ender, wren & aaliya
[info]pliers
2021-02-27 01:26 am UTC (link) Track This
Giving a thin smile to the two people she didn't know but had been tasked to work with, she tucked her hand behind Jun's elbow and began to lead him away from the docks. "Sounds like you're coming with us, kid. Got a bride back at the inn we're supposed to reunite you with. And apparently, keep you from getting killed at the same time." Wren wasn't aware that there was a fifth party trailing them, her focus was on dodging pirates and finding the path of least resistance back to the inn.

It didn't take long before the hairs on the back of her neck were standing on then, though. Chancing a look behind her, she managed to see a pirate dodge out of view at the last second. She thought it odd, but turned back and guided everyone through an alley. When they got to the end, she looked behind her again and saw the same pirate. "I think we're being followed," she said in a low voice to her two companions. Handing Jun off to Ender, she urged him to continue while gesturing to Aaliya with her head that they should hang back and see what the pirate was up to.

She wasn't fond of the political bullshit that was putting them in danger, but unless they were successful she wasn't going to get paid and that was going to make eating difficult. She made another gesture to Aaliya to crouch behind a barrel across the alley while Wren crouched behind another. Out of sight, she drew her pistol and pulled a knife with the other hand. A few moments later, just as Ender and Jun disappeared around a corner the boots of the pirate appeared and Wren leapt out to confront him, pistol aimed at his chest. "Why are you following us?" she demanded, cocking the gun.
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[info]welfare
2021-02-27 02:40 am UTC (link) Track This
Pirates will be pirates? Is this the life or what? Ender didn't really have answers, but these were the questions he would be presenting himself later on. Currently there was a whole slew of issues to take into account now. As far as he was concerned, what he did now wasn't exactly a mission. It was something they were doing to help ease the current situation at hand, and would help the Dauntless later on. Doing the right thing, debts are owed. He didn't know anything about Wren anymore than what happened with the musician before. However, with Ender being the security officer of the Dauntless, and he wasn't about to go walking away from Aaliya regardless of what he was told. There was no leaving a person behind, no matter the reason.

Wren wasn't the only one to spot the movement, but the problem with that is all it takes is a scout to play bait for worse things to be set into motion. And Ender didn't like feeling like a mouse in a trap. With the way the people of New Tortuga held this place together, or lack thereof, it seemed to be by the end of a sword. "We don't have time for this!" he called back, nodding towards two separate groups in the distance. With only one direction left to go through the crowded streets, it was easy to see just how much they were outnumbered as the pirates picked up their pace. "We're about to be surrounded! We need to go!"

With his own weapon drawn, he pushed his point. The weapon at least set on stun, as he made a clear shot at the pirate Wren was trying to question. If the he gave her any information, he was likely to be dead either way. He took this as the best outcome for all parties, before nodding at Jun to draw a weapon. The man wasn't some prisoner, he was sure he wanted to be alive and meet Elis again, as much as they would like to get him there. "You better be worth this," Ender quickly tossed to Jun. Waiting in hopes for the women to move ahead and take the lead since these pirates were too close for comfort and hot on their heels.
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[info]aaliya
2021-02-27 11:57 pm UTC (link) Track This
In the time that Aaliya had spent on New Tortuga following around pirates who looked a little like Cadet Hawkins, elbowing someone right in the face in the middle of a bar, going down the pirate rabbit hole of strange clues and stranger alleyways — she'd mapped out a pretty decent lay of the land, so to speak. Ender was right, there wasn't time to have a face-off right now, the more distance they put between them and their follower and the closer they got to the Inn the better. It was too open here, too many variables, they were too vulnerable.

"This way," she called out, taking charge of their direction. There was only one obstacle, a pirate with a cart in the middle of the street, but she barrelled right past him.

"Watch it!" He shouted, and then, "Me apples!" When Jun followed hot on her tail and knocked into the cart, the contents spilling out onto the ground and rolling down towards the others.
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[info]pliers
2021-02-28 12:50 am UTC (link) Track This
Obviously, Wren was outnumbered in her opinion of facing their stalker head-on, but she didn't think that speed was going to help. The lone pirate was still going to follow them and was still going to try to get to Jun and one pirate was definitely going to move faster than a group of four. She hadn't seen any other pirates and didn't know why Ender thought they were going to be surrounded. It was just the one pirate she was concerned about. "Go on ahead then," she shouted at the two of them, the barrel of her gun still aimed at the Carls' chest. She spread her feet apart and turned her attention away from the others. They could do what they liked, and get the groom back to his bride, but she was going to try to at least keep this pirate from following them anymore. Especially since his eyes seemed to be boring holes in Jun.

His hands were raised, but Wren didn't trust him and she kept her weapons at the ready. "Answer the question," she said, narrowing her eyes at him. She heard the shout of the pirate behind her as the others barrelled into his apple cart, but she ignored it. "I've a bone to pick with Jun there," Carls said, "Best to get out of my way so you don't get hurt." She could see his eyes following them as they took off through the town toward the inn and she waved the end of her gun to get his attention. "Eyes on me, pal. Why don't you just stay right here? My colleagues will be escorting him to the inn and there's nothing you can do about it. There are four of us and one of you."

"See that's where you're wrong," he said as five or six of his buddies filled in the alley behind him. When her eyes went to his companions, his hand dropped to his gun belt and he pulled his weapon on her. Shit, she swore to herself and took off at a run down the open end of the alley, making a hard right when it ended winding her way through a throng of pirates in a direction opposite of where Aaliya and Ender had taken Jun. If she was lucky, some of the pirates would follow her instead of trying to pick up their trail again.
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[info]welfare
2021-02-28 02:27 am UTC (link) Track This
It was in a time like this he was all too thankful for Aaliya. Thedes-Korso and Captain Cygna knew what they were doing signing her on. Ender didn't like the idea of anyone being left behind, and that much was obvious. The annoyed look on his face likely said it all, even though it likely looked a little too much like his resting face. Pausing for only a split second longer than he might normally had, he took in how close everyone seemed to be pouring into their direction as Aaliya led the way with Jun.

Following fairly close behind, he continued to peer back from time to time, while keeping in line with Jun. Mere feet behind the man. There wasn't a shot to be taken, without the risk of not only giving them away from anyone that didn't notice their position, but also the hurting any one of the multitude of people who weren't part of this. Ender wasn't about to go making anyone else get hurt in this, that didn't need to be. No one currently impeding their path, and he was just going to take that as their only positive in the moment.

"Do you know how far we are from the inn?" he called up to the navigator. Worried about how soon this might get really ugly.
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[info]aaliya
2021-02-28 03:35 am UTC (link) Track This
Aaliya may not have known Wren at all, but she knew Ender and she knew she could trust him — especially in a situation like this. She glanced over at him, unsure of what to do about the fact one of their team had split off from them, but they had an objective to see through. Some of the pirates had followed Wren down her path, but one other — Carls Vyne — was still hot on their tail. Or rather, Jun's tail. And since there was no way she or Ender were abandoning their assigned duty, nor each other, she kept pressing on. The street itself was reaching a dead-end and Jun was very clearly of the impression that this mad-lady had no idea what she was doing, but she made a quick turn right into a doorway, startling a man who was up until that point snoozing on a pile of laundry (the pirates did laundry?), and then out the other side.

"If we keep taking shortcuts, we should be there in about ten minutes," she called back, not even bothering to try and translate that into pirate-blending. The long-way around was a good deal further, but the problem with the shortcuts was, well — as she had just demonstrated, could push them into further trouble.

Ahead of them was a bar-fight that had spilled out onto the street. Well, fuck. There was no way around it, only through.
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[info]pliers
2021-02-28 04:33 am UTC (link) Track This
She wasn't completely useless. Her time on New Tortuga had taught her a little about the lay of the land, too. She at least had a fairly good sense of direction, so while she knew she was going the opposite direction the rest of the group had gone, it was a purposeful move and she was already turning down another alleyway so she could head in the right direction. She lost at least three of the pirates in her dash through the crowded streets and found herself coming up behind the group and the pirate in question. Carls Vyne didn't know she was behind him, and she intended to keep it that way. She had no intention of running with her pistol drawn, but she kept her hand on her knife just in case he tried to do anything.

Keeping light on the balls of her feet, she followed a few feet from him, hopping twice while she stuck her foot out to trip one of his cronies. The man went down in the crowd and was swallowed up, out of sight. Now with only two pirates to contend with, she focused on keeping them in her sights. It wouldn't take but another deft kick of her other leg to take out the other minion, but she didn't want to make him too suspicious until there was reason.
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[info]welfare
2021-02-28 04:32 pm UTC (link) Track This
The thrumming of his heart was heard in his ears as everything slowed to a standstill. The way that the men piled out of the bar, fists flying and taking up the space left for the street. Something had to be done and fast, even if meant something that wasn't necessarily conventional. His gaze led him to a cart near the bar. Whether it was quick thought or a drive for survival, he seemed to get the thought that Ender was having in that moment and went running for it to climb to the roof as Ender called to Aaliya. "Hey, Denial!" he said nodding towards it before making a run for it himself.

His back quick to reaching the cart, he waited for them both to reach the roof safely. A few drunks moving their fight his way in the process, but he kicked one in the back and pulled a sword away in the process. At least he was armed for a sword fight in another way now. But it was also in that moment that he caught sight of Wren making her way back. He wasn't entirely sure how that happened, but he didn't bother to question it. With the loss of sight of Carls Vyne, there was only one telling. The man was trying to head them off at the pass. Ender only hoped the redirection to running over roofs would see them through past this, if the ground didn't meet them first.

Ender didn't wait for Wren, not with the onslaught of pirates still headed their way and Aaliya and Jun up there alone. Instead, he climbed the cart and made his way to the roof without injury. Following the pair, sword in hand. He may have even been grinning because at this point, it was the best workout he's had without some building literally trying to come down on him.
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[info]aaliya
2021-03-01 07:54 am UTC (link) Track This
Only Ender called Aaliya 'Denial' and she couldn't help the small tug upwards of her lips. Was it a smile? She wouldn't say. But she certainly seemed lighter now that they were bounding across the rooftops with New Tortuga sprawled out around them with a whole new view. She was concerned for Wren — would she make it through the mess of pirates? She had to assume that she would, that she was perfectly capable of caring for herself, though the temptation to try and send her a telepathic message of assurance was high.

The last time she'd done that, however, was when she was in a collapsing tunnel, a life or death situation where she'd defaulted to her abilities because of the stress and pressure she was under. The temptation vanished.

"Uh — I don’t think we’re gonna make it," Jun yelled, suddenly halting. He looked over at his escorts, wide-eyed, then down at the wide gap between the building they stood on and the next. Aaliya followed his gaze. Shit.

"No problem," she assured him instead. For now there was no one behind them. She’d lost sight of Carls and her mind was now occupied with keeping the map her psychic navigation had put together in her head, like a GPS chip that held together an image of where to go, how far it’d take, where the shortcuts were. “Just think of your bride,” she told him — but he was pale faced and unwilling, looking for another way down.

Aaliya sighed, moved back and demonstrated the leap — and did not stick the landing. Her fingers gripped the side of the edge of the next rooftop where the grime build-up was so rancid that her fingers were beginning to slip. She kept her head, though — pulling herself up slowly, until — shit. One hand slipped.

Jun froze at the edge behind her, staring.
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[info]pliers
2021-03-02 06:06 am UTC (link) Track This
By some miracle, or maybe it was the timing, Wren managed to dodge around the fight that had spilled out onto the street and run behind the buildings as Ender, Jun and Aaliya climbed up onto the roof. As they ran along, so did she, dodging obstacles on the ground as she kept an eye on them. When she saw Aaliya take a leap, her heart lept into her throat and then plummeted into her stomach. Wrenching around the corner, she watched the other woman struggle to pull herself up on the roof. When her hand slipped, Wren moved up under her and caught the bottoms of her feet in her hands. "Alley oop!" she yelled, using the strength of her cybernetic arm to propel the woman up and onto the roof.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Carls come around the corner and she dashed off in the opposite direction now that Aaliya was safe. She had no way of making sure Ender and Jun were able to make the jump, but that was entirely on them. She wasn't going to be able to get to the roof herself, not if she wanted to keep the distance between her and Vyne, so she kept running along the backside of the buildings. Carls must have seen Jun on the roof, though, because she didn't hear his footsteps behind her anymore. Pausing, she climbed several crates piled at the back of a building, trying to get to higher ground and see what was happening with the other three.
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[info]welfare
2021-03-02 06:53 am UTC (link) Track This
The air was almost clearer from this position, less stagnant and having been laden with the droppings of whatever animal or drunken pirate that offered to walk by. Ender couldn't imagine a better place to be, even with the pirates scurrying about, trying to get around the bar scene, and some attempting to follow them up onto the rooftops. Uncertainty fell upon some, as if the loss of leadership had damaged more than their sense of direction. If nothing else, at least that only continued to buy them time. With the insecurities of Jun here, not wanting to make that leap, especially.

Watching Aaliya make the jump herself, he did not at all expect the missed landing. Even as he watched it in action. He wasn't one to wait around, as she was hanging there high above the street below. A quick glance was paid to Jun as he nodded back towards the men that had finally made it to catching up to them. Ender's steps were only for the room he needed to make the running leap himself. "Jump or bend over and kiss your ass goodbye for your girl, because they are coming for it." A look given, as if he knew what Jun's only possible response could be for this before he took off. His last step leading him right over the edge, and feet away from Aaliya, actually making the landing, even though it was a little harder than expected. But quick to flip and contort his frame to ground and balance himself as he took hold of her forearm, waiting for the reach of the other.

Pulling up and helping her get back onto the roof, just as Jun opted to make that last minute decision as swords swung in the air in his direction. No harm came to him, except perhaps the tiniest bit of trimmed hair. The man landing a little harder than Ender, but with a smile on his own face as he realized he was whole and had fully made it across. Even with the merry band yelling and slashing at the air on the roof they just came from, Ender still paused long enough to double check, "Are you okay?" It was directed at Aaliya even as his eyes were quickly scanning over her hand and arm just in case. But it was Jun that answered with his hands on his hips, nodding while still catching his breath. "Yeah, I'm great. We getting out of here or what?"
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[info]aaliya
2021-03-04 03:20 am UTC (link) Track This
Aaliya rolled her eyes and met Ender's gaze, shrugging at him as though to say c'est la vie, but the beginnings of another smile tugged upwards nonetheless. At least Jun had personality, though she still couldn't quite see what someone would see in a kid who couldn't jump building rooftops. Dusting herself off as though nothing had happened (and her reports would not include her momentary embarrassment), Aaliya continued to lead the way — unaware of a presence tracking them until it was, alas, a little too late.

Pew.

She glanced over her shoulder — there was another figure far behind them, firing as they ran along the rooftops. Too far to actually hit anyone, unless they were, somehow, some kind of long-range precision sniper, and if there was anything Aaliya had learned about New Tortuga thus far, it was that it was anything but precise.

Pew. Pew. The small blasts richoted along metallic rooftop decking, prompting Jun to hurry ahead of her until he suddenly screamed and — dropped out of sight?

Shit. Shit. Double shit. Aaliya dropped her map of New Tortuga and directions to the Inn from her head and switched to a tracking tendril slipping out psychically until it found and located Jun. She breathed a sigh of relief. He'd merely fallen off then roof and onto a cart below.
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[info]pliers
2021-03-04 06:41 am UTC (link) Track This
Being ignored on the ground was apparently a blessing in disguise, because she was there when Jun fell into a cart after trying to follow Ender and Aaliya along the rooftops. He was a little dazed, but they didn't have time for him recover. "C'mon," she tugged at his sleeve, "We gotta go." She helped yank him out of the cart and they followed the general direction of the others as they ran up top, drawing the fire of the pirates. The little pause to help Jun out of the cart had cost them, though, because soon she heard footsteps pounding the ground behind them. Tossing a glance over her shoulder she saw a pirate hot on their tail. It wasn't Vyne, it was the crony she had thought about tripping but hadn't.

Grunting she grabbed Jun's wrist. "Faster," she hissed through her teeth, her breathing labored with the exertion. She guided him down an alley so they could come out in front of the buildings and hopefully get lost in the crowd again. Finally she saw the Inn ahead of them and fell back to keep Jun in her sights. "Let's go, buddy, Elis awaits!" She felt a hand clamp onto her shoulder and yank her to the ground and she gave a strangled cry, managing to throw her legs out to the side to bring her attacker to the ground, too.

It was Vyne and he was glaring at her, laughing cruelly like he'd won something. Slipping her knife free of the sheath, she sank it into his thigh and yanked it out as she jumped to her feet again. He screamed and cursed and grabbed his thigh and she leapt back out of the range of his grasp and raced again after Jun, wiping her bloodied knife on the leg of her pants before she sheathed it again.
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[info]welfare
2021-03-07 10:41 pm UTC (link) Track This
The moments felt as though there were in slow motion, rather than at the speed they were. It was a feeling that made things worse, as Ender watched things happen that he couldn't help. Did that mean he didn't try and only played the part of simple observer? Not at all. For as much as he could play that part, that was not his place in this today. Making his way to the edge, he looked down from the top of the world here. Everything was okay, or at least Jun was. Wren getting a hold of the man, even as Carls Vyne came into view.

Casting a quick glance over at Aaliya, he knew he wasn't leaving her behind. They weren't exactly targets themselves, except when in the way of Carls reaching Jun. Ender even trusted that Aaliya would be able to make it down on her own, regardless of that previous miscalculation. But he couldn't afford to make errors with crew. Not for the company, least of all his own conscience. Wren now had the 'package' and the target wasn't going to get far at this rate. Slowing Vyne down was only going to do just that. But the man had that look in his eye, it was plain as day to see. The kind that meant it didn't matter what happened to himself, or anyone else, as long as he got what he was after. It only took Ender mere seconds to reach over and grab her, pulling her with him as he moved to make that jump fall.

The landing wasn't as soft as he might have liked, and even as he had tried to play Aaliya's cushion in the fall, he was quickly moving to get away from her. The loss of the view, even for seconds, it could be detrimental to what needed to be done or what would be happen. Righting himself, his feet finally hit solid ground just in enough time to see Wren's knife in the man's thigh be pulled away. Fingers moving to his lips as he whistled at Vyne, as Wren and Jun kept going. "Care to pick on someone you're own size?" Arms were held out, as though he were without weapons, prepared to fist fight. The sneer on Vyne spoke volumes of not having time for this, looking back towards where Wren and Jun had last been in view. As Vyne was about to take off running for them, Ender took those extra seconds rush at him. Barreling at Vyne and knocking him down to the ground. Vyne had a knife up his sleeve that slid straight into Ender's stomach. The slow realization that he had been stabbed was ignored until that moment of needing to breathe. A rush of feeling came upon him and he threw a fist into the man's face.

A bloodied smile looked up at Ender, as the man reached up and grabbed his knife, pulling it out of Ender. Gritting his teeth, a hand automatically moved to cover the whole that was now losing more than a trickle of blood. Vyne's sword on the ground though, within reach, leaving Ender to grab it and step away from the other man, as quickly as he could. A sword versus a knife, it felt less equal, but something about that didn't bother Ender anymore. Even as the man taunted him back. "You like pretending you're bigger than everyone else?" he asked, before trying to make another swipe at Ender's middle. Lifting his foot, Ender kicked Vyne's hurt thigh, finding satisfaction in the sword gaining a new home in Vyne's stomach.
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	ʙɪɢ ʙʀᴀɪɴ ([info]prototype) wrote in [info]spaceports,
@ 2021-02-20 21:55:00

	
	
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Entry tags:	carina rijkens, ender fryxell


SOCIAL EXPERIMENTS
CARINA & ENDER ☆ WINLOCK PARK ☆ FEBRUARY 23 2658

With little effort; dating in itself was always something of a social experiment, especially to Carina who generally always looked at everything through a metaphorical telescope. It backed up the lack in her own history, which barely included a dissolved marriage, and explained her apprehension. She had a complete distrust for the concept as a whole, using the random casual connection to relieve an itch in encounters that were few and far between. That's why she approached the entire concept of a date auction with fascination and a sharpened mindset. A soft spot for charitable organizations that supported the sciences also helped her decision to jump in head first -- something she rarely did as it was.

And thus, she had presented herself as an anonymous prize. There was a certain thrill to fall victim to, anxiously watching her stock rise by bidders all shrouded in secrecy. Carina would be lying if she said she didn't buy into the excitement, even for a handful of fleeting moments.

Now the evening was upon them. She and her date who happened to be a crewmate in her newest employment venture. There was a particular comfort there -- a moderately familiar face to ease the anxiety slightly. Plus, he was objectively attractive and that sort of thing was never lost on her, even with the aloof exterior she often projected. They were set to meet just outside the Botanical Gardens as they would be much better suited for viewing in the last few hours of daylight. Carina was punctual, early even, as she stood there waiting in jeans and a black button-up henley shirt. It was comfortable enough to move in considering the objective they'd set for the night. She figured that was best. As she saw him approaching, her hands slipped into the pockets of her jeans. "Hey. Are you ready for this?" she asked, tilting her head to the side with a grin.



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[info]welfare
2021-02-21 05:11 pm UTC (link) Track This
If Ender hadn't been asked about signing up, he would have passed it by without a single thought. Yes, it was for charity, but throwing himself out into the fire without being able to take in his own risk assessment was highly unlikely. With how tragically things turned for the holidays, even though he knew quite well what he was walking into with his mother. Something had settled deeply within this man. His own mother was always at risk for forgetting him, he didn't know if his own brother was dead, alive, or had anything to do with the loss of his father, and his sister never wanted anything but her cats. His only usefulness was credits, regardless of how he found himself gaining them. Regardless of the jobs he had done in the past, and even the ones he was thrown in now. Worse yet, he was pretty sure his sister was exhibiting signs like their mother once had.

Having thrown himself out there, to Fuel, Grumble, blind dates, and now an even more blind one as he was left somewhat hidden by a shroud of competitive nature through a bidding auction, Ender only hoped he might actually find or meet people that might not forget him. At the very least, distract him from the thought and feeling of it. And while bidding, he had thrown around bids, but only about two had he found interest in due to the information presented. The idea of being studied did appeal to him. For science, but also for what could possibly be learned to help someone else. His interest in science had long ago stemmed from hope for his mother. It didn't matter if this social experiment was real or part of the allure, even though it was with a crewmate. He only hoped this didn't turn out in the same fashion his stated distaste for processed sugar to the crew once did some months back.

Security wasn't simply his job, some chosen career path that helped him gain a credit, but it was all too literally a way of life for Ender. Reaching the Botanical Gardens, Ender had arrived early and done a walk around the outside of the grounds. His pet rat, Dagger, had been left to scurry along the buildings and lesser noticeable spaces in hopes of settling Ender's mind that everything would be without issue. Once he spotted Carina, he pressed a button on his communicator as a command to Dagger. A slow grin falling into his features, he gave a nod as he reached her. "It's no crumbling ruins, but," he started, "Shall we then?" he asked nodding in the direction of the Botanical Gardens.
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[info]prototype
2021-02-22 02:50 am UTC (link) Track This
In the name of science, Carina absolutely felt as though some human specimens were more quality than others. Not exactly in the vein of shallowness or attractiveness, though mainly through function and overall physicality. In a moment, however, she found herself easily making quick assessments of Ender now as she likely did whenever it was they had the chance to meet on ship. By society standards -- and that of science -- he stacked up. Whether it was the symmetry in his jaw, evened length between his upper and lower half, or athletic build, she had him already tagged fairly high on her mental scale. As if that actually meant anything to anyone other than her.

So, she threw him another effortless grin, crooked as it was by genetic trademark. Despite the fact that even a mere mention of the ruins threatened to spike an outbreak of hives, Carina played it off. "Yes. We shall." she added with a wave of her hand in feigned dramatics. The gardens were a fun visit, observing all the various plantlife and at the very least offering them a scenic stroll before moving on to the next stage of the evening. Without realizing it might have been forward, she reached out to take his arm. "So, tell me something about you then. Anything you think I should know. Don't be shy." When she said she could be invasive, that wasn't a lie. Occasionally boundaries were tested and more often than not she lacked remorse in doing so.
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[info]welfare
2021-02-24 07:03 pm UTC (link) Track This
Being touched wasn't one of those things that bothered Ender. In the moment, it wasn't as if she was some enemy looking to knock him on his ass. And this wasn't some version of some training session. It was likely the least forward thing he could expect, where he was concerned anyway. Not that it was the most common thing for him to take a walk here, but it felt like the kind of thing to offer for what he thought she was going for. Even stepping into the stroll there, his brow quirked at the question. Even the addition there at the end. "I don't know if I could be shy," he gave, even though he knew that wasn't likely a literal point. Certain areas of his life, he was simply careful with, keeping to a level of discipline with it.

"Something that you need to know though? That's actually a hard one." And anything that he brought up was likely to be analyzed in some aspect, even if it was in regards to what he found as important, he was sure of it. Taking this time to be thoughtful, his gaze moved around the gardens before them. "Respect. I know this sounds like it should be common sense, but respect. I hold it in high regard. I respect you. You respect me. It means something to me. And sometimes I go a little above and beyond for it. If I see someone who has gained the respect of others, I look to see why and how, to see if I feel the same way." Another pause came and went. "And these are all my original working parts, so please, no chopping me up more than mentally." he attempted to joke, regardless of the straight face he was holding in the moment. A crooked grin following, as he returned the question. "What about you? Anything you think I should know?"
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[info]prototype
2021-02-25 01:33 am UTC (link) Track This
For once, she was seemingly less interested in the plant life and foliage than she was in getting to know this man who likely spent way more money on this date than she deserved. And although Carina typically thought moderately highly of herself -- both academically and physically -- she never passed the opportunity to take things to the literal. When thinking about it, he probably dug far to deep in his pockets to be interrogated all evening by the Dauntless technician. "That bodes well. I've never understood being shy myself." Because she wasn't. Carina was always outwardly open with what she wanted, how she felt, and her opinion on matters. It didn't always work out in her favor.

"I know." she responded in regard to the 'original working parts.' "I've got quite the trained eye for recognizing mechanical enhancements. Especially with the human form. Much of my specialization comes from Bio-mechanical engineering. Applying technological advancements to that of biological necessity. To make tech seem more... alive. Human. Your safe from me, no need to worry." Again, she offered him a smirk, keeping a hold of him as they continued on. "I do value respect as well. I've worked hard for it and I know sometimes It's not an easy thing to acquire. Where did you grow up?" Jumping from one topic to the next was classic to her disposition. Often times it appeared as a limited attention span, although it was just how she operated.
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[info]welfare
2021-02-27 04:09 am UTC (link) Track This
Where he wasn't knowledgeable in how she felt, it wasn't one of those thoughts that hadn't occurred to him. In fact, it was something that he had actually worried about even for himself. The simple lack of what someone expected on the other side of this entire auction. He also did realized that being rather private as he was, it wasn't as though anyone knew what sort of funds he did or didn't have. While he wasn't struggling as he once was decades ago, he knew that he had been judged more than a number of times. Not one to wander around rubbing elbows with people, or dressing himself as much, he was no longer that man that man that was struggling to take care of himself and his mother. And he hadn't bothered to bid on anyone that held a charity he didn't believe in, as he wasn't one to look at charity as a general aspect where they all deserved help. Everything about Ender included priority, planning, and organization.

As soon as she stated that he had nothing to worry about, Ender's left leg began to wobble. It was all an act, even as his knee dipped out, but righting himself just as fast as it all happened. "Oh, I guess I gave that away," he started, jokingly before grinning at her. "Should I worry now?" he mused, but continued on without a thought or issue. The topic jump wasn't an aspect that he thought much of. If there were some file to read here, he was sure that topics would bounce around as well. "I grew up on Scheria. Military family, two parents with two siblings. Pretty average stuff. What about you?" He was quick to return back. In retrospect, it was a curious thing on how people spoke of that first home. What memories they held, and if they cared for it. His own ability to proverbially sweep it under the rug at times, he was sure spoke volumes of himself too.
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[info]prototype
2021-02-28 02:46 am UTC (link) Track This
It was fun to watch, if nothing else. Carina could appreciate the excitement of watching numbers rise, anxiously awaiting the results to see if you've won. There was always that aspect to competition and typically she was the type to pick and choose the battles she took part in. Apparently, bidding on dates wasn't one of them as she lost miserably. Of course, she couldn't be disappointed in losing something that had no skill attached and Carina had other things to throw credits at. Plus, her attention was quite often grabbed elsewhere with the assortment of people who were in attendance. Big brain aside, she was a social creature.

The sudden act was charming, earning him at least a small laugh and a broad smile as she shook her head, squeezing his arm for effect to play along. "Ah, I grew up on a farm on Mahoroba. One of four children. Also very average while still a bit chaotic at times." Carina wasn't one of those to get uncomfortable talking about herself as she was self-confident in how she operated. Just keep her away from all the dangerous ruins, please. "Did you also serve in the Military then?" It was an assumption, simply based on his overall demeanor, but she felt it best to ask.
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[info]welfare
2021-03-02 05:14 pm UTC (link) Track This
It was in all actuality fairly rare for Ender to show up to larger social events, for the sake of not wanting to be social. There was a distaste for more than the singular life he had maintained for two decades now. In his own youth, he had only kept to a smaller group of friends. A private life with what felt like less people looking down upon you for your family, status, or life decisions became. But that was also what drew him to the military life in the first place. In uniform, everyone was the same, even though even there they may have tried to claim otherwise. Putting on airs for the sake of small talk and boredom, trying to appeal to someone in a group of strangers for the sake of doing so, it was something he could understand the draw for others but never for himself. Instead, at any such function he found himself required to be in, he was simply quiet, holding up a wall or walking around with a drink in hand, nodding to whom he knew unless they wanted to speak with him. The small and one on one were definitely his comfort zones.

The small laugh, he would have to admit it was nice to actually hear. Size didn't really matter as much as it made him feel a little more grounded in the moment. Nodding at her response though, he did make sure to ask, "Which one in the ranks were you?" He could understand the point about chaos all too well. Even with his father keeping them in line, there was more to maintain when he wasn't around. More now that he wasn't, but was likely why and how everything turned out the way it did. That thought never eluded Ender. The returned question about military though, that gained another slow nod. Not for the sake of what may or not have been obvious though. Mostly his own uncertainty on if that was one of those topics to dive into much at the moment. "Air Force, actually. Eight full years after I turned eighteen. More if you count what I did while in school. Most of my time was spent on Babylon."
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[info]prototype
2021-03-05 11:03 pm UTC (link) Track This
Well, if everyone was completely the same, her job would have less and less meaning. That's perhaps why Carina loved social events; observing the dynamic between various types of people and the way in which they conducted themselves or displayed subtle personality ticks. She would hardly call it much of a comfort zone, although any time she had a chance to talk someone's ear of was considered a moderate success. Not necessarily about herself as quite often she could goad them into putting their own lives out there. Thus came her tendency to pry which she was ardently trying to avoid with him.

"Second from the bottom. That would be Phoenix. She lives with me now though I'm sure she's about through with the boring life, even if I do attempt to keep her fed." Carina stifled a laugh. "I spent a good amount of time on Babylon. Here and there. Come to think of it, my work moves me around a lot. I'm hoping this position might change all that. I won't mind not having to jump planets every few months."
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[info]welfare
2021-03-10 06:58 pm UTC (link) Track This
This time, he had to laugh. Mostly because he could actually understand that side to things. It brought about a visual of him with his own sister, who is currently living in the solar system, outnumbered by cats. Ender's life was always deemed far too boring for her, but also his picking about what she should be doing to take care of herself. It only later ended up being part of why they talk to one another less and less.

"Jumping around's never quite as much fun as anyone ever tries to make it out to be unless you have somewhere grounded to call home. Gives you more to look forward to. A happy place, so to speak." He nodded, not meaning to do more than add to her thoughts. It was a measurement he could understand, even if it didn't line up quite the same for him. The instability in having to care for his mother for those first years, it wasn't something he would ever forget, nor was he about to sweep that under a rug. It made him appreciate everything he had more, even if sometimes that appreciation also gained some version of pain. "How are you feeling about it now? The position?"
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[info]prototype
2021-03-12 01:21 am UTC (link) Track This
She had to take a moment to consider what he said at first and a quick deliberation saw her agree. "You're right. Moving around is alright on paper. At least you want it to be as fun as it seems. It gets trying after a while. I was glad to finally be able to take a break from all that. Of course, that's outside missions. I like it though. The ship life is appealing and allows me to scratch the itch. Plus, I feel like I can offer more to my position with Thedes-Korso this way. It's a win/win." Pausing for a moment, she offered a grin after realizing that she may have went on a small tangent there. Her shoulders shrugged simply to do so as they continued on.

"What do you suppose you might be doing if not for this?" And it was a question she was always genuinely curious about with anyone. Something about finding it interesting where people's thoughts on the matter went when they had to build a different life scenario.
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[info]welfare
2021-03-14 07:23 pm UTC (link) Track This
Ender took in all of her words, carefully at that. It all felt very understandable, right down to the win. The tangent only added to it all, expanding a bit more on what she was already explaining and it was appreciated. There was similar line of thinking, as far as positions and how they had moved into their own. Even though he didn't speak as much, that part of his own life story felt like a lot to drop on someone out of the blue. His own motivations weren't hidden at all, not from Thedes-Korso, nor the captain. But he wasn't looking to garner anyone's pity.

There was a thoughtful moment, with some idle hope that it would have left him in the Air Force, with his father still alive. But those kinds of dreams weren't what life had held for him. The corner of his lips moving into a crooked grin. "Probably a criminal." There was a seriousness in his tone, the likelihood all too true. "I've done different kinds of security work before getting here. It was quicker and easier to get into given what training I have. And piloting would have required more time. Either option can only take you so far. People above you will always claim to take care of you, but when rubber meets road, they all only look out for themselves."
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de-hydra-ted / vrynn, sig, ender!
[info]synesis
2021-01-23 10:07 pm UTC (link) Track This
The curiosity and inherent danger held by the temple had been exhilarating, to say the least. Vrynn found mystic wonder in it all when they weren't nearly being squished or impaled by the many deterrents held within. She had been victorious earlier, and she had been light on her feet as they all rounded up the stairs. With eyes as wide as saucers, she watched her friend engulfed by this ancient aura both intrigued and frightened for him. It was the way of things, Bibi had said, there was always a price for glory and greatness.

When the lightning flashed and the floors began to crack, Vrynn tried to run upward of a piece of debris that shot upward as the rift opened up beneath her. "Help!" Was her final plea before she plunged into the dark depths below. Whoever, if anyone, had ended up down there with her, was met with a damp, gooey mess. "UGH!" She pushed herself up. Vrynn slipped and slid around, flicking her arms to get rid of the excess. "Is anyone else here?" She called out, hoping someone would answer. The last thing she wanted was to try and navigate through this alone. Luckily, she spotted two bodies in the distance. "I am over here!" She waved her arms overhead, clearly alerting the lair dweller to their presence if it hadn't been aware already.

It was then it could be heard. The murky wet thump followed by another THUMP! and a bubbling snarl from something much, much larger than anticipated. Vrynn peered forward, catching a glimpse of a large leg, followed by a quick glimpse of not one, but three heads. "O-oh, hello!" she greeted, "We are not here to bother you. We are all just leaving," she nodded eagerly, only to be met with a menacing howl.
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	de-hydra-ted / vrynn, sig, ender!
[info]interference
2021-01-24 01:18 am UTC (link) Track This
When Vash had told him about the mission he would have never guessed the sheer physicality of it all. He was no stranger to swiping things. Obstacle courses were a little beyond him. He promised himself if he made it through he'd hit the gym fully. They had barely gotten up the stairs, allowing Vash to take the sceptre from the dais. Sig had only had a moment of reprieve before things turned deadly.

The quaking of the temple had him in a defensive stance until it was clear they needed to move, now. He ran as debris fell, the floor giving way to splintered rubble. Hop and skipping around everything, he tried to reach towards the exit when his foot missed solid ground. The look of sheer panic crossed his face as his arms tried to grab onto anything. Unfortunately, nothing was stable. Shrieks and screams vibrated around him in hysteria as he tumbled. The last thing he saw as he plummeted was daylight from a massive above what was once the dais.

"Is anyone else here?" The voice sounded far away as he opened his eyes. For a split second he felt nothing. The next second he felt everything as his body recovered from the shock of being slammed to the ground. "Here," he said weakly, his cybernetic switching to a vocal fry that sounded like K'im Kar'da'sian. The feeling of slim overwhelmed his body, forcing him to stand slowly. It was too dark to see what he was coated with, but it felt super gross. Squinting through the darkness, he looked around, letting his vision adjust. He could make out the outline of a figure a few feet away from him. "Are you ok?" Outstretching his arms, he tried to move towards the voice, bumping into Vrynn with his hands on her face. "Oh, sorry," he said, still sounding like K'im. It took him a minute to make sense of the thump, automatically thinking there was another quake. The three heads came into view and he quickly tugged on Vrynn's arm. "We gotta go, we gotta go!"
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[info]welfare
2021-01-24 04:28 pm UTC (link) Track This
They both held the same mission, to get a hold of that sceptre. Orders were orders, but when you suspected that there was something very wrong here the tactics had to change. Why was everyone making their way for something in a place wrought with nothing but boobytraps? Where he could have been wrong, Ender had been slower than most, hanging back with uncertainty and already expecting to have to help someone. The only thing was, he was expecting it to be someone making fart noises, leaving the prize wide open to figure out how to get out safely. But that is not what happened. As everything moved so quickly, Ender didn't even have time to mutter a 'fuck'. Rushing for any open piece of rock or flooring before it sunk to the depths of who knew what now. Ender wasn't looking to be the plunk sound the rocks themselves should be making.

And yet, he was anyway, practically hugging the wall as he went down. Finally letting out the breath he must have been holding as he finally hit the bottom, he thought to never throw another rock as long as he lived. At least if he made it out of here. Blinking through the dark at the calls from other people, he gave a grunt before slowly forcing himself up. You either get up and keep moving or there will be nothing left of you to move. The words were ones that hit him hard from memory. Stepping into what felt like a puddle, water splashed up at him. Curious, he went feeling for the walls only to have his eyes come into focus a little better. Smooth to the touch, bars. Ender tugged only to find the old ruins of this gate was holding strong, and very much locked.

Heading for the voices of what he supposed were women, but only because one sounded so familiar but he couldn't quite place it. Ender was rubbing the back of his head, about to announce what he had found and check how many of them were here. Up until he too saw the three heads drop into view. In this one moment, he sorely wished he had more explosives on him. Trying not to make sudden moves, he whispered to the others. "There's a gate to your 9 but it's locked." Anything he had to use on it, would likely take out the exit rather than open it.

Apparently all six eyes on them, it wasn't losing any sort of perception here. Heads bobbing about as another howl came, practically blowing them over with it's smelly breath and spit. "Hopefully three heads are better than one, in our case." he said, opting to run to their right, in hopes of getting at least one of those heads to follow him. Even was better than outnumbered.
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[info]synesis
2021-01-25 01:55 am UTC (link) Track This
There were three heads. There were three heads. Vrynn didn't have much time to process Sig's warning and the temporary confusion of his modulated voice--"Sig?"--before catching wind of Ender, the Dauntless man's, observation. So he had found a gate, a gate was good, great even! It meant they had the potential for an exit. "Locked?" Vrynn looked down at her cybernetic arm for the briefest moment before the hydra's snarl brought her right back to reality.

"Easy," Vrynn held her hands out, backing up toward the gate. One of the head's swung towards them, knocking the head to its left in its pursuit, which made the 2nd head snap at its kin. "Easy!" Vrynn urged. This wasn't helping. At the gate, she tried to wrest the bars from the base with her cybernetic, only managing to break a rusted bar off in the process.

While the hydra argued, the 3rd head began to slither its way closer to them. "We will need something stronger. I am up for suggestions!" Vrynn said urgently, squealing as the hydra began to snarl and shriek. She turned around and pulled at the gate again. Nothing. This was a temple - and temples possessed many a booby trap everywhere to keep those unworthy out and those who wished to supplicate to a higher power. While the hydra went between bickering and trying to eat them. "Look for any sort of lever! Anything. A button! A chain! Do what you must."

The hydra's tail swung out in a small arc, colliding with the wall causing a bit more rubble and dust to come down toward's the murky floor while Vrynn continued to pull at the bars hoping none of them became its next meal.
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[info]interference
2021-01-25 10:28 pm UTC (link) Track This
The man from the Dauntless had found a gate, that was great. He moved towards it with Vrynn, hoping that was their exit out of this doomed temple. Training his gaze on the beast, he could only hear the struggle Vrynn was having. Looking to the gate, now with only one bar, the space seemed too narrow to have any one crawl through.

The snarls of the hydra were drawing closer and he was pretty sure it knew this bottomless pit better than they did. Look, for any sort of lever, anything. He could barely make anything out. "Ok, few ideas. The three of us split up around this...pit and feel the wall for something, or two of us distract this thing long enough for someone--" he eyed Vrynn "--to maybe try bending the bars enough to slip out. We're all covered in this gross goo, maybe we can lube ourselves enough to literally slip out. Those are my suggestions," he said, still in his Kar'dash'ian voice.

He ducked as the tail slammed against the walls and it's screech pierced the through the pit. "We can't stay here and be sitting ducks!" Taking a chance, Sig ran to the left, reaching his hands out in order to feel for any buttons, or levers. His blaster had survived, but he didn't want to use it just yet. Stumbling his way around, the hydra snaps close to him, nicking his leg. The close call spurs him on with a sprint.
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[info]welfare
2021-01-26 01:22 am UTC (link) Track This
An odd thought would occur to him through all of this in a flash. One where this wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the fact that something very large and in charge here was looking to eat him. The saving grace above all things here, being the fight between the heads, at least for the moment. Maybe there was a way to keep them pecking at one another and playing into that order. There wasn't even a single fart noise was to be had, even with the expectation of one to come.

Following Vrynn and Sig back to the gate, Ender stayed back, keeping an eye on how long they had before three became one, at least in decision making. Turning those large teeth in their direction in unison rather than holding their own child-like squabbles. At Vrynn's suggestion, he eyed them both. What was he supposed to see here? "I don't see anything either?" But the visual drawback came and went where Vrynn was holding only a small fraction of rusted bar that gave way. That wasn't going to do. At this rate, they would all be chow. This specifically being the only drawback to the suggestion that Sig had and he hated the thought. Normally Ender would have been one to side with Sig, or maybe it was Kim's thoughts, even in this dark, treacherous place, he was beginning to lean towards Vrynn's point. Play into the game of whatever this place was. Be part one of the worthy?

They couldn't see much and anything they did to gain light would only catch the attention of the fourth prison mate over there. Taking the hint that her last entrapment held a lever, much like the one that Vash had pulled after crossing the tiles. A few finger swipes quickly moved, he sent a holopic from the door he last came from. The one that held symbols they had to use to make it across the boobytrapped floors. It might not mean something, but then again, it cold hold some hope. Symbols were a language of some sort, right? Maybe there were some etchings in here, a path that would lead them out. "We had to push the right ones before we pulled a lever. I don't know if these are here." Ender muttered under his breath, just loud enough for them to hear.

Each of the hydra's heads began to calm as the one snapped at Sig. The other two heads coming better into focus. Sig wasn't the only one not prepared to start shooting at something this close. For all he knew it would only serve to piss them off rather than kill. And give way to better positioning to take a chomp out of Ender. "Maybe we can get those necks locked up or fighting again?" he offered, asking Sig, before heading off in the opposite direction.
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[info]synesis
2021-01-27 03:00 am UTC (link) Track This
"L-lube ourselves," Vrynn spoke hesitantly as she ducked. "Ah! Yes, lubrication!" She held up a finger as the idea clicked in her mind as she righted herself up. There wasn't a lot of time to react here, but Vrynn was feeling brave for once and would take up the mantle of distraction to assist in her team's endeavors. "Yes let us lube ourselves and distract the beast." Vrynn continued to work on the bars long enough to bend one into an arc. It would be a tight fit, but they might be able to escape in just the nick of time. "I would think we could use a boobytrap against it. I am--not one for the mistreatment of all beasts, but this might be warranted in this situation," she said hurriedly. All fine options. They were going to live! They had to.

Her cybernetic whirred over the clomping beast, those growls and snarls ringing in her ears. Ender and Sig seemed to be doing their thing, which was fantastic, but the beast became preoccupied with fighting itself. Perhaps it was jealousy or unabated hunger that drove their instincts. The right head began chomping at the left, the left chomping back, while the middle tried to direct their rage at any of the people running around. "It seems they are fighting just fine! Like siblings! Which is kind of cute, but also it is not!" She informed.

With another bar just slightly pulled, Vrynn's arm threatened to lock. That was going to have to do, but they could make it work. The heads pulled in different directions, snapping at each other, snapping at them, finally, the right's head had taken a chunk out of the middle. The sound was haunting and its wail was shortlived as the right head viciously chomped again.

The large head drooped, and the other two hadn't realized what had just happened to their kin. "Watch out!!" Vrynn screeched, horrified. "Lube yourselves up now!" She said, coating herself quickly in the goo just as the head toppled to the floor. It had been a few strange, long moments before the beast started twitching, and three new heads were growing in the former's place.
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[info]interference
2021-01-27 06:48 am UTC (link) Track This
He wasn't waiting for the plan to come together, he had already started running around the pit. There was a lot of goo seemingly covering the floor and each step sounded a disgusting squishy sound. "I'm an animal lover too, BUT THIS THING TRIED TO BITE ME!" The temple creature seemed to not like anything in it's space and while he didn't want to provoke it unless absolutely necessary, if it came down to them or it, Sig would choose them.

"I don't know if I can really find any boobytraps!" He just hoped Vrynn would be able to work on the bars while they provided the distraction. He slowed his wall searching sprint when the heads began to 'fight.' "Uh..." Watching as two of the heads started to chomp at each other, his hands rounded a side of the pit. His fingers passed over something against the wall, groves carved in with a raised bump. "Hey...hey! I think i found something!" Fiddling with it for a few long seconds, he tried every which way to push it down, nothing gave. Muttering in his baby voice, he continued to try until the angry snarls and screeches alarmed him.

Sig turned in time to see chunks taken out of the creature. "What the f-" From across the pit, he could see Vrynn's face. Sig hoped that now that the beast had taken itself out, they'd be able to escape without worrying about the monster.

Before he could lube himself up, he noticed something writhing from the decapitated head. "Oh my stars!" he breathed out. They were growing with each second. Shaking out of the shock, Sig dropped to the floor, rolling around in the goo in a panic. He couldn't see the Dauntless man, but did hope he hadn't become hydra chow. Once he was fully coated, he peered up in time to see the beast stomping around with five heads. Seizing the opportunity, he ran and threw himself to the floor, sliding under the hydra. The slippery goo eliminating any traction, allowing him to make all the way to the wall as he slammed straight into it.
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[info]welfare
2021-01-27 03:19 pm UTC (link) Track This
It only took seconds before Ender changed his mind. His mind leading into how 'team fart noise' worked now. He was sure she was out to get them eaten while she tried to get away, or maybe it would just be they all get eaten and their way out was through the belly of this beast. Because that seemed more plausible to him than bodily fluids as lubrication for who knew what?

He only assumed the what, even though not all of them were quite so petite. But there was water here, he had been stepping in it enough. There was no telling if this thing was venomous, acidic, or anything about how it's body mechanics or chemistry worked. Killing something was one thing, playing in whatever fluids it left behind was a whole different issue entirely. But even with these thoughts plagued him, his stoic face was as unchanging as ever. At least until it felt as though the energy in this room began to really turn.

Ender had been dodging the head that turned for him, snapping and snarling with him as the prey it was very much annoyed by. As he jumped behind fallen rock and ruins, keeping on his feet but not at all giving up for any pattern in his movements. Slashing at the beasts face with knives anytime it grew too close. It was in the same moment that he heard something from Sig. He wasn't entirely sure given that voice, but Ender caught something on a column in the stone wall. Slamming a fist into it, he ducked down, watching the beast's head come back for him. The rock didn't budge. But something else did, as it's attention turned away from Ender.

Frozen in the moment as he watched the same scene the other two did, from the opposing side of this now two headed beast, Ender's heart dropped. It's reptilian like in nature, there were still two heads. This wasn't going to just die. Even if it stayed wounded, they had a tendency to regrow limbs. But even in the midst of these thoughts, he watched the extra heads begin to grow like plants blossoming in spring. Swallowing hard, his instincts overrode his worries about bringing down the rest of this place over their own heads earlier. His hand moving for a grenade on his belt. His finger danced over the button before he finally let it go. Throwing it under the belly of the beast.

Would it die from such an explosion? Would it spurt heads out of its intestines? Would it phase it at all? Does it have cannibalistic tendencies after all these years, eating it's own head? Either way, he was making a run for that head because that is where the other two were now. And even if this only blasted a hole in the ground beneath the hydra, that was possible time, or extra heads. Staying away from the bodily fluids, Ender did slide in, finally, but calling out, "Fire in the hole!" Doing what he could to grab Vrynn and Sig from their positions and pull them to cover.
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[info]interference
2021-01-28 03:11 am UTC (link) Track This
He hadn't calculated the speed, velocity and force at which he'd hit the wall. He hadn't even counted on the goo being so insanely slippery that he had nearly glided easily into the wall. Noting about half way when he had just made it from beneath the Hydra's stomach did he realize where he was headed. Despite trying to brace himself with his hands, he collided full body against the rubble.

Noticing that something had moved from under it, the Hydra snapped and snarled. It's five heads now fully grown and angry, towering over it's once alive head. It was a scary scene if Sig hadn't been rumpled against the wall. Concussed and fighting it, Sig groaned against his position on the floor.

His temporary teammates seemed to try as their might in other ways to fend off the beast. The Hydra roared and stomped, sending even more falling debris into the pit with them.

It all sounded a million miles away to him for a few moments. The tinny noise in his head gave way to muffled speech. It wasn't from him, for once, he wasn't talking. It was coming from elsewhere. "Fire in the hole!" sounded more like "Spire the mole!" Sig repeated it, groggy and trying his best to awaken from his stupor. There were moles? As if tagged in by a coach, he tried to find a sharpened spear in order to attack the moles.

Lifting his lids only half way, he waited until the confusion and dizziness settled. Stars, he wanted to throw up. He felt the tug, a sturdy, forceful one. One that he fought against like a petulant child. "Stab the moles! For whom the bell tolls..." he yelled and mumbled. Managing to get out a "Whoa!" from his lips before the bomb erupted into a massive cloud of smoke and fire. Instinctively, he covered his ears and curled into himself before venturing a peek. His eyes widened in startled shock before embers flew up. The shrieks bounced off the wall, giving him the most painful headache of his life. "Oh no...the moles..."
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[info]welfare
2021-01-28 02:58 pm UTC (link) Track This
Trying to cover the two, and himself the best he could, it wasn't until he heard screams that he actually moved to roll onto his back against the cold, hard ground. "So much for fart noises," he muttered to himself, hoping that whatever scene he was about to sit up and see would be a better one and not his last.

Between what he was hearing of moles from Sig, along with the previous all too notable voices, Ender wondered for a moment if he, himself, hadn't hit his own head. This is only due to a glint of something in the ceiling above them and off to the right. Something that caught his eye in the midst of the smoke flickering light of flames. A stone, inappropriately placed, or maybe there with a purpose. There was some type of design on it, but nothing that he could make out with his own vision as to what exactly.

His blaster upholstered, as he thought about what this could mean, if it worked at all. The possibility of what could fall or fail all that much more through this bit of chaos. Aiming and firing, he hit the stone in one shot. A glow now emitting from it, from far above their heads. But just as he did, another rumble below, the ground shook with it's own uncertainty and doom.

Ender could have sworn he heard something behind them, now, but it wasn't the gate. From this distance it didn't appear to have unlocked, but he was sure that something in it had at least loosened. It did make him wonder about what Sig had found earlier. What even he had upon the walls. Maybe there was an order or maybe it was only in the wrong places. Maybe there was more room to pry the bars from it? He didn't know. Either way, there were more than screams now. Moving to stand himself up, there was a large enough hole in the ground, with something writhing in the depths of it. Something Ender didn't want to meet up with again if it decided its will to live was greater than theirs.

Leaning down to help Sig get up, unsure of the man's own ability to stand, let alone his footing through all of this, he did his best. "We need to get out of here now. Do you see anything else to press or pull?
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[info]synesis
2021-01-30 02:38 am UTC (link) Track This
So much progress undone because of these sprouting heads, and suddenly there had been explosions! "I'm so sorry," she wibbled, knowing that the beast would have to endure a cruel fate if they were to come out of this in one piece. Alive. Vrynn was running on pure desperation and adrenaline as the smoke began to clear. She couldn't look, didn't want to look, but was thankful for Ender's quick thinking and intervention otherwise they might be crawling around in lube and evading moles and hydra heads all day. "The moles will be okay. They will be in mole heaven now." Vrynn reassured Sig, helping Ender in bringing him back up. "This is what teamwork is all about. Lubrication and all," she nodded sagely with a tinge of desperation because wow those screams were sure terrifying.

With no time to waste, Vrynn slipped and slid through the goo. The scorched smell of flesh made her nose wrinkle and her eyes water as she fell to her hands and knees, spreading the goop around trying to find something to press or pull, with no such luck.

Instead, she hit something hard and sharp underneath the thin layer. She pulled up a giant hydra tooth and screeched. It slipped out of her hand, but as she chased it she saw in her line of sight a small horizontal lever carved out of the wall. She stood up, and slip-walked towards it, pulling it without hesitation.

The room began to move and shift, screams and corpses and the three of them as it revealed an opening with some kind of spiral stone staircase leading up, up, up. "Over there! Salivation at last!" Vrynn called out, reaching down to pick up the giant tooth, cradling it like a baby as she moved. "To safety!"
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[info]interference
2021-01-30 08:21 pm UTC (link) Track This
Recoiling from the explosion as well as the shrieks, he squinted, covering his face with his arm against the soot and sparks. When the dust and debris settled, somewhat, he ventured a glance. Aware now taht Vrynn was near him, he looked up at her and then at the space where the Hydra-moles had been. "Mole heaven? We sent them to mole heaven?" Sig pouted slightly, matching Vrynn's anguish over leaving behind any creature, big or small. "Bye bye moles. I'm sorry...I'm...I'm so sorry," he whispered in his K'im Kar'das'hian voice.

Watching Vrynn scramble to touch through the goo that still coated his body, curiosity got the best of him. Since standing still made him dizzy and wobbly, he stayed on his hands and knees as he helped her search. It felt weird and jelly like. Sig found himself making amusing squishy sounds as his palms clomped down on the goo. Playing with any kind of goo or slime wasn't something he did often, but since he had the opportunity, his entire demeanor was elated now, no longer thinking about the poor moles that had ascended to heaven just a few moments again. He wasn't even questioning the dying shrieks still reverberating around the walls.

His fun stopped when he heard her screech. He frozen, his heartfalling down to his butt. "What? What happened? Did it bite you?" he asked, slight panic creeping into his voice. Confusion then took over as he watched her chase after something. Sig fought to get onto his feet, out stretching his arms in order to summon some balance. "IS IT MOLES?"

He stood still as she pulled on the lever in the wall. His gaze immediately went to the ceiling, or lack there of. Standing was definitely a mistake as the room shook and shifted, triggering a dizzy spell. The staircase came into view with Vrynn happily calling out for it. Attempting a step forward, Sig fell back on all fours and wretched. After he was done, he took a breath to steady his vision. "yay," he replied weakly. "I'll um, I'm just going to keep low just until I get to the stairs." He managed to crawl, slip to the stairs as the others filed for them. The steps were sturdy, which allowed him to use the wall to balance himself enough to get to the top with them. Once at the top, Sig leaned against the wall for a moment only to glance at Vrynn carrying something. "Where did you get a baby?"
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	Ender ([info]welfare) wrote in [info]spaceports,
@ 2021-01-06 22:38:00

	
	
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Entry tags:	! blind dates, ender fryxell, renli

RESOLUTIONS FOR A NEW YEAR
RENLI & ENDER ▻ PAU, NOVA HEIGHTS ▻ JANUARY 8, 2658
There had been long enough to second guess this decision many, many times. And he was sure the same would be true for the woman he was matched up with. But even as he sat here, a good twenty minutes early no less, it was all too easy to look back on all of this. What was the worst that could really happen? There was nothing more emotionally painstaking as what had occurred through his holidays. Having taken the time to go and visit his mother for Christmas, and how only sometimes she remembered who he was, it became a lot to take in. Reminders of the past and questions about the future he decided that tonight he really didn't know or want to think about.

It was a new year, and in order to escape the cruelty that was becoming some forgotten memory, he needed to move forward. Ender needed to throw himself out there somehow and meet people, hopefully to the point of actually caring about someone. It didn't really matter if it became romantic so much, only that he felt that much more lost in a sea of faces at the edge of time. His only pre-requisites being that someone was willing to have a nice dinner and talk to him.

There was very little to him as he sat at the table, fingers flicking against the edge of his own napkin on the table, seemingly lost in thought. But staring at the reflective motions seen against the table, and in the corner of his eyes there by the window, he was paying more attention to every movement and detail he could, somehow giving him a more peaceful state of mind. It also helped that he had been listening to the couples argument not two tables down this entire time, between their harsh whispers, causing a lopsided grin to spread across Ender's face.


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[info]fortuity
2021-01-13 09:10 am UTC (link) Track This
Despite never putting much into the idea of "new year, new me" - a doomed self-betterment ideology that rarely ended in success - Renli found herself wanting change. It wasn't a hastily made resolution or empty promise to no one in particular, but something she'd been moving towards in the last few months. After a short time away from the station and two jobs that had been all consuming the last couple of years, the willowy alien had made the conscious decision to do something different, break from routine and discover what else might be out there.

Apparently, in part, that meant dating. She'd been actively avoiding it for the last 27 months. Dates meant getting to know another being, which was well and good for someone who had a lifetime of anecdotes to fall back on when there was silence. She didn't have that. She had 821 days, and flashes of some time before that that made no sense and didn't amount to much. This amped up her anxiety, which made her shyer then she usually was on any given day. However, she had committed to a blind date and hurting someone, even a complete stranger, by not showing up would never be something she could live with.

Walking up to Pau, her nerves sent a weird tingle along her limbs which she tried to shake out as she headed past the small line, stepping up to the host's station. After a brief conversation where it was confirmed that her date was there already (she was a little early - how early had he been?), Renli followed the path she'd been directed on, taking the moment to observe her date from afar. Appearances weren't anything to ever go by, no matter how nice someone looked, but the way that the man was grinning by whatever had caught his attention distracted her from her discomfiture. He had a nice face, she decided. Steeling herself to banish the last of her butterflies and smooth the worried brow until only the natural ridges lay along the bridge of her nose and forehead, she walked the rest of the way to the table.

"Ender?" Renli's voice was soft, hopeful, as was the smile curling her lips. It didn't hurt to check to make sure this was the right table.
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[info]welfare
2021-01-17 04:51 am UTC (link) Track This
As soon as Renli was before him and making herself known, Ender looked up. There was something in her voice, that made him in that moment realize he liked her voice or maybe it was simply the way she spoke his name. His blue gaze matching hers, as he returned a full smile. "Renli?" he asked, as if in confirmation. Moving to stand up and offer his hand to shake. Introductions and manners, he wasn't one to shy away from. "In all the weirdness that is a blind date, its nice to meet you." His bad attempt at making things light and funny, but he tried.

Moving pull out her chair for her, he waved her on ahead, with a quiet, "Please." He hadn't ordered anything ahead, but he did want to make sure she was as comfortable as he could.

Getting back to his own seat, his smile softened. A quick gesture to a waiter for menus, he turned and gave his complete attention to the woman before him. "So, what brings you to the blind dating circuit of the new year?" That felt like a decent ice breaker, maybe? He wasn't terribly good at this. Perhaps that was his fatal flaw. She seemed like someone who could find a lot of dates without any help at all. Her voice wasn't high pitched and annoying. She didn't seem like a clumsy mess, and he didn't notice any known attributes to overpowering nerves. Maybe he needed to leave some of that analytical mind at home.
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[info]fortuity
2021-01-18 07:38 am UTC (link) Track This
Renli's smile widened when it was confirmed that this was her date. Thank goodness. How embarrassing would it have been to be wrong. And disappointing. His returning smile, accompanied by a hand to shake, made the introductions official. She noticed his taller stature - height was such a thing on her ship, she found herself noticing it more and more in her every day life - as she took in the rest of him. "It's nice to meet you, too. And I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels the.. weirdness." She used his term, because it really was best suited.

A surprised little 'oh' emitted from her as he pulled out her chair. She could feel her cheeks heating up slightly at such a gentlemanly action. No one had ever done something like that for her, which made her stomach flutter in a different way than before. "Thank you," she said just as quietly as she took her seat. When she looked up from settling the napkin across her lap, as she was taught was the proper thing to do, Renli noted that she had Ender's full attention. She wasn't used to it and it made her cheeks continue to blush.

"Well, my energy is usually focused on helping others and I've decided this year, I wanted to do more for myself." Renli felt a little guilt admitting that and couldn't stop from looking away for a moment. Tucking her hair behind one ear, she forced the feeling down and looked at him again. "Part of that is dating. And I didn't know where to begin with that, so I decided to let someone else do the hard part for me. Or is finding the date the easy part?" She honestly didn't know. Or, at least, she couldn't remember. "How about yourself? What made you sign up?"
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[info]welfare
2021-03-10 06:57 pm UTC (link) Track This
They had both signed themselves up for this, Ender felt the least he could do was to make sure she was comfortable. There was something about the nature of her that he seemed to already appreciate. How much there seemed to be a blending of strength and softness of character even in such a small interaction. He was more than happy to get to know more about. A small nod and smile returned.

Her response was one that he could understand. Sometimes focusing on one's self was a little more difficult, whether it was the timing, those you surrounded yourself by, and sometimes it was simply in a person's nature. "Too many offers to rifle through? Because I could see it," he started, the words given in earnest. "I expect you drop something on the floor and everyone around tries to get it back to you."

As she returned the question, his brows shot up in surprise for half a second. "I don't get out much, except on a professional basis." It was true, even though it was more of a type of isolation that he had bestowed upon himself. "Sometimes I'll sit at a bar or go play pool, maybe eat alone. Every once in a while, there's that itch to share a meal with good company. I'm already happy it was you."
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anya & ender // friday nov 6
[info]celestials
2020-11-06 04:14 am UTC (link) Track This
Initially, the idea of wandering around the business district happened on a whim. Nova Heights wasn't the most convenient place to clear her head when every two feet she'd end up running into someone who wanted to stop for a mostly innocent chat and Anya, being polite on top of a public figure, would humor them. And ordinarily she wouldn't mind the conversation though that night was somewhat different. The shift in tone among the station was palpable and although her security wouldn't be pleased at her side venture alone, she believed it was necessary.

Plus, from underneath a messy bun of red curls and a pair of glasses, she felt as though she was pulling off some sort of scheme, bundled up in an appropriate jacket with a faux fur-lined hood. A sudden drop in temperature wasn't ideal and yet wasn't all that foreign for her on station. Artificial environment could be quite temperamental. Apparently, the entire station was also feeling a particular way. She continued walking, trying to ignore the flashing street lights and random malfunctioning tech.

Something told her to turn around and just go home, but that little noodle place she loved and an empty stomach urged her further. The crowd still moving forward was a good sign -- until it wasn't. A hovercar out of nowhere swerved towards the curb and headed right for the group she was walking in. Without thinking, she grabbed onto the woman and her daughter beside her and pulled them out of the way, the group of them tumbling to the ground but thankfully missing the oncoming vehicle. Anya slipped backwards, hitting her head on a nearby dining table. It didn't knock her out, but she immediately reached up to find a small amount of blood near her forehead. "Shit."
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[info]welfare
2020-11-08 07:28 pm UTC (link) Track This
This entire week had held an odd sense about things. Ender wasn't entirely sure what to take of the cold air, let alone how strangely Dagger had been acting. Not two days ago, he found the little guy falling over repetitively in a way that appeared like a natural rat having a seizure. Any attempts to figure out the cause only seemed to spiral into another slew of issues with anything technical he was using. It was going to be one of those weeks, the kind where he was aggravated by the lack of things he was not going to be able to get done. While the source of these glitches had been unknown, he hadn't been too sure about the level it had or would spread before fixed. If it had ventured beyond his own building, or his station at work.

But it looked like today he was going to see how far it did actually extend. Ender had called for a car to pick him up from work, which had taken long enough. He wasn't about to claim he was impressed by that, but what was he to do, unless he felt up to walking. And given these past few days, he hadn't been. Except tonight was going to change that for him. While in the hovercar, Ender wasn't paying too much attention in the backseat. He was playing with his communicator that seemed to be following another glitch. Smacking the side of it carefully, the lights flickered before him. But this was the car, not his communicator, as the car jerked. Right along with the droid driving it.

Eyes widened at the sight before him, as they hit the curb. Quick to undo his seatbelt and jump out of the car, the droid kept repeating random words, unable to right itself. But Ender ignored that to check on the surrounding people, before catching sight of Anya. Mostly due to the word that flew out of her mouth. Grabbing some napkins that had been on another nearby table, he moved to hand them over to her. "Shouldn't you have a detail here by now?"
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[info]celestials
2020-11-11 04:23 am UTC (link) Track This
It was a fair question, one that she wanted to accompany with an eye roll, but instead she went for taking the napkins from him and placing them to her forehead for the bleeding. Without immediately making eye contact, Anya shot a glance past him to make sure there wasn't anyone in immediate danger who needed help. You know, as if she'd be able to do much. "Not when I gave him the night off." she responded, finally looking at him from underneath her hand still raised to her head. "Thanks."

Around them there was still a mess as people shouted and androids beeped. It was enough to make even someone with her disposition a bit uneasy. Obviously something was off and part of her wasn't overly eager to discover the source to that problem. Living on station for as long as she had told her to proceed with caution. Perhaps she just needed to go home.

"I'll be fine. There's something going on here. Tech glitches. At first I thought it was just something random bit now it seems like I was wrong." She paused. "Wait. Where did you come from anyway? Were you in the car?"
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[info]welfare
2020-11-13 05:23 pm UTC (link) Track This
A look was given, rather than words. It wasn't a judgmental or even harsh one, but a questionable one. Of course it would be now that she wasn't covered and wandering about. That was the luck of anyone, wasn't it? Come back from missions expecting some type of normalcy, only to find that normalcy was a lost cause.

"I think everyone did, maybe it was easier to believe than this." Ender nodded back at the scene behind him. But without hesitation, he nodded to being in the car. "Everything flickered out like there was some weird surge. I'm not sure if he shut down for a minute, but then here I am. And you are." Another quick look around, he waved her on. "We should get you out of here. There's enough witnesses, and they'll know where to find me." Or he assumed as much, unless that piece of information seemed jammed in the android driver's data banks there.

Moving make a path through the ever growing crowd, he waved her on to follow him. Keeping an arm somewhat outreached towards her, behind him, as he did moved.
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[info]celestials
2020-11-14 05:24 am UTC (link) Track This
His look didn't go unnoticed, though rather just ignored for the sheer fact that she wasn't about to give the whole 'i'm not a child' speech. Meandering down to the business district was purely to satisfy a craving and nothing more. The plan was simply to go, pick up food, and get back to her apartment and out of the cold.

"Here we are." she responded with a hint of deadpan, but a casual grin. A glance towards the intersection saw her motioning towards the flickering streetlight. "Or it could have been that. A mixture of both?" Time was probably more of the essence and neither of them were too keen on sticking around to see what happened, not to mention the crowd forming that would surely be a roadblock after too long.

Attempting to keep her head down, Anya followed suit. All seemed well enough until the walls of people started to close. She quickly reached for his hand as a few voices called for her, trying to get her attention when she clearly wasn't responding.
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[info]welfare
2020-11-15 12:13 am UTC (link) Track This
There was a good chance she wasn't wrong at all. It wasn't one of those types of things he could have claimed to expect, at least at that level. Even with how more and more systems seemed to slowly become attached to this. If only he had stayed home, it would have felt more isolated. Less to worry about or feel like he had stepped into. But he had to go in for his own office duties, and then to add to the fact he couldn't just sit around feeling like a princess in a tower. Sometimes he needed to stretch his own legs and get out, find somewhere worth eating, or play a game of pool. He did understand the want of all of that when she wandered out here like she did.

There was a moment where he was surprised she took his hand specifically, but it was quickly washed away. Pulling her out and away from all of this, and not bothering to look back again. Making quick work of getting down a good block before moving between the buildings and into an alleyway. Crossing through and into a different alley before finally pausing and checking to make sure no one was still yelling or following behind. Taking a chance to look over the wound without touching it.

"Where do you want to go?" he asked, not actually sure where would be deemed safe for her in all of this mess. Even if it was just to clean up that wound a bit more.
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[info]celestials
2020-11-15 03:27 am UTC (link) Track This
She hadn't meant to grab his hand in any other manner than it was the closest thing she could reach for when the crowd started to close in. Being ushered through masses of people was nothing new and while she normally wouldn't touch her security, occasionally it came to that. And besides, he wasn't her security. Just a friend helping out another friend, right? Something in that vein that she would investigate later when she had a clearer head that wasn't throbbing.

Again, she looked at the napkin she had initially placed to her forehead and winced at the sting along side a sight of blood. It wasn't bad. Nothing that she wouldn't live through without a bit of synthetic healing bond and a few days of recovery. She knew Apollo would advise her to stay put until these occurrences were more under control, thus locking her in that same metaphorical ivory tower. Anya knew it was the smart thing to do for someone in her position.

"Probably just... home. I'll call someone if I have to." To help her. She figured she would be able to tend to things herself. "Thanks for that. I'm not new to going out by myself. I just wasn't accounting for being on that end of a traffic glitch."
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[info]welfare
2020-11-17 02:01 am UTC (link) Track This
Her words had him not only cracking a smile, but giving a light chuckle. The words fell out as simply as he thought them. "Are you sure you're not new to it?" Ender had only been joking, meaning to give her a hard time as he nodded in the direction of the blood. Away from the mess, and knowing she was at least together and okay, for the most part, helped with that. But all of that washed away as quickly as it came. A more solemn look in it's place. "And it's easy to tell that won't be the first or last time it does. No telling how or what will happen next out here." he nodded.

Looking a little more expectantly, he paused. "Which way is home? I'll at least make sure you get there without another blood splatter." Or so he hoped that's how it would turn out, anyway. Less blood. "And if you want to run off on your own after that, you won't have to face judgement or me snitching on you." he laughed again.
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[info]celestials
2020-11-17 05:43 am UTC (link) Track This
His amusement earned him a special kind of look as she continued to hold the napkin against her head. Thankfully, she wasn't bleeding profusely enough to where she needed immediate attention and they could probably get away on one of the lifts to the upper level quickly.

"We have to take the lift to Nova Heights, but it's not that far." Her shoulders gave a casual shrug, reaching back with both hands to pull the hood of her jacket up over her head. "I think I'll forgo the running off for now. I just need..." And she trailed off, feeling the slightest bit woozy in just those few seconds before she was fine again. "Some painkillers."
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[info]welfare
2020-11-19 05:28 am UTC (link) Track This
Ender nodded, but as he took a single step, he paused again. If things went as far as traffic incidences, he had to ask. "You think the lift's are okay?" If not, what was the worst that could happen? He didn't really want an answer to that thought.

"I'm no good for painkillers." He meant it as a joke more than anything, even though he likely said the words a bit too seriously. But he did pull out his pockets as if to say he was clear out of anything. "You want to stop on the way somewhere, pick up something easy? I can go in and get it?" He didn't imagine walking into a clinic, but a shop of some sort for something minor and over the counter.
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welp there it is // tui, ender, kamaria
[info]wayfind
2020-10-23 01:45 am UTC (link) Track This
They were barely minutes out of the dark hallway and reunited with their crewmates before Tui felt a little hand tug at the soaked leg of her uniform. "Welp!" she'd shouted with delight, scooping her Kafshu friend up off the ground for a big, tight (but not too tight) hug. He looked practically like a doll in her arms, his own wrapped around her neck. "Where's the rest of your people, eh?" But he hadn't a chance to answer her before the room was suddenly bathed in red light, and they were all scattering in different directions. Welp hadn't let go of her hand since then, leading Tui and the others down several winding corridors until she could smell warm bread in the air.

Her boots were still soggy from the dive into the strange green pool, feet squelching as she cautiously entered the kitchen, on the alert for anything suspicious. The room was empty, but it hadn't been abandoned long; the fire was still crackling in the hearth, and there were dirty dishes on the counter. Welp released her hand, his head disappearing around the corner. "Hello? Anyone here?" Tui called out, nearly jumping out of her skin when she heard a loud, ominous creak from the back of the room.

They're here! a voice cried in her head - all of their heads, as the Kafshu were telepaths who spoke with their minds instead of their throats. Welp jumped up, waving his hands for their attention, as seven more of his friends filed out of the pantry. We heard the alarms. We hid, one female explained shyly, looking up at Tui, and the two human companions they hadn't met before when the Endeavor came to their world.

"These are my friends. You can trust them! Let's go," Tui explained, looking back at Ender and Mari, and the doorway they'd come through. "Is the coast clear?" she asked them, still oblivious to the thick, ropy vine that was slithering out of a nearby drain, slowly approaching her ankle.
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[info]medcheck
2020-10-23 01:41 pm UTC (link) Track This
To say she was grateful to see familiar faces in the room would have been an understatement. There was a sense of relief, unfortunately she would learn not to get comfortable in that feeling. The lights went out momentarily and the comfort disappeared. It was not reignited with the red lights. Having no real sense of direction in any of this she followed the other woman around the corridors and could only imagine what the bread was made out of.

The wetness of her clothes as they clung to her were evident as they now sent chills through her body. The fire was a comforting lie, despite it bringing a mild warmth to her the empty room seemed questionable to her. Well this is new as she thought to herself, never having dealt with telepaths before.

Mari smiled warmly at their nervous faces. "I'm Kamaria, and this is Ender. We're all here to get you guys out of here." She wasn't sure the introduction was appropriate at the moment. They needed to get out fast. Mari stuck her head out of the door way of the kitchen to see if the coast was clear. It was, but when she looked back, she noticed the vines, and then the creature attached to it.

Swallowing hard, she did her best not to panic, eye wide as she called out for Tui. "Tui look out, your leg!" She tried to warn her without having the time to explain everything in that moment.
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[info]welfare
2020-10-23 03:44 pm UTC (link) Track This
This felt like nothing less than a rat's maze, as they were shuffled from one room to the next. He began to wonder who or what was really controlling these little scenarios and what kind of time it was buying them. And for as much as he adored Dagger, he was tired of being the rat in this scenario. One door opens, another closes. They all had their missions, escaping dark shadows, and floating curtains seemed to be the least of their problems.

However, the scent of the bread only kept him up on guard. For all he knew, the next room would have something new out to break their bones for it's bread. Being soaking wet, that felt like the least of his problems. It added a weight, and likely later chaffing, but one didn't have to worry about those things if they ended up with that group of spirits they left behind. Armed, he followed behind Tui as she called out.

Not giving the happy bunch more than a curt nod, he stayed on watch. Uncertain of what exactly was going on and hoping for new information. But he kept his thoughts and words to himself. However, the movement of something green around a sink? After Ender's own experience with man eating plants on Terminus, he was a little extra touchy about these sorts of things. The idea of anything big and green, was bad enough, but even the smallest of slithery vines was a huge nope in his book. He was not looking to play bondage time with plants yet again.

The second that the unnatural vine was noticed, a knife was thrown in it's direction, in an attempt to halt it. Whatever was coming for them, it seemed to be of the same color as whatever water mixture they had jumped through. "What if we're covered in something that calls to it?" Or worse, parts of it. He was truly beginning to hate plants. Either way, they needed to move.
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[info]wayfind
2020-10-23 07:03 pm UTC (link) Track This
Like an ardak herder rounding up the flock, Tui tried to get the Kafshu arranged in an orderly fashion so they'd be protected by the others. She was about to ask if it'd be alright with them to let their medic check for injuries, but she heard Kamaria's warning first, looking up when she heard her name. "My leg?" Tui asked, puzzled, then looked down to see the long tendril probing at her boot, about to close in a loop around her leg when the knife was thrown. She jumped back, "Au, what's that?"

Another man eating plant, all the way out here? She'd been done with sewers and overgrown vines since the summer, but somehow they didn't seem to be finished with her. Tui backed up, trying to get the Kafshu to do the same and move away from the figure pushing out of the basin against the wall. They didn't make any outward noises, but she could hear their gasps in her head, and sense their growing panic, skittish as rabbits. "Stick behind me, eh? Won't let it hurt you."

But not all of them seemed terrified. Welp was still the bravest of them all, a fighter since they'd worked together to overthrow their old masters on Ardelve. He ran to pick up the thrown knife from the floor before Tui could stop him. "Wait!" she called, reaching to keep Welp with the group, but as she stretched a hand out to catch him, the vine whipped around to slap her away with enough force that the Vorut was caught off balance. Tui was knocked backwards into a flimsy wooden chair, breaking it into splinters, but she was only stunned by the blow rather than hurt.

Simultaneously, the grating over the drain groaned as it gave way to a hulking green mass of slime. Yellow eyes glared at the intruders from within the tangle of plant matter. Two more vine appendages reached out to grab the matching table next to Tui, lifting it and tossing it at the doorway to block their exit.
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[info]medcheck
2020-10-23 10:46 pm UTC (link) Track This
This wasn't the time or really the space to be dealing with this green, slime ball. To be fair, it was never a good time dealing with it, but there they were and they had to figure out how to navigate through this. She was convinced there was a man in a room full of monitors just enjoying his life and their misfortune, pushing all the buttons.

The blade whizzed by and slashed the vine, enough to get Tui out of dodge for the moment. She was impressed with Welp and his seeming fearlessness. She just hoped it didn't cost him or them later on. She knew few things about Tui, but her being a practical tank was one of them. She watched as the chair shattered.

Quickly she scanned the kitchen, the knives were out of reach but that wasn't going to stop her. She ran across the small space, jumping over the turned over furniture and grabbed two butcher knives. She was going to have to remember to pick herself up some throwing knives when she got back.

Without hesitation she spun the knives in her hands before charging the monster, slashing at the vines that seemed to be doing all the dirty work of the hideous thing sent to destroy them.
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[info]welfare
2020-10-23 11:42 pm UTC (link) Track This
This entire day already felt like hell in a handbasket. What else could go wrong? Ender wasn't actually prepared to ask or stick around to find out. Watching the Vorut get knocked back, Ender made a move to try and grab the Welp. He had more than enough weapons on him to share with little fearless here, but something that looked like it was practically made of vines, slamming 7 foot or higher females around like a sack of small potatoes? That was going to take a little more than running at with a knife.

Looking over and seeing Kamaria going at this thing with butcher knives, Ender knew this wasn't about to get easier. If only he could set an explosive in the chest of this thing, but too close of quarters. The least of their problems. Pulling the Welp over by Tui, Ender handed off another blade before pulling out a blaster and playing target practice with the middle of the table. The only thing blocking their exit, minus the green tendrils hovering about.

There hadn't been a single thought in his head, or even a worry given that he also carried waterproof weapons. Who knew when you would end up with an accident? However, whatever that green stuff in the water had been, he wondered if hadn't been a bigger issue. As he had to smack the side of it between shots in order to get it shooting again.

As those sneaky tendrils made a move for him, the Welp began slicing any making a move for them in the process. However, missing one, as it went for the Welp, Ender shot that tendril back a little more worried about Kamaria up there but seemingly working as a decent distraction for the yellow eyed, walking goop bucket. Waving the other little aliens he didn't know that looked caught off guard or even frightened, he tried to keep them together. Even though it made them a bigger target, and he was likely to get raided for knives, he was now on protective detail. Also shooting anything that went near them.

"Ma'am?" he called out, not actually knowing Tui's name, and figuring Kamaria wouldn't expect him to call her that. At least from what little he did know of her off of Fuel, because yes, this was that nightmare. "Do you think you could make a run for that door or no?" He was not about to assume here, given where she landed, let alone how. Vorut or no.
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[info]wayfind
2020-10-24 04:14 am UTC (link) Track This
"Au. That wasn't nice," Tui groaned as she sat up, a touch rattled from the impact against the wall and the broken furniture beneath her, but otherwise uninjured. She looked to the group of Kafshu, trying to make themselves as small as possible, a few of them 'whispering' amongst each other and pointing at the pantry. They wanted to hide again, but there was no telling if they might actually be able to stop this...thing. The only viable option here seemed to be running away. She looked over at Ender and nodded, "I'll try."

While the other two drew knives and blasters from somewhere, Tui pulled herself out of the wreckage to get in front of the Kafshu. "Follow me."

Taking the lead, she ran for the exit, only to find it plugged up by a tight weave of vines, pulled taut across the doorway like a net. She crouched low, sticking her hand in one of the gaps and started pulling it hard - the plant strained against her, but she managed to make a large enough hole for the Kafshu to crawl through. Of course, that wasn't too difficult a feat, considering it was only about a meter in diameter, and not at all wide enough for anything bigger to fit. Tui felt a tickle against her palm as thorns started to grow out of the vines, trying to pierce her skin, but to no avail. "Nice try, mate," she grunted, though the muscles in her arms were starting to burn from the effort.

She ended up releasing the vines, but at least most of the Kafshu had managed to managed to pass into the corridor outside, where they'd be safe from the reach of the monster. However, that still left the rest of their team, and Welp, trapped within the confines of the kitchens. Tui turned to see that the Thing had fully climbed out of the drain, and was starting to look more man-shaped, even taller than her, head almost brushing the old stone ceilings, bulky body taking up a quarter of the room.

It let out a furious roar as Kamaria attacked it with the knives, though she didn't seem to be doing much permanent damage to the creature. Just as it lifted a large, club-like fist to slam into the medic, Welp jumped in the way! The brave little alien attempted to block Kamaria with his body, though he barely reached her knees and wouldn't have been much protection for her. Except...the monster's hand stopped mid-swing. It hesitated, blinking at Welp, pulling back to deliberately avoid striking the Kafshu. But it didn't seem to feel the same way about the others, instead directing two whip-like vines to restrain Kamaria's arms.
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[info]medcheck
2020-10-24 04:37 am UTC (link) Track This
No sooner had one obstacle been demolished, another in its place. It seemed that the monster was ready to match it in record time. They had to think fast or they might very well make the menu, and she wasn't about to be added to a carb for someone to eat.

She was slashing at the vines as best as she could, while slowly trying to play catch up across the kitchen to hopefully get out. With the table gone, the vines appeared and she couldn't help but grit her teeth and groan. The one good thing was that the Kafshu made it out. All but one.

Welp was courageous despite his size and his abilities. Kamaria admired his spitfire nature. She thought she was fast but it appeared she wasn't. The creature was ready to strike. She was trying to prepare to try and dodge the incoming fist, but then it stopped. No sooner had it stopped had two vines come out. The crack of the vine on her skin made an echo in the room and she let out a scream as they wrapped tightly at Kamaria's arms. Moving as they tightened their grip on her arms.
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[info]welfare
2020-10-24 06:18 am UTC (link) Track This
Those Kafshu being moved out of harms way, that was at least a positive aspect that he could appreciate. One last obstacle to tackle among the giant, man shaped house plant trying to play it's own tale of bondage with Kamaria. As it stood there cautious around the Welp, Ender paused his own actions. There was a glance over at Tui. Were they communicating somehow? Was it only pulling at Kamaria for cutting into it? Had they taken this too far? Or was there more to this little show?

Had he been right about whatever green was mixed into the water? Was there something else they carried out without knowing it? What exactly made this creature follow them specifically, and not wish to harm the little Welp there? The way it had gone for Tui first. While their little ghost friends had gone, Ender stepped forward to try something anyway. But the way it was hurting Kamaria did bother him. Now running low on knives, Ender jumped up onto a counter top. Staring over at the pile of green there, he called out the phrase that had been previously chanted in his ear and would likely dance about his dreams and nightmares to come. More curious to see if that would do anything to or for the creature.

But whether it would or not, that would have to be surmised for later. Ender threw a knife too high, due to his vantage point. Missing the vine, but quickly throwing another, in hopes of helping get Kamaria free. His blaster shooting for the other. The words called out again, as he jumped off that counter and stepped closer to the walking plant man here.

If anyone was going to be taken as an offering, here he was seemingly offering himself up. Arms open wide, as Ender grinned. "Sorry bud, she's just not that into you. Not everyone's into that kind of bondage. It's always best to ask first." Another chant following his words.
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[info]wayfind
2020-10-24 08:29 pm UTC (link) Track This
The chanting didn't seem to be having any effect other than pissing off the Thing even more, responding by lashing out with another heavy vine tendril. It swept across the countertop to reach Ender, knocking jars and utensils off the surface to crash on the stone floor. One of his blaster shots tore through a vine grasping Kamaria's arm, freeing one limb. But the other vine still clung to her wrist, unyielding in its grip and crawling higher to encompass her shoulder.

Though it didn't seem to understand the content of what was being said by Ender, the creature seemed able to tell by tone that it was being taunted, and let out a roar. It dispatched even more vines from the bulk of its body to capture him, too - he'd offered, after all, and nothing indicated that it wouldn't take them all if it could.

Using her blaster always came as a last resort, but seeing the trouble they were in, Tui reluctantly pulled the pistol from her belt holster, trying to call upon lessons from last month's training. Her target shooting scores had been mediocre at best, and she was afraid of causing a friendly fire casualty. But she had to do something. Tui fired at the monster, first shot hitting the monster before it could pull Ender off his feet. However, her second bolt went wide. And any damage made by the knives and the plasma bolts was quickly repaired, the plant matter rebuilding its cells at a rapid pace, a new bud sprouting in place, faster than even the Od'ree plants infecting the station. Hacking and slashing seemed increasingly futile.

Yet she couldn't just give up. Tui knew it was foolish and desperate, but she didn't want to see the humans get hurt. Even though it was a fight she'd inevitably lose, she thought she could at least buy them some time to escape, as it'd take much longer for the monster to crush her bones. "Let 'em go!" She charged toward the Thing, planning to tackle it with her full body. On the verge of collision, Welp again jumped in the way, and Tui had to skid to an abrupt halt before they all crashed together. "Au! What are you--"

Stop! Please! the little voice shouted in each of their heads, as Welp waved his arms. No more fighting! It's all a misunderstanding. Tui tilted her head at him - the monster's violent intent had seemed pretty clear to her, but she asked, "What do you mean?" Welp blinked, looking back at the beast, who had stopped moving - stopped trying to squeeze the life out of Kamaria's arm - then up at Tui, putting a hand on her leg. He thought you were stealing me. He doesn't want to be alone here.
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[info]medcheck
2020-10-24 10:52 pm UTC (link) Track This
The more she struggled to break free, the more the creature's grip on her arm intensified. She couldn't just let him take her, so she had to fight back. Although she wasn't too sure how good of a job she was doing at defending herself.

Without Ender's blaster hitting the tendril she would have been really stuck. She couldn't reach for her blaster that was holstered around her thigh and she used up all the kitchen knives. The best she could do was use her free hand to try and untangle the mess that was being made of her arm.

Her hand remained on the tendril on her hand as she turned her gaze from the green ropes around her arm and to the smaller creature who was speaking to them. "Well someone should tell him he's hurting your friends." It was a hard thought to wrap around that this creature had attacked them, despite seeing Welp trying time and time again to protect them. "Can you tell him we're not here to steal you, that you want to go?"
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[info]welfare
2020-10-25 05:55 pm UTC (link) Track This
There was a short-lived moment where Ender grappled with a single hope. That whatever was about to happen, that at least he might have served as a particular distraction to this mean, green machine. And that it might cause the growth it had going over at their only exit to be willed away long enough to achieve more of an accomplishment for the women and remaining little Welp in the room. And likely a small bit of his own amusement and relief in making someone else here feel about as pissed off as he was beginning to feel from all of this.

Where Ender wasn't really one for hugs, this wasn't so bad. Maybe he was about to wake up in a mental institution and find himself in a straight jacket. His mother being the sane one, and actually visiting him? Maybe he'll be greeted by the remains of his dead father, next, in this hell hole? But before his own life was flashing before his eyes, he wondered just how tight this was going to get. And if this thing realized that if he squeezed just right, he might detonate something? There was hope for a big finale from this place yet.

Thankfully, none of that came into fruition as he quietly watched everything about this room change. Okay, so they must have helped the trapped ghost buddies flee, but when did this thing meet any of them? Ender paused in thought as he didn't really want to know and he wasn't out to blast those thoughts towards anyone. However, "This feels like discrimination," he muttered under his breath. Had it only been based on the looks of them all that turned into us versus them? Or the fact that they were specifically who got free with the ghosts who were nowhere near them now? It didn't matter, this was a story for HR, so he could file a laughable claim.

"What if he comes with us too? Sees that we mean no harm? And he won't be alone anymore?" he tried after Kamaria's question. Although, his thoughts leaned towards how much Dr. Honda would love this thing. Ender wanted nothing more than to get out of here.
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[info]wayfind
2020-10-25 07:45 pm UTC (link) Track This
As they stood there trying to sort out what was really going on here, Tui felt a flush of shame for failing to do what she normally tried first: talk it out. Though she couldn't be sure saying anything to the monster - the being, or whatever was the least offensive descriptor would've worked to calm the situation, she realised she hadn't even tried. Everything had escalated so quickly, from fear to aggression, to outright violence. Tui couldn't remember what had triggered it, but she knew both parties had immediately labeled the other as a threat, and she hadn't paused to think otherwise. When had she stopped being that person?

No matter - it wasn't time for reflection right now. Tui put her hands up and stepped away from the Thing, which seemed to mimic her surrender by reeling in the vine appendages, releasing Ender and Kamaria, unblocking the doorway, and recoiling into its corner by the drain. It looked down at Welp, and let out a moan that sounded like a branch creaking in a windy storm. Words to him, but unintelligible to their ears. The diminutive alien let go of Tui's leg and stepped closer to the Thing, reaching out to put his hand on a vine. After a moment, he nodded, then looked back at the group, Would you really do that? Take him away with us?

Though she wasn't exactly in position to make that final decision, Tui had a feeling she might be able to persuade the commander to agree. Their mission had been to save the Kafshu, but the Endeavor had developed a reputation for rescuing other lifeforms, and for protecting endangered species. "Yes, of course. We don't want to hurt anyone, we just want to leave this place!" she explained, a bit exasperated by it all. The tour of the castle seemed designed to place them under as much duress as possible, and clearly no better for the long term residents, angry and restless enough to take it out on the wrong people. "We can bring you back to where you came from, maybe? We could take you home."

He doesn't know where home is anymore. It's been a long time since the Vikomt brought him here and put him in that room. But... Welp's ears flicked, eyes moving back and forth between all of them. He'd like to stay with me. Wherever I go. Vadu put me in the houseboat when he thought I was making too much trouble, thinking the Thing would eat me. But he didn't.

Tui couldn't help but smile proudly at that, "Au. Always making friends in odd places, aren't you?" Her comment seemed to make the kafshu blush, wringing his hands together. She looked back at the others, "What d'you think? Reckon we have room for one more in our party?"
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[info]medcheck
2020-10-25 08:06 pm UTC (link) Track This
How did it get to this? It was pure chaos earlier, with the creature going for her shipmate's legs, throwing her, blocking their way out. There hadn't been time to talk anything out, there was no signs that this thing was anything less than an enemy. But here they were.

Kamaria shook her arms and rubbed on the sore muscles that had been restricted. She had a soft spot for creatures, had she ever met Welp before she'd have showered him with adoration, just as she did her robotic bird. She wasn't sure making a new for herself being someone to take on all creatures was a good or bad thing.

Looking around the room it was evident everyone wanted to leave, to leave this maze like prison. She nodded towards the green creature. "I'm not sure what our commander or the others would say. But it is displaced and it deserves to be out of this fresh hell." Turning to Welp she smiled softly. "I think you and your friend should get going with us so we can meet up with the others and get out of here.
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[info]welfare
2020-10-26 12:31 am UTC (link) Track This
The second that Ender didn't feel the hug of life still around him, he was quick to make his way for the exit. Not for the sake of getting away, even though he wanted out of this place more and more. He was more worried about who was on the other side of the remains of that path. More specifically, those they had sent out there alone to take cover. With the current monster issue here was no longer one, or seemed not to be, there was no telling who or what might have made their way this way too. Regardless of how this turned out, there was no telling how friendly or not so friendly anything else might be here, when crossing their paths. Let alone who might want to take a bite out of them, or also look for a ride out.

Peeking his head through the doorway, he looked back only to give a curt nod to the question at hand. "I hope this means he has a better clue than we all do, on how to make an exit from this place?" Hope didn't accrue to facts though. Especially if he had been nothing but some type prisoner here himself. But the possibility of having such knowledge was a simple enough one, given that the big guy had made his way through some pipes, so maybe there was some type of knowledge then to draw him this way after all? Ender's curiosity was piqued here.

Moving back into the next room, he made sure that the coast was clear, beyond the safety of Tui's little Kafshu friends. The scent of freshly baked bread in all of this did nothing to calm his own worries about being anywhere near a kitchen in this mess. If anything, it led him to being more worried about what might be around any corner.

Quick to make his path back, he looked between each of the faces in the room, doing his own version of a mental headcount. "Looks clear, but we should really book it before something less friendly decides to come finding us." Ender stated, before looking at the creature. "No offense."
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[info]wayfind
2020-10-26 04:28 am UTC (link) Track This
After Welp translated, the Thing let out a grunt, the mountains that made up their 'shoulders' rising and falling in an indifferent shrug. None taken. It was surprisingly easy for everyone to fall in line, now that they'd had a chance to sort out allegiances. Or at least Tui was willing to give the benefit of the doubt here; if Welp would vouch for his new friend, she'd follow his lead.

Speaking of which, "Welp and... Buddy here can guide us out to the nearest castle exit. I'll go next. Make a pretty good shield. You all fall behind me." If anything out there was going to come looking for a midnight snack, Tui was the best front line protection for everyone else in their crew. "Grab a partner," she instructed the rest of the kafshu, who gathered up directly behind her as they moved into the corridor. The little aliens gripped each other's hands and stood in pairs and trios. Kamaria could follow behind, and she expected their Dauntless mate had their backs and could bring up the rear.

With everyone in order, Tui helped Welp find a perch atop the Thing's nest of slick vines and brambles that made up its body. The pair shuffled ahead with oddly soggy footsteps, leaving a trail of slimy water behind on the smooth stone tiles. "Watch your step," Tui warned as she followed, keeping her eyes peeled for any other motion nearby. Besides the red emergency lights, there were a few hovering candles illuminating the passage, which soon led them to a crossroads. Tui leaned to one side to peer between the leaves at their options, "Left, right, straight ahead?"

Left, he thinks. There's fresh air that way, Welp announced before Thing was lumbering ahead around the bend into the adjoining tunnel. They were a few meters inside when Tui thought she heard a strange humming sort of sound - or was it a voice? - echoing down the passage. She aimed her flashlight ahead, uncertain whether the source was someone from their crew, or...something else. "Hello?"
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[info]medcheck
2020-10-26 01:53 pm UTC (link) Track This
After what happened on their last mission, on Terminus and now being attacked by this one; she was going to do without plants for a while. She was just happy that nothing was currently holding her against her will, but she knew better than to get comfortable in that thought.

She didn't object while Tui gave the orders. The less they stopped to talk, the faster they could get out of these walls and back onto their shuttles. One step closer to being safe. The Kafshu seemed to agree with Tui as well, quickly linking up and keeping close to their partner.

Her flashlight stayed in her hand, mostly lighting the way for everyone to see the ground in front of them, especially their newly acquired Kafshu friends. She didn't walk too fast, as the smaller creatures legs could only move so fast, making for the hallway to seem tight and stretch on long.

Fresh air didn't exactly mean mean a safe exit. Wasn't this place on a cliff? That could be a very far and dangerous move if they weren't careful. Her eyes narrowed as she heard the humming and tried to make the connection of what it could be. Her flashlight no longer lighting their feet, she lifted the beaming light to try and illuminate the narrow space with Tui.
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[info]welfare
2020-10-26 11:28 pm UTC (link) Track This
Jumping up onto this party train as the caboose, Ender was just happy to be getting past this little hiccup and back to getting out of here. He couldn't care less who led and who followed, what mattered most to him was where that led them. More than content to be a team player than anything, it was easy to fall in line upon given direction. And he was easily out of his league here. Helping get Tui's Kafshu friends out of here may not have necessarily been his actual mission that had him here, but that was his mission as of the moment they made it into kitchen. Because that was obviously who these women had been looking for. Separated from his own people, and not knowing where ever they might be, he couldn't believe his own captain would expect any less of him.

Not a single word was uttered, not a thought blazing off, as he only responded in quick nods or moving. His back to the group as he followed out of the kitchen. He didn't want to worry about being grabbed like someone at the back end of a horror movie. A blaster in one hand, he kept a sharp eye out for what he could see. The darkness didn't bother him in the least. Only worries about what might be hiding in them, given their now much larger group.

With the way they had already slipped in and out of rooms that was beyond whatever science they may have known, Ender didn't know if he trusted any direction. Even if it held fresh air. But this, here and now, he was willing to follow whatever direction the group went. And now it seemed to be following the light, once again. He hoped that wasn't supposed to be some level of foreshadowing for where this was really leading them. Not having heard anything beyond the humming, he paused, straining his own hearing in an attempt to see if he could catch what was being heard.
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[info]wayfind
2020-10-27 07:16 pm UTC (link) Track This
Nothing responded to her call, the beam of Tui's light hitting nothing but more of the corridor. Maybe her mind was just playing tricks on her, after those looming shadows and shifting footprints in the other chamber. Tui wasn't prone to claustrophobia, but she was eager to get out of this tunnel. It felt like they had been walking for what felt like hours rather than minutes, her back starting to hurt from being thrown as much as it was from slouching the whole way. As they hurried along, the pitch of that strange noise shifted, from an almost electrical buzz to a lower rumble.

In the distance, she heard something fall, object rattling around on the floor like a marble being dropped. The thrum grew louder. "What is that?" she murmured, looking around again. Welp's ears twitched, and Thing grunted, then started moving faster. On the ground was a lamp that had fallen from the ceiling, which Tui carefully skirted around and indicated the others watch their step, too. Suddenly, there was a much louder crack and the whole corridor shook violently, like an earthquake, so hard that Tui stumbled to her knees.

One of the little Kafshu behind her let out a yelp as it sank into the floor! Before she could reach for it, one of Thing's vines shot out to catch the Kafshu, picking her up before she disappeared through the gap in the ground. Another violent tremor caused more of the ceiling to crumble, but they needn't worry about what was coming down from above, because it looked as if the floor was about to break apart beneath them, stone by stone.

"Au kefe," Tui cursed, scooping up three of the Kafshu in her arms, the rest clambering up on the Thing's back to hitch a ride. "This place is going down. Run for it!"
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[info]medcheck
2020-10-27 10:44 pm UTC (link) Track This
The fact that Tui heard noises, and she heard it to brought her back to the tunnels with disappearing footprints, and chanting. Oh how she wasn't going to miss chanting. These hallways had no real end and she was more eager than ever to get out of them. A rumble. Rumble was never usually a good sign and with what they had been through, did they really need more bad luck?

The dropping and rattling of things up ahead made Kamaria's steps all the more careful. She wasn't sure what they were heading towards and if that meant worse for ware. They were in a dingy hall, she didn't want to have to turn back and play Indiana Jones to some boulder coming their way. However, that didn't appear to be the case. Careful of the lamp on the floor she moved closer to the wall with her fingertips grazing the stone.

When the crack erupted she screamed from being startled. Then the shaking, her eyes closed a moment trying to steady herself but despite her bent knees in a stance that was meant to distribute her weight and help with balance she found herself thrashed to the ground.

Picking herself up quickly to her feet she helped the other Kafshu get to Tui and the thing. She was behind them and the gap in the ground she didn't want to get separated or hold her and Ender back. Doing a quick glance over at everyone, to make sure they were secured she waited until the thing and Tui started to run before she began running.
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[info]welfare
2020-10-28 02:07 am UTC (link) Track This
Where the previous footprints and chants had bothered everyone else in such a way, Ender was actually beginning to miss them. At least they had apparently led them in the right direction before worse things started up. Whether they were really something all too paranormal, or simply someone else in need of helping, it didn't really matter. There hadn't been any harm done, unlike a certain green guy in the front who was now trying to get out with them for the battered ride and lack of isolation. It was safe to say, Ender might have preferred the ghosts.

Things falling around them, that was never a good sign. There was no train coming through here outside of then. Behind them, he could hear and even see some bits falling in the distance. Lights flashing, even a table rumble into the hall just before the area around them shook hard. Hard enough for Ender to grab ar the wall as he fell to his own knee. But as he stood in his own attempt to run, the ground began to give way in front of him. Following the cracks in the walls, widening, leaving him without room to even try and get over with the others.

Above him, something had come loose from above, looking to be what he could only make out as piping. At least given this position in the dark. Taking a few steps back, he ran for it, hoping that it would be stable enough to help him reach the other side, as the group was making it's way for the exit.

His feet landed roughly, even slipping some, but not enough to stop him from catching up. Instead, what did was a new, unforeseen sinking hole he had stepped right into but two feet away from the group. Eyes widening as he slipped into the ground himself.
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[info]wayfind
2020-10-28 03:14 am UTC (link) Track This
Everything was falling. Tui hadn't, not since she'd stumbled the first time and picked herself up. But she considered herself just lucky for that, given how she probably came in second in weight class here, right behind Thing. His heavy footsteps probably weren't helping matters much, either, adding to the stress on the flooring that was coming apart. All they could do was keep running, trying to find the exit, trusting the Thing had better senses than theirs - until Tui heard that loud, sharp crack, felt her boot slide backwards.

Catching herself, she turned just in time to see Ender trying to swing across the growing gap behind them. He made it - but before she could let out a cheer, he was plummeting down and Tui did the only thing she could think to do - she dove for the new hole in the floor, arms outstretched to grab him. Her reach was thankfully rather long, able to wrap her strong hands about his wrists before he could fall all the way into the pit below. Half of her body was aligned with the floor, the upper part bent over the hole.

Little hands dug into her shoulders, heels in her back, one set of arms trying to choke the air out of her throat until Tui took in a sharp gasp and let the Kafshu know to ease up on her. Instead, once they released her, they shifted over her shoulders to try to grip at Ender's sleeves. They were all clinging to him, but she didn't have the leverage to drag him out of the crevasse that had formed under the castle. It was up to Kamaria to assist him in climbing, perhaps with some help from the Thing's vines, if the creature was feeling generous. "Help him up!" she wheezed, doing all she could to keep the man from slipping out of her grasp.
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[info]medcheck
2020-10-28 01:46 pm UTC (link) Track This
Things were going to hell in a hand basket and fast. The hall went from uncomfortable to a death trap. Time wasn't on their side and they would have to get out of here before they were stuck in here for good. Hopefully they were going towards an actual exit and this didn't become a rescue mission for their bodies.

Mari's eyes followed the direction of Tui's body. It was diving straight for the security officer of Dauntless that had been with them through this whole ordeal. "Welp, uhm...creature. Come back!" She looked in their direction momentarily in hopes they heard her and were coming back. "Teammate down. Please, can you get your friend to use his vines to help him out?"

Quickly turning her attention to the hole in the ground and her current team mates. She ran over quickly. There wasn't much she could do in terms of getting leverage. She got on the floor next to Tui and reached out to give Ender something to grab onto. There was a crack in the floor, sinking the toes of her boots in she used it to anchor her body. "I'm anchored into the floor as best as I can, use me for leverage to pull him up. Ender if you can, try grabbing my arm and pulling yourself out." Her arm outstretched for him.

Green vines came jutting out from the darkness behind them, wrapping around Tui's and Kamaria's ankles. More came down the sinking hole, reaching down to wrap around his wrist, trying to steady, pull or anchor everyone so nobody was lost today.
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[info]welfare
2020-10-29 04:07 pm UTC (link) Track This
Things weren't looking good here, felt like the proper internal manta since the second they found themselves at the front door of this place. This was though, his first actual mission with the Dauntless and to a degree, he was half expecting for it to be his last. At least if there were some other creature feature that would come for them around another corner. Instead, it was the place coming down, and for some strange moment, he found himself a little more accepting of being taken out in that sort of fate. The type of circumstances that could not be controlled. But then, there was Tui, who he managed to look up at. A sense of relief flooded him, mixed with worry, as he took in the sight of what was below him.

Darkness. There was no telling how deep this place truly went, nor where the end of this cracked open pit tore into. What might lie down there, beyond some flashing lights, telling the tale of lost walls and flooring. That was no way to make an exit. The inside of this cracked ground, it held little help either. His feet dangling there, as he searched for something to grapple or even dig his boots into or on, and found nothing. His angle made it too difficult to grab onto Tui for any worth either, not wanting to struggle and make it more difficult for her.

Upon being directed on where to reach, he did so. Grabbing just above Kamaria's wrist with his hand, he held as tightly as he could, hoping he didn't add to the hurt that was laid there earlier. His own feet moving to try and help them and himself in this. The first time, barely brushing and sliding past the dirt and rock. The second time gaining hold for no more than a few seconds. Nothing able to bear his weight or give him any control in this matter. The vines wrapping around his own wrist, began to pick up pace. Covering more of his arm as he was slowly lifted from the hole in the ground.

It wasn't until his feet met the ground, another shake to the ground found them all. He wasn't able to get out more than a quick, "Thank you," before he found himself waving everyone on ahead. They still were in desperate need of getting out of here. For all these efforts, they might have made it to safety, if it hadn't been for him falling through. The vines around them being pulled back to the creature harboring them, he may have gained a new respect but he wasn't about to go thinking about that now. Not when everyone needed to make it to that exit.
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[info]wayfind
2020-10-30 02:30 am UTC (link) Track This
Once she felt Ender's weight lifted from her grasp, relieving her of the burden of literally holding someone's life in her hands, Tui laid on the ground a moment longer. Both to catch her breath, and to give her muscles a chance to relax after feeling like she'd had her whole body stretched over a rack. A very long rack. Would the ADF cover a massage if she filed it as physical therapy? We must hurry! Welp's voice probed urgently in her head, prompting her to finally sit up and get back to her feet. "Everyone accounted for? Let's go."

Even if they wanted to turn back, there was only one direction to move in now. The ground shuddered again, causing more of the floor behind them to fall down into that expanding chasm. Luckily, it seemed Thing was more reliable than expected, as Tui soon felt a cool breeze brush against her cheek. Pale moonlight illuminated the tunnel several metres ahead of them, pouring in between through a gate closing off the exit. But those bars weren't going to pose much of an obstacle to their escape. Thing rushed at the barrier, using his immense strength to rip the metal door off its hinges - leaving Tui very glad they'd befriended the creature rather than than continued to battle it.

Clearing the exit, Tui made sure all the Kafshu got outside first, counting all eight heads while waiting for her teammates. On the other side of the portal was a plateau cut into the craggy mountainside, surrounded by more jagged rocks and a sloping ramp leading downward to a wider road. Tui inhaled a deep breath of fresh, crisp air, the lingering scent of that spiced water they'd swam through starting to fade away. The ground rocked once again - high above, a tower near the center of the castle collapsed in on itself, showering the ground below with rubble and debris.

"Au... I hope everyone's all right," Tui murmured, worried for the rest of the crew, but they couldn't wait here. Thing stood in the doorway, propping up the exit for the last people out of the tunnel. He didn't look like he could hold it up much longer.
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[info]medcheck
2020-10-30 01:29 pm UTC (link) Track This
Her arm was in a lot of pain, she also knew it was more important to work through the pain. She could take care of herself as soon as they got off the planet and were in the clear. What she was concerned about was the tugging on Ender's arms from her, Tui and the thing. She hoped nothing was dislocated.

She wasn't his medic but she still had her job to do. Once everyone was for the most part safely on shaky ground she gave a quick question. "Is everyone okay? No dislocated shoulders?" She wasn't about to pop open her bag and give a full exam, but she didn't want anyone struggling in what she could only hope was the home stretch.

When everyone was off the ground, she was running right along with everyone else. Finally she cleared the tunnel and out into the opening. Relief to feel the air on her skin. However it wasn't time to celebrate. The ground was trembling and the castle was collapsing. They couldn't and shouldn't get comfortable.

Once everyone was out she did a mental recon of the area and everyone, relieved to see everyone had made it out. "We should try to head to back and meet up with everyone." She didn't wan't to say hopefully meet up, but with the way that castle was going and how they almost lost Ender there wasn't really a definitive way of knowing if everyone made it out until they all met back up.
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	Ender ([info]welfare) wrote in [info]spaceports,
@ 2020-09-26 14:02:00

	
	
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Entry tags:	anya lockhart, ender fryxell

JUST WINGING IT
ANYA & ENDER ▻ NOVA HEIGHTS ▻ SEPTEMBER 25, 2657
Socialization felt fleeting at best. Attempts made here and there, for a man who was more prone to a solitary life or settling any ill feelings over a drink at a bar. The new venture into Grumble only added to this sense. The use of puppies in it felt like a tactic, but he wasn't above such things. But it was nice, an excuse to get out and actually attempt to talk to someone. All while in some forum that wasn't going to include having to dress or act a certain way. Only be himself with new scenery.

This isn't to say that he didn't come with slightly ulterior motives. Nothing cruel or particularly special in anyway. Only the ongoing joke that had to do with work and chicken wings. Once started, it felt like a proper icebreaker, for the sake of things. Or maybe he had decided to take it a little too far? Who knew. The resume he had actually made up for her, all prepared and ready to go.

His own state of dress no more than a blue button down shirt and a pair of jeans. He stood waiting at the address she had given to meet him. Already having checked out the area himself, possibly more than he needed to. This may not have been a real job interview, but arriving early, he couldn't help but be curious.


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[info]celestials
2020-09-26 08:51 pm UTC (link) Track This
Anya was a social creature by nature, which was perhaps why she thrived so much in her chosen lifestyle throughout all the pitfalls and other nuances that some would find tiring. And she usually did it with a smile on her face. Usually. So meeting someone through extranet services and setting up a casual get together wasn't outside her realm of reality. It was actually right up her alley and certainly something she didn't have all that much time to do as of late.

The spot she chose to meet him was not far from her apartment and easily accessible by the few back streets where she knew she could move around unnoticed by any media drones that were likely roaming about. Staff knew who she was and what her aim was. Plus, they didn't really blink twice when her security head took up a post towards the center of the room, only ordered water with lime, and still tipped more credits than most of the other patrons. It was the type of place she knew wouldn't be packed on a Friday evening nor would they be showing the news - Win/win, right?

Anya kept it casual, which was an amazing contrast from a morning having to deal with meetings and her feet were thankful for it. She event kept her newly dyed hair tied back in a braid with her black-rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of her nose. By all accounts she looked like any other person on the street and that was perfect by her. As she was normally always a few minutes early, she was pleasantly surprised to see him there waiting, approaching with a smile. "Hey. And here I thought I was running early."
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[info]welfare
2020-09-29 12:01 am UTC (link) Track This
Ender returned Anya's smile with one of his own. A little more at ease to no longer be left waiting, even though he had done it to himself. As she approached, he held out a hand, as if to formally shake hers. His own stance a little more rigid, but only in the moment. As if he were really trying to apply for a job and this was the interview he was about to step into. "It doesn't surprise me at all that you would." It seemed almost fitting given the things that she had told him about herself. While he didn't always have the best read on people, he could certainly see how that fell in line.

Before anything else could be said, he was handing her a barely there file, with a few copies of the aforementioned resume. The file itself held the title: Wing, Chicken.

"I hope this meets your expectations, ma'am." His own smile never faltering, even if his expression bordered seriousness. "If so, we can get started now?" he offered, quirking a brow, and moving out of her way as if he were prepared to follow her to their fate.
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[info]celestials
2020-09-29 01:06 am UTC (link) Track This
Handshake, check. Typical greeting and it was enough to make her feel more at ease about the situation that was basically meeting up with someone off the extranet who could have plausibly turned out to be a total sketch fest. This was good. Now that she made it this far the rest of the night should be easy as pie, right? Chicken wings, wine, and some lighthearted conversation was exactly what she needed in the midst of pending chaos once her news got out.

With a reasonable amount of hesitation, she took the file from him and flashed a look of confusion, possibly forgetting the jabs about a resume from their previous conversations. It was when she looked at the title that she couldn't help but laugh, shaking her head. "Oh, this. I'm sure it's sufficient enough. Let's go." And she walked into the restaurant first, having the hostess quickly and quietly show the pair of them to a table in the back.

"I hope you don't mind sitting back here." she spoke with a sizing glance up to him. "It's much better that way, trust me."
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[info]welfare
2020-09-29 02:18 am UTC (link) Track This
For Ender, seating didn't mean much. It wasn't as though he were out to be seen, in any event. Whether it was in the hear and now or if he had shown up to a place to settle by himself. Out of habit, there were some motions he couldn't help but take in. Especially with his own current surroundings. Counting the exits, the paths that led to them, leaving a story to tell in his own mind. A holofilm of sorts, that played into any possible necessary action for the near future.

"Where else would we have a proper interview?" His voice was almost flippant, even though he had only been following along the lines of his own joke. Although, those last two words were the sort that always gave him pause. Ender's head crooked sideways, regarding her curiously as they went.

Sliding into his own seat, Ender leaned back. Hands moving flat over the table. Taking in their little corner, his hands came together. "Should I wait to be patted down or should that have happened before you showed up?" Ender asked with little pause, the corners of his lips turning up as he spoke.
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[info]celestials
2020-09-29 03:05 am UTC (link) Track This
Anya didn't even look in the direction of where her security Apollo was posted because that's generally how he preferred it. Most of those who frequented that particular area knew who he was and what he was doing there anyway, but generally if anyone was a real threat they would be subject to the element of surprise.

His lightheartedness was comforting. It meant that he wasn't at all taking her situation seriously which she appreciated and was determined to not let that go unnoticed. "Ah, see he only frisks the guys he sees as a plausible threat." she teased with a glance up to the android server that came meandering along.

She quickly ordered up a glass of wine, waiting for the droid to leave before she focused her attention back onto him. "Did you do that security thing? You know, the one where they pretty much commit all of this to memory. Always on defense in case you have to make a... you know." Her hands made a gesture towards the door to imitate running.
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[info]welfare
2020-09-29 04:58 pm UTC (link) Track This
His brows shot up, as if in askance of how he doesn't look like a threat. It was only in jest, and nothing actually meant by it. But upon seeing the android server, he only asked for what she ordered to be doubled for himself. Even making sure to add 'please' and 'thank you' regardless of the fact it was an android he was speaking to.

At her question, he moved to pull at a stack of napkins. Folding them and placing them strategically. Not enough to fill the table between them, but just enough to answer her question. The napkins showed the position of their own space, along with two more over and one back. That final one he pointed to, as he looked over at her.

"You mean this thing where I point out that the woman seated here has something green stuck in her teeth and how I hope it's only a minor embarrassment and not an actual dental issue?" Mostly for the belief that it looked a little painful for him but he didn't catch more than a glimpse.

Shrugging, he smiled. "To have a good defense, one must have a good offense, yeah?" he almost laughed. "If anyone were to come in here, and were smart about it, they need to do it by covering all doors. Especially with you all the way over here. They can't just be some customer or even staff. They'll miss the mark and out themselves for nothing. Exits work for a gateway in both directions. It tells me where someone might be coming at me from. You likely have some escape plan set up, I just prefer to be able to walk out the front door. And I have surveillance on the back."
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[info]celestials
2020-09-29 07:02 pm UTC (link) Track This
Green eyes widened, inquisitively watching as he pulled, folded, and placed the napkins. Attention to detail was always something to be admired yet this was taking it to an extra level -- one that Anya would have must certainly appreciated if she was actually here to conduct an interview rather than just two people getting together for a few drinks and wings. Still, she watched, following his hand as he pointed.

Of course, she felt the tiniest bit of sympathy for the poor girl who would eventually be embarrassed one way or another by someone pointing out what was in her teeth. There was a tinge until her eyes turned back to him again just in time to see his shoulders shrugging and to stand by for the next explanation. And he did, by all counts, seem to have everything figured out. Much more so than she ever would have. "That's pretty impressive Mr. Fryxell." It also put her under the assumption that he knew which body at the bar was that of Apollo. He did his best to be subtle, though sometimes the Vorut descendent had a hard time blending in with surroundings.

"So, by all accounts, you know how we might be able to escape here without my guy noticing. You know, if that's what I wanted?" Now she was simply that much more curious, leaning forward on her elbow after thanking the android who dropped off their drinks. Suddenly chicken wings seemed to slightly move down the ladder in terms of where her focus was.
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[info]welfare
2020-09-30 02:32 am UTC (link) Track This
Ender shrugged lightly, settling back in his seat. The napkins placed into a neat pile on the other side of him. "Theoretically, yes." His response came with a slow nod. At least from what he did know, and what kind of information he had gained. From the simple turn about and the typical layouts of restaurants. Add one little extra add on for himself. Any additional surveillance Ender had was courtesy of Dagger. His little pet rat that easily went unnoticed, transmitting and recording even visual and audio data as Ender required it.

Giving his own thanks to the android, he smiled, and leaned forward himself. "But would you really want to hurt his feelings like that?" he mused, only to take the glass in hand, settle back, and take a sip. Looking at the glass, he barely swirled it, making a slight face before turning back to Anya. "Besides, where ever could you possibly want to go?" There was a hint of curiosity but also a challenge left with his own words.
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[info]celestials
2020-09-30 02:46 am UTC (link) Track This
Her lips pursed in a smirk, twisting from one side to the other as she carefully considered both of his questions and how to answer. She knew better than to cast a glance towards Apollo, so she didn't. Instead she reached behind her neck to rub there with one hand while taking her wine glass with the other. "I think he's pretty tough. Though I've never actually tried to give him the slip before. He probably wouldn't find it amusing and I'd like him to want to come back to work tomorrow." She knew he would regardless. Anya paid well enough that he'd be crazy not to.

There was another pause for her to take a sip from her wine, carefully considering where she would possibly want to go on station that wasn't there. "I mean, I'm enjoying myself here at the moment." Again, she grinned and gave a glance down and then back up to him. "You're resume is very impressive."
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	Ender ([info]welfare) wrote in [info]spaceports,
@ 2020-09-17 14:04:00

	
	
Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Edit Tags  Track This  Next Entry

	
Entry tags:	cael miller, ender fryxell

WE DON'T CHASE FRAGILE MINDS
CAEL & ENDER ▻ LOWTOWN ▻ SEPTEMBER 17, 2657
The dim lit ambiance of the bar mixed with the smokey scents that lulled Ender into a sense of calm. Content to be quietly beckoned to take a seat, and enjoy the ease of gaining a glass with amber colored liquid. One that would burn his throat and clear him of the memories that should befall him through the inwardly disgruntled volunteer work.

Leaning into the bar with his glass settled in front of him, comfortably in a grey hoodie and jeans, a deep breath exhaled. It was almost like being able to walk into one's home after a long day. But the comfort he was seeking wasn't there. It was instead found here, among strangers in silence. At least until there was a noise. It caused him to freeze in his current state. The glass not even reaching his lips. The familiarity of it, creating some urgency in the forefront of his mind.

Looking around, he wondered if that didn't have to do with anyone here. But there wasn't exactly a crowd here tonight. Finally taking a sip of his drink, he began to question if he were going mad or if there really was a noise.. until he heard it again. Sliding off of his stool, he moved for the back of the room, and stood beneath an air vent staring at it, questions swirling around his mind as he downed the contents of the glass.


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[info]botnik
2020-09-19 05:55 am UTC (link) Track This
Earlier that day Cael had swung by Vash’s to check in on how he was doing after hearing about the latest, worry about his friend not really alleviated, exactly, but some form of reassurance all the same in just seeing him. It had been a good afternoon that bled into the evening regardless, with him taking his leave tipsier than when he’d arrived to let Vash rest.

Needing to burn off energy before he went home to avoid being too obnoxious, given the current convalescing state of certain people, Cael had headed toward Lowtown. Returning to normalcy was very much still in progress, but most of his favorite places still stood to certain extents and he’d ended up at one of the quieter ones to just grab a beer and unwind. For someone who wanted to style himself as being detached, that had definitely become all a mess by this point.

Before that particular thought could unfurl further, a sound carried through the general silence. His head turned toward it. Was he imagining things? There had been a firm couple weeks where the answer to that was a resounding no, but that was all over. Right? Then the same noise repeated and the guy a couple seats down the bar got up. Picking up his bottle, Cael took a swig, then did the same, trailing casually behind the other man until he stopped.

“You heard it too, huh?” Cael hazarded, coming up next to him to also peer up at the vent. Nothing, for a beat, then something seemed to scrape against metal and he pulled a face, tension setting his teeth on edge. Others in the bar didn’t seem particularly concerned about it, but maybe they just didn’t want it to be their problem. “Not that I’m an expert or anything, but pretty sure that isn’t one of the sounds these are supposed to make.”
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[info]welfare
2020-09-23 04:58 pm UTC (link) Track This
This all felt like so much, and yet, about right given how things had been in previous weeks. All of it only starting for him with the lack of water in a pool, and leading up to the near enough loss of his rat. One who had better have been tucked away at home charging. And if he wasn't? That was about to be a whole new level of trouble here.

Ender didn't turn his head, only kept staring at the source of the noise. A slight nod, as he did. Lips pursing in thought, even though there was a moment where he wanted to laugh at the part of the comment that had to do with a lack of expertise. After everything that had happened, he wondered if even an expert would have given them the truth in this matter. A small grin welded into Ender's features, as he looked over at Cael through the corner of his eye. "Up for finding out?"

The two were strangers, but in times like these, and with all this volunteer work he's been left to. It seemed practical. At least then they both likely would be able to sleep tonight, knowing whatever this was and it didn't turn into some big conspiracy theory or ghost story. He hoped.
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[info]botnik
2020-09-26 03:47 pm UTC (link) Track This
Probably being bitten by his raffle plant should have made Cael more weary of investigating the unknown, but he had essentially the opposite reaction throughout the even stranger events that had followed and that wasn't going to abate. His gaze flicked to Ender watching the vent. "Might as well, what's the worse that could happen?"

The last was said with wry sarcasm, given recent events, but Cael nonetheless didn't hesitate to drag a stool over. The bartender side-eyed him, but didn't comment, so he gave a friendly wave. "Steady this, yeah?" he requested of Ender as he climbed onto it so he could peer into the vent, angling the light of his comm--which reflected off a pair of eyes that clambered quickly off.

The noise it made was audible to both as it moved off to the right. "Couldn't really get a good look, but it had some kind of face," Cael reported back, as he climbed back down, gesturing toward a door. "Let's see if we can go back there?"
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[info]welfare
2020-09-28 11:07 pm UTC (link) Track This
Where the sarcasm was caught, there was still a whirl of thoughts in his mind about what actually could happen. Everything from the permissible to the thought to be impossible. After everything that happened though, how much of the thought to be impossible was anything but? He had heard of strange enough events happening, but never quite at that level. The most Ender ever really had to worry about came in as far as those he worked with. Marcia from accounting could have been a plant all on her own.

Once Cael had the stool, Ender stepped out of the way, except to do as he was asked. No point in having some extra accident while here. There was a momentary worry about if something would jump out through the vent somehow at the man. Keeping an eye on things hoping that if it came to that, he'd at least be helpful.

Exhaling through his nose slowly, Ender relaxed some that at least this didn't turn into some relived moment so soon. Although, now he wanted to scratch his head over the face. Nodding, he took the stool with him to put it back, and follow Cael for the door.
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[info]botnik
2020-10-02 07:02 pm UTC (link) Track This
By the end of the plant-clown-rat madness, Cael had fairly resigned himself to whatever would end up happening and dealing with whatever had to be dealt with, which had proven to be somewhat a lot. At least the small fire they'd set in the park to deal with some of the more aggressive vines had yet to come back to haunt him and whatever bruises he'd earned from his misguided stint in the sewers had faded.

It had occurred briefly to Cael that whatever it was might come at him, but he hadn't been about to ask a stranger to take that risk instead and until they knew more, straightforward seemed the way to go. Heading toward the door once Ender finished putting the stool back, he pushed it open to a corridor that was more dimly lit.

Eyeing the vent and the sounds that kept scuttling overhead, Cael continued further down, toward a swinging door that seemed to be to the kitchen area. "Any thoughts on what we should do once we find out whatever it is?" he had one of his knives on him, but had largely stopped bothering to go out quite as well armed as he had when in the thick of it, to avoid questions.
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	panic at the disco: zoie, ender // thurs 3pm
[info]welfare
2020-09-16 03:09 am UTC (link) Track This
Between the strobe lights and the playing of Boogie Wonderland, Ender stood there staring at the sight before him. Swallowing roughly, he internally questioned if he hadn't stepped into hell. What exactly had he signed up for? There would only be so long before this all went sideways on too many levels. The way the music kept going and how nothing stopped. He could only imagine what it felt like to own this place. Although, what exactly did it take to own something like this? Disco was not his style.

A questionable glance was thrown in the direction of Zoie, once he stopped taking in the amount of visible damage and nuisance that was going to be the room. Hands flexing over the handle of his flashlight and the toolbox, as if they were somehow about to help him find strength for this. "How long do you think this is going to take us?" His only question, mostly because he was trying to figure out how long it would take before he began to lose his mind.

Ender began moving for the tech booth. It felt a good place to start as any, to at least get a better idea of the damage. "If you go putting on a pair of skates before we're done here, I'm completely going to judge you." The comment was made dryly, but he smiled to show that he was only joking. At least partially. Mostly due to he didn't think she might actually go for any skates, but either way, this seemed like a time to start learning about one's crew mates.
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[info]starcloud
2020-09-17 01:15 pm UTC (link) Track This
Zoie, for the most part, actually didn't mind the music. She was starting to wonder if that made her defective or something. At least the songs changed, right? They felt sort of festive, and Zoie couldn't help but dance a little to the music. A little bouncy-boogie where she stood in place next to Ender and his toolbox. He was already casting her questionable glances, and she couldn't blame him. She wasn't entirely sure why she was dancing herself. He asked how long she thought this would take them, and Zoie shrugged. "As long as it takes, I suppose," she mused, skipping ahead of him and doing a bit of a cheerful twirl as they headed toward the tech booth, the blue lights of her cybernetic glowing from the nape of her neck in the midst of the dim club.

Part of her was feeling rather irreverent, so when Ender started going on about roller skates and judging her, Zoie couldn't resist playing up her annoying dancing. "Judge me all you want, darling," Zoie drawled, "I'm just here to make sure you don't get hurt. No biggie." She wasn't entirely sure she could get her hands on some skates, but she would play up her dancing, if only to make him laugh and keep him from losing his mind. She could already sense that he was on the pathway there. "I doubt they really have skates. Do they? Skates sound dangerous. I have never used them, to be honest." Zoie leaned against a cabinet, holding up the flashlight for Ender as he inspected things.
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[info]welfare
2020-09-19 04:53 pm UTC (link) Track This
There was a hint of mild worry at her response. It wasn't that he disagreed, but he didn't know that he was the best person for this job. Where there was technical and programming experience given his career and duties, a tech booth damaged by a crazy, giant, people eating plant was not in that area of expertise. But he was going to push those thoughts aside as they weren't going to help him get anywhere with this now.

Even with his own comments and internal complaints, he couldn't help but think, 'At least someone looks right at home.' All for the sake of her dancing. Her comment though, that led to an unabashed snort. "Yeah, well make sure you do because it'll be a lot harder to get me out of here without the use of my legs." And then where would his sanity be, if he was still breathing left listening to all of this on repeat. And if he ended up not breathing, well, he only hoped someone left him a memorial stating: Ender 1, Od'ree 2. And that no one told his mother.

With her own dance moves there, he would have expected this to have been her scene. Some place she came to a bit more regularly. Casting another look over at her, more curious and confused, he shrugged. "From what I know, there's usually some place in these things for a rental of skates. Some pair they let people use and return. Kind of like bowling. I'm out of practice though. I hated coming to anything like this growing up." Likely more so now. "Kids and birthday parties and all of that." He finished with as he tried to take a full visual inspection the best he could. There were noticeable spaces where it looked like there had been some plant fluid that had been cleared out, frayed and fried wiring. He questioned how this was still running, but it had to be due to a back up system set in place.

His cheeks filled with air before he exhaled, falling back to sit down on the floor. Popping open the toolbox, he pulled out a leather wrap and unrolled it before him. Leaving everything else alone, he pulled out a small pad, turned it on, and plugged it into a port. Sliding his fingers over the screen quickly, he peeked over at Zoie. "Do you think you could go take a look for some spare rags or something for quick, dry wipe downs. Gloves if you see any? Might need the extra hands in here, and I don't trust what we might have to touch."
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	soup-erb science: dr. honda, nash, ender // wed 8 am
[info]welfare
2020-09-16 02:45 am UTC (link) Track This
Coming together as a community, helping one another in a time of hardship, while achieving some form of betterment through the course of volunteering one's services. Ender could understand how that might appear in written word or turn of phrase, the way the headlines might spill out and seep into the minds of others. Allowing the company approach to grow in a positive way. And that was what held him in making the decision to step forward. Slapping the hand that feeds when it needs you was never his way. No matter his personal thoughts, which he would happily keep to himself, this was a mission in it's own right.

The stale air of the room, it's pale colored walls, dull metal reflecting the light from above. Memories of another time fluttered to the front of his mind. Luckily, a distraction shifted all of that, as some loud clashing happened in the back. He could recognize the sound of metal against metal, even if he hadn't stepped in here.

Not being someone who was specifically talented in the art of making a meal, Ender's crown achievement was that he enjoyed his own food. That was about all that mattered when you weren't really out to entertain others. Expecting to only be an extra pair of hands to help here, leaving the joys of cooking to someone more talented, he headed for the source of the noise.

Uncertainty about where he was supposed to really be, he peeked his head inside in search of others. "Everything okay back here or should I be worried about the need to fend off the plants again?" Ender asked dryly, attempting a joke.
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[info]hypothesis
2020-09-16 02:24 pm UTC (link) Track This
Community outreach, the transparency of it all. Blatantly bureaucratic, PR-pushing nonsense. Let the dog and pony show commence! Dr. Honda could think of a thousand and one ways to put her chemistry skills to better use. Yet, despite her reluctance for community betterment, she found opportunities for science in the most unlikely places. She always brought her work with her wherever she went, determined to not let this effort go to waste, seizing the opportunity for a controlled experiment. While scientists were often seen as using their powerful ingenuity to save lives, solve problems, and improve people's existence, Dr. Honda became a boffin to indulge in intellectual challenges and lifelong curiosities.

The kitchen clanking hadn't bothered her any, seeming almost mesmerized with the swirl of her soup. With mask, hairnet, gloves and apron - she was concocting a sort of science. Like a witch before her cauldron of green minestrone, her ladle circled the vat of bubbling soup. "Come, give this a taste, Officer Fryxell." She called back without looking up, any humor completely lost on her. She wafted the smell of the soup towards her, and added a little more paprika. "What do you think?" She asked, turning to Nashira, "More salt, perhaps?" Her secret spice lurked in a small vial in the pit of her pocket, but the time would come for that soon enough.

She spooned a small sample of soup; one for Ender, one for Nashira, and none for Honda. "They remind me of fiddleheads, the way they curl." She said of the vines, placing her hands on her hips. Those cooking classes with Emil had come in handy, but she was thankful to have Nashira's help in the kitchen. Did you know the spoon with slits in it was called a slotted spoon, and that garlic had its own press? Honda didn't until today. Always learning!
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[info]make
2020-09-18 12:21 am UTC (link) Track This
Nashira couldn’t say that killer plants was an adventure she was especially sad to have missed out on, the story sounded utterly fascinating. “I’m still not sure what happened with the plants, but I know I love it.” Miles more fun than her final mission before leaving the AIA even if she wasn’t sure how worried she should be about getting choked out by a vine this morning. It certainly wouldn’t stop her from eating them to reassert the proper hierarchy of the food chain, though. Besides, she did genuinely enjoy helping the less fortunate. And in a kitchen, no less? Delightful.

Taking it extremely seriously, Nashira had showed up with her own apron, gloves, and enough ingredients to bake half a dozen cakes. The small crew of the soup kitchen’s usual volunteers seemed a little freaked out by her enthusiasm and insistence that everyone deserved a slice of cake once in a while. Well, whatever. She tended to have that effect on people.

She looked up from the nearly five pounds of cake batter she was whipping together like her life depended on it, taking a break to try the soup out. And, honestly, give her arm a rest. “Just a tad more salt! Love the paprika, though.” Maybe some red pepper flakes, too. She’d spent the first twenty minutes they were here flitting around the kitchen like a bumblebee to familiarize herself with where everything was. She moved to grab the pepper and handed it over to Honda. “A little kick won’t kill anybody. Probably.”
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[info]welfare
2020-09-19 05:44 pm UTC (link) Track This
Ender had a moment where he mildly questioned what if he were a better man or maybe a lesser man? It was a hard call which counted in this situation. Would he be over there with the group of typical volunteers, eyeing the events as they were played out. A little fearsome of this duo in the kitchen. Between the cake and the soup alone, there was all the salty and sweet flavor anyone coming in could ever need. It didn't matter what he was though, other than the fact that maintained security for this crew. And that led to him giving the stink eye to those volunteers, adding to the extra space given from them as he moved towards Dr. Honda.

Should he take something offered by a scientist? Likely not. Would that stop him? Not at all. Not with the excitement and ease that Nashira did, but he moved for the spoon and took a taste of it nonetheless. A brow quirked in thought. He had no idea what fiddleheads were himself. It sounded familiar, something he likely had on his plate in some restaurant at some point. A one shoulder shrug came and went. "I think it's perfect, but I'm hardly the expert here." he nodded in the direction of Nashira who was giving out pointers.

Leaning back against the counter, he crossed his arms, still eyeing the volunteers moving around in the background. "Anyone need anything? Or should I just go set up a side salad to compliment all your hard work and natural talents here?" A salad that likely wouldn't take him more than five minutes, unless certain plants needed a rewashing. He couldn't even imagine what those vines tasted like on their own. Mostly, he didn't want to.
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	Ender ([info]welfare) wrote in [info]spaceports,
@ 2020-08-17 13:39:00

	
	
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Entry tags:	#e23 rc, ambrose goodhope, ender fryxell

SQUEAK, SQUEAKER, MCSQUEAKIN'
AMBROSE & ENDER ▻ GASWORKS ▻ AUGUST 17, 2657
Throughout Terminus, there was a feel of swimming. Whether it was through the speedy growth of plant life, overcrowding of the rat population, outbreak of allergies, random people taking naps, or even those nudists having a time in the park. There was something to have to navigate through. If only that included having actual water in their pool to swim in, maybe the days would be that much easier to get through. But there had been enough trouble for the sake of little Dagger going missing. Normally, he didn't stray too far from home, unless there were a purpose for it. But there was nothing normal about Terminus, now more than ever, it seemed.

Now gone more than a day, Ender had began to question everything. Something appeared to be wrong with his locator chip. Whether it was due to a real malfunction or worse, there was no telling without actually finding him. The best he could do was keep searching for the signal, but his own irritation leaving him to smack the side of the receiver more than a few times as the light blinked in and out of view. Frustrations bubbling over throughout the course of the day. He was thankful that Ambrose was there, especially before he did anything that he really shouldn't have.

Usually, Ender would have kept a clearer head about these things. Except, perhaps, the tough guy routine with apartment management. Dagger held some sentimentality for him, along with how long he had managed to keep him. There was a strong bond between him and the sneaky little mechanical helper rat he was. And, perhaps, he might still have some personal data in his framework. But who knew for sure? That wasn't something anyone needed to know. Otherwise it might make him feel like he lost his keys because some plant or lost soul out here decided to swipe them.

Nodding in the direction of some plant growth, Ender kept knocking the side of the receiver. "You think they ever owned enough pesticide to handle that or did the gardener fall down a rabbit hole in search of Alice?" Dropping it to his side, he sighed before looking at Ambrose and then around the area, from the corner they stood on. "Thank you though, for doing this with me. I don't know how he could have even made it this far. It says he should be around here...somewhere?" A Monday after work, spent on a street corner. Yeah, things were looking up. If only he could spot the gleam of silver anywhere.

Pulling fingers up to his mouth, he whistled loudly. Ignoring any looks gained. "Dagger!" Ender could not understand at all why he wasn't scurrying back.


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[info]acquire
2020-08-19 01:54 am UTC (link) Track This
Was it possible that Ambrose was developing a soft spot for the pets of the world? Maybe, maybe - he was very fond of his own, of course, and that sentiment had grown so rapidly he'd had no chance at all to rein it back. One week, he'd been perfectly convinced that the desire to be in the vicinity of animals was something other people felt; the next, he'd had a certified avian specialist playdate provider on the payroll. They did something to one, the adorable little pests. It couldn't be helped. Perhaps some would argue that the robotic versions were a different - as it were - animal, but he was, by now, very much opposed to that line of thinking. A thing could be mechanical, and still tug at one's heart. One could miss a machine quite powerfully.

Of course, one could also feel like reading a machine the riot act and banishing it to a corner. This was Ambrose's current attitude toward Beemo, who had lately been a brat of a bot, and it was also very possible that some of his eagerness to come help Ender find his Dagger was to make up for his own (very) mild guilt at imagining drop-kicking the little robot like a football for being an ass.

More of it, of course, was just that he always enjoyed an opportunity to spend more time with a shipmate - that he rather liked an adventure - and that, as anyone could see, things on Terminus were getting odd. (Again.) He wanted to have a look about and see what was going on, aside from the apparent evaporation of his beloved swimming pool.

"Please," he said, scanning the vegetation for any sign of mechanical rat he could see. "Not at all. It's awful, what's happening. To lose the little dear on top of that - how miserable. Does he get out very often? Is there anywhere he likes to go? Poor thing probably can't recognize his way about, with all this new -" He kicked sharply at a weed that he could have sworn was coming right for his ankle. "With all the new scenery. How long have you had him?" Seeing little other choice, Ambrose stalked nearer to the line of plant growth. He heard rustling from inside; they had to check. Even if it was dark, and close, and damp, and smelled infernally like honeysuckle.
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[info]welfare
2020-08-19 08:12 pm UTC (link) Track This
Ender almost wished his own soft spot for the rat had been due to some love of animals. As far as the pets of others were concerned, he was very much live and let live. If the reverse had happened, he wouldn't have second guessed asking if his help was needed. Ender just wasn't someone who was about pet playdates or even asking questions when someone pulled out the pet holo pics. The rat had been chosen for a number of reasons, but also more about functionality with Ender.

Shaking his head, his brow knit together in thought. "No, he doesn't. He's supposed to stay within a fairly close vicinity of me. And he's supposed to stay in the apartment when I'm home." The only thing he could imagine sending the rat to leave him was for the sake of a security issue, but even with all that was going on here as of late, that couldn't be deemed such an issue? Or could it? Ender shook off the thought again.

Following Ambrose line of sight and thought, he went moving forward into that line of plant growth too. Nearly turning a nose up at it, he didn't care for the appeal of this stuff. Plants held their uses but it wasn't his best thought for decor. "I've had him, built as he is, for the past three years. But everything about him, I worked on my dad with for years. Any other version of him didn't come together quite as good. I had to work out the kinks." Especially since most of it wasn't his area of expertise, but his fathers. A lot of little areas came into play. "In total, I've had him for about thirty years."

Ender caught sight of some movement in the growth, but it wasn't like what Ambrose had seen. Was that there before? Reaching down to touch it, he paused unsure about the way the greenery moved in his peripheral. Finally plucking the piece of metal from the ground, he stood up and looked at it a little more. A slow, but red blink came upon it before it stopped again. "He was definitely here," he muttered, questioning what could have done this or happened.

Moving around the building, he eyed the corner, no longer paying attention to the vegetation, even as it leaned towards him. Catching sight of some quick movement with a bit of a spark, Ender sped up his own movements. Hoping to catch sight of whatever it was, he turned and followed.

Dagger was lodged into the holes of a chain link boundary fence. Plant growth all of it, and even wrapped around his tail. A group of much larger rats checking out the curious movement all on their own. Hissing and running into the fence themselves.

"Ah, fuck," he muttered to himself wondering why there couldn't be dodgeballs for use now?
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[info]acquire
2020-08-20 07:06 pm UTC (link) Track This
Ambrose hadn't realized he was dealing with this much of a robotics enthusiast, and one who'd been working on it for literal decades - he was all set to erupt in pleased comparisons to Fletcher and Beemo (brat-bot though he was, he was also indisputably a source of bragging rights) and a flurry of other questions about his progression, the years they'd spent together, and on, and on. But that was a conversation for later, over a drink, in a station that wasn't shaking like it wanted to send its residents off into space, that wasn't overrun with strange ravenous plant life and miserably debilitating allergens.

Following Ender, Ambrose stopped not far behind him, tracking his gaze to the spot on the fence where - "Oh, goodness." He could see what he thought was Dagger, stuck between fencing and the vines that almost hid it from view - like so many other things on Terminus, it had begun to disappear into the green. And the plants weren't the only menace, either. Whether the real rats (or rat-like-things) would be interested enough in a robot to do him any harm, he didn't know, but it looked like they were at least thinking about it.

Looking around himself, Ambrose found what looked like a likely-sized stick. He tugged it off the branch it had been dangling from, releasing a kind of bitter vegetal scent that actually reminded him of a little of a cordial he'd had once in a very traditional old restaurant near a Mahoroban mountain resort, but - he digressed. He stepped back, pulled the stick back behind his shoulder and threw - lobbing it over the other side of the fence, hoping to create a noise that would draw the rats' attention away from Dagger.

Unfortunately, there was thick plant growth over there, too, so the stick just made a sort of rustling as it landed. One of the rats did glance that way, turning to investigate - but another one looked straight back at them, like he was well acquainted with this, the oldest trick in the book, and didn't appreciate having it played on him. "Damn."
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[info]welfare
2020-08-22 05:38 am UTC (link) Track This
If only they could be anywhere else right now, Ender would have been nothing less than enthused to talk about anything under the sun. All for the sake of not dealing with this current issue. On the better side of things, maybe at some point there would be the possibility of looking back on this time and laughing about it. The audacity of the waterless pool, the looks faced from management over their attempts to reconcile the issue, the way the station came off more and more like a needy child trying to get the attention of its parents. From the over growth of these annoying plants, tremor tantrums, and not so playful rats.

Watching Ambrose's heroic display there, Ender wished these rats had any idea what fetch was because they desperately needed to bring who brought it back. It was just going to keep being one of those 'special' Mondays. Taking a deep breath, he took a quick look over at Ambrose, only to point at Dagger. "If you can find a way to get him, I'll cover you."

Without a second thought, he took steps forward. Eyeing the little freak that decided it wanted a piece of them. At first glance, even Ender would question what could this overgrown, beady eyed, uncouth sack of cheese really do to him? It was easy enough to still punt a few streets over. No big deal. Except it picked up speed in moving towards him, leading him to take those extra speedy steps to all too literally shove his boot into the rat's open mouth and send it flying. But, in this, he failed to take notice of his little friend. The one that decided it wanted a piece of the action too. Jumping up and biting into Ender's opposing leg.

As he slammed the body of it flat into the building wall next to him, two more large rats jumped after him too. Punching at them, even trying to kick them off in a way that made him look as though he were in the process of dancing a bad jig, Ender was left with grumbled threats of turning these rats into a hairy pair of pants. Grabbing one by the back of the neck, he threw it to the ground and stomped on its head repeatedly. Another being thrown into a dumpster. But the final one taking a deeper bite of Ender's leg and trying for his arm as he fought it off.

A little worse for wear, he made sure they were in the clear, at least for now with these rats. "I think I got them. You don't see any, do you?" he asked, as he moved to turn back. Looking at Ambrose in a minor state of shock.
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[info]acquire
2020-08-22 08:36 pm UTC (link) Track This
Ambrose was staring at him in horror, half-frozen, mouth open like he was about to say something but it had arrested itself in his throat as he'd watched what had absolutely looked like Ender about to be taken down in a swarm of massive rats - nightmare fuel for weeks. Watching him beat them all off in rapid succession was just as startling, if more encouraging - good to know, always, that your security team had the ability to repel an entire pod of attack rodents.

"Um," Ambrose said, blinking around, looking with some trepidation for another shiny little pair of eyes, another twitching tail. "I don't see any now, no." Maybe they were smarter than they looked - he'd have turned tail, too, if he'd been set on jumping Ender and had just watched all his friends kicked off and/or tossed into dumpsters.

Ender's taking on the rats had left him with clear passage to get closer to the fence, dodging through plants and the obstacles they'd overgrown to come within arm's reach of the thing, and Dagger, too, if he could just get high enough. The poor thing must have climbed a branch and then gotten wedged in, because he was just too far above Ambrose's wingspan to grab naturally. Making a quick survey of what he could see of his surroundings, he decided the coast was clear, and he started climbing up onto one of the heartier-looking vine clusters, using it as a stepping-stool. Almost, almost there ...

And then, just as he was about to reach forward and start disentangling the roborat, the vines under his feet shifted - Ambrose swayed forward and grabbed the fence to steady himself - and the vines moved away entirely, leaving him clinging to the fence, his fingers sunk through the vine-twisted links, his feet positioned precariously on one of the plants woven through the fence. He sighed. Well - he could still reach Dagger, he thought, if he just stretched upwards. He might have altered his plan, though, if he'd seen the plant slowly leaning down just behind Ender, looking curiously purposeful.
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[info]welfare
2020-08-23 05:06 pm UTC (link) Track This
Ender's entire world felt like a crash he had only ejected from. Everything was moving in slow motion, with little to do but wait for what comes next. For the thoughts to come to him, counting until he was able to pull a string or press a button. Gauging the scene before him, after handling some mess of smelly fur with claws and teeth. But even in gang form, it wasn't as if they were the size of the lions he had seen at the circus. Being bitten or scratched, that wasn't the worst thing that could happen, even by the number of them. Or at least, so he thought.

He had seen the entire view before him, before and after the fight with the rats. Before and after it included Ambrose. A level of the scenery had changed, with the amount of impacted green and thick vines. Where did it go? Was Ambrose alright? The questions practically hung from the tip of his tongue but never found the voice to be spoken. Watching the man reaching for Dagger again, Ender took that as a good sign. But there it was, that movement in the corner of his eye. He expected a rat, perhaps hiding out, looking for a prime opportunity here. Except, there was no rat. There wasn't even a single noise.

Swallowing hard, his gaze followed the path of the vines, moving to turn and look behind him. "Son of a-" had been about all he could mutter, knowing there wasn't time to get out of it's path. Whether he had awoken the sleeping beast, or had become much more provoking prey than those rats, it was too late to care about that now. The vines moved to strike. Knocking him to the side with more power than he expected.

The wind not quite knocked out of him, he stared at the vines hovering above him. Almost studying him but without eyes. Breathing slowed, he didn't move, outside of slowly dipping his fingers behind his back to grasp onto an old switch blade. But playing dead seemed to be another of those oldest tricks in the book someone wasn't going to fall for today. Vines moved up to wrap around his ankles, before the one above him was too close to his face for his liking.

Something about Ambrose though, seemed to spark its attention. Just enough time for Ender to reach up and grab it, except...he missed. The movement in the air, the plant seemed far quicker in sensing that intention, or maybe it was toying with him. He didn't know at this rate. Wrapping around that hand, the game seemed to be over, as it slammed his wrist to the ground. Ender's free hand flipped the switchblade, slicing into the main vine. "How are you doing over there?" he called out to Ambrose. His voice tense and rushed.
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[info]acquire
2020-08-26 03:27 am UTC (link) Track This
"All right," Ambrose replied, trying to keep his voice on the softer side, lest he attract another pack- was it a pack, of rats? a flock? a gnaw? It was also instinctive, now that he was close enough for poor Dagger to hear him; he may have been a robotic animal, but there was something in the simple resemblance of a living creature that triggered the same feelings and precautions. He had the tips of his fingers in the vines that were snarling Dagger to the fence, and he was tugging and shoving them away, one by one. He could feel the robot struggling, too, and between them, he thought - maybe it wouldn't be long. He turned to look back at Ender, craning his neck to glance down over his shoulder. "I think I've almost - where - ?"

Oh, there he was, half tangled in extremely intent-looking vines, and, abandoning his robot charge, Ambrose jumped down from the fence at once. (Dagger, mostly freed, was clinging to the fence by one little claw, and could hopefully make his own way down.) "What in - Ender!" he almost tripped on a set of roots he could have sworn weren't there before, but he made it to him without going face-first in the dirt. On his way, he grabbed the only likely tool he could see, a rock lying on the ground, not very big, but it would have to do. Not for the first time this week, he thought - he really needed to invest in a good pocket knife.

He brought the rock down hard on one of the vines encircling his ankles, and it did seem to loosen, but not enough, and so he hit it again, fraying its fibrous body a little. His free hand shot out to grab Ender's shoulder, hoping to pull him up away from the ground. His ears were no longer pricked for further rats or, for that matter, vines coming his way, but he just had to hope they had a moment to solve this problem before the next one leaped on them. "Are you all right? What happened? Can you sit up, can -" He turned to look behind himself, hoping against hope he'd see Dagger galloping to the rescue. "How is dear Dagger at chewing?"
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[info]welfare
2020-08-27 06:09 pm UTC (link) Track This
Even in his current state, Ender could admit that hearing Ambrose's words actually made the moment a little better. If nothing else, for the sake that this would all be over soon. In some form or another. As long as that didn't end in someone's untimely demise by rats bites or plant tantrums. Feeling a little more and more like he was about to be served up on some platter, for the next set of carnivores overlords, Ender was ready to get out of here. His struggle ensuring that belief.

Hearing his name, his head turned automatically, more in worry that something was about to happen to Ambrose, or even Dagger, than himself. It seemed to be his own moment for a mouth gaping time, relief falling upon him only as he realized the other man wasn't about to eat dirt. Only then, turning to try and push the wounded vines from himself. He didn't know if they might still make a go for any movement, wounded as they were or not. Better safe than sorry. Why did this feel like waking up from a nightmare?

"Well," he started, unsure how to explain any of this. "After the rats had their way with me, I don't know. These vines decided to have a go at me? Do we need to worry about the walls or fence next?" he asked, eyeing it all with uncertainty to what perils were about to come rounding about the next corner. Dagger was indeed doing his best, although he was definitely having a time himself. A little worse for wear, he was going to need a few repairs. But the idea of Dagger chewing, had him staring at a moment, even as he tried to pull himself from the vines too. "Everything's sharp enough, but he's going to need upgrades." Especially after all of this mess.

As Ender spoke, there was a tremor underground. Once freed, he was practically jumping to his feet, more worried about what was about to come for them next. Hoping not to give it much of a chance, he scooped Dagger up. The vines on the ground shifting again, but Ender was already backing away from it all, motioning for Ambrose to do the same. Although, he figured the other man knew as much. "We should probably get out of here before the next wave of what the fuckery."
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[info]acquire
2020-08-30 04:45 pm UTC (link) Track This
"We need to worry about everything next," was Ambrose's immediate and entirely confident answer. The entire station was working against them - there was nothing for it but to stay as protected as possible, and that meant getting out of the public spaces now so clearly owned by the flora and fauna of this floating disaster zone. Would he have preferred to pack everyone he knew and cared about onto a ship and make for furthest Antillia? Yes. But for now going home would have to do.

And once Ender had Dagger in hand, there was nothing stopping them from heading that way. ... Well, aside from the cursed unnatural forest. How best to protect themselves against it? Unarmed (why oh why hadn't he brought his pirate sword?), two men and a bot against nature gone haywire, nature that shouldn't even had been there in the first place -

"I think we had better run very fast," Ambrose determined, making peace with his new place on the food chain (to wit: not every high). "To civilization. And not stop. What do you say? Ready? On your marks? Get set?" He grinned - everything was more fun when it was a game, wasn't it? Even if Ender wasn't likely to actually leave him in the dust, under the circumstances, as he probably would have if they'd been on an actual track. (Especially considering how rarely Ambrose actually worse sensible shoes.) "Last one to the open road's a rat snack, what?"
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	Ender ([info]welfare) wrote in [info]spaceports,
@ 2020-08-12 17:51:00

	
	
Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Edit Tags  Track This  Next Entry

	
Entry tags:	ender fryxell, kamaria caspian

WE'VE GOT FUN & GAMES
ENDER & KAMARIA ▻ WINLOCK PARK ▻ AUGUST 12, 2657

The world was left at his fingertips. The target, a brightly painted face, mocking him as its mouth opens wide. Beady eyes watching every movement, as he holds the weapon steady. Ready to shoot at a moments notice. One wrong move, it's all that it would take in a time like this.

Determination was set in his features, unwavering, needing to win something even though he already held a few chances here. Instead, at the last minute, Ender had dropped the ball. Leaving those victories to a small boy who had been giggling next to him. Memories of a different time, and what may as well have been a different life, pulled about a smile. Trying to show the little boy how it was supposed to be done. Win after win for someone else, he simply waited, allowing other people to add to this mess, as the man taking the money kept yelling about bigger prizes if some others would step right up too. The big race to the finish.

Trigger pulled, as if to take the clown out. An empty shot of air jerked free, allowing some extra water to leak out and onto the table. Ender laughed, as the man warned him not to shoot off too early.


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[info]medcheck
2020-08-12 10:36 pm UTC (link) Track This
The circus, something she had never been to before. Must like her new job, her new life on Terminus, this was a year if not a few short months of firsts for her. With the advertisements and the talks heard on her walks it was hard not to give in to see what it was all about. The ticket was purchased well in advance, just waiting for the right moment to go. The atmosphere was one of high energy and Kamaria couldn’t help but look around in wonderment at everything.

She was going to walk around and check everything out to make a game plan of how her night was going to go. In the middle of a crowded space she did her best to not look like she was out of place. Nobody even glanced at her, but nonetheless she didn’t want to appear wide eyed and enthralled with it all. Food was going to be her first stop so she could scope out without looking conspicuous but a loud voice caught her attention. The funnel cake could wait, as she found herself walking towards the booth that was calling for players.

Reaching the booth she smiled at the man, asking how much for a round, wallet in hand at the ready. Taking out the money she handed it to him. Putting the wallet back into her pocket she grabbed one of the guns that wasn’t being occupied.
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[info]welfare
2020-08-14 09:22 pm UTC (link) Track This
Looking down a few seats, he found himself a little more surprised. Not that he didn't expect he looked out of place, but he would have normally thought she had too. This was the circus, after all, maybe the curious judgement should have been left in the back of his mind. Bypassing one for the other, curiosity won out. Moving through the empty seats, and taking the one closest to her. Ignoring the man still calling out to fill seats.

"Alright," he began, taking a seat with a grin. "Which of these lovely prizes are you about?" Ender pointed above them and to the sides, asking to see if she had already planned this out. The glories of the win and all that. "Were you around paying attention to that kid that took me for all I had?" Serious tones were long gone, only teasing the competition for the sake of doing so. Then again, it was nice to see an adult that wasn't calling out for more money.

Holding out a hand to shake, he introduced himself. "I'm Ender. Your competition for the evening."
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[info]medcheck
2020-08-14 10:26 pm UTC (link) Track This
Sitting on the seat she took a moment to look at the target, one eye closed trying to line up her shot for when the man actually called to get ready. Looking to her side she noticed the man clearing the space between them, putting the gun down on the counter. Her hand rested on the gun while her body turned slightly and engaged the man.

Her curiosity piqued as he mentioned the prizes. A smile appeared on her face and for a moment she didn’t look around but her gaze left his as she looked around the booth. It was evident she hadn’t thought about which one but there it was. “That one.” She pointed at the large dragon. “I happened to miss it, I was getting lost in the crowd and trying my hardest to make a plan of how I was going to navigate the night.” Extending her hand she shook his firmly, but his grip was farm more firm than hers ever could be.

“I’m Kamaria, I’ll be swindling you for that dragon.”
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[info]welfare
2020-08-14 11:32 pm UTC (link) Track This
Eyeing the stuffed toy a moment, he could say much about taste there. The mythical creature, stuffed and waiting for a home. Likely didn't cost the circus much at all, given the bulk of them. All regardless of how many were simply sitting there. He knew there was a whole different pile of them waiting to be brought up and fill in those empty spots. "Nice choice. Does that mean this is your first stop or were you on your way out with your winnings?"

Laughing outright, he shook his head. "I see how it is." Ender stated, moving back to his water pistol in his hand. "May the best dragon master win then."
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[info]medcheck
2020-08-14 11:55 pm UTC (link) Track This
This whole thing was a for profit event. They would make their money's worth with the food and games alone. The main attraction hadn’t even started yet but it would also pull in more than its fair share. “This wasn’t supposed to be my first stop. I had planned on getting food and looking around before getting around to anything. But I heard the man talk of prizes and I came to see. What about you? Heading out or just starting your night?”

Letting out a laugh she gave a little shrug. “I can’t let the little kid have all the fun.” Turning back, she took his lead and took hold of her water pistol as well. “I’m ready to unleash the dragon if you are.”
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[info]welfare
2020-08-15 01:07 am UTC (link) Track This
A brow quirked, lined by his own curiosity on the thought. "That's all it took for you?" Holding a pause, he was more about trying to make the truth come out like fiction. The last thing he wanted was to end up winning the way the boy had those last rounds. With it being Ender who purposely misfired and even cheered on the young one. "Would you believe I'm looking for something to send my sick mother?" In truth, it didn't matter what was believed, as much as the determination left in him to get something before the end of the night.

Laughing at the dragon comment, he shook his head. "The religious must be willing to ride the dragon until the sun sleeps." It was the only holo tv quote he could remember with dragons but it felt like the right place and time for it. Even as there was a long and drawn out, "Ready...Set..." And the buzzer went off, unleashing water from their pistols.
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[info]medcheck
2020-08-15 01:21 am UTC (link) Track This
Rolling her eyes at her own shortcomings. “I’m a sucker for challenges and big prizes.” Looking over at him, either he was genuine and very thoughtful when thinking about his mother. Or he was using it as an excuse and was probably a slimy kind of guy, however there was nothing in his mannerisms, cadence or general stance of it all to make her believe it was the latter. “Well I hope she likes dragons, if that’s the one you’re going for.”

“I’m afraid you’ve beaten me with dragon references.” She didn’t have any more quotes but was more than happy to continue their conversation. She looked over at him until the man shouted go, then her head turned back to the target, being late on fire, hitting her target but trying hard to play catch up.
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[info]welfare
2020-08-15 02:26 am UTC (link) Track This
"Who doesn't like dragons? If someone doesn't, they deserve the heat they stepped into." The old turn of phrase about getting out of the kitchen if you can't take the heat, was one of those he loved. It was something he could still practically hear his dad saying as they ran through drills. Not necessarily about dragons, but there was still some context there for it, even now. Or maybe he just hoped it did for the sake of the small memory that unfolded in the back of his mind.

On target, there wasn't a second he missed, until he noticed he was winning. And there it was again for him. What happened with the little boy all over again. Only this time, less noticeable, as he feigned a minor drop of his water pistol. Turning and seeing the look on her face, as his jaw drew slack.

"Alright, lucky swindler. Try again, after your win? I'll pay. See if you can do a double for nothing?" he offered.
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[info]medcheck
2020-08-15 02:42 am UTC (link) Track This
“I don’t think I could agree with you any more with that sentiment.” When it was her who won the robotic animal at the auction her initial thought was to request a dragon, but she was quite fond of the idea of having a raven as a close second. Perhaps in the future she could swing back around to the idea of a dragon.,

She wasn’t expecting to win, not by a long shot. She hadn’t been at the ready, too busy looking at the new man to realize the game was about to start. But she found herself at the receiving end of the win. She couldn’t help her smile and the small victorious jump in her seat with a personal fist pump.

Putting the gun down she turned back to him and nodded with the smile still ever present on her face. “You got yourself a deal. But if I win again we find another game so we can get a prize for your mom.”
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