event } the honk is coming from inside the ship

[seeingyou]

WHO: Everyone left behind on Navi.
WHAT: There’s a goose on the loose!
WHERE: Anywhere on Navi.
WHEN: Feb. 20-March 13
WARNINGS: Add these to your comment subject lines as needed! And if the goose pecks through your skull, please make sure to fill out the death page.

Those of you who haven’t been swept off to a hell dimension may find that Navi is … unusually empty. Those links you had with your partner? It’s like they’ve just been shut off with the flick of a switch. Weird, right?

However, Navi’s halls are not exactly quieter for the emptiness. At first, you might think you’re imagining it, but soon enough, it becomes evident that there is something else on board this ship and it honks. The honking is intermittent, but it never truly ends for good. You’ll hear it through the walls, outside your cabin doors, on the next floor - everywhere.

After a few hours of this nonsense, Navi reaches out to the passengers via the mental link and asks them to find the source of this infernal noise and round it up so it can be ejected from the ship. It’s driving Navi nuts, they can’t tell where the honking is coming from, so they can’t take care of it themselves. It won’t be easy, because this goose is wily (and an eldritch being, technically), but it needs to be handled, and there’s no one else around. Good thing you’re still here to help!

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[bilocates]

The goose will not be ignored.

Nor will that sickening, creeping darkness. Like an oil slick of smoke pressing upon his mind, thick and inescapable once it latched on. He sensed Strand, recognized him, and almost predatorily sought him out. Something familiar, someone familiar... better than this non-hallucination could present. If Strand were here there was a possibility Alex wasn't far off, and right now the skeptic presented the best source for answers.

Even if he had to pry them out of his brain.

Simon had paused just before the collision could happen, eyeing Strand in a way that was part amused and part... really unnerving. Maybe it was the way he didn't quite seem to blink. "Hello, Dr. Strand." He offered in that same slightly condescending and slightly amused tone he often offered to Alex. "What are you doing here?"

Actually... "And why is there a goose?"

[imarealistnotacynic]

Richard Strand freezes.

Hello Doctor Strand. It's so casually said that he turns and blinks. Richard's secret super power isn't that he's psychic. It isn't that he's intelligent. It's that he can seem totally put together at the drop of a hat. Drawing himself up he clamps a vice over his emotions before raising an eyebrow and saying in a pleasant (read: polite yet ice cold) voice, "Do I know you?"


That trickle. There is something about this man that he knows and some part of him is relieved there's someone else besides Alex here who knows what he's going through.

"Were you one of my students..." no, "Or someone I've worked with?"

The latter sounds right.

[bilocates]

That really is Richard's super power, though that isn't the part that catches Simon off guard. It's the question and the lack of a lie behind it. He really doesn't know. For a moment he looks perplexed, genuinely confused.

"You don't remember?" His brows knit, something almost like concern flitting over his... rather intently staring features. Simon doesn't exactly show concern well, but it wasn't like he considered Strand an enemy. Just someone stubbornly close minded.

The question earned an amused sound. "No. I'm not someone you would work with. You really don't remember me?" What have they done to him?

[imarealistnotacynic]

Ah.

Richard's fear dissolves into something more like disgust but the boy looks uncomfortable and that's making him feel uncomfortable. Or at least unnerved. Still he keeps his gaze up, "I don't know you no."

A pause, "Unless we meet later than expected." His features curl, "I'm apparently from earlier in my world's timeline." He's not telling this boy about Alex, never, "You and I are the only people from our world if you know."

[bilocates]

Oh it's about to get worse. Richard, you really shouldn't have told him that. Just, volunteered it outright. He didn't even have to pry! He giggled, he absolutely giggled because Richard Strand just screwed up spectacularly.

"That's not true." He responded, almost singsong. "How must it feel, I wonder? Richard Strand lost in the dark. The enigmatic book held wide open for all the world to see. How much does she know, Doctor?" His discomfort had given way to something of a disturbing amount of glee. And oh yes, he's hinting at Alex, because if Richard's aware that he's somehow out of time then the only reason behind that could possibly be Alex.

No one else was going to care enough to hold his hand.

[imarealistnotacynic]

Richard's hands clench at his sides. The facade remains, "I have no idea who or what you're talking about."

But he does face the man - the boy - head on, "Who are you? How do you know me?"

Something rustles in his mind, a twisting curling dragon.

[bilocates]

"Do you think denial will keep them safe?" He straightened, swaying to the side just a touch, like a crooked tree. Still watching Strand with that intense, unblinking stare. Simon didn't falter, even in the face of Richard's anger which he could feel, the coiling dragon riling for a fight.

Simon wasn't afraid, even if perhaps he should know better. The whispers grew louder, the lights in the ship flickering just slightly. "Oh, you'll learn. Not yet. It's too early for you yet." Alex will absolutely ruin his game whenever she arrives... though it's strange he can't feel her.

Still, somewhere in the distance, crashing and honking intensifies. But who has time for a goose when there's a dragon to harass?

[imarealistnotacynic]

That. Damned. Honking.

Richard stares up at the lights, "This is below you." Richard's eyes narrow, "These light tricks. NAVI. They're beneath you."

As for the young man, he straightens, "...You're not going to get a rise out of me."

Though he wants to. Oh there's a thread of something dark in him, "What's your name? Tell me your name."

[bilocates]

"It's not Navi," Who is Navi? He'll find out later. "You know that." Because he knows Richard can read him, even if he's ignoring it. He can hear your whispers, too, Richard.

The honking, however, is very annoying. It's even enough for Simon to break his spell and scowl down the hallway. Maybe he needs to throttle a goose? Fun as tormenting Strand is the goose is ruining his groove.

"Simon Reese." You can have that one for free.

[imarealistnotacynic]

"Simon." His features go cold, "Why don't you tell me about yourself Mr. Reese." He gestures, "Or do you prefer Simon?"

The goose might be annoying but he needs to be invested in making sure it's safe now, "Can I assume I met you through working with that podcast?"

Something that's looking like a bigger and bigger mistake.

[bilocates]

"That's not how this works. You're going to have to ask." That doesn't mean he won't answer, but he'll probably not answer straight. Especially now that he's busy looking for that goose.

"You can, if you want." It is and it isn't. They may have met regardless, the podcast just made it easier. Of course Simon's going to make it sound more cryptic than necessary.

There. Kitchen. He found it. Without so much as an explanation Simon just walked off, heading down the hallway with purpose, as though he knew the way.

[imarealistnotacynic]

Oh no you don't. Richard takes off after him. He keeps in shape but moving fast he's still breathing hard - looking after the other man.

Two things ran through his mind. One, whatever this man was, if Alex found out about him or if he found out about her she would be in danger. He had a responsibility to at least relay this to her. Two...he had gotten in way over his head working with her.

Without her you wouldn't know about Coralee.

the voice in his mind was serpentine.

Without her you wouldn't know anything. Isn't that a price to pay?

"Not if it hurts her. Or me. Or anyone." He sets his mind to go, and he goes. Ghost footsteps in his head he's always been good at finding ghosts-

Ghosts aren't real. Demons aren't real, psychic powers aren't real...

He's behind Simon when he shouts, "Stop!"

[bilocates]

Oh yes he does! Strand can't be blamed for having trouble keeping up with someone who can be in two places at once, especially someone who can pull himself between those two places almost effortlessly. For someone who looks so malnourished Simon certainly made keeping up with him a hassle.

Strand was wrong about a couple things, however. One, Alex already knew about Simon. Not here on the ship, but in general. And the second being that out of everyone she was probably the least in danger from him. Not that Richard knew any of that, nor would he likely believe it even if Simon said as much. The last point, however, was completely right. Unfortunately it was also far too late to back out now.

Simon pauses, looking back over his shoulder as Strand hurried to catch up. Oh, did he want to come too? "Keep up, Dr. Strand." Simon called back, deciding to settle on not yeeting himself around if Strand were going to be so determined to hound him. "It's in the kitchen, take us there." He assumes Strand would know, being as he seemed more familiar with this situation than Simon was. If he wanted to tag along so badly he'll have to pull his weight.

[imarealistnotacynic]

Richard will run if he has to, he ran frequently years ago but he is perhaps out of practice and out of shape loath as he is to admit it. There is something about the boy that is especially... slippery?

He grimaces, "...Make a left."

[bilocates]

As much as Simon is perhaps playing up the spooky angle he isn't interested in overtaxing the man. Especially with that goose that's just giving him a worse and worse headache the longer he listens to all that honking. It's annoying, and definitely putting a damper on his Strand pestering fun.

Left he goes, though now that Strand's made his intent to come along clear it would seem Simon has settled on not ditching him outright. "You didn't answer my question."

The why is there a goose one.

[exlibrisharry]

No one knows why there is a goose but if you were to ask Harry, it's expressly to torment him because some power in the universe hates him. He too had been tracking the feathered menace, the honking echoing in his head like a nightmare.

He doesn't know what Strand or this other guy are getting into, and at the moment he doesn't care. He just wants that devil bird gone, and he's stalking the hallways of the ship with a blanket hoping to catch the damn thing.

He really wishes he had that net Julia bought him.

"Did you guys find it?"

[sisterswitch]

“Not yet, sweetie.”

Was anyone in this group talking to Jack? Probably not, but she’s answering anyway, seated at the table closest to the door with her notebook in front of her and a crystal on a chain swinging from her fingertips. She doesn’t look up from her divining to see who is interrupting her concentration.

“All things in good time, as they say.”

[exlibrisharry]

Maybe no one was talking to her but Harry was happy Jack spoke up. He glances at her and takes in the crystal (okay, superstitious and maybe rightly so), but he frowns because that seems like such a dumb thing to be doing. Before he'd say it was always dumb, but right now, after Sarah and everything else he's learned it's especially ridiculous.

"You're not checking to see where the fucking goose is, are you?"

[sisterswitch]

Jack frowns at her notebook, sighs loudly, and releases the chain to drop the makeshift pendulum onto the paper. “Not anymore,” she answers, a little snappish, and sits back in the chair with her arms folded. Forgive her shortness, she’s grieving the apparent loss of her good friend.

She glances up at Harry and the other two, none of whom she recognizes, expression flatly unimpressed. “You’re not really chasing after a wild animal with just a blanket, are you?”

Two can play the judging game.

[bilocates]

Whatever distraction Simon had been offering Strand is promptly forgotten in the face of... whatever this is. The first two other residents he'd encountered thus far, and they were both decidedly... strange.

And yes, Simon does realize that that's hypocritical coming from him. He stares between the two silently for a time, uncertain exactly how to respond to this faint bickering match that has sprung up around him.

And after a long, considering silence he simply states again: "Kitchen." Then glances to Richard to back him up on this. You know he's not lying, Strand, tell them.

[imarealistnotacynic]

A thought has hit him and that's that this boy - it's hard to not thinking that he's dangerous. Who knows just what he's capable of? And there's something dark in the other man, or perhaps it's just a headache. Looking between the other two and Simon he nods mutely.

"Simon knows." He hates that he knows it's true, "But don't hurt it Simon."

Or else. There's an edge to his voice.

[bilocates]

Despite being self admitted from a time before their first meeting, Simon can already tell that Strand's more open than he was. Perhaps an effect of this place, whatever and wherever it is? At this moment he can only guess.

He bristles at the demand, staring darkly at Strand for a time.

"You may come to regret that."

Fine, if Strand doesn't want him to deal with the goose he will hold back. Until it becomes too dangerous to ignore, maybe. Alex wouldn't forgive him if he let harm come to Richard.

[exlibrisharry]

"I left my net at home." Why did he do that, again? By this rate he was never going to have a net when he needed one.

Whatever was going on with them could wait until later. For now they had to get that fucking bird off this ship, and then they could yell at each other to their heart's content.

"We're going to throw it out the airlock, aren't we? I think we're allowed to hurt it."

[sisterswitch]

"Wow," Jack replies, with an exaggerated slow blink and a shake of her head. "Easy there, Mad Max. What did the goose ever do to you? I mean, sure, the noise is annoying, but you're acting like it murdered your entire family just for kicks."

Yes, they've been tasked with ejecting the goose out the airlock. No, that's not carte blanche to cause the animal pain.

"For all you know, the void of space is its natural habitat. Maybe we're just returning a frightened animal to its home, did you ever consider that?"

[imarealistnotacynic]

Richard's eyes narrow, "I want to make sure it's safe." He grimaces, glaring at all of them, "I won't be a part of this and none of you should either. That creature may be dangerous but it could be captured and studied."