( tdm 12 )

[hownkai]

T E S T D R I V E

leavin’ on a jet plane "Don’t know when I’ll be back again." ABOARD THE MOIRA 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. 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. You may notice a slight change in the artificial gravity every once in awhile; however, more noticeable changes can be found in overall morale of those of the crew. ☄ 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. ) The day begins normally. Or almost. The Moira has accidentally fallen along the trajectory of an asteroid barreling its way through space. While most things like this are not uncommon, and the ship is far from any potential danger of collision or risk of debris damaging the exterior, there is something particularly odd about this specific occurrence. The rock itself appears to give off a strange light that is both eerie and alive. Often, if looked at in just the right manner, it will shift colors; so, while one person sees one side of the spectrum, someone else could see something entirely different. At first, things continue on as they usually do aside from the glowing asteroid alongside the Moira, but as the hours go on, that does not seem to be the case. ☄ the hours are breathing resignedly beneath the sky the melancholy waters lie With a rather open view of stars and space, thanks to the skylight above, the pool in the rec area suddenly comes alive beneath the light of the asteroid filtering in. Perhaps it’s some natural response to the chemical composition of the water, or perhaps it’s magic. Yet, regardless of the explanation, those who happen to take a dip suddenly find themselves plagued by despair. The depression and melancholy are not subtle changes either; it slams into you with great force, like a punch to the gut. The longer you remain in the pool, the deeper it grows, like an all-consuming paranoia that settles into the back of your mind and causes your heart to grow heavy. These strong feelings will eventually fade if you choose to leave the pool and dry off, but as long as you remain damp from the pool, those emotions will continue to linger. Even after you’re completely dry, there will be no mistaking just how intensely you felt or why. There is no explanation and might not be. Would you dare a second swim to test whether or not it was a fluke? ( These scenarios can be used as in-game canon. ) ☄ those who have crossed the eyes are not here, there are no eyes here The walls are shrinking in. Every room you step into feels much too small, like there isn’t enough room to even breathe. A crowded place becomes startlingly empty, and no matter how much you run, how much you explore, there is no one there to comfort you or answer your calls for help. Hallucinations run strong between the lulls of obscene loneliness or claustrophobia, and exposure to the glow of the asteroid is really the only thing to thank for that. You’re desperate to claw your way out of the ship—open the emergency hatch in the Cargo Bay, bust the glass of the Observation Deck. What’s worse is that it’s not just you. It’s catching, and the fear of being next is very real. It feels like you’re being watched, that everyone around you is looking and seeing everything you are. Or are not. The only way to make it stop is to admit that you’re afraid of being seen, but who, in the deep madness of the self, has the courage to ever admit the truth? ( These scenarios can be used as in-game canon. ) ☄ the sun in flight rage, rage against the dying of the light Something has drifted its way onto the Moira from the outside. Unlike the faint luminosity they give off, they suck up all the light around them, making them the only source to see by. From far away, they are just flitting balls of light, but if you get close enough to inspect them, they are mean. And have sharp, sharp teeth. Go poking, and they will bite you before trying to fly away while taking that only light source with them. The option to avoid them is quite easy if you’re not the curious sort, but without them around, it will be impossibly dark. As the asteroid moves on in the opposite direction of the Moira, these light creatures begin to dissolve and fade away with it. However, a word of caution: their bites glow. If you don’t manage to find the one that bit you and capture it between your hands, the bite will become a permanent glowing fixture of your body. ( These scenarios can be used as in-game canon. ) 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

dutch | killjoys

[avicula]

❝ space is cold and unknown (aft observation deck) ❞

( space isn't new for dutch, but this ship is. she already misses lucy, and she misses johnny and dav. she has no idea how the transportation system of this ship managed to circumvent lucy's defences, and the thought that this vessel is so much more powerful than dutch's own ship is worrisome to say the least.

dutch doesn't look particularly worried while looking at the stars outside, glancing the meteor now and again. instead, she looks thoughtful, and should someone approach her, she'll turn to them. ) I don't recognize any of these stars. Do you?

( dutch doesn't look worried, but that doesn't mean she isn't. it's just that she's been trained from a young age not to let her feelings show, not to show any sign of weakness. it's training that keeps her stance casual, almost relaxed. the gun strapped to her thigh helps a little, as does the knife hidden in her boot.

she can handle herself — but she hates the thought of leaving johnny and dav so soon after they've gotten dav back, and she hates the idea of not knowing where she is, of not knowing if khylen is behind this, if he's her enemy at all — she's never been much of a fan of uncertainty, and this is taking it to a whole new level. )

❝ the hours are breathing (pool) ❞

( dutch doesn't go swimming immediately after her arrival, but she makes her way into the pool eventually. she can't remember the last time she went swimming, and ultimately the temptation seems greater than the risk, so she strips off her weapons and clothes and wades into the water, kicking off the side of the pool to cross it with sure strokes — only to falter near the middle. there's a noise caught in dutch's throat that she won't let out, something afraid and small. she isn't a little girl anymore, though, she isn't the child who was given a weapon and told that it's him or you and never let it be you, who learned to kill and not ask why.

she isn't, but right now she feels as though she is. dutch had told johnny that she's tired of playing defence, but right now, she can't even seem to muster any of her defences. her strokes are far less certain as she turns to swim back to the side of the pool where she's left her clothes as fast as she can, heaving herself out of the water and skirting away from the edge, naked and afraid, looking around for the man who'd taught her everything she knows, how to kill and how to master her own pain, how not to be weak —

and she is weak right now. the thought is enough to put some anger into her eyes, warring with the despair still clinging to her like the wet droplets of water from the pool. dutch reaches for her gun with one hand, though she doesn't point it at anyone or anything, doesn't even undo the safety. )

What the hell was that?

garrus vakarian, mass effect.

[gunshipped]

THIS WIDE NIGHT ( aft observation deck )

[ this is... all a little much to take in. one second he's limping up to the normandy's medbay, and the next he's pulled onto a strange ship in a strange galaxy by technology he can barely fathom. and all this after fighting reapers and trying to stop the end of the world as he knows it.

hell of a day, really.

which leads him to the observation deck. he wasn't exactly planning to come here, look at the stars and that strange asteroid, it just happened as he was exploring the ship and trying to get his bearings. it's calming, in a way. looking out at the void that is at once familiar and alien. grounding, however ironic that may be.

he huffs out a laugh at the thought, cocking his head to one side as his gaze is drawn again to the asteroid. ] Could be worse. [ he muses to himself.

there could be reapers. ]

DARK IS RIGHT ( random hallway #12 )

[ navigating a new ship is hard. navigating a new ship while strange glowing creatures suck all the light out of the place? now that's just not fair. which is why, when he gets a chance, garrus leans in close to one of the things. maybe there's a way to get them to share a little more light than they already are. ]

Ow!

[ or the thing could bite him on the mandible when he gets too close.

garrus watches as it floats off into the depths of the ship, bringing one hand up to rub at his sore face. too bad it couldn't get him on the side with all the scars. he probably wouldn't have felt that as much. and, as the thing rounds a corner, he realizes that the hallway is now darker than he thought it could get. so much for the attempt to try and get some more light around here. ]

Sam Drake | Uncharted series

[bringitin]

Lost in an abyss (aft observation deck)

(Space. Now that's definitely a new one for Sam. He's beginning to wonder if maybe this was some sort of crazy dream, and someone slipped something into his tobacco. Hell, pirates and all the shit they saw chasing Avery had been a bit of a stretch. This? Now this was just plain madness.

Yet here he was staring out into nothing but a sea of stars. They were all around him it felt like. Sure this was a better sight than the walls of a cell, but still he felt a little trapped by it. All of that space out there and that was the feeling he got. Only Sam Drake. He doesn't have any smokes on him so he just begins whistling a tune, trying to figure things out as he does so.)



Could go for a bite. (mess hall)

(So far this place beat the prison he had spent so many years in. He was able to walk around freely to a lot more places. There were no bars holding him in. No guards that reeked of god knows what. There was clearly just one more thing he needed to check out.

So the load rumbling in his stomach was telling him anyway when he found the mess hall. Food. Let's hope this beat prison food just a bit, he would settle for just a tiny step up. He made his way in and looked around for a few moments just to get a feel for the place. Force of habit. Didn't take him long however to see the buffet table.

Now we are talking. He thinks to himself as he heads over ready to see the offerings. He looks at ease but you can be sure he is still on his guard.)

observation deck

[sketchycharacter]

[The observation deck is one of Nate's favorite places on the ship to just go and think quietly for a while, observing the universe and all its wonders. Or at least the parts they can see from here. It'd be a nice, romantic place to go stargazing, but with the cooler air bothering Elena's remaining shrapnel-y bits, it's become something of a solo meditation destination. Or something like that.

At least, that's what it is when he's alone, which isn't all the time. No surprise, really; he's sure other people are drawn to it for the same reason. He smiles at the sound of a chipper whistled tune, wondering if it's something from Earth or from another world or just made up...until the person whistling it comes into view.

Then Nate stares like he's seen a ghost. Because from his perspective, he pretty much has.]

mess hall

[diamondhack]

[Isha had forgone food for the past 14 hours, as she'd been entirely too busy fixing, well, everything. Her sunglasses are pitch black now, masking her exhausted eyes. Her black metal left arm gleams slightly in the lights, gold inlay and diamonds twinkling just as much. It holds a cup of coffee as if it were a life source and the meaning of the universe. It might as well be both.

Q-11, the robotic greyhound, walks slightly ahead of her, stopping at the sight of the stranger. A subtle alerts flashes on her sunglasses as the pair approach the buffet.]

Well you're new.

[Not that she knew everyone, but she wouldn't miss anyone with tattoos, ever. Details made a person memorable. Isha made sure to learn them all, when she could.]

Shayne | Battleborn

[shayneanigans]

said no more counting dollars | observation deck
[It’s a perfectly understandable misstep. You walked into the observation deck, eyes fixed on the starry void above and around you, and the view is so breathtaking that you have no reason to look at the floor.

Which means you’re completely caught off-guard when your foot collides with something solid and you hear an indignant squawk from the person who had been lying quite peacefully there before you stumbled in.

The person, quite young, chest and arm covered in bandages, and of indeterminate gender, scrambles to their feet.]

Hey! Why don’t you watch where you’re going?!

knives out | training simulation room
[Shayne’s trying to be patient, but Aurox is taking forever to pop out of that glowing blue portal thing. She’d wanted to wait for him before trying out the ship’s training room -- they work best together, after all -- but after a few hours of idling, she eventually decides to give it a spin herself. It’ll still be there when Aurox shows up, right?

She doesn’t have much programming experience, but she does her best to make the simulated enemies look like Varelsi, though they end up looking more like human beings put in a taffy stretcher and then doused with black paint. Whatever. Close enough.

They’re spawning in waves and Shayne is all too happy to run to meet them head on, switcherang darting out to cut legs out from under them and to carve away the arms that claw towards her.]

Come on, I got enough for everybody! [she crows. Or maybe not. As enthusiastically as she eviscerates the enemies in front of her, she isn’t paying too close attention to those flanking or approaching from behind. And they’re closing in fast...]

those who have crossed | moira hallways
Aurox, come on, man! This isn’t funny anymore!

[She’s running through the ship’s hallways, stopping every so often to look around her surroundings with wide, frantic eyes. Where is everyone? Aurox, Reyna, Orendi, Toby -- hell, she’d even take Ghalt right now. But none of them are here and a sinking feeling in Shayne’s stomach tells her they aren’t coming. She’s going to be stuck on his stupid ship, all alone, forever, until it crashes into a planet or flies into a sun or the Varelsi show up and make the entire universe go dark just like at home.

She’s running again and turns a corner just in time to run at full speed into someone else.] Oof! [She bounces off and you find yourself face-to-face with a wild-eyed teenager, who looks at you without seeming to see you. Without hesitation, she reaches for the strangely curved knife at her side.]

Venom | Guilty Gear Xrd

[poolhall_killer]

[On his own - Observation Deck]

He didn't expect to wake up, honestly. Not after a fight like that. But there he was, perfectly fine and being signed over to a rather large ship. Venom wasn't sure what to make of it. Confused, he wandered where he could and was turned away from off-limits areas.

During his exploration, he found himself on somewhat claustrophobic observation deck. The tight space didn't seem to bother him as he walked right up to the window, staring out into the vastness of his surroundings. Glittering stars in the distance caught his attention as he attempted to identify the respective constellations. Unfortunately, he couldn't seem to name many of them.

An hour later, Venom was sitting on the deck, still staring out. For the first time in many years, he felt at peace. He really should move on, but he was so captivated. Perhaps he needed to be coaxed into leaving.

[The Hours Are Breathing]

The pool's an unexpected luxury. Venom couldn't remember the last time he took a dip, and the pool was gorgeous under the light of the nearby asteroid. Dressed in a pair of trunks, Venom lowered himself in, the water warm and inviting.

At first.

Soon, he was overtaken by thoughts of his beloved master turning his back on him, and his heart grew heavier by the second. The despair and hopelessness that plagued his life before returned with a vengeance. Was he being forsaken again?

Before he made it out any further, he swam back to the edge and lifted himself out, afraid of what he might do if he remained in the water. He took deep breaths as he sat on the side, thoughts of Lord Zato weighing him down.

[The Sun in Flight]

"You little-!"

Venom gripped his arm and huffed. That's what he got for thinking the luminous creature was friendly. He saw a couple of them floating around and giving off the only light in the vicinity. He had cautiously approached one to get a closer look and it turned and bit him. Then it floated away, leaving him in the dark. Well, almost in the dark as Venom noticed the bite mark started to glow. Of course.

Something told him that he should find the little being and capture it. That wasn't going to be easy as he saw it floating in the distance, and it was still pitch black. Time to put that better-than-average vision to work...

raiden || metal gear solid (crau)

[cyborged]

headpiece filled with straw (cargo bay)

[Raiden is no stranger to any of these feelings. Like the walls are closing in, like he's choking on his own breath. Like he needs to escape. He knows it, but he's never really learned to manage it.]

[There's nobody nearby, not that he can tell, but Raiden can't shake the feeling he's being watched. Being seen. It only fuels his need to get out of here.]

[It's what has him at the escape hatch, looking for some kind of... A weak point or something.Maybe he should've paid more attention when people were explaining stuff to him about the ship-- he has no idea how to open this thing.]

and sang the sun in flight (some hallway or something)

[Now this is something Raiden knows how to deal with.]

[Just fight it.]

[Or, well. Kinda scoot 'em along by smacking them with your sword. They don't seem overly hostile, and kinda scurry away when they've been spooked. He has to use his NV filter, which makes them obscenely bright, but at least he can see his way around? That's pretty great.]

[He tries too shoo this latest one along before it absorbs all the light in the area, giving it a little smack with the flat of his sword to give it a spook and send it on its way. The thing responds by turning and biting his sword in response, obviously pretty mad about it. Which is understandable, really.]

Uh... [Raiden holds up his sword, little light creature firmly latched on the end of it.] I don't know what to do about this.

[He wiggles his sword. It does not let go.]

(hallway)

[exorion]

[How does being laughed at by a robot rank on the list of sucky things about this situation? Because it's happening. Cayde materialises seemingly out of nowhere with a snicker, arms crossed as he watches the light fade in the distance.]

Guess it didn't like you.

tony stark | marvel 616

[voicelog]

a. the sun in flight: shoo flies

[He’s done. 100% done.

Frickin’ cosmic jellyfish ghosts. (He doesn’t know what they’re called, so that’s what he’s going with here, okay?) They’re everywhere. It’s like his R.T. node is a queen bee attracting all of her hyperactive workers, except these hyperactive workers are also angry about the pay and going on strike right now. His suit came out within seconds of their arrival. Started as a small swarm but they’re growing with an increasingly rapid rate.

He’s trying to blast them away with his repulsors right now, even formed a shield around his body. They’re not letting up. He can also feel them doing something to the arc reactor in his chest. The light seems to be dimming...?

But that can’t be right.

Don’t mind him though, fellow passengers. Just Iron Man here, fighting a bunch of annoying, floating lanterns with the occasional curse or two thrown in.

Keep moving on and — whatever you do — don’t get bit. He’ll be fine. Probably.]

b. the sun in flight: mother nightlight

[So. He’s not fine. Actually, he’s pretty sure he is all the way on the opposite end of the spectrum for being fine right now, considering the current shitswarmstorm he’s in. If you’re curious as to why, please feel free to stop where you’re going and take a quick look at Iron Man slumped against a wall with a bunch of nightlights on him – some sitting on him, some flying around him, and some trying to gnaw through his armor.

If he has the energy, he would point out he fought a pretty good fight, but not much you can do when you’re confined inside a spaceship and you’re attracting these things like bugs to a particularly bright light. Call him Mother Nightlight, or soon-to-be ex-Mother Nightlight. They’re somehow sucking the light right out of his R.T. node. Pretty impressive he’s held off as long as he has. But here’s the thing— it’s kind of screwing with the arc reactor itself and he kind of needs his arc reactor to function because he kind of needs to breathe.

He’s sending out “help” signals through the MID, but, once the last of the light from his R.T. node goes out, it’s checkmate for him – or at least it’ll be if he doesn’t go into cardiac arrest first. This is turning out to be a fantastic day.

Well. At least if he dies, it’ll be in outer space. He’s not too mad about that.]

c. choose your own adventure(?)

Darcy Lewis | MCU

[sorryitasedyou]

« the observation deck »

[ Some things might feel like old hat to other people, but being kidnapped and whisked off into space through a weird portal-y thingy wasn't exactly on her bucket list. She'd made her way to the observation deck to try and make out at least one familiar constellation or some space bullshit that was way more up Jane's alley than her own and oh my god why is she evenbotheringtolookrightnow--

She takes a breath, and then another - letting her thoughts drift to home. To the last thing she'd remembered. Something had been wrong with Jane and Thor had whisked her away, leaving Darcy to deal with the cops. It was fine, she was used to it... Picking up pieces and making a few things up as she went. And right now, it looked like she might be on her own. There's a frustrated sound as she moves up to the window, eyes scanning again as she continues to look for something familiar. She presses a hand against the glass of the deck, murmuring to herself. ]

Toto, we aren't in London anymore.

« the sun in flight »

[ Trouble seemed to always have a way of finding Darcy, or rather she had a keen way of finding it. Of course she'd tried to touch the glowing thing because Dory from Finding Nemo was kind of her spirit animal on Tuesdays, Fridays, and every other holiday. If it glowed or looked like it shouldn't be touched, she wanted to touch it. And just like with Dory, the stupid glowing thing was attached to teeth and the teeth hurt. She pulls her hand away from it, shaking the injured appendage before starting to move after the floating ball of light. She didn't have a fear of the dark, per se, but being trapped on a ship in space which was already pitch black screamed horror movie... And she was too awesome to go out like this. ]

Oh shiitake mushrooms on a panda... H-hey, come back Pluto! I'm sorry you're not a planet anymore!

[ As the creature moves further away from her, she notices the fact that the bite is glowing. The dim light coming from her forearm illuminates her face as she holds it closer for inspection, panic laced with a whole lotta concern shining in her eyes. Her voice is a little shaky as she looks around again, trying really hard to not have a meltdown. ]

I'm so boned.

« wildcard »

[ go crazy. ]

(observation)

[exorion]

Nope.

[Which is exciting and worrying at the same time. Being so far from the Tower with the fight still raging back home. But this is so much more than he ever thought he'd get to see, and he fully intends to capitalise on it. Been a while since he's been in the field, after all.]

New constellations are half the fun of this whole intergalactic voyage though right?

mess- this is going to be a mess anyway

[tearsinajar]

[ Elena is starving, but then again when isn't she? She's already at the buffet with a tray at the ready, plate set up with a heap of what looks like steaming sweet and sour chicken balls, orange sauce poured over them. There's so much piled up that it almost looks like there's no way a woman of her petite size could finish them off. It's time to add the pasta, or maybe she'll go for some rice, add some vegetables. There's even stuffing— stuffing. And it's not even a holiday.

This is exciting. ]

Oh, sorry—

[ Moving around someone she doesn't recognise, likely another crew member, she takes her tray and heads around to the other side, humming over the selections.

Nate always told her that her eyes were bigger than her stomach. Often times, she proved him wrong, much to his shock and disgust, her appetite bottomless on the best of days. Shame he wasn't here to witness the feast taking place on the tray. ]

Topher Brink | Dollhouse

[ethicalproblems]

[1] the hours are breathing

[See. This is why exercise is bad, kids.

Swimming has never been on Topher's to-do list, but there's only so many rounds of the ship one can make before even space gets boring. Who would've thought? It's that boredom, combined with the need for some physical activity, that drives him down to the pool for the first time. He only lasts a minute or so in the water before the sudden feeling of hopelessness hits him. Every fear he's had—on the ship and back home—seems to return with a vengeance, and he barely keeps himself afloat against them.

After a moment, he manages to get himself back to the edge of the pool, shaking from the remnants of...whatever that was. The ship's way of making him even more of a shut in, maybe.

Anyone who decides to take a dip in the near future will find a dressed but damp Topher present, still gathering his composure. As whoever joins him starts towards the pool, he speaks up.]

Uh, I wouldn't if I were you.

[2] network. the sun in flight

Topher here. Bringing an emergency PSA for crewmates who’ve had a run in with our luminescent friends. The Medbay can’t help you. Not won’t—can’t. If you’re on the way here now, halt. Then turn around and pat yourself on the back for not wasting everyone's time. Good job.

And before someone freaks out, here's the bright side. A cure has been discovered. Still working on the why, but apparently finding and catching the one that bit you will fix the glow-y side effects.

For anyone out there not feeling their new look, it’s game on. Welcome...to The Amazing Race: S.S. WTF edition.

[3] wildcard

[ hit me ]

james t. kirk • star trek (aos)

[caelus]

☆☆☆ on your own // passageways and mess hall ( space allergies are a thing, y'know )

[ Jim took to wandering somewhat aimlessly through the decks of the ---Moira, is what they called her. He rubbed his wrist where they’d put the device, and took another turn down a passageway. When he signed up with Starfleet and then agreed to this five-year mission with his ship and crew---he hadn’t rightly expected to end up on a ship he didn’t know in a strange part of probably a different galaxy.

Jim was tired of surprises. He was tired of looking over both shoulders to see if bad guys would be showing up, or creeping out of the next dark corner of the next sector. He’d pay money, like actual ancient paper money, to just have a day with anomalous sensor readings and nothing else. A cool looking comet, what do you know? An uneventful nebula, sounds fabulous. Not being on some unfamiliar ship and thrust into a job that wasn’t captain in a universe full of who knows what? Sounds amazing.

He grumbled softly under his breath and took yet another turn, wincing as his thumb ran over the injection point again. It was already red. He’d better not be allergic to something in that. It’d be just his luck. ]

Wonderful.

[ He sees the way to the mess and figures, why not. Maybe they have cookies or something. He's been on so strict a diet after ---everything. Bones isn't here to police him and he'd really just like to cheat a little maybe. ]

☆☆☆ the hours are breathing // pool ( so you do feel )

[ The pool was something of an unwelcome sight. Super man blood or not, he still had to go through a hellish round of physical therapy after his miraculous recovery. Part of that had been found in a pool at Starfleet HQ under the watchful eyes of either Bones or Spock, usually. He'd been temperamental most of the time, if he was being honest. Not that he didn't have a right to it, but that was past him now.

Still, he couldn't bring himself to jump into the pool headlong like he'd done the water of the Bay back in San Francisco. So he settled for leaning down, hunkered by the glowing water in light of the asteroid. It was beautiful, he'd never seen anything quite like it, and he'd seen quite a bit so far. That was the farthest thought from his mind as soon as he found himself reaching down and dragging his fingers through the surface of the water, sending ripples out from the edge. Gut-wrenching despair slammed into him like a ship plummeting through atmosphere without power, a feeling he had significant experience with.

Jim jerked his hand out of the water as if it burned, and scrambled back away from it. He felt like he was going to be sick and the feeling didn't seem to end just with his hand leaving the water, and he reflexively shook his hand to dispel the water, gasping to catch his lost breath. ]

☆☆☆ wildcard // do what you do ( starships are meant to fly )

b

[abide]

[ Everything had been okay until the lights had disappeared. It's not the dark anyone should fear, a long lesson learned the hardest way possible; it's what might lurk in it. And Steve has done his best to usher anyone away from them or somewhere remotely safe with the reminder not to fight them since they're harmless when that happens. However, he gets that signal almost too late by the time he finds him, and Steve settles his shield into place on his back as he kneels down beside him, careful of the things swarming around him and passive enough not to disturb them. There's urgency to the hands settling on his shoulder though, his arm. Anywhere to get his attention.

This might not be his Tony, but it's still Tony. It's still someone who needs his help, someone he couldn't ever think to leave like this. His expression is tight. ]

Tony. Hey. [ Even with the diminishing light, it's not the best to make out anything in. ] Can you hear me?

the sun in flight

[ryuuzaki]

The corridor is dark enough that trying to move through it without frightening anyone is a good idea, and as L approaches from behind the woman, he almost passes by her without comment. Then, as the glowing creature swims away from her and towards him, he catches a glimpse of the side of her face. Her identity registers on a subconscious, physiological level before he can even put a name to her, making his pulse pick up, making his stomach drop... but once he does, he realizes that he would have recognized her almost anywhere, and her voice confirms it. It's Darcy.

He steps into the creature's light, and its illumination sets off the contrast between his pale skin and dark hair, and is reflected in his pupils. He's a good eight inches taller than her.

"Wait. I'll catch it." His voice doesn't waver -- there's nothing that immediately betrays how rattled he is.

[OOC: I am so, so sorry. L's CRAU pull point is from about two days before getting into an intense long-term relationship with his previous game's Darcy, but well after developing feelings for her. You are not under any obligation to continue anything like that, of course: he'll get over it.]

Thane Krios // Mass Effect

[psychadrellic]

☄ The Observation Deck

[Thane is the sort of man who is very much used to being in full control of his situation at any given time. So to say that he is unsettled by recent developments would be something of an understatement.

Not that anyone who sees him could tell.

Not that anyone can currently see him.

He has for the time being sequestered himself in the shadows, patiently listening and observing the activities of those around him. Ideally he hopes to gain a better understanding of his circumstances, but observation and reflection can only reveal so much.]

Meeting a stranger:
[After quite a lot of quiet observation, Thane unfolds himself from the shadows and approaches, carefully placing himself within visual range as he draws near so as not to cause alarm when he finally speaks. His voice, when he speaks, contains both gravel and a rasp. There's an inhuman quality to it, although at the same time the timbre could, in the right circumstances, be mistaken for that of a veteran chain-smoker.]

Apologies for the trouble; Would you mind if I asked you a few questions about this place?

Meeting a comrade:
[When he sees a familiar face - not something he had been expecting to happen, but nevertheless had hoped for - Thane slips from the shadows and approaches directly, although his careful nature balks at such openness. He does not wish to startle a comrade, however, so it is a necessary - if still uncomfortable - action.]

I'm not sure whether or not to be grateful that I'm not alone here.

[Because it is a pretty dubious situation, after all.]

☄ The Sun in Flight

[The gently glowing, gently drifting beings remind Thane of the Hanar, at least in outward appearance. The similarities were merely cosmetic, however. Hanar as individuals tend to be very polite, and as a species are not particularly violent.

They also don't have teeth.

He'd had no problem avoiding the teeth once he'd noticed them, of course, and is currently simply watching the luminescent creatures from a safe distance, oddly comforted by their familiarity despite their strangeness.

And if he happens to notice someone else attempting to inspect or touch the things, he can warn them, hopefully before a finger is lost --

--Like that person, over there.]

Caution is recommended; they seem very willing to bite.

[Advance apologies for startling anyone with his seemingly disembodied voice]

☄ Wildcard

Choose your own adventure.

[voicelog]

[It’s funny how peaceful he feels. Initial panic gone. A blanket of calm washes over him as he continues to wait – for anything, anyone. He’s been in this position multiple times over in the past. A part of him will always fight to stay alive because he still has work to do. But another part of him, a part he tries not to acknowledge but knows is there, welcomes the possibility of allowing the darkness to just... consume him.

Maybe that’s why he doesn’t feel afraid. He isn’t. Not of death. Never of death. If he has anything to fear, it’s how the future will turn out without him. It’s not ready for that yet. Arrogant as it may seem for him to think, Tony does have a genuine plan for Stark Resilient and the world it's going to help. He wants it to become the foundation of the future he’s going to leave behind one day.

So he can’t die today — no matter how tempting it may be. It’s not his time yet.

But time is against him right now. In eight seconds, he’s going to black out and he won’t have control of what happens thereafter. Not with these little pests surrounding him. He’s using all of his energy to keep the suit in place. Keeping his thoughts clear even with the tight pain in his chest – it feels like it’s caving in on itself, constricting and suffocating.

—and then he hears his voice. Steve. When did he get here? Can barely make him out. But his body starts to relax as he finally lets the armor retract and sink back into the hollows of his bones. Three seconds. He needs to explain to him what's wrong, what he needs to do.] Re... actor... [And then all he sees is black. Dammit.]

DON'T YOU KNOW YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO TALK TO STRANGERS, GOD

[ex_forcechoke292]

[He spends a lot of time on the Observation Deck. What once had been a source of comfort--and maybe it still is, despite those unrecognizable constellations still giving him reason for unease--has now simply become a force of habit.

It's usually for purposes of meditation that he comes out here, a practice that's...well, needed practice for years. The starlight usually helps. But he senses presence here long before Thane makes himself present, and it's been a distraction to say the least, even as he moves slowly, unarmed, through lightsaber forms he's had memorized by heart. It's the sort of meditation he's usually best at weathering through distraction with. But he fixates on the presence he feels and doesn't see: is it familiar? Friendly?

Strike one, time will only tell on the second.

He eases into a natural standing position when approached, as amiable as he can make himself when he's not exactly startled, but the interruption still isn't exactly invited, either. (He's trying.)]

I'm not sure I'm an expert, but I've been around. Shoot.

[Force, he hopes that's taken as a metaphor.]

[beautifulspaceraptor]

You alright over there?

[The voice is flanged in the way that only Turian voices are. Accompanying it is the soft pad of footsteps drifting closer in the gloom, the slide of a hand pressed against the wall for guidance.]

c

[commontype]

[In their current situation, there's a few things that don't mix. No lights, scared animals, and weird glowing things taking nips at his babies. Stark's as calm as he always is, nudging his tree-kittens into a corner to keep them safe, but it's getting the animals inside the vet's office that are there for their checkups to calm down that takes him the longest.

Once they're settled, Eggsy scoops up Sydney, Maxwell, and Banner, placing the first two inside one of the rooms and tucking Banner into his pocket, the head poking out. Stark comes with him out into the hall as Eggsy looks around for anyone struggling with not having any lights.]

Hey, bruv, you doin' alright?

[He can barely make out the form of someone else, using his MID as a light source. It illuminates the area around them both enough that even Stark is visible by Eggsy's feet.]

Stark, see if they're okay.

[The dog darts forward, faster than a blink of the eye.]

here comes the fun police

[sickbays]

[ Bones'd pay real money for that, too. Not just a day, but another couple of weeks like they had at the Collective, where he didn't have to worry about anything but keeping his glass of whiskey full and lathering on enough sunscreen before he headed out to the beach. Not battling vengeful aliens or trying to come up with strategies for battling said aliens.

He rubs at his eyes, knowing he's long overdue for a break. And for another cup of coffee, as big the barista can give him. He ambles out of the medical lab, following the corridors up to the mess without even thinking. He's walked the path even times it's become almost a mechanical process. Turn here, turn there, take the lift up and make a beeline for the café. It's just like every old day. Until he walks in, his eyes catching on something at the far end of the room, something so out of place he almost has to scrub his eyes again to make sure he's not hallucinating.

He's not. The doctor blinks twice to make sure of it. And when he is, when he's so certain he feels his heart start to beat hard in his chest, he strides up to him, pulled in like an object caught in a celestial body's gravity. He takes a breath, pushing all those mushy feelings aside for a moment in favor of a stern, ]

Don't even think about it. [ He can see what you're looking at, Jim. Look at his face, witness the disapproval. ]

the sun in flight

[madrush]

Tommy doesn't usually spend a lot of time thinking something through before acting, he leaves that to Billy, Teddy, and the others, but he's considering touching one of the balls of light and teeth, when the other guy does it first. At least, he assumes as much going by the words and the fact that the mark is starting to glow.

"I bet it's permanent. That mark."

He zips up beside the stranger, finger pointed at the bite mark, other hand on his hip.

"That's just how life is. Tommy, by the way, or Speed. Need some help?"

[voicelog]

[He has managed to evade them for the time being, except for a few persistent ones. They’re floating around him. Keep knocking up against the various nodes in his suit, but the biggest attraction is at the reactor in the center of his chest. The cosmic jellies are long past being a simple annoyance; now, they’re an actual problem. It seems the longer they surround him; the dimmer the light of his repulsor generator gets.

He needs to find somewhere to hole up, but it’s hard to hide from things attracted to the light when he’s a walking nightlight in a sea of darkness.

Blasting three of them back with his repulsor, Tony continues to fly down the hallway. He’s scanning to see if anyone is nearby. Don’t want to potentially ram straight into them. He eventually stops short once he’s eluded the last of them. Then, he slips back into stealth mode. Lights disappear and he’s just as much of a ghost as they are.

—except his energy is depleting and they always manage to seek him back out. You can conceal the light but it’s still there. Or maybe he just has shit luck.

He’s walking down one of the empty corridors when he hears the distinctive accent attached to a boyish voice. Before he can answer, he hears the sound of padded feet and he catches sight of a... Wait, what is that? Looks kinda like an ugly croissant roll with a face supported by six stumpy legs. Stopping in his tracks, Tony narrows his eyes at it, trying to determine if it’s a threat or not. Doubtful, but he can always go ahead and ask its owner.

Hold on a minute, didn't he hear him—] Did you just call it Stark? [He drops the concealment, letting the light from his repulsor battery flood the area. Better to look at who he’s talking to and get a better visual of Pillsbury here.] Talk about a popular name. I might just have to rebrand myself.