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

[ Hey, at least it does seem like Alice has Caissa with her too! Maybe that's the reason she actually managed to drag herself out here, the reason she's still standing. She's got her emotional support companion right here with her in her arms. ]

I thought so too. [ Alice replies, making sure to keep moving alongside him. They can't really afford to waste any time here, huh. ] .. they might be easier to evacuate than the humans. If they react badly to the entire thing, then it is just instinct.

[ That they don't know better.

Sure, you could also say the latter of some of the humans who are underestimating the danger that's coming for them, but Alice is infinitely more willing to be generous towards animals as opposed to humans. ]

[ That is why Caissa was made. Caissa will support Alice much like how Mort supports Thanatos. ]

I suspect they will.

Help me find a good spot to set up the transgate. Some of the VoidCrafts at the station are meant for animals.

[ It wasn't a Red task, so Thanatos isn't exactly sure which craft those were. However, Ryo is there. He would be able to point Alice in the right direction if she takes them that far. ]

[ Her head dips into a nod.

Alice looks around them for a moment, as if she's considering the best spot for it. Suddenly realising there's a map of the zoo right there, the girl suddenly quickly jogs over towards it, stopping right in front of the zoo map to stare at it.

The most simple solution would be to just put the gate somewhere in the center of the zoo, but.. ]

It might be better to put it somewhere over here.

[ She points at the map. ]

Near the biggest animals. After all, moving those is going to be the most difficult part. The smaller animals can easily be moved around the zoo towards that point in comparison.

[ Thanatos wouldn't have thought to look for a map. A zoo like this is beyond what he's used to. Any gathering of animals back home would be either sacred to gods (and not for others to view) or slaughtered for food. ]

That seems like a good plan. The smaller ones can be gathered and sent together easier.

[ Thanatos offers Alice his hand. She's tired, and this is going to be a hectic 5 hours. (Or however many hours are left) He can help get her there faster and without expending more energy; she'll need that to secure the animals. ]

[ Honestly, Thanatos has got the right idea here. Alice should definitely be saving her energy when she is running on so very little mental bandwidth here.

And yet. And yet. Maybe it's exactly because of the lack of said mental bandwidth, but she doesn't seem to be quite on the same wavelength as him here. Instead Alice just stares at the hand he's holding out to her as if it's suddenly a tentacle - completely baffled. ]

What.. is it..?

[ Yes, she doesn't get that he's offering his hand here.

Alice might not be dumb, but sometimes when it comes to social cues, she definitely is. ]

[ He keeps his hand outstretched. He supposes he wasn't very clear, and Alice is not like Zagreus, who knew what Thanatos meant when he did this.

Although, Thanatos would shift with Zagreus in tow; he doesn't fear separating body and soul with him. ]

I'll get us there faster. We can fly over the crowds and barriers.

.. oh.

[ It seems like the realisation is dawning upon Alice here. Just.. very, very slowly, as she starts to nod.

Still, physical contact isn't something Alice is too used to. Not even when it's for a practical purpose, such as in this case. And though she feels more vulnerable than ever, considering her current state of mind..

.. she trusts Thanatos. Which is why she only says, uncharacteristically softly: ]

Be careful.

[ And she doesn't even mean with the flying. Just.. with her, really. With her trust, that she's literally laying in his hands here as she reaches out towards his hand and holds it, almost meekly so. ]

Of course.

[ Thanatos treats her as if she is as fragile as a butterfly. He holds her in a princess carry, tight enough only to keep her from falling but loose enough for her to break free if she desired. Then he lifts them both up, starting slow, but picking up speed once he's sure Alice is secure enough to. Some people gasp at seeing the pair soar overhead. They could have really made an impression if Thanatos had his wings out, but that much speed combined with the enclosed space made that a dangerous idea.

When they reach the larger animals, Thanatos lands and helps Alice to her feet. ]

We're here. I'll put the gate wherever you want it.

[ It's a good thing that it's not like this is the first time that this has happened. In fact, when you combine this situation with the fact that Thanatos is just flying them over everything, it kind of reminds her of that time the Hatter had helped her jump around much faster than she could have by herself - though he didn't exactly princess carry her.

Thankfully. Because Alice is starting to feel pretty awkward. Even if it's Thanatos doing it, excessive physical contact always makes her feel a little weird, and it makes her feel relieved once her feet are back on the ground.

She even seems to need a moment, shifting from foot to foot as if to confirm she's really standing on her own again, before she speaks. ]

Anywhere near here should be fine. [ It's better to focus on that. Focus on the task at hand, not her own awkwardness. Maybe it'll go away if she just ignores it hard enough, who knows. ] I doubt that there are still people casually wandering around here after the evacuation efforts started anyway.

[ So no chance of accidentally sending a confused native of this planet into the transgate. ]

[ Thanatos understands. He's getting better with physical contact, but sometimes, he doesn't want anything to do with it. (Except Mort. Mort is always a comfort. Even when he wants to FITE Thanatos.) While Alice situates herself, Thanatos will rummage through his bag for the gate. ]

No, I imagine only people who tend to the creatures would still be here.

[ Maybe they could help guide the more troublesome animals. Mort is atop Thanatos's head and looking for anyone else as Thanatos sets up the gate. It lights up and activates. ]

That should do it.

[ Alice has seen the gates often enough on the train to know that it should work, by the looks of it. At least it'll save them the trouble of having to think of how to get all these animals all the way over to the station, since that would have been a major pain..

She stares at the illuminated gate for a moment before turning back towards Thanatos. ]

Does it directly link back to the station? .. I suppose we should ensure that someone will be ready on the other side to receive all of the animals and process them further.

[ You know, before people get freaked out by random animals showing up there. ]

That is where its pair was put. I can move through it and find someone to attend to the animals if there aren't people here who already work with them.

[ They could place them in the hands of another VoidTrecker, but if the animals are used to a person already, having that person deal with them would be better. The trust is already there. ]

That would be good. [ Alice says. A little softer than usually, but she agrees with a slight nod all the same. ]

I will stay on this side and help get the animals over towards the station. I think it is.. better for me here. With less people around.

[ At least Alice can handle animals. She's always been better with those than with people. ]

I think it'll be better for the animals. Too many people trying to get them to do something will likely stress them out and make them uncooperative.

[ So if Alice ever needs a reason why she doesn't want to work with too many people now, she has one. ]

Contact me if you need anything else. Otherwise, I'll see you back on the train.

[ He expects to see her back on the train, and he intends to be there as well. ]

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Crashing Down: Start

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