Meat n' Greet

[cityship]

The rest of the crew assembled on the Observation Deck to meet the latest editions to their numbers. After the revelation that their worlds are gone, many of them are even more eager to see people they knew from home.

Several people are set up near the doors to provide the new people with omnicoms and comm rings. New crew-mates might see

Comments

[hadabrother]

He'd been clothed. Clothed in something that felt like it was breathing around him. But at least it was clothing (and oddly reminiscent of the kind of stuff he'd had to wear during the war). But hey, he'd gotten used to walking around nearly half-naked. Well, he had years ago. He felt a bit out of place, a bit awkward. But he was forging ahead. He was going to get answers.

Because Jake did not like being jerked around by higher powers. In fact, it was pretty high on his list of things he never wanted to deal with again. He scanned the crowd - someone had to be in charge here, right?

[mynameisax]

< Prince Jake! > You have no idea how happy Ax is to see you right now, Jake. None at all.

Ax doesn't wade into the crowd -- the way Jake is looking around the place, he doubts that this is the same one from before. There's no telling what point in their timeline he's from.

< I'm over by the unsettling statue, > he continued in private thought-speak, as he'd been speaking before. < I can fill you in on what's going on. >

[hadabrother]

Jake's head snapped around. There was only one person in the world who called him Prince Jake with that kind of seriousness. And heh adn't seen Ax in... who knew how long? He finally caught sight of the Andalite as he followed Ax's directions, shouldering his way through the crowd.

Ax looked a bit young, but they all did. Still did. He managed a small smile as he approached. "Ax. It's good to see you-"

Wait.

"Fill me in? How long have you been here?"

[mynameisax]

< That's one of the things I need to fill you in on, > Ax said. < Unfortunately, the best answer I can provide is "awhile". Something about traveling through the Bleed-- > He gestured out at the bizarre, swirling patterns visible through the windows. < -- Interferes with my ability to keep track of time. But I've been awake since the ship started letting people out of the Pod Caverns, which has been a significant amount of time at this point.

< More importantly, people in the Pod Caverns have been taken from different points in the timeline. There are also sometimes versions of the same person from timelines that are so similar as to be impossible to distinguish. For example, there was a version of you awake on board earlier, if anyone you don't recognize recognizes you, that's why. >

[hadabrother]

"Back up Ax. You're saying that I'm going to be running into people who aren't even from my own time?"

That was a weird thought. He rubbed at his forehead for a moment. Think. Keep to business, keep your thoughts straight. Make sure you can beat this.

"I ran into Cassie and Tobias down... in... where ever it was they were keeping us. What is this place?"

[mynameisax]

< Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying, > Ax said. < For example, you look older than I remember you being, so when I say that my last memory before waking up in the Pod Caverns is of returning from the mission involving the USS George Washington, you'll know what time I mean. > He paused a moment to let that sink in.

< Tobias and Cassie are awake again as well? I'm glad to hear that, it's just been myself and Rachel and Marco for awhile. > And Ax would like to request that he never be left on his own with Rachel and Marco again, please and thank you. < This is a living ship by the name of Stacy. She travels through space and time, collecting people from realities as they are destroyed by the Ohm. Or so we have been told by the Daligig, who apparently sent her on this course. She's been damaged and her crew was killed, which is why she started waking people from the Pod Caverns. Occasionally we stop in realities to perform "missions", some of which are more dangerous than others. >

[hadabrother]

"Whoa. That... was a long time ago, Ax."

Jake had to pause to absorb that. So this was time travel. Complicated. Messy. Probably meant that things would get undone in the end or end up working out, but he didn't like to take things for granted. Especially not when his friends were involved.

"I... heard that Rachel was here."

His talk with Iiniss had been interesting. He tried not to let that get to him. If Rachel was here, he wanted to see her as soon as possible.

"Great. We've been recruited again."

So enthusiastic.

[mynameisax]

< So I understand, Prince Jake, > Ax said with an Andalite smile.

He sobered at the mention of Rachel. < She is awake and on board, but she's currently having her Avia tested. Before you ask, we've been told that Avia is essentially what makes people sentient. The destruction of our universes has made our avia unstable and if it separates from a person entirely, that person will become insane and die. There's an artificial intelligence on board that will occasionally put members of the crew through tests to be sure that they are not suffering from Avia separation. If they are, they need to be returned to the Pod Caverns so that the separation can be healed. >

He heaved a sigh and nodded his head. < Yes, we have. I'm sorry. >

[hadabrother]

"So, if we don't get regularly treated because of this out-of-our-own-timeline stuff, we go insane? Sounds about right," Jake grinned wryly. There was always a catch. Always. At least he could try and take the edge off with some snark.

"We'll do what we do best, Ax. We'll win. We did it last time, didn't we?"

Better than thinking about the alternative.

[mynameisax]

< Irregularly tested, treated if necessary, > Ax clarified. < You will be promised cake during the testing, but no cake will actually be provided. I'm not sure if that's part of the test or not. >

He nodded again. < It's going to be more difficult than the Yeerks. But there is some hope -- the Daligig claim that they might be able to restore our realities if the Ohm are defeated. >

[hadabrother]

"I'd rather have a definite answer on that before we run off to fight someone else's war for them," Jake sighed.

Not that he thought he'd do any differently. He couldn't just walk away from something this big.

[mynameisax]

< As would I, > Ax agreed. < Unfortunately, we don't have a definite answer. We've only had sporadic contact with the Daligig thus far. They are about as happy with the idea of us fighting in this war as we are, not that it makes the situation any better. But we do have access to their weapons and more control over the ship than we did at first. >

[hadabrother]

"Well, that sounds familiar," Jake mumbled. Way too familiar. The Andalites hadn't exactly been happy that a group of human kids had been fighting the good fight against the Yeerks for them with Andalite technology.

"Still, better than being helpless, right? What've the crew been doing?"

He needed more information, pronto.

[mynameisax]

< A great many things, > Ax said, shifting his weight a little. < Primarily, 'not dying'. The ship was heavily damaged and taken over by pirates before people started being released from the Pod Caverns, and there have been problems with other things collected by the previous crew for use in the war against the Ohm. The crew has also been sent on several missions, primarily to either make contact with or retrieve things from various planets and various realities. We have also had contact with the Ohm. > He sighed heavily. < We surprised them and were able to drive them back, but the general consensus is that we were lucky in that instance. >

[hadabrother]

"Well... Not dying is good. I remember us trying to do a lot of that," Jake replied, trying to keep up a bit of humor. He needed to get serious, though. The more information he had, the better.

"I need to know everything important about the ship and the Ohm, Ax. You don't happen to have a list written down anywhere, do you?"

[mynameisax]

< All of the information that we've gathered so far is available on the omnicoms, > Ax said, pulling his own out of the sling he wore and showing it to his prince. < I would of course be willing to go over the information with you and the others, but... > he gestured at the crowd on the Obs Deck with his omnicom, < this might not be the place to do such a thing. >