Unknown Seas Mods / NPCs (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bathymetric) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
unknownseas2021-01-24 10:36 am
bathymetric) wrote in unknownseas2021-01-24 10:36 am
COMMENCE VOYAGE
Fun Fact: Did you know the Atlantic Ocean has a surface area of 41.1 million square miles? No reason.
...
There's something uneasy in the air as you come to.
Well, "come to" is an interesting word in this case. It implies waking up, which is not exactly what happens. None of you are in beds, nor are you really asleep in the traditional sense. One moment you're somewhere else, doing something else with your time, and the next? You're somewhere on board a massive cruise ship - maybe lounging on a deck chair by the pool, maybe getting some Gains in the exercise room, maybe enjoying the tasteful décor in the buffet - and you have no idea how you got here or how you might get back. This is not your beautiful house. If you have a beautiful wife, she isn't here.
What you do have, apart from 25 other unlucky souls, is a small smartphone-like device in your pocket with only a handful of things on it: a clock reading 11PM, a pdf of a ticket in your name on a special Atlantic Liners New Year's Eve Cruise, an app labeled Passenger Profiles with some basic information on your traveling companions, and a message:
Welcome aboard, passenger! Please feel free to partake of any of the facilities while you wait for the big event! Remember: when midnight comes, you better make your way to the theatre at the back of Level 1 for the main event! The Captain and the First Mate will be there to take care of you all personally, and to help you ring in the new year in style!
Well, that's a start. But what you do until then, it seems, is up to you!
...
There's something uneasy in the air as you come to.
Well, "come to" is an interesting word in this case. It implies waking up, which is not exactly what happens. None of you are in beds, nor are you really asleep in the traditional sense. One moment you're somewhere else, doing something else with your time, and the next? You're somewhere on board a massive cruise ship - maybe lounging on a deck chair by the pool, maybe getting some Gains in the exercise room, maybe enjoying the tasteful décor in the buffet - and you have no idea how you got here or how you might get back. This is not your beautiful house. If you have a beautiful wife, she isn't here.
What you do have, apart from 25 other unlucky souls, is a small smartphone-like device in your pocket with only a handful of things on it: a clock reading 11PM, a pdf of a ticket in your name on a special Atlantic Liners New Year's Eve Cruise, an app labeled Passenger Profiles with some basic information on your traveling companions, and a message:
Welcome aboard, passenger! Please feel free to partake of any of the facilities while you wait for the big event! Remember: when midnight comes, you better make your way to the theatre at the back of Level 1 for the main event! The Captain and the First Mate will be there to take care of you all personally, and to help you ring in the new year in style!
Well, that's a start. But what you do until then, it seems, is up to you!
poolside
Well, that's a neat trick.
[He says in a dry tone, watching the last drops of water trickle out from the seams in Data's skin. It's kind of horrifying! To Constantine's credit, he doesn't seem all that perturbed by it.]
Don't think they can hear you, mate. Especially not after your pager's taken on water.
[Because...Data's using a miniature pager, right?]
no subject
[So yeah, he'll give up on that for the moment. Having just gotten out of the pool and all, he hasn't had a chance to check out the profiles yet, so:]
May I ask who you are?
no subject
Name's John Constantine. Don't wear it out. I'm a detective.
[Given Constantine's accent, Data can probably at least guess that he's British. Constantine takes in Data's stilted pattern of speech, pale complexion and...well, the water situation, and tilts his head to the side. A robot, maybe? This cast of characters just keeps getting more and more bizarre.]
Though, last I remember, I didn't book a ticket on a cruise like this. Certainly not one with a bloody Margaritaville on it.
no subject
You are familiar with Margaritaville?
[Theoretically Data absolutely could be as well, but I refuse to live in that world]
no subject
Unfortunately, I woke up in the Jimmy Buffet. That's buffet with one T.
[Constantine crosses his arms.]
But there's not a single drop of alcohol in any of the drinks they have. It's false advertising, that's what it is.
[And frankly, rather rude!!!]
no subject
Oh! It is a pun on the 20th-century Earth artist, Jimmy Buffett!
[Data has no feelings about this travesty, except that he may be a little pleased to have parsed the humor involved. The humor attempt. Whatever. He also has zero feelings about alcohol or the lack thereof!
He did, however, fail to introduce himself in turn.]
I am Lieutenant Commander Data, of the Federation starship Enterprise.
no subject
[Seriously, why even call it Margaritaville if there aren't any real margaritas? But that introduction does catch Constantine's attention. He sits up a little straighter, scratching the stubble on his chin.]
Lieutenant Commander. [He echoes Data's words, brow furrowing deeply. Were this anyone else saying this, he'd laugh, but Data has been nothing but straight and serious throughout this conversation.] Take it you're not from my time, then, if you're busy leading a starship.
[The more he learns, the more concerning their circumstances have gotten....]
no subject
[Also he's not, strictly speaking, the leader of the ship, but that's not really a priority at this exact moment?]
What is your time?
no subject
[Which is, um...concerning, to say the least! Constantine rubs the back of his neck, frowning.]
There are plenty of explanations for this, and I don't think I like any of them.
no subject
[Though like..........if this were a Q episode, Picard would be here.]
Interference with the past can be extremely dangerous, as well. Perhaps it would be for the best if we are not from the same dimension.
no subject
Constantine can't help but let out a snort, rising to his feet for the first time during this conversation. He's actually a little bit taller than Data! How surprising.]
For the best, I'm sure. Your little starships probably wouldn't be able to handle the level of occult magic I face on a daily basis.
[A pause.]
Though, if you think about it, wouldn't any potential paradoxes have already been sorted out? I mean, someone from the future traveling to the past would have already happened, technically. It's not linear.
[He doesn't have the strongest grip on this sort of thing, but in his head, it makes sense.]
no subject
Time travel is difficult, and generally not permitted, where I am from. But past studies have seemed to indicate that the future can be changed by time travelers.
[I think there's been like four separate Star Trek Time Travel Rules but that's how it was in that one TNG movie so. Fuck it.]
But in this case, that is probably not our most immediate concern.
no subject
Eh. Personally, I'm not the biggest fan of time travel. It makes people think they can fix their mistakes instead of living with them and, honestly, just confuses everyone.
[Big words from a guy who literally cheated God, but okay.]
If it's any comfort, I doubt the captain wants to kill us right away. He wouldn't have gone through all this effort and still kept us alive. You happen to check your pockets, lately?
[That is, um...if Data's uniform has pockets????]
no subject
[So you could say he's not a huge fan of time travel either. For much more prosaic reasons.
also, uh. I don't think his uniform does have pockets.]
I am missing my weapon, and my tricorder. [uhhhh let's just say the phone is stuck in one of those holsters??????] Oh. This is not mine.
no subject
Ouch. At least you're still standing here, so that's worth something.
[Maybe??? Unless this is a different version of Lieutenant Commander Robot...or, whatever. Time travel sucks, he wants to get off this topic.]
Captain left us a gift. Wants us to all get acquainted and become dear friends for whatever he's got set up. [He sneers.] If I didn't know any better, I'd suspect he wants us to start snogging each other.
no subject
It does seem as though they want us to get to know one another. Curious.
no subject
[Constantine rubs his chin, frowning lightly at Data and glancing out towards the dark ocean horizon.]
You're a robot, yeah? You happen to have a star map stuffed in that positronic brain of yours?
no subject
[maybe this is a holodeck episode]
no subject
At least we're moving away from Florida. Can you imagine?
no subject
no subject
[He pauses for effect, looking over his shoulder as if checking if there's anyone eavesdropping. Then, he leans forward, lowering his voice to a mock whisper.]
...Florida Man.
[He hopes that incites some sort of reaction in Data.]
no subject
[He nods sagely.]