E
V
E
N
T
L
O
G
|
in the corners
"all we see is nothing but empty spaces"
Since leaving the Mini Colony behind, the crew has been as busy as ever trying to find a quicker way to the Midway Hub—thus a faster way home. With the help of several people, as well as the presence of the Captains (both old and new), some progress has been made. Through this process, a vote was taken to name the “new species” that Ploiatos has become due a malfunction of the Ingress, and the general consensus has settled on Mirtis (meer-tees).
While the research continues to move forward at a startlingly fast rate due to the crew stumbling across Ploiatos’ workroom, the Moira’s Navigator’s health has been slowly declining. After learning that Manasseh was intricately connected with the ship, it’s easier to see why harm to the Moira had affected her; like the effects from the Caducan glass. Crew can see her going to and from the Medbay, her outward appearance slowly shifting into something that is eerily similar to that of Ploiatos. After a remark from one of the crew members about this, the Captains realize that either Ploiatos itself, the Ingress machine, or a combination of the two have begun changing Mana. And not for the better. In an attempt to keep the Moira functioning properly and to remove Mana from danger, Medbay and any tech staff, led by previous Captain Cúrre separate her completely from the Moira. In what seems like good fortune, the disjunction goes well for the Navigator, and the ship continues to run for a few days without any hitches.
The Captains had announced prior what the procedure was for and when it would be completed and have sent out a follow-up message informing the crew of what’s currently going on. Unfortunately, in true Moiran fashion, Ploiatos had been using a tenuous connection with Mana to try and gain hold of the ship, and ultimately, the Ingress. When the Navigator is separated, Ploiatos’ hold becomes complete as she, unbeknownst to anyone else, had kept Ploiatos at bay, and the ship begins to change.
☄ DEEP IN DECAY When you wake up, everything aboard the Moira is dim. Maybe it’s not so unusual given the time, though there are some peculiar things about this day on the ship. There’s an acrid smell to the walls, as if something is growing where something else has died, and the air is denser, sparked with a strange energy that can be felt all around—like the static before a storm. It doesn’t take long to learn that there are also visible differences to parts of the ship. The ground has a spongy feel to it when you walk, and each step you take glows softly underfoot before slowly fading away. Too many times across the floors like this, and you begin to feel tired, sleepy. As if the very energy inside you is being drained away. Anywhere that you come into contact with the ship results in the same drowsy, exhausted effects. Luckily, certain areas will be less affected than others and offer a safer place to rest, regroup, and wait it out.
☄ PACK IT UP Even with the current events and how they’re affecting the ship, preparations still need to be made for their arrival at the Midway Hub. In an effort to keep on track with these plans, Captain Ira and First Mate Egan introduce a device that makes carrying personal belongings easier and more efficient. Each crew member is given a small, palm-sized disc with a single impression in its center and its corresponding holding container. (Usually, this is a clear carrying case, but some have converted the disc into a more wearable option.) When the first is placed on an item (clothes, bed, ship, etc.), it scans and then readjusts the matter, shrinking it down and placing it inside. Anything crew want to take with them when they leave the Moira should be stored and packed away. If there is a public item on the ship that crew believe should go with them, simply ask the other Moirans and then store it inside the PacDisc for easy travel. (A PacDisc code can be found here.)
|
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
hownkai) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
thisavrou_log2016-11-05 09:00 pm
no subject
[Hauling himself to his feet with her help.]
What's -- what's doing this?
[He has to pause and refocus his attention enough to answer. Because nodding off still sounds like a good idea.]
Thank you.
no subject
I'm not sure yet myself, but there is something spreading along the surfaces of the halls that glows with pressure; I was caught by this before myself.
You know, I think you may have met a friend of mine; do you know a young man named Lucio? You look like someone he's told me about.
[ Idle conversation, and even if she's wrong (but how many "large men with one whole cybernetic arm" could there be in this ship? She's sure she's aware of most who sport prosthetics, and this is a new face. ]
My name is Angela, I'm one of the physicians on this ship; I arrived about... mm, three months ago? I don't know many of the safe areas of the ship right now besides medbay. Would you be opposed?
no subject
Are you all right?
[There. That's. More like how it should be. How he should be. He's passing his human hand down his face.]
Yeah, we've talked a few times. He told you ...? [Why is Lucio telling people about him. Why this.]
[Then she introduces herself and it gets a little clearer. Especially after the Look he'd gotten from Lucio, earlier.] Shiro. And, no. But I'm okay. I'm awake now.
no subject
I'm doing just fine now that I know better, thank you. [ And on the topic of Lúcio: ]He only told me that he'd met someone fitting your description and had asked me a few questions about prosthetics; he wanted to be able to help a friend, and I'm something of a specialist where we came from. That was all. I apologize if that seemed intrusive.
[ Her knowing about him and his prosthetic, that is. Angela... pls. She won't do anything as forward as offer her assistance or anything. He could make light of the information on his own and know that there was someone he could seek out if he needed and accepted her assistance. ] It's nice to meet you, Shiro. Would you mind if I walk with you a little further? It isn't safe for anyone to be alone in this sort of situation, and I think there's an unaffected section coming up.
no subject
Good -- do you know anything about what's going on? [Maybe she's been here longer. Maybe she knows more about how this ship runs. It doesn't hurt to ask. But then the topic changes, and metal fingers curl, soft mechanical whirs from the joints.]
With all due respect... I don't know if anyone here can help with it. It's not -- [The pause is partially for a deep breath, and partially to ease around a patch of spongy, glowing ground.] -- not human.
[Ouch. That hurt. Admitting it. Actually saying those words out loud. As opposed to just referring to it in more abstract ways.]
You too. And that's fine, you're probably right.
no subject
Mm, I don't know the source of it, but something's settled on multiple surfaces that absorbs energy. Some areas are more rotten than others, and seem to be stronger. Beyond that... [ She spreads her hands; that's all there was. She's been around a few months but she was no closer to understanding the vastness of what could be found in space. His fingers curl and she hears the familiar whirring from within his prosthetic, sparing his arm a brief glance at his mention. They sidestep the spongy patch of floor together and that pause is double-edged, picking up the drop in his mood with the words. Her brows pinch with concern when she glances back up at him for a better read. The fatigue's beginning to seep into her as well, feet falling a little heavier, lingering longer no matter how she'd (quite literally) tried to stay on her toes to lessen contact. ] You may be surprised; we have quite a lot of brilliant minds on the ship, and many who are not human themselves. Someone eventually will be able to manage, even if it takes a little while to learn.
[ Don't give up hope so easily, it says. Though as for what Lúcio had intended— simple massage and stretching techniques would only go so far. Actual repairs would be another animal. ]
I'm glad. We don't have much further. Another two halls, and we should be able to get through the gardens uninhibited. How long have you been here, Shiro?
no subject
[Because that's easier than talking about anything else. Like what he knows she's probably going to ask about again. Why would Lucio tell her about it? Is that why he was so interested before? But the shift in her step distracts him from going down that road. Without really thinking about it, he moves to support her a little more. Despite having to actually use that arm to do so.]
I don't doubt that. Any of it. But... I'd almost rather just find out how to remove it, if I could.
[Maybe it's the general fatigue talking. Because ... he hasn't really admitted that to anyone. Letting it slip now, to a relative stranger, instead of -- well. Maybe it makes more sense. A relative stranger can't tell him all the reasons they need it.]
Gardens. Got it. [A beat.] Not too long. Maybe a month.
no subject
Only a couple, honestly. Most stretches aren't long enough for anyone to be affected as heavily. There are unaffected areas in between.
[ Look here now, Shiro, Angela is a polite person; the Swiss are just that way. She won't pry about his arm if he's uncomfortable speaking about it. Lúcio had likely, and quite simply, been seeking advice from someone who has specialized in prosthetics and cybernetics for restorative purposes; nothing more and nothing less. It hadn't been a quiet prompt for Angela to seek him out or anything of the sort, and she won't cross those boundaries. When her steps begin to drag a little heavier and Shiro shifts his arm beneath her hand for the added support, she'll gratefully accept and allow a fraction of her weight to brace against his prosthetic, her own arm laying along his as her elbow overlaps, feeling the familiarity of cool metal as if she were leaning against Jesse or Genji instead of a relative stranger.
His admission leaves her curious, tipping her head to glance up at him before looking back down at his arm, fingers circling his wrist to turn and observe. No denting or visible damage. And hey, she isn't here to judge; she said it was her specialty, after all. ]
Has it been giving you issue...? If I may ask. [ The conversation keeps her fighting the drowsy effects of their surroundings, at least. It keeps her coherent, mind turning over this problem presented to her. ] Replacements are certainly an option, and an easy one, honestly. That was a large part of my practice, where I came from. If you ever wanted to discuss options— ...I'm sorry, I shouldn't poke my nose into your affairs.
[ She leads him around one corner to the correct hall, off in the right direction. ] About a month; I see. Are you fairly comfortable finding your way around, then?
no subject
[Just in case. And no, he's not going to hear otherwise. If he's conscious and mobile, he's going to be looking out for people to assist. It's what they're supposed to do -- the Paladins are supposed to be there to help and aid anyone who needs it. Something he's thrown himself into maybe a little too easily.]
[Like now. Because if she's using the metal arm as a support, then it's like carrying almost nothing at all. He'll feel it in the shoulder, but the rest of his arm doesn't even seem to register weight.]
[Or touch. The feeling is distant, at best. Not surprising -- what kind of weapon would be made to feel. Still, his fingers twitch when her hand curls around his wrist. If nothing else, being around so many humans again brings the self-consciousness right back up again.]
It doesn't hurt right now, if that's what you mean. [It's complicated. Maybe now isn't the best time to explain everything. But he can freely tell her it doesn't hurt. It hasn't since the first time it "turned on".]
But it... [Okay so the conversation is happening. For a little while.] ... I don't remember where it came from. How I got it. It's ... from somewhere I don't know if I want to remember.
[He pauses, easing through a doorway.] More or less. Took myself on a tour when I first got here.
no subject
When he continues the conversation, though, she is a bit surprised— careful not to let it register in her expression, attention returning to his face. ] I'm glad to hear that much, at least. "Right now" implies that it has before, though...? [ Oops, yeah, the conversation's happening anyway. Not knowing where it came from is... peculiar, at best, head tilting in consideration of the information before looking back down at the prosthetic in question. It certainly looks futuristic, even to someone from the year 2076. ] We can discuss it at a later time; those exact questions will be important for making these decisions, after all. I'll have to run a scan and see how it connects since your mobility seems to be intact; nothing invasive though, I promise.
[ They're getting closer, at least. ] Then the gardens are the nearest safe place I know of; not much further from there is medbay, which remains unaffected as well. We can stop there. It doesn't take long to recover; fifteen, twenty minutes.
no subject
[He says it mostly to himself, since he's focused on getting them both down the hall. It's easier when there's someone else to look out for. No matter who they are -- if he wasn't so tired on his own, he'd probably just offer to lift her.]
[He was fine with the others on the team seeing it, after a while. It wasn't something unusual. They'd all learned to accept it a long time ago -- and Pidge used it to her advantage frequently. New people are... it's like resetting a clock. Counting down until he can be reasonably comfortable with it again.]
I can't say how often. I can only remember once. [Since the rest is a blur of half-recalled moments and huge gaps of nothing. But, honestly, he'll let it drop when she says 'another time'. There are bigger issues here, after all.]
All right -- gardens, then push to the medical bay. Got it. [He hefts her a little more up on his shoulder. Just in case.]
no subject
The uneasiness surrounding his arm is something she can well understand, especially considering how it seems to have come about; it wouldn't be the first time she's seen those who have been operated on forgetting just what they've lost or what they've gained after all the sedatives and anesthesia have worn off. She doesn't know if it was an example of something like that happening or another lapse entirely, but whatever it had been, he had no answers either way. That is not a good place to be in. For what it's worth, Angela shows no surprise toward the arm nor does she have any reservations in touching him, nor does she stare. To her, it is any other human arm. Treating him any differently would be an insult, to him and to her life's work. ]
Only if you want to go as far as the medbay; I think it would be beneficial to rest, if nothing else. [ He gives her a little heft and she takes the chance to move her hand up to his shoulder to brace a little more evenly, her other hand finding its way beneath prosthetic fingers to brace his arm against her own. Now they're both bolstered. ] May I ask what it is you do, Shiro?
[ To keep them talking, minds working. ]
no subject
[Most of it, he doesn't regret.]
[The way she reacts helps, to an extent. Because while the team is already used to it, they don't pay any more attention to it than they do their own weapons, with the exception of Pidge -- who uses it like a wifi hub. The larger crew makes him almost hyper-aware of it. Like he has to constantly explain it.]
[He nods, though.] I do. I will. [Staying in a group is probably a better idea, anyway.]
... Defended the universe. [He says it with a brief, almost embarrassed flicker of a smile. Because when you say it without having a giant robotic lion to back it up, it sounds a little strange.] You? I mean, doctor, right?
no subject
I have to ask if that is consent to just going to medbay, or going there and resting. I'm sure you understand the need; so many people are stubborn, these days.
[ It is the safer option, certainly, but there were an awful lot of "heroes" aboard the Moira. With his follow-up to her question, however, her initial amusement with it dies down when she gets the idea that he's serious with the hint of embarrassment in the smile he shoots back at her, but all she does is shrug her shoulders. ]
Defended the universe, was it. Well, I suppose we weren't quite on that level, but I was a member of an international peacekeeping organization. We did our best on the planetary scale. And yes, I'm a doctor. I've spent some years as a field medic in the military setting Overwatch provided as well as out, and my last few years were largely spent in war relief efforts.
You must have seen quite the sights; I'd love to hear about them, sometime. My experiences beyond Earth are limited to the few months I've been aboard this ship, and I feel as though it isn't a good gauge of what the universe should be.
no subject
[That little sound alone is probably an answer to her question. He hadn't been planning on staying. Or resting. He'd been planning on rushing out again, to look for the others. Because he's one of those stubborn people she'd just mentioned. Whoops.]
I'll reconsider my options.
[Which is about as close to a "yes I'll stay and be a good patient" as he's going to get. But he'd also be the last person to call himself a 'hero'. He was only doing what he had to -- he's the leader, right?]
International peacekeeping sounds pretty important, if you ask me. And so does field medic. I can't imagine what that was like.
[Someone who's seen a war... seen real fighting. That means something. There are questions he wants to ask. Things he wants to talk to her about. But now isn't the time.]
Maybe when we've got the ship functional again. I'll try and remember a few things.
no subject
I'm sure you'll make the rational choice; we aren't good to anyone if we're to collapse on the way to saving others, after all. [ Which is to say, she'll take it. ]
I won't deny that, no— I've enjoyed it and it has been very fulfilling work, and I can't help but look upon those who came before me as heroes. One of them is even here on this ship with me; they were all wonderful people with a bright vision for the future. The field medic work is... a little more complicated, but also very fulfilling. I get the chance to help others as much as I can manage, to the best of my ability. Sometimes it isn't enough.
[ She'll let it hang there, a soft close to the topic that doesn't entirely keep him from his curiosity. If he had questions for her, if anyone ever had questions for her, she is not often shy in sharing. Respect is only earned with respect given, and the same goes for trust. She will speak of herself and her experiences if it means drawing them out of others. ]
I'll bring the coffee— or hot chocolate, if you'd prefer. I'll look forward to it. Now then, is it just me, or do I spy an end to this darkness?
no subject
[He blows out a breath.]
That's probably the most persuasive sentence anyone's ever said to me. [Which is saying a lot.]
[But then she's answering him. And there's a lot that resonates, oddly enough. The parts about heroes. The parts about things being complicated. And... Sometimes it isn't enough.]
[Boy, does that ever sound familiar. Some of that sentiment probably shoes on his face for a moment, before he says, quietly:]
No. Sometimes... it isn't.
[There are memories bouncing through his brain suddenly, and threatening to overwhelm, and he forces them down. Now is not the time. Now is so not the time. So he'll nod instead.] I'll take anything that's not green goo.
Not just you, though. Almost there.
no subject
I've had a lot of practice, you see. Having to be the rational one for so long. I know a lot of wonderful people with your exact demeanor, always ready to leap in and help others.
[ It isn't a bad thing; far from it. It is a trait she's long-since admired in others, but she has learned to curb it to a degree. They couldn't always rush off into danger. She's seen that as well. He listens to her and she knows he understands when she watches him, can see the way it resonates and the recognition is there in his expression, the weight of his brow. Her hand weighs a little more at his shoulder, then, a slow drag of the palm over his shoulderblade before her fingers curl back over. ]
But we still do what we can, don't we? Because it's within our ability to try.
[ There's a pause as he considers... what, her words? Something, certainly, before he's nodding and— ]
Dare I ask? [ It's flavored with a laugh about the fringes, amusement in the crinkle of her nose and the twinkle in her eyes. It's still a bit weary, fogged over, but the light is a good sign. Just to the end of the hall. They were close. It grows closer and brighter with every step, the seemingly far-off end widening. Having a goal leaves her walking a little quicker, picking up the pace to draw him along. Get the chance to recharge. ]
no subject
[That's what he translates her words to, anyway. Maybe she doesn't mean it entirely like that. But that's where his brain puts them. After all, that's what he's used to hearing from well-meaning people.]
[He blinks once or twice when she moves her hand. Is she... petting him? What's that mean? Maybe her hand's tired.]
Yeah, we do. We have to. I have to.
[And then the topic changes. He never thought he would be thankful for the green space goo, as everyone put it, but here he is. Thinking that.]
Get abducted by alien tech, live on an alien craft for long enough... that's all we found we could eat.
... it's not as bad as it sounds.
[Yes it is.]
no subject
[ Remember that mention of military work? Yeah, that was a lot of headstrong soldiers who thought they could push on despite themselves and eventually had to learn to humble themselves to their medics. You don't argue. You don't push. You take orders and do as they say to get back out there quicker. You don't endanger your squad with half-healed wounds and exhaustion that could snap without a moment's notice.
WOW SHE'S NOT PETTING HIM.... IT'S JUST. A soothing rub, for a second, a tactility to bring him from the thoughts that had briefly overwhelmed him and shadowed his features. Something to draw him back and anchor him here. She's used to this, as well. She'll let the topic rest in favor of his space goop. (She'll try not to latch onto that mention of abduction by alien tech, but. You know. It's sort of where they're at right now either way. She'll keep it in mind.) ]
I don't suppose it was anything as pleasant as citrus gelatin then. Ah, but what's exploring the universe without a little bit of culinary adventure? There have been some questionable items here aboard the ship as well. Thankfully enough, most of it is normal or close enough to make something approximating human food.
[ The darkness recedes and They're Out. The exhaustion and chill of the hall remains heavy on their frames, but it's difficult to even recall anything had happened the moment they're in the light. All right, just through this door here, and— the Gardens, in all their (questionably alien) glory. Her relief is palpable for having reached sanctuary and she barely makes it to the small station she's set up with hot water in a thermos and blankets before she lowers right to the floor in one fluid motion, inviting Shiro do the same as she holds out a blanket she intends to drape about his shoulders and pull tight. Then her own, and then the hot water. ]
Just a few minutes, then. Tea? Coffee? It will help you warm back up.
no subject
[Not as much as it should, when he thinks about it. She did say she did military work, after all. It wouldn't surprise him if soldiers were a lot like him in that respect.]
[It works -- but maybe not quite as intended. Since it's more distracting than grounding. But isn't that just as good? Keeping his head out of the clouds, so to speak. Keeping him grounded.]
No, it's. Really not. I'd kill for jello, if that tells you anything about it.
[It's pretty gross. Sorry, Coran, wherever you are.]
[Once they're out, however, everything falls onto Autopilot. Following after her like he's pulled in her wake, taking a long look around -- checking for any other dangers, even if he doesn't entirely realize what it is he's doing. Even newly acquired old habits die hard.]
[He's still standing when she starts offering him things, and blinks a few times before he gets his brain back in gear. Back from 'crisis' to 'social'. Taking the blanket mechanically.]
... You really have coffee out here?
no subject
What's wrong with jello? It's an easy, cheap alternative. I've come to appreciate it in the desert. But it brings a bit of light to the matter, yes.
[ But it's all right. They're safe now, for a time, and there's no green goo to worry about. Only warming back up and restoring the energy drained from them. She notices the way he looks about and she doesn't say a word, but she understands it well enough— especially considering their invisible onslaught they'd just escaped and her assumption that he's some sort of military (or organizational member close enough) to align with her impressions and understanding.
Her offerings seem to kick him back down from alert guard to companion, and when he takes the blanket she motions for him to sit. Easier to consolidate one's body heat beneath a blanket. More efficient. ]
I really have coffee out here. The first thing I did was set up a couple of aid stations between the affected halls that I could find. And that I had energy to get through with a haul.
[ Except... ah. Actually,
considering our other thread was his first time enjoying coffeeit seems someone's emptied the cache of instant coffee and been through here already. She looks rather disappointed about it herself, truth be told, but there is still hot water in the thermos and a couple of tea bags. ]Or perhaps not, I'm sorry— the instant coffee I had here was already used up. Would tea be all right? I'll just be drinking the water plain, myself.
[ She's pouring two cups regardless, cradling one between her ankles to fish out some handmade tea bags— one is clearly black and the other something spiced. ]
no subject
[That he would have vastly preferred lime gelatin to green space goo. Because at least, gelatin is familiar. It's human. Something sorely lacking in his life, lately.]
[He doesn't really sit down until he's sure they're more or less alone in here. No threats popping out of the woodwork to drain their energy. At first, he's sitting on his heels, ready to stand up and take off again at the slightest thing.]
[But then she's going through things. Talking about preparedness, and bit by bit, he ends up parking his butt on the ground nearby. Human fingers curling into the blanket fabric.]
I'm really impressed. You're more prepared than I even thought to be.
[And he's supposed to be the leader, here. Oops.]
Hey, it's okay. As long as it's not green goo, like I said. [He offers her a little smile. He'll take either one, and probably get emotional about it.]
no subject
I apologize, I'm used to a degree of sarcasm or contrariness these days.
[ He's carefully minding their surroundings, though, settling on his haunches and still alert until he's assessed for himself there's no threat. They are indeed alone, nothing infringing on the edges of their security. Slowly, carefully, he reassures himself and allows her presence to further calm him, and he's resting on the ground as she fusses, picking out the spiced tea to settle in his cup to brew while she fishes out some food. Odd bits of fruit, some granola bars, even a small bar of chocolate— simple, quick energy boosts. She'll be helping herself to the chocolate but leave it open between them to share once she's handed his tea over. ]
Thank you kindly; doctors tend to have a knack for these things, thankfully enough. And I've been here for a few months, so I suppose I have a decent grasp on what to expect.
[ There can be multiple leaders. That is definitely a thing! Not to say that she is one, but different strengths and whatnot. ]
Here you are, then. Hopefully nowhere near green goo. And something to eat as well.