ximilialog | STATION LOG.04

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STATION LOG.04

● ● ● 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

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Daisy lifts a hand to cover her face when he shakes his head.]

Do we call it a tie?

[ He hoists her higher in his grip, arms wrapped around to bring her in flush to his chest. ]

Yes, a tie. To be even with you is a good thing, because it makes you easier to kiss.

[ Clearly, he's not talking about just being even in the game. ]

[Daisy giggles when he hoists her up even further, arms wrapping around his neck.]

Who said we're kissing?

[ Already he was leaning in for the kiss, but he pauses, confusion written across his features. ]

You don't wish to?

[It's tempting to tease him, but the look on his face has her smiling.]

When do I ever not want to kiss you?

[Before he can even answer her she's kissing him.]

[ Unable to answer, he lets it go and simply kisses her back instead. It's such a relief to go back to this after the past two months sneaking around in that terrible town. Joric would much rather not have to look over his shoulder before being intimate with Daisy. ]

A good reward, isn't it?

[Daisy smiles widely when he pulls back, her cheeks flushed.]

It's an okay reward.

[She teases before leaning in for another kiss.]

Should we go check out the fire? I've heard they're toasting marshmallows.

Hmph.

[ "Okay" isn't going to cut it, so he lowers her to the ground before dipping her and giving her yet another kiss instead of answering her question. This time it's a kiss that's meant to leave her dazed and he lifts her back upright afterwards with a smirk. ]

That sounds like a good time. Let's head over.

[Well, it works.

Slowly opening her eyes she tries to process what he's just said.]

Right.

[She can think of something else that sounds like a good time, but that can wait till later.

Maybe.]

You going to let me down or are you carrying me over there?

Ah.

[ He sets her down on the ground. ]

I suppose it's hard to let go of you.

[ It's meant just in this moment, but in a way it can apply to the end of their time here in general too. ]

[Daisy smiles sadly, reaching for his hand as she allows him to lead the way over towards the fire.]

We still have time.

[She reminds him, doing her best to ignore the fact that every day they're closer to never seeing each other again.]

Right.

[ He answers quietly. But soon enough their time together will be over. It's a heavy weight to carry and it almost feels like it's harder to walk through the snow because every step is another step closer to the end. ]

Time passes too fast.

[ It feels like only yesterday that he arrived and they met. ]

I know.

[Frowning, Daisy looks down at the snow as they walk. Unsure what else she can say, because nothing will stop this from happening.

Once they arrive at the fire, there’s a few people sitting around. Someone points them in the direction of the marshmallows.]

Have you had a toasted marshmallow before?

I don't think I have. You'd better show me what I need to know.

[ He's seeing people put the strange little white puffs onto skewers so he can assume they're toasted in the fire, but he'd still like her to show him. ]

[Daisy seems delighted by the fact that she gets to introduce him to this, and quickly puts marshmallows on two sticks.]

Here.

[She hands him one,]

You hold it near the fire, turning it until it gets golden brown.

All right. Let's pick a spot.

[ There are cozy blankets folded up in large baskets and he grabs one as they pass for her sake before he seats himself on a log. Then he shakes open the blanket, ready to drape it across her lap. ]

Here. You may need this.

[Taking a seat next to him, Daisy smiles at him when he drapes the blanket across her lap.]

Thank you.

[He's always been so thoughtful, and not just with her. She's seen the way he is with others around here. It's one of the many things she likes about him. Despite him not needing it, she puts it over his lap too before leaning forward to rest the marshmallow nearer to the fire.]

This is nice. I can see why you've spent so much time in here.

[ He mimics her actions so the marshmallow is hanging before the fire at the same distance as hers. ]

It's peaceful. The world seems quieter when it's covered in snow. And the air feels fresher when it's cold.

It does feel a lot more peaceful than the last few months have.

[Daisy says in agreement, turning the marshmallow over so it's more evenly browned.]

Would you have bonfires like this where you're from?

Mm hmm. Quite often. There were festivals and weddings and you can't gather a clan of people together without lighting a bonfire and singing and dancing around it. Not that I ever did the dancing, mind you. It was enough to sing the songs and listen to the stories the skald would tell. There was always the best food there too.

[ He twirls his stick to turn the marshmallow around. ]

None of these things, though. These are new.

[Her eyes light up when he mentions dancing, and she's about to ask him when he already answers her.]

Well now I've got a figure out how to get you to dance, because I need to see this.

[Daisy teases gently, pulling her marshmallow back to check on it. It's perfectly toasted.]

Yours should be done too, unless you want it darker.

[ He pulls his back as well, snorting at what she says. ]

I do not dance. It's pointless to try. At most I will stand there and sway while others dance around me.

Sounds like you just haven't found the right partner to dance with.

[Not that Daisy does much dancing herself.]

Or the right person to pester you enough that you cave in.

[She teases before blowing on the marshmallow and then taking a bite.]

[ He watches her take a bite before he asks: ]

Are you the right person?

Maybe.

[Daisy says playfully, her words garbled as she tries to chew the big chunk she's taken from it. Laughing she covers her mouth so he can't see the mess she's made.]

● ● ● S T A T I O N 4 . 0

F Y I

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