Crux Fleet NPCs ([personal profile] crux_npcs) wrote in [community profile] crux_fleet2014-05-01 08:50 pm

0008: NEW ARRIVAL BRIEFING

Who: New Arrivals, Graham Baker
Where: Briefing Room
When: Late afternoon, Aprilo 29th
Warnings: None

When awakening, the immediate surroundings are swarming with activity and very chaotic. The people in the medical ward are polite and understanding, but firmly refuse to answer questions until the briefing. Especially not after some group of kooks earlier decided that they'd throw a tantrum and bug out of the hospital before anything can get said. Either given hospital outfits resembling very comfortable pajamas, drone bodies, or their own bodies, they are escorted by polite, unyielding people in red and black uniforms to the briefing room. Fortunately for the robots, things are much more organized.

The Briefing room is large. Not enough to accommodate a giant, but spacious enough for several dozen people. The tiles are black and featureless while the walls are nice, soothing colors. The chairs are high-backed and well-cushioned, more like comforting eggs floating a foot or so off the ground than anything else. Set into the ceiling and floor near the front is a large holographic projector. The floor in front of each seat also has a smaller projector, allowing people to see what the bigger device is showing without having to angle for a view. As of now, it merely displays a rotating pyramid.

Ten members of Security line the walls and various exits, looking rather displeased to be here. Graham Baker, a balding man in an ill-fitting suit, stands at the head of the room with an easy smile, seemingly unbothered by any previous ruckus.

[Questions to the NPCs will go in the briefing thread. The rest of the post is there for people to mill about and do whatever with. The mods will not be doing hangar/medical awakenings unless it's specifically asked for.]
espio: (talking to turnips)

[personal profile] espio 2014-05-05 03:57 pm (UTC)(link)
It might have been making Shadow worry, but Espio was feeling more at ease the longer this conversation went on. However, he didn't really want to give him a detailed answer - not yet. Instead, he shrugged. "Doesn't matter. It would be a problem for me if you did."

[personal profile] chaoscontroller 2014-05-05 04:26 pm (UTC)(link)
It was the lack of details that was starting to driving Shadow a little crazy.

"It does matter, chameleon. How do you know my name?"

It was starting to make sense. The way Espio was looking at him during the briefing. He knew him. Espio knew him and Shadow was yet again at a loss. Unbelievable.
espio: (srs lizard)

[personal profile] espio 2014-05-05 06:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Espio frowned. He was by now reasonably confident that this was another alternate of Shadow, but that made him a stranger. And Espio was not about to discuss his history with a stranger.

"It's personal."

Still, he couldn't really leave it at that, could he? He wanted to, and just let Shadow think and wonder without answers, but...

"Are you familiar with the concept of alternate realities?" he asked.

[personal profile] chaoscontroller 2014-05-05 09:43 pm (UTC)(link)
It took Shadow a second to understand. It couldn't possibly be a random question to throw into the conversation. While it didn't quite explain everything, Espio's little question made everything suddenly click. It was more than enough to simply imagine what it was all about.

Shadow's frustration wasn't entirely gone, but he certainly didn't look as angry anymore. If anything he looked a little uncertain. The whole idea wasn't really easy to process. It only raised even more questions, questions he didn't know he wanted the answers to.

"I am." Theories at least, that was enough, right?
Edited (oops engrish) 2014-05-05 21:50 (UTC)
espio: (srs lizard)

[personal profile] espio 2014-05-05 10:11 pm (UTC)(link)
"Well..."

He really didn't want to go into detail, so he spent a moment trying to find the words. All he could manage, however, was a gigantic understatement.

"Your alternate's a dick."

[personal profile] chaoscontroller 2014-05-05 11:08 pm (UTC)(link)
... Espio might have never seen Shadow so baffled in his life. Or maybe he had, given the circumstances. The fact was that Shadow's first reaction to Espio's honest statement was to take a tiny step back, blinking at the chameleon, more than once, even tilted his head, only a bit. Did he really say that?

"I..." What was he even supposed to say to that? Should he even get mad? It wasn't like he was talking about him! Or... Was he? He was pretty sure that description would fit him any day, after what he had done. But he didn't even know what he, or... this alternate of himself had done. Maybe he shouldn't be giving the whole thing so much importance. He had gotten quite more than enough information, he assumed.

"I see."

Shadow said, after clearing his throat, crossed his arms upon his chest and made as if he honestly didn't care about it.

He could be a good liar, sometimes.
espio: (srs lizard)

[personal profile] espio 2014-05-05 11:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Espio tilted his head slightly, with a small smirk at Shadow's bewildered reaction. "Unfortunately I don't have language quite colourful enough to describe him more accurately," he added. "I've met another alternate before. He was okay, I suppose. At any rate, I'm not in the business of punishing people for crimes they didn't commit."

Coming from someone who claimed to be a pirate, that statement was rather questionable, though Espio ignored that.

"The Shadow of my reality did something unforgivable. If I wasn't already aware of alternates, we would not be having a conversation right now."

[personal profile] chaoscontroller 2014-05-05 11:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Not only had Espio met one... but two of himself...? Could he even call them that?

"I don't want to know."

Shadow hurried the reply before Espio went on, if he was anyway. But the truth was that he did want to know. The most unforgivable thing he could think about was, well... what he could have done himself with Earth. But at least it added a bit more insight, to Espio's attitude towards Shadow. It made sense.
espio: (listening)

[personal profile] espio 2014-05-05 11:29 pm (UTC)(link)
"I didn't plan on telling you any more than that. Like I said - it's personal. Really not something I discuss with most people."

It was true. Espio had never kept it a secret that he had no home to return to, but he very, very rarely discussed it with anyone. Here, on this ship... it was really only Marco who knew about it, wasn't it?

[personal profile] chaoscontroller 2014-05-05 11:47 pm (UTC)(link)
"Hmph, fine."

Ah, but Espio did have to tell him that insignificant detail, didn't he? He had to make Shadow uncomfortable by telling him how much of a horrible hedgehog he could be in some other far away universe. It was more than clear that the chameleon didn't like him, enough to sow the seeds of doubt in this Shadow, even if he claimed he wasn't about to punish people for crimes they didn't commit.

What a hypocrite.

Shadow then turned his back on Espio.

"Keep that Emerald safe, pirate." He didn't even look back at him before walking away.
espio: (yes i walk on walls)

[personal profile] espio 2014-05-05 11:56 pm (UTC)(link)
"Hmph."

Espio resisted the urge to question 'from who' as he watched him leave, before sighing, and allowing himself to drop to the floor.