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.
voidseeing: (Eyes of steel)

[personal profile] voidseeing 2013-09-11 05:08 am (UTC)(link)
"I'm implying that I don't trust the Malnosso, or Bil, or anyone else here. Do you really think they sent us out here just to keep an eye on you? That would be far too simple. There has to be more to it than just that, and that's what I'm trying to figure out."

He met her gaze with an unblinking one of his own. "I can't make you trust me. But I've already helped you once. Whether that means anything to you at all is up to you."

[personal profile] malnosso 2013-09-11 06:11 am (UTC)(link)
She stared at him for a moment, before looking down at her hands and shaking her head, almost apologetically. "You want me to help you in return? Then take my advice. Leave. Don't get involved in this. You have no idea..."

She stopped herself short, smoothing out her features again.
voidseeing: (The one who would be king)

[personal profile] voidseeing 2013-09-11 06:22 am (UTC)(link)
And then, everything clicks into place. What he and Law had discussed earlier. The things he'd seen in the medical tent. Aka's presence here, and Hidekan concealing her identity. The things Bil had told him. His own experience at the hospital.

He's pretty sure he does have an idea.

"... you're using Shift explosives. That's the reason behind all of the strange injuries and afflictions that none of the patients will talk about." His eyes narrowed to slits. "You're going to use one in the cultists' underground lair in the hopes of wiping it out. That's why you're working with Bil-- because he's the one who knows how to make them."

[personal profile] malnosso 2013-09-11 06:02 pm (UTC)(link)
Her expression flinched in shock for a split second, but that was long enough. He knew, and that could jeopardize everything. Everything she had hoped to achieve by coming here, by working for Hidekan and securing her place among these men.

She could kill him. She didn't know what powers he might have, but her own were considerable. She could take him out, and things could move on without a hitch. But, no - that option wasn't one she would really entertain, for a variety of reasons. Mouth dry, she was at a total loss for what to do. So she tried to bluff.

"Do you have any idea how outlandish you sound right now? The Iron Eye doesn't have the resources to create something like that."
voidseeing: (Back to zero)

[personal profile] voidseeing 2013-09-11 07:27 pm (UTC)(link)
That reaction was all he needed to confirm his and Law's suspicions. It had been fortunate, really, that the two of them had ended up on this particular mission together. In a way, it was also fortunate that the hospital mission had ended up as much of a mess as it did and driven Gai to the point of near-obsession with finding out as much as he could about what happened.

There was a subtle shift to his stance now, readying himself to fight back just in case she decided the best way to deal with him would be by silencing him permanently. He had no powers for the Shifts to affect; from his recollection of the files he'd been given at the hospital, she did. It was likely he would have the advantage here.

But she made no move to attack him. Instead, it became clear that she didn't really know what to do. So Gai decided to take advantage of this. "They don't, but Bil does. That's why he's here."

[personal profile] malnosso 2013-09-11 07:43 pm (UTC)(link)
"That daft fool?" She tried to laugh, but it was a hollow sound. "Me and him are the same - he had no where else to go."
voidseeing: (Do as I say)

[personal profile] voidseeing 2013-09-11 08:05 pm (UTC)(link)
"That seems to be a common theme around here." There's an unmistakable note of understanding to his voice rather than judgment.

[personal profile] malnosso 2013-09-11 08:40 pm (UTC)(link)
"You're a fool," Her voice was cold, slightly panicked. "You're going to get your whole group killed for it."
voidseeing: (Golden time lover)

[personal profile] voidseeing 2013-09-11 08:43 pm (UTC)(link)
"I'll take responsibility." In contrast, Gai's own voice was level, calm. "If they want to blame anyone, they can blame me. I won't mention your name."
Edited 2013-09-11 20:44 (UTC)

[personal profile] malnosso 2013-09-11 08:50 pm (UTC)(link)
She started to back away, her alarm growing second by second. She could tell Hidekan. Yes - that's what she would do. He would still need her. He couldn't dispense with her yet, and she'd earn his trust by proving her loyalty. It had to work. She was out of other options.

"Don't interfere. I'm warning you." They could all end up dead, all of them, what were they thinking building a Shift bomb in such a volatile area? They were dead, every last one of them.
voidseeing: (He's a heartbreaker)

[personal profile] voidseeing 2013-09-11 09:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Seeing this, Gai reached out to make a grab for her wrist, though it's not a grip meant to keep her here, just to get her attention. By now, he was fairly certain he understood why she was doing this, and while it was understandable, it was also the sort of thing that could get her in over her head... probably already had.

"Don't shackle your self-worth to how useful you are to others. You should be living for yourself first and foremost, and anything else should come as a result of that. Punishing yourself isn't going to undo what happened. If you want so much to make up for it, then work to make sure it never happens again."

Gai was intimately familiar with those feelings and what they could lead to, and he wasn't proud of it. "You survived. Don't waste that opportunity."

[personal profile] malnosso 2013-09-12 01:20 am (UTC)(link)
She wrenched her wrist away; she couldn't be sure of his intentions, and she didn't want to let her guard down. Did it even matter? They were are dead. Dead, dead, dead.

"You make it sound so easy," she snarled, voice still low so they didn't attract too much attention. "But you have no idea what it's like out here." He had no other choice. Even if she didn't like what she was doing, even if she felt it was wrong...she had no choice.
voidseeing: (Apocalypse Virus: Determined)

[personal profile] voidseeing 2013-09-12 01:29 am (UTC)(link)
"Not here specifically, no," he answered, keeping his own voice low and steady in return. "But I do have an idea what it's like. I've been fighting in some form or another since I was seven years old."

Then, tilting his head so that his hair fell away from his face, he pointed to the purple crystals there. "The Malnosso aren't the only ones in the universe who like to conduct experiments."

[personal profile] malnosso 2013-09-12 01:35 am (UTC)(link)
She took another step back, feverishly shaking her head. "Whatever you expect me to do, I can't. I've already cast my die."
voidseeing: (The one who would be king)

[personal profile] voidseeing 2013-09-12 01:41 am (UTC)(link)
"Was it what you wanted?" Point-blank. But the tone of his voice hinted that he already knew what the answer would be.

[personal profile] malnosso 2013-09-12 03:32 am (UTC)(link)
"I already told you," she said, colder still. "I had nowhere else to go."
voidseeing: (To the end)

[personal profile] voidseeing 2013-09-12 03:42 am (UTC)(link)
Gai just stood there, regarding her with eyes of an almost piercing intensity. "You always have a choice as long as you're alive. Remember that."

[personal profile] malnosso 2013-09-12 04:44 am (UTC)(link)
"If I choose to stay alive, that means I turn you over to the Iron Eye." It wasn't quite a threat, but it would be a measure she would take, if she had to.
voidseeing: (Can't touch this)

[personal profile] voidseeing 2013-09-12 04:48 am (UTC)(link)
Threat or not, Gai just smirked. "And I haven't even said what I plan on doing with this information. What's to say we might not decide to help you?"

[personal profile] malnosso 2013-09-12 04:55 am (UTC)(link)
"So I can do what? Go back to your cage with you?"
voidseeing: (Shu did something stupid again didn't he)

[personal profile] voidseeing 2013-09-12 04:57 am (UTC)(link)
"Being out of it doesn't seem to be making you very happy."

[personal profile] malnosso 2013-09-12 05:20 am (UTC)(link)
"Being happy is the least of my concerns." Another step back.
voidseeing: (Take the bait)

[personal profile] voidseeing 2013-09-12 05:23 am (UTC)(link)
"So you're determined to martyr yourself in the hope that it will make you feel less guilty about making a mistake." He obviously isn't impressed.

[personal profile] malnosso 2013-09-12 05:32 am (UTC)(link)
"I'd only be a martyr if I helped you," she clarified.
voidseeing: (No that was stupid too)

[personal profile] voidseeing 2013-09-13 02:00 am (UTC)(link)
"What do you want to do?" he shot back.

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