( open ) i'll fly you to the moon and back

[initiates]

Date & Time: September 21st - September 30th, 11:59 PM
Location: The Hold, the Moon Base
Characters: Any/all.
Summary: The Transports are evacuating to the Moon Base. Those on the Moon Base try to settle in and figure out their next move. Setting info can be found here.
Warnings: Talk of nuclear warheads and reference to immense loss of life. Please contact the mods should any individual thread get graphically violent or anything else of the sort.
Note: Use date and location tags in your subject headlines! Such as "On the moon, 23rd onward" or "On the spaceship, 25th" or "down at the Hold, 29th."

The Hold is a flurry of activity, grim faced members of the Initiative group directing supplies and people with the subdued air of people facing their own doom, and wondering at how to process the knowledge. None of the Initiative appears unaware of what will happen; their eyes linger on the Transports, expressions pleading, hopeful, doubtful, or immeasurably sad in turn.

Every eight hours, the space ship is sent back up with a load of people and supplies. The pilots are worked until they can't; the AI stolen ages ago by the Initiative greets and corrals people and supplies at both ends, and in the middle step between.

The network continues to broadcast on narrow channels between the Moon Base and Exsilium, up until the time that all connections are lost, with the carrier located en route to Exsilium. The first airship will pass by without dropping anything, but it's too early to celebrate. At a six hour delay from behind, the second airship arrives, and with it, the dark promise of the Black Code's nuclear weaponry.

The six hour window allows for time for those left behind, either by choice or circumstance, to be pulled to the Moon Base with the successful activation of the Transport Pad. New characters will ultimately arrive with the remainder of those not yet on the Moon Base, all in time to witness the explosive contact of the nuclear warhead with the ground of Exsilium live on satellite.

But until then, there's only the hurry, the silence, and the potential for full out rioting should the Transports spread word to the Exiles inevitably left behind to face this fate.

Comments

[charming_jerk]

On terra firma

[Up until the 29th, Johnny will be doing his best to collect supplies and warn the Exiles. He doesn't care how much the locals didn't like him, how many had spit on him in the past, or treated him badly. They didn't deserve this and no one did. They deserved to know to be helped with evacuations. And while he has no idea what to do, really, he'll do whatever it takes. He's warning them. They deserve to know.

You'll find him among the town, completely in edge. He hadn't had time to recover from being locked up for over two weeks with the UE, and now this. His emotions were raw, and he was drained from the stress and lack of sleep. His short temper will be set off easier than ever, even when trying to help people. Yelling at the Exiles and getting in their faces with isn't helping, but it's not like they're reacting well either. But he's trying. He wants to help them escape.]

On the moonbase
[By the 29th, he has to be dragged by the collar away from Exsilium and to the station. He doesn't bring much in the way of possessions - just some clothes and some food, and the amp Claudia made for him. His guitar was long lost in the UE compound though. He wants to marvel at the fact that they're he's travelling in space, that he's on the moon. It's extraordinary. But he can't. He's drained in every way. You'll find him either lying on his bunk bed, staring at the ceiling, or at a window of the base, staring down at Earth. He just needs some time to rebound, but it's going to take some time.]

Earth

[strategic_guile]

[Johnny is getting up in someone's face and Blaine spots him. He's been watching for him when he can, but he has other shit to do. The blonde understands, but it is a hopeless, thankless task to try and get the Exiles to believe him. Those that do just get to be terrified for days, knowing they're going to die. It seems pretty cruel to Blaine, but he doesn't say so. He just calls out and physically puts himself between the half-incubus and the people he has shouting at.]

Johnny! Johnny, back off!

[He tries to catch the man's eyes.] Come on, let's go.

[charming_jerk]

[Johnny thinks they have a right to know, and has been willing to try and help them escape, or even sneak them in with the Transports. Not a good idea, but it's the only one he's got. Of course, some Exiles are panicking or disbelieving, so he's been getting into a lot of shouting matches. This one is no different.

The look on Johnny's face is a mix of anger and desperation. The Exile takes this opportunity to get the hell away of the scary horned guy. Instead of an answer, Johnny looks at Blaine for a few seconds before he grimaces and punches a nearby wall, leaving a sizable dent in it.]

Goddamnit...!

[strategic_guile]

[As long as it's the wall and not him, Blaine was okay with Johnny venting his frustration. The native exiles hurried away and the blonde made sure of it before he turned his full attention back towards the incubus. He couldn't help this situation with any kind of words. He couldn't believe them even if he had had the right words to say. The whole situation was draining because this just wasn't right. Even his thoroughly gray morality scale knew this was far, far into the black. He could own up to murder by guns or drugs, but just running away made him feel guilty. Leave it to the Initiative to actually make him feel guilt. He fucking hated it.]

I know.

[He is resigned to this. He tries to keep his face neutral or at least not as angry and regretful as he feels, but he's sure some of it bleeds through. Blaine steps forward, invading Johnny's space and just resting his chin on the shoulders that seemed to suddenly become wider than his own. Then he wraps his arms around him and gives Johnny's back a few pats.]

Let's go back.

[charming_jerk]

[He's quiet for a few moments, relaxing slightly at Blaine's touch.] I hate the Initiative for this. For putting us in this situation. For doing this to them. I don't even wanna fuckin' work with them anymore. I should just stay here.

[strategic_guile]

You're not staying. [No joking, no nonsense, just blunt denial. He's still hugging him, so Johnny can't see his face.]

[charming_jerk]

Do you think there's any way we can sneak some of 'em on board? Things are chaotic enough, I think I might be able to do it. [He has to do something.]

29th, On The Moooooon

[have_hat_will_travel]

... Hey.

[Pidonus blinked, looking towards Johnny for a moment as she passed him as he watched through a window.]

... Er...

[What do you say at a time like this? "Are you okay?" is an obvious no. Just "Hi"? Hell if she knows...]

[charming_jerk]

[It's okay Pidonus, he's not sure either. He gives her a tired look.]

Hey. Made it here safely?

[have_hat_will_travel]

One of the first runs. I've been ducking down for supplies since, since I can teleport to anyplace I've been.

[charming_jerk]

Yeah? That's pretty handy. I... don't know what to do yet. Wait till things get settled here first, I guess, before I help with missions or somethin'. Not that I really feel like working for the Initiative anymore.

[have_hat_will_travel]

My solution is a very firm policy of Do Not Think About It And Focus On A Goal.

Namely, a speakeasy - of sorts - to try and provide something for people to do up there that may allow us a bit of happiness.

earth!

[taijiya]

[Sango hears the yelling while she's running an errand and frowns, going to investigate. Upon discovering the screaming match, she rushes over with a stern look on her face.]

Mr. D'Amico. Please. This isn't helping!

[charming_jerk]

[He turns to her, still yelling.] These idiots won't listen! They think I'm lyin' to 'em! [The Exiles still aren't trusting of the Transports, after all.]

[taijiya]

[Sango stands her ground--yelling white-haired half demons don't intimidate her much these days. Her eyes flick to the Exiles, who are angry and disbelieving, but also kind of terrified.]

Yes, and screaming bad news in their faces isn't going to help.

[Her voice drops low, pained.]

Can't you see why they wouldn't want to believe you?

[charming_jerk]

[Johnny's kind of scary on a good day, so this really wasn't helping. He's still angry, but he looks desperate too.] They need to. We need to get them out of here as fast as we can, and havin' 'em blow me off ain't gonna help!

moonbase

[acts_of_claudia]

[Claudia's been pretty on edge, herself. She's been throwing herself into her work as a way to cope with everything. She was just taking a walk to rest her eyes after staring at a computer screen all day when she spots Johnny at the window. Strolling over she doesn't even look at him as she speaks]

On a scale of 1-10 I'd give this place a 4.

[charming_jerk]

I think it'd get a higher rating if we were here under better circumstances. [He just keeps staring out the window, too.] I wanted to stay down there and help them.

[acts_of_claudia]

[She sighs, turning around and leaning back against the window]

Given the choice I'd rather be sent back home.

[charming_jerk]

[He's quiet in regards to that. He'd considered Exsilium his home. He didn't want to go back to his own. But now Exsilium is gone, with only vague promises of getting it back.]

No, I... I wanna get it back. Fuck the Initiative and everything they do, but I gotta work with 'em to get it back. Exsilum is my home.

Moonbase

[chore_boy]

[After the fighting ended, Coby collapsed. He fell into a deep sleep--one brought on by a mixture of his tremendous injuries and the overuse of his 'weapon'. Stumbling out of bed, Coby felt the tug of an IV on his arm before he made haste to remove it. He wasn't in his room.

More importantly, he had to figure out how to get back to the battlefield and to make sure everyone was safe. Coby made pause, stopping at one of the hallway windows. He stared, transfixed, out into the blackness of space pressed over the pristine white glare of light hovering over the surface of the moon. In the distance, a little grey ball that was where he used to be.

Coby had no idea what was going on.]

[charming_jerk]

[Johnny spots Coby and walks over to look out as well. He looks completely drained himself.] Trippy as hell, ain't it.

[chore_boy]

Johnny... [Coby was sure that deep down, he understood--but, at the moment he hadn't the fainted clue.]

Where are we?

[charming_jerk]

[Eh? He's not sure how someone wouldn't know.] Whattaya mean? We're on the moon base.

[chore_boy]

What? [Coby almost didn't squeeze that word out. His hands gripped the edge of the window frame, jaw slowly falling.]

You're joking.