Other Worlds: V 2.0

[initiates]

Date & Time: May 21st, beginning at 0900.
Location: The Initiative Hold and all throughout Elmer's world
Characters: Anyone participating in the fighting, anyone staying behind.
Summary: Elmer's world is fought for and lost.
Warnings: Violence, death.

They reopen the portal at 0900, May 21st. The first scientist who stepped through was killed within thirty seconds; the rest who followed made it back through to Exsilium, albeit not unscathed. The portal was shut again by a panicked operator, although a second operator knew to keep the coordinates locked.

Within ten minutes, the alert had been sent out. There's no time to wait for the Transports to gather en masse; as soon as they have a sizable enough force to stand a chance at fighting through and clearing their gateway's location, the door is opened again.

Immediately inside the door is a desolate, grim scene. What had previously been the coast of Japan is now scorched earth, blasted sand, and little else. As the first point of contact for this world, it has undoubtedly suffered the worst. Here, the UE didn't stop at governments, financial centers, and capitols — the UE destroyed everything in sight. There are enough UE soldiers remaining in the broken country to give the Transports a difficult battle, although by now the bulk of their forces have moved on.

The Initiative will soon realize the necessity of opening more gateways, just as the UE had done. Transports will be deployed to London, Berlin, Paris, DC Washington, Moscow, Beijing, New York City, Hong Kong, Madrid. Through each of these windows, the destruction is staggering. Buildings are more husks than structures, everything that can burn is alight, and the death toll is off the charts. Blackened bodies seem to line every street, while pieces litter the ground among the rubble. There's no doubt that the UE has no need of the people of this world. They're after resources only, and anything and anyone already here is to be removed.

You can find UE soldiers everywhere. They move in coordinated squadrons of 20, and each of them carries a small arsenal. Even without their incredibly advanced and destructive weaponry, they're fearfully formidable. Each soldier, while still only human, is a genetically perfect clone, further enhanced by technological implants. They're all highly trained in physical combat. Even if you can disarm one of them, don't count on close-range attacks being any easier to handle. They've brought along cannons, small flying craft, and lightweight tanks. Each of these is the top of the line in terms of technology, geared toward destroying as much as it can, as quickly as it can. The United Earth is here to destroy, and they won't stop to wonder why their targets go from being civilians and scrambling, off-guard, comparatively primitive militaries, to trained and powered Transports.

For anyone staying at home, they'll find that any Initiative presence has withdrawn fully to the Hold. All Initiative employees are needed, and most of them in the med bays. The majority of the Initiative focus is on recalling and resurrecting fallen Transports, but attention is still needed for the living-but-wounded. Any Transports who stay in Exsilium and offer their help will have it immediately accepted; they'll be put to work in the medical wings, runnings supplies, or simply set at a machine and told to keep an eye on the numbers: Transport vitals, UE movements, and maps upon maps of changing statistics and colors.

At 1500, the Initiative will recall all Transport soldiers back to Exsilium and seal shut the gateway. The UE numbers are too great, their soldiers too powerful, and Elmer's world is lost.

Comments

[redheadcarrier]

[Asuka hesitates and then reaches out to accept the water. She's thirsty and she guzzles some of it before she holds the bottle out again. There's another moment where she doesn't know what to say - and then she shrugs.]

They said my eye is gone.

[oncearanger]

I'll fight for the best outcome I can. And...thanks.

[He gave Shinji a quick salute as he departed, hoping there was even the smallest thing he could do to change this.]

[wilder]

[That was something Zelos was good at, trying to keep cheer up when there's nothing but horror around. Sure, he's a bit rusty at it as his time as Kaneis, but it's an age old habit]

Heh heh, well what kind of medic would I be to make people wait huh?

[knightoflight]

[He figures that covering his dripping, injured wrist wouldn't fool anyone, but still, he had to try. ]

Th-the battle. They need me.

[He sounds a little helpless, even as he holds out his wrist.]

I can't help I'm dead

[thephix]

She'd forgotten how much of a relief that heat is, how it always seems to ease away whatever tension is crawling under her skin, like he's burning it away. It doesn't burn away her anger, but she can hold it for a moment, focusing on everything else.

"Me too," They arrived at the same time, but they must have missed each other, kept missing each oher, because she'd been so cautious about keeping hidden, keeping her face and name off the network.

There will be time for beating herself up about that later, for now she grabs hold of his wrist, dragging him towards the empty DITR offices, shoving him inside and closing the door behind her. She realizes she should be gentler with him, but she can't find it in herself to calm down enough.

"You died," Short, to the point, even if there's something shaking in her voice, "How?"

She has to know.

[satsujinki]

No matter what he thought, he still came back to the somber realization that the lives he obliterated were human ones. They weren't vampires. They weren't demons. They were humans who could have lead peaceful lives if not for a few decisions changed down the line. They could have even reformed. They weren't conditioned to kill like vampires. They didn't do it for the fun of it and yet he cut them apart as if they were that vicious an enemy.

Shiki stared at Kanaya, regarding her with lifeless eyes. Rather than maintaining the intensity he held only a few moments ago, he looked as if he were utterly drained. In a way, he was. In only a half minute, Shiki completely compromised himself. It wasn't just self defense at that point. When turning another human being into literal shreds, it was tough to maintain one's sense of humanity.

He replied to Kanaya's look slowly, his hand gripping his knife tight enough to draw blood, "I can't even convince myself that I'm going to stop."

[acts_of_claudia]

"ONE SHAKE EQUALS TWO JIFFIES!" She shouted over her shoulder before setting to work trying to make heads or tails out of this tank. Oh look, a touch screen. That made her life that much easier. When you were used to working with things that hadn't been touched in over a century anything like this was a walk in the park.

She smirked as she touched the screen and a password request came up. Oh that was cute. She set to work, breezing through the security and pulling up the controls. Oh man this was going to be easier than she thought. It's like they want their tanks to be taken over by a 19 year old hacker.

"Yeeeesyesyesyesyesyesyes," She laughed as she touched the screen with a flourish and the tank roared to life.

[breakin_ur_lore]

[He's just about to toss another fireball in there when he sees the odd commotion and hesitates. Someone must've tossed that guy out of the group, but why would they do that? Was there some sort of disagreement in there? And now everything's gone quiet.

Med'an lowers the conjured fire in his hands, confused and uncertain. If he had more experience in war, he might've known what to do, but - he hunkers back down behind the rubble, glancing around worriedly. The only way for him to know what's going on is to run over there, and he could do that, but...

He has no idea if the U.E. soldiers can see invisible targets, but they seem so technology-based - maybe magic will be their weakness. He casts the spell on himself and fades from sight. If he can make it to the other side fast enough, he can get a better look at what's going on.]

[gunsling]

Yes, that definitely sounded like a movie that might not be too fun to live out in reality. Not knowing anything but war? Jake can't even begin to imagine how horrible that would be.

Though that thought goes right out when the suggestion to fly over the city comes up. Any other moment this would be like a dream come true, though admittedly the setting does put something of a damper on it. Still, he's not going to pass it up. "Absolutely!! Sounds like the most reasonable way to get on with aiding people here!"

[preyed]

[Vera eyes her critically, then looks over at the advancing enemy. She's not entirely sure what she's looking for, but she sees something black on the man's belt, and she assumes that's what it is.]

What in the Void is a grenade?

[Does it matter? She huffs, calling up her magic again.]

[chore_boy]

'Find them'!? There are plenty around, Johnny! If anything, you should be doing the opposite? [Coby turned to face where the shells were coming from. He didn't have to look far. Despite the fact that they whispered into their microphones to communicate, he could feel each and every single enemy presence. Where they were. When they planned to ambush.]

I'm going to escort you to safety before you drop! I don't know how you're even still alive, but--this is too much!

B

[talenteddog]

[He can't say it's a sight he ever expected to see, either. Japan was never his country, but it was certainly one he held fairly close to his heart.

He pauses, using the lull in the fighting to catch his own breath and pull out a cigarette to light, politely looking away from the young man obviously pre-occupied with with the child on the ground. He frowns at the pack, only partly because of its condition.]

It does make one rather certain of the rightness of one's own side, doesn't it?

[skirtcladgunner]

[On the other hand, Tori does notice. Both guns go up within a second, rage filling every part of her body as she aims at two of them, firing. And she doesn't stop there--she continues to shoot at the others, quickly putting back one of her guns in its holster as she uses wind magic as an attempt to knock them off their feet. It's not enough magic to hurt her in return, fortunately. She takes that time to reload both guns, shooting at them again.

In the back of her mind, she somewhat realizes that she's not just trying aiming to make her shot count--she's aiming to kill, and while she isn't taking them down easily, she isn't exactly letting up either. The moment it looks like she needs to reload again, she's aiming another gust of wind at them.]

[speakveryclearly]

Okay. [With this word and a firm nod, she's on her way - and when she said faster she meant it. The girl is an absolute blur pushing one hundred miles an hour easily. She's off to contact Sokka.]

[controlledvariable]

Collette talks a lot, it's never really bothered Steph, it's just the way she works, and right now the talking is a relief, a distraction, something to focus on other than everything else that's happening.

"Only for a little while," She's only dying for a little while, it'll be cleaner and painless, unlike months in a coma and then more months relearning how to move in a body that'd be so damaged. That hurt more than this does, though she thinks that might just be nerve damage, or shock. Sionis had gone so slowly that her body registered everything. Right now it seems to have overloaded.

But she manages a smile, too, keeping her mouth closed for it, because a smile full of blood isn't very reassuring at all, "Okay, but I'm gonna grouch a lot. 'Specially if you get hurt."

She's never pretended not to be a hypocrite.

C

[masterofpuppets]

[Dirk spent most of his time in this battle, fighting and running through the chaos looking for his friends to make sure they're okay. He spots Jake ahead and to the right going through the rubble and not paying attention. After a moment of seizing up at the sight of him, he lets out a breath and makes his way over to him to watch his back and to help with whatever he's doing..]

Yo, Jake.

8(

[bumbles]

Atlas lets her drag him. To be fair, he lets her do almost anything to him, the protests start when it comes to her dealings with other people. Cut them some slack, he might say if she were doing this to anyone that wasn't him. Besides, he's too distracted by the news that they're here together, that they arrived at the same time. The look he gives her is bewildered, before he manages to sign, I guess we were both too cautious.

After all, there had never been the need to devise a plan for what to do if they got dragged into the multiverse. (That was what the Bat called it, wasn't it?)

I took down one of their aircraft. Those are designed to do a lot of damage, but that had been the first death, and it might show that there's something he isn't saying, even if this is Atlas and not Adonis. Max has always been the one that forced the most interference between the two; call it her special talent. My magic was pretty tapped out.

Part of him wants to ask her to change her face. To be Max, but that's not a thing he'll ever ask her. Not if this is the identity she has for Exsilium.

[eyecontact]

[whewh...

Jericho's sitting up, propped up against the wall, next to the small pile of unconscious and wounded UE soldiers. he scrubs at his forehead, his eyes, all dirty and sweaty...and grimaces, feeling the sting of something in one of his eyes. that's bad!

it's even worse when he hears the crunching of footsteps. shocked, he stops what he's doing and looks around, sitting up straight. where–?!]

[imusntrunaway]

[He isn't sure what to say to that. It's apparent the moment he saw her face--he knew what the general extent of her injuries had been. He thinks about how the Initiative can bring back the dead, bring in magical beings, traverse time-- something as simple as that...]

... they can't replace it? [He speaks softly, deferentially.]

[seamend]

[ Aileen rushes over at the call, as fast as she can on slow legs. After that strange light, her eyes are quick to dart first from Jericho(hm, nothing wrong at first glance) then to Billy. ]

Oh, sweet blue earth... Here, let's get you somewhere comfortable, alright? You'll be just fine.

[ She tries for a reassuring smile, ushering Jericho and the staff assistant to help get him on an examination table. ]

[gevurah]

[ At first she has no idea what it is latching onto her arm. She thinks it's some sort of needle that the soldier's thrown at her as a last ditch effort to take her down.

She nearly swaps it away and then she quickly stops. ]

What are you doing?

[chore_boy]

[Coby, turning on his heel, balanced his focus between the gunners inside the airship and Kate. He slowly shifted his weight, taking gentle steps in her direction, not wanting to provoke them to use their much quicker, smaller arms. Even small arms could be a trial to deal with, none the less the missiles themselves.]

You--It's good that you are, but--they're getting ready to use explosive rounds!

B

[ofgoldenfoil]

Aurican felt a terrible dread, but that was nothing new. Everything was terrible now.

Why did he volunteer for this? For the memories of a long-lost mother, still hot in his imaginations as he tries to imagine himself as her, with deadly flame and deadly magic, killing her wicked foes that dare to kill her kin and her nest? Because Patersmith has told him as a dragon of Paladine, he was meant to do great and honorable things? Was burning a man alive an honorable thing to do? Hearing the screams?

He doesn't even know what this world is.

For a long time in his stay at Exsilium, he always thought that this war was a war of hidden sabotages, of silent means of obtaining more supplies. It wasn't a war of gods or dragons, where it actually matters to Aurican. It's all confusing to Aurican, the little dragon that never knew war.

He saw a building that is mostly intact and started to climb it. He used his wings to give himself some lift as he did so, but he didn't dare to try to fly to top completely, as there were a few bloody holes in the thin membranes of his wings. He didn't know if the wounds would be bigger every time he used his wings or not, but he dare not to take the chance. It is one thing to be injured, it was another thing to be a cripple.

Above he saw a familiar face, the one he saw very frequently.

"Rose?"

[curatesecrets]

Artie was still in the process of counting the blessing that no UE soldiers had come for the tank yet, when it started running. "OH GOOD, THIS IS VERY INCONSPICUOUS, THANK YOU, LET'S START THE TANK WHILE I'M CLIMBING IT, PERFECT."

Pausing only briefly to make sure the bag and the guitar were both still secure on his shoulder, he made his way up to the top of the tank and started for the hatch. He wasn't going to look a gift assault vehicle in the mouth, as nervous as the thought of Claudia driving one made him... and judging from the commotion he was starting to see in a building down the street, getting inside the tank was probably his wisest course of action.

There was only one problem.

"Claudia....?"

He gritted his teeth, hands tightening in frustration around the top rung of the ladder.

"Claudia, I --"

He couldn't even say it - mostly because his pride was in the way just about as much as his own girth and the bags he'd schlepped. But no matter: Claudia only had to look up to see what he wouldn't say.

He was stuck.

[gevurah]

It's the small -- [ Oh, she's got it. It distracts the soldier taking point and just as it hits, Kate's grabs Vera's wrist and tugs in the opposite direction as the grenade goes off -- ]

Run.

[ -- and sends the soldier tearing into a couple of pieces around the street and blasting away his group. The ones who survived are barely able to get back up, the noise from the blast overwhelming their senses. ]