Excerpt 011: Recalibration | OTA

[rekindledtitan]

TYPE: Personal log

LOCATION: The Nexus

PARTIES: Unconfirmed total [??]. Multiple [-] Ghost-type, multiple [-] Guardian-type, designate Blaze-37, Class Titan [[personal profile] rekindledtitan], additional [REDACTED]

ASSOCIATIONS: Multiversal Nexus; Nike; Rogers, Steve; Blaze-37; Coyote;



The havoc wrought by Coyote’s ‘gifts’ may not have been undone, and the trickster may be roaming at large still. But with an end to the rampage of the Big Bad Wolf, the Nexus streets are… somewhat safer, again. Night brings a chance for people to lick their wounds, or plot revenge… or just try to adjust to their circumstances.

Most of the bars and taverns close to the Plaza are exceptionally quiet tonight, but one of the pubs is playing host to an unusual gathering. The currently human-form Ghost is seated at one of the bigger tables, and before him is spread an array of bowls and small plates. Each bears a different sample of human-edible cuisine, most of them so far untouched. Around the rest of the table hovers a ring of… well, other Ghosts, these ones in their normal shapes. Their shells are angled or patterned or painted in different colors, but their blue optics glow bright in the low lighting of the bar. One of them - Penny, distinguished by her metallic green shell - dips to examine one of the many menus scattered around the table’s edge.

“Goat’s cheese!” she announces, and one of the others nudges a plate in front of Blaze’s Ghost. He eyes it a bit uncertainly, and Penny eggs him on. “Eat!”

“Eat! Eat! Eat! Eat!” The other Ghosts take up the chant with her, bobbing in the shadows, until Ghost manages to spear the lump of cheese on a fork. The others huddle in a bit closer to watch as he nibbles on it.

Over by the bar, one of the Guardians leaning on the counter observes, “You know, that’s kinda… creepy.”

“Yyup.” Blaze drops her attention back to pulling out the contact pins on the battery pack in her hand. “’Least they’re having fun.”

And worried as the Exo is about all this, at least she knows he’ll get enough to eat. Blaze? She just needs a drink. Or several.


[ Open post for encounters/CR after the first Coyote event post, particularly characters Blaze and Ghost know (and, of course, those with Ghosts of their own who might be joining in the vicarious taste-test.). ]

Comments

[juststeverogers]

"Just because he's better at it doesn't mean you're not also useful. And..." He falters then, remembering the emotional distress Ghost was in when Blaze left the first time. It doesn't feel Right to speak of it for Ghost. Doesn't feel right not bringing it up at all either.

"So talk to Him when we're done. Ask him. If you don't know what I'm thinking or what I want you always holler at me until I give you an opinion. Hell, I couldn't tell you what Siri's thinking eighty percent of the time, no one's expecting you to Know what's going on in Ghost's shell."

Beat.

"Head--I guess, at the moment. Point still stands."

[rekindledtitan]

The Exo's eyes glow brighter as she looks up at him sideways. Her brow plates shift up for a second, then she laughs over her 'drink'.

"All right, that sounds a lot like sense to me." Quit the guesswork, just ask him. Try to remember it, even if she feels vaguely like she ought to just know what to do. "Besides..." she looks over at the table - Ghost is being compelled to eat another bite of flan - and her voice softens fondly, "he's still my Ghost, whatever shape he's stuck in. I oughta treat him like it."

[juststeverogers]

Steve taps his fingers gently against the tools he's still holding, though Blaze no longer seems to need them for the moment. Back over at the table Siri hovers next to Ghost quietly asking him if he needs the stomach medicine she's obtained for him yet or not. He must still be fine because she floats on back to her vantage point right after.

"He is." Steve confirms. "I told him if he started to feel like he didn't want to eat anymore to stop, and if he started to feel uncomfortable to Definitely stop. So far they've been giving him pretty small samples so he should be good. In that body he's gotta eat something else he's going to end up miserable."

Steve glances at Blaze then but chooses not to say anything else on the matter. Hopefully Coyote didn't give him allergies to worry about or anything like that. Siri's been briefed and she's keeping a close optic on him. It should be enough to hopefully stay ahead of trouble.

[rekindledtitan]

"No kidding. She's nodding along with his advice approvingly" "He's never even felt hungry before. Not sure I want to know what happens if he's starving. Assuming he doesn't just fall over. The way they're doing it isn't exactly natural, but I kinda have to appreciate the brute-force method. 'Least we'll find out fast what he likes and what he can stand to ingest."

Blaze pauses, glances at Steve in return. She is trying to get better at making sure her team-mates are taken care of. "How about you? Did you eat yet?"

[juststeverogers]

"I'm sure tomorrow morning 'round breakfast time he'll be banging my door down asking about it." Steve doesn't figure they're going to want to take Ghost back to the Tower like this. Trying to explain it to anyone Official seems like it'd be difficult and incredibly awkward. Besides, someone might get Too Curious about poor Ghost and that wouldn't do. He's too shy to be a research volunteer.

Luckily, the Guardian Outpost seems to have rooms kitted out for a fireteam to spend the night comfortably. Several could honestly stay there if they didn't mind using cots or bedrolls on the floor, honestly.

He's not expecting Blaze's next question though. Steve turns to look back over to Ghost's table before lifting a shoulder in a shrug.

"Sorta planned on nibbling at whatever Ghost doesn't like for now. We're paying for that many orders, might as well not let 'em go to waste. If I still need something I can grab a sandwich back at the outpost later."

[rekindledtitan]

Blaze has come to the view that their superiors are best informed of small-scale Nexus shenanigans after everything is wrapped up into a report. In any case, keeping the Vanguard happy is officially Tarana's job, not hers so much.

And she wants to be nearby, if Ghost does need her.

"Guessing we won't be short of leftovers," she agrees. "Just make sure you get enough. Don't want Siri getting her shell in a spin." The charge on the battery contacts feels weaker; she might need another one soon. Thinking of the tools Steve's holding, though, she grabs her helm from the counter beside her and turns it over thoughtfully with one hand.

"Have you been over installing comm and HUD elements yet? Might be a good time to go through it. Ain't too complicated if you're using City-standard components, but the basics hold even if you want to patch in a Golden-Age sensor unit."

[juststeverogers]

On the off, off, off chance it could affect anyone else it's possible Ghost wouldn't even be allowed back into the Tower. And that's a bad feeling none of them want. Steve told Siri not to bring it up with the others unless Blaze pushed to have them go back and since his fireteam leader seems pleased enough to stay here he doesn't see any need to upset them without reason.

"Well, they're small servings. Still, he's bound to not like everything or just get plain full and Siri knows she can send whatever he's had enough of to me. Er, Mr. Suou was adamant to send us out with some basic supplies for food at the outpost too. So there's no worries about being ready to handle a couple days' worth of meals." Might be the same meal a couple of times but hey--better than ration bars.

Steve's caught offguard at the change in topic though he's quick to turn back around so he can focus on Blaze's helm in between them on the counter. "We haven't, no. My issued gear hasn't had any problems and well. Ghost's almost always got that kind of thing handled before I even hear about it out in the field."