rekindleme | INTRO LOG

INTRO LOG - JUNE 2014

Who: Everyone
Where: The Welcome Center
When: 18th June, late afternoon
Summary: The new arrivals, freshly pulled from their worlds or others, awaken in a strange place...
Warnings: Inbox death may occur. System overload at own risk. NPC responses may be slow.

It's a shuddering breath, a sensation of being pulled to elsewhere and finding oneself pressed against something on the soft and some place cozy. However, before one can fully stir, there is and odd, warm stirring sensation that lifts you up from wherever you've been dropped, when you begin to drift off once more.

Yet the feeling passes quickly, and when you awaken, you begin to realize your surroundings. It's a small room with what some might recognize as a Far Eastern theme when it comes to decor, from the walls to the sofa (or bed) you find yourself on. Illumination is provided by carefully crafted lamps, and even a candle flickering on a nearby desk. The doors are made from paper and wood, with a thin frame; through them it's easy to hear other people stirring, talking, or coming to.

You are not alone...

Close at hand there's a note that reads:

WELCOME CENTER
Newcomers: Please come downstairs to the lobby for refreshments and your welcome packets!

Odd... This wasn't written in your own language, and yet you find it easily understandable. Soon enough, if you don't enter on your own, there's a gentle knocking on the door as someone comes from downstairs to usher you along.

"Welcome to Saeng Seong! I know you must be confused as to where you are and what's going on, but we promise to explain this to you once you've had a chance to stretch your legs!"

Whether you go downstairs immediately or linger a little longer, eventually you must come down and get out of the small space, and sooner rather than later would probably be better. You'll find yourself in a well-lit lobby, filled with comfortable-looking couches and chairs. Along one wall are refreshment tables, loaded with all sorts of cool and relieving food and drink, including some you probably aren't familiar with. It's just as well they're in good supply, as the windows outside show a city well heated from a summer sun.

On the wall opposite are a pair of desks, each with a sign, and one person at her station-

Rhea, General Assistance
Andi, Technological Assistance

The plaques have a shiny new look to them, as do the desks. The one with 'Andi' listed appears to be empty, though. Gathered around both desks and several tables are boxes as well, and...Empty jars? The woman minding her desk doesn't appear to give them a second thought.

However, before you can go over and give at least one of them a piece of your mind and ask questions, the same person who ushered you downstairs hands you a manilla envelope that contains your welcome packet, urging you to read this before asking the two figures questions that the packet likely answers.

Inside it, you will find: a ring with a key and apartment number on it, some kind of cash card, a map and informational guide to the city, and a letter folded neatly on the top -

Welcome to Saeng Seong!

You are among a new group of arrivals to our city, from many far-apart worlds.
We have gathered you here because our city is in a crisis, and we are at our last resorts. The energy of the city is in a slow downward spiral, and is dangerously close to expiring altogether.

That's where you come in - you and everyone else we've brought to the city. Unlike those of us here, you have the potential to generate the energy the city needs, but you'll need to work together to do it.

Why? Because the energy can only be generated when two people touch each other. Any touch will do, but it must be between two of you who are new to the city. If you don't keep in contact with someone, eventually your energy will begin to drain as well, making you dangerously ill.

A few other things:

The closed-off sections of the city are closed off for a reason; approaching them will cause your energy to drain very rapidly. We're working to open the rest of the city to you as soon as we can, but for now, please remain within the first five districts of the city.

You have been given a key to a one-bedroom apartment in a complex set aside for you and the other new arrivals, near the riverside in the 1st district. You're free to change your living quarters whenever you like, and we encourage you to move in with someone in one of the larger apartments. When you want to change, just come back to this building to exchange your key.

We've also included a cash card with a living stipend; if you're unfamiliar with this system, or the network established for new arrivals, you can talk to Devin in the lobby for help. It's what he's here for. If you need medical assistance, contact Mai, one of our nurses.

Again, welcome, and thank you for all your help.

~~Irene~~ Rhea
Arrival Liaison

Outside, and through the translucent glass you can see a banner hanging from the tiled roof of the building across the street. The cheerful colors on it match well against a bright blue sky:

WELCOME TO SAENG SEONG
(ENJOY YOUR STAY!)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The soldier takes in a sharp breath when the Cybertronian's attention turns to him, and for a few moments he fears the worst. Even after those moments, he still fears some very bad things, and so he's searching her up and down for weak points and any escape routes he might take. His silver elbow knocks into the wall behind him, half from being somewhat startled and half to test the wall's integrity.

But after she's spoken and not attacked him for several seconds, his confusion shows clear. This is a machine who somehow speaks and looks somewhat like a person, in addition to a city on another planet asking him to touch other people for energy. It's a miracle he hasn't gone berserk at this point, but the tension radiating from him is nearly tangible.

He doesn't know how to respond, but he decides to try in the hopes of distracting himself from his disorienting confusion.

"It's not coating," he says with a gravelly voice after licking his lips. He doesn't know if anyone else has metal limbs or not, even though he knows it's not common.

Now that was a reaction she didn't exactly expect--then again, she was going in with blinders on. She can see that immediately sense of panic in his eyes, the way they harden as he immediately tries to target. Her quick reflexes cause her to take a step back, ready in case he was the one going to make the first move.

But he doesn't. In fact, a few tense moments surround them as the test the waters, so to speak. Chromia eventually easing out of that position, she notices the confusion, the same look on her own face. A part of her wondering if maybe Windblade was right on the 'too intimidating' aspect of her personality, another wondering what's got him so spooked.

Any kind of answer was a nice break of the incredibly awkward silence, so she'll take it as she casts her eyes back at his arm.

"All metal, huh?" Now THAT'S surprising. Obviously it had to be made...humans aren't born with that kind of stuff (or at least, she doesn't THINK so...) A hand goes up to her own arm, flicking a finger against it to make a soft -klink!-. "Guess we're sorta in the same boat, then."

If he doubted it before, she certainly made it clear that she was made of metal and not human, and he would guess that there isn't anything soft on the inside, either. There are probably some sorts of fuel lines or electric cords he could rip out that would work just as well as an attack on a throat or lung, but he has no idea where they'd be. He has not been trained to deal with giant robots. He doesn't think he's even been trained to deal with not-giant robots.

"So what are you," he asks, unable to help himself. He's never--or rather, he thinks never--seen anything like her, and whenever he finds himself in an unfamiliar situation, he seeks answers.

As he asks the question, she pulls up a chair to sit across from him, the poor thing automatically lurching from the weight and practically begging for mercy under her. Her eyebrow perks, looking down at it, before focusing her attention on Bucky.

"Cybertronian," as if he should know what that means. But seeing as there's no recognition in those eyes, she rubs the back of her neck. "Different planet than Eart, if that helps."

Earth. EARTH, Chromia. It gets easier with practice.

"And you're a human...I think."

The assassin relaxes just barely when she sits, his fist no longer making sounds. He stops thinking so much about how to disable her, though it's still a quiet feed going on in the back of his mind.

"Mostly," he replies, sure enough about the fact to say it, since he's fairly sure he's been modified in more ways than just his arm. It doesn't seem as if Steve was referred to as anything other than human, but he can't be sure if he's the same. He doesn't feel the same in a lot of ways.

"There are several Cybertronians here," he states, having observed the room carefully and otherwise heard the different sets of heavy footsteps. They don't account for most of the people in the room, but they certainly seem to account for most of the space. He wonders if there are more of them outside the building, in the city, but he's not ready to step out and deal with all of that yet.

Bucky's summary works for her. Human, mostly human, barely human, it's on two legs and answers to that status. It's good enough. In affirmation, she gives a nod, looking out to where Bucky's eyes travel, at the other Cybertronians. To be honest, she's surprised to see...a good lot of em, really.

"Yeah, news to me too. Guess we all came as a package deal or something." Her tone is low, eyes frantically scanning for one in particular. No sign of her, which is...really worrying. She had one job, to protect her...and here she was.

"I don't plan on staying long."

He turns his eyes towards the desks at her comment, a blank look on his face. He has no intention of staying, either, but...

"Those women said they can't send us back." There were some other things they said, too, probably, but a hungry and tired brainwashed assassin with slowly breaking programming can only handle so much new, weird information. "I don't know if it's true. I should have hurt them to make sure."

Because violence is always the answer. Obviously.

"That's not an answer I particularly like, if you catch my drift." She didn't have time to sit around--she had to get home. She was a bodyguard, after all, and she can't do that without a body to guard...

However, there's a slight smirk at his last statement. "'s what I would do, honestly. A little roughing up can bring a lot of new info."

Chromia you're not helping.

"But we're on their turf. We've got to think smart."

The Cybertronian woman was right. He didn't have enough information about the surroundings and any possible threats to be prepared for attacking someone. It was possible there was some kind of security here, and if they had the ability to take people from different planets? It was possible they had all kinds of technology and weapons available to take down enemies. It was too risky.

"Need more information," he said, looking at the far corner with an irritated but tired expression. He was having a difficult enough time dealing with what he learned so far, but it wasn't enough. It was confusing, but he had to keep moving forward.

She notices his obvious fatigue, sitting up a bit straighter as she looks at his body language. She didn't know much about humans, but she could tell that he wasn't...right.

"We'll get it. I'll make sure of that--because you're not the only one. I've got something to get back to, after all."

They were kind of in a slight crisis back home.

"You probably should refuel or something."

His gaze returns to Chromia as she explains how they have the same goal, and it's an odd concept to him, although he doesn't think she's lying. Since he left HYDRA, he's been completely on his own, and every pair of eyes could have belonged to someone who meant him harm. But here, where these different people have been taken away from their worlds where they have things to accomplish, there are reasons for others to be on his side. It takes him a moment to process it.

He only understands her suggestion a couple seconds after he hears it, and he takes a breath.

"I'm fine," he replies, a bit quieter. He's operated under worse conditions, and he isn't sure he wants to try the refreshments on the table. He has trust issues with people who keep him places against his (just recently returning) will.

Chromia wasn't the best at reading people--she more often than not left that to Windblade, who had more emotional intelligence than most bots from her world. But even she can see something in those eyes. This guy's been through a lot, and whether or not she can pinpoint just what, it's hurting him.

Something every soldier knows.

She puts her elbow on her knee, resting her chin on her palm as he answers. "You don't look fine. Believe me, I've pulled off that excuse before. It never works."

...

Her head tilts then, in understanding. "Don't trust the stuff either, huh."

Apparently working on as much food and sleep as he's had for the past couple of weeks, along with the barrage of one unfamiliar situation after the other, has left him looking worse for the wear, and he finds himself irritated about it. He's not supposed to show weakness, but he's been having a difficult time figuring out what to do to remedy it without catching anyone's notice. He looks away, straightening up.

"No," the soldier replies plainly. "I don't trust anything they're giving."

He doesn't really trust much of anything, but that he trusts least of all.

She had a feeling that'd be it, and really, she couldn't blame him. How do you trust someone who took you from your own world, a LOT of people from their own world and placed them all here with no explanation other than "HERE YOU ARE, ENJOY YOUR STAY?" It might be a game to them, but he (and she) certainly didn't see it in the same light.

"You're not gonna get by without anythin'," she admits plainly, adjusting herself in that chair (the chair itself making a squeak of desperation).

"Let's see if someone else'll eat it first. If they don't die, I'll grab it for you."

He has felt a bit worse since arriving, he'll admit, and a bit of food and drink could help. Besides, the Cybertronian seems to have the right idea; better to learn from the trials of others than make mistakes yourself. He nods and turns his gaze to the crowd, searching for anyone who might have taken the snacks or cups from the tables.

The soldier notices something, and for some reason it sticks out to him, despite being mostly unrelated to the issue of sustenance. His eyes narrow marginally as he observes some of them, who seem to have taken the refreshments at face value.

"There are several children here."

She notices Bucky's gaze moving from her own, following it to the refreshments table. An eyebrow perks as she sees him focus on it, looking back and forth between the two, before making the connection. Was he...using the kid as a test?

"Yeah, I've seen 'em running around."

Children weren't something she'd been raised around--many species had young like this, but Cybertronians were always 'born' adults. So...it makes her curious.

"That mean something?"

"I don't know," he admits after swallowing. He's frowning now, looking from one who's sipping at a juice box to another who's munching on something. They seem unaffected by anything like a drug or poison, which is reassuring, but he doesn't understand why he still feels as if something isn't... correct about the situation.

"I think--" He pauses a moment, searching his thoughts for some source of the feeling. He's only partially successful. "--they shouldn't be prisoners."

That gets her to look again, seeing just how much they trust the situation. How easily they take to the food. How innocent they are to the situation. Maybe it only just clicked for her now after he said it...

But there's a slight huff of indignation. "I guess they don't discriminate here."

Those arms rest on her knees as she turns back, seeing just how troubled it's making him. That he has something other than apathy underneath that wall he's built. "Means we're the babysitters."

Something like purpose comes to him when she says it, stronger and more solid than the clawing, frantic desire to escape that has been guiding him since he first woke up here. He has no intention of letting that goal go, but the new one helps to ground him, to make him feel like he has more direction.

Those who are weak need protection if they're to survive, and he knows without remembering guards he's taken out that it's sometimes given.

He nods, and after a moment, he returns to the original concern.

"The food seems safe."

At Bucky's confirmation on the food, she walks over to the refreshments, making sure not to knock any of the kids over before grabbing a sandwich and a juice box. Wasn't the lunch of champions, but it'd certainly do in a pinch. And right now, the human could probably eat anything that was safe.

She strides back over, kneeling down and holding it out to him.

"Name's Chromia, by the way."

He nods, both to acknowledge the offer of her name and of the food, and takes them. Unfortunately manners are not a thing that HYDRA thought their asset needed, so he doesn't offer any name of his own in return. The thought doesn't even come to mind.

He's still slightly suspicious about the food, but the evidence suggests that it should be fine, and at least he didn't have to steal it. He takes a bite of the sandwich first, tearing the thing in half with his teeth in a not-entirely-polite manner before chewing. He'll have to figure out the juice box in a second.

He manages to swallow before speaking again, another thought having come to mind as he looks to Chromia.

"Do you need to eat?" It's asked more out of curiosity than anything; in his experience, machines take fuel, but he doesn't think he sees anything like that here.

That's okay, she's not really up on proper social ettiquette as it is. In fact, she's more interested in how he eats. Granted there's definitely a species gap, but she assumed like-bodies individuals eat the same way. Guess he's probably just starving. She leans back in that chair, arms folded as she watches him, considering grabbing some of the Energon stocked for herself.

Which brings her to his question.

"Sort of." Figuring a demonstration's best, she stands up, walking back over to the table and grabbing a cube of blue, oddly glowing liquid. A few steps and she's back to where she was, sitting down and swirling it. "Same method, different fuel."

He's already finished the sandwich by the time she returns, though he was watching as she retrieved the... he guessed it was some kind of fuel. He wipes his mouth with the back of his left hand and nods. It makes sense to him, that a machine in the shape of a person would take in sustenance that machines use but like a person.

The soldier takes a look at the box in his hand and has to stare for a few moments. He recognizes that a straw is attached to it, which he pulls off, but otherwise he can't recall having used one of these before. He isn't sure if that's because he can't remember or because he hasn't had one of these before.

He'll get it. Just... give him a second.

She's thankful for the lack of questions, really. In fact, she's pretty much an enigma to her own kind back home--and often asked why this or why that. Pronouns like 'she' are strange to them, and just having that lack of curiosity was a boon.

Although, she sees him struggling with that juice box, staring at it silently. She doesn't want to tell him how to do it--it seemed like common nature for humans, at least.

So she'll...help him out. By curling one hand in a fist and another pretending to hold a box. Joining them together.

You got this, Bucky.

Her gesture gets a glance from the soldier, and after a moment he finally notices the circle of aluminum on the top. After that, it's not hard to figure out what to do. Pointed straw, Chromia's miming, thinly covered hole, bam. Done.

Out of the things he's had to learn in the past two weeks or so, this is about the easiest he's encountered. Not to mention it comes with a reward--something to drink--which he decides to go ahead and have. If only everything were that simple.

Straw in his mouth, he returns to observing the surroundings, including glancing at Chromia to see where she might be armed. The wheels on the back of her shoulders certainly catch his attention, and he wonders what they're for.

INTRO LOG - JUNE 2014

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