PLAYER EVENT ★ HELIOLOGY

[ricksybusiness]

INTRODUCTION. It's difficult to tell time without the presence of a sun or moon. There are no stars. The world is in constant blackness, the heavens barely visible from below and the only light artificial. It's been like this for months. Suddenly, those who expressed interest in observing the sun (or lack thereof) will all at once receive a text message on their ALASTAIR jewellery from 82736775: Get your shit and go look at the sky. Now's the time. If you need me, I'm around. It's time to get to work. OBSERVATION. Find the highest point you can and point the telescopes at the sky. Should be easy, right? Be mindful that there are still guards patrolling the city, looking for escaped prisoners, and some citizens would be very happy to tip them off to your presence. There are still animals in the forests to contend with, and there are still nosey citizens who may ask you too many questions. There are also your fellow ALASTAIR agents, who may not be very willing to share the spot they already staked out before you just showed up. People and animals aren't all you need to look out for, either. Seven hours after the observation starts, there is a lightning storm. It lasts for 30 minutes, bolts of electricity arcing across the sky. It might be a good idea to scurry down someplace lower when this happens -- you know what they say about lightning and height. 82736775 doesn't contact anyone after the initial text, so observers are free to give up whenever they decide they've been sitting out in the freezing dark for long enough. [ note: even if you didn't sign up, feel free to tag in! your character won't have a telescope but that doesn't mean they can't mingle. ]

[ previously: ic info | ooc info ]
[ direct questions here! ]

Comments

[headlining]

...So you're an alien.

[He says, as unimpressed as someone reading that the sky was discovered to be blue.]

Really.

[heavyhitter]

I mean, technically. But you mean non-human, right? [ She snorts. ] Hell no, 100% human. What, did you think humans were just gonna stay on Earth after we figured out there were other places to be?

[headlining]

Yes, but space travel hasn't even gotten to that point yet. At least, where I come from. Even going to the moon was a one time thing that never happened again.

[He scratches his cheek, still looking dubious.]

...What's that place like? Alpha Centauri, or whatever it's called.

[heavyhitter]

What, the entire system? [ she rolls her eyes. he sure sounds like someone that's never left Earth. A stupid generalized question, she decides, deserves a stupid unhelpful answer. ] It's like the Sol System but more binary.

[headlining]

[He realizes he should have been more specific - his expression sours.]

No, I meant, the place where you live. Spodea? Is it like Earth?

[heavyhitter]

[ there, that's better. ]

Yeah, comparatively. It's got seasons and weather, and stuff. But it's shittier, smaller, and soggier. Can't really recommend it.

[ well Earth has really made a positive impact on someone ]

[headlining]

Hmmph. And here scientists were thinking we wouldn't find an inhabitable planet like ours for the longest time.

[A thought occurs to him, and he can't help but grin - if it {possibly} might be the future where she comes from, then there's an important question he has to ask.]

No flying cars, though?

[heavyhitter]

[ that gets a grin, even before she glances up to see his. ]

Okay, real quick, what the fuck was the obsession with flying cars? They're in every old movie. Was that all people wanted out of the future?

[headlining]

[His grin grows wider.]

Beats me. I think it was just some idea people got into their heads of an invention that could only possibly exist in the future. Plus, being able to fly in a car wherever you like? Sort of a cool idea, when you think about it.

[heavyhitter]

I mean, it is cool. [ sorry, was that misleading, did you think that meant there were no flying cars ] All sorts of crafts fly. Cruisers and skimmers and shit, whatever you need. But it's way cheaper just to drive if you don't need actual altitude, sorry.

[headlining]

So you do have flying cars, of sorts? [YOU SHOULD HAVE JUST SAID THAT BEFORE] Huh. Well, I suppose that would make some sense, given the amount of energy and fuel it must take to keep one of those up.

...What about robot butlers?

[heavyhitter]

[ She rolls her eyes again, but this time reaches over to aim a (carefully light! but still probably painful) punch at his legs. ]

You're a fucking nerd.

[ which is not a no. ]

[headlining]

No, I'm not! Shut up. [He says, wincing away from that punch - how dare you call him a nerd, Ramir, WHAT DID HE EVER DO TO YOU???]

I'm just asking questions, honestly, that doesn't make me a nerd.

[heavyhitter]

Uh, yeah, it does. [ She sets her hand peaceably back on the ground next to her; he's probably safe now. ] I mean, questions, no. It's in what kind of questions. You're definitely a nerd.

[headlining]

How does asking about robot butlers make me a nerd in any way?

[He almost looks like he wants to pout.]

Do you do this to everybody you meet?

[heavyhitter]

The saddest part is how you don't even know it.

[ She laughs, mostly to herself, and her smile looks genuinely fond when it finds him again. ]

But yeah, definitely. Don't worry, it means I like you! [ it means she likes him, it means he'll see more of her, it means she'll be tough to get rid of... all sorts of unfortunate things. ]

[headlining]

Well, I'd like to think I'm above such a childish term...

[Come on, Keats, you're fooling literally only one person here: yourself.]

Strange way of showing you like people. [But there's a small smile on his face as he turns back to the telescope.] I guess the punching in the leg means you like me, too?

[heavyhitter]

[ That doesn't even deserve a real reply, she just snorts. He can keep living in that denial if he wants to. ]

Oh, yeah, punching is basically a proposal. How's your Tuesday look? Good for a wedding?

[headlining]

Oh, I'll have to look at my schedule. I'm a rather busy man.

[He can't hide his grin as he glances over at her.]

Pity you didn't get me a ring, though.

[heavyhitter]

Oh! Shit, hang on.

[ She shifts up into a kneel to dig through her pockets, making a face the more she digs. Man, there is like nothing useful in here. ]

How about some twine? I could just tie it around your finger, it'd look nice.

[headlining]

Twine?

[There's a brief moment when he just looks at her with a look that seems to be so serious, like he's about to say something snippy about how that is a ridiculous, dumb idea and that she should know better, and that her even suggesting it is quite an offense...]

[Before it suddenly goes away, leaving a look of a man who couldn't care less about anything. He shrugs.]

Sure. Maybe it'll help me not to forget the date, given the old adage about memory and strings around fingers.

[heavyhitter]

[ Her smile is back again when she does manage to pull a short length of twine from her pocket (way too long to be just a ring, despite 'short length'), triumphant. ]

Got it! The wedding is on.

[headlining]

Oh, good.

[It's easy to joke about this, for some reason. If she had offered to kiss him, he'd retract back into his shell and have a grumpy fit, but just chatting nonchalantly about getting married doesn't do anything of the sort. Probably because he isn't taking any of this seriously.]

Are you sure that isn't going to be a necklace, instead? I'm not sure if I want a ring that will cover up my entire finger.

[heavyhitter]

Come on, like I can't shorten twine. It'll be a gorgeous ring.

[ She holds up the length of it, gives a satisfied nod, then balls it up to toss it to the side with a quiet laugh. ]

Maybe next Tuesday, actually. There's all sorts of people I'd want attending and none of them are here, so.

[headlining]

Better than a big fat diamond, at any rate.

[His attention is now fully on her - he hasn't even looked in the telescope for the last several minutes.]

Oh? And who are these people? Family?