EVENT ★ WELCOME TO PERDITION'S REST

[futurologists]

ARRIVAL Recruits leave Oska at midday, with about 10 minutes of final warning given from over jewelcomms. Then the white mist rises as rifts open, and Oska is left behind. When they arrive in the new world, they’ll find themselves aboard a train, specifically seated in the coach traveling compartments. The other passengers -- humanoids with muted skin tones and bright eyes -- have already been notified of their arrival, so although there will be a good deal of curious staring, particularly from children, no one is going to be very alarmed at the strange, eclectic assortment of aliens that suddenly show up on board. It seems that, for once, recruits will enjoy a peaceful arrival. The dusty scenery flashes by placidly outside the windows, the rumble of wheels is constant and soothing, and there’s even a snack cart that makes its way around (the snacks aren’t free, though -- recruits are provided a modest sum of Qorral currency, and the locals are already interested in getting in on it). BAD COMPANY The first sign of trouble appears about two hours after arrival when there’s a faint BOOM and each of the train cars gives a little shudder. That would be the rear train car’s back wall being blown open. The other passengers know exactly what this means, and some lock themselves into traveling compartments while others haul out previously put away shotguns and pistols, ready to do what needs doing. And what needs doing is to fend off the troupe of bandits that have decided that this train looks ripe for the plucking. They board from the gaping hole they blew in the last car and begin shooting their way up the length of the train, robbing as they go, but they also circle out on their horses (mechanical and only vaguely horse-shaped four-legged contraptions that easily keep pace with the train) to provide an armed and unfriendly escort. They’ll shoot through the windows if anyone looks like a troublemaker, and are old hands at ducking to the other side of their horses to use them as cover from any return fire. The conductor and all present passengers would really appreciate a hand from any recruits who feel like stepping up. Those not quite ready to engage in a shootout can always keep the civilians locked into the compartments company. They, especially the children, might need some calming words (and the sage advice to keep away from the windows, and stop making faces at the bandits). The bandits put up a pretty good fight, but will eventually be driven away (hopefully without having snagged too many ill-gotten goods from the hardworking citizens of Perdition’s Rest), and peace falls back over the train. The passengers will be a bit frazzled afterward, though, and no one can quite ignore that whistling sound caused by the missing back wall of the final train car. It’s a long two more hours before they reach their destination. WELCOME TO PERDITION’S REST A dusty wooden sign swings on rusted hinges overhead as the train pulls into the station: PERDITION'S REST. The engine finally stills with one puff of smoke, and as the passengers begin to disembark, recruits will find a small group awaits them. The Mayor, his aide, and the sheriff are gathered just outside the train station, and once everyone is more or less off the train and conveniently gathered, the Mayor will clear his throat for attention. "I'm guessing y'all had a long ride here, didn't you?" He addresses the crowd calmly, with the kind of voice that doesn't need to be raised much to be heard. "Heard about them bandits.They ain’t gonna trouble you here in town, but best mind your wanderin’. I'm Mayor Mordecai Jones, and Perdition's Rest welcomes your company. You'll find our businesses hospitable and our services ready. We're a quiet place, keep mostly to ourselves and don't bother none. You'll do just fine here if you abide that." The aide waits quietly as the Mayor speaks, while the sheriff eyes the gathered bunch with a resigned wariness. She, and a few other locals who would be willing to speak up if asked, are of the opinion that they've gotten by just fine for 30 years without anyone's help, and they don't figure they need it now. But they'll tolerate the meddling, so long as everyone plays nice. Mayor Jones's speech draws to a close with a last note that trouble can be brought to him or to Sheriff Rosamund Holladay, and he, his aide, and Sheriff Holladay break the meeting without further ceremony and head away. Welcome to Perdition's Rest. It's recommended that you look around a little, familiarize yourself with the place, and find lodgings. It's going to be home for a while. OOC NOTES Welcome to Mission: Perdition's Rest! This mission will last for around three months, currently slated to end in mid-December. Depending on developments, this schedule is subject to change at our discretion. You can view the dossier here, which contains information that is ICly known to all characters, no matter their arrival time. You can find locations here. 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. The Bounty Board will be updated this weekend, so keep an eye out! Remember you can also request bounty missions or submit player plots at any time.

Comments

[pummelling]

[God, can he relate. Before he joined the Shaolin, Jin hadn't thought of himself as much of anything, either. The bump on his head is starting to hurt again, though, and the words just aren't coming the way he wants them to: so, instead, he'll let his actions speak most of the sympathy for him.]

Hey. You're gonna be--

[Jin, smiling a little, reaches an arm over and claps Asher on the shoulder. It's supposed to be reassuring, but in the moment, he's forgotten that they've both just been in a pretty respectable bar fight-- all the injuries seem to cry out at once with that single action.]

Ow.

[It's ridiculous. He can't even pat a guy on the back? The grin on his face spreads, and in spite of every part of him that's still sore, he's laughing. More real, more genuine than he's laughed in a long while.]

[moneyballer]

[Asher's nose curls slightly as he smiles, wide and bright despite the black eye he's sporting, forgetting the pain for a moment.

Laughter is one of the greatest gifts of all, contagious and wonderful in the way it can brighten up a room, even shining through the dimmest of situations. He finds himself chuckling through his teeth, the sound surprisingly innocent and unlike anything that Jin has heard from him before.

Maybe he's happy because it's finally happened. For what appears to be the very first time, Asher Millstone has actually earned himself a friend.]

Damn.

[All that messing around just might have been worth it.]

That really does hurt.

[pummelling]

Yeah, okay, [he says, pulling away from Asher and still chuckling quietly,] I think that's enough for one night.

[It's... nice to see Asher like this. It, too, is different from anything he's ever seen from him: it bears none of the falseness, the manufactured, carefully manicured nonchalance he'd worn when they first met. They're both exhausted, beaten. And as Asher turns away briefly, exposing the dark bruise on his cheek, Jin realizes.

It's the first time he's seen him smile. Really smile.

The hesitation's all fallen away. This, he supposes, is something beginning.]

Right now... [He tilts his head in the direction of an approaching guard.] Think we should move on to dealing with this winner. How 'bout it, Asher?

[moneyballer]

[Footsteps mixed in with the creaking of the wooden floor throw Asher back to where they really are.

He springs to his feet as soon as possible, although he regrets the decision immediately. The female guard's words are colored with authority and a hint of disdain, but for some reason, he can't make out any of it. Even the room moves as Asher steadies himself, partly because those hard blows to the head really have taken a toll on him.]

Um, excuse me?

[He whispers almost, taking hold of the bars and pressing his face through whatever opening he can.]

I'm sorry to bother you... I just-

[Asher knows very well that he looks as though he doesn't belong here, or on any one of ALASTAIR's teams.

Maybe he can use that to his advantage.]

Are you gonna be working the whole night?

[pummelling]

[Jin sits back, watching Asher and the guard with interest. (He's not... planning to flirt their way out of this, is he?)

The deputy, on the other hand, isn't especially used to seeing people like this on Perdition's Rest: it's clear that, whether they're one of ALASTAIR's or not, these two kids aren't from around here. She shoots Asher a look before replying:

"Thanks to the two of you, I sure am." The Qorral woman folds her arms and eyes the two of them with mild contempt. "Hope you're real proud of the mess you made."

Jin stays quiet, looking between the deputy and Asher. He's not jumping in for now-- he'll let Asher fight his own battle this time.]

[moneyballer]

[He isn't, not tonight.

Asher's shoulders fall at that. His actions have consequences, often for people he may not even know, and this one of the many examples of it. Because of a silly argument, someone who may not even be paid enough for their time is stuck here.]

Listen, I'm-

[He closes his eyes, sighing.

The warden will notice that Asher especially doesn't strike one as the aggressive type.]

We're a part of the team that just got here. We're not that familiar with the culture or the customs as of yet.

[Asher pulls out the stack of notes he'd just been reading a few hours ago, although there are creases in them now, with some tears here and there.]

I know you must get this all the time, but I think there's been a bit of a misunderstanding.

We are really dedicated to helping the people here, and... This won't happen again.

[Maybe this won't work, but he is being honest.]

[pummelling]

[The Qorral warden watches Asher with bright, careful eyes, before suddenly breaking into a barking laugh. It hasn’t worked— but it has, somehow, endeared her into being just a little bit more amenable.

”Y’all really think that an apology’s gonna get me to let you out of the drunk tank?” she says, chuckling. Her gaze drifts from the softer-looking boy speaking to the stubborn, hard-eyed one behind him: they don’t especially look like troublemakers, at least not of the sort that the bandits had been, but they’d still made a real scene back at the bar.]

Asher— [whispers Jin in a low voice. He’s a moment away from suggesting they just tunnel out the back with a spoon when the woman speaks up again.

”If you wanna negotiate with me, though…” She exhales a sigh. ”I’m listenin’. It ain’t off the table, theoretically so. Do you know what I’m communicating to you boys?”

Jin, dumbfounded, blinks. If Asher turns around, he’ll see Jin lean forward and silently mouth two distinct words:]

Convince her.

[moneyballer]

[Asher makes hesitant eye contact with the woman at first, his mouth half-open. His first thought is bribery, she could be asking for money, although he's pretty sure neither him nor Jin have enough money to change the opinion of an officer. Insinuating something like that is also pretty unsavory, and he doesn't want to make things worse than they already are.

He'll play it safe for now.]

What is it you want?

A favor?

[His eyes focus on the darkness behind her. Hopefully, there's no one else around.]

Information?

[pummelling]

["Try both."

Her expression sobers.

"We both know you didn't get into a fight with each other back there." She shoots a knowing glance Jin's way-- one of these two would've won if that were the case, pretty evidently. "I'm looking for someone. A stupid kid who fell in with some bad folks."]

And you'll give us a free pass if we help you out? [interjects Jin.

"We'll call it a reduced sentence for good behavior. Woulda let ya both out in the morning," she replies quickly. "C'mon, talk to me.]

[moneyballer]

[Asher shoots Jin a Look when he speaks, but his attention quickly shifts towards the face of the guard, shrouded half in shadow.

He finds himself taking in far more detail in this place, a symptom of the tumultuous feelings he hasn't been able to ignore as of late. In a way, his own loneliness and crippling self doubt have opened him up to other people in ways he hasn't known before. Her lips are pursed in a shape that indicates some kind of sorrow, longing, a memory of something sweet that has been soured just a tad.

As a result, a pang of sympathy finds settles deep within his gut.]

Sure, okay.

What does he look like?

[pummelling]

["Tall. Real tall," she explains. "He'd hit his head on that doorway over there if he tried t'walk through it." Though her people don't use earthly feet and inches, the doorway'll measure about seven feet off the ground. "He's got curly hair like mine, but a little lighter. All gangly. Could never really build himself up." She pauses, then, at last, quietly admits-- "He's my brother. S'only one I got, and he fell in with a real rotten crowd."

Jin, too, feels a jolt of sympathy-- but he's got to tell the truth on this one.]

I, uh, kicked a guy who looked like that.

[And funnily enough, she looks excited: "Then you've seen 'im!"

Jin smiles a little, and glances back at Asher, giving him the opportunity to speak for them both yet again. Asher's sure to be inclined to help. What better way to get out of jail free than to turn some wayward soul back to the light, huh?]

[moneyballer]

[Asher catches that glance, meeting Jin's with his own before facing the woman again.]

I think I know who you're talking about.

[He is inclined to help, anything concerning family and bad company... Well, that hits the nail right on the head for Asher.

His voice softens and he tilts his head to the side, curious.]

How long has it been since you last saw him?

[pummelling]

["A few weeks," she replies. "I... I yelled at 'im, the last time I saw him. He brought back a whole lot of cash and a shoulder with a bullet hole clean through it. Said he wanted to get us off this rock. I said he was gonna get himself killed tryin'."

Which means, thinks Jin, that he's got a scar on his shoulder too. The kid's well-meaning, but stupid, reckless: it all hits Jin close to home, too, so he answers without any more hesitation.]

We'll do it. You have our word and ALASTAIR's.

["Oh, thank the Sun and the stars. All right. I'm Miranda-- the knucklehead you're chasin' after is Cassidy. Cass for short."

She reaches into her pocket, and as the cell door keys jingle in her hand, Jin punches Asher, lightly, on the shoulder. Looks like they made it work after all.

"Bring my brother home."]

[moneyballer]

[Asher's feelings get the better of him, and he's forced to look down at the ground to maintain his own composure.

So much is going on here, but mostly he's floored by how dedicated she is to her brother. Life is more complicated than Asher often realizes, and perhaps that comes from being so sheltered, from living under a roof with a family that seemed to live their lives in blacks and whites despite the world being so terribly grey. What she's doing, that's what family should be, right?

So it's only fair that he and Jin do his best to protect it.]

We got you.

[Cassidy is lucky.

At least he has a home to head back to.]

I promise.