OPERATION SEXY MARIO: CONCLUSION

[initiates]

Date & Time: Sept 19th
Location: The UE Holding Compound, and surrounding area.
Characters: Anyone being rescued, doing the rescuing, or doing the distracting.
Summary: There have been some slackers freeloading off the UE for the past couple weeks or so, so let's go drag them home.
Warnings: Likely violence! Let a mod know if we should update this.

Those meant for distraction and those meant for rescue alike are both loaded onto the same stolen highspeed train. It's a great distance to cover, but the train manages in just under two hours, and deposits both groups three miles from the Holding Compound — a desolate and cold area, with rocky, uneven ground, small but jagged hills well-scattered and covered in scraggly trees — and there they part ways.

The diversion is sent away north, to draw United Earth attention and aggression upward, further into the continent, while the rescue team takes a much slower and quieter route to approach the Compound from the south, closest to Exsilium. The rescue team's orders are to wait a full half hour, to be sure that all forces who can be drawn out of the Compound to meet the sudden onslaught from the north will have already left.

The diversion team won't have an easy job of it. The soldiers are heavily armed, and trained to fight to the death before they surrender. They're grouped in organized squadrons, about 20 in each, and seem to outnumber Transports by three to one. Scattered throughout these soldiers are the Masked, the UE's special forces. These soldiers strike with a deadly precision, enhanced speed and strength, and highly advanced weaponry. Also, oddly enough, they seem to have a few smaller members among them, standing about 4 feet tall, and wielding strange powers… Those familiar with the powers of their kidnapped friends may see distinct similarities.

The Compound itself, when the rescue team makes their way in, will be very quiet. All prisoners had been forced into locked rooms (together or separately — whatever was most convenient) before the soldiers had left to face the encroaching threat. There are still personnel left to man the base, of course, and a few of them are armed soldiers — but for the most part it's scientists and researchers. Careful, though. Even scientists and researchers are perfectly capable of sounding the alarm to bring back the armed threats.

Once everyone is out of the Compound, the train will begin running a return trip. It will be kept as long as possible, while the distraction teams sneak back from the battlefield in small groups, but it can't wait forever. Those on the battlefield for the longest, the hardest hitters or the most dedicated fighters, might just have to find another way home. So… any Transports with relocation abilities feel like lending a hand?

Comments

[controlledvariable]

[There's a smile, small, for that comment, and it lingers until Ellie's eyes snap open, concern slipping back into her expression.

She's watching Ellie just as much as Ellie is watching her.]

Of course.

[As long as Ellie needs her, she'll stay.]

[reconnaissance]

Let's go, then.

( Get on the train, get ready to go. It's not the name as having a chopper whipping up the air around you, sending dust into your eyes, but she's not looking any more excited about it as she moves to stride to it. ) We better be ready.

( She's gripping her gun too tight, bracing for the other foot to drop. Waiting for someone to die. )

[controlledvariable]

Yeah. [It's auomatic, almost, because she's too focused on Ellie, but then she manages a nod and starts to draw away so that they can move.] C'mon, we'll make sure to get a good seat.

[She offers her hand to Ellie, wanting her to hold onto something other than that gun.]

I thought I hit "post comment" about ten years ago :|

[reconnaissance]

( For a second her gaze flickers to Steph's hand, and she can't think what to do, before her fingers twine around Steph's and grip tight. The warmth and the contact is a relief. )

Not one with a view.

( She kind of wants to just stay in the dark for a while. )

way2go

[controlledvariable]

[She doesn't hold quite as tight as Ellie, but it's clear she's not letting go as she starts towards the train.]

There're a few carriages without windows. They'll probably be less crowded, too.

[Steph had avoided them on the way in, but she can deal with the claustrophobia they'll bring on, for Ellie's sake.]

:'|

[reconnaissance]

( Claustrophobia is a familiar thing, but she doesn't think she wants to see anything more of this place once they get in this train. She'd rather sit, hold onto Steph and forget about everything else. When they arrive at the train, she's not going to scramble on first. Some part of her, that stubborn part, has to make sure Steph's safe, first. ) Come on, sweetheart.

( With less sarcasm than usual. A little less, at least. )

[controlledvariable]

I'm coming, I'm coming.

[Almost annoyed, even though she isn't at all, and she steps up into the train before turning around to offer a hand to help Ellie up.

And as soon as that's done, she's going to ease the gun away from Ellie, if she'll let her.]

[reconnaissance]

( She'll be taking that hand to haul herself up, offering Steph a grin that was meant to be reassuring but came out a little sharper, worn around the edges. )

If this were a movie, I'd probably have a really good line right about now.

( Releasing the gun to Steph, only slightly reluctantly. )

[controlledvariable]

[She takes a few seconds to make sure the gun is empty, before setting it aside and reaching out for Ellie again, drawing her into her arms.]

If this were a movie one of us would've had to have get hurt, for dramatic tension. So I'm okay with it being real.

[reconnaissance]

( Thank God. As much as she has been trying to just tough this out, it's a relief when Steph can just wrap her arms around her, her own tightening around Steph's waist. )

Yeah. This is better. ( Being with Steph is better. ) It's really good to see you again.

[controlledvariable]

I missed you. [Pressing a kiss to Ellie's hair, holding her tighter.] I had to hop into bed with Jesse 'cause I can't sleep alone anymore.

[It's said lightly, a joke, and she doubts Ellie is gonna be threatened by Jesse, considering she knows how Steph feels about him.]

[reconnaissance]

Seriously?

( Laughing, somehow, despite how impossible that feels. It's more of a scoff, but whatever, the lightness is there. )

Ellie would've been closer to the right height.

( Sigh. )

[controlledvariable]

He's not bad at cuddling.

[Now she's teasing a little, giving Ellie a gentle squeeze.]

She was too worried about Joel, didn't need me fussing at her.

[reconnaissance]

Hey. ( Watch it. She kisses Steph's neck, but she is certainly huffing a bit more, now. )

What about you?

( Did she deal okay? It seemed like Steph just didn't take time to react, these days. Or maybe she really was just fine, but that didn't seem right. )

[controlledvariable]

You're better at it, of course. And cuter.

[Just gonna put that out there before she digs herself in too deep.]

I was kind of a mess. [it's said lightly, but she's... trying to be honest with Ellie, where she can.] But it's okay now.

[Because she has her friends back.]

[reconnaissance]

Good. ( Just a bit smug, playful, although her arms tighten around Steph. She really, really hated being back in a compound like that. There wasn't solitary confinement, but... )

My cuddles do kinda fix everything. ( Nope, still being a brat. )

[controlledvariable]

I can't argue that. [and she doesn't want to] C'mon.

[She eases her hold on Ellie just enough to tug her towards the side of the carriage, finding them a spot to curl up in for the trip home.]

[reconnaissance]

Captain of the debate team.

( Just throwing that back out there. Of course Steph can't argue with her, she's the queen of arguments. Obediently enough she tags along, flopping down onto the ground and just relieved that it's not going to be any part of the compound when she opens her eyes. )

[controlledvariable]

You're never gonna let that go, are you?

[But she sounds fond, and there's no hesitation in the way she wraps her arms around Ellie, pressing a kiss to her cheek.]

[reconnaissance]

Would I be me if I did?

( Thankful, she leans against Steph, fingers gripping, curled into the material of her clothes, matching the kiss, and resting her head on Steph's shoulder. )

[controlledvariable]

[It's too soon for jokes like that, and she can't help cling a little tighter, pressing her face against Ellie's hair and saying nothing. She just needs the reassurance of her presence.]

[reconnaissance]

( Ellie murmurs a quiet apology, hugs Steph closer, happy enough to lapse into silence. Eventually, though, she does speak up: ) I knew you'd get us.

( As much as felt awful, wanted to find her own way out, she knew Steph was smart enough to put it together. ) I was working on a way out, but you beat me to it.

( Teasing, just gently, but trying to reassure. She was okay. It sucked, but it was okay. )

[controlledvariable]

[She's grateful for those words, though she lets her own silence linger for a moment longer before working out what she wants to say.]

Did you see the bats?

[The ones she left, carved into the walls and ceiling.]

[reconnaissance]

'Course.

( Nudging Steph gently with her chin, before tucking her face against Steph's neck. ) You're a bloody vandal, you know that?

( Thank you. )

[controlledvariable]

I tried to draw a kangaroo for you, but I couldn't get the tail right.

[You're welcome.]