MISSION: GET TO ZE CHOPPA

[initiatesnpc]

Date & Time: August 23rd, 2753 (OOCly forward-dated to the 1st)
Location: Uruguay National Defense HQ
Characters: All transports!
Summary: All transports are sent back to Uruguay to download a self-aware AI before it gets bombed out of existence by an early incarnation of the UE. Time distortion effects will be set right either on the way there or on the way back, according to player choice.
Warnings: violence, action movie tension, 3 terabytes of foot fetish porn.

The Transporter drops the entire transport population into what will quickly be established as Home Base, a mile from the vast, sprawling facility that is Uruguay's National Defense HQ. The low roar of helidrones moving above is pervasive, but the black ships can only be glimpsed here and there through the thick cover of trees overhead. If you keep calm and quiet, it's likely you won't be spotted. It's the UND HQ their attention is on, after all.

The population is quickly sorted by attending Initiate employees according to who volunteers to fight and who volunteers to protect, along with those with enough skill to access the computers, and those with enough skill to get them there. The fighters move out first, off to intercept the early UE's ships and ground troops, and to draw the automated defense systems of the facility alike. They'll be in a crossfire, and neither side will be happy to see them there.

The techies and their escorts are sent out far more quietly, in groups of three. Their task is to sneak past the front lines and into the facility itself. There might be alarms and automated defense drones, so those escorts may well be called on to earn their keep. The Initiative can't give any information about which building will house the AI's mainframe, that information was long since lost to history. All they can do is send out enough people to hope that one of them manages to find it.

And remember — as soon as the UE troops withdraw, there will only be minutes until the bomb drops. Everyone would do well to work fast.



[[ Mission information is here, and the techie/escort teams, along with their hacking results, are here. Each techie/escort group will have their own established thread, but Team Distraction and Team We'll Stay Here, Thanks are welcome to thread where ever and however they like! The newbie log that goes up on the 1st will also encompass the arrival back in Exsilium, if you'd like to play that out as well. ]]

Comments

[blacklord]

[ He meets Koltira's gaze, looking sadder than ever. His eyes take in the cracks in Koltira's skin, the cold eyes, the hard expression. ]

I... [ I'm sorry, he means to say, but he's said it so many times already. So he bites that back and his eyes drop down to Byfrost, to the ugly shadows that surround it. ] So you've changed.

[deadelfwalking]

Yes. Clearly.

[He's not trying to be unkind. But shame over the past two weeks roils inside of him--along with the memory of Bariyan's last words.

I'm using you.

He wonders how much alike this Bariyan and the one he knows so well really are.]

[blacklord]

[ Bariyan flinches mentally at Koltira's tone, but stands his ground. He still keeps his eyes on Byfrost; the sword is easier to look at, for the moment. ]

I don't know what to say, except that I'm sorry. Again. For my behavior. Though I'd hoped to catch you before you... left, I suppose. [ He looks at Koltira now. Left? Is that the word he's looking for? He smiles, and the expression comes easily to him, empty as it is. ] But I wasn't able to find you.

[deadelfwalking]

Keep your apology. I did not want it then, and I don't want it now.

[The edge has drained from his tone, replaced with weariness, bordering on sorrow. He sits down where he is, folding one long leg over the other, and setting Byfrost down flat beside him. He stares down at his lap.]

[blacklord]

It's your choice to take it or leave it, but I'll offer it anyway. It's the only thing I can do. Maybe you'll accept it, in the future.

[ He looks down at Koltira, still wondering on what had happened to him. On how he'd changed. How, in his own timeframe, how he'd transformed from the man that Bariyan remembers to what he is now; and how, in this timeframe, here and gone again in just a matter of days. Was that what would happen to Bariyan, too?

His smile does not falter, not in the face of Koltira's rejection, and not in the face of these new thoughts. ]

I'll be gone, soon, I suppose... I want to leave behind as little regret as possible. For you and the rest, I mean. [ Now Bariyan's smile fades, and he rubs at the back of his neck, looking and sounding slightly more distressed. ] Though I've already made a mess of that.

[deadelfwalking]

[He scowls.]

You misunderstand me. There's nothing to apologize for. I wasn't trying to get anything from you in the first place, Bariyan. I was not looking for anything. I was simply trying to be your friend.

[As always. He just shakes his head.]

It's my own fault. I should not have been so forward. I was a fool when I was alive.

[blacklord]

I was, though. [ murmured, subdued in the face of what he perceives as anger. ] I was looking for something. I should not have been.

[ Bariyan shuffles a little closer, tilting his head to one side, studying the man before him. ]

I like-- I liked you. And how forward you were. You were very good to me. You made my time here a little easier, so... it's unfair that I made yours harder, instead.

[deadelfwalking]

[He shuts his eyes, exhaling false breath.]

Well--making it easier was all I had wanted to do. So there's still nothing you need to apologize for.

[He's accustomed to it, honestly; this version more than ever. He's been thoroughly used, by different people, for different reasons. But his status as a means to an end has been constant for years. He supposes it actually hasn't been any different on Exsilium. But then, why should it be?]

[blacklord]

[ Bariyan sighs, not out of exasperation, but something fast approaching sorrow.

He goes down on his knees, bringing himself level with Koltira again. ]

And I'm truly sorry that you feel that way.

[ Then he reaches out, gathering Koltira's hair to carefully brush out of his face, to tuck behind one long ear. The action is cautious, and Bariyan watches for Koltira's reaction. He hopes, gods, he is hoping that Koltira won't shove him away. ]

[deadelfwalking]

[Koltira stiffens at the touch, looking up in surprise; his eyes trail Bariyan's movements, widening as Bariyan grazes his ear--the nerves there are still sensitive, even in undeath. He stays where he is, but he mutters.]

You will likely not want to do that.

[His body cannot retain heat, so he is, of course, quite chilly against the skin.]

[blacklord]

[ That is... surprising. Bariyan hadn't been expecting a complete lack of body heat. But he forces his hand to stay, moving away from the ear to hold Koltira's jaw instead. His thumb finds one of the cracks in Koltira's skin. Bariyan sighs, soft and sad. A pity, really. But.... ]

You're still beautiful.

[ He draws in a little closer, bringing his other hand to cup the other side of Koltira's face. He looks at Koltira and begins to speak in earnest. ]

I'm under the impression that this mission is to set things right. So I don't expect to be here much longer. I just wanted to say that I'm glad we met, even if you aren't, which would be understandable -- you don't have to say. [ He smiles, faintly. ] But thank you, anyway.

[ Bariyan leans in, and presses a careful kiss to the corner of Koltira's mouth. It's the best and only apology that he can give.

Then he moves to pull away entirely, to stand, to leave. ]

[deadelfwalking]

[He closes his eyes again at Bariyan's fingers, at the kiss. He flinches, inwardly, at being called 'beautiful', so much that the rest of Bariyan's words hardly register. His voice is even rougher than usual when he speaks.]

I don't ... I did not ... the rest of it doesn't matter. Whatever other lie you were telling me. But don't--don't tell me that. Don't lie to me about that. I--am--a monster. So.

[He clenches his fists on his lap.] Don't.

[blacklord]

[ Bariyan is already on his feet when Koltira finishes speaking. It's obvious that he doesn't know this Koltira at all, even less so than the other one, and so he won't push the matter.

But he lingers long enough to lean down again, to cup Koltira's jaw with one hand and tilt his face up. Bariyan smiles down at him, warm and affectionate and sadder than he himself realizes. ]

No lies. I promise. I'm a dead man, Koltira -- I have no reason to lie to you.

[ He wishes he could stay, still. He wishes he could stay, and learn of what had happened to Koltira, and make better amends. He wishes he could be Koltira's friend. He wishes....

He lets go, and draws back. ]

Goodbye, Koltira.

[ Bariyan turns his back. Bariyan leaves. ]

[deadelfwalking]

[GODDAMN RIGHT YOU'RE A DEAD MAN. IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE.]