sailmods: (Default)
sailmods ([personal profile] sailmods) wrote in [community profile] come_sailaway2022-12-19 12:50 am

DECEMBER EVENT PART ONE: ALL IS CALM

early morning on the 23rd, Friday makes an announcement over the speaker system, cheerfully asking everyone who signed up for the excursion to gather in the atrium. when they arrive, they will find Friday, very seasonally dressed, who takes them down to the tender, which it appears she will be “driving” this time. during this particular trip, none of them lose consciousness, nor suffer any sort of physical aftereffects. however, it does feel like the trip takes about five hours of just. sitting in the tender in utter silence, with little light and still air. so maybe stop being little babies about the anesthesia???

when Friday opens the tender door for them, they find themselves stepping out into the lobby of a hotel - though, if they turn around, they’ll find there was no door at all, and any passengers they see after that will appear as if they are appearing out of the ether.

there is a clone Friday manning the front desk, and though, like the others, she isn’t much for conversation, she is very snappily dressed! she helpfully hands out keys to everyone who approaches her; they aren’t numbered, and are actually entirely physically indistinguishable from each other, but they seem to open up whatever room you want easily enough, and don’t seem to work for any others. weird. the dressers and closets in the rooms also contain suitably sized winter clothing, enough to last the few days they’ll spend there, and then some. weird.

once they’ve situated themselves, they’ll find that what lies before them is a realm much larger than others they’ve encountered; the land extends for miles in any direction, including upwards, though you’re more likely to hit a cliff before the hard barrier. there’s about a foot and a half of snow on the ground, and it continues to fall steadily. the forests lack all signs of life, but the foliage is rather attractive, as long as you don’t examine it too closely; coniferous trees are just easier.

all of the amenities
are seemingly staffed by ghosts, though they give off even less of a presence than the ones aboard the ship do. there is also an industrial kitchen attached to one of the dining areas, though the meals served don’t seem to come from it, and it has a distinctly different feel than everything else around it, as if added in slapdash at the very last second.

there is one last oddity, however. every night, at about 2AM, the entire reality goes mute. voices don’t sound. snow doesn’t crunch under footsteps. even the winds are quiet. the effect ends at about 6AM. it’s probably fine.

happy holidays.
serialskiller: (conversational)

[personal profile] serialskiller 2022-12-19 03:29 pm (UTC)(link)
1. And it's glimpsed for one shining moment [The Fluffy Indoor Things]
It's strange, the trappings of Christmas and the lights and colors aren't unfamiliar to Murderbot, not wholly. The Corporate Rim still has a Christmas, a shopping festival that's all about capitalism and not at all about Jesus H. Christ.

Still, you know what, sometimes money can buy happiness, and Murderbot's going to have itself a grand old time, getting hot cocoa and popcorn and bringing its weighted blanket and media player to one of the public area fireplaces to watch a serial (maybe even a different one than its usual, something with a good Christmas episode).

It can also be found raiding the gift shop for presents for friends, enjoying meals at any of the restaurants, or lounging in the solarium.


2. And this change feels like a change that's real [The Fluffy Outdoor Things]
And then there's the snow. Murderbot's never been to an iceball planet before--at least, not that it can remember, so this is a special treat for it. It's glad to don it now its gay apparel and help with things like snowmen, snowball fights, snow angels, and even absolutely eager to go snow-tubing or sledding.

Has anyone ever had the chance to witness Murderbot frolicking before? Probably not, but it absolutely is.


3. But then it passes along with the season [Snow Rescue]
Of course there are drones doing an aerial patrol of the grounds. It's hard to cover this much land all at once, but by luck if your character's stranded out in the cold, here's your chance to get a rescue, in the form of a bundled-up bot bounding through brush and banks of snow to scoop up whoever needs help and bring them back to the hotel.

It's not quite a St. Bernard with a barrel of brandy, but it is here to help.


4. And then we just go back to the way we were [Wildcard]
[plurk.com profile] darkersolstice or darkersolstice#9463 to plot
goodweather: (woodchuck chuckers!)

the way we were

[personal profile] goodweather 2022-12-19 04:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Phil had cleaned up nice for the wedding, but as soon as it was over it was back to normal, and something about that night and everything else going on meant that he just… couldn’t be bothered with a lot of things. Like sleeping regularly. Or eating regularly. And stuff.

It’s a bit sad how quickly his routine had been smashed to bits, but given the mounting stressors he’s been fighting off with a metaphorical baseball bat, he thinks he’s probably entitled to a little falling apart.

No one said he couldn’t get a little help, though. Which is why, lacking functioning phones as they all are, Phil catches MB in the hallway at some point and asks, “Hey, SecUnit. How’re things going for you so far?”
serialskiller: (taking orders)

[personal profile] serialskiller 2022-12-19 04:39 pm (UTC)(link)
"Confusing. But not bad. How are you?"

It seems, actually, to be doing quite well. Bundled up in a striped hoodie and its usual cargo pants with a pair of Ugg boots (sized appropriately for heavy machinery), it's sort of thriving here.
goodweather: (shaman of the shadows!)

[personal profile] goodweather 2022-12-19 05:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Phil is quite happy to see it; SecUnit deserves that kind of thing, he thinks.

“Doing alright,” he offers, which is the best he can give while maintaining his honesty. “This place is a breath of fresh air. I don’t usually like winter that much, but after six months of the same summer, I appreciate the change. Erin had me help her build a snow maze game outside. You might’ve seen her turn thirty feet tall for it.”
serialskiller: (conversational)

[personal profile] serialskiller 2022-12-19 05:30 pm (UTC)(link)
"So she's keeping herself from getting bored. Good." Look, it's Erin, she's always looking for ways to fit more hamburger into her pumpkin. "Did she ask you before conscripting you to help?"
goodweather: (who can see today)

[personal profile] goodweather 2022-12-19 05:44 pm (UTC)(link)
“She did, don’t worry.” A bit more like pressgang, but he’d been happy to help either way. He loves dumb projects for fun. “Speaking of…”

Phil stops thoughtfully. Yeah, asking for this never gets any easier or more elegant.

“I’m. Well, uh, let me know if you have a free moment, but I was thinking I could use some help with my feathers.” He’s kind of let them go a little bit, he’ll be honest. The back is especially bad because it’s hard to reach and he’s been slumping against stuff more often. “It’s been a while.”

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maximumcake: (pic#14146344)

3

[personal profile] maximumcake 2022-12-19 09:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Max thought bundling up in a coat and boots would be enough to keep him protected from the cold. But that only works for so long. He's spent all day out here, frolicking and playing with all his heart. Now, as he lays down in this large patch of undisturbed snow intending to make a snow angel, his arms and legs don't want to push the weight of it. And, well, this really is pretty comfortable, all nestled into the soft pillowing embrace of the snow drift. What if he just takes a moment to rest?

That moment turns into a nap--out in the middle of a snowy day, with the flakes already beginning to accumulate on top of him. This is safe, surely?
serialskiller: (Default)

[personal profile] serialskiller 2022-12-19 09:30 pm (UTC)(link)
It’s less than ten minutes later that Max is scooped up and lifted into a bridal carry.

“You are not permitted to die out in the snow.”
maximumcake: (pic#14146344)

[personal profile] maximumcake 2022-12-19 09:49 pm (UTC)(link)
"Mn?"

Reflexively, he curls into the arms that hold him, never opening his eyes. This feel like the familiar hold of his master, and without realizing it, he lets out a sleepy murmured, "Erik?"

No. Wait. That wasn't his master's voice? That was...?

Finally, he lifts one eyelid, and peers up at his rescuer. "SecUnit? What's going on?"
serialskiller: (having an emotion)

[personal profile] serialskiller 2022-12-19 09:56 pm (UTC)(link)
“You tell me. Suicidal or stupid?” But even as it says this, it’s holding Max closer to its chest, beginning to radiate heat, trying to warm the human up with everything inside it. “You were asleep in a snowdrift, and could easily have frozen to death. You humans weren’t made to function in the wet and cold for prolonged periods of time. I was scared you wouldn’t be alive by the time I found you. What we’re you thinking?”
maximumcake: (pic#14146382)

[personal profile] maximumcake 2022-12-19 10:04 pm (UTC)(link)
That heat feels so good. It reminds him, finally, of just how cold he is. And then the shivering starts. His teeth are chattering so hard it's a struggle to answer.

"I-I'm s-sorry. I j-just laid down for a moment to r-rest."

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decrypter: (nightmare.)

wildcard.

[personal profile] decrypter 2022-12-20 01:26 am (UTC)(link)
Frankly, it was a matter of time. The excursion has been lovely - true winter and something like plants and space that's not on the sea. She's been thriving, happy enough to explore after bundling up, the days easy to manage. It actually feels like a holiday, and Helena's content to worry over things like making sure her friends are enjoying themselves, and adding another day to her ever growing count.

But sleeping comes with risks, even as she's calmed by being off of the ship, by the softness of pillows and the weight of blankets. Sleep means dreams, and dreams run in their same cycles at some point. So it is that at some point one night, she wakes with a small gasp, heart racing behind her ribs -

(run, run, the molten scent of liquid wax that sears through everything, the wind-whisper of blades hidden by fog, the piercing pain from a certain stab and laughter, but keep moving)

-slowly sits up, taking a deep breath. She'd told SecUnit a little, when the two of them had agreed to be roommates, a caution that she might be roused from her dreams without divulging the contents, so that it might not be alarmed if such happened. As it is, Helena just wants to calm down before she'll try again. Focus. What was is not what is.
Edited 2022-12-20 01:26 (UTC)
serialskiller: (wtf)

[personal profile] serialskiller 2022-12-20 11:12 am (UTC)(link)
Murderbot's awake and watching one of its serials when Helena stirs, and immediately it moves from its bed to sitting at the edge of hers, draping its weighted blanket around her shoulders when she sits it. It's warm and heavy and smells like lavender and chamomile. No words, no speech yet. Just immediate comfort, the closest thing to a hug.

(Not that it wouldn't hug her, if that was what she needed, but it's not going to be the one to initiate that.)
decrypter: (rules.)

[personal profile] decrypter 2022-12-20 11:37 am (UTC)(link)
Weight on her shoulders, and weight on the bed from where it sits. The thank you that she says is soft, more breathed out than truly said, but it's there all the same. Her hands find the edges of the blanket, drawing it a little closer, breathing the scents deep. Something else to prove she's far away - nowhere in that place had a scent like this. All of those territories, metal and cold earth, blood and stone, sharp things and the dust of time. Not herbs that feel like comfort. Breathe, like a hug is keeping her safe.

Helena feels her heart calming down, the spike of adrenaline ebbing away enough to focus again. For a moment, she's quiet, and then manages something else.

"...Do you dream, SecUnit?"

It is precisely because she feels it will not ask for an explanation that she can give a little. Just enough to understand with.
serialskiller: (Default)

[personal profile] serialskiller 2022-12-20 11:43 am (UTC)(link)
"Yes. I do. They are often terrible dreams." But it doesn't go into the details, she doesn't need to know all of it. It reaches for the nightstand, grabbing her glasses and pressing them against her hand. Another small comfort it can offer.
decrypter: (haunted.)

[personal profile] decrypter 2022-12-20 11:56 am (UTC)(link)
She nods, hands closing around the glasses, though she doesn't put them on. Just to hold right now - a touchstone. It's a relief to hear that it dreams as well, but her heart aches in sympathy to hear about the nightmares. The tiny fragments she has of its past...one can start to draw connections.

Poets talk much about dreams, but never the why. Never the repetition. There's some clinical explanation, she recalls theories from a certain person, but those are far away. A breath, and the words come unstuck.

"...I keep running and running and running from what's hunting me, but it will never stop. Not until it catches me. Not until I'm sent back."

The broadest strokes of it all, but it's in exchange for those fragments. More, for now, isn't needed.

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pineapplesalmon: (goatee general smile)

1

[personal profile] pineapplesalmon 2022-12-22 02:11 am (UTC)(link)
César's looking for a quiet space with a cup of hot cocoa to read but is open to other plans. He spots a certain person that insists it's not watching a movie and pauses for a moment before heading over. If it wanted to be alone, it would've picked a spot away from everyone.

But he's not going to interrupt a movie, just give a quiet nod and sit down close enough to watch it. César can't help it. All of Rin's serials are interesting partially because it's real life science fact.
serialskiller: (parade rest)

[personal profile] serialskiller 2022-12-22 02:14 am (UTC)(link)
And Murderbot scoots about a butt-width closer, and re-angles the media player so it's easier for César to watch, and if that isn't an invitation shouted at the top of its lungs, nothing is.
pineapplesalmon: (goatee derpy smile)

[personal profile] pineapplesalmon 2022-12-22 02:33 am (UTC)(link)
César gives another nod, this one to thank it, and starts watching. He'll honestly watching it all the way through without a single word and slowly sipping on his hot cocoa if Murderbot wants that.
serialskiller: (having an emotion)

[personal profile] serialskiller 2022-12-22 02:49 am (UTC)(link)
Murderbot is also silent. It is not, however, quite still. Another butt-scoot or two make it so it's sitting right beside César.
pineapplesalmon: (goatee huh)

[personal profile] pineapplesalmon 2022-12-22 02:56 am (UTC)(link)
César's brows lift ever so slightly. He's surprised, but he's not going to comment audibly. But he'll glance over to check SecUnit's body language to see if there's an indication it wants to be closer.

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littlefairytale: (atlas; wuhoh)

2

[personal profile] littlefairytale 2022-12-22 09:23 pm (UTC)(link)

"SecUnit!" Where's the voice coming from? It might not be immediately obvious, on account of Ruby currently being behind a snowman that's already as tall as her even at two segments out of three. Oh, and also the third segment itself. She's trying to get it up on top on her own. It's not working. "Could uh— could I borrow your tallness for a second?"

Help she has made a Mistake.

serialskiller: (snarky)

[personal profile] serialskiller 2022-12-23 01:44 am (UTC)(link)
Murderbot just takes that top segment and plops it where it belongs. "What is this? A Tower of Hanoi puzzle?"

Someone's never actually seen snowmen before.
littlefairytale: (atlas; body tilt)

[personal profile] littlefairytale 2022-12-23 02:26 am (UTC)(link)

"Thank youuu!" Ruby heaves a more dramatic than necessary breath of relief and brushes the snow off herself with minimal success. "It's a snowman! Or, most of one. Honestly I may have made this bigger than I should have but I'm committed at this point."

With the final body piece on it really is closer to SecUnit's height than hers.

serialskiller: (Default)

[personal profile] serialskiller 2022-12-24 12:48 am (UTC)(link)
"It doesn't look very much like a man."

It looks critically at the stack of snowballs, frowning.

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