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

[bloodyantivan]

[The ship follows very well - it really does bring to mind a dragon.

If he could get somewhere high, he might have a chance to mount the thing and take out its drivers, but it's impossible when he's carrying someone, and after all this trouble he can't very well leave the man behind.

But Zevran remains very aware of his surroundings, and seems to lose the ship once and for all as he leads it through a cluster of blazing buildings. He twists and darts through this area, feeling his skin bubble when he gets too close to places. At least he can stand the smoke alright, but it's a relief when they break free of this, free of their follower, too.

The buildings break into a paved and tree-lined area, an open space by the river that runs through the city. He wonders what the river is called.

There are bodies floating in it, alas.

Zevran finds a bit of cover behind some overturned garbage cans and a bench, and finally sets his captive invalid down, wheezing and coughing a little.

They are not toast, but the fire gambit was a dangerous one, and perhaps they are a little roasted.]

[firstroar]

[Blue can at least be credited to being a quiet bit of cargo; no flailing or shouting.

that can also be a strike, though...

he is still, for the most part, when set down, barely understanding the change in location...or present company. it's taking some time for him to get his bearings and breath, choked up with the smoke and the suffocating weight of death and danger.

a lot of that time is taken trying to see again, blinking through the bleary shape to something Zevran actually is.

he definitely isn't familiar.]

Who...

[bloodyantivan]

I am Zevran Arainai, and it appears I will be your guide back to the gates today.

[He pulls a small stoppered glass bottle from his waist pocket.] This is a potion, it should help you recover a little strength.

[He's been saving what precious little he brought back from his own world for emergencies: he doesn't trust the Initiative's methods too much.

But the lad needs help, so this is the emergency he picks.

Zevran is an elf: smaller than most human men, dark of skin, light of hair. He's dressed in his battle leathers, suffering from some mild burns and cuts from their little adventure, and still covered with a rather fine mist of blood from previous fighting.]

[firstroar]

[even a little strength was a great deal: the color might not be returning to his face, but Blue sits up easier, startled by how quickly he feels less faint and frail. it's a rare feeling – one he thought was isolated to the recovery spells Ashraf graced him with time to time.

no time to wonder about it now, though. his vision cleared, Blue looks to Zevran, nodding his gratitude in silence before looking past him and above.

all the burning, blasted-out buildings...he's known the like before. three hundred years ago...

the pale blue halo of light returned, emanating from his body as he shifts to his knees. listening, looking, Blue tries to push his mind's senses out far enough to grasp the notion of familiar thoughts and pin down Initiative soldiers. they'd be the way out, after all.

squinting, he turns his head in the direction he detects one – faint, but...]

We may have to guide each other... [looking back to him.] Are you ready?

[bloodyantivan]

[Zevran keeps an eye on the lad, using the spare time to check on his supply of weapons and clean off his blades. There's always something to do with an arsenal like his during a quiet moment of battle.

Well, this is not so much a battle as it is a retreat. He offers a crooked smile and re-sheaths his Crow daggers on his back and offering a hand up.]

Do you know the way? I was looking for landmarks earlier, but alas... they are all on fire.

[firstroar]

It's...not the landmarks we need. It's the people. [if they stay alive.

he hesitates before accepting the hand, redoubling his effort to seek out those people in an attempt to blot out Zevran's thoughts passing hand-to-hand. it's a hold he releases quickly when he's on his feet, using the debris at his back for support as he steadies.]

I can find them...but we cannot stay in one place long. The machines will detect us.

[bloodyantivan]

Ah. That explains why they have been so difficult to evade.

[Zevran's thought are lingering on his home of Antiva, how similar he finds this place, and the burning school they passed earlier on. He has no idea how this person knows such things, or how to leave, but it's his best bet: the Transports can do all kinds of things.]

Where do we go from here?

[firstroar]

[he hesitates, staring at Zevran for a few seconds, not understanding why such a conclusion was new. different worlds, different circumstances...

enough of that. he redirects attention to finding that soldier once more, raising his arm to point in the direction he feels is right.]

But...we need to be closer...

[bloodyantivan]

[Zevran offers a hand up.]

Show me the way, then. Do you need me to carry you?

[It's a carefree smile that's not as sincere as it looks. Well studied, though.]

[firstroar]

No.

[Blue pauses a moment, closing his eyes to recollect and breathe. the strain of that stalemate with the aircraft is gone, so there's enough power left, he's sure.

proving that to himself, he glows again, lifting a couple feet off the ground.]

Follow me. [his feet push off the debris he'd been leaning on a moment ago, propelling himself forward.]

[bloodyantivan]

[Glowing. Zevran's no stranger to this particular thing on the battlefield, though it's still curious enough to raise an eyebrow, particularly with the whole levitating thing too. Still, it seems this lad is his best bet and knows where he's going. Why not, right?]

Let us depart, then!

[He aches, and the smoke and heat of the fires has made him weary. But he follows.]