EVENT: BIA ▒ STERN

[ataraxites]

CHARACTERS: Ensemble production!
LOCATION: The stern areas of the ship
WARNINGS: Disturbing imagery, violence, psychological trauma, gore, etc.
SUMMARY: Characters have to fight to find their way back to each other from being increasingly isolated and plagued by their deepest fears and most hopeful dreams.
NOTES: May 27 onwards.

An echoing boom comes from deep in the middle of the ship, shakes its way through the trees and waters of the Oxygen Gardens, down into the maze of walkways and mechanics that make up the Engineering Complex. A sense of danger rolls through with it, enough to make you pause in your work, set down tools or supplies, ignore the thrumming pain in your head to find out what. Trapped far away from the comforts of beds and kitchens and slow approaching necessity of gravcouches, you only have each other to turn to. But soon that grows difficult, turnings leading you off path, door slamming shut behind you. In the increasing isolation panic swells like an infection up through your mind-- but then soothes. You find your way into an unexpected comfort, the company of a long-gone friend, an old home filled with happy memories. You linger, drift into contentment, and yet it still can't calm one deep nagging doubt: you aren't safe where you've found yourself.

Comments

[puppydogeyes]

[There's only silence in response to Allison's call, voice knocking against the high stacks of shelves in a way that seems to echo slightly. Echo in a way that it shouldn't. It passes, but the heavier feeling in the air doesn't lift with it, and as Allison steps clear the door smoothly slides shut behind her.

There's a rushing sound, low. The door should be sealed air-tight, like all of the doors on the ship, a necessity for dividing habitable areas off from structural or system threats. But if Allison looks down, she'll see seawater starting to seep in under the door.]

[overdraws]

Ty—!! [ Her call is interrupted when the door behind her closes, Allison turning to look at it with apprehension in her gaze. The door had been standing wide open when she'd entered it. She hadn't expected it to close. Allison doesn't notice the sound at first, too busy groping in the dim for the panel that would react to her nanites to re-open the door, but when her footsteps start to splash, she stops, gaze slowly travelling down.

She takes two careful steps back, tightening the grip on her knife, although she knows somewhere in her mind it won't do any good if she drowns. There has to be another way out.

The next time she calls out Tyke's name, it's more frantic, slightly higher pitched, Allison turning around and starting to head through the room at a quicker pace. She briefly considers going back and pounding on the door, but sets that plan aside, for now. It wasn't likely anyone was going to come looking for either of them right away. Best to save her energy for finding her own way out. ] Tyke!?

[puppydogeyes]

[There's a flicker at her second shout. Further in the room, in the shadows between shelving, like a single frame in a reel of film. A figure, stood still, watching.

In the moment after there's a muted sound, like something far away, something not heard at all.]

--son? Where are you?