(no subject)

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.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[with as many women john has met over the years in his life of work, from the brusque GIs, to the viciously witty spies, to the no-nonsense medics, he knows never to underestimate any of them. sure, the woman in the dress looks like just another civvy off the street, but she hasn't shown any telling personality traits that remove her from a world of battle.

when the, clearly, stupidest savrri of the group looks like he's going to take john up on his challenge, the old merc moves to get into a fighting stance. he doesn't even get to move, though, before the red-head next to him rushes forward in a blur of movement. john can barely blink in the time it takes her to subdue the idiot local and he doesn't waste a single second of this golden opportunity to finish putting the others in their place.

going through the motions of overpowering enemy combatants is basically second nature to him. every takedown is a dance, a rhythm of 1-2-3, 1-2-3. the savrii closest to the one on the ground gets flipped over john's shoulder like a sack of potatoes, straight down on his comrade. the last one left, finally realizing how outclassed he must be, doesn't get away before john's hand grasps onto his arm, sliding a foot in between the local's legs, and taking to the ground, as well.

if they're willing to get up after all that, then kudos.]

[—oh he's very good! And wow, do human beings go down so much easier than Process programs! Red tries to feel bad about it and she does, a little bit, as the one she had stunned grunts under the weight of his comrade. Just a little bit, and then the sympathy is gone and she's covering her mouth to hide her grin.

He's very, very good at this. Red has a little bit of vague concept of armies and soldiers but in Cloudbank there hasn't been a need for so long, it's rather fascinating and surprising to see a real soldier in action. All of her own skill had come from the Transistor itself and the Functions they pulled from along the way. She's no soldier, not like him.]

Let's get moving!

[Red isn't interested in waiting around to see if friends and family or even passersby come to the aid of the downed natives. She moves to her hero and reaches for his hand, with the full intent of grabbing his hand and leading him in a run away from the scene and down the nearest lane to get out of view.]

[with the way foreigner prejudice had been ramping up lately, john has no doubt that someone'll sniff out the four downed savrii and try to help them. he's of the same mind-set that they shouldn't be seen when that happens. a glance is barely spared for the groaning mess of bodies on the ground as the woman leads him away, smaller hand clutching over his. despite his age, he keeps up with her easily, letting himself be dragged along into the nearest hiding spot.

thinking back on it now, hadn't kaz said something weird about how savrii conduct their own brand of justice? something like rehabilitation, with the added tone of possible torture of the mind. it's unfortunate that the two of them are the least inconspicuous looking people to be beating up on the locals. her with her blazing, red hair and gold-black dress. him with his almost white hair, eye patch, and militant attire. hopefully, no one puts together a formal search party to seek them out.]

Do you have somewhere to go back to? You should stay off the streets for a day.

[Down a small lane around back of a building, then down what can be called an alleyway, and she finally stops and lets go of his hand. Red leans back against the wall of whatever building they're next to and she rests a hand over her chest as she pants softly. And, she's grinning at him.]

I'll have to get a room. Region three is more or less empty. It's snowing there.

[She sounds rather impressed that it's snowing. No one even had to vote for it to!

Red moves her hand up to push aside a thick lock of unruly red hair.]

Where did you learn to do that?

You might wanna change into something a little warmer if that's your plan.

[why anyone would be impressed that it was snowing ever, john can't fathom. he can put up with snow, sure, but the idea of actively wishing for it escapes him. anyway, he's more worried if she'll be able to stand the cold in her dress. she is wearing a jacket, with fur on the collar (maybe?), but it doesn't actually look warm. more for aesthetics.]

I'm a career soldier. I've had years of practice.

[almost forty plus at this point. not that she needs to know his whole sordid history, but he has no qualms about indulging her question.]

But you're not so bad yourself. What's your name?

[She chuckles, looking down at the ends of her high-heeled boots with their golden pointed ends. The young woman looks amused at her own expense, and she grips the lapels of the over-sized coat, then hugs it around her. Alas, it's not even fur, they're feathers.

Years of practice, that explains it.]

I've never seen anything like you before.

My name's Red, and I'm a career singer. I've had one whole day of running around fighting things. [She smirks, again making fun of herself, but she pushes off from the wall and stands tall striking a heroic pose to complete the joke.]

What's your name?

Not many people do.

[he's kind of a one-of-kind case back home. well, besides the fact that he has clones, but hey, that's for never. instead, he's just going to leave it at that and makes sure the nice girl gets on her way safely.]

You're practically a natural. [she did seem to have some kind of know-how when it came to brawling. a little unrefined, maybe, but there was undeniably a spark of aptitude there.] I'm Ishmael. And yeah, I've heard every joke you can make about that name, so don't. [PLEASE]

[Red can't keep the pose up for long before she's cracking herself up, laughing softly around a smile directed at her hero.

A hero named Ishmael it seems, with some kind of issue with his own name.]

Ishmael? [She asks, carefully pronouncing it, and she tries to think of how someone could make the name into a joke. Red doesn't get it.]

Mmm~ must be some cultural reference, I take it? I'm glad to disappoint you, then. Most cultural references I won't get. From what I understand, I am from a different world than most other Ingress-ese.

[incredible, the one person probably on the planet who didn't know the infamous book his name was from. big boss, despite only knowing red for a hot second, suddenly decided he liked her based on that one fact. well, you know, plus she seemed to be able to hold her own, which was always nice to see in someone.]

That might be better for you in the long run. You might just understand something better because of your different background.

[it never hurt to have a different perspective on things, after all. especially with the situation at hand.]

We should get out of here. Can you make it to Region Three on your own?

You might be right about that. As for Region Three, it's been evacuated. Tree houses and pelting snow aren't the best mix.

[She's wondering if her tree house will be a ground house by the time she gets back. It had seemed so fun when she'd chosen it out, a tiny little thing barely big enough for one, up away from the world, secluded, peaceful...

Red sighs at herself. So much for that!]

It's a hotel for me tonight. That's where I was headed, but I don't really know the way.

That's for the best.

[the amount of people prepared to survive a freak winter in a place that had once been akin to a paradise? probably less than a hand full, including the refugees. thinking on it, it would be a bad idea for her to go wandering around in the snow to a place that would suffer the most from the weather.]

I wouldn't suggest wandering around for too long. Get a room and stay there for the night.

[She nods, in complete agreement. Her breath is slowing and now the excitement is past she feels a dread creeping in with no direction to it, and it festers deep in her stomach with no way to turn. She doesn't know where the next angry Savrii might come from, if she'll make it to the hotel, if the cold will only worsen until only concrete can survive.

Red sets her brow in a defiant and determined scowl and her jaw flexes as she grits her teeth. Red knows she can live with fear, but she will never let it get the better of her.]

I'll make my way. I'll find a way. What about you? Do you have shelter for the night?

Yeah. Temporary quarters back at the complex.

[though it's extremely unlikely someone like him is about to shut himself in with all the activity going on. it's not like he has a problem blending in, despite his definitive features.]

Don't worry about me. Just watch out for yourself.

[with that last bit of advice, the soldier slips out from the alley, ready to draw away anyone looking for them. if they stick around any longer, there won't be a chance to get away.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

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nerds save the world

the land below

the coming days

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please forgive slowness ;o;

np im slow rn too