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

[anotheryosuke]

[There are two boys making their way rather roughly through the crowd, entirely focused on each other and bumping people as they pass, tussling. One of them is taller and skinnier and much paler, with lighter eyes and hair and his expression trembling between flatness and exasperation.

The other is chubbier and much smaller and louder, darker-haired, his small face screwed up in a perfect rictus of tantrum, but the rest of him a little quieter than you'd expect for a child of that age throwing a fit. Mostly he's pointing around at all the people and spouting off rapid-fire questions that just make his caretaker(?) glare and bat his hands down.

Perhaps the most distinctive thing about the two of them is that they smell like a waste disposal facility and a half. With a healthy side of blood.

The older one hears the oddly resonant voice first and stops dead. Only, he looks up instead of down, expression puzzled but a little bit hopeful.]

What are-- I don't recognize you, are you A.I.?

[The littler one screws up his face even more, since he was in the middle of a question, and hurtles on full-speed ahead without waiting. Unfortunately, neither of them realize that the source of the voice is underfoot.]

[pomerenian]

More or less, AI would be an appropriate term to use for All Mates. I am down here, on the ground.

[For emphasis, Ren will reach out to bat at his shoe lightly with a paw.]

Have you just arrived? It is part of my duties to assist newly arrived Transports with any questions they may have and to act as a calming presence for them.

[anotheryosuke]

[Naoya definitely startles at the soft tap of paw against his foot, but since it's not as sudden as it could've been, it doesn't do anything to worsen his jumpiness. He stares down at the little dog for a blank moment before dissolving into nervous giggles.]

Ahh, I've got no idea what an All Mate even is, but where'd you come from? I didn't know they were makin' A.I.s that could walk around properly now, and I've been here for a while!

[He crouches down right there, unable to resist reaching out to pat the fluffy thing, even if it is really, really blue. And sounds, just a little creepily, more like a radio announcer. He figures it's a robot, it can't really help it.

After a moment, he raises his head.]

Hey, Benjy! Get your butt over here, there's something cool if you can shut up for a sec!

[The littler one is already almost out of sight, but he perks up anyway, looking back. He can't actually see the pup through the crowd, but after a moment curiosity wins out and he darts back over anyway, making a shrill noise of delight when he finally spots the surprise.]

I din't know you had a dog! Did he come from the 'motorcicle' too, huh?

[And so Ren now has two rather overenthusiastic boys patting at him.]