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]

[ It's nothing he hasn't had to lie about before. Trouble is keeping track of who hears what depending on where he goes, and how convincing he can be when he's asked too many questions. Jobs where he just has to talk about his day instead of theories and mechanics have served him a lot better than anything else. He ought to pick the easiest one here, since he'll be using it for a long while.

Or not. Hopefully not. ]

Waiter. It's just about the least exciting and most thankless job in the world, if you're wondering.

[ Is anyone?! ]

You?

[nautonnier]

[ It doesn't really occur to Iain to question the answer, perhaps because it's not like he's got much invested in the answer. All the same, there is another little internal huh, vague, indifferent. Not great with small talk, for a waiter, bit of a weird blurb at the end there.

No cognitive dissonance, though, there must be plenty of mildly awkward waiters, and it's not like he should be judging. Iain pokes at the artificial eggs with his fork. ]

Soldier.

[ Again, he might not ordinarily be so forthright, if he wasn't pretty sure Merlin isn't about to ask him for his rank or unit or whatever it is actual military personnel, as opposed to brainwashed cultist soldiers, have. And it goes some way to explaining how accepting he is of missions. ]

Little bit exciting, not overflowing with thanks.

[disgorge]

Oh.

[ He could, like any good American, ask where Iain's served before, but he is still aware of how different things are around here. The same terms aren't layered with the same meanings or implications, are they? 'Soldier' might be universal, but the theories and mechanics of it, not so much. Best to give him a break in that department, lest karma bite him in the ass for making specific questions. ]

They must have appreciated your culinary skills. The others. [ Finally breaking his eggs into edible pieces, the first piece is deposited and tasted in his mouth. With a nod, ] It's good.

[nautonnier]

Artificially lowered standards.

[ The trace of mock sternness is maybe a bit subtle for this conversation, if not intentionally. Iain's emotiveness is moderate at the best of times and is more conservative seeing as they're still basically strangers. ]

But thanks.

[ Eat, Merlin. Try to embrace some stereotypical bonding silence for a while, before both him and Iain exhaust their conversational capabilities. ]

[disgorge]

[ He can't. He's too desperate to seem normal!! ]

It's the truth.

[ The sausages come next, chopped up from end to end. Not a lot of people do that, which might be another indicative of how Merlin's weird little head works, needing to occupy his hands, his mind, anything -- ]

[nautonnier]

[ Occasionally, Merlin will do something that makes Iain feel like he's acting out Iain's own inner impulses, which is both funny and weird. Maybe that's unkind, and maybe he shouldn't enjoy hanging out with the guy to feel better about his own social skills.

Things to consider, while he sighs an internal sigh and makes the effort to preserve Merlin's sausages. (Nobody can take these inner thoughts out of context, he hopes.) ]

You're not sure about the missions, then?

[disgorge]

Well, no. I've never had any experience like what we're supposed to do. Go undercover, pretend we're - someone we're not. And fighting. Something tells me there's going to be a lot of fighting.

[ Longer sentences than he's produced in this entire conversation, and they're adequately describing all the reasons why Merlin would like to not be involved in these crazy shenanigans. ]

Are you? With your experience and all.

[nautonnier]

There might be fighting. But my guess is, only as a last resort.

[ No one would immediately pick Iain out to provide comfort or reassurance to others. He used to be that guy, funnily enough. He used to be someone you could count on.

He doesn't think about that. This, this isn't anywhere close to that, and acknowledging that fact even in the privacy of his own mind is only going to depress him. Merlin seems anxious, so he's trying to be a decent fucking human being, that's all. ]

I'd prefer to have something to do. Other than.

[ Cook for neurotics. ]

[disgorge]

[ He'd resent that, Iain. Especially after he's done nothing but try to put on his human-nice mask. ]

I guess it'd be easier for you.

[nautonnier]

[ He doesn't like your human-nice mask, Merlin! It's giving him uncanny valley feelings, because he does it too. ]

Maybe. I don't do undercover stuff, either.

[disgorge]

[ Well deal with it. Miserably if need be, like Merlin often does. ]

The German doctor might persuade you to change your mind. I get the feeling she's good at that.