piper90npcs: (Default)
piper90npcs ([personal profile] piper90npcs) wrote in [community profile] goneawayworld2021-08-27 11:44 am

HOW THE SAUSAGE IS MADE - Log [Loken and Saturday]

Who: Loken and Saturday
What: Finding out something sinister
Where: Outside the rig near the village
When: After the execution
Warnings/Notes: Will be added when the threat is revealed.

[Some of the gang is sent out to deal with the outright rioting that's happening in the village that Jorgmund wants leveled. Some of the heavy duty Jorgmund shock troops are with them and this time they're taking point. They expect the New Hires to simply fall in line and do what they're ordered. The New Hires can't be trusted, you see, after letting that other town of people they were meant to take into custody be absorbed by Zaher Bey's pirates.]

[The soldiers tell them that capturing the villagers is a priority. There's a lot of emphasis on it, which is strange since simply scattering them and driving them away is a perfectly good solution to Jorgmund's problem.]

[The New Hires are spread thin in the area where the soldiers are getting ready to deploy. Directed to go to different areas. Possibly to avoid them plotting something against Jorg's will. The soldiers tell Loken and Saturday to stay put, and then go busy themselves with something.]

[This is why Saturday and Loken are pretty far from the others, close to the wall. They're closest ones that can respond...]

[...when the new FOX generation station, planted down just behind the rig, on the pipeline, blows sky high, the victim to one of the improvised bombs the villagers have been planting. In the distance they can see smoke and white hot fire up top, but there's an opening in the wall and a few armed villagers brave the fire to climb inside, possibly to wreak all kinds of havoc.]

[While some of the soldiers struggle with protestors, one of them points and tells the two:]

Go! Stop them from destroying the station! There are fire control systems inside!
greyerrant: (helmet)

[personal profile] greyerrant 2021-08-27 07:06 pm (UTC)(link)
"Compliance." Loken heads towards the station, weighing how best to deal with the station without murdering villagers. He keeps his weapons maglocked to his armor, but let's his enhanced form lope there swiftly, large strides eating distance as he knows that Saturday's magically enhanced physiology can keep up.
wheyoftheadept: (Default)

[personal profile] wheyoftheadept 2021-08-28 10:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Saturday can keep up, but she has to run for it. He's still got legs almost as long as her whole body.

"Oi, either let me piggyback or slow the fuck down - "

The complaint is reflexive, and not entirely serious. One part of her is watching: watching herself, watching the jorgbots, watching them watching her. The other part is doing cost-benefit ratios as fast it can: did the 'bot know the Hires aren't supposed to see inside the stations, or are they just being offered rope to hang themselves with? Is this a test, or carelessly dropped chance? And if so, what's in there, and can they get it out, and can they stop it, because she's had a feeling in her gut for a while now that there's a proper monster at the end of this book.
Edited 2021-08-28 22:18 (UTC)
greyerrant: (Angry Garvi)

[personal profile] greyerrant 2021-08-30 05:29 am (UTC)(link)
"Neither of us is baseline human." Loken rumbles. "I'd advise you to drop your weapons, and we can talk about this." He doesn't look remotely worried about being outgunned and outnumbered, despite his weapons not being drawn. "What don't we know?"

Things are balanced on a knife edge, and to Saturday, it's clear Loken is restraining himself from unleashing massive havoc, despite the possible consequences. He's making an effort to ignore his own psycho-conditioning to learn important information, so hopefully she can be a bit more diplomatic than the Astartes is at this point.

wheyoftheadept: (Default)

[personal profile] wheyoftheadept 2021-08-31 09:51 pm (UTC)(link)
If any of Saturday's friends knew how much time she was spending talking people off a ledge, they'd die laughing. Usually she's the one trying to jump.

"Okay-okay-okay," she says, stepping smoothly between Loken and barrel of the guns, plural, and god what she wouldn't give to go a week without guns, plural showing up. Her hands are up, placating and demonstrating her lack of visible, external weaponry. "Appearances are decieving. We're on the same side, here. You like to blow up Jorgmund's stuff, we like to watch it happen. Loken, put your damn gun down. They got a right to make us show our colors first. We don't want to work for Jorg," she tells the soldiers. "We sorta got enslaved and have bomb collars implanted. Long story. But right now, I don't see anyone watching, yeah?"
greyerrant: (helmet)

[personal profile] greyerrant 2021-09-01 05:24 am (UTC)(link)
Loken doesn't remove his helmet. But he also doesn't draw his weapons. His stance relaxes, though only slightly, and he nods once, before asking quietly.

"What do you need us to do?"
wheyoftheadept: (Default)

[personal profile] wheyoftheadept 2021-09-01 10:42 pm (UTC)(link)
"Sounds like a grand old time," Saturday agrees. "One quick question, though. Hey, big man."

She lifts her chin, indicating Gonzo. Her smile is still in place, easy and sincere, but her eyes meeting his are closed-off and assessing.

"Ever met a guy named Lubitsch?"
greyerrant: (Confused)

[personal profile] greyerrant 2021-09-02 06:54 pm (UTC)(link)
Loken complies, utterly bemused by the Lubitsch clone as he does so.

He actually pulls out a knife, slowly, as to not provoke everyone, and tries to lever the box open like that.
wheyoftheadept: (Default)

[personal profile] wheyoftheadept 2021-09-02 08:53 pm (UTC)(link)
Saturday takes a visible moment to consider this, then nods.

"Believable. Okay. Hold up, Loken, let me try something first."

She touches the steel, settling into slow and stready breaths as she focuses on her sixth, seventh, and eighth senses. The web of creation pulses around her, unseen and unheard but felt as clearly as sun on her face and wind in her hair. She's looking for two things: a sense of the shape of the physical objects (organic or inorganic) on the other side, and their disposition in three-dimensional space - where they are, and if they're moving, and how they're moving if they are.

She's also looking for the thickness of the steel barrier. If it's ordinary steel of regular commercial strength, she can dent and weaken it, hoepfully allowing for cautious entry.
Edited 2021-09-02 20:54 (UTC)
greyerrant: (Angry Garvi)

[personal profile] greyerrant 2021-09-03 04:32 am (UTC)(link)
"Open it up then."

He says, almost growling, the knife still in his hands.
Edited 2021-09-03 05:06 (UTC)
wheyoftheadept: (Default)

[personal profile] wheyoftheadept 2021-09-03 05:23 am (UTC)(link)
Saturday's shoulders slump. She lets out a weary sigh, like a foreman discovering an error that means that day's work is wasted.

"There's a person in there, or something shaped like it an' made of meat. Real still. Suspended, like. Raise your hand if you're surprised."

It's not that she was expecting better, but sometimes it would be nice to be wrong.
greyerrant: (helmet)

Re: cw: brain damage, cw: implied harm to children.

[personal profile] greyerrant 2021-09-04 06:22 am (UTC)(link)
"This must be recorded. Our companions on the rig must know."

Loken looks at Saturday. "Do we have anything secure enough to share this with the rest?"

Lokens voice is stiff with anger. It is very likely some people are about to start dying
wheyoftheadept: (Default)

Re: cw: brain damage, cw: implied harm to children.

[personal profile] wheyoftheadept 2021-09-05 03:18 am (UTC)(link)
Saturday has felt this kind of outrage a lot, recently, even before coming to the Rig. She sees the smaller boxes, understands what they must mean, and accepts it with no more than a tightening of her jaw. She's be outraged if outrage would help. It won't. So she lets it slip away sideways into grim resignation, and throws her shoulders back against the world.

"We can send it out over the private network. Or, if we're willing to risk it - "

She hesitates.

"Collars aren't hacked yet. But if we're willing to die for it, we could just send it out public. Across the company network. Rank and file don't know about this, I'd bet money. An' I bet your crew can get it broadcast outside the company, Gonzo - right?"

She shrugs, laconically, spreading her hands wide.

"They will kill us, though. Or try, anyway.”
greyerrant: (helmet)

[personal profile] greyerrant 2021-09-06 06:22 am (UTC)(link)
"Do it. I will be overwatch."

Loken for the first time draws his bolter, pointedly keeping it well clear of the mercenaries, and is obviously now standing guard for the young physical adept.

He looks back at Saturday. "I will keep you alive, once we are back there." He knows she's good friends with Guts, he wouldn't let a friend's dear companion die. "If that costs me my life, make sure to inform K... tell Sarah what they have done."

He doesn't say anything more than that, racking the slide on his boltgun, eyes returning to watching over the mercenaries and Saturday.
wheyoftheadept: (Default)

[personal profile] wheyoftheadept 2021-09-07 02:46 am (UTC)(link)
"All right, then." Saturday's pulse begins to beat, the old joy rising up in her despite it all. Time to move - time to gamble everything on wit, and skill, and the cold bastard Luck. If she goes, she goes on her own terms.

Her father named her Makoto for a reason.

"Let's get this party started."
greyerrant: (Dynamic entry)

[personal profile] greyerrant 2021-09-07 05:40 am (UTC)(link)
Loken stomps out, eyes still scanning for possible Jorgmund snitches he might need to terminate. He body language has become far more aggressive now, as though this horror focused him and gave him a brutal, if just purpose.
Edited 2021-09-07 05:41 (UTC)
wheyoftheadept: (Default)

[personal profile] wheyoftheadept 2021-09-07 06:17 pm (UTC)(link)
Saturday's blade is unsheathed in her hands. She's bringing up the rear, falling in to escort the civilians.

At any moment she expects to feel the shock racing through her, building until it stops her heart. She'll have maybe a minute of free action before the collar gets her - with some luck, she can take a few Jorgbots with her.
greyerrant: (helmet)

[personal profile] greyerrant 2021-09-08 05:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Loken smiles, beneath his helmet, if only slightly, and salutes the man as he leaves, an old Terran salute, hand to his helmet, then begins the long journey back to the rig, to reap the whirlwind Saturday just unleashed.
wheyoftheadept: (Default)

[personal profile] wheyoftheadept 2021-09-10 07:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Saturday is nodding before Gonzo can finish explaining, even giving a dismissive wave. Fiat justitia ruat caelum, and only an idiot would expect not to get hit on the head.

"Don't think I can pass that on, I'm going to get electrocuted to death in a bit. Bet I can take a squadron with me."

She hasn't really been checking her messages, and in a time like this it's better to assume the worst.

"See you on the flip side."
greyerrant: (There is only war)

[personal profile] greyerrant 2021-09-12 04:43 am (UTC)(link)
Loken is merciless to those who have betrayed humanity out of greed. He hurks himself into them, bolter coughing explosive rounds even as he sweeps down a decapitating strike at one of the men who had barely dodged the burning death of a whiskey Pete grenade only to come to an end at the churning teeth of mankind's one of most savage weapon. Be that the sword or the astartes himself.

He roars, a transhuman bellow intending to shock them and give him a moment more to steak ruin upon their bodies.
wheyoftheadept: (Default)

[personal profile] wheyoftheadept 2021-09-13 02:16 am (UTC)(link)
Saturday is actually diving towards the grenade, knowing she can catch it and return to sender, when the tendril does it for her. She grins, or at any rate bares her teeth, and just keeps going.

The first soldier twists on to his back and raises his weapon just a fraction before her sword pierces his left eye. He spasms. She's already jerked her blade back, and on to the next one. The next one is only just realizing what's happening when she slits his belly stem to stern, and on to the next one. This one has his back to her and that doesn't matter. They wouldn't hesitate; neither does she. On to the next one. It doesn't become a dance, because this isn't dancing. This is a woman who made herself a machine for killing doing exactly what she has designed herself from the age of six onwards to do, and doing it as fast as she possibly can. Which is very nearly, but not quite, faster than the unaugmented human eye can see.

On to the next one. On to the next one. There's no fear in this place of perfect, deadly motion, no uncertainty, no creeping doubts. Only the beat of her pulse and the play of her blade and the enemy before her, dying. She is not afraid. She is in control. For the first time since she's arrived in this godforsaken place, she is in control.

And everyone who owes her is going to pay.
greyerrant: (helmet)

[personal profile] greyerrant 2021-09-13 04:16 am (UTC)(link)
It doesn't appear immediately hostile or threatening, which is a reprieve. He ses it approach Saturday and says "Xenos of the stuff variety approaching. We have a job to do still." He sheathes his sword, reloads his bolter, and starts towards the rig, his mercy apparent in his not acknowledging it as a threat.
wheyoftheadept: (Default)

[personal profile] wheyoftheadept 2021-09-13 04:24 am (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, I'll catch up." Saturday crouches down, not quite unguarded, but not threatening either. Her hand is reaching out, just a little, the way you would if coaxing a cat.

"Hey, kiddo. Nice job with the grenade. Hope you're friendly..."
wheyoftheadept: (Default)

[personal profile] wheyoftheadept 2021-09-13 04:52 am (UTC)(link)
"Hey, hey, it's okay, we'll sort it out." Saturday may not understand what's distressing the little creature, but it plainly is distressed. "How about hold up one vine for yes, two vines for no, okay? Did you fall into Stuff, is that how you happened?"
wheyoftheadept: (Default)

[personal profile] wheyoftheadept 2021-09-13 05:04 am (UTC)(link)
"Okay. Not a lot of options for fixing that right now... is there something urgent you need to do right here, right now?"

She is also going to cast anything to write with - surely one of these dead bodies has something and they seem capable of holding a pen in their vines.
wheyoftheadept: (Default)

[personal profile] wheyoftheadept 2021-09-13 05:25 am (UTC)(link)
" - something bad, something at the rig?" Saturday is already reaching out to gather the poor person up in her arms, brain working overtime. "Okay, you've got some kind of projective empathy going on, I caught what you were feeling right now. Focus on how what you know makes you feel, maybe you can break into actual words that way. But keep up with the vines an' hold tight, I can move faster than you right now."

A certain suspicion is blooming in the back of her mind, but there's no proof. Just a gut feeling, and fierce self-loathing the Stuff victim had projected at her.

"Another question. Were you pushed?"
wheyoftheadept: (Default)

[personal profile] wheyoftheadept 2021-09-13 05:29 am (UTC)(link)
"Oh, this has killbutton written all over it," Saturday mutters. "Is there a self destruct mechanism for the Rig?"
wheyoftheadept: (Default)

[personal profile] wheyoftheadept 2021-09-13 06:07 am (UTC)(link)
"Well, we know about the liquidation squads, we have people on that..."

Saturday keeps up a brisk pace, still keeping one eye out for any any stray writing implements.

"Did the execs throw you off?"
wheyoftheadept: (Default)

[personal profile] wheyoftheadept 2021-09-13 06:33 am (UTC)(link)
"Okay, there is something I'm not getting here - still kinda coming down from not being eletrocuted and did you know Lubitsch is two people?"

She pauses and grabs the baton, gesturing at the dirt.

"I read English, Cyrillic, Japanese, Theran, and Sperethial. Kindergarden level Korean."

Listen, we can't all be geniuses.
googledox: (003)

[personal profile] googledox 2021-09-13 06:58 am (UTC)(link)
If he could sigh he would.

Okay, he can sort of sigh, so there's an annoyed wheeze.

He clambers down, grabs the baton, and starts writing in the dirty in very large, very crooked letters. But they're still recognizable.

He'd just go for B5 but he doesn't trust he'll be understood so he goes for his nickname.

B R A I N Y

Then the stalk eyes turn to peer up at her, and he jabs the baton at himself. Jerkily. Annoyedly.
wheyoftheadept: (Default)

[personal profile] wheyoftheadept 2021-09-13 05:52 pm (UTC)(link)
"I - wait - what?" Saturday understands right away, of course. It just takes a second to categorize the new data. " - oh, that makes sense. I thought maybe you were someone who got shoved off just now, in all the chaos - don't look at me like that, next time I have to communicate with a freaked out mute vineperson shapeshifting accident I'll remember to ask when it happened, okay?"

She will, to. If it ever comes up again. Saturday does make mistakes, but not generally the same one twice.

" - do you have any idea what's been happening, have you been able to get any news? And if you don't have anything else that needs to be totally clear, we gotta keep moving. Jorgmund is trying to kill everyone on the rig."
googledox: (020)

[personal profile] googledox 2021-09-13 08:01 pm (UTC)(link)
The wild muppet flailing makes it clear he had no idea it'd suddenly gotten that bad.

He immediately climbs back onto Saturday and points a vine at the rig.
Edited 2021-09-13 20:04 (UTC)
wheyoftheadept: (Default)

[personal profile] wheyoftheadept 2021-09-13 08:23 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, that was - kinda my fault. Comm's in my left pants pocket, if you can use it, you should let the others know you're alive. Short version is: we found out how Jorgmund makes FOX, and I told everyone. Now Jorgmund is going to kill everyone to keep the secret, including their own people. Long version - well, post should still be up. Haven't had a chance to check since I told CIA barbie to eat my ass, but the comm keeps beeping notifs at me so something is happening."

She's loping along with him on her back, where he can peer over her shoulder. Not exactly a run, but faster than a jog; an brisk, easy pace, the kind she can keep up as long as she needs to.

"They've had more than enough time to shock us dead, so the collars must be out of action, too. Dunno if it's for permanent."