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

[wingenvy]

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.

[moseyin]

[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.]

[wingenvy]

[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.]

[moseyin]

[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.

[wingenvy]

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.

[moseyin]

[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...]

[wingenvy]

[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...?

[moseyin]

[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.

[wingenvy]

[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.]

[moseyin]

[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.

[wingenvy]

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

What happened to Nami? Is she okay?

[moseyin]

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?

[wingenvy]

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.]

[moseyin]

[Cloud just reaches forward, expression creased with worry as he pulls off his gloves to hold Zack's face, to check his pulse, feel along his arms- no, way too cold. Even in Modeoheim he wasn't-

Wait, when was he this close to Zack in Modeoheim?]

Move over. Blankets won't do anything if you're not generating enough heat.

[wingenvy]

Huh? Yeah, okay.

[he edges over without question, still a little too out of it to recognize what Cloud's intending. it's a surprise that he's so being touchy right now, but Zack probably deserves all the fuss with the whole almost-dying thing. it's been a hell of a day, and Cloud's earned some reassurances.]

[moseyin]

[Cloud leans over to take off his boots as Zack shifts, yanking the laces and toeing them off before lifting the blanket and sliding under it beside Zack, right up against his side. The bed is barely big enough for the two of them but they'll make it work.] C'mere, get in close. You gotta warm up.

[wingenvy]

[..............ah]

...you sure?

[because yeah, he's scooting closer - now that Cloud's near him, he can feel the difference in their temperatures, and it's kinda alarming, it is most definitely bad, SOLDIERs don't get cold like this - but he sure as hell didn't see this coming.]

It's not, uh. Impugning on your manly pride or anything?

[moseyin]

[Cloud's about to argue, ask Zack what that's supposed to mean when he snaps his mouth shut. All the times he'd sat farther from Zack, or shaken off his hand, or just clapped his shoulder when Zack had gone in for a hug.

That's what Zack means.]

...no, [Cloud says finally. He scoots up a little, pulls Zack into the crook of his shoulder stubbornly.] There. That okay?

[wingenvy]

[colour him surprised. Zack is quiet for a moment, surprised and genuinely touched, and truth is even if he wanted to fight it he doesn't have the strength. too cold, too tired, too sore. a shiver passes through his body, brief but telling, and he tucks in as close as he can get, his eyes closing. he's warm- warmer than any blanket, that's probably true.]

Yeah... yeah, it's okay. Thanks.

[it's comfortable. familiar, actually. how many times had he done this? wrapped himself around a half-starved, unmoving body, rubbing his arms up and down chilled limbs until the goosebumps fade, mumbling reassurances into soft straw-shaded hair, listening for any sound but their own heartbeats on nights too cold to sleep alone but too dangerous to risk a fire.

"we'll be okay. we'll fix you right up, buddy, so just rest as much as you need. once we get there--"

he sure as hell doesn't miss the circumstances but the closeness... sometimes, he misses that.]

[moseyin]

[Cloud shifts just enough to pull the blanket over them both, tucking it around Zack. It's not particularly cold, and Zack does have SOLDIER toughness even if he's suffering blood loss, so there's really no reason to be worried.

Still, this kind of...it's...well, after a whole day of fighting and terror and worry, maybe something like this is just what he needed. More than a Cure, more than a drink. Just a moment when it feels like there's nothing in this jungle that could lay a hand on either of them.]

We did this, [Cloud says suddenly, arm around Zack's shoulders, chin atop his hair.] Or- you did this, I guess. I think. I remember this...we were moving. In a truck or something.

[wingenvy]

...Mm.

[there's a faint smile on Zack's face, lips curving upwards as he recalls it himself. if he concentrates hard enough he can still feel the crunching tires, the bump and shake of that beaten country road, the slow final crawl towards Midgar after their bike had finally died on them.]

We did. A few times, on the road, but that was one. I didn't really need to... it was so hot that day. Humid- there was a storm rolling in, but we were outrunning it. The old guy driving us home kept yelling at me to sit down, so I went over to you, and...

[he lifts his shoulders in a small shrug. he's got no real excuse, nor will he apologize for it. he gets the impression Cloud isn't looking for that, though.]

I had a good feeling, I guess. That you were gonna be okay. But I didn't want you to think I was gonna leave you alone because we were finally there... my voice wouldn't reach you, so I figured I'd just keep close for a while.

[moseyin]

[Cloud hums, shoving his head back against the pillow a couple times. It sounds familiar, but more in a way that it's a story he's been told before. Those flashes he'd gotten in the basement were just that, flashes, but there's one thing he remembers with startling clarity.

The heat of the sun on his arms, the smell of dust and sweat in the air. The stickiness of warmth and then, after, the chill of rain, of mud. The stench of blood almost nonexistent until he was there, right there.

There's so little of Zack Cloud remembers that isn't tied up in agony and loss.]

...it's not a macho thing, [Cloud murmurs into Zack's hair, closing his eyes as well. Zack's a big, solid weight against him, and Cloud circles his shoulders with his arms.]

[wingenvy]

No? I'm glad, then... it wasn't like you. Or old-you, anyway.

[Cloud had been quiet, shy and unsure, and he'd craved strength but had never given Zack the jockish no-homo impression before, so the sudden resistance to touch had taken some adjusting to. Not the biggest of deals, but still awkward.]

You don't have to get into it if you don't want to. 'm not gonna push.

[...but he'll listen if he does want to, just saying.]

[moseyin]

[There is literally no way to say this without hurting Zack's feelings, so...]

Don't...like people I don't know touching me, sometimes. ...is all.

[wingenvy]

[...oof. It's not so much an issue of hurt feelings- because this is something that Zack can understand, to an extent. He hadn't left Nibelheim with any physical scars, not really, but there'd been plenty of lingering issues; the memory of Hojo's cold, clinical hands examining the both of them isn't something he'll ever forget. Is that what Cloud remembers? Is that where it started? Maybe it's something else. Maybe Sephiroth, maybe all of it. He wants to ask, but he doesn't.

Instead, he asks quietly,]

Want me to stop?

[There's no judgment, no anger in his voice. Regret, maybe; he doesn't like the thought of his touch hurting someone he cares about. And even if he remembers everything between them, Cloud doesn't. He can't keep on pretending that isn't the case.]