january event log

[hohnkai]

Who: Everyone
When: January 3rd and on
Where: The Midway Hub.
What: The crew finally make it to the center of the Hub.
Warnings: Mentions of dead bodies, death, and violence. Please label your content!

E V E N T L O G

the inner gate "Let them in, and take them out." Through ups and downs, the Moira and the crew have survived much together: During the first wave of arrivals, the ship docks at a planet that has an addictive substance called Exuo — crew went through mood swings, heightened aggression, and fits of paranoia. Natives attempted to kidnap and sacrifice everyone. A solar storm caused a power blip, and strange masks were found in every mailbox that gave them unusual abilities. They reached Caducus Primary, a planet largely comprised of glass. The representative of CP accused the crew and captains of theft; however, they didn’t leave fast enough, and a skirmish caused damage to their Ingress, which ended with Caducus Primary cracking and being destroyed. The power fluctuates and temperatures drop. One of the captains, Tipota, is found dead. This is the introduction of Ploiatos, who ended up being one of the original crew members affected by the power of the Ingress. The Moira docks at Emiri, which was comprised of three main cities where the culture was influenced heavily by finding one’s soulmate. The company responsible for this, Link’d Inc, is incredibly popular throughout the universe. However, hints of forced unions, kidnapping, and slavery are investigated by the crew after an attack on all of the cities by a rebel group. The planet becomes locked down. Benjamin Link joins the crew and helps them escape. Another month passes, and crew dock on Ceta. It is known for it’s unusual atmosphere and its living beings AKA sentient flying whales. They were hunted for valuable organic resources, and eventually, the crew decided to hire mercenaries from outlying planets to protect them from further death. Soon after, the Moira stops at an abandoned prison station called Del Pascia with a resident AI (D-E-L) who was “irritated and snippy” but did not keep crew from exploring and taking items. D-E-L tried to persuade crew to stay, and when it became clear no one wanted to, D-E-L tried to infect them as she had infected those who’d remained behind in the prison. Everyone fought and escaped. Amissis-Re is an unregistered planet that had no signs of life — the crew’s next stop. Here, they meet a “host” who had done the impossible and “fixed” the Ingress. However, she only reversed the energy of the Ingress, which created melted worlds and made it incredibly dangerous to discern reality from the time inside these worlds. The host gifts some of the crew with journals after she decides to go through the Ingress and remain there. The Moira begins to malfunction, and those of Caducus Secondary, along with survivors of Caducus Primary, hunt the ship and those inside it for revenge. Negotiations started while crew tried to set up defenses aboard. Due to prior issues, the Ingress shuts off, resulting in the melding of Caducun glass with the ship and everyone aboard. When the Ingress finally stabilizes, the Moira is now in a different universe: the Runoff. Some members of the crew are found on a slavery outpost in the Runoff, and others make a stealthy rescue effort to bring them back to the Moira. First Mate Egan and Captain Ira appear through the Ingress, explaining that they are the original members of the Moira designated to pilot the ship. The old captains hand over authority to them as the ship drifts into the Luminous Sea. The ship crashes into one of the moons within the Luminous Sea where crew find a group of natives who are overly friendly. They beckon them to stay with food, drink, and much more. Unbeknownst to those who stay with them, an entire year passes. Eventually, what is wrong with the Moira is patched so they can leave. After months of hard travel, the crew explore the wonders of the Mini Colony. A closed ceremony held on the MC caused crew to change in ways they’d never experienced before. Yet, during the festivities, someone triggered the “fear machine”, and crew suffered from phobias once back on the ship. Those working on the Ingress pick up a signature for the Midway Hub and begin to make preparations to go there. The new species Ploiatos has become is named Mirtis (meer-tees); some of the crew kill him before things get too out of control again as they had in the previous months. The Ingress is then turned on, and the ship falls into a time slip. The Moira crashes on the Midway Hub. Captain Ira draws a map and encourages crew to split up and travel to the Inner Gate of the Midway Hub. Once inside the Outer Gate, crew experience de-powering — a safety protocol of those who’d worked on the Hub. Exploration and survival are a key focus during this time. They move through a network of caves to find the entrance to the Inner Gate. After a brief respite, crew learn that the entrances to Gate A and Gate B are inside one of the caves. 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 remain at the cave entrance until all crew are accounted for, and then, they enter through the gate together. Finally, after entering through the Inner Gate, the crew head down through a system of tunnels that lead them to an underground - and main - section of the Midway Hub. Initial scans show that there is a catacomb of rooms and hallways that seem to have been patched together hastily and messily, suggesting that the builders added on new areas as they were needed. Anyone who has abilities, and tries to use them now, will realize that they are no longer depowered as they had been for the last several weeks. Crew are allowed to explore and are encouraged to look for any evidence as to why the previous tenants are gone, as well as take any supplies found or find ways to radio out for assistance. ☄ FLOOR ONE - jan. 3rd Deeper in, the first level of the Hub is littered with thousands of papers and notes regarding things on the Ingress. Some are highly classified while others are of the smallest consequence to anyone reading them. Upon closer inspection, some of the things listed might even make sense to those of the crew slightly familiar with Ingress technology—reports of energy distortion and time slips, effects of the energy on those traveling through it, how to isolate particular parts of the Ingress' energy and use them to transport to other places. Only a portion of these documents are legible; the majority have either been torn into pieces or charred. Smaller rooms can be found here as well, offices and labs that are only large enough to hold five or six people at a time, and within some of them, pieces of machinery and electronics can be found. Most recognizable are the circular-curved mechanisms that belong to an Ingress. Yet, rather than just one, there are hundreds. Some have been left in piles of twisted, melted hunks, and some, those parts still (probably) capable of being used if the occasion presented itself, are thrown about carelessly, tossed under desks and under chairs and even embedded in parts of the walls where they - more than likely - exploded. Not much else can be found on this level. Unless empty cups and broken computers are justifiable as something. ☄ FLOOR TWO - jan. 4th Crew who travel even further within the Hub will find that not all things have been deserted. Sort of. What greets anyone who explores here is the visible evidence that some sort of intense struggle happened between those who worked on the Hub and a group of outsiders. Dead bodies cover the floors, in hallways, and inside personal quarters. The one constant in the tableau is that none of them died in any sort of peace, and the visceral knowledge of that is clear by the amount of blood spilled and the putrid smell that comes from it having been sealed off for such a long time. Be careful to tread lightly and step with caution. Also, breathing the air for any more than a few seconds without some sort of filter isn’t advisable. Items worth taking might be in the form of blankets and clothes, but most of it seems to have been taken in a rush. ☄ FLOOR THREE - jan. 5th And even further within the Hub, below the offices and labs and unfortunate death, a power source can be found. From obvious signs, it is clear that someone had lived here recently, and anyone who looks through some of the things left behind will find a list of recordings readily available to them. They are as follows: audio log 1 audio log 2 audio log 3 audio log 4 audio log 5 ☄ FLOOR FOUR - jan. 6th to the 24th Inside the Ingress Channel, a group of fifteen have taken up a defensive position, standing in a small circle towards the back. When approached, they’ll tell crew to stay where they are; they want to talk to them but with lots of space between. There doesn’t appear to be a leader of this diverse group, but one person comes forward and asks who they are and what they were doing on the Moira as they had seen it crash. With this new group being unwilling to divulge any information, the conversation is slow to reveal anything important or useful. Through patience and diplomatic efforts by the crew, the following is eventually discovered: these people call themselves Savrii and aren’t native to the Midway Hub. The Savrii aren’t hostile, though they are skittish at first. Their people were sent through the Ingress to destroy all the documented research on Ingress technology and energy that could be found here, taking out anyone who tried to stop them. Their mission was critical, meant to protect the universe from those tampering with such an unstable, natural force. During the incursion, the Ingress machines on the Hub were damaged, and they are what’s left of the group of Savrii that didn’t make it back through before the machine shut down. They’ve seen footage and schematics of the Moira and would have destroyed it, too, if it had landed instead of crashing. The Moirans did the job for them. Their people don’t believe in fighting or chaos, unless the Ingress energy is being manipulated in any way. The ship was the first of its kind, created by severing some of the energy from the whole. This upset an already delicate balance and caused issues with Ingresses all across the universes. The Savrii liken it to taking a child away from its mother. When the crew explain that they were only passengers, the Savrii believe them. They lower their weapons and open the floor to peaceful discussion. From this point, crew learn that the Savrii have been surviving here as they try to fix one of the Ingress machines, which they are close to but are lacking one of the key elements. Science technicians from the Moira, who have studied the Ingress will realize that after sorting through the wreckage the part they need survived the crash, and with help, the crew are able to assist in replacing the broken element. When the Ingress is rebooted, they send one of their group through, who returns a moment later with good news. The damage on this side didn’t affect the Ingress Complex on the other, a place where the Ingress Energy was first discovered and built around. They tell of their home, with the largest and first Ingress machine, that is a mecca of travel and culture. It might not be the crew's original homes, but the Ingress there is functioning, and they can use it. The Savrii can go home. The Moirans are allowed to come with them. Step through the Ingress and welcome to thisavrou ( ooc; For questions, go here. Please comment to activity check to receive new ranks (if applicable)! Everything will be switching over during the end of the month. )

Comments

[sketchycharacter]

Yeah. Let's go.

[He keeps an eye on her and past her as they move, ready for something to jump out at them, or ready for more absolute stillness and more bodies of those who are far past helping. Going deeper into the facility could just lead them to further carnage.

It doesn't, though, and Nate lets out a small sigh of relief as the third floor has the low hum of power and zero dead people that he can see.]

I already like this one better.

[tearsinajar]

[ That is a relief, a great relief. Seeing the third floor as empty and safe, she steps forward. ]

Makes you wonder though...

[ Elena moves forward, arms folding over her chest. ]

Nate... We aren't the only ones here.

[ It shows that the area was recently abandoned, her steps taking her further in, drawn to some papers scattered on a table. ]

[sketchycharacter]

We might be now. Some of the others came down this far before—I didn't hear about them finding anyone.

[Yet. Maybe. It's enough for him to feel reasonably confident that they aren't about to be the first to run into the welcome wagon, though not so confident he's certain he won't need to draw his gun.]

Anything useful there? The scraps upstairs didn't have much.

[tearsinajar]

I just mean it looks like someone had been staying here. As in this place isn't as abandoned as we thought coming in.

[ Paused by the table she leans forward to look over the papers, flipping through them and falling quiet to read what's available to them. ]

Mm, it's lists. Mostly lists. Verses I can't make out.

[sketchycharacter]

I hope it's not. Because if there's nothing worthwhile here, it's going to be the end of the line for our journey.

[And what then, they stake out a homestead here? Live on alien deer Daryl hunts down? No thanks.

He moves over to lean against the table to peer over her shoulder.]

Keep anything that looks promising. Maybe one of the others can get something from them.

[tearsinajar]

[ Don't knock the alien deer, it's probably the best source of meat they'll be getting until they actually settle down. ]

Sometimes I wonder if there's ever an end to our journey.

[ Both here in the land of space travels and back home.

Sensing him close at her side she turns her head and leans closer to him, kissing the side of his nose affectionately. ]

I'll keep an eye out. But you might want to also consider getting your hands dirty. Can't hurt.

[sketchycharacter]

[He knows what she's getting at and it's the journey by her side that he's looking forward to, but that doesn't mean he doesn't want certain parts of it to end.]

There better be an end to the space journey, because we've got things to get back to eventually. I still have to do my taxes for the year.

[Ha, ha, funny. They both know what's really back home to look forward to, but it's hard to keep pulling up those thoughts when he doesn't know for sure if Cassie is an inevitability or just one possible future they can have.]

Oh, you want me to get dirty, huh? [He smiles and angles his face against her.] Might have to find some privacy first.

[tearsinajar]

Taxes are very important. Among other things.

[ Like that. Like holding their little girl for the first time, getting to experience parenthood, as scary as it seems. Elena may have voiced uncertainty with Adrien about that but it's something she wants, no matter what happens. And she wants that with Nate most of all.

The angle of his face gets him a kiss brushed over his mouth, her hand coming up to tease the hair he's grown along his jaw. He's going to need another trim soon. ]

I thought you enjoyed living in the danger zone? Does this mean you're too old for it?

[ A nip at his upper lip and she turns back to the table to sort through the unlisted documents.

Casually murmured then, tone absent-minded... ]

Speaking of Space Journey™... You didn't tell me the rich dickhead was Rafe Adler...

[sketchycharacter]

[Taxes are something that Sully's shady accountant friend takes care of for them every year. They pay their fair share, because he can deal with jail but doesn't want to go there for tax fraud, but only after their finances have been massaged into something resembling legitimate work.

Her mouth is very distracting, but what comes out of it next still catches him off guard.]

What? Oh.

[So she's spoken to him. He probably should have expected this, Rafe being famous and all. Well, sort of. Not really famous, but a name. It's like if Bill Gates were less talented and more psycho and ended up in space, of course Elena would want to talk to him.]

It didn't occur to me. I knew him twelve years ago, he wasn't even a big business tycoon or whatever it is he does now. His daddy made the money, he just spent it.

[tearsinajar]

[ Gotta love those shady friends. They do so much. ]

Sounds like your typical kid who comes from a rich family. Fed from a diamond encrusted spoon from birth, their life tends to be spent in the middle of bubble wrap.

[ But not Rafe Adler, he'd pushed his way past the protective layer most rich parents wrapped around their kids and had wanted to prove himself. Odd how most rich parents were the kind who found their offspring as invincible because money could buy them everything including a new life. Keep them out of jail for serious, heinous crimes. ]

I actually had an interview set with his father, back in the day.

[sketchycharacter]

[He snorts. Sounds about right. Rafe Adler, the guy with a diamond spoon in his mouth and a platinum stick up his ass who wanted to get down in the dirt with people who'd spent their whole lives there.]

Really? Was he as much of an asshole as his son?

[He has to get it from somewhere.]

[tearsinajar]

I wouldn't know. [ She keeps going with making her piles, moving around the table as she goes, checking every page over. ] I had to postpone it.

I was scheduled for a flight out to Nepal with a notebook full of leads on Lazarevic. Apparently I'd dodged a bullet by not interviewing him, according to Rafe.

[sketchycharacter]

Oh. That recently, huh?

[Well, not recently. That was over two years ago. But he'd pictured something farther back, even though her serious journalism career only began a few years previously. Everything related to an Adler seems like it should be part of the hazy past.]

So...what else did Rafe have to say?

[tearsinajar]

That recently, a-yep. It's too bad I'd lost that opportunity— ah, to rub elbows with the rich and beautiful. [ A wistful sigh exaggerated by the lift and drop of her shoulders. ] But if you think about it...if I'd stayed in the States and taken that interview, we wouldn't have met back up again.

[ And the entire life-changing fiasco with Flynn would've been avoided entirely. At the question however, Elena glances over. ]

Oh...you know...

[sketchycharacter]

[That makes him smile a little. His life would be a lot emptier if Elena hadn't walked back into it, and he wouldn't even know what he was missing. Maybe he owes the elder Adler a debt of gratitude.]

No, I don't. That's why I'm asking.

[He can imagine, but who knows for sure?]

[tearsinajar]

We talked about wrinkle cream.

[ No joke. ]

[sketchycharacter]

Honey. Please.

[It's got to be a joke.]

[tearsinajar]

What? I'm being serious.

[ Seriously. ]

I'm that nice that I offered to share some of my creams with him. I wasn't kidding when I told you it's never too late for men to get started on that.

[sketchycharacter]

Wow, seriously?

[He shakes his head.]

Very generous of you, I guess.

[tearsinajar]

I can be. When I want to be.

[ She gives a cheeky wink. ]

He's actually not all that bad, Nate. 'Rich Dickhead' isn't what I would've framed him with.

[sketchycharacter]

[The smile slides off his face.]

Yeah, well, you don't know him as well as I do. Trust me, it describes him just fine.

[tearsinajar]

He's charming.

[ That can't be good, seeing the smile melt off like butter in a hot frying pan. Look out, the kitchen's about to get heated. ]

[sketchycharacter]

[He lets out a guffaw at that.]

Oh yeah, real charming. Please, it's all surface with him.

[tearsinajar]

Okay, really, he can't be all that bad.

[sketchycharacter]

And you know that from, what, fifteen minutes talking to him? I spent months working with him.

[A lot of that time is a blur now. He'd been lost in grief.]