( 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

[inhumanity]

[he laughs] Haven't the faintest!

[It certainly is an advantage. Without any pattern but his whim guiding his movement, Christopher seems to form a buffer zone, keeping Monica out of any real danger. He can't let her be hurt. He doesn't know what his God really feels for this woman, but Christopher is a creature who has always suffered without being given reasons, and if there is the slightest chance of Huey Laforet finding these actions more pleasing than any other, then Christopher has to do everything he can to avoid pain.]

[maskmaker]

[Unaware as she is of the terror Christopher holds toward Huey Laforet, she notices him taking down the monsters that reach for her too but is ultimately unimpressed, uninterested. He has little answers. She has a place to head to, a man to find and use her knife for even if it might be useless. Maybe they can be burned.]

... I see. Then I will be--

[Except she doesn't get to say what she will be, because these monsters are fast and there are more of them and she steps away from the protective arch Christopher had made and there is a pair of them grabbing for her arm and a third lunging as well and she can't, exactly, kick right off the ground to get out of the way.]

[inhumanity]

[Christopher doesn't think. He moves fast, as fast as he ever moved to get at Vino—a pair of knives are flying for the ones that grabbed at her, but it's still too much risk—Christopher throws himself between Monica and the monster. He can impale one with the umbrella but another has hold of his arm, and its grip is crushing.

The sound of cracking splits through the noise of hall.

Christopher laughs.]

My, is this what they call an outreach program?

[Christopher yanks his arm harder—the pain is Hell, and he knows his skin has broken—he frees himself by slamming forward. Switching his weapon to his working hand, he opens it up to unleash a storm of fire on his enemies. And he looks back at Monica with a smile that is calm and gentle.]

Try to be more careful, all right? I wouldn't want you to be hurt.

[Blood is soaked up by his sleeve, and runs down to his wrist. His dripping blood begins to mix with the monsters'.]

[maskmaker]

... Why does it matter to you?

[She raises a hand to her own chest. Her heart is racing, but quickly calming down. Cold sweat runs down her neck and she feels it on her palm. Rising to her feet, she reaches into the pocket of her cloak to produce some fabric she figured would be useful to tie off any injuries she got.]

Can you run? I'll tie up your arm, come this way.

[inhumanity]

[Christopher shrugs, even as he holds one arm with the other and, unhesitating and precise, pushes his bones back in place. The pain is blinding, enough to knock someone out or make them scream. Christopher just laughs.]

Felt like it!

[He keeps his umbrella in his working hand and uses it to keep a space around them.] Lead the way! [If it were just himself, Christopher would never concede to a retreat. For Monica, however, he will run and hide as much as necessary if it will keep her unharmed.]

[maskmaker]

[They'll find somewhere empty. An empty hallway, a room that hasn't been invaded yet. She doesn't dare risk staying on the ground, though. She finds a groove to jam her shoe into for leverage, kicking up and grabbing a piping running along the ceiling and twisting around to kick a vent open.

She slips inside it, reaching down for Christopher next. Her mask slips just a bit, blond hair falling a little.]

Come up.

[inhumanity]

[Christopher springs off the ground and up to grab her hand with the hand of his injured arm, then uses the stronger arm to pull him up in the vent.

(He notices that long, blond strand. He wonders how well Huey Laforet observes this woman. He wonders if he would notice a single hair harmed.)

And he chuckles.]

Is this the downside to a life time of eating all of my fruits and vegetables? I just don't think I have the body for this anymore.

[He can totally fit.]

[maskmaker]

[The mask is in the way in the darkness, but she keeps it on, using the light from the open vent for visibility. She raises her knife to cut through the fabric of his sleeve, tearing it away.]

... I owe you my life. Thanks.

[And then she silently gets to work wrapping up his wound.]

[inhumanity]

Anything for a friend. [Christopher watches her with a certain curiosity about whether or not she is able to do this sort of thing effectively. Smiling serenely all the while, he stays very still as she acts. Only once does he stop her, to correct the position of the bone.]

Wait, are you secretly a doctor or nurse?

[maskmaker]

[She takes his correction without question or complaint, waiting until he's done, then continuing her mending.]

... I've never saved a single life since the way I was born. Nor have I cared for a wound. You're the first.

[inhumanity]

[Christopher laughs.]

I don't know if I should say there's a special bond between us or worry about the quality of my medical care. Hold on, I can do both. Thank you, friend! The memory of this injury will be a memory of this happy moment between us.

[Always, always, a smile that is childlike and serene.]

[maskmaker]

[Maybe she's embarrassed. There's a snippy tone to the response, and a yank on the bandage.]

I know how to make it stop bleeding.

[She turns her head sharply. The string of her mask must have loosened during all the moving, because it's in this moment that it decides to untie completely and the mask slides off her face, falling into her lap, and Monica blinks at it, then at Christopher.]

[inhumanity]

[There it falls. Christopher continues to smile as it falls down.]

If you like, I can hold it up to hide your face while you finish the bandaging. Or would you like me to finish the bandage while you fix your mask yourself?

[maskmaker]

[She stares at him wide-eyed for a second, and then shakes her head to continue her work.]

It was in the way anyway. You don't sound surprised, Christopher.

[inhumanity]

Oh, I'm deeply shocked.

[He puts a hand to his mouth.]

Entirely stunned. Surprised out of looking surprised! Elmer would have seen straight through my smile just a moment ago.

[maskmaker]

Elmer... Elmer can see through anybody's smiles.

But really. You don't sound surprised.

[inhumanity]

[Christopher holds up a hand. Give him a moment.

And then, rather uncannily well-performed, Christopher affects a look of shock and pulls back.]

Monica!?

[maskmaker]

... Aaah.

[She lowers her voice. Yanks on the bandages again, harder.]

It's annoying so cut it out, idiot. Hold still.

[inhumanity]

Ouch. [The sulking, childish expression of pain is no more honest than the exclamation of surprise. (An honest sound would have been a whimper and a strangled sob.) He grins at her.] Shouldn't friends be able to recognize each other, no matter what they wear?

[maskmaker]

I don't count on it. Sorry I pulled on your arm.

[She's more gentle now as she ties off the bandage, then pauses.]

... Go to the medical unit first, Christopher. I'll go with you.

[inhumanity]

Will you?

[Christopher smiles, and draws his arm back to his chest.]

That's kind, but I can go alone. Let me first escort you to Master Huey. That's where you wanted to go, right?

[maskmaker]

[There's a flash in her eyes. Christopher is right. She wants to find him. She must. Not a hair on his head must be harmed even if he is immortal. She should ask him to, regardless of injury. He can fight the monsters better.

But she shakes her head, points over Christopher's shoulder.]

The observatory is in this direction. We're heading there to get your arm looked at.

[inhumanity]

[Christopher doesn't take a moment to make his decision.] If that's what you want!

But Monica, I can't let you wander around here alone. It just wouldn't be right. If you do want to go to the clinic before going to see Master Huey, you ought to stay while I'm healed so that I can bring you to him after.

[maskmaker]

I'll travel through these. It's quiet -- I don't think any of them have entered the vents yet.

[She motions for him to start moving. The vents are large enough he won't have to crawl on his broken arm.]

... I want you to get your arm healed and stay where you are, Christopher.

[inhumanity]

[Well. He can't really argue, can he? He does as he is told.] In that case, I suppose I owe you my thanks in return.

[He is very careful with his arm as he moves. He knows how much damage his body can take, and he has plenty of room yet. But there is no reason to pointlessly put more strain on himself than necessary.]

Even so, I'd like to ask my partner to look after you when you leave me. It would make her very happy.