( 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

[implying]

[ He takes a moment to glance around. There hadn't been a direction to his walk today, really. But... that one will do. He steps next to Marduk, threading an arm lightly through his. ]

This way, then. I never can say no to company. [ Especially now. He holds back a sigh, and instead glances over at Marduk's little project. ] How long have you been working on that?

[applethief]

Oh, this? [ there's a slightly pause while he registers that vanadi's looking at the map, same as he is. marduk immediately snaps the book shut after it fully registers. rude, vanadi. didn't people ever teach you not to snoop ... ]

The past few days. Or so. [ his response is a bit terse, but his gaze is decidedly fixed on the ground, away from vanadi. ]

[implying]

[ He glances up from the closed book to Marduk's face, misery forgotten for a little puzzlement. When the answer isn't immediately apparent, he has to ask: ]

It was quite well done, and a good idea. [ so there's no need to be embarrassed about it, right?? ]

[applethief]

It's pretty stupid, actually. [ still, it's hard not to be appeased-- just a little-- by the compliment. he looks back at vanadi with a halfhearted smile that's crooked at best. ] I probably won't even miss this place. Don't think I've ever been out in the city enough to care.

[implying]

It isn't stupid.

[ His voice has lost some of the lilt, and he looks ahead of them. ]

Mm. Whether or not you miss it, it's good of you to take the time to see it now. It's always possible the Transports fail to undo the bombing, and these are the last days of Exsilium.

[applethief]

[ not quite the response he was expecting. vanadi seems to know where they're going (if there even is a destination), which leaves marduk free to peer at him curiously all the while. ]

You think so, huh? Well, it doesn't matter much either way. Not for us. [ he adds, eyeing a native as they walk past. sucks to be them, he guesses. ]

[implying]

[ He slows, eying the same native. He knows her, although it isn't mutual. She's one of those who, some missions back, inexplicably stopped knowing him. He leans his head against Marduk's arm, eyes dropping away to the ground. ]

Perhaps it does. I'm not keen on spending the rest of my days in what sounds like a terribly enclosed area, unable even to go outside.

[applethief]

[ he slows too, carefully matching his pace to vanadi's. marduk stows the book away in order to gently pat vanadi on the head, though his expression stays decidedly neutral. ]

The alternative won't be much better. Trust me.

[implying]

[ He might normally lean into that pat, possibly doglike in a mostly never-ending quest for affection, but not today. ]

I'm not convinced. [ It's low, like maybe if he says it quietly enough it will go unheard and uncontested. ]

[applethief]

Then you're fucking stupid. [ he bares his teeth a little at the end of that. maybe, on some level, vanadi's response is truly and honestly offensive. more than anything apollo and jan could ever do to his apartment. more than anything his younger self could ever say.

from most other people, marduk would probably let a comment like that slide. with someone you actually kind of like having around, though... ] What makes you think it'd even be so great? Dying. [ because that's what they're talking about, right. ]

[implying]

[ His ears draw back as he realizes his mistake, but... but for once, he doesn't apologize and quickly back down. He doesn't manage to look up as he speaks, though — that's still beyond his reach. ]

I don't imagine it would be. But... mm. You weren't at my party, I hope? The most recent one.

[applethief]

[ the way he asks, it's almost as if the question answers itself. especially since it comes with the implication that vanadi will elaborate on something-- marduk just shakes his head. ] Let's assume not.

[implying]

[ He nods once, faintly. That's good. ]

Well, I'd been reprogrammed by the UE, and used the party to facilitate the last in a series of kidnappings. I believe only one died — a dwarf, I think, and was resurrected in time by the Initiative — but many more were taken that night.

[applethief]

[ ah. that's it, then. ]

What about now? Are you still reprogrammed? [ he fumbles over the word. everything that has to do with science just sounds ridiculous, no matter how he tries to say it. sigh. ]

[implying]

No, no. Not now. The AI has settled the matter for me, although not before I'd attacked a good deal of my friends — which, of course, was after pointing them out for Catsovi to mind control in the first place. [ He lifts his free hand, scrubbing it over his face miserably. ] And there's never truly a guarantee it won't happen again.

[applethief]

[ all in all, it's a tale that sounds familiar enough to nag at him for the next few minutes. marduk frowns, taking hold of vanadi's wrist and tugging it away from his face. relax, man. it's okay. ]

But it's over now. You think that's worth killing yourself over? Shit, it's not even that-- you'd just be letting yourself die. [ his tone goes from dismissive to increasingly disdainful with each word. he's still sympathetic, but it's hard to approve of vanadi's apparent solution to the matter. ]

[implying]

[ The disdain gets an unhappy wilt, but -- really, it's difficult to see any other reaction. It is a terrible idea. ]

It isn't over, more likely than not. [ He studies his hand under its glove, the one Marduk had taken. ] Really, there's no other way to be certain I'd never be used against others again.

[ Unless the Initiative just brings him back again. The thought makes him sigh. ]

[applethief]

So what if there's not? Even if you weren't here and that was their plan, they'd probably find another way. It's not like I'm the only dead guy.

[ his voice trails off. maybe that was a bit harsh? marduk removes his arm from vanadi's to put it around his shoulders in an awkward semi-hug. ] Can't hate living on the moon yet, anyway! You haven't even been there.

[implying]

[ That's... true. With or without him, the UE would find a way to make lives miserable. He's not sure that helps, but it's a good point. He's quiet for a moment, leaning into that awkward hug appreciatively. And, in a moment, he turns more fully toward Marduk, reaches up to pull him down with a hand behind his neck, and kisses him. There's a ripple of irritation when this means stopping in the street and blocking the flow of those behind them, but Vanadi doesn't much care. ]

[applethief]

[ ah. the kiss catches him off guard, though he's not sure why; it's not exactly an unexpected event, whenever vanadi's around. marduk leans into the kiss at first, but brings his hands up to vanadi's shoulders to gently push him away, not bring him closer. ]

What are you going to do? [ yeah, having a straight conversation with vanadi all the way through to the end might've been like pulling teeth, but in this case it was probably important? enough to bother. ]

[implying]

[ He grudgingly allows himself to be pushed back, but it doesn't stop him from settling his hands at Marduk's waist. It's comforting. He glances away and down, wilting as he stands. ]

As always, I prove myself a coward. I'll go.

[applethief]

[ oh. sorry vanadi; that just makes him bark out a laugh. after a slight pause, marduk attempts to soften the blow with a light kiss on the top of his head. (that's how you affection, right.) ]

There's no shame in surviving. [ he murmurs into vanadi's hair, tangling some of it in his fingers. he then pulls away, still grinning, but with his sharp teeth displayed in a manner that can only really be considered predatory. ] It's the only thing that fucking matters.

FURIOUSLY TAGS

[implying]

[ He'd have given him a light shove for the laugh, if not for the proceeding kiss. That makes it acceptable. He even summons a wry half of a smile to aim up at him. ]

My dear, forgive me, but you seem not to be a shining example of morality for me to follow.