Mission Log #1

[modaccount]

How It Works

Welcome to the first 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!

The Cure For Immunity

The Witches have received intel through their spies in Zephyr that a lab located just outside the outskirts of the city is engaged in experiments on sentient beings to create a serum that will change those people who are incompatible with Sylphid reproduction. This serum would allow the Sylphid to take over the bodies of people who would usually be fatal to them.

The serum is said to function at a 45% success rate already.

Obviously this would be a major blow to all life on the Broken World, as 70% of the population is immune to being taken over by Sylphid. This serum would allow them to increase their population numbers exponentially and turn a powerful takeover into a nigh-unstoppable one.

The Witch will be calling a general meeting at the Command Center where she will explain the situation and the proposed missions to stop it.

Mission A: Into the Lab

Mission Appropriateness: Chipped or Stripped
Mission Focus: Stealth and recon.

This mission will focus on stealth and recon, with operatives conducting surveillance on the lab to work out the rounds of the guards and other staff so they can infiltrate and take the information on the Sylphid serum in order to reverse engineer it and hopefully make a serum to make everyone immune to Sylphid takeover. The Witch passionately states in her opening speech that this would be an immense blow against the Sylphid and is a very important mission.

PHASE I
Nestled in the jungle a few blocks outside city limits is a low cement building with a high barbed-wire-topped chain-link fence around it. The lab is built like a fortress with thick walls, very few windows, and a thick roof made of cement and tile, almost bomb-proof. All in all, the Sylphid aren't exactly subtle, the place might as well scream 'secret lab to create top-secret serums.' There's also a regular round of security guards accompanied by guard dogs that make their way around the perimeter, and security cameras at every entrance and exit.

There is plenty of cover around the building for operatives to watch the rounds of the guards, the way the cameras swivel, and get a feeling for what kind of people enter and exit the building. Surveillance can be conducted the old-fashioned way, by just watching the building from many different angles and sharing observations by camera. They can also be done in a variety of other ways, depending on individual powers and abilities - want to pretend to be making a delivery so you can scope out the front desk? take photos or videos of rounds or entrances and exits to study? draw a rough map of the grounds to show everybody? Go for it!

There are a variety of ways to get into the building, but surveillance will boil down to four main routes of entry:

⇝ The first is a direct frontal entry, where characters may bluff their way inside the building in a variety of ways including pretending to make a delivery, taking down a single guard and stealing their uniform, or otherwise working out a ruse to get inside.
⇝ The second is a through a single bulletproof glass skylight in the roof of the building, directly above the mess hall, which should be empty just after lunch time. There is a strong lock on the skylight, but it can be picked and there are no traps.
⇝ The third is through the back entrance, near where the guards' staff room is, in a secondary building. This route will require taking out several guards as silently as possible and entering disguised as guards.
⇝ The fourth is through a ventilation system that can be accessed by a panel high up on the wall at the one side of the building that is facing the jungle. This one will require some acrobatic skill and flexibility and might be best for a small character.

PHASE II
There are four major routes of entry into the lab, and characters who try any route of entry should keep in contact with people outside via radio or network to relay information found out during the infiltration phase. The rebels are trying to get as much information about the internal layout of the lab as possible in case the Sylphid opt to reuse it for another purpose in the future. They would ideally like to be able to map the entire internal structure of the facility. In all cases, photos, videos, and sketches of the inside of the lab would be welcome to the rebels.

⇝ Frontal Entry: Characters who opt to enter through the front via some kind of ruse and who gain entry will find themselves faced with a maze of corridors and rooms. This may be difficult because anyone who is allowed entry into the building generally knows their way around. Success of this particular route of entry will depend on confidence and being able to keep the ruse alive as the characters run into various different people - scientists, guards, deliverypersons, janitorial staff, and other staff. Keep the ruse up for as long as possible and make sure you get as many details of the inside of the building as possible to relay to your colleagues outside as possible.

⇝ Skylight Entry: Characters who opt to enter through the skylight will find themselves faced with a heavy lock as their first obstacle. The lock is able to be picked or hacked, depending on the characters' skillset. Once the skylight is open they will have to lower themselves into the room underneath, a mess hall for the staff in the lab, and subdue the cafeteria workers. From this point, they will need to keep themselves hidden from passers-by in the hallways, and rely on stealth and silence as much as possible while mapping out the inside of the lab, and keep in radio or network contact with those on the outside.

⇝ Back Entry: This is the method of entry that requires the most fighting. Characters will enter the back area of the building where there is a smaller outbuilding that is used by the guards for a sort of staff room while they are taking breaks, and subdue several guards to take their uniforms. After the uniforms and keycards for the building are secured, they can enter through the back door and maintain the ruse of being guards that are patrolling the building. This is where knowledge of the guard rounds comes in handy, and all that surveillance will certainly help. These characters will have to be careful to avoid the real guards as they will be able to clock that they aren't their coworkers and the "I'm new" story will only work so many times! Characters in guard uniforms will have an easier time communicating out loud on radios and the network as they're expected to be communicating by radio, and will also be able to give spare walkie-talkies to those on the outside.

⇝ Ventilation Entry: This is the most physically challenging method of entry, but a very valuable one. After accessing the ventilation system, characters will be able to crawl through the duct work in a virtually undetectable way and take photos, videos, or sketches of the rooms they can view through vents. The duct work goes everywhere throughout the building and mostly poses obstacles in the form of the mazelike system of them, occasional fans and other blockages in the ductwork, and dust and debris in the ducts including possibly rats and spiders. Some of the spiders are poisonous, as jungle spiders tend to be, and anyone bitten by the spiders will experience pain and hallucinations that may hinder them. As with all other entry methods, the people in the ventilation system should be communicating with those on the outside by radio or network.

PHASE III
Phase III is more straightforward than the other phases of this mission - once the infiltrators have mapped out the inside of the lab, they should locate the central computer banks and anyone with the technical expertise should make a copy of the databanks. This will require some hacking and all characters doing infiltration will be provided with a device that will allow them to hack through any passcodes required by the computer to access the information inside. Copying the database will take at least a half hour, so characters may have to create diversions, talk themselves out of hot water when people come to stop by the computer room, and otherwise distract the true staff of the building from entering the room and catching them in the act.

Once the computer banks have been copied, characters should use another device they will be given before infiltration to plant a virus in the computer banks that will corrupt everything in them. The virus will take about 10 minutes to get to the point of critical mass, a guaranteed disruption of the whole system. This phase of the mission will take at least 40 minutes total, during which characters are going to have to keep any of the real staff of the lab out of the computer room through whatever means possible, making it the point in the mission most likely to go off the rails.

After the computer system has been disrupted by the virus, characters will have to escape the building without being caught by the Sylphid staff, and may leave through any exit available so they can melt into the forest and make a clean escape.

ADDITIONAL MISSION
Characters infiltrating the lab will discover several rooms where sentient test subjects are located. Some of them will be in very ill health due to side effects of the treatments they've been enduring, and all will be very willing and eager to be rescued. While some characters stay with the computer banks to copy and sabotage them, other characters may go find these rooms full of test subjects, about 45 in total, and smuggle them out of the building. Once the rebel force has been alerted to the presence of test subjects, they will send a truck to wait near the back entrance, and operatives will simply have to cut the chain link fence to make space for the subjects to get into the truck to be transported back to the Witches Camp. This mission will likely involve having to subdue several guards as the back entrance is near the guards' room.

Mission B: Disrupt The Supply Chain

Mission Appropriateness: Chipped or Stripped
Mission Focus: Recon and open battle.

This mission will focus on open battle and guerilla tactics, with operatives locating and disrupting the supply chain to the lab. It will focus on identifying shipments of equipment, food, and other supplies to the lab and interrupting them, destroying the vehicles, subduing the enemy, and taking whatever supplies they can back to the Witches Camp.

PHASE I
The highway leading past the lab is a seldom-used four-lane highway that snakes its way through the jungle in a mostly uninhabited area. While there are a few scattered farms and other occupied areas, most of the highway is bordered on by wild jungle, which provides a lot of cover for surveillance of the delivery vehicles that approach the lab to drop off supplies. Most of the trucks will contain food, equipment, and other sundries for the function of the lab. The trucks can be wheeled or hover, and will have various brand names emblazoned on them. Characters tasked with surveillance in these areas will settle at safe and well-hidden spots in the jungle to watch the roads and keep detailed notes on which trucks with which brand names enter the lab to deliver supplies. They will also need to keep in close contact with home base to relay this information, with notes on the times the deliveries happen and what sort of supplies may be being delivered, based on the logos on the trucks.

Characters will discover that there are actually several routes delivery trucks are taking to get to the lab, contrary to previous intel-gathering, which pointed to the quickest and most obvious route being the one the trucks used. Some trucks are taking side streets through a nearby occupied area, at the center of which is a rather skeezy truck stop where drivers stop for food before completing their deliveries. Characters will need to spread out to cover these additional routes in order to make sure they don't miss any delivery trucks.

Additionally, the truck stop may become a good source of intel, with staff being amenable through convincing, coercion, or bribing to give information on the drivers that stop in on a regular basis, what they haul, and what their timetables are like. Players are more than welcome to NPC some of the staff at the truck stop for mild interrogation, including waitresses, cashiers, station attendants, and janitorial staff.

PHASE II
As Mission A moves into its final phase, and much more likely to be discovered, phase II of Mission B will go into full effect. Operatives will have discovered four routes that trucks are taking into the lab, and will need to cover all of them for both surveillance and to blockade them or sabotage them and stop the trucks.

⇝ Route 1: The main and quickest route that trucks are taking to the lab, which is directly down the highway and off of it into the lab driveway. This will be the toughest one to blockade due to the size of the highway - four lanes, though seldom used, is quite a distance to cover.

⇝ Route 2: A winding side road that goes over a small creek and then beside it, only two lanes across and through a mostly uninhabited area. Because it's uninhabited and a smaller road with less traffic, it will be easier to blockade and is also the second most used route by the trucks.

⇝ Route 3: A relatively direct route from the truck stop through some back streets that straightforwardly traverse farmland. There is more traffic on this road that is civilian because of its proximity to farmland, and will require a bit more effort due to this civilian traffic.

⇝ Route 4: Another straightforward route, though this time through a civilian-occupied area, and close to a school for the small community surrounding the truck stop. This will be the most difficult to blockade without doing too much collateral damage to the civilian area around it and the school.

Characters will have been given bombs that they may use to destroy the roads themselves as well as access to heavy machinery they can use to move cement blocks into the roadways to block traffic from getting through. Once the roads are blocked or destroyed, characters will have to subdue the Sylphid staff on the trucks through force, which might be a significant fight, as all Sylphid, even down to truck drivers, are well-trained in combat. These drivers are also well-armed, considering the mission they're on to supply the lab, which is one of the top priorities for the Sylphid as of now.

PHASE III
Phase III is relatively straightforward compared to the rest of the missions - unload the trucks and carry the supplies back to the Witches Camp via truck or hover-ATV, then destroy the trucks. This will mostly be through demolitions or by setting the trucks on fire, leaving them as a signal to the Sylphid that they can't go about their research without being challenged.

Characters may disable the trucks in whatever fashion they wish, so long as it leaves a good, lasting message to the Sylphid. The Sylphid drivers that aren't killed should be captured and bound and loaded into a truck to be taken back to the Witches Camp to be interrogated or used as bargaining chips for the more diplomatic side of the rebellion.

Damage to civilian property or injury of civilians, especially children who may be playing at the playground by the school would be seriously looked down on and a huge blow to the rebellion's reputation, so characters are encouraged to keep destruction to a minimum on Route 4 in particular. In fact, the rebellion would prefer if operatives could load the trucks onto heavy machinery and take them to the Witches Camp for demolition instead of leaving them on Route 4.

Additionally, operatives along the routes will find that some of the trucks contain caged and restrained test subjects. Once these are discovered, they should be taken by truck back to the Witches Camp. Unfortunately, these test subjects can't be returned to their families in Zephyr because their chips would immediately mark them for death - the Sylphid would, without thinking twice, kill people that were marked as test subjects who escaped, especially after being rescued by the rebellion, in case they were corrupted by the rebellion. These test subjects will have to be comforted and brought back to the Camp to either join the rebellion or be civilians in the Camp.

NAVIGATION

Comments

[tech_nically]

After seeing the initial reaction of Rokuro's ability, Tech already anticipated there'd be some kind of toll taken. He'd rather not have the man strain himself too much, already regretting asking him to check as Tech steadies him. Nodding, he waits to make sure Rokuro's truly ready to move before he begins to hug the rear truck on their way back to where the body had been left.

It's a little awkward trying to drag a deadweight from beneath a truck, and Tech hopes that the remaining guards will be more careless in studying the ground as he stoops to pull one of the limp arms over his shoulders. He won't stop Rokuro if the other tries to help, but otherwise he won't argue if the man wishes to either take point back towards the trees or bring up the rear.

[noisecomplaint]

Considering the stark difference in their heights and physical strength, attempting to help Tech bear the burden of the guard's body would likely hinder the clone more than it would help. Rokuro will take point, watching their backs as they retreat into the jungle.

As for the dusty ground and the tracks left in it... when they begin to move, Rokuro will do his part in a different way. Looking up at the night sky, face bathed in moonlight, he calls upon the strength of Tsukuyomi to aid him for this last task.

"Stars above, please, bless us with your tears." A crack of thunder, and the handful of clouds in the sky grow suddenly thick and dark. A moment later, rain pours from the heavens. Wet and heavy. Whatever tracks they leave will be washed away, and visibility reduced in their favour.

It's a power-move, and Rokuro will pay the price in short order, but the safety of his comrade and success of their mission is more than worth the cost.

[tech_nically]

Tech cranes a look skyward at the sudden sound of thunder. That hadn't been part of the forecast, had it? His eyes narrow behind his goggles, and he glances over at Rokuro in silent question. Still, he moves forward towards the jungle, body in tow.

And then the skies open up, and by the time they reach the treeline, the clone is soaked, the guard in turn being no lighter for it. It's not something to complain about as Tech easily sees the opportunity they've been given, but even with visibility reduced for the possibility of their being spotted, he still feels it's better to go as far within as they can.

"What was that?" he asks, not bothering with whispers when the sound of water hammers incessantly against the leafy canopy above and through its barer cover.

[noisecomplaint]

"Rain." Rokuro can't be feeling too badly, considering he has enough energy to be a smart-ass, but he is flagging. Slowly. Dropping farther and farther behind one step at a time. He will continue to trudge through the rain and the dark until they reach what Tech considers to be a safe distance, and then he will sink to his knees.

Tired. Very tired. The rain and moonlight have gone a long way to replenish his resources, and so he will manage the tasks ahead well enough. It's the here and now that is a challenge. Rokuro wraps his bare arms around himself, shivering, achey, and exhausted all at once. Without his master to both temper and guide him, he is still learning his limits. A difficult task for a man committed to giving his all.

The brave of water is no stranger to getting wet, but that doesn't make the downpour any less cold. At least the Sylphid will be just as miserable, and unlikely to focus on anything past the road ahead of them. Tech and Rokuro should be free to report their findings, once they are able to make their way back to those in command.

[tech_nically]

Typical.

Tech looks around. The rain does make it difficult for him to figure out where they are as well, but he's at least confident that they're far enough from the road. Hopefully the rain works further in their favor that they hurry to resume their trip and don't notice anyone missing.

The clone looks over at Rokuro, slightly alarmed when he doesn't immediately see him there behind them. He doesn't hesitate to drop the body beside a tree, walking over to where Rokuro has stopped. Asking if he's all right seems pointless given the obvious, so for a while he just stands there, a partial cover against the rain. Being completely soaked is not a sensation he's missed, and he decides that being so in layers of clothing like this is all the more unpleasant, not that he complains. Allowing them a moment's respite, he checks the tablet, hoping it's waterproof as he tries to get a heading for them.

"...we should continue," he suggests. "Can you stand?"

[noisecomplaint]

"Yes." Rokuro can stand. Will stand. Determined to forge onwards and complete the mission by Tech's side. He gathers his strength and forces himself to his feet through sheer force of will. A monumental accomplishment, given the general lack of cooperation from his body.

Granted, just because Rokuro can stand doesn't mean he can walk. One step forward, and he wobbles, collapsing against the trunk of a nearby tree. Skin too wet and cold to feel the scrape of bark against his skin. Unfortunately, the heat of his anger at this perceived failure isn't enough to warm or fuel either of them.

"I will recover. I-I only need a moment."

[tech_nically]

That's not exactly promising. Tech comes up once again beside him, shoving his tablet away to reach out and keep Rokuro from completely falling over. He looks up, water blurring his goggles. The rain doesn't look like it'll let up too soon, but from what he can see of Rokuro, the man doesn't look like he only needs a moment.

"Well, at least no one should be coming after us," he sighs. He wipes at his goggles with one hand, for what good it does, before trying to ease Rokuro to the ground. "Here, sit. We'll be going nowhere at the moment either way."

[noisecomplaint]

"I can keep going." There's an almost petulant edge to his voice, mentally fighting Tech as he simultaneously submits to his touch. Going down to the ground easily. There is a reason Rokuro has avoided making himself comfortable, and it's because he's afraid he won't get back up again with so little effort.

He tucks his legs beneath himself, resting his back against the tree. Arms folded protectively over his narrow chest. The rain presents them with an extreme tactical advantage. There is no chance the Sylphid will find them, and very little chance they'll notice one of their number missing before it's far too late.

On a more personal level? It's cold, slippery, and even more difficult to navigate the jungle themselves.

"Once I catch my breath, I can stop it." And expel even more energy, but it seems logical at the time, given how wet and uncomfortable Tech looks.

[tech_nically]

"We can't go anywhere at the moment, or we'll be just as lost," he reasons. "Risk of injury due to falling is greater under the current circumstances, more so with your balance impaired."

Perhaps surprisingly, Tech settles down beside him. It would be pointless to stand on guard when even he can't see anything, and although this isn't the sort of respite he'd prefer, he also knows sometimes you just need to take what you can get. He sighs, finally allowing himself to lean back against the tree. Uncomfortable as it is, there's something soothing to the pouring rain. It reminds him of Kamino and its near-incessant storms. There's an ache there too, from more recent memories. He frowns to himself, reaching up to swipe ineffectually at the water gathering at the base of his goggle lenses.

"You'll do no such thing. We can wait it out." To call up a storm can surely be no simple doing, and compounded with Rokuro's earlier use of his powers, Tech can only guess how much of a strain the man's put himself through. One did not push their squad to its limits without reason, and Tech faults himself for not understanding the range and consequences of Rokuro's abilities enough to keep him from overstretching himself.

"I didn't have enough information..." he says, his words almost swallowed by the sound of the falling rain.

[noisecomplaint]

"Enough information for what?" Rokuro's eye is only half-open. Voice soft and drowsy. The soft pitter-patter of rain hitting the jungle canopy above their heads is soothing. If it weren't so cold and dark, and they weren't in the middle of a mission that has already claimed multiple lives, siting beneath a tree like this with Tech might be pleasant.

His tired eye flicks up to Tech's face, intrigued by the time, effort, and care he puts into maintaining his goggles.

"Why do you wear those? Is your vision poor?"

[tech_nically]

Everything, he thinks. As much as it is a large part of their mission to obtain such information, there's still other things he could have surely prepared for. But they're still small in comparison to the most obvious that strikes him right now.

"For whom I was working with, what I should be keeping an eye for so as not to put them at risk." Tech sighs. "I'm not used to being the one looked to for the decisions regarding missions. That is no excuse, I know. I will try to be more aware of these things from now on."

He raises his head, brow lifting. "These? Ah..." He'd take them off, but getting water in them would be even more of a pain to deal with than just having to wipe them off on the outside. "My vision is not optimal, no. But these would also serve in compliment to my helmet, if I had it." It's also the only piece of equipment he's at least been allowed to keep.

[noisecomplaint]

"Please do not judge yourself so harshly. You are no more at fault than I. While you are my comrade, you are not my keeper. It is my responsibility to look after myself, and ensure I am neither a liability nor inefficient. That I am accustomed to a certain level of command is... my issue to contend with, I should not have placed the burden upon you." His own sigh, wrapping his arms more tightly around himself.

Rokuro recalls a moment not entirely unlike this, when he felt like an utter failure, entirely unworthy of his position as the brave of water and place by his master's side. Then a warm, heavy kimono was draped over his shoulders, achingly familiar in scent, and Rokuro was comforted. Regardless of whether he deserved to be or not.

He tries to remember his master's words, and the lesson that kindness was supposed to impart on him, but Yukimura Sanada is so very far away, and even when close Rokuro struggled to hear them.

No matter how hard Tech tries, he will never be Rokuro's master, and to hold him to that standard as a leader would be both foolish and unfair. Still... Rokuro can't help looking to someone when he feels lost. Perhaps that is the biggest weakness in his training.

Submission so ingrained it can't be forgotten.

"You have seen both of my eyes, even the eye that is not an eye, and yet... I have never seen yours." Rokuro is imagining those googles attached to a classic samurai helmet upon Tech's head, and it's definitely a look-- not that Tech couldn't pull it off. He does have a rather striking appearance, an opinion which the clone might find incredibly funny if Rokuro ever thought to share it, given there are millions of others who share his face.

[tech_nically]

"Comrades still look out for each other's wellbeing. And when working in such circumstances, we're supposed to act as a unit. We do well enough to watch each other's backs, but that is only a part of it. We must understand each other's limits as well as ability."

It would have been better to have thought of that before they'd set out, but then their original mission had only been to observe and identify the transports and their routes. Tech tilts his head back, watching the rain spatter against his lenses, running a wet hand through equally wet hair. Eventually, he pulls at the band of his goggles, slipping them and the lenses off of his head. They won't make much difference at the moment anyway, and the initial coolness of the rain does feel good.

The tint of the lenses doesn't take much away from the warm brown of his eyes, although they still might be difficult to see at the moment. He swipes the back of a sleeve across his face. "It's not much difference," he says, head turning towards Rokuro. He tips out his goggles, turning them outside-up in his lap so the rain won't gather too much in them.

[noisecomplaint]

"Yes, you are right. The people I fight beside back home... we all know one another so well that there is often very little to express on the battlefield. A strength I took for granted until this day." It's going to take time, work, and patience to get to anywhere near the same place in terms of skills and cooperation. Rokuro feels he is beginning to understand Tech, but he is only one of many.

Upon seeing the clone's eyes the corners of Rokuro's lips quirk into an almost smile. Yes, he is pleased Tech has met him on this level (he was starting to think the goggles were his eyes), but Rokuro also has a particular fondness for that hue of brown.

"Your eyes are the same colour as my master's. Like barley tea."

[tech_nically]

"I must confess to the same," Tech says quietly. "...so please, do not push yourself if you need the time to recover. We both came out here to complete a mission, and we are both going to go back, when we can."

He's uncertain what to make of that smile, after all, it's but a simple gesture. True enough he even sleeps in the things, so Rokuro could be forgiven to have thought them possibly attached.

"Ah. ...you do have quite the fondness for tea, don't you?" It seems to always circle back to that, although it's a little amusing.

[noisecomplaint]

"Then... it may be prudent to rest here for a moment. At least until the rain subsides." Rokuro can't quite bring himself to request 'recovery' time directly, but he can honour Tech's request not to push himself. Drawing both knees up to his chest, he wraps his arms around them in a bid to keep his body warm and make himself more comfortable.

Of course, Tech's observation of Rokuro's most personal vice does a very good job of making him feel warmer in a far more expedient fashion.

"I, ah-- well. I have studied tea ceremony since my hands were large enough to fit around a cup. It is simply an area of experience and expertise that I also happen to enjoy. I would presume you have a similar... interest, do you not?"

[tech_nically]

That's a better response than he might have anticipated, considering Rokuro's earlier insistence to continue. Tech nods, glad that they're in agreement. Unfortunately it means they have to endure the chill of the rain until then. Rokuro may not have as much to get soaked, but it's still colder than it had been because of how wet it is. Tech's not that much warmer, but he tries to shift a little to sit closer in an attempt to at least keep one side less exposed to the elements between the two of them.

"Hm... Maybe not quite along the same lines," he thinks, slipping the band of his goggles over a forearm so he won't lose them. "I was trained in warfare as soon as I was able to speak and walk. All of us were. My hands were first introduced to the consoles of computers, and then to the proper way to hold and fire a gun. I am not entirely sure I can say I enjoy the latter, at least not in the way that you have come to enjoy tea."

[noisecomplaint]

It is warmer to sit together. Tech may be taller and broader in stature, but Rokuro has more bare skin and less soaked gear. His body heat is more easily radiated. Ordinarily, Rokuro would shy away from leaning, as it's a lazy and unsightly habit, but he is tired, and Tech hardly seems the type to judge him for it. So lean into Tech's side he does.

"I do not think you enjoy firing guns. I have watched your face while you did so, and there was no joy or pleasure in your expression." A breath, pondering a thought he has pondered far too many times. Rokuro has always been an overthinker. Prone to worry and over-analyzation.

"What we are good at, and what we wish to do given the chance, can be two very different things."

[tech_nically]

Tech is thinking in terms of practicality, not bogged down by the same sorts of rules and standards that Rokuro has been brought up with. Soldiers had certain protocols but outside of battle, away from commanding officers, when you were on your own or with your squadmates, those things were easily discarded when you had to look out for your own.

He looks out at the dark vegetation beyond them. "...there's no pleasure to be taken in killing anyone, even if it is what I've been trained for. There is a rush of excitement in battle, underlined by the potential that any wrong move can be your last. You can't hesitate when you fire, because that split-second decision can mean your life or that of your brother."

It was different when your enemies were mainly droids. It was easier to shoot clankers when you knew they were programmed to do the same. Firing at those who wore the same armor, who shared the same face- it made things potentially more complicated if you allowed yourself to think about it.

"I can't say that even the things I have found I like to do are completely of my own choosing or simply influenced by what I was specified to be good at," he admits.

[noisecomplaint]

Rokuro is quiet for a long moment, because he is listening, and because the throb of his skull and exhaustion setting into his bones makes it difficult to think or speak with any eloquence. After much internal resistance, Rokuro finally allows his head to rest ever so slightly against Tech's shoulder.

"There is much here beyond our worlds. None of us wish to be here, and yet... it may be an opportunity for discovery. If you try things you have never heard of, then it is highly improbable you were influenced by anyone else." He isn't certain his words are wanted or needed, but as Tech has not shied away from supporting him, he will not shy away from supporting Tech.

[tech_nically]

He's only briefly alarmed to feel that soft weight against his shoulder, wondering if Rokuro's passed out. It isn't that he doesn't anticipate the chance of such happening, but Tech is still relieved when the quiet words speak against the rain once again.

It's an odd position to be in. His brothers were never particularly touchy-feely, save for punches to the shoulders and shoving each other out of the way like nothing more than doors to get through, but that's how they showed camaraderie. Had it been any different when they were younger? It seems like so long ago. Tech looks over at the vague silhouette of Rokuro's head resting there against him as he soaks in those words.

An opportunity for discovery. Yes, this world was full of unknowns, and he'd have to make his own decisions. It's a potentially paralyzing thought, and yet Rokuro's already brought reassurance. None of them were here by choice. They were alone and at the same time not.

"Wise words," he observes quietly. "If I endeavor to follow this advice, wouldn't that still count as partial influence?" His face might not be easy to see, but there's a hint of a smile in his tone.

[noisecomplaint]

"Without my master I am a man of no real consequence. If I have any influence over anyone, it is far away from here." Rokuro wouldn't consider himself soft, or overly emotional-- or maybe it's that he doesn't feel he can or should. Composure and control are valued above all else in his clan. Rokuro and his brother are the sheaths to their master's sword. They do not choose their targets, or decide when to strike.

To truly serve is to put aside your feelings and wellbeing for that of another, and Rokuro has lived his entire life with the knowledge he would sacrifice himself for his master, and told his heart would harden and become unbreakable with time.

It turns out the all-seeing priests of Unno weren't right about everything. Either that, or Rokuro and his twin had broken the mold, and the stoic spirit of their clan was spread paper-thin between them.

"As I have struggled with what is terrifying and unknown, so will you, and as you have helped me... I will attempt to aid you. It is the honourable thing to do." Is he speaking more softly because of the sentiment behind his words, or the fact his body is slipping further into almost-sleep, now that the adrenaline of battle has faded and he is presented with the security of a trusted shoulder to lean on?

[tech_nically]

Funny how one moment Rokuro can sound encouraging and in the next breath sound like he's passing a sentence.

"...I see," Tech says, just as softly. Disappointed? Well, no. He's really not sure. Reciprocation of actions seems most sensible, after all. They've helped each other out from the start, an alliance forged of convenience, but acknowledged as sustainable.

Honor had become an elusive concept. After all, was it honorable what they'd done? Or did it cancel out when the Empire showed its hand? He doesn't know. There's so much he realized he didn't know. And now he's here, with so much more that he didn't know to know about. With Rokuro falling silent again, the rain only seems to emphasize their isolation, strangers in a strange land. It's hard to be optimistic about new opportunities under such circumstances.

Terrifying and unknown. He now has an identification for these unsettling feelings that he's been for the most part successful in ignoring and knowing what to associate it with doesn't help. But he's a member of the Bad Batch, and his squad never gives up. So neither will he, as far away as he may be from the rest of them.

"We will get through this," he says, as though informing the rain of this decision will serve as enough of a witness to set it in stone. "Things can only be terrifying and unknown for so long, the unknown will become realized and the terrifying will diminish once understanding is gained. And this... Just a minor setback. We're still alive. We have learned from this.

"...so rest. Then we'll both go back to complete this mission."

[noisecomplaint]

"We are, and we will." Dozy recitation, fighting the urge to close his eyes and already losing the battle. Rokuro knows he shouldn't. His brother would have such words with him in regards to trusting a 'strange' man from outside of their clan, but Rokuro has always been a disgrace in matters of the heart.

"Of all the people in this place, I feel blessed to have been partnered with..." And he's out. Slumped more or less comfortably between Tech and the trunk of their chosen tree. Bathed in rain and moonlight, Rokuro will wake sooner than later. More determined than ever to be worthy of the care and kindness his comrade friend has shown him.