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

[redatheart]

[In the end, Sayid decides that he'll be of most value in locating and escorting people to the landing areas. Of course, he's not half-bad at planning and he was once military. But he can do a great deal of good at directing people, trying to keep the peace and...occasionally intimidating people into doing what's best for them. If it comes down to that.

His current task is in a small settlement a few miles outside of a larger city. He'd found a woman with several small children, without any family to help her pack or make the trip to the nearest landing area. They've got a cart for most of their belongings that are going to the station, Sayid's got a trunk under one arm and a child's hand in the other.

Everything seems to be going alright until one child, the oldest - the one whose face has been grim since they started walking - suddenly stops. And then bolts back in the direction they came.

Sayid's head whips around, with a look of frustration and concern on his face. The mother has a baby on her hip, and another suitcase in her hand. Not the best situation.]

...I'll go after him.

[He'll be quicker, after all. He sets down the chest, quietly directing the young girl to stay with it. Then he's loping down the road...which is somewhat crowded with people. Half-losing sight of the child, he calls out to other onlookers, and....whoever might happen to be nearby..]

Could someone stop that boy!

[postocular]

[ Carl has been doing much of the same, feeling more useful helping civilians get to the shuttles than anything else. Most people in the area seem to be doing okay, and as he's moving to find someone that needs more help than the people waiting in line, he hears a familiar voice. He whips his head around and sees Sayid, his line of sight moving to a boy who is trying to weave his way back out of the line as he zooms past Carl. Taking off after the kid, he makes sure to keep his sight on him. Losing him in the crowd won't be good.

It takes him longer than he wants to finally get his hand wrapped around the kid's shirt, and he gives it a yank to teeter him off balance. He feels guilty for only a second, because he shouldn't even be running in this direction in the first place. Carl helps him back up, but keeps a grip on him. ]

Hey, you don't want to get left behind. Stuff can be replaced. C'mon, let's find your family, they're probably worried about you.

[ The kid doesn't really struggle to get free, but he gets it. Having to leave everything you know is scary. The threat of what's happening is scary for him, too. They make their way back to Sayid, at least. Carl has no idea where the boy came from to begin searching. ]

Lose somebody?

[redatheart]

Thank you.

[Sayid understands, too, why the boy ran off. Maybe not as deeply as Carl does. But he understands, which is why he doesn't make any move to scold him once Carl has brought him back. He just looks down at both of them for a moment, then motions back the way he had come.]

Your mother will be worried.

[Which is, obviously, directed at the boy. Though he nods to Carl after a moment.]

If you'd like, maybe you can keep us company until we reach the landing area.

[...And by 'we' he means the boy. Because he's probably not going to take off again, but Sayid would rather mitigate that chance. And maybe having someone closer to his age accompanying them will do that. At the very least, Carl will be more able to chase him down again if he does.]

[postocular]

Do you have brothers or sisters? Maybe we should help your mom with them?

[ Carl nods for the boy to continue in the direction they're going when he gets a nod in reply, staying by his side. Sometimes it is easier to face something with someone who kind of knows what's going through your head. He can be a guard dog without really looking or acting like one and give the kid something to do.

A lot of the time, it's better to have something to do instead of sitting their stewing in whatever's going on. ]

Sure, I can do that.

[redatheart]

[That earns another nod from Sayid, as well as a brief smile. Carl did seem like the type who would be helpful. Still, he's glad the boy agreed to go along with his plan. He realizes it's not necessarily the most exciting or flashy type of assistance. But it's needed. Morale is important.

This is likely something that Carl knows. It's still sad that someone so young knows these lessons.

Sayid leads them back to the rest of the boy's family, picking up the luggage he'd abandoned. While the boy's mother performs a mixture of scolding and comforting her son, Sayid turns to Carl.]

Thank you again. How have you been?

[postocular]

I'm fine.

[ It's much easier to push all of his own troubles deep somewhere else and help these people escape a planet that might very well die. He's not been plagued by the visions that some of the fleet got and he still has family here, despite the concern that Rick might not wake up. This is an important thing he needs to do. His dad would agree if he could. ]

You?

[redatheart]

Fine, relatively.

[These are, after all, somewhat trying times. Still, Sayid does look...fine. Perhaps a little tired, but nowhere near exhaustion. He's definitely been better at pacing himself that other people in the Fleet, and it shows.

It's not that he doesn't care about the fate of these people. It's just that he doesn't necessarily have the drive to wreck himself over this, and as such he's more aware that driving himself into the ground will do no one any favor.

In short order, the family is ready to set off again. Sayid's attention drifts as he surveys the crowd. He's helping this family, of course, but it's important to keep an eye on the larger movement.

After a few minutes, however, his eyes return to the family, and then to Carl.]

Is this what you've been doing? Helping people to the landing areas?