Date & Time: ??? whenever now is
Location: somewhere
Characters: cassian and jyn
Summary: we do what we want
Warnings: references to death and dying probably? idk. i'll update this if stuff actually happens.

( heaven help a fool )

So did anyone ever do anything about the encroaching planet full of the zombies that were on the moon that one time, or what?

( it has not occurred to gamora that someone had completely failed to pass on that information before going back to her own universe. )

[ HEY HE'S IN HIS DUMB LITTLE CABIN OUT BY HIS TRANQUIL LAKE; IT'S LOVELY, IT'S COVERED IN DUST; THERE ARE BOTTLES OF VODKA EVERYWHERE ]

Are any of you people even still alive?

[ He lifts a dusty bottle. ]

Come take one of these, if so. Congratulate yourself on surviving the apocalypse. We are -- [ he drinks deeply; it is possible he has been doing this for a while. for six years ] -- as gods. Or roaches, perhaps.

[For this final post, it's not Blue Beetle facing the camera, but Jaime Reyes. Technically, this announcement should be from the Blue Beetle, but the AI's already mentioned Jaime Reyes as being present for this, and he may as well roll with it.

Funny - the last time he willfully made his own post using his own face was to organize a movie party so very long ago. Now, however, he doesn't have such happy news to relay, which seems to be the norm right down to the bitter end.]

Hey. I probably should have mentioned this before the AI did. [It sounds like there should be an excuse for that coming afterwards, but he doesn't provide one.] You guys should probably know what actually went down with the UE's AI. The signal that Peter tracked down was coming from Vandrova because our AI and the UE's were linked - that's why our AI was asking for the kill switch. Our AI was the only thing stopping the UE from just bombing the hell out of us again. Just because we avoided that sacrifice, though, doesn't mean that we avoided sacrifice altogether. Me and Angel put our all into helping the AI overpower and kill - [and that is kill; necessary or not, Jaime's belief that AIs are alive doesn't go away just because this particular AI was planning on destroying Exsilium] - the UE's. Only, I'm still here. Angel's not, because she gave all of herself in making sure that what we did worked. She died there.

We have her to thank for finally having the option to go home.

[He's silent for a good thirty seconds, eyes averted from the screen more out of respect for Angel and her sacrifice than anything else.]

Me and Angel were going to put together a booklet of info for the newbies, but since there aren't any more, if you're staying and want the compilation of what we knew, just let me know. Maybe it's not relevant anymore, but I figure it's important to know what's possible in this world, how the system can fail. There's still lots to do here.

[Because let's be honest: everything documented is mainly the atrocities done by the UE, and the reasons behind it.]

But I'm going home, so... I guess this is goodbye, guys.

[And with that, he cuts the feed.]

[ Somewhere out in the rain — rain, not snow! It's almost delightful after the months of snow — there's a beaming face staring down into a camera. He talks quickly, excitedly. ]

You've heard, surely you've heard, that we're going home. Or, well, I suppose some of you lot might opt to stay, but — I've a proposal!

If you haven't anything absolutely pressing at home, even if I've never properly spoken with you before, come with me! Come with me, I'm going to Cittàgazze. It's this — a hub of worlds, you see, you can get anywhere from there, it seems. Voluntarily! All it takes is finding the right window to lead you into the world you'd like to visit.

Why, you might come with me even if you do have business at home to attend! You could find home, take care of it, and then spend the rest of your time seeing how many pleasurable worlds one can attend in a single month. Hmm? We'll make a contest of it, a corkboard up in a central world for tallies.

[ WIDEST SMILE EVER. ]

Come with me. Rin, Marduk, Collette? All of you!

Let's talk about entrances.

I'm not a very complicated person. The missus would say I'm simple, and a simple thought is that first impressions are sticky. Sometimes I spend so much time pondering how to make my entrance— with a clever line, or a flash of smoke, or… I don't actually know how to do the flash of smoke thing.

The point is, I spend so much time thinking about it that I don't make any impression at all! For the best, maybe. Every entrance is also an exit. You can't go anywhere without leaving.

Hi again, everyone.

Entertaining banter is much more fun when you have things to banter about. Period. I was hoping that I would be able to swing in and tell you something really interesting about the coordinates, and carefully craft it into some witty statement about my superhero identity. [There's a beat.] But uh, that's not happening today. Sorry.

The important bit is that I decoded it, and the message is coming from right where you guys went. No surprise, right? Well, here's the kicker, the AI, which, as we all know, is kind of outsourced from the UE, is asking one simple thing.

"Kill me."

So.

Yeah.

[The last few days have been repetitive, and they've also included adventures with Lokis. Plural. Downtime from that has generally included holing himself up and wondering why this is what his life has become. Hanging out with Lokis! Being the protective sort! Repetition. But the downtime also led to him trying to look into things. Barring having the proper instruments (and he does have some, he's started working on it), he's been looking at things from a different angle.

More specifically: he's been trying to figure out what's up with the AI. Time and space is definitely a million butterflies crushed right now, and that seems to be the obvious clue.

One he resolves it, he comes on and waves at everyone.][There's a beat as he figures out how to say this.]

Hi, everyone. I'm sure everyone's noticed the instability of things. I mean, unless you live under a rock. Is it warm under there? Did you nest and gather acorns? ... Okay, not why you're watching this.

I looked into the AI's transmissions. Which, well, I bet I'm not the only one, but I found that the transmissions are coming from Vandrova (that's the capital of the UE, for people under those cozy rocks) in the year 2742.

While I am not going to endorse time travel when time itself seems to be constantly flushing itself down the toilet, it might be a good idea to check it out.

There is a second part that I'm trying to decode right now, but it might be easier with more information on what's going on then.

[OOC information on this is here!!!]

[This time, there’s two faces in the screen instead of just one. The two young dwarf brothers grin at each other before looking back at the screen.]

Good news! The forge is ready to go. [Kili looks like he might very well explode from excitement.] Any of us dwarves can smith just about anything you need as long as we can find the basic materials for it. Weapons, tools, jewelry…

Our forge is on the outskirts of the city, so come by and talk to us if you have something in mind. [He glances back at his brother.]

[Said brother gives Kili a nod before he leans in towards the screen, looking less on the verge of exploding than his counterpart, but nonetheless pleased.]

And to those of you who came by to lend us a hand, that offer of a discount on your first purchase still stands. We couldn't have gotten the place up and running so soon without your help.

[Suddenly, another voice cuts over Fili’s words, low and feminine and further away. Dis is in the background, looking over at where the sons are standing. There’s a faintly unimpressed look upon her face, hair pulled back and out of the way, it’s clear she’s still cleaning and fixing up the last minute details.]

Are you done yet? There is still some more work to do, boys.

[Kili sighs and turns back, looking over his shoulder at her as Fili does the same.] We’re coming, Mother.


[ooc: Kili, Fili, and Dis. The boys will take turns answering replies.]

[Heath's face appears on the screen, as in the background, some guy falls down the same step he's fallen down for the last few days now.]

So hey, I don't know how many of you come from Earth, but this whole thing is reminding me of this movie my parents made me watch once. You know, it had Bill Murray in it and the day just repeated and repeated. I think it was because the guy was a jerk who hated groundhogs?

Anyway, he totally fixed the timeloop, by doing...something? I kinda dozed off. But if this thing is like that movie, maybe we can break the cycle by doing exactly what that guy did. Whatever that was.

Someone else has seen this movie, right? Back me up here!

[And once again, Heath neither does not says anything useful.]

Attention End User Group Transports. Attention End User Group Transports. AI have detected multiple unidentifiable incoming transmissions from an unrecognized source. AI have no records of similar occurrences before in my databanks. AI am a͕͇̾̍t̘̆͆͗t̯̗̖͓̜̖̬̗ͨ͞ę̹͉ͥṁ̙̭̬̘̰̮̐̎̇̉͝͡p̨̹͗ͪ͐ͮ͆͋͗t̯̻̱̖̫̲̿ͪ̌́͒ͣ͗͗̒í̛̝͉̟̝̣̘͔̬ͧ̚͜n̠̿͐̔̂͂g̓҉̵͍̱ ̷̨̃͒͗͏̬̫̱͖̩t̢̞̙̮̤̥̜̻̮̯̓ͬ͋̋̔ͤ̆̓ő̧̱̠̪̼̼̮̤̮̦ͤ͂͐ ̓́ͥ̏҉͙̺̣̣̯̗̳͖l͖̗͛͛̈o̢̩͇̯̤̿̉̄͌̾ͥ̍͟c̴͎͎͍͍̣̘̹̳͊ͥ̇̋ͬ̅ͫą̨̼͓̫͓͔̤͋͐̈̏ṫ̉̋͆ͫ̊͝҉̩͎̣̖ͅeͩͨ̂͆̓͊̍́̐͏̠͍̲ ̹̑̾ͨ͂̆͒ͥ̍̓t̜̺͔̜͚̉͐̾̈ͣh̰̳̥̻̳̱̉̾ͦ́ͅe̞̬͈͎͖̦̥͎̪ͩͦ̽͘͠͡ ̢͍̇̍ͫ͋̊̄̎͜s̗̺̩̹̹̒͊͐̕o̪̰̒̒̓uͯ͆҉̥̻͇̣͍̘̟̻ṟ̭ͬ͒̊̔̔ͣ͊̒̀̀ͅc̫̻̎͋͜ê̴̬̼̜̱̼͎ͯ͊̊̉̿̌͡ with limited success.

A̼̦͑̍Í̷͉̱͕͖̰̟͚̌ͤ͑ͦͤ̋ ̭̯̿͑̎͑́͞ā̶̞̟̭̙̲͈͋̀͊͘͞mͬ̄͋̄̂̔͋͏҉̱̗̦ ̢͚͖̪̿͐̏͛̏͗͡s̥̑́̈́͠o̵̮̫̺̜̹̊̃ͣ̾ͫ̔ͤ̐͝r̸̠̹̹ͧͯ́̌̇̕͝r̭̭̫ͬͭ̎͛͛̓̆y̟͈͔̺̗̘̠̤ͮ͌ͭ̌͟.̦͚͎̮̺̈͂̇̆̆͌̔̎͟ AI am finding it increasingly difficult to f̧͓̻̳̻̦͚̖̄̈̽̅͢ͅṷ̻̪͕ͮ̀n̲̙̭͋̄̆ͧ̂ͮ͛̒̕͜c̬̟̫͎͙ͩ̀͝ṭ̱̔̀̊ͫͅi̬̦̤̣̖̬ͮ̀͡o͔̹͚̱̼̻̲͎̾ͭ͌̕n̢̠̲̠̳̲ͫͦ̃͊ͣ̅̓ͫ͆.

Attention End User Group Transports. Attention End User Group Transports. AI have detected multiple unidentifiable incoming transmissions from an unrecognized source. AI have no records of similar occurrences before in my databanks. AI am a͕͇̾̍t̘̆͆͗t̯̗̖͓̜̖̬̗ͨ͞ę̹͉ͥṁ̙̭̬̘̰̮̐̎̇̉͝͡p̨̹͗ͪ͐ͮ͆͋͗t̯̻̱̖̫̲̿ͪ̌́͒ͣ͗͗̒í̛̝͉̟̝̣̘͔̬ͧ̚͜n̠̿͐̔̂͂g̓҉̵͍̱ ̷̨̃͒͗͏̬̫̱͖̩t̢̞̙̮̤̥̜̻̮̯̓ͬ͋̋̔ͤ̆̓ő̧̱̠̪̼̼̮̤̮̦ͤ͂͐ ̓́ͥ̏҉͙̺̣̣̯̗̳͖l͖̗͛͛̈o̢̩͇̯̤̿̉̄͌̾ͥ̍͟c̴͎͎͍͍̣̘̹̳͊ͥ̇̋ͬ̅ͫą̨̼͓̫͓͔̤͋͐̈̏ṫ̉̋͆ͫ̊͝҉̩͎̣̖ͅeͩͨ̂͆̓͊̍́̐͏̠͍̲ ̹̑̾ͨ͂̆͒ͥ̍̓t̜̺͔̜͚̉͐̾̈ͣh̰̳̥̻̳̱̉̾ͦ́ͅe̞̬͈͎͖̦̥͎̪ͩͦ̽͘͠͡ ̢͍̇̍ͫ͋̊̄̎͜s̗̺̩̹̹̒͊͐̕o̪̰̒̒̓uͯ͆҉̥̻͇̣͍̘̟̻ṟ̭ͬ͒̊̔̔ͣ͊̒̀̀ͅc̫̻̎͋͜ê̴̬̼̜̱̼͎ͯ͊̊̉̿̌͡ with limited success.

A̼̦͑̍Í̷͉̱͕͖̰̟͚̌ͤ͑ͦͤ̋ ̭̯̿͑̎͑́͞ā̶̞̟̭̙̲͈͋̀͊͘͞mͬ̄͋̄̂̔͋͏҉̱̗̦ ̢͚͖̪̿͐̏͛̏͗͡s̥̑́̈́͠o̵̮̫̺̜̹̊̃ͣ̾ͫ̔ͤ̐͝r̸̠̹̹ͧͯ́̌̇̕͝r̭̭̫ͬͭ̎͛͛̓̆y̟͈͔̺̗̘̠̤ͮ͌ͭ̌͟.̦͚͎̮̺̈͂̇̆̆͌̔̎͟ AI am finding it increasingly difficult to f̧͓̻̳̻̦͚̖̄̈̽̅͢ͅṷ̻̪͕ͮ̀n̲̙̭͋̄̆ͧ̂ͮ͛̒̕͜c̬̟̫͎͙ͩ̀͝ṭ̱̔̀̊ͫͅi̬̦̤̣̖̬ͮ̀͡o͔̹͚̱̼̻̲͎̾ͭ͌̕n̢̠̲̠̳̲ͫͦ̃͊ͣ̅̓ͫ͆.

[The message comes from an anonymous source, because that’s how PM rolls.]

First, if anyone has heard of Blue Beetle speak up. [He knows at least two of the Reyes are here (of course they are), but it's easier to have them come to him.]

And that said: Weapons. I was told they were infused sentience, which honestly sounds all kinds of creepy. [And too close to the Scarab for his comfort. He’s already fought that kind of pseudo-setient technology and once was more than enough.]

But how powerful is that sentience? How big is the link between them and the person using it? They told me it adapted with time and training. How much can it adapt? And how much does it learn from you? I’d like to know before I actually start with the training, not thrilled by it monitoring me to God knows what entity.

[And he’s about to close the tablet, but then:] Feel free to reply to this as anon, as well. I don’t really care either way. [’Don’t give a fuck’ had seemed a bit too… crude.]

[Nate's voice is rough, when it comes over the comm, but he manages to keep it steady. Mostly]

For those who knew him, Soldier Blue has passed away. [It's been a long time since he's been the one to bear this sort of bad news, and he feels distantly sympathetic for Scott - out of all of the responsibilities that come with being a leader, this is one of the worst]

I've spoken to the Initiative - because it was due to natural causes, and with the shifts in the timestream, the resurection tech won't work. It was... peaceful, though. [Enough that he didn't sense the moment of death, anyway]

There'll be a memorial at some point - I'll let everyone know.

[The person on the screen strikes a surprisingly mundane figure. He's in his late 30's-- or his 40's, perhaps, as the beard hides some of the wrinkles.) Dark eyes and hair, the latter of which is beginning to recede; brown skin; simple clothing; kind eyes set amongst the lines and creases of approaching middle age.

This is Alberto Reyes. He is an average Texan, an ordinary father... and he wants to get the hell home already.]

I was under the impression that we weren't using the draft anymore. I don't remember signing up to participate in any [other] wars in outer space, either. [And yet he still sounds more or less collected. 'Berto cracks a tiny, slightly exasperated, smile.]

I have a wife; children at home. I can't simply leave them like this. As much as I sympathize, I won't be fighting here, and that is that.

[He hesitates. There's not really a reason for him to have been picked up for something this odd, is there? Ex-military reputation notwithstanding, there's nothing particularly stand-out about him. At least not anything that'd warrant being taken here. Unless...]

[Alberto sets down what he was holding-- a cane-- and starts rifling through his wallet. Finally, he pulls out what looks like a recent school photo and holds it up to the camera.] On the off chance that my son is here [because what else could it have been but his superhero son] please let him know that his father is looking for him. My name is Alberto, and my son is Jaime.

[He shouldn't ask for Bianca or Milagro, should he? That's impossible. At least, he hopes it is.]

Thank you.

[Berto reaches over to cut the feed.]

( anonymous text message. )

Two weeks until Valentines. I wonder, do we have the time?

( private to yata, eric, kougyoku, mikoto. )

I'm too old to plan parties, but it's his birthday in two weeks. [ does he even have to say whose... ]

[Oh hey, it's that Old Initiative tech guy again. He's … not quite looking as grumpy as he usually does, but something's obviously on his mind. He takes a few deep breaths, and then speaks up.]

… Alright. I'm…

[Lowell seems to have a bit of an internal struggle here, trying to find the right words, maybe?]

I've come to terms with it. I'm looking for five to seven Transports who are hardware-savvy. I'm going to have a week long tutorial on how to use the Transporter, just in case…

You know.

Anyway, might take a week, might take less than that. I know there's a few self-proclaimed geniuses out there. So… here's your opportunity.

[And then with very little ceremony, Lowell shuts off the video feed.]

( [Filtered to Tear] )

[Luke has taken a lot of time to write this. He doesn't trust his voice not to waver when talking about certain things. Even if it means poring over this for an hour, it's better than someone picking up on his nervousness and ignoring what he has to say.]

I've looked over the network, but I still have some questions about the current state of things. I could ask what's left of the Initiative, but I'm more interested in what we're planning as a group-- as Transports. There's talk of putting up a code of conduct, a law system. We're building stuff together, trying to repair that trust we lost some time ago, and that's fine. There's nothing wrong with what we're doing.

But... what are we doing? Right now, what are we doing to change our situation? There hasn't been a lot of talk about that. Has anyone been involved in the missions lately?

If you know anything, it might be good to share. Maybe we can expand on what we've been given. You may not realize it, but we have a lot more power over what happens to us than before. The Initiative practically spoon-fed us everything until a couple of months ago.

What we do with the time we've been given is really, really important.

[ooc: threadjack away, if needed! This is Luke's attempt at an open forum. It's not quite about what the Initiative wants them to do, but more about what the Transports are doing and if they're spearheading anything, tbh.]

[ It's been a while, huh? Normally Wayne -- Doug -- doesn't see the need to address people en mass, but, sometimes it's necessary. Unlike last time he isn't going to bother with fumbling text (fake lawyer, can't spell) so the video displays his very sleep-deprived-looking face and hair that's mussed from carelessly running a hand through it too many times. He in fact does it again without noticing as he adjusts the tablet, looking into the camera. ]

Hey. Hi there. This is Doug Rich again. Long time no... well you know how it goes. [ He cocks his head slightly in a cheekily impatient sort of shrug. ] Um-- so, I'm not sure how we've all been feeling these days, but not too long ago people were throwing around the idea of having some kind of code of conduct that we can all agree to... pay attention to. There aren't really laws and maybe it's not our biggest priority, but I think--

[ He blinks, train of thought momentarily derailed. He gestures circularly with his hand, trying to get it going again. ]

Uh-- I think it'd be useful. At least helpful. For... safety. Communities like this -- all over -- that's what they do. And usually they're smaller. Draft would need some work but everyone could vote on it, make sure it's fair. I've got-- [ But he cuts himself off, deciding that mentioning whatever first pass he's worked on isn't relevant yet. Might sound too eager or demanding or something, better to play it cool and passive. ] Um... yeah. That's it. I'll... we'll -- let me know about... we can talk later. More. More later.

[ Good conclusion. Good talk. ]

( OOC: With endgame on the horizon I haven't been sure the best way to proceed with this -- apologies -- but I've got an open log here for general CR follow-up/closure things in which I'm happy to put up a "code coordination" thread up in should people still be interested in having characters discuss ICly it on a not-one-on-one basis. Or if there's enough interest in a separate log I can put one of those together too. )

[For his second message Victor's really kicked things up a notch. He's actually learned how to use the damned thing finally, which means that there's no more awkward half-faces or yelling. Instead the device is propped against something, giving the viewer a good look of all six feet of Victor Goddamn Sullivan and his mustache. He's sitting comfortably behind a large desk, hands folded on the surface. It would be a rather impressive look, but wherever he is it's dimly lit, dirty and rundown looking. Still, the desk is solid and heavy, and his bearing has all the confidence of someone not sitting in a crumbling-down disaster.]

Evening folks. Some of you might know me, but for those of you who don't, my name's Victor Sullivan.

[He smiles charmingly throughout, and even if he can't shake your hand you get the feeling he would if he could.]

I'm coming to you all with an exciting opportunity. I, and a few associates, have been working towards opening a new business in the heart of New Exsilium. I have a location, and the means, but I'm looking for some help from my fellow transports.

[There's a clear shift in gears, and he leans over his elbows, getting closer to the screen. It's intimate.]

I'm looking for a few strong men to help me get the place in order. I've got enough cash to pay the locals for the heavy-duty stuff, but people willing to chip in to help move furniture, paint, and get the place cleaned up would be appreciated. I'm also looking for some staff, especially people with previous bar, kitchen, or service experience.

If you think that sounds like you, and you're looking for some work, let me know.

[The seriousness fades like it was never there, and he leans back in his chair again, spreading his hands.]

As for the rest of you, look forward to the opening of The Stag soon. Thank you and I look forward to seeing ya.

( ((With that he switches to private, for Nathan Drake, Chloe Frazer, Charlie Cutter, Apollo, and Doctor Facilier)) )

Um.

[The video feed kicks on at some ungodly hour during the night and finds Isaac- or, more accurately, the faint outline of Isaac. The world around him is dark, but for what it's worth, he seems to be outside. In the snow.

The first thing you'd probably notice is that he isn't dressed for it at all. Isaac is actually pretty much wearing a t-shirt, fabric pajama pants, and has no shoes or socks to speak of. He's drenched, shivering something awful, and seems to be rather in the middle of nowhere.]

I could use a little help. [His teeth chatter as he speaks. Not fun.] Is anyone awake? I just kind of... woke up here a few minutes ago. So, uh- a jacket or a way home would be nice.


[[ooc: Isaac's weapon is sort of in the process of leveling up and as a result, he's sleepwalkin'. Anyone is welcome to find him! c:]]

[ When Apollo appears on the video feed, she doesn't quite look her usual, overexcited self. Physically she looks a little bit different than normal as well - a couple new tattoos on her chest/shoulder, slightly longer hair, that sort of thing - but for the most part, she's still recognizably Apollo. She takes a breath, getting ready to speak, but then just lets out a sigh that turns into a long, drawn out groan that ends with, ] Fuck.

[ But okay here she goes, she's straightening herself up and she's ready to address the public properly now. ]

So hey is this just a fuckin' thing now? You're here, then you ain't, then you are again a week or months later when really you spent a couple years back home and-- Gods, y'know what, no, forget it 'cause I don't even fuckin' care.

[ Despite her claim of not caring, her shoulders sag as she throws her head back and groans some more, and lets a brief, humourless laugh escape her as irrational frustration catches up to her again. ]

My harem! They're all gone. Well, then again, all the good ones got eaten by a fuckin' sea monster a couple weeks ago anyway but still, god I'm fuckin' here in the snow where wow it doesn't mean fuck all that I'm the Pirate King of Ce Monde, huh? Or Lord of the Espalion Isles, or the Sea Strumpet's captain - hah! That's great, that's perfect! [ Only it really isn't, she just has to bitch and force herself to laugh in a poor attempt to deal with this bullshit. ] I mean shit I know I'm improved and even more fantastic than fuckin' before right down to my tits, but shit sake's just fuck, fuck. Gods above and below, it's only been a few days here, hasn't it?

[ Another heavy sigh as she sinks back again. She seems to be feeling a little bit better now that she's got that off her chest though. ] Whatever, I'm back, I'm King of the Sea, and I'm gettin' myself a few goddamn drinks.

[So hey, here's someone new! He's kind of punkish-looking, isn't he? If you ignore the big down coat he's wearing, he might look pretty fashion-aware as well.

Is that…a megaphone he's holding? Right… at the communicator?]

Attention, all radians and zeros of this negative-degreed tundra!

[Yeah, he went there. He just used a megaphone into the speaker of a tablet. Sorry, there was probably a LOT OF FEEDBACK in that little announcement. At least he's put the megaphone down for now.]

Let's bisect this quadrilateral, already.

Name's Minamimoto. Someone around here told me that there's some zetta strong fighters around here. And that "training" increases your sync with your weapon. Having mine below one-hundred percent isn't an option. Anyone else catching my implications? Show your work, and maybe I'll take you up on measuring your limits.

If you can keep up.

[...You probably weren't expecting a bunch of math mumbo-jumbo to come out of this guy's mouth, huh.]

To any Cybertronians that may be scattered throughout this frozen wasteland, I invite you to join me, Nova Prime, in creating a haven of our own design.

[A hand gestures forward with a CLENCHED FIST.]

In a hostile and unwelcome planet, it is imperative that what little of us remain be gathered together and unified. I have found the skeleton of what we could use to build upon, and will be glad to see my kind unite under this goal. 

[Encrypted and attached is a file with a set of odd symbols of alien origin. Of course, to the robots in question it was a simple set of coordinates. One to the ruins of an ancient castle about twenty three miles away from what was once London. Close enough to drive to if you were a vehicle, but far away enough to be out of sight to most travelers on the river Thames.]

[The video begins with nothing but the sight of a clear, blue sky, framed on one edge with the rust-colored leaves of an oak tree in the fall - yes, leaves, autumn leaves.

Wherever Kaworu's tablet is resting, its camera is pointed upward at an angle, away from himself and the rest of his surroundings. After a few seconds, the soft rustle of leaves is broken by the sound of his calm, even voice.]

Hello, everyone. It's been a while. Are you staying warm down there?

[From the sound of his voice, he's smiling as he asks. But he says no more, and after another short pause, piano music begins to play.

It goes on for about five minutes, and when it's over, he speaks again.]

I'm going back to Earth tomorrow. Permanently, this time.

I haven't seen many of you in quite some time. I've been preoccupied, you could say. Please let me know if you have some time to spare for me.

[with that, the camera jitters and moves, and Kaworu's smiling face enters the frame.]

Thanks for listening.

( ⇉ additional private transmission to shinji ikari. )

((OOC: I will be posting an open log at some point this week. You're welcome to arrange to meet him here, or simply bump into him tomorrow! I would love to close out on all of the amazing CR Kaworu has had over the past year, no matter how old it may be, so please don't hesitate. You have all been awesome. ♥))

[Adrasteius is in some quiet, dimly lit room, balancing the tablet on his lap. He looks relatively, momentarily peaceful, though he fiddles with a wedding band around his finger throughout his broadcast. Those who saw him during his last stay in Exsilium may notice that he's healthier now -- still short, still skinny, but with a ruddier tone to his skin and some amount of muscle definition on his slender arms. He's as self-assured and forward as ever, but there's far less frailty to him than there was before.]

Hiya, folks. Name's Adrasteius, and I used to administer the clinic. Then I got dragged back home, et cetera, et cetera, no one really cares -- point is, I'm back here again. I'm happy to leave the titles and so on to my colleague, Ashraf, but I'd still like to get back into it.

I know we've got a new structure in the works, and that's great, that's absolutely excellent, but I'm also wondering about the roster. Y'see, we lost our record keeper recently and I just haven't got the first clue as to who's still on the rolls. So -- if you've joined up recently, or if you're looking to join, do an old man a favor and tell me about yourself.

Oh, and ... we need a new record keeper.

[He bows his head slightly.]

Light be with you.

So before the glow of coming back here after being somewhere much better for a year wears off and I decide I dislike you people all over again, I figured I'd better pass out the presents to the masses.

Don't expect anything specific, because it's really just a great big pile of media files. I had the dummy AI we took with us convert them into whatever runs on the tablets, so they should all work for the most part. It's just a lot of books, movies, music, and some other stuff from the 2900s. Some of them are probably in French, but that's your problem, not mine.

You can browse what we brought back in the following link.

[ And as he's finally had way too much time to practice making links on computers, it doesn't even take a minute to attach it to his network clip, open for all those interested and willing to click strange links from some random guy. ]

And don't ask for anything rated -18. I didn't bring any movies like that back with us.

[Good morning, Exsilium, today your screens are being graced by three young ladies, one of whom looks like a perfectly boring human, while the other two very much don’t. They’re all smiling, though, and being filmed in a way that suggests they have help, and that the whole thing was pre-recorded.

Steph is the first to speak, giving the camera a little salute before she starts.]

Hi again, Exsilium, oldies and newbies alike. For those who don’t know us, I’m Steph Brown, and this is Feferi Peixes and Kanaya Maryam. [She gestures to each girl as she says their name, just so everyone knows who’s who.] And we all work with the DITR, which was the Department of Initiative-Transport Relations, but we’re here today to let everyone know that we’re moving towards focusing more on the Transport part of that. With the current situation the way it is, we thought our time and resources would be best spent helping out Transports in whatever ways we can, so me, Feferi and Kanaya are gonna let you know what that means.

[Which is her first bit done, so she turns her attention towards Feferi, ready for her to start talking.

Feferi straightens and her fins perk up, now that it's her turn to talk. ]

But first, before you can do anything else, you need to get set up here! You're going to need some supplies and if you're not a human, you're going to have to learn how to play it safe! That's where we come in. If you need help learning how to survive the winter weather, or just how to pass as human if you aren't already, we will hook you up with everything you need to know!

And through the generous donations of Transports, we have a stockpile of winter gear for anyone who needs it. Let one of us know what you need, and we'll make sure it gets to you. We have jackets, blanket, boots, mittens, hats, and lots more. It's cold out there so bundle up!

You are probably also going to need somewhere to stay...

[ She gives an expectant look back Steph's way. ]

And we can help with that, too. We don’t have any officially designated Transport housing, but if you need a place, we’ll help you find somewhere to rent and give you a hand setting up wherevere you want to go. Which does mean you’ll still need to be able to pay rent - we can’t do that for you, unfortunately - so we’ll also be helping anyone get themselves a job. I can’t promise it’ll be glamorous, especially if you don’t have any in-demand skills, but it’ll be enough to pay rent and keep food on the table while we’re all learning how to survive out here.

For those of you that are more interested in running missions...

[Steph gestures at Kanaya.

The glowing girl leans forward at this point. She's kept her black lips in a tight smile until now, a moment demanding she slightly reveal her fangs.]

If you do want to work for the Initiative’s cause and don’t know how, in response to popular demand the Department has allocated some of its staff to mission coordination. In accordance with recent standard operating procedure, the AI designs these missions, their locations and their times. We aren’t proposing strategic goals here; this is an offer of organizational assistance. On request, we’ll facilitate the recruitment of interested parties and the procurement of any necessary resources. The members of the department available for these purposes include myself and Mr. Gold.

[Steph looks back at the camera, and starts talking against to wrap things up.]

I hope that’s all clear, but feel free to toss any questions you might have our way, though I’ve just a couple more things to go over before we’re done. We’re offering our services to other Transport run organizations, including the clinic, so if you need help getting in touch with those organizations, or if you’re in one and need extra hands for whatever reason, all you have to do is ask.

[There’s an apologetic smile, a sort of I know this is long, we’re almost done expression.]

And as for anyone interested on working with the DITR, unfortunately we’re not taking on any more official employees right now, while we’re still working out the kinks after all the changes, but if you would like to help out, again, please get in touch so we can get in touch once we find our feet. Though do keep in mind this isn’t a paid job; while we will be working on gathering funds for our various projects, we don’t have a payroll and that’s not likely to change soon.

[Just, you know, in case people think offering to work for the DITR is a way to get a cushy job.]

That’s it from us, though. So now you can ask your questions, all three of us will be keeping an eye on this post, or you can contact one of us privately if you’d prefer. To the newbies, welcome to Exsilium, sorry about the weather, and remember that we’re here to help in any way we can.

[And with smiles from all three, the video ends.]


[[OOC: We know, we know, endgame and all that, but this was already mostly written and we wanted to get it up! Originally there were gonna be fancy pages and forms and stuff but... hopefully no one's holding it against us for not worrying about that anymore.

As for text color, Steph is black, Feferi is purple, and Kanaya is green.]]

[ the video's not all that well focused or held, mostly getting her shoulder and part of her face except for the moments she readjusts it back to focusing on her face temporarily. the light is dim, wherever she is, and between the blood drying on her and the way her voice keeps hitching as she stumbles over words, the unsteadiness of her hands holding the tablet, and the way her head tips back against the wall she's leaning against every so often as if she can't quite hold it up - she's not in great shape. ]

You know, someone should get to work on this machine's timing. Adjust it a little bit. Make it stop being a fucking piece of shit. Or taking people who don't want to be taken. Or - I don't know, what else is it up to lately? How long's it been.

[ breaking off. she's forgotten what she needed to say, is looking off at nothing in particular for a long moment. abruptly - ]

What's that story about the lady and the tiger? With the princess whose lover has to pick one of two doors as punishment, and one has a tiger and the other has a woman he'll have to marry. And she makes a gesture to tell him which one to pick, but the story doesn't tell you which one the door had behind it.

I guess a little closure's too much to ask for.

[ blood loss: good for clarity. ]

I could use a doctor.

[ ooc: charlie cutter & tempest get providing aid rights, but if you would rather action it up she'll be wandering around the area for part of the day and can be run into most anywhere just checking everything out. ]

The wonders of this land do not cease. {Aragorn is less imposing. Most of his armor has been removed and a certain pendant is within plain view around his neck.} I scarcely know where to begin beyond shelter, food and the other necessities. I am a Ranger - one who is prepared to accept the burden of King - but a Ranger no less. I fear my knowledge will not keep me in good stead.

My path has crossed with those from my world, yet I have not seen the faces of some I hold closest to my heart. Should Middle Earth hold meaning for you, I stand ready to greet you warmly.

I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn and descendant of Isildur. The blood of the Dúnedain runs in my veins - thus I am the last rightful heir to the throne of Gondor.

I imagine these words matter little to many residents. However I mustn't hide my true self any longer. The eye of Sauron excites no fear in me.

I have information to share with you all, about information that we lack.

[a pause.]

( LOTS OF TALKING )

[ when the feed clicks on, marduk is in what appears to be a ruined building near the edge of town. there's snow on the floor and holes in the walls, but he's not wearing a single scrap of winter clothing. more importantly, he doesn't look especially pleased to be doing this. ]

Recently, one of the locals here went missing. Don't ask me what his name was, I'm not the one who gives a shit. I'm just here to solve the mystery.

He's missing because he's dead, and he's dead because I killed him.

[ he pauses here. it looks like it's for dramatic effect, but really he's just trying to figure out how to end the announcement. ]

Most of you would call that murder, wouldn't you? Can't remember if you all figured out what to do about that, but-- if you want retribution, you can come and get it.

[ good enough. the video ends there. ]