Piers and the Wolf (Bougene Station ATU)

[Grav_Moped]

It’s going well at the first break – they’re getting the hang of it, and looking organized. Makes a girl feel useful. Piers is entirely too helpful this evening – I could have dealt with Ndeen myself. Anyhow, he handled it well enough.

I’ll credit him for defusing the situation of Feri John claiming that the Bilandin Shuffle was actually some Spinward-Rustic dance from Feri, though. Quick work with his datapad’s video app showed they were both six-step dances over a 4-4 time signature, and both were Solmani-derived. Didn’t push the issue, made a cross-fade mix of the two pieces, and got full buy-in from him – didn’t expect that!

But Piers is still talking too fast and too much. Maybe he can’t take that much Teecy? Maybe I’ve just built up a tolerance though… I shake my head. Nah, I’m good. Oops, flipped my left ear back on that one, feels naked kinda – play it cool, head down and shake again – back in place, like I meant to do that. Wonder if Piers caught it… not that he’d know what it meant. Heh. Heck, even typical Vargr with their prick ears don’t understand ear modesty.

They’ve finished their refreshing – mostly sports drinks, a few cocktails and a beer or two – and are getting restive. Time to bring in the clapping and gestures! “Ok everyone, do I have your attention?” Looks like I do, so I go on. “Now we’re ready to put it all together. Remember, point on the one and three, clap on the two and four. Here we go…’’ The backing vocalists coo, then whisper sotto voce over the strings, and finally the horns and percussion sweep in -- and we’re off again. Step, turn, step-step turn, step...

They’ve got this. I’m good.

Piers takes my paw, I do a spin, then we slide across the lounge as the rest dance in their sharp formation.

Yeah, I'm good.

 

[Grav_Moped]

Just a quick set of links to consolidate the narrative for those who want to skip most of the interstitial discussion.
First set (Page 1, copied from the top of Page 2)

#1 Piers and the Wolf (character introductions, backstory in dialogue, and where I got the framing for it).
#2 Veronica's Backstory
#6 Steward walks in -- drink orders and fresh fruit.
#7 Boughene Station is the place for dancing and parties -- who knew?
#13 Piers's family. And maybe more than you wanted to know about Menorb/Regina.
#16 And it starts to get awkward. Plus gratuitous lyrics insert!
#17 The Look, and Veronica's little brother.
#20 Veronica and her mom each take a level in badass. And we finally find out why she was flying solo.

New Stuff: (from Page 2 of this thread)
#23: Language Difficulty
#25: Pulling herself together
#32: Jump Rituals
#33: (Continuation)
#36: Captain's Table
#37: The Real Story
#39: You should feel what I'm feeling, you should take what I'm taking. *
#40: No Parking on the Dance Floor
and the top of page 3 (that is, the post preceding this one...)
#41: I think they've got it!

----------------------------
* from "Star Guitar" by the Chemical Brothers. It's pretty much the entirety of that song's lyrics... (YT link)

 

[Grav_Moped]

Veronica:

I slide the door to my room open; there's Piers right there. “Hello, Lover,” I greet him breathily, grinning. He’s so cute when he’s flustered.

He comes back with “My little savory pie!” and now I’m a little embarrassed -- he knows what I like to hear… Such fun to play with! Wish he’d grow a beard so I can imagine he’s Irilitok… that’d be wild.

“Irilitok?” he asks. “Don’t all the rest of Vargr hold them in contempt because humans conquered them and bred them into looking ‘cute’ and ‘human-like’?”

“Well, yes -- but they’re the only Vargr that humans can really ever look like. Gets you over the uncanny valley at lea--

It hits me. “Wait. I didn’t say anything about Irilitok out loud. Get out of my mind, you damned hypocrite! All this time acting scared I’ll mess with your mind and you just walk into mine like it's nothing!”

“What? I’m not the one with the psychic powers! And what did you just do with your aura? It’s gone.”

“No psionics, my fluffy tail! If I’d sent that to you, you’d know. I can’t do subtlety!” I pause. “Hey, you can see auras? There you go -- it’s you.”

“I never saw them, before – just since that pill you gave me. What the hellworld was in it?”

“What did you think was in it -- candy?”

He recites: “Teecy contains a stimulant and a psychedelic. Generally safe, with low addiction risk. Wears off in less than eight hours.”

I correct him. “Close. But not a psychadelic -- a psi booster. Without training, the effects look like hallucinations. Probably leveled you up to where you’d notice.”

Piers‘s jaw drops; he staggers backwards. “No. Not me. I don’t --”

“You did. I can show you what my Blind Words feel like if you want. You’ll know the difference.”

“Sure,” he shrugs, “It’s not like I can stop you.”

“Look, Piers – I owe you my life. You at least deserve the right to tell me ‘no’.”

“All right, I see where you’re coming from. Yes, go ahead – but only as little as possible, ok?”

“Won’t be much. I keep telling you I'm not very good at it, and you still don’t believe me. Here goes…”

“Hey, there’s your aura again! Less red than I expected. And it’s sliding off you…” He sounds worried. "How’d you do that – are you ok?”

“Most people can reach out to speak with only a thread. I need to come all the way out of my body to do it,” I explain, and then I’m there with him. “Hello.”

“Er… hello Veronica,” he thinks back to me. “You’re right, and I’m sorry I accused you.” He makes an association with pelican stew that I don’t understand, so I pounce on the concept and follow it down and in. He’s remembering a story puzzle, that goes like this:

A scrawny sailor – the waterborne type, somewhere that all they have are wind-powered ships – visits a restaurant and orders pelican stew (it’s a Terran sea-bird) . He tells the waiter that he’d been stranded, becalmed at sea, for months. Their food ran out and some of the men starved to death, then the cook started making pelican stew that sustained them until they were rescued. Even though it was quite tasty, some of the men refused to eat it, and they too starved to death. And now he’s finally found a place that serves it.

The stew arrives. The sailor takes a single bite, stands up and walks out the door. A gunshot rings out – he’s killed himself. But why?

The answer of course is that the meat in the ship’s cook’s stew wasn’t from pelicans, and the sailor couldn’t live with the realization he was a cannibal.

Oh, I think. Piers now knows he’s a psionic. Like me, and like my family, and like my people. But not his people. His people fear and hate us.

“Roni,” he says, “I’ve got a lot to think over. I need some time to myself right now.”

“Piers, I can’t know what you’re going through -- well, I could, but it would be intrusive and it probably wouldn’t help anyhow.” That elicits a wan smile from him. “Just know that I’m here for you, and if there’s anything I can do, just ask.”

“Thanks,” he replies. “See you in the morning?”

“Of course.” Good sign, I think from within my Blind Center so he can’t eavesdrop. Forward-thinking – means he’s not likely planning self-harm. We embrace at arms length; I ask in parting, “Are you sure you’re going to be ok?”

“Pretty sure. Thanks.” He leans in and we hug for ages. He then backs away, turns, and leaves quietly.

----------------
Writer's note:
[EDIT: Moved the new Goldfrapp video to the end of the next post since it is a better fit there. But it did break my writer's block for these two posts!]

 

[Grav_Moped]

Piers:

What the hellworld am I now? I wonder, staring at the underside of the upper bunk. I’m reading minds like a Zhodani overlord without even trying. But that’s all I’ve got if I don’t go looking for training. Maybe it’s just the pill after all, not me, and it’ll go away.

What if it’s not, though? If I can’t hide it, losing the offered Detached Duty ship is going to be the least of my worries. If it comes to that, I might have to learn to be psionic to escape with my life!

But where can I learn that? Maybe Veronica knows – but can I really trust her?

Trust her? Well, maybe better me trusting her than the other way around. She stayed out of my mind when she said she would, and I didn’t stay out of hers. It was an accident – but I might have done that to anyone with nothing to stop me. Anyone.

I’m not some kind of space wizard. I’m not. But it was just so easy…

I sit up a little and shake my head. Won’t get anything productive decided tonight – may as well sleep on it. I lie back and try to relax in the darkness behind my closed eyes, and the not-quite silence of the ventilation system.

And I’m satisfied with the SWR reading off the jump field antenna grid. On to the next station on the checklist.

And I deserve that chick taking middle passage. She’s hot enough, and Kathy and the children won’t find out. Screw them – a man has needs.

And I'm thinking the guy from Feri dances pretty well, but he is obviously not wearing his wedding ring – there’s a mark. I mean, it’s a week-long trip so maybe? But he’s so smug I couldn't stand him up close. Those wolves and the dance instructor have self-confidence without the smugness – that’s how you do it.

And Deenie looks so beautiful when her ears drop like that, from eager to relaxed, and her eyes go all soft. I couldn’t want her more even if it were her time of the month…

And it’s wonderful to be in Rell’s arms again. He wants me like I want him now and…

And I’m worrying about Piers. He really shouldn’t be – OH GRANDFATHER, NO! He’s losing himself! “PIERS!’ my mind shouts. “Piers, I need your door code!” I launch myself through the bulkhead between us, my body stumbling out the door behind me and down the corridor.

3827, but it’s an out of range input for the jump vang reluctor preload setting. I shake my head and look for the right value.

And Veronica’s purple ghost pounces through the wall, landing on top of me. “Piers,” she inistently tells me , “You’re in there. It’s going to be all right.” It’s just me and her now, I hope.

And I close the door behind me and stagger over to my projected self; we merge.

And I’m staring up into Roni’s wonderfully mismatched eyes, and she’s repeating that it’s going to be all right, she’s here, I’m here, stay calm, just focus on her.

I’m not the ship’s engineer.

I’m not John.

I’m not Sarah.

I’m not D’rell.

I’m not Ndeen.

I’m not Veronica. She’s right here! Why aren’t I Veronica?

She has a boundary, and she’s let me in a little, but I’m not her and she’s not me.

She’s beautiful.

I think she just saved my sanity.

“It’s going to be all right,” she repeats yet again. “We just have to ride out the dosage, and you’ll be back to normal. Stay with me.”

“What if I’m not?” I ask, on the edge of terror. “What if I’m broken and stuck this way? If this is permanent, I’ll lose my mind – again. I can’t take this again!”

“Then,” she replies warmly, ‘I guess I’ll just have to hold you until we get there. We’ll buy you a shield helmet and get you professional help. We’ll get through this. It’s going to be all right. Everything’s going to be all right.”

In this moment, I believe her.

And the next, and the next, and the timeless ones to follow.

Of course she was right.


----------------------------------
Writer's note:
.... and, scene!

Edit: Brought this down from the previous post, since it belongs here.
New from Alison Goldfrapp (dropped a week ago) "Strange Things Happen".
Consider it the fade-out music for this scene.

 

[The Pakkrat]

An interesting approach to a psionic Awakening by proximity to another active Operator. The Referee leans in close to the player, and as a voice inside the Traveller's head says, I think I might be psionic. Or something similar. But Awakenings from being around too much or too numerous psionics does tend to open the minds of any witnesses.

 

[bookwyrm]

@Grav_Moped #43: When I read 'The Stew Arrives', I knew he was going to be disappointed. The rest was a sad verification.
#44: Goosebumps x 1000! (I used 'Sad Emoji' because of all the pain & confusion Piers is dealing with. Even I'M feeling miserable, so great writing!)

@The Pakkrat #45: That watered down club party psi drug had a lot to do with it in this instance, but I agree with your thinking being possible.

 

[Grav_Moped]

An interesting approach to a psionic Awakening by proximity to another active Operator. The Referee leans in close to the player, and as a voice inside the Traveller's head says, I think I might be psionic. Or something similar. But Awakenings from being around too much or too numerous psionics does tend to open the minds of any witnesses.

My idea here was that he'd gotten an unexpected overdose of "Space Ecstacy" (the real-world stuff has much the same effects, except for the psychic powers part). The Traveller version is a much-diluted combination of Telepathy-enhancer and Combat Drug (hence, "TC/Teecy" in place of "XTC/Ecstacy"). Piers got a dose strong enough that he involuntarily succeeded at "Read Surface Thoughts" and "Send Thoughts" many times over -- despite a complete lack of skill. The identity confusion was the "'unskilled use' penalty" kicking in....

That watered down club party psi drug had a lot to do with it in this instance, but I agree with your thinking being possible.

Exactly. You posted while I was editing.

 

[Grav_Moped]

And, again, thank you both for following along and for the feedback.

Still a bit more to come, too!

 

[Grav_Moped]

But Awakenings from being around too much or too numerous psionics does tend to open the minds of any witnesses.

An early draft of the "hypocrite!" confrontation had them in the ship's forward lounge and needing to keep from being overheard while wanting to yell at each other...

Edit: then I had the "look like a Irilitok" idea and went that way instead.

 

[Grav_Moped]

And one bit of "fridge brilliance" to share now that I've explained "Teecy" so it's not a spoiler:

Does anyone remember the cache of Psi and Combat Drugs left behind on the Albatross in my old Play-by-Post, which was the reason for it getting stolen (then shot up so the PCs ended up with a Type T)?

Yeah. That stash was enough ingredients to get everybody at the Gravitic Daisy Carnival totally happy for days.

Better yet, I had no idea at the time that I'd write up Boughene Station as hosting massive rave festivals!

 

[Grav_Moped]

Veronica:

“The message he handed me,” Piers says, smiling, “was from the Robot Unicorn – the Scout Service alias of the Duck Duck Gone. They’re just passing us inbound; jumped out of Feri a few hours after we did but Boughene’s jump limit is way out there and they’ve got hot maneuver engines, so they caught up. Captain Ikandi held the message until we were under the Station’s guns, because the Unicorn is not only half the size of the Duck, it was struck from the Imperial Register a year ago. Got suspicious.”

“Really?” I ask. “Bet he was also worried that the last time we were on that ship, we stole it.”

“Salvage – fair and square,” he declares. “But yeah Veronica, that too.”
“What did they have to say?” My tail’s twitching.

“They said that when we get to the Station, I need to go to the Scout Base offices by Imperial House and sign for the Robot Unicorn. Also, the crew will need a lift back to Feri.”

The twitch opens up to a vigorous wag; I bounce in place. “You got it! You got your ship – and it’s the Duck!”

“Yep. I’d love to have you as crew – but I know how much you want a ship of your own, and you’ve got the down payment for it. And, again, what you did for me the other night makes us even on the ‘saving each others’ life” thing.”

Well, there went the wagging – it’s dragging, and I slump down. “You keep telling me that. It doesn’t work that way for me, Piers. It feels like you don’t want me.”

“If it’s going to cost you your dreams, no, I don’t want you,” he says.

He knows, and still… No. No. No. Don’t whimper – I can’t cry here. Shove it down. In. Gone. Head up, tail up, pretend it’s ok.

“But I still need you,” he continues. “I just can’t say it; I need you to be happy, more than I need you with me.” He sighs. “Guess I did say it after all. I need you, Roni. I’m sorry.”

What.

Still holding it together, can’t hope – hope is the thing that kills. “It’s ok, Piers -- I need you too,” I tell him cautiously. “Can you understand that? That there’s nothing to apologize for?”

“I can’t let your choices be driven by my convenience,” he says, looking exasperated. “You deserve to be happy!”

“You don’t understand it then. You don’t know how difficult it is for me to confess that I need anyone. And it’s not about your convenience -- it’s about who you are.”

He challenges that. “Charisma? But I don’t have it.”

“Actually you do, but you’re right – it doesn’t cross over well. Most humans just think it’s the ears and tail, but there’s so much more: facial expression, head angle, fur, shoulders – yours can’t float – posture, legs – you have fewer joints, and yes of course the ears and the tail. When I look to humans I can see how they’re projecting their self-image, but it’s only,” I tap my head, “up here. Not here,” I continue, paw over heart, “where it matters.”

“So it’s like love, then.”

“It is, and it isn’t. You can understand charisma -- everyone agrees who’s got it, and why,” I explain. “On the other paw, love is personal, and you can’t always explain it. It doesn’t need to lead or be led. But yes, they both reach the heart in ways the mind can’t understand. Scientists call it instinct, but I don’t worry about that – I just feel, and that’s enough. No point in trying to figure it out – can’t fight it anyhow...”

“Are --” he stammers in what looks like disbelief, “are you in love with me?”

“Piers. Please,” I beg, “please don’t make me say it first. If you don’t --” Now I’ve just totally lost it – a pathetic whimpering puppy, hanging on for dear life. His next words will kill me, and I’m a fool for letting it come to this.

He swallows. His eyes hold anxiety. I can’t take this! With a deep breath, he starts. “Oh, Roni, Roni – I’ve loved you since I first saw you, but I couldn’t understand it then. I do now. That’s why I need you.”

My jaw hits the floor, maybe not metaphorically? I. I. He just. We. Yes! Help…?

His anxiety becomes fear. “Roni? Roni, are you ok?”

Can’t speak, can’t not speak – his eyes are so big and green and scared… for me? Scared for me? “Yes, I’m ok,” I pant. “I’m fine. I love you too. Everything’s fine. Everything’s wonderful!” Incoherent but it’s words and we need words right now. “It was gratitude then I fell in love. I love you and you love me and everything’s all right.” No fear in his eyes now, just fascination. We stare, and we fall together and we whisper each other’s names, over and over.

Something slips and part of me is part of him and we’re together and I grab hold of reality so we don’t lose ourselves. So close, so comfortable – and noise. Noise?

Clapping, cheering – applause. We’re still in the forward lounge, and the passengers are cheering us on. Oh no. Oh no. Humiliation! Can we just hide under that table and die in peace?

“Roni, it’s ok. I can get us out of this.” I have to believe Piers. “What are we?” he asks in a whisper, and I know where he’s going with this, and it’ll work. “Together on three.” A very quiet three-count and...

“Newlyweds!” we shout. [Author Note: if you don't remember this, then click the link and read that post. Thanks!]

D’rrell and Ndeen hear that punchline and fall out laughing; everyone else does a sort of puzzled-Vargr head tilt before catching their contagious laughter. Except for the lady Marine, who just stands there in stunned disbelief. I bet I could learn something about human nature if I could figure out why.

I hold Piers close, and, smiling, wave to the room. “Thank you, thank you. A round for everyone, on me!” I pull a stack of hundred-credit notes from my purse for the bartender – anything left over after the non-comped drinks, he deserves to keep.

A step back, and a beckoning gesture to Piers. “While we’re waiting for the drinks, shall we dance?”

He comes closer again. “But of course! Entertainment system, play standard space station proximity notification, sixty-five percent volume.”

And we dance on into the night, together -- or at least until we disembark.


Image credit (and many thanks!): @The Pakkrat

Imperial Standard Space Station Proximity Notification:

 

[Grav_Moped]

I think I've covered everything I wanted to cover in this narrative, with one exception. (Objectives list in post #24)

That exception, of course, is the starship duck plans.

Again, thanks to everyone who's followed along; I've called on more patience from you than I'd have liked.

I really enjoyed writing it, and appreciated the feedback and advice along the way.

 

[The Pakkrat]

Your writing style makes me regret not joining the Day In The Life pbp. While I'm more a play-by-chat, VTT, or in-person player, Zazues might have been an interesting take of the Penitents branch of the Church Of The Chosen Ones, (yes it's all capitalized) into your ATU. I might have been motivated to illustrate too. But right now, I'm busy with this solo-play MegaTraveller campaign set in Meshan Sector, right on the border between Humaniti and Urzaeng space though deep into the Vargr Extents. I enjoyed your prompts-to-text take. Keep up the good work.

 

[Grav_Moped]

I would have liked to see your take on Chief Doen. I mean, on paper he should have been almost un-playable: A Vargr rolled up with CHA as the dump stat! Definitionally incapable of taking his own side in an argument, but for religious reasons. So how could he keep the religion, when any passerby could simply talk him out of it? Of course I compounded it by putting him in a position of authority, working on equipment that should have given him a CHA boost just by association -- one that he couldn't accept!

My answer to that (once I figured out what was going on there) was that texts and authorities have their own CHA values, and to get Zaz to deviate from them you'd have to "outcompete" those authorities first. And though he'd never tell anyone to do something based on his personal say-so, he could tell them that they had to do it because the technical manual said it was necessary, or it was something the captain wanted done. Finding errata in a technical manual (and he had high enough skill to make that plausible...) could provoke a crisis of conscience!

 

[Grav_Moped]

@The Pakkrat
And I've borrowed your approach somewhat -- to use a character or scenario to explore the implications of a settng detail or rule. How does Vargr society handle Guest clones, or Relict clones, or personality wafer puppets; how would a team of various Vargr approach the blasted zone in the wake of The Wave, and so forth. It's a very useful writing tool.

And one last thing: Again, thank you for creating that art piece -- it's quite impressive, and definitely in your style. It was a challenge to place it in the narrative, since it was explicitly set within visual range of Boughene Station on final approach, and required Veronica to be making a beckoning gesture at that point in time. I think I managed to make it work... thanks!

 

[Grav_Moped]

Where to, next, for the happy couple? Well, they're about to get dropped off at Boughene Station, so I could bounce them off of some of the residents I've created there, or off the furniture: nightclubs and stores and the cargo trading floors, and so on. But I already have an NPC Human-Vargr couple -- Gary and Luna -- there I could use.

And they're right next door (Jump-1 away) to Piers' homeworld of Menorb. He could bring her home to meet his parents... with all the inevitable embarrassment that'd create...

"We kind of guessed you were a xenophile when you took that fox, Masie, to your high school prom. She was a good girl -- whatever happened to her?"

"Mom, she got back together with her ex a few weeks later. He was a letterman on the tennis team."

"Oh. Right. Still, we figured you'd settle down with a respectable local wolf, not some fancy lady from a few sectors away. But the heart wants what it wants...

"So, when are you two going to give me grandpuppies to spoil?

"MOM!"

"Yes, I know -- you'll need surrogates or whatever. It's just that I love babies! I'd be ok with just one -- is that too much to ask?"

 

[Grav_Moped]

^^^^^

Yes, I'm soliciting suggestions.


EDIT: for the characters in general, not necessarily the "Meet the Parents" scenario. And basically, that's mostly just there to set up the "grandpuppies" bit anyhow...

 

[The Pakkrat]

Runetha Saetedz - Traveller

wiki.travellerrpg.com

Have the couple visit the temple on Menorb, tour the site, get Veronica vaccinated, see the sights. I've had a few characters visit Menorb. Vond and Sazz visited Menorb on their way to Aek Elakfough <black cauldron>. Zhevra Cannagrrh visted Menorb on her escape from Regency.

 

[Grav_Moped]

Runetha Saetedz - Traveller

wiki.travellerrpg.com

Have the couple visit the temple on Menorb, tour the site, get Veronica vaccinated, see the sights. I've had a few characters visit Menorb. Vond and Sazz visited Menorb on their way to Aek Elakfough <black cauldron>. Zhevra Cannagrrh visted Menorb on her escape from Regency.

Roni and Piers would be a good set of tourist viewpoint characters for the place. She's not a local so it'd all be new to her; he is a local, but an outsider (favorably-disposed, but still an outsider) to the Vargr culture on his own homeworld.

The wiki has much better information on Menorb/Regina than the library data from the big MgT scenario set in that region (which also seriously mischaracterizes Boughene/Regina -- even the OTU version of it*).

Again, not knocking it one bit. Well-written even if if they missed some canon details (or intentionally wrote their own), and definitely worth what they're asking for it. It's just that in my ATU I'd have to run it as a one-shot because the resolution of that scenario has very, very significant effects on the TU (as you'd expect), so none of it -- at least the hooks into that scenario are present in my ATU.



--------------------
* It's like the writers couldn't wrap their heads around the idea of a space station big enough for 100,000 people (minimum from the UWP), let alone 600,000 (TravellerWorlds value), so they just ignored that bit. Admittedly, they have a narrative purpose for making the place seem boring -- but it doesn't even approximate the Wiki entry. OTOH, my ATU version is actually pretty close, except for accidentally dragging Komesh into a close orbit around the star so Bougene could be its moon. (Oopsie.)

 

[bookwyrm]

^^^^^

Yes, I'm soliciting suggestions.


EDIT: for the characters in general, not necessarily the "Meet the Parents" scenario. And basically, that's mostly just there to set up the "grandpuppies" bit anyhow...

Learning about & fitting into each others culture without losing self identity.

Making new friends 'It's good to see you again!'

Making new enemies 'A couple like THIS shouldn't exist!' (in a hissing voice, maybe?)

Embarrassing situations.

Amusing moments.

New opportunities opening up while others are closed down as a 'Couple'.

Maybe start a 'mixed/blended' family of 1-2 each of Human/Vargr children, with Mom watching over them when they need to 'Travell' for whatever reason.