(no subject)

[savmods]

Who: Everyone
When: July 1 and onward. See this post for info.
Where: Kauto + Chioni + Ingress Complex
Warnings: Potential violence. Please label warn-worthy content in your subject headers.

There's a burst of light in the sky when the Ingress breaks, a final flare followed by a shuddering that only those in the facility can feel. A flurry of panicked activity in the complex follows, ushering new arrivals to where they need to go in a hurry, with little time to give them the needed information, much less answer questions. The lights remain on, but dimmer now, life functions still operating but little else. On Kauto and Chioni below, the sky fades into an early twilight, followed by night, and day does not come again.

nerds save the world

Before the end of the day, all TABs receive an emergency broadcast notification outlining the situation. The speaker, a lead Savriite Ingress technician, does not invite panic but nor does he mince words. The Ingress is broken; their best efforts have failed to restore it. The time has come to turn to anyone who can help: scientists, engineers, those who have worked with advanced technology on any world. Formal qualifications don't matter when it could be the end of everything.

"Help us. Before it is too late."

Those who come will have the run of the complex and full access to the Ingress, as well as whatever tools are available and as much coffee as they can drink. People are encouraged to work in groups and share ideas, and a small number of young and nervous technical assistants will be on hand.

the land below

As Thisavrou is denied light and warmth, the weather becomes brisk and descends into bitter cold. Chioni is evacuated due to the effects on the already-harsh weather cycles there, although a skeleton crew of scientists remain behind. On Kauto, the arboreal Region Three and pastoral Region Two suffer the most from the temperatures and the snow that eventually begins to fall. Many crops are frozen over, and refugee citizens are driven from their homes to the Regions One and Five, where stored energy will keep dwellings warm. Save for those who choose to leave the underwater facilities, Region Four remains largely unchanged, but there are unverified accounts of strange aquatic animal behavior near the surface.

Overcrowding, limited supplies and a pervasive fear presents the opportunity for both heroism and foul deeds. Many come together to share resources, supplies and fellowship in what could be the end of worlds, while others take what they can from the unwilling or exploit the desperate. Sentient evacuees are followed by fauna from Region Three and unsettled lands beyond, in search of warmth or food or merely confused by the change in habitat. Some are unthreatening herbivores, while tanglesnakes and clownbees are more troublesome. Others are poisonous hunters, while still others are small, but dangerous when faced as a pack.

Just when all seems lost, light returns to the sky. The Ingress begins to function once more.

the coming days

As the temperatures rise, many demand answers, but most turn to the rebuilding of their lives first. Damage has been done that isn't so easily fixed, and even in the least-affected areas, remnants of the crisis show in the lack of fresh food, in the increased signs of criminal activity. Those who can help others through their own efforts of by organizing assistance are needed, but those with impure intentions are more likely to go unnoticed.

Eavesdropping on the streets may reveal a desire for vengeance. "Those intruders from last week. They're responsible for this, aren't they? What's being done?" But don't listen too closely, or a suspicious eye may be turned on you. "Aren't you one of the refugees from the Midway Hub? You should return to where you came from! All the trouble began when your people showed up!"

Life goes on. But life does not go on unchanged.

[quick ooc note: the Region 4 search & retrieval mission/RNG fight will be posted in a separate log.]

Comments

[mylawn]

It’s fine.

[Jack is confident in his own abilities, and he might not even need to haul it all the way out to the farm. It’s likely he’ll find some kind of dolly or other wheeled implement before that, so it’s no trouble.

The heater is a little unwieldy, however, and he spends a moment sizing it up, knowing he’s going to have to lift it with only one good hand.]

You want it? I can bring it to your place.

[soldiergenes]

[ Snake frowns and shakes his head at Jack. He's missing the point here. ]

You came all the way out here to get supplies for your place, didn't you? I don't need it.

[ This region isn't the hardest hit by any means, and Snake's confident that he'll be able to handle the lower temperatures for as long as they last. ]

[mylawn]

Suit yourself.

[It’s his now. He doesn’t pick it up right away, instead scouring a few of the abandoned aisles for something with wheels—he might be a super soldier, but he’s not about to carry this thing all the way back to the farm, especially when the EN-Line isn’t functioning. A dolly will be helpful. With this, Jack will be pretty set. If anything, finding the generator is even more of an excuse to stay put.]

You’re welcome to come stay with us if you need to.

[He doubts Snake will take him up on the offer, but at this point Jack imagines he’s better supplied than most people in region one.]

[soldiergenes]

[ Snake didn't necessarily want to give Jack an incentive not to evacuate when that was the smarter choice, but he also doubts that he'd be able to convince him, so he may as well help give him a fighting chance. The heating unit is his way of doing that; it's lucky that they found it.

His shoulders shift up in a moment of surprise when Jack makes that offer. It's not that he intends to take it, but that Jack would extend it at all is unexpected. An act of kindness, if an unnecessary one. ]

Thanks, but I think I'm pretty set where I am. I'll be all right.

[ Snake's ready to help move the unit onto the dolly when Jack is ready, stepping forward to indicate as much when it's time. ]

[mylawn]

If you’re sure.

[Of course that’s the logical decision—Jack is the one being slightly irrational, but suffice to say he’s tired of evacuating. He waits for Snake to bring the dolly and brace it, then he sizes up the heater and lifts it with what looks like minimal effort. It’s more unwieldy than anything, and when he sets it down on the cart it’s not without a clang.]

Thanks for the hand.

[soldiergenes]

[ Snake watches, one eyebrow raised, as Jack gets the unit onto the dolly while barely breaking a sweat. Of course he's heard about his enhancements, but it's different to see them in action like this. Clearly he should keep him around if only for help with the heavy lifting.

At the thanks, he shrugs. ] Just got lucky it was still here.

[ Good luck getting lugging it onto the EN-Line, Jack. ]

[mylawn]

[If Jack feels Snake’s eyes on him, he certainly doesn’t let it show. He’s so used to his enhancements that doing something like this is no different than breathing.]

See anything else you want?

[Might as well ask, while they’re here. While they have some wheels.]

[soldiergenes]

If we can find any more food? Sure.

[ Snake doubts that they'll be that lucky, though. Food and water tend to be the first things that get snatched up in a crisis situation like this one.

Snake leads them back through the store, keeping his pace slow so that Jack can keep up while pushing the dolly. He double-checks every shelf for anything that could have been overlooked. ]