it's gonna rain - and it never ends

[thespaceopera]

[ It's midday, or close enough to it that the sun is blazing red hot above the planet. Everything seems ordinary - for disturbing, red-tinted values of ordinary, anyway. But the normalcy doesn't last for long.

Without warning, an explosive sound shocks through the jungle. It doesn't come from any one central point, but rather several points, scattered throughout, strategically placed to the advantage of someone. And from those massive shocks rises a wave of missiles - large, fast, and apparently, freely flying. They're guided, and they've locked onto their target: any foreign ship that is currently within Lato'li's atmosphere.

There's no way to mistake it. They're headed right for the Fleet.

The first wave feels a bit sporadic - timings might be off, but the missiles are still deadly, and if they hit, they hit hard. Shields might withstand this wave, but ships without shields will take direct hits. The ability to stay airborn is very, very quickly lost.

The second wave is much more precise, expertly timed and executed by whomever is firing from below. Even smaller shuttles get caught in the crosshairs, and those ships that lasted through the first volley will take a few more shots. If shields saved you before, they will fail here, giving out under the strain.

And the third wave comes, a little bit longer after, to finish the job. There are more of them, and they are far more advanced - they make the previous two volleys look like warning shots. This time, it's all missiles launched, all targets acquired.

Seven Fleet ships - and many, many shuttles - fall out of the sky, headed straight for the surface at alarming speed. Only four ships manage to escape the assault and exit the planet's atmosphere, retreating to orbit as fast as possible. Those lucky enough to have been in orbit can only watch as all of this happens.

But the missiles aren't the only thing up their sleeve. Just when the dust settles, while the network is surely lighting up with activity, attempts to contact one another and check on the status of fellow ships and crew, A loud, quick, terrible screeching noise shocks the network. It drowns out all communications on any connected devices - ship or personal. Ships in orbit will see all on-board systems flicker, then fizzle out, all non-emergency systems have gone completely down.

And with that.. there's silence. Perhaps too much silence. No matter what you do, no matter which buttons you press, which channels you try, there is no connection. Those who have dropped to the surface are entirely radio silent, and those in orbit have been reduced to the barest of abilities and life-support, with the bare minimum of contact.

So... What can you do now? ]


(( ooc: Feel free to use this post as a mingle for all your crashy or missile-dodgy needs!

• The following ships have been shot down: Bishop, Bloodsport, Blue Fish, Goldstone, Heron, Tourist, Twin Roses.
• The following ships are now in orbit: Blameless, Caprine, First Breath, Huntress, Iskaulit, Red Fish, Starstruck, Vanquish, Wonderduck

Good luck, Dear Fleet...~ ♪ ))

Comments

[fantachetic]

..Or we could go the easiest route, have it your way.

[alwayscomeback]

I know I'm ruining your fun and for that I deeply apologise and promise you can climb the ship another day.

[fantachetic]

Perhaps we'll revisit that when I've had quite too much to drink. Until then, show me where this hatch is?

[alwayscomeback]

I look forward to that day and I will absolutely film it.

[Because he is a GOOD CAPTAIN. He smiles, heading through the ship, gesturing for Dorian to follow him. Sure enough, up at the top level of the cargo bay, there is a ladder, leading up to a hatch. ]

This is the one!

[fantachetic]

[ Dorian follows him through the halls, and there is indeed a ladder that he had previously overlooked. Not that he spends any amount of time in the cargo bay. It's far too cold and the lighting is poor. ]

Right. I'll let you know if there's anything of interest.

[ And up he goes to open the hatch and do a little reconnaissance. As soon as he stands atop the ship and has a look around, a feeling of wrong settles deep in his bones. It's clear where the ship made a crash landing, a decimated path of ground and trees lays behind them, but everything else is a dense and unnerving sea of dead trees and bushes. The distant sounds of animals doesn't really distill the feeling, either. He crouches down by the hatch and calls down. ]

It certainly doesn't feel like a welcoming place.. We seem to be in the middle of a very dead forest. The clearest path is the one the ship cut for us.

[alwayscomeback]

[Well, that sounds like super fun. Sokka climbs up the ladder to peer out the hatch, looking at the wreckage around them.]

Well. I mean, a forest at least means maybe animals. At least we have a food source, if we're gonna be stuck here a while, whiiiiich is probably likely.

[fantachetic]

..Are you suggesting a hunting trip, Captain?

[alwayscomeback]

Sure! I do it every time we're on a planet with good game on it. It makes our food supplies last a little longer.

[He flashes Dorian a smile. ]

You don't have to come if you don't want to, it's all good. I know it's not for everyone.

[fantachetic]

I didn't say I wanted to stay behind. I am not much of a hunter, but if it's something quite large? Perhaps my skills with dragon slaying could help?

[ There was so much of a team effort in that, they probably should have died at some point, BUT WHATEVER!! ]

[alwayscomeback]

[Okay, you have officially caught his attention.]

You've slain dragons? They're huge!! That would be a big help, yes!!

[Aang and Zuko would be so mad about killing dragons, but whatever, they're not heeereee. ]

[fantachetic]

Huge is perhaps an understatement. It wasn't just me. That would have resulted in dying, and I've no interest in that.

[ He waves a hand dismissively. Dying is stupid, even if it is done slaying a dragon. ]

[alwayscomeback]

Well obviously only a crazy person would take on a dragon alone. But that's so cool! My friends met the last two that exist in my world, but I've never seen on myself. What're they like?

[fantachetic]

Gigantic, hulking, element-breathing beasts of destruction. Their roar hits you down to the bone, and their raw power is rather intimidating. [ A pause and a look of disgruntlement. Maker preserve him. ]

..Fasta vass, now I sound like The Iron Bull.

[alwayscomeback]

Oooooh. They sound like they'd be one heck of a fight. What do they taste like?

[Because Sokka asks the important questions. ]

The...iron bull? Like...a metal cow?

[fantachetic]

Yes, a battle very hard won, I assure you. I can't say that I know what dragon tastes like. Tough, I would wager.

[ ...excuse him. He's going to burst into laughter for a few moments. ]

It's his name. With everyone who has come to pass through the fleet, have you ever come across a Qunari?

[alwayscomeback]

So you killed it and never cooked it?

[GUYS GUYS COME ON. ]

Coon-ahh-ree? [What the holy hell.] Uh...no? Definitely not come across one of those.

...Did he like...pick that out for himself or does he just have really mean parents?

[fantachetic]

Qunari, precisely. They're a race that's common-enough in Thedas, though still startling to see. They're easily seven feet tall, broad and muscled, and most of them have horns. They're quite hard to miss.

No, he most certainly picked it out for himself.

[alwayscomeback]

That sounds...pretty terrifying.

I guess the bull part makes sense though. With the horns and everything.

[fantachetic]

I suppose it might be if one were charging at you, yes. Luckily, he is a member of the Inquisition and uses his hulking, brutish force for good.

[alwayscomeback]

Do they...actually do that? Charge at you? With the-

[e puts an index finger on either side of his forehead, mimicking horns. ]

Oh, but that's good. I wouldn't want that hulking, brutish force turned against me.

[fantachetic]

Not quite so much. Typically it would be with weapon in hand, but I've never been attacked by one, so it's hard to say.

I'm certain you'd get along rather well with the Iron Bull. He's insufferable.

[alwayscomeback]

Oh, and here's me thinking they were just gonna gore you with their horns. That's a little more normal.

[Sokka flashes a wide smile. ]

Arrrrre you saying that I, your trusty and diligent captain am insufferable, Dorian? I'm hurt.

[He is so not hurt. ]

[fantachetic]

Yes, you positively look it, Captain. [ Really, he means it in the best way possible. ]

[alwayscomeback]

I'm glad you've noticed. I don't think my poor broken heart will ever recover.

[He'll put the back of his hand to his head dramatically. To prove how broken his heart is. Wow is Sokka. ]

[fantachetic]

On the contrary, I believe your young heart will soon recover against the wiles of the evil mage.

[ He waves a hand dismissively. ]