here they talked of revolution, here it was they lit the flame

[initiates]

Date: October 1st
Location: The Observatory.
Characters: Everyone.
Summary: New Transports arrive and are shuffled into the Observatory for the show of the year. Initial briefings are very brief this time around, and that Greeter just won't stop crying.
Warnings: new confused people and old sad people??

Your arrival here has been very unceremonious. One second you were somewhere else, and now, very suddenly, your feet hit the glowing white of the Transporter pad, and you're here. You aren't alone, either. There's a crowd of others around you, each seeming just as bewildered, angry, or confused as you might feel. At the head of the group is a woman in purple robes, with eyes red as if she'd just finished crying. She hurries over a quick overview of your intended purpose here, and gives direct answers when asked for them, but to most things she simply shows you how to access the tablet you've just been given. There, you can find the history of this place and a record of what your new cohorts have experienced — although it won't have Network access for another 8 hours. Someone stands on hand to give you a weapon, and though the armory is now greatly reduced, you should be able to find something to suit you.

You're shepherded down a walkway tunnel and into the Observatory, where you will find screens mounted on three sides of the wide room. The only lighting comes from dull red emergency lights, and the scenes of a dreary, rainy city from various cameras up on the screens; the largest of the screens opens up to a view of Earth from a good distance away -- this one isn't a screen at all, you might realize, but a window. As you watch, all screens in the room fill with light, impossibly bright. It consumes the buildings, the people, everything. There is no sound played, perhaps mercifully, only that white light -- and then nothing.

Through the large window, there's a pinprick of light over one of the landmasses on the blue planet. It grows to a tiny blossom and then dies away, but a cloud begins to mushroom outward in the same spot. It pushes the natural clouds out of the way, claiming that small portion of the world and wrapping it in a uniform gray.

Strings of numbers begin to fill the blanked out screens as the base's AI begins collecting data and calculations, but the show seems to be over. You're free to explore the base, visit and use any of the VR rooms, or discover your new room and roommates, but try not to step out of any airlocks if oxygen is a requirement for your system.

Welcome to the moon base, with front row seats to the grave of Exsilium.

[[ooc; reminder! The Network will be down for 8 hours after the wave of new Transports.]]

Comments

[trickmyheart]

I see ...

[ Disappointing, but this girl knows her priorities, so she's already got one question right away: ]

I suppose that means there is no dry cleaners to be found here.

[speakveryclearly]

[Kanaya's hanging head confirms the other girl's suspicions.]

The washing facilities are underpowered and communal.

[trickmyheart]

[ Oh, great. She sighs unhappily ]

What will I do if I stain my dress ... ?

[speakveryclearly]

As loath as I am to say it, you may have to find out what the most flattering lighting is in that case.

Oh, on that note, we lose power here sometimes. Don't worry about it too much, thus far we've never once been limited to less than life support.

[That "thus far" is probably not actually very reassuring wow.]

[trickmyheart]

[ This just keeps getting worse by the minute. At least the power was always on at Hope's Peak.

... She can't believe she was just thankful for something at Hope's Peak. Ugh. ]

How long have you been here for?

[speakveryclearly]

In terms of the Initiative, a year today as it so happens.

In terms of this specific facility, less than a week.

[trickmyheart]

[ Wait what ]

... The Initiative?

[speakveryclearly]

...The Initiative. The organization that's just conscripted you in its fight against the United Earth.

Were they able to give the opening lecture in as much detail as usual this time? I suppose not...

[trickmyheart]

[ ... Well. That's funny to her for private reasons, but she lets out a giggle anyways ]

Ehehe ... I see. I had heard about this "United Earth", but I'm afraid they may have forgotten to properly introduce themselves.

[speakveryclearly]

You're lucky for that. They're not exactly friendly individuals. Their idea of a polite hello typically involves tear gas.

[trickmyheart]

I suppose that means the explosion we have just witnessed is their idea of a party, then.

[speakveryclearly]

Exactly.

[She likes her already. Deciding to exposit a little:] If you hear people talking about a literal party in a negative sense, that's referring to one of the skirmishes which preceded this incident, an invasion to reduce our numbers and gain information.

[trickmyheart]

How informative ... I shall keep it in mind.

I must say ... this United Earth seems quite nefarious in their undertakings.

[speakveryclearly]

Regardless of what skepticism you may see fit for the Initiative's activities, to me the United Earth definitely the enemy in practices as much as the nature of our situation.