[ luke enters the holodeck and the world shifts and swirls around him. the ground becomes thick and lush, a grassy steppe blooming up around luke's knees. in the distance, he can see muted figures dancing in among the waving grasses. behind him - a town where the bell tolls. the grasses stretch forward, the air dry and heavy, like breathing in cotton. it's survivable, even for someone like luke, but it's still somewhat unpleasant, like a punishment.
a small child with dirty brown hair, holding a doll in her arms stares at luke mutely from where she is stood before him. she's so small, underfed, filthy, and deep-eyed.
she offers holds a doll out by its arm, shaking it a bit aggressively, as if gesturing for luke to take the other arm. ]
The thick air is definitely uncomfortable, but, well, if anyone has experience with trouble breathing, it's Luke. He's distracted by the little girl, anyway; immediately, his demeanor shifts to something warm and kind. He crouches down, holding out a hand to gently shake the doll's arm.]
It's nice to meet you two. [His agent instincts urge him to take her somewhere for help, but for now, he keeps his attention on her.] Are you here by yourselves?
[ she doesn't speak, she only looks at him with eyes like dark, wet stones. the doll's arm is taken and then shaken, and she seems satisfied, slowly beginning to move with little, bare feet on the grass. ]
Hmph.
[ she tugs the little doll. hold on. follow her through the grass. don't stray. the grass tugs at luke's pants, the scent of it sharp and alive.
she brings luke to where io is sat, just in the center of the grass by a large stone, shaped like a bird's head. the girl tugs the doll away and immediately goes to sit by io's side, shrinking back and looking at luke, squinting. meanwhile, io turns their head to regard him. ]
He will hold onto the doll's arm and let her guide him, ready to scoop her up and run if he needs to; but then they arrive, and he lets go, watching her nyoom over to him.]
Hey, Io. [HE IS BACK and Io remembers, this is a good start. He stays standing for now, giving them their space, especially since it's clear the little girl doesn't trust him.] Is this your daughter?
[ it takes a moment for io to answer that, but when he does it is firm: ]
... Yes. I've... adopted her...
[ gently, he brushes a bit of dust out of her hair and slowly nudges her to her feet. distantly, she murmurs something to him, and gives luke one last look before scrambling off. ]
Did Ashe and Sidon arrive...? To wherever it is you are?
[ brow furrowing a bit but nodding. here's hoping they remember this one... ]
Then for now... we wait a bit longer to see. I don't understand why he wouldn't if the pattern so far has been that you are all there and accounted for.
[ even luke who was a little weird in terms of how he ended up there. ]
[ in any case, hello. after i napped forever post execution... ]
Yeah, that'd be me. Adra and Metis have been helping with the sample pool. And they grabbed a sample from Lucien as well. They ran some scans during the lockdown prior to jump to see if the nanites would behave differently.
[I don't know the timeline of my PCs anymore but it would've been easy enough to figure this out since he thinks Io is the type to immediately make it clear when there's been a positive breakthrough. He's not surprised, but it's still frustrating.]
Everything was the same, no change in behavior from the nanites, even comparing with blood outside both their own to those staying with them that night. Technically good news, but... not for figuring out what is doing this...
[ at that latter part though, shaking their head. ]
This particular dream-walking... device you mentioned? [ its technology right? ] It's not something I can find. Even asked around - Amalthea and Adrastea, Metis too. But they also have no idea how this particular device works, or even how it's here in the first place...
[ well luke throws that name out there and io blinks slowly at first, the sort of look of someone struggling to pull a piece of a memory forward. what instead happens is the world warps, and with it... gradually, the dream shifts. the sky closes in over itself - dark and cavernous, yawning like a mouth, and the crowstone looms like a nightmare.
something whispers, indiscernible.
io just holds their head in a hand, thinking with eyes trained on their boots, brow furrowed. the guttered out fire sparks, but never lights. the air gets drier as the gray day turns to the evening so fast. ]
[NOT THE OMINOUS SCENE CHANGE AGAIN. WHY DO SO MANY OF YOU FUCKS COME FROM PLACES WITH SPOOKY NIGHTMARESCAPES.
This isn't what he wanted, but it's information nonetheless. There's a part of him that wants to keep pushing--the agent who never failed a mission, sensing an opening, a lead worth following--but he pulls himself back. For now, he can be patient. They have a little time, and Io either genuinely wants to help them, or is extremely good at faking it.
So Luke smiles reassuringly, waving a hand.]
It's alright, I was just wondering. Don't push yourself.
[ just making a face as they pull back from the focus, the scene doesn't exactly change back, rather, can it even become more menacing? this is what you get for walking dreams, man. none of these people are normal................. ]
It isn't alright, really. And you know that.
[ do not lie to me. ]
Still. I'll see if I can... recall anything in the next coming days. About anyone. With any luck... something might start sound feeling familiar again.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
W2 SATURDAY
a small child with dirty brown hair, holding a doll in her arms stares at luke mutely from where she is stood before him. she's so small, underfed, filthy, and deep-eyed.
she offers holds a doll out by its arm, shaking it a bit aggressively, as if gesturing for luke to take the other arm. ]
no subject
The thick air is definitely uncomfortable, but, well, if anyone has experience with trouble breathing, it's Luke. He's distracted by the little girl, anyway; immediately, his demeanor shifts to something warm and kind. He crouches down, holding out a hand to gently shake the doll's arm.]
It's nice to meet you two. [His agent instincts urge him to take her somewhere for help, but for now, he keeps his attention on her.] Are you here by yourselves?
no subject
Hmph.
[ she tugs the little doll. hold on. follow her through the grass. don't stray. the grass tugs at luke's pants, the scent of it sharp and alive.
she brings luke to where io is sat, just in the center of the grass by a large stone, shaped like a bird's head. the girl tugs the doll away and immediately goes to sit by io's side, shrinking back and looking at luke, squinting. meanwhile, io turns their head to regard him. ]
... Welcome back.
no subject
He will hold onto the doll's arm and let her guide him, ready to scoop her up and run if he needs to; but then they arrive, and he lets go, watching her nyoom over to him.]
Hey, Io. [HE IS BACK and Io remembers, this is a good start. He stays standing for now, giving them their space, especially since it's clear the little girl doesn't trust him.] Is this your daughter?
no subject
... Yes. I've... adopted her...
[ gently, he brushes a bit of dust out of her hair and slowly nudges her to her feet. distantly, she murmurs something to him, and gives luke one last look before scrambling off. ]
Did Ashe and Sidon arrive...? To wherever it is you are?
no subject
Sidon did. We're worried about Ashe, but I don't know what we can do besides wait for him.
[Since all their attempts at breaking open the grinder have failed]
no subject
[ brow furrowing a bit but nodding. here's hoping they remember this one... ]
Then for now... we wait a bit longer to see. I don't understand why he wouldn't if the pattern so far has been that you are all there and accounted for.
[ even luke who was a little weird in terms of how he ended up there. ]
no subject
But for now, they're waiting it out, so he will come over and take a seat on this funky grass.]
I have some more questions, if that's okay. We've been talking on our side.
no subject
Well then, go ahead. I'll see what it is I can answer. Been lucky enough to recall these dreams so far...
no subject
[THAT BODES WELL... he took notes about this but he doesn't really need them. Still, he's going to see if the IRIS works in the dreamscape.]
I heard you're the one looking into the nanites, is that right?
no subject
[ in any case, hello. after i napped forever post execution... ]
Yeah, that'd be me. Adra and Metis have been helping with the sample pool. And they grabbed a sample from Lucien as well. They ran some scans during the lockdown prior to jump to see if the nanites would behave differently.
no subject
[I don't know the timeline of my PCs anymore but it would've been easy enough to figure this out since he thinks Io is the type to immediately make it clear when there's been a positive breakthrough. He's not surprised, but it's still frustrating.]
How about dream-sharing technology?
no subject
[ at that latter part though, shaking their head. ]
This particular dream-walking... device you mentioned? [ its technology right? ] It's not something I can find. Even asked around - Amalthea and Adrastea, Metis too. But they also have no idea how this particular device works, or even how it's here in the first place...
[ maybe we're really fucking lucky... ]
no subject
He's still not necessarily convinced it isn't the nanites, but he'll let it go for now. Instead, carefully--]
What about Officer Hans?
no subject
something whispers, indiscernible.
io just holds their head in a hand, thinking with eyes trained on their boots, brow furrowed. the guttered out fire sparks, but never lights. the air gets drier as the gray day turns to the evening so fast. ]
I'm sorry, Luke... I don't know that name...
no subject
This isn't what he wanted, but it's information nonetheless. There's a part of him that wants to keep pushing--the agent who never failed a mission, sensing an opening, a lead worth following--but he pulls himself back. For now, he can be patient. They have a little time, and Io either genuinely wants to help them, or is extremely good at faking it.
So Luke smiles reassuringly, waving a hand.]
It's alright, I was just wondering. Don't push yourself.
no subject
It isn't alright, really. And you know that.
[ do not lie to me. ]
Still. I'll see if I can... recall anything in the next coming days. About anyone. With any luck... something might start sound feeling familiar again.