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!]
outstandingbalance: (pic#10792659)

[personal profile] outstandingbalance 2017-09-26 04:32 am (UTC)(link)
[Now that Natasha is watching, the woman's behavior stands out as suspicious. There's not time to waste coming up with something subtle. Natasha sweeps in and takes the woman's arm, assertive as she leans in and whispers to her:]

Whatever you're planning, it's not worth your life. And it will be your life, because you start something now and there won't be space on any of the shuttles for you.

[Her tone is absolutely uncompromising.]
whatisright: (6)

[personal profile] whatisright 2017-09-27 02:31 am (UTC)(link)
[The woman's eyes dart to Natasha's, lips shaking. Clearly, she didn't expect someone to find her own.

Justice tenses, watching and ready to step in at a moment's notice.

The woman swallows hard.]
"You don't understand. I'm not a bad person. She is."
outstandingbalance: (pic#8939690)

[personal profile] outstandingbalance 2017-09-27 04:20 am (UTC)(link)
Doesn't really matter. Not right now.

[Natasha walks steadily, her voice calm and even.]

Maybe you're not a bad person, yet. But you start something now and people will die. That's not speculation. People are ready to panic. If you start a riot, then you'll be a bad person.

You have a choice.
Edited 2017-09-27 04:20 (UTC)
whatisright: (3)

[personal profile] whatisright 2017-09-29 02:40 am (UTC)(link)
[The woman shakes, her eyes fixed on the woman ahead of her. She swallows again, sweat beading her hairline.

Her arms relax.]


"Fine."

[Justice eyes linger on the woman, but it's like she's a puppet with cut strings, her whole body going limp.

Justice decides to keep her in mind for when all the refugees are evacuated, but for now, the danger has tentatively passed.]
outstandingbalance: (anelosimus kohi)

[personal profile] outstandingbalance 2017-09-30 01:09 am (UTC)(link)
[It'll have to do. There's no time to deal with this kind of problem with more finesse. When she's satisfied that whatever conflict might be between the two women will stay between the two of them, she returns to Justice, nodding despite the fact she's not entirely satisfied.]

It'll do for now at least. Think it'll hold?
whatisright: (6)

[personal profile] whatisright 2017-10-03 01:21 am (UTC)(link)
It will hold at least until they have both been properly evacuated. [Justice's mouth is a grim line.] I will inform the authorities at the station to be careful of her. I suspect she will try to attack there, but for now there is no danger of a riot from here.

[Which isn't the best, but Justice will work with it for now.]
outstandingbalance: (pic#10792653)

[personal profile] outstandingbalance 2017-10-03 03:27 am (UTC)(link)
[That's good enough for now. As much as Natasha might like to worry about the potential for jealous violence between two women, just now it's not something she can prioritize.]

All things considered, I'll call it a win. Any other hot spots about to blow? Probably too much to ask that most people are keeping their heads.
whatisright: (7)

[personal profile] whatisright 2017-10-05 09:04 pm (UTC)(link)
There are some people that I would consider at risk, but I am uncertain that intervention at this point would put them any less at risk.

[Justice frowns at the red haired woman, though this isn't really a shift from his usual expression.]

How do you know what to say to them? [Justice isn't good at this, and he can read minds. This woman does not have that advantage, but she can deal with this better than even most of the mortals that Justice knows.]
outstandingbalance: (pic#10792619)

[personal profile] outstandingbalance 2017-10-06 02:12 am (UTC)(link)
At this point, mostly I'm winging it. [She might be sidestepping the heart of the question, though the answer is honest. There's no script for this kind of situation. In some ways, Natasha isn't good at dealing with emotions—mostly her own, and making them available to others. But analytically, academically, she knows how to navigate other people's psychology in the same way she knows how to navigate the Siberian tundra: as a survival skill.] We're just lucky it works.