Mission: You are Not Alone

[voidtreckermods]

After the missive from the ministry, voidtreckers might be expecting a task. On the eighth day of Symphony their SCA's glow with the colours of the void and a message appears. They have a few hours to prepare before they arrive in the system. Now will be the time to plan, with the warning of a catastrophe mission put out. What supplies will they need? Who will go where?

After half an hour, they hear the Voidtrecker Express again.

Shortly arriving in system #3721010010. Exiting voidspace in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.

The train shakes as it leaves the void, into a wreck of a world.

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MISSION 18: YOU ARE NOT ALONE

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SYMPHONY 8-11 ~ TEAM OBJECTIVES ~ LOCATION INFORMATION ~ OTHER DETAILS
ASK QUESTIONS ~ SHENANIGANS ~ TEAM PLOTTING ~ MISSION REWARDS

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RED TEAM: THE SOUTHERN CONTINENT (WEIRWICH)

"Red team to doors. Approaching drop point."

From the windows, they will see what was likely once a sprawling metropolis of a city, now reduced to size - but neither abandoned, nor submitting. Smoke and debris wafts up in the air from activity, pockets of action seen as exchanged gunfire even from their distance, especially to the north, and there's a burst of light in the air as some kind of weaponry hits one of the buzzing dots in the air.

It's safe to say that the city under heavy fire. The train descends, covered in its own cloaking technology, bringing Red Team and anyone else looking for a fight down close to a wrecked street to jump down onto. Sounds of gunfire now join what they saw before, and the Voidtreckers will want to move quickly. If they're to figure out how to go beyond the skies, they'll have to deal with ground level first.

---

1. SEARCH AND DESTROY. The heaviest assault is happening at the north wall, though moving through the city will give them some early indications of what they're up against. Stalking through the streets are the searcher units attempting to gather intel, but to also take out targets from behind.

They might also come across some flight units, trying to get further into the city for sabotage or taking key defensive areas, before the walls are even breached. They attack anyone in their path, and so if it is a fight the red team are looking for, they will find it here.

Once they get to the wall itself they will be facing the larger tank units. The fight is desperate and the human lines are close to breaking. Some fresh fighters might be what is needed to turn the tide.

2. UNDERGROUND BASE. Once things calm (relatively), Red Team will be able to find out more about the world's space presence through conversation (and by confusing the locals, if you aren't good at being discreet). Their ships are underground, the dome shelters around the northern wall actually where they come out from, and their base of operations is underground too.

Going there, you will find a chaotic but organised system. There are spaces that act as infirmaries, sleeping quarters; but not hard to find is where they keep the fighter ships, close by to where battle plans are made. There is a call for everyone who can to come later in the day, to prepare for a search in space for the enemy's ships. They have some coordinates, and they're desperate for any good news on finding those damn things. The more accurate markers on the SCA's might just be that good news they are looking for.

Piloting: Not all those who volunteer to go are experienced, and if Voidtreckers are willing to take the time, they can learn about how the ships work: the controls are surprisingly simple, as long as you're familiar with video games, and even come with automatic flying in a pinch. There's a room with headsets and fake steering, used as a means of training people for flight. There's not much time, but the people would rather let someone spend an hour or two training than crash a space ship.

It's not the most sophisticated, but an army trying to keep standing against a vastly superior army.

3. OUT IN SPACE. The spaceships, it turns out, are simple because they are designed to be programmed in advance, towards a target, for exploration and research. The controls are there for emergancies, moving away from danger. They aren't really designed for the task of searching a relatively large area, but work by their coordinates and travel towards the pins on the voidtreckers SCAs.

There is no artificial gravity, and so everyone needs to be strapped in or they float around freely. The people from the world with the voidtreckers are all trained, at least a little bit, but there is a real sense of fear as their tiny ships drift off into space, towards enemies that they cannot detect.

The cloaking is good at confusing the human ships' sensors. It will take getting close enough to these ships to to use the zooming features on the screens to see, just barely, what gives them away: ripples in space, the darkness acting differently. If they push through this bubble, then they will be able to see the ship.

It's huge, all harsh angles and fucntional metal. Built for carrying troops it sits, a fortress in itself - and a fortress not defenceless. Clever planning will be needed to take down these mammoth ships, and to not lose your own lives.

---

PURPLE AND BLUE: THE NORTHERN CONTINENT (MEDBOROUGH)

"Blue Team and Purple Team to doors. Approaching checkpoint."

While the sight of Red Team's drop off point had been bad, this new city is a mess. It's hard to find even one building that has not been destroyed, rubble and glass litter the streets, cars smolder and as for people... It is silent.

A silence that is almost sound itself. Their footsteps sound impossibly loud as they tread through the wreckage.

---

1. AMONG THE RUINS. This was not a walled cit - one of the reasons it has fallen so fast - but they are definitely dropped on the outskirts, where the ruined buildings are less tightly packed together. There's some cover capable amongst the rubble, but it doesn't take them long to be noticed. From the nearby streets searcher units attack, a small scouting group that hit hard, and make enough noise to make it dangerous to stick around for too long. Drawing attention is not a good thing.

2. FIRST CONTACT. It might take the teams a while to figure out where anyone is, and if there is even anyone left in this city to help at all. But then they will spot someone, darting between buildings or creeping through the burned out cars.

If they spot the voitreckers, they will gesture sharply to stay down and lead them towards the nearest tunnel entrance. These are guarded, but human voidtreckers will find no trouble being let in- others might need to talk sharpish or have others to back them up. Once through the guards the tunnels get lower, off the main passage and into smaller service ducts, places they hope the larger enemies won't be able to follow them.

Here in nooks and crannies are the survivors of Medborough and the surrounding areas. Gathered in groups of twenty or so in makeshift camps, children run messages through the tightest passages- which seems to be enough to be keeping them occupied and the panic at bay. The adults fashion weapons, cook meagre rations or sort through salvaged scrap. It's a whole city network down here, as safe from the enemy as they can be but very much besieged.

3. NIGHT TIME. It's hard to even tell when night is, but there is a definite sense of time to rest, as well as they can. As the caverns quiet the sound of the enemy above can be heard, booming footsteps and distant fighting. There are still people out there, and the adults take shifts keeping them away from tunnel entrances.

There's an argument that carries throughout this tunnel, one that has the beats of a well trodden one. Should they try and evacuate? Where would they go? Could they get the children out? Could they run fast enough? Elsewhere a child starts crying in their sleep, and another calls out that they can't sleep at all. In another part of the cavern, someone begins to sing lowly and so the night begins.

And it will lead to a new day of fighting to survive.

---

ORANGE TEAM: THE EASTERN CONTINENT (STARBURY)

"Orange Team to doors. Approaching checkpoint."

From the map that orange team have been sent the first facility to search is on the outskirts of Starbury and so that is the city they arrive in. Here the fighting is some distance away from the city, the human defences keeping the enemy at bay.

The train has them disembark just inside the perimeter. Far enough away to not be targeted but not close enough to the city to frighten people. They step out into what were once the suburbs of the city. The twisted remains of houses and trees telling the story of the battle here as the human defence pushed the enemy away from the city. It is silent, not even the sound of birds. The ground is charred and churned.

---

1. ARRIVAL. For those who wish to draw closer to the defences will find blockades of trucks, sandbags, hastily made barricades of furniture. They have weapons, including some large guns pointed at the air. They aren't under heavy attack right now, though some searcher units are keeping the defenders busy. Flight units can be seen at a distance, waiting for a weakened front to take their turn.

2. FACILITY. On the outskirts of the city, the first facility is calm. It is not quite abandoned: there are people in there and a couple of guards, though they are on the look out for enemy combatants rather than fellow humans, making it easy to enter.

Inside is a bit of a mess. There was clearly a fight here recently, and things have been left scattered, but in a way it makes it easier to start looking through. At least they aren't disturbing things. From a surface look at least it seems a normal facility, predominantly researching the oceans and marine biology. There might be void research hidden away in here, but first they must go through a lot of data about plakton.

3. STARBURY. The city is packed with people. As desolate as the other places have been, the streets here are full, and there are clearly more people than homes to place them. People move from building to building, and though there is a strong sense of welcome, they are being turned away at the door. No Room.

It is full of noise and confusion. There isn't any traffic, and it seems any fuel has been taken for the military, and so people walk the roads or sit in the shade of buildings. Children play, as children do even in times of great strife. There is some organisation, if they go looking for it. It becomes clear there are some people very desperately trying to organise all of these people, find places for them to stay and ration food. But it is a momentous task and they are in desperate need of extra hands.

OOC NOTES

NOTES:

~ Transgates will be set up between Weirwich, Starbury, and Medborough by the second day thanks to Thanatos, Seto Kaiba, and Wei Wuxian.

~ Communication will be key on this mission, in finding ways to establish contact between the different continents and how to help them bring their might together.

~ Take note that it will take time for the locals to be willing to let obvious non-humans fly their spaceships, perhaps by the third day if they've been engaged in fighting before that. The sudden show of inhuman powers and non-humans is going to have many people alarmed, even if many will welcome it too.

~ We're interested in any attempts of research, aid, or any other ideas your character has in investigating and helping out on the planet. Are they good with computers? Will they and establish good relations with the people of this planet, gather info and work with them? Do they have any skills you think that could be useful, or aren't too sure and want to know if they can be? Maybe they can help with the trouble they're having in tracking the enemy ships...

~ We always welcome any questions, and will help you get involved if you're feeling unsure. And if your character is going to be trying to put their skills to the test in a noticeable way, leave them over on shenanigans!

Further Prompt Ideas: (Click to expand)

Fighting: Every location will have enemy forces coming in to try and infiltrate over the 3 days. While they won't always be large groups, any of the searcher units can be encountered at any point, even outside the cities (most likely the beasts and wasps).

Fighing: There are also enemy camps, locations where they have based themselves for their attacks. The big ones near the cities are not going to be easy to attack but there are smaller ones around the place that a small team could hit and thin out the enemy ranks.

Fighting/Space: Wasp Units will start being deployed after the first day, and will acting as pests to chase or bring down people searching for their transport ships.

Strategy: Pushing the enemies out of the city is one of the goals. Finding ways of setting up defences, planning among one another will help with such large areas. Can the materials around the cities be used?

Aid: Not everyone is in a city. There are still pockets of people trying to get there, trying to find shelter elsewhere or mounting ill advised revenge attacks on the enemy. Seek them out, and bring them to safety quick.

Aid: Healing and comfort will always be useful, but will every person be accepting of magical talents? The people are more welcoming of humans than obvious non-humans, but there will still be mixed feelings about these strange people now amongst them.

Aid: The people of Medborough have lost a lot, including their own culture. Even entertainment is a rarity, and so anything that can be scavenged - entertainment, books, clothing and jewelery - would bring small pleasures to the people.

Comments

Sonic The Hedgehog | Purple Team (helping all over the place) | OTA

[they_call_me_sonic]

1) Preparation

"About time. About to get a bit stir crazy here!" With the train letting them know of what was going on, Sonic was itching for some action. Though the hedgehog set himself up with a few pieces of equipment, the heavy stuff and the more dangerous weaponry he left behind, especially a gun. "You won't catch me using that! 'Sides, that's more Shadow's thing than me!"

Of course, he might be willing to give you a hand if you need it.

2) Among The Ruins

As much as he'd love to jump into the action in Weirwich, he opted to stick with Purple Team and aid out there. Of course, it seemed that things were in a terrible position at Medborough.

Once the hedgehog was out of the train, he nodded as he scanned everything over.

"Well, then. I guess this is where I act as bait. Don't worry, my name being "Sonic" isn't for show!" the hedgehog said, snatching up a piece of debris. "Either help me out or see if you can find people while I deal with these freaky things."

And with that, the hedgehog went into a Spin Dash before pulling out of it, launching it at incredible speeds at one of the Beast-type Searchers, dropping it. "Go, now! Hurry up!"

3) Enemy Bases

"Huh, guess they aren't just a bunch of mindless brutes wrecking stuff."

In Sonic's runs, the hedgehog couldn't help but spot a small settlement of sorts. Upon investigation, Sonic was surprised to see that these were used by the enemy.

"Y'know, this feels oddly familiar. Maybe I need some sort of snarky royal sidekick by my side..." he joked. "How about we cause some trouble and help out our new friends in the process?"

4) Wildcard

(OoC: Anything else you wanna do? Hit me up here!)

III. Enemy Bases

[nutkrusher]

Cassie turns and smirks. "I'm Hollywood royalty. That count?"

She glances back at the camp in front of them, searching through the scope of her rifle.

"Might be worth seeing if there are supplies worth stealing for the civilians underground before we blow it all to smithereens. You're fast enough to take a look and not raise an alarm, right?"

Ryou Bakura | Blue Team | OTA

[rolltoavoidpossession]

1. Prep

[It's the first mission since the scramble at Osiga, and Ryou is understandably worried about it. It sounds like this one will be heavier on fighting than the previous missions he's done, which is something that has him worried.]

You ready? [He asks this to whoever's nearby as he ties back his hair to keep it out of the way, trying to stay focused on what's to come.]

2. Helping Out at Medborough

[Medborough is a mess, to put it very lightly. With the people hiding out in the tunnels, there's a lot to do to help out as needed.

Ryou is quick to pitch in wherever he can, doing whatever might help. Scavenging is a common one, looking for anything that might be useful to the people here. But at one point it's possible to find him with a group of scared children, telling a story that he is kind of making up as he goes. It seems to be working though, as the kids are sure distracted from what's happening right now.]

3. Searching for Survivors

[But of course, sometimes Ryou has to help look for other survivors, people who haven't made it to safety yet. He's clearly wary, crouched behind the nearest shelter with a makeshift (and fairly questionable quality) knife in hand in case of attack as he quickly peeks out to see if it's save to move on yet.

...I think it's clear. [He whispers, getting ready to move on.]

4. Wildcard

[You know how this works, toss a prompt in!]

3 (Would you rather shorter tags? I can adapt to what you prefer)

[crowneddragon]

[The person he's accompanying isn't someone Esteban is familiar with.

Still, he'd heard him mention something about looking for survivors, and Esteban hadn't been able to sit still; unknowns be damned. They were going to search for people that might need help. For the rest-- well. They'd make do.]

Right behind you~

[There's a rather cheerful lilt to his voice, even though he keeps it quiet as well, something bright in his very countenance. The world is ending and the air smells of displaced dust and crumbling rock, but Esteban won't let it take him down so easily.]

So-- quick question. D'you have a way to search for people?

[Kitty or Danny might have been useful here, shifting through the rocks and stones. But Esteban is nothing more than himself-- a half-elf too tall and bright for his own good, and he doesn't know if his companion might have some useful abilities for them to use after all. It's not a problem! Just pooling what they have together at the moment.]

Kyoko Sakura | PMMM CRAU | Team Blue | OTA

[redmeguca]

Among the Ruins

Kyoko waves a hand, and to anyone not a Voidtrekker or native it will seem like she and anyone around her just disappeared. She kneels down and places her hand on the ground, and several spears burst from below her to strike at the Searchers in the area.

Pfft, machines. Throw them in a situation they don't know how to handle and it's over.

Night Time

[Kyoko sits near the entrance to the base, spear in hand. She doesn't really need to sleep, she can just burn magic to fend off exhaustion, so she's put herself on guard duty. If anyone else is up late, this might be a good opportunity for a chat.]

[another_moon]

Eyes open, Kyoko. I have a feeling this is just the start.

[Usagi responds with spinning her staff and firing a burst of energy at another Searcher]

[healerscorned]

First Contact

[Nia has her hood up for once, so she doesn't look all that different from a native human. It's the difference between, y'know, having actual cat ears and wearing a hood with cat ears on it. Look if it worked for Blake Belladonna

She's now in the encampment proper, tending to the wounded and telling off the idiots. You know the ones, the sort who say stuff like "they can't take all of us," even when "they" demonstrably can. It's a rough job, but someone's got to do it.]

[monkeyinthewrench]

[ Jake...isn't really sure what he's gonna do here, to be honest. He's not a fighter type, not a leader, not a healer...he's a cog in the machine in these situations, someone just here to help smooth things over and stay calm.

He decides to assist in the healers' space for a while, transporting supplies and trying to talk down over-eager warriors. But he should check in with the head healer first.]

Hey, you need a hand with anything? I know super-basic first aid and I can sort of talk to people. Sometimes---hey, 'scuse me, you weren't cleared for duty!

[ Someone's trying to escape. He slides in their path and puts on his best Stern Expression. ]

Sebek Zigvolt | Purple | OTA

[zigajoule]

First Contact: Medborough

One would think that passing for human would be a benefit on a mission like this. One could blend in and move with more freedom... be invited into the tunnels.

"HUMAN, CAN'T YOU SEE MY EYES OR MY DOUBLE FANGS?! MY MOTHER IS A POWERFUL NOCTURNAL FAE!! I AM NOT ONE OF YOU! IF YOU WERE SET TO LET ME IN, THEN WHY NOT ANY OF THEM?"

Sebek is not of that opinion. He is also not one for diplomacy, so he's both insulting humans while also trying to get those who don't pass for human inside. Loudly.

"WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU!"

Night Time: Medborough

Sebek is restless as this is his first proper mission. He's too eager to prove himself, and he did himself no favors at introductions. Patrols were something he did back home. Whether they trusted him with a shift (unlikely) or he decided to do so of his own accord (likely), Sebek walks the tunnels, looking for signs of weakness, exits, and so forth.

However, when someone starts to sing down one tunnel, Sebek joins in with a song of his own. His singing carries, echoing melodically, some lullaby sounding song he heard in an opera.

Wildcard: Choose Your Own Adventure

[[ OOC: Got an idea? Write up a starter or plot something out. Feel free to contact me by journal DM, aviekokyre, or Discord: aviekokyre#3411 ]]

first contact

[monkeyinthewrench]

Jake is normally a pretty happy-go-lucky guy, but he buckles down when things are serious. He's all ready to start running supplies underground, or whatever it is he needs to do...

...and then. He ends up near the guy doing That. He shuffles closer to Sebek's side and mutters under his breath:

"Might want to go ix-nay on mentioning the angs-fay. People tend to think 'vampire' and that tends to creep 'em out? No offense if you are one, I'm sure you've got it all under control! But they don't know that."

Thanatos | Red/Purple | OTA

[controlsthedie]

Search and Destroy: Weirwich (Red)

Death is everywhere in this city, and Thanatos hopes that whatever god or entity responsible is able to do their job properly. The native life of the world struggles. And... Thanatos finds he cannot let it perish by remaining neutral. Despite the pain he's felt from all who have left the train, the questioning of his purpose, he cannot let life suffer so.

He gets to work securing the ground level. His eyes widen when he senses... threads. These things are alive, not all machine. Will his powers work? Will death stick?

"Give me some space." Thanatos means both from the enemies and fellow VoidTreckers. He reaches out for those fated threads.

Night Time: Medborough (Purple)

When it became clear that Thanatos would be of little help for the Red Mission, he shifts to Medborough. The night strengthens him, and he hides in the ruins of the skyscrapers. It gives him a good vantage point to look out for invaders. When he spots some tank units, he shifts closer (but still out of their range) to deliver his warning.

"Turn back now, and I'll spare your life. Tell that to all who side with you." The bio-metal creature does not retreat nor relay the message. Thanatos shifts again away from them, high up. He focuses on their threads, pulls, and cuts. After the bell toll fades into the ruined city, their bodies litter the street.

Thanatos probably seems like a start to a new urban legend, appearing, disappearing, bell tolls, purple and green lights, and foes left death where they stood without injury. He hasn't even met the survivors, but the scouts might be telling tales about what's been going on.

Wildcard: Choose Your Own Adventure

[[ OOC: Got an idea? Write up a starter or plot something out. Feel free to contact me by journal DM, aviekokyre, or Discord: aviekokyre#3411 ]]

Purple

[catti]

As much as K'zeka would rather be scouting for his side out in the daytime as his half of his race prefers, he can still see much better in the dark and hear generally better than most humans and have thus been sent out into the night. And while he's not directly helping Thanatos, he's frequently in the vicinity of his 'kills'.

"That's very creepy. Full glad I am that you're on our side and not theirs."

Cassie Cage | Team Purple | OTA

[nutkrusher]

I. Mission Prep

As the Inventory Manager for Team Purple, Cassie always takes prep time seriously. But she's got a feeling about this one. This one is going to need a little extra seriousness.

In addition to the usual go-kits for each team member, she has the communal weapon stash laid out - both melee weapons and newly-acquired firearms. That assault rifle is there for whoever's bold enough to come up and say they need it.

II. Among the Ruins

If you'd asked her before she'd come on the train if it were possible for someone to scowl this intensely whilst flying through the air like Superman...well, she'd say "yes," because she knows Raiden. But she wouldn't have been expecting to do be the one doing it herself.

This is about as bad as a situation can get. The enemy is swarming the overwhelmed rear guard of the city's defenses, and is marshalling its main thrust in the outskirts behind it. Cassie's military instincts tell her that this retreat is about 10 minutes tops from turning into a rout.

And then Cassie spots it - barreling at full speed reverse down a long thru street. It doesn't look anything like the harsh, angular tech of the advancing aliens. This one looks a lot more familiar - exactly, in fact, like one of the self-propelled artillery guns fielded by the Army back home. More advanced, of course, but the principle is the same.

She hovers in place for a few seconds as the gears begin to turn. Those who know Cassie well will recognize the battle-loving grin. She's got an idea. An awesome idea. If charging her regular rifle with shadow energy can give it a big kick, just think of how much a howitzer could do...

Only downside is that she's going to have to actually talk to some artillerymen. She darts to a stop just above the hull of the vehicle and slaps the side of the turret.

"Yo, redlegs! Up here! You've got a friendly on your six!"

After a brief standoff, she quickly gets them to open the hatch and start talking business. They were the last ones in the area - the enemy had hit them so quick that the only troops available to clear the civilians from the neighborhood were the field artillery.

This is music to Cassie's ears - it means no collateral damage for what's about to happen next. After some initial skepticism, even the vehicle commander starts to come around.

"Shit," he says. "If this helps out as much as you say it will, you can fire the whole fuckin' magazine if you want."

Cassie turns her head over her shoulder as she prepares to climb down the hatch of the SPAG. She looks you dead in the eye.

"Hey, wanna see something cool? Cover me for a minute."

She's going to need it - the search units have begun to swarm the area.

III. First Contact

As impressive as that was, she is, if anything, even busier underground. There are people who need taking care of, and more specifically, people who need provisions. And that's her job.

She's requisitioning everything she can spare, both from purple stores and from whatever's lying around. As busy as she is, she could probably use some help. Or at least someone to talk and destress with.

IV. Enemy Bases

And as soon as she's gotten a little shut-eye, she's back out on the battlefield, ready to search and destroy. She'll team up with anyone, up to and including the field artillery. Or maybe she comes across one of the camps with you.

V. Wildcard

If you've got any ideas narration didn't think of, feel free to go nuts.

II. Among the Ruins

[gathersnomoss]

This had been another world where a lack of magic meant that the technology was advanced. Zelgadis's home barely had black powder, and then only in places where magic was rare enough that it was worth trying to create non-magical weapons and explosives.

Thankfully, at a distance, fire spells aren't that different than fire-based weapons in appearance, and it's not obvious that Zelgadis's hands are empty. The soldiers might notice, but Cassie seems to have bridged some common cultural experiences with them.

"Right." A Flare Arrow was simple enough that Zelgadis could cast it silently, pulling a bolt of fire towards the nearest hostile. It didn't change that fire was appearing and being shaped in Zelgadis's bare hands before being thrown outward, but hopefully whatever big effect Cassie was planning would be far more interesting to the locals.

Trunks Brief (Future) | Purple | OTA

[light_of_willpower]

Preparations
Trunks is busy checking and re-checking supplies, so if anyone needs anything he can be found there easiest. As for his personal Prep, that doesn't take too long. He's armored up, with sword over his shoulder and his hair pulled back. He's verified the supplies in his Arms Band too. The sounds of this mission had him already reminded of his home, and not in good ways...

Blue/Purple
Among the Ruins
Welp, once they're found and the other group is making noise--the key is to take them down quickly and fast. Trunks is good at that, as attention has already been drawn. "Get to cover away from here. I'll catch up!" He yells to anyone with him, and a second later is glowing golden with lightning crackling around him. Hair spiked up, with a smirk on his face as he draws his sword. "Only Warning. Stand down and get out of here, now."

Enemy Bases
Trunks was a one-man army, and rarely anymore fully let loose. Not beyond what was needed to maintain cover (if any) and finish the job. For this...he'd need to let loose. He's set himself the task of finding small enemy bases. The smaller ones, as he's not letting cockiness or overconfidence get to him. Or trying not to anyways. If he can thin the ranks, then it'll make evacuating people easier.

With his initial attack, he's not trying to be subtle. Glowing Super Saiyan Level 2 again, and hitting hard and fast and to take down. He's a good draw for the heavier targets and as a distraction.

Aid: Healing and Comfort
It's so much like home, and yet--so much worse than his home. But Trunks is doing what he can to hand out supplies. Making sure people eat and take breaks, always with a reassuring smile for the people he's talking to. He knows what this is like. For quick healing he's breaking up senzu-beans for the worst injuries, helping people get back on their feet and feel better.

Night
It's so much like home, and yet so much worse than his home. Trunks'll take his turn as guard. He's in a brooding mood anyways. Quiet, but quick to comfort others. Alert, and he doubts he'll truly sleep while they're on this mission.

Wild Card
Got an idea? Hit me up.

Night

[nutkrusher]

Cassie's been right there with Trunks for most of the day. They're both on Team Purple, they're both inventory managers. They've made a good team, working side by side, as aggressively not-fun as it's been.

But for the last half hour, she's been wrapping up for the day as the civilians have been tucking in, as Trunks gears up for guard duty. Now she's walking up to him with a sack of supplies slung over her shoulder.

"Hey. Something I forgot to hand out before your shift."

She leans in over his shoulder for a soft, gentle kiss.

"There."

Zenos / Purple / OTA

[asheaveniswide]

Post-Landing 'Prep'

Zenos' Hunt tomestone seems to have the same goals as purple team, as it points him towards Medborough even as the train drops them there. It's convenient, and as they're set loose in the ruins of the city, the Garlean prince stops to spend a moment scrolling through the updated hunt log with interest.

"My, it's going all out this time. Five each of these biomechanical creatures, two larger brutes, a handful of troops ... and rescue seven residents." He flips through the images, thoughtful. "It seems our intended goals align."

He can work with that. It's not often a Hunt involves actually saving lives instead of slaughtering them!

Ruins

If nothing else, he's finding he can help pursue both the train's mission goals and the Hunt log's objectives by being very distracting. Having at some point tied his long hair back into a loose braid to keep it out of the way, he'd successfully ambushed one of the bipedal invaders and swiped its weaponry.

Then used it to blow a hole in one of the scouting biomechanical creatures as it opened its maw to attack.

This has garnered him a fair bit of attention by the rest of the pack, and for a little while the Garlean has plenty to keep himself occupied. With no armor to speak of and utterly lacking in his favorite weapons, he's forced to improvise - and although an unholy terror in his own right, Zenos isn't quite unstoppable. It's taking him time to pick off his targets.

It doesn't help that once he downs one of the things he picks up his tomestone again to verify the kill. Aid might make things go a fair bit faster, or at least provide a whole lot of distraction for any hiding refugees!

Nighttime

"I require two more flyers, two felines and one of the large bipeds." It's time to sit down and rest, right? With the refugees safe for the moment, translocators being established, wounded being tended to and fears being assuaged, Zenos ... has a moment to update his quest.

He's short on his objectives. Annoyingly so, he'd thought he'd picked off more than that. Unlike some, he hasn't gotten through the day unscathed; blood peppers his Train uniform, crimson streaking his long blond hair, not all of it someone else's, an array of bruises, laser burns, claw marks and other signs of injury peppering his form. But it doesn't seem to have dampened his enthusiasm EVEN A TINY BIT. "There were no others in the block I swept. Were there any in your location?"

Whoever's nearest will do for that question, there's sure to be other passengers around.

Nighttime

[redprayer]

Rezo has been using this time to do his various priestly duties, i.e. first aid, comforting the afflicted, and using healing magic on whoever will let him. He’s busy, but not so busy that he can’t be addressed, and he listens to Zenos speak with an expression of increasing puzzlement.

Obviously taking out as many of their opponents as possible would be ideal, but Zenos lists off very specific types and numbers that make it clear he has an additional purpose from helping out the locals.

Rezo is curious, but he wrinkles his nose and ignores Zenos’s question in favor of asking, “Are you injured?”

Rezo has enough social awareness to not outright say you smell like blood but he’s certainly very aware of it.

Hera Syndulla | Purple (+ a little Red) | OTA

[averyusefultray]

Preparations

As soon as the mission is incoming, Hera's in full on General Syndulla mode. She has work to do and she's going to help as many people as they can.

She'll check in with a lot of the purples asking questions if she doesn't already know like "What do you normally fight with? Are you set up?" THose more familiar will get more general questions about whether they have their medkit and their food supplies.

Ruins (Arrival)

They're apparently hitting the ground running. Or at least fighting. Of course there was a welcoming committee, why wouldn't there be?

She pulls her sidearm and points to what passes for cover. "That'll be a little more defensible while we figure this out."

They need to find an actual place to go.

Night

This all seems very familiar. She was one of those children hiding underground during the CLone Wars and she's never entirely forgotten that. She wants to comfort them, but her appearance is apparently alarming.

Still, she's not going to just ignore one trying to wander a little far. "I know you want to be somewhere else, but this is the safest place right now. And it must be past your bedtime."

Ruins (Strategy)

Even if they find her alarming, she has a job to do and she's going to do it. She's not going to dwell on the attitude they're taking. When morning comes, she's right back in the field.

It's only a matter of time before they're attacked again, but for now the coast is clear. So it's time for some scouting. "There have to be more positions we can make defensible up here. Or a good target for a hit and run strike."

Guerilla tactics are the main ones she knows how to use anyway.

Underground Base

There aren't many things that would get Hera to step away from Purple's objectives. But word that they have some space capability and need pilots. She's good at knowing who to put on a given problem and if you need a ship flown against the enemy? That would be her.

Too bad she's a green person with head tails. She's used to certain attitudes among the Empire, so she's managing to stay calm. But there's work to be done. "Trust me, you want me flying up there."

night

[monkeyinthewrench]

Jake's decided to be a jack of all trades helper this time around. He carries supplies, he does what he's told, he's letting the stronger people lead. But he can definitely help in the case of a lost child.

He nods and quietly approaches Hera and the girl, putting on a friendly smile.

"Hey, it's pretty cold out there, isn't it? It's a lot warmer inside with everybody," he offers. Better not to mention the scary things right away. Nobody needs to be reminded of those.

Ple Two | Blue helping Red

[pleple]

Search and Destroy

Ple Two can't exactly fist fight the attackers, but she makes a call that she's more useful here than trying to build bridges with people in person in this case - there's a lot more for her to do with a spaceship than with a bunch of scared people, for all that she's gotten better at that too. It's easy enough for her to hand out preloaded magical healing items and buffs, at least, given that she's a small, nimble target. And fire support from basic guns is far from useless.

With the searchers trying to get behind anyone they target, it helps to have a little bit of precognition as well.

"...around that corner. Waiting. We could either try to hit it through the building, or blitz past faster than it expects," she offers in a hurried whisper. "I can distract it or back it up, your call."

Underground Base

Ple Two goes over the ship, running a hand along its chassis, and working what information about its specs she can get out of people - she's small, obviously a child, and using her combat experience to boost her credibility a best she can.

"Just let me use the simulator. I'll show you, it won't take long," she protests, certain that she'll figure out how to pilot these things as well as any locals quickly enough. "Come on, tell them," she adds gesturing for someone to back her up - even if that means dragging you away from whatever you're trying to accomplish.

Seriously, she doesn't get to use her actual main skill set all that often help.

Search and Destroy

[cureofmanyworlds]

"Woah, woah, no need to do that." Nozomi whispered back. She was already transformed, showcasing the new look with the outfit she got earlier. "I can distract it and you and the others can get through."

Masumi Sera | Purple Team | OTA

[tactlesstantei]

1. Prep

[Masumi's at her armory locker, pulling out her sword for the mission. By the sounds of it, there will be fighting, and she wants to be prepared for what's ahead.]

Been a while since the last mission, huh? [While the break was nice, she'd been getting worried about the sudden mission irregularity.]

2. Scientist Search

[Masumi had initially been ready to fight, but after being talked down at some point (and remembering how trying to fight robots on Nion had gone for her), she ended up joining Orange in looking for the scientists. It's something she can reasonably do, and being a detective means she's well suited to look for any clues on where the scientists are, or anything on void research.]

Finding anything over there? [All she's found so far is ocean research and signs of a fight.]

I. Prep

[nutkrusher]

Cassie, meanwhile, is fetching communal supplies for distribution for Purple Team. There's an awful lot of in the armory now.

"On the plus side, at least we had time to rest up and prepare."

Nozomi Yumehara | Purple Team (aiding others) | OTA

[cureofmanyworlds]

Underground Base

Nozomi opted to follow the Red Team for this one, mostly noting where those like Hera went off to. The portal system would let her go to other places in a hurry, but this is where she needed to go. She was lucky that her human looks let her get past much, even if they questioned her hair.

Right now, she was busy poking at the training simulators for the spaceships. She had to get up there and help people somehow and if that meant flying, so be it!

Search and Destroy - Day 2

"GYAAAAAAAH!"

If there was one thing Nozomi liked about being Cure Dream, it was the fact that it was stupidly durable. The invaders had sent down their Tank units and Nozomi ran in to fight them. Their strengths were evenly matched, it seemed, but she slipped up and it was able to strike Nozomi, slamming her into a wall.

"Owowowow... stupid brute! I'll--!" she began to say before seeing it come at her again. She began to counter its punches, but she could see her bracers starting to glow - the hits were overpowering her own form!

"Guys, I could use a little help here!"

Out In Space - Day 3

If anyone who had heard Nozomi's plan earlier for this mission would think she was nuts - she wanted to join one of the ships to find the fortresses, then she was going to hop out once they spotted one and smash it. Nozomi was more than certain her data/magic body would make her immune to the effects of space and her Cure Dream form would add to it.

Of course, in the back of her mind, Nozomi was sure she made a major mistake somewhere, but she didn't mind at the moment - this was something she had to do.

Wildcard

(OoC: Hit me up with your ideas!)

Day 2 - Search and Destroy

[nutkrusher]

On queue, a barrage of green fireballs streak down from the sky, colliding and sparking violently against the brute's back.

"You rang?"

Cassie, still floating above the fracas, pauses just long enough to smirk.

Esteban Drake | Purple Team | OTA (CW: potential blood / gore)

[crowneddragon]

0 - Prep
It takes Esteban a moment to choose, settled in the armory. He's uneasy about it; hasn't really progressed enough in his training that he feels well-versed enough to take up a sword. The weapon is heavy in his hand, and he'd probably have trouble wielding it; but he's also uncertain of his odds to fight without a weapon. His mobility would be impacted.

No; better take up something else. The round baubles catch his attention, at the bottom of a chest, just as he reaches for one of the unmarked daggers. Sword, he may not take, but a complete lack of weapons is not going to happen. Scrounging around reveals a scrap of paper, and the short instructions get him grinning.

Yeah. He'll take a few smoke bombs.

I - Hit the ground running (Purple Team, Symphony 8, dropoff + following events)
The city is in ruins.

Esteban balks a bit at this, straying out of the doors but still nearby enough that he can snatch at anyone he recognizes among his companions. They're going to need to take this strategically; and Esteban is not the person for that.

But he knows a few that might be able to set him on a task; and he half-pays attention to the passengers disembarking as he glances through the ruins, searches for paths that would take him to the upper levels. If he can get higher, he can scout the streets for dangers and help maybe guide his teammates around any obstacles. And he is best used from a perch high above than at ground level.

"Okay. What's the plan?" he asks, when he spots someone he trusts.

II - Get up and go!
Rubble covers the ground, makes his jogging a little less easy than he'd thought. He'd left the group early, darting through the broken concrete and smashed streets to check if anything might be nearby, controlling his breathing so that he might last longer. If there's anything about, they're being awfully quiet, and he doesn't trust the silence.

A shadow leaps from the edge of his vision, and the half-elf stops, scrambling quietly to the nearest wall. It doesn't seem to have spotted him; this strange creature of sharp angles and blackened steel, prowling along the stones. But there is someone in the distance, down the streets. Someone wearing an awfully recognizable outfit.

The click and whirr of the machine is the only warning he gets, as it sways, sharp claws digging into the concrete as it's feline body coils, ready to spring upon the unsuspecting VoidTrecker.

"WATCH OUT!" he screams, grav-con unit in hand. The wind is knocked out of him as he leaps, light, feather-light. Reverse-- weight as heavy as a boulder, he crashes into the creature's side, tries to veer it aside, but it hisses-- a steam-like bubbling through its throat. A quick adjustment is all it needs-- and pounces to the first target, claws stretched, black as night and ready to pierce flesh.

III - Eyes in the sky
[OOC: Feel free to ask Esteban to guide anyone around in comms, if you'd like]

The grav-con unit turns out to be his best friend again. In a strange cage of stairs, Esteban can bypass the tedious process by simply turning his gravity weaker, and leaping, between the stairs, from one wall to the next. His ascent is quick and simple, and a last hop gets him over the short hand barrier, far, far higher than he'd been just a few minutes before.

The door to the roof is already ajar, broken out of his way, and he's here, so he might as well make some use out of his vantage, even though he doesn't know the area all that well. Just in case, Esteban slips his hoodie and his shirt into his bag, keeping only the grav-con unit in his hand just in case he needs a quick getaway. He spots someone from a teams he'd split from fairly easily in the distance, checking their immediate surroundings to make sure nothing would pounce at them behind their back.

IV - Wings among the rubble
He'd been too focused on the streets below him. It's the sound of the wind being cut that startles him, not even thinking as he ducks below the blow. A foot stomps, but Esteban is already rolling back on his feet, darting quick enough to turn and face his opponent.

A humanoid.

He blinks, shocked, when it dashes, fist flashing in for a strike. Their struggle is quick as it pushes and Esteban dodges further and further, cornering him at the edge of the building. The wind screams behind him, a far-too-sheer drop that would leave no mercy. But Esteban just snorts, winking-- and dives.

Wings unfurl, catching the leaping gale that darts between the broken skyscrapers, and he weaves his way around the strange stones. The sky is as much his home as the ground, and there is safety in its embrace.

Only-- not at all.

Something sings through the air, and his glance back is less than pleasant. The creature followed-- somehow hovering in a way that he can't quite see from his position. Biting off a curse, Esteban twists sharply to try and lose the gaining creature-- but it is obnoxiously persistent.

He could-- he could really use some help here.

V - Night Time (Blue Team)
The quiet is somewhat distant, in these small caverns, dust and grit biting anywhere it can reach in. Everyone here is exhausted, their nerves stretched tight over the fight. The stories he'd shared earlier had lulled a few restless souls to sleep, but children and adults alike aren't so easy to placate, even if they are growing somewhat used to seeing the tall half-elf offer his hoodie, or the strange stone he keeps nearby to keep them warm. It's a little easier now than when the VoidTreckers had first appeared.

There's a baby in his arms as he paces, a dull throbbing whimper in its tiny mouth as Esteban checks in at the stores again, his voice carrying over gently, so to not disturb the packed civilians.

"Got any extra blankets?" he asks, probably for the fifth time today. There's been pockets of people he's checked in with, and though the truce is somewhat uneasy, he's managed to get enough of their confidence that he can fetch the resources they need; it lets the downtrodden and the weary rest and it's less of a crowd at the provision stations.

"I c'ld use a hand to bring all those we need," he adds, "Or 't least a way t' carry them all one-armed." There's a tiny shift of his chin to the child tucked against his shoulder.

VI - Wildcard!
[OOC: have fun! Esteban will roll with anything!]

i; if we end up wanting to merge into any other prompt, we can!

[blitzcheer]

It's a sight that has Tidus grimacing, though he already saw it well from the windows on the well down. Ruined structures, the distant sound of fighting; there was a moment for them to breathe and decide, but Tidus doubt they'd have long for that. A plan - he's thinking about it even before the question is spoken out, a voice Tidus doesn't register who it belongs to, who it's for, until he turns his head to have both answered for him.

Esteban, looking back at him. He just needs a second, and scans their immediate area, remembering the tasks that had been bouncing already in his head.

"We need to find people." He's confident of that, and also- "And we need to find where the enemy's coming from. Find some way to push them outta the city, and keep them out. We need to find out what's going on."

More information - that's the plan they needed to go for. As much as Tidus would like to be one of those rushing in and going for it (and hey, he still does plan to do that), he's come with Purple for a reason. A sense of responsibility, though he's not the best guy at this strategy thing.

But, they've gotta do what they can.

seto kaiba | orange | ota in starbury

[blue_ice]

another search and...rescue? (the marine facilty)

As much as Kaiba would love the thrill of space combat, he knows that people staying low to the ground and helping the scientists are needed. He shuffles through paperwork, speed-reading whatever he can for a clue about what might've happened here, any places they might've searched....

"At least they hid all the critical research. Unless plankton are really the key to stopping the invasion."

He lets out a grunt of frustration as he clears another stack. He's really tired of reading about algae.

lighting 'em up (starbury streets)

Kaiba's probably taking risks he shouldn't here...but someone has to help. He searches the streets for any signs of the missing people, tries to ask questions...but it's hard to convince these people that a teenager toting a briefcase can solve their problems.

He's rounding the corner to attempt another round of interviews when a very alarming sound shrieks behind him. That's one of the bots, isn't it...? And it has a few friends.

"Get inside!" he yells down the street, desperately hoping the locals will fit inside. He definitely shouldn't use his powers in their sight---unless---

He slips his gloves on. Should've thought to do so before heading outside, really. They're sufficiently tech-y looking that he can pass his abilities off as entirely tech based, as long as no one studies them too closely. But pausing to put them on cost him too much time, and he finds himself thrown into some rubble. Ow---

He throws up a hand and channels his rage into lightning, pressing as strong of a surge as he can to overwhelm the bot in front of him. He's got one disabled, and he can start to pull himself back up, but the other two are still nearby---

nightfall (a makeshift camp, starbury outskirts by the trans gate)

The crew has no choice but to sleep outside, and given the prevalence of bots, that's not a great arrangement. Kaiba has volunteered to keep watch for the first shift for anyone staying here with him...

Honestly, his doubts are starting to seep through, but he has to hold it together. The crew and especially this team have dwindled in size so much over the past few months, and he's no longer sure they have the critical mass needed to pull this off. He'll burn the candle at both ends to make it happen as usual, but...is that enough?

He rakes a hand through his hair in frustration, staring up at the skies. There's another war taking place up there...here, there, everywhere. And much as he tries, he can't be everywhere to fight on all fronts. Was this the right choice?

"If the Express really wants us to take on these large-scale disasters, she'd better start actually recruiting people again. And fast."

lighting 'em up (post gate-setup)

[crowneddragon]

The rubble is still crumbling about him, bits of rocks and stones dropping uneasily, when the someone calls his name loudly.

"KAIBA!" There's a furious snarl in the voice, loud and enraged, and something large drops from the sky, with the weight of a dozen stones. The beast's metallic whirring churrs sharply under the assault, and rocks break underneath it, just as the weight-- the heaviness disperses from the air, lifting like a feather.

Large wings blot out the sky, sheltering his companion from sight as Esteban lands near him from his second leap, breath already straining through his lungs. His legs sting something fierce, and his ankles feel bruised already, but if he's managed-- if he were just a second later--

The beast won't stay down for long, and a long-limbed crawler clicks sharply on its way. His tail-- finned, just like when he'd been shifted with the candies-- lashes like a whip, curling around a needle-sharp leg, and a winged talon comes to swipe at another, knocking it aside. The crawler unbalanced, Esteban leaps at it again, and the odd stomach-churning sensation of gravity shifting throws him against the side of the creature, knocking it further again.

"I can't stop them!" He shouts at his companion, backing off the metal things to shelter him once more. "Can you get up? Can you-- can you do somethin'?" He doesn't have the time to ask if he's alright. He's worried, but he'll ask later, now-- now they have these creatures to stop.

Lan Wangji / Blue team / OTA

[eternalinquiry]

1. AMONG THE RUINS

[Wangji has seen war before, but not for a really long time and he is a little shocked by the brutality of it all over again. Fortunately he gets past it by moving forwards, picking through rubble and debris from the fallen buildings. This city was not well defended and it shows. Despite all attempts at being stealthy he is spotted by the searcher units and they create havoc. He's battling them back so others can make a run for it, hopeing they can all disperse and learn from this, sword flashing as he neatly dismembers a couple. Then a really big crawler decides to punch him in the head and he goes sailing past into the remnants of a wall.]

If you cannot hold that one off, *cough* could you please pass me my sword? More are on the way.

2. FIRST CONTACT

a - [Hobbling away from a fight is not Wangji's idea of a good time, but the waves are endless and he is here to help people. He ducks behind the remnants of a car when he is spotted and lead to the nearby tunnel systems.]

There was a man trapped in his house not too far back, I can lift the debris but someone will have to move him.

b - [The tiny refugee town shakes with a nearby collapse and Wangji is up to his knees in helping move some of the injured into safety. He has a small child attached to his front and two men draped over his back and shoulder.]

Would you mind taking the child? He is slipping and I have no spare hands.

3. NIGHT TIME

a - [Honestly everything had calmed down enough that Wangji felt safe to sit down. He is trying to bolt the remnants of some of the supplies the voidtreckers have brought as meals. He is dusty and tired and it shows in his sluggish movements. Until the alarm is raised as loud clanking footsteps hammer towards the camp, blasters being fired. Then he surges upright and heads towards the chaos. A few flight units are leading a beast towards the bedraggled tent town entrance, Wangji plants his feet and prepares to intercept them before it can be discovered.]

We need to destroy them here or hold them back long enough for the evacuation. Which is more likely do you think?

b - [When it is not his turn to hold an entrance, Wangji will be found trying to make the bare rations the people have scrounged into a hot meal for the children that seem to follow him around. Once they are fed, he will be trying to get them to settle with their parents gone for the night (or forever). He has a small cluster who are asleep as close as they can be, the soft lullaby just on the edge of hearing. He will stop and look up at the approach, face from soft to serious in a moment.]

Any news of the above?

4. WILDCARD
Go nuts.

2 [First Contact] a

[scorpionsect]

Xie'er turned around when he heard the other call out for help. "I can go and retrieve the person," Xie'er stated. "Just tell me what to do."

His blue grey robes were covered in dirt and blood stains as he had been busy helping people all day. Some of the blood had been from fighting most of it were from people he were helping. He was exhausted, but knew there was alot of work that needed to be done. If they could save more people he would do it.

Xie'er/Scorpion King | Team Orange | Ota

[scorpionsect]

Starbury
1) Healing and comfort:
While, Xie'er would rather be fighting he knew that his skills as a healer were also needed. He began to lend a hand with the people trying to organize the mass of people. He had been thankful he had packed what he could of medical supplies before he arrived here. His meager supplies weren't going to last long.

"Come here, let me help you with those bandages." Xie'er called out to a child. He moved over to help the other replace the banadages with a fresh set and secure it. He then took time to wipe away to soot and dirt of the child's face and helped give them some hot food. Just when he was finished helping the one child more showed up. He gave a wary sigh. Now it seemed that most kids were following him or they brought him to their families. It disheartened him and he cried inwardly at all the broken mess. So much for having a harden heart. "I've gotten too soft," he muttered to himself.

At the end of the day when things were quiet, Xie'er would play his pipa to offer some kind of peace and distraction.

2) Aid and Strategy:
When he could get away, Xie'er tried to help find strays that were still out there. He also tried to help find better ways to build up their defences.

"Follow me, I can show you were you can get to safe shelter," Xie'er called out when he would spy a few stragglers.

3) Fighting:
When enemies did make a breech, Xie'er was there. He relied heavily on his dagger and darts. He made sure to lace his dagger with poison so it would ensure quick a quick kill.

"This is more like it,"Xie'er gave a thin smile as he wiped some blood off his dagger and moved for the next kill. It was nice to know his skills weren't rusty.

As much as his music was used to comfort he used his pipa to fight causing an array of confusion and inability to think properly. Many stagger away holding their heads and trying to block out the sound.

4)Wild Card:
Feel free to write your own prompt.

[knifewithnoname]

"There do be being another." She ducked under his arm, using her smallness to her advantage and she darted between him and the enemy and stabbed upwards.

It was perhaps easier for her to use a gun but she felt like she hadn't fought properly in so long, she was happy to be able to fight in close quarters like this.

She had missed the adrenaline.

Thomas Price | Blue & Purple Teams | OTA

[thepriceforalife]

First Contact

While this is still futuristic from Thomas's perspective, it looks just enough like a city he might see on his own world of origin to be disquieting. Yes, Earth has been through its share of conflicts, and Thomas had certainly seen pictures and accounts over the radio (television had still been a novelty in Buckley when he left). Certainly it was more familiar than the alien technology the invaders were using.

"I think I see someone," he said. He gave a brief glance at the skies, to see if they were clear to approach.

If the Voidtrecker with him is not visibly human, he might move closer, making it clear that they come with him.

Strategy

Thomas had somehow worked his way into a logistics role among the group of survivors and was on his feet checking on supply caches and helping set up defensive barriers that might pass as more ruins until they needed to be used. (Someone may need to get him to sleep eventually.)

"There are rumors of more survivors a few blocks away. We'll need to check to see if they are doing well, or want to unite over here."

Wildcard
[Any other ideas? Need someone to handle various coordination and logistic tasks, light something on fire, or help intercede with understandably xenophobic locals? Thomas is your guy.]

Strategy

[nell_of_soulwood]

Nell nodded and squared her shoukders. "It's a little quieter out there. We should probably go now and look for them."

Rezo | Red Team | OTA

[redprayer]

Weirwich

Even without eyesight, Rezo can tell that Weirwich is in disarray. The sound of gunfire isn’t quite like anything he’s ever heard- too rapid to be anything like the guns from his old world- but he doesn’t need to be familiar to recognize the lethality of it.

While he’s making his way through the city streets, a searcher beast and Rezo find one another. Biometal claws scrape the asphalt and the rings on Rezo’s staff rattle as he dives away from its pounce, glowing magic gathering in his palm. Rezo slams his hand onto the ground with a cry of “Dug Haut!” and a path of spikes burst out of the ground towards the beast, one of them piercing its shoulder. The beast stumbles to the ground, injured, but still moving- maybe give Rezo a hand?

When Weirwich proper is reached, Rezo may also be found tending to the wounded. He’s more than capable of applying first aid, so it’s easy to spot him bandaging wounds, passing out medication, etc. usually while making conversation with whoever he’s tending to.

Starbury

After the transgates are up and running, Rezo spends some time getting involved in the mundane business of transporting supplies, which in practice means packing a lot of crates, carrying them through the transgate, and dropping them off with a small group of organizers in Starbury who are handing out food and other supplies about twice as fast as they’re being brought in. Which makes it especially unfortunate that Rezo has to move at a slow pace…

Later, Rezo will stop by the facility, where he can be found sorting through paperwork and leaving it in neat piles. Occasionally he even stops to scribble down a few notes to leave in the piles, but so far they’re all things like ‘Winter data on local plankton species’ or ‘Data related to plankton size’ or, well… You get the idea, essentially just summarizing notes to keep anyone else from wasting their time reading through useless info. As he works, Rezo has a slight frown on his face that might be from frustration or simply concentration.

Medborough

Rezo comes to Medborough relatively late, by which point there’s probably been quite a few voidtreckers fending off the enemy already. While Rezo is able and willing to fight, at this point he thinks a more helpful contribution will be shoring up defenses. Some of this involves erecting walls, reinforcing pre-existing structures, that sort of thing- and some of this involves setting up traps, so you may need to watch your step lest you hear a priest sharply yelling at you “Don’t step there!”

Wildcard

[[If you want a custom starter or want to try tossing your own prompt at me, that is also an option!]]

Medborough

[myblueskies]

Romeo had mostly been helping down in the caverns, helping with the children, helping run messages and give out supplies.

Everyone was very frightened but also very brave and he had been doing his best to keep all their spirits up.

Right now though he was delivering something to the fighters. Being above ground was a bit strange after so long under it and the noise of the fighting was loud.

At the sharp yell he froze, one foot in mid air, about to step, balancing so well just because he was a shinki.

"Step where sir?"

What was dangerous?

Bruno Madrigal | Blue Team | OTA

[persona_non_ratta]

1. Preparation

A war. They were going into an actual war zone. How in God's name was he supposed to prepare for that?! He wasn't a soldier. He'd never even seen a soldier til arriving on the train. Heck, he'd never even seen a proper weapon before arriving on the train. Never seen or experienced any violence worse than a fist-fight. What did anyone expect him to do here besides get in the way?

He could be found packing his backpack, then frantically unpacking it, then repacking it with a few different things, trying to come up with some collection of supplies that might help him be of use. Or at least survive. He could really use some help though.

2. First Contact

War was... every bit as terrifying and overwhelming as he'd thought it would be. No, scratch that; it was more so. Bruno had needed no encouragement to duck for cover, and it became abundantly clear to any who saw him that he'd be nothing but a liability when it came to actually fighting such creatures.

But once underground he was at least able to find ways to make himself useful. He may be useless in a fight, but he could sort supplies, help with meals, even run messages through areas deemed too dangerous for the children. He flitted about from one part of the camp to another, helping with whatever tasks he could, and trying desperately not to focus on the sounds of combat above ground.

Night Time

Was it even night? Bruno couldn't tell any more than anyone else could, but everyone had seemed to agree that it was time to rest, so 'night' was as good a thing as any to call it.

But there was no rest, it seemed, for some of the kids, and here at least, Bruno could be of help. Moving to sit among a clump of frightened children, Bruno offered them the best smile he could muster. "Things are pretty crazy right now huh?", he said. "And it's OK to be scared because of it. I think everybody is, even if some of them are better at hiding it than others. But you know something I do when I'm scared to help me feel braver? I tell myself a story. So I'm gonna tell you one too, OK? Then maybe we can all be a little less scared."

He waved over the nearest fellow Voidtrecker who didn't look immediately occupied. "How about you help me with that? Stories are always better with more people telling them after all; we can go back and forth and take turns." That plus it's been awhile since he's dealt with a gaggle of actual children, and he could use the support.

4. Wildcard

(OOC: You know the drill. Want Bruno somewhere else? Go for it!)

1

[silver_eyes_rose]

"Are you okay?"

Ruby could see the panic in Bruno's eyes and his mannerisms. He wasn't used to this at all. Why not - the last few stops were actually quite pleasant. So, something like this would certainly throw him off.

"I-It's okay, take a breath..."

General Amaya | Team Purple | OTA

[the_aunt_general]

Among the Ruins - OPEN

Around the drop off area, she keeps coming back - after meeting people and most importantly getting a map. That map she hammers up on a board. From there, she starts placing pins, drawing lines. It's meant to be updated by voidtreckers - and the notation she puts up with it says as much. White flags indicate groups of survivors, pinned all over the map. Red flags indicate seeker hotspots - places to avoid. Green flags indicate makeshift camps - and tying them together are red strings that indicate safe routes between them and back to the base camp.

She also leaves plaintive messages attached to Black flags - important strategic points that she hopes treckers will defend. They're an independent, unorganized lot - but she can hope. Namely she points out points that can hold off enemy strikes towards the survivor camps.

Other messages detail how to enlarge and strengthen - and defend - the existing camps, with suggestions on some to evacuate and amalgamate. A lifetime of tactical and strategic thinking goes into her suggestions, all of which seek to shrink the perimeter - bring things closer together to maximize their stretched-out strength in defending.

At present, she herself is working just in pants and an undershirt, digging with a determined look - a short stretch of trenchline, located on a slight hill, ringed by rubble - a natural defensive strongpoint - they don't even need sandbags here, they can just use the ever-available rubble.

She's ringed a few of the stronger locals into helping - but any treckers helping out will be greatly appreciated.

'First' and Lasting Contact - Night Time

Making the rounds with the people she meets is equally important. Being obviously there to defend, not rushing in and out - that's important to her. And it also comes in natural periods of rest. She spends her entire day among the survivors, organizing where she needs to - just helping where it isn't required. Thankfully a lot of people have already been doing what she'd most want to see happen.

They are, she finds, good people.

At the moment, a tin of food in front of her, she's sharpening her sword. There is something calming about the very action, for her and many of those around her.

Fighting - OPEN Prompt

[Insert your fight sequences here?]

Fighting

[silver_eyes_rose]

"Amaya, watch out!"

It's a warning she knows Amaya will get things to the SCAs, but it's a bad habit nonetheless. Either way, Ruby would easily hop over her head to slash a few of the Wasp-type seekers aiming at her. Once Ruby landed, she looked over at her friend, pushing herself up with Crescent Rose.

"You okay? They almost got the drop on you!"

Leia Organa | Blue Team | OTA

[motherofresistance]

1. Strategy

If there was one thing Leia was good by now at it was making the best of limited resources. Especially in a military setting. The situation was pretty dire, she was willing to admit- they wouldn't be there if it wasn't-, but she'd been in dire situations before and turned them around. She could do it again.

"Alright, first things first," she said. "I'm going to need to know what we have to work with. In terms of weapons and resources, yes, but also in terms of people. Anyone here with actual combat training, medical training, technical skill, engineering skill, or knowledge of the area, I want to talk to them. That goes for Voidtreckers as well as locals."

"And in the meantime, I'm going to need people to help me take stock. Plus, it may be a long shot, but if anyone has access to a map of the city or its surroundings that would be helpful too."

2. Aid- A few small comforts

With the transgates set up it had become... well, not easy but easier to get necessary things like food and medical supplies to the people holed up in Medborough's tunnels. And the talk of evacuating the children to the more well-defended and stable Starbury had begun to resemble actual plans rather than mere speculation. But Leia knew better than most that just surviving was only the start.

So she felt no qualms, really, about quietly Bending up some blankets, and even a few soft toys for the children. And now that she had a small pile of them, she just needed a bit of help handing them out. Turning to the Voidtrecker next to her, she said, "If you're not too busy just now, what say we try and boost morale around here a bit?"

3. Aid- Seeking the lost

Leia knew her Force senses could be invaluable when it came to seeking out other survivors, both in terms of actually locating them and in terms of sensing sudden danger that might indicate a waiting ambush. But she also had enough sense not to trust to that alone; she carried both her sidearm and her lightsaber when she went out. And she didn't go alone.

"There," she said to her companion, indicating what looked like a row of ruined shop fronts. "There's someone in one of these shops." She paused, focusing for a moment. "No, a few people I think. We need to locate them and get them back to the camp before someone less friendly finds them."

4. Wildcard

(OOC: You know what to do here. Want to do something else with Leia? Go for it!)

Strategy

[light_of_willpower]

"General Organa," Trunks greets her, having sought her out specifically to coordinate since Blue and Purple were working together. "I can give you a list of Purple's supplies, and I'm pretty sure Cassie and I and the others aren't above going into our personal supplies." He's kitted out already, armored up and with his sword over his shoulder. "I plan to primarily be a combatant here, given I can be a one-man army. But I have some engineering-related skills, and am used to urban warfare as it were. Usually against just two opponents, but they're two opponents who are the strongest on my world."

Lea | Blue Team | OTA

[hotheadwarmheart]

1. Among the Ruins

When they first arrived, it had been quiet. Lea had almost been tempted to comment on it, then add that it was 'too quiet', knowing that the universe would immediately act to prove him wrong.

But it turned out that he didn't need to, as it wasn't long before a group of ugly, black, vaguely mechanical looking creatures descended on them from an alleyway before he got the chance. "Well that didn't take long," he said, summoning his Keyblade. "Everyone ready?"

2. Aid- Supply run

Once transgates had been set up, Lea had volunteered to help bring in some much needed supplies for the people in Medborough. Partly because he could transport them back to camp quickly with Keyblade portals, and partly to watch the back of his fellow Voidtreckers who were assisting. One never knew when something nasty might decide to show up and cause trouble, after all.

"This the last of it?", he asked, looking at the two boxes in front of him. If the labels were accurate, the contained canned goods, both vegetables and preserved meat. Made into soup or the like they could feed a lot of hungry people. Which meant that he wanted to get them back to camp ASAP, but if more was coming, it might be better to wait.

3. Nighttime

It could be cold and damp underground. So, having found a suitable spot where nothing would likely catch, Lea had set up a makeshift fire pit made out of a collection of broken bricks and rubber. A fire blazed merrily within it, casting the area in a warm glow, and inviting those nearby to come warm themselves, sit and talk, sing, share stories, or even cook a morsel of food if they had any.

And the best part? While Lea was awake, the fire was magical, and thus needed no fuel and produced no smoke. Just the comfort of warmth and light.

4. Wildcard

(OOC: You know how it works. Want Lea for something else? Let me know!)

Re: Lea | Blue Team | OTA

[terribletwos]

Finally, something Roxas is actually good at. No more of this memory stuff or meditation or weird experiments. Just beating the crap out of problems with his Keyblade. And being able to do it alongside his old partner made it that much more exciting.

He materializes both his Keyblades at his side before the mechas even complete their descent, that latent battle lust thrumming through him. "These things look like they'll take a lot of strikes to bring down." Since he's never had any experience finding mecha, unless his Other. But a few spotty memories of Toy Box are still there...

For Tidus

[myblueskies]

"Do you need another blanket sir?"

A small group of children were walking through the cavern, arms piled high with blankets, or at least cloth that could be used as blankets.

Romeo is leading the group, but he is letting the other children speak, letting them offer the blankets out.

It's always easier to be brave when you had a job to do. He saw Tidus and waved. "Hello mister Tidus? Did you see anyone who needs a blanket?"

a romeo treat for me

[blitzcheer]

It's always good to see friendly faces - and here he spots Romeo (even hears him, him and his little crew, first) doing what he does best, at the front of a group where he fits in well. Tidus has his own back to a wall, taking a rest; and in the process of wondering if he should move elsewhere, use Gibs to help with the water supply in a less direct manner than he usually would.

Hey, I can make fresh water appear from nowhere! -- Yeah, like that'd go down great.

That had been on his mind, anyway, until the aforementioned boy and his crew - and Tidus looks down the rest of the cavern, humming thoughtfully.

"Don't think so... but you can leave 'em around so people can find them. You got enough?"

Maybe that wouldn't be smart if they were limited, but with what's in Romeo's arms, he looks prepared!

Guri | Team Purple

[marvelous_murderbot]

Among the Ruins

She'll help anybody who needs it when she can - she certainly has the strength to manage it. All of her skills as an assassin and combat droid come into sharp focus in these sort of missions. Need someone lancing out of the shadows? She has that down. Building defences? She's excellent at that, too. And if you need someone to absolutely tear enemies apart with her bare hands - well, she can do that, too.

Fighting

For herself, she picks some high ground, hard to flank on either side, and digs in. A proper foxhole, bounded by stone rubble on all sides, covered over with a slab of steel.

Inside, she has her repeating blaster rifle, and its charger backpack. It is a commanding position, and one she uses to lance fire into any enemies she sees within a six-hundred meter radius.

Her position is safe enough from long-range return fire - but the slowly massing enemies behind two major ruined buildings spells something else: an all out assault on her position.

[dragoonrouge]

Q'uila had noticed the refocusing enemies from her more aerial position and had lightly touched down on top of where she could feel the distinctive aether of another member of the train.

"Hello fellow Passenger.
You look like you could use some melee support."