The Doorway: a panfandom game

It's really strange just how intense Christmas is here. It was never like this on Luna or Gateway Station. You've got a tracker for Santa Claus, just to keep up appearances for the kids. I think the closest we came to anything like it was on the Nostromo. We had this little tree that died before we ever even came out of hypersleep to decorate the damn thing before we started mining. Pre-packaged, processed turkey should never have become a thing.

FILTERED TO SAM MERLOTTE:

I don't suppose you have any openings downstairs, do you? I'm working at one of the restaurants, but I'd like something a little more casual.

FILTERED TO HICKS:

I'm going to talk to our housing assistant, see if there's any openings.

FILTERED TO AUDREY NATHAN:

My friend and I were thinking about sharing a two bedroom, but we weren't sure if there were any openings on this floor. Would you mind looking into that for me?

This'll be the first time I've been around for Christmas in three years. I spent two of those Christmases in the freezers and the third? Well, picture a mudheap of a planet where it never stops raining and you keep getting attacked by semi-sentient slime spiders and you'll see why we completely forgot about Christmas that year. This will definitely be a change for the better.

Filter to Floors 9 & 10

So it appears that we have a few more neighbors, Sam, Michael, and Hannah. Welcome! I'm Audrey, and I'm your housing assistant. I'm in 901, and I'm always available via text message at [cell number], but don't be concerned if there are times when it is a few hours before I can respond. I'm a cellist with the New York Philharmonic, and my concert and rehearsal schedule can be a little crazy.

I'm planning on seeing the lighting of the Rockefeller Center tree tomorrow evening, if any of you would like to come along!

Filter to Michael

You're coming with me to the tree lighting.

ooc: edited to add
Don't forget about the tree lighting in Rockefeller Center tomorrow night! It's always beautiful and cold.

I barely remember the day my son was born. I remember leaving the base in a panic, and then I remember hearing him scream bloody murder and thinking this child was going to give us hell. Everything in the middle's a blur now. He was the light of our lives for eleven years, and then his mum died, and nothing was the same. I was a shit father after that. He was raised by machines more than he was raised by me, and I dragged him halfway around the world just so I could feel useful, so I could take revenge on the creatures who'd destroyed so much. He became a better pilot than his old man, and he knew our jaeger inside out. And he died. Because I made a mistake. Because I couldn't see through the trees clearly enough to know when to stop. All the time in the world can't make that right.

No one ever prepares you for that, as a parent. I don't think anyone can. I lost part of myself that day, and I've lost a part of myself twice here, each time he's left. And it's bullshit - to give us something and to take it away. It's bullshit. Once was enough.

FILTERED TO SAM MERLOTTE:

Can I help with the Thanksgiving gathering on Thursday? I'm not that great with cooking, but I can help set up, tear down, and clean up.

FILTERED TO DWAYNE HICKS:

You working on Thanksgiving?

FILTERED TO HICKS:

I got a job. It's not the best job in the world, but it gets me out of the apartment and around people.

FILTERED TO HICKS:

I resigned from SWORD. We got a mission, off planet, and I couldn't do it. I had the worst panic attack I've ever had. What a joke, right?

Is fear gas something we need to be prepared for? Is this a regular occurrence here?

Alright. Freak events aside. Who's up for Halloween poker night? Same night, same place, same idea. Only potential to play for tricks & treats as opposed to money. Costumes, too, if you'd like. We might not have Halloween where I come from, but I think I got the general idea of it.

Who's in?

Filtered to Anakin Solo

You alright, kid?

Filtered to Luke & Leia

I need a drink. This city's crazier than an asteroid field some days. And that's saying somethin'.

[EMH Steve]

You know, there are moments when I really miss having Tony around. Or Pym even.

[Abigail Brand]

I've my full work up from medical. All tests are back in.

In the interest of disclosure. It's a lesion, like the other Carol thought it was. It's pressing on the part of my brain that deals with emotions or memories or something. I'm not really clear on all the science parts. But I agitate it too much and it'll burst, could wipe out my mind. It'll all heal, which is what happened last time. But I could lose everything.

Apparently they're not exactly sure how to operate on someone whose body immediately starts to heal. So we should find someone who can.

[Kamala]

Hey there. I'm sorry I haven't really been around at all. Why was I Do you want to go for pizza?

[SWORD]

We've a bunch of people being turned into monsters around the country by a carnival that's kidnapping them to do it.

So far our agents have recovered three with different alterations to each. And they're not reverting back so far like the people who turned fuzzy a few weeks ago in New York did. And at least one person has turned up dead after this.

I want everyone in comms trying to find any hint of these guys so we can take them down.

Scitech if you are not on assignment and you've any bio at all, you're looking into helping these people, if it's even possible.

FILTERED TO HICKS:

Maybe we should go out on that date.

Subway announcements, although annoying, needn't be unbearable; mind the gap, for instance, is civilizing without being scolding. Pithy without being silly.

But if I have to hear courtesy is contagious, and it starts with you one more time, I will put my umbrella in someone's eye. See how far courtesy gets you

Or I would, if the fine fellows at the 6th precinct hadn't ever so gently suggested I leave it by the door in a bag.

Who: Dwayne Hicks & Ellen Ripley
When: 9 September (backdated)
Where: Hicks' apartment
What: Ain't nightmares a drag?
Rating: TDB

( The only constant was the urgent beat of the motion detector pushing him onward. )

Okay. So. Either I'm going mad or I had a conversation with a ghost on the way home from Parkers this morning.

Not that I knew it was a ghost at the time. He looked pretty real. Not at all ghost-like. He looked like Sergeant Apone. We talked. He was ex-military so we had plenty to talk about. And there's some things only another soldier would understand. We got to the corner about two blocks away from here, he saluted me and disappeared. I was staring right at him. He just... disappeared.

So, yeah. I must be going nuts. Not really that much of a surprise.

I need a job. I'll do just about anything, but I have a degree in Engineering that I'd like to get some use out of. I've got over 10 years of off-world experience, surveying new planets, if that's something that might be of more use.

Huh. That was weird. And the level of freaking out going on in Central Park right now is pretty impressive. On the other hand, the conspiracy theories people are coming up with are equally as impressive. Though what the hell does it mean when someone says we all just got 'flashy-thingied'?

Some people in this place are definitely a long way over on the weird scale. I met a guy yesterday who can quote huge sections of the movie I'm from here, word for word. Either he's got a good memory or he's watched that thing way too many times. He does get Hudson just about spot on though. Not sure if I find that funny or uncomfortable, all things considered.

FILTERED TO ANGEL & HERC HANSEN:

Don't suppose you two would be interested in a getting to know you dinner kind of thing, would you?

FILTERED TO PRIM EVERDEEN:

I don't suppose you'd watch a cat while I head off to do some job searching, would you? I'd leave him here alone, but he's gotten into a bad habit of getting bored.

( cut for image )

I found someone's kitty. But has anyone seen Johanna?

[Filtered to Victoria Hand]

I think my friend left. You don't have a way of finding her, do you?