Reynard North (
shardofwinter) wrote in
nexus_crossings2019-01-03 10:57 am
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Entry tags:
The Start of the Storm
The god hosted Yule party left the Nexus in the state of beautiful Winter Wonderland. With the snow falling softly and steadily, and the beautiful festive lights twinkling in the darkness, the Nexus is left with a sense of serene nostalgia hanging in the cold air. This peace and joy clings to the streets for several weeks, buoying everyone’s mood as they look back on the past year and forward to ringing in the new one.
It starts in the Wilds, and the outskirts. The cold air suddenly feels like it freezes everything it touches in an instant. Light doesn’t quite pierce the gloom. Gentle snowfall becomes thick and falls hard. One or two people looking for shelter from their uninhabitable homes isn’t too noticeable. People can still enjoy their pretty Winter, blissfully unaware. Pipes freeze solid, paths become impassable, power cuts out, simple walks become baffling in the poor visibility. Soon it’s not one or two people, it’s many, it’s families. There are people coming in, bloody, bruised and scared, saying they were chased. Eventually the kindness of friends and strangers becomes strained. Spare rooms are packed to the brim and the storm that stays just shy of the bizarre torches somehow seems to have a slow, but unmistakable march closer towards a point where the Plaza, Industrial sector and Downtown meet. On top of that, people are complaining about PINpoints acting up or portals freezing over.
Streets are becoming packed full of people with far more problems than solutions. Huddling together and whispering about ghosts and monsters moving about in the shadows. In a place with no government, no organisation, no collaborative emergency services, chaos and confusion reigns supreme. And with chaos, comes panic. With confusion, comes frustration and anger. The Nexus is a powder keg waiting to blow.
That’s certainly how one Durant sees it. As a manager, Isidor is keen on organisation and order. Both things that are lacking in the Nexus at the moment. Groups pop up to help, but struggle to communicate effectively, or work together. Some people get free food twice, some people are still waiting for some at all. It’s madness, and Isidor can’t stand it. Particularly because she, her brother and sister-in-law are stuck here. So, when nobody else takes the mantle, Isidor Durant takes it upon herself to inject some order into this scrum.
In her fur hat and long coat, leather gloves and thick boots, Isidor can be seen directing people this way and that. There’s something about a confident person taking charge that means people instinctively defer to them. She becomes the point of contact quite easily, with people soon taking her direction regardless of whether or not they know her. Under her instruction, people are directed to a building that has tables set up, queues in front of them, and volunteers behind them taking names and telling people where to go. It might still be chaos, but at least now it’s organised chaos.
The question is: Where will your character go?
((Below are comments for each desk. Tag any of them, threadhop, or post with your own character. I suggest putting your character’s name in the subject to help keep things clear. Comments marked with a snowflake ( ❅ ) have been coordinated with the mods and I as official event comments. The OOC Post is here! If you have any questions, feel free to message me or one of the mods!))
Threads of Note
Medicine/Illness | Shelter/Heat | Food | Security/Crime | Lost items/people | Misc resources/Donations | Volunteers | Expeditions | Planning Table/The woman in charge | Drulb's Deelz | A Ship in the Outskirts
It starts in the Wilds, and the outskirts. The cold air suddenly feels like it freezes everything it touches in an instant. Light doesn’t quite pierce the gloom. Gentle snowfall becomes thick and falls hard. One or two people looking for shelter from their uninhabitable homes isn’t too noticeable. People can still enjoy their pretty Winter, blissfully unaware. Pipes freeze solid, paths become impassable, power cuts out, simple walks become baffling in the poor visibility. Soon it’s not one or two people, it’s many, it’s families. There are people coming in, bloody, bruised and scared, saying they were chased. Eventually the kindness of friends and strangers becomes strained. Spare rooms are packed to the brim and the storm that stays just shy of the bizarre torches somehow seems to have a slow, but unmistakable march closer towards a point where the Plaza, Industrial sector and Downtown meet. On top of that, people are complaining about PINpoints acting up or portals freezing over.
Streets are becoming packed full of people with far more problems than solutions. Huddling together and whispering about ghosts and monsters moving about in the shadows. In a place with no government, no organisation, no collaborative emergency services, chaos and confusion reigns supreme. And with chaos, comes panic. With confusion, comes frustration and anger. The Nexus is a powder keg waiting to blow.
That’s certainly how one Durant sees it. As a manager, Isidor is keen on organisation and order. Both things that are lacking in the Nexus at the moment. Groups pop up to help, but struggle to communicate effectively, or work together. Some people get free food twice, some people are still waiting for some at all. It’s madness, and Isidor can’t stand it. Particularly because she, her brother and sister-in-law are stuck here. So, when nobody else takes the mantle, Isidor Durant takes it upon herself to inject some order into this scrum.
In her fur hat and long coat, leather gloves and thick boots, Isidor can be seen directing people this way and that. There’s something about a confident person taking charge that means people instinctively defer to them. She becomes the point of contact quite easily, with people soon taking her direction regardless of whether or not they know her. Under her instruction, people are directed to a building that has tables set up, queues in front of them, and volunteers behind them taking names and telling people where to go. It might still be chaos, but at least now it’s organised chaos.
The question is: Where will your character go?
❅-❅-❅-❅
((Below are comments for each desk. Tag any of them, threadhop, or post with your own character. I suggest putting your character’s name in the subject to help keep things clear. Comments marked with a snowflake ( ❅ ) have been coordinated with the mods and I as official event comments. The OOC Post is here! If you have any questions, feel free to message me or one of the mods!))
Threads of Note
Medicine/Illness | Shelter/Heat | Food | Security/Crime | Lost items/people | Misc resources/Donations | Volunteers | Expeditions | Planning Table/The woman in charge | Drulb's Deelz | A Ship in the Outskirts
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There is nothing to be seen in the surge of shadow coming toward them, but the sounds tell her many, fast, sharp, and above. Her mind's eye constructs something fancifully like tremendous scorpions, all blackness and claws. It hardly matters how accurate that image is in reality. Envisioning something threatening yet familiar makes this situation somewhat less overwhelming.
Even before the droid speaks or Harley gives her orders, Furiosa has aimed her pistol and pulled the trigger twice. She can't afford to waste ammunition if it has no effect, but shooting at the shadowy mass while it's down the hall from them is the only time she can use a ranged weapon without fear of hitting the people around her.
Once the two rounds fly, though, their attackers are too close and Harley is telling them she'll cover them, so Furiosa reaches out with her metal hand and drags Palmer a little closer, heading for the ramp obediently. "Head down! They're on the ceiling!"
Okay, she's only guessing it's a 'they' and they're on the ceiling based on sound, but the last thing she wants is to watch something reach down and grab one of them by the neck.
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Palmer instinctively freezes. The creatures are coming after them, and his one small gun won't be enough to hold them all at bay. There's more than one, for sure, he's having trouble following their movements, and he's probably the most vulnerable member of the team in terms of physical capabilities. All in all, Palmer isn't feeling particularly optimistic.
However, Furiosa dragging him closer snaps the mechanic out of it, and he scampers toward the ramp, joining her. He wants to be out of the way when Harley brings out heavier weaponry, as well as out of the creatures' grasp if he can help it. His mind's conjuring up creatures from movies and real life - scuttling xenomorphs, the snarling Dog-Thing, monsters of every shape and size. He hasn't gotten a good look at the creatures, letting his imagination run away with him. The fact that the danger is very real doesn't help.
He ducks, imagining a twining tail or a tendril reaching down to snag him by the throat and haul him up, like a monster out of a movie he remembered seeing before Antarctica. Except there isn't just one monster, there's a whole pack of them. They're outnumbered and surrounded. Not good.
"Why are these things after us, anyway?"
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Behind the group it explodes into a cloud that stains the air, almost luminous in the thin light. The creatures recoil from the billowing gas, bounding backward into shadow. Hesitation buys the expeditionary trio time. Time to grab their team and go.
Before they're quite out of there, the hull shudders again. The airlock frame creaks with stress. So little noise, but the creatures behind quieten. If anyone looks back before they run, they'll glimpse something back in the darkness. Something coming through the airlock, unfolding itself from the rent-open doorway, huge in the confined space of the deck.
Whatever waits out in the snow, at least it's not that.
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He really, really wished that Dia had stayed behind. She's so much better suited for this sort of thing than he is.
"I... don't know what their after, and self preservation overrides my orders," through, ironically enough, earlier orders from Dia, given how much she values his presence and (some of) his opinions. "We need to leave, now."
It's not cowardice when it's the right thing to do, he won't stand a chance with these things, not alone with a blaster that he's a lousy shot with. He'd rather take his chances with Dia'ndria, rather than whatever these monsters are.
no subject
She has her exploding yo-yo left... and she has it in her hand, ready to throw. She needs to make sure it is the right decision first... and is not burying herself or the others inside the ship with the creature.
"Keep alert outside! We don't know what we are being forced to face..." She warns the others. Yo-yo in one hand, she pulls her ice dagger into her other hand, to defend herself from any attacks from the shadows.
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No, there's no doubt in her mind now that they need to be out of the ship, even at the risk of taking to open ground. Something wants the salvage, and it's bigger than them, and maybe they can turn and face it but not from where they were standing.
She wastes none of her breath in words, metal arm coming around Palmer's back to shelter him--he's the only Blackthumb she's got, ok?--and hustling him down the boarding ramp, then around and behind one of the landing struts. She points toward the snowy landscape beyond as if commanding him to watch that direction, then positions herself, gun ready, in case something other than Harley or the droid comes down the ramp after them.
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He knows there's something on the ship, something large, aggressive, and very, very dangerous. He doesn't know why the mystery beast wants the ship, but as far as he's concerned the creature can have it. Palmer isn't in the mood to be eaten today, no sir. While he doesn't see himself as a coward, he also knews when to cut his losses and not to pick fights he can't win.
Trying not to seem too scared, the mechanic obeys Furiosa's orders, drawing his gun as he keeps watch in the direction she pointed.
no subject
And they're human-sized, these creatures. Roughly human shaped, too, though their heads are too narrow, their limbs angled strangely as they bound forward to slash at Harley. Everything else is hidden beneath the ragged cloth and scraps of metal bundling them against the cold- or the light. The glitter of the dagger each carries, however? That's all too clear.
no subject
There's a brief uptick of panic in his voice at the gas being released from Harley's weapons, to say nothing of these things coming into view.
What are they?
2V has no idea.
All he knows is that at this point? They need to get the hell away from these horrific things. At this point he suspects it doesn't want the ship, so much as its various occupants.
Adding to the sounds of these things moving across the metal deck plates, is the ship's occasional creaking at the snow on the outer hull, and ice forming further on it.
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Harley is used to fighting multiple opponents at once. And because she has an immunity to toxins and poisons... she can fight close to the toxic gas without concern. It might even give her an advantage... since she can force the creatures to stay in the toxic gas a little further.
The ice dagger she is using is the same one that Loki gifted her during Christmas. And she is incredibly quick with her attacks. Harley can dodge attacks just as quickly with her enhanced agility and speed. Besides her dagger is magically enchanted to cold-cauterize the wounds she inflicts. Unless their weapons have magic on them... Harley is not concerned about being injured herself, since she heals quickly.
"Furiosa get our new friend and Palmer away from the ship. If you get a clean shot take it..." Harley trusts the other woman to shoot the right person, even if she is still in the mix of the action.
Harley doesn't know what these creatures are... but now she can see them clearly she is keeping her stand. Protecting the others from them.
She is a good fighter. It is what Suicide Squad trained her for. And she is just crazy enough not to be frightened by these strange creatures.
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In the meantime, she's been given charge of a man and a droid. Leaving Palmer behind the strut, she hastens back up the ramp a short distance to hold out her metal arm toward 2V. "Fast as you can, c'mon, go!"
Once she gets her group together, she'll head back down the path the way they came, because going forward into unproven ground is the worst idea she can think of. Still, she's not liking their chances, because they will be leaving shelter for open ground. If their attackers have ranged weaponry, or if there are more in the snowy open, they're going to be leaving one pitched battle for another.
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He watches Furiosa go to get 2V, waiting for orders from Furiosa or Harley. They'll have to enter the open, and he's afraid the creatures won't let them go without a fight. What's going on, anyway? Why are the creatures so hellbent on giving them trouble?
"What do you want?" he asks them, both challenging and genuinely curious. They don't seem interested in conversation, but he wants to pry for information. They're clearly intelligent and social, if only among themselves. Maybe, if they can speak or could be bothered to answer, at least he'll get some insight into why they're attacking people. "The ship?"
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Meanwhile, gangly forms clamber around the sides of the hatchway, dropping onto the ramp past Harley. More of the creatures- one or two bigger ones, mostly a handful of small ones with things that sure look like pistols drawn. They grab at the robot too late to stop him being pulled away down the ramp. If Furiosa means to shoot, she'll have to pick her targets, but it might slow down the horde starting to boil out of the ship after them. Harley's running out of time to get out of there.
They don't seem to be paying any attention to Palmer's attempt at communication- one, perhaps, that turns its head with the four eye slits of its helm aglow and makes a rasping sound that might be laughter. The low snarls, scratchy barks and inhuman squeals of its kindred are only getting louder. More and more of those in the ship are joining in, pressing forward in their eagerness to go after the prey.
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Nevertheless, outside may be a terrifying prospect, but at least he can see better about whatever's coming once he gets out into the ice and snow. Dia won't be happy he had to abandon the ship, but she'd be further displeased if he allowed himself to be destroyed.
That said, this only meant there were going to be new repairs that had to be made, now. Oh, dear. Oh dear indeed.
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She fights off the creatures swarmed around her with a viciousness that few people in the Nexus see from her. This is not a time for socializing, or looking at the brighter things of life. This is a time of serious battle. The lives of her comrades are at risk.
When the taller creature makes its appearance, Harley narrows her eyes. This must be one of the creatures she has heard about. One of the ones that have killed other citizens of the Nexus without any concern. With a quick switch of putting her ice dagger in her left hand -- she reaches back and pulls out her fire sword in her right hand. The blade springing to life with flames.
She slashes at the smaller creatures trying to flank her. And attacks viciously at the taller creature. Harley is standing her ground right now -- determined to be the focus of the things attacking her in the hope that her comrades get to safety. After all... Harley is trained for these kind of situations.
She has her agility. She has her strength. She has her determination.
A part of her thrives on the combat situation that she finds herself in. Fighting without having to hold back. That psychotic part of her mind that enjoys the thrill of battle is loving every second of this. Every swipe of her blades. The flame sword in one hand and the ice dagger in the other.
Right now -- Harley Quinn is a Valkyrie -- a warrior woman who is determined to fight to her last breath to protect those most important to her. She will find a weakness. She will endure. She will protect those who depend on her -- and those who don't even know her.
"Palmer! This ain't tea time! Get the FUCK to safety!" She yells over her shoulder. "And if you can... shoot a few while you do."
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V8 help them if the droid is unwilling to follow her orders. She's willing to protect him, but if he's dead weight she'll focus on getting her and Palmer out of trouble ahead of him. He seems the least likely of them to fight, but a metal chassis is nothing to sneeze at. She dares to hope if he's confronted too closely with one of the monsters his frightened flailing will do some damage to it.
"Palmer! I've got 10:00, you aim toward 2:00, don't hit Harley, anything else that moves is fair game."
Assuming anyone's following her orders, she's quick to get them in a triangle position, with 2V leading, her and Palmer side by side firing at the enemy as they (hopefully) move down the track they just came from. Furiosa has no issue with walking or jogging backwards as she empties the clip of her Taurus; she's hoping Palmer can do the same, because they can't just stand and fire, either--they have to go. Her shots have to be judicious, because she only has ten rounds left in the clip, but she'll use every last one of them.
A handgun is not great at a distance, but Furiosa's aim has always been superlative. She's not going to get fancy, aiming at mid-body for every one of the monsters she shoots at, and trying to pick off the smaller, faster ones first.
Once that clip is empty she hastily shoves the Taurus into her coat and pulls out the Glock. Seventeen rounds, and then as far as she's concerned, they're down to tooth and nail and metal arm.
no subject
Palmer cringes as one of the creatures seems to mock his attempts to communicate. So much for that idea. He would have felt more comfortable if the creature just attacked. The laughter makes him think that the creature did understand that he was trying to talk. It just didn't care. Well, Palmer will show them a thing or two. The mechanic grits his teeth. He's no RJ MacReady, but he's no pushover, either. The normally relaxed stoner takes on an uncharacteristically fierce appearance.
He aims his gun squarely at the creature who laughed at him and fires. They couldn't say he hadn't tried for a peaceful solution. He gave the creatures a chance to explain their reasons for attacking.They didn't think he was worth the effort of talking to or didn't have conversations with their prey. Well, he'll have to show them he's more than just prey. He's willing to kill if he has to, though he never has killed before.
The time for talking's over. Clearly the ice monsters don't understand peaceful methods of communication. Like the Thing, except at least these creatures Palmer can fight. Palmer'll show the creatures he's worthy of their respect through force and gunplay.
There's another series of shots as Palmer fires at the creatures within range, careful not to hit anybody on his side. The mechanic's expression is one of cold, fierce rage. He is through with being prey.
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Nor is it alone on the ramp now. It seems content to stay on the defensive as she’s surrounded. Even the other creatures who’ve dropped down behind her seem in no hurry to use those pistols they hold. Nonetheless, Harley’s window to get out of there is closing fast…
Then fingers pull on triggers and two weapons bark out through the high winds, again and again. One of the smaller creatures is thrown to the ramp entirely; two or three more reel and stagger under the brunt of that fire – including the one that laughed at Palmer. Harsh cries ring out as those not fighting Harley scatter, some probably wounded already. They paid little heed to the three fleeing, and it’s cost them. Well, the others have their attention now.
A few of the bigger ones vault off the sides of the ramp, taking up position and sighting down longer weapons. When they fire it’s with a low thok, like the slamming of bolts. The first rounds sing over the retreating team’s heads, needle-thin and brilliant blue, a burning ozone smell in their wake. The rifle-beasts sight again through the swirling snow. Properly, this time.
no subject
Nevertheless, he's careful in his movements, he's not designed for this sort of travel, and as such, he could easily lose control of this situation and slip on the ice and snow.
no subject
She smiles as the sounds of gunfire fill the air. It must mean that Palmer and Furiosa are far enough away to get in good shots.
Her eyes narrow. And she speaks to the creatures around her. "A lot of things were just plain wrong with Mistah J. But ya know what... he had a point when he said always leave with a bang!"
With quick motion, her ice dagger is returned to her belt and the button on the exploding yoyo is pressed. She drops the little present in the midst of the large group of creatures that had surrounded her. And flips backwards, away from the entrance of the ship.
BOOM! The explosion will occur very quickly. And it will be big. Hopefully it will take out as many of those creatures as possible. And even reach the ones who are at the sides of the ramp.
Harley will land several feet away from the explosion with her flame sword at the ready... just in case she still needs to defend herself.
no subject
It's minimal mental effort to transpose what's happening around her to her own world. A downed rig, a minimal crew, dunes of sand instead of snowbanks, a group from a rival roadgang--scavs or Buzzards--and incoming fire. Turning to run would be poor strategy. There's no way they could run fast enough on flat, solid ground to get out of rifle range in time to not be picked off like tin cans on a fence post. Standing and fighting is the only option, but standing where they are will not make them any harder to shoot down.
"Eyes right! Circle, circle, put the ship between us and them!" She yells at Palmer and the droid, "Try and stay low!"
Doesn't look like bullets coming at them, but she's pretty sure a direct hit would kill them nonetheless.
Following her own advice, she takes a couple running steps to the side, then drops into a crouch to aim. The Glock barks out three times before suddenly there's Harley flipping through the lot of them, with fire in her wake.
Furiosa appreciates a good explosion, and while she'll wait until the debris settles to decide whether they're about to die or not, she lets out a cry of approval, a wordless, bloodcurdling whoop like a predatory bird's shriek. Nice one!
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At least that's what he thinks before the creatures reveal themselves to have guns of their own.
Well, that's just great. They're clearly intelligent, which revives Palmer's questions about why they were so hostile before, except now he knows better than to try and ask.
Palmer mutters an expletive as he drops to the ground, following Furiosa's advice. He fires off a couple more shots before Harley lets the explosion loose. Palmer is startled, but it was a good call on Harley's part. That should give the creatures something to think about.
"Not laughin' anymore, are you?" The mechanic shouts in the creatures' direction after Furiosa whoops. "I know you can understand us. I dunno who or what you are. You're smart enough to build guns and laugh in my face when I offer you a chance to talk things through. Well, that chance is up. I dunno why you want to kill us, 'cause we didn't do a thing to you. We ain't gonna be your prey. Leave us alone, or you'll lose more."
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Circling the ship gives them a chance to break contact with their regrouping opponents. Either the ship’s bulk or the warmth from when it still had heat have left the snow around it thinner for some radius. They can make a quick run for it. Still, the ship won’t protect them for long, considering how those things clambered over it. There are more pouring out from the smoking ramp now, and those who scattered off it in time are still up and moving. Rifle shots will follow them as they break around the hull. Worse, there are deep shouts from behind… and then a roar booms out from within the ship.
They can’t outfight a small army. Running into open ground isn’t attractive, either, but if they get a head start the terrible visibility will work in their favor… and at least nothing can drop on their heads there. Just as important, the Nexus buildings are tantalizingly close. Get back to the streets and they’ll have cover to work with.
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Cue pointing and already heading in that direction. Dia was going in that direction, so logically, if they can reach the plaza, they can reach her.
Nonetheless, the whole experience is terrifying to the droid.
He was not designed for this!
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"If you still got that gun... shoot behind me. Take your time and aim."
She glances at Furiosa and Palmer, to make sure they are doing alright. "Look for cover. And stay together as much as possible!"
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