ximilialog | MISSION: A MATTER OF IMPORT, PART 2

Entry tags:

MISSION: A MATTER OF IMPORT, PART 2

● ● ● M I S S I O N 1 3 . 2

TO THE GRINDSTONE • THE PARTY LINE • CALL THE CAVALRY • FYI

// PART I.TO THE GRINDSTONE  

For a few days after the fateful meeting between the two mercenaries working with Zandr and the two Orbers posing as mercenaries, the atmosphere is tense and thick with waiting — but sooner rather than later, Fyna gets the message to Yelena to pass on to those who might be able to aid in the making of anti-matter that Zandr has been immersed in; instructions for how to get to his hidden laboratory amidst the peaceful idyll of Nuhiri. While access to the lab is restricted to “necessary personnel”, as Fyna puts it (with air quotations included, making it clear she is quoting Zandr on this), those going can be accompanied up until the entrance… just in case they need to get there later.

So, at a time so early even the birds are only just waking up, you may find yourself following Fyna’s deft footsteps after landing the aircraft in a clearing in one of the quiet forests towards the mountains.

1.0 As you trek through the dense, lush forest, the sounds of birds and wildlife fill the air. Sunlight filters through the thick canopy of leaves overhead, dappling the forest floor with soft, warm light. A gentle breeze carries the scent of wildflowers and fresh earth, and the path winds its way through the forest at a steady incline, twisting and turning around ancient trees and over babbling brooks. The rustling of leaves and the occasional snap of a twig are the only sounds that break the serene silence of the forest.

As you continue on, the sound of rushing water grows louder, and though the path Fyna leads you on becomes steeper, almost blending into the surroundings (as a path to a hidden place should), but the beauty around you only intensifies. Vibrant green ferns and exotic flowers dot the sides of the path, their bright colors popping against the rich, earthy tones of the forest.

Finally, you reach a clearing, and there they are — the Cymmera Falls. The water cascades down the rocks in a torrent of white foam, plunging into a pool below. The mist rises high into the air, creating a rainbow that dances across the surface of the pool. And then, you notice it: a small stream running beneath the waterfall, leading to a hidden laboratory beyond.

2.0 Access to the laboratory is only possible by wading through a small stream that runs beneath the waterfall. The water is icy cold and rushes by at a furious pace, making it difficult to maintain footing. Once inside, the true nature of the laboratory is revealed. The walls are made of cold, grey metal, and you notice that the crashing sounds of the waterfall cleverly drown out any noise that might escape from within. The laboratory consists of many — adjoining rooms, connected to what seems to be Zandr’s living space. From the half-open door, Zandr sticks his head out, hair messy but face split with a grin.

ZANDR

Just a moment —

And indeed, it is only some five seconds before he’s pushing through the doorway, hand running through his hair as he comes to greet those who are to help him with getting rid of ghost matter once and for all. There is an easy charm to him, a kind of gravitas to his presence that speaks in part to why the Federation might find him such a threat.

ZANDR

It’s good you could make it. Really, I appreciate any and all expertise you can offer on this. There is no place in this Galaxy for ghost matter, not when the Federation is in charge. And because I can’t change the Federation… I’m going to change ghost matter.

There is no doubt to his voice, only a steely certainty — that he will succeed, be it in ten days’ time or then thousand days’ time.

3.0 Little time is wasted on chit-chat, however — anti-matter is the most pressing issue, of course, and you get to work as soon as possible. Zandr explains that he has been trying to create it through a process called particle acceleration, in order to create high-energy protons that can then be split up into subatomic particles, including anti-protons. However, the process of extracting anti-protons is a delicate one, as the negatively charged particles are attracted to anything positively charged in the surrounding space. Once isolated, the particles must be chilled to absolute zero, in order to stabilise them. The part Zandr is stuck on is combining this stabilised particles with positrons, the idea being for the two anti-particles together to create something that would attach to ghost matter upon being released into the atmosphere, changing its particle structure enough to neutralise its effects.

However, even with the lack of success with the last part of the process, the entire research is a dangerous one to go through — any deviation from the exacting parameters could result in catastrophic failure, causing the anti-protons to destabilize and potentially trigger a catastrophic explosion. So caution is of the essence — and so is all the knowledge the Orbers possess in helping make the process a success.

TOP

// PART II.THE PARTY LINE  

Meanwhile, the planet Naephus is abuzz with a different kind of energy. Today, businesses are either closed or close early as Federation employees and civilians alike observe one of the few government holidays of the year: Foundation Day, commemorating the day the leaders of the planetary systems of the Zeta Alatheia galaxy united to create the Interstellar Federation. While the citizens enjoy an extra day of rest and relaxation, all those associated with the Federation are looking forward to the evening’s gala. Equal parts fundraiser and celebration, as one of the Federation’s biggest parties of the year, there is sure to be plenty of fun to be had.

4.0 Of course, not everyone is so lucky to receive an invitation. Despite the planet being largely Federation-run, there are still quite a number of private citizens who have never even set foot into a Federation building, let alone have any business with them. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the forgery business sees a considerable uptick around the time of Foundation Day, and if you so happen to be one of the unlucky ones without a way into the gala, your best bet is consulting one of the better known forgers of the underground market. Perhaps you even meet a fellow Orber during your visit, prompting your forger to proclaim your good fortune — as it turns out, it’s far easier and less suspect to forge an invitation for a couple than several separate individuals.

If being part of the guestlist doesn’t sound as enticing, why not consider being part of the gala itself? A party of this scale requires many moving parts, from the catering to the waitstaff to the entertainment.

5.0 Speaking of entertainment, it’s obvious that this year the Federation spared no expenses. There is the usual lineup: a menagerie of exotic animals from the outer corners of the Zeta Alatheia galaxy, each held in individual gilded cages that line the expansive ballroom’s walls; a live 12-piece orchestra that only ever seems to play the same song over and over (though if a local is questioned about this, they’ll make no complaints about it; apparently classical music in Ndiera is Just Like That); and a performance from famous pop star Tula, singing her big hit, “Lunar Halo,” while accompanying herself on her musical ribs. Yes, her ribs.

On top of all that, there is a special performance involving masked or veiled dancers, who all flit among the crowd to coax bystanders to join them in their deeply evocative, sensual dance.

6.0 But if you find yourself more of a wallflower, there are plenty of refreshments available for sampling. Long buffet tables filled with foods both savory and sweet flank the front and back of the ballroom and round tables line the perimeter for guests to sit and eat or take a rest from all the dancing. Floating around the room is a seemingly never-ending chorus of waitstaff with trays filled with every kind of drink imaginable.

(CW: mind-altering alcohol) Be wary of one drink in particular, known by the locals as a Citali’s Revenge. While those local to Ndiera only feel the potency of its alcohol content, foreigners like all orbers will find themselves either extremely susceptible to suggestion or quick to aggression.

But the gala is not all drinking and merriment. At around the second hour mark, the ballroom will fall into a sudden hush as Commander Brennan of the Federation suddenly takes a stand in the middle of the stage.

CMDR. BRENNAN

Happy Foundation Day to all! It is always a pleasure to see so many gather here to celebrate the wealth of history behind our Federation. Throughout the centuries, it is thanks to the tireless work of every single member of every single of our branches that our Galaxy is thriving today, that our citizens on every single Complex can sleep their nights safely.

In order to make our Galaxy even safer, I have the great honour of announcing the Harvester Initiation Protocol — an initiative to protect all of our other Complexes from the dangers of ghost matter. Our scientists have found signs that ghost matter is migrating slowly outside of the Ndiera atmosphere, but we are prepared, and through this program, we will build harvesters in every Complex to prevent ghost matter from spreading, or at least slow it down.

There is a ripple of gasps among the crowd. Should any orbers be paying attention in that moment, they might notice a genuine look of alarm on both Kaeya's and Emerton’s faces.

CMDR. BRENNAN

However, so that we don’t spoil this special day with this news, I also have another announcement many have been waiting for: today, we will do what our citizens have asked of us, and apprehend the criminal Zandr once and for all. The man that has eluded us so long will do so no more, and our Interstellar Ops are gathering outside his base even as we speak.

As the crowd erupts into applause and Brennan reclaims his spot on the floor beside his Chief of Security and Science Department Head, you — and every other orber with access to the network — hear it loud and clear: the sirens in Zandr’s lab going off in warning.

TOP

// PART III.CALL THE CAVALRY  

The sirens are sharp and loud, shattering the initial tension of what had been a time crunch and quickly replacing it with panic. The alarms blaring through the sterile space behind Cymmera Falls are joined by blinking red lights that fill the lab as the regular power immediately shuts down and switches to the emergency back-up systems. It drowns out the sound of the falls just past the fortified concrete and steel structure. It might even drown out the sound of ship engines not far away, hovering just above the atmosphere as Federation ships move in to land.

7.0 Wherever you might have been stationed if you’ve decided to help to develop the anti-matter, you’ll be familiar by now with the layout of the lab, and the research developed here. You’ll also know that the Federation drawing near to this place could mean the end of anti-matter, the wrongful arrest of a scientist deemed a dangerous criminal, and the possible doom of the Zeta Alatheia galaxy. Before you can be buried in your panicked thoughts, or you decide to do something rash, you hear Zandr’s voice breaking through the cacophony.

ZANDR

Don’t panic! That’s what they want from us — to scare all of us into compliance, but we’re not going to fall for that! We’ve made great progress, and we can’t let it end here. We won’t know if we really succeeded until we try, so gather what you can and head to Deumia. We need to take over the harvesters — if our anti-matter is a success, then we’ll know… and if not, at least we can destroy the harvesters so they can’t make more weapons. For that, we need the access codes, so if any of you have an in, let me know! Now — the Federation’s not far behind, so go!

He can be seen moving between rooms, gathering what he can from shelves and drawers, nothing big, nothing that seems to have any value — aside from a blaster gun he hooks onto his hip — and saves data files into chip-sized drives.

At this point, you’ll have no choice but to do as Zandr suggested. Through your communications devices and signals sent between other members of your team, you’ll want to call for help — and execute your exit strategy from the lab too. Whether that’s concluding the work you’ve done here with a hike past the falls to some safe shelter on Nuhiri, finding a flight off the planet entirely, or more importantly: continuing your task on Deumia for the harvester codes, you won’t be able to do it on your own.

8.0 Perhaps you get the call from Nuhiri to come to your fellow orbers’ aid. As it turns out, it isn’t as easy as flying by and picking up your teammate like a space-taxi. Those of you with piloting skills and access to a flight-craft of some sort will find your skills and abilities have become invaluable. Better yet if you’re familiar with space and battle, your ability to yield weapons and defend your ship and others will help keep some of the Federation ships at bay. And with the way they’re starting to surround the planet of Nuhiri, your teammates will need all the help they can get.

If you’re coming in from Naephus, there are many ways to acquire a spacecraft. Being a Federation employee is the easiest, of course, but knowing one is an option as well. It might be best now to go as pairs or small groups to hijack as many ships as you can while the chaos and adrenaline from the alarms has most of the Federation distracted from the excitement.

Even before you’ve made your way past Naephus’ atmosphere and crested above it, you may already have noticed the exchange happening across the Federation’s comms systems. Shouts between commanders and pilots, captains and traffic control indicate that they’ve caught on to the Ximilia crew’s sudden shift in alliance. Words such as ‘traitor’ and ‘arrest’ and ‘Zandr’ can be picked out through the anger and orders to bring you down. Blooms of red and bright white fill the sky amongst specks of stars and the backdrop of the magnificent blue and green planet of Nuhiri as Federation soldiers in their fighter jets begin their pursuit. Their mission is to stop you from entering Nuhiri’s atmosphere — and yours: well, what will you do now?

It becomes clear that the only way to stop the ghost matter from dooming the galaxy is to put an end to it at its source — and Zandr’s access codes for the harvesters in Deumia will be key in doing so. If you happen to be one of the last ones to leave the lab, its sirens still blaring their alarms, you may come across Bracken who determinedly heads towards the main space.

BRACKEN

Yeah. Headed to him now. We’ll be there in a second. Over.

He may meet your eyes without any expression as you pass by but he doesn’t stop to chat. And if you decide at the last minute to follow him back into the main room, you may catch a glimpse of Zandr and Bracken as they seem to fade out of existence, particle by particle. Zandr glances at you, offers a salute, and the two of them teleport away.

You have your orders. It’s time to put an end to this.

TOP

F Y I

• The events in this log take place during the month of May.

• If you have questions about any of the prompts or the mission in general, please direct them HERE.

• A voting post regarding the conclusion will go up on May 23. The voting will include for example the access codes, the harvesters, gala distraction, anti-matter.

• And finally, your soundtrack for this log: ♪ ♪ ♪

TOP

▶ NAV

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Speaking of ties, Natasha adjusts his slightly, fiddling with the little details. He'll look the part tonight, if it's in Natasha's power to make it happen.]

It's just for one night. Trust me, you'll blend in perfectly.

[Assuring, but not too assuring.]

I'll help you get out of these as soon as this is over if you're really sore about it.

[ Well, the prospect of having her help in removing his clothes does perk him up a bit. ]

Let's hope everything goes well tonight because I'll take you up on that.

[ But if they're running for their lives than that plan won't really fit into the timeline. ]

Is there anything I'm meant to do tonight?

[That is unfortunately true, but she's going to be optimistic about their chances.

Even if she's not optimistic that her hope is well placed.]

Mingle. Chat.

[She knows espionage isn't Joric's strength, but sometimes seeming honest is better than all the subtlety in the world.]

You're there as my date, so people won't know what to expect of you. Go ahead and play with your collar and look uncomfortable. Tell them I dragged you along... Otherwise, I think we'll be playing things by ear.

[And looking for any opportunity to get the access codes that might come up.]

Right.

[ Mingle. He can do that. Sort of. He doesn't have a background much like the sort of people that will be attending, unless they happened to grow up with a complete lack of technology for some reason. He'll have to meander his way through this without screwing himself over. ]

Maybe I could just eat a lot. People won't talk to me if my mouth is always full.

[ It's foolproof. ]

[Natasha clears her throat to keep from laughing. It's all right. It's not at his expense.]

That would be one way to get through the evening.

[Natasha brushes his hair back over his shoulder.]

I'll handle the talking, you just keep looking good in that suit.

All right.

[ A pause as his gaze flickers down her body and back up. ]

You look good in yours.

[ It's definitely a unique look and of course his eyes were drawn to her chest to moment he saw her in it. ]

[She picked her clothing. She figures she has some wandering eyes coming, and in this case at least she doesn't mind if he notices.]

Thank you. Hopefully you're not the only one who thinks so. If people are paying attention to how I look they probably won't be thinking as much about what they're saying.

So it's important to be distracting so people aren't thinking over their words?

[ He could see how that would be the case with him. Joric rarely things deeply before he speaks. Seeing a beautiful body would just make that habit even worse. ]

It tends to be an effective method. Especially when there's going to be drinking and socializing.

[Is Natasha exactly proud of this as a method? Maybe not, but she's not ashamed of it either. Besides, the idea of Joric one day trying to honeypot someone is enough of a reason to be honest.

She's helping.]

[ That's her; helpful Natasha teaching Joric the ways of espionage. Let's see if any of it sticks in his brain. ]

True. People tend to get drunk easily.

[ People other than him, he means. It takes a lot to get him drunk and he's not sure he'll even bother tonight. Well, maybe he'll have one to help him ignore how uncomfortable he feels. ]

All right. I think I'm ready to get this over with.

You'll do beautifully.

[Confidently, though it might be less the confidence that he'll warm up to undercover work and more the security that comes with knowing that even if he fucks up, she can handle the fallout.]

And hey, if it turns into a fight, you can watch my back.

[Offering her arm.]

That I can do.

[ And he's been honestly itching to just punch someone in order to contribute in some way. All this science shit, undercover work, and whatever else they've been doing on missions isn't what he's any good at and he feels like he's not contributing as much as he could be.

Taking her arm, he wraps it around his, placing her hand in the crook of his elbow. He thinks that's how it's done. ]

So what have you been doing for work while we've been here? I should probably at least know that.

[It's good. Natasha doesn't hang on him so much as perch there, floating along as she tugs him off to catch their ride.]

Believe me, no one will be surprised if you don't know all of the details.

[She masks it well, but Natasha feels a little of that—that her talents are somewhat wasted in her current position. It would be a lot easier if they had a problem that could be solved by punching.]

I'm working in payroll. Mostly I'm making sure people get the money the federation for the work they're doing.

It is very boring.

[ He exhales a laugh, thankful that he'd had the option to work outdoors in nature rather than doing what Natasha had been doing. ]

You must possess a great deal of patience to have stuck with it so long. I wouldn't have.

[ But then again he's talking about a government job and not the sort of thing he endured for the sake of hopefully making his home a better place. Ironically, if he had shown impatience and given up earlier, he wouldn't have this regret hanging over him that's led him here now. ]

I have been a hiking guide on the mountain trails.

And missed out on all of the watercooler gossip.

[Spoilers: while somewhat useful, it's also very boring.]

That sounds nice, though. I only made it to Nuhiri a time or two, and not for long. I would have liked to see more of it. Maybe do some climbing.

Did you enjoy it?

What's a watercooler? Ice?

[ It shouldn't be surprising by now that a lot of words that are thrown around casually are just things he doesn't get. ]

I did. It felt similar to home, almost as if my gods were there watching over me.

[She's not surprised, and she's not judgmental either. Not that it keeps her from throwing out vocabulary he probably won't know.]

It's a communal water bottle. People gather there on breaks.

[Everyone needs water, right?]

That sounds very peaceful. I'm sorry I didn't get to see it.

[ Now he's picturing an actual water bottle like he's carried around on missions and it seems unusual that a group would gather around that. A moment later his brain conjures the image of something much larger, like a well in the center of a village. All right; now it makes sense. ]

Everyone should have seen it. The temperature was perfect, the breezes pleasant, and the sights better than anything you could find here.

[ This giant city just feels like imposing metal structures are closing in on them. ]

But I suppose depending on how this evening goes there won't be time to see it again before we go.

It's very possible. Sort of the plan, even.

[She's not sure how fast they'll be able to turn things around with their various missions, but it does feel like things are falling into place.

One way or another.]

Are you going to miss it?

I will, yes. I felt more at peace there than I have in a long time. Probably since that day in the snow in the sunlight room.

[ He doesn't mind revealing this bit of vulnerability. Joric is always honest. ]

But I am the type of man who is almost always outside. Being indoors too long feels stifling. You probably handle it better.

Probably. Though I'd say I might prefer something a little more active if I had the choice.

[She smiles softly as she remembers that conversation in the snow.]

I can certainly see why you'd prefer this to the station. It's really not the same, is it?

It's not. Sometimes I can convince myself that it's close, but something about the place feels fake.

[ Sort of like how he feels right now. There's an urge to pull on his tie to loosen it from around his throat because this isn't comfortable and this isn't him. For now, his hand twitches a little at his side as he resists the urge. ]

That mission we had a few months back where Jyn had the orb? It felt as close to my life at home as I'd seen so far. The swords, horses, mead - all of it - were so familiar to me. Even if I didn't look like myself I felt comfortable with that life.

[Natasha covers Joric's hand with hers, not the one that could stop him from fussing with his clothes, but the sentiment is there.

Hard not to notice just how much bigger than hers it is.]

I sort of liked that one myself. More than the other worlds we've been to. It's not like my own, but if I had to go back to one of the places we've been on these missions looking for orbs.

[ He does wonder for a moment if it's a coincidence or if she can easily read how much he wants to pull at his clothes. Whatever the case, her hand manages to ground him and he focuses of the feel of skin on skin instead of how he's slowly being choked to death. ]

It would be good to go back. Maybe not as an orc this time, but myself.

[ He smiles at her. ]

Would you prefer to have the horn and tails again?

[It's at least half coincidence, though it's been clear he's not comfortable with this event. Joric hasn't made a secret of it.

But if he asked her, she'd lie and say that of course she could tell.]

You know, I hadn't thought about it. That would be one way to start fresh, I suppose.

I'd like to keep the magic, though. That was sort of fun.

● ● ● M I S S I O N 1 3 . 2

F Y I

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject