thirty-ninth 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: A feeling of deep dread greets you as you stumble out of the gravcouch, strong enough to hold you still for a long moment, searching your surroundings for the source of your wariness. Nothing becomes apparent, only your fellow passengers waking up. Eventually you gather the resolve to pick yourself up and start moving, the feeling fading slowly as you progress through routine.

New arrivals will find messages spraypainted across their lockers telling them not to follow their tattoo numbers, and instead to find a room on Floors 001-010.


----------------

ＹＯＵ͘ ̨ＷＡＫＥ̢ ̧ＵＰ ́ＩＮ ＤＡ̛ＲＫＮ̢Ｅ̕ＳＳ̶

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.

ＹＯ́Ｕ̴ ̧Ａ̨ＲＥ ＮＯＴ҉ ̷ＡＬＯ̨ＮＥ҉

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.

ＴＨ̀ＩＳ͜ ̶Ｉ͠Ｓ͡ ͘Ｙ̵Ｏ͝ＵＲ ̕Ｗ͝Ｅ̛Ｌ̨Ｃ͡Ｏ͝Ｍ͏Ｅ Ｐ̛ＡＲ̴ＴＹ͜

Comments

[sparkler]

We'll have to find answers.

[And standing around here talking about it, much as it's reassuring to talk to someone he can trust, isn't going to accomplish much.]

These numbers they've put on us, the lockers, everything... it will all add up somehow. No one does this sort of thing for no reason. Sooner or later we'll find out why, and then we can act. Until then - [a shrug] we probably ought to try to blend in with the locals.

[Not that he'll go so far as to wear that horrid uniform, but Dorian is certain they'll learn more from the people who have been here awhile than from anybody else. And... well, at least it's something. Something to focus on, something to do besides panic and worry that they'll never make it back, that the Inquisition is going on without them. They've only just arrived. Who knows how long this will take?]

Perhaps we can make a few friends. Smile, Commander, or they'll be too frightened to even approach.

[troops]

Blend in with the locals.

[His tone probably couldn't be much drier as he repeats Dorian's words, sparing a glare his way before returning to categorizing the things in the locker before him. Aside from the armor and blade, there isn't much- some papers at the bottom, a coin that he pockets without much thought. At least his mantle is still there, and he draws it around himself with a sigh, reaching to tie it.

Blend in with the locals. With the two of them looking as they are? Everyone else here is dressed... strangely, and with almost no swords on them to speak of. Dorian and Cullen frankly stick out like a sore thumb.]

We'll need to learn the structure of this place first. From the others, I suppose. If there's an order to it- who to speak to about our situation. Perhaps see if anyone we know has been here. [Order, structure, and control- those are pretty much Cullen's priorities. Making friends is embarrassingly far down on his list.]

Can you tell if magic is at work? Is anything we're seeing even real? [A pause, and then-] I've tried, but- well, you're more versed in this than I am.

[sparkler]

[The glare slides right off, though he does note it with some amusement. Dorian doesn't know Cullen well, they'd only had a few chances to speak before this happened, but Dorian thinks that there are worse people he could be stuck with. If nothing else, Cullen is entertainingly grouchy, and it's clear that he has a good head on his shoulders.

Skill with a sword is nothing to be scoffed at, either. Every mage needs some bulky warriors to stand behind.]

There's no magic, so far as I can tell. We aren't in the Fade - that much is obvious. And I can sense no other form of magic that could have brought us here. I assure you, if this weren't real, I would know. It's as real as that awful hat the spirit boy was wearing, and as unfortunate.

[He says it with utter confidence, even though he can't help but feel a sliver of uncertainty. Everything here is strange - could it be that there's magic he can't sense? Dorian would rather not entertain that thought. If he doesn't have his skill with magic, he doesn't have much at all.]

I'll need to do more research, though. There could be magic here that we've never experienced before.

[troops]

[Cullen's tanking skills notwithstanding, they are definitely well on their way to making a decent enough party. That's something at least.

Regardless, Dorian's answer doesn't exactly inspire confidence. Not in the Fade and Not in Skyhold doesn't exactly leave them with many options. They've been transported, that much is certain, and Cullen is somewhat less concerned about the where and more worried about the how. Magic? Maybe a magic that doesn't linger? There could be magic here that we've never experienced before.]

I don't like the sound of that.

[Cullen sighs, finishing up gathering what things he wants to bring with him- including the small metal box that was hiding suspiciously in the folds of his coat- and closing the locker, folding his arms in front of him. No, they have to go forward assuming that this is real- what could they do otherwise? What can they do now, anyway?

He feels trapped. He hates that.]

But it doesn't look like we have any alternatives. We have to figure out an immediate plan, where to go from right now. [Cullen nods toward the dried paint splashed across the lockers.] Starting with whether or not we want to trust this.

[sparkler]

[It is clear that Cullen is a commander, instantly jumping to strategic thinking, plans and practicalities. Dorian values that sort of thing, certainly, and he sees the need for it - but he also feels a burning curiosity, a need to know more and learn all that he can of this strange place.

Well, that is why he's a mage and not a leader of men, he supposes.]

I see no reason to trust it, but we can investigate it without trust. I have my magic, and you have your sword, yes? We're not defenseless, and we don't have any other leads.

[Sometimes you have to play into your enemy's hands in order to get them to reveal everything. Dorian is certainly getting the impression that this is going to be one of those times. After all, they can't very well just stay here.]

We can speak to whoever we find here, collect some information, and then take the 'lift'. Whatever that is.

[troops]

[Cullen nods, agreeing with the sentiment. Even if they can't trust anything around them, they can at least have faith in their own abilities. He knows that Dorian is a capable mage- strong, with magic from his homeland- and he himself... well. He has no shield, and the lack of lyrium in his system rather strongly limits what he can do, but he's not exactly about to admit it to the other man. He's got a blade, and it will have to be enough.]

Alright. I haven't seen many others with weapons here. We should be safe if we split up for a moment. [If nothing else, then to make information gathering faster.] As long as we meet up again before going to- uh, the lifter. [A pause.] Lift.

[That sounds agreeable enough to him.]

[sparkler]

Excellent. Let's meet back here, then - with luck, we'll both have something interesting to talk about.

[If nothing else, Dorian needs to fetch some of the other things that he found in his locker. Robes and his staff are all well and good, and he has nowhere else to put the books, but the lyrium might be useful if things go south. It is always good to have a backup plan.]

Let's go talk to a few strangers, shall we?