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

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"Ah, really..?"

There's a mixture of surprise and relief in her voice. After all, Madoka didn't expect to come here and see that things were almost done already.. and yet when Wangji says they are, she's instantly willing to believe him.

"That's so amazing! You must have been working so hard to get everything done so quickly.." It's not like they've been in this world for that long yet, after all.

But on the other hand, it's not like they have a lot of time to work with here in the first place.

"As expected, you're always so impressive, mister Wangji!"

"They are easier then people in some ways." The animals are innocent. They don't necessarily know what is happening but they can tell that someone is there to make everything better. And although he mostly has experience with rabbits, animals are all sensitive towards people's feelings. They know that he isn't there to harm them. A gentle touch and voice go a long way to settle any fears they have.

"I have to head to the next paddock." because even if he is close there is still work to be done. They don't have a lot of time on this world so he knows that they have to move quickly to get it all done.

He nods towards her to indicate that she is welcome to come with him and help.

There's a moment where the girl seems conflicted.

Because sure, she does want to help. Of course she does. This is Madoka - "helping" is basically her middle name at this point. But on the other hand, she's not.. too sure how much she can do here. She's never tried to do this sort of thing with animals, after all, which means her efforts might be better used when dealing with convincing people to leave.

But it also feels rude to ignore an invitation from Wangji, so.. after thinking about it for a moment, she does quickly follow him, jogging to catch up.

"Which animal were you going to do next, sir..?" Maybe it's something she can figure out how to help with after all?

He points towards one of the bigger cages. He isn't entirely sure what animal is inside of it yet but i is one that he hasn't gone to so he knows there are still animals that need to be collared inside of it.

"If you distract them I can place the collar on."

That is how she can help. It doesn't have to be a big distraction. It could simply be here petting the creature on its head depending on what it is and how docile it is going to behave.

"O-Okay, I'll try.."

That slight hitch in what she's saying is entirely because the idea of distracting an animal that big is a little scary - even if they don't know what it is yet. But even animals that are big yet seem generally peaceful can be kind of scary, especially when they're put into situations they don't understand..

Still, despite being scared, Madoka doesn't want to back down here. If she can help, she has to do her best, so she nods.

"You'll make sure nothing will happen to me, right, mister Wangji..?"

He nods, "Of course." He would never let any harm come to her and he is sure that he would be able to tell if the animal would try anything before it actually does. He only agrees to let her assist him because he is sure that he can also protect her at the same time.

He walks up to the cage and looks inside. There is the slightest raise of his eyebrows when he sees what is inside. They look like oversized rabbits, about twice as big as they normally could but the strange thing is that they are a rainbow of colors.

He is sure that they will be able to handle this...

At least the fact that they look like rabbits - though huge ones - is a little reassuring to Madoka. After all, it's easier to face a bunny, no matter how big, than it is to face anything that looks like a tiger.

It's still a tiny bit scary, considering their size.. and considering the fact that the two of them don't know a single thing about these creatures' habits..

But she's going to try. Which is why she's already moving over to the other side of the cage, right where the animals' heads are.

"Um.." She speaks up - though this time not directed at the man, but instead at the animals. Madoka waves her arms, drawing their attention. "Hi, bunnies..! I'm here to help you!"

Or, well, they are. But she's not going to mention Wangji, since she's supposed to draw their attention here. And while she doubts these animals can understand what she's saying, you never know with otherworldly creatures. She's being careful!

He waits until she starts to draw their attention before coming closer. He wants to make sure he doesn't startle them but he also doesn't want to be the focus of their attention. It is easier to get the collars on if they aren't staring at it and being afraid of it.

He kneels down once he is close enough and just lets them get used to his presence in their area. He is used to dealing with rabbits and knows how skittish they can be at times. These ones seem to be fairly docile as they try to figure out what it is that Madoka wants from them.

Though the girl is very curious as to what Wangji is doing, she's doing her best to not let her gaze drift in his direction too much. She isn't too sure how smart these big rabbits are, but if they could pick up on small signals like that, they might realise that Madoka is looking at something other than them..

So she just does her best to keep entertaining the animals, even if she isn't sure where she's going with it.

"Are you guys hungry..?" She's pretty sure she could find some food around here if she looked. It is a zoo, after all, and they've probably got to keep some extra food near here somewhere.. "I can give you some, if you want..!"

After all, what distracts animals better than food?

Nothing, Madoka is pretty sure.

Wangji gives her a nod, indicating that she is welcome to go find some food. He carefully sits down on the ground, some of the rabbits coming over to him to investigate. If he is lucky he can try to get the collars on them once they are close enough. One even gets bold enough to get in his lap and he reaches out carefully to pet over its fur. It is just as soft as the rabbits back home even if it is quite a bit larger. It seems that he is now the distraction.

He brings up one of the collars and lets the rabbit sniff it and get used to it.

Madoka sees the sign, and she takes it, especially when it seems that the oversized rabbits are starting to get interested in Wangji instead.

She hopes that it's in a good way, but she also knows that if there's anyone out there who can soothe rabbits, even this kind, then it's Wangji in the first place. So the girl opts to trust him, moving away to grab a bag of food for these creatures.

Unsure of what exactly she'll find when she gets back, but she sure hopes it's something good..!

He starts to stroke over one of the rabbit's long backs, letting them explore his robes and his lap as needed. Whatever it takes to make them trust him enough to slip the collar onto them. He doesn't make that move quite yet, just letting his hand with the collar travel over the back.

Eventually he brings it up and drapes it over the rabbit's neck, just to see how it would react. So far it doesn't seem to be bothered by it. When he thinks he might have a chance, he slowly closes it around the neck, being careful that his moments are smooth and slow so it doesn't startle the creature.

THe rabbit is so distracted that it doesn't seem to realize it has a new accessory. Wangji then gives the rabbit a few pets to show how good it behaved. The food will make for a good reward for the rabbit that is now collared.

It's right after Wangji is doing collaring that one that Madoka reappears. Apparently the only bag of food she could find was a rather large one, which means that she's returning to the man's side very, very slowly, waddling as she attempts to carry the large bag.

(Honestly, it's kind of too big for the girl. She's just disappearing behind it!)

"M.. Mister Wangji, is everything okay here..?" She makes sure to call out softly, so she won't startle the creatures. But she can't help but ask all the same, since Madoka can't exactly see anything with the bag she's carrying being held in front of her like this. "I brought the food.."

"Mm...one is finished." He reaches out slowly as she gets close to help ease the bag down to the ground. Its easy for him, barely any sort of weight in it at all compared to what he is used to.

Once the bag is out of the way he points towards the one with the collar. "Start with feeding that one as a reward." He is sure that the food is going to distract the others from him but he will simply do the rest while they are eating. It is clear that the rabbits aren't going to be too bothered by the collars as long as they have something that keeps their attention.

Don't worry, she can at least do as she's instructed here! Madoka moves closer towards the big rabbit Wangji is already finished with, starting to open up the bag so she can feed some of it to the creature.

Madoka is mostly focused on that at first, at least until she's sure the rabbit is eating its treat, and that's when she looks over at the man again to see if he's managed to make some progress with the other one.

As soon as she accepts the task he goes to continue on with the other rabbits. By the time she is finished with the first rabbit, two more are done and ready to receive their own treat. They are quickly learning that this is the key to getting fed. He is pleased with how smart the creatures are.

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Crashing Down: Start

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