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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.
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hohnkai) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
thisavrou_log2016-12-02 06:54 pm
no subject
Her villainous plan is put into play— bring on the puppies! Evil Mercy is Real.He can grunt all he likes, but he seems to know just how to pet a dog to earn their love, and Eiger certainly has plenty to give— he's learned from the best, after all. And his big brothers DD and Jaegar have taught him all the best and most loyal dog traits he needed to know. He shoves himself upside down over 76's thigh and onto the other, offering up a fluffy belly and tail wagging wildly, zipping over the unfolded sleeping bag on top of layers of blankets and a down comforter to insulate the warmth further, front paws stretching up as if he could scratch 76's chin in return.The dog is a ham already, and he's but a few months old. Angela, for once, would agree on the subject and the sound of a page flipping behind him announces her reading, but the sound of fingers spreading over paper signals her pause before she answers. ]
The mail, actually. I'd been speaking with a friend who used to own an entire pack of huskies and he encouraged me if I ever had the chance that I would find the time here to care for an animal. And as if someone heard, there was a puppy in a box with some old photographs and an old Halloween costume, amongst other things.
[ The witch's outfit she had during their last Halloween party, all those years ago. It had been a bittersweet reminder with the photos. ]
Have you ever owned any pets, 76? This is my first time, quite honestly, but he's been a treasure. It's nice not to be alone too often.
no subject
No.
[A lie, because it's sort of unavoidable when you grow up on a farm. Barn cats and the family dog and all the livestock--pets enough for his purposes, but that was another lifetime. He finds it more distressing that she received items of sentimental value. An old Halloween costume? How does the Ingress know these things, much less procure them? It's unsettling.]
Old photos? That doesn't rub you the wrong way?
[It certainly rubs him the wrong way.]
no subject
And besides, didn't every child wish for a pet? Most of her life she'd simply been unable, yet here came an opportunity with time in spades. ]
That's a shame to hear, then. You seem like a man who would know his way around animals with how little you speak to other humans.
[ A light bit of teasing, if she's allowed. She still expects him to bristle each time but she can't quite help it when he makes it so easy. When he brings up the photos, however, she takes in a breath for a soft sigh, shoulder brushing back against him for a brief moment. ]
I was never terribly interested in astrophysics, 76, but there is a way these things work with time and space. I believe I've explained it as a tapestry; it's very difficult to snag only one single thread without drawing others around it or even avoid disturbing them. Many of us here have arrived with those close to us, those with ties to our lives. Is it so strange to think there may be ripples along the way with related items? It may just take them a moment to catch up to the first wake. Throw a stone in a lake and eventually the ripples reach the shore.
Besides, they were a nice reminder. I'm glad to have them here. They're very nearly family photos for me, after all, and very little of my family is here with me.
no subject
Still, it’s hard to get past the photos. Who does this? How do they know? How does it work? What’s going to happen if and when the Ingress decides to throw up some of Jack Morrison’s old things, addressed to him?
He supposes it’s a moot point. There’s no ship anymore. They’re supposedly on the planet with the device that will get them all home.]
Really? Feels like the ship’s crawling with your ex-Overwatch friends.
[Her tapestry theory would make sense in that regard.]
no subject
Were he even to voice those questions, she'd have no questions. Just one day there was a box outside her door and a puppy inside. No one in the hall to have delivered it, no knock on the door, just a ding on the door lock announcing a package and there it was. ]
Some of them, yes. Many others are still missing. Some who arrived are not the same. It is as simple as that. And there are those who were not Overwatch at all who have still arrived.
Now, eat your bread and get some rest, 76. I don't imagine we'll be able to camp much longer before we move on again. You should try to recover while you have the chance.
no subject
Not that she's turning to look, or anything. It still strikes him that she gives him this measure of privacy when it would be so easy for her to discover who he is.
Unless she already knows, of course. 76 decides not to think about that.]
They should be glad to have you, at any rate.
[A compliment? Sure, why not. Take some of the heat off him for not eating the bread.]
no subject
Eiger, here now, please. Don't let the nice man make you fat.
[ Yeah, she definitely knew. Ever obedient, though, Eiger rolls off 76's lap and U-turns to flop against them both, butt end against 76's hip while he stretches alongside Angela's leg, nosing up under her arm to reach down and scritch. It also means that the resulting tail wag thumps right against 76's arm/leg.
She respects his privacy and the distance he tries to maintain, is all. He had his reasons much as anyone does, and he hasn't once invited her curiosity or friendliness as others have, no matter how reticent they had been. The compliment decidedly throws her off; every time he's ever had something nice to say, really, has left her speechless for a brief moment. ]
I appreciate the sentiment, thank you. Do you not like sourdough? I can get some granola bars. You do need to eat something, though.
no subject
Nothing wrong with your bread, Doc. Just not very hungry.
[But he knows she isn't taking no for an answer and he relents with something of an exasperated sigh.]
I can take those granola bars off your hands, if that's what you want.
no subject
I understand, but you need something in that stomach of yours to help balance the acid. Granola bars won't do quite the same job and they'll sit heavier, but... if you'll eat them.
[ She doesn't want to hand them over only for him to squirrel them away "for later". Angela's getting a fairly good handle on this man and that should frighten them both, honestly. ]
I want you to take care so you'll be on your feet come the morning, is all. I'm not a complex woman. I'll always take the chance to lessen suffering if I can. A hangover is straight-forward enough.
[ Though curious that he has one at all, if her (fairly certain) suspicions on him being a product of the SEP were true. That would have taken quite the dedication. That or he's under the effect of many who have been down as of late and feeling weaker, interrupted from their usual attributes. ]
no subject
[Not a promise, but that's the best he can do. That said, he'll most certainly squirrel at least half of them away "for later". Eating one in front of her for appeasement purposes will have to do--this is apparently his version of meeting in the middle.
It's a familiar push-pull, really, and he hopes she doesn't recognize it (even if she surely does). His only saving grace is that Jack Morrison had been a much more agreeable patient, used to being poked and prodded and complaining little in return. He wishes he could offer that to her again, but it was all in another life. He can't quite relinquish himself to her like he used to.
What he can do, maybe, is nap. She seems to want that anyway.]
After that I'll try to sleep.
no subject
[ And so her arm reaches back into his space with a couple of parchment-wrapped bars, and she leaves her hand open for the bread. A trade. Luckily for him, she's far too used to compromises with soldiers in general and while it is a familiar push-pull, it doesn't scream of any one person. She certainly has had more agreeable patients, Jack chief among them, but this is not unfamiliar territory by far.
Would that she could take care of 76 and find out what makes him tick. Earn more of his trust and rest easier knowing he has an ally in this place, someone he could come to more often. Know that she'd have his back whenever possible. He's certainly earned it with the times he's helped her, and she figures there is already some of that there, with her. He's come to her at least the once before, seeking her help. She'd failed him in that but surely he knew she'd tried her best.
When he offers up a nap for himself, though? Well then. Far be it from her to argue. ]
Rest will do you some good, yes. I'll try not to pester you for at least a few days in payment.
[ The flip of a page, then, and she continues to read. ]
no subject
He watches her for a few long moments, waiting to make sure she's fully turned around and won't be sneaking any peeks before he lifts his mask slightly and takes a bite of the bar. Slowly, at first, making sure she doesn't betray his trust in that way (though he knows she won't), but he finishes it off quickly enough and replaces the visor, settling himself not long after.
76 won't be able to sleep, and he imagines she's guessed that much about him already, but the rest will have to be good enough.]
no subject
She wants to say 'I can feel you looking at me, you know.' Call it a doctor's intuition for when a patient seeks help. Angela just doesn't have the heart to give him a hard time when he isn't feeling well, though, and soon enough he's settling down on her bed whether it's the back of his head or socked feet that end up next to her. He's facing the tent wall and Eiger's climbing over his legs to go curl up at the man's stomach the way he did with her, and she remains exactly where she is. No point in disturbing him if he's fine with her presence already. What she does finally say, however— gently working the down blanket from the end of the bed to unfold and cover his legs with— voice soft: ]
Träum was Schönes, 76.
[ The least he can do is try. ]