EVENT ★ ROLLING 'ROUND THE BEND

[futurologists]

ASTERION PRISON The white light is blinding. The weightlessness continues. The air thins into nothingness, though those who breathe won't feel the pain of suffocation -- in fact, they won't feel the need to breathe at all. The sensation continues for what may seem like a second or an eternity; it's impossible to tell. And then the floor hits you. Or rather, you hit the floor. It's cold and metal and as your vision returns, you'll find you're not alone in this small room, though you're definitely not with anyone you know: standing in front of you is a brawny alien in a black uniform, its many purple eyes staring at you. The alien is flanked by a pair of robots, who take advantage of your dazed state and grasp you in their metal arms to drag you from the room into what appears to be a gigantic prison. As the robots drag you past cells -- some containing other aliens, some containing humanoids, and some containing your teammates -- you'll catch a glimpse of the outside through a window. You're in outer space. If questioned, the guard will only tell you that you've been accused of conspiracy to commit grand theft, and your trial will begin soon. But in the meantime, you'd better get cozy. YOUR NEW HOME Asterion Prison is a dreadnought class spaceship with several different cell blocks making up a majority of its innards, with the rest of the space designated for day-to-day running of the ship and living quarters for the guards. Audentes is housed in Block 26, which has six tiers of cells situated in a circle around the main recreational area, out of which juts the Block 26 guard tower. Each inmate, including Audentes recruits, has a glowing blue symbol emblazoned on their forehead. Though it's not immediately clear what the symbols mean, inmates who have been around longer will explain: it's a record of how many lives you've taken, a way for the guards to know who's the most dangerous. The symbol glows through any kind of attempt at covering it -- whether by makeup, clothing, hair, or something else -- so it's best to learn to deal with it quickly. Speaking of clothing, whatever recruits were wearing upon their abduction has been replaced by a uniform orange jumpsuit. Similarly, any weapons are no longer present, though those with a special connection to their weapons will feel that they are being held elsewhere on the ship. Luckily, the guards appear to have overlooked jewelcomms, so Audentes will be able to communicate with each other via magitek (text only is suggested, of course, unless you want to get caught!), though contact with Oska or any other outside ALASTAIR recruit seems to be blocked. LOCKDOWN As long as inmates keep to themselves and don't bother the guards, things run pretty smoothly. Two meals a day, five hours of sleep, and all the weights you need to get yourself swole. But on the sixth day in Asterion Prison, all hell breaks loose. No one knows who started it, but there's suddenly a loud roar from the milling crowd in the recreational area. Most inmates scatter, but some rush in -- to see what's going on or to get a piece of the action themselves, who knows -- and then everything becomes an all-out brawl. Super strong aliens with various powers fight each other loudly and violently while others cower and run for cover. The old alien ducks behind his chess board just in time to avoid a barbell sailing overhead; a six-armed being shoots lava out of its mouth, which does nothing to the metallic floor but severely burns a group of humanoid toads wielding shivs. The fight goes on for a few long minutes before correctional officers and their robot guards pour in to try and get things under control. Those who are still around once the officers come in are in threat of being dragged off to solitary, even if they had nothing to do with the brawl, so make yourself scarce unless the idea of sitting in the dark for another six days seems appealing. OOC NOTES Welcome to space prison! We hope you'll enjoy your stay. There is a plotting write-up here with extra information about the prison ship, and please note that participation in the symbol directory is mandatory. If you have any questions about the prison that aren't answered here, please direct them to the Leramzen dossier. Questions about the game in general should be directed to the FAQ and you may submit mission ideas or player plots at any time.

Comments

Sieglinde Sullivan ⚝ OTA

[grunehexe]

01 ⚝ MOUNTING COUNT ⚝ DAY ONE

[Sieglinde had been somewhat hesitant to look in a mirror- to see what symbol might be glowing on the skin there once she'd learned from the other prisoners what it meant. The results of curious questioning, after overhearing an inmate say that "the M's" weren't to be messed with.

She's afraid there will be a terrible symbol there. Afraid that all the people who could die if SuLIN was misused might be written out, more proof of her sins like her bound feet had been before she'd been so impertinent as to rebreak them.

But when she finally finds a mirror, the small square hanging near the entrance to her assigned cell, she's relieved to see a "Π" glowing there in blue. Pi. So... perhaps, three? Which three had counted? Those cultists, in Perdition's Rest, whose movement she had arrested with spells so that Arjuna's arrows could pierce their skulls? The demon in the castle halls, whose attention she'd drawn before Gilgamesh beat it to death? The chimera in Chantes? The plant creatures on Zeta-12?

She has never killed anyone with her own hands... but that didn't make her innocent. She knew that. (Just like she knew the symbol on her forehead could point to a much higher number, if SuLIN was ever abused.)

Three was still too many. But it's enough so that she can hide the few tears it brings to her eyes in a quick swipe of her sleeve, quickly trying to compose herself at the sink.]

02 ⚝ BISHOP TO E3 ⚝ DAY THREE

[If they want to have any chance at getting out of here... they need knowledge. Knowledge was power, she had always believed that... so she begins making her rounds. The number on her forehead at least bought her a tiny scrap of respect, (not because of the actual number, but rather, the contrast between her size and said number), and she managed to ingratiate herself with the old timers by beating a few at chess.

She makes use of the chessboard when they aren't using it, and not just because she likes the game. Where it's set up, it has a good view of the guard tower door used during shift changes, and she might be moving the pieces intermittently, playing a game against herself, but she's actually watching and recording.

And beating herself at chess. Or... winning?]

03 ⚝ WELCOME TO THE RIOT ⚝ DAY SIX

[When the riot starts, Sieglinde is minding her own business. Well, as much as minding her own business was a heated debate with an alien about trading her his book. Fortunately for her, she gets the book. Unfortunately for her, she gets it because an inmate sent flying by another slams into her book trader, and the book lands in her lap when the alien goes flying.

Once people start yelling and brawling, however, there's far more to dodge, and leaning back to avoid someone scrambling to get it on the action tips Sieglinde's chair over, and she falls back... into-]

Oh. Hello.

[Thankfully a member of Audentes.]

03.

[scarletcast]

[ Wryly, ]

We seem to have a knack for trouble.

[ She might add it seems like a witch thing. Wanda looks around them. ]

I hope you are not extremely attached to the book.

[grunehexe]

[Having the Scarlet Witch for a cell mate was certainly something Sieglinde had enjoyed, despite... literally everything else about their situation. The walls and structures in the prison seemed impervious to most damage, the robotic guards sturdy, the food slop... but they had not taken or suppressed their powers.

She had faith that escape might be possible yet.]

Ah. Actually-

[Looking up at Wanda from her half-tipped over chair, Sieglinde points cheekily to a toad-like creature across the room, currently grappling with a burly red-skinned fellow.]

I just need it because he refuses to trade me acid from his skin for anything but something called an "upper".

[Next she points to a squirrelly looking human with yellow eyes and implanted glasses, making his escape from the growing brawl.]

And he won't trade me for anything but credits, and to get credits-

[Now probably wasn't the time for this...]

[scarletcast]

[ She's relieved it was Sieglinde. Not that Wanda wouldn't adapt — she understands herself. But the last time, there had been Pietro. And here, there is at least someone familiar. She has made no remark on the brand on her cellmate's forehead. ]

And now is the time for this?

[ They duck behind a table — she's at least getting some amusement out of their situation. The prison has been quiet for too long. ]

[grunehexe]

[Despite how slightly scandalous Sieglinde still finds trousers to be, she has to admit- they're useful for moving quickly. Carefully, she peeks over the table, trying to keep track of her roadmap and book dealer.]

Well, I suppose it could be a good time to just take a sample of the acid in the confusion and disregard the trading altogether...

[A flinch, as a large alien hits the deck stone cold from a punch.]

[scarletcast]

[ She huffs, fond, exasperated. ]

You are impossible. I will distract them. Get what you want.

1

[prodigism]

[ In his wandering he'll happen across many people he knows and of course aliens he doesn't know. It's strange to see people such as Sieglinde stuck here and with a symbol marking her features. Of course his own XX is damning in and of itself, but he's never really asked anyone about such things thus far.

Instead he'll pause near her cell noting her swiping at her eyes in an attempt to hide her tears. ] If you want to talk...

[ He's at least a good listener for that. He doesn't bother to ask how she is, because it's easy enough to tell, so offering an ear just seemed better. ]

[grunehexe]

[Indeed, questions like "are you alright?" seem rather pointless in a situation like this. Of course they were not. It reminds Sieglinde far too much of that second mission in Chantes, of the horrible prison conditions some of their own were subject to, and the sentence of execution that had been handed down without judge or inquiry.

If this was to be anything like that-

But she couldn't let such thoughts bog her down. Who knew how long they'd have to try and formulate an escape. Who knew what they might be up against yet- highly advanced technology, like this place seemed to have, could present in so many ways. (But they hadn't taken her magic, she had something to her yet.)]

No, it's-

[Well, it's not fine either. Quickly she tries to wipe any traces of wet or red from her eyes on the sleeve of her hideously orange jumpsuit, shaking her head vigorously to clear it. There-]

It is nothing worth discussing.

[He's killed more than she. ... she's pretty sure most have.]

Are you uninjured?

2

[predomination]

[Urahara has been known to join her for these games on occasion- mostly to share his own observations. Having been a guard in a prison not dissimilar to this one- just trade underground for space, and then add the fact that these people actually did something to end up here, and you have the Maggot's Nest.

He considers his bishop for a moment. Sieglinde has him in quite a bind right now.] The guard on the farthest side to your left is particularly lax. Two inmates started a brawl the other day during his shift and he barely moved.

[grunehexe]

[Though there had been a chess set in her manor, she had almost never played. How could she, when she had a duty to compelete, and a village to look after? (Mainly, she'd just gotten clever enough by age seven that none of her servants would play her anymore.) But Graham had gifted her with a set when she'd been on bedrest after rebreaking her feet... and there were worthy enough opponents in Audentes to merit practice.

She splits her attention between observations and the match... but Urahara's comment draws her attention, and she uses the excuse of pushing her heavy hair back behind her shoulders to steal a look. And also wish they'd left her hennin in her possession.]

Is he lazy, then, or a sadist?

[Both were usable. In different ways.]

[predomination]

[He finally makes a move that won't immediately put him in check and scratches his chin idly.] Mm. Lazy. A sadist would step in and use the brawl as a reason to deal out punishment. Standing back just suggests a desire to stay uninvolved.

[Those lovely "here for the paycheck" sorts, who do the least amount of work possible.] He might also lack the confidence that comes with his position. The others tend to strut around.

[grunehexe]

I do not know what could cause him to lack confidence with the prisoners, considering the strength of their armor.

[She's seen enough scuffles and shows of force and power by now to have written off direct assault as a good option. Like the prison structure itself, the guards were almost impossible to injure.]

Perhaps in relation to the other guards?

[Most of them she'd seen had been male, she thinks, (hard to tell with aliens sometimes), and male-dominated work tended to be so very testosterone heavy in potentially negative ways.

With a look of concentration, her fingers hover over a rook. Stalling, hmm? A reasonable tactic, and she scans the board to see if he isn't setting up a trap before she sends the piece chasing after his king, taking a pawn in the process.]

[predomination]

[When he glances away from the guard tower, he notes his latest loss of a pawn with a tragic expression, though it's surprisingly appropriate, given what he has to say next.] Fainter dispositions aren't the best sort for this work. He might be newer, but, ideally, he's just sympathetic with no way of reaching out that won't get him mocked, so he chooses inaction.

It might be worth a shot for someone non-threatening to appeal to him. [the likelihood of it going anywhere is slim to none, but they need to start somewhere, and the guards and the prison itself are large obstacles. unlike the prison, however, the guards are movable.

he sacrifices an attempt to advance on Sieglinde's forces to move his king to relative safety. it won't last long, but it gives him time to consider another option.

he has waiting games on all sides of him- fortunately he's a patient man.]

3!

[heritors]

[ Lucina can't fight here — no weapon to fight with, and she's not reckless enough to fight against aliens twice her size when her hand-to-hand is sorely lacking. But she's still got her reflexes, and there are still people that are more defenseless than her, even in a prison.

Which means, naturally, she stays in the thick of the action, dodging the stray punches and kicks as she navigates through the rec room. Her eyes are searching for familiar faces. Familiar, unarmed faces, ones with their arms by half-raised uncertain what to do— ]

Oof— [ Her arms barely catch Sieglinde before the both of them topple over ( she should've been more prepared for this, probably ), and she lands rather ungracefully on the floor. ] Ugh— [ It takes her a minute before the grimace in pain clears, and she recognizes the long flowing hair. There isn't a lot of that here, one way or another. Or a girl of Sieglinde's size. ] Sieglinde?

[ They don't have long — Lucina's already moving to get up, ignoring the protests in pain. ] Are you harmed anywhere?

[grunehexe]

[Thanks for taking the brunt of that, Lucina. At the very least, Sieglinde isn't that heavy?

Though the Green Witch still finds trousers to be slightly scandalous to wear, she admits they're much easier to move about in, and she tries to disentangle from the older girl as quickly and painlessly as possible- though she does hiss a bit when she steps on her own hair. If the guards had just let her keep her headdress...]

Lucina?

[Oh- she grabs the book she'd been trading for, trying to stuff it down the front of her jumpsuit.]

I am fine-

[But they might not stay that way if they stay here, she realizes, a thought punctuated by an inmate sent flying over their heads to slam into the other side wall.]

We ought get away from here, before the guards arrive-

[heritors]

[ It's less the weight ( almost... none of it is the weight... ) and more the idea that Sieglinde was definitely thrown from point A to point B. Lucina has enough sense to keep still, at least, even if her instincts tell her to keep moving at all costs. The small cost in time now would save them later.

She tilts her head upward, watches the book go flying over their heads — then leans back as another book comes flying too close to her face. ] I couldn't agree with you more.

[ Now that Sieglinde's up Lucina shifts, so that she's couched on the balls of her feet, giving herself a moment before she nudges them towards the nearest wall. ] Quickly.

— Do you need assistance, at all?

[grunehexe]

[The nearest wall is not so far, but to Sieglinde... it does seem a bit of distance. But it's flat, it's not a difficult surface like sand or pebbles to shift or crack beneath her feet, and she thinks she can manage it on actual toes and not hands and knees.]

It should be fine- I shall follow you.

[Running isn't her strong suit, but she can manage a brisk walk usually... and just to be safe, she clenches her fingers in the fabric on the back of Lucina's jumpsuit.

A bit of extra balance.]

01

[whatshimadayou]

[It's not something he means to walk in on, her tears. Still, Hanzo had been passing by, heard a sound, and determined to investigate.

The moment he'd woken up here, Hanzo's felt mostly fury, anger at being trapped, a snarling biting wolf in a cage. But it's tempered as he glances over her face. Is it the result of the mark on her forehead? The fact they are trapped?

Difficult to say.]

Sieglinde. [His voice is quiet, restrained. He doesn't know how to approach this, but he tries.]

...Does it hurt? To know. [To even think about the lives taken away, however few or large. Hanzo has several he's taken, but he's become complacent with that.]

[grunehexe]

[Oh.

Sieglinde looks up sharply from the crook of her damp, orange-sleeved elbow, the remnants of a few tears on her lashes and eyes slightly red. It's Hanzo- and it's slightly embarrassing to her that he should catch her crying now, of all times, when she hasn't even cried when he'd inked the designs of magic circles into her skin.

But despite her intent to try and look as composed as possible, like she hadn't been crying at all, really... she has to give a hearty sniff to prevent childish leakage. Not as planned.]

Ah- Hanzo, greetings...

[Her gaze flicks awkwardly to the symbol on his own forehead, to hers in the mirror, debating what to say in answer to that question... how much honesty to put in it.]

I was just... relieved. I thought... it might be worse.

[Mostly honest.]

[whatshimadayou]

[There is no judgment in his face. Sieglinde has incredible emotional fortitude and strength, something he has witnessed himself more than a few times -- and of course, when he helped her with the tattoo.

All things considered, there are many upsetting things at the moment.

He approaches, then crouches to be closer to eye level with her.]

Perhaps even one life is more than enough for you to be reminded of.

...I will not press further. [On one hand, it's relief to see such a low body count for her.

On the other hand, there's one at all. Hanzo isn't concerned, particularly, other than how much it must weigh on her.]

Know that I do not judge. I cannot.

[grunehexe]

[She knows what he says is to reassure- and she does try to let it. She knows she has never killed anyone in cold blood, never killed a patient (directly) through an error of her own make, only ever acted in self defense... but that didn't neccesarily make it that much better. At least, not to her.

Self consciously, she tries to smile, absently rubbing at the mark as she wipes the remnants of tears away.]

Many of our number have had to do far worse than I in their lives, and their service to ALASTAIR. My number is only this thanks to those people.

[Like Hanzo, people who were skilled on the battlefield, and strong. People who fought and allowed her not to need to. She knows that, too.]

... but thank you.

01

[perma_banned]

[When Ban popped out of the ether and stood by Sieglinde's doorway, he wore a perplexed look. He didn't seem to be factoring in anyone's adverse reactions to the shift in their paradigm. Audentes had people within it who loved life to a certain standard and he didn't count himself as one of them. It made sense that he wouldn't understand theirs or Sieglinde's perspective at all. Instead, he was left with one thought from the point of view of someone who had spent an inordinate time in prisons, before.]

Is it me or is this place really nice? I can barely tell it's a prison!! [Disbelief was Ban's mode at the moment. He didn't see through Sieglinde's light cover for the moment--if only because his inherently dense nature when it came to things other than himself.]

I even saw books in one section!

[grunehexe]

[She's quick to try and hide it, and admittedly it's not too hard. A few tears wiped away in the crook of her elbow, just dampening the fabric of the orange jumpsuit slightly, a sniff and a straightening of her spine.

It's Ban. She shouldn't be surprised he isn't scared.]

I cannot say I know much about prison quality.

[What would it mean, for them to be in a "nice prison"? That their charges were not so serious as that?]

[perma_banned]

[Ban, carefully, ran his finger over one of the bar separating cells and lifted it to his eye level. He seemed to have a morbid fascination with the state of the place. The situation they were in, the intensity of their forced capture and the nature of this imprisonment didn't weigh in on him at all--as far as one might have noticed when looking at him. For all intents and purposes, Ban didn't seem to care a bit for the gravity of it all.

Though, it wasn't fully intentional. While Ban hadn't seen how it came down upon Sieglinde, he was trying to lighten the mood. He faked a grimace towards the bars and complained half-heartedly.]

Of course. Even a witch isn't foolish enough to get caught as many times as I have, so you wouldn't get how good we're getting it right now~. [Despite it, he flashed Sieglinde a wicked grin. There was something truly and deeply disturbing about someone who could take pride in being a repeat offender.]

Buuuut, I broke out just as many times as I got caught~.

[grunehexe]

[At least they kept the place relatively clean. No rust or dirt to come off onto Ban's fingertip, and though that was hardly something one could easily think positively of if they were new to... the whole prison thing...

It was better, she knew, than Chantes at least. She had seen those conditions in that jail.]

We are going to need your expertise in that regard, I am sure.

[When you cannot die... she imagines there are all sorts of options available to you when it came to escaping. But.]

Though you will need to keep in mind we are not all so invulnerable as you.