[ After the last drone of the muster drill ended, they were apparently free to go. People were starting to shuffle off, which meant that if Zouichi wanted to talk to someone who wasn't... well, part of whatever was going on with the ship, he'd better act fast.

So he turned toward one of the other passengers, ship-issued smartphone gingerly in hand. ]

Excuse me. Would you be willing to help me with an experiment?

[ His tone was polite, but a little on edge. Perhaps for good reason! ]

[ A lounge chair sailed through the air, end over end; Zouichi sidestepped before it could bean him and batted irritably at the tableware hurling itself off a nearby table to clatter about his arms and shoulders. ]

Look, I'm not here to fight you.

[ In fact, he was being unusually patient with this poltergeist nonsense -- like maybe whatever angry presence was in the room might be reasoned with. Maybe. Who knew?

In any case, it was the emotion in those voices he was responding to. Surprisingly human, to his ear. ]

You hear them, too, right? Some of them sound frightened.