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

[alittlesweptup]

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.]

Comments

[pauldron]

[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.]

[hyanaimne]

[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.

[alittlesweptup]

[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.

[totallytrustworthy]

[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?

[deadelfwalking]

[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.

[totallytrustworthy]

[--shit that spreads fast. Offering just barely enough time for Chloe to yank her arm back before the rime crawls far enough to hit skin. She's not thinking. Not really, anyway. Raw and unfocused from lack of sleep, lack of progress, lack of support from someone she'd thought she could rely on.]

Get your hands off of me. [Her spare hand's already at her back when she snaps, unlatches the holster there within less than a beat and-- knowing full well it's nothing to someone like him-- snaps off two shoulder shots with her defender.]

[deadelfwalking]

[The force pushes him back a few steps, but that's all. He scowls in rage and disbelief, and then there's a hissing rush of released power as he draws on his arcane torrent -- temporarily silencing her and everyone else in the room.]

If you have something to say, you will soon be free to say it. But I will not tolerate a long discourse. This has carried on for long enough. You have carried on for long enough.

[He slams Byfrost into the ground, scowling at Chloe.]

And you have lost.

[alittlesweptup]

[The Defender's a small caliber weapon, but the crack of the shots is loud. And it makes him jump despite years of not flinching at the sound of a gun going off. But before he can say or do anything, the-- magic, spell, enchantment, shit he doesn't know which it is or if it's something entirely different takes hold. When he opens his mouth, nothing comes out.

What he can do, however, is grab Chloe by the collar of her clothes and haul her back a few steps as he draws his own weapon and levels it right back at Koltira.]

[icy_heavens]

[Good faith goes both ways. So long as one of them has a weapon out, so will Hitsugaya. However, he keeps it lowered at his side, in a nonthreatening position. Guns mean little to him, but he'll not have one of them with a weapon ready while he doesn't.

[He scowls at Chloe when the shots ring out, but makes no move to attack. A warning glance goes in Koltira's direction when it becomes apparent that he's unable to speak at the moment. They did not come here for things to end with any kind of violence. There's been one death; there don't need to be any more.]

[hyanaimne]

[there is a lot of magic here and Tempest can't use any of hers - can't talk, can't curse him out because she'd really like to right now - probably for the best, at least. As the anti-magic crawls up, she watches her spell simply dissipate like it was never there at all.

She drops her hand to the hilt of her sword and steps back, but doesn't draw just yet; it's habit, and she can't use her damn magic so it's the next best thing she has to feeling a little less defenseless]

[deadelfwalking]

[Koltira grinds his teeth at this disrespect, this insult. But he stays where he is, hands on Byfrost's hilt, and the sword itself still balanced horizontally, its blade scratching the ground.]

Your dishonor disgusts me.

[governorkang]

[Only seconds after the slam of Koltira's sword into the ground, there's another, louder, one from the East Loading Bay door as Raiden comes into the room. Kang immediately steps in with his hand on the hilt of the sword on his belt, glancing at the cyborg to make sure he's okay before checking out the room itself.

He nods at the other team after seeing that they appear to be fine, and turns to regard the mutineers with narrowed eyes.]

Your people outside are fine.

[He briefly points out the door he just came in, aiming his Weapon at the mutineers.]

We don't need any further violence.

[highfrequency]

[Raiden swoops to the side and crouches low behind Kang, ready to defend anyone else who comes through the door after them. For now, he says nothing.

The Draconian is much better with words than he is.]

[totallytrustworthy]

[Charlie are you trying to get yourself killed? Jesus Christ. Without the luxury of words, though, getting the point across is left to an acute, incredulous stare.

Till the second welcome party elegantly smashes their way in, that is. Fortunately enough (despite being unable to glance around Charlie enough to fully make out Kang and his companions) she gets her voice back just in time to snap out a response:] Not all of them.

[gevurah]

[ Not too long after Kang and Raiden have stepped into the room, another shadow, a figure of black and red, slips through the door. Batwoman scours the room and everyone inside quickly, though she doesn't tear forward. She remains on guard by Raiden and Kang's sides, deactivating the infrared in her mask to see whatever expression Charlie wears in this moment.

She's mad, but cooler heads prevail. The gash on her arm continues to burn exposed to air, the occasional droplet of blood hitting the floor. ]

[alittlesweptup]

[Charlie's jaw is set, gun arm steady and his fingers still twisted in the fabric of Chloe's shirt. He's not strictly standing between her and the the people there for their proverbial heads, but he's not exactly out of the way either. He doesn't dare take his eyes off them to shoot Tempest a look, but he trusts her to be sensible.]

So then, what's your daring plan? [It should be a joke, but it isn't. His tone is flat and dangerous, dead serious.]

[governorkang]

[Kang curses under his breath at the news that one of them has been, at the least, seriously injured. He hopes they aren't dead, unless it was necessary.]

Very simple. Free the hostages and do what we should have done in the first place: talk this out like civilized people.

[lar]

Like civilized people that don't hijack the Moon Base everyone is living at, putting in danger not only our lives, but whatever shot we have to do things right.

[ Yeah, Ella is still around, entering the room last and standing next to Kang. ]

Look, it's not like we don't get your point. Can we just have one nice, calm, explosions-free conversation about this? It shouldn't take much more than that to make it clear we all want the same.

[alittlesweptup]

As I'm currently pretty convinced one of ours has just been killed, I'm not terribly interested in talking this out with you. [Charlie snaps back, proverbial hackles on end.]

So here's the deal: we'll grant you the Initiative employees who we've been sharing this room and our supplies with and we'll give over the transporter to you lot. But in return, we'll be granted full amnesty from anything you or Small or Goodman have prepared to throw at us.

[Shoot for the moon, right? --which: slightly less accurate given their current location, but sod it.]

[hyanaimne]

[yeah ya'll can argue about this all you want, Tempest is suddenly looking over at Koltira like he's the single most dangerous thing she's ever encountered. It took a while, considering most of her attention had been on her teleport trap and everything else going on, but now she recognizes what his magic is (and what Sev's was) and she's taking as many steps back as she can get before she accidentally makes it look like she's going to run]

Yes, what he said, but can he leave first? [she gestures at Koltira] Or at least not use any more of his bloody magic? Unless you want a second death on your hands.

[it's anything but a threat; she sounds legitimately scared]

[totallytrustworthy]

I don't want to hear about what 'civilized people' do from you bastards when you thought bashing down our bloody doors was the best way to go. And for what, exactly? To tell us that you agree?

You don't even know what it is you're agreeing with.

[It's a good thing Charlie has a firm grip on her collar because the flash of teeth that show with every last syllable don't paint a cheerful picture.] If you know so much then you tell me exactly why I'm here, yeah? Go on. I want to hear it.

[governorkang]

You think you can come out of this without repercussions?

[It takes some willpower to keep a straight face and not laugh at Charlie's demand.]

You purposely tampered with the base systems, putting us in danger of losing our oxygen or opening the airlocks. You kidnapped people. You stranded fellow Transports on missions for several days, when they could have been in danger. At least one of yours attacked us when we were doing everything in our best effort to not start a fight.

[He lashes his tail once, the cut from Connor's arrow still leaking a little blood. And, he notices Tempest, frowning. This is not how he wanted to meet her in person.

To Chloe:]

Tell us why you're here, then, and why you felt this was the best way to go, why you had to go as far as taking hostages to make your point and divide everyone on this base when now, more than ever, we need to stand as one.

[totallytrustworthy]

[It's like the instantaneous snap of a predator's focus once he grabs her attention; brow furrowed, expression hard. There's blood and frost on the floor and she's hissing with her back to the figurative wall.] No oxygen was lost. No airlocks were opened. Might want to double check the system records before you go telling us what sort of damage was done. You know, since we were the ones doing it.

And I'm not pretending we're saints-- I know I'm a criminal, darling. I've done my time-- but you? Christ, you're no better. So you don't get to pretend you're a goddamn hero because you don't like what we've done.

[There's a short pause before she goes on, eyes fixed firmly on Kang as her lip curls back.] Or would you prefer an apology for interrupting your little lunar holiday for the sake of reminding everyone exactly why we're here.

[icy_heavens]

Tch.

[That's all that makes it out before he pulls his temper back. He's not a negotiatior -- he's far too blunt for that, and he well knows it -- and he doesn't want to create a backslide, here.

[Do these idiots seriously think nobody remembers why they're up here? That no one's even been trying to do a damn thing? Right, it's just been a party up here, nobody doing anything useful at all. Nobody but them cares that a city was wiped out and they're at risk of attack from the UE. Except for the part where the damn woman couldn't be more wrong.

[But though his eyes narrow marginally at the speech, he does nothing, says nothing. They need this to work if they're going to get out of it without unnecessary death.]

[governorkang]

And the stranded?

[Kang hasn't stopped using his Weapon since he first started talking, and he pushes a bit more into it.]

The fact that nothing did go wrong is not the point. You got lucky. One mistake, the wrong line of code deleted, the wrong wire cut, and all of us could have died. It would have been that easy. We don't have anywhere else we all could have gone.

[He snorts sofly.]

No one in this room is claiming to be a hero. Our stay here isn't a holiday, and we're well aware of it. There are more people than I can count working toward getting us back planetside, and making sure we don't run out of supplies. Why not help them, or help others find ways to get involved?