[MISSION LOG] BRAVE NEW WORLD

[onemind]

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.))

NAVIGATION • SETTING • FAQ • MOD CONTACT • GLOSSARY

( CODE BY WHAMBAM )

Comments

[inflori]

What the fuck is a bantha.

[ He's just asking to be difficult, really. And to say 'fuck'. He loves saying that. ]

Yeah? You say that because you'd lose.

[snippycup]

[Those are Disney ears, Petre!!! But she's used to questions like that by now.]

Giant hairy animal. Beast of burden. Looks a little like you.

[She blinks sweetly.]

I don't lose often. Definitely not to you.

[inflori]

I like the sound of that.

[ Sorry if you meant it as an insult; beast of burden just sounds cool. ]

You can't even handle me thinking about attacking people, what the fuck are you gonna do when it's your turn to defend yourself? Sass me to death?

[snippycup]

I'll keep that in mind when someone wants physical labor done for them.

[Some of the amusement disappears from her face when he tries to press her on her initial aggravation.]

I can handle more than you have any concept of. I've fought people with five times your strength, kid. That doesn't mean I have to like it, or be apathetic to it.

["Kid" like they aren't the same age.]

Its not necessary.

[inflori]

Do you actually know how strong I am? Just curious. Because I could show it to you, and then you can let me know if you still think the same.

[ come at meeeeeee no don't actually everyone will be super pissed ]

[snippycup]

I'm not threatened by you.

[Yeah she's not 14 anymore, no way is she taking that bait.]

Maybe you haven't figured it out yet, but your individual strength doesn't matter here. If any one of us hurts, it hurts the whole.

[inflori]

Really? I'd love to hear more about that.

[ In that very moment, he pushes another image of him doing atrocities to some guy he fought back in his own world, all involving a knife. ]

Did that hurt the whole?

[snippycup]

[In spite of all the training and conditioning she had endured as a jedi, she can't stop the surge of righteous anger that pulses through her mind like its own heartbeat.

But it is quickly snuffed out before it can be acted upon.]

Physically. Harming you would harm the rest of your brood.

[And she'd kill for Angel, so fuck off buddy.]

[inflori]

[ Whatever bit of anger he can get gives him delight. Wrath is one of the greatest sins, therefore one of his favorite motivators, especially in other people. ]

Right, right. Physical. I'll keep that in mind.

[ Unintentional pun. ]

What's your name?

[snippycup]

Ahsoka Tano.

[She feels better already for having resisted the urge to punch him.]

And your's?

[inflori]

Petre Dodrescu. That's European. You know, from Earth.

[ He feels the need to point that out. It's his thing. ]

[snippycup]

I am from Shili. Someone else here mentioned Earth to me once. Still can't point it out on any star map I've ever seen.

[She doesn't even look kind of human, so if he was trying to offend her, well -- she actually looks kind of interested past the annoyed frown.

Also not going to mention being raised in the Jedi temple yet. Maybe later, when she figures out what Kylo Ren thinks of this dude.]

European -- I haven't heard that term yet. What does it mean?

[inflori]

[ He likes that, that she doesn't look human. He's met Nate, who showed him his true, monstrous form, and from then he decided he would like to meet more. Even if he did just act like a total dick at her. ]

It's a continent on the planet. Europe.

[snippycup]

[She opens her mouth and then closes it. She shouldn't be asking these questions of Petre. She should be looking for one of the nice Earth-people to answer them.

But he's here, and she's too curious. So after a second of pause while she thinks about how curious she is, she tries again.]

But you're--human, right? Earth is full of humans. And even though you're all human, Earth separates its people by the landmass they live on?

[Fascinating. And kind of weird.]

[inflori]

No, I'm not human. I used to be.

[ Interesting question, though - he hadn't thought about that. ]

Yeah. You got continents, then you got countries. I was born in Romania, so I'm Romanian. Why?

[snippycup]

So...tribes?

[Ahsoka scratches awkwardly at her chin, like she is missing something. But she can't figure out what, so she tries a different approach.]

I have heard of races segregating by planet, but not by landmass. Togruta are just... the people. We are all the same.

[But there's that other thing he said, about not being human anymore. Was he like Nate? No...Nate was never human.]

What do you mean "used to be"?

[inflori]

Tribes? I guess. A lot of cities like to close themselves up according to what god they worship.

[ ugh, gods. ugh, worship. ]

I was turned into a demon. [ he lifts a hand and wiggles his fingers, mimicking claws. ] So Togruta are like, humans, I guess. Are your planets that tiny or what?

[snippycup]

[Ahsoka chuckles at the notion that togruta are anything like humans, but it's brief and born of surprise.]

I don't think we are very like humans. Shili is smaller than most planets, but it's not particularly habitable by many peoples' standards. And we certainly don't segregate by landmass based on what we believe in.

[Mostly because everyone believes in the Force, but you know. She is more interested in the term 'demon']

Did you...get turned against your will?

[She frowns a little -- the idea of being a demon doesn't really translate.]

[inflori]

It's only been that way for a few years. The god thing.

[ Or so he's heard. He doesn't remember. With his arms crossed, he purses his lips and twists them to the side, thinking about her question. No one really bothers to ask stuff like that, so it's not something he thinks about. The difficulty in deciding what answer to give is evident, until he suddenly decides it should have been obvious to the both of them. ]

No. I said yes. I was gonna die otherwise.

[snippycup]

[Awkward. She doesn't offer sympathy out loud, but there's a moment where she considers it. Nobody should have to make a choice like that, even someone who seems to be as vile as Petre seems.]

Was just curious. Demons don't exist in my galaxy. At least not outside of a concept.

[inflori]

[ Yes good, Petre would relish in the conflict. Hate me, but feel sorry for me. I hate you but don't leave me alone. Etc etc ]

So what's the concept, then?

[ It should. Make for an interesting story. ]

[snippycup]

[Ugh. Her expression becomes slightly unpleasant.]

I guess it depends on the individual. They're not exactly associated with anything pleasant -- and there's so many different cultures in the galaxy, I couldn't even begin to describe them with any sort of consistency.

[And she takes a second to think, because she's going to try anyway. After all, Ahsoka had never been satisfied with non-answers, so she can't expect anyone else to accept them.]

I guess...the word is universally associated with evil, rather than a living breathing thing. A wicked creature that preys on the vices and shortcomings of others.

[And now that she's saying it all out loud, you kind of fit the bill, Petre.]

[inflori]

[ Sadly, her expression only seems to please Petre even further. As do her words, because apparently Petre likes to be seen as a totally terrible and menacing thing when he's just. Terrible. Plain terrible. ]

That's cute. Do you think I could do that?

[snippycup]

No.

[No doubt. No amusement. Entirely flat. She doesn't voice her reasoning for it, but its not as if her mind tries to hide it. She was raised a jedi -- she is above any sort of powers or sway he might have.

Her training had taught her to resist base desires and emotion.]

[inflori]

[ He has no training, but he will absolutely try his best to please his sempai (Satan, everyone) and go with every base desire and emotion. Hop on that train with me, buddy, it'll be great. ]

So what's that thing on your head? Is it like, alien hair?