❪ introlog: #6 ❫ city of secrets

[natha]

You've spent the last few days on Thesa Station, taking in the knowledge that your world is no more. Now, the time to put all your survival training into practice has arrived: El Nysa needs you, and you're here to help the planet thrive. Are you ready? THE DESCENT     All refugees on the station are called to the hangar, where a large-scale teleporter awaits. Simply step onto the space between the arrays and wait; everyone will be sent down to the planet together. Before they depart, all refugees will be given a cold weather survival kit with warm clothing, rations, and bedding. The arrays build into a brilliant wash of light, creating a column that travels all the way from Thesa Station to the surface of El Nysa, teleporting the refugees to the planet on an aurora. Once on the planet's surface, refugees receive one last message from Darma. It has been a long, perilous year for you, refugees. And yet we must ask you to brave further peril. Within Nadril are the secrets to how poor Ysverai's revival was hidden from our sight and how this disaster has come to our star. Find the first refugee from beyond this planet, a man named Magda. He will not speak to us, for much has come between us, but to you… If you prove yourselves, he may be willing to answer your questions. We beseech you, for there is a veil over Nadril that hides all within from us. There may yet be more untold dangers waiting to befall this planet. For the good of all who make this world home, we ask you to lend us your aid. There is yet one more favor we would ask of you. In warding off the Storm's encroachment, the physical aspect of ourselves that you call Thesa Station was damaged. We must remain to continue repairs to El Nysa and to deal with Ysverai, but there should be suitable technology within Nadril that could be used for spare parts. If you have the chance to find it and can return it to us, it would hasten— Darma's message crackles with static, another image overlaying hers — her broadcast is cut off and replaced with another. A more sullen and alien voice takes Darma’s place, overlapping on itself in an ominous reveal. It has been a long, perilous year for you, refugees. And yet you’ve only just arrived here. To say I’m not disappointed in your… generation would be to lie, and I am nothing if not an honest creature. But I suppose these have been unusual circumstances. You must ask yourself this — are you only here as Darma's lapdogs? I can assure you, it's not worth being on the Natha's leash. With time, that will be something you'll have to learn for yourself. If you're so determined to come find Nadril, then follow the path north, and you'll find the border. What awaits you is revelation, if you're up to the challenge. A FROZEN LAND     The refugees land on a literally frozen world, both in temperature and time. Curls of icy wind hold swirls of snow aloft and an uncanny silence is broken only by the crunch of hoarfrost underfoot. Only Darma's protection allows the refugees to move through this frozen world — and movement is very necessary. Bitter cold sneaks through even the thickest clothing and without warning, a snowstorm rises: unnaturally quickly, a wall of white howls directly in the refugee's path. Bizarrely, the way back is perfectly calm; it's obvious that this storm is no product of nature. Magda's challenge becomes clear: the only way to Nadril lies through this storm. Visibility within the storm is near zero, the whiteout hiding any landmarks from view and making navigation near impossible. The only guidance refugees have is a sporadic path of faint, greenish lights, easily lost in the raging storm. Refugees need all the survival skills they practiced on Thesa Station to survive, for getting lost alone is a death sentence. Luckily, those separated from the group can happen upon guiding lights Magda has planted throughout the tundra. These blue-white sparks cause frostbite if handled recklessly, but they also serve as directional anchors, turning into ghostly flames that lead lost souls back to the path to Nadril. The trek through the storm will be no mean feat and will last for the better part of three days. By the time the refugees reach Nadril's gate, most will find themselves exhausted and running on fumes. As the snowstorm dies away and a gap in the glittering forcefield around the city opens to usher the refugees inside, it's clear that Nadril is a different beast. A WARM(?) WELCOME     I. Despite the unforgiving journey, entering Nadril is painless. Once inside, characters will be greeted by their predecessors: the original refugees who made this advanced city. They'll immediately be offered medical attention, as well as warm cider and blankets. But it's obvious that the Nadril citizens prefer higher tech to fend off the weather: they also offer wristlets and ear cuffs that that double as mittens and earmuffs by creating warm bubbles of air. The earrings also feature a few quality of life programs, such as timed alarms and thought-to-speech messaging. However, both programs are in beta stages so it's not unusual for a stray thought to accidentally slip through or an alarm to accidentally ring at an inopportune time. II. Refugees are offered free lodging in a large, crystalline building crafted from ice. Despite the coarse building material, the ice is unmelting and surprisingly well-insulated, and the beds are as warm and cozy. The rooms are, however, small. The sleeping quarters house two people, and are some cross between an igloo and a capsule hotel. Though built for efficiency over comfort, all rooms are also outfitted with the latest Nadril AI, RoboAlfred, or Ralf for short. This helpful program is installed in practically all the furnishings: the closet tells guests to bundle up, the bathroom sink reminds them to brush their teeth, and the mirror offers helpful fashion tips. Ralf's personality matrix still needs polish, though: it may very well insult your clothes and passively-aggressively question your lifestyle choices for the entire stay. III. Though not as advanced as Thesa Station, the colony has technology far beyond the rest of the continent, such as rudimentary AIs and mechanical transportation. Nadril's skyline is a point of pride — refugees can take a (literal) lightrail that gives an aerial view of the colony, which is hewn almost entirely from ice and rock. Despite its tech, Nadril is much more sparsely populated than Olympia and Wyver, and its residents stay near a central hub: a Natha refugee drop ship, Central, which has crashed and long embedded itself into the earth. Central is similar to an older, smaller, grounded model of Thesa Station, in functional order with round-the-clock solar power. Within Central are lounges similar to ones on the Station, though many of the damaged areas have been converted. They include repair stations, different wings dedicated to science, botany, astrology, and mechanics, and a research and history facility, which has a smattering of technology from planets beyond El Nysa — including your own. The staff here don't mind if anything is sampled and studied, but objects cannot be taken from the labs. IV. On the outskirts of the central hub, many will find several curious looking bots with insect-like wings perched about high traffic walkways. Simply passing the bots will cause a dizzying flash before a series of photos print out. Upon closer inspection, people will find that these images reflect stills taken from their home worlds as they remember it. Unfortunately, these photos only last a couple of hours at best. At that time, they will revert back to regular pictures of the refugees. People will be encouraged to share these images of their worlds. The residents of Nadril comprehend the value of remembering one's origins, and will be pleased to see that people still hold memories of old homes close to them. RECREATION IN NADRIL     I. Small, mechanical creatures scampering through the city are a common sight. Ask anyone, and they’ll tell you that they come from a shop called Paws About Town. They’re very useful, as companions, gophers, and couriers (though the more mischievous will note that they’re just small enough to keep tabs on people without being noticed). Premade robotic pets are available on display inside the shop. They come in all shapes, but small sizes; one may be able to find robots that even look like miniature creatures from their homeworld. These are a part of a new, highly customizable line with programmable personalities. Customers have the chance to take pets for a one-day trial run. Those who don’t know how to program may want to enlist more knowledgeable aid, but the pets come with instructional pamphlets for basic personality traits such as obedience, helpfulness, playfulness, and bloodthirst. For returns, the switch to wipe the robot's personality to a blank slate is on the back of its neck, right between a switch to invert all traits, and a switch to have them learn by observing. Try not to press the wrong switch — you might wind up with a pet with a mind of its own! II. A. The Frosty Tap Cantina is a thriving hub of activity, but one of the major draws is the self-service bar: molecular mixology is wildly popular here. Playing with drink compositions can be a game in and of itself, and newcomers to the cantina will find that the bartender — a cheerful woman with lilac skin and three eyes — is always happy to give them a few tips on how to use the wide array of tools within reach of the barstools. All manner of drinks are possible — from glowing, layered cocktails, to clear drinks with colored, spherical bubbles and vividly-colored shots that give off their own smoke. There's a nightly contest in the cantina for the most creative drink created by a team — this may be as good a time as any to partner up with someone and see what can you come up with. Winner gets all their drinks for the night free! And, hey, even if you don't win, you get to drink whatever you make. The well-lubricated patrons of the bar are eager to challenge anyone nearby to a different sort of drinking game… Just how well can you hold your liquor? B. Holo-screens in the cantina are nearly always broadcasting some match or another of a game that looks very much like hockey, albeit played with sticks that light up and a puck that changes shape from time to time. Colonists here merely refer to the game as "the sport," and one of their favored pastimes is betting. However, they don't use currency — they wager dares. Nadril colonists are a tough, weathered lot, and they prefer to speak with actions over silver. Colonists will urge the refugees to take part as well. Common dares range from the ridiculous (lead a sing-a-long, attempt to make someone with a poker face smile) to the suggestive (kiss the person in the cantina you find most attractive, strip off a piece of clothing), to the outright reckless (venture out into the snow for a certain amount of time, and no one will judge if you find some company to keep warm). The colonists are unfazed by even the most insane or tawdry of dares — but you'll certainly be called a killjoy for refusing too often! Why not grab a friend and give it a whirl, or challenge a rival to a dare yourself? THE MISSION     I. On the outskirts of Nadril is the communications tower of the old refugees. This is where Magda resides, monitoring Nadril's technological protections, the extent of the Natha’s influence, and running his own personal projects for El Nysa’s technological advancement. It is isolated, filled with research labs and relics of the past refugees who have come to El Nysa — a living mausoleum of worlds swallowed up by the Storm whose peoples have refused to forget where they came from. Crew photos line the walls of the tower: pictures of alien families and friends, the refugees who came to Nadril before you. Each group of photos gradually becomes smaller in number, and the most recent of the pictures are from half a century ago. Magda's picture can be found among the first group of refugees, an unusually small cluster of photos dating back centuries in El Nysa's past. I have been on this planet for nearly two centuries. Life has come, evolved, and collided in an ever expanding culture. But Darma fears interference, and made this place a prison, with she our warden, stifling the growth of the creatures native to this world rather than encouraging them to flourish. She sent you here for answers in her stead because she knows I'll spurn her, and after seeing what that fool Raysc has wrought, I'll give you them — not for Darma's sake, but because I trust after all the Natha have done to you, you'll understand my decision. Mistakes were made, and I won't hide them. You've made it here so there's some mettle to you, and unlike the Orbiters, I'm not interested in hiding the secrets of the dangers we face. I gave Raysc what he needed to keep his actions hidden from Darma's eyes — what he needed to advance the primitive magics the Natha had doomed him to. It was old Natha tech, Darma's very own used against her. Hilarious, isn't it? Raysc learned of Nadril, and like you, braved the snow to find his way here. He proved his worth and his determination, and he spoke of a brighter future, El Nysa coming into its own, its people realizing their true potential, unhindered by the shackles that had been put upon them. I believed him. He had vision — or so I thought. In truth, he was a fool. A madman. He wasted the opportunity I gave him on his petty vengeance. But not everyone on this planet is such an idiot. Surely you lot aren't. The Natha are hiding things from us — about the Storm, about everything. And here in Nadril, we're going to find all those secrets. What's it going to be? Will you help us, or are you going to stay obedient dogs on Darma's leash? Magda isn't too talkative yet; after all, the new flock of refugees may just be here as eyes and ears for the Orbiters. But what he has said leaves you with plenty to talk about, and if you can earn his trust by helping out around Nadril, he doubtless has a great deal more to reveal. II. Central isn't the only Natha ship that made its way to El Nysa — another, crashed just outside Nadril's borders, is little more than a junk heap. It's here that you'll find the spare parts Darma asked you to retrieve for Thesa Station. What remains of the ship's hull serves as a windbreak, and snow has built up against it, turning the piles of old Natha tech inside into something of a snowy morass. Holes in the deck offer would-be scavengers passage to the ship's innards, barely illuminated with flickering lights — the tech is old, but hardy enough to withstand a crash landing, the severe weather, and the passage of centuries. Deep in the wreck are the remains of living quarters, research labs, VR arenas, mecha bays, cafeterias, and a host of other rooms, many of which may seem familiar from Thesa Station, albeit with a decidedly older feel to what remains of the smooth curves and sleek surfaces of the Natha architecture. Most of the ship's systems are damaged and the technology is nonfunctional, but that just means there's plenty of spare parts to be found. The wreck isn't in the best shape, its structural integrity damaged, and the drifting snow threatens to block off exit routes. Be careful while exploring and be sure to bring a partner. As it turns out, Darma isn't the only one interested in the wreck — Magda is also eager to get his hands on Natha technology. In his own way of taking some responsibility for Raysc, he's asking scavengers to bring him parts, muttering about seeing what he can do about Ysverai's curse. Bring him anything that looks useful, and he may have a chance to succeed, though whether he'll be more effective than the Natha Orbiters is up for debate... FINAL OOC NOTES     An AC-eligible thread with a new character as a participant for 2 NADRIL REP POINTS may be submitted from this log. SUBMIT THE THREAD HERE BY AUGUST 5TH, 11:59 PM EST. As always, feel free to create your own prompts and explore the Nadril location page! There are a variety of activities made available, including fishing and cave exploration! Please direct questions to the questions thread below! Thank you! QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● lore ● map ● npcs taken ● atp/emp ● application ● rep/acp calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

[claudel]

[ He smiles. Of course he'd hoped, but he hadn't wanted to assume. He'd have just visited all the time if they weren't going to take him in. ]

And is it cold, like this?

[ He sits himself on one of the beds, folding his hands in his lap. ]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Peter hated the cold. Like, really hated it. Back in Missouri, it got pretty chilly and occasionally dropped below freezing during winter nights, but otherwise? Not bad. It was only after trips with the Ravagers that Peter really experienced the extremes of inclement weather. He remembers, once, they had stepped off Yondu’s M-ship on a planet in the throes of a perpetual snowstorm, and moving from the warmth of the ship into the freezing air had instantly covered them all in a layer of frost that crackled as they moved.

He had hated it then, had bitched and moaned the entire way to the rendezvous point, with everyone else too miserable to respond. Only on the way back did Horuz finally smack him upside the head and tell him to shut his goddamn trap.

And years and years later, Peter still hates the cold. The warm clothing and whatever protection offered by the Natha keeps out the worst of it, but it still seeps in through the layers, sinks down into his bones until he feels clumsy, limbs turning rebellious and refusing to move quite like he means them to. He can’t stop shaking, and even with the protection of his gloves, his fingers feel stiff.

St. Charles didn’t have much in the way of snow, which means Peter’s attempts at making snowmen were imperfect – snow mixed in with mud that left his snowmen slightly dingy and lopsided. Which means that packing snow for igloo bricks, or whatever it is they’re doing (honestly, Gamora told him to do a thing, and he had just moved to comply without comment, which is probably testament enough to his current state), is slow going for him, even without the cold. He’s making one for every two or three of Gamora’s and probably slowing.

He’s lurching to his feet to place his (inexpertly formed) brick when Gamora asks her question, and he blinks at her for a second. During the trek, Peter’s been wearing his mask, but he’s been retracting it every now and again, to keep it from freezing against his skin. Right now, the mask is in place. A layer of fern frost stretches out over the brushed metal, and snow collects in the crevices between the tubing and the vents.

In a different moment, Gamora’s question would earn her a giant, shit-eating grin and waggled eyebrows, or a solemn, knowing look. And he would absolutely answer with, “Still devastatingly handsome.”

Right now, he just sort of stares at her dumbly, brick still held in both hands.

Then, at last, ]

—What?

[nineteenfortyfive]

No. It's quite nice, really. You'll like it.

[Though she's thinking that, should they go back, she'll have to start looking for bigger accommodations. Between the Frasers, Randall, and Stark, it's going to be a little crowded. And God forbid if Claire ever convinces Jon or Theon to come back. How enticing, a line to use the toilet.

She sits on the other bed. The room is so small that it doesn't make talking any more difficult.]

I've been telling a lot of people about you.

[personalwar]

[ 76 may not trust Ocelot completely, but he still trusts him a lot more than the likes of the Natha, or Magda. Ocelot has shared a lot more intel with him than he's strictly had to; in their position, there's not much reason to keep those kinds of things from each other.

No, they don't have to like it, but 76 hasn't liked much about their situation lately. If nothing else, at least they're starting to peel back some of the mysteries of this planet, and of the Natha.

At the question, 76 glances over and shakes his head. ]

I doubt it. We now know that refugees have been woken up and sent down onto this planet for way longer than we thought. There has to be something more to it.

[ Which is what he'd guessed from the start, but it isn't always good to be proven right. ]

Not to mention the fact that people are put back into stasis at random. Doesn't add up.

[nineteenfortyfive]

[Most people are of a similar mind, she thinks, but doesn't say.]

Where's home?

[Claire actually knows... nothing about him.]

[pullsheavendown]

[They may have only just met, but Roxas thinks he likes Sam already. Someone who can laugh so easily in a situation like this has to be pretty likable.]

Ehh...not like this, exactly, but I used to travel a lot. You never knew what it was going to be like, so you had to adapt. What about you?

[hedonistic]

[Kagari watches the electricity flow from one arm to the other, all but transfixed. He's very tempted to reach out and touch Thor's arm, but he values his life (kinda) and not being electrocuted, so he doesn't.

It still feels like something out of a dream to be able to see these things, though, to be able to live out the escapist fantasies he'd had back in Japan, when he was someone who had no hope of a real life or future to look forward to.]

If it's not magic, what is it?

prepare your best dumb Axel stories

[pullsheavendown]

[Even if it happened ages ago, Roxas can't imagine it was easy to deal with. The only thing that's helped him not dwell on the worlds he's been to being lost in the storm is the presence of people sleeping in pods, and if she didn't even have that...?]

Yeah, just a couple of days before they sent us down here. I missed the thing with the dragon. [Which he knows was a pretty big thing. He takes her hand, nodding in thanks for the boost.] I'm Roxas.

[expiable]

[ Admittedly, meeting Rumlow in close quarters (with no known exits) had unsettled her. The assumption that she'll best him anywhere, snow or station, isn't one she'll take for granted. HYDRA turned SHIELD into a shambling corpse with rot in every limb. Officers higher-ranking than herself, fellow Level 7's that she worked alongside on countless missions, engineers who designed her tech, and young faces that she passed at the Hub — an irreversible infection, staggering in its comprehensiveness.

All that said, she considers Rumlow a wildcard now. No HYDRA to hail and all. Hard to say what he wants from their little chats, if he wants anything at all, or what he'll do in this alien world. ]

They never left you in the cold at the Academy, huh? [ intoned archly, as if she's suggesting that he had it easy compared to her start at the Red Room. ]

[ The SHIELD Academy of Operations, she means. As a special case, Natasha never trained there, but she has returned for the occasional conference and seminar. Regardless, she imagines HYDRA assessments are more reminiscent of the Widow Programme than any SHIELD Academy. ]

[pullsheavendown]

[That's not so surprising to hear—just being here is a pretty strange start. But this is strange and weird.]

Uh-huh. Just a few days ago, after what happened with the dragon, I guess. I'm Roxas, hi.

[antleredcrown]

"I know, my love." They're both children of summer, having grown up in the South where it was very rarely ever chilly. So Renly fully agrees with this grumpy mood, and shares in it, since it is very cold and very snowy and he does not like this at all.

So he tries to crawl under Loras's blanket with him while stealing a kiss. "At least we can pile on the blankets from the spare bed and sleep snug as kittens together in this one."

[nineteenfortyfive]

[Claire looks over at Bree with no small amount of amusement. It's funny, what can she say?]

Are you only saying that now, and not after the Storm or the dragon that was over yonder? Or, you know, that little stay up in space?

[expiable]

[ seeing thor semi-regularly makes for a new experience, especially when he managed to be mia for the sokovia accords (thank god). the avengers have become newly complicated and fractured, so nat divvies up her time logically, slotting in every gap. she and steve meet when he's ready for their emotional intimacy; she eases into an acquaintanceship with agent carter; she ensures spider-man is equipped for the snow (that he knows he can call natasha, if anything should happen to him); and she gives bucky a wide berth.

for all his frankness and warmth, thor isn't a simple puzzle. her familiar company is welcomed on the station and in the cantina, from the first round to the last. a mutual feeling, honestly.

as they walk, natasha adjusts her gloves, tucking the fabric at her wrist under her sleeves. ]

No, [ a simple answer. she didn't pick up a key at the ice hotel earlier, but she and thor appear to be headed in its direction. the free lodgings are the logical choice, after all. ] but the igloo rooms looked cosy.

[ she sounds lightly amused. a capsule hotel made of ice with wee rooms for two? sure, why not call it cosy? ]

i

[pullsheavendown]

[Oh hey, a walking (well, sitting) talking animal. Been a while since he's been to a world with anyone like that. Roxas makes his way over and crouches, looking interested in whatever the raccoon is doing with.]

Oh yeah? Is this city a lot different from the ones people were in before? Besides being really cold.

[heirworthy]

[ Sandalphon doesn't even bat an eyelash at the cat that just suddenly joined him. far better than any company, he's not going to lie. though after that comment about "scaring the citizens" and sensing a weird vibe towards said cat, he starts wondering if it's his current telepathy buddy.

... nah, it looks too mundane. ]

I have a different ... [ he pauses a bit, considers how he should call it. ] Occupation.

[ a beat as he takes another sip. ]

Does one need to own an establishment to enjoy good coffee?

[hedonistic]

[Well......at least he knows for sure what whiskey looks like, since it's Masaoka's preferred type of alcohol. But also, alcohol is hard to come by in his era due to people being paranoid about their hue getting clouded, so he has 0 idea how anything is supposed to mix.

He's pretty sure mixing all three would be the wrong move though, and this guy might be testing him, so he just -- guesses, and pours the whiskey and gin shots together and leaves the vodka be, for now. Clearly if he postures confidence, it'll look like he meant to do whatever he's done, whether or not it's a disaster.]

[botw]

... I could show you one of mine, if you show me yours.

[ he smiles brightly, cheeks red with sudden excitement as well as flush from the chill. a chance to show off and demonstrate some of the powers that he held while back home, only... he's not sure how effective they'll be.

especially because some of those same champions are alive and awake, here.

taking one of Chuuya's hands, he gives it a tight squeeze. ]

You first.

[botw]

I should be... fine. Helps talking to someone.

[ keeping his brain active is one way to do it, and walking alone certainly didn't help. so with a nervous, shaky chuckle, he pulls himself off of her while taking her hand in his own for balance. ]

Are the other two places like this...?

[torchwoodteaboy]

Ianto sputters slightly in response to John's suggestion, again not really knowing where it's coming from or whether the other man is serious or not. It's, well. It's not like he's never done it in a bathroom they've shared, but is this some sort of commentary on the matter. Is this some sort of commentary on him?

Something in the direction of the bathroom makes the same tone as before and pipes up, Masturbation has been clinically proven to relieve stress and improve self esteem.

Ianto presses his lips tightly together in response to this piece of advice before shooting John a look as if to say, 'this is your fault'.

[tailorable]

[ Shit. He holds the shaker away from their faces, eyeing the white smoke swirling upward. The bartender passes their team without blinking, as if the concoction isn't a threat to the smoke detector, so it's not the end of their mixology careers just yet. ]

Drinks here always have a bit of magic going on, [ said in an uneven tone, rising at the end. ] even if I'm sure what that magic-something is. [ so Bree's bang-on with the "accident" assessment. ] The smoke just means we've got style, yeah?

[impavid]

He squints over at the bathroom, face scrunching up again for a second before he shrugs.

"Probably has a point."

Masturbation probably is good for those things. John, however, is now going to continue unpacking since he cannot do anything about the stupid smart-home voice for now. He's annoyed, but he's also tired and everything aches from travelling through the snow. Honestly, he can tolerate the stupid thing if he can sleep while warm.

[hedonistic]

[When she gestures toward the scene behind him, the flustering finally seems to ease. Betting is always fun, especially when it seems the wager is not necessarily money. Kagari doesn't know the first thing about this sport, but even losing wagers was part of the experience. He's into this whole scene already, and he doesn't even know the rules. Whoops.]

Hell yeah. Count me in.

yes! it has been a long time! c:

[torchwoodteaboy]

Mmm. [Ianto hums softly in agreement.] He's definitely worth looking into. And he definitely believes what he says. The question is whether we should believe him. He's not exactly unbiased. But then again, neither are the Natha.

[He blows out a breath, watching it crystallize in the air in front of him.]

It'd be interesting to know what he has to say, at any rate. To be able to get both sides of the story and think for ourselves for a change.

[torchwoodteaboy]

Well... [Ianto runs a gloved hand through his hair in thought as he considers how to better explain himself.]

I'm not certain he really specified, truth be told. Just that he wanted undamaged parts from this ship, Natha technology. I think... He's of the opinion that he has a chance to take on the dragon himself, if he gets enough parts together. That's the idea of it, anyway.

[Ianto, for what it's worth, isn't certain that he really agrees with the thought. A fact which probably shows on his face as he talks.]

[willrevile]

What, that's the only reason? [ Slightly dry. There's a laundry list of shit that doesn't sit right, for Jim. ] There's no way he isn't listening and watching, getting his own intel on Darma. He's gonna end up having way more to gain from us than she is, in the information department.

[ Whether or not that's a bad thing, Jim has no idea. He could stay quiet and conservative and not engage people, but there's no point; if these locals don't glean what's been going on in the outside world from him, they'll find out from someone else. He might as well learn what he can. ]

He hasn't really told us anything we don't know already. [ A beat. ] Well, those of us who've been here for a bit, anyway. The Natha have a pattern of keeping us in the dark, even when it causes problems.