ximilia | ✨ XIMILIA TOWN HALL MEETING ✨ ( video/audio/action )

[ some morning in the middle of the week, during their return to the station, an invitation will be taped on the door of every orber. though the calligraphy would suggest this must have been typed on a computer and printer, each invitation is actually very carefully hand-written and reads as follows: ]

[ the idea is for everyone to meet in the mess hall at the intended time, but if some choose not to attend, the meeting can still be accessed by the earpieces, allowing all orbers to watch or listen in and contribute however they wish, no matter where they are.

however, for those who do decide to attend, the mess hall features a full display of bagels and donuts, along with plenty of fresh coffee, all to help everyone wake up and feel refreshed for the meeting that's about to take place.

a makeshift little stage, arranged by stacking together a few metal boxes is at the center of the room, atop of it being the one and only rita farr herself, with a bright optimistic smile. when she sees enough people present and settled, she speaks up, loud and clear: ]

Hello, everyone! Welcome to our first Annual — or monthly, or however we decide to do it — Town Hall meeting! Thank you all for coming and please enjoy the food to your heart's content. For those who don't know me, I'm Rita Farr. Now— though my name does appear on the invitation, this is hardly about me. This is about all of us.

After our ... last mission, it became quite clear that our group could use a bit of improvement with how we approach our next missions moving forward. And I thought the best way to plan for that is to allow all of us an opportunity to discuss how we all feel about what we've done well and what we could do better. After all, everyone deserves a say in this, right?

[ she points behind her where a giant board is on display on an easel, once again, hand-written with careful and precise calligraphy in giant letters: ]

Here, I've written some sample questions we can all try to offer answers to, but the floor will also be open for any other questions and suggestions that anyone might have. Remember, there are no wrong answers! We're all here for an open forum discussion. But before that!

[ she reaches over to the board, pulling it off to reveal another one behind it. this one reads as follows: ]

Please consider the "Keys to Success", not only on our missions, but as we talk together in this room right now. We'll go ahead and take turns either stepping up here on the stage or speaking out from wherever you are. There are no microphones but the earpieces should get your voices out to everyone. Now, who would like to start?

( this post is open to all! the idea is that everyone is taking turns in each thread to speak out to the entire group (whether from within the room or from elsewhere), but thread-jacking and hopping around for discussion is the key here! feel free to run wild with ic suggestions or questions regarding mission layouts or planning or whatever floats your boat (ic complaining/protest is always an option too). though rita is organizing it, it's open to whatever people are inclined to discuss. )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Peter had no idea that Cybertronians could narrow their optics. Truly you learn something new every day.

Overslept is such a harsh word. We like to call it 'unplanned extended rest'.

[ He manages to sound serious for about 3 seconds. But he doesn't want Minimus to think Peter is laughing at him, even though he does chuckle next. ]

Okay no, I'm pulling your leg. No such religion exists, that I know of. But there are a lot of weird ones out there. Have you ever heard about the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster? That one's real. They call themselves Pastafarians.

I appreciate your honesty, but that Church cannot be real. It all has to be a joke.

[Verity would have told him if such a religion existed.]

Is it all to hide a money laundering scheme? It has to be. No such group can last for long without ulterior motives.

[ Peter gives Minimus a smile, glad that he took being teased so well and didn't get mad. ]

The church is real, promise. I learned about it when I visited Earth. [ For a hot minute, Peter tried to catch up on the things he missed. He took a look at the internet and gave up. ]

Their deity looks like a plate of spaghetti. To be fair, I had to deal with worse gods. No idea if they make any money. Maybe from pasta companies?

When? [He's still trying to piece together how and why this group formed. A front for a pasta company makes sense.] I understand a group bonding over a favorite meal, but an actual religion is unbelievable.

Yeah, 'when'. I spent the last 30 years traveling the galaxy instead of living on my home planet. I was kidnapped by space pirates when I was 8 years old. By the time, I was old enough to be able to get away and go back, there was nothing for me there.

[ This might explain in part why Peter is so generally weird about everything. Too human for space, too alien for Earth. ]

Unless you were asking when the religion first started? In which case I have no idea. I didn't look that much into it, I just found the idea of a flying spaghetti god hilarious. Perhaps there's another religion out there inspired by a salad bowl and promoting healthier eating habits.

[That...certainly was not the direction that Minimus expected this conversation to go. There's something in there that he feels he should delve into, but they are in a room full of people, and this might go into the "emotions and feelings" territory. It's best that Peter does not give a reason for Minimus to excuse himself and sit in a corner.]

...So it's a relatively recent religion, created around the time Earth discovered space travel. [Which is thankfully after he last visited the planet.] I really should visit that planet upon my return and see what happened with that spaghetti god.

[ Peter's life is far from normal or common, which is why he has so few stories to share that don't sound insane from an outsider's perspective. There are things from his past he wouldn't mind sharing with Minimus to give him more context, but it's true that they need more privacy for that. ]

I suppose, yes. Earth's technology always seems pretty backward when compared to the one you can find in certain sectors of the galaxy. Hah...yeah, it is worth checking out of curiosity. Do you still have friends there?

[ Peter knows that Minimus's avatar is inspired by his friend Verity, but he doesn't know if she's living on Earth, or traveling the galaxy again. ]

Not only Earth. Thousands of planets are isolated from the rest of the universe. Earth seems...over-represented on this station, and I don't know why. [Yes, it was significant in his universe, but that's because it had large deposits of Ore-13.] Perhaps it is what is most similar to Viveca's homeworld.

[At Peter's question, Minimus sits down and pulls his arms close to his torso.]

I am in contact with a few humans, but the ones I met during the war are no longer of this world.

It really is, I am not sure why either. Maybe the ob knows my species has a talent for chaos? I haven't lived with that many humans in decades, either, all my team is made entirely of different species of aliens. One is a tree, the other is a raccoon. Both can talk. My girlfriend is humanoid-looking but green and far stronger. Her species also has a different facial bone structure and two livers, which is why she always beats me at drinking contests.

[ Peter sounds fond as he reminisces about his family. He also gives Minimus a sympathetic look of understanding after his last reply. ]

Sorry, Minimus. I shouldn't have brought it up.

If they were seeking chaos, they would have brought in more Cybertronians. We have a talent for erasing entire civilizations and ruining our reputation.

[Though...it makes sense that they have five of them on this ship, even if four are from the same universe. The orb has successfully figured that part out.]

I'd like to meet your friends some day. They might be analogous to species from my universe.

[That he hoped weren't wiped out in the war. That didn't go extinct. That didn't die off, like Verity and every other human that befriended the Autobots and Decepticons.]

...You were not aware. I harbor no ill will towards you

Hm...not so different you and I, then. [ Or rather, Cybertroniand and humans, Peter means. ] All species have the capacity for mayhem, but they can also learn. Hopefully before we completely destroy each other.

[ He hadn't exactly checked how things were on Earth in a long time, first busy with being a Guardian and then with being part of the Ximilia crew for almost a year. It's too long, and now that he doesn't feel things are going anywhere useful with the orbs, Peter feels like his responsibilities back in his world are calling for him. ]

I'd like that too. I think they will like you just as much as I do.

[ Some more than others, Nebula isn't the most socializing person. But perhaps Minimus's responsible and no-nonsense demeanor would be something she would enjoy too. ]

Thanks, Minimus.

✨ XIMILIA TOWN HALL MEETING ✨ ( video/audio/action )

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