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Kacht-ka, Ka Remembrancer "Eggs are delicious," opines Kacht-ka, from his meditative pose on the beach. Unlike the others, he hasn't changed his clothes at all. Occasionally, something vaguely orange-ish drips from the edge of his coat, but he appears unbothered. "I do not see the point in avoiding them."
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Aug 30, 2018 15:22
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Stoaga of the White Legs While Stoaga was on-board for the idea of a vacation, she didn't know what environment she would be going to. When she was informed she would be on a sunny beach planet, she began bundling up further without a second thought or a single concern. When she was informed this was the relaxation planet and she was supposed to wear far less, that's when a light panic began to set in. Her race was rather sensitive to sunlight, and the idea of not being wrapped up in a cloak in broad daylight sounded tantamount to being set on fire. She was then informed of the concept of "sunscreen," a lotion that could be applied to the skin to protect it against the sun. Stoaga looked at them in the same way someone would react to being told a source of infinite energy not only existed but is freely available. A few moments of dumbfounded staring later, she leaps at the opportunity to procure this "SPF 200" product. However, lithe as she is, she enlists the aid of Zivilyn to assist in ensuring she is completely coated in the stuff, lest some patch of her burn up upon leaving the ship. The sun-fearing elf steps out of the ship, clad in sandals, a sporty pair of board shorts, matching bikini top and an open shirt with a pair of shaded spectacles clipped onto them. She immediately flinches upon feeling the sunlight on her skin, but when she notices that she is, in fact, not burning from exposure, she quite literally leaps in delight. A childish giggle escapes her lips as she dashes forward onto the sandy shores to join the rest of her friends in having fun. "This one is excited! I have seen 'beach' before, but don't know what non-White Legs do at 'beach.' What should Stoaga do while she is here?"
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Aug 30, 2018 15:28
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 Kvardek Part of him wanted to be indignant. That cheater! Teleporting was definitely cheating! But he had no right to complain after he gave himself a head start. He hung his head and a sound like an exaggerated sigh emanated from him. "In accordance with the defined conditions, I am the rotten egg." He waded into the ocean, slowly so he could gauge how well his modifications performed. So far so good; even if they did not hold up he would be able to walk along the bottom of the ocean and back to safety. In the absolute worst case scenario of sinking into the sand such that he could not move, he would still be able to call for help. Better to avoid the possibility, though, by staying out of the deep water until he was sure he could handle it. Stoaga had a very good question. He had to admit he had never personally experienced leisure time, though he was certain his Heroes had experiences which could advise him. "Well, there are many different ways to have fun on the beach. For instance..." Alainis Zutwa associated the beach with her toes sinking into the sand, the tide erasing her already precarious footing as she stood on tip-toe, and the face of a young man inches from hers and growing ever closer. It brought Dr. Torvald Vaelis back to a critical weapons test, watching a decommissioned destroyer buckle and sink below the waves to the whoops and hollers of his team. Queen Asarte remembered looking out her window, studying the beach carefully as her security forces rounded up and detained rioters before they could establish a beachhead. None of these seemed appropriate at the moment. But Xandor Terezath, before he became politically active, would spend a lot of time on the beach with his high school and college friends. So Kvardek focused on his expertise: "We could play volleyball, or splash each other with water. Some prefer to quietly tan or read a book beneath the safety of an umbrella. Others prefer to 'pick up chicks and/or guys', though that may be more of an advanced technique. Activities appear to be decided upon extemporaneously; going with the flow is more important than efficient time management. Mer- Starlet, you seem comfortable in this setting. Please advise us further, if you will."
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Aug 30, 2018 16:28
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 Zivilyn On The Ship Some time spent relaxing with Stoaga was good, though inevitably there'd be some nights that the Excite Shroom isn't an option and thinking about how rotten the Vular were was no good either. Some good ol' fashioned R&D before the ol' fashioned R&R hit the spot, Ziv experimenting with the timings by which his biological packages were stimulated further before detonating, spreading further with a bit less oomph. The chemical to force the change was something he could apply optionally, loosening up his already catty bag of tricks further. --- Yolis "Ya mean ya ain't gonna hide in th' shade?" Ziv chuckles and trades a few good natured ribs with Stoaga when she seems him for a matter of grave import. "So wha'cha got there?" ... SPF 200? Difficult reaching certain angles? Assist-ants? Hoo boy. Ziv helps Stoaga with as much grace and gentlemanly conduct as would be socially accepted. And he's happy to do so, yessir. ... As he has to lean close and take a careful touch to apply the last bit of lotion, Ziv can't help but admire the view. Yessir... "Heh, yer face is cute as a button, Stoaga." Yup, there was nothing quiet like making sure Elven ears were completely protected! Full coverage can be hard to get on a part of your body you can't see! "There we go!" On the beach Ziv arrives with the laid back gusto he brings to all of his off-duty activities. Snazzy, practical silver shorts with black lining, some strappy black sandals and his good ol' natural physique! The heavy amount of active gear, weeks of military activity and life or death struggles and his preference for neurological stimulation over other vices has left him a tall, lanky Elven fella of his own, a muscled fella in the prime of his youth with several wicked looking gun-shot and stabbing scars on his torso. He couldn't quite recommend it to anybody else but it was what you might call the ultimate summer cut. Ziv grins as Kvardek rattles off some ideas and chimes in. "Y'all ever heard a' chicken fightin'?" He casually slides into the water and submerges up to his chest, looking quite at home.
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Aug 30, 2018 23:17
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 Meriele Meri gives the others a deadpan look. "Thanks." It was nice, however, being the normal one. She did try to maintain a certain degree of 'normal' things with everything that had been going on. The singer is about to talk about the various beach activities (though, really, she'd never been a very active person at the beach) when Ziv pipes up with chicken fighting. "...really?" She snorts. "We could do that, I guess." Seeing the puzzled looks on Kvardek and Stoaga's faces, she goes to explain. "So, chicken fighting is a game where teams of two face off. One member of a team gets on the other's shoulder. The above people try to wrestle eachother into the water by using their hands, while the below people try to keep upright as best as possible. The below people also are not allowed to get into the wrestling, they serve only as supports. First one to knock the other team into the water wins."
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Sep 3, 2018 16:37
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 Naivara Ulcahne Naivara had, admittedly, been a little too excited to drink her beverages. To add further shame, she clearly hadn't had much to drink for some time - shooting her previously iron tolerance utterly down. Now quite inebriated - ahem, relaxed - she decides to rejoin her teammates. Chicken fights with her special forces teammates were far more interesting, but this would be amusing in a different way. In a matter of a few blinks, she appears - drink in hand - on the surf and throws an arm over Meri's shoulders. She lets out a loud, sharp "woo!" followed by her proclamation of "I can't wait to see this poo poo!"
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Sep 6, 2018 04:38
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Stoaga of the White Legs "Stoaga understands. She will take the top position." Without even checking for whether or not Zivilyn was offering to team up with her or not, she leaps up and parks herself on top of him. She's got a competitive glare going on in Meri's direction. "White Legs arm wrestle all the time. This is just wrestling with both arms." Not at all understanding that this is in fact completely different, she's now got a confident smirk in addition to her eagle-eyed stare as she awaits her opponents' next moves.
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Sep 9, 2018 14:53
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The crowd of beachgoers watch in awe as Meri teleports above the ocean into her great, graceful dive. They then gasp, a few of them even standing up to watch as they see Naivara blink her own way down to the beach. Everyone seems to be staring at the group of you standing in the water, waiting to see what will happen next as Stoaga climbs up on Ziv's shoulders.
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Sep 9, 2018 16:47
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Kvardek "I understand the basic idea of the game, and it appears the gauntlet has been thrown," he suggested to Meriele. "Shall we oblige?" He knelt down so Meri would have an easier time climbing up.
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Sep 10, 2018 16:14
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Meriele It takes a moment, but Meri finds her place on Kvardek's shoulders. When he rises to his full height, she beckons the other team forward. "Let's do it." She worries, for a long, anxious moment, what the crowd might tell others; but they're in Alliance territory. There's no way the Vular will extract her here. Let's just enjoy the moment. And the victory.
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Sep 10, 2018 16:45
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Onlookers walk down to the edge of the beach when they see the chicken fight between the party. They begin cheering as Meri and Stoaga grasp and pull at each other, with one group yelling for Meri and Kvardek and the other for Ziv and Stoaga. After a long, drawn out battle, Meri manages to get a strong grip on Stoaga, and, with Kvardek's sudden jolt backwards, literally lifts her off of Ziv's shoulders, tossing her to the side into the water. The crowd cheering her and Kvardek cheers even louder as they see Stoaga hit the water, while Stoaga and Ziv's fans hang their heads.
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Sep 15, 2018 17:51
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Kacht-ka, Ka Remembrancer "An impressive victory!" says Kacht-ka from the shore, still dripping orange liquid from beneath his coat. "Perhaps if the white-skinned one weighed much more, it would have been more impressive."
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Sep 15, 2018 17:53
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Meriele "Woo!" Meri throws her arms up in victory, though the sudden movement means she has to wave them around like a windmill as she almost loses her balance on top of Kvardek. "Eat it!" When her robotic companion lets her down, she turns around to high-five him when he stands back up. "Nice job, big guy. We did it!"
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Sep 18, 2018 18:09
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Kvardek "That was well done," Kvardek agreed as he shared in Meriele's high five. "A true team effort. Although... hm." His head turned slowly toward Ziv, and one could have sworn his eyes gleamed with malevolent intent. "It seems unfair for the top to get soaked and not the bottom. 'Share victory, share defeat,' yes?" He waded toward the elven male, arms outstretched and fingers curled like a bear coming in for a crushing hug. "Ziv, c'mere for a second."
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Sep 20, 2018 16:12
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Zivilyn Ziv's all grins and good intentions, a friendly bit of swimming and tussling and nobody getting shot, probably. And you couldn't blame a fella if he was feeling quite lucky to be part of Team Elf, holding Stoaga steady as she fights the good fight. Now maybe that districts Ziv a little, but hey, it's all in good fun. As the two surface at their defeat Ziv pops up and smirks to Stoaga. "Ya know what they say, ya ain't beat 'til ya stop tryin'." He gives Kvardek the old wide berth as he effortlessly swims around the approaching goon. "Hmm. Yeah, ya got us. But could ya do it twice? Or are ya the hit and run type.. the ol' retirin' undefeated after one round weenie, hmm? Heh heh." He drifts back towards some deeper water and waves Stoaga over if she's up for reassembling!
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Sep 22, 2018 00:40
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Meriele "You're totally right, Kvardek." Meri says as Ziv doesn't bother subjecting himself to robot dunking. So she takes it upon herself to execute the loser's punishment instead. Once again, the hulking monstrosity on her shoulder revs up, and she blinks behind the soldier. "Nothing personal, Ziv," she says, before attempting to grab him and dunk him into the ocean. "But ya gotta pay the price." Her hand finds purchase, and she full-force dunks him forward into the ocean. Her footing slips slightly and her weight comes down on him as she falls into the water as well, but she doesn't care. Coming up from the water, Meri throws her hair back and laughs. "Okay. Now, I could use a drink." She wipes some water from her head, and looks at Ziv. "The rematch will have to wait." Wahad fucked around with this message at 21:23 on Sep 26, 2018 |
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Sep 25, 2018 08:15
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Stoaga of the White Legs The White Leg gunner turned blademaster is used to arm wrestling. They are not used to actual wrestling. The moment all pretense of throwing someone horizontally is gone and vertical movement is involved, she panics and finds herself thrown into the water. When she properly submerges, she takes a moment to see if the sun will burn her when she resurfaces by remaining submerged and slowly raising her hand up out from underneath the surface. A few seconds of no response later, and she breathes a sigh of relief, punctuated by bubbles. Resurfacing, she smiles and laughs at the events that played out. "Stoaga did not expect that kind of throw! Accepts loss. But won't be thrown again!" At Ziv's approach, her response is to, with the same accuracy one would expect from her, skim her hand across the surface of the water to launch a splash at his face. "You did not tell Stoaga they could throw. Now Stoaga is, how you say, 'all wet'? You too now."
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Sep 26, 2018 05:25
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Zivilyn Flanked, seized and raised Ziv can only let out a surprised "Oh dang!" before he is dunked. He surfaces shortly and smirks as he repays Meri and Stoaga with a broad splashing with one hand. Being outdoors and swimming along the shore to try and follow some native critters would be a good way to spend time if he were solo but that ain't the case. He gestures towards the shore and the general direction of Naivara and the closest watering hole.
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Sep 29, 2018 19:06
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The group of you dries off and heads back up to the bar that Naivara had come down to the beach from, named Some Other Space. As you get in and settle down, you find that, in between screens showing various sporting events, one of the televisions is showing the Galactic News Network. GNN cuts from their regular commentary with a fancy "BREAKING NEWS" graphic flashing over the screen. The bartender turns the volume up on that feed, filling the bar with the sounds of a young, female, elven newscaster. "This is breaking news live from the Malvin system, where the Vular forces have suddenly and inexplicably abandoned the tropical planet of Mraxis. Alliance forces have landed and found the planet to be rich with a relatively stable isotope of the vital element of Fermium. As it is used in ship reactors, the loss of this rich resource will greatly hamper the Vular war effort. (edit:) Reports indicate that the planet's natives are working with Alliance personnel. "This important victory comes just days after the surprise capture of a Vular capital ship in a midst of a pitched battle in the Yulis system. The capture totally changed the tide of the fight led to a complete rout of the Vular forces in the engagement. "These victories are just further evidence of the turning tide of the war, though it is far from over. Our forces continue to valiantly hold back the Vular, and these victories should give hearten all alliance citizens." With the newsbreak over, the bartender turns the GNN volume down and turns the music back up, filling the air of the bar with a club remix of a Nebula song. Look Around You fucked around with this message at 21:08 on Oct 1, 2018 |
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Oct 1, 2018 03:46
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Meriele "I guess we're really doing it, huh?" Meri muses over her drink, a Fountain of Youth, as the news report goes on. Now that they were away from the beach, she'd taken to wearing a black leather jacket over a white sundress. She takes a sip, watching the crowd in the bar, wondering if they knew that the ones responsible for those victories were sitting among them. Or were they simply blissfully unaware, thankful for the service of the Alliance military forces but not interested in the details? She'd been like that, before the Vular came for Granedol IV. She knew of the war, of course. She'd shot some propaganda commercials over the galactic net, even. But it wasn't until her planet was taken that she'd realized what it really meant to be at war. Then her song Supernova comes on. Well, a remix, but still. It'd been so long since she'd been in a place where it wasn't her responsible for the music, she had almost forgotten that people still enjoyed it in their daily lives. Back on Aelis, she got a small memento of the recognition she'd achieved in the past, but this was the first time she'd actually heard her own music again from a sound system that wasn't her own private player. It brings a smile to her face, and she hums along to the song's chorus.
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Oct 2, 2018 09:48
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Kacht-ka, Ka Remembrancer "Doing is the essence of life," says Kacht-ka. "We are always doing. But it is nice to see that we are walking rightly."
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Oct 2, 2018 14:04
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Kvardek On the whole Kvardek enjoyed the atmosphere of the bar even if he could not partake of the refreshments. The bartender gave him a filthy look every once in a while but said nothing. Kvardek was taking up space that rightly should go to a customer that could actually imbibe alcohol, but it was not yet busy enough to justify getting into a scuffle over it. If he stayed long enough for the night crowds to come in he might find the bar much less hospitable towards non-paying loiterers. He watched the special report with fascination. Afterwards he noticed subtle changes in the crowd. It was not his imagination; their steps were a tiny bit lighter, their smiles a tiny bit broader, their shoulders a tiny bit straighter. He imagined this same scene in dozens of star systems, across hundreds of worlds, in billions of establishments and homes. Making a speech or supporting a particular political candidate made tiny ripples in the water, subtly influenced a hundred nodes even if only a tiny number of them could ever be measured. But winning a battle, freeing a planet, those were massive effects that even the Church would be hard-pressed to measure. Was their goal ever truly reachable? He decided for the moment it did not matter. Brightening lives, giving people hope, doing the best they could every day, that was what mattered. "Our judgment has not steered us wrong yet," he mused. "This does not mean we should stop questioning, but there is no harm in taking pride in our accomplishments. Speaking of which! When it gets darker... hm. Do you suppose fireworks are legal on this beach? I do not have a lawyer among my Heroes."
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Oct 6, 2018 10:52
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Naivara Ulcahne Naivara had to admit, she had tuned out the special report. How many of those had she been the subject of? She was glad the others seemed to enjoy the external recognition and left it at that. Naivara takes a sip of her beer, one she chose at random based off the name, and ponders Kvdardek's question. "You know, there's a saying amongst the Alliance military that it's easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission." She takes another sip and points at him with her glass "take that as you will."
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Oct 8, 2018 03:40
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The group of you manage to migrate back down to the beach after procuring fireworks from an ever so slightly shady stand in an alleyway on the boardwalk. However, you seem to have gotten genuine product, as once you light them off, the sky lights up in bright colors... blues, reds, greens and pinks, and in various shapes, from traditional blossoms to circles and hearts. Everybody on the beach and the boardwalk stop and stare at the spectacle, and you only see one middle aged human woman pull her phone out with an indignant look on her face. You can hear her trying to assure the dispatcher on the line that this really is an emergency because "the people lighting them off could get hurt! or it could hit a ship!" Eventually she hangs up disappointed, and no authorities bother to show up. Finally, you move to the luxury suites that the Admiral booked for you, allowing you to relax for the night before your flight back up to the Vinewood. The rooms have a decidedly tropical theme, with the bedposts on the lush mattresses resembling palm trees, complete with a canopy apparently made of palm leaves. There are screens in the room to tune into local broadcasts if you would like, as well as room service to order any food or drink you would like before you turn in for the night.
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Oct 10, 2018 03:13
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Zivilyn In the bar, Ziv winks at the others and points to the broadcast screen. "S'difference between bein' saps and playin' th' game right. Vular think they got a monopoly on sneakin', then we go and sabotage half their offenses in a good month. Couldn't happen ta nicer fellas... and helpin' folks feels real good too. We're goin' ta the lil' folks nebula next, right?" --- Not having much else to do and already feeling surprisingly well rested, Ziv inquires if Stoaga would be up for running the Alliance's tab up on abusing room service and some more Excite Shroom. "We'll be back under th' wire soon and every good time could be our last!"
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Oct 10, 2018 22:33
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Stoaga of the White Legs At the bar, Stoaga remains silent on the matter. While it's good that the Black Ears are gone from her planet, the fact that the Resist Ants have taken their place still makes her uneasy. She'd rather it go back to being isolated. Then again, with only two White Legs left, it'd take quite a while before things went back to "normal," as it were. --- The fireworks show, on the other hand, gets her excited. The sparks that are flying dazzle her, having really only known gunpowder to be used for weapons. She begins drafting up a few ideas on how to potentially work with these substances herself and create the same result. --- Speaking of substances, she seems, no pun intended, excited at the prospect of partaking of more Excite Shroom. She offers it to the others of her group as well, but yes or no, she'll find herself staring at the explosions in the night sky while the hallucinogenics take effect. It's going to be one heck of a trip.
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Oct 10, 2018 22:41
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Kacht-ka, Ka Remembrancer Kacht-ka is oddly antsy on seeing the room. It's too homey. It reminds him too much of what is gone. He visits the Meriele, as she has the closest room and he doesn't actually care which he gets, and knocks.
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Oct 12, 2018 04:12
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Meriele Watching the fireworks, she's reminded of some of the pyrotechnic installations in her shows. They'd really set off the crowd, and even now she could see people watching with joy. Seeing this didn't exactly make the prospect of going out there again enjoyable, but more... worth it, perhaps. -- It takes a long moment for the door to open; Meri stands there in one of the hotel-provided bathrobes, her long, dark hair still drying out a little. She looks a little surprised to find Kacht-Ka standing there, taking another moment before she says: "Hey. What's going on?" "Is your room-" Kacht-ka pokes his head around her- "Oh. It is the same. My apologies. I am seeking a different environment." Meri tilts her head a little, looking at the bugman with a half-look of pity. "Not your style, huh?" She peeks her head out the door for a moment. "Do you want to take a walk? I don't know if they have any rooms that cater to... your needs. I'll have to get dressed first, though." "Walking is good. I can wait." "Aight. Give me a sec." Meri shuts the door, then emerges after a moment dressed in easy slacks, a white tanktop and her leather jacket. "Let's go," she says, putting her hands in her pockets. "So what's the problem? I don't really know what you're, uh, used to." “These rooms are too much like home. It is a weakness.” As much as it is possible, Kacht-ka looks embarrassed. Meriele looks confused at best. "I'm gonna bet this is a teaching of your... Ka, right? But you're gonna have to explain it to me." “No. This is my weakness. I do not wish to be so reminded of what is lost. It makes Ka-work impossible.” He turns his head from side to side. “When my broodmate and I parted, we made... oath? Yes? That we would not think of home until we again felt its soil. Sitting in that room is like... not thinking of pink animal? That was what my first friend said.” She nods. "Right." A moment's hesitation. "I get it, but... I disagree." She gestures with slight helplessness. "If you're not thinking of your home, of your family - your, uh, brood, I guess - then what are you fighting for? It's a difference in motivation, I guess, but I think about my home everyday." “I am... we are... teaching the lesson. It is important that the lesson not be made dirty by thought. Otherwise, your Ka does not reach your breath, and you will fail. When lesson is over, then is time for thoughts of other things. When you and some of the others see the dark skinned elves, you grow angry. Your path is one of... retribution. Is fine path. But is not Ka.” Meri is quiet for a long moment. "Right." Turning outside to the boulevard, they come on to a bench eventually, and she halts. "Okay. So no thinking of home." She thinks for a moment. "Teach me, then. Of the Ka. Tell me your lessons, and you won't be thinking of home. We don't need sleep for a little while, any way." She sits on the bench, looking out over the sea, then back to Kacht-Ka, waiting. Kacht-ka sits beside her. “It will help to teach. Thank you.” He gives an approximation of a grateful nod. “The first principle of Ka is that there is no Ka. For Ka is action, and to think of Ka is not to act...” Wahad fucked around with this message at 06:38 on Oct 15, 2018 |
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Oct 12, 2018 08:03
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You wake up relatively late the next day; the shuttle to pick you up not arriving until after midday. You hear another report on an elevator in the spaceport to catch your ride back to the Vinewood, "As you may know, the planet Teris was freed a few days ago. Today, Alliance forces made disturbing discoveries in the Vular shipyard of shipments multiple prosthetic limbs and human and elf sized 'coffins' apparently designed for transporting live beings. Some of them were even full, with their inhabitants suspended in cryo. Alliance medical staff are currently speaking with multiple victims of this Vular scheme to determine what, exactly, they were aiming to do with these experiments, though they have not yet found any locations on the planet that appear to be the site of these atrocities. The alliance military is working in cooperation with the former local resistance forces to determine the extent of these activities. "These absolute horrors are all the more reason that the Vular must be defeated swiftly and decisively. That's why the Alliance needs young men and women just like you to sign up and prevent further actions like this, to reclaim our lost territories and people, and to put an end to Vular aggression once and for all! There are recruitment stations set up in most cities both major and minor, and any race and gender may apply. Join today and make a difference!" After the surprisingly long elevator ride ends, you board the shuttle and fly back up to the Vinewood to be greeted by RADM Veeder. The admiral warmly addresses you, "I hope you all had a good rest. It's important to take leaves like that when you're in as many stressful situations as you have been. Now, I suppose we should go back to business. "The intelligence you recovered suggested two possible targets for your next action: an attack the fermium refinery in the Etrimont, which is surely going to be fortified in a short amount of time, and aiding the defense of the Varian system, the homesystem of the Halfling people, which is directly along the Vular path to the Elven homeworld of Yhivale. Either mission would greatly disrupt the Vular war effort, either by crippling their fuel supplies or by rebuffing an intense push from the Vular forces. "I'll leave the choice to you all; you seem to know best your capabilities and the effect you can have." Look Around You fucked around with this message at 22:51 on Oct 15, 2018 |
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Oct 15, 2018 22:33
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Kvardek Kvardek considered the two options carefully. On the one hand, if the Alliance was unable to blunt the Vular advance on their own the halflings would fall under the command of the drow. How much damage could they inflict before a relief force could retake the planet? How many lives would be lost under the brutal regime? On the other hand, if they let the chance to cripple the Fermium supply they may never get another chance. He kicked it upstairs; within moments his Heroes came to a consensus, but it was a slim one. "I'm not military-trained, but I can make observations. We're a surgical strike force, hitting at precise locations at perfect times for maximum damage. Taking that command ship may have turned the tide of battle but it's the sort of trick that will only work once. The next time we storm a bridge there'll be more waiting for us than engineers and a small retinue of honor guards, and that's if they don't have orders to scuttle any command ship if communication with it drops out. However, the modern army is not sustained by morale or conquest but logistics. If we can take out that refinery it will weaken their supply chains across multiple systems. They may take Varian only to find they cannot hold it, and whatever sacrifices they made towards that victory will be lost. Whereas even if we stop the main army at Varian and turn them back, their intact fuel supply will guarantee they can make a future assault. Considering the long view, the choice is clear."
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Oct 16, 2018 14:52
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Naivara Ulcahne Naivara doesn't even pause to think. "It sucks, but an army can't function without its infrastructure. Managing the loss of civilian life is obviously a goal in this war, but...without fuel lines they'll be crippled. We really don't have a choice."
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Oct 16, 2018 21:07
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Zivilyn "We the only fellas the Alliance got that kin win a fight?" Something's clearly buggin' Ziv. "You can say it's th' smart thing to do but we already know th' Vular get down to exterminatin' quick as an arrow. It don't feel right to leave them little folks hangin', so I say we help 'em out." He looks to Stoaga and Meriele for support. "'N' all th' weird stuff they do, all that coffin creep poo poo, I don't think they're goin' by winnin' all conventional battles-like." He gestures to the others that have spoken and grimaces. "... 'Sides, ya know they can do logistics too. We can cripple 'em, sure, but I bet they ain't got all their eggs in one basket. And Hell, places they're attackin' got support for spaceships too. They charge in 'n' take Varian 'n' push ta Yhivale, they'll have two core worlds of fresh gas!"
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Oct 17, 2018 20:10
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Meriele Meri looks at the admiral with a frown. "Does this really come down to us?" she asks, skepticism high in her voice. "Either we give up on the halflings, or the Vular lock up their fuel supply? I want to help the halflings, of course, but I know the fuel depot is the "logical" choice. You have other teams in play that can do whichever mission we're not doing, right, Rear Admiral?"
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Oct 17, 2018 20:45
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The admiral's expression tightens as she replies, "Unfortunately we don't. All of our other teams are either on assignment or MIA. You're it. We want you to go where you think you will be the most successful and have the biggest impact against the Vular and for the Alliance."
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Oct 18, 2018 02:49
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Stoaga of the White Lesg Stoaga looks over at her compatriots, obviously looking at her for a means to break the stalemate. She considers her options. On the one hand, she wouldn't wish what happened to her tribe on anyone else. On the other hand, she knows full well the value of cutting off resources from the enemy. She'd hate to have to sacrifice so much only for it to be worthless, but to be unable to save something because you went off to make a difference... She gives a long and hard stare before finally speaking. "Stoaga...has to side with the one who made the declaration to travel to White Legs homeworld. Which means Naivara. This one apologizes to Ziv-ziv."
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Oct 19, 2018 03:56
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Kacht-ka, Ka Remembrancer "The Ka does not will a decision in this. Both are good lessons," says Kacht-ka. "But..." he looks at Meriele, thinking of a previous conversation. "I owe Meriele an oath. I will follow her lead."
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Oct 19, 2018 22:15
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Meriele "I still say it's a bullshit choice," Meri grunts, her expression darkening even further, "but fine. We'll do the fuel depot. But you'd better get somebody over to the halfling world ASAP." She lowers her head, trying not to let her regret show, and sighs, waiting for further instructions.
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Oct 20, 2018 07:38
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Naivara Ulcahne Naivara clenches her jaw and takes a deep breath. This does nothing to calm her annoyance, so she decides to simply go with it. "All the choices you make in war are loving bullshit. It's bullshit this is even happening in the first place, but here we are. None of the decisions we've made so far have we been easy. It's easier to make the choice that makes us feel good inside, but that doesn't make it the right thing to do. At this stage of the game, we can't afford to think small. Right now saving one planet from an attack versus crippling the attackers IS thinking small."
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Oct 21, 2018 22:20
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Meriele "I'm aware," Meri says tightly, "which is why I said we'll do the refinery." She minces no further words on the subject, unwilling to make a scene in front of the admiral (and other present officers), but a quick glance at Naivara reveals she didn't appreciate the talking-down.
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Oct 22, 2018 17:30
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| # ? Apr 20, 2024 05:15 |
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The admiral steps back during your discussion. Once it's over, she speaks up again, "Alright, the Etrimont system it is. The Independence is ready and waiting for you to go. We'll tell the Varian system to hold on as long as they can until we can get a team free for reinforcements. Be sure to make any last minute preparations before you leave the Vinewood. In the meantime, you're dismissed." --- The journey to the Etrimont system is relatively short, lasting just a few jumps. As you arrive stealthed after the last jump, a majestic red giant swallows your field of view. Your destination, Etrimont V, is a medium sized planet, it's surface a rust colored, craggy mass of mountains and valleys bathed in the deep orange light from the sun. As you scan the planet, you easily find your target on the northern hemisphere of the planet, as bellows of white smoke pour out of stacks atop a gigantic fermium refinery of about 15 square miles in area. The notable landmarks are the landing pad on the southern edge and the living quarters to the north, while the main processing takes place in the center of the refinery. From your intelligence briefing, you recall that even the relatively stable isotopes of Fermium are still very volatile, and it should be easy to blow the entire refinery (and potentially more) with a few well placed explosives in the core.
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Nov 2, 2018 04:12
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