( open ) our ag wing's back and you're gonna be in trouble (hey now! hey now! our ag wing's back)

[initiates]

Date & Time: October 31st, 3313, 11:59PM - November 3rd, 3313, ????
Location: Agriculture Wing, Moon Base to start. Cafeteria, warehouse, docking bay, VR rooms, Transport Pad, or Observatory later on.
Characters: Any & all!
Summary: Space Zombies are allowed out of the Agriculture Wing, slowly revving up their systems to try and infect and absorb as many of the Transports (or 12 Initiative Members) as possible.
Warnings: Log will be locked for potentially graphic violence. Please warn in threads should the violence or gore become graphic.
Notes: Specify a date and location in your top comment. You may specify multiple dates/locations. Specify a time if you wish as well.

Everything is a success at first, from the cool rush of air out of the Agriculture Wing once the doors are fully unlocked, to the heady sense of accomplishment for finally moving forward on something good for the long-term usability of the Moon Base. It's intended to remain a resource, after all, but not be a permanent home. Fraying tempers and the sense of cabin fever descending on Transports continues to showcase how important it is to get back down on Earth to regain some breathing room.

There's little enough dust between all the unmoving, unlit structures, many even supporting the barest dried husks of what once grew there. Upon the lightest touch, they disintegrate, turning into a dust that falls to the ground. The silent rows will be reclaimed and turned into functioning units, based on Transport efforts, and Transport time invested in the project.

There's just one problem. Something stirs in the reclaimed wing, among tangles of hosing and wiring. Skitterings and movements that make no sense for a long abandoned Moon Base. The further in Transports go, relying on magic or technology to generate light past the bare minimum maintained by the base, the more disturbing sights they may run into.

Of course, the most disturbing of all might be lying just around the far corner -- but don't worry, it's only a flesh wound. Try not to get surprised in the machinery, caught suffering from not looking up or caught making out with anything unsavory this holiday season, Transports. We need all of you to stay alive!

We can't bring you back right now!

Comments

[retraced]

[Emily you're not helping! Gilbert rubs at his nose as he turns to look at Rosette, finally noticing that it's in fact bleeding. As if his clothes weren't already ruined enough. He presses his sleeve against it to soak up the blood as he attempts an answer.]

G-Gilbert...Nightray.

[But more importantly.]

Are you both...er, rather, what was going on in here...

[soul_sister]

Ah! You're the one Kevin was bragging abo-

[Unfortunately, the one person that could have given Gilbert an actual straight answer has been distracted twice over. Once with the idea of a fantastic baker, the second. THE SECOND. She whips around to address the doll directly.]

When did you even get in here?!

[maddeninghatter]

[ Being horrible has been a momentary distraction from the fact that he's half-naked, stuffed in a small shower stall with Rosette and his useless subordinate. Gilbert, he is quite sure, has never seen him in any state of undress, though they've shared close quarters here for months. Even his pajamas cover everything. But now he is standing here, still clinging to the shred of half a shirt which is only just covering his incuse (and probably not very well, as the cloth is wet and probably transparent at this point). Beyond that, he is painfully aware of how he looks: how is it that the strongest man in Pandora can be built like a twig, it's some strange, unfair sort of Manga Logic. This is sure to bring on further fussing on Gilbert's part, maybe even Rosette's, urgh. Woven into the self-consciousness is a stab of jealousy, how is it that Gilbert managed to wind up with the manly shoulders and manly hands and manly —

He realizes, all of a sudden, that he's gone all gooseflesh. Because the water has shut off. Which means... ]

Ah, Gilbert. You'd better get your feathered friend handy, just in case.

[ ...the door is going to open and they'll find out whether Rosette's bomb has taken out the walls and the oxygen. ]

[retraced]

[Kevin why. Gil's face goes red beneath his hand, eyes narrowed in embarrassment. Just what sorts of things the man has bragged about will have to be left up to speculation because he's not about to ask her to elaborate. His head will explode quicker than that zombie's did.]

Hm? Why?

[His brain hasn't caught all of the way up yet, Break. Your scrawniness is a distraction, and Gilbert is upset that he'd decided not to wear a jacket as well. At least then he could have given the poor guy some cover. He'll have to get clothing and tea and some sort of pastry served asap unless he wants to risk Break catching a chill after all of this.

But even though he's asked the question, he calls out to Raven silently, prepared to bring out whatever power it is that Break seems to think is necessary.]

1/3

[soul_sister]

Feathered friend?

[There's no time to answer her as the door opens. The room beyond has some measure of concussive damage, some of the lights hanging down, and stalls dented... Zombie guts are splattered to almost every possible conceivable point and angle, some dripping slowly from the ceiling, others look like they were painted on the walls by a two year old and a tire swing.



But most startling is the sudden change in air pressure, enough to cause their ears to pop (harmlessly) and everything sound fuzzy. The still air of the shower stall becomes a brisk breeze, pouring out in front of them.


Across the room, a crack widens, a chunk ripping backwards through it.]

[soul_sister]

[The whistle becomes a roar, air ripping into the new hole.

The lights flicker and a small klaxon goes off. AI's voice can be clearly heard over the PA.]

Emergency lockdown in Sector Z, emergency lockdown in Sector Z, all end users evacuate
immediately to minimize life and resource loss.

[soul_sister]

[Rosette only stops to grab Emily from the soap dish.]

NONE OF THAT SOUNDS GOOD!

[maddeninghatter]

[ Meanwhile, Break grabs hold of Rosette and Gilbert, clutching them close. ]

Now, if you please!

[ He really hopes Gilbert's brain has finally managed to catch up, because there's no more air for him to be able to explain. ]

[retraced]

[Oh yes. That snaps him out of it damned quick. He's suddenly very aware of where they are and what's out there and instantly he acts through the sudden settling panic. Gritting his teeth, he grabs hold of both of them in return and calls upon his Chain. There's a loud rustling of flapping wings, a creeping darkness that engulfs all three of them, and in the blink of an eye and a stir of wind and dark feathers, they're suddenly in the hallway right outside of the room that he and Break share.

It's a subconscious act. Gilbert is exhausted, this is the first place he could think of to return to on such short notice.

The floor is quickly littered with a couple of stray, large feathers as he lets go of them and stumbles backwards until he hits the wall. It's not quite jumping from Cheshire's realm back into Pandora, but it's still a strain to use his Chain, especially since he hasn't summoned Raven in months now.]

[soul_sister]

[For a moment, Rosette hardly notices the change of locations. While she had practice overcoming her terror facing demons and armed opponents, there was something that she had no guards against, when between one breath and the next, she couldn't draw in any air at all.

Eyes squeezed shut and huddled against Break's side, she doesn't seem to realize until she hears Gilbert's collapse against the wall, thinks to try breathing again.]

Where...

Are you all right?

[maddeninghatter]

[ He can't see Raven's darkness, but he can certainly feel it. What all-encompassing, ancient power and majesty: this is the first time Break has experienced it since learning the truth about Gilbert. As he feels the airless wind whirl about them, he realizes that it is and always has been obvious. Gilbert is Glen Baskerville, that might have been. Mad Hatter scrabbles beneath his skin, screaming KILL KILL KILL —


It's over. He inhales. The air, though stale and recycled, is breathable. He recognizes the familiar stench of the housing area: it reeks of unwashed socks and quiet desperation. A bit of exploring with his fingertips reveals the door to their room, which he pushes open. ]

He'll be fine.

[ He releases Rosette slowly, to make sure she won't topple, whilst simultaneously reaching for Gilbert. He slides an arm under the man's shoulder, on purpose to guide him inside. ]

Just in need of a little lie-down.

[retraced]

[For once he's glad that Break has chosen to speak for him, because he hasn't quite regained his breath just yet. Raven calms, and the more he subsides, the more exhausted Gilbert feels. He still has enough of his wits to know that Break is leading them back to his bed, and he wills his feet to move, trying to put as little pressure on Break as possible.]

'm fine. Sorry. [His voice comes out as a whisper as they walk past her.]</small.

[soul_sister]

[She keeps herself steady on her feet, and for a few moments enjoys the luxury of air. But the last few moments begin to make sense... the referring to an entity, the sudden change... the bone deep tiredness.

She desperately wanted to ask him if he was a contractor too... a rarity to have someone to talk to about it. Instead all that came out was:]

Idiot! Don't apologize for saving people.

[She follows them only a few steps, setting Emily just inside the door. She glances around just a moment before turning back. Her own living quarters was only a wing away from here. Ten doors at most... surely..]

[maddeninghatter]

[ The good news is, Gilbert's bed is only a few steps away. The bad news is — he's soaking wet. He'll catch a terrible chill, put to bed like that, and then who would clean and make pastry? ]

Dear, dear. We've got to get out you out of these clothes, Gilbert...

[ Over his shoulder, with a grin showing his teeth. ]

Would you like to do the honors, Miss Rosette? I know you like that sort of thing~♥

[retraced]

[Thanks for the concern, boss. -_-;

Unhappily for Break, Gilbert is already half asleep by the time he sits down and then, without pause, falls down with his head as well-aimed for the pillow as he can manage. You two have fun talking about...well, whatever weird conversation it is you're picking back up from earlier.]

[soul_sister]

[She halts in the doorway, hackling like a spooked cat. She whirls around.]

DON'T JUST MAKE UP THINGS LIKE THAT! Go get towels and pajamas... And a shirt. Does anyone even feed you?

[maddeninghatter]

[ Gilbert falls and so does Break's face. Gilbert!

But it's.... he's just..... he's just resting. Break's shoulders come down; he's relieved. And then he's shivering. His mind is already moving in the direction of a nice wooly sweater he knitted not long ago, in a desperate effort to stay warm (and sane), when Rosette's commentary filters through.

Does anyone even feed you? ]

...

Shut up.

[soul_sister]

[Normally, a line like that, no matter how curt or angry would draw more of her ire than obedience. But right now, she's watching the emotions on his face.... It really is a contract, isn't it?

... How long does he have?

Instead, she asks,]

Is he really all right?

1/2

[maddeninghatter]

[ Even though he now knows what and who Gilbert is, or might have been, he still can't break the habit of worrying. It's the hazard of too much time spent around kids, to whom so many terrible things can happen, even after they grow up.

Especially after they grow up.

He rises, fretfully — and realizes just then that the last shard of his shirt has fallen off. His incuse is fully visible now, and although he knows intellectually that Rosette won't know what it means, he still feels very naked. He twitches open a cupboard, finds the sweater he was thinking about and shrugs it on. ]

[maddeninghatter]

[ After he's put on the sweater he puts on a brilliant smile, too, and chirps: ]

My goodness.

You're quite the little terror, aren't you?

[soul_sister]

That's not an answer.

[maddeninghatter]

[ A bit of scrabbling, and he's found some pajamas, and a couple of towels, too. He sits down on the lower bunk, and sets about rubbing Gilbert's hair dry. ]

What sort of girl stuffs bombs in zombies, I wonder?

[soul_sister]

[So, the answer is no. But he's hardly going to let her help either.]

There are some things you can't kill from the outside... That wasn't supposed to happen, though.

...

[She lets out a breath and says,] Tell him I said thank you. [Before moving towards the door again, to give them their privacy.]

[maddeninghatter]

Stay safe, Miss Rosette. Don't go back out there and try to fight them alone.

[ A beat. ]

For everybody's sake, honestlyyy~!

[soul_sister]

I WONT!

... If you need help, call me. [AND SHE'S GONE with no small huff.]