IC INTRO - JAN 2019

[phantasmods]

Sometime after the group all heads back down the mountain, comes another mass text from home base -

Hey guys? We started getting some weird readings overnight... It might be good if you started heading back this way? We're not sure what the Fissure is doing right now. (,,꒪꒫꒪,,)

So back you had better come! Along with that new friend of yours, who surely won't raise questions...

With the time issue being what it is, it's over the course of a day or two that people actually get back to the Station. Thus, there is no single feast set up like usual; instead, there are lots of hot drinks and various pots of soup made up throughout the two days that people trickle back to base. It's warm and filling, can't ask for much more.

The Station you return to hasn't changed that much from the one you left, though all your left behind pets are very glad to see you. It's now January and frost is on the ground, though not snow, at least for now. There is an air of emptiness around the Station that the first group of arrivals - the few of you who remain - will likely find familiar, though the murder sign has been updated while you were away as usual.

The androids, for their part, are very glad to see everyone (or at least, most everyone) returned safe and sound. (Though certain injured parties are destined for the medbay and Strange's fussing before they even get a chance to settle on rooms of their own.) In particular, Muon - now in a bright yellow vest instead of her previous scarf - spends a lot of time hanging out in the glider bay to welcome everyone back, both new faces and old.

TRADING POST - STRANGE - MUON - SIGNAGE CATCHALL - And don't forget to get on the housing post!

Comments

SIGNS CATCHALL

[phantasmods]

[There are two notable signs hanging in the common room of Keystone Station. The first is a week counter that may cause some alarm, considering that it's a "weeks since murder" counter that now ticks off more than ten months. Under this sign is a new, smaller one, bearing a bit of explanation -

To those who see this sign and feel relief; I'm sorry you have experienced it. But you're not alone.
To those who do not; I'm sorry if it unnerves you. Some of us have been kidnapped and forced to confront murder. For us, this reminder is a comfort.

The other, known locally as the SHITlist, appears to be a list of triggers and anxieties experienced by those on the Station. Be a good neighbor, don't use it for evil.]

[plentyfriendly]

[Phi goes back to her entry on the SHITlist and underlines "too many swords for one body" a couple times because why did this come up a second time but Worse]

[whatsmytalentagain]

[Rantaro was going to edit his own entry, but seeing someone doing that to one particular item on the list raises some questions.]

Uh... "Was that in the weird visions we got in the cavern?"

[plentyfriendly]

It was for me.

[whatsmytalentagain]

[Ah... Nodnodnod... SIGH.]

Ah, geez... "You'd think that random fissure enchantments would be a little more respectful, but nope."

[Even with the synthezatized voice, she can hear the weary sarcasm in that sentence.]

[plentyfriendly]

It was even worse than the first time, and I still hate it even though I don't know anyone that was involved except through what I was shown.

[whatsmytalentagain]

...

[He crosses his arms, getting a little lost in thought...

Then he shakes his head, dismissing those thoughts.]

"You know they're not real, right? What you saw in those visions?"

[plentyfriendly]

That's...

[She braces herself for another round of this difficult explanation.]

With my abilities and background, I can't write something like that off as "unreal". It doesn't mean it matters, but I'm certain it happened to some other iteration of me.

[whatsmytalentagain]

Huh...?

[Well, he knows people who have abilities, but...]

"What do you mean by that?"

[plentyfriendly]

"Ever heard of the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics?"

[whatsmytalentagain]

[He's shaking his head in confusion.]

[plentyfriendly]

Essentially, any and every possible decision or outcome of an event produces a number of alternate worlds, timelines, whatever you want to call them.

[whatsmytalentagain]

[Slow... Nod...]

"So, what about it?"

[plentyfriendly]

I have a kind of... ability that lets me mentally send myself to other ones.