ORB - RD9, Mid-Morning.

[shadow_sage]

[A new face, feminine, blue, and topped by, well, tentacles, appears in the Orb. She looks rather frustrated, and as she speaks, her voice carries a note of the same thing.]

My name is Dr. Liara T’Soni. My kidnapper insisted that this...device...would allow me to speak with others taken from their worlds. Like it was a gift, to help me play his little game. Of course, I’m probably just standing here talking to a rock. Goddess, I haven’t done that for a while.

[Shaking her head, she puts a hand up, covering most of her face.]

There isn’t much I can do without information, and what I’ve been given isn’t very helpful. I don’t suppose that anyone else had more luck getting answers than I did, but it can’t hurt to ask. Do you know anything?

[She drops the hand and sighs.]

We can’t possibly have much time left, so does anyone have a way to get a signal off of this planet? I don’t even know what cluster this is, so I have no idea how far away the front is, but I am certain that it is moving closer. They have hit just about everything else already. I must speak to someone in the allied fleet as soon as possible.

Comments

[Video]

[shadedsunlight]

[Well. Goddess Goodness. There's a bit of blinking on her end, but Ginia quickly recovers and responds swiftly with a written message held up in front of the orb.]

Common knowledge is we were brought here from our own worlds in order to serve as champions and fight off the thorns that threaten to destroy us all. That is what we all hear at the beginning. I've only been here for a handful of days, so I can't offer as much input as I would like. I've yet to see the thorns for myself, though I've been planning a trip there.

But I don't think there's a way to get a signal off this planet, technology is lacking. I don't think the allied fleet is around either.

[Video]

[shadow_sage]

[She pauses, taking a little time to read, frowning. Her mouth opens, and then closes a couple of times.]

So...you can hear me?

[Video]

[shadedsunlight]

[A firm nod, a smile, and a small wave.]

[Video]

[shadow_sage]

[She takes a slow breath.]

If there was no way to send a signal off of this world, I would not be here. And I've only seen one relay that is actually on a planet's surface, so these people either have access to space travel, or technology more advanced than anything we are able to build.

And I can't say I'm having an easy time fearing a plant, considering everything. Yet, someone thinks kidnapping me is all it will take to win my alliegence? I think they were misinformed about me.

[toxic_tsarina]

[Natasha is immediately leery of Liara in part of her blue skin, wondering if she's from the same place as Loki, but on the outside, there's no hint of her concern. She's calm, collected, and perhaps even responsive to the alien's distress.]

I'm about as new as you are, doctor. Name's Nicole. Nicole Rushman. Do you know about some attack that we should prepare for?

[shadow_sage]

I find it hard to believe there is anyone in the galaxy who hasn't heard something about the Reapers. Especially a human, after Earth.

Yes, I know of a coming attack, though if the technology on this world is mostly forgotten, it may be spared in this cycle. But I know that mine, and hundreds more, have not been passed by.

And while my people die by the millions, I am being held hostage to discover hedge-trimmers.

[toxic_tsarina]

[Tasha raises one brow at the insinuation but keeps a civil tone.] Well, sorry to burst that unbelievable bubble, but unless you mean Grim Reaper, I'm not sure we're on the same page.

[greatsquirrelhunter]

Are blue. [Obvious child is obvious]

[shadow_sage]

[She seems unsure how to respond, blinking before a slight frown settles on her face.]

Excuse me?

[greatsquirrelhunter]

Are blue. Not like Faolan.

[windofthephoenixtemple]

I do believe I am seeing blue, rather than red these past couple of days. I wonder if there is a reason for this.

[She pauses of that for a moment before actually answering the question.]

I'm not sure about a signal, but you make it sound like you are from space, from the talks of planets and the fact you are blue.

[shadow_sage]

I was aboard a space ship before I awoke here. This is not my homeworld, so I imagine that almost certainly makes me "from space," besides. I don't see what being blue has to do with it.

[windofthephoenixtemple]

[Nor does she. She just likes to point out the obvious.]

I was just curious that's all. Where I'm from there really aren't any people who are blue, so it's interesting.

[shorterinperson]

I wouldn't even know how to begin trying to get a message [ that's what you mean by signal right ] off of the planet. What front is it you're afraid of?

[shadow_sage]

The Reapers. They've hit almost every inhabited system in the galaxy.

If they decide to notice this planet, we will all be in grave danger.

[shorterinperson]

I'm afraid we're far underprepared for any invasion.

[folklorist]

[ Helios might chuckle a little when he replies. ] No, no, you're not talking to a rock. I-I believe there's plenty of people here who can hear you. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Helios Sprensonne. As for answers there's...been a few things going on as of late.

[ None of them good whatsoever. ] But I, ah, d-don't know too much about sending off signals and the like. It's not a bad idea, actually, You'd probably need a good deal of technology, correct?

[ Maybe magic could be used instead? ]

[shadow_sage]

Probably. But I don't even know where we are. My omni-tool is practically useless, all of a sudden. I have no way run an analysis and see if I can place the stars at night. Without assitance, I might be able to narrow it down to a handful of clusters, but no more.

Without more information, it's probably a bigger risk to try it.

[folklorist]

Ah I-I see. Well this city is called Schwanheim. As for charting stars...I-I wouldn't mind helping with that. I-I used to do it b-back home. If, if you'd like any assistance that it.

[ Helios will look upward at that. ] I've been curious about chartering stars in this place.

[bedroomduties]

I don't think there is a way to get a message out of this hellhole. Somehow, this place doesn't seem to play by any standard rules.

[shadow_sage]

My people are at war with sentient machines the size of skyscrappers and millions of years old. I'm used to the rules changing.

If there was no way to reach beyond this world, I would not be here. Someone can do it; I intended to find whoever that is.

[bedroomduties]

No traditional way I should've said, my apologies.

Since we were drawn here with some kind of magic, the same method must apply to leaving or getting things out, I think.

[consultmybooks]

We, um, we actually know a bit, now. Most of it, however, is decidedly grim.

[...Giles takes a second to run through Liara's words and accept that, yes, she did say what she just said. Rupert Giles is a man that can accept a very great deal. Aliens and space travel, however, still tend to give him pause.]

Whatever magic has brought us here, um, doesn't seem as though it will let us leave. I'm not sure you could get a signal off, even if we knew just where we were.

[shadow_sage]

Just once, I think it would be a nice change of pace to find myself in a situation like this that isn't.

[A little sigh, and a little smile. She doesn't really notice his pause, nor the cause of it. Indeed, she, on the other hand, is simply going to ignore the "magic" part of his reply. Also, please do ignore the rising note of frustration in her voice; it's been a trying day.]

Something brought us here. Something, it stands to reason, would be capable of reversing that feat. And I didn't arrive helpless. Even knowing where we are will tell me if I have any resources nearby. If this is an inhabited cluster, I'm confidant I will, and if not, there's still a chance.

[consultmybooks]

Something did bring us here, yes. However, um, whether or not it's capable of being reasoned with, or, or even communicated with, might be another matter.

The rulers of this land organized the endeavor, yes, but the magic they used...well, seems to have a sort of sentience it used to pick us out of the ether. It must have. And that tends to be the worst sort.

...as for what you can and can't do, I'm afraid you might find that a bit altered, now.