Onward: Purple

[voidtreckermods]

Rescue Efforts

Progress has been good, with many of the trapped citizens now rescued and parts of the city put to rights. There are only a couple of pockets of trapped people remaining, where it is proving difficult structurally to clear the tunnels. Even so, spirits are high; it’s believed they’ll be able to do so with the Voidtreckers’ assistance.

Work is still done in shifts and continues through the night. Voidtreckers are encouraged to rest after their shifts, and stagger themselves. It’s likely that there’s a mix of people awake and asleep as the sun rises on the third day.

Dawn Attack

Not long after dawn many of the Terran phones begin ringing with notifications and alarms, and there is a general wave of panic that spreads through the adult Terran. Followed by a rush of activity, as those asleep are quickly shaken awake to get ready.

It won’t take long, they’re told. There has been an attack. Not here, but in another segment of the city. Unknown forces, monstrosities of some kind coming down the service tunnels. Forces are holding them off but they need backup. Transport is quickly arranged and any Voidtreckers who wish to go and help can do so. 

Transport is a train, one that is sourced incredibly quickly and filled with combat-ready Terran civilians. Not all go, since people are still needed to finish the rescue efforts and prepare for any attack in this sector.

Those that do go will find a battle raging between Terran and monsters. It may be that shortly after the Voidtreckers and their Terran friends turn up they will be joined by some more adventurous members of Orange Team who followed the monsters down the tunnels.

Days of Fighting

Throughout the next few days (G7-G11), fights spring up around the city. Though the first fight was against monsters from the lab, it seems others have found ways of getting into the tunnel system. The Terran are practical and quickly set up systems of transport for quick response. They don’t have much in the way of lights; their own decorative lights are soft, which will drive the creatures back from illuminated areas but be unable to destroy them. 

They will happily accept as much help as the Voidtreckers can give. The fighting is lessened as the day goes on, as no new monsters enter the tunnels, but sunset brings fresh recruits.

For those who cannot or do not wish to fight there is plenty that needs doing. Centres are set up for the injured. Fighters need food and water. There are still collapsed tunnels that need repaired and cleaned up. The final trapped citizens need to be brought to safety. Children need to be watched and kept out of danger.

A Rumour

Talking of children, as the days go by the Terran teenagers get more and more agitated. A few times they can be seen trying to approach exhausted and stressed adults, mobile phones in their hands as they try and explain something.

They are quickly dismissed. If asked about it the teenagers will tell literally anyone who listens that they think the monsters are going after The Dweller. They will distractedly explain that it is some lifeform within the planet that ‘those Gry’ worship as a god.

‘Those Gry’ are their primary source of information, in fact, and most of their evidence seems to be coming from dream interpretation forums. Probably why they aren’t getting taken seriously by their stressed parents.

Comments

Days of Fighting

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel shows up to the Healing Party, not because he needs any healing, but the monsters actively avoid his light, so he's there as defense, lighting up the cavern like it was noon.

"I saw that too. Good thing Reno healed you, we'd be up a creek without you coordinating all of this," Glorfindel said seriously, giving Roland his best Look.

He himself was just fine. Elves don't actually need that much sleep, so the hour or two he gets in the middle of the day when things are at a lull was more than enough to keep him going. And he usually spent it meditating while shining his light in the cavern with the wounded. Not as good as Reno's Carbuncle, but every bit of healing helps, right?

He pulls out of the maps he'd been given by the Terrans to help him make his way around the various caverns. "We've gotten most of them cleared, but they were coming in here, here, here, and here, today," he said, pointing out the hotspots. "If they run true to form, I suggest we wait for them tonight here, here,....here, and maybe here? What do you think?"

[adregem]

Roland already knows he sounds like a broken record, but he can't help the sigh of relief that washes over him every time Glorfindel shines his light. On the train, it's only a dim glow that he's more than used to seeing from the elf general, but when on a mission literally awash with thick darkness, there was nothing more calming than watching him shine light on their enclosure.

He shakes his head, a smile on his face to match his Look. He recognizes that because he gives other people the same expression. "Heh. You guys are pretty eagle-eyed, I have to say." His pistol is resting away from view, nestled in one hand while he speaks. "And hey, don't worry about me tapping out if it ever came to that. I'd be more worried if they came after you...Without your light and delegation, we'd be at an even worse disadvantage. You...don't run out of that, do you?" Roland's not too familiar with the magic of Glorfindel's world, but just to be safe, he asks in case he needs a Potion or an elixir.

Grateful for the map, he leans close to scan the cross marks and lines depicting the cavernous areas of the Terran city, some tunnels leading above-ground thanks to their rail system. He points at some of them, tracing back up to the labs Curufin mentioned in another broadcast earlier that day. "Good idea. We can set up sentries and outposts so nobody is caught unaware." Thank goodness for Glorfindel's deep well of wisdom. "Where will you go for this wave? I'll go the opposite way if you want to stave off the next attack tonight, make sure someone's around to keep the rescue site clear."

[laurefindil]

"It's an elf thing," Glorfindel confirmed for him. "We have excellent hearing too."

He shook his head at Roland's next question. "The Light, no. Not as far as I am aware. It...I was given this power by the Valar when I was reborn. It is the light from my world's sun, the fruit of the Tree of Light. The only thing that could quench it would be to kill me, and I am a lot harder to kill now." he said with a grin. "Tougher and meaner things than these monsters have tried." One does not simply kill the Champion of the Valar. It would be like putting out the sun. Though there was a reason it was only the fruit that lit up Arda now, so he wasn't going to say it was impossible.

He nodded at Roland's assessment. "I thought I would start here this time," he said, pointing at the map. "Then work my way that way, going dark until the Terrans have lead me right into the thick of them. After the area is clear, we move onto the next one." It was working so far.

[adregem]

"Heh. Don't tell me you can fly, too. Now that's just unfair." Roland jokes easily, a grin forming on his lips. Just because they were in a rescue mission with monsters attacking every which way didn't mean he couldn't pull some fun out of it. He finds that it helps keep morale up, too.

He adjusts his sword around his waist, brows furrowing in disbelief. Every time Roland is reminded of how much grandeur Glorfindel exudes just by being around, it both relieves him to know they're allies, but he's also shocked at how someone so otherworldly could have been kidnapped by a magical train that travels exclusively through voids. What kind of magic were they actually dealing with here...?

"And that's precisely why I'm glad we're on the same side."

As soon as Glorfindel shares his plan of attack, Roland all but agrees completely, arms crossed back against his chest. "Then we've got our strategy for the first few hours until we thin out the incoming herd. You know what to do if you need backup. The SCA tactic works wonders too, so I'll stick around highly concentrated areas full of Terrans where your light hasn't reached yet. They don't have any torches strong enough to break the monsters."

His pointer fingers drifts close to the giant encircled camp site, where trapped Terrans were still being excavated at a slow pace. "So long as this, this, and this are covered, then we'll be able to cut off impending monster attacks that could bottleneck the rescue site."

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel laughed. "No, no flying. Not unless you have a Giant Eagle tucked away in that Arms Band of yours. Though they are not fond of the ground, let alone under it!"

He would also like to know what kind of magic the Train uses, or if the Valar agreed to this 'borrowing' of him.

"I am as well," Glorfindel tells him seriously. "If I were facing an army that had someone competent like you on their side, my job would have been incredibly more difficult!"

He nodded. "If I need you, I will let you know, don't worry. Once the incoming monsters are thinned, and there are no more large concentrations, I will return to their," his finger also hovers over the encircled camp site, "and provide a light barrier to keep lone monsters out."

"How are the final excavations going?" he asked.

[adregem]

"We're at the home stretch. Just a couple more civilians to go, though there isn't much to report on in terms of structural damages. That's going to be beyond our scope."

At least on that front, they were making progress, however slow. When Glorfindel pulls monsters to a certain area, Roland reacts to it just enough so that he can tail them and fight without leaving the rear end of the rescue site without aid. It was working so far, but he hopes nothing else disrupts their plan...

"Thanks for the huddle, Glorfindel. Keep yourself healthy, Mister Nightlight." He grins again, and readies his gun with a smooth flourish. Time to get back out there.

I can't believe I used the wrong there! And we're at 8 of 10. Not that we have to continue, but...

[laurefindil]

"As long as we can keep their people alive, I think they'll be okay in the long run," Glorfindel agreed.

He grinned at Roland, brightening a little in response. "If you think about it, that's all the sun is, too. A giant Nightlight."

"And I'm not the one to worry about," he said, giving Roland that Look again. "You keep yourself healthy, young man!"

WAIT, LET'S FINISH IT AT 10 FOR SOME SWEET BONUS AC hahahaha! Here's the 9th! >:)

[adregem]

"Me? A young man? Heh. I need to hang around you more often." Because he's pretty sure elf-age had nothing with magical dimension-hopping age. Though come to think of it, Tidus aside, Roland wasn't really sure who knew the truth of who he was - not that it was hidden, since the Passenger Roster was quite clear on that front. Still, if Glorfindel didn't notice it, then he may be confused at how someone with such a young face could say things like that, but sounds like he means it...

"I have an extra sword in my Arms Band if you need it, by the by. We need to be cautious in case we get swarmed. Though, let's hope that doesn't come to pass. Just let me know if you need a spare weapon." He would gladly lend Glorfindel the Cat King's Claw if he needed a sword to brandish, as he had lent Tidus the Interstellar Sword already.

And Score!

[laurefindil]

"I'm almost 5000 years old," Glorfindel told him. "To me, everyone except Zetta is a young man, or woman. Well, maybe a couple of the new people." He's been helping raise generations of Dunedain, who still look like they're in their early 30s when they're almost 90, so he doesn't judge by the cover. If Roland is the age in the Roster, then he might enjoy not being the oldest in the room!

"I appreciate the offer, but I haven't needed to pull a sword since we got here. If we suddenly discover an enemy that requires sword-fighting, though, I will definitely be in touch," he said with a grin.

He stretched for a moment. "Okay, I'm off. Contact me if we need to upgrade our plans on the fly. It's a sign of quality leadership to be able to do that, you know," he added with a wink.