Well, this is.. horrible.

[reconstitution]

Who: SS Caprine & visitors
Broadcast: ???
Action: All aboard
When: 8/3


[Dread is probably not a good feeling to have in the face of actually having something resembling a 'team' now. Unfortunately, the way this place seems to love uprooting and depositing people out of nowhere into unfamiliar territory, and it sets him on edge.

His eyes narrow as he looks around yet another place he's unaccustomed, being bombarded by-- colorful shreds of paper and overly-cheerful music. And even more people. Once again, he longs for the familiar weight of a weapon in his hand, but this fleet just loves to suck the comfort out.

At least this is a more permanent residence? Time would tell on that one.]

Comments

[experiencepoints]

... If we're being totally honest, not sure. Spending all this time in space has my sense of time shot. I think it's a bit over a month?

[redactions]

Not much longer'n me, then. ​​​​[ he nods. ] How're you finding ​​​​[ handwave ] space?

[experiencepoints]

Well...

[Her eyes flick away a bit, she doesn't look at him as she answers.]

It's a bit complicated, honestly.

[redactions]

​​​​[ Could be claustrophobia, or the vast feeling of insignificance. Bucky shrugs. ]

We're on reality television. I don't think it gets less complicated.

[experiencepoints]

Supposedly on reality television. We've never gotten any proof of that.

[redactions]

​​​​[ There's a significant pause as Bucky just stares at her. It's — a very good point. Nobody's met the Atroma. The broadcasts could come from anywhere. The ships could very well be the Matrix. ]

​​​​[ He's not paid enough for this, Jesus. ]

No, I s'pose we don't. Say, where do you think we are, then?

[experiencepoints]

I've got a few ideas. But, honestly, no evidence past my own guesses and experiences in other interdimensional hellholes.

I don't mind talking and trying to figure things out with you, but is that okay? You're here to visit your brother, right?

[redactions]

Yeah, ​​​​[ he glances around ] he's not here yet. Can we sit down?

​​​​[ He has a feeling this is going to be a Story. ]

[experiencepoints]

... Yeah, sure. Want something to eat? I've left some fish coasting.

[redactions]

​​​​[ He nods. ]

If it's not too much trouble.

​​​​[ Supersoldiers are nearly always hungry. ]

[experiencepoints]

Yeah, it's no trouble. I made a bit much, since I'm still trying to figure out how to make half this damn kitchen work.

[She'll lead the way to the kitchen, where she indeed has fish skewers cooking

she's a high-level RPG cook, it smells fucking delicious.]

[redactions]

​​​​[ — that smells amazing what is it. Bucky's stomach inadvertently rumbles, he gives her a sheepish smile. ]

That smells wonderful; what is it?

[experiencepoints]

Spiced fish skewers. If you're nice, I might tell you how to make them.

[She sounds smug as hell. Very proud of her cooking.

That said, she'll be waving a hand, and a couple of them will float over, where she'll snag them out of the air and hold one out to Jim.]

[redactions]

​​​​[ floating food???? ]

​​​​[ ok. ]

Much obliged. Thank you.

​​​​[ He takes one, and waits for her to sit and start eating before he does. ]

[experiencepoints]

[Magic, motherfuckers. She'll take a seat and start eating off the skewer, motioning for him to join her.]

Anyway... On the Atroma, there's a few options, and it mostly boils down to figuring out their real motive.

[redactions]

​​​​[ Join her he does, listening intently as he chews. ]

Go on.

[experiencepoints]

First option: They're telling the truth.

[She takes a bite, but doesn't seem to have anything against talking with her mouth full.]

If their goal is money, then the fact that they're telling the truth isn't entirely unlikely, but it makes things bizarre- If they're telling the truth, it means the Atroma are idiots. The biggest flaw in this theory is that we have never seen any cameras or equipment that would indicate it- One person suggested our communicators were the cameras. Another suggested these implants are using our eyes as cameras to record the footage.

On the other hand, this doesn't add up entirely. The amount of power it takes to pull someone like me here must be astronomical, even beyond normal pulling people across worlds. Plus, space travel can't be cheap. I can't think of any way this could possibly be a profit... But I don't know enough about how this stuff works.

It may be that their goal is just entertainment. Using these near-infinite powers to screw with us and make a reality show for the Atroma to watch themselves. That explains how people vanish sometimes- The Atroma got bored of them. It's again possible they're broadcasting this, but if their goal is only entertainment, they still have to be getting money from somewhere...

Third is power. I don't know about you, but I'm a decent-leveled mage, a teammate of mine here is an insanely powerful healer, and we've seen a bunch of other super-powered people here... Maybe this is an excuse to make some kind of super-powered army. Or they could operate like Echoes, and all they need is our presence and thoughts to gain power somehow. It's hard to say.

But it's all speculation until I know more.