They'd gotten back. In the end, that's all it felt like. A group of thirty had gone to a planet, have things gone poorly since being greeted, then found themselves lied to, exploded, and abducted in the same twenty-four hours. Then they'd set up a confrontation that'd taken days to reach fruition, broken into teams to achieve mission objectives that were, at heart, still not entirely the mission, and ended up in a fight involving clones of themselves, clones of people on Galilee, and the clones who ran everything under the guise of not having been clones at any point at all.

Here she'd thought Orochimaru had come up with a convoluted way of attaining immortality.

Still, they were back, she didn't have any official duty to file anything, she ached and hurt like hell, and after the shower she'd just taken (she'd discovered far more bruises, nicks, cuts, and really taken a look at the big burn on her upper thigh) she was ready for some selective downtime before reporting back in for duty at Medical Bay proper. She figured she needed to look at the Active Crew registry, too, after hearing mention of a recent pod release.

It just felt like effort she wanted to postpone spending for a good half hour nap or something, to take the edge off the uncertainty of walking into open combat with this group of misfits in the future. They'd survived, but they'd been lucky. No one'd been unscathed, and they weren't even facing the Ohm. Four days on one world, and this is how they'd come out?

Walking gingerly into her room, towel wrapped around her, she contemplated reviewing the files Kanner had left on the datapad she'd found in her medical kit. Different from any of the ones they had on ship, but there none-the-less. Actually...

Sakura looked over to the medkit itself, part of what she'd dragged back without paying attention once everyone had been sorted out to where they needed to be. It reminded her to do the responsible thing and finish dressing her wounds, if part of her grumbled and knew that the only reason she wasn't doing this in Medical Bay was a stubborn wish to be disassociated from the alien (familiar, she couldn't lie anymore) environment for a little while longer. "I hate breaking new boots in."

Yes. Focus on the simple realities. "The blisters you get are so annoying." She moved toward her bed after closing the door firmly behind her.

They hadn't had a meeting for a while - when it was just Ax, Marco, and Rachel, there hadn't really been much point to it - but with Jake, Cassie, and Tobias all podpopping? It was definitely time for another one, if only to fill everyone in on everything.

It was almost like being back on Earth, with all of them settling into their usual spots in Cassie's barn. The only real difference was that Rachel wasn't there, still being stuck running mazes with GLaDOS.

[[ooc: Okay, so a separate thread for each topic, basically. I figure two will do for now, but we can set up others as we need them.]]

This house was strange thing, stranger than any dwelling in Teyr. But it was livable, if overfull of humanity with their strange comings and goings.

She had the feeling that some of them did not trust her, and she found that logical, she didn't trust any of them entirely yet either.

Kali had found herself a quiet corner on the porch, tucked away from everyone else. It was strange, only a little while ago her biggest worry had been that Yana might knock another one of Brevo's teeth out in a brawl, and now...

Now there was a bronze dragon, and so many humans she barely knew, and no siblings. Strange how much they had irritated her at times, and yet now, bereft of their presence, she felt so much more alone than she would have otherwise on this giant ship far from home. She missed them, and there was no shame in that. She missed her mother and her father.

She would like very much to go home. And yet she was here, and her father would return, until then she must do her best to be brave. She must attempt to follow the instructions she had been given and make her father proud of her. That was her only option.

She looked out over the city, left hand resting against her right wrist, wondering if Eva would notice or care if she slipped away to climb one of those impressively tall buildings and if her father would consider that following the rules.

Over the City, Marco was soaring overhead in osprey morph, looking down on the buildings below as he flew. Right now for Marco, things were looking pretty good. Jake was back. Cassie and Tobias were back. If it weren't for the fact that Rachel was still running mazes, they'd have had the whole gang back. He was pretty sure they soon enough they'd find themselves in the middle of another disaster (they always did), but for now, they were here, and they were alive.

He banked right, intending to fly on towards Cassie's house.

The rest of the crew assembled on the Observation Deck to meet the latest editions to their numbers. After the revelation that their worlds are gone, many of them are even more eager to see people they knew from home.

Several people are set up near the doors to provide the new people with omnicoms and comm rings. New crew-mates might see a tall man in green armor and snake girl among their number. There are also several authoritative-looking figures ready to introduce themselves.

There's a lot to tell the new people. It's going to be a lot to take in.

[ooc: Only new characters and Command Staff can start new threads for introductions, to limit the number of threads. Everyone else, just tag in and have your guys greet the newbies.]

Time was difficult enough to figure out on ship when she was having a good day. The mild hangover she'd had this morning (drinking water and forcing herself to down slop from the mess hall had kept it mild) had morphed into a milder headache and light sensitivity that had mostly faded by the time she'd picked up her omnicomm and run across Lash proposing some kind of celebration.

It was in the sensoriums, which was anything but good in Sakura's general opnion, but as she stared down at her omnicomm yet again, she had wondered if it would be a decent distraction to keep her mind off the stupidities of last night and early in the morning. If nothing else, given that she wasn't expected in MedBay today, it would fill in some time before she heard back from Marco. So she'd gone. What was there to lose?

It was only later, after she'd excused herself from the sensoriums and everyone within them, that she realized why she probably hadn't heard from monkey boy. Staring at the desk in her room, she looked between the omnicomm she'd just set down and the one that was on top of a book.

The slow realization that the omnicomm she'd thought had fallen out of her pouch last night hadn't fallen anywhere. She hadn't had her omnicomm with her. She'd walked off with someone else's omnicomm from where Marco lived. With her luck, it was probably Marco's omnicomm.

Sakura shouldered her satchel once more and raced down the stairs. If anyone was around to see her, she probably looked amusingly out of sorts, still dressed for the beach and heading back out within minutes of finally getting home. It didn't take long to make her way over to his residence, relying on shinobi speed to cut down on travel time. She came to a stop at the front door, running her hand through her hair to get it to calm down before she knocked. Best to get this started. By now, she owed a few apologies.

I am never drinking again.

Central Park had been transformed.

Ever since the visit to XaXing, Jara Hamee had been toiling away here, busily working the land, planting seeds, and tending budding trees of every description, from towering redwoods to humble apple trees to trees only those born on other planets might recognize. Most of them were shockingly fast growers--while the trees certainly weren't mature yet by any means, they're mostly no longer mere saplings, either.

And here he had remained! Any visitors to this humble forest-to-be may have easily noticed the Hork Bajir, and probably would be completely disabused of the notion that this menacing-looking alien was in any way a threat under ordinary circumstances. For one thing, he was singing--a bright, rhythmic, almost joyful sounding tune--in his native tongue, a language pretty much nobody on the ship would be likely to understand. For another, he was dancing, as well--an energetic, dynamic interpretive dance that looked like it had a story to tell, full of graceful swooping motions and widely-spread limbs, moving fluidly in and out, high and low, around and around. It didn't quite look like something that could traditionally be considered worship, but it certainly seemed close.

With enough patience, it could be seen that he was dancing around an individual tree, and the whole ritualistic affair was apparently directed towards it. He was rather absorbed in the whole display; it might end up taking him a bit to notice anyone approaching.


((OOC: I am really sorry for falling off the face of the planet, guys. If anyone wants me to continue threads with them from before, please let me know; otherwise, I'll just assume that I fail and move on.))

In the middle of the night, Marco woke up with a start. Sighing, he got out of bed and silently made his way down the stairsn. (Stupid nightmares. Come on, was sleep too much to ask for?)

He knew he wasn't going to get back to sleep for a while though, so there was only one thing for it: ice cream. Intent, he made a bee-line for the kitchen.

[[ooc: takes place a few hours after this log]]

Kang knew exactly what Marco meant in that omnicomm message, and honestly, he'd halfway expected it. He knew better than to discuss it in detail in any other way besides face to face, so when he found some free time, he made his way over to Cassie's house. The boy could usually be found there.

Sighing, he knocked on the door.

The effects of the Melting Clock had been of great concern to the crew for some time now - but thanks to the efforts of those who had negotiated with the Time Dragons, a solution was now in sight.

That solution took the form of four Time Dragons, who had just been brought on board. They were here to destroy the clock - and to collect their booty, of course.

[[ooc: Okay guys! Billy's play will be played out here, as well as the destruction of the Clock (The other exchanges will be handwaved). This is also where the whole crew will be able to approach the Time Dragons. Virgin Princesses should approach with caution!]]

For the short period of time she's known Daniel Jackson, she's certainly run the gamut of expressions. Hostility, sorrow, detachment, cheerfulness, bursting into tears. She's so very proud of herself.

It's bad behavior. Ugly behavior. Victim behavior. She knows Daniel has no interest in her apologies, though, despite her interest in crafting them, so she'll try to keep them to a minimum.

She fills a mug up with XaXingian coffee, then spoons a dollop of ice cream into it. She's threatened Ax under penalty of Mom Powers not to use up all the contents of the fridge. Rather than wait for Daniel to knock, she takes her mug with her to the front of the house, checking on the flowers there. They're growing back rather nicely after her last destructive outburst.

She runs her finger around the edge of her coffee mug, takes a sip, and adjusts some of the roses by the front door.

There are worse things to wait with than nature and caffeine.

Miraculously, happily, Billy had finally set foot on Transmigration Nine once more. It wasn't the cleanest or happiest of reunions on-board the ship, but what mattered most to him was that he had survived. His task now was to return to the routine as much as possible and assist with the Melting Clock situation.
( At home )
---

By the time he 'recovered' and returned to work in the Engineering department, Billy was in a notably sour mood. His best friends and his girlfriend, he'd been informed and seen, were children. Children who didn't have much longer to live if a solution couldn't be found quickly.

His priorities were simple: the Clock and any work that had been left behind. With the Engineering team noticeably smaller than it had been before, and several members of it having taken an involuntary leave of absence at the same time he did, there was undoubtedly much to catch up on.

The race against the clock continued. Billy took his seat at his desk, ready to plow through paperwork and status updates more quickly than ever before.

((ooc: This takes place between the Oryan and Time Dragon missions. It's split into two sections so I don't spam the comm even more than I already have---the subthread at his home is open to people who would reasonably be there, like Ronnae, Nokosi, and maybe Kaya. The section in Engineering is open for anyone who wants to catch up with him//update on the situation//beg him for treats and toys. A separate post for Romeo and Juliet will go up tomorrow or Tuesday.))

Ca-chick! Sure, maybe cameras weren't meant to make that noise. The ones she was used to had been more of a puff of air, a soft click, and then a bright flash of light when the bulb went off. This still had the flash, if it didn't always go, and some option that recorded video. Armed with a new toy she could actually sort-of almost work, Sakura was ready for action.

Which was turning into a day alternating between work and getting around the ship with her camera, taking snapshots of just about any- and everything. She was out by the Great Wall, in the Art Hall, slipping through various parts of the City, and even trying for some reason or another to document the Mess Hall and Medical Labs. Then there was the time she was sitting out by the railroad tracks, waiting for the train to come by, or pacing outside the Atori Teahouse looking for the best angle for a shot of the place.

Beware, crew members, should her path cross with yours, you may be next!

Ca-chick! Flash!

If it's not all that intimidating...

"Not again!"

... Considering she just half-blinded herself after accidentally setting a five second timer and turning the camera around to see why it wasn't taking the picture she was aiming for.

[ ooc: Excuse for photographic and/or video evidence of people running around as children? Say it ain't so, Jack, say it ain't so! I mean, there's lots of other things to photograph as well! ]

At Cassie's house, it was just another average, normal day.

Well, except for the fact that two of the residents had regressed to being eight-year-olds and were currently throwing the house into complete and utter chaos, that is.

[[ooc: set after the Sleepover Party, but before this log.]]

"Oh, now don't be like that."

Currently, the only part of River Song that could be seen from the entrance of the TARDIS control room, was the top of that mane of wild blonde curls. She was kneeling at the base of the console panel, splicing the wires from the looks of it. The Doctor had said that the TARDIS was stuck here and naturally, River Song couldn't take him at his word and leave well enough alone. The Doctor was away and she intended to sort out this problem while he was gone. Just to see the look on his face when she proved once again just how vast her knowledge of the old girl happened to be.

Except, after several hours of rooting through the controls, wires, and other assorted parts....she'd gotten nowhere fast. She was just as perplexed as to what the problem was as the moment she'd first stepped foot on this ship. Outside, she knew there were things going on, but she had decided to move in and fix the problem while the Doctor was away. Besides, working on the TARDIS helped her mind to focus on other problems at the same time. She was very good at multi-tasking.

Unfortunately, she snips the wrong wire and all of the lights go out at once. Even from the outside, the little blue box seems to suddenly go dark. Cursing, she quickly splices that wire back into place and the lights flicker on once more.

"Fine, be that way."

Talking to the TARDIS. Even bickering with her. Wonder where she'd picked up that habit from?

Loren had spent a long, long time in GLaDOS. And when she was back, as far as she could tell, nothing had really changed. Her fiance was gone. So was her son. She knew they were alive but she still missed them.

She grabbed her baseball bat and retrieved the baseballs she'd bought during Shore Leave, found a nice spot in the City, and started hitting them. It was one way to get the stress out. And it worked even better if she imagined the baseballs were the Ohm.

A good number of those affected by the clock had reached childhood, and required supervision. Several of the adults had offered to help, and no one was quite sure anymore who had first suggested it, but it was decided that one night, there should be a sleepover, something fun for the children. The idea had grown; Eva had offered Cassie's house, after getting permission from the other non-deaged resident, Aximili.

In the end, it turned out to be a packed house. There were about twenty children running around, and thankfully, there were five adults and two teenagers supervising. Luckily for Eva, she had made sure to childproof the house the best she could beforehand.

It was going to be needed.

[Planning post is here. HAVE AT. A description of Cassie's house is here, and if you have any questions about it, you can ask Lisa (Eva), Blue (Marco), Cait (Rachel) and Kaylin (Ax). Start up subthreads for stuff, and try not to wreck the place. :D; ]

The last time Marco had been in the Media Library, he'd still be nineteen. Now he was looking decidedly different - much shorter, with longer hair, and younger. Definitely younger. Thirteen years old, in fact.

And on top of that, Marco was happy. Okay, so the whole ageing backwards things was a serious dampener, but he didn't care. His mother was alive, so Marco could forgive the whole being-on-an-insane-ship-with-tentacles-and-on-the-way-to-being-four-again thing.

But as much as he wanted to hover around near his mother every second of every day, just to make sure she was still there, he'd had to admit that he couldn't keep doing that all the time. Plus he was starting to suspect that his mom was getting a little tired of it. So he'd decided to come down to the media library instead, and play some of the really cool video games that either hadn't come out in his time yet or weren't even from his universe for a while.

Yeah, life was awesome.

As the Melting Clock causes Zuko to de-age, he loses more than just years. Growing younger has given him a certain . . . symmetrical quality that wasn't there before. Now what could be missing?

He stalks the halls, less angrier and restless than in his last state of aging. He seems more pensive than frustrated, but something may STILL have pissed him off.

With the end of Quarantine, all of the patients who'd been kept in the bubbles had been released (with the exception of those that Medical felt weren't safe to release), and brought back to the Med Bay proper. Some of them might leave, with family or friends to look after them, but others might remain in the Med Bay. Others still were only just arriving, their loss of time not discovered until after Quarantine had ended.

But regardless of whether the affected were staying in the Med Bay or leaving, until this crisis was solved, Medical would continue to check up on the them.

[[ooc: Just make whatever threads you'd like to have set in med bay guys, and feel free to use this post for all Med Bay stuff for the rest of the plot. Just make sure to mark whether your thread is open, closed, or just for a particular group of people, e.g. Medical staff]]