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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.
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hownkai) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
thisavrou_log2016-02-01 11:09 am
late with starbucks
...Then they both turn a corner, and there's a giant robot. Right there. Backing away from an entire squad of Emiri police, and Tali is distracted for a long moment as her jaw drops and she stares unabashedly, frozen in place.
Her combat drone, however, is not frozen in place. And maybe Riptide's MID is high enough to be outside of its scanning range; maybe Tali programmed in some kind of robots are the enemy protocols ages ago and just forgot about them; maybe Tali's ancestors just hate her going back seven solid generations. Whatever the case, the combat drone dutifully floats its way over towards this giant robot's robot ankle, noticed by Tali only when it's in the middle of charging, at which point her frantic yell of--]
Wait, no--
[--is entirely ignored.
Maybe. If she's very lucky. The giant robot will not notice. Or at the very least will not notice her.]
is it at least a good coffee
confident the emiri security won't be bugging him for now (he might be right. there's only so much they can do with a giant robot who doesn't really appear to be trying to murder anyone and actively avoiding property damage with the weapons they have. riptide really hopes they didn't call in a tank without him realising), he gives them one last frown then turns around to see who's zapping him.
he looks around. then down.
aww. look at the little guy. riptide crouches down, resting his arms on his knees.]
Aw. They try to get you too, buddy? [he's aware this thing isn't sentient, but at this point riptide doesn't even care. he casts a glare over his shoulder.] Or are you working for them...
trick question, all coffee is good coffee
The drone is a VI - intelligent enough that Tali can give it voice commands and it'll understand them on a basic level; that she can program it not to attack anyone with an MID. But it's not intelligent enough to know that when something is X to the power of Y times bigger than you, you should probably leave it alone. Luckily, Riptide crouching is what brings the MID into scanner range, and the drone immediately deactivates the electric pulse and hovers in place, waiting for further instructions.
Tali's mouth is too dry to give further instructions. At least the robot hasn't stomped on her drone...or even noticed her. Actually, it's being downright friendly, all things considered. And she's just wondering if she can look innocent, leave her drone to its fate and go completely unnoticed herself...
...when the drone seems to decide that, in the absence of instructions, it should make its way back over to her. And that's exactly what it does, casting pink lights across the street and bobbing over the more uneven bits of road. It reaches her, stops. And waits.]
Thanks, Chiktikka.
[In that second, she wishes Chiktikka was intelligent enough to understand the full scope of her wrath.]
correct
Hey, he did a good job.
[he doesn't say anything else, waiting to see how tali reacts. maybe she'll run screaming now he is focused on her, maybe something else will happen. WHOOO KNOOOWSSS]
no subject
It's not a logical fear - there's no reason for it, and she's telling herself that over and over again. The robot hasn't attacked her, and she wouldn't be this scared of a giant organic (...probably). But a robot? Well, you can't escape some fears even universes away.]
Your... [She has to swallow, her voice is faint, crackling over her dry throat.] Your MID was too high up for the scanners. I didn't think any Moira crew members would be more than about ten feet tall.
[That's the only reason her drone would get confused like that and stop - if it had found an MID.]
no subject
It's a big universe, you'd be surprised what's out there. With, uh. The huge crew members. [he rubs the back of his head awkwardly.] ...Sorry?
[what else does he say HE'S NEVER HAD TO DEAL WITH A SCARED LITTLE ORGANIC BEFORE]
no subject
Something she once told Shepard, years ago, back home, suddenly occurs to her - that AI don't need organics to survive or thrive. They don't fit into organic culture in ways that don't involve subjugating them - something no sentient being would (or should) tolerate. And if you don't need each other, if there's nothing you can offer each other... It changes all the rules.
Being kidnapped into another dimension and being forced to work together? Yeah, that changes the rules as well, and she has no idea what to do with herself. She's flustered - and the apology just makes her more so.]
I... Yeah, I've definitely been surprised before. [She clears her throat. Tries to make her voice sound stronger.] Wh-- [That was nearly 'what'. She changes tack at top speed.] Who are you?
no subject
she knows about the mid, that's what clued riptide into her being a crew member. he doesn't want to embitter any crew members to cybertronians right off the bat; even if he isn't aware of the Alternate Universe Thing, he knows they have kind of a bad rep. millions of years of war and ruining multiple planets does that.
he holds his hands up.] My name's Riptide. I'm an Autobot. And, uh, also, very confused.
no subject
Only then does she look back upwards, and there's the tiniest note of defiance in her voice.] I'm looking up at the giant AI I didn't know I shared a ship with, so that makes two of us.
no subject
[he says it almost immediately, a note of defiance creeping into his own voice.]
no subject
What do you mean?
[The wrong part wins.]
no subject
[he tries to keep the irritation out his voice.]
I wasn't programmed. I'm not an AI. Not even close.
no subject
[The less she thinks about childbirth and robots in the same sort of mental train, the happier she'll be.
This is almost good. Incredulity is much more comfortable than fear.]
no subject
he doesn't react, outwardly.]
Yes, small alien. I just popped out the ground one day.
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You must have been the shiniest tree in the orchard.
[She sounds completely serious. Not in the slightest bit sarcastic.
...Should have stayed terrified out of her wits. It suited her better.]
no subject
[he shakes his head.]
Listen, this is really not the place for this conversation. Let me take you back to the ship and we can yell at each other another time.
no subject
...Then the robot's offering to take her back to the ship, and she tenses instantly, stammering, sarcasm entirely forgotten.] Ahh... I don't...
No, I can get a shuttle. There's probably one leaving soon from...somewhere. [There probably isn't.] It's fine, but, uh...thanks...anyway.
no subject
You know, I can't help but feel a little bit of scepticism there. I won't try and assimilate you, promise.
[a pause, and then he adds with a grin:] This time.
no subject
(And who the hell would make a giant robot that could raise its eyebrows?)]
I just-- [She starts during the pause, but then that, and she doesn't know if she's scared or angry. And if she's angry, she doesn't know if it's at him for actually making fun of her or herself for making it easy.]
I was more worried about crushing than...than assimilating. [She nearly splutters the last word out.]
no subject
[not to mention she looks like a toothpick! riptide doesn't have a lot of experience with picking up small organics, but tali is one he would feel weird about. maybe just hold her on a piece of corrugated metal, like a human would a spider, just without the cup.]
I won't crush you. That's just... eugh, not right.