transport log » ❝ welcome to Exsilium ❞

[initiates]

Date & Time: Sept 23rd, 2012.
Location: The Initiative Hold & Courtyard.
Characters: Everyone.
Summary: New Transports have all arrived and have been shuffled into the Courtyard after their initial briefings.
Warnings: None.

You've just been hustled and bustled through mazes of information and literal, wide corridors of the Initiative Hold and you've been equipped with your weapon—be it a gun, a sword, or even your existing powers. They've handed you this light netbook and a small pouch of coins (or a debit card, if you're more inclined), and there are several Transports before and after you going through the very same motions. You can hear the Greeter's voice as she walks alongside large groups, telling them all about the history of this place and sharing with you your purpose here in a hurried and urgent tone. "This isn't standard," she's saying, walking perhaps faster than most of the people she's dragging around. "We don't normally have so many Transports at once. Please, let me show you into the courtyard."

You pass what looks like huge gymnasiums, all with dummies and targets strewn and splayed around the room. Training areas. There are even classrooms, and a few small offices. You're rushed past a large library while the Greeter informs you that you can find almost all your information there, if you've got the time to look—and trust her, you'll have time. You don't spend a lot of time in the bank, and it's a bit of a blur of exchanges with more and more of these strangely-accented and oddly polite-seeming members of the Initiative.

Soon enough, you're in a massive courtyard bustling with all the other Transports. It's not exactly what you'd expect, and it looks more like barracks than anything—huge walls of concrete and stone, separating you from all of the hallways you'd just passed through. It's raining heavily, and dark clouds loom in the air. It's a chill cold, and there are shelters—long cloth hangings that extend from the walls of concrete to house you from the rain, but not enough. Most notably, the courtyard is filled with a marketplace. Even in the cold and the rain, there are several citizens seated at their covered booths and tables. They're selling all manner of their own handmade goods and foods, and citizens and Transports alike are traveling from one small covered shop to another in search of all manner of necessities.

The Greeter's voice has become so faint now, but you swear you can make it out in the back of the crowds as she tells you, "Good luck. Be safe!"

Her voice is drowned out by the busy marketplace, though even the transactions taking place are somewhat subdued. Nobody is overly happy, really, though most citizens can be found with smiles on their faces. It doesn't seem like they're that shocked to see you, either; even if you're not bound in tattered rags and wrapped in heavy shawls as they are. You're welcome to walk up to a shop, and find yourself something to eat—hey, maybe you'll even find something akin to a raincoat. Or, you can join the others under the coverings against the walls. Where am I? What war? She was talking so fast, and it didn't all make very much sense… did anyone else catch it all?

Welcome to the courtyard. Welcome to the Initiative Hold—and most importantly, welcome to Exsilium.

Comments

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[f_u_wesker]

[Oh yeah, Alice had chosen a weapon easily. A handgun that she had used in Umbrella Prime. It held plenty of ammo and it was easy to reload in tough situations. Even if it wasn't normally, Alice was quick enough on her feet to find a way to reload and still fight.

During the Intro to Everything Exsilium, Alice had made sure she got the debit card for her transactions. Cards didn't jingle like a bag of coins, didn't weight her down and wasn't as easy to cut off a belt. No, the card could be tucked neatly into her suit, right against her chest. And she was already going to spend something. The netbook she had been given couldn't possibly be waterproof and the rain never bothered her. But like hell was she going to let her only method of contacting others or being contacted get ruined right after she arrived, so she picked up the cheapest case she could find among the shops.]

[whatsupcroc]

[ Collette, picking her way through the crowds with more care than she really liked, wasn't concentrating on as much of the shopping that could be had in the inner courtyard. The other smaller shops nearby were interesting and fun, if she was in a mood for them. ]

I didn't know they made waterproof cases for these kinds of things. Was that one waterproof?

[f_u_wesker]

[Alice was... Not really used to being addressed. Not due to people avoiding her but because there had been quite a few years that she hadn't met up with many humans that survived the outbreak.]

This one wasn't supposed to be. It protects the netbook well enough though.

[whatsupcroc]

You've tried it out? If they actually work, I should look into getting one of those myself. I haven't needed it so far, but hey, if travel gets to be a big deal in the near future...

[ She trailed off, considering. Whatever her conclusion, it ended with her smiling at Alice and offering a little wave of her hand. ]

I'm Collette! Did you just get here with the big group, or have you been here for a while?

[f_u_wesker]

[To answer her first question, Alice pulls her Netbook out of the case and shows her that it's dry before tucking it back inside.]

It'll probably soak through eventually but it's good for quick trips through the rain. Could probably find a water-proof liner to add to it.

I'm Alice, just got here with everyone else.

[whatsupcroc]

[ She looks at Alice's cover with interest, lips pressing together into a line of consideration. ]

Nice to meet you Alice! What do you think would be best for water-proofing as a liner? I've been wrapping mine up with a towel and plastic bags when I've had to be on the go.

[f_u_wesker]

Nice to meet you too.

[Sort of. It's nice for now but she's going to be wary. Nothing against Collette, of course!]

Military grade liners, used in some uniforms and jackets. There are a couple types, one to hold in warmth to prevent hypothermia and there's the type to prevent water from soaking through.

Plastic bags can work temporarily but they'll eventually rip.

[whatsupcroc]

I wonder if they even have stuff like that here. I should look into it.

[ Collette taps a finger on her lips, grimacing afterward. Ew, the gloves, her wheel rims -- that'd been such a bad idea. Ick! ]

Looks like I'm living the dangerous life until then. It's not like they have the internet or anything around anymore.

[f_u_wesker]

They might, it's worth looking. Maybe you'll find something better.

[And it's a better way to find something than scavenging.]

Doesn't seem like they do. Not sure we'd have to time to enjoy it, even if it was still around. They brought us here for a reason after all.

[whatsupcroc]

To fight and be really strangely easy to resurrect. I guess that's some claim to fame! Import 'em once, Keep 'em for as long as they last!

[f_u_wesker]

Wonder what makes it so easy for them to resurrect someone?

[The T-Virus springs to mind but no, that would just make zombies and they're useless. So she rejects it as soon as the thought makes itself no. Damn paranoia.]

They can't keep us here forever at least. We all have lives to get back to.

[whatsupcroc]

I'm not so sure they care. Not as a group! I mean, they have lives too, and they're trying to make those lives better, or are just trying to tee pee the UE's house and get away with it. It's not the best plan, but it's kind of exciting! From a certain point of view. Anyway, to people who live like this and are desperate enough to make time travel and multidimensional kidnapping possible, letting us get back to what we were doing before their own goals are met probably isn't a priority.

[f_u_wesker]

They better start caring or they'll have a lot of pissed off Transports on their hands. And I'm not very friendly when I'm pissed.

I have friends and a little girl back home who stand very little if any chance of winning our own war. I'd prefer to be there with them.

[whatsupcroc]

I know what you mean. Still, no one's sure yet how things really work while we
re here and not at home. One of my friends is here, but he came here like... months ago in my past. Only he was never missing back home, you know? So it's one idea that we're only missing for a second while moinths pass over here.

You could be back with them all before they even realize you'd disappeared.

[f_u_wesker]

God, I hope that's how things work. Otherwise I'll go home to be the last living person on Earth.

I'm glad you have a friend here though. It's hell being alone.

[whatsupcroc]

[ Collette nods, breaking into a truly happy smile. ]

I know! Friends are the best. Though I always like making more.

[ She shoots Alice a look, winking soon afterward. ]

If you know what I mean!

[f_u_wesker]

There's nothing wrong with that. I usually avoid making friends...

They usually die.

[Sorry Collette. She doesn't like you though, if the semi-sad smile is anything to go off of.]

[whatsupcroc]

Which is when you get to learn the good news! The Initiative can bring us back from death. And not as zombies -- though we have a few of those around too.

[f_u_wesker]

That's good to--

[Wait! One second...]

There are zombies here?

[Guess whose hand is hovering over her gun and she's looking around now.]

[whatsupcroc]

Woah, they're not trying to hurt anyone! I take it zombies aren't new for you?

[ Or else Alice reeeeeeeeeeally doesn't like the thought of them, which is valid enough as far as Collette is concerned. ]

[f_u_wesker]

No, they aren't. Not exactly. My world suffered a pandemic, things that are basically zombies have completely overrun the entire planet, humanity is facing extinction.

[whatsupcroc]

What? Worldwide? Where this pandemic start out from?

[f_u_wesker]

Yeah. It started out in Raccoon City, in the United States. A virus escaped one of Umbrella's Hives.

[whatsupcroc]

It was a man-made virus?

[ Collette groans. ]

That's some pretty terrible pay-out on destructive curiosity. No wonder you're worried about the people waiting for you! I would be too.

[f_u_wesker]

It was. Originally it was a medical breakthrough but it had multiple military applications as a bio-weapon.

[There are times that she really hates how much she knows about the virus and Umbrella but it's useful. Knowledge is power. Or something like that, she never cared.]

They tried to contain it but it wasn't possible. My, uh, companions seem to think I'm their ultimate weapon; humanities last chance for survival.