driftfleet | let us bow our heads

let us bow our heads

[it may be too optimistic to hope that it has something to do with respect, but Atroma has been very quiet. in the wake of the growing stillness on the Iskaulit, neither of the fleet's hosts have broken the peace with their chipper voices.

if the passengers are being watched as closely as they always claim, it is being done in silence.

whether or not the remainder of the living bugs are being kept somewhere for observation, and regardless of the fact that the discussion of what to ultimately do with the ship is still ongoing, it has been generally agreed that something respectful should be done with the dead, and that the remaining spores should be washed away.

so, this will all be done through a combined effort of vacuum and fire, and the time for this purge has been set.

feet on the ground are needed to prepare the foreign ship for purging--securing anything that could be damaged, and safely packing away delicate data-storing instruments and anything belonging to the fleet itself. anyone willing to help could surely find something to do.

and for anyone wishing to bless, reflect, honor, or pray... now is the time to do so. whether aboard the Iskaulit itself before the purge, offering a voice over the network, or simply watching from nearby shuttles and ships, this is the fleet's moment to help send off the crew of the Iskaulit with dignity.]

ooc: this is the final IC mod post for June! the purge itself will be implied for the most part, but anyone with skills in mechanics or fire-controlling may assume they were involved.

this post specifically is for any interactive threads involved in the final days before the Iskaulit is cleaned, and anything funerary, including broadcasts. even if you just want to put up a closed comment describing what private way your character is taking part in this makeshift 'ceremony,' go for it.

an OOC post summarizing and officially wrapping up the rest of June will go up as soon as we're able.

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→ A
[before the purge, in those final hours, Tek is aboard the Iskaulit. as he's done for most of the month, he spends a lot of time just being there, steeping in the atmosphere of it. quietly watching, distantly observing--he's tuned much more into things he can't see than anything he can.

and so, as the last of the things are being fastened down and packed away, he continues to loiter, looking more serious and without pretense than he generally shows.

especially having so recently been put through the wringer of death, this cuts a little closer to the quick than it might have otherwise. he's waiting around, idly looking out for others hoping to pay their respects, but mostly doing seemingly nothing. it's as though he's waiting to be the very last one on the ship before the purge.]

→ B
[and once it comes time for everyone to leave so the purging process can begin, he finally heads back to the Pathstone.

instead of retreating to his office or his bunk, however, he remains on the bridge. he finds a seat next to the largest window with the best view, and from there... he just continues to watch.]

[A.]

[As an engineer, Hiccup's had a unique opportunity to see the guts of the ship and learn pieces of its history. If anyone else is aboard the Iskaulit to aid in the preparations, they'll see him tying things down, sealing what needs to be sealed, and basically being as helpful as possible.]

[B.]

[He is solemn, as one would expect, and he bows his head as the time nears. Like many he voices a prayer over the broadcast. He is quiet and unassuming. It feels too soon. Feels too familiar. It wasn't long ago that he lost someone very important to him and had to let go in a similar way.]

... May Thor protect you with his hammer which came from out of the sea, and may the lightning hold all evil away from you.

[Adrasteius knows from fire, and though it'll wrench his heart to do it, he'll help with the purge. But first, he stands on board the ship, amid the activity of other preparations, his hands clasped together in prayer. He hadn't explored or fought in these halls before, but he's here now, armed with all of the discomfiting information that the others have gathered.

A dome of sparkling light rises around him, enveloping him--and anyone else within a thirty yard radius. Adra lifts his head and his arms, and sings a hymn. The words seem indistinct; it's an old, melodious language that sounds less like knowable phrases and more like a series of chiming harmonies. His baritone voice rings out, echoes down the corridors--and then he's done.

He goes to his knees on the metal ground.]

May the Light carry your souls to peace. May you be embraced by those you love, and those who loved you. May you be reborn in the Light, into a kinder time, and a warmer place.

[A.]

[Allen could be found on the Iskaulit in those final hours of the purge. There is sadness in him about what transpired, but he has few qualms in helping it. It's not very different from his job as an Exorcist back in his world. Bringing an end to their misery...ending this pitiful fate- it's what he was supposed to do in his life. Even if he couldn't see the souls themselves]

[He helps brings the bodies to where they can be cremated, lying them out in a respectful manner. It's too bad they don't have enough cloth or sheets to spare to cover them- but they have to do with what they can.]

[Throughout that, and after he's finished with hauling bodies- he takes a moment to say a prayer over them.]

May your souls find salvation. Rest in peace, Iskaulit crew.

[B.]

[Later on, he can be found trying to see what information the engineers have dug up from the ship's databases. Mostly, he's looking for a roster so he can at least know the name of the crew. Or, you might just find him quietly being about- thinking on the whole situation.]

[commander stands quietly on the iskaulit, hydra-issued mask and goggles in place over his mouth, nose, and eyes. he may be a supersoldier, but he's not stupid; these things could potentially kill him, and he's not running that risk. he does, however, know that fewer people who are at risk are going to be on the ship at this time, and it's a good place to step away from the high energy of the crews.

[he's taking the time to reflect upon what's happened here. death isn't something foreign to him; neither the risk, nor the delivery. and yet, somehow, this part never gets any easier. these people didn't deserve their fate. they begged for help, and the fleet...

[well, they just hadn't made it in time.

[the weight isn't lost on commander. he stands with his hands at his sides, head turned down in solemn silence as he pays his respects to the crew whose names and personalities he would never come to learn.]

[Cullen watches and assists where he can, quiet, brow furrowed all the while. He's no stranger to a thing like this but it takes some effort not to think, not to let his mind wander to those darker places. He moves things and tries to help keep it all orderly.

He wonders if praying is appropriate. Does he pray to whatever gods these people held dear? If the Maker rarely helps those in Thedas, does he pray to him now?

Ultimately, he does take a moment to pray. Pray that their rest is peaceful... and that such a thing does not happen to their fleet.]

[Well, this is pretty much this girl's first real exposure to death of this scale, so she's trying to keep herself distracted by doing work. Which in this case, mostly means continuing to compile the information that's been gathered together, and searching for any names that can be found in there -- something to give names to all the dead.]

[It's the whole thinking time when Toph tracks him down. She leans against one of the door frames in the Iskaulit, arms crossed, silently 'watching' him for a little bit. When she feels a good lull in the reflecting, she pipes up.]

It's a pretty big ship when you put it against ours, isn't it?

{A}
[ Duke paces the ship. He'll help with any engineering pushing things about, but mostly he's getting a better idea of the scale of the place. He knows he can fill it with fire - he just has to set it up the way he had that other spell.

But he should see it. Which is why he's walking about in a faint blue bubble, making his magic clear the air about him. ]

{B}
[ The fires worked well together, and Duke.. is trying not to look as slightly tired-pleased as he feels about that. A new spell worked without a hitch, he had gotten to see new magics. He's at least aware that ... perhaps everyone, won't agree with his view.

He'll make his way back to the Pathstone's armory, where he'll settle to see what else he could turn that spell into, in theory. ]

[His head raises a little when he hears Toph, looking over at her]

Mm...it's massive.

[ Asteffiel had been interested. He was a necromancer, dead things are vaguely interesting! Just a little less when the dead things had been trying to eat him when they were alive things. And a little less when they had been just as smart as they are.

And even less when he found out fire was going to be involved. So very little interest, he turns and more or less runs back to the shuttle to watch from there. ]

... Fire is good. If the dragons could reach, fire won't let them take them...

[ A little like he's convincing himself. ]

People who can see never really get the entire scope of it, but I do, when I feel it. [She taps her foot lightly on the metal floor for emphasis.]

There's a lot here, probably more than we've really dug into yet, don't you think?

You can feel the entire ship with your feet?

[Whoooa whacky powers there]

Most likely...if a population this large lived here, there must be a lot here to support them.

Yup. My earthbending lets me feel vibrations with my feet, so I get an idea of what's around me-- and below me. Or above, if everything's connected. Since metal's an offshoot of earth, it works about the same. [Toph shrugs a little.] It's how I found you, too.

[She straightens and makes her way over to Allen, sitting on the floor next to him.] You okay?

Really? [He looks impressed! It was sort of like Marie with his sound vibrations] Incredible...that explains the bare feet.

[Yes. He had been too polite to point it out]

[And at that question, he considers it] I...think so. This sort of thing isn't much different from my work back home.

Mhm. If I wear shoes, it'd be like someone putting a thin piece of fabric over your face. You could still see, but it'd be a lot harder to make things out. So if there's a smell, you're gonna have to deal with it. [She grins widely before letting it fall into a more sober expression.]

Still, it's gotta stink. You don't strike me as the type to enjoy this sorta thing.

[ There are any number of places for him to be besides here, but truthfully James Barnes is drawn to Steve Rogers like a volatile moon hurtling towards a steady planet. Even now there's something immovable about him, rooted. Bucky stops where he is, at a distance, and logically he knows his hand should drop to the grip of the gun he has strapped to his waist, but it doesn't. As much as he never flinches from a fight, there's no call for one. ]

Such a waste, isn't it?

[ew...] We have a working bath, you know. [Seriously he worked on getting those upgrades and everything!]

Does anyone enjoy funerals? [Rhetorical question really]

[Toph ignores the bath comment, focusing on his avoidance (?) of the topic at hand.]

That's not what I'm talking about.

[his shoulders tense further when he hears that voice. he doesn't turn to face him, and for now... he stays silent. he's given him nothing since their first conversation, and still barnes managed to get under his skin. he can't afford to show anything now.

[not when he feels like a collision is inevitable.]

[ Once upon a time, he'd have pushed at Steve the way he knows only he can, but being with Sam — pushing doesn't heal trauma, it breaks people, and he doesn't have any of Natasha's finesse. ]

[ And, once upon a time, he didn't like it when everything was quiet. Fidgeted a lot. Now, he doesn't. It's natural, to be still as a stone. ]

I'll leave if you want me to, but not otherwise.

[he still refuses to speak. if he says he doesn't want him there, would he argue, or would he leave? commander doesn't know. commander doesn't know him the way he seems to think he knows him.

[besides, eventually, they do need to talk, and... he's not sure he wants him to go.]

[ There's not a no, and so after a moment he finds a place to sit, and he waits. ]

[he wondered, vaguely, if not saying anything would make him stay. something told him it would. the confirmation is almost enough to make him smirk, but the mask would hide it even if he did.

[he's quiet for a while longer, and then, finally:]

... You're not supposed to be breathing this air.

[ As though there was no silence in between, he answers, quietly, ]

Serum will fix it.

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let us bow our heads

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aboard the iskaulit

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