S - Lilith

,,,

You wake up in a cold and dark laboratory. The metal table that you're sure your skin has fused onto by now burns, sending cold electric shivers of pain through your body at each point where your skin meets it. Exposed circuits pour out from where your shoulder blades should be, like broken wings. Much like an IV, you feel them inside of you less and less as you panic, the icy metal integrated into human flesh begins to work with your body as you thrash against the restraints,[[ your hands and feet are tied down. ]] The shiveringly solid feeling fades more rapidly as you thrash, as the wires steal the warmth from your body. This disgusting thing that was forced into your body is now becoming a part of you, and you can not let that happen, you have to escape, you have to get out, you have to do SOMETHING. [[Call to your mother->001]] [[Call to your father->001]] [[Call to the Gods->001]] (set: $deadboltlatched to true) (set: $havetoothbrushandtoothpaste to false) (set: $teethbrushed to false)

Kind brown eyes blink down at you. The room you share with Nana is illuminated by soft string lights. The built in overhead lights feel like angry beams that hurt your head in the morning.  Nana wrinkles her nose at the residing nightmares she sees in your eyes. She makes a tiny sound that reminds you of pigeons, and you bury your face in her soft blue chest. "Shh shh sweetheart it's okay. You're on the Lilith Space Station, remember? Can you tell me your name baby, just so I can make sure you're really awake?" [[My name is Circe... ->002]]

"Perfect [[Circe]]. You know, when you're asleep, you answer me with your old name? The one you asked me to promise to never say again." She wipes away your tears with her downy blue hands and cradles your face in them. "Now how about we get ready for the day then? [[Get our of bed. ->Your room]]

You didn't notice until the hard inflexible fabric began to groan as you use your whole body to try and wrench yourself off of this wretched slab.

Your room is a small metal enclosure with string-lights along the top edges. What should by all means be a cold and industrial space is made very warm by various tapestries, paintings, and artworks of a nature that you cannot describe. On your far-left an [[old fashioned bulbous vanity]] sits. Right next to it is a bookcase that, from your perspective, appears to be towering. It is chock-full of [[books of all kinds of nature]], but one shelf is [[entirely blank and freshly dusted.]] There are boxes roughly stacked on top of the shelf, all the way up to the ceiling. In the far corner there is a [[shrine]] with a [[tapestry]] behind it. Directly to the right of the tapestry, is the [[door to leave.]] There is a [[door chain]] which is currently fastened on it.  (if: $havetoothbrushandtoothpaste is true)[[Brush your teeth]]]

keer - key keer as in clear key as in lock and key the k's are hard and don't make an s sound.

It has three surfaces, the middle one sitting lower than the outer two. The two surfaces that sit higher are piled with all kinds of mousses and powders and sprays that Nana says are what you would know as "beauty products." She's shown you that one of the mousses is used to slick down some annoying cowlicks that she thinks make her look "unprofessional." You run your hand over your head while looking at yourself in the mirror. Your own [[hair]] has begun growing in, dense, messy, curly, and dry. A part of you wants to keep it growing, but you don't know what to do with it, and Nana's products are all made for her fine downy fur. Your hair is dense, curly, and the strands themselves have an entirely different texture. (if: $havetoothbrushandtoothpaste is false)[The third, and shortest surface of the vanity has two items on it, [[toothbrush and a tube of what you believe to be toothpaste.]]] [[Your room]]

Most of these books are covered in characters you can't read, and whose origin you know nothing about. The few books you can make out that are in english involve the words "Trauma," "Terran," and "sub-Saharan." [[Your room]]

TODO: Make this passage play no matter what, so they cannot leave the room without reading it Nana notices you staring at the shelf. "Oh, that shelf is for you now! I heard about a contract today that I wanted to bring you along for. I'll tell you more about it in the mess hall. Also, I bought you a new toothbrush and some toothpaste, I left it on a space I cleared off on the vanity as well. " She looks down at her lap and becomes self-reflective. "I couldn't meditate earlier this morning, because the thought of you having nowhere to put anything should you want to bring back was too intrusive." Her head pops back up quickly, her brown eyes brightly shining at you. "The whole shelf is just for you now! I don't want you to be afraid to take up space in here." [["Thank you nana" -> 003]]

Where Nana worships. She meditates here every morning before you wake up. There are a few candles on the table, and a pure black statue of someone who is like Nana on it. [[Your room]]

The tapestry has a moon-like symbol in it's center. It's surrounded by a mandala-like pattern, and designs all around the edges. [[Your room]]

(if: $deadboltlatched is true)[You can't open the door until you've unlatched the door chain. ]  (if: $teethbrushed is false)[Nana makes a chirping sound that you've learned means she's cross. "Remember to brush your teeth Circe, my books say Terrans absolutely need to do it. You have bones in your mouth that will rot otherwise!" The whole notion seems alien to her, and she says it with a sense of wonder. She'll brush them for you if you refuse, and that's just embarassing. You're 9 years old, you don't need an adult to do that for you... [[Your room]]] (if:$deadboltlatched is false and $teethbrushed)[You step out the door, and Nana slips behind you. You walk side by side through the space station's narrow and tube-like hallways to the [[Mess Hall]]. ]

You couldn't feel safe until one of these was installed. The first few weeks of staying with Nana, you would wake up screaming all through the night, rather than just as you woke up in the morning. You spotted one of these in a grimy man's pile of junk that he was selling, and Nana purchased it for you with no questions asked when you said you thought it might make you feel safer. Your nerves were calmed from the moment of that gesture, and you helped her install it that night. It's your special ritual to bolt the door chain every night, and unbolt it in the morning. Nana will leave, somehow, before you've woken up. But she won't unbolt the door chain. (if: $deadboltlatched is true)[[open deadbolt]]] [[Your room]]

"Thank you Nana..." You mutter it barely above a whisper, and your voice is still raspy from a turbulent night of dreaming. The fact that she did that makes you feel complicated things. You're happy, but embarassed. Her attention makes you want to hide your face, and you don't really feel worthy of it in the first place. [[Your room]]

You pick up the toothbrush and toothpaste. (set: $havetoothbrushandtoothpaste to true) [[Your room]]

You enter the empty-feeling space station bathroom. A small shower lies in the far corner, with a toilet opposite it. You stand in front of the mirror and inspect yourself. You have big brown eyes, short eyelashes, and a prominent wide nose. Tiny ears, a too-sharp chin, and full lips, pressed together in a straight uncomfortable line. A glimmer catches your eye when you turn the lights on. Coming from your back, is bright silver metal snaking into your skin, which is the colour of dark cacao powder. Your body begins to seize up and you smash your hand into the light switch. You will brush your teeth in darkness, as you do most mornings. [[next]]

It's dark now, you blend into the darkness, and don't have to see yourself anymore. You take a deep breath, trying to pretend you have roots going into the ground like a tree, the way Nana taught you. You wet the toothbrush first, and the scrape some toothpaste onto it, just like Nana taught you to. You brush your teeth in slow gentle circles until they feel shiny and clean. You'd been using a cloth for a while, because the toothbrushes Nana and Rae use hurt your teeth. (set: $teethbrushed to true) [[Your room]]

You open the deadbolt, while glancing at Nana. [[Your room]] [[Open the door to leave->door to leave.]] (set: $deadboltlatched to false)

After following Nana into a door twice your height labelled "Mess Hall" you walk into the room that is crowded with people you would begrudgingly describe as jolly. All except for one at least. "Oh, hi there Circe" a voice annoyingly drones, pronouncing your name wrong on purpose, to rhyme with "stair stay" [[Correct them about your name]]

"It's pronounced [[Circe]]" you say, "it rhymes with clear key". You see a face to match the voice, after pulling your eyes off the floor, a habit. Rae stands in front of you, looking like a shorter and more broad-shouldered version of Nana. Where nana's shoulders are willowy and delicate looking (even though you knew she is deceptively strong from last time you cursed in front of her) Rae's are broad, with thick bands of muscle. They liked to "pump iron" in the ships gym, and Nana called them "vanity muscles" which must be a dirty name because Rae looked very ashamed when Nana threw that word at them one day when they were being especially obnoxious. Their feathery fur is also yellow, as oppossed to Nana's soft light blue. The colour totally suits them though. [[>>>>>>>>>>>]]

Nana lightly pinches your ear to get your attention and your head snaps up to meet her gaze. She looks a little proud, so you fight the urge to shrink when she looks straight into your eyes. "Rae, come on, you know how to say Circe's name. We've got an assignment, and I was hoping to take you as well. But Circe's going to be very important to this mission, so if you can't work with her..." Rae's face falls and their shoulders slump. "No Nana! I'm sorry." they say with absolute conviction. They turn their gaze to you, knowing what is expected. They grumble, obviously not wanting to say so "Sorry Circe for pronouncing your name wrong. I know it makes you angry." They mumble the words together, so they sound more like "Sorrycirceforpronouncingyournamewrongiknowitmakesyouangry." [[Accept their apology.]] [[Do not accept their apology.]]

"I accept your apology Rae." You don't mean it either, but at least you're pretending to. Nana smiles at you both warmly, and taking Rae's hand gently, leads you both to the counter where everyone is filling their plates for breakfast. [[Food table]]

"I accept your apology Rae, because I know that I'm better than you. You're sour and mean and a bully. I'm going to grow up to be a powerful sorceress, maybe I can make a potion to make you say my name right when I am grown up like Nana!" As if saying her name moved her to action, you feel a painful pinching in your ear. "Circe! What did I say about that? You're no better than them if you act like this." "I am though!! I say Rae's name right, because I respect them even though they're a mean bully." She boxes your ear this time, and you hear ringing. But you knew it was coming. It was totally worth it. She grabs both of your hands roughly, a mom on a mission whose kids already ruined her day at 6:30 AM, and grumpily makes her way to the serving area.  You and Rae glare at each other from behind her, apathetic to her greater mission. [[Food table]]

The food table is set up in front of you buffet style. This is how you eat every meal on the Lilith. Everyone here is from different places, with different kinds of dietary restrictions. Nana can't eat something called "Glum" that is absolutely a staple in the food of the Arnesians, whose language Circe was currently studying with a fervor. You usually only eat things you've seen Nana eat, so you wouldn't dare try Arnesian food. You wouldn't even know if you are allergic to glum, no one knows enough about Terrans to know that. The closest thing to Glum on Earth would be sweet potatoes or yams, Nana says in some places on Earth they were served mashed up with every meal. I'm still not going to take my chances if she can't take hers first, preferably in front of me where I can see her eat it and not be disgusted. You pick up a spoon and serve yourself some Dragna, a breakfast casserole the Arnesian chef learned to make for Nana. You usually eat some with orange juice for breakfast. Nana is helping herself to foods you're not even ready to conceptualize today, so you scurry away to grab your [[OJ]] before just imagining the new textures ruins your appetite. [[Juice bar]]

You walk, sliding your feet with early morning lethargy and pick up a plastic cup. Remembering the Arnesian characters for "no pulp" by tracing them in the air with your fingers, you pour yourself a glass, visually checking the stream just in case, as to not be surprised by the common mixup. There's a large variety of juices available, including; polyfruit, jamaca bean, and kerian which tastes just like Terran apple juice. You balance everything on your tray, and spot Nana and Rae sitting, completely absorbed in tired conversation. You make your way to the table. [[Dining Table]]

"But she's not like us" Rae whines, you catch their voice further away due to the high pitched whining tone it takes on. Nana makes small angry chirping sounds and says "Circe is just like us. Except she doesn't have anyone like me from her planet, and no one knows why. She wants to heal and help people too, and she's as much my child as you are now Rae" she says in quick hushed tones, that she doesn't know you are hearing. Your hearing is much better than she says Terrans' hearing is supposed to be. You approach the table. Her head snaps up, and she scoots about 6 inches away from Rae, to attack her food without elbowing them in the face, simultaneously patting the seat beside her. You sit down, and take a few draws of OJ, dehydrated from another sweaty and horror filled night. Nana turns to you. "So, time to brief you on our mission today!" [[>>>>>>>>>]]

"Today we've got a really interesting one. We're going to an asteroid called Carruti, and we're going to be gathering some intelligence." Usually Nana does work to bring her medical expertise to people through out this ares of the galaxy. She doesn't believe in charging people who are in need, and living on Lilith is her payment for being the ship's doctor during most times. The ship's captain lets her come and go as she pleases. Ray, who is developmentally closer to a teenager than to Circe, is training to replace her one day so that the ship is never without a doctor in the future. Circe assumes Nana will be treating someone, or training a doctor who lives out near no one else, since you've never heard of Carruti on the station. [[>>>>>>>>>>]]

You nod, and Rae scrunches their eyes at Nana, clearly having picked up something you didn't. Nana glares at them, but it's already happened. "What was that for?" you direct at Rae. Rae groans and looks at Nana. "Nothing pipsqueak, I just don't like Carruni, it smells." Your eyes narrow. Rae INSISTS that you smell, no matter how many showers you take. They call it your "Terran funk" and you're obviously not a fan. Nana glares at them, and says, "That's a myth. Terrans have only been studied in captivity, and no one knew that they need to bathe regularly." Sweating is, apparently, a strictly Terran phenomenon. [[>>>>>>>>>>->P2Pg1]]

TODO: Circe reading on the trip there, explaining why she knows all these big words, she obsessively reads because it is a way she escapes sensory overload and also reading material on terrans is plentiful, with mostly repeated all-encompassing facts, so she's always scanning books for truthful things about terrans. Nana's working with her on identifying things that are true, and things that are false. Rae's gonna quietly read as well, showing they have traits other than bullying circe. ; Arnesians think themselves the humanitarians (aka white saviours) of the universe.

Known to the wider galaxy as "Terran Citrus Juice" and enjoyed in the mornings by many. You personally refuse to call it this, because your mommy and daddy always called it OJ. Most citizens of this galaxy will cringe dramatically when you call it this, but the crew of Lilith has become accustomed to your quirks.

Lilith Written by Kore Poole also known as Albatross Edited by my fabulous friends across social media, with special thanks to; Bri Williams Adam Lenhart Trigger Warning: Small flashes of intense body horror, themes of abandonment, torture. TODO: Want to make a trigger warning mode so that all passages including triggering subjects can be flagged so that sensitive readers can still enjoy the story [[Start the game->start]]

You've begun to resent your hair. Whenever it grows people feel the need to call attention to it, how strange it is to them, and pet it like you're... Well, a pet. You shave it off whenever more than a few millimeters sprout out of your head.

You reach into your pocket and pull out a small book. You write down "Caruni needs help." You then meticulously pocket the book, and start mentally sorting the books you'll bring on the trip. "How long is the trip Nana?" You ask. [[>>>>>>>>>>->P2Pg2]]

Oh, 6 hours. Make sure you bring enough books! I can't deal with your complaining like last time, you were so bored, I didn't get to take my nap. You glower a little at that, you had spent the entire trip singing "This Little Light of Mine" and Nana only let you know afterwards, saying she didn't say anything "to be polite." You'd thought she was asleep like usual... [[>>>>>>>>>>->P2Pg3]]

The whole gang finishes their meal in general quiet, and you need to pick which books to bring with you. [[>>>>>>>>>>->bookshelf]]

[[Earth and Terrans->Earth and Terrans]] [[Sub-Saharan Cultures of the African Continent->Sub-Saharan Cultures of the African Continent]] [[Zeplor and the Plemlor Tree->Zeplor and the Plemlor Tree]] Add code after every book to put them in your bag, adds the text "in bag" next to books that are in Circe's bag. [[All Done->p2p4]]

EARTH AND TERRANS Maria Battle translated by Dr. Orf Greenis Earth and Terrans is written by the foremost Terran specialist, Maria Battle. Maria is the last survivor of the now unsalvagable planet. Earth was once, not so long ago, thriving. It had plentiful farmland, expansive oceans, and a diverse range of climates. It unfortunately also had [[nuclear weapons]], and a civilization that was not ready for that responsibility. No data was saved from the planet, and the few surviving terrans were off-planet when it perished. There were so few survivors because Terrans had not passed the threshold of space-travel. Those who were off-planet were for the most part, abducted. Maria was freed by Arnesian humanitarians who rushed to purchase her when they heard of Earth's destruction. Like the many economies amongst our galaxy, earth had it's own economy. Maria references the economy quite often in her interviews. Though it is a system which doesn't technically have any sort of tangibility, Terrans were quite driven by this economy, much like Arnesians are. Interviewer: Hello Maria, it's so lovely to be meeting with you today. Maria: Hello. Right back atcha, I haven't much spoken about earth until it's destruction. Interviewer: Right, and you were off planet working on Carruni when nuclear war began on Earth? Maria: Right, yeah I was working on Carruni, the place definitely suits me. I didn't much like it on my home planet, and having been scouted by Ascor Driver I was basically the only human I knew of who was off-planet. Interviewer: Yes, and for those unfamiliar with Mr. Driver's work, he is teh producer behind the beautiful voices of the galaxy. Glassen from Arnesia started her work with him, and Beecher Stour as well. Maria: Yeah, he liked my singing voice, he was actually my vocal coach for a while there. I never had too many opportunities on earth, seein as the economy was destroyed before I was even born. Interviewer: What was wrong with the economy? Maria: Well, we'd just come out of a pandemic, which is actually why I was made. My parents had broken up, but were renting the same place and voila, a star is born. *She nervously chuckles, as if to acknowledge the bad joke* Interviewer: And how many pandemics had your parents seen in their lifetime? Maria: Two. The Covid-19 pandemic, and the Last Pandemic. The Last Pandemic is the one I was born right after. Interviewer: I see, and you never experienced a pandemic in your own life, if I'm correct? Maria: You are. No we were lucky enough not to deal with one, but the economy wasn't working for anyone. We needed money to put a roof over our heads, the climate isn't like Arnesia. People needed shelter from the elements, like snow, and freezing cold, and rain. A lot of people died because they couldn't afford this, and while this was happening a lot of homes and shelters were lying empty, because the person who owned them wouldn't give them to anyone who didn't pay for them. Interviewer: I see.. So for our viewers in Arnesia, there was no doctor to go to for these people, and they couldn't ask their local street officer about open homes or places to rest and build homes. Their food was even something that you had to pay for, they have no public meal halls. Maria: Yeah, the closest thing was soup kitchens. You'd stand in line with a lot of people, and they'd serve you some food, if they didn't run out before they got to your place in line. Interviewer: The economy itself seems awfully brutal. How did you survive these conditions. Maria: I had to do what I had to do. I sold whatever I had to sell, and I slept on the streets. Since I came from N'Orleans I didn't have to worry about the cold much, but me and my friend Zelda loved to sing together. I never made any money off of my voice when I lived on Earth, but I didn't have access to Ascor when I was on Earth. Interviewer: So did your culture even have musicians then? Maria: *She laughs* Of course! We had all of the same kinds of arts that Arnesians had. Not everyone on Earth lived like I did, there were some really wealthy people. One family called the Kardashians made their wealth off of televising their glamorous lives. It caused a lot of tension for us, when I was on earth it only felt like there were two types of people: the haves, and have nots. I just didn't have anything, so I couldn't become a musician. On Earth, when I was there, you had to have money to become a musician, because you have to dedicate lots of time and energy into it. It didn't generate a lot of money, so not a lot of people bothered when I was around. But before that, there was a lot of music and culture. It just withered near the end there I guess. Interviewer: That's very sad. How did you and Mr. Driver meet each other? Maria: *She clears her throat* Well, I was working on the streets with my friends Zelda and Eva. We were all three picked up by him, and he seemed like any other client. He took us to a nice hotel, and we got all prettied up for him. This guy had schmoney, and he wanted to spend it on us, so we got all done up in sparkly dresses and freshly showered. It was fabulous. Interviewer: I see. What happened to your two friends then? Maria: Well, they're dead now. *Maria becomes very still and her words become metered* When nuclear holocaust took over the planet, Ascor had already taken me to Carruni where I was singing before the headliners and taking lessons from him. *She seems to get lost in the memory again* We had a good night out, and all of us felt safe since we outnumbered him at all times. Men like this on earth could not often be trusted. But he heard me singing, in my sleep *she chuckles* and he had me do some vocal runs for him, and after realizing how enormous my range was he offered to take me under his wing. Interviewer: So if men like him weren't usually trustworthy on Earth, why did you go with him? What did he offer you? Maria: *She chuckles again, darkly* A shower every day, fresh products every week that I menstruated, regular meals... Honestly, I thought he was going to kidnap me or something at first. But I didn't really care anymore, it was starting to feel really pointless to go on where I was anyways. Eve and Zelda were back to the corner he picked us up on the next morning, with all their new digs, and he took me away in his limo. It only felt like a limo ride, but he opened the door and there were were on Carruni. I felt dazzled, just by a world that wasn't the one I was used to. I fell in love with Carruni from the moment I first saw it, and never wanted to talk about the horrible place I'd come from ever again. Interviewer: That's very understandable. Thank you for coming out today, to speak with us. We've been asking for a few years now, and I have been hoping this whole time that you'd want to speak on it eventually. Maria: Well, it has been on my mind for the past couple of years. After I heard about Earth being completely destroyed, the first thing I thought was "good. Finally." But then I realized that so many innocent people were there when it happened. Eve and Zelda were probably there, and there were entire cultures that could be forgotten just because the knowledge of them never left the planet. I want to learn to talk about it, so I can share it and hopefully create a reference for other refugees like me. Interviewer: Have you ever heard of other Terran refugees? Maria: *She grimaces* Well, no. There have been rumours about a doctor, who bought Terran children from the earth and brought them out to a remote planet. I've never met another person from earth though, I haven't seen my own race since the day that I left about seven years ago. Interviewer: Is there anything you'd want to say to those children though, if they could be watching. Maria: *She laughs dryly* Well, you arnesians are very positive thinkers compared to me. I'd doubt they'd be able to watch Arnesian television out in the other corner of the galaxy, and seeing as the rumour is that they were *bought.* But if I were to be able to speak to them, I'd tell them to hang in there. I didn't think it would be worth it hanging in there on the streets of new orleans, but miraculously it was worth it. So many times did a friend who'd become all I knew die, from starvation or disease, and I would wonder if I should stop trying and just accept it. But I never did, and it got me off that Goddamn rock. Interviewer. Well that is very inspiring. Thank you again for your time Maria, and I hope this interview doesn't distract you too much from working on your new Album. Maria: Thank you. It's been a bewildering experience.

Now that you've picked your books, you turn away from the bookshelf which you were immersed in. Nana is quietly waiting for you, all of her bags packed, and a pack that she hands to you, which you assume contains clothes and necessities, and probably a stupid toothbrush. [[Next->p2p5]]

Zeplor and the Plemlor Tree Zeplor is 10, and Zeplor loves eating from the Plemlor tree. The fruit from the tree is dark purple. He chills them, and the are cold, juicy, and so sweet. One day though, there is a terrible rainstorm. The tree is snapped in half by the terrible winds, and Zeplor is very sad. When Spring comes his 10th year, there are no Plemlors for him to eat. He found himself missing its shade - something he'd never noticed before. The tree was by his window, and kept the rising sun from shining in his eyes every morning. No more though, and Zeplor found himself missing his Plemlor tree more and more. The way he missed it was now how he'd guessed. He ended up realizing how wonderful this tree was, only after it had been blown down. Zeplor plants a seed, one his mother preserved, to grow his own new Plemlor tree. His mother says it will take at least 10 seasons for it to fruit. Zeplor felt better, but still missed his plemlor tree very much. He loves his new plemlor tree though, and has made sure to plant one every season since. His children will grow up enjoing the sweet chilled fruit, sliced on a tray, to show them his love. He never forgot how to love, and how he loved his first plemlor tree. That is why he is happy. The End

Circe has scribbled into the margins and underlined this word. It's written in the margins "Big Bombs, that poison the land." in Circe's square and neat writing. Nana also sketched here a picture of the bomb, although it looks like a weird infected mushroom to you.

Double-click this passage to edit it.

You both leave your shared room, and Rae is waiting for you both in the hallway. They are wearing a clean pair of overalls with a large pocket in the middle, standard uniform for medical missions. All Rae ever wears is their uniform though, they never change into casual clothes. They say they like their uniform just fine, but you personally find comfort in the soft pajamas Nana gave you, unrestricted by the thick overalls. Rae sleeps in their overalls though, you could never. [[Next->p2p6]]

Its about noon now, and you all head towards the docking bay. The shuttle reserved for our medical team is in docking bay 6, and as you pass everyone you see engineers and mechanics lunching together. Your head whips upt at Nana, and she puts a soft downy hand on your shoulder. "I packed lunch don't worry." Your shoulders instantly relax, you hate shuttle trips no an empty stomach, it always makes you feel like barfing, but with the unique sensation of having nothing to barf up from your stomach. You'd rather vom. [[Next->p2p7]]

Double-click this passage to edit it.