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...~ ♪ ))

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If I climb a tree can you two keep from killing each other?

[He looks at them both very seriously for a moment before a twinkle comes to his eye.]

I figure I should get a... Hawke's eye view.

[Nailed it.]

[Fenris stares dead at Wolfe, brows slowly furrowing. ]

Ugh. No.

[Wolfe that was TERRIBLE. You should feel TERRIBLE.]

I am sure we can last that long. There are worse things trying to kill us, currently.

Hawke.

[The look he shot his lover could peel paint. Feel the disapproval points, Wolfe.]

Just climb the blighted tree, we'll keep an eye out down here.

Everybody's a critic.

[He's actually in good spirits though. This is progress, them agreeing on anything, even if the thing in question is Adalwolfe being a huge nerd.

With a wink at the both of them, Adalwolfe pockets his communicator and strides to the nearest tree that looks like it could support his weight. After a moment of consideration, the force mage steps back a few paces then sprints to the tree, using his momentum and the trunk to get him high enough to grab the lowest branch. Biceps taut, he hauls himself up as soon as he's sure he has a good grip and ends up sitting on the first, thick branch.]

Keep an eye out for anyone from the Fleet, we're not the only ones who crashed. Or anything that wants to kill us. Not necessarily in that order.

[With that, he turns his attention back to the tree and starts pulling himself up branch by branch.]

[Fenris rolls his eyes, at the comment- but at least he's vaguely impressed Wolfe can drag himself up the tree. ]

I was planning on standing here in this forest filled with psychotic beings bent on destroying us with my eyes closed and my fingers in my ears.

[If they weren't crashed on a planet full of murdering psychopaths, Anders might have spared more than just a second to admire and appreciate Hawke's display of strength but, sadly, this wasn't the time or place.]

We will, just don't take too long up there, I can't imagine you'll be all that inconspicuous.

[In the meantime, he stepped a bit away in the opposite direction from Fenris, more to keep a lookout and maybe examine some of the plants native here than for the actual distance. Though the distance was a bonus.

Truthfully, he was more worried about some native shooting an arrow into the white whining beacon that was Wolfe's head more than any of them sneaking up on Fenris and himself. He might not have Justice's supernatural senses to warn him of a presence, but he still had his own taint-given ones that sharpened everything just a bit. And Fenris was always on edge and watchful, so that paranoia was on their side, at least.]

It'll be fine. I'll just be taken for a snowbird or something.

[He punctuates his response with a grunt as he pulls himself up the next branch. It's a good workout, one he can't really get on the ship, and if they weren't out here because of a horrible crash he might actually be having a bit of fun climbing the tree.

Or... ok, he's actually having some fun climbing a tree like he's a young boy again, only now he's tall and strong and can reach all the branches instead of tumbling down because his little fingers can't grip the bark properly.

Every few branches or so, he leans out a bit it tries his communicator, always to no avail but he's so preoccupied with it that he doesn't spot the silent minute movement in the bushes surrounding his tree and his companions below.]

That is a painfully optimistic outlook.

[He is absolutely fine with distancing himself from Anders. The further away he can be from the man, the better, in his opinion. He paces around his side of the perimeter, head tilted, listening for the slightest sound, body tense and ready for a fight.

He doesn't catch sight of the fighters until it's too late, and the first leaps out of the brush around them. He yells out a warning, his lyrium blazing into life as he swings his sword to cut down the second attacker. ]

[Anders whipped around at the shout and already had a spell on his fingertips by the time he'd actually caught sight of the attacker. A purple streak of light later and lightning arched from his hands to the attacker still standing, electrocuting him through and boiling his blood before arching off into the forest to branch to two others still out of sight.

This was more than an accidental run-in with a patrol.

Anders dashed closer, far enough away to give plenty of room for Fenris' attacks to clear him, but still close enough to have the elf's back. Just in time too as two more groups of two burst from the tree line on either side of them. One of the men immediately received the blast of a spirit bolt to the face in response.

Maker knew how long they'd been followed this whole time, but it certainly didn't seem like an accidental crossing.]

[The clearing suddenly bursts into combat and Adalwolfe is caught too many feet up to safely jump. Thankfully magic can be cast at long range and one of the pairs of men of enemies that jump from the underbrush finds themselves down a member and up one ice sculpture. He hopes Fenris knows to hit him before he thaws.

That bit of weeding out done, Wolfe tries to hurry down the tree as fast as he can without actually dumping himself to the ground in a heap of broken limbs. When he gets a clear shot through the foliage, he pops off a spell or two, crushing enemies under his force magic or freezing them solid, but his main focus is on getting himself to the ground where he can better help.]

[Fenris is at least used to a battle - evener more so, he's used to one with Anders. As much as they don't get along, they have battled together for years- or at least that was the case on his side of things. It's easy to shift and move around him, a good swing of the sword right after a spirit bolt here, a good kick to the chest to knock a man into an arc of lighting. This...this was easy.

He catches someone from Wolfe's spell, hands going into the chest of one of the frozen enemies, shattering him into icy, bloody pieces. It's this that distracts him, not catching the spear-weidling Vizeri coming from the side. ]

[Anders felt when Hawke joined the fight and adjusted his attacks as easily as breathing. Anders would paralyze one assailant, only for him to be crushed or frozen solid the next, leaving Anders to move on to others who could easily be picked off by the other men.

One such assailant had tried to sneak up on him and suffered a crushing prison for his mistake, the force of gravity turning in on the ill-fated Vizeri, and crushing every organ into pulp within his body. It gave him a moment to pause and take stock. Wolfe had some injuries and Fenris looked like one might have gotten a scratch in on him, but nothing that needed immediate healing.

But the natives seemed to have picked up on who was the most dangerous in the group and turned their focus on the elf. Anders moved closer, ready to defend at a moments notice even as he threw another chain lightning out towards the group Hawke was dispatching. When Anders turned back around, he froze. A frozen enemy shattered into bloody, icy, pieces and an opportunist with a viscous looking spear was aiming right for Fenris. Whose back was turned.

Anders didn't think, he just moved, impulse directing his movements as he closed what distance remained between himself and Fenris. Sparks jumped at his fingers, but no spell would form, his mana too low for the spell he was reaching for and no staff to direct an energy bolt to even distract the Vizeri. But even if he could find the will to summon a spirit bolt, would it be enough?

Like painted stills, he felt himself move between Fenris and his attacker, a scrapped together spirit bolt left his hand as the Vizeri threw his spear. The bolt was faster, but the throw was stronger and the weak blast of magic did little more than stagger the cannibal. Anders heard the wet tear and thunk of the spear's head meeting it's target and felt the force of it a split second later. The hit knocked him off his feet, his own momentum unforgiving when met with a force strong enough to change it. Anders crumpled to the dirt and felt the sharp pain of his head hitting the ground before his body could process the pain blooming in his abdomen.

He could see the pole of the spear jutting out right below his lungs and had the worst timed moment of deja vu. The templar hilt that had been protruding from the left side of his chest had seemed insignificant, an annoyance, as he'd...Justice? Had obliterated the man soon after. He could remember pulling the blade from his own chest as though it hadn't been shoved through his heart and the wound had healed and scarred swiftly with all the raw spirit energy built up in his body. But this was entirely different. The spear felt solidly lodged in muscle and tissue and bone, pain raked him and tore a strangled and wet sound from the mage's throat. He wasn't newly joined with Justice and overflowing with energy from the Fade, he was just Anders, more-so than ever, and he could feel the blood seeping through his clothes and climbing into his mouth as he breathed.

The whole world might as well have fallen away for how aware of it Anders was. His mind was stuck and his body falling into shock as the Vizeri who'd lobbed the weapon shook off the bolt of magic and came to collect his spear.]

Edited 2017-11-15 00:20 (UTC)

[Adalwolfe's wordless cry cuts through the clearing and brings the attention to him as he scrambles several feet across the muddy ground. The Vizeri who'd cut Anders down stands a few feet away from the other mage's body, attention turned to Adalwolfe as the force mage whirls through the remaining cannibals, weaponless and yet still leaving corpses in his wake with smoking wounds or crushed anatomy. Magic crackles around him in a cloud as he breaks the mob and continues inexorably towards his target, raising his hair in snowy tendrils and lifting forest detritus from the ground as a massive spell brews. A moment later and Wolfe screams again, a bestial noise as he clenches his fists and drops them both down towards the ground. The Vizeri beside Anders goes down, an enormous fist apparent for just a moment crushing him like an ant into the soft ground.

The magic leaves him as he half runs, half stumbled the rest of the way and collapses to his knees at Anders' side, rage bleeding from him and replaced by wild anxiety and panic.]

No, no no no no stay with me Anders, stay here love. Talk to me!

[He tries to cast, to summon up what little creation magic he has to stem the bleeding, but with the spear still in him there's little Wolfe can do and he knows enough to know that to remove the spear would be instantly fatal.]

Say something, love. Please, please stay with me!

[Out of all the possible ways Anders could have reacted this, this was definitely on the bottom of the list of how Fenris believed he would react. He absolutely doesn't get involved in Wolfe's rescue effort- he knows that sort of action would be suicide. He stares, dumbfounded for a moment, before turning back, sword raised, putting himself between the forest and the mages, poised and ready to defend, should more come. ]

How bad is it? Can we move him?

[Stupid, blighted mage. ]

[Justice had been on patrol when he heard the struggle. He picks up his pace, going towards the noise, presuming that whoever the hunters are attacking will need help--and then he feels who's there.

Anders, his boyfriend, and the angry elf. Anders' boyfriend is panicking.

Anders is dying.

It happens like it did with Riona. For the second time since leaving the Fade, his body just ignores the laws of the mortal world. He wants so intensely to be there that in one moment, he is alone in the woods, and in the next, he is right next to Anders.

There's so much blood.

Justice has seen more than his fair share of blood, but suddenly, he can't stand the sight. This isn't like Riona, who was seriously injured but mobile. Anders is impaled. Justice doesn't know how to fix it. None of the basic first aid that Anders has taught him prepared him for this. Once again, he's utterly helpless in the face of a dying friend, and now there's no healer to drag him to.

There's no healer. No, no, damn it, there's no healer. Anders' boyfriend sings with creation magic, but he can't heal Anders!

No. No, Justice is not going to panic. Panic would guarantee Anders' death, and that is unacceptable. Justice is not going to give up. He is not accepting that Anders is dead until his body is ice.

All this goes through Justice's head in the moments it takes for him to observe the scene. He is not expressive, so it would be easy for someone who doesn't know him to mistake his frowning expression as one of indifference or even irritation, but his eyes are wider than usual, and his normally rock steady hands shake, his fingers turning his lyrium ring.

He kneels by Anders, utterly silent and unblinking, not even bothering to acknowledge the others in the clearing. He carefully rests one hand on Anders' wrist, letting the pads of his fingers settle over Anders' pulse. It's a small gesture for a mortal, but for Justice, it's enormous. He's never actively sought contact before.

Justice doesn't try talking. Instead, he listens. He listens to Anders' mind, to the memories lingering on his skin, looking for anything that can help them save his life. There are holes in his abilities, blocks that drown out certain things, but Justice doesn't care if he has to split his own skull and take the damned augment off. Anders will not die today.]

[Justice just... appears and for likely the first time ever Wolfe isn't unhappy to see him. He doesn't have the attention to be unhappy about it, not when his entire being is focused on Anders, on the blood flecking his lips and the light leaving his eyes. He can't let this happen, he can't watch him die too.

Adalwolfe flicks his gaze to Justice briefly, just for half a second with a plea unspoken, and opens himself. Opens himself to anything that could help, any power that could keep Anders here, with him, alive.

He's not sure what the feeling is that comes over him after that. Its a fierce heat but leaves him unharmed. A blue fire that shines white at its center and seems to flow around him in a current, around them in a current, between himself and Justice. He opens himself to this current and rides with it, not knowing what it can do but knowing instinctually somehow where he needs to guide it. It's love, he thinks. It's comforting and fierce, it's protective and nurturing and so so very familiar.

Eyes glowing a soft gold-blue and seemingly in a trance, Adalwolfe carefully reaches out and removes the spear as if it's no more than a splinter. His hands fall back over the wound the moment the weapon is discarded, tendrils of mana flowing from Justice, to Adalwolfe, and in smaller arcs like golden lightning to Anders, knitting the interior damage, stemming the bleeding, keeping Anders alive, making him whole again.

What feels like it takes an eternity only takes a handful of minutes and when the magic flickers and starts to fade, it's all Adalwolfe can do not to slump over Anders' body. The magic may have done most of the job - and done it right, Adalwolfe just knows somehow - but there's still the surface wound to deal with. With bloody-shaking fingers and a heavy exhaustion setting in, he doesn't have time to sort through what he's feeling just yet. Instead he digs for his injury kit. He always carries a spare for Anders to use; bandages, needle, thread. He's never had to use it on Anders before. He whispers hoarsely as he works, half wishing someone would just take the damn needle from him so he could cradle his love's head in his lap.]

It's alright now, everything's alright. You're going to be fine, I promise, My Heart. You're alive. You're still here...

[Wolfe's sutures are haphazard and uneven, his hands shaky and indelicate, but Anders is alive and that's what matters.]

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it's gonna rain - and it never ends

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