COMMENCE VOYAGE

[bathymetric]

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!

Comments

[scouserer]

[Constantine raises an eyebrow. Hm!]

Quite a gaggle of people the captain's gathered here, huh?

[He tucks away his phone, shoving his hands into his pocket.]

Makes you wonder what the connection is. Clearly put in a lot of trouble to set this cruise up.

[onlyyoucan]

And to bring us here, somehow. Almost like we were already here.

[scouserer]

Memory manipulation's not out of the question. If he'd wanted us dead, he would've already done it.

[And, as far as Constantine can tell, they're not dead. Yet.]

What's your take on the situation, kid?

[onlyyoucan]

I don't know yet. No one I know would do this, or could. But it's different for you?

[scouserer]

I know a running list of bastards, yes.

[He rubs the back of his neck, grimacing.]

You ask me, this stinks of dark magic.

[onlyyoucan]

[There's a difference between bad people in general and bad people whose style this is, or who have the capability. Still, Sara lets it go with no more than a shake of her head.]

And if that's real, then that means... probably nothing good.

[scouserer]

[John lets out a snort.]

No, shit. When did anything about this situation spell anything good?

[He'll swear as much as he wants, he doesn't care.]

But at least we're all alive, which is something. Unless this is the afterlife, but I highly doubt that, given my track record.

[onlyyoucan]

Probably not.

[On account of there's no one she knows here.]

It's all disjointed. Even the phones don't match the rest of the ship.

[scouserer]

Anyone can change the scenery if they try hard enough. The phones indicate--

[Wait, pause. Phone? Constantine digs the device out of his pocket again, examines it, then raises an eyebrow.]

Really? A phone implies that you have someone you can call.

[onlyyoucan]

No signal. Maybe it seemed natural to have them for the other programs.