thespaceopera: (red alert)
Voices from Heaven ([personal profile] thespaceopera) wrote in [community profile] driftfleet2017-09-15 08:53 pm

the veil is thin . . .

[ 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!]
namisan: (aha you seem to be an idiot)

C. GODDAMMIT SAM

[personal profile] namisan 2017-09-22 01:20 am (UTC)(link)
[Oh, is that all. It's a fine and great job, you're doing, Sam, even if she has very little knowledge of programming either so she's not quite sure what he's doing. But they've got an ETA of Not Very Damn Long now--]

How long before you're out of there?
collegedropout: (pic#10166558)

C. oops

[personal profile] collegedropout 2017-09-23 07:05 am (UTC)(link)
[He clears his throat, knowing he's on the cusp of a Nami lecture aaaany minute.]

Until, um... the engines work again, I'm thinking.

...

Give or take.
namisan: (does that say 50% off oh god)

[personal profile] namisan 2017-09-24 04:47 am (UTC)(link)
[That small ball of dread in her gut has just bloomed into something a lot closer to an angry kind of panic because she knows you.]

And if they're not working in time? [TECHNICALLY THIS IS A RHETORICAL QUESTION BUT--]
collegedropout: (pic#10166541)

[personal profile] collegedropout 2017-09-25 06:54 am (UTC)(link)
[Boy, he should have known to plan a decent response to a worried Nami.]

......... I was going to worry about that when I got closer to it, honestly.
namisan: (/cracks knuckles)

[personal profile] namisan 2017-09-27 03:23 am (UTC)(link)
[Luckily for Sam her stream of swearing and cursing and generally him names is not broadcast, because she's flipping through communication channels trying to get a better read of what's going on. And he's not the only one stuck on the ground, either, which ratchets her temper up some more.

Flicking back on:]


You've got until I get Ginko off the ground, then I'm coming for your ass. Work fast.

[Do the impossible. Do it now. >:|]
collegedropout: (pic#6635014)

[personal profile] collegedropout 2017-09-30 03:39 am (UTC)(link)
Got it, I'll put that Barry kid to shame.

[:^) You love me. So he says, trying to ease her temper and concern:]

I'm glad you like my ass enough to save it from doom, but what about the rest of me?
namisan: (mine B|)

[personal profile] namisan 2017-10-01 08:05 am (UTC)(link)
[There's a small cut off snort of laughter, but don't think she isn't unreasonably mad at you--!!]

I'll save your shins too so I can kick them. [HAH.] Be in touch!

[Seriously, get to work, you've got like thirty minutes max.]
collegedropout: (pic#10715875)

[personal profile] collegedropout 2017-10-04 08:57 am (UTC)(link)
I'll make sure to do that, promise.

[And true to his word, every... like... five minutes, he just shoots her a winking smile emoticon. Quick but efficient in keeping his captain aware of him. It's kind of hard to do when you're re-directing scared civilians and snatching up fleeing orphans, but he does his best.]
namisan: (witness)

[personal profile] namisan 2017-10-04 09:56 am (UTC)(link)
[Hilariously Nami meant that she'd be back in touch, but she can't deny random emoticons at least reassure her he's still going. And has to be aware that she's about to descend on him like a bat out of hell.

Speaking of which, by the time she does ping in the atmosphere down there is probably a creepy howling wind stage of incoming doom. But here she is--]


Five minutes. [SHE'S COMING FOR YOUUUU.]
collegedropout: (pic#8557035)

[personal profile] collegedropout 2017-10-04 09:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Seven minutes!

[Sam shoots her a GPS location, and it's clear he's too far from the other shuttles to have escaped in proper time. He had put his full faith in Nami and her ability to hunt down her annoying friends. And the reason for his running off further from the ships? It's a kicking and biting and writhing eight year old orphan in his arms, wanting anything but to go with the strangers. The kid's a bit delayed, he's pretty sure -- or at least socially lacking in some respects, and Sam hopes the girl wasn't abandoned out of lack of care for her because of that. He's hoping she just ran off and couldn't be caught.

Hoping.

.........

She's getting tired, though, so he's hoping she's not gonna kick and scream after they actually board.]
namisan: (does that say 50% off oh god)

[personal profile] namisan 2017-10-08 01:13 am (UTC)(link)
Sam, this is not negotiable!

[DO YOU REALISE HOW LITTLE TIME WE HAVE LEFT
DO YOU

Nevertheless it's still gonna take a little over five to get to him once she corrects for the GPS, so call it five and a half, don't lose your feral child until then. Or ever, if you can manage it--

Here she comes, banking in low. And possibly swearing to herself once she sees him because what is it with her crew and wayward children? Honestly just leave them behind, god.

(She'd never.)]
collegedropout: (say what)

[personal profile] collegedropout 2017-10-10 08:44 am (UTC)(link)
[It's a little negotiable...

He does end up piling in with the now exhausted child held bridal-style; he's quick to place her in what would've been his seat and buckle her securely for safety, standing between Nami and the child's chair as he puts his hands on the seats to balance. He smiles mildly at her, breathless.]


Hey, captain.
namisan: (mine B|)

1/3

[personal profile] namisan 2017-10-11 09:33 am (UTC)(link)
[JUST THIS FACE, WINCHESTER.]
namisan: (did you want something?)

[personal profile] namisan 2017-10-11 09:34 am (UTC)(link)
[But switching so fast to this one for the bitty.]

Hey there, kid. Hold on, okay? We're almost out of here--
namisan: (imma stab someone don't care who)

[personal profile] namisan 2017-10-11 09:38 am (UTC)(link)
[Okay that's enough small talk she's gunning it, so all giant moose people trying to brace themselves might have issues. Sorry, Sam, but she's terrified they don't have enough time left as it is, so we are full throttle heading out of here. Given the starlit sky has become less starlit and more kind of encroaching and very visible death you can't really blame her.]
collegedropout: (pic#9960481)

[personal profile] collegedropout 2017-10-13 06:59 am (UTC)(link)
[WOOP, THERE HE GOES, FLYING TO THE BACK OF THE SHUTTLE.]

-- I'm good! I'm alright!

[He would give her the thumbs up that she didn't just accidentally murder him via blunt force, but... you know. There's comets and debris and a giant meteor and -- shit, do they have enough time? He's admittedly sweating a little under the collar as he finds a seat to grip onto and holds on tight. Ummm. Duck left? Don't crash? Is there any decent advice one can give when they're outrunning complete devastation???]

Holy shit--

[THERE'S A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING. THAT INCLUDES ESCAPING GIANT ROCKS.]
namisan: (fuck off and leave me alone)

[personal profile] namisan 2017-10-14 09:55 am (UTC)(link)
[A few broken bones would be better than being completely obliterated, she thinks, though she does flinch a little at the thump-thump-crunch back there. The shuttle shakes more and more on exit of atmosphere, and for a few brief seconds she wonders if maybe there's enough force involved to tear them apart.

But they clear the atmosphere without more than a couple of frightening wrenching sounds, still intact, and it's another twenty seconds still more at maximum speed away before the world lights up beneath them. Nami doesn't look. She doesn't know how this works, how much damage it'll do, and she won't slow until she clears the first safely orbiting ships above.

She just doesn't want to see what's happening below, all things considered.]
collegedropout: (pic#9791622)

[personal profile] collegedropout 2017-10-19 10:08 am (UTC)(link)
[Sam does look, however (a bit bruised from the trip, but still in one piece). Because he's used to this sort of thing - not necessarily a planet going out, but the loss of life, a helplessness while the worst happens. He stands in silent observation, because it only seems fair to the planet -- but he's also content for them not to look. He puts a hand on each of the two bowed heads up front; the child is crying into her knees, arms wrapped. It must really be terrifying for the kid, to be sure.

It's an ugly, ugly sight.]


Don't look, girls.

[Not yet. It's better to wait until it all settles.]
namisan: (yeah no I'm just done)

[personal profile] namisan 2017-10-19 04:59 pm (UTC)(link)
[She does look, in the end. It's a quick one, drawn by morbid dread and maybe the hope that it's not the complete destruction everyone said it would be--

--she looks away really, really fast. Diverts to the child instead, wrapping arms around her and keeping her from seeing even if she tries, fast descending into numbness. She can't afford to fall apart yet, not while they're drifting and still have a kid on board.

Eventually--]
Sam. [It's a hoarse and far away voice. Here. Take the girl and keep her close.

Nami'll take them back toward the space station now, at a more sedate speed. Quiet and slow, staring bleakly into the dark.]