Skyrise

[ZippyWharrgarbl]

IC: Rorohiko - Making This More Awkward

 

"Hey, you never know, right?" He glanced at his device. He really was tempted to leave it at that and go back to his work, since that usually proved to be a pretty solid solution to most awkward social situations, but this was a guy who was probably going to die. Rorohiko hesitantly lifted his gaze again.

 

"I'm sorry, I just... I don't know how I can help, and I'd like to, but I'm not really... I don't know any of this stuff. I just know machines and that sort of thing. If you need, I don't know, someone to talk with the council about a lighter sentence, I can lend some money for you to pay someone." He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Why did you steal that stuff, anyway?"

[Nato G]

GM IC: Barlow - The Iron Fist of Fe.

 

"Why?" Barlow let out a harsh laugh, one that broke off into a fit of coughs and hiccups, "Why not? Fe hoards technology like Vorox hoard shiny objects. They built their empire on the backs of slave labour, and bully everyone else with the threat of destruction." 

Edited May 27, 2017 by Nato The Traveler

[ZippyWharrgarbl]

IC: Rorohiko - Xaril's Friend Ship, Awkward Central

 

"... Yeah. Yeah, that part's bad. But I don't think taking things would fix that." He rubbed his mask, looking very uncomfortable. "The slave thing bothers me a lot, honestly. I think it bothers a lot of people. But there's not much I can do about it from where I am, except not use it."

[Nato G]

GM IC: Barlow - The Iron Fist of Fe.

 

"Not use it?" Barlow guffawed, "You're a citizen, aren't you? The home you live in, the tools you use, the food you eat, you wouldn't have any of it without the slaves who misery Fe has exploited." 

[ZippyWharrgarbl]

IC: Rorohiko - Welp

 

"... Yeah. I guess. But there's not really much I can do. I just design stuff and do research, you know? Not everyone can be a master thief or whatever. And that wouldn't even stop the problem, or impact it, really."

Edited May 29, 2017 by ZippyWharrgarbl

[Nato G]

GM IC: Barlow - The Iron Fist of Fe.

 

"There's not really much I can do," Barlow repeated, his tone clearly mocking, "Everyone says that. You don't care. No one does." 

[ZippyWharrgarbl]

IC: Rorohiko - Xaril's Friend Ship

 

Rorohiko looked away. "Hey, I care. I do. But I'm no fighter, and I'm not important enough to make those kinds of calls. Right now, I'm working on some really important stuff, because that's something I can do to help the world. It might not be saving the slaves, but that's not something I can do. And... and to be honest, I have no idea what stealing stuff has to do with saving slaves. It doesn't help anyone but yourself. So, yeah. I can't do anything about Fe's use of slaves. But I can try and help people in general, and I can wait until someone does do something about it."

 

He scratched at his arm panel absently. "Look. I get where you're coming from. But, really, what can I do?"

[Nato G]

GM IC: Barlow - The Iron Fist of Fe.

 

"There are some in New Atero who want to see Fe brought down. My actions will help them do that," Barlow hissed, "That is what stealing and selling has to do with helping the slaves." He lowered his voice, "As for what you can do... you could start by letting me loose of these restraints."

[ZippyWharrgarbl]

OOC: I won't lie, I saw that one coming a mile away. Barlow, you rebel. How big are the restraints, by the way? I'm guessing they're pretty strong if they're keeping Barlow there.

 

IC: Rorohiko - Xaril's Friend Ship

 

Rorohiko gulped. "You're working for New Atero to take down Fe? As in, our home, Fe? Jeez, Fe does some bad stuff, but I don't want it destroyed or anything."

 

He looked at Barlow's restraints. "Besides... I told you. Where I am now, I can help people. All sorts of people. All I know about you is you stole someone else's work to sell to New Atero. If I let you out, I'm going to lose the chance to help people who desperately need it. I'm working on things that can change life as we know it. I can't afford to be cast out as a traitor. Besides, where would you go? Xaril's on board, along with everyone else. We're flying. You'd get out, get re-captured, and then we'd both be in trouble. I get that a death penalty sucks, but there must be another way to help you. A legal way."

[Nato G]

GM IC: Barlow - The Iron Fist of Fe.

 

"Pathetic," he spat, "You're not helping people, you're just helping yourself."

 

He leaned forward and bit down on his sleeve, pulling it up to reveal a pitted scar in the shape of the Matoran letters FE on the back of his forearm. There was another, fresher scar atop the first, a ragged line crossing through the letters. The marks of a slave who had earned his freedom. "Fe was my home, too. As much of a home as a place can be when you're considered part of the furniture."

[ZippyWharrgarbl]

IC: Rorohiko - Intense Moral Dilemmas

 

His eyes went wide at the scar. He wasn't able to look away. He wanted to, his arm tingled and he felt an overpowering urge to just go back to his work. But his usual coping method couldn't work; this wasn't the sound of slaves working on the distance, or the knowledge that some nameless criminal was going to be executed for some unknown crime. This was a person, sitting before him, scarred and on his way to death.

 

"I'm..." he choked back a sob. "I'm so sorry. I had no idea. I'm a coward, I know. I'm not made for fighting, I'm afraid of what'll happen if I do. I can do so much good for this world, I know it. Do you know how many lives could be saved if I could figure out how the Agori implants are made? Or use Great Being technology to make people's ships safer, or maybe even make something so Fe wouldn't need to use slave labour anymore? Then it wouldn't matter how much of a coward I am. Because I would have helped people, all the same."

 

He couldn't look away. It made him sick, he felt like a monster looking at it, but he couldn't turn his eyes away.

 

"I want to help you," he said softly. "What you did was wrong. Stealing and selling someone else's work to fuel a war is wrong. But I want to help you. I just can't. Not like this. There has to be another way."

[Nato G]

GM IC: Barlow - The Iron Fist of Fe.

 

"There's a dagger sheathed on the inside of my jacket," Barlow whispered, "All you have to do is take it out, and put it next to my hand. I'll do the rest. Even if I got caught, no one would have a reason to think I had help."

[ZippyWharrgarbl]

IC: Rorohiko - Moral Dilemmas and Gross Sobbing

 

"I..." his gaze finally drifted away from the scars, to the jacket. He whispered back. "I... I guess if I didn't, you could just... shake it out anyway, right? It'd take longer, but it's a long flight over..."

 

He glanced to the guard sleeping in the room to confirm she was, in fact, asleep. Then, he said, very quietly, "You're still in the air, over a lot of wasteland. Are you sure there isn't another way?"

[Nato G]

GM IC: Barlow - The Iron Fist of Fe. 

 

Inwardly, Barlow truly wasn't sure if his injured leg would be able to support flight mode, but he didn't let his uncertainty show, "I'd rather try, and fail, than not try at all."

[ZippyWharrgarbl]

IC: Rorohiko - Actually A Rebel At Heart

 

He glanced back again at the guards. His heartlight was flashing like he'd run a marathon, he felt like he was going to cry. But still, he felt almost certain. He couldn't be responsible for someone dying. That was worse than being responsible for him escaping. It wasn't like he'd killed anyone, right? He'd stolen stuff, and he did it to try and start a war, but it wasn't like he could do it again. And maybe it wasn't for a war. Maybe New Atero just wants to make Fe stop using slaves and allow people who need it to benefit from their research.

 

Rorohiko knew Fe had some amazing technology, things that could make everyone's lives that much better and easier. He knew that even some of his own work was locked up in there, schematics and notes that could save lives. If he were stronger in spirit, he'd have shared it with the world long ago. But he wasn't, and he kept telling himself one day he might be. Maybe today, he could be just a bit stronger. Maybe he could help people with something other than gadgets.

 

"You won't hurt anyone?" he breathed, shaking despite himself. "I just... I just want things to be better for anyone, I don't want people hurt, or killed..."

 

EDIT: There are two guards in the room and I mistakenly believed there was only one.

Edited May 29, 2017 by ZippyWharrgarbl

[Nato G]

GM IC: Barlow - The Iron Fist of Fe. 

 

"If they try to stop me... I can't make any promises." 

[ZippyWharrgarbl]

IC: Rorohiko - That Doesn't Sound Good

 

"But they won't, right?" he pressed, trying to make the decision a little less morally grey. "Because everyone's asleep. So you're not going to go out of your way to hurt anyone, and you're just going to... leave... and there's no reason for anyone to be out and about to stop you, right?"

 

He was almost pleading, clutching his arm for comfort. He still wanted to just leave it be, ignore the guy, but it was too late for that now.

[Nato G]

GM IC: Barlow - The Iron Fist of Fe.

 

"To leave, I have to open a door," Barlow pointed out, "Doing that will wake people up." 

[ZippyWharrgarbl]

IC: Rorohiko - Not Used To So Much Responsibility

 

"I-I'm guessing you'll be out that door by then." Rorohiko left his seat. He took a few steps towards Barlow, hesitated, looking this way and that as if he was confused about his whereabouts. He made eye contact with Barlow a few times, only to look away again. He felt very sick.

 

"I don't want a war or anything," he said, softly. He took another step towards Barlow. "I just want to say that now. Wars just waste lives. I just... want things to be better for everyone. And I can't be the one to let someone die, you know?"

 

He shook, staring at Barlow's jacket, and then reached in. After a bit of fumbling, his fingers grasped the dagger. This was it. He could still turn back. He could drop it on the floor, take it away, do a thousand things that weren't handing it to Barlow.

 

But if he didn't, he'd essentially be killing someone.

 

"I guess I am a coward. I don't want people to be hurt. I want to save lives, improve them. And yeah, letting you go might help along a war, but I just... can't live with that guilt. Hah, I couldn't even help you unless I knew I wasn't going to get in trouble. I guess I am only looking out for myself."

 

He hesitated. Then, carefully, he placed the dagger in Barlow's hand.

 

"So I'm not helping you right now. I'm going to find a room where people can't convince me to let out prisoners, and I'm going to sit in there and try and untangle an implant's code and hope sometime soon I can rework it to help people made with faulty organs or weak bodies. And I'm not going to know whether or not you got out."

 

His grip on the dagger and Barlow's hand tightened, but dropped after a few minutes. He immediately clutched his arm, unsure of what to do or say.

[Nato G]

GM IC: Barlow - The Iron Fist of Fe. 

 

"Thank you," was all the Steltian said. 

[ZippyWharrgarbl]

IC: Rorohiko - A Tiny Ball Of Anxiety

 

"Um, thanks. I mean, you're welcome. I hope you... do... okay...?"

 

That was a horrible way to say goodbye. Rorohiko attempted double finger guns to improve it, but stopped awkwardly halfway and set his arms back down.

 

"Um, bye."

 

He quickly walked towards the door, trying to cram what he'd done out of his mind with thoughts of his work.

[Click]

IC: Fifteen - Iron Fist

 

Fifteen stirred briefly, and then with little warning, her orange eyes snapped open and blearily took in her surroundings. Something had awakened her, but she couldn't say what.

 

After taking a moment longer to puzzle over the question, she lifted her head and glanced around, almost immediately noticing the hulking figure of Barlow down the row of seats.

[ZippyWharrgarbl]

IC: Rorohiko - Waking Up Fifteen With Overwhelming Guilt Aura

 

Rorohiko nearly jumped out of his armour when Fifteen interrupted his hasty retreat by waking up. He yelped, only barely avoided falling back, and then said, "Oh hey, uh, Fifteen! I was just leaving. To do code stuff. With code. What are you doing up? We're not, uh, home. Yet."

Edited June 2, 2017 by ZippyWharrgarbl

[Nato G]

GM IC: Barlow - The Iron Fist of Fe.

 

Biting back a curse, Barlow carefully slid the knife out of sight under his arm. 

[Click]

IC: Fifteen - Iron Fist

 

She looked around again, blinking hard to get the sleep from her eyes. "Wh... what's going on...?"

[Coconut Fella]

IC: Threiaa - Beastie Bits

"Pardon if ya give me one moment with my associate," Threiaa said to Armani, before taking Ailun by the shoulder and hunching down to his level.

"Look, I don't know what grief y've got with guardy over here,  but we don't have any solid proof that we took the beastie to greener pastures. Neither of us will loikely find any kind of favor in Branar's eyes, 'specially me, but she has rank. Unpleasant as her pleasantness moight get, we moight need her."

 

IC: Tveke - Second Breath

"The'name's TV," I said to the matoran in front of me.

 

OOC: Sorry I've been so out of the loop, and especially sorry to CapMarvelous. I didn't see that post from over a month ago D:

Edited June 8, 2017 by Coconut Fella

[ZippyWharrgarbl]

OOC: I thought I posted but apparently innmy infinite wisdom I made a whole post and forgot to send it

 

IC: Rorohiko - Internally Screaming

 

"Um, we're still flying. In the ship. Xaril's ship. So, uh, you can go back to sleep. We haven't been flying long."

 

~

 

IC: Armani - Concerned

 

Armani patiently waited for the two to finish their discussion. She hoped she hadn't insulted the Matoran, even if she wasn't sure how she did it.

[Click]

IC: Ailun - Beastie Bits
 
"Well grab a souvenir then!" Ailun whispered harshly. "We just need a trophy, not a Karzin' airhead!"

 
IC: Fifteen - Iron Fist
 
She yawns and settles in again. "Just... keep it down, would you?"

[Coconut Fella]

IC: Threiaa - Beastie Bits

"Any sap could nab a chunk of gristle and show it to the guard! They don't have any way of knowing it was me in that ship that blew it's brains out!"

[Eiji Hino]

--IC: Tolo: Tesara--

"TV?" she asked incredulously.  "What kinda silly name is that?  C'mon, I know you have a proper name."

 

--OOC:--

You're good, CoFo.

[Coconut Fella]

IC: Tveke - Second Breath

I sighed. It had been thousands of years, but the off chance that she knew the name "Tveke" wouldn't bode well for me.

"Only name a' mine that matters anymore is that." I finally answered, my voice quieter than before.

[Eiji Hino]

--IC: Tolo: Tesara--

TV's answer was quiet, which suggested that he didn't really want to talk about it.  Tolo decided to just drop it, despite every fiber of her being craving to know more.

"Aight," she said, as she finished rewiring the console screens.

Edited June 8, 2017 by capMARVELOUS

[ZippyWharrgarbl]

IC: Rorohiko - Keeping It Down

 

"Sure. I'm going anyway, so um. Yeah. See you."

 

He edged a little closer to the door.

[Click]

IC: Ailun - Beastie Bits

 

"Well..." he made a great show of sniffing and recoiling from her. "You've sure got the smell down."

 

 

IC: Fifteen - Iron Fist

 

She nodded and fell back into the chair, closing her eyes again.

[Timageness]

IC: Ektana - Shipwreck

 

GM IC: Shipwreck - Plateau, The Wastes. 

 

But for all of her mistaken preconceptions, Saffina latest actions did produce results. As the chunk of wreckage she'd flung bounced off a distant outcropping or rock, it startled... something... out of hiding. Something that let out a nightmarish shriek before launching itself into the air, borne into the murk of the evening gloom by a set of oversized, dragonfly-esque wings. The thundering of wingbeats soon filled the still night air as more of the creatures emerged from their vantage points, beginning to circle the shipwreck, just outside the reach of the pirate's lights. 

 

Ektana glanced at the Vortixx for a fraction of a second and started running towards her ship, hoping to get inside in time. "Saffina?!" she tried to scream through the cacophony of shrieks and wingbeats.

 

IC: Saffina - The Wastes (Shipwreck)

 

Well, ####...

Not one of that Skakdi's stupid tests, surrounded by giant insects, and heavily outnumbered.

Definitely not one of your finest moments here, Captain.

Desperate for options, the Vortixx began rapidly listing off what she could gleam from the situation at hand.

 

- Currently out in the open, awaiting use as target practice.

- Swarm of ticked-off Rahi, looking for beings to take out their newfound aggression on. Threat Estimate: High.

- Likely relying on more primitive methods of detection, such as scent, sound, movement, or heat.

- Armor and weaponry of The Takea possibly enough to withstand, and potentially repel, ensuing assault, despite obvious disadvantages, such as speed and size.

- Exact source of shipwreck damage now being called into question, in response to decrease in odds regarding former candidate. Falling back to previous explanation, despite their methods of transportation still being unknown.

 

Wait a second...

 

- Species exhibits elongated tails, and seem to be large enough to support beings within standard Vorox size parameters. Possible domestication by native population?

- If correct, then posteriors are likely capable of emitting some form of natural energy. Surrounding evidence suggests Plasma.

- Applying Hypothesis... Odds of Successful Engagement/Escape from within The Takea: Minimal.

- Best Suggestion: Find cover and attempt to ride out the oncoming storm.

 

Theorising that the duo's vehicles would only sustain minimal damage, if any at all, should they remain immobile and the wrath of the swarm not be directed towards them, Saffina quickly began to run... only towards the wreckage of the downed ship instead of her own. The destroyed hull may not have been the option that offered the most protection, but it would at least limit the amount of attackers that could engage them directly at once. And, if she was correct in her assumption, then it may have been surrounded by the scent of others of their kind, enough to effectively disguise their whereabouts if that was indeed at least partially how they were being tracked.

"Wrong way!," she attempted to shout over the sound of the shrieking and thunderous wingbeats, only to look back towards the trio of Cargo Haulers. "One of you! Follow Ektana! As for the rest, on me!"

Granted, the actual effectiveness of the machines in this situation was limited at best, but they could still be used as a mobile form of cover, and having more potential targets would still decrease one's chances of being attacked.

Edited June 13, 2017 by Timageness

[Nato G]

GM IC: The Flying Vorox Swarm - Plateau, The Wastes.

 

As Ektana and Saffina attempted to flee, the Vorox - for they were indeed Vorox - split up into two distinct groups and began to pursue, landing ahead of the two pirates to block off their respective escape routes. 

[permanentlyExtinct]

IC: Ektana - The Wastes (Shipwreck)

 

"Saffina?!" Ektana looked in confusion as her companion made her way inside the wreck. The shrieking was way too loud - the Skakdi couldn't hear a thing Saffina was saying. She looked up; the creatures were flocking together and blocking the way out. Once again, she glanced at the entrance the Vortixx had previously kicked in. Cursing under her breath, Ektana jumped into her vehicle and began to rise up, hovering several feet above the ground.

 

From inside of The Machete her face turned grim. "Let's do it the traditional way," she said and started the ship, aiming towards te creatures and ramming into them in hope of getting through.

[Nato G]

GM IC: The Flying Vorox Swarm - Plateau, The Wastes. 

 

The creatures scattered out of Ektana's way, several of them circling back around and attempting to latch onto the vehicle. This close, Ektana would be able to see that many of these Vorox carried weapons, but weren't using them.

 

Perhaps the creatures wanted to take her and Saffina alive?

[ZippyWharrgarbl]

IC: Rorohiko - Sighing With Relief

 

With that, and glancing back once more at Barlow, he left the room.

 

Finding an empty room was easy, since he didn't want anything more than a dark, quiet place to work. He settled into a small storeroom and clicked the hatch on his forearm open, exposing the familiar keyboard and activating the warm, comforting glow of the screen with a few button taps. He stared at his work, and slowly, his erratic, stressed thoughts eased themselves into a comfortable rhythm. He knew this. He could get lost in this. He fiddled with the phrases and searched for connections until it was as if nothing else existed but him, the screen, and the code.

[Timageness]

IC: Saffina - The Wastes (Shipwreck)

 

Karz...

Time to get creative.

Seeing her escape route cut off, the Vortixx continued forward, launching herself off of a piece of nearby debris jutting out of the ground and using the resulting momentum in an attempt to sail over the closest mount and ground its rider via a full-body tackle. Given her superior strength and size, this shouldn't have been too much of an issue.

Unless, of course, they had enough sense to move out of the way, in which case, she could simply resume her path towards the wreckage with little fear of further interruptions.