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

[crocodilesmiles]

That's something we're going to learn, isn't it? I'm not sure there's much of a choice.

( Though... )

You usually have contact with Earth's memories? Will that be the same with this Earth, once we're back down there?

[kyoumibukai]

I'm not sure, I have never been to another Earth before. I would assume so, unless this Earth is so incompatible with mine as to be incomprehensible.

[He considers the implications of not having access to his information at all and a shiver crawls its way up his spine.]

Er. Well, at any rate, I hope that I do not cause too much trouble for you or the other transports if and when I become unstable. I imagine I will just retreat.

[He glances up towards the ceiling.]

Do you know, offhand, if a human being can fit in the ventilation system?

[crocodilesmiles]

Oh, yeah they will, these had to be big enough for people to fix after all -- wait. Retreat? When you go unstable, what exactly do you think would happen?

( Is he planning to become a ventilation rat? )

[kyoumibukai]

I don't know. I've never lost access to the library for such a significant amount of time.

[He puts his hand on his chin.]

I feel comfortable in small spaces. The vents will give me access to the privacy and quiet I need when I need it, and the access to information when I want it. I've never before had so little to occupy my mind with. If I can't find something, I'm not sure what I'll do.

[He pauses]

Which is not to say I will do anything violent, as long as I'm not threatened. I am naturally not a very violent person.

[crocodilesmiles]

( She listens and nods, fascinated, honestly. )

Why... not also turn your brain to figuring out ways to help alleviate -- I think that's the word I want -- nuclear energy or, I don't know, nuclear fallout? Something to prevent the world from being so radiation filled like it is now? That's a pretty big puzzle! Lots of research and thinking to go along with that.

[kyoumibukai]

"To fix this issue?" He asks, looking at the screens and considering. "At this point the damage has already been done. In my time there is no method to clean ambient radiation. Only time will do. Besides, time travel sounds much more interesting." His eyes flash as he looks back to the doorway through which he came.

But then he turns back to Collette. "I would need to collate and connect massive amounts of data to solve a problem like that. I would need access to research beyond that which these scientists have, judging by the amount of specialized equipment they have brought. Besides, it doesn't interest me."

[crocodilesmiles]

"Yeah, but that's where time travel comes in, you know?" In response to what he first says, though she considers him with more of that open curiosity as he continues.

"What interests you?"