I
N
T
R
O
L
O
G
|
famed & framed
"There will be no prison which can hold our movement down."
The Ingress has pulled you in. Your body experiences several sensations at once: being pushed forward as if a hand is resting on your back, momentary and startling blindness, a gentle ringing in your head. You have difficulty discerning whether it is hot or cold, but where you have been prodded is noticeably warmer than the rest of you. Some may suffer from dizziness while others are perfectly fine. Once equilibrium has been reestablished, you will notice you are standing on a long platform and that the room is filled with a soft cerulean light. It's slightly humid and dark despite the glow around you, and nothing is familiar.
Yet, unlike most new crew arrivals, this one is in the middle of chaos.
Despite more recent events, the planet of Emiri is not as peaceful as it once was. Frederick Link is still missing, and the authorities of Emiri have yet to lift the interplanetary ban they have placed on all space crafts docked at the aerospace. The captains previous held a meeting asking crew for any and all information that might help them locate the Komai, a mysterious group determined to undermine Link'd Inc's work providing flourishing matches across the universe by causing random acts of violence and protest across the three main cities: Harashan, Avelle, and St. Murtel. These things have led to mass arrests as well as an unsettling atmosphere spreading across the planet, and since a previous broadcast, things are beginning to escalate.
A downward spiral of these events begins as soon as new arrivals start to leave the Ingress—an unmarked box arrives in the cargo bay addressed to the inhabitants of the Moira. As per his job, Niko Bellic is the one to discover this box and open it. For some, the contents may be particularly gruesome. Link’s body is inside, clothed in a simple white button-down and pants (no shoes), and it looks as if letters have begun to bleed through the material. Anyone with expert knowledge of torture may note that Link was, in fact, tortured for information, and those letters? The writing itself spells out the name St. Murtel.
The captains, having been alerted of this, make an attempt to contact those at Link’d Inc. Unfortunately, the damage has already been done.
☄ First: MISCOMMUNICATIONSomehow, whether intentional or not, the Komai have once again hacked public systems and networks to brand those of the Moira as the ones behind these terroristic acts. They still use their own name, but the images are different, focusing on familiar faces wearing the ship’s uniforms and traveling to the Aerospace to return to the Moira. Not only that, there are short recordings of Link’s final words that mention a very recognizable name: Captain Thán. The Komai have redirected the blame to the Moira and its crew for their own means, and in response, any and all crew who are captured by authorities will immediately be detained and shipped out to unknown locations. The Captains send a message via MID and request everyone return to the ship to prevent this from happening. Yet, not all messages will be delivered depending on how far away they are.
With everyone’s safety hanging in the balance, the Captains have decided to take things into their own hands and find a way to lift the block on the Moira so they can leave Emiri’s orbit and avoid further repercussions regardless of whether or not any one of the crew wants to stay.
☄ Second: DECOY & DISTRACT After learning that Benjamin Link, son of recently deceased Frederick Link, knows how to unlock the ship so they can leave, the captains ask for volunteers to act as decoys on a mission to the Aerospace in Harashan. Their job is to distract guards and Emiri citizens, leaving the path clear for Benjamin to get to the computers. The captains reiterate that they are to use nonfatal methods as they don’t want a repeat of the events on Caducus Primary. Without his help, the ship won’t be able to leave, making this mission critical and extremely time sensitive. ☄ Third: RESCUEDuring the mission, Benjamin informs the crew that the Komai aren’t incorrect in their claims that Link’d Inc uses unforgivable means to obtain information in order to make their matches perfect. The children the crew dreamed about are just two of many—the offspring of Emirian citizens who had gone missing. It has long been suspected that Link’d Inc was involved in their disappearances, but only recently has the Komai done anything to shed light on these gruesome rumors. Benjamin, after successfully unlocking the ship, disables the security systems in St. Murtel, which will allow the children a chance to escape. They’ll need assistance in getting out of St. Murtel and to a pre-designated area in Avelle where a group of Komai and Emirians will be waiting for them.
But be careful. If anyone is recognized as part of the crew, they will be placed under arrest for treason and possibly never heard from again. ☄ Fourth: BREAKING OUTNow that the computer systems in Harashan’s Aerospace have been used to release the Moira, the entire crew are being called back via MID for an expedient exit from Emiri. Crew will be asked to assist other Moirans in getting back to the ship as quickly as possible via transporters or other small crafts as leaving is their only option at this point. In the escape, Emiri launches an attack on the Moira in an attempt to stop them. The ship’s previously unused defense systems activate, and those assigned to those positions are required to man their posts. Perhaps even those who don’t have the clearance are needed. Either way, it’s time to leave. ☄ Fifth: REFUGEESNow that the ship has finally escaped Emiri’s orbit, the crew will notice a group of stragglers in the main hall. During the crew’s quick exit, about fifty Emirians have taken refuge aboard the Moira, and the captains have agreed to take them to the closest planet so they may start again or live a life free of Link’d Inc “rule”. The captains ask the crew to help get them clothes and food for their short stay, no longer than a day at most, and to occupy them as best they can. Tell jokes, sing songs, bring up the kittens so that everyone can attempt to wind down after this series of unfortunate events. Light entertainment won’t be provided, but on request, some crew members may do just that.
|
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
hownkai) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
thisavrou_log2016-02-01 11:09 am
no subject
Like why hadn't that name rang any bells?]
I don't think there's anyone in the world who wouldn't recognize you. [He'd led an alien invasion, after all, confirming the existence of extraterrestrial life as he attacked one of the most prominent cities on Earth. But he doesn't react to Stark's name, and Asgardian prince or not, Tony isn't the sort of person anyone just forgets.
Unless they've never known him. Pepper's eyes widen as the question enters her mind: could Loki be from a point in time even further back than herself, or Bruce?]
The Avengers. Have you heard of them? [Have they beaten you is what she really wants to ask, but outing herself as affiliated with his enemies hadn't been her brightest idea. Far worse to establish them as that when it looks like they've got an advantage. She'll have to tell Tony right away, along with Bruce and Steve.]
no subject
The world, hm? Her wording finally makes it clear he should be careful what he says. Humans are easy to spot when they think the universe is so infinitesimally small and they are the only planet that matters. So this is Pepper Potts, CEO of Stark Industries--whatever that means.
He keeps his casual smile even as he scrutinizes her. He hasn't been down to Midgard in literal ages but the impression he left, along with everyone else, had to have faded with time into legend. A thousand years or so tends to do that.
Another thing to consider is that she recognized him in sight. If they came from one universe into another she could be from a different timeline where her skepticism might be warranted. Where he had too much fun, perhaps? He always gets carried away with his plans.
Somehow they've met and she knows to be afraid. The same as the woman with her red streaks of power oddly reminiscent of chaos magic. ]
You didn't answer my question.
no subject
I didn't, no. [A small grin tugs at the corners of her mouth then. Loki isn't the only one who knows how to sass.] But since you asked...no, I don't care to explain it to you.
[She doesn't want to be the one to detail how he'd tried to conquer the Earth, or threw her lover from the top floors of a skyscraper. She doesn't want to tell Loki that he was the one to kill her friend.]
There's still a job to do. We should get back to it. [And ideally, she could get away from Loki long enough to warn Tony about his presence.]
no subject
[ If she wanted to play suspicious, fine. He didn't have time for her nonsense, nor did he necessarily care to clear his reputation. He had seen the look she gave him, and her same tone from others a thousand times over. It never ceases to grate on him each and every single time and yet--
He never changes. ]
What are you good at? [ A completely relevant question. ]If your stubbornness persists in the way you fight I can cover you. [ Meaning he is willing to work with her if he has to. They might as well. ]
no subject
[How much it cost to rebuild, how many lives were lost. How close Tony had been to dying.
How it felt to hear that Phil Coulson was dead.
But he does come to more practical matters, leaving Pepper to huff out a sigh. That's the thing, isn't it?]
I'm not a fighter. I've got no training. [So his earliest assessment, that she isn't good at this, is sadly more true than Loki may have even first anticipated. But she is stubborn down to her very core, and holding onto yet another secret--one she's even less keen to share with Loki than her knowledge of his future.]
I'm just trying to cause whatever distractions I can. [And admittedly growing a little frustrated, simply because she's not sure how to do so.]
no subject
[ The United States didn't seem to care about how much needed to be rebuilt in all the other countries it bombed and is currently spilling blood all over.
Apples to apples.
How many people have died from her lover's stupid decision making with his weapons division? It's funny how much remorse makes a difference when he quite honestly has the lowest kill count out of all the Avengers.
He sighed, and pillaged one of the bodies of the man who was knocked unconscious. He just needed something solid to transfigure. Ah, here we go. A flash of green light and a staff forms in his hand suited to Pepper's height. ]
There has never been a better time to learn. At the very least I'll get you to protect yourself properly, even if it's a small progress. [ And they'll have plenty of the people to practice on if the footsteps he can hear behind him are anything to go by.
He offered up the staff to her. ]
no subject
But she's doubtful; Loki hadn't recognized Stark Industries, and Tony wouldn't have spoken to Loki at length without throwing his last name into the mix, particularly since Loki doesn't know them. She has to hope that Tony's just occupied, off saving the day as always. She's got her own part to play, and even without any formal training, Pepper knows that if she doesn't pay attention, things won't turn out well.
(And for the record? Tony has spent his life trying to redeem himself and his company since the realization of what was going on. Somehow Pepper doubts that Loki would end up saying the same.)
She watches, curious as Loki starts to search their would-be attackers, then stunned when he turns some random object into a staff. Her first assumption is that he's made a weapon for himself, but Pepper is quite wrong in that. When Loki makes his intentions clear, she honestly doesn't know what to think.
But she can hear the footsteps too, meaning there's not really time to question it.]
I'll find a way to manage. [She mutters the thought, words more spoken to herself than him. She takes the staff, wondering if it'll survive the heat of Extremis, capable of turning metal molten in seconds. But since that's also something she isn't going to voice to Loki, she nods towards her impromptu teacher.] What should I do?
no subject
Does redemption make up for all the people who no longer have families thanks for Stark Industries? Does it bring back lives? Does it temper hurt?
Funny thing is in the future Loki was doing them a favor. Thanos would have blown their entire planet to kingdom come from both Infinity Stones, but the Avengers aren't very good at seeing the bigger picture.
Why does she think she was never targeted? ]
As a general philosophy, distract them before you actually have to hurt them. You can leave the incapacitating to me.
[ Biding time works well when one doesn't really know how to fight for themselves or they're getting their footing. Burning a hole into the planet really isn't something he wants to experience either, not that he knows there is a threat to even worry about.
If he did he wouldn't be anywhere near her. ]
And, if you use both hands, you'll have an easier time swinging the staff if you need to.
[ Which she will if the shouting down the corridor is any indication. ]
no subject
But redemption is a tricky thing; even if it accomplishes none of those things, it's still something they have to strive for. They have to at least try to make the world better, and not by being the lesser of the evils.
So even if Loki were to speak of Thanos, claim his actions were for the better? She wouldn't accept it as an excuse for what he'd done, and certainly not a pardon. He's right in that she won't see what he claims to be the whole of the picture.
And Pepper's not ashamed of it in this case.]
Incapacitate only. [Does Loki need the reminder? Probably not. Yet for Pepper it still bears repeating to a being that's known for having a twisted sense of mercy.
But maybe it would offer him a small comfort to know that their situation isn't that dire. Certainly once Extremis activated within her, Pepper could do greater harm. But she's from a time after Tony has managed to stabilize the reaction itself, even if he hasn't undone the effects of the compound. Her DNA has been warped, mutated into something that haunts her to try and define, but she wouldn't die from it.
And neither would he.]
Okay. [Both hands then, and Pepper walks towards that shouting, holding the staff with all the expertise of someone who might have only carried a baseball bat once or twice in her life. She calls out to the guards once they come into view, smiling at the insanity of her own situation as she draws their attention to her.]
Hey guys; I think I got a little lost. I'm trying to find that illusive soulmate your company kept promising me, but so far, no luck.