[ There's some shuffling and static followed by a muffled curse - too quick and quiet to make out what, exactly - and then the feed settles down. For a few seconds too long, actually, because there's an awkward pause before someone finally starts speaking. ]

Greetings. [ It's a soft-spoken but firm English accent, and the somber tone is only slightly offset by frustration with the device. ] I would like to formally request information regarding this vessel's brig - its security, the level of transgression that requires one be locked up in it.

[ A pause, then slightly more reluctantly- ]

And games. Games that do not run on electricity. Chess, dominoes - if anything of that nature is available, I would like to borrow it. Books on real paper would also be sufficient. [ In case you're wondering, he's been holed up in his room and hasn't bothered to find the library. Nor has he figured out how to research information on the network, apparently. As far as he's concerned this is a regular phone and he's making a direct call to some kind of customer service. ]

[This will be a new voice to most of you: cultured almost to the point of absurdity, like a Shakespearean actor trying to prove he's not drunk, but currently very genial.] People of the Tranquility, good day.

I see there has been some discussion about what to do with these "mask" objects that have been gifted to, or forced upon us.

[The Master took one look at his own hanging on his door, and immediately put a handkerchief over it, before hacking together a very strong perception filter. It is now in a box, under the same perception filter, in an egg, in a duck, in an iron chest, in his closet. It's not that he was shocked by it: he has a very clear sense of who and what he is, and is proud of what others might consider his bad qualities. But it wouldn't do to give warning to everyone who happens to pass his door.]

If you wish to keep yours you are of course welcome to do so. But in lieu of or perhaps before seeking to destroy a mask, I'd be pleased if you'd consider allowing me to examine it. I have conducted several tests on my own mask in an attempt to determine its exact composition and nature, and I would welcome more sources of data.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

( Meanwhile, the Doctor gets pinged with an image file, in familiar Gallifreyan handwriting. )

[Work is going to keep Jesse out of trouble. That's why he's doing this, making a PSA when he would like nothing better than to bury his face in some powder. He looks miserable, but at least he's sober.]

The masks. I dunno if you guys, like, watch a lotta TV where you're from. But where I come from, movies'll teach you not to just mess around with mysterious creepy shit that shows up outta nowhere.

I already mentioned this to a couple people, but I'll get rid of your mask for you. I know they keep coming back, but I'll do it every day. My room's eight twenty-four. You can just drop it off there or at the science labs or give it to me if you see me around and I'll take care of the rest.

Uh, that's it. I guess.

"Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain."

[Harvey's got his mask in his hands, turning it over. He's standing outside his door in 011 as he does so. It's clear that the aforementioned quote from Harry Potter is in relation to the eerily nondescript mask in his hands. He appears calm and collected, though really - the featureless mask seems... angry, in a way. He tried binning it, it didn't work. It came back stuck to his door. Which is why he is choosing to make this transmission, using the network for the first time.]

Someone went a bit happy with the paper mache and put some witchery on it. If anybody's found a way to get rid of it permanently, let me know. That kind of information should be shared because I don't know about you, but I don't want to see this thing again. I know I'm not alone in that.

[Tooootally ignoring the fact that it gives him the creeps, a bit. He hasn't even put it on, so he sticks it back on his door before turning off the transmission.]

[ The video feed shows Toshiko at her Comms station, looking exactly like every other resident of the ship who has gone for days without a decent night's sleep or a shower. Yes, she is still on duty. ]

Nice to finally have the lights and heat back, isn't it? I'd like to ask everyone a favor. If you happen to stumble across a little piece of equipment like this- [ She holds up a small, crude bundle of circuitry and metal ] -don't panic. It's just left from an attempt we made at tracking the source of those sounds we all heard over the network. A failed attempt, unfortunately, but you can't fault us for trying. In fact, if you find one, we'd be grateful if you'd drop it back by Communications for us.

And by the way, I'm seeing chatter about some changes to our decor. Do I even want to ask?


[OOC: Action for Comms folk is open, network only for everyone else until after Isaac has a chance to make her go back to her room. ]

May I have a word with any of you who have been taken to a place against your will prior to this one? A place not your own world. Perhaps an island, though I will speak to others if this description merely fits a majority of what I've described, as well.

[While Japan waits for replies to that, he'll be hanging around the gardens in surprisingly modern clothing considering the katana at his waist. A scarf, too! He's taking his time, walking, enjoying the plants (as much as he can in a garden like this) and occasionally sighing to himself or making quiet, mumbled comments about not being able to observe the seasons properly and his age.

Well until he stops for lunch that is. Still in the gardens, he'll be having his lunch here, and offering an onigiri to whoever might pass by, stranger or not.]

It seems I've prepared extra, if you'd like one.

[ he's sitting in the oxygen gardens, a wooden pipe in his mouth and large white smoke-rings curling from the end of the pipe. there's an open book in his lap and there's a lingering weariness in his posture, despite how relaxed he seems.

still, when frodo speaks up, his voice is fond, light, moving his pipe away from his lips. ]

Where I come from, smoking pipeweed is considered an art. Making good smoke-rings like this--there's nothing quite like it.

[ frodo pauses; glances at his book then. ]

My dearest friend told me that he wondered if anything we've done would ever be put into 'great stories.'
"The stories that really mattered, that stayed with you."  As a lad I spent most of my life reading about stories, learning them and I'd always had my favorites with my Uncle. He went on a many great adventures.

[ he smiles quietly ]
Sometimes stories can be..quite different than we imagine them to be when we begin them. The same could be said of adventures.

Do you have a story like that? One that's stayed with you. Perhaps something you knew as a child, or one you found in a book. Perhaps it isn't a story but a moment that you've shared and relived with others over and over again. I'd be glad to hear them.

Good afternoon, Tranquility.

This is Doctor Watson from medbay with just a few, quick announcements.

First, some of you may or may not have noticed that I was absent for the greater portion of the last jump. Sorry - that's about as much as I know about it as well. Anyone who was looking for me, specifically, can contact me at this number.

Secondly, due to my absence, I don't know if anyone new has joined on to the medical team or not [ He doesn't really sound hopeful in that aspect. ] or if anyone's left, so I'd like to call for a quick headcount of our current staff, if you wouldn't mind.

I'd also like the staff to quickly jot down their availability for shifts on the roster I attach.

SHIFT ROSTER

Medbay is always looking for more staff. No experience necessary, just time and dedication to the job. If you're interested, contact me and we'll run through a brief interview with the other senior staff.

JOB SIGN-UP

Finally... I'm sure many of you have noticed we've gotten another Sherlock Holmes aboard. For those of you who don't know, there are three of them.

Two of them look completely identical and sign their texts. Those ones are Seven and Eleven. [ Go ahead and have yourself a chuckle, Americans. ]

Eleven is directly from London. He has never been on the Tranquility before this jump, so please don't try and treat him as if you know him, or expect him to act like he did when you knew him. I'm telling you this so you don't have to hear it from him - he's got a [ A soft grunt of a laugh-not-laugh. ] particular way of putting things. Some things do stay the same.

That's it.


[[ OOC: Info on John's disappearance and his jump post (for anyone interested) is here.

Also! I made a general medbay log post for anyone who wanted to write about lasting injuries from last month/just a catch-all for the area. You can find that here! ]]

[THIS IS A RECORDING OF A WALL THAT HAS BEEN SMEARED WITH WHITE PAINT. well it looks like white paint.

obviously this is very exciting but what's more exciting is a vague humming sound coming from somewhere off-camera. it continues for a few seconds and there's a popping sound, and the once-empty white wall now bears an oval shaped opening outlined in glowing orange.

within that orange portal is a room, and in that room is a bed, and on that bed is Chell (sitting around in her underwear, what a slob) holding a working Portal Gun in her hands. she hops off the bed and strides towards the camera. she walks through the portal and bends down to pick up the device.

she looks...vaguely pleased and shuts the video feed off.]

[the next bit is text.]

avoid blue and orange gel.

trying something.

[the video clicks on to a view of the shuttle bay. gee that is a nice shuttle bay, real big and full of ships that's cool. until you notice what else is there. namely an enormous fucking dog that's snuffing around the base of one of the shuttles.]

I found a dog.

[Tate states as the behemoth of an animal seems to just disappear into a patch of shadows for a moment. it could be a trick of the eye, it's hard to tell, but when it shows up again it's face is all but in the camera.

she gives Tate a wary look when he reaches a palm out to her, before snuffing distastefully and trotting off again.]

It's kind of temperamental. I'm pretty sure it wasn't here before since, you know, it's the size of a horse and I don't think anyone would have missed that. Anyway someone should come and get it before it starts chewing on one of the bikes or something.

[So, this last jump? Aaron got a gun. Just walked up to his locker for his clothes, clicked it open, and there it was. Sitting on top of his leather jacket, a few cases of ammunition behind it.

He really missed his gun.

Which is why, today, he's not addressing the network through text. Instead, he's sitting in his room, a single gold case (it almost looks like cigarette case) hanging around his neck, face serious and posture... well, it almost looks a little threatening.]

I need to know how often people from your worlds show up, people you know. When one person ends up here, do other people follow? That sort of thing.

Also... I need a chemist. [His expression tenses a little, almost darkens] Consider it urgent.

[There's a quick pause, and Aaron's lifting up the handgun he'd been given this jump, wiggling it in plain view of the camera.]

People from Outcome... Byer? You know what this means.

[And, almost looking smug, he leans forward and flicks the feed off.]

[ The feed starts. ]

Hey, this is September. Please don't dissect me, thanks.

[ The feed ends.

It starts again several hours later. The boy appears shaken up, actually shaking his head at the screen as he readjusts his posture. His partner's next echoing words: "No one is out to get you, you moron." Apparently he remembered that small lecture over this short range of time, so here he is again. He rubs at his neck that appears pink from pinching. Making E N T I R E L Y sure this still isn't a dream, it seems. Or something worse.

So, he tries to fix his small stumble there. ]

Right, I was kidding before. Hah. Okay, I'm September and don't attack me. Thank you. [ That works, right? ]


( P.S. Permissions post for dream eating, thanks! )

[He speaks with an English accent, corrupted by his native language and years of contact with all kinds of pronunciations from around the world - be it his or someone else's. Still, his fluency makes all those little alterations perfectly forgivable.]

I'll begin this message by letting you all know that waking up in these facilities made a week of decontamination feel like a well-deserved vacation. [For those unfamiliar with those procedures (the vast majority, he assumes):] They aren't. They're quite unpleasant, in fact. But also necessary.

Which begs the question: is all of this necessary as well? And I don't mean the healthy dose of tube - whatever that was, exactly - just the fact that we're somehow here. [Hm.] Highly doubt it. I'd at least have some memory of asking to be whisked away to a haunted space cruise.

[Pause. He doesn't sound like he's being serious, but that's up to you to decide. And he really enjoys the sound of his own voice, so whether this Space Ship Party MC's around to see it is actually rather irrelevant.]

Honestly, I'm just wondering when someone's going to show up and tell me this was an extraordinarily detailed prank. [... Well.] Hoping would be the right word, actually.

[And there you have it. But wait!]

So - who wants to tell me what we're going to do about that dragon?

[ ah, tranquility, long time no- actually you may have seen one of them around last month. or both. maybe you got lucky on that front. what you do end up seeing, right now, looks suspiciously like one the tranquility's science labs. there's one person in the frame right now, and yes, if you see that blue glow coming from the chest, you can guess that it's tony stark in one of his normal habitats of a lab. you can't see his face but you can hear him saying something to someone off screen. ]

Technically it's not false pretenses if after we're done we do get to play. I'm not going to be the bearer of bad news again without company. Seriously, I don't want to be giving this news in the first place. Not right after "Adventures in the English Moors from Hell" or some other stupidly foggy place.

[ yes tony because that's a good descriptor for silent hill. also. not really helping your case at all. especially when you turned this thing on just so bruce has no other choice to actually help you with this psa. ]

I think those are actually in Scotland.

[ ...bruce that is not helpful or topical, tony carry on. ]

Which is a part of England. You're arguing semantics to get out of my main goal here. Seriously, not doing this PSA alone. They're going to start referring to me as the man who brings the gloom and doom if I do them alone too much. It'll be what the new kids call me and that is not even okay in the slightest. [ see bruce, resistance is futile, your life is now apparently made in star trek quotes and horrible other pop culture thing's. and also tony pulling your arm to get you in the frame with him. which really tony who does that to the hulk. you are so weird. so weird that now you've also shifted the comm up to where everyone can see adventures in bruce and tony being five with faces. ]

Quit grabbing-- are you five? [ that last part is muttered-- well. "muttered". ] Fine, all right. Hi.

[ that last bit addressed to the comm. ] So, I know we've all had it... rough, the last week. [ that was his turn tony you go, have a subtle elbow to the side. ]

Actually thirteen, but thank you for thinking I'm younger than I am. [ tony, that's also not topical and let's try to remember why you came here. ] That was also the worst turn known to man. Anyway! Like Dr. Banner said, we've had a rough last week and some of you were in English Moors and some of you were just on the regular horror filled spaceship. Pretty sure no one won there. That being said, we're about to tell you something that's gonna make it a little worse.

Those of you who are new hopefully know who the one we call Smiley is. If not- Banner, you give them a run down on that. This is going to make no sense if they don't know and I think the ship deserves to hear your dulcet tones. [ …tony that's mean. have an elbow, not subtle at all to your side, bruce. ]

Ow. [ he clutches his side, exaggeratedly affronted. (if you know him, fine. he looks mildly questioning and in need of a haircut like usual, otherwise.) ] Nice cut off point, Tony.

[ and back to the comm. ] Smiley is-- well, the jury's out on what, but he's been a presence in our lives for a while now. If you've heard about lists or puzzles, if it wasn't that guy in the hat-- [ he waves his hands vaguely at the rat's nest on his head. ]

--Or the guy who's obsessed with bacon. Seriously, will someone think of the people who keep kosher? Or you know, the people who actual like eating bacon who don't want to see it ruined.

[ yanking this BACK jesus tony bruce totally isn't quietly laughing at that, no. ] Or him, okay-- if it wasn't one of us, my point is, they probably meant him. We don't... quite know his agenda-- [ correction: we don't know his agenda at all ] But when he communicates, it's better to pay attention.

[ which tony does all the time. even when it's quiet. because he's a paranoid asshole. also you know, just someone who doesn't believe in privacy or things normal people like. right. BACK TO HIM. thank you for no elbow bruce, he was thinking that was his cue, but you didn't give it. ]

Obviously there was no communication while I think, what, half of us were stuck in that fog on the main network of our communication devices. So I was curious, and I checked our subnetwork that he likes to hide on sometimes. Yeah. Got a communication there. First was a riddle, led to some bullshit about not liking planets and and quiet, but liking worlds and peace. FYI, last two words don’t have t’s the first two do. Funny letter play. Anyway, after that, I found this, it’s an imitation, but if you can get someone to hack for you, you’ll find that it’s the same thing I’m sending to all of you right now.

[ do do you all get to have tony turn this to text for a second and get sent this: ]

IT WANTS TO KEEP YOU

It wants to keep you. Not the most welcoming lines, especially considering this entire ship and how it'’s at least vaguely creepy to most of us and how I think most of us want to go home. I'm not saying, be worried- actually, no, I am, because every time something like this pops up we end up either having stupid lists that don't make sense pop up or we turn blue from space sickness and have them lead us to a lab, this lab, actually, that had been teeming with abominations of nature that didn't have any eyes and shouldn't have survived jumps without turning into puddles of monster, but did, and- Bruce, you agree with me, yeah?

[ back him up, bro. also no elbow for you but it's implied. ]

...Oh, I get to talk now? [ very very sassy, mr. banner. but he's not annoyed, and there's a tiny actual grin hovering around the edges of his mouth; bruce banner likes hearing tony stark talk. (and thus were a million s.h.i.e.l.d. employee bets lost.) ] There's a pretty decent rubric, in life, for how worthwhile a hunch is. Once is usually a wild goose chase, two is coincidence, three's worth looking into. Four confirmed sightings-- which is what we have, now-- is a pretty good place to start.

[ bruce holds up one fingers. ] "It wasn't our fault." [ another finger. ] "Succeed and give and it helps you to live." [ a third finger, kind of the boy scout sign bruce go away. ] "It'll only find you faster."

[ he lowers his hand, taking off his glasses to finish the point. ] And now "it wants to keep you." I think we need to worry about what exactly "it" is, now. Which leaves one more very important question--

[ and take us home, tony. ]

Who the fuck is T? There's a list, I know all of you have seen it, if you haven't, I'll send it to you, I guess, but last name our list of people who still don't make any sense is T. I can hear you yelling already Nathan- We knew R and W were Resnik and Ward, we have no clue who T is beyond, what, the Tranquility? [ there's a dismissive snort, sorry guys, but that's not a theory he's subscribing to. ] All the T's were underlined in that message. Smiley seems to not like T if the words are anything to go by. I'm just saying, even beyond what "it" is, who is T and what did T to earn such hate that "it" can't even like words with their initial in them.

Come on Smiley, come out, don't be like Paris and Nicole and just say he knows what he did. We're inquiring minds here, and I personally like a gossip magazine from time to time.

[ tony no. just no. that was, just look at bruce right now. he is side-eyeing so HARD and mouthing 'paris and nicole' because south america on a fugitive's budget didn't lead to lots of us weekly reading okay, god. get back on topic, you two so you can go play. ]

That's actually all we've got, now that I've said this, just watch, something will happen because that's our lives. And no, again, we don't get to say, "Tony you made it angry," because I didn't even talk to it this time and neither did Banner. So, not mine or his fault. Direct questions to the two of us, or whatever, but if we take a bit we're making science related discoveries because I promised Banner a treat for doing this with me.

[ reaching towards the communicator, bruce gets out-- ]

If you compare this to hiding a pill in a piece of cheese for a housepet next, I'm taking my science and going home to Betty.

[ AND THEN CLOSEUP OF BANNER WRIST AND WE’RE OUT. ]

[ ooc | tony, bruce. replies come from both, unless directed to just one in the subject. ]

[ Interesting thing about Sebastian Moran: he absolutely loves a good jungle. It doesn't matter what type, so long as it's interesting and He considers the Tranquility a jungle within itself, really, if jungles were composed of oddly mismatched architecture. The entire ship has offered him plenty of room to explore, though, and he's finally discovered the oxygen gardens.

He knows full well that there's not anything of the nasty, sharp-toothed, razor-clawed nature lurking in the gardens, but it's nice to be back in a familiar environment, so he's incredibly cheerful, whistling some semblance of a tune when the recording begins, his eyes scanning his surroundings beyond the view of the device. Suddenly, he stops his whistling and cracks a grin. ]

Damn. That'll be stuck up there all day now. [ He taps his temple. ] How far does all this go on, then? It doesn't seem nearly deep enough for my tastes.

[ Oh, another interesting thing about Sebastian Moran, by the way: he really loves to hear himself talk. Which means that for the next few minutes, the lot of you have to him narrate his own mini documentary. And his voice is not nearly as calming as Morgan Freeman's. ]

Maybe we'll catch a tiger, eh? [ He chuckles. ]

Damn near impossible to catch one of 'em by the toe and live to tell the tale, in case you ever wondered. They've got razor sharp claws that retract, five inches long on most of 'em. You'd probably be better off putting your head between their jaws and saving 'em the trouble of shredding you to bits.

[He continues on in this manner for five more minutes or so, rattling off strangely gorey facts about tigers and other beasties and jungles in the world's cockiest tone until--

The scheduled "rain" for the lower levels of the garden begins to fall heavily, instantly soaking him and mostly shutting him up beyond hushed swears as he fumbles to turn the device off. Thanks, Tranquility. ]

{OOC| I would like to apologize. Also, tags will come from tigers because I changed his username yes good.}

Hello Tranquility!!

[ a communication device flicks on revealing... grain, and little else. At least to start out with. after some time, a man in a bow tie looking... more enthusiastic than he has any right to look shows up in the feed. ]

—Kept meaning to do this, but apparently, I was already here. Or more specifically, will be here. And let me just say, there’s nothing more annoying than being ░░░░

[ static... as the feed flicks out. and then flicks on again, with the doctor looking somewhat annoyed. ]

Never mind that. As I was saying, there's nothing more annoying than being upstaged by— ░░░░░

[ a screech, static, and then back again. ]

—UPSTAGED BY YOURSELF.

[ this time, as he hits the coms device, the feed seems to stay. ]

Now, where was I? [ pause ] Right. I really ought to have introduced myself more formally sooner, but I couldn't help but get distracted. You know how it goes. Abandoned spaceship kidnapping people from multiple dimensions, no answers in sight— ░░░░

[ now he might be a little angry. ]

Communications devices that don't work!!!!

[ pause ]

But that's not the point, now is it? No, what's far more concerning, is here we are, on a not-so-abandoned spaceship, and the fog's setting in.

[ another pause ]

The fog. How could I have not noticed the—

...Never mind that.

[ he swallows ]

No, what's important is that I'm the Doctor, and I promise I'm going to do whatever I can to get to the bottom of this. Get to the bottom of the fog, why we're all here, and whatever else is thrown this way, because let me tell you, I've been through... ░░░░░░░░░░?͚̬̯̤̰̘̩̳̘̱̹͇͔̝̙̟̀͘͝͡͞?҉̫͇̖̬̲͉̫͍̼̘̹̣͕͈̻͡͡?̀҉̹̘͔̜̕

[ and the static takes over as the feed goes dead ]