( 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

[5055034455]

Yeah.

[He figures those on the inside won't be too pleased to see a guy with a gun walking in there, non-lethal though it may be, so he holds up a finger bidding Ahiru wait, then goes to stash it somewhere nearby.

If it's gone when he gets back, oh well.]

Okay. Ready.

[quackery]

[She nods, and then takes a moment. First, there's a large inhale, closing her eyes to calm herself. She can do this. Then a smile spreads out over her face, as natural as she can make it. There's hardly a noticeable difference from her normal, everyday grin. She walks forward and opens the door. When the children who are inside (some are playing in the streets, no doubt), look over and see her, only one or two show some sign of recognition. It's been a while since she's visited, and she'd never gone as often as she wanted. They move towards her, and she bends to their level with a grin.]

How are you doing? I brought you a surprise!

[She pulls the bar of chocolate out from behind her back, cherishing the looks of wonder on their faces as they look at it.]

But you have to share it with the other kids when they come in, okay?

[5055034455]

[Saul hangs back, trailing behind Ahiru with a bit of a slouch. He's looking around, but not really at any of the kids — it's easier to focus on the walls, the floor, the ceiling...

Eventually, he shifts his gaze to Ahiru and the kids, and feels a pang of guilt.

Damn.]

[quackery]

[It doesn't take long; she asks how each of them have been, says she's doing well, and then gives a hasty excuse for why she has to head out, reminding them to share the chocolate bar with the other kids.

She promises she'll be back soon.

After that, she raises herself up (she'd been crouching to be more on their level) and turns back towards Saul.]

Are you ready?

[5055034455]

[All the while, he's just been standing there, watching. The look on his face vanishes when Ahiru turns, but not so quickly that she won't catch the tail end of it: it's grim, it's morbid, it's tired.

He forces a smile anyway.]

Yeah, let's go.

[quackery]

[She doesn't notice because she's not looking; her eyes are focused the floor, avoiding eye contact.]

Okay. [She tries as hard as can be not to turn back as she starts walking, but — there's a moment right before she moves across the doorway and out of the building that she looks back, sees them smiling and laughing. She stalls.]

[5055034455]

[Saul doesn't look back.

Instead, he places a hand on Ahiru's shoulder. It's not quite a push, but there's some force behind it, like he's urging her to get a move on.

Gently:] We've gotta go.

[quackery]

[She struggles against that, looking at him.]

If there was any sort of real rush, then you would be getting on now, too.

[5055034455]

[Ouch.

Saul really can't say anything to that. He merely holds her gaze for a second, then places both hands in his pockets and looks away, like he's giving her permission to do whatever the hell she wants.]

[quackery]

[She looks down, automatically guilty, running a hand through her hair.]

I'm sorry, I just... You're right. We should get going. You've got stuff to do.

[She knows this must be hard for him, too.]

[5055034455]

[Yeah. Stuff to do.

He chews his lip briefly, then nods and gestures for her to take the lead again.]