Extreme Makeover: Keeliai Edition - March Log

[wrathfulkhan]

Characters: Everyone who's interested in pitching in!
Date: Throughout March, until the 21st
Location: The Palace of Landed Sky and surrounding environs
Situation: Let's tear this bitch down.
Warnings/Rating: Drug addiction/withdrawal references in the Dust threads, most likely

The demolition is now in full swing and will last until late March, largely run by Zanru and the Metalworkers (as part of the deal), though individual Foreigners can be hired to help (and the help would likely be appreciated, as the Foreigners are going to get some of this too). Hired Foreigners will report to Xuiyu, as Zanru herself is too busy to be on-site. Gene can be found helping with the destruction, in his armor more often than not, over the course of the demolition project, and answering questions and taking suggestions from Foreigners and kedan about what to do with the newly freed land.

However, from the 4th to the 11th, there is Dust contamination, which is sickening some of the workers - Foreigner and kedan alike. It's not too much of a hindrance, and the demolition seems to be on track to finish on-schedule, by March 21st.

---

OOC Note: If you need a big-name NPC, please contact the mods directly! Kedan workers can be NPCed by anyone. If you want Gene specifically, please make a note in the subject line and I will throw him at you! (Also, I apologize for not getting to last month's starters; February got away from me. Please feel free to reuse them!)

Comments

[wrathfulkhan]

From back home. Our relationship used to be rather more adversarial. I'd rather not talk about it.

[Because you're Tony's friend, Gene had opted to be polite. But there's a bit of a curtness to his tone nevertheless.]

[looksfine]

[Perhaps not, though Aya was...shall we say experienced in the area of adversaries becoming allies. And more.]

It is not often I am able to use this phrase accurately. However...

I believe I can empathize.

[wrathfulkhan]

Oh.

[A pause.]

That's another sentence I never thought I'd hear.

[Pretty much nobody has ever empathized with Gene. Ever.]

[looksfine]

[Well, Aya does. In this case, at least. She and Razer had met as enemies. The kind where, post-battle, when he had been captured by their crew, they were ready to bring him to prison--no, correction: they did bring him to prison. Where he would have remained had the prison itself not been extremely corrupt. Torturous.]

[Giving Razer a chance to prove himself, and...well...she got to know him. And became fascinated with what she knew.]

I find it interesting that you seem so surprised there are others with situations similar to your own.

Even I have come to understand that many aspects of my life are not unique to me.

[wrathfulkhan]

No, not specifically that, I mean...

[He ran a hand through his hair.] Empathy, [he says, weakly, after a moment.] People don't, with me.

[looksfine]

[He was being so vague about his circumstances, it was little wonder Aya could not see precisely why he was so resistant to the idea.]

Why not?

You possess emotions, correct?

[wrathfulkhan]

[Too many, Aya, and that's the problem.

How should he explain this?]

I made a lot of mistakes. Caused a lot of problems. So I'm not worth their empathy.

[And it sounds really bad, now that he's said it out loud.]

People would say I deserve what I get.

[looksfine]

[Oh, Gene. If only you knew...]

I have heard those words before. Razer had shared similar sentiments with me in the past. On multiple occasions.

[wrathfulkhan]

Oh.

[He didn't really know what to say to that. And he was beginning to wonder why he hadn't spoken much to Aya before now.]

Anyway. That's why I was a little surprised.

[looksfine]

You should not be.

Based on conversations I have shared with Tony as well, I am confident that the likelihood our lives contain enough parallels to empathize with one another on several subjects is extremely high.

[wrathfulkhan]

Oh yeah?

[He looked askance at her.]

What's he told you?

[looksfine]

Nothing that concerns personal matters between the two of you, if that is what you are concerned.

We simply...shared memories. It was a method of interfacing that I have successfully managed to perform in the past.

[wrathfulkhan]

I'm not used to people talking about me. Or, well, being other than vitriolic when they do.

[He looked down briefly. He'd done the same with Tony, but it had been out of anger and desperation and fear. And he'd never been in Tony's memories. He wouldn't. He couldn't.

In point of fact, he was a little jealous, that he'd shared with Aya freely.]

And how'd that work out. [His voice has regained its flat affect.]

[looksfine]

It was...informative.

[In a way, Aya had shared far more with Tony than he had shared with her; she spoke freely about Razer. He didn't speak quite so freely about anyone other than himself.]

[wrathfulkhan]

Well. At least that much.

[His stomach was still twisting in knots at the thought, remembering how Tony had left. He didn't have many other people to talk to. If Tony left - if Tony decided he liked someone else better, if Tony couldn't handle him anymore and walked away...

...then Gene would have to let him.]

How are you feeling?

[Abrupt subject change, because this hurt.]

[looksfine]

[Aya had grown attuned to the subtle context clues of those familiar to her. Facial expressions. Tone.]

[But she was not yet familiar enough with Gene to properly assess his current state of mine. Leaving little more than for her to answer his question.]

The lack of movement seems to aid in allowing my reserves to self-recharge.

I estimate about 4.6 hours at this precise rate should bring me back to full strength.

[wrathfulkhan]

[Just as well. Gene didn't like being read.

He nodded, looking preoccupied.] Good. That's good. I'm glad you're feeling better.

I can go tell Tony now, if you want. So he knows where to find you.

[Noooo, he's not looking for a way out of this. Why would you think that?]

[looksfine]

Thank you.

And yes, that would be fine.

[/sees nothing wrong here, nope]

[wrathfulkhan]

Great. I'll let him know, he'll probably come check on you soon.

[A pause.]

See you around, I guess. And let me know if you come up with anything about what that stuff is, and if it might make other people sick.

[looksfine]

I will inform you the moment I am made fully aware of this information and am granted access to a means of communication.

[wrathfulkhan]

[...that's a lot of words to say 'k', Aya.]

Right. Thanks.

[He paused at the door.]

Good luck.

[highprofilerichkid]

[Tony arrived a few minutes later, looking concerned, and a little confused.]

Hey, Aya. Gene told me you were... sick?

[looksfine]

[In that span of time, Aya has...not moved. At all. Her body remained laying against the table, the occasional light scanner emitting from the ceiling to check on her progress.]

[When Tony entered the room, her previously closed eyes flickered open, head tilting to greet him.]

That is the current hypothesis, yes.

[Still a completely foreign concept to her.]

[highprofilerichkid]

Some kind of contaminant? Weird that it was able to affect your systems. [Gene had briefed him on what he knew of Aya's situation.] How are you feeling? Physically and emotionally, [he clarifies, with a little grin.

Aya is a highly advanced organism with self-awareness and emotions, but there's one way in which she's still very much like the basic computer systems in Tony's world: you're not likely to get the answer you're looking for unless you ask for it explicitly and precisely.]

[looksfine]

[And this was precisely why she and Tony got along as well as they did. For as little relative time as he had known her, he understand how she functioned so well.]

Physically, I feel...drained. But there is no pain or discomfort. My sensors do not register the increase in temperature beyond numerical indicators.

Emotionally... [Here, she paused. It wasn't that she didn't understand the question. Tony would know fully well that she did. She just was not sure what she felt, emotionally.] ...I am...confused.