middleofsomewhere | Crashing Down: Start

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Crashing Down: Start

As the Voidtreckers are going through their morning routines on the 24th Quicksand, there comes a train announcement over the comms. When it ends, their SCAs glow and bring up a holographic screen as is common before a mission. There's a few hours to prepare before a new announcement:

Shortly arriving at system #78961112094711. Leaving the void in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.

The train shakes as it leaves the void. As explained by the mission brief, those who are not wearing their SCA will not be able to physically leave the train.

But for those that do, they will find their SCA lights up with their stopwatch. Counting down from five hous.

CRASHING DOWN: START

QUICKSAND 24 ~ TEAM OBJECTIVES ~ LOCATION INFORMATION ~ OTHER DETAILS
ASK QUESTIONS ~ SHENANIGANS ~ TEAM PLOTTING ~ MISSION TASKS/REWARDS

HOUR ONE

The Voidtrecker Express lands them within a voidcraft multistorey, the same one as when they came to holiday at the Irue Grotto. As soon as it does, their SCAs vibrate and bring up a message, audio and transcript (including brialle) become available from a Ministry worker: the tethering station is on the first floor, and there will be people and gear waiting for them, depending on what jobs they're taking up.

Evacuation plans have already begun, and everything is going to get hectic, fast. Voidtreckers will have no end of work available.

1. PROCESSING. For the more tech-minded, plenty of help is needed. Containers of SCAs in storage need to be scanned and made sure they're not faulty before they're loaded up and sent off to communities outside the Irue Grotto. It's a simple if tedious process, but necessary. There's also helping to process people, getting visitors to the planet back to their voidcrafts, so they can leave and make room for more voidcrafts to station.

People can help civilians through the health scanners, or help manage the cyro-pods that they'll be placed into, Setting up the pods isn't too difficult, it just requires hands and the ability to follow an instruction manual. The void scientists happily give this task to any voidtreckers availible to help so that they can get on with the tasks that require more know-how. ( ORANGE1 )

2. GATHERING. The Ministry also need help with bringing in people. Hover trams will help take officials - including Voidtreckers - into the Irue Grotto, to pick up people at farther parts of the city, and who can't walk to the tethering station. Directing people is necessary, as well as making sure that people have caught the message of the evacuation in the earliest hours; but also those less keen, not taking the call seriously will need to be persuaded.

People are also needed to begin going to further out communities. There are emergency broadcasts throughout the planet but the ministry and the local governing groups are aware that not everyone is going to have heard them. The ministry scramble to give the voidtreckers official passes, to help give credibility to their announcement of evacuation. ( PURPLE 1, BLUE 1 )

3. JOIN THE QUEUE. Help will be needed to help keep some semblance of order, to create a flow to keep everything running. Out in the streets, or even in the tethering station, people will become more panicked if they think they've missed their ride, if they have to wait for too long. It's not yet violent, but people with presence will be useful for helping keep everyone sensible. ( RED 1 )

HOURS TWO AND THREE

The work continues to bring people from their lives to the tethering stations, now packed by anxious individuals. There's aid needed for people outside the Irue Grotto, a call for drivers and more volunteers to stay back and help with tethering processing to get people onto the liminal stations. Panic rises with the tension, and there's also signs of disbelief for what's apparently going on.

The Ministry are handing out SCAs to be taken to those who can't come to the stations, to help with the tethering process. With quick training, people can tether themselves, and arrive at the liminal stations awaiting them.

1. ALL ABOARD. Even in the most busy of void hubs, the tethering and platform systems are not designed for an entire planet to arrive all at once. Those volunteering can access the void by a device at the tethering station. The ministry workers explain that it won't disrupt their own tethers, and they will be able to freely walk through the barrier back to the ministry building. The platform is larger than any voidtreckers have seen in their time in the void, closer to the transport station. There are rows of train tracks, but also docked air craft, space craft, there's even a port with voidcraft that look like traditional ships that would sail through water, if there were any water in the void.

All those tethered have tickets and so should know where they are going, but volunteers have been given tablets with an ever growing database to match passengers up to their voidcrafts. From there, it's a case of helping direct people, carrying luggage, and hurrying children along.

For those who would rather not be around panicked people, there's plenty of work loading animals, be they pets or animals from the zoo, who have their own dedicated voidcraft. ( ORANGE2 )

2. THE IRUE ZOO. Outside the Irue Grotto the planet is pretty rural. Not far from the city is The Irue Zoo, a clutter of domed conservatories customised to house creatures from across the system's planets: avians, reptiles, creatures that don't match anything Voidtreckers know. The zookeepers have already had collars delivered- devices similar to SCAs but for use on animals. They do however need help getting them on the creatures. For any tiny animals, there are chip guns - but, you'll need good aim.

Using drones, those piloting them can also help to make sure an area has been cleared and no one left behind, without the person piloting even being physically present. ( PURPLE 2, BLUE 3, ORANGE 3 )

2. OSIGA VILLAGES. In the villages, there are families who just don't have easy access to reach the Irue Grotto: not everyone has a vehicle. Some eagerly climb into the Ministry ride that Voidtreckers take to reach their communities, while others will need help to go to them instead. They might have family members who can't make the trip, others are more worried about their pets or farm creatures, for those lucky to have indoor farms. Luckily the SCA packs that voidtreckers were given also contain the animal tethering collars- the ministry had factored that into their evacuation plans.

More of a challenge are those who refuse to leave the lives they made, who've barricaded and are making it difficult to be helped. They might not trust the ministry. They might not believe that the threat is real. Or they might resist the idea that this threat cannot be fought, after all they are Osigan, not a weak people at all. ( ORANGE 3, RED2, PURPLE2, BLUE3 )

HOURS FOUR AND FIVE

As their countdown clocks tick to two hours remaining there is a message from Anan. The main bulk of people have been processed by now, freeing up those helping in the grotto to move out to further flung communities. Almost all efforts are now on the portable tethering kits, voidtreckers encouraged to travel by speeder to get to as many places as possible.

1. OFF WORLD. Anan waits at the main transport hub next to a space ship. It's not particularly large, clearly made for short inter planet journeys rather than long durations in space. She looks understandably worried, Chiff sat like a hat on her head, but she welcomes people on board for half an hour before they leave.

They're headed to a space station, getting there not for the faint hearted as it's situated in an asteroid field. Luckily, Anan can pilot her way through safely. The station is mostly occupied by elderly people and small children, suspicious people, a couple even tangry at Anan for leading strangers to their door. She takes their ire with humility but is quick to get down to business.

Here like on Osiga people have varying reactions to the news. The children are frightened but generally tough souls. Some of them know Anan and Chiff already and that helps with coaxing them. ( RED 2-3, BLUE 3, PURPLE 2-3 )

2. ON PLANET. The easily convinced have been evacuated by now, which leaves those who are, for variety of reasons, more difficult. Some are the furthest away from the Grotto, the travel time longer. Here, there is often unrest. There's been a couple of hours for people to work themselves into a state of panic. Even those ready and prepared to be evacuated are frustrated.

As they travel they might even find bands of people moving towards the grotto, angry and assuming they have been forgotten, abandoned. They can be calmed, especially when they learn that the voidtreckers have tethering kits and are here to help. But it will take some loud voices and calm personalities to break through that fear and anger. ( BLUE 2, PURPLE 3 )

3. THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE. But what of those who are adament they will not leave? The refusers are not one homogeneous group. Some refuse to believe what is happening. World eaters? Whose heard of them? Who are these strange people who are trying to empty their world? They never did trust the ministry, setting up in Irue like that...

Others truly believe that leaving their home to an otherworldly threat is an act of cowardice. Surely they should stay and fight. Stand against this threat and drive it back. They have weapons, surely if everyone just made a stand they could stop what was about to happen.

Others just can't bare to leave their homes. They are old and would rather face their fate in the comfort they know rather than leave to go to the void- they might know of it but that doesn't mean they trust it. Others are very aware of what this means, they survive but their bodies do not.

Some can be convinced, others are more stubborn. It may be best to focus on those who do want to leave, but there is no easy answer. ( RED 2-3, BLUE 3, ORANGE 3, PURPLE 2-3 )

All the time the skies are calm and clear, no sign of the approaching danger present. In some ways, this makes it harder; te only indication they have is their SCA clocks counting down. Hours turning to minutes, counting down to catastrophe.

OOC NOTES

OOC Post ~ Questions ~ Shenanigans ~ Tasks Check-In & Rewards
This event will last for 1 IC day, and OOCly runs from 16th to 22nd, with a conclusion going up on the 23rd.

CHARACTER AID: Lan Jingyi will be offering transport over distance, Lea can create keyblade portals to move people; Thanatos and Tidus will have functioning transgates to allow movement between where they are and back at the tethering station. Elidibus will also eventually be creating portals and force-teleports.

Art Credit: Header

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Madoka is trying to talk to some people as well. She may not have any special compelling powers, but she does have a powerful set of puppy eyes that help under these circumstances..

But just as she's convinced a family to head in the right direction, she turns her head to spot the other there - and see that odd colour in his eyes.

She isn't sure what it is, but she does notice a few people - most of the group he's talking to - immediately nodding along with what he's saying. But somehow there's one of them who only starts looking more agitated in the face of it all..

(You know, like maybe the power didn't fully work on him, though Madoka sure hasn't reached that conclusion yet.)

Staring nervously between the two, Madoka steps closer. ]

Um, is.. everything okay here..?

[Jiu sees that nonconformer, and narrows his eyes in the man's direction.]

Everything's fine, [he says without actually looking at Madoka, then continues:] Sir, did you not hear my instructions? We are evacuating. Please head in this direction with the others if you wish to join them.

[The rest of the group is going, at least??]

[ Part of their duty here is done, indeed.. Madoka turns her head, looking at the people who are moving to leave. For a moment she wonders if she should accompany them to make sure they will all find the processing point, but then she looks back at Jiu and the man..

.. and she decides that maybe it's better to stay here, just in case. Jiu can handle himself, but with Madoka being Madoka, she still can't help but fuss over the other all the same.

(As if she could do something here if this would turn into some physical altercation, when she is barely five feet and has trouble opening particularly heavy doors.)

Before she can say anything though, it's the man that speaks up, staring at Jiu.

Why should I listen to a runt like you? How do you even know anything is going to happen? You lot could all be lying! ]

[...Did this guy just call him a runt? Is that an actual word he just heard, spoken in his actual direction?

Jiu doesn't actually get murderous, he's not quite that silly, but he does give the man a look strong enough to kill if you gave it physical weight.]

You are free to ignore this runt if you prefer. Though if you do, then your resulting death will certainly be none of my concern, don't you agree?

[madoka please you are the single magical girl peace mascot and both these guys are belligerent]

[ Madoka is dying.

Even though nothing is being directed at her here, not from the man and not from Jiu's side, she is absolutely dying just witnessing it. Madoka is like Tinkerbell, except it's not a lack of belief that kills her, it's a lack of harmony. She's terrified of the way this situation is escalating between these two, especially since she feels like it'll end up with someone here being hurt.

And said person being hurt does not necessarily have to be Jiu, considering he was ready to fight a wolf last time around. ]

P-Please! [ She sputters, stepping between the two of them. Like she's trying to physically keep them from approaching each other further. ] Um, what he's trying to say is--

[ Yes, Madoka is taking the duty upon her of trying to translate this into something more polite.

Godspeed. ]

That things really are dangerous right now! We just really don't want someone to get hurt...

[ Are you sure that's what he just said, girl. ]

[This is kinda like Jiu's the one saying someone's gonna die, and Madoka's the one saying OF FUN except in this case there really is kind of a threat of death going on here but uh

Jiu does actually tone it down slightly upon seeing her attempts to play interpreter--if his ears and tail were out right now maybe you'd see the fur coming down from its poofed-up state, but as it is the expression on his face simply loses a bit of its danger vibes.]

...It's as she said. You're in danger the longer you stay here, so unless losing your life is your goal for the day, I suggest you listen. [To her at least, if not to him.]

[ The man glances between the two of them. He doesn't necessarily seem convinced by these two - outward-seeming - children telling him about all of this.

But something about the hostility around him fades. Not a lot, but.. at least a little bit..? Maybe the someone's gonna die OF FUN meme is compelling him here, bit by bit.

At least it's enough for him to instead say: If you know there is some sort of danger coming, can't you just stop it?

.. at least he believes them now? Even though he still doesn't seem eager to just go get processed along with everyone else so he can be saved.. ]

[Maybe it's the fact neither of them seem to be joking? Either way, the look Jiu gives him is the kind you might give to somebody who just asked why you can't turn the sky green.]

Should we be flattered you think so highly of us? As much as I wish I could call myself that powerful, I'm afraid there's a reason our instructions are to evacuate rather than to fight.

I.. don't think there's anything that can stop it. [ Madoka slowly adds to what he's saying, trying to help convince the man.

After all, she saw them, those shapes in the sky. She remembers it, even though it was such a while ago by now. It's not like she got close enough to them to be able to touch them or do anything to them, but she does remember how ominous they seemed. How quickly the train pulled them back, out of sheer fear and worry.

Even though she's not always sure how to feel about the train.. surely it wouldn't do that without reason.

Still, it's not a nice memory to recall, hence why she seems a little sad as she speaks on. ]

Those things just destroy everything they touch. Fighting them would be way too dangerous, even for the most skilled warrior..

[He looks at Madoka, noting her demeanor, his own expression softening slightly in the process.

And then he goes back to frowning at the guy, arms crossed over his chest.]

Is that enough of an explanation for you, sir, or do you wish to continue all three of us are devoured by the enemy?

[Hurry it up! Don't make Madoka sad!! The guy seems to be running out of arguments anyway, at this point...]

[ The man still stares at the two of them. He seems unsure at first, but then.. he lets out a huff, and waves a hand, saying fine.

Does he seem very convinced? Not really, but it seems like he's giving in for now anyway. Maybe it's exactly because he doesn't have any real arguments left. After saying something about how he'll get going soon, he walks off.

Which just leaves Jiu and Madoka standing there, with the latter glancing at the former. ]

.. Do you think he'll really listen to what we said..?

We've done our part. If he chooses not to listen, that's his own informed choice. [In other words, not our problem! We don't need that guy!

Jiu turns around, arms still crossed, already in search of their next ~~victim~~ target.]

You shouldn't worry too much about him. We have a lot of ground to cover, and not much time to do it in.

I-I can worry and do stuff at the same time!

[ See, Madoka will prove it. Look at her, she's already starting to head in the direction he's looking. It doesn't seem like there's any people nearby necessarily, but she thinks she can see one of those hover things arriving - so they might as well check whether or not the people arriving on it will need instructions from them.

Multitasking. ]

After all, I really don't think the stubborn people realise just how horrible the thing they're about to experience if they don't listen is... [ And so she can't help but really not want anyone at all to get stuck with that. ]

You can, but should you?

[Stop giving yourself premature grey hairs, Madoka! You're only like, what, 5? Jiu follows along behind her at a leisurely pace, a practiced veteran of looking calmer than he feels.]

Besides, it seems many of these people would simply rather face this unknown terror than leave their homes. It's not entirely unreasonable, stupid though it is.

[ Look at that question.

A question that is, in fact, so good that Madoka probably can't address it right now. This of all moments is a terrible time to start thinking about her priorities and habits, when there's so much they have to do.

Sure, they have some time to walk while they wander over in this direction, but it's better to keep her mind a little more focused than that. If not just because trying to think of better ways to convince people feels a little more productive.. ]

.. hey. Where you come from.. [ Look, does she know very little about Jiu's world? Yes. But that's exactly why she's asking! ] Were there ever any natural disasters? Like.. um, earthquakes, maybe, but I was more thinking of tsunamis, or stuff like that..

[Shen Qingqiu is going to question Madoka's priorities and habits every chance he gets, whether she answers those questions or not!

Jiu doesn't pause at the question he's asked, still casually ambling along like they're taking a perfectly relaxed walk in a perfectly safe park somewhere; the only hint that he might possibly still be paying attention to their situation is that his eyes are scanning around them with somewhat more diligence than would've been necessary on a casual walk.]

Is there such thing as a place without disasters? Famines, storms, demonic invasions...I don't believe tsunamis were ever a thing in our area, but aside from that, the land was as afflicted as anywhere else could be.

Did people want to stay in their homes for those too..?

[ Granted, Madoka has - thankfully - never been in that position. Where she had to choose between staying at home and suffering lethal danger, or leaving everything behind to evacuate. But she knows other people have. She's heard about it often enough on the news. ]

Whenever there was a tsunami warning back home, and the government thought it was severe enough to warn people to evacuate.. Most people did. Probably pretty much all of them. I mean, who would rather want to die..?

There will always be those who insist on staying, through fire, flood, or famine, regardless of their chances for survival.

[He casts a glance at her, his expression disdainful, his eyes harboring hints of a different sort of emotion.]

Sacrificing your life to defend a home you wouldn't be alive to enjoy - don't you think that's rather counterproductive?

[ She slowly nods.

Though the general emotion hanging around Madoka as she's doing so has nothing to do with disdain. If anything, she just looks sad. Because it's a sad topic, and a sad situation they're stuck in right now too - trying to evacuate people who won't ever be able to return to their normal lives here. ]

But I'm trying to think about it anyway. I want to understand these people, or why they might choose to not leave.. so we can find ways for them to be okay with leaving after all. [ Madoka glances around them before looking back at him. ] Don't you think death is the saddest thing of all..?

[ And people consciously choosing it even more so. It makes Madoka want to cry just thinking of it, but she's managing to hold back her tears since they are in the middle of a mission. Tears won't help. She's at least mature enough to realise that, even at her age. ]

[He wouldn't have expected any other kind of expression from her, honestly. He knows her by now - a girl with too much heart for her own good. His own disdainful expression only lasted a second anyway, for appearance's sake more than actual disdain.]

There are much worse things than death, in my opinion. [He'd know, he's been through some of them.]

And as for convincing them to leave...I'm sure you can convince most people to leave with enough effort, but you shouldn't expect to be able to make all of them accept it. Some of our fellow voidtreckers would probably be the same, if it was their own home under threat.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Crashing Down: Start

hour one

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will i ever truly be alive

watch out people we've got a zombie

yipyapyip (translation: braaaiiiiins)

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