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

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You need a break-- [Ban shouldered the cart's weight easily enough, pushing it along the rails at a light speed. He didn't run, knowing full well the cart could easily topple and go right off the tracks despite Yaoyorozu's efforts to secure it. Some things didn't demand high speed or super strength rather than patience and stamina. He looked aside to Yaoyorozu, showing none of the amusement he had walked into the mission with, earlier.

Of course, Ban had been drinking and it wore down to a buzz in no time at all.]

--And, I'm gonna need backup if something goes wrong. You can keep the tunnels from collapsing if you prepare the materials for it, right? We're gonna need that, too.

[There's some hesitance, and honestly, she wants to deny that she needs it. But well, she's also aware that she's exhausted, and hungry, and if she pushes it more she'll collapse.

Hunger then, she can solve first with some snacks, and begrudgingly though rest.]

All right. [She agrees, even if she's not completely sold on it.] But don't think I won't jump in if I think it is necessary.

I figured you would.

[Despite that, he wouldn't simply give her another scarf as a boost. Ban had been taught by pain, surprise, and raw experience. He knew that a little suffering could operate pretty well as a teaching tool--not intentionally, anyway. Circumstance hurt people the most.

He wondered if she would stick to it or not. She had been fair and honest before when it didn't benefit her at all. Ban ended up only offering a shrug in return. Yaoyorozu needed a break. Ban would make sure her learning experience didn't go too poorly or dishearten her.]

Buuut, I'll make sure you won't have to. [He returned her somber look in favor of a smirk.] Got it ♪?

[She does feel inadequate, when he says that, but she also knows that she had overdone it. Ban was so much more capable than she is, and while she's sure experience is part of it, sometimes it feels like the gap in talent can be intimidating.

But this wasn't the time to think of that, and she lets him take the reigns as she holds on tight. She does offer a nod, waiting until there's some downtime before she tries to eat some snacks.

After all, she did need to recover.]

[The only noises one could hear from the tunnel Yaoyorozu and Ban had been making their way through had been from the tracks and the carts being pushed. On occasion, wary glances were stolen in Yaoyorozu's direction, wondering why she hadn't chimed in on anything in awhile.

He had no idea why. The slow trudge up the tunnel's slope was met with unease he hadn't quite been used to in his life. After awhile, Ban could find the edges of the issue. She had been unwilling to let him assert himself completely in helping.]

Why is it, again, that you want to be a hero for, missy? As you can tell, it's pretty damned dangerous. Even I'd be in trouble if I got caught in one of these collapsing mines.

[He had become one just by being strong and taking part in missions for Liones--apparently. Ban didn't see the title as particularly interesting or wondrous. Knights were just incredibly strong people who fought for a side.

He didn't even know why he bothered to save others other than a desire to respect his captain's wishes. He had no real reason to cooperate with ALASTAIR but did anyway. Of course, he had almost no motivation to do anything. Ban could have sat another eight years in darkness without a care in the world and it would have been fine for him.]

If you don't mind me askin'.

[The question surprises her out of her thoughts, her quiet demeanor giving way to plans and strategies in her head. How can she keep the collapse from happening? How much damage is there in the soil above? How many workers were still down under? She blinks owlishly for a few seconds, caught in midbite, before she breaks off the cracker she was eating and chews thoughtfully, trying to describe it.]

Simply put, I want to be able to use my Quirk to help others. I suppose it's a dangerous job, but... it's something I want to earn for myself, the chance to prove that I can still help others.

[It's a simple reason, she thinks. She doesn't have a grandiose reason lined up for it.]

I find heroes to be very admirable, don't you think?

[The job itself seemed glamorous, he admitted. What Momo alluded to was a position that, when taken, asserted that someone would always be in danger for the sake of other people. Even so, what if some heroes simply liked being in danger and benefited from a constantly hostile environment? Evil villains were much the same though their motivations tended to be different. Even then--how often were motivations that far apart when it came to villains and heroes?

He hadn't ever grown up with heroes or villains, himself. People who would come off as evil to some could be called mere survivors by others. People who were touted as heroic could come off as villainous to their enemies.

Even so, Momo's expression was somewhat endearing when she explained herself. She looked earnest and he believed she would really, readily throw herself in the way of danger to help someone else.]

Hell if I knew what's admirable or not.

[It was a lie. Even Ban knew that a dream like that was nothing but admirable, even if needlessly reckless. He sighed, shouldering the cart a little more once they got to an upwards slope. They were almost out of the tunnel.]

I'm not a good example of a hero, myself~. It'd be best if you didn't lump me in with your aspirations.

Mm, well... I do think you're very heroic in your own way, whatever the reason.

[And anyway, he's helping out, and that's more than she could ask for in this situation. She's idealistic to a point, and she's well aware of that fact. However, she can't simply bring herself to ignore the times he's helped her out too, like now.

She still doesn't feel adequate, and the fact that he has to stop her from overexerting herself shows she still has a long way to go. However, he's also been the one who's supported her the most since she joined, so she can't exactly think badly of him no matter what he says. She does, after all, respect strength even if character is something that she considers to an extent.]

Then, as a fellow recruit, I can still rely on you, right?

[They pushed past the mouth of the tunnel. Ban cocked his jaw out and offered Momo a depleted expression in return. Out of the rest of the recruits he had met, barring Papyrus, Momo had given him the most credit. It was clear he was going to have to change that and she was going to have to see him for the drunken monster of a human being he was.

He didn't quite deal with it well when faith was given to him with so little cost.]

Oi, missy. Do you drink? We're gonna get drinks when this is all over with.

I'm underage, actually.

[She seems embarrassed, at least, at the question. It wasn't as if it was the first time she's been mistaken to be older than she is, so she's quick to assume as such.

She's not aware of his thoughts, doesn't get to correct it, and it's for the best. It's hard to explain, sometimes, the merit of simply trusting someone for their skills.]

But um... thank you for the invitation. I'm afraid I have to decline.

So? [Ban scowled at that. It wasn't the first time someone had told him that and it confused the daylights out of him. Coming from a city in which ale was better than plenty of the food and also safer to drink than the water--he essentially grew up drinking with the older men when they didn't kick him around.

He pointed to his chest, bemoaning the strange habits of his would-be cultural descendants.

At the same time, he dragged the miner he had over his shoulder to a stretcher and set them down gently enough to not disturb them any further. Ban puffed out his chest in irritation.]

I started my ale label collection when I was half your age. Half of you recruits come from damned dry wells if I've heard anything.

Times have changed, Mr. Ban. Rules in my country states that the legal drinking age is at 21, and I don't intend to break it.

[Or, to put it bluntly, she can't help it if he's an old geezer. Though, she does sympathize, not enough to change her stance on the matter.]

Many of the recruits are below that age too, I believe, and from the same country. That might be part of the reason for it.

[Ban glowered at Momo as if she was the driving force behind this 'anti-beer' movement. He drew his hand into the bag of holding and pulled out a leather-bound book. He proceeded to shove it into her hands.]

We're goin' back in and you're gonna look at every page on the way down.

[It was full of ale labels, each one glued to a page. Every single page was full.]

[Wait, what?]

Why would I need to do that?

[She's not going to drink even if he makes her. She'll fight him like an angry cat.]

Just do it. Every one of those labels represents a good time and a learning experience.

[That suggested--it wouldn't surprise the reader or the narrator to assume that Ban had tried to get beer down the throat of at least one angry cat in his life.]

[And yet she starts reading anyway. Knowledge is power, after all.]

Even so, I don't plan on drinking until I am of legal age by law. I don't plan on returning with a track record like that.

[He seemed to relax as Momo opened the book to look over the labels. There were occasionally poems and quotes on the labels. Even in his time, more prominent bottlers tended to enjoy flourishes of language.]

What kind of society runs like that? It's weird, taking that kinda stuff away from people because of age. Don't you folks know it's great for bonding with others?

I believe the rule is due to the fact that they want to guide children and teenagers to a moral path. Drinking itself may not be an issue, but addiction and lack of inhibition could cause recklessness. Teenagers, in general, are very impulsive.

[That said, it wasn't as if adults were much better but...]

It's easier to have control once you're older, I believe, especially when society is as large and intricate as ours.

Sounds like a crappy way to teach morality.

[Ban shoved his foot against a cart that wasn't loaded and began pushing it onto the main track. There were still some supplies to handle back down in the cave.

He shoved the cart forward and it began to roll after a great deal of grinding.]

By the way--you're lookin' much better.

Society has progressed extensively, and there are so many people in the world that not keeping rules like this could only serve to make things more chaotic.

[She says, though thinks about what he says anyway, even as she smiles at the concern.]

I've eaten a bit, but I suppose the rest did help. Thank you for insisting on it.

[Snorting without a smidgen of grace, Ban gave the cart another push after following it along.

Sure, he could have thrown the thing over a mountain if he wanted but the point was to keep it on the rails and not send it sailing blindly and dangerously into the shaky mine shaft. Delicacy was a bit more important, there.]

See? I must not be too shabby a teacher, then.

Perhaps on some aspects, but I stand by that asking a minor to drink is far from legal.

[She says, though her smile is more amused, laughing rather than knowing, as if she found it to be a funny joke.]

Speaking with you is always such an odd experience.

[Ban bit back his response to that, finding his eyes rolling aside to look to the cart rather than Momo. As irritating as it was that she found him to interesting rather than just disgusting, he had to admit the same. He had a certain fondness for strange and new conversations.

Plus, she was awfully tolerant when most other people would call him out. Momo's sense for rationality and her decryption of his points was interesting enough. What made it tolerable was that she didn't make it a point of pride to hold over his head. He usually disliked it when someone proved him wrong and they lorded it over him.

In this regard, it was oddly respectful even if he got sore about it.]

See, now you're sayin' it like it's a good thing.

I don't get to meet a lot of people like you. I think it's a good experience.

[At the very least, in his own way, he has been very considerate of her. He may not always like how she is towards him, but he has yet to do anything that she had found to be completely disrespectful of her stance as well. Well, being pushy about drinking aside, which she suspects is him retaliating to her insistence on a friendly, if not at least neutral, relationship.]

Is it that bad?

Yeah. That's really bad.

[With one hand planted on the cart, Ban led Momo back into the mining cavern with a worrisome expression on his face. He was resolved to take her word as it was and believe her but it didn't seem pleasant.

More so, it worried him that he cared that much that she was so welcoming to ideas like that.]

Your nickname should be 'Miss Mark'.

EVENT ★ THE FRACKING FIELDS

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