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

[everydayraphael]

[It's alright, Fondue's the only one Raphael can talk to as well so this doesn't get any odd looks from him. Hell, he asks the dog to do things for him all the time and it always works out. It's cool.

Fondue roufs, considering, then licks her hand as he wags his tail.]

He'll do it. We'll have to see how far apart everyone is and if there's a way way we can maybe slip letters beneath the doors or something like that, but it sounds like a fun idea. Thanks, Fondue, I knew I could count on you.

[But of course!! A little running around never hurt a dog. (all talk now, aren't you Fondue.)]

[praevikaan]

[That earns a laugh. It's not something she does very often, but she does love animals.]

That is a wonderful plan, Raphael. And Fondue also, yes? He is a most excellent little brother.

[everydayraphael]

He is. Though he can be cowardly and lazy, Fondue's loyal and hard-working when you ask him to be. I actually can't imagine not having him around.

[For a variety of reasons, but the main one being that he makes the apartment back home so much less lonely. Fondue wags his tails and woeufs again.]

Did you have any animals back home?

[praevikaan]

[Those just so happen to be two of her favourite traits, and hallmarks both of her people. She beams.]

Animals? Yes. Many. I live in-- a large forest.

[She gestures with one hand to indicate its size, albeit ineffectually.]

There are more creatures there than anywhere else on the Hab. Nothing like him, though. Sorry.

[everydayraphael]

[Raphael and Fondue were so meant to be of her people.]

You're one of a kind, Fondue! Though I didn't expect there to be a breed that existed outside of France called an Alsatian Cheesehund.

[Really. Or so he was called by a dog breed expert. And who is Raphael to disagree with her assessment?]

I guess a building like this isn't your usual stay then. I wonder if there's someplace more open air we can go to.

[praevikaan]

['Alsatian Cheesehund'? She files that away for later. Perhaps it is something she can look up on the tablet as well, along with France. It will give her something to do later, and she gives Fondue a final gentle scratch and then steps away.

She glances back towards the viewscreens. If this place is not livable otherwise...]

The-- ah. Transports? Is that the correct word? The woman in purple who greeted us here mentioned it.

[everydayraphael]

I think we might be the Transports, actually. A group of people who were brought here to help, she was saying. She was pretty upset though. But there could be someplace that maybe mimics a more open area?

[Since they're "transported" here and all. He watches the viewscreens too. At the moment, the only livable area would be where those that caused that destruction were located... Well, let's take a quick look at the tablet. Um. Oh, they have maps and stuff, yes, here. Initiative, United Nation, and Wastelands. Poor France - a land he'd saved and it still managed to be in ruins.

My, but the United Earth is large. And the people who had brought them here were so small. That'd be more disheartening if Raphael hadn't surmounted something equally as impossible a few days before coming here.]

[praevikaan]

[She shakes her head.]

Perhaps the word is wrong. But there are... places? That allow us to leave here. For missions? Or perhaps I am imagining it.

[Which she manages to sound fairly blase about. She's usually perfectly confident in her mind's ability to tell truth from fiction, but this is an extraordinary circumstance, and she's willing to allow herself some leeway.

She does, however, sidestep to peer down at his tablet as he's using it. English!! But perhaps she can learn something from how he uses it. He certainly seems more familiar with the technology than she's ever had cause to be.]

[everydayraphael]

[Oh, his mistake. It must be the room they came in from.

Even if he's not exactly reading it right now, he's idly sliding his finger up and down on the history section. Just to think. The technology is wide spread - or something like it is, anyway - but it's not as if he ever personally had one. There was no point in it. But it's easy enough to navigate and use for someone who's got them available from school.]

Right, sorry. The room we had things explained to us in. But if this [tap tap at the network] doesn't work after we've just come here, I wonder if there's any other side-effects to using it.

[praevikaan]

Power failures.

[Which makes it a considerably risky gambit. She crosses her arms.]

Others? You think?

[everydayraphael]

Some people might not have the best reaction being teleported through time, you know? Nausea, dizzy spells, things that can throw you off your guard or set you apart for one. There's also the matter of how long you can stay there. I mean, it's not like it's your era or anything like that, so there has to be some bad things with it... Um, just from what I think, anyway.

[He shrugs. Considering he's never time traveled himself - discounting now, really, but that seemed to be controlled by The Initiative rather than by personal use - it's really all speculation and guesswork.]

[praevikaan]

There is only one way to learn for ourselves. If what you say is true, the scope of experience may be individually incalculable. We should go.

[For Science!! Her mind's made up, one way or another. She wants to go. This place is so small and cloying, she needs to be able to feel useful. As if she's contributing something to the Initiative's efforts. She has already decided - with little prompting - to support them, so now it's simply a matter of moving forward.]

[everydayraphael]

I think so too. What about you, Fondue? You up for some time traveling experience?

[Woeuf!! No way! It was bad enough coming here, he doesn't want to do it again!]

Aw, come on, Fondue. You'll only get used to it if you try it more and more. What if we need a nose to sniff things out?

[... Rrrrroeuf. He is not sure. Hm.]

[praevikaan]

[She smiles encouragingly at the little creature. The methods are unpleasant, if her arrival was anything to judge by, but a little bit of unpleasantness endured for a long-term reward is something she can tolerate without difficulty.

She always casts an eye to tactical gain before anything else. Truly, they probably did not need Fondue to come, he is small and although she is certain he is very brave, what if he were to become injured? She can mend human wounds well enough, but what if an Alsatian Cheesehund is different somehow? One more thing to investigate. Still, she could probably protect him. Both of them? She tilts her head at Raphael. She has no idea as to any martial capabilities he may have.]

Do you fight? Either of you?

[It seems best to ask now, before they plan too much more.]

[everydayraphael]

[Yes, they do. Fondue bites and Raphael is very capable of using people's "rhythm" against them as a defensive offense. However...]

... Well, no. Fondue can probably bite people, but I'm pretty useless with anything that doesn't include running around doing errands. I worked part-time in a store and went to school, but my grades weren't anything to party over either... And I'm not that good at anything athletic either.

[Technically, telling the truth. Phantom R is very much more the athletic "self" of his. Though he can of course pull off the same stunts since it's only a disguise.]

[praevikaan]

Would you like to learn?

[She has taught others in the past. The lesser forms of sinj'amn are easy for beginners, though he is perhaps a little slender to use a martial art designed for power and force. She could teach spears or daggers, she supposes.]

I do not think I could teach little Fondue here anything of note, but I know weapons.

[everydayraphael]

[... He sword fought once too, actually. But his stance was terrible. And defensive.]

I'm not very comfortable with the idea of weapons, but I guess it'd be nice to know if I never needed to use one. What did you have in mind?

[praevikaan]

I am most comfortable with spears. They can be used defensively or offensively, and if you are uncomfortable with the idea perhaps the former is best? I can fight [or so she thinks, but she's never been in a real one before, just sparring matches] well enough on my own, but I would be concerned for you both if anything were to happen.

[Especially given the fact that 'mission' in and of itself implies some level of danger.]

[everydayraphael]

Spears, huh..? I can give it a shot. I wouldn't want to worry you too much after all!

[Fondue woeufs too, tail wagging slightly. Big sticks are better than nothing.]

[praevikaan]

Then it is settled. First we train, then we go. Meanwhile we can ascertain what else there is to be learned here, yes?

[Now that she has A Plan, she's pleased and almost energized. A shade closer to animated than her usual reserved neutral. Even given their surroundings, which are still somber in the wake of the bomb. She always does better when she has a direction, something to strive for.]

[everydayraphael]

[Raphael knows how she feels. And he'll be doing his best to learn what he can too, to find leads and the like. How it was before, what time travel is like, how they can help...]

Yes. It'd be best to ask people who've been here longer than either of us, and I suppose anything is better than nothing. Even if it's something trivial it could be useful.

[praevikaan]

[She nods.]

Then, shall we begin?

['No time like the present', so to speak.]

[everydayraphael]

[Woeuf?!]

Right now?! We haven't even found wherever we'll be staying at.

[praevikaan]

[-- OH THAT. Puts the damper on her gung-ho enthusiasm a little.]

I had not thought about it. I do not require much sleep. They have rooms, I imagine?

[everydayraphael]

[Whew.

Though he doesn't need much sleep either. Being a phantom does that to one's sleeping schedule.]

They probably do. I wonder just how big this place is, if it can house so many people.