( tdm 13 )

[hohnkai]

T E S T D R I V E

my evil twin, bad weather friend "I know someday I'll meet him, but I don't know where or when." 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. ) Every day, the ship gets closer to its destination: the Midway Hub. Answers as to how to the fix the broken Ingress and send everyone home are sought there. Your captains, both old and new, have been working together peacefully to make the trip a little easier, though events occur that are well outside of their control. After having made the last cargo supply stop at the Mini Colony, the Moira and its crew are on the last stretch of its journey. The Ingress, for the majority of the time, is left off and only turned back on during testing; that's when new crew and other items come through. It's October on the Moira, and it's been far, far too peaceful.. ☄ older and far less kind get clowned when I come around On one of the ship's many stops, a group of sentient, flying whale-type natives were stumbled upon. They were friendly, although unfortunately hunted for a substance they produce, and the crew paid a group of mercenaries to keep these beings safe. Now, early afternoon, red lights begin to flash, and Captain Ira makes an announcement. A gam of a less advanced sub-species of those gentle giants is in the ship's path, and crew are told to make their way to the Observation Deck, Tower, and anywhere else that affords them a view of space. When the beings move closer to the Moira, the captains send out non-explosive decoys that can be remotely operated by the crew—lead these beings away from the ship so that the Moira can safely pass through. ☄ graveyard smash i was working in the lab, late one night Let's set the scene. It's early in the morning. Those who don't sleep or sleep very little already know what's going on as they've been roped into helping by the Captains. Everyone else wakes to a surprise. Some universes celebrate holidays like Halloween or Samhain, and this one is no different. First Mate Egan's home is known for honoring the dead on October 15th of every year, and after approaching the other Captains, they've decided to celebrate it on the Moira. The observation deck is decorated with candles and lights, music playing in the background. Small gift boxes are left outside everyone's door; a MID message explains that each crew member is to put something inside and then place them on the observation deck. At the end of the day, each crew takes a random box. A device that alters the gravity around a single object is used to make drinks, food, and gifts and float through the air. Everyone is encouraged to relax and have a good time. ☄ section t unfinished business, that's what There are many locations on the ship that are inaccessible, either because they are locked unless crew have clearance or for some an unknown reason. Section T is one of those such areas. Crew are known to get lost in this area, and hear voices, among other things. Having this brought to the Captain's attention, an expedition of sorts ghost hunters in space has been organized, and anyone who wishes to join will be paired up and sent in with their MIDs on alert to track their paths. Not long into the search, it will become clear that something, or someone, is displeased with the large number of people wandering through. Some unlucky crew will stumble across an apparition and those who are luckier won't. It's relatively harmless, and appears to only seek to scare everyone out of Section T. 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

[mylawn]

I know.

[That's what hurts. 76 is fully aware that if Ana wanted to let him know she was alive, there were a multitude of ways she could have done it. The fact that she hadn't--that for years, she'd allowed him to believe he got her killed--should make him angrier, but he thinks he understands a little better now that he's done it himself.

It's also likely he's just too exhausted to want to fight about it, not when he has her back on this impossible spaceship, of all places.

Her touch on his arm feels solid, and before he can stop himself, he's bringing his own hands up to unfasten his visor, though he's slower to relinquish the military formality that's built into his posture. He's only removed his headgear sparingly since arrival, not knowing where all of the security cameras are and half-convinced that he's strapped to a chair in Talon's basement being probed for intel through some kind of elaborate situation. Now that he's come to terms with the fact that this is real, talking to Ana without a mask between them feels like the least he can do.]

I'd heard things. I was on my way to find you when I ended up here.

[The solo vigilante gig isn't bad. He's good at it, all things considered, but the instant he caught wind of someone who might have been Ana, 76 was willing to drop everything for the infinitesimal chance to have her at his side again. He likes to think that if he'd known she was out there, he'd do his best to get a message through. Without being sure, going to Giza in person was the next best thing.]

Were you looking for me?

[Now that he knows Ana has been alive this whole time, it seems reasonable to assume that she's been keeping tabs on him the moment he popped up in the news.]

[grammascookies]

I was, in fact. Reliable, experienced help can be hard to find. And, as you know, things in the world were not going to get better on their own.

[As they both knew, Talon wasn't going to sit around and not do evil things. And it seemed no one else was going to try to stop them. Rather than go at it alone, she needed someone else with her. Someone she could trust, most importantly.]

But why the mask, Jack? [Him taking it off gave her a stark reminder that it was, in fact, there. Not that she needed it.] ...does no one else know?

[mylawn]

[Hearing her say that twists something in his chest that he didn't know was there. Part of him still wants to be angry, but it's swiftly being overwhelmed by an indeterminable feeling he hasn't experienced in a long time, a strange combination of relief and happiness and validation. Catharsis. She'd been out there. She'd been keeping an eye out for him. He's not going to have to beg her to retake her place at his side because she wants to do it of her own accord, without even asking him what he thinks he's doing.

That means more to him than he can possibly express.

But maybe he's jumping to conclusions, and her second statement reminds him of the reality of his situation. The reason why he wears a mask should be obvious enough, so it occurs to him that she's asking in the context the Moira. Why he's keeping it on so far removed from home, where it doesn't really matter who he is underneath.]

They can't know. It's not safe.

[It's a simple answer, though he imagines it's an unsatisfactory one, especially when he's going to have to ask her to keep his secret (no small task when there are so many of them here). 76 is adamant in his belief that in order to make things right--uncover the conspiracy that felled Overwatch--Jack Morrison needs to stay dead. He can't afford to compromise himself, not with the possibility that he can still get home. It's safer for everyone this way.]

Who have you run into?

[grammascookies]

[Her lone eye blinks once, taking in those few words. It certainly was an unsatisfactory answer. Especially for someone who feels that taking others under one's wings was the best way to keep them safe.

But she didn't have to be satisfied to believe him. Jack, past or future, wouldn't lie. And it was true that if others discovered that Jack Morrison was still alive, even here, drastic actions may be taken to draw him out. So Ana nodded, accepting that.]

That leaves a lot of explaining, and not as to why. It will not take much for some to notice that we have a bit more camaraderie than you probably show with others. So what will the excuse be? Fellow bounty hunters after I decided to get out of seclusion?

[Now she's back to smiles, at least. If one wanted to come up with dumb excuses, she could go for a while like that. They were going to need them.]

Fareeha. Reinhardt. At least, those are among those I cannot simply brush off or avoid.

[People who are family, that is. Friends and allies always, always became part of the Amari family in Ana's heart, at least.]

[mylawn]

[The real truth is something he finds difficult to voice, as it involves the fact that he really, sincerely believes Jack Morrison to be buried in Arlington. Some fundamental part of him burned along with the Swiss Headquarters, and he doesn't expect to ever get it back. Then there's the matter of what all the people he once inspired finding out that he's the one planting bombs and breaking into secure facilities with no regard for collateral damage. 76 knows he's crossed lines. They've already mourned him once, and he recognizes that there's value in preserving his memory. He won't have it sullied for them.

But all of that is hard to explain, and on some levels inherently selfish, so he'll pretend that this is about keeping them safe.]

You'll run into Jesse and Angela before long. Might be best to act like we don't know each other.

[At least in places where there's a risk of all the ex-agents taking note that Ana Amari and Soldier: 76 seem to have some kind of relationship. He's confident in his ability to pull this off, and though he has no right to ask this of her, she's talking like she'll follow through, so he knows that she will.

Doesn't make him feel less guilty, so he tries to give his reasoning a little more weight by addressing the elephant in the room.]

Gabriel's alive. [Maybe she knows that already, or suspects, though calling him 'alive' is generous. 76 isn't sure what to make of the thing that used to be Reyes, beyond the fact that it very desperately needs to be put down.] He's here, too.

[grammascookies]

[She grit her teeth at the sound of that. Not at the idea of Jesse and Angela being around. That was a relief. The charming sharpshooter and the medic was always a bonus. The part where they should act different in public rubbed her wrong.]

That, I cannot accept. At the very least, you can use the excuse that old soldiers click together well, no matter their origin. There will be too many questions asked if I suddenly show up every time you are in trouble.

[Which she planned on. That was her duty...and always had been. Second in command meant keeping Jack out of trouble.

But the other piece of news...Ana almost cursed herself. The moment she knew Jack figured alive, she should have realized. And there was an obvious suspect for it too.]

Gabriel....he's Talon's mystery mercenary, is he not? You two never did get along all that well so it would be no surprise.

[mylawn]

[Ah, there's the catch. It's not unworkable, but 76 would obviously prefer she just did things his way. That's not how it works with the two of them, however, not all the time, and he knows when she isn't going to budge on something. The fact that she's offering to cover for him should be good enough--this is a concession he'll have to make.]

What are you gonna tell them when they ask you about me?

[Because they will ask her about him, Fareeha especially. He already has his hands full trying to cover his own ass. As soon as they catch wind of inexplicable fraternizing, they'll be all over it. Unfortunately, it's the least of his problems, considering Gabriel. At the mention that they never did get along that well, he outright laughs. That's one way to describe two men who quite literally blew each other up.]

If Talon thinks he's working for them, they've got another thing coming.

[Maybe it's the part of him that doesn't want to believe Talon and Blackwatch had more overlap than he admits to himself, but if he knows Gabriel (and he's certain he does, even after everything), he's using them just as much as they think they're using him.

Doesn't change the uncomfortable truth.]

But whatever he is now, it ain't human.

[grammascookies]

The mystery bounty hunter and the mystery man both leveraging justice without a name attached to it. Who is to say they never crossed paths and worked together one time or another? Would that story work?

[It was the easy solution. One that didn't come with a lie either, since Jack and Ana had worked together plenty. Just long before their later phases in life.

But she had about a thousand questions in terms of Gabriel. For the time being, she was keeping most to herself. Some things are best found out first hand. But with a man of his skill, obviously extremely bitter and with a chip on his shoulder would be a problem. The non-human part was the troubling bit.]

What do you mean? Is that just an exaggeration? Are you saying he is pumped up on stimulants and drugs or...?

[mylawn]

[He merely grunts in response to the plan. Maybe it's in the affirmative, but the sentiment is that it could be better. Could be worse. Soldier: 76 doesn't have to know that Hakim's ghost is the late Ana Amari. He can work with "convenient, occasional allies, when interests align".

Angela and Jesse and Fareeha and Reinhardt are all too smart for that, probably, but 76 is nothing if not stubborn.

Gabriel is another matter entirely, and he looks exhausted about the situation all at once. He's still trying to wrap his head around it, because it all sounds impossible.]

I think he died, Ana.

[76 has his suspicions, and then there's the fact that Reyes himself said that he was dead.]

Got brought back, somehow, but it's all wrong. He's like a ghost.

[grammascookies]

[A ghost. The rumors about that mercenary being a wraith were certainly telling, then. Since it was coming from Jack's mouth, she wasn't going to say something cliche like 'ghosts don't exist'. But it still took some brainpower to process the idea.]

What you are saying is that unlike the two of us, he actually did die but someone resurrected him? It was not a near death situation like Genji was?

[It was almost starting to sound religious, in a way. Resurrection was something that came out of religious texts. Which made it even odder.]

[mylawn]

I don't know. Somethin' like that.

[His shoulders sag a little, because he doesn't understand what happened, and he's not sure he ever will. Reyes is a complicated subject, because for all of their years of fighting and the way they both went down, they had been friends, once. Brothers. 76 wouldn't wish Reaper's apparent undead existence on anyone, though he can't even be sure if it wasn't something he did to himself intentionally.

Certainly wouldn't put it past him.]

Wouldn't expect a straight answer about it.

[grammascookies]

Probably not. But that will not stop me from asking.

[Ana felt the same way about Gabriel. The three were all basically super-pals and she wanted to hope that if he was some kind of evil monster now, she could at least get to him. Somehow. But she was going to run with it realistically and not idealistically. That was the Ana way.]

As long as I am not stepping on any toes, of course.

[mylawn]

[Yeah, about that. 76 isn't going to stop Ana from seeking Gabriel out, but he knows that Reaper will only be found when he wants to be. Then, of course, there's a more glaring matter--both times he's encountered Gabriel on this ship, it ended about as well as she might expect, given their history.]

He'll try to kill you.

[He says that as neutrally as possible--a statement of fact, but also a warning. 76 won't be able to keep this from happening, and he knows she can take care of herself, but he's not about to lose her again.]

[grammascookies]

Try is the keyword. But if it makes you feel better, I could keep you in the loop. It would be nice to you play hero again if I ended up in trouble.

[She isn't going to toss out his words and be reckless, at least. That would be the height of stupidity, especially since 76 knew more about Gabriel as he currently stands than anyone else.]

[mylawn]

[He knows full well that going with Ana to confront Gabriel will only end badly--she has a better chance of actually talking to him if the source of all his rage isn't present. That said, however, 76 would be hard-pressed to leave her alone with him. Whether or not she can take care of herself is a moot point when Reaper is what he is.

His feelings about the matter are more than evident on his face.]

I'll be nearby if you need me.

[Just in case things go south. Maybe they won't, but he doesn't want to take that chance. 76 allows himself to reach out to her, after a tentative moment of his hand hovering over her shoulder. When he finally brings it down, his touch is firm. The tension in his expression melts into something altogether more fond, but there's sadness in it, too.]

Maybe I can watch your back for once.