( august intro log )

[hownkai]

Who: Everyone
When: August 1st and on
Where: The Moira
What: New “guests” join the crew on their journey and implement some changes.
Warnings: None for now. Please label your content!

I N T R O L O G

old but unfamiliar faces "We sometimes encounter people, even perfect strangers, who begin to interest us at first sight, somehow suddenly, all at once." The Ingress has pulled you in. Your body experiences several sensations at once: being pushed forward as if a hand is resting on your back, momentary and startling blindness, a gentle ringing in your head. You have difficulty discerning whether it is hot or cold, but where you have been prodded is noticeably warmer than the rest of you. Some may suffer from dizziness while others are perfectly fine. Once equilibrium has been reestablished, you will notice you are standing on a long platform and that the room is filled with a soft cerulean light. It's slightly humid and dark despite the glow around you, and nothing is familiar. Shortly after, you are led out and toward the medbay. Inside this room, you are given a physical scan and offered a contract to sign that states you are now part of the crew of the Moira with a specific job. Any questions you might have would be answered in a straightforward manner as well as an explanation about how the Ingress, the thing that has pulled you onto the Moira, is broken and bringing people here unintentionally. This process also consists of a complete work-up of medical history and current health, and afterwards, you are given your MID, a device that is integrated into your hand or wrist with only the slightest pinch. From there, you are guided out of the medbay and to your living quarters. At first, this month seems no more unusual than the previous one for those who have been aboard the Moira for any amount of time. The crew who had landed on the slaver outpost were rescued, and with everyone aboard, the ship has pushed forward into the darker parts of the Runoff. Anyone arriving through the Ingress follows the same routine—moving from the Ingress room into the Medbay for their physical and contract before being assisted by seasoned crew members and helped to their assigned decks. But all familiar things must eventually come to an end: two final travelers come through the Ingress. The first, and most noticeable difference between them and all the others, is their clothing. Both are dressed in standard Moira uniforms, though they bear the insignia of one sharing the same rank as Captains Cúrre and Thán. After a moment to take in all the people on the platform ahead of them, one of the two latest arrivals approaches one of the Ingress panels and begins to manipulate the controls. The Ingress completely shuts down. Unlike before, however, there isn’t an imbalance felt across the ship; everything remains normal and stable. Utilizing the computer systems located in the Ingress room, they send out the following message to the crew via the MID: To all those aboard this vessel: I am Ira Phirun, assigned captain of the Moira. First Mate Egan and I will be commandeering all rights to the ship as soon as word is sent to those currently in charge. Expect a more detailed report as soon as all records and logs in Navigation have been reviewed by myself and the First Mate. All questions will be answered in a timely matter. For now, there will be no interruption of daily routine or reprimand if conduct among ranks is broken. Thanks for your time. Heading to Navigation, the Captain and First Mate, for seemingly unknown reasons, approach Navigator Manasseh and have her show them all records and logs of the Moira. Those working in Navigation when the Captain and First Mate arrive will see Mana greet them in a professional manner. Oddly, the Captain and First Mate act very familiar with the Navigator. They review all documents, but when they come upon news that the Ploiatos is on board, their mostly friendly demeanor shifts quickly. The Captain issues a sharp order, unintelligible to those who are close enough to overhear parts of their conversation, and without any warning at all, Mana loses consciousness and collapses right there on the bridge. Within minutes of this happening, the ship as a whole falls into a low power state with basic functions only. Mana’s MID alerts Medbay, and without hesitation, Captain Cúrre places her in cryo with strict orders to those who work there not to disturb the unit. As promised, the Captain and First Mate soon address the crew. ☄ lights down low The lighting has dimmed in all the rooms and halls, the normally crisp air that is pumped from the vents low, and all machines and tech are running at half-speed. These effects can be found throughout the ship. Water in the showers remain hot for only a few minutes before reverting to cold. Recreational equipment powers off not long after it has been turned on. The sanitation and water filtration systems require an hourly manual reboot, and all unused areas of the ship have no power allotted to them until a crew member steps inside. Even then, most functions are not optimal. It’s as if the Moira has been transformed into a dark house with only a candle flickering on the window sill. ☄ reuse & recycle The Captain and First Mate are quick to establish that this is a new regime and go about making the ship and its crew more efficient in the wake of their change in course and the low power state of the ship itself. This means they will systematically inspect each occupied barracks room and leave notes for what needs to be disposed of or stowed away. Unlike before, this is no longer a pleasure cruise, and each member of the crew is a guest on board; they will not tolerate useless clutter. Anything seen as unnecessary will be either placed into storage in the Cargo Bay or disposed of through the airlock. This new need for efficiency also extends to the need to conserve resources until they reach their destination. The showers are set to an automatic timer to minimize water waste. Those few minutes of hot water are all a crew member is now given. Meals are smaller, bordering on ration sizes, and luxuries are done away with entirely in order to preserve supplies so that the ship can go longer before needing to dock at a planet. ☄ new jobs, same faces The Captain and his First Mate, as expressed in their addressing of the Moira, explain that work efficiency is a priority. Applications for a head of the following departments will be accepted for a short period: Navigation, the Tower, Medbay, Defense, the Hold, Sanitation, Ingress work, and the Galley/Mess Hall. (Here.) After reviewing what they receive, one head of department will be chosen and tasked with helping crew find positions relevant to those departments and their own skillsets. They will be allowed to retain any positions that they held before that aren’t ship-functional jobs, but they will have to be done in leisure time. In two weeks time, they’ll be accepting department position applications which will be approved, and all those that do not apply will be assigned in accordance with their initial work application. They will also choose three individuals to act as guards of Ploiatos to ensure that there is a rotation available at all times. Will you choose to follow this new decision and promote yourself into a position of responsibility? Or will you simply wait for a reassignment?

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

Comments

[alterplex]

[ Venom's frame of reference for how to deal with skittish people has been woefully limited in the past few months— his usual strategy is 'pick them up despite their protests and sling them over his shoulder', but that's not exactly going to be effective or useful here, is it?

So he continues to keep his voice level, hands slowly straying back to his sides. ]

But they didn't do anything to your face.

[ Gently but firmly asking for confirmation. Partially for his own benefit as well, to make sure that the staff here aren't involved in some sort of foul play.

Venom's scrutiny ebbs incrementally, making way for neutral contemplation. He doesn't attempt to close the distance between them, keeps to an armmspan-and-a-half away; best not to crowd the guy who looks like he's having trouble breathing. ]

[grandpaladin]

[And immediately, Reinhardt pauses. One foot held up in the air. He's been used to towering over people his whole life, after all. Being told to be careful is nothing new.]

[What is new, however, is... the rest of this.]

[Is that a head.]

[Is this some weird omnic thing?]

... I will be sure to, my friend. Ah. [Please excuse the staring from behind the glowing visor.] Are you all right?

sparring

[a_shadow]

[ Last month, there was a malfunction of the Ingress when it was near the Caducan ship, leading to rooms in the Moira being turned to glass. Worse yet, crew members experienced body parts being turned temporarily to glass. Tex suffered from an inability to use her arms at all during this time, and was unable to spar or use the heavy bags as she normally would. So being able to spar today was welcome and finding a new partner to spar with was icing on the cake. She's perfectly amenable to not escalating the session into an actual fight, and once they've got things sorted she begins to circle the same way Dutch is doing. ]

Gladly.

[ Having given her reply, she steps into the invisible circle to jab at Dutch's arm. ]

[grandpaladin]

[... That is an adorable apron. It's very, very cute. Briefly, the big man wonders if it's possible to find another one...]

[The rest of the stranger barely makes him blink. In fact, it reminds him fondly of Genji, in a way. So his expression is as pleasant as ever.]

Number fourteen, it says. Does that help?

[armsmode]

Yes. It's down the hall and around that corner. I reside in room #1.

[fullcowl]

[EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS IS STARTLING.

He jumps in shock, but- the car is still talking to him? How? The surprise is quickly followed be curiosity.]

I- I do see. How did you do- Can all Cybertronian do that? Is it comfortable in that form?

Closed; Adrien

[takeitslow]

[He doesn't come to the medbay often, not after the days he'd spent here be ridden after that disaster with the trap. He'd popped in only once since then, to check on River while she was in the tubes. His own time there didn't count, he like to think.

But here he is, limping back through the doors with the intent of checking on another frozen body. Peter makes it all of three steps in before he sees the familiar face bustling around the main area and he hobbles toward him at a fraction of his usual speed. It's not like the telepath would have been very impressed with his powers anyway.]

You don't get to hide in here right now. [He puts his hands on his hips, bossy and failing to keep the annoyance off his face. Of course he's still mad; when has he ever let go of a grudge so easily.] There's a girl here from the future, like our future and shit's changed a lot. Like, no more robots trying to kill us a lot. And, Charles dude, I think she actually wants to see you. For some reason she likes you. I don't get it but you probably haven't made her do anything illegal yet so I'm not holding it against her. Just, you know, try not to lead her down the wrong path when you talk to her.

[Peter sits down on the edge of a nearby table, frowning.]

What are you even doing in here? Haven't they released you from the brain freeze yet?

[grandpaladin]

[He should be more used to nonhumans -- after all, look at Winston. A space gorilla. But this guy is something else. Not in a bad way. He's a little bit fascinated, and doing his best not to ogle.]

[The handshake is a good way to get around that.]

I am Reinhardt. It is good to meet you, my friend. [Yeah that's right, Thane. He just met you and this is crazy, but you look awesome, so we're friends maybe.] Have you just arrived?

[alterplex]

[ He'd suggest a doctor for her complexion, but they've already passed that juncture, haven't they.

He hums in reply, a mild mm. They can be committed to being externally blasé about this together. ]

Doubt you'd get approval. [ this optimism, right here. ] Doesn't seem like our best interests are anyone's priority.

[grandpaladin]

Oh! In that case, we should look together.

[He holds out a huge hand, the knuckles scarred and cracked. Expression slightly apologetic -- he didn't mean to startle this guy, after all.]

Reinhardt. And you?

[grandpaladin]

Thank you.

[And then he extends a hand, smiling still.]

I am Reinhardt, yourself?

Closed; Bruce

[takeitslow]

[It's the second time in a week that Peter finds himself in the science department. At least this time he finds Bruce right off the bat instead of making awkward conversation with the other officers and this time isn't likely to turn to an argument.

Peter's at Bruce's workstation in a flash, knocking a hand against the man's shoulder and grinning wide. Things might be weird on the ship right now, and Peter won't pretend that he's okay with anything he's heard or seen since he woke from the tubes, but it's the first time he's seen Bruce since the collective. He can't help but be a little happy about that.]

You have been a surprisingly hard man to keep track of. I'm thinking about getting you a bell.

B

[soldiergenes]

[ While this is nowhere near as unpleasant as the last time that the ship was on emergency power, when it had gotten to teeth-chattering levels of coldness, it's difficult not to feel somewhat on-edge given what had happened before. Snake doesn't think that Ploiatos is actually going to be let loose on them, but his instincts tell him to be on high alert all the same.

It's not dark enough to need a pair of night-vision goggles, and even if it was it's not like he has one just hanging around, but Snake does wish the visibility was a little better.

That being said, it does make his hearing that much sharper, and this is someone who's been trained to take in environments with all five senses at all times. In other words, he picks out the familiar sound of a gun being taken apart with little to no trouble, and instantly veers from his initial course to go see who's behind the noise.

He isn't expecting to find a phantom.

Snake stops short as soon as he realizes who's seated at the table with his guns spread out in front of him. This is his first time encountering someone who's left and come back again, not counting when people are in cryo. Venom had been gone, not a trace left of him, so how is he here? ]

Ahab.

[ Snake looks him over, ready to judge his reaction. Most notable about Snake himself is that his right eye has a strange gleam to it, something barely visible in the low lighting — but a closer look would show it's made of glass. ]

[armsmode]

[Reinhardt's got big hands, but Genos has no qualms in gripping it firmly with his own metal ones.]

Genos, a cyborg for justice.

[caelus]

[ Jim doesn't understand all of what is going on, but none of this feels right. He's off-kilter, out of his depth, and in unfamiliar territory. He wants to be back on his ship, with his crew and family, who need him on the first mission this far into deep space in history.

Instead, he's here. It is beyond frustrating. Apparently, he is not alone, either.

He looks up, a little shocked. God, did the transport thing do that much of a number on him and watching the feed with all the new information, nevermind all of the medical stuff---? ]

Spock! God, I---I'm sorry I must have missed you back there. Guess you saw the announcement. [ He tries not to itch at the spot where he got jabbed. ] What do you think, so far?

You ok?

[saveyourserpent]

[Luckily for Liquid, he isn't working at the moment, so he doesn't have to wear his uniform. And he's the kind of guy who takes that thing off the second he gets the chance. This guy does not seem so lucky. He's got some interesting arms, though. Liquid probably looks like he's staring for a moment, but he's just taking a look. It's different.]

No, but there's a weapons collection around here that's a bit incomplete. And to think, they considered them rubbish.

[Because they are, and he knows that. But he likes to have some sort of fully rounded arsenal, and that means anything he can get his hands on, and what's the point of having them if he can't get his hands on them?]

Didn't think they'd have someone inspecting everything so thoroughly. Suppose they really want to make sure everything's by the book around here.

[heroicpose]

Oh.

[ There's a pregnant pause of silence over with the sports car while he considers that. ]

Well, you're not doing a real great job of that. You should probably see someone since I think you're just making it worse.

[ The idea of having another organic touch him isn't high on his list, but he's a bleeding spark. You see someone who is pretty fragged up and you might as well help, right? Unless this organic was born that way. Oh, that's awkward.

His door pops open, inviting him in. ]

Take a seat.

[psychobabblery]

Hm. What if I shout CHILD LABOR LAWS in a crowded building instead?

[Brofist. Well, if she were tall enough to reach and/or a bro in the first place. It's the thought that counts, alright.]

I've yet to hear how sewing some pants will let us get home any faster. Well, unless they plan on parachuting us home.

Big Brother... says hi?

[beautifulspaceraptor]

For once, Nihlus is actually doing something pretty close to relaxing. He's stretched out in the new, quiet darkness of the Lounge, reading through various schematics on his omni-tool.

Decked out in his armor, of course.

Neither the standard issue Hierarchy thermals or the Moira's had the proper temperature regulation he'd need to be comfortable with the current temperatures. The engine room was always warm, but the constant background noise didn't make it particularly well suited for this kind of reading.

The flicker of blue light out of the corner of his vision doesn't startle Nihlus. He's stopped being surprised sudden glowing holograms between BB and Cortana. BB was in cryo that the moment though, so he lifts hand for a wave, Cortana's name on his tongue-

That voice was sure was new.

Blinking, the Turian sits up slightly, peering at their latest digital arrival with interest.

"Well, hello." He rests an arm atop the backrest, tones warm in greeting. "I don't think I've seen you around before."

medbaaay

[deconstruct]

Heard they were giving away free prostate exams.

[ said in the flattest of tones that has ever graced the moira. maybe make eye contact before addressing new patients next time, alva.

either way, andyr rolls his eyes, and passes alva up to plop down in the roller chair the techs and doctors (and alva) generally use, sprawling a bit, chest flopped against the chair back, arms folded on top and chin rested there, as he makes a sour sort of face. ]

I don't like the new guys. [ the officers, he means. the captain and first mate. ] They're hiding something.

And you shouldn't call them 'sir'.

[warandpeace]

...Did you forget who I am?

[Snake. Snake. He will absolutely manufacture work for himself when he doesn't have enough to do.]

Didn't have a business to run. Mama's not much of a worker, though. Didn't intend her to be. Joy is. Figure... well, might as well give Ocelot a little something extra to do. She was Big Boss's... before he uh... [He doesn't want to say "died", so he doesn't. Not ready to talk about that yet. He needs to address the important stuff first. In this case, though he scowls down at the idea, Kaz is less important as a person. He needs to focus on giving Snake ship relevant information. Not dump more weight on him immediately.]

[Joy is considerably calmer than her mother, level-tempered like her namesake. Where the twins managed to pick the most combative of the puppies, John had picked this small earnest one.] He was from a different timeline I think. A few years ahead of us.

sailors fighting in the dance hall

[ex_forcechoke292]

[Saying this is a lot to process is something of a misnomer when it comes to the Moira. Nothing is stable, nothing is safe (including the crew if Anakin's visible bruises are anything to go by), and it always gets worse.

The fact that he kinds Snake alone in a corner with his gun in the dark actually isn't as strange as it might be to anyone less acquainted with the sight: he's used to clones seemingly operating on an impossible 24/7 standard calendar schedule (and being annoyed, frankly, at those other Jedi and military generals who didn't seem to understand that these were people, not the machines they were trying to push back), often doing...much the same. It's honestly a point of endearment, anymore. A commonality that puts him at an inexplicable sense of ease.

The war had been terrible. Worse so when it's meaningless. But it had given him a sense of purpose and a place to keep his wandering mind.

Anakin approaches with little caution, and even a--is that a smirk?]

What model is that? It doesn't look like any blaster I've seen before.

[redrust]

[The funny thing here is that Vengarl was actually quite a bit larger than Reinhardt, when he was a human being. People used to cower at the sight of him.

And now he's just a head. Sadly, this isn't even a weird omnic thing. It's a weird undead thing.]

Not really, no.

[He's sitting on the floor of someplace he's never seen before, apparently abducted from his would-be final resting place, surrounded by strangers, and with no open sky above his head. He's far from okay.

Oddly enough, though, the whole "decapitation" thing isn't even one of the things that bothers him.]

[alterplex]

[ That's a cryptic sentiment to be left with, and Venom flicks his gaze up from kneeling position to catch the tail end of Liquid's tapping motion. Again, it's strange for him to be called out on features that people usually leave well enough alone, so he stops himself mid-ruffle and straightens back up again.

The puppy scratches at his leg, disappointed. Sorry, buddy. ]

Familiar. [ So, either Liquid's noticed their strange facial similarities, or there's something else at work here.

That one word is definitely all Venom says about it (please use your words, V), slight upwards inflection the only thing betraying his subtle request for elaboration. ]

Kaworu Nagisa | NGE

[braceforimpact]

A. HELP HIM TO HELP YOU(?)

[The reduced rations at the dining hall are creating bad moods in nearly everybody, but Kaworu isn't one of them. Despite the fact that he's served a meal three times a day, his S2 Engine provides him with all the energy his body needs. He doesn't need food.

At first he just sits with his tray and stares at it, silent. Like something's on his mind. If you say something to him, maybe he'll give it to you.

After the first few days, he starts gifting his meals to people more or less at random. He doesn't say anything, mind--he just walks past a table and desposits his tray in front of someone and keeps going. He can be stopped, of course, but do you really want to draw attention to yourself?]

B. SMELLS LIKE SHADOWY RELIGIOUS ORGANISATIONS

[Kaworu haunts the dimly-lit halls of the Moira, lurking strangely at junctions of intersections and in empty rooms. He smiles, a bright and open smile, but there's something uncanny about it--like he knows something. Something that he's not telling you. Or maybe it's something you already know.

He doesn't greet anyone, weirdly. He just walks away if nothing is said to him. A fleeting encounter.

Or if you want to talk to him... why not? He'll stick around, exchange some words with you.]

C. FREE WILL (Wild Card!)

[Make something up. Or hit me up at railehatesfun and we'll come up with something! I'm really flexible.]