[mission: hyrypia] hey kid wanna see a dead body

[onemind]

CHARACTERS: EVERYONE
WHERE: The Second Flight
WHEN: DAY :021 - DAY :022
SUMMARY: Leaving the Graze and flying over the Finger Maze. [insert Psycho music cue here]
WARNINGS: Corpses. Will update as necessary. Need a warning added? PM this account please!

HYRYPIA - THE SECOND FLIGHT
DAY :021

I. ALLLL ABOARD
THE SOUND OF HORNS has become familiar in your time on Hyrypia, but the low drone seems out of place here in the great open space of the main hall of the Second’s Flight. The space here is fantastically and beautifully ornate, the pale polished wood floors and rich dark paneling strangely reminiscent of sand and stone, loamy earth and some rich, dense forest not native to the arid lands of this planet. The space seems to dare the sky to claim it, acting out some daring violation of delivering the earth into the heavens. The twin heads of House Tyrisson are equally lavish both in their appearance and welcome. Two brothers, draped in elaborate pastel fabrics and glinting with enough metal accents to put the ornate robes of Seconds to shame, they trade a short speech back and forth between them:

"Once, our ancestors would have travelled the depths and turns of the Finger Maze in an effort to follow the footsteps of the First. Luckily, we don't live in such dangerous times; the gifts of the First and this planet we call home have allowed us to grow up out of our desperation. Consider this comfort our gift to you and enjoy your time on the Second Flight."

A band strikes up the moment the Tyrisson twins take their seats and you are left to your own devices. So much for living simply.

II. A MURDER MOST FOUL
A SCREAM PIERCES THE SILENCE of the saunas. The low sound of gently flowing water and the soft piped music seems to fade to nothing in the wake of the raw, terrified noise. Unsurprisingly, it draws immediate attention as a horrified Descendant practically falls into the arms of the servant that comes to his aid. The outburst is easily forgiven as word travels like lightning through the ship.

There has been a murder - or rather, two murders. Two bodies, damp with humidity and beginning to give of a distinctly unpleasant smell, have been found in one of the hot bath grottos. The mineral water they've been soaking in has reverted from a milky white to a terrible, blood rust brown.

And while it's unlikely that any Carbauschians were sharing the pool with them (robes make for unpleasant waders), the dryer albeit stiflingly hot areas of the conjoined saunas are such a communal meeting places that it wouldn't be out of the realm of imagination that one or two Hosts might be nearby… Regardless, news travels quickly and the chilly atmosphere that descends over the Second Flight is palpable. A horrific hunting accident is one thing, but murder? That's something else altogether.


HYRYPIA - THE SECOND FLIGHT
DAY :022

III. A SORDID AFFAIR
TO SAY that the atmosphere is somewhat tense is an understatement. It seems that everyone has something to say about the murders- but these things are said tersely, in whispers under the breath, with darting eyes and suspicious glances, and security- once hidden, secret- is now easily visible. They can be found at the entrance of each of the broad areas, patrolling down the paths that run alongside the outer walls of the Envoy’s cabins- never intruding, but ever present. Still, there seems to be an insistence that it will be dealt with by a member of the Tyrisson protectorate guard - Detective Savela, a hard-nosed, serious woman who seems not to want any assistance - and that the guests should continue to enjoy themselves. The bands still play, the games are ever present. Of course, those that are enterprising may wish to try poking around, instead.

IV. THE SHOW MUST GO ON
MURDER SCHMURDER-- In what's very clearly an effort to retain some sense of normalcy, an elaborate meal is served late on Day :022. The dishes are so complex that might as well be show pieces of their own, the music has an air of desperation, and the display of technomancy from a pair of Seconds is so delicate and ornate - centering almost entirely on a cloud of small metal coins that shifts shape constantly to illustrate scenes from the famous epic poem The Arion throughout the course of the dinner - that under any other circumstances it might be a singularly memorable moment.

Unfortunately, the palpable sense of suspicion between the envoy factions persists and the temper of the room is anything but celebratory. Late in the evening when most people have retired from the stifling atmosphere, a scuffle breaks out between some Meradan bodyguards and a clutch of Carpathan servants.


HYRYPIA - THE SECOND’S FLIGHT
DAY :023

V. A FAREWELL TO ARMS
THE ENGINES ever-present hum ticking down an octave is the first sign that the Flight has almost reached its destination. By the time the servants are politely knocking on the entrances of the berthings, the new dawn reveals that the cliffs and the winding passages of the Finger Maze have finally fallen behind the ship. The land here consists of rocky, relatively bare hills and is accented only with occasional short, sparse woody tree and straggly clumps of red grass. From somewhere in the distance, salt touches the wind. The Second Flight lands, setting gently down into the trough between two hills. Its now familiar gangplank extends, ready to send the Pilgrims again out onto the road.

---

((OOC Notes: This log covers days :021 and :022 on the Second Flight. A log will be posted for the walk on DAY :023 and the arrival at the Red Coast. Please be sure to review the MISSION: HYRYPIA ooc information to find setting information for the Second Flight. If you have any questions, please hit up either the mission's question thread, the FAQ or MOD CONTACT pages!))

NAVIGATION • GAME CALENDAR • MISSION: HYRYPIA • FAQ • MOD CONTACT • GLOSSARY

( CODE BY WHAMBAM )

Comments

[greentech]

( It's only technically stealing. Besides, they have plenty of it. )

[ Pidge, technically stealing is still stealing. ]

( I bet all the other envoys are stealing stuff, anyway. )

[raw]

( Unless they're too busy killing each other. )

[ That's a tad grim, Elliot. ]

( From what I've seen, it looks like the engineers spend a fair bit of time around where the nectar's kept. Might be tough to take some without them noticing. )

[ Or it might be for one person, even one invisible person. But Elliot knows, that like sleight of hand, if you want to do something illicit but undetected in one place, you need to be drawing attention to somewhere else. ]

( Maybe I can distract them. )

[greentech]

( Ugh. Don't remind me- )

[ She doesn't want to think about the murders and there's a deep, uncomfortable feeling there. Why do people ahve to be so awful? Even when they're aliens?

His proposal earns more interest, though, and she perks up, glancing at him as she press back into a corner to stay hidden for as long as she can. ]

( I think that might work, actually. If you're willing to possibly get caught, anyway. I don't want to get you in trouble... )

[raw]

( I don't mind a little trouble. )

[ It's not like the security here is particularly crazy, so he doesn't think he's going to be shot or anything, and it probably won't endanger their mission, either, since their fake species is not really in the running for the grand prize, so far as he can tell. ]

( What will they do, kill me? )

[ Grim humor, and he regrets it immediately since she just said not to remind her about that stuff. ]

( Sorry. Just — give me five. )

[ Seconds? Minutes? Regardless, he's going, far less furtively now. ]

[greentech]

( Quiznak, I hope they don't - if you need help, let me know- )

[ He's going to do it, the absolute madman. Pidge rolls her shoulders and then pops back out of sight - she's still there, though. ]

( Ready when you are. )

[raw]

[ That's still really unnerving, but at least it's not so horror-film startling when he's expecting it.

Elliot nods, then moves away, heading in the opposite direction to where the nectar's kept. His normal scheme of disruption would involve computers, alarms, even fire safety protocol, but Earth office building rules don't apply here. So instead he messes with the valves on a couple of pipes, leaves them hissing.

He traverses the walkway unmolested again, at least at first, but then a Rabadocean guard rounds a corner and rather than trying to escape notice Elliot straight up approaches him and asks for directions, doing his best to appear drunk and lost. When the alien attempts to escort him out he gets aggressive, shouting, playing the don't fuckin' touch me, man game — and selling it, too, apparently. Maybe it's the recent deaths, but the commotion attracts another couple of guards from their rounds, and they hurry over to promptly haul Elliot out on his ass.

He finishes up a little bruised, but weirdly cheerful. That was kind of fun. ]

[greentech]

[ Pidge only gets a brief sense of what happens to him - mostly through tapping in and 'listening' as she creeps around to drain nectar from an injector. It's quick and dirty and fortunately everyone is distracted by Elliot. She hopes he's not too beat up, but it's probably time for her to get going. She scoots on out in Elliot's wake, sending a pulse of thanks (and some concern) his way as she weaves her way back toward her room.

Mission accomplished? ]