got attached to- his mechanism is his arm."
"We don't have a Lyfrassir here. At least not yet."
Very interesting, the differences..
Scuzz and Beta do leave occasionally, but 'rora always tells us that or if we ask.
Aurora's, Aurora's great, there was a time where it was really just me, Carmilla, and Aurora, Scuzz and Beta were there but in the vents already. Me and 'Rora are close, not like her as Nastya, but she's a friend.
She calls me Captain when it's just us, she gave me that role when Carmilla got airlocked. I don't, we don't tell everyone else that, it's not, I'm okay being the first mate, most of the time at least, less change.
"Tango's great. He's a good friend to have. He's closer to Impulse and Skizz than he and I are- but he's always got good prank ideas."
"Huh. Captain."
"I think I'd gut someone if they called me Captain."
"...My captain before Joe- well. There's a reason I'm mechanized, and he's part of it. If anything happened to Joe then Cleo'd be Captain- her or Skizz."
Yeah, but remember our original captain is gone, that's the big difference here, we didn't get a captain that cared about us at all, no interim, no secondary person we could have possibly gotten, just Carmilla, a crazy vampire doctor who doesn't really know how loves' supposed to work.
I mean if Scuzz or Beta wanted it I'd hand it over, they were here before me, but they don't want it
So that means, I'm the oldest mechanism which means it's my job to protect them, and a Captain's job is to protect their crew and ship. I'll take it, I'll be in charge, I'll be the one people blame, the one people kidnap for information, the one who-has a lot of shit happen to him.
Ashes would be a good captain but they also don't want it.
It's just Aurora who calls me Captain anyway, and like I said only when it's just the two of us.
"Yeah- right. Right. Sorry."
"...You don't have to carry the weight alone. The Quartermaster is the second to the captain- some say that the first mate is, but really it's the Quartermaster and- well if your quartermaster is anything like mine they'll help carry the weight."
"Don't put your crew on your shoulders alone. Captains need people who care for them too."
...they would, they do in there own way......
offering safety while I offer protection.
When we're on a planet we all know that if we run to where Ashes is we'll be safe, people can try to get us but they won't let them.
But-asking for help's hard..plus it makes me feel like I'm doing something, like I'm needed, like I can do more than just kill them and annoy them and bother them. Like I can offer them something.
They care, they care, we're all, well most of us, Beta and Scuzz are very monogamous, and Nastya's like a lesbian and my sister, but most of us are all with each other, I know they care I just-I'm bad at showing it, and that's how I show it.
"You are needed. You can ask for help. I do it all the time. Part of being the little sister- Getting help from my brothers."
"...Skizz offers help even when we don't know we need it. Maybe you need a Skizz."
"I'm sure they know you care. I know my crew knows I car- even if I show it with violence more than I do words."
"I once entered a room without punching Skizz and he spent five hours trying to figure out what he'd done and what was wrong."
It's hard. I grew up with parents that didn't really care, so no help there, then my ma left and my dad spent more time at Jack's casino than at home, and then he was dead, and then Jack was dead, and then I was with Carmilla and she's well she helped at first but by the time Nastya came around there was usually a price.
Plus if I acted out or got blamed for something she wouldn't touch them..I could let her touch them..
"You can learn, now."
"...Are you alone, where ever you are?"
There are a few mortals, an ex-girlfriend who knows and stayed friends with me my best friend now and then three assistants that are my friends..even if I won't admit that to them.
Martin lives with me after an incident with a flesh hive holding him hostage. Tim, a different Tim, and Sasha keep coming over..I'm not going to kick them out.
"Huh. Flesh hives."
"Well- maybe they can help you learn to ask for help. Mortals are stubborn, they'll find a way."
Maybe, maybe
I-I haven't told them I'm an immortal space pirate who's murdered numerus people, burned down planets for fun, and watches worlds fall into despair.
I don't think they'll leave me but well I can never be truly comfortable.
"I mean. You could tell them."
"We told Scott when he was mortal and he didn't care."
...I'm going to tell them soon, I think.
..I don't want them to take any unnecessary risks for me, not when their lives are so fragile.
I want them to live long lives.
"Tell them, hold them close."
"Mortals are fragile. Remember that they're still going to get hurt- you can't stop them, but you can help them heal when they do inevitably get hurt. Rest is good for mortals when healing- oh and soup!"
Mmmm
Thank you Gem.
