~02~ video;

[thequeensown]

[Talia has been keeping relatively quiet over the network, but Jack's post caught her attention while she was checking up on things and she responds with a post of her own after gathering her thoughts.]

Hello... my name is Talia and I've had the pleasure of meeting a few of you since my rather rough arrival. [If by rough she meant near death, but that was a trivial matter right now.] As has been brought to your attention already, our hosts appear to be growing ever more impatient with us. In some areas this is as a simple as not offering us jobs, or refusing us service... In other areas, I have been physically jostled aside and I've little doubt that others have suffered similarly. I know rationing and I understand the stress that it puts upon a people, let alone a people that are 'suffering' unexpected guests. This is something more and it concerns me...

[She exhales slowly, because admitting to this had caused her problems in the past and directly caused her to be ostracized and targeted... needless to say, she was wary, but knew it was knowledge that needed to be shared.]

I would like it known that I am an Empath and a Mind Healer. One of the things this grants me is the ability to read the emotions of others and, if I choose, to sway them. The kedan are restless and they are angrier by the day... I'm the strongest Empath in my kingdom, but not even I can manage the entire expanse of Tu Vishan by myself at one time. I have been able to keep tempers calm around the Water Sector, but if you've need of me anywhere, at any time, you've but to send for me and I will come.

Otherwise, I will be making circuits throughout the Sectors and offering what help I may with my abilities. [And she'd continue to do so until she ran herself to the ground or the trouble came to an end.]

[video]

[suoxi]

[ Inara comes into view with a smile, as always. She’s very confident sitting there in her suite, hands in her lap and a few candles burning behind her for ambience. She is the picture of calm and poise and looks entirely at ease.

Inside, though – Inara is boiling. Inara is Not Happy about several things, but there are…certain experiences best not ‘advertised’ on a public network.

But boy is she pissed about being fired, then threatened on the way home.

ANYWAY. ]

I have decided to open the Companion House that is located in the Fire Sector earlier than I originally planned. [ read: Inara got fired, and needs another source of income. ]

If you are interested or require more information as to what a Companion is and does, please let me know and I will forward you directions and information. [ Inara learned a valuable lesson: make a pamphlet. Repeating herself explaining the intricacies of Companionship was quite taxing. ]

I am also taking applications for those that would like to enroll in Companion training as well. [ Inara smiles, but her eyes are decidedly sharper here. ] This is not an endeavor lightly chosen. It is a life choice – a career, and the training is intense and not limited to intimacy. I will personally speak [ interrogate ] to any interested party.

[ inara out ]

video;

[amonfire]

[ Amon comes into view; he sits at a cherry wood desk that is an elegant piece with waving designs carved into the wood. So faddish that it appeared to enjoy a pride of place against his otherwise spartan suite. On it before him are two glasses. In one glass is crystal clear water catching the light coming in from an unseen window, and in the other is a murky sludge with black sediment at the bottom.

With no preamble Amon opens proceeds to delve right into the matter at hand. ]

Efforts are being made to clean the water that suffered the worst of the pollution in the Water Sector. I bring this to your attention because I'll be seeing to it that there is water safe for consumption made available to the clinic I work at in the Earth Sector, and in any homes here in the Water Sector as it never hurts to have an emergency supply on hand should rationing start up again. Or should you wish to have water on hand when making the trip off the turtle now that another landfall is on the horizon.

That still leaves the deplorable state of public waterways here, but we're doing what we can. You have one Namorita Prentiss to thank for spearheading the initiative; I am merely playing my part.

[ There is a brief lull as Amon shifts in his seat. The only movement he's made throughout his little spiel as the mask obviously obscured any facial expressions. ]

Something else I wanted to touch on that is unrelated to recent events. It occurs to me that, among the foreigners, English is the dominant language. For someone whose native language is far removed from English, specifically Mandarin Chinese, I find text posts and anything written to be an obvious challenge. [ If this confession is an embarrassment for him it doesn't show, not even in his tone of voice. ]

I find it in our best interests to be on common ground in any possible respect, and that includes communication. If there are any native English speakers willing to take on a student I would be forever indebted to them.

Also, I invite others who share my problem to consider my proposal of broadening their grasp of written English. Might come in handy down the road as this place is quick to remind us that nothing is for certain. One of these days we could very well be faced with another crisis, and one that impinges on our ability to communicate.

( encrypted 30% private to Tarrlok )