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

[concealingeyes]

[Kido smiles and rests her head against Kaede's, holding her tight. Seeing her smile and giggle like that again is more than she could ask for. She just wanted to see her again.]

I wasn't going to lose another sister. I'm sorry I wasn't the one to rescue you.

[copia]

You don't have to apologize about that. I just hoped that if you were part of the rescue, that you'd be okay.

[ As she pulls away, she spots the bandages on Kido's thigh. It makes her shake her head, but there's a small smile on her face and a teasing tone in her voice. ]

Big sister, leading the Dan to rescue and beat up some scum, right?

[concealingeyes]

[Kido relaxes a little. At least Kaede gets it.] Of course. Wouldn't have it any other way. Rescuing friends and family... yeah, there's no more important mission than that. We weren't going to fail you guys.

[copia]

And you didn't, I promise you that.

We should find a healer to look at your leg. I bet you want to check on the other Dan members, right?

[concealingeyes]

Yeah, I'm worried about them. [She doesn't have to hide it behind cooler words. There's no other way of putting it anyway.] Mary and Kisaragi are exhausted, I need to see how the rescue group is and Kano-

[Ah. Kaede said she doesn't remember that day. Kano mentioned he'd already dealt with her by the time they talked. So she hesitates.]

...Are you and Kano okay?

[copia]

[ No need to sugarcoat what's obvious to them.

The question about Kano throws Kaede off, and her anxiety goes up again as a result. Of course Kido wasn't the only one she spoke to that day, of course she would have said something to Kano.

But what did she say? ]

We...are? Whatever he said to me on that day, or I to him, he never brought it up with me while we were in the compound.

[concealingeyes]

[So they must've talked in person that day. Then whatever was said was lost, not that Kido wants to know. It's better if it's forgotten for the both of them.]

I didn't think Kano would. Neither of you should beat yourselves up over it though. Let's just forget about it and focus on getting better. ...And maybe getting back at the UE. I dunno about you but I'm sick of them.

[copia]

[ She nods, forcing herself to put those "what if" thoughts away. The day has long since passed, the words are (hopefully) being forgotten, and Kido & Kano don't hold it against her. ]

I am, too. I wish we could take our powers and, like, enlarge them to affect the UE, do some serious damage to their troops. But we'll get there someday, I hope...

[concealingeyes]

[She can't help a grin.] We will, don't doubt it. We've stuck it out this long. It's only a matter of time before we've got the power to take down a base or two. That's when things will get serious.

[copia]

[ a nod ]

Right! Then they'll really start retaliating against us.

Anyway, enough about them. Did you want to check on people together?

[concealingeyes]

Yeah, I should probably stop sitting around, huh? Have you seen anyone yet?

[copia]

There's nothing wrong with sitting around. I'm sure everyone is just as tired as you. [ a nod ] I've seen a few people, yes, but I didn't talk to them for long.

[concealingeyes]

At least you've got some accounted for already.

[She sinks down in her seat a little more, like Kaede gave her permission to relax. Right now she really does need rest no matter how much she doesn't want to admit it. But Kaede is right, too: they're all exhausted. Here they were, just getting back on their feet...

She smiles slightly. So, back to relying on the little things to keep them going, right?]

You know, we should do a nice dinner soon. You, me and Kano. I think we deserve it.

[copia]

[ Kaede nods, settling back more in her seat as she looks out the window. The nostalgic aromas of her grandmother's cooking comes to mind, as well as the familiar smell of her father's shrimp fried rice. She finds herself already planning what Kido, Kano, and her could find in Exsilium to make something qualify as a "nice dinner." ]

I agree. After all of this craziness, we definitely deserve one. And then we could start planning a nice gathering for the Dan to happen later on.

[concealingeyes]

[It's the same for Kido. Cooking had always been something that brings warm memories, from before their family fell apart and even after, with the Dan's smiling faces.]

Sounds good. Everyone worked hard on this mission. They all deserve a break. I hope we get a little time to recover.

[copia]

I hope so, too. I think everyone wants a break, even if it's for a day or two...

[concealingeyes]

We need a break. It's a morale thing. People can't fight or function if they're exhausted you know?

[copia]

Right.

[ She sighs and leans her head on Kido's shoulder. ]

Where did they get this train from?

[concealingeyes]

[Kido leans her head a little on Kaede's, eyes shut.]

I dunno. I guess they must've stolen it from the UE? I wonder how they did though...

[She sighs.] A lot of what they do is kind of mysterious, huh?

[copia]

I only ask since, well, Exsilium is an island, so unless this thing can go underwater, or turn invisible, I assume we'll have to switch gears at some point to get back to the island...

[ a nod ] Mmhmm. I know they say they're open with us, but I still think they hide some stuff.

[concealingeyes]

Maybe it can go over water somehow. It's supposed to be the future. [Bleak future that it is...]

...What you said though, about them hiding stuff, I think that's what bugs me the most. I get they don't have to tell us everything and I probably wouldn't understand a lot of the time travel stuff but... I bet there's a lot of people here who might if they let them.

[copia]

True. [ Right now, she is going to let it be and not hurt both of their brains trying to overthink this. ]

Right. Maybe something really crazy needs to happen to have them tell us everything.

[concealingeyes]

[She laughs a bit.] In that case, I'd rather not hear it. Thinking what sort of disaster it would take, ugh...

[copia]

[ FAMOUS LAST WORDS ]

Anyway, did you want to go check on some more people?

[concealingeyes]

[Had to get in appropriate foreshadowing.]

I'm going to sit for a few more minutes I think. But if you want to check up on people that'd be cool.