GBG Session 24.5: The Team Divided

<Darkling> "What do you mean you can't find her?!" A massive fist slams into the conference table. Attached to that fist was Lit, who was to say the least, pissed. There were a few analysts and the Vice-Comm in the room as well as they had been discussing how they had tracked Rasia to the Faroe Islands where the trail disappeared.
<Darkling> Wilhelm and Lahja were also present, and had been asked to recount their recolection of the events.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> If anyone in this group could take care of themselves it was Rasia. That didn't make the uncertainly much better for the Aryan, frowning the entire time as his fingertips drummed against the table.
<Darkling> "There isn't anything more we can say about the issue. It is obvious where the trail ends." Hunding tries to explain. "Both Rasia and Ein have vanished. We are working on figuring out how or why or where right now, but cannot do anything further until some new information comes up."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja looks like slightly less of a wreck by now, but she's still a long way from top speed or looking thrilled. Especially not after a recounting.
<Darkling> Lit sighs, almost collapsing to the table. "Rasia couldn't just disappear, she wouldn't."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "That leaves few other options. None of them pleasnt to consider."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "I trust Rasia, sir. But I'm not so sure I trust the science at work here anymore." Lahja says in an almost irate tone.
<Darkling> "Look, we're all worried here. Go home, we'll have Huginn and Muninn dedicated to finding her."
<Darkling> A defeated "Alright," and the meeting broke up.
<Darkling> They were back in Berlin now, having travelled quickly from their temporary floating shelter to the base. Scouting parties were sent out immediately, but none had turned up anything.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> Wilhelm doesn't budge at first, gaze distant. His fingers have even stopped drumming. Where are you Rasia?
<Darkling> The room empties save the piilots and Lit.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja budges plenty. She paces about the room, arms behind her back. Still not a happy camper.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "I need to make a phonecall." He stands and pulls out his cellphone as he steps into the hallway.
<Darkling> Another sigh and Lit buries his face in his hands.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja pauses as Wilhelm leaves, almost looking like she found something humorous. It quickly passes. "How are you holding up, sir?"
<Darkling> He lifts his head, looking as if he hadn't slept in two days, which was quite accurate.
<Darkling> "I'll be fine when we've got Rasia back to safety."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Good to hear." He hangs up, reentering the room with Lit and Lahja. As he sits down he keeps his phone close and in-hand.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "I'll hope for the best." And then after a pause. "What was that about my father? Assuming it's even relevant after what's happened."
<Darkling> He gives her a weak smile, eyeing Wilhelm. "We should go home."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Of course, sir." Lahja salutes Lit before looking to Wilhelm. How very suspicious.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> The boy had always oozed suspicious.
<Darkling> The ride home was a short and quiet one giving you a brief amount of time to reflect on what had happened in the past week.
<Darkling> After you had docked at the base in the ocean you were filled in with the report on the base. Nearly eighty percent of the population had not made it off the Dome and were now at the bottom of the ocean.
<Darkling> Most of the high ranking staff at the base had made it out along with Lit in the submarine. Plenty of citizens and other officials had made it to boats before it was too late as well.
<Darkling> Lahja's mother was working at the base in Berlin now, and her father was not seen, both Lit and her avoiding the subject.
<Darkling> They had been informed of Rasia's disappearance almost immediately, and since then most everything around the base has revolved around finding her.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> More paranoia fuel for Lahja. Definitely something very peculiar going on.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> If this wasn't something -they- planned then it could very well be a cause for concern.
<Darkling> Home now, the apartment seemed somewhat emptier, even with Hel padding up to greet the trio.
<Darkling> Lit shambles over to the couch, near falling backwards into it.
Wilhelm_Faustus squats down to scratch the top of her head, expression neutral.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Hello, Hel. I've daydreamed about you, kitty. I daydreamed about you getting really big." Lahja leans forward, giving Hel a wide smile.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Keep an eye on Lahja." He says to the cat, standing and making for his room.
<Darkling> "Lahja," Lit says from the couch. "We should talk."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "You could shoot beams out of your eyes and tail and you could fly and..." Lahja stops abruptly, growing serious. "We should, sir. But about what?"
<Darkling> "Come and sit."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja wanders over to the couch and sits. She twitches afterward, trying to remain calm. So far so good.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> As Lit and Lahja speak Wilhelm stares at his bed. More importantly the large manilla envelope sitting there. Someone had fed Nidhogg too. His fingers twitch, picking up and tearing open the envelope.
<Darkling> "You father is dead." Well, that was easy Lit thought.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "That's all?" Lahja doesn't seem especially bothered. It's convenient in a way. No having to tell him he might have been right about attachments. "How did he die?" she asks, seeming to be affected only be curiousity for now.
<Darkling> "A hemorrhagic stroke. He died while on the way to work. Fell dead in the street."
Wilhelm_Faustus sorts quietly through the information he'd been given, only growing angrier as he did.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "How long ago was it?"
<Darkling> "Two weeks, shortly before we were scheduled to arrive."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> The Aryan picks up a small usb that was also in the envelope, plugging it into his tablet with little hesitation.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja twitches. What a disturbing time frame, especially with this weird moon alien technology. "Given the manner of death I don't imagine he had the time to get out any last words, did he?"
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Where are you now, you bastards?" He stares at his tablet, studying the map given to him.
<Darkling> "No one knows, he was alone when he collapsed in the street and dead before paramedics arrived."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "That's very strange, sir, but thank you for telling me."
<Darkling> "I'm sorry it was like this, your mother was going to be there to tell you, but everything has not worked out so well lately."
<Darkling> Lit looks up to Wilhelm.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "I suggest searching Antarctica." The small pack of files end up in his lap/
<Darkling> He looks at the files and begins flipping through them. "There's nothing in Antarctica."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Why would Rasia be there?"
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "That's what everyone is supposed to think."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Because the people that attacked the Halloween dance are there."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "All of them NERV employees that are now missing from their different bases, if you look into it."
<Darkling> "Where did you get this information?"
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Find Rasia, and I'll answer any questions you have."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Better yet, send me."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja slumps and sighs.
<Darkling> "I can't, not right now." He stops on a picture of someone, muttering, then continues through the files. "The Commander will not allow such a rash action."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Given what they did during the dance, you want to wait while they have her?"
<Darkling> He stands, files jabbing angrily at Wilhelm. "You think I want to wait?" He towers over you. "You think I'm not upset that she is gone?"
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "I'm saying...some things are more important than a chain of command, Lit."
<Darkling> "Chain of command or not, you can't go there alone, and I won't send you."
<Darkling> He storms out of the room with the files, his door slamming shut.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> He sighs and shakes his head, organizing the files. "I was hoping for cooperation. Very well, I shall leave Drei in his restraints...for now." He leaves the room back to his fortress of solitude.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Guess I'll leave Drei in his restraints...for now." He sighs, glancing at Lahja. "So...lets have a talk." He moves around the couch and takes a seat.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja watches Lit leave, staring at the door to his room. She gives Wilhelm an odd look, then nods.
<Darkling> ==================
<Darkling> You wake in the same place as you have the past few days to the same surrounding scene. Trees, white sand, water, birds singing and bright sunlight.
<Darkling> Of course in the background are the engineers and scientists only a hundred feet away in another room, but this little piece of paradise is yours.
Rasia rolls over onto her stomach and stretches out like a cat before sitting up. Her eyes scan the scenery for new things of interest, and to make sure Ein is still there.
<Darkling> Across the water you can see Ein through a window. Some labcoats working on fixing him up.
<Rasia> Rasia itches at her throat, getting to her feet and wandering towards the window to give it a rap-a-tap-tap. "Food?"
<Rasia> "Wilhelm?"
<Darkling> A woman gives a wave back and within a minute she's entering with a tray loaded with food. "Good morning!" She beams.
<Rasia> "Now Wilhelm." Rasia bounds over, taking her breakfast.
<Darkling> "Wilhelm will be around later." She says, setting the tray onto a table in the sand."
<Rasia> The Israeli plops down next to the table, grabbing a big coconut and cracking it open. "Rr...miss Wilhelm."
<Darkling> "Duly noted Miss Jarah. I'll send for him immediately. In the meantime I believe the Commander wanted to have a word with you." She turns and leaves out the same door she entered.
<Rasia> She stares, drinking down coconut milk before devouring the white meat inside. The Commander... Rasia focuses on eating for now. The Berzerk left her drained nutritionally, despite feeling so invigorated and powerful. ...and then there's the fact she didn't degenerate, mentally...
<Darkling> Mere minutes pass by before the Commander is stepping through the doorway. "Rasia." He greets with a nod.
<Rasia> He gets a serious look, Rasia sitting up straighter.
<Darkling> "I hope that everything so far is meeting adequate to your needs?"
<Rasia> "Wilhelm. Lit. Lahja." She reiterates, biting into three strips of bacon at the same time.
<Darkling> He purses his lips. "I know that I have been somewhat vague about what is going on and I am sorry for that. You are not able to see Lit or Lahja at this time."
<Rasia> A low growl, but nothing worse. "What else?" Mismatched eyes wander to another piece of food before returning to him.
<Darkling> "Wilhelm is here, he came after you. He'll be by shortly once I take my leave. For now, I'll try to tell you what we think is going on."
<Rasia> A quiet nod, and she becomes properly attentive.
<Darkling> "After you and your Aesir were recovered, we learned that at the site of your battle an artifact was recovered. The weapon that the Jotun had in its posession was believed to be a fragment of a much more powerful one."
<Darkling> "Wilhelm had come after you, but the others who stayed behind returned to Berlin, and went rogue. In turns out that a great number of old EI employees had this in the planning for some time."
<Darkling> "With the artifact now in their possesion and my absence, they gained control of the base."
<Rasia> Lahja and Lit going rogue? Rasia frowns, but doesn't object just yet. Had the skill of intrigue rubbed off on her?
<Darkling> "While I don't think that Lit wasn't involved directly, he likely was given an ultimatum to join or die. We are doing our best to check on his status as well as your co-pilot Lahja. We hope for the best, they were commendable soldiers."
<Rasia> "Rrrrr." Rasia adjusts her seating, chewing on her lip.
<Darkling> "When examination and repairs of your Aesir are complete, along with reconnaissance of the situation in Berlin, we will likely be sending you there to re-establish order."
<Rasia> Another, more hesitant nod.
<Darkling> "Wilhelm will be with you every step of the way of course."
<Rasia> A celery stick pops, losing a fight with her jaw. She looks ponderous.
<Darkling> "In the meantime, do you have any concerns or questions I can address?"
<Rasia> Brief consideration, then: "Ein okay?"
<Darkling> "Ein is recovering well, despite the massive damaged recorded during the battle. Ein is a survivor, like yourself."
<Rasia> She smiles briefly.
<Darkling> A pager on his belt buzzes. "I have to go, there is much to do around here." another nod and he's off.
<Rasia> "Wilhelm?" She calls after him.
<Darkling> The door stays open, filled by a familiar aryan boy.
<Rasia> For once, she hops to her feet, bounding over and throwing her arms around him. Her breath still reeks of breakfast as she drags his tongue over his cheek. "Wilhelm!"
<Darkling> He seems less enthuesiastic, though still embraces her back.
<Rasia> "Rr?" She leans her head back to look at him, sniffing.
<Darkling> Smelling the same and just as cold, he steps into the room closing the door. "Sorry I haven't been around to see you." He says. "They've got me helping on the situation back home."
<Rasia> A quiet nod as she runs nails through his hair. "Today together?"
<Darkling> "As much as I am allowed." He waves a hand in front of his face, obviously hot in the room.
<Rasia> That earns a grumble, but she still tries to stoke him by nipping his hand. "Missed."
<Darkling> "Ow." He pulls his hand away then notices the food. "They certainly feed you better than the rest of us here."
<Rasia> The hair on Rasia's neck prickles, but she opts to turn away and grab some food to offer it. "Share?"
<Darkling> "Sure." He takes a piece of bacon, munching on it while looking around.
<Rasia> The rest goes into her own gullet, her gaze following his when it isn't staring at him. Hmmm.
<Darkling> Wilhelm takes a seat in the sand. "Miss the others?" He asks.
<Rasia> "Yes." She moves over to sit beside him, cracking open another coconut.
<Darkling> He stares out over the water. "I'm more than certain we'll be seeing them again."
<Rasia> "Yes. Family together soon."
<Darkling> =============END=============