MISSION: THE AI AND THE COMMANDER

[ximilian]

● ● ● M I S S I O N   1 4 . 0

SOMEWHEN • PRESENT DAY • FYI

// SOMEWHEN  

The hum of the teleportation platform is familiar, filling your ears as the bright light dissipates enough to safely open your eyes. You feel something solid beneath your feet, and the lack of scent from the asphalt and dirt in Nuhiri and Deumia marks a departure from anything resembling a planet, the space around you giving you no reason to think anything of it. You're on the Ximilia once again — finally. Another mission successfully accomplished, for whatever other hardships you and the rest of the team have endured. Hot food and hot showers await, and Newt will surely be scurrying off to prepare for the team’s usual post-mission movie night.

You’re back and you can’t wait for Viveca to greet you, and for Degar to take the orb away, back to the North Wing to join the other ones.

Except … the station’s walls appear to be peeling, and some of the equipment looks a little older and unpolished. There’s even a layer of space-dust on one of the control boards. And most importantly: no one is here to greet you. As you turn and look to your fellow crewmates in confusion, even now some of you might start to wonder at the change of routine. Ivy, who had just been handling the orb, will be empty-handed, but surely there’s nothing to worry about. The station is peaceful and still. Nothing feels amiss … yet. And then:

// 0-L1V-14

Oh, hello. You are not the team I know. Yet you are here for the orb … Good.

The sound of 0-L1V-14 — or 'Olivia' as many have come to call her — voice springs to life around you. She almost seems to sound confused for a moment, clearly recalibrating her systems for this strange occurrence, before the gentle tenor of her voice regains its composure and she recalls her mission directive. The lights in the teleportation platform seem to glow just a little brighter, as though the arrival of the crew has buoyed the AI's spirits.

// 0-L1V-14

I've located one within the station, but it seems to have fractured. The air around them appears to have some sort of temporal disturbance that I can't quite pin down. Be cautious, but bring them to me before anything happens.

Well? You heard the AI. Best to start looking.

1.0   The first thing you might think to do is return to the sleeping quarters, either to clean up and change into another set of clothes; or to take a much-deserved nap; or maybe you just need a moment to yourself to collect your thoughts. The doors to the sleeping quarters seem to stick for a moment, which isn’t worrying in and of itself, but as the doors slide open you realize that you’re looking into a dark and empty carved out space that resembles a place for storage more than anything else. The walls and doors that used to make up your individual rooms are absent, and the floors are stripped bare, with rows of perforated grates allowing the cavernous space to remain relatively well-ventilated. It’s clear that no one has visited this room in quite some time, and perhaps there had once been plans for it, now abandoned to hold a stock of random items in its place.

There are boxes stacked against the wall, and a shelving unit that holds miscellaneous supplies: cans and boxes, batteries and wires, old bound notebooks made of paper. Rolls of rough tarp are haphazardly leaning against the wall to one corner, and thermal blankets are scattered amongst scraps of loose-leaf, a sketch of a cluster of spherical shapes in different colours, and other foreign knick-knacks that seem to have no place on a space station. If you decide to explore this space you’ll have to provide your own source of light as none of the lighting above seem to work though the row of fixtures that you’re used to seem, at least, to have been installed. They’re just not currently online.

Investigating the room a little deeper might draw you to a simple metal box sitting in the middle shelf next to what looks like a half-broken lute, its strings missing. There is no lock on this box, as though it wants to be opened, and lifting the lid will reveal a bright rosy-coloured light. Reaching out towards the small sliver of light in the shape of an elongated teardrop will recall a memory of your childhood so vivid, you’ll think you were back in that time, in that exact moment, to relive it again. Whether it's a good memory or a tragic one is left up to random chance. Only someone entering the room to talk you through your memory will remind you that you aren’t actually a child any longer.

2.0   Perhaps you decide to forgo the sleeping quarters entirely, and want to revisit one of your favourite simulations in the simulation room. Familiar oceans, the futuristic bar, or the room filled with adorable puppies might be your first choice — but every preset you’re used to scrolling through seems to be different now. There are the standard, familiar pre-mission training simulations, and even the Lodgen Mountain Mines mission appears to be here, but everything else has either been deleted … or it was never here to begin with.

You might decide to go ahead with one of the already existing simulations anyway, or you might want to start rewriting the one you’d come here for in the first place. It will depend on your luck, and it will depend on the success of your mission-training, but a small shard of bright, silvery coloured light may suddenly reveal itself to you. It appears like a thin tear-shape that hangs suspended in the air. The faintest whisper beckons you close; it’s familiar. Will you reach out to touch it? Doing so will colour the simulation room around you with a memory so real it might as well be — suddenly you might recall a happy moment in your life, or perhaps your greatest victory or adventure. This can be shared with whoever enters the simulation room with you or after you, and will fade when you manage to locate the right door and leave the room.

3.0   The sunlight room that you may have walked through on countless occasions is missing the familiar bridge, the river that runs beneath it, and trees that surround it. Instead, the vegetation around you appears to be far more deliberate and practical, thick foliage like bushes planted in rows, their large leaves covering most of the ground and soil. Several small metal boxes with wires and buttons can be found planted across the space, each with a thin rotating disc that whirs and spins quietly. Each of these boxes appears to give off readings, each screen displaying a continuous green wavy line scrolling across it and text that displays the quality of the air with a percentile grade, the amount of it being produced, and that particular box’s designation zone: Mess Hall, Storage, Living Quarters, and Teleportation Platform among others. This isn’t just a room that simulates nature, but if you were to approach any of the small bushes and saplings here, it’s clear that the plants here are real and they’re currently working to provide the rest of the station with oxygen.

Further to the back of the sunlight room, a bright sliver of colourful green light seems to glitter and glint between the leaves. It feels familiar in the way that it whispers faintly, and if you concentrate you can make out the sound of your name in a voice like that of someone from your past: a friend, perhaps, or a family member. Maybe a loved one or an enemy. Or perhaps it’s a voice you can’t actually recognize. It might compel you to reach out for the light, but will you listen? Or will you turn away?

If you embrace the light and call out in answer to the voice, you will re-experience the action, the conversation, or the thought that you attribute as being the reason you are who you are today with that most important person being the key piece in your memory.

4.0   Looking for your usual snacks? Feeling peckish for that bowl of instant spicy space-ramen you saved for post-mission? You might head into the kitchen expecting the familiar foodstuffs that you’re used to only to find that the room has been rearranged, with far fewer cupboards and appliances, and more of what looks like typical space-fare: freeze-fried items and nutrition-focused meals sealed into silver foiled bags. What ‘fresh’ ingredients exist are even less, and there are a stack of dirty plates and cutlery in the sink that don’t look like anything you or your crewmates might have used. You may already suspect that this whole station isn’t the one you’re used to, or you might still be in denial. Either way, you may find through your rummaging the call to a little sliver of coppery-coloured light located behind the freezer door.

If you decide to touch the fragment of light here, you’ll feel a ghostly burning as though the glint of the light has cut your skin, almost cold enough to feel sharp — but it’s just your imagination, isn’t it? What you remember now as it comes back to life around you (and the team member or members who may have joined you) is the best meal you’ve ever eaten, whether it is something you made for yourself, something made by your loved one, or the meal that leaves your heart feeling empty and aching.

5.0   You may have become so accustomed to seeing the North Wing doors sealed that it’s your curiosity that draws you forward to the wide expanse beyond the now open wing, your feet testing the threshold as if you’re expecting an invisible wall to keep you out. Nothing happens when you step into the North Wing, though you might immediately notice the large tank that holds all of the team’s successfully captured orbs is very clearly missing. And not only that but the space appears to be well lived in, a small cluster of worn chairs and a table set to one side, and data pads and drawings on white-boards in plain view. They don’t seem to be much more than a couple of crude strategy diagrams (and a couple of silly stick figures in one corner) and as you move towards the crew quarters, some of you might instantly recognize the familiar room with its rows of beds and a scattering of personal effects assigned to each bunk. Photos are pinned to walls of a twenty-person crew, pillows and blankets are left in disarray by unfinished knitting projects, a diary written in a language you can’t quite translate, and a stuffed elephant-shaped plush doll lies at the head of one of the beds in the middle of the room. By the door is a neatly made bed. An analogue paperback novel sits on the nightstand, a bookmark set in the middle to note its progress. On top of it is a well-kept watch stopped a little after the sixth hour and a medal of service in the now recognizable insignia of the Ndiera Complex’s Federation.

By the far wall of these sleeping quarters is a bright golden starlight that seems to illuminate that side of the room as though someone had turned on a torchlight to the highest setting; it’s almost blinding. Moving closer to it, you’ll find that it’s like all the other slivers of light scattered across the station — a broken shard, like a piece of a large puzzle. Touching it may pull you — and whoever might be in the room with you — into a memory from your time with the Ximilia crew, whether it happened over a year ago, or it happened only on the last mission. It might be a happy memory, or it might be something you regret, which is poignant considering your initial raison d’etre for being here at all. It’s a vision that appears from your perspective and while you relive it, you feel outside of yourself.

6.0   The rest of the station still appears to be intact, with the infirmary, the training room, and the armoury in the same locations that you remember. Those of you who have been here for quite some time, you’ll find your way around by muscle memory alone; but even if you’re a newer member of the crew you’ll have wandered the halls enough to know what feels familiar to you … and what doesn’t.

The infirmary looks to be a little out of date, though it looks as if it’s seen its fair share of use. And it’s smaller too, the more recent addition and surgical area missing from the cozy space. The training room and the armoury share similar qualities of seeming a little older, a little more lived in, and with well-used equipment and weapons to boot. The training room is still padded with firm padded flooring and benches for sitting. Some of the racks and hooks (all empty) that had been against the wall have fallen now, and similar to the teleportation room, you’ll find that some of the paneling in this room has since peeled away, revealing some of the bare structure behind them. In the armoury, you won’t find your favourite knife or preferred staff but there are still a few choices in weaponry to arm yourself with.

Wherever you decide to explore, you might once more happen upon a bright bluish light that seems to whisper and call to you in soft, hushed tones. No specific words can be picked out through the murmurs but the feeling is all the same — it draws you forward like a moth to flame, but whether you decide to reach a hand out to touch the sliver of light that hangs suspended in the air is entirely your choice. If you do, you might succumb to a vivid memory of a significant injury you or someone important to you had suffered once, reliving that moment with too sharp clarity. Those feelings of fear or threat or maybe even satisfaction seem to come to you again as though you were there again — only this time you may not be alone as you witness this memory, and someone else has entered the room with you.

● ● ●

Present Day.

The teleportation platform hums quietly in a clean, well-maintained room. No walls or floors appear to be even the least bit dented, and now the Commander of the Ximilia stands behind the control board, staring at the screen as though doing so will bring their crew back by some wild form of magic. Degar knows magic — he’d come from a world so full of it. This, however, is something different.

Beside him, Viveca scans through the data that had sent the crew into the Ndiera Complex, as it should have brought them back the same way, with the orb in tow.

// VIVECA

“I don’t know how it happened… they should have arrived here. Everything seemed normal! But I’ll figure it out. We’ll figure it out.”

// DEGAR

“They could be anywhere, right? Except we can’t even help them if we don’t know where that might be.”

// VIVECA

“I know. The strange thing is that it seems that we’ve located another orb… only, it states that it’s here. On the station. So even if the platform sent them straight to it… why aren’t they here?”

The Commander and the AI both turn their gaze towards the still empty teleportation platform before exchanging worried glances with each other. Degar finally heaves an exhale but the frown in his features deepens.

// DEGAR

“Keep working at it. I’m going to see what I can figure out in the station’s systems. Maybe we can trace back to the team somewhere. Or somewhen.”

Viveca nods, her voice sounding complicated when she responds next.

// VIVECA

“Yeah. We’ll find them.”

TOP

F Y I

• The events in this log take place during the first two weeks of June.

• For this mission, we have decided to run the search request mechanic a little differently. Depending on whether your character decides to touch or grasp one or any of the slivers of coloured light that can be found throughout the station, you will have the opportunity to participate in a search request. More on this is explained HERE.

• If you have questions about any of the prompts or the mission in general, please direct them HERE.

• Any in-character questions to 0-L1V-14 can be asked HERE.

• And finally, your soundtrack for this log: ♪ ♪ ♪

TOP

▶ NAV

Comments

[peasant]

[ a brief duck of her head allows her lips to find the perch of his shoulder. her kiss is a small scatter of affection, light and gauzy like a breeze through a curtain. something intended to temper his desperation as she tugs her hand away, only to lick the breadth of her palm, easing away any dryness once she returns it to his cock. one pump of her hand slicks him from root to tip, tipping her head back into the wall to watch the dainty wrap of her fingertips around him. another flick of her wrist brings her thumb to the head of his cock, smoothing pearls of pre-cum around him.

it's always a fascinating study to behold when his body language is so open to her. so honest in ways she doubts he often allows himself to be. the thought alone sends a series of hummingbird-flutters into her stomach, like a million wings beating against her ribcage, quick and disorienting. her eyes dart up to his face, watchful and rapt, like admiring the brushstrokes of a painting on display. ]

Shh.

[ it feels like an accomplishment that she has to hush him at all. out of the pair of him, she would have wagered he would have the superior self-control. and yet — a bolt of warmth zips through her, bright and electric, as she glides her thumb against his pillowy lower lip. presses it there like the suggestion of a barrier might keep him quiet, even if she knows better; even if she doesn't want to stifle anything out of his mouth. not when he always seems so much freer, like this. ]

[dispassioned]

[He huffs a silent, breathless chuckle when she hushes him. Bossy, he thinks affectionately, though he knows she’s right. His gaze flickers briefly downward and between them to watch her hand stroke the length of his cock, seemingly fascinated with the sight of it for a moment before shifting his gaze to her face as she looks up at him.

His eyes are unfocused, dilated with arousal as he gazes down at her, his hair falling, disheveled into his face, a few strands sticking to the thin sheen of sweat that’s bloomed from the exertion. He scrapes his teeth lightly against the pad of her thumb, teasing, before turning his face into her palm and planting a kiss there to muffle another groan as he jerks his hips helplessly, teetering at the edge of his climax.]

[peasant]

[ it's obvious he's skirting an edge, poised to topple over. some merciless impulse in her nearly slows, just to gauge how far she might push him to whining and writhing; the logical, adrenalized part of her recognizes they don't have the time for her to revel in it, only this small window of opportunity for indulgence.

it'd be cruel to deny him what he'd so easily given her. and so she flicks her wrist, stroking him with faster tugs. unrepentant, almost, in her attempt to push him over quickly. at the very least, she has the sensibility — and the kindness — to flatten her palm to hs mouth, just before she replaces it with the insistent press of lips, swallowing down whatever noises of chishiya's break through the surface. ]

[dispassioned]

[There's trust in this, in how he lets himself be undone by her, a raw vulnerability in the way he kisses her back, clinging to her as his climax rolls through him, shocked by the intensity of it. It’s a moment of open hunger and need that he rarely allows himself .

He braces himself heavily against the wall behind her, huffing a ragged breath against her mouth, just before sinking his teeth into her lower lip keep himself quiet as he rides out the final waves of his orgasm.]

[peasant]

[ patiently, she waits for his breaths to even out to a smooth, fluid rhythm, drowning in every heated exhale. it's slow, like going to great lengths to soothe an animal, when alina leans back with a hand lifted, unpeeling sticky strands of hair glued to the sides of his temple.

there's still a telling flush stark on his skin, still a mess on her fingertips where she tucks him back in. a worry for later, she decides, as she peeks over her shoulder to confirm — good. they've been left alone long enough. she wipes her tacky palm off on her thigh, an issue to contend with later, and tilts her attention away from the shrubbery that's kept them curtained away from the world.

it's a little funny, she thinks distantly, with a faint smile. to have met him in foliage not unlike this, and to be here with him in the thick of it again. a moment she'd much rather trees be forced to witness than a spat among a storm. ]

— Better?

[ his anxiety hasn't missed her notice, wound around like a spool of tangled thread. he looks, for the first time in days, to be relaxed. ]

[dispassioned]

[He releases a slow, contented hum, leaning into her hand as she brushes his hair back.]

Much better.

[He hadn't really considered himself to be anxious, before. Agitated, by the memory sharing. Concerned, about the situation with the Ximilia and her absence a few days ago. But anxiety hadn't occurred to him. Still, there's no denying the lack of tension in his shoulders now, the way he melts into her to nuzzle her hair. His only complaint is the unfortunate lack of a bed. The temptation to doze with her in his arms is real.]

[peasant]

[ laughter, faint and feathery, tickles her throat. in these moments, his attention is a bit like grappling with a big, lazy cat — a spoiled creature that wants to sprawl over her, in his affection. she draws her (clean, blessedly) hand down the notches of his spine in tranquil little swipes. ]

Good.

[ a hint of relief bleeds through, between syllables. his unease has been a stark contrast to the usual composure he holds himself with. less apparent, presumably, to everyone else — nothing more than a small speck. but knowing him mkes it more noticeable, draws her eye quicker.

with a small, puffing sigh, she settles her face into his shoulder, voice reduced to a wry mumble. ]

Think anyone will notice we've disappeared?

[dispassioned]

[He takes a deep, thoughtful breath before releasing it in a sigh.]

Probably not. [And then after a beat.] At least, not right away.

[Obviously if they're gone for too long someone will notice eventually. But for now:]

They're probably all distracted by their own memories getting thrown around.

[peasant]

[ ah. that. in hindsight, perhaps not the smoothest pillow talk she could have opted for. her grimace is hidden by the fabric of his shirt, somewhat sheepish. ]

We'll have to get back to that ourselves, soon enough.

[ too soon. especially if their memories resemble anything close to the grotesque violence in chishiya's. there's a reluctance that carries through her voice, through her refusal to so much as begin to disentangle herself from him. ]

I don't want to think about that right now.

[dispassioned]

Mm. Neither do I.

[It was a stressful thing to deal with no matter what role he was in. It felt intrusive to be an outsider viewing another person's memory and it was exhausting to be the one reliving a memory and then having to explain it to someone who stumbled in at the wrong time.

He's in no hurry to leave this quiet alcove in favor of searching for more experiences like that.]

We could stay here awhile.

[peasant]

Ah. Now you're the one who's hiding.

[ her smile is slight. hadn't she proposed the same at the heart of nuhiri, sequestered from the greater conflict of the mission? this feels far more pressing, by comparison, but — the temptation is as great as it's ever been. ]

It's one of your better ideas, I think.

[dispassioned]

Hm? It's not hiding, it's taking a break.

[It's totally different, trust him. Maybe it is a little selfish, but he'd be the first to admit selfishness is something of a habit of his. Still, everyone deserves a break now and again.]

We've earned it, don't you think?

[peasant]

[ a snort bubbles out of her, unconvinced. that's the more heroic terminology for hiding, certainly. but more than that: ]

Have we?

[ she quirks a brow. perhaps. perhaps not. sneaking away into the bushes isn't precisely what she would call hard labor — but neither can she bring herself to feel remotely shamed or guilted. ]

[dispassioned]

[He was honestly thinking that dealing with this memory share business twice within one hour earned them a respite, but he also agreed not to bring that up again, so he just offers vaguely:]

I think so.

[He says it with perfect confidence as though his opinion on this matter is indisputable.]

And besides, I have a question I've been meaning to ask you. It's important.

[There's humor in his voice that indicates that it might not be that important in the grand scheme of things, but he's still curious.]

[peasant]

[ her brows creep higher toward her hairline, in a slow and inquisitive arch. ]

Alright.

[ something dubious crawls into her voice. there's no attempt to disguise her suspicion — her eyes narrow to vaguely amused slats, as if already predicting this will be another pun designed to be clever.

she's about to be the butt of a joke, isn't she. still, she asks, with an expectant wave of her hand: ]

Let's hear it, then.

[dispassioned]

[He is plotting something but it's not what she thinks.]

Is there anything you don't like to eat?

[It's not a joke, actually. It's an honest question. If he's going to cook for her at some point, he should know her preferences. He knows she likes sweets and doesn't seem to be terribly picky in general, likely from growing up impoverished. Being particular would be a luxury she couldn't afford. But most people have at least one thing they deeply dislike no matter what.]

[peasant]

[ oh. immediately, the wrinkles in her expression smooth out.

that's an unexpected development — though she supposes it shouldn't be. he'd made his intentions clear enough, after all. to say nothing of her own expectation that he's taken it as something of a challenge of his own skill, atop the kind gesture it is. she blinks, no filter to her mouth when she blurts out, ]

Herring.

[ the repulsion is real. never mind the flavor of it; it's always been a permanent reminder of ravka's poverty. of her poverty, and the scraps thrown their way in the first army. she lapses into a brief pause, for just a moment, almost sheepish before she adds, with much more restraint, ]

Or any kind of fish, really.

[dispassioned]

[Interesting. He quirks an eyebrow, sucking a thoughtful breath in through his teeth.]

Well, sushi is out, then.

[Or at least any variety with fish in it. He doesn't sound bothered, just thoughtful.

It's a good thing he asked, actually. He hadn't been planning to make her sushi, most especially sushi with herring in it. But seafood is such a staple for him culturally, he might have offered her something with fish eventually.]

[peasant]

Sorry.

[ it comes automatic, by reflex. he doesn't sound burdened by disappointment, but — it feels, to some degree, like spitting in the face of someone else's proferred kindness. ana kuya might have surely scolded her for the ingratitude refusing a meal served to her.

especially when ingredients had been so difficult to come by, in the first place. ]

I could ... try it. If that's really what you wanted to make.

[ she does not, notably, sound the least bit enthusiastic. strained, instead, like a child pushing peas around their plate to avoid having to eat them. but if it's what he wants to make, then — she can at least manage that decency to spare his feelings. ]

[dispassioned]

[He chuckles a bit, a soft rumble in his chest.]

It wasn't. I asked about what you disliked for a reason.

[So he could work with it, not challenge it. It's possible she might like the way they prepare fish in Japan more than whatever they do to it in Ravka, and herring in particular has a strong flavor that Chishiya himself generally isn't in a hurry to seek out. But that's not really the point of this exercise.]

But I'm glad I asked. I'll be careful about what Japanese snacks I share with you.

[She probably wouldn't be a fan of shrimp chips, he thinks.

He runs his fingers idly through her hair.]

If I'm allowed to be curious, you're allowed to have preferences.

[His feelings won't be hurt because she dislikes a certain kind of food.]

[peasant]

[ a relieved exhale billows out of her lungs. good. she won't have to suffer through it to spare him, then — though she supposes even pickled herring would be an improvement from the paste they've been forced to subsist on, these past few days. her nose issues a tiny wrinkle at the thought.

never before would alina starkov feel any ounce of gratitude toward herring, of all things, for its existence. ]

As long as you don't decide to start hoarding sweets.

[ it's unfair and cruel to a deprived ravkan. she leans into his touch like a cat seeking out attention, content despite the circumstances they've found themselves mired in. ]

I wouldn't say I'm very picky. No one in Ravka could afford to be.

[ a simple fact, stated as such. she smiles, reassuring. ]

Anything you make would be fine. More than fine, really.

[dispassioned]

Hm. I might hoard sweets, but I'd share those with you.

[Sweets are far less likely to be seafood flavored than savory snacks. And he might have a stash of cookies back on the regular Ximilia, actually.

What she says about Ravka is about what he expected based on what she's said in the past. He smiles faintly ar her reassurance.]

I appreciate your faith in me.

[He says it reference to cooking, but it's true in a broader sense, as well.]

[peasant]

[ she sobers by a fraction, the smile slipping into somethng softer, fainter. the double meaning isn't lost on her, woven underneath the tapestry of his words. ]

Don't make me regret it.

[ and though the smile remains affixed to her face, as if finding a permanent home there — she means it, truly. there's enough of that going around, lately. ]

[dispassioned]

[He blinks slowly, tilting his head as he glances down at her. He wonders if this is about what he told him before about her getting manipulated by someone, or if there's something else to it.]

I won't.

[Or at least, he doesn't plan to. He had made the decision not to fuck up with her again when she accepted the mochi he'd offered her in apology.]

[peasant]

[ that remains to be seen.

alina has the decency not to say so aloud. but he would hardly be the first to promise her transparency and honesty, only to be disappointed by the fabrication it had all been. how deceptively disarming human nature can truly be. ]

Good.

[ she says, instead, like it could truly ever be so easy. like an agreed upon contract could hold him to those terms. she rearranges her mouth back into an impression of a smile, forcing levity into the air, lest they suffocate beneath the weight of what goes unspoken. ]

I hardly need to suffer a bout of food poisoning after days of eating nothing but paste.