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

[likescats]

[Another strange thing. Having someone who is happy to see him. If Death could actually smile rather then his ever present grin, he would be now. Though the essence of smiling is still there somehow.]

I WAS NOT AWARE I WAS AWAY.

[However he says this while managing to catch her flying leap hug. Physical contact is not something he's used to either but he's managed to learn the general concept of hugs at least, thanks to Mayfield. Even if his return ones are rather bony.]

[acapriciousthing]

[She's been fine on her own for billions of years. And she could be fine on her own. But now, she'd much rather be with him. Existing is better, with him. He was something she hadn't known she was missing until she found him.

So she's just going to hang on, bony hugs and all.]

You didn't wake up, last jump.

[likescats]

[He keeps a hold of her in that case. It seems perfectly normal to do so.]

HOW STRANGE. I DO NOT RECALL ANYTHING HAPPENING DIFFERENTLY.

[But then again...well Mayfield was like that too.]

I SUPPOSE IT WAS BETTER THEN BEING A DRONE. STILL I APOLOGIZE FOR LEAVING YOU ALONE.

NOTHING TERRIBLY BAD HAPPENED I HOPE?

[acapriciousthing]

No. THere were more strange wandering memories, and some were unpleasant. But nothing in the time itself.

[She marvels again at how remarkably comfortable it is to rest her head against ribs. Perhaps she's the only one to think of it like that. But it always feels so right.]

I missed you.

[likescats]

THAT IS GOOD.

[He wouldn't be pleased if something bad had happened just when he'd been put in a coma.]

IF I HAD BEEN AWAKE I WOULD HAVE MISSED YOU AS WELL.

[Death and Death, the most romantic couple.]

[acapriciousthing]

[That would just figure]

There, uh, may be a... rather lot of cookies. And cupcakes. In one of the kitchens.

[Not stress baking or anything.]

[likescats]

[That brings back memories of Mayfield]

PERHAPS YOU CAN SET UP A BAKERY ON THE SHIP.

[acapriciousthing]

There were an awful lot of people interested.

[She wasn't really surprised. The boys had always been pretty good at showing up at the right moment]

[likescats]

I DO NOT DOUBT THIS. FOOD, IT SEEMS IS ALWAYS POPULAR.

PERHAPS I WILL MAKE SOME CURRY FOR US.

[acapriciousthing]

That sounds lovely, dear.

[It takes some careful manipulation of her own height, not to mention standing on her tippy toes, but she manages to place a kiss on his cheekbone]