ELEVENTH WAVE

[astrogate]

CHARACTERS: any and all
LOCATION: Gravity Couches and beyond
WARNINGS: maybe some swearing, or even some violence, and more than likely some implied (and possibly explicit) nakedness.
SUMMARY: Another month, another jump, another round of new faces.
NOTES: Keeping up with the tradition and copy pasted like always from the last one


You wake up in darkness.


There's a breathing tube jammed down your trachea, and you're suspended in a tube of clear blue fluid. Upon registering your level of consciousness, the gravity couch drains the fluid surrounding you and retracts the breathing apparatus; the doors in front of you open, and you're deposited on the floor of a stark, sterile medical bay.

You are not alone.


There are others who have come before you, others who are awakening beside you. Some may be familiar to you, perhaps even friends. Others have much less amiable plans. Some are merely alien and inexplicable, but there are always those who might mean you harm.

After you catch your breath and your vision returns, you notice a number on the inside of your forearm. Maybe it's a familiar number. Maybe it means something. Maybe it's just a number. But the number—completely unique to you—is a tattoo, and it does not come off.

If you enter the room adjacent to the medbay, you will find a small locker with your number on it, surrounded by rows upon rows of identical lockers. Inside, you will find a few of your personal items, a communications device, and a ship's uniform in your exact size. The comms device is fully powered and connects directly to the ship's network; it's your only means of communication beyond physical conversation. Upon turning the device on, a neutral, automated voice will say, "Please take the blue lift to the passenger quarters." Any other attempts at communicating with the rest of the network are met only with static.

This is your welcome party.

Comments

[cargojet]

I guess it could be the pod. [ He hadn't even thought of that, but then he double takes, tilts his head back toward Francis, over his shoulder. ] What do you mean burned?

[ He hasn't even realised it yet, that's how out of it he is. ]

[willpunchfaces]

[Francis gives Nathan a look, then motions toward the areas where the rash is visible] Like I said: You look like crap, and I've seen people after they're burned. It doesn't look that different.

[cargojet]

[ Nathan teeters to a stop for a moment, taking a good look at the burns down his chest, and his stomach feels like it drops out from underneath him. ]

Different enough. Come on, let's get me to medical before I feel like throwing up my lungs again.

[willpunchfaces]

[Francis expected more of a reaction, but sometimes no reaction is worse, admittedly. he gives Nathan a minute more, then starts leading him to medical again]

I don't even know how you're walking right now.

[cargojet]

Fills me with reassurance, thanks so much.

[ But he manages to stumble along. Thankfully medical isn't that far, but it feels like a half marathon to Nathan. He's exhausted. ]

[willpunchfaces]

No problem.

[and Francis gets him there as quickly as possible, because it can't feel comfortable walking with that rash]

Need anything else?

[cargojet]

[ Nathan nods his head gratefully. ]

I should be fine from here. Grab someone's attention. Thanks for the help, kid.

[willpunchfaces]

[Francis steps away a second, waving for someone to come over, then gives Nathan one last uncertain look]

Yeah, well, if you're really going to try and lead these people, you can use the help, right?

[cargojet]

I can. And thanks again.

[ A moment, as he seems to look a little green around the edges again, but it passes. ]

[willpunchfaces]

[he's admittedly worried, but he won't show it, and instead waves a hand dismissively because bravado] Sure thing. See you around, dude.