Mission Log #3

[modaccount]

How It Works

Welcome to the third mission log in Annexed!

How Mission Logs Work: There will generally be two main missions per month, with different focuses tailored to different skillsets (usually stealth vs. fighting, though other skillsets will be tapped on). Each mission will be posted in phases, with a prompt for the start of each phase. The plotting post will give you a rundown of what the missions are, how they might go, and what might be discovered. Characters may partake in whichever pat of the operation they choose, whether it's a large prominent part or a more supporting role. Characters may participate in both missions, and as many phases as they wish.

Mod Guidance: Players may request occasional scene-setting when they hit a point where they're unsure what might happen next in a log or what their characters might encounter. There will be a "Mod Guidance" comment that players can reply to in order to request this kind of scene-setting.

Completion of Missions: There will be a submissions comment for anyone who's threaded out a portion of the mission. Once a thread has been completed at least halfway, please submit your character's progress and plans for the thread to the submissions thread. These submissions are the main way that the mod will decide how the mission went in the next month's wrap-up post, so they are very important!

Plotting Post: Here!

Insert Creative Mission Name Here

So far, the rebels have mostly been reacting to the Sylphid - they plan something and the rebels stop them. This month, the vibe around the Camp is significantly different because this time, they're making the first move. They're not just reacting, they're acting.

Remember last month, when the Witches put out a call for propaganda materials - for videos and posters and interviews and all the other footage and information that was gathered? Well, the Witches have cobbled that footage and those videos and interviews together into beautiful propaganda videos with special effects and a powerful message for anyone in the city who may be desiring freedom but who is too afraid to pursue it alone.

This month's meeting and mission overview will start off with a screening of three different propaganda videos that were made from the gathered footage and interview excerpts that were turned in by new arrivals and existing Witches alike. After the videos are screened, the Witch will be calling a general meeting at the Command Center where she will explain the situation and the steps to be taken to distribute the propaganda.

Mission A: Distributing Posters

Mission Appropriateness: Chipped or Stripped
Mission Focus: piloting, riding magical creatures, air battle

This mission will focus on distributing the posters that have been created by the Rebels. The Witch has had printing presses busy making up the posters and flyers created by player characters and NPCs alike. These posters will be distributed through a combination of a fleet of cobbled-together magic and tech based flying machines, a bevy of flying animals, and the Skyclad on hoverboards along with anyone who wants to join them.

PHASE I: FLYING LESSONS
The first phase of the mission involves the methods of flying over the city to deliver the posters and flyers. Characters will be invited to familiarize themselves with a variety of flying methods that will allow them to transport the flyers and posters to the city and drop them in various areas around the city that have been identified by operatives as having rebel-sympathetic populations, primarily the lower-income areas around the edges of the city and the education district where students attend post-secondary education.

The first mission is relatively straightforward and is presented without much fanfare. There are three different methods of delivering the posters and characters will require some training. Hopefully, they will also come equipped with some mechanical knowledge, because some of the flying machines are in a state of disrepair. Hopefully, others will come with some amount of familiarity with riding large animals, as well, because part of the delivery system involves riding on the backs of flying creatures resembling manta rays that range in size from that of an average horse to the size of a small building. Thankfully, many characters already have experience using the hoverboards that the Skyclad use, and these will be available as well for quick delivery of posters and flyers.

Before the mission officially even runs, characters are invited to choose a method of delivery - flying machines, hoverboards, or sky mantas - and to come to the various areas set up to train in how to use them.

⇝ Hoverboards: While many are familiar with the hoverboards used in the last mission, this mission will require a higher level of agility, more intricate maneuvers, and a higher altitude than the previous mission due to the fact that they are traveling through a city rather than cleared leylines and will be dropping posters from above, at the maximum height that the hoverboards are capable of (around the height of a 30-story building). At this height they will need to weave around skyscrapers and hover vehicles that are used in the city, and avoid various other obstacles. The Skyclad have opened their training grounds and will divide volunteers into small groups of around 5-10 people to train them how to be more agile in the air, how to do some complex maneuvers, and to get used to how the hoverboards perform at their maximum height.

⇝ Flying Vehicles: Characters who would rather drop flyers from more secure vehicles with a seat, or who have any kind of piloting experience, will probably be more drawn to the small fleet of flying vehicles that are available for the mission. The group of vehicles is parked at The Hangar, a large empty building located in the Electric Heart. The vehicles are a bit of a motley crew, having been scavenged from abandoned Sylphid magitech, and no two are alike. Some operate much like planes, others like small space shuttles, and others are completely magic-based, responding to the psychic desires of the pilot. Many of the vehicles are in poor repair and the existing mechanics will welcome the assistance of anyone with mechanical or magical know-how to get them fixed up and reliable for the big mission. They will also teach people to fly the machines, including the individual quirks of the out-of-date vehicles, so they can successfully fly them on the mission, including test flights!

⇝ Sky Mantas: The final method of flight for dropping posters and flyers are the sky mantas, a sort of domesticated flying beast that resembles a manta ray with bubbles of pure energy on their underbellies. Due to the fact that they are a local and native species that can be easily spotted in the wild, the sky mantas make for perfect recon assistants, with riders having perfected methods of camouflaging themselves while they ride on their backs. Each sky manta is domesticated and well-trained, dressed up with a saddle that characters can stand on, and a set of reins that will guide the manta in the desired direction. The sky manta stables will be open for anyone interested in riding one to distribute flyers and posters to take a crash course in how to ride them, guide them in the sky, and perform the few tricks the mantas are capable of. They are also invited to bond with the beasts, who are almost like flying horses, and who must scent and become familiar with a new rider before they will perform at their full capacity.

PHASE II: DISTRIBUTION
Once everyone is acquainted with and comfortable with their distribution method of choice, the mission itself will properly begin. Characters will be given large packages of propaganda materials, both larger posters and smaller flyers, which they will load into or onto their preferred method of flight. Both the flying vehicles and sky mantas will be able to carry large amounts of flyers and posters, but those riding hoverboards will need to take only what they can carry and return several times to load up on new materials from supply points set up in the wild jungle while the others will carry out the mission in a single slower pass over the city.

There will be a variety of obstacles that will beset the people distributing propaganda, including flying around the tops of skyscrapers, hovering vehicles, low-flying aircraft, birds, and other airborne obstacles that may get in their way. Beyond that, after the first propaganda has been dropped, there will be retaliation in the form of several magic using Sylphid that will band together and create adverse weather conditions - rain, snow, fog, thunder, and lightning will be making the sky hazardous for anyone flying. While this will ground some of the air traffic going on, it will mostly be causing problems for people delivering the propaganda. Not only will it get the posters and flyers wet, causing them to drop in wet sheafs that stick together, it will also create terrible visibility, the danger of being struck by lightning that almost seems to be targeted, and will cause slippery conditions for those who are riding hoverboards or sky mantas.

PHASE III: DOGFIGHTS
What's the one thing that's worse than terrible weather and bad flying conditions? Those things plus being pursued by enemy fliers. It won't be long until the Sylphid start catching on to the mission and very quickly they will be pursuing with their own methods of flight. The Sylphid will be calling in anyone with any kind of method of flight from superpowers and magic to hovercars to hoverboards to flying vehicles of various types to even the drones that were used in the last mission. Characters flying the mission will find themselves pursued through the terrible weather, being shot at with superpowers, magic spells, and traditional projectile weapons of varying varieties.

And then there are the Para-Sylph, a group of Sylphid who specialize in air takedowns. This crew, using upward of 15 fighter vehicles, will hover above rebels carrying out the mission and drop from their fighters in groups of two. The goal of these drop-ins is to incapacitate the pilots of whatever method of flight is being used. Prepare yourselves for an epic swordfight, gunfight, or magic duel at 30 stories up! The Para-Sylph are extremely well-trained and adept at fighting in mid-air, at taking people down quickly, and excel in the areas of stamina, fighting prowess, and strategy. They are a well-oiled machine, best avoided rather than engaged.

Mission B: ELECTRONIC INTERVENTION

Mission Appropriateness: Chipped (mostly)
Mission Focus: stealth, recon, sabotage, battle

This mission will focus on a stealthy invasion of the city to locate and overtake the broadcasting equipment and facilities in the city and infiltrate them. Once inside, characters will be asked to stop all transmissions on every channel and broadcast the propaganda films created by the Rebels. This will require significant stealth in order to infiltrate and some electronic know-how to work out how to broadcast the propaganda on the fly. They will eventually be pursued by the Sylphid as they catch onto the plan and make efforts to stop the broadcast in its tracks, and need to fight and/or flee the area as quickly as possible, either using hoverboards or hover-ATVs.

PHASE I: RECON
Strictly a stealth and recon mission, characters who are still chipped will make their way into the city and use the Sylphid internet and other methods to locate the broadcasting stations in the city. Since characters are chipped, this should be relatively straightforward and not come with a lot of risk. Characters can easily pretend to be tourists, fans of various shows, or new employees to ask directions, or simply use the city's equivalent of Google Maps to find the stations. Once the stations are located, characters will be asked to locate the closest manhole cover that's available and mark it on a shared map on the Rebel intranet, though any efforts to infiltrate deeper into the recording stations through stealth or charisma will be met with a lot of joy, and characters who manage that will be asked to make rough maps of the stations themselves.

There are three main broadcasting stations in the city to be located and scouted out.

⇝ NorthWest Broadcasting: Located in the outskirts of the city on the northeast side, this station broadcasts mainly local news, low-budget TV shows, and ads for neighborhood businesses such as corner stores, small car lots, and furniture stores. It is the least well-guarded of the three stations but also reaches the smallest (albeit perhaps the most amenable) audience, mainly being watched by low-income households that can't afford the more expensive stations, generally on the outskirts of the city. There is a manhole cover on the west side of the building where the plumbing from the building can be accessed. It could easily be accessed by people willing to give it a try - there are actually tours of the broadcasting station that can be booked for school groups and the like. Additionally, the security is very low, with only one patrolling security guard, and the receptionists at the front desk could easily be bribed or tricked into allowing access to the building itself.

⇝ The Ring: Located in the southwest side of the city in what is called the Inner Circle, this station broadcasts citywide news, weather reports, mid-budget TV shows, and ads from medium-size corporations in the city such as family restaurant chains, smaller bank chains, and video game companies. It has better security, with security staff on-site that are hired out from a local security company and reaches a larger population in the city, mainly on the Inner Circle, where the city's middle-class population thrives. There is a manhole cover on the north side of the building where the plumbing from the building can be accessed. It could be accessed by people with a little luck and skill on their side - while there are patrolling security guards, a good story could convince the receptionists at the front desk to issue a guest pass.

⇝ City Skyline: Located in the central ring of the city, on the block that contains most of the city's government buildings and major banks, this station broadcasts planet-wide news, high-budget TV shows and popular movies, and ads for major corporations in the city such as fast food chains, major banks, and electronics giants. It is the most well-guarded of the three stations and reaches the largest audience, being watched by anyone in the city who can afford it, and a neighborhoods outside the city as well. There are manhole covers to the east and west of the building where the plumbing from the building can be accessed. Getting access inside this building will be extremely difficult, as anyone permitted entry must present ID to be issued a guest pass that serves as a keycard for elevators, doors to the stairwells, and entry to some doors in the building. Even if characters manage to get a guest pass, they will still lack access to some areas of the building. City Skyline also employs its own in-house security guards, with a flock of them patrolling every floor in the building every half hour, asking to see and scan guest and other passes.

PHASE II - INFILTRATION
The next step after recon is to actually infiltrate the buildings, which is much easier said than done. This step would need to be carried out by chipped individuals as well, or groups of two or three where there is at least one chipped person. Where anyone without a chip would usually set off an alarm, anyone with a chip would be presumed to be a service worker of some kind by anyone watching the monitors, and as the sewers are less strictly monitored than the surface, this chipped signal could mask the signals of up to two stripped characters. Each building will have different security systems in place to make sure that no one is able to enter via the sewer ducts, which open into the basements of the buildings. Infiltration of the rest of the building would be guided by the situations listed in Phase I.

The sewers themselves have some dangers, mainly the presence of...well, what sewers are known to contain, which can carry some danger of disease, bad smell, nausea, and dizziness from the fumes. Other than just the waste product itself, large mutated rats can be found in abundance in the sewers, with sharp teeth and insatiable appetites, and any bite from these rats will need to be treated and the victim inoculated with a shot as soon as possible to avoid tetanus and various other diseases. Besides the rats, there are also spiders whose bite can cause mild poisoning that has effects of nausea, extreme dizziness, blacking out, disorientation, and extreme pain at the site of the bite, as well as hallucinations.

⇝ NorthWest Broadcasting: This is the lowest-security building and because of that has a lower maintenance type of deterrent - a pit with a large drain at the bottom. Once characters make their way from the manhole cover to the area where the sewer enters the building, they will find a deep, square cement pit half-full of sewage products. Characters will need to make their way over the pit without falling by climbing on pipes and other protruding mechanical pieces on the ceiling of the sewer, some of which are very hot due to the water system that also uses these tunnels.

⇝ The Ring: This is a medium-security building, and the security system is a little more dangerous and harmful. In this case, there is a consistent spray of acid from sprinklers on the ceiling. These sprinklers run every 45 seconds, and can only be blocked by a certain type of plastic, which has been used to coat the wall and machinery in the area to avoid erosion. Small umbrellas made of this type of plastic will be provided to anyone who chooses to take this route, but be careful - the umbrellas aren't very big and there's not enough room in the tunnel to stand up straight underneath them. Hiding under the umbrellas will require crouching and huddling underneath, which may not provide full protection. Better to get to the entrance to the building's basement before the spray starts up again...

⇝ City Skyline: This is a very high-security building, and the security system in the sewers is more advanced. In this case, there is a series of lasers which are constantly running, creating very tight space between them, at various angles that will require high agility to make it through. And these aren't just lasers connected to an alarm, either, they are well and truly weapons, capable of searing flesh and removing limbs if handled without care. There are a couple of methods to avoid them. Either extremely flexible characters can flip and maneuver their way through, or mirrors can be carefully used to redirect the beams of laser light. Careful not to lose a finger doing so!

PHASE III: BROADCASTING
Once the traps in the sewers have been navigated, it's time to deal with the internal security inside the buildings, most of which has been outlined above. Characters will need to dodge, bribe, or sweet-talk guards, hack security doors with provided electronic devices, and make their way to the broadcasting room. This will be a relatively easy task at NorthWest Broadcasting, but more of an ask for either The Ring or City Skyline.

Once characters have made their way to the broadcasting room they will need to subdue any Sylphid running the equipment and take it over. If you don't know how to run the equipment, though, it might be useful to leave one Sylphid alive and bribe or threaten them to explain how to switch out the tapes provided by the Rebels with the ones containing the usual broadcast. Once characters have worked that out, they can set the propaganda to repeat and retreat back through the sewers...or if they're brave, they can just exit through the front doors. Maybe not the best bet, though, after crawling through the nasty sewer system...

Of course, it might be tempting to make a broadcast of your own while you're in the system...for good or for evil.

Mission C: THE RESCUERS

Mission Appropriateness: Chipped or Stripped
Mission Focus: battle

This is relatively straightforward as a mission goes. Anyone who is stripped or who didn't participate in the other missions, or anyone who has completed those missions, is welcome to help people who've already been convinced to join the Rebels by the propaganda. Each propaganda tape had a note at the end of where to go to meet up with Rebel forces, and there will be a significant amount of people, especially from the outer ring of the city, who are willing to pack up and leave almost right away.

At each rendezvous point the Rebels will have set up a large number of trucks to carry new recruits back to the Camp, and these trucks and rendezvous points will need a LOT of protection. Preferably with a lot of firepower. Because the Sylphid are going to catch on pretty quickly to where these points are, and send reinforcements. This will be a running battle relatively quickly, with armed Rebels protecting new recruits and escorting them to trucks, covering the trucks as they head back to the Camp and ensuring that the well-armed Sylphid aren't following them to the Camp.

NAVIGATION

Comments

Questions.

[modaccount]

Re: Questions.

[tech_nically]

From our previous conversations, since Tech's got 50% of code to work with, could he start poking around sensor towers in the city? It's something he'd definitely try doing since he's finally there, but he'll try not to get too tied up in it unless he has good reason to since he's also got the main mission to be dealing with.

Mission Submissions

[modaccount]

<b>Characters Involved:</b> <b>Link To Thread:</b> <a href="LINK">Here</a> <b>Summary Of Thread:</b>

Re: Mission Submissions

[fightingevilbymoonknight]

Characters Involved: Marc and Donnie
Link To Thread: Here
Summary Of Thread: They beat up some Sylphids and then escape, in mission AIII

Characters Involved: Marc and Vader
Link To Thread: Here
Summary Of Thread: Getting some folks out of the city for mission C!

Characters Involved: Steven and Link
Link To Thread: Here
Summary Of Thread: Dropping pamphlets for A1

Re: Mission Submissions

[nitashix]

Characters Involved: Jack and Donnie
Link To Thread: Here
Summary Of Thread:
Distributing Posters

1. Flying Lessons - Jack chose to master flight with his hoverboard, enlisting the help of Donnie as his trainer.
   
2. Distribution - Having mastered his hoverboard, he chose the tiny ride to give out posters to Sylphid territory. It went smoothly, until he was met with some weather disturbances. Luckily, he was able to come in contact with Donnie who helped him navigate through the storm.
   
3. Dogfights - Their problem with the weather disturbance was topped off by an attack from the Sylphids. They were able to fight back for a while but was forced to retreat with the arrival of the elites. They were able to escape successfully but Jack vowed to get back in the future and finish the fight.
   

Mod Guidance

[modaccount]

Please reply here with a link to your thread and what kind of guidance you are looking for (scene setting, etc.)

Donatello // Mission A I-III and Mission B-II

[purplexing]

Mission A I-III

[purplexing]

((OOC: Will match pose format!))

Phase I
While the assortment of flying machines tugged on his curiosity and that itch to fix things, the hoverboards are a natural draw for Donatello. The teenager's never used one but he's hardly a stranger to flying. He's already getting a quick overview of its structure and inner workings, doing some fine-tuning in between getting acquainted with how it feels to be standing on a flying apparatus rather than having one strapped to his back.

True, he's running with unfamiliar gear but the goggles still do the main thing they're supposed to do and the retractable staff while subpar to his beloved tech-bo (RIP), it would still do in a pinch. His main source of concern and discomfort is the makeshift covering over his soft shell. It's more like a backpack than what he'd prefer, but it's better than nothing, and the nice old lady who'd stitched the design on it (in a rather striking shade of purple, he will admit) assured him the spell woven into it would protect him from immediate damage. She however suggested he avoid any falls from up high or too many direct hits, something he isn't inclined to want to test anyway.

Balance does not seem a problem at all for the turtle, nor do heights as he takes to the training course like a duck to water. There's nothing slow about this mutant reptile as he tests the board's limits and maneuverability, zipping in between obstacles and pushing it the board up and up. Oh, his brothers would have loved this.

"It's not a jetpack but it'll do. Hey, what're the chances I can keep this thing once we're done...?"


Phase II
Despite the clear objective of this mission, anyone watching Donatello would find him oddly hesitant in actually carrying it out. Not one flyer leaves his grasp as he makes his initial flyover, but with the way he's observing things below, perhaps he's just looking for a potential drop-off site. Nothing strange there, right?

Maybe the continued lack of flyer drops might go overlooked depending on how busy others are with their own tasks, but whatever the case, the turtle teen's not spending his time idly as he continues his sweeps. Perhaps he's just decided to take it upon himself to be a look-out.

At first he'd thought this sort of mission was exactly what he needed to get his mind off of things. Instead it's only made him wonder if this was the right thing to be doing. His lingering memories of the simulation have left him confused. Were the Sylphid really the ones to watch out for, here? Propaganda by definition was a biased source of information meant to publicize a certain perspective, after all.

A sudden gust of cold air catches him off guard, inadvertently tearing the flyers he'd neglected to spread from his grasp. "Wow, what? Temperatures shouldn't shift that drastically even up here-" Briefly he wishes he'd brought his jacket, but the wind resistance would've thrown off his ride, and it hadn't seemed like weather would be a problem a moment ago so what gives?? His expression falters as he sees the unnatural clouds gathering overhead, far too quick, far too localized. He casts a glance towards whoever happens to be within that particular area. "-oh no. Uh, I think we may have a problem..!"


Phase III
Someone's really missing his mystic tech right about now. Donatello's hunkered low on his hoverboard as he speeds through the air, doing his best to ignore the frigid air as he tries to keep ahead of a group of drones on his tail. He grips the edge of his board with one hand, the other grabbing the baton-like object tucked into his belt.

After throwing a quick glance over his shoulder, he abruptly pulls his board back to slow to a stop before giving a quick boost upwards out of the path of the drones as they careen by. With a flick of a switch he extends the staff in his hands, spinning it as he takes a swing at one of the drones, sending it colliding into the others. His victory is cut short as the trouble is far from over and seeing that the Sylphid have brought their own means of transport into the fray makes him have second thoughts about being so married to the hoverboard option.

The Sylphid aren't exactly making the best case for themselves at the moment but at the same time Donnie knows that they're only responding to what they see as a threat. That's not about to keep him from doing what he can to avoid them, and his internal confusion isn't enough to muddy his thoughts as he weaves between vehicles and mid-air explosions. Things are getting way too sweaty out here!

Mission B-II (for Layla~)

[purplexing]

It's oddly easy walking around in a city that otherwise has been claimed to be enemy territory. Donnie feels slightly better doing so with a hoodie on, mostly out of habit and partially in hopes that the hood will help him be less identifiable if anyone were on the look-out for a 5'5" turtle.

"It looks so weirdly normal, right? I mean, if no one said there were body-snatching aliens involved in things then who could really tell?" That makes it more sinister, but at the same time there's just so much he doesn't know, and any information that's been offered has been quite one-sided. Unfortunately the same's held true from this angle, given what he's accessed on the city's local network. So who was right?

The City Skyline station looks just about how one would expect a modern broadcasting station to appear. Donnie nods towards the manhole access once he spies it, conveniently in the building's shadow. "Hang on, there's a security camera," he says, pointing to the slowly rotating camera mount. "If I had my computer I could try hacking into the signal but I guess we'll just have to do things the old-fashioned way."

Boba Fett | Mission A I+III, Mission B II, Mission C

[concord_dawned]

Mission A | Phase I | OTA

[concord_dawned]

[ For many, being ripped from one's own universe and dropped into a new one full of hostile aliens that want to steal your body would be considered a stroke of bad luck. It likely says something about Boba's original circumstances or perhaps his general outlook that he sees it as an overall upgrade to where he was before.

He'd been imprisoned and was in danger of being executed, for one thing. More than that, he'd wanted to disappear—to sever all connections and start over, to erase his memories of those he'd known and to be erased from theirs in turn. Being pulled from his galaxy and dropped onto an entirely new world might not be the same thing, but it's probably the closest he can get.

The fact that the first thing his new handlers have asked him to do is fly is a nice bonus as well.

The craft before him might not be a starship—it's hardly more than a high-altitude speeder-bike, though bulkier and with a faded blue-and-yellow paint job—but it's a fair flyer. Boba takes it through a test-run—or three. It's rare that he ever does anything for the joy of it, but after spending months staring at the blank walls of a prison cell? He'll indulge just this once.

Later, he can be found in the hangar sitting by the speeder, tinkering with the front end of it. He's trying to install weaponry: a mining laser he took from a less sky-worthy vessel and modified for combat. He just needs to figure out how to upgrade the speeder engine's thermal capacity. After a few minutes of work, he stands and moves to the speeder's controls, cycling the engine. He’s not entirely surprised when the laser fails to power on as well. ]

Back to the drawing board. [ It's muttered to himself under his breath, barely audible. He’s mostly broken his childhood habit of talking to himself but it still creeps back up on him at times—especially when he’s focused on a task.]

Mission A | Phase III | OTA

[concord_dawned]

[ Fortunately and perhaps with a little unasked-for help, Boba does get his weaponry working in time for the mission. Those dropping propaganda will find themselves with rather aggressive air support; it's hard for Sylphid pilots to focus on taking down the "bombers" when they're busy trying to shake the little blue-and-yellow craft trying to fry their engines with a modified industrial-grade mining laser. Best avoid getting caught in between Boba and his prey. While the laser is packing quite a bit of power, it's also unwieldy and difficult to aim. Hopefully, you don't end up singed—or worse.

Later on, there proves to be a different kind of threat in the skies: Para-Sylphs. Boba is chasing down a Sylphid fighter when he feels his speeder jolt under him—and turns just in time for a Para-Sylph soldier to plunge a knife towards his throat. Without thinking, Boba lifts an arm to block the lethal blow and braces for the cold pain of steel parting the flesh of his forearm—yet, in the fraction of a second it takes for the blade to fall, something extraordinary happens. Too fast for the eye to comprehend, armor unfolds around him and as the knife meets its mark, it bounces harmlessly off of a hardened durasteel vambrace.

For an instant, everything freezes. The would-be assassin stares dumbfounded—and, while Boba's face is hidden behind the dark visor of his Mandalorian battle-helmet, he imagines his expression must be equally surprised. Of course, it's short-lived, as the assailant's added weight and distraction of its pilot send the craft into a tailspin. Boba takes advantage of his opponent's surprise to counter-attack, lashing out with his raised arm and striking the Para-Sylph in the head with the same vambrace that had blocked his killing blow. It's enough to unbalance his attacker and give Boba the opening he needs to grapple him off his seat and into the open air below.

Boba isn't out of the woods yet, though. As he struggles to regain control and altitude, other Sylphids have caught wind of the now-vulnerable craft—and begin to position themselves for the kill. ]

Mission B | Phase II | OTA

[concord_dawned]

[ Boba’s bypassed more than a few security systems in his time, but this is certainly one of the more unique he’s encountered. At the secure sector’s entrance, he stands with whoever he’s been assigned to run through the sewers—a perk of being chipped—watching the acid rain down from above beyond the threshold. Just as the briefing had promised, it happens at precise 45-second intervals, soaking the entire underground complex in burning corrosion.

Would his armor protect him, he wonders? The durasteel would probably hold, but the flight suit underneath is a more risky proposition. Better not to test it. He holds one of the resistance’s paltry umbrella in-hand—a rather ridiculous-looking accessory to his Mandalorian armor.

His head is tilted to the side as he observes the defense system, as if listening for something. The next time it begins to spray, he straightens. ]

Did you hear that? The click?

[ It had happened perhaps a second or two before the spray had started. Given the lack of visible timing system, it may be the only advance warning they have of the incoming acid as they’re making their way through the gauntlet. ]

Rey | Mission A I, II

[jedied]

[ I. Flying lessons ]

Rey would've been most comfortable flying one of the actual vehicles, or even the hoverboard, which she'd gotten fairly decent at between the last time and now. But, unfortunately for everyone, she's spotted a flying animal. She takes her time earning the creature's trust before she attempts to climb on, but in the end it's a large peaceful creature who seems fairly amenable to carrying her without incident. A few laps around the stable area are enough to delight her and decide the matter, regardless of how soon she's going to figure out that they aren't remotely like steering a ship.

Glancing over at another onlooker, she grins.

"Thinking of trying one out?"

[ II. Distribution ]

It's all going smoothly enough until the weather starts. Rey isn't used to rain or snow in any real capacity, and she certainly isn't used to steering during it being any sort of problem. The manta's doing well enough, but she's found that staying seated is a bit more challenging when she's having to abruptly change course while trying not to actually freeze to death. Still, she's got the Force to help her, and she manages to stay in her seat reasonably well until one moment where she leans out just a touch too far to aim a sheaf of flyers at an area that looks sheltered enough to keep them dry.

A flash of lightning startles her, and as she hadn't been holding onto the reins, she starts to slip off the beast, who seems in a hurry of its own to get out of the storm.

"Kriff-- wait-- slow down!!!"

If not stopped, she may very well end up on the ground, slightly wetter and more bruised than she started off.

[ Wildcard: Rey is also available for combat threads and mission C, though she'll be coming back slightly bruised from either her fall off the manta or whatever idiocy she gets up to after climbing back on. Feel free to poke me for a specific prompt tailored to your character! ]

I

[newmemorywhodis]

"Not thinking," Link says, as he deftly hops onto the back of his own sky mantis. From the moment he saw them, there was never any doubt at all that Link was going to ride one.

And, even though he's never ridden a flying animal, he's comfortable enough on this one's back. The mantis is very different from a horse - but some of the same skills apply. Just like with a horse, he reaches out to stroke the mantis's head and soothe them.

Marc+Steven | Mission A, BI, C

[fightingevilbymoonknight]

AI. Sky Mantas Petting Day - Steven

"Oh, wow. Oh, hello." Steven is staring with a kind of awestruck amazement at the sky manta butting her nuzzle up against his outstretched hand, at one of the advertised flying lessons. "I think she likes me?"

He looks up at the nearest potential sky rider with a bright smile as he gingerly strokes the top of the creature's head and one of her whisker-tendrils coils around his wrist. "Look, I think she likes me!"


AII. Better at Flying - Steven

This is so much easier than flying on a hoverboard. So much easier. Steven bends low over his sky manta's neck (he may have privately named her Taweret, after her soft gray color and tendrils that twitch like hippo ears) as she drifts over the city. It helps that he has a handy little spell for speaking with animals, and she seems to like that.

It's awfully high up, though, which has him holding very tight to the saddle, rather than letting the fliers fall as often as he should. He gets the idea that Taweret finds this somewhere between annoying and amusing.

He nudges her gently closer to the nearest other rider. "Does it look like it's going to rain, to you?" he asks, a bit nervously.


AIII. The Dangerous Skies - Marc

Someone is shooting at him. They're flying through the sky in driving rain and someone is shooting at him. They're flying. Disoriented for a moment, switching in at a very inopportune moment, Marc clings to the saddle, trying to find if Steven even brought a damn gun on this thing, while the manta underneath him is zig-zagging around, possibly trying to avoid being shot, possibly trying to rid itself of the rider who is very much not Steven.

He finds the gun, turns around, and fires through the sheets of rain, taking out the engine of the flying bike following them, and the flying pancake gives a wild buck at the sound. "Stop it!" he growls, trying not to get thrown off.


BI. Casing the Place - Marc

Honestly, Marc's been wanting to get into the nearest big city for a while. He sits in diners with the local equivalent of coffee while he takes in how the locals move, he walks the streets with apparent purpose while he maps the streets and times deliveries and security patrols, he stops in a shop or two to buy a knick-knack for Layla or a book for Steven or a bit of interesting Tech for, well, Tech. Steven even prompts him once to buy a cat toy for Codi.

But mostly he's watching, whether arm in arm with Layla or pointing out interesting sights to whoever else he's patrolling with. "That's a good street to hide an evac truck," he murmurs once. Or maybe, "Camera on that corner, and a security spell on that shop's window." Or even, "That smells great," when they pass a pastry shop, tilting his head in that direction.


C. What He Always Does - Marc

As has become almost a regular job for him, since arriving here, Marc leads small groups of people through the city, along routes he's worked out with headquarters, and occasionally on his own outside their plans when things seemed too hot any other way. He doesn't move through the city like a native, not yet, but he does move through it like someone who has memorized a lot of routes through it in specific areas, right down to where shadowed alleys are for hiding in or when a supply truck will be blocking that street when they need to cross.

He gets them to the waiting cars, trucks, and vans. "Go, go," he tells the driver, swinging into the front seat. He'll go back in once he's seen this batch safely past the outskirts of the city, but for now he's riding along.

AIII

[purplexing]

The wind and rain's only slightly better than sleet and snow. Donnie would absolutely freeze otherwise, but things are still pretty miserable between the temperature from this altitude and the wet. The cascading rain makes it difficult to see, his goggles only doing so much for him as he has to mop his hand across them now and again.

It takes the turtle teen a moment to locate the source of the sound, gasping as he finds the bike careening towards him and his hoverboard. He hunkers down low and veers sharply to the side, narrowly avoiding the smoking vehicle as it plummets past him before he pushes the hoverboard upwards again, catching sight of Marc as the man tries to regain control of his manta beast. He comes up alongside of them, keeping an eye on the manta thing in case it decides to flail in his direction. Just a green kid with something that looks suspiciously like a shell on his back, totally normal here.

"This is why I prefer machines. We cool here?"

C

[nouskaiananki]

Vader was already getting the truck in gear before Marc had fully gotten the door open and if he isn't careful, he'll fall back out.

Vader is the same pilot he's always been, even if it's a strange, land-bound vehicle. And that means quick, seemingly impossible moves and grabbing Marc's shoulder while he clipped himself in.

"Just man a weapon. I have this."

BI

[chalicejoker]

Recon is not Hajime's forte--he would much rather just attack, and he's just awkward when it comes to existing in society at large, but he's trying to broaden his skill sets here. So sure, there's a camera on that corner and a security spell on the shop window. Not that he's certain how his companion is spotting all of this. "Wouldn't be hard for me to disrupt the camera, I think. They're built a bit different from what I usually use, but at the end of the day, a camera's a camera."

AII

[newmemorywhodis]

The sky manta might not be a horse, but this wouldn't be the first non-horse that Link has tried to ride. There was the deer, of course. And the bear. And the Lord of the Mountain. Why not something that could fly, too?

Then, while they fly through the air and Link tosses flyers out anywhere and everywhere, he pauses at Steven's question. Looks at the clouds; the colour of them, the shape.

"Yes," he says, with a nod. Looks like rain to him.

Tech | Mission B-I and C

[tech_nically]

BI.
While it's hard for someone who's been trained to be a soldier as soon as he could walk to really be casual in a place that's basically enemy territory, it manages to even out for Tech as he's just as curious and completely unaccustomed to wandering a big city mostly on his own and with little to go on. Most of his experiences with cities have been for specific purposes and this is no different in that aspect. But this is also a chance to have a look at how things are under Sylphid control and get an idea of how things operate.

Despite being told that so long as he still had his chip, he wouldn't be under much scrutiny, Tech still can't help but be cautious. One of the first things he's done as soon as he's able to have access is to download a more detailed map of the city. The specific locations of interest are made note of, and after some deliberation he decides on casing the southwest side of the city. Given the sheer size of the city, it's not feasible to think that he can explore it in its entirety, but with at least a clear objective marking a place he needs to see, from there he can at least see about finding anything else of interest.

With the encoding he'd managed to pull from the sensor towers, he's put together a device to help him locate anything running with similar signals in hopes of getting more data. He leaves it running while he wanders, set up to ping his tablet upon detection.


C.
He wonders if he should be so surprised at the turnout. People had probably just waiting for the right opportunity, but Tech isn't so sure that coming out in such droves as this is a good idea in the grand scheme of things. It might not be a mass exodus, but it would still be a difficult amount to ignore on the radar. But then that's exactly why they're here as backup for the inevitable.

Tech has one of his guns at the ready, taking up a position near the edge of this particular rendezvous point as he keeps an eye out towards the city while the last of the new recruits come in. He tenses as he hears shouts from further out, bringing his free hand up to the side of his helmet as the comms start going off. Lowering his visor, he looks out for the incoming Sylphid forces before turning towards whoever else is standing by.

"They're coming. We need to buy some time for the recruits to finish loading onto the transports," he says, already starting to move as the first report of weapons-fire
sounds not too far off.

((OOC: Will match tagging format!))

BI

[bladebabysitter]

"Any luck so far?"

Elma looks... very little like herself, at the moment. She might lack a chip, but she's conducted enough violence against the Sylphid to expect they at least have a report out on her. But nanotech makes disguise easy, so right now she has black hair and casual clothes that don't look out of place at all around here.

Juhani | Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

[tarisian_cathar]

Mission I - Sky Mantas - Phase II/III

She's not...keen on heights, precisely. Not afraid of them, per se, but not something she seeks out beyond the height of, say, a tree. But if she's going to do this, it's going to be on a reliable partner, not a piece of machinery she knows nothing about.

But even being near one, petting it calmly, she wished Ezra were here - with his unique knack for animals. This would go far better, she felt. But she'd do the best she could, in his name.

She does well enough with the training. But reality, is, of course, always more difficult...

Mission III - The Rescuers

She waits in the safe house for the vehicles to arrive. The people joining them are huddled inside, looking...well, worried. Very worried. Determined, but...understandably not in the best of spaces, as it were. She looks from face to face, seeing what she can sense from the Force. At least one radiates flagrant deceit, and she ever-so-casually nods in their direction, so one of the guards will catch it. Which means this is the last time they'll use this particular safe house, and that person will be...misdirected when it comes time to evacuate.

Either a spy or someone willing to betray for money, so no practical difference. If it was another reason, well, they'd find it out.

A loud noise outside causes a ripple of startled panic, and people begin to rise, start to chatter, and the panic starts to spread and that is a poison. And so she stands, lifting her lightsaber over her head, and igniting it. The sound, the sudden flash of blue - they're enough to cut through the din and silence it, at least for the moment. A moment she has to seize.

"You are afraid, and that is understandable. This is a giant step, and a dangerous journey - you would be foolish were you not apprehensive. But let me tell you this: whatever happens tonight? You will be defended. My name is Juhani, I am a Jedi Knight of the Republic. My defence of you will be unending. There are others, of such ability; they will guard you, too."

"Do not be afraid. Be determined, be ready to fight and to learn - but do not let the fear win. It is the Slyphid who will come to fear you, and the light you bring."

rescuers

[concord_dawned]

The "guard" who catches Juhani's nod is, at first glance, no one to be concerned about. An unarmed, unarmored teenager in plain, nondescript clothes, he's difficult to even distinguish from the refugees crowded around them.

It's not Boba's usual style, disguising himself like this. He'd much rather remain encased in his armor behind enemy lines—behind friendly lines, too, if he's being honest. However, after learning of the... limitations of his armor-summoning ability, he has made the rather grudging decision to use it only sparingly.

For now, he keeps his eye trained on the potential Sylphid agent in their midst. The man doesn't look armed, but he's seen enough to make him a threat: faces, locations, escape routes—needless to say, when the time comes, Boba intends to do much more than simply misdirect him. There will doubtless be some amount of chaos when the transport vehicles arrive. Boba has no doubt he can handle the matter discreetly.

His thoughts are interrupted by a loud noise from outside. Perhaps that chaos has decided to come early. Keeping one eye on his target, Boba begins to move toward the safehouse door, prepared to intercept any would-be attackers—

—when another noise cuts through his focus like a blade through flesh.

To the others in the room, the lightsaber held aloft might be a sign of hope, of protection. For Boba, it's always represented something very different. Amidst the sea of spreading calm and reassurance, his own reaction flashes up as clear as a clarion call: cold dread, followed just as quickly by even colder loathing.

His eyes remain fixed on the Jedi for a moment—and then Boba wrenches his gaze away. She isn't the enemy right now—that means she shouldn't be his focus. Still, agitation hangs heavy over him, charging the air like a storm cloud.

If their enemies are coming, they can't come soon enough.

Jack O' Skully | Mission A: Distributing Posters

[nitashix]

Mission A

Phase I: Flying Lessons

[nitashix]

Chaos ruled the forest as gunshots, explosions and battlecries joined in a violent orchestra of noise that filled the crisp evening air. Amidst the noise, the young pirate swung as hard as he could, in a desperate battle for survival. His right hand clashed with the blades of his enemies while his left fired shots to random targets. It was every man for himself, his companions having their own battles to deal with.

“No Bernard!,” he flinched momentarily, as he witnessed his closest peer downed with a clean shot through his head. “Arrrrrr!!!,” he then cried, blindly hacking whoever got in his way. He wanted to stop by and mourn at his lifeless ally but the ensuing battle just won’t let him. And as he thought he saw the worst, the force of an explosion suddenly sent him flying off a huge tree. As he struggled to raise himself, the sight of a severed arm, containing his pirate captain’s black armband quickly caught his eye. Having secured his footing, he quickly reached for the arm that hung by the tree’s branch, taking off the black arm band to place it on his own.

“Ye’ll pay for this!,” he grunted, as the armband glowed in a deep purplish light opening a dark portal that suddenly swallowed the pirate midair.

Jack jerked up his bed, realizing that it was all but a dream. As he recovered from momentary daze, a rhythmic noise quickly snatched his attention. His eyes darted at the comms device that lay on his side table. After drawing a sighing breath, he reached for the device and checked for its notifications.

Another list of missions populated his inbox, making his eyes busy after letting out a soft yawn. There were a few lists but what caught his attention the most was the mission that included flying lessons as one of its phases. His vision zoomed at the mission details, presenting him the options of learning about hoverboards, flying vehicles and sky mantas. A familiar photo made him take an even closer look at the hoverboards section. “Ah so there’s more to that thing indeed,” he exclaimed fervently reading more into the training details that involves the hoverboard.

Without reading much further into the mission briefing, the pirate closed his comms device, greatly drawn by the opportunity to learn more about the hoverboard. Picking up his own newly repaired one, he immediately raced towards the training ground as his comms device directed him.

Luke Skywalker | Mission A I-III

[forceguided]

PHASE I: FLYING LESSONS

[Not that Luke needs flying lessons. What he does need is a ship that's not a wreck. So Luke spends the early part of the assignment up to his elbows in it figuratively. Tinkering with ships and speeders has always been a thing he's enjoyed, so of course he can't refuse to chance to do it now. By the time he's done the ship's going to be better than it was brand new, because it's more capable and finely tuned.

Which is to say... the Resistance might find it really hard to get this ship back. It's his now and there's a lot of trees to stash it in later. Sorry, not sorry. But he'll obviously use it for the rebellion's causes so it's fine. He just doesn't want anyone touching his new baby.

Once that's done, it's time for a test flight. Which has maybe one too many excited whoops and stupid stunts in it for it to be basic and practical. But it feels good and it definitely puts both the ship, and Luke by extension, through it's paces.

Feel free to bother Luke early on as he's tinkering away, while he's mid-air and being entirely too cocky (did he get too close to your ship?), or be there when he's back on the ground again.]

PHASE II: DISTRIBUTION

[During the actual mission, Luke's flying is a lot more controlled. A lot less reckless. He's focused, though it's not exactly a hard mission. He could have done this easily well before he'd arrived at the Witch's Camp, but his bond with the Force is a lot stronger than it had been before. Which makes dodging buildings and things into something that almost feels like a dance, because he can feel things as he flies now.

It's pretty badass. When the weather turns sour, it doesn't even slow him. Maybe it should, but as the lightning flashes Luke actually closes his eyes and lets himself fly by instinct. It's pretty exhilarating. Until the hairs on the back of his neck prickles and he jerks his ship hard, barely avoiding another bolt of lightning that probably should have hit him dead on. As it is, it clips him a little bit. But does no serious damage. But it's enough that he kind of wishes R2 was here. This was exactly the sort of situation you'd want an astromech droid around for after all.]

I'm okay.

[But Luke still gets to work checking his systems, to see if there's anything he needs to re-route before he continues.]

PHASE III: DOGFIGHTS

[Dogfights aren't something Luke is used to exactly, but this isn't his first rodeo anymore. It's his second thanks. His skills and abilities see him through the opening volley, but it won't be long before he gets overwhelmed. Because good or not, he's still a rookie hot shot at the end of the day.

Which is what lands him in a mess with a fighter on his tail that he's trying, and so far failing to shake. It's only through a lot of luck and a whole hell of a lot of the Force being kind to one of it's babies keeping him from getting shot down.]

I can't seem to shake them! Damn it!

[He's going to have a bunch of repairs to make to his poor baby after this, but as long as it sticks to minor damage. That's fine. It's fine. Everything's fine. Help?]

Dogfights, if it's not too late!

[fightingevilbymoonknight]

[Marc has finally convinced the sky manta he's riding that he might not be Steven, but he's not the enemy, either, and they're racing towards open skies when the actual ship and its tail cross their path.

There are only a handful of spells Marc knows, as opposed to Steven who seems to pick them up without even trying. He throws one of them at the fighter: knock. For unlocking things. For opening things. Not normally a spell one would use in combat-- unless, of course, there are a lot of locked things on an enemy's ride.

The fighter's top hatch pops open, and the ejection locks unlatch, and the whole thing careens off course as the fighter suddenly finds his whole seat separated from his vehicle.]

Codi | Mission B (probably all parts) | Closed to Harley

[maskedtyrant]

The opportunity to go to Zephyr proper is one that Codi absolutely cannot pass up, and the deal is made even sweeter by the fact that Witch HQ qualifies her for the part. When she'd first arrived here, Codi had thought critically about whether or not she wanted to eventually risk taking out her chip; now that her magical capacity has notably increased, and she's seeing the direct benefits of keeping herself chipped, such doubts are far from her mind. She would have killed - literally murdered - for the chance to go on a mission like this. Thankfully, she doesn't have to.

She's spent a nontrivial amount of time just roaming around the city already, buying things, spying on her fellow undercover rebels, seeing what each district feels like and how the locals react to her presence and casual questions. Her outfit changes slightly and her midwestern American accent has become a little more brusque as she narrows in on the outer ring. These people are in the most dire straights, practically at the cusp of open rebellion already. Easy targets for a would-be hero of the masses.

Still, Codi imagines that she'll run into some red tape along the way, so she messages Harley for backup and waits outside the NorthWest Broadcasting building for her to arrive, on the corner at the other side of the street. She's in the midst of quietly recording herself on her phone.

"...personally have my thanks, and a spot on my team. Enjoy the show and see you on the other side." Codi stops the recording with a tap and slips her phone in her pocket, glancing around for the first time in several minutes.