Move 5 (Chapter 1.5)

[yhlee]

Time: 361
Place: out-rift near Station Moongray

The Wasp's cockpit/command center:
Kaliyan notes that the Butterfly Lens asks for a docking maneuver with the Wasp, and approaches slowly and politely on the assumption that this is approved. In the meantime, the second vessel, which Sasha and Yehan previously identified as some kind of Naxorian Rosemallow House starship, decelerates and holds position some distance from the Wasp, lingering without initiating communication.

The Wasp's Engineering room
Anyone in or near Engineering will notice what almost feels like a quaver from the Wasp at the second starship's approach, as though the Wasp is nervous.

[Skipping ahead a bit with the logistics--feel free to add any other preparations that the team would have made before the meeting proper.]

The Wasp's airlock, welcoming party
The ship-to-ship docking maneuver goes more or less smoothly--partly due to Kaliyan's vigilance, partly due to adroit piloting on the Butterfly's end. Two individuals emerge from the other ship. The first is a tall alt with long, rippling hair, their eyes wide and anxious. The alt is not wearing Nirai colors, but instead wears shades of desaturated blue with a blue-and-silver pin that declares that they are a Contact Specialist, Second Class. Their companion appears to be the alt's assistant, a tidy older man with his hair in braids, all wrapped up in a black coat with silver buttons, as if he's used to warmer temperatures. Neither of them resembles Nirai Remi.

Ankat doesn't spot any obvious weapons--it looks like the man could be hiding something beneath his coat, but he'd probably have difficulty getting it out before Ankat could react or call a warning. Probably.

"Ah, snacks!" the alt says, looking sharply at the edible fidget spinners. "You must be from one of those timelines, where the Liozh--" They flutter their hands. "You know."

"Manners, Contact Specialist," the man in the coat says. "You mustn't insult their way of living. We have special dispensation about...alternate orthodoxies, remember?"

"Indeed," the alt says. They will address themselves to the welcoming party in general, although it's clear that they're trying to identify Andan Rii. (As a Contact Specialist, they've probably learned not to make too many hasty assumptions.) "I'm Contact Specialist Andan Bokali, Second Class, and the Nirai have given me the honor of welcoming you and the rest of Bumblebee's crew to Station Moongray. [Referencing this message from Move 4.] This gentle here is my liaison on the station, Nirai Pavn." They smile, eyeing the fidget spinners again as though they suspect some of them are rigged to blow. "It is very good of you to provide refreshments. We were going to feed you back at the station, you know, but--" Andan Bokali smiles wryly. "The cooking there is not always the most festive." Their gaze drifts to Ankat's Scadrian whiskey, and their eyes brighten.

[Feel free to introduce yourselves to the NPCs, mingle with them, discuss terrible space snacks, ask them about the other ship, etc.]

[If you need clarification from me or from another PC, please don't hesitate to ask/message!]

Comments

[smokedetective]

Ashari claps Mikodez on the shoulder, smiles, eyes half-lidded in a slightly sleepy manner, and takes a few steps towards Bokali. "Andan Bokali, wonderful to make your acquaintance. I'm Andaan Rii. If I may say, your hair is simply lovely."

[yhlee]

Bokali's bow would apply to an equal or honored guest--just that bit of ambiguity. "You're one of us, all right," they say genially. "I don't think in my time on this station I've ever got a single compliment on my hair or jewelry."

Pavn glances in Bokali's direction and says mildly, "If you'd added it to the list of Approved Procedures, we would have been happy to have one of the research assistants follow you around complimenting you."

"Don't mind him," Bokali said, "he thinks sarcasm is an art form. Did you come here by accident, or design?" They make an ambiguous gesture. "If the latter, I admire your stout heart at the thought of bringing art to...the Nirai masses, but they are a tough crowd."

[smokedetective]

Ashari returns the bow, mimicking some of the ambiguity. "I know that's what I hired my assistant for," they joke.

"As for our being here, it's a little of this, a little of that, I suppose. I must admit, these space phenomena, while inspirational, aren't something I can always wrap my head around. It's part of what draws me to it. And, well, a tough crowd's never stopped me. I'd love some feedback from your masses on how I've been doing. There's always room for improvement. Better to get any comments and concerns in before I get too attached to my current product."

[yhlee]

Bokali's eyes crinkles in appreciation at the joke. "Station Moongray will be happy to host you," they say. "The Nirai in particular will be interested to ask your starship crew about the details of your journey, any observations...scientists!" They shrug.

Pavn says mildly, "Even scientists have their uses, I hear. And besides," he says, nodding at Ashari, "we don't get much in the way of live entertainment. I can't promise that our lot will understand your exhibition, but someone will no doubt come up with a theory about your color schemes or whatever it is."

[smokedetective]

"Oh, I can't say it's an exhibition yet. But I would be happy to display what I have so far. Some of it is a work in progress, and other pieces are more... abstract, lets say. This project, at its current stage, is somewhat of a prototype. And, as you said, scientists have their uses. Among them, I hear, testing prototypes. Hearing all the theories should be delightful."

[yhlee]

Pavn says, just a bit dourly, "Yes, there is a lot of prototype-testing going on...the administrators are trying to keep down the cost overruns, but you know, or perhaps you don't, how scientists get when they scent a discovery right around the corner. For values of 'right around the corner' that might mean another decade or three."

"Don't be discouraging," Bokali interrupts, smiling in Ashari's direction. "I'm sure people will be excited by your exhibition. Do you have particular requirements for the display space?"

[smokedetective]

Ashari waves a hand. "Oh, I'm not discouraged. Fashion and art moves a little bit faster than science. As for a floor space, anything you can spare would be lovely. I'd need some wall space and some floor space, and ideally I'd like to be able to manipulate the lighting there. It would be nice if I could get things in and out of there easily, too."

[yhlee]

Bokali glances at Pavn, who says, "Wall and floor space can be provided if you don't mind some, ah, storage crates and the occasional feral tables of lab equipment--but we can get those shifted to the side and maybe hidden behind curtains. Lighting is harder--we don't really have anything fancy in the--"

"Wait a second," Bokali says. "The dance studio does have some basic lighting controls. I'm not a dancer myself, but..." Their mouth pulls up in a moue. "Of course, you have to convince them to relinquish their space."

paging everyone?

[pengwern]

[Mikodez is about to use his snacks as an excuse to say 'mango' at any Nirai on-station until they can find Remi (per the code word established during move 1). Would people be ok with that as something he's doing in game? (I'm also unclear on whether the briefing information given to Ashari in Move 2 had been shared with the crew.)]

[GM Note] (Re: paging everyone?)

[yhlee]

[If you're referring to Ashari looking up profiles and getting information in this Move 2 thread, there would certainly have been time for Ashari to share any of that information had they wanted to during the journey. So y'all should talk that over with smokedetective and figure that out.]

Re: paging everyone?

[zuhrovet]

[We got the Mango keyword in Move 1, if that's what you're worried about.

This makes perfect sense. If Mikodez could summon an enthusiasm for dancing, that would be even better.]

[smokedetective]

Ashari raises an eyebrow. "Convince... who exactly?"

[yhlee]

[Let's consider this conversation thread merged into this discussion of Nirai Alissa, who is in charge of the dance studio, in Move 6.]