forum Out in Space (classic lit and sci fi!) (CLOSED, stalkers welcome)

Started August 14, 2020 by @ElderGod-Icefire

tune

Mina didn’t want to ruin dinner. She really didn’t.
She and her husband were already packed and ready to go. They sat in the dining room, warm evening light casting almost green-blue shadows through the large windows facing the garden. Across the table, Aunt Charlotte and Aunt Elizabeth were eating, giggling about some inside joke made at the orphanage. Mina ate silently, waiting for the right moment. Finally, Aunt Elizabeth set down her wineglass and looked at them expectantly.
“Right, so! How was it?”
Mina and Jonathan exchanged a glance. “It was… interesting.”
“Did you find out who he was? What he wanted you for?”
“Um…” Mina sighed. “Okay, I’ll just start from the top.”
And she told them, words spilling out of her lips.
“…And then he told us to get out our devices, that there was information we needed to see.” She pushed up her glasses, her breath shaky.
Up until this point, her aunts had been silent. Elizabeth’s eyes were as wide as the dinner plates in front of them, while Charlotte seemed to be looking at the floor, her mouth in a thin line.
“And?” Elizabeth asked softly.
Mina’s eyes turned downward hesitantly, unsure how to articulate her next few words. She was silent for a while, so Jonathan spoke, his voice in sharp contrast to Mina’s slightly anxious intonation and the aunts’ giggling from earlier.
“Aunt Charlotte, are you being blackmailed by the Clay Man?”
Her jaw dropped. All eyes turned to him; all were struck speechless. He tried again.
“Do you know where Marissa Murray is? Do you know what the Clay Man did to her?”
His face was hard, his voice pained. Elizabeth turned to her wife, putting a hand on her arm. “Charlie… are you alright?”
Mina felt tears sting her eyes. Charlotte managed to close her mouth, though she had some trouble. “I-I… I can-n’t…” she stuttered.
So it was true. Moriarty hadn’t just been manipulating them to join him. Mina felt a fiery rage lick at her stomach, causing tears to flow. Jonathan seemed to notice, as he put his hand in hers and squeezed it. He sounded almost deathly calm as he said, “You can’t what? You can’t tell us? Why not?”
A pause. Charlotte took several deep breaths, then mouthed, “They put a chip in my arm.” She pointed. “If I say it, they’ll hear it.”
Elizabeth whispered, “Can you send a message?”
She shook her head. “They can track anything I send to you. I need paper.”
Heart beating in her chest, Mina said, “I… think I have some sticky notes.” A little hesitant, she got up and walked over to the kitchen, opened a drawer and drew out a small blue pack of sticky notes. She set them in front of her aunt, then pulled out a pen from her pocket and gave it her as well.
Charlotte nodded her thanks and began to scribble onto the paper. Mina sat down and leaned on Jonathan.
The dining room was silent for a while, except for the sound of scribbling. The golden light outside slowly deepened to a red, painting the shadows indigo. Charlotte peeled off a sticky note and set it in front of the Harkers. After they had read it, the passed to Aunt Elizabeth so she could read it too.

When your parents disappeared all those years ago, I had volunteered to search for them, but the Clay Man’s henchman captured me, as they had your parents. Nathaniel was already dead, but Marissa was alive. She acted strangely, like in a trance. The Clay Man wanted to kill you and Elizabeth too, but instead they caught me. Since I wasn’t related to your family by blood-

Soon she had peeled another one off.

but by marriage, they decided I was more useful alive than dead. I didn’t know it until later, but they put the chip in my arm so they could get knowledge of the house, the rest of the family, information like that. If I told you anything of what had happened, they would know exactly how, where, and when to kill you. I can only tell you now in this way because I know you’re leaving. Don’t tell me where you are when you get there, please.

And another.

Anyway, after you got rid of that Dracula gentleman, I wondered if they had changed their minds. They only wanted to kill Elizabeth, and maybe make you a vampire. But why? That I still don’t know. I also don’t know what the Clay Man did to her or where she is. I’m sorry. But do you have any other questions? I am fully willing to answer them.

Mina glanced at Jonathan, numb. His eyes looked tired, and combined with his already silvery hair, it made him look 50 years older. Elizabeth stared out the window, looking close to crying. Mina turned back to Charlotte and shook her head. She went over to her, whispering in her ear. “I promise Aunt Charlie, when this all over, we’re going to get that chip out of your arm. I promise.” She kissed her cheek.
Charlotte took a shuddering breath. “Be safe tonight, dear,” she whispered.
The room was a dark, dull indigo. No one went to turn on the lights. The house only became darker; windows were shut, curtains closed, doors locked. After checking that the security system was working as it should, Mina finally settled down to go to sleep. In the safety of her lover’s arms, she waited for dawn to break.

(it was! Alrighty!)

A message was sent out to all of their devices again, after a week and a half of silence. It consisted of a single address, and nothing more. It was obviously from Moriarty; the location of the home they would all be staying in for the next…however long.

Sherlock packed their bags and headed to the address, keeping an eye out for any of the others as they traveled. They were dressed in the same thing as normal: a button-up shirt, suspenders, dark pants, and a long coat. They preferred this outfit, it felt comfortable to them. Easy to move in. Easy to breathe in. They arrived at the address, and looked around for anyone else.

Alek grabbed the bag that he kept packed at all times; he needed to be ready to move. He knew Horatio was looking for him, and he didn't want to be found. He couldn't go back to Danmar. He just couldn't. And…getting involved with this was, perhaps, a good way to avoid that. So he too made his way to the house.

(sorry it's so short, I don't really have much time for a longer one)

With a huff, Lo landed one last blow on her punching bag right as her phone chimed. Wiping the sweat from her brow with a forearm, she stepped away from the hanging bag, removing her gloves and tossing them onto the table in the corner. She was in the cellar of the manor, which had been turned into her workout room. Well, halfway. Half of it was still a wine cellar, with a door leading to a bunker stocked in case Mrs. Velander needed a place to go for a little while.

She scooped her phone off of the table, reading the single message she had received, and sighed. It was go time, apparently.

It didn't take her long to shower, get ready, and pack her bag. Once she had, she said a quick goodbye to Mrs. Velander in her study, waving to a few of the hotel guests as she passed by open doorways, and people chatting in the lounge. This place had quickly become home, one she had lost when her mother had died. It would be sad, and hard, to leave it for so long. But if she fought hard enough to, she would come back. She always did, no matter the job. And sometimes, a home to come back to was exactly the motivation one needed to stay alive.

Lo arrived at the address early. Wearing a blue sundress that complimented her eyes, she looked up at the building, head tilted curiously as she took comfort in the weight of her gun against her thigh. She wasn't a child, who's safety was at the whims of any adult around her. Not anymore. She knew what it took to survive, and she could take care of herself now. Tooth and nail, if that's what it took.

Eden waited in their room. They didn't pack, too concerned with watching holographic flames flicker on a fake fire. Fire was important to them, it had kept them alive during their "formative years" and had given them a sense of hope. It created and destroyed, just like Eden. They finally got up to pack, not wanting to wait any longer after they'd gotten the address. Might as well wake up Victor and get him to eat something, too.

Victor looked so innocent, so vulnerable when he slept, like you could break him in half at any time. It was the opposite effect in his waking hours, he was a shrimp of a man but still managed to maintain an air of "fuck off" to those who bothered with him. Eden was sure his heart was three sizes too small, like in those books they'd read last month at the library.

Victor awoke to see Eden standing directly over him.

"Gah! Don't do that, it is… it's terrifying! Oh, c'est affreux."

"Très bon." they replied sarcastically. "Get up and dress for the day, I'll be waiting with something for you to eat."

Eden exited the room, tired of Victor's dramatic persona he took on when just waking up. It made him more difficult to deal with.

It took a little persuasion to convince VIctor that sustenance was more important than the works of genius, but eventually they ate, packed bags full of everything they'd need, and set off. Eden felt uncomfortable on trains but it was the fastest way to get there, even as their stares bored into them.

When the two arrived, they decided to go over and meet with the others. They still barely knew each other at all and that, Victor thought, was an assault on good nature.

Mina was actually relieved when the message came. Fearing for your life in your own home and workplace was stressful.
She’d been talking to potential adoptees in her office when her device emitted an electronic sound. She glanced at it, and internally sighed with relief. But quickly she turned it off, chuckling nervously and apologizing to the couple she was talking to.
Now, as she sat in the living room with her Jonathan and Aunt Elizabeth, she wasn’t sure how to feel. She numbly clenched and unclenched and her hands her lap.
“We…” Aunt Elizabeth glanced down. “We can’t make you promise to be safe, now can we?”
Jonathan’s small chuckle was bittersweet. “I suppose not.”
Aunt Charlotte had taken to keeping herself away from conversations like these. She’d already given the Harkers her good wishes on a sticky note.
“Can we make you promise to be safe?” Mina asked, pushing her glasses up her nose.
“I… we can try.” She pushed a dark strand of hair out of her face. “But no guarantees.”
“Fair enough.” Mina gave a bittersweet smile of her own.
After some hugs and soft goodbyes, they were ready to go. They took the train this time, since it was faster. It must’ve taken around 20 minutes, but it felt like five. After walking for a bit, they found the address (Though, spotting the others who were already there helped) and walked up to house. Hand in hand, an nervous resoluteness settled over them.

At the sight of the others–the angry boy, the kind and tall person, the strangely perceptive man, and the older man–Lo perked up, lifting her hand in a wave as they approached. "Exciting, no? A little adventure? Gives me something more to do than my usual routines allow, at least." She said with a laugh, tucking her hands into the pockets of her sundress. Her bag sat by her feet, stuffed with clothes, her gloves, and a mix of common and uncommon necessities. Anywhere from a tooth brush to multiple clips of ammo could be found, if someone were to go through it. "It's going to be so strange, though, being away from home. I haven't exactly been away more than a few days, since I started living there. Oh! Look! Miss Mina, over here!"

Mina warmed at the sound of Lo’s voice. Walking up to them, she said, “Hello again. Wonderful to see you all. I hope we’re all doing well.”
She didn’t mean to sound so robotic, but she supposed everything that had happened in the last week was weighing down on her.
Rubbing her hand as he held it, Jonathan nodded a greeting. “Hello, hello.” He gave a small smile.

Sherlock offered up a quick smile for them. "Well, if that is all of us…shall we go inside?" They stepped closer to the door, cautiously testing the knob. The knob opened easily, and they stepped inside. The door opened into a clean entryway. Keys for the house, enough for all of them, hung from hooks. They cocked their head, studying everything carefully.

Alek was silent, cautiously sticking near the back of the group. He didn't want to run the risk of danger, even though he knew that nothing would likely happen.

Lo followed in behind everyone, closing the door behind her as she was the last one in. Steps light and careful, she took off her heels, checking out the key rack before plucking a ring off of it. "So…no random hail of bullets. At the very least, these aren't booby trapped. That's good news, right?" She offered, hooking the keyring onto the strap of her duffel. Curiosity overcame her, and she itched to explore. "Unfortunately, we have no idea what we're walking into. Everyone just keep on your toes. I would hate to never get the chance to get to know any of you."

With that, she adjusted her bag on her shoulder, taking the first step from the entry way, into the rest of the house. There was no reason for them to be dead yet. They would have been easier targets in the strange room full of chairs, back when they had met the Moriarty fellow.

Eden followed the others, content to say nothing and just watch the group, figure out the social rules before they jumped into anything they couldn’t handle. Victor, on the other hand, was perfectly comfortable familiarizing himself with the others.

“Victor Frankenstein, as you already know, enchanted to be seeing you all. So, what do you think of this Moriarty fellow?” he asked.

Sherlock looked at Victor for a moment. "I have heard of him before, but I cannot… remember where." They frowned faintly, knowing that they must have heard the name while under a haze of drugs. Knowing that they must have been so out of it that they couldn't even hear it. They cleared their throat faintly, looking around.

Stairs led up to a hallway, off of which were all their rooms. Each room was labeled with the name they had given at their first meeting. Inside, each room was nearly identical. For Mina and Johnathan, the bed was larger to accommodate two of them. To three rooms was a bathroom, since there just wasn't enough room for each person to have their own bathroom. On the main level, there were boxes on the table, each box neatly labeled with a name. These boxes contained most of the things each person had asked for; larger items were in their bedrooms. In the basement was a well-equipped laboratory, with anything that those of the more science inclined could want or need.

Alek, for his part, remained silent as he slipped into the dining room, scanning over the boxes with his eyes, before looking around again.

After making a quick, but effective round of the house, Lo returned to where the boxes sat. She set her bag on the floor, sliding it under the table with her foot as she opened up the box. He really did get everything. The punching bag in the bedroom was surprising, though. I almost expected to have to take mine from home. She hadn't requested much, just med kits, certain hygienic items specific to her skin and hair type, and a few other, fairly inconsequential things. With that out of the way, she left the box on the table and headed for the kitchen.

Though it was lacking in some areas, the whole thing was stocked, and she made note of the requested food items that had been on her list. Things for cooking, baking, and even tools she herself didn't own, but only got to borrow from the hotel's kitchen. "It looks like we're expected to stay here a while. I wonder if we'll be doing our own grocery shopping?" She said out loud, to anyone nearby who cared to comment. "Oh, I haven't used cream this expensive since Loise had that one duke, or whatever he was, over to stay."

“Quite mysterious, that man,” Jonathan responded to Victor’s question. He and Mina walked around the main floor first. They knew they wouldn’t have a box, but they looked around anyway. Then they brought their things and went upstairs. Appreciative of the larger bed, the set down their things.
They each had a suitcase and a bag. The suitcase carried everyday necessities, like clothing and toiletries. The bag held other things, like the book Van Helsing wrote on vampires that he gave for free to Mina, and Jonathan’s favorite hand-held camera that could take pictures both underwater and in space (though he hasn’t tried that out for himself.)
They unpacked the suitcases, then went back downstairs. Mina overheard Lo. “Well, I should think so,” she replied.

Victor quickly unpacked in his room, arranging his things haphazardly around the area before shuffling down to the laboratory, where he planned to stay the rest of the day. He made his way down, easily prepared to do science as he’d so been itching to.

Eden stayed upstairs, taking off their large coat and hood to reveal yellowy eyes that almost seemed to glow, skin sewn on on odd places, skin that didn’t fit quite right. Their features could have been beautiful, handsome even had it not been for the clear image of malformity before your eyes. Eden was, simply put, very far into the uncanny valley. But Eden didn’t care, they rarely did. Let them stare. It would be uncomfortable as hell, but they’d pull through.

They unpacked their things, then rearranged Victor’s to be more neat while still in view of the man. They headed back down to the main floor to meet the others, fiddling with their humongous cable-knit sweater they’d made themselves.

(ahahhhhhhhhhhhhh I'm so sorry!)

Sherlock headed to grab ther box, taking it to their room. They looked around the room silently, setting the box and their bag on their bed. They pursed their lips faintly, taking off their coat and hanging it on a hook on the wall. This was not a bad set-up, but they couldn't help but wonder what came next for all of this. They headed back downstairs; perhaps they should talk with the others?

Alek, for his part, went into his room and opened his box. He didn't get anything out jsut yet, simply studying the contents. Indeed, it was what he had asked for. Anti-depressants and anti-psychopathy drugs. Stuff to, supposedly, help his mental state. He didn't want to be a psychopath, but after what he had done to his uncle…to Laertes…he couldn't bring himself to regret it and he knew that that couldn't be a good sign. He knew that.

The creature made a move to be “friendly”, or at least try and make some approach at a peaceful relationship with the others. “Hello. You’re quite inquisitive, right? What do you make of our situation.” Eden said to Sherlock. Their presence was still strangely calming. Grounding, even, everyone’s was. Their hearts were mostly untouched by the ice of pain and suffering that Eden’s was, and maybe that was a good thing. Well, except the heart of the Alek, that one Eden wasn’t so sure about.