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nexus_crossings2019-02-02 12:56 pm
handsofwinter) wrote in nexus_crossings2019-02-02 12:56 pm
Entry tags:
Into a Rising Wind
Winter holds the Nexus in its jaws, and its teeth sink ever deeper.
A month into the storm, the snow has yet to stop falling. The number of mouths to be fed has stopped dwindling, almost. Occasionally people go missing, and those who notice hope they’ve found a way back through their portals. It’s not enough to change the maths on their food supplies - all their supplies. Nobody is getting a full meal at a time, not any more. Isidor and Lyall have begun to enforce the rationing with iron hands. Both ignore the look that crosses Captain Kirk’s face when they upbraid a volunteer cook for being too generous – the look that lingers on Runa’s face if she’s close enough to hear. They’re doing what they must. They need a tight hold on their supplies if they want to get people through this. They need supplies even to send expeditions after more.
And expeditions are a difficult prospect now. Those who ventured into the storm and returned have brought stories that spread faster than Isidor hoped. The Crossroads Cafe has become a semi-official hub for those travelling outside or keeping watch on the bounds, a safe resting place kept warm by the combined power of Pokemon and Persona. In the long dark nights, people sit around the tables and share what they've seen, what they've heard from this scout or that refugee. Whispered tales of the creatures out there hunting in packs, hounding people from rooftops, even tearing open walls to reach them…
No-one goes out alone, now. Those brave enough to take the risk go in groups and arm themselves with the best weapons they can find. Sometimes they’re a risk to themselves. Not everyone knows how to handle that black market plasma pistol they picked up two days past. Not all of their team-mates keep their nerve when a figure looms out of the snows beside them. Sometimes it’s hard to tell who’s run afoul of monsters, and who of their own folly. Safer, but little less brave, are the people recruited to keep watch on that shifting line of torches. Just a precaution. The creatures don’t come past it, everyone says. But quietly, everyone doubts.
There've been bright moments, too. A strange alchemist comforting a lost child. An expedition team fighting their way home, back to back. Families brought safely through the snow by soldiers and wizards, by heroes young and old and sometimes surprising. A volunteer cook stepping up to prepare, if not quite a hundred thousand meals, then something that feels close. A young man saving the life of a stranger who'd threatened him. The past weeks have seen people who may never have known one another before come together to offer a blanket, or guiding words, or a helping hand in a search. Small moments, glowing reminders of how much good the people of the Nexus have on their side. But the Winter goes on, and the winds never get less bitter, and the smiles get more strained with every day.
Slowly the line of torches close on the Plaza, a noose no-one can afford to flee. Sheltered space is at a premium. Most of those who remain are settled as close to the centre as they can be. Whether in the big public bunker or the Cafe, people find themselves crammed all together, and tempers regularly fray among residents not too cold and exhausted for fighting. The more responsible Nexus-goers find themselves trying to duck out of (or break up) fights, or spending hours stuffing drafty accommodation with any insulation they can find. There’s snow to be shoveled from doors, pipes to be defrosted, bandages to be changed. Anything’s better than dealing with the problem of working bathrooms.
At one end of the Plaza headquarters, a makeshift screen has been dragged into place to give a semblance of privacy to Isidor’s desk. It’s painfully early in the morning, though the nights are so long and the days so dim beneath the storm clouds there’s little sense of time any more. There’s no-one around yet to wonder about the meeting going on. The only people present are Isidor, Lyall and a handful of senior volunteers – those who remain. Blaze-37 crouches by a makeshift fireplace, stacking the salvaged wood just right before she punches it lightly, setting it alight with the flames that ripple over her fist. The other robot, Ghost, is hovering over the desk playing flashlight for them, shining a pale beam over the maps and reports laid out there. Light, too, is a precious resource, as batteries die and outlets are lost to encroaching Winter. It’s the only reason those here have gotten sleep. They work until they have no light to work by.
“Shouldn’t we wait for Suou?” the Guardian asks when Isidor says they can begin.
“Officer Suou won’t be coming.”
That’s part of why they’re here, Isidor explains. The torches’ march has taken them past the Grand Library. The Crossroads Café is now on the very edge of the safe zone, along with all the people sheltering there. Katsuya’s magic is the only thing that will protect it. He can’t leave. It’s a turning point that only drives home the larger problem: they’re running out of time. They’re running out of everything. Most refugees are in some kind of shelter by now; what they lack is food to keep them alive and fuel to keep them warm. Isidor’s volunteers have counted heads and counted tins and counted everything backwards and forwards and the numbers never get better. Either they do something now, while they have the strength, or the meals will run dry in two weeks. Less, if anything goes wrong.
She lets that sink in. Nobody looks surprised: she’s confirming their worst suspicions and that gets a few flinches, but they understand. They talk, instead. By the time there’s a hint of daylight outside and someone knocks on the door for the first shot at rations, they have a plan. They need an expedition, bigger than any before. They need enough arms to discourage attack, the skills to get them to any buried supplies and the numbers to haul them back in quantity. Each of them walks away from the table with a mission in mind and an air of grim determination.
They have a job to do, and they’re going to need help.
((As before, so below: the main missions/subquests for the expedition prep are listed below. 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. The OOC Post can be found here! If you have any questions, feel free to message me or one of the mods!))
Threads of Note
Scouting the Expedition | A Fistful of Torches | Scrapyard Sweep | The Home Front | Medical Attention | Isidor's Expedition Call | Main Expedition: The Raid
no subject
And frowns for a moment. Now what was the point of getting everyone's hopes up? Doesn't the lady know that everyone is close to a breaking point. And if they go and give everyone such grandiose hope like this... what happens if for some reason the mission is unsuccessful?
She also wonders about which scouts had found the food. Wonders why they were so damn fortunate. Wonders how much of the food was taken for the scouts first...
When a small line forms, Harley positions herself nearby the table, close enough to listen as others volunteer. And listen to their questions.
One thing is for certain... she is going to do everything she can to make this mission successful. But for now, she feels she would learn more by listening to everyone else before she approaches the head of the line.
no subject
"Hey there. Quinn, right? Something on your mind?"
no subject
"When I served with the Suicide Squad... we would get missions briefs. And the information provided was pretty basic... only what Waller felt we could handle. And there was always something kept from the people who were going on the mission. Something that usually turned out to be pretty damn important." Harley twirls to face the Blaze. "And I can't help but think that vital information is being left out about this mission."
"Ms Durant and Captain Kirk are used to leading lots of people. Which means they are also used to only providing certain information to certain people. Normally, they have the luxury of knowing which of their officers are skilled in what. And can apply the information appropriately."
"But for this mission... not a lot of the people who volunteered have been in situations like this before. We are a ragtag team that has to work together, and doesn't have a lot of time to train together, before we have to head out."
"So I get the feeling that there is details that we ain't being told. And maybe it is because Ms Durant and Captain Kirk don't know if they can trust anybody else with that information... but it is our butts that are going to be out there."
"And there are a few who are heading into this pissed off. Which means as much as they are being told this is not about revenge... I betcha any of them are looking to right the wrongs against them. But are they truly ready for that? To get blood on their hands? To kill?"
Harley stares away for a moment. "And is there a plan to even protect the team when they come back to camp with the food? People are awfully hungry right now. There have been fights over the rations already. Are we prepared to have to fight our own people, so they don't get overzealous at the sight of us returning to camp?"
no subject
"Kirk and Durant? What makes you think they're keeping anything from us? What is there to hide, even? We only learned what our enemy is today, and I'm the one with data to spill on that." She frowns intensely at Harley. "Besides- I don't know, maybe Durant's the type. But you think Kirk over there is keeping back anything that could help? He can barely hide the way his hands shake."
...Ghost is too far away to hiss at her to be tactful.
Still puzzled, the Titan folds her arms. Glances at the rest of the volunteers. "As for the others, well, some of 'em are soldiers already. They know what they're in for. Are the rest ready? No. Pretty damned sure they ain't. But we don't have the luxury of picking and choosing. Who's willing and able, goes. We'll worry about psych workups if they survive for it to matter. You raise a good point about security when we come back, though. Best check with Lyall. Most people here are so hungry you could push them over right now, but I don't want to have to get rough with civilians. Won't end well. If he doesn't have something planned, you'd better get him working on it."
no subject
"But as for me? Neither of them know me very well. I get it... they have no reason to trust me. And like I said... I have worked for a 'General' before who was far too happy to put my life on the line, wait back at command and not give a fuck if I even achieved the job, let alone if I came back alive."
"And as a result, right now, I don't have a lot of faith in those in command. I have been burned too many times by too many people."
"I really don't know how I can change that. Not when they ain't in any condition to make a bond... a connection. None of us are."
"Listen. I am a soldier. I might be a bother on the field, but if you tell me to go a certain direction... I will do it. I am glad you are thinking about psych workups... because a lot of people will need it."
"Lyall. I can do that. A lot of people don't think the way I do. But in my world... civilians wouldn't think anything about attacking each other for an advantage." Harley shrugs her shoulders.
no subject
But probably not if they start entertaining baseless suspicions of each other. Blaze shakes her head and looks back at Harley.
"Sounds to me like you're being paranoid. Is there actually something they've refused to tell you about? Any questions they've been avoiding? Because I haven't seen a thing that makes me think they're holding out on anyone. Hell, if I thought they were I'd go shake 'em upside down until they spilled the intel."
no subject
"The Nexus is usually the place where people will gladly help others out. But right now? When we can't even give up food to help another. Or give a blanket, otherwise we go cold."
"We are working ourselves to the bone to take care of everyone. But we still have to take care of ourselves too."
"And right now, I am just asking the hard questions, to make sure we got our ducks in a row to get that food back home."
no subject
On the bright side, that’s better than having a genuine reason for concern. She kinda wishes Ghost would get back over here, right now. Dealing with people isn’t her strong suit.
“Look, this winter hasn’t made anyone’s choices easier. But we’re still together on this. If you’re a soldier, then you know that out in the field you need to trust your comrades. And your commander. Just like the rest of us will be trusting you – Kirk included.” He’ll be out there with them, after all. Ghost eyed him when he said it, but so far it’s still on the cards. She shrugs her armored shoulders. “There anything else you want to know?”
no subject
"Hey. I will do everything I can to protect the others on the team."
"Good to know the sense of the chain of command. I will talk to Lyall about making sure there is security protocols to those here, so there is no swarming the team when they come back with the food."