( february intro log )

[hownkai]

Who: Everyone
When: February 1st and on
Where: The Moira + Emiri
What: The crew finds themselves on the planet of Emiri
Warnings: Mentions of a corpse. Please label your content!

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: MISCOMMUNICATION Somehow, 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: RESCUE During 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 OUT Now 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: REFUGEES Now 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.

( ooc; This plot is spread out over the first half of the month of February, and follows the order of the prompts listed above. Feel free to take as much time as you need to with your characters and use the info above for posts/logs at your discretion. For questions, go here. Please comment to activity check to receive new ranks (if applicable)! )

Comments

[abide]

[ The ironic thing about all of this is that he's suffered more than this before. His healing factor can't quite keep up with his spirit though, the drive to do what's right and protect those who can't save themselves, and even when faced with the alternative, Steve would always choose someone else over himself. But he trusts Bruce enough to momentarily relax, to go through the motions of being looked at and taken care of. It's easier when there's no eminent danger. ]

Sounds like they don't know much either. Someone should talk to them, figure out a plan... [ He takes a second to breathe because that decision to leap out of bed? Not a particularly good one. It means he couldn't have been unconscious all that long if nothing's really started to heal yet, and he eases back to pull at the thin thing they've given him in lieu of clothes. It comes away easy, the evidence of getting shot is in the gauze and bruising that's still running the length of him. His chest isn't the problem though, and aside from a split lip, his face reflects that too.

Steve turns a shoulder in an attempt to cooperate. ] There. [ He took two bullets, one not as fatal as the other, and he can still taste the blood in his mouth from it. His smile is a bit thin, trying for reassuring. ] I've had worse.

[hyperkinesia]

[ Bruce is relieved that he doesn't have to ask again, and that at least for now, he's managed to get Steve to sit down, instead of running around trying to do more when he really should be worrying about himself right now. It's not as if there's more he can do now anyway, there's no fight or pressing danger he needs to take care of, and making sure his recovery is quick and easy is the best way he can make himself useful again. ]

We will. We'll figure something out. [ He doesn't even know if he believes that himself, honestly. But if that's the way to get Steve's mind to not go a thousand miles an hour and stop for long enough for Bruce to look him over, then so be it.

His eyes still scan Steve's torso, eyebrows knit as he notes the injuries and the bruises, gaze flicking upwards to look at his shoulder, and the two gunshot wounds there. His eyes widen a little, and he looks at Steve's face, his eyebrows raising with an air of sarcasm to it, looking frankly unimpressed at the last remark. ] Really? Well, that's such a relief.

[ Bruce almost feels a taste of that blood himself, or maybe it's just the hint of bile when he sees the damage Steve took. Sighing, he starts feeling around the shoulder, checking first to see if there are any broken bones. He doubts it, but better safe than sorry. ] I take it you still have the bullets in there?

[abide]

And Wanda? How is she?

[ He knows it's probably a shot in the dark asking Bruce considering where they stand now, but over himself and the others they had (undoubtedly) left behind, Steve is concerned for her too. He'd been with her most of the way, and trying to make it back to the Moira with injuries like this must have been hard on her. There's the vague memory of the sniper on the roof and then— after Bruce was satisfied with his current medical state, he'd have to go see her regardless of how much bed rest anyone would force on him.

Steve meets that sarcasm with a light smile of his own, resting an arm on his thigh as he takes the question into account. ] I don't know. [ The pull of his own brows says maybe. He'd lost a lot of blood down there, and if Wanda had actually gotten them out without damaging anything... ] There wasn't time to do anything but shake it off. What do you think?

[ He trusts Bruce's professional medical opinion. Besides, there's only so much his own body can tell him, and right now, it's that he's exhausted more than anything else. ]

[hyperkinesia]

[ Things between Bruce and Wanda are tense, to put it mildly, but certain situations take precedence. It doesn't mean that he's anywhere near forgiving Wanda for what she did, much less so trusting her as he would any other team member he regularly works with, but making sure Steve is alive and well is more important than all that. ]

She's alright. She got in touch with me, when you were on the transporter. You were... she saved your life, actually. [ With his help and guidance, sure, but still, it was impressive to say the least. Overall she was much more of a teammate to Steve than Bruce himself. She had his back. She saved him and got him out of the planet, and stopped him from choking in his own blood. Bruce has wondered more than once why Steve would even put his trust on someone like her, knowing what she's capable of, but he'd be lying if he said that something like this doesn't shed a new light on her, even if only a dim one.

Quiet for a moment, eyebrows furrowed, Bruce considers his options, then looks over to one of the cabinets nearby. ] Hold on. They have a handy device here. [ He fetches a handheld scanner and goes back to where Steve is, immediately turning the device on and scanning his shoulder. It doesn't take him long at all to find the bullet lodged right against his shoulder blade. ] That's not so bad. Should be easy enough to pull out. As for the other one... [ He glances down to his other wound, the bandages covering it stained red again. ] Well, Wanda took it out. I'm guessing you don't remember that?

[abide]

[ He takes the news with a nod, trying to keep the frown minimal. There are some things he remembers more vividly than others, and most of it edges into shadow just as they'd gotten to the transporter to head back to the Moira; that must have been when he'd passed out. Steve easily recalls the slow pressure building in his chest, that blinding suffocation and the taste of too much blood... It reminds him of when he'd been younger—bad heart, bad lungs. But the differences are phenomenal considering the circumstances, and he looks up at Bruce as he sits through the scan, trying to piece together everything he's telling him. ]

I know we made it on board, but that's about it. I'll have to talk to her once I've been cleared. [ Well, once someone gets this bullet out of him and he finds a shirt. Which is the moment he breaks eye contact and glances down at his shoulder. He can't see the wound at this angle, but he can certainly feel it. It hasn't gotten any better since he'd sat down, so he imagines it's not going to be too pleasant when they dig it out. Steve shifts on the medical table with an inaudible sigh. ] Now's better than later. Can you do it?

[ It's asking a lot, but it's either him or one of the other medbay techs. And even if Bruce technically isn't that kind of doctor, he trusts him more than the potentially untrained people the captains have working in here. A lot more. So, those are the alternatives, and Steve gives him a look that clearly says tell me what to do. This time, he'd do it without argument. ]

[hyperkinesia]

[ That's exactly what Bruce imagines when he hears Steve saying 'cleared' - that he'll just run out of here the moment he gets the opportunity, whether he's told that it's safe or not for him to do so. Bruce doesn't say that out loud, though, instead continues to inspect the wound for a while, going through the options in his head right now. ]

I can call Wanda and ask her to come by once I'm done with this. [ He starts gathering some supplies, setting them down on a trolley next to the table where Steve's sitting. ] You should get some rest afterwards, anyway. You might be a super soldier, but that doesn't mean you can't get hurt seriously. Or die.

[ Said with a rather pointed look at the Captain, a slight frown that borderlines on Disappointed Dad vibe. There's a growing guilt beneath the surface, though, and it doesn't ease up much through it all. Even if Steve made it, he's still badly injured, and Bruce didn't do much at all to try and stop that from happening. ]

Lie down on your stomach. [ He gets a small vial from one of the drawers in the cart, as well as a syringe sealed up in a bag. ] I know these usually don't do much for you, but-- let's try a higher dose. If it helps with the pain even for a few seconds, it'll be better than nothing.

[abide]

I know, I know.

[ There's a lighter cant to his voice in an attempt to dissolve whatever disappointment Bruce might actually be directing at him for not wanting to sit still. He's always been more focused on others than himself, so it's only a natural progression for things to wind up like this in the end. Whether or not Bruce calls Wanda, or Steve does himself, it's still something that needs to be done. For now, he lets the other man assess and take control of the situation. ] Some things just got in the way, but I'll rest before I'm dead.

[ A bit of dry humor, though he uses his opposite side for support so he can turn and roll over onto the table. There's the pull of each wound and every bruise, but Steve's quiet about it aside from the slight twist of his mouth. He eyes the syringe from his position on his belly but doesn't comment. Steve doubts it'd even give him that much, but he'll take it if it puts Bruce at ease. ]

Ready when you are. [ Maybe he'll learn not to get shot anymore. One day. ]

[hyperkinesia]

[ Bruce knows Steve well enough to know that he would always put others before himself, and he can't really fault him for that - but the point is that right now, he doesn't have to. There's no immediate danger, no people to help or save, and so no reason for him to risk his own well-being. At this point, it would just be reckless and irresponsible to do so.

He gets a good dose of the anaesthetic, several times higher than one for an average human. He's going in a little blind here, which could be dangerous and he knows it, but digging out a bullet from a shoulder hurts a lot, and anything that can even so much as cut back some of the pain will help. Bruce sincerely hopes that this much anaesthetic will do something at least.

With the tools ready nearby, and slipping on a pair of gloves, he cleans up the skin the best he can to get as good a view of what he's doing as possible. Slowly, he injects the drug onto the area around the shoulder. He sets it down immediately, grabbing the pair of long thin pincers, not pausing much since he knows he's working on a very limited window of time here. ] Don't move. If it hurts... well, suck it up. [ With that, he turns his focus on the injury, hoping beyond hope that Steve really won't start shaking and twisting as he pushes the pincers into the wound, deeper until he reaches the spot where the bullet's lodged. ]