driftfleet | it's gonna rain - and it never ends

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it's gonna rain - and it never ends

[ 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...~ ♪ ))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Some of it's... oil. Think the engine sprang a leak... when it tore open.

[Zack grimaces, not liking the sound of Cloud's voice. Maybe it looks as bad as it feels. Maybe it looks worse. Or maybe the deja vu is just as strong on Cloud's end, even with all his memory issues.

Whatever, focus. He gives the hunk of metal on top of his body a light smack with his free hand.]

This thing's... got me pinned. There's a pipe in my... gut? Around there. Missed the important stuff.

[It's funny, not morbid, if you can still make jokes about it, right?]

[The joke's supposed to go "hit my head, didn't hurt anything important" because all the important stuff is in the gut, Zack.

Distantly Cloud thinks he's probably a little panicked, but that cool, decisive calm that doesn't always feel completely like himself descends over him instead and he starts heaving off debris not attached to the piece Zack had indicated, ignoring the crashing and only pausing to make sure he's not sending anything else sliding onto Zack.]

Is the pipe attached to that piece? [Cloud gets down on the ground, ignoring the blood so he can look beneath the panel. Doesn't look like it...] I don't wanna yank that thing out before we get Aerith over here to heal you.

[you'll have to pardon him if the blood loss is getting to his head.]

It's attached, y-yeah. I tried to pull it off, but it just- yeah. Not a one-man thing.

[He tries to shift, get a solid grip, but his hands slip wetly against the metal and the gloves can't find purchase. Neither the oil or the blood is helping this situation.]

Like it or not... gonna have to move it, Spike. This weight's... not doin' me any favours. S'all extra squishy in there.

[Right. Right. Blood loss. Pressure. He's having a hard time breathing and it's not just the damn hole.

Cloud'll just have to find Aerith quick. You know what, in fact, Cloud'll just grab his comm and- ...it's down. Fantastic. Well, she can't have gone far from the ship, he'll just run to get her.

...first,] Okay, okay, you- you stay still. [He guides Zack's hands back down, stop moving.] Put pressure on your gut soon as I lift it. I'll get Aerith, she can Cure you.

[Zack grimaces, dragging his hand between the floor and the machinery pinning him down, ready to move it once there's space.]

R-roger that. Just... tell me when you're ready.

[this is so not going to be fun, not that they have much choice. he knows uncomfortably, intimately, how long he can survive with heavy bloodloss, but that doesn't mean they have a lot of time to waste. bullet holes and stab wounds like this are very different things.]

[Cloud takes another look to see the angle of the bar, trying not to look to hard at where it's disappearing inside Zack's gut, instead determining the best way to lift the chunk of metal to get it out of him without tearing anything else.

He catches the edge of Zack's expression like that, kneeling down and peering beneath the panel, at the way a muscle twitches in his jaw right near the scar, at the way his eyes are a little wild and his lips tremble.]

Zack, [Cloud says,] I've got you. You'll be fine. [He pushes himself up, pauses just long enough to touch a hand to Zack's shoulder before gripping the edge of the slab and bracing his feet.] On three. One, two- [he pulls up, the bar freeing itself from Zack's gut with a sick wet sound, and Cloud makes sure it's totally free before he hurries to shove the metal away so it sits propped up against the wall.

He turns to check on him, crouching down hurriedly, hands going over to Zack's over his wound to press down. Don't think too much about the blood, Cloud.] Okay, yeah, like that. I'll get Aerith, I'll be back in ten seconds.

[Cloud's words are like a light through the fog, catching his attention before he fully loses himself in the disorienting mess of memories that the blood loss is dragging through his head. This feels too familiar, too real- lying on his back as his life drains out of him, unable to move, with Cloud leaning over his body. All that's missing is the rain, really. The rain, and Aerith's voice in his mind, clear as the day they met.

This, though... Cloud sounds so much more certain than last time. He's coherent, he's sturdy, he's strong. And Aerith can't be far away, with a Cure materia, with that healing power he's come to trust and depend on.

He'll be fine. He'll be fine. Just fine.

He grits his teeth hard enough to grind when Cloud pulls, and he can't hold back his own muffled scream as the metal wrenches loose from his body. Predictably, with the floodgate open, the blood spills freely once it's gone, and he presses hard with both hands through the pain, trying to keep it in. His gloves are saturated in seconds. His body convulses, but sheer willpower alone keeps him conscious and holding his stomach as hard as he can.]

G-guh... 'm... counting...

[Counting on you.

...ten, nine, eight...]

[Cloud doesn't count, but he knows he moves with a swiftness he's never had before. The time between vaulting up and running for Aerith and watching the wound close past the bloody shreds of Zack's shirt is blurry and unreal, Cloud alternating between pacing and standing over them, arms crossed and hands smearing blood on his skin. He can't watch, but he can't stop watching. He lets out a breath he hadn't known he was holding when some of the color returns to Zack's face, when he stops panting and when his eyes close as he lets his head fall back.

Aerith touches Zack tenderly, gently, hands smoothing his hair back and stroking his cheek. Cloud bites the inside of his, wondering if he should look away, but...it somehow doesn't feel like intruding, even as they gaze at each other. More than that, Cloud wants to memorize this, wants to tattoo upon his heart the truth of Zack and Aerith both alive (if not well), both together again.

As much as she wants to stay, Aerith clearly wants to make sure there isn't anybody else who could desperately use a Cure. It's only after she clutches Cloud's hands and hears him promise to look after Zack that she finally decides to leave, to check on the others.

Cloud turns to where Zack is still lying in a drying puddle of his own blood.] I'll go check on the quarters, [Cloud says softly.] You need to get rest. Hopefully there's still a bed in one piece over there.

[It feels really, really good to not die. Zack closes his eyes as Aerith heals him, his heart no longer racing, his pulse no longer killing him beat by beat. It's a makeshift fix but through magic and patience the gaping mortal wound is replaced with a lot of lingering pain and weakness. He's not fully healed, but you can only push the body so hard before it breaks. Even SOLDIERs have their limits, much as he hates to admit it.

He'll live, though. Cloud was right. He'll be okay. And he says as much to Aerith, smiling weakly up at her, coaxing her to go and help others, as is her way. She can do more good out there than taking care of him while he naps this off.

He watches her leave, his gaze weary yet understanding, but when Cloud speaks up - "I'll go-" - a flicker of sudden, irrational panic crosses his face, and he starts trying to sit up. No, no, no...]

C'mon... nnn... help me up. Might as well... one trip.

[He'll crawl if he has to. Drag him across the floor like a sack of potatoes. But if he's left here alone, helpless and half-dead in all this blood--

no. god, god no. not again.]

Zack, [Cloud says, hurrying to his side to push his shoulder back down. He'd caught that look on his face and yeah, yes, he gets it; he's not the only one having horrible flashbacks. He can't leave Zack here alone.]

...Aerith will kill me if I let you walk and tear your gut open again. [It's possible, okay; the wound might be closed but the entry point is still pink and raw-looking, like Zack is one sneeze away from rupturing the tissue.

Guess there's no choice. It might be awkward, but it's not like they're going far.] I'll carry you. [He pulls Zack's arm up over his head and slides his hands under his back and legs. Princess-carry it is.]

[He's up before he knows what's happening- the pain makes stars dance in front of his eyes, and he wobbles dizzily, but Cloud's got him. He groans and blinks it off, his hand gripping the first thing it can get fingers around- Cloud's shoulder? Yeah. ...Oh, he's getting carried. Okay, that's... that's actually better.]

Uh-oh... tell Aerith I'm getting... hah... rescued by a handsome prince this time.

[please don't drop me]

I'm more the knightly type than a prince. [See, he can joke too. Especially if it makes Zack feel better as Cloud carefully navigates the hallways over to their quarters. He has to kind of sideways-shuffle so he doesn't bang Zack's head or feet on anything, but at least once they reach the living area there are definitely still beds in good condition for him to lower Zack onto.] Here y'go, easy now...

Your armor's not very shiny.

[He grimaces as he's laid down, slumping back against the pillow and closing his eyes for a long moment. Oh god, okay. Time to relax and breathe for a moment because hey, thank goodness, he's not dead. You'd think that the prospect of dying wouldn't be so scary once you've already done it, but surprise- it still sucks.]

Hey... thanks. You and Aerith saved my butt.

[Cloud sinks down to sit on the bed at Zack's side. He shouldn't stay long- there's so much wreckage, he's pretty sure there's a fire or two, but he can't just- he can't bring himself to go.] You're not alone, [Cloud says simply, a reminder. As many times as it takes.]

[Zack offers up a faint, weary smile at that. yeah, he'd been pretty obvious, hadn't he. no sense in hiding it. with a quiet huff he clenches his hand into a fist and taps it against Cloud's arm.]

Yeah, I know. Go on- go be heroic where you need to be. I'm not goin' anywhere.

[whatever's happening outside, it's big, and they don't have the extra manpower to spare just sitting around keeping him company. and he can't support Aerith like this- Cloud's the only one he really trusts to keep her safe in his absence.]

[He really shouldn't, but that's an argument for them to have never. Never ever.

Cloud hesitates -there is a lot to do, survivors to search for, bearings to gather- because he doesn't want to leave Zack just as much as Zack doesn't want him to leave. Eventually he steels himself, makes a fist and taps his arm against Zack's as he withdraws his fist.] I'll come right back once I'm done. I promise.

Don't feel rushed. You're welcome to it, though. Door's open.

[He knows he's stable enough now, and there's bound to be more trouble coming. He'd rather Cloud not be too obligated to babysit.

...but, y'know. It's nice, anyway.]

Be careful, Spike.

[Like Cloud's gonna know a moment of peace with Zack out of his sight after what just happened.

He pauses at the door at the nickname, head tilting and brow furrowing like he's wondering if he should say something, before just turning with a wave and heading out, boots heavy against the metal floor plating.

He isn't back for a while; hours, nearly half a day before he returns a little more scuffed up than before. Nothing serious, and definitely not by SOLDIER standards so either whatever trouble he ran into wasn't much or Aerith accosted him with the Cure materia on his way in.

With all the crew accounted for and his little breakdown out of the way, Cloud feels a lot better as he pauses at the entrance to the quarters, hand on the doorjamb as he cranes his neck to see if Zack is awake before coming in. He needs as much rest as he can get, so Cloud shouldn't wake him up, but maybe if he could just see that he's breathing...]

[If he's hoping to check and go unnoticed, he'll be sorely disappointed; years as a SOLDIER and their time on the run has Zack hard-wired to wake easily if he goes to sleep in an unsafe situation, and the state the ship's in has left him feeling pretty damned unsafe. Hard to sleep soundly in a mess like this, even when heavily wounded and recovering.

With a stir Zack tilts his head, squinting sleepily, hands braced against the mattress and on the edge of hefting himself upright.]

Somebody there...?

[Ah shit, he wasn't trying to wake him up. Probably freaked him out.] Hey, it's me. Just me. [Well, he might as well check and see how he's feeling. Also he brought water and some food, which he holds out as he comes over to sit on the edge of the bed.] Here. Eat up.

[TOO LATE NOW

Hearing Cloud's voice is the reassurance he needs to relax again, sitting up very slowly and carefully, until his back is propped up against the headboard. He reaches for the food as soon as he's stable, grinning despite his weariness.]

Awesome, I'm starving. Hey, you think it'll stay in?

[ha ha because there was a hole-- okay look he has to joke about it.]

[Cloud winces and looks away, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.] ...crew's all accounted for, [he says instead.] Some injuries, but I think you and Nami got the worst of it.

[...hah... yeah, okay. maybe he doesn't have to joke. maybe distraction, instead?]

What happened to Nami? Is she okay?

She went down in a shuttle with Sam. Screwed her leg up, but it's not life-threatening. [And Merlan got that bump on her head, and they're all some degree of bleeding and exhausted, but...

Cloud lets his hand hover over Zack's shirt questioningly before he rolls it up to take a look at the wound, still pink and raw. Even with SOLDIER healing it's probably going to take him a while to get back up to full strength.] Holy, Zack, you're cold. Why aren't you shivering?

Mm... because I'm a very cool dude.

[slightly less joking this time, with an air of concern in his tone, brows furrowing. he's cold? he hadn't noticed, actually. that's probably bad.]

Maybe, uh... extra blanket? Or two?

[or six. how cold is cold? he doesn't have the energy to shiver right now.]

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