E
V
E
N
T
L
O
G
|
the outer gate
"Open up, and let them in."
The Moira is no more.
With the damage done to the ship due to the timeslip, all that remains is a burning wreckage and parts to be taken—if the crew can find anything in the pieces. Recovery and headcounts are the main objective for the first several hours of being planetside, and once things have settled just enough, Captain Ira calls for a meeting and addresses those who are able in person to explain the situation. He draws a rough map of the area and explains where he believes they are - according to the terrain - and where they must go. For anyone who’s listening, he describes things like an “Outer Gate”, an “Inner Gate” and “gate sectors”. Believing this to be the best course of action, all crew are asked to explore and gather what they think they’ll need to make the long journey towards the central point of the Hub. Because the MIDs are no longer working due to the lack of a network, the Captains distribute a newer tech called the TAB. It serves the same functions as the MID but is lighter, slimmer, and has the ability to stick to any surface.
WELCOME TO THE MIDWAY HUB
Now that the smoke from the crash has cleared, and injured crew have been tended to, the Captains get everyone ready for departure by explaining what they know of the Hub. Almost stone-like, the creators built a domed workspace in the largest solid space on the planet they could find. Gates are the only way inside, and anyone who catches a glimpse of the compound will see that parts of the dome are cracked. Yet, everything still appears to be relatively intact. The Midway Hub’s terrain is very rocky and difficult to walk on at times. Below the surface is a honeycomb of intermittently dense and brittle stone that makes travel difficult due to the unpredictable nature of what lies beneath the crew’s feet. Those who can develop the tech from what’s left of the debris might be able to create something to determine which route is the safest. Ships and small crafts can be used to fly, but landing is a problem—rocks jut up in sharp peaks and the clearer spots can't handle their weight. Vegetation is sparse, consisting of twisted dark gray thistles that have sprung up from cracks in the rock and burn when in direct contact with skin, and what could be considered small animals here can be seen scurrying away the closer crew get to them.
☄ WEEK ONE
Crew are asked to hook cryo beds together and to use any appropriate vehicles that can be made or fashioned to fit the terrain to carry injured crew on the journey to the center of the Hub. Supplies are gathered, and the Captains, as well as any crew who want to, give the Moira a proper sendoff, heads bowed as they say goodbye to what’s been their home. Traveling starts out slowly, a line of a hundred-plus crew members making their way slowly forward. Stops are frequent, but camping for rest only occurs at night. Crew are assigned watch shifts, fires are built, injured tended to, and those who are able are asked to explore nearby caves and hunt for food.
Something akin to deer, though striped and only to be found in pairs, can be stumbled across at night. Throngs of dark purple mammels begin to follow the Moirans on their trip as well. They are friendly, curious, and eat the thistle. Meet the intelligent, watchful predators that aren’t easily scared away and follow the crew from a distance as if waiting to pounce. The thistle can be eaten, but only if cooked first, and those who sample the chewy plant raw will experience a burning sensation in their throat that doesn’t go away until the cooked version is consumed. During the first week, water can’t be found.
Anyone who does hunt, gather, or explore should make sure to that their TABS are on and it’s suggested that nobody goes alone.
Nearing the end of the first week, an Ingress can be spotted close by that crew can explore. If anyone dares to go inside, they will find the texture of the ground and surrounding walls to be rather soft. If inspected closely, crew will discover that what they originally thought to be rock is actually a living organism that’s fed off the energy of the Ingress it’s attached itself to. It’s not harmful and squishy to the touch. If pressed hard enough, it secretes a turquoise liquid with the consistency of water that might make a good substitute for that very thing. ☄ WEEK TWO
When crew finally pass through the sector gates, a strange sensation encompasses them, and a depowering of sorts goes into effect. The creators put in security measures meant to put all visitors on equal footing as well as to protect themselves from harm. All crew will essentially have the strength and abilities of the average human. An unforeseen issue, this causes Captain Thán to slip into a coma as he is no longer able to continue to recover at a steady pace, and with the loss of the former Captain’s abilities, crew can no longer be brought back if they die. For the first time, all Moirans are subject to permanent death.
During this week of travel, broken ingress machines and parts will be found scattered among the rocks, and new crew will come through. Unfortunately, these Ingresses aren’t in good shape, and anyone coming through will be in varying states of distress—some physical and some mental. New individuals will either have suffered an age slip, growing older or younger than their original body, some form of body transformation (perhaps that shiny thing they were wearing is now part of them somehow), or an extreme weakness they had never been subjected to before arriving on the Midway Hub. The new people will be offered to join their group, once found, and seasoned crew will be asked to explain to them where they are going and what they know.
The rest of the week will be a mix of greeting the new arrivals and continuing to travel to the center of the Hub. The closer they get, the less frequently they’ll see animals, and more caves will begin to pop up. ☄ WEEK THREE
Entering the third week of travel, settlements and houses begin to crop up and are prime areas for exploration and general supplies. Those who go inside may find items that have been left behind and evidence showing that those of varying species and cultures lived in the homes. Some appeared to have been scientists while others were explorers, but all living quarters are deserted. Crew who are less lucky in their search might come away with no fresh supplies, and others might walk into traps or safeguards left behind by previous tenants; these come in many forms, from mild paralysis to temporary unconsciousness. As there are more residences, there are also more caves. The entrances vary in size, and light sources will be needed to explore. Once inside, crew can find purple underwater streams, which can be consumed, and glowing surfaces. When crew drink the water, it temporarily restores powers, a few minutes tops, and then, extreme lethargy settles in for a couple of hours.
Further into the cave systems, crew will come across these lovely creatures that are attracted to sound and track through scent. They are highly dangerous and attack simply to feed. Killing them, though, is surprisingly simple as they are just as vulnerable and weak as everyone else. They are vicious in demeanor but only as strong as an average human.
The closer to the Inner Gate crew get, the less homes, wildlife, and more caves there will be. ☄ WEEK FOUR
The Captains, aware that the crew is exhausted, stop and make camp for the first few days. Someone mentions that it’s the holidays where they’re from, and the Captains do their best to throw a party. Set up at the base of a cave, tents are built and fires roar. Soft music is played in the form of guitar, thank you Ira, and Cúrre brings out some legumes that taste like cherries when roasted. There isn’t much in the way of decorations, but crew are encouraged to dig through their pac-discs and contribute to the festivities.
After a brief respite, crew learn that the entrances to Gate A and Gate B are inside one of the caves but any signs or markings have long since worn away or been destroyed. Groups are split, TABS are synced, and crew explore carefully until an entrance is found. Crew discover Gate A first, and all crew are contacted to gather there. The Captains will remain at the cave entrance until all crew are accounted for, and then, they’ll enter through the gate together.
( ooc; For questions, go here. Please comment to activity check to receive new ranks (if applicable)! )
|
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
hohnkai) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
thisavrou_log2016-12-02 06:54 pm
no subject
[Leave it to Miller to be made pleasantly sad (in that sentimental way) over things that are a little odd. Or just completely strange.]
[Back in the days of the MSF, the notorious and famous Big Boss, the man who was at the time his superior and hero and the subject of his infatuation, had two quirks that Kaz never could quite get over. One was that he was terrified of vampires. The other was that he firmly believed Norad tracked Santa. So every year Kaz had to go out of his way to make sure John got a gift from "Santa".]
[He's pretty sure Santa stopped bringing him presents while he was building Outer Heaven.]
[Reinhardt looks like the sort of armor clad Santa that John could have gotten behind.]
[Finally Kaz manages to scrounge up a package of shrinkwrapped cookies from the supplies pilfered from settlement houses and his red necktie, and takes them up to "Father Christmas".] Here. Happy holidays, Chris Kringle.
no subject
[The big man pauses. Looking down at the offering for a moment, before he breaks into an even broader grin. Both hands drop to the other's shoulders, gripping them for a moment.]
This is a good thing you're doing, my friend. [Because, being Reinhardt, he assumes this is not a gift for him, but for the whole crew. As many as can take them. He bows his head, though.]
Do you want to help give them out? The children first. Then any others.
no subject
[But he was a jollier soul back then.]
That's fine. It would probably mean more, coming from the man in the red suit. [Or armor, he guesses.]
There's a little girl with curly hair, looks between ten and twelve. She likes art. [You know, just in case Reinhardt comes across her and decides to give her anything.]
no subject
[Reinhardt grins. He winks his good eye. Because, yes, he fully intends to hand out cookies and whatever small gifts he can find to anyone and everyone. As many people as possible.]
[The times might be dark. But everyone deserves a little light.]
Santa should know her name, after all.
no subject
I don't think she ever gives her name.
So I suppose Santa will get to be as confused as I am. [He adds apologetically.] She's a good kid, though. Rarely got the chances to be as creative as she likes.
no subject
[It's true. Reinhardt can name... one person on the Moira crew he would refuse to count as friend. And they've yet to make contact.]
[He figures it works fine here, too.]
no subject
[But "Santa" here seems to be a genuinely pleasant (if quite large) person.]
I guess that's in the spirit of the season. [He gives him a thump on the shoulder. And he silently wonders if the man bench-presses cars on his down time.] At least one of those is for you. [He means about the shrink-wrapped snacks.]
no subject
[He nods, though, still smiling.]
Ah- thank you. I will do my best to save it.
[But really -- if it comes down to between Reinhardt and some other person, the other person is getting that treat.]
no subject
I'm glad for that. It's been a dangerous trip so far. [And even the ones that can handle themselves, he hasn't wanted anything to happen to them.]
But the ones that are here could stand for a good time, after everything.
no subject
[A forced march is a place for soldiers. For people used to pushing themselves to the limit. Children should never have to find that limit.]
[At least, that's Reinhardt's opinion.]
Of course. That is part of my mission tonight.
no subject
Anything you can do to allow them to be children again for a little while is commendable. [He's not so worried about their crew; as much as he laments their lack of soldierly discipline he's also glad that most are aware that they're individual people with their own wants and needs. That had always been important to him, knowing his brothers in arms had escapes when they needed it whether it be birthday parties or animal platforms.]
[Not much of a worry here, most of the adults know what they're doing. But the kids.]
I think all the children I've met come from places where they're forced to fight for their lives.
no subject
[And he absolutely will. With all his vast strength and ability. Sure, it probably won't be needed for handing out little gifts. But in other ways, it might be. Who can say what they'll find as they get closer to their goals?]
[He shakes his head, a little more solemnly.]
That is not right. No child should be in such a position.
no subject
I know I've introduced myself on the network, but I think a proper one's in order. I'm Kazuhira Miller.
[Without thinking about it, he offers his left of his gloved hands to shake out of habit, rather than his right.]
no subject
[He starts to put his hand forward, then pauses. For his part, Reinhardt doesn't comment on the change in hands, just compensates, and grips the other man's hand firmly.]
[As usual, it's just a handshake. No posturing or alpha male hand squeezing. No need for it, in his mind.]
It is nice to meet you, off of the network.
no subject
At home, we started an education program for child soldiers recovered from the field. Unfortunately most of those children left but I would like to think it gave us a good groundwork for future successes here.
[Even if most of the younger ones are gone.]
no subject
[The fondness is mutual here.]
That sounds like a good idea. A messy, terrible business, all around.
[Making children into soldiers is, anyway.]
no subject
From what I know, you're from a little in the future. Are there better international laws to protect children in combat zones than existed in the 1980s?
[Yes, he's going to attempt to talk wartime policy with muscle-bound Santa.]
no subject
[Not living people. Just the robots. He's fought against human injustice, too. Against the people that would dare take the lives and rights of innocents.]
[Children included. Maybe, then, he was the protection in his day.]
It is likely that Fareeha would know more.
no subject
In any case I think you're doing a good thing right now. [For all that Kaz can have an abysmal attitude at home, he's never shied from telling someone that they do good work. If anything, it's incredibly important to him. He knows how it feels to do a lot of work and have it go unrecognized. This may be wholely selfless of the other man, but he still deserves to have the value thoroughly pointed out.]
no subject
[And a little silly. But just a little.]