ximilialog | [Mostly Open] So we'll press, and press 'til you can't take it anymore!

CHARACTERS: Precursors and you. And Eventually Newton. Hopefully!
LOCATION: A holding room in Ximilia Station.
DATE: Est. two days post-mission, after the kaiju is defeated and the orb is retrieved.
CONTENT: The precursors are revealed — and are finally removed from Newt's mind.
WARNINGS: Possession and the bodily autonomy issues that come with that. More will be added if necessary!

Closed and opened starters will be added as I go, which will be announced on plurk! But if you don't use plurk or would rather keep an eye out by email/tracking, feel free to use the tracking option and mark to receive notifs any new top level comments posted to this log! The log will involve an open starter to visit the precursors where they're cuffed/contained in the room, so stay tuned.

Also no rush once the open starters are posted!

Feel free to focus on the player plot log first and come back to this later.

CLOSED STARTER | THE DOCTOR
DARKLING'S TOP LEVEL | WHILE NEWT WAS SLEEPING...
OPEN STARTER | THE PRECURSORS, REVEALED
CLOSED FINAL CONCLUSION | THE PRECURSORS, REMOVED
OPEN PROMPTS | NEWTON GEISZLER'S RETURN

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[The precursors look displeased to see Jim. Because of course they are. Last time they'd seen him, they abandoned him to his leg injury with the hopes that they'd be able to blow the rest of the train to pieces later. Boastful and vain as they are, they were fairly sure that would have been the last time they had to lay Newton's eyes on the human.

Fingers curl on the arm rests their hands are cuffed to.]

Well.

This is awkward.

I was hoping you'd be too busy languishing in an infirmary bed, but the healing technology here is a little too efficient. If you're here to speak to Newton, this isn't his body anymore, and he's not going to be coming to the phone.

I didn't think I'd be able to speak to him, no.

[ It is admittedly jarring to hear these creatures speak through Newt's lips, though, so much more clearly something else, someone else other than Newt. He can't help but wonder, when was even the last time that he spoke with Newt? ]

I'm just here to make sure his body's not harmed in any way, is all. I don't want him to be hurt.

Mmm, good. There's not much left of him, anyway. Mentally rotting into pieces and all.

... But his consciousness will be scattered through our own, so we guess in a way, he's gonna live forever.

[They look at Jim, eyes crinkling with amusement.]

See?

We're nothing if not merciful to our hosts.

You and I have very different definitions of 'merciful'.

[ But then that doesn't surprise him, necessarily. If anything, it just surprises him that they would even claim to be merciful in any way. Then again, they're probably just mocking him. ]

Can I ask you something?

[A pause. A click of Newt's tongue.]

Mmm... why not? It's not like we've got anywhere else to be.

If it's a stupid question, though, we have the right to refuse service.

[It's easy to pluck silly things from Newton's head. They'll give him this: he's nothing if not colorful.]

[ Of course they don't have to answer. Jim can't force them to, nor would he even if he could. ]

Why go to all this trouble? What's the point?

... That depends.

If you're asking why we're here in this body in the first place? It's because we're going to use Dr. Geiszler open a bridge back to his planet and violently stomp out his species. [They give Jim a wink.] Don't worry, that's not a spoiler anymore; Newton knows. We wanted him to know.

But if you mean all of this? [They roll their eyes around the room.] Well, c'mon, captain. What reason do you think? Why are you and the rest of your crew here?

Granted, you caught us redhanded, but it was a hell of a try.

No, I mean this in general.

Here, or back on Earth, apparently you're a xenophobic and genocidal race more interested in destroying anyone and anything you see in your path than anything. Yet, you are sentient, you're capable of logical thought. I'd just like to understand what's the end goal in all of that. So— you destroy all life in an entire universe, and then... what?

[... Oh? Oh. Their brow furrows, and they look genuinely baffled.]

Are you serious?

To take as much as we can, all for ourselves.

Who cares if all other sentient life is gone? If we don't have a reason to keep them around, they're worthless anyway.

We'll just build slaves if we need them.

So you're motivated by greed, plain and simple.

[ He lets out a soft hum, face wrinkling a little in a slight frown. ]

Figured a species who claims to be so superior to the rest of us would have more interesting motivations than that.

Motivations hardly need to be interesting, captain... and frankly, it's a matter of opinion. We personally think that the concept of risking your life for others is particularly boring. The concept of right and wrong is such a limiting box to put yourself in.

Wouldn't you rather have whatever you wanted? Regardless of what the universe around you said?

Now that's a real rush.

[ Jim just rolls his eyes, both at the initial words as well as the question. ]

No, actually, I wouldn't. I expect that answer doesn't surprise you.

Too bad you're not getting what you want now. But such is life, even for old, powerful creatures like yourself.

[Newton's jaw flexes slightly, but their gaze is fixed, quietly murderous and cool.]

Who says we're not getting what we want?

We'll find your little station sooner or later. And even if we don't?

We'll find your adorable little orbs.

We'll see about that.

[ Not much they can say to make Jim worry that'll be the case. Now they know what's going on with Newt, they will find a way to get these parasites out of his mind, he has absolutely no doubts about that. ]

I think you'll have a harder time doing that when you no longer have a puppet to control on this end. But sure, knock yourself out trying to tear a hole through the dimensions. We might not even be around anymore by the time you make it here. If you even make it here.

[ If here still even exists by then. ]

Hey, we made it here once. Why not a second time?

Preferably with our own tools of war.

[Leaning back, they let out a breath, grinning.]

Then maybe the next vessel will be less of a letdown.

[ Easier to dismiss the words when they're strapped to this bed, helpless to do anything. Regardless, it's a threat that won't make Jim lose any sleep, once they're gone anyway. ]

Well, I'd wish you luck on that, but I actually don't, so.

[ He sighs, giving Newt's body one last look, for the moment satisfied that he seems uninjured. His hand rests briefly on his shoulder before leaving, as if he hopes Newt to somehow feel him there, a wordless comfort when he doesn't want to give these creatures the satisfaction of calling out for his friend. ]

[Mostly Open] So we'll press, and press 'til you can't take it anymore!

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