sixthiterationlogs | OTA Arrival: Welcome to A New Beginning

Entry tags:

OTA Arrival: Welcome to A New Beginning

WHO: North Dakota
WHERE: Bunker, Outside 'Dojo', Around South Village
WHEN: February 1-5
OPEN TO: Arrival Locked to Aqua, OTA otherwise
WARNINGS: Possible discussion of canon character death

Bunker Arrival: Locked to Aqua

A tube. They are in a tube. Which of course makes a little bit of sense. Well, no, not any sense at all. Theta could probably justify it as something to do with slipspace travel, but the AI knew that couldn't be all of it. After all, there was no reason he should be aware when North wasn't. Worse, he couldn't find his chip. So things were definitely stressful for Theta, hovering there in North's mind while North hovers in a tube.

Agent North Dakota the display reads. He's here now, and Theta wishes he could find a way to wake his partner and get him out of this place.

Outside the Dojo: Obstacle Course Anyone? | OTA | (Feb 2)

He knows what it is the second he sees it, and for the life of him, North wants a piece of that obstacle course. Too many years in the UNSC Marine Corp, and with Freelancer after that, to not want the challenge.

Are you sure this is the best idea, North?

"I'm sure. Time me, okay?" North chuckled as he shifted to remove his coat and toss it up to the nearby porch. Doesn't matter that it's cold out. This place isn't nearly so cold as his home colony was. So really, going for an obstacle course in the middle of winter isn't all that bad at all. He's even quick across it, speaking of experience and serious training.

Basic, maybe, but damn it feels good to do this.

Around South Village | OTA | Feb 2-5

It's a lot to process. Being dead. Being here, being so many things. This place looks nothing like any place he's ever known before. The houses are just strange compared to even the backwater colony world he'd come from. It didn't even look like there was proper computer tech here, which was making Theta a touch annoyed. The inn itself was nice enough, warm and cozy and North found himself digging in a closet to try and find some gloves so he could be warm when he's outside. And of course he spent some time enjoying the food.

Where he really spends the most time, though, is near the jailhouse by the inn. Not because there's any particular reason to. It's just that there are so many animals there, warm and fluffy and the joy Theta radiated in his mind over seeing these animals.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

North. North, please, wake up. I know it's scary, but one of the ship staff is trying to help us. I think the Ship AI has failed to properly regulate your cryosleep. North, please wa...

He wakes with a start. His eyes open and in shock he opens his mouth. Almost chokes, but Theta's there to help his brain overcome the panic enough to slam his mouth shut before he starts drowning.

She says push.

She? She who? The panic is still there, dancing at the edges of his brain as North presses his hands against the glass and starts to push as hard as he can. Good thing Theta was there to keep him somewhat calm.

With their combined strength, the two of them manage to get the tube to open up. Aqua leaps side to avoid getting smashed by any bits of glass or the person inside, while remaining close enough to catch him if need be. She remembers how disoriented she had been when she'd been broken out of her tube.

"Are you okay?" she asks, once she's sure he really is awake.

With the glass gone the fluid inside recedes, and North is immediately over the edge, coughing. But, strangely enough to an outsider, he seems more composed with the fluid gone. There's no confusion, there's no disorientation. Not at first. Just a very distinctive cough, like he's trying to make sure his airways are clear.

"Just... a moment," he manages between coughs.

There is something wrong with that cryotube.

Yeah, I can't disagree with you there, Theta, North sighs as he gets his breath and looks up at the woman standing there.

"That's a bit of a mess cryotube. What..."

Wait... Now he looks confused. He looks up and around. This isn't a ship. What in the world? This isn't a ship.

Aqua doesn't blame him for being confused. She was, too, when she first woke up. It's not easy to be suddenly pulled to a new world without warning, especially like this and without anyone's normal clothes or equipment. Or even their magic.

"I know it's confusing. You're not where you were last and probably aren't wearing what you last were. I'm not who you expected to see, either. My name is Aqua. I can try to answer your questions and anything I don't know, I can tell you how to find out."

“Where am I?” North asks, looking back toward the tube as he tries to catch his breath. That, looking back, was definitely not a cryotube like he would recognize from home. Worse... why would he be in...

pain, he remembers pain
pain and futility
the end of a long, alien blade in his chest
a friend at the other end

Cryotubes were for more than slipspace travel. They were also for holding mortally injured or effectively dead people. A transportation to medical facilities. Which could only mean...

Panic again, a different taste of it despite Theta trying to soothe him. Like North cares right now. He told himself that it could wait and lifted the shirt he wore. No reason to get into the scrubs right now, or to question where his armor was. That would be a given. First he had to make...

When e looks down at his bare chest it is there. An ugly scar cut directly over his heart, a ragged line that told the tale of his death.

“What the fuck is going on?”

North! Language.

Of course, the two questions he asks are two that Aqua doesn't have exact answers to. Her expression turns apologetic as she watches him, looking for any signs that he might need more help than she can give.

"I don't know if this world has a name," she admits. "Everyone I know of has been brought here by people they're calling the Observers. There are a lot of other people here, too, and we're all trying to get along to help each other."

And to survive, though she doesn't add that in just yet.

So, really, she's told him nothing at all, other than that he's apparently a captive on a planet that she doesn't recognize. Which clearly isn't good enough for the man, whose fingers are still absently rubbing at the scar.

"Help each other how?"

It isn't much information to go on. Aqua wishes she had more to offer.

"Help each other survive," she finally admits. "There are two villages to the east of here, once we get above the surface again. One of them houses the majority of the population. As far as I can tell, everyone living in one of those villages was brought here against their will. It doesn't look like anyone knows how they got here, but we're all looking for a way home."

Home... That isn't really an option. His fingers keep working the scar before he sighs and reaches out for his discarded shirt to pull it on. It's uncomfortable with damp, but it's something.

"I'm pretty sure that isn't an option."

Aqua hasn't run into the dead crowd yet, but she's still as hopeful and optimistic as she can be. "It might be. But until we find that way back, everyone seems to be trying to help out around the villages. It's a great way to keep busy. I can take you to the south village's Inn. If anyone you know is here, they'll probably pass by the Inn sometime."

You do have a scar, so maybe you aren't...

Really, he's not ready for this conversation yet. So North raises his fingers to the back of his neck to reach for the AI's chip.

It isn't there.

Everything Aqua was trying to tell him, the offer to take him into the village, is all lost in the anxiety that rises up from both him and Theta at that.

"The back of my neck. Please, look at it for me."

It's a mass of scar-tissue at the base of his skull, not a neat little AI port at the back of his head.

Aqua frowns slightly, not quite understanding the significance of the request. Still, she does as asked, looking over what she can see of the back of his head. It looks like he's been hit there and injured, but she can't see anything else.

"I don't see anything but a large scar," she answers. "Were you hurt before you were brought here?"

"I was killed so far as I can tell," North says, trying to keep the pain and panic out of his voice.

I can't find it either, North. My chip is gone.

Then how are you here?

The AI has nothing to offer there and North's fingers come up tot he back of his neck again, pressing hard at the skin, trying to see if it maybe healed over the chip. It's not possible, but it shouldn't be like this.

"There shouldn't be scars. There should be a neural interface port. And a computer chip. There's nothing? There should be something."

"Oh." Aqua feels the air rush out of her lungs, like someone just punched her. "I'm sorry." She hadn't realized people could be brought here after death. That brings up a lot of uncomfortable questions, so she pushes it all aside for now.

"There's nothing. All I can see is one big scar. I don't see a port or a computer chip."

She doesn't like that she can't give him a better answer. Admittedly, she doesn't know what she's looking for exactly. Either way, all she sees is scar tissue.

"Theta can't sense it either," North sighs, fingers sliding up to his hair to grip it. If he keeps his fingers there he won't be scratching at the skin. Which right now he's considering doing because it's just easier. A lot easier.

Instead he tries to keep calm and takes a deep breath.

"I... need out of this room."

"Theta?" Aqua asks curiously. She hasn't heard about this one before.

Whatever his answer is, she still nods at the request. "All right. This way. I'll take you out to the surface," she explains calmly, turning to lead him up through the bunker and back out into the open space. "Most of the residents don't come down here very often." She can't blame them, really. The place is creepy in a way that few people have managed in her lifetime and experience, but she has a feeling there are answers here that aren't anywhere else and that is why she'd made her way back in the first place.

Eventually, they do make it back to the surface and Aqua stands back to let Agent North Dakota take it all in.

It's... not like anything he's seen before. He's used to broken worlds and battle grounds, and one box canyon. Space ships and debris fields, and North looks out at the sights that Aqua brings him to, and he just takes it all in.

"Are... are we on Earth?"

Weird.

Fully understanding the scope of unease that comes of being forcefully moved to a place like this, an unfamiliar location and a vast open space at that. No one is familiar, no friendly faces to help. Which is why Aqua tries to be there for the people who have nothing and no one like she does.

"I'm not familiar with that world name," she says apologetically. "But I can tell you that this isn't like any world I know. I don't know of anyone who is familiar with it."

Nothing and no one. Yeah, that's about right.

"I..."

North falls to his knees just to consider it all. How... how do you even handle something like this? Nothing makes sense. Not even Theta can make it make sense.

"I think I need a moment."

"Sure." Aqua understands. It's all a little overwhelming at first, realizing they've been kidnapped and transported across worlds. She'd been overwhelmed and a bit scared herself when she'd turned up down here. She doesn't blame him for feeling the same.

"I'll be here until then. I won't leave you until you're ready."

“Thank you. That... that means a lot to me,” North says, his voice little more than a whisper.

Scared, he decides, is a word he will save for his personal issues back home. But this place isn’t fear inducing yet. Not like death had been. Perhaps he will learn better soon, but for now he just knelt there, trying to process the new shape of his life.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

OTA Arrival: Welcome to A New Beginning

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Good place to end it and handwave that she shows him to town and explains more