Entry tags:

may mod plot log

Who: Everyone
When: May 7 to May 31th
Where: Thisavrou + New Worlds
Warnings: none in the description; please label your headers where appropriate!

thisavrou monthly info ( the tmi )

⋆ All information is current as of day 27 (May 7). There are 100 days in a cycle, and the current cycle started on April 11.

⋆ Storm Update: On day 29 (May 9), the typical structure of the storm surrounding Thisavrou seems to shift visually with the clouds and intermittent flashes of lightning forming new patterns. At the same time, Ingress technicians detect a strange energy signature emanating from the facility at low levels, almost like a leak. There is no obvious effect at first, but by the end of the day, that energy begins to flow across Kauto and Chioni with curious results.

Residents of the planet will soon discover that they have acquired strange superhuman (or superbeing, for those who aren't human) powers. Those who are particularly social or who have been around for a long time may realize that these powers resemble abilities wielded by those who have come through the Ingress in the past, or even those who have never set foot on Thisavrou but are from the same world as someone who has.

Effects of the odd energy vary – people may discover they can read minds, cast magical spells, or have become invulnerable. These powers may also replace ones they already have. The level of control is just as unpredictable—someone may be a natural with their new abilities, or be in great need of a tutor!

By day 33 (May 13 OOC), the effect has faded, and the technicians soon decide to restrict the days that the Ingress is active going forward.

[[For more information, check out this OOC post!]]

⋆ While Kauto has always been known for its temperate climate, the slow changes have accelerated as the onslaught of the storm around Thisavrou shifts. A noticeable drop in temperature from the norm finds the planet settling at an alarming 54° F / 12° C during the day. And at night, temperatures fluctuate between this and 40° F / 4° C. All residents who tend crops will discover that some plants and other vegetation have withered without the warmer temperatures. An evacuation of all scientists and researchers on Chioni will be announced within the month due to its incredibly unstable surface temperature of -60° F / -51 C during the day and -150° F / -101° C at night. Access to some of the furthest burgs have been restricted until further notice because of this.

⋆ Savrii Notices:

As recently made public in Deputy TOD’s broadcast, a foreign presence has infiltrated Thisavrou using the bodies of its recent travelers. Presumed both intelligent and hostile, the contaminant has prompted a rapid response from the Savrii. Testing and Decontamination Centers have been established on Kauto and Chioni, and all persons who have traveled off-world in the last two cycles are called to present themselves for examination.

The basic procedure will last about six hours: medical tests, technical analysis, and a high-powered chemical wash designed to “make any stowaways run screaming”. All of this in addition to prolonged questioning as to their recent points of contact both on Thisavrou and outside. Parties who demonstrate cause for concern (including, of course, acknowledged contact with the contaminant) will be flagged in the Savrii’s database and required to return for twice-weekly visits to continue the procedures. Other than the phantom emptiness described previously, characters will feel no side effects of their exposure at this time. They may, however, find casual passerby avoiding them after a visit. Medical secrecy only goes so far against fear of plague, and that chemical wash also stains most creatures a cheery yellow-green.

Whatever its effect on your life personally, the social effects of the incursion are difficult to miss. Whispers and fear turn to paranoia and full-blown fights, and Thisavrou's population centers are packed with heated debates about safety versus exploration-- or sometimes, versus the explorers themselves. A small black-market trade in preventative medicine (real or otherwise) has sprung up, and rumors claim that the full list of infected persons can be bought too: by those who have the right connections and a lot of cash to pay.

Combating this upswing of violence and disorder? Thisavrou's intermediaries. Combination police force and negotiators, the intermediaries have always been crucial to the rule of law on Thisavrou. Recent events, however, have seen them advertising their presence more: some wearing a strip of silver cloth to mark their status and availability to help. If approached by one, characters will experience a supernatural sense of calm. They will find their concerns met with sympathy and understanding... but somehow also the exact right words to talk all parties down. Whether that means persuading your neighbor to leave you out of his conspiracy theories or explaining why you need to report in for testing... well, that depends on you.

Following the opening of travel to the planet Deslora, an unscrupulous individual smuggled back clownbee larvae. In the weeks since, the clownbees have become a mildly invasive species in certain areas of Region 3. Victims of clownbee stings report an irresistible urge to smear garish makeup across their faces and the need to consume as much sugar as possible. Citizens are cautioned to listen for telltale sounds of buzzing and honking, and be wary.

An organization that purchased samples from the planet Aueia several months ago is opening an exhibit at a museum in Region 1. Those who participated in gathering objects from the planet, as well as any who care to attend, are invited to attend a small opening reception for the exhibit, where they will be presented with a small gift from an ardent lover of that world's wildlife: a small whale carving made of stone with mild psychic properties. When touched with bare hands, the holder will receive a mental picture of someone who means a great deal to them, with perfect clarity, as if they saw them just a moment ago.

⋆ Mission notices have been posted to TABs for anyone interested in earning a little extra cash. Available missions are listed below:

Day 28 (May 8th) - While recent events have been difficult, the Department of Ingress Contingency Coordination is impressed by the rapid response of all Savrii in coming together to ensure public safety. A few holdouts, however, are rumored to be hiding their conditions-- and thereby putting not only themselves, but the entire population at risk. The department will therefore offer a reward of 100 sencs to citizens willing to report these cases, with an additional 200 senc bonus if the persons involved have been directly exposed to the contaminants. As Deputy TOD puts it, "you're only SAVING EVERYONE'S LIVES".
Day 36 (May 16th) - EN-Line systems throughout Thisavrou have begun to suffer a strange outbreak of mechanical failures that are leaving commuters by the wayside. Rumor claims some of Chioni's insectoid residents might be to blame. The Savrii will pay 50 sencs to anyone capable of confirming the problem, and 300 to anyone who solves it.

ingress travel info

⋆ Signatures are the base reason for traveling through the Ingress (aside from general exploration and monetary gain) and are used to discover the correct world visitors on Thisavrou wish to return to. Every visit through a different Ingress brings the technicians a little closer to finding it.

⋆ Missions are jobs or specific tasks listed on the TAB once new worlds are open for exploration. Be sure to check if Clearance Levels are required to accept some of these missions.

⋆ Clearance Levels are given to visitors for the length of time they have been on Thisavrou (or traveling on the Moira). Each CL offers access to certain things or incentives that others will not have. As of this month, security will be in place outside the Ingress to ensure no clearance violations occur.

⋆ The Ingress powers Thisavrou in every way: economically, socially, and as a literal source of light and heat. However, between the biohazard incident and the recent escalation of the storms, the hazards of free travel can no longer be ignored. As a result, on May 10, the Ingress will be sealed against intrusion.

While sealed, Ingress travel must be directly controlled by the technicians. Instead of directing the open channel of the Ingress, technicians will be opening access to specific worlds, and closing it immediately after. As a result, traveling parties will have certain timeframes to leave and to return. Missing your schedule can result in being stranded offworld until the next travel period comes. Additionally, no new arrivals will be able to appear while Thisavrou's Ingress remains sealed. ((For OOC ramifications, check out the new app schedule!))

* Due to the closure and a recent push for regulation, no new worlds will be opened for exploration at this time. However, travel to established worlds will still be permitted, especially by individuals who have made contact there before. This opens up the opportunity for...

Revisiting Old Haunts

⋆ Although the visit to Escoria was brief, wet, and unpleasant for most, others found new inspiration-- or old ties. A group of Region Four's Gorgóna have spent the last month researching their long and complicated family history and believe they have traced their ancestors directly to a clan of Escoria's more aggressive waterfolk. The Gorgóna are willing to pay 100 sencs to every individual who will assist in escorting them to their lost kin-- and making sure all parties survive the reunion long enough to celebrate. As their last encounter with the Savrii was strictly hostile, this is both a security mission and an opportunity for diplomacy-- and consequently, all travel groups require one member of Clearance Level 2 or higher to come with.

⋆ As many concerns have been brought up about the risks of their own Ingress travel, the Savrii are united in one certainty: that manipulation of the Ingress by other parties poses a far greater risk. A colony buried in the ruins of Thiri has been discovered engaging in their own in-depth studies on the use of Ingress energy. The Savrii consider this behavior to be a threat to the stability of all universes, and as with the Midway Hub, intervention is required at any cost.

A team is being sent to destroy all research data and technology onsite, along with anyone who interferes. As the colony's population is expected to interfere in its entirety, full combat gear will be provided to all volunteers. The mission will be supervised by high-clearance Savrii, and pay 250 sencs to each volunteer. All volunteers must be of at least Clearance Level 3, or personally vouched for by someone who is.

⋆ A year ago (by their local calendar), one of Thisavrou's established trade partners was approached by a pirate ship, one that had stolen from their world before. When the ruse was discovered, they attempted to force out the invaders, and in doing so, suffered a tragedy beyond proportion: the loss of an entire world.

Caducus Primary is no more. The mission announcement also notes that their sister planet, Caducus Secondary, also suffered massive losses in their efforts to force reparations from the murderers. On Day 35 of the current cycle (May 25th), a gathering is being held in the field of shattered glass where Caducus Primary was, to piece together a monument to the fallen. Thisavrou has pledged to send a delegation to assist. The pay will be minimal (30 sencs, to cover a missed workday), but this mission is open to all clearance levels.

[[ooc: For questions, comments, or additional information, check out the OOC post here.]]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

L is hearing things too, but not as clearly; there are general impressions, and it doesn't occur to him at first to think anything is up. There's no cacaphony in his head, no firm line between his usual perceptions and what's happening now.

Still, it strikes him as a little odd that she's remarking on his mood when he doesn't think he's been doing anything outwardly unusual. If anything, she's the one who seems to be in a "good mood."

"What do you mean?"

She tosses her head a little, to knock back a lock of hair that's trying to fall over her eye. She's smirking pretty deeply, and at his apparent feigned ignorance, she begins to grin.

"Oh, you don't know what I'm talking about, huh?" she says. She trails a finger along the juncture of his neck to his shoulder, moving her hand to his chest. "You usually aren't much for just randomly talking about my ass, that's all." And she raises her hand to cup his chin and kisses him.

He leans into the kiss, at first, then pulls out of it as if he's been startled. His expression is half interested, half perturbed.

"I didn't say anything about your ass."

Did he? He may have a sort of generalized appreciation, but it's not one he typically voices. He'd thought about it earlier, but....

This is her first indication that something weird is happening. He denies it, and then Tex perceives a wave of confusion. It is almost like something that hits her, that rocks against her, and she realizes with a bit of a start that it wasn't hers.

"What?" she says. "What...?"

She moves her other hand to his chest, so that both hands rest against his collarbones.

"You did," she insists, because what she was just thinking doesn't make any sense. There's no way that wave of confusion came from outside of herself, came from him. She's just confused about his denial. "You said you loved the way these shorts cling to my ass."

He puts his hands up to her wrists, although he doesn't remove her hands from his chest. He's less confused now, more wary, more sharply inquisitive. For her part, she seems confused... no, he knows she is.

"I didn't. How often do I say things like that?"

Not very often. He doesn't keep her guessing, but his affection and appreciation is far more likely to come out in actions than words; it's one of the reasons for the level of physicality in their relationship.

"Not as often as you should," she retorts, mainly because she'd enjoyed the compliment and he's making such a fuss about how he didn't say it. She considers shaking his hands off of her and stalking off, but she also sees the look on his face. She tries to still her agitation, making the expression on her face more neutral, and raises her eyebrows a little. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

I don't know, Tex, he thinks. Why am I looking at you like this? But what he says, while looking at her with a penetrating, slightly puzzled expression, is "If you want me to say it more, I'll say it more. Noticing it comes naturally, but saying it doesn't."

She continues to look at him, taking in his expression, but not picking up on his thoughts again. "I'd like that," she says, mollified. It's not like she sits around wishing he would say things like that, but she certainly enjoyed hearing it when she thought that's what he had said.

She pauses, then frowns. "Then what did you actually say?" Because the sound of his voice had been unmistakable—he'd definitely spoken.

This doesn't help his mild bewilderment.

"I haven't said much at all."

She still seems confused, too... he's certain of that much.

She feels that again, the sense that he's confused. Not that she's confused, that he is. She doesn't feel it consistently, but when she does it's so obviously coming from outside of her it's almost grating.

"Stop that," she says, shaking his hands off of her wrists. She covers her mouth briefly with one hand and now she does stalk away from him, agitated.

Then she turns back toward him. "Listen—" She pauses, shaking her head. "No, that's..." crazy, she thinks. I can't possibly be feeling what he feels or hearing what he thinks. She passes her hand over her face, trying to come up with a way to continue.

He frowns at her now. She's more active than he is, in this; his confusion and interest have made him still and observant, even more so than usual.

"You can't possibly be feeling what I feel or hearing what I think," he repeats, in a flat tone.

Is that it? It would make sense... but it also means that, to a certain extent, he's having the same experience.

Her eyes widen. "What?" But despite her asking that, it's obvious he picked up on what she was thinking. Is she sending her thoughts out, as well as receiving his? In fact...she's sure of it. That's what he just thought to himself, she realizes—that they're having the same experience.

She shuts down then. Utterly shuts down. She frowns and walks away to finish pouring the coffee, the task she'd been about to do when she'd interrupted herself to respond to his compliment. She doesn't even glance at him and proceeds to take the cup to the living room and sit on the couch with it.

She's not normally one to avoid a situation like this—if it was them having some kind of argument, for example, she would have stuck around and earnestly defended her position. But this is something else. If there's one thing above all things she cherishes as a sentient being, it's her autonomy—that's something she hasn't always had, not until she saw Connie's evidence and awakened to the truth. She hates the idea of probing into his thoughts to the extent that she pries some secret out of him, and she feels the same about her own private thoughts when it comes to him.

She has no idea what this is or how it's happening, but there's one thing she knows about the people who have arrived here from across the multiverse—there's got to be someone else who does know. So she pulls out her TAB.

Edited 2017-05-11 05:35 (UTC)

Her outward reaction is enough to confirm he's right, but he can feel her internal reaction, too -- the way she realizes that they're having the same experience, and then the way she's alarmed by the idea and rejects it. She doesn't exactly isolate herself, but she does leave the room, and there are waves coming off of her that make it clear that she dislikes reading his mind as much as she dislikes her own being read.

He still has to make his own coffee, so he proceeds to do so, but when he feels a flare of curiosity from the next room, he rushes to stir the sugar in and to join her.

She's using the TAB when he does. He doesn't really have to ask what she's asking -- he already knows. If he didn't, he could probably find out by looking at the network himself.

If she felt alarm coming from him before, there's more of it now, accompanied by dismay.

She does feel that, after a time—she's absorbed in learning what people from the network are telling her, and the ability isn't very sharp, nor very consistent—but at one point during some typing she suddenly feels it coming very keenly from him. She'd noticed the look on his face, of course, but that makes it all the worse, and she sets her TAB down by her side, looking at him with a frown.

"Our minds weren't meant to be shared, that's all," she says, as though he'd asked a question. "Not like this, at least. Not without being able to control any of what's happening."

"No, but it isn't something I would advertise... you don't know how long it will last or whether or not it puts you at a disadvantage." Or whether or not she's giving up an advantage -- that's implicit.

He sits down with his coffee, but his feet go first; he's perched on the sofa in a way that discourages contact, his knees up in front of him.

"Yeah. I guess you're right." She misses the way things were on the Moira when it came to things like that—for an instant she ponders that, but passes it by right after. Things are better here, the way they are now, and she needs to get used to the realities that come along with that.

She glances over at him; he looks a bit standoffish, in a way, but it's also common for him to sit like that. She picks her coffee up, takes a drink—she feels snatches of emotions coming off of him, and she can't interpret them all, but they don't seem very positive.

"I..." She shifts a little, drawing her legs up under her. "You had that long-distance job for me still, right? The one we were putting off because I'd be away a couple days and nights?"

His gaze snaps to her face, and he feels a brief flare of alarm again -- She wants to leave? -- before resignation creeps in.

"I do. It's in R5. I was going to have Murblo Wor do it, but if you'd rather..." He pauses. "What was that about the Moira a moment ago?"

"I'd like to, yes."

She catches that very strongly, how upset the idea of her leaving makes him, but she just shifts so that she's eyes forward and shoves any reaction down.

"I was just thinking on the Moira we had to hang together, and there was more cooperation," she says in response to his question. "That's all."

She closes her eyes then, trying to put into practice some of what she'd just been told over the network—imagine walling off her thoughts, like a bubble, and keep his from penetrating the wall. It seems like what comes through is the strongest, sharpest emotions, and that's why this is so inconsistent. She's also unsure whether him picking up on her thoughts is because she's sending them out or whether he's experiencing a similar ability.

Once she's sure things are calmer in her mind she opens her eyes. She lets a deep breath cause her chest to rise and fall, and she allows the next thought to be sent freely—a very strong sense that she doesn't want to intrude, and that the thought that she might unintentionally do so is distressing to her. She never looks at him throughout this process, just gazes down at her coffee cup. "I ought to get ready if I'm going, then," is what she says. "Do you need the dog kenneled this time?" They have done so in the past during periods when they'd both be busy. If that's the case, it will be easy enough to pull off—Hachi is still in his crate from overnight.

He feels her attempt to wall off her thoughts because he catches the intention to do it before she actually tries. At the moment, he still feels resigned to it; this is all a little too new for resentment to set in. It isn't long before he gets another impression, that she's doing this out of concern for his privacy. He feels some understanding at that, some appreciation, some tenderness that isn't sympathy.

He hasn't even really thought of Hachi yet -- it's a secondary detail -- so he agrees to her suggestion to kennel him. "I'm going to be working." There's a mote of regret there, a tiny kernel of a suggestion that he'll actually miss the little dog's company, but it's small.

A brief series of thoughts pass through his head: going to a restaurant to get breakfast, anticipation for the food and reading the news before getting to work at a shop that sells musical instruments... and he realizes he's picked up the train of thought of someone passing by their door. It fades out. He shakes his head, frowning, almost as if he's trying to clear water from his ears.

If you're an investigator and something like this happens, it would be ridiculous not to take advantage of it while you can, wouldn't it? When he says he's going to be working, he means that he's going to be working as much as he possibly can for as long as this lasts. He means that he's going to use the tools that are available to him to the extent that it's feasible.

Edited 2017-05-14 04:18 (UTC)

With that decided, they continue to sit in what would otherwise be a companionable silence. She continues to pick up snatches of his emotions, not enough for it to be anything solid, though she does have a slight rueful twist at the corner of her mouth when she realizes he's going to miss the dog. He always seems to be dismissive of the creature, though of course she knows he must have some affection for Hachi or they wouldn't even own him. As she sits and finishes her coffee, she allows herself to relax a bit, though she's obviously wary about their thoughts being freely exchanged. She doesn't pick up quite so clearly on intentions to use this ability to his advantage, though she does have the impression he doesn't dislike it near as much as she does.

Tex is a lot freer, meanwhile, with allowing her own thoughts to flit by randomly, not realizing his ability to pick up her thoughts is a lot sharper than hers. As long as she doesn't concentrate fully and intensely on any one topic, she believes, the thought won't be transmitted to him. She's planning to do this job for him so that she can have some time away to practice, but, she thinks, if she hasn't made much progress at that she'll visit with Charles at the mansion and see what he has to say about it. And hopefully, if this is going to last, she'll get it under control and any prying on her part won't be a problem. She thinks, momentarily, about how the Director had to have erased some of her early memories after her activation, and how going into someone's mind like that and messing with things is so abhorrent to her. Sharing a mind with an AI, like the humans she knew in the Project, isn't the same as having mind-reading powers organically like this, but it's still something that has the potential to change things about that person's mind. At least, it would seem to follow that it does.

In any case, she thinks as she finishes her coffee, this is the sort of thing she wants to be responsible with. She's sure the occasions she and Omega and Church messed around in Caboose's mind is part of what was wrong with Caboose. If there's any potential for mind-altering consequences, she wants to be sure that she uses the power the right way. Something like when she was going to help Omega and Wyoming defeat the alien race by allowing Omega to take over the baby alien. That was the sort of thing most people would think was highly unethical, but there were reasons it was the best course of action. And that's a decision she'd make again, if she had the chance.

Once she's done with her coffee, she gets up to prepare to change into her armor.

He sits and quietly finishes his coffee alongside hers, and it emerges that she's not really aware of how much of her thoughts is still filtering through to him.

For various personal reasons, he doesn't especially like the idea of her going to Charles Xavier -- his response to that impulse is sort of an internal eyeroll -- but maybe it wouldn't be the worst thing right now. Apart from that, it all gives him a greater understanding of her reasons for wanting to take a few days away, and then... she was going to let Omega do what to the baby alien? He can't keep his eyebrows from going up, but... it was to end a war on the winning side? That's something he can understand; under some circumstances, it might be something he would do himself. Or maybe it was a shade too far... it's hard to say.

He doesn't get up when she does; instead, he takes out his TAB and catches up on the network.

Once she has strapped her armor on, she returns, holding her helmet, and stands before him.

"I looked over the brief for this job," she says. "I think I should be able to get back in three to four days." Unsaid and unhidden is the desire for him to stand and give her a farewell kiss.

He gives her a quick nod.

"It may not even take you as long as that."

And then he feels the slight tug of longing from her, and capitulates, standing to kiss her even though the armor is difficult to embrace.

"Listen," he murmurs, close to her face. "We don't know how long this will last. It may not be long... but if it's permanent, we'll figure something out."

"Yes," she mutters back, caressing the back of his head with her free hand. "I know." She looks into his eyes, those gorgeous grey eyes that she loves so much, and then presses one more quick kiss to his lips before she withdraws, shoving down the desire to remain there. She puts on her helmet and goes to get the dog to take him out.

My eyes are gorgeous...?

It's nice that she thinks so, always nice to see concrete evidence of her regard for and attachment to him, but it's also a little embarrassing to directly experience himself being seen this way. He's never had much ego attached to his appearance.

He lets her pull away from him even as he feels her reluctance to go. But when she goes to get the dog, he goes to throw a few things into a small duffel bag in preparation to go spend most of his time for the next few days working.

thisavrou monthly info ( the tmi )

ingress travel info

Revisiting Old Haunts

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