❪ introlog: #6 ❫ city of secrets

[natha]

You've spent the last few days on Thesa Station, taking in the knowledge that your world is no more. Now, the time to put all your survival training into practice has arrived: El Nysa needs you, and you're here to help the planet thrive. Are you ready? THE DESCENT     All refugees on the station are called to the hangar, where a large-scale teleporter awaits. Simply step onto the space between the arrays and wait; everyone will be sent down to the planet together. Before they depart, all refugees will be given a cold weather survival kit with warm clothing, rations, and bedding. The arrays build into a brilliant wash of light, creating a column that travels all the way from Thesa Station to the surface of El Nysa, teleporting the refugees to the planet on an aurora. Once on the planet's surface, refugees receive one last message from Darma. It has been a long, perilous year for you, refugees. And yet we must ask you to brave further peril. Within Nadril are the secrets to how poor Ysverai's revival was hidden from our sight and how this disaster has come to our star. Find the first refugee from beyond this planet, a man named Magda. He will not speak to us, for much has come between us, but to you… If you prove yourselves, he may be willing to answer your questions. We beseech you, for there is a veil over Nadril that hides all within from us. There may yet be more untold dangers waiting to befall this planet. For the good of all who make this world home, we ask you to lend us your aid. There is yet one more favor we would ask of you. In warding off the Storm's encroachment, the physical aspect of ourselves that you call Thesa Station was damaged. We must remain to continue repairs to El Nysa and to deal with Ysverai, but there should be suitable technology within Nadril that could be used for spare parts. If you have the chance to find it and can return it to us, it would hasten— Darma's message crackles with static, another image overlaying hers — her broadcast is cut off and replaced with another. A more sullen and alien voice takes Darma’s place, overlapping on itself in an ominous reveal. It has been a long, perilous year for you, refugees. And yet you’ve only just arrived here. To say I’m not disappointed in your… generation would be to lie, and I am nothing if not an honest creature. But I suppose these have been unusual circumstances. You must ask yourself this — are you only here as Darma's lapdogs? I can assure you, it's not worth being on the Natha's leash. With time, that will be something you'll have to learn for yourself. If you're so determined to come find Nadril, then follow the path north, and you'll find the border. What awaits you is revelation, if you're up to the challenge. A FROZEN LAND     The refugees land on a literally frozen world, both in temperature and time. Curls of icy wind hold swirls of snow aloft and an uncanny silence is broken only by the crunch of hoarfrost underfoot. Only Darma's protection allows the refugees to move through this frozen world — and movement is very necessary. Bitter cold sneaks through even the thickest clothing and without warning, a snowstorm rises: unnaturally quickly, a wall of white howls directly in the refugee's path. Bizarrely, the way back is perfectly calm; it's obvious that this storm is no product of nature. Magda's challenge becomes clear: the only way to Nadril lies through this storm. Visibility within the storm is near zero, the whiteout hiding any landmarks from view and making navigation near impossible. The only guidance refugees have is a sporadic path of faint, greenish lights, easily lost in the raging storm. Refugees need all the survival skills they practiced on Thesa Station to survive, for getting lost alone is a death sentence. Luckily, those separated from the group can happen upon guiding lights Magda has planted throughout the tundra. These blue-white sparks cause frostbite if handled recklessly, but they also serve as directional anchors, turning into ghostly flames that lead lost souls back to the path to Nadril. The trek through the storm will be no mean feat and will last for the better part of three days. By the time the refugees reach Nadril's gate, most will find themselves exhausted and running on fumes. As the snowstorm dies away and a gap in the glittering forcefield around the city opens to usher the refugees inside, it's clear that Nadril is a different beast. A WARM(?) WELCOME     I. Despite the unforgiving journey, entering Nadril is painless. Once inside, characters will be greeted by their predecessors: the original refugees who made this advanced city. They'll immediately be offered medical attention, as well as warm cider and blankets. But it's obvious that the Nadril citizens prefer higher tech to fend off the weather: they also offer wristlets and ear cuffs that that double as mittens and earmuffs by creating warm bubbles of air. The earrings also feature a few quality of life programs, such as timed alarms and thought-to-speech messaging. However, both programs are in beta stages so it's not unusual for a stray thought to accidentally slip through or an alarm to accidentally ring at an inopportune time. II. Refugees are offered free lodging in a large, crystalline building crafted from ice. Despite the coarse building material, the ice is unmelting and surprisingly well-insulated, and the beds are as warm and cozy. The rooms are, however, small. The sleeping quarters house two people, and are some cross between an igloo and a capsule hotel. Though built for efficiency over comfort, all rooms are also outfitted with the latest Nadril AI, RoboAlfred, or Ralf for short. This helpful program is installed in practically all the furnishings: the closet tells guests to bundle up, the bathroom sink reminds them to brush their teeth, and the mirror offers helpful fashion tips. Ralf's personality matrix still needs polish, though: it may very well insult your clothes and passively-aggressively question your lifestyle choices for the entire stay. III. Though not as advanced as Thesa Station, the colony has technology far beyond the rest of the continent, such as rudimentary AIs and mechanical transportation. Nadril's skyline is a point of pride — refugees can take a (literal) lightrail that gives an aerial view of the colony, which is hewn almost entirely from ice and rock. Despite its tech, Nadril is much more sparsely populated than Olympia and Wyver, and its residents stay near a central hub: a Natha refugee drop ship, Central, which has crashed and long embedded itself into the earth. Central is similar to an older, smaller, grounded model of Thesa Station, in functional order with round-the-clock solar power. Within Central are lounges similar to ones on the Station, though many of the damaged areas have been converted. They include repair stations, different wings dedicated to science, botany, astrology, and mechanics, and a research and history facility, which has a smattering of technology from planets beyond El Nysa — including your own. The staff here don't mind if anything is sampled and studied, but objects cannot be taken from the labs. IV. On the outskirts of the central hub, many will find several curious looking bots with insect-like wings perched about high traffic walkways. Simply passing the bots will cause a dizzying flash before a series of photos print out. Upon closer inspection, people will find that these images reflect stills taken from their home worlds as they remember it. Unfortunately, these photos only last a couple of hours at best. At that time, they will revert back to regular pictures of the refugees. People will be encouraged to share these images of their worlds. The residents of Nadril comprehend the value of remembering one's origins, and will be pleased to see that people still hold memories of old homes close to them. RECREATION IN NADRIL     I. Small, mechanical creatures scampering through the city are a common sight. Ask anyone, and they’ll tell you that they come from a shop called Paws About Town. They’re very useful, as companions, gophers, and couriers (though the more mischievous will note that they’re just small enough to keep tabs on people without being noticed). Premade robotic pets are available on display inside the shop. They come in all shapes, but small sizes; one may be able to find robots that even look like miniature creatures from their homeworld. These are a part of a new, highly customizable line with programmable personalities. Customers have the chance to take pets for a one-day trial run. Those who don’t know how to program may want to enlist more knowledgeable aid, but the pets come with instructional pamphlets for basic personality traits such as obedience, helpfulness, playfulness, and bloodthirst. For returns, the switch to wipe the robot's personality to a blank slate is on the back of its neck, right between a switch to invert all traits, and a switch to have them learn by observing. Try not to press the wrong switch — you might wind up with a pet with a mind of its own! II. A. The Frosty Tap Cantina is a thriving hub of activity, but one of the major draws is the self-service bar: molecular mixology is wildly popular here. Playing with drink compositions can be a game in and of itself, and newcomers to the cantina will find that the bartender — a cheerful woman with lilac skin and three eyes — is always happy to give them a few tips on how to use the wide array of tools within reach of the barstools. All manner of drinks are possible — from glowing, layered cocktails, to clear drinks with colored, spherical bubbles and vividly-colored shots that give off their own smoke. There's a nightly contest in the cantina for the most creative drink created by a team — this may be as good a time as any to partner up with someone and see what can you come up with. Winner gets all their drinks for the night free! And, hey, even if you don't win, you get to drink whatever you make. The well-lubricated patrons of the bar are eager to challenge anyone nearby to a different sort of drinking game… Just how well can you hold your liquor? B. Holo-screens in the cantina are nearly always broadcasting some match or another of a game that looks very much like hockey, albeit played with sticks that light up and a puck that changes shape from time to time. Colonists here merely refer to the game as "the sport," and one of their favored pastimes is betting. However, they don't use currency — they wager dares. Nadril colonists are a tough, weathered lot, and they prefer to speak with actions over silver. Colonists will urge the refugees to take part as well. Common dares range from the ridiculous (lead a sing-a-long, attempt to make someone with a poker face smile) to the suggestive (kiss the person in the cantina you find most attractive, strip off a piece of clothing), to the outright reckless (venture out into the snow for a certain amount of time, and no one will judge if you find some company to keep warm). The colonists are unfazed by even the most insane or tawdry of dares — but you'll certainly be called a killjoy for refusing too often! Why not grab a friend and give it a whirl, or challenge a rival to a dare yourself? THE MISSION     I. On the outskirts of Nadril is the communications tower of the old refugees. This is where Magda resides, monitoring Nadril's technological protections, the extent of the Natha’s influence, and running his own personal projects for El Nysa’s technological advancement. It is isolated, filled with research labs and relics of the past refugees who have come to El Nysa — a living mausoleum of worlds swallowed up by the Storm whose peoples have refused to forget where they came from. Crew photos line the walls of the tower: pictures of alien families and friends, the refugees who came to Nadril before you. Each group of photos gradually becomes smaller in number, and the most recent of the pictures are from half a century ago. Magda's picture can be found among the first group of refugees, an unusually small cluster of photos dating back centuries in El Nysa's past. I have been on this planet for nearly two centuries. Life has come, evolved, and collided in an ever expanding culture. But Darma fears interference, and made this place a prison, with she our warden, stifling the growth of the creatures native to this world rather than encouraging them to flourish. She sent you here for answers in her stead because she knows I'll spurn her, and after seeing what that fool Raysc has wrought, I'll give you them — not for Darma's sake, but because I trust after all the Natha have done to you, you'll understand my decision. Mistakes were made, and I won't hide them. You've made it here so there's some mettle to you, and unlike the Orbiters, I'm not interested in hiding the secrets of the dangers we face. I gave Raysc what he needed to keep his actions hidden from Darma's eyes — what he needed to advance the primitive magics the Natha had doomed him to. It was old Natha tech, Darma's very own used against her. Hilarious, isn't it? Raysc learned of Nadril, and like you, braved the snow to find his way here. He proved his worth and his determination, and he spoke of a brighter future, El Nysa coming into its own, its people realizing their true potential, unhindered by the shackles that had been put upon them. I believed him. He had vision — or so I thought. In truth, he was a fool. A madman. He wasted the opportunity I gave him on his petty vengeance. But not everyone on this planet is such an idiot. Surely you lot aren't. The Natha are hiding things from us — about the Storm, about everything. And here in Nadril, we're going to find all those secrets. What's it going to be? Will you help us, or are you going to stay obedient dogs on Darma's leash? Magda isn't too talkative yet; after all, the new flock of refugees may just be here as eyes and ears for the Orbiters. But what he has said leaves you with plenty to talk about, and if you can earn his trust by helping out around Nadril, he doubtless has a great deal more to reveal. II. Central isn't the only Natha ship that made its way to El Nysa — another, crashed just outside Nadril's borders, is little more than a junk heap. It's here that you'll find the spare parts Darma asked you to retrieve for Thesa Station. What remains of the ship's hull serves as a windbreak, and snow has built up against it, turning the piles of old Natha tech inside into something of a snowy morass. Holes in the deck offer would-be scavengers passage to the ship's innards, barely illuminated with flickering lights — the tech is old, but hardy enough to withstand a crash landing, the severe weather, and the passage of centuries. Deep in the wreck are the remains of living quarters, research labs, VR arenas, mecha bays, cafeterias, and a host of other rooms, many of which may seem familiar from Thesa Station, albeit with a decidedly older feel to what remains of the smooth curves and sleek surfaces of the Natha architecture. Most of the ship's systems are damaged and the technology is nonfunctional, but that just means there's plenty of spare parts to be found. The wreck isn't in the best shape, its structural integrity damaged, and the drifting snow threatens to block off exit routes. Be careful while exploring and be sure to bring a partner. As it turns out, Darma isn't the only one interested in the wreck — Magda is also eager to get his hands on Natha technology. In his own way of taking some responsibility for Raysc, he's asking scavengers to bring him parts, muttering about seeing what he can do about Ysverai's curse. Bring him anything that looks useful, and he may have a chance to succeed, though whether he'll be more effective than the Natha Orbiters is up for debate... FINAL OOC NOTES     An AC-eligible thread with a new character as a participant for 2 NADRIL REP POINTS may be submitted from this log. SUBMIT THE THREAD HERE BY AUGUST 5TH, 11:59 PM EST. As always, feel free to create your own prompts and explore the Nadril location page! There are a variety of activities made available, including fishing and cave exploration! Please direct questions to the questions thread below! Thank you! QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● lore ● map ● npcs taken ● atp/emp ● application ● rep/acp calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

[heirworthy]

[ Sandalphon's noticed him even before the entire picture-taking thing happened, recognizing him as another face surrounding the Singularity, but doesn't really say anything about it. that's until the actual picture-taking happened and well ...

he's a little grateful that the photo is returned to him without any issue and Sandalphon keeps a blank face as he takes in the image. he's tempted to tear it up but instead, he tucks it into his coat pocket.

out of sight, out of mind. ]

... Well, perhaps you're right about being screwed with. It seems that we're the only ones who seem to have that sentiment.

[ he tilts his head towards the people around them, seemingly looking joyous at the photos taken by those strange creatures and encouraging all of them to share it around. like nope, no thank you. ]

only as warm as mona's fur

[fabrications]

[ And.... there's no response? Akechi frowns, waits a moment longer, and then peers around the door frame. No way. He managed to find one that's empty? Akechi steps inside properly, calling out another: ] Hello?

[ ... There really isn't anyone here, is there? He slides his heavy winter coat off and hangs it up on one of the provided hooks, then turns to close the door behind him. Well, as long as he's alone he may as well finally relax. ]

You need a haircut!

[ --and relaxation lost. Akechi jumps like someone slapped him, whirling around to try to find the source of the voice. He's not yet aware there's an AI lurking around, so it doesn't occur to to check for things like speakers. ]

[colorature]

A fallen angel?

_{[That gets Diva to straighten up, finally standing on the ice without having to balance with her arms out.]}

You smell completely human.

_{[Just throwing that out there.]}

[torchwoodteaboy]

Ianto glances aside at her sheepishly. Ah, oops. Kathryn (sorry Janeway, that's the way you introduced yourself and that's the way he will know you unless you correct him otherwise) is still new to all of this. For better or worse, she had missed all the excitement the past few months.

"I'm afraid we are talking about the very same sort," Ianto replies, shifting to stick his hands in the pockets of his jacket in the hopes of keeping them warmer as they walk. "Complete with fire breath and everything. I, ehm..."

He hesitates slightly, before continuing to ask, "How much did they tell you about all of this," he gestures at their present, snowy situation, "before they just stuck a pack on your back and sent you on your way?"

[stargatemedic]

Waiting under the man next to her offered her one of his hands, she slid hers into it and, given the lack of gloves in the immediate vicinity, was hesitant to do much. At his comment that she was far from an airfield, her smile quirked again, this time with a hint of amusement and she caught his gaze from where she'd been contemplating his 'bone' situation and answered, "We're all a little far from home, Corporal."

Tenderly, she touched one of the bones, then grasped it with her finger tips, looking up at him for any kind of reaction. When the bone piece simply pulled free, her eyes widened and she tilted her head at him.

"Is this something new or were you born with an--?" She lost track of the sentence there. "Anomaly?"

[dancerefresher]

[It was a pretty hard journey, especially for Olivia; she wasn't used to travelling so hard. Not to say she hadn't before, but it was exhausting. She had fallen more then once because she pushed herself far too hard.

She hadn't meant to fall asleep or even come close to it. But...she ended up falling to the side, right against her new companion. Normally, this would set her off into a flailing panic, but in her sleepy mind, she felt something warm, if not completely soft.]

Warm....

[The word is murmured under her breath and she moves to snuggle up to him. Though that might mean the cup in her hands will fall out of it.]

more like everyone loves PINK

[dancerefresher]

[She should have expected someone to see her. She really should have. But instead of responding like a normal person...

She squawks, and the photos go flying into the air.]

Oh no!

[She starts scrambling for them, still sniffling.]

D-don't blow away! I'm sorry, I'm really sorry!

[dancerefresher]

[The three siblings are really nice though, for all of their teasing. Now Robin, they would have been a trial. But...the robot butler though is completely rude.

Olivia is startled when she hears the question, having almost been barreled into but...give her a moment, she's going to look behind to see if butler style is mullet.

Nah they're good.]

No? I don't know you mean. Your hair looks fine! Actually you're doing pretty well, since the cold can be pretty bad it.

[She's pretty sure she looks like a mess with her hair! Especially compared to Fredrick who is all well groomed all the time.]

Why do you ask?

[dancerefresher]

[Maybe she's just too used to being disappointed. But hearing what A2 thought, Olivia jerked a little, twisting to take in her fellow refugee. Then again...she was already jumpy, having never been good being around so many people at once.]

Huh?

[That was nice. She made a face, trying again.]

S-sorry, but I don't understand what you mean?

[It could mean so much, some of which Olivia could possibly agree with, and some...she couldn't.]

[dancerefresher]

[Olivia was trying so hard to keep pushing herself, keep going. But it was so cold, and Olivia...she hadn't done as well as she wanted to. She feels the warmth of Cordelia by her side, and she takes the water, trying to drink from it.

There's a bit there, but it's enough to make her sigh in relief.]

Horses and carts. That'd make it so much easier.

[She wants to take a break, but the storm isn't going to get any better. One just has to look backwards to see the storm is stuck on them. Like a curse.]

I think I can get up?

[She didn't want to be a burden, and as if to prove it, Olivia made to push herself up and onto her feet, wobbling. She didn't want to make things more difficult for her fellow shepherd.]

[dancerefresher]

[Getting stuck in this place could be pretty risky. But getting told to do something...she doesn't bat an eye to it. Instead, she offers a smile and nods.]

A-all right!

[He's being very helpful, that's for sure. But she does jerk in surprise when she feels his hands on her waist.]

Oh! Um...t-thanks?

[Up she goes. It'll take just a little more for her to reach, and then she can be out of his hands.]

[dancerefresher]

[She was one sleepy dancer that was for sure. She didn't even notice the tail and ears-or anything else until she heard that voice.

And she ended up jerking awake, making some of the liquid slop around in her cup and onto the ground.]

Oh! It's...i-it's um...

[What was it again? She peered down.]

Cider?

[dancerefresher]

[He knows what to look for, which is...far better then what she can do, really. She offers him a smile, and then she squeaks, startled. She didn't expect the waist grab; she thought he might just saddle horn her foot and go up!

Instead...welp. WELP. He's a very big man, she realizes right after.]

I-I'll let you know!

[Stammers are normal for early on Knowing Olivia. But more importantly, the passageway. She tugs her legs in, reaching. Almost...almost...]

There!

[She grabs on with both hands. Once he lets go, she's going to push herself up and inside the cervice.]

[dancerefresher]

[Chuuya the amazing savior! Though the pin...she fumbles once or twice in grabbing the pin. She's just feeling a little numb atm.]

Thank...t-thank you.

[Her hand grasps the pin, and she makes a quiet sound, relieved at the sensation. It's almost too much, but she manages to pushes herself to a kneeling position.]

I didn't know they had magic like this.

[It's so nice and warm. If she knew how to get one...she would have picked it up before heading out. She knew her regular clothes weren't good for this weather.]

[willrevile]

[ It's alright, they're friends by now, certainly. And what else are friends for besides weird shenanigans? ]

Well, [ Jim can't help the short burst of laughter in that word, still carefully handling part of the other man's appendage as he inspects the thing. ] If this is culturally taboo, I sincerely apologize. I'll say, though, I'd definitely take you out to dinner.

[ Just yanking on the robot is going to take some skin with it, so that's out. He pokes around, looking for the off-button, and ends up in an odd position so he can look at a panel on its underside without twisting X'rhun's tail around rudely. ] C'mon you little-- [ muttered, but the panel pops open, and then its limbs go crazy, trying to run in Jim's hands. Without unclenching its jaws. ]

[ukase]

He didn't exactly carry exam gloves on him, and he saw her hesitation. He didn't have any diseases (and man had he been tested), but it was always a risk no matter what. He wouldn't blame her if she didn't touch him, though despite the bone protrusion, there wasn't much blood at all.

"Unlike you, I can soldier on anywhere. I don't need a plane, though I would mighty appreciate one all the same." He smirked at her, but he appreciated her assistance no matter what branch of the military she was from. The fact they had both been part of him made him warm to her as if she were one of his own to a degree.

And yep, that just pulled free and now she was holding a hardened metacarpal that looked oddly like a knife blade if he squinted just a little. "Uh yeah, that's new. I don't know what's going on with me, but... this is now the second weird thing to happen to me. And my skin is mostly intact.. so, I don't know what to think. Seen anything like this, doc?"

iii

[personalwar]

[ 76 is also more than capable of scaling buildings when he needs to, and with so much of this place hidden in underground caves systems or half-buried in Central, it seems prudent to get a look at things from up high, to make sure that there's not anything they're missing and take Nadril in from a higher vantage point.

He doesn't expect anyone else to be hanging around on rooftops, and so when he comes across some kid swinging around a strange weapon, he stops in place and watches him for a few seconds. The kid seems caught up in his training. Normally 76 would be quick to assume that he's a refugee based on the strange clothing and weaponry, but in Nadril everyone's technically a refugee, so it's hard to be sure.

Eventually, 76 raises his voice to grab the stranger's attention. ]

What is that thing?

[yelliot]

<sub>[Look. Elliot's a cat person okay, and he's currently mourning the loss of his cat...of course he's going to try and talk to it!! Let him live.

Ah...catloaf. It's a position Elliot's familiar with. Since the cat seems to not be bothered by his presence, he doesn't see why he can't just reach out and pet it. Gingerly he peels off a glove, only to slowly move his hand toward the cat's head. As long as he doesn't detect any sort of hostility his fingers will make contact and stroke the top of it.]</sub>

iv

[baguablade]

[ Cain, having wandered into the Frosty Tap largely to get out of the cold rather than for any real desire to drink, is nevertheless game to try whatever's being put in front of him. And it truly is whatever. He hasn't the faintest idea what he's looking at, but here's Rocket, leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy, instrumental to their fight against the dread dragon Ysverai... surely he's not about to steer Cain wrong!

Cain leans forward on his stool to peer at the drink up close, nose nearly pressed against the glass as he examines it. ]

A Timothy... Why is it called that?

[notwagging]

[ indeed, it's always a comfort to see a familiar face among a bunch of strange ones, including those who make equally strange looks at a man with weird wolf-like ears and a bristly tail that hasn't stopped moving since entering Nadril. the sights! the sounds! the weird little robot animals, and the odd drinks that people keep pounding down! and of course, the smells and the corners that haven't been touched by whatever cleans their streets... those are the best places.

the other best place? it's Vane. Vane is a great place. he wants to go right up and into Vane and just hide there for a bit, who is definitely broader than the wolfskin and a comfortable presence.

but then the alarms.

why the alarms. ]

Ugh, what is that sound?!

[ he whips his head back and forth, looking for the source, though not so much to knock that hand off... yet. ]

What does it mean!

[baldesion]

[She didn't hear or sense him coming, so absorbed was she in failing to attune and being bothered about it. Krile startles, turning to look at X'rhun sharply and looking away just as fast when she sees who it is.

Is there any way to save face here?]

If there were two of them, perhaps something useful could come of it.

[Even she can't hide how crushed she is over...over nothing. Nothing at all. It didn't even twinkle in response.]

[torchwoodteaboy]

They have snow, John, but it's not like this. And he certainly has never had to walk through snow for three days straight in his life, and he likely never will again. Not if he can help it, anyway.

Groaning slightly, nonetheless Ianto does as he is told and pushes himself up to his feet again. He knows he can't let himself think about it but dismally he wonders if he might ever be warm again.

"I don't know, there's something off about all of this," Ianto fusses. "This trail they've left into the city. Beaming us down here to investigate for them, when Magda clearly doesn't want anything to do with the Natha. I mean, they can't even get a reading on this city, it's not like they're going to be able to rescue us out of it if things go wrong on this spy mission of theirs."

[yelliot]

Yeah, he woke up again. Finally.

_{[Took him long enough.]}

I tried but the few people I did ask looked at me as if I had two heads.

[stargatemedic]

"Medic, not a pilot," she tells him, still focused on his hand and smiling at the same time. The fact that he's in fairly good humor despite the horrific way his bones are protuding from his hand says something about the kind of man and soldier he is and she appreciates that he's not falling to pieces on her.

When it comes off in her hand and he answers her, she's left holding what looks like a very sharp... well, bone. His skin, as he'd said, was intact and she didn't really have a lot of practice with bones just falling out of people, so she gently reached for the next and, when it came out, too, she continued until he has several small holes in his hand and she was left holding the bones.

"Nothing quite like this, Corporal," she admitted, peering down at the pieces in her hand before using her free one to poke at the skin surrounding the holes in his skin. "We should probably get that washed and bandaged."

→ WILDCARD, a frozen land.

[desistor]

[Given that the cold doesn't have the chance to bother him much...he kind of has this trek easier than some. ...Kind of. Kind of loses the upside, when he can't get his feet underneath him anymore.

Some time midway through the journey, a gaggle of traveling refugees has to deal with something of a minor avalanche. Nothing, y'know, catastrophic enough to devastate. But certainly enough to scatter some of them, which could lead to catastrophe in its own right. Trail lost, companions separated, settling snow and buffeting blizzards still whiteout-thick in the air. The greenish lights of the landmarks that lead the way to the trail still few and far between. In searching for them...one might find hope in a glint of bluegreen light, through the blanket of snow.

Then, pulsing in time with a slightly staticy voice—]

Hey! [...if it manages to carry, over the gusting winds. He tries again.] Someone out there?

[(There'd been something there, on the edges of the Transistor's sensors—but it was there and gone in a flash. Some kind of interference, maybe.)]