MISSION: RELEASE THEM BACK INTO THE WILD

[initiates]

Date & Time: April 27th - May 1st
Location: Wollongong, Australia, 2464.
Characters: All voluntary transports + maybe a few drafted ones.
Summary: Make those stay-at-homes leave their nerdcaves! My god, do they even know what sunshine looks like???
Warnings: none planned, will be updated accordingly!

The city is old, dark, and very, very quiet. A good deal of the buildings are crumbling and old, but the ones that are actually inhabited glow like candles in the dusk the Transporter has dropped you into. All of these buildings are infested by wiring pouring in from every angle, ensuring that each inhabitant in his or her little block of a room has every modern convenience available in 2464.

There is no one on the streets, no public transportation, and even cars look scarce. But that doesn't mean there's no movement. Maintenance drones, controlled remotely, run deliveries or work repairs. Armed law enforcement drones patrol on rounds through the city, although their mechanized attention is mostly turned outward. Still, they might come to investigate a ruckus within the city limits. And if the persons causing the ruckus don't respond to peaceful attempts to get them to cease, the drones might attempt to subdue them with paralyzing technology and haul them in for a night in the city jail — another dark, unused place.

If you get hungry, there are entire warehouses dedicated to the production of foods. It can't be that hard to sneak in and collect a meal, right? Or you can hack into the system and order whatever you want, if you're good with that kind of thing. Or you can just scavenge—or fast for four days, maybe—if thieving and hacking aren't your style.

And somewhere around here, in those glowing, secluded towers, behind the legions of automated drones, live the reclusive citizens of Wollongong. The methods are up to you, as long as you can get them to come out and breathe the fresh air somehow.

[[ ooc; Mission details are here! This will run from 27th of April to May 1st, with those on the mission returning to Exsilium at the same time that the new arrivals show up. It's an optional mission, but if you'd like your character to go along that would ICly sit it out, feel free to say that the Initiative drafted them for this one.

There aren't any teams or structured threads to this one, so go wild! ]]

Comments

Re: A

[givetheslip]

[For all its unfamiliarity as part of an alien future, the city struck Maria as decidedly dull and desolate. Advanced in what technology, certainly, or they wouldn't be here—but what did the residents do with it? It didn't seem like much.

She'd begun to get a decent sense of Wollongong's layout when she turned a corner and spotted Altaïr. She went tense for a moment, then relaxed—even if he didn't remember her, they'd managed to come to some understanding, and that was worth something. At least she hadn't let him sneak up on her this time.]

You've never struck me as a saboteur. Or is that another of your skills I've yet to learn about?

[livethecreed]

[Altaïr heard Maria's footsteps behind him before she spoke and could only think he needed to work with her on walking softer. She was no longer wearing the heavy armors he remembered fighting her in, but she still walked as if weighed down by it. That would have to be remedied if she insisted on any training with him. Or if she stayed near.]

I believe those whom the Order had been sent after would see us as such. Hiding amongst crowds so one's blade could not be seen was not so different from this, it was merely a different goal.

[givetheslip]

I can think of a lot of ways your targets would describe you if they could, and that's not one of them—but I suppose the term does apply.

[She caught up to him and regarded him curiously.]

Are you really here to disrupt things like they asked?

[livethecreed]

[He sent her a smirk at that. He knew his targets thought of him in many unflattering ways, and that she'd probably thought of some herself. It was inevitable considering what he did.]

I will eventually. But first I have my own reasons for being here.

[He eyed her a bit before continuing]

Have you seen anything that sells or carries weapons? [He really needs more than just his hidden blade.]

[givetheslip]

[She shook her head.]

No, but I haven't been looking. I wanted to learn my way around before anything else—we may only be here for a few days, but I don't want to find myself in a bad situation with no idea where to run.

[Actually, wait. That reminded her—something was different about him.]

Did something happen to the ones you had? The first time I saw you, I'd have expected it to rain knives if someone shook you.

[livethecreed]

[Her description of his usual adornment had him crooking a brow at her. The imagery her words created was quite unusual.]

I was brought here before I could replace the weapons I lost whilst fighting Robert and Al Mualim. And our captors here have not been so kind as to provide what I need. [A fact which has not endeared them to him. At all.]

[givetheslip]

[She raised an eyebrow.] Those must have been difficult battles, then.

[Not that that was particularly surprising. The master of the Assassins would have had the title for a reason, and she knew well Robert's battle prowess.]

I'm afraid I can't help—I've just got the one knife myself, and my sword. But there must be something here you could use, no matter how housebound the people here are.

[livethecreed]

To say the least. [He's NOT going to get into how difficult they'd been. Fighting the waves of enemies to get to Robert and Richard had not compared to making his way through Masyaf nor to fighting the phantoms the Apple had summoned.]

The one who sent us here mentioned being sure to not draw the attention of 'law enforcement drones'. Whatever those are, I'm sure they have some form of weaponry.

[givetheslip]

[She was relieved when he decided to leave it at that. Just because she understood why and how Robert had sealed his own doom didn't mean she particularly wanted to her about his death—rather, the death of the man she'd once thought he was.]

Perhaps we should take a look for them, then. [She rested one hand on her knife sheath.] It shouldn't be that difficult if they're common enough for us to be wary.

[livethecreed]

My thoughts exactly. Our presence outside may even lead to their investigating.

In the meantime, continuing to scout the city may be in our best interest. It would be unfortunate to find ourselves outmatched with no way to escape. [Her use of 'we' had him assuming she would be continuing with him.]

[givetheslip]

[Despite her knowledge that she and Altaïr had been plucked from different points in their timelines, they'd traveled together just long enough for it to seem natural that they'd team up here. Not to mention that the city seemed empty and boring without company, mission aside.]

I agree. [She nodded in the direction he'd been heading.] This way?

[livethecreed]

Let's. [He motioned for her to proceed him, not quite willing to have her at his back.

They walked for a few blocks before Altaïr spoke up again.]

Did you learn to free run while in Cyprus?

[givetheslip]

Is that what you call it?

[She glanced back at him, remembering how she'd seen him move through and above the Cypriot cities. It hadn't been like normal men moved.]

No. Maybe that's why I kept getting recaptured.

[livethecreed]

It is. And perhaps knowing how to do so would save you in the future.

[A glance around shows the buildings close together and all of a similar size. Perfect for teaching.]

Can you climb that? [He gestures at once of the nearby walls, one with plenty of ledges to use as hand-holds or steps. It should be easy for one in good enough shape.]

[givetheslip]

[She hesitates, biting back an automatic 'no.' Walls traditionally aren't for climbing in her world, at least not since she was a child, but she finds herself not wanting to be a disappointment, and there are plenty of smaller steps, when she looks at it.]

I can try.

[livethecreed]

[His gesture towards said wall was a clear 'well do so' even as he stepped back to observe her movements. He'd do his best to catch her if she fell, but he hoped he didn't have to.]

I will follow once you are on the roof.

[givetheslip]

All right, then.

[She turned to the wall and focused on how she was going to get up it, blocking her mind of Altaïr's presence as best she could. There was no point in looking all the way up just yet--she had to get up the part of the wall that was in front of her at first.

How would an Assassin climb? She'd seen it often enough with her own eyes. With a set path up the wall in mind, Maria did her best to imitate those movements, and though she knew she lacked Altaïr's easy grace and blinding speed, she made it up handhold by handhold, foot by foot. Only once did she nearly slip, and after catching herself she attacked the wall with twice the determination until she reached the top.]

[livethecreed]

[He observed her movements closely as she climbed, and when her grip slipped he felt himself moving forward in case she fell. She gained back her footing almost immediately however and he stepped back to observe once more.

Maria clearly wasn't used to climbing such as this, but her movements and choice of path showed a promise most recruits didn't have. The Templars were fools for letting her go. With a bit of training she would be an unstoppable force for the Brotherhood, and as long as they didn't deceive her she would be unfailingly loyal. Idiots.

Once she'd pulled herself to the top he moved towards the fall, taking a different path up so she could see how to swing one's self from one ledge to another. It took him only moments to reach the roof and he turned to ace her once he'd straightened up.]

Good. Your prior training appears to be benefiting you.

Come, we can travel up here faster and it shall provide a better view of the area.

[givetheslip]

[She was a little breathless, since this wasn't her normal sort of physical rigor, but the training sessions she'd attended had kept her from falling too far from the standards set by her former life.

She watched Altaïr carefully as he moved. Of course she'd seen it before, but never with the intent of learning it herself. It was hard to imagine herself in his place, but she'd never backed down from a challenge before.]

Thank you.

Lead the way, then? You're more experienced than I up here.