Galaxy Garrison | Open Calibrations

[lionunchained]

WHO: Shiro and Open
WHERE: Calibration Room
WHAT: Memories!
WHEN: Sometime in May
WARNINGS: None yet, maybe one...


Waiting Room
Waiting Room is here

Calibration Room
The room that you enter into seems to be a rather neat and perhaps remarkably sterile looking room. The o1verall color scheme? Gray and orange. The walls, the appliances in the kitchen, and even the island counter is gray. However, barstools, the couch, and several chairs are all the same shade of orange. Clearly someone had a theme going here.

But aside from the fact that it still looked very sterile, there were some different objects that may have seemed out of place. On the counter, there was a pair of black rimmed glasses sitting there. Nearby, on the desk, there was a medal sitting out, the kind of medal that would have been awarded to someone in a military position. On a side table, there was a pair of goggles while over the back of one of the orange barstool was a torn purple shirt cw: violence and slavery.

And seated on the orange couch was Shiro, reading something on a small tablet.

Comments

[buildingitsir]

York absolutely hates this room. The near sterilization of it, the color (maybe not the orange part, but that's not the point-), and it just hits a little closer to home than he wants to think about right now. Despite that, it may look like a workshop room at first glance, but the items strewn about put it into a better perspective.

Hands shove into his hoodie pocket as the android starts to look around. Just doesn't touch anything. Yet. "This place looks fucking welcoming." The teenager stops feet away from the couch Shiro is occupying. The tablet in the man's hand was familiar tech at least. "Let me guess: if I put on a white glove and run it over a tabletop, there'll be no dust on it."

[lionunchained]

Yes, it is very sterilized. That is what happens when you worked for and lived in the facility of a military organization, especially one that dealt with space. Everyone was supposed to be neat and since Shiro had a high enough position, it was something that he had to deal with. So yes, the color scheme was a little odd.

Shiro looked up from his tablet as the other spoke. "Yeah... not the most relaxing of places. It's the easiest place to stay when actively working."

Since otherwise you had to commute across the desert...

"Supposed to be. It is the Galaxy Garrison which is both science and military."

I apologize in advance for York's attitude

[buildingitsir]

Odd indeed. Who the fuck used orange as part of a color scheme? Probably Tropicana or some other orange juice company. Gervais was trusted to get groceries, not York.

Unnatural teal eyes narrow at the mention of being part of the military. Head space or not, the military were bad news to this android. Memories immediately came to the forefront of his mind of his home in Detroit being invaded. "Great, here’s hoping you’re nothing like the military from my world. If you are, I’ll bust your fucking kneecaps.“

York is so good at meeting new people.

He crossed his arms with a scowl. "What do you mean 'galaxy garrison?' Soldiers in space?" Because apparently having them on earth wasn’t enough?

It's all good

[lionunchained]

The Galaxy Garrison picked it apparently. Probably one of the few that one. Unfortunately, they did not have a juice company there, but there was a ship being built with its own greenhouse.

"I would suspect that I wasn't. It was trained in it, but I'm more of a pilot that a military man. So no need to break my kneecaps."

So very good, but has he met Keith before? They are kind of similar in terms of greeting people.

"Scientific exploration for the most part. I was the pilot on a mission to Kerberos to gather samples and information."

[buildingitsir]

A pilot. That’s better, and clearly York thinks that as he visibly relaxes. "Good. I hate soldiers. Military. Police. Whatever fucking name they would rather wear." The android seems like a cat as he bristles with his eyes shifting away. At least there weren’t any weapons.

"Yeah, you probably make a shitty soldier since you don’t have any weapons in here." York starts moving around, exploring the headspace with only a few glances in Shiro’s way. "Not even an axe or anything." Finally he picks up the black-rimmed glasses, intrigued by them for the moment. "Is this the part where I call you a fucking nerd?"

Sorry, short memory with no good stopping points

[lionunchained]

"I know someone exactly like that. No, I'm not a soldier or police. Most I've had to do was be a leader to a group of teenager... well, a paladin trying to save the universe, but that has been a while since I was."

The whole being trapped in the consciousness of a robot lion kind of prevented that.

"I've used weapons before. I just don't have them here."

But as York touched the glasses, the room changed... slightly. It was still the same room and the two of them were standing off to the side observing.

There was someone else sitting at the counter who had not been there before. He had brown hair and was wearing the same uniform that Shiro had. He was the one wearing the glasses that York had touched.

Shiro himself entered the room, not yet having lost his one arm and with black hair instead of white. As past-Shiro walked over to the couch, the other man looked over his shoulder at him.

"Everything okay?"

Shiro threw his bag done on the couch and sat down. "Iverson thinks I shouldn't be part of the mission. Called in the big guns," he said as he looked at his wrist. Admiral Sanda showed up and tried to convince Sam to remove me from the crew."

"Well, maybe he's right. Maybe you shouldn't go on the mission. You'll only be putting yourself at risk."

"You know how important this is to me. It's worth the risk."

The other man slammed his coffee cup down. "Takashi, how important am I to you? Every mission, every drill, I've been right there with you. But this is more than a mission. This is your life at stake."

"Don't start that again, Adam!" Shiro said flopping back against the couch. "You don't need to protect me. This is something I need to do for myself."

"There's nothing left for you to prove. You've broken every record there is to break," Adam said. When there was silence from Shiro after this comment, he continued as he stood up. "I know I can't stop you, but I won't go through this again. So if you decide to go, don't expect me to be here when you get back."

And then it was over and the younger Shiro and Adam were gone and it was just the two of them. Shiro had his eyes on the ground. That was a hard thing to see again.

It's all good; York's got long memories too

[buildingitsir]

York looked around as the scenery changed with glasses still in hands. Or... seemed to change. He was about to remark that it was boring before the scene played out before him. A different version of the not-military-dude he had been talking to a slightly skinnier man that looked more scholar than someone that could fight.

He looks back and forth between the two arguing before the memory ends and the two fade away. York stares at the spot where Adam had been. It reminded him a little of Duncan trying to convince York to stay, to not leave for Jericho. Yet he had ignored his brother and run away for the safehouse anyways.

A small glance to the other. "...is this the part where I ask if it was worth the risk?"

[lionunchained]

Shiro couldn't help but wonder why this had been one of the memories that had been included. He had been trying to get over what had happened now that he had been reminded of Adam and this place just kept bringing it up again and again.

He looked over at York. "It's kind of a hard question to answer. The mission itself was going smoothly, but this was also this mission where myself and other two were captured and made slaves of Galra. I got away and was able to become the Black Paladin of Voltron, which helped to take down the Galra... But Adam really wasn't there when I got back."

So many edges to this.

[buildingitsir]

If York knew what Shiro was thinking, he'd probably pipe up and say it was the guy that lured them all down there being a shitbag or something. His dark brows furrowed over bright eyes. He didn't know what Shiro was talking about with Galra or Voltron, but the 'Black Paladin' part sounded like a military rank of some sort. Even if Shiro said he was just a pilot.

But the 'Adam really wasn't there when I got back' says enough. York's seen enough violence in his short time online to know what it means. He glances away, the scowl on his face deepening. "I'm... sorry. I know what you mean when you say that." Which said probably enough given how York looked like a teenager. "Does that mean your world is at some sort of war?"

[deal_me_in]

"Finally! Somewhere that looks like you can relax!" The color scheme could be worse in his opinion, but he could spot a military outfit when he saw one. Cayde grinned, looking around as he sidled over towards the bar counter.

"This come with service or is it just for atmosphere?" he asked as he tried to peek over the counter for anything interesting to drink.

[lionunchained]

"Yeah, this is the Galaxy Garrison. I've spent a large portion of my life here."

He chuckled at the comment. "It comes with service if someone gives it." He got up and walked around behind the counter. "What would you like?"

o o p s

[deal_me_in]

"Oh yeah? Military training I'm guessing?" Cayde asked. His grin grew broader as Shiro stepped over to the bar.

"Now we're talking! I think you're the first place I've been to that's had a bar. I'll take whatever's good." He figured Shiro would know best what he had around and was all too happy to let someone else play bartender for him. With a mind to make himself comfortable, the Exo reached back to settle onto the nearest barstool, hand coming to rest over the torn shirt there as he grasped the chair's backing.

[lionunchained]

"Military, space exploration, a bit of everything. Military discipline with piloting and science." It certainly was very specialized, but then again most of the cadets at least had some interest in it.

"Whatever's good... will do." Shiro began to pick something out when Cayde's hand touched the shirt.

The room shifted to was essentially a large dark corridor lit by a weird ominous purple light. There were a number of people, most of them aliens compared to Shiro at least. There were two humans though, Shiro with his hair still entirely black and his natural arm still in place. All of them were wearing torn and beaten up purple shirts like the one that Cayde had touched.

The other human, Matt, standing directly in front of past-Shiro was definitely scared.

"I'm not going to make it," he said. "I'll never see my family again."

"You can do this," past-Shiro said.

In front of them was a rather large and menacing looking robot with the same purple glowing bands as though they were eyes on its visor and on its chest. As the door behind it opened, revealing what looked like an arena on the other side, the robot pointed a rather large weapon at Matt as though offering it to him.

Past-Shiro then became determined, grabbing Matt and pulling him backwards - one of the aliens catching Matt - before lunging for the weapon and pulling it from the robot.

"This is my fight!" Past-Shiro suddenly declared before swinging the weapon and hitting Matt in the knee. As Matt fell to the ground, Shiro jumped on him, shouting, "I want blood!"

There was a momentary pause before he said in quieter, less angry voice, "Take care of your father," before he was pulled away by the robot.

And then they were can back in the room.

[deal_me_in]

"What the- oh oops..." Cayde started to say once he realized what was happening. He shut his mouth as everything around changed. By now he was used to it, but naturally that didn't prepare you for whatever these memories tended to show.

How long ago was this? he wondered. Shiro didn't look too much different even with his hair now white. And he vaguely remembered Shiro mentioning he was forced into being a gladiator of sorts. Oh. Oh no.

He can spot the bluff a mile away, but he'd have to admit it's a pretty convincing act if you weren't coming in on it from the angle he was witnessing now. He grimaced as he watched Shiro get hauled away. As things faded back into the room they'd started in, Cayde glanced back at the stool he'd grabbed, giving the shirt an accusatory look before he pulled his hand away and settled into the seat beside it.

"...sorry about that," he muttered. "They survive..?"

[lionunchained]

It was still a shock for him to see. Obviously watching himself do it was even more shocking. He had definitely done it as a bluff to save Matt and it had worked. Thank goodness it had worked... Also the fact that he had not died. Though at the time, he had been expecting his own demise so he hadn't really thought much about trying to spare Matt.

"No problem," Shiro said with a sigh as he picked up the bottle of beer from behind the counter. "Yeah, they all survived. Because I beat their current champion."

[deal_me_in]

Cayde nodded, glad to hear that Shiro's efforts hadn't been in vain. He managed to smile, resting an elbow on the countertop. "You did that? Well, wouldn't put it past you. You're quiet but I never took you as the sort to stand by and do nothing."

[lionunchained]

"Yeah, still kind of surprised that I did honestly. He fought with this energy ball that he'd throw out and attack you with. After every several throws it had to come back to the base to recharge. I finally figured out the patterns and the sounds the weapon made to know when he was most vulnerable. It came in handy later when we had to fight him again."

He smiled a bit at that. "I guess I was kind of reckless at the time."

[ziedrich_bearer]

Seriously a theme. And not the greatest one. Well, someone's got to like it, and Gladio has to deal with it. Not like it's less good than the Lucian line's color scheme. Too much black and white there.

What Gladio's eyes hone in on is Shiro, though, and he moves to flop down into a chair to look at the other dude.

"Serious color vibes going on in here."

[lionunchained]

Yeah, at least the Garrison was consistent in their color scheme. Also true that the orange really did seem overly glaring compared to the lighter, more bland colors. Then again, he wasn't the one to pick it. He just had to live with it.

Shiro looked up at the other as he flopped down into another orange chair.

"Isn't it though? I guess the Galaxy Garrison really wanted to make sure everyone could recognize it."

[ziedrich_bearer]

"So branding? Yeah, grew up around that. My friend, his family had a thing about black and white. Like, everywhere. And skull motifs."

Which was because they had inherited it, being royals, but it meant even Gladio had to wear them a lot growing up.

[lionunchained]

"Yeah, branding is a good for it. It does kind of the same thing. Everyone looks the same and can spotted in a group. Black and white... with skulls? Well, that is branding too."

Not the branding that he would have picked, but if it was their style then who was he to judge.

[ziedrich_bearer]

"It really is," Gladio answered with a chuckle. And the Lucian kings were fucking masters of it. It was ridiculous. "It's to build team cohesion, right?"

Well, he gets that. And the thought makes him... Well, nervous in a way. So he rises to his feet and starts to explore.

"This doesn't look like space for one."

[lionunchained]

"Yeah, it definitely does that. Everyone feels like they are on the same team when there is branding or a mascot or emblem."

Shiro watched as he began to explore the room, still staying on the couch.

"The Garrison is on Earth. We perform space exploration to learn more about the universe."

[ziedrich_bearer]

Yeah, and that branding can make people feel more like they are a team. It's not bad.

"You're another Earth person?" he asks, looking around before he reached out for the goggle. They just looked cool.

[lionunchained]

"Yeah, I'm from Earth."

Speaking of which, when he touched the goggles, room shifted. Suddenly it wasn't a room anymore, but seemed to looking out over a vast stretch of desert. There was really nothing there... except for two speeders - something with a long body and propulsion systems on "wings" on either side. The one in back is being ridden by a teen with a red jacket. If he's met Keith, he might eventually recognize him. The one in front is Shiro still with black hair and his own arm.

As they were riding, Shiro looked back over his shoulder and chuckled. "Come on; catch up."

So Keith did just that, speeding up overtake him as they crossed the desert landscape, including going sideways at some points when passing through some rocks. Shiro returned to being in front and the speeders "jumped" from one cliff over a small canyon to a slightly lower cliff.

Then they were approaching the end of cliff with a sheer drop. Instead of stopping, Shiro sped up and his speeder flew off the cliff. As Keith stopped at the top of the cliff, Shiro's speeder stuck the landing at the bottom and kept going, leaving Keith at the top going "whoa".

Of course it doesn't seem like the memory is over yet since the room hasn't changed back yet.