hadriel_logs | World Log: Tundra Arrival

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World Log: Tundra Arrival

Who: All characters in the city
What: The log for the city's arrivel on the ice planet
Where: All around the city
When: November 21st-November 30th
Warnings: None

You all get some warning to prepare, which is great. A little time to stock up on supplies, make sure everything's where it supposed to be, call your friends in from their fishing boats. And then the city moves. It happens in the blink of an eye - one moment you're on islands, surrounded by ocean, and the next? The next you're surrounded by frozen ground, the temperature has dropped significantly, and even the sky looks different. The air has a bite to it, that familiar feeling telling you it's thinking about snowing soon. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday soon.

The city has rearranged itself back into that old, familiar shape, instead of spread out across islands like it was a moment ago. Maybe that'll make things easier for you, maybe it won't, but it also means the return of the lake and river that used to bisect the city - only now they're frozen over. This climate also means it'll be hard for any plants not otherwise protected to survive - and that you, too, will start feeling that cold if you're away from a warm place for too long.

And warm places might be in short supply, because when the city moved the gods did not. What does that mean for you? Well, whatever supplies are in the shops at the moment the city moves are the only ones left. No new food supplies, no new clothing, nothing. In addition, the power across the whole city is out, including water and heating. Anything else powered or supplied by gods (the hot springs, the mopeds, what's left of the orchard, the armory, the GPS) will not work.

You're on your own. Try not to die.

► This log covers November 21st-30th.
► Feel free to make your own logs, as well
► Please tag headers of threads with content warnings where they apply
► Please put your character's name and open/closed in the subject line of your starters!
► If you freeze to death, starve to death, are eaten by the local animals, fall through the ice, or find some other exciting way to die, please let us know here, and be aware resurrection will not be currently happening. You stay dead - for now.

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[Gren makes an ugly, derisive noise in his throat at the suggestion. That's a bad suggestion, Connor, and you should feel bad.]

Yeah, sure, let's toss a whole big fuckin' load of firewood in the middle of the lake for shits and giggles, it ain't like people might need that shit later to not freeze to death. We ain't got enough resources layin' around to waste 'em by bein' stupid fucks.

[The look he's giving Conner right now is dry enough that it ought to desiccate this whole damn lake. Bad robocop.]

A saw'll get the job done. Fuck it, you can get through this shit with a hatchet if you don't care about the blade, or a hammer and chisels if you put the work in. It's ice, it ain't fuckin' concrete. But if you don't want to get your fuckin' dainty-ass hands dirty, that's fine. Just stay outta the way and let somebody else get shit done.

[Connor's quiet during the whole little rant, head tilted slightly to the side, and he briefly weighs different options for responding before deciding to go with a particularly bitchy one. So, with his most pleasant customer service voice--]

You're acting very aggressive for what the situation warrants. Do you have personal issues you'd like to discuss?

You can discuss my foot up your ass in a second, smartass.

[He's a grumpy fucker, Connor. That's about the long and short of it.]

Maybe you ain't noticed, but our general situation is up shit creek and there's a lot we need to do to get outta it. So I ain't really in the mood for your bullshit.

I'm sorry. I'll take care not to annoy you any further.

[It is, of course, said in the same fake friendly tone that indicates he'll do no such thing. He does mean the next part, though.]

I don't have any interest or intention of melting through the ice, so I won't be in the way if you'd like to saw through it.

[Or continue complaining, which Connor thinks is more likely, but no need to actually say that.]

Yeah, I bet.

[His tone indicates that he absolutely does not think that Connor will make any effort at not being annoying. Because god forbid the universe do him any favors.]

So, what, you just wanted to play devil's fuckin' advocate? See how much you could get my blood pressure to go up? [He makes an annoyed noise.] Join the fuckin' club.

You asked for ideas.

[And so he's given one. Personally he still thinks it's a better plan than trying to saw a hole, but since he doesn't need water or have any interest in hunting whatever might be under the surface he's definitely not going to fight for any particular course of action.]

I asked for bright ideas.

[They'll agree to disagree on this. Or, rather, Gren just won't agree and Connor will have his own opinions and neither of them will change their minds.]

If you ain't interested in this, why're you all the way out here?

[He half rolls his eyes, looking up at the sky briefly, but that's the only response he gives to the first part.]

I was exploring. Even if I'm not interested, I'd still like to understand the situation.

[Gren shrugs his good shoulder.]

Fair, I guess.

[See, he can be reasonable. Sort of. Okay, so he's an asshole, you're an asshole, everyone's an asshole. This whole city is just a sea of assholes.]

[Gren tilts his head for a moment, kind of like a dog cocking its ear towards a strange sound. Which is an accurate comparison, because Gren's stupid sensitive hearing keeps picking up on a weird noise whenever the wind dies down. Like a... mechanical whirr, and a sound that's kind of like a heartbeat but a little off. It sounds a little like...]

[It sounds a little like the noises that Rhys' weird robot bits made. Gren's hit for a moment by a sharp pang of nostalgia.]

Most people are gonna be interested in where their next fuckin' meal and water's comin' from, unless you don't need that shit. Should I be lookin' out for batteries?

[With the tension fading from the conversation, Connor's attention turns mostly back to watching the shadows come and go under the surface; he tries his scanners, but unsurprisingly they don't give him any detail through the ice. Oh well.

But that last comment from Gren causes Connor's gaze to snap toward him again, probably a little too quickly to play off, but he makes the attempt anyway.]

Why would I want batteries? Do you have a flashlight?

[Because it does probably get quite dark, although Connor doesn't really need the same amount of light as a human would either.]

[Yup, that's a reaction. Bingo, he's hit a robot-nerve.]

Don't play dumb, it ain't a good look for you.

[He shoves his hand into the pocket of his leather jacket. Not because he's all that cold, it would take temperatures way lower than this to chill him, but more because he wants something to do with his hand.]

I ain't gonna narc on you, if that's what you're worried about. What do I look like, a fuckin' cop?

I don't know, what does a cop look like?

[He asks it just to be difficult, but it lacks the snappiness he'd had earlier; it's obvious he's caught and he's relieved that Gren isn't going to just tell anyone and everyone, and Connor would like to keep it that way and so dials back a bit on the 'being annoying' thing.]

I don't require batteries, at least not any that you might be able to find here.

[And that semi-admitted, there's no reason not to offer--]

If and when you get through the ice, whatever method you're planning to use, I can determine if the lake water is safe to drink in regards to any sort of chemical toxicity.

[Biological organisms and illnesses though, you're all on your own.]

[Gren gets wanting to flying under the radar with the whole not being human thing. People can be shitty about things that aren't like them, and even if there are a few out and proud androids running around Hadriel, a little caution never hurts. The whole Null thing doesn't help him, either, as far as current opinion about robots goes, but, hey, at least Connor has his pretty boy face to help garner public approval. Everybody likes attractive people.]

Still. Might be shit for you to salvage somewhere around here.

[He'd said it before just to see if he could get a rise out of Connor, to see if he was right about him, but it's... not entirely just to be shitty. Gren's out here to try to make sure that everyone can get what they need, and if Connor needs something different, well, then he's just gonna have to keep an eye out for whatever is part of a robot's balanced breakfast.]

[He turns his attention back to the thick ice when Connor mentions it.]

Handy. [No pun intended.] It'd be good to have more than one source of water around here. Just have to make sure everybody fuckin' boils it first, I don't wanna have to deal with, I dunno, fuckin' alien cholera or whatever.

If I manage to yank one of these motherfuckers out, [He gestures with his heel at one of the dark shapes swimming below the ice,] can you do the same thing with them? Figure out if shit's poisonous?

[Connor was designed to be attractive for exactly that reason; it helps in manipulating and forming relationships with humans, and although now that he's completely self aware some part of him finds it a little gross it's also useful. If looking pretty will get people to do what he wants, then fine.

He shakes his head slightly at the first comment, watching the shadow again.]

The parts I need are not available here.

[He isn't trying to be pessimistic, it's just how it is; he's sure at this point that he would have to trade for pretty much everything, since more generalized supplies that some of the others can use--oil, for instance--won't work for him. That's something he's accepted here, and also that he's mostly on his own about the whole thing since medical care for non-organic individuals doesn't seem to be a priority, but he appreciates any sign that someone cares.

He's silent as he considers the question, going over some variables before offering an answer.]

I don't know. I can do the same testing on their blood, provided they have some, but if there is anything inedible in the muscle fibers or otherwise I won't be able to tell.

[He can't test anything that isn't liquid or fine powder, unfortunately.]

That's better'n nothin'.

[Gren can always taste-test to see if it's poisonous before anything gets distributed to the city. If it's potent enough to take him down, then they all know to stay the fuck away. But they have to figure out something for a food source, until-- or if-- the gods come back.]

[But still-- plan made, basically. Get something to cut through this ice, get a water sample, haul one of these nasty fuckers out, ???, profit. It's not perfect, but nothing's going to be.]

But. [Sorry, Connor, Gren's kinda persistent when he gets on a topic. He doesn't let things go easy.] How long you got 'til you need more of whatever the fuck? You good for a while or are we gettin' fuckin' close to DEFCON 1?

[Having a plan is nice. As difficult as Connor has been being a lot, it's mostly because he's in kind of a 'teenager' faze; it's still extremely new to him to be able to say no, and to be able to do--or not do--whatever he wants, and so he's been taking advantage of that. But there's still an inherent part of him that wants to help and accomplish things, and it isn't just because of his programming.

So he's content to help with this, nodding in agreement with the first statement. But as for the questions--]

If I'm not damaged, I can last for a very long time without any additional
maintenance; power may eventually become an issue, but not any time soon.

[However, that's only if he remains undamaged.]

If I take minor damage, I can self repair everything but lost thirium, which is our equivalent of blood. If a biocomponent is seriously damaged it will require a replacement, and if it's an essential component I will likely shut down.

[He's still getting used to considering himself 'alive', and so that he would die; 'shut down' is the familiar, easy term.]

Similarly, losing too much thirium will have the same effect as blood loss would for a human.

[And the potential of all of this--and thinking about it and how tenuous the situation is--is pretty distressing now that he can feel fear. But he's trying to ignore it, because there's nothing he can do about it at the moment other than not get damaged.]

[Okay, so eventually they're gonna need to find some fancy Robocop blood for this kid, because Gren doesn't think for a second that he's never going to take any damage while he's here. If their deadbeat gods ever show back up again, it'll be a hell of a lot easier to keep an emergency supply around. Maybe that little lizard scientist lady could whip something up that would work in a pinch?]

[Either way, it seems they can fix people easier than they can fix pretty boy robots right now.]

Take care of yourself, I guess.

[That's probably the most he can do at this point. Try to stay safe and hold out until there's a solution.]

I'd tell you to keep outta trouble, but that's a fuckin' tall order around here.

[It's really a wonder that Connor hasn't needed thirium yet, honestly; he's prone to damage--or total destruction--at home, so this is a new record.

He nods at Gren's words, not really able to promise he'll do either, but he's definitely going to try.]

I'll do my best.

[And that said--]

Let me know if you'd like any help testing the water or any creature you may catch. I rarely have anything better to be doing.

[So in other words, he's willing to assist whenever.]

[Well, thankfully there aren't any highways that he can introduce himself to the grill of a truck on at high speeds, so he'll at least have an easier time avoiding accidental vehicular manslaughter, if nothing else. Robot-slaughter?]

[But Robocop is being a lot less pissy now, which makes it easier for Gren to be less pissy.]

Yeah, I'll give you a call or somethin'.

[Probably a text, because he really hates calls. It's a thousand times easier to send a message than to have to actually talk to someone.]

[He steps over towards Connor and sticks out a hand. Awkwardly, maybe, because god if he's not shit at introductions. Or, like, just being social in general? He's kind of like a poorly socialized dog that's trying to learn a new trick because his friends keep telling him to stop being an antisocial shithead.]

Gren.

[It's like meeting of the awkward handshakers; Connor isn't used to the gesture either, having done it more in Hadriel than at home, because humans don't shake hands with androids and androids don't shake hands with each other. He's getting used to it here, but it still takes a moment to react but he does return the gesture.]

Connor.

[And yes, please text him, he likes texting. It's a more natural form of communicating for him anyway.]

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World Log: Tundra Arrival

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