( 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

[hyperkinesia]

Yes, well. Try calling the other guy Bruce, that'll go over swimmingly.

"He is." He sounds pretty sure of that, for someone who's struggled with it so often in the past - still does even now, sometimes. "We're not the same. I can transform willingly and keep him under control, but he's still him-- something else."

[stompadour]

Jasper hesitates for a good long moment.

"...What's it like when he's... in control, then? Like you're trapped in there?"

[hyperkinesia]

"Like that, yes," he pauses, a good deal of hesitance on his end before he adds, not looking at her. "And like I'm being ripped apart from the inside out, too."

He would use the metaphor with the acid, but he figures she might understand it better, explained like this. Even then, it's difficult to convey how it feels, but he really wouldn't want anyone else to have to experience it, not to any degree.

[stompadour]

She nods, slowly. Honestly she doesn't need much prompting to understand; she's thinking of Malachite, the weight of the ocean, and chains. She tries to think of what it would be like to know that might happen again at any moment, and shudders, visibly.

"I know what that's like," she says. "You're stronger than I thought."

[hyperkinesia]

"Do you?" He looks up again, admittedly surprised and a little sympathetic towards Jasper. He doesn't know exactly how she knows, but if her experience is even a fraction of what he goes through during an unwilling transformation, then he knows it must be a horrible thing - maybe even as terrifying as it is to him. He's sorry to hear that anyone has ever experienced something like that.

The last remark gets a chuckle from him instead, though it lacks in amusement, and carries a hint of bitterness to it. "Thanks. I think."

[stompadour]

She snorts quietly. "After I fought the Hulk I thought it was pathetic to stay like that all the time when you could be strong," she explains. "But if it's like that..."

Jasper shakes her head. "If it was me, and it could happen whenever I... What you said about... adrenaline." Whatever that is. She doesn't seem troubled by needing a moment to remember the word; she looks him in the eye, with a respect that wasn't there before. "I'd be afraid all the time."

[hyperkinesia]

The first remark doesn't surprise him much. He got that impression from Jasper, at least, that she greatly values physical strength and prowess, so it wouldn't be a stretch to think that she would think poorly of him for not keeping himself as the Hulk all the time.

But it seems that Bruce has explained what it feels like well enough, because she sounds like she understands. Maybe in good part due to her own past experiences, sure, but she understands nonetheless.

He nods at her last words, his own gaze almost faltering, but he keeps his eye on hers for longer. "I'm honestly glad it's not you." Not because she'd be afraid, of course. He's afraid all the time too, he just doesn't tell her that. He's generally glad that it's not anyone else. Even those he might harbor ill will towards, he can't even begin to imagine what they would do with the ability to turn into a monster like that.

He still remembers Blonsky, and he remembers how much he even seemed to enjoy it. If anyone has to carry the burden then let it be him. He'll outlive the suffering anyway, and he'll never let the monster eat away at his conscience. That will only leave him with the last of his breath, that much he's sure of.

[stompadour]

"Hah," she says, steely-eyed. "Me too."

She claps one big orange hand on his shoulder – not especially hard, although it might make him stagger a little bit. "You're alright, human. I have to say I wondered why Peridot likes you so much, but I think I sort of get it."

[hyperkinesia]

It does make him stagger, especially when he wasn't expecting it, but he doesn't so much as complain, just offering her a small smile. "Thanks. That's nice to know." And he means it, honestly. Bruce has a feeling it's not easy to get on Jasper's good side, so he does appreciate that she thinks he's alright, especially when it's for something other than the monster inside him.

His smile turns a little more amused, head tilting slightly. "You're not so bad yourself."