piper90npcs: (Default)
piper90npcs ([personal profile] piper90npcs) wrote in [community profile] goneawayworld2021-02-08 01:02 pm

Happy Valentine's Day!

Who: Rig workers and New Hires
What: Valentine's Day Events
Where: The Rig
When: Valentine's Day
Warnings/Notes: Violence likely.

A. Cupids aren't as cherubic as they appeared in Renaissance-era artworks. The little bastards float with the bodies of babies, but the huge, flatly reflective grey eyes of a cave-dwelling monster and the teeth of a viperfish when they open their mouths to deliver a hideous, staccato cackle. They flit around in the air in clumsy bursts with all of the grace of a concussed mosquito, only remaining upright half the time, but twice as hard to catch. That doesn't change the pinpoint accuracy of their aim, however, as they open fire with arrows of pyrite.

That's another difference in the myths. They don't target people and make them fall in love. They target lovers, or people with crushes, shoot to wound, and feed. Dozens of them careen drunkenly through the halls of the Rig, searching for people who are a little too obvious about their unspoken desire for affection. When caught, they squall like babies, then try to take a chunk out of their captor with their vicious mouths, opening far wider than a normal baby should be able to manage. Fortunately, they don't seem to be more durable than most babies, though their appearance and cries are enough to put off many Rig workers from a solution more permanent than trapping them in a closet or under a crate.

---


B. "It will be darling," Sharon says, smiling. "Do it." Despite the honeyed words of previous arguments, this time it's backed by steel. She smiles and casually knocks a cherub out of the air with a blast of rock salt, followed by a few vicious, but loving ('It's all about love,' she says. 'Jesus wants it that way.') strokes with the butt of her shotgun. "It's for morale, dear. Management thinks that it will help you all bond and realize that things aren't so bad here. You know, get you involved in some normal activities." She pauses, then whacks the little beast one more time. "...It twitched. Now, shoo. This box has all of the lace and paper you'll need. Even some gluesticks. But, please, be a dear and don't let Mac have too much paste. You know how he gets, bless his heart."

Yes, that's the official stance of Jorgmund. Mac can have a little glue, as a treat. On holidays. And, as promised, everything is there. Glue, pens, sparkly glitter, safety scissors, paper, and a load of candy message hearts, 'for inspiration'. There are even a few examples, addressed to Sam, to show the 'less fortunate' New Hires how to do it.

Of course, given that they're supposed to be doing it in between their regular chores and clearing out cherub corpses, Jorgmund doesn't exactly have high hopes. But an attempt is being made.

---


C. It was wheeled out from the darkest depths of collections. Large. Looming. Non-functional. It was only with much cajoling that they could even get Brainiac 5 to touch the thing, for reasons that become clear as soon as the computer boots up. It proudly proclaims itself to be property of Brainiac 5 and the Legion of Super Heroes, but not one that anyone here has ever been a member of.

They'd probably remember a computer dedicated to kissing, after all.

Yes, one of the public events planned for this year's Valentine's is finding the Perfect Smooching Partner, and Brainiac 5's Love Machine (Demands for rebranding were curtly refused) will help the world find their match... within the Rig, of course. When two people kiss, it tracks technique, passion, and the lighting of the brain's pleasure centers to rate their kiss on a scale of 1-100. Once everyone in a group has kissed at least one other partner, it collates the data collected and rearranges their images onscreen to show their true best match.

Security's already gotten involved and the only reason that the entire event hasn't been shut down is because there's money being passed around on who starts the next fight. Things have already gotten violent more than once and a Security officer's already been sent to Medical for a busted nose.

The New Hires aren't being forced to participate, but there's definitely a few very interested workers lined up, popping some breath mints, and straightening their shirts.

---


D. The banner reads "Speed Work-Appropriate Platonic Friendship/Networking" because, after all, relationships are forbidden by Jorgmund. Nevermind that half the crew is hooking up with each other, workers are expected to be married to the company, and the company is a jealous mistress. That doesn't stop some enterprising individuals from trying to make the most of the situation, as Mr. Sagittarius would undoubtedly cheerfully inform you if he could read these words. But since he can't, you don't have to imagine his smug little grin. Bonus.

Several tables have been laid out in rows, with lonely men and women seated at each one. These include several New Hires. The other side of the table seats include other workers, including several other New Hires, who get up and leave every eight minutes (Or ten posts), moving one seat down. The idea is that they'll take this time to bond with one another, find commonalities, and strike up a lifelong friendship. They've been offered a list of starter questions as possible starters, filled with corporate-approved humor that wouldn't make it into Reader's Digest.

One thing's clear, though. The people that haven't been forced into this, at least the Rig worker side anyway, are honestly extremely lonely people who are desperate for any connection that doesn't come from a plastic smile. After all, there's only about a thousand people on the Rig at any given time and many of them are stuck in jobs deep in the bowels of the machine that offer little chance for socialization. Even the workers that were married, grandfathered in before the harsher fraternization codes were put in place, rarely see their spouses or children aboard due to conflicting schedules.

Every now and then there's a gunshot from the background as someone takes another potshot at a cupid.
myagents: (coy)

Re: D

[personal profile] myagents 2021-02-11 02:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Bad would probably be an understatement. [he remotely hints a self-defeating chuckle] I was told it was going to be worth it, and shouldn't have listened, but if anything here I can see a few of my Agents again, and they are safe and sound despite everything. That is what matters, I suppose...
pain_train: (disapproval)

Re: D

[personal profile] pain_train 2021-02-12 05:35 am (UTC)(link)
Bad orders are never worth it. [ Hindsight is easy, and she knows that, too. But there it is again: my agents. She doesn't like this. ] Glad everyone got out okay, though.
myagents: (sad)

Re: D

[personal profile] myagents 2021-02-12 02:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, they did not get out okay... [He mumbles.] The staff on the Rig took them from a point in time where they were still alive.
pain_train: (i smell the hurfdurf)

Re: D

[personal profile] pain_train 2021-02-13 12:55 am (UTC)(link)
Definitely never worth it. [ She's at a loss for something to even say, which is fairly unsual for her. This whole thing is making her skin crawl, though she's still trying to keep a reasonably happy expresson on. The bell should be ringing soon, right? ] You should probably write the Rig staff a really nice thank you note, then? Or give them Valentines.
myagents: (Default)

Re: D

[personal profile] myagents 2021-02-13 06:10 pm (UTC)(link)
I am considering it.

[Price lies shamelessly, the implication that he should thank the staff for anything when even his enemies would have preferred that he stayed in prison just sounds weak and hypocritical. This woman has already lost point and ventured in the unimpressive category.

He glances to the starter questions, for everyone's good. His dead monotone surely doesn't make the atmosphere more relaxed.]


What is your favourite food?
pain_train: (stare)

Re: D

[personal profile] pain_train 2021-02-15 02:05 am (UTC)(link)
[ She rests her hands carefully flat on the table. Act normal. Act normal.

The problem is, Wrath has never had a poker face of any kind. Her reaction to being frightened is very much fight, not flight, and it's starting to show in her expression, in the increasingly flat affectation of her tone. ]


I really like spicy noodles. What about you?
myagents: (done with your shit)

Re: D

[personal profile] myagents 2021-02-15 02:49 pm (UTC)(link)
[Price, on the other hand, has a great poker face. He didn't meant to frighten her, he wanted to be civilized, but she's judging him now, so he should at least have some fun with her.]

I fancy some fois gras, every now and then.

[If this woman is as pathetic as she looks, she's going to argue about how inhumane fois gras is just to feel something.]
pain_train: (stare)

Re: D

[personal profile] pain_train 2021-02-15 11:21 pm (UTC)(link)
I don't know what that is. [ Food is a relatively safe topic, at least. ]
myagents: (smug)

Re: D

[personal profile] myagents 2021-02-18 01:53 pm (UTC)(link)
It is a French cuisine specialty, not everyone knows it.

[Everyone knows it, he's just being a smug bitch. He smiles with an air of superiority, but is interrupted by the bell.]

Now, if you excuse me, I have to go. I will see you later.

pain_train: (frysquint)

Re: D

[personal profile] pain_train 2021-02-19 06:53 pm (UTC)(link)
I don't think we have that on my planet.

[ She can't tell if he's messing with her, but honestly it's just a relief to have this conversation ended. ]

Yeah. See you later.

[ She hopes not. ]