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

Vash the Stampede | OTA | Anytime

[goldenglasses]

The Initial Panic

[Vash starts off doing his best to keep the peace. Telling people to stay calm. Breaking up fights for spots on ships when they start and earning himself a few bruises along the way. Although it can get a bit exhausting and trying to stop one fight for only a few minutes later see another fight for supplies erupt.]

Oh, come on! This fighting is pointless!

[Help him? Tell him to give up? Give him an ice pack for that bruise?]

In General

[Vash will be putting his piloting skills to the test. Flying back and forth as fast as he can to take as many people as he can to the space station. He's not really taking a lot of time for sleeping or eating.

It's probably fine if you catch him between hauls asleep at the controls. He's obviously is just learning how to pilot in his sleep.]

The Last Possible Second Hero-ism

[Vash has lost any kindness in his tone as he picks up the last few stragglers who had a very literally last minute change of heart about not leaving the planet. He couldn't ignore them even as he put himself and his shuttle in very real danger. If he could save even just one more life he was going to do that.

What he wasn't expecting was to see someone from the Fleet left behind as well. He pulls up quickly and throws open the shuttle's door.]

GET IN HERE NOW!!!

[Vash is already taking off before the door has a chance to fully close as soon as you jump in.] HANG ON! THIS IS GOING TO BE ROUGH!

In General

[apurrstate]

[He'd been utilizing Vash's piloting whenever possible, gathering people up and herding them into the shuttle with gentle, patient urging...or magic to get them to shut up, when necessary; a sleeping or paralyzed person were sometimes easier to deal with. But he had Panacea active, so most of the time the calming aura magic from him did enough.

He found Vash after he'd landed once again, though how quite it was when Anders stepped into the shuttle alerted him something was up. He found his friend slumped at the controls, signs of exhaustion obvious in his sleeping face. He smiled a bit and gently lay a hand on the pilot's shoulder, a gentle blue glow surrounding it as he did.

He let the healing magic flow through. It wouldn't fix everything, but it would restore Vash's energy for a time and hold exhaustion at bay; though it would likely come back with a vengeance later. They would all be spending the drift week asleep at this rate.]

[goldenglasses]

[Usually when they stop Vash is still in motion. Filling the ship with fuel for the next run. Helping people on or off. Helping to carry supplies. Or even occasionally literally stepping in the middle of squabbles to stop them. Most didn't want to accidentally hurt the pilot helping them to escape after all.

Instead he's slumped over the controls of his ship. In a position so many back on his world would have given nearly anything for; dead asleep. Nearly anyone could have walked up to Vash in that moment. A testament to how his years among the fleet have relaxed his alertness towards sudden and unexpected attacks plus a mix of sheer exhaustion.

The touch on his shoulder and Vash sits bolt upright in his seat. His hand darts towards his hip, but stops short of grabbing the pistol that is always at his side. Some habits being just a bit harder to break.

Like the smile he's instantly showing Anders after the confusion washes away. He can feel some sort of energy returning to his tired body. A feeling he had felt before the Three Twins and Windrose had united as one.]

Heh, thanks. [He chuckles feeling slightly embarrassed at being caught sleeping on the job.] It was just a quick cat nap! I'm still good to fly! Honest! [Maybe not without the little magic boost, but as he had the boost now he wasn't going to let it go to waste.]

[apurrstate]

[Anders doesn't flinch or pull away when Vash jumps, he sort of expected that kind of reaction, he would have been far more concerned if Vash had simply done nothing.

Instead, Anders smiled at his friend and finished the spell.]

Is that right? You seemed fairly run down. This should help for a few more hours, but please don't get caught down here too tired to make it back up.

[He was trying so desperately to lose as few people as they could from the population, he certainly didn't want to lose his friends in that inevitable number.]

If you feel so tired again, call me, I can spare the mana.

[Vash would likely disagree if he knew the intricacies of how Anders' magic worked, but he took advantage of the knowledge gap to help as much as possible.]

[goldenglasses]

Well, I won't say I'm not feeling a little run down, but I'm good to fly. The last thing we need is someone falling asleep at the wheel and crashing a ship.

There will be plenty of crashing happening soon and I shouldn't try to steal the spotlight!

[It's not his best joke, but he's tired. That and he just wants to make sure Anders doesn't think about how he didn't say anything over his comment about how long he'll stay on the planet for.]

[apurrstate]

[Too bad for buddy, Anders is very good at playing that game himself, he knows the rules.]

Vash. I mean it, there are plenty of people in the fleet who will need you after this and these refugees will need your help as well. Don't let the stubborn minority unwilling to help themselves hurt those who're left.

[goldenglasses]

Don't worry. I disapprove suicide more than anything. I won't be doing anything too reckless or dangerous.

[To his standards. By everyone else's it will be extremely reckless.]

Initial panic

[pork_bowl]

<sub>[Yuri is on edge, the panic is getting to him and the chaos... oh the chaos is almost too much to handle. He's doing his best unloading people from the ship and getting them organized on the space station so that another ship can unload into the place. He is also working on distributing medicine, water, food, and clothes... Hey, surviving on the space station was as important as getting there in the first place.

He cringed when he overheard Vash yelling though. It was all coming to a head. He approached his captain.]</sub>

I think it's better to not yell at them. They don't listen if everyone is yelling... take a break and get some ice. You've got a nasty bruise starting, Vash...

1/2

[goldenglasses]

Yeah, well, fighting over resources won't help anyone either. [Vash stares down the looter he was just shooting at as he calmly rests his hand over the pistol weapon he keeps holstered at his side at all times. For all the silliness and the clowning around that Vash normally behaves he can be just at threatening.

There's something about the way Vash stands confident, angry, yet relaxed combined with his cold, humorless eyes that has the looter back down and walk away with their head down ashamed.]

2/2

[goldenglasses]

[His eyes track the man until he's a fair distance away and never looses that calculating look in his eyes.

Or, at least not until the man is completely out of ear shot. Then Vash slumps over and lets out a gasp of air as if he had been holding his breath that whole time.]

Phew! That was lucky! I'm glad he decided to walk away. I didn't think he'd buy my bluff! That was scaaaaaaaaaaaa-RY!

[Vash's smile is back on his face once again. At least, it will be for while Yuri is around.]

[pork_bowl]

<sub>[Cue him staring like a deer in the headlights for a second here. He had never seen this tough Vash. He's... quite frankly he's terrifying. He isn't even looking a Yuri and the skater is frozen in place just by Vash's expression. He's dangerous.

But then that melts away and it's like it never happened. Obviously, this is just Vash putting on his serious business cap and not the real him. He would never really do that. Of course he was bluffing!\</sub>

I think you were the scary one there. That guy couldn't get away fast enough. I think he'd have been running away if he walked any faster... but seriously you have a bruise. Come on, I have some ice to put on it. Take a break, okay?

[goldenglasses]

Hahaha. You think so? I really was that scary? I'm not usually that good of an actor. [Partly because he wasn't acting and can really be that scary if he must.] --Oh? A bruise! [He reaches up and winces as his fingers brushes the purple-grey color.]

Yeah, well-- [He hesitates and looks around. There must be something else he should be doing to help out with the evacuation, but for now things have gone back to normal. At least until the next squabble starts up, but at the moment people are fleeing in peace.

Still, Vash will have trouble stopping to take care of himself without just a bit more prodding from Yuri.]

[pork_bowl]

Yeah, I froze in place and you weren't even looking at me. You're good at that. _{[He smiles as he presents his ice pack.]}

Well, nothing! I've got some water and a few protein bars too. Come on, that's enough. You aren't going to be a help to anybody if you wear yourself out. Sit down, put some ice on that bruise.

How did you even get that anyway? _{[Look at him being kinda tough.]}

Last Possible Second.. ish? (lemme know if I should reword)

[ecclesiophobic]

[Kurt looks up when the sound of engines cuts through the everything else, along with the elderly couple trudging by his side. The man doubles over in a coughing fit, and Kurt wraps his arm around the man to keep him upright.]

THANK GOD YOU'RE AN IDIOT, VASH! [He urges the woman onto the shuttle as he inches forward, supporting the sick man's weight. As he moves closer to the shuttle, his face becomes more visible; he looks like hell, his face as drawn as it was when he first arrived on the Fleet.] THEY'RE BOTH TOO OLD FOR ME TO TELEPORT, AND THIS ONE'S BEEN TOO SICK TO MOVE. HOW MANY OF THE HEALERS ARE STILL UPRIGHT?

I think it sounds good! They were just general concept suggestions!

[goldenglasses]

[Vash shouts to be sure he is heard over the roar of the shuttle. He was not turning off the engines for just about anything at this point.] THANK MY STUPIDITY LATER! [As he's sure it's not the last time he'll hear that today anyway. The way Vash flips the autopilot on to keep the ship in place as he leaps out his chair to help the couple into the shuttle and strapped in almost looks as if he could fly.]

I KNOW ONE! ANDERS! [Kurt may recognizes the name of a former crewmate. One that had been originally on the Three Twins before the two ships collided to become one. He was back and Vash had already brought him people earlier to help heal.] HE WAS STILL ABLE TO HEAL WHEN I LAST SAW HIM.

[His shuttle was nearly full. The seats at least were. There was someone strapped into every possible seat now, but they could possible squeeze a couple more in on laps if they had to.] WHAT ABOUT YOU? YOU STILL UPRIGHT?

:Db

[ecclesiophobic]

[He does recognize it, vaguely; the man had white hair and a.. husband? Lover? It was a man he shared the captain's bed with, he's fairly certain. They'd not been on the Twin Roses long before vanishing, and he'd no idea either of them were back.] GOOD. THE GENTLEMAN HAS--

[Kurt glances at him, and the older man pipes up with a short phrase that ends in 'syndrome' (and another coughing spell), raising his reedy voice in an attempt to be heard over the shuttle and through the mask covering his mouth. As he fusses with the woman's harness, Kurt hands him a small bag that rattles.]

DID YOU HEAR THAT, VASH? ITS AN AUTOIMMUNE DISORDER; THERE'S MEDICATION FOR IT IN THAT BAG, BUT HE'LL STILL NEED TO BE KEPT FROM ANYONE CONTAGIOUS. [Kurt checks the straps one last time, that they were tight enough to hold them both without injuring delicate skin and muscles. Assured by his own eyes and the woman's gentle words, he 'straightens' to a comfortable hunch, glancing around the shuttle. His chest throbs constantly, and his pulse is doing concerning things, but he's still mobile.] AS UPRIGHT AS I CARE TO BE AT THE MOMENT. IS THIS YOUR LAST RUN?

[goldenglasses]

I HEARD! [Not being human has it's perks now and then. He smiles kindly at the two new riders on his shuttle before turning his eyes to the meteor growing ever larger in the sky above.] IT PROBABLY SHOULD BE MY LAST!

[He really shouldn't be here now. He just couldn't ignore a life in danger. Most would have said his last trip should have been about two trips ago.]

WHAT ABOUT YOU? CAN YOU ACTUALLY TELEPORT BACK TO THE SHUTTLE FROM HERE?!

[As that question sounds like Kurt is debating staying behind. At this point Vash isn't sure he can allow that if he can't teleport far enough away to be safe in the next few minutes if needed.]

[ecclesiophobic]

I'VE TELEPORTED FURTHER! [Multiple times, with passengers. But never with a magnetic field that's warping just enough to throw his balance off, never when his chest was already on fire.] HELL, MAN, I HELPED EVACUATION MY UNIVERSE BY TELEPORTING TO ANOTHER ONE! [Through an already existing tear in reality; but he did it with enough strength left to seal the rip in the universal walls behind him. Only enough strength to do that; if the Atroma hadn't stolen him, Kurt would be very dead.

Darkholmes are dangerous with the truth, aren't they?]

BESIDES, YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ROOM TO CARRY ANYONE ELSE. THOSE HARNESSES MIGHT SNAP IF YOU TRY TO WRAP THEM AROUND TWO PEOPLE, AND IF I TRY TO CLING TO THE WALLS I'LL BE KNOCKED LOOSE WHEN WE GO THROUGH THE ATMOSPHERE!

In General | Near the Beginning

[therewerefifty]

[Probably as he's about to go out for maybe his second shuttle trip, checking over the shuttle trip, there is suddenly a Japanese lady. Sans her shamisen, fingers linked together in front of her instead.]

...Mr Vash?

[goldenglasses]

[He looks away from his controls that were confirming for him that he could do another run without refueling to look at Makie. His smile is still soft, but there is a bit more strain behind his eyes than normal.]

Yeah, Makie? What can I do for you?

[therewerefifty]

[Makie meets his strained smile with a look that's painfully lost.]

I don't... know what to do. [In all her life, a disaster that could wipe out an entire world? She can't even begin to parse it, and it's as close to distressed as she'll ever look.]

Tell me how I can help.

[goldenglasses]

That's okay. I don't think most of us really know what to do. At least, trying to save a whole planet wasn't my day to day routine back home. I'm going to guess yours wasn't either. [He's left wondering once again how long the humans had to get Project SEEDs organised.]

But there's lots to do to help! You can help count the supplies that are coming in to figure out what is most needed to come next.

Are you any good with children? There are some kids that could use a fun distraction while their parents make arrangements.

Or you could take one of the shuttles. I could set the auto pilot easily enough that you could help ferry small groups of people from the planet to the station.

[There's a brief moment of hesitation before he continues his next suggestion.] There have also been reports of looters around one of the areas gathering supplies. They need to be scared off.

Do you think you could help with that without killing them?

[therewerefifty]

[Such a long list, and her confusion only grows-- until the last suggestion, and the qualifier, and there's a brief flash of hurt in her features before it's gone with a slow blink.]

I can stop the looters.

[Very quiet.]

Panic, initial or otherwise

[iattractmushi]

[He didn't mean to get caught up in a fight; the tension is so bad, though, a scuffle could break out for the smallest of reasons. Ginko is far enough away that he could back off, go to find some help... but of course he doesn't. He moves closer, reaching out to try and separate the two combatants.]

Hey, this isn't the time to--

[He cuts himself off and ducks away as one of the fighters takes a swing at him. It misses, thankfully, but Ginko does drop his bag in his haste to get away.]

[goldenglasses]

[Normally Vash is a very patient person, but even he has his limits. Or maybe his face has enough swelling from a fight earlier that he broke up that he doesn't feel the need to go the more gentle route.

It could also be the fact that there is another fleet member involved now.

Either way his face is stern as it seems almost instantly that he's in the middle.]

Would you- [His right arm extends out to press against the chest and stop one of the men rushing forward.] -knock it- [Remarkably his left arm grabs a man's wrist mid-swing dead in its track without giving an inch to the sudden stop in momentum. Almost as if he had just reached out with a robotic arm.] OFF! [With the man trapped in his left hand Vash drags him to collide into a third to throw him off his balance before he let's go.]

NOW! Can we all please discuss this calmly like grown adults, huh? [Vash stands and places his hands on his hips in a way that forces his jacket back more to show his revolver holster at his hip.

He was relaxed and seemingly unconcerned over if they decided NOT to take his suggestion of calmly walking away.]

As I'd really rather not bother a doctor about you lot when they have MUCH more important things to do right now.