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

He couldn't help but laugh at that. The more things change, the more that they stay the same. He's traded "White Mamba" for "Liquid Snake", but in the end, he's still just "Eli".

(Though he supposes he'd hardly be impressed if Eli suddenly started calling him "Adam". But isn't it fortunate that no one actually knows his name except for maybe John??)

"Some things really don't change."

Though maybe he can't quite take down Eli in one move anymore.

He's never just "Eli." As far as he's concerned, he rejected that name the second he realized he could have a choice, and it means nothing to him anymore. Except for something people seem to keep bringing up, anyway.

Yes, it annoys the hell out of him.

"No, I suppose they don't. What, did you expect me to change my mind about it?"

Because like hell he will. But hey. At least he's a little more restrained about it. A little.

It was a shame how he'd rejected everything they'd tried to given him. Or rather, rejected everything that Venom had tried to give him.

"We tried to give you and the rest of the kids a normal life," something that none of them had exactly had the luxury of having, "but you went ahead and decided otherwise. It's interesting how you're still fighting us, even as an adult."

He could also say destined to become your parents but that would only further enrage him. But if he didn't want the comparison maybe he should've picked a code name that wasn't "snake".

Everything that Venom had tried to give him had been far overshadowed by the fact that he'd been taken from everything he had and forced to go back to things that were way too similar to before he'd even escaped his handlers.

Not that he'd ever expect anyone to understand.

"Do you think, perhaps, I never wanted all of that? Because, here's a surprise, I never did! I can't live a bloody normal life. And now, I don't have to take such extreme measures to avoid people thinking they know what's best for me."

Doesn't have to, but totally does.

"I've never stopped fighting. It's what I do."

Strangely, Ocelot could almost understand it in a way. He had, after all, been raised in surprisingly similar conditions. Much like Eli, he had taken matters into his own hands. And when he'd had his chance to walk away, he'd chosen to take Zero up on his offer, and drag his best friend into all of it with him.

Hm. Maybe they weren't so different after all.

"At some point, Liquid, you need to ask yourself, what are you fighting for?"

He decides to throw him a little something.

Probably not so different, but like hell Liquid's gonna go about bonding with Ocelot about situational things. No way.

"You say this as if I haven't," he says with a sneer. "I'm well aware of what I'm fighting for, thanks. Been well aware of it for a very long time."

Like he needs Ocelot's approval or something.

"Sounds like you're a bit behind." Well, obviously.

"Are you really?"

And while he doesn't like the idea that everyone seems to know more than him, he greets the other man's accusation with a shrug.

"Well, you know what they say about cats."

They always land on their feet. They have nine lives. Curiosity killed the cat. But satisfaction brought him back.

Really, there were too many cat-related puns to list. Take your pick of whichever one you want, Eli. Ocelot, however, isn't going to do that. Because he left the worst of those puns behind years ago.

"Of course I am. I'm not twelve years old anymore, Ocelot. And even then, I still knew what I wanted to an extent." It's just a little easier to do things when you're older.

As for cats...

"They get into everything and cause a lot of problems?" Hey, he didn't say which 'they.'

"Oh, I'm sure someone'll catch you up on things eventually."

And you haven't changed a bit since you were a child remains unsaid. But really, he hadn't all that much. The idea of working for him...

It had better all be worth it in the end.

"Oh, I'm sure that I know more than you think."

Ahab had... given him a general enough idea. And while he couldn't say that anything Eli had just told him gave him that much more of a picture, it did draw a couple of things into focus.

Hey, he got taller. That's different.

"Get a rundown, did you?" That would make sense. "Did you try to pry things out of my brother? Or I suppose perhaps my father or Ahab might be more forthcoming."

Yeah, that's right, Liquid knows the Truth.

Doesn't make him any happier with V, though. That was not a good time, way back when.

So incredibly different. You practically couldn't tell he was the same kid. If Ocelot is at all surprised about this revelation, he doesn't seem to show it.

After all, it was bound to come out, with the way that things were.

"Eventually, I'll get around talking to him." So he knew David. Ok, that was was glaringly obvious. Knowing that he'd kill 'Big Boss' meant that there was no way he couldn't be, "but, I have some very helpful friends."

After all, he is living with John. And Ahab was the first one to greet him when he arrived.

"Of course you do. I'm sure you've already gone and found them. But you're not the only one with helpful friends."

He and Miller are totally friends now. Totally. And of course there's Mantis, and he's psychic!

"Of course, there's always things that nobody else knows, so it'd be rather hard to get that out of anyone else." Is he telling the truth or bluffing? He's not giving any indication as to either.

"But I'm sure you'll discover something."

He laughs again. "No, I imagine that you're still quite resourceful," after all, the kid did manage to get specific information that he shouldn't have had access too, thanks to psychic intervention (which is a completely legitimate form of science). "But cats always manage to land on their feet as well, Liquid."

"Try to stay out of trouble for the time being." And with the situation successfully (?) diffused, and the two of them left on a deserted street, he turns to leave.

He would definitely be seeing you again, kid. For better or for worse.

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nerds save the world

the land below

the coming days

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