Toru Nui

IC: Achro (The Coliseum, Throne Room) Oh yes. Why didn't he think of that? Clearly, ramming open the door that looked like it could withstand explosions was going to yield only good things, and not a substantial collection of broken bones. Why did he listen to this clown, again? Oh, right, vengeance against the Skakdi, and so on and so forth. Well, there was no answer to this question that didn't involve sass or condescension, and it was unlikely that Pridak was going to take this matter seriously. He could just take the explosives he thought he would need without asking... but, again, the vault door looked like it was 'boomproof', as an old friend would say. If it didn't work, he'd be blamed for the door's considerable structural integrity, as if that was his fault. "...Alright, I will attempt to open the door with... something heavy." This was ludicrous. It wasn't as if he could drop something on the door. Gravity only worked vertically without intervention, which was rubbish. "Thank you for your time, Lord Pridak." @Unreliable Narrator

IC: Ulkarr (Metru-Koro, Outside Sans's Hut) "I see. In the meantime, could you explain what exactly this 'League' is?" @Tarn IC: Ostrox (Le-Metru, Shipyard, The Tranquility, The Bridge) Boarding the Tranquility once again, Ostrox sat down in the captain's chair. "Primary systems check... all lights are green. Take-off for the Po-Metru Sculpture Fields." The engines thrummed as the vessel took to the air. @Nato the Traveler@Onaku@Eyru

IC: Ulkarr (Metru-Koro, Outside Sans's Hut) And it was at this point that Ulkarr showed up, further increasing the amount of people standing outside the Turaga's hut. He went to speak with Nale, the one he recognized. "I'd like to apologize for my abrupt disappearance. I was able to find an alternative means of transportation. What is the situation, here?" @Tarn IC: Ostrox (Le-Metru, Shipyard) "Sounds delightful! I'm sure Lord Pridak won't object to destroying more of this city's 'culture', - ha - as it were. How much of the Sculpture Fields do you think are intact?" @Nato the Traveler@Onaku@Eyru IC: Waveahk (Zakaz Airspace, The Eclipse, The Bridge) Waveahk squeezed onto the ship's bridge. "So, is there a plan or is this one of those improv assassinations?" @~Xemnas~@Kal the Guardian@EmperorWhenua@Tarn@Snelly

IC: Waveahk (Metru-Koro Outskirts, The Eclipse, Cargo Bay) "I like how you completely agree with me because I'm right, but you feel the need to disguise it by disagreeing with my word choice." Waveahk said to Stannis, as he began crouching beneath the ship to reach the cargo bay. "Also, this ship was poorly designed and I hate it." @EmperorWhenua@Kal the Guardian@Tarn@Snelly@~Xemnas~

IC: Tekmo (Metru-Koro Outskirts) Tekmo breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you... if I'm being honest, I... I just don't want to lose anyone else. You understand." @Keeper of Kraata IC: Waveahk (Metru-Koro Outskirts, The Eclipse Exterior) "...Alright. But let's keep in mind that this 'lieutenant' is only our friend as long as Pridak lives. As soon as he has what he want, we have to assume his betrayal is immediate." @EmperorWhenua@Tarn@Snelly

IC: Achro (The Coliseum, Throne Room) "...Because there is something down there they thought was so important it needed its own special door? There could be enemies who survived the fall on the other side." @Unreliable Narrator

IC: Achro (The Coliseum, Throne Room) Achro entered Pridak's throne room. He didn't understand why he felt the need to have an entire room dedicated to just sitting down. It was very strange. "Lord Pridak! I have visited upon the Onu-Metru Archives, but there's a slight problem. Most of the underground zoo has been filled to the brim with Red Smoke, but there's a particularly durable looking door on one of the lower levels. Completely airtight, and there's clearly someone on the other side. There's vents trying to push the Smoke away with boring regular air, and a voice from the other side told me that I couldn't come inside, for some reason." @Unreliable Narrator IC: Enra (Dead Forest, Ruins of Fire) "Eurgh." Enra wafted away the smell of sulfur. "Well, I'm out. We don't have anything to sacrifice, so we should be off." @Nato the Traveler@Onaku

IC: Ulkarr (Metru-Koro Outskirts) Ulkarr watched with disdain as Uraborask and his truck drove away, especially considering he was driving back in the direction of Po-Koro. During the journey here, he... heard something. He couldn't exactly explain what it was. A call, coming from somewhere near the volcano. But such things could wait. As he walked to the settlement's gates, he contacted Bode telepathically. Booodeee... the Skakdi has delivered me to Metru-Koro, and now he is heading back in your direction. Be wary of him, as without the ritual I cannot guarantee he will keep to his word. I have also heard something which I cannot quite explain. Some form of summons, beckoning me to the ashen lands in the shadow of the volcano. But I will finish my business in Metru-Koro before investigating that. Now, has anything happened in Po-Koro since last we communicated? @Harvali

IC: Tekmo (Metru-Koro Outskirts) "Because the Matoran will be UNDER THAT EARTH! If we fail here, the best case scenario is that the League doesn't find them, they run out of supplies and all starve to death. Worse case scenario, they do find them and either enslave or slaughter them all, depending on how they're feeling. Our 'alternatives' have been exhausted. Any attempt at a legitimate evacuation would only prolong the inevitable, and leave us decentralized in a hostile wasteland. We have to defeat them now, or we may never defeat them. And maybe we won't, but at least we'll have tried, rather than just up and leave once the going gets tough." @Keeper of Kraata IC: Enra (Dead Forest, Ruins of Fire) Enra also leaned over to inspect the basin. @Unreliable Narrator@Nato the Traveler@Onaku

IC: Ulkarr (Metru-Koro Outskirts, Uraborask's Truck) Uraborask and Ulkarr had now reached the outer limits of Metru-Koro. "This is my stop." Ulkarr disembarked from the vehicle. "Thank you for your services, Uraborask the Hunter. I do not want you in my sight again." @Sparticus147 IC: Ostrox (Le-Metru, Shipyard, The Tranquility, Cargo Bay) The Vahki installed the Pulse Bolt Generator aboard the Tranquility - a former airline passenger vessel before it was modified into a warship. Ostrox got out a small black captain's hat from a closet in the cargo bay and put it on. "Yes. This is PERFECTION." IC: Achro (The Coliseum, Secretary's Floor) Arriving at the Coliseum, Achro took the elevator as far up as it would go, because for some reason that was how it worked. He didn't know that there was a secretary installed, however, that had happened while he was gone. "Excuse me, I'm here to see Lord Pridak about the Archives." @Unreliable Narrator IC: NU-8020S (Tunnels) Using her unusual visual link with one of Takadox's would-be rescuers, NU-8020S pursued them through the tunnel, followed by her Vahki and organic hangers-on. @Vezok's Friend@Burnmad@Snelly@Sparticus147@Dane-gerous@Edelgard@Jakura Nuva@xccj IC: Tekmo (Metru-Koro Outskirts) "Evacuate to where, Skorm? The other refugee camps cannot sustain Metru-Koro's population, and the rest of the island is inhospitable, as we've seen. As such, the Turaga has ordered that the civilians will go underground in the New Archives, for all the good that'll do us if we lose, and he's made it very clear that criticizing or disobeying him is... ill-advised. We have no other choice but a 'glorious last stand'... or at least I don't, anyhow." @Keeper of Kraata IC: Waveahk (Metru-Koro Outskirts, The Eclipse Exterior) Having been present inside Sans's hut when Skyra went to inform Rose of Stannis's plan, Waveahk had heard about it, and wanted in on the action. "I was summoned by talk of assassination. What exactly is the plan, here?" @Snelly@Tarn@EmperorWhenua@Xemnas IC: Navu and Klawne (Metru-Koro, Outside Sans's Hut) Today was not a good day, to put it mildly. War, murder, black magic, being forcibly evicted from her home. All in all, today had been a bit of a downer. But since nobody on the street wanted to listen to her, even though she always had to listen to them, - constantly - she went to the Turaga's hut... but it seemed like, with all the happenings going on, it was rather crowded, lots of people both inside and out. Klawne had accompanied Knichou and everyone else out of the Taku to the hut where this settlement's Turaga resided in, though admittedly she had been lagging behind a little bit. She didn't see who was in the van who asked the question, but it was still a good question. One she hoped one of the others would answer. @BULiK@Tarn@Nato the Traveler@Dane-gerous@A-tak-nid@Smudge8@Sparticus147@ZippyWharrgarbl IC: Enra (Dead Forest, Ruins of Fire) Enra returned to the chamber where Xane and Rangi were. "Yeah, uh, sorry about that. The gong up there was louder than I thought it was gonna be. But there's nothing else up there except bloodstains and bad poetry. Maybe ritual sacrifice is just part of the local culture, or something." She didn't realize what she had done, nor did she see what was outside. @Nato the Traveler@Onaku IC: Gnabol (Wilderness, Aqua Sphere Trail, Skakdi Camp) From the cloth from the tents and various other items around the camp, Mazor and Gnabol were able to make seven baby carriers for the Skaklets. "Alright, if we both wear one strapped on our front and another one on our back, that's four out of seven dealt with. I'm fairly certain we can just carry the remaining three in our hands." @Smudge8

Designation: The Tranquility Vehicle: Airship Faction: The Barraki Captained by: Ostrox Description: Originally a passenger airline ship, the Tranquility was salvaged and hastily remade into a warship after the invasion. This mostly consisted of just reinforcing the hull strength with armour plating and sticking some weapons on it. The upper deck is divided into three sections, the bridge on the front, the passenger space in the middle, and the engine room in the back. The cargo bay is on the lower deck, situated beneath the passenger space, where ordinarily luggage would be kept, but now there's merely supplies to keep the ship running. The passenger space is now mostly irrelevant, and as such, the upper middle portion is the part with the least armour plating, making it more vulnerable. Naturally, there are internal speakers so that the captain can communicate with those in the other compartments, as well as a radio system to transmit and receive messages from nearby sources. Also, in the event of an emergency, red warning lights will sound and air masks will be deployed. Parachutes and inflatable life-rafts can be found in all four sections of the ship in the event the vessel must be abandoned. Weaponry: The ship's name is rather ironic, as the Tranquility comes equipped not only with Ehlek's new Pulse Bolt Generator, mounted on the front, but there's a machine gun turret for closer-range targets on the underside, both of which are controlled remotely by Ostrox and one of the Vahki from the bridge. They can also be physically accessed from the cargo bay, from which they are maintained by one of the Vahki crew members. Crew: Aside from Ostrox himself, a squad of four Vahki maintain the ship. One steers and pilots the ship as the helmsman, one serves as first officer, one has duties maintaining the weapons, and the last one is in charge of the engine.

IC: Ostrox (Le-Metru, Shipyard) Ostrox began overseeing the installation of the pulse bolt generator onto one of the four airships. @Nato the Traveler@Onaku@Eyru IC: Achro (Onu-Metru) Making his way to the Onu-Metru surface, Achro began walking the road back to the Coliseum... IC: Tekmo (Metru-Koro Outskirts) "You know what 'it' is. Where, precisely, do you think you're going?" @Keeper of Kraata

IC: Ostrox (Le-Metru, Shipyard) "Looking good. Very, very good. These new weapons - if Lord Ehlek's word is true - will DEMOLISH that little shanty town." A brief cackle escaped Ostrox's mouth. @Onaku@Nato the Traveler@Eyru IC: Tekmo and Waveahk (Metru-Koro, Sans's Hut) "On the contrary, I think we were getting somewhere, before our senses were viciously assaulted. I'm going to have to assume that was your vehicle, because ours doesn't do that." "I'm so glad this important meeting concerning our imminent annihilation is being quagmired by this absurdity. On Stelt, we had laws against 'disturbing the peace', and the penalty was... well, whatever the disturbed party felt like at the moment." Waveahk's tone of voice made it unclear if this was a joke or not. "Anyway, yes, I'll see if I can, uh, convince Skorm to stay." Tekmo began to make his way out of the hut. @Dane-gerous@Azibo@Keeper of Kraata@Conway@TL01 NUVA@Tarn@Snelly

IC: Ostrox (Le-Metru, Shipyard) "It shouldn't be too hard to get people to do their jobs, so I think it's best to use more ships. More targets means their firepower will be less concentrated." @Nato the Traveler@Eyru IC: Tekmo and Waveahk (Metru-Koro, Sans's Hut) "OH, WHAT IS IT NOOOW?!" "MARVELOUS. I WASN'T OVERLY FOND OF HEARING ANYWAY." @ZippyWharrgarbl@Dane-gerous@A-tak-nid@Azibo@Keeper of Kraata@TL01 NUVA@Conway@Tarn@Snelly@Sparticus147@Smudge8 IC: Enra (Dead Forest, Ruins of Fire) "Well, not doing that again." Enra made her way back down the ziggurat and headed back to where Xane and Rangi were. @Nato the Traveler@Onaku IC: Klawne (Zakaz Airspace, The Taku, Cargo Bay) "'Heavy clothes'? Whatever for?" @The UltimoScorp@BULiK

IC: Ostrox (Le-Metru, Shipyard) Ehlek's death would be a protracted and painful one, if Ostrox was going to have any say in it. Still, these - conspicuously unnamed - weapons, if they functioned how Ehlek claimed they did would be useful. And fun. He said nothing as he leaded the Vahki carrying the new equipment out of the laboratory. He tried to push out the horrible sight of seeing his master... desecrated in such a manner, and tried to imagine Metru-Koro being wiped from existence, only dust remaining, blowing in the wind. He then turned his attention to the airships, as Zaliyah did. @Vezok's Friend@Nato the Traveler IC: Achro (Onu-Metru, The Archives) Achro made his way back upwards through the Archives. If Pridak was willing, he would indeed come back to the vault... with copious amounts of plastic explosives. IC: NU-8020S (Mesi Cavern) NU-8020S turned back her head a full one-hundred and eighty degrees to see a giant worm - no doubt the one they came across earlier - greedily swallow up the hostile organics, their tiny meat brains overcome with terror. But the Squad Mother saw a way to turn this to their advantage. "They are distracted. We are altering course." NU-8020S came out of the tunnel - and made a beeline for a different tunnel. The one that Takadox and his band of rescuers had escaped through. @Vezok's Friend@Edelgard@Jakura Nuva@xccj IC: Tekmo and Waveahk (Metru-Koro, Sans's Hut) "Keitara is right. We cannot simply abandon Metru-Koro to the League, regardless of, uh, management issues." Tekmo implored to Skorm. "I would suggest a full-scale evacuation, but there's literally nowhere else we can escape to. The rest of the desert teems with local raiders, and we barely even entered the swamp before being accosted by a giant monster." Waveahk turned to and answered Jephro, who just came in. "...Yes." @TL01 NUVA@Azibo@Keeper of Kraata@Smudge8@Conway@Tarn@Snelly@Dane-gerous IC: Enra (Dead Forest, Ruins of Fire) "Oh, it's poetry." Enra said with derision. It wasn't even good poetry... maybe because it felt like parts of it were missing. Enra decided sounding the gong with her fist would be a good idea. She punched it, using only brute strength and no power from her shock gauntlets, though she reined herself in a little to try and avoid damaging it too much. @Unreliable Narrator IC: Gnabol (Wilderness, Aqua Sphere Wilderness, Skakdi Camp) "Right." Gnabol also looked for anything that could be used to make some sort of carrier for the children. @Unreliable Narrator@Smudge8

IC: Achro (Onu-Metru, The Archives, Vault Exterior) "...Alright! That's fine. I'll come back later." Achro began walking away from the Vault's door. @EmperorWhenua IC: Tekmo and Waveahk (Metru-Koro, Sans's Hut) Sans's words had basically devolved into: 'the enemy is pure evil, I know better than you, obey without question'. But if the enemy was pure evil, why was Skorm even here? If Sans knew better, why did he put Waveahk, the ex-Dark Hunter with all the charisma of a dry sponge, in charge of an important mission to reach out to an unknown, possibly hostile species? And if he was to obey without question, was he supposed to jump off a cliff if the Turaga told him to, or kill innocents just because they couldn't find anyone else with a nice Badge of Office? OK, so, maybe the vast majority of the League was evil, he'd grant that. And maybe Sans was... no, there was no possibility of that, but perhaps the failure to negotiate with the League genuinely wasn't his fault. He'd have to get a second opinion though. But if Sans expected him to just follow orders mindlessly without regard to the potential consequences or moral dilemmas - then how was Tekmo any different from your average League soldier? ...How was Sans any better than the Barraki? Protecting the Matoran was no valid excuse - the Matoran deserved better from their protectors and their leaders. Everyone did. He didn't speak. Sans made it clear that criticizing him was now forbidden, which is pretty much the first tip in the dictator's handbook, if such a thing existed. Sans presumed that Tekmo's Duty was unquestioning obedience to old people, but it wasn't. It was helping the innocent and opposing tyranny. Perhaps, if the Barraki were vanquished - when the Barraki were vanquished - a change in leadership would be in order. Maybe give democracy a try, he'd heard only good things about that. Meanwhile, Waveahk had resigned himself to his fate. They were all going to die because the Turaga didn't understand basic diplomacy. The item the League was after 'no longer existed'? Really? That was his excuse? If the Toa couldn't protect Metru Nui from the League, how exactly did they expect to protect this ramshackle shanty town without their advanced technology? Advanced technology the League now had. Maybe Skorm had the right idea, even if it would only buy them a little more time. His gaze turned from the debacle in front of him to his revolver. Its bullets were not exactly the deadliest ordnance in the universe, but pressed up against the side of his head, there would be no way to heal him from that. It would certainly be better than anything the League could offer. It would be better than continuing to mutate into some sort of aquatic fish-monster. It would be better than having a spend a single second more with these idiots. No. He would not go quietly - as quietly as a gunshot to the head could be. If death was truly what he wanted, he would have given up a long time ago. A despotic empire trying to take over his home, being mutated against his will, joining a mercenary group just for shelter, killing random strangers because that was his job now, becoming the unwilling pawn of a strange, otherworldly power, and now this. He may not emerge unscathed, but he would survive, as he had done so before... he just couldn't guarantee anyone else would survive either. @Azibo@Keeper of Kraata@Tarn@Snelly@Conway@TL01 NUVA@Dane-gerous

IC: Achro (Onu-Metru, The Archives, Vault Exterior) "I came down here to solve a little animal problem. You see, they're all still alive. Is that supposed to happen after a fall from the sky? I was ordered to come down here and make them unalive, and my patented Red Smoke - kills ninety-nine-point-nine percent of EVERYTHING - can't permeate through solid objects. The laws of physics are unjust and oppressive... so, door not opening then?" @EmperorWhenua

IC: Achro (Onu-Metru, The Archives, Vault Exterior) "Ah. You forgot the key. I understand. One time, I lost my pancreas, and I haven't seen it since... at least, what I assume to be my pancreas. Anyway, if you can't open the door, can I open the door?" @EmperorWhenua

IC: Achro (Onu-Metru, The Archives, Vault Exterior) "Well, I'd like you to open this door, but I have the feeling you won't, since it's not opened." @EmperorWhenua IC: Waveahk (Metru-Koro, Outside Sans's Hut) OK, so Sorilax wasn't with them. The mysterious entity with knowledge they so desperately required showed up, boarded the hauler in order to heal them, healed them, and then didn't board the hauler in the first place, leaving behind his little compatriot/friend/minion alone with a bunch of complete strangers. It was OK. Everything was OK. The hauler had still shown up outside Sans's house, Waveahk had still knocked on the Turaga's door. @Sparticus147@Azibo@TL01 NUVA@Keeper of Kraata@Conway@Tarn@Snelly

IC: Tekmo and Waveahk (Metru-Koro, Outside Sans's Hut, Cargo Hauler) After some confusing shenanigans that seemed to defy the laws of time and space, the cargo hauler, and its passengers - Irna, Keitara, Rose, Sala, Skorm, Skyra, Sorilax, Tekmo and Waveahk - arrived at the hut of Turaga Sans. "Now, while our mission may have technically been an ABJECT FAILURE, no blame will be assigned. By me. The Turaga I cannot speak for." Waveahk exited the vehicle, fully expecting the others to follow him, and knocked on the Turaga's front door. @Conway@TL01 NUVA@Tarn@Sparticus147@Keeper of Kraata@Snelly@Kal the Guardian@Azibo

IC: Gnabol (Wilderness, Aqua Sphere Trail, Skakdi Camp) Gnabol followed Mazor back to where the remaining infants were. "Alright... obviously, we don't have enough limbs to carry all seven of them. I can use telekinesis, but that requires intense concentration, and I'm new to the whole 'psionic powers' thing." @Smudge8

IC: Achro (Onu-Metru, The Archives, Vault Exterior) "I know you're in there, you know. You know I'm out here, I know. No? Know." @EmperorWhenua IC: Tekmo and Waveahk (Metru-Koro, Cargo Hauler) "...Blasted hitchhikers." Waveahk began driving into the village once Morangad had departed. Tekmo continued to speak with Sorilax. "You should come with us to meet the Turaga. I'm sure he'll be very interested to learn more about Le-Metru Nuva and the Kraata." "Yes. He most certainly will." @Kal the Guardian@Sparticus147@TL01 NUVA@Keeper of Kraata@Conway@Tarn@Snelly IC: Enra (Dead Forest, Ruins of Fire) "Hmm." Enra made her way back through the tunnel, intending to do as Xane suggested and head up the ziggurat. @Unreliable Narrator@Nato the Traveler@Onaku

IC: Achro (Onu-Metru, The Archives, Vault Exterior) Achro walked up to and knocked on the vault door. @EmperorWhenua

IC: Achro (Onu-Metru, The Archives, Vault Exterior) Achro skulked through the tunnels and hallways of the Archives. The Red Smoke had to spread to every corner of this glorified zoo, or else something might survive. And they couldn't have that, now could they? He came across a large metallic door with a panel displaying the word 'locked' in red letters. Not inherently noteworthy in and of itself - but what was noteworthy was that around the door, air was being vented to try and push the Red Smoke back. There was intelligence behind this door... @EmperorWhenua IC: NU-8020S (Mesi Cavern) "Through here!" NU-8020S pointed to one of the nearby tunnels. It was not the one their quarry had escaped through, but it would have to do. Still in quadrupedal mode, she scuttled across the cavern floor into the specified tunnel, followed by her Vahki, and hopefully the organics. @Vezok's Friend@Edelgard@Jakura Nuva@xccj IC: Klawne (Zakaz Airspace, The Taku, Cargo Bay) "Ah. I see. Very complicated, then." She actually didn't see, but the explanation that the whole ship was suspended using some sort of levitation power was good enough for her. @BULiK@The UltimoScorp

IC: Tekmo and Waveahk (Metru-Koro Outskirts, Cargo Hauler) "'Le-Metru Nuva'? Interesting... another refugee camp, most likely. Perhaps the projected casualties were a little too cynical..." Something clicked in Tekmo's head, his eyes lit up and his focus became solely fixed upon Sorilax. "May I ask how you know so much about these 'Kraata'?" Waveahk suspected the same as Tekmo, but decided not to say anything... for now. He began to take the hauler into the village proper. If Morangad wasn't getting off here, well, that was his decision. And speaking of Morangad, nobody else had bothered to rid him of his ignorance regarding aerial travel, so clearly the responsibility lay upon him, as per usual. "An airship. It's like a ship, except it's in the air. Hence the name." @Kal the Guardian@Burnmad@Sparticus147@TL01 NUVA@Keeper of Kraata@Conway@Tarn@Snelly IC: Klawne (Zakaz Airspace, The Taku, Cargo Bay) Ordinarily, Klawne didn't mind being alone. She kind of had not to mind, considering she had lived on an island full of savages who would, with a few one-in-one-hundred exceptions, kill or capture her on sight. But now that she didn't have to be alone, she didn't want to be. "So... how does the ship work?" She asked the crew-member known as Exuze, trying to exercise social interaction while also satiating curiosity. @BULiK@The UltimoScorp