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]

[John does his best to hang on to every word. What he knows of magic is largely self taught. While John has never thought of himself as a scholar, he has diligently learned everything he could in relation to the occult since he was 15. Not a day goes by that he doesn't practice or strive to learn something new. Even so, this is a lot of information at once about a world and practices with which he isn't familiar. He might have to come back to this another day and ask Dorian further questions.

The closeness doesn't help with his ability to concentrate either. Not that he's complaining. He's grateful for the nudge, not only for the touch itself but for the direction.]

Good thing that demons are my specialty.

[The flippant words turn to a gasp as he touches the rune. It's as if suddenly feeling the energy of every demon he's sent back to hell over the years in one sharp rush and he's forced to look forward. His eyes open wide to reveal only white as John grips the staff firmly.]

Disperges in ventum.

[The portion of the spell comes low in his throat. There's no demons to banish so the spell is useless, but that doesn't been nothing has happened. The staff has found someone else with a gift, someone with experience. John blinks and his eyes return to their natural brown. He wonders if something like this would have any effect at home. Perhaps the larger demons could be more easily held at bay and trapped. It was worth considering.

John glances down to Dorian's arm alongside his own.]

I'd like to see that formula sometime.

[deem]

Not much by way of materials, but there's facilities and tools, which is a start.

[He wishes they had more raw materials, or any reliable way of getting them, but somewhere to do repairs is better than having nowhere]

Do you want to see? The technology's a bit different from what I'm used to.

[deem]

Oh, you do? That'd be really helpful.

[And he certainly brightens at the prospect, an earnest smile on his lips. His favorite data to collect may concern combat, but his purpose runs deep. He knows it's data he could never otherwise obtain with any reliability]

I can show you all sorts of data where technology's concerned, even schematics and typical materials, if you want. Or if other records interest you, I know as much as any other Scanner. It's the sort of thing my unit type's meant for, details and all that.

[And he's more than happy to make himself useful in this regard]

[raisedbybirds]

I wouldn't have much confidence sleeping in a tent if it broke this easily anyway.

[She's embarrassed, clearly, but that's fine. He can bust them. Not the end of the world.]

Won't be the first or last time I sleep under stars. Or whatever counts for stars in this aether.

[raisedbybirds]

[Wait. Wait. Maybe there's an ulterior motive to this. Or Samus is very bad at reading conversations and doing the social thing.]

Do you need something to do.

[Does Angela want to do the hanging out... Is that what this is about.]

[deem]

[9S hesitates, because he wants to ensure the guy's safety first. But at the distance that deer is at, and with its meandering gait, he shouldn't have any trouble fending it off if it becomes necessary. So reluctantly, he nods, and he leaps right up to a branch hanging several feet above them.

It's a strange vertical leap, certainly not a natural one, but far from the highest 9S could reach. He picked this branch for one simple reason, and this becomes apparent when he bends to offer Ryo a hand.

This branch can support their collective weight and isn't so high that he can't reach to help him]

[deem]

Um...

[9S hesitates, because his hacking interface is pretty much bullet hell. If this human doesn't want him to do well, then this probably would be the wrong game to play. Many of them might be, actually.

Maybe if he explains first?]

I'm an android, so my reflexes might be a little different.

[Actually they're guaranteed to differ, and he's not sure he has ever underperformed since he was first rolled out]

...But because of that, I think I could see a way to score higher. If you'd be interested, that is.

[lefthandfree]

Even if Henry could recall enough of what he’d taken in world history—even if Henry had gone to school in the United States and taken US History—he never would have learned that during the roaring twenties, along with many other counter culture developments of the age, the gay scene had sprung up and found a home within New York City.

While it would certainly take a great many years for recognition of its participants to be seen as normal members of society and not queer outliers, their influence on what developed into the signature nightlife that was present through the streets of the city even through the modern day are undeniable. Regardless of never having known any direct parties in his youth, movers and shakers of the great city usually never consorting with common civilians like Bucky, he would be remiss to not recognize the popularity of dance halls in his young adulthood had been developed with chastity and solely with heterosexual clientele in mind.

That all said, old notions of heterosexuality and homosexuality still exist very staunchly in his mind, the concepts not having been challenged in decades and difficult to properly deconstruct to be reconstructed. In Bucky’s case, it doesn’t only sound cut-and-dry but also consists of it, though he recognizes that explaining this would go nowhere and so he chooses not to remark on it directly. To him, the notions of casual sex and marriage are wholly different worlds anyway, so while he tries to give Henry’s viewpoint a proper chance in his head, it only ends up a mess of thought he hasn’t any clue what to do with other than accepting that there are other viewpoints at all.

While Henry continues speaking, he nods, acknowledging that he is listening and trying to process the idea the man puts forth. His companion has been willing to endure his disorientation with the matter for now, but Bucky imagines demanding more of it could be potentially damaging to their present, comfortable friendliness. Rather than press further with his questions and thoughts, he lets the matter fall aside, instead focusing in on the clear fact that despite Henry’s best efforts to mask what manner of man he is, Bucky can read him clearly, a hopeful man who loves and loves deeply even if wronged by one he is meant to trust. Something about that strikes a deep cord with the soldier, and he hums thoughtfully as he returns to detailing the tent on his page.

“I feel like you’ll deny this, but you’re a really noble guy, you know. Ten years is a long time. I...can't even imagine it. Gave up on any notions of real love the moment I realized I probably wasn't coming out of the war alive.” In essence, casual is all he knows and understands these days, the only thing he lets himself have if he lets himself have at all. It’s something he reserves for women, of course, Bucky himself very much straight in his own eyes. The suggestion that it doesn’t matter who or what since it’s casual anyway does end up making sense to him though. There are perverts who do worse than sleep with both sexes; surely there’s nothing objectionable about choosing between humans as long as they’re all consenting adults, right?

[deem]

The flowers are ones 9S recognizes, and the accuracy of Henry's rendering is impressive. He hasn't observed anyone drawing simply because they could before, as androids have no use for the activity, but watching lines resolve into familiar shapes like this is fascinating stuff.

Enough so that he becomes absorbed in simple observation, and jumps when he's addressed with a yelp. "Ah- h-hello-" It's the first time so far that a human has noticed him before he's addressed them.

Then again, he is basically hovering over the man's shoulder.

[deem]

[From his perch on a tree that leans so far horizontally as to make a decent bench, 9S swings his legs. He doesn't know whether design or accident has left this particular example of plant life in such a state, but he's accustomed to trees that towered so high they clung to and wove through buildings]

Bob. You know, this big fish we're all on now.

[It's a strange thing, being on an organism so vast. Nothing in his world, nor the records he has access to, was nearly so large as the creature they've found themselves roving along the back of, scarcely the size of insects to a being of such proportions]

He said to call him that, anyway.

[That was it, that was 9S' one question. He's gotten enough existential crises out of his short life that asking a giant ancient fish anything at all hadn't tempted him to pose any deep, philosophical inquiries.

Besides, isn't it nice to be addressed properly?]

[deem]

Oh, I see.

[The shells, perhaps, had been someone else's doing, simply disturbed by movement or something else. It's nice to know someone works with artillery that's more advanced than what he'd seen in Gallipoli, to be certain.

Still, the firearm isn't of a make he recognizes]

Is it finite? How many times you can fire, I mean.

[None of the technology he's seen thus far quite matches what he's accustomed to, and it leaves him to wonder how close anything gets. So far the most sophisticated devices also rely on magic, and that's something else altogether]

[deem]

Uh-huh. A unit like me can change out chips if I need to, depending on the circumstances. Well, if I had my supplies on me still, anyhow.

[All he has for that is a helpless shrug]

But my current chip set should help minimize any need for maintenance.

[deem]

I've been picking that up in my readings, but I wasn't sure if some interference was involved.

[He frowns as he weighs that prospect. The notion of his functions being impaired is an unsettling one, but dealing with so much magic, he wouldn't be terribly surprised. Still, it leaves him concerned, because they will surely come across more.

Variances in magnetic pull, as well, may be something they encounter in the future]

I'm all metal and synthetic myself, but...

[trample]

[ And away they go.

It's a breath of fresh air - literally - to be in the midst of something so green. With the lush plants taking up space in every direction, it was no wonder they assigned hover bikes as a rule - anything else would just be too inefficient.

Walking, it would seem, without a trail to follow is quite difficult. Contrary to earlier expectations, it's the lad and his elk that begin to slow, while Eren - who can easily disregard the terrain - catches up not long after they make their way in. Is this god modding

Once they come to a head, it's Eren who, coming from behind, speaks up. ]

How far in do you want to go? Now's a good a time as any for surveying.

[ That was, after all, their mission here. ]

[trample]

[ How wonderful. Not a minute in and he was already feeling like they were two sheets of sandpaper being rubbed against each other. It was uncomfortable, to say the least, but that probably wasn't helped by the fact that the both of them seemed to be wanting it that way.

He nods, just slightly, only because he agreed with the idea behind her words. ]

I've never had pets. But that sounds about right as far as cats go. [ He pulls his shoulders back and draws the box in closer to his stomach - like if he were hiding it. This load really shouldn't be so difficult to handle, but it feels awkward having it out in the open like this. ] That...Li-o, [ He's no good at pronouncing it. ] She's smart enough not to let someone step on her, I assume?

[neutronium]

[Hux flushes, realizing he looks like an idiot. His chin goes up, an unconscious defensive mechanism.]

Where I come from, creatures like this might be sentient. But its--she's a pet.

[So more like a lothcat. Hux watches the cat again, debating on giving a pet...but there is something that reminds him of years forgotten, when he was someone softer. His lips twitch, and he bends at the knee, crouching, putting a gloved hand out to scratch at that offered chin.]

...we have creatures similiar to this where I come from-- lothcats.

[handsomefoil]

[ He drops the pretense of recording information and just folds his arms across his chest, looking up at the amusing scenery. Some of them are definitely bold enough to hang around... or terrified to move. ]

Nah, considering how long they've been loitering around, they would've taken a bite out of you by now. Plus, I imagine you don't smell like any vegetable they've ever smelled before.

[trample]

[ Taking the initiative to move, Eren goes around the table and places a hand on Ryuji's shoulder. A well-meaning violation of his personal space. ]

The droids'll get it. Don't worry.

[ And he nods to the exit, assuming Ryuji will follow him as he makes his exit - not too fast, but not slow enough for the shame to catch up with either of them. ]

[bivariant]

[ The laces undone, she pries the boots off of her feet and tidies the laces before she places them to one side of her. Her legs, she stretches out, making herself comfortable even considering the depth of the conversation that weighs between them. Unlike him, she is not much of a conversationalist -- but, she's grown used to speaking to many people, over some time. Letting that go to waste would be a poor decision. ]

COST's command structure belongs to the annals of history, as I know it. It is an uncertain thing, and allows for too much variance. I cannot fathom why the hexarchate assigned me to this cell, when I was dealing with more pressing matters before I came to in Gallipoli. And there is - no calendar here. No doctrine. Cohesion is tenuous, but everyone's spirits seem... strong.

[ That part is what confuses her the most, clearly. COST lacks order, lacks doctrine, lacks structure the way she understands it, yet they function well and take pride in their work. It's not impossible, but it is a strong deviation from the acceptable standard. Not even a borderworld deviation, but an entire sect of cheery heresy. Does the hexarchate even oversee COST? Has she simply been turned out? And why? ]

No, I supposed if COST is dedicated to fighting the Regency, they would not wish to emulate the Regency's structure. All the better. The Regency is heretical, and must be eliminated. So, what do you think of that aspect of human nature? This desire to eliminate something because it is different, and believed dangerous in that difference.

[ She comes back around to the elusive topic they are playing with -- his inhumanity, all but confirmed. Coming out and asking him directly would sour the conversation, so she's being told. Despite that she's aware she's being used as a proxy and mouthpiece for the gamemaster in her mind, currently dancing around the question she would much rather Just Ask. ]

And, more than that. Experienced with humanity as you are - how do you view the Regency?

sorry was at a con all weekend!

[neutronium]

[Hux blinks when he hears Rey's voice, his hands going to claps behind his back, glancing over at her. He's finally gotten some rest, though 'rest' for him is just a few hours of dozing. He's in a simple black outfit, less fitted than his normal uniform, but it's similar enough that he feels comfortable.]


I was hoping we'd reach space again, soon. I confess I feel most comfortable when I'm in sight of it.

[A vague truce? Yes. Even if she doesn't know he's making that pact.]

[bloodings]

It's weird, right? I mean, I hadn't really talked about who I was before then, but they knew all about me. ... Well, I guess they'd only need my real name for that.

[ But she'd only ever mentioned that in person, to a select few people. (Of course, Mordred lets far more slip than she thinks she does, but the point is still valid.) ]

There must be something stopping them. Maybe if they do that, things change for them, too. Like screwing with us messes with too many things in the future. [ But then, isn't changing things the Regency's goal in the first place? She sighs. ] Whatever the reason is, they obviously can't do it. Or won't. So we can screw with them as much as we want.

[ From reasonable logic to stupidity in one sentence. ]

[handsomefoil]

Pics or it didn't happen

[raisedbybirds]

[Her hair's up, but her bangs are long and always find a way to escape to the front of her face. She's gave up trying to tame them a long time ago, lets them go where they want so long as they don't obstruct her vision.]

I found it jarring and muddled [even overwhelming, at first]--a lot of information comes from sound when you open your ears.

Aether was the planet's name, ironically. [As they are currently suck in a very similar kind of aether, a place between places.]

Unfortunately I couldn't keep all the toys I gained from that mission. [Alas, no more Echo Visor for her. For now, anyway; no reason she couldn't build it from scratch if she really wanted. Her head tilts slightly and her eyes flit back in the direction of the stairs as if to point to his sword, and to suggest by toys she means weapons and equipment... and it takes her a moment to realize the subtle non-verbal communication cues she prefers to use so much are going to be greatly lost on him. What a pain. She's going to have to learn to use her words, but in this case she doesn't. He'll ask if he's curious. Or pee or do whatever he intends to do in the bathroom otherwise.]

[handsomefoil]

Whoops, he didn't mean to startle the kid, but he just figured he would've expected him to address his presence some time or another. He doesn't mind though, and continues sketching as he talks.

"And who might you be?"

He moves onto another another flower in the bunch. Even if he's not exactly a great artist, he still tries his best.

[courtintrigue]

[ Why does that not surprise her? Of the things she might suggest about Felix at this point one of the most prominent is that he likes to hear himself talk.

Or simply that he likes to talk, if she feels generous.

Her eyes stay on him as he steps into the room and takes a moment to look around. ]

I taught myself to hit.

[ Learning through observation has long been a habit. The stance she uses is largely borrowed, the product of nights of watching people like 76 take their turns here while she opted for better outlets for magic, but observation cannot do everything and her recent sessions with Natasha have forced her to start paying attention to things like centering and balance in a way she did not before. ]

Do you know Natasha? We have an arrangement.