Action - Marsiva(ish)

[angelofthevored]

Who: Loki (dothelokimotion); Thor (rebuildyourruins); Kaworu (paraclete); Eizen (rockily); Castiel (angelofthevored)
Broadcast: Nada
Action: A transport ship >> Marsiva (outer space) to do some junk
When: Sometime during the weekend of 5/18

[It's a ship full of dumb immortal assholes who are not only tired of sitting around, but are fundamentally sorta bad at it.

Except for Kaworu, primordial stoner. And Loki, provided there's some community theater to behold.]

Comments

TRANSPORT

[angelofthevored]

[After creeping on those involved to have them meet him at a spaceport, and then gently liberating said spaceport of one of its ships, Castiel turns to the motley group before him as they clear atmosphere and head for the Marsiva up in orbit.]

Whatever we discover...I want to share with the rest of the captives. A colleague and I can pass the information along through dreams to keep it as far from Atroma as we can manage.

[It's not a long trip up, but there's a lot to discuss. Maybe they should even get to know each other a little; this could be a suicide mission, after all.]

[rebuildyourruins]

[Unlike their first meeting, Thor's all business this time, which means he's come in his armour. It's fortunate he commissioned a new cape as soon as he arrived in this system - it will make this spacecapade much more dramatic.

Thor nods as he tightens his wristguards. He had already planned to debrief the Avengers, no matter what the outcome is.]

I would also suggest it gets added to the document on the Iskaulit.

[angelofthevored]

[Returns the nod.] Agreed. Word of mouth is too unreliable.

Though I doubt we'll be able to stop people from speaking of it on the ships after we tell them. Possibly even over the network.

[rebuildyourruins]

Maybe not. But things should not stay hidden forever. If we do find out something useful, I would rather it be spoken of too much than not at all.

[Given his own experiences trying to get information around the Fleet, he's a little tired of the 'gently, gently' method. He's ready to bust heads.]

Most think the Iskaulit is a safe enough place to talk, given it was not part of the original Fleet.

[angelofthevored]

I didn't think of that. [Maybe so, then. It's difficult to think of a place that Atroma can't see or reach, but Cas also knows that maintaining the illusion of omnipotence is much easier than the actual practice of it.] It would be wise. After we've all shared what we've learned, provided we don't die, will you take it there? [Thor seems to be the sturdiest, and it's his idea and all. Go for it dude.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki also comes donned in his armor, his horns in full display. ]

Best not to do it on the network though.

[angelofthevored]

Though I agree, I think it's inevitable that some discussion will end up there. [Next to two gods in full armor, Castiel looks woefully unprepared in his same old trenchcoat. If he's at all perturbed, however, he doesn't look it.]

[dothelokimotion]

Perhaps we can vet some stupidity before we spread the word.

[ Loki looks at Castiel's clothes. ]

Is that what angels wear?

[angelofthevored]

More or less. [The vessel part anyway.

Cas leans a little to look out a porthole past Loki's shoulder; they're far enough away from the planet's surface. Atmosphere should filter out most of it.] I'm going to vacate my vessel once we're closer. Everyone here should be fine, but you may wish to close your eyes when I do for your own comfort.

[paraclete]

Castiel. Angel of courtesy, maybe.

[Kaworu is particularly awful, coming in behind two gods in their splendor. He's wearing sweat pants and an argyle print tank top for this excursion. His hands are in the pockets of the sweats.

He looks around a little, first here, then there, and then he tilts his chin so he can glance upward a little.]

I don't know that I'll have much to say. I'll do my best, though.

[He's not exactly looking like his best will be all that great, unless, like for Castiel, that bizarre soul of his is on display.]

[angelofthevored]

[Courtesy, sure. Y'know Kaworu he might be more inclined to believe you mean all this weird praise you keep heaping on him if any of it rang at all true]

I wanted to speak with you. [Gestures to a corner of the ship. Angel cubby, for angel talk.] Your certain your vessel can survive a vacuum? Won't you just waste your energy rapid-healing the flesh?

[paraclete]

[Mind you, Kaworu only speaks the truest of true facts, at all times. It just happens that some Kaworu truths aren't considered to be universal.

He concedes to the cubby, rocking back on his heels in a mellow, welcoming way.]

I lived on the moon, [he says with all that same serenity.] For a time. This isn't a vessel, but some specialized flesh. I won't need to heal. My humanity is a likeness, and the extremes treat me quite well. Don't worry about a little thing like this. [He means himself, if the hand slipping out of his pocket to touch his chest is any indication.]

[angelofthevored]

[Oh wow that's not brand name? Wow it's very convincing] I see. I didn't even realize. [Okay well he's not worried then.]

[rebuildyourruins]

[Thor eyes Kaworu, dubious about the presence of a boy in this escapade. He's sure Castiel has his reasons and no doubt he had volunteered as capable... but still.]

Are you prepared for any retaliation we might receive?

[paraclete]

[Kaworu, meanwhile, is used to being eyed, and in worse ways; he's content to stay mellow.]

It's kind of you to show concern, [he says, and he means that even if he's assuming Thor's concern lies with the safety of others.] I try to be mindful of my comrades. For today, that's the people we have gathered here. [He tosses his head gently so he can look at Thor in turn.] I'm prepared to be a benefactor, not a detriment.

[rockily]

[ For his part Eizen appears to be happy to stand to the side, watching the discussion as it unfolds. He has captain'd his fair share of ventures but this one is well and good in another's hands, perhaps that will help counteract his curse. A curse he is certain to raise it's ugly head in some way. ]

I can hide a written copy of anything we discover if I wish it. The communicators are unable to pick up my image, whatever cameras Atroma use to track us may also have that same difficulty.

[ Oh yeah, he's invisible to most people. But considering this is a gathering of gods and celestial beings? Ya'll can see this edgy asshole just fine. ]

[angelofthevored]

Is that so? [Interesting... Granted, Cas had noticed Eizen doing an awful lot of moving around people in the crowd, but he'd just chalked it up to Eizen purposefully making himself invisible, for whatever reason.] That may be a wise course of action.

EXPLORING/ATTACKING THE MARSIVA

[angelofthevored]

[Decompressing the bay of the transport doesn't take long; the Marsiva looms nearby. No shots fired, no interference. There isn't even any sort of shield or barrier to prevent them from approaching the ship.

It feels too easy. Perhaps that it feels so easy explains the heavy, sick-settling dread that begins to descend upon the group. It cloys distastefully in their minds, sits like bile or blood on their tongues. Horrors experienced come more easily to the mind, grip insides and wavelengths and mana alike, seize hearts and squeeze.

Perhaps resistance of the more physical sort would have been preferable.]

[rebuildyourruins]

[It's a rude smack in the face, when that unease and dread starts to set in. After months of being idle, being ineffective, finally Thor was doing something. Not since trying to burn out the augment has he had a viable way forward. It energises him in a way petty sports contests and collecting swords can't.

And now this. It's only due to his aborted attempts to remove his augment that Thor recognises what's starting to happen, though even that takes a while. At first it settles in like doubt - maybe this was a foolhardy attempt, maybe there was something within that would make itself known - only it keeps encroaching further into his mind. That's not his own doubt. That's what the edge of his knife had felt like when he drove it towards the augment.

Thor hangs in space for a few minutes, breathing hard despite the lack of air. It's enough to set his hands to trembling. But Thor is a god, and an Asgardian. He is stubborn as a mule. And eventually this sensation pisses him off enough that a flare of anger is enough to refocus him to the task at hand. An illogical part of his mind decides that slapping back will get the sensation to stop.

His eye burns blinding white and arcs of electricity spawn around him. There's no natural weather out here to draw upon, so his own reserves of lightning will do the work. Defying all physics, Thor throws his hand out towards the Marsiva and a boom echoes through space as a huge bolt of lightning strikes the hull.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki merely watches. It's easy enough to manipulate himself through space, using magic but he's struggling. Dark thoughts were slipping through and he's afraid to look behind him, as if the Void still lurks, close enough to touch. He was going to fall and he'll keep falling again and it'll never stop —

Loki throttles the feelings as he comes up closer. ]

Nothing. Not even a dent.

[rebuildyourruins]

[There's tension lining Thor's face and wound all through his shoulders as he glares daggers at the Marsiva's hull. No scratch at all. He's positive a lightning blast should have done something. It hasn't though, and that gnawing dread is settling in the pit of his stomach again. If it retaliates, can he counter it?

--of course he can.

Thor turns to look at Loki as he drifts closer, having almost forgotten the other man was there. He nods once, sharp, before turning his attention back to the looming ship.]

I'll try multiple strikes.

[paraclete]

It's like coming home, [Kaworu remarks, the further he pushes through the tar of this dread. He may be out here in pajamas, but his countenance now is one of a boy on a battleship. He has his own hull, it seems like. He will crest any wave.

Well, maybe his face does look that way, and maybe he does keep going, but the headache is seeping into him like pitch. It's the sort of thing that can blot out joy. It would harm his lungs if his lungs mattered to him.

His eyelashes flutter while he sighs, and he looks half a child soldier and half just a kid. Then he says,] It's really unfortunate, right? [and holds out his right hand. His fingers are lax before they spread to show his palm. He sweeps his arm swiftly, and there's so much instantaneous light. It stutters out like a crackle before explosions rattle through the space ahead. Big globes of light and some cross-shaped streaks flutter around. When they dissipate...

Kaworu frowns enough for it to matter.]

I'd like to go closer.

[Despite his pallor appearing even more deathly than usual.]

[angelofthevored]

[Castiel hasn't done much attacking himself; between the two gods and Kaworu he's kind of outclassed, especially without a strong, clear connection to Heaven from which to draw power. Instead he's putting himself to use flitting about, keeping watch on the Marsiva for any movement. It helps, checking in with his men; helps keep him grounded, helps him focus through the dread that wrenches at a gut he doesn't currently have.

Whatever Kaworu wields isn't Grace, though it's pretty damn close to it, so Cas waits for the worst of it to fade before he comes streaming over, all compressed photons humming and thrumming in too-small a space so he doesn't dwarf any of the others. At least there aren't that many other molecules to get in the way here.

He reaches out with his Voice to Kaworu, whispers tripping over each other to be heard.]

Iͬtͭ ͑̓geͦͤͧ́̍́t͗͒̇͒͋sͤ͏ w̑ͤoȓ̌̂̓sͥ̿̍͂ͤͮ͐eͪ̍ ̎͑̀ȧ̏sͨ̾̈͂ͤ̍ ͝y̢̒̏͐o͛ͤuͬ̾ ̄͑̕g̉͐̍̒͛ͯet̨ ͩ̃̏͗̄c͌l̛̑ò̵sͭ̀eͮ̈́ͣ̋ͩrͣ.ͫͩ͑ͭ

[Yeah don't think he missed that tension. You're practically translucent, dude.]

[paraclete]

[Is it weird to sigh? With relief? That's what Kaworu does when the glow of an angel comes winding round to him. His shoulders drop just enough to indicate they were ever tense in the first place. The sigh is a thin one, and his smile is rueful. So are his eyes. So is the laugh he flutters out, so bare a breath that the vacuum of space consumes it immediately.]

I figured as much.

[His laugh was a physical thing; his response is not. He meets Castiel's Voice in the middle—he's adept enough with the metaphysical. His soul is very gentle in speaking directly to Castiel's essence.]

I'd like to go regardless. [Or because of?] It seems like an important thing.

DISCOVERY

[angelofthevored]

[There's something in the ship.

There's only one window that doesn't reflect back their faces; a tiny thing, so far tucked away it would have been impossible to spot it without practically crawling on the outer hull of the Marsiva.

It's slick and shimmering; the unclean rainbow film of oil glides over a darkness so black, it's nearly void. A river of it coating a floor much like that of the hospitality bay, slicking up walls, clinging to ceilings. It's ominous. It's dreadful.

Whatever it is, it looks like it could even be alive.

Immediately once he finds it, Castiel zips off to find the others to show them.]