Skyrise

[Coconut Fella]

IC: TV - Tesara, Central Marketplace

I grumbled again, although this time I did so with hollow conviction. In all honesty, hearing that "she wasn't worried" was reassuring in a lot of ways. Even being the fruit guy was reassuring. I'd much rather be TV the fruit guy than Tveke the pirate.

"Plannin' on buyin' anything more?" I say to the second guard, "Got Madu fruit this time. Fresh stuff, not that Cabolo nonsense." 

[ZippyWharrgarbl]

IC: Rorohiko - Nerd Ship

 

"Easier to remember, too," he nodded. "People tell me sometimes that I should name things more professionally, but why? That's just boring. People will remember more exciting and awesome names."

 

~

 

IC: Armani - The Test

 

Looking out for trouble as she was, she saw the disturbed sand approaching the vehicle. She turned her craft and swooped low, firing her weapon in front of the shifting sand, between the disturbances and the transport, hoping to scare the Vorox off. Directly attacking them would only run a very big risk of causing them to swarm faster for the transport and in general make an attack harder to defend against. Even if this didn't scare them off, it would deter them at least momentarily from advancing.

[Ehksidian]

IC: Karanta - Iron Fist

 

"Hm. Why not both? A more professional name, and an easier to remember fun name? Best of both worlds. Something for those higher up to file away respectably, and something for you to call it on your own!" Karanta said to Rorohiko, a smile on her face. "Can't be that hard, eh?"

[ZippyWharrgarbl]

IC: Rorohiko - Nerd Ship

 

"Why would I bother renaming it?" He went back to his tapping at the device. "My names are awesome. I made it, so I get to decide what to name it. If that's a problem for the higher ups, then they can invest their own time and research into making something they can give a boring name. Besides, it's mostly friends that suggest it. I don't think the Council or anyone high up like that care very much, they take my work either way."

 

He glanced up briefly to see someone else was also tinkering, albeit in the physical realm. "Hey, are you an engineer, too? Haven't seen you around. Don't see many people around in the first place, though."

[Zacian]

IC: Katana - Capstone

 

"You've been staring at me for some time." he said to the Matoran.

Edited December 6, 2016 by Koala Kranan

[permanentlyExtinct]

IC: Parii - Capstone

 

My bad, Parii signalled with his hands and smiled apologetically at the Glatorian. He then held out his hand, hoping that the stranger didn't find his behaviour offensive.

[Not Quite Dead]

IC: Ezezko - Open Skies

He wasn't quite sure exactly what was going on down there, but he followed suit and loosed a few volleys into the turbulent sands.

[Click]

IC: Ailun - Moa (Outside New Atero)

 

"Okay... shoot." Ailun was still watching the stranger carefully.

 

 

IC: Fifteen - Iron Fist

 

She continues tinkering for a while before feeling the eyes on her and slowly looking up. "Oh... no, I'm just a Guard," she says quietly.

 

 

IC: Mirror - Tesara Marketplace

 

Mirror starts fishing through his armor for spare widgets, only to stop as he catches a glimpse of Jira. He drops his hands and shrugs. "I'm on duty now."

 

 

IC: Serka - New Atero (Parking District)

 

As she steps inside, she takes in the unusual features of the ship with an appraising grin. "Now this is my kind of ship."

[Ghidora131]

IC Maldrakk - The Test

 

This is what I get for not loading up my bomb bay...

 

Maldrakk watched what was going to happen next. The other two pilots were working against each other, so the best thing to do now was to wait.

[Ehksidian]

IC: Ennanas - Outside the Moa

 

"Seen creatures? Large, terror creatures? I am hunting them. Have you seen any?" Ennanas said. She stared down at Ailun, her eyes intense. "Tell me. Can assist if there are any issues with ship if you inform me."

[Zacian]

IC: Katana - Capstone

 

Katana smiled back and gave the same apologetic gesture to the Matoran. Seconds later, the bartender finally shows up with Katana's water bottle and he gives her a few widgets in return.

 

He turned back to the Matoran. "Mind if I have a seat with you?" he asked.

 

OOC: ugh that feeling when you have your rpg character doing nothing while you watch everyone else have fun.

[permanentlyExtinct]

IC: Parii - Capstone

 

Parii nodded and gestured to the chair on his right.

[Coconut Fella]

IC: TV - Tesara, Central Marketplace

A sound not unlike the puff of air from a muaka's throat escaped my mouth.

"Hrrrm. Come back later then, at this rate I'm sure I'll still have plenty to spare."

[Nato G]

GM IC: Jira - Tesara Marketplace. 

 

Seeing that the rowdy shopkeeper's outburst was more or less resolved, Jira set off once more into the bustling marketplace. 

_________________________________________________________

 

GM IC: The Test - Canyon. 

 

Armani and Ezezko's calculated act of teamwork succeeded in halting the advance of the main Vorox swarm. In the face of the explosive impacts against the sand, the creatures dug themselves out, startled and disoriented, and were quickly cut down by a broadside of razor-edged Kanoka fired from the transport itself. 

 

A smaller group of Vorox and Zesk breached the sand on the other side of the transport, circling wide and keeping their distance. These were veterans, survivors, used to New Atero's equipment and tactics. They knew the effective range of the transport's launchers, they knew the blind spots where they could strike from, and they knew to keep their gaze skywards. Dispatching them wouldn't be as easy. 

 

Inside, Stronius and Branar watched the proceedings with mixed expressions. Two of the pilots seemed to be working well together, while the third didn't appear willing to participate at all. Disappointing, but it was best to start small with trails like this. Maldrakk was just lucky that he wasn't the one being tested today. 

[Onaku]

IC: Porangi - New Atero

 

The Clanka-Clunk felt like it was running on fumes... which is funny, because it's unclear what even powers these things to begin with. Either way, the engine very suddenly ceased operation, forcing Porangi to once more deploy the glider wings to soften the descent. Fortunately, he'd reached New Atero, and he just barely made it onto the platform as the craft plonked down unceremoniously and screeched to a halt... right next to Bloat's airship. 

 

"Heya there fellows! Nice day for a series of rough landings, wouldn't you say?!" He loudly said, addressing the people in and around the airship.

[ZippyWharrgarbl]

IC: Rorohiko - Nerd Ship

 

"Huh. It's more of a hobby, then? That's cool. What are you working on?"

 

~

 

IC: Armani - The Test

 

Some of the Vorox and Zesk weren't backing down. That was a shame. She didn't really like killing the creatures- like all Spherus Magnans, she knew they were once a proud village and army of their own merit, but the Shattering had a terrible impact on the Vorox and Zesk left on Bara Magna. She never sought to kill them as a first choice on her rounds, but they often did not leave any others. Her people were never kind to the Vorox, and it was not behaviour she was excused from. But, she knew better now, time had taught her many things. She would still kill them if needed, and steeled herself to do so.

 

She went after the smaller group, dipping low, very low. She fired at them this time, keeping her ship between them and the transport, and circled around to face them again once she'd passed them.

[Dane-gerous]

IC: Taurek - In Pursuit

 

I continued to fly forwards, hoping to outlast this idiot.

[Click]

IC: Ailun - Moa (Outside New Atero)

 

"Umm... creatures?" He was feeling increasingly uncomfortable under the Glatorian's stare. "No, no creatures here!"

 

 

IC: Fifteen - Iron Fist

 

She holds it out for him to see the ungainly mess of scraps. "It's... nothing really. I didn't think to bring anything else for the journey."

 

 

IC: Mirror - Tesara Marketplace

 

"I will!" Mirror grins as he realizes Jira was gone. "But... uh, duty calls."

[Ehksidian]

IC: Ennanas - Outside New Atero/The Moa
 
"No creatures from Chasm? Hm. Unfortunate. Information still very appreciated." The Glatorian tilted her head at an odd angle, and asked, "You require assistance, or no? I can provide if needed."

IC: Karanta - The Iron Fist

 

Karanta looked towards the ground and murmured out a "Sorry".

[porkypiny]

​IC: Voturia ​- ​New Atero (Parking District)

 

An olive green Skyfighter zips through the air and lands with a thud, ​"You useless hunk of scrap!"​, Crack! Voturia punches the interface and the engine and lights whir down. She hops off the craft and walks off towards the residential district, mumbling and shouting various profanities while struggling to keep her possessions in place.

 

​OOC: ​open to interaction.  

[Zacian]

IC: Katana - Capstone

 

Katana moved to the chair on the Matoran's right. He took a sip from his bottle and turned back to the Matoran. "So, what brings you here?" he asked, trying to bring up a conversation.

[permanentlyExtinct]

IC: Parii - Capstone

 

Parii pointed to a map hanging from the wall and pointed to New Atero, slowly moving it to where Cliffside was marked. He then opened his right palm and swiped it with his left hand - a sign meaning exile. He sighed, his expression a bit dark. He gestured at the Glatorian. And you?

[ZippyWharrgarbl]

IC: Rorohiko - Nerd Ship

 

"Huh." He peered at it. It wasn't exactly what he was expecting. "Very abstract. That's cool."

 

To Karanta, he said, "Huh? Oh, no, it's okay. My friends say stuff like that all the time. You don't have to apologise."

[Zacian]

IC: Katana - Capstone

 

The Matoran signalled that he was an exile from New Atero. Katana moved his lips to ask why but instantly cut it off.

 

The Matoran gestured to Katana, And you?

 

"Nothing much, really. Just trying to find anyone here in Capstone willing to buy scrap metal from me," he answered. "My previous client got shot recently by a grunt somewhere at Cliffside, the poor guy."

Edited December 8, 2016 by Koala Kranan

[Not Quite Dead]

IC: Ezezko - Skies

What was it nagging at the back of his brain? Some sort of historical trivia about the Zesk and Vorox he was busy gunning down indiscriminately.

 

Eh.

 

Probably nothing pertinent or moving.

[permanentlyExtinct]

IC: Parii - Capstone

 

Parii made the 'oh?' face and nodded. Sure, shootings in Cliffside weren't uncommon.

Parii spelled out his name using the sign language and finished with pointing to his chest. He also offered a fistbump.

 

IC: Ektana - Capstone

 

After the Glatorian wierdo went away, Ektana entered Machete and spent some time there putting various maps and gadgets into their rightful place, though she got bored relatively quickly. She left the vehicle and went off to a smaller plateau with some small shops. As she knew the owners, she checked for any news about Fe - still nothing. Ektana sighed, knowing that there was one more place she could check for information.

After ten minutes she arrived at Capstone. At the entrance her face frowned with anger at the sight in front of her - that Ba-Matoran scoundrel was sitting there in plain sight and she couldn't even break his neck-

Calm down , she thought while glaring coldly at Parii. Though still angry, she turned away from the Matoran and scanned the rest of the bar. What caught her attention almost immediately was a single Steltian Bruiser in an expensive looking coat, completely drunk and rumbling about something she couldn't hear from here.

Welp. Might as well give it a shot.

She approached him and as she got closer and closer she noticed that one of the pockets of his jacket was torn.

Ektana sat down, clicking her fingers at a nearby waiter. "One Tesaran shake for me."

The waiter nodded and disappeared in the crowd. Meanwhile, she decided to converse with the stranger, hoping to finally find some of the first clues about Fe's location she's been searching for for weeks. "Enjoying your drinks?" Ektana asked in a monotone voice, trying to start a conversation.

Edited December 8, 2016 by permanentlyExtinct

[silo]

IC: Kathok - Above the Wastes

 

Now flying behind the other two, Kathok's heart is a blur of elated agitation and eager anticipation. Almost without thinking, Kathok's hands, as if connected by taught strings to his racing heart, flicker over Sunmaker's brutal metal control panel. In an instantaneous singularity of a moment, twin beams of slicing, searing doom materialise from either side of Sunmaker's hull, inescapable spears of agony capable of tearing ships apart with deadly clarity and blistering intensity. The dual projections of withering light are fixed in place, but Kathok seals the deal with a coincident up-down motion of his ship - the whole apparatus is acting like an oversized saw, incising the vehicle in front over and over and over again. A side effect is Sunmaker's damaged engine spluttering defiantly with the stress, and dipping in power irregularly. The auxiliary engines - those that are actually performing the maneuver - are fine.

 

Kathok hasn't got to the point where he's willing to risk throwing away a chance at winning to for a chancy move - not yet at least. This is why he doesn't try firing the force cannon as well, in case it drains Sunmaker's energy banks entirely. However, the end of this stanza is fast approaching and it may well get the win-or-die stage fairly soon...

Edited December 8, 2016 by Sil

[Nato G]

IC: Ektana - Capstone

 

The waiter nodded and disappeared in the crowd. Meanwhile, she decided to converse with the stranger, hoping to finally find some of the first clues about Fe's location she's been searching for for weeks. "Enjoying your drinks?" Ektana asked in a monotone voice, trying to start a conversation.

 

GM IC: Barlow - Capstone. 

 

"O' coursh I am," the bruiser gurgled, almost choking on a burp mid-sentence, "Why'd ya ask?" 

[porkypiny]

GM IC: Just Another Day.

 

New Atero.

 

A nameless, faceless servant emerged momentarily from the tower, as they did every morning, to post the day's new notices and edicts on the fortress' message board, and remove those that were no longer relevant. 

 

On this day, however, the servant tore every scrap of paper down off the board, giving pride of place to three new missives, before scurrying straight back into the tower. Once the servant was gone and the doors locked, a grimly-looking Matoran lurched up from some obscure corner of the square, picked up one of the torn-down pages, pinned it back onto the board, then darted off again.

 

The three primary notices were printed on pristine parchment, in delicate, stenciled script:

 

Find Fe: A hefty reward still stands for any being who can find and accurately map the location of the settlement known as Fe. Payment will only be given after our own agents have confirmed the validity of the information given. Anyone who wastes our time with falsified Intel will meet with the appropriate punishment. 

 

Pilots wanted: We are seeking experienced pilots and engineers to aid in the testing of a new experimental vehicle. Inquire within. 

 

A reminder: Military Curfew is still in effect. Anyone found outside of their mandated zones after midnight without the properly approved licenses will be reprimanded accordingly. 

 

The fourth notice, the one posted by the dirty Matoran, was a hastily-scrawled, nearly-illegible mess of haphazard scratches. It wasn't written in the traditional rounded Matoran script regularly used in most of the settlements, either, but in the more archaic hexagonal variation that had fallen out of common use decades ago. For those who had the time and patience to decipher the greasy scrawl, the message read:

 

Looknig for help in locatin underwaeter trezures. Go to Anvil Bar, aks for Slim e Jo. 

 

Cliffside.

 

Cliffside had no notice board, but there was still plenty of information to be gleaned from the patrons of Capstone, if one knew where to listen. For example, right out the front there was a pair of injured, dehydrated skakdi who loudly informed everyone who passed them that their airship had been shot down by Vorox a few hours after departing Tesara, and the entire crew slaughtered by the beasts. Normally, such outlandish claims were easily dismissed, but there were others in the bar who claimed to have witnessed the pair arrive in Cliffside... travelling on foot.

 

A rowdy, hungover lout in the back corner was bragging about pulling off some kind of infiltration job on behalf of New Atero. He refused to go into any details, and it was entirely possible that the entire story was a drunken fabrication. The poor man had been drinking all through the night, after all. The strange thing was, though, that for someone who had been spending frivolously all through the night, he still seemed to have an awful lot of widgets in the many pockets of his expensive-looking coat.

 

Finally, a dark-armoured Turaga was slouched in a table near the entrance, seemingly waiting for someone. Turaga were something of a rarity in the Great Barren, and given their high social status, it was rarer still to see one here in Cliffside, of all places. Perhaps he had an interesting story to tell... or maybe he just wanted to be left alone... 

 

Tesara.

 

It was market day in Tesara, and even though it was barely an hour after sunup, preparations were already in full swing. All of the shops and stall owners had already began setting up their displays and unpacking their wares. Only the Fe delegation were absent - they usually set off from Fe a few hours before sunup, arriving in Tesara by mid morning. 

 

Unusually for Tesara, the streets were crawling with guards. It looked like the whole garrison had been turned loose, combing the streets and alleyways, and occasionally stopping to question people. The streets were abuzz with rumours about what might have provoked them, but so far, nothing had been figured out for certain. 

 

Elsewhere.

 

The Jetrax that Taurek had been following had slowed down a bit, dropping down to standard cruising speed, but otherwise didn't do anything particularly interesting. 

 

IC: Voturia ​- New Atero (Parking District)

 

The ever resistant Skyblade let's out a defining bang and sputter, the vulgar Vo-matoran turns on her heel and stares daggers at the now smoking vehicle. She turns back around, lets out an exasperated sigh, continues to stomp off towards the residential district, and starts yelling even louder and using language that would make even the most hardened individuals cringe.

 

On her way home she passes by the notice bored, spots the ​​"Pilots wanted", and inquires within. "Hello?"

Edited December 9, 2016 by porkypiny

[Nato G]

GM IC: The Servant - The Tower, New Atero.

 

At Voturia's call, the obscure servant once again hauled open the door and leaned out into the square, their strangely-unidentifiable face adorned with a puzzled frown, "Can I help you?" 

[Coconut Fella]

IC: TV - Tesara, Central Marketplace

"Yeah, Duty. One a' the few blasted things left in the world we can hold on to."

In a moment of lack of restraint, and one I hope he missed, my staunch expression loosened. Only a bit, mind you. I'm not that much of a sap.

"Get on then!" I barked, slipping back into the norm like a kraata into the suit.

 

IC: Maxilos 042 - New Atero, Parking District

Not one, but two, loud and disturbing vehicles pulled into the parking district. Both pilots were in violation of standard parking regulations, either vehicle may have posed possible damages to the premises. 042 descended quickly, lighting neatly and evenly within the bounds of a reserved parking space. Separating from the vehicle must have been a disorienting sight to any observer, but to Maxilos 042 it felt more natural than any other part of it's strange life. Head still clicking into place, 042 calculates priorities. One violater departing quickly from the premises, the other, who has posed more viable damage, still lingering. In the end, the broken tarmac of the district called 042 to the first pilot to touchdown. It turned, and began marching towards the Zyglak.

 

OOC: 042 is approaching Porangi

[permanentlyExtinct]

IC: Ektana - Capstone

 

"Just wonderin'..." Ektana said as she threw widgets on the waiter's plate and took her drink. "First time seeing you here. You exiled or on a buissness trip?"

Edited December 9, 2016 by permanentlyExtinct

[Nato G]

GM IC: Barlow - Capstone. 

 

"Huh?" the bruiser frowned groggily at Ektana, "Well I aint seen you around here either." Barlow might've been drunk, but he wasn't so heavily inebriated as to forget that he lived in Cliffside. 

[Onaku]

IC: Porangi - New Atero, Parking District

"That's a nice airship you guys have there. You going somewhere important with it? I don't mean to intrude, but a Zyglak's gotta stay alert for any prospects that come his way." Porangi had gotten off his vehicle and approached the airship. He seemed to be entirely unaware of the Maxilos marching toward him.

[permanentlyExtinct]

OOC: whoops I've derped - I forgot to read the profile and thought that he was from New Atero.

 

IC: Ektana - Capstone

 

Ektana's brows furrowed. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't remember ever seeing this guy around here. Maybe he just doesn't show up outside of the bar often..., she pondered.

"...Huh. That's wierd. Usually fancy guys like you are quite easy to spot." She took a sip of her drink and grinned, showing her sharp Skakdi teeth. "Name's Ektana. Pleased to meet ya."

Edited December 9, 2016 by permanentlyExtinct

[Zacian]

IC: Katana - Capstone

 

The Matoran spelled his name using sign language, (which Katana was thankful that he understood), which was 'Parii'. Parii also offered a fistbump, which Katana remembered was a sign of greeting someone back in the Matoran Universe.

 

Katana bumped Parii's fist. "I'm Katana." he said. "Nice to meet you, Parii."

Edited December 9, 2016 by Koala Kranan

[Dane-gerous]

IC: Taurek - Hit

 

The lasers sliced through both my side fin like a hot protosteel knife.

 

I felt the Deliverance begin to point downwards, and I braced for teleportation.

[Nato G]

GM IC: Barlow - Capstone. 

 

"Wha'ever," he grunted, fumbling for his drink, only to find it empty, and sigh, "What d'you want?" Generally speaking, strangers didn't strike up conversations in Cliffside solely for conversation's sake. 

 

In Barlow's experience, in the very least, no one did anything in Cliffside unless they had something to gain from it. 

[permanentlyExtinct]

IC: Parii - Capstone

 

Parii smiled at Katana. Are you from Cliffside?, he signed.

It's not like Parii had anything else to do - he could as well get to know the Glatorian.

 

IC: Ektana - Capstone

 

She leaned a bit, her grin a bit smaller.

"I'm looking for information and you happen to be one of the very few whom I haven't asked yet. It's only one question." Ektana added quickly, sensing annoyance in his voice.

"Do you know anything about Fe's location?"

Edited December 9, 2016 by permanentlyExtinct

[Constructelf]

IC: Skrall

Skrall wordlessly admired the water-airship.

 

Then he realizes something.

 

"... Oh... Did I leave the Axalara in the parking lot? Uh-oh..."