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

henry cooldown ★ no more heroes ★ ota

[handsomefoil]

< OPENING STATEMENT >

The buzz is only welcoming because he knows what comes after. He had been looking forward to it for weeks and counting his blessings. None of the soldiers didn't have the luxury of knowing they'd be instantly teleported back to a safe dwelling spot. Slumped against a wall in a cargo hold somewhere below the ship, it's a mostly empty room save for a few boxes and dirt from the boots of sailors and crew members.

As the brief moment of wonder, nausea, and voices of familiar people waft over him like an unbearable pressure he closes his eyes this time and waits until the transfer is complete. Usually, he didn't mind watching the psychedelic experience but he's too tired at the moment and soon he's on board BASE among many of his fellow COST members. Some new faces, in their COST issued underwear of course, and soon Chiron is approaching them with the tell-tale sounds of hooves against metal.

They've all waited long enough to come back to BASE, so he figures what's a couple extra minutes listening to what Chiron has to say? As he idly listens to the debriefing of their situation, he's beginning to remove any and all extra clothing that'd become completely soiled with blood and dirt. He's so relieved by the lack of parasites (though the phantom itching sensation still lingers) that he nearly misses the part about how they've landed on the back of some...being? Creature? Whatever it is, it has him looking towards the windows of the ship and furrowing his brow.

"Guess we should've dumped all those buggers out into the aether instead of keeping 'em."

< TOP LEVELS BELOW >

Preset toplevels will be in one comment, but if you want a private one let me know so I can add another sub-level thread for it!

★ open threads

[handsomefoil]

< BED BATH & BEYOND: BASE Interactions >

I(a). REFRESH
He has to physically stop himself from getting into any scuffles with COST members as he skirts past them heading for the showers, shirt and shoes already off and only clad in his dirty pants. Most of his clothing had been stripped off because of how Ready he was to burn them, but still maintaining some common decency for others around him.

By the time he reaches it, the line is short so he only stands in line for a few minutes before he hurriedly slips into the stall and strips out of his remaining clothing. No need to store these away in the waterproof box, he's planning on shucking these rags in the trash. The water is turned on quickly, a stream of cold hitting him first which has him hissing but as the warm water starts to mingle, he lets out a relieved sigh. Any remaining adrenaline or energy conserved for whatever reason starts to drain out of him and he hangs his head under the stream. He scrubs his hands over his jawline and realizes his stubble is growing in fast and he laughs, unable to remember the last time he'd seen himself with facial hair. God, he's almost afraid to look.

Outside, he can hear people clamoring for a stall and tiredly complaining if a person takes too long.

I(b). RELAX
On another day (let's be real, knowing Henry's penchant for cleanliness, it might even be later on during the same day as the shower, multiple times during the week?): The shower hadn't been very effective in the relaxation department. That was just the first step, getting the dirt, grime and dead skin off of himself. After he's satisfied with the scrubbing and washing, he exits the bath and wanders towards the supposed 'spa' area that he'd never noticed before. A new addition?

Wrapping only a towel around his waist, he's heading to the tubs and finds it's not as popular an attraction due to the fact that it's probably not meant for the cursory cleansing and more for relaxation. And it's creepy. At least he doesn't mind that, and finds it intriguing enough. Sinking into one of the tubs, he leans his head back against the rim of the pod and stares up at the ceiling. Anyone entering the room gets a long sideways stare from him, whether he recognizes you or not. If you're a friend, he'll greet you with a lazy wave, but otherwise he'll continue to watch. None too subtly, either.


II. CAPSULE DISCOVERY - BCE Option available
The best part about coming back to a capsule in a different spot from where he'd left it (he actually likes the shuffling, he was never a very stationary person) is how many gifts he'd received for no particular reason. Was this something from COST? Who brought these items? Why? How did they know so much about him? These suits were tailored exactly for his body type. He always had to get things tailored because of his legs. That being said, he's also not the type to look a gift horse in the mouth. After inspecting the booze (nothing seemed tampered with as far as he knows) and the suits, he arranges everything in meticulous order before sitting on the bed. It's weird, sitting on something soft, to say the least. Their mission during the war had only just finished and yet it seems so distant already.

He feels the aches and pains still, so he remains laying down for a while unless someone interrupts him from his light nap. Always vigilant, he's a very light sleeper. If you're an acquaintance of his, a text message through the BCE is always welcome, or his new roommate who he has yet to discover (but has already met during the mission) stepping into the room with some noise will easily wake him.

_______________________________________________________________________
ooc; all top levels are prose but i will 100% match action tags!

ii - ish

[verumdicit]

[ Meliorn is quiet, usually. It's yet another predisposition Seelie have, especially Knights - they're the scouts, the envoys, the battle ready. He has his Seelie armour here, neatly in a chest, and while ritual and tradition requires he wears it every moment save for bathing, he opts not to. After all, the rule is only if the Seelie are at war. While they are, it's not this one.

He feels safe just knowing it's there, anyway. The crystal and chain from the set is something he keeps on him, even in the shower - like now, as he finally feels comfortable with all of the grime and dirt from the previous mission gone. He's cobbled together an outfit that has mostly greens and browns, none with floral patterns much to his dismay, and enters his room with his shirt half open, ears sticking out horrendously from under the towel he's wrapped his hair in that looks a lot like a turban. He's not a noisy person but he doesn't bother to muffle footsteps, since he's yet to even meet his--

Ah. His roommate.

Meliorn grins. ]

Drinking will certainly be easier now.

[handsomefoil]

[ Now, normally Henry would insist his roommate knock before they enter, but he doesn't even think about that upon seeing his new roommate. Honestly, it's the towel turban that takes him by surprise. He ends up chuckling into his answer... ]

Funny you should say that— I was randomly gifted a nice little stash of liquor on my return.

[ He stands, rolling up his sleeves a little. Still dressed in the COST provided clothing, he doesn't see the reason for dressing in any of his new suits right away. Maybe a little later. ]

[verumdicit]

[ Meliorn's eyes light up - it's pretty hard to hide his absolute delight, and the grin widens even further. ]

And here I was dreading room assignments, thinking they'd paired me up with someone I had ill will towards. [ He's never been more happy to be wrong. He does at least finish buttoning the shirt up, and as he finds a place to perch, he removes the towel to hand dry it, tilting his head up side down to better facilitate it. ]

I don't suppose that was an offer to share?

[handsomefoil]

[ He's already reaching for a bottle from a small space underneath his bed. Two plain glasses. Nothing fancy, but he's not complaining. He'll acquire some down the line...maybe... if it matters to him that much. ]

I wouldn't dare dangle a drink in someone's face without serving it.

[ The unopened whisky is broken out, and he pours a couple fingers in each glass. He never thought he'd miss the strong scent this much. Then the glass is offered to him. ]

How fortunate you ended up with such a generous and handsome roommate.

[verumdicit]

A gentleman and a scholar.

[ Meliorn tips his head, long fingers wrapping elegantly along the glass as he examines it. It's perhaps a little dramatic, but he actually smells the whiskey before taking a sip.

It's as close to perfection as mundanes will ever, ever get. When Meliorn sighs, it's because he's pleased. ]

Handsome and willing to share - both qualities I enjoy. Should I get some decent Seelie wine, Henry, I will return the favour.

★ open threads (2)

[handsomefoil]

< BOY SCOUTS IN SPACE: Coelacanth Exploration and Camping >

III. IMPROMPTU TRIP
Henry is a little too cosmopolitan to be in the outdoors for too long, and since Gallipoli had been nothing but hunkering under the open murky sky it's nothing he was keen on jumping into right away. That being said, from his view inside the ship, it looks gorgeous with its lush flora and bioluminescence lingering on the surface of plants and earth. Perhaps even animals, but he can't see that from inside.

Dressing in the garbs that COST offers, he packs his Cross saber and some blocky rations from the cafeteria should he need some sustenance. Drinking water, too.

A couple hours in, he finds a tree to sit by, its long roots dipped into the shallow pool beside it. They provide shelter and shade for the creatures living within it and Henry can't help but gaze into the water, watching strange looking fish flicker about in the darkness. Sometimes he catches a glimmer of scales from a much bigger fish, which has him creeping a little closer to the water's edge.

IV. PLANNED TRIP
Maybe you guys decided this trip in advance, or just happened to meet up while wandering around outside. Whatever the reason may be, it's a relaxing moment despite the hard that goes into setting up the basic requirements like the tent and whatnot. Even though the BCE has a scanning feature, he brings along a sketch pad of sorts (an old yellowed notepad he'd found) to keep himself quietly entertained.

_______________________________________________________________________
ooc; if you have anything specific for the camping trips, hmu!

III.

[prizeneck]

"What the--!"

The water, however, ripples with a splash on the other end.

A second later, what seems like a scaly sort of bird reemerges from the dive it took. Except it wasn't really a dive.

It had been thrown into the water...?

Mamoru steps into view, dusting off his shoulders as the dragonkeet ruffles its feathers and decides to fly away with a caw of What the!. His hair is an absolute mess, even more than usual, and he pats it down as he makes to turn back to his way. A quick look at himself, and then at his surroundings, spotting Henry.

"So much for a peaceful break," he grumbles.

[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]

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."

[handsomefoil]

There's no danger, so he hook the handle right back onto his belt loop.

"I've yet to encounter any critters so bold. Maybe they mistook you for a princess."

A trope-y joke. He wonders if anyone would get these references, as he finds they're a hit or miss type of deal. All the noise and the vibrations of their footfalls scared the fish he'd been previously staring at, so when he looks down, the pool is clear aside from a few lazy bubbles.

[prizeneck]

He shakes his shoulders, almost expecting to have some feathers and the usual dust from them, except the critter was reptilian, wasn't it? If anything, he'd find a scale, but that's very unlikely.

Still. Old habits.

Speaking of old habits, Mamoru is suddenly reminded of something that Igawa used to tell him whenever they were in Blade's base, and he didn't find Haruka somewhere.

"Yeah, well. Princess is in another goddamn castle," he shrugs.

Taking in the attention the sniper is focusing on the pool, he tilts his head. "Water? You fishin'? "

travis

[handsomefoil]

[ Oh, I spy with my little eye, a new awakened blood of mine driving out into the forest with wild abandon. He's gonna hurt himself like that, what if he hits a tree root, or collides into a giant Greater Durmcrown? That won't do at all.

The bike is still some distance away, coming towards him fast, but Travis isn't driving so fast that he can't catch up with him with a leap through the canopy.

He taps out a quick message, then times his jump down with utmost precision. Only the best for his baby brother. ]

[crownless]

[ (robin atkin downes screaming noises) ]

WHAT THE FUCK?!

[Travis' reflexes are decent, but not that decent. What had been a leisurely cruise across this strange new land turns into a jerking fight to regain control long enough to not ram into a tree; he gives up on driving any further, slamming the brakes and yanking his bike into a sideways drifting stop.]

Irish asshole! Can't you say hello like a normal fucking human being?!

[handsomefoil]

[ Ahhhh, good to have you back, brother.

While Travis is wildly maneuvering the bike into position to keep himself from crashing and dying, Henry flips off the backseat where he'd just landed and sticks a perfect 10/10 landing onto a large boulder some few meters away. ]

Really? You're asking me? Someone who disappears into the wind in an incredibly abnormal fashion should be greeted in similar manner. I don't make the rules, Travis.

[ He shrugs, pleasantly. ]

[crownless]

You think I wanted them to put me on ice, or... whatever the hell it is that happened?

[harumph!!!]

And I didn't disappear into the wind. My BCE flipped out. [Travis dismounts, then steps over to Henry's stupid boulder, arms folded.] I guess. I woke up on base and everything was over.

IV

[deem]

9S may not know this guy, but it doesn't stop him from wondering what he's doing. The day is winding down, and he's gathered quite a lot of data, met and confused a fair few people... Suffice to say, it's been a productive enough day that he's willing to consider hunkering down for the night and looking after whichever humans are in his immediate vicinity, whether they need it or not.

But this would be the first time he's seen anyone simply drawing, and it draws his natural curiosity immediately. Hopefully Henry does not mind a short android peering over his shoulder, because that's precisely what 9S does, wondering what has the man so occupied.

it begins

[handsomefoil]

9S has a very quiet presence, and surrounded by wilderness that's both pleasant and loud all at once does wonders in masking their footsteps. That being said, he doesn't startle when he hears someone approaching. It seems curious and interested, rather than stealth for violent purposes.

So he continues to draw, his subject a rather pretty plant.

"Hello."

After a good minute or so. Still sketching.

[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.

[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.

iv

[lefthandfree]

Bucky’s glad for the freedom, especially with his new friend. You’d think that being stuck in the trenches with a guy for way longer than is healthy for any human would mean one should likely find other people for company, but in the case of Henry, Bucky’s found an amiable, agreeable companion, someone that understands his drift between lackadaisical and serious without ever questioning (aloud anyway).

They end up splitting the tent rather than setting up two in order to simplify things (read: they were lazy about it). While it had come with its own share of new situations, the fact the both of them were quite still and sounds sleepers, even if light, proved to be highly advantageous to the setup. The downside, as they’ve come to find, is that if a predator comes along, they both end up trapped inside the tent.

Actually, it’s not even a predator. Just an en’era. “Just”. The thing seems to have found an interest in the shrubbery near their tree, and despite having no real desire in eating them, their first few attempts to climb out of the tent were met with staunch disapproval from the beast, threatening poses and growls paired with it. Since challenging the creatures horns and spines seemed like a mistake, they opted for staying in the tent, which is where they’ve been for the last fifteen minutes, mutually sketching the creature (poorly) from the shoddy windows of the tent while chattering idly.

Bucky’s lump of an animal looks nothing like the majestic en’era of course. In fact, he’s given up on it entirely and is detailing the sides with scribbled zigzags for grass. Steve would be proud.

“You ever skip out on class? Not cause you had to but just cause you felt like doing something else.” The query comes in line with the developing conversation about their youths.

[handsomefoil]

Henry occasionally looks over from his drawing to Bucky's, not to compare but to see if he bothered continuing it. Nope, looks like a lost cause. He wins. This was not a contest (and his drawing was probably equally terrible). Still, he continues to sketch it because he has little else to do aside from striking up conversation with Bucky every once in a while.

He barely looks up, though he makes sure to show he'd heard the question.

"Maybe once," he replies, shrugging. "It's hard to recall what the reason was, but I imagine it was something trivial, like taking a smoke break. You know, usual rebellious teenage things. Didn't skip much though, I'll give you that much."

[lefthandfree]

Bucky makes an amused noise. “I knew a few guys who did similar,” he remarks, starting on a shoddy tree in the middle of the grass. He’d glanced Henry’s attempt earlier, and it’s definitely much better than his own. If it were a contest, Henry would definitely be the winner.

“I did it a few times cause I was saving someone’s ass. The teachers loved me though so I never got in trouble or anything. Sometimes I wonder what it woulda been like if I’d skipped out to go on a date though. I think that’s still the trendy thing to do.”

[handsomefoil]

That already sounds like another story to touch on... maybe later. Saving someone during class? What was his friend doing skipping class, uh, getting in trouble? How did Bucky know his friend was in trouble? Sixth sense? Either way, he's thinking too hard about it.

"A date? Sounds like a lot of coordinating. Call her the night before, choose which class to skip... I think people still do that. Better than sitting in a classroom."

He chuckles at the drawing still, as he continues finishing a leg.