South Polus Research Outpost

The comms of Polus' tertiary research outpost have been handed over to a crewmate who knows nothing about how they work. They are supposed to dial HQ for the quarterly report- instead, they end up calling just about everyone else.

[poluscalls]

Polus Outpost 03 - Monday, 9:30 AM

"--and once you do, you just dial the report line and they'll put you through to the branch of HQ that usually recieves us."

An audibly exhausted, nasally voice explained. The crewmate it belonged to stood by the chair they usually sat in themself, now occupied by their bubbly coworker intently listening to their tour of the communications console.

"Right."

The taller nodded, shuffling their fluffy hat back to accomodate a bulky headset.

"Everything you need to talk about is in this folder here. Be as detailed as you can. But-"

"Be detailed but not complicated, because the admins are not scientists and they won't get it?"

There is a tired chuckle from the shorter crewmate.

"Yeah, I think you got it. Thanks again for doing this for me, Abby. I'll make it up to you when I'm functional again."

The purple crewmate pssh-d and waved the thought away, gently patting their compatriot on the back.

"Don't you worry about that. Go rest up, hon, and get better soon, okay?"

Goodbyes cheerfully bid, the now-substitute comms operator wiggled their fingers at the console and pushed the big blue button on the interface their friend indicated previously. A conversation panel opened up, asking for a number to dial.

"...Uh oh. Uh. Sienna? Siennaaaa you forgot to tell me the number and I forgot to ask-- Sienna???"

But Sienna was already halfway to medical to pass out and nurse their fever, so they didn't hear the cry for help. Aubergine, who was a scientist, not a techie, stared dumbly at the number pad.

"...This is fine. I can just guess, right? How many numbers long is it...um. Uh...maybe...?"

They punched in a few different digits at random and pressed call, hoping for the best.

Blog info under cut!

Welcome to this silly among us roleplay blog, ran by @starting-error404!

My game piece is Aubergine, my sweet winter child, who is desperately dialing random numbers in hopes of reaching HQ and finishing their sick colleague's task. I will snipe your rp blog. Beware.

Here is a picture- and a post with general character info

You can ask Abby questions. In fact, you can call them first. But their computer is old and slow as hell, so they might not get to you until later.

Tags:

[Hello? Hello helloo??] - this is the roleplay tag. Do behave nice with them, they are a soft soul.

[Transmission end] - the end of a roleplay thread.

[AFK] - in which Abby leaves a line open by accident, and everyone who comes across the signal gets to listen to them do something random in the comms office.

[You've got mail!] - your non-rp asks are emails sent to the main console. Abby will answer them to the best of their abilty.

[Off Air] - general non-broadcasted happenings around the outpost.

[Gallery] - posts containing artwork are tagged with this.

[Star Talk] - notes from the mod.

Have fun chatting!

[poluscalls]

*a signal from someone on pouls shows up. The audio was hard to hear but a voice spoke through*

He…..llo? He-..llo? This azu-..re, can any-..one hear m-..me?

Aubergine jumped in their chair at the tone. Has this...has this thing ever even recieved before? They were never told anything about the protocol for answering...

It's probably fine.

"This is Polus Outpost 03, I am recieving you. What is the nature of your call?"

Is that how you start...The call center workers had this down pat. They'll get into it, surely.

I got you twin @the-pouls-explore

[the-polus-explorer]

*a really poor quality cheer was heard on the other side*

Hi! Im azure! Im call-……ing to make sure other-…pouls bases aren’t-…gone. Some-…..t-thing is out-…here-….hunting

[poluscalls]

"Hunting..."

How fortunate the timing! They have just learned what the hunter might be.

"If you're referring to a certain mimic beast, we have not encountered it, no. Are you in need of assistance?"

[the-polus-explorer]

Mim-…ic yes! But-…help won’t b-..e possible.

*their are faint banging sounds on her end then her voice comes through more clearly*

Hope that fixed the audio it’s an old radio I found...as much as I’d like assistance it would be to dangerous for the both of us to risk it, it has been around a lot I see it moving in the dark, good thing is that it doesn’t move during the day, still trying to find out why.

I guess it’s better to know that not everyone is dead..

*small woofs are heard in the background of the audio*

[poluscalls]

"I see. I can only wish you the best of luck, then."

...was this the bean that article mentioned?

Not that Aubergine had any means of extracting them themself, even if the danger allowed it. Outpost 03 had one rover and it had the battery life of a laptop. That's not making the who knows how many miles to the nearest outpost and back.

Maybe they could notify another team...

"Nocturnal predators usually have a sensitivity to harsh light. If you have a working flashlight, nailing it in the face may give you a few seconds to get away if you encounter it again."

[the-polus-explorer]

I only escaped it twice by luck and the cost of two huskies.. it hasn’t tried getting in yet so I’m fine for now..just know something important, if you hear someone calling for help in the dark, don’t trust it. Keep your bases lights on too.

*suddenly one of her husky’s in the background start barking and she gets up muttering “shit”*

[poluscalls]

"Noted. Sorry about your dogs."

The barking was...likely not a great sign. What is out here to bark at except for something not meant to be there?

"Azure? Everything alright over there? Do you need to run?"

[the-polus-explorer]

*she didn’t respond for a few minutes as something gets pushed against the a window and shes sits back down at her desk her breath shaking now*

T-it was looking at me…i cant run if I wanted to..it’s faster then me..j-just stay on the line please?..

[poluscalls]

"Of course, dear, I'm not going anywhere."

Aubergine scooted closer to the desk and cradled the microphone stand close in lieu of being able to hold the poor bean's hand.

"Would you like to talk about something else? What did you do before you came to Polus?"

[the-polus-explorer]

*she takes a few deep breaths and keeps talking trying to ignore whats outside*

I-i used to paint landscapes before I became an explorer, I had came out here with my brother to uncover old documents about the snow beast..

*there is a slight shuffle as the husky’s stay close to her whining a bit*

[poluscalls]

They do not ask where her brother is. Even without having been shown that article, they could guess. Instead, they divert.

"An artist! I'm somewhat of an artist myself. I'm an ecologist, see? In this field you need to record a lot of things- eventually you get tired of taking pictures of the nature and start drawing it instead."

Their own anxiety was masked perfectly. This was a normal conversation and nothing was wrong. Keep her thinking about anything else.

"I liked to compile them to gift to my own sibling later. They used to print them as stickers to decorate their school notebooks. Maybe we could paint something together one day, yeah?"

[the-polus-explorer]

*she chuckles seemingly feeling better as she seems to be messing with something*

That would be nice.. Can you tell me about your crew?

[poluscalls]

"Of course!"

They make a slight noise of effort as they lean off to the side to snatch a photo from the adjescent shelf. It was an old picture, and their youngest wasn't even on it yet, but it was nice to hold.

"Well, there's my lab partner River- They're a chemist, been here a year longer than I have. The best friend I've ever had- They have this thing for shirts with really bad chemistry jokes on them? It's all they wear. They're actually leaving in a few weeks, with their contract ending. I'm going to miss them a lot.

"Then there's Sienna, our botanist and comms specialist- you would be talking to them right now, if they weren't down with a fever. I arrived here with them, actually! They have a way of making every room they walk into a little warmer. They and River are the cutest couple, I swear my blood sugar sky rockets regularly-

"And Sageee our internnn, just on their second year! Don't tell anyone, but I have a massive soft spot for them. They're the same age my sibling was when I saw them last. They're an engineer, but so darn shy! You need something fixed, done, but it's like it was repaired by a ghost! Oh, once they warm up to you they're the absolute sweetest kid.

"And last but not least, Captain Sable- they are...an enigma- Been here longer than any of us, keeps extending their 5 years more and more every time. They're withdrawn and stoic, but I can tell they care about us a lot somewhere in there. I'll get through to them by the end of my tenure, I'm sure of it."

They took a breath.

"You would get along great with River in particular, I think."

[the-polus-explorer]

*she giggles*

Your crew sounds like a good people, would be nice to meet you all if I wasn’t in this situation, river reminds me of my brother, loved his stupid pun shirts especially science ones.

*the video suddenly starts to show up a bit glitchy but she was more visible*

I fixed a camera I found hopefully it works?

[poluscalls]

"Oh, they would have been two peas in a pod! No peace. Just dumb science pun shenanigans."

They were mid chuckle when her camera turned on.

"Oh!! It does work! Hold on!"

[click]

"Hi! And hi puppyyyy, aww! Gosh, I love your hair too! I have so many people with great hairdos calling me today!"

[the-polus-explorer]

*the husky immediately stands up looking happy as another one peeks up*

Heh, thanks, this is buster and dasher, nova and star are still asleep under the table.

Prancer and comet…arent here anymore..you probably know why…

[poluscalls]

"Yeah...may they forever chase squirrelmates in heaven."

"Do you have enough supplies to keep them all fed? And enough for yourself?"

[the-polus-explorer]

I have already been here for a few weeks and because how it is, it’s been harder and harder to find supplies..i cant go that far, and non of my traps catch anything. I keep having try to work with the limited time I have when it’s I think asleep during the day.

[poluscalls]

"Do you have your current coordinates? I could try triangulating your signal, but it might be inaccurate. I want to see if I can organise a drone supply drop for you, since a manned mission is off the table right now."

[poluscalls]

*a signal from someone on pouls shows up. The audio was hard to hear but a voice spoke through*

He…..llo? He-..llo? This azu-..re, can any-..one hear m-..me?

Aubergine jumped in their chair at the tone. Has this...has this thing ever even recieved before? They were never told anything about the protocol for answering...

It's probably fine.

"This is Polus Outpost 03, I am recieving you. What is the nature of your call?"

Is that how you start...The call center workers had this down pat. They'll get into it, surely.

I got you twin @the-pouls-explore

[the-polus-explorer]

*a really poor quality cheer was heard on the other side*

Hi! Im azure! Im call-……ing to make sure other-…pouls bases aren’t-…gone. Some-…..t-thing is out-…here-….hunting

[poluscalls]

"Hunting..."

How fortunate the timing! They have just learned what the hunter might be.

"If you're referring to a certain mimic beast, we have not encountered it, no. Are you in need of assistance?"

[the-polus-explorer]

Mim-…ic yes! But-…help won’t b-..e possible.

*their are faint banging sounds on her end then her voice comes through more clearly*

Hope that fixed the audio it’s an old radio I found...as much as I’d like assistance it would be to dangerous for the both of us to risk it, it has been around a lot I see it moving in the dark, good thing is that it doesn’t move during the day, still trying to find out why.

I guess it’s better to know that not everyone is dead..

*small woofs are heard in the background of the audio*

[poluscalls]

"I see. I can only wish you the best of luck, then."

...was this the bean that article mentioned?

Not that Aubergine had any means of extracting them themself, even if the danger allowed it. Outpost 03 had one rover and it had the battery life of a laptop. That's not making the who knows how many miles to the nearest outpost and back.

Maybe they could notify another team...

"Nocturnal predators usually have a sensitivity to harsh light. If you have a working flashlight, nailing it in the face may give you a few seconds to get away if you encounter it again."

[the-polus-explorer]

I only escaped it twice by luck and the cost of two huskies.. it hasn’t tried getting in yet so I’m fine for now..just know something important, if you hear someone calling for help in the dark, don’t trust it. Keep your bases lights on too.

*suddenly one of her husky’s in the background start barking and she gets up muttering “shit”*

[poluscalls]

"Noted. Sorry about your dogs."

The barking was...likely not a great sign. What is out here to bark at except for something not meant to be there?

"Azure? Everything alright over there? Do you need to run?"

[the-polus-explorer]

*she didn’t respond for a few minutes as something gets pushed against the a window and shes sits back down at her desk her breath shaking now*

T-it was looking at me…i cant run if I wanted to..it’s faster then me..j-just stay on the line please?..

[poluscalls]

"Of course, dear, I'm not going anywhere."

Aubergine scooted closer to the desk and cradled the microphone stand close in lieu of being able to hold the poor bean's hand.

"Would you like to talk about something else? What did you do before you came to Polus?"

[the-polus-explorer]

*she takes a few deep breaths and keeps talking trying to ignore whats outside*

I-i used to paint landscapes before I became an explorer, I had came out here with my brother to uncover old documents about the snow beast..

*there is a slight shuffle as the husky’s stay close to her whining a bit*

[poluscalls]

They do not ask where her brother is. Even without having been shown that article, they could guess. Instead, they divert.

"An artist! I'm somewhat of an artist myself. I'm an ecologist, see? In this field you need to record a lot of things- eventually you get tired of taking pictures of the nature and start drawing it instead."

Their own anxiety was masked perfectly. This was a normal conversation and nothing was wrong. Keep her thinking about anything else.

"I liked to compile them to gift to my own sibling later. They used to print them as stickers to decorate their school notebooks. Maybe we could paint something together one day, yeah?"

[the-polus-explorer]

*she chuckles seemingly feeling better as she seems to be messing with something*

That would be nice.. Can you tell me about your crew?

[poluscalls]

"Of course!"

They make a slight noise of effort as they lean off to the side to snatch a photo from the adjescent shelf. It was an old picture, and their youngest wasn't even on it yet, but it was nice to hold.

"Well, there's my lab partner River- They're a chemist, been here a year longer than I have. The best friend I've ever had- They have this thing for shirts with really bad chemistry jokes on them? It's all they wear. They're actually leaving in a few weeks, with their contract ending. I'm going to miss them a lot.

"Then there's Sienna, our botanist and comms specialist- you would be talking to them right now, if they weren't down with a fever. I arrived here with them, actually! They have a way of making every room they walk into a little warmer. They and River are the cutest couple, I swear my blood sugar sky rockets regularly-

"And Sageee our internnn, just on their second year! Don't tell anyone, but I have a massive soft spot for them. They're the same age my sibling was when I saw them last. They're an engineer, but so darn shy! You need something fixed, done, but it's like it was repaired by a ghost! Oh, once they warm up to you they're the absolute sweetest kid.

"And last but not least, Captain Sable- they are...an enigma- Been here longer than any of us, keeps extending their 5 years more and more every time. They're withdrawn and stoic, but I can tell they care about us a lot somewhere in there. I'll get through to them by the end of my tenure, I'm sure of it."

They took a breath.

"You would get along great with River in particular, I think."

[the-polus-explorer]

*she giggles*

Your crew sounds like a good people, would be nice to meet you all if I wasn’t in this situation, river reminds me of my brother, loved his stupid pun shirts especially science ones.

*the video suddenly starts to show up a bit glitchy but she was more visible*

I fixed a camera I found hopefully it works?

[poluscalls]

"Oh, they would have been two peas in a pod! No peace. Just dumb science pun shenanigans."

They were mid chuckle when her camera turned on.

"Oh!! It does work! Hold on!"

[click]

"Hi! And hi puppyyyy, aww! Gosh, I love your hair too! I have so many people with great hairdos calling me today!"

[the-polus-explorer]

*the husky immediately stands up looking happy as another one peeks up*

Heh, thanks, this is buster and dasher, nova and star are still asleep under the table.

Prancer and comet…arent here anymore..you probably know why…

[poluscalls]

"Yeah...may they forever chase squirrelmates in heaven."

"Do you have enough supplies to keep them all fed? And enough for yourself?"

[poluscalls]

(There's a voice somewhere nearby)

Hi, I'm azalea... I don't have enough time to explain what I am and I don't know if you've met anons before... sorry if this is startling, I'm just trying to find out what exactly you meant on the note you left Bistre, and why it was there... I don't think it means what they thought it means, this is just to help reassure them they aren't getting fired

- Azalea Anon

Aubergine looks around frantically.

"U h -"

Gosh darnit is this devine intervention? They can't do five revisions of a professional email in real life!

"Hello, Azalea..."

Is this even real...they were perfectly sane yesterday, they doubt it changed overnight- It must be a magical thing, like the laptop.

"Yes, I've...been notified of the distress I caused- I didn't mean to. It was meant to be a thank you for their help and advice, nothing more- absolutely not any notice of firing."

They tug at their collar in shame.

"I meant to speak with them later today about it, but it seems you got to me first- Please tell them I'm sorry. It was just supposed to be a gift, since I discovered I could send them things. I'm not even sure they remember me, we've only spoken briefly once...I should have signed my name instead of a silly drawing."

It was weird speaking to an empty room. Was the Anon even here still?

"...That's all."

[poluscalls]

*a signal from someone on pouls shows up. The audio was hard to hear but a voice spoke through*

He…..llo? He-..llo? This azu-..re, can any-..one hear m-..me?

Aubergine jumped in their chair at the tone. Has this...has this thing ever even recieved before? They were never told anything about the protocol for answering...

It's probably fine.

"This is Polus Outpost 03, I am recieving you. What is the nature of your call?"

Is that how you start...The call center workers had this down pat. They'll get into it, surely.

I got you twin @the-pouls-explore

[the-polus-explorer]

*a really poor quality cheer was heard on the other side*

Hi! Im azure! Im call-……ing to make sure other-…pouls bases aren’t-…gone. Some-…..t-thing is out-…here-….hunting

[poluscalls]

"Hunting..."

How fortunate the timing! They have just learned what the hunter might be.

"If you're referring to a certain mimic beast, we have not encountered it, no. Are you in need of assistance?"

[the-polus-explorer]

Mim-…ic yes! But-…help won’t b-..e possible.

*their are faint banging sounds on her end then her voice comes through more clearly*

Hope that fixed the audio it’s an old radio I found...as much as I’d like assistance it would be to dangerous for the both of us to risk it, it has been around a lot I see it moving in the dark, good thing is that it doesn’t move during the day, still trying to find out why.

I guess it’s better to know that not everyone is dead..

*small woofs are heard in the background of the audio*

[poluscalls]

"I see. I can only wish you the best of luck, then."

...was this the bean that article mentioned?

Not that Aubergine had any means of extracting them themself, even if the danger allowed it. Outpost 03 had one rover and it had the battery life of a laptop. That's not making the who knows how many miles to the nearest outpost and back.

Maybe they could notify another team...

"Nocturnal predators usually have a sensitivity to harsh light. If you have a working flashlight, nailing it in the face may give you a few seconds to get away if you encounter it again."

[the-polus-explorer]

I only escaped it twice by luck and the cost of two huskies.. it hasn’t tried getting in yet so I’m fine for now..just know something important, if you hear someone calling for help in the dark, don’t trust it. Keep your bases lights on too.

*suddenly one of her husky’s in the background start barking and she gets up muttering “shit”*

[poluscalls]

"Noted. Sorry about your dogs."

The barking was...likely not a great sign. What is out here to bark at except for something not meant to be there?

"Azure? Everything alright over there? Do you need to run?"

[the-polus-explorer]

*she didn’t respond for a few minutes as something gets pushed against the a window and shes sits back down at her desk her breath shaking now*

T-it was looking at me…i cant run if I wanted to..it’s faster then me..j-just stay on the line please?..

[poluscalls]

"Of course, dear, I'm not going anywhere."

Aubergine scooted closer to the desk and cradled the microphone stand close in lieu of being able to hold the poor bean's hand.

"Would you like to talk about something else? What did you do before you came to Polus?"

[the-polus-explorer]

*she takes a few deep breaths and keeps talking trying to ignore whats outside*

I-i used to paint landscapes before I became an explorer, I had came out here with my brother to uncover old documents about the snow beast..

*there is a slight shuffle as the husky’s stay close to her whining a bit*

[poluscalls]

They do not ask where her brother is. Even without having been shown that article, they could guess. Instead, they divert.

"An artist! I'm somewhat of an artist myself. I'm an ecologist, see? In this field you need to record a lot of things- eventually you get tired of taking pictures of the nature and start drawing it instead."

Their own anxiety was masked perfectly. This was a normal conversation and nothing was wrong. Keep her thinking about anything else.

"I liked to compile them to gift to my own sibling later. They used to print them as stickers to decorate their school notebooks. Maybe we could paint something together one day, yeah?"

[the-polus-explorer]

*she chuckles seemingly feeling better as she seems to be messing with something*

That would be nice.. Can you tell me about your crew?

[poluscalls]

"Of course!"

They make a slight noise of effort as they lean off to the side to snatch a photo from the adjescent shelf. It was an old picture, and their youngest wasn't even on it yet, but it was nice to hold.

"Well, there's my lab partner River- They're a chemist, been here a year longer than I have. The best friend I've ever had- They have this thing for shirts with really bad chemistry jokes on them? It's all they wear. They're actually leaving in a few weeks, with their contract ending. I'm going to miss them a lot.

"Then there's Sienna, our botanist and comms specialist- you would be talking to them right now, if they weren't down with a fever. I arrived here with them, actually! They have a way of making every room they walk into a little warmer. They and River are the cutest couple, I swear my blood sugar sky rockets regularly-

"And Sageee our internnn, just on their second year! Don't tell anyone, but I have a massive soft spot for them. They're the same age my sibling was when I saw them last. They're an engineer, but so darn shy! You need something fixed, done, but it's like it was repaired by a ghost! Oh, once they warm up to you they're the absolute sweetest kid.

"And last but not least, Captain Sable- they are...an enigma- Been here longer than any of us, keeps extending their 5 years more and more every time. They're withdrawn and stoic, but I can tell they care about us a lot somewhere in there. I'll get through to them by the end of my tenure, I'm sure of it."

They took a breath.

"You would get along great with River in particular, I think."

[the-polus-explorer]

*she giggles*

Your crew sounds like a good people, would be nice to meet you all if I wasn’t in this situation, river reminds me of my brother, loved his stupid pun shirts especially science ones.

*the video suddenly starts to show up a bit glitchy but she was more visible*

I fixed a camera I found hopefully it works?

[poluscalls]

"Oh, they would have been two peas in a pod! No peace. Just dumb science pun shenanigans."

They were mid chuckle when her camera turned on.

"Oh!! It does work! Hold on!"

[click]

"Hi! And hi puppyyyy, aww! Gosh, I love your hair too! I have so many people with great hairdos calling me today!"

[poluscalls]

*a signal from someone on pouls shows up. The audio was hard to hear but a voice spoke through*

He…..llo? He-..llo? This azu-..re, can any-..one hear m-..me?

Aubergine jumped in their chair at the tone. Has this...has this thing ever even recieved before? They were never told anything about the protocol for answering...

It's probably fine.

"This is Polus Outpost 03, I am recieving you. What is the nature of your call?"

Is that how you start...The call center workers had this down pat. They'll get into it, surely.

I got you twin @the-pouls-explore

[the-polus-explorer]

*a really poor quality cheer was heard on the other side*

Hi! Im azure! Im call-……ing to make sure other-…pouls bases aren’t-…gone. Some-…..t-thing is out-…here-….hunting

[poluscalls]

"Hunting..."

How fortunate the timing! They have just learned what the hunter might be.

"If you're referring to a certain mimic beast, we have not encountered it, no. Are you in need of assistance?"

[the-polus-explorer]

Mim-…ic yes! But-…help won’t b-..e possible.

*their are faint banging sounds on her end then her voice comes through more clearly*

Hope that fixed the audio it’s an old radio I found...as much as I’d like assistance it would be to dangerous for the both of us to risk it, it has been around a lot I see it moving in the dark, good thing is that it doesn’t move during the day, still trying to find out why.

I guess it’s better to know that not everyone is dead..

*small woofs are heard in the background of the audio*

[poluscalls]

"I see. I can only wish you the best of luck, then."

...was this the bean that article mentioned?

Not that Aubergine had any means of extracting them themself, even if the danger allowed it. Outpost 03 had one rover and it had the battery life of a laptop. That's not making the who knows how many miles to the nearest outpost and back.

Maybe they could notify another team...

"Nocturnal predators usually have a sensitivity to harsh light. If you have a working flashlight, nailing it in the face may give you a few seconds to get away if you encounter it again."

[the-polus-explorer]

I only escaped it twice by luck and the cost of two huskies.. it hasn’t tried getting in yet so I’m fine for now..just know something important, if you hear someone calling for help in the dark, don’t trust it. Keep your bases lights on too.

*suddenly one of her husky’s in the background start barking and she gets up muttering “shit”*

[poluscalls]

"Noted. Sorry about your dogs."

The barking was...likely not a great sign. What is out here to bark at except for something not meant to be there?

"Azure? Everything alright over there? Do you need to run?"

[the-polus-explorer]

*she didn’t respond for a few minutes as something gets pushed against the a window and shes sits back down at her desk her breath shaking now*

T-it was looking at me…i cant run if I wanted to..it’s faster then me..j-just stay on the line please?..

[poluscalls]

"Of course, dear, I'm not going anywhere."

Aubergine scooted closer to the desk and cradled the microphone stand close in lieu of being able to hold the poor bean's hand.

"Would you like to talk about something else? What did you do before you came to Polus?"

[the-polus-explorer]

*she takes a few deep breaths and keeps talking trying to ignore whats outside*

I-i used to paint landscapes before I became an explorer, I had came out here with my brother to uncover old documents about the snow beast..

*there is a slight shuffle as the husky’s stay close to her whining a bit*

[poluscalls]

They do not ask where her brother is. Even without having been shown that article, they could guess. Instead, they divert.

"An artist! I'm somewhat of an artist myself. I'm an ecologist, see? In this field you need to record a lot of things- eventually you get tired of taking pictures of the nature and start drawing it instead."

Their own anxiety was masked perfectly. This was a normal conversation and nothing was wrong. Keep her thinking about anything else.

"I liked to compile them to gift to my own sibling later. They used to print them as stickers to decorate their school notebooks. Maybe we could paint something together one day, yeah?"

[the-polus-explorer]

*she chuckles seemingly feeling better as she seems to be messing with something*

That would be nice.. Can you tell me about your crew?

[poluscalls]

"Of course!"

They make a slight noise of effort as they lean off to the side to snatch a photo from the adjescent shelf. It was an old picture, and their youngest wasn't even on it yet, but it was nice to hold.

"Well, there's my lab partner River- They're a chemist, been here a year longer than I have. The best friend I've ever had- They have this thing for shirts with really bad chemistry jokes on them? It's all they wear. They're actually leaving in a few weeks, with their contract ending. I'm going to miss them a lot.

"Then there's Sienna, our botanist and comms specialist- you would be talking to them right now, if they weren't down with a fever. I arrived here with them, actually! They have a way of making every room they walk into a little warmer. They and River are the cutest couple, I swear my blood sugar sky rockets regularly-

"And Sageee our internnn, just on their second year! Don't tell anyone, but I have a massive soft spot for them. They're the same age my sibling was when I saw them last. They're an engineer, but so darn shy! You need something fixed, done, but it's like it was repaired by a ghost! Oh, once they warm up to you they're the absolute sweetest kid.

"And last but not least, Captain Sable- they are...an enigma- Been here longer than any of us, keeps extending their 5 years more and more every time. They're withdrawn and stoic, but I can tell they care about us a lot somewhere in there. I'll get through to them by the end of my tenure, I'm sure of it."

They took a breath.

"You would get along great with River in particular, I think."

[poluscalls]

*a signal from someone on pouls shows up. The audio was hard to hear but a voice spoke through*

He…..llo? He-..llo? This azu-..re, can any-..one hear m-..me?

Aubergine jumped in their chair at the tone. Has this...has this thing ever even recieved before? They were never told anything about the protocol for answering...

It's probably fine.

"This is Polus Outpost 03, I am recieving you. What is the nature of your call?"

Is that how you start...The call center workers had this down pat. They'll get into it, surely.

I got you twin @the-pouls-explore

[the-polus-explorer]

*a really poor quality cheer was heard on the other side*

Hi! Im azure! Im call-……ing to make sure other-…pouls bases aren’t-…gone. Some-…..t-thing is out-…here-….hunting

[poluscalls]

"Hunting..."

How fortunate the timing! They have just learned what the hunter might be.

"If you're referring to a certain mimic beast, we have not encountered it, no. Are you in need of assistance?"

[the-polus-explorer]

Mim-…ic yes! But-…help won’t b-..e possible.

*their are faint banging sounds on her end then her voice comes through more clearly*

Hope that fixed the audio it’s an old radio I found...as much as I’d like assistance it would be to dangerous for the both of us to risk it, it has been around a lot I see it moving in the dark, good thing is that it doesn’t move during the day, still trying to find out why.

I guess it’s better to know that not everyone is dead..

*small woofs are heard in the background of the audio*

[poluscalls]

"I see. I can only wish you the best of luck, then."

...was this the bean that article mentioned?

Not that Aubergine had any means of extracting them themself, even if the danger allowed it. Outpost 03 had one rover and it had the battery life of a laptop. That's not making the who knows how many miles to the nearest outpost and back.

Maybe they could notify another team...

"Nocturnal predators usually have a sensitivity to harsh light. If you have a working flashlight, nailing it in the face may give you a few seconds to get away if you encounter it again."

[the-polus-explorer]

I only escaped it twice by luck and the cost of two huskies.. it hasn’t tried getting in yet so I’m fine for now..just know something important, if you hear someone calling for help in the dark, don’t trust it. Keep your bases lights on too.

*suddenly one of her husky’s in the background start barking and she gets up muttering “shit”*

[poluscalls]

"Noted. Sorry about your dogs."

The barking was...likely not a great sign. What is out here to bark at except for something not meant to be there?

"Azure? Everything alright over there? Do you need to run?"

[the-polus-explorer]

*she didn’t respond for a few minutes as something gets pushed against the a window and shes sits back down at her desk her breath shaking now*

T-it was looking at me…i cant run if I wanted to..it’s faster then me..j-just stay on the line please?..

[poluscalls]

"Of course, dear, I'm not going anywhere."

Aubergine scooted closer to the desk and cradled the microphone stand close in lieu of being able to hold the poor bean's hand.

"Would you like to talk about something else? What did you do before you came to Polus?"

[the-polus-explorer]

*she takes a few deep breaths and keeps talking trying to ignore whats outside*

I-i used to paint landscapes before I became an explorer, I had came out here with my brother to uncover old documents about the snow beast..

*there is a slight shuffle as the husky’s stay close to her whining a bit*

[poluscalls]

They do not ask where her brother is. Even without having been shown that article, they could guess. Instead, they divert.

"An artist! I'm somewhat of an artist myself. I'm an ecologist, see? In this field you need to record a lot of things- eventually you get tired of taking pictures of the nature and start drawing it instead."

Their own anxiety was masked perfectly. This was a normal conversation and nothing was wrong. Keep her thinking about anything else.

"I liked to compile them to gift to my own sibling later. They used to print them as stickers to decorate their school notebooks. Maybe we could paint something together one day, yeah?"

[poluscalls]

*a signal from someone on pouls shows up. The audio was hard to hear but a voice spoke through*

He…..llo? He-..llo? This azu-..re, can any-..one hear m-..me?

Aubergine jumped in their chair at the tone. Has this...has this thing ever even recieved before? They were never told anything about the protocol for answering...

It's probably fine.

"This is Polus Outpost 03, I am recieving you. What is the nature of your call?"

Is that how you start...The call center workers had this down pat. They'll get into it, surely.

I got you twin @the-pouls-explore

[the-polus-explorer]

*a really poor quality cheer was heard on the other side*

Hi! Im azure! Im call-……ing to make sure other-…pouls bases aren’t-…gone. Some-…..t-thing is out-…here-….hunting

[poluscalls]

"Hunting..."

How fortunate the timing! They have just learned what the hunter might be.

"If you're referring to a certain mimic beast, we have not encountered it, no. Are you in need of assistance?"

[the-polus-explorer]

Mim-…ic yes! But-…help won’t b-..e possible.

*their are faint banging sounds on her end then her voice comes through more clearly*

Hope that fixed the audio it’s an old radio I found...as much as I’d like assistance it would be to dangerous for the both of us to risk it, it has been around a lot I see it moving in the dark, good thing is that it doesn’t move during the day, still trying to find out why.

I guess it’s better to know that not everyone is dead..

*small woofs are heard in the background of the audio*

[poluscalls]

"I see. I can only wish you the best of luck, then."

...was this the bean that article mentioned?

Not that Aubergine had any means of extracting them themself, even if the danger allowed it. Outpost 03 had one rover and it had the battery life of a laptop. That's not making the who knows how many miles to the nearest outpost and back.

Maybe they could notify another team...

"Nocturnal predators usually have a sensitivity to harsh light. If you have a working flashlight, nailing it in the face may give you a few seconds to get away if you encounter it again."

[the-polus-explorer]

I only escaped it twice by luck and the cost of two huskies.. it hasn’t tried getting in yet so I’m fine for now..just know something important, if you hear someone calling for help in the dark, don’t trust it. Keep your bases lights on too.

*suddenly one of her husky’s in the background start barking and she gets up muttering “shit”*

[poluscalls]

"Noted. Sorry about your dogs."

The barking was...likely not a great sign. What is out here to bark at except for something not meant to be there?

"Azure? Everything alright over there? Do you need to run?"

[the-polus-explorer]

*she didn’t respond for a few minutes as something gets pushed against the a window and shes sits back down at her desk her breath shaking now*

T-it was looking at me…i cant run if I wanted to..it’s faster then me..j-just stay on the line please?..

[poluscalls]

"Of course, dear, I'm not going anywhere."

Aubergine scooted closer to the desk and cradled the microphone stand close in lieu of being able to hold the poor bean's hand.

"Would you like to talk about something else? What did you do before you came to Polus?"

[poluscalls]

*a signal from someone on pouls shows up. The audio was hard to hear but a voice spoke through*

He…..llo? He-..llo? This azu-..re, can any-..one hear m-..me?

Aubergine jumped in their chair at the tone. Has this...has this thing ever even recieved before? They were never told anything about the protocol for answering...

It's probably fine.

"This is Polus Outpost 03, I am recieving you. What is the nature of your call?"

Is that how you start...The call center workers had this down pat. They'll get into it, surely.

I got you twin @the-pouls-explore

[the-polus-explorer]

*a really poor quality cheer was heard on the other side*

Hi! Im azure! Im call-……ing to make sure other-…pouls bases aren’t-…gone. Some-…..t-thing is out-…here-….hunting

[poluscalls]

"Hunting..."

How fortunate the timing! They have just learned what the hunter might be.

"If you're referring to a certain mimic beast, we have not encountered it, no. Are you in need of assistance?"

[the-polus-explorer]

Mim-…ic yes! But-…help won’t b-..e possible.

*their are faint banging sounds on her end then her voice comes through more clearly*

Hope that fixed the audio it’s an old radio I found...as much as I’d like assistance it would be to dangerous for the both of us to risk it, it has been around a lot I see it moving in the dark, good thing is that it doesn’t move during the day, still trying to find out why.

I guess it’s better to know that not everyone is dead..

*small woofs are heard in the background of the audio*

[poluscalls]

"I see. I can only wish you the best of luck, then."

...was this the bean that article mentioned?

Not that Aubergine had any means of extracting them themself, even if the danger allowed it. Outpost 03 had one rover and it had the battery life of a laptop. That's not making the who knows how many miles to the nearest outpost and back.

Maybe they could notify another team...

"Nocturnal predators usually have a sensitivity to harsh light. If you have a working flashlight, nailing it in the face may give you a few seconds to get away if you encounter it again."

[the-polus-explorer]

I only escaped it twice by luck and the cost of two huskies.. it hasn’t tried getting in yet so I’m fine for now..just know something important, if you hear someone calling for help in the dark, don’t trust it. Keep your bases lights on too.

*suddenly one of her husky’s in the background start barking and she gets up muttering “shit”*

[poluscalls]

"Noted. Sorry about your dogs."

The barking was...likely not a great sign. What is out here to bark at except for something not meant to be there?

"Azure? Everything alright over there? Do you need to run?"

[poluscalls]

*a signal from someone on pouls shows up. The audio was hard to hear but a voice spoke through*

He…..llo? He-..llo? This azu-..re, can any-..one hear m-..me?

Aubergine jumped in their chair at the tone. Has this...has this thing ever even recieved before? They were never told anything about the protocol for answering...

It's probably fine.

"This is Polus Outpost 03, I am recieving you. What is the nature of your call?"

Is that how you start...The call center workers had this down pat. They'll get into it, surely.

I got you twin @the-pouls-explore

[the-polus-explorer]

*a really poor quality cheer was heard on the other side*

Hi! Im azure! Im call-……ing to make sure other-…pouls bases aren’t-…gone. Some-…..t-thing is out-…here-….hunting

[poluscalls]

"Hunting..."

How fortunate the timing! They have just learned what the hunter might be.

"If you're referring to a certain mimic beast, we have not encountered it, no. Are you in need of assistance?"

[the-polus-explorer]

Mim-…ic yes! But-…help won’t b-..e possible.

*their are faint banging sounds on her end then her voice comes through more clearly*

Hope that fixed the audio it’s an old radio I found...as much as I’d like assistance it would be to dangerous for the both of us to risk it, it has been around a lot I see it moving in the dark, good thing is that it doesn’t move during the day, still trying to find out why.

I guess it’s better to know that not everyone is dead..

*small woofs are heard in the background of the audio*

[poluscalls]

"I see. I can only wish you the best of luck, then."

...was this the bean that article mentioned?

Not that Aubergine had any means of extracting them themself, even if the danger allowed it. Outpost 03 had one rover and it had the battery life of a laptop. That's not making the who knows how many miles to the nearest outpost and back.

Maybe they could notify another team...

"Nocturnal predators usually have a sensitivity to harsh light. If you have a working flashlight, nailing it in the face may give you a few seconds to get away if you encounter it again."

[poluscalls]

*a signal from someone on pouls shows up. The audio was hard to hear but a voice spoke through*

He…..llo? He-..llo? This azu-..re, can any-..one hear m-..me?

Aubergine jumped in their chair at the tone. Has this...has this thing ever even recieved before? They were never told anything about the protocol for answering...

It's probably fine.

"This is Polus Outpost 03, I am recieving you. What is the nature of your call?"

Is that how you start...The call center workers had this down pat. They'll get into it, surely.

I got you twin @the-pouls-explore

[the-polus-explorer]

*a really poor quality cheer was heard on the other side*

Hi! Im azure! Im call-……ing to make sure other-…pouls bases aren’t-…gone. Some-…..t-thing is out-…here-….hunting

[poluscalls]

"Hunting..."

How fortunate the timing! They have just learned what the hunter might be.

"If you're referring to a certain mimic beast, we have not encountered it, no. Are you in need of assistance?"

[poluscalls]

*a signal from someone on pouls shows up. The audio was hard to hear but a voice spoke through*

He…..llo? He-..llo? This azu-..re, can any-..one hear m-..me?

Aubergine jumped in their chair at the tone. Has this...has this thing ever even recieved before? They were never told anything about the protocol for answering...

It's probably fine.

"This is Polus Outpost 03, I am recieving you. What is the nature of your call?"

Is that how you start...The call center workers had this down pat. They'll get into it, surely.

I got you twin @the-pouls-explore

[poluscalls]

isnt imps a type of parasite or are they actually creatures

all i know is that they do have the intelligience comparable to a crewmate

Dear Anonymous!

I am far from an authority on this subject, considering I only just now discovered in the broadest of strokes what impostors even are.

A parasite is still a creature on it's own. Whether what they call an "impostor" is the parasite itself or it's host body specifically, I do not know. The parasitism theory is fascinating though. If it is the case, do they possess that level of intelligence due to their host, or despite it?

I would have loved to write my thesis on this had I known...

- As stumped as you, Aubergine

[poluscalls]

I think they interpreted it as the classic corporate "thank you for your service, you're no longer needed" thing

And they are not doing good they are having an anxiety attack 😭

Hopefully Azalea (one of their friends?) will be able to fix this up

- ???

RE: previous

I'm not sure whether to be embarrassed or horrified. I will settle for both.

I'll be sure to take greater consideration with my wording in the future, though the fact the gift was prepared at 3:30 in the morning may have also contributed to the lack of oversight. Had my friend been awake they would have likely brought up this possibility.

I will speak to the Sargeant Major personally about this at a later date. I wish Azalea the best of luck in soothing them in the meantime.

- Sincerely, Aubergine

[the-dragon-amongus3]

Gift for @poluscalls T.w visits pouls 🥹

Her catmates name is violence and only has 3 legs, they are a rescue cat who has a kill count.

[poluscalls]

Sobbing at this she's so tiny (I say, knowing Abby is a full foot taller than average)-- thank you so much!!

[poluscalls]

So Bistre hella misinterpreted your sticky note and is now having a anxiety attack over getting "fired" 😭

Anonymous!

That was the exact opposite of my intentions, how did that happen? Is the Sargeant Major alright?

I was under the impression that thanking a soldier for their service was a common sentiment. What other way can it be read? What can I do to repair the situation?

Please forward to them that the note and tea were simply my means of thank you to them for their readily offered help and advice to me in our previous conversation! I am very sorry for the distress I caused.

- confused and worried, Aubergine.

[poluscalls]

Imps are a type of dangerous creature that mimics a crewmate both in looks and personality, also known as imposters, there are many types of imposters around the universe.

RE: previous

I see. I have just recently learned of a creature of similar capabilities that may be based here on Polus. That is to say, I am not concerned.

The idea that animals have any real concept of morality is a common misconception. No creature is inherently evil, and any damage to us they may cause is, always has been, and always will be, an act of hunger, fear, or defense.

The danger is real and should not be ignored, yes, but only in the way you may be wary of a storm. The storm is not here to harm you specifically. It is simply going to happen, and you must prepare for it.

All that said, this is assuming what you have described to me is, in fact, an animal. If impostors, as you have named them, have the intelligence necessary to integrate into society in order to earn that title, I would class them as a race of people, in which case your previous question becomes insensitive.

I hope my explanation was clear enough on my stance in this matter.

- Not scared, no, Aubergine