MINI-EVENT: RENDEZVOUS

[returnjourney]

MINI-EVENT: RENDEZVOUS

March 9th, 2022
Tasked with picking up some emergency botanical supplies, the Peregrine stopped in Meodriotope in February and is now making haste towards another ship, for a rendezvous and hand-off of the supplies. In late morning, the view out of the windows on one side of the Peregrine will be blocked almost entirely by another ship — the Feather, also from the Admiralty's fleet. The hand-off will take place here, between two ships.

In the afternoon (local Peregrine time), a mini transport from the other ship docks in the Peregrine's loading bay. Three passengers disembark to assist in the loading, have some brief conversations, and then be on their way.

If you have any questions about the event, please ask here.

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1. Observing the Feather

The Feather is one of the oldest ships in the Admiralty's fleet, a fact that is perhaps less known than intuited, simply by looking at it. While the Peregrine's sleek helices and centre spire move through space like some deep-sea organism, the Feather is a great drifting whale, its broad and boxy body speckled with simple portholes. The sides are painted with murals — abstract swirls of colour, flowers the size of houses, massive birds flitting between them. There's text that must have taken quite the ladder to paint: "Hope is a thing with feathers!" The murals are patchy and worn, but there's a lot of love there.

But despite how massive it is, it floats weightless in space. It comes so close to the Peregrine's side that it almost seems like they could brush, and the ships' respective force-fields thrum as they "merge", blending into one large bubble. In the distance, one can see quite a number of passengers on an outside deck, gathered at the railings to watch. Too far to shout across, but certainly close enough to see tiny limbs waving hello!

In the observatory, the computer monologues:

"The Feather. Currently on the 18th year of its current mission. Current population consists of 295 wardens, 306 inmates, 5 graduates in-transition and 53 supporting staff. Most passengers are from Earth Variants. The Feather is currently headed by Navarch Margaret "Old Lady" Lloyd, a Navarch with 45 years of experience..."

2. Loading the Materials

Want to lend a hand? The more the merrier. The crates of Lover's Kiss must be brought to the loading bay, checked and then loaded into the waiting transport ship. Caution is a must; we can't have the flowers crushed or damaged when they're sorely needed for medicines at their final destination.

Helping, of course, are the representatives from the Feather: two wardens and an inmate. (They'll have their own top levels below!)

3. Rewards

Passengers identified to the Navarch as having assisted in the gathering efforts will have a delivery bot stop by with a clear plastic container fogged over by steam. The container is warm to the touch, and opening it reveals a lusciously greasy cheeseburger with all the fixings, a mound of thick-cut salted french fries, and the fattest, cheesiest, richest-looking slice of pizza known to mankind. The food is cradled by red food-wrapping sheets with a white PIZZA PLANET logo. Enjoy!

(Or kill someone for a french fry after weeks or months of eating processed food substitutes. You do you.)

4. Oops, Caught Red-Handed!

So there was that thing the Navarch said — the flowers are fragile and must be handled with care, as they are only useful intact. And sure enough, on the surface of Meodriotope, dutiful flower-pickers had discovered that if you plucked them too roughly, they'd explode, leaving red stains that take weeks to wear off skin, even with dutiful scrubbing. It's been weeks and they're just starting to fade, fortunately, but there's a second phase.

Passengers stained red might discover they're having trouble sleeping. The redder they are, the longer their minds refuse to rest. In severe cases, this results full-blown insomnia. In mild cases, the body may shut down while the mind remains completely alert. These effects could last anywhere between a few days to a full week.

Good luck!

Comments

[smugreport]

Morning, night, and hotdog.

[shadowsran]

Better than nothing. Worst case scenario we have a really slow talk about whether or not they're eating better than us.

I'm still holding out to see if there are any other takers, but where can I meet you?

[smugreport]

If that ship gets hotdog Tuesdays I'm asking for another transfer.


In the observatory. Ignore the shirt.

[shadowsran]

As promised, she changes course and directs herself toward the observatory. He's greeted with a perfunctory wave and a bemused once over.

"What's with the s—" And she does catch herself and attempt, despite her curiosity, to redirect, "Thanks for showing up. I got a thing from the library on morse, so we should be able to actually talk, just...slowly."

[smugreport]

[ He waves back, but starts to frown as she mentions the shirt, but stops as she cuts herself off and moves on. ]

Sooo what? You're hoping to signal the ship? You're a warden right? Can't you just waltz on once it touches down and ask whatever you want?

[shadowsran]

If you've got noisy kids and you're having important company over you're not gonna put them front and center, right? You're gonna section off wherever they'll be and keep everyone else tucked back where they can't get too involved.

[It's not the most flattering example, but the first that comes to mind. She has the decency to look slightly apologetic about it, offering a shrug.]

I don't think there's anything shady about this, I just...I don't know, I'm sure some people who can't be anywhere near where stuff's transported could have something worth hearing.

[smugreport]

Oh yeah, then what does that make us? Why do we have to be the welcome committee?

[ He's not sure what kind of answer he wants from that. Either he's worth showing off to other ships as a standard (good!) or he's not threatening enough to stow away (bad?) ]

But I guess it's not really a meet and greet in the first place.

[shadowsran]

[For lack of any better reply, she smiles, and shrugs.]

We don't. I just think it's something fun to try, and if it yields anything interesting we're coming away from it better off. If it doesn't, we still got more in than some waving.

[smugreport]

[ He can't deny that he's curious about the other ship, though those interests have more to do with their tech specs then its population.

He clicks on his palmlight, gives it a little wave. ]

What's our opening line?

[shadowsran]

[She extends her arm, arcs her hand through the air with gusto that definitely doesn't match:]

"Hi."

I'm just kidding. Probably— well, "can you understand this" is the best place to start, no sense blinking for ten minutes if they just think the lights are broken.

[smugreport]

[ She gets an eyeroll for that first answer but she had a point. If they can't understand or signal back this idea is pretty moot. ]

That's a lot of letters, I guess we better get cracking.

[ He clicks the palm light on and off for effect clik-click-click. ]

Y'know I'm kinda surprised you haven't tried and of the usual warden openers on me yet.

[ There is no such thing. ]

[shadowsran]

[Admittedly impressed with the light — an easy sell on simple and practical — Misty eyes it for a moment before squinting down at her comm, carefully copy-pasting the code for a simple message: can you read this. It's turned toward Rhys as she sidles closer to the window, eyeing the other ship as an eyebrow raises. She isn't above a laugh.]

There are usual openers?

[smugreport]

[ Rhys talks as he eyes it, practicing spelling out the first word under his breath. ]

Dash dot dash dot dot...Yeah, y'know. "What did you do?" "If you could take things back, would you do it?" "What kind of person do you want to be?" All those were on the questionnaire my first warden gave me.

Dot dot dash....it'd be easier to just use "U" in place of "You."

[shadowsran]

[A small, brief scrunching of her nose. She isn't a fan of text talk, but can see the utility when they don't exactly have all day. Hell, when they may need time to prepare a response themselves. A nod, a signal she agrees.]

Literal questionnaire?

I don't think they're bad questions, it's good to start thinking about it as early as you're able, but one right after another's probably coming in a little hot.

[smugreport]

It wasn't literal like a sheet I had to fill out or anything, and I've been through worse interviews, but I'd rather be bought dinner first.

[ Ha ha. He glances back and forth from his arm to the copied message a few times, making sure the timing seems right. ]

Dash dot.... Though uh, that's probably not going to happen any time soon. We're not on great terms right now.

[shadowsran]

[Casual, but dry:]

Wonder why that might be.

[smugreport]

Mostly a clash of ideals.

[ And the winner of biggest omission of truth goes to... ]

Dash dot dot...okay. Okay I think I've got it.

[shadowsran]

[She smells Nonsense, but knows better than to needle when she's making good use of his flashlight. Later.]

And now we...wait, I guess. Give 'em ten minutes to figure out what's happening and get their own stuff together?

[smugreport]

[ Probably for the best that she doesn't inquire further. ]

You think they're even watching?-- Not that it isn't worth a shot, would love to know if they've got a robotics lab and their own rooms over their like the last place. But I'm just saying, no response might be cause no one's there.

[shadowsran]

I'm thinking we give it twenty minutes max from this window, and if we get nothing we try moving somewhere else.

[But she stands attentive until such a time is reached, prepared at any moment to begin frantically translating.]

...Within reason, I guess. If we're not getting any bites we'll call it, there's nothing life or death here.

[smugreport]

[ He holds his robotic arm up, bracing the elbow with the other hand as he flashes the sequence again, watching the small figures on the other deck as they gather round its bannister.

Waiting means prolonged silence or smalltalk, the latter of which makes Rhys fidget in place so he gives a go at the former. ]

Man. 18 years...you don't think anyone on there has been kept that long do you?

[shadowsran]

Nah.

[She waves a hand, breezily dismissing the possibility.]

Overall I'd call the average like a year, year and a half. Maybe generously round up to three for real problem cases, but I'd think it's more likely they disappear before hitting that point.

[smugreport]

[ He visibly cringes at the word "disappear" still not entirely sure of what Volk's fate was but still quietly disturbed at the ability for an inmate here to up and vanish none the less. ]

Wait- are you a transfer?

[ She's speaking with such confidence about the averages, no loose assumptions. ]

[shadowsran]

Yep. [Popping the 'p'.] Three years, and change. Don't take everything I say super seriously - grain of salt, this is a different ship and it's running different than I'm used to, so there's no saying everything's gonna line up with my experience.

[smugreport]

The barge?

[ He wiggles his fingers at that. Like ~~~~the barge~~~~ ]

Or another one? Cause I don’t really remember you- no offence.

Though in my defence my time there is really fuzzy, like I’ve forgotten names and faces to and extent that should probably be concerning.