Drake Baron 2026/03/02(Mon)02:26 No. 1122817 ID: fd2dfa
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>>1122683
>You mentioned that you sometimes leave the house without the regulator, so are you sure you had it when you came back? Where do you normally put it when you come home? Do you use it inside the house? Does it need maintenance?

Yeah I'm sure. I-oh snap that's right! The breathing tube and mask is in the sink! I remember, I took that off and left it in the sink the soak overnight cause it was starting to smell skunky. You know, I use that word 'skunky' a lot but I have no idea what a skunky is.

Okay, so the tube came off here, which means I set it down somewhere while I let the other parts soak. So...I'm guessing it's somewhere downstairs.

That reminds me, the whole reason I went out was because dad might be coming home tonight. I left cause I was thinking of making something for him cause I know he's real tired when he gets back so I figured making a home cooked meal would be nice before he sits in the living room and passes out.

Do a little more cleaning up and the rest of it may reveal itself.

then you should look through what you have in the kitchen, and decide on a meal to make. And while you're looking around you'll find the regulator.

>>1122815
So Martians are interstellar aliens that are native to Earth-like planets, and we agreed to share technology and terraform Mars so we could inhabit it together? Convenient!

Did you mean a "gamma ray burst" destroyed their homeworld?

>>1122817
Skunky? Oh, you mean like a skunk! That's a small, black and white mammal from Earth that evolved to generate noxious chemicals as a defense mechanism. They're infamous for the foul smell of their spray, but they're also really cute. Some people keep them as pets.

What's to the left of the sink? I see something that looks vaguely regulator-like, but it's obscured by the pile of stuff in the foreground.

So why are they terraforming the planet while people are LIVING ON IT? You don't move into a skyscraper while it's still being built!! That's a horrible idea, all the best and fast terraforming involves WMD-levels of energies, it would've been better to evacuate any early bases on Mars, before dropping several million 'bigger than the one that killed the dinosaurs' ice comets onto the planet to get it enough water for some proper oceans (or fewer than that, if you want just a green planet with a bunch of shallow lakes), giving it non-stop torrential rain even if you are fancy about it. And then there's shipping massive amounts of Nitrogen from Venus or Titan (and presumably the tanks of Nitrogen would just be SHOT at the planet to impact and explode, due to cost...), so mostly normal plants will grow outside. Oh, did your people place electromagnets and mirrors between Mars and the Sun, at the Lagrange point for a technological magnetosphere and a way to heat the planet enough? And those mirrors melted the poles first? What about all the soil generation that requires every INCH of soil on the planet be made and isolated from the native toxic regolith? The machines to do that should be hideously disruptive! Whether they're big crawlers, or if space based superlasers are used in part of the process!

Like NONE OF THIS should happen while there are people living on the surface, you know?!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcXBuYwm3xk&list=PLIIOUpOge0Lsf-ZtVyzxNGcOMoHmltQO9&index=3 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpcTJW4ur54[/spoiler]

>>1122898
Welcome to third-world advanced civilization building. For all their power, the Marnari don't have any safer choices due to a combination of politics, receding opportunities, and lack of social infrastructure.

Baron 2026/03/13(Fri)03:56 No. 1123392 ID: fd2dfa
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>>1122898
...what?

Baron 2026/03/13(Fri)03:56 No. 1123393 ID: fd2dfa
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>>1122825
Oh yeah, gamma ray burst. That's what the history text said. That's gotta suck. The chances of something like that happening in your home system must be crazy stupid small, but it happens anyway. Just win the bad luck lottery or something with numbers like that.

Anyway, most of this is just from my room or takeout, or. Actually I dunno what most of this stuff was. But the thingy down here is just the trash bin for the bathroom when I gotta clean up-uh never mind. It's not in here that's all you need to know.

>>1122823
Not a bad idea. Just gotta clear the kitchen first of all the screws and-

"Ah shit!"

Baron 2026/03/13(Fri)03:56 No. 1123394 ID: fd2dfa
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That's right, I took off the panel downstairs where dad keeps all the tools for stuff! I was attaching an old picture to my regulator. It's my friends, see?

This was something that was drawn by Pai during the summer camp we last had together. Shit I was like, what was I? I think like 6 or 7 when we did this. It's been so long since I seen them. You wanna see? Hang on lemme just fiddle with the aug. Now how do I set auto-focus-there we go!

Baron 2026/03/13(Fri)03:56 No. 1123395 ID: fd2dfa
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Okay there. Yeah so, the one on the bottom? That's Doto'o. He's my bird-bro. My brod, my broder of a different feather. I see him all the time, but the others?

Those are the Daksa sisters. Twins believe it or not. Left one's Pai'sa, she's the one who saw the pic we took and drew one of her own. I kept that one and she took the photo. She was kinda shy, but liked the games I had on my aug-stack. We had shit for connection out there, but the co-op stuff was great.

Her sister on the right's Pikke'si. When Pai was busy with something, Pikke was taking a break from climbing or doing practice salvage work. She'd show up and play MercWars with me and Doto'o.

Olympia Downslope takes students from every district this side of the mountain. Which means I'm finally gonna see them again! I figured I'd have the pic attached to my regulator so they'd see me. I know they sometimes got trouble telling humans apart, even if there's gonna be like-only 2 or 3 of us on campus- and if I'm being honest I have no idea how the Daksa sisters look now. All three of them still had their youth down on, made them look all pudgy and fluffy. By now, they got their adult plumes in and I got no idea what it'll be. I figure either they notice me, or I'll find Pai when she puts her photo on something.

Man, I just went off on a tangent again. What were we talking about?

>>1123393
Hey, it's nothing to be ashamed of. A lot of people do that when they're alone. We won't judge.

>>1123394
You found the regulator? Neat! What else is left to get ready for tomorrow?

>>1123395
Well, after finding your regulator, your next goal was to make some food for yourself and your dad. What sort of thing would you like to eat? And while you're at it, you could prepare something for tomorrow, to save yourself a little time.

You were looking for your regulator. Is that it?

oh and dinner plans. What's in the fridge?

should probably make sure the regulator is still working, just in case

>>1123395
Your friends are adorably floofy.
Were, sorry.
Do they follow the pattern of earth avian forms?
Bright displaying males, dull females? Something less dimorphic or an inverted pattern?

Oh, hey, does your regulator need charging cause you might have left it in the charger port.

Baron 2026/03/28(Sat)03:31 No. 1123991 ID: fd2dfa
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>>1123399
>>1123400
Oh yeah, this thing is the regulator. Whole thing. It'd be kinda dumb if I showed up to campus tomorrow without. I'd have to go for the public access ones, and those always smell like shit.
I dunno if they ever even wash them.
So last thing to do is getting some food in me and off to bed. Lessee, I got plenty of stuff. Just stocked up and all, but what's about to go bad? Uh-oh right!

Agri-club was growing produce all summer long and were giving it away. I got all these tomatoes here. Alicantes, Beefsteaks, Martian Reds, Mini Safirs, I could be getting their names wrong. I dunno tomatoes.
And the EGG brand egg substitute is about to hit best by date, hey did you know Marnari love eggs? Like they can't get enough of it, to the point real chicken eggs area luxury on Mars.

Yeah I think I can make some tomato-egg stir fry with this.

Baron 2026/03/28(Sat)03:31 No. 1123992 ID: fd2dfa
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>>1123430
>Do they follow the pattern of earth avian forms? Bright displaying males, dull females? Something less dimorphic or an inverted pattern?
They used to. Like they say that's what they were like back when they still had a homeworld. But apparently all those generations asleep and on ships with artificial light dulled their plumage? So like the boys and girls are still pretty dull, but I think guys still sometimes develop spots on their plumage.

You know, its kind of a good thing we got this hab. Previous owners left a lot of stuff, even old recipe books, so I don't have to mix and match stuff without knowing what I'm doin'. But also it still feels weird living
in a house of a criminal king pin. Like this guy was able to afford so much for this hab cause he was smuggling stuff between Earth and Mars, but then I think someone snitched and the provisional government sent troops into-

Baron 2026/03/28(Sat)03:31 No. 1123993 ID: fd2dfa
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Oh wait, I gotta call. Hang on I gotta take this.

Baron 2026/03/28(Sat)03:31 No. 1123994 ID: fd2dfa
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"Yeah? Oh, hey dad, I was-no I-oh.



I see.



Yeah...okay. Bye dad."

Baron 2026/03/28(Sat)03:32 No. 1123995 ID: fd2dfa
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"..."


So dad't not comin'. Emergency assembly or something. Closed doors. Those things can last for weeks, and they'll just shack everyone up at some hotel next door until it's resolved.

...fuck

It can't be helped. You should get out there and meet people so you don't have to spend so much time in a lonely house.

>>1123995
Aw man, that's a bummer. I'm sure your dad wishes he could be there for you on your big day. You ought to take some pictures and send them to him; whatever this emergency is, I'm sure it'll cheer him up to see you doing well.

It's sad, but no one's really to blame. It's not your fault, or your dad's fault, or the government's fault that they had a sudden emergency and needed him. Well, maybe we can blame whoever caused the emergency. I wonder what it's about... Do you have any idea?

Hey, at least you've got us to help get your mind off it. Why not tell us more about your living space? You say it used to be owned by a smuggler. Did you find anything interesting he left in his house? Or even a hidden space somewhere?

>>1123995
Bad news.
Sorry to hear it dude.
Hey, at least you get tine to explore.
Maybe throw a party for your avian pals here in this cool house or sonething.

Say, about your no friends...
do you figure theyre plumed in ways human visual spectrum cant appreciate?
Pigeons are all grey, but they see in the uv spectrum.
Plus, you shine a uv light on them and they almost glow.
You got a blacklight you can try?

Baron 2026/04/01(Wed)21:04 No. 1124172 ID: c15a60
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Dinner is ruined forever

>>1124172
Is it too late to ask for a 'Surprise Hooker Party' April Fool's update instead?

>>1124173
Why? You want birb boobies?

Baron 2026/04/01(Wed)21:32 No. 1124176 ID: c15a60
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>>1124173
HAPPY BORFDAY SON!

It's mom's birhtdey dad

TIME FOR BERB STRIPPER! PAY BIG MONEY SO BOOBIE DANSE

>>1124176
Best.
Dad.
Ever.

Baron 2026/04/11(Sat)04:34 No. 1125074 ID: c15a60
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>>1123999
There's always some emergency, air or food or water. I don't follow current events a whole lot, but dad says there was some rivalries between Marnari factions even before they settled on Mars, and some of them just got more aggressive when they weren't on a ship. But like, he told me not to worry about it, he called them minor disputes over water or air or whatever; but when do you have to have these week long emergency sessions over that?
Like this isn't the first time. They just force everyone to stay, they rent out some motel near where he works and they all have to work day and night to settle whatever.

This always happens. But you'd think he'd be back for mom's birthday at least...

>>1123997
I can't really do that. Not here. Neighborhood is empty most of the day, and everyone around here that isn't off at work or whatever aren't real sociable. I tried. I dunno if it's cause I'm human or if they just don't like to talk to strangers.

>>1124028
>Say, about your no friends...do you figure theyre plumed in ways human visual spectrum cant appreciate?
>You got a blacklight you can try?
I-I dunno. I guess? I know they used to be more colorful, but not anymore. Never asked about the UV thing though, and I dunno if that would count as weird. Like "Hey lemme shine this light on you cause I wanna see your real colors."

>Why not tell us more about your living space? You say it used to be owned by a smuggler. Did you find anything interesting he left in his house? Or even a hidden space somewhere?
Well he was an official like dad, but it turns out he was using his position to move Marnari artifacts to Earth and illegal stuff from Earth to Mars. I haven't found any hidden spots yet, but there was a lot of custom work done for the lighting system, and like an automated temperature control, the entertainment system in the living room, the water control and filter, the custom work on the oxygen filters...

Baron 2026/04/11(Sat)04:37 No. 1125075 ID: c15a60
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Oh shit. I fell asleep again.
Oh shit. I overslept.
Oh shit! I'M GONNA BE LATE!

>>1125075
Don't panic. First, take a deep breath. Then make a mental list of all the things you need for school. Then start collecting them.

Are you wearing your uniform? If not, that's the first thing.
Don't forget your regulator, of course.
Any other school supplies you need? Do you have an ID badge? A wallet?
Did you think to prepare food in advance? You can collect it to eat later.
You probably don't have time for a shower, but still do a bit of freshening up in the bathroom. Wash your face and all this.

But most importantly, don't panic. You got this.

>>1125074
Look up info about how your friends eyes work.
Visual spectrum and the like
Then youll kn -
>>1125075
- ah, fuck.
Panic!

Good thing you're dressed and found your regulator. Off you go hurry!

Baron 2026/04/20(Mon)03:22 No. 1125640 ID: fd2dfa
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>>1125077
Okay, yeah. Deep breath. Check. Uniform? Reg? Mask? Okay, all good. ID-wait, that's covered by the augment, I don't need that.

Right, freshen up. Deo-BO, that's all I can manage for now. I got this I got this...OH SHIT IS THAT THE TIME!?

Baron 2026/04/20(Mon)03:23 No. 1125641 ID: fd2dfa
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I'M GONNA MISS MY RIDE! Pleasenotrafficpleasenotrafficpleasenotraffic-

Baron 2026/04/20(Mon)03:23 No. 1125642 ID: fd2dfa
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Oh thank fuck. I...I missed my first ride, but it looks like the tramway is pulling double schedule today for the new semester. I lucked out.

>>1125095
You know what? You can ask my Doto'o yourself he's right...there? Oh Doto'o, you fuckin' guy...

Baron 2026/04/20(Mon)03:23 No. 1125643 ID: fd2dfa
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"Oy-yo Doto!"

"Draaaa-keeee! Bro-keeee!"

His hab's stop is after mine, which means he rode the tram over here and waited for me. Dammit. Birdbro is so much the bro! It hits me right in the heart. Got stuff to ask him, you can ask now. We're goin' on the same ride. Hang on, I'll just loop him in.

"Doto, hey hey Doto'o."

"Yeah, yeah?"

"Listen, that chat thing? That thing I set up forever ago?"

"Yeah?"

"Got others in there now. I think they're Earthside."

"No way Dra-kee! You getting famous now?"

"Ha, naw, I don't think there's that many."

"Still bigger than zero Dra-kee. Hol' on, lemme join in"

DotoDodo has joined

Hey chaaaaat!

I like your fingerless glove and socks look

>>1125644
Thanks. It's all I'm allowed to wear!

Pleased ta meetcha doto.
Ive been bugging your pal here about how you guys see the world.
Not philosophy wise, i mean like with your eyes.
Avians back here on earth see more colour than our monkey eyes can handle.
Shit that looks grey to us can be bright with colour we cant see.

is bird bro single

Woohoo, space internettttt

Doto'o 2026/05/03(Sun)22:59 No. 1126225 ID: c15a60
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Hey hey yeah yeah, you finally found Drake? Cool guy right? Hey-keee, what's this about my eyes? Like, yeah I can see other colors, but it's all kinda dull-keee.
I can see other stuff ya don't, but Marnari don't got lots of it left. I think we could see plenty long ago, but like, we didn't really need it, or mayeb cause we lost lotta color since the homeworld. So now we don't got lotta color and we can't see lotta extra color, you get what I-keeee?

It's why lots of us got these extensions-keee. Extra colors we pin to our foliage, and sometimes gives us hair like humans. It's what I like 'bout humans, all that hair and all the colors they got before they start painting it. They get real pretty-keee.


"Hey Drake, bro-keee, why they asking if I'm single-"

"Hey I think our tram's coming."

Drake 2026/05/03(Sun)22:59 No. 1126226 ID: c15a60
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"Hang on, save my spot, I got a call."

"Prem?"

"Yeah, it's Prem."

Yeah?

Drake, where are you?

Getting on the tram, I got delayed.

Why the hell are you still on the tram? The Dean's got most of the student body assembled for his welcoming speech.

So?

So every other human on campus is there too. You're the only one missing!

...so?

Cut the act. There's 6 of us enrolled. When there's only 5 around, people start asking questions.

Cut me a break Prem, I got an audience.

Oh you got it working? You did remember to partition a room for us to talk right?

Huh?

They're watching our convo, aren't they?

Yeah.

God dammit Drake...

It's getting kinda boring down here. Withering Backrooms hasn't released yet, and politics is basically 'everyone rap to Hatler'. Listening to two college stoats bleating over broadband social media is the best fix we can get this week.

Let us know if galaxy-conquering magical girls show up in five minutes, I'm going to re-read your chat logs over and over.

>>1126226
Hey prem!
Looking forward to meeting ya!

Thanks for the answers doto.
Your extension colours are looking cool!

No we're not

Also assemblies is just school politics, the students are just a prop for the faculty's egos. Missing it isn't so bad, and nobody will remember it in an hour.

don't panic, we're on the way, just flirting chatting with bird bro

Drake 2026/05/20(Wed)18:43 No. 1127042 ID: fd2dfa
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>>1126250
DotoDodo: What's a stoat?

Earth animal, don't worry about it.

DRAKE! Listen to me.

DotoDodo:Hey Prem. Chat says hi.

Doto, get off this call.

DotoDodo: O-keee

DotoDodo has left the chat

Look Drake, this is on all of us. One of us is late or absent, all humans look bad.

>>1126268
Hey yeah, this is just politics, doesn't involve us. How does that make us all look bad?

Again, only 6 of us Drake. If one is missing, people notice. And they might start poking around to see who is missing. And if they poke around, they'll see what I did to our records...

...oh.

>>1126368
Okay, okay, running late is a bad thing. Can't be fixed but it can be salvaged. Just lay low when you get to campus. Don't let anyone see you sneak in and...I dunno, hang out at the canteen and act like you were always there. If you're late that's bad. If you were always there but held up getting coffee or something, that's still bad. Just not as bad.


>>1126267
I never actually met Prem in person. I know he's one of the 5 other guys on campus, but I don't know which one he is.

And I'm never telling!

So Prem is your friend but can't stand to be by you in person and only online? Is Prem autistic? You might be able to figure out which one is him by looking each of the humans in the eye and see who backs away. Ask them about their day and if one starts running you got your man!

Ah well, if you're already late no point in stressing over it now. might look into getting a better alarm