lucetimods: (Default)
Luceti Mods ([personal profile] lucetimods) wrote in [community profile] lucetilogs2013-09-07 08:19 am

Mission #14 - The Iron Eye

Who:
Doctors: Yamanaka Ino, Trafalgar Law, Elizabeth (Bioshock)
Investigators: Luke Skywalker, Natasha Romanoff, Asch, Itachi Uchiha, Maron Kusukabe, Selphie Tilmitt
Diplomats: Freyjadour Falenas, Marita Covarrubias, Gai Tsutsugami, Jade Curtiss, Ororo Munroe, Temari, Peggy Carter
Quartermasters: Haruhi Suzumiya, Akimichi Chouji, Eleytheria, Rudy Roughnight, Vash, Elizabeth (Persona)
Guards: Clove, Karla, Vegeta, Suki, Steve Rogers, Yuffie Kisaragi

What: Mission #14: The Iron Eye
When: September 7th - September 11th
Where: The Desert of Region Nine
Summary: Volunteers are sent to check in one the Iron Eye, a group of mercenaries who have convened in the desert for unknown reasons.
Rating: J for Just Deserts


Departure

As you may recall from the mission briefing, selected volunteers are headed to the desert in Region Nine. Before the nitty-gritty mechanics of this mission are revealed, characters must first try and gather as much intelligence as possible from the NPCs made available to them. The nature of their presence in the desert, the context of the vote you will have to make, as well as the larger picture concerning the existence of the Iron Eye all depend upon solid investigation and shrewd interrogation. Or, perhaps, dumb luck.

Diplomat/Negotiator characters will be permitted to tag as many NPCs as the player wishes. All other characters will have to choose just one of the NPCs to tag -- choose wisely! You’re likely still going to uncover some sort of intel. (Do note, each NPC is played by a different mod. So if you see one NPC getting more hits than the other, consider hitting up a different one to help spread it out.)

Investigator characters will have a thread purpose-built to allow those players in particular to ask the mods particular (and pointed) questions about what can be observed. Please note that these questions should be direct and specific rather than vague. For example, ’are any of the Iron Eye members looking particularly upset?’ is a valid question. What is the group’s general mood?’ is not. Remember, these inquiries aren’t going to be done out of character. There will be an In Character thread to reply to, meaning that any move you commit to has consequences and could draw attention to your character. So be careful!

Doctor characters will not only look after their own, but they’ll get a chance to help the Iron Eye deal with their own wounded. Without any special powers, they’ll have to rely on good old fashioned know how. However, there may be some insight to be found in just what ails these mercenaries.

Quartermaster characters are primarily responsible for their own - other volunteers. The trucks they arrived on should be packed with necessary supplies to keep them healthy, but they may have to borrow from the MSF if any of the group turns out to be thirstier than the Malnosso anticipated.

Guard characters have the unenviable position of guarding the small convoy the volunteers arrived in, while also facing extra scrutiny from the Iron Eye. However, even with all the mercenaries around, there’s still things out in the desert to worry about. Lone Shift Hunters often hunt at night, where their dark skin and silent steps can make them incredibly stealthy, especially without special powers to aid in anticipating them.

The camp they’ll be heading to is large and staffed by the Iron Eye. They are at least five thousand strong with men and have their own supply of trucks, jeeps, tanks, and even a few helicopters. Although not nearly so uniform as the MSF, it’s clear that this is a group that means business. Their numbers are composed of men and women of many species, some with large wings and some with small. Throughout the mission, they’ll have their own people coming and going from different directions. Beyond their camp is all desert where brutal Shifts make powers unreliable and have been known to have sometimes lethal effects. Although the Iron Eye camp has set up a small amount of protection against these Shifts, it’s nowhere near as secure as what you’d find in a proper enclosure.

Playing in this mission means you guys have to figure out exactly what the Iron Eye are up to. On the tenth, a post will appear on [community profile] lucetiooc for you to vote on whether your character will assist the Iron Eye or sabotage their efforts, regardless if they are fully aware of what they’re up to. Or they can, of course, just do nothing and not vote.

--

The volunteers were transported to the outskirts of the desert courtesy of a cargo plane. Given the variety of participants, the pilot would only feel secure after turning the power cap on to one hundred percent, even though his co-pilot insisted they had nothing to worry about. After all, he said, Lucetians almost never try to escape. All the same, power cap it was, and the long flight set in. When they landed at the airstrip in Region Nine, it was revealed to be little more than just that. A paved area to land, a few buildings, and then a caravan of trucks that were to be handed over to the volunteers to make use of.

Several miles into the trip, it became obvious when they arrived in Iron Eye territory. Scouts from the mercenary crew spotted them even miles before they had arrived and cautiously followed them into the encampment. The soldiers greeted them with suspicion and weapons raised, but called off their attack. After all, the leader of this particular outfit was already well-acquainted with these new arrivals. Hoi Hidekan had dealt with them before now. Many of the other members of the Iron Eye likewise recognized Lucetians. Many of them weren’t so happy to see familiar faces, having been slain by Lucetians in the battle at Depot 8. Hidekan himself was on edge. He didn’t like where this seemed to be going, but it was with gritted teeth he allowed the Lucetians entered. Immediately, he assigned a guard to watch over them. He watched Trafalgar Law carefully in particular, but said nothing. For the moment, at least.

It wasn’t until a particularly jovial and blue man arrived that things eased up. Sir Catherine, known to the organization as Bilirubin, wore a wide grin as he came to meet the Lucetians. He greeted them warmly despite the situation.

“Ah, what are the chances of meeting out here in this place? I do hope the organization hasn’t sent you out here to arrest me. I imagine by now you may have heard about that eensy problem I ran into regarding my little plan to eliminate Count Zompano. Ahaha, well, I think we can all agree that absolutely went dreadfully. Who would have thought he’d join up with the cultists? In any case, I’m afraid I won’t let you do that. I’ve hired the Iron Eye, you see. I shan’t be turned over to the organization. Not when there’s work to do. In any case, I look forward to speaking to you all individually. Please, relax! Pitch a tent. Have some of our water. Enjoy the sights. The nights are rather bland, given the lack of stars, but the sand dunes to the west are rather splendid to look at once you’re good and properly dehydrated. In any case, off I go!”

And just like, Bilirubin popped back into one of the tents, but he’d be out and about again before long. Hidekan was less pleased and followed the blue man, leaving the Lucetians to figure out how they were going to make do for the next four days. Sticking close to Hidekan was a young woman, another former member of the MSF. But only one of the group would recognize her as Aka Furuka. After all, Gai had been involved in the same mission that involved putting a stop to her and the people she was working with. It was clear that she didn’t relish the idea of being recognized. Nobody would. The incident at the hospital was messy business.

With that settled, the volunteers were left to set up camp, figure out their supplies, and make themselves ready to investigate the surroundings, deal with any creatures that bump in the night, and tend to any other difficulties that would arise in their four days.

--

Any other questions and/or plotting can be handled at the Announcement post here.


PLEASE MAKE YOUR VOTE HERE - other plotting and IC discussion is on this post as well.
calmbeforethe: (gratuitous lens flare)

[personal profile] calmbeforethe 2013-09-08 03:57 am (UTC)(link)
Although Ororo had not encountered Hoi Hidekan herself during the mission at Depot 8, she'd heard enough about him to recognize him when their paths crossed here. She approached him with a measure of caution - she knew to expect tension from him, especially after how things had gone down then. But where she had not had the opportunity to speak to him then, she had that opportunity now. And she was definitely going to take advantage of it.

It is during one of the mealtimes that Ororo decides to take a chance, taking her tray of rations over to the table where Hidekan sat. She meant to take the seat across from his - but Ororo was nothing if not polite.

"Is this seat taken?"

[personal profile] malnosso 2013-09-08 12:47 pm (UTC)(link)
He looked up. Eyed the chair. The woman. And long after shook his head.

"...No. Feel free." The words were said with no small amount of wryness, but he still gestured gently with two fingers and invited her to sit across from him. His tray was near empty, but he had a considerable mug of coffee still to complete.
calmbeforethe: (blue eyes)

[personal profile] calmbeforethe 2013-09-08 01:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Ororo waited patiently under his careful scrutiny, content to stand until he finally invited her to sit.

"Thank you." she replied with a smile, setting her own food down. Ororo took the time to slide into her seat gracefully and make herself comfortable before she raised her eyes to him. "... It's good to see you in good health, Mr. Hidekan."

[personal profile] malnosso 2013-09-08 08:28 pm (UTC)(link)
"Is that so?"

He lifted his mug to his lips after speaking these scant few words.
calmbeforethe: (morning coffeee)

[personal profile] calmbeforethe 2013-09-09 01:50 am (UTC)(link)
A nod, while she starts on her own food.

"Yes. Conditions out here are not the easiest, and it seems you always have something to oversee." That she was involved with Depot 8 was a fact that she figured to keep to herself, for a moment. Until it was more prudent to bring it up, anyway.

[personal profile] malnosso 2013-09-09 12:46 pm (UTC)(link)
"We keep busy, ma'am. I suppose it's all anyone can ask for..."

Polite. But not too polite.
calmbeforethe: (speaking)

[personal profile] calmbeforethe 2013-09-09 12:51 pm (UTC)(link)
"It is better than sitting idly by, yes." She gave him a curious look. "Might I ask what keeps you all so busy out here?"

[personal profile] malnosso 2013-09-10 10:41 pm (UTC)(link)
"Lately? It's the blue man..."
calmbeforethe: (gratuitous lens flare)

[personal profile] calmbeforethe 2013-09-11 08:29 am (UTC)(link)
"Sir Catherine?" Ororo asked, curiously. "He... has a way with words, and with people, but I was not of the impression that he had much sway over most of your men." After all, most of them appeared to make an effort to go around him. "Most of the time he seems to be off in his own world."

[personal profile] malnosso 2013-09-12 02:19 am (UTC)(link)
"...He's taken to following me around," confessed the blond Hidekan -- perhaps with a tone of bafflement in his voice. "Damned annoying. But the job comes with its advantages."
calmbeforethe: (blue eyes)

[personal profile] calmbeforethe 2013-09-12 01:35 pm (UTC)(link)
"Annoying? Well, he's certainly a... very amusing sort of man," Ororo allowed, smiling slightly. "But one with a wealth of knowledge, it seems."

"And I would suppose your job comes with some sort of advantage. You appear to be putting up with quite a bit out here in the desert; I'm sure that the benefits must make it all worth it." She raised an eyebrow curiously.

[personal profile] malnosso 2013-09-13 02:42 pm (UTC)(link)
"A means to an end, ma'am. Us Iron Eye will endure a great deal to see our aims satisfied."
calmbeforethe: (thinking about this)

[personal profile] calmbeforethe 2013-09-14 03:28 am (UTC)(link)
She nods, frowning a little. She remembers how they'd wanted to take down Depot 8, civilians and all.

"Despite any potential consequences of your actions, I assume?"

[personal profile] malnosso 2013-09-16 01:31 pm (UTC)(link)
"Consequences are only prices. Find a price you can live with, and you buy what you want."