I haven't actually taken a minute away from work to go check them out yet. It's just been bunkers and ammo and one really big robot every day. That's a great idea, actually. I wonder how the hardness stacks up against the metal we're using for the walls.
I was wondering if it was part of the Levithan's petrifaction, or accumulated trace minerals from the acid rain.
In the case of the latter, it could be an interesting view into the ecosystem. If it's something that can only form around the Leviathan, we have something unique to potentially work with.
[So, aliens are cool. Lance is much more used to aliens than he ever thought he could be, so their presence is a curiosity more than anything else, and it doesn't both him other than prompting his usual wariness about an unpredictable situation.
However, he's aware that isn't the case for everyone, and there's definitely someone in particular he's concerned about. So it isn't long after the Thessyx's first arrival that he goes looking for Ian, hoping he might find him before he notices their new visitors but knowing that's probably unlikely.]
( Yeah, unfortunately not so lucky, Lance. Ian's definitely seen them, and he definitely almost shit himself, and he definitely peeled the hell away as soon as he could get his bearings. He's not hard to find, he's holed up in his Safe Place — the engineering corps, sitting at his workbench with a bouncing leg and a pen in hand that isn't actually drawing or writing anything. It's a rough day in the life of Fowler when he's got anxious energy in an unsettled limb even after having a drown-the-anxiety shot or two.
He so focused on what he's not writing, if Lance says something or appears too suddenly it'll startle the everloving shit out of him. )
[Yeah he can tell right away by that posture that Ian's already seen the visitors, and that he's not paying much attention to the world around him. Unfortunately, Lance's usual way of approaching someone who might be startled is to talk instead of getting close, so that might end up backfiring in his attempt not to surprise Ian. He does get within normal speaking distance though, mostly because he keeps his voice soft.]
( Why, whatever do you mean, Lancelot? Have a nice belated sup nod, and the most stock-standard half-smile anyone has ever given anyone in the history of ever. It looks perfectly passable, provided you haven't known him for more than six months. )
[The part of Lance that's so incredibly competitive makes it difficult to resist the urge to declare and then prove that he's a way better liar if he wants to be, but he's thankfully self-aware enough to cut that off. That's not the point right now. He can just win a bet later or something like he did when Nate doubted him.
Right now, they have a different issue, and he's not going to let them get distracted from it.]
Maybe to someone else.
[He steps over to the workbench, giving Ian space while still being able to pick up some gadget and begin looking it over.]
( Add that to their list of lowkey impending competitions - a lie-off. Odds are probably favoring Lance on this one. Only one person could be a suitable judge, really. Table it for later.
He sighs, rubbing his forefinger and thumb back and forth across either eyebrow with the same hand holding the pen; it juts out from beneath his knuckle into the open air. )
You mean the, uh... giant fucking aliens? Yeah, no, I... I saw those, yeah. They seem...
( Humanoid. Sentient. Like they have the home-field advantage. Like they have an ulterior motive. )
Lance keeps his eyes on the object he's turning over his hands, but he's watching Ian's body language out of his peripheral vision all the same as he asks mildly--]
Yeah, no it's... great. Friendly is a great thing. It's really... good.
( He nods as he speaks, voice light, eyes trailing back over to his workbench like he's preoccupied with the whole lot of nothing he was doing when Lance spooked him.
It really is good. God knows how he'd handle it if that weren't the case, if they wound up engaging in war with these things. They seem peaceful, he knows, and there were a dozen people back in New Amsterdam that weren't from earth. Technically alien, it's just...
They looked human.
He's trying not to be xenophobic.
But.
They're fucking aliens. Very, extremely, obviously aliens. Aliens with the home field advantage, and who can apparently enter your dreams and leave marks on your chest. )
[Incredibly convincing. Amazing. Definitely casual and nothing wrong here.
Lance concentrates a moment, and the object he's holding lights up a soft seafoam green color; it's both an extension of fidgeting and to give a small distraction for Ian to focus on, while Lance pries a little more.]
Better than the alternative, sure, though it's difficult to say what their actual intentions are.
[So if Ian's worried about that, or just otherwise wants to saying anything not delightedly welcoming of the visitors, hopefully that's enough of an open door.]
( He picks up immediately, wheeling around with the most mild, chilled-out version of conviction anyone ever saw. Totally belies the fact that he's been thinking on this with some depth or regularity. )
I don't think they're being particularly subtle about having ulterior motives. Plus, I mean, I think those are the things that visited people in their sleep. They left, like, a mark on people's bodies. I don't know, man, anything that gets in your head and marks you without permission at least doesn't have a sense of boundaries, who knows what else they consider on the safe side of the line?
I mean they were-- apparently, like... showing up in people's dreams, and they'd kind of... touch them on the chest and leave a mark behind. Not- don't get the wrong idea, I wasn't being... creepy, but you can see it on some people's chests in the showers.
( Once was unremarkable. Twice could be coincidence. The third one...
[Lance scrunches his nose a little at the story--and at the reminder of the lack of privacy here, he sure loves that--but okay, that's weird, though not unheard of. Of course it's something that would've been totally unheard of for him three years ago, but things change.]
( He murmurs, and it sounds a little bit deescalated. There's an unspoken thank god written in there. He's already high strung enough, no need to add that to the list. )
No mark on Nate either. I'm not really sure how they picked who they picked, but... The point is, they picked them. What exactly do they plan on doing with the ones they singled out?
[Hm. He frowns a little in thought, remembering how the gods in Hadriel didn't always affect everyone with their actions, and how it had felt almost random; he wonders if it really was, and if that is--or isn't--the case here. There's probably some reason to it, because there almost always is.]
I don't know, but it sounds like they have some particular interest in at least some of us, and it would be best to figure out why.
look i know i’m not on the engineer team asshole didnt believe i built a 102km3 area human maze but i designed stopgates for our flooding problem theyd be constructed mostly with materials we can salvage from base camp you want them? cause im building it whether you do or not the variable's just how much i'm stealing from you instead of asking nicely
the maze was packed full of kid prodigies it was a trial to study intense brain activity they needed it to be huge, scary, inescapable and unsolvable for at least 2 years the walls rearranged at night it was underground simulated sky and weather and there were 2 besides being totally horrifying and super unethical, it was kinda cool next
Okay I'm gonna reserve another dozen or two and table them for now to circle back to the main topic or we're never gonna get there and it's actually pretty relevant to our survival right now so
You don't have to steal anything I can duplicate whatever you need Wet socks are making me suicidal Can I see the plans?
knowing those answers won't make you feel any better
you can duplicate construction materials? how? they have a machine for that?? yeah ill bring them by ur shop it's all pencil on scrap paper and coffee stains but i did the best with what i had
just you. yeah youre right, i don't believe that but i'm interested in seeing it proven guess i'd be a hypocrite if i didn't give you a chance at your word
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Text, a.price
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Any particular reason for the question?
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In the case of the latter, it could be an interesting view into the ecosystem. If it's something that can only form around the Leviathan, we have something unique to potentially work with.
Unless it's just salt, I guess.
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The good news is I don't need any tools to cut samples. Time for a field trip.
backdated to right after aliens showed up w/e
However, he's aware that isn't the case for everyone, and there's definitely someone in particular he's concerned about. So it isn't long after the Thessyx's first arrival that he goes looking for Ian, hoping he might find him before he notices their new visitors but knowing that's probably unlikely.]
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He so focused on what he's not writing, if Lance says something or appears too suddenly it'll startle the everloving shit out of him. )
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Ian?
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Fuck.
( Jesus, okay, get it together, man. He huffs an exhale, then immediately rolls into playing it off with a slightly breathy; )
Hey, man.
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Sorry, I was trying not to surprise you.
[He says it with a faint hint of humor, because obviously that didn't go well. And speaking of things not going well--]
I'd ask how you're doing, but...
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I'm good, man. How are you?
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Great. I think I'm acclimating to the hammock lifestyle.
[He absolutely is not but if they're going to obviously lie about things...]
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He pulls an almost-identical face. This is, he imagines, what older siblings feel when younger siblings do annoying shit. )
At least mine was believable.
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Right now, they have a different issue, and he's not going to let them get distracted from it.]
Maybe to someone else.
[He steps over to the workbench, giving Ian space while still being able to pick up some gadget and begin looking it over.]
I presume you've seen our guests.
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He sighs, rubbing his forefinger and thumb back and forth across either eyebrow with the same hand holding the pen; it juts out from beneath his knuckle into the open air. )
You mean the, uh... giant fucking aliens? Yeah, no, I... I saw those, yeah. They seem...
( Humanoid. Sentient. Like they have the home-field advantage. Like they have an ulterior motive. )
Friendly.
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Lance keeps his eyes on the object he's turning over his hands, but he's watching Ian's body language out of his peripheral vision all the same as he asks mildly--]
Isn't friendly a good thing?
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( He nods as he speaks, voice light, eyes trailing back over to his workbench like he's preoccupied with the whole lot of nothing he was doing when Lance spooked him.
It really is good. God knows how he'd handle it if that weren't the case, if they wound up engaging in war with these things. They seem peaceful, he knows, and there were a dozen people back in New Amsterdam that weren't from earth. Technically alien, it's just...
They looked human.
He's trying not to be xenophobic.
But.
They're fucking aliens. Very, extremely, obviously aliens. Aliens with the home field advantage, and who can apparently enter your dreams and leave marks on your chest. )
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Lance concentrates a moment, and the object he's holding lights up a soft seafoam green color; it's both an extension of fidgeting and to give a small distraction for Ian to focus on, while Lance pries a little more.]
Better than the alternative, sure, though it's difficult to say what their actual intentions are.
[So if Ian's worried about that, or just otherwise wants to saying anything not delightedly welcoming of the visitors, hopefully that's enough of an open door.]
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( He picks up immediately, wheeling around with the most mild, chilled-out version of conviction anyone ever saw. Totally belies the fact that he's been thinking on this with some depth or regularity. )
I don't think they're being particularly subtle about having ulterior motives. Plus, I mean, I think those are the things that visited people in their sleep. They left, like, a mark on people's bodies. I don't know, man, anything that gets in your head and marks you without permission at least doesn't have a sense of boundaries, who knows what else they consider on the safe side of the line?
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What do you mean about visiting in dreams and leaving a mark?
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( Once was unremarkable. Twice could be coincidence. The third one...
He had to ask, and he got the story. )
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Did you have one of those dreams yourself?
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( He murmurs, and it sounds a little bit deescalated. There's an unspoken thank god written in there. He's already high strung enough, no need to add that to the list. )
No mark on Nate either. I'm not really sure how they picked who they picked, but... The point is, they picked them. What exactly do they plan on doing with the ones they singled out?
my brain is mush omg I'm sorry for the delay
I don't know, but it sounds like they have some particular interest in at least some of us, and it would be best to figure out why.
@thomas, pretend they were in raia together mk
asshole didnt believe i built a 102km3 area human maze
but i designed stopgates for our flooding problem
theyd be constructed mostly with materials we can salvage from base camp
you want them?
cause im building it whether you do or not
the variable's just how much i'm stealing from you instead of asking nicely
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Let's start with: human maze
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blame brainwashing and bad doctors
next question?
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it was a trial to study intense brain activity
they needed it to be huge, scary, inescapable and unsolvable for at least 2 years
the walls rearranged at night
it was underground
simulated sky and weather
and there were 2
besides being totally horrifying and super unethical, it was kinda cool
next
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You don't have to steal anything
I can duplicate whatever you need
Wet socks are making me suicidal
Can I see the plans?
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you can duplicate construction materials? how? they have a machine for that??
yeah ill bring them by ur shop
it's all pencil on scrap paper and coffee stains but i did the best with what i had
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It's not a machine, it's just me
You're not gonna believe it if I tell you, it's one of those things you have to see
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just you.
yeah youre right, i don't believe that
but i'm interested in seeing it proven
guess i'd be a hypocrite if i didn't give you a chance at your word
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I was somewhere else before this planet
Everybody like us, everybody who got pulled through to it, wound up being able to do something
Weird
Screwing with matter is kind of my specialty