Excerpt 004: Frontier Trail

[rekindledtitan]

TYPE: Personal log

LOCATION: Orbit, Earth

PARTIES: Three [3]. One [1] Ghost-type, One [1] Guardian-type, designate Blaze-37, Class Titan [rekindledtitan], One [1] Unconfirmed, designate Jesse [notalldead]


ASSOCIATIONS: Multiversal Nexus; Jesse; the Rotten; Earth; Multiversal Phenomena; Blaze-37; Revivification; Demeter Effect


It’s funny, Blaze never expected her ship to be a place for more than herself and her Ghost. A sanctuary of sorts, and a fine sturdy little vessel, but a place for little more than work and storage in the end. And yet now she’s showing it to the fourth friend in just a few months. Not even a Guardian… or at least not the kind she’d expected to befriend.

It’s enough to make her a little conscious of how bare and rough it looks; even the padded pilot’s chair is sort of squashed and worn from bearing the metal weight of an armored Exo several years in a row. Nonetheless, it’s the only comfortable place to sit in the small cabin space, and Blaze steers Jesse that way once he’s defrosted enough to stand.

“So everything’s built into the walls,” she explains, gesturing at one apparently-solid surface after another. “Weapon and armor storage on that side, material supplies over there, workbenches and stuff on the port side. I’ll pull down the wash unit if you want to let your coat dry off.”

Comments

[rekindledtitan]

It’s not easy to listen to, that’s true. Not entirely easy to understand, either… but perhaps she understands more than she would have a couple weeks earlier. Funny how she ran afoul of nearly all the same physical shifts, they just prefer different directions.

“You don’t seem so out of place to me,” Blaze points out. She lifts her hand to Jesse’s shoulder, offering what comfort she can. It’s not her strong point. “Nature’s not always so clear-cut. Just don’t go crazy with that hibernation trick, all right? Could scare a bot with that.”

[notalldead]

"Heh. Maybe not in the Nexus. But how's things here in yer world? Y'all think people in yer city gonna take that well to a dead man up and walkin' around? Just curious. I mean, if they are, maybe I'll have to visit sometime!

"Also, don't plan on doin' that hibernatin' trick anymore than I gotta. Explains why folks back home are bein' so sleepy, though. Good to know we'll all perk back up once spring rolls back in." Jesse pats the metal hand resting on his shoulder with a friendly smile.

[rekindledtitan]

Oh, she definitely hadn't thought of that. Her optics flare for a second, the Exo thinking that over.

"I don't know. About the City," she admits. "Just meant- stuff like not physically aging. Being outside the life cycle. Not having a body that responds so hard to emotion. It's easier for me to understand than having all those." She shrugs, as if to try and downplay the gulf there.

"...I'm glad you're all right. How's the heating in your settlement?"

[notalldead]

His smile broadens, even it's still a little melancholy. "Yeah. That makes a lotta sense! Hope no one ever gives y'all grief fer that. Yer made the way you were meant to be an' ain't no one should be faultin' you that. Bein' made o' flesh ain't the default no more, not so far as yer world or the Nexus goes. Glad I know that now."

Getting onto the subject of his gang, Jesse shrugs. "Not as good as it could be. We're sealed off real good from all the snow and ice, but...I don't, uh. I don't like fires in the camp. Maybe I should reconsider that? I mean, that's just kinda me. I mean, it hurts us all real bad, but I'm just-...Ehh, or maybe I should just do some heavy liftin' in the Nexus and see about scroungin' up some space heaters." He scratches the back of his head a bit peevishly, that smile gone in a concerned frown.

[rekindledtitan]

“They wouldn’t.” She’s never (yet) met anyone bigoted that way. But what’s natural for her perhaps isn’t so natural to him, hard as that is to swallow. She doesn’t care for this idea that her friend is ‘unnatural’ or wrong somehow, but when he’s stuck in this condition unwillingly, trapped in a shape that isn’t right for him… kinda hard to argue otherwise. She’s had a taste of what that’s like, after all.

Practical problems are easier. Practical problems can be solved. “Thermal packs maybe? I’ll ask the human scouts for ideas. Ghost and I can stop by and check the architecture, see if there’s anything we can help you with there.”

[notalldead]

"Aw heck, but you two have already done so much fer me an' mine! Hah, people are gonna start considerin' you the boss rather'n me if I keep lettin' you come up with all the best ideas." He elbows her lightly, obviously kidding.

"Honestly, I think once this winter's let up, we're gonna pull up stakes and move towards the east. Maybe start workin' up into our version of Canada. Somethin' feels right about goin' there, y'know? Ain't much left fer us in Spokane at this point. Ain't no leads on a cure and we're just sittin' around, holdin' turf and not a whole lot else. No one's even botherin' to try and nab one another's ground anymore. Might as well move on and let the Pig Farmers have it."

[rekindledtitan]

"Guess I shouldn't risk it. Light knows I couldn't do your job!" she chuckles.

His plan, though- it makes sense, risky though it is. Perhaps it says something that her first concern is: "You'll still be able to visit the Nexus? You've got the tech, right?"

[notalldead]

"I been thinkin' about that. Gotta be some way to take it with us or somethin', right? Cuz I'd hate to have to leave that behind. Even thought sometimes about just settlin' the Rotten in the Nexus itself! But then we'd never find a cure, or more like us out there who need a gang to look after 'em."

He sits back in the chair, pulling the blanket around one shoulder, pondering. "I mean, maybe there's somethin' someone can make that lets us make another door to the Nexus when we move? There's folks who talk about bein' able to do shit with portals. That ugly guy with the horn and claw bein' one. Maybe I gotta corner that fella and talk shop with him."

[rekindledtitan]

"Some people also use PINpoint devices to travel between the Nexus and their worlds. They seem to be available from different vendors, but I'm... not sure all of them are equally trustworthy. You should be careful, whatever you do." The Ghost spins, and adds quietly, "We'd both be upset if you got lost."

"Wouldn't be the same without you around," Blaze agrees. "As for Naugus, we met him once. If he's as knowledgeable as he thinks he is, he can probably take care of a portal."

[notalldead]

"Huh! I ain't never thought of that. Just havin' a device rather 'n a door. Though that might be a good plan to deal with someone who can shut off the portal we got now. Wonder if the subway entrance would go away with it? Or maybe I should leave it, in case there's some Rotten who'd rather stay behind in Spokane..."

He laughs, rubbing his forehead. "Shoot! I got a lot to think about over this! Glad there's options, though. And hey, for the record, I'd be pretty sore if I never saw you two ever again either. Yer real true blue pals."

Good place to wrap, unless there's anything else you'd like to play out?

[rekindledtitan]

"Heh." Blaze rubs an antenna, glancing back at the ship monitors. "Just trying to help. I know you'll figure something out though. Get your people somewhere safe and warmer."

She nods at the forward display. "Feel like taking another turn around the planet?"

Good place to end, yes!

[notalldead]

He grins, bright and eager. "Heck yeah, one more run around the barn aughta do me."

Man, the other Rotten are never gonna believe this.