EVENT ★ THE FRACKING FIELDS

[futurologists]

THE EARTHQUAKE One day, early in the morning before the mechanical rooster at Amos Zephyr's farm even crows, there's a sudden rumble in the distance. Perdition's Rest shakes and the ground roils, knocking things off shelves and startling the mechanical horses in their pen. Look out the window and you'll see Qorral locals blearily stepping out into the street, murmuring anxiously amongst themselves: Earthquake. Ever since the argecite mines started to dry up, the Qorral colonists have been turning to fracking in order to pull all available argecite out of the planet as quickly as possible. The technique has caused more and more earthquakes to shake the planet, though the fracking fields are far enough away from the town that damage is minimal. However, the fields and mines aren't as lucky. The mayor rushes out into the street, his assistant and Sheriff Holladay flanking him, and asks for any willing heroes and adventurers (that means you!) to venture out to the fracking fields and assess the damages. Though the tunnels aren't being actively mined, there were likely miners and other workmen inside, so there will be rescue needed as well. Get your provisions ready and hop on the train: you're going to work. THE FRACKING FIELDS The fracking fields are a wide open swath of land peppered with looming, iron machines going on for miles. These machines are the Qorral's final attempt at scraping the last remnants of argecite from the planet before abandoning the colony and moving on for good. This destructive practice is causing obvious instability to the planet, but they don't seem to care. This is what their species does: seeks out argecite, mines it, and moves on. The fields are dry and dead, with no plants around -- and now, after the earthquake, there are sinkholes. The iron machines are falling into the sinkholes, slowly being swallowed by the planet, with desperate workers trying to pull them back out. They could use the help -- but be sure not to fall in yourself. Grotesque alien birds circle overhead, searching for the dead or the dying, workers caught in the collapsing earth. Save them before they're swallowed by the earth or swallowed by carrion birds -- and if you're too late, the locals would be happy to have their loved ones returned to them intact. Also found in the fields is the Argecite Refinery, a massive factory filled with machinery meant for the refining of the crystal before it is to be shipped back to the Qorral home planet. The outside of the factory is surrounded by a 610cm (20 ft) tall electric perimeter fence, whose energy shorts out sporadically after the earthquake cracked the service box. If you're quick enough to make it through one of the gaps in electricity, don't relax quite yet -- there are malfunctioning guard drones throughout the facility, the earthquake rattling their sensors and making it impossible for them to tell friend from foe. The drones resemble dogs, though they are capable of folding their legs in for aerodynamic superiority when they take flight. They are equipped with energy lasers to destroy, sticky glue to slow trespassers, and a thin blade in the tail to poison attackers. The poison is quick-acting, causing hallucinations and fever, but it is not deadly. Inside the factory, the machinery has collapsed in on itself from the earthquake; electricity sparks from damaged wires, dangerously nearby spilled oil drums or pools of standing water. Fire can start at any second. There are factory workers here that need rescuing, but also a variety of inanimate objects, including barrels of argecite, machinery parts, files, computers, etc. Anything that isn't bolted down needs to be moved outside of the factory before it explodes. Of course, no one is really keeping track of what's inside... THE MINES The Qorral have been digging in the mines since arriving on this planet 30 years ago, but recent efforts have shifted to fracking after the argecite veins slowly became depleted. The mines are still maintained by a skeleton crew of workers, making sure there is no build-up of dangerously flammable gas and patrolling the tunnels to look out for cave-ins -- which, after the earthquake, have happened in spades. The tunnels are winding and deep, turning in on each other and ending in dead ends or sudden, steep drop-offs into the dark. There are workers trapped within, and some at Perdition's Rest have said that their thrill-seeking relatives -- typically teenagers -- have gone missing. It's possible that they have found themselves trapped in the mine, so it may be a good idea to look out for them as well. And even deeper in the mine, there is a writhing, pale danger: sand worms, blind and hungry, wait in the dark. The earthquake has begun to drive them further up the tunnel, their tooth-lined maws open as they slither through toward the surface. Those focusing on the fields above may find a straggling sand worm or two, thrashing wildly in pain from the unfamiliar heat of the sun. This will definitely put a damper in the rescue and recovery efforts, so take them out as quickly as you can -- with as little damage to the fracking equipment, please. OOC NOTES Please direct all questions pertaining to the mission to the dossier page to keep questions and responses in one place for easy player reference. General game questions should be directed to the FAQ. If you haven't already, make sure you check out the Bounty Board for side missions! Remember you can also request bounty missions or submit player plots at any time.

Comments

anakin skywalker ( ota )

[apoptotic]

SINKING DRAMA.

[ this is exactly what he needed. action. and no time to consider anything but the emergency. when they arrive, anakin races immediately for the closest machine. shouts surround it as it tilts ever further over the edge. ropes and poles burn hands, and still it sinks, the ground beneath it crumbling like clay.

anakin stops abruptly near it. he throws his hand out, reaching through the force. the machine is heavy, impossibly so for any human. anakin is not any human. through narrowed eyes, he watches as the tipping slows…then begins to reverse. ]

Don’t just stand there! [ he yells when a few of the workers let their grips go slack in shock. ( and it may be aimed at any alastair recruit too unsure where to jump in. ) ] Pull!

INTO THE MINES.

[ the machines have been stabilized ( those that could be rescued ), but plenty remains to move. for a good portion of the day, anakin hauls rocks and stones from blocked tunnels, holding his hand out, focusing, and lifting them through the force. they’re dropped unceremoniously away from the entrance, and away from anyone.

once the way is clear, he calls to anyone nearby, ] Follow me! [ — and races into the mines. the lightsaber in his hand casts a pale blue glow over cracked walls and sloping floors and ceilings. he lets the force guide him — to those still trapped, away from potential danger. but sometimes there’s no way to reach the victims without first overcoming a particularly annoying obstacle.

like the sandworm slithering toward them. ]

When I think they can't get uglier.

[ and it's about to get uglier still. the lightsaber cuts a threatening arc in the air. ]

WILDCARD.

[ choose your own adventure!! or pm me at this account to figure something out/set up a starter :'> ]

( closed | olivia )

[apoptotic]

[ not for the first time since he started helping the injured to safety has he crossed paths with olivia. the first time, from a distance, he regarded her with a measure of surprise when he saw her closing a laceration on a qorral’s scalp. it answered a few questions he had, but he didn’t have time to ask.

subsequent times were also brief, barely a word passed between them unless it was to her that he turned over another. those capable of healing had quickly set themselves to the task. anakin had his own responsibilities.

it’s late — late enough that he has completely lost track of time — when olivia deliberately steps into his path. by this time, working nonstop since their arrival, he looks significantly worse for wear: hair and clothing discolored by dirt and soot, stains on his boots, his pants, his sleeves. but his appearance belies the gathering storm clouds that mark him in the force. he’s a building hurricane that has yet to make landfall. time will only tell the extent of the destruction.

when she remains before him, anakin lifts his eyebrows. ] Yes?

[gunah]

[ Shuyi has been just standing there, petrified by the choice before her. The mission was to stop these people from mining their home to death, was it not? And yet these people seem ready to fling themselves into sinkholes, leaving family and friends behind, just for their rusted machines. So which is right and which is wrong? But the man maneuvering the gigantic machine using nothing but air is almost charismatic enough to prompt her into action.

Almost. She stops herself after taking one step toward the sinkhole. ]

No! [ She wishes she can swallow the word back, how petulant that sounds. Not that it stops her from shouting some more. ] Let go, let it go! No machine is worth a life.

Lucy/Nyuu | OTA

[scarredhorns]

1. Lucy Awakens/Sandworms On the Field

[Suited up in her white Audentes uniform, along with her black cowgirl hat to hide her horns, Nyuu remained above ground to help tend to the injured--fetching water, putting pressure on bleeding wounds, and wrapping bandages. But now she was using her shoulder to support a worker she'd just found as he tried to avoid putting pressure on his broken leg. In the distance there's a raging sand worm heading straight towards them, but there was no way they'd be able to hobble out of the way in time. Desperate, Nyuu shut her eyes tight as she tried to get them moving faster, wishing that she was strong enough to defend the man. To her surprise, she heard a female voice in her head repeat her wish, as though answering a prayer.

Just as the sand worm is within six feet of them, a non-human, or magical being, or a human with a knack for seeing the supernatural will be able to see several ghost-like arms shove the creature back; normal humans won't. Everyone, however, will be able to see the change in Nyuu's posture as she slowly lets the worker down, except it’s not Nyuu anymore. Lucy’s head is hanging down, causing the long pink hair to hide most of her face, and her shoulders are slouched. Slowly, silently, she steps forward and pushes back the sandworm with her vectors again. When it tries to turn another direction, Lucy focuses all her vectors towards the oversized worm to hold it down by the head, causing it to kick up more dust as it thrashes around in an attempt to free itself. Without even looking at whoever was near her, she speaks in a cold voice.]

Are you going to kill it? Or are you just going to continue standing there?

2. (Lucy) The Mines/Rescue/Collecting Data

[Inside the mines, Lucy can hear cries for help coming from those who'd been trapped, but thanks to the echo of the tunnels, she can't decipher where exactly it's coming from. The deeper she goes, the darker it seems to get, so she resorts to using her vectors to feel around. At some point, she feels them touch something.

You.

And the vectors feel like the cold hands of death.]

3. (Lucy) Clearing Debris and Bandits

[Being around this many people was making Lucy feel so anxious that she almost felt sick to her stomach. Under the cover of darkness, hoping to break away and give some time to herself, Lucy noticed that the railroad tracks kept going past the fracking fields and followed them until she reached the area where the path was blocked by debris. After sizing up the damage, she prepares to use her vectors to start removing some of the rocks, but then she hears the sound of hooves hitting the dirt. When she turns around there's six bandits mounted on mechanical horses forming a half-circle around her yet she doesn't look fazed.

One of them recognizes Lucy from the arrival train, leading the rest of the group to mock her as he recalls the way she'd been frozen with fear and screamed for help. The sound of flesh being sliced cuts through the taunts as one of Lucy's vectors cuts the ring leader's arm off, which had been holding the gun, followed by his screams of agony as he stares down in horror at the bloody stump that was left of his arm.]

4. Wildcard!

[Just let me know on mariposahermosa or through this account if you want to make something up together! Don't be afraid to ask me any questions about this character if you have any.]

2

[blessure]

[For once Félix hadn't run into the mines completely unprepared and impulsive; he'd taken a torch with him, aware that there'd be little light down there and reminded somewhat of the caverns under Wheldrake's Crossing scant days ago.

But his planning had proved futile as, after making his way a fair distance into the mines, the light had flickered and died, leaving him in the darkness and trying to feel his way around so that he might have a chance of turning back towards the surface and light again.

And that's when he hears something else moving around down here as well. He freezes immediately, trying to listen and get a sense of where and what it is, and then...

There are hands on his face, cold like death, like the nightmares of what lay in the portals he created and a cold touch of something otherworldly he'd felt before, and it takes every inch of control he has not to lash out at the touch.]

Who's there? What do you want? [He asks the darkness, his hand moving towards his rapier slowly.]

1

[perma_banned]

[Ban wasn't simply standing there. He had one hand poised up in the 'wait a moment' gesture', one finger extended. His other hand was held firmly by his face with a green bottle of hard liquor set in it. He was drinking down the remainder of the contents gulp by gulp as Lucy held down the sandworm with her vectors.

He let out a cool breath as he finished the bottle and tossed it over his shoulder. In the next, Ban was shuddering and laughing, ready to go.]

Alright~! You got it, brat!?

[With one swing of his hand, Ban tugged an invisible string. The sand-worm went still as, out of nowhere, its heart was ripped out of its chest and manifested in Ban's open, outstretched hand.]

Got'cha ♪!

rocky (ota)

[friendlykillingmachine]

fracking fields.

[Upon his arrival at the fracking fields, Rocky heads immediately toward the sight of a sinkhole where the Qorral are desperately trying to save one of their towers. Of course, the first order of business is to drag injured workers to safety.]

( i. ) [He starts by digging out a worker whose screams are muffled beneath a foot or more of moving sand. First he finds a flailing hand, then an arm, then a torso and starts pulling against a current of sand. The trouble now is that he's starting to get a little buried himself as the sand around him rushes toward the sinking frac tower.]

( ii. ) [After the injured have been removed from the scene, his next focus is to get the uninjured out of here before they kill themselves trying to save this sinking frac tower. Saving the tower is nowhere on Rocky's list of priorities. After all, the mission here all along has been to end mining efforts, not to preserve and encourage it.

With this in mind, he raises his arms—now transformed into high energy weapons—and opens fire on the tower, severing cables and ropes that are being uselessly clung to. Unsurprisingly, the workers are starting to not like him very much anymore. What were once cheers for every rescued victim are now shouts of confused and angry protest.

Ignoring them, Rocky climbs up the last 20 feet of tower still visible above ground as it sinks slowly into the planet and starts slicing away whatever ropes are left still clinging to the equipment. If there's nothing left for the people to cling to, they'll have to give up and let it sink, right? It's a nice view up here and also a good place to shoot at those nasty vulture things that keep pestering everyone. Destroying things is fun!]

the refinery.

[Rocky has managed to make it past the electrical barrier and into the refinery. The good thing is that the earthquake seems to have done a lovely job of damaging things here (although, here and there, he helps things along a bit by damaging them further.)]

( iii. ) [Mainly, his focus here is on guarding people from rampant drones while rescue operations are underway. What better defense is there to use against robots equipped with energy weapons than another robot armed with energy weapons? He sticks close to whomever is nearby, acting as their guard against roaming packs of drones through the maze of pipes and metal.]

wildcard.

[Throw whatever you want at me.]

the mines (closed to Ramir)

[friendlykillingmachine]

[By now most of the people have been evacuated from the mines, leaving the place pretty deserted. What's left are lots of dark and spooky tunnels to explore. Luckily for him, Rocky doesn't need light to see, though his screen casts a soft glow a few feet ahead of them into the mine. Aside from the occasional loose rock echoing in the distance, the narrow spaces are filled with an eerie silence. But now and then, there's a faint knocking sound that seems to come from the walls themselves.]

Hey, Ramir? [Rocky speaks up, his nearly-too-cheerful voice breaking the silence.] Do you think ghosts are real?

(ii)

[asscan]

Rocky is far from alone in the relief efforts: like many when put to the pinch, Laedo has been utilizing his unique abilities to pull victims from the sands and the rubble, but unlike the robot, the askan sees no need for wanton property damage.

In his opinion, maintaining these strangely technologically advanced people's opinion will go far further to getting their support in preventing further mining efforts than allowing their alien towers to go to waste, and clearly those who are still able to are doing their best to attempt to save their creations. What better way to assuage their panic by looking as though they have this situation under control?

That is why, when he sees the humanoid--strangely similar to the robotic wildlife of the planet, and not at all familiar to Laedo [unless we're counting the meme as canon ha ha] he freaks a leak.

Roaring, surging from the sands on golden wings currently dusted in a fine layer of hair-bound grit, he looks as though he's about to try to pluck Rocky from the tower like some enraged, aerial-bound King Kong... and yet in a few moments he's latched onto the building, standing rampant so as to support the quavering tower of metal struts.]

What do you think you are doing?

[When he's like this, this big, this angry, his voice can take on a booming quality that is only surpassed by the general havoc on the ground. This is a bad time to be having a team disagreement.]

iii

[sereneflame]

[Serene has had near a decade of field experience in her life, yet zero of that has involved electricity. She's more than happy for a backup as she heads in to suppress the fires, even if it is one as strange as this pretend man, but first she must know his loyalties]

Are you truly willing to kill your own kind?

[Perhaps that would have been better to ask before she wiggled through the electrified fence.]

i

[sekimorinashi]

[ There had been a lot of rope in the stables, and Tsukuyo had decided she might as well grab some because, if anything, it will make it easier for her to keep the kunai she still has left. She has gotten some knives, but they're not quite the same.

Good thing too, it seems, because it's going to come in handy now.

She throws one over Rocky's head, but not very far, and the rope lands right next to him. ]

Grab that! I'll pull you up!

Haise Sasaki | Tokyo Ghoul:re

[ex_adept136]

I. Field Operations
[Haise moves along the wasteland with a speed unnatural to any human. He's stronger and swifter than this, and being among those who have superhuman abilities themselves, he doesn't have to conceal this much about himself. One might spot him darting from one sinking hunk of machinery to another, white coat stark against his dun surroundings.

He catches sight of one machine sinking into the sand unattended and rushes for it, catching onto it where he can find purchase. At first he struggles, pulling against weight that should far exceed what a lone human could haul. The sand hardly gives him solid footing, and he slips...but he doesn't let go.

Haise continues straining against the pull of weight and the shifting stand beneath his uniform boots, teeth gritted. At the very least he's determined, but at best he seems to be delaying the inevitable.

Human he isn't (entirely), but that doesn't change that he's not exactly on solid ground]

II. Miner Venture
[It doesn't take long for Haise to overhear that there are no small number of people trapped in the mines. He remembers his first mission, having been transported into deep, winding tunnels beneath a volcano instead of where he'd truly been meant to go. Recalls distinctly how he and Laedo had to make careful efforts to navigate that underground labyrinth...

And he remembers how he was only ejected from those confines after stumbling upon Nalanni, whom he wasn't supposed to find and speak to. At least, that's the impression he got from her captor throwing him out with the power of storms.

Knowing others might be trapped underground, Haise doesn't hesitate to make his way to the mines. He carries his quinque at his side, focused entirely on listening for any trapped miners or other civilians that might need assistance in getting out of the tunnels. His sharp sense of smell might come in handy right about now, if only the mingled scents of earth and dust in the air weren't blocking out so much else.

It's bad enough that, when he rounds a corner, he bumps right into someone]

Ah-

[Whoever they are, he automatically catches their arm to brace them]

Sorry, are you alright?

III. Heart of Darkness
[Eventually, Haise works his way down into the depths of the mines. The further he goes, the more he's reminded of the lava tunnels back in Nalawi. It grows darker and darker until he can barely see, and he can only hope that there aren't too many people trapped this far in. By now he's discovered the worms, left a few dead ones in his wake, and still he presses on.

It's difficult without much by way of light, and he wonders if it might not have been prudent to bring a flashlight. A pity, he'd never thought of that before reaching this point...and there's no reason to turn back now]

...I won't be much use if I get lost...

[He murmurs when he reaches a dead end and has to about-face to return to the path he'd taken previously, trailing a hand along the tunnel wall to avoid bumping into anything. A light source really would come in handy.

That makes him think of his run-in with Karna. He'd been able to create flames somehow, even with their capabilities severely dampened by the conditions in Nalawi. Of course, Haise has no such abilities himself, even though he's learned healing magic]

IV. Wildcard
[Hit up Haise with your own scenario!]

iii

[oneirism]

[And just ahead, a small orb of fire suddenly floats along through the junction of the tunnel. The apparent source walking right behind it, though she pauses when she spots Haise out of the corner of her eyes. Still for a moment, before she faces him - her expression and tone completely calm.]

It's dangerous to be walking around in the dark like that. [As if prompted by her words, the fire burns a bit more brightly - letting Haise see more clearly. Having a ghostly companion that can create fire is pretty handy in situations like this.]

Félix De Sauveterre ♕ Open

[blessure]

Refinery - outside
[Félix has barely set foot on this new planet (his mind is still reeling from the idea alone, but he keeps that to himself, not wanting to give the slightest indication that he isn't capable of handling anything that comes his way) when the ground shudders beneath his feet and his lip curls in distaste. Not only is there sand and heat everywhere, but the earth is already set on shaking itself apart from all that's been done to it, it seems.

He's not entirely convinced that they should be involving themselves in these events in the first place; if the people here want to pull the planet down around themselves, then surely that's their prerogative. But he's been sent here anyway and at the very least he'd prefer the planet not fall apart while he's on it.

So Félix heads to the Argecite Refinery, largely ignoring the workers trying to rescue their machinery. If the idea is to stop them from mining the planet then helping save the machinery seems counterintuitive, so he moves on. The factory itself is far more promising, and while he's not seeing much reason to help rescue those who should have known the risks of trying to save their machines instead of their lives, the people inside this building likely have more legitimate reason not to be able to escape the dangerous areas.

Intentions aside, the fence is a barrier he hadn't expected, the crackle of electricity something the courier hadn't anticipated, and Félix considers it for a moment before turning to another would-be rescuer here.]

I don't imagine you have a plan on how to get inside, do you?

[If need be, he already has an idea of how to get within the fence, but he'd prefer not to show his hand too early.]


Refinery - inside
[His rapier is not as effective a weapon as Félix would hope against the metal creatures that patrol the facility, but it's a reassuring weight in his hand and can at least fend off some of their attacks. Not to mention it's, more importantly, all that he has right now and a certain phrase about the choosiness of beggars is certainly in effect now.

His situation isn't helped much either by a long, deep gash on his left forearm that, while bandaged as well as he can manage, is still bleeding a decent amount. He'll need to stop and find a safer place to bind it again soon, although the sound of something moving nearby is more pressing at the moment.

Sinking back in the shadows, Félix waits until whatever it is comes close enough, then he darts out, blade hissing through the air until it stops just short of striking the target, the attack pulled short as he realises it's not the attacker he expected after all.]

Be more careful, I nearly took your head!

[gunah]

[ Shuyi can sympathize with that sentiment; wanting to prove oneself unafraid, capable and independent when there was nothing farther than the truth. That pesky impostor syndrome. She has suffered from it all her life it seems.

So she, too, pretends she knows what should be done amid the unfolding chaos. Some are rushing to rescue the machines, others prioritizing survivors and too many only trying to keep busy with no idea of the best course of action. She can't claim to know either, but the man she finds herself standing nearby seems to wear his self-assurance like an old, worn coat. He seems easy to follow.

With a quick nod, she grasps at thin air as if it's sand, then pitches her hands in an arc, hurling white light toward the barrier that seems to agitate the electricity even more. Moments later, parts of the gate begins to disintegrate, atoms breaking apart and destroying its neighbors in an unstoppable chain reaction. She remembers to hold up a hand to stop him before he runs through the doorway she just created. ]

Not yet. It may kill you. [ Speaking of. ] Is it survivors you seek?

lucina ( ota )

[tolight]

RESCUE.

[ Lucina is briefed on a dying world, where the fate of this planet is a secondary objective. It makes her stomach churn and her eyes narrow, blood slowly boiling inside her. But these are still people, and they don't deserve to die like this. So she follows her orders. ( But she won't touch those accursed machines. She won't. )

The sand latches on to her feet with every step. It only urges her to move faster, run in the direction of what appears to be an abandoned piece of machinery sinking into the ground. It looks abandoned, but she hears muffled yelling and desperate cries for help. She speeds up. ]

I'm here! [ She grips an arm and a collar before they disappear further into the ground, tugging at it with all her might. Despite her grunting, however, the body doesn't move upward; in fact, she's moving downward, the sand slowly rising up her ankles. This is bad. ] Someone — We need more men here! [ Just one, really, before the earth swallows both of them whole. ]

MINES.

[ The mines are a new concept to her — at least, she hasn't visited one personally. While it's no time to be sight-seeing, she can't help but let her eye wander over to the pillars, the walls that have been dug out. Occasionally her eyebrows furrow together, but quickly that's smoothed out with a short shake of her head, face back to a neutral mask. She's supposed to be looking for people.

Only ... she's walked quite a distance already, hasn't she? Especially if she counts all the dead ends and wrong turns. Yet she still hasn't run into someone in need of rescuing. In fact, at this rate, she may become one of the last. ] Er — [ But something new appears in her view ( two new things, in fact ), slithering towards her with its many, many teeth bared. She draws her sword, one foot behind the other — ] Get back!

[ She speaks to the second new thing ( her teammate, she hopes ). She prepares to protect the both of them, but it'd be cool if they can fight, too. ]

WILDCARD.

[ comment here and i'll write you a prompt — just pick a location!! if you want something more fleshed out feel free to find me on plurk ( charred, just tell me who you are first ), and we can always chat. ]

[winces]

[ let's have a quiet reunion, i think... during a downtime? without the threat of all the chaos happening around alsdjal ]

Undyne | OTA

[aspearation]

ɪ. Iɴ Tᴏᴡɴ

[ She never thought she'd say this (to herself, entirely in her head) but... it feels good to be back. With her team, her... friends, if they're still here too. Who knows who's been reassigned or sent home by now? Maybe it's a good thing that she doesn't have a lot of time to think about it as tremors start to rumble through the ground and building; all she can think, at that point, is Not again.... There's less immediate panic from the locals; either they're not nearly as concerned as she is, or they're used to this by now. From the mission briefing, she's not really sure which she's more ready to believe.

She doesn't need the mayor telling her to head out into the fields; except she does because it wouldn't have occurred to her otherwise. But the second she gets wind that there might be locals trapped out there, then she already knows what she's doing.

It starts with poking her head in open and dubiously public doors, trying to spot the familiarity of the ALASTAIR uniform or at least the people who don't look like they belong with the ranks of the Qorral, in an attempt to round up a group to head off into the fields. ]

Hey! [ Yeah, you. She's looking right at you. ] Let's get going!!

ɪɪ. Tʜᴇ Mɪɴᴇs

[ Cave-ins are kind of a specialty for Undyne, if for no other reason than because she easily tosses aside piled-up rocks and, with slightly more effort, manages to push boulders aside to clear the path, at least enough for someone to slip through.

Until she finds the tunnel blocked by a particularly large boulder, both still wedged into the earth, and too big to actually move anywhere. She can move it enough to make a small space just enough for someone to crawl through on their belly, and to pull through any injured miners, but she can't very well hold it and move through on her own. And using her spears to try and prop it up (even if they could do a thing like that) would simply block the way.

She's still holding the rock back and gritting her teeth when she turns to anyone who might have followed her this far. ]

You're gonna have to go in there!

ɪɪɪ. Tʜᴇ Fᴀᴄᴛᴏʀʏ

[ It's probably a good thing that Undyne sees the signs indicating that the fence is electrified because... well, she probably would have tried climbing it. She could try jumping over it, but if she needs to vault herself over at the top, that probably won't end well, either. Tossing spears at it, which stick in the fence's holes, tells here that there are periods when it's electrified and periods when it is not; being made of water magic, they crackle and steam when electricity courses through them.

Of course. It's a puzzle. Why wouldn't it be a puzzle?

She groans, and throws another spear at it. Time to spend three hours on this stupid puzzle, because as long as there are people inside, she's not going to give up at it. Anyone who comes upon her there is likely to find her just throwing an endless array of spears at it; they stick in it, crackle with electricity when it comes on, then disappear.

This is stupid. ]

ɪᴠ. Wɪʟᴅᴄᴀʀᴅ

[ Hit me up at culling, or via PM or drop me a note or prompt here! ]

ii

[strikingtwice]

[Meallan had noticed the impressive (and slightly terrifying) way that the blue woman moved rocks and boulders as if they were nothing, and a small part of him was very, very glad that she seemed to be on their side.

So when she seemed to run into something bigger than she could handle, he felt he should at least see if she needed some help... or watch in case she turned out able to punch through the rocks themselves. The latter might have been easier, as he can see her predicament immediately and moves closer, scanning the hole and getting a sense of how well he might be able to fit through it.

Just barely, he decides, though perhaps easier than some as slim as he is, and he nods agreement.] Can you hold it long enough for me to try and get everyone out? Or will we have to do this in trips?

Sieglinde Sullivan ⚝ OTA

[grunehexe]

01 ⚝ TRIAGE SET-UP

[There wasn't anything Sieglinde could do to help those trapped in the mines or the refinery. She was small even for her age, physically weak, and only barely able to walk on newly unbound feet. Even if she tried, she would only get in the way, or hinder someone more capable of rescue efforts.

But healing is the duty of the Green Witch, and where there's an earthquake, there's injuries and casualties, so she grabs the nearest man capable and hitches a ride to the mine, large bag clutched tight.

The second she's set down it's all business, pulling out potions, bandages, and ointments, clearing an area near a pile of rubble pulled from the mine shaft and beginning to call out orders to anyone around.]

You there- are you going inside? If not, make yourself of use and help me set up!

02 ⚝ FIRST RESPONSE

[Once someone comes back out of the danger zone, though, that's when Sieglinde is ready and waiting, raising an arm to call attention, waving over anyone carrying out an injured native or sporting a wound they've gained in the line of duty.]

Here- carefully!

[She's ready with a clear spot to either lay down the patient or set yourself down, already pulling on her cleanest set of gloves.]

What happened?

[If you even know and didn't just stumble upon someone in the rubble.]

03 ⚝ WILDCARD

[ Hit me up! Anything goes, but if you want to run it by me hit me on plurk or via pm! ]

1

[blessure]

[Going into the mine hadn't been Félix's first plan of action, but he knew that there would be people who needed help and as much as he might not see eye to eye with others on certain matters, he was not the sort of man who could easily turn his back on people who were in trouble.

But before he can make up his mind or come up with a plan on how to go about getting inside, a voice calls out to him and he turns on his heel to face the speaker, eyebrow raising in mild surprise at the sight of what appears to be a very young girl giving orders like a woman grown, an array of healing supplies laid out about her.

Despite her age, she seems to know what she's doing and considering his own perchance for trouble... getting to know the doctors in this place seems a good idea. So his tone is pleasant as he speaks and he inclines his head in greeting.]

Of course, dear lady. Simply tell me what you need of me and it is yours.

kung jin | ota

[pummelling]

1 | OH LORD THERE AIN’T NO HEAVEN;

[Jin could care less about saving the machinery. His first priority, ALASTAIR or no, is to helping anyone who’s at risk of getting hurt right now. He does his part without any real signs of complaint—- now’s not the time, not with lives on the line—- and spends a good amount of time saving workers, digging them out of the sand and pulling them away from iron machines before they too are swallowed by the sinkholes.

However, he shifts gears once the carrion birds begin to divebomb to earth, scavenging the bodies of the seriously wounded and fresh dead. Jin is annoyed, and just a little bit offended (the dead, he gets, but not the ones who’re still alive, stupid opportunistic flying rats) so he takes to providing cover for everyone else, sniping the birds out of the skies with precision aim. (Hopefully you’re not standing under one of the ones he shoots.)

And, somber though it is, gathering the dead is a necessary task, too. Once the birds have been chased away and the majority of the workers evacuated, he moves on to helping load the bodies onto the trains headed back to Perdition's Rest. He can't let them simply leave to rot on these miserable fields-- or, worse, to be eaten as carrion. No one deserves that fate.]

2 | THIS AIN’T NO PLACE FOR NO HERO;

text, un: white_lotus
[Those of you who remember that whiny guy on the network from all the way back in Oska a few weeks ago will notice he’s singing a very different tune now. His message is straight to the point, with absolutely no acknowledgment of his earlier attitude:]

If you aren’t used to situations this dangerous, stick above ground and be careful of the sinkholes and machinery. Some workers have already been killed in the initial collapses: if you get hurt while trying to help, it won’t do anyone any good. We can’t afford to lose any of our own, especially not right now.

There’s people trapped much deeper in the mines. Meet me at the tunnel openings if you’re going in too, it’ll be safer if we go together.

Kung Jin out.

action;
[True to his word, he’s headed off to the mines almost immediately-— he can be found making his way through the fracking fields on the way there, and at the mouth of the mine tunnels.]

3 | WILDCARD;

[jin’s a busy bee and is gonna be PRETTY MUCH EVERYWHERE post-earthquake, so feel free to toss anything else at me c: pm me or pp me at smithsyndicate if you want something specific!]

2 | Mines

[scarredhorns]

[Lucy never saw the message, because she decided to enter by herself. Should she come across anyone while she was underground, though, it'd be an annoyance. She knows by now that she can't get away with murder here as easily as she could back in her world. Not to mention that killing a crew member would decrease their manpower and therefore slow her progress of returning home to Kouta.

She was using her vectors to feel around in the darker areas for any survivors or creatures that were possibly lurking around the dank tunnels, and given their length she could be nearly seven feet away from what they touched. At some point, she feels one of her vectors touch something warm, meaning whatever was at the end was alive. The vectors themselves, on the other hand, are not so warm. With no blood vessels to pump hot blood through them, they felt as cold as ice, and were invisible to humans.]

PERIDOT (ota)

[slapfight]

a. the kindergarten kid II (the fracking fields)

[Peridot steps off the train and immediately balks at the sight before her. it seems, at first, as if the sight of the damaged equipment, the carrion birds, and the screaming and yelling of people trying to sort this mess out has affected her deeply, but after a second or two of dumbstruck staring, the truth becomes apparent.]

This is their process? Unbelievable. No wonder the planet is falling apart.


b. magnets!! how do they work??? (the fracking fields)

[after getting over all the offense she's taken at the Qorral way of harvesting minerals, Peridot finally begins to assist, but rather than start small, she's based herself near one of the sinkholes that is staring to swallow a large piece of equipment and is... well, it's not really clear what she's doing exactly.

it just involves her standing on the edge of the sink hole and moving her arms erratically while grunting and making other strange noises. whatever she's doing doesn't seem to be having much of an effect yet, but boy is she keeping at it.

you know... as one does.]

c. exit, pursued by drone (the refinery)

[so you've chosen to investigate the refinery. good on you. it's a nice place rescue people and save valuable materials. good on you for risking life and limb to come here to this walking fire hazard to- wait? what's that sound.

whatever you're currently doing, wherever in the refinery you are, you may hear the shrill screams of a gem in peril. one who believed she could definitely use her metal powers on a functional drone. as such she has ticked off several of them and every time one spots her, she ends up being violently pursued, lasers firing and narrowly missing her as she ducks, rolls, and... tries to seek shelter behind whatever she can find. possibly even behind people who look like they can handle some angry flying dogs. DOGCOPTER DIDN'T PREPARE HER FOR THIS.]

B

[heroforhobby]

[Having just deposited the last batch of people from one sinkhole, Saitama was running to the next one to get to work there. Pull up the machine, set it aside, pick up any bodies, alive or dead or somewhere inbetween, whatever is needed.

But as he's approaching the next disaster zone, he sees someone . . . dancing? She's not in immediate danger, though the sink hole is growing larger, bit by bit. Okay, first thing first, jump into the hole, rescue the people down there, and once he delivered them to safety and help he comes back to check on her and sees her still doing that thing.

He calls out, standing a few yards away from her:]

Uh, excuse me. You need help?

Sakura Kinomoto l Cardcaptor Sakura

[keystaff]

Earthquake:

[At the very least, Sakura is possibly better equipped than some to partake in the rescue efforts in assisting those possibly stuck in the mines. She uses the Fly card to follow the train along if necessary, to get to the mines quickly once she hears of the situation. She's not one that used the tunnels back on Zeta 12, but she's determined to do her best after acquiring supplies. So down the tunnels she goes. Using a light, activating the Glow card to see better and to maybe, hopefully, get the miner's attention.]

H-hello? Is someone there? I'm here to help get us out of here....

[Whether someone thinks it is a trick, would scoff at the idea of a child helping them, or tell her to go back. Well.]

Fracking Fields:

[Well, she's trying to get close enough to help the miners trapped in the sink hole. Only, as she tries to help them up and out, she herself leans a little too far and falls down herself, not actually strong enough to physically pull them up without using one of her cards.

But it's a little hard to do so when she is so much shorter and also now sinking farther.

Help?]

Refinery:

[It was easy enough to use the Jump or the Fly for Sakura to overcome the barrier of the fence to get inside. Sakura bites her lip, gripping her staff as she makes her way through, trying to find anyone that might still need help. Or anything they need to get out of here.

She starts at the sparks of electricity, eyes widening at the aftermath of the earthquake.]

This....this can't be safe. We have to help everyone get out!

[But that, of course, involves finding them. Some might be trapped or unsure who it is that has come to help, for example. Or rather, probably they were worried about the guard drones. One of which may be behind her, watching and about to strike.]

Refinery

[perma_banned]

That's a bit of a problem.

[Ban was referring to the fence. When it came to rescue, usually people had to be moved slowly depending on the severity of their injuries. If anyone struggled during the escape, it could be problematic. The energy fence offered an even more deafening problem. If someone ran in, there was no guarantee they could time everything accordingly to make sure no one got hurt.

Even so, Ban had a way to handle it. There were a few factory workers standing by the barrier, too worried to try and jump past it all at once. Ban stood on the other side of the fence from Sakura, frowning.]

Oi, missy. Can you lift up anybody with you?

keith | ota

[secondnature]

sinking bystanders

[While Keith has not one, but two cowboy hats thanks to his friends (what an odd experience: having friends), he abandons them in favor of his armor the moment it's clear that something needs to be done. While he'd be reckless enough to head to the mines without anything but his bayard, he knows better these days than to be stupid. Whatever lies ahead, being completely decked out in paladin armor is going to do him more favors.

Once he arrives at the fields, he makes two decisions. One, he's not going into the mines after his last cave-in incident. And two, he's going to do what he can to figure out some more stuff about this ... argecite stuff, especially since it might help these people without dooming them in the future. He doesn't know if they would be doomed, but this doesn't seem like a thing that can keep happening.

But first: saving people's lives.

He dashes around the sinking around tirelessly, using his boots to propel him when he needs. Of course, working like that is bound to have its consequences, and when he tires, he finds himself slipping.]

Ah—crap—hey, someone wanna help? [he calls out, voice becoming more distant as he finds himself, well, sinking. These boots he wears are good for a lot of things, but they aren't much use at the moment.]

refinery

a) Are you serious? [While Keith has the ability to both be swift and subtle, running into mechanical, flying robo-dogs hadn't been a part of his plans today. Just as one of them shoots a laser in his direction, he dashes in the first direction of cover, which ... may just be what someone else decided to do.

Scowling, he looks at his new company and teammate with a scowl. The dogs can be heard stalking in their direction, and he isn't giving up on this mission. No, he wants that argecite. It feels important to get and take, and try to figure out for himself.]

We should team up. Two will be better than one no matter what. [He keeps his voice low just in case, though being the pilot of a mechanical lion, he doesn't have too many hopes riding on it not hearing them.]

b) [This will be fairly simple: while Keith is definitely going to be saving people when he can, he's not going to pass up on the opportunity to steal as much argecite as possible. It feels like an important thing to do, and it also seems like precisely the type of thing that someone else would confuse. Why is this kid taking stuff? Why is he looking so damn shady while he's doing it?

Either way, Keith, the red paladin, is ... likely to be caught red handed.]

(if something doesn't work for you, please feel free to wildcard me!)

bystanders

[strikingtwice]

Hold on!

[The question of 'to what' is immediately answered as Meallan quickly edges his way as close to the sink hole as he dares. Fortunately he's light on his feet, since he can feel the ground threatening to give under his feet if he moves much closer. It seems he can't manage much further, so he leans out, extending his staff out towards the other man for him to get a grip on the ornate, carved head.]

I'll try and pull you up, are you ready?

Arima Kishou | ota!

[prodigism]

1. Preparation

[ So with the knowledge and goal in mind, Arima is making some last minute revision runs to the store and to the blacksmith as well. He's definitely not going without a weapon, whether it be a gun or his broken quinque. So he'll be at shops getting some dried goods and foods in order to take on the trip with him. He's at least seems pretty knowledgeable in this sort of thing. The only noticeable thing he now has on his person is a, satchel filled with personal items for survival and a saber, which is now resting by his side.

It's going to be long couple of days so his seriousness is even more apparent then before. ]

2. Fracking Fields

Part A

[ It's one thing to see carnage at the end of its terrible run, but to experience it first hand was always another thing. The sink holes swallowing people whole were his main concern, alongside those grotesque birds trying to feast on the corpses of someone's loved one. Arima makes headway to helping workers that are crying out for help as they're devoured by the very earth, which they worked upon. Like an act of mother nature to do such a thing he supposed. Still he's currently helping ake sure the dead aren't a meal for said alien birds as he slices one clean in half with the borrowed saber at his side. Poor thing didn't even stand a chance as its guttural cries erupt one last time before it falls down dead. ] Help me get these bodies covered and secured. There are people back at town who need to pay their respects.

[ When it came to respecting the dead Arima didn't mess around. ]

Part B

[ When it comes to factory itself Arima will be cautiously and with care trying to infiltrate it without notifying the drones. The less fighting they had to do the better in terms of getting survivors out without a hitch. Still the drones manage to be alerted to his presence and he now finds himself, and whoever else might be nearby with him, surrounded by an army of the robotic dogs. Hope you're ready for some fighting because these dogs aren't backing down. ]

3. Mines

[ Sand worms. Need anymore be said? While people are helping miners get out safely Arima is attacking and putting off the sandworms from trying to attack anyone that's left behind. A group of teenagers get the attention of one and Arima is more then happy to assist. He'll slice at it with the saber in his hand, while thrusting deep into its gut with the broken remains of his owl quinque. It sure as hell doesn't like that so it makes a sharp thrust downward to crush its fighting prey. Too bad Arima is far too quick for such a beast and he easily dodges it. But there is a bigger problem and that's getting these kids out of here unharmed. ]

2.A

[oneirism]

[Lapis has seen death, but seeing people dying like this - it's awful. Some part of her wants to go and hide until bodies have become cold, because that's the death she's used too. When it's cold and empty - nothing as fresh and bloody as this.

But those feelings are forced down as quickly as they start to rise up, even as she feels her stomach knot in fear as she listens to the cries and finds the blood covering her clothes. At least she's good at masking how she feels by now, and the familiar face and voice helps ground her slightly - not hesitating to nod as she steps over to the bodies nearby, grabbing for the tarp laying on the ground.]

Alright. Mitchell, help him. [On cue, one of the birds hovering nearby bursts into flames. It seems now Arima has some assistance with bird extermination.]

miles upshur (ota)

[upshur]

I. EARTHQUAKE // it's all material

There's nothing to be done about it, [ terse, he sounds terse.

These are the workers that couldn't be helped, the ones being circled by the alien carrion-eaters circling high overhead. He's chased a few off. Large as they aren, they're still just animals - they take flight the moment something comes at them, waving arms and hollaring. That'd be him, the guy with one hand on the pulsepoint of a very still body. Moments later, he passes the videocamera in his hand over the face of the body - and then his free hand into the corpse's pocket, holding up items he finds to the camera. Identification, items that look valuable - if not sentimental. He lays them out, gets a good shot of the body and the items, and then the items go right into the bag at his side.

What is he doing? ( HIS BEST. ) ]

II. REFINERY // the illusion of control

[ He piggybacks off the efforts of others, those with powers, those who are capable of fighting, distracting and felling. There's no shame in it, he's not here to fight.

What he is here to do, is to investigate. Navigating the destruction, in order to do so. Indeed, whatever hasn't been bolted down is being poured over. Files, computers - this is where he focuses, bandaged hands roaming over screens and technology that is vaguely familiar, grabbing as much as he can before it is lost and consumed. There is a single-minded focus to his actions, meticulous and desperate - like he'll come apart if he looks away. He can be found in one of the upper rooms, pulling the information from physical and digital files in and out of offices and control rooms. "Anything that's not bolted down", indeed.

( A ) [ There is a moment: someone, trapped under the weight of rubble. Crying, hands holding his ankle as he struggles to lift debris and metal. Straining from the weight of it, bandaged hands shaking ( he's not strong enough, he's not put together like he used to be -- ), and he looks up, voice strained, snarling: ] Get the fuck over here and help me, you damn voyeur!

( B ) [ In another moment: an explosion. It rocks the room he's in, shrapnel flying. Behind more rubble, he's managed to weather the worst of it, camera clutched tight in his hands. He's saying something into it, hushed and terse: jesus christ jesus christ - building up to a crescendo. A loud, sharp fuck and he rises. Shaken, teeth grinding, steel-jawed. You got something you want to say, ya punk!? Say it to his face - or don't, because a secondary explosion just flung him out of the room and into the hall. Ouch. ]

III. MINES // to set the agenda

[ The mines come later, and they're an inescapable place. Claustrophobic, dangerous, bleeding ooze and gas and wounded miners and adventurous kids.

He's taken to mapping out his route. Which passageways are blocked, which are infested with sandworms, which are nothing but death-gas-shit. It's methodical. There's no way he's not looking for something. He looks tired. Worn out, running on fumes from the stress and fracture of the day. At one point he's found seated in one of the passageways, pencil hovering over a small pad of paper like he's trying to decide where to go next. Whether he should double-back on one of the earlier paths. ] You find any more of those idiot kids?

[ The ones that are meant to be down here, somewhere. Wandering lost. ]

II. B

[gunah]

[ It's a familiar feeling, this not knowing what to do because she is far too small to make any difference amid such grand chaos. So many are hurt and dying when Shuyi has nothing but two hands now left raw and bloodied from overuse. While checking the rooms for survivors, she finds the man staring her down with too much anger. She wants to tell him it's not a bad thing to be angry --it's what can keep you alive-- when the next explosion throws her to the ground and him out of sight.

She recovers moments later, ears ringing and coughing out dust, shielded from the worst of it by a wall. ]

Hello?

[ He can't hear her. She crawls on all fours, then rises to her feet, stumbling about and pushing away any debris she could to find him while growing more and more frantic. She can't afford to have more blood on her hands. ]

Say something. What is your name? Where are you?

yaoyorozu momo | ota

[yaomomo]

sink holes;

[Ropes, tons of ropes, can be found strewn about and wrapped in whatever metal bars, pipes and anything that still hasn't fallen in. At the other end of those are various mine workers just holding onto dear life, and in the midst of that is a girl trying to multitask. There's a net that covers the hole, so long and so wide that it was ridiculous, but it wasn't strong enough to keep them all in place and even Yaoyorozu knows that, even more so when there were alien birds swooping down and trying to rip the net she's made.

She's not panicking just yet, but she does start shooting at them, looking around for any one she can--

There we go!]

Can you-- Please, there's so many that...

[She can't do all the tasks by herself.]


factory;

[Improvision is the key to a dire situation, and while Yaoyorozu knows that rescue can be extremely difficult on its own, the circumstances they were presented were beyond ridiculous.

She didn't approve, of course, of the course of action they took. It was a waste how easily they mined and destroyed their surroundings as though they had the right to it. It was painful to imagine how much lost material they had, how they could just consume and destroy-- but this wasn't about that. Even if they were reaping what they sowed, it was no reason to abandon these men to their death.

Pulling them out of the rubble was no easy feat, and not for the first time since she's arrived does she wish that she had her classmates around. They knew each other's quirks well enough to work together, and in a rescue mission, teamwork was too essential.

For now, she can be found next to crates and boxes of things, placing what looks like wheels under each one before she spots your character and waves for attention.]

Ah, please-- could you help me get these moving? They're too dangerous to leave here while we're rescuing these men.

[Already, there's steel bars positioned against walls as makeshift foundation, trying to keep things from falling apart. Yaoyorozu looks exhausted herself, dressed down to just a sports bra and pants as she starts producing more wheels from her body.]

factory;

[perma_banned]

Good patchwork. [Ban noted, suddenly standing over Yaoyorozu. Over one shoulder, he held an unconscious young miner. They seemed to be breathing softly, though there were bruises all over them from what could be assumed was the end result of being partially trapped under rubble. Ban didn't seem to be in a hurry. It was either because he felt the situation demanded it or he didn't care.]

Hup ho~. [He responded to her request without hesitation. Jabbing his fingers against the side of the box and just under its bolted lid--Ban lifted it so he could be more easily set against the wheel-like device. The weight didn't seem to concern him and it certainly didn't force him to set down the man he had over his shoulder.]

You've been runnin' out frantic for awhile, missy. You alright?

fiona / closed to rhys

[cachemoney]

[It's been a few days since the latest fracking-induced earthquake shook the planet, but it's been much longer for Fiona. She remembers, distantly, waking up to the shaking and having flashbacks to Pandora under Hyperion's constant drilling, but the trauma of that reminder is so far in the past (and... so many, much more traumatic things have happened since then...) that she can't really muster up the indignation to do a whole lot about it.

But there's a bounty ping from ALASTAIR, something something treasure something mines, and she figures that's a good way to decompress and sort everything out in her head. She grabs Rhys and forces him to come with, because why not, they have experience walking through the elements together and looking for unknown objects.

She's being a little reticent, most of her chatter reserved for telling him to watch out for rocks or cracks in the floor, since obviously she is leading the way on this.] Don't trip on that, [she says, pointing at a series of uneven steps carved into the floor. This is about the fiftieth time she's said don't trip on that since they've walked into the mine, there are a lot of things she thinks he's going to trip on.]

[dbag]

[ Rhys is okay with her leading the way, that way if they stumble upon something or someone dangerous she'll already be in human shield position, but he's less okay with her basically being his mom. She's possibly the bossiest person in the entire world, maybe she doesn't even realize she's doing it, but after being told to watch out for the zillionth time, he grumbles a little. ] Oh, my god, I'm not going to trip— [ Of course, he's so focused on bitching at her that he doesn't pay any attention and completely trips, making a sort of strangled sound as he tries to play it off.

After dusting his clothes off, he points at her, saying, ] Don't. [ No one likes an "I told you so," least of all him. But... ] Or... do. I can't believe I'm saying this, but don't shut up. You being quiet is making this creepier.

jasper | ota

[hardnosed]

a. YOU'RE GONNA CARRY THAT WEIGHT (fracking fields)

[ Who, in the face of all this death and dying, would choose to salvage a lifeless piece of machinery instead of looking for the Qorral who are still alive? This gem? Surely not! Just kidding, that's exactly what she's doing.

She stomps on up like she owns the place, grabs hold of the sinking machinery, not trusting the ropes to withstand her, and yanks with a grunt. Lifting the weight itself isn't the issue; it's the awkward positioning of everything and the uneasy terrain that make it a strain. Despite (well, okay, because of) the difficulties, anyone hoping to assist her in lifting an entire giant piece of metal gets a less than warm reception. This includes the Qorral workers, who are still pulling despite her instructions. ]

I don't need your help, [ she snarls. The muscles in her arms and back work overtime, bunching like she's actually got internal organs and isn't just a highly detailed light projection. If she actually bothered thinking about it, she'd probably have to admit she understands the impulse to save what marks you've made on your planet despite the danger, but she isn't pulling on thousands of pounds of metal because she wants to think. ] Just stand back and tell me if anything changes.

[ She's better than this task, and that means she can handle it. She's lifted bigger things than this. She's wrestled bigger things. If it weren't sinking, she could throw it. She doesn't need anybody's help. She's not weak.

Apparently this heavily-italicized inner monologue actually does help, because eventually Jasper's expenditure of stupid strength pays off. Somehow, she manages to lift the part she has a hold on slightly off the ground, and little by little the machinery gets dragged away from the sinkhole, even though doing so is almost certainly making it collapse faster. When it's at a reasonable distance, she slowly lowers her edge down. She brushes off any thanks and immediately makes to walk off, trying not to show how much it actually took out of her, only to be trailed by one particularly persistent Qorral who has something to tell her but can't quite keep up with her eight-foot stride. The last straw comes when she tries to grab Jasper by the elbow. She whips around, furious. ]

I didn't do this for you! Get it through your head and back off before I—

[ And then her admonishment gets cut off by a yell as the ground gives way beneath her feet and they both go tumbling into a new sinkhole, which the Qorral was probably trying to warn her about in the first place. ]

b. BLINDED BY THE LIGHT (the mines)

[ So, you're in the pitch-black depths of the mines with whatever method of illumination you brought along — or maybe you can see in the dark, I don't know your life. You may be on task, and you may be hopelessly lost. Suddenly, the area of tunnel warms with a very dim orange glow, which grows stronger and brighter as a set of heavy footsteps gets louder and closer. The source becomes obvious as soon as Jasper rounds one of the many unexpected corners the mines have to offer, since it lights up her entire face!

Because it is on her face. Her nose gem projects a strong beam of orange light, throwing the area before wherever she's looking into sharp and rusty relief. No big deal. Happens all the time. Stop looking at her like she's the weird one. She might be alone at this point, or there might be one or two Qorral slung over each of her shoulders, sack of potatoes style. She does not look particularly happy about this, but after the sinkhole fiasco it's not like she's got anything better to do, and at least here she might get to fight one of the worms she's heard about, though with her luck those will be another disappointment. But in the meantime: ]

How long have you been here?

c. HEY I HEARD YOU LIKE THE WILDCARDS

( Hit me with your best shot, or PM or PP me with ideas and I'll write a starter for you! Also you should definitely let me know if you want sudden worms to show up halfway through a mine thread, because I am all about that. )

b

[nishishi]

[Now, there's a few things in his life he hasn't seen, and he's always super excited when that happens. One of those things happens to be a giant woman with a glowing crystal nose, so probably against any and all better judgement, he's not only unafraid of this quartz alien, but he looks absolutely excited when she actually talks to him.

Even if the question is rude at best, and her tone is pretty terse.]

Iunno. A while. I got lost in the dark.

[Why does he sound so goddamn happy.]

But then I saw a glow and it turned out to be your face. That's really cool.

[A maniac, an absolute maniac.]

Do you need some help with those guys?