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

[tsunergy]

[Mikleo presses closer to meet him in the middle, his eyes closing, hands resting lightly on Sorey's waist. kisses, he's learning, are awfully versatile. for so long he'd thought they were nothing but romantic fop, awkward, messy things meant for the desperate lovers in trashy novels. but here they've been unexpectedly different- gentle, loving, playful. sometimes a careless gesture to lazily say good morning or good night, sometimes a surprise attack to get Sorey to make that face. sometimes in the middle of braiding his hair Sorey will kiss his neck so reverently it gives him a chill like he's never felt before, and he's too much at a loss for words to object.

sometimes they're for comfort, a quiet reminder that they're alive, both of them, still together.

what a useful thing.]

I love you, [is his returning whisper as they draw back again, his eyes still closed, forehead pressed against Sorey's.] I love you.

[monolike]

[Oh geez.

Sorey pulls in a trembling breath before slipping his hands beneath Mikleo's hair, holding his jaw, the back of his neck.] H-hey, can I...be a little selfish for a couple minutes? Can we just stay here?

[tsunergy]

[Mikleo reaches up to curve his fingers around Sorey's wrists, offering up a weak smile. As hard as this is, it's reassuring that Sorey is actually giving himself time for this- to be selfish, to decompress, to just be for a little while. It's an acknowledgment of weakness that he so rarely allows himself.

Like hell he's going to discourage that.]

Yeah, we can. We've got time.

[He gives Sorey a little tug in the direction of the hospital bed. Not the most comfortable, but it's a place to sit down, at least.]

[monolike]

[Yeah he's not gonna just sit. In fact Sorey just kind of wearily lies back on the cot, pulling Mikleo down with him, and finally gives himself a moment to look Mikleo over. He's pretty sure he isn't hurt (or if he was, he'd already healed himself) but he'd like the peace of mind.]

Are you okay? [Sorey smooths Mikleo's hair back, peering into his eyes.] I'm sorry if I was distracting you earlier. [Because he knows he probably pulled on their connection more than a few times just to make sure it was still there and solid.]

[tsunergy]

[Mikleo offers up no complaint or resistance- he's not even surprised, he simply lies down where he's dragged and keeps an arm around Sorey's waist, pressed in close.]

I'm okay. And don't worry about that- it was reassuring, actually.

[it's even harder to focus when he's busy worrying about what he can't see, and Sorey tugging at his soul to check on him meant Sorey was still conscious and well enough to be doing it.]

[monolike]

Was it? That's good. [There's a worry off his chest.

Laying like this is nice, a reminder of the quiet mornings they spend together sometimes, one of them asleep with the other awake (and lately it's been Sorey asleep with Mikleo awake) as they indulge in the peace of each other's company.] I wish I could call you guys across the ships. I don't like Edna being so far away from us...but I know she wants to be near Eizen.

[tsunergy]

Yeah...

[he can sympathize with this, even if it isn't the same. the connection between he and the other seraphim is different, but he still feels it to an extent. Lailah's pact twines all of their fates together, and the distance between them and Edna is like an itch that's hard to scratch- same as it was when Zaveid was on a different ship, and Dezel before him. but they can't compete with Eizen, nor would any of them want to. asking Edna to move would be like splitting he and Sorey up. the very idea is absurd.]

Maybe one day we'll just have to convince them both to move.

[monolike]

Mmm. [Well, they both know the issue with them moving now.] I'm worried Zaveid might vanish if they do, though. Things between he and Eizen are so...

[tsunergy]

[ugh do nOT GET HIM STARTED ON THAT]

It's getting really difficult to be understanding about that, at this point. I get it, to an extent, and I know Zaveid has his reasons, but sometimes I really wish we could tie them both together and keep them that way until they sort it all out.

[which is a gross oversimplification and he knows but it's just so absurd and wasteful and ugh, ugh.]

[monolike]

I really know how you feel, but we still have to be patient. [Definitely not either of their strong points, honestly. Mikleo might not be as impulsive as Sorey, but he has his own things he's impatient over and something like this definitely falls within that category.] Zaveid spent hundreds of years suffering Eizen's loss. He couldn't possibly adjust to having him back in a few short months.

[tsunergy]

[Mikleo sets free a mildly exasperated huff, but he's not keen to push it too hard. This isn't really something to fight about and he's not in the mood for it right now, anyway.]

My concern is more what could happen if Eizen ends up disappearing. Zaveid has enough weight on his shoulders- he doesn't need more regrets.

[in other words, he's worried.]

[monolike]

That's probably part of what's holding him back, don't you think? [Sorey draws his fingers through Mikleo's hair. It's not as if he doesn't agree; Zaveid can't just deny himself the possibility of companionship because he's afraid to lose it, but at the same time he's already experienced that loss and Sorey couldn't possibly blame him for not wanting to go through it again. Even if he doesn't understand how Zaveid could stay away from someone he cares so much for.]

I think if we're just persistent and supportive, they'll come around. It's complicated but they really do care so deeply for each other. I think Zaveid just needs to get past that fear.

[tsunergy]

...You spoil him too much.

[He's not a kid - certainly not compared to Sorey - but still. If left up to only Sorey, he'd probably never get prodded into anything that's vaguely uncomfortable.

But again, he's not here to fight about it- he's just kind of quietly huffy.]

[monolike]

[Sorey laughs a little lightly, thumping Mikleo's back in a more familiar gesture than the gentle touches they've been using more and more often.] So I've heard. Should I get mean with him, you think?

[tsunergy]

I think, yes.

[Mikleo exhales theatrically, a definite sigh, into Sorey's hair.]

But I know you won't, so leave that to me and Edna.

[monolike]

Thanks, Mikleo. [Sorey really can't help it; he can be mean, but it's not something he enjoys. Maybe that's what Zaveid does actually need to bludgeon through all that stubborn self-flagellation, but he'll need care and tenderness too, right? Won't he?]

[tsunergy]

Don't thank me for something like that.

["thanks for being mean to our friend", you weirdo.]

[monolike]

[More like 'thanks for picking up my slack,' buddy] What d'you prefer, should I scold you?

[tsunergy]

[YOU'RE STILL WEIRD]

You don't have to say anything- we don't need to worry about that sort of stuff, remember?

[It's just another aspect of their whole shtick of filling in each other's gaps and shortcomings. The support structure they've grown up depending on- you push, I pull. He's never sought thanks for that.

...though mostly it's just Mikleo hating when he fusses, as usual.]

[monolike]

[As usual.] Hmm. [Sorey strokes Mikleo's hair a few times, smiling a little to himself. Mikleo had gone a little while where he was very reluctant to let Sorey touch his hair, but he's relaxed (somewhat) since then, something for which Sorey is very grateful.] You got it, Lord Fluffleo.

[tsunergy]

[....you punk bitch you talked to Edna]

Not you, too...