thisavrou_log | ( may event log )

Entry tags:

( may event log )

Who: Everyone
When: May 1st and on
Where: The Moira + Amissis-Re
What: The crew finds themselves visiting the very barren planet of Amissis-Re.
Warnings:None, but please label your content!

E
V
E
N
T

L
O
G

far from nowhere
"the trees rustle in the evening when we stand uneasy before our own thoughts."

With the events of Del Pascia behind the Moira, things are only now beginning to settle—and not very well. Through the combined efforts of some of the crew, D-E-L and her permanent residents were incinerated into the dust of space. While it’s not the most peaceful end, it is one, and not many are going to be thinking back on how nice Del Pascia’s facilities were for quite some time. Repairing what they could of the ship’s interior and putting as much distance between the Moira and the prison as possible, those aboard are informed by Navigation that they are approaching another planet. This means, of course, the potential for better supplies, as some things are beginning to dwindle, and the Captains elect to dock so long as the crew follows protocol.

WELCOME TO AMISSIS-RE

Amissis-Re is an unregistered planet with no documented histories or signs of life. The Moira’s Navigation crew have scanned the planet for any usable resources and have discovered a faint signal emitting from beneath the surface of Amissi-Re. Using the transporters and any other crafts located in the Cargo Bay, the crew are able to travel to the source of the signal. Upon arriving in its exact location, they’ll find a small series of lakes that lead to a tower-like structure that appears to be in use. Crew must cross a poorly assembled bridge system that sways and dips when weight is applied to it in order to gain access to the entrance. Once there, a woman comes out to greet them and explains, excitedly, that she is so very happy that they have come to Amissis-Re.

Everyone can go home.

Their host insists that she has done the impossible and has somewhat fixed the Ingress that’s been built on Amissis-Re a long time ago, and what’s more, she can send crew home for short bursts of time. Upon following this woman inside, crew will find that the planet is not, in fact, barren at all. Diving deep into the underbelly of Amissis-Re, it’s like an eternal factory of machines, and while vast, for whatever reason, it also seems incredibly welcoming...

☄ LEAP OF FAITH ( 05.01 and on )

The barren planet of Amissis-Re is devoid of vegetation and organic life except for a lone woman, and the planet itself is an intricate honeycomb of machines that go for miles below the surface. Yet, that seems insignificant and unimportant in comparison to the news that the crew has just received. After Thán has looked at the Ingress, he tells the crew that he cannot say for certain that it is properly functioning, but Emiri native, Ben Link, will volunteer to test it out.

An elevator takes crew down to a glass platform that overlooks an inverted Ingress portal. In order to return home, the Moirans will have to take a leap of faith and jump in. Ben, in order to show his commitment to the crew and willingness to help get them home, takes that jump with Captain Thán seconds behind him. Jumping feels like dropping through wind; lights swirl, it’s warm, and a soft buzzing encompasses you as you fall. You don’t feel the landing. One moment you’re falling, and the next, you’re in a new world.

A few hours pass before a similar elevator rises from below and to the left of the Ingress, stopping beside the platform. Ben and Thán step out unharmed.

It works, and everyone can temporarily go home. Will you jump?

☄ COMBINE THE EXTREMES ( 05.01 and on )

The woman that greeted the crew and led them to the platform will allow anyone that wants to go home the opportunity to go. There’s only one catch: it’s not permanent. She’s worked for years to fix the Ingress so that she can return to her own home but hasn’t been able to make the trip an everlasting one. Everyone always comes back. Always. They go for a few hours, at first, but that amount of time increases with each visit.

The one guideline, she says, is that you can’t go alone. Each trip requires a partner, or it becomes too much for the mind to bear. These rules are simple: the world takes shape depending on who jumps first, but if crew go hand-in-hand and leap at the same time, the worlds combine. This new world will be populated with people that existed in both and may appear to be a jarring combination of both worlds. It may seem unusual, but if the woman is asked, she’ll explain that the combined world does exist as there are more universes than can be imagined. The Ingress tries to take the person to their own home, their original home, but when jumping together, it finds the closest possible match and deposits them there instead.

From that point on, you can travel the world together or split up, but remember, this world is a living, functioning world. It doesn’t matter if it’s the home of one crew member or a combination. You meet other people. You can get hurt. You influence and are influenced by others.

Be cautious, and enjoy your visit “home”.

☄ LINGER ON ( 05.05 and on )

The more times the Amissis-Re Ingress is visited, the more it seems that your trips last longer and the experience becomes even more vivid. More real and harder to distinguish from the current reality that you know. It’s difficult to explain why, but you get the feeling that maybe if you went without the aid of the host, that perhaps you’d be able to stay. Forever. It takes some subterfuge, but in time, you see your chance: she’s nowhere in sight, and you take it.

The world you are in now is completely your own, whether another crew member accompanied you or not. The people you know are there, everything around you is exactly as you remember. A few hours pass, and you don’t feel that familiar tug, that invisible hook at the base of your spine that signals that your visit is over. Even more time goes by, and you’re still in that world, your home. When the first day has passed, you begin to question if you’ll ever go back, or if life on the Moira was all a dream. The person with you won’t be able to convince you otherwise, and they’ll start to feel less real, a stranger that you used to know.

There’s only one way to go back to the Moira. Someone from the other side has to come in and retrieve you both. Once in, contact with a third will jump-start a link through the Ingress, and it will pull all crew back to the platform.

( ooc; For questions, go here. Please comment to activity check to receive new ranks (if applicable)! )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Her own thoughts start to range in that direction as they leave her room, her hand in the crook of his elbow, and she catches sight of Killik Twilight. She'd never thought she'd see a moss painting again, let alone the one that hung just outside her room.

If they could take things with them...well, that would be her first choice.]

Your secret's safe with me. As soon as we get downstairs, you can tell them all about your work for the Hutts.

That'll do it.

[Not his proudest history, there, and under the circumstances not something he likes to reflect on... Considering the knowledge that he ended up in Jabba's clutches. But he can take it in stride.]

Just don't get me thrown out til after dessert.

Nobody's throwing you out.

[Maybe there is power there, to be able to insist that Han belongs at her side no matter where she is, but it's a power she'd demand even in the most run-down shack.

Still, bringing up Jabba wasn't a fair blow, and she tries to soften it with advice.]

Start with the Kessel Run. If Father's home, he'll be impressed.

Yeah?

[When they leaped into the ingress, he certainly didn't expect to end up telling tales of criminal activity to royalty.]

Anything I should know about them?

He likes flying. Remind me to tell you about the time he and Obi-Wan flew to Wild Space together sometime.

[A story which will certainly not be biased in Bail's favour, certainly.]

Well--he and Mother are easy enough to please. Just be on your best behavior. If my aunts are there, that's a different story. [Fondly, if a little exasperated. It's so easy to slip back into that feeling, even with the strange relief at the knowledge that they're all alive.] Aunt Rouge won't be as impressed with your smuggling, so I wouldn't linger on it. Celly and Tia are nice, but... [A shrug.] Don't be too disappointed if they don't approve of you. They don't always approve of me, either.

Don't worry, I will.

[Knowing how Ben feels about flying, he would expect her father must have done the bulk of it. It's definitely a story he'd like to hear, and it's a good sign that Bail at least won't be too difficult to speak with. Han has a pretty high opinion of his own capacity to charm.

But he's not really used to dealing with any family, much less such a large one.]

You know I like a challenge.

Then this should be fun.

[She hopes so, anyway. The last thing she wants is for Han to come away thinking the worse of Alderaan--but they're out of time for more consideration, now that they're at the dining room.

Her family rises from the table when they enter, and her aunts are present--but it's such a mercy to see them and her father smiling at her that she doubts she'll mind anything they could possibly do. Letting go of Han's arm, she rushes over to hug Rouge, Celly, and Tia in turn, kissing each of them on the cheek.

And then her father, squeezing him tightly in hopes it'll keep her from weeping openly and having to clench her jaw anyway when he murmurs I missed you into her hair. She doesn't want to let him go, but she has to after a moment, and with too-bright eyes, turns to Han.]

It's my pleasure to present you Captain Han Solo, one of the finest men I know. Han, this is my father, Bail, and my aunts, Rouge, Celly, and Tia.

[For a certain value of fun, it probably will be.

As far as Han is concerned, the only thing they really have to worry about is making sure they don't let anything slip about what's going to happen. Tempting as it is to see whether they can change fate for the better, if this is real at all, there's too much that could go wrong.

For the moment he's just going to take things as they come. Bail Organa seems like the sort of man who can appreciate a firm handshake, but he decides to try his luck with kissing the aunts' hands, if they let him. Some courtly women go for that thing, right? Han can put on the charm when he needs to. He can't necessarily keep it up, but he can (and does) muster the appropriate deferential greetings for everyone, even if the whole thing puts him a bit on edge.]

[He's chosen correctly on all counts. Bail shakes his hand heartily, while Rouge, Celly, and Tia all smile and murmur like proper ladies. It's as good an introduction as Leia can hope for, even if it's probably not to Han's usual tastes.

With that out of the way, they find their seats, and two servants approach with a gleaming tureen of soup. (Four courses, then, to judge by the setting and the first course--and by her family's usual tastes. She should have told Han, but it slipped her mind.) And as they're served, Bail leans forward in his chair.]

The Alliance is growing by leaps and bounds. I used to know every member, and that clearly isn't the case any longer. You'll have to tell us about yourself, Captain Solo.

Growing's not a bad thing.

[Especially as time goes on. They can use all the new blood they can get, these days; it's a dangerous job with more losses than he likes to think about.]

There's not so much to say. I was hired for some, uh, discreet transport, and I stuck around. [Largely for reasons that are probably far more obvious than he intends, from the quick glance he shoots at Leia.] Not so different from my old line of work.

We're fortunate that people are starting to see the importance of our cause.

[She's a little subtler than Han is, her gaze steady on her father, sitting at her mother's right hand--but it doesn't matter when Han's so obvious about it. As Leia takes a sip of her soup (gorak broth with slender curls of vegetables and tiny dumplings), Rouge fixes Han with a deceptively casual expression.]

And now you've accompanied our Leia to Alderaan.

[Which, as comments go, is a trap waiting to be sprung.]

[It's not that he means to be obvious about it, it's just how he is. The truth is he doesn't even notice.

The tone of that question, though? Yeah, that's trouble. Trouble he can see, but not necessarily avoid. He'll try his luck, though.]

Well, with the way she talks about home, I couldn't pass up the chance to come visit.

[Complimentary, and it's even halfway honest.]

[Leia can see Celly's mouth opening, and in the span of a breath, she decides that they might as well take the offensive approach.]

He came home with me because I love him, Aunt Rouge.

[And then she has another spoonful of soup, enjoying with wide, innocent eyes as her family pauses around her. Considering that three of them had hoped to marry her off at the age of seventeen, the fact that she's shown some interest in a man should please them.

Of course, this one is a criminal, but she doesn't think that should make much difference.

It's Aunt Tia who speaks first, and with a bright, fond expression--the sort that she normally reserves for the candy-coloured pittins she raises.]

Then we're honoured to have Captain Solo eating with us tonight.

[Father looks pleased enough as well, though Mother's brows have raised, and she speaks next.]

It seems we'll have much to discuss after dinner, Lelila.

[That was definitely not what he expected. Probably not what any of them expected, which is probably part of why she did it. Now he definitely can't help himself, grinning at the perfectly guileless look on her face, leaning back a bit in his seat.

Look, he's pleased. This is the second time she's said it, and this time he's not facing a likely death. At least, judging by the overall tone of the room, he's not. Han doesn't have the good grace to look sheepish as he shrugs, smiling at her parents.]

She doesn't pull her punches.

[Which is why he loves her.]

[She doesn't have to glance Han's way to know the look on his face--but she does, just for a moment, and smiles.

There are rules to these sorts of matters, rules she's blithely disregarding for the evening in favour of straightforward honesty. They don't have time to dance around the subject all night. And blindsiding everyone with the news gives her an idea of what they really think. Dropping hints and dawdling over saying it aloud--this time, anyway--would give them time to prepare reactions.]

Of course we're pleased for you both, but a princess can hardly spend her time in dalliances. Courtship is something to be taken seriously.

[Courtesy of Aunt Rouge, for whom a proper marriage has always been paramount. Leia answers with a smile that brooks no argument in most situations. Unfortunately, her family is not most situations. And before Leia can do more than open her mouth, Father holds up a hand.]

I trust that Leia understands what her choices mean. Captain Solo deserves the opportunity to show that he does, too.

[Mother murmurs a Must we discuss this now? and Leia shrugs, apologetic. Giving everyone indigestion over Han Solo wasn't on the schedule for today.]

[Oh. Oh. His high spirits don't flag at all-- because in spite of the awkwardness he's still really pleased about the readiness with which she laid those cards on the table-- but this is obviously the point where he makes his own gesture. it's not a lack of willingness-- he'd like to think he's already made the point, which is the problem. They can't exactly mention how long he's been waiting, or his attempt to be self-sacrificing on Bespin.]

if I didn't take this seriously I wouldn't be here, your Highnesses.

[Or should that be Majesties? He has no idea, but it feels like splitting hairs under the circumstances. Also, he doesn't give a damn what any of them think about him except for Leia. He'd rather not make a terrible impression, but mainly for her sake.]

He hasn't said it back, he knows. It just hasn't felt like the right time. Somehow it still doesn't; he doesn't want it to sound like an obligation, a formality.]

[Your Highnesses is close enough--at least he didn't try one of his Your Worshipfulness jokes, right?--though it does make Rouge raise a brow.

Or maybe that's just a reaction to his answer in general. Tia's smile seems a little softer at it.]

We couldn't ask for more than that, Captain. [The fact that her father accepts Han at his word is heartening to Leia.] As we get to know you, I'm sure it will only become more clear.

[A little curl of regret twists around Leia's stomach, the food turning tasteless in her mouth. There won't be time for that, and she knows it. If only there were something she could do--but all the warnings in the world won't make a difference. Tarkin has control of Alderaan's future, no matter what she says to her family tonight.]

It sounds like we'll be seeing plenty of you when Leia comes to visit. Why don't you tell us more about yourself? [That's Celly's request, kind and less a question than she makes it sound.]

[He takes the request-- more of a demand, really, in stride. It's eerie, in a way, because if Alderaan hadn't been destroyed, chances are he never would have met Leia. Much less fallen for her, much less waited for her to fall for him, much less come home with her.

He settles a little in his seat, casual enough.]

I was in, uh, private transport. [he shrugs a bit. The euphemism isn't very clever, he doesn't imagine it'll do too much to throw her aunts off the trail, but somehow it sounds better than saying smuggler, or mentioning the Hutts.] You won't find anything faster than my ship.

[Nodding, he glances at Bail, figuring he'll take Leia's advice.]

Did the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs.

[Father looks impressed, and conversation proceeds from there. Han never seems entirely comfortable--to Leia, anyway--but he's doggedly social, answering questions and telling stories over a salad course, roast gorak bird in malla petals, and a dessert of starblossom drenched in chimbak wine.

It's all so Alderaanian, Leia could weep...but, of course, she can't. She focuses on the conversation and the taste of the wine they drink, and when attention is off them for a moment, she slips a hand under the table to squeeze Han's thigh gently. He's everything she could hope for tonight.

When things are winding down, Leia speaks brightly.]

I'd better help Han settle in. He'll need a rest before he can start out again.

[When Mother speaks, it's with a deceptively warm voice.] The blue guest room should be ready for a visitor.

Then that's the one I'll show him. [She knows perfectly well what that means--it's a room much closer to her parents' bedroom than her own--but it hardly matters when they're unlikely to stay the night. She gets up and, in a show of affection that's a little overboard by their family's standards under normal circumstances, hugs and kisses her parents and aunts one more time, murmuring I love you under her breath.

It's not much. It doesn't feel like enough. But it's what she has. She waits until she and Han are out of earshot before she leans in and murmurs to him.] You were wonderful.

[When you get him going, Han is a pretty decent storyteller. He's a little hampered by the necessity of leaving out anything that's obviously after the destruction of Alderaan, and some of the more colorful ones get clipped or redirected, but there are enough reasonably light-hearted tall tales to keep them from too much prying, and the food is good, if richer than he'd ever have anywhere else.

He's even smart enough not to say anything about sleeping arrangements. The Organas have been remarkably hospitable and Alderaan is known for being a peaceful place, but everyone's got their limits. While she says her goodbyes he stands aside, not too attentive because it's bound to be hard enough without his eyes on her.

Answering that with a smile, he nods.]

Not so bad. [Actually pretty nice, just completely impossible.] So, now what?

[She kisses his shoulder before beginning to walk again. Not so bad is a gross understatement, but she can't blame him for wanting to underplay it a little. As bittersweet as all of this is--returning to the Ingress on Amissis-Re is going to be painful--she's pleased that it's as sweet as it might be bitter.]

Now, I want to take a look at something.

[Back upstairs, the exact opposite direction from the blue guest room--eventually stop outside her room, before a piece of art hanging on the wall.]

This is Killik Twilight. It's an Ob Khaddor. [A little pause.] Are you familiar with his work?

[Considering how badly it could have gone, he can't be blamed for being a little on edge. But it was nice, even if he's not sure how he ranks on the parental approval meter. (Fortunately, he's not terribly worried on that count. It could've gone much worse.) Judging from that little kiss, well enough.

He hasn't got a clue where they're going, so he follows along quietly until she slows to look at the painting, shaking his head at the question. Art theft wasn't really his specialty, so he's clueless.]

It's a moss painting--one of Alderaan's finest art forms. [Ruefully, leaning in against his side.] It can't be done now, of course. The moss only grew on Alderaan.

[Perhaps if they could locate an extant moss painting, if they could collect spores from it...but that would require an extant moss painting. She's not sure any still exist.] I always loved this painting. Those figures are Killiks--they disappeared from Alderaan long before anyone human came here. They're fleeing whatever destroyed them.

[And then she pauses, staring hard at the picture. After a moment, she glances up at him.] If we return to Amissis-Re, and we happen to be holding something...

[He tilts his head a bit to regard it, considering the art itself, the story behind it. A destroyed painting from a destroyed world about a destroyed race, the parallels too obvious and painful to voice. Here they are in her childhood home, looking at things she'd never thought to see again... With no way to change what's to come.

He looks down to meet her gaze.]

You want to take it back, [he says, not because it needs to be said but because he has to say something.] We can try, why not?

Yes.

[It's selfish of her, and despite the fact that this is her home, it feels like theft--but the idea of leaving it here is worse. If she can't rescue her family, she can at least take back something of Alderaan.

If she can. But they were already likely to return in these clothes--the Ingress wouldn't drag them through naked, would it? (After the decontamination stops a few weeks ago, she's not confident it wouldn't.)

She takes a step forward and, glancing around the empty corridor, lifts the moss painting down. It's not an especially large piece; it fits under Leia's arm easily. She glances back]

We'd better get our clothes. [She's planning on carrying hers out--this dress is too pretty to leave behind.] Would you like any souvenirs, while we're here?

[Her voice is light as she can make it, but the weight of the knowledge that all this will disappear is starting to find its way to the front of her mind.]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject