station72 | [MISSION LOG] BRAVE NEW WORLD

[MISSION LOG] BRAVE NEW WORLD

CHARACTERS: All
WHERE: The Station + Concordia
WHEN: Day :000 - ???
SUMMARY: Leaving the Station; the arrival and first days on Concordia. Concordia pt.1.
WARNINGS: Will update as necessary.

IT'S EARLY IN THE DAY and something feels strange. It’s not unlike when a new Host - not one of your brood, but close enough to feel the tug - comes awake on the Nesting Deck. But it’s just the initial tug. There’s no noise, no hum of confusion or volume. Today, it’s just there: a sensation of presence that a moment ago wasn’t. Soon after follows a prickling awareness of urgency. A small electric bolt through the mind. Cathaway doesn’t use words in the mind, but her meaning is nonetheless easily understood: come to her on the hangar; your presence is required.

On the hangar there is a sleek, low profile transport ship. Before it stand Cathaway and Prince and in their company is a stranger: a short woman with warm skin and dark hair, wearing unfamiliar colorful clothes and a quick, pleasant smile. You’ve never seen her before, but you know she’s a Host.

“This is them?” Her voice is light and sweet. Prince, occupied by a databank, glances up at her then nods once. There’s a tension in his shoulder and through his jaw - a distinct contrast to Cathaway and the stranger who lack both.

“Lovely.” Her tone is breezy and easy, delighted. “Hello, it is so nice to meet you all! My name is Carata. My partner and I have been away on duty for a few months, but it’s become clear that we need backup on our assignment. We are hoping you can help.” Carata motions to the mission equipment in neat kits at her feet. There is one for each young Host.

Prince folds his pad down into its smallest form. His expression is set and serious.

“You will be joining Carata and Nirad on the planet below to assist them with their mission. Your datapbank will provide you with information about the planet and the city where you will be stationed. This mission is covert and the planet itself has no contact with other planetary races, so you will need to do your utmost to blend in.”

Cathaway sharpens slowly beside them: a dull pencil being sharpened to a point as her attention curves back to this place, this instance. She unfolds her hands. “You’ll be provided with an earpiece that should allow you to interface with the local technology and a fake identity for your cover on world. Please mind both carefully and be sure to keep your databanks offline. It would be inconvenient if they were networked while on planet.” From the way she says it, it sounds like ‘inconvenient’ might be an understatement. “This mission shouldn’t be inherently life threatening. Your primary goal is to investigate the anti-android movement. Carata and Nirad will be able to tell you what your databanks do not.”

“You should listen to them,” Prince adds. “Rely on their experience and knowledge to help you succeed in your task. Be mindful, and treat them with the respect they have earned.”

At this Carata laughs. It’s a bright, joyful sound, her hands coming up to clasp in front of her chest, “Please, teacher, you are too serious. I am sure they will do very well. Come along then! Gather your things; we must leave as soon as possible. I do hate to leave Nirad alone for too long.”

Turning her back to the Hosts, Carata takes Cathaway’s hand for a moment Nothing is said, but there’s the distinct impression of something passing between them. They release their grip, then Carata turns to Prince. She places her hands on his shoulders and goes up to her toes to press a kiss to his cheek. He doesn’t return the gesture, but those with sharp eyes will note he does lean down slightly to make her job easier.

Gather your gear, get anything from your rooms you might not want to leave behind. In two hours, everyone attending the mission will be buckled or strapped into the transport as Carata readies the ship for takeoff. She explains, neatly and concisely, what they believe the enemy to be doing in Concordia. Then, with a turning of the deck, the ship is freed from the embrace of Station 72.

It will be a long time before you see this place again.

     I. THE WHEELS ON THE BUS
The flight to Concordia is surprisingly short. By the time Carata's finished her explanation, you've passed into a new universe. It comes with a strange wave of something akin to nausea. Outside the transport's starboard viewports lays Opia in all it's glory: a beautiful blue marble speckled with sixteen landmasses and swathed in thing clouds like spun sugar. From this distance, clusters of light burn from specific points on the continents like a map of grounded constellations. As one of the great megacities of Opia comes curling from around the edge of the planet, the transport ship begins to descend.

Atmospheric entry is smooth. The transport drops at the outskirts of Concordia on what is, hilariously, some kind of large parking garage. It has engaged the most sophisticated of its cloaking technology to do this and Carata urged everyone to disembark quickly so the ship can return to orbiting the planet before it's detected.

"It will be back," she says flippantly. "When we've finished our job."

The ship departs. It's quiet and still for a handful of minutes; Carata seems unconcerned and gives little in the way of direction or instruction. The city flashes around them - bright lights and neon masking the fading of natural light - and nearby, a roadway hums. Eventually the sound of a car pitches louder. A set of headlamps shear from the long line of cars and in moments a long, squarish transport van pulls up and parks at the top of the garage. The side door slides open to admit everyone. In the driver's seat is an android - shining metal and cheerful as it greets every host by name. Beside the android in the van's passenger seat sits a tall, dark skinned man who - much like Carata - is obviously a host.

Welcome to Concordia.

     II. HOME SWEET HOME
It's a long drive into the city. The buildings get taller, the lights get brighter, the streets get busier. There are throngs of people on the street, dogged by endless rows of neon bright advertisements. Traffic is either miserable or flowing depending on the neighborhood and trams run on tracks fifty feet or more above the roadways. Streams of people files from the pavement to the subways, countless numbers of escalators leading down.

When the bus finally stops, it's in front of a building as tall as any others. The signs here mark this section of the city as BETA BLOCK and when you get out and into the building lobby you find that the door opens for you automatically. A chime rings through the interfacing ear piece and when you enter the elevators, the only floor accessible to you is NUMBER EIGHTEEN. When you disembark, a kind voice welcomes you by home in your ear. There are a large number of rooms here in Bearing - stake your claim, everyone! Nirad and Carata already have a couple of rooms in the Southwest corner of the building, but the rest are open. Time to settle in!

     III. FEET ON THE GROUND
You're given the rest of the night to sleep (or...whatever), but by 9AM the next morning everyone is awoken by Carata's voice in their head. She's clearly not shy of using her symbiotic connection.

( Good morning! I know this is quite a lot to get used to. I believe this is your first true assignment? But I have always believed that the best way to learn something new is to jump right in. ) The words are accompanied by the sensation of someone clapping their hands together, a cheerful kind of practicality. ( You’ve been given a credit card. I encourage you to go out today and learn what you can about this place. Talk to people. Listen to the news. Be sure to remember your cover identity, and don’t hesitate to call if you find yourself in trouble. )

There is nothing pressing to the suggestion, just the sensation- light. Airy. Fun. She switches track after a moment, a thoughtful addition: ( There is also a rally in town today. It’s being run by The True Children of Opia, some minor little hate group-- ) She seems to wave off the unsavory aspects as she forges ahead, ( They aren’t affiliated with Humans + Humans 1st, but they do have very similar ideologies and it is quite probable that there is overlap in their membership. If you would rather, it is also quite likely that there will be protestors there as well, both members of Mind Life and those who are adamant about pursuing digital resurrection. Please do be careful, though, sometimes those rallies can be a little... ) An image of an oily substance catching flame, quickly and hotly.

( Whatever you chose, simply do your best to get your bearings. ) She seems to realize the unintended joke there, given the name of their current residence, and a bright happy flash of color accompanies it. What a delightful surprise. ( Prepare yourself for what is to come. Nirad and I will continue our investigation in the meantime. )

((OOC Notes: This is the catchall log for the first stages of the Concordia mission. You'll notice there's no set ending date, so use this log however you like - alternatively, feel free to start your own logs in the setting! Don't worry; we'll be keeping a close eye on things, so if something big starts to happen that necessitates a new long, we'll make sure to keep our bases covered and all of y'all updated. Just be aware that dating forward farther than :010 may get a little dicey.

If you have any mission specific questions, direct them to the OOC post here.))

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[ precious. you're adopted, angel, congrats. but really, he wishes he could bring Kara to meet her. this girl's so special, and has been such a gift to him already. a way to feel comfortable as himself, with whatever weird mix that defines it. it's something that gives him hope for places like this world.

he chuckles, at the idea of her being flagged so quick, as he examines the couch area, trying to get an idea of how they might set up. well, needs to see what the tech needs to plug into first, doesn't he? ]

Wanna go take a look? Maybe grab some clothes that make us look less dorky while we're out?

[ For a second, she looks up at him in complete confusion, and then down at herself. Tech, sure definitely that she could do in her sleep but --

-- Clothes? She pulls at her own shirt, tugging it out as if she's actually looking at it properly for the first time. She didn't mind their standard issue stuff, it wasn't bad at all, it was definitely better than most of what Jack made her wear. ]

I guess... we can, right? [ Which is actually just about as she's thought about it. ] Could... could you help me? I've never really picked clothes for myself before. [ giddy, almost and it seizes her quickly, letting it drop and sharp out of her mouth. Like relief, the only thing that matters. ] Not yellow. I never want to wear yellow again.

[ There's a short, sharp laugh, as Angel looks completely bewildered by the idea of new clothes, and some part of him jokes that it figures the actual robot would be more adjusted to the ideas of style and fashion than the enhanced human.

But she looks like a kid told they're going to the toy store, once the idea settles in, and Sam can't help but smile back at her brightly. ]

Can't say I know a whole hell of a lot about young girl fashion, but I'll do what I can. And, believe me, sister, yellow's not on my shopping list either.

[ Even if the Cbucs team colors were yellow and orange, he was never a big fan of colors that bright. ]

[ her nose wrinkles up then, petulant like she is actually acting her age for once. ] I'm not that young.

[ Just ... Late. Yeah, she'll go with that rather than the more upsetting truth of it as to why she looks younger than she probably should. ] I could get skirts, I guess? And pants. Shirts I'll probably need those too. [presses her lips together and suddenly as exciting as it is, she orders it determinedly. There's a flicker in her a mind, that this is almost overwhelming. ] uhm, what else do you think? Does that sound like a good place to start?

Young woman, maybe? [ isn't that what you call people when you don't want to say kid? sam frowns at the ceiling, squinting. ] Gods, when'd I get so frakking old sounding?

[ but you are old, sam. 2,000, bro. don't forget the number. as if he could now. anyway, more focused on angel's exciting new fashion indecision, sam chuckles, heading to the kitchen to pluck up a couple waters and anything else they need for their outing, before heading for the elevator. ]

Skirts, pants, shirts, all that sounds good. Need any new shoes? [ he hums a second, thinking. ] What's your favorite color?

[ She stifles her giggles at his expense. Biting at her lip and keeping it down whilst he was being helpful, nods - yes, she probably shoes. Something nice and practical. ]

Red. Or maybe blue? [ Yeah, nailed it. Still, it was a start.

Except maybe she's not done teasing him. ] Sam, how old do you think I am?

Red and blue, sounds like a good start. [ it's something, and hey, maybe they'll get there and just play dress up for a while, who knows. they're free and they've got someone else's money in their hands. it's an adventure.

once in the elevator, sam hits the button for the ground floor and slouches against a wall, squinting at her a moment as he ponders the question. ]

Uuum, more that 17, less that 25? I'm guessing?

[ and she fixes a perfectly bland look on her face as she leans back against the elevator walls, like this just part of the course. ]

Everyone gets it wrong. Siren's age slower than most people. It's a side effect of our abilities. I'm actually 30.

[ sighs, shoulders dropping, all exaggerated. Like this just happens all the time. ]

Edited 2016-07-31 07:37 (UTC)

30, you kidding me? That's only--

[ he was going to say a few years younger than him but, hahahahaha no, not exactly true anymore, is it? okay, well, this could be fun. ]

Alright, alright. Your turn then, how old do you figure I am?

[ She scrunches up her nose, like she's thinking, then peering at him. ]

Well - [ draws it out all slow. ] - technically you're an infinity of lives coexisting at the same time since you're an android, kind of, so that makes you at least six billion years? [ sometimes, sometimes, she's the all seeing all knowing siren daughter of a dictator, but sometimes she's just a brat teenager - ] Which, Sam, I knew you were ancient but wow, should I check you for rust one day?

Six billion, ouch. [ he's laughing out loud, head tossed back a moment. okay, well, that's overshooting it a bit. ]

Well, right now, I'm just the one consciousness. Just Sam. Maybe when I'm plugged in I'm more, who frakkin' knows, but just me? A little over two-thousand. [ which is still really damn weird for him to think about. and even those 2,000 years had seemed a good deal shorter, for him, with the interstellar travel, but it isn't as if his memories on it are that clear to begin with. ] And, technically, android is something with a mechanical body, and I'm not mechanical. Just as gross and squishy as you, kiddo. With some perks.

[ 'kiddo' because, yeah, that's right, he still has two millenniums on you, 30 or not, so you're kiddo still. ] Used to call things like me 'skin-jobs'.

[ that's still - well. ]

2,000 thousand years and you ended up a sports player? Ouch.

[ Stop being mean Angel, it's not his fault. But still. ] Skin-jobs. I can see why. I mean, people aren't exactly clever with naming things I've noticed.

Right, that's what I'm saying. [ sam's snorting a laugh, in good humor more than taking offense to it. it's such a ludicrous thing, how could he? ] Apparently, before I got rewritten thinking I was human, I was some kinda badass tech genius, but all I got after was Good At Throwing Balls Around. That's a frakkin' rip off.

[ thanks, cavil, you're a dear. ] Nice, isn't it? The droids were Clankers, and the over all term for the whole race was Toasters.

I would write to HR - oh, wait AR? If I were you. [ There's an oh so serious look on her face about it all.

It sounds what she'd expect, really. No one was creative with their robot names either. ] I'm not surprised. Then again, on Pandora, there was a bandit I saw who was just called "Face McShooty".

Har, har, you're hilarious. AR. [ snort. you little brat. watch yourself, or you'll get hair ruffled again.

as the elevator dings the ground floor, sam squints at her, head tilting. ] Face McShooty. Damn. Wish I'd thought of that back when we were picking alias names.

[ She ducks her head to hide the giggle. ]

Bandits have a real way with words. I used to.... manage one. He was... in love I think? Or obsessed with, it's kind of hard to tell with the psychos. [ shakes her head, yeah, close enough. ] With another of my kind. He told her he wanted to ride his "meat bicycle" with her. I think he was trying to saw he wanted to spend time with her.

[ yeah, yeahhh. ] Which I ... guess it could be worse?

Edited 2016-08-04 02:41 (UTC)

[ …………..WHY THIS. ]

I don’t… think that was all he meant.

[ “spend time”. Spend time doing something very specific, yes, and wow he’s not going to talk to angel about that, moving right the eff along. ]

Heeey, look at that, time to go. [ the door dings open, and out Sam walks, waving Angel to follow. ]

[ BECAUSE SAM. ]

He did talk about being the conductor of the poop train a lot. [ shrugs and she's clearly missed whatever he's talking about, shrugs after a moment dismissively then - and oh wait time to go and she darts after him. One second where he's just so much taller than she is that she jogs to catch up with him. The next she grabs his hand. Linking her fingers through. ] I was joking by the way. I'm actually twenty-one, at least I think so - you were right the first time.

Sounds like a real quality member of society. Good for him.

[ Said with a snort, and a smile flashed to her, letting her weave fingers through his, as he swings their hands a little while they walk out onto the busy sidewalk. For the first time since getting into the Nest, things are actually feeling kind of easy. Kind of simple. Comfortable. And he quietly thanks Angel in his mind for that, all the while looking mock-betrayed for this deception. ]

What, seriously? And here I was feeling almost a little bit bad for calling you kid.

His name was Krieg. He... tried really hard.

[ That was one word for it. She felt for him, remembered the day he broke free of the facility that tortured him into being such a thing. His insanity, and the way, sometimes, sometimes, there was that little bit of sanity still in there that stopped his hand. ]

Yeah. [ Her grin is guiltless, that's what you get Sam, swinging her arm with his. ] I mean I do heal better than most people, I wasn't joking about that. Insta-Healths and a good doctor will do it faster, and anything direct enough will kill us of course, but left to our own devices, [ jerks up one shoulder in a shrug ] we're pretty good at looking after ourselves. But I'm definitely still twenty-one.

Well. Good for Krieg.

[ Said with a barely contained snort-laugh. Your world is some cray shit, girl. As they stroll down the sidewalk, he gives her a little push with his hip, a bit of pretend vengeance for playing him, but it’s with a smile. ]

Uh huh, well if you start telling me you can breathe fire and fly, I’m gonna have to see some proof.

[ oh Sam, one of them professionally lies, now you will never know the truth. She fixes a big, cheerful grin on her face, like sugar wouldn't melt in her mouth, all pink freckled cheeks and innocent up-tilt of her face into the sun. ]

Oh no, that's Lilith you're thinking of. I fly and cause electronic explosions.

Right, of course. Lilith.

[ who the eff is lilith. his brows arch at her, and he's giving her the kermit nod emote right now. sam is channeling christian bale just for this thread. ]

Uh huh. Where's my proof?

You'd probably like Lilith, she's a big fan of melting people. She liquefied a guy once. Our powers can get the better of us sometimes like that.

[ she raises an eyebrow at him, all challenging. As if it was all fairly self explanatory. ]

You'd be dead if I did Sam. When a siren does that, a lot of people tend to die. Fairly quickly. We all work differently, but the outcome tends to be the same. Besides, [ she nods to the people around them as they make their way down the street. ] if I sprouted my wings and took off in a blaze of light, it might cause a bit of a scene don't you think?

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[MISSION LOG] BRAVE NEW WORLD

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