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

I got it, it's all good.

[inafadingcrown]

There is no need to apologize. [She stands, addressing Stanley now] Children are quite often shy, even without such a trauma. I remember a time when my own daughter would hide behind my skirts.

smartie

[lazyinlove]

You've got a kid?

[Tgere are probably bigger things to focus on here, but somehow those are hard to...focus...on. He clings to the distraction for the time being. Small talk is easier.]

I'm just brilliant that way

[inafadingcrown]

[She nods] She is here, in fact, though now she is a woman grown with three children of her own. Celebrían is her name.

hawt

[lazyinlove]

What? But...how old are you?

[You don't look like a grandmother, ya know.]

[inafadingcrown]

A more difficult question than you know. [Seriously, she's not... entirely sure.] Older than I would appear to your eyes, certainly, for Elves do not age as do Men.

[lazyinlove]

Oh.

[Wait, what? He'll just stare for a minute. His brain is kinda overtaxed right now, sorry ma'am.]

An elf. That's...okay...

[inafadingcrown]

Am I the first you have met, then? [A rare honor for her. Or at least it was before she came here. She's usually isolated enough that anyone who gets to meet her is very familiar with elves.]

[lazyinlove]

Uh...yeah. So far. That I know of.

[He gives his ear a little tug, imploring. It's a good distraction for the moment.]

Hey, are they...?

[inafadingcrown]

[She gives a little laugh and pushes back her hair, revealing delicately pointed ears.]

[lazyinlove]

Woah.

[Okay, that's pretty cool. Even if the baby decided to copy the move and tug at Stanley's ear, too.]

Ow.

[inafadingcrown]

[She laughs a little] Is it truly so extraordinary?

[lazyinlove]

I don't know. But I've never seen any before.

[So probably yes.]

[inafadingcrown]

If it interests you so, you should keep your eyes open; I am far from the only elf in this place.

[lazyinlove]

Guess not.

[It doesn't make this situation any less impossibly impossible. But it's something to focus on, while he tries to remember how to breathe. An elf lady. That's...that's something.]

[inafadingcrown]

[She smiles patiently. Stanley, bless you, but you are a little difficult to talk to right now.]

At any rate, I would be glad to help you with little Peace, should you have need of it. I imagine you do not have a great deal of experience with children. [Since you are practically a child yourself.]

[lazyinlove]

[He's not generally a stunning conversationalist anyway, so he's far from one at the moment. But this topic he has thoughts on. That's good.]

Clueless. I've never even had a pet. I mean, when she needs something you can tell, but...

[inafadingcrown]

But it is a great deal of responsibility- enough to frighten even those who came by it by their own choice. [And to Peace:] You must do your best to help him.

[lazyinlove]

[Now that's unexpected. He glances up, grateful for this unprecedented approach to the situation. It's a bit of unexpected compassion in all the shit and chaos. And it really hits home.]

[inafadingcrown]

[And she looks down at him, smiling still. This is an offer that is easy to make; she can't help but feel compassion, both for him and his small charge.] And, as I said, I will help you as much as I able.

[lazyinlove]

Thanks.

[inafadingcrown]

Of course.