agogelogs | THE AMAZING BASE.

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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

[ As far as recuperation goes, Genji doesn't need that as much as some of the others. He'd only been in the trenches for a few days, whereas for others it had been months. Still, he won't begrudge the chance to take a breather and learn more about their situation.

It's good to hear that Angela hasn't been forced into a situation where she had to engage in combat, or take life. Genji would not want to see her tainted in that way. Maybe that's part of why she had been brought back here in advance. ]

There needs to be someone to tend to the rest of us. They must have known you would be up to the challenge.

[ He winks at her, hoping he can cheer her up in even a small way. ]

( 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.

[ A problem with her implant? ]

You mean the BCE?

[ Genji frowns and draws a hand up to feel over the small bump at his collarbone. The BCE is part of what anchors them in time, isn't it? If something like that were to malfunction, well, all they have to do is look at what happened to Lena. ]

Is everything all right now? Do you have any lasting side effects?

[ As much as Angela might worry about all of them, Genji is going to fuss right back at her. ]

I'm alright.

( she squeezes his hand gently, her voice a little extra soothing. she knows that he'd worried, as jack would, and finds it sweet. for all that angela frets over them it's nice to know that they care about her too )

That's why they brought me back so that they could fix the problem. I'm going to do what I can to minimise it happening again.

( she'd spoken to chiron about examining the technology. angela knew that she couldn't do much but it was peace of mind at the least, and help at the most )

[ It's at least good that she's aware of it, which will lessen the chances that something could go wrong in the middle of a mission. He squeezes her hand in turn. This is proof that those in charge of them are keeping an eye on their status, which is also a good sign. ]

I know you're always worrying about everyone else, but you need to take care of yourself too, Angela. [ The reminder is gentle. He doesn't want to press too hard on the subject, but given that they're going to be marching into other war zones, he wants to at least say it once.

With that taken care of, he fixes her with a smile. ] So, where to first?

( there's a gentle chuckle at the fact that genji has to remind her to look after herself, and though it's amusing it is accurate -- angela does spend more time caring for others than for herself. whilst she wouldn't go so far as to say she lets herself get in a state the occasional reminder is appreciated.

and at least it's a gentle nudge. genji knows not to push too much, changing as swiftly to the next topic as he might dart with his sword )

I was going to give you a general tour. ( because let's be honest angela hasn't used too many of the bases facilities, not the ones that genji may appreciate )

Before getting you checked out.

( gotta make sure he's okay from the jump and war )

[ Genji can't stop the way that he glances over at the mention of getting "checked out." When it comes to Angela, he knows what that means. She'll want to conduct an examination, to make sure that everything is working as intended, both organs and implants alike. It's nothing he hasn't done with her countless times before, even if it's been years now. ]

Of course.

[ He still isn't that used to people handling him, but with Angela it's business as usual. It's probably a good idea to get a proper physical, given that he's got a gap in his memories. They'll have to do something about the fake skin as well. ]

Should we find my room first, then?

[ It seems the most pertinent, as curious as he is about what else BASE might hold. ]

That would likely help you the most.

( it would be easy to cover the base as it came, to uncover parts of it together, and perhaps even show angela a few new things. as they start to walk she asks )

Do you remember what you were doing before Gallipoli?

[ Genji's been given a room number, so once they reach the living quarters it shouldn't be too difficult to find his capsule. (Whatever that means; he doesn't quite know what to picture.)

He nods at the question. He remembers what had been going on back home, even if his recruitment is one big blank in his mind. ]

I was in Nepal with Master Zenyatta.

It's strange that it's the same for us all.

( not remembering their recruitment. had they even been asked? angela didn't want to question it so much but it definitely seemed questionable )

I think for many others here too.

I've spoken to those who remember, and those who don't. Apparently it's just a 'glitch,' but...

[ It seems natural to be suspicious, especially when Genji, Angela, and Jack all experienced the same thing. What are the odds of that, if it truly is random?

He shrugs, because all they can do is speculate. ]

You said you had stories for me, about your time here.

I do.

( though they're not the most exciting they'll at least give him an idea of what to expect based on where they have been, though genji also was thrown into the deep end )

The first place we went to was Jerusalem. That was where I found Jack.

( though he didn't reveal that part initially, something thst annoyed her )

We were briefed about COST and its mission there.

[ This isn't the first time that Genji has heard of a mission in Jerusalem; Henry had mentioned that as well, and even described it as "good times." ]

I assume your briefing was the same as mine. What else happened there?

[ Even if Angela just tells him what her role had been in that mission, he's curious to know what else COST has asked its recruits to do, other than helping to evacuate soldiers. ]

We weren't there for too long.

( they were brought in at the tail end of the battle though they still had been given orders, as well as working through all of the confusion )

Our task had been to ensure that history remained unchanged.

( that the battle had proceeded as written. angela, as she had done in all missions, had worked as their medic )

[ Making sure that history proceeds as intended often seems to be COST's goal. It makes sense, if the Regency has been traveling back to alter things. ]

And after that you went to France, I heard.

[ There's no reason Henry would have lied about something like that, but Genji still wants to confirm that he has all his facts straight. ]

Was the goal the same there?

We needed to stop an assassination.

( and to keep the french army winning the war, as they had done in jerusalem )

We were successful there, though we also saw what the Regency were capable of.

( watching someone be dismembered before her eyes, and then wiped from existence, without anyone physically doing it to her... it had been hard to sleep )

In what way? I encountered a few of them at Gallipoli, as well.

[ They didn't go down easy, that much Genji had quickly learned. They also had some way to dampen his enhancements, making a one-on-one fight with them that much harder. If he and Thor hadn't been working together, there's no telling what might have happened.

Despite the threat that the Regency presents, however, it seems that COST has been managing to accomplish its mission for the most part. Some failures are allowable, so long as they succeed at their ultimate goal. Like in any war.

They seem to have reached the area with the capsules, judging by the rows of doors and the numbers next to them. ]

( angela's eyes close for several seconds before she begins recounting the story )

We'd taken a prisoner hoping for information on the Regency. Xici.

( angela looks back up at him. despite the time that has passed it's clear that the memory of this still troubles her )

The Regency used their ability to travel in time to kill her. ( she paused. that wasn't a good enough way of putting it ) They tortured her first until there was nothing left of her.

[ These things go both ways, don't they? COST agents had been captured at Gallipoli, but COST also took prisoners of their own. Many horrific things are done during a war. That doesn't mean that they have to feel good about it.

Granted, the Regency had been the one to show cruelty to one of their own. Genji looks sharply at Angela as she explains. ]

That's the lengths they would go to, to keep their secrets?

[ Genji closes his eyes and shakes his head slowly. ]

I'm sorry you had to witness such a thing.

It highlighted what could happen to us if the Regency discovered us.

( their names, other details. there were few who knew her real name, with her going as valkyrie since her conversation with jack )

I never thought that I'd have to do this.

Do what, exactly?

[ The tour that they're supposed to be going on doesn't seem to matter that much in light of what Genji's hearing from Angela. While she'd been vague and controlled in the responses she'd given him over the BCE, Genji can see now that this is all taking a toll on her.

She's always seemed so strong to him, and unbreakable, so it's not an easy thing to see. If there's any way he could help, or set her worries at ease, he wants to try. ]

Hide.

( even after the fall of overwatch angela had been able to conduct herself mostly business as usual. she wasn't a fugitive, she wasn't working illegally. she was a doctor helping those in need and she hadn't found trouble with it.

now, even though she was doing her best, doing something familiar, she had to hide. it was safer but she didn't like the lack of trust, not knowing who was potentially with the regency, or if they could find information other ways )

I've never liked secrecy, or not being able to help.

( she'd made that very clear towards the end of overwatch with some of their missions. sitting back, wanting to help but being unable to never felt right )

[ For Genji, on the other hand, secrecy and espionage had been his bread and butter. It's what almost all of his missions had consisted of during his time at Overwatch, though he and Angela had mainly stayed off of that subject when they'd interacted back then. She'd primarily been focused on his care.

All the same, he knows how Angela feels about being held back from what she believes is the right thing. He frowns, reaching out to grip her shoulder. ]

But you are helping. I know you will be there for any COST agent who's in need. The Regency is just another force we have to fight... like Talon.

[ People will come back from those fights injured, and Angela will be there. ]

It is but the politics of this fight are different to those that I knew in Overwatch.

( and even then she hadn't liked them, had tried to fight against them where possible )

But you are right. There are still things that I can do. Sometimes it doesn't feel enough.

[ Genji immediately shakes his head at Angela's words. ]

You're only being too hard on yourself! Now let's continue, we have a tour to finish.

[ He gives her shoulder a quick pat and then continues down the hall, hoping that he can do at least a small amount to lift Angela's spirits. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

THE AMAZING BASE.

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