(mini-event) THE COALITION OF REFUGEES

[natha]

THE COALITION     On the day of the council, there are markers tied with ribbons in the colors of both Olympia and Wyver that line the paths from the cities to the South Outpost, meant to guide anyone with an invitation to the first meeting of the Coalition of Refugees. While during the previous festivities of the gala the Great Hall was sharply divided between Olympians and Wyverns, the differences between the factions are not so apparent now. Inside, the hall is decorated with a more subdued mix of the white and gold of Olympia and the red and black of Wyver. Banners, pennants, and bunting drape from the ceiling and wind around wooden pillars. To one side of the hall, there are tables set up with drinks and finger foods — refreshments for the guests, for after the opening speech. A raised platform has been set up at one end of the room, flanked by contingents of both the Royal Guards and the Knightryders standing at attention side by side, differentiated only by the make of their armor and the colors they wear. Ashti, Shenya, and Heryn stand waiting for the arrival of their monarchs, pointedly ignoring each other; notably, Raysc, Shanrian's son and the leader of Mythi's Fangs, is conspicuously absent. Staff members cluster to the side of the stage, waiting for the speech to begin. A whisper drifts over from a woman in one of the Olympian groups: Do you really think the Empress will try to negotiate for Nithor's skull? The man she's speaking to shakes his head and scoffs, answering: Ha! Not a chance. She thinks it's too soon, who knows if this peace will last. Besides, there's no way she's willing to give up Ysevrai's heart. A horn sounds, and the staff members subside, glancing around to see if anyone's overheard. A moment later, and Simwe and Shanrian make their appearance, walking together to the stage for their speech. Aha… we have quite the gathering here, do we not? All of our heroes in one place… This may be an unprecedented meeting, but it seems as though it will be a productive one. Let us begin by thanking all of you for your contributions to our cities in recent times. Since your arrival, you have weathered the plague that swept through our cities and aided us in finding its cure; you have withstood the scorn of those who were meant to shelter you turning against you, and helped us quell riots in the very hearts of our homes; you have been taken right off the streets and endured hardships too terrible to tell, and have proven heroes in bringing our people safely home. You have done much for us, and shown yourselves loyal beyond many who were born within our walls. We will allow your voices to go unheard no longer! Today— Today, we will hear you. You have demonstrated both strength and valor in equal measures — it follows that you will be wise as well, and it is that wisdom that we wish to hear brought in council to our cities. You are gathered here to look beyond our history of violence and hostility, to see beyond the prejudices we hold. We hope that with your clearer sight, you'll keep in your hearts the betterment of both of our fair cities, rather than allow pettiness to hold sway and lift one over the other. Those gathered here are deemed worthy by action and by the trust of your brethren: a council. Amongst yourselves, decide what matters most to you about your lives within the cities. Discuss what changes you wish to see, and how those changes should come about. Reach an agreement, put your motions to us, and should they be feasible, we will see what sort of effect your ideas will have. The two proposals with the most support among your fellows will be those we implement, so argue your reasoning most convincingly! And remember, this is your chance to impress us. If your advice is sound, we will look to you again. At this, both rulers fall silent, and withdraw to a balcony to oversee the proceedings. This is not their meeting, after all — this is something that only the refugees can determine the outcome of. FINAL OOC NOTES     Welcome to your first chance to have a voice in the NPC governments, Players! Your task is, as a group, to decide the two most important IC issues you would like to see Olympia and Wyver address, and then put forward a plan of action for how to improve whatever those problems are, which will then be implemented in May. Since these are strictly Olympian and Wyvern issues, topics should still adhere to the Natha's policies of not revealing anything about the Storm or the Natha's existence, but beyond that, you're free to propose any topics you think should be addressed about your characters' way of life in the cities — after all, haven't the Orbiters sent you here to make a difference and improve life on El Nysa in their stead?

Comments

[willrevile]

I'm happy leaving it to the professionals.

[ Aka you (And Duo, though he doesn't know that fact just yet). Jim looks out at the view, and down at the body - literally? - of the armored vehicle. ]

Looks quiet for far. A friend of mine attending says they're letting refugees put forth proposals for things we'd like to see happen, and letting everyone else vote on it. Pretty informal, sounds like a 'tally mark on a wall' kind of thing.

[sparsity]

[ He wouldn't consider himself a pro (of course), but he can appreciate the sentiment. Reaching aside to give the cord a quiet tug, a new length of it unfurling from its socket, he treads to the edge of the platform, looking out across the area towards the outpost proper.

Might as well take a seat and enjoy the view, because it seems pretty boring from here. He's experienced enough to realize it's lucky for them, though. Especially after last month. ]

They reacted pretty fast to what happened.

[willrevile]

And in tandem. [ Which Jim still thinks is odd. He glances over at Mikazuki. ] The invitations sent out to people in Wyver and people in Olympia were identical. The terrorists were right about there being secret cooperation between city authorities. It's just... baffling to me that anyone could think it's a bad thing.

Or that refugees would have any idea about it. [ We've been here for FIVE MINUTES go interrogate Cree or something you nutjobs. ]

[sparsity]

[ Despite Mikazuki wanting to sour immediately at the idea of the terrorists being right about anything, he knows it happens. ]

I don't understand things like this that well. [ He's the muscle and not the brains. People call on him when they need heads smashed. ] But it seems like they'll accept a fight faster than anything else.

[ Also he's pretty sure interrogating Cree would get them thrown into a vat of bird crap, so. ]

[willrevile]

[ It's not right as in morally, ethically correct. It's factually relevant to their cause, apparently. But it's all still horrific. Yeah, looks like the cities are getting along. No, it's nothing to do that over. ]

I might not understand what's going on here well, either, [ he admits. ] I know the rules and the cultures at home. Not so much, here.

[sparsity]

[ Swinging his legs over the side of the platform as a headwind rushes upward, catching on the trees and whistling through the seams in the machine's armor, he hums. ]

Even at home, they were kind of... difficult.

[ It's why he's unapologetic with his violence. ]

But even then, you could take guesses at how things would turn out.

[ It's a steep learning curve on this planet. ]

[willrevile]

We gotta up our guessing game.

[ Hmph. Jim looks out for a bit more, then plunks down to Mikazuki. He'll stay up here for a little while, then head down - either through his own power or whatever crazy thing the pilot suggests - so he can talk with a few more people, scope out corners that are hiding under convenient foliage.

And nothing will happen!! Everyone lives happily ever after, until next week. ]

[ukase]

[Rumlow chuckled at her assessment, deep and content with her comparisons. It was easy and light to talk to her, the way that he didn't have to care about what she thought of him or his associations because she had already made it clear that it didn't bother her. She might have been the only person who wasn't actually part of HYDRA to think that way, but HYDRA and the Nazi's were a deeply taboo subject for everyone else. So heinous were their crimes that no one could see how evolution of HYDRA now included everyone. It wasn't about white superiority anymore.

And really? She was going to start to call him badger? He sighed and shook his head as he took her around the dance floor, not minding her near-immediate preference for thinking of and assigning him a Russian nickname. That was pretty common, a sign of respect and friendship in his mind, so he wouldn't say no to her attempts to come up with something that was suitable for him.

Her decision on the name to tease him with met with a smile and a small shake of his head. Not that he was obligated to and not like he particularly had in the past, but he considered what he would use to be a fitting name in reply to what she would likely end up calling him. Normally, his own personally protocol was to settle for last names as an easy formality. Ava was one of the few people he called by their first name. Nicknames were generally rough and made while in military life. He did not often dedicate much time or effort to naming people; in his mind, they had been given names by their parents for a reason.

He swung her around the floor, slowing their pace as the music began to ease into a quiet reflection of itself and then end. He too paused in their dance, bringing it to a soft end of steps.]

You shouldn't worry. I know a few people and that's good enough for me, even if I keep to myself if it comes down to a fight.

[braidedwonder]

Yeah. Just like most things around here, annoyingly... [ It's getting used to the whole politics of this place that's a challenge, really. The politics of home had been complicated, sure, but at least he'd known the players well enough to guess the next pawn's move. Here, not so much. It's annoying as hell to be quite honest. ]

One day I'll figure out what's going on between the two and all that shit. It's like they want it to be a secret for some weird reason.

[ettersberg]

( curious. nightingale inclines his head, considers, and then decides to ask the question that prompted the tilt of his head in the first place: )

Is that something you've experienced?

[willrevile]

Yes. Not with my planet, personally, it's in the past, but I've watched it happen on other worlds.

[ Kronos, currently eating itself alive, early civilizations they've observed and left. Earth's own near-extinction, and tales of Vulcan's, thousands of years before the split to Romulus. ]

It doesn't always happen that way.

[ettersberg]

Two world wars didn't do it for humanity, to the best of my knowledge.

( of course, nightingale has lived through both of them. has fought in one and lost nearly everyone he knew, in one way or another. he doesn't mention it now, but some hint of it might show in his gaze. )

[torchwoodteaboy]

[Ianto flicks her a smile, not bothering to point out that he hadn't said just yet because that's neither here nor there.]

Cardiff, actually. Ehm. Wales. In case that wasn't obvious.

[His name is Ianto Jones, after all, and that combined with the accent, he's not sure how much more obvious it can get, but he's starting to understand that not everyone is from the same place as the next.]

[willrevile]

Humanity works out. Eventually.

[ Jim doesn't give a single fuck if not all Earths are the same, he's sticking to this. It works out. It takes the worst of the worst and being guided by Vulcan but they get their shit together. ]

Here's to it working out on El Nysa.

[sparsity]

Maybe they forgot themselves. [ Seems legit, with a story that's thousands of years old. In between gardening resources, he's taken a look at the stories of the dragons. ] Or there's something they want from it they haven't gotten yet.

[ But it's almost offhanded for its poignancy, and Mikazuki leaves behind the impression of a shrug as he finally goes to take a seat on the edge of the cockpit hatch's platform. ]

[ettersberg]

I certainly hope it will.

( it works out. it's a sentiment that nightingale appreciates, for all that he isn't sure it'll come true. but if he has to keep living, he likes the idea of it working out. )

[revlon]

It was, but one can never be too certain.

[ She does seem pleased, though. She'd already referenced London and New York so she needn't repeat herself now, but it's nice to know there's one more person down here who's familiar. ]

And the year? I know it's an unusual question, but rather necessary, you'll find.

[whatisright]

You need not be self-conscious. Little strikes me as strange when it is only in a mortal's head, and if your thoughts have nothing to do with my virtue, then they are more difficult to hear and liable to be drowned out by the thoughts of others.

[Justice has to consider the answer to her question, because of course, spirits don't study and record these things and mortals have very little literature on spirits as they are.] I am uncertain. I believe it must be magic. I am, on some level, created by mortal thought and intention, so it makes sense that I would know it.

[braidedwonder]

If it's been going on as long as it seems like that's possible. [ Stories got diluted over time when they're passed on by word of mouth. It's an all too easy pit to fall in to, really, listening too much to outside influence and passed on stories instead of the facts of the matter.

He and the other pilots had only fallen in to that pit once. ]

I mean there have to be more places than Olympia and Wyver. Why bother with destroying each other in particular?

[beatupgrass]

[AN ATTACK FROM PEOPLE. NOT STORMS, MAN. HOW DO YOU SHOOT A STORM.

Never mind that he came close to killing a planet before the Storm swooped in and killed everyone first.]

Uh-huh. These kinds of inevitabilities are why it pays to have a short life expectancy, y'know?

[fiendennor]

[The fact that he's created by mortal thought and intention kicks her whirring brain into overdrive, and this revelation is clearly just making her more and more curious.] I would very much like to inquire about that, but I feel this may be neither the time or the place for such distractions. What is your name?

[sparsity]

Who knows. All the others are quiet.

[ Places must exist, Duo's right. But either they're ignoring the conflict or purposefully distancing themselves from it. Whether they were doing that before or after the refugees arrived doesn't matter.

Strategy isn't much his bag, so he doesn't seem overly concerned about it. ]

[braidedwonder]

They might be waiting for the two loudest mouths to destroy each other.. [ He's seen it happen even among political opponents, sitting back and waiting for one or another to bring down their own reputations with bickering only to make themselves look triumphant. Or, flat out, allowing rivals to do away with each other.

Hell, even Duo had done that one or twice. That's the easiest kind of relationship to exploit, he thinks. ]

Makes it easier to step in to a power vacuum and look like the hero that way, too.

[sparsity]

Yeah. [ Mikazuki can't articulate that piece as well as Duo, but it's a familiar outline. ] Wyver and Olympia are both really proud, but not everyone can be that way.

[ Any smaller faction might wait it out in the shadows for the strong to fight it out and then emerge to sift through the rubble. Not something he understands, having his own sense of pride and a drive to fight, but not something he's unused to seeing.

People are the same kind of animals anywhere. ]

[braidedwonder]

Right. Others just prefer not to make jack asses out of themselves, too.. [ Duo laughs a little at that assertion, despite how true it may be. All the posturing is so annoying it's almost unreal to him that two places who wanted to be so respected or whatever behaved that way. Particularly their leaders but..

Then again, most people with power in his world were a bit strange too, so perhaps that was a common thing. ]

Honestly it just reminds me of Treize and the Alliance going at one another. Buncha dudes with money and influence dick measuring no matter how it effects everyone else..