MISSION ONE: THE TIME MACHINE

[causalitys]

MISSION LOGS

MISSION ONE: THE TIME MACHINE

▐ OBJECTIVES ▐ The machine has malfunctioned, resulting in the random splintering of individuals across time and across the vast expanse of possible realities. Each person pulled has subsequently been recruited temporarily until a solution to return them home has been reached. The first mission is simple: return to the last splinter point the machine reached and retrace the steps of the team to locate any temporal anomalies and record them. Record anything strange or out of the ordinary for missions. The year is 1993, and you are going native. In the 'present', the team should begin a physical document mapping out where the new recruits come from and try to determine if splintering back is possible with their current technology. ▐ OUTCOMES ▐ Characters will have experience using the time machine and players will have chance to explore the past or explore the facility in the 'present'. A brief comprehensive idea of where everyone comes from should be starting to form, with Dr. Jones conducting individual interviews. You can be as vague about your characters personal circumstances as you like, as Dr. Jones will be more interested in the world itself, the year and will make quick character judgement's based on the conversation itself. At the end of the mission, characters should be starting to form connections, however small or significant.

SETTINGS

▐ 1993 ▐ Before you leave, you will be interviewed by Dr. Jones. This can be hand waved for inconvenience. She will ask you only the most pertinent questions: your name, your age, the year you are from. She will ask for as in depth description of your world that you can provide. If you want to elaborate on your personal circumstances, you can. If not, that's fine too. Before you leave, normal protocol takes place. The machine will be explained to you, as will the injections required before hand. The machine itself is dangerous, but the danger of being catapulted across reality again is 0.000001%. Reassuring in every way, of course. You will travel to 1993, Seattle. The only relevant information about this previous mission is the places the team were and anything odd they can recall. You will, however, be free to explore the State and note anything odd. There will be vague temporal anomalies, but nothing big enough to cross the multiverse. ▐ PROJECT SPLINTER INTEL GATHERING ▐ Interviews conducted by Dr. Jones are mandatory. Until you complete it, you will be held in the brigg quarters which, compared to the rest of the facility, is hugely uncomfortable. It is the same process as above. In turn, Dr. Jones will brief you on the current state of this world. She will only share relevant and confirmed information. After you're done, you are free to also share these experiences with the new 'volunteers. ' ▐ EXPLORING YOUR SURROUNDINGS ▐ The obligatory wild card. Explore the facility. The rooms, the kitchens, the shower rooms. Head up to the roof and look upon the vast wasteland that has become of the world. Do whatever you want!

table code by optimisty

Comments

[disgorge]

[ Now leaving him with the sad task of deciding which would be the nicer irony: why wait, or we've got all the time in the world.

He goes with neither one. ]

... I think they've had enough of not sleeping.

[scientest]

Deep.

[A hand on chest worthy comment. He's still kidding around, trying to take all of this as not seriously as he can. It's better for his overall well being if he's calm. He works better when not on the verge of a panic attack. ]

[disgorge]

[ What are you...

Oh well. Time to change the subject again. ]

Do you have someone back home? [ His real home. ] Someone you'd like to go back to.

[scientest]

Mmm. [A conundrum, of whether to break the habit of a lifetime. ] Just my mum and dad. My sisters do their own thing.

[Vague and informative all at once. He has a family. They have lives. Jay offers a quiet, 'what can ya do smile' and shrugs. ] You?

[disgorge]

Not. Really.

[ He was hoping Jay would fill in his side with more details, build a little narrative for them so Merlin wouldn't have to. ]

That sounds dramatic.

[scientest]

Not really.

[Very modern. He knows lots of people without much of anything beyond work, or school or -- whatever. It's fine. It's not especially weird, to Jay. ] Maybe lonely.

[disgorge]

That just sounds sad.

[ Trying to make light of a situation in order to make light of their overall situation, is what Merlin is doing. Probably failing, by the way his expression is betraying him. ]

Do I sound sad?

[scientest]

Nah. I think you sound normal.

[In so far as he's experienced 'normal'. Jay himself lives alone, and has done for almost four years now. Normal is mostly lonely, isn't it?]

[disgorge]

[ Well, Jay, one of the things that people never really get to learn about Merlin is that telling him he sounds normal is like delivering him the news that he doesn't have a terminal illness after all. Though, in the matter of how he sees himself and his condition, it should be closer to telling Merlin he isn't the terminal illness himself.

Hardly any of it comes through, save, perhaps, for the quick side-glance the doctor gets. The next step is attributing Jay the authority on what normal is. ]

Thanks. [ Ironic-but-not. ]

... I keep wondering how we get picked. If there's some sort of - algorithm? Is that the right word?

[ Picking tech-terms off the internet, y'all. ]

[scientest]

The doctors saying it was random. But yeah, I've been wondering. I'm not sure anything is really 'random', especially with something like this.

[He's going to find out. Or try to. Eventually. ] I figure the machine keeps trying to go back to it's last mission, but it's cross over somehow. Working theory. I'm more of a blood and tissue doctor. Obviously.

[disgorge]

Obviously.

[ It's in a flat tone, no real thought put into it, agreeing because it's logical. ]

But you're processing this better than I am. The theory. I think I'm just grasping at straws, here.

[ It's not fun. ]

[scientest]

Professional detachment, I think.

[It's maybe not a good thing, really, especially when trying to figure things out. ] I slip into it sometimes, otherwise I just -- freak out.

[disgorge]

[ Ah. Right. ]

Is it bad that I'm a little relieved to hear that other people are freaking out. Or trying not to.

[ As is his case, really. ]

[scientest]

Nah. I think that's normal too.

[The apple core is placed onto the table. Hands free. ] We're all only human, I guess.

[disgorge]

[ He still has to decide if you know about normal, my dude. ]

... Yeah. I guess.

[ ?! Or are they. He' trying hard to agree. ]

[scientest]

[does Jay not look like a normal, well-adjusted dude?]

We're all in this together, diagnosed anxiety disorders and all.

[disgorge]

[ Doesn't Merlin? ]

... Can we not. Use that.

[scientest]

Sorry, that was insensitive.

[He seems sincere about it, at least. ] Usually surrounded by doctors who's primary coping method is to. Joke. About it.

[disgorge]

I'm not coping with anything.

[ Not in that department, anyway. ]

It's not what that was. I don't have a disorder.

[ Yes you do, it just comes in the form of exploding trees. ]

[scientest]

I wasn't really talking about you, specifically.

[To be clear. ]

[disgorge]

[ Oh. Well. It's still not a good thing to joke about, it what crosses Merlin's mind, instead of apologizing for assuming. ]

... I should go now. It was nice meeting you, Jay.

[ Even though Merlin forgot to introduce himself. ]

[scientest]

[Yikes, is what Jay thinks. What he says, instead, while picking up his apple core and standing, is: ] Nah, this was your table first.

[Which is very cordial, he thinks, while also thinking that he isn't going to apologise for his own coping mechanisms. Or lack thereof. ]

[disgorge]

[ Merlin is quiet, having now been denied his own quiet escape, impeding himself from insisting and taking off first. Who cares whose table it was, he just wants distance. ]

... Okay. I'll see you around.

[scientest]

-- Yeah. Sure.

[And on that vaguely uncomfortable note, he turns and walks off. ]