Inbox

[artistinexile]

You have reached the inbox of the former Grand Admiral Thrawn of the Imperial Star Destroyer Chimaera and the Seventh Fleet, also formerly known as Senior Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo of the Springhawk.

I will return your message promptly.

[The message repeats in six different languages]

Comments

[justanudge]

Morning, T.

I'm gonna want that efficiency report and also your help building a dunk tank. Do they have dunk tanks in space?

[artistinexile]

I would be pleased to offer my assistance with both. Am I to assume you will be helping to run custodial now?

[He starts transferring over his report. Basically, the way Richter described it, the entire crew worked one floor a day together. Thrawn reorganized it to where each inmate would clean one floor, with two assigned to the heavier traffic levels 1 and 2 due to the cafeteria and the infirmary.

All told, it meant that there would not be nearly as much crap to clean up after eight days of no cleaning, with the added bonus of (since there are more people on custodial than there are floors) allowing days off in between]

If there are, I have not heard of them. Can you describe it?

[justanudge]

I'm on the hook for helping, anyway, although I've got absolute ass nothing regarding seniority. Signed up with Richter like two days before.

It's a carnival game thing. Four or five feet square. The bottom is watertight, and there's a seat that's rigged on a hinge halfway up, and a door in the back of the top half. The hinge drops the seat flat against the wall if you hit a big button that's on the outside.

The idea is, you fill the bottom with like three feet of water, and somebody sits in the seat, and people try to throw balls at the target to dunk them. I've got some ideas for custodial folks getting to throw, or voting on who's sitting. The details can be worked out. The point is, fun silly perks that aren't just 'ask the admiral for thing'.

I can show you a working model if your warden will spot us an enclosure visit.

[artistinexile]

An inspired project. Yes, I believe he would agree to that.

I'd also like to give you a gift; the mouse droid Richter allowed me to have. I've cleaned him and he can now fill a slot on custodial staff.

[justanudge]

I appreciate you, Thrawn.

Hey, I know it's kind of a small thing in comparison, but if you ever want me to clarify somebody else's earth slang for you, I'm happy to.

[artistinexile]

It is not a small thing. I often find that this is the most difficult part of adjusting to a new culture.

[justanudge]

What are friends for, right?

I might be shaky on some of the historical folks, but I think I at least overlap with the plurality of passengers.

[artistinexile]

[such an eyebrow raise at 'friends'. He's extremely unused to people befriending him so quickly without trying to weasel something out of him]

One would hope.

[justanudge]

[She laughs a little, but warmly, at his - not quite astonishment, not quite doubt.]

Is there something else we gotta do on your planet to count?

Oh, and another thing, can I get a list of everyone you got on side yesterday? I think I remember seeing most of them but I don't know everybody's name yet.

[artistinexile]

[slow, with some amusement]

On my planet?

You may wish to reevaluate your question. As I understand, there are many ways on Earth one can befriend another. Why would it not be the same where I come from?


Yes.

[He attaches a list over to Frankie, including everyone on custodial staff he pinged privately]

[justanudge]

On Earth it's bracelets, you gotta have a friendship bracelet or it doesn't count.

...that's a lie, I'm exaggerating for humorous effect, although kids do make those sometimes.

Do you think planet was the important part of the question?

[artistinexile]

Indeed.

Perhaps. It would certainly force me to narrow down my idea of what I consider my people and their traditions.

[justanudge]

Well, the thing that was important was what counts as friends to you. Wherever you picked the idea up.

[artistinexile]

Difficult to say.

[Chronic introvert gets adopted by loads of extroverts]

A mutual goal, or sense of values, or simply a meal shared between two people who can enjoy one another's company.

[justanudge]

Barge food's okay for you?

[artistinexile]

It is acceptable.

[Thrawn's list includes the following people:

Angeal Hewley - SEMI-HELPFUL
Angel Dust - HELPFUL
Annie - BRIBE WITH KNOWLEDGE
Astarion Ancunín - NO LONGER ON CUSTODIAL STAFF
Blitzø Buckzo - HELPFUL
Cain - USELESS, DO NOT CONTACT
Cater Diamond - HELPFUL
Corvo Attano - HELPFUL, MOTIVATED THROUGH SPITE
Enver Gortash - HELPFUL
Eric Northman - HELPFUL
Frankie Harvest - HELPFUL
Hua Binan - USELESS, DID NOT ANSWER IN APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF TIME
Jun Wu - USEFUL, NOT HELPFUL. LIKELY MOTIVATED THROUGH RESPECT
Katie Slape - USEFUL, REQUIRED TOOLS TO ASSIST. LIKELY MURDEROUS - APPROACH WITH CAUTION
Moira - POTENTIALLY HELPFUL, DID NOT ANSWER IN APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF TIME
Peter - USELESS, DID NOT ANSWER, DIFFICULT TO CONTACT]