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

[medals]

[Jem knew.

She doesn't indicate this at all. In her hand is a pen, which she's taken from a table, tapping aimlessly on the table. Tap, tap, tap. She wouldn't say that she's an expert in cross dimensional travel now, but this is her third world she's been too. This world, in particular, is one she's thought about. Or at least, a version of this world is one she's thought about, often. Wistfully.

James Cole isn't here, though. He never was, as far as she can tell.

Her pen tapping stops, momentarily and she turns to give Morgan a tired smile, to maybe agree and engage however possible but his face -- his face feels like a gut punch. His voice is all wrong, of course. As is his hair, his glasses -- everything but his face is all wrong.

It's not him.

It's also not the first look a like she's come across, so it's a smooth transition. Wary, tired smile instead. ] Bit of a trip, eh? Still trying to wrap my head around the whole thing.

[It's all going to be fine. Cole trusted Jones, in his world. Jem can trust her to get her home, too. ]

[ssh]

[ He wonders at first, if this is some kind of duplicate. A coincidence from another world where Louise turned out to be a different person, or a different person turned out to have her body and appearance. Coincidences are no strangers to genetics, but they're worth due consideration all the same. ]

It isn't easy. [ He can admit that much. ] Can I ask your name?

[medals]

Jem. [Her name. There's a little more tap, tap, tap before the pen is set down and she extends her hand out, to shake. A small smile on her face. She doesn't think of such things, were the monster she's left behind might have been born someone else and so on.

She's just -- trying to process it all piece by piece. The time travel. The machine. The things lacking and now this, someone with a face that makes her want to crawl into a bunk scream. ] Well, Jemima. But everyone calls me Jem. What about you?

[ssh]

[ Morgan nods, accepting the new name like it's the most natural thing in the world. There are too many things beyond her physical appearance that help him rule out the present theory that this could just be a disguise. Or even a game, since it's Morgan Louise would be talking to. ]

Morgan. [ Noé, actually. But everyone calls him Morgan. ]

[medals]

Nice to meet you, Morgan.

[At least for now. It's hard to tell if he shares any more traits with his near twin. Temperament? Personality? Jem picks up the pen again, this time to chew the edge absently. ]

You think you might give the whole thing a go? When they ask for volunteers next?

[ssh]

It's nice to meet you, Jem.

I don't know yet. [ He's observing all her nervous tics, placing them together like a puzzle of her personality. The girl he hopes he can get to know, not just meet. ] It sounds interesting.

[medals]

I think I'm gonna do it.

[The first real shred of -- anything, but tired politeness. There's something vaguely excited there, behind her eyes. And she is excited, to walk in Cole's footsteps for a little bit. To have a taste of something that made him who he was when they met. ] See if I get a bloody charger for my phone, at least.

[A joke. But, the way Morgan's dressed -- maybe he can appreciate the sentiment. ]

[ssh]

[ The joke has its effect, even if Morgan only demonstrates it with a sharper exhale and a smile. His constant calm demeanor and togetherness might become more unsettling than comforting soon, but it won't change anything for him. Being any other way hasn't happened yet, for his or someone else's sake. ]

Is there someone you're going to call?

[medals]

[The question gives her pause. At first she thinks of maybe saying 'no one.' But then she considers her life beyond her monster partner and someone she loved, once. A thoughtful silence fills up the space, until, eventually, Jem purses her lips.] Maybe my brother. Or my mum.

[A sort of wistful hope that they'd answer; that they'd be there at all. And some consideration that they might not be or that Jem herself might pick up. ] Maybe. I don't know. A phone call might muck things right up, here.

[ssh]

I hadn't considered that.

[ It makes sense, though. They ended up here for a reason, probably because some native went back in time and fucked things up. Then there would be someone to blame, not just a blip in the machine's hold on the threads of time and the multiverse. ]

We could always ask.

[medals]

Could do.

[We is such a usually insignificant word, but Jem's only human and Morgan does have a face that she wakes up to each day, ordinarily. She chews the end of her pen a little more, between each word, an anxious little tick she's picked up to keep from reaching for other, less safe things.

She's hesitant to ask. To engage in anything beyond 'hey, you're --'. But. ] They take you away from anything important? I was on my way to work.

[ssh]

[ His answer would have always been avoiding, or at least noncommittal. Her own situation helps formulate a slightly less vague one. ]

Hard to say. Work tends to come and go for me.

[ Literally. Sometimes the hunters come to him, sometimes he goes after them. Clever. ]

What do you do?

[medals]

Either develop amazing tolerance for drunk people every night or have what's left of my soul chipped away by them. Kind of a toss up between each one on a daily basis.

[Which is true. It's easier to talk about the very normal facets of her life, such as work and dating and travelling, than it is about the very not normal ones. Subtly, she relaxes a little in her seat. Easing into easy conversation at last. Or, feeling the effects of being too tense. ]

[ssh]

[ Yikes. ]

Nightclub?

[ Or just a bar. Not many other places that serve alcohol come to mind.

It's increasingly hard to imagine Louise saying these things - with the accent, in this tone. ]

[medals]

Yeah, on weekends.

[Bar to nightclub, then to the next city. The next country. It's been a couple of weeks, actually, since Jem's been to the place she considers their house. Or had a real nights rest. It's probably a little weird that she's looking forward to climbing into a bunk, alone, and sleeping for a solid eight hours. ]

Every night's something else.

[ssh]

Sounds exciting. And about time you got a break.

[ Pity this had to be it, he supposes. ]

[medals]

I'm really not gonna argue with that.

[Time travel is a fairly decent holiday, she'd argue. Not many people doing that on their two weeks off. ]

What do you do, Morgan?

[ssh]

[ His answers, for how vague they continue to be, also keep coming to him easily. Like he's done this many times before, readily, but in no rush. ]

I find people, mostly. It pays off more than you'd think.

[ :) ]

It might be of some use around here. Or not.

[medals]

[That's -- interesting. It's also very similar to home. Eerily similar, in fact. The vague non-descriptor. The overall implication. Jem nods, and processes it away to overthink about later. ]

Oh. That -- sounds cool. Yeah, I think they could probably use that here.

[ssh]

I guess so. I think they could also use someone in your area of expertise, though. More than they could use me.

[medals]

Oh no. I'm not making anybody any drinks.

[A quiet groan to punctuate. Let her live, Morgan, geez. ]

[ssh]

You'll need one yourself, eventually.

[medals]

Morgan, it sounds like you are angling for free drinks.

[She's teasing. ]

[ssh]

Me? [ Hah. ] Oh, no. I don't drink.

[ ... or does ?? ]

[medals]

[Oh, well that's surreal.]

Huh. No kiddin'.