Event: Abort! Part One

[voidtreckermods]

Until now there has been one mission in every month. The practice in Apple and since then one for each month. So for those that have been on the train for a while they will be extremely surprised when on the twenty fifth day of the month of Egret their SCA’s glow gold and a hologram appears. Another mission.

Strange or not preparations need to be made, the voidtreckers are needed, strange timing or not.

Preperations

As promised the dressing room is open once again and there is a collection of leggings, shirts and tunics. All are in bold, differing shades of team colours and are made of sturdy material. There are a couple of cloaks, like those they wore in the goblin world they look medieval in style but will keep rain off as well as a modern raincoat.

As usual they have about an hour of preparation time, to gather supplies, get changed and help those who need more help disguising themselves to do so.

Arrival

”We are now approaching world#27462947582. Warning: Exit from void in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four,” Hopefully even those who are new know to hold on or sit down by now. ”Three, two, one.” A jolt and a lurch and the void from outside the windows disappears to show green grass and a blue sky.

The Voidtrecker Express has landed in a small dip between two hills. Tall enough to mostly hide it and once everyone who wishes to disembarks it vanishes.

The voidtreckers, on climbing the hill, will find they are inside the city walls, just. Here it is mostly farmland still but as they move towards the centre there are more houses and things become more crowded and bustling. The city is big enough that an influx of strangers doesn’t turn many heads.

Their SCA has a map, red team’s has a marker for the northern gate, purple’s show the position of guard posts. Orange and Blue’s shows the main gates that lead out into the kingdom beyond.

Red Team

Getting to the northern gate doesn’t take all that much time and they are let out without much fuss, though fair warnings about the monsters out there. It is clear that though this city is nominally guarded and walled, it has been a long time since there has been war here and people can come and go as they wish.

The desert is, much as can be expected. It is more a scrub land rather than rolling dunes of sand but the land is cracked and dry. They have to move at least an hour away from the city before they come across any monsters at all.

When they do they are strange almost-boar looking creatures. They are vicious and will attack on sight, charging with huge tusks and teeth that are far too sharp to belong to a natural creature. They are clearly intelligent, even if they don’t seem to have language. But they never come across more than five at once and there doesn’t seem to be any movement of them towards the city.

Purple Team

The guard posts are only have a few guards there at any one time. Though questioning any of them the voidtreckers will learn that there are other guards in the city, ready to come to the defence of the walls if the alarm is ever sounded. Those on the walls are there to keep watch.

It might take a little bit of persuading but there isn’t a huge problem with purple team being allowed up onto the walls. As long as they don’t seem to be causing or bringing trouble.

The surrounding countryside is clear. To the north is the desert but to the east, west and south there are rolling hills of green. The kingdom that this city is part of.

For them it is a few hours of tedium and anticipation. Watching the landscape, waiting for a threat. The other soldiers are curious enough that they could be coaxed into conversation or a game of dice.

Blue Team and Orange Team

It is very difficult to convince a city full of people who have not known danger in a long time that they have to pack up and leave.

There are difficult shop keepers, confused farmers, worried parents.

Some are able to be ready quickly and so can follow the Blue team out of the southern gates. It might take more than one group, with a few blue team going with each one. The kingdom isn’t particularly dangerous but who knows when that may change. Keeping everyone together and moving will be the challenge here.

For Orange team there are plenty of logistical problems to get stuck into. Animals need moving, people need help packing or wrangling small children. Older people need help finding carts to ride.

Not to mention the very stubborn ones who will take a lot of persuading. Those who were on the goblin world have had practice in this already of course, and hopefully have tips to share.

(OOC: Information about this event is here)

Comments

[longforgottenpromise]

Preparations

Lord Gyousou had still not returned. Taiki had taken to walking through the luggage carriage every day, sometimes twice, as if he might just come across him in a suitcase.

Silly. He knew he wasn't there. He couldn't feel the ouki. It didn't stop him hoping.

He hasn't been on the train very long so the second mission doesn't come as a surprise to him. He doesn't want to do another mission. He doesn't want to go somewhere where people will be expected to fight, kill and die.

He definitely doesn't want to go anywhere without Gyousou.

But he also doesn't want to stay behind. He doesn't want to be a burden on those on the train and he doesn't want to leave people on these worlds in danger.

He is sat near a pile of clothes, technically looking for one to fit but not able to muster must enthusiasm for the task.

Arrival

He knew he was not going to go with the red team. He would just be a burden and a problem and he could not bare to see them fight or kill, even monsters. He had read the entire briefing though and helping get people to safety was something he could try and achieve.

So he looked around for any Blue or Orange team members, going off on his own did not seem like a smart thing to do.

Preparations

[iamnotgod]

Webmind makes his way over to the kirin, curious and sympathetic.

"You look like you are giving something considerable consideration," he remarks, trying to take up less space and sit next to Taiki.

"Perhaps thinking out loud would help?

Preparations

[longforgottenpromise]

"Sorry." He spoke automatically, looking up at who spoke.

He is used to strange people, robots aren't something he's ever seen in reality but he knows the idea well enough.

"I was just thinking about the mission."

Re: Preparations

[iamnotgod]

"It is a lot to consider," Webmind replied, subtly altering the image on the screen to look more encouraging.

"Evacuating an entire kingdom is no small feat, after all!"

He could only assume this was what Taiki meant.

"But we are here because there is some way we can help them - at least, that is what I am left to conclude."

He tapped one hand against the other arm. "I do not think myself a very trustable figure for the inhabitants of this world, however. I expect I would look - would sound - too strange, even with the ready-made outfits!"

He chuckled, as wry a sound as he could make it.

[longforgottenpromise]

No. Evacuating an entire kingdom was going to be very difficult indeed. Just the logistics involved would be very difficult.

He looked at the robot and after a moment nodded. "Yes. We could try and disguise you."

He's not sure how well that would work, but a cloak with a pulled down cloak might hide the strangeness of him well enough to get by, as long as he didn't linger anywhere for too long.

[iamnotgod]

"That would work for the body, yes," Webmind replied.

"But as for my, well, 'face', that would take more doing - a flickering image might alarm rather than assure, and redoing the technology that contains me in a pinch would be an undertaking in and of itself."

That 'face' assumed a more thoughtful expression as he talked.

"Something for me to work on before our next mission, perhaps."

[longforgottenpromise]

"Sorry..." He nodded, it was true. The face would be a lot harder, even under a hood.

Maybe some sort of mask would work. But there was no time to make such a thing right now. "Will you stay then?"

Arrival

[unfavorableinstigation]

"Taiki?"

Nita waved from where she'd been walking towards the kingdom; the red cloak contrasted very vibrantly with his black hair.

"Want to come help with evacuating everyone?"

Arrival

[longforgottenpromise]

"Hello Nita." He ventured a small, nervous smile and nodded.

"Yes."

He could help and Nita was someone that was better at speaking to others than he was, she was probably quite skilled at persuading people to evacuate.

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita would wait up for him, after which they could keep walking in together.

Patience was going to be important for this mission, Nita was sure - evacuation was a lot of 'hurry up and wait' in her experience, anyway!

"We're probably not going to have to walk in far to find people that need convincing, either."

[longforgottenpromise]

"No." He shook his head, "I think... Sorry people aren't going to want to leave."

This kingdom feels peaceful, the people seem happy. There has been no terrible acts of bloodshed, at least not in this part of the city.

People who are comfortable and happy would not want to leave everything on words of strangers.

Minor timeskip to when they start trying to convince people? Can be 2-on-2 or a crowd, up to you.

[unfavorableinstigation]

"It is their home," Nita said. "No one's ever really happy about leaving."

Well, in most cases, but the amount of people here who wanted to be rid of this place were doubtless in the minority.

"But we haven't been falsely called on a mission yet, so we've got to do what we can."

Now, they just needed to find some people who could be persuaded...

[longforgottenpromise]

He nodded sadly. People were never happy about being dragged from all they knew. And would not want to when the danger was not obvious.

"That's good to know."

Not that he wished danger on these people, but if they had not been on a false one yet. That was a good thing. "How... How many of these have you been on, Nita?"

preparations

[flatteries]

.. oh, Taiki. Even before Inigo even speaks up to the other, Taiki's mood is already so very obvious from the very moment Inigo spots him. He looks so sad just sitting there on the ground. Granted, suddenly being thrown into another mission this quickly is weird, but would it really get Taiki this down in the dumps?

He sucks in a deep breath, trying to put the widest smile possible as he enters the dressing carriage, crouching down next to the other.

"Do you need me to help you pick some clothes? I'm somewhat of an expert when it comes to this style!" Sure, it may seem like he's totally ignoring the other's mood, but it's not out of callousness. He's simply just trying to turn the other's thoughts to better things - it's always the first thing he falls back on.

[longforgottenpromise]

Taiki turned as Inigo came towards him, but it was hard to even muster a smile for him, even as Inigo was smiling at him.

It's sort of reassuring that Inigo doesn't waste time, but jumps to a practical problem. Because it is true Taiki is a little lost with these clothes. They aren't like clothes from earth as he knew it, but they also aren't like the clothes in his own world either.

"Yes. I don't know much about clothes... I just wore whatever I was told to."

[flatteries]

He's just hoping that maybe keeping Taiki's mind preoccupied with something else will help him not think too much about whatever is making him look so sad. Even if it's a dumb trivial topic like clothes of all things. Even these ridiculously-coloured ones.

He gives the other a smile before standing up and browsing through the part of the mass of clothes here that are red-coloured, but glances back when his mind catches up with what's so odd about that statement.

"What you were told to?" Someone told Taiki what to wear?

[longforgottenpromise]

He followed Inigo over slowly, letting the distraction do it's work. He knew that dwelling on everything would not be good, he had decided to help people, it was the only choice in his mind. But he would be no help if he continued moping.

"Yes... There are lots of rules in court about what to wear, when and how and I don't know even half of them." He had tried to learn when he was a child, if only to take the burden off those who did have to tell him what to wear. But that had been a long time ago.

[flatteries]

Well.. At least it kind of makes sense if it's for court-related reasons. It may have been a long time since Inigo actually lived in a palace with a functioning court, but he does still remember it enough to know that.

Thinking back on that time still feels a little weird. It always will. But in a continuing effort to be at least a little open with Taiki, he offers: "Oh. Yes. I understand that very well." He lightly laughs. "I've been part of that whole circus myself too where I'm from. It's truly ridiculous just how many things they want you to pay attention to, huh? I don't blame you for not even knowing all the rules."

[longforgottenpromise]

"You have?" It's as close to a question he gets. He is interested by Inigo, he knows so little about him still but asking feels like too much, like prying or being nosy when asking him about his past might be painful. Either because of events that had happened or just because he was now here, far from home.

He doesn't quite look at Ingio, instead studying a tunic like it was very interesting indeed.

team orange for a day

[radishlobbyist]

Most of her own Blue Team has already left with the first groups willing to evacuate the town, but Wen Qing has chosen to stay behind with Orange Team.

She's both relieved and surprised, and a little bit concerned, when she catches sight of Taiki still in town, and hurries over to join him. "There you are! I'd been wondering," she says in greeting. It was clear he couldn't be with red but she hadn't been sure who else he would be with. Then, gentler, she adds, "are you sure you don't want to leave town with the next group?"

She worries, she can't help herself.. What if the battle catches up to them?

[longforgottenpromise]

"Wen Qing. Sorry... Um..." She didn't like him apologising, but it was automatic, he hates to think he had caused her worry.

He shook his head, "There are still so many people here."

Evacuating had been a lot harder than he had hoped. So many people did not want to leave their homes. He can understand that, but it is frustrating when there is a battle approaching. And he won't leave them, there has to be more ways to convince them.

[radishlobbyist]

"I know. They don't want to leave. They have lived with the danger of the monsters for years and they believe themselves well-prepared for any attack they might launch."

She has heard these arguments over and over again today and in truth, she has to agree that the people have a point. None of the teams has yet reported coming across something out of the ordinary but...

"I don't know how we can make them understand that we wouldn't be here if they weren't in grave danger without explaining who and what we are." She gives the houses around her a frustrated look. "So all we can do is harass them into leaving."

[longforgottenpromise]

"I know... And even if we explained, I do not think they would believe us." Some might of course, but they were more likely to decide they were mad and drive them off. 'We arrived on a train from other worlds' sounded mad, it was mad. But the truth very rarely made sense.

"It's hard when we don't know the people here... We don't know what motivates them."

Some things were universal, multiversal? But some things were specific and it was those, specific cultural cues that they were missing here.

"It would be easier if we understood the danger ourselves."

[radishlobbyist]

"It would be," she agrees, her voice taut with frustration. "I wish we would be given more information for these missions, it's very hard to convince people they have to run when you don't even know what they are running from!"

She sighs heavily and forces the frustration down, giving Taiki a tense smile. "I ran into some people who were willing to leave, but they have elders and small children with them. Maybe we could help them loading their cart. I think every person we can get out of the town helps, and might encourage the others to leave as well."

[longforgottenpromise]

He gives an echo of that tense smile and nods at her words. "That would be a start. I think... If we get the right people out, those who are known as clever, with a good head on their shoulders, others will follow."

The only problem was knowing who that was.

"That's... Sorry that's why we need more information. We don't know what they respect here." After all what was considered important in Japan was literally a world different than what was considered important in Tai and there were differences between the twelve kingdoms and differences again between the countries and cultures of earth.

That was only two worlds, and Wen Qing was from another and they stood on another again.