[Evening Day 6] Incoming from ???

[navi_no]

[Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, the jewel on your bangle suddenly, inexplicably crackles to life.

You all know the voices (colours, for Lucus) - you heard at least one prior to arrival on the Noanga.

While glitching crackle drowns out most of the message, you manage to make out the following:]

Invited.

A --- next few days--- go--- engage. Repeat do---.

[Lucas will note the message is laced with pain and distress, as if sending this harmed the senders somehow.]

Comments

???

[navi_no]

Communication attempts with ??? here, please.

Text

[kosmonautilus]

[The emotions laced into the message concern him a lot more than the actual content. No one should be hurting from talking! Perhaps these are beings not yet ready for what tech they found? It happens sometimes. He can't just leave that unanswered, even if the gem itself is a very neutral green.

The reply will be in text for a rare difference. Minimal data transferred, not even a picture attached. Via the bangle too, meaning he painstakingly crafted a very simple, clear question on his slate and then copied down the translated human words it spit out. This takes forever and he hates how it will lack all his usual emotional nuances, but he doesn't want to cause further harm.]

"Need help?"

[navi_no]

[Unfortunately, there are no words in the reply -or if there are they are lost to static-, only distress with a tint of worry to it.]

[kosmonautilus]

[Hm. That is not quite enough to get him to take any further action, but it will be filed away for the future, somewhere in his vast subconscious.]

Text

[0thingsonmymind]

i
de cline

[Not that he thinks he'll get a choice in the matter, but it was worth a shot. Or at least letting they know he won't be happy about it.]

[navi_no]

[Unfortunately, there are no words in the reply -or if there are, they are lost to static.

A static that sounds almost chaotic in nature.

If he listens too long, he'll come away with a migraine.]

Video

[bestbrotherever]

[So far the others have been communicating with text, so Loki will try something different. He flicks the video on for a quick message.]

We are coming to help.

[Yeah, it's a lie, meant to provoke a response. One that he hopes Lucas will still be able to read color-tones from.]

Re: Video

[navi_no]

[The video glitches like nothing Loki's ever seen. It's TV snow; lines of code, of text, of pictures layered over one another until they blur together. It's everything and nothing. Chaos itself in swirling, ominous colours that never still, always change. It makes no sense. It can't make sense.

Perhaps he sees the image of - something. A bird, maybe? But blink and it's gone. It's migraine inducing if he looks too long.

Voices can be heard, but it's too garbled to make out anything outside a general sense of confusion - and worry.]

[Not actually a reply]

[bestbrotherever]

[A chill runs down Loki's spine as he watches. This- is wrong. Maybe wrong enough to affect anyone who sees it? Or whatever transmits the message? He quickly cuts off the connection without replying.]

Network Text, OTA

[burstingstars]

Life experience tells me this will end badly, regardless of what it is. Anyone feel the same?

Text

[failgoyle]

Not taking that bet.

Whatever happens, it's going to be terrible.

[burstingstars]

We could always pretend to ignore it.

[failgoyle]

I mean I'm assuming everything here is going to be bad news eventually, I'm doing the same thing whether or not I ignore it.

[And that thing is panicking as appropriate.]

[bestbrotherever]

Indeed. It will likely find us before too long.

[burstingstars]

And here I'd hoped to avoid fighting again...

Text

[0thingsonmymind]

y e s

[burstingstars]

Anything specific standing out to you?

Video

[bestbrotherever]

[Loki's been repeating the message several times. His frown has deepened at every repetition.]

I believe there is a "not" that was lost in the static. This is a warning to us to stay away, not a call for help. Now, whether we will listen...

Video

[managerbehindthrone]

If it is but a danger to us, I will teach it the error of crossing us.

[Esme's mouth twists into a nasty grin.]

[bestbrotherever]

[Loki rolls his eyes.]

I would personally recommend avoiding the source of the message, but if you wish to seek it out and attempt to teach the hazard a lesson...

Video

[kosmonautilus]

[He has, as always, feelings on the matter.]

What if wrong? What if friends?

[bestbrotherever]

If they are friends, then we should consider honoring their wishes and avoiding the danger they warned us of.

Text

[0thingsonmymind]

iwill
watch

we sho uld
p r e p a r e

[Prepare for what? He doesn't know, but it will involve him finding somewhere to hide and possibly getting a weapon.]

[kosmonautilus]

[Brian is a ally/friend/non-speaker, so while his choice of text over video gets respected, Lucas refuses to text back. Much too arduous to do for him and he knows it lacks all his important emotional details (don't tell him how much the translation usually cuts down there).
So instead he gets a picture, the translation of the pattern promising aid in whatever Brian is planning. What sort of aid? His subconscious will figure that out later.]

[bestbrotherever]

Indeed. We should all prepare for an attack. And perhaps a rescue as well.