driftfleet | sooner or later, god'll cut you down.

sooner or later, god'll cut you down.

Who: Everyone
Broadcast: Yes
Action: Lato'li's orbit and also planetside.
When: Forward dated to 11/15.

[The Interceptor Fleet moves into position, waiting for the last few shield generators to fall. And in the early hours of the 15th, they do. The shield dissolves with a blip as if it was never there, leaving the man-eaters as prone as their prey. The Interceptors send out a transmission-- an unholy mix of Cockney and Australian that graces every available communicator-- if they answer it.]

We’re firin’! Do yer worst, Vieziri! We’re gonna kick yer sorry arses so hard you’ll kiss the moons!

[Five Interceptor ships swoop out of the dark and unload their various weaponry onto the Vieziri warships. At the same time, people stranded on the planet below ready the anti-aircraft guns onto their makers. And of course there is the Fleet itself, battered and yet beautiful across the velvet sky, as they fire everything they have.

Now the Vieziri start moving. Though the big red ship can’t do much maneuvering, the rest of the Vieziri warships certainly can. They fire back at the Interceptors and whoever else fires at them, willing to defend their leader and lose their lives in the process.

Luckily, the Interceptors have their own daring ships, which may look familiar to those who were here for the raider attack. One is emblazoned with racing stripes and flames all along the hull, and it moves so fast it nearly enters hyperspace. It’s there and gone in a flash, weaving past the enemy in crazy thrillseeking loops. Still another Interceptor ship is painted red and orange with a gold plate near the front, which reads BAMF with no explanation. This one has guns aplenty and easily weathers any duel it gets into. The third Interceptor ship is beautiful gold and black, sleek as hell and engineered with sense; this one packs the most gadgets and formidable guns of all calibers, and appears to do the most damage. Trailing behind is a much smaller ship, so nondescript it almost doesn’t stand out at all-- that is, until it forms a barrier to absorb some oncoming fire and reflect it back at the Vieziri.

There’s one ship that’s missing, though-- the one that was blown up several months ago after the heist. In its place is a small black ship that runs invisible to radar, sweeping past with silent speed as it lets loose a barrage of photon missiles onto the Vieziri flagship.

Down below, the Vieziri come out in full force-- one last stand before the warlord falls, trying to finish their fell rituals. Some of them rush the encampments, some go for the cities. Near the restored comms tower, a cloaked figure with a plain white mask fights their way through the onslaught using a plasma blade and a laser rifle.

After an hours-long siege, the big warship finally takes too much fire and breaks apart, lighting up the sky with falling shards like stars. The biggest debris burns up in orbit, but little pieces still rain down. It signals the end as the Vieziri begin to retreat both on ground and in the air. The loss of their leadership leaves them scattered and panicked.

The Fleet has won the day, but as the sun rises again over the wreckage, there is still plenty of work to be done.]

[ooc: Feel free to assume the Interceptors are helping your ships! The gold and black ship can be hailed and will give responses, as she’s been the main point of contact during this plot. You can also run into Zhade, though tags will be slow for both accounting for RL things. Please mark Zhade or Interceptors in the header of your toplevel if you’d like NPC interaction.

Any questions should be asked on the plot post for phase two.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[You see, Riona, stuff like that is why he likes you.]

Indeed. It is significantly easier to do battle when digits do not snap off at the slightest pressure. [It had only been a matter of time before he lost all of Kristoff's fingers back in Vigil's Keep, and not even because of battle. He had lost one and a half fingers to an Orlesian Warden accidentally slamming a door on his hand. At a certain point, he was holding weapons mostly with magic.] I remember you mentioned him. Perhaps I will inquire to him about forging another. If he is a metalworker, why can he not forge you a set of armor?

[Justice doesn't like the idea of Riona marching into battle without any armor. She can take care of herself perfectly well, but no amount of raw competence can stop a bullet to the gut.]

Very much. Do you remember when you lost one in the Deep Roads, the one that Velanna accidentally stepped on? [While she sympathized with Velanna's disgust at the time, it hadn't stopped her from busting a gut in laughter. And Oghren damn near passed out from laughing so hard.]

I'm sure if you asked, he will, especially if he knows you're my friend. And I haven't gotten around to it, honestly. That, and I imagine it's time consuming and things have been a bit hectic as of late. [He made the shield for free, but Riona doesn't want to ask him to make an entire armor set for free, even if he would insist. That's just too much.]

Her scream was so shrill, I thought a pack of shrieks were in the tunnel. [Velanna had not been happy with the finger she stepped on nor their companions' reactions. Justice had felt a little guilty at the time, but thinking back on it, his eyes glimmer with amusement, even if he doesn't smile. Velanna had groused about it the whole rest of the day, but she did put in the effort to make a traditional Dalish poultice afterwards to ward off the insects that tried to burrow into the stump left behind.

He misses Velanna.]

Do you know what happened to her in the last ten years? And our other Gray Warden companions? [It's been on his mind for a while. He hopes that they're okay. They have all been good to him, good... friends.

Justice makes a mental note to seek out Sokka after this mess is over and done with. A bulletproof shield would be well appreciated, and he's been receiving a lot of currency he does not know what to do with.]

Thought it was going to attract some, with all that racket. [Poor Velanna really had been unamused by the situation all around. It had taken an apology and a lovely leather bound notebook to appease Velanna. Even still, Riona hadn't regretted her reaction for a moment. They spent a lot of tense filled days together; the laughter was needed, and it couldn't all fall on Anders and his corny jokes to bring it about.

His question makes her smile fall. Ah, this is treading shaky ground. But she can't lie to him, or avoid the question forever.]

I didn't keep in touch as well as I should have. Though it was made difficult when everyone was sent off in different directions for a time. The First Warden sent orders down for Nate and a couple of them. Didn't get all the details, but they were in the Free Marches for a time. Velanna disappeared for awhile to look for her sister, though I managed to track her down. Nowadays, they're with me, looking for a cure for the taint and the Calling.

All of them are with you? Anders included? [And looking for a cure for the Taint and the Calling? A pursuit Justice hadn't considered, but now that he is, he realizes he hopes they are successful. He would even be willing to offer his services to this end. Gray Wardens should not suffer for fighting the Blight if it can be avoided--and, he can admit quietly to himself, he is also interested because he does not want to see his friends die so quickly. Mortals leave behind many traces for him to keep close, but he does not think it would be the same as having his friends there with him.

And the good news is that if they're all with Riona, then they all must still be alive in ten years time. Sigrun especially he had feared would die in the intervening years. He is more pleased to hear this than he probably should be.] If you have the means once you are back, you can send word to me and I am certain I would assist in your mission, if I am not in the Fade. Or perhaps even if I am in the Fade, if Anders or Velanna can find me there.

[She has told him that she hasn't seen him in the past ten years, and he is still sorry about that, but that does not necessarily mean that he is impossible to reach.

He's not sure if he hopes that he's in the Fade by then. He's not sure he really wants to leave his mortal friends behind, but he also misses the land of dreams. But either way, he is certain that the memories from Vigil's Keep are ones he will treasure, and he would remember Anders or Velanna if they sought him out in dreams.]

[And now they are officially in shaky, dangerous territory. Riona sort of wonders if Justice is bringing this up on purpose. She hasn't provided answers, and she's certain Anders hasn't. And if he hasn't, then likely Wolfe hasn't at his behest. Justice is tenacious, always seeking what's right and what's the truth, no matter what. Sooner or later, this would get brought up again.

He needs to know the truth. But she also promised Anders that she'd leave it to him to tell Justice what happened. Basically, she has to pick between her friends, and it leaves a bad taste in her mouth. Unless she can think of some way to walk the thin, shaky line that's been drawn in the sand.]

Nathaniel, Sigrun, Velanna and Oghren are with me currently. [Lying to Justice doesn't go well. He knows when someone is. Maybe she can't tell him everything, but she can at least frame it in the right way.] Anders isn't, and neither are you. If I can find you both, then I'd love for you to join.

[If she can find them. If they'd be willing. If the others were willing. It's been years, and after what happened, well... bringing Anders and Justice along could draw trouble.]

[She's right that he still has not let go of the mystery surrounding Anders' change and how squirrelly Anders and his boyfriend have gotten about conversation regarding it--but this is not about that. She said that she hasn't kept track of Justice or Anders, implying that Justice went with the Gray Wardens on missions she didn't know of, and Justice believes her. After all, she is a queen, and even Justice knows that that is a time-consuming occupation.

Justice doesn't believe she would lie to him about something important, directly or by omission, and that keeps him from being suspicious even when his augment blurs her thoughts, making all that psychic noise completely indecipherable. The thing in his head does this frequently, and it's only a minor annoyance right now.]

I am pleased that you have all found each other, at least, and you all remain alive. [This he is honest about, and he doesn't feel as strange as usual admitting that something pleases him on a personal level rather than on a moral level. The people who he grew close with in Vigil's Keep are important to him, and he is glad that they will live another ten years and seek out a cure together. There is nothing wrong with being glad for that, even if it's unusual for a spirit to care that much for mortal affairs divorced from its virtue.]

Am I right to assume that you had not seen Anders in the years since you left Vigil's Keep, either?

[He doubts it, if she's only met any of them again on her new quest, but it's worth asking. Maybe Riona will know something about what's up with Anders, though Justice isn't optimistic considering Riona has probably been absent from his life.]

Does seem like a miracle, doesn't it, given our collective propensity to find trouble. [Or for trouble to find them. Riona's no stranger to it, but sometimes she really marvels at how much shit she's survived, and how much her friends and companions have gone through, both with and without her.

A lance of guilt shoots through her at the mention of Anders. Both because she hasn't told Justice what happened with Anders, and because of what happened to begin with. No matter what Anders says, a part of her will always feel responsible for not being able to prevent what happened.]

No, I'm afraid not. He... went elsewhere.

Elsewhere. I see. [Justice assumes that Anders went with the other Gray Wardens in the Deep Roads, and has been difficult to reach. Justice hopes that Anders has not died there. Although, he realizes with a chill, that might explain the personality change.

He's sure Riona would volunteer the information if she knew for sure that Anders had died, so he doesn't ask. He can tell that she doesn't like talking about this, and perhaps he can understand why. If he didn't know where his friends were, he probably would not like talking about it either, especially if there was a high probability they were dead or he'd never see them again.

So instead, he changes the topic from Anders and himself to something she might like to discuss.] I met your husband the other day. He said that he had already found you.

I am happy for you. [It may come out awkward and stilted, but Justice cannot be more sincere when he says that. Riona deserves happiness, and the idea that she may have it makes Justice happy in turn. Justice may try to support her, but an awkward spirit friend cannot make her happy like her husband can. And to top it off, her husband seems like a good man that Justice can see himself becoming fond of.]

[Most of her is relieved he's not pressing the issue. Even if she feels a bit guilty about it as well, which is why a small part of her almost wishes he would so maybe she'd be forced to tell him something and at least get some of it off of her chest and ease the guilt.

Either way, it's likely for the best that he changes it, especially considering what the new subject is. A grin breaks across her face, her eyes lighting up.]

Did you? I'm glad you did, even though I imagine he probably didn't quite know what to make of you. [Although Alistair went along with her decisions, she's sure he often wondered what the hell she was thinking when she let certain people join them during their journey. Justice must seem like the oddest one yet.] Thank you. I never thought he'd show up here. One of the rare occasions I'm glad to be wrong.

I believe he finds me unsettling, but no more than any other mortal I encounter. He fought well when we attacked the camps, and he seems to be a good man. [Which is high praise coming from Justice. Good job, Riona. Justice approves of your taste in men.

He hasn't seen Riona smile like that since... well, he's not sure if he's ever seen Riona smile like that. He decides that he likes it when she does.

The corners of Justice's mouth twitch. He doesn't smile, exactly, but he does that thing where he looks like he might be approaching a smile, if one squints. It is the height of expression, by his standards.]

I am glad you were wrong as well. I understand that you felt his absence. [Like Justice feels the absence of their missing friends, though he imagines it is so much more intense for a mortal missing their spouse. Maybe she will be smiling more often now.]

[Riona had wondered what Justice would think of Alistair. She's ridiculously biased about him, of course, but she wants her friends to like her husband. And Justice can be a tough nut to crack, given how he can pick up on emotions and intentions. It'd have been awkward and difficult if Justice somehow found major fault with Alistair. Luckily, that doesn't seem to be the case. To say she's pleased would be an understatement.]

He is very much a good man. One of the best I know, and I'm only speaking a little bit out of bias when I say that. Also a damn good warrior, even better than I am. [She smiles wryly.] But just a little.

[That's about as happy a look on Justice as she's ever seen. She knows he cares a great deal about her well-being, but it's still nice to see it, given how... well, stern-faced he usually is.]

I did. When you love someone that much and have been with them for so long, you feel like you're missing a part of yourself when you're separated. [Or maybe it's just how she feels.]

I see. Sometimes that can happen to spirits as well. [Literally. Spirits can literally be separated from a part of themselves and it is an extremely unpleasant experience.

He's sure he doesn't fully grasp what it's like to be without someone so beloved, but that doesn't mean he can't appreciate the effect of having the man around. It's good to see Riona so happy, to feel it fluttering off her skin. She deserves to be happy.]

I am pleased to have met him. I look forward to knowing him better. [Assuming, of course, the man doesn't get too put off by the whole 'I'm a spirit with zero social skills' thing.]

Er... how does that happen? [A part of her was almost afraid to ask, but curiosity won out. Hopefully that's not something that happens often because it does sound kind of awful.]

I think you'll really like him. Might take him a little bit to warm up to you, but I'll talk to him and explain how we met. That should ease a few concerns of his.

Powerful magic is usually involved. For example, sometimes mages do not complete summonings after they begin them. [Justice can't help grimacing at the thought. Justice very much Does Not Recommend.

It's sweet how Riona is ready to put in the effort to make her husband more comfortable Justice. It makes Justice's eyes soften, his almost-smile lingering on his face.] I thank you for your efforts. I understand that I can be difficult to 'warm up to.'

Oh... Oh ouch. [Riona can't even imagine being torn in two like that, caught between the Fade and the waking world. It does not sound like a good time at all.]

Most people just don't know much about spirits or how you perceive the world. I'm still learning myself. Since you're my friend, he knows that you can be trusted, at the very least.

Indeed. [The moral of this story is that some mages really need a reminder that spirits are people too and to always properly finish their summonings.

Justice cocks his head, listening. It's not anything he didn't know before. He's seen the difference between his perspective and a mortal's, after all.] If you ever have a question for me about my perspective or spirits in general, you may ask it.

[Riona probably already knows that, but Justice wants to say it anyway. He appreciates how patient she is in explaining her perspective, and he doesn't want her to feel like he will refuse if she wants him to do the same thing.]

I will, I promise. [Luckily, she knows him well enough that usually she has an idea of where he's coming from. And if she doesn't, he's usually explaining it before she even has a chance to ask.] You know, it's too bad you weren't here when Cole was here. It'd have been intriguing to see you two converse.

The compassion spirit was here? And you met it?

[Cyril talked to Justice about the spirit and its odd adoption of human mannerisms. Justice wishes for the chance to meet it and exchange experiences. It would be nice to talk to someone else who is just as much an outsider as he is.]

Yes, he was. We spoke a number of times. [Cole was a little strange, but no more than Justice. It's likely what allowed her to be able to speak and help him.]

The elf with the false arm informed me of its nature. I am curious.

What was your impression of it?

[Justice calls Cole an 'it', but there's none of the demeaning intent that would be inherent in the pronoun from nearly anyone else. Justice is just using accurate language for most spirits, not cruel or dismissive.]

[Ah, Cyril. Of course, since he's the Inquisitor, he would have known Cole. From what she remembers, Cole's Inquisitor was a dwarf.]

Cole was... He's an odd case. Not quite a spirit anymore, but not a person either? He took on his own physical form in Thedas, but didn't possess anyone. But he did remind me a bit of you. That same curiosity about the mortal world, and not always sure what to make of it.

[Justice frowns at the 'not a person' phrasing. He knows that Riona means nothing by it, but it's still a little awkward to be told you don't count as a person. Justice considers spirits people, even if they're not mortals.

He doesn't see the point in verbally expressing his discomfort, though, so he lets it pass.]

Its experiences must have changed it. I doubt they were harmful changes. Any spirit committed to its virtue would remove any changes that would threaten it with corruption. [And Justice still believes that the spirit must have remained a spirit, even if it was an odd spirit. The idea of a spirit being able to become mortal sounds too outlandish to consider.] The mortal world is a strange place for us. It does not surprise me that it was curious.

[Baaaaad phrasing on ~~the mun's~~ her part, unfortunately.]

Not so much in his case. Cole liked learning about people, and he wanted to help, but sometimes he overextended himself. There was one incident that he nearly teetered into Despair, but I was able to talk him down. It scared him, but he never forgot it.

It what?

[All other thoughts fly from Justice's head as he leans forward, his frown deepening. No one had told him that the spirit had been carrying seeds of corruption.]

Tell me what happened.

[Maybe it's in Justice's head, a reflection of his own unease with the idea of corruption, but he's always found the demons formed from corrupted spirits to be far more dangerous than demons created whole cloth from vice. He doesn't like the idea of a spirit teetering along the edge of despair in a place with so many people unequipped to fight against it.]

sooner or later, god'll cut you down.

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