epidemiology | EVENT ★ COWBOYS VS. ALIENS

EVENT ★ COWBOYS VS. ALIENS

STATE OF THE PLANET

Efforts in convincing the Qorral to stop drilling have been tentatively successful. Longterm solutions have been brought to them and, perhaps most importantly for the immediate, the fracking fields have been destroyed. The entire field has collapsed in on itself, taking mining equipment with it and creating a barren wasteland. In effect, the Qorral can no longer drill for argecite here, which means they will be leaving earlier than expected now that there is no use for the mining colony. It also means that the planet has been saved from being hollowed out completely.

On the other hand, attempts at dealing with the Deemers have been a little shaky. By now, it's known that Miz Poppy is host to the Mother, the queen of this Taraxa hive. She remains elusive, slipping through the fingers of any who manage to find or capture her. Meanwhile, the infested Qorral have been dealt with in many ways: some opting for wholesale slaughter, some hoping to extract the Taraxa in the field, and some sending both extracted Taraxa and infested hosts back to Oska to be examined.

As varied as the Deemer solutions have been, they have all resulted in the Deemer population being decimated. The numbers have dwindled as their camps are hunted down by ALASTAIR recruits, and attacks on the town of Perdition's Rest halt.

But the Mother is still out there and free, and that's a problem . . .

THE INVASION (DAY 1)

In the morning, the ships come.

Visible from the ground are massive spaceships in the upper atmosphere, gently drifting clouds sometimes blocking them from view. The Qorral don't recognize the ships; they're neither from their homeworld nor from any species they know, friendly or otherwise. For a few hours, the ships just hang in space like looming, silent buzzards, waiting.

And then -- sparkling, metal objects start falling to the planet. It's difficult to tell what they are, as their scale is minuscule compared to the gigantic warships above, and their descent is strangely beautiful. But as the objects come closer to the surface, the details become clear: individual spacecraft. They're gleaming in gold and white metal, a triangle sigil painted on the sides, and cannons mounted on the bottom.

These are Zymandis fighter craft. And they are not here to make nice.

The fighter craft swoop down close and send a barrage of lasers down on Perdition's Rest, causing the local Qorral to scatter. But their fear doesn't last long: many immediately take up arms to fire back at the ships when they're low enough, including Sheriff Holladay, who shouts commands to anyone who will listen, Qorral and ALASTAIR alike: take cover, give 'em hell, and for sun's sake, don't be a hero. (Those who have been officially deputized may access the sheriff's armory, which includes all sorts of fun toys of the shooty variety.)

But some Qorral have something else in mind. A small pack of locals rides out to the farm of Amos Zephyr -- and if you're suspicious enough to follow, it'll pay off. Beneath Zephyr's farm is a hidden defense platform: earth slowly moves aside as a metal platform raises up, home to mounted anti-aircraft cannons and fighter craft of their own.

The Qorral fighter craft are intuitively designed, and the Qorral will also quickly give any curious ALASTAIR recruit a run-down on how to operate them. They're short-handed since so many of their number joined the Deemers, so they're very eager to allow anyone to try their hand at flying the two-man ships, which have their own mounted cannons and, of course, escape parachutes. The fighter craft are not meant for high altitudes, though, so your dreams of space travel will have to wait for another time.

Those who do not wish to take flight and aren't comfortable with projectile weapons may find luck searching the desert for prey: namely, Taraxa agents attempting to flee in Zymandis escape pods. It seems as though the fighter craft are a distraction from the real goal of Zymandis helping its agents flee the planet. The Zymandis agents who are not Taraxa are variously humanoid, all equipped with laser weapons (spears, rifles, whips) that they will not hesitate to use against any who interrupt their attempts at escape.

For those who aren't battle inclined, there are civilians who need to be ushered to safety, and quick repairs to weapons, equipment, horses, or even the Qorral fighter craft will be needed. This fight is going to be a long one.

THE AFTERMATH (DAY 2)

It's peaceful now. The Zymandis warships have fled into space with the surviving Taraxa agents in tow, the Mother presumably among them. The combined efforts of team Audentes and the Perdition's Rest colonists have successfully staved off the attack.

The destruction wrought by Zymandis (and, perhaps, by overeager recruits themselves) is visible across the planet: deep fissures and scars from the laser cannons, fighter craft wreckage from both sides, burned buildings and trees, perhaps a fire still raging in the scrub grass somewhere. The Qorral aren't quite sure what that was all about, but they're more concerned with ALASTAIR's efforts in helping than in pointing fingers.

Q-65 is no longer a suitable home, so the locals begin to pack up in preparation for the arrival of their homeworld's ships in the next few days. An old man puts his chess pieces away; a little girl clutches her robot pony doll, unwilling to put it in her suitcase; the stable owner and the blacksmith stand close together and talk in hushed, affectionate tones. Sheriff Holladay lets her deputies know they've served the colony well. It's bittersweet, but the Qorral always knew this settlement was never permanent.

The mission complete, Audentes should expect to arrive back at Oska shortly. Use the time to say goodbye and finish up your business. Or, if you'd like, drink some of the booze that someone just found in the cellar beneath the burned-out saloon. It doesn't keep during interstellar travel, and no one will begrudge you a little celebration.

OOC NOTES

This log wraps up the Perdition's Rest mission! The log will last two IC days, after which characters will immediately return to Oska via dimensional rift (on 21 December in OOC time).

Mission epilogue details will go up at a later date, but for now, Audentes can rest easy knowing that the mission has been a success. We will be posting an OOC post-mission assessment on 14 December so we can discuss how the mission went and talk about the state of the game in general.

There is a new bounty on the Oska Bounty Board! Perdition's Rest bounties remain open until 21 December, at which point you will no longer be able to turn them in. You can also request bounty missions at any time.

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. To submit a player plot or future mission idea, please go to the Suggestions post.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That's an interesting title... I'm only passably familiar with it though.

[Horror wasn't so much his thing, for whatever reason.

Kaneki though, he would've been all over that. Not that Haise realizes of course]

Edited 2017-01-05 13:23 (UTC)

[ Ah... welp. ] It is about a serial killer, that is why...

[ Though you'd think with her experiences she'd change her mind?! ]

You find serial killers interesting?

[Sonia...?

But then he supposes that people tend to be fascinated by these things when they have no direct relation to them. Ah to be young and naive like this people-eater right here]

[ Crime is pretty common in her country though, and in actuality... one of the others at her school turned out to be a serial killer that murdered pretty boys so...

um.

Though she's only partially aware of that now, it hasn't changed her opinion of Toko in the least. ]

It is rather strange, is it not? [ Her smile grows a little sadder. ] A princess with a fascination with murderers. If my people knew... I imagine they would be very disappointed.

I'd like to think they wouldn't judge you so harshly for your tastes in fiction. It doesn't change who you are, or your commitment to them.

[And he's sure Sonia takes her status seriously, from what he knows of her. She's a warm and caring presence, and surely that means she cares for her people too]

You're human, not just an image.

It is not merely fiction... [ Her smile wavers slightly. ] I have read in detail many cases of real events...

[ Though he's correct in that she always took it seriously. When she finally admits what happened she'll break down hard about all of that, that's for sure. ]

Though I am not so sure how correct that may be anymore.

Some people approach real cases with intellectual curiosity. And some fiction is inspired by real occurrences as well.

[And so, he doesn't think that's enough to fault someone with]

But what makes you think that?

It is... not exactly fitting for someone of my status. If my pare-- [ Only she cuts off then, shaking her head. ]

No, it does not matter so much I just worry about what people would think if they knew I had interests like this.

[ It's also why she's promptly side stepping the rest too. Can anyone truly call themselves human when they've done as much damage to the world as she has? Even if it was without her consent it still happened. "Small fry", Junko had called them. Because they were weak.

Maybe she hadn't deserved her status to begin with.

She doesn't let any of these thoughts show mind you, merely offering him a small smile instead. ]

How long have you been working as a detective? You said you did something like that before, yes?

[It's a concerning thing, the way she halts herself. Redirects. Haise wonders for a moment whether he should pursue that, but they're only recently acquainted, and he thinks better of overstepping his bounds. Perhaps someday, she'll feel more at liberty to speak her mind.

For now, he respects her right to privacy. All things have their time]

An investigator, yes, for as long as I can remember. [A pause, and he supposes it might make her feel better of something half-said if he elaborates] Admittedly, that isn't very long. It's been three years.

[He suspects she can fill in the blanks for herself, if he only remembers three years]

Perhaps that's one reason I don't find your interests all that unusual. It's my business, after a fashion.

[ She's grateful that he doesn't though, if only because she needs that extra minute while he explains himself to swallow down bile as she also fights back horrifying memories of what happened as well. The only indicator that she shuts off for a second are her eyes clouding over, darkening, until she can pull herself back together. ]

Three years is still quite a while. Though I suppose it does make some sense... if it is what you are used to.

[They're small signs that he wouldn't miss...if he weren't sitting behind her, braiding her hair. As it stands, it's the silence that he notices, only having her back to observe at a time like this]

We all have our own personal interests, of course. Mine are hardly limited to the confines of my work.

[And in his way, he's quietly suggesting that hers don't have to be, either. It's normal]

[ It helps that he keeps talking, it gives her something to focus on. ]

Well I enjoy baking as well, I suppose. Sewing can be relaxing... or even drawing. [ There are other interests as well that are less... strange. ]

I'm fond of baking too. Now and then I've done some sewing, but not a whole lot of it.

[He can mend and adjust clothes to fit, so there's that, but he doesn't think anything of it]

What do you like to draw?

Mm... perhaps flowers, or animals. [ Her hands curl in her lap. ] I could try people sometime, I suppose. It is not something I would enjoy as much I do not think.

[ Partly because she'd be tempted to draw her friends from back home and that would only make her sad. ]

Flowers and animals are fine subjects.

[A pause, as he lifts some of her hair to start on a bun]

One of my subordinates, Urie-kun [As much as he tries to drop honorifics since not everyone in their organization is Japanese, it's so automatic with a member of his squad that he doesn't catch himself before it slips out] Ah. Urie, that is — he likes painting. Impressionism, I believe.

What is your favourite animal?

[ Her eyes flutter slightly as it starts to become relaxing, feeling her hair being pulled gently aside. She enjoys listening to him talk as well. It's calming. ]

You may keep the honorifics if you'd like. I understand their significance. [ She can't turn back and give him a reassuring smile, so she just reaches to pat his knee instead. ] Though that is rather amazing! It is a shame I cannot see his art.

Edited 2017-01-06 15:29 (UTC)

Thank you. [For not minding the honorifics] I don't know if he'd ever show up here, but if he does...perhaps you can then. He's very talented.

[Although Urie hadn't really ever shown off his work, Haise has at least seen it in passing. He imagines the fact that his subordinate doesn't tend to put his art out there is owed to perfectionism, though he might be wrong]

As for a favorite animal...I've never had a pet, but I've thought a cat might be nice. What about you?

If he arrives, will you tell me? [ She tilts her head, trying to peek back without bothering him too much. ]

Cats are quite lovely... but I am more fond of rabbits.

[ ofc. ] Though I do have hamsters with me here, they are not mine.

I'll be sure to introduce you, if he does. [A pause, and he supposes he ought to explain this now] He can be a little aloof, but he's very dedicated to his pursuits, and was at the top of his class.

[Which is to say, Urie's a smart cookie. Or rather, a smart Kuki]

Hamsters...I've seen some in passing, they're cute. Rabbits and cats actually have things in common, or so I've read.

I am sure it will be alright. [ It takes more than aloofness to keep her back... ]

You can meet them later... I believe the first time we met they were sleeping so it had not been possible. Right now I left them to the side so they would not get tangled in my hair as well. They usually hide there.

[ smh ]

And I as well. They are very charming animals.

Does that mean they like nesting in your hair?

[In fairness she does have a lot of it, but it's hard to picture a princess letting rodents hide somewhere in her hair. Maybe they're well-trained hamsters, if there are such things out there in the universe.

Then again, what isn't there?]

Mmm. I do not have the correct clothing for them to hide in my pockets unlike the person they belong to... so this is the best they have got.

[ But yes, they are very well trained. They won't go to the bathroom on her, thank god. ]

It's kind of you to keep them close at hand.

[Sonia for Disney Princess-

Regardless of her dark canon]

They... Their own is very precious to me.

[ It's all she says though, going quiet after it. There's no other hint of her sadness about that though, her face is still fairly blanket--it's only the tone of her voice and the silence that shows it.

That's more useful to him when she's situated like this anyway though. ]

[The tone tells him enough]

I miss people back home too.

[He thinks he understands, although he could be wrong. It's hard being away from the people one values, and not knowing how they are]

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