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

[mylawn]

[76 takes a seat, finding that he doesn't entirely object to having a real conversation with Mordred, even if she's still being, well. Mordred. The recruits taken by the Regency have understandably been a little tight-lipped about it, so he'll take what information he can get. Helps him piece together what they're up against.]

I didn't peg them as good hosts.

[He thinks back to his conversation with Grothia--how she admitted that this was not the first time the Regency has kidnapped COST recruits, and how the general protocol for a situation like that is to leave the captured behind.

76 understands, having been there himself. Having made those calls. Doesn't mean he likes it.]

How'd you end up getting out?

[mylawn]

[76 looks up from his current task, the arch of his eyebrow evident at the top of his visor. He knows the sound of something broken when he hears it, and all it takes is one look to confirm. She busted the tent. Sure, they're kind of a pain to set up, but it's possible he wasn't expecting the rods to snap entirely.]

Let me see.

[He stands, grunting a little as he does so, closing the distance between them and holding out a hand for the pieces. It's a clean break, so he's not sure how much doctoring he'll be able to do, but he imagines they're both resourceful.

For now, however, he can't help but bust her chops a little.]

This is pretty impressive.

[mylawn]

["Make yourself comfortable", he says, like he didn't fake his death for six years and there isn't a dead deer hanging from a tree and absolutely none of this is awkward. Jack coughs a little, as if trying to clear his throat.]

You're not in the way.

[He moves back to the deer as if to demonstrate that, but luckily he's done the bulk of the work before her arrival (hence all the blood). It would be foolish to try and cook the entire animal as it would certainly take hours. All that means is some butchering is in order, but otherwise the worst of it is over.]

Pretty much done. You holding up all right?

[mylawn]

[As someone who very much enjoys punching as a means of blowing off steam, he can sort of tell that 'sometimes' isn't a fully truthful answer. However, it doesn't seem worth it to press the issue. If Mamoru wants to use the punching bag, 76 won't stand in his way.]

What does?

[76 asks partly because he's curious, partly because if Mamoru has some kind of secret de-stressing ritual, he totally wants to hear about it.]

[mylawn]

I'm not sure it's a priority for the higher-ups.

[Considering how much of a point they keep making about how strapped COST is--how they're low on resources and supplies and most of their equipment is varying degrees of broken-down or stolen. 76 isn't really one to complain about spartan conditions, and suffice to say that the thought of having a casino never really occurred to him.

Cards, though. Cards are okay. He's sure he could find something in the rec room, but there's no guarantee it wouldn't be alien in nature. The game she mentions is also unfamiliar to him.]

Can't say I do.

[mylawn]

If that's what you're into. Meet you right outside BASE. Bring your supplies.

[lonelywar]

If you say so.

[He says it with a small smile still impressed upon his features, with just the barest tint of humor preserved there. Satisfied with acquainting himself with Mordred's scent, Yakul takes a few steps back, leaning a small portion of his weight against Ashitaka (and nearly causing him to stumble a step, if he hadn't already been expecting it).

But it's true... she does have a very specific aesthetic, and perhaps it would be too dangerous to mess with that.

He leans slightly out of the way as she swings the greatsword around, looking plainly surprised and impressed, though perhaps by this point he shouldn't be. He knows that Mordred is strong and capable of more than he might be able to imagine in a fight. A bit of a sobering thing to come to terms with, but his time with COST had given him quite a while to do so.]

It is too bad.

[He considers it for a moment.]

Were we allowed to use whatever abilities we have, things might end far sooner, and with less trouble along the way.

[It's too bad that not changing the tides of history was kind of the point.]

[mcscouty]

I'm bringing my Sunday best, don't worry.

[ And sure enough, when they meet up? Felix has his armor back on. He'd ditched it for a time while exploring the ship itself, but if they're headed out onto this...thing? Best believe he's suiting up.

As many layers between him and whatever-the-fuck this weirdness is.

Not that he looks particularly concerned. Just a guy, hanging out, casually flipping a knife into the air to catch it again just for something to do. No big deal. ]

iv

[dipolar]

(hei looks sour — rather the air about him does as he stares out at the forested area —, so the ride presents itself at a convenient time. he wants to get back out there, discover some things, spend some time alone, but he had to rest after that fruitless journey to the head of the coelacanth.

from his seated position just outside of BASE, hei angles his face up at the bike, then higher at 76.

wordlessly, hei accepts the offer and pushes off on a thigh to stand. positioning himself behind the soldier, reaching forward to take a fistful of the back of his jacket, he prepares himself for a quick take-off. someone clearly doesn't realize the hoverbikes practically putter.)

We're expected to gather supplies, but letting the group roam free seems ill-advised.

[lonelywar]

I do not believe it works that way...

[Usually someone has to let someone not assigned to the room inside... unless...]

Are the doors not working correctly?

[On board this slightly dilapidated vessel, it wouldn't be out of question...]

[prizeneck]

[He frowns, giving him a shrug.] It's just rain. What is wet will get dry sooner or later.

[prizeneck]

[He gives him a shrug, jerks his chin to where his sword is, leaning against a corner in the wall.] That.

[It's not a huge secret, sorry to disappoint. It's as if it's his answer to everything and he is plainly aware of it.] Cooking also helps. It's methodical. Too bad the ingredients are shit, here.

[doublejumps]

[ Between the elk, the sword and bow, and the young man's features, Genji has already started to wonder at whether he might be Japanese. Getting a glimpse into his own country's history, even if it's only through a single person, would be fascinating. That being said, he doesn't want to assume. It could be nothing more than a coincidence.

Genji holds still as the elk continues to inspect him, only barely holding back a laugh when Yakul draws close enough to start sniffing near his head. He shakes his head when the young man apologizes; he really doesn't mind. This is much better than being shunned, after all. ]

It's no problem.

[ He reaches up with both hands to press into releases at the back of his head, which causes his faceplate to slide open. Underneath is a human face, littered with scars, topped with black hair. Genji's hope is that allowing the pair to see his face will help to set them at ease. ]

I am what is called a 'cyborg.' A mix of man and machine.

[heilt]

( angela does smile a little though being brought back here still bothered her. if it had been by choice perhaps there could be more that she said or did about it, though likely she'd have argued the sentiment. instead, it was just by accident -- a failure )

Perhaps. Though there's more to it.

( she has yet to mention this in entirety to jack, having found genji on arrival before jack, but she'd tell him too. she'd made that promise )

I wasn't brought back because they needed me here. ( especially not when the troops would have needed her more. no one had been on base to require attention ) There was a problem with my implant. It's stabilised now but it could happen to anyone.

[heilt]

( there's a sigh because angela knows that tone. she doesn't like that tone )

I'm concerned, Jack. I don't know how long you were out there whilst I was here.

( she'd only been awake on base a matter of days compared to their weeks on the mission but how long had she been in that coma for? )

I just want to make sure that you're alright.

( let her worry!! she doesn't even care what you smell like for it )

[bloodings]

Seriously. I could end this whole thing in a week.

[ She absolutely couldn't end this whole thing in a week. He can probably tell that it's idle bragging; her words have little weight to them, coming across as almost obligatory. But she has to be better than her father could be.

Mordred shrugs, lowering her sword again, and going in for a trademark Ashitaka Hair Ruffle with her free hand. ]

Must be easy for you, right? You don't have anything to hide. [ Yes, she's calling him weak... but nicely(?). She's impressed that someone normal (as far as she knows) can keep up as well as Ashitaka does. ] But that's fine. You're no coward, and you contribute in your own way. Let people like me take care of the fighting.

[lonelywar]

[Ashitaka rolls his shoulders in a small shrug.]

Perhaps in the same vein as what we were saying previously. [His hand wanders across Yakul's admittedly-a-little-fuzzy flank, still with a faint feeling of contentment buzzing in the back of his mind for having his steadfast companion back at his side.] Morale. It is something to keep us going, if we know that there is someone we care for as close to us as BASE.

[Yakul had been in abstract before, something he had left behind just like all the rest of it: the Emishi, Irontown, the gods, San, all of them. But now he was here and in a way it made all of them feel real to him again, if not tangentially.

Chiron remains still and calm during Yakul's inspection, and so it ends well. The elk gives one last huff and leans back, his tension resolving into contentment as his dark eyes grow half-lidded. Ashitaka smiles, giving the elk a pat.]

I hope so as well.

[It wasn't as though BASE was completely bereft open spaces, but... there was a difference between any sort of sealed vessel and a wide-open wilderness like this one.

He looks at Chiron, interested by what he had surmised.]

All of the places we have been have been unexpected to me. Unprecedented. But I am aware that I know only of a very small piece of history. [A brief pause.] Do you think it is possible we are brought to a place even stranger than where we have been?

[#dramatic irony]

[lonelywar]

Headphones...?

[Muromachi Period, Japan, Mamoru...]

What are they supposed to do?

[lonelywar]

[He nods. Even if it's in a wave of braggadocio, it's not something done in jest or at her expense; he believes she probably could. Well, her, and many others here who seemed to have untold powers, though all were afflicted with the greatest irony that they couldn't really use them. With all of them combined, they most likely could.

It seemed very unfair, particularly when the Regency seemed able to pull out whatever stops they wanted.

He doesn't do much to stop the hair ruffle, though his expression drops a moment. Not so much in aggravation, but more... sheepishness. He's still getting used to things like this.

It's when she continues that he acts a little strange, straightening up a little bit, expression growing slightly conflicted. She's... right, in a way. Not entirely, but even with what little he did keep hidden, it didn't amount to much when he was in the company of people powerful enough to be gods.

To agree would be lying, though. And this was Mordred. They had known one another for quite a while now; they had even shared a cell for a decent portion of that time. He speaks up after a moment, voice slightly stilted.]

That is not entirely true.

[He has only spoken of his curse a few times; he still lacks the ability to speak of it easily. He considers proper words for a moment before continuing:] I am afflicted by something which can give me great strength, but I must be cautious in using it. It is dangerous, and my power over it is... limited.

[His gaze has drifted somewhat, but he returns it to Mordred now, his eyes clear and honest.]

Even with this, however, I do not compare with many others I fight alongside here. I understand this. So I do try to help in other ways; you are right in this.

[But he can fight. He has, even if the blood he sheds is something that is burdensome for him to bear and carry.]

[prizeneck]

[It's not like he knows, either.]

they convert electricity to sound
makes you able to listen to things like music or speech without it blaring all over the place for everyone to hear

you're not familiar with that kind of technology

[lonelywar]

[the communication breakdance is truly something

There's a pronounced pause which might suggest that this attempt at clarification only had an averse effect.]

I was unfamiliar with electricity until I was recruited.

But I believe I understand what you mean, about how they work.

[Being able to listen to voice messages without having to find an empty place while on a mission would be helpful... Ashitaka is still learning about the musical and similar capabilities of the BCE, though...]

[lonelywar]

[He's happy you had such a great time, Kruger.

It's likely, though. If COST had merely wanted to supply him with a steed, they could have been far more general. Horses would blend in to plenty more places and times. There were also those machines that people could use to get from place to place, but... Ashitaka finds himself very grateful he wouldn't have to try to pilot one (it would most likely end very poorly). No, they gave Yakul back to him because he was a companion more than a steed, an intelligent creature that he had known for enough years to gain enough understanding between them that he was far more useful than any warhorse or hovercraft.

Regardless of whether or not Kruger had showered lately, Yakul doesn't seem bothered. He's an animal, after all. He does seem a little curious of him, his inspection lasting a little longer than it might typically. Ashitaka knows that Kruger has own curse, something that changes something intrinsic about him. Perhaps Yakul sensed the barest portion of that, but couldn't make out what it was.

The elk retreats after a moment, though, giving a final huff of acceptance. It seems Kruger had passed the test.]

Is that what they are? [The young man gives the vehicles a wary eye. Seems like it's the blind leading the blind here.

He's a little surprised to learn that they aren't very fast. He hadn't thought that Yakul would outpace these vehicles, but... if Kruger says so. He gives a stern nod.] I will do so. I will try to find the clearest path.

[He gives Yakul a pat on the neck and then a gentle prod with his heels, and then the two of them are off and away, blazing the path for Kruger and his hovering bicycle.]

[horsepowered]

No need to apologize. I suppose you could always apply the maxium "all mythology is true" to a certain extent in this situation as well.

[Perhaps that last part is born of bias, given what Chiron is and how Servants function as a sum of all stories. He's fine with talking about things in multiple iterations. ]

Truly? I can't say that was something that was a part of my own culture's beliefs. I presume it must be a more modern invention, am I correct?

[Modern is...kind of anything that isn't ancient Greek to Chiron, so it is still a wide scope. Regardless, he's fascinated by the kelpie, especially as it is now so painfully close.]

[gerechtigkeit]

[He pauses at that, brow raising, but exhaling in relief. His husky pup barks in excitement upon being acknowledged, trying to squirm further in his grip.]

I came back to find her in my capsule, so no, she's new. [A beat.] Unless you've been here longer than when we came back from Gallipoli.

[A whimper comes from her as he sighs, looking down at her.]

I can't put you down- you'll get lost again.

[horsepowered]

...Mm. I believe that's most likely why.

[It was perfectly logical, and something that Chiron could not fault command for doing. Especially after all of the last mission, which somehow felt lightyears away and far too immediate for it to be comfortable. Truly, they'd need to bring along more and more animals and make BASE into an ark if this was to be era-norm.]

We can always explore that later. Much later, when we are forced from here.

[And only when goes unsaid. Chiron suspects he doesn't need to, all things considered. Gods knew that Ashitaka was one of the few that understood how important it was to have downtime in the wilderness.]

...From my perspective, it's always possible. But it is the nature of what I am to always be called to a time and place that isn't one's own.

[Next week, spiders.]