forty-second 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: There's a strange sense of contentment that greets you as you wake from the jump. Deep and certain, it doesn't warm you or cloak the unpleasantness of the stasis fluid on your skin and the disorientation spinning in your head. It feels disconcertingly distant, instead, a sense as though an answer has been decided on - and that you won't much like to experience it coming to fruition...

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.


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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

[undyingbeliefs]

[It takes Evangeline a moment to figure the meaning. It's not from a lack of understanding, just being on completely different pages of mind. The moment only lasts a breath before she holds up a hand.]

You misunderstand the situation. But if you would prefer, others can explain just as well as myself.

[Surely she can ask someone else to provide help in her place since obviously some answers are needed here. On the bright side, this clears up some questions Evangeline might have had before she even needed to ask them.]

[underthevines]

[ Misunderstand nothing. This woman is standing in front of her in full armor, bloodied and mussed, trying to tell her it's something that it's not. But Valya woke up in a strange location and this woman is here... Isn't it more believable that the templars caught them on the way back from the Red Bride's Grave?

But then why doesn't she remember that? And if she was caught what about Caronel and Reimas? The Grey Warden had impunity, and the prior-templar could have attempted to sway their captors. They wouldn't have given her up. She would believe that. She would continue to trust them.

She swallows, tilting her chin up a little, even as she shifts back as if to shield what's in her arms. She wouldn't be brought to another place until she had answers. ]

Tell me now. I'm not going anywhere.

[undyingbeliefs]

Very well.

[Reasonable enough. Reasonable is good. Now, how to give a reasonable explanation...]

As I said this is a ship, however, I'm afraid it's not one on water. As unbelievable as this may sound it's in the sky, in space. If you require proof then there is a window on board; you can see for yourself.

[She'll take a guess as to the next question, although she knows the preemptive answer is going to be disappointing to say the least.]

Unfortunately, I cannot answer as to how or why. I have done what investigating I can, as have many others and there simply are no answers.

[underthevines]

[ ...The explanation is not one that grants understanding. The wary look Valya wears worsens, eyes narrowing. ]

Unbelievable is right.

[ A ship in the sky? Valya would look out the window indeed to see if the tale the templar told is in any way true.

Unhappily, the second part Valya believes. A templar would be thorough, so that means that for now Valya has to believe that there's no explanation for the ship they sail in. But she has another. She stares, expression nothing but wariness and doubt. ]

...How did we get here, though? Why were we brought here?

[undyingbeliefs]

Were those answers available, we may have known how it is to depart as well. But I'm afraid we simply don't know. Most have been here longer than I, the answers have been continuously the same.

[She's certain she's just winning over lots of points over here.]

I apologize. I know this is unnerving even were it all believable.

[underthevines]

[ So the woman knows nothing. It doesn't help Valya in any way, but a part of her feels bitterly smug. And tempts her into sarcasm. ]

So it's a trap in the sky that no one knows anything of. And a templar doesn't think it's merely a contrivance of the Fade or mages bound by demons?

[ If only the Fade were so blatant. The subtlety of what came from it was surely the worser sin. ]

[undyingbeliefs]

[She tilts her head, almost amused that there's sarcasm involved. She's comfortable enough to use sarcasm, Evangeline's somehow taking that as a good sign.]

A templar's first thoughts are commonly to consider foul events to be a mage's doing. It has gotten us very far, as I'm certain you are well aware. If you find evidence to reassert such possibilities, I would be willing to look into it.

As for the Fade, the theory has been brought up by several before you. However, we have found no reason to believe that is the case.

[underthevines]

[ There is no threat laced into the templar's words, and for that, Valya is tempted to believe what she's heard. That both are the same amount of powerlessness, and that there are no answers. A silly thing to be reassured over, but there it is.

Valya still seems unamused at the topic, but retains the tone. ]

Blood Magic can affect time and space easily-- [ No, only with training and a crazy elven mage, but better if the templar thinks that way. ] --so it's still a possibility. Though I'm curious how long you've been here, if you've cemented the belief that there are no answers to be found.

[undyingbeliefs]

[There's a short breath of a laugh. She is doing herself a wondrous amount of credit right now.]

Two months, now. Some have been on board for years, however. If you would prefer to speak with them then I can introduce you to some. But again, unless there is more solid evidence there is blood magic involved, it would be unwise to assume such.

[underthevines]

[ Valya finally relents the hold on her tight muscles, facing the templar fully again and shrugging. There's no point in making things worse at the moment. ]

No, it's not blood magic, and if I speak to others they will likely tell me the same thing as you are. There's no benefit for you in lying to me when I could catch you doing so.

[ So you aren't lying. Isn't Valya so kind to assume that? Still that means she's trapped somewhere she doesn't know, and she might have given into panic if she didn't already have a priority. That is to say, the baby griffon. ]

Is there anything else you can tell me? If nothing else, I need somewhere to find food for this chick.

[undyingbeliefs]

[How very gracious.]

There are communal kitchens open to all, if food is what you need. You have a room of your own according to the number you received. But, [she points to the spray-painted locker walls,] Security is asking those on higher levels to take rooms among the first ten. For safety reasons and less pressure on those patrolling the ship. It's your choice whether you choose to heed that or not.

The ship is arguably as large as a city, it is easy to lose your way. If you need assistance getting anywhere then I'm certain you'll find help amongst those on board. If you'd prefer, there are also maps available. But using them is not as simple as you would think at first.

[underthevines]

[ If she had the hands to do so, she would look down at her tattoo. As things were, she shifts, uncomfortable. Another set of rooms to get used to. Another area that is dangerous to go to. She swallows. She would get used to it. She had to for the moment.

Instead, she asks-- ]

...Are you part of that security?

[undyingbeliefs]

[A nod.]

I am.

[underthevines]

I'm no longer surprised.

[ The dry remark is punctuated by a shift of her weight, the last bit of severe tension falling away to a more normal wariness. The elf girl sighs before raising her eyebrows. ]

Move into the lower rooms, we're trapped with no way out and no reasons as to why, and a templar is the security present... All dangers for me, then. Any other tidbits that you're willing to offer?

[undyingbeliefs]

[There's an exhale that borders an exasperated sigh. Her patience is not getting enough credit at the moment.]

No, and it appears I have outlasted my welcome. I apologize.

[She looks to go, her eyes only glancing at the creature one more time. She can't really make out what it is, but considering how defensive this woman is of it, it's likely best she not pry. But some things she'd rather not just simply leave be. Her efforts to leave are briefly halted.]

I cannot make you change what room it is you keep, but I would urge you to reconsider. Whether you are on the eighth floor or the fortieth, this is a ship and all of us are trapped aboard it. If you trust nothing else, at least be aware there is safety in numbers.

[underthevines]

[ It's logic, what the woman says. Safety in numbers is something that Valya does know. Tersely, she nods once to show her acceptance of the advice. ]

...Thanks.

[ Is the mutter given, but if Evangeline looks back, Valya has already looked away. ]