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Quote from Yondor_The_Fantastic >>

He turns, happy to talk to someone. "Hey there Sarah! It's also my first expedition. My name's Able." 

 “Nice to meet you Able! I’m a marine biologist. What’s your specialty?”

 "Oh wow, that's awesome. Me, I used to be a marine, but I don't think that a life of fighting was for me, so I'm still trying to find my specialty, I guess." 

 “Very cool. I just love learning about marine life.”

 "Hey so do I! My friends would all make fun of me 'cause I'd jump ship and swim with the sea creatures. But I don't care. It was worth it. There's a whole fascinating world to discover." 

 “Totally! I couldn’t agree more.”

Quote from Former_Queen_Yvonne >>

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*for those who are heading to onboarding*

The Food Court of the Codex is a large, brightly lit cafeteria-like space with more screen-based windows on the ceiling. Various arrangements of tables and chairs occupy the central space, and the exterior of the court is lined with windows and more alien flower beds. A huge, smooth metal device takes up an entire wall to your side, dotted with interfaces. Towards the back of the room is a slightly section of floor with a lectern positioned towards its back corner.

A portion of the benches and chairs are filled with eager new recruits, but there's not nearly enough to fill the entire court: There's no more than fifty people in the room, including yourselves. Prof. Okeanus, an older woman with brown-grey hair in a formal-looking uniform, is speaking to some of her colleagues towards the back of the room.

 Able continues conversing with Sarah, but watches the Professor in interest as well. 

*If you want, make a History check*

 *History 9*

Quote from Former_Queen_Yvonne >>

Quote from Yondor_The_Fantastic >>

Quote from Former_Queen_Yvonne >>

*for those who are heading to onboarding*

The Food Court of the Codex is a large, brightly lit cafeteria-like space with more screen-based windows on the ceiling. Various arrangements of tables and chairs occupy the central space, and the exterior of the court is lined with windows and more alien flower beds. A huge, smooth metal device takes up an entire wall to your side, dotted with interfaces. Towards the back of the room is a slightly section of floor with a lectern positioned towards its back corner.

A portion of the benches and chairs are filled with eager new recruits, but there's not nearly enough to fill the entire court: There's no more than fifty people in the room, including yourselves. Prof. Okeanus, an older woman with brown-grey hair in a formal-looking uniform, is speaking to some of her colleagues towards the back of the room.

 Able continues conversing with Sarah, but watches the Professor in interest as well. 

*If you want, make a History check*

 *Cool!* 

13

*For anyone who gets a 10 or above on the History check*

*For anyone who gets a 15 or above on the History check* *no peeking*

Quote from Former_Queen_Yvonne >>

*For anyone who gets a 10 or above on the History check*

Prof. Okeanus is the founder of the CSIAB, and currently manages the funding for the organization's equipment and expeditions. She has several PhDs in various fields of biology, and has helped discover 15 different species in the Sea of Stars.

*For anyone who gets a 15 or above on the History check* *no peeking*

Prof. Okeanus used to regularly set off on expeditions herself on CSIAB's behalf, during which she encountered most of the 15 species discovered. However, after an attack from an unknown creature caused here irreparable lung damage, she has been unable to explore the seas herself ever since. She holds no ire towards the creature that tried to kill her: In fact, she's thankful that she got an opportunity to view the beast from so close!

 *Oh cool. She sounds like an amazing person. Maybe a good mentor.*

Quote from WoodsGirl0402 >>

Quote from Former_Queen_Yvonne >>

*For anyone who gets a 10 or above on the History check*

Prof. Okeanus is the founder of the CSIAB, and currently manages the funding for the organization's equipment and expeditions. She has several PhDs in various fields of biology, and has helped discover 15 different species in the Sea of Stars.

*For anyone who gets a 15 or above on the History check* *no peeking*

Prof. Okeanus used to regularly set off on expeditions herself on CSIAB's behalf, during which she encountered most of the 15 species discovered. However, after an attack from an unknown creature caused here irreparable lung damage, she has been unable to explore the seas herself ever since. She holds no ire towards the creature that tried to kill her: In fact, she's thankful that she got an opportunity to view the beast from so close!

 *Oh cool. She sounds like an amazing person. Maybe a good mentor.*

 *Indeed.* 

Able suddenly remembers what he read about and heard about Okeanus, and sees her in a new light, with even more respect. 

Quote from Yondor_The_Fantastic >>

Able suddenly remembers what he read about and heard about Okeanus, and sees her in a new light, with even more respect. 

 Sarah does too.

Once everyone is ready, the professor steps forward, and the crowd respectfully quiets down to listen.

"Welcome, everyone, to the CSIAB. I'm Professor Okeanus, and today, I'd like to prepare you for your first days on the Codex and out in the Sea of Stars."

"Ever since we were capable of thought, people have looked up at the night sky and pondered the question 'what's out there?'. The desire for answers in the unknown has been something driving us forward since the very beginning, and only now are we finally prepared enough to answer that age-old question. After all, that's our main goal here at CSIAB: To explore, learn, and understand the world around us. I look out at all of you, and I see promising individuals with ambition and optimism, with a desire for answers in the unknown and the courage to seek those answers. I see the burning spark of discovery. I see the future of exploration"

"Here on the Codex, we've always been strong believers in a more hands-on approach to discovery. As such, my first and only task for you all is to learn something new every day: Plain and simple. After all, that's the very basis of discovery. If you plan on heading out into the Sea of Stars yourself, which I'm sure most of you are, I do very much encourage that you review the safety procedures. You can request a guide to accompany you for your first expedition if you wish. Whatever you do here on the Codex, remember this: As long as you learned something new on any given day, that day is a success."

"That is all I have to say. Go forth, explore, learn, and discover. May the Stars light your Path." And with that, Prof. Okeanus steps back and off into another room as people applaud or begin leaving the Food Court.

*You can now explore the Sea of Stars whenever you wish! You can bring a guide along with you if you want a helping hand.*

*Can I bring my cheeky bootstrap paradox space deity? I'll limit the power*

Quote from DoodleCrisp >>

*Can I bring my cheeky bootstrap paradox space deity? I'll limit the power*

*Sure! Just keep their power around that of a 10th level character at most.*

*ok. They only really like to mess with people though*

Able claps enthusiastically, beaming. "She's good at that! Inspiring, and to the point." 

“I agree!” Sarah says. “She’s managed to reach the pinnacle of her field. I really admire her.”

More people begin to leave the Food Court, some of which pass by the Culinary Fabricator for lunch. Those who still remain can see a cluster of jellyfish drifting overhead through the 'windows', being carried by the astral current to who-knows-where.

Quote from WoodsGirl0402 >>

“I agree!” Sarah says. “She’s managed to reach the pinnacle of her field. I really admire her.”

 "Me too. Hey, we should go get somethin to eat, no?" He motions to the Culinary Fabricator, never having seen anything like it. 

*bringing in my stuff*

Quote from Yondor_The_Fantastic >>

Quote from WoodsGirl0402 >>

“I agree!” Sarah says. “She’s managed to reach the pinnacle of her field. I really admire her.”

 "Me too. Hey, we should go get somethin to eat, no?" He motions to the Culinary Fabricator, never having seen anything like it. 

 “Sounds great!” Sarah agrees.

*Good morning!*

The Culinary Fabricator is an enormous machine, one so large it takes up an entire wall of the Food Court. Multiple terminals are lined up in front of the Fabricator, each one arranged to be in front of an oven-sized compartment with a simple door mechanism. Upon closer inspection, the terminals are revealed to have nigh-unlimited options of miscellaneous food items, ranging from sushi to burgers to curry to even a simple bag of walnuts: Or if you want nutrition that doesn't resemble food in the least for whatever reason, there's also a 'nutrient block', whatever that is.

The purple man sinks his teeth into a nutrient block. He makes a face. “Tastes like blubber.”