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The day of the grand opening had arrived - Space Station 42X was officially being rebranded as Radiance Station, and throwing wide the doors of its new arboretums, casinos and ship docks to the public.

Gone were the days of being a speck of a station, used only for dropping off the fruits of asteroid mining and shipping it back to the populated core worlds. A new era of exploration had begun in the sector, a period of expansion to new habitable worlds, and now Radiance would be a part of that. The extensive refit had scrubbed away the grime of a hundred thousand asteroids, and left her chrome-plated and gleaming with neon lights, ready to welcome those who were setting out to seek their fortunes in the frontiers of space and the very wealthy come to spend their fortunes alike.

An advertising blitz and a slew of personal invitations alike had gone out across the sector, naming today as the grand opening, and welcoming all to partake in the new facilities and entertainments. And what was better for a grand opening for those ready to lose themselves in the unknown of space then a masked party?

For the occasion, Gabriela Estrella, the recently appointed station director had traded in her oily cover-alls and engineering kit for a glittering black dress and velvet mask. She had gambled a great deal to take this position, and she was determined to see Radiance become the success she knew it could be. With a mix of excitement and nervous anticipation, she waited at the head of a squad of robotic servers for the guests to start arriving from the docking ring and join her in the commercial core.

Setting notes

• Party is occurring on the commercial level of the Space Station "Radiance"
• Space vehicles that engage in faster than light travel are a little pricey, but entirely in the scope of this fiction!
• Body modifications such as cyborg implants are fairly common.
• Aliens are known, but travel and commerce with them is just getting underway - the average person living on a "core world" has never seen an alien, but bold explorers do! Likewise, aliens are starting to send their own diplomats and explorers into human territories.
• Human governments are funding exploration missions, colony ships, and other expansionist efforts to help "tame" the uninhabited frontiers of space, so lots of souls are heading outward into the unknown at present. Radiance Station is a waypoint for many as they set off (or return.)

Echoing out from within a ventilation vent in the commerce core comes the androgynous voice of a being announcing its entrance. Though synthetic, it is well crafted - portraying emotion with generally fair accuracy. And so it speaks in a heroic tone: "When you are lost in the depths of the cosmos and need a guide... when space monsters stalk your tail and you require a helping tentacle to fend them off... when an ionised nebula fries your sensors and you need someone to lead you out... seek no further than I! With a flash of radio, a blip of ultraviolet, two doses of microwave and another blip of radio... under the warming gamma glow of a rotating star... Yll'rysyl-llyr'ol S'zoxyyn'r is here to save the day!"

Clonk! And the cover of the vent falls from its place, yet still nothing emerges. Not for a second or two, until.... whoosh!

A flash of purple! A jellyfish-like critter elegantly races its way free of the vent, twisting like a drill, its many tentacles coiled around each other like a drillbit. Then the creature slows to a halt, still revolving, tentacles spreading and loosening out until the revolving too comes to a stop. For this creature, perhaps, this constitutes as a triumphant pose.

The jellyfish slowly turns its head from side to side. "That... that wasn't an entrance door, was it...?" It twists around to face the vent, then swims back to face the other way, still suspended in the air as if it was ocean. "I wasn't supposed to come in that way, was I? Was... was my entrance itself at least acceptable?" The jellyfish wasn't even sure anyone was paying it any real attention, but it certainly had to excuse its own behaviour to whatever might have witnessed it for the sake of reducing embarrassment. "I attempted to research what form of entrance one might make to a venue whilst masked, and of the sample selection I obtained from the recordings I searched, this style was the most enticing."

The creature's two lowest tentacles curled forward to tap together awkwardly just below what could be positionally described as its nose. "Perhaps I should have attempted to adapt a cape. I must say, the manner in which you bipeds adorn yourselves is quite intriguing..."

Gabriela blinks several times in surprise as some sort of alien guide is the first to arrive to the party, but quickly recovers herself and moves to approach. "I wouldn't worry at all about making an impression. I was most certainly surprised and dazzled by your entrance. Mr, uh, Ms., uh... Mx. Yll--" She pauses, struggling to remember the string of vowels and consonants the creature had just thrown. "I'm so sorry, what was it again?"

"Yll'rysyl-llyr'ol S'zoxyyn'r," the being repeated quickly and effortlessly. "Oh... apologies... I recall it being quite difficult to formulate for those utilising vibrational language. Perhaps Yll'r would suffice? What you are perceiving is not my given name, but a translation that-... well the last time I explained the workings of it, I caused quite a bore. Suffice to say, I have never identified a biped as of yet able to perceive my true name with their natural senses." The jellyfish swam in a ring and bobbed its head a little. "And worry not about titles. I do not require one. Yll'r will suffice. Or S'zoxyyn if you must."

"Oh no, I'm certain Yll'r will suffice," Gabriela hastened to assure the jellyfish-like being, blinking again at the suggestion that she might "must" have to call it S'zoxyyn. "And do you make use of any pronouns, Yll'r, or...?" She trailed off, narrowing her eyes as she thought. She was determined to get the hang out of this hospitality to aliens thing. It was only going to be more and more of a part of her job, after all.

"Whatever gender-neutral pronoun you are most comfortable with will be just fine," the alien assured. "I am llaa-synn. We are not binary."

A human-looking person teeters on the edge of the extraterrestrial venue. Warm gray eyes grow wide beneath his mask, overwhelmed by shock and awe.

He's by no means a plain man, dressed in ostentatious frills, a crimson, gold-trimmed cape and elegant feline-esque mask. His dusky skin is positively radiant and long, dark hair cascades over his left shoulder in a neat braid. He clutches an ornate leather-bound notebook in one gloved hand, and, before joining the festivities, flips it open, turning past the first page to read a note on the second. Written in nearly illegible runic script, it reads:

Do let me know that you've reached the location safely, my love.

The faintly glowing silhouette of a quill appears in his other hand, and he writes beneath the chicken-scratch in a sweeping and elegant cursive:

I've made it. It's nothing like what I expected. I'm not sure how I'm going to navigate this one.

A minute passes, then beneath his message springs another blurb of archaic penmanship.

I wouldn't doubt your social capabilities for even a heartbeat. You're going to have a ball : )

The man sighs and shakes his head, but there's no denying the grateful smile dominating the visible lower half of his face.

Thank you, I'll regale you of my adventures later. I love you, goodbye for now.

He stares at the page for a second then tucks the strange quill away up his sleeve, closes the journal, and joins the masquerade. Approaching a tentacled creature and a woman who he assumes must be their most courteous hostess, he greets them with a wave.

"Greetings, Yll'r, is it?" It takes him a moment to work his way up to pronouncing the name, but his earnest effort to get right gets him...close, not perfect, but close. "And, I do so apologize for interrupting, but with who else do I have the pleasure of speaking?" He says this to Gabriela, greeting her with a bright, dimpled smile.

Gabriela shakes herself, realizing that in her moment of awe at encountering an alien right off the bat at her opening party, she's forgotten her manners. "Oh! Gabriela Estrella, at your service!" she announces to both the jellyfish and the... maybe human? that has just joined her. She sweeps a rather jaunty bow, perhaps more fitting for a fantasy pirate than a cybernetically augmented woman in a sequined gown. And the grin that she wears when she announces herself is a bit on the saucy side as well. "I'm the director of Radiance Station. I just took over, and it's my job to ensure that it becomes a beacon in the night sky for all who seek and travel."

Clink-clink-clink...

From beyond the docking ring, there approached a specimen unlike anything anyone had ever seen before. Its figure was utterly imperceptible. The cybernetic implants he donned did not make his species any more recognizable, either. Judging by his appearance, he had to have been lab-born. Must have contained at least a dozen different kinds of alien DNA.

Copper-clad steel claws made every footstep echo through the halls, tapping against metal in a steady rhythm. A velvet mask with violet-swirled patterns framed three glowing, pupilless, yellow eyes. That same yellow colour came from the diamond-shaped window over his chest; the beast's heart. Right above it, two polycarbonate tubes were pulsating with the substance, stretching from his shoulders and to his lower back. His tail was entirely artificial, made of the same polycarbonate tubing, only this time it ended with a metallic spike.

He looked dangerous. It looked as if having him onboard the Radiance Station for the masquerade would be far too dangerous for the other party-goers.

But he wore a mask, so perhaps his intentions were pure?

He slowed down when approaching the ever-growing group. Keeping his distance. He chuffed, steam escaping from his jaws, which had a significant underbite revealing more metallic teeth. A few metallic clicks arose from his throat as he straightened his posture, before those same jaws opened once more.

"Hello," He started, maintaining a curious look on his generally-stoic face. "Is this where the party is being held, by any chance?"

Radiance....an attractive name in itself, but a social gathering of mystery simply called to Cinder. It was so that their current activities were quickly suspended in anticipation of not only exploring what Radiance was, but the inhabitants which attended said party, indigenous or not. So as the doorway opened, here they came, dressed in a brightly colored lavender blouse with separated sleeves and a skirt which appeared to made from a white, silky webbing, thinning significantly around the hips. This paled in comparison to their mask, which appeared to be far more of a headdress. Stems protruded from either side, hanging two small light purple diamond looking gems from each side.

They danced, seemingly oblivious to any onlookers or participants in their sought after event, in a strangely fluid way which followed a beat only they seemed to hear. Their arms moved as air might through the sky, while their legs took a certain beat, holding a two count after each movement, then moving to the next. Until it was over.

Ending abruptly, Cinder stopped and took in the crowd, a smile quickly growing on their face. There were not disappointed immediately. A floating pod of some kind with its own odd propellers, a....dark Laavian, who seemed to be reading to themselves, an even darker person who seemed to sparkle, and the......dangerous thing. This would need to be avoided for the time being.

Cinder stood, simply considering the room a moment and quietly singing something to themselves in a foreign language, something cheerful, as they smiled looking upon the room.

"Another biped!" The llaa-synn zoomed through the air toward the masked man, before spotting another guest entering and veering off, sparing the man of having a jellyfish pressed into his face. They stopped a few metres short of the newcomer and poked at their nose thoughtfully with a tentacle with a deliberate manner that suggested they were purposely utilising body language that wasn't part of their natural behaviour in an effort to fit in. "This one is bigger... intriguing."

Realising they had forgotten their manners for a moment, Yll'r swam in another circle and moved to a more positionally-neutral location. "Greetings to you all..."

And yet another new face... "And greetings to all who follow. In case I am too distracted to say hello to every new guest." They nodded as if the intent of meaning to greet every future guest was as good as actually doing it.

Tsubasa walks about the place, taking in his surroundings with a critical gaze. Nothing too exciting yet. Things haven't yet gotten into full swing, though, so he won't lose hope for a good time quite yet. His dark purple mask agitates his face ever so slightly. Curse his sensitive senses. He sighs, resigning himself to deal with it for the time being. His sensitivity aren't indicative of anything special, he's just a regular human. A regular human who just happens to get overwhelmed really easily. This event is definitely out of his comfort zone in more ways than one, but you have to leave your comfort zone eventually, right? If he wants to be a functioning adult, that is. Nonetheless, the idea of approaching someone to talk fills him with a gnawing anxiety, so he just stands by himself for now, fidgeting with his sleeves and people-watching a bit.

"Gabriela Estrella," he repeats. The man takes a step back and mirrors her bow. Funny that her mannerisms are more befitting of another setting- they make him feel a lot more at home. "It's an honor to be here."

Click, click, click.

The heavy footsteps and rapping of talons phase him less than it should, but when he turns to greet this next newcomer, his smile falters and his prepared greeting dies in his throat. The alien, cybernetic nightmare absolutely catches him off guard. He watches the jelly-like creature, Yll'r, change from approaching him to go greet the beast, but he himself stays frozen for a minute longer.

"Y...yes," he clears his throat. "Yes, I believe so. I offer my greetings as well!"

The strange beast is another guest, nothing to worry about.

Righting herself from her cocky bow, Gabriela is greeted by the site of a massive... something approaching their group. She recovers her face from the shock that flashes across it in the same instant that she catches a robotic security guard starting to roll toward Zeno, and motions it away as subtly as she can. Fixing Zeno with a beaming, white-toothed grin, she bobs her head in an echo of the bow she's just executed, extending its formality to Zeno as well. "Why yes, this is exactly the right place. I have to say, it looks like this party is going to be even more of a success than I had hoped, and it's just kicking off!"

And hardly had she finished talking when another alien arrives! And a human, the first other human she's seen so far today. She never thought that she'd feel like the odd species out in her lifetime, but the future appears to be arriving faster than she'd anticipated. This thought makes her flash her cocky smile again. "Welcome, welcome to you both! How incredible to see you all!"

The oversized mech with an extravagant, flame-like paint job stepped into the area, looking around. His heavy footsteps rung throughout the ship as the cannons on his sides angled upwards as the ammunition belts retreated into the barrels, disarming his guns for the meantime.

Like some sort of super-manoeuvrable missile, Yll'r zipped their way through the air back over to Gabriela, a question of enquiry emerging from the squishy star-shaped speakers on either side of their head-body. "I have intercepted reports that there is a ritual involving something called 'punch' at the parties in this location, am I correct? May I be directed to the entity known as the 'punch bowl' so that I may participate?"

Tsubasa looks up, realizing he's been spoken to. "Y-Yes, thank you..." He says with a nod, fidgeting more with his hands. There's a lot of people with intimidating presences, but for some reason this woman's feels like the biggest of all. Her wide smile and friendly energy practically takes up the room. It's scary, for sure, Tsubasa could never imagine being able to manage that himself, but it's comforting all the same. She seems like the kind of person who's already decided to be everyone's friend.

Zeno did not flinch, especially at the sight of an extraterrestrial jellyfish zooming about to greet the newcomers. His eyes twinkled with curiosity at the diversity of the guests. He was somewhat quiet... observing. Calculating.
A smile, or at least, what was supposed to be one, was stretching across his features as the humans confirmed his inquiry.

"That's wonderful," A singular, approving nod. "I've never been to an event like this before. It seems quite fun."

He noticed one human in particular was staring at him intensely. "I... do apologize if I make anyone uncomfortable. Rest assured, I come in peace."

Cinder approaches slowly, careful to avoid the now two dangerous looking individuals. Glaring over at Zeno defensively, the catch the words of Yll'r, hearing something of a 'tradition' called punch. Their brows drop and they begin to wonder if this was the party they were seeking. Was this instead some kind of recruiting event? The flyer they had seen hadn't suggested as such.

"Punch?" Cinder inquired aloud, mostly to themselves. They stared inquisitively, and possibly judgingly.

Tsubasa perks up, shaking his head adamantly at Zeno's words. "Not at all! I'm just, um, generally uncomfortable all the time, so don't worry about it." He says sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.