the veil is thin . . .

[thespaceopera]

[ On the night of the 16th, the feeling of tension and horrid anticipation comes to a head. Everything stops when the sun goes down-- even the ever-present music in the hoppingest part of the city center. One by one, everyone turns their eyes to the skies. The young and old alike pour out of their houses, some in bare feet, and they point to the velvety blanket of stars.

It takes a second to find it, especially if one is unaccustomed to the starscape. But even a casual observer can see it.

A brightly-shining star, larger than the others, and growing larger.

An announcement cuts across all communication channels that encourages people to evacuate to the space station, but it’s clear that these are just people and they’ll need some help. Supplies, equipment, organization, there’s something for everyone to do.

Civilization is disrupted by a panicked stampede of people vying for limited seats aboard spacefaring craft. Within hours, there will be crushed glass, looting, and chaos.

The clock is ticking. Will you help? Or would you rather watch the dying gasps of a Singing Planet from a safe distance? ]

[OOC: Please see this post for plot details. Phase two has begun! Feel free to use this post as a reaction post, mingle, etc. or make your own!]

Comments

Jarvis | OTA | Dates listed below!

[edwinjarvis]

I. 16th - 21st

Jarvis is very much used to cataloguing and moving things around and generally working hard for the bossman back home, and here, well, he's gotten used to dangerous jobs as well. The whole damned planet is going to be potentially wiped out, and worse than that, lives may be lost in the mayhem. He helps organize, yes, not giving a moments rest save for a few hours sleep. But who on earth can sleep at a time like this?

He moves through the town, pilots from place to place in an effort to warn everyone he can to get aboard the crafts. Some of them don't want to leave, refuse even, and it's frustrating to be sure. He can be found pounding away and closed and locked doors of those too afraid or stubborn to leave their residencies.

"You must reconsider; please come out! Just a moment of your time...!"

II. 16th - 21st

But one may also find him nearby, as well; if one's sitting and resting after a difficult few hours of moving animals, boxes, and people, they'll find a cold drink being offered out to them -- beside them is Jarvis, a thin smile on his features, one of exhaustion but also sympathy and hope and all the sorts of things a butler should most definitely be equipped with.

"Please, hydrate yourself. We can't have you falling ill on top of everything else, can we?"

III. 22nd

When it's time for people to pull back and start piloting their shuttles out of there, they'll find Jarvis is apparently just as stubborn as the dwindling stragglers are. He stands at the doorway of one elderly citizen, speaking to him in a concerned tone -- "You can't stay here; it's much too dangerous, do you understand? Listen to reason..."

"My wife and I had made a life here in this home; I won't leave it."

Jarvis' eyes drift up toward the photographs lining the walls of the brightly colored home, and truly, it's a warm and inviting place full of photos, photos of kind smiles and memories of family. The old man is alone now, not alone by choice, and Jarvis feels a twist in his chest. His voice is soft and sincere, but he must be honest: "I'm terribly sorry, but -- whether you stay or not, your home will be gone."

"My choice is final, young man, I'm sorry," the elder waves a hand, expression pained. He uses a cane but he's still quite nimble and healthy in appearance; he still has so much more time to live, if he'd just... Jarvis breathes in deep, and... it's a gamble, quite a gamble, but he's nothing if not creative in the face of doom. It's cruel, too. Cruel to do this to someone, but he can't afford to watch someone he could have helped die on some fiery, imploding planet.

"Very well. If you're staying here, I'm staying with you."

"What--"

"... I'm staying if you are."

"... I can't--" Anger flashes in the man's eyes, and then pain, and then a meek attempt to fight back. "You can't do that." But after a moment of the butler's firm silence, his head drops low, bowed, and fresh tears pool in his eyes. Jarvis waits patiently before gingerly placing a hand on the elder's shoulder. A firm and apologetic squeeze.

"Shall we get your things?"

The old man, not looking up as he wipes his eyes, gives one relenting nod.

And so they begin to pack. The end is dangerously close at hand, when he walks the man back outside to a vibrant but desolate city. A ghost town, not the first Jarvis has seen on his adventures in space, and he worries... not the last.

(Feel free to hit me up if you have a wildcard in mind.)

II

[whatisright]

Justice appears more than a little ill already. His face is sunken and his eyes are clouded with cataracts. If it weren't for the lack of smell and for the fact that he's still moving, one could be forgiven for thinking he's actually dead.

So it's understandable that when Justice sits down to try to concentrate on finding more people with his abilities, a man offers him something to drink. Justice looks at the water, then looks at the man, never quite blinking.

"I thank you for your concern." Justice dips his head, and while he looks like he's constantly staring sternly at whatever he's looking at, he's being sincere. "But you should save it for yourself. I have no need of water."

[edwinjarvis]

Oh yes, the man looks terribly like a corpse; Jarvis didn't want to be rude about it, but...

He thins his lips, sitting back; he looks plenty exhausted himself, albeit in a much more lively way. Regardless, it's not usual for him to be missing his tweed jacket, sleeves slightly dirtied where they're rolled. Quite the laborer, this one.

"... No need of water? Do you not feel terribly... dried out, without hydration?"

He's trying his best to be polite about it.

[whatisright]

"You are alluding to the fact that I appear dead."

Your manners are appreciated, Jarvis, but they are utterly wasted on Justice. Justice doesn't blink once as he stares at Jarvis, but there's no sign that he's being deliberately unsettling.

"I assure you that, despite appearances, I am healthy. My kind do not drink water." Justice still appreciates the concern, though. If he were human, he's sure that he'd like the water a lot.

[edwinjarvis]

He's about to jump into the most politest panic of "oh no no no you look fine there's absolutely nothing wrong with you what gave you that idea" sort of flubbing, but the man does appear surprisingly at ease with the response; perhaps he is more than used to the odd reactions, or perhaps he agrees he looks rather dead looking, or perhaps all of the above. But he stands there with his glass of unused water, curious if not worried about stepping on toes.

"Your kind, sir? I don't think I've been properly introduced. I have met a number of elves, and even a vampire, though... among others." So he's not at all bothered by the thought of having another non-human fellow around.

[whatisright]

Justice constantly looks like he's glaring sternly at whatever he's looking at, like he's getting ready to give it a good lecture, so considering that, he doesn't have any visible negative reaction to being questioned about it. He seems perfectly comfortable with it, in fact.

Mostly because asking him questions means that whoever is speaking to him isn't immediately treating him like a demon.

"I am a spirit, specifically a spirit of justice. Spirits usually dwell within the realm of dreams that mortals visit in their sleep, but I was brought to the mortal world through careless magic." He really doesn't mind questions.

[edwinjarvis]

Well... He's at least used to that kind of personality thanks to his father. This man, however, doesn't seem like he's about to dissect and analyze his progress in life quite so efficiently. He is... taking the explanation in stride, really, but it's only because the fleet has helped prepare him for such things. Especially Stefan, who had shown his vampire fangs and gave him a sharp fright.

"I... see... Then -- do you not sleep or eat?"

Or pee. Do you not urinate?

No offense, but based off the dryness of your overall aesthetic, he's assume you don't.

I

[echovocation]

[Matt's around, doing a lot of the same, a torn bedsheet tied around his head to hide most of his face. He might still get found out here but he can't just sit around, especially not when this guy is going around politely knocking on doors.]

That won't work, [Matt mutters, not-quite-but-kinda sneaking up on Jarvis and hefting a lawn ornament beside their front steps to break the door window, reaching in to unlock the door.] Chase them out. They'll go.

[edwinjarvis]

[Oh. Well. Jarvis stands there in surprise for a moment, his fist still raised in a frozen knock as he looks after the broken glass and bits of wooden paneling. How dare you, that was a lovely door; the only reason he doesn't voice is disappointment is the fact that the door will be vaporized later, regardless.]

I will do no such thing -- but talking, I can do.

[He moves to go inside, giving pause.]

... You, however, are certainly looking like someone who would chase people out of homes.

[BASICALLY YA LOOK LIKE A BURGLAR BUDDY????]

[echovocation]

[Hahaha...yeah he's gotten burglar before. Well, mugger.

Matt flashes Jarvis a sharky little smile before brushing past him and into the house proper. The family starts yelling, the mother brandishing a lamp that Matt bats out of the air when she flings it at his head. He's just gonna shove past them and go in search of a duffel bag or suitcase or something, brb Jarvis, have fun with them screaming]

1/2

[edwinjarvis]

[.........................]

Alright then.

[edwinjarvis]

[Jarvis is quick to rush after him, focusing his attention of the flailing and otherwise offended family -- all frightened and less than eager to leave their home for fear of, perhaps, the likes of their new guests. Or the fact that they're venturing into the unknown, unsure of their fates out in the more dangerous floating reaches of space.

He can't blame them. He would certainly evacuate quickly, but he had no physical connection to the Stark Estate; merely to people, people he would drag to safety no matter the trill of panic and fear within him. He pulls one of them aside (after taking a boot to the head, of course), and he tries his best to calm him. What on earth are you even doing over there, masked mugger? You'd better not be stealing. If he's being an accomplice to thievery without knowing, he swears...

But he is speaking reason, and he hopes it's enough.]

[echovocation]

[No he's not robbing! Gosh, Jarvis...

At least the mother seems to be calming down as Jarvis talks to her, still angry and upset but glancing back at her wife and their children...until Matt comes stalking back with a couple duffel bags, throwing them at the feet of the family huddled together.]

Get your things together. Essentials. Go to the evacuation site.

[edwinjarvis]

[Jarvis nudges into the scene, interrupting Matt's super serious talking.]

Please. Please, he means, if you'd be so swift.

[Manners, sir. The family stares at them for a moment before getting up and moving to collect their things, and Jarvis stands beside the masked man with his hands folded at his back. See now, this is going swimmingly.]

( ii )

[uprightness]

Quick regeneration. I don't need it as much as they do.

[ the others, that is. the only one with a quicker metabolism than his that steve knows about is barry and the man is barely seen - nothing beyond a quick red streak rushing through the streets and gone after a blink of an eye.

steve, all in black, lacking the glamour of the stars and the stripes is hardly as fast. ]

it'll take more than this for me to fall ill.

[edwinjarvis]

And yet you do fall ill, Mr. Rogers.

[He's not about to turn away from his friend, just because he's superhuman.]

It's not just a matter of physical endurance, but mental.

... It's not easy to try and work against the clock, knowing the planet can't be salvaged.

[uprightness]

There's nothing we can do about the planet.

[ he agrees, not without an air of frustration. he's not used to this, giving up on something. it was difficult enough to accept that sokovia will be laid to ruin even after their best efforts.

he doesn't know where are the nearer planets for all these people to go. ]

I'll settle for getting all these people out. I can't get some of them to see sense at all.

[edwinjarvis]

Difficulty with some of the civilians, then. If you'd like, I could try to speak with them?

[He gives a little smile, fighting the rather heavy atmosphere around them.]

While you and the others work on large-scale evacuations, I can work on stragglers who hesitate to leave.

[uprightness]

It could really help. They might listen to you.

[ steve, when handling such situation, tends to use his captain america voice and persona, even now that he had abandoned the title and the uniform. and it's not the grand voice, booming with cheeky confidence, it's strict and leaves no room for questions, it's the soldier.

not everyone likes that. ]

It's the older people I have trouble with.

[edwinjarvis]

[He gives a nod, clapping his hands together.]

Now that I can certainly handle. Patience and carefully verbalized sympathy is a virtue in these situations. Tense as they may be. [He looks fond, though.] It's hard to turn off the military mode, I am well aware. I suppose I was just never built for the stature in the first place.

[He had been an aide. There's a reason he picked that role -- because a lot of other areas in the military were not his cuppa. He wanted to help and make a difference, but also appease his family, after all.]

III

[candothat]

Chekov, currently splitting his time between making last-minute repairs on overworked shuttles and keeping an eye out for the shipmates that he's almost certain will be engaging in heroics, approaches Jarvis as soon as he has ushered the Lyukian to the relative safety of a transport to the space station. No need to interrupt a rescue that's going well.

"Mr. Jarvis?" (They've only known each other for six months, formalities are still a grand idea.) "Do you intend to evacuate soon?"

[edwinjarvis]

Formalities are Jarvis' whole life; just ask Mr. Stark, who has never been 'Howard' in the... what, seven or eight years he's worked for him? Anyway. He turns toward Chekov, relieved to see someone on his feet and still getting along alright. It's been a mess around here, though considering Chekov is used to travel and handling peril, he supposes there's no better company.

"I hope to, though I can't see myself going until I've done the most I can."

He looks back, frowning.

"And there's still... much to be done."

[candothat]

Oh yes, Chekov is the person to hang out with when it comes to perilous situations. The last eight years have given him something of a talent for neither dying nor breaking down in the midst of a disaster. There are, after all, far more convenient times for both of those things.

"Please make sure that you have done the most that you can before the planet is destroyed." Easier insisted upon than done. Chekov doesn't want to leave while there's still the faintest chance of saving people, but he's aware of the realities of their situation. "There will still be work to do after. None of us will be very useful to the survivors if we die here."

[edwinjarvis]

"Understood. I have no desire to die vaporized into bits, not when my wife is waiting for me."

He is sassy as ever, but there's that touch of fondness. Ana would be very worried for him, certainly, but he knows that he has to do his best to lend a hand. Regardless, he will not allow himself to die when it's avoidable. It'll do no one any good, anyway.

[candothat]

"An excellent reason to delay vaporization."

(He makes a mental note to ask about Ana if the opportunity presents itself. He likes hearing about the loved ones the other fleeters have waiting at home... and sometimes people seem to benefit from the opportunity to talk about them.)

"Also--and this is selfish, I realize--everyone on the Tourist would starve without you."