annexedlogs | Relief Log #1

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Relief Log #1

I. In The Aftermath

After the mission is complete, the new recruits are invited back to Central Command for a patch-up and celebration to let loose and socialize a little bit.

The first order of business is the patching up. Anyone who was injured is welcome to go to the Hospital, if the injuries are more serious. Everyone else, those with smaller injuries like scrapes and bruises, minor cuts or burns or abrasions, are welcome to come to the Infirmary in Central Command. There will also be attendants that tell returning new recruits that if they'd like to learn a little first aid and tend to their comrades, they can also head to the Infirmary.

In the Infirmary, anyone who's not injured but shows up will be instructed in basic first aid so they can tend to their teammates and friends. Nurses will be rotating around to check in on people and make sure nothing is more serious than it looks, but generally, the new recruits will be encouraged to tend to their teammates in order to encourage group bonding.

II. Pool Party

The celebration itself, which happens after the the initial patching-up exercise, will be happening in three large conference rooms adjacent to the swimming pool. In one of the conference rooms, a large buffet will be set up, catered by food trucks and restaurants in the area, with a variety of food. Some of it will be familiar to characters in the game, with a wide array of food from Earth and any other planet or locale that the new recruits might be from. Some of it will be unfamiliar, local cuisines that are heavy on mushrooms, insects, and root vegetables - stews and flatbreads full of fillings and a lot of varieties of meat on a stick. There's also an extensive dessert bar with cakes, cookies, tarts, donuts, bars, and a soft-serve ice cream machine with a lot of different mix-ins and toppings.

The main focus of the party is on the pool, where characters are encouraged to put on a swimsuit and lounge in the pool on a bunch of assorted pool floats, swim laps, or play in the small children's pool where there are fountains. The pool also sports a small waterslide with three intertwining slides that range from extreme speed to slow speed. Through speakers in the area, music is playing that's suitable for dancing or just listening to while characters enjoy the pool.

III. For The Extroverts

In another of the conference rooms, an extrovert's dream is set up. The door is kept closed because the music inside is loud, and the atmosphere is that of a club. There's a small bar area where a bartender serves drinks. While most of the drinks are regular alcoholic beverages that are both familiar and unfamiliar, there is a selection of drinks catered by Robin's, which is known for their specialty cocktails which have a variety of effects - specifically, euphoria, relaxation, and energy - available in a variety of flavors. Servers move through the room with trays of snacks ranging from nuts and olives to bowls of chips and popcorn, free for the taking by anyone feeling peckish.

There is a nice dance floor set up and the lights are low except for fluorescents and spotlights that bathe the room in bright color, and the DJ is playing a mix of techno, rave music, and danceable oldies remixes. Along the back wall there are several booths set up for karaoke, where groups of characters can go and sing their hearts out and/or laugh at their friends who are singing their hearts out.

Did that mission leave you wanting to get wasted and dance the night away? Then this is the party for you.

IV. For The Introverts

Not everyone is cut out for a rave, though, especially not after a tiring and draining mission, and the rebels have prepared for that too.

In the other conference room, just on the other side of the buffet room, there is a party set up for the more sort of person who finds solace in quiet and peace. In the corner of the room there's a lovely tea and coffee bar set up, with an espresso and latte machine, coffee, and a truly expansive variety of teas - white, green, black, rooiboos, herbal, and some local varieties that are made specifically to relieve tension and relax the mind. These local varieties can produce a state of utter relaxation and mental calm that is beyond what normal tea could provide, perfect to drink before going to sleep for the night, or right before a calming nap.

Speaking of naps, for those who don't want to be alone but would like a bit of shut-eye, there are soft bean bag loungers where people can retire to for naps. The music playing in the room is quiet and soothing, lyrical ballads or instrumental easy listening, easy to nap through and no barrier to quiet conversation over a cup of tea. The library has also provided a large shelf of readable popular novels, non-fiction, and other books that might interest the new arrivals - there are novels of most genres that are unique to the Broken World, and research materials for anyone looking to exercise the mind or learn a little about the culture of their new world.

Besides that, there are also a cluster of small tables where games are set up. There are board games, decks of cards with printed sheets of common game rules from the Broken World, and a type of chess-like game that is played frequently on the Broken World, complete with instructions.

NAVIGATION

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It's only helped that the situations they'd been in together had been things that Tech knew how to navigate. It also unfortunately says a lot for his own experiences. Rokuro probably has much more useful experiences and knowledge for day-to-day living.

"Hm." No, not about to question Rokuro's observations when he's pretty much on the same page there. He tweaks his goggles, poking through the menu pages. "Are these divided a certain way or..."

His attention diverts to the almost magically appearing glasses, each more colorful than the first. He blinks almost owlishly at them before looking at Rokuro with a shrug as he follows the other man's glance.

"Not that I am aware of..." he says carefully, looking back at the drinks before catching a glimpse of movement down the bar. "I believe those sitting at the end mean to get your attention."

Rokuro looks down the bar at the men, simply observing them for a moment, and then back to Tech.

"I do not know them. They must be mistaken." As for who he could be mistaken for, there is only one person... but if Rokuro's twin were here, there is no way he wouldn't know-- not to mention Nanakuma would never stoop so low as to socialize with the common class. Of the two of them, Rokuro is the openminded one. Comparatively speaking.

Politely, he pushes the glasses back towards the bartender. Only to find them pushed back towards himself almost immediately. Now it's Rokuro's turn to blink owlishly, first at Tech to gauge his reaction, and then the group at the end of the bar.

"It seems these are intended for us." Rokuro lifts the brightly coloured glass, mystified by the cloyingly sweet scent, and strangely preserved cherry perched upon the room.

"Poison?"

Tech can only shrug. These are not the sort of interactions he's ever had to deal with at a bar, and the one that's served as his squad's most recent hangout is practically their private place for how slow things tend to be there. He looks towards the bartender for further insight but it doesn't seem like further explanation is going to be given.

"Oh. Well that's...nice of them? A welcome for newcomers? I honestly have no idea if there's some custom to all this or not." He reaches for the amber glass even as he studies the drink Rokuro's picked up as though trying to identify some kind of rare specimen.

"Technically any great amount of alcohol is ultimately poisonous," he points out.

"That is true." Rokuro isn't brave enough to take a sip right away, but he will try the seemingly candied cherry. Lifting it to his mouth, he takes a delicate bite, and upon tasting no poison or bitterness, will pop it past his lips.

He chews for a moment or two, and only a minute or so after he swallows another three drinks materialize in front of him. Each one with a cherry attached.

Rokuro can only assume there is a deep cultural meaning.

"Clearly they wish for you to try this as well-- it's very good. Almost like candy. A local delicacy, perhaps?"

Since eyeballing the drink hasn't revealed its secrets, Tech shrugs and samples it while Rokuro picks at a cherry. He's still deciding on what he thinks of the flavor when more drinks come Rokuro's way.

"...I'm beginning to reconsider your poison theory." How much were they expected to drink? Tech looks over at the other end of the bar again before he plucks one of the cherries from the nearest glass.

"I've never really been one for candy," he says, following up with the tiniest, most cautious nibble. Clearly not getting much out of it for flavor that way, he shrugs to himself and pops the whole thing into his mouth. "Hm. It isn't too bad. Perhaps it's meant to compliment the drinks?"

Mysteriously, a drinks slides across the counter from the other side of the bar to stop directly in front of Tech. Apparently Rokuro isn't the only newcomer who has been noticed. At least this mug appears to be holding something close to beer.

"Poison is usually more subtle. This is quite the display." A breath, and he dares to take a sip of the colourful drink. Brow shooting up at the contrast of syrupy-sweet drink and salted rim. At first disgusting, and then... delightful. Fruit is rare and precious in his time, reserved for nobility and special occasions.

"I have never tasted a wine so sweet or fine as this. It is almost too much, and yet--" Clearly not enough, as he is taking another much longer drink. "You must try it."

Tech is a little preoccupied by these multiplying drinks. He'd started to figure out why so many of them were congregating from Rokuro's end, so he's a bit baffled when one's set for him. "Well that's never happened before," he mutters, casting a glance down the other way.

"-actually I meant more the fact that I'm uncertain as to how much the combined level of alcohol in any of these drinks might be if we were to actually take them all," he says, nudging his goggles up as he reaches for the mug, pausing only as Rokuro gives his review. "Hm." Sweet that's almost too much doesn't particularly sound palatable to him but he holds a hand out to try it.

It is quite a punch of flavors that he's completely unfamiliar with. He still looks confused after the first sip, unsure how to process it.

"I have imbibed far more than this and survived." He squints, attempting to remember the grand total of what they finished upon Jinpachi's ship that night.

"Not that I would recommend such an endeavour. Actually, now that I think of it... the sake appeared in front of me in a strangely similar fashion. Every time I finished my drink, it was as if my cup was magically filled again, and if I set my cup down another cup found its way into my hand."

A mystery. Perhaps the pirates were more generous in their customs than he originally gave them credit for. He sips at his drink thoughtfully, and is startled to quickly reach the bottom of his glass. These sugary concoctions are dangerously easy to stomach.

On to the next. The stout glass filled only half-way.

"I have only heard of such a thing once, after wreckage of a foreign ship... the locals were saying they had found barrels of gold. There was nothing left by the time my Lord and I were able to investigate. It seems the barrels disappeared along with the fishermen. While we found no evidence of gold, the scent of the barrels was similar."

He swirls it around between his hands, gazing down into the amber depths.

"Do they give you so little because it is too valuable, or because it smells so strongly?"

The almost shy wave (or was it sultry) from the otherwise rather built woman seated at the opposite end of the bar has Tech blink in mild uncertainty before offering the most hesitant nod of thanks for the drink, figuring it's the least he can do, having made eye-contact.

"That is not really an accomplishment..." Tech can't help but note, glad to have something else to focus on, perhaps all too easily tuning back into their drink conundrum at hand. "The key is to not overdo it." Drinking 'magically' refilling cups of anything was a sure sign to stop, in his opinion.

He can still taste the sweetness of that one sip, so he picks the mug up to see if it might have a better flavor, or at least something to soften the edges from the last one. "Gold takes different forms depending on the eye of those who see its value," he observes. "However in this case, I think it may be more the latter. Or rather the hint of its potency." He lifts the mug to his lips for a swallow of...whatever it is. It looks like beer anyway.

"That is a very poetic philosophy. One I can only agree with." The slightest of smiles, because Tech has so often said that he doesn't understand what is spiritual or creative.

Rokuro has yet to thank his group of 'admirers' for the drinks, and seems to have forgotten about them entirely. More invested by the drinks in front of them than where they came from, and sharing in the experience with his... whatever Tech is. Something between a comrade and a friend.

Truthfully, Rokuro has never had a friend of his own before, and doesn't want to assume too much. While it is difficult to be alone, to be humiliated for assuming he is anything more to Tech (or anyone here) than a fellow soldier would be far more painful. Or so he assumes. Rokuro has never been in the position to take such a risk.

Most often, his master has always told him who 'their' friends are, and Rokuro would simply go along with it.

"I suppose there is only one way to find out." Rokuro gives the golden liqueur a swirl, and lifts the glass delicately to his lips to take a careful sip. The look on his face (red eye wider than should be possible) will prove Tech's hypothesis.

"My mouth... it is burning." And yet he can't help taking another more careful sip, even as his eye waters. "I should not enjoy it, but there is something... satisfying in the heat of it that cannot be explained." A quiet cough, politely behind his hand, and he will push the cup in Tech's direction.

Given his situation, Tech hasn't had many opportunities to make 'friends' himself, and the scant few that the Bad Batch considered such were offshoots of soldiers or former acquaintances with their previous employer. They were also something of a group acceptance, since he'd never been apart from them to really think about it himself, and the squad tended to agree with each other.

Rokuro's thoughts are far deeper on the matter than Tech's are, but then Tech's thoughts tend to be more focused on analyzing things outside than analyzing himself.

The drink he samples has a nutty sort of aftertaste that he can at least say he doesn't not like, but he's still on the fence as to whether he'd call it a beer. He takes another drink, still mulling over it until Rokuro speaks up after having a taste of the other glass. Picking it up as it's nudged towards him, Tech sniffs at it before he has a sip himself. He squints slightly behind his goggles, nodding thoughtfully.

"Definitely stronger," he concludes, not that it stops him from having another swallow before he offers it back to Rokuro if wanted. "It's...difficult to explain, yes. I think that's the way with a lot of drinks."

Rokuro will gently avoid resuming ownership of the glass, because his face is already getting warm and they've barely touched their drinks. Assuming this is a local custom to welcome newcomers, it would be rude to leave them untouched.

Plus, his headache hasn't gone anywhere yet. If Rokuro leaves the bar sober the world outside will be a worse place for it.

He lifts up the next drink. It's very small and clear, with a strange green object impaled on a stick in the centre.

"An egg?"

Shrugging, Tech decides on one more sip before he relinquishes it. At least that one is obviously more potent. It's the more unassuming ones that they really have to watch out for. This thought is perfectly logical to him, even as he picks up the mug again to have another swallow or two.

"Hm?" He leans over to peer at this new conundrum, fingering his goggles as though they'd make the image any sharper.

"...I am uncertain. I don't think putting an egg in a drink makes any sense. But who knows what they put into drinks. Perhaps it's just decoration? Or is it candy again?"

"There is no scent of sweetness. All I can detect is... alcohol." Rokuro plucks the stick from the drink and after summoning no small amount of courage, pops it into his mouth.

Decades of training could not prepare him for the strangely pungent-bitter-sour flavour, and his disgust is obvious and immediate. Still, he chokes it down-- and then attempts to wash it down with the drink itself (a dry martini) which is only stronger and more bitter. Which means he drinks it all at once rather than savours it, because to taste such a drink would only cause more suffering.

"Horrible... disgusting... do not trust the green egg, or the liquid it was bathing in. Whoever sent this drink wished us ill will." Breathless, reaching for whatever is closest in an attempt to wash down the drink he used to wash down the olive. Something bright, colourful, and sweet.

And after that drink, well... it's a slippery slope, and Rokuro is going down. He's also dragging Tech with him.

Even in a slightly more compromised state of mind Tech is pretty sure that downing a drink like that is probably a bad idea. Upon Rokuro's given advice, he responds with a sage nod.

At this point drinking is automatic, somewhere along the lines becoming more of a growing need to satiate curiosity. The mug's been drained, that other glass of burning, it doesn't help that the glasses they've finished are removed and thus making him lose track of how many they've tried. That on top of the distractions of new drinks appearing in front of them and it's needless to say that this is probably the most he's ever drunk at a bar.

Tech stares far too intently at another drink, even as he goes off on the subtle variations of color. "It mimics the natural spectrum of the diffusion of light most impressively, or perhaps it is an actual formation of a prism in drink form, caused by these particles as they refract light from multiple sources to recreate these subtle shifting shades," he goes on, perhaps amazingly managing not to slur those last words together.

"What is a prism-- no, what is a particle?" Even drunk, Rokuro is still eager to educate himself and better understand this world. Will he remember everything he learns by morning? Probably not, but that means Tech gets to make the explanation twice.

He sips at another fruity cocktail, which he has decided is to his preference. The sweet makes for easy drinking, and it's just strong enough to keep him from being too worried about drinking another one. Honestly, he is having a much better time here than he was by the pool. His headache has faded (or he's too drunk to care) and Tech is pleasant company.

"I want to try these-- may I please try these?" Prodding at Tech's goggles with child-like curiousity, momentarily distracted by the prismatic colours of his drink in the reflection, and entirely unaware of the group of men (and singular buff woman) who have come to stand beside them. AKA the people who have been footing their tab for the past hour or two.

It appears they are waiting for something. Acknowledgment, perhaps, after emptying their wallets to entertain these two.

"Essentially a p...a prism is a three-dimensional parallelogram," Tech explains, a hand raised, fingers poised as though he's either drawing it out in the air or trying to enlarge an imaginary tablet screen. He squints. "-no, not exactly, but it has parallelograms as a main component-" He takes a swallow of his prismatic drink, closing his eyes as it's more tart than he'd been expecting, and for a moment or two after he opens them again he's too caught up in staring at the colors to immediately resume his explanation on particles.

"Mm? Oh-!" The clone pulls off the goggles, blinking blearily as he takes in things now that they're not muted by yellow lenses, the goggles hanging from his hand and free for Rokuro's taking.

He is completely oblivious to the extra company they've suddenly gained, at least until his gaze falls upon boots that are turned in too opposite a direction to be his, following them up until he finds a face accompanied by several more, all wearing similar expressions- at least, so far as he can tell.

"-particles."

"Particles." Rokuro is already putting the goggles on (crookedly), to witness Tech's grand explanation. Holding onto the lenses to keep them in place. He only notices the group behind him a moment or two later, when he spins around to grab a different drink and finds himself faced with the unhappy crowd.

"Ah, it seems there are others interested in your lecture!" He blinks at them owlishly from behind the goggles with one eye-- and then promptly turns around to face Tech again.

Apparently that was not the appropriate response, as one of the men spins him around on his stool to face them again. Rokuro almost drops the goggles, but it will take more than a few drinks to lose his hard-earned reflexes.

"May we help you?"

For some reason seeing Rokuro with familiar goggles on is not something that he anticipated, and quite briefly Tech wonders why this mirror looks slightly wrong.

"Lecture? Ah, regarding particles," Tech says, giving a nod as though this is the most obvious thing. He stiffens abruptly when he sees Rokuro wheeled around in his seat, brow furrowing in sudden acute focus at the man who apparently has some issue with them. The intent at least seems clear enough, and now that Tech's really giving his attention to them, he's beginning to realize they look vaguely familiar.

He draws himself up, sitting a little straighter from his usual slouch.

"A little appreciation would be nice-- that was my entire stipend's worth of drinks!" The ring-leader of the disgruntled group speaks up, followed by some mutterings from his followers.

Rokuro looks back over his shoulder at Tech, as if he might have an explanation for this confrontation. This seems to irritate the rebel more, and he gives Rokuro's chair a shake. To bring him back to the desired attention.

"Thank...you?" A polite incline of his head. If gratitude is what they want, Rokuro isn't above giving it, although at this point it may be too little too late, and its possible the group feels entitled to a lot more.

The brief look Tech gives Rokuro suggests that he really doesn't have any better grasp of the situation.

"That is entirely uncalled for," Tech says with a frown as the man rattles Rokuro in his seat. "What more do you want? No one asked you to spend your stipend so frivolously, and it seems rather rude to be demanding some appreciation for the gesture." He gives a curt nod in Rokuro's direction. "But if it's gratitude you want, then fine; thank you for your generosity."

His alcohol-fogged mind half anticipates what comes next but it still comes as a surprise when he finds himself grabbed by the collar and hoisted from his seat by one of the other rebels.

"We don't want your gratitude, we want reimbursement!"

"Reimbursement? We did not ask for these-- they were sent with no explanation." A huff, "Here, you may have this one back." Rokuro shoves his half-finished tequila sunrise into the chest of the man in front of him.

There are at least twenty empty glasses of various shapes and sizes. For something they hadn't asked for, they had most certainly partaken. What else was one supposed to do with seemingly gifted drinks? Not drink them?

"And we are new here. We have nothing with which to pay you." Judging by the way the ringleader is looking at Rokuro, he can think of at least one thing that might settle the tab, though he clearly isn't about to say as much outright.

"Let's make a wager. Me and my rebel sister here will play you at a game of your choice. You win? We'll pay your tab for the rest of the night. We win? You give us your gear. All of it. And walk out of here buck-ass naked." A point to the goggles sitting askew upon Rokuro's head.

"Those included."

Clearly they weren't in the wrong if it was freely given. Although looking back at the glasses Tech has to wonder if they'd actually drank them all. Surely they'd only had a few...

Since he's been pulled from his seat Tech's forced to stand, proving to have a couple of inches in height over the one whom had grabbed him. The clone starts prying fingers from his collar, looking at them intently like they're some puzzle to solve. "So..." he says after a moment, looking over at the one who'd spoken, "-was this a ploy all along just to rob us? Soften us'up with enough drinks and then pull this act? As my companion here has said, we are new and there's little enough we own that hasn't been provided by the initial funds provided us to settle in. You would be essentially stealing from your employer." His eyes narrow at the...threat? How dare they specifically point out his goggles.

Tech casts a look at Rokuro. It doesn't look like they're getting out of this, and they haven't exactly been attacked so he doesn't feel justified to throwing the first punch.

For fresh recruits to throw the first punch at a rebel group in a rebel bar on rebel territory would reflect badly on them at best, or kill someone at worst. Even if they managed to win the fight, would their new comrades have their backs on the battlefield?

"A ploy? Nah, we just wanted to get your attention is all." The Rebel's attention turns back to Rokuro, "Don't often see a guy dressed like you in a place like this-- didn't think you'd be such a bitch, or drink my stipend with that nerd."

Rokuro's brow raises, lips pursing. As the page of a notoriously unscrupulous samurai, he has been called far worse. Though not in such close beer-breathed proximity. Removing the goggles from his head, he hands them back over his shoulder to the clone.

"Tech, what is a 'nerd'? If it means 'most intelligent man in the room', I would be inclined to agree."

It's not lost on him that they're supposed to be in friendly territory, but then he and his brothers have gotten into plenty of fistfights in similar settings that he half expects someone to come at him with a fist. His expression becomes slightly pinched as he eyes the rebel, even as he accepts his goggles back from Rokuro.

"I...have no idea, actually," he admits as he slips them back on. "But judging from his tone, I do not think he means it as a compliment." The look he shoots them is almost a glare. "In any case, it's foolish to place the blame completely on us. You are after all the one ultimately in control of your wallet. You could have halted whatever gesture of...whatever you were meaning to convey once you saw that it was not proceeding in the manner that you were anticipating," he continues, gesturing vaguely.

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