agogelogs | THE AMAZING BASE.

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

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Thor stills at her chiding. He heals more easily than most, but she's right. Leaving a bullet lodged in his shoulder is still taking a chance that it will trouble him for however long he's here. ]

If you won't let me talk you out of it, is there anything I can do in recompense?

[ He moves only enough to allow her to cut him out of his clothing more easily. ]

Perhaps avoid future bullets.

( it's said in jest because she knows that he would have been careful, that in war anything can happen. angela gives a small shake of her head before giving her real answer )

I wouldn't be doing my job if there was. Now, hold still.

( he had been so far but this next bit, now that the wound was free of the fabric, was the most tense. she had a numbing agent for the site, letting that take effect before moving her tools to the site to begin )

[ Thor chuckles at the jest. It's clear from her tone that she knows as well as he does that he can't make a promise like that.

He sits still and looks away; he's not particularly squeamish, but even he doesn't want to watch someone dig around in his arm. It's a very strange sensation, for what little of it he can feel. ] How long have you been a healer? You have a steady hand.

Twenty years.

( her voice is quieter as she works, brow furrowed somewhat in concentration. some days it feels so much longer, as if there hadn't been a time that she hadn't been a doctor, yet occasionally angela will wonder where the years went. she remembers the first time that she'd visited overwatch with torbjorn. how young she'd been then.

it's a simple job. the bullet hadn't penetrated too deeply leaving angela able to easily remove it. she examines it at first, comfortable in how intact it is )

Just a few moments more.

( to stitch and bandage. she's been without her staff for so long that, though it's now sat in her room, she doesn't instantly think of it )

The better part of your life? [ It's a guess. There's no obvious distinction between the aesir and the shorter-lived races, like humans, but Thor has spent much of his time among the latter. They mark their time by years, not epochs and eras, and there's a certain weariness about it that he's come to know very well.

And anyway, the conversation is a good distraction from what she's doing with his arm. ]

Have you always wanted to do this?

( there's a small nod and then, soon enough, thor will feel a very gentle pat on his arm, angela taking a step back to replace her equipment )

There. ( she turns back and actually answers his question ) And yes. This is always what I wanted to do.

( just never quite how she imagined it )

We're all more fortunate for it. [ Thor smiles at her. ] Thank you, Angela.

[ He moves his arm a little bit, not enough to make a mess of her work - he's just checking the range of motion with the new bandage. ] I don't suppose you have a shirt lying around here?

I'm afraid not.

( considering the availability of clothes on the base she'd only taken things for herself )

How does it feel?

[ Thor shrugs his uninjured shoulder. He'll just have to walk around like this until he finds something that fits. ]

Not bad as yet. [ It's going to be worse when the numbing agent wears off, but for now it's been seen to correctly and it ought to heal well. ]

Don't worry - I'll not undo you work before it's mended.

I'm glad to hear it.

( she rests her hand lightly on his arm, offering a smile )

But if it does bother you or something else does happen-- ( unintentionally, she implies ) --then be sure to come back. Even the smallest thing. It's no trouble.

( it was a little sad that she had to encourage people to let her do her job, as if even small injuries were bothersome, but so many times she'd seen something small worsen when it could easily have been fixed )

[ Thor smiles. He doesn't mind her hand on his arm. ]

And what if I just want to say hello?

That would always be welcome.

( she didn't get many that came back for a friendly visit. it was hard enough getting people to come at all )

Though perhaps exploring the world off this base may give a better opportunity to get to know each other.

I would like that. Shall I find you again tomorrow?

( angela gives him a smile )

I'd like that. I'm glad that you came to see me.

( so she could help him but also for the pleasure of his company )

I'm glad that you were here.

[ Thor smiles as well. ] I'll see you then, Angela.

THE AMAZING BASE.

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