This was the largest Transplant appearance of their generation. Matthias had called a meeting with the Marshall and his Commodore to discuss procedure and protocol. With so many new faces, even Matt's dedication to scoping them all out individually couldn't quite match up with the time he had available, and suspicious though he was of the motives of the commanding 'figureheads' beneath him, they did still answer to him, for now.
"These may be the largest transplant numbers recorded in over a century. I'm hearing reports of numbers over two score of new transplants. Right now there is no way of telling whether this is a special case or the start of a new precedent. We need to find out when and where these people are from. We didn't just take on people this go around. We picked up buildings as well. The climate changed. The tides altered. This was a major shift. Right now we have no idea how much was taken on or what might have been changed."
Commodore Dragoslav did not, precisely, possess the bearing one might have expected of a soldier. She had responded promptly to Hull's summons, and now sat perched on the edge of one of the chairs in his office, legs crossed as she leaned forward with her chin resting in one hand. Though she was often hesitant to agree with him, she had to admit that he was right to be concerned -- this was an unprecedented event, at least in their lifetime, and it was more than worthy of their attention.
"Something as simple as a census might do well to help us get a hold on exactly how many transplants we've just had dropped on us. As for the rest, there's a lot of investigation to be done. I've never seen the island change so quickly, or on this large a scale. Even if the transplants have all come from the same place, you can't help raising an eyebrow at those numbers. We've never taken on so many, or so much at once."
"It is certainly something that needs addressing. I'd like both of you to do some ... mingling, with the new transplants. Myself as well, of course. We need a better idea of what is going on, here."
Normally, Matthias wouldn't ask either of them on a task like this. He preferred to be the one to interact. He liked to learn more about the transplants, try to gather what he could use, make the first impressions. To include his less socially fluent seconds in the process was... well... it was another unprecedented event. But it was necessary.
"If this is something that is going to occur in the future, we need to be certain these people are on our side. Numbers this large could bode ill for us if they assume we are the ones behind their displacement. We do not need a repeat of the Ulrian Revolt."
It was no secret that Justine was not quite as proficient with public relations as their Admiral -- the fact that he was trusting her to get personally involved with the newest batch of transplants only confirmed her suspicions that he was even more concerned than he let on.
The Ulrian Revolt. It was something every Atlantean learned about at an early age, a conflict that was often spoken of in hushed tones and certainly something that all present citizens wished to avoid a repeat of. She nodded stiffly in reply. Arguing was one of her many talents, but this was not a point she would seek to practice it on.
"Fine. Then we'll mingle. Make them feel welcome, help them settle, what have you." She had lost some of her usual flippancy. "How do you suggest we win them over this time, Cap? They're sure to have all kinds of questions. What supposedly comforting bedtime story should we be telling?"
"No lies. Not this time around. We'll tell them the truth, like John suggested." A part of Matt hated using the pilot's suggestions but he was right, this time, too.
"We'll tell them the truth. We don't know why Atlantis decided to pick them up. But that is it. Beyond that, just help them settle. Get them to places to sleep, show them around, whatever they need. If they have weapons on them, take account of them and report it back to me, but don't try to disarm them unless they are hostile."
The Commodore leaned forward, rising from her seat as she offered him a shrug in reply, turning her hands up.
"So we'll tell them we don't know a damn thing, let them know we're all in the same boat and help them make themselves comfortable. That's fine. It should encourage some degree of trust, though it might not inspire confidence. Most people don't like their supposed leaders to sound so confused. But, I'll admit, we don't have a better option at the moment."
"We need their names, the names of their worlds, and more importantly, we need to know what they can and cannot do. And we need exact records of the alterations in the climate and tides. It could disturb the wildlife, especially if it happens again."
John looked moderately bothered, but that might just be the time of day. Or the fact that he had to socialize.
Wildlife. It took extreme self-control for Matthias not to roll his eyes at the comment. No. John was right. It was important. He just couldn't bring himself to care.
"Jones can give us a full analysis of changes in the tide and the water. You can confer with him later on that. But you're right. We do need to make record of the new transplants. Again, though. We need a less brash approach. We do not want this to turn into another repeat of the Ulrian Revolt. We can't allow them to think we are behind their abduction. Whatever means necessary, we need to convince them otherwise."
Transplants were often resistant to the idea, but they never had to deal with so many at one time. It was hard to judge how this was going to go.
'Jones' was always a topic John preferred to avoid - he wasn't particularly fond of what Matt had done to the dolphin.
He shrugged. "All we need is to appear as confused as they are, which isn't even far from the truth, given that we are having this meeting.
Less brash, you say? Just wait and see how they group together. Strangers are unlikely to stay very close upon arrival, those who knew each other before will. It isn't an exact system, but it spares the asking for the worlds. For now." There's always the slightest hint of disgust in his voice when he talked about humans. As if he was explaining a type of vermin.
Matt would argue the only things he'd ever done to that dolphin were improvements. Chances were that argument wouldn't go over well.
But he agreed, for once, with what John was saying. They needed a certain kind of approach to this.
"We'll have to keep a close eye on them without being obvious. Keep track of how many are armed and try to get a feel for their reaction to the island."
[Dex is currently patrolling his land. The other raptors have long since learned that he is not to be disputed. Though he bears many scars of challenges past, the glint and gleam of Atlantean Steel catches the light of the sun on his patrol, the protective plated covering making surprisingly little sound in his movements around the base of the mountains. He looks as if he is considering a venture into the dangerous rainforest.]
If you go in there, you better take me with you, Dex.
[John is never opposed to a trip into the rainforest, all dangers aside. New species of plants and animals, no people whatsoever - what more could he want, really.]
As much as John loved nature, nature didn't always love John. This occasionally lead to an unpleasant conflict of interests and in this case, the result were three nasty scratches across his right upper arm. Claw marks. Taking off his shirt - it'd taken quite some damage in the venture - he determined that it was in no way a big deal.
He'd had worse.
It still needed cleaning and bandaging, and apparently John could do both as long as he was allowed to curse. Loudly and profoundly.
Not if you blunt their claws and muzzle their mouths
"Not getting on so well with your friends, Downs?"
Matthias was leaning against the door to the room, watching John fight with the first aid kit. They might not see eye to eye hardly ever, but Downs was still one of Hull's men. One of the more valuable ones, despite the trouble he often caused.
The Admiral looked out for his people, trouble makers included.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Emergency Meeting
"These may be the largest transplant numbers recorded in over a century. I'm hearing reports of numbers over two score of new transplants. Right now there is no way of telling whether this is a special case or the start of a new precedent. We need to find out when and where these people are from. We didn't just take on people this go around. We picked up buildings as well. The climate changed. The tides altered. This was a major shift. Right now we have no idea how much was taken on or what might have been changed."
no subject
"Something as simple as a census might do well to help us get a hold on exactly how many transplants we've just had dropped on us. As for the rest, there's a lot of investigation to be done. I've never seen the island change so quickly, or on this large a scale. Even if the transplants have all come from the same place, you can't help raising an eyebrow at those numbers. We've never taken on so many, or so much at once."
no subject
Normally, Matthias wouldn't ask either of them on a task like this. He preferred to be the one to interact. He liked to learn more about the transplants, try to gather what he could use, make the first impressions. To include his less socially fluent seconds in the process was... well... it was another unprecedented event. But it was necessary.
"If this is something that is going to occur in the future, we need to be certain these people are on our side. Numbers this large could bode ill for us if they assume we are the ones behind their displacement. We do not need a repeat of the Ulrian Revolt."
no subject
The Ulrian Revolt. It was something every Atlantean learned about at an early age, a conflict that was often spoken of in hushed tones and certainly something that all present citizens wished to avoid a repeat of. She nodded stiffly in reply. Arguing was one of her many talents, but this was not a point she would seek to practice it on.
"Fine. Then we'll mingle. Make them feel welcome, help them settle, what have you." She had lost some of her usual flippancy. "How do you suggest we win them over this time, Cap? They're sure to have all kinds of questions. What supposedly comforting bedtime story should we be telling?"
no subject
"We'll tell them the truth. We don't know why Atlantis decided to pick them up. But that is it. Beyond that, just help them settle. Get them to places to sleep, show them around, whatever they need. If they have weapons on them, take account of them and report it back to me, but don't try to disarm them unless they are hostile."
no subject
The Commodore leaned forward, rising from her seat as she offered him a shrug in reply, turning her hands up.
"So we'll tell them we don't know a damn thing, let them know we're all in the same boat and help them make themselves comfortable. That's fine. It should encourage some degree of trust, though it might not inspire confidence. Most people don't like their supposed leaders to sound so confused. But, I'll admit, we don't have a better option at the moment."
no subject
John looked moderately bothered, but that might just be the time of day. Or the fact that he had to socialize.
no subject
"Jones can give us a full analysis of changes in the tide and the water. You can confer with him later on that. But you're right. We do need to make record of the new transplants. Again, though. We need a less brash approach. We do not want this to turn into another repeat of the Ulrian Revolt. We can't allow them to think we are behind their abduction. Whatever means necessary, we need to convince them otherwise."
Transplants were often resistant to the idea, but they never had to deal with so many at one time. It was hard to judge how this was going to go.
no subject
He shrugged. "All we need is to appear as confused as they are, which isn't even far from the truth, given that we are having this meeting.
Less brash, you say? Just wait and see how they group together. Strangers are unlikely to stay very close upon arrival, those who knew each other before will. It isn't an exact system, but it spares the asking for the worlds. For now."
There's always the slightest hint of disgust in his voice when he talked about humans. As if he was explaining a type of vermin.
no subject
But he agreed, for once, with what John was saying. They needed a certain kind of approach to this.
"We'll have to keep a close eye on them without being obvious. Keep track of how many are armed and try to get a feel for their reaction to the island."
In the Mountains
no subject
[John is never opposed to a trip into the rainforest, all dangers aside. New species of plants and animals, no people whatsoever - what more could he want, really.]
no subject
John wants come wyth Dex? Foryst is myghty byg, Dex wants fynd new drynk source.
[He needed to, if the raptors were going to survive. The lack of rainfall lately had put a strain on the mountain streams.]
DEX, YOU ARE TOO CUTE.
[Words only very, very few humans ever heard of him. Accompanied by a smile, even! Dex, you bring out the best in him. Sort of.
The lack of rainfall bothered him - it wasn't helpful at all, and not only the raptors could end in a bad place because of it.
And he doesn't want to be the one to have to suggest digging for water to Matt. Not this far into the wild.]
The arrival of all these new transplants disturbed... everything. Let's hope nature finds its balance again soon.
no subject
[He scratched restlessly at the ground with his powerful talon-claws, armor-spiked tail swishing behind him.]
Very much bad for Dexkyn. Not let thym die of drynkthyrst.
no subject
[He looks up.]
Time to get started?
Wildlife - It scratches.
He'd had worse.
It still needed cleaning and bandaging, and apparently John could do both as long as he was allowed to curse. Loudly and profoundly.
Not if you blunt their claws and muzzle their mouths
Matthias was leaning against the door to the room, watching John fight with the first aid kit. They might not see eye to eye hardly ever, but Downs was still one of Hull's men. One of the more valuable ones, despite the trouble he often caused.
The Admiral looked out for his people, trouble makers included.
"Need some help with that?"