Aberrant: Stargate Universe - Moving In

[Rorx]

Gwyn stared at the email on his screen for a substantial fraction of a second - a long time for him the way his mind seemed to keep developing since his encounter with the Ancient device. With a slight smile he punched some familiar numbers into the phone while starting to call up a number of websites.

After a few rings the phone was answered, "Quartermasters. Corporal Pritchard speaking."

"Hi Denise, Gwyn here. I'm hoping you'll be able to help me out."

"Oh, hi. Sure Gwyn, I can give it a try. What do you need?"

"Well I just got an email saying that my stuff will be arriving from England in a few days, but I reckon there will be too much stuff to fit in my room here. Should I get them to take it straight to a storage place or is there somewhere here I could put it while I sort out what will come into the room and what will have to head to storage?"

"Sorry Gwyn, you'll have to find a storage place, we don't have enough spare room for a house full of stuff while you go through it. I could recommend a place or two if you want though."

"Ok, thanks Denise, that would be good. If you could email them down to me I'll check them online then go take a look at them."

"Sure Gwyn. See you for coffee about 1500?"

"'Fraid not today Denise, I'll be in the lab with Bill, but I could catch you for dinner maybe about 1800?"

"Ok, see you then."

A few days later Gwyn could be seen walking down the Specialist accomodation corridor with a stack of 2ft crates in one hand and a couple of bags in the other.

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult walked down the hall to her quarters, tapping her lips with a long finger as she pondered the ramifications of the new capability she had developed. It would help her greatly with her research into the goa'uld antitoxin and any future medical research she undertook, in addition to its more obvious use.

She turned a corner and gave Gwyn a smile, her turquoise eyes brightening as her thoughts switched from focusing inward to the mildly burdened (more by the awkwardness then the weight) specialist.

"Bonjour, Gwyn, you are having furniture and other things coming in?" the exotically beautiful doctor queried, noting the size of the crates he carried with such ease. She leaned to side, peering pass Qwyn down the hall to the lift. "I can help you, if you are having anymore boxes, perhaps down by the lift. It is the least I can do, since you helped me when I was released from isolation, yes?"

[Rorx]

"Hi Doc. Thanks for the offer, but most of it is down at a storage place in town. It's most of the contents of the house I had back in England so there is too much for my room here, and they didn't have space for me to sort through it all either."

He lifted the crates slightly, "These are just some of the ones that were labelled as containing books, dvd's, cd's and stuff, so I grabbed these to start with."

Gwyn pauses briefly, "If you really want to help though you could help me choose what of the furniture would go together best in the limited space of my room. Otherwise I'll just end up with it looking like a cross between a museum, a library and tech warehouse in there."

[Yseult Sierra]

"Ah, I see," Yseult murmured, her smile growing a touch wistful as she thought about everything - everyone - she had been forced to leave behind. "It will be my pleasure to help you, Gwyn. If nothing else, with my spatial awareness, it will be easy to judge the space for your furniture."

She walked with Gwyn to his quarters, opening the door for him. "So, what are you wanting the room to look like? Some people, they would not mind living in a museum-library-tech warehouse." Yseult gave Gwyn a faint, joking grin.

[z028 Riley]

Kyria was bouncing around the base on one of her usual meandering routes when she was bored or just wanted a stretch without going up and outside. She spotted the boxes and open room of one of the novas she hadn't gotten to know very well yet and poked her head in.

"Hey, what's up?" she asked cheerfully.

[Rorx]

"Hi Kyria, my stuff has arrived from England, I'm just going to head down to storage place I've got it all in to start choosing what to leave there and what to bring up here."

He turns slightly back to include Yseult more, "Yeah, I know some people who'd love that, but I'd prefer not to have a room full of racks of shelving. Having said that I'll probably end up with a wall of each with some general or special items in the middle."

Gwyn pushes the door further open as he carries the crates in and puts them on the floor in the middle of his room next to an odd contraption of wood and metal.

[z028 Riley]

Kyria follows him in, looking around curiously. "Well, other than some books, I really don't have much in my room. I don't use it all that often, so if you want to store stuff there, that'd be fine."

She peered at the wooden and metal contraption. "What's this?"

[Rorx]

"Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll leave what I can't use in storage for a while until I decide one way or another if I'll get somewhere to live off base."

He turns back from putting the bags on the bed, "Oh that? Yeah, it's something I came up with to help me training moving through small spaces and gaps." Gwyn moves over and points to one side, "It starts off with wide gaps here then as you move through they get narrower and in some routes becomes holes rather than slits."

He shrugs and smiles to the ladies, "That's what you get for letting an Engineer get bored one night."

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult returned Gwyn's smile, privately both fascinated, yet disturbed by his... malleability. What did it feel like, she wondered. "Mon Dieu! A bored engineer, what a horribly thought. If I did not need to sleep, I do not know what I would do with all my superfluous time. My thoughts race enough as is."

Yseult walked around the room, her perceptive gaze accurately measuring the available space with a glance. "Without the bed, it does provide you with a good deal more space, yes? Perhaps a nice sofa and coffee table. Unless you are planning to add more... contraptions to the decor." She shared a faint smile with Kyria, amused by the boy and his toys. *Men, they are all the same.*

[Rorx]

"Yeah, I was going to bring in a sofa and at least one armchair. The coffee table I was thinking of buying since I didn't have one in the UK. As far contraptions," he continues with a wry smile, "I was thinking of bringing up a couple of things that you might consider to be contraptions. One is a kung fu 'man'. You've probably seen them. A six foot pillar with a number of wooden 'limbs' for practising martial art techniques on. The others are armour stands that would go over on the 'museum' side." He nods towards the back wall of the room.

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult looked at the back wall, picturing the sets of armour there. They would add a certain class, but still, so far the decor seemed quite... hard. Yseult looked around, considering the walls, since she didn't know what Gwyn's furniture looked like.

"Perhaps, a few prints or landscapes, Gwyn? It would soften the walls and add some brightness to the room," Yseult suggested, gesturing to the blank, dull coloured walls. "A plant or two would not be amiss, either," she added with a smile.

"I would think you would need something more durable than wood, if you wish to practice, adjusting to your high-density state, yes?" Her head was tilted to the side, a mild curve to her lips, curious. She didn't know what it was like to change your state of being, if there was an autonomic quality that let one adjust to the new form's capabilities.

[Rorx]

Gwyn quickly ran through various combinations of the few prints he had, then added photos into the mix as well.

"Hmm, I think I know what I can use in the way of pictures. As for plants, what would you suggest for the heart of a mountain?"

He quickly pulls the top off a crate, revealing it to be full of paperbacks. "Nah, wood is fine. It's for practising technique so there is no need to do it at full strength. Besides at full strength I can lift over 30 tons now so I'm not sure what material would be suitable as a substitute."

[z028 Riley]

"Naqadah, I'd think." Kyria's lips twiched into a smile, "And stronger floors and walls. I'm not sure about the plants. Do you want a living one, or something artificial?"

She stepped up across from him and curiously read over the spines of the book, seeing what the Brit read for leisure as a way to learn more about him.

[Rorx]

"Oh, definitely not. You don't want something that is going to the kinetic energy you hit it with. I could use the same material as the Iris, but it's difficult to get hold of and I don't think that a metal or alloy is going to have the same response as wood does. As for plants, I'd prefer a live one, but they just wouldn't last long down here."

Inside the crate the paperbacks are a combination of scifi, a few fantasy, and some historical fiction. The few hardback spines you spot in their are either science or historic non-fiction.

[z028 Riley]

"You could always grow mushrooms, or phosphoric moss. Then you'd have a nightlight, too," she grinned.

She helped him pull out the books, looking over the covers and backsplashes of the ones she found interesting. A thought struck her, "Hey, Yse, do you think you could make a telekinetic construct that could provide resistance and moving target for him?"

[Yseult Sierra]

"Ah, I had not considered the behavior of the material of your training device, Gwyn. And getting a sample of Trinium, very difficult, I assure you." Yseult cocked her head, inhuman eyes narrowed in thought as she looked at Kyria.

"Hmmm, that is not something I had considered, Kyria. My telekinetic field is quite instinctive. Perhaps, if I can learn to manipulate its dimensions, that may be something I may be able to accomplish, but not at the moment." The blond doctor turned back to Gwyn, an offer in her eyes. "If you wish, I could provide you with mobile targets, objects made of industrial steel would do - or even armour plates from damaged military vehicles - and you would not have to fear harming someone. It would also be practice for me with finer control of my telekinesis."

Her grin grew briefly wider, as she added, "As for plants, I was thinking more of cacti, if you prefer living plants that can suffer some neglect. Some have surprising blooms of colour."

[Rorx]

"I've yet to be convinced that I need to do much training at increased strength as the actual techniques I would use would be the same. However, I wouldn't pass on the oppurtunity to do so if it arose. Unfortunately, I think we would have to schedule sometime out at the Beta site as there isn't really much space to do that sort of thing unobserved here."

He shakes his head slightly, "Cacti I would think would do worse than some others. I wasn't concerned about neglecting them, simply the lack of daylight. My aunt had some very colourful displays of christmas cacti most years when I was a child."

[Yseult Sierra]

"Bah, lights that are friendly to plants, they can be easily installed," Yse said with a negligent wave of her hand. "These quarters, without exterior windows, they are too dim anyway."

Yseult tilted her head to the other side as she considered Gwyn. "When you enter your high-density state, the adjustment to the increased strength is autonomic, requires no conscious thinking on your part?"

[Rorx]

Gwyn looks around the walls slowly, imagining where he might put some items as he replies, "Yeah, I had been thinking about getting some extra lights, but had held off until I get the things moved in so I'd know where I might want to use some spotlights."

Turning back to Yseault he continues, "Almost I had to speed a little time 'calibrating', for want of a better word, my reactions at the low end. For instance when I first instinctively used it I killed a couple of the guards that were holding me when I'd have been happy enough to knock them out. Indeed rather than knocking them out I put my fist about 3inches into a concrete wall behind the head of one of them." He shakes his head grimly, "Not a particularly pleasant way to find out that you are greatly stronger than before."

He gathers his thoughts back from such unpleasant memories, "Anyway, when I found out about the different levels of increased strength that I can access I spent some time working out things like picking up eggs, opening doors, cutting my food. It didn't take very long, and since I can turn it on and off at will completely unnecessary but I consider it to have been time well spent. After all, the way things have gone, there is the chance that I could develop permanently increased strength like Omar, Ryan and maybe others."

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult rubbed her arms as she shivered, listening to Gwyn's first encounter using his new capabilities. During her own first extensive use of her telekinetic ability, she had caught the woman who had stolen her body, and watched her die, held immobile by her invisible grip, a bullet piercing her brain.

"Yes, practice, it is never time lost. Be careful in your desires, Gwyn. Your enhanced strength, it is not the same as Ryan's and Damien's - and Omar's. A permanent increase in strength, it may result in you being in a permanent state of high-density." Yseult shook her head, waving a hand in dismissal. "But enough about warnings and cautions and terrible stories about our powers, we are here to help you decorated your room."

Yseult circled the room again, preternatural awareness precisely measuring distances and angles of incidence of imagined lights. "Adjustable pot-lights would provide you the versatility you need, I would think, Gwyn. And what is the most eye-catching piece you are thinking of adding to your room? That, it should be placed on this wall, opposite the door, to draw the eye."

[Rorx]

"Oh, I don't desire such a permenant increase, indeed all my training and practise is generally in other areas, but as you say that is a discussion for another time."

,,

Gwyn turns to look at the wall Yseault has indicated, "I was thinking that would be the 'museum wall' so the most eye-catching pieces would probably be some of my weapons or my Roman seqmentata armour."

He turns back to the ladies with a grin, "I was a member of a Roman historical re-enactment group for a while back in England. If nothing else it helped reinforce the Latin I learnt at school."

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult returned Gwyn's grin with a more subdued curve of her lips. She never really understood those who felt the need to re-enact ancient battles dressed in full regalia, even if she could appreciate their dedication.

"Medieval armour and armaments, that will indeed be a unique and striking decor. Gwyn, have you considered picking up a few pieces of medieval furniture - replica or authentic - to expand on that decor?"

[Rorx]

Gwyn laughs breifly thinking of typical medieval furniture, "No, I hadn't. Very little Medieval furniture was as comfortable as I would like to use regularly. Added to which it's a range of eras, from Greek/Roman, through European Medieval to Japanese Renaissance."

He shakes his head slightly, "I'll stick to modern furniture I think. Anyway, shall we go see what's in storage?"

[Rorx]

With a nod Yseult turned and joined Gwyn as they left Kyria flicking through the crate of books in his room. Heading to the lift they took the first one up to the surface, ignoring the looks of the few airmen about and out to the rental truck he had hired for the purpose. Twenty minutes later saw them arriving at the storage company and checking in with the minimal staff that the location seemed to warrant. Gwyn idly wondered what sort of things other people had stored here as he drove down the line to his lock-up.

Inside the room was split roughly in two, with the furniture stacked on the left and piles of boxes and crates on the right.

Gwyn turned to his associate, "Any particular preference as to where we start boxes or furniture?"

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult looked at one side of storage unit, then the other. She tucked a loosed strand of honey hair behind an ear then pointed to the side with stacked furniture.

"I am thinking, we should start with the furniture, then we can see what space you will have for other things, and what will match, yes?" Yseult suggested, adding with a thoughful smile, "Remember, we will have to be keeping our eyes open for others when we are moving the furniture into the truck. We cannot be showing others what we are capable of, yes?"

[Rorx]

Gwyn smiles at the beautiful Canadian, "No need to worry. I can move most of this stuff on my own without having to resort to extra measures."

He edged forward amongst the book cases, stacked desk, table, sofa and arm chairs. "I guess a couple of these bookcases, the coffee table, at least one of the armchairs, the desk and I suppose the sofa for visitors."

[Yseult Sierra]

"That is seeming like a good idea, Gwyn," Yseult said with a nod.

While Gwyn moved the furniture, Yseult carried the loose shelves for the bookcases and the cushions for the chairs and sofa. She did help moving the sofa, with the judicious use of subtle telekinesis to increase her apparent strength. Her intuitive spatial awareness made packing the truck tight and efficient.

"That is done, now the fun, it really begins, yes? Choosing what you are going to be taking, to fill your shelves."

Yseult raised a brow, looking at all of Gwyn's boxes, then strode over to the nearest one, flipping open the lid to look in side.

[Rorx]

The large box easily opened to reveal that inside was wooden chest of a dark hardwood inlaid with a lighter wood to form a celtic knot pattern around the perimeter of it's rectangular top. In a gap between the side of the chest and the box nearest Yseult she could see a large padlock.

Without looking inside the box Gwyn calls across, yeah we'll have that one." as he squeezes past a wardrobe towards some smaller crates nearer the back of the room.

[Yseult Sierra]

"As you say, Gwyn," Yseult complied, eyes roving over the chest, noting its exact dimensions, the pattern on its surface. She closed the box again, then lifted it. It was a bit heavy, the size making it a bit awkward, but she could manage, especially with an unseen hand to help steady the box.

"What is in the chest, if I may ask?" Yseult called out, her soprano echoing in the storage room as she moved back to the truck.

[Rorx]

"That one has the weapons I was thinking of displaying and a few other things." came the muffled reply as he tucked a smaller crate under each arm. As he carried them back through the now diminished maze he nods towards the corner.

"I'll give you a hand with that rectangular crate over there in a minute. It should have the DVD's and some more of my books in."

[Yseult Sierra]

"Ah, yes, the crux of your decor, I will be very conscientious of it."

Yseult carefully secured the chest of armaments in the truck, making sure it wouldn't move. She assumed it was already well packed, but why give the weapons a chance to get nicked and scraped. She was also surprised - she wouldn't have wanted to be carrying the chest all day, but she still had expected the mass of steel weapons to weigh more.

Returning to the storage room, Yseult crouched by the crate that Gwyn had indicated, finding a good grip. Even if it hadn't been too heavy to move herself, its size it too awkward for any one person.

"Hmmm, books, I like them very much, as does my daughter, one can never have too many. My Husband and son, on the other hand, they are having far too many DVDs," Yseult said, with fondness.

[Rorx]

"Not really a problem nowdays. Enough time to watch the odd film and get plenty of reading done. Might be nice to reread some of those I've bothered to keep."

In the meantime he picks up a couple of suitcases and a backpack, "Be nice to have my own clothes to change into now."

[Yseult Sierra]

After the two of them stored the large crate on the truck, Yseult went back, helping move smaller boxes and suitcases. There was a wry smile on her lips as Gwyn mentioned retrieving his wardrobe.

"Even if I am having access to my old clothes," Yseult said with dry amusement, "they would be little use to me now, yes?" Her faint grin turned a bit wistful as she considered the smaller box of books in her hands. "Rereading a favourite novel, it does not make much sense for me anymore, Gwyn - I can remember every word, see every word clearly now, whenever I wish."

Depositing the box in the truck, Yseult leaned against the arm of the sofa, taking a brief break. She eyed Gwyn speculatively, a finger tapping her lips.

"Gwyn, what is it like, no longer requiring sleep, or food and drink for that matter? Can you sleep, if you wish?"

[z028 Riley]

Kyria had followed the two of them into the room and had been quietly but curiously poking about the man's belongings. If nothing else, switiching universes had certainly expanded her herizons for music and movies. As the conversations turned more towards the change in experience from being a baseline to being a nova, the young telepath perked up, eyeing Gwyn with similar curiosity.

[Rorx]

Gwyn turns to the two ladies, "Yeah I can sleep easily enough if I want to but generally I don't bother unless I have a reason to or if I really can't find anything else to do. As for the food and drink, I still do, although apparently it isn't really necesary. It also means that I tend to just eat things to be social or for the taste rather than piling in calories because I haven't the need for them."

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult nodded at Gwyn describing the effects of his Specialist physiology, wondering what it would be like, then deciding she wouldn't really want to know. Another thought occurred to her as she pondered that to Gwyn, and Kyria for that matter, food was just an enjoyable activity.

"Do either of you need to excrete?" the blond doctor asked with scientific curiosity. "Is there waste from whatever provides you with sustenance, or does consuming food and drink cause you to heed the call of nature?"

[Rorx]

Gwyn grins as he turns to Kyria, "You can tell she's a doctor." then turns back to Yse, "Yeah doc, what goes in comes back out, the same as normal, at least so far. Iguess if doing so would cause a problem in some environment our bodies would find a way to either delay it or otherwise deal with it."

He shrugs, "It's not really an area I'm keen to experiment with."

[z028 Riley]

Kyria quirked a grin at Gwyn and nodded. To Yseult she explained, "I don't need to eat because my body can sustain itself indefinitely on quantum energy alone. However, the basic template is still that of a baseline human and has a fully functional digestive tract. One that follows the same rules as any other digestive tract."

She shrugged, "I don't generally have problems controlling such bodily functions, but if I eat eventually I will have need of a restroom."

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult nodded, storing that tidbit of information in her growing library of Specialist genetics, not in the least self-conscious about asking the scatological question. Hmm, even plants expel waste matter, in a fashion. I wonder if there is a byproduct produced by their sustenance on quantum energy - heat, possibly. A test for another time.

"Interesting," Yseult said in response to their answers, looking into the back of the truck. It was pretty full, 82.74% of the total volume filled with all the packing the three of them had done. "This first load, it seems sufficient, yes? What say we return to base, but first, we can be stopping for lunch, no? Unlike you, I am still requiring sustenance of substance, moreso than before, even."

[Rorx]

"Sounds like a good idea to me," says Gwyn as he starts securing the storage locker, "I'll happily pay for lunch for your help with this stuff. Either of you have a preference for where to eat, or just grab something in one of the malls on the way back to base?"