THE AMAZING BASE.

[agogemod]

WHO? Everybody!
WHAT? Welcome home, nerds.
WHEN? Outside time and space, in the aether between dimensions.
ANYTHING ELSE? There is also a fish. Please warn in subject lines for anything beyond physical violence and move to a personal journal if things go beyond PG-13.

MYSTERY FISH;

question the mystery fish

DEPARTING GALLIPOLI

The order comes the day after the Marie Antoinette sets sail:

PACK UP AND GET READY TO MOVE OUT. WE'VE DONE ALL WE CAN HERE.

DEPLOYMENT: BASE.

WE NEED TO RESTOCK. BE PREPARED FOR MORE TRANSFERS ON ARRIVAL.

STAY SAFE. TIME-STEP EXPECTED TO BEGIN WITHIN THE HOUR.

FOR THOSE OF YOU NEW TO COST: FIND A SECLUDED SPOT AND TRY NOT TO EAT ANYTHING BEFORE THE JUMP.

The Time-Step

The transfer begins like a vibrating heat on the collar bone, just a hum of sensation.

But the vibration spreads. Veteran COST soldiers often refer to this phenomenon as "the buzz". The feeling builds, not unlike standing near a great engine or the wind-rattled branches of a massive tree. There is a long moment of motion sickness and you can't be sure if the world is shaking you from the inside out or the outside in. It may be better to close your eyes against the growing nausea, as the world blurs out of focus.

A star shines in the distance. You may hear the faint rustling of leaves. Some swear they hear voices in this moment, indistinct words echoing off nothingness. Others say they feel a touch of the divine, that the eyes of the eternal look down upon you. Ancient bones rattle just out of earshot, cold and brittle and nothing more than the suggestion of sound. Or maybe it's only an illusion, brought on by the powerful technology grafted into your skin.

One thing is for sure: One moment you are here and the next you are not.

The shift takes you from whatever solitude you could find aboard the Marie Antoinette to the temperature-regulated hallway of what looks like a very poorly put together space station. Droids rush up and down the long hallway, fixing broken bits of machinery or just chattering with each other. A few crows sit on high ledges, looking down and watching. Someone mutters something about a centaur around the corner.

And you might just notice, provided you were in Gallipoli long enough to acquire stowaways, that the parasites lurking on your skin are mercifully gone.

For new arrivals who didn't experience Gallipoli: You, too, will appear in this long hallway, filled with droids and crows and humans (still filthy and clad in ANZAC uniforms, carrying battered equipment from the first World War). And you'll be wearing the minimal COST-issued athletic underwear and holding whatever one item you were allowed to bring. Surprise!

READ THE BASE INFOPAGE.

home away from home

Those who have been to BASE before may find a strangeness to it all: BASE seems...still. The windows show a verdant world instead of the usual aether (though with the typical paranoia), and the halls are bereft of all but a few crows. A man stands at the end of the long hallway you arrived in, waiting for you to get your bearings before he speaks.

Except, you know, he's not a man. He's a centaur.

"It's been barely a week since you left, by my reckoning. But for you, I'm sure, it's been much longer. Still, much has changed. You may have noticed we are...becalmed. This is due, it seems, to an error in our ways. We kept something that does not belong to us, several wild creatures that are meant to be free. They seem to have psychically called out to their home, and their home responded; we are now somewhat stranded.

"But let me explain—the Aether is the nexus between worlds and times, but it is not a dead thing. Creatures live in it. We have crashed onto the back of one such creature, a mighty beast, as large as a small country and entirely undiscovered. We have found why the creature has intercepted us: we have accidentally taken captive some of its children. Shapers, the wild creatures I mentioned, it seems they form a symbiotic bond with the creature, and live happily within its stomach."

He frowns, considering this.

"Shapers, I should mention, are creatures that briefly infested our fair BASE. The issue was dealt with, though we kept some for experimentation. The coelacanth took issue with this, it seems. It can speak, of course; we are stranded very near its head, and if you wish to ask it a question, I implore you to do so. The creature is older than creation—older than me—and only speaks once to any creature it encounters. It's said its wisdom brings kings to their knees."

His eyes crinkle in humor.

"My name is Chiron and I am the caretaker of this place, for those of you whom I have not had the pleasure of meeting. More importantly, I am a trainer and a teacher of some experience; if you wish training or schooling of any sort, do summon me. I will be happy to assist."

He's easy to contact, often found in the library, the training area, his capsule, or elsewhere in the station, attempting to fix what he understands and arguing with crows.

"We intended to spend this time exploring, for this is a rare opportunity to discover more of an entirely uncharted world. I hasten you to see if anything on the coelacanth can be of use, but be careful. Take only what you need, not what you may want. I intend to learn my lessons well; these creatures are not pets. Takes food, water, and any materials of use to us for our survival and perseverance, but no more. We task you with this: explore the coelacanth, and see what of it can be understood. Bring us back samples, but do try to interrupt the natural habitat as little as possible. We are guests here."

He bows and the action shows a slight limp in one of his back legs.

"I would join you, but I am far too old for such activities. Still, do pepper me with any questions you should encounter. I am always available on the network, or in person, within this hulking mass we call home."

And then he leaves you to find your capsules and rest.

CAPSULE ASSIGNMENTS

Once you've found your room and settled in—perhaps taken a shower, collected clothes, and eaten—a droid will approach you with camping equipment and give you a brief explanation of how to access and use the database. It's time to get your gear and go.

Of course, you can decline. You can stay and tend to the fort, maybe try and clean up this patchwork jumble of metal and machinery. But seeing the sights on the back of a giant fish flying through non-space? Who can say no to that?


the undiscovered country.

BASE's airlocks open into a lush valley, vibrant with color and rustling with life that has thrived on the coelacanth's back for millennia. It's a striking shift from the rot and gunfire of Gallipoli, unmarked by shrapnel, bombshells, and never-fresh air.

No, the air here is clean in a way that can leave you breathless, untouched by pollutants and stirred into a gentle breeze. It's a marked departure for anyone used to a more modern Earth or rough equivalent; letting the air sit on your tongue leaves a crisp, unsullied taste behind. And the whole forest feels alive, in a way that reminds you of how small you really are.

A white crow perches in a tree near BASE's exit, too high up to properly engage but a stark contrast to the bright leaves around her. She merely watches recruits come and go with a shrewd eye, feathers fluffed against the light chill. There are other crows scattered throughout the wilderness, some easier to find than others as they flit through the trees, sit on camping equipment, or hitch rides on the hoverbikes.

Besides those brief flashes of black feathers, however, you're left unsupervised.

Try not to fuck up anything too badly.

EXPLORE:INFOPAGE|DATABASE
talk to a fish | destruction report

NAV. NETWORK LOGS OOC MEMES PLURK

Comments

[inconstantly]

Then we'll both have something to see won't we?

[John closes his fist, extinguishing the flame instantly. Then, slowly, for her to see, ignites the lighter and touches the flame to his fingers and once again his hand is covered in flame.]

[excelsus]

[To be fair Dorian had a great many successes in his life, it's had an effect of his confidence and on how talented he perceives himself. Though there were also detriments to be had, being congratulated on skill and certain superficial things left very little room for Dorian to see or care about whether he had other attributes like bravery or kindness. It's not valued in his homeland and it's often a surprise when people point out traits to him instead of success.

Fortunately the Hart is a domesticated animal, used to humans, and while it might be tracking the newcomer it's primary interest seems to be personal comfort. He goes back to bunking down just as soon as Dorian and John are inside.]

You have no problem with escalation, do you? [Dorian laughs, more bemused than anything else, by John's impatience and his ability to make himself so at home so very quickly.] I would never rescind on a promise of wine.

[So he gestures to one of the bedrooms, his own presumably, it's tidy save for the armor sets placed on his bed, the rest of his clothing is neatly tucked away in their limited storage space. The only real oddity in the room and perhaps the most unnerving object as well it the staff in the corner crowned with a skull and radiating a strange glow about it. It was usually equipped with a blade, but Dorian had taken to carrying it around like a knife in their previous mission and had not replaced it.

The wine he kept locked in his trunk, he preferred red wine at room temperature, but he also didn't have the space to chill it with.] One bottle of wine...I believe I said something about food as well?

Thor, son of Odin, Prince of Asgard, God of Thunder, Only Odinkid Who Isn't a Goth | MCU

[thunders]

BASE

Mess Hall

[ Once he finally passes out for the night, Thor sleeps like the dead well into the next morning. He'd been hungry enough to eat whatever was put in front of him the day before, but now that he's rested he's feeling a little more discerning about his food choices. Instead of having a fully cooked meal handed to him, he asks the droids to create some more basic ingredients. He knows that they're just the same slabs of black jelly, refashioned to look like food, but the eggs behave like eggs and the thick slices of bacon smell real enough as they sizzle away in the pan. He's not an amazing cook, but living away from Asgard with a lovely, brilliant scientist who couldn't cook anything more complicated than cereal has taught him how to fend for himself. Mostly. At the moment, he's trying to flip the bacon with a fork without getting splattered by hot grease. He's not succeeding. He should have worn a shirt with longer sleeves. ]

How dare you scald the prince of Asgard... [ He's definitely grumbling to the bacon. He's going to intimidate it into behaving.

If anyone wants to give him a hand with the cooking, or even ask him to share his breakfast, he's not going to turn them down.

When the cooking is done, Thor settles for his meal which consists of meat, eggs, more meat, different meat, suspicious meat, and toast - for variety. It's enough food for two, maybe three people, and he looks like he intends to eat all of it himself. If anyone settles nearby, or if he sees a familiar face from the previous mission, he'll happily greet them and strike up a conversation.

Later that day, he can be found in the recreation area. Anyone looking to spar is welcome to join him. ]

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Camping

[ The problem with the hoverbikes is that there never seems to be enough of them around for everyone. Thor could, if he wanted to, fly off on his own using the hammer that hangs from his belt, but it's not the kind of thing he wants to do for several hours at a time. He doesn't have that kind of stamina.

He eyes the person beside him, resigned. ]

Alright, get on - but no backseat driving. [ Do they really want to let Thor drive?

Or maybe they've already gotten to the campsite and done their exploring, and it's time to set up for the night. Thor is an old hand at camping, and he'll help anyone who isn't so accustomed to pitching tents and building fires. Maybe he's even caught something for dinner - he'll have to hope his companion isn't squeamish about watching him gut one of those cute little animals.

While they're sitting around the camp fire, he'll be pressing anyone who keeps his company for stories of valor from their lives before or after joining COST. For his part, he keeps the stories lighthearted, and there's no small amount of obvious embellishing going on. ]

Gorge

[ Eventually, Thor abandons the bike and his traveling companions and uses Mjolnir to get airborne. He's been trying to stave off the restless feeling he's had since coming back from the mission and, while he's been fairly successful until now, it always catches up.

Even without the Recency soldiers nearby, Thor feels... diminished. It bothers him that he can't contact Heimdall and, by extension, Asgard. Though he has chosen this path, it feels not unlike being an outcast. He worries for his home, and for his people. He still dreams of it all burning in Surter's flames.

Eventually, he lands near a water-filled gorge, loud enough to disturb the nearby wildlife into bolting further into the trees. He thinks he's alone, for the moment, though he doesn't spend much time looking around.

He strips of his clothing and leaves it with his hammer on dry land before he wades out into the chilly water to bathe. It's been a long few weeks - maybe a swim will ease his mind. ]

[dorzalta]

Her laugh is delighted, a girlish giggle over what he says. He missed her face. It's so ridiculous, and maybe she finds it funnier because she's so tired and it's so silly. But it's also sweet, and he's always been sweet. It's what she finds charming about him. It's what has her hugging him close, murmuring against his ear, "I missed you too."

She tucks her nose against the juncture of neck and shoulder, exhaling and closing her eyes. And with each passing moment, she relaxes further against him, until she forgets that her fingers are getting wrinkled, and that there is anything outside the two of them.

"He's a good man. I would like to help him with this, even if the magic I have is meager. He reminds me of ser Barristan, in some ways." She sounds sleepy now, mumbling against his skin. A span of time passes, one filled with steady breaths and heavy limbs. "I don't know if I'll be able to sleep, Jon."

[bloodings]

Yeah, yeah. Next time, you owe me a favour.

[ She's just feeling generous today. Or she misses eating with a big army while on the march. Either way, Mordred eats like a wild animal herself; tearing chunks off the chicken and talking with her mouth full. Gross. ]

Have you asked the fish a question yet? I bet the other you would be pretty interested in hearing about it.

[horsepowered]

Let's call said favor a ride and be done with any negotiating on that end.

[Chiron's just trying to head that indignity off at the pass. It always looks silly.]

I haven't no. In truth, I wasn't planning on doing so. Were you going to...?

[raisedbybirds]

[Did he just mutter to himself? Samus tilts her head, a gesture that makes her look profoundly bird-like as she's still perched half-way up the stairs.]

My belongings came with me. Technically speaking.

[raisedbybirds]

That's unnecessary. Not much to clean up, anyway.

[raisedbybirds]

I'm not above cleaning it myself, not that there's much to clean.

[raisedbybirds]

[She makes a laughing sort of noise through her nose and the corner of her lip tries to so do something. She shakes her head as if to shake it off but there's a warm lit in her tone.]

I think you could spend an entire year cleaning this bike and it'd still find a way to be dirty.

Here-- [She somehow doesn't have the heart to shoo him away and instructs him to sit.] hold this still while I unscrew.

[bloodings]

Ha. I'll take you up on that.

[ Not right now, because she still has the bike, but next time she goes out? It'll be on horseback. Centaurback. Chironback.

As for the question... she tears off another piece of monster-chicken, chewing thoughtfully. ]

No. [ Chew. ] Maybe. [ Another chew. ] It'll probably give some vague annoying answer, anyway.

gorge

[handsomefoil]

[ Today is another day of exploration on his own, preferring small bursts of wandering the outdoors instead of taking long extended camping trips. He doesn't get a chance to explore terribly far due to all the back and forth he's been doing, but he's not concerned.

A lot of the times, he takes to climbing tall trees for vision. While he didn't always make a habit of scaling trees (or skyscrapers, if he were to make a more modern comparison), he always felt content in higher altitudes. Even with the occasional creepy antler owls hanging about during the night, he rarely encountered anything extremely dangerous up here.

The sound of water catches his attention and he sees a guy just strip and get into the water. Henry can't blame him for enjoying the water, but at the same time, he can't imagine ever getting into strange bodies of water himself. He doesn't recognize the guy but he definitely recognizes the hammer that sits with his clothes. He wants to get a closer look at it... but, hm. What to do...he doesn't want to alarm the guy but he also doesn't want to linger too long up here and feel creepy. So after a moment to think, he drops down from the tree (he's very silent despite the height he drops from) away from Thor's line of sight to try and see if he can get to the hammer without getting caught. ]

[bloodings]

it's your time, not mine.

[bloodings]

Tch. I'm not touching those things again.

[ She absolutely is... but only when she gets bored enough. So give her like, a week. The alcohol, though — she'll take that right now, tipping the bottle back like she's drinking water. It's better than the trench rations, at any rate.

After drinking like a third of it, she coughs a little, but it's fine. Probably. ]

This is for me, right? [ Holding up the bottle. ]

MESS HALL

[raisedbybirds]

[Samus did not often cook either. She lived in culitary extremes; living off of convenient synthesized space food and rations... or surviving off native wildlife when long missions required it, often barbecued straight from her arm canon's hand. She was a hardy woman, but her and her physique certainly appreciated a good, protein-heavy meal.

It's hard for her to not drool as she idly follows her nose into the mess hall and openly stares at the mess Thor was making, especially after enduring weeks of hard-tack during Gallipoli.

...No, scratch that--she legitimately drools a little, and fumbles to wipe her chin with the back of her sleeve and hoping he didn't see it. Part of her wants to slink out of the mess hall area to ensure that but she is also hungry. Surely he's not going to eat all of that by himself? There's still meat uncooked.

Awkwardly, she decides to sit down at one of the tables like that was her intention the entire time.]

https://i.imgur.com/kEUDRzR.jpg

[raisedbybirds]

I'd rather spend my precious time beating self respect into other COST members.

i'm sorry about her

[bloodings]

that's an even bigger waste. talk about overrated.

iii

[handsomefoil]

[ Henry doesn't know this guy, but he sure as hell can't pass up the opportunity to make a quip about a guy in an orange sleeping bag hanging out in a tree. Originally he wasn't going to say anything to bother the guy from what he thinks is slumber, but then a particularly bold foxweald starts moving towards his face and sniffing at the coarse hairs of his chin. ]

Oh, what's this? An amazing discovery: Carrots the size of an adult man, growing on a tree.

[ Narrated with some projection of the voice, as if he was writing this down. If anything,
it does give the foxwealds pause when they hear his voice. They freeze in the middle of whatever they're doing, like they think it'll make them more invisible. ]

[handsomefoil]

The sound has him immediately drawing back and reaching for the handle of his saber, kneeling on one knee and ready to spring into action should he need to. Then relaxes when he sees the strange creature fly away from the offending party, a man he doesn't wholly recognize. At least, not right away.

The voice, if anything, is very familiar.

"Was that you just now?"

Sort of gestures at the pool with his saber handle then back at him.

[prizeneck]

Not just any flowers. These smell good.

[A tilt of his head with a frown.] Cheese.

[prizeneck]

[Ah, that kind of hand to hand]

several kinds
but there's a basis to all of them

[prizeneck]

[He had been in the process of getting up, pulling his arms and shoulders back to stretch at his shoulder blades and his sternum.

Her footsteps seem almost delicate to his ears, controlled. If anything a testament to what he had seen in the gym - extremely well-coordinated and spatially aware.

He tilts his head, expression slipping into puzzlement, the edge of a smirk, however, denying it. Was he good... He was confident enough to know he was more than capable with it. But... ]

Never really feels good enough, does it?

[prizeneck]

Yeah, yeah. [Right ahead of you, he's opening his bag to get a rag and clean at the soles of his boots - damn, that was a lot of mud for such a short time of rain.

And because he's the most eloquent.]

Yeah. You? [He tilts his head. Is he supposed to not be?]

[prizeneck]

[Finally removing his gaze from the sword, he peers over at her.] I only had these with me when I arrived. [Points at the sunglasses he's wearing.

Very carefully, he sheathes the sword again, lets it rest on the bed. It's almost revering, the way he handles it. A stark contrast to what he does with it.]

What's upstairs?

[prizeneck]

Stepping closer, he risks a gaze back to where the dragokeet flew at to make sure it wouldn't decide to come back.

"Yeah, damn thing was trying to make a nest in my head or somethin'," reaching to pat at his unruly hair again. He can still feel the little critters' claws pinpricking at his scalp. However, he's intrigued by whatever the sniper has in his hand - definitely not a sniper rifle, but he had reached for it as if it were a weapon. Interesting.

"'pparently they like perching on people if the registry is anything to go by."