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[ISS] Hooky (Ash 2.1, Tab 2.1)

RichRich
edited April 2016 in ISS Tsiolkovsky
image

Tabitha,

You head out of Zola's room with her, down the corridor opposite Corporal Rys's room. Zola moves low and quiet, for all her bravado, she doesn't seem like she wants to get caught. She doesn't speak until you reach the last door to the speedball gym. She swipes the touchpad at the door and steps inside.

image She stands taller and grins once you two are in the gym, alone. "Pax is such a waste, Tabs. You don't have to be nice to her. She'll do what she does no matter what. Just a sneaky little mouse." She steps over to a grav pad, toes it on, then uses it to spring up a meter into the air, coming down lightly, still in the gravity field.
"With Jace down though, we'll need to whip her into shape, I guess. Our team sucks so bad, Tabs. It drokking rots."

Comments

  • halcyhalcy
    image

    Zola is so hard to grasp sometimes. "Pax is going to be a teamie. Are you saying I should treat her like a waste?"

    I want to play around in the low-grav, too, so I copy Zola's motions on a different grav pad. "We're all single position players. Mark is off his game. I'm way behind. On experience." I'm still better than I was when I started.

    I take off on a short sprint across the gym, tag the square and sprint back to try a different kind of pad-assisted jump. I don't know that I love the uncertain feeling of the low gravity. "Are we ever gonna see coach again?"
  • RichRich
    image Zola tilts her head to the side, then back, like she's thinking about how to talk about Pax with your push-back. "She was totally flirting with you. Just to make me mad. It's stomm, Tabs. She's a trouble-maker. But..." She bends down to tap the grav pad with her fingertips, then springs up again, a practiced move. "I don't want to lose every game this season. And coach isn't drokking helping. Probably busy with ship stuff. So yeah, we train her up. Just.. you're mine, right?" She narrows her eyes, looks over at you with this mix of challenge and a little worry.
  • halcyhalcy
    image

    I take Zola's assist and spring up, making it to the farther wall. My legs extend towards it, knees unlocked, compress to absorb the motion, then release and drop down onto my feet properly. Practice dummy this, Haladay. "You can be fun. When you're mad."

    'Mine,' she says. It's exciting, to be demanded of, maybe in demand. I move back up to Zola, looking her deeply in the eyes. The challenge is part of the fun, right? "Yeah. I won't mess around with Pax."
  • RichRich
    image "Good. I'm better when I'm fun, Tabs. When I'm not, I'm a real bitch. Stay on my good side." She breaks into a jog, working around the court. After a lap, she builds up speed, looks over at you, calling, "C'mon!"
    With the grav plates on, she starts turning the laps into figure eights, rounding the bend, then cutting in to run and jump over the grav fields. The jumps, when timed right, are long, and can be quite graceful. She times the first just right, doing a forward flip in air and coming down into the run without a hitch.

    How about you, Tabitha? Do you take the leap? How well do you do it?
  • halcyhalcy
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    Of course I run with Zola. It's infectious, and believe it or not I want to be good at Speedball. I just like running by itself, too. I don't think I can forward flip, though. I mean, if I try it the worst that could happen is I break my neck.

    Harsh words, tenderness, sex, threats. Dread. I think I understand Zola.

    Figure-eighting like this, I don't get the same kind of dizzy boredom of a lap around the small court.
  • RichRich
    image

    Tabitha,

    After several laps, you start to get the hang of it. Muscle memory kicks in, and the scary middle of the court is a bit less worrisome. The work is tough, though, the speed and the effort bringing a sheen to your skin, and Zola's suit is sweaty, too.

    Your work's interrupted by some clapping. One person, clapping slowly. Zola pulls up on the edge away from the grav plates and you see Mi Sun.

    image Zola laughs, derisively. "What's amatter, Mi Sun? Wish you could be a speedballer? We've got an opening." She's heaving breaths, winded from the exercise, but starts walking across the gym towards Mi Sun. "Hey, sorry about your brother. He's had a real bad week. You need something?" You can tell Zola's being a little territorial here.


    image Mi Sun looks at Zola for a moment, then to you, "I want to talk to Tabitha. Then you two can get back to practice. Which probably isn't sanctioned, but whatever." She waits by the door, not encroaching further. "Tabitha, do you have a minute? Please?"


    What do you do?
  • RichRich
    edited April 2016
    image

    Tabitha,

    Just behind Mi Sun's arrival, you see Ashlee poke her head in.

    Ashlee,

    Looks like the party's here. You see Zola heading over towards Mi Sun who is standing with her back to you, and Tabitha is on the other side of the court, too. Zola and Tabitha were obviously practicing, they're both sweaty. Mi Sun's in a gray shirt and pants, along with mag boots.
  • scottscott
    image
    The hell?

    Looks busy, first instinct is to just turn around and go before Zola or someone takes offense to my existence. But drokk that... and my eyes narrow as I note that (of course) Mark isn't here.

    I nod my head just a bit to Tabitha as a stealthy, but not unfriendly little greeting. She doesn't need the others knowing that we're... well, not friends. But not enemies at least.

    I walk in and and then turn sharply to the right to keep my distance from Mi Sun, the approaching Zola, and the others. Maybe along the seats somewhere near where I briefly sat with Priscilla the other day... I don't want to keep running away. I want to be here. But I'm not stupid enough to go walking right out onto the court.
  • halcyhalcy
    edited April 2016
    image

    It takes me a couple seconds longer than Zola to slow down and stop. I return Ashlee's little half-greeting, surprised that she's here, then get back to assembling words to say as I walk over to Mi Sun.

    "Sure, Mi Sun. Can you say what you need. Right here? If not.." I look at the built in HR monitor on my speedball suit. "You have until I'm back at resting."

    I don't have any beef with Mi Sun, and I'm about 85% certain I'm not her type - I think she's into Aiden? Anyhow, I'm curious. Nobody has things to say to me, usually.
  • RichRich
    image

    Tabitha,

    Your heart rate is showing 120 beats per minute as you walk over to Mi Sun. She waits near the door, moving away from Ashlee.

    image "Tabitha," Mi Sun starts, a hint of worry in her voice. "Dr. Haladay won't tell me stomm about Jace's arm. Jace told me he treated you really bad after your nose, ah, thing. Is there any way you can find out if he's okay? With lockdown, I couldn't even get an update on the feed, and that break.. it looked so bad." She blinks a couple times. "I... feel something's wrong with him. Does that... make any sense?"

    What do you do?
  • RichRich
    image

    Ashlee,

    image Zola follows you over to the bleachers, sneering a little as she sits by you. "What are you doing here, you scrawny little wanna-be? Mark isn't here for you to fawn over. Maybe you should run along, yeah? Nobody wants you here, Nerd Girl." She leans over towards you, glaring. "I could snap you like a twig. Nobody would miss you."

    What do you do?
  • halcyhalcy
    image

    I frown, unhappy to hear Haladay's name, and that he's being unfair to Mi Sun and Jace. "Haladay is probably. Out of meat mesh and lying about it. I believe you." I keep an eye on the monitor. Not going down as fast as usual.

    "I don't know. I could goad him maybe. Lockdown gives me the same problems, though." I envy Mi Sun, she feels such a connection with her brother. She knows who she is and people listen to her about it.
  • RichRich
    image

    Tabitha,

    image "Maybe when Lockdown's over, then?" Mi Sun offers this, even though she'd rather know now, she realizes it's not going to happen. "You guys need him on the team, right? I just... I need him. Can you help me out? I'll owe you."



  • scottscott
    image
    I let out a sharp breath and lean slightly away. I don't look at her but I coldly crow back, "I don't give a stomm about Mark!" It's the first thing that comes to mind. The part of her taunt that stings the most, maybe.

    Anger knots up in my chest and I can't contain myself. I snap at her, contempt in my voice, "and what do you know? You're not better than me..." I glance at her in the middle of the sentence, she's huge, sitting so close and smelling of grease and sweat and the metallic clinging scent of the speedball court.

    Instantly regret saying every word... I grit my teeth and wait for it.
  • RichRich
    image

    Ashlee,

    image Zola huffs another derisive laugh, then she scoots a little closer, leaning towards your ear and talking low. It's the most threatening thing she's done yet, "For someone to be better than another, you'd need some form of comparison, right? Some method to measure one," She nods to indicate you, "and the other." She gestures towards herself. "Physical appearance? Some scrawny mouse, or a trained athlete. Pretty sure I've got that one. Personality? The girl everyone makes fun of, who can barely keep her stomm together through an entire day of class, or the cool, collected speedball star. Well, that's me, too, obviously. Intelligence? Well, until a moment ago, I'd probably given it to you, but now... I gotta question that one. Because last, and not least, is probably the ability to stomp the other. And Nerd Girl... we both know who wins that one." She glares at you, "Get out of my gym."

    What do you do?
  • halcyhalcy
    image

    "Sure, I'll look into it." I might even try before Lockdown is up, who knows. I give my monitor another look. In the 90s. I look up at Mi Sun to see if she has anything else to say before heading back to the gym.
  • RichRich
    image

    Tabitha,

    Seems like that was it. Mi Sun excuses herself, heads back to her room.
  • halcyhalcy
    image

    The gym is empty, but I hear voices from the bleachers so I walk that way. "Hey. Mi sun wants me to tweak Haladay's nose. I'm going to. Are we practicing more? Or what?"

    Of course I tried to listen. Better to hear more than I speak.
  • scottscott
    edited April 2016
    image
    Zola lays into me, I start to say something a couple times but she's too fiercely going off.

    Each word pisses me off even more, trained athlete, cool, collected speedball star, well so drokking what? I want to stand up and shout back at her, put her in her place, but I sit and take it, my hands on my knees tighten and my knuckles white. She leans close and I feel her hot, disgusting breath on my ear.

    Finally she tells me straight up, to get out. That breaks something in me.

    "No..." I say, staring at the floor between my feet. The words come out cold through clenthed teeth, "I'm not leaving... this isn't your gym... you don't own me... you don't own drokking speedball..." I don't look at her, I can't... but I can't just roll over and leave. I can't just let her take this away from me.
  • RichRich
    image Zola starts to respond to you, Ashlee, to backhand you, or snipe at you. Tabitha says something and it distracts her. She looks over at you, Tabitha, "Let's go drokk with Haladay. Nerd Girl here is stinking up the gym. Wanna shower up, Tabs?" She stands up, heads towards the showers.

    What do you do?
  • scottscott
    image
    I realize I'm breathing too fast and try to calm down and not do or say anything to make whatever just happened worse. As it is... I said my piece and I stood up... well... sort of. I spoke up, at least... and it feels almost like I've won.

    Can talk myself into that, at least. At least I haven't lost, right?

    I'm so surprised though, that I didn't just get beat. I totally expected it, expected Zola to smack me, or pin me again, or something. But no... why?

    I watch out of the corner of my eye for Tabitha, though with my head down I'm just looking at legs and feet. But I wonder how she reacts... did she distract Zola on purpose? She's friends with Zola, of course. Teammates... that goes pretty deep. It pretty much has to...

    Nerd girl...

    Some day, Zola. Just you wait.
  • halcyhalcy
    image

    "Hmm. Yeah, let's go." I say that, but I linger a little bit to see if Ashlee will look up at me. I don't get why Zola is especially stomm to Ashlee versus other people.

    Glad I didn't have to pull Zola off of her.

    I guess I could do what everyone else does and drokk with Ashlee, but I don't have a taste for it. It's not like she's done anything to me, or she's some stoolie to an adult who makes our lives worse.

    If Ashlee makes me wait, I bend and make a silent 'eyes up' gesture before leaving.
  • scottscott
    edited April 2016
    image
    I sense Tabitha lingering there and glance up from her feet to look at her. She gives me that little look I can't help but crack a little smile and nod back.

    I shift in my seat, pull my knees to my chest and suddenly things feel a lot better.
  • RichRich
    edited April 2016
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    Tabitha,

    You head to showers with Zola. She starts off under her own nozzle, but soon she moves over to wash your back, moving close like your first time. Do you give in here and make Ashlee wait, or brush it off (which is technically Shutting her Down)?

    Ashlee,

    You hear something out in the hall while sitting on the bleachers after Tabitha and Zola leave. A girl's voice, then maybe Mark, whispering? What do you do?
  • halcyhalcy
    image

    Is Ashlee even waiting? I wouldn't want to rope her into stuff with Haladay. I relish Zola's touches, offering to do the same for her. I don't plan to go all the way this time, but I like these shower moments and the feel of Zola's body.
  • RichRich
    edited April 2016
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    Tabitha,

    image Zola luxuriates in your touch, enjoying the wash and the attention. She doesn't push for more than intimacy, learning your cues. There is certainly kissing, and some playful caresses.
    As you're both in the changing room toweling off, Zola chuckles, "You know..." She looks over at you as she dries her legs. "You know you love me, Tabitha."
  • halcyhalcy
    image

    I wad up my towel on the bench between us and lean in, touching foreheads with her as I ask quietly, "How do you know? That I know that?"

    Love, it's supposed to mean something. I wonder if that's what I feel for Zola. Could I love more people than just Zola?

    She probably experienced it, she was old enough before everything went wrong..I wonder how Ioanna felt it, and for whom. Every other curiosity I have about her, it's easy to dismiss, because I hate her. I hate the woman who tried to kill me, and the people who enable her still. But I'm curious about this.
  • scottscott
    image
    I sit there and shiver every now and then. The confrontation has me all nerves, and then the relief of not having to stand up and face Zola... although in a way I wish I had.

    I hear that voice, "drokking Mark?" And I have no doubt who he's with.

    I slip out of the chair and sneakishly walk quiely up the aisle towards the door, towards the hall and the voices. I just have to know, right?
  • RichRich
    edited April 2016
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    Tabitha,

    image "Because..." Zola says as she puts a hand up to cup your cheek. "I feel it. That's why you're mine, Tabitha. That's why you come to me, why you want me. Why I'm important, to you. Because you love me." She tilts her head and pulls you to her, kissing you gently, pulling back and looking intently into your eyes.
    Softly, "Admit it. I... I want to hear it."

    Ashlee,

    Looking out into the hall, you see Nadja and Mark heading past. Nadja's leading the way, saying something about going to Pod Eight, to find some place for them to be alone. They turn a corner and head out of sight.

    What do you do?
  • halcyhalcy
    image

    A little unbalanced, I put my arms around Zola for support. "I do love you, Zola."

    It does feel like something, to say it. I want to be here next year when she turns 18 and has to get tested. I want to run a good year of speedball with her. I want to steal her away places and snog her.
  • scottscott
    image
    Pod Eight?
    I mutter under my breath, "what, my bed not good enough for you any more?" And follow them.

    I keep my distance, a turn or two back and follow more or less by ear. How to they get to Pod Eight?
  • RichRich
    image

    Tabitha,

    image Zola leans in to kiss you again, "Good." She breaks the contact, pulling her hand away, picking up her towel again and drying off. After a moment, she starts changing into her normal clothes, stepping into a black skirt and pulling it up, then reaching for her top. "Want to head to the infirmary and drokk with Haladay? Or, we could grab something to eat from the cafeteria."

    Ashlee,

    Keeping up with them's pretty easy. Nadja leads Mark past the gym to the end, then crouches down by an air vent. She pulls a small tool from her boot and works at the grate until it pops off, removes it, then moves it aside and ducks down to crawl in. Mark watches her, then follows, pulling the vent grate back over to cover the hole.

    What do you do?
  • scottscott
    image
    I wait a bit before sneaking over to the hole, come up to one side and listen before creeping over to take a look at the grate cover. Careful not to touch anything I look carefully at it... are they all like this? Can we just pop through these things? It can't be that easy, can it?

    Maybe security forgot to bolt down this one?

    I peer through the cracks into the darkness of the vent, by now they're no doubt well out of sight. I'm not following them... but yeah. Nadja was what, using me to distract the Corporal?

    I stand up, seething in my own dark thoughts... forgetting myself I kick the grate, hard, then grit my teeth and look around like I might be caught doing something wrong... of course I'm not actually. But it feels that way.

    Not worth my time, Nadja... drokk you both.
  • RichRich
    image

    Ashlee,

    The grate falls down to the deck, it bongs loudly. Nobody shows up. The cameras are watching though. Probably.

    What do you do?
  • scottscott
    edited April 2016
    image
    Ouch. I cringe, not knowing whether to run or hide, or what. Hopefully there's no recordings in this part of the hall... I stare at the fallen vent cover for a moment and consider putting it back in place, but decide no. I just leave it there so obviously out of place.

    I lower my face and hustle down the hall, darkly seething at what must, by now, be going on between my room mate and the guy I once... for some stupid reason... had a major crush on.

    I need to relax, somehow... not the speedball court, Zola made sure of that, not the ready room, Rys might stalk in on me... not my own room... when will that ever feel right again?

    My cold, bare feet take me to Lucas's door.
  • RichRich
    image

    Ashlee,

    Please go here.
  • halcyhalcy
    image

    She doesn't say it back, I notice. I'm not sure if I want her to say it.

    I pull my pants and shirt back on, think about our options. We missed a meal and then we practiced. My stomach hurts a little bit.

    "Let's get some food. First, at least."

    Haladay can wait a little bit.
  • RichRich
    edited April 2016
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    Tabitha,

    image
    The cafeteria has four kids from another pod, all look to be about your age. They look up from their meals at you. One of them, a blonde guy with green eyes pauses for a moment, looking at you like he recognizes you. You don't know him.

    Zola heads for the food dispensers and grabs a tray. She didn't notice that look.

    What do you do?
  • halcyhalcy
    image

    I cruise past the blonde and give him a closer, questioning look. "What's your name, tiz?"

    I peel a tray off the top of the stack of trays and tuck it under an arm. If he doesn't have an answer for me, I have an important date with the dessert pastes and as much rice as I can trick a dispenser into giving me.
  • RichRich
    image

    Tabitha,

    image "It's, uh...." he seems struck by you, Tabitha. Takes a second to gather himself. "I'm Ezekiel Matthau. Pod Eight." He licks his lips, "I thought... you died?"

    The other kids at his table snicker, and he looks over at them, confused, then back to you.
  • halcyhalcy
    image

    I frown at Ezekiel; he's mistaking me for Ioanna. "That was someone else."

    With a quick look at the other kids, I shake my head and get back to the line. How would he have even known about it? But I don't want to talk to him.
  • RichRich
    image

    Tabitha,

    image Not getting it, he rises from the table and follows you to the counter where you get your food. "No, I remember you. Speedball star. Commandant's best friend, all before... Eye-oh. Eye-oh-anna? I saw you score on the Magpies, it was amazing!" He seems unsure, now, like maybe there's something weird. How long ago did he see the match? Why are you here in this sector?


    image "Drokk off, pretty boy!" Zola says from the counter, her food on her tray. "She's not that bitch and you need to go sit with your drokking pod!" She picks up her tray and starts over to both of you. She sounds angry, protective.


    What do you do?
  • halcyhalcy
    image

    "Do I look that old to you?" I serve myself, irritated. "Ioanna's dead. She's not amazing anymore." He can't even pronounce it right. I almost like that he can't.

    I lean into Zola like we're a two-person squad. "I'm Tabitha. Now stop talking to me."
  • RichRich
    image

    Tabitha,

    I think you're Shutting Him Down, right? Let's see some dice.
  • halcyhalcy
    image

    Shutting Down: (Rolled: 2d6-1. Rolls: 6, 4. Total: 9)

    Marking XP (1)
  • RichRich
    image

    Tabitha,

    image Ezekiel steps back, looking at you with a little surprise, but he covers it quickly. Behind him you see the other three kids from Pod Eight watching, one of them says in a whisper you can hear, "What a bitch.". Ezekiel looks at Zola, then you again, "Yeah, okay, Tabitha." He heads back to the table with his friends.

    You give Ezekiel a string and look like a jerk.

    image "What an idiot." Zola says. "Want to eat over there?" She heads over to an empty table near the door, expecting you'll follow. The table from Pod Eight watch you. There's a girl with an Asian look, reminds you of Ashlee a little, she's staring you down. She's obviously pissed about your little slam of Ezekiel.

    What do you do?
  • halcyhalcy
    image

    I watch Ezekiel go. It feels strange now that I've hurt his feelings. He wasn't asking for it, just ignorant. I won't turn back on what I've said though. Even if he's sort of the first person to say Ioanna was amazing in sort of this..unburdensome way.

    "Yeah, there is fine." I sit down with Zola, use some flatbread to hold whatever else I put down on this tray.

    I lock eyes with this girl and raise an eyebrow at her. I can do this all day.
  • RichRich
    edited April 2016
    image

    Tabitha,

    This is the girl glaring at you.
    image After several bites of your meal, Zola ignoring that table and telling some long joke about something that happened during un-school, the girl stands up, slamming her fork on the table.
    She stands, as does a dumpy blonde girl at the table. Ezekiel looks up, doesn't get up, but doesn't try to stop her. She walks over, the blonde following her. "You two are on the speedball team, right? The sucky one?"

    Zola grips her fork. What do you do?
  • halcyhalcy
    image

    "Narrow it down. Black Cats suck, Pirates suck. There's a whole half-league. Of backsliders." I take another mouthful of bread-and-indifference while I keep my eyes on this girl.
  • RichRich
    image She gives a sneer while the blonde behind her snorts a laugh. "Hawks. I know Zo-Zo from when I twisted your ankle, or did the pain-killers help you forget that, Zo-Zo? Where's your striker, the pretty one? Mark or Bark, I can't remember."

    Zola stands up now, still holding her fork, giving this girl a very level look.
  • halcyhalcy
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    I stand up in turn. Zola's right here to defend herself, but Mark isn't. All of these personal needlings are getting to me. "What a little injury. To brag about. Do you need to go back to your pod..with a new story?"

    Do I remember this girl or is she from before my time on the Hawks? I don't know but she's going to push till she gets a fight, I can tell that much. Because I'm clearly some kind of clone genius. "Hah."
  • RichRich
    edited April 2016
    image

    Tabitha,

    image "Oh stomm, she got you Gen Yu!" Zola says with heat. She holds the fork at her side, like a shiv, moves to stand beside you, her shoulder against yours. "Tabs here will run circles around your scrawny ass. And she'll make you look even stupider, Gams. We can't wait to school you, the whole Power team..."

    image The now-named Gen Yu narrows her eyes in silent fury at Zola, then you. "Is this your next victim, Zo-Zo?" She looks at you, Tabitha, "Tabs, is it? Ask her why Zo-Zo was transferred out of Pod Eight. It's a funny story. You've got to hear it."
    What has Coach told you about the Power team? What did Rys say about Gen Yu's skills that make Zola's threat sound a bit dubious?

    image "Hey..." Ezekiel interjects, still near his table. "This is a safe space, ok? We throw down here, and it will be crawling with Corporals! Stow it, Gen! Gams, seriously, ignore Zola, alright? Please?"


    Zola's tensed, itching for a fight. She might even be waiting for Gen Yu or Gams to back off so she can get in a cheap shot. What do you do?
  • halcyhalcy
    edited April 2016
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    Oh, stomm, Ezekiel's right. I just came out of a lockdown area, too.

    Coach said Power Team's got cohesion on us, in a serious way. They've been playing together in their configuration for three years running now. We're still trying to get our feet.

    Gen Yu..from what I hear she's a solid flanker, with a great sprint and awareness. She'd be a challenge to lock up if she was a striker, but from my position I'd probably never get my hands on her. Not without giving up my position.

    I push back on Zola a little bit, keeping my eyes on Gen Yu and Gams. "He's right. Let's save this for the court. I just wanted some drokking food."
  • RichRich
    image

    Tabitha,

    You and Ezekiel seem to help diffuse the situation. The "ban hammer" of Corporals in the cafeteria doesn't hurt.

    As things seem to settle, Gen Yu turns, and Gams follows. This is the moment Zola was looking for. You see her move forward with that fork held low. She's going to stab Gen Yu in the side, hard.

    What do you do?
  • halcyhalcy
    image

    "Stomm!" I push Zola off of her target, then try to let my speedball reflexes take over and get her in a lock. "What did I say, Zola?!?"
  • RichRich
    image

    Tabitha,

    Lets see you Lash Out here to stop Zola.
  • halcyhalcy
    image

    Lashing Out: (Rolled: 2d6+2. Rolls: 4, 2. Total: 8)

    Marking XP (2)
  • halcyhalcy
    image

    Choosing to enter Darkest Self.
  • RichRich
    image

    Tabitha,

    You grab Zola by the wrist, then turn her to get her in a lock. She drops the fork, then tries to push you into the table and free herself, screaming with fury.

    image "You drokking traitor!" She says as she shoves you hard into the table. Take 1 Harm as your hip smacks into the edge. She's unable to slip from your lock until she drops the fork and pushes with both hands, twisting around. By the time she's free, Gen Yu and Gams are back at their table, laughing at you both.

    "What a couple of losers. Gen Yu says as they pack up their trays and leave.

    Zola drops to her chair, frustrated, her eyes threatening tears. "I thought... I thought you had my back."
  • halcyhalcy
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    "Not like that! You can't.." You can't just snarl at everyone who looks at me and call them names! You can't just stab people in the back! I want to just scream at her, shake her..I breathe in to do that, I reach out to do that..

    "You can't expect me to be exactly like you." My arms slacken at my sides.

    I shove the door open and leave at a run. Zola's underhandedness sickens me. I don't find turning on the other children fun or powerful. It's just a drokked up game! It's just what they want!

    There's nothing in the halls to knock over, safety reasons, otherwise I would. Without stopping, I punch at a door, not thinking of where it goes. Where am I going? The infirmary.
  • RichRich
    image

    Tabitha,

    You enter the infirmary, the doors open smoothly. Inside the examination tube is a barely clothed Jace. He looks like he's asleep. There's a huge metallic bolted "cast" on his arm, and a number of tubes coming out of it, but no liquids flowing in and out of those tubes.

    image Dr. Haladay winks on screen, alerted by your entrance.
    "Oh, wonderful. Lock is back." He says with a grumpy expression, then he slurps some caff. "What brings you here so soon after Lockdown?" His tone obviously says he doesn't care, he doesn't offer counseling as one of his healing services.

    What do you do?
  • halcyhalcy
    image

    "How is Jace?" I say as I catch my breath. I watch the stillness inside the exam tube, suspicious.
  • RichRich
    image His image shifts as "Classified, Lock. Are you injured or something? If not, you can leave. You aren't scheduled for a checkup...." He types into a keyboard off screen. "Ever. Yeah, never. Because you don't need to exist." He looks at you, through you.

    What do you do?
  • halcyhalcy
    image

    I grab onto some piece of equipment with a snarl and haul on it until something gives. "Why don't you..come and fix that..you wrinkled old pile of stomm?!" For a moment I feel the satisfying weight of some broken part in my hand, then throw it at the screen. Haladay has more to play with, so I do, too. "Jace! Why aren't you helping him?!"

    I go to one of the other exam tubes, the one where my nose was uselessly 'set'. "Tell me! Mi Sun. Is beside herself!" I tighten a hand into a fist and bash at a panel on it. "Too senile to doctor?! Tell me! Come on, Haladay, I'll break things till you can't pretend! To help the 'precious' children anymore! Do you love any of them? Aiden? Mark?! Nadja?"
  • RichRich
    image

    Tabitha,

    Oh, that's definitely a bit of leverage. Let's see how well you Manipulate Dr. Haladay here!
  • halcyhalcy
    image

    Manipulating; (Rolled: 2d6-1. Rolls: 4, 3. Total: 6)
  • RichRich
    image Haladay's eyes widen when you snap off a handle to device. He quickly starts tapping away at some keyboard off screen, then looks back to you when you smash a hand into the tube, "Oh... oh, you better stop this, Tabitha Raja Smith." There's something stilted about his tone, how clear his diction's become.
    "This infirmary's here to help the kids in your pod..." He smiles, at the end there, unable to contain his triumph.

    Four pulsing red lights begin to shine, alarm has been sounded. You know Corporals are going to be coming. They'll come here, Tabitha, and they'll see you breaking stomm in here. You can practically hear their jackboots thundering down the corridor now.

    What do you do?
  • halcyhalcy
    image

    "You're a liar. If it were you would tell Mi Sun. What's happening to her brother!" If Corporals are going to come after me, I'm going to make them work for it. I stop taking my fury out on the infirmary and run.

    I hate Haladay. I imagine how it would feel to choke him to death, slow and clumsy. I'd have to be on their side to do that, though.
  • RichRich
    image In a derisive tone he can no longer hide, "Oh, you poor thing, you incomplete piece of mottled clay." He makes a tsk tsk noise as you flee out of the infirmary, out of the sound of his voice and down the corridor.

    In the corridor, the lights are a wash of flashing red, almost disorienting. A repeating tone of the alarm klaxon.

    You hear them coming, Tabitha, the Corporals. Probably Rys, he's close. But the Corporals from other pods, too, surely. They'll use the cams, coordinate, hunt you down like a pack of wolves.

    Unless you can Run Away. Let's see how the dice like that attempt.
  • halcyhalcy
    image

    Running Away; (Rolled: 2d6+2. Rolls: 1, 3. Total: 6)

    Marking XP (3)
  • RichRich
    edited April 2016
    image

    Tabitha,

    A few turns to avoid where you know Rys is coming from, and you get turns around near Pod Twelve, the empty pod. Surely there's nobody in there, no Corporals at least. With the red light flash, the alarm sounding, the sound of boots hollowly stomping on the corridors around you, you open the door to Pod Twelve.

    To see Corporal Tek.
    Corporal_Tek

    He stands tall and he was waiting for you. You're moving so fast that it takes a moment to turn your body, to try and avoid the stunstik. He quickly taps your stomach with it and your entire body betrays you. It locks up, and you fall awkwardly.

    Tek moves to catch you in his arms, not letting you fall to the deck and possibly break an arm or hurt yourself. "Destruction of ship property is a week in iso." He says it in a neutral tone as he picks you up into his arms easily, reaches down to lash his stunstik to his finely polished belt.

    Your body's still twitchy slightly, but you're able to see as Corporals Rys, Kor and Eff converge on you. Tek says in that sibilant tone of his, one you know in your soul even though you've never met him, "I've got the suspect. Rys, turn off the alarm. I'll put her in iso myself. So much trouble for one student, you guys are getting rusty."

    image "Corporal Tek," Rys says, ignoring the insult. "Tabs is a member of our speedball team. We just got out of lockdown. The feed shows her asking about a teammate. I'm sure there's some leniency we can show for..."



    "For a speedballer on the worst team on the ship?" You hear a female voice respond. Maybe it's the cute dark-haired Corporal you saw, her name's Eff maybe? "What? You want some mercy? Not likely. Ioanna's clone can stew for a bit. She must have some faulty synapses." She laughs derisively, and even though she's out of your field of vision, you can imagine the sneer.

    "Get back to your pods and check on your charges." Tek says without indulging Rys's request or Eff's response. They separate and head back to their respective posts. Corporal Tek carries you, in his arms, towards the detainment sector. Have you ever been in iso?

    You might be able to speak, if you push it, Tabitha.

    What do you do?
  • halcyhalcy
    edited April 2016
    image

    They transitioned me to quarantine through iso. I don't love it, but drokk, maybe it'll be a relief. I'm ready to just go limp, but I push my body, the strength I've got left, to gasp out the words for Rys to hear.

    "Jace is..hooked up to nothing! No blood sub! Nothing!" I sound awful. I feel awful, scrabbling my heels to find purchase and twist my body around to see.
  • RichRich
    image

    Tabitha,

    image "Okay, Tabs. Take it easy. I hear you. I've got it." Rys calls down the corridor as Corporal Tek carries you away. Your muscles seize and even your jaw tightens as Tek carries you away, away from the pod, from your team, from Zola, from your... friends?

    Do you have any friends?

    image "Tabitha," Corporal Tek asks as he opens the last portal and brings you into iso, which is a large room kept at a very low temperature, with large, electronic square boxes where children are put into stasis for periods of time, in iso-cubes. There, they remain aware, but inert. It is maddening. "Did you really misbehave because Jace wasn't being properly cared for? I find that hard to believe."

    He opens one of the squares and places you inside. It is an empty space, cramped. He gives you a glance, waiting for an answer before he puts you under.

    What do you do?
  • halcyhalcy
    image

    Drokk, but hurts to fight the stun. I don't breathe for a lot of the rest of this trip. Too much work.

    Friends? I don't know, I care about some of them. But none of them will come see me here. Maybe I have half a friendship with Ashlee, half with Ourania, whatever I have with Zola, something else with Mark but it all adds up to nothing.

    "So do I. If it's true. Then it's not misbehavior."

    Maybe..maybe I can push the cube half open before he activates it. Get my feet under me. I can't help myself though, I watch Tek's eyes - I need to know if he's a complete piece of stomm or not.
  • RichRich
    image

    Tabitha,

    image "I'll look into it. If it is true, then I will bring you out of iso. He moves back and presses the activation button to bring the cube online. It you want to try and break out, you'll need to Lash Out at your captor here.

    What do you do?
  • halcyhalcy
    image

    I've trapped myself. If I fight to get out it's like I'm admitting a lie I didn't commit. Plus, maybe Haladay's gotten his act together just to cover his worthlessness.

    If it gets Jace treated, that's worth it. If it gets Haladay stomm-canned, that's worth it.

    I wait for it.
  • RichRich
    image

    Tabitha,

    The corporal closes you into the claustrophobic iso cube. Moments later, the space fills with a viscous gel, amber in hue, that numbs you at first. then forces you into an inert state. It functions like amniotic fluid, sustaining your body, while special agents in the gel keep your body inactive and unresponsive to your own mental command.

    You're trapped in your own body.

    End Scene
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