JANUARY SWEAR-IN: DEATH ISLAND

[ghoulking]

WHO: Everyone!
WHERE: Death Sacrifice Island, New Zealand
WHEN: 13th January
WHAT: SWEARING-IN TIME, on the beautiful Island of New Zealand, Sacrifice Island.
WARNINGS: None so far

Welcome everyone to Sacrifice Island, once known as “Death Island” (and still called so by many). Located in the beautiful country of New Zealand, and under their government’s jurisdiction, Sacrifice Island is a place where investigation and scientific development happens: it’s the headquarters for Onward Research Station, laboratories that hope to learn how to neutralize the effects on humans/animals of chemical/biological weapons.

But this island holds dark history as well. It was in this very same place that seven young imPorts permanently lost their lives on October 3rd 2008. This tragedy deeply marked the history of United States and all Heroes of the nation, and is remembered with heavy heart. With hopes to never forget these painful events but to also look for a brighter future, United States of America and New Zealand both joined their hands and decided to raise a memorial for the lives lost at the island.

This memorial will be inaugurated on the 13th January along with the Swearing-In ceremony for the new heroes who have arrived this month. Media has been invited as well as this is too a political event to strengthen relationships between New Zealand and USA. Old and new imPorts are all welcome to come and pay their respects to the Heroes who are gone, swear their allegiance to the US government (or not), forge relations with a foreign country or simply show their presences during this event. Whatever reason one has, they will be welcomed.


TRAVEL

Thanks to the interest of many, an airbus has been generously loaned for free in order to fly the imPorts to Death Sacrifice Island. The airbus includes a dining area and each imPort has their own little cubicle, with chairs that can be converted into a bed. The trip will take a while for sure, so the travelers are welcome to mingle while they are on air, meet the new faces, and try some delicious airplane food. Or they can try sleeping, if other imPorts are quiet enough.

Because it's a long flight, there will be many movies to choose from: there is a strangely big collection of Adam Sandler movies, and apparently the big hit has both Adam Sandler AND Jerry Seinfeld and tells the story of a Wasp that falls in love with a Human, while it leads a rebellion against the humankind. If you aren't into Wasp movies, well- good luck picking something else that isn't as amazing.

ISLAND

Miss the hot summer weather? Well, New Zealand certainly has a lot of it to offer. The weather is the kind that would invite anyone for a swim, even though it’s not one of the activities offered during the Swear-In; in fact, the island has no beaches as it’s surrounded by cliffs. The island itself is beautiful, with a lot of greenery indigenous to the country, forming large forests through the island’s surface and surrounding the research center. There are no animals roaming around, with the exception of some birds (do not expect Kiwis, though), but imPorts are warned not to go too deep into the island’s forests or they might get lost.

At the east area of the island, stands the top of the art Onward Research Station, near the only beach the island offers. The airbus will land not too far away, in a small flight track that crosses the green forest, and imPorts will be directed to the center where they will be greeted by scientists, politicians and, of course, a lot of media.

Onward Research Station is white, clean, and shiny. Everything looks like it has been double or triple sterilized and visitors can almost see their reflections on every surface. The technology is probably the best you’d find in the entire nation: quick silent hoover carts that transport people and objects from a section to another, trays that hoover with food, snacks and drinks, and holograms of several scientists that made a difference while working at the Research Station can be found on specific marked areas. ImPorts that wish to know a bit more about the place will have the chance to press a button for a holographic guide who will tell them the story of the Center, their researches and hopes for the future.

However, since Onward focus on chemical and biological weapon studies, much of the area is very much Off Limits to prevent accidental contamination. There will be security (physical and electronically) to stop people from snooping around and causing huge accidents.

The center has allowed local tourism to be part of this. New Zealand certainly wishes to show their own culture, and thus there will be many who are eager to share it with the new comers. Talks of their fauna and flora, their national bird as well, history of Maori who voyaged across the Pacific, good old Rugby, and of course mentions of certain really popular fantasy movies that have been filmed there – one can certainly become immerse in this lovely world. Not so far away, there is also a buffet area with a lot of variety, all typical New Zealand dishes, including Maori dishes naturally. Try Hangi, or lamb, or delicious sea food, and end your meal with good wine and cheese.

Photographers, journalists, paparazzi will be everywhere. Not just for US ImPort Heroes, but due to the political connotations this meeting has as well. It’s no surprise that apart from “who are you wearing”, heavier and much more serious questions will be asked, involving politics, past events, current political feelings, where and for whom imPorts stand for.

The nearby beach isn’t amazing, but they worked really hard to change that. The whole area was cleaned as well, with new, white and shiny pavement that leads visitors to a special area: the memorial. There is a huge marble wall with the names of those imPorts who’ve lost their lives; there is a screen as well, and whenever someone touches one of the names said screen will activate show a video of the selected imPort while a voice tells the visitors a little about their life and death. Nearly, there is another holographic guide who, when activated, will tell the story of Death Island.

MEMORIAL

Anyone can access this history by checking out the Memorial, but in the afternoon, everyone will be invited to the beach. Here, imPorts and everyone else will be taught the dark history of the island by a spokeswoman dressed in white, while the screen on the Memorial Marble wall shows the lost imPorts.

“A scientist who held hatred for the imPorts used this island as his private base of operations, where he built a deadly ray and threatened to use this weapon against the United States. Seven imPorts heroically followed to investigate, only to find this ray permanently end their lives. These heroes and their tragic deaths are today remembered by us all, a memory of a dark and sad past – but we too hold on to hope, hope their deaths were not in vain, and hope we can rebuild and move forward.”

The speech is met with solemn nods and soft applause, while the names of the Heroes show on the screen:
DAVID GREEN; Chosen, age 19
MAGENTA MOVELLO; Mauve Avenger, age 17
IRA BRAUNSTEIN; Power Prince, age 21
JUDE BYEON; Bludgeon, age 17
CAROL "CARRIE" KING; Reign, age 18
MASON LOCKLEAR; Entropy, age 16
MALIK ISAIAH MARCHETTI; Journey, age 40

After, the woman will give stand to few more people who will give their own words about the memorial and the events of Death Island, including a New Zealand Minister and also an imPort: Tohru Adachi.

Once speeches have been spoken, people are welcomed to leave white flowers near the marble wall and learn more about the personal lives of each lost hero by touching their names and watching the movie about each. For those who don’t wish to stick around, the buffet area is always open, and people are more than welcome to return to their activities.

RETURN

The event will be over late night, and all imPorts will be brought back to the airbus. Since there are records who came on the airbus, it’s better not to try to stay behind – as welcoming as they were, those who work at Sacrifice Island have no plans to accommodate everyone more than necessary.

Media will be the first to leave, followed by imPorts and finally every politician involved. Once up in the air, the airplane lights will be turned to minimum, to allow imPorts some well needed rest. That is, if they want. Sorry if your neighbor is noisy.

Comments

[theycalledmeacurse]

You're right, I—

[ Turning back to the crowd even for a brief moment has caught the attention of a particularly tenacious reporter who is now moving in a controlled sprint toward them, phone in hand to record whatever happens. He's already blurting out a question about Rogue's views on recent ImPort actions and the expression she wears is pure deer in headlights. ]

Please, I really don't want to answer any questions right now.

[redcosmedic]

[ The reporter seems unlikely to deter based on how he's bearing down at them, and Knock Out's driver door pops open to form an unlikely barrier between Rogue and the oncoming freight train of a reporter. ]

Get in.

[theycalledmeacurse]

[ She doesn't hesitate to follow the order, slipping inside quickly. Her hands automatically go to the wheel, needing to hold on to something tangible as she watches the man outside. ]

Thank you, Knock Out.

[redcosmedic]

[ The reporter is unhappy with her escape, leaning close and trying unsuccessfully to see through the black tint of the windows, before tapping the glass. There are red lights inset in the dash and the steering wheel that pulse when Knock Out addresses him with a saccharine geniality. ]

I feel it's only fair to warn you that if you do that again, you may find eighty thousand volts passing through you. A purely involuntary reaction, you must understand, to being pawed at without permission. Tell me, how is your palliative medical coverage?

[ The reporter wisely decides to back off. ]

[theycalledmeacurse]

[ The laugh that sputters out of Rogue is rough around the edges, the sensation still strange after so many years of having no reason to laugh at anything. But it feels good all the same, a lifting of a weight on her chest bringing a sense of relief. ]

I appreciate you warning him first, sugar. [ Because she has no doubt that he would have done the thing or at least something to a similar effect. ]

[redcosmedic]

[ primly: ] It wasn't for him. Humans tend to do all sorts of messy things when you electrocute them, and I just washed my tires.

[ a pause ]

Are you all right?

[theycalledmeacurse]

[ It reminds her of something someone else would say, which just endears him to her even further. How strange it is to remember the terror she'd felt at seeing him transform that first day, especially now when he's offered her sanctuary like this. ]

I will be.

[ Which means no, she isn't, but it's better not to say that outright. People usually don't know how to respond to things like that. With a sigh, she bends forward, folding her arms on the steering wheel and leaning her head against them. ]

Do you mind if I stay here for a bit?

[redcosmedic]

[ Knock Out remains blissfully unaware that she's getting more and more attached to him, something that would surely confound him if he did know. He offers her neither condolences nor reassurance when she says that she'll be all right eventually. It's not his thing.

Neither, he suspects, will overstaying her welcome in his interior be Rogue's, so he agrees to her request. ]

That's fine.

[ He'll keep conversation up if Rogue initiates wanting to talk about something other than the memorial, but otherwise he'll let her have quiet. ]

[theycalledmeacurse]

[ No, she certainly won't outstay her welcome. Of all things, Rogue is most keenly aware of any time she might be a burden on others - a holdover from a childhood of being passed from one family to another, then forced to flee a home where she was no longer wanted. She is more than aware of how quickly that welcome can be rescinded, and she doesn't wish to have that between them. ]

I wish it would rain.

[ Then everyone would go inside and she could pay her respects in peace. There's little chance of that happening though, unless someone here has weather powers she could borrow. ]

[redcosmedic]

[ There's a minute vibration through the seat as Knock Out chuckles at the apparent non-sequitur, though his voice seems to come more or less from the dash now that she's inside. The car's interior is so deceptively normal, a perfect copy of its scanned model, save for the gentle pulse of the red biolights. ]

I wouldn't mind the rain here if it weren't for the mud it makes, but what can you expect from a planet named after dirt?

[ His tone is light, almost jaunty. ]

Though certainly it's preferable to the iron-ammonia rains on Cybertron. What humans call 'acid rain' here on Earth barely qualifies.

[theycalledmeacurse]

[ The comment about mud makes her smile a little. He seems awfully concerned about his appearance, between the disdain for mud and the earlier desire to avoid getting something unsavory on his tires - though, she supposes it's not just appearance but perhaps cleanliness as well. And who can really fault anyone for that? ]

Well, that sounds like all kinds of horrible. Did you have that rain often?

[redcosmedic]

Sometimes, more often in the southern and western hemispheres of the planet.

The region of Stanix was particularly bad, but when it wasn't raining, the Acid Wastes had the most enthralling sunsets. There was neutronic fallout in the atmosphere which-- imagine your "Northern Lights", but so close you could almost touch it, and every colour of the spectrum.

[theycalledmeacurse]

Something beautiful coming out of something horrible.

[ The words are soft, but she's sure he'll hear them. What he described... If only her world had had some beauty come out of all that destruction. Lifting her head, she leans back against the seat and gazes out the window at the bright world around them. ]

Is there anything you like about Earth that's different from your home?

[ Is there anything worth saving in his eyes? ]

[redcosmedic]

[ If Rogue only knew what the origin of the Acid Wastes was, she might not think that attractive sky phenomenon could even begin to offset it, but that had been in the far past even by Knock Out's standards of time. Certainly not the thing to bring up when he was hoping she would calm down. ]

You have exceptional automobiles, and I like your horror films. Drive-in theaters in general are an excellent accomplishment.