chiseler | That Time They All Met in the CQ

Entry tags:

!the cradle project

That Time They All Met in the CQ

[Let's be honest, nobody had time to info-share Monday what with motives going live after they came down from the top-level deck and also…you know. The whole awkward thing with the corpse. That happened.

Arrangements are made, the whiteboard's been moved and…there's a wedding.

What the fuck, Cradle.

Either way, assume that Luke found your character in person, sent a message via Furry Passing or contacted them via some other means to inform them about a group meeting up in the Captain's Quarters after the wedding to talk about their findings from the day before.

He's not a leader, and it's probably clear from the way he's leaning against the wall next to the whiteboard and dumping handfuls of space-brand Skittles into his mouth.]

All right…so this happened. [This, of course, being the top deck.] We were all up here yesterday and so we should probably start figuring stuff out. It weirds me out that Alice let us up here now after all this time. [He shrugs.] Who wants to go first?

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Clover, Grell and I checked out the terminals, 'cause, uh, of course I checked out the terminals?

[ Jack scoffs, but then waves his hand idly as he gets to explaining. He'll actually be fairly helpful and factual here, so you're welcome. ]

So, first thing's first, got a big map of a galaxy I didn't recognize. The ship was displayed in it, so it's on some kinda course, but couldn't tell you what just based on looking at it then. Couple planets were highlighted on it, just with some generic IDs, XCS 111 through 113. All three of 'em were uncharted, but other than one of them definitely being where Butt Stallion is from, only thing of note is that 113 was potentially habitable.

[ Jack shrugs, since if you want more detail on that, you'll have to go look yourself. He doesn't remember the exact details here, since he's not a demon with a photographic memory, alas. ]

But, way more interesting than that? Got a hint why we're all here. Grell touched the map again, and we got a different map. Just a shitton of datapoints for that one, but there was info on-- Okay, well, can't speak for them here, but considering Pandora was one of them, can say with pretty good certainty that we were picked for a reason here. Each of the planets, or Helios, in my case, gets a blurb. Mine mentioned "keeping it in mind" because anyone from our part of the universe is, and I quote here, "one tough S.O.B. to take down." So, yeah. Wanna go see how you were being spied on? Go take a look.

[ Though at this point, Jack's expression gets more serious, and he shrugs. ]

Last part was a ECHOlog on the terminal. Started out with just normal video diary stuff of a guy named Jasper Jones. 99% of it was uninteresting and I don't care, so, skipping ahead to the juicy part? Saw how the guy died. Kinda familiar, considering how the alien that took over Rhys reacted, but guy and his girlfriend get pulled up into a vent, super murdered, blah blah blah. [ He's so sensitive ] But, last part of that video? Something came out of that vent, but it was gone too quick for any of us to get a good look at it. Best I can tell you is that it was black, had scales, and was screaming loud enough to make you want to kill the fuckin' thing even more.

[ He pauses, then shrugs ]

So, yeah. Good time exploring.

[in his goddamn wedding suit, because who has time to change on this ship more than once?? and because it's funny. Adrien's stuck on the last part of that description, sorry Jack you gotta suffer the furries more:]

That black form... Could that be what the aliens-- the "Souvlaki"-- what they look like without a host, do you think?

Probably... I wonder why they want or need hosts for, anyway? They seem more than powerful enough to hold their own against us without the body swaps.

Yeah, I don't get that, either. The two we've seen so far seemed like they could've taken most of us out without any pretence, but even with the previous crew they played the long game. There's got to be a reason other than "being sadistic".

Yeah... And if a whole shipful of them came, then why did they only act five at a time? I didn't think people did invasions in shifts...

Me neither. Maybe it's something to do with what they're doing here, exactly? The wording was they "hunt" in groups, so... what if we think of it like an animal pack?

So only a couple of them came? And the crew killed them--they said they could--but instead they messed up and didn't get them all? ...Do you think Rhys really did have babies.

... That's not what I was getting at.

[BUT NOW IT'S ALL HE CAN THINK OF. TOTTY. WHY!!!]

I just... There's got to be a reason why they hunt in small groups? When animals hunt together it's to corner their prey, but if they're outnumbered, then it's... I don't know. Weird.

[it always comes back to mpreg]

...How weird?

[look we don't have animals in tokyo other than crows and cockroaches and they're both massive and mean]

Well. Maybe weird is the wrong word. I don't know that much, [he's fifteen and all his experience with animals is the local zoo, lbr, paris has mostly pigeons] and it's not the same because animals hunt for food, not "hosts". But... Animals who've evolved to hunt in packs instead of alone do it for a reason. Usually because it's easier and benefits the whole group, otherwise they'd just hunt alone. When they hunt in packs, they've also got specifics roles, like ... distracting or tracking or something. I don't know that this means anything here, but... Maybe the reason they're hunting like they are is that they have roles to follow? Like a real hunting pack.

So...you think that's why no one's acted since Rhys? Whoever's left has roles that aren't "get shot by Jack"?

... Okay, when you put it like that, it sounds stupid. It was just an idea.

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chiseler - 2016-08-11 16:15 (UTC) - Expand

[ thumbs up from jack ]

[ Because maybe, maybe shooting Rhys was a dick move, but he'll never apologize for revealing an alien and fucking it up. ]

...Why are you in a suit.

[ adrien did you dress up for a meeting. actually yuno's wearing a black mini dress and thigh high boots so who is she to judge anyway?? but why. still. why ]

This is only a thought that I had, but I don't think it's impossible that it's them. I'm a little worried about the size, though... I thought maybe, it'd be human sized, but if it fits in the vent, what if it's really small?

[ like. what if it literally has to go inside you to possess you. that's terrifying. ]

Uh. Jason set up my wedding this morning for some reason? Oh, and he got married to Elizabeth, too.

[he is even wearing a second, tackier ring on his other hand. it's ~~pink~~ violet. this happened. aNYWAY MOVING ON TO CLEARLY MORE IMPORTANT TOPICS]

The vents are pretty big. We can crawl through them okay. [why is it that luke and he went in the vents. on so many occasions. they could've died. why] But... maybe it'd make sense for them to be smaller, if they're like parasites? Though I don't know what the black thing could be if it's not one of them. Maybe they can change sizes...

[this is a horrifying conversation]

...Congratulations? [ probably? ] Let Jason know I'll cut his dick off if he hurts Elizabeth. [ maybe he'll take it more seriously if it's coming out of adrien's mouth. sorry ]

I know. I've been, too. They change and a lot of the pathways get really small, though. I don't know... if they can change size, then why choose a host at all? Maybe they can change more than just their size.

I'll ... relay the message?

[or WILL HE. probably not.]

Well... they changed Rhys and Elizabeth's bodies, right? They were all. [makes a rawr gesture. this is completely wrong for this setting, but thanks for trying] You know. Messed up. But maybe they're not that strong without a host body to change?

Please do! [ look at this angelic face, why would you deny her this!!! ]

If we're assuming that the thing Jack saw in the video was the alien, that kind of debunks that, doesn't it...? But it's a good thought. Maybe they need host bodies to do something they can't do. I wonder... If it's like a virus... what's a virus without a host, anyway?

[because he doesn't want to talk to jason about his dick obviously???]

That's why I asked. That black thing... it doesn't look like something that'd need a host. [and then, hesitantly, because he's not sure he likes where she's going with the virus/host thing:] Usually the way to get rid of a virus is a vaccine. Maybe that's what those weird executions are. Some kind of vaccine for the aliens.

[ that does... get a moment of pause from her. ]

We both know Elizabeth is fine.

[ it's a firm, almost defensive statement. liz is a-ok. they both know that. ]

She is. Whatever Alice did, it worked. But... Rhys isn't.

[killing people only makes them dead]

What are you trying to say, Adrien?

[ okay maybe there's a tiny, tiny note of panic in her voice now. she just wanted to ask about his suit and then to tell him to pass a message to jason why is this nightmare hour ]

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monsieurchatastrophe - 2016-08-11 04:27 (UTC) - Expand

[ This is why Yuno is bae. ]

[he is innocent in all of this??? cut adrien's dick off instead????]

[ Jack has presumably listened to the theories here so far, since it's not like I got sucked into a TV show last night and died, nope... But he'll eventually speak up, and as he speaks, he gestures with his hands, always a physical speaker. ]

Well, with whatever the hell that was, think that's a fair assumption, if only because assuming the opposite there would be a dumbass thing to do.

[ Assuming that is is dangerous is definitely better than assuming it isn't, after all. ]

But as for the why? I mean, I'm assuming 'cause they're parasites. Viruses. Not animals or anything like that, because if we're talking behavior, that's got an easy explanation. We know about 'em now. We want to kill 'em. Or at least, I sure as hell do. [ is anyone surprised that jack wants to kill though ] So assuming they're not idiots, they've gotta lay low if they want to even survive. You wanna talk behavior, that's primal.

[ Jack pauses, then adds: ]

That aside, if we think of them more like a parasite than an animal, then their goal seems pretty straightforward to me. They're either hitching a ride in someone to get someone else or they're trying to infect more people. Both are pretty unfortunate, but that first one-- Okay, well, until all the weird shit this week, think about it. You've got a ship full of people all from different places, and preeeeetty sure we all want to get the hell out of here. Nice and convenient for them, because it means they can just wait and ride it out until we get home. Then? We wouldn't have Al. Just the real straightforward method.

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