(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

[Rinzler's previous encounter with this user had been brief, but memorable. Enough to recognize him on sight. Enough to be curious about the data leaked in that broadcast—not announced, but not locked out of sight. And certainly, the user's attempt at fleeing draws some interest from the Grid's enforcer.

Especially since he has his tracking functions now.

Noise stays quiet. But when Lavellan finishes his crisis and turns back, he'll find he wasn't quite alone in contemplation. Rinzler stands a few paces back, lights glowing flame-red against the shadows of the alleyway.

His mask tilts pointedly to one side, sound rising in a low staccato rumble through the space. Going somewhere?]

[Lavellan startles immediately, because he hadn't heard Rinzler approach at all--and elves have better hearing than most. His staff is in his hand before he finally, belatedly, recognizes who he's looking at: that strange being who'd taken Solas's magic those few months ago. The one that doesn't seem to speak.

Lavellan's not sure he ever even got a name, but he'd been harmless enough, so he rehooks his staff, feeling sheepish.]

Ah. Hello?

[Was that a threat for all of two seconds? Rinzler watches the staff, mask angling as it's withdrawn and released. How disappointing. Still, even if a fight would be more entertaining, it's not actually what he came for. He stares back, unmoving for a beat before he reaches for his TAB.]

Damaged Ingress.

[The words are typed instead of spoken, scrolling out in holographic projection across a floating textbox he calls up. Not a question, not quite—but Rinzler is watching for reactions. The network post hadn't offered much detail.]

[Lavellan stares at the message a long while, trying to puzzle out what it means. A question? A statement? Is Rinzler here to air his own grievances, in whatever wordless method he has?

It doesn't really matter either way, does it. There's really only one thing he can say.]

Yes.

[Yes, that was him. And what does that mean to Rinzler?]

Deliberate?

[The message appears rapidly, fingers flitting across the keys as soon as Lavellan confirms.

Still watching.]

[More of this. Of course. How many times will people ask him to explain itself?

Well, what else should he really expect? What he did needs an explanation. It was something that most people wouldn't even have thought of doing. It's not their fault that Lavellan doesn't have one to give them.]

I don't have a good answer for you.

[He doesn't turn to go, but he does waver uncertainly where he stands away from Rinzler. He'll answer whatever Rinzler has to ask, but if it's all the same he really doesn't want to be having this conversation.]

[Noise ticks out a little harsher, thick with irritation. The question is binary, user. The only value of importance is accuracy—and, of course, providing an answer. Which it didn't.

Fine. Assuming yes,]

How?

[Lavellan hesitates. He's come to learn that magic is an uncommon concept, and considering his previous interactions with this... person, he doubts an explanation will go over very well.

But he's not sure if he can even do this right. Back at the center, he'd... had difficulty doing much of anything with his magic, and even if being outside of it now feels different, he hasn't had a chance to test anything.

And he's afraid of finding out the worst.

But he holds out his left hand, flexes his fingers experimentally once or twice, and focuses. After a few moments, what looks like a large sword made of some kind of strange energy materializes in his hand, and flickers in and out of existence before disappearing entirely. He lets out a sigh as it vanishes.]

That's how.

[After the week of function-trading? "Magic" is a much more familiar concept than Rinzler would like. Besides, he knows better than to underestimate a user.

All the same, he'd expected something more than just... a blade. Scans read a low hum of power, clearly charged in some way. Still. The constant rumbling skips a beat, head shaking in disgust.]

Security: glitched.

[If all it took was a sharp weapon, he could have broken their precious Portal a hex of times this centicycle.]

[Lavellan cracks a grin in spite of himself. He's not sure what "glitched" is, but he can guess.]

Maybe. I get the impression nobody had tried it before.

[He shrugs a shoulder.]

I don't think getting in a fight helped matters, though. Fire can cause a lot of damage. [A part of him can't believe he's joking about this, but there's something about it that's comforting. Or, maybe more accurately, numbing. It doesn't ease the guilt, but it does help put it at a distance for a few moments.]

[Nobody tried it? It's a blatant system vulnerability. Not even secret, but announced to new arrivals as their power source and import method.

Nope. Nope. Fire, or fights, or especially pointy pieces of metal regardless, you can take an irritated headshake with your rumbling for that.]

System threats: worse glitched.

[Everyone is stupid that is the moral of this story.]

[Lavellan falters, suddenly, his face falling; Rinzler's words echo through his memory, and suddenly he's remembering something the guide said to him. Among the worst in any world, there are few who consider themselves monsters. Like him.

There's nothing wrong with the Ingress or its security. There's something wrong with him for taking advantage of it.]

You're right. I shouldn't have... you're right. I'm the one with the problem. It's my fault.

[He's muttering. Is he even talking to Rinzler anymore, or just himself?]

[Rinzler's inclined to assume "himself". Especially since that wasn't even what he'd been saying? Noise rises, sharp and annoyed.]

Reference: unsuccessful threats.

[Though it is useful to know the user counts himself in the category.]

[That shakes him out of it, though it's only to peer at Rinzler in confusion. If unsuccessful threats were the "glitched" ones, then...]

You think the Ingress should be attacked?

[That's... appalling. Take it from someone who actually did it.]

[A momentary stare... but the program does, at least, shake his head to that one. He doesn't like this system, but he's not advocating its deletion. (Yet.)]

Glitched: error-ridden. Stupid. Nonfunctional.

Effective threats would have succeeded.

[Um... okay. Everything this... person says just makes him more confused, but he thinks he might finally be getting what Rinzler is trying to say.]

They're a very trusting people. I think they didn't expect anyone would try to take advantage of that. That doesn't make them stupid.

[...

Yeah, that one's just getting a long, flat stare. Guess who just got added to the "glitched" list?

After a moment of two of judging, Rinzler will shake his head and turn around. Data acquired, user. Thanks for confirming that you're dumb.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

(no subject)

nerds save the world

the land below

the coming days

2

took a few liberties with my own prompt lol lmk if that's not ok

That's fine!

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sighs @ this drama queen

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