WEEKEND 0: ORIENTATION

[dropoffs]

WEEKEND 0     47 CREW ACTIVE

YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. WE MIGHT HAVE ANSWERS.

 

TO THE JUNIOR CREW OF THE EUDORA: WELCOME.
YOUR ORIENTATION WEEKEND BEGINS TODAY
YOU'LL MEET WITH SENIOR CREW MEMBERS
TO LEARN THE BASICS OF YOUR TOUR.
PLEASE ENJOY YOUR COMPLIMENTARY PACKAGE.

ATTENTION SENIOR CREW DESIGNATES:
PLEASE PREPARE YOURSELVES TO DEPLOY
STANDARD NEW EMPLOYEE MEASURES ASAP.

With a creaking groan on Saturday morning, the stasis bay door finally opens up, revealing a broad, clean hallway and a lit sign overhead that says WELCOME TO THE CSS EUDORA. Lining the walls, you'll find that there are square lockers to grab your non-sentient belongings that weren't inside of your cold sleep pod (your home item and two changes of clothes from your canon). Along with those, you will find that your belongings have been carefully set inside of a sleek, black courier bag, nestled in among a few welcome gifts waiting for you! Upon opening it up, you'll find the following items to use as you see fit:

🪐 A luxurious eyemask, to block out the haters (and any solar flares)
🪐 A handkerchief, with hand-stitched embroidery.
🪐 A mini radio that plays some old tunes from the 90s and back, it also works as a bluetooth speaker for I.R.I.S.
🪐 A moon lamp, to provide some comforting light
🪐 A simple, but useful, multi-tool, closed when you find it
🪐 A small, refillable medical kit, pre-packed for your potential bumps and bruises (1 minor heal)
🪐 A few packets of freeze-dried fruit, to chase away the immediate munchies
🪐 A mini craft cocktail kit, to drink away your troubles (made into a mocktail kit if you are below 21)

Take your time to familiarize yourself with your new surroundings and freshen up in the communal bathroom that's been made available. You will also find that your living quarters have been neatly arranged along a hallway, just waiting for you to find your name on the door—meet your roommate!

Why, you can even enjoy an informative slideshow presentation that plays in the mess hall on all of the screens! It might not be a very big one, but the world of the CSS Eudora is your oyster for a few hours. There's plenty of time between the auspicious announcement and 1500 hours for you to get to know your fellow junior crewmates.

Welcome to the second part of our introductory weekend, this time featuring some of your new home and a few special surprises. Have a look around your brand new home, and if you have any questions, we will field them in the server.

🚀 Your I.R.I.S. and you! Characters will find that their I.R.I.S. communications device is now up and fully functioning. There are quite a few features for you to explore, including crew member profiles. Why not have a look and see just what kind of information has been compiled about you? And who exactly you're working with. The I.R.I.S. itself also comes witih a handy dandy guide explaining all of its fun features.

🚀 Some things to look out for include two events that will occur today and tomorrow. The first event will begin on (2/24) - 12PM PST | 3PM EST, and the second event will follow on (2/25) - 12PM PST | 3PM EST, so stay tuned for a ping in the server. Even if you are busy today, please feel free to tag in at a later time.

NAVIGATE
LOCATION CHANGES LOCATIONS STATUSES PROFILES REPORTING PRIVATE CONVOS COMMS DOSSIER

Comments

[rosebleed]

By dissecting them?

[Sounds kinda counterproductive.

Though her mouth twitches, her expression smooths out at once. Grace and dignity, two things given to her by birth.]

Very well. A question for a question. It's a fair trade.

What would you like to know?

[egodist]

Do you believe progress is possible without sacrifice? Yours, or someone else's?

[scien's profile never specified who he's dissecting

he makes a gesture at her briars, curious]

What happened to you?

[rosebleed]

Depends. [There's far too much leeway in that maxim for her comfort.] A great sacrifice has to be matched with equal purpose. And one decided on fairly, with the good of all in mind.

[She touches the thorns at her waist, unthinking. Normally she'd be quite blasé about the story, but now she finds herself feeling a touch wary.]

A curse. Something given to me at birth.

What sort of greater purpose are you chasing?

[egodist]

The salvation of an island claimed to be beloved by Death, where the average citizen believes that all of us are cursed to die by the age of 23. [to use her own words:] Something given to them at birth. It is my responsibility to free them from their burden.

So you and I are in agreement.

[he actually doesn't tolerate unnecessary sacrifice. he finds it to be wasteful. everything he does is for the single-minded purpose of pursuing the betterment of others. somehow.]

Are you the only one afflicted by your curse?

[rosebleed]

They die at twenty-three? [Her hand goes to her heart, eyes wide and lips parted.] That's terrible. What happened to make it that way?

[Except it's her turn to answer. Rosamund regards him closely for a moment. She doesn't quite know what to say. It's not like she expects sympathy, he doesn't look particularly moved. Maybe he's seen too much to be moved.]

In some way. [In some stories. Not hers. Not most of them.] I was meant to fall asleep for a hundred years. And the briars were meant to protect me.

[Here her eyes turn to trace the grain of the wooden bar top. Her hands stay folded primly in her lap, and her face remains passive. It's the pause that speaks to the pain.]

And they did so by growing so big, and so vast, that they covered the entire kingdom. And they put everyone in it to sleep. And they did protect me. Even from those who would save me.

[egodist]

[scien listens, and he doesn't press her during the pause. his expression is impassive, but he really isn't an emotional person to begin with.

he'll answer his side - ]

That is what I've been researching to find out. It didn't take me long to create a temporary solution to prevent unnecessary deaths, but finding the root of the curse has taken me more time.

[before pressing on with his own questions.]

And yet you're awake. What of the kingdom?

[rosebleed]

So are you still searching, or do you think you've found it? [She wants to suggest that it's more magic, but then there's a little niggling voice in the back of her head telling her to clam up. She's put herself in a precarious position here. They're both trading information, but maybe she shouldn't be so eager to suggest anything.

It's like Pinocchio had once said, don't give up the power position.]

...I'm not sure. The briars were too thick. [A thought that claws at her insides all too often.] It took me several months to find my way out. I couldn't see anything. Hear anyone.

[egodist]

I've found the origin, but the solution isn't simple.

[it's definitely not magic but even if it was, scien would refuse to believe it's magic. oh these sciencey types.

and scien tilts his head, curious, but in a way that makes him probably ask too pointed of a question. at the very least, he doesn't seem to be making a judgment on her behalf, only wanting to know her perspective.]

Do you blame yourself? Or someone else?

[rosebleed]

And what would the solution be?

[A matter of logistics, or a matter of morals? Perhaps both.

She takes a moment to think. Less about how she feels, more how to phrase it prudently.]

When you don't have any choices to make, it's easier to live with the results. There are things I thought I couldn't change.

But I may have found a way now. Or at least, a way for everyone to choose themselves.

[egodist]

[he looks thoughtful about that, as if trying to determine the best way to answer]

... I'm still looking for it. An idealist like you told me to try to find a way that doesn't sacrifice anyone, so I'm considering it. My only hope is I don't run out of time.

[even if it will take longer this way.... but he nods in response to that]

That's fine then. Do your briars cause you pain?

[rosebleed]

[The way her brows furrow at this assumption.]

They sound like a lovely and sensible individual.

[So listen to them, punk.

That said, she's relieved he's stopped pressing on the bruise and moved to more comfortable points. She does lift an arm. Some new bleeding there from a scrape, but hardly anything writing home about.]

Yes, but I can deal with it. It's not so bad after a while.

[Her turn. And forgive her, but it begs asking.]

When you speak about sacrifice: are the people in question aware they're making one?

[egodist]

[yves is perfect, rosamund is so right. to answer her question:]

Yes.

[plain and simple. next - ]

Would you ever wish for your briars to be removed from you?

[rosebleed]

[She doesn't get a chance to pry further. Good that it all seems above board, but his profile suggests—

Ah.

This is what finally has her canting her head. Lips pursed, eyes to the side. She can all but feel the beat of her heart.]

I don't think it's a good idea. Not now.

[egodist]

[his profile suggests so many things.

but he watches for a moment, and his answer is simple.]

That isn't what I asked.

[wishing and thinking are two different things. though he recognizes he did receive an answer, and so he shakes his head.]

If you decline to answer, no further questions.

[rosebleed]

[Tch.]

Yes. [She shakes her head, exasperated.] Of course I would. It's just complicated.

[egodist]

And what makes it complicated?

[though in accordance with fairness - ]

You're two questions behind.

[he is keeping score.]

[rosebleed]

[She is. Saves her from locking her jaw up.]

Your profile mentioned torture.

[Her stare is a touch icy now.]

What exactly do you do that might qualify?

[egodist]

It doesn't come up often, but information extraction can be necessary. An awareness of the human body is all that's needed.

[but he doesn't see a need to get more into detail than that]

[rosebleed]

And you feel there's no other option.

[Less of a question, more of a judgment.]

[egodist]

I wouldn't resort to it if I did, idealist.

Don't mistake me for a pervert who enjoys the suffering of others. I have plenty of flaws without you making up more.

[s

self-awareness?]

[rosebleed]

[TCH!!]

I bet that's very comforting those you turn your last resorts on.

[Okay. One more question. She can stand this for a bit longer.]

What about the sacrilege?

[egodist]

[alright there's only so much overly righteous judgment he can handle]

You defend people that you don't even know, when their crimes might still be worse than mine. And yet, you'll choose to condemn me because I'm the one in front of you. I'm sure they're grateful for your sweeping judgments, even as their own victims rot in the graves, magnanimous savior.

[he's a sinner and an asshole. he doesn't hide it. but even he has limitations.]

Stop asking questions when you've already made up your mind.

[he'll get to her other question in a second,,]

[rosebleed]

I haven't condemned you to anything. And I wouldn't blindly approve of anyone's wrongdoing: yours, theirs, or mine. Anyone's, really.

I've had to take care of threats before, and I've done plenty to defend what I believe in. I just don't think cruelty is necessary.

[And she will stand firm on that point. She doesn't know him, can't truly know the scope of his struggle. But she has her limits, too.]

If you don't want to answer anything else, that's quite all right. We've only just met, and we're leagues away from either of our homes. Maybe it's better to focus on the problems in front of us instead.