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]

[ Whoops, sorry Rise. Oh well. ]

It hardly matters. I think you'll find it impossible to apply to the school now. It is being shut down.

[ That's the nicest way to put it, anyways ]

[therealrisette]

[Totally not Celes' fault! Rise's very fragile in general right now.]

Oh...

[She sounds sad... and probably disappointed. She doesn't really want to ask about something sad right now, so time to change the subject again.]

Anyway... I hope we can be friends, Celestia-chan! [A pause, and she blushes.] I-is it okay if I call you that?

[She doesn't want to be too familiar all of a sudden! Even if she is classmates with her 'sister'.]

[trickmyheart]

[ Sorry Rise, but she doesn't have friends. Still, she guesses she's not going to stop Rise from calling her Celestia-chan ]

If that's what you'd prefer to call me, I suppose I don't mind.

[therealrisette]

[Too bad, Celes, that totally means they're friends as far as Rise's concerned!]

Oh, good! I'm glad...

[Now that that's settled...!]

... Do you need any help settling in? Since you're my sister's classmate and all...

[trickmyheart]

[ She doesn't particularly need information, but ... ]

I have not found our sleeping quarters yet.

[therealrisette]

[Rise's smile brightens again! Something she can actually help with!

She immediately reaches to take the other girl's hand.]

You know your room number? They're not much... even the apartments we had on the island were better, but... I can help you find it.

[trickmyheart]

[ No, Rise, no, she is not going to hold your hand. Conveniently, that hand needs to reach into her jacket now PLEASE DON'T TOUCH HER. Oh hey there's her tablet ]

It says I am in Unit Number 108.

[therealrisette]

[Oh. Well. Awkward. Rise's just going to... pretend she never reached in the first place. Which is kind of embarrassing, actually.]

W-well... that's the north wing. I'm in 153 in the east wing, and Junko-neechan's in 199 in the west wing.

[She'll start walking at least, watching to make sure Celes is following.]

... It's too bad we're all so far apart, but... this place isn't that big, so...

[trickmyheart]

[ SORRY RISE. But she at least listens to her explanation, and walks next to her ]

Are the rooms we are provided adequate?

[therealrisette]

[Walking next to each other is nice, at least! But Rise sighs at Celes' question.]

They kinda suck. We... had apartments with private rooms back on the island, but this place just has these tiny rooms with bunk beds.

[She pauses briefly, wondering if she should mention the place she's going to be working here. Her voice lowers to an almost-whisper.]

... Just between you and me? There might be a place you can rent private rooms opening soon. So we might be able to take a break and get some time to ourselves once in a while...

[She makes this revelation in a very conspiratorial 'you-didn't-hear-that-from-me' tone.]

[trickmyheart]

[ Oh, HELL no. She is not sharing a room with ANYONE. She needs her own space more than just about anything, considering all the bullshit she's learned (and will learn later) today. ]

"Rent"? It would cost money?

[therealrisette]

Well, yeah. [Obviously!] Pidonus-chan is starting something called a 'speakeasy'. It's kind of like a club, but she did say something about renting private rooms...

[Oh, the many ways that could be taken. But it really is totally innocent!]

[trickmyheart]

[ ... Oh. THAT kind of room. Not that she minds, particularly: it sounds exactly like the type of room where some great underground gambling would be happening ]

Ehehe ... I see. Something like that ... will be no problem at all.

[therealrisette]

[As they continue walking, Rise glances over at Celes with the clueless look of innocent young girls everywhere. Or at least the look of an innocent young Rise Kujikawa.]

Hm? ... Something like what?

[She's not sure what to make of how Celes said that... it makes her curious what she knows about these kinds of places!]

Have you ever been to a speakeasy before...? I'm supposed to work there soon, but I'm not really sure if it'll be like the café...

[trickmyheart]

Naturally ... places such as speakeasies are prime locations for unsanctioned gambling. A man with a long black coat and steel-toed boots once bet his life savings against me in a game of blackjack in just such a place.

[therealrisette]

[That's a very... oddly detailed story. And Rise doesn't know anything about gambling, but it sounds impressive!]

Wow, you really are a Super High-School Level Gambler, huh? That's pretty amazing!

[She thinks. But her uncertainty isn't stopping her from gazing up at Celestia with adoring, sparkling eyes! ... She might be playing it up just a little bit. Or maybe just overreacting because she wants to be happy again.]

Are speakeasies fun? Pidonus-chan set it up so people would have at least one nice place to go to here...

[She's mostly curious because she's been hearing a lot about bars and alcohol during the planning and she's... definitely not old enough for that part yet.]

[trickmyheart]

I would not have gained such a title if I had not earned it.

[ Duh, Rise. Jeez. But she kind of side-eyes Rise at that last question there. This girl is ... oddly naive, isn't she ... ]

I suppose whether or not it is "fun" would depend on your idea of fun.

[therealrisette]

[She knows a lot about clubs and bars! Speakeasies are a new one, as far as she knows...

... But she really is naive, in a lot of ways. Maybe not quite as much as she lets on lately, but she probably wouldn't stop Celes from thinking so if she knew. It fits her role here perfectly.]

I guess so. ... Performing in the café was fun, but...

[She sighs dejectedly. She lost that when the island was bombed, and she can't do it here.

She's just going to... be silent for a moment as they continue walking. At least they're in the north wing already...]

[trickmyheart]

There are often performers at speakeasies as well.

[ It's just that sometimes they're more like strippers or burlesque dancers, but ... ]

[therealrisette]

Yeah... maybe someday I could start performing there...

[Celes, no! She's too young for that! She might not even be allowed to handle alcohol! ... Except her boss is a succubus, so. Yeah.]

[trickmyheart]

Who did you say owned this establishment? "Pidonus"?

[ Yeah sorry Rise. She doesn't really care if you want to strip for entertainment ]

[therealrisette]

[Celes...!!!

Fortunately, Rise has no idea she might be thinking that. So she just flashes her brightest, most adorable smile at the question about her 'boss'.]

Yep! She's a friend, so I helped her set it up and everything!

[They looted things from the locals before the island blew up. Celes would probably approve.]

[trickmyheart]

[ Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do to get shit done. So yes, she probably would approve ]

Is there a way to contact her?

[ Since the Network's been down, she has no idea about the tablets yet ]

[therealrisette]

[Pidonus may have used some charm spells on Rise to get her to help. With Rise's permission. It's a beautiful friendship they have.]

Oh... they gave you a tablet, right? Once the network's back up, you can use that!

[Normally, she shows people how to use it, but... since it can't actually access the network right now...]

It's kinda like a really high-tech cell phone. You can even do video calls!

[trickmyheart]

Ah, yes ...

[ She pulls it out of her jacket, to look at it ]

I had thought it was useless. [ Since, you know, it doesn't really do much of anything when there's no Network ]