MISSION: SALT THE EARTH

[initiatesnpc]

Date & Time: October 17 - October 23
Location: Southwest Russia, 1223 CE
Characters: ALL; tag yourselves in
Summary: The Initiative sends all of the Transports on a mission to fight troops of the Golden Horde.
Warnings: war, violence, npc death (notify a mod if there's cause to add a particular warning!)

It is a warm day when the Transports arrive, a breeze blowing and sparse clouds in the sky. Before them is an expanse of flat land interspersed with some short, rolling hills. There are sparse trees, but for the most part it is grassland. It would be ideal for farming, but has not been utilized as such yet. Several miles in the distance is a small town, and the troops of the Golden Horde have made their camp just outside of it. There are about a thousand soldiers present, and the mission is simple: send a message that this land cannot be claimed. They will do this by defeating these warriors who are feared throughout the medieval world. They will then punctuate this statement by ensuring that this land cannot be farmed for centuries.

It is a small expanse of land that the Initiative has their eyes on, no more than ten miles in diameter. But for some reason, they have deemed it to be of a deep strategic importance.

The Transports arrive in the early morning, escorted by several Initiative officers, whose presence is meant primarily to keep things organized while the actual battle is to be left to the Transports. Under the guidance of these Initiative officers, the first order of business for the Transports is to set up a camp of their own. The battle will commence in the late afternoon, six hours after their initial arrival.

The battle will take place halfway between each side's respective camps. Many of the Mongolians will fall in combat. On the fifth day, the remaining soldiers will retreat, surrendering the area. Once the region has been secured, the second portion of the mission will commense, in which the Initiative will oversee the dispersement of a chemical agent over the land to ensure that no crops may be grown there. It will be harmless to all humans and animal life, and some weeds may even be able to take root, but the grain farming that would have otherwise taken place on this land will not be able to be undertaken. The land outside of this ten mile radius will be unharmed, but this small region will be barren, seen as cursed when the legend of the defeat of the soldiers of the Golden Horde is passed on.

A week after the mission's commencement, the Transports will be sent back to Exsilium. Their mission will have been a success. But the fallout of it will remain to be seen...

Comments

[moralperil]

For about a month now. There's sure been a lot going on! [That's Mahdi looking cheerfully on the brightside.] Have you been here long?

[strategic_guile]

Seems like my group really shook things up. I got here before the bombs. Nothing like a trial by fire, I guess.

[moralperil]

[frowning] I guess.

It's not right of them to get us involved in their war.

[strategic_guile]

No, but what happens if none of us fight? It'd be nice if they sent us home, but I don't think that's in the cards.

[moralperil]

That's why we both have to help however we can. [Firm nod.] If we help them, maybe they'll let everyone go home.

[strategic_guile]

Optimistic, aren't you? [Said a bit dryly]

[moralperil]

Yup! [Mahdi says it without a trace of self-consciousness or irony.] Someone has to be.

[strategic_guile]

If we go home, someone else might just take our place.

[moralperil]

That's probably why they won't let us go home until this is finished. [A troubling thought. Mahdi has to force his smile a little.] Well - nothing we can do about it right now. If we don't fight those bad guys will overrun the camp for sure.

[strategic_guile]

They seem like they have no idea what they're doing, so I don't want to be stuck here while they figure it out. [Wry smile] Do you plan on fighting yourself?

[moralperil]

Not really. The weapon the Initiative gave me makes shields, so I'll be protecting one of my friends who's a healer during the battle.

I shouldn't be interfering with their affairs at all... but I can't stand the possibility of him getting hurt when I could help.

[strategic_guile]

You didn't get to choose your weapon?

[Gives a shrug] You're protecting a medic in the field. I'm not sure I include that under interfering.

[moralperil]

I did. I chose a flashlight. It can shoot explosive beams, but it also makes shields. I choose to make shields. [Mahdi nods firmly.]

I shouldn't even be speaking to anyone, let alone participating. But... this isn't exactly the kind of thing my job training prepared me for. My duty is to help people, so I can't just look the other way.

[strategic_guile]

Kind of dangerous for a flashlight... [eyebrow]

Why shouldn't you talk to anyone? [Looks at him] What kind of job training do you have?

[moralperil]

Super secret stuff mortals aren't allowed to know about! [The finger-wiggling will totally make it seem legitimate, right? RIGHT.]

[strategic_guile]

[That only interests him more. Have both eyebrows.] Does that mean you're immortal?

[moralperil]

Not exactly. But the point is - it's not for people like you to know about. [Apologetically:] I don't mean to be rude.

[strategic_guile]

[Not offended, but he still wants to know. His words are mild and have no sting to them.] Your word choice can use work, in that case.

[moralperil]

I know. [Mahdi frowns apologetically.] Lesser mortals have shorter lifespans, and live on Earth, so in a way... I'm... something else. Not immortal, but we call ourselves greater mortals. But it's kinda rude to call someone 'lesser' and yourself 'greater' for any reason, you know?

[strategic_guile]

It is, so why do you still do it?

[moralperil]

Because it's what we always called humans! And I don't know what else to call myself, anyway. I'm not a human. I'm not really an angel, or a demon, or an immortal. [His face grows hot.] I'm working on it, okay? I'm really sorry. I hope I didn't hurt your feelings.

[strategic_guile]

[He chuckles at the frustrated flush on Mahdi's face. Oh, he's just giving him a hard time.] No, my feelings are safe and sound. You don't have another name you call yourselves? You never formed an identity as a people other than 'greater mortals'?

[He finds that strange, but the only way he shows that is with an eyebrow.]