<> <> (If you really feel like it I can post-date minis to Clarity Day, so don't fret.) (I influenced the universe :D) (In no small way, actually) <> (The walphins, in that case, yes?) (Info about Jihadibirds, still clandestine.) <> <> (Did we leave the absent people on Mars? I ask only because it's likely I flew us here if Lexi's not coming.) <> * Zeke has been coaxed to go along, apparently, because he is very interesting. His birdsect is on his shoulder as he deboards and the holoface looks around. * Hestia lands the ship! She's been singing 'I'm On A Mole-Drive Enabled Interstellar Conveyance (feat. T-Pain XIII)' the whole trip. (FUCK YOU BOATS) (Autotune, perhaps blessedly, did not survive the Hiphophip Wars) (Unlikely.) (I'M THE GM, IF I DON'T WANT IT IT HAS TO HAVE DIED IN SOME WAR) * Tomas disembarks, looking around excitedly at all the hub-bub. * Hestia shifts into park, sets the alarm, gets out the ship. "I wonder if we'll see that smarmy bastard with the ship named like a pretentious Earth vineyard here." * Zeke comments, "Likely. There are a significant majority of the chainjumpers that exist here. On the other hand, he might be annoyed." <> <> * Zeke is a unique and beautiful flower. I'm surprised we haven't seen more of Don Rinaldo or whatever his name was. He seemed intent on competition. * Zeke replies, as he walks forward into the 'party', "Unless engaged in direct surveillance, that would be difficult." * Hestia snorts. "I'd be happy to send him where we just came from. I'd like to see the you-know-whats try out those shiny guns of theirs." <> Without differentiation amongst our own factions, the risk is too high. * Zeke pauses, then adds, "Especially without video." <> * Hestia smirks. "I didn't plan for there to be evidence left. God, I shouldn't have made that comment about vineyards. I already want wine." (So get some!) (NO YOU) The birds were serious about us not coming back. It'd probably start another interstellar war. There's not enough interstellar for there to be war. I'll be back in a second. * Hestia wanders off to get wine. On Preston's dime. * Zeke frowns and adds, "Be cautious. There are unknown SCA modifications." <> * Tomas shrugs then scans the crowd some more. * Hestia opts for Earth, because she is in the mood for Costs More Than It's Worth, which is Earth in a nutshell. * Hestia returns with wine, sipping it and then making a face. "Well... at least I won't get too drunk on this. See anybody famous?" (Do we?) * Zeke's birdsect is scanning the crowd. He's kinda mainly heading towards the bar itself. <> <> * Hestia looks at a couple, returns a wave or two from some random people, and then smirks into her wineglass as she holds it up to mask her expression. "I wonder how many of these poor schlubs are thinking of breaking into the Breaker as we speak," she mumbles. <> * Zeke replies back, "It would be their loss." <> (Well, my other option is talking to Zeke or Tomas.) (*cricket sound*) Probably. Briefly entertaining, though. (Pick one, I'll fill in the name.) <> * Tomas mumbles something and wanders away in search of the guy with the canapes and hors'doeurves. <<... canapes? THIS IS INDI EPSILON! Steven is over by the grill, starting on some sausages!>> (Oh, I must know what the Dunno people are like. I just have to.) (? Sausages are future-canape.) * Hestia takes her show on the road, because Zeke the Living Tricorder is not likely to start asking about the weather and Tomas is eating things. <> "Hey, I know you, you're from the Walphin team. The Weird Piece?" * Hestia goes completely stonefaced, before she says in as close to a monotone as is possible, "...we retired that ship." But yes, that's us. "Oh? Ah, that's cool brah. Get a better one?" Nowhere to go but up. * Hestia pauses, analyzes that statement, realizes the guy just said 'brah', and adds: "That's a yes." Sip. "Hey, cool, it usually takes the teams from the small corps a year or two to get the funding. You guys aren't independent, are you?" * Hestia actually appears to consider that carefully, before realizing she doesn't know the answer. Thus, she compromises with: "Good question. We're... contractors." <> "Weird, brah. But that's gotta be a sweet gig. You gotta have primo intel, too, I hear you've only hit one dead rock yet." * Hestia knows exactly how to play this one. "Just luck. You know how it goes. You rolls the dice, you take what you can get." (Oh god what have they discovered must sound informed) (Is that the case? I thought you were just FFing over the fails.) (We're the harbingers of galactic doom, remember?) (We're special.) (PLOT BUFFS PLOX) <> "'scool, brah! Wish we could be that lucky. Dunno teams spend a lot of time doin' mineral surveys for exotic elements." <> "Cyber-nuts." <> Is that so? Looking for the next phlebotinum or whatever, I take it. Still, they must pay you well enough if you keep at it. * Tomas looks at Steve, then the sausages, then Steve again and heads over, "That's some fine meat you have there." (AND A THOUSAND SLASHFICS WERE BORN) (The finest of meats.) "You kiddin'? Deadrocks are the BEST for exo sandsurfing! Bunch of other extreme sports, too. That and the thrill of jumping are worth the job alone, brah." <> "If I remember my bios right, you know how to cook, right?" * Hestia considers that for a moment, putting a hand on her hip. She HAD been hoping for a little more... physical activity of the XTREME SPORTS variety, so she's already receptive to that comment. "That so? Lucky you. So far all I've done is swim and a lot of walking." And that thing with the Orchid but let's not discuss that. (What's sad is) (My Body stat isn't terribly high) "Yeah, the walking kind of sucks. You into extreme sports, brah? We ought to surf the Mons sometime." (If we have to outrun a boulder, I'm fucked.) <> * Hestia chuckles a little. "Oh, I have my little hobbies. They're just a little... different than surfing." Ho ho ho <3 * Tomas cracks his knuckles with a flourish, "I've spent a moment or two around a stove." 2d6+7 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Zeke (2d6+7) and gets a natural 9 for a result of 16. <> "Get grilling, armboy." <> * Tomas catches the BBQ fork out of the air and flourishes it before fake-sheathing it in his belt and approaching the grill. (He's got a lot of flourish.) "Ooh, all trained and everything." * Zeke's head turns to the right, the birdsect doing the same, looking towards... something. (Tia - the name of the man you are speaking to is: Darnell Patchin) <> 2d6+7 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Zeke (2d6+7) and gets a natural 6 for a result of 13. * Tomas begins deftly flipping and turning and positioning the sausages on the grill. <> (Was the "all trained" blah blah Steve talking to Tomas, or Darnell talking to me?) (Nezumi, totally.) (No. :|) (It was Steve talking to Tomas. I... somehow missed your reply to Darnell.) * Zeke looks after the black thing for a moment, then his birdsect hops on his shoulder a moment as he starts meandering. Maybe he'll see it again1 <> "Really? Whatcha do?" (Ahahahaha oh dear. What to tell him.) * Hestia pauses briefly, though she should have expected that comeback. "Unassisted climbing... some . I dabble." <> "Hey, I'll take two brats." (Don't forget the professional puppy kicking.) <> "... whoa, brah. LEO-ngee? That's pretty extreme." (Ahahaha you BASTARD) (DON'T LET CHAM MAKE THINGS UP FOR YOU) * Hestia gets that curiously stonefaced expression for a moment. "Yes. Yes it is." (Just because he said it doesn't mean Tia's actually DONE it) (Well, no, she lies.) (But!) * Tomas's eyes go wide. He's in the zone. "Brats?! These are sausages, madam. A delectable mix of pork, lamb, martian venison, and venutian spices." <> "... yeah, kay. Gimme two of whatever the fuck those are called." * Tomas sniffs and thinks for a moment before delicately spearing two Sausages for the woman, "What is the point of cooking if not to serve?" "... to eat?" <> 2d6+7 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Zeke (2d6+7) and gets a natural 6 for a result of 13. <> 2d6+7 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Zeke (2d6+7) and gets a natural 8 for a result of 15. <> <> (...srsly?) * Zeke and looks to his left... where there is another bird. His birdsect hops up onto his head to look down at the bird. It might even seem angry. <> "Hey, what's your name? You wanna mosh, brah?" * Tomas sniffs again and turns back to his grill, rearranging the sausages to fill the void left by the two he just served up. <> (But not the void in his soul.) (He stuffs that with sausage too.) <> "Hey, I know you. You're on the Weird Piece, right? The flying deathtrap?" (Ahaha I was talked at) * Hestia glances at the moshers, then says: "You go ahead. Wine and..." A pause. "...dancing don't go together. I'm Tia, anyhow." * Tomas looks up, jolted from his revery, "Yes--well no. We've retired the Weird Piece." * Zeke and the birdsect look back at the real bird, before he looks forward and says, "Someone appears to have lost their pet." The birdsect has a, uh, head, on the new bird. "Really? Did you push it off a cliff? I saw the specs they published. You'd have been better off jumping in a Rubik's Cube." (I already like her.) <> "Aight, Tia. I'll keep an eye out in the feeds for you." <> * Tomas shakes his head, "No, we salvaged most of it for the Fate Breaker." <> "Fate Breaker, huh? What'd you use for a base? Tug? Cargo ship?" (haha. Do I know that?) (You do, since you were there when you bought it from Stan. It's a used luxury liner.) * Zeke doesn't exhibit any symptoms of pain! He keeps walking around, because that's the only way someone's going to find it. His birdsect swishes its tail a little as it keeps looking at the bird. <> (I wander off to drink! People are asking to run heroic TOC) * Zeke's birdsect swings its tail at the bird in response! (Okay, night Todd) * Tomas prods confidently at the meat, "A luxury liner. Stan gave us a good deal on it, I think." <> "You bought it from STAN? Are you MAD?" (What a silly question.) "You had to fly in it! From Mars to here! How are you still alive?! Can you survive explosive decompression?" (Of course we are.) He seemed an honest guy and I felt a bit sorry for him with all those mouths to feed. <> "... I'm not sure I want to eat these. I might catch whatever crazy you've got." <> * Tomas her goggle slides over him as he tends to the meat in a flurry of fork and hand. * Zeke's birdsect gets hit and hops back onto the other shoulder. Zeke, in the meantime, is asking a random person, "Are you aware of whose black bird this is?" <> * Zeke looks over at the bird and says to it, "If I were capable of being socially sabotaged, I would suspect you, strange bird." <> "Oh, no! You let Lenin into the vodka?!" * Zeke looks back at the woman, then replies, "I was not involved in any drinking the bird did." "Are you kidding me? He's right there on your shoulder! Oh man, it's going to take ages to get him settled down." * Zeke frowns at her. "Yes, because he jumped there." "Hey, wait a minute, you're from the Weird Piece too. Are all of you guys here?" * Tomas looks up briefly while sausages are flying through the air, "Not all of us made it." * Zeke gives Tomas a funny look, then looks back to the woman. "Yes, I am, and no, they are not." <> "Alright, well, I'd better get him back to the ship. The name's Mika Picton, I'm on an independent team, running off the Apiary. Hope I see you guys again later." * Tomas waves his fork at her without looking up. * Zeke's birdsect watches Lenin be moved away warily. Zeke's holohead nods and he replies, "Your bird is very aggressive." <> "He's ... territorial when he drinks. I've got to get him back to the ship before something very bad happens to someone's ankles. I'll see you guys around." <>