EVENT ▸ ELECTRIC SHEEP

[futurologists]

ELECTRIC SHEEP After Ophelia spends some time getting the lay of the land and settling into Drakstadish life, Rost informs them that one of their secret sympathizers has gained access to information that has the potential to bring the Prime Minister down. One of his maids has found security footage of him talking to other governmental officials in his home about incriminating plans. There is no time to explain what's in the recording, Rost member Froken explains, only that it has something to do with taxes: citizens of Drakstaden have had to pay an increase in taxes with the understanding that it will be used for revitalizing the lower levels -- including the promised Vakdir presence that has yet to come to fruition. Ophelia will need to infiltrate the City-State Broadcasting Station in the upper levels, where another secret sympathizer is ready to get them into the the master control room and disseminate the incriminating recording for the entire city to see. Rost will be accompanying them, ready to act as distractions or sacrifice themselves to the Vakdir who patrol the station; Ophelia has a better chance of completing the mission, and that is the most important thing to the rebels. ▸ BROADCASTING STATION The upper levels of Drakstaden are cleaner and brighter than the ones below; the pale blue sky of Heimland is visible here, peeking between gaps in the buildings. There are plazas here, promenades and courtyards and gardens built on the roofs of buildings that end before the topmost, giving the upper class places to walk and take in the fresh air that is foreign to the lower levels. But everything is colder here -- fewer people in the upper classes means less body heat, and although the taller buildings buffet the wind from blowing too harshly against the plazas, it's still present, along with the seemingly endless rain. The Vakdir presence here is noticeably heavier than in the middle levels, though the upper class citizens' reaction to them is markedly different: whereas the middle class tends to cringe away from the Vakdir and avert their gaze, the upper class either ignores the Vakdir entirely or engages them in friendly conversation. It seems as though the oppressive force of the Vakdir is not so oppressive for the wealthy. You may want to take the time to explore. The City-State Broadcasting Station is on the uppermost floors of one of the taller buildings, meaning that Ophelia and Rost will need to climb several flights of stairs to reach the doors. Once there, the "secret sympathizer" -- Petyr Larson, the janitor -- is there to let them in. It's the middle of the broadcast day, so everyone else will be busy in the broadcasting and control rooms, giving characters plenty of time to explore the station, though they'll still have to be on the lookout for the Vakdir patrolling the halls. Larson's iris scan allows him to enter any room in the Broadcasting Station, including offices, and he has made copies of his iris scan on credit card-sized discs: the infiltrators only need hold the disc up to the scanners in front of any locked room for access. This allows for the team to split up into smaller groups or head out solo, and it keeps Larson out of immediate danger; though he's sympathetic to the rebel cause, he's a very nervous sort and is not exactly equipped to explain to the Vakdir why he's accompanying roughly 80 people around the station. While exploring the whole station can potentially turn up useful information for Rost to use against the oppressive government, they'll insist that everyone's sights are set on the control booth so they can upload the Prime Minister's secret meeting. It'll have to be timed carefully -- there is a fifteen minute break between broadcast shifts where the majority of the staff breaks for lunch, and the control booth should be abandoned. Once inside, it's a small matter of plugging the drive into the console and hitting the button marked BROADCAST: The recording is grainy-looking and from a high angle. It's a spacious, many-windowed room where the Prime Minister is seated at a desk. Seated across from the desk are three men, all dressed impeccably; their high-end cybernetics gleam even in the low-quality recording. Prime Minister Ivarson speaks, his voice clear even though the visuals are muddy: "So we're agreed, gentlemen. I assure you, your constituents won't mind the "repurposing" of their hard-earned funds once they realize they will earn it back thricefold once we clear out the... riff raff plaguing our fair city. With our new involuntary labor force, we'll finally be living like we were meant to. And they'll be doing the same." As this recorded "off the record" meeting continues, it seems to indicate that Prime Minister Ivarson does intend to stay true to his promise to fix the lower levels -- by jailing the majority of the lower class, thereby clearing the lower levels of crime and undesirables once and for all. The prisoners would then be used as a cheap labor force, driving the middle class into poverty as they try to compete with the unpaid workers, thereby establishing a new lower class and ridding the upper class of all competition. It's certainly damning to the Prime Minister and will likely disturb the lower and middle classes, but it begs the question -- is it enough to drive the upper class against him too? ▸ THE VAKDIR The Vakdir are immediately alerted when Rost’s counter-propaganda is broadcasted; the handful of Rost members who stayed behind at the hideout let the infiltrators know that, and that it can only mean one thing: the broadcasting station has been compromised. For Ophelia, this means it’s time to get out, and quick. Vakdir backup is quickly descending upon the broadcasting station, and anyone caught nearby is being taken in and questioned. Any safeguards against entering the broadcasting station don’t keep all of the Vakdir out; there are already several inside, searching the large building for anyone who doesn't belong there. You’ll need to be stealthy if you want to get out without being apprehended and arrested, which will obviously happen if you're found there. The Broadcasting Station has quite a lot of tech one might be able to hide behind, as well as rooms -- offices, closets, dressing rooms -- to duck into if the Vakdir are patrolling the halls. If caught, characters can struggle to break free -- although they will still be known as a fugitive if they escape, and their likeness will be broadcast frequently as a wanted person. The Vakdir are equipped with powerful stun guns that will disable the average person almost instantly, as well as body armor that protects them from most attacks. Characters who do not escape will be brought to the prison, a high-tech complex adjacent to the Vakdir Headquarters, where they will be required to relinquish their possessions (it's your choice if your character's jewelcomm and/or specialization magitek is included!) and change into the grey prisoner uniform provided. The prisoners are informed by a particularly slimy Vakdir officer that there will be no trial, and that their punishment will be severe; the Prime Minister is very displeased with their malicious attempts to destabilize a peaceful nation, and evil acts deserve justice. “Sleep well,” he tells them, locking the door to the cell. On the bright side, due to severe overpopulation in the prison, all the prisoners from the broadcasting station have been thrown into one -- cramped, uncomfortable -- cell. In addition to whatever guildmates have been imprisoned, there are a few Rost members in the cell as well, as well as some innocent bystanders -- and Petyr Larson, the Broadcast Station's inside man. It looks like it's sleepover time! But don't worry -- the Rost take care of their own, and rescue is surely on its way. ▸ OOC NOTES This log takes place over several hours, with the next log -- featuring a jailbreak! -- beginning a few days later. In other words, there will be time dilation in place, meaning that only two IC days will pass between this log and the next. Please note because this log has been posted so late in the month, you may use threads begun in April for May AC. You may not use the same thread for AC in both months. If you have questions about this log or the mission, please direct them to the dossier. Questions about the game in general can be directed to the FAQ. ▸ Up now: Optional. The Great Escape II player plot! The Free Bird and My Fair Lady bounties are now unlocked, along with the upper level locations. May calendar is live! Plotting post for this log is up. ▸ Coming next (Futurology runs on timezone UTC): 30 Apr: Optional. Player plot sign-ups. 01 May: April AC begins at 00:01 UTC, ending on 5 May 23:59 UTC. All characters accepted in April must provide one proof. Failure will result in an idle. Reminder: bounty threads do not count toward !plot proofs. Please review the AC requirements to prepare! 01 May: Hiatus trimester turns over. Review what this means on the hiatus page! 05 May: Optional. Player plot log. 12 May: Next !plot log goes up. ▸ CR/Welcome Meme ▸ Drakstaden Dossier ▸ Drakstaden Locations ▸ Drakstaden Bounty Board ▸ May Calendar

Comments

EXPLORATION

[futurologists]

We are trying something new for exploration threads this time around, so please read the instructions carefully!

Players will have 72 hours from the start of this log to submit their explorations -- this means they will be due at 23:59 UTC on 1 May.

There are no limits on how many submissions we'll accept, but please try to be unique in your questions/searches -- if someone has already received a response from an NPC about a specific question, don't ask that same NPC the same thing.

Please also include if your character is particularly suited to a specific type of approach either by specialization or by their own natural self/powers. For example: if your Bruiser/intimidating character tries to intimidate someone, they'll have a better success than someone who weighs 80 lbs, etc

Characters may explore solo or in groups, but may only participate in one submission. Each submission only gets one question/search, no matter how many characters are in the group. This is to allow mods the time to answer as many submissions and follow-ups as possible.

We will answer one follow-up question per submission:

• Asking the chosen NPC one additional question
  
• "Insight check": discerning if the NPC is being deceitful
  
• Further inspecting the found object
  
• Asking an NPC about the found object

Also, please feel free to ask for clarification if we are unclear in our response!

Please use one of the following forms to submit your exploration (maximum 60 words per section):

QUESTIONS <b>Character(s):</b> Name (username) <b>Where you search:</b> <b>Who you ask: <b>How you approach them:</b> <b>What you ask:</b>

SEARCHING <b>Character(s):</b> Name (username) <b>Where you search:</b> <b>What you are looking for:</b> <b>How you look for it:</b>

CITY-STATE BROADCASTING STATION

[futurologists]

OFFICES:

These include writers' rooms, research rooms, human resources, and marketing. You may search desks (which may be locked), waste bins, or computers, the latter of which can only be accessed by a character who possesses at least basic computer skills.

You may also run into staff in these different departments, who may be fooled into thinking you're a new hire, unless you want to break your cover and question them aggressively.

CONTROL BOOTH:

The location of your main infiltration objective. Only characters who possess at least basic computer skills can have a fruitful search here. The computers here are pre-loaded with broadcasts that run throughout the day: notices, warnings, news, etc. Unedited broadcasts are on file as well, raw footage that has not yet been edited with propaganda.

BROADCASTING LIBRARY:

This large room contains rows and rows of digital recordings of previous broadcasts that are organized by subject, making it easy to search for a particular topic. There are also banned recordings here that are not fit for public consumption, labeled with a yellow sticker, though they are not filed separately so it will take some luck to find one.

The library is run by a single librarian, a very dour man who does not seem to particularly care if you belong here or not.

BREAK ROOM:

You probably won't find any clues in the fridge, but there are notices posted to the staff board that may be of interest: new rules and codes to abide by, banned topics, upcoming dates, etc. You may also just find someone who is trying to find a home for their cat's new kittens.

There is likely someone having lunch here who may be more willing to speak on sensitive topics in such a casual setting, especially if you pretend you're staff as well.

GENERAL UPPER LEVEL LOCATIONS

[futurologists]

VAKDIR HEADQUARTERS:

The powerful police force that answers to the prime minister and the prime minister alone. It's an open secret that the Vakdir can be bribed with money, drugs, and more to look the other way on infractions and illegal activity, and are often used by the upper class to "take care" of up and coming middle class competition.

The only area available at the moment is the entryway, where citizens come to file complaints and ask for help. There is an officer at the desk who can be spoken to. If one waits long enough, a loud argument outside distracts him, causing him to leave his computer, which can be searched only by a character who possesses at least basic computer skills.

IVAR GUNTERSON UNIVERSITY:

The premier university in Drakstaden, attended by the most wealthy and powerful. To be accepted is a great honor, although rumor has it the acceptance process has more to do with being a legacy and making a large donation than any personal accomplishments. The campus is a series of minimalist buildings connected by sky bridges.

Unlike more sensitive areas, there is less Vakdir presence here, and a well-dressed person can easily blend in. There are students and professors alike to speak to, all of them seemingly upper class. If talking doesn't interest you, there are several empty classrooms to explore, as well as a vast library.

PROMENADE:

A pleasant walkway for upper class citizens to stroll along. Surrounded with potted greenery for an authentic outdoors look. A common hangout spot for upper class Drakstadish.

There are plenty of people around to speak to, of all ages and genders, although they all remain solely upper class. This is the place to find the most variety among upper class Drakstadish citizens, as almost all of them pass through here at one point or another throughout the day. If there's a type of person you're looking for in particular, you'll find them here.

PRISON CELL:

For characters who have been imprisoned only. Though characters have been all crammed inside a locked cell and cannot mingle with the general population, the prison cell is an opportune place to ask the imprisoned Rost members or Petyr Larson anything you wish to know.

You may also try to shout questions to other cells, though the Vakdir will likely not appreciate that -- but hey, if you want to try your luck and ask the Vakdir something, you can try that, too.

[justbeingknife]

General Exploration;

[ Would you look at that -- on the upper levels, it was even possible to see the sky. Or at least what served for it on this rock. Majima was sporting a pair of dark glasses and an overcoat typical of Drakstadish fashion. Somehow, he managed to pull it off. ]

Just like home. Ya got money, the cops're your friends. Ya don't, best be scurrying along.

[ The plazas here seemed so empty after the press of bodies down below. ]

The Vakdir;

[ The alarm went out, perhaps a bit sooner than expected. Apparently, the cops were on their game out here. Majima turned to his teammate, pistol in hand as the sound of confused voices and shouted orders came closer. ]

Time to get out while the gettin's good. You ready?

Bounty: Free Bird;

We're gonna need a distraction.

[ From their hiding spot, the basement looked to be heavily guarded, and although Majima was perfectly confident in his ability to handle himself in a fight, he was not so perfectly confident that they could safely get any prisoners out by just storming in like idiots. ]

So whattaya got?

[ Since he was asking, he'd lay out his own array of equipment: A 9mm pistol, a laser gun, an EMP device, that microradio he'd gotten from before. A few more conventional weapons as well, though he doubted they'd be much use in getting the Vakdir away from the area. ]

Bounty: My Fair Lady; (for Maya)

Alright. If someone asks, it's gonna be less suspicious if we're related.

[ Majima looked mildly uncomfortable in the upper crust disguise he'd managed to acquire, but he could deal with it if it meant getting some halfway-decent information. Still... was it really necessary to have this many zippers? ]

We should be...

[ He paused a moment to look Maya over. ]

...uh, how 'bout you be my niece.

Wildcard;
[ For all ur other RPing needs! ]

free bird

[wyvil]

[Compared to Majima's wide array of weaponry the handful of small vials and the palm-sized explosive that Wylan fishes out of his leather satchel might look unimpressive. (Much like Wylan.)]

What are your feelings on flashy distractions?

[Luckily, in this case, looks can be deceiving.]

[feytality]

You do look like an uncle kind of guy, Mr. Ai Patchi!

[ she might actually use that if he doesn't stop her..... anyway, maya's fidgeting in her disguise, which is a little big and long for her. she still seems cheerful, though. ]

Hmm... we could tell people we're heading up to drink wine and talk about the economy. That's what rich old farts do, right?

[ apparently. ]

For Lissa

[justbeingknife]

[ "S-stop, please!"

There was a gaggle of well-dressed, sleek-haired citizens, each sporting the high-end cybernetic enhancements most in vogue with the style of the upper levels -- they stood out in stark contrast to everyone else in the cramped plaza, including the middle-aged couple they were currently surrounding.

'S-stop!' echoed a dark-haired young woman with pink highlights in her hair. Her voice was high, mocking. She had a knife in her hand. "You lazy bottomfeeders make me sick."

There was a dangerous look in Majima's eye as he started through the crowd, toward the confrontation, though he still kept a cool enough head to address the teammate he'd spotted over the magitek. ]

I'm breakin' this up.

[arkproject]

    ➤➤➤ EXPLORATION; BROADCASTING STATION;

[ This is her chance! No time to wait and no second-guessing. Once they get the word, Catherine had hustled like there was a fire under her to get all her materials together, and she's out the gate once allowed. She spends the whole trek up the stairs trying to canvas her fellow guild members for willing accomplices. ]

No, there's plenty of other people taking care of the broadcast, [ she says, in her hurry-up-get-with-the-program voice. ] I want to plant something. Specifically, a receiver that will hopefully let us look through their systems later. We're probably not going to get another chance.

    ➤➤➤ STEALTH ESCAPE;

This is extremely tedious, [ she grumbles-- quietly, as she crouches in a closet or behind a large server rack, trying to surreptitiously find things to inspect or make off with even as they wait for Vakdir to clear out enough to go by.

Catherine is not a particularly great stealth partner. In fact, she's probably going to need to be shepherded out by someone with a lot more patience and tolerance for waiting than she has. She's more than a little eager to get back and see what she'd found, what everyone had found, and figure out if her prior plans are feasible. ]

    ➤➤➤ BOUNTY; MY FAIR LADY;

[ Catherine would not be anyone's first choice for an undercover mission, and frankly she couldn't blame them, except she's having a lot more fun than she'd expected. Her cocky, devil-may-care attitude about potential fallout lends her the absolute confidence to blend in among the other, more legitimately self-righteous members of the upper class.

Even her fancy dress has a flair of her own playfulness behind it-- white and modest, with colorful splashes of flowers, at odds with the meticulously designed fake cybernetics augmenting her face and hands. Delicate tendrils of chrome-plated metal and reflective glass crawl around the backs of her hands, and frame one side of her face. Her skill in robotics and her practice all month working with Drakstaden's local tech makes the fakery impeccable, half-functioning. The only reason she can't use it for real is she still, to her utmost frustration, has no idea how to interface with her Magitek-derived android body. Instead it sits placidly on top of her synthetic skin.

Whatever. This will make do. She's prone to pulling along any half-willing volunteer into this expedition, eager to explore the upper levels and particularly to retrieve data. The only fumble is her awkwardness in the length of the dress and the formal shoes. ] If what I get out of this trip is learning how to sneak around in formal wear, that's not a skill I ever thought I'd need, [ she says with a distinct note of complaint, even as they wind their way through the pools and greenery of the drizzling upper floors. ] You're not nervous, are you?

EXPLORATION; BROADCASTING STATION

[justbeingknife]

Alright, sure.

[ Majima wasn't going to be handling the details of the receiver or the broadcast, so there was no point in prodding Catherine for details on things like whether it would work (maybe) or whether the attempt was going to be dangerous (probably). ]

You already figure out where ya want to plant this thing?

my fair lady

[theseuschip]

If you learn to sneak around at all, it’ll be worth the trouble.

[ That’s not even fair. She looks like she’s on a cyborg red carpet. Not that it’s their primary concern right now, but jeez.

While Simon’s the Stealth Expert of the two of them, he didn’t ever have to actually bother not looking like he was anticipating being confronted and murdered. Now everything they have to be wary of is actually sapient. And armed.

Also I don’t even know how a posh disguise would even work on Simon so here’s no description of that ???? #somaproblems

Anyway, Catherine’s unearned confidence might actually do them more good than his concerted attempts not to look like a first-time drug mule. He succeeds at not looking overly shifty-eyed, for the most part, with the threat of getting them both arrested hanging over his head, but the thought does cross his mind that he could pretend to be Catherine’s manservant or something??

In Hanabira that definitely would have worked. ]

Aren’t you nervous? I mean, this is when you decide you like dealing with people?

OTA

[temperedavatar]

A. Morning - General Exploration
[The upper levels have a very different feel from the lower levels, which doesn’t surprise Korra in the least. She’d seen how Ba Sing Se was set up and while the technology and government were vastly different, there were still far more similarities than she could shake a stick at. After the Rost briefing, she has the beginnings of a plan for a way to make her way around the Broadcasting Station and hopefully even get people to talk. However, she has some time which means she’s about to take this investigation and infiltration mission to two places: 1. She is going to locate the nearest coffee or tea dispensary or cafe and 2. She is going to do some people watching.

Perhaps you’d like to enjoy some calm before the storm?]

B. Afternoon - Broadcasting Station
[Korra walks through the halls with her drink carrier, having split off from the initial group. She hopes this is enough to pass as an intern. She recalls a similar mission back home and how terribly it had fallen apart because she hadn’t acted the way she was expected to. She hears footsteps behind her and takes a breath. Don’t panic. Act natural. She comes to a fork in the hallway and stops. Now would be a good time to turn around and see if her ‘Hi I’m new here’ act will play out the way she hopes. She turns.]

Hello. So sorry to bother you, but I’m--

[She stops when she sees who it is. No point in asking this person for directions, they’re a fellow member of the guild as well.]

Oh, it’s you.

C. Late Afternoon - The Vakdir
[These are no longer friendly footsteps. Korra had long since delivered her coffee to the office, which is good because otherwise she might be just tossing it on the floor to run. The downside to this is she is still a little turned around in the facility and she’s not sure if she can get out without causing a scene. She rounds a corner without looking and slams into a body. The impact makes her stumble back and her eyes widen when she looks at the person in front of her.

The face belongs to a fellow guild member, but she knows for a fact the pounding feed behind her are not the same. She moves forward, grabbing their hand.]

We’ve gotta move! Come on.

(OOC: Note for Option C that Korra WILL be encountering the Vakdir at some point, though she will escape I want to have her on the fugitive list. If you want to escape without Vakdir seeing your person let me know. Also open for closed prompts/wildcards. Plotting on plurk or my plot post.)

A

[justbeingknife]

Doin' some early morning recon?

[ Majima was nursing a cup of coffee at a two-top by the window, looking out at the relatively happy, healthy people walking past the station. The longer he was in this place, the more comfortable he got talking over the magitek.

He hated feeling watched. ]

B

[juniberries]

[Allura has been passing herself off as a wealthy daughter of some so-and-so, acting as though she is seeking air time for her father's such-and-such business. it's gotten her far enough for anyone who stops to give her a look upon realizing she's here.

she's...seen this girl in passing, primarily at the hotel, enough to know vaguely who she is, and that, much like herself, this girl doesn't truly belong here. she stops midstep, raising her brow at the rather simple statement of 'it's you.'

because it's...a bit blunt?]

Uh, yes...is is me.

...remind me who you are, again?

C sorry for the late!! i've been slowing down a bit... orz

[rhinostagros]

[ Laphicet lets out a yelp of surprise at the collision. ]

Miss Korra?!

[ Being smaller than most of his team members, the impact nearly sends him toppling over, yet he manages to stay on his toes. Probably because he's on high alert at the moment. Yet as Korra grabs his hand, he struggles to keep his feet planted on the floor, trying to resist if she tries to tug him along.

He shakes his head. ]

The others need help getting out of here!

Scott Summers | OTA

[evenslimmer]

BROADCAST STATION

a. Casing the joint
[ There's a lot Scott wants to get his hands into, but whether its an excess of caution or simply compulsive paranoia, he can't start until he's sure: where the hell are all the exits?

He can't visibly be seen taking notes on the building's floorplan, because if anybody noticed, that would immediately tip them off. He's relying on a slew of defenses to get him out of trouble— clueless staffer, lost IT guy— trying to look as unassuming as possible in the blandest clothes imaginable. ]

It's not as much like a fortress as I thought it would be.

[ Sidling up to another teammate, casual like they're just happening to stand here, next to each other, two total strangers. He keeps his voice deliberately low and relies on the visor to obscure half his expression from anyone who might take an interest. ]

If it's a trap, it's not going to be 100% effective.



b. Always have an exit plan

[ Scott wouldn't say I told you so, but if anyone (David) happened to be reading his mind at this moment, it'd be stamped there in bright red neon letters. He knew something like this was bound to go down. (Or expected the possibility, because Scott expects the worst, and getting raided by the police would definitely be the worst.) Even if it wasn't a set-up, it just seemed like too much to hope for that they would get away with roaming the station for too long. Nobody around here has the mutant superpower of extreme good luck.

That's why he prepared before he did anything else. ]

Quick, in here—

[ He's not going to ask when he grabs a teammate by the arm and hauls them into a room filled with rows and rows of severs, towering and lit with twinkling colored lights in the shadows. It's just a stop-gap hiding place, but the fewer people who get caught, the better. ]

shamelessly wildcards

[refashioned]

[It's not fear that keeps her from the Broadcasting Station: it's practicality. No matter what messes she's looked into upon her arrival, she still feels as if the last place she should be is trying to Betty Cooper her way through a Station like that. Between working with Scott and making her feelings known elsewhere, the best bet for herself at the moment is to lay low and wait for everyone to return. That means she's in the hotel when the broadcast goes live.

... And she's left waiting—pacing—for anyone to come back.

She ends up finding herself in the hotel lobby with another stack of magazines, her reading glasses (which are on), and a pen in her hand (as she searches for "voids" in the text. She keeps a mental note on the number of people returning, but ... so far, it's a low number. And some are frazzled.

When Scott turns up, she breathes a sigh of relief, moving from where she sits to standing before him within seconds.]

Not many have come back yet, but there's—what happened? How bad is it?

D | OTA

[damnpire]

i. knock knock

[As a Vakdir fugitive, D has taken a few precautions to ensure a relatively hassle-free travel through the upper-levels. The irony is he's stopped by a kiosk out of the Broadcasting Station that periodically scrolls through an image of him, and Ophelia guildmates will notice the likeness of his silhouette in front.

But for others in the upper-levels, the device attached to his left chest gives them a clear illusion of a dark-haired, tanned man, lacking any point to his ears. Many of them close enough to see his face beneath the new hood still double-take or stare; his vampiric beauty unfortunately transcends the disguise. He remains exotic even in the presence of much of the augmented aesthetics, his eyes, showcased as a shade of gold, his lips and his brows artistically arched.

To help the look, the usual spaulders, belts, and cloak have been removed. Instead, he wears an ankle length and dark navy jacket, and the familiar scarf. The rest is unchanged, leaving him in the form-fitting kevlar shirt and fitted pants, something that will protect ninety percent of his body from the rain. The hat was hard to give up; the boots were harder, so he still has them, spurs and all.]

There's a man who will let you inside. [To any guild members who seem to be interested in venturing in for reconnaissance.] Larson.

ii. the (first) great escape

[This time, D's goal is to not create such a racket, if possible. He left the sword behind, feeling confident in the strength of his bloodline over even the Vakdir here, and so his methods are mostly defense.

In one of the hallways, he's pushing a sturdy, heavy shelf over in front of the nearby door. When it bursts open suddenly and you emerge, he stops long enough to allow it, and then he quickly begins pressing with his shoulder to finish sliding it into place.

The Vakdir scanners click and command angrily on the other side, along with the frustrated growls of the squad. They waste no time trying to break their way inside, and D wastes no time turning for the continuation of an exit.]

This way.

ii.

[notthatjason]

[As usual, nothing goes to plan. It's not so surprising really and Jason does recover quickly enough that he's able to avoid most of the Vakdir. There's a near miss with their use of a stun gun, but Jason doesn't go down from electricity so easily.

Or at all, really.

So he's able to avoid being caught and, instead, nearly kicks down a door in his escape. He isn't expecting someone on the other side...and yet here they are. He almost offers to help with the blockade, but it seems D has it handled.]

Right behind you.

Inuyasha | ota + one closed to jail

[boxedcrook]

i. hair of the dog

[Getting out stealthily isn't one of Inuyasha's priorities. His biggest concern is getting everyone else out.

So naturally, he's becoming quite the distraction with the Vakdir in the hallways, especially with a sword? It's fine. At least it hasn't transformed? IT'S FINE.] Beat it, you creeps. This way is closed. [Without taking his attention completely away from the Vakdir, he says over his shoulder to any guildmates:]

Go on--get out of here. I'll hold them off.

[Oh. He starts when several more Vakdir round the opposite corner, boxing him and whoever else in.]

Dammit.

ii. gay baby jail

[In the cell, Inuyasha is looking a little worse for wear, but nowhere near lacking energy. The scruffs and bruises don't come close to the hurt he took to his pride--and those idiotic, annoying stun guns.

Tessaiga is gone, insult to injury, but the Vakdir found they couldn't remove the Beads of Subjugation for some strange reason. That leaves him hanging out in the beads and the updated outfit... except, you know, now he's got holes in the knees of the jeans and the rad jacket is torn at one shoulder.] If they think they can keep me in here, they've got another thing comin'...

What're you lookin' at?

i

[secondnature]

[Everything is frantic, and Keith's plan for the Broadcasting Station had been to try to keep things from being that way. He never gets why everyone has to go somewhere. Why did they all go? Why are they all here at the same time? Why didn't they come up with some kind of exit strategy?

(He knows the reason: they'd spend the entire time arguing who could go and what the exit strategy should be.)

As it is, Keith came in wearing a hood and a jacket that could be disposed of, as well as a mask that could be turned on or off depending on the circumstances. He planned on hiding somewhere, and that's ... what he did. Most of the "wait for people to finish milling about" had been boring, but not for him. He could find a dark space to hole up and wait to see if anything bad happened, and if it didn't, he could slip out with his guildmates.

But ... sure enough ...

Keith doesn't actually intend to come out of the vents in a stupidly flashy way. It's just what happens as he jumps down behind Inuyasha. His mask his on, so aside from his breathing, there's no immediate indication as to who he is.]

What are you doing waving that thing around? [In this suit, Keith's mask filters his voice, making it sound rough and vaguely robotic. But it's still clearly him.] They're gonna remember a sword.

[To which the Vakdir grunt a sound of confirmation. Swords stand out.]

closed > ginko (free bird bounty)

[forcevisions]

[ It's cold up here on the upper levels. The rain falls uninterrupted, and Rey pulls her hood up as they near the Vakdir HQ. It's an ominous and unpleasant building not because it's not attractively structured, but because it is. It reminds Rey too keenly of the First Order's clean lines and the violence that hid underneath. They only looked clean. ]

The shift change happens soon. [ She looks over at Ginko. ] According to the patrol schedule. How do you want to do this?

[ They'd timed it with that because it would be the moment of lowest security and highest distraction in the building, but beyond that … Ginko himself had confessed he didn't have many skills from his own world that he'd felt were necessary. If he had ideas on how to execute this, she wanted to hear them. ]

lmk if this doesn't work!!

[tenthousandmiles]

[Drakstaden has been quite a learning curve for Ginko. If he'd felt somewhat out of his depth in Hanabira, which resembled his own world in many ways, it's nothing compared to getting his bearings here. Still, he's always tried to help out where he can, and he's been thinking about how to proceed since Rost initially requested the investigation into the Vakdir Headquarters.]

I think we should do it in two stages. We'll only have a short window between shifts, so we need to know exactly where we're headed.

[It wouldn't do to get lost in the headquarters, after all. Or to not have a potential exit route if they stumble upon a Vakdir officer that's not where the schedule says they should be.]

Other than that...you'll need to handle the more technologically advanced locks, I think. I might be able to make something to pick the manual ones.

[sololoquy]

MY FAIR LADY [closed to Rey]

[Collecting new disguises, as it turned out, had not been difficult. Trading the Drakstaden store credit in had been enough to replace the more worn pieces of Kylo Ren's attire. He's still in mostly black, with some red and gold PVC accents on the trenchcoat he had picked up. It makes the magitek stand out a little less.

He waits for Rey to follow him back outside of the sympathizer's home, datastick carefully slipped into the pocket of his pants the moment he senses activity nearby. Surely, it is nothing -- he's just on edge from the job, not unlike the woman they had just left behind.

Or at least, he was hoping Rey would have left her behind a little faster.]

We cannot stay here.

[Come on, Rey, she'll stop crying eventually.]

GET OUT THE WAY [closed to Maya and Vanadi]

[Hiding isn't much of an option for Kylo Ren, given his height, but he sure is trying. Going from room to room and hiding behind things, however, is not sustainable. At some point, he'll need to bust his way out even with his improved reputation on high. There are alarms sounding, and Vakdir shouting at each other between rooms.

However, just as he spots his ticket out, he hears movement to his left, and instinctively reaches his hand out with the intent of freezing their movement as a patrol rounds the corner to wander by.

He'd been so focused that he hadn't noticed they were in the room with him. Carefully secured behind the doorway, he taps the magitek to communicate.]

There's a patrol headed this way. If I let go of you, you need to stay put until they pass.

[Or he could just...not let go.]

[forcevisions]

[ The woman is frightened. At least, she looks frightened, but it's hard to tell when half her face is a clicking and undulating mass of polished metal plates. They have LED lights in all colors on the edge of the plates, like the cybernetic version of glitter, and they're incredibly distracting from the distress on the other side of the woman's face.

Rey has made the mistake of putting a hand on her shoulder and now the woman is crying into her chest. This is what regret feels like, but she's not going to just go. In fact, their benefactor seems to be regretting her choice right about now.

'They'll find out where it came from—' ]

I promise you, they won't unless you keep us here to get spotted. [ Rey struggles to disentangle herself, like she's trying to pry her way out of a rathtar's deadly grip. ] No one will ever know we were here. But it's important that we move quickly.

[ 'Yes, yes, of course,' the woman says. 'But it's so rare I can talk to anyone about this. It's just been so good to talk to you, and—'

Oh, for crying out loud.

Usually this would be the sort of thing that Rey had patience to spare for, even empathy for, but this woman in her mansion with her misplaced fears is just … selfish. Doesn't she realize that every member of Rost is risking the same thing? It only feels like more to her because …

Because she's able to doubt whether they're really worth it. ]

I'm sorry. [ Rey says, sincerely. She's still just afraid. They're all afraid, and they're right to be. But sometimes it's not about what people feel. ] We really have to go.

[ And then she's out the door, yanking it shut with a little too much vigor. She brushes off her new clothes and pulls her hood up over the messy network of braids she'd given herself to match with the more eccentric hairstyles of the upper level residents. The look she gives Kylo says on many levels, Don't even start. ]

jester | open

[sketchery]

➽ ONE: BROADCASTING STATION

A.

[ Things go south incredibly fast, and Jester goes from being genuinely distracted at some notice board ( she was so close to poking at the screen to see what that would have done ) to high alert the moment the alarms start sounding. It doesn't take a genius to figure out why everything is blaring, which means—

She looks to the nearest teammate. ] We gotta go, right? [ Less asking out of uncertainty and more because they need to hurry the fuck up. ] Quickly, quickly!

B. ( limit: 2 )

[ Jester is safe, against all odds ( you'd think she'd have been caught three times over, by this point ). Uncharacteristically quiet as she settles in their temporary headquarters, eyebrows knit together in concern. Lips twisted into a frown, eyes nervously flitting from one end of the room to the other.

She's not one to initiate the conversation — not this time. But if someone speaks to her, it's not long before she vocalizes what's bothering her. ]

That wasn't part of the plan—! [ She's ... genuinely upset. Anxiety rolling off of her in waves, accent thicker than normal. Her arms move to hug her stomach, her fingers tightening over her clothes. ] We weren't supposed to let people get captured like this! [ A pause, and if it's a familiar face— ] Are we going to be okay?

➽ TWO: UPPER LEVELS ( post-infiltration )

[ The smart thing to do is to keep a low profile, avoid anything attention-grabbing. People — her teammates, as many and as unfamiliar as they are — have been taken, which means they need to be saved ( when she said she wanted people on the inside, she never imagined this ). She knows, really. But to sit and plan had never been a strong suit, and Jester is not keen on letting everything that went wrong circle her mind, over and over and over again—

So, she distracts herself in ways that she knows best. ]

... So I was thinking, because, you know, the guards up here seem nicer, right? [ She's turns to her current conversation partner ( or, in rarer cases, an unsuspecting guild member that she seems to have dragged away ). They're in a small ( startlingly clean ) alleyway, where just around the corner is a bored-looking Vadkir. Her smile is small and innocent, her words casual and well-meaning ( at least, that's what they sound like ). ] And ... they look kind of bored! So—

➽ futaba.

[sketchery]

[ It seems easy enough — go up to the upper levels, get a ... stick? A really important stick? And then come back. Jester's more than familiar with navigating through the higher end of — anything. So, she's pretty sure she's gonna be fine.

( Futaba, maybe less so, but maybe that's what makes all of this that much more exciting. )

They're at their hotel room, for now. The floor is littered with way too many things — not all of it related to their current cause — considering they get a roomba everyday. But what they're focused on is— ]

Okay, sooo... I have this wig, [ She points at the short, red one. ] and this wig, [ The curly pink one. ] and this one! [ A long, brown one. ]

Which one do you want?

[healstaffs]

[ OOC: Closed stuff so I don't accidentally explode like I did last time. Feel free to hit me up if I accidentally missed you or you want to do something! ]

toobie

[healstaffs]

[ Given the general numbers of Team Ophelia and the relative small size of the City Broadcasting Station - at least compared to the rest of Drakstaden - it's not difficult to bump into another teammate, accidentally or otherwise.

The break room is where she starts, if only because the whole computer thing is 100% not up her alley. (Sorry Futaba, she'll get there one day!) She peers in the fridge out of habit, but it's the colorful posters pinned all over the notice board that grab her attention. One in particular has her crying out in delight to the nearest person (sorry 2B). ]

Hey look, kittens! Do you think you'd ever want a kitten?

[ Obviously not here but...in general. ]

Hayame | ota in prison

[kisha]

０１ ↣ スタンガン ↣ SLEEPING BEAUTY;

[The crowded cell that captured Hathaway operatives are sent to wasn't empty to start with. There's a few more of their number with the dubious honor of beating them to it... including one that would be easy to miss. Hayame doesn't use the network. Rarely socializes outside of a few select persons. It's not strange to see nor hear from her for a day or so... though perhaps it would have raised notice with some that she had not reported for the infiltration mission. Duty she at least takes seriously, despite her vocalizations in the past about "teamwork".

But here she is, in the corner of the cell. Someone has done her the service of at least arranging it to appear like she's sleeping, curled in something like comfort on her side... but she's unconscious. Slight burns on her collarbone might suggest the batons the guards are so fond of. By the looks of things, she hadn't allowed herself to be arrested quietly... nor jailed quietly. Her face and body is bruised, a cut above her eye already beginning to scab over to indicate perhaps a day or two since her capture, with fresher blood (not hers) smeared a bit at the corner of her mouth. Left hand, curled in and clutched at her breast, is largely hidden in her right.

Soon enough, though... She twitches.]

０２ ↣ 不名誉な怪我 ↣ DISHONORABLE CAPTURE;

[Throughout their imprisonment, Hayame remains largely in a corner of the cell, back to the wall, left hand clutched close to her chest in an attempt both to hide it and protect it from further injury. The swelling of broken hand and fingers is the only thing that prevented the Vakdir from prying the ring off her hand that keeps her in the accursed human form that she wears for this mission, but as the time passes, the pain and what she fears may be fever makes her more reticent and short tempered.

Between snaps, between baring her now blunted human teeth at the guards, though... she sinks into a somewhat dazed state of semi-wakefulness, drifting towards the ring on her hand as if she might rip it from the broken digit only to force herself to just clutch it tighter.

She cannot defy the promise she made to a lord now gone in order to grant herself a death more honorable than this capture. But that means she must live... must survive. And that has always been the harder thing.]

01

[deemed]

[Capture has been less of a concern to Odinson. It rankles him to submit to the Vakdir, but he's aware that Hathaway won't leave them here and that now they're here it's best to keep from being a hindrance to the operatives stil out in the city.

And there are others here who need his calm. Odinson isn't known for his cool head, but with Hayame and Inuyasha both here he's aware that he needs to do his utmost to be the level-headed one.

As Hayame sleeps he stays close, eventually coming to sit with his back to the wall beside her. When she stirs, he's there.]

closed to jason grace | post-exploration

[refashioned]

[The good thing about this mission? Disguises.

The bad thing about this mission? That she left almost the entirety of her wardrobe, which would be perfect for disguises, back on the HQ. If only she had a way of getting Imogen to send some over and she'd be set. That has to be a possibility. When she was bringing up things with Imogen, why didn't she ask for interdimensional postal service as an actual thing? No, she had to be concerned about her teammates.

As it is, Veronica's made do. Her clothes: a navy blue dress with a sloping neckline that more than suits her. Its cost was ... exorbitant, which is why she intends to return it soon enough. But first things first: the mission. Or rather, this leg of the mission, which left her wanting and exhausted.

She flops into a chair just outside of the booming coffee shop on the promenade with an Americano in her hand. Something bolder was needed today. Veronica cradles the warm drink between her hands as she leans forward, grateful for the umbrella that covers the table. It's easier to have privacy out here, even if there's a risk of ... well. Rain. And lots of it.]

As I said, we needed to regroup. But more than that, I'm beginning to really resent certain people here. [People who aren't terribly unlike the students she had lived alongside when she lived in New York. Which is part of the problem.]

[notthatjason]

[The rain doesn't seem to bother Jason, but that could be less because his father is the god of the sky and because he has bigger matters on his mind at the moment. His own disguise is a try for business casual or, since he's a teenager, it might be more accurate to say he's going for the college preppy boy look...or whatever passes for that here in this dystopian future.

Either way, Jason somehow pulls off the look without coming across as a complete college douche bag. So that's a plus at least.

He sighs as he takes a seat in the chair at her table.]

Tell me about it. Somehow it's worse than I was anticipating.

[There couldn't have been even ONE rebellious, digrunted teenager in the bunch?]

Should have known we weren't going to find our Katniss in the Captial.

kylo ren | closed to prison kids

[sololoquy]

01

[Kylo Ren is a late arrival, and he is starting to stir when the Vakdir bring him to the cell. Instantly, he starts to struggle, but its not enough to push his handlers off of him before the door is opened. He's deposited, covered in bruises, burns and stuffed in a jumpsuit that is too small for him.

When the door clicks shut, Kylo struggles to his feet with the intention of single-mindedly attempting to pry the door open with all of his might. His magitek might have been taken away, but that won't stop him. He's considerably weak from the fight he put up but -- well, captivity never really suited him.

So anyone who happens to be in the cell will see him attempt this at least twice a day, until the Vakdir guarding the cell grow sick of his attempts and crack at the bars with the baton, chasing him away from it.

His face wrinkles furiously and he lifts a hand once he is properly obscured by someone else in the cell -- the offending Vakdir abruptly begins to choke, scraping helplessly at his throat. Several more rush over in response, searching for the source.

He's about to get everyone in a whole lot of trouble.]

02

[For some time, Kylo Ren has been in the corner of the cell, seemingly muttering to himself. He makes a point to stay quiet when he senses anyone looking at him, but eventually he appears to snap out of it and goes back to sitting by himself in silence.

He glances upward just in time to catch someone's eyes.]

What?

wildcards u

[forcevisions]

[ She hasn't heard from Ben.

He must have been captured, she concludes, but there's no mention of him from Hayame or Inuyasha. She hadn't asked, of course. He'd be angry with her if she did because it'd make him look weak, and Hayame's insistence on the point of her own strength only reinforced that. How would Hayame feel if someone were asking after her?

But he had to be with them. She was sure of it.

She'd promised them she'd get them out of there, her friends, and so she spends a few hours that night on a rooftop in the upper levels, dressed in her formalwear, watching the prison from afar and keeping an eye out for drones that drift into her space.

She's broken into the Vakdir Headquarters already at this point, but now they know that someone's coming for them. Now they know that they have enemies. It won't be as easy anymore.

The rain starts, and she looks up with a sigh, as if ready to call it a night at that. She wouldn't be able to see anything through the downpour. She pulls up her hood, but the sound of the rain funnels, growing distant. Rain drops might creep across the bond, splashing Kylo's shoulders and improving his day in jail by making him wet as well as cold and miserable.

Rey lifts her head immediately, searching him out. ]

Ben!

[ She runs for him as though he's really there on the rooftop with her. ]

closed > poe dameron

[forcevisions]

[ She hasn't talked to him since that thing with Dr. Lundburg went sideways. There's every chance he'll be the one she encounters when she goes knocking on Finn's door, but the fact of the matter is that she can't avoid Poe forever. Whatever strangeness is between them surely falls under the umbrella of shit that family puts up with for each other.

Right?

This is what she uses to coach herself towards the door of Finn and Poe's room at the hotel. He won't help her with this. Finn might not even help her with this, but he at least remembered what it was like to find out that she was on Starkiller, that she needed help. He'd gone after her without a second thought.

She's hoping that he'll understand why she has to go after Ben, too. (A dark corner of her mind whispers that there's no way they'll understand because she hasn't told them what Ben means to her in any certain terms. She's done this to herself.)

Ignoring these whispers and doubts, she straightens her back and knocks on the door. ]

[followhim]

[ even disregarding how not great he was left feeling towards rey after the whole mess at dr. lundberg's, he was definitely not in a good mood right now. he and finn got split up, and finn never came back. ergo, he's in prison with an assortment of other hathaway members. does he hold himself responsible? probably, because he's got one hell of a martyr complex.

so, he was feeling bad and angry and decided to take out some of his latent frustration by trashing the hotel room. (finn's not around to judge him, so it's fine.) only, there's not actually much to trash. no nice tables and chairs to kick over.

so he punched a hole in the tv. 🙃

but it's fine, a roomba came to clean up after him. it's working as we speak. he found some material to bandage his messed up hand with. maybe he even picked out some of the shards of glass.

anyway that's fair verona where we lay our scene when he opens the door. jaw clenched, mouth slanted in a frown, hand at his side out of immediate vision. ]

Finn's not here.