maskormenacelogs | They will not control us

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They will not control us

WHO: Members of the Soviet Occupation Resistance
WHERE: Helix Station Maurtia falls
WHEN: After the Seminar
WHAT: Several imports responsible for the Resistance gather to discuss the daunting task of liberating the porter cities
WARNINGS: Possible mentions of violence, brainwashing, etc. Will update as necessary.

Just months earlier the Helix Station was the target of a terrorist attack bent on destroying the moral and sense of security of imports and their way of life. However, with the combined might of those imports visiting for the Swear-in (and a little support from Revan's preparations), they had won the day.

A symbol could be a powerful thing. People often don't realize just how much impact hope and certainty has on their day to day lives. It can give one power, the will to carry on through adversity, and encourages people to be brave and seek out new limits.

With the battle of the Swear-in still relatively fresh everyone's minds, now was Revan's chance to try and cement that feeling of triumph. By pulling on the various connections he'd established and wind them around and through the Helix Station, all of that energy would be focused, centralized on his base. In time, the idea of where to go in the event of an emergency, what to trust, or possibly, who to reach out to, would become automatic. And more powerful.

Eventually people might come to see the Helix Station as such a symbol.

Over the last couple weeks members of the Resistance have been gathering intel and contemplating ways to counter the occupation and the threat it represents. But it was about time the put their heads together and share what they knew.

Word of the meeting would slip through the community on word of mouth only, and only to those who could be trusted to keep the secret to all but the most trustworthy. And with the word came an invitation, to pool our resources and efforts so that we might find a way to overcome this tactical nightmare.

The actual meeting place is in the large wing offshooting from the main complex: The base of the Import criminal task force RISE. What was once a gym is now a warehouse full of gear, bunks for on duty RISE members, and a separate room off to the side with a conference table where the gathering will mostly be centered.

(OOC:Please feel free to label your thread with Topic if you're looking to take the floor. And people can tag into your header to discuss that aspect of the meeting.)

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[ With the intercity porters under heavy surveillance, most attendants coming from outside of Maurtia Falls will do so via Kanaya's portals. She'll be the first face they see when they arrive in Helix Station, and she'll get them up to speed on whatever is already known or being discussed, or point you elsewhere if she doesn't know. She looks very tired, as if she's been doing a lot of this over the past week. Even after she's closed whatever portal you arrived in, she probably still has some cluster of green Space threads tied around her wrist, stretching out into who knows where.

Once the meeting's underway, Kanaya stands from her side of the table, moving the baby basket in front of her into the next chair, its resident giving her a confused chirp. ]

Well, I suppose we'l need somewhere to start. Doubtless that we've all been working plenty to gather as much information as we can since this started. Hopefully, once we've put all of that together, we'll have some fuller picture of what can be done. So, here's mine.

I'm sure many of you have been wondering what happened to the Americans whose positions were overthrown, whether they're even still alive, or casualties of the takeover. Well, I've been looking for them, and you may be pleased to know that I've found Captain Ananke. The Soviets have her in a prison of their own.

I suppose...how much they'll necessarily be ale to do to help us end this is questionable. But, all the same, if we are able to deploy the resources, I think we should do what we can to help. It could be that she will be glad to return the favor.

[ ooc: feel free to tag her either at the meeting, or on arriving to the station! ]

[Olivier, meanwhile, has four giant maps of the imPort cities on the wall dotted with pushpins to represent Soviet troops as well as her own weapons caches. She grabs a handful of colored pins and doesn't look back at Kanaya as she talks.] We can't rule out that there was collaboration from the top ranks. It's possible that it's a ruse.

But I think the benefits outweigh the risks. What do you know about her prison?

[When Jacob stands to speak, he's brief and direct. He leans over the table, resting his weight on his knuckles, looking a little drained from the depredations of the Seminar.]

I know we need to focus on how we're going to get out of this, but I also want to talk about what comes next. If we get our chance against the Soviets- when we get our chance- all Hell is going to break loose in all four cities. We have to make sure those places and their people are still standing when it's all over. So I want to hear ideas about sheltering civilians, evacuating them from combat, and keeping collateral damage down to a minimum during a major battle. Because I don't think this is going to end without a battle.

[Heiji's mostly quiet during the meeting. The seminar's made him do a lot of thinking, about what might be best for people and if fighting them was really the right thing to do, but at the end of the day, the citizens of Maurtia Falls were his people. Russian. American. Didn't matter. He didn't put on the uniform for fun, after all. He was here to save lives.

He never realized just how little he'd understood Kudo's situation with the Black Organization. He thought he did, thought he knew what his friend was going through, but this near war was proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that he hadn't. Not even a little.

At Jacob's words he finally leans forward over the map of Maurtia Falls. It's been almost a year since he's met the man, but a lot's happened, and he's glad to work with him again.]

I don't know about th' other cities, but we've got two bomb shelters here. I got their last month when imports first went missin'. The entrances are secure and easy t'get to.

I couldn't do much on my own, but if I can get a few more hands we can stock it with food and blankets.

Aside from that the city's just got a standard evac plan for disasters. [He points out a few routes on the map.] We'd need t'move fast. I've looked this over a lot, if a fight breaks out, people're gonna have a hard time gettin' to safety.

[Jacob nods as Heiji speaks, then comes around the table to join him by the map.]

Okay. Stocking the shelters should be the easy part. Just need a few volunteers to help you. Evacuation might be harder with the military and police force out of commission.

[He shakes his head.]

There aren't enough of us imPorts to handle traffic and crowd movement on our own. Especially if most of us are fighting off the Russians. We'll need some help.

I know some officers. No one high up, we're all just traffic cops, but they know me. Give me enough time get em ready. We can all badge up and get people movin'.

[He points to a few specific intersections.] Biggest thing I think we can do right now is get some signs ready. The PD has some, but I don't know if we can get to em without alertin' anyone.

An' I can map out evac routes, but we'll need someone to be able to put up signs fast so people move away from danger.

Y'know anyone who can teleport?

Yeah... the Russians will have those supplies monitored. Better if we make our own.

[He straightens up from the map, and nods over the table to where Kanaya is standing.]

I can vouch for Kanaya as a teleporter. But even she can't move an entire city's worth of people. Unless you know anybody who can boost other powers?

I do, actually. Someone with my team goin' into Russia. She can amplify. Had a couple people who could move through shadows, too, but one of em I don't know how t'get ahold of.

Had someone fast on his feet, too. They wouldn't need to move people themselves, but if they could get the signs up we could get people movin' a helluva lot faster.

[Jacob allows himself to get off-topic for an instant, raising an eyebrow.]

You were in Russia last month, Heiji? I didn't know. What was it like over there?

[Jacob already knows his young ally has plenty of nerve when it comes to facing vicious criminals, but heading overseas into the heart of the Soviet Union is a whole different level. Jacob himself was only skirmishing with a Russian detachment in Antarctica during the January crisis, and that had been a plenty tough enough fight.]

[He lets one shoulder rise and fall. They hadn't seen a whole lot of action in general. Skirmishes, really. Their mission had been to get in and out as quietly as possible.]

T'be honest? Not that different. Outside've the government the people're just...people. Just like here. Just like back home. [This potential battle sits badly with him for several reasons, only part of them having anything to do with what the seminar drilled into their heads.]

I doubt most of em even know what th' hell is goin' on over here.

[Jacob nods. His team had ended up fighting tanks. Unfortunately, the intelligence they had retrieved about the imminent occupation hadn't made a great deal of difference in preventing the current disaster. Which leaves the imPort community where it is now: underground, beaten down, struggling to resist.]

Sounds about right. We've all seen what Soviet propaganda is like. And the government there controls the media completely. I wouldn't be surprised if most of their people think the Russians really are here to do us a favour.

[If the Seminar is any indication, people in the Soviet Union aren't given any choice to think anything but the Party line.]

Everyone thinks we need 'favours' when th' only thing most of us want from this world is the ability t'choose whether we stay or go home.

[He doesn't think they should be fighting, but doesn't see how any kind of agreement can be made anymore. Neither party would be interested in a truce at this point. So he'll save as many people as he can in the meantime.]

Yeah. That's a favour I'd be glad to have.

[He shakes his head, then returns to the maps.]

All right. Let's say we've got teleporters and speed powers to work with. Which cities should we focus on the most? Nonah has the most people- and the most enemies. I'd call that a high-risk area for civilian casualties if there's a battle.

There aren't that many imports in Nonah, same as here. Most of em live in Heropa or De Chima. If a fight breaks out in Nonah, they've got nothin'.

If we can draw their forces away then we can avoid civilian casualty there. They don't seem interested in hurtin' the people, they want us. Avoiding a battle in Nonah would be th' best option.

[ D'Artagnan listens for large parts of the meeting, generally a quiet presence. Because of that, you'd be forgiven for thinking that he was taking all of this quite well. He stays where he's been all along, leaning against a wall with his arms folded across his chest. ]

You're all thinking it. I'm just going to say it.

[ ...honestly, you are probably not all thinking this. But when fools rush in, d'Artagnan is right there with them. ]

It's time for us to fight. We've played their game, watched their videos, sat through their seminars. It's time we made a move against them. I don't care whether the military is interested in defending their own land, or not.

We can lead this charge. I have a garrison of trained soldiers waiting for my word. Athos and I can lead them. The only way we're going to get these cities back is if we take them by force. I can't be the only one with allies ready to fight for what's theirs.

[the way he sees it, kavinsky is here because of callaghan. and certainly, he wouldn't be here were it not for the professor, who told him about olivier, the kinds of leadership that the imports have come to recognize for one reason or another. but he might be here too because he's angry and afraid. more for himself and his personal interests than the state of the nation, the sense of comraderie that these people seem to share, but maybe it all works out the same when there's this he has to do.

he's been sitting in the back, gaunt and twitchy, a duffel bag between his feet. fucking with his phone some of the time, taking a cigarette breaks when he has time, listening or not-listening, depending on the speaker. when the lanky frenchman gets up, though, kavinsky finally raises his head.]

Hey, [he says, straightening his skinny shoulders.] I gave the extra special toys to your girl Olivier, [yes, your girl olivier. he'll know better than to say shit like that someday. but that day is not today.] But you wanna blow shit up or shoot some Reds, I got something for that.

[ D'Artagnan lifts his eyebrows. Your girl Olivier?

He might have protested this, were it about anyone aside from Olivier. But she's more than capable of fighting her own battles, and d'Artagnan is not about to get in the middle of them. ]

I'm listening. What do you have in mind?

[ He doesn't know this boy, and doesn't recognize him. Perhaps he's new. It doesn't matter; d'Artagnan will take all the help he can get. ]

And what did you give to the Major-General, just so that I'm aware?

[kavinsky is eventually going to have to unlearn his habit of saying, your girl, your boy. nobody seems to like it.

or, possibly, that's why he's going to keep doing that forever.]

Gave her a couple devices that stop the power nullification, [he answers, hunching slightly.] Only lasts for half an hour, but then you're at full strength. We didn't come up with anything that can unfuck the other nanite stuff. You know, electric shocks, the-- [he tries to remember what callaghan said.] Radiation tolerance? [he waves a skinny hand.] That's about it.

But I can make guns. Gas bombs. Or at least their constituent parts. [he grins, his gaunt cheeks making it ghoulish.]

[ D’Artagnan turns to look at him, clearly more interested now. This boy looks like no kind of soldier, but beggars could not be choosers. Maybe he’s more than he seems.

Particularly if his claim is true. ]

So can I. And swords, guns. Whatever we need.

[ He moves closer, pushing off the wall. ]

But it doesn’t last. They vanish when I’m not thinking about them. Do yours?

[d'artagnan is entirely right. kavinsky is no soldier.

and normally, he doesn't usually respond too well to beggars at all. he likes to get paid, in a reasonable exchange of goods, money wherever available. sometimes he'll even settle for malicious pleasure, but right now, he finds himself prepared to make a large contribution and get nothing really in trade.

well. maybe a bunch of dead russians. malicious pleasure, maybe.]

Yeah, man, [he says, smiling.] I can keep it up for fucking ever.

[if he knew about the cost to the life forces around him, he probably wouldn't mention it. but this one time, kavinsky is genuinely ignorant of the prospective side-effects.]

[ Useful. More than useful; more useful than what d’Artagnan can do, and he has no shame in admitting that. If he had help like this it would mean less worry about whether he could hold the thread of a certain emotion, whether a momentary distraction could make his ordnance disappear. He’s practiced. He’s good at this, he knows he is, far better than he’d been at first, and most of his fuel comes from anger. With battle heat behind him, there’s little danger of him losing that.

But he’d rather there was none. So he smiles at the boy, and comes closer to him. ]

Show me.

Can you make a perfect replica? One of these.

[ He draws his own gun, a wheel-lock pistol. He doubts it’s the kind this boy would have seen before. If he could do this, he could do the rest. He holds it out. ]

It’s not loaded.

[there's a flicker of wariness behind kavinsky's eyes when the other young man comes closer. he doesn't lean back, but there's a telegraph to the urge in the slant of his skinny shoulders. the russians left their mark. he'd never admit it, but that's what happens when someone leaves a mark. it shows, whether or not you want it to.

but he hates them, and maybe that matters more.

he takes the wheel-lock firearm. turns it over in his hands, opens the bullet chamber to peer down the narrow opening. certainty makes his eyes go dead, fish-like. once upon a time, he was careless about dreaming in the presence of another weird kid with obvious violent tendencies. again, his hesitation isn't exactly obvious, but it's there for those who know what to look for.]

Like juicing yo' mama's pussy, [he says. and then he flips his palm up-- just kidding, but there's no apology on his face as he digs the bright green pill out of his pocket.] Three minutes. [he pops the noxious little pip, and his head goes slack on the back of the chair. his pulse stops.

for approximately one minute and forty-six seconds, it is not reassuring to look at.]

[ Suffice it to say, that is not what d'Artagnan expected. His mouth opens when he sees the pill, but it's in the boy's mouth before he has a chance to do anything about it, and then just like that, the boy is still.

D'Artagnan goes to him at once, checking the pulse at his neck. Nothing. What in God's name had he taken?! This isn't how d'Artagnan uses his power - which is immediately obvious, since the force of his sudden panic has made an array of swords appear in mid-air and clatter to the ground around them. ]

I need help over here!

[ He shouts that to the room as a whole, and then focuses on the boy. ]

Why did you do that. For God's sake, wake up.

[ If that pulse doesn't return quickly, Kavinsky will find himself waking up on the floor, with d'Artagnan leaning close to check for breathing. ]

[it doesn't feel like long for kavinsky, who has the luxury of being unconscious.

for d'artagnan, though, the seconds probably stretch out uncomfortably long. a human starts to experience irreversable brain damage from hypoxia in under five minutes, and one does not have to be from a world with contemporary medicine to have stories of those who come back broken, or stranger, weaker in hand or thought.

thus: kavinsky wakes up on the floor.

with an unattractive wheeze, short-lived, nothing too dramatic. maybe a dab of mouth spray up in d'artagnan's ear, before kavinsky is nudging the musketeer aside with one numb-fingered hand so that he doesn't accidentally or almost inhale some of the frenchman's beautiful brunette locks.]

Here's your shit, [kavinsky rasps. the new pistol is in kavinsky's other hand. it's mostly right: the color's off, black-and-silver instead of brown-and-silver, but everything else looks right. down to the size of the muzzle.]

[ Kavinsky is so still and unresponsive that d’Artagnan is calling for a doctor when he finally wakes up. Then, just like that, Kavinsky is back in the land of the living and d’Artagnan is wiping his spit from his cheek. He’d be more annoyed about that if he wasn’t too busy with relief. ]

You’re alive.

[ He moves to casually help Kavinsky up, supporting his arm. ]

What in God’s name did you take?! I thought you were gone.

[ And then he sees the gun, which really did come from nowhere. With a dubious look he takes it, and examines each part. It opens properly, moves the way it should. The colour doesn’t match his own but that’s immaterial; he doesn’t need it to. His eyes slide from the weapon to Kavinsky, and then narrow. ]

Explain what you did. I didn’t expect you to faint.

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They will not control us

RESCUING GOVERNMENT NPCS

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Topic: Civilian Shelter/Evacuation + Limiting City Damage In an Uprising

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LAUNCHING AN OFFENSIVE

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cw misogynistic vulgarity

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