Chapter 2

[thenine]

Who: OTA
Where: Quad
When: Week 2, Day 5 - Week 4, Day 6
Summary: Chapter 2 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.

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

The Nine: Poisoned Well

With the heir delivered and Lady Derrish returning to health, balance has been maintained amongst the Nine. Swift and efficient - and, some would say, unbelievable - medical attention administered may have steadied the Lady's life, but for those in the ruling houses, the atmosphere of tenuous peace only grows thicker. Land Kendry has launched an investigation - with particular focus on Land Hyponia - into the source of the 'attack' on Lady Derrish's health. Of course, that is only the surface, and some suggest, with hushed voices, that there may be more to Land Kendry's goals than to weed out an assailant. Land Hyponia has long since been in support of maintaining the Seventh Generation Accords, which it defends staunchly against any opposition. One of the most agitated among those in disagreement with the Accords is Land Kendry. Now is the perfect opportunity for them to rearrange the pieces in their favor, and with the information they've fabricated, they'll be able to replace the head of Land Hyponia with someone who is - at least hopefully - more pliable to their agenda. The Derrish have their own suspicions, the cure surfacing all too conveniently timed to have been a coincidence. When Land Kendry's investigation procures evidence pointing to Land Hyponia as the culprits, inflaming the crime with implied - yet vague - ties to the resistance, the Derrish publically accept the accusation. Behind closed doors, the solution seemed to have come as uncannily easily as the cure, and suspicions only rise. But for now, the two houses remain allied - ready to use one another for their own interests. For those among the nobility, it's the time to reevaluate alliances, assuring the old and gathering the new. The more support you have, the safer you are - unless, of course, you chose the wrong friend. Some turn to other members of the nobility, some to the RAC for hired guards, some to the Company to mandate investigations unsuitable for Killjoys, and some may even turn to the underbelly of society to accomplish anything necessary to stay on top. Or to simply stay alive.

The Company: Cleaning House

There will be no accolades, and no rest, for the hard working Company officials following the response to the True Leithan attacks. Assignments shift from one thing to the next, moving from bureaucratic nightmare to bureaucratic nightmare. While there’s always busy work to distract from the intrigue behind the scenes, it’s not liable to be any safer. Some officials will be charged with maintaining peace and order on Leith, as the outbreak of a pandemic slowly spreads over the moon. From helping the afflicted find their way to a place of treatment, to safe and efficient body disposal—burning corpses by the hundreds—to attempting to track down the source of the virus, it's best anyone assigned here take heed ‘lest they find themselves falling ill as well. Westerley, on the other hand, is a different kind of headache. With Harvest Week in swing, most company officials will be reaching for a drink of their own at the end of their shifts. Rowdy workers celebrating their time off, spending their hard earned Joy frivolously, and citizens whisked away by the atmosphere of celebration all mingle throughout Old Town. Property damage, fighting, less than subtle illegal activity, and crowding all become more of an issue than they usually are during this time. It's the perfect setting to lay down the law, or to not be noticed by it. On top of it all, each and every member of the Company's workforce can expect to have their documents double and triple-checked. Those with any suspected ties to Leith are likely to undergo a more serious investigation. One-on-one interrogations become common practice, and whether you're trusted or suspect, you may come face to face with a companion in your duties. True Leithan sympathizers are what the Company review is after, but anything else unturned will surely not be ignored. Cover your bases.

Westies: Harvest Week

Harvest week is in full swing throughout Westerley - visa workers have been shuttled back in droves from their time on Leithian farms, many of whom were willing to take some of their observations to information brokers for a price. Most had superficial information to sell (the state of unease on the average farm due to the impending Accords, the increased suspicion that the migrant workers were forced to endure, the fear of retaliation by the rebellion for the True Leithian attacks), others with reports of increased security and weapons caches on the farms of those whose sympathies lie with the “heroes” of the attack in Old Town. Old Town, however, is even more of a chaotic mesh of humanity with the mass influx of returning bodies. Bars stay busy day and night, the hokk and ale flow almost faster than most can keep up, and many Enforcers and Killjoys alike can make a good bit of extra joy (or free drinks) by moonlighting as security at the more popular locations. Despite all of the fun to be had, there is still the undercurrent of unrest, because Company checks have increased even more and Intake has become a revolving door of petty criminals being held for the smallest infractions. Everyone is on edge as the Resistance grumbles and the Nine search the shadows for something or perhaps someone. The unrest only worsens once Leith is placed under quarantine. And through it all, criminal activity is on the rise. Somehow, despite the strict regulation and transport of migrant workers, there is an increased access to Jakk and Bliss. Norn has an ever growing market, and weapons dealers are in high demand both in Eulogy and by private buyers alike. Something is brewing beneath the revelry, and no one wants to be caught unable to defend themselves, it seems. Not that any amount of firepower can defend against disease when P43X shows up on W3D7--but it can certainly make the symptoms worse.

True Leithians: Second Stage

Wounded and pressed to a corner, the beast rears its head and bares a maw of teeth and ruthless pursuit. The True Leithian organization does not take pause to mend wounds left in the wake of last week’s retaliation, no. They do not seek the comfort of safe haven and recovery. Instead they turn their anger and fear inward, sacrificing their own for what they believe to be the greater good. On Week 2, Day 6, three individuals slip into the crowds of Leith, mingling with the revelers and the families celebrating Harvest Week. They share smiles and laughter, they share conversation and drinks, but most importantly, they share infection. Each of the three is responsible for disseminating P43X, a viral bioweapon designed by Zan Nikora on behalf of the military in years past. During its conception, the aim of P43X was simple: to create a weapon which could demoralize and destabilize an entire population within a matter of days. To create madness that builds in the blood and eats into the brain, spreading through every tier of society. And though its use has long been out of commission, its engineer has lingered. Zan Nikora, kidnapped and held under threat of death not to himself but to those he holds dearest, is made to choose between the lives of his family on Westerley or the strangers on Leith. His choice is obvious, though far from easy. Reassembling the buried curse takes time, supplies, and testing. He is provided amply with the last two but scarcely with the first. But still he complies. When his madness maker is complete and his existence becomes a potential loose end, it’s not freedom that Zan Nikora tastes, but the poison of his own medicine. Only once the voices in his head have risen above whispers and turned to screams, when his mind can no longer hold secrets worth sharing, does he see his family again. It takes six days*. Six days and Zan Nikora stumbles through Old Town, eyes unseeing, mind riddled with disease—infection spreading. Mod Note: *W3D6. Cure and vaccines will be developed and disseminated beginning on W4D3, but will not be fully administered to all locations until W4D5.

Leith: Pocket Posies

Harvest Week in Leith marks a period of joy and relief. Bazaars are open longer, the ordinary bustle of the business day replaced with celebration and festivities throughout the evening hours. Vendors offer games for adults and children alike, the sky is a constant wash of soft pinks, purples, and greens from holographic firework shows, and music fills the air from different stages. All walks of life are welcome to join in the merriment, just so long as they have the right to be there. Anyone suspected of an invalid visa or citizenship papers are dealt with harshly, but quietly. Tucked away into the darkness of a holding cell like all of Leith’s more problematic elements. It is a time of peace and relief, this week, and they will not abide disruption. But within the hallowed days of celebration, a sickness grows, incubating. Spreading. First, it begins with an ache deep within the muscles. The body tires too quickly, the flesh burns with a blanket of rising fever. Whispers skirt at the edge of hearing, unintelligible but audible, filling the audio cortex with illusions and lies. Food loses its appeal, though the body yearns dearly for energy it cannot hold, and breathing becomes tighter, harder. Next the tide of high fevers, of lethargy. The brain devolves into paranoia and mania, the mind races with delusions and hallucinations. Pain follows, a pain that seems to emanate from every nerve without relief or pause, seeping through the muscles and aching within the very bones of a person. Some may wish for death, and for many, that wish will be granted in an unending sleep when the fatigue pulls darkness across the mind, plunges the last thoughts of a person into static slumber. But not all will succumb so readily, and therein is the weakness that ultimately shelved P43X during its initial creation. Its impacts are not uniform—while much of the population suffers dearly, most are sustained with timely medical interventions, and many others recover with the prowess of their own immune system. For Leith, bountiful in money and supplies, most of P43X’s more fatal properties are circumvented or delayed. But even in this lush world of affluence and peace, there are the poor, the underprivileged, and the weak. They are not afforded the same haste of care, the same salvation. Instead, they’re given graves of sanitizing fires, and their bodies turn to ash.

Resistance: Sleeping Dogs

The chaos of the festivities that go along with Harvest Week provides the perfect cover for the Resistance to begin moving once again. New cells need to be formed in the wake of so many executions and new members need to be recruited. Info brokers with Resistance-leaning sympathies have an opportunity to make a little extra joy by putting the disconnected sympathizers in contact with one another, aiding the vetting of Company insiders that need new handlers within the organization. For Resistance members already embedded within, they need to work now to find new locations to store what supplies remain and to begin rebuilding the stockpiles of weapons and supplies re-confiscated by the Company. Some may have heard of abandoned mines or facilities that can be retrofitted out in the Badlands while others are needed to track down rumors of Company made fallout shelters located within the under-city tunnels. For this, Company moles are essential - the only hope of accessing these shelters is with long forgotten Company passcodes. And the Scarbacks, well. Everyone’s heard rumors that there are many within their ranks willing to help with recruitment and contraband transportation, though there’s little the Company can do to restrict their movements at this time. Because of this, Scarbacks may also be the only ones that have a chance of getting into Leith once the quarantines go into effect. Those already aligned with the rebellion will be tasked with coordinating supply movements, making a deal or three with the devil on behalf of those unwilling to back down from the promises of the Accords. Caution and purpose should drive their movements because if the True Leithian attack is any indication… those nationalists are not going to let go of their precious land and status without a long, bloody fight.

The RAC: Holding Pattern

Warrants still flow in with a regular consistency - enough to keep the average team or agent quite busy. Every harvest season there are visa jumpers that need to be caught and low-level warrants claiming petty theft from farms by Westie migrants. The increasing number of disturbances and crimes in Old Town guarantee a plethora of local warrants to capture criminals across the moon or those that managed to escape an Enforcer’s arrest. Some, however, have either been requested by Seyah Kendry herself or volentold by their seniors within the RAC to conduct investigations into the attack on the Nine. And not all of these investigations are on the Lady’s behest. Some of the Nine aren’t quite willing to take Land Kendry’s word as law and have quietly requested their own investigations into the attack in Old Town and the Land Derrish misfortunes. (MOD NOTE: There will be a comment thread for teams to sign up for the specialized plot related warrants on the monthly warrant post, located HERE. Once teams have posted for a plot warrant, the mods will give them a location and focused assignment.)

Comments

[tousei]

[ She says to not worry about her and it only serves to reinforce his own worry. When she asks him a question, his mind goes to answering it - but then it's her turn to double over in what seems to be pain, and he almost recoils from the sight.

"What have I done?"

All those who are close to him will become cursed, the poison seared into every cell, every facet of his being - ]

Are you alright? I - I'm sorry.

[ He's torn between moving closer to her and distancing himself in case he was the agent that sparked her pain. ]

I could get you some water...

[ It's a way for him to remove himself from her presence, too. ]

[oneirism]

[Even though the haze of pain, she notices his reaction. It's why she doesn't hesitate to reach over and grasp his arm gently - shaking her head as the pain eases.]

Why are you apologizing, you didn't do anything. [She keeps her hand on her arm even as she sits up straight, gold eyes still watching him carefully, yet there's a warm and reassuring hint to her gaze as well.]

I just... had some kind of weird vision, that's all. Maybe I did catch a bit of that illness spreading around, but I'm fine now.

[tousei]

[ He looks as if he's about to protest, but then she takes his arm and he has to pause. She's right, he's probably jumping to conclusions. ]

... I don't want to hurt you.

[ It's all he says after a long period of uneasy silence. A sentence that he's said before with equal amounts of anguish. ]

The medicine does not reverse the transformation, it only stalls the process. Even then it is not perfect. Every day the poison in my blood burns a little stronger. [ And the day of reckoning draws ever closer. ] I am cursed to bring ruin. The Company only lets me live until they can find a way for me to die.

[ Without losing his sanity, he means. Towards the end of his sentence his voice becomes uncharacteristically bitter, though his emotional restraint dampens it greatly as if he was speaking about something that happened to another person. ]

[oneirism]

[That sentence gets her to blink, the anguish causing her heart to sink for a moment - quiet for a few moments, before she simply smiles gently.]

You won't. I know you won't.

[Her voice is firm and sure, convinced that he would never hurt. She trusts him.

And she soon goes quiet once more, her brows furrowing more as she keeps listening. That bitterness in his voice cause her frown to deepen, biting on her lip for a moment as she thinks - the growing disgust she has towards the Company only strengthening even more.]

The one who... raised you, they didn't make any sort of antidote or a way to reserve it? A fail-safe?

[Already her mind is whirling around ways to help him - there has to be something.]

[tousei]

[ How can she be so sure when his purpose was to lose his reason? She can protect herself, but will she be able to protect herself from him once he loses it? Even he does not know what he will become. No one alive does. ]

She... she did not need one. Not for the role she intended me to play.

[ Implying that his transformation was intended to be irreversible. A monster that would destroy anything that came in its path. To become the very thing he had loathed... such divine irony, truly. ]

This is why I said. Do not come too close to me. I am destined only to destroy.

[ His voice settles now, bitterness settled into acceptance, adamantly refusing to meet her eyes. ]

[oneirism]

[Because no matter what, she trusts him. That's all there is to it.

Though his answer isn't much of a surprise, but it's still gets her to sigh - desperately trying to think of what they could do. Every poison has an antidote, even if one might not exist yet.

And his words gets her to frown now, standing from her chair and moving in front of him, leaning in close so he has no choice but to look at her.]

I don't care about destiny. Mine was to be the next step of advancing human intelligence, and yet I was the biggest failure my family ever had. [Her scar throbs as she thinks about that explosion at the lab, yet that memory doesn't seem... right. Not after the vision she saw earlier.

But she pushes that aside. Right now all her attention is on Julius.]

So there has to be something we can do. I don't want to believe that there isn't anything we can do. So I'm not going to leave you alone or anything like that, no way.

[tousei]

[ How can you trust someone who doesn't even trust themselves?

His expression changes to one of shock when she forces herself into his field of vision - a stark contrast from the usual stoic calm that he had worn for so many years, the moment letting his emotions show for the first time in many months. Disbelief, then pain, yet unmoving as if he had been pinned to his seat by the force of her gaze.

Her life sounds more cruel than his. It is more painful to be rejected by a family than never having one in the first place. ]

... I'm sorry.

[ Julius sounds frail, yet less unsure than before. ]

You would put yourself in danger for something that exists only as a possibility?

[ It's a honest question. He doesn't understand, but he won't shoot down her without explanation. ]

[oneirism]

[Because even if he doesn't believe in himself, she still believes in him. He's not cursed, he's her friend.

Seeing how his expression changes like that is surprising, but she keeps her own calm - not wanting to give him a chance to try to pull away. The apology gets her eyes to then widen for a moment, before she relaxes once more. Simply shaking her head - there's nothing to apologize for.

That question gets her to blink once more, before she smiles softly once more - her own voice firm and certain.]

Because it's a possibility to help you. That's worth any danger.

[tousei]

[ He can't trust himself, not when it comes to this. But he can trust her. ]

... thank you. Truly. [ There's a slight shift in his eyes, and some of that uncertainty goes away. Not completely, but he'll make an effort. ] Sometimes, I still feel I do not deserve your kindness. However, I will work hard until that changes.

[ It's in part to pacify her, because his own feelings are still complicated and he doesn't want to talk about them. But maybe, this will do for now. ]

I want... to prove her wrong. I have killed too many to deserve justice, but others still have a chance.

[oneirism]

[That shift in his eyes and the gradual lack of uncertainty prompts her smile to soften - considering her own issues with self-worth, she can understand that it's not something that will happen easily.]

I know how that feels. So I'll do my best to support you.

[By showering him with even more kindness, obviously.

And for now, she won't press. She already pressed enough for today, already asked him to expose more than he ever has. The most she thinks she can do now is support him, and so she'll stubbornly stay by his side, no matter what.]

I believe you can, and that you still deserve justice. And I want to help.

[tousei]

[ It takes a lot of faith to do that, and it's something he can respect even if he doesn't understand. ]

People like you are what makes others still have hope.

[ Not speaking about himself, but he can imagine her doing it for others. ]

Please... promise me something, Lapis. Promise me you'll keep yourself safe. [ He looks down now, his hand curling into a loose fist. The good always die young. She's done a fine job of keeping herself alive right now, but the world will only change from now on. At least, this part of the world. ] I won't be able to see you as often from now on.

[ Will she be fine on her own? He's still worried. ]

[oneirism]

[She... wasn't expecting to hear that. Gold eyes widening as her expression turns into one of clear and visible surprise. Her brows then furrowing slightly - nobody has ever said anything like that to her before.]

I... [Lapis hesitates, trying to force her expression into something calm once more.] ... Thank you, Julius.

[Though she still can't shake the surprise, and what he says next causes her eyes to widen once more. Considering who she's aligned with now, it's a promise she's unsure she can keep - she knows she'll get hurt, that's unavoidable now.

So she hesitates her eyes glancing down for a moment, gently shifting to place a hand over his fist. Silent for a moment longer, before her eyes focus back on him.]

I can't promise that I won't get hurt, but I can at least promise I'll be safe beyond that. [Even if she has little value in herself, she has no plans to die anytime soon.

And while she knows she won't see him as much after this, it's still a sad thought. She greatly enjoyed spending time with him, ever since they met.]

I know. But I'll still text or call, to at least remind you to take care of yourself.

[tousei]

[ Lapis has only been kind to him. More than often, he feels as if he doesn't deserve it, especially given the secrets that he's been withholding for so long. It seems that things will only become darker from now on, his hands stained with more blood. It's not something he can change, not while he draws breath. ]

Thank you. It's reassurance enough.

[ His tone becomes more casual, a sign that he's relaxed a little. ]

I've troubled you with unpleasantries for too long. Shall we do something else?

[oneirism]

[Well, Lapis will always think he deserves it. It's why she'll always extend kindness towards him, no matter what may happen.

And seeing how he relaxes gets her to relax too, finally moving her hand for his as she stands back a bit. Simply waving her hand when he says he troubled her, her expression settling back to something calm once more.]

It wasn't any trouble at all. But maybe we should do something more lighthearted... [Though with the sickness still going around, there isn't much to do, with how some of the stores and cafes have closed for now.]

Do you like flowers, Julius?

[tousei]

Flowers?

[ He seems to perk up a little, but only a little. ]

I enjoy looking at them, yes. Why do you ask?

[ Flowers and trees bring him a measure of peace, if she's been attentive enough to notice. ]

[oneirism]

[She sees how he perks up, and it gets her to do so in return. Lapis has previously noted before how he seems at peace around flowers and trees, so this just encourages her idea.]

Because I've just thought of somewhere we can go.

[With that, she reaches to gently take his hand in hers, not hesitating to lead the way of the hotel and to the outskirts of the bazaar. It's a spot she's come to a few times the last few days, when she just wanted to take a break from the chaos going on, so her steps are confident and sure as she weaves their way through the trees. She just hopes he'll enjoy it too.

Her feet only come to a stop once they come to a clearing among the trees, the area in front of them a small meadow covered in a variety of bright and colorful flowers. Now she finally lets go of his hand, stepping back so he can get a better view at the flower-filled area.]

What do you think?

[tousei]

[ Julius follows her in silence, eyes attentive on the road before them. He remains quiet all the way until they reach the meadow - it's then that his eyes show surprise, but it's the positive kind. ]

It's beautiful.

[ He walks closer, crouching down so he can touch a flower with his hands. He's very gentle, a gentleness rarely seen in his manner. While he doesn't quite smile, it seems that the tension has drained out of him noticeably. ]

Plants are pure creatures. They live their life without judgment of others.

[ He's partially talking to himself, but this should clue her in on his mental state recently. ]

[oneirism]

[Seeing his eyes widen and hearing his verdict causes her to perk up once more, managing to smile faintly as she watches him step closer. The gentle way he touches the flower prompting her smile to warm, and she shifts to go crouch next to him.

But hearing what he says causes her heart to sink slightly, only able to wonder what kind of stress he's been under lately. She's quiet for a moment, gold eyes flicking away to look at the view in front of them.]

Then we can just stay here for a little while. And you can always come back here too. [During the times he's on Leith and they can't meet - at least maybe he'll be able to find some kind of peace here.]

[tousei]

Thank you.

[ That's all he says for now, closing his eyes and letting the atmosphere soak in. ]

I have been thinking of getting an air plant for my ship. There isn't a lot of sunlight on it, though. Maybe a hardier one would survive. What do you think?

[oneirism]

[His thanks gets a simple nod, staying quiet as her eyes stay focused on the flowers in front of him. It's only when he speaks again does her eyes flick back over to him, blinking for a moment before perking up.]

That's a great idea, Julius! I'm pretty sure a hardier one would be able to survive on your ship, so I would definitely suggest it. I think it would be nice to have a plant on the ship.

[tousei]

I'll have a look around. They produce oxygen, but that's not their only calming effect.

[ Plants are good. Plants can't commit crimes... ]

You could get one too. I can buy some for the both of us.

[oneirism]

Mm, it's nice to just have them around and see them grow.

[She feels the same, it's why her apartment is pretty much covered in flowers. And it's why she perks up when he says about buying some for both of them.]

Really?

[tousei]

Yes. I mean it.

[ It's in part thanks and in part to ease his mind. She probably likes shopping for clothes, it's the same principle for him. ]

What sort of plants do you like?

[oneirism]

[Considering Lapis' own love of flowers, his offer is one that does mean a lot to her. There's the usual thought to refuse, insist he doesn't waste money on her, but she can tell that this is important for him too.

So she thinks over this, trying to pick out her favorites - she really isn't picky when it comes to plants.]

I like flowers, mostly. But I'm not picky, if it's a plant I'll definitely like it.

[tousei]

I see.

[ A hardy plant that can bear flowers... it might be a stretch to obtain, but he'll try his best. The delivery should be fast, too - he doesn't have much time.

For now, he keeps his silence - thinking. ]