H-hey, guys! Long time, uh. Long time no se-- chat. Sorry I've been... quiet.

[Ben... you know, he never looks GREAT, but he looks a lot less great than usual. He's got a deep, black bruise on his cheekbone, but it isn't swollen at all... if anything, he looks more gaunt than usual. For a guy that's maybe a hundred and forty pounds sopping wet, it's a little scary. The lights in his room are pretty low, but he's back lit by his porthole window.]

Question for the masses: is, um, i-is everyone feeling all right? I've, uh. Kinda been hiding out because I felt under the weather, but... I thought I'd sleep it off, and it never... really, um. Offed.

I started to think, I, um. You know, hadn't... airwaves've been kinda quiet? And I was worried. Maybe there's something going around, and that's... I dunno. I, I, um. Sorta. I f-fell earlier, and normally I don't bruise, but, uh.

[He gestures at the black patch on his face. He is telling the truth, at least. Mostly.]

If anyone, um. Needs me, I'll-- I'm in the library. Or, will be. Just. Diagnosing.

[He doesn't want to bother poor Kenna and he hasn't heard from Carter, so... off to solve his own problems like the idiot he is! The feed clicks off.

And clicks back on not a minute later.]

...I just realized I've been here seven months? does that mean my birthday's soon? I have to do the math...

[The video feed clicks on and Ben looks... pretty happy, actually! Kind of odd for him. He looks pale as hell, though, and the feed shakes every now and then as he holds the camera.]

So, uh! Hi. Um. Weird month, huh?

Well, uh. I've noticed some, some new faces around here, and we... had a slightly terrifying mixer a few months ago when we all sorta. Started showing up.

I was wondering-- would there be any interest in maybe figuring out a kind of meet up for the newer faces on the boat? Like, we... I know I've met some people in passing, but there're a bunch of us I've only spoken with by the communicators-- wh-which is partially my fault, of course! But, I, uh, I think a fair chunk of us fall into the "i-introvert" category, and a casual sort of... thing, uh. It could be fun.

Part of me is thinking "giant blanket fort," but I don't, uh, I'm not sure if that'd be fun for anyone other than the kids, eh?

[He swallows a little, and when he continues, his voice cracks a little. Nerves?]

A-also, I. I wanted to let you guys know, p-part of the reason I've been... um, off, hiding on my own a bit, is... the whole werewolf thing has gotten weirdly unpredictable? Like... I'm still fairly passive and peaceful, but I'm struggling to figure out when I'm changing, now. My math said the full moon was, was last night, and-- I mean, I'm dealing with the symptoms now, but... if-- uh.

I'm talking a lot here, my point is: if, um. If I accidentally start changing in the middle of a hallway or something, don't worry. Just... you can kind of leave me where I land? J-just. Don't worry. F-feel free to like, l-leave.

But, um. Otherwise, if-- if someone wants to help me set up something, hit me up. You can grab me on the communicators right now, but-- uh, if I don't respond, I might not have thumbs.

So! Uh. Hi, everyone.

Question for the masses.

[Bennett fidgets a bit with his communicator, fingers audibly shuffling up the side and back down.]

If, if I haven't met you yet, my name's Bennett Marrow. I was a professor and researcher, back home. I-- I had a little bit of a second job, too.

[Evasive, but he's getting to it.]

Um, my question is kinda... multi-part, bear with me here.

So, we've-- we've been here for a little while, some of us longer than others, and, uh. I'm, I'm always looking for ways to understand the world around me. Aaaaand, uh, obviously, there's-- there's a lot to understand here. So, if anybody has any information about the nature of the Black Tide, or-- or, the previous ship that I've heard about, the MS Elegante-- could you please contact me? I would love to interview anyone who would care to step forward so we all have a log of information about our, uh, houseboat. Boat-home. This will not be confidential and I will be happy to share it with anyone who needs it at any time.

Also, on the, uh, confidential side of things. I, uh-- I know there are some other nonhuman and supernaturally-inclined beings-slash-people on this boat. If you need any help-- if you need anything, please let me know, okay? I'm-- I'm never going to tell anyone, but I know how-- h-how terrible it feels to try and find the help you need all alone. I'm, I'm a werewolf myself. I, I ran into a few of you last weekend.

I used to run a network for the supernatural crowd so I could bring help to anyone who needed it. I might not have all the tools I used to, but I know I can build that network here again.

[He sighs and runs his hand through his hair, fiddling with the communicator again.]

This-- this got kinda long. Sorry, everyone. Anyway. Um, I'd normally tell you to meet me at my room if you didn't want to talk over the network, but, uh, it's-- it's flooded entirely right now, so I'm, uh-- you can find me in the back corner of the shopping area. I've made a little, uh, cave.

Hit me up if you need anything. This is, is, B-bennett Marrow, signing off.

[Ben has had the lovely misfortune of arriving in the midst of a storm, or, at least, the beginnings of one. He's never had to deal with seasickness before, but between being suddenly transported from walking down a busy Vancouver street to laying flat on a bed that is attempting a meek imitation of a roller coaster, Ben's a bit green at the gills.

And confused as all get out. The audio feed cuts in during one particularly nasty wave, starting with a loud whudda whudda whudda THWAM!! as it connects with the wall opposite of Bennett's bed.]

...um?

[He heard some microphone feedback from that, and scrambles over to pick up the communicator.]

Uh, hello? Maybe it's just a radio or something... Testing, un, deux, trois?

[He's... just going to stick his head out into the hallway and peek around. Try and get some landmarks, or, anything.]

How the hell did I get on a boat...? This is wei--

[And the feed cuts out as Ben shoves the communicator in his coat pocket.]