( 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

[heroxide]

It happens. Couldn't be helped.

[But his shrug does come off as a little troubled. Maybe. Sort of.]

[hyanaimne]

[she laughs, bitterly]

So I am told.

[heroxide]

No use crying over spilled guts. Or maybe that saying goes a little different than I remember.

[Tired:] Yeah, alright. They could have come up with a different plan.

[hyanaimne]

I do not know the original saying to even bother commenting on it, I'm afraid.

But yes, they could have. I do not care if they will be brought back; it still happened.

[heroxide]

Better them than us.

So, you gonna watch the bomb hit the city from all the way up here? [Very aware of what a terrible question that is.]

[hyanaimne]

[she looks . . . horrified, for just a moment. Even hidden under her hood as she always is, it's hard to miss - it makes her look much younger than she is, with the hardened exterior cracked.

It's just a moment, though, because the mask slams right back up, and the horror melts into anger]

Why would I do something like that?

[heroxide]

[He could be a real bastard and say "for a show!" or something else that would be suitably vampy.

nope, shrugs]

We're part of the reason they're getting all exploded, right? Least we could do is face it and send them off proper. Even if it's from a little farther away.

[hyanaimne]

And then we can form a circle to pray for their souls and all that rubbish.

No, I will not be watching.

[heroxide]

I was thinking of leaving that part out, actually.

Yeah, well. [Super duper eloquent.]

[hyanaimne]

Hmph. That is not a proper "send off" anyway, to simply stand there and watch.

[heroxide]

Better than ignoring it.

Anyway, what else do you want exactly? I think going down there to hold hands with them would end a little too crispily for my tastes.

[hyanaimne]

I wanted to be down there. [wanted to see if those who were evacuated survived, wanted nothing to do with being on the moon, wanted a chance to actually stay dead . . . the usual Tempest thoughts] But the Initiative thought differently, obviously.

And I do not want anything, but do not think I am ignoring it.

[heroxide]

All I can say is that I hope this isn't a permanent solution.

[hyanaimne]

It had better not be.

[heroxide]

Mm. For everyone's safety. I think if we stay in this hunk of metal too long, we'll just start killing each other off out of frustration.

[hyanaimne]

What an appealing idea. [the way she says it, though, it is hard to tell if she's joking or not]

A mission would be lovely, right about now. One to a place with plenty of alcohol and nature.

[heroxide]

I hear you. On the first one, at least, but maybe not the second. Never was very woodsy myself.

Makes sense that you are, though-- aren't you the half-Elf, or whatever nonsense?

[hyanaimne]

You needn't be "woodsy" to enjoy some ale under a tree, do you?

[she hesitates at the question, almost unconsciously, before she nods] I am half, yes. We spoke of it once, didn't we?

[heroxide]

Ale? A little old-fashioned there, aren't you?

[hyanaimne]

[she can't help rolling her eyes]

I suppose it is.

[heroxide]

[Grinning when she rolls her eyes.]

Come on. What's that look for, 'lil elf?

[hyanaimne]

I am not an elf.

[heroxide]

[Shakes his head as if to say "whatever".] Half-elf. I was fifty percent accurate.

[hyanaimne]

[she huffs, rolling her eyes]

Of course.

[heroxide]

It's really that much of a touchy subject for you, huh?