( open ) i'll fly you to the moon and back

[initiates]

Date & Time: September 21st - September 30th, 11:59 PM
Location: The Hold, the Moon Base
Characters: Any/all.
Summary: The Transports are evacuating to the Moon Base. Those on the Moon Base try to settle in and figure out their next move. Setting info can be found here.
Warnings: Talk of nuclear warheads and reference to immense loss of life. Please contact the mods should any individual thread get graphically violent or anything else of the sort.
Note: Use date and location tags in your subject headlines! Such as "On the moon, 23rd onward" or "On the spaceship, 25th" or "down at the Hold, 29th."

The Hold is a flurry of activity, grim faced members of the Initiative group directing supplies and people with the subdued air of people facing their own doom, and wondering at how to process the knowledge. None of the Initiative appears unaware of what will happen; their eyes linger on the Transports, expressions pleading, hopeful, doubtful, or immeasurably sad in turn.

Every eight hours, the space ship is sent back up with a load of people and supplies. The pilots are worked until they can't; the AI stolen ages ago by the Initiative greets and corrals people and supplies at both ends, and in the middle step between.

The network continues to broadcast on narrow channels between the Moon Base and Exsilium, up until the time that all connections are lost, with the carrier located en route to Exsilium. The first airship will pass by without dropping anything, but it's too early to celebrate. At a six hour delay from behind, the second airship arrives, and with it, the dark promise of the Black Code's nuclear weaponry.

The six hour window allows for time for those left behind, either by choice or circumstance, to be pulled to the Moon Base with the successful activation of the Transport Pad. New characters will ultimately arrive with the remainder of those not yet on the Moon Base, all in time to witness the explosive contact of the nuclear warhead with the ground of Exsilium live on satellite.

But until then, there's only the hurry, the silence, and the potential for full out rioting should the Transports spread word to the Exiles inevitably left behind to face this fate.

Comments

[senseandcecilbility]

[Why does everybody hate his alcohol.

Still pressing the handkerchief to his nose, Kevin stands up on rather unsteady legs, now keenly aware of the scene they - no, Chrono is making in public. All this yelling about his divinity, G-good Lord.]

...I do not quite follow you, sir. [He looks at the demon levelly. Don't you dare.] I am merely a house steward.

[overclocking]

[Really?

Really?

Really.

Any other day, Chrono would have cut his losses and walked away. Any other day he would have deemed nothing about this conversation or this person worthwhile. But today he feels like every single one of his nerves is exposed, and it's thoroughly clouding his rationality. This coward—

He takes another defiant step forward, bristling, not entirely sure what his plan is.]

/DRAMATIC ENTRANCE

[rittersjuwel]

[Satella might be having the worst day she's had in a long, long time. Her head is still aching from last night's drinking, she's disoriented, she hasn't quite had time to absorb her new situation, and now she's stumbling through dimly-lit corridors as she tries to find some sense of security in the strange building she's found herself in.

The signs pointing the way to the cafeteria immediately catch her interest. She just desperately hopes they have coffee. She could really, really use some coffee right about now. That would hopefully help with the hangover, and the exhaustion, and give her a chance to sit and mull over the war she's somehow been dropped into.

When she enters the room, she vaguely realizes there's a familiar voice being raised in an argument, but it's not until there's a crash of a glass being thrown to the floor that it grabs her full attention. The scene in front of her causes several thoughts to appear in her mind in rapid succession.

First, just the realization that it's CHRONO that she's looking at. There's someone from home here! It's not ideal--she'd prefer Steiner, frankly--but still, he's something of a friend and she likes him quite a bit, so it's a comfort.

But then she realizes that HE was the one responsible for the glass, and that he's now angrily accusing a stranger of...something. Exactly what they're arguing about she can't say, considering she's heard so little of their words. Some sort of religious debate?

Whatever it is, Chrono seems FURIOUS. And she's become acquainted with his temper. He doesn't seem quite as riled up yet, but it wasn't all that long ago that she saw Chrono attack a group of mummies in an primal rage. She's still unsure how much of that temper is part of the "real" Chrono, but she's learned one thing--that's not all there is to him. He can also be kind, and he seemed upset when he realized that he allowed himself to get so angry.

She has no idea what his quarrel with the British man is, but a part of her thinks it might also be something he regrets if he gets too violent. It wouldn't do to allow (what she thinks is) her only friend here to do something he regrets--plus, she can't stand seeing such a cute boy look sad. So she makes her way over to the arguing pair.

From Chrono and Kevin's perspective, it probably seems rather dramatic. There's a click of high heels against the cold floor behind Chrono as he takes a step forward, and then the silhouette of a woman slowly appears out of the darkness. As she gets closer, the dim lighting reveals red hair, pale skin, and a frowning expression--with brown eyes looking pointedly down at the boy in front of her. Her voice is stern, like a teacher scolding a child throwing a temper tantrum, and its accent reveals her German background.]

I hope this man did something particularly awful to deserve a good drink being wasted.

Re: /DRAMATIC ENTRANCE

[senseandcecilbility]

[Kevin has taken a step backward, staring down at the tiny demon, much like a well-mannered policeman would gaze upon the drunken bum who has suddenly decided to attack him in the middle the street. His whole posture is a mix of fair warning and honest disbelief. What is the demon's problem? Does he really wish to die this badly?

He is startled by the sudden appearance of the German lady. And his first reaction is to defend her from the apparently deranged demon. However, he soon senses something wrong about her, some sort of taint he cannot quite define, and for a while he wonders if Chrono is affecting her somehow. Or peradventure he is face to face with a witch? My, he has not seen a proper witch since the Renaissance, but still...

Still, the potential witch and drinking buddy does speak with great wisdom.]

Good evening, madam. I fear your guess is as good as mine...

[overclocking]

[Excuse you Kevin, there are two drunkards here and Chrono isn't one of them.

It's been three months, but that voice and that accent are unmistakeable... Chrono's surprised and distracted enough that he aborts whatever frustrated, likely-violent move he was making toward Kevin. He wheels around instead, eyes wide in the dim light, and looks... up.

Satella. He's struck by one part strange relief, one part dread, one part confusion. He hadn't considered the possibility of more arrivals from home, at least not for a while—so many other things had demanded his attention. Now he's face-to-face (or face-to-not-quite-face, thanks to... height issues...) with that possibility.

... Her timing is as horrid as ever.]

S- Satella? [Alas, it seems the demon is already friends with everyone Kevin wants for potential drinking-or-gambling partners.]

[rittersjuwel]

[She smiles at Chrono's surprised reaction--it's cute!--and gives the pair a shrug.]

Hello, Chrono. Did I come at a bad time?

[She turns her attention back to the other man.]

I apologize on the boy's behalf. Usually he's better behaved than this.

[As far as she can tell. She only recently decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.]

[senseandcecilbility]

[There are no drunkards here, okay.]

Ah, I take you know each other? [He sounds a little deponent. And, no, he doesn't believe Chrono could ever be well-behaved.

F-forgive me. Kevin Cecil, madam. [He steps further away from the nasty berserk demon to take a formal bow. ] It is a pleasure to meet you.

[overclocking]

Er... yes, a bit.

[He shoots Kevin a look that is nothing short of vitriolic and contemptuous; he's done trying to make this fool see sense, and concedes that there's no point drawing this out. When he turns back to Satella, though, a smile is plastered firmly in place.]

In fact, I should probably go deal with... things. [Things, he is a goddamned master of tact and stealth.] I would hate to waste this gentleman's time any more than I already have.

[With that, he turns on his heel and stalks off. Very serenely (except not at all).]

[rittersjuwel]

Ah-! Chrono! [She definitely didn't expect Chrono to storm off like that. How strange! Whatever the argument was, he must be awfully upset...

She sighs, and gives Kevin a nod of acknowledgement.]

Satella Harvenheit. A pleasure to meet you, sir, despite the circumstances.

[senseandcecilbility]

...

[Stupid demon, storming off and leaving him with the responsibility to provide all the awkward explanations to a complete stranger. How is that fair?]

Miss Hervenheit. My apologies if that...[argument?] ...has disrupted your nightly promenade.

[rittersjuwel]

[She takes a seat at the table.] Oh, no, not too much. I'm just glad he caught my attention. I think I would've passed right by him, otherwise.

[senseandcecilbility]

[He nods politely and takes a seat just in front of her. That coward, couldn't he just stay and socialized a little? Worse, Miss Hervenheit seems happy to have met Chrono in the Moon. Kevin wonders if she is the same as Rosette, that is, helplessly infatuated with the evil creature.]

Very well, madam. Unfortunately, as you have so accurately noticed, I have run out of refreshments. Would you care for coffee or tea?

[rittersjuwel]

[Oh Kevin, if only you knew. Let's just say it's a good thing she isn't drunk.]

Coffee, please. Thank you.

[senseandcecilbility]

[What is his life. He stands up immediately, bypasses the coffee machine and starts preparing coffee the old way. Those are well practiced and careful hands of someone who takes his job very seriously, even if they are shaking as if they belonged to an old man.]

I fear your acquaintance and I cannot get along. For the base's peacefulness, it might be better that we avoid each other from now on.

[rittersjuwel]

[Strange. She never found Chrono particularly hard to get along with, even though she threatened to kill him after knowing him for less than a day.

But she's not going to pry too much, not with a stranger. It's hard for her to judge the situation at the moment and she's not in the mood to get involved in a fight.]

I'm sorry to hear that. But if that's what you think has to be done, it is what it is...

[senseandcecilbility]

[The lady certainly has her coffee, and it is better than whatever this wretched place has to offer, thanks to his relatively peaceful afternoon of strolling, bantering and mutual fussing with Mister Gilbert. ]

I believe it is for the best, madam. I wonder if you are also familiar with Sister Rosette?

[rittersjuwel]

[She lets out a quick snort, breaking the illusion of her being at all ladylike for a moment.]

Unfortunately! Just last night, out of the kindness of my heart, I invited her over for dinner and she got roaring drunk and smashed hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of art!

[She stops to take a sip of coffee--and to her surprise, it's quite good! Not as good as Steiner's--or Florette's, for that matter--but still, better than she expected out of this place.]

I should've known she'd be a violent drunk. Perhaps that's why he's such a teetotaler.

[senseandcecilbility]

[Naturally, he blames her demonic influence for the unlandylike demeanor. He also very much wishes to defend Rosette, but he realizes that is exactly something she would do.]

Are you also a hm...exorcist?

[Exorcists with actual fire guns, Good Lord.]

[rittersjuwel]

[That makes her laugh.]

Goodness, no! I could never work in a stuffy monastery. I'd go mad! But I suppose you could say we work in the same field. I'm a bounty hunter that specializes in eliminating demons and other supernatural threats. I just do it with less preaching and more actual skill.

[senseandcecilbility]

Oh, what a fascinating lifestyle!

[Eliminating demons sounds like an excellent calling, as far as Kevin is concerned.]

Ah...Actually, I happen to be a priest. Though being a priest is only something I do during my spare time so I can stay close to my young master.

[rittersjuwel]

[Ahh, interesting. She'd caught his mention of being a steward, and he certainly reminded her enough of Steiner, but she hadn't expected him to be a priest as well. That might explain why Chrono would end up in some sort of religious debate with him.]

Well, I don't care much for priests, but I have a lot of respect for people in your other line of work, so they cancel out. [Her tone is lighthearted--she doesn't really dislike priests that much. She has her issues with the church, but not to the point that she'd unfairly judge a believer. She wouldn't be planning on traveling with Rosette's group if she did.] I hope you'll forgive me if I don't show up for service on Sundays.

[senseandcecilbility]

[He laughs at her comment. It is a warm and crystalline sound. The truth is, most of the time, he also prefers being a house steward.]

There is nothing to forgive, madam. My young master never does.

[rittersjuwel]

[She grins.] It sounds like your master and I might have a little in common!

[senseandcecilbility]

[And they are both demon-influenced as well, though in different ways.]

So it would seem, though he would still argue that demons and exorcists do not exist.

[rittersjuwel]

Ah, so he's the sort of person that refuses to believe in the supernatural at all.