epidemiology | EVENT ★ THE FRACKING FIELDS

EVENT ★ THE FRACKING FIELDS

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

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Despite the cloying grasp of the sand underfoot, Haise darts from one struggling worker to another at a quick clip. He goes where he hears shouts and cries, occasionally pausing because he smells people he doesn't see, reaching down to uproot them from the sand like desert carrots. Those are close calls, ones that spur him to hurry his way along.

No one should have to die here, not when they have the strength and ability to do something about it.

When he hears another shout ring out over the scrambling chaos of recovering equipment and workers, he pivots and hurries over. He can see a woman trying to drag a man from a sinkhole and getting pulled in herself, and knowing there isn't time to waste, he's quick to approach]

Pardon the intrusion.

[A token apology as he puts an arm around her middle and drags both her and the man away from the sinkhole with a little too much ease for his size...]

[ Lucina hears silence from the other line, even for a brief moment. She grits her teeth and tries to pull again, because there is a life to be saved ( and her's too, at this rate ), and she's not giving up on them anytime soon. Not when the sand begins to reach the middle of her shins, and definitely not when she nearly falls, balance a difficult thing to achieve when her two feet are stuck on the ground.

Fortunately, rescue comes in the form of a polite apology and an effortless carry, as well as a rather confused brand-new teammate. ] —!

[ But there isn't a lot to say when she sees the man sputtering and coughing just in front of her, on all fours as he tries to get the sand out of his system. ] Are you alright? [ It takes a moment, but the man nods, glancing over at her before returning to his coughing fit. Seemingly satisfied with his answer ( for the moment ), Lucina turns to their savior. ]

... I don't know what to say. [ It's the first time she's getting a proper look at Haise, and the surprise on her face, however brief, isn't difficult to spot. ] Thank you. I truly appreciate it.

[Once the two are out of harm's way, Haise releases his hold on his associate, stepping back to give her room. It seems that the civilian she'd saved should recover, and he's relieved to see that much. The terrain being as treacherous as it is, they're facing more of a challenge than he'd expected.

When she thanks him, Haise is quick to wave the notion off with one hand and an easy smile]

Please, think nothing of it. We're a team, after all.

[It doesn't matter that they hadn't met before, so far as he's concerned. They're on the same side and both trying to help the hapless workers here. Combining their efforts is better for success, especially when faced with conditions like these... To that end, it's a matter of course that he should step in]

This is a bit much for any one of us to tackle alone.

[ Lucina takes the moment to stand on her own two feet, dusting the sand off her clothes. A brief glance to double check that she still has all her belongings ( tiara, Falchion, a ring ), and she's looking back at the kind stranger. Teammate. It'll take a while before she can correct herself to the correct vocabulary.

And the smile's infectious — she's never been one to smile, but there's a small quirk of her lips to match his, and a firm nod. Perhaps the people here will be similar to the ones she fought with, back at home. The thought reassures her, and she straightens out again. ]

Still, when I called for assistance, I hadn't expected... [ She looks back at the sands that were quick to swallow her and her rescuee, trailing off. With the adrenaline slowly seeping out of her system again, she's not sure how to make sense of what she saw ( and she's fought alongside Taguels and Manaketes. )

When she turns to Haise again, her gaze is curious, though her manners keep her from asking how he did that. ] ... Regardless, I appreciate it.

[For a brief instant, Haise wonders if she's a new member of their ranks. He doesn't begin to presume that he knows everyone in their squad, but he does rather think that her surprise at his strength might be an indicator... At the same time, though, he has to grant that his stature doesn't look particularly impressive or powerful. So it may be as simple as that.

Whichever the case may be, he's glad to see that both of them are unharmed. The terrain being as treacherous as it is, they're facing quite the challenge in ensuring that people are safe around here]

Always happy to lend a hand.

[Something that Haise certainly means, glad as always for tasks that don't require that he go around killing opponents, and rather let him do something constructive. Even so many months later, that difference still means the world to him]

I'm a bit stronger than I look, but I'm not unique in that regard. [There's Shizuo, for one] If not for the terrain, I think you'd have hauled him out by yourself, really.

Unique— are the townsfolk here also of great strength? [ She's fairly certain that he's one of her new comrades, yet his words seem to compare himself to the townsfolk ( or perhaps, she has yet to wrap her head around the idea that there can be more people with super human strength ). There's a small tilt of her head, a subconscious follow up to the question.

Anyway. ] Your faith in me is undeserved. [ She shakes her head; despite jumping into the mess head-first, she knows she has her limitations. Such as: ] He would not have been sinking if this had been different terrain. [ Her tone is not unkind; it's simply stating a fact, realizing that she would not have had to drag anyone in the first place if the situation was any different.

There's a beat, and then her eyes widen— ] Oh! I apologize, I've yet to introduce myself. My name is Lucina. [ A quick glance out to the fields, just to make sure that the people in their immediate area have been accounted for. The man seems to have calmed down as well. ] Despite the circumstances, it's a pleasure.

[Haise can't deny the truth of what she's said; people wouldn't be sinking into the sand if there weren't sand to begin with. Even so, he thinks that she managed to last longer in trying to haul the man out than others might have, and there's something to be said for that. If there had been some solid ground around the sinkhole, he doubts that she'd have needed a hand then]

It's good to meet you, Lucina. Please, call me Haise.

[Since most of his associates conform to western conventions, he offers his given name rather than what would be his family name. Granted, both of his names have been given to him...]

I don't know whether the townspeople are particularly powerful, but some among our ranks are rather strong.

[Haise can think of a few off the top of his head, though he doesn't know how their strength compares with his own, only that it's assuredly beyond the average

Haise. [ She lets the name roll off her tongue, head tilting just a fraction as she considers it. It's foreign — she should have expected it, considering this definitely isn't Ylisse anymore. After a second she nods, letting her expression soften.

Perhaps the townspeople are what Lucina's more familiar with. Save a few exceptions, the strength her rescuer ( Haise, she mentally corrects ) exhibited is ... unheard of. It makes her equal parts nervous yet comforted by the fact that she's surrounded by capable individuals. Though at the same time, she briefly wonders what her purpose will be, here. ] I'll look forward to meeting everyone. [ And she will — considering they're her comrades from this point forward, it'd do well to get to know everyone.

But for now — ] He should be taken away from here. [ The guy who seems to be sitting down, eyes dazed. Lucina crouches down, supporting his weight on hers as they both stand, slowly. ] It wouldn't do well for us to idle while others need our assistance. [ She wishes they didn't have to part so abruptly, but ... things need to be done, or something. ] Thank you again, Haise. I truly appreciate it.

[Their squad is so large that Haise has yet to meet everyone, and he wonders with the fluctuations in their membership if it's even possible. Still, he hopes that Lucina gets to know a great many of her squadmates. It's hard to feel like part of a team if one doesn't have the chance to get to know them, and maybe after the chaos dies down here she'll have proper opportunities for that.

He nods along with Lucina's assessment. Right now there's quite a lot for them to take on, and people remain who need their assistance. With that thought in mind, he thinks to make a suggestion]

Given the circumstances, why don't we combine our efforts?

[That's what a squad is for, after all. They're a unit, and they're stronger for having one another around]

From here on, we're part of the same team.

[And so it remains the case that no thanks is necessary...even if, were their positions reversed, he'd surely thank her too]

Oh— [ Her eyes widen in surprise, pausing a moment. ] I...

[ Under most circumstances, she'd decline politely. They can work more efficiently if more of them are on the field working separately, cover more ground. She knows she's capable enough to hold her own, in the least.

But... maybe not here. The combined efforts of an unfamiliar terrain with an even less familiar world, where she doesn't know anyone: it's daunting, even for her. While Haise doesn't necessarily fix all of these problems, he at least mitigates some. She'll learn, refuses to allow herself to be a burden like this, but she's also going to need all the help she can get. ]

That would be... yes, let's. [ A nod, followed by re-adjusting her hold on the man. They are stronger for having each other here, working together. ] I'll be in your care, then.

Shall we? [ At least begin by bringing this man over to wherever he should probably go. ]

[Haise nods and follows along, drawing his weapon from his coat in case any of the strange birds circling overhead decide to take a dive in their direction. He's seen hulking sandworms too, which strike him as equally unappealing visitors as they escort this worker to safety]

He should be safe with that group there.

[With his free hand, he points out a small collection of miners grouped together with some recovered equipment. They look just as sand-covered as the rest, but they're stationed away from the less than steady fracking fields.

At least the opportunistic birds don't seem inclined to go after larger groups, which works in their favor right about now]

[ Lucina has yet to face off with a sandworm by herself — her primary focus has been the people, driving off the occasional vulture as they try to find their next prey ( or drive a sword in to their bodies, which ever is easier ).

Lucina's eyes follow Haise's hand, spotting the group of the survivors huddled together. The man's eyes also seem to light up in recognition, which is more than enough confirmation for her. ] Yes, let us go, then.

[ And this is how Haise and Lucina probably went around the fields pulling people out of the sand and killing birds, or something. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

EVENT ★ THE FRACKING FIELDS

rescue.

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wraps this up!!