The Bunker of Nariba Relia | OPEN PLOT MINGLE POST

[theroadwarrior]

Who: Everyone!!
Broadcast: N/A
Action: The bunker in the surrounding desert.
When: Sometime recently, see this post for full information. Below is the excerpt of information listed there. Feel free to make a top comment and thread out the sad truth and whatnot.

[Records buried in the library, the research facility, and cues from the power plant will eventually reveal the bunker in the surrounding desert. The passageway leads several yards underground, and it doesn’t appear to have been used in a long time. Those brave enough to venture inside will find that it is not much more than a tomb. Eerily enough, the emergency lights are still on, casting a soft red glow over sheets and the once-bodies beneath them.

It has been long enough that paper journals, books, and personal belongings (like bags and such) have deteriorated to the point of being extremely fragile. Handled with care, however, they are eager to tell a story.

“The engineers should have been more careful. I’m not sure I’ll be able to recoup my losses from this… At least I have enough money to buy a ride off this planet!”

“No one could have known this would happen. Hopefully it stabilizes so we can go home soon. In the meantime, I’ve been teaching my daughter how to count. She doesn’t understand what’s going on, and I don’t know what to tell her.”

“It’s not getting better. So many people have died that we’re running out of room in the morgue. We had to move all of the food to another room so that the smell doesn’t leach out, but we all know what’s back there.”

“The replicator was supposed to repair us, too.”

“I don’t know if we can go back yet, but it doesn’t matter. Even if the city was back to the way it was, there’s no cure for us. The dead are dead, and we lay down next to them as we wait for our turn.”

There is nothing that can be done for these people except to give them the eternal rest they deserve. Ultimately, the fate of Nariba Relia is a sad one and not altogether preventable.]

Comments

[privateeyed]

I'd be terrified too, knowing what I do about you. But I mean - flip a switch and all the lights come on? That can be horrifying even for folks used to it.

[he's attempting to joke again, in that hesitant awkward way he does]

If it makes you feel better, when I got my arm the first thing I did was accidentally punch myself in the face.

[watermarks]

[Well, the ship launches a little unevenly, but it does launch, and up they go.

Also, she's known you two weeks, and is only slightly surprised about this. What does this say?]

...how in the world do you 'accidentally' punch yourself in the face? Were you trying to punch someone else?

[privateeyed]

[o-oops, he pauses to get a grip on the seat, eyes briefly widening before he blows out a breath]

I - yeah, I was thinking about it. They have to do a lot of adjustments when you get a full prosthetic - uh, programming, things like that. [he lifts his hand in front of his face] Had my hand like this 'cause I couldn't see it without my glasses, but I was in a mood - and the moment I thought about punching something, it twitched and hit me in the face.

[he shrugs and drops his hand]

[watermarks]

[Heh.]

Ow. [...but that was kind of hilarious.] I bet getting hit with that hurts more than regular, too, huh?

[privateeyed]

It hurts like a bitch. [flatly, though that's more from him suppressing his own amusement] Gave myself a black eye that didn't go away for weeks.

[watermarks]

[She winces, navigating them out of the atmosphere now. He's right. It's easier when she doesn't think about it.

...that just feels SO wrong.]

Your doctor must have been so frustrated with you. [A quick grin, glancing at him quickly before returning her attention to the instruments.] I know I would have been.

[privateeyed]

Are you kidding? He laughed at me - after making sure I didn't bust anything. [he huffs out a noise] Given - y'know, everything - that was the least of the shit he had to deal with when it came to me.

[watermarks]

[...yes, she's shocked to hear that Ben was a difficult patient. Although he also could be referring to the severity of his injuries, which, to be fair, had been terrifyingly extensive.]

Punching yourself was the least problem you gave him? [She chances a glance over at him and gives him a wry grin.] Do me a favor then and try not to get hurt while you're here.

[privateeyed]

Hey. [it's a token protest, because he knows how it can sound. He isn't that bad, but . . . he isn't afraid of getting a few bruises, either] Don't say that like I'm a bad patient. I was plenty good.

[maybe not in the beginning, but no one handles being blown up very well]

[watermarks]

...well, as long as you don't try to sneak out the window [or sneak attack kiss me, but she VERY HIGHLY DOUBTS that will be a problem with Ben unless there's like... a major glitch that completely overrides his... everything], you'll be better than some of the patients I've had.

[Starting to approach the Iskaulit now?]

[privateeyed]

Sneak out a—what the hell. [and people thought he was bad, god damn] I think my worst offense was either being a dick or begging to eat pizza when I wasn't allowed. Damn.

[the iskaulit! Ben still has a nice firm grip on his seat, even if he has relaxed some. That's a good thing]

[watermarks]

[Ninja. They're Problems.]

Yeah, they're -- he was -- a special case. [She rolls her eyes, saying what she thought about that without so many words.] Alright so - now, to dock this thing. Without really thinking about it. ...this is so weird.

[privateeyed]

That sounds like a real nice way of saying he's a fucking idiot. [Ben's very good at translating what people really mean] Just keep taking it easy like you have been - you've been doing fine.

[watermarks]

He was... mostly healed by that point. [But even if he hadn't been, she doubted that would have stopped him.] But yeah, I wasn't happy with him.

[She frowns a little as she brings the ship around to dock it.] Though he had a good reason.

[privateeyed]

Good reason or not, it's still stupid. [he chances a brief glance out the window to see how she's doing before looking away again]

[watermarks]

[She will get them in there! It might be a little bumpy how they end up on the landing pad, but it's safe enough.

...She really needs to get someone to teach her how to fly this thing.]

...well, one of us definitely isn't drinking unless we want to spend the night on the Iskaulit.

[She's just saying. Your plan has a Flaw.

And she is trying very hard not to think about why they were up here now in the first place, but since she had... she was wondering if she needed to see those pictures he took.]

[privateeyed]

[oh goodness. Ben lets out a faint curse at the bumps, and doesn't let go for a good two minutes after their parked and the engine is off] . . . 'kay, we'll work on the parking part.

[he snorts] Or we could call someone from one of our ships if it gets to that point.

[watermarks]

[She frowns at him.] I don't see you doing any better with parking. [Look, this was a Big Deal, okay, you don't get to act like you'd be a source of help when you're not even doing the work yourself, hmmph.] And that is not a comm conversation I want to have with my brother.

[privateeyed]

I offered. [a pointed look] Only reason you'd do better is 'cause I can't see clearly to do it. [so there]

I could call someone from mine, you know.

[watermarks]

You offered, but you don't know how to do it any better than I do. So don't try to pull the boy card on me. [HMPH. She begins to unlatch her seatbelt.] And we're probably not going to need to call anyone, unless you really do want to get something to drink.

[She's not even sure at this point.]

[privateeyed]

The . . . boy card. What's the boy card? [he genuinely does not know. He hops out of the shuttle, stretching with a wince; his hip doesn't appreciate all the walking he's done today] That's up to you. I'm going to at least have a beer.

[watermarks]

[Patiently:] The boy card is when a boy thinks he can do something better than a girl, even though they have the same level of experience, just because they're male. [If she was from a different place and time, the word 'mansplaining' might make an appearance.

She does note that wince with some concern. She could probably do something about that... but he should probably just try stretching and resting it first.

...a beer wouldn't be as bad as a whiskey or something, right? Hmm...]

[privateeyed]

Ohh. Yeah, no, I know better than to ever play that card. [he doesn't have a death wish, thank you] I was playing the - "I'm almost twice your age and had a license once" card. And also the jackass card, but that's always in my hand.

[nah it's cool, it's pretty apparent he's used to this happening. It barely even gets a muttered curse] . . . what? What's that look?

[watermarks]

[Oh, if it's just the jackass card, she can deal with that. It's less personally offensive and more generally offensive, which is fine. She lets it go and gestures to his hip.] You look like you need to stretch that out.

[privateeyed]

[he can't help but snort, standing up straight] It's fine, it just stiffens up at the end of the day. Kinda comes with the whole . . . y'know. [he makes a gesture to indicate his whole being blown up bullshit]