a storm approaches.above ground.It is early when you wake up to a message on your watches. Those underground will not receive this message, due to the complications with service. It is a simple line of text, with no further explanation given. You’re not sure how it even came through, or how they found a way to connect to the watches. Either way, a message comes across the screen.
All newcomers to Struxta are instructed to remain in their rooms until further notice.
It’s the middle of the day, on the 17th day in Struxta, that the notification rings out. Not through your bracelets, which might be your first assumption, but through what had previously been an unused announcement system. It doesn’t take much though to realize the announcement is for you - why would thousands of minds all connected to a singular consciousness need any kind of mass announcement system? No, they are talking to you. Whoever they are.
The announcement echoes through every building, street, hallway, and room in what feels to be the entire city - perhaps the entire world, and everyone above ground can hear it. It’s inescapable, really, the mechanical voice that calmly but firmly surrounds you.
All newcomers to Struxta are instructed to remain in their rooms until further notice.
Please return to your room if you haven’t already.
For those of you who are in your room, if you choose to venture out the Hostel itself will seem eerily normal. It is not until you get to the door that you see the figure - an imposing, large, mechanical figure armed with two devices. It takes up nearly the entire door, only moving aside if there is another Circle member being brought inside. Then it will return to its post. You will notice that if you approach the figure, it will not acknowledge you except to repeat the announcement.
Please return to your room.
They are impossible to sneak past, but more creative means could provide you with a way to get through. However, if they do catch up to anyone attempting to leave the premise, all they will need to do is touch a Circle member, and an electric shock strong enough to make any and everyone pass out will be administered.
If you do manage to make it past the Enforcers, the streets will feel oddly calm - like nothing has happened at all, despite the echo of the announcement around you. Do not waste time here, once you are free - the Enforcers will be chasing down any members who have gotten free, as made obvious if you choose to stay in any kind of public (and most private) spaces for more than an hour or so.
Where will you go? below ground.Whether it is a tip from another Circle member, or by coincidence alone, you might be able to find yourself underground. There seems to be more openings, now - all centered around the area of the Races. Doors and passageways with BG’s beckoning members in, taking them down below where even the sound of the announcement can’t be heard.
They will offer safety for anyone who was not originally part of the Tunnel Exploration, while also explaining what their fellow Circle members are preparing for. About the Storm, about their history - any of the previous questions asked here will be explained to anyone who makes the trek underground. It will take a day to get all the things in order to transport everyone to The Storm, and this will be a chance for all Circle members to regroup once they make it inside the tunnels.
They press you not to wander too far, and to instead simply wait with them in the industrial tunnels below the city, a never-ending interlocking maze of wires, pipes, and metal. It’s dark, dusty, and definitely not comfortable. But one thing it is, they explain in their glitchy half-sentences and partial thoughts, safe.
The Mass Consciousness has apparently deemed you a threat, and are systematically working on a solution to the problem. There’s no telling what they might do. wildcard.This is your world to explore. Something has tipped the Mass Consciousness off to a possible issue, a possible threat. What you do with this new status is up to you. Outside of the Hostel, the natives will completely ignore your existence, like you have been entirely erased from their reality. The only ones who seem to notice you are the Enforcers, and the BGs.
For those who have decided to investigate, and hopefully put an end to, The Storm, the log will be posted tomorrow (July 28th 11:59 PM EST). ICly and OOCly you will have one more day to prepare. Please be on the lookout for that log, as the description will include what you will find and what you can assume! We will also continue to take questions over at the OOC Post through the course of the event. |
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acatamods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
acatalepsy_logs2018-07-27 11:58 pm
prior to escaping the hostel.
2
It occurs to him that while the robot's busy with this guy, Firo could try sneaking out himself--he probably would've, if he were still the same person he was as a child. But the years have made him less mercenary than that, so instead he hangs back and trails the robot and the captive back toward Lotor's room. Don't mind him, just a good little Circle member who's totally staying in the hostel!
Keeping what he hopes is a safe distance away from the robot, he calls out to the other Circle member:]
Hey, pal, you all right?
no subject
not recognizing the voice . . . ]
Just a minor bit of electrocution.
[ dryly, as he holds an arm across his middle, narrowing his eyes slightly, to force his vision into focus, to see who is hovering around his room. there's an odd pain in his chest, but at least the dose of electricity shoved into him was only meant to knock him out for . . . what, a few moments? surely only a few moments. ]
Nothing fatal -- clearly . . . who are you, again?
no subject
Firo Prochainezo. Don't think we've met before--who're you?
no subject
[ with a slight smile, showing (the tiniest hint) of fanged teeth as he does so. and, indeed, he seems to be holding up fairly well. healing would be wasted. ]
Titles and the like seem to be a wasted, here . . . it's a pleasure to meet you, Firo, though I wish it were under better circumstances.
no subject
You and me both.
So, Lotor... What was worth getting electrocuted for?
[Aka, he's trying to subtly ask if this guy was looking to escape too.]
no subject
[ mildly enough, as he rubs at his side. ]
My experience in being held captive normally suggests they don't intend on playing nice for very long . . . why, do you enjoy our housing?
[ let's bust out of here firo ok ]
no subject
It's not my taste either.
[He half-smiles.]
Actually, I was thinking I should've slipped out while you were distracting them... but since the ship's sailed on that, what do you say to teaming up?
2ish
She was already quite wary to begin with, coming from world like hers, centuries away from technology even remotely like this world's... but seeing what happened to those who tried to leave the hostel has only made it clear how she should feel about them.
From a distance, she watches Lotor be dragged through the halls, wringing her hands. She had no desire to test if the shock settings on those robots worked on someone who weighed half a ton as opposed to someone who... did not, but.
She hates it. Just watching it happen and not doing anything.
Once the robot leaves, she gathers the courage to approach, unshod hooves clattering on the hard flooring despite her attempt to walk quietly until she makes it to the door. The robot hadn't exactly closed it and locked it nicely after it tossed the man in, but...
She still knocks on it first, nudging the door with a foreleg as she pokes her head in, a small bundle in her arms.]
... pardon me?
[Was he still out cold... ?]
no subject
that being said, he comes to relatively quickly -- blinking his vision back into order once it stops swimming, wrapping an arm around his middle as he sits up, exhaling slowly. the pain isn't the worst thing he's ever endured, but even then, it still takes a moment to realize that someone is leaning into his room, not hearing the knock.
he immediately straightens, almost going for the sword leaning against the side of the bed, but he stops once he recognizes that it's not a robot, but rather a . . . whatever the woman is, she's not an android, which mean she must be part of the circle. ]
. . . hello.
[ a little warily, but lotor allows his spare hand to fall to his side, not bothering to go for the sword. if the woman wanted to hurt him, she would have done so already. ]
I take it you, too, are stuck here.
no subject
And he's not the strangest thing she's seen since arriving in Struxta. After all... he's flesh and blood, right?]
That's right...
[Though she's nudged her rather stocky centaur frame into the door she doesn't come all the way in yet. He looked... wary. She supposed she could see why.]
I thought you might need something... but all I have is food...
[Maybe the large bundle in her arms, which she shifts slightly.]
no subject
likely not. still: ]
My apologies, for startling you. I have had a long . . . week.
[ a bit tiredly -- and he uses his sword to hold his weight a bit, digging the tip of it somewhat petulantly into the floor of their newfound prison. ]
I have had lengthy instances of being held captive, and only one group of captors have ever been kind. [ to their own detriment. apparently. ] I did not mean to scare you.
[ he seems genuine, at least. ]
I appreciate the kindness.
no subject
[She hadn't wanted to make him feel the need to apologize, he was the one hurt, here. When he clutches his side and half starts to enter the room in case he needs support, but he manages, so-]
It's the "robots" who are doing this.
[She pronounces the word... like she really isn't used to saying it, and considering her species and the simple, homespun way she's dressed... she probably isn't.]
Are you hurt? I can take you somewhere if you are...
[She can't do much in the way of first aid, but she'd heard there are people here who could heal, plus there was that lady doctor...]
no subject
[ he is not being carried around by a horse person, thank you. HE HAS PRIDE. but: ]
I am hurt, but it is nothing to worry over, or waste energy on. I simply want to leave here, and I have to find the people [ person ] I care about in this building to ensure they [ she ] made it out safely, as well.
[ what a long week this has been. ]
So while I will refuse the healing, I will accept some company, if you would be so willing. They clearly seem to like you.
[ given the androids didn't electrocute her for leaving her room, though granted, lotor was actually trying to ditch this place. ]
no subject
If you don't try to leave the building, they don't really... bother you...
[But even as she says it, she knows it's... not good.]
You don't think... we should wait here? They're really strong.
[She hasn't tested whether the shocks the robots delivered would be as effective on her much larger body, but... she wasn't exactly raring to.]
3
i'm still stuck here too.
who pissed off the robots?
no subject
As far as I know, all of us have minded our business since arriving here.
They seem to have acted this way on their own.
no subject
so really all of them all at once just decided we were terrible, suddenly.
no subject
[ the mass subconsciousness. ]
You have to wonder what we did to aggravate them into action. Most of the individuals from the Circle that I've seen have been asking relatively innocuous questions.