modblob: (Default)
Mods ([personal profile] modblob) wrote in [community profile] redshiftlogs2019-11-01 09:49 pm

november 2019. welcome to the void.

Who: Everyone in Anchor.
What: Fifth Introductory Mingle
When: The Month of November 2019
Where: Around and outside the city.
Warnings: Please add any warnings in the subject lines.

Redshift: Welcome to the v͖͕̺̲̘̱̜͎o̴̦̣̠̦̘̹͞i̯̖d̛̪̬͈̱̦̝͍̕.

Click here to read what characters will experience when arriving in Anchor.

a. outbreak.

There's a plague in the city.

What was an annoyance before, a bug that seemed to be passing, has erupted into a full-scale biomedical hazard. Onset is slow. It’s a near mystery who is infected and who isn't, who is immune and who isn't. Doors lock themselves seemingly at random to prevent people passing through. Is that person with you one of the sick? How do you know? Would they tell you if they were?

The city will do its best to isolate the ill, once again locking them out of communal areas and trying to force them down toward the MedBay for quarantine. All bots will be temporarily shifted to plague protocols, rounding up and caring for the ill as best they can. (Lucky you, you get your cough syrup with a mixer courtesy of the barbot.) But they might not always get things right, and what healthy person wants to be locked away in a ward full of the violently ill? How do the bots even know which is which?

The ill will slowly find themselves dizzy, lightheaded, with chills and fever. They may cough hard enough to spit blood from irritated throats, or sneeze so long and hard they give themselves bloody noses. The symptoms can vary wildly depending on body chemistry, species, and dozens of other factors, making it difficult to pin down a specific set that indicates a person is infected. All bodily fluids are dangerously infectious. Maybe you want to keep your distance from your friends if you start to feel the onset, to keep them safe. But you also want to keep your freedom, not get trapped in a room full of people who seem to be dying. And anyone who was exposed to the first outbreak will find themselves either completely immune to this new one through early exposure...or far more susceptible, their immune systems doing almost nothing to protect them, with extreme symptom sets that hit them much harder than the average infected.

And through all of this, that voice that cheerfully chirped out helpful hints during the item exchange, that giggled and sang songs in the crashed spaceship in the wasteland can be heard again - but this time it's different. This time, there's very little cheer left, and though the commentary is still sing-song, it's much harsher, more monotone and without much energy. 'Go on, hurry up to the MedBay. No breaking quarantine!' it says, or to those moving through the city with friends, 'You must not like those people much, are you sure you want to get them sick?' In the depths of the worst of it, in the third week of the month, people may start hearing more of those 'helpful' suggestions - 'Maybe it would be better if we just left them out in the wastelands, you know? For the greater good and all...'

Mod Note: An NPC post will be going up next weekend on [community profile] redshiftrp to supplement this prompt. Keep an eye out!

b. gone to shit.

With 90% of the city's bots repurposed to serve the ill (the matchmaking bot being the notable exception), things are starting to go downhill fast elsewhere. Didn’t realize how much work the bots were actually doing? You can't avoid knowing now.

Restaurants, slowly coming back online after the increased activity in the agricultural areas, are promptly shut down again with things starting to go bad in the fridges. The VR rooms have no attendants to help with glitches. The maintenance bots are prowling the halls looking for ill people to assist to the MedBay. The spa bots are all down in the lower levels helping keep people comfortable while they convalesce, leaving the spas to run themselves. Sometimes to overflowing. It's definitely going to be an adventure discovering what else the bots were doing to keep things running smoothly.

There's no bots manning the bar (make your own drinks while you can), but this also means there are no bots cleaning up the messes people leave behind in the bar either. The detritus of people living their lives starts to pile up - which means if you don’t want garbage filling up the most used common rooms, you're going to have to apply some good old elbow grease. Exactly what you wanted to do while everyone is violently ill, right?


c. dance of the moonlight jellies.

In spite of everything going on elsewhere in the colony, something magical is happening in the lakes and ponds of the park. Maybe your healthy or recovering character stumbles across it on their own. Maybe they see the glow from a higher levels and are drawn down to it. Maybe a persistent and super helpful voice, the same voice from the item exchange, the same voice that suggested throwing the sick out into the wasteland, suggests that you should go down and look at what's happening there.

However you ended up in the park, the place is filled with a silvery glow that emanates from the ponds, rivers, and lake. Fish have come up from the bottom, from where they were buried under the sand. They look almost like East Asian dragons, for those familiar with Earth. They're long, muscular, with two sets of fins trailing in the water like legs. Their heads are delicate, beautiful things that trail whiskers in the water along beside them.

And they're dancing.

In loops and whirls, over and under each other, diving deep and then rising up again to create patterns of light and shadow. Anyone who watches for more than a minute can start to feel relief moving through them, calm, the sense that things will be okay. Watching the dance is almost like meditation. Probably, for some, a much-needed break.

kaballin: (FIGHT)

[personal profile] kaballin 2019-12-01 11:06 pm (UTC)(link)
[Cool, because Kabal really really wanted to push it but then it would be his fault if he melted half the city or something. Now it's Peter's problem. Kabal is all about passing the blame here.]

Better than I expected.

[Don't have to ask him twice! He doesn't punch with all his strength because he doesn't want to shatter his hand if this thing is somehow completely solid but he's not going to let an opportunity to hit someone pass him by.

Probably a good thing because it is impenetrable and his hand smashes into it and bounces off with a sci-fi sounding bonk noise.
]
itsnotaonesie: (187)

[personal profile] itsnotaonesie 2019-12-02 01:54 am (UTC)(link)
[Over all mood of Anchor tbh]

Kinda like endless swarms of bugs, unless it's at night. Then it's endless swarms of bugs but it's also lit up all cool.
itsnotaonesie: (i don't even fuckin)

[personal profile] itsnotaonesie 2019-12-02 02:03 am (UTC)(link)
It's possible that we weren't specifically brought here for a reason, and if that's the case, I plan on making my own.

[He continues playing with her hair, but now he's staring off at some random point in the room like he's distracted. He might be a little bit, he's putting his thoughts in order.]

Personally, I wanna find out what happened to everyone that used to be here. I wanna find a way to prevent it from happening again, to us or whoever might come after us.
sleepyhollowed: (just happy to be tree free)

[personal profile] sleepyhollowed 2019-12-02 02:24 am (UTC)(link)
[Out of habit, Kieran squeezes his eyes shut as he tries to imagine what Peter is describing. The bandage covering his eyes moves with the furrow of his brow and the scrunch of his nose.]

Do ya ever fall asleep while watchin' 'em? Like you were countin' sheep or somethin'?
itsnotaonesie: (153)

[personal profile] itsnotaonesie 2019-12-02 03:27 am (UTC)(link)
[To be perfectly honest Peter if very impressed and surprised that Kabal was able to resist the temptation of pushing the button at all. Good job, Kabal.

Peter is also very impressed by this shield, and he is grinning a nerdy nerd grin.]


Okay, this thing is awesome. Your hand okay?
itsnotaonesie: (151)

[personal profile] itsnotaonesie 2019-12-02 04:07 am (UTC)(link)
Ah, no, because I'm usually looking over the side of a building and if I were to fall asleep I'd probably also fall off the building. Then it'd be all over the news and I'd never hear the end of it.

[He kind of sounds like he's joking but he is dead fucking serious.]
sleepyhollowed: (ಠ_ಠ)

[personal profile] sleepyhollowed 2019-12-02 04:09 am (UTC)(link)
...

Yer tellin' me that if you ever fell off the side of a big ol' buildin' and lived through it, that would be the part yer afraid of?

[PETER. YOUR PRIORITIES.]
Edited (need to go peak southern) 2019-12-02 04:10 (UTC)
itsnotaonesie: (127)

[personal profile] itsnotaonesie 2019-12-02 04:31 am (UTC)(link)
I mean, yeah. That and maybe a broken limb or two, but that'd heal up in a couple days. Being on the news for something stupid is way worse, that stuff stays with you for life, man.

[Peter's priorities are FINE, THANKS.]
sleepyhollowed: (shut up i'm on a horse)

[personal profile] sleepyhollowed 2019-12-02 04:38 am (UTC)(link)
How the hell are you gonna fall off a buildin' and only break a leg and how the hell is that leg gonna heal up in two days? That's impossible!

[WHAT ARE YOU, PETER PARKER?!]
itsnotaonesie: (80)

[personal profile] itsnotaonesie 2019-12-02 04:42 am (UTC)(link)
Everything about me is kind of impossible, to be fair.

[HE'S SPIDER-MAN OKAY]
sleepyhollowed: (um....)

[personal profile] sleepyhollowed 2019-12-02 05:04 am (UTC)(link)
[Kieran thinks about some kind of retort.]

[He thinks really long and hard about it...]

[...but he can't think of one.]


Yeah, yer right.

But that ain't a bad thing!
itsnotaonesie: (this is fiiiine)

[personal profile] itsnotaonesie 2019-12-02 05:22 am (UTC)(link)
[FAIR ENOUGH]

Nah, I mean, honestly I'm mostly okay with it. I think if I was just a regular guy I wouldn't be able to keep up with nearly as much as I do now.
kaballin: (Oh fuck off)

[personal profile] kaballin 2019-12-03 03:56 am (UTC)(link)
[He'll take his gold star in alcoholic form please. He winces behind the mask and shakes his hand a little, but at least he didn't break his knuckles.]

Well that's useful. Yeah fine, guess I'm glad I didn't hit with a sword and have it bounce back and embed in my face.
itsnotaonesie: (6)

[personal profile] itsnotaonesie 2019-12-03 04:06 am (UTC)(link)
[You know where the bar is, Kabal.]

Why would you ever wanna hit me with a sword? [Wow Kabal rude. Peter would be putting more effort into sounding offended, but he's a little distracted by trying to deactivate the the shield.]

Okaaaay... how does this turn off. The shield is shielding the button, like, how is this efficient?
kaballin: (At Ease)

[personal profile] kaballin 2019-12-03 06:07 am (UTC)(link)
I don't wanna hit you with a sword, I wanna hit this bubble with a sword and pop it.

Maybe it thinks you're gonna break it.
scowlish: (pained)

[personal profile] scowlish 2019-12-03 07:30 am (UTC)(link)
I didn't want to, but I ended up having to, far too often. It just wasn't worth it for something like household chores.

[It isn't a lie. There are too many times to count that he'd had to yell at Lalli to get him to do things that were necessary to their survival, or had had to call up the memory of their grandmother, just to keep him in control. Not the most mature way to handle him, of course, but the only one he'd been capable of when Lalli was putting himself in danger, or other people in danger, or doing things that would alienate them from the people in Keuruu and cut off their sources of support just because they didn't understand Lalli. It was, at least, more productive than Tuuri's habit of just hitting him, but still not ideal. He carries some measure of guilt about the shouting and the rest of it, but has no real idea how to bring it up with his cousin to make amends.

Then Reynir starts talking about how Tuuri could be, and Onni focuses on doing the laundry because even now the memory of her hurts sometimes. When he's tired like he is now, sometimes the hurt catches him off guard, but this, in its way, is nice to hear. Stories about his sister and how her life had been after he'd seen her last.]


That does sound like her. She'd perfected that face she used to try to get me to do anything she wanted, her manipulative sweet and innocent face. I would always fall for it.

[He'd loved her so much. Still loves her so much. So much it aches in his chest, and he misses her so much it makes his throat close up. So he focuses on unballing Lalli's socks and dropping them one by one into the washing machine.]

That's true. She did that. Eventually I stopped asking.
itsnotaonesie: (158)

[personal profile] itsnotaonesie 2019-12-03 05:49 pm (UTC)(link)
You don't have to break everything that's cool, y'know.

[He's just gonna keep trying this button HMMM.] Maybe it's on a timer?
justbeingknife: (majima-kun)

[personal profile] justbeingknife 2019-12-03 09:50 pm (UTC)(link)
A place called Aefenglom. Don't suppose you've heard of it?

[ Majima edged a bottle of shampoo aside as he continued. ]

Dragons and wizards and all that jazz, if ya haven't. It was kind of an adjustment.

[ And as if to demonstrate, he motioned to the water. Something silvery and quick flashed into existence, darting through the not-so-depths. ]

You?
Edited 2019-12-03 21:50 (UTC)
sleepyhollowed: (woah wait)

[personal profile] sleepyhollowed 2019-12-04 01:20 am (UTC)(link)
That just brings us back to the whole yer supposed to be a kid doin' kid things... uh... thing. If you were a regular guy, you wouldn't have to worry about takin' care of everythin'.
livingdeadgirl: (smile 3)

[personal profile] livingdeadgirl 2019-12-04 03:08 am (UTC)(link)
Come in! [ Ami's voice is hoarse, but it's enough to make the door slide open. She doesn't sit up, because she doesn't want to move from the nest of blankets she's wrapped around herself, but she extends her arms out of it to accept the books when offered. ]

Ahhh, thank you so much, Elleru. [ She wheezes a little, but looks the books over with an eager eye nonetheless. ] "The Last Unicorn," I've heard of this one! There's a movie of it.

[ Maybe they'll find a copy of it sometime! Although I dunno how that would happen, short of a Blockbuster Video randomly appearing in the wasteland, but what are the odds of that? ]
Edited 2019-12-04 03:08 (UTC)
itsnotaonesie: (sure this might as well happen)

[personal profile] itsnotaonesie 2019-12-04 03:30 am (UTC)(link)
I kinda wish I was sometimes, but then I feel selfish and like-- like a huge jerk for feeling that way. I like helping people, don't get me wrong, but... I dunno, it gets exhausting sometimes.
kaballin: (Stare Down)

[personal profile] kaballin 2019-12-04 03:53 am (UTC)(link)
Can you even get out of the room with it? Are you trapped by the doors?

[He thwunks it with his palm, watching the thing shimmer but prevent his hand from getting thru.]
itsnotaonesie: (42)

[personal profile] itsnotaonesie 2019-12-04 04:08 am (UTC)(link)
I can probably get through doors fine, I think my biggest concern right now is I really have to pee. Aaaand I'm stuck in an unbreakable shield.

[heeee just presses his lips together in a thin line and nods to himself, like yep, this might as well happen.]
kaballin: (You gonna fight me?)

[personal profile] kaballin 2019-12-04 04:14 am (UTC)(link)
So you're saying now is a bad time to put on the soothing river nature sounds?

[Jokes aside, that is kind of alarming that there's a shield they can't turn off. Is Peter going to slowly starve in there? That's unfortunate - and Kabal will probably be blamed so better work on fixing this.]

Maybe it's a different button? Or maybe it'll dissolve if it takes enough damage?

Got a rocket launcher or anything? I can start shooting at you.
itsnotaonesie: movieconnoisseur (*teenager noises*)

[personal profile] itsnotaonesie 2019-12-04 05:02 am (UTC)(link)
[He just gives Kabal A Look, like, bro he will katamari this shield OVER YOU if you even think about putting on the soothing river nature sounds. After a few seconds he sighs, shaking his head.]

Fresh out of rocket launchers, unfortunately. Qubit stole a gun off a security bot though, but I'm not sure where he left it.

[Why yes, he was actually considering letting Kabal shoot at him. It's fiiine, it wouldn't be the first time he's been shot at.]

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