E
V
E
N
T
|
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.
|
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
hownkai) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
thisavrou_log2016-07-19 01:11 am
no subject
It causes Eggsy to fold in on himself, looking every bit the 'owned' slave that he's supposed to be.
He makes sure to keep his pace matching Bruce's, never more than a step or two ahead, jerking himself back towards Bruce if he starts to get separated by all the people around. The closer they get to the transporter, the more exhausted he begins to feel, his shoulders drooping, steps lagging.]
Fuck, m'so tired.
[He mumbles under his breath, low enough that only Bruce can hear.]
no subject
His breath comes a little easier the closer they get to the transporters. When Eggsy speaks up, the area empty enough that no one else would hear him, Bruce eases up his hold just so. ]
We're almost there. [ His mouth slams shut when they pass a group loading up their own transporter, his other hand quickly landing on Eggsy's arm and tugging harshly— not enough to hurt, but enough to make it seem like he's forcing Eggsy to behave when in truth he's offering some support.
Their transporter is farther ahead, but Bruce doesn't stop or slow down, not now when they're so close. He gets the door open and without preamble drags Eggsy inside, closing it behind them. ]
no subject
He could sit, but he just stands there. Eggsy's trying to process everything that happened, everything that he saw, and he's on the borderline of not being able to stomach the guilt he feels for leaving all those people behind.]
Now what?
[Eggsy's eyes are on the floor, unfocused and confused. His shoulders are hunched up defensively.]
What now, Bruce?
no subject
Coming back with a clean pair of pants and a loose sweater, he also gets a water bottle and walks up to Eggsy, handing him that first. ]
Here. Take a drink.
[ He needs it, no doubt. Even if it might not do much for the confusion and guilt he's feeling. ]
One thing at a time. Let's get you into clean clothes first, alright? Do you need help changing?
better safe than butt naked is my favorite line ever
Oh. No, I can do it, yeah?
[He's practically naked anyways, he'll just have to get that off first. Eggsy sets the bottle on one of the seats and tries to undo the knotted fabric at his hip. It's tight and he can't get it and it makes him feel like he's a massive fuck up that can't even handle changing his clothes.]
Got, um, a knife or somethin'?
one of my crowning RP moments
It's only when Eggsy speaks up again that he glances over his shoulder, then he turns to make his way over again. ]
Uh... no. Wait. [ He takes a seat next to Eggsy, slowly reaching out. ] Let me do it.
[ Doesn't look like too tight a knot, and once Eggsy agrees to it, he starts undoing it, too worried about his current state to even be embarrassed about the fact that he's pretty much undressing Eggsy right now. ]
no subject
He runs his finger over a cut on his stomach, wincing.]
I can't remember when I did that, yeah?
[He sighs, running his fingers over a bruise on his hip.]
Bet you're thinkin' I'm a right mess. Especially since I'm so spaced out. Feels like I'm high or somethin', and I don't think I am.
no subject
It's alright. We'll take care of those when we get to the ship.
[ Still, he reaches out to that cut on his stomach, just making sure it's not infected. He looks up at Eggsy afterwards. ]
I'm thinking I'm just glad you're alive. That I got to you before they really hurt you. [ If that were the case then they'd be dealing with a whole different problem— one of the big, green and angry variety. ]
You're going to be fine, alright? I've got you. [ He cups Eggsy's face, urging him to look him in the eye. ] No one's going to hurt you now.
no subject
You've got me?
[His vision blurs, and he blinks a few times, face scrunching up as he abruptly pulls away. Eggsy grabs the clothes, movements stilted, roughly shoving his legs into the sweats and tugging the shirt down over his head. He can't describe the feeling that's making it hard for him to catch his breath, but it's the whiplash, he thinks. One moment he was about to be sold off again and now he's within a foot of a man who cares about him and he's safe. By all accounts, he should be happy, at least starting to feel better.]
Bruce.
[Eggsy swipes the back of his hand across his forehead, fingers combing through his messy hair. He turns back towards him with a huff, sitting down beside him. He only hesitates a moment before he leans to the side, into Bruce, eyes shut, arms circling him.]
'M sorry.
no subject
He's glad he got Eggsy out of there, sure. He's happy to see him safe and in one piece, but he also knows it might be a while for Eggsy to snap out of his state, and to feel like himself again.
When Eggsy sits back down, Bruce reaches out with little thought to it, a hand settling on his arm, just above the wrist. A simple gesture to let him know he's not alone, not anymore. Then Eggsy leans into his space and Bruce shifts too, wrapping his arms around Eggsy instead, his frame feeling unusually small. ]
It's fine, don't... don't say that. There's nothing to be sorry for.
no subject
There is, though.
[He starts to tremble, cold and coming down from the adrenaline all at once. Eggsy knows his body's too exhausted to do any good but the idea of not being able to help or do much more than curl up against Bruce and pass out is too much for him.]
I can't do nothin'. I can't. [Each breath is a little heavier, shifting him closer.] I know my limits and I'm done. If you wanted to go back out there, I couldn't help ya any.
no subject
[ Bruce huffs a little, a mix of worry and frustration and relief all at once. His arms curl tightly around Eggsy, hands pressed into his back, keeping himself as steady and solid a presence as Eggsy needs right now. ]
You were captured, Eggsy. You were kept against your will, hurt, pushed around— [ He can't even think what else. Jesus. ] You're only human, and you've already handled a lot, more than most people could. You need to... you need to recover now, alright? Not worry about what you should be doing.
[ He lifts a hand up to Eggsy's head, fingers curling around his nape in a far gentler and more soothing gesture than before. ]
I'm not going anywhere right now, anyway. I won't go until you're safe again, I promise you that.
no subject
Ever feel like all this is a dream, Bruce?
[He's mumbling now, eyes drooping shut as a different kind of fog creeps around the edges.]
The ship. Livin' here. Knowin' each other? Thought maybe I'd died or somethin'. [He huffs out a soft breath.] Fuck, 's only way to make sense of anythin'.
no subject
I hope not. I hope it isn't.
[ He pulls Eggsy close to him, more than prepared to handle the whole of his weight if he happens to pass out or fall asleep. ]
I know everything seems horrible right now, but I'm— I'm glad for the people I've met here. I'm glad I got to meet you. [ And despite how awful things are at this particular moment, Bruce has been very happy here, and he hopes to continue to be. ] I'm not sure I could take all this being a dream.
no subject
I'd miss you. Even if I couldn't remember nothin'. Still miss not havin' you 'round.
[Eggsy's shoulders slump, and his face slides down Bruce's chest. He doesn't notice.]
My mum and sis need me. [His eyes fall shut, too heavy.] Don't wanna go back anymore though.
[Exhaustion gets the better of him, his whole body and all his weight slumping onto Bruce abruptly.]
no subject
[ And he's lost people before, even other friends he made here, so he knows how that feels. Even if he were to somehow know for sure that Eggsy would be back in his world, safe and happy, it'd still hurt terribly to lose him. ]
That's fine.
[ He catches Eggsy's weight when he slumps against him, repeating the words, holding him. It's a terribly dividing feeling, Bruce knows that. Having to leave, wanting to stay, and the guilt that comes with it.
Sadly there's not much he can do for Eggsy on that front. For now what he can do is lay him down across the seats carefully, rolling up some clothes and tucking them underneath his head as a makeshift pillow, then finding a small blanket to cover him up with. It's not much, but it should be enough for him to get some rest, and he sticks around for a little while longer too, sitting on the floor next to Eggsy, holding his hand. ]