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

akira kurusu, LOVE ISN'T ALWAYS ON TIME

[masque]

I | TOTO

[home sweet home. is it? it doesn't seem like too much has changed. maybe that's a good thing, feeling a sense of normalcy, but he also thinks back to that shabby cafe attic that's been his home for almost a year. the smell of coffee, the bathhouse next door... well, this is the next okay thing.

they were busy while he was gone. more rooms, a spa, a service that shows you people you know or didn't know? but his first stop is the kitchen, slapping down leftover fish from his previous fish escapades in front of robots who do nothing but stare.]

... Can you at least put them in the fridge? [no answer.]

Fine, fine— [and that's exactly when akira slides over the counters, making the robots back up and crash into walls as he steps onto the other side and flips open their fridge. it's packed to the prim with black gelatin. what is he supposed to do with these?]

Does anyone want fish? [called out to the kitchen.]

II | AEROSMITH

[after a lot of searching for habitats that don't have some type of predator at every turn, the forest is actually quiet. not an animal in sight. it's going to be perfect, so he shoots a message to ryuji, telling him he found a good spot to set up camp.

a few minutes later, it looks like someone found new life, but this is one that doesn't worry him. he reaches for for the foxweald which predictably runs off and digs itself into the ground... leaving akira to pick out one of the plants that grew from its steps. there's something about it.

...

eats it. hears footsteps behind him once he does, slowly turning his head.]

III | JOURNEY

[this was "supposed" to be a nice break from everything. no, not really, as he sits on top of his camping gear, ankles crossed in front of him, staring down at a screamer who's staring back at him from the ground.

so cute, so adorable, it's opening its mouth and screaming again it's so fucking adorable i'm about to kill it! shit!! quietly fumes before he looks up to see the source of the screamer's paranoia, and unfortunate reward to him just feeding it a couple hours, and it's enough for akira to feel like he hasn't slept in two days.]

Just feed it something so it can shut up, please.

IV | AC/DC

@JUGGALO | @ALL

i discovered cave 1.0 earlier but i only stopped several meters in. i want to explore more of it today, so if anyone is up to going in there as a pair, let me know.

ps. the glowing tree is better than prozac.

V | KANSAS

[wildcard, go for anything]

closed to the partner in crime

[masque]

[tracks down ryuji after their brief talk, managing to grab the last available hoverbike. luckily it doesn't look like he's far, the travel only about twenty minutes out, and that's when the scenery starts to change.

it's nothing but flowers out here. the last place he expected his best friend would be, but they are on a mission to write down anything. talk about a find.

he stops immediately, almost flying forward off the bike when he hears a cry for help. ryuji. he parks and jumps off the bike as fast as he can, running down the corridor of flowers and almost, almost missing him.

since he's stuck in the vines of flowers. stares at him, confused, since he was expecting a bro type of reunion. the wave of relief of finally seeing his best friend again. but it's just another day of ryuji being like.... this.........]

How the hell did you manage that?

[ryuji]

[Listen... when there's an opportunity to ride off into the sunset with your squad on hoverbikes, Ryuji's going to be there. Of course, this specific level of floral phenomenon isn't one that he anticipated in, not in the slightest, and as he get absorbed into the veil of rose like tendrils, he thinks

Oh, y'know, just another regular day.

And like always, Akira's there to save his scrawny ass from a situation he doesn't really deserve to be in. For a moment, there's only Ryuji's panic stricken face, his entire body being eaten by what he would come to terms with as The Ex, his hands and legs completely cut off from use around the rest of his body. If Yusuke were here, maybe this would be a source of inspirational art, but for this blond idiot?

It's hell.]

Yo, man! Get me outta here!

[masque]

[it doesn't answer his question but just a few more minutes of observing does, seeing the vines wrap around ryuji and try to suck him in.

oh, it's alive. cool.

acts in the next second, arms around ryuji's waist before he pulls, not really concerned if ryuji complains or not, he's had worse aches.]

What did you do to it?

[ryuji]

[There aren't any complaints to be had. In fact, just when he's about yanked out of the framing-]

Shit, man. This is kinda romantic. Gettin' fought over by two things at once.

[Leave him back in there, it's probably for the better.

Ryuji beams widely, yet he sees those vines reaching out for him possessively. This wasn't really what he had in mind- and yuck there's pollen in his hair and petals draped around his shoulders.]

It just sorta grabbed me and sucked me in.

@SSSSSSSSS

[deem]

If you still need somebody to go with you, I'll come along. I've been working on mapping this place out, anyhow.

[masque]

great, i already have a hoverbike.

where are you? your location's private.

[deem]

Yeah, I didn't want anybody getting hurt looking for me, or anything...

I'm still mapping out the area, so it might be easier for me to find you.

[masque]

i'm at the base right now, and the coordinates are recorded.
i'll just meet with you there.

i'm akira, also.

IT'S GONNA TAKE A LOT TO DRAG ME AWAAAAAY FROM YOUUUUU

[dipolar]

(a servitordact stumbles back into his shins and looks up at him with a whir of mechanical discontent. hei stares down at it, then raises tired eyes to offer a moment of silent judgement before gently guiding the robot away from his legs.)

What the hell are you doing? (no sign of deference or appreciation for the fact that akira fought in a fish war and has only now gotten back, voice flat — he's not in the mood, but he's also never in the mood.

for anything.)

Don't store those in there, you'll cross-contaminate.

THERE'S NOTHING THAT A HUNDRED MEN OR MOOORE COULD EVER DOOOO

[masque]

[hei.... he hasn't seen him in person yet. until now obviously.

clicks his tongue, closing the fridge instead to open the freezer. he proceeds to pull a couple of blocks of the frozen gelatin out, shoving them into the fridge instead.]

Well, I'm not leaving them out. They'll rot, Mr. Chef.

akira by toto

[dipolar]

(stares at the fresh fish and thinks about all of the sushi he could make with those. sushi that doesn't take like there's something missing, lacking in what makes recently caught seafood so damn good.

chirashi don. he wants chirashi don.)

... Exactly how did you come across so many of these, anyway? Freezing them seems like such a waste...

(nags him until he dies for real next time.)

[masque]

They came with me.

[but if hei really IS going to nag...] You don't want me putting them in the fridge or the freezer. I can't cook this all for myself.

[holds up the bag, a heavy one no less. five large fish.] So what's your idea?

II

[prizeneck]

[the footsteps aren't heavy, but steady. Mamoru almost couldn't tell what the sound he's hearing is until Akira turns with the tell-tale pursed lips of someone who just ate something that they shouldn't.]

Did you just eat a plant.

[masque]

[. . . shOOTS right up, a man he's never seen before, which means COST has been switching up its team. sounds about right.]

The BCE said there were effects with the fox's plants, so I just wanted to see if you could consume it as is or if you had to— [stops, because all it does it say YEAH, I DID.

...

bows his head.]

Yeah.

[prizeneck]

[He would grumble under his breath at kids trying unknown substances on their own in foreign places. But now that he's here, this kid isn't exactly alone, now, is he?] Well...? anything interesting outta that?

II AKIRA NO

[gerechtigkeit]

[Foxwealds are always a unique and enjoyable experience to come across, regardless of whether it's the first time or his fiftieth time. He expects to run into them time and time again by now- they're in their territory on this fish, and so it makes sense to see them everywhere.

But what he doesn't expect to see is a familiar figure grabbing at the plants left in an elder's wake, and... putting them right in his mouth? Uh..........]

...Akira?

[He's surprised, and it sounds it. His question is quickly followed by the sound of tiny barking coming from behind Siegfried, and a brow raises quickly as he looks back. A husky puppy's head pokes up right after, paws on his shoulder as she eagerly tries to scramble forward to try and get to Akira. Siegfried makes a strangled noise as she does so, hands quickly lifting her up and over, into his arms.]

Don't- [She squirms, excited to see another person.] You were supposed to be sleeping. [He might be scolding his puppy, excuse him.]

YES!!

[masque]

[quickly swallows before turning his head, and he wonders how he only reunited with siegfried just now. large and... marked as ever. but this time armed with a puppy.

makes him miss his cat.]

When did you get a puppy? While I was gone? [brushes off his knees while he stands.] Cute.

[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.

@DIEDHARD

[mylawn]

Any takers? You're not trying this alone, are you?

[masque]

no i'm not, sir. i have help, sir. it's a pleasure to see you again, sir.

[mylawn]

You don't have to call me sir.

iii......................

[bloodings]

[ It's right to scream. Mordred barges into Akira's campsite, fully armoured, helmet on to try and block some of the sound. Still, it's obvious she's glaring daggers at the thing from beneath it. ]

The hell with that. I have a better idea. [ ... Yeah, she's trying to kick it. Unfortunately, it dodges to the side, and starts screaming again, leading to another kick. And another dodge. And another kick. She could definitely kill it with the giant sword she's carrying around instead, but this is about the principle of the matter now. ] Dammit— shut up and die, you screaming hairball!

mordred..............

[masque]

[... WELL...

he's already reaching for something to defend himself with but he recognizes the armor up close. it's mordred. ryuji's mentioned—...

..............]

I can't believe it's beating you. [HAHAHA this is pain as he finally covers his ears] I think you're just making it worse...!

yeah...

[bloodings]

It's not beating me! It's running away!

[ Very important difference. Mordred stalks over to the edge of the campsite, and her eyes spot a comet flower group — in an instant, she rips the whole supporting vine out of the ground and chucks it into the distance. ]

You want it? Go fetch! [ And it does, screaming all the while. Finally, the noise grows more quiet, and Mordred lets out a sigh that totally isn't relief, because she totally wasn't losing. ]