nexus_crossings | We Aren't On Arrakis Anymore

We Aren't On Arrakis Anymore

Children and teenagers aren't an uncommon sight in the Nexus, but this one is...unusual.

Paul Atreides is trying to keep a low profile, for the most part, but anyone who observes him closely will notice a level of constant observation, formality, and intelligence that doesn't quite fit his age. A strange maturity. He speaks very little, but quietly goes about listening to the PSA by Captain Rogers, processing what few rules there are, and finding the needed pamphlets to learn about this place.

Strange place, this Nexus, but it could be useful as a place to rest and an oasis of relative safety if nowhere else. And Paul is increasingly sure he'll be in need of that.

He finally grabs a breather by one of the fountains, with what looks suspiciously like a kids' meal and a squeaky toy from a Nexus restaurant beside him. He studies the pamphlet he took. So, you're supposed to ask a question as a new arrival. Coming up with questions is easy. It's a matter of picking the right one to ask. Something to invite conversation with the locals and gather information without being too revealing.

"What would you recommend to a new arrival? And is there anything else a visitor should know that isn't on these pamphlets?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

“Thank you.” Isamu nodded, raising an eyebrow to his brother. “See? Not everyone relies on trial, error and ‘oooh, what does this button do?”

Minoru shrugged. “Most of it was pretty self-explanatory. They come in all kinds. A lot look like phones and other gadgets from different worlds. Which makes it pretty easy to know what to do. And they’re cheap too. So if you break it, it’s not hard to get a new one.”

“And how many times have you had to do that?”

“…five.” He answered sheepishly. “But not because I used it wrong. Sometimes you drop things. Or land on things…”

Isamu turned his attention back to Paul. “The manuals come with them. And not accidentally teleporting yourself to the Dimension of Shrimp is worth the time spent, in my opinion.”

“For the record, I’ve never actually done that.” Minoru felt the need to point out. “That’s just an example.”

"Dimension of Shrimp." Completely deadpan, as if Paul is asking himself what kind of madcap place he's stumbled into. Well, these PINpoints are something he's already imagining that he can use to his advantage, even if at the moment it's nothing much more ambitious than slithering into the nearest tavern when he needs a breather and to listen to the latest news.

Alcohol loosens tongues, and people don't take a fifteen-year-old seriously. Or imagine that he's listening to the intricacies of Nexus politics and taking notes, learning how this place works. What factions there are, where to go if there's something you want or need.

"If there's a chance that you could be sent to..." Paul shrugs, not even trying to imagine what a shrimp dimension would look like. Not his concern, since he has no intention of going there. "Somewhere like that, or worse, I would think poking around without a good idea of what you're doing would be a terrible idea."

Isamu's smart, and sensible. Someone whoknows how this place works. There could be a lot to learn from associating with him.

“One would think.” Isamu repeated.

Because yes, that is the sensible and responsible thing to do. As far as other dimensions went, some were just absurd. Of course, there were pleasant ones - Minoru had literally visited Sesame Street at one point. There were not-so-pleasant ones - apocalyptic wastelands like Jack’s world of Hunger City. And there were worlds that were so similar to their own, that upon first glance the twins would have thought they were back there.

“Then again, you are speaking with someone who thinks scaling skyscrapers is fun. So his perception of risk may be a slightly flawed.”

Minoru shook his head, rolling his eyes slightly at his brother.

“I’m a freerunner. Parkour. American Ninja Warrior. That sort of thing.” He explained. “The Nexus is a great place for it. Haven’t been arrested or even stopped here. Everyone’s pretty friendly and laid back.”

"I don't think there are any laws here," Paul points out. "At least none that people can enforce."

Paul already had that impression of the Nexus. The people here are for the most part pleasant, well-meaning, and trusting. It suits his needs perfectly for people not to ask too many questions about newcomers and let him explore freely. He intends to keep his head down, learn what he can from the people, and then decide how to apply the Nexus and what it offers to his needs.

Enough that he walked into a restaurant and was handed a kid's meal and a squeaky toy. It was the first time in a long while that he was treated like his actual age. He didn't even protest when he was handed the baggie and patted on the head.

Minoru's friendly enough, but he's decided that he likes Isamu better.

“A notable observation, but it depends entirely on the context.” Isamu remarked. “Behavior is rarely an issue because the worst offenses are kept in check by the anti-violence field. Murder, even serious injury, cannot occur unless both parties consent to the act. And you would be hard-pressed to find someone willing to consent to their own homicide. There are general societal rules that goods and services are exchanged for money or comparable goods and services. But disputes are handled amongst people themselves. And sometimes by friendly bystanders.”

The fact that many residents here sought refuge from oppressive worlds likely added to the willingness to create a better, more peaceful life.

“However, there are other instances where rules are very strongly enforced. The application process for a research grant at IRIS and the necessary background check took months. There are very strict policies and procedures that I must continue to adhere to. Lines I cannot cross.”

"Wouldn't be a very useful place to hide if people could still kill each other." The rules and limitations are being listened to and made note of. This seems to be a useful place in many ways Paul intends to return - not often, but enough to make use of the services and resources it offers. "Has this...anti-violence field...ever been broken?"

Paul's approach to learning about the Nexus is systematic. Ask a question, gather information, and if applicble see how it works yourself, with all the deliberation of a velociraptor testing an electric fence. And security concerns are an important issue to touch on, because it has implications for how careful you have to be.

"And this IRIS is...?" A leading question.

“The whole reason we came here.” Minoru nodded to his brother.

“Indeed. A traditional Ph.D. program in our world could not compare with the chance to study at the Institute for Research and Interdimensional Studies.” Which was what the acronym stood for, he explained. “I am free to pursue my own scientific research in topics of interest. My work is primarily biochemical, but there are others who focus on other disciplines, even what some refer to as magical studies.”

“Every once and a while something goes wonky that even Isamu can’t explain.” Minoru added. “You get too close to the wilds and that field has holes. Sometimes other weird things just happen.”

“For as much research as has been done, there are parts of the Nexus that are still not fully understood.”

“Or you get someone like that Coyote causing trouble by granting everybody’s wishes…”

“The less said about that incident, the better.” Isamu quickly countered.

"I'm...not the kind of person who would join IRIS," Paul tells Isamu, "but I am interested in the kind of research it does, if it looks into the way this place works. If there's a way for me to get a copy of the work done there, I'd appreciate it."

Another reason to avoid the Wilds, if magical protections are weaker or flat-out don't exist. Paul intends to come here to get away from that kind of thing for a little while.

"There are factions in place here, but this Coyote sounds like he's working alone." Paul adds Coyote to the mental list of people to be careful around. The Eliksni have rules that are easy enough to obey, but Coyote sounds like another matter. "Is it common that people cause trouble here?"

“There are published works that are available to the public. Copies of many IRIS-backed studies can be obtained through the Grand Library. And yes, before you jest, it does indeed deserve that descriptor.” Isamu noted.

Without the proper security clearance, that was all that Paul was going to be able to obtain. And all that Isamu would be able to provide. Though if he did venture to the Grand Library, he’d probably run into Isamu there quite frequently.

“Cause trouble?” Minoru shrugged. “Not usually THAT kind of trouble. I think the last real serious threat happened around the time we were moving in. I still don’t know the whole story.”

“And the incident in which we were all mysteriously transformed into our Halloween costumes last year. But that wore off in a matter of hours. And there were no lasting detrimental effects.”

"Oh, I already know about the Library. It was actually going to be one of my first stops, and where I'm going to spend a lot of my time here."

Well, it was worth learning what's within casual reach. Paul has too much on his platter to consider visiting IRIS for any length of time, let along going through clearance, but publicly available research is worth browsing through. He wants to learn whatever he can about the Nexus and that seems like the best option.

The Grand Library is the kind of place Paul would be drawn to even if it wasn't for the promise of learning about the multierse. It's the kind of place he'll have to force himself to leave.

"What do you two know about this, ah, last real serious threat?" Coyote and the Halloween party incident seem like nuisances, nothing more than that, and he's willing to grit his teeth and deal with nuisances in whatever form they take since the benefits outweigh them. Still, it would be better to stay out of the way.

Isamu had to admit that his knowledge of the event was limited at best, though he tried to provide relevant details about the witch, the dimension she came from, the things she had apparently done, etc.

“As I understand it, the portal to her world of origin was destroyed, from the other side, most likely by the witch herself.” He added. “No one has been able to access that particular world, or visit from it, since that incident. No one from that world was stranded here at the time. Whether that is fortunate or not depends entirely on whom you ask. Many people lost friends. One individual lost their fiancé.”

Compared to that Coyote really was just a nuisance.

[ooc: which all happened right before I joined the Nexus as a player, so I honestly don’t know much about the original plot. Sorry.]

A nod of assessment. It sounds complicated, and from the description of the being involed it was an incident Paul was frankly relieved to have missed. It's worth noting, though, that this place isn't entirely a sanctuary from danger so as not to let his guard down completely.

No such thing as a perfect shelter.

"I suppose I'll be seeing you at the Grand Library, then, Isamu. Thank you both for the assistance - as a new arrival, I'll find your advice very useful." An eyebrow is raised. "So...some people come and go as I would like to, but some stay permanently?"

“Likewise.” He nodded, smiling. Isamu had no doubt they would probably run into each other there from time to time. If he wasn’t at IRIS or at home, he was probably at the Grand Library. (Or One of the angels’ libraries…) “If you uncover anything of interest, please do share.”

He nodded again. “And yes, precisely. Whether you set up residence or simply come and go via PINpoint is almost always your choice.”

As the events surrounding the witch suggested, there were sometimes factors outside of someone’s control that took away that choice. But for the most part, it was true.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

We Aren't On Arrakis Anymore

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject