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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[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.]

[Koltira drives Byfrost into the wound, its blade glowing darkly with death runes. Crypt plague, cold and biting, flows into Seviilia's body. He hisses, his guttural voice brittle with anger.]

You know slavery, Seviilia. Slavery is a will so powerful that you cannot resist its hold on your mind. Slavery is being forced to slaughter your own defenseless people, to crack open their skulls, to drink their blood like wine. Slavery is forcing a child, now a ghoul, to rip out her own father's throat!

[With one hand still on Byfrost's hilt, he sets his other against Seviilia's cheek, in a gesture that seems gentle, soothing. But the claws of his gauntlets dig in.]

You want free reign to sow chaos, cause harm. You think that freedom means you have the right to do this. But freedom for us -- for you and me -- means resistance. If you give in to the curse of your body, you are enslaved, and the only master you can blame is yourself.

[She's lucky, to a point. The shots aimed in her direction whiz past, one grazing her arm and making her flinch, but nothing that will impede her movement. No, that comes when the punch makes contact and she stumbles forward, dazed and seeing stars. Her ears ring, even as she manages to push herself into a roll and come up back on her feet, trying to focus on the fight. She hears Seviilia shriek, distantly, and figures that the fight is almost over.

Some traitorous part of her hopes it is, because she can't keep this up much longer with her head spinning. Her grip on her sword tightens, eyes narrowing at Bond.]

It's over. Stand down and walk away.

[She doesn't want to kill anyone. They need every fighter they can get...even if some are incredibly stupid.]

[Seviilia can feel consciousness fading with the plague interfering with her regeneration. She's vaguely aware that Koltira is speaking to her, enough to latch onto his words just to stay awake. Crack skulls, drink blood, yes those were all things she remembered -- things she would do in good time if given the chance. Things she likely would have done to the breathers in the room, if Koltira had not been with them now to kill her.

There is a soft chant of denial echoing in the back of her head. No. I have control. I have my will. It is my right, my purpose--. None of this is echoed to the air. She can taste blood.

Koltira's hand gets her attention off of his sword, drawing her eyes up to meet his stiffly as he rattles off his parting words. Even if she could have said something, she wouldn't. There is nothing to say.

Her grip slips off Byfrost. She's lost again.]

[Koltira exhales. He stands up, backs away from Seviilia's slumping body. As he does so, he extends a hand, and ice forms like armor over her skin, until she's completely encased. He will leave her like this for now.

Once done with that, he attends to the ghouls. As a necromancer -- and with their original summoner no longer active -- taking control of them is an easy task. A rune circle shimmers on the ground as he mutters the incantation, and the ghouls all cease their attacks.

Just the human man, now.]

[That shriek is enough to have even Bond pausing after his punch, a moment of hesitation as he glances to the scene before them.

It's obvious even from a glance that his new (and now late) mutiny partner was unlikely to pull through a run through like that, and with the odds now at three to one, James takes a moment to reconsider his hand.

Continue fighting and he's unlikely to win. But standing down now would be a waste of everything they've tried to accomplish.

Ah well.

Sod it.

It's with a soft snarl that his shoulders relax, straightening up and dropping his hands to his sides. Not walking away, but apparently standing down.]

So much for a peaceful sodding conclusion.

[He's not completely willing to trust the words. His blade is still in a defensive position, despite that statement. There's a mild sting in his side and a bright stain on his haori where one of the bullets cut into him, but the wound is a mere annoyance to him rather than a cause for concern.]

Peaceful would have been not starting this foolishness in the first place. People tried to reason with you before it came to this.

[He'd have preferred no casualties on either side, but necessary action is necessary action, and he won't feel guilty about the other's death.]

[Lightning bites back a sharp retort, letting Hitsugaya speak instead as she focuses on the healing spell in her hand. It takes the edge off her headache, letting her think and survey the damage to their little group. Could be worse, could be better...they need to move. There's no time to talk this out.]

We should tie him up. Make sure he can't do any more damage later.

[Because man, he hit hard. Her ears are still ringing even with that healing spell, and her eyes narrow as she looks past Koltira to the door beyond. They're not done yet.]

[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.

[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)

[Not all the talk had been about shoving the mutineers out of airlocks. There had been plenty of talk at how logistically this mutiny is a stupid idea. That counts as reasoning.

[He doesn't even lift an eyebrow at Lightning moving to deck the bastard; it's totally deserved for that comment. As for restraining him, Hitsugaya has that covered.]

Hainawa. [At this close range, it's very unlikely to miss; a crackling rope of yellow light shoots from his hand, aiming to wrap around the enemy's body and immobilize him.]

Edited (Damn hominyms.) 2013-11-20 02:56 (UTC)

[He couldn't help his amusement at Lightning's clear reply, his smirk growing ever so slightly as she approaches, apparently unswayed by the looming fist, even with it's sparks (that thankfully fade as she has better thoughts). As the fist swings, he doesn't even attempt to dodge it. James is already aware that he deserves it and takes the swing with a sort of smug satisfaction, head jerking to one side before he slowly looks back to her with a smile. That'll bruise, no doubt, but that can't be helped.]

No hard feelings, darling. [All he'd needed was for her (or any of them) to get closer. And with those words there's a flash of silver, a glint of metal for only a split second as he lashes out with the hunting knife now in his hand, aiming for her abdomen.

Hitsugaya's spell comes just at the right time, no sooner does Bond move than the light envelops him, bringing his arms tight to his side and just possibly saving Lightning from a nasty little stabbing. Or at the very least ensuring he's not there twisting the knife after contact.

Motherfuckers.]

Fair cop.

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

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