libraryassistants: (Default)
Unfinished Library Mod & NPC Account ([personal profile] libraryassistants) wrote in [community profile] unfinishedlibrary2025-11-28 06:38 pm

I'm not saying that it's aliens - TAKE A LOAD OFF, LOG 2

Who: Readers and Actors
What: Beta Story final log
When: November 28 - December 11
Where: Woodhurst (UK) and the SS Radiance (in space!), 2019
Content warnings: Please tag warnings in comment headers!

In Woodhurst:

There is quite a bit of confusion in the village as the weeks pass by- by now it is clear that some people are very much not themselves, and there are multiple theories as to why. Aliens, obviously- the really weird bit is that it’s not just certain edgy teens purporting this theory, but since there’s been some (alleged) activity previously, maybe they’ve come back! Some tourists (and perhaps some locals) have made signs of the ‘Take me with you!’ variety, mostly loitering in the town square or in the park, whenever they get chased out of one or the other.

Suffice it to say, those people aren’t being taken seriously by those in charge- though even they have to admit that something strange is going on. Prevailing theories amongst officials are ‘gas leakage’ and ‘water contamination,’ neither of which are suitable explanations but no one seems to want to think too hard on it. As a result, the friends and families of those acting out of sorts are in a strange position. Do they try to seek medical help? Wait and hope it sorts itself out? Or do they join the crowds bidding welcome to their potential alien guests, demanding their real loved ones return?

Visitors of all stripes might find themselves a bit more scrutinized, as a result. Didn’t a bunch of weird people show up just as people seemed to start changing? Readers and aliens alike had best be on their most normal behavior, or it’s possible they’ll get cornered by someone asking what’s happening, or… a fanatic who wants to be taken up into their spaceship. Some of whom have some weird questions about probes. Good luck figuring out what that’s about.

On the IMW Group Supply Ship: Radiance

Things are not all well further up in the atmosphere, either. The staff have had to deal with much more pushback than they were expecting, including some people who seemed to not enough understand the concept of mental health (which was not in the briefing- shouldn’t they have at least heard of it before?). A few cases also seem to be quite severe, involving a level of intervention that they weren’t really prepared for- but of course, they’re here, so they’re going to do the very best they can to get all the humans the help they need! Hopefully legally.

Most alarmingly, however, it seems there have been some kidnapping attempts! …Kidnapping attempts that didn’t involve them! Someone, or multiple someones, have managed to get the patients off the ship without first filling out their discharge paperwork, and that simply will not do. As a result, security is ramped up on the ship… sort of. There’s very little in the way of a security crew, after all, and it’s not like they can call in reinforcements. So mostly this means that there are some very tired counselors who have been put on hallway shifts, and everyone has been assigned a little name badge that they MUST wear at ALL TIMES.

(There are actual people guarding the shuttles now, but again… there’s only so much security. The real question is, do you really want to beat up the aliens who are just trying to help?)

To their credit, the various Group members are trying to listen to the concerns of the patients who are here… less than willingly, and are beginning to filter some cases back to the planet by request. But they are going to do it properly, which means the proper forms. A wrap up visit with their counselor, a form agreeing to be finished with treatment, a politely worded request to maybe not tell people about the aliens (it’s not an NDA, because the Group has never needed those, it’s really just a form asking if they’re going to talk about it so management can figure out how badly this is going to go). Oh, and would you mind filling out this survey about your experience?

Of course, not everyone is in a hurry to leave- or at least needs something to do while waiting for bits of paperwork to approve. All the regular classes and sessions are still going, and they even retrofitted one of the spas to have water instead of… whatever it was before. Now certified safe for humans!


[Information on what's available on the ship is in the first log; info post is here.]
shelloflight: (determined)

[personal profile] shelloflight 2025-11-29 05:11 am (UTC)(link)
"Oh they're absolute idiots about anything not having to do with shrinking heads, and terribly brave besides," Mitch says, the latter euphemism meaning fucking idiotic. "All this trouble because they didn't have the sense to go 'hey guys, if you shut up about us we'll hook you up with free services.' But I won't hold that against Min'a."

Mitch shakes her head, clapping Charles on the back when she does in a curious way.

"I - fuck it, you've trusted me for as long as I've earned it, and this won't change that. I figured out the problem. My parents wanted a girl. They got me instead."

Let that sink in.
hellandbackpack: (pic#18117446)

[personal profile] hellandbackpack 2025-11-29 06:19 am (UTC)(link)
Charles is well aware what she means by terribly brave, because there's been a time or two that she's said as much to him in that fond, exasperated way in place of shaking him until some common sense activated in that golden retriever brain of his. Hearing it leveled at someone else earns a thin little snicker from him, some scrap of normalcy in the midst of a strange situation.

And she can likely see the wheels turning- Charles isn't especially hip to internet culture, but he's also not entirely out of the loop, so there's a moment where his dark brows furrow, mulling over what was said before they lifted, eyes widening as the penny dropped. Because... well, even as roundabout a way as it was admitted? It made so much sense.

"Blimey," Breathed quietly as he processed it, but didn't draw back farther, giving his friend's arms a gentle squeeze. "Well, they lucked out, you're brills anyways. So... how'd you want me to call you then?"
shelloflight: (are you sure about this?)

yes, 1.

[personal profile] shelloflight 2025-11-29 06:26 am (UTC)(link)
Michiko - Mitch - he allows himself to relax. This was the expected result; Charles was mental, but in the best way. Still, he's relieved.

One down, hundreds to go.

"Well that's the question, innit?" he says, with a little laugh. "Mitch isn't a bad stopgap, but - I love my parents, I know they did what they did out of love and not understanding something it took a trip to bloody space and a goddamned bloody patient mindreader for me to work out. Mitch is a good name but it's not a Japanese name, now is it? And not having one of those seems a betrayal."

He sighs, thumb under his chin. Thinking. It's a pose Charles knows well: Mitch is directly emulating the tell of Commander Graves - second in command on the Ad Terra's OLSV Endurance, and a towering pillar of manliness - thinking hard about the Dilemma Of The Week.

"...And right now I'm drawing a blank," he admits. "But you've always called me Mitch, and you always can."
Edited (bloody hell. Last one.) 2025-11-29 06:28 (UTC)
hellandbackpack: (pic#18111192)

[personal profile] hellandbackpack 2025-11-29 06:40 am (UTC)(link)
Charles nods his understanding, smiling wryly. "Your parents didn't much care for the copy. They'll be real happy to have you back, whatever name you're goin by I'm thinkin'."

That's the impression that he got from the conversations after Mitch had been snatched. They might not entirely get it at first, but he thought they would love him regardless.

And he's absolutely clocked the pose. He doesn't say anything to admit it though, but his smile widens, becomes a bit more relaxed at the familiar sort of thing.

"Mitch for now then," He confirmed with a nod. "An' you can tell me when you think of what you wanna stick with past that."
shelloflight: (determined)

[personal profile] shelloflight 2025-11-29 06:49 am (UTC)(link)
"Mitch forever, for you," he confirms. "Sprinkle in a bit of what I figure out later."

He takes a deep breath.

"...did they hurt you, when they got you?" he asks, quite seriously. "Have they done anything to you but... talk to you about..."

He sighs.

"Your problems?" she says, not specifying what - or who - those might be.
hellandbackpack: (pic#18111216)

[personal profile] hellandbackpack 2025-11-29 07:01 am (UTC)(link)
"Gotcha." He replies with a smile.

It falters lightly when Mitch's concern turns to him, before easing again. Predictable enough anytime anyone so much as brushes over the topic of well... that whole mess.

"Nah, wasn't hurt," Confirmed easily, and honestly enough. "Don't think poor Min'a was expectin' my situation though. They all look real uneasy when I ask about goin' back."

As if there were any surprise about that.
shelloflight: (deep exasperated sigh)

[personal profile] shelloflight 2025-11-29 07:16 am (UTC)(link)
"I hope you'll forgive me if I'm not surprised. Min'a is - I think her head's screwed on a little tighter than some of the others, even if there are antennae on it. She took me on. Fan of sewing... and of model spaceships. As she used as an example that forcing me to do either would be bollocks."

Does it surprise Charles that his old friend is vouching for Min'a?

"...I. I think she's right to worry. I'd worry in her shoes," Mitch admits.
hellandbackpack: (pic#18117424)

[personal profile] hellandbackpack 2025-11-29 07:27 am (UTC)(link)
No matter how Mitch has always pretended like he didn't know what was happening, so he could be the younger boy's friend, and a bastion of safety and stability that Charles desperately needed growing up, they both knew that he was aware. So it was little surprise that he was backing up Min'a, especially if she'd also been keen enough to help him too.

It didn't stop Charles making a brief face at the admission, but it smoothed over easily enough, no actual upset or offense in it.

"She's ridiculous," A complaint to be sure, but not out of any real ire, just a general sort of teenage annoyance at an adult being perceptive towards them. "...She did. Help though. A little at least, in figurin' some things out."
shelloflight: (love that for you mate)

[personal profile] shelloflight 2025-11-29 08:33 am (UTC)(link)
"Reminded you you're brilliant, did she?"

Careful, Mitch, he may resemble that remark.
hellandbackpack: (pic#18111300)

[personal profile] hellandbackpack 2025-11-29 07:45 pm (UTC)(link)
Charles couldn't help but scoff, shaking his head with an exasperated grin, and a light shove.

"You're ridiculous too," Accused in a more amused tone than anything, before his expression shifted more contemplative. "But... nah. Like... we know my da's a prat and all, goes without saying. I just... I didn't realize how angry I am at mum too, about everything, until I was sayin' it."

Hardly a surprise with how fiercely he shoved down any and all fury and outrage over his situation generally- it didn't help anything, and he was more than a little afraid of letting it out lest he somehow turn out like his father.
shelloflight: (are you sure about this?)

[personal profile] shelloflight 2025-11-29 07:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Mitch has that same thoughtful stance, and is trying not to frown.

“I mean. You’re - I guess you weren’t allowed. But you should have been. Getting angry at something unfair isn’t a bad thing.”

Even if acting on it might be.
hellandbackpack: (pic#18068785)

[personal profile] hellandbackpack 2025-12-01 07:26 am (UTC)(link)
"Not like... it helps anything though," Charles points out in a slow sort of tone, brows drawing. "Just... feels bad."

There was also something cathartic in the anger, but... Charles was far too afraid of the idea of being anything like his father to really feel safe allowing himself any of it.
shelloflight: (but I don't know how to dispute it)

[personal profile] shelloflight 2025-12-01 07:30 am (UTC)(link)
"It does," Mitch agrees. "Wish I could..."

He pauses. Wonders how to put this.

"You know what Mum always told me about feeling bad?"
hellandbackpack: (pic#18111325)

[personal profile] hellandbackpack 2025-12-01 07:35 am (UTC)(link)
Charles tilted his head at the sudden shift, but then... he'd always liked Mitch's mom. She might not have gotten her son, but she'd done her best, genuinely cared. And she'd been kind to Charles too, over the years.

"What's she say? Don't think you ever told me that one."
shelloflight: (determined)

[personal profile] shelloflight 2025-12-01 07:42 am (UTC)(link)
"The real pain comes because we want something we can't have. Not can't as in shouldn't, can't as in bloody impossible. The trick is separating out what we can't have from what we can, and... letting go of the former."

He sighs.

"Like that's a goddamned walk in the park. Simple enough, yet harder than AP maths."

Of course he's in AP Maths. Nerd.
hellandbackpack: (pic#18111204)

[personal profile] hellandbackpack 2025-12-01 07:57 am (UTC)(link)
"As if it's that easy," Charles replied with a wry smile. "And you would think AP Maths was easier. Not sure which is harder on my end."

A soft huff. "Your mum's a smart lady though."
shelloflight: (but I don't know how to dispute it)

[personal profile] shelloflight 2025-12-01 08:08 am (UTC)(link)
Mitch will agree. That she is.

"She was cribbing from some bloke from India, but to see far you need to stand on the shoulders of giants and whatnot."
hellandbackpack: (pic#18111269)

[personal profile] hellandbackpack 2025-12-02 10:50 pm (UTC)(link)
"Oi, your mum's not that short," Charles teased lightly, unable to help but seize on the silly joke to shift things to a lighter sort of interaction. "What've they got you up to today? Min'a was sayin' I should give the art another go, but otherwise I'm left to my own devices."

Which could be good or bad depending how much of a menace he felt like being.