STATION LOG.04

[ximilian]

● ● ● S T A T I O N   4 . 0

ALL WORK, NO PLAY • REPRIEVE • THE CHOICES AHEAD • FYI

// INTRO. ALL WORK, NO PLAY  

Throughout the month of December, the Orbers will find that the door to the North Wing is sometimes left open — perhaps, at this point in their stay, the two permanent residents of the wing trust the other inhabitants of the station to tread with care.

Should anyone slip through the doorway, they will find that the large sphere, crackling sharply with magical energy front and centre and surrounded by open circulation, is still there, and so are the orbs it houses, many more now than a year ago at this time, swirling inside it. The voices are still there, too, whispering, sometimes louder, sometimes barely heard; sometimes threatening, sometimes offering everything you could imagine, if you just take a step closer — and one more, one more...

However, if you do, the barrier will not hesitate to throw you across the room, a safety measure both for you as much as it is for the orbs. That very barrier is what takes up most of Degar’s time, and he can be often seen striding into the barrier like it doesn’t exist, spending hours upon hours inside the barrier, fortifying it, making sure there isn’t even the smallest crack that could spread when the orbs are finally all together.

The rest of the North Wing remains as it has been: in the AI maintenance room, 0-L1V-14 still remains in Viveca’s old body, walled off from the systems of the station, but still online, with Viveca trying to spare a few moments each day to fix her coding, revert her back to the uncorrupted version she used to be.

The former team’s living quarters are still unchanged, too — or perhaps “carefully preserved” would be the better term, every single bed and item where it had been last left by their owners. The room may mean more to those, now, who had witnessed the old memories during June’s mission: the small elephant toy bringing to mind Yudae, clutching her daughter’s toy in one of the memories; the leather jacket Emerton always wore left bundled on one of the beds; a large, well-carved bow resting against the wall; a pile of neatly-arranged books underneath a bedside table.

In the power and life support room, most of the pods lining the room are still decorated with a glowing, blue stripe; all but one, which has a red one. The large room connected to it on the side, with one chair in the middle, is often occupied by Viveca — though just as often, she sits in the chair with a vacant expression, pupils moving infinitesimally, as if scanning something no one else can see.

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// PART I.REPRIEVE  

With Viveca working hard to locate the last two orbs and Degar dedicating most of his time to containing the restless energies of those that have already been acquired, there’s really not much else to do but play the waiting game. Fortunately, the season the station has timed itself to is steadily approaching what many know as winter, making for a number of seasonably-themed options with which to distract oneself.

1.0   Though most of the Ximilia remains relatively the same, hanging from the ceiling at different parts of the station will be an unassuming sprig of mistletoe — a holdover from a previous celebration of festivities. The mistletoe (brought over from the lush forests of the planet Yeviunus) come pre-charmed with a small spell that invokes a feeling of peace and affection, meant to encourage camaraderie among the crew. Of course the festive foliage is easy enough to avoid, and the spell’s potency depends on the Orber’s susceptibility to influence.

2.0   Any members of the crew wish for a little more wintery ambiance are welcome to take a stroll in the sunlight room. (Don’t worry, this room’s projected sun is a very regular sun of the Earth variety. No watching pupils here!) Every day a fresh blanket of snow covers the ground, thick enough for one’s feet to sink into and leave impressions, and the air is crisp and full of the scents of various conifers.

The pond has frozen over, making a perfect canvas for ice fishing and ice skating. Fishing poles, hockey sticks, and ice skates of every possible size and shape can be found around the pond’s shoreline, ready for use.

Every evening, right as the sun dips into the horizon and the temperatures drop drastically, large bonfire crackles away in the room’s largest clearing. Scattered around are conveniently-placed fallen logs to offer any interested party view of the calming scene, with plenty of knitted blankets for everyone who might want one. (Or not! Perhaps there is a blanket-thief among you, and poor Orbers may be forced to share a blanket between them. Woe!)

Located not too far from the bonfire is an out-of-season tiki bar that is nevertheless doing its best. It is always fully stocked, with plenty of options for even the most discerning of drinkers.

Elsewhere within the sunlight room, Orbers may come across the memorial erected by members of the current crew. The memorial itself is a large stone pillar, its colouring hovering between gray and black; carved into it are names of everyone who has ever been a part of the crew — not just the current crew, but the past crew, too. On the stone slab the pillar stands on is a small plate, for wishes and letters; should one be placed on it, it will rise into the air as if someone were pulling it, stop once it reaches the name of the person it was meant for, and burst into flames, burning away — as if by disappearing, the words could cross between worlds and reach the one who should hear them.

3.0   Sometime in the middle of the month, the common living area will feature a simple wooden table holding a box and a sign. On the sign is a note hand-written by Degar that reads:

Hey, guys! We've been having a pretty high-energy time of it lately, huh? I know I have. So, I hear quilting's a pretty good way of relieving stress and I thought it’d be fun if I made it into a kind of group effort. Everyone loves a good group project, right? Anyway, feel free to take a block and jazz it up any way you like, there's a bunch of materials you can use. And when you're done, just leave them back on the table and our good ol' Nannybot will ferry it back to me when it does its nightly cleaning. I’m thinking 5, maybe 7 days should be enough time? It can't be that hard, right? I’ll unveil it all during our Yulevibes Dinner! (By the way, there’s a Yulevibes Dinner happening.) Thanks!

Next to the sign, in the box, are a neat stack of various quilt blocks for the taking, along with a number of art supplies. Perhaps now is the time to finally show off your handcrafting skills… Or maybe ask around to see who's willing to teach it.

OOC NOTE: Submissions for a finished quilt block should be sent HERE. Deadline is December 18, 6PM GMT. Players are welcome to create more than one, but we do ask you limit it to 3. More information is located on the submissions page.

4.0   So, about that Yulevibes Dinner. Inquiring more about it from either of the permanent residents of the station will reveal that it is a dinner meant for celebration and companionship. Every Orber is invited (and highly encouraged to attend, but of course that’s their prerogative), with the simple request that — if they so choose — they bring along a dish from their world. It’s not entirely a potluck, as there will be more than enough food to feed them all should none choose to participate, but the hope is to encourage Orbers to share a little more of their home with one another… perhaps with the intent to remind them that home is not so far away now.

The dinner is held on the third week after their return. The entire common living area has been transformed into a cozy winter retreat with low chairs, plenty of pillows and cushions, knitted blankets, stringed lights and flickering lanterns. Projected onto the walls are scenes of a calm winter evening, not unlike what one might find in the sunlight room. The main event, of course, is the dinner itself — there must be twenty, maybe even thirty-something dishes occupying a long table flanked by dozens of mismatched chairs. Have a seat, get cozy, fill up your plate and enjoy the vibes and company.

Afterwards, it’s time to lounge around and relax. Board games of various kinds from various worlds appear on low tables, popcorn is inexplicably encouraged to get strung up and worn (what else are you meant to do with it?), and hot cider is passed around by the mugful. Degar plays a few songs on his lute, but as the food coma starts to hit he switches instead to DJing a few songs he’d handpicked especially for the evening.

Barring any food fiascos (or drunken mishaps, you do you, Orbers), the evening is one of relative peace and comfort. Though brief, it provides a much-need reprieve from all that might plague one’s mind… Which is good, because the next morning comes with some rather concerning news.

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// OUTRO.THE CHOICES AHEAD  

The morning after the Yulevibes Dinner, Viveca’s voice rings sharply in everyone’s earpieces.

// VIVECA

“I have some good and some bad news for all of you. The good news is that I think I’ve located where the missing orb is. The bad news is… it’s exactly where the signal for the last orb is coming from. It seems that instead of returning here, it was able to twist the terms it was given to seek out the only free remaining orb. Of course, this means that once I have enough information to send you all to your final mission, it’s not to two different universes… but it also means you’ll be going against two orbs, not one.”

Her voice, having started out as calm and serious, turns even more grave.

// VIVECA

“With the end so close in sight, I just want to say a few things. Firstly… don’t let yourselves be caught off guard. The free orbs are still a part of the larger whole, and the larger whole is more powerful now than it’s ever been before, with just two pieces missing. To assume the last mission will be an easy one would be a mistake. Throw away everything you’ve thought you knew about the orbs. You’ve already seen how powerful they are, even without a deal, now.”

It sounds as if she’s grimacing, thinking of what a single, free orb was able to do in Amaryllis Grove, all on its own.

// VIVECA

“Secondly, you need to start thinking about what you want to do, once you return. Degar is working constantly to make sure the barrier around the orbs will hold… but last time, just one regret being undone was able to break it. If you all decide to go through with it, let your regrets be undone…”

She trails off, but what she leaves unsaid hangs in the air: no matter how much magic — no matter how powerful — that they pour into the barrier keeping the orbs from influencing everyone around them… it might not be enough. Whatever the team’s eventual decision is going to be, it might not be as clear-cut as they might have thought.

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F Y I

• The events in this log take place during the month of December.

• Throughout the month, remember that all the locations in the two wings and the center of the station are available to use, even if they’re not detailed in the prompts in this log. So feel free to make your own wildcard prompts using the training room, the armory, the living quarters, the kitchen, etc.

• If characters want to speak with Viveca or Degar (or both of them) regarding anything mentioned in this log, they are encouraged to do so through the reach the residents page.

• Please note that the voting post regarding what to do with the orbs will go live on December 20 in preparation for endgame.

• And finally, if you have questions about anything in this log, please direct them here.

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▶ NAV

Comments

2.0

[morethan084]

[Unlike Joric, Daisy is bundled up for the cold weather in the sunlight room. The fresh, cold air, feels nice. At least at first, but soon enough her face is flushed from the cold air and when she spots Joric by the lake she excuses the person she was talking to.]

Hey.

[She says softly as she approaches, there's some bruising on her cheek and surrounding one of her eyes from where she had gotten caught in the crossfire of a physical fight. Other than that, she's fine.]

[drawsblood]

[ He looks up at her approach, concern immediately etched across his features. ]

Hello. Come here?

[ Beckoning her closing by holding out a hand, he wants to take a better look at that bruising. ]

When did this happen?

[morethan084]

[With how often Daisy tends to get banged up, she almost forgets there's anything wrong with her face until she notices his expression.]

During the mission.

[She reaches for his hand, her own covered in gloves as she gives his hand a gentle squeeze.]

I'm fine.

[She'll allow him to inspect her face if he wants, but she's far from concerned about it.]

Are you fishing?

[drawsblood]

Mm hm.

[ His eyes narrow slightly, as if imagining crushing his fist into the face of whoever hurt her. But it's in the past and she doesn't sound like it warrants discussion so he refrains. ]

Not to eat. I'm not sure you can eat things from this room. But I enjoy it.

[morethan084]

[Relieved that he lets it go, Daisy peers behind him at the lake.]

How many have you caught so far?

[drawsblood]

Oh, four I think.

[ Eyes drift from her to the water. ]

This spot seems active. Though now that's we're talking they'll probably swim away.

[ There's a brief frown of thought. ]

If they act like real fish, that is. It's hard to know. Anyway, I'd rather talk to you.

[ So he reels in his line and gets up, moving his stool a little further away from the ice and into the snow, before seating himself again and beckoning to her. ]

You can have a seat here.

[morethan084]

Impressive.

[Daisy's about to say she can be quiet and let him get back to fishing, but then he says how he'd rather talk to her and she beams up at him. Wrapping her arms around herself to try and stay warm, she watches as he moves his seat further away from the pond.]

On your lap?

[She asks cheekily as she walks towards him.]

[drawsblood]

That's the idea.

[ He pats his thigh with a hand and awaits her. ]

[morethan084]

[Tongue pressing against her cheek to keep from smiling too big, Daisy takes a seat on his lap and wraps her arms around the back of his neck to stable herself. Despite how underdressed he is for the weather, he feels a lot warmer than she does.]

Is this where I tell you what I want for Christmas?

[drawsblood]

Hmm? I suppose if you'd like.

[ He absolutely does not get the reference. ]

[morethan084]

[And she realizes that rather quickly, but rather than explain and further confuse him…]

I want a kiss from this handsome guy I’m seeing.

[drawsblood]

I think I can oblige.

[ He settles hands about her hip and back before he gives her a deep, lingering kiss. ]

[morethan084]

[Smiling against his lips, Daisy leans her weight into him. She’s missed him, even if it’s barely been a day since they’ve last seen each other. And here they don’t have to pretend to not be into each other, or sneak around at night.

Suddenly she’s feeling much warmer than she had been a minute ago.]

Well, that was easy.

[Daisy teases after pulling away to catch her breath.]

Do you want to sit in my lap now and tell me what you want for Christmas?

[drawsblood]

[ He gives a content smile once their lips part, then he laughs softly. ]

Something tells me there would be less kissing and more crying in pain should we do this is reverse.

[morethan084]

Pft, please. I’m stronger than I look.

[He might crush her.]

[drawsblood]

Still, I would not like to test it. As to your question, I suppose I hadn't given much thought to Christmas. Last year the gifts I received were unexpected. But I suppose you could get me a snack food of some kind.

[ He shrugs a shoulder. ]

If you want.

[morethan084]

I should've known you'd want something food related.

[Daisy teases, leaning in to kiss him briefly again.]

I think can manage that.

[Arms still wrapped around him, Daisy watches a few people off in the distance having a snowball fight.]

How long have you been in here?

[drawsblood]

[ Satisfied, he smiles briefly before humming in thought. ]

More than an hour, but less than two. Why?

[morethan084]

Because you're still so warm.

[And if she sounds jealous, it's because she definitely is.]

I knew I'd find you in here.

[drawsblood]

Ah. It would take far longer for me to start to feel the effects of the cold.

[ There's a brief laugh. ]

I am predictable, it seems.

[morethan084]

Good, then you can help warm me up.

[Even when being bundled up compared to him, it's cold. Smiling mischievously, Daisy adds..]

After a snowball fight.

[drawsblood]

A fight?

[ Well, it's obvious where she got the idea from, since others are enjoying themselves in such a manner out here. ]

Are you sure you want to take on someone who was raised in the snow?

[morethan084]

Pft, we had snow in New York too.

[So what if it was usually grey slush?]

[drawsblood]

Hm, all right then. I'll try to avoid the face.

[ Seeing how she still sports bruises. Joric taps her to get her to stand from his lap. ]

Do we carry on until someone surrenders?

[morethan084]

[Daisy snorts out a laugh at that as she gets off of his lap.]

Why? It might help bring the swelling down.

[She says sarcastically as she adjusts her beanie so it's less crooked.]

Then we'd be doing this all day. I'm not a quitter.