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002 / video;
[ Today’s video feed is brought to you from the absolute chaos that is Moro #016. Honestly, except for being slightly brighter in terms of decor, the place looks just like Nemo #001 had in previous videos: Tony’s shit is everywhere.
As the video turns on, transmitting from Stark’s MID and with his ID, it shows not only the chaos of bits and pieces of technology everywhere but one desk that has been cleared of clutter. On the desk, sit two journals and some blank notebooks. Behind the desk sit two men who look like they haven’t slept in days.
They are currently doing that "you ask", "no, you ask you know what you’re asking about" back and forth that suggests they may not have completely transitioned from private to public speaking mode. Eventually, Adrien gives Tony’s shoulder a shove and points, imperiously, to the camera.
TALK STARK! ]
Some of you probably remember this, a lot of you probably don't: we've got some journals floating around this place that might just be hiding answers to questions we've all been asking since we landed on this rust bucket. We've gotten our hands on two of them, partially because the good doctor here has way too much time on his hands and decided to live in the library for a month, and partially as a result of dumb luck. If there are more, I haven't gotten a whiff of them, but it stands to reason that these two aren't the only ones. So if you see a journal with creepy runes all over it, feel free to share with the class.
Anyway, here's the catch. [ Tony lifts one of the journals in question so that it's visible on the screen - small, leather-bound, and seemingly handwritten. He flips briefly through the pages, but it's just a mess of runes and symbols with no immediately obvious meaning. ] They're not written in any language I've ever seen before, and trying to translate them has been a serious pain in the ass. If I had to guess, they're written in the language of whoever built the Ingress originally, since some of the symbols are familiar from what we do have on the thing.
[ He tosses the journal back onto the desk, with a cranky and definitive plop! Adrien’s hands can be seen scooping it up and laying it down more gently, as if in apology. ]
If you've got a clever head on your shoulders, raise your hand now, 'cause we need your help. I dunno about you guys, but I'm real tired of mysteries, so let's figure this shit out. [ Translation: they need all the nerds and braniacs they can get. ] Oh, and if you're assigned to the Ingress in any official capacity? Meet me in the Ingress room in an hour. Vacation's over.
[ He sits back, satisfied that he's said his piece, and shoots a sidelong glance at Adrien. For a moment there was silence as Adrien appeared to silently beg Tony to just keep going.
No dice. The doctor was going to have to use his words.
Reaching back to rub tiredly at the nape of his neck, he sighed and began to talk. ]
I also came across a museum down on the Mini Colony. It was called the Aeronautical Study Institute or the A.S.I. if that sounds familiar to anyone? I learned some information about something called “Living Energy” or “Living Power”.
In a nutshell, I learned that it’s considered dangerous [ to the surprise of no one, right? ] This ship is the only vessel to have been known to be built where the living energy was harnessed on something mobile. The Ingress machines use Living Energy to run, some other bits indications that people were playing with something they didn’t completely understand and mention of a “Hub.”
Does any of that sound familiar to anyone else?
[ Tony raises his hand, helpfully. ]
—And "I heard about this in a horror sci-fi movie where they crushed up human souls to feed their weird alien technology" is a totally valid but not entirely helpful answer, because I already thought of that, but thanks.
[ Adrien stared at his roommate with a bemused frown on his face. ]
How would you even go about crushing a soul? Bones, flesh, tissue sure but a soul?
[ These two men are in serious need of a nap. Tony doesn’t deign that with a response, just bodily shoves Adrien out of the frame. ]
Point is, if you know something or you've heard something, now's the time to speak up. And the workgroup for these shitty journal translations meets approximately immediately, so if you're interested, chop chop.
[ The video feed cuts off as unceremoniously as it began. ]
(( Here's your plot hook if you're interested in solving some Ingress mysteries! See this OOC post for more info. ))
As the video turns on, transmitting from Stark’s MID and with his ID, it shows not only the chaos of bits and pieces of technology everywhere but one desk that has been cleared of clutter. On the desk, sit two journals and some blank notebooks. Behind the desk sit two men who look like they haven’t slept in days.
They are currently doing that "you ask", "no, you ask you know what you’re asking about" back and forth that suggests they may not have completely transitioned from private to public speaking mode. Eventually, Adrien gives Tony’s shoulder a shove and points, imperiously, to the camera.
TALK STARK! ]
Some of you probably remember this, a lot of you probably don't: we've got some journals floating around this place that might just be hiding answers to questions we've all been asking since we landed on this rust bucket. We've gotten our hands on two of them, partially because the good doctor here has way too much time on his hands and decided to live in the library for a month, and partially as a result of dumb luck. If there are more, I haven't gotten a whiff of them, but it stands to reason that these two aren't the only ones. So if you see a journal with creepy runes all over it, feel free to share with the class.
Anyway, here's the catch. [ Tony lifts one of the journals in question so that it's visible on the screen - small, leather-bound, and seemingly handwritten. He flips briefly through the pages, but it's just a mess of runes and symbols with no immediately obvious meaning. ] They're not written in any language I've ever seen before, and trying to translate them has been a serious pain in the ass. If I had to guess, they're written in the language of whoever built the Ingress originally, since some of the symbols are familiar from what we do have on the thing.
[ He tosses the journal back onto the desk, with a cranky and definitive plop! Adrien’s hands can be seen scooping it up and laying it down more gently, as if in apology. ]
If you've got a clever head on your shoulders, raise your hand now, 'cause we need your help. I dunno about you guys, but I'm real tired of mysteries, so let's figure this shit out. [ Translation: they need all the nerds and braniacs they can get. ] Oh, and if you're assigned to the Ingress in any official capacity? Meet me in the Ingress room in an hour. Vacation's over.
[ He sits back, satisfied that he's said his piece, and shoots a sidelong glance at Adrien. For a moment there was silence as Adrien appeared to silently beg Tony to just keep going.
No dice. The doctor was going to have to use his words.
Reaching back to rub tiredly at the nape of his neck, he sighed and began to talk. ]
I also came across a museum down on the Mini Colony. It was called the Aeronautical Study Institute or the A.S.I. if that sounds familiar to anyone? I learned some information about something called “Living Energy” or “Living Power”.
In a nutshell, I learned that it’s considered dangerous [ to the surprise of no one, right? ] This ship is the only vessel to have been known to be built where the living energy was harnessed on something mobile. The Ingress machines use Living Energy to run, some other bits indications that people were playing with something they didn’t completely understand and mention of a “Hub.”
Does any of that sound familiar to anyone else?
[ Tony raises his hand, helpfully. ]
—And "I heard about this in a horror sci-fi movie where they crushed up human souls to feed their weird alien technology" is a totally valid but not entirely helpful answer, because I already thought of that, but thanks.
[ Adrien stared at his roommate with a bemused frown on his face. ]
How would you even go about crushing a soul? Bones, flesh, tissue sure but a soul?
[ These two men are in serious need of a nap. Tony doesn’t deign that with a response, just bodily shoves Adrien out of the frame. ]
Point is, if you know something or you've heard something, now's the time to speak up. And the workgroup for these shitty journal translations meets approximately immediately, so if you're interested, chop chop.
[ The video feed cuts off as unceremoniously as it began. ]
(( Here's your plot hook if you're interested in solving some Ingress mysteries! See this OOC post for more info. ))
[ video ]
I know about living energy.
I can probably translate your books, too. Maybe.
not here;
[ video ]
[ He knew Tony was counting how many times he heard the word 'magic' but any and all possible theories were worth exploring.
Or at least hearing out. ]
no subject
I can't say for sure if it's the same thing, but it sounds like you're talking about the same kind of energy that's found on ley lines back in my world. Unpredictable shit. It can make weird stuff happen, the kinda stuff everyone else is calling magic, but more scientific types might call electromagnetic phenomena. Anyway, there's some sacrifice involved in waking it up. "Crushed up souls" isn't too far off.
> private;
Okay, I was definitely being hyperbolic for comedic effect, but I'm not actually surprised this is a thing. What does "some sacrifice" mean?
private;
...Human sacrifice would be your go-to standard for this kinda shit. You know, Isaac and Abraham. Give up something precious to you. What most idiots don't know is it doesn't always have to be a human life. You just have to lose something important.
off-camera, on ronan's end of things...
Be careful.
[Careful with his words. Careful who he trusts. They don't know these people yet.]
private; still on camera
I don't want them experimenting.
[That's how Noah got into this mess in the first place.]
If they're gonna be fucking with it, they should fuck with it the right way.
no subject
[Noah can't argue with that, but he'd still rather they left it alone altogether. Especially if it's the main thing keeping him present here. He can't help but be selfish in that way. It was one thing to fade away back home to make sure Gansey lived the life he couldn't. But he doesn't want to go again, not if he doesn't have to. Not yet.
He'll stay and listen for now, for his own peace of mind.]
private;
[ He certainly doesn't look impressed by this news. At all. ]
Now, see, something about all that sounds distinctly unscientific to me, but I'm starting to think the word "scientific" has wildly differing meanings around here.
private;
If you're saying human sacrifice sounds monstrous and barbaric, we're in agreement. It doesn't have to be so goddamn Stone Age. There's instruments and shit that can measure ley line fluctuations and all that back where I come from, but I know fuck-all about how they work. I'm less nerd, more hands-on.
private;
[ Just sayin. ]
If your world's got efficient, non-murderous ways of approaching this, what's the justification for virgin sacrifices and dead goats? Good old fashioned psychopathy?
private;
I didn't say it was efficient. Most people aren't willing to give up pieces of themselves, not even for something they want very badly. They'd rather make someone else pay for it. But yeah, almost everyone who's seeking that kind of power tends to be a psychopath.
[He gives the camera a pointed look that isn't exactly accusatory but something of a warning. Ronan doesn't intend to let this knowledge be used to sacrifice another person. He owes Noah that much.]
private;
Decidedly uninterested in that variety of bullshit, if that's what you're worried about. I'm just trying to figure out how this machine works. All data gathering is academic and hypothetical at best.
private;
[Or else he would have said nothing.]