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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.

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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I haven't really given much thought about where I'd end up. Heaven, hell, purgatory... or absolute nothingness.

[She's been inclined to believe it'd be that last one, but now...]

Good.

[ He says that with a sudden seriousness. ]

You shouldn't concern yourself with it. Too many people spend far too much time thinking about what'll happen after they die, when they should be busy living.

[ And then he smiles again. ]

But I doubt you have that problem.

Busy as I am at home, no. Hardly time to think on things, there.

[Here? Not so much, she does let her mind wander a lot more, but not about the afterlife.]

But here?

[ That's the implication, right? Even his tired brain can connect those dots. ]

Worse when you can't sleep?

[She nods.]

Same for you?

[ He smiles faintly. ]

One of the few down-sides to all the therapy I did, was acquiring a tendency to overthink things. That, and having all this time on my hands.

[ He's always had the time, of course. But circumstances change. ]

Are you questioning whether you can actually accomplish anything with these inmates yet?

A little. I try to remind myself it's only been a few months, but... my temporary pairings haven't been very enlightening.

[She's eager to return home, but there's no point in this time away from Jamie if she's not able to save them. Claire sighs.]

I think, in time, there must be one that's... a good fit for each of us. Someone we can help. I just don't know how patient I can be.

I think if anyone has the patience for this job, it has to be you. [ How many kids and grandkids do you have, Claire???? ]

What about the new girl - Ellie? I told her to go straight to the infirmary when I brought her here.

[It's a compliment, and--well. She hopes he's right.]

She made her way to me. Looked like she'd been through hell.

Worse than Hell, if you ask me. Maybe she could use a motherly sort. You know, firm, but compassionate.

[ Is he playing matchmaker, of a sort? Maybe. Also Ellie definitely reminds him of his daughter so he's already very invested in getting the right warden to help her. ]

[Claire takes a breath. Don't worry, she's aware she's the motherly sort, and that tends to come out more the younger the people are that she's interacting with.]

I'd bet money that girl hasn't had a mother in a good while.

Yeah. But she seems... curious. Interested in things.

[ Far more interested than Theo, anyway. ]

I think she might be eager to please the right person. Needs a nudge in the right direction.

Always good. Better than angry and trying to slit throats.

[But what does she know?]

They all need a nudge in the right direction. But if the... parental angle helps some of them, I do have experience there.

It's a thought. Anyway, if the current influx of new inmates is anything to go by, sooner or later you'll find the right one.

Suppose that's true for all of us. Do you think you have any good prospects?

Difficult to say - Alex seems interesting, though he needs to open up a lot more if anyone's going to really help him. Theo will be a tough case, but I can understand where he's coming from a lot of the time.

[ He smiles faintly. ] Then again, I doubt any of them would be here if they weren't all tough cases. The biggest challenge with most of them, I think, will be convincing them to even attempt to do better.

Alex was... I don't want to say an easy temp, but I wasn't worried about him stabbing me in the back.

[That's something.]

Theo's a handful. Rebellious youth, testing the limits. [A thoughtful hum.] I bet you'd be able to keep up with him while others might not be able to do so.

Alex says he actually wants to reform, which is more than I can say for any of the others, but I don't think he understands what that will take - and I don't think he'll like it when he does.

[ That's Lucifer's Alex Mercer Hot Take. ]

Theo... [ He grimaces a bit. ] I got frustrated with him at our last meeting. He needs something to shake him up, but I don't know what that is.

I think that's true for the lot of them. They're frustrated it's not a cut and clear path to graduation... but it's probably because they don't want to look at themselves so closely.

[Rhys. Ahem.]

The boy got you to the point of frustration? Impressive.

Yes, I - Hm.

[ He lets out a breath, glancing out at the Feather for a moment. ]

It's not just Theo. It sounds like a cliche, but most of them really are ungrateful little shits. [ There's not much heat behind what he's saying, though. ] They have no idea how much worse they could have it. People better than them are in Hell, forever. Even the ones I can help get to Heaven - it's not a second chance at life. I can't bring anyone back to their families. The inmates here are being given an opportunity that almost no one ever gets. And all some of them can do is complain about it.

[ He really has to stop thinking about Dan all the time. ]

Cheers to that.

[She laughs, mirthlessly.]

This ship is... unimaginable. I've seen war. I've seen prisons. This place is a luxury even compared to my grand house. I think a lot of them are in denial, afraid to accept that this is a second chance to do better, because... maybe they don't know if they can be better. Better is difficult.

Exactly. They're not even locked in cells! And certainly no one's torturing them, either literally or metaphorically.

[ He scrubs a hand over his face. ]

You're right. I know you're right. Better is difficult. It's the hardest thing anyone can do, I think, be better. It was for me. Even once I decided to try, it was a long, painful slog. And it wasn't a straight line. Now I'm beginning to understand what the people around me must've gone through - how frustrating it is, to see the potential and be afraid it'll be squandered.

[Claire smiles a little, amused at the fact still that she's having a meaningful (daresay enjoyable) conversation with the devil. This keeps happening.]

That might be your ticket to getting through to someone. That understanding.

[ He sighs faintly. ]

Maybe. That's what's worked for me up till now. But it's different in Hell - in Hell, most people will give anything a shot, if there's a chance to get out. When the alternative is eternal torment, doing some therapy with the Devil maybe doesn't seem so outlandish. Here, though, it's much trickier. I assumed more inmates would be willing, since their alternative is death. But maybe it doesn't seem as real to them.

Do we petition the Navarch for more torture?

[She's clearly joking, making a face at that suggestion from herself.]

I think a lot of them need to realize that there's happiness and fulfillment in... being better than they were. They can go back home and find a place for themselves that won't lead to their deaths. Again. Or, they can become wardens and help someone else. The idea of a windfall of their own--if I were an inmate, that would have me on my best behavior.

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