exsiliumlogs | (CLOSED) My hands are tied, for all I've seen has changed my mind

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(CLOSED) My hands are tied, for all I've seen has changed my mind

Date & Time: Forward-dated to Nov. 16 0300hrs through Nov.19th ~0230hrs
Location: Observatory, East Loading Bay, Transporter Room, Various (read: everywhere)
Characters: Pro-Initiative and Mutineer action teams
Summary: With mutineers occupying the transporter room and vital base systems hamstrung, Pro-Initiative forces work against mutineer teams to bring those systems back online and reach the transporter room.
Warnings: None yet (will update as necessary...because lbr ‘none yet’ isn’t going to last long)
Notes: All threads, with the exception of the Transporter Room B, are open for posting beginning now. Transporter Room B will kick off on Nov.16th proper in order to incorporate decision making from earlier action team’s choices and to maintain tonal cohesion. Community wide mingle log for the mutiny will go up on Nov. 16th.

[At 0300hrs on November 16th, things suddenly go wrong. The network cuts out, lighting abruptly goes from artificially sterile to the unsettling flickering of red emergency lighting. Furniture, supplies and even Transports suddenly find themselves untethered from the ground as the base’s gravity regulation abruptly shuts down; moreover, it isn’t long before Transports begin to realize they’ve been locked off from anything but the housing(/restrooms), vr and cafeteria sections of the base. Not long after:

Click-HHHSSSHK-click!

A woman’s voice speaks over the moon base’s PA system, echoing through the dark corridors and off the odds and ends gently floating through them thanks to the lack of gravity regulation. The voice is rich and accented, with a certain practiced ease to it - one that sharpens to a point the longer she talks:]

Testing. Testing-- are we good? Christ, I'm not echoing, am I? No?

All right good. Listen up, fellow transports. As you might have noticed, some of the base's general systems have gone offline: this, I assure you, is absolutely intentional. There's no need to panic.

So moving on from the understandably frustrating to the even more frustrating, I'm sure you all have also noticed the fact that we're currently all stuck-- starving and defenseless-- on the bloody moon. In a base that was, up until a few days ago, overrun with zombies. And before that, thousands of lives were bombed right out of existence, and before that, an entire world-- and before that we were all still being thrown at the United Earth for the sake of dying off repeatedly in a war we never stood a chance or had a say in. Transports have been treated like pawns since day one, and I'm sorry, but we don't deserve it.

If we're giving up our lives and our freedom, I'd say it's about time we earned ourselves a little equality.

We deserve a say in what goes on in this fight, and with that in mind, a few of us have decided to hold onto the transporter for a while. Just until the Initiative agrees to treat us like people instead of ammunition. Trust me, we’re not here to hurt anyone; none of this has to end badly. But it does need to end. Things have got to change. And if this is what it takes? This is what it’s going to be.

We need your help; please don’t make it any harder for us.

[The PA clicks off, pitching the base once more into complete radio silence.

Over the course of the next four days, pro-Initiative transports gather their resources and individuals form impromptu (or well planned) teams to bring these systems back online and out of the hands of mutineers so they can ultimately reach the transporter room and set things to right -- whatever that “right” may be.]

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Good.

[Lowell comments from a dark corner of the room. He's been sitting there for the past day or so (what is time, in a dark room, in space?) and feeling more than a little spiteful.

"You all deserve it" goes unsaid, but with the tone of his voice in that one word, he might as well have said it.]

Easy, easy. [Charlie holds out a hand toward Tempest. He doesn't like the look of this any more than anyone else, but drawing swords is a good way to get them killed outright if what's happening outside those doors is what it sounds like.

He's not usually one to think first, hit second but it sounds like they've got people coming from both sides. That demands some modicum of strategy. Which is why, after almost four days of this shit, it's time to make some bloody decisions. He looks to Chloe, catches her eye. The corner of his mouth tugs and it isn't really a grin, but it's something before he set his jaw and round on Lowell and Richard.

His voice is even, though only just.] You don't have to do it our way, you understand me? But you've got to do it theirs - they've proven they're not dangerous to you and this is as close to agreeing on something as they're every likely to get. So work with them to prioritize the missions that get us off this rock.

We didn't harm you even when we could've. I know you're not happy with us, but for Christ's sake let us be the bad guys so those wankers can stay focused on something for once. So they'll get something done and get all of us out of this mess alive, yeah?

Edited (herp derp editing for clarity) 2013-11-19 21:11 (UTC)

[The reply gets little more than an over-exaggerated eye roll, clearly displaying James' thoughts on the whole matter of 'reasoning'. These lot just don't get it and it's obvious enough that no amount of explaining will help them see the error of their ways. Especially not if they're prepared to kill for it.

But Lightning has a much better idea, and Bond allows a slight quirk of his lips, a not-there smile as he offers his hands out.]

That's more like it. Little bit of light bondage never hurt anyone. Never know, darling, you might even enjoy it.

It's instantaneous, so be ready.

[Just in case there's someone guarding the main controls; surprise is only on their side if they're ready to act as soon as they appear.

And appear they do, once she's got hold of both Batwoman and Jaime, she focuses on where she wants to be and teleports them there, letting go as soon as her feet are on solid ground again, taking stock of their surroundings.

(It doesn't feel like anything, there's just a faint aura of purple, which is an amazing coincidence).]

[It's moments like these when he seriously questions his life and his choices. Roy thinks he hears something too, hand automatically reaching for a weapon as he scans the hall. Moving slowly, he starts to move along the wall, ready to provide some sort of cover as needed.]

I don't know - look, maybe I can get to the control room and do something there. I really don't want to break anything if we don't have to.

[Unfortunately for Kang, Connor's mind is completely made up on this matter.

And he wasn't kidding about that warning being his last.

It's frustrating that it's come to this, but what other option does he have? They need to leave and neither words nor idle threats have dissuaded them. So be it. Connor hauls the bow string back and fires his second arrow. Similar to the first arrow shot, it isn't aimed at anyone in particular but rather snaps into the middle of the group, around the level of their knees this time.

Before it's even reached them, though, Connor's up and moving, his bow slung back around him. He abandons stealth for another tactic: he leaps up onto the junk he'd been taking cover behind and sprints across an unstable 'bridge' to a larger pile nearby. Stepping up to the top of that heap, he uses his weight to tip the wobbling structure forward. He draws his tomahawk and a small sphere from his jacket belt as he rides the collapsing pile down pretty much on top of the group.

To complicate things further, he throws the sphere as he falls. The smoke bomb explodes on contact with the floor, releasing a thick, grey cloud his opponents will have to fight through until it dissipates. He engages his left hidden blade to arm his now free hand and gives the tomahawk a quick spin, triggering the effect it's gained as it's evolved with his training: thin glowing beams lash out around the weapon, burning anything they come in contact with.]

[Well, talking is apparently not working. Something dark inside Raiden is okay with this and uncoils when it becomes time to take action.

He is in motion the moment Connor is and he turns towards the toppling debris as it falls, hopping over and across boxes when they slide towards him.

The smoke bomb goes off near his feet, blinding him for a second but he continues to swing his sword in the direction he suspects Connor is moving in. The blade clangs against the whirling tomahawk in an awkward parry and the beams lash across Raiden's armor plating, raising sparks. Raiden doesn't feel any pain with his inhibitors still running but he knows he's taken damage.]

STOP!

Edited 2013-11-19 21:48 (UTC)

[Luke is bent over the main console, face illuminated by the glow of the monitors as he pokes at the controls. His expression is set into a frown of concentration. He starts to straighten and something tugs at the edge of his perception, that little warning sense that's served him so well over the years and that he's learned to trust. He glances over his shoulder and then turns with a surprised blink. He has his lightsaber and blaster on his belt, but he doesn't make a move for them.]

Where'd you guys come from?

[Seriously, he didn't even hear the door open. He's seen weirder costumes, of course, so it's not their unorthodox appearance that really gets to him. And his mind is busily racing through a list of excuses as to why he's here.]

You...? [the girl; Blue doesn't need to look back to know she's there.] Who are–

[he passes into a thin veil of tension...and purpose. it slows him, putting him nearly at pace with the girl.

uncertain, growing more worried:] Others are ahead. Were we beaten to fixing the problem–?

[Oh, I'll show you Batfamily.

It's not her main motivation, of course, and she's more amused than irritated, but it's certainly in her thoughts as she navigates the network - or, rather, its skeleton. She needs to figure out what's broken and fix it, put the pieces back in their proper places.

It's not long before she notices someone else doing the same thing.]

[It's not the ideal scenario for a negotiation, but for them-- for the too-tight spot they're currently stuck in hearing the dull, muffled echo of sound through steel that isn't anything close to reassuring-- it's the best they can manage. This is as far as it all goes.

So Charlie and Lowell sort the details and for once she's the one focusing on the physical side of things; Charlie's rough but he's stable. Knows what this is about to the point that they've run this entire routine as opposite sides of the same coin. And right now, with the urge to run going off like a silent alarm in the back of her head, Chloe trusts him to make that last minute plea better than she ever possibly could.

But the clatter outside gets progressively louder, punctuated at the end by a shrill, desperate scream. Howled out by an unmistakable voice. Marking a dead drop off into what feels like silence by comparison. Chloe's fingers are curled around the grip of her rifle (index on the trigger) before she even bothers thinking about it.

It's heavy, and it's solid, and she's clinging to it like a bloody lifeline.]

[Now that they've dealt with their opposition, it's time to handle the final obstacle. Koltira works with Hitusgaya and Lightning, combining the strength of their respective powers to coat the doors with layers of freezing water and thick, shimmering ice. The intense cold makes the doors brittle, and Koltira smiles grimly as he runs a gloved hand over the devastating combination of their spellwork. His ears twitch as he listens to the vague noise beyond the door -- and his tattoos react to the presence of someone else's magic.

He lifts Byfrost, then brings the weapon down with furious force, slamming the broad side of the massive runeblade against the weakened doors. There's a horrible sound of crumpling, crumbling metal at the doors give way, then shatter entirely.

He steps through the rubble, motioning for the others to follow.]

This foolishness ends now.

Edited 2013-11-19 23:29 (UTC)

[It's a good thing that no one else in the loading bay knows Nerakese, because the curses that leave Kang's mouth are particularly dirty as the arrow misses his legs, but grazes his tail, leaving a scratch with a line of greenish blood. He takes a deep breath as soon as he sees the smoke bomb, reaching into a pouch at his side to pull out a piece of something wispy and white before chanting words in a different language and pointing at Connor. If he doesn't dodge it, the spell will trap the assassin in place. There's plenty of surfaces for the strands to adhere to, thanks to his defensive setup.]

[Shelke frowns when she moves to fix a section of damaged programming and discovers someone else already has. It had been damaged moments before and now it...wasn't. Hmm. A quick check of the next few sections on her list find them repaired as well. Someone else was doing this, and they were at least as good at it as she was.[

[Another moment or two, watching sectors repair, and she stands up, the terminal held in one hand as she starts through the he section of the base she can access, glancing from the network repairs to the people she sees. Whoever is doing this has to be using a terminal also, and with the network down, that meant anyone she finds on another machine is the likely culprit...]

[That's one way to put it. Lightning steps into the room beside Koltira, blade still in hand and eyes narrowed as she takes a quick moment to survey the room. To count the numbers they're up against...it shouldn't be a problem.

Still, she holds her silence. There's nothing she could say that Koltira hasn't already said, and her opinion from earlier stands in her mind. She just stands, blade in hand and stance ready to launch her forward into the fray if need be, the look on her face promising a good whack or spell for anyone who attacks.

It's been too long a week for her. For all of them.]

[as the door starts to crumble, Tempest sheathes her sword. The only reason she does is because of Charlie, and because really, she made a promise not to get herself killed. And that was going to happen if she faced them headlong with a sword out. She's not defenseless, though; she's got her spells, the barrier's up around them, and the only thing that would bring it down was either stronger mage or some anti-magic spells. And—

Of course it's a god damn elf. Of course. She finds herself stepping forward a step or two, so that in the event of an attack, she can step in front of Chloe and Charlie. Because they're just humans with only weapons on hand. She can play defense and offense if need be with her magic alone, and who knows what kind of magic the elf and the others had.

She applauds herself for keeping her voice calm and even]

Then put away your weapons as a show of good faith, first.

[Of course it would be Koltira through the bloody door first. Of course. Because nothing about this has been simple or easy. It's a struggle to follow his own advice and not draw his gun - not because he expects the elf to be unreasonable, but Charlie knows well enough what Koltira's capable of when he wants to be.

The fact that he's here at all probably means he does.

Charlie still finds his hand straying to the Walther anyway - setting just there with his fingers loose against the grip of the pistol. Shit, shit, shit.]

Easy, mates. We can talk about this.

[The chill that seeps in from their combined spellwork is potent. Has the angle of Chloe's shoulders nothing short of sharp and tense to stave off the urge to shiver. She's not surprised that it's Koltira; she's even less surprised he killed Seviilia to force his way in.

And it's precisely where her focus lingers. Gun level with the dead center of his chest.]

What did you do?

Shit!

[So much for the defensive plan. Then again, it was clear that negotiations (such as they were) were about to break down, and they'd always known it would come to this. Maria would still rather this not get deadly, but she's irrevocably cast her lot in with the mutineers, and she'll have Connor's back all the way.

Which is easier said than done. A man that size has no business being so fast, and she's several seconds behind him when she manages to scramble around the pile that had concealed her. Connor's got matters well in hand—her eyes go wide at the sight of very familiar glowing beams.

But no matter how well he's doing, three against one makes for bad odds. The least she can do is try to even them out. Sword in hand, Maria goes for the woman, and hopes that Connor can take care of the other two.]

[ Well, that went wonderful.

Ella had let the adults talk, but once things starte spiraling out of control she closes the distance once more. Being slightly behind actually proved to be useful, as the whole commotion cause by Connor doesn't quite reach her by surprise. And this time she doesn't even get hit. ]

I guess this is when we try to restrain them without hurting them too much, right?

[ Seeing how Raiden and Kang are busy with Connor, Ella goes over to Kate, a hand raised towards Maria.

Moments later, sparks start flying from her fingers, extending to her entire hand and all the way up to her elbow; it's as if Ella is basically holding a lightning on her hand, electricity flowing from it and sometimes "spilling" down to the floor, leaving dark charred marks. ]

Stand down! I can set it to stun, but it's not going to be pretty anyway.

[ It's only marginally dizzying, the sensation of being in one place and then another in a matter of milliseconds. She blinks and she thinks she's missed it.

Quickly, those thoughts about how strange teleportation is are shoved aside when they come face to face with Luke.

That's...

Right, this doesn't get any weirder.

Her eyes dart to the lightsaber and while Luke hasn't gone for them, she's instantly on the defense. ]

[ As everyone springs into action, Batwoman follows suite.

She hauls her cape close to her mouth as a safety precaution, but as it's made clear the bomb is only meant to veil Connor and Maria's movements, she drops everything and reaches toward her mask. ]

Activate infrared.

[ The whites of her "eyes" drown in blood red, allowing to gaze through the smoke for heat signals.

While the men fight with each other, Batwoman looks for Maria. Drawing out her grappling gun, she stalks through the smoke for the other woman. ]

Don't —

[ She's seen Ella burned already. No matter how powerful or skilled she might be, she pushes herself past Ella to get between her and Maria.

The sword grazes her arm and she groans aloud. Stupid, should have —

She aims her line toward Maria's leg and fires, to try and ensnare her and yank her down. ]

[

[Having been pressing a healing spell to the wound on her arm, Lightning snaps her head up at the "enjoy it" comment. Did he just--? Oh, Eden. He did. She bares her teeth, stalking forward with one fist sparking and prepared to swing at his head, a thunder spell mixing with her punch to do the damage and finish this.

But no. Some logic wins out this time. A normal human, which he appears to be, wouldn't survive this. The sparks fade back into her skin, but the punch is still coming. If he's quick he can dodge it. If not...well. He'll have a pretty nasty bruise and a headache if he doesn't duck quickly. She doesn't care about him getting a headache. Not after that blow of his made her own head spin.]

Edited 2013-11-20 02:04 (UTC)

[At this hostility, Koltira takes two immediate actions. First, he creates a zone of anti-magic, a translucent sphere that rises from the ground and hovers over them as a darkly iridescent dome.

Then, he steps forward, swiftly, and grabs Chloe's gun by the barrel. Ice coats the entire weapon, as thick and debilitating as the ice he had layered over the transporter's doors. Better yank that gun back before he crushes it in his fist, Chloe.]

How dare you raise your weapons to me.

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(CLOSED) My hands are tied, for all I've seen has changed my mind

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