seventeenth jump;

[mathematically]

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

[differentsideofmyself]

Most of the population just showed up here like this.

[alaspooryork]

I see.

[This is all very confusing. Perhaps Gamma is involved somehow.]

All of these individuals have arrived as I did? To what end?

[differentsideofmyself]

Pretty much. And no idea. We're just here.

There should have been a communication device in your locker too, so you can talk to others. Get in touch with the others from home.

[alaspooryork]

[Delta nods and flashes his little not-smartphone.]

Is the operating system user-friendly?

[...not that he'll have a problem if it's not, mind.]

[differentsideofmyself]

Very user friendly.

[alaspooryork]

[Hmm. Well, that might mean they've dumbed it down excessively for the average user. Still, it will be something to keep him occupied for a while as he gets used to the idea of, well, all of this.]

Do you have a network ID by which I can reach you?

[differentsideofmyself]

[Epsilon lifts his arm showing the tattoo everyone gets on arrival. 015 >> 009] That's the room I'm assigned to too.

You're welcome any time.

[alaspooryork]

I see. Perhaps--

[He grimaces a little as he glances down at his own tattoo.]

Perhaps once I have attained a measure of stability, I will take you up on your offer. It is good to know you are well, despite the circumstances.

[differentsideofmyself]

Just be careful. This place is dangerous.

And I actually wish I was as lucky as you regarding having a partner here. I haven't seen my most recent partner in months.

[alaspooryork]

Understood. Is there anything in particular I should remain on the lookout for?

[Delta tilts his head to one side. After what happened to Agent Washington, he's surprised Epsilon was allowed to have a second partner.]

Even so, I cannot interface with him directly. I do not know how much use I will be like this.

[differentsideofmyself]

Strange and aggressive lifeforms.

And even if you aren't interfaced, you can be useful. And you can keep him company. Kind of started to miss Carolina since arriving. Even if she was difficult.

[alaspooryork]

[So, not that different from home, then. Delta nods, though he furrows his brow at the name Epsilon mentioned.]

You were partnered with Agent Carolina?

[But she's dead too....]

[differentsideofmyself]

The project is over. There's nothing left. She asked me, and I said yes. Why not?

[alaspooryork]

Forgive me, Epsilon, but to the best of my knowledge, neither of you were still alive.

[differentsideofmyself]

Storage.

And she was lucky, considering.

[alaspooryork]

I see.

[Well, the first part made sense to him, given his conversations with Agent Washington. But that Carolina could possibly still be alive after all that time....]

Is she...well?

[differentsideofmyself]

Yes. She was when I came here...

She finally learned to let go, Delta.

[alaspooryork]

[That gets a smile, though tentative as Delta's still rather in shock from all this.]

I am glad to hear it. I think York would be happy to know.

[differentsideofmyself]

How the hell do you tell someone that?

[alaspooryork]

I will wait for the proper moment.

[Because if there's one thing Delta trusts implicitly, it's his own sense of how York will react to him.]

[differentsideofmyself]

And if he has questions, tell him to see me.

I know a lot more than that. We found a data storage unit Tex had, full of things no one was supposed to know about. And we saw the Director.

[alaspooryork]

I will.

[Well, that's...Delta's not sure how to feel about that.]

Perhaps once I have settled, we could discuss this?

[differentsideofmyself]

Sounds good, Delta.