[action - open to crewmates]
( The night wasn't long enough. )

[voice]
It's several minutes later, after she's realized the horrible truth, that she turns the journal to a new page and removes the lock. It was something she could confirm, now. Had to confirm, because this didn't need to happen to anyone else. "This is Rikka, aboard Shepherd. Several members of our crew... the possessed among them are gone, without a trace. My best friends, Mana and Alice... Gaius... Hubert. All of them are gone."

Her voice is dead. The words are coming out, but there's no emotion to them. She doesn't care, beyond the illusion of having a duty to make sure the others were alert. But Rikka... she's lost everything that was important to her. That duty was all she had left to cling to for now.

"In the Captain's absence, Colonel Curtiss has assumed command of the ship. I'm... still recovering, so I'm not much good for anything. I hope everyone else's people are safe. In the meantime, we're preparing ourselves for the attack on the fortress in a little over a week's time. Until then, I'll be... ah, what does it matter?" A hollow laugh. "Nobody's going to be looking for me. Nobody needs anything from me. So I'll just be going now. Good night, everyone."

She closes the book lightly, hugging it to her chest before throwing it against the cabin wall, picking it back up after a moment and glaring at it before tucking it under her arm and returning to her room. All the while, there's one strong thought in her head: 'I will get them back. I'll save them, and they'll never be hurt again. Whatever the cost.' There's a black feeling, a need to hurt and destroy that's so unlike her, and yet it fits her black mood just fine. She's not sure if she wants to go break something, or just lie on her bed and never move. Tired as she is now, it's sounding like the latter; she heads back to her room, puts her head on her pillow, hugs Mana's pillow for dear life, and tries to motivate herself to cry. But the tears aren't coming anymore, and she's not sure what that means.

Come hell or high water, we're shipping out on Saturday. Probably in the early evening. If you wish to stay behind you may but there's no promises we'll be able to return. Our plans are to pick up the coral as we see it, blast the hell out of the fortress when we can and get in--getting rid of anything or anyone in our way until we find a way to lift this curse.

In order to cover more ground, Sun and Moon will be heading in opposite directions. If you wish to remain behind, let someone know. Otherwise we need repair work done and done quickly. Come to me or Namur for supply lists.

Our captain will be taken care of so don't worry about him.

If you have questions, ask, but don't waste my time.

[Four plus one makes five, makes a repeating pattern, makes...]

Son of a...

This is Marvelous! [To say his tone right now is harsh would be putting it mildly.] Anyone out there, if you've got people on your boat that were possessed... Are they still there?

[The sounds, however faint, from the journal are cause to hope -- and like it or not, Marvelous has a point about how little they know about this place. Rather than waste resources trying to attack this barrier, then, Sasuke has taken to pacing through the rigging, finally opening his own journal to speak:]

If the sound of the journals means my brother is still alive, I intend to rescue him. If you have combat experience, I am willing to coordinate.

[He doesn't say, but it's implied in his tone: if you don't, stay out of the way.

Because he's keeping himself in check, now, the expanse of the ocean and the captain of this ship's logic holding. But if the noise from these journals doesn't mean Itachi is alive -- he's left a path of destruction behind him before. The witch spoke as if this world meant something to her. He will tear it apart with his bare hands.]