GBG Session 25: No Man Knows From Where its Roots Run

<Darkling> Another day, no news about what has happened to Rasia. The base has somewhat calmed down, though the search continues with most resources dedicated to trying to find her.
<Darkling> In the meantime the pilots have been back and forth from home and the base with Lit. With no more school to go to, and security seeming to be up, they weren't to be left alone anytime soon.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> This makes for a rather twitchy/twitchier Lahja, prone to staring blankly for long periods of time. Boredom? Tolerable. Lack of privacy? Not so much.
Wilhelm_Faustus spends more of his time staring out the window at either location, silently contemplating with his chin in his hand.
<Darkling> Currently Lit is observing a scan of Antarctica. He might not have said it, but it was for Wilhelm's sake.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "There's something there that shouldn't be. No one will admit it." He mutters, having only seen a glimpse of the map.
<Darkling> "Our scans are not reading anything there other than a small station. Bring up a satelite view." The operator obliges, a view of the tiny station that was big enough to house a minivan and nothing more coming into view.
<Darkling> "This station is all that remains on what scare land is left of Antarctica. It's merely a relay station, nothing more."
<Darkling> "Kind of a punishment duty, if you ask me," the operator chimes in.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "It could be hidden under the ice, for all we know. This world holds a lot of secret places."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja slowly looks toward the operator, that little exchange interesting enough to warrant breaking her focus on a strange daydream.
<Darkling> The view zooms out of showing the small black land surrounded by water and small floating icebergs. "There is not enough ice there to hide anything." The operator says smugly.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "I bet you wouldn't find anything looking at the moon either." He mutters, falling back into silence.
<Darkling> "No, I'm sure we won't." The Commander says, stepping into the room, everyone coming to immediate attention.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Including Lahja. She salutes him more seriously than she usually bothers for most. "Sir."
<Darkling> "Do you really think there is something there, boy?" He raises an eye at you Wilhelm.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Antarctica? Yes. Call it a hunch."
<Darkling> "Do you trust the boy's judgment?" He's looking to Lit now.
<Darkling> There's an awkward pause, Lit looking at Wilhelm.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> A brief glance at Lit. What did the boy really care for Lit's trust? At least look into every possible lead for Rasia, man.
<Darkling> "All we've got is a hunch." He says finally.
<Darkling> "Pack your bags then." The Commander turns and leaves the room.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja looks from the Commander to Wilhelm to Lit. Then she twitches.
<Darkling> "Right, I'll need some printouts on the location and the personnel there." Lit orders the operator. "Let's go get ready kids."
Wilhelm_Faustus stands, smoothing back his hair. "Very good."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Right away." Lahja salutes Lit, then walks off at a brisk, obviously irritated pace.
<Darkling> ============================
<Darkling> "Let's see what you are capable of today Rasia." The Commander says over the comm. They've got her in a mock combat situation in a large room with two combat drones.
<Rasia> Rasia swings her weight forward, adopting a half-hunched posture that makes it easier to switch pedal. Her eyes move from drone to drone, reading their movements, jockeying for a strong position.
<Darkling> The drones move forward, guns flaring to life, though possessing no real threat to the Aesir.
<Rasia> Ein still bobs and weaves naturally, the play-fire dinging off a handful of armor plates as she darts towards the first drone, claws swinging around to take it out.
<Darkling> The drone goes crashing to the ground, the other spinning around Ein's backside.
<Rasia> More bullets ring out, the prickling of a failed dodge hurting far more than the actual bullets. Slumping close to the ground, low and fast, Ein bolts across the training ground and lunges upward, snatching the drone in a bearhug.
<Darkling> The drones crunches in Ein's grip. The walls open in the corner, four more releasing into the room.
<Rasia> And again Rasia dives into the melee, scratching at drones and avoiding their bullets with relative ease in Ein's loosed armor, but smashing toys can't be that fun for long~ "Wilhelm!"
<Darkling> "If you wish." The far wall away from Ein opens up, Drei stepping in with sleek silver and green tinged armor. "Try not to take it too easy on him."
<Rasia> Ein's head cocks to one side, mimicking its master. "New armor?" Backing up a bit, the Aesir moved to all fours properly, tail jerking side to side to prime the momentum.
<Darkling> "We've made some improvements." Wilhelm says, hand coming up and pointing to Ein.
<Rasia> Tensing, Ein leaps to the left reflexively, knowing full well Drei is good at shooting lasers.
<Darkling> Drei floats further into the room, hand still outstreched. "Let's try this." The hand glows blue, and shoots out a beam of energy at Ein.
<Rasia> Dropping down, Ein manages to avoid a direct hit, but the beam catches its tail and sizzles her backside. "Rrr." But its legs are coiled and primed, and Ein pounces!
<Darkling> There's a barrier up that manages to deflect Ein long enough for Drei to move away. "I've learned some new tricks too. Have you?"
<Rasia> New tricks... Rasia tests Ein's jaw, curious if they sealed it back up after the Berzerk. Not that she could blame them, it was a gnarly thing.
<Darkling> They haven't, leaving it free and unrestrained.
<Rasia> Ein pounces again, jaws open wide, tongue slavering messily. Ein's own AT field flares to the visible spectrum as it coils around its teeth, focusing all its energy to a single point to better smash through the barrier.
<Darkling> Tearing through the barrier in place ein smashes into Drei, throwing another shot off target, but  blasting a hole through the ceiling.
<Rasia> Ein takes the chance to pull Drei towards the ground, jaws sinking into the chest armor.
<Darkling> To the ground the Aesir go, the base room shaking with the impact. Metal is torn from Drei's chest, though he seems to ignore it for the most part, both hands claming to Ein's midsection.
<Rasia> Rasia eases off enough to roll away. A logical move, since giving up the advantage was better than getting stomach blasted, and she's quick to close to range again. Poking at the side of her plug, she asks aloud. "Wilhelm comm!"
<Darkling> A screen opens up, the aryan smiling back. "Do you wish to surrender, or just parley?"
<Rasia> "Play!" She can't help but giggle, clearly not taking the wargames all that seriously. Must be Wilhelm's effect on her.
<Darkling> "Very well." Both hands come together and release a energy blast that sends Ein crashing back against the wall. "We'll play when this is over."
<Rasia> Winded, she rubs at her chest, Ein miming her. Oww... Righting herself, she sprints across the room, talons and teeth all brought forward for another solid pounce, Ein's neck twisting to shred up Drei's arm, if it can.
<Darkling> The arm and armor shreds, the Aryan wincing in the viewscreen. "That's a girl," he says, the freehand coming around for an energized punch.
<Rasia> Ein twists, trying to avoid it, but catches the blow on the hip, nearly breaking the grapple. Instead, it rolls along the axis of its jaw, locking them tight around the nearest arm and shredding up Drei's front and back with her foreclaws. Still, feels a little guilty...
<Darkling> "Is that the best you've got?" The Aryan taunts, attempting to break free.
<Rasia> Ein tightens its grip, biting down and twisting its neck in sharp jerks. It's disorienting, but effective for sawing through Drei's arm, the bones within already groaning and splintering.
<Darkling> Drei's free arm comes up, hand clamping firm to Ein's head and starts to glow blue. "That's enough." The Commander orders over the comm.
<Rasia> Ein jerks its teeth out in an instant, dragging its bizarre tongue up Drei's cheek affectionately before backing away to all fours. "Wilhelm okay?
<Rasia> "
<Darkling> "Just a flesh wound." He replies, Drei turning away and heading over to the already opening wall. "Let's let these get fixed up a bit before we go for another round."
<Rasia> Ein tags behind, clicking its teeth, and Rasia rests her cheek on the saddle in her plug. Why did this place make her feel uneasy...
<Darkling> ==========================
<Darkling> The pilots and Lit were loaded into a chopper with their bags a few hours back. Since then they've been flying south, with very little scenery to watch other than ice.
Wilhelm_Faustus continues to stare, this time across the frozen ice. It was like so many dreams he'd had.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja doesn't seem to be paying much attention to it. She has her eyes closed, but obviously hasn't been asleep.
<Darkling> Lit has been going over some rosters for the base, not that there was much to it. He holds out the folder to the pilots. "You might as well familiarize yourselves."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja takes the folder, eyes snapping open. She seems all too eager to start going through it. "Thank you, sir."
Wilhelm_Faustus glances through the files.
<Darkling> There's three employee records. Head of operations listed as Dolf, and two other analysts named Abigail and Claus. Records indicate the tiny base is there to measure any further possible readings of activity in the area related to the Aesir and Jotun.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Aesir activity, sir? Isn't that a bit strange?" Lahja asks, looking at Lit.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "...two employees are missing from this list."
<Darkling> Lit shrugs, looking to Wilhelm. "What do you mean two are missing? The building isn't big enough to house the three that are there as it is."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "We'll see."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> A twitch, and then Lahja looks out the window for the first time.
<Darkling> "Why all the suspicion about this place anyways Wilhelm?"
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "My previous incarnations have seen files and hacked into different databases. There's something out there besides some dinky little shack."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Do you have any idea what?"
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "No."
<Darkling> "That isn't much to go on. There are plenty of places not in our records they could be hiding Rasia."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "My information leads to this base. 'They' have abandoned their other facilities according to what I've read."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "I think this is all a bit concerning."
<Darkling> "Indeed. I don't know who or where you get your intel from Wilhelm, but I hope they're right."
<Darkling> =====================
<Darkling> Adele, the Valkyrie that has been attending Corrin for his entire comatose stay in the base, is doing her regular rounds. A rather easy duty, taking care of the sleeping pilot.
<Darkling> She loads her tray with a few medicines and paperwork, and heads down the hall to the boy's room.
<Darkling> She waves at another Valkyrie upon passing, then pushes into Corrin's room. "Time for your meds." She calls to the sleeping boy.
<Darkling> Walking up to the bed with her clipchart, she pulls the curtain away and gasps, clipboard rattling to the ground. With a scream for help, she runs out of the room, leaving the empty bed behind.
<Darkling> =====================
<Darkling> Lunchtime for Rasia. Wilhelm's sitting at a table with a glass of water letting her get whatever she wants from the veritable buffet presented for her.
<Rasia> And Rasia never fails to devour positively silly amounts of food, her tray covered in all varities, from fruits to cheeses. Plopping down across from him, she smiles wide, crunching into a walnut without breaking it open. "Wilhelm hungry?"
<Darkling> He sneaks a cheese cube from a plate. "Just a little. I've found my hunger diminished lately."
<Rasia> "Changing..." The celery doesn't stand much chance against her either. ...she has been eating awful crunchy foods, lately. Feeling nervous about something, Raz?
<Darkling> "In some ways, all for the better." He sips the water.
<Rasia> Lips pursed, she leans forward a bit. "Go home soon?"
<Darkling> "Hopefully. I have good news."
<Rasia> Her head cocks to one side.
<Darkling> "Corrin is awake. You should be able to see him tomorrow."
<Rasia> "Corrin? Corrin hurt..."
<Darkling> "They say there are some side effects and possible brain damage they still don't know about, but he's functional."
<Darkling> He takes another block of cheese, eating it idly.
<Rasia> Hrm. Rasia leans forward, pressing a kiss to the boy's lips, deep enough that she actually steals some of the cheese from his mouth, sitting back to read his expression.
<Darkling> "I've been wondering how long it would take you to show some affection again, not that we get much privacy around here."
<Rasia> "Strange place."
<Darkling> "It is run much differently than back home."
<Rasia> "Look at moon tonight?"
<Darkling> "We can't. They won't let us above ground for safety reasons. Trust me, I tried, this place is a furnace."
<Rasia> A low grunt, and she tears into a bun full of hamburger helper. "Drei okay?"
<Darkling> "Drei will survive, he's a fighter."
<Rasia> A nod, and the Israeli finishes her meal in silence, glutted and content on several thousand calories. "Rrr~"
<Darkling> A smile from the aryan and he sips at his water again.
<Darkling> ========================
<Darkling> The hilcopter touched down on what small space the black island spared for them allowing Lit and the pilots off before taking back up to head for a carrier to refuel.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "I find this temperature agreeable."
<Darkling> "It's fairly nice here, for being the south pole." Lit agreed. The tempreture was just above freezing here, some oddity left over from the impact scientists presumed.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja looks about, not at all enthusiastic. "What a strange place..."
<Darkling> A bearded form appears in the doorway of the small concrete building. "Over here." He waves.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja wanders over, making a quick and lazy salute.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> Eyes narrow to slits as Wilhelm follows Lahja, a hand slipping inside his jacket to grip something.
<Darkling> "Welcome welcome. I am Dolf, head of research here at our little hovel." He leads you inside the building, which isn't very large and severely crowded by computers and other equipment. At the computers are the other two people that were in the papers, Adele and Claus, both looking at different unwavering readings on the screens.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> How do people live like this? Lahja looks around the building, slightly horrified. She forces a smile afterwards. "Lahja, but you probably already knew that."
<Darkling> "Indeed, we were informed of your coming." Both Adele and Claus turn around, nearly in sync, make a quick wave, then are back to their computers.
<Darkling> "I must say though, I am a little confused what you would find interesting about our little operation here."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Where are the other two?" Wilhelm asks over his shoulder, observing a monitor.
<Darkling> A blink. "Other two?"
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Adrian and Thomas, out in the field, so to speak?"
<Darkling> Claus turns around in his chair, regarding Wilhelm. "There's only the three of us here, as you can see." Dolf explains.
<Darkling> "I'll show you." He opens one door that leads to a small kitchen, empty and rather dirty, then another to a small bathroom, also empty. Finally he takes you to a bedroom with three sets of bunk beds. "See, no one else here."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja looks a bit bewildered by the exchange, and then annoyed.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "There's something going on here...something big. I can sense it." He paces the small room.
<Darkling> "I can show you what is going on here." Claus speaks up.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "That would be appreciated."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja looks to Claus. "Just as long as you don't have to kill us afterwards." She says it with a smile.
<Darkling> "We're fully stocked on food, so no killing is necessary." He turns back around in his chair. "This is a patern of radiation emitted from the Black Moon, it has stayed constant ever since it has appeared." he points to some graphs and charts on his monitor.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> ". . ."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja moves along to have a look. "That's kind of interesting."
<Darkling> "Here is readings from last week." The charts change, the graph spiking all over the place.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "That's not good." An edge of fear in the young Aryan's voice? "But there's something else...you're not here just for that." He mutters to himself, trying to think.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Even more interesting. "Has it been stable since then? Or are this week's readings still strange?"
<Darkling> "We do normally study the readings that we get from the surrounding area, but those have not changed at all."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> As Lahja talks to the researchers he actually leaves their shack, making his way out into the snow.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "What are the readings around here like? Any weird radiation or anything?"
<Darkling> What we do pick up we figure is just leftover from what happened here. It's a strong reading well below the surface." He switches the screen over to another program showing a live graph ticking away.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja looks at the graph. Not really one of her strong points, but she nods regardless. "Any theories as to what happened here?"
<Wilhelm_Faustus> ! The Aryan is behind you Lahja, looking over your shoulder at the graph. "I had a dream about this place. I remember what's here."
<Darkling> "Leftover energy signatures from the Impact is the most prevalent theory. Dreams are not high on the theory consensus."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Dreams. What an awful topic to bring up now. "Care to share, Wilhelm?"
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "I know that I hung on a windy tree nine long nights, wounded by a spear, dedicated to Odin, myself to myself, on that tree which no man knows from where its roots run." He licks his lips. "Yggdrasil."
<Darkling> Adele speaks for the first time. " "Freud would say you're afraid of your penis."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "He would also say you envy the penis your mother wishes she had. I'm not wrong about this."
<Darkling> She shrugs, not even have turned around to poke fun at Wilhelm.
<Darkling> "Well," Dolf speaks up in the silence. "How about we microwave some dinner and get you settled in for when your helicopter comes back, hmm?"
<Darkling> ==========================
<Darkling> "You'll get to see him in a few minutes." Wilhelm explained to Rasia, sitting across a table from her.
Rasia scratches her cheek, still looking unsure.
<Darkling> ""There's a nurse in there right now just checking him over before we're allowed in."
<Rasia> A quiet nod, as she sits back.
<Darkling> "You've been awfully quiet these past days."
<Rasia> "Miss home."
<Darkling> "This is home now." He reiterates. "And another of our family is back with us. You should be happy, even if it had to be Corrin."
<Rasia> She frowns, playing with a bit of food before eating it. "Little happy."
<Darkling> "I know it's not the same here, but it's better than nothing. It's really not that bad, they even keep the temperature down for me."
<Rasia> Eventually Rasia manages a soft smile, baring one canine.
<Darkling> A technician sits down nearby, offering a smile and a wave before starting on his own lunch.
<Darkling> "Well, shall we go see how he is?"
<Rasia> "Yes." Rasia stands, shoveling the last bits of food into her cheeks to chew on the way.
<Darkling> "Follow me." He takes her hand.
<Darkling> ================
<Darkling> A nurse is serving you lunch Corrin, as another ticks off some marks on a clipboard. Lunch today consists of beef broth, mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables and reddish-orange jello for desert.
Corrin gulps the food down hungrily, questions and confusion forgotten for the moment. He hadn't realized how hungry he was until now. Looking up, he swallows a mouthful of the potatoes.
<Darkling> Just the day before an officer had explained to you, merely an hour after you had woken, the state of things at the base.
<Darkling> You were no longer in Berlin, but taken safely from there to another secret location, along with Wilhelm and Rasia. The defectors back in Berlin had taken over the base and had attempted to kill everyone that resisted them.
<Darkling> A lot to digest, along with that food.
<Darkling> The nurse with the clipboard moves over to your I.V. and sticks a needle into it, pumping some medicine in. "That should make you feel a bit cozier. You'll have some visitors along soon as well."
Corrin gulps the food down hungrily, questions and confusion forgotten for the moment. He hadn't realized how hungry he was until now. Looking up, he swallows a mouthful of the potatoes.
Corrin looks up sharply, jerked from his thoughts. NERV had always been something whole, unified. Something to be obeyed. Now this? Traitors and Lit and Lahja in danger? At least Ivy was out of harm's way. "Visitors?" he blurts, the second part taking a moment to sink in.
<Darkling> "Yes, they'll be along any minute." Both nurses leave the room.
<Darkling> A few minutes pass and there's a slight rap at the door, a smug Aryan standing there. "Took you long enough to wake up."
<Rasia> Rasia's head pokes out behind him, the rest of her following.
<Darkling> He makes his way over to the bed, all the while looking down his nose at Corrin.
<Corrin> "Pilot Wilhelm! Rasia!" Corrin manages a grin, slumping back slightly. "You two are okay, then?"
<Rasia> "Yes. Both safe."
<Darkling> "Of course we are. We don't step in the way of incoming projectiles."
Corrin looks at Wilhelm, then shrugs. "Still, good to see you. You weren't outside the school.”
<Darkling> "No, I was inside, I died."
<Darkling> Wilhelm pulls two chairs across the room to sit by the bed, out of reach.
<Rasia> The line sours Rasia's expression, briefly.
Corrin blinks. "What?"
<Darkling> "Yes yes, I died. You have been asleep a long time and everyone else knows. Death doesn't stop me, barely hinders me really. Unlike others, Ivy for example."
Rasia blinks, narrowing her eyes.
<Corrin> "I don't understand." Corrin says, baffled. "Pilot Wilhelm, are you sure you're alright?"
<Darkling> "Quite so." He sits back, still smug."
Corrin looks to Rasia, still lost. "Right..." Pushing away the feeling he's missing something important, he presses on. "What do you mean, you died? You're right here. Alive. Well. Smug."
<Darkling> "Try not to think to hard on it, the doctors say the brain damage is severe."
Corrin reaches for his forehead at that. "What? I feel fine! You're still not making sense, Wilhelm." He's sitting up now.
<Darkling> "Look, you've heard what is going on around here already. The commander said he'll be by to brief us all on what is going to happen in the days to come."
Corrin nods, relieved at the change of topic to something he can understand, posture straightening at the mention of the commander. "Good to know. It's hard to believe..." he stops.
<Darkling> Wilhelm looks to Rasia.
<Rasia> The Israeli chews on her lip, straightening up herself. She gazes hard into Wilhelm's eyes. Is he just toying around with Corrin, or does this one really not know about his clones...
<Darkling> =================
<Darkling> Lit looked at the small microwaveable dinner in his lap, what a sad excuse for a meal. "I'm not really feeling too hungry anymore," he said, looking at Wilhelm and Lahja.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> Wilhelm hadn't touched his either, lost in silent thought.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja is regarding her meal with far more enthusiasm. Except she's not eating it either. She's playing with it.
<Darkling> "It's not that bad." Dolf says. "You get used to it, eventually."
<Darkling> Adele and Claus have already finished theirs, back to studying their screens intently.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja looks down at the food, then over toward the working duo. Apparently she finds that more interesting. "So what did you people do to get sent here?"
<Darkling> "Became experts in certain fields, or in Claus' case, piss off the wrong person."
<Darkling> Claus laughs. "It was a misunderstanding. You sleep with a General's wife, you get shit duty apparently. Keep that in mind kids."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "I doubt I'll be sleeping with the wives of any Generals anytime soon. But thanks for the advice." She gives him a thumbs up.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> Wilhelm stands, hands behind his back as he moves to what it is Adele has on screen. "Six beds, three researchers..." He mutters to himself.
<Darkling> "Sometimes we entertain guests." Dolf says.
<Darkling> On Adele's screen there seems to be a partial pattern that she is trying to analyze.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja decides to read over Claus' shoulder. "I gave some thought to working toward becoming a researcher not all that long ago."
<Darkling> "And what did you want to research little one?"
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Trolls."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "That's a massive energy signature." He comments on the screen, watching the patterns and readings. It looks like...
<Darkling> "It's the residual energy left over that we've been placed to study." Adele remarks, the screen changes to another one, the energy readings gone.
<Darkling> "Trolls are rather hard to research, since none have been taken alive, or in very good condition even."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> His eyes narrow to slits, standing up straight as his arms cross over his chest.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Yes. So I've heard. And by the time I'm old enough to be in a position to research them they may not be so relevant anymore. So I have to worry about more immediate concerns."
<Darkling> "You never know."
<Darkling> A phone rings from the kitchen, Dolf leaves to answer it.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja looks in that direction, straining her ears to listen. To keep it from being too obvious she looks toward Lit. "By the way, sir... I should tell you something when we have a few moments to ourselves."
<Darkling> "Of course." He says, then Dolf pops back in. "The phone is for you Lit." The big man gets up, putting aside the uneaten food and disappears into the kitchen as well.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "That phone must be a sanity saver."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "What is it you plan to tell him?" Wilhelm returns to sitting, mood and expression darker as he steeples his fingers in front of his face.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "That I may explode or something in the future. I don't really know." She sounds strangely serious... yet not particularly bothered.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "You plan to combust for no reason?"
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "I don't plan on it. But it could happen. I hope I'm just being paranoid, but I'd rather be safe instead of having people blindsided"
<Darkling> Lit comes back into the room. "I've got news, and we're leaving. The helicopter will be on it's way shortly."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "There's still something here."
<Darkling> "You're likely right, but it's not Rasia. She's been located."
<Darkling> "Come on kids, we'll wait outside." Lit leads them out, shutting the door behind them so they are alone, then leads then to the edge of the small black island amid the ice floes.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> Wilhelm never did zip up his jacket out here.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "If I come across any dead bodies I don't have any use for I'll send them your way." Lahja says as she leaves, looking at the researchers one last time.
<Darkling> "She's in the Faroe Islands." Lit says, looking out over the water. "I'm not sure how, but they got a trace through for about an hour before it disappeared again, but it was unmistakeable."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "The North Atlantic?"
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "That's a long way from here."
<Darkling> "Indeed. We need to get home and mobilize the Aesir."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> How curious. Lahja nods.
<Darkling> "Let's get Rasia back."
<Darkling> ==============
<Darkling> Officer Murd had gone over for the last hour what the plans were for the pilots, and what force they were expected to face.
<Darkling> They had been informed, much the the surprise of the pilots, that the insurgents had a Wilhelm on their side, corrupted, and had been used to corrupt Lit and Lahja.
<Darkling> "We're expecting them to come at us guns blazing," he said without emotion. "And you three will need to stop them. If they eliminate this base, any resistance against them will be wiped out."
Rasia scratches at her arm, looking unsettled through most of the briefing.
<Darkling> "Fighting against myself. A worthy battle for once." Wilhelm smirks.
<Corrin> "Sir?" Corrin interjects suddenly, despite himself. The whole thing just feels surreal, like a training exercise gone wrong. His lips are suddenly dry. "What do you mean by stop?"
<Darkling> "What do you think? Stop, the same way you stop a rampaging Jotun. You kill it with extreme predjudice."
Rasia scowls, rocking back and forth in her chair.
<Corrin> "What?"
<Darkling> "I realize that such a thing is hard to comprehend, given the subject of your relationship with the enemy. Regardless, if you do not kill them, they will kill you."
Corrin is rigid-backed in his hospital bed, staring at the Officer like he'd grown wings and a halo. His mouth opens and shuts for a moment. "But, sir, Pilot Lahja...Lit...they're not the enemy. She's...They're...They wouldn't betray NERV's oath if they had a choice, sir." Corrin's just babbling frantically now, not even stopping to think. "Sir, I can take..."
<Darkling> "And yet they have." He glares.
<Darkling> Wilhelm whispers to Rasia. "He picks now of all times to start disobeying orders."
<Rasia> Her gaze wanders to the fanatical boy, contemplative. Broken leash?
<Darkling> "You have your orders, to defy them is to subjugate humanity to suffering and worse." Officer Mund narrows his glare further at Corrin.
<Corrin> "Sir." Corrin says shakily. He drops his gaze a moment later, posture still stiff. "Yes, sir." he repeats, more flatly and louder. "Understood."
<Darkling> "Very good. Despite your coma, and the fatigue on your body, you will be expected to operate your Aesir at a top notch performance, is that also understood?"
<Corrin> "Yes, sir." Corrin repeats, trying not to shake. Trying not to think about what he's being told to do. Just give the reply that's been drilled into you. "Understood."
<Darkling> He in turn looks at Rasia. "And do you understand, pilot?"
Rasia chews on her lip, nodding slowly. If the officer bothers to note, her gaze lands squarely on his throat.
Corrin stares blindly at the sheets in front of him, the tray of half eaten-food. Anywhere but the Officer, the other Pilots...
<Darkling> "Good." The Officer leaves the room, as he steps out he says, "Report to your stations tomorrow at o-eight hundred hours."
<Rasia> The Israeli rises, gazing at the floor.
Corrin 's head comes up as the door closes. Three seconds later, the food tray goes flying into the wall with as much force as his atrophied arms can muster. "Damnit! Damnit! Goddamnit!"
Rasia turns her head, studying Corrin. She creeps over to the bedridden boy.
<Corrin> "Pilot Rasia." Corrin can't seem to look her in the face.
<Rasia> "Leash?" She seems to be ignoring Wilhelm for now.
<Corrin> "We have orders." Corrin says to the wall. "We have to follow orders. They'll kill us if we don't. It's our duty." The words taste bitter in his mouth. "They're the enemy." It all sounds hollow, even to him.
<Rasia> Somehow, she actually looks satisfied with something. Her lips curl back and her teeth come out. It's a sick sort of grin.
<Darkling> Wilhelm gets up. "I have to oversee some plans for tomorrow." He leaves the room without looking back.
<Rasia> Rasia glances, but returns her attention to Corrin. "Will be okay. Trust me?"
Corrin looks up.
<Rasia> "Trust me?" She repeats the question again, grabbing his cheeks and forcing him to meet her eyes. Her mismatched, fierce eyes.
Corrin swallows. "Yeah." he says quietly, almost a whisper. "Yeah, I do."
<Rasia> A nod. Rasia turns his head, licks his cheek, and makes to leave. "Rest. Rest a lot."
<Darkling> ==========END==========