(OPEN | Mutiny Log) Well it's been so long

[alittlesweptup]

Date & Time: Nov. 16 ~0300 through Nov.19th ~0230hrs, 3133
Location: Housing, Cafeteria, VR rooms, hallways etc (read: everywhere)
Characters: YOU!
Summary: Mutiny on the moon base! Vital systems are offline, mutineers are making PA announcements, and there’s conflict and turmoil brewing in the halls. Dun dun duuun!
Warnings: None yet (possible violence?)
Notes: Specify a date and location in your top comment. You may specify multiple dates/locations. A timeline for the plot and the IC PA announcements made during are available HERE.

[In the dead of night - or as close to ‘the dead of night’ as is possible to have in moon base - a small group of transports finally make the move they’ve been planning for weeks. Pre-determined teams, maintaining radio contact throughout, simultaneously take control of the Transporter Room and take multiple systems offline.

One moment things are normal; they next, they’re not. With a last message flagged as ‘maintenance’ left on the network, the network cuts out. A moment later, Transports across the base find themselves losing contact with the ground or shifting in their sleep and gently floating out of their beds from the force as the gravity drops. Lighting flicks over to emergency only: bathing corridors and rooms in a desolate, lonely red. Doors work - and then they don’t. Transports will find themselves confined to housing (and washrooms), the VR rooms, and the cafeteria; it’s plenty of space to be comfortable and largely covers most Transport’s basic needs (unless you’re fond of cheery light or having your feet on the ground in which case you may be out of luck).

Hours later-- 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.

Near the end of the first day, gravity regulation is re-established. The network is brought back online the following day, allowing everyone to communicate more freely. Lighting doesn’t come back online until the 18th and the door regulation isn’t normalized or operable until the 19th. Throughout the four days, the mutineers make multiple PA announcements.

In the mean time? Keep your friends close, come to the aid of your neighbors; help with reconnaissance and choose sides - are you neutral in this mess? Are you trying to help bring systems back online and root out the mutineers? Are you sympathetic to the mutiny and trying to sabotage those Transports standing for the Initiative?]

Comments

[hellosailor]

[As it turned out, pretty damn close. Victor didn't turn around anything like right away, and when he did it was just habit; checking his six on the job. Still, the other guy was close enough that it scared him half to death, making him jump and causing his pulse to race.] Shit! Where the hell did you come from?

[He sounds more than a little annoyed, but to be fair he was already jumpy. Last thing he needed was to have a goddamn heart attack. He tried to bring himself back down, glowered to compensate for the no-doubt embarrassing look he must have had on his face when he'd first caught sight of codename Hotpocket.]

Nice trick champ.

[theflyingone]

It is no trick, merely skill. You need to be more watchful.

[ His tone was serious as ever, but then a slow smirk stretched the scar on his lip. He hadn't expected such a response from codename Magnum. He was wired himself, but he had practiced turning nervousness into cold purpose for years. ]

Then again, if I can't take someone by surprise, I won't be much use here. You will be pleased to know that the halls are clear. But we need to move quickly before we give the Initiative the chance to investigate.

[hellosailor]

Look, maybe if I thought I was going to be dealing with ninjas- [he interrupts himself, manages to drag himself away from that little rant] Anyway we've got friends on the other side [he held up the radio, shook it a little for emphasis] and we look like repair men. Mostly. So I'm not that spooked.

[He sighed, carefully began to pry the panel off] Well, we shouldn't do anything until zero-three-hundred rolls around. If I'm right- and I am- it'll only take a few seconds to get this thing disabled and us on our ways. No one's going to be looking for trouble right away. Not if Chloe and Charlie do their jobs right.

[With a small grunt he manages to get the panel to disengage, lifting it carefully (and quietly) off the wall. Inside he saw- pretty much what he expected. The wire was a little more industrial then he'd thought, but the cutters would do their job nonetheless. and there was the fuse box-
Locked.]

Oh goddammit. I didn't exactly bring my lock-picks, you got anything that'll work? We could just cut the wires but I don't think it'll buy us enough time.

[He'd been relying on the fuses. Thing about fuses, they were simple little devices, but they did a big service. They stopped electrical surges from running too much power through the wires and stripping them or melting them. They stopped fires, mostly. Big deal on a boat, no one liked a fire at sea. And the electricity up here was pretty iffy, so they were key. And you couldn't just build them, either, not unless you had a heap of rare metal and ceramic and some goddamn jewelry making tools. Nah, they needed to take 'em.]

[theflyingone]

[ Altaïr was of the opinion that everyone should be prepared for anything, including whatever these 'ninjas' were. He remained alert, if technically at rest. Unfortunately, he could not pass as a true repairman if someone chose to approach and ask difficult questions. He understood very little of this world's technology. Like the radio, he'd leave the operation of such things to Victor and concentrate on things he was good at. No one was going to sneak up on them unnoticed.

He nodded when Victor said they needed the fuses. Whatever they were, they were difficult to replace and hunting them down would delay the Initiative further. ]

Such a small lock. I had no idea they could be made.

[ This would not be a simple matter of wiggling a knife around in it. He slipped a hand into one of the pouches on the back of his belt and produced a few needles. He carried them in case he needed to sew up wounds. ]

We could try these....

[ They weren't like the thin, dainty sewing needles of the modern world. They were medieval monstrosities no one would ever hope to puncture their skin with. But details. Altaïr wasn't sure how the lock was constructed, but he could bend a needle into a different shape between his teeth if needed. ]

[hellosailor]

Yeah, they're a damn pain too.

[Although on closer inspection it's a pretty simple lock. He doesn't necessarily doubt they could break it, but he also doesn't want to make a ton of noise or permanently damage the panel in any way. They planned this to be a simple repair, for their own sake if not the base's.

Lucky for him the Assassin was more prepared than he was (although he would be able to offer a light to anyone who needed one).]

Lemme see... You know, I think those'll do the trick just fine! You're a goddamn lifesaver.

[He didn't bother to ask before swiping them out of Altair's hand and studying them. They weren't perfect, but this wasn't fort knox. Although he would really prefer his picks, these would do well enough in a pinch.]

Watch my back, this should only take a few minutes.

[theflyingone]

[ Altaïr knew the goal of this mission was to delay, not damage. He equated the base to a very large metal ship. A ship needed to function properly at sea, or they risked losing people overboard. Of course, they were dealing with the void of space instead of a vast ocean.

He didn't bat an eyelash when his needles were taken. He had visited the clinic here, and they possessed all manner of medical things. Nevertheless... ]

...Thank you? Try not to waste too many. I carry them for a reason.

[ He was already turning to patrol the immediate area. He muffled his steps once again, and paced a different path each time. His hands remained at his sides, but that was the point; he could decide which weapon to draw once he spotted an enemy. They were all designed to be within easy reach.

How he wished he could simply watch from some high vantage point instead of walking around like some fool guard waiting to be jumped. As always, he felt trapped here. ]

[hellosailor]

[Sully listened to Hotpocket pace with only mild amusement. He didn't really see the point in a lookout, personally he'd probably have an easier time talking his way outta this one, but look. The guy clearly had skills. Best to let him use them.

Speaking of skills, he was aware his own were rather rusty. Hadn't picked a lock in awhile. Still, the needles were doing their job.. well enough and it only took him about five minutes till he hit the jackpot.]

Ah-hah. There we are. Sorry for the delay.

[It's mostly a false apology. It hadn't taken that long (they still had time to kill before shaft was in position and the clock struck three), and he'd been quiet about it. But it does the job of letting Altair know he'd finished his job and it gives him time to stand up and dramatically dust the imaginary dirt off his knees. The little box opened up neatly, and there were rows of fuses in there.]

Alright, so you know the plan. I'll give the other team a ring and let 'em know that we're good, then when it hits three you can rip all those guys outta there and I'll clip some wires [he does a demonstrative snip snip with the wire cutters] and we can get the heck outta dodge.

You ready for that?

[theflyingone]

[ He had encountered all manner of strange things since arriving here. What others called paranoia was simply a result of his training to adapt. He had to be ready for anything, including things they might have overlooked. Yep, totally paranoid. They were still ahead of schedule. So far, so good. He gave the place another once-over with a few darts of his eyes, then turned to look at what had been unveiled. These fuses may as well have been created by aliens, but he got the gist. His fingers would be quick. ]

'Ready?' [ He quoted. His voice then dropped ominously, but there was that smirk again. ] I only hope you can keep up.

[ Really. Seriously. He hoped this guy could move fast and blend in faster. The doors might be keeping people from this area, but the two men needed to be prepared when they rushed to hide the stolen parts; ready to appear as unassuming and unworthy of suspicion as possible. He doubted the Initiative would begin searching Transports immediately, but he was in no hurry to invite them to do so.

He drew near the fuses, eyeing them closely. ]

[hellosailor]

Whoa, hold up their big guy. That's second date talk.

[Sully could certainly keep up, this wasn't difficult at all. Pulled bigger heists as a kid. That's why he'd figured it was best. Getting clear shouldn't cause too much trouble either, until other people saw the panel no one was going to think "sabotage!" so they should be able to slide right by any others without difficulty. Especially if the whole door thing went well.

Of course is could all go sideways right away but, well, he decided to pretend that wasn't true.]

Alright, lemme- [He fumbled for the radio, depressed the button and said quickly] Shaft this is head, we're in position, over.

[That seemed to cover all the necessary bits. Now the other team knew that they would do their part.

He slid his fingers over the wires easily, decided that taking a chunk out would be the best idea. They shouldn't cause any trouble though. As for where to dump them- he'd decided to flush them down the toilet. Should clear things up easy. And the spare stuff that head was hiding would be better for repair anyway, so-]

Alright, you bring any cards or anything? We've got a little bit of time to kill.

[Not too much, luckily, but another ten minutes provided them a little time to play getting to know you. Of course, Sully wasn't sure he wanted to play that game when any of them could end up knocked up in jail this time tomorrow.]

[theflyingone]

'Second'...?

[ Oh, nevermind.

He watched as he worked the radio. Whether or not he still had the talk button pressed, Altaïr quickly leaned in and spoke after him: ]

Finn? I need to know you're sure about this—

[ Damn, the thing was off, wasn't it. And he wasn't about to embarrass himself by trying to work his own. He scowled at Sully and busied himself with picking up the panel that had been pried loose. He carefully fit it back, not completely, just enough that it could still be easily taken off again by hand. He straightened. He was still frowning, and his voice had an edge. ]

This will hide our work until we are ready. And of course I bring a deck on missions. Why wouldn't I clutter my belt with useless things? [ He relented, face schooling itself back to the cold patience of a hunter of men. ] Ten minutes is not long, 'codename Magnum.' I am sure you have patience enough for that.

[ He settled against the wall with arms crossed. Never mind that he was from a completely different time period, a veritable relic among all this technology; he melted into the wall as if he'd always been there, as if standing around in a moon base was something he did every day. Nothing to see here, folks. ]

[hellosailor]

[He pulled the radio slightly away at that little stunt] Hey buddy, remember codenames.

[He's glad he didn't get the message through, anyway. Didn't need to shake the kid up right before they needed him to do his part. It was too late for that kind of thing. Anyway he was well out of trouble, and Han Solo (ahhah) would no doubt keep a good eye on him. And maybe carve up a tauntaun while he was at it.]

Up to you [He shrugged, if the guy wanted to be all tense and worried it was his choice] but I've found a whole bunch of uses for cards. You'd never believe, once I was in this little gin joint in southern Malaysia and-

[He stopped when he realized that probably this wasn't a story for mixed company. At least not when Altair was doing his assassin thing.]

Nevermind. I'll be fine.

[And he took up a similar stance, leaning back against the wall on the other side of the panel. Unlike Altair he didn't blend in, what he did do was look incredibly at ease. Harmless. He took a cigar out of his pocket and rolled it between his fingers, but he didn't light it. Nah, he was running out too fast for that. And with Chloe all militant about not using the Transporter for funsies he supposed that at least for the next week he was on his last legs.]

[theflyingone]

[ Altaïr would rather have shaken up Finn into leaving than let him stay with a wavering conviction. Finn had showed signs of hesitation at the mutineer's meeting. Relying on someone who wasn't committed could cost lives. It was partly for this reason that the one of the tenets of the Assassin's Creed was "Never compromise the Brotherhood." To break the Creed was punishable by death. Their eclectic team of mutineers isn't the Brotherhood, and Altaïr isn't about to punish anyone for backing out. But he would rather it not cause any trouble for the rest of them at such an important time.

On that point, he disagreed with his teammate. But as the man began his story, he spotted an opportunity for them to appear even more incognito. Altaïr gestured for him to keep talking. ]

No, go ahead. Continue your story. [ He lowered his voice to a murmur. ] We will look less suspicious.

[hellosailor]

[Sully chuckled. Suited him.]

Alright so I'm in this gin joint and I don't speak a lick of the language but there's this girl there, named Batari- I called her Button, she was as cute as one, you see? Anyway, she has this brilliant idea we break into this local spot, very ritzy, very romantic, you get it?

Anyway we get there and I don't have anything on me, not my picks, for sure, and not my wallet, but what I do have is a deck of cards. Anyway I manage to get the lock open [He mimes sliding a card through the edge of a door] and me and Buttons have the time of our life. Until the manager shows up, we had to jump out the second story, me without my pants and her without anything, and the guy's about to catch us but I remember the cards and [another mime- he flings his hand in Hotpocket's direction] just like that! Buys us enough time to get back to her place and finish our little meeting. The things she could do, I tell ya.

[It's not the whole of the story, but he didn't know the guy well enough for that one.]

Alright your turn.

[theflyingone]

[ His turn? He didn't know he had to reciprocate with a story, but... ]

You sound like someone I know.

I happened on a friend one day in the streets of Akkā. He begged me to help him leave the city, lest he be killed by the guards. He had spent the previous night in a brothel, having his fill of wine and women. He had too much wine, and insulted one of the women there. He did not know it, but she was the wife of one of his enemies.

What someone's wife was doing in a brothel with several men, I cannot say. [ His mouth twisted wryly. ]

The next morning, her husband did not accuse her of adultery, but instead began hunting my friend with help from his allies, the city guard. Several men outright attacked us in the middle of crowded streets, but I and my blade ensured his safe passage to the city gate.

[hellosailor]

[Somewhere in the middle of the story Victor's hand strayed over his mouth, and when the other man finished he slapped it back against his thigh, a muffled sound in an empty room.]

Ha, see! That! Now, that is the mark of a true friend. Your buddy is lucky to have you, sounds like the situation could been pretty messy.

[A lot of it was- well, beyond him. City guard. Blades. But the gist of it, a friend out having a good time who has himself a bad time, that's universal. Hell, even the infidelity. A good story all around, no one gets hurt, everyone has fun, a daring escape.]