VIDEO | 07 | Forward dated to Sunday the 21st

[patchricide]

[Boy, Allura looks pretty tired right now. Look carefully, you'll see she has the faintest traces of bags under her eyes. And those stray flyaway hairs! Look at them, they're popping out all over the place, making her hair look even more cloud-like than usual.]

[Despite the lack of attention to her appearance, the whole setup is a degree more professional than usual, with the princess sitting across a table from the communicator camera, ready to talk. Except, that is, for the fact that words seem to be failing her. But it's not for needing more rehearsal — instead, she picks up a glass of water and takes a drink to clear her throat. When she sets it back down, it slams a little harder on the table than needed, an unintended act of aggravation.]

This is Princess Allura, requesting more information on porting out.

I know that this is a regular occurrence, and often temporary... not in every instance, but often enough.

I also know that that when it is temporary, it's common for the imPort to return a mere 24 hours after their departure. But... how often does it take longer than that? What's the longest it's been known take?

I'm asking because Darin... [She falters on his name for a moment, before firming up her mask of professionalism.] ... Darin Altway was ported out sometime between 24 and 36 hours ago. He's missing, both from our Heropa residence and from the list of imPort contacts on the communicators. While this is far too early to declare him gone for good... it occurred to me I never learned the procedures for this.

When my fellow Paladins left, I... truthfully, I waited until everyone else had come to the consensus that they weren't returning anytime soon, and I accepted it as well. Perhaps it was easier because I already knew when I would see them again. [She means 'easier to accept', but let's face it, it's actually 'easier to not make a big stupid emotional vlog about'.] But this time, I would rather track the situation myself.

If anyone could provide any information or advice, it would be appreciated...

Comments

Video.

[flightforfreedom]

[ Poe’s face is grim. ]

Wish I could give you hard answers on this, but. 24 to 72 hours is the highest chance of return. After that, it’s usually within a week.

The chances of them returning drop significantly after seven days.

After a month...

After a month, there’s a good chance that if they do return, they won’t remember being here at all.

[patchricide]

That's another thing I did hear about. In fact, I've heard from others that I was one of those cases... although even after all this time, not a single memory has returned to me from my previous stay here.

[Which raises a lot of questions, none of which she likes the idea of thinking about right now.]

A month, though... it really starts that soon afterwards?

[flightforfreedom]

It won’t. If you don’t remember when you arrive, you’ll never remember at all. Because this... this instance of you wasn’t here. That’s what I think, anyway.

But yeah. I’m afraid so.

My friend Cassian.... It happened twice. Gone for a month, then came back with no idea who I even was. Happened to Jyn, too, just a little over a month from when she disappeared.

It’s not impossible for people to come back with their memories after that long. But the chances of it just get smaller and smaller.

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[h2no]

[he has nothing to say that she won't already be told by a bunch of different people, SO:] sorry, allura
let me know if need help with aegis stuff
i can take on some of yours for a little time if you need to
i don't know
grieve sounds like the wrong word
whatever that emotional process is

[patchricide]

It is the wrong word. He's somewhere else for a while, that's all.

While I appreciate the offer, the work would probably help distract me from worrying too much.

[because THAT'S a healthy coping strategy]

video;

[golisolation]

[He is probably the LAST person she wants to see or hear from right now. Too bad Guzma doesn't give one single shit about that.]

And here I thought you said he wasn't a coward. Running away so hard that he went back to his own world, tch! Not very heroic of him, if I'm being honest here.

[Guzma is 100% aware no one has control over this, seeing as he ported out and came back just the other day. Doesn't change anything. Doesn't mean he won't use it to dig at her.]

Well, Princess! Guess you're gonna have to do all your self-righteous heroing solo, huh?

[patchricide]

[Nope. Nope. For a moment, she reaches towards the button to close it all down without even replying. There's a wiser part of her which is telling her that she should.]

[But she can't just let that pass by without getting a word in about it.]

... that's not how any of this works. The Porter doesn't afford us any choices in the matter — any one of us could be ported out at any time. We're not given any notice, nor even an answer as to why.

But I'm sure Darin will be coming back. It's merely a question of when. [This sounds more deliberate than someone who's just in denial. Like she's weighing other options.]

voice

[fauxmarth]

[this reply comes a couple hours later for...reasons.

softly:] Would you like some company, Allura?

[patchricide]

[The reply is fairly quick, partly because Lucina chose voice and Allura is replying the same way. It's far easier to hide things in her voice than on her face.]

Yes. I would like that very much right now.

... although... could we meet somewhere besides here? [Because it feels so empty right now.]

video;

[lootsnshoots]

Well. No reason not to keep your fingers crossed, right? I'm sure he'll be right back, just you wait.

[It's overly-optimistic bullshit, but he's never been good at this sort of thing. Besides, there's something worthwhile in foolhardy hopefulness.]

[patchricide]

Of course. I don't doubt that — and I'm sure that worrying about it is only going to make it seem that much longer until he returns.

[Not that it's going to make her stop.]

It's being kept so far in the dark that gets me most, I think. Knowing so little about why this happens, and having no recourse save for some extremely drastic contingency plans.

[redcosmedic]

[ Well, that's... disappointing. Darin was probably the imPort that Knock Out liked best, next to Rogue, and his collaborator on the energon project. ]

To echo what others have said, anything less than a week seems to have the best ratio of returning. After that, it seems sporadic at best.

[patchricide]

I see. Well... the week's barely begun. Hardly any reason to panic yet.

This does mean that his projects are going to be delayed. Though I'm not sure how much that means to you — I haven't had the opportunity to check if you were working with him on anything besides the one project I'm involved with, as well.

[She's not sure how much he wants to share about the energon on the open network? But hey, look at her, taking Archie's advice.]

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[eloquentness]

The longest I've seen is a month. Any more than that, and the odds of someone returning is close to nil.

[ she frowns; losing someone isn't easy, especially if they were close. ]

That said, people do usually return with their memories intact if it's between a day and a week.

[patchricide]

That's a longer timeline than most have given me. The person who returned a month later, though... were they one with their memories in tact, or not?

Text

[pidgewidgeon]

I don’t.... Keith and Lance leaving were my first experiences with someone I knew porting out...

Do you mind if I come over?

[patchricide]

You're always welcome here, Pidge. And right now, I would like that very much.

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[dragony]

There's a few that manage to return here years after they've exPorted, and still remember. But it's not terribly common.

Your windows are usually, like, a day to two weeks, and if not then, three to six months, and if not then, two to five years.

Unfortunately, there's no such thing as zero percent chance, or one hundred percent chance, when it comes to this. There's never guarantee in either direction.

[patchricide]

As improbable as that sounds, you might have given me more hope than any other answer thus far.

Which ones happened to return years later, memories still in tact?

voice;

[plentystrong]

Well, I hope he comes back, he owes me armor.

[ The closest to expressing sympathy Catra will get, sorry. ]

[patchricide]

He's going to! I'm sure it's just going to be a question of when.

[And the idea of it being years is making her scream internally.]

Understandably, this might mean some delays in getting your armor to you... but you know what? If it takes a long time, I'll lend a hand in helping him get caught up.

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[lesterzeppelin]

[ Man, this month has been especially rough on Aegis - but Allura especially. Lester can't help the frown on his face. Although they're not close, they're still work colleagues, and he worries. ]

Well... I don't know specifics, but I was ported out for a month, and I still remembered everyone.

[patchricide]

It does seem like anything over a week is rare, but... hardly unheard of.

That sounds like so much time to miss, though. Do you think it's better or worse than being in your home reality for a long time, but learning only a day or so has passed here?

voice;

[codeofiron]

[Brandon's tone is neutral, his voice soft.] I was gone for two weeks.

[patchricide]

And returned with your memories in tact, I presume.

That is, someone could have always informed you of your previous time here, but... it seems more and more that returning at all is most likely within a week, and returning with your memories is most likely within a month.