[MISSION LOG] GET IN THE CAR

[onemind]

CHARACTERS: All
WHERE: Avera 9
WHEN: Day :156 - 160
SUMMARY: Welcome to the jungle muddy junk pile in space. Avera 9, pt.1
WARNINGS: None; will edit if necessary.

THERE IS AN EXPECTATION that all hosts meet on the flight deck; that much is obvious on waking - something that, strangely, all new hosts seem to have done at the same time. Pack your things, says a gut sensation. It's time to go somewhere different.

ONCE ASSEMBLED, it isn't long before Prince and Cathaway make their own appearances. They have a set of kits with them - one for each young host - and a square that unfolds into a data pad with mission details. Each kit contains some of the materials hosts will find helpful for their assignment, and the equipment is not to be traded away or sold, Prince explains. The rest, Cathaway adds, will be provided once travel is complete. And then it's time to get underway. Today that means piling into a sleek, arrow shaped ship with plenty of space to carry personnel and equipment. There are a number of bikes lashed in the cargo area, places for hosts to stow their things, and enough seating at each side of the carrier's interior for hosts to be comfortable. It's a short trip, Cathaway assures and then makes her way with Prince to the cockpit. Today, they're coming with.

Initial checks. Engines go. The landing circular landing pad under the ship turns, lowering down into the flight deck floor as it goes. The ship comes with it, descending into the cool dark depths of the Station. There's a shudder as it locks into the launch tube, as the channel overhead is sealed; there is no countdown, just a pulsing moment of anticipation-- and then rocketing, teeth rattling momentum and a bright, hot flash of joy as the ship is projected from the Station - as it sears through time and space and a hundred versions of the same universe until it comes to rest here: smacked out into real space hung above a murky brown planet, clearly visible through the massive viewscreen at the front of the ship.

It's a good thing there's not much to look at; Cathaway doesn't waste time before deftly setting a course, slicing down through upper atmosphere with hardly a shudder from the knife point shaped ship. The planet comes up rapidly and a hum passes through the carrier as it lowers - cresting down through dark clouds to be battered by rainfall and the cross cutting of wind. But it flies steady, sure, and in time they streak at ground level across muddy flatlands and massive stone slabs - skim across inert bodies of water in the slow process of expanding from the constant sluggish rainfall.

The ship eventually comes to rest in the middle of what must be a massive valley; it sets down with hardly a shiver, then something clangs loud and the ramp at the rear descends. Cathaway unhooks her harness and rises from the pilot's seat.

"Here we are. Be well and do well; try not to kill anyone." Yourselves included, being the unspoken addendum. "Make sure to return here at the specified time. We can't extend our time table to account for stragglers."

There is a pause before Prince adds, with an edge of silent reluctance, “If you find yourselves in a situation you cannot handle, call and we will come.”

And then you're free to go wherever you like. Welcome to Avera 9.


(click to zoom; blue is water; yellow is lowlands/flood plains/etc; green is higher, drier terrain; brown is for ridges/high ground)

---

((OOC Notes: You'll notice that this log only covers the first few days of the mission; this is to allow for player character decision making to effect the back half of the mission. That said, feel free to make your own logs and posts on the IC community as you see fit - just be aware that dating past day :160 may get a little wonky depending on how events proceed!

If you have any mission specific questions, direct them to the OOC post here. For exploration and salvage discovery, we've decided to give players a largely free rein for what items can be found. However, if you want specific mod-generated items for your characters to stumble across during their salvaging, feel free to use THIS thread to request that!))

NAVIGATION • SETTING • FAQ • MOD CONTACT • GLOSSARY

( CODE BY WHAMBAM )

Comments

[decommission]

i. MINTE SPACEPORT ( open to all! )

[ There's a lot to look at after days of being cooped up in the Station. He's as wide-eyed as a tourist once he exits the ship docks (and just as likely to end up with an ache in his neck), only catching himself once he's walking through the streets. Doesn't need someone pegging him for an easy mark five minutes after landing.

After sorting out his room, Steve can be found wandering through the markets. For a place that's about to get pelted by asteroids, there's still a lot of bustle to it. ]

Hey, watch your step! [ He calls out to whoever is passing by from the other direction - there's a mound of something green and mucky on the path and they're a step away from getting it all over their boots.

Later, he can be found at the bar in Minte's Parlor, shoved in a small corner with a tall glass (of water) and eyeing his datapad. He's read all the info at least twice already, but it gives him a good excuse to listen to folks talk.

He'll lift his gaze when someone else from the Nest passes by, tipping his head in greeting. If they look a bit lost, he might ask:]

You get your room settled yet?

ii. IRON OUTPOSTS ( closed to hux and kylo ren )

[ They came here to salvage, so it's about time he gets to it. Some places are crossed off his list so far, at least to start. He's not looking to pick a fight with any locals over ground, or to steal anything that's already been claimed.

The Iron Outposts are close, largely abandoned - and hey, he gets to ride one of those space bikes. That's where he is, looking over one of the vehicles when he calls over to the nearest Nest-mate in the vicinity. Hux. ]

I'm gonna take one of these to the Outposts, check out what's been left behind. [ He cocks his head at the bike. ] You wanna come along?

[ There's a space of a moment enough for the other man to answer, just as Steve's attention is automatically pulled over Hux's shoulder at someone else nearby. ] You should come too, could use the extra hands.

[ Though the connection between them isn't so sharp and raw as it had been before, it's no less strong. Both eyebrows raise at Kylo Ren. ]

iii. WILDCARD

( Gimme whatever! Also, feel free to assume that they've already exchanged names on the Station even if we haven't threaded yet. )

ii. lets noodle

[exhuxperation]

[ They came here to salvage and while the idea is tiresome and too reminiscent of Jakku, he's going to do the work nonetheless. It'll be a welcome relief, in a way, to focus on something that didn't have to deal with the non-stop buzzing in his head, the whispers of emotion outside of himself. The shared links are still deeply uncomfortable for him, though he knows if he's to be here for any length of time, he'll have to adjust. Right?

(He doesn't want to be here, even if he was promised power and a chance to live).

Steven finds him inspecting the speeder bikes as well, curiously noting that they resemble landspeeders. A sign that no matter how far removed one is from their own galaxy, he can find echoes of it. That's not entirely reassuring. ]

I suppose we'll end up there in any case– I'll come. [ May as well. It will be easier with more than one. And safer, though they're never really alone, are they? At that, his attention turns to whomever Steve is addressing now, though his expression goes dark when he sees who it is. Oh no. No no. Say no, Kylo Ren. ]

[narcissithstic]

[It's not about the mission. It isn't about proving himself to Cathaway either (her favor is already in hand, more secure than anything he's ever known and equally as satisfying) though he does carry every intention of proving her faith in him correct. It's about the fact that he-- Steve's own broodmate-- is chosen second to General Hux. Former General at that.

Maskless, forced into wearing the donated suits (his robes are still torn clean open, left behind but not at all forgotten, thank you, Prince) Ren's needling stare is unmistakable: more raw determination and seething, fixated will rather than any amount of actual thought.

Because if he was actually paying any real attention, he'd know this is the sort of work he wants no part of.]

Gladly.

[He's staring at Hux as he says it. suck it, loser]

[decommission]

[ Steve's wary gaze settles on one, then the other. Uh. Somehow the word 'Gladly' and everything that's vibrating between these two guys don't seem to line up all that well. One corner of his mouth twists downward, a lopsided frown - but he nods. ]

Alright. [ Hux he doesn't know all that well (not a terrible thing here, given how easily unguarded thoughts can pass between everyone). Kylo Ren - technically, Steve doesn't know him much better either, although the thread connecting them would demand otherwise. Demands that he offer some amount of trust and faith in this person that Steve inherently feels is less than stable.

This time, he doesn't try to buck against the symbiote's influence.

He lifts a small duffel from the ground beside one of the bikes: a meager amount of basic supplies for a day's effort. ] Either of you need to grab anything?

[ There's some toolkits for their use, they probably only need one. And - he raises an eyebrow at the bikes. ] Someone's gonna have to partner up.

[ Taking three of the nine bikes wouldn't be right. ]

[exhuxperation]

[ Naturally, Kylo Ren's answer is an affirmative. Hux stares at him, expression caught between anger and incredulity. He doubts the man even knows what they're doing or where they're going. How exceedingly childish, to throw that word into his face like it's some real acid.

Composing himself, he turns away from Ren; if he wants to do this to spite him, that suits. If he complains, Hux won't give him any mercy.

Adjusting the bag he has hanging over one shoulder, he glances toward Steve, a sense of calm coming over him as long as he focuses on this one thing. Missions he can handle. ]


Have you been on something like this before? There are similar models, where I'm from.

[ Hence, he's familiar with them enough to get by with a sweeping gaze over the manual. This is his invitation to ride along. ]

[narcissithstic]

[Hux makes the decision for all of them, it seems. There's only a brief dig of bristling irritation on Ren's part before he turns instead towards another, more distant bike - gloved fingers to its controls and a mind that would make his own father proud (even if the very idea of his memory is purposefully discarded the instant it threatens to surface) set to mapping out the basic functions with a careful process of trial and error. Twenty years it's been since he last took up a task like this. More, perhaps.

Something about it sits heavy on his shoulders, but then again, given the barometric pressure rolling through overhead, it's likely nothing more than the world itself worming its way under his skin.

Ren keeps his ear turned towards Hux and Steve. Just in case they manage to get started before he does.]

[decommission]

[ A glance at Hux, then another lingering one at the bike. He lets out a sharp breath, shaking his head. ]

Nope - never been on one before. [ An admission made with some clear reluctance. He'd wanted to try it out for himself, but he's not going to hold things up by insisting (or try to lie about it and have it backfire on them). Maybe there could be some convincing of one or the other to teach him something - since Ren seems comfortable enough grabbing a bike all for himself.

He steps toward the bike Hux is closest to, making for the back seat. ] By the looks of the map we should be able to hit at least a couple of the outposts.

[ Is he really going to be the chatty guy of this group? ]

[exhuxperation]

[ Tension draws tight in the air, and there's none other to blame except for Kylo Ren. Hux has his back turned to the insufferable Force-user, but even he can tell he's sulking. Or throwing a small fit. Whatever. He ignores the veritable storm cloud in favor of listening to Steve. ]

It shouldn't be difficult for you to learn. [ A reassurance; something he uses on his troopers every now and again. It's doubtful Steve needs such things– though the reluctance of admittance does make it seem like he might.

(He recognizes the swallowing of pride and his measure of respect for this somewhat stranger goes up). ]

Which ones? [ His strategical reasoning comes to the fore here, as he sets up on the bike, examining the controls intently. Already, he's got a good memory of the map itself, so it's a matter of time before he can calculate how many versus how much distance and approximate daylight to put them in a better position. A flick of his wrist and he has the speeder humming, engine buzzing loud though still momentarily grounded. ]

meanwhile Kylo Ren, five feet away:

[narcissithstic]

everybody ever

[decommission]

[narcissithstic]

[exhuxperation]

hello you ordered a petulant 30yo man I am here to provide one

[narcissithstic]

[It was Cathaway's insight that provided him with a deeper understanding of how the bond within broods functioned. Enough that when Ilde had reached for him in thought, he'd been without defensiveness or hesitation. And up until this moment, with his grip wound tight around the handles, Ren failed to consider its potential as a means to secure his every expectation.

Like a cruel social experiment, Kylo Ren hones in on Steve's distant, thrumming thoughts. Their map of the course ahead, how little space lies between Steve himself and the man at his side, already working the controls and setting his precisely trained mind to mastery of them. If he presses hard enough on the link, he wonders if he might exacerbate the tension. Impress some sense of distrust in Hux before they've had so much as a chance to even understand one another.

It's about as purposefully malicious as a child burning insects for no other reason than the fact that he can.]

i ordered him well done not burnt beyond redemption

[decommission]

[ At the question Steve pulls out his datapad, holding it out as he points to the dots on the map. ]

Anything close to civilization is probably cleared out. We can check one or two to be sure, but - [ he points further down the line of outposts ] I think we oughta focus on getting to one or two of these.

[ He trails off a bit at the end, his focus shifting to a buzzing in his ear and the bridge of his nose, like the start of a sinus irritation and an itch at the back of his throat. He's less practiced with these abilities, willfully so - and the walls he's built around himself are laughable at best. But after days of being assaulted by foreign emotions, he's suspicious, probing lightly back at the link -

well, he tries to probe lightly. How it turns out is more like a megaphone, directed back at Kylo Ren: ]

( ???????????????? )

too bad ren is a person rife with disappointment including being overcooked

[exhuxperation]

That's highly likely.

[ People are not necessarily the adventurous sort by nature. Curious, yes, but not always willing to go to far to satisfy the curiosity. So, Steve's assumption that the nearest posts would be mostly picked over is probably right. No use in wasting too much time there, when they could have more results by going a little further. The bikes are an asset here– going on foot would be more tiresome and they wouldn't be able to get as much done. ]

If we put all of our focus on one, we should be able to strip it down to whatever is left.

[ Two is a possibility, depending on how much is left over.

He's about to start up the speeder more fully when the buzzing distracts. It's from outside his brood, he knows. The connection feels more distant, muffled by layers of mental cotton. Steve's questioning response can be picked out, though he's not sure what prompted it.

Well, aside from knowing exactly how Kylo Ren could be. ]

Are you going to cooperate or not, Lord Ren? [ Hux doesn't look at him at first, attention mostly on the centered gauge of the bike. He tilts his head, though, intending on catching Ren's gaze. ]

ilde option

[erbier]

[ Next to him on the ship, she breaks out into a cold sweat. She's never in her life moved faster than she could run, and the realization of how far away she is from solid ground hits her like a ton of bricks. The station, with its own spin and pull, had not disturbed her so much, although its artificial lights and artificial days and nights have toyed with her ability to sleep, to relax. She sleeps when the plants sleep, tucked away out of sight, lying in the dirt.

She has not been so afraid since she was a child, and constantly new terrors come to her in this new world she has entered. Fears she has not yet learned how to manage. She grips her seat with white knuckles. She closes her eyes for a moment, wondering through tight teeth, ]

Is this meant to be pleasant.

[ Cathaway, the former pilot, is assuredly enjoying herself in that third-party way of hers. ]

[decommission]

[ The initial burst has his stomach lurching and his head spinning. He tries to center himself, convincing his mind that his body is here and not somehow left behind on the Station. ]

Wouldn't call it pleasant - [ But it's definitely exciting, and that thrill pulses off of him in short, muted waves. They're in space. Real space. Actually flying through it - there's something both more unbelievable and more real about this than the static nature of the station. ]

[erbier]

[ It takes her a physical effort to keep her fear inside of her, but after twice being taken over by the fever of it, she has realized she has unintended effects on those around her if she cannot exhibit better control. Normally a skill she's quite good at, but there is so much out of her control. Strange machines, floating in open space?

She is not educated on planetary science. She does not understand outer space. She does not understand flying. The chattering of the consensus assures her all is well, but that is just another skill to master: opening herself up to its words and truly understanding.

Her fingers curl tighter, if that's possible, and her broodmate's thrill at all this is just another bewildering component to the cocktail. ]

You're having fun.

[ An accusation!!! How dare he get an adrenaline rush while her blood was running cold!!!! ]

[decommission]

[ One side of his mouth quirks upward. ]

A little bit. [ His gaze is drawn to her white-knuckled fists curled around the seat.

Their connection is open, his thoughts still projecting a certain wariness underneath the more immediate thrill and fear of the ride. But, in a tentative way, it's like a offer. His side is stable and solid, she can grip hold of him this way if she needs to.]

[erbier]

[ She knows she can. It is an advantage of the brood that she had realized early on, enlightened to it by the way she reverberated alongside the jedi killer, Kylo Ren. She had asked him for something more complicated than this, asked him to wade into a newly blossomed phobia for deep water and replace herself in it. She could not do the same with Steve... their minds are not yet so tragically close to one another.

She does not understand Steve nearly as well, but they have already practiced the soft hypnosis of matching breath and heartbeat before. She lets herself fall into that rhythm, fall out of herself into the little cup of space he's made for her on his side.

She swallows, forces her hands to loosen. They clasp in her lap instead, but it's a start. One she does not acknowledge out loud. ]

This all makes me feel very small.

[ Space. Visiting other worlds. She had expected to die young and in squalor, the culture shock is of great magnitude. ]

[decommission]

[ He glances at her face briefly. His breathing is even, heart rate steady - no different than running except for the pace. He's learned to deal with fear in his life, knows how to put it aside. Must've gotten him in trouble more often than it's saved him. ]

Me too. [ Makes his whole world feel small. ] Never got to do much traveling.

[erbier]

Hmm.

[ It's a shaky little noise, distant and distracted, but she manages to murmur, ]

Where would you have traveled to?

[decommission]

[ He thinks for a moment: ]

I woulda gone to Europe, if I'd shipped out. [ If she travels along the line he's opened for her, there are images to be found. All of them black and white, all of them from strange angles and slightly blurry. An iron lattice tower lifting into the sky, a massive clocktower over a city. ] I'd've liked to see it after the war, too.

[erbier]

[ Thoughts of Europe are somewhere else to be and she lets herself go, thinks about what little she can see of the skyline. ]

My world once had cities like that. Pretty, busy.

[decommission]

And more gardens? [ There are more images, black and white as before - though they flicker with bright pastel colors (shifting, becoming hazy marks on a canvas), his mind compensating for what he's never seen in person. Gardens, waterlilies. ]