Chapter 3

[thenine]

Who: OTA
Where: Quad
When: Week IV, Day VII - Week VI, Day VI
Summary: Chapter 3 prompts!
Restrictions/Warnings: Violence, blood, et cetera. For anything surpassing 'R' on a rating scale, please create your own log.
Notes: Please title your subject line in the following format -- Open / Closed | Date. OOC event information can be found here. Calendar information/dates can be found here.

Quick Navigation
The Nine
The Company
Westies
True Leithians
Leith
Resistance
The RAC

The Nine: Promises Unmade

Using the increase in unrest, as so many opportunists do, those within the Nine who seek to pursue their own agendas - whether that be family prestige, personal gain, or systematic upheaval - will find bountiful footholds to secure their positions. Land Kendry continues to assert itself as a leader in these troubling times, with Land Derrish falling in tow. Their first target, Land Hyponia, is shaken, careful not to make any mistakes that could crumble the already cracked mortar holding them together with the nobility. Aggressive though Land Derrish may have been, their sights have moved elsewhere, now focusing on driving forward oppressive legislation to replace the Seventh Generation Accords, rather than further eroding the power of Land Hyponia. Kendry is looking to control a functioning oligarchy, not cause a war over the territory that would be up for grabs should Land Hyponia fall. With the announcement of the Seventh Generation accords confirming already widespread rumors, those within the Nine are careful to place blame for the decision on the activities of the Resistance. For many, this is a believable conclusion, as the attacks by the True Leithans shook society at its core on both Westerley and Leith. Being a radical group, their intentions have been conflated with those of the Resistance in the eyes of many. Discourse on the subject isn't uncommon, but any within the Nine who seek a different target of blame best do so quietly, as dissent from within could quickly have one labeled a sympathizer of the unjust cause of the Resistance. On the surface a harmless placating measure taken by the Nine, the new PDDs being distributed through the Quad are touted as the pinnacle of communication technology. While some higher ranking Company officials and members of the nobility may already have access to quick and reliable network connection, these capabilities are now universal with the installation of the Meshwork. The Meshwork will enable all characters to interact in real time via text, video, or voice, but it isn't without side effects. For some reason, characters who frequently use their PDDs or who are in areas of heavily concentrated network use may suffer from headaches, nosebleeds, blurred vision, and/or dizziness, with more severe side effects including temporary blindness, loss of balance, short-term memory loss, and hallucinations. Connection of these symptoms to the PDDs is not the most common diagnosis, as many think the afflictions are a result of the aftershocks of P43X.

The Company: Balancing Act

With clean up from the P43X attack not yet completed, all Company officials should expect to have no singular responsibility, and little time for sleep, as they find the expectations levied upon them to only grow. Frayed nerves can create a hostile working environment, though anyone could be on the receiving end of any outbursts. The streets have returned from their throes of death with new life, but the city's usual clamor is being overtaken by the roar of protest. Some are peaceful demonstrations; some are violent riots, every display a reaction to the repeal of the Seventh Generation Accords. …At least, that’s what it says on paper, the docket that many Company officials receive outlining simple but brutal crowd control and suppression tasks. Whether a bar has been taken over as a hub of dissent, a street corner filled with unmoving protestors, or a Company affiliated storehouse raided, there's plenty to do for those tasked with keeping the peace. You may simply wish to make arrests, or you may welcome the chance to get your hands dirty - the law is on your side, and all voices daring to oppose the order of things need silenced. Those who don't take to the streets will likely find themselves on border control duty, checking the identification and supply dossiers of all incoming and outgoing ships. No one gets in, or out, without the proper clearance. Ship-wide searches have become standard practice, producing storerooms overflowing with contraband. Some may welcome the chance for banal organization, while others may take some 'bonus compensation' for themselves. With the tightening of rules comes the increase of bribery, and Company officials looking to line their pockets will find their opportunities in surplus. Get caught, however, and there's no second-chances. Although the Company audits have concluded, tensions only grow, and anyone found helping those with diverging agendas will be punished swiftly, cast in with the rest of the dissenters.

Westies: Tidal Force

Bereavement weighs heavy in the wake of the P43X attack on Westerley. Burdened by being both the last location of infection and the last to receive medicinal aid, Westies are entrenched in the solemn task of burying their fallen while the merciless machine of the economy marches on. Whether it’s the result of a lost loved one or the continued illness of primary caretakers, the end result is the same: families all across Old Town struggle to feed their children and make ends meet. It’s always been a guiding principle of Westerley—if you can’t work, you can’t eat—but with so many who can do neither, the situation in Old Town begins to grow dire. But there’s hope, albeit in the form of a double-edged blade: with the newly distributed PDDs and Meshwork installation, nonprofit organizations are able to conduct themselves on a wider scale, drawing in more donors from outside of Westerley. While their efforts are ultimately but a drop in the ocean, the renewed spirit of community and altruism provides relief—as well as nourishment—for many who might very well die without it. That same tool which allows the people to come together is also used to rend it; rumors begin to circulate through encrypted bulletins about the emergency meeting held on (Week IV, Day VII). Some of the rumors are wild speculation and fanciful daydreams, but in the mire of them, a grain of truth slips through. The Accords have fallen, they say. Be ready. Most people disregard the rumors, writing them off as the idle machinations of conspiracy theorists. They cling to their hope that soon their children will walk a planet that is bountiful in food and sunshine, that the land promised on Leith will deliver them from the hell they current endure. It’s those people who shout the loudest when the official announcement confirms the rumor. The Accords have been repealed. (Week V, Day III) At first, protestors gather in small, grumbling groups, little more than angry drunks. But as more and more people take to the Meshwork, the wrath of the few awakens the desperation of the many, and over the course of the night, the peaceful protest swells into an unruly riot. Workers strike, but without any legal protection, they swiftly find themselves rebuked by unemployment. Now with nothing to lose and everything to gain, the riots expand, filling the streets of Old Town with anger and tension. Company personnel become popular targets, and within the next day, all travel permits to and from Westerley are temporarily revoked. The moon closes its docks in an attempt to smother the flames of the rebellion. What starts as a movement for change shifts into a violent cataclysm, homes and businesses burned down, families torn apart by dissent within and outside of themselves. The Company seems content to let Old Town destroy itself, to let them “get it out of their system”, but all too soon that stance changes as well. With the death of a distant cousin of the Derrish, Company orders shift. Lethal force is authorized, and all too eagerly, used. Once the death toll begins to climb, the protests decline. The riots soften, though they do not disappear outright. Company and Westie optimists take to podiums in a desperate attempt to bid their fellow compatriots once more into peace. But something else awakens in the fires of those riots. Something far more dangerous than the chaos of anger: something controlled, methodical. They call themselves Hyperion, and they are the new faces of the Resistance.

True Leithians: Rested Laurels

For this faction, the time to scatter is nigh. Their work is complete: the Accords are no more, and the militant leaders order the reintegration of their soldiers into civilian life. Leith’s rightful owners retain the precious land that was once threatened, and although their methods were extreme, they are justified by the end result. But while the True Leithians see this as only a rested pause in their work, their benefactors—those who provided the resource and information that allowed their wicked deeds to see fruition—see this time as the closing of a chapter. Loose ends that might later lead to Qreshi officials or even potentially the Nine themselves are dealt with severely and harshly, albeit quietly. Several prominent figures of Leith’s highest echelon of society simply disappear, and curiously, those around them don’t seem to remember that they were ever there in the first place. Their benefactors are not the only group that would see the True Leithians burn. Among the first wave of missions delegated beneath the Resistance is the assassination of known True Leithian sympathizers. Unlike the Company, the members of Hyperion are ordered to perform their tasks loudly, to send a message written in the blood of the True Leithians. The citizens of Westerley will no longer be the gutless pawns of the Quad. They will strike back, and they will uncover the source of the True Leithian’s funding and information. If the True Leithians thought themselves ruthless, they’ll soon learn a new measure of savagery when Hyperion converges on their trail.

Leith: Olive Branch

The atmosphere of Leith is one of both hope and mourning. Recovery on Leith proceeds more efficiently than that on Westerley, their infrastructure and resources better able to accommodate those that were felled in the P43X attack. But although agency has the streets of Leith cleaner and the surfaces shining, the spirit of the moon itself suffers a devastating blow in the wake of the attack, the people of Leith unprepared and unseasoned to deal with the psychological ramifications of so much death. But they are not yet hardened by the experience, drawing together in the spirit of cooperation to restore not just the physical aspects of their homes, but the mental fortitude of their people. Charity drives and galas proceed in extravagant fashion, as if by the display of their assets they might rebel against the somber circumstances on which they’re hosted. For most on Leith, the fall of the Accords arrives as welcomed news, the citizens of the moon long since opposed to sharing their land with those of Westerley. But although the sense of satisfaction with the ends is high, there’s also an undercurrent of regret for the means which provided it. Unlike the True Leithians, most of the citizens of Leith are not radical or extreme, and they offer their sympathies—but only their sympathies—to those Westies in their midst. News of the riots results in tighter security around the Westies still stationed on the moon, and for the days that the violent storm on Westerley builds, Leith in turn becomes markedly quieter and more conscientious. Moderates come together over the Meshwork and propose a Peace Summit, a meeting of both delegation and charity, once the riots and dangers of traveling have passed. The summit is sanctioned by Leithian officials, as well as the allocation of surplus resources to aid their sister moon in her recovery. While many citizens of Leith eagerly await the news of lands once lost to their families for the Accords, many more donate their time and hands as part of the newly created Good Will Corps, a coalition of both political pundits and regular people devoted to strengthening the connection between the moons rather than sowing division. Volunteers—and some individuals who are voluntold, join the Good Will Corps on a trip to Old Town where the Peace Summit is scheduled (Week VI, Day III), lending their time, their labor, and their technology as a gesture of good faith. But whether or not that’s sufficient to see the Peace Summit garner any steps towards system stability is another matter altogether.

Resistance: Sacred Grove

The people of the Quad barely have time to remove the packaging from their new PDDs before a new voice of dissent begins to worm its way down the feed. Encrypted messages, quick flashes of imagery begin appearing at random on open networks and closed channels alike, pitting the harsh realities of the suffering, suffocating Westerley against the excess and decadence on display by both Leithians and the Nine, showcasing the disparity in the starkest of lights. All of it aimed at one purpose, to spread one solemn truth: the branches of the Mother Tree are burning… and the Nine seem to be holding the matches. The name whispered, the one goading dissent, echoes through the Quad - Hyperion - followed slowly with the murmur of hope. Of an intellect so profound that not even the Nine themselves will be able to stop it. With an artful ease, this new force begins to reach out, to commandeer the discordant efforts of the Resistance and reforge it into something stronger, faster. Deadlier. It starts with a select few receiving instructions directing them to safe houses already stocked with equipment and supplies, each with tech tailored to that cell's purpose and loaded with dossiers far too complete to have been compiled by the average citizen. Some of the background information appears to come directly from the records of the Company, or the Nine themselves, while still more from planets outside the Quad. Some even hint at records long since sealed by the RAC. Nothing points to one faction over another. Nothing reveals the how or why this Hyperion has decided to play these particular cards now, but one thing is quite clear. There's a deep laid plan being set into motion, and neither the Company or the Nine will see it coming. All these leaders have to do is gather their forces...

The RAC: New Grade

The citizens of the Quad were not the only ones affected by the P43X - the upper ranks of the RAC's field agents is notably thinner - and with tensions shifting yet again between the moons, they cannot afford to be ill-prepared and understaffed. In order to bolster their ranks, the decision comes down the pipe of a new assessment system: Peer Evaluations. Many of those that have been in their current ranks - those between Levels I - III - will be eligible to receive a two-part assessment of their capabilities to operate efficiently at the next level through successful completion of live warrants. These field evaluations can be conducted by any Level IV agent and turned into Central Command for compilation and rank change approval. Unlike the lower level agents, Level IV assessments will still be conducted by RAC's Central Command, once all of the subordinate assessments have been completed and processed. These agents should take note - part of their own evaluations for Level V will be the efficiency with which they're able to evaluate those below them. During this time, warrants will still flow in and agents sent to answer - especially once the travel bans go into effect on Westerley, as those agents alone bearing active warrants will be able to enter and leave the atmosphere, though their docking point will be limited to the Prisoner Intake facilities.

Comments

[rhygret]

[ Any looks of surprise Rhys could have at seeing Takasugi again have already been made, so at this point he only offers a wry sort of half-smile, leaned over on his elbows in a resigned sort of manner. ]

Don't think it'll help much. Everyone pretty much hates me in there? I mean, I'm a Kendry. I may as well have signed the cancellation of the Accords myself. It doesn't matter to them that not all of us are exactly happy about the way things have turned out for us either.

[shikomizue]

[Oh Rhys, there are so many more deplorable things about yourself you could pose as reasons to be hated.

Takasugi raises an eyebrow, keening his head upwards in 'interest'.] Have you made your support of the Accords known?

Or are you concerned about alienating your potential benefactors? [Ultimately, it's better to win sway with those who hold the money.]

[rhygret]

[ WOOWWWW thanks bro that's super-encouraging!! ]

Are you kidding?? That's a one-way ticket to getting myself kicked out of Qresh if any of the Nine find out. It's bad enough I'm here at all to say I might be able to help.

...Buuut funding is a bit of an issue. [ Admittedly. Rhys can startup, but long-term? There's no way he can do that alone. ]

[shikomizue]

[Always here for you ;)

Rhys has a lot of those 'one way tickets' out of Qresh, doesn't he?

Takasugi makes no attempt to conceal how he leans forward, peering over Rhys's numbers with dull interest.] Has anyone made you an offer...?

[rhygret]

[ He really does... Rhys needs to stop collecting them and switch to stamps or something. Anything else really.

But the lean gets a slight squint from Rhys as he draws up, shifting his weight on his elbows a little. ]

...I've had a few bites. Why do you ask?

[shikomizue]

[Well, who knows, maybe those tickets will be worth something someday.

Everyone thinks their efforts will pay off, that they'll 'make it' in the end, an affliction Rhys is clearly grappling with now.

Takasugi isn't merciful enough to try and spare him of it.] Because I'm interested. [Stating the obvious-] I'm eager to see how far such a bold idea gets.

[He orders a drink - but only one - shifting to settle into a seat.]

[rhygret]

[ Rhys doesn't mind. People actually buying drinks for him is still a strange phenomenon since he's normally the one paying for everything when he hangs out with people. That, and he doesn't really feel like drinking right now, instead regarding Takasugi with a blink. ]

...Yeah? You want to help out? Because honestly we could really use it right now. [ Rhys isn't going to pretend like he doesn't; right now support and people getting involved is something he needs a lot. Being coy isn't going to help him here. ]

[shikomizue]

[Better to be asked for aid than to offer it outright - that way, they owe you. A smile slides easy across Takasugi's lips, fingers curling idly against the counter.] If you think I'll be of use.

[Shrugging, he casts his gaze over the thinning crowd.] What could a musician do for you... [He muses quietly to himself, before turning back to Rhys.] How many people in this room do you know?

[rhygret]

A....fffew? I mean I know some of the people from Leith but like, zero of the Westi--er. P-people, from Westerley. [ he probably shouldn't just dismiss them as "Westies" if he wants any of their actual support. ]

You?

[shikomizue]

[With narrowing eyes Takasugi raises his hand to gesture subtly to a man who looks as if he's had too many.] That one owns a failing bar - he can't keep his employees for longer than a few months.

The man to his left, the one wearing blue, is a hobbyist who collects weapons from other planets in the J. [His smile grows.] Just for display, of course. [Not.

Takasugi leans back in his chair, hand falling to rest on the counter, his demonstration completed.] My work frequently brings me to venues of all persuasions. Some people leave an impression, some don't - I could write a contact list for you, but only a few have funds to spare.

[If Rhys wants aid in other areas, however...]

[rhygret]

Well....there's more than just the business aspect, [ Rhys says slowly, catching on as he lifts a brow and very briefly sizes Takasugi up. It's not meant to be standoffish, just considering. There's a lot of areas he still needs help in, and down the line shipping out might be an issue he runs into if The Company and The Nine don't approve. ]

There's research and planning, shipping, distribution... Lots of things.

[shikomizue]

[Takasugi's demeanor remains casual as Rhys looks him over. He watches as the man runs a discerning gaze over him, catching mismatched eyes to offer a self-assured smile before turning his gaze back to the milling delegates.

It seems the plan has been at least somewhat thought out - more than a lofty idea delivered to appease the speaker as much as the crowd.

He can use this.]

Sounds like you'll need quite a lot of help. [He pauses - 'considering'.] I'll give you some potential avenues for shipping and distribution. [A wave of his hand, to signal the end of that line of conversation.] Will you be running solely on donations and your own coffers?

Or do you have a plan for that, as well? [He says it as if he expects the answer to be 'yes', as if he believes Rhys is the genius he's posturing as.]

[rhygret]

[ He's not exactly the genius he's trying to make himself out to be, but he does have a fairly level head on his shoulders when it counts. Or if it's an area he knows well, and his plan happens to be one of them...ish. There's a lot that's still in progress but he'd like to think it's really starting to come along now. The groundwork is almost halfway done. ]

Well the start-up will have to be mostly me and outside investments, but once things are up and running it should start turning around. Land is money, even if it's in the wasteland. You just have to find a use for it.

[shikomizue]

[Whatever Rhys would like to think...

Takasugi is happy to let him.

It's a drag, to pull his eye from the passerby to focus on Rhys with the most interest he can feign through a slight alcohol-induced haze. Takasugi keeps his arms draped on the bar, focus locked as the explanation unfolds.]

Hmm- [He lets the machinations of Rhys's mind - so eagerly shared - teem between them before speaking,] A sound plan.

Groundbreaking, even...

Provided money is enough to soothe the enraged hearts of Westerley's people. [He shrugs, because, honestly,] And it very well may be.

[rhygret]

Well...I don't know if it'll fix everything. Most people wanted to get off of this rock for a better life and repealing the Accords took that away. But if I can find a way to give some of that back to them and keep them from getting involved with that stupid Resistance? That's totally worth it.

That bunch of morons is just going to start a civil war and meltdown everything. Literally all we need to do if that happens is cut off Westerley entirely and blockade the moon. Shoot down any ships in orbit and starve them until they turn on each other.

[ Rhys shrugs, like this isn't a thing that bothers him at all. ]

It's never going to work and it'll only make them worse off.

[shikomizue]

[It comes as no surprise to hear such casual disdain for the plight of the Resistance from a member of Qreshi society, but Takasugi's eye does widen in genuine interest as such a violent solution is rattled off so readily.

Whether it's common chatter among those in high places, or Rhys's personal version of events, Takasugi finds the prospect rather...

ideal.

So he laughs, a chuckle too harsh to be anything false, and settles over the bar poised as if he may drape himself over it any moment.] You could be their savior, hmm? [He wonders if Rhys will think that title worth anything, as Kings so rarely trouble themselves with the opinions of insects.]

[rhygret]

W-what, me? I'm a Kendry--and, and not even an important one at that. I'm sure to practically everyone here I'm just as responsible for ruining their lives as Delle and the other Seyahs. [ Rhys scoffs with a bit of scornful laugh, but there's also a bit of...uncomfortable hope there as well.

It would sure be something for people to look up to him for a change. ]

Nothing I could ever do will change that.

[shikomizue]

[Takasugi agrees with everything Rhys says, but for one thing. His significance. He's a Kendry - and every dead Kendry is important to the Resistance.

But this one has other uses, so hearing some measure of self-awareness (truly, more than he'd ever expect) in the man's reply is reassuring.] They'd string you up without a second thought. [It shouldn't sound daunting, but Takasugi gives the threat too easily.]

Though if your idea really does come to fruition, you may be surprised how many would thank you.

[rhygret]

You think? [ No wait,t hat sounds almost desperate. Rhys quickly clears his throat and starts again ]

I-it's a great idea sure, I mean duh! I just. I dunno, Westies in general seem pretty...ungrateful? I'm not saying they can't be otherwise, just that they...don't tend to be. To Nines.

[shikomizue]

[Too late, he caught how eagerly Rhys latched onto the idea of receiving laud.

Tucks that away for later-] But you'll need them. If not their trust, then their greed - is that what you're thinking?

[Leaving aside the issue of just what Westies could possibly have to be thankful to the Nine for, other than the chance to loot and rampage.]

[rhygret]

Ssssomething like that, yeah. People want security and they want to feel like they're in control for once. I...can understand that, you know? So if I can accomplish that with this plan then I think I have a real chance of selling it here.

The only problem is me being a Kendry, buuut...that's something to work around later. [ Which is to say Rhys isn't going to let himself at all be deterred by it; he fully intends to see this through. ]

[shikomizue]

[Takasugi understands the man's determination - he can see a reflection of Rhys's self worth in his grand scheme. That the 'genius' echos the desire of control only assures his reading further.]

You'd be selling stability. [Ah. What a revelation.]

There's certainly a deficit of that here. [He leans forward, abandoning his perch on the bar.] Aa. You have a long endeavor ahead. Keep me informed - I'd love to be a part of such ambition.

[rhygret]

Wait, really? I mean--no, yeah. That'd be...that'd be great. [ Rhys blinks, but immediately perks up. He's not exactly sure how he'll keep in touch but...well, he's scanned the man with his eye already. That should be all he needs. ]

Thanks for the...enthusiasm.

//end on my side!

[shikomizue]

[Takasugi doesn't have to look back to know he's been considered an asset. As he intends to be - the man's plan isn't as idiotic as it's architect. The potential for success, and disastrous failure, is too perfect of an opportunity to pass over.]

And thank you. For the opportunity. [He gives his casual gratitude with one final glance over his shoulder, before returning to mill about the thinning crowd.]