TERRACE Draft - Remaining Days

[lucetimods]

Who: All Draftees
What: All hell breaks loose
When: From the 27th to the 1st.
Where: TERRACE!
Summary: Information post here
Rating: Varies on thread, please mark explicit material.

This post covers the second to sixth day! Be sure to check the info post on the timeline to know what's up. At 2AM on the 27th, the attack will break out while most people are sleeping. Be sure to use the above info post for any plotting needs you might have. Enjoy!

Some random NPC quotes about the island itself.

Be sure to tag this post appropriately: [canon] character name

Comments

[immamartillo]

I know people who use sword, but not those fencing ones... Foils?

[He shrugs; he has seen some pretty unconventional weapons so maybe fencing isn't that useless.]

They seem kinda flimsy to use in a fight.

[reminded]

I prefer the word 'graceful'. A needle might be thin and fragile, but it pierces with less effort than any cleaver. A foil is just a very big needle, really.

[immamartillo]

[He smirks; he can get Layton's point but he can't help but be mischievous.]

A needle, eh? So does that make you a seamstress?

[reminded]

Oho. I was thinking more of a doctor.

[Even he'd run from a man-sized shot.]

[immamartillo]

That might be a bit scarier. So how do you use 'em? If it's like a needle do you poke 'em with it?

[It seems to him like the blade would bend too easily; then maybe it's a slashing weapon...]

[reminded]

Precisely. The fencing foil is historically a dueling weapon, and men often dueled to the death. That's why the target area in modern foil fencing is primarily the torso. [He traces the area in question, cutting off at the shoulders and neck.] They made a point of piercing the vitals, you see.

[immamartillo]

Huh. Guess I can see how that works...

[He imitates Layton's tracing, noticing a few points where he'd aim with a knife. He nods, now sure that he can see how it works.]

Neat. I'd like to see it in action sometime--sometime that's not here, I mean.

[reminded]

I fence a bit at the Battle Dome in the morning. You're more than free to have a look in sometime... and I could always use a live opponent.

[As they near the detention area, the soldiers begin to check their arms and equipment. No sign of cultists yet, but it can't be long.]

[immamartillo]

Really? Thanks! I'm always up for a fight if you need a partner.

[His smile fades slightly as he notices the movements around them. He wipes his knife off on his sleeve and discretely tests the edge with his finger. The tiny cut that opens on his fingertip quickly seals.]

[reminded]

[Layton watches Firo without comment before drawing his pipe and holding it loosely in hand.]

I must wonder if the soldiers have any particular strategy in mind for our approach.

[immamartillo]

No idea. Seems like it's a little late for them to start settin' us up for one.

[He scratches his head with his free hand.]

It doesn't seem to me like there's ever been a strategy for these drafts--we just run in and start tryin' to take the other guys down.

[Then again, this is only his second time and he's never before been involved in a major objective like this. His observations should be taken with a large grain of salt. Or perhaps a whole shaker.]

[reminded]

[He smiles crookedly.]

I've noticed. It's a miracle this "strategy" hasn't seen us completely overrun by now. Furthermore, I wouldn't be surprised if a draftee or two found an opportunity for escape in the midst of all this disorganization.

[immamartillo]

[Firo nods along; he didn't truly realize how steep the costs could be of a lack of strategy, but he did find it jarring. He's used to smaller fights, several guys at the most, not big battles like this and some sort of direction would have helped. It's Layton's last statement that really catches his attention, though.]

Escape? Where to?

[reminded]

Why, anywhere. I imagine one could craft a parachute and simply walk off the island... though of course, it would be incredibly risky.

[Better not give Firo any funny ideas.]

[immamartillo]

...Don'tcha think it's a bit too high up for that?

[Firo wouldn't say he's afraid of heights, but even with a parachute he doesn't relish the idea of jumping off the island. Of course, he wouldn't trust any parachute made by himself either.]

Now that I think about it, even if they're not really keepin' an eye on us, the places they send us are always the kind that'd make it hard to escape. It's a flyin' island now, and last time I went on one it was somewhere underground.

[reminded]

[If the parachute fails, then there's always the wings on their backs for a last resort...]

Draft locales have always sounded... exotic. The deep jungle, the open seas... and even outer space. I might even go willingly to the last one.

[immamartillo]

If that's what you wanna call it. I always thought they were inconvenient--who would know how to fight in space?

[He runs his hand through his hair.]

You'd really wanna go to space? What's even out there?

[reminded]

A great deal of nothing, I suppose. [Point taken.] But it's bound to be a unique experience. Perhaps even out of this world. Ohoho.

[immamartillo]

[It takes Firo a moment to get the pun and though he rolls his eyes at it, he chuckles too.]

...Yeah, right.

I guess that's one thing the Malnosso got goin' for 'em--that they can actually do stuff like send people out to space, I mean.

[reminded]

They are quite impressive...

[He trails off as the door to the detention center up ahead slides open. A mechanical drumming of feet flows out of the opening, and Layton grips his pipe as the sound grows stronger with every beat. Droids...]

[immamartillo]

[Firo glances down as if to verify that he still has his knife, then looks to Layton. He takes a step slightly forward and to the side in an effort to partially block Layton.]

You ready? If you get tired, I can cover for you.

[He promised Maiza he'd take care of him, even if the Professor is competent.]

[reminded]

[Well, he did say he'd look out for Firo. What better place to do that than from slightly behind and to the side?]

You don't need to worry about that. I'm ready as I'll ever be.

[The soldiers of like training line up with their guns, however much use those will be against the droids. A single Shift Hunter prowls nearby, eager to get at the Shifter masterminding the mechanical army. And then, without warning, the steady rhythm of marching breaks into a cacophony of sound as the first droids flood out of the entrance.]

[immamartillo]

Yeah? I'm glad to--

[He looks ahead as he hears the droids start to move. Embarrassing as it would be to admit it, he's nervous now that they seem too close; he tries to cover that up with a smile as he looks back at Layton.]

...Damn. Good luck.

[He'll try to stick close by to keep his promise to Maiza, as hard as that may be in the chaos.]

[reminded]

The same to you.

[Layton, on the other hand, is grim and focused. As the droids swarm out of the building and into Malnosso gunfire, he studies their patterns of movement. They are being controlled by someone, after all, and so move as a unit with efficiency and single purpose.]

Firo... let's shift our angle of attack. This way! [Without pausing for a response, Layton hurries off to flank the MSF line of formation. He can think of a better way to use of themselves.] If any droids come our way, you must do your best to engage them until I can get a clear blow in. When I do, you might want to take a step back.

Still the same person, I'm just switching accounts

[foundafamily]

[Strategy isn't Firo's thing. He's used to small scale fights with street thugs, or one one sparring matches with his senior capos. All he has going for him now is his ability with the knife--which he discovered a while ago isn't sufficient to deliver the fatal blow to the droids--and his ability to keep his head in a fight.

Thankfully the latter does come in handy now. He registers what Layton says with a nod and quickly moves into position according to the man's directions. He stands on the balls of his feet, ready to move when the droids come at them.]

Got it! Just tell me when to move!

[If Maiza trusts Layton, then Firo does too.]