( tdm 11 )

[hownkai]

T E S T D R I V E

ABOARD THE MOIRA Whether adjusting to space travel has been difficult or not, there is always something to be done. From working to leisure, the Moira offers a multitude of opportunities to get to know your crewmates a bit better. Exploration of the ship is highly encouraged, but as another planet grows closer to being docked, things start to get a little hectic. You'll notice a slight change in the artificial gravity as the Moira is pulled into a gravitational field; however, more noticeable changes can be found in the overall morale as you prepare to descend. ☄ on your own There are plenty of other communal areas on the ship to explore! Pick a place, and see where it takes you. ( These scenarios can be used as in-game canon. ) H A I S T O S Unlike previously visited locations, the sweltering heat of this planet can be felt long before arrival. The surface of Haistos is not a place for those with a weak constitution. It’s in a constant state of low-level volcanic activity as its land masses are dotted with many volcanoes—all of them spewing black ash into the air. Breathing is difficult without the aid of a respirator due to the potential of breathing in ash, and the plant life is stunted, adapted to living in an environment with little sunlight. The weather is unpredictable, and ash-storms will often blow in fiercely, leaving people trapped for a hours at a time before they blow themselves out. But that same ash which chokes everything on this planet is what also provides its livelihood. Haistos’ volcanic resources are a highly sought-after commodity elsewhere in the universe, and as long as gathering the ash is profitable, people will continue to return. Looking closely, etched into the curling paths of ignimbrite deposits that swirl along the base of the volcanoes is a language that is easily translated by the MID, often resembling Latin. Carved over time by visitors and travelers, it tells a tale of fire and stone and power. Some might even say there are mystic abilities associated with these volcanoes, though the rumors and myths behind it seem to be nothing but a warning to those who think to go looking for it. It’s also hard to tell if the words carry any true meaning since there are no natives to question, and all those who harvest the ash can only tell stories. Still, it’s apparent that people from many different times have all added to the scrolling messages. A word of caution: you cannot build here. Stone, metal, and wood all burn, all crumble. Only what is true can survive, and fire will show its true quality. ☄ breathing sparks Despite the haphazard lay of the land, there are things to do. Or, at least, things to see. The rocky terrain often leads to some inactive volcanoes that are perfect for exploring and harvesting the ash that continues to rain down across Haistos. There are step-like structures built into the sides of the volcanic craters, narrow but sturdy. With each move down, the air gets even thicker, and your respirator takes longer and longer to filter the unbreathable atmosphere the deeper into the planet you travel. Yet, the risk of asphyxiation is worth what awaits at the bottom of the staircase. Still warm, the volcanic rocks that are sunk into the deposits are both smooth and clear as crystal. Most of these gems retain heat permanently and can be used to warm small spaces. Gathering too many together in a single place, however, creates a reaction with the limited air supply and can spark a faux volcanic eruption—yes, these rocks are capable of producing lava at an impossibly quick rate. Is it possible to outrun the flow and reach the steps before it begins filling the bottom of the crater? The only thing worse than a sudden swimming pool of lava would be the respirator finally breaking because of the abrupt, extreme heat, wouldn’t it? ☄ under pressure Despite being unable to actually build any structures of substance on Haistos, walking around the planet itself is surprisingly easy. Due to its unusual composition, the ground itself is a noticeable mixture of dark rock and shining surfaces. More than that, each step around the bases of the volcanoes reveals something both amazing and rather fascinating: the ability to create diamonds without much pressure at all. It only takes a single step or even a hand print. Take a break and sit to rest? Diamonds. Wrestling over what pile of ash is yours to claim? Diamonds. Tripping and falling and refusing to get up so that no one sees your embarrassment? Diamonds. Suddenly, moving around on Haistos has taken a whole new turn. Especially when it’s completely possible to keep what you make with your very own body weight. ☄ if you break it, you buy it Out of the eater came something to eat, and out of the strong came something sweet. At the base of one of the smaller volcanoes, this message is carved into the rock in large, curling script. The volcano is currently inactive and is dotted with openings large enough for visitors to enter through. Stranger than the message is the faint tinkling sound - almost like glass clinking against glass - that grows louder the deeper into the volcano you go. The intricate honeycomb of paths all lead in the same direction—towards the sound and a mellow blue glow. At the center, the sound is loud and the light illuminates a large space. Thousands of crystalline creatures swirl and bump against one another, the source of both the sound and light. They appear to be a cross between a lightning bug and bee, glowing and noisy and harmless. The beautiful sight may, or may not, be dampened by the fact that the cavern is littered with glass honeycombs that have been built up within the bodies of fallen travelers. It’s clear that the organisms didn’t harm them, perhaps the result of too much ash or broken respirators, and the honey they’ve produced is light blue and clear. It’s sweet if eaten, bright and citrus-y, and carries an earthy undertone, making the skin glow temporarily after ingesting. If careful, visitors may harvest the honey, but do not disturb the creatures. Their wings are sharp, and when agitated, they swarm out of fear. OUT OF CHARACTER INFO FAQ | LOCATIONS | RESERVES | APPLICATIONS | NAVIGATION For mature or graphic content, please label. For questions, please direct them to the FAQ. As always, be kind and have fun!

Comments

andyr prince | original

[deconstruct]

[ A ] ARRIVAL/MEDBAY SHENANIGANS;

( I. ) [ Andyr stumbles out of the Ingress looking like a high security prison escapee (which, really, is about what he is). While all his wounds have been healed, the thin, generic, loose scifi detainment pajama things Hapsburg put him in are still bloodstained here and there, as is the heavier security jacket Andyr'd stolen off of a dead guard on his way out, following Mikal through the chaos they made of the House halls. There's a futuristic looking handgun dangling from his fingers, and his wrists and ankles are both decorated with thick metal cuffs, like someone was certain normal handcuffs wouldn't do it and decided to go full overkill, though heavy chains that would connect them now hang split from either side - the ends looking like they'd been melted rather than snapped. The tracker strapped to his right ankle, just below the cuff, has had the same kind of melted treatment, through the center of the device, though it's still attached there.

Plus, a distinct lack of shoes. For whatever reason. Hapsburg is weird.

Point being, the first person Andyr's eyes find, ends up with the gun leveled on them, trigger immediately pulled. Which might have been scary, if there'd been any bullets left. ]

Shit. [ Click, click. Nothing. ] Shitshitshit.

[ Okay, whatever, screw the gun. The useless weapon is tossed aside, and Andyr's shoulders hunch, body tensing, with a feral kind of hostility, though he doesn't move to attack at all. Just stand, rigid and defensive, voice a low growl. ] Alright. Come on.

( II. ) [ Once convinced to make his way to the medbay, there's a whole new wave of NOT OKAY WITH THIS going on with him, and the first person to approach him with any kind of tools, wearing any sort of lab coat or medical gear, gets a savage growl - ]

Try touching me and I'm taking that as you gifting me your arm. [ As in, to remove from it's socket and keep as a souvenir. Hopefully, no one tries to force that, and Andyr just spends his time standing rigid and seething, until Alvary shows up to talk him down and convince him to allow a physical. In the mean time, he's here. Looking intense and a little psycho. And still not wearing any shoes. ]

( III. ) [ Physical taken care of, biometric scan done, and contract signed (with a snort and a 'yeah, sure, whatever' - it's been a long time since he expected what he's agreed to and what he hasn't to be taken any kind of seriously), Andyr's sat at a chair somewhere in a corner of the room, back to the wall, while he waits for his friends (well, "friends") to be finished with all the nonsense they'd just seen him through.

In the mean time, he's prodding at the MID now attached to his person, pushing buttons, pulling at it, banging it against cabinets here and there (which is probably loud and obnoxious as hell, very sorry). At one point, he's biting at it, trying to pry it off with teeth. But, in the least, he's calmed down, now, and no one's likely to have their neck snapped or arms removed. Hurrah. ]

[[ ooc; as forewarning, andyr's world is sort of really messed up, and he's used to any kind of being guided around meaning that he's going to be taken to terrible things, and any kind of medical/science type lab to mean gross human experimentation things for him, so trying to forcibly drag him into anything is a really bad idea. he'll eventually be calmed down by another dude from his world, but for the first couple prompts, he's hella hostile, i'm sorry :'| if he's otherwise not being prodded, though, he'll keep his hands to himself. just as a warning, so you don't wander in wanting to shuffle him along and end up with him flipping his shit ;;;;; ]]

[ B ] VOLCANOES, MAN;

[ Rock collecting, that's what they're doing here. This is Andyr's new job. Collecting hot rocks. But considering what his old job was, he's perfectly happy with the trade. At least, until the ground starts to rumble, and bits of lava start to bubble up not far from where him and the rest of the crew that came venturing down here are. ]

Fuuuck, that's not great. [ No, no it's not. And he's not taking the time to hang out and investigate, as they are inside a fucking volcano, in which hanging out is generally never a good idea. Turning on his heels, all the rocks he'd managed to pick up are dropped back on the ground, and Andyr grabs a hold of the closest immobile person by their sleeve, giving a jerk as he starts to drag them, in a sprint, out of the area. Time to go. ]

[ C ] NETWORK/ACTION FOR CRYSTAL ALIEN-BEE CAVE IDK;

Paging Organ-Bag and Gentle Bearded Giant, please report to the freaky ass crystal hive-cave. Your associate is impatiently waiting for you.

[ A brief pause, and a second message is transmitted, like an afterthought: ] Second thought, maybe not you, Organ-Bag. You might trip and rupture your third kidney. I'm not cleaning that shit up.

But seriously, you guys have to see this. All of you, actually.

[ So you too, random crew member. If you haven't been to this place yet, you should. Should you be wandering into the smaller volcano, with the cryptic seeming writing out front, you'll find Andyr standing in the midst of it all, a flashlight scanning the area, as he stares on in wonder. It's been so long since he'd seen anything that's this kind of beautiful, not since he was a kid, when his dad was still alive and would take him and his sister out of the port to watch the stars, away from the city lights. He's a bit entranced, likely the most calm and serene he's been in years. ]

[ D ] WILDCARD;

[ it's whatever, homies, give me whatever seems fun, and i apologize in advance for andyr being a psycho. if you have any questions or want to plot a thing or anything else, feel free to shoot me a pm or hit me up at wuzzafuzzle /o/ ]

( c )

[mangled]

Associate. That's a new one!!

[ why this ]

I'm here already. It's so crazy. And

sticky.

[deconstruct]

You're not my friend but I'm also not feeling like murdering you right now, so. Seemed accurate.

What? Where? Stop touching stuff. [ gonna go pace around and look for you and your stupid face now, where are you, Val. ]

[mangled]

I accept this for the time being.

I didn't mean to touch it! It just.

I braced myself on something. It's really warm here.

[ he's surprisingly close by, and you can probably pick up the sounds of his footsteps if you listen hard enough. he's examining one of his hands ok. it's covered in weird, clear-blue stuff and then flashing his eyes back to the originator of it--a very much expired body with a cavernous interior full of it. heeeey buddy... ]

Look at this stuff... what is it?

[ boy ain't even squeamish. ]

c for now while i catch up on my tsv reading

[procedures]

Be nice to Val, he's tiny.

[ It's Gentle Bearded Giant (what the hell?) reporting for duty. Someone's a little too fascinated with the medbay tech. ]

I shouldn't be surprised you found a crystal beehive already, but I am. Andyr.

npnp bro

[deconstruct]

He's not that tiny.

[ okay he is kind of tiny. and weak. and frail. whatever. hi, alva. ]

Not like I went looking for one. The beehive found me.

I'm also being followed by diamonds. [ apparently the augment weight is enough that all it takes is a step to make them, rather than sitting his ass down somewhere. it's very weird and he's not sure what to do about it. ]

aii | i'm really sorry

[abide]

[ It's the same routine as always when the Ingress brings in new people, and by now, Steve's seen plenty of reactions to sort of guess just how some of them are going to respond to the initial physical and contract signing. And helping some of those who are worse off into the medbay, it's not so much the voice that catches him off-guard as it is the face. Jesus, the face. Even the expression sort of short circuits everything, stepping around one of the medical tables to get a better look and feeling as if he's suddenly back on the top of a train in the mountains. He knew alternate worlds existed, but could this place actually bring in doubles from the same place? How would he even explain this to the other two who were already here? ]

Buck— [ Maybe using his name isn't actually a good start considering, and he shakes his head. What Andyr is wearing is easily blocked out by the surprise. ] Hey. [ Try to smile, Steve. It feels awkward on his mouth. ] It's gonna be okay. They won't touch you without permission.

fkldas no shh i love it :333c

[deconstruct]

Alva? [ The first thing that comes from Andyr's lips when he hears the voice, not even recognizing the aborted syllable "buck" to mean anything that might have been a name. But, once his eyes find the source, there's an immediate frown on his lips, brows knit. Where he's from, clones are something that happen on a daily basis. Hell, Andyr has probably thousands of them scattered across the globe, but the thing he's certain of is that Alvary did not have the genetics in him to allow for cloning. That, and, he's never seen Alva without a beard, so he very well could look like this. ]

The fuck. You look like an infant. [ 'This' being some handful of years younger. ] Who shaved you?

[ However, luckily for Steve, just the fact he looks like one of the only two people in Andyr's world that he trusts means he's already relaxing a bit, some of the tension bleeding away, even if he does still jerk to the side when anyone passes by him too closely. ]

iii not for app app just for play play

[angered]

[ The woman that passes into the room is agitated, her steps quick and heavy - more than eager to be done with the poking and prodding and to get out of this part of the ship. A coat that's seen better days covers her thermal wrapped body and a broad brimmed hat obscures most of her face - long, scraggly red hair does the rest. Anne's never in her life see a ship like this. It's the deck she's stalking toward, to see the stars - above her head where they're meant to be, and nowhere else.

She doesn't pause as she passes him, chewing on that bracelet like a rabid dog, but her head tilts just so to scan his face, briefly. No recognition. ]

KILL BILL SIRENS

[deconstruct]

[ All it takes is the flicker of red hair, and he knows. That particular shade isn't too common, there wasn't anyone else in Hapsburg that had it, and all of Andyr's body goes rigid. He'd been talked down by Alvary, Val, Steve and a few of the medbay techs, but it all goes flying out the window at the glimpse of her. Teeth detached from the MID at his wrist, he's already wrapping the broken apart chains hanging from the cuffs on either wrist around his palms, like boxing hand wraps, when her eyes flick to his.

Nothing there. There's never anything there. Whatever was was taken from her a long time ago.

After she passes, Andyr jerks up from his chair, lifts a leg, and slams a stomp of a kick into the center of her back, sending her flying through the doors of the medbay, out into the hall she'd been headed for. ]

Seriously? You just let that one happen, didn't you? [ Andyr's good at what he does, but Jehanne's always been better. Even if it's just by the barest hint, she's been better. ]

a, i. HELLO DARLING /clings to your face

[hiscoat]

[To say that Red was used to having a weapon aimed at her face is something like an understatement these days. Between being followed by the Camerata and the Process, life's never a dull moment. Still, Andyr's entire posture screams of hostility and warns her that he means to attack if she doesn't act fast enough. She hugs Transistor closer, the wide blade of the greatsword thrumming and blinking as she does, as if it's thinking just like she is. Time seems to tick by slowly, silently, until another voice breaks it as much as it can.

"Easy, Red. I don't think he's a part of the Process, or the Camerata."

The sword in her hands flashes as the voice, a male one, seems to come from nowhere. Red hesitates, biting her lip while her posture remains defensive, ready to move only if he does. It's a standstill at best, but she doesn't show fear, even if Andyr had hoped to cause it.]

HELLO nu fone, who dis

[deconstruct]

[ fear and intimidation aren't really things andyr tries for anymore. when he leans into the bulletproof window they separates him from the rest of the workers in Hapsburg, pulling his lips back in a savage sneer, it's because he's itching to get on the other side and rip those people apart. no theatrics in it. if he looks like he wants you dead, it's just because he wants you dead. what you feel about that means very little to him.

but right now, it's less mindless rage and anger with the world, and more braced for someone shooting him with a taser and dragging him back to the lab he'd just escaped from, to pry his ribcage back open and dig around a while more. he'd been on the way out, Mikal just ahead of him, then turn a corner, and here. which leaves him wondering where the hell Mikal is. But first, whoever this is. The voice doesn't come as any kind of surprise, just assuming she has a radio attached somewhere. the first assumption sure as hell isn't that the sword might be sentient. ]

Either bring it or get out of the goddamn way, I don't have time to fuck around with one random asshole right now.

[ usually, it's about seven at a time. they tend to swarm, which is sometimes easier. ]

A ii

[prorenataa]

[ The lab tech who might have been attempting something about a blood sample, was looking suitably cowed by the displays and the threats. Though given that this was Medbay and the Ingress seemed to like to kidnap people, it was also possible that they were a little used to this and had decided it was usually best to take a step back.

That left Adrien, leaning back on an exam table and watching the altercation. His legs were crossed at the ankles, hands pushed into his labcoat. He exchanged a quick look with the tech, giving a jerk of his chin to send them off on to the next patient as he studied this one.

Then he pushed away from the table, at which point a strange, scaled cat like creature surfaced from under the table by his left ankle. ]

Threaten the techs, who are only trying to do their job, again and I will break both your arms and tie them behind your back like a pretzel knot. [ He remarked mildly. ]

8DDDD HELLO MY BABY also fffff adrien no its such a bad idea ;;;;;;

[deconstruct]

Then they can do their job on someone willing, and you can get the hell out of my way if you don't want me in here. [ Because a medical lab is about the worst place Andyr could've been dragged. It's a miracle he hasn't started lashing out just on nerves alone, but the fact he's still trying to figure out where the hell this is and the best way to get out of it besides just running had him rigid still, like a tripwire. But the fact is, he was told he's not allowed to leave until he gets his physical. Just the word 'physical' would've had him snapping necks, back home. So let him leave, and we'll have no problems. Not that he actually expects to be allowed it. There hasn't been a single time "No" has meant anything to doctors, for him. ] Get a better fucking job and maybe people won't be so keen on threatening you.

[ because 'lab tech', to Andyr, means 'torturer', and everything he'd been told over his lifetime about the medical community just being here to help has meant "at the expense of the freak we farm the health from". Andyr being one of those freaks. He's been on lab tables like these. Had his chest cavity split open, had metal ports drilled into his spine and nervous system over the course of weeks, with no anesthesia for the sake of keeping the integrity of the operation. He looks at anyone with a lab coat and sees something completely inhuman, these days.

The cat thing is glanced down at, and utterly ignored afterwards, as Andyr's shoulders hunch some, like bracing for Adrien following up on exactly what he says, the chains dangling from the thick cuffs still attached to his wrists being wrapped over his hands, over his knuckles. ]

If you're thinking breaking my arms is enough to stop me from killing you, you wouldn't last a fucking week at Hapsburg. [ He's literally bitten lethal chunks from peoples' throats before, enough that Alvary decided a reinforcement grafted to his jaw was a good idea.

No one's explained to him what this is, or where this is, and there's a very slim chance Andyr would believe it either way. It's too much like the Houses, which are all he's since the end of his childhood, and given the timing, it's too convenient. ]

a

[freiheiten]

[.....WELP.

This was one way to start the day. Just when he is starting to think things aren't like home too. The imagine of someone pointing a gun at him is all too familiar, even if this gun is much more 'modern' he guess the term was. It wasn't a rifle, it wasn't flint lock, and it wasn't attached to gear; this man wasn't from his world.

He had just gotten done with a little training in the cargo bay, he still had his straps and 3d gear on. One of his blades is now pointed at the man as soon as he hears the first click of the gun. And then nothing. He's empty.]

Calm the hell down.

[He must be new. He wasn't wearing a uniform. It was the only reason hadn't attacked the man yet.]

[deconstruct]

[ A sword. Okay, that's a first. Who even carries swords anymore? ] The fuck? What is this, Ren Faire?

[ Because, even on the run and worried about Mikal still being alive and free, Andyr isn't above stopping to tell someone they're weird. Yet, there are those first two things, along with the fact he's never seen this building before, and none of the tech looks remotely familiar.

Which is more cause for concern than relief. Right. There's a snort for the directive calm himself, because seriously? Why would he ever? Why is everyone crazy? But Andyr's ignoring it to get to the point. If he's not currently fighting someone, better to get his information before shit hits the fan. ]

What House is this?

a1

[clix]

[ In clix's opinion, there are familiar faces and familiar faces. It takes her roughly half a second to realize this isn't Mikal, but a clone. Or the original? Or something, it's not like it matters much to her, considering her own history of cloning.

Whatever the case, he seems very Haspburg-like, not to mention he's carrying a gun. It doesn't bother her, not even when he points and shoots. Or rather, when nothing happens. Had Andyr taken a moment to check the gun he would've noticed it was empty, but something tells clix that the man wasn't really thinking all that much at the moment.

Point in case: he motions her to come at him. Not thinking at all. ]

What's that supposed to mean? Are you giving me permission to beat the snot out of you, little mouse?

[ Not that she doesn't think he can't take it. They're bred for that, after all. ]

Would certainly be a first.

hahahahahahahhahahfedukgfsuaighskgaslkhb why

[deconstruct]

[ welp, good job, you just flipped the psycho switch.

most of the guards in hapsburg know Andyr well enough that they realize calling him 'mouse' at any point is practically the trigger word for inciting a bloodbath. even in times he'd agreed to trade compliance for some other favor, just a half second of a guard grumbling the word, in reference to him, had turned a simple walk down a hall into five dead bodies, and two troops of reinforcements coming with tasers and tranquilizers.

good job, Clix, he wants to rip your spine out now. if it's the hapsburg external one, even better.

there's no more discussion of it, just Andyr jerking his wrists to have the dangling chains hanging from cuffs to wrap around his fists like boxing wraps, or brass knuckles. They were much better at restraining before they'd been hacked apart at the center, but then again, Andyr'd always found that putting chains on him was like the guards willingly arming him. the gun was something he'd picked up from a dead guard half a second before being pulled in, thus, he had no idea how much was still in it. he doesn't typically rely on them, because he doesn't typically have them, so it's no difference to him. that, and he really likes punching people. like, a lot.

when he charges for her, it's much faster than any clone would be - it's a part of keeping the Templates around, given the iterations don't ever reach the full potential of the original, and it's a quality test. Andyr couldn't begin to count the number of clones with his face he's wasted. the constant strive is to reach the natural potency of KN augmentation. Mikal has pieces of him, and Andyr still doesn't know where he picked up that insane mind for strategy, but he's glad for it none the less. But Mikal knew setting Andyr loose in Hapsburg was his single best route to escape. had andyr had anything left of himself he thought he could go rebuild on, he might've left with him. but no. he's only this now. rage, and hate, and visceral violence, and revenge.

when he gets to her, he's all snarling teeth (that are a little bit sharper than they probably should be) and sound that seem more animal than human, but the form in his combat is well trained, even with the heavy edge of brutality. The chains that had connected to ankle cuffs as well dangle free, about a foot or so on each side, and when a leg strikes out to attempt a sweep, it's with that extra range, as well as the quickly followed up second shot to the head. Clix will want to make sure to be out of range, because of the chain hits and wraps around her neck, the jerk right after will snap it. ]

surpriiiise

[gravid]

"Organ Bag"? Do I even want to know what my nickname would have been.

( the lack of punctuation indicates that that is not an actual question. do not tell her whatever nicknames you've decided on for her, she'll have to find you and punch you in the face and twelve hours post-cesarean is not a good time for a lady to be wandering around looking to beat up people eleven inches taller than her. )

8DDD sup boo sup

[deconstruct]

baby factory

[ too bad, you're getting it ]

hijacking idc

[procedures]

[ Oh no. Oh no. ]

Are you and the baby okay? Where are you?

[ IS HE DAD AGAIN? PLEASE SAY YES??? ]

C

[tingly]

[ So you may be noticing a blue-and-red colored blur swinging by on what seems to be webbing, disturbing a ton of glowy creatures and sprinkling diamond dust as he passes. Don't be alarmed. Be cool, be cool, it's just a teenager in a onesie under the thermals and... well, all the layering is kinda hot.

Literally hot. Because volcanoes. ]

You're in a magical volcano and you're texting, man, what's up with that?

im so sorry

[deconstruct]

[ at the voice, andyr's frown, glancing from one side to the other, and then up. to see this child swinging around in a freaky, bright colored zentai suit, it looks like to him. what kind of fucked up porno did he just walk into?

for a long moment, andyr's squinting up at him from where he is, phone still in hand, mid text, and then very flatly says: ]

You look like a fucking idiot.

i.

[lineare]

[ Jean is no stranger to the wave of confusion that emanates from the Ingress as more and more new people arrive, so much so that they all begin to feel largely the same. She tries, of course; she tries not to invade their thoughts, but it's difficult to shut herself off to them when they need help, shocked from the sudden change from their world to this.

And so she helps where she can, because if she can't be a familiar face she can at least be a friendly one -- of course, she'd want to be here if any of her teammates came through the Ingress.

The Ingress doesn't stay quiet for long, and her thoughts are disrupted by the next person who barrels through the machine. Disrupted seems like a weak word for the way the surge of violence and rage burns through her thoughts like a forest fire, a burning storm of emotion and thought, raw and wild, fueled by a sense of hopelessness so powerful that it nearly makes her sick. Jean's met a lot of people in her life, felt their pain, their triumphs, their heartache and joy -- and there's only one other person who's felt like this, more animal than man, vicious and feral.

She hesitates when he draws the gun on her, eyes widening -- there are no bullets in the gun, but it doesn't matter when the sheer agony of his thoughts, of his own existence and all the horrors that were perpetrated on him invades her consciousness, an overwhelming fury and pain that demands to be felt, to be known. He feels more animal than man, a lie imposed on him by all that he's endured, and Jean swallows hard, the taste of his vengeance bitter in her mouth. ]

I'm not here to hurt you. [ She says quietly, palms up. Wisdom dictates she puts distance between them both; compassion guides her a step forward. He can tear her throat out with his teeth if he chooses (she's seen what he's done to others), but Jean will take that gamble. ] My name is Jean, and I'm new here too, just like you.

[deconstruct]

[ The girl looks completely unlike any of the Mice or iteration models he's seen, but then again, he's only ever been to Hapsburg, Gloriana and Bathory. They're hardly the only Houses on the globe. Given he was just running through the halls of Hapsburg, it seems impossible he could be anywhere else. So it's a sharp snort Andyr replies with. It's been a long time since anyone tried the 'I'm not going to hurt you, we're the same' song and dance with him, seeing as most everyone in the Houses knows he's well aware of how very much they intend to harm him.

Besides that, even the people on the outside are content to let him suffer, so they can all get bent, really. Even if she's just another Mouse, telling him he's safe here automatically puts her on the shit-list with Andyr. ]

Not like me. [ Voice with a harsh edge to it, lips curling some. ] I've been here six fucking years.

[ 'Here' either being Hapsburg (it has to be Hapsburg, where else would it be?) or one of the Houses, and with that in mind, while assuming she's a Mouse and no real threat, he turns from her, scanning the room - walls, floor, ceiling, and finally the Ingress, stopping there to stare for a long moment.

What in the absolute fuck. ]

Maybe not... here-here... [ And that's a problem. He wouldn't be surprised by the Houses coming up with some manner of portal technology, at some point, but him being here means Mikal is still there, and now alone. Probably looking for him. Already, Andyr's starting to walk back towards the Ingress, like it's as easy as passing back through a door. ]