❪ event ❫ khalo? can you hear me?

[natha]

In normal circumstances, this would have been near the time in which you're called upon to greet the newly awakened. Unfortunately, I speak to you to inform that we must postpone that — there is trouble on your horizon. What, I cannot see for sure. We shall continue to monitor the situation, however — we - ... we — [feed cuts off.] OLYMPIAN PRESERVATION     The city of Olympia is preparing the send-off of its most prized artifact: the heart of the ancient dragon, Ysverai. In doing this, they've transformed the palace court into an exhibition detailing the centuries-old war between Wyver and Olympia. Sculptures of Nithor the Exalted and his men and women in clean, white marble, while their armors are polished in perfect gold. Among Nithor are the sculptures of stallions in all shapes and sizes that also aided in the great war. Further in the exhibition, one may also find other artifacts of much older weaponry, rusted by its time in the earth, and items found from a time when humans feared the dragons. The Royal Guard has increased its numbers in wake of such a public event, particularly because the heart will be in display also. The heart is not what one might expect it to be: about the size of an average human, the heart's core is surrounded in stone, a red glow emitting from its still beating core. If that were not unsettling enough, one might also find that lingering around this particular exhibit will have undue affects on one's inhibitions. You'll notice your heart has fallen into sync with the organ, and your more selfish desires will come forth. Things that have long been buried will rise up and place you in a state of unease, encouraging paranoia about your companions intentions. Allow it to fester, and one will carry this feeling with them long after you've left the scene. It's probably a good thing this is leaving Olympia — perhaps it's a source of so much conflict you've endured. It's easy to become mesmerized by all the historical artifacts that are present in Olympia's exhibition. Some even seem mystical or, like Ysverai’s heart, to hold unspeakable powers. Others are just a little eerie. Either way, Olympia prides itself in its generosity and their grand displays, and so refugees are urged to learn more about their artifacts by spending the night in Palace Court. Though, someone should probably mention that there are rumors of strange, almost occult things happening around these relics at night. People speak of armored soldiers casting shadows that have the ability to walk on their own, or gemstones that catch the moonlight in a certain way and show you visions. But those are just silly ghost stories, right? TALL TALES OF KHALO VILLAGE     Because of Khalo's proximity to Wyver, it's no surprise that they would catch wind of the peace talks between Wyver and Olympia. In response, for the first time in centuries, Khalo Village has willingly granted passage to outsiders — but visitors will immediately find out that one cannot just simply walk into the village. Visitors will need to inhale the smoke of a fyrra herb in order to enter the premises without falling into slumber. Khalo is notably different than what refugees are used to. Visitors, specifically refugees, will find that they are exceedingly accommodating. The Khali are very intrigued by the outsiders, thus they're treated with much respect and given instant access to some of the best lounges and fyrra the village has to offer. In exchange, the village is interested in hearing about your journey thus far. Whether it be through a conversation with another individual or the Khali themselves, they'll very likely to have been eavesdropping and recording the tales of their exploits. Why, exactly? Perhaps it will not be immediately clear, but if you happened upon a venasou, a tamed Khali creature, it may have guided you to their Enchanted Library. Upon entering the library, visitors will notice that it is quite the happening place — but not because it's occupied by the Khali, but because there seems to be an assembly of magical quills seemingly writing on their own. The quills are mostly undisturbed by the intrusion and will not stop writing even if parchment is taken from it; it will simply produce another piece of paper and continue its tales. If you happen to read the parchment, you may notice that there is a daunting similarity between your story and the ones being written here. Tales of Thesa birthing new races and sending them from the sky, for example, are very popular in Khalo Village. They mark July 15th as the day in which the Moon Goddess, Thesa, created more people in her image and brought them to El Nysa as saviors. The coincidences don't end there: specifics about your home world might be found in the writings if you search deeply enough — but it's not without its exaggerations. These stories are given all sorts of poetic and literary forms, from short stories to limericks, biographies to something similar to haiku. If asked, the Khali will inform visitors that the enchanted library has access to vague parts of your memories, and thus it is duty-bound to record. The Khali have not seen stories as strange as the ones being made by refugees, which is largely why they are interested in them. NOTE: This is entirely optional! You may make up your own "stories" (fanfiction) and it could be as accurate or inaccurate, or as serious or silly as you'd like. While tales of the Thesa's descendants are still being written, visitors of the Enchanted Library might find intrigue in the more complete works — KING AND KIN. If one is willing to delve deep, they may also find parts of Wyver's past that have been removed from their own archives. These pages will recount the tales of Shanrian and Rasyc. Though a lot of the narrative seems to divide at certain points in the story, it becomes obvious with some quick reading that Rasyc is not only the son of Shanrian, but that he glorifies the Wyver of old, more bloodthirsty and brutal than it is today. Unlike his father, he does not take kindly to Olympia and the threat they will always pose for their people. He has not forgotten Olympia's past sins and he believes that, in his foolish quest for peace, the king has gone soft and no longer possesses the real will to fight. His present voice in affairs of state is not a loud one, as he chooses to speak in whispers and move in the dead of silence. In these quiet murmurings, he boasts of his unwavering belief in the power and dignity of his people. Of how they should all return to what they once were — the kingdom, its citizens, and naturally the father who he had once admired greatly. Though perhaps it can be argued that any estranged son would wish the same. It's difficult to pinpoint what becomes political and what is and always will be more personal for him. But, it hardly matters. It's clear that Rasyc will stop at nothing to achieve his objectives, even if it means never returning to place he calls home. Even if it means turning his back on his own father, Shanrian, King of Wyver... DRAGONFIRE. While tales of the Thesa's descendants are still being written, visitors to the Enchanted Library might find intrigue in the more complete works. In particular, tales of Ysverai, the last of Wyver's great high dragons. Ysverai is most commonly known for being slain by Olympia’s past king and legendary hero, Nithor, but here in Khalo he is depicted in another light. Ysverai is known to the Khali people as a wise being, old as the first inhabitants that walked El Nysa. The creature spoke in the common tongue to the early settlers, guiding them to refuge when his kin began to dominate the land at the cost of its own isolation. It ultimately becomes a tale of sacrifice, for its stand with Nithor became a testament against the Olympian Empire's long reaching influence. At the bottom, there is a quotation: Your hearts will fill with greed and malice the moment my own stops beating. Take care in the Eye of the Storm. Find strength in one another, before it is too late. It seems to end there. Refugees are naturally allowed to question the natives. However, keep in mind that many of their replies will seem more like speculation than fact. But maybe that can be fun too? If you have no interest in the library and the tales they've woven, feel free to explore any of the other areas of interest. Khalo Village is thrilled to be open for you all. THOSE THAT SEEK PEACE, AND THOSE THAT SEEK --     The morning of the 20th is marked by fairly dismal weather. The sky is overcast and a downpour seems imminent. Regardless of the poor forecast, those who signed up to assist in this mission will be required to come early in order to receive their briefing. Members of Group A: ▸ Jon Snow (song_of_ice) ▸ Daenerys Targaryen (dorzalta) ▸ Loras Tyrell (triplerose) ▸ Terra (earthy) ▸ Alisaie Leveilleur (adelphoi) ▸ Solider: 76 (personalwar) ▸ Ardyn Izunia (daemonized) ▸ Mai(maipokerface) ▸ Olivier Armstrong (wallsofbriggs) ▸ Atsushi Nakajima (gekkajuu) Members of Group B: ▸ Kale (kaleorbekaled) ▸ Diana Prince (wondie) ▸ Pheonix Wright (objectionattourney) ▸ Revolver Ocelot (shashka) ▸ Frederick (pebblestone) ▸ John Sheppard (impavid ▸ Ianto Jones (torchwoodteaboy) ▸ Lena Oxton (quevarly) ▸ Allura (quintessent) Due to the rain, members of Group A will have to immediately stop by the checkpoint at the East Watchtower. Additionally, the Royal Guard and Knightryders are well-prepared with extra cloaks for those who may require it. They also will provide basic refreshments such as water and bread. People are encouraged to take what they need prior to their departure on this mission. The checkpoints are a bit far between, after all. Members of the envoy will also be encouraged to utilize this time to become familiar with one another. Maybe some introductions are in order? You never know who will end up having your back... For both groups, the paths will be relatively straightforward with evenly spaced checkpoints along the way. The only issue seems to be the downpour, really. The rain is unforgiving and the roads easily become unstable and increasingly difficult for the carriage to be drawn through. Hence, there may be more than one occasion where you will be expected to lend a hand in prying out its wheels from a particularly pesky (and muddy) pothole. Or perhaps you will be called upon by a fellow guard to assist in getting a particularly stubborn creature out of the path ahead of you. Seems like it may be a longer journey than you expected. Dirtier, too. While weathering the conditions may have been a bit tiring, this journey isn't too bad, right? Well, maybe not. GROUP A. Once the carriage gets through the worst of the terrain and finally manages to depart from the watchtower, it won't be long until the group is met with a physical roadblock. A large tree trunk will be set down the center of the road, acting as a blockade. But, before the group can react or begin crafting a plan around this obstruction, the carriage will be attacked without warning. At first, it's unclear where the attack comes from or from whom, but you don't have the leisure to deliberate this. You hear one of your fellow guards mention something about bandits frequenting these parts, but maybe there's more to it? Either way, your task is clear: protect the artifact, Nithor's skull, and fight the bandits off. You'll be encouraged to try and capture them so that they may later be turned and questioned by the authorities. GROUP B. With clear motives to restock and collect a few more materials for the carriage, it's evident that the envoy will appear restless to arrive at the second checkpoint. However, despite their unspoken delight at seeing the South Outpost from a distance, it's clear something has gone awry. There will be several hooded figures awaiting them right where the mud path meets the cobblestone of the Outpost's road. Soon, several more of these figures will come to flank them from both sides. While they seem like bandits, at least from their physical appearance, there is something far more polished in their movements. They will be attacking the envoy in concise, practiced formations. For those who are more perceptive, it becomes obvious that they are moving around and acting as decoy to one central figure. This member is likely the "leader" of their group, but no matter how one may try to close the distance between themselves and this mysterious leader, someone will constantly get in the way of that. The fighting also seems to act as a distraction since by the time everything is cleared up... only two things are missing. The leader of this group of bandits and more importantly — Ysverai's heart. NOTE: Those RNG'd to thread out the capture and questioning of the bandits will have starters below. For everyone else that signed up, you will still have the opportunity to capture the assailants even though they were not selected to thread the interrogation; you are free to make up your NPCs with the same basic guideline: they will not reveal their motive or their organization. You may turn them in to authorities (Wyver or Olympia or otherwise) or find creative ways to get rid of them. FINAL OOC NOTE     To reiterate: you may use this log as a general mingle for everything from the May Outline, including all Khalo Village activities. In other words, your top-levels don't necessarily have to be related to the prompts written here. An AC-eligible thread in which your character participates in anything mentioned in the May Outline and/or Khalo Village location page may be submitted for 2 REP POINT FOR EITHER OLYMPIA OR WYVER. SUBMIT THE THREAD FOR OLYMPIA OR WYVER HERE OR HERE RESPECTIVELY BY June 10th 11:59 PM EST. For those who participated in this month's plot-related portion, to receive IC recognition for it, a summary of the thread must be submitted HERE by June 8th 11:59 PM EST. Please direct all queries to the question thread below. Thank you, and have fun! QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● lore ● map ● npcs ● bestiary taken ● atp/emp ● application ● rep/acp ● quest bulletin calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

QUESTIONS

[natha]

CLOSED STARTERS

[natha]

ARDYN IZUNIA

[nysan]

[ The hooded assailant Ardyn pursues is seems to be one of intense focus. He is quick, nimble, maneuvering between his fellow bandits with careful precision — and necessary precision. It becomes abundantly clear that the man’s primary task is to escape with Nithor’s skull, as he targets only the guards around the caravan.

He slits a guardsman’s throat before he could cry for reinforcements from the ongoing battle, throwing open the door of the prize carriage. The glass casing surrounding the skull shatters shortly afterward, leaving the thing exposed and easy for the taking — yet the bandit’s hands still around it. He swallows.

Whatever will that brought him here seems to have left him when face with the artifact, and being consumed in whatever thoughts it has brought on, he leaves himself more vulnerable than he realizes.]

FREDERICK

[nysan]

[ In all the chaos, keeping track of one specific person's movements is no simple feat. Frederick, however — with his experience as a Shepherd — will be able to identify one hooded figure picking their way through the battlefield whose movements seem a little... shall we say, suspicious.

While many of the other "bandits" are busy harrying the carriages and their escorts, this particular bandit seems to be moving in such a way as to put some distance between themselves and the action. They duck and weave through the battle, but not once do they actually engage any of the combatants — in fact, they even slide on their knees under one bandit's sword before making a break for it.

Frederick would be well within his rights to pursue on horseback. And should he do so, the pounding of hoofbeats cause the hooded figure to look over their shoulder. There is a flash of piercing golden eyes before the bandit lets out a guttural curse and flings a throwing dagger in his direction in a bid to send his horse off course. ]

JOHN SHEPPARD

[nysan]

[ While most of the bandits remain close to the carriage, still fervently engaging in battle with those in the envoy, one bandit in particular seems very keen on preemptively making their escape from the scene. This bandit moves quickly. Hardly even giving pause to the concept of leaving their post or their companions behind. If anything, they seem to have something else in mind entirely— a different task or another plan. This seems to especially the case as they manage to get a far, but still near enough to see the action from a distance.

If John takes his time approaching them, he will notice that this individual seems to be trying to signal something to a specific person in the group. Maybe a partner? Maybe their leader? But with how messy things have become, it’s difficult to pick apart who they’re trying to communicate with exactly (or for what purpose). Even their motions will seem curious. Almost too subtle to even be a real signal to anything.

Either way, it’s clear that’s this bandit a little more than distracted with the battle. If John watches them carefully and approaches at the right time, he should catch them off-guard. After all, they certainly didn’t expect any of the guards to possess the ability to pinpoint their current position in the shadows. ]

SOLDIER 76

[nysan]

[ Soldier 76 wouldn't be wrong to have targeted him - in terms of movement, his actions were notably suspicious. He had stayed behind as the others attacked the convoy, unmoving but watching. And he doesn't make a move until hears word that the heart has been seized from the other group.

That's when 76 might have caught a glimpse of him. With the mission complete, he whips his head free of the now drench hood of his cloak, revealing his piercing, fiery eyes and hair that seem to match in same blood red. He flashes a toothy grin, perhaps meeting eyes with 76, and proceeds cover himself again, turning tail to run while the others were still occupied - and, haha - killed, even. It becomes clear that his move is calculated, at least - sensing that 76 had been staring, it was his duty, too, to keep him distracted. Running away is a sure way of luring him away from the chaos of the skirmish, and he does so much better one-on-one. ]

Hey hey hey hey! [ He's shouting from from ahead, knowing very well the man is chasing him. ] C'mon, faster, faster! I might really escape, you know? — oh, shit!

[ He's already eating his words; the man catches up quickly. ]

All right, you're fast! I get it, I get it!! [ But he doesn't stop running; he continues to speed on ahead - even when it's become rather evident that this chase will end very soon. ]

[torchwoodteaboy]

Hi there! Ianto here should be a member of Group B, I think, unless I messed up somewhere in the sign-ups?

[natha]

Hello! That was our mistake. The list will be edited to reflect the complete list of characters. Sorry for the inconvenience!

[impavid]

[ The rain is abysmal not just for how wet it leaves everything, but also for visuals and tracking.

The whole thing has already gone downhill, because of course it has, but once he spots one of the bandits making a break away from the path John has a sinking sensation it could get a lot worse. They may have lost the leader for now, but there's enough fighters among them to stay alive. If the bandits signal for reinforcements, though they could do more damage. It hadn't... felt like their intention, it had been set up more like a distraction to grab the dragon heart, but on the off chance there's still more to the plan they can't let any of them get away.

They could also do with more information, and it's... easier for John to get that where there are less people to disapprove of his tactics. He pulls out his tracker, tilting it toward himself to disguise the glow, and keeps a steady grip on his dagger as he carefully follows the little dot on his screen. It's moving quickly, which means either they're desperate to save their skin or they have something specific in mind. The downpour at least means it isn't quiet out, masks some of his movements, and once John's close enough to put the tracker away he's not surprised to find whoever it is really is signalling someone.

For what, though? It's a toss up. It could be for help. It could just be an exchange of information. Sign language? Just some kind of visual pass-code? John would love to watch for long enough to gauge more, but watching might well mean an army of bandits descending on them. So he watches long enough to try and memorise at least part of whatever the pattern is, then quietly moves up behind the bandit.

One hand moves to clamp over their mouth, in case any of the others are in screaming range, and the other brings up his dagger to their throat. ]

Hi.

[ His voice is soft, barely above a whisper as he tries to vaguely get a sense of if there's a weapon strapped to this person he should get rid of while simultaneously trying to haul them around behind some cover. Just in case whoever they were signalling has a ranged weapon. ]

[willrevile]

is the station still accessible, and if so, is there anything out of the ordinary up there re: the ominous, cut-off broadcast?

[natha]

The Station is still accessible, yes! It is, however, desolate. The Natha are not present, nor do they show up on any radar. It is still functioning without them, but functioning well is another story — the power will flicker occasionally, and Darma's message will be playing over the intercom in a loop. The Stasis pods are the only thing that will stay running consistently.

[willrevile]

oh, boy. thank you for the information!

Justice

[whatisright]

The Station

[Justice doesn't like how that broadcast cut off, so he goes to the Station to check on it.

Everything is empty. It puts him on edge. Of course he goes straight for the pods, a part of him afraid that something has gone wrong.

But everyone is still sleeping quietly, undisturbed. He counts off his friends before settling at Aura's pod. He hesitates, but he puts a hand on her pod.] I understand that I am not the one you wish to see, but I am glad you are alive. [He doesn't know if she can hear him, but he hopes.]

Khalo Library

[It feels a little like stepping back into the Fade, seeing all these things books writing themselves. Justice finds a quill writing about Thedas and he sits besides it, watching as it goes, before turning towards it with his permanent frown deeper than normal.] That is not what happened.

Smoking sexy space weed - Closed to CR, liable to get smutty

[Justice feels out of place in the lounge covered head to toe in lush fabric and laden with cushions, but the locals seem very insistent on showing him the comforts their town has to offer. And part of that includes giving him more fyrra to smoke.]

I am still uncertain how this is different from the fyrra I used to arrive here. [He says it as he breathes in a long drag. It's a weird thing to breathe when he doesn't have to talk. He's not used to it.]

Nude Baths

[Well, this is something Justice has zero problem with.

Don't mind him as he strips down immediately to his birthday suit, neatly folding his clothes next to the pool before sliding into the water, taking a moment to admire the world around him.

If he just got into the pool nude far too close to you, it was entirely unintentional. He doesn't seem to really care that everyone is naked right now.] This seems like an ideal social space. I wonder why they do not have baths like this elsewhere.

[pebblestone]

[ His time doing largely menial work at home and on the streets means that his reflexes are duller than what they were months previous, that he notices the hooded figure slip away from the rest seconds later than he ought to. But he is a knight still, even if not one of the realm any longer, and he has a duty to uphold justice wherever he goes

And stealing definitely does not fall into the categories of just behavior.

Wheeling his horse out around the fray, he gives chase, silver lance in hand and ready for action. (Perhaps it had been too much, to go out in full armor and fully armed, but one can never be too sure when trouble might strike. And clearly, trouble had struck.) ]

Stop right there!

[ Naturally, the figure does no such thing and instead turns, a dull flash of light all the indication Frederick gets of a blade flying his way. He yanks on the reins sharply; his horse whinnies as the dagger pieces flesh, but it's a shallow wound and not enough to stop either of them.

As he nears the figure (because even the most quick-footed person is no match for a horse) Frederick swings his lance, putting just enough strength behind the swing to (try and) knock his assailant over and onto the ground. ]

[personalwar]

[ Given all of the commotion that's been kicked up by the sudden attack on their convoy, it had naturally stood out as strange to 76 when he spotted one figure remaining on the outskirts of all the action. There's a good group of refugees here, plenty of them proficient in combat, so when the figure he'd been eyeing makes a break for it, 76 doesn't hesitate to book it after him.

He's not one to be goaded too much by pointless taunting, but faster is something he can do. He doesn't know if this bandit has any tricks under his sleeve, but so far he seems to run at the pace of a normal human. This should go fine, assuming that 76 doesn't suddenly find himself without his enhancements again.

76 doesn't say anything, just growls as he lunges forward that last foot and reaches out to grab the bandit by the hood of his cloak and yank him backward. The pull might be enough to choke the guy for a second or two.

Having already gotten a good look at his face, 76 is pretty sure that this man wasn't part of the group that abducted him. He doesn't really strike him as a shaman at all, but that doesn't mean there's no connection here. ]

Where the hell do you think you're going?

jim kirk | ota ( khalo and & thesa station )

[willrevile]

► ( khalo village | drug use cw? )

a - enchanted library )

[ Following a friendly, corporeal ghosty jellyfish feels a whole lot like something Spock would do and subsequently Jim would yell loudly into a communicator about being a bad idea (the patented 'I Know You're A Scientist But Stop Touching Things On Alien Worlds Haven't You Seen A Single Horror Movie' rant, seriously, everyone thinks Jim's the worst one, but no). And yet here he is, doing it anyway, because he's slightly high, and because he figures he's acclimated to this alien world well enough after several months. It's fiiiiine.

Not only is it fine, it pays off, and very well. Jim's polite with the Khali people - practiced at interacting with 'new' cultures, at listening, at gently questioning. Mostly, though, he's in the library just reading. Totally engrossed in the fictionalized (?) history records, as well as finding himself occasionally distracted by the increasingly silly tales of .. familiar-sounding figures. Huh. ]

b - taming fields )

[ This is turning out to be a bigger undertaking than he'd anticipated when he first curiously approached the subject, but that's alright. Jim's not strictly a 'good with animals' person, but learning something new and experiencing the creatures takes his mind off of everything going on, and it feels more like what he should be doing. Exploring, building cultural bridges, the whole altruist Starfleet thing. Even though these methods are as far from anything he'd be doing in the 'fleet as can be.

'Taming magic lessons' leave him a little skeptical - he just flat-out doesn't think he's capable of using magic - but he'll stick with it. And can be observed being nosed and nearly toppled by an affectionate Mossley. Oof. ]

c - accommodations | nsfw ok! )

[ Jim's living quarters in Wyver scrape the bottom of the barrel for acceptably functional, and so this, far more than Flona's somewhat blinding beaches, feels like a vacation. A genuine one-- has Jim ever been on a vacation before? Did that time he and Bones went on a roadtrip and ended up nearly arrested for drunk and disorderly in Oregon in their second academy year count? --and it's surreal.

He makes the climb to the mid-level of the forest homes, and accepts the fyrra offered, because why the heck not. No wonder these people have kept themselves closed off; who would want to risk the peace here being interrupted by morons threatening war? Everyone should just be chill, like this, f o r e v e r. ]

► ( thesa station )

d - arrival & exploration )

[ ANYWAY back to everything being terrible. Jim doesn't rush off to check the transporters the second Darma's ominous message goes out and ends up cut off, but he begins making preparations to. Contacts a few people, makes sure he's properly outfitted with whatever he thinks might be useful in the event he has to try and jury-rig a way up there. Fortunately, the transporter's still working, but unfortunately, the flashlight and tools he brought up wit him end up being useful after all with the way the power keeps cutting out, plunging him - and anyone he might have run into at the transporter or joined up with inside - into darkness, or jamming doors, and so on.

He messes with his communicator to try and only hit a network-like spread of any other active communicators on the station: ] Anybody else up here? Any signs of the Natha?

[ Jim's determined to check out as much of the station as possible, in search of any clue as to what's going on. Every footstep is haunted by the echo of Darma's message, repeating over and over. Trouble on your horizon. ]

e - stasis chambers )

[ It is an enormous relief to find the stasis units functioning still, and seemingly untouched by the power fluctuations the rest of Thesa is experiencing. ]

At least whoever designed this thing's power grid made sure to keep this on its own closed circuit, [ he observes, though there's nothing pleased about his tone. This is still a mess, and there's nothing even halfway close to an answer about what's going on here.

But he can walk the halls and check faces and make sure everyone's small lights are green and that's--

It's something. ]

► ( wildcard )

( ooc: hit me up if you'd like something specific or if we have plans elsewhere, like wyver or the beach! also feel free to switch to prose if you prefer. )

d

[apricitous]

[ When Jim had mentioned that he was going to be heading up to explore the station, Clark hadn't so much as agreed as practically jumped on the chance.

His mother was up there. Not Lois anymore, perhaps (and there is still so much strange, jumbled feeling about Lois that he tries not to think about it) but his mother. His mother was up there and if something had gone wrong-

There were also a lot of other people's mothers up there. Which meant he had to do something if he could. So of course he's here, and he'd left his glasses at home. It's mattering less and less, he feels like, when he's with other refugees. But it's a conscious thing for him, a way of telling his mind that he's not just Clark Kent right now. It makes it easier for him to listen to his senses. And he fully intends to listen hard as they get up there. ]

Thank you. For contacting me. I'm glad to be up here with someone.

e

[nineteenfortyfive]

[She'll never sleep if she doesn't at least check on her family. So, Claire's here, flashlight in hand. She's already stopped by Bree, her face still as ever beneath the glass, and every pod she's passed in her walk all seem to be functioning. As best she can tell, anyway.

There's a very definitive pause when she comes across Jim--no, not Steve--and she offers him an unconvincing smile.]

No Natha in this neck of the woods, I presume.

[willrevile]

No problem. [ Jim's businesslike about this, a change from his usual upbeat semi-facade, but Clark'll have seen him in work mode before thanks to the kidnappings. He's a little leery of bringing people with him who don't have experience getting in and out of atmosphere suits or who aren't physiologically capable of surviving in a vacuum (AS FAR AS HE KNOWS...) in the event something up here goes seriously haywire, but he knows the guy's competent in a crisis, at least. ]

I'd be nice if we could find schematics for this thing. [ But alas. ] There are only so many places a bridge can be, or a power source can be, but even if we could find it, trying to force our way in might trigger security measures.

[ And since they don't know what those might be, it's too risky to try. Jim's refrained from hacking attempts for the same reason - maintaining integrity of the station is the highest priority. A second of a power flicker in the stasis unit could mean irreversible damage to hundreds of thousands of lives. ] All we can do is walk the halls and check for signs of life or damage.

[nysan]

None of your — gah! [ He finds himself choking when the tail of his cloak is seized; the cloth that once kept his hood secure now threatens his very life. At the very least he's able to the tug the fasteners free and discard the cloak completely. Once again, his face is in view, but his expression barely falters. ]

That hurt, you know!

[ But he knows it's over. The speed of the man is unlike any Wyver he's known - more like a creation from Evras' labs - and that's not even commenting on the strength he possesses. All he can do now is buy more time. ]

You're not human, huh? [ He gestures toward him, grinning wildly still. ] What are you?

[willrevile]

[ Jim looks over when he hears someone moving around - and it's another minute before Claire's actually visible from between rows of pods. He doesn't bother trying to fake a smile, just nods a silent hello. ]

No Natha anywhere, as far as I can tell. If they're here, they're dead, and sealed in some area we can't get into.

[ Wow thanks for that uplifting thought, Jimbo. ]

But no one's been able to detect any power fluctuations in here, so there's that.

[nineteenfortyfive]

Christ. Do you really think they might be dead?

[Not that there's any other obvious conclusion. Dead, killed...? Everything is making her skin crawl, the flickering lights and that message on loop, and she can't help but shudder.]

From what I can tell, the sleeping all look as they should.

[willrevile]

I hope not. They didn't leave a manual. [ It sounds like it could be a joke, but Jim means it, however deadpan he is. If they're here, and they're not dead, just composed of something they can't find on the rudimentary scans they've cobbled together to search the station, something is still deeply wrong. ] They're mysterious, but I'm still sure they wouldn't leave things in such a state unless they had no choice.

[ He lets out a breath, and looks over at one of the nearest pods. Red uniform, familiar insignia pinned on the chest. One of his ensigns. ]

Yeah, they're alright.

[nineteenfortyfive]

I wonder if the trouble on our horizon ended up being their trouble, first of all.

[She ponders aloud as the words echo. Claire is always around when people wake up. She says it's to help the newcomers, but it's obviously to see if anyone she knows is awake, first and foremost.]

[nysan]

[ By the time bandit realizes that someone’s closed in on them, it’s far too late to react as freely as they could or would have. The hand clamped over their mouth is tight and the dagger at their throat obviously less than ideal. Though as their natural reaction would dictate, they’ve placed a dangerous hand right between their neck and the blade John wields. Obviously, also not ideal.

But, despite being caught bloodied-palmed, their eyes still seem to gaze upwards at the fighting and their present formations. Then they smile in spite of it all, not that it’s visible behind John’s hand.

If John feels around, he can probably feel several weapons strapped against her back beneath her cape and hood. She supposed this is where she curses her lack of attentiveness. But this was one way to play decoy, right? She presses a tight hand over the blade, enough to allow a fair amount of leeway as she tries to trip John up with her feet.

Her legs are surprisingly nimble. But, what is probably stranger are the noises she makes trying to speak beneath a clamped hand. ]