[let loose before it tears you apart] - OTA!

[kestreldawn]

WHO: Jyn Erso + YOU!
WHERE: De Chima Laser Tag (idk if it doesn't exist, just make it up)
WHEN: June 3rd
WHAT: LAAAAAAAAASER TAAAAAAAAG pew pew pew.
WARNINGS: None that I can think of, but will update as needed.

[The morning of June 3rd, everyone receives an invitation. It looks something like this:



When the actual time rolls around, Jyn is standing just inside the facility, arranging the last-minute details with the owners/managers of the place. Having already talked it over with Revan before, they will each be commanding separate, opposing teams for the first round - and further, if voted to do so. But the purpose of the outing isn't to make teams or "us" vs. "them" situations. It's to blow off some steam, do something physically active and mentally stimulating but also enjoyable, and (if Jyn is to be honest, which she won't be about this), to keep her marksmanship skills on the up and up.

As you arrive, she approaches you and greets you with as warm a welcome that she can muster. This includes a twitch of a smile and some version of the words, "You made it."]

Comments

GROUP PAINTBALL THREADS

[kestreldawn]

INDIVIDUAL THREADS

[kestreldawn]

[continuousgroaning]

[It's a Saturday afternoon and Tina's got nothing better to do, so she decides to take up Jyn's invitation and check out the laser tag place. She's not very athletic and not very good with a laser gun, but Tina will suit up and and give it a good try, anyway.

She's not very good and will probably get hit a lot more often than she manages to hit someone in return, but she's still obviously enjoying herself.]

Jacob Taylor | OTA

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

Jacob is solidly on Revan's team for this game- he's known the guy for years by now. Anyone meeting Jacob for the first time before or after a match will find an affable, relaxed, approachable man in exceptional physical shape, a guy who's perfectly happy to meet people and exchange a few casual words about the game or anything else. If any new players need help getting the hang of the game's gear and tactics, Jacob will be happy to lend a hand.

All that's going to change once the actual shooting starts, though. Jacob is a veteran combat soldier with keen instincts, dead aim, and a fierce competitive streak, and he views this outing as a tactical training exercise as much as an excuse to blow off steam. Anyone who's on his team will find their back being covered by a supportive and reliable ally who is 100% dedicated to doing his best to win. Anyone on the other team? They might want to watch out.

[h2no]

[archie hasn't actually been to laser tag ever before in his life, but this is completely his aesthetic. he has a seemingly endless supply of stamina, running through the course and even manages to grab another gun at some point. isn't that cheating? archie doesn't care.

he hops up onto a prop in the middle of one of the rooms and yells:]

I CLAIM THIS LAND IN THE NAME OF TEAM AQUA! BWAHAHAHA!

[kestreldawn]

[Jyn recognizes the girl from the very short video clip she'd sent out on the network, before switching to text. She approaches her casually and as non-threateningly as possible, thumbs hooked into the pockets of her trousers as she strolls up, expression as pleasant and neutral as she can manage.] Tina, right? I hadn't expected you to come. [She pauses, realizing how that sounds, and quickly adds:] But it's good to see you, in person this time.

[kestreldawn]

[Jyn facepalms, rather obviously, from her hiding spot behind a repurposed barrel of sorts. She's not too far from where Archie has suddenly taken to making a very loud, very public decree, and she tries to get his attention without giving away her position.] That is .. not how you do it, Archie.

[kestreldawn]

Jyn doesn't recognize the man who's seemingly already aligned himself with Revan, but she expected for there to be many a stranger she didn't recognize by sight. She approaches casually and warmly, allowing for a natural progression by lurking in a rather wide orbit around him to open up the conversation. Once the opportunity strikes, she extends a hand and addresses him more directly.

"Tanith," she says, having decided to use her alias in a public event like this. She isn't sure just who might be showing up, and there's a handful of people she'd rather not reveal her true identity to. Better to be safe than horrifically sorry later on. "I don't believe we've met before."

[continuousgroaning]

[Tina smiles back and nods, taking the comment in stride.]

Uhm, I'm not all that good at shooting things, but I figured it would be a nice way to get out and meet new people. And connect with people I've spoken to before. I spent a few weeks holed up in my house and sulking and decided I'd had enough of that.

[h2no]

I CAN'T HEAR YOU OVER HOW CLAIMED THIS LAND IS!!

[archie laughs loudly, a clearly practiced supervillain cackle.]

COME GET ME!

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

"Hi, Tanith." Jacob takes her hand in a firm, warm grip. His smile is small, but genuine. "I'm Jacob Taylor. Thanks for putting this game together- it looks like a lot of fun."

He has done a few laser tag and paintball events while an imPorts, ranging from painful military exercises to sillier recreational outings. This one feels like it's going to strike a good balance between the two, but they'll find out for sure once the games begin.

[kestreldawn]

You don't have to be all that good at it, but if you want pointers or the basics, just ask. [There's a tone in her voice to indicate .. she knows all about guns, and sort of wishes she didn't.]

Sulking can be useful sometimes, but it's best to take the energy and divert it towards something useful, so it's good you came.

[kestreldawn]

Oh my god.

- Also, hang on - how did you get two guns?

[kestreldawn]

Jyn returns his firm handshake with one of her own. It's perhaps stronger than her size and stature would let on, but certainly not threatening in any manner. She nods in acknowledgement.

"Jacob," she repeats. "Hopefully. Hopefully there'll be enough people who show up to make it a real game." She withdraws her hand and slips it into her pocket, glancing around at the still mostly empty facility. It's early, so she isn't all that worried, but the whole point of the thing had been to try and meet others (and, secretly, perform some reconn over who might have marksmanship as a skill).

"I've never done lasertag like this before. You?"

[h2no]

I LEARNT HOW TO DISARM PEOPLE!!

[he fires off some lasers in random directions.]

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

"Yeah, a few times. It can be a lot of fun. But I've never done it with the whole Network invited." Jacob's smile broadens. "You might get more takers than you planned for. Hope you're ready to handle a lot of imPorts playing with lasers."

Jacob helped run a training exercise out of RISE headquarters last year. It hadn't quite been the same as laser tag, but the experience had left him with a healthy respect for the organizational and practical challenges of making something like this run smoothly.

[continuousgroaning]

I might take you up on that. Maybe I'll be better than I think, though. And if not, I can always hide with my powers. [She demonstrates by passing her arm through her gun with her intangibility.]

I got bored sulking, to be honest. I'm used to working, so doing nothing just feels... kinda bad.

INDIVIDUAL THREADS

[am_i_a_monster]

Abigail is enjoying herself, finding cover and shooting others, then making a run for it, finding more cover and shooting again. Her aim is excellent from years of practice. It's much more fun to shoot when it's only lasers. No living creature gets hurt and she can show off her skills. Win-win. She grins as she fires off another shot.

[candor1]

[Cassian was relieved he'd decided not to participate, and that Jyn was all right with it. Plus it gave him more time to prepare some challenges he was plotting for the HOPE kids. But that relief of possible stress, and the work finishing in good shape, made his mind turn again to Jyn, and, rather than the worry of whether faux-combat would taste too much of actual combat for his sanity, think about her skillful grace in such motion, and how enjoyable that might be to watch freed of any actual danger to either of them. It could also be… interesting… (if possible more suspenseful) to see Kay in action—armed. But perhaps there would be banter.

He wasn't sure how long it would go, but neither Jyn nor Kay had returned home yet, so he headed over. At the very least, he could walk one or both of them back. If it was still going, he could take a look in.]

[kestreldawn]

[She continues to whisper while periodically checking her surroundings for anyone from the opposing team.]

I don't think that's the objective!

[kestreldawn]

"That's sort of the hope," Jyn admits with a faint smile. "Worse comes to worse, we can play in shifts; let people rotate so everyone gets a fair amount of playing time. Or as much as they can handle." She considers him quietly for a moment before gesturing towards him with a flick of her chin. "Military?"

[kestreldawn]

Your pow - oh. [That's .. one she hasn't seen before. Her brows lift with curious surprise.] You've gotten a handle on how to use them? Your powers, I mean?

What sort of job did they set you up with here?

[kestreldawn]

[Jyn has easily picked up on Abigail's skill with a gun. The girl had mentioned she'd gone hunting with her dad some time back, but Jyn is still impressed. She dives behind a set of crates, clutching her laser gun to her chest, and glances over to see Abigail. She keeps her voice purposefully low as she repositions herself onto her knees to be able to move quickly if needed.]

You weren't lying when you said you were good.

[kestreldawn]

[Jyn's caught in the arena, mind focused on the game at-hand, which seems to be working wonders in terms of filtering out the others' thoughts. It's the most quiet she's gotten in a while outside of Cassian's forcefields. But his sudden arrival pierces through the haze of lasers, simulated fog, and obnoxiously loud music almost instantaneously, and her head snaps towards the door in time to see him walking through.

She can't react much or she'll draw unwanted attention, but she quickly sends him a thought: I'm happy you came.]

[am_i_a_monster]

[Abigail grins.]

Thank you.

[She looks off at a quiet spot in another direction, where she can make out the edge of a vest flashing on someone hiding. She aims her rifle and shoots him.]

This is fun. Are you having fun?

[She asks in a whisper, not wanting to call attention to where they are.]