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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?
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hownkai) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
thisavrou_log2016-08-01 12:13 am
no subject
It's not a mistake. It's never a fucking mistake.
[ 'Ingress malfunction'. Sure. The Houses always prettied things up in any official documentation - to the authorities, to the press, to the other Mice being brought in and told they'd be taken care of. His fathers death, in the newspaper obituary, read as an unfortunate accident. The wrong place at the wrong time. We all know how shady the Fifth Ward streets can be at night. Son still not to be found, authorities assumed he ran away, another orphan on the streets. How sad. Maybe Hapsburg will pick him up out of the generosity in their hearts and give him a place to stay. Muscles in his jaw work, and his teeth grind, feeling an annoying ache in his chest as panic rises with each passing moment. ]
Where's the captain's quarters?
no subject
[Nick comes to an abrupt halt, hands lifted up in front of him. His roommate is...excitable. Unpredictable. But then he starts to understand why he pulled the makeshift weapon out, so he drops his hands and takes a breath. It feels like a light touch is what's needed to keep this situation, to keep Andyr from escalating, and Nick's not sure he's the guy for the job. But he'll try.]
You're probably right. [All the little similarities between people's words, right down to their fucking faces. What're the odds? The universe is huge, and the number of people on it really isn't. Nick has a hard time believing that it's a coincidence. But.] But you go there now, like this? They'll throw you in the hold. Worse, they'll shoot you out into space or something. You heard about the navigator, right?
[He doesn't know what's up with their new Captain and his entourage, just that they show up and suddenly people are hitting the ground like flies. Nick glances around, trying to shake that feeling that they're not alone before looking back at him.]
That Alva seems like a nice guy. You wanna look out for him, right? You gotta... [Nick grimaces a little because dear god, how is he the one saying this.] You gotta think this through and wait for the right time.
no subject
it's enough that he stops with the hands raised and Nick trying to get his attention, expression stony and violence still promised in his eyes as they skim the halls while listening to Nick rationalizing with him. Throw you in the hold, shoot you into space, stick him in cryo. Andyr's eyes narrow some at the last, brows furrowing like that's the singular concern he's actually trying to work through. They'd said something to her, right? Before she fell over? Was it just her that response to it, or is that some kind of power they have?
His mind skips to Alva, and from him, Val and Miray. Alva may be strong, but he can't protect them like Andyr can. He doesn't know how, and he doesn't have the mentality to go to the lengths Andyr does to see to it. Nick's right, in that he can't risk leaving them here by themselves, if he screws this up. But on the other hand, what if it happens anyway, while they're waiting? ]
The right time never comes for people like us. If you're waiting for things to be in your favor, may as well surrender or walk yourself off a damn cliff, because it's never fucking coming, Nick. You should know that. [ For all he tangled with Division, and all the power he'd told him they had. ]
They already took Cassie once, are you seriously saying you'd take the chance it happens again?
no subject
[Because each day buys them some time, and maybe a chance at a better future. Nick does believe it can change, it just takes some figuring out. He has strong suspicions, but no solutions yet. So he saves the crazy stuff.]
Look, if I thought doing this would get Cassie safely home again, I'd already be at their doors. But chances are it would just get me taken away from her for good. And then what happens to her?
[It bothers him, and Nick realizes right then that he needs to start working on his trust issues again, find someone he'd feel okay with asking to watch out for her if something did happen. But he doesn't have anyone like that yet.]
It's the same, man. You're still needed around here. God only knows what kind of roommate I'd end up with next.
no subject
but there isn't any immediately threat to anyone right now, and nick's right in that, if he failed, he'd be taken away from alva, val and miray, and stranded somewhere. they'd be completely on their own, and with the ingress gone, he'd never see posie or mikal again.
jaw tight, his lips press together, and andyr looks ready to just punch a wall if he can't punch anyone else. instead, he pushes his palms over his face, and paces over to one of the walls of the hallway, a quiet, mostly incoherent murmuring coming from behind his hands, all that can likely be picked it is something about fish. For a long moment, Andyr's still and unresponsive, trying to reign himself in and push that pounding fear towards the back of his mind, something every inch of him is rebelling against, as it has for years.
What he focuses in on is what Nick had said - about if he were taken away. Eventually, he speaks up, hands falling away from his face. ]
Cassie'd be safe. I'd make sure.
[ In case he was worried about it. Not because he's particularly fond of Nick, but because he knows the loss Cassie's had. He's lived it. A slow sigh leaves him, and he lolls his head to the side, to look at Nick. ] Yeah, you might get one that doesn't mention killing you in your sleep every other day. What a pain in the ass that would be.
no subject
Maybe someone who showers with the door closed. What a concept.
[One of his brows jumps in amusement. He responds to that first, because he's still going over that surprising promise in his head. Would he trust Andyr to keep Cassie safe? A guy who talks about murder on the first date and showed up wearing someone else's insides?
Hell yeah. That's exactly the kind of guy that Nick wants looking out for her.]
Thanks.
[Nick looks at him, and it's not a Moment, but it might be as close as they get. He pushes away from the wall, nodding his head back in the direction that they came. Nick starts to turn away before he suddenly looks back at him, expression crunched up and confused.]
Did you mumble something about fish?
no subject
[ it's a spaceship, there is no breeze, he's just being a twat, which is how Nick can likely tell that he's mostly getting to the point of alright. still not completely there, still want to find every original, non-Ingress native of this ship/universe and cut their throats open just for the sake of security, just because he thinks he could get away with it. but being still for now.
and just about that only. he doesn't trust himself to move much further right now, the shank still gripped in a hand, unwilling to put it away yet. it helps that nick's there, being nick, which means being a contrary shit babbling about most inconsequential, yet amusing, crap, andyr's lips pulling into a small smile at the mention of fish mumbling. ]
Yeah, I said your mom looks like a radioactive fish mutant.
[ no he didn't. it was some ramble of trivia - things he recites when he tries to get his mind to stop racing, a kind of calming mantra that's just embarrassingly stupid, but it happens to be one of the only things he really has extensively well memorized. this bullshit is his life. ]
Can't believe you left that ramen bowl to chase me.
no subject
[Nick's pointing at him like he's dead serious when he's obviously not - unless his mom actually was a radioactive fish mutant, and then wouldn't Andyr's face be red.
The shank is still in his hand, but it's looking more and more like Andyr's punk ass is going to be around for a little bit longer. Nick isn't pinning the word relief to what he's feeling right now, but. Ok. That works.
But he looks absolutely crestfallen at the mention of the ramen. He'll probably dream about it tonight, mae weird sounds and shit, give Andyr a reason to watch him while he sleeps.]
The soup is the best part, you know. Second only to the noodles.
no subject
[ his name is Konstantin and he’s gene spliced and he eats people because they made him a shark-betta-merman thing. Assisi is a pretty fucked up House. And, ah, that wasn’t a good thing to bring up if he wanted to calm himself down.
Shit.
His expression is a bit pinched as he responds to the bit about ramen, obviously making an effort to try to stay calm, and having some difficulty. ] So what’s the last part, the cardboard they sprinkle in for flavor?
[ He can’t even manage to bring up a smile for it, grimacing more than anything else, and after a second to two, he snaps his eyes to Nick, shooting out an abrupt query. ]
You ever try Muay Thai?
no subject
But he's getting that look again, like he might be about to seriously backslide. Nick gets one step closer before he stops.]
What, the martial art? [He's doing that whole knitted brow thing at the non sequitur.] I saw a few matches while I was in Thailand. But as far as trying it myself, nah. Why?
no subject
oh good, you came closer, that means he can reach out to grab your arm and start yanking you down the hall, towards the training rooms. ]
Because you're gonna learn it. Come on.
[ he needs stress relief and ramen isn't cutting it. this is what you get for giving a damn and attempting to be helpful, nick. ]
no subject
[At least put the shank away first so he doesn't feel like he's being led to slaughter. Nick follows with minimal protest - physically, anyway. That mouth is still going.]
Why am I learning Muay Thai? Do I look like the kind of guy who enjoys taking a foot to the face? [Wait.] And feel free to not answer that.
no subject
[ because you probably have been, or will get, slapped around more times than is dignifying. that, and, there's something very personally affected by nick's determination to take out division, and even if he can't or wouldn't be there, he at least wants to help prepare him for it.
that, and, teaching gives him something to focus on. something he hasn't really gotten to do in a while. ]
Anyway, the idea's that you put your foot in someone else's face, dumbshit, that's why I'm helping you.
no subject
[Nick scrubs his face with both hands. Why does he get the feeling that he's going to regret this tomorrow? But that feeling isn't that unusual anyway.
He shakes his arms out awkwardly, loosening up.]
But you're just trying to teach me, not actually kill me. Just remember that.
no subject
[ now let that soak into your mind, andyr teaching children, small children. andyr responsible for small children. ANYWAY.
once they make it to the rec room, and andyr's led nick out onto the mats laid out on the floor in a space for sparring, he's turning to face him before waving a hand for him to come forward. ]
Okay, throw a punch. No super freak powers for now, just how you'd punch someone if you wanted to drop them.
no subject
[He laughs a little. Look, that's almost as ridiculous as leaving Nick in charge of a teenager.
Nick rubs the back of his neck after they're facing each other. Andyr looks a little too ready for his liking.]
For the record, that's when I'd use my super freak powers.
[He puts his fists up. When it comes to fighting, Nick's average. He can hold his own in a bar brawl. He can take a punch when his reflexes aren't fast enough to help him avoid it, can give one right back and even fight dirty on occasion. It's nothing fancy, but he's alive, isn't he? Fighting on command is...odd, for him. He takes a breath before he steps forward, throwing out a sudden right at his roommate's face. Some of his concentration goes to not using his powers. It gets a little instinctive these days.]
omfg why is this huge, im sorry
We'll add those in later. Relying on your super freak powers is what'll get you killed, especially with people like Division, who've been hunting people like you for years. [ He's explaining, while Nick gets ready. ] Know what you're doing first, then add those on top.
[ Andyr's more focused on the task at hand, rather than getting into more about powers at the moment, watching how Nick holds himself, how he manages that punch, where most of the power in it comes from, and at the last second, he jerks back to narrowly avoid taking the fist to the face, with a hand touching the side of Nick's wrist to push punch to the side. Actual impact not necessary. ]
Good. You fight like a boxer, most people do, it's just what you know. Here's the thing, though. Boxers aren't trying to kill each other, and Division will be. [ And, no, this isn't the part he taught to eleven year olds, but the eleven year olds weren't running off to fight the government. For as careless and flippant as Andyr typically is with him, he's actually shifting into something more genuine here, taking this seriously, with a sincere concern for preparing him for what he's going into. ]
If you forget everything else I tell you, remember these two things - first, go for what's going to drop them fastest. Don't sit there and wail on one person for five minutes, because that gives his ten friends running down the hall time to show up and tase you. [ This isn't so much part of Muay Thai theory as it is just what Andyr'd been taught by his father, and what he'd learned trying to make it through Hapsburg sane. Stepping him, given he has so little concern for personal boundaries, he takes Nick's face in his hands and starts to point things out as he explains. ] The skull is a hard fucking thing, so if you're punching someone in the head, go for the soft parts. Where the jaw hinges, here. At the temple. The ear. If they're close enough for you to put fingers in their eyes, do it. Throat. You can crush a windpipe without using your powers at all.
[ how many people has andyr punched or kicked in the throat? too many. Moving on, he'll let Nick have his face back, and switch to showing movement. ]
Second thing - keep moving. You're not going to have fair, one-on-one fights, and even in those, you want to be a moving target. This straight line bullshit is for video games, no one fights like that, not even in boxing rings. If you step in to throw a punch, do it, and when you step out, go at a 45. [ Pacing over, he taps at the back of Nick's feet with the inside of is to move him into a good stance. ] So, get on the balls of your feet, one foot forward about half a step, nothing huge or you'll lose balance too easy. When you punch, it's your entire body that goes into it, okay, not just your arm, so when you throw it, push the weight off that back foot and drive it into the punch. Got it?
because sensei andyr
The brows raise a bit when Andyr takes his face in his hands, but Nick's already caught on that he has a reason for it, that this isn't one of his ceiling creeper moments. He tunes in a little more. Dropping those guys quick and moving on is definitely the route Nick would take, it's just a matter of learning how.]
Yeah, I got it.
[There's a second where he thinks about throwing a sucker punch using everything that Andyr just told him, but that's kind of a dick move.
Then again, he did just say that he's not going to have a fair fight... He shakes his head.]
Let's do it again.
wax on, wax off
But nick’s seeming to really take this with a level of seriousness now, and the focus has andyr a bit proud, and feeling a bit more useful, in light of the helplessness of ten or so minutes before.
Raising up his hands, he puts them palms out, like targets, and waves Nick forward. ] Okay, hit my palms, be accurate, aim to put your knuckles right in the center of my hand. Keep moving.
[ After the first punch, he’ll be snapping the opposite hand out for the space Nick’s head was just in. If he hasn’t moved from where he was, he’ll be slapped lightly upside the head. ] If I touch you, you owe me push ups.