twenty-eighth 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: It could just be the standard sensation of air on wet skin, but if you bother to check, you might notice the steam rising from your body, barely there and gone within a minute. By the time you get to the showers, it will be clear that it's not just taking you time to adjust. The room is cold — colder than usual, but no worse than the last jump. While it's nothing dangerous, it's certainly motivation to hurry through the usual routine and get dressed quickly.



It's getting closer.




YOUR EYES ARE OPEN.

KEEP LOOKING.

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

abed nadir | ota

[coolcubed]

[ ...okay, on the list of things in life that Abed couldn't anticipate, he's prepared to go ahead and call this number one once his head's cleared up a little bit. It could almost be a Dreamatorium simulation gone wrong, with the exception of literally everything being unfamiliar and unplanned. Easy come, easy go. For a few minutes, he's too muddled to think about it further than noticing how muddled he is and thinking that his dad would probably be really mad if he saw the tattoo.

Once he's at least sorted out enough to stand up and walk a straight line, he joins the shuffle of the crowd towards the showers, and everything he has from the pod bay to the locker room is bodily throw into containing and categorizing. There's a place on the genre spectrum for everything. He'll be calmer once he has it narrowed down. This is clearly sci-fi, and if the snatches of conversation he overhears are anything to go by, he's directing his prognosis into Space Thriller. Ridley Scott territory. Matrix territory, even. He can do Neo. Keanu Reeves has a robotic, emotionless approach to most of his recent work that Abed is naturally compatible with.

The unexpected element hits Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy standards, but it's pretty obvious that the lighthearted, comedic yet heartfelt air of that movie (and of Greendale Community College, and the study group) is long gone. It's not ideal. They only just got Troy back and re-bonded as a group in time for a finale wrap-up. But a person hardly gets to choose their solo circumstances. It's usually some kind of opportunity to leave, like going to Paris for two years to work in fashion, or graduating from high school and going to college, or the war in Korea ending after 11 years and going home to AFTERM*A*S*H. One of those things that's sort of a choice, but everybody really knows that the person's going to make the choice for the entire episode. You get written out and nothing is voluntary.

This is apparently one of those times. Severely so.

When he's not righting his perception of the world into something he can generally handle, Abed is observing his fellow passengers with all the subtlety of a WWE wrestler. He's always sort of done that, though. The Tranquility is clearly going to be another challenge in learning ongoing subplots and points of interest for him, which is probably okay. Actually, it's really cool. All he needs is for a Cougar Town regular to show up.

Or one of his friends. He'll have to figure out how long is long enough before a cameo is a possibility- he misses them. They're also a lot better at making connections with other people, and he'd rather let them do most of that work eventually.

Considering he just woke up slime-covered with a bunch of other naked people and basically group showered with them, Abed isn't really too fussy about getting dressed in the locker room (cool ship uniform jumpsuit? that's a cool bonus). There's a point where a person just has to be logical about the modesty business, and this is that point. Anyway, he can't say he actually really had the frame of mind to care about people being naked, so it might be safe to say that it was the same the other way around. Maybe not. He's misread things before. But it's still a little late for worrying.

His locker has chapstick, a grappling hook, a felt goatee, and a handmade friendship magazine, for any onlookers. He takes the chapstick and the grappling hook. But the goatee and the magazine kind of balance each other out, so he leaves them behind for now. Better to get things figured out before dragging either of them off into potential space firefights or whatever lies in store. But hey there, you near the locker area. Yes, you. Whoever you are. Abed has possibly not even looked in that direction yet, being preoccupied with wrapping the rope of his grappling hook up properly. ]

So I'm pretty sure I missed out on a red pill, blue pill question at some point? I can still work with this, but it's a disappointing way to flip genres. Things are a little easier to swallow when you get to make a big life-changing decision to go off into the unknown instead of waking up in the middle of it. And when you actually understand exactly what's going on. None of the technology in my reality is actually this advanced yet, so I have to assume this is alien abduction until further notice. Which I thought might happen eventually, but I was kind of hoping it could wait until I got out of college. [ Are you generally not supposed to casually chatter at strangers fresh out of a sci-fi stasis pod? Because he has successfully never learned that lesson in his lifetime. ]

((and for safety's sake, i'll offer a link to his fourth wall permissions post, whoop.))

[onsilksheets]

[It took her a few moments to register that someone was speaking, and since there wasn't anyone else in the room, Bela assumed that they were addressing her. She looks from the grappling hook to him, and then back to the hook before her gaze settles on his face. It's not the strangest thing that Bela has ever seen in her life but it raises a lot of questions.

For one thing, he doesn't seem to be freaking out.

She also learns that he talks really fast and has clearly been thinking about the situation that he has found himself in. Bela waits until he was finished with his spiel before answering his query like she had done so many times before.]

It isn't an alien abduction. [Sorry to disappoint.] Long story short, you're on a spaceship known as the Tranquility and you were taken from wherever you live when the ship did something known as a 'jump.' Apparently we are all supposed to be heading home but since I've been here for two years, I don't think that is going to be happening anytime soon.

[Yep. She's a little bitter.]

I'm sorry but I have to ask: grappling hook?

[coolcubed]

Oh. Okay. [ One theory down, he guesses. That happens when someone is more or less blindly feeling out a plot, and Abed doesn't see much else to do but take the information she's willing to offer in stride to work off of. So he's about two years late to the game, give or take.

Maybe it's a little more 4400 than he'd first considered, regardless of the lack of alien interference. If this were a series or a movie, he'd be in prime position to request exposition that's so token by now that everyone else doesn't bother discussing it. Straight man for established habits and antics next to Lauren Cohan. (if Abed recognizing her isn't cool, just say the word and I can edit that baby out.)

Jeff's a lot better for a straight man in terms of personality, though. Not that that makes him magically appear, therefore considering it is moot. Abed nods along in understanding, and opens his mouth to... well, there's a spiel in there about how space travel has always been a time-taking sort of thing in most fiction, space odysseys and five-year missions to take into account and all. The Inspector and Reggie didn't go through time and space so they could pop back home after twenty minutes. Humanity's really not up to par on their faster-than-light travel or warp drive construction: it's basically easier to think about it like traveling by ocean. Bela asking about the grappling hook circumvents this spiel. So instead, Abed hefts the grappling hook in question and offers a brief smile. ]

Yeah, I got it from my friend for Christmas. [ Right up there in his favorites with the Indiana Jones bullwhip. He can see how a grappling hook might be more practical to bring into space. ] It's only really been used one time, but I figure if I'm taking the passenger lift into the unknown, it's better to be prepared to do some grappling. No hopeless Poseidon Adventures for me, thanks.

it's cool, no need to edit c:

[onsilksheets]

[ The more she thought about it, Bela had began to realise that a grappling hook could become handy in a place like this. More often that not, the lockers had provided the passengers with useful crap, sometimes even a few horrific things. She hadn't received anything in months so she was beginning to think that her luck had run out. Still, at least Bela had her cat.

All she really can do is tell him what she knows, what's happened over the course of her time here as well as other passengers. Personally, she believes that there's a heck of a lot that they don't know, but the ship and whomever ran it liked to keep them in the dark. Literally sometimes. ]

Yeah, definitely prepared. That thing could save your life one day. [She's wondering if she should just outright tell him about the monsters, the fluctuating temperature and the malfunctioning bridge. Most people she had encountered needed a little more time to adjust to their new situation and Bela didn't like bombarding them with all the scary information until they had done so.

But he seemed oddly okay with the whole thing.]

You said it's been used once already? What kind of place do you come from? [In other words, is his world 'normal' or not? By normal she means that magic or monsters or aliens, etc, don't exist.]

[coolcubed]

I'm from Greendale, Colorado. Which doesn't make much sense as a jumping point to space kidnapping, but there's nothing I can do about that. [ The lack of continuity is just about bothering him more than anything else, so far. Transition is important. He may have to resign himself to being part of the new Lost, and that is less than satisfying. ] This grappling hook was used for vigilante crimefighting, though- ironically enough, as an accessory to breaking and entering to find evidence. There's always a grey morality to consider when it comes to vigilantism. It's part of the appeal.

[onsilksheets]

I have never heard of it. But I don't think it really matters where you come from; you'll just get taken to here anyway. [Bela was just curious about why he had used the hook in the first place. A few ideas sprung to her mind but she'd rather hear it from the source to confirm it for her.]

While I am not much of a vigilante, I can understand why it would appeal to people. Besides, it wouldn't be my place to judge, considering the career path I took back home. [A beat.] Must have been important for you to go to such great lengths.

[coolcubed]

Oh, definitely. Or it would have been, except it turned out to be an elaborate lie to cover up a broken DVD. I could respect the creativity, but it made things pretty awkward on the Batman front. [ Like a twenty-something year old college student using a grappling hook to fumble his way through breaking and entering wasn't awkward without the help. Priorities. ] Nobody found the crime they were expecting that day. Do you think that happens a lot?

[onsilksheets]

I suppose that replacing the broken DVD with a new one was difficult? [ She's amused by the whole thing. Hence the teasing lilt to her tone when she speaks. ] Can't say for certain if it does happen or not. I think it would depend on the situation, you know? It would appear that you lead an interesting life back home. [ Or strange. Bela hasn't decided yet.] My name is Bela by the way. And you?

[onetouch]

Abed? [ he says before he can stop himself. more people that he recognizes but probably don't recognize him. oh joy. ned looks a little worried, then shakes his head. ] I mean, newcomer, how are you...

Can I do anything? The first day is usually the worst. And the nausea does, eventually, fade.

[coolcubed]

[ Bless. The pieces of the puzzle slowly continue to gather. He has absolutely no idea exactly what's going on yet, but somebody he's never met recognizes him.

Cool factor is up a few points. Confusion is up further, though. That's the catch with big mysteries.

But it's good to know that the nausea isn't permanent. Objectively speaking, he knew that would probably be the case, but as things stand right now, it's not something he was willing to take for granted. ]

Cool. I was wondering about that. [ Legitimately. He really hates throwing up, and all things otherwise associated with it. Abed goes ahead and turns his attention to giving Ned a proper staring at. ] Also your cover-up for knowing my name was about as subtle as Chris Tucker was in the Fifth Element, which means it wasn't really subtle at all, but I guess it's still respectable.

[onetouch]

[ he swallowed, then nodded, wondering how he was going to get himself out of this one. unless he just... didn't. if this abed was anything like the one he'd met in the city, he was much better at rolling with things like this than ned himself. ]

I'm not sure who or what that is, but past experience would suggest it's a pop culture reference. ...If I tell you something crazy, will you at least pretend to believe me?

[coolcubed]

[ He earns a thumbs up for at least guessing pop culture. It's sort of a shame Abed has no idea who he is. Those are some pretty distinctive eyebrows, and he likes to think he'd remember meeting a guy like that. They're like the Jeff's hair of eyebrows. ]

Sure. I just got kidnapped into a sci-fi thriller, so I need to re-evaluate what's crazy anyway. [ Oh. Wait. ] If you've been secretly watching over me my whole life and orchestrating it, I'm reserving the right to avoid you after this, though.

[onetouch]

[ oh a thumbs-up. ned grins. then shakes his head because he has no idea what that last thing meant, but he's happy he can talk to someone he recognizes without being told he's nuts. ] What? No.

I was kidnapped, too. I mean, obviously, but. Before this-- to a city that was remarkably like, but not New York City. You and I met there. And your friend Shirley and I used to work together. There, in the City.

But then I was kidnapped to space. [ his smile is long gone by now, but hey. them's the breaks. ] I'm Ned. The pie maker.

[coolcubed]

Hi, Ned. I'd mention how weird it is to bring a pie maker to outer space, but considering I'm a community college student, I think that would be hypocritical. [ He won't make any special messianic claims on the Tranquility. Abed visibly processes the more outlandish aspects of this information. Shirley was or is in a generic New York City where she used to work with a pie maker, because they got kidnapped there. Interdimensional/inter-universal kidnappings?

That's a dark turn. The entire group might just be scattered all across space and time and universes. Considering the general idea that there's a timeline for everything, they technically probably are. Which is problematic. ] And I'm pretty familiar with the possibility of alternate timelines, so you could sound a lot crazier.

steals this cr all over again

[allbloodyhail]

What's this? [ spike leans over and picks up the friendship magazine and starts thumbing through it. no one ever said he had any manners. ] No pills here, mate. Not the fun ones anyway-- Though there bloody well should be.

excellent

[coolcubed]

[ Whoa, rude, that's the latest edition of Friends Weekly, bro. Step off.

Is what he might be inclined to think, but this is also the Spike thumbing through it and all. There is a conflict of interests to consider in that. Abed settles for kind of side-eyeing it. As one of the last apparent remaining vestiges of home, he figures the sentimental value is worth keeping a sharper eye out for it. ]

It was a Matrix reference. Recreational drugs aren't my gimmick. [ Pierce was handling that last year. He's fine avoiding it himself. ] They'd be pretty unwise in general, considering the circumstances.

c:

[allbloodyhail]

[ he's still flicking through it, but he's not really absorbing anything, nor does he appear to mean it harm. ]

More like bloody required. Give it a week, mate. You'll be scrounging for real booze with the rest of it.

--And I know it was a Matrix reference. For the record, you don't look a thing like Keanu.

[coolcubed]

[ He physically shrugs the majority of that off. One statement is speculation he won't have an answer for until it's been a week, his magazine isn't in imminent danger, and the other statement is very true. ]

I'm half Palestinian and half Polish. I don't look like a lot of actors. Neither do you. Committing to the spirit of the character is more important than committing to the person who played them, though. And Keanu Reeves usually has a robotic approach to his characters that I find easy to emulate. [ And a slight tilt of the head. ] Except for Bill and Ted. But that was a special case.

[allbloodyhail]

Bloody right it was a special case. [ spike closes the magazine and hands it to abed with a slightly lifted eyebrow. ]

Alright, then, Neo. Tell me something I don't know.

[coolcubed]

Sure. [ Magazine: check. Abed puts it back into his locker, where he's generally assuming it has better chances of staying in one piece. If not, well. That will just have to be on his conscience in the future for making assumptions.

And he gives Spike's "something I don't know request" a fair 5.5 seconds of thought. He's got plenty of miscellaneous information to pass around stored in his brain- Jeff calls him a computer for a reason. This seems like a pretty odd time to be concerned with trivia education to him tbh, but he also considers that he has nothing better to do. And that super old vampires are probably bound to be weirder to gain an understanding of than average humans. ]

Did you know they originally cast Chris Farley as Shrek?

[sleuthtastic]

[ Let it be known that Veronica Mars is not, in fact, one to be easily rendered speechless. She's good at improvisation, adaptation, and no spunky heroine seems to be good at her Nancy Drew job unless she can get to the guy before he screams and I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling kids.

So it's— rare, that Veronica's caught by surprise like this. Her mouth opens and closes, kind of like a pufferfish, before she decides to navigate around all human decency and just— presses a finger to her own lips, making a hushing noise. ]

Do you have, like, a slow setting? Maybe something along the lines of... less The West Wing, more The Brady Bunch?

[coolcubed]

[ Holy crap, he got shushed by Veronica Mars. He got shushed by Veronica Mars, and none of his friends are here to see it. Or he got shushed Kristen Bell, but judging by her hair and the general theme of people he's seen on board so far, he's willing to take his chances in assumption.

Abed hasn't given the idea that he's in the middle of another mental breakdown too much serious consideration, but by this point... he's starting to consider considering it. As much as he enjoys his works of fiction and as much as he's been able to apply them to reality, there's always been a distinct separation between said reality and said works of fiction. It's all fine and good to roleplay and discuss meta theories when you know who you are and what belongs where. Don't cross the streams.

Well, he'll just have to keep a sharper observing eye out now. Not that these things don't usually resolve themselves in a couple of days. In the meantime-- in the meantime he'll basically enjoy it, to be honest, because this is the most interesting thing that's ever actually happened to him. And that includes the stop-motion Christmas. ]

I have a lot of settings. [ One for every occasion, if need be. ] But I don't have a maid's uniform, so I'm keeping The Brady Bunch off the table.

[sleuthtastic]

Ah, yes. That sweet maid's uniform, oh how it tantalized our tastebuds for centuries.

[ Centuries? Come on, Veronica. To his credit he has, you know, slowed down a little bit, but it doesn't really make anything he says any clearer — he's not in the personnel files either, so that definitely means he's new. And yet: extremely well adjusted to being kidnapped and sent into space.

He doesn't seem to be terribly surprised by having ten fingers and ten toes, either, so that rules out alien. (Well. Probably.) ]

Alien abduction is actually not too far off.

[coolcubed]

I thought so. Involuntary trips to space are kind of limited for possibilities. It's an abduction either way, but I'm open to different sources. [ He's sometimes wondered whether he can really rule out alien himself. But those are just the roads life takes. Alice would be right along his niche in most situations: part of the main cast but still disconnected from the family as a whole. Abed doesn't see much reason to change the style now of all times. ]

You seem pretty familiar with the situation. Have you had a long stay or are you just part of a higher conspiracy plot for some reason?

[sleuthtastic]

[ Part of her truly does want to say something like yes, this is part of a higher conspiracy, I am part of the vogob nation and blah blah blah, but apart from the fact where Veronica is a little better at resisting impulses like that, Edgeworth would also probably kill her.

And he doesn't really need that.

So Veronica just— glances at him, itches her jaw as she shifts her weight from one foot to another. ]

I've been here a few months. You know— time flies when you're in space! Kind of like Magic Mountain, but way creepier. [ A beat. ] And also, a tragic lack of Ripley.