Broadcasting Hope
(TOM POV)
"I wouldn't recommend doing anything too extraneous with the Broadcasting System I don't know what happened but the hits we took were rather catastrophic," SARA said as you sighed and kept spraying the fire suppressor on the electrical fires that dotted the bridge.
"Come on we've broadcasted through a battlefield…Black holes and space pirates, something like this is trivial." You said giving the vocal equivalent of a smile and chuckle. "This is nothing."
"Well, when you short out even the emergency batteries and generators don't go crying to me to get my own reserve generators…those are for my own use in case you forgot." SARA admonished you.
As one of only two beings on the Ghost Planet Spaceship Absolution…TOM and SARA's snark with one another did as always break the monotony of their long missions;to drop wisdom, and broadcast some cool cartoons and anime along the way.
Even so…it at times allowed for moments of malice to slip in unintentionally.
"Yeah Yeah…don't worry about it. I know my limits." You said.
"Witch ones? Because the Monster from Hyperspace…the Red Blob-." Sarah started.
"Yeah, I know my own limits and the ships…don't worry about it…We'll manage, we always do." You said.
"Well, this time it is more than just a simple patch job," SARA said pulling up the Absolutions schematics on your H.U.D. "Let's start with the biggest problem."
"Engine Core needs to be spooled up again so we can restart the reactor safely…we have seven different hull breaches and we're drifting…I can see this as well as you?" You said. "Can we at least reroute something to boost our broadcast range?"
"TOM, I doubt we're in a position to broadcast…let alone continue the mission for a time, they'll understand technical problems. They always do." SARA said.
"No…we've got to give them something to hold onto… give them something more than a vague promise of the aether, the broadcasts do that more than any simple text message can." You said as you moved down the ship's computer systems a bit.
We don't need the kitchen or the Bunk rooms to have power.
A few moments of silence and typing away TOM gave a grunt of victory. "Got you."
*BUMMM!* The Hum of energy and static entered his processors.
"Well TOM well done we've got something resembling power, not enough to fix all of our problems but…I'm not going to be able to stop you aren't I?" SARA sighed as you gave a thumbs up.
"We got a show to do…we can fix this rust bucket-" He stopped and let the scanners ping and then ping again.
"You hear that?" You said looking at the AI.
"Well, I'll be? Lights are on in that Monolithic structure but nobody's home." SARA said
"Well, at least we can Broadcast in peace. Without anything going wrong?" You said.
"Why do you always tempt fate like that." She said.
BEGINNING BRODCAST FROM TOONAMI!
THREE!
TWO!
ONE…
[Intro music swells, and the screen fills with scenes from various anime characters in moments of struggle and triumph. The camera then zooms in on TOM, who stands on the bridge of the Absolution, gazing out into the starry expanse of space.]
In the vastness of space, where the stars twinkled like distant hopes, TOM stood alone on the bridge of the Absolution. His metallic frame reflected the soft glow of the control panels, and his gaze was fixed on the endless cosmos beyond.
"Hope," TOM began, his voice carrying a weight that resonated with every listener. "It's more than just a word. It's a beacon that guides us through the darkest times."
[As TOM spoke, the scene transitioned to various anime worlds and worlds from Cartoon Network. Batgirl, battered but unbroken, faced an imposing enemy with unwavering resolve.]
Batgirl, what can anyone do if you've lost everything, her mentor is gone, her friends are scattered to the wind, her idols criminals, or worse in the eyes of a homeland gone mad? What can one do except grit your teeth and strike back?
She will never give in, even when the world is drowned in darkness; because hope can tie us together in ways we cannot even imagine…
Even if what the heart desires is lost forever…it is never really gone.
[The narrative flowed seamlessly to Mr Satan from "Dragon Ball Z" standing up after a fierce battle, determination burning in his eyes.]
Hope is in itself a reaction to inspiration; even if it can start as something based on deception, because if you believe that the idea is true and drive yourself to become the best part of yourself…it is a lie or a call to action to become the best version of yourself.
[The camera then moved to Momo Yaoyorozu, the HERO Creati, making supplies in a disaster relief mission in Japan following an earthquake]
Even in a world ruled by the worst of us, we still have our dedication, and that dedication makes those who do it the bearers of Hope...who keep going even though everything is falling apart around her, inspiring hope is a lot like having courage.
It's not the absence of fear, or terror it's going out to face it anyway.
[The narrative shifted to real-life scenes: people lending a hand to one another, students celebrating graduation, athletes pushing past their limits.]
Hope shone in the small acts of kindness, in the pursuit of knowledge, and in the indomitable human spirit. It connected people, drove them forward, and made them stronger, even in the face of adversity.
In every story, whether on screen or in life, hope was the thread that wove through the narrative, binding people together and lighting the way forward.
[The final scene returned to TOM on the bridge, his expression filled with a serene confidence.]
"So, whenever you feel lost or overwhelmed," TOM concluded, his words a comforting embrace, "remember that hope is always there. In the stories we love, in the people around us, and most importantly, within you."
[The camera pulled back, showing the vastness of space once more as the Toonami logo appeared, followed by the lineup of shows for the night.]
"Good Luck out there Toonami Faithful, until next time...have a good night." You said.
END BRODCAST!
"Alright, we've got a little while until the next show..." You said looking at SARA.
He then looked at the Monolithic structure and sighed. "What we're gonna explore it.."
"TOM!" Sara said.
"Do you see anywhere else that can hold supplies to fix the Absolution? It'll only be for a few hours." You said.
"Just be careful." She said.
"I always am." You said.
The Broadcast door shut, leaving the Absolution drifting towards the structure, and its new residents waiting to see its splendor.
AN: I did say I was going to do a TOM Omake, didn't think it would take a Reboot of the quest to actually get to it.
A Brodcast about Hope, the first thing any hero faction actually needs in order to sober up and start trucking.
Thank the GM for information on how TOM is doing.
And don't worry this isn't the last you'll see of him and his Brodcasts.
Who know's what light he'll put on the world and show how people are doing?
Enjoy.