EVENT ▸ RETURN TO HQ

[futurologists]

RETURN TO HQ After a tough mission, it's time to return to Headquarters for a well-earned rest. Hathaway's medics and healers are there to patch up any lingering injuries (as are any teammates with healing abilities!), everyone's room is tidied up for them, and the entirety of Hathaway HQ is ripe for exploring. Take your time -- you earned it. Also sharing downtime at HQ are Guilds Horatio, Montague, and Watchman, composed of humanoids of various shapes and sizes. Temporary pop-up shops down in the promenade include a spa where one can get a manicure, pedicure, or other beautifying procedures; a yoga studio; and an imported salt cave for meditation. After a few days of silent relaxation, members of Guild Ophelia will all receive a text message on their magitek from Imogen -- their Guild Master, if they don't remember. Imogen, while not directly involved in any world-saving affairs, has a rather sizable amount of inheritance that she puts towards the Hathaway cause. Specifically, she uses it to finance Ophelia's endeavors. This sort of makes her in charge, or as much in charge of this rag-tag team as any one person can be. Hello, Ophelia! Once again, allow me to congratulate you on your successful mission in Hanabira. I hear the wedding went smashingly. Hathaway's analysts should rift down someone to check in on your success in several years, but the mathematicians are confident your solution has brought peace to the region. One should never rest on their laurels, however. From what I've seen in magitek messages, this guild is sorely lacking in the ability to work together and trust all guildmates, regardless of who they are. I've spotted more than a few barbs exchanged. Hanabira will be only an exception if you continue to behave this way. We'll be conducting guild bonding exercises today. While they are not mandatory, I assure you I've procured incentive for you all to participate. It isn't cheap to finance your exploits, and I won't spend my resources on a group of ruffians slinging insults at each other. Meet by the memorial fountain in one hour, and do try to bring a positive attitude. Your Guild Master, Imogen Those who choose to participate will find Imogen, a very prim and graceful elf dressed in elaborately embroidered robes, standing near the fountain. She greets everyone by name -- "nice to see you" and "glad you could make it" -- before directing them to the training rooms on the upper deck. The training rooms include run-of-the-mill exercise equipment and the training simulation room, both of which are free to use by participants and non-participants alike. A tall, strong-looking man whom some may recognize as their recruiter is making use of the equipment. His name is Khalef, and he is happy to answer questions about the training facilities or anything else about Hathaway. Between exercises, Imogen is available at the memorial fountain to chat but she's otherwise busy with paperwork. ▸ SECRETS Two partners sit in a room furnished only with two (very comfy, if it matters) chairs and a table between them. On the table sits -- floats, really -- a colorful orb, softly glowing. It is comfortably warm to the touch. The instructions automatically flash across the participants' magitek, thanking them for participating and asking them both to answer the following questions with complete honesty to gain the most from this exercise. Then, the first question pops up: What is something you like about your exercise partner? It seems simple enough. If a participant tells the truth, they will notice the orb's glow brightening, almost as if it is starting to flame. If a participant lies, they will notice the orb's glow dimming. Otherwise, there is no penalty for lying. The questions slowly get more personal, with the aim of getting the two partners to open up to each other: If a crystal ball could tell you the future, what would you want to know? What’s the one thing you would like to change about yourself? What are you most proud of accomplishing? What do you think existed before the universe was created? What do you think is the worst crime a human could commit? Do you think jealousy has value in driving people to improve themselves, or is it a purely negative emotion? If you could start your life over, what would you do differently? If you were given only one week to live, how would you spend it? Who had the greatest impact on your life? What was it? What’s the difference between justice and revenge? Is it possible to live a normal life and not ever tell a lie? Do the ends justify the means? Are some people’s lives worth more than others? Why or why not? Complete this sentence: "I wish I had someone with whom I could share..." If a loved one died, but someone created a perfect copy, would they be the same person and would you love them just as much? If you were going to become a close friend with your partner, please share what would be important for him or her to know. ( Mod note: the above are just ideas! You can pick and choose, or come up with your own. Whatever is most fun for you! ) If the two partners truthfully answer their questions, the orb will eventually catch fire, although it will curiously still remain only pleasantly warm if anyone attempts to touch it. It will blaze until it burns out, leaving two small marble replicas in its place. When one of the partners grasps it in their hand, they will be able to see through the other partner's eyes for one minute (although they will not be aware of their own surroundings, so you might want to be in a safe area). The other partner will be aware of this and able to sever the link by removing the marble from their person. These items are bound to their owners and cannot be used by others. If one or both partners lie, the orb will eventually fizzle out entirely, and the magitek will inform them that the exercise was failed due to deceit. ▸ RIFTING Next, guild members are directed to the rifting pad located on the upper deck. Technicians scurry about in the rifting area, spinning dials and taking readings, as volunteers are directed to stand on the rifting pad and wait. It's just like rifting to a different universe for a mission -- the world goes bright and then, in a flash, you're standing somewhere else -- except the technicians emphatically explain this is not a mission. It's still part of the training exercise, you see! Participants have been rifted to an unpopulated garden planet, in the middle of a forest clearing. The grass is tall -- nearly 150 cm in height -- and is surrounded on all sides by forest. A notice pops up on your magitek that informs you there is no aggressive local wildlife, but there are aggressive plants: including, unfortunately, your goal for this part of the exercise. Spread throughout the forest are aggressive willow trees, sentient flora that will lash out with sharp, clawlike branches at anyone who comes too close. The branches have incredible reach, but the trees have no other defense, and are rooted to the spot so they are also unable to maneuver. The goal of the exercise is to gather as many willow seeds as possible, ostensibly without hurting the trees themselves. Willow seeds are around the size of a small marble and have a fluffy attachment that will allow them to blow away on the wind; you can scour the forest in search of them, of course, but the highest concentration is below the willows themselves. Once participants feel they have gathered enough seeds -- or if they simply want to give up -- they need only speak to the rift technicians via magitek and they will return back to Headquarters immediately. The participants will each receive a pot of soil and a seed to plant within it. The plant that sprouts from it will be no ordinary plant; it will require no water to sustain itself, but it will require something else: friendship. As the relationship between the two participants strengthens, the plant will grow, its appearance representing how the other participant feels about the plant owner -- pink and red blooms may represent romantic love, whereas bright, multi-colored petals may simply represent a strong friendship or budding blooms may represent... well, a budding friendship. (Of course, there's no "flower guide", so it's up to them to decide how to interpret this.) As the relationship weakens, the plant will wilt and, if the relationship turns sour enough, die. So take care of your relationship and take care of your plant! ▸ COMPOSURE This exercise completed, participants are free to return to the first deck and go about their business. But on the elevator back down from the rifting pad, the elevator suddenly jerks violently and then stalls. You're stuck! The emergency button doesn't seem to be working, no matter how many times you press it. And for that matter, no messages seem to be going through the magitek, either. You're effectively trapped in here with whomever you stepped aboard -- a friend, an acquaintance, or even a stranger. But don't panic -- surely Hathaway hired you for your ingenuity and not just your pretty face, right? The elevator can be broken out of in a number of ways: If you brute strength the doors open, you'll find that the elevator is stuck halfway between floors. This means that you must either climb up or down to escape the narrow opening, and, if your partner isn't the athletic type, help them out as well. If you hack the elevator's control panel (prying the panel door off first, obviously), you may be able to guide it up and down the shaft. Depending on your expertise in this sort of thing, the ride may be jerky and uncomfortable, and there's always a risk of the elevator plummeting down to the bottom if you lose control -- although strangely, there's never any impact if this happens, only the elevator springing back up the shaft after the fall. Either way, you should be able to figure out how to get the doors open. If you open the access hatch at the top of the elevator, you'll be granted access to the elevator shaft. It's a dimly lit tunnel of cables and wires, and unless you're lucky enough to find a service ladder in the midst of all of it, you'll have to use the cables to climb. It's dangerous -- you could lose your footing at any moment and slam back down onto the elevator below -- but you should be able to find a door eventually. And then it's only a matter of figuring out how to get it open. Or you could try a combination of these, or something entirely different! No matter what method you choose, once you find your way onto solid ground, your magitek will light up: Congratulations! You passed the final exercise. Rest assured, you were never in any real danger, I promise! Your Guild Master, Imogen Indeed, if you found yourself falling too far down the shaft, you would have found yourself instantly buffeted by invisible winds to keep your landing soft -- and if you found yourself unable to find a way to escape within two hours, the elevator would automatically start up again. Those who succeed will receive a flashlight that does not seem to work at first; however, it is capable of taking and storing light from its immediate surroundings, which it can then release into similar light sources or, in the absence of those, floating orbs of light. It is incapable of taking light out of an entire building, for an example, but can darken a room. ▸ OOC NOTES If you have questions about this log, please direct them to this comment on the plotting post. Questions about the game in general can be directed to the FAQ. ▸ Up now: Hanabira Bounty Board is still open! Bounties must be turned in by the start of the next mission on 15 April. Congratulations, Guild Ophelia now has an official uniform! The uniforms may be modified in any way characters like. The FAQ and Headquarters pages have been updated to include the uniform information. ▸ Coming next: 25 March: Mandatory How's My Driving meme. Participation is required to pass March AC. 28 March: April calendar, including news about apps. 01 April: March AC begins, ending on 5 April 23:59 UTC. ▸ Plotting ▸ Hathaway Headquarters ▸ Hanabira Bounty Board ▸ March Calendar

Comments

[refashioned]

[That is a really terrifying grin. Veronica looks away from it vaguely uncomfortable. The more she knows Aizawa, the weirder he is. It's better if she doesn't make him smile.

Which ... a mixture of his answer and that question won't help.]

Yes. Maybe it's dangerous. But there are actual horrible people out there, and seeing them gone isn't a bad thing, especially if it's in favor of someone better. I'm not rooting for a ... serial killer or anything like that. Let's just say personal experience tells me you can't have a hard line on this.

[eyedrop]

[ He is capable of smiling normally. But he often chooses not to. ]

I've seen villains do terrible things. But a hero is not an executioner.

[hackedhistory]

[Zari could elaborate, but Veronica didn't act her a direct question, but she's not going to. She also doesn't really see the benefits of a spa day and why that's important but Veronica is leading this bonding exercise so she will follow her lead.]

Then lead the way, sensei.

[refashioned]

Not all people are heroes. The world isn't made up of heroes and villains.

[At least: her world isn't. Even this team isn't. Veronica wouldn't be surprised to find someone disagreeing with her on that. She just wouldn't have expected it to be this man.]

[notthatjason]

[As she pulls him back he releases the wind ropes. The branches swing in sudden gales of wind--but they are unharmed. Jason is rolling on the ground again, out of breath from the fall and the use of his powers. That'd been more of a work out than he'd expected and certainly more of a stretch of his powers than he'd used in awhile.

After a minute of not getting hit by any more branches and hearing the tree settle down, Jason sits up. His back and hair are covered in grass and possibly a few stray seeds. He reaches for the pouch and feels the seeds still secured safely there. Good, at least this hadn't turned out to be a waste. He looks over.]

Rey. Are you okay?

[abortz]

I didn't say that.

[Just kinda. Quietly implied it, maybe. To their credit, Bortz does look faintly remorseful over having been called out.

I just don't see why it needs to be so complicated.

[fourscores]

A broken wrist sounds a lot better than what Whisper is capable of.

You know I don't think I thanked you for your help during the mission. I do appreciate you ensuring I didn't die.

[eyedrop]

[ He sighs the sigh of a man who's realizing that he needs to alter his terminology. ]

Almost no one is cut out to be a hero. It's a job. My job.

And a villain is just someone who abuses their powers. That can mean shoplifting. It can also mean destroying a city block. In either case, it's not my call to kill them.

[forcevisions]

[ Tbh she has no idea if the Republic did that. She doesn't have the history background. But she's beginning to realize and understand the concept of bias, and recognizes that there's no one she can ask who won't have a stake in it. Anyone who knows the history of the Empire and the Republic heard it from somewhere or wanted something.

So she listens to Thrawn, but without assuming that this is invariable truth. He may have firsthand experience, but he only has one experience. ]

There are plenty of regions worse off for the presence of that strong government too. [ But then she thinks of Luke, and 'balance,' and she has to wonder if there's a version of government that the same can't be said for. ]

[forcevisions]

Ask me again tomorrow when it's had time to sink in.

[ She props herself up, a little bit of a grimace on her face as the movement pulls at muscles that the tree had injured. She wants to rub at it, but she knows it won't do anything. So she ignores the impulse. ]

That was stupid of you. [ Just pointing it out. ] Coming back in for me.

[refashioned]

Before we begin—I'm going to start us off with a manipedi, and then have you decide—for yourself—how you'd like to spend the rest of your day here. Without the careful eye of Veronica Lodge there. [It is a bonding exercise. That much is true. She just also thinks that bonding can also include knowing where your limits lie.

Unless the team wants them holed up in a cave together, they shouldn't push it.]

[refashioned]

... What's your superhero name?

[Of course Veronica was going to ask this. Is there any surprise to it? Hopefully not.]

[bestaround]

[ ... Do they really not understand at all? It figures a rock would think as simple as one, too. ]

Okay, I get not seeing an android before, but you have to have some understanding of technology, right? [ What kind of life do you even live. Pointedly, 9S lifts his working hand, gesturing at everything else that sits around them; spacecraft parts, vehicles sitting in the hangar, bits and pieces of everyday devices under repair. ] None of this just works, y'know?

[notthatjason]

Shouldn't be a problem. This isn't like the murder trees exercise anyway.

[The exercise to fetch seeds had not been his favorite so far. Jason didn't see the cables trying to attack them at any rate.

Jason scans the walls and notices the elevator doors several feet up. It's not too far so Jason isn't too worried about excess wind in the elevator shaft. He offers a hand to Keith.]

Come on. I'll get us out of here and then we can let someone know the elevators are out of order...make sure the rest of the ship is okay too.

[abortz]

[Rude. But also unfortunately pretty correct, in this case.

They stare 9S down for a moment, and then simply tug the long glove off one hand and extend the bared hand for 9S' inspection. The little finger is missing, the exposed insides just solid black gemstone, faceted with countless tiny planes of glittering rock.]

I "just work".

[They flex the hand, light glinting off the many facets, and the solid stone makeup certainly doesn't seem to prevent them from functioning at all. Pulling the glove back on, they tilt their head haughtily towards the array of tech around the garage.]

And none of this exists back home. I don't see why it needs to.

[secondnature]

No. We went camping for the last week of Hanabira. I couldn't be around the castle anymore, so ... [Keith trails off. That's a heavier subject. And he is tired of talking about that particular subject.]

She's been good. She can probably handle being cooped up in your room.

[secondnature]

No ... [Maybe a little. Keith can't judge, though. Besides, it sounds like Yusuke's not only worried about himself. He's worried about his friends, too.

Keith isn't going to hold that against him.]

Most tournaments don't end in death. That's all.

[notthatjason]

[It is definitely something to think about, but Jason isn't sure if he's going to get much time to think about it now. It definitely makes Jason more interested in what he might be able to learn from someone like Aizawa. He nods at the command, while usually in a leadership role he was still fairly comfortable at following orders and directions -- especially from someone who seemed like they knew what they were doing.

And Jason isn't disappointed. Aizawa is quick and utilizes his scarf in a way that Jason wasn't even aware was possible. What kind of weapon WAS that? It had impressed him before and it impressed him now.

But he knew better than to ogle. Instead, Jason swept past Aizawa and started churning up several small spirals of wind. They moved away from him, sweeping up the seeds and dirt around the tree in record time. Jason brings the wind back to him, scooping the seeds out of the air as they disappate. And, thanks to the bindings, he hadn't had to even dodge a branch.

He falls back, looking over to check on Aizawa.]

Okay! Got'em!

[secondnature]

I'll head on to navigation to see what I can do there. [The two of them are going to be disappointed when they find out they worried for nothing.

Or Keith will be.

They should just say what the exercise is!

As it is, he slips his hand into Jason's.]

So I—uh—do you need me to hold on to more than your hand?

[dbag]

[ This misandry!! He deflates a bit when she doesn't like his wordplay, but trudges on. He can't mope all day about some random chick not thinking he's funny. He'll mope about it after he gets out of here. ]

We just have to call for help. They'll come and get us, or get the elevator running again.

[ He reaches over and presses the red 'HELP' button, glancing over to the indicator that a call has been placed. The light remains off. He frowns, furrowing his brow, and presses the button again to no avail. ]

Come on, come on. [ He presses it five times in quick succession, as if that'll help anything, before backing up and running his hand through his hair in exasperation. ] Okay, um, new plan. Which... is... something that will come to me. Momentarily.

[notthatjason]

As stupid as letting you get turned into paste? Was I just supposed to watch that happen?

[It's asked innocently enough, in a conversational tone. After all, it wouldn't be the first time he's been called stupid by someone. He brushes the seeds out of his hair and pockets those as well. Hey, why waste them, right?]

I guess we didn't really discuss an exit strategy. Probably something to think about next time.

[futurologists]

But you can, Veronica. You need to get to know these people. Get them to trust your judgment, know that you have everyone's best interests at heart.

[She presses her lips into a thin line.]

They'll never be able to carry out their plans if no one else agrees with them, so it won't be a large scale issue. The main issue is that they're causing undue conflict among the guild. You can stop that -- you can all stop that. They need to open their minds to your ideas, and spending time with you and building trust is one way to do that.

Or did you have another solution in mind?

[forcevisions]

I was handling it.

[ Badly, admittedly, but handling it all the same. ]

You were supposed to stick to the plan. [ She opens a fist and reveals a palm full of seeds. ] What have you got? Do you think it's enough?

[futurologists]

I understand, Queen Daenerys.

[She bows her head, ever so slightly.]

Your defense of your guild is honorable. It's clear that you care deeply for your team members. I would ask you to foster this same sense of loyalty among the rest of your guild, if you can. It's more necessary to trust one's guildmates than it is to like them.

[notthatjason]

[Jason gives her a look, the joking nature of before fading a bit. He hadn't felt she was handling it very well at all.]

We didn't have much of a plan beyond one of us distract and the other gather. The plan fell apart when the tree started getting a little too aggressive and our lives were in danger. Besides, I didn't harm the tree, which I wanted to, but we were told not to. In hind sight, we should have planned more for the possibility of the trees being more than we expected...but I'm pretty sure that might be part of the point of this little exercise.

[He glares at the tree a bit. He doesn't care if it isn't sentient and just acting out of defense. Why would a tree need to be THAT aggressive about it if there wasn't aggressive wildlife here? He flips the pouch open, showing Rey the nice collection he had obtained in the chaos.]

Not bad all things considered. They didn't really specify an amount.