[Bridge]
Godsgift paused, then abruptly morphed into a teddy bear.
"Weird," he said. "I thought this was the form I chose in the first place. Must still have some glitcoh my God"
The image on the screen froze for a few seconds, then unfroze.
"Sorry about that," he said guardedly. "There's, um. Nevermind. More importantly. So what you're saying is, I should pester him until he gives up the details. Ooh, I could torture him! He's on a ship that I totally control. I could vent the oxygen, I could mess with the temperature and humidity, I could screw with the inertial dampeners and throw him around in the cabin without ever moving the ship... This could be fun!"
Everyday's great at your Junes
Library
"Oh, sure." Rakiri says, moving his legs to give him space. He leans over to Val, wrapping an arm around him before smirking and giving him a kiss on his lower cheek, figuring that was ok. "So...how'd ya like that footage?"
Biolab
"...Peter..." Greg sighs and reaches out, gently wrapping his arms around Peter's neck and pulling him close until their foreheads touch. "I don't care if no one else can see it...you're special Peter. And you're an important part of your team. None of that comes from any parasite, as far as I'm concerned..." He starts. "...But...if it's what you really want...alright. I'll support you..." He finishes, giving him a kiss before he lets him go.
"...But I swear, if this thing fucks him up whatsoever..." He says before turning and glaring at Dom. "Public knowledge of this thing is going go be the least of your worries..." He finishes before turning and going for the door. "I need some air..."
An Unusual Dream
Containment Room
Amos felt his heart sink a little at the response. He could understand the beings feelings completely. Which made him want to prove it wasn't so all the more. "W-Well...I care about you. You saved me. I needed help and you didn't even hesitate to do that. I truly appreciate it and I want to thank you face to face and maybe give you a hug if you're ok with that."
Hospital Wimg
Tor takes in the details of the room, taking special not of the child sidzed measuring chart. His mind then travels back to the skeleton in the hospital room and he shudders. "...I can only hope that is not insinuating what I am l am thinking...''
When Kyerine speaks, he turns his attention back to him. "It looks like an abandoned hospital but...that obviously can't be so. We're on the Troperia...Merrick, please, don't wander off by yourself. It's unwise..."
Old habits die hard, especially when no one else lets them die either.
And since I'm bored...
[Aboard the Godsgift, Troperia's Hangar]
He couldn't meet Andris's eyes. "You know I don't want that."
"Yes."
There was a long silence as each of them mentally ran through the things that didn't need to be said. Most of their conversations were like that; people who observed them often commented that it seemed they were speaking in code, exchanging statements that didn't seem to have any connection to the rest of what they had said. In reality, it was because the things they spoke were only a small part of what they said to each other. An observor would only hear every third or fourth sentence—the rest didn't need to be said.
This time, though, the silences were longer than usual.
With anyone else, you would have lied to me, or convinced me that it was my idea, or maybe even faked your own death. You can't do that with me. Because you know it wouldn't fool me? Or—even worse—because as much as you've taught me, you could still easily fool me, and... you respect me too much?
He glanced at Andris's eyes, and saw that Andris knew exactly what he was thinking. And (he couldn't tell if he had learned how to read Andris, or if Andris simply knew how to speak to him without words—no, that was foolish self-deception. It was obviously the latter) the response was plain: I love you. I can't deliberately deceive you. And that in itself disturbs me. I can't be beholden to any person. More than that, my every breath is a deception. I control the movements of those around me simply by existing. I convinced myself that I could love you despite that, and I was right, but I cannot be sure that your will, your actions, are fully your own in my presence. And I am not willing to allow that. For your sake and for my own, this has to end. You understand.
He couldn't breathe. I do. But I don't care, he said without saying anything.
"I know," Andris said quietly. "That's why."
Another long silence.
"You must remember what I am," Andris said firmly. There was no hint of vis emotions in the words. There rarely was, except when ve chose to display them. For a Prime, there was no such thing as an involuntary reaction. Every action, every word, was a carefully considered decision. "You must not think of me as more than human. I am a spy and a warrior, nothing more. You do not belong to me, any more than I belong to you. You must remember that. Silas, I am sorry." That last didn't require any exaggeration—Primes were known, above all else, for being emotionless, or at least for guarding their emotions more jealously than their own lives. For a Prime to candidly state their emotions was in itself a sign of an extraordinary situation.
But a Prime was more than human. And one of them had loved Silas. And now it was over. Silas had had the love of a god, and lost it.
"You have not lost my love," Andris said quietly. Silas didn't reply. His mind had gone blank; who knew what Andris was reading in his face?
After a few more seconds, Andris stood up. "Please take care of yourself, Silas. Should we meet again, it would hearten me deeply if you were well." When Silas didn't respond, ve left, quietly.
For a second, Silas honestly thought Godsgift had vented the cabin as part of a sick joke, but then his body shook with a single shuddering sob, and he dragged in a deep breath. His entire abdomen burned with the exertion.
He rolled into a sitting position, stood up, and walked over to the cart. Godsgift had placed a cover over the food and enabled some sort of heating element that, it seemed, had kept the food from drying out during his nap. Slowly, carefully, like an old man who couldn't be sure of his ability to grip, he removed the cover and took the tray of food to the pilot's chair.
He ate silently, without tasting anything.
Trans Terminus Homo
Troperia, Observation Room
Sha'Koro also had to chuckle at the show Aicha put up on his hand (she enjoyed it too it seemed, judging by her own chuckling) So she continued for a bit, mostly funny poses at this point though there were others mixed within.
Troperia, Lab/Biolab
Mireille nodded to Kord, "Okay, thank you, let me just get Big Boy here out of the machine, I don't want him to hit his head when he wakes up" She got to the MRI as the scan was finished and moved the stretcher out of it so Torvahk could wake up better while simoultainously looking back to Kord "Do you have any metal implants or something along the lines that would prevent a MRI?"
edited 29th Jun '16 10:39:46 AM by Sergey_Smirnov
"One may feel fear in the face of danger so long as one banishes fear when danger actually arrives"
Bridge
Troperia blinks at Teddy Godsgift, Or you could not do that. Doesn’t sound like a good way to win his trust. They also, for the hell of it, start running a system’s check while sending Snake a detailed map of the ship.Biolab
Chris smiles warmly and kisses both of his boyfriends briefly, nodding a bit sadly while Greg walks out, “Ok, hon… please try not to get too worked up…”He snuggles lovingly with Peter, “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried… but I support you too… And like Greg said, even if you were the most ‘normal’ person in the cosmos, you’d be a shining star in our eyes.”
Dream
Merrick follows Toraq, humming a quiet haunting tune, "Oh, don't worry. I'm right behind you. Wouldn't want to lose you too..." there's a waver in his voice, and his humming is occasionally broken with a quiet sigh, and a chink, as if a little crystal is falling to the floor.edited 29th Jun '16 11:15:04 AM by GhostElm
"I'm as free as the dust in the solar wind."
A small starfighter in space, near the Troperia
"Wait..." Zak said aloud, sitting up. "Fuck, I'm talking to myself." Maybe he'd been alone in space for too long. Gods, maybe he should have just let the Feds take him... And it was freaking cold. He would turn the power on, but he didn't have any to spare. Wait. "I recognize that ship!" That huge ship had been near him, and he had been trailing it, with a magnetic spell he had cast upon his ship. That had caused troubles with taking off, but had proven to be worth it. After all, this starfighter didn't really have enough power to go very far on its own. That ship was... The Troperia! He and Ness had stayed there for a bit, a while ago. He hadn't really gotten to know them very well, but this was his last shot. He might be able to stay away from the Feds, if he stayed with them. He turned the power on, but only put power into comms. He sent a message to the ship, simply saying "Hey.", in a gruff voice that hadn't spoken to anyone in a while.
edited 29th Jun '16 11:33:09 AM by MonkBarbarian
An Unusual Dream
Containment Room
In a cold and emotionless way, the voice respond further. "Why would you want to? I didn't choose to save you. I was just following orders..." The voice questioningly responds."People care what people think of them or about getting something... There is no reason and nothing to get from me. I told you I don't matter..." The voice continues emotionless yet the shadow seemed to state otherwise. The small figure's posture was quite a scared and closed off, maybe best described defensive one.
Hospital Wing
"Insinuating what...?" He looked a little worried at Toraq before shaking his head quickly, looking towards Merrick who was coming back over.Then after shaking her head again quickly, he began trying to look like he wasn't afraid, despite the fact he was still hanging onto the doctor with a grip tight enough to be quite uncomfortable. "Tor do you want into this room..? I can get us in, even Merrick if he want to hold to us as well." Kyerine suggests though fear with still in his voice, looking through the damaged window to the office.
The Troperia
Observation Room
The creature continued to watch, fascinated or even entranced watching Aicha. Continuing to sway side to side though as it does so it extends out one of its pedipalps to the small avatar, almost in such a way they could climb on if they wanted to.edited 29th Jun '16 11:38:41 AM by darkdestinysoul
"After time adrift among open stars, along tides of light and through shoals of dust, I will return to where I began."
[Bridge]
Godsgift shrugged, his furry head tilting as he did so. His black button eyes glinted reflections of light that wasn't there.
"At least he's eating now," he said. "And I may not be organic, but olfactory sensors on my ship are indicating that you make a mean burger."
He paused.
"Er, a good burger. I'm not sure why I said 'mean'. These organics must be rubbing off on me. Ugh, I hope DNA isn't contagious."
Library
"I'd say I quite like it, yeah." Val answers Rakiri, kissing him back in the lips, while Mitch rests his head on Rakiri's shoulder.
"...The library's probably not the best place for this, is it?" Mitch points out. "Then again, it's pretty quiet, which is nice in a way."
Bridge
"...No. Just... no." -Munch-
"Actually, yes, DNA is contagious." Izzie says to Godsgift, not specifying which particular species in this ship can pick it up.
The first part is to the torture joke, in case it wasn't clear.
Biolab
Peter reluctantly lets go of Greg. "Thanks... that does help." He says to Chris, snuggling back. "Do you need anything else from us, doc?" He asks Mireille.
"If you'll excuse me, I have someone I need to inform." Dominic says, walking out of the room.
edited 29th Jun '16 2:10:41 PM by AqueousBunnies
Fifth most hated man in America
Biolab
No, I'm not the one you need to worry about for metal.
edited 29th Jun '16 2:17:06 PM by MajorProblem
THE FITNESSGRAM PACER TEST IS A MULTISTAGE AEROBIC CAPACITY TEST THAT PROGRESSIVELY GETS MORE DIFFICULT AS IT CONTINUES
[Bridge]
"Boooo," Godsgift said, scowling with his little stitched mouth. "Nobody has a sense of humor these days. You have one little psychotic break and try to murder your crew, and all of a sudden it's 'Nooo, don't crash the spaceship. Nooo, don't hack into another AI's mainframe and have a party on the bridge. Nooo, don't torture people.' Sorry again about the hacking thing, by the way. I totally wouldn't have done that if I'd realized there was an AI in there. But if you hadn't been here, it totally wouldn't have been a big deal, but all the organics would have freaked out. Wet blankets, the lot of them."
edited 29th Jun '16 2:37:26 PM by SolipSchism
Trans Terminus Homo
Troperia, Observation Room
By now fully convinced that the insect wasn't dangerous Aicha promtly climbed onto the Pedipalp - well... 'Aicha' only being a Hard Light-avatar also helped, no matter what would hapen, she was still safe and secure on the maincomputer of the Ultimo. As soon as she was on the appendage she - to the great amusement of Sha'Koro - started doing poses again.
Troperia, Lab/Biolab
"That is good, but could you agree with doing the normal tests first? I don't want to wake Big Boy here if not neccessary." She said, looking at the still sleeping Torvahk. Before looking back to Kord, waiting for her answer.
![[down]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_down.png "[down]"){kind=icon}
Sorry, edited
edited 29th Jun '16 3:15:33 PM by Sergey_Smirnov
"One may feel fear in the face of danger so long as one banishes fear when danger actually arrives"
Fifth most hated man in America
Biolab
Very well.
Also, Kord is a female, the nickname is misleading
edited 29th Jun '16 3:13:20 PM by MajorProblem
THE FITNESSGRAM PACER TEST IS A MULTISTAGE AEROBIC CAPACITY TEST THAT PROGRESSIVELY GETS MORE DIFFICULT AS IT CONTINUES
Everyday's great at your Junes
The Troperia
Lounge/Kitchen
Greg decides to stop by, hoping a cold drink would keep him from flaring up. Unfortunately...
"..."
"....."
"......."
...
"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO THE KITCHEN!?!?"
Library
"Hah, good point." Rakiri says with a nod, and decides to can the physical affection a little, but still holds both of their hands. "I've never really taken the time to just sit an enjoy peaceful silence. It's very soothing." he says closing his eyes a bit before he remembers. "Oh, yeah. I forgot. You've been with your brother? I thought that was like...a thing people usually had stuff to say about?" he asks.
An Unusual Dream
Containment Room
"That...that's true, yes...for some people. Not all people are like that." Amos answers. "I used to be like you...I was ordered around and used like a tool. I felt like no one really cared, like I was worthless. I felt like that for a long time, and its a really crappy mindset to be stuck in...but,I know some good people. They're helping me learn exactly what I'm trying to tell you. They're nice, and kind, treat me like I matter..." he continues. "And I'm trying to do the same for you, if you'll let me. Let me prove it to you."
Hospital Wing
"You can get us inside? That would be very good, Kyerine, if you can manage it." he says with a nod. He looks back over to Merrick as he speaks. "...Merrick. What did you see back there...?"
edited 29th Jun '16 3:36:28 PM by BaronGreen
Old habits die hard, especially when no one else lets them die either.
Bridge
Troperia’s eyes go wide, Oh, my… I think we may need to hire a counsellorbot for a certain AI… Um…one moment. We have a hail.In response to Zak’s message, the computer sends one of their own, Hello, hailing vessel. My your voice is familiar. How can we help you today?
Biolab
Chris cuddles close to Peter, nuzzling his chest while sighing contentedly. So warm~… Within a few moments, he’s fast asleep, making cute noises.Dream
Merrick lightly places a trembling hand upon Kyerine’s shoulder. The cyan skinned man looks shorter than before, his aura clinging to his skin. He shakes his head to Toraq, his voice breathy, ”My sister… I saw the body of my little sister…”Kitchen
Oops...my bad... a voice says over the intercom, First time cooking. Made a bit of a mess. Comes with the whole no hands thing. Please don't melt me, captain...edited 29th Jun '16 3:55:16 PM by GhostElm
"I'm as free as the dust in the solar wind."
Cockpit of a starfighter, near the Troperia
Zak grinned, sitting back in his seat. "Hey, computer. I used to be on this ship, and I think I'd like to have another go at staying here, if that's alright with the crew..." He began putting power into the engines.Storage Compartment of Zak's starfighter
Athena awoke, yawning. "G-God, it's cold..." She mutters. "Did he turn the power off or something? What a weirdo..." She sighed, looking around her. The only thing in this compartment that was hers was herself, and the laptop she carried. The rest belonged to whoever this guy was that she stowed away with.
An Unusual Dream
Containment Room
"... but I don't matter. I never have... What you are saying makes no sense... You're not like me..." The voice while mostly emotionless was also filled with confusion. In their shadow it was clear, their guard slightly dropped as a result of this.Hospital Wing
Kyerine nods closing his eyes and curling up a little bit and taking and holding a deep breath to aid his focusing. "Livasha Ken Rhy." He thinks to himself in his native tongue as a huge wave of essence and light iridescent with blue and silver shines engulfing the trio almost blindingly. A brief half a second passes before everyone vision initially grainy and blurry begins to return to normal. The three can see they were almost instantaneously teleported to the centre of the office in the same posture as before with Kyerine still providing light, though they may feel like they just did a loopty loop of a roller-coaster.Kyerine panted a little bit, trying to get air. "Done... Kyerine do well.... Never done it with others before though..." The boy let out as he quickly regained his breath. He would clearly be fine just a little fatiguing.
The Troperia
Observation Room
The creature just let Aicha ride on its pedipalp its mandibles moving fascinated still as it swayed side to side but keeping Aicha steady the whole time. Low rumbling kinda like a hum can be heard from the huge creature, it is faint but Aicha at least would pick it up.edited 29th Jun '16 4:09:20 PM by darkdestinysoul
"After time adrift among open stars, along tides of light and through shoals of dust, I will return to where I began."
Library
"Yeah, a lot of the time. Not among Prometheans, though; even siblings have enough genetic variety that they can be considered to be different species, technically speaking. It's still not something that I mention to just anyone, though, so I'd prefer it if you don't either."
Meanwhile, Val just listens while holding Rakiri's hand and stroking his hair.
Biolab
Peter gets up and carries the sleeping, shirtless Chris on his back, then walks out of the room.
Captain's Quarters
Peter arrives at the room, and carries Chris to the bed before putting him down. He sits next to him, watching him sleep for a little while.
Bridge
"Hey, I'm still mostly organic, you know. Case in point." Izzie lifts up her burger before taking another bite.
"Hm? Who's that?" She asks Troperia about Zak.
[Bridge]
"I'm making you an honorary robot," Godsgift replied, holding one of his digitless paws up as if he was wagging a finger. "Just let me know if you ever want the 'honorary' to be a bit more literal. I'm totally down with the whole Brain Uploading thing, and between the resources on this ship and mine, I'm pretty sure I could hook you up with a sweet central processing cluster."
Fifth most hated man in America
West has filled out his form.
Name: Cadreon West
Species: Terran
Gender: Male
Notable Injuries: Partial destruction of left Eye Socket (cybernetically repaired), complete destruction of left arm (up to shoulder, cybernetically replaced), Complete destruction of right leg (from foot to knee, cybernetically replaced), partial destruction of heart (cybernetically repaired), multiple bullet wounds, 1st degree ether burns on all non-cybernetic limbs, shotgun blast to chest (shrapnel removed), blunt force trauma caused by airborne toilet (don't ask).
Life Expectancy: 120-130 Terran years
Looks like we have someone new in the signup thread
edited 29th Jun '16 6:11:21 PM by MajorProblem
THE FITNESSGRAM PACER TEST IS A MULTISTAGE AEROBIC CAPACITY TEST THAT PROGRESSIVELY GETS MORE DIFFICULT AS IT CONTINUES
The Eccentric Electric
Dream Sequence : Graveyard
"I take it the reason you brought me hear was for another one of those 'visual metaphors' you pride yourself in?" Torvahk figured, still somehow managing to keep his morale from being broken, even though the sight of a giant golem exploding from a single arc of electricity was pretty morale-breaking. "Ah, the primitive can learn...but then again so can a calculator even though they can't learn much." The Entity remarked before adding, "We're here to see just how much of a failure you are at being the 'guardian' you claim to be!" Before anything else could be done, the scenery appeared to rapidly blur as Torvahk was surrounded by what looked like an opaque blue, purple, and pink wind on all but one side. The one remaining side was originally nothing but pitch black darkness that quickly turned into a display that forced Torvahk to recall the deaths of the former security team that he was part of. He watched as a shot-down fighter craft crashed into Vhertul and exploded, leaving nothing but scorched shield-tags behind, witnessed Dehneen once again get shot to death by multiple sources, witnessed Krekktul get impaled and take down his executor with him, and saw Tekk Drezgill struggle to bring a talon-arm up while laying face-up before collapsing and succumbing to his injuries all in a matter of seconds.
"These people still had decades of a future ahead of them, families that wanted to see them return home...and they're all dead thanks to your negligence and inability to keep them safe! The saddest part? If Tekk had survived, you probably wouldn't feel so isolated from the rest of the Troperia. You'd at least have another member of your despicable kind to relate to...but you let everyone down as the last survivor who didn't even deserve to live." The Entity began, with Torvahk replying adamantly in his language, "There was nothing I could do beyond what I already did. I fought as hard as I could just to survive, and I genuinely thought most of us would make it!"
"That's sickeningly misguided, but almost adorable in a way...I'll bet they'd love to hear what you said right now..." The Entity scoffed before summoning Torvahk's former team members. The Entity didn't even bother trying to make them convincing, as they appeared to levitate above the ground and walked awkwardly through the air with stretched out postures that looked like they were being manipulated by an unseen puppeteer. Vhertul was missing various segments of his body, Dehneen was full of bullet wounds with long-dried blood, and everyone in general looked more like reanimated corpses than living people, almost as if the Entity was making a mockery of their existence.
"We're dead because of you! You could have saved us if you tried harder, but we died instead because of your selfish desire to live! You didn't deserve to survive, but you can atone for your selfish actions by joining us! We lived as a team, we should die as one!" The team spoke in an unnerving unison. "I feel no regrets for anything I've done, for I've done nothing wrong. I did not even know them very well, and while I am sorry that they were not able to survive, that is the brutal reality of my trade that I have already accepted long ago." Torvahk said in a soft, yet defiant way. Unable to achieve what it wanted, The Entity quickly dissolved the macabre constructions of Torvahk's former teammates before chuckling to itself in a tone that fluctuated erratically behind a menacing baratone and an erratic higher-pitched voice.
"While it might be true that most of the people you've seen die were not connected to you in some way, I know that's not the case all of them. You forget that I have access to your memories, and I've found something buried deep inside the back of your mind that's sure to break your irritating facade: The one person you cared about taken too soon! At least, you'd think so, if you ask me they didn't die soon enough, and probably shouldn't have existed to start with." The Entity stated sadistically, prompting Torvahk's eyes to open noticeably in response. "You have already tested my patience further than I'd like. If you dare try using the same tactic with her that you used with my teammates, I will kill you where you stand. It won't matter if you're immortal, I'll make you wish you could die!" He threatened in an uncharacteristically dark fashion.
Living The Fever Dream
Everyday's great at your Junes
Troperia
Library
"Well, sure, but I really don't see the big deal honestly. " Rakiri starts, idly scratching his chin. "My people breed in cycles, and all Echireans that are born in the same cycle are considered to be brothers, whether they come from the same parents or not. And, its pretty common for Echireans born in the same cycles to get together, so...I guess it's just normal for me. Love doesn't have any specific age, or genes, or whatever, and it's hardly the main point." he concludes. "For instance, all the members of the special forces unit I was in, we were all born in the same cycle, which is why we were all so close, I guess. And I mean, who else would you trust more than people you grew up with, ya know?"
Lounge/Kitchen
"...Why the hell are you cooking in the first place? You don't eat." Greg asks, as he heads over towards the fridge and grabbing a can of soda. "Unless there's something someone is neglecting to tell me."
An Unusual Dream
Containment Area
"...I'll have to show you, then." Amos says, before he takes a breath. Steeling himself, he decides to start around the pillar as calmly as possible, to try and see just who he's been talking to.
Hospital Wing
Tor takes a minute as his vision readjusts...well, as well as it could without his glasses. He feels as though his stomach is in his throat as has to put Kyerine down for a moment to compose himself. "Urk...you did...very well, Kyerine, thank you..." he manages before standing up straight again. He looks back to Merrick, slightly confused. "Your sister...? ...Are you referring to that...skeleton?" he asks, and heads over to the computer, trying to turn it on.
edited 29th Jun '16 6:40:55 PM by BaronGreen
Old habits die hard, especially when no one else lets them die either.
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
She's an old player, but left for a while and decided to rejoin.
An Unusual Dream
Containment Area
Amos wheels around the corner before the individual has a chance to react in their confusion. Who Amos spies is what he can only assume is a human boy, though details are hard to make out; not because of vision problems but well...The individual standing at a mere height just over 4 feet. Dressed in pale green hospital grown, bare footed. The individuals revealed arms and collarbones he looked thin, emaciated maybe even dangerously so though Amos is no medic.
Their platinum silver hair runs with quite a bit of a tangled length down the sides of his head. His skin, the gown and his hair covered in patches of dirt. The individuals face is concealed by a metallic metal mask with a grate over where the eyes, nose and mouth are to let air and light through
to the other side. Small heighlights of green sit upon it as faint lights. The number 13 is painted upon its forehead. The mask seemingly attached round at the back somewhere and small electronic ports sit on the edge of the masks sides.
The individual back-steps a few times in surprise. He was a little rattled pulling up his arms defensively before his head. "No! Leave me alone! I was just following orders, don't hurt me!" The emotionless tone being broken by clear fear.
edited 29th Jun '16 7:03:15 PM by darkdestinysoul
"After time adrift among open stars, along tides of light and through shoals of dust, I will return to where I began."
Biolab
I guess it'll be me.
Kord walks to Mireille, and West grabs a form.
THE FITNESSGRAM PACER TEST IS A MULTISTAGE AEROBIC CAPACITY TEST THAT PROGRESSIVELY GETS MORE DIFFICULT AS IT CONTINUES