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

[fullmeasure]

[Mike doesn't seem to mind. He leans in a bit, making it easier for Peace to reach]

[lazyinlove]

[And she does, touching and poking a little, and then patting Mike's bald head confidently. It's the first time she hasn't cried and hid from strangers, so Stan is a bit too surprised to interfere. Since Mike doesn't seem to mind, he lets her go with it for a minute while he breathes and gets his own trembling to slow. Then he blows a little raspberry on Peace's cheek to get her attention and gets carefully to his feet with her again.]

Where do we go? I...I didn't catch what they told us after...uh. What do we do?

[fullmeasure]

[Mike grins at the little girl, then stands up with them. He makes a gesture over his shoulder at the exit]

Do you know where your room is? Because I'd suggest finding it and getting you and the girl settled in.

[lazyinlove]

409. Uh. Down there it was 409. I don't know what it is here.

[He takes a tentative step in that direction anyway. Is this right?]

[fullmeasure]

[that works, since Mike follows]

I'm going to assume you don't know what else is here, either, otherwise I'd suggest a cafeteria or something along those lines.

[lazyinlove]

[Well, that stops him in his tracks. His stomach growls loudly just at the thought of food. It's obvious by how filthy the kids are that there been roughing it a bit, but here's proof positive. They're both staring intently at Mike now.]

You know where some food is?

[fullmeasure]

[kids. Sighs]

I don't.

[lazyinlove]

[Too bad. That was a really exciting idea for a moment. But maybe Jesse will know whenever they find him.]

You must be new...that sucks. This is a shitty time to be here.

[He means it, by the sound of it. He seems sad. Who doesn't, in the face of shit like this?]

[fullmeasure]

That's the impression I keep getting.

[after all, he'd already spoken to a couple of other people] Would there be a cafeteria around here?

[lazyinlove]

Dunno. We just got here too.

[But there has to be something, doesn't there? People still need to eat on the moon. How do they figure out where to go...]

[fullmeasure]

Then we might as well take a look around.

[lazyinlove]

You get a tablet? Mine's been dead for a month.

[Maybe if they're lucky, the maps might've been updated.]

[fullmeasure]

I did, but the Network's down.

[Mike takes a look around, then looks to Stan]

I'll ask around. Wait here.

[and without waiting for an answer, Mike's back off into the crowd]

[lazyinlove]

[Well...okay. They'll just wait. Stan stands there awkwardly, still holding Peace, and waits. The kids don't move so much as an inch while Mike is away. They're clearly pretty damned lost and confused.]

[fullmeasure]

[he's gone for a good ten, fifteen minutes because apparently everyone else decided to take him to the cafeteria before he returns. He motions for Stan to follow him, once he catches his eyes]

[lazyinlove]

[Which he does, blindly and easily. Its a habit that never served him well back at home, and could be dangerous around here. It's just that he's usually already started before he thinks about it and stops himself.]

[fullmeasure]

[Mike leads Stan and Peace to the cafeteria; at the very least, it isn't packed full of people like the observatory is, probably because everyone's more focused on who's coming in and all that]

Here we are.

[lazyinlove]

[That's a relief. Neither of the kids seems up to fending off a crowd at the moment. But it's not the same as a school cafeteria. There doesn't seem to be staff working a lineup. Maybe they're between meal times, or maybe it's just a luxury they can't afford right now. Either way, it's disappointing. Will they have to figure out a way to cook something?

Stanley glances uncertainly at Mike and takes Peace with him towards the kitchen. ]

[fullmeasure]

[those were good questions Mike wasn't sure about himself. So, he follows Stan and Peace in; worse to worse, he can grab a cup of coffee while he's babysitting the babysitter]

[lazyinlove]

[Stanley opens cupboards and peers into them, checks the refrigerator as well, and wonders exactly how difficult rice is to make. Because there seems to be plenty of that. No toast, like he was hoping for, no sandwich meats. There's a bit of cheese, and some odd looking eggs that probably won't kill them. He's not great at frying eggs, but he's done it before. Those should work. Even if the whole meal will just be far and protein. Good enough.

He sets Peace on a prep surface, filthy as she is, and gently pried her little fists off of his clothing, assuring her that he's not leaving her. It's difficult, with the language gap and her fear of the situation in general, but eventually she loosens her death grip on him. Stanley glances over at the bald guy.]

You hungry?

[fullmeasure]

[Mike steps closer as Stan sets the little girl on the counter, just in case. Call it habit, from him doing it to his on granddaughter when she was younger, but he's close enough to make sure she doesn't somehow slip off. His coffee can wait until the kid's done, anyway]

No, thanks. Just worry about yourself and the little one. [he pauses, as he glances over what Stan's pulling out] Do you know how to cook those?

[lazyinlove]

Uh. Flip it over when it bubbles. Or...keep stirring. Yeah.

[Okay he doesn't actually know, but he's got a basic idea. Put it in a pan and apply heat until it's not runny anymore. The details aren't that important.]

[fullmeasure]

. . . why don't you and Peace go sit down, and I'll cook instead.

[lazyinlove]

Yep.

[He will? Oh, thank fuck. Stanley's pretty sure he's not capable of learning a new skil until he gets a decent night's sleep, some food, and maybe a bath. It's a relief to let someone else take the helm. He picks up Peace and heads toward the nearest table with her, then they both slump into their seats, exhausted. It's been a long month.]

[fullmeasure]

[living by yourself and having a granddaughter meant two things: you knew how to cook, and you knew how to cook to satisfy hungry children and quickly. So in go the eggs, sadly without what he would usually toss in to give it a bit more flavor, but hey, cooking is happening]