Setting
Nexus 42 was always a popular station during Halloween. Not only was it a popular commercial hub that was both deep in human space but also right at the crossroads of a number of multi-national trade lanes, but it also had a layout that leant itself pretty well to the current festivities. As a large station, Nexus 42 could afford the space for enclosed docking bays that housed ships up to the size of small corvette-class vessels. And those docking bays were situated along a huge ring that encircled the entire station. This in turn created a looping corridor, where each offshoot airlock would potentially lead to a different docked vessel.
As had become tradition on Nexus 42, signs and decorations were set up outside many of the airlocks, much like a spaceborne equivalent of an Earthly neighbourhood. About two thirds of the airlocks sported traditional decoration, whilst the rest were examples of experimental presentation and alien interpretations of the holiday.
Within each participating docking bay was a similarly-decorated space, sometimes incorporating the present space vessel into its design, other times simply being set up around it. These spaces often resembled pumpkin patches, haunted houses or treacherous alien worlds. Almost all of them had some sort of kiosk for distributing candy to visitors.
One such docking bay was currently home to a gunship-class vessel named the Avant-garde. Sat with its forward-facing airlock open, the vessel was currently decorated in fake seaweed and other slimy-looking faux foliage. Its pristine white hull was specially painted over with a layer of murky greys, greens and blues. With its numerous wings and fins, it resembled some sort of deep sea creature lying in wait. The space before it was decorated to resemble the ruined deck of an ancient Earth shipwreck, various fake skeletons scattered around to complete the illusion. The docking bay's guidance spotlights had been covered in light filters that added to the atmosphere, sweeping over the display to cast dancing oceanic shadows and casting upon the decorations a dingy glow.
This of course complemented the decorations on the docking bay's entrance itself, which were set up to appear as though a sunken pirate cove, complete with treasure chests and ragged piratical garments.
The occupants
The Avant-garde's captain - a rodent-esque biological construct by the name of Xá'Taren - was just putting the finishing touches to his partner's costume. Being eyeless and thus totally blind, it was something Kys'Jarok was entirely incapable of doing themselves. Indeed however, for a being that was unable to experience the full Halloween experience, they were nonetheless quite excited. They had to take Xá's word for it that their costume resembled the description that was given to them, but then Xá was incapable of lying with any degree of believability. Besides, spending more than a couple of centuries together had made these two quite trusting toward each other.
Whilst Xá himself was dressed in a comically large pirate's hat and eyepatch, a fancy red captain's coat providing just about the only clothing the captain was willing to wear, Kys's fur had been spray-painted in various greens and browns to match the general decor. A waxy substance had been fashioned into webbing that spanned the gap between individual digits, whilst various other fishy frills were sculpted onto their person to further the sea-creature look. A spindly wax-covered wire extended from the top of their head, the end of which sat a bulbous light with a sickly chartreuse glow.
"All done," Xá declared, having just finished sticking down the last of the decorative extensions. "You make the perfect sea monster."
"I will take that as a compliment," Kys replied.
"If you need me, I'll be in the cargo hold, giving away those sea monster plushies," Xá told Kys, before nuzzling them on the forehead and leaving them to man the candy kiosk alone.
Kys stretched all four of their arms and gently reached out toward all the individual boxes of candy that were present at their stall, reaffirming their locations. The selection of crates and barrels that made up the service counter fit right in with the design of the sunken ship deck that was painted onto the floor beneath them.
"Attention all civilians," An announcement over the station intercom broke out. "Trick or Treating has now begun on the main docking ring. Remember that if a particular docking bay is locked, that berth is currently not participating in the festivities. Please remain civil and respectful of the kind volunteers who are providing this year's attractions. Thank you."
Miretta gave a nostalgic smile as she saw the space ship, and a more mirthful one as she took note of the details - the seaweed, the little barnacle-like painted rough spots, the sea-fins. As she strode toward the gangplank she heard the sound of candy rattling in its wrappers.
With a lovely smile on her face, the one-time hunter swept up into the ship, called "Trick or treat?", and looked around for candy.
She definitely wasn't obsessed.
With a lovely smile on her face, the one-time hunter swept up into the ship, called "Trick or treat?", and looked around for candy.
She definitely wasn't obsessed.
"Well hello there," Kys said calmly from their prominently positioned kiosk on the fake shipwreck that was positioned just in front of the real ship sat decorated behind it. "If you would not mind, please place your candy receptacle down on the large crate in front of me and I will begin filling it. And uh... if you don't mind me asking... what have you come dressed as today?"
Kys tilted their head slightly to one side, eyeless face almost but not quite pointed in Miretta's direction. Their hands sat at the ready to transfer candy like some sort of multi-armed claw machine. With every slight movement of their head, their faux lure bobbed up and down.
Kys tilted their head slightly to one side, eyeless face almost but not quite pointed in Miretta's direction. Their hands sat at the ready to transfer candy like some sort of multi-armed claw machine. With every slight movement of their head, their faux lure bobbed up and down.
Miretta barely contained a delighted squeal when she saw the cute costume this outerworlder was wearing. "Hi! Thank you! I'm so happy to participate in this holiday, really, I haven't been since I was a kid... Oh, um, my costume is an old-fashioned Guild Lass! The difference between that and my day job is that now I'm a regular Guild Lass rather than the old Receptionist or Sweetheart class, which were pretty demeaning if you weren't into the whole dainty lady kinda thing, probably! Haha!"
She dumped her clattering bag onto the ground, unbuttoned, where it flopped open to reveal an empty bottom with just a few scraps of old wrappers and paper. "Ah," she said, flushing, "that's.... I just cleaned it out. Recently. It's my work bag actually. See, I started working at the Maintenance Desk when I was about fourteen and I always hunted monsters or trained before that, and I started doing more of the showy fighting business somewhere in between, so, really- I mean, I just started kind of missing it, you know? Like, actually wearing costumes that I got to pick and that weren't just part of the job's yearly theme. Wow. Yeah, so what are you dressed as?"
She scratched at her ponytail, then leaned forward a little to look wide-eyed at the mechanics of the little guy's costume.
She dumped her clattering bag onto the ground, unbuttoned, where it flopped open to reveal an empty bottom with just a few scraps of old wrappers and paper. "Ah," she said, flushing, "that's.... I just cleaned it out. Recently. It's my work bag actually. See, I started working at the Maintenance Desk when I was about fourteen and I always hunted monsters or trained before that, and I started doing more of the showy fighting business somewhere in between, so, really- I mean, I just started kind of missing it, you know? Like, actually wearing costumes that I got to pick and that weren't just part of the job's yearly theme. Wow. Yeah, so what are you dressed as?"
She scratched at her ponytail, then leaned forward a little to look wide-eyed at the mechanics of the little guy's costume.
Kys's ears flickered. The ground wasn't exactly where they wanted the bag, but they could work with that. After all, they could hear where it was now. With all the speed of a professional pianist, Kys plucked up one of each candy type and gently tossed them into the bag.
"Oh, are you blind too?" Kys asked honestly. They had genuniely no idea, and also had a tendency to fail to find the line between seeing and comprehending, which often led to misunderstandings. Kys had never seen a sea monster before, so naturally they didn't know how obvious their costume would be - or indeed that 'generic sea monster' wasn't always the first thing people looked for in a universe full of more exact references. "I'm a sea monster. Though it's more 'painted' than 'dressed', really." They gently flicked at the glowing lure that was suspended from their head. "Xá told me this was glowing. Oh... speaking of Xá... if you want, you can go up the boarding ramp into the Avant-garde's cargo hold and receive a free plushie from Xá. Just one though. Got to make sure there's enough to go around."
"Oh, are you blind too?" Kys asked honestly. They had genuniely no idea, and also had a tendency to fail to find the line between seeing and comprehending, which often led to misunderstandings. Kys had never seen a sea monster before, so naturally they didn't know how obvious their costume would be - or indeed that 'generic sea monster' wasn't always the first thing people looked for in a universe full of more exact references. "I'm a sea monster. Though it's more 'painted' than 'dressed', really." They gently flicked at the glowing lure that was suspended from their head. "Xá told me this was glowing. Oh... speaking of Xá... if you want, you can go up the boarding ramp into the Avant-garde's cargo hold and receive a free plushie from Xá. Just one though. Got to make sure there's enough to go around."
"Oh, thanks so much! I hope you have a good day!" Miretta said, perfectly practiced, and blushed a little afterwards. "Ah, I'm not blind, no! I just usually figure it's better to ask. I meet a lot of weird folk on my... world, sometimes they don't like being dictated to, which is what they call it when you remark on something that has a little bit of difference! Haha, but my line of work does sort of require perfection. And uhm, discretion? I guess. I dunno... I would love a plushie! Ooh, and sea monsters are so cool, are there any plushies of those, I wonder?" Miretta gushed, leaning over and squealing in happiness at the thought of plushes. Something new for her room ❤️ "Thank you so much! I hope you have a great day!" She said enthusiastically, and waved a little bit noisily with her button-covered arm.
She headed up toward the cargo hold, bag in hand, calling "Hello, Happy Halloween!"
It was a little dark, but something seemed to be illuminating the area. Did she forget to take her Optics off? Oops. She hoped she didn't look alarming to anybody she didn't want to alarm.
She headed up toward the cargo hold, bag in hand, calling "Hello, Happy Halloween!"
It was a little dark, but something seemed to be illuminating the area. Did she forget to take her Optics off? Oops. She hoped she didn't look alarming to anybody she didn't want to alarm.
The inside of the cargo hold was decorated like some sort of sea cave. Fake seaweed dangled from the ceiling above, whilst patches of algae and coral were spray-painted onto the floor. Even the cargo crates in the room were painted to look like rotting wooden boxes, some with aquatic foliage painted on as well. Positioned on many of the surfaces were a selection of plush toys that mostly matched the general theme of the decor. There were pirates, skeletons, sea monsters of various shapes and rather spoopy-looking sharks. There was also a smaller selection of more generic halloween plushies, including jack-o-lanterns, bats, spiders, witches and vampires.
Sat on a chair that was painted as some sort of rotting sea-weed-covered wooden throne was a furry being wearing the coat, eye-patch and oversized hat of a cartoon-ish pirate captain. He was currently balancing a plastic rapier between the floor and a single finger, the blade pointing downward. "Yarrr me hearty!" He greeted enthusiastically in a pretty accurate piratey west-country accent, letting go of the rapier. Before it could fall, he snatched it up properly in his hand and pointed it toward Miretta. "And what can I be getting ye? Pick ye one of yonder treasures, but no more, lest ye fall prey to the curse of dread pirate Bobby Bobbington who died in this cave but twenty years ago!" He gestured to a mouldy-looking skeleton that was keeled over an otherwise unoccupied crate, a rum bottle in one hand and a yellow duck sock puppet on the other.
Sat on a chair that was painted as some sort of rotting sea-weed-covered wooden throne was a furry being wearing the coat, eye-patch and oversized hat of a cartoon-ish pirate captain. He was currently balancing a plastic rapier between the floor and a single finger, the blade pointing downward. "Yarrr me hearty!" He greeted enthusiastically in a pretty accurate piratey west-country accent, letting go of the rapier. Before it could fall, he snatched it up properly in his hand and pointed it toward Miretta. "And what can I be getting ye? Pick ye one of yonder treasures, but no more, lest ye fall prey to the curse of dread pirate Bobby Bobbington who died in this cave but twenty years ago!" He gestured to a mouldy-looking skeleton that was keeled over an otherwise unoccupied crate, a rum bottle in one hand and a yellow duck sock puppet on the other.
Clementine stepped out of the newest portal she had made. She looked at this place and then realized that this was not some place she could be, but it was Halloween and she wanted candy so she swallowed her pride and went to the nearest… house?
Clementine wrote:
Clementine stepped out of the newest portal she had made. She looked at this place and then realized that this was not some place she could be, but it was Halloween and she wanted candy so she swallowed her pride and went to the nearest… house?
If anything, the looping ring of airlock doors more resembled an apartment building than an actual street. Nonetheless, as were most of the docking bay inner airlocks at this juncture, the closest one was very much open - and indeed decorated with seasonally appropriate designs.
Within was a large space entirely decorated to appear as though it was deep under the sea. Directly ahead, the deck of a sunken sea wreck was illustrated on the ground, the upper decks at the bow and stern built fairly accurately from what looked like rotten wood, but was likely just painted metal and modern alloys. A cluster of crates and barrels sat in the middle of the main deck in the general shape of a kiosk, a furry eyeless being sat behind, their appearance oddly sea-monster-like for a mammalian being, hands waiting by a selection of candy as though ready to distribute it.
Behind this individual was a looming space-craft that looked as though it was dragged out from the oceanic depths after centuries of submersion. The boarding ramp was currently down, leading into a cargo bay that looked oddly like a sunken cave. Though it was quite dark in there, the fact that it was decorated and left in such an accessible state could only mean that there were more goodies to be found within.
She walked up to the furry being and smiled. “ trick or treat” she said, being a bit louder than her normal voice so she could get their attention. She held up her bag as friend baa’d next to her
Kys's ears flickered. Moreso at the accompanying noise. "Welcome!" They greeted. "Perhaps I should act more of the part, but I'm afraid I don't much know how to behave like a sea monster. If you would kindly place your candy receptacle on the big crate in front of me, I will begin filling it. Though I believe it would be remiss of me not to ask what you have dressed up as, given the effort people generally put into this holiday. As much as my acute hearing offers me many advantages most folk lack, identifying costumes is unfortunately an ability it doesn't make up for."
She smiled and placed her sack on the crate. She smiled and told him what she was wearing. “ I’m a sheep” she said with a smile
With surprising swiftness, Kys picked one of each type of candy on offer and dropped it into Clementine's bag. "Well... I'm sure your costume is lovely," they said cheerfully. "If you want, when you're ready, you can climb the boarding ramp behind me to get a free plushie from the captain."
Sivwikkas bounded along the docking ring, each step a joyful skip. They had decided to embrace station tradition today, and had put together a costume! They wore a brown onesie with bulky shoulder pads, and gloves and shoes that turned their feet and hands (all four of them) into claws. A mask created a pair of mandibles surrounding their face, and covered their eyes in two black faceted domes. The illusion of a Terran ant was completed by a stuffed gaster attached to a belt, sticking out behind their backside.
The next bay was decorated like a sunken ship. Instinctively, Wikkas slowed to absorb all the detailed decorations, mouth agape in awe. The owners of this bay had gone above and beyond! They were so taken with the decorations, they didn't at first notice Kys sitting behind the table ...
The next bay was decorated like a sunken ship. Instinctively, Wikkas slowed to absorb all the detailed decorations, mouth agape in awe. The owners of this bay had gone above and beyond! They were so taken with the decorations, they didn't at first notice Kys sitting behind the table ...
Kys's ears caught Sivwikkas easily enough. Though their senses didn't allow them to observe exact physical details, there was still a lot that they could make out from sound alone. Gait, breathing pattern, the shuffling of garments... it created an imageless picture in their mind about what was approaching and what their situation was.
"Distracting, is it?" They asked loudly in Wikkas's direction. "I suppose there are moments every now and then that I wished I could see, and I am not proud enough to hide my curiosity over Xá's handywork. He had help, of course..." Kys shrugged with their neck. "Anyhow... I can very much hear your costume, even from here! Come... if you've got anything to carry it in, I have candy to give away here."
"Distracting, is it?" They asked loudly in Wikkas's direction. "I suppose there are moments every now and then that I wished I could see, and I am not proud enough to hide my curiosity over Xá's handywork. He had help, of course..." Kys shrugged with their neck. "Anyhow... I can very much hear your costume, even from here! Come... if you've got anything to carry it in, I have candy to give away here."
Miretta looked around in wonderment at the beautiful arrangement of painting and props, the seaweed and coral and rotted wood. It even smelled a little salty! But, she figured, that was probably mostly rust.
"Hello!" She bowed swiftly to the piratical owner, smiling when she saw the springy rapier. "Happy Halloween, and I would love to pick a doll, no curse necessary!" Miretta giggled at the name, and then admired the host's sock puppet quite enthusiastically. "That duck, it's so cute. Or is it a chicken? It reminds me of a monster I used to hunt. Oh, but you don't need to worry! I won't be hunting any of your precious beasties. I like the ones at home fine for that. Where do you come from? The high seas?" The warrior giggled a little, then pointed at the orange stuffie with bright glowing eyes on a toppling stack near the floor. "That's so lovely! Can I have him? The, uh, the pumpkin plush, I mean! Err, the one about two feet from the wall. Do I have to do anything to win it?" Miretta pondered the possible answer to her question before it had even left her mouth - she could probably knock it off with a Might Seed or even a Paintball if she needed to. Some things could be foraged, and some couldn't, and a fluffy bright Jack-o-lantern was one of the latter! She couldn't wait to hug him.
"The ambiance in here is quite nice, by the way," she added. A little flattery couldn't hurt, right? Miretta giggled.
"Hello!" She bowed swiftly to the piratical owner, smiling when she saw the springy rapier. "Happy Halloween, and I would love to pick a doll, no curse necessary!" Miretta giggled at the name, and then admired the host's sock puppet quite enthusiastically. "That duck, it's so cute. Or is it a chicken? It reminds me of a monster I used to hunt. Oh, but you don't need to worry! I won't be hunting any of your precious beasties. I like the ones at home fine for that. Where do you come from? The high seas?" The warrior giggled a little, then pointed at the orange stuffie with bright glowing eyes on a toppling stack near the floor. "That's so lovely! Can I have him? The, uh, the pumpkin plush, I mean! Err, the one about two feet from the wall. Do I have to do anything to win it?" Miretta pondered the possible answer to her question before it had even left her mouth - she could probably knock it off with a Might Seed or even a Paintball if she needed to. Some things could be foraged, and some couldn't, and a fluffy bright Jack-o-lantern was one of the latter! She couldn't wait to hug him.
"The ambiance in here is quite nice, by the way," she added. A little flattery couldn't hurt, right? Miretta giggled.
"Ye be takin' what ye want," was Xá's reply. "But be sure ye be takin' but one. I've heard tale that the curse is nay a particularly kind one." He broke character for just a moment to offer the briefest of stern expressions to show he meant business. "There ain't no game or puzzle. Just take it. The curse knows if ye be cheatin', mind. Oh, and it be a duck. I think. The human who be sellin' it to me called it a duck. As for me? Aye, ye could be sayin' the high seas. The... literal high seas. If ye be catchin' me drift. Seas as black as the inky void. One could say the greatest sea of all."
She walked trough onto the next airlock and smiled as she entered the cave. She smiled and went over to all of the plushies
((To avoid confusion: Xá tends to switch pronouns a fair bit depending on circumstance))
Surrounded by a selection of Halloween-themed stuffed toys (mostly sea or pirate related) was a furry being who despite having some drastically different anatomy somehow still managed to look surprisingly similar to the creature outside - minus the costume, of course. This particular being was dressed as some sort of pirate captain.
Xá turned to Clementine from his position on his decorative throne, then proceeded to lounge over the arms of the seat like a wealthy queen. "Yarr, a new visitor be enterin' me cave," she declared. "Well, landlubber, ye be better off knowing the golden rule that be keeping ye from fallin' prey to the curse of this place! Ye can take one of yonder soft treasures - whichever your heart desires! But no more than one, lest ye meet a fate that, though not quite as fatal as the former dread pirate Bobby Bobbington's, would nonetheless present ye with an unpleasant time."
She gestured broadly with her arm toward a mouldy-looking skeleton draped over a box with a bottle of rum in one hand and a duck-like sock puppet over the other.
Surrounded by a selection of Halloween-themed stuffed toys (mostly sea or pirate related) was a furry being who despite having some drastically different anatomy somehow still managed to look surprisingly similar to the creature outside - minus the costume, of course. This particular being was dressed as some sort of pirate captain.
Xá turned to Clementine from his position on his decorative throne, then proceeded to lounge over the arms of the seat like a wealthy queen. "Yarr, a new visitor be enterin' me cave," she declared. "Well, landlubber, ye be better off knowing the golden rule that be keeping ye from fallin' prey to the curse of this place! Ye can take one of yonder soft treasures - whichever your heart desires! But no more than one, lest ye meet a fate that, though not quite as fatal as the former dread pirate Bobby Bobbington's, would nonetheless present ye with an unpleasant time."
She gestured broadly with her arm toward a mouldy-looking skeleton draped over a box with a bottle of rum in one hand and a duck-like sock puppet over the other.
She giggled as she took one of the plushies, a dolphin with a pirate hat on, and smiled at him. “ thank you” she said as she walked out and disappeared into what seemed like a portal
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