In reply to Gestalt (msg # 635):

"Mm!" Roger says, closing his eyes and smiling quickly as though he'd just sampled something new and tasty.

"All right, well, lift duty. Catch up with you dudes later. Hit me on comms if you need anything or have a funny joke or something."

He sees himself out.

“Glad you two buried all those hatchets last night,” Billy states with a frown, “Xander do you... or maybe Sophia could mediate... something?” he gestures weakly after Roger, his sympathy for disliking Gestalt conflicting with his desire to be fast and efficient at their current boring duty. “I’m going to have to hire a therapist, aren’t I?” he grumbles.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 637):

Contental breakfast... bug paste... whatever.  Don't care.  If this headache gets any worse I'm worried a Goddess is going to jump out of it.

You probably dont' want me mediating conflict last time I did it we lost half our supplies, one person was in a coma for a week and someone died.  All in all... not a sterling reputation in that field.

She barks a bitter laugh and tears pop in the corner of her eyes as she goes up to the front desk and speaks to the attendant.

Hello, what is your name?  I was wondering if you could help me, our species requires food regularly, is there any place that we could find something to eat now?  Please?
This message was last edited by the player at 14:49, Fri 10 July 2020.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 638):

...

In reply to Basilisk (msg # 639):

Rebecca ascends the ramp to reach the Guest House lobby, where she finds a Joss standing dutifully behind the counter.

"You are ready for food?" they ask. "We can provide. Come with me."

The Joss beckons for Rebecca to follow him outside.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 640):

When he says this she slumps slightly in relief.

Oh thank you so much!  Are you on duty here all day today?

She radio's back to the team.

I'm getting food if any of you are interested.  I fell like I could eat a horse... whole.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:55, Mon 20 July 2020.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 641):

Gestalt, Fu-Chi, and Ibis are fine with their own rations, and Hilda doesn't feel up to eating. The rest of the party can decide for themselves if they're interested in what the Joss consider to be breakfast.

Despite his immediate concerns with Roger going renegade, Billy heaves a sigh and heads after Rebecca to get a taste for the locals.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 643):

Xander and Basil choose to remain behind with the others, leaving Billy and Rebecca alone for their jaunt to the Joss breakfast buffet.

Team Foodstuffs

Billy and Rebecca follow their host across the outer rim of the Wheel, eventually arriving at small building flanked by tables. Like the tavern, these tables are piled high with root vegetables, insects, and other foodstuffs. Beverage containers much like what you saw before can be found, as well.

A line of Joss stretches around the building, representing perhaps a 15-minute wait.

"When you are finished, come back to the Guest House. We should be ready to begin at that point," your guide says, leaving you to the line and returning the way you came.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:46, Fri 24 July 2020.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 644):

She looks at the line, surveying briefly to see if Vepseknusing is there, ultimately groaning quietly and gently headbutts Billy's chest.

Soooo Hungry.  Seems like the Joss really love their lines don't they?

How was your night?  Other than tracking down dumbass Gestalt and dumber ass me?

Do you have any plans for today or are we just going to wing it?

She puts on as much charm as she can and weakly smiles up at him.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:22, Mon 27 July 2020.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 645):

Basilisk studies the offered foods, but does not partake.

In reply to Basilisk (msg # 646):

Team Foodstuffs

Rebecca, Billy, and Basil wait patiently in line until their turn to get to the tables. Once there, they are able to take their fill of whatever looks good to them. There are piles of dry tubers, segmented insects, and spongy cakes laden with mushrooms that glow slightly in the morning light.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 647):

Nightmare tries each item on the table before putting some on her plate.  When she tries the cakes she chews for a moment, then her face brightens and she grabs several... nearly as many as the Joss behind her.  She surveys the crowd for Vepseknusing and if she can't find them then she'll hunker down at a table with space for the party.

Between bites...

I don't know if its just how hungry I am... or if this is actually really good....

Billy groans quietly as the group is forced to queue with no obvious way to circumvent it like last time.  "We're gonna see what the Joss do and figure out what we can actually do for them.  Can't really plan if I don't know what coming anyway," Billy replies to Rebecca's question.  Once they arrive at the buffet Billy takes a little bit of everything and samples the alien cuisine, just hoping none of it demands to leave his tract once consumes.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 649):

She nods sagely.  After a moment of chewing...

Do I owe you guys an apology for being an idiot.  I'm uncertain of protocol where drinking is involved.

"What?  No.  I mean, you don't owe me an apology.  God knows I've done worse under the influence.  And it's not like you caused any trouble.  Gestalt's incredibly flawed idea of being helpful and Roger's well-nursed grudge are a bigger issue than your ability to hold your liquor," Billy replies to Rebecca as he nibbles the curious examples of food on offer.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 651):

She stops shoveling food in her mouth long enough to look relieved.  Then gets back to eating heartily.

I'm sure this comes as no surprise to you... that was the first time I've ever done anything like that.  Anything that could be even remotely considered, 'bad'.  I mean I even had a little mini-meltdown after I did my hair.  I mean its not like we had a lot of leeway to express ourselves in the program.  Sometimes, the sheer amount of choices I have now overwhelm and scare me.

She looks up at him with puppy dog eyes for a minute.

I mean there are no grades... no objective scores for life.  I know I've done some things poorly, there's more blood on my hands than for most people.  I hope I'm doing what's right.  How do you know?  You're always so confident...

"You gotta score yourself," Billy explains, "If you let other people define success then maybe you accomplish it, and maybe you don't but you're just chasing their ideas of greatness.  You're just doing what they want.  If you decide your own scoring system then you don't have to worry about letting down expectations that were never properly explained, of disappointing people you frankly never cared about in the first place just because someone else decided they were important.  You set your own goals and the only person you have to live with disappointing is yourself, every expectation you have to live up to you put there yourself.  Anyone who tries to hold you to anything else is automatically full of shit, so fuck 'em."  Billy shrugs, "I know what I want and I'm going to get it.  I guess you call that confidence."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 653):

...just because there's no score, and nothing matters in the end, doesn't mean nothing matters NOW...

In reply to Basilisk (msg # 654):

She nods along with Billy thoughtfully.  She has that childlike knowledgesponge thing going on.  She chews thoughtfully for a moment at Basil's addition.  Then pulls her legs up sitting cross legged on her chair, and muses to herself, her hair gets that spinning property it does when her mind is in overdrive.

One self contained system, epitomizing confirmational bias, but resulting in extreme confidence...

One system that is the complete and literal opposite epitomizing Nihilism, resulting in aloofness....

She perks up after a moment of reflection looking each participant directly in the eye as she addresses them

Billy... would you say you are happy?

Basil, how do you determine a course of action.  You are correct if a large enough scale is taken, then nothing we do matters.  However, if a small enough scale is taken everything we do matters... Your looking through a telescope trying to find bacteria.  So how do you determine what to do in any given moment.  If things matter now, then by what ethos do you guide your actions?
This message was last edited by the player at 15:14, Tue 04 Aug 2020.

"I'm eating bugs and...I don't actually know what this is," he holds up a piece of a cake-like offering from his plate, "Two members of my very small team are nearly at each other's throats and I stranded myself on an alien planet.  I would probably go with stressed and annoyed before happy, in this particular moment."

Billy sighs as he munches on his unidentified bite before continuing, "But honestly, I'm literally surrounded by aliens, in the middle of establishing diplomatic relations, and so far so good at it.  I'm doing exactly what I wanted to, and it's pretty satisfying if I ignore the bullshit.  And the weird primitive socialist...hard opposite of a meritocracy. I was really hoping for some alien spaceships on our first contact, weird technology we'd never dreamed of kinda thing," he shrugs dismissively.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 656):

She smiles ruefully at the mention of Gestalt and Roger.

Wish I could help you there, but interpersonal relationships are my achilles heel.  Roger is so sweet and caring but man don't piss him off.  I mean on the way here I took some classes in corporate team building... but none of them have prepared me for that.  I don't think passing an egg to each other using nothing but a spoon is going to patch over that relationship.

She rolls her eyes then looks down at her lap and a small mischevious grin crosses her face while she looks sidelong at Billy.

Also on the way here... I stalked your archive profile... I admit that I knew of what you had done but never actually watched any of it.  Some of it is pretty funny.  I mean you are totally different now than you were when we first met you.  You are now arrow focused whereas before you were adrift in your own hedonistic tendencies.  Did that transition come around because of us?  Circumstances?  Or something else? 

/ooc: I'm perfectly happy to keep up the talking while Aaron is dealing with stuff.  Nightmare is doing some exploration right now, and this is formative for her.  But no need to keep up the plot.  Would love to have Basil weigh in on his thoughts, but we can do that while walking

"What? Nah, come on.  I haven't changed that much.  It's like I said, you set your own expectations.  I've always gone after what I wanted.  Sometimes what I wanted was to drive a monster truck into a bulldozer, sometimes it was to put a laser in my hand.  Now it's to meet aliens.  If you think this is different or better or something, that's on you."  Billy meets her sidelong glance and gives a wink, "I'm not living up to other people's expectations."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:25, Tue 04 Aug 2020.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 658):

Basilisk twists his helmet toward Nightmare.

Exactly.  The error comes from assuming you can control the scale of decisions you get to make.  There is a harmony in doing the right thing at the right scale, but to assume it will bring you guaranteed happiness, or that you can control the outcome, is folly.

Basilisk sits back against the wall.  He gestures toward Billy.

I will also have to admit a disconnect in my perception of you now as opposed to your vids.

What that disconnect might be, Basil does not elaborate.

In reply to Basilisk (msg # 659):

When Billy protests his differences she opens her mouth to protest

But...

Then she catches the look on his face and shuts her mouth

Of course... silly me.

She looks down in her lap with small smile on her face.  When Basil chimes in she does bark a small laugh.

Guaranteed happiness, theres a thing.  I have found that happiness is generally fleeting at best... then again I have my own issues I've been working through.

I'm not certain that happiness is even the goal in itself is it?  Its a consequence of the actions you take along the way... I think.  I mean I'm not super familiar with the concept.

Of course you can control the outcome... if you look at it at the right scale.  I mean there is a cold comfort in the idea of not controlling the outcome, but once again you get to the idea of as scale approaches infinite control approaches zero. 

She chews for a moment on a cake and waves it dismissively

Here I am getting all existential after a single night of drinking... Is that normal?