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.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[And so they arrive.

He catches that look from Sevillia and, when he sees the other glowing eyed, pointy eared dude making an entrance, it soon becomes obvious they're acquaintances. Nice to see they're getting a reunion as well as a social debate. Still, Koltira isn't the only one to focus on, seeing as he's brought a few friends of his. Friends that James is eyeing intently as steps just slightly away from the doorway.

It's with a roll of his eyes that he slowly and oh-so casually withdraws his pistol from the hidden halter under his jacket, not exactly much to look at compared to all these swords and axes, but a bullet does it job just as well against plenty of foes.]

I hardly doubt you came this far to talk it out.

Piss off. [Or else :|]

[Lightning's rebuttal grants her Seviilia's cold stare.]

You want the truth of it, girl? Very well, I will grant it to you.

[She jumps down from the rise she had been standing on, sending an echo through the room as she starts to close some of the distance.]

Making friends is the absolute least of my concerns. I will not waste away on this moon waiting to be ambushed. If you are too foolish to see that you will not have a voice unless you raise it and are content to roll belly up like at dog at their master's feet, then be my guest.

[One of the pairs of eyes in the corner nearest her ally shambles out to quietly and obidently sit itself next to Bond -- even from a distance its easy to see the flesh decaying from its form, though its harder to see just how sharp and long its claws are. Seviilia stops a distance from her adversaries, rime coating her axes and fingertips.

She is no longer smirking. Slavery is a very sensitive subject.]

But that Transporter belongs to those who would make something of this war, and you shall not have it.

[She looks to Koltira now, and braces herself. She's tired of fighting him. Just this once, couldn't he quit following the rules?]

No, Koltira. I will not.

Edited (phone tagging is hard) 2013-11-16 20:53 (UTC)

[He merely nods in understanding at Koltira's statement. A mute agreement of her being his to deal with. It's the proper way; a superior should handle his or her own subordinates.]

No, instead you cause infighting that would make an ambush all the easier to accomplish.

[His eyes slide over to her companion. He knows better than to judge from appearances, but the gun hardly concerns him. A bullet may injure him, but not badly enough to stop him. The presence beside the man is something to be watchful of; many would have been repulsed at the visibly decaying flesh, but he's seen Hollows that look far worse.

[Koltira will handle his subordinate. The rest will be up to them if the others become hostile.]

[Koltira has given two warnings, which -- he feels -- is more than generous. He's had enough. Sneering at Bond's gun and Seviilia's defiance, he reaches out with one hand. Dark energy bursts from his palm and wraps around Seviilia's throat, choking her into silence as he yanks her towards him.]

Enough talk.

[Seviilia is privy to Koltira's tactics now after facing off with him twice. As he moves his hand, her armor begins to coat itself with a sickly yellow sheen. The spell connects and drags her a few feet forward, but the shell does its job and eats away at the grip before she can be brought into Koltira's striking range.

There is a collective roar behind her as the ghouls that had been lurking in wait spring to life and leap, not for the death knight who initiated the fight, but for his allies. They come from the sides and from behind, at least seven of them, while the other three climb up near Bond to keep him protected from stray spells.

The others will promptly attempt to latch on to any flesh they can find and try to tear it open with disease ridden claws or teeth.]

Very well.

[She recovers from the stumble caused by the grip with grace, taking a step backward to encourage Koltira to step away from anyone who might seek to assist him. She might have been strong, but numbers would overwhelm her.

Seviilia takes only a moment to pull the radio from her belt and tosses it behind her away from the fight so she would not be hindered.]

You are too stubborn for your own good.

Edited 2013-11-17 00:34 (UTC)

[Koltira isn't going to worry about the others. They all seem capable of handling themselves, which leaves him free to focus on Seviilia. Scowling at the anti-magic shell, Koltira lunges, bringing Byfrost down in a wide, slashing arc, aiming for Seviilia's midsection.]

I should say the same for you!

[Seviilia grins and crosses her axes to block the strike, throwing her shoulder into his so he gets the full effect of her expression.]

You may be right. Perhaps that is why we get along so well.

[Koltira is taller than her, so a battle of strength would be lost quickly if he chose to press his attack. She pulls her frost-coated weapons apart and sidesteps to try and slash an axe through his arm as she moves away. The frost fever is just a parting gift.]

Edited 2013-11-17 01:48 (UTC)

[His armor cracks as Seviilia strikes it, and blood wells from the resulting wound. But Koltira doesn't relent: he puts his weight into it as he spins around with lightning grace, slamming Sev in the side with another slash of his runeblade. As the frost fever touches him, his own anti-magic glimmers over his body. Byfrost's runes shine bright red in tandem with this, as he seeks both to boil and corrupt the ichor-blood in Seviilia's veins.]

[Hitsugaya's blade is out in a blink, intercepting the claws that seek to strike at his flank. The ghoul's hungry expression garners no reaction from him; this is old hat, ravenous dead that think he would be a fitting meal. Just like a typical work day back home.

[He shoves the ghoul back, eyes open for any others that may decide he's the best target.]

[One axe isn't enough to deflect the weight of Byfrost. Though one axe protects her from the pierce itself, the force of the swing knocks her aside. A horrid noise echoes as metal scrapes against metal, and she's forced to crouch to keep herself from falling. She can feel the blood boil burning away the energy of her anti-magic defenses, so much so that she dares feel a bit of heat in her frozen veins. She hisses, eyes glowing a bit brighter to match the flare of frost magic that spawns from her axes.

As the rime overtakes the points of her armor until most of her shoulders, gauntlets, and legplates have a generous coat of ice, Seviilia attempts to turn his beloved spell on him, throwing her hand out so the dark shadowy tendril that comes from her hand would snap like a whip around his throat to choke him and simultaniously throw him to the ground.

Meanwhile, the ghoul that had been focused on Hitsugaya stumbles and disorients briefly when its claws are taken away. It obviously isn't the smartest creature in the world and is not lacking in persistance. It is joined by a second who seeks to jump on his back and knock him over while the first goes for his ankle with what is left of its teeth.]

[The ghoul aiming for Hitsugaya's back will find itself needing to get out of the way of a fast moving bullet if it wants to stay intact, Lightning's attack coming from where she threw herself back to get some space to swing her sword and not relieve an ally of something important.

The thought that they should fall back, get more room to clear the field and not risk taking each other out in the process, crosses her mind and is quickly tossed aside. There's no time for that, and she curses while slicing her way through another ghoul. Eden, they don't have time for this!]

[The ghoul does not move and makes a gutteral noise of pain when the shot connects with it, successfully severing it in two. The top half of its body struggles to claw its way back to the offender, making hungry noises all the while.

In the same vein, Hitsugaya's back is free. The shot attracts the attention of two more ghouls, one that jumps to try and clamp its teeth around Lightning's wrist and while trying to claw the shiny metal straight out of her hand. The other dives for her back as the other ghoul had done to Hitsugaya.]

[The shuffle of feet by James merely get a glance, confirming to himself that three of these so-called ghouls have stayed by his side. He doesn't do anything more to acknowledge, doesn't react to their presence; he saw their arrival earlier and allowed it without comment. He's not one to question an armoured chick when she's summoning undead, and judging by the ones that are now setting themselves on the 'enemy', Bond can understand their uses.

While the group are distracted with one another, Bond remains as he is, carefully, so carefully backing inch by inch into the shadows. The smallest of hand gestures signals for his undead bodyguards to stand their ground. Their glowing eyes and shambling limbs would only cause a hindrance, although he's certain they'll catch up if he has need.

He relies on distractions and wavering attention, like a magician with his tricks using elaborate moves to hide behind. But James isn't using magic. Nothing of the sort. His goal merely lies in picking his way around the outskirts, making the most of control panels, monitors and shadows where he can.

To get behind his rivals would be the true advantage. Picking them off while their attacks are aimed elsewhere.]

Edited 2013-11-17 17:27 (UTC)

[Koltira falls, but he's taking Seviilia with him, reaching out and grabbing for her throat, too. As he does this, ground just beneath their feet turns red and begins to foam; bubbles of pain-inducing gas rise from the foam and pop over Sev's rime-encrusted armor.

Although Byfrost's evolution was halted by the destruction of its chip, the runeblade still has over a year's worth of augmented power in its spells. The evolution amplifies Koltira's death and decay -- as well as the fevers and plagues now simmering along Byfrost's blade.]

[Seviilia can feel the decay seeping through her armor along with the crippling diseases. The rime hardens and sharpens, using what remains of her will to fight the asphyxiation spell so that she may pin Koltira to the ground with her weight before he can get a leg up on her with Byfrost.

With skin burning beneath her armor, she abandons her axes and calls forth chains of ice to bind Koltira's arms to the ground long enough so that she can begin to punch him square in the face. And punch. And continue to punch until he snaps the spell and throws her off.

If she can keep him dazed, she can turn on his allies and finish them first while they are distracted by the ghouls. She doesn't know where James is, but that's not her primary concern. He can take care of himself and she has defenders ready to spring to his aid, not necessarily because she cared, but because she could not win without him.

But first, she must deal with Koltira. A fight she can feel herself slowly losing.]

I. Will not. Live. Under heel. Again!

[Sev gets her punches in. Koltira's rage rises with each hit she lands, boiling and burning up inside him just as powerfully as the decay on the ground, the decay still seeping into Seviilia's armor. The ice-fire of his eyes flares, and his whole body glows with unholy light as he drives his knee solidly up and into Sev's midsection. At the same time, he takes hold of her long hair and yanks, with enough force to crack her neck, to throw her back.]

I am not asking you to, you bloody fool! How dare you compare this situation with what we suffered under the Lich King.

[His free hand tightens its grip on Byfrost, and as he moves to throw her, he moves to swing as well -- the sword now engulfed in dark, plague-touched light.]

You are a disgrace.

Edited 2013-11-18 02:18 (UTC)

[The swing shatters the ice protecting her, and the death knight flies with immense force into the opposite wall, likely enough to dent it. She feels a few bones crack in the process, but it doesn't stop her from reaching out and summoning her two axes back into her hands. Stubbornly, she stands, cracking her neck back into place.

The elf is breathing a bit heavily now, and she notices there is yet another large cleave in her side, leaking blood and ichor across her armor. Shit.

One of the ghouls on the rise where Bond had been abruptly cries out and crumples to the ground as a purple, sickly light engulfs it. The wound at her side stitches closed magically, but it doesn't seem to do anything for her energy level.

Yes. She was a disgrace. She knew as much.]

I do not hold enslavement and other-worldly drafting at different weights.

[She bends her knees and braces herself, crossing her axes.]

It is not a matter of what you ask of me.

[His next strike goes clear through the head of the ghoul attempting a frontal attack. The motion is instinctive for him; Hollows are dispatched by cutting their masks, and most other creatures wouldn't survive a blade cleaving their skull anyway.

[He senses the one coming behind him, and a shunpo takes him out of its range. It seems the move had been somewhat of an unnecessary one, however, as Lightning has rather handily debilitated it. Another shunpo, and he's back within range enough to bring his blade down onto the head of the feebly crawling creature.]

[For Lightning's part, she doesn't have Hitsugaya's speed. She manages to yank her arm back, slicing the ghoul that had aimed for her wrist down the middle without much trouble, but the other makes its landing and she stumbles forward. She instinctively reaches up to try and dislodge it, but then backs into a wall to knock it senseless.

It's then that she notices the lack of Seviilia's partner where he was before. She can't see him, the chaos of the battle too busy, but she calls out to the others fighting even as she keeps trying to dislodge the ghoul on her back before it can cut her neck open.]

Where's the man?!

[He ain't even hearing Seviilia now. He just launches himself forwards, his jaw set, his sword aiming for the backs of her legs, fast as a snake. Ice chains of his own burst up from the ground, aiming to lash around her wrists and throat.]

[Seviilia jumps to avoid the slash, but she has nothing left to avoid the chains except her stubbornness. She snarls furiously in frustration and thrashes as she's dragged back to the ground. She falls to one knee for only a brief moment before she forcibly stands, posture hunched as the chains try to pull her to the floor.

She throws her weight as much as allows to try and snap them, abandoning her axes and grabbing each chain to try and melt them with plague, baring her teeth at Koltira.

Only three ghouls remain in addition to the two Bond had left behind. They simultaneously charge for Lightning, sensing her as the weakened target. The dazed ghoul stumbles a bit, but eventually swings back to try and overwhelm her with its fellows.]

[Oh, they want to play it like that, do they. Fine. With a curse, Lightning ducks down and whirls on her heal, blade outstretched in a Blitz attack to carve right through them...or at least force them back enough that she can flip back out of range of their claws.

If any survive that, Lightning will finish them off with a bullet to their midsections. Right now, her main priority is where the hell that man got to. She doubts he's run off and left his partner to fight alone...no, that would be too easy.]

[Six shots ring out in quick succession, two aimed for each of the opposition. The aiming is hurried, more warning than deathly, but if a stray bullet hits a target here or there, he's not going to feel guilty. The noise ricochets, and between the six sharp bangs of the pistol, the battle of the two elves and the few remaining ghouls pouncing on targets, James uses the opportunity to join the fray. With the firearm tucked away, he advances rapidly from behind, taking the ghoul's lead with aiming for Lightning first. For a guy of his bulk, he's surprisingly quick.

With a lack of any fanciful blade, fists are going to have to do, and just as he steps in he puts his weight behind a hefty punch, a relatively slow but heavy swing for the head.]

[Koltira had heard Bond's heartbeat and the steady thump of his pulse even after Bond withdrew into the shadows. Koltira had seen the gun, too. One bullet strikes his armor, buries itself into his thigh. Blood seeps from the wound, but though Koltira grits his teeth, he doesn't seem to otherwise care. He's got one target in his sights, and one alone.

As Sev melts the chains, Koltira lunges -- intending to drive Byfrost right through her midsection.]

[Seviilia shakes the chains off and throws out her hands to summon her axes back, but they never make it back to her palms. With no time to move and nothing to protect her, she is effectively pinned to the wall via Byfrost. Her eyes widen and shriek rips through her, causing all the ghouls to pause in their attacks. The two on their own stand and blink uselessly like statues while the ones Lightning had shot lay with vacant stares.

Her breathing comes in rattling heaves, her body slumping across the sword's width. She grips it in an attempt to brace herself, tembling with pain. Somehow, this was worse than the first time -- perhaps because he hadn't gone straight for her head or her heart.

With the blood coagulating out of the fresh wound, it becomes readily apparent that she's not going to survive this charade. Any other sting, caused by disease or otherwise, pales in comparison to the cold taking over her. She hears the shots, but they don't register entirely and the deed had already been done.

Her grip on Byfrost is weak.]

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

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