(open) crash into me

[whatsupcroc]

Date & Time: Mid-afternoon Sunday, May 5th
Location: The Hold and Housing Complex
Characters: All who wish to be in the vicinity!
Summary: The Initiative asked for the Housing Complex to be evacuated starting early morning on 5/5, in preparation for the expected landing of the spaceship stolen from the United Earth. The landing goes horribly wrong when an undiscovered bomb detonates onboard the ship, causing partial engine failure. The ship proceeds to be crash landed into the Housing Complex; no lives, however, are lost.

Warnings: Spaceship crash landings it's all horrible!
Notes: Respond in action tags or prose, as you please!

The ship breaks cloud-cover as a spot of light in the dreary skies, leaving behind the beauty of sunlight above the broken cloud layer as it continues to descend. With the Initiative having instigated an evacuation of the area ahead of time, just in case, those watching in the light drizzle may find it an interesting sight to behold.

Doubtlessly, the United Earth, from its great distance, may have also found it interesting.

The first sign of something going wrong is an explosion visible from the ground. People who hear it might startle; the ship itself goes from a smooth, controlled flight path to one wobbly and filled with dark, flaming smoke. The whine of its remaining engine is slower to reach the ground, though the ship itself seems to pick up a spiraling speed, still controlled to those familiar with watching things that fly come crashing down to the ground.

The Initiative members on the ground are calling for people to get back and take cover. Inside the main Hold, one man at the transport pads hears his radio blast to life and swallows past his own fear, glancing at the active pad waiting to pull in another unlucky soul.

When the ship hits the Housing Complex, it demolishes the upper levels, though the force with which it hits doesn't seem to be the same as what it should be. Combined telekinetic buffering and excellent piloting from a former Guardian of the Universe Galaxy keeps damage to a catastrophic minimum.

Welcome to the fallout. What will you do from here?

Comments

[retraced]

[It's a voice he'd just been listening to a moment ago, though Vincent's had taken the place of Leo's as soon as the fight had started. Keep your eyes on me, big brother. He'd looked away from Leo and Oz, Echo and Alice and then a moment later had found himself being violently escorted out of a building filled with lights too bright to be natural. But it's loud and familiar enough for him to stop and turn to look at the boy, immediately back on guard. His hand hovers near his thigh where his pistol is still sitting, but he doesn't draw. Just like at home, they're in the middle of a public area, wherever it is.]

Huh? Leo - what are you...?

[Both arms and a look of pure confusion that hasn't changed no matter how old he's gotten.]

[flecks]

[ Leo has changed as much as the scenery has, tattered clothing not unlike many of the people around them (only bloodied and more torn up thanks to the current chaos) and the Nightray sword strapped to his side, he doesn't make for a very imposing 'Glen' figure.

Not that it matters, because Gilbert doesn't seem to remember either.

The hand hovering by his thigh tells Leo Reveille and the look of confusion tells him Reveille is probably where it stays at. Not a traitor yet. Not that he feels strongly, or even anything really, about Gilbert betraying the Baskervilles. If it had been Elliot, he'd have done the very same thing. He can't fault him for that. But it's all something the arm-not-missing already told him.

Likely he's still the only one who knows the truth. It's a realization that comes with an odd pang of disappointment. The flicker of it is there on his face for the briefest of moments before it's replaced with a pleasant smile. ]

No, never mind. Looking for Oz?

[retraced]

[It's a drastic enough change to add to his dizziness. What had he called him? A traitor? Gil's eyes search Leo's face for some sort of answer, but without Vincent there at his side, the sight of him without Elliot, claiming ownership over the Baskerville name makes even less sense.

But never mind the other questions that Gilbert has. There's only one that's important right now.]

What did you do?! Where's Oz? And Vincent - he was just...

[flecks]

[ It's very tempting to say "tossed him into the Abyss" as a joke, but it's undoubtedly one that would likely lead to a fight and Leo's not looking for any fights this time. He'd been tired of fighting even before he came to Exsilium.

But yes, definitely Reveille. Before Gilbert shot Oz himself, otherwise his reaction would have been different, Leo figures. He throws his hands up in a gesture both calming and to show no harm meant. ]

Nothing. Oz is fine.

[ Or well . . . He glances around Gilbert to the ruined building before shrugging his shoulders. ]

If he evacuated, that is, but I'm sure he has. He should be around. As for Vincent . . . who knows? Still home, I reckon. [ If he hasn't followed his beloved brother here somehow. ]

[retraced]

[As much as he'd like to assume that Oz is just as he says, perfectly fine, he doesn't trust Leo as he is right now. Whatever's happened to him, whatever game he and Vincent are playing, Gilbert still believes that they're in the middle of it.]

Evacuated from what? [He glances upwards at the smoke.] Explain everything properly! What just happened here?!

[There's something accusing in his tone, like somehow this is Leo's fault.]

[flecks]

[ Both the accusation and the demand earn Gilbert a very flat, unimpressed look. Disappointed almost, even. It's somewhat understandable though.

So Leo humors him, dropping one arm back to his side as he twists his hand on the other to point at the ruined apartment building. ]

That's our Housing Complex and a spaceship just crashed into it.

[ There, a truly riveting explanation. ]

1/2

[retraced]

That -

2/2

[retraced]

...That answer doesn't make any sense at all, does it?

[Riveting. Truly.]

[flecks]

[ Okay, not knowing what a spaceship is can't be helped. Leo had no idea either before coming here and reading about them in books, but c'mon. ]

Didn't you listen to what the Initiative had to say?

[ Because surely they would have explained the Housing Complex at the very least. ]

[retraced]

They said something, but -

[Of course he didn't sit by and listen as they'd tried to explain all that they could on the way out of the hold.]

It all sounded like nonsense! Who would listen to something like that when there were more important things to figure out?!

[Like finding Oz, etc. And what they did say, he's already mostly put out of his head.]

[flecks]

[ Such a one-track mind.

Honestly, it's kind of amusing. It reminds him strongly of Vincent. Brothers indeed. ]

What they said was really important. [ He makes sure to stress the words even if his voice takes on its old lighter, more cheerful tone. ]

If you'd listened, you'd know all the important things by now.

[retraced]

If it was so important they should have said so!

[They probably did. More than once. Those exact words...]

Just - sum it up for me!

[flecks]

[ Leo has no doubts that that's exactly what the Initiative said, but that's not what he decides to take issue with. ]

Demanding things from the Head of Baskerville, what nerve.

[Okay, so he's not so much taking issue with it as he's just poking a little fun. But fine, he indulges, but only after he's moved closer to be in easier speaking range and then sat down on the nearest piece of rubble. The gash on his side may have healed, but it still ached somewhat. ]

You've been taken to a different world by the people calling themselves the Initiative to fight in a war against their enemy who, supposedly, threatens to destroy all worlds, including our own. [ A beat. Seriously, it just sounds like something straight out of a book, put like that. ]

Welcome to Exsilium, I guess.

[retraced]

[He tenses. Vincent had just said the same thing to him a moment ago, before the fight had started. He carries Glen Baskerville's soul. My master... He'd barely had a chance to fully digest it before Jabberwock had appeared and he'd ended up here. At home he'd simply followed Oz and listened to everything without having the chance to interrupt. And now there's a whole other strange story to accept when he hasn't even been able to learn how the last one ended.

One thing at a time. His head aches, but the distant sound of long-broken memories is dulled for now.]

Even if I were to believe something like that... [He sighs.]

How is it possible?

[flecks]

Technology. [ Leo says it simply, although it's far from simple. He's not even sure if he'll ever fully grasp that bit himself. ]

They used a machine, but you might as well call it magic. [ He shrugs. Honestly, considering it such might even just be easier than trying to wrap one's mind around how it works. One thing Leo can promise for sure . . . ]

You'll know soon enough. [ what he means. A day or two in Exsilium would be enough to show plenty. ]

[retraced]

[Magic, the influence of the Abyss, technology. Call it what he will, it's an easy enough concept for Gilbert to understand, even if he doesn't fully understand how it's happened. But the 'how' can be answered later. Unless this is a trick of his mind (which he's still not convinced away from yet) he's willing to accept it as fact, even though his heart is still racing at the idea of being lost in time somewhere.

But there's always a way back to his young master, time and space be damned.]

Where is he?

[flecks]

I don't know. [ He says it in a sincere tone of voice, his expression equally honest, because he really does have no clue as to Oz's whereabouts and whether or not he was even there for the evacuation.

However, knowing Oz: ]

If I had to guess . . . [ He nods towards the chaos and the wrecked building. ] Just look for a little red wagon.

[ It would either lead him to Oz or to Break who could potentially lead him to Oz in turn so either way it should work out. ]

[retraced]

[He doesn't have time for this cryptic stuff, man! But yes, if Oz is anywhere, it's definitely closer to the problem rather than further away from it. He starts to turn away from Leo, both feet shuffling against the damp ground, but he only moves far enough to turn his profile away before he hesitates.]

Leo...

[Questions, of course he has questions. They're scrambling around inside his head and through the hot blood in his veins. But he doesn't say anything else. Something is still blocking him. He huffs in annoyance and attempts to walk past him again, slower this time.]

If you're lying...if you're trying to cause trouble for him...

[Angry side-eye.]

I won't forgive you for hurting him.

[flecks]

[ Leo tilts his head curiously at the hesitance, smiling patiently as he waits for Gilbert to get to the point. A very predictable point. ]

I know. [ Have a flippant hand gesture, because of course that's very reassuring. ] Not to worry, I assure you it's quite the opposite.

[ He could elaborate but then, there's a lot more he could say or actually explain. Obviously none of that would get through when Gilbert's only worried about Oz though. Thus, the flippant gesture turns into a shooing one. ]

Go find your precious master.

[retraced]

[Predictable, definitely. He's still bound not just in duty, but fear. Gilbert doesn't quite realize it yet, but Leo has every advantage here that he had at home. Even more so, really, should he feel the need to exert that power over his ignorance.

He clenches his fists at his sides and gives Leo one last pained and angry look before turning and running back towards the fire. To be continued at a later time.]