The Woebegone Porcupine has a question. [video, public but filtered away from Kelsier and Zane]

[myironeyes]

I understand that sometimes the barge encounters malevolent psychic forces.

How often does this happen? In what circumstances?

Any information you wish to relay would be appreciated.

Comments

[patheticvillain]

You worried you signed on with the wrong ship?

[myironeyes]

I'm trying to decide how urgently I need to teach people how to kill me.

[patheticvillain]

[He perks up at this.]

That's hard to do, huh?

It happens kind of all the time, randomly.

[myironeyes]

[He doesn't answer the question, because it's easy if you know the trick, and still incredibly difficult if the Inquisitor is trying to kill you back.]

Specifics, please.

[patheticvillain]

I haven't been here long enough to give a comprehensive answer.

Sometimes the boat makes almost everybody somebody else. A different version of themselves, or whatever. It's only happened a couple times to me since I've been here, but more often to other people.

[spetsnaz]

What is word, 'malevolent'?

[myironeyes]

Wishing great harm on others, for its own sake.

[spetsnaz]

Ah. If you are speaking of thing they call flood, I think it happens once or twice every month. This, it does not specifically cause harm, though harm often comes from it.

[myironeyes]

I saw the most recent one. It seemed chaotic, and dangerous, but not...deliberately evil.

[surrenders]

Never heard it called "psychic", but...

Something like it?

[myironeyes]

It doesn't matter what it's called, if it...attacks people's minds.

[Which is different from changing them for a little while.]

[surrenders]

Like you still know who you are, you still know what's normal? Not like the usual changes?

...sometimes. You never know when.

[myironeyes]

Perhaps.

[He doesn't really know how to describe what he means, and he doesn't have enough experience on the barge to compare it to. Nevertheless, he's grateful.]

Would you be willing to share some examples?

[private]

[routemistress]

[This sounds, at face value, like one of those routine how do I barge questions that pop up on the network from the order-loving passengers.

Except Iris has sat close to Marsh; there's wrong crackling off him like static, and he's already impressed her as the excessively responsible type.]

When we 'ad the rabies, I got sucked into a kind of psychic manifestation that used me to kill two of me friends. When we 'ad the alternates flood a future version of me tried to brainwash someone close to me. Luckily 'e's quick off the mark and stopped 'er.

There's no rhyme or reason to these things. We can't predict 'em. What are you after, exactly, Marsh my love? Are you worried what'll be done to you, or what you might do to others?

[That's a guess on Iris' part, and it comes largely from her worries about herself; but it fits with what she knows of Marsh.]

I'll 'elp in any way I can.

[private]

[myironeyes]

Mostly the latter.

I'm not sure what needs to be done. But I will remember. Thank you.

[private]

[routemistress]

Thought so. What I've done is give all the information I can about meself to a few people I'm especially close to. Three of 'em are professional killers and one's Barbara Gordon. One of 'em's already 'ad to put me down in a flood. It's not a fair thing to ask of anyone that ...anyone you're close to, not really. But it beats goin' on a rampage.

[private]

[myironeyes]

[He nods.]

That's...essentially what I was planning. But if the risk is too - frequent - it might be best for me to leave before I'm assigned.

[Because he couldn't abandon anyone who was depending on him.]

Video

[burnmythoughts]

[Jean's voice is mild, but her gaze is intent.] That depends on how you define "psychic forces".

Video

[myironeyes]

I don't know, exactly.

I'm afraid I don't have many points of comparison.

Video

[burnmythoughts]

What made you ask?

Video

[myironeyes]

Others from my world made it sound as though they encountered something...similar, to an enemy that was defeated there.

I was. Changed, to be its servant. It would not be safe for others to be around me, if I were used that way again.

[darknessb4me]

The Barge has a malevolent psychic force at the helm. Or weren't you told?

[myironeyes]

Mmm. If the Admiral wishes to torment me -

[which, given some of the things going on with Kelsier and Zane, is entirely possible,]

- he is currently doing so at an acceptable remove.

[darknessb4me]

Give it more time. You haven't seen what I've seen.

[myironeyes]

[Marsh did specify 'currently'. But -]

So educate me.