(no subject)

[velocette]

The first dyes the royals used, indigo and purple dyes, came from mollusks. But since a mollusk is [he holds up two fingers, barely apart] tiny, they had to fish millions of them to put out anything to sell. The whole city reeked of rotting sea food...that's on historical record. I mean every city then--well hygiene wasn't like it is now, every city was coated in waste. Worse than now. So for them to point out Tyre and say that city reeked...?

[He has a point. He's getting to it. Slowly.] We don't have a chance to fish much here, so I'll have to get creative. [He has a pile of objects in one corner, which is sometimes visible , especially when he pauses to light a cigarette]

Harvey, I've got the fish. They seem happier.

I need deeply colored objects--scraps, trash, whatever--but I can't... [a wan smile] It's not something I can figure out. Can't tell which of these is blue. [Which is a hint at a certain someone.]

Comments

[halftheman]

Wondered where they went. You should bring the black and white one back.

[ He is attached to that angry little crown-tail. ]

[velocette]

Which one is that? [Grinning, maybe teasing a little. He's figured out which one Harvey likes best, and he angles the device so that he can see the fish, healthy but sulky as ever.]

It's funny, that for once it really does exist just the way I see it.

[halftheman]

Does it? [ Odd. He's not sure how to think of that. ]

[velocette]

[He holds it up in its little bowl for Harvey.]

Look. We're almost seeing the same thing, Harvey.

[You don't understand how novel this is for him.]

Do you keep tabs on the ship?

[halftheman]

Keep tabs? On the ship, or it's people? No, I'm not an engineer. Yes, I have people.

Private;

[velocette]

Then...have you noticed a woman, she talks about colors?

[If this seems like a gang leader asking for a report on the neighborhood, well, it kind of is.]

Private;

[halftheman]

Can't say I did.

[ He doesn't watch the network like a hawk, really. ]

Private;

[velocette]

If you hear anything, give me a shout.

Have you found any fun lately?

[fun, to him, could be anything from a riot to learning to paint]

Private;

[halftheman]

Scraping about a cave wasn't that much fun, but we endured.