the mock mingle

[airlockedmods]

[An hour ago you woke up in a bed that wasn't yours, awakened by a chirpy, feminine voice coming from the device on your non-dominant arm. The voice cheerfully requests that you exit your sleeping quarters and to please make your way to the the main deck of the ship for a debriefing on your circumstances.

It was around this time you might have noticed the clothes you last remember wearing are gone and replaced with this little number. If you take a moment to check out the Personal Identification Program on your arm, you'll find a touch screen with a few icons that lead to a series of 21 profiles and a series of apps that lead to note-taking functions and a number of customization appearance screens. The profiles all contain a photo of each Champion, their name and title, their age, species and world of origin.

As you stumbled out of your chrome-y quarters (into an equally chrome-y hallway), with every step the floor lights up under your feet, illuminating the dark ship a little at a time. On one side of the hallway are a series of mechanical doors with screen pads embedded on the walls next to them. A quick flash of your PIP will open them for you without hassle. On the opposite side of the hallway are a long string of windows showing nothing but vast amounts of stars and the deep, dark blackness of deep space. Once you reach the end of the hallway you'll find a large central living space with 20 other people, the same people from the profiles, either there already or filing in along with you. Floating well above everyone's heads in the middle of the room is a large computer screen. Once everyone piled in, the screen blinked to life and the same voice from your PIPs greeted you in the same peppy tone from before.

The voice introduced herself as the Champion Excellence Control Environment or C.E.C.E. before welcoming you to the Deep Space Champion Excellence Program, explaining that you were selected for this program based on being the best in your particular field in your particular world, hence the title of "Champion". In this program you will be expected to live communally together here on the ship for as long as possible. The ship is fully-functional and fully-stocked for an extended stay.

Oh? You don't want to stay and participate in the program? That's alright, there's an easy fix to that! All you have to do is kill one of your fellow Champions and not get caught. That is easy enough, right? Right.

When the debriefing is complete, the screen dims but doesn't turn off completely. If need be C.E.C.E. is available to answer any more questions you have throughout the week. For now, you're free to explore the ship as you like. There's the communal dining hall, a zero gravity room, a kitchen, a holo deck, the central living area and the personal quarters everyone woke up in.

Go make some friends, dears, you may be here a while.]

Comments

Debriefing

[humanitarianherbalist]

[Well, his last human companion was quite religious himself, so he at least understands some of the purpose of her behavior, even if he doesn't subscribe to the idea himself. And, well...if he's going to be here, to live again for however long, perhaps he should try and take up the Minor Canon's religious duty as well.]

Were Nineveh and Sodom not allowed to flourish before the Lord sent his warning? Surely the same shall happen to whoever has brought us here.

[curdle]

A-- [ WHAT IS THAT. Her voice awkwardly pitches to the height of a shriek before she can tamp it down, so it's more like "aAAAAAAAAaaaa" until ] --aye!

[ N A I L E D IT ]

In time, for certain, you speak truth. Yet in that time we may make a Sodom of our own.

[humanitarianherbalist]

[Honestly that's one of the better reactions he's received. She's not screaming and fleeing, at least.]

I hope that shall not be the case. At least, there are others hoping to prevent such an occurrence as well.

[curdle]

I pray that it will not.

[ Despite a relatively muted first reaction, she now can't make herself look away from the griffin. How can this be real? How can any of it be real? ]

Yet hear her words. She would test us as Abraham. [ ... ] Are you one so opposed?

[humanitarianherbalist]

[He nods.] However, I doubt that a lamb will be offered in this case. I am indeed opposed to this. Instead, I plan to seek out an escape from here. [He sounds quite confident about that.]

[curdle]

You would break from the ship's hold?

[ She still has no idea what space is, so it seems no more or less ridiculous than anything else! Besides, this is a magical (probably satanic) creature, and the entire ship seems halfway diabolical. If any creature could find a way out... ]

Is't even possible? I know not how such a thing might be done.

[humanitarianherbalist]

[He lifts a forearm, displaying his claws for a moment.] There must be a vulnerability somewhere. I will do my best to seek it out.

[curdle]

[ Those are some intimidating talons, and without intending to she leans back and away from the sight. ]

Surely even while you speak, they listen. Fear you not their intercession? [ Okay, she has to say it. ] And... and what manner of beast are you? How did you come to the English tongue?

[humanitarianherbalist]

[He does frown at her comment.] I suppose that is true. But they cannot be listening at all times, and they now know I will not be obeying their rules. It is important for them to hear that.

I am not surprised that you do not know of me. I am a Griffin, and I myself have never seen one of my kind either. I have lived for a long time, and met many humans. From there, I have picked up their language.