twenty-sixth jump;

[ataraxites]

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: Your average, run-of-the-mill jump—except some characters don't seem to be waking up from stasis like they should.



Don't worry.




THEY NEEDED THE REST.

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

[tumbleweeds]

[ Jaye's hardly good at Other People most days, but she can tell when to keep going. The intero-conversation helps. ]

Well, I have to know the animal exists. Having seen one or a picture of one at some point helps, so I have an idea of what I'm turning into, but I can alter things -- coat pattern, eye color, as long as it doesn't change the animal itself. I've actually got an encyclopedia of animals that I keep notes in; this would be a good form for combat, this one for infiltration, this one is stronger than it looks, that sort of thing. At this point, though, I usually don't have to think about it -- back home, I've been doing it for about eight years. Here? [ She shrugs. Who the hell knows, here. ]

It was a gift from a god. When I started as an apprentice, it was limited. When I became a master, the limits into what animals I could change into vanished, until I showed up here.

[ There's another grin as she practically bounces, instead rocking on her heels just once. ]

Want to see?

[ancientalien]

[He nods, even though it doesn't really make sense to him. Would seeing a picture of a pyjak let him know everything about the creature? How it's internal structure functioned, how it saw, what it was capable of? He did not believe so.

And then there are gods. He supposes it could merely be a technologically greater being granting a power, but he also had to accept that the universes others came from did not follow the same rules of his own. It was that or spend a lifetime trying to understand something he was never meant to. He was a soldier, not a scientist, and not a theologist.]

A useful gift.

[A surprising question. He raised his eyebrows slightly. She had made it seem easy, but showing off such strength could be dangerous. Still, he did.]

Yes.

[A simple answer, but it was sufficient.]

[tumbleweeds]

[ At the end of the day, there are more pressing questions. Jaye's given the answers she knows, and that's all she can do. Sorry Javik. But at least you get a free show. ]

Very.

[ With Nuada calling her a hybrid, it's nice to have the ego validation from another complete stranger. ]

I'll do a couple, let you really see it.

[ That's about the most warning he'll get before Jaye is, quite suddenly, a tiger. Her tail twitches, mouth stretching into a snarl so that he can see her teeth before she crouches like she's going to pounce -- and does so, turning into a fox in midair. A few steps along the bench and she jumps again, this time changing into a blue jay, fluttering up to perch on the lockers. Chirping down at Javik, she flies down and twists herself up into the form of a coiled rattlesnake, rattling and hissing before, laughing, she's back on the floor as a human. ]

Man, I love doing that.

[ancientalien]

[It is an impressive show, but it instantly sets his hackles up. No creature was meant to stare into a mouth like that and face it calmly, and he was no prey. Prothean instincts yelled out to fight, even while the human body started to flee. He takes half a step back before she changes again, and forces himself to ease the tension out of his shoulders even while his hind-brain screams at him.

Luckily the next creatures are progressively less threatening, right up until the serpent. It reminds him of certain animals from his own cycle, secretly dangerous things, and he eyes her warily until she is herself again.]

It does not confuse you?

[It is all he can think to say. He's trying to keep the admiration out of his voice, but it is a very, very useful trick. What he could do with a power like that. Kill. Mostly.]

You are very adept.

[tumbleweeds]

[ It's definitely not a bad response. Many people are simply impressed, but to get a reaction like that from another fighter is essentially enough to make her preen. Flicking some hair over her shoulder, her grin still wide, Jaye straddles the bench and leans forward to look at him. ]

Nah. Short amounts of time are fine. Having to shift for extended periods of time at short notice, that's the worst.

[ One thumb is jerked over her shoulder, in the general direction of the door. ]

Ship locked me out of medical during a jump, once; it's what killed my cow. But Earth insects are small enough to survive the force, so I shifted. It lasted a year. That was rough; lots of disconnect when you shift back, thinking you should have more or less or different body parts and senses.

[ A beat, her head tilting; considering. ]

I'm gonna guess you might know what that's like.

[ancientalien]

[He had spent enough time around humans to recognize pride when he sees it, but he can't fault her for it. True skill was to be celebrated. With none other to compare it to it is difficult to know whether she is a master, but it was impressive enough on its own not to matter.]

That was fortunate. Were you able to learn much during this time?

[Javik doesn't know anything about insects, other than that they bear a striking resemblance to the Rachni (and Protheans- that he doens't know that one). The horror of being stuck alone for a year does not occur to him. Empathizing is hard when your genetics don't just tell you everything, guys.]

Yes. Although this body is more similar to my own than some [turians came to mind] its limited senses are a burden. I have not yet discovered hidden strengths.

[He sounds bitter. And, unlike her, he can't go back. Not until he finds a way to return to his own universe.]

[tumbleweeds]

It would've been nice if I had, but nothing super helpful, no. I mean, insects aren't a new form, so that was a best. About all I learned about the ship was that it gets covered with red mist that tastes and smells like blood.

[ There's a thoughtful hum, Jaye tapping her toes against the floor for a moment. ]

Well, and that was when we missed a jump. Went right from 18 to 20, and with only one 19, and he's from this universe. But I didn't notice the ship stop, and if anyone would've, I would've.

[ It's information, technically. It's just not very helpful, not without anything else to go with it.

Javik's frustration at his new human body is quite understandable. Jaye's not sure what she would do if she were cut off from her ability now, deprived the edge and freedom it gives her. Still, the human body isn't entirely defenseless. ]

There are ways to train it -- even the senses. Weak points to learn how to guard, sure, but those can be used against someone else and there are strong parts, too. Some humans even sharpen their teeth, to give them that edge, if you wanted to try that.

[ancientalien]

Then you learned a number of things that do not happen.

[Less useful than solving every mystery aboard the ship at the same time, but likely she would have noticed other people, things, changes in scenery outside of blood.

The missing jump sounded almost familiar. Perhaps his research had revealed something of it. Or not. There had been many things to absorb in his first few days aboard the ship, and the relentless cramming had not benefited him much.]

Interesting.

[He pulled a face. Many had tried to convince him of the usefulness and strength of the human body. He did not care. While it was not as unfortunate as being stuck as a Salarian, it was certainly no boon. A krogan body he could have worked with. At least he would have strength. And asari would have allowed him to keep his biotics. This form? Blind, deaf, dumb, weak.]

A waste of time, the human body is not suited to tearing flesh. But I have attempted to... adapt.

[To an extent. Mostly he was attempting to force.]

What will you do with these items?

[tumbleweeds]

It's something.

[ She certainly should have. Of course, it's a large ship. ]

Well, depends on the flesh. I mean, it's really not that hard to puncture human skin. Animals do it without even trying all the time, and our jaws are strong enough to bite off fingers.

[ A few fingers are wiggled at him, for emphasis. ]

I could give you pointers. No one spars with me much anymore.

[ Too touched in the head, probably. ]

Not sure yet. Someone'll probably want to run tests on them.

[ancientalien]

[He followed the waving of her fingers with a cocked brow. That was... a curiously honest thing to say.]

I would not know. Some day I may have the chance to discover myself. [There was almost a level of satisfaction in that.

He eyed her. She was not a large or powerful looking human. And while he was uncoordinated he was not small. She did have confidence, and he could not write it off as mere pride when she was aware of the limits and strengths of her form.]

I think I would enjoy that.

[He glanced over the items, shrugged] I doubt they will discover anything you cannot tell with your eyes. Whoever leaves these items is not helping us. It would be better to burn them. Or feed them to your creatures.

[tumbleweeds]

[ This time, her grin is positively huge. ]

I stay in the gardens; you can come find me whenever. If I'm not near these guys [ a wave toward her animals ] then I'm probably clearing brush.

[ And if you're ever really bored and tired of lifting weights, Javik, you can help her. ]

Yeah, I don't think the jumpsuit's really salvageable. Howly might like the eyes.

[ancientalien]

[He does not know what 'clearing brush' is, but he assumes it is something to do with animals. Perhaps cleaning them.]

I will find you.

[It's not meant to be ominous, but phrasing matters.]

Perhaps. It is better than following the phantom trail the ships leaves. Allowing it to manipulate us is folly.

[He glanced away, studied the crowd for a moment] I must go. I am searching for... familiar faces. Do not waste the eyes.