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deep in the murk
"It comes first and follows after. Ends life, kills laughter."
With the outcome of the battle against the Caducans and the Moira having twisted together with their ship to form a strange combination of glass, metal, and organic parts (both across the ship and among the crewmembers), there is still the matter of the Ingress not functioning “properly”. It hasn’t worked correctly since the very first person arrived on the Moira through it, and there is little the Captains themselves know about its functions. However, now, more than before, it’s even worse than that. The Ingress malfunctions yet again. This time, though, it doesn’t simply combine time and space and objects around it—it encompasses the entirety of the ship and sends it far off into a completely different universe. Welcome to:
( click text for a rough map/layout )This puts the Moira closer to its final destination, and most of the glass has disappeared as the Caducan ship has been left behind aside from small things here and there (i.e., some of the walls in the corridors, random furniture in the rooming decks, the rooms themselves). Even the mess hall has permanently changed. Yet, there is some bad news that comes with this transition. The universe the ship is in is so terrible that it has been given its own name so that travelers avoid it altogether. Even the Captains themselves are aware of just how Bad News this universe is and had originally planned to take “the long way around” to avoid it. Anything shady or unsavory can be found in the Runoff, and while it might not appeal to the majority, it is simply second-nature to those who inhabit it. From arms trafficking to drugs, whatever one might think is illegal somewhere else is suddenly very legal and very dangerous.
Through the transition, some of the crew will accidentally end up on a nearby outpost specifically used for slave trade. It is a covered, temporary establishment used only for this purpose, meaning there are no open markets, hotels, or businesses of any sort. Stalls and tents line dirty streets, and ships litter the space around the outpost. This is a slave trade zone. People come and go but do not stay. Various lifeforms can be found here, and there are many different forms of slave trade happening. The motto “honor among thieves” does not exist in this place either. Crew who end up here will be “free”; however, this means that there is the potential to be taken and sold or kept by those of the Runoff. The Moira will not be close to this outpost, but the signals given from their MIDs will alert the crew to their location. Rescue, obviously, is imminent, but those who choose to help their fellow crewmembers must keep to small stealth missions using transporters or other crafts with one important detail in mind: they cannot bring attention or notice to the Moira itself.
Almost one-third of the crew has found themselves on the slave trade outpost, leaving the rest to plan for rescue. The Captains will immediately divulge all information that they have about the outpost, which is unfortunately very little outside of the stigma associated with the Runoff. The Captains will ask any MID techs or those with skills to create a program that allows person to person location; this function will allow crewmembers to search for those on the outpost via their MIDs. Rescue efforts are encouraged, and all the ships and transporters in the cargo bay will be available for public use. Crew will be told to be careful and quiet, bringing no attention to the Moira’s location, and most importantly, do not stand out. If crew look and act like they don’t belong there, others will notice. Stealth is the name of the game, and blending in is a necessity. ☄ time goes by slowly The unfortunate crewmembers who ended up on the outpost have now found themselves pursued by those looking to make a profit through slave trade. The standards of hard labor vary from owner to owner, but it is what it sounds like. Rough, hard work that will last as long as the body performing it can endure. If purchased, owners might examine their new property to determine what type of work they’d be best suited for and then split them up into holding areas until they are done with their purchases. Others might have their slaves begin work by cleaning their ship or holding stalls or packing up their tents and gear. The owners, and their needs, are as varied as the universe. Did you manage to escape? Or were you forced to work before you were rescued? ☄ and it seems to last forever Like the crewmembers taken by general labor owners, the murdersport slavers buy and take whomever they believe can last the longest in the pit. Some take those who appear to be strong or have great stamina, and some take those who are light on their feet or are quick-witted. Some crew are chosen simply based on appearance and how good they’ll look in their gear. If pursued, the slavers will do everything they can to capture the Moirans, and if captured, crew might be taken to a holding stall or a testing pit so that their skills can be witnessed by the public and tested. Some slavers want to show off their new property by throwing them into small roped off areas with other slaves, various creatures, or machines. Some make them stand up in front of groups and simply show them off, boasting that, at the next big event in the Runoff, they’ll surely win the grand prize. What kind of slaver has taken you? Will you be forced to fight before you rescue? Or will you not make it to the Moira before the Ingress pulls you back? ☄ but then it starts to fly ( cw: sex ) As is typical of this universe, slave trade comes in various forms. The most notorious being its illustrious sex trade. Slaves are bought and sold quickly and often, with no notable preference for appearance or species. Buyers come from all over to find slaves to work in their brothels, for personal use, as in-house entertainment, and much more. While the other two most popular type of slave trade don’t care as much about the physical well being of their property, these specific owners usually do. They might try to incapacitate first, so that the slaves aren’t bruised or cut, and if necessary, use binds until they can get them back to their ships or holding stalls. Some owners have their slaves cleaned and dressed in the finest attire, while others shove them into uniforms and tossed into stalls. Were you captured? Did you escape? Or were you rescued before something untoward occurred? What's more, events of the past always have a way of coming back to haunt you.
Months past, a monster terrorized the crew and left a very literal mark upon those that it touched. Those scarred by encounters with the Ploiatos will find their minds drifting as they work and go about their day. They may also find themselves in a different part of the ship than intended when they come back to themselves. It happens slowly, these small moments of lost time. But both before and after these events occur, one might notice that the scars seem to shift slightly. Where the patterns have been stable for months, suddenly the branching arms of the scars appear to be in a slightly different position than before. More often than not, those who lose time will regain awareness and find themselves in Navigation. When this happens, oftentimes Captain Manasseh will herd them out with a quiet, but undeniably firm, suggestion to visit the infirmary. More unsettling are the moments when they awaken in the I.L.R. standing outside the one door that should never be opened. As for those who were lucky enough to avoid encounters with the creature locked within, they must figure out how to deal with their friends and fellow crew who seem to walk around in a fog with no control of their actions.
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hownkai) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
thisavrou_log2016-07-19 01:11 am
no subject
As for the offer, she nods and holds out her arm with the MID on it so Bruce can make his modifications.]
Yeah, alright.
[It wouldn't hurt to have that as a back-up, just in case. As for rescuing...]
See if you can get my signal to Nathan Drake. He's a friend of mine on board. He'll figure a way to get me out.
[Chloe has full confidence that Nate can manage it, and he's not going to leave her behind.]
no subject
Alright, I'll get in touch with him, make sure he can close in on your signal and find you wherever you are. Once he comes down here, that is.
[ He's kind of assuming he would, at least, if Chloe's mentioning him of all people. ]
no subject
[Nate will definitely come and help her out.]
Oh, and tell him he's not a jackass. Just... well, sometimes he is.
[Yeeaah.. Nate will come running for sure.]
There anything I can do to help?
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Right. [ He huffs, thinking that's probably just an inside joke between friends or... something more? Not that it's any of Bruce's concern anyway. ] I'm sure he knows, but I'll tell him.
[ He looks like he's about to answer her question for a moment, but eventually he just shakes his head, continuing on the modifications. ]
It's fine. I don't want you to put yourself at risk.
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A little late for that already. I can handle myself.
[So if there's something he needs done to get them all out of here, she's willing to do it.]
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It's true, he was planning on asking a few of the Moirans down here to help with his plan, but... he still feels a little guilty about dragging people he doesn't even know into it. Regardless, beggars can't be choosers, and she's offering, so. ]
I've got... these. [ His hands disappear underneath his cloak, pulling out a small bag. From it, he takes out a handful of bugs, tiny and round, but clearly advanced pieces of technology. ] I'm trying to set them up around the outpost, covering as big an area as I can manage. You can stick them just about anywhere, and they'll feed video and sound back to the Moira.
[ He hands them to her hesitantly, and he looks at her pointedly when she reaches out to take them. ] Promise me you won't get yourself into unnecessary danger to help me with these.
no subject
[Some surveillance will definitely help the rescue teams to work faster. Chloe reaches to take them, pausing a moment at his words. She smiles in her most reassuring way.]
I promise.
[What could go wrong? When he hands them over she tucks them discretely into her top. This outfit doesn't come with luxuries like pockets. It's meant to show off her figure and skin, after all.]
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Good.
[ He puts away the bag again, offering as more of an afterthought. ]
I'm Bruce, by the way.
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Chloe. Maybe next time we'll meet under better circumstances.
[He seems like a nice guy.]
Now... [And she's looking him over a bit critically from head to foot.] Before we leave, I can't let you go looking like that.
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[ Might not be too difficult, provided they both make it back to the Moira. It might be far from the ideal place but Bruce can safely say this is one of the worst experiences the crew's had as a whole so far— if not the worst. So it doesn't take a lot to beat that. ]
What? [ He looks down at himself, eyebrow raising slightly. ] What's wrong with the way I look?
no subject
[She steps closer... Nervous yet?]
And we don't want anyone to think we're conspiring a rescue operation. If the authorities thought I was attempting an escape, who knows what would be left of me. So...
[Chloe knows just what to do. She reaches for his robe, opening it to start undoing a few of the top buttons of his shirt. Nice chest, Bruce!
But she doesn't stop there, oh no. Not unless he forces her to. Next she's reaching for his belt and undoing that. Don't get all excited; this is strictly business. Of course, she's done plenty of things in the bedroom for the sake of business, too.
Once that's done, she lifts her hands to run her fingers through his hair, though it's not really styled to begin with so maybe that didn't change much. And as for a convincing finishing touch, she'll try and cup his face in her hands and press a kiss on the side of his mouth, leaving a lipstick mark.
Once her work is done, she lets him go and steps back, smiling with approval.]
There! Now you look like you should be exiting a dark alley. Walk out of here like it was incredible. Because it would've been.
no subject
He's left a little speechless at that, but he does his best to let it happen without much fuss, though when she reaches for his belt that's a whole other matter entirely. ]
What are you— [ Okay yes, he knows she's not going to do anything more than just undo the belt. Right? Right. He still lifts up a hand to settle over the loose buckle, just in case she gets any ideas about actually unbuttoning his trousers, because he sure as hell isn't going to walk out of here with those undone.
Even if he's going to walk out of here without his dignity, apparently— and with some vague doubts as to whether or not this counts as cheating. Kind of almost feels like it does.
By the time she reaches for his hair, he's blushing more than a man in his forties has any right to, but it's only when she tugs him into a kiss that he turns his head to the side and pulls back, his hands briefly curling around her wrists to tug her own hands away from his face before he catches himself and lets go. ]
Right, I think— uh, I think that's more than enough. [ He's pretty sure that whatever looks he gets once he steps out of the alleyway won't be nearly as mortifying as this whole thing is. ] I'm. I'm gonna go now.
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Alright. Thanks for the help.
[She smiles as she watches him go.]
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He tries to regain some of his composure —tries being the keyword here—, clearing his throat and nodding at her as he turns around and steps out of the alleyway. The embarrassment he shows is probably as great as if he really had been doing the most depraved things with Chloe in some dark corner, so the few looks he gets are very much unsuspecting. Bruce does his best to ignore them anyway, buckling his belt again and buttoning up his shirt, smudging the lipstick in an attempt to wipe it off before he starts walking down the hallway again. ]