1. EVERYTHING STARTS

[sheboygan]

Thirty years, by the spinning of faraway Earth around its star. Thirty short Earth-years that translate to the full lifespan of the beings born on a planet that runs much quicker around its own star, home planet to ship builders of renown well beyond their solar system.

A long life.

The names of the Captain and the Engineer never left that faraway world, kept safe among the People (as they called themselves) when the two set forth with their incredible ship. It held unprecedented technology, even for their race's innovative builders. An engine that ran by manipulating probability... a successful design could open up so many possibilities.

Those glorious futures are bright in the Captain's eyes as she pilots her vessel. The Engineer, on the other hand, is content with what's already come and gone, more determined to see the end of their journey through with dignity. It is an end, after all; thirty Earth-years and the ship builders pass on to whatever awaits the mind when the body stops working. One last, beautiful trip.

They are who oversee this strange situation. After their ship's malfunction, finding fresh cargo in their ship was surprise enough. Discovering that they had picked up living beings completely foreign to this part of the galaxy was even more strange. The further discovery that these creatures were, in fact, foreign to this entire universe if the readouts were to be believed... well. It wasn't impossible. But it was improbable.

The Captain was the first to take charge, as she had to, becoming the first to attempt to soothe and steady the unlucky travelers. She had always been the more outgoing of the two of them.

Two solitary fingers and a near-as-long thumb rise on a hand dappled with pores. Patience, the Captain urged, waiting for all to be safely roused. Patience, she said, without any mouth or voice at all, and the thoughts chimed like bells in the minds of the strangers. Tiny flame-like flickers of light lingered at her temples as she used her thought-speech to communicate.

An image blossomed in the head-spaces of her audience, a (hopefully) welcoming image of herself and her crewmate. Her species was tall and lithe, nearly eight feet in height. Their clothing carried the same elegant, almost carved-looking swirling texture as their skin, and their skirts flowed all the way down their bodies to swirl on the ground, hiding any notion of feet.

< Hello, strangers! You may have noticed that you are no longer at the where you were expecting to be at! >

The tone of her "voice" became sheepish as she continued. Lingering behind her, the Engineer seemed to glower as best as one could without eyebrows or a mouth to really sell the expression.

The Captain started to pace, and this only accentuated her truly alien nature. Her limbs curved like willow branches swaying in the wind, like there were fewer bones than there ought be in her body.

< There has been a problem with some experimental transportation technology, and it looks like we're all going to be housemates for a little while. >

She continued with a full explanation of the circumstances through which the travelers had been pulled to this universe.

< The long and short story is that we're stuck here together until we can get the ship running again to take us all back to our home planet, where we can get you back to your home universes. In order to do that, though, the Ship needs material in order to grow. Your assistance in gathering said material would be appreciated. We've landed on the planet Canagan, and there should be plenty around. Just ask the locals. They'll be able to tell you more about that.

The exit to the ship is marked by the red lights. The mess hall is marked by blue. I will be waiting there if you have any further questions. >

She finished her speech with the mental equivalent of a winky emoticon.

< That was an inelegant introduction, > remarked the Engineer.

< Well we have to show that we're friendly somehow! > The Captain sent her a thought-speak pouty face, and got silence in return. While the Engineer tried to retreat, she was held off by her partner. They needed to linger, to support these strangers how they can.



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[AWAKENING: CARGO HOLD]

[sheboygan]

Here is where your eyes open, your senses return. You wake in a large room with blank walls and a strangely soft floor. Around you are a group of other... beings. They're all awake, or getting there, but in various stages of put together - it looks like some of them were more affected by their displacement here than others (unfortunately, pan-dimensional travel is not for the fainthearted...or stomached).

There is a set of automatic doors on one of the walls of the room. They swish open whenever anyone approaches with the intent to leave.

[MESS HALL]

[sheboygan]

The blue doors open into a wide, round room. There is a large, C-shaped table ringing it, surrounded by chairs. The numerically inclined may notice that there are exactly enough chairs for every person aboard the ship to sit (how convenient, the Engineer found, to see so many same-bending limbs in that unconscious congregation as she bade the ship transform). In the middle of the C is a large pool of pale green liquid. Its purpose is unknown, but it smells pleasantly sweet. The Captain could probably tell you what it's for.

Speaking of her, she's sitting in one of the chairs close to the far wall, feet kicked up onto the table as she fiddles with a tablet.

The Engineer, though? Not here. Not now.

[EXIT]

[sheboygan]

Through the red doors lies fresh air and a scrubby field. If you venture forward, you'll notice that the ship is perched several meters back from the edge of a cliff (lucky landing that). There's a rocky sort of path leading down to a quiet beach, and beyond that, to a quaint looking sea-side town. That's probably where you'll find the locals that the Captain mentioned.

It's out here the Engineer can be found at intervals, surveying the chassis and very pointedly not looking in the direction of any of the passers-by, unless they get too close to her work.

[BEACH]

[sheboygan]

The beach at the base of the cliff is full of all sorts of debris. There's a good chance you could net yourself a piece of scrap or two just sorting through it. You also might be able to catch some of the local wildlife for dinner... if you think you can figure out what's edible and what isn't.

If you wander around, you'll come to a little hut nestled in the shadow of the cliff. The hut is connected to a small dock that looks to be simple, but made sturdy, just like the being sitting on it. If you wave hello, he (?) will wave back at you with both of his right arms, and give you a polite greeting.

"Hey there, friend! What brings you to these parts?"

His name is Harvy, a Yoopper, one of the major sentient life forms on this planet. An easy description would be to call him a seven-foot tall bipedal beaver with four arms and two sturdy legs, wearing a plaid flannel shirt and jean overalls. His fur is chestnut brown, save for his luxurious moustache, which is glossy black, and his eyes are bright yellow.

He's just as pleased to chat as he is to leave you to your own business, though expect curious staring all the same.

[TOWN]

[sheboygan]

As expected from a town populated by towering, six-limbed beavers, the buildings are mostly log-cabins. They're sturdy and look like they've survived many a storm in their day. If you ask around for places to get scrap, the locals will direct you to Mindy's down the way.

Mindy is a plump, cheery Yoopper with an easy laugh. Her fur is a bright coppery tone, and her ears are pierced with a variety of bone hoops and studs. She welcomes you to whatever you want in the junk yard, since you're guests and all, but warns you to be careful.

"I let my wulfereens play out there, and sometimes they get a little nippy!", she says grinning. Her tone of voice gives no clue as to whether she likes them that way or not. "So be careful, yah?"

Know what a wulfereen is? No? Well, imagine a ball of messy fur, no bigger than a football. Now imagine that if you get too close to one, a huge mouth, more than half its width, opening up and emitting one of the most obnoxious, barking snarls you've ever heard.

They are quite the anklebiters, but not out to kill. Just savage if anyone gets too close to them for comfort.