Event #06: ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE MISSION LOG

[vivalamods]

EVENT #06: ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE MISSION LOG

With wind at their backs, the Corsairs fully expect the Imperial resistance. Knowing that they’ve made even the Emperor himself take notice has been heartening, they are well-prepared to go to war. And war finds them soon, with Imperial Strike Forces dispatched to scatter their resistance. With Flotsam under heavy attack, the great fleet has split, hiding in coves around the Eternal Ocean.

As the Corsairs fend off the Imperial Attack, they also look forward to the future. Keeping up their information warfare against the Empire is, of course, vital, as is finding new space to settle refugees and new recruits for the cause. February may prove to be a deadly month for the Corsairs, but if they play their hand well it can be a month of great strides.

These missions are occurring over the course of the month, there are no limitations on the characters who can take part, the size of the logs, or how many logs a character participates in.

MISSIONS

Imperial Warfare: Flights of airships and armors have been dispatched to sink as many Corsair ships as possible. The Corsairs have already split their fleet, but are hoping to catch these roving attack squadrons and quickly overwhelm them, protecting their fleet and, if possible, capturing airships and armors for their own forces.
Conflict: Strike forces will typically consist of two airships holding 4 armors each. These ships can be boarded and disabled, or fought directly depending on the preference of the combatant.
Role: Combatant
Requirements: To participate in this mission, your thread header should read IMPERIAL WARFARE
Extra: You may specify the type of combat as well, such as BOARDING for more on-foot or ARMOR or SHIP for battles in mechs or from the decks of ships.

Investigate Targets: The Larendt labor camps have a lot of low-class and servant labor. With their presence in the Eternal Ocean and their involvement in some of the more menial but sometimes necessary manufacturing, gaining a foothold in these camps could be a huge boon for the Corsairs.
Conflict: These camps are heavily guarded, and while the inhabitants are extremely oppressed, inspiring them to revolt en masse will be a tough sell. Infiltrators will need to sneak in with either stealth or guile and determine who in the camps can be trusted and start into a major subversion effort to bring them to the Corsair side.
Role: Infiltrator, Supplier or Negotiator optional
Requirements: To participate in this mission, your thread header should read INVESTIGATE TARGETS
Extra: You may specify the approach for your infiltration, such as STEALTH or DISGUISE

INFORMATION WARFARE: The Corsairs must keep up the pressure by creating a counternarrative to fight the Emperor’s messaging. This can be done a number of ways, such as hacking radio networks to broadcast messages, distributing subversive literature, or giving flash speeches.
Conflict: Guards are on high alert and will heavily crack down on people seen pushing banned messages or materials. Chances are high they will try to arrest or even kill on sight.
Role: Negotiator, Infiltrator or Combatant optional
Requirements: To participate in this mission, your thread header should read INFORMATION WARFARE
Extra: You may specify the approach for your infiltration, such as HACKING or PAMPHLET DISTRIBUTION

Scout Settlements: The Corsairs need to establish a new settlement in order to house the growing number of refugees. An old ruined city has been identified as a potential site, an underground dwelling with some concealed farmland could easily be built in the area which has remained relatively untouched since the continent fell. Suppliers need to go in and set up a basecamp to begin construction.
Conflict: The ruins themselves will require a great dea of effort to get in order, with repairs to the infrastructure concealed within the ruins. The aqueducts still appear to be mostly capable of function and could be a great boon to the Corsairs if they can find a way to make them work. The ruins themselves have become quite dangerous in the intervening time, there are subterranean monsters such as bullettes and ankhegs that have taken up residence and can be quite dangerous when confronted. Additionally, it seems some Imperial deserters and n’er do wells have taken to using the place as a getaway after making it to Elysium, they will need to be dealt with, or perhaps even recruited if that can be managed.
Role: Supplier, Combatant or Negotiator optional
Requirements: To participate in this mission, your thread header should read SCOUT SETTLEMENT
Extra: You may specify the approach for your infiltration, such as REBUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE or CONVINCING DESERTERS

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Comments

no worries at all!

[singlemilletgrain]

Shu finds many of Raph's exclamations baffling thus far, to the point where she considers that perhaps Victorian and English might not be the exact same language after all. But he seems eager to prove himself in combat even if his battle cries may not exactly inspire fear. As his guttural whisper cuts through the darkness, she beckons forward the others and thrusts her flame into the building, illuminating the interior.

"Don't leave a single one! They'll call more drones from other nests."

The ankhegs hiss furiously as they are exposed to the light, clicking their mandibles and lunging immediately at the closest targets. Two of them set upon Raph with shredding pincers, rearing up for quick strikes while another shrieks and spits a line of acid towards the doorway, where the Corsairs are rushing in. The remainder leap and pounce, fanning out across the entire environs.

The walls tremble gently.

[supersmashbrother]

Now this is more his speed! With the light from Shu, he can now see the rest of what he's shoved down to one side. "Whoa! These guys are big suckers!" Surprised yet unwavering, Raph continues to scuffle, dodging out of the way of the ankheg strikes and acid when he can't land a kick.

It's the latter that worries him more, seeing how the line shoots out toward the other Corsairs joining the fray. If there's an opening, he's taking it; jumping upward, the ankheg closest to him is getting punched in the face.

But it's missing something.

The mystic powers that he conjures on a regular basis have been finicky in the new world, slipping in and out of reach. "Like riding a bike, Raph," he thinks aloud, "'cept you've never ridden a real bike. But you've ridden a Shell Hog, which is like a super advanced bike!"

He's trying again, feeling the spark as he literally hits the ground running, dashing to meet the acid partway. His timing is off, but he tries to create a shield that echoes the fragmented outline of his jagged shell - not the full Raph-shaped barrier he knows he can make, but large enough to disperse the spray.

Wait, can mystic powers hold up against acid? If it helps some of the Corsairs still within range, then it's a plus. The others at least get around far enough that he doesn't have to try covering them.

[singlemilletgrain]

There is a modest amount of screaming as the acid splashes; Shu grits her teeth and throws up her shield with her free hand. Thanks to Link's tutelage, she has progressed on to a proper shield instead of the wooden training shield she previously used, which... also dissolves and becomes etched with damage as the acid spray eats into it. So, really, no improvement.

Thankfully, the directed cone is dispersed significantly by... whatever it is that Raphael just did, which means her shield, alongside the faces of those around her, does not instantly dissolve. There is a brief murmur as her companions assess the damage before they ascertain no one is too badly hurt, and they fan out around the room. On Shu's part, she rummages around in her pocket briefly before tossing out several handfuls of something that cannot be easily discerned in the dim lighting. This problem resolves itself quickly, however, as a strange glow suffuses the room and tiny buds sprout from the earth, tendrils that curl up towards the Corsairs. Where they make contact, there is a brief pulse of energy as a wave of healing washes over the combatants.

The battle is in full flow, now, as each Corsair takes on an opponent. It is Raphael who was closest to the nest, though, and as he had turned to meet the acid, he had also turned his back to the second attacking ankheg, the one that had not received a face-punch. This, with surprising speed, lunges forward and hooks him around the leg.

[supersmashbrother]

Two shields are better than one, even if the other isn't as fully realized as it should be. His shield dissipates as well, eventually, red light breaking up with the acidic droplets still in the air. Blocking acid with his arms and head is a Big No, so his shell takes some of the damage as he stays turned away from the giant insect.

Probably doesn't help that the air around him is now scented with 'Raph Almost Got Eaten by Acid' stink, but that's the least of his worries. What matters is the safety of everyone else.

Good thing Shu has healing buds. Raph feels refreshed! The sigh of relief becomes the lack thereof, air leaving his lungs in a sudden "Whouf!?" when something catches him by the leg and drags him in. Struggling in this position forces the teenage mutant to try using his own weight to slow things down, grabbing at the hooked limb so that he can get out of its grasp.

[singlemilletgrain]

((sorry for the delay! had some personal business yesterday.))

The ankheg is keen on its catch, eager to sample this newfound delicacy of lightly carved terrapin. Menacing Raph with its sharp mandibles, more acid oozes from its mouth to predigest the turtle. Raph may find it difficult to struggle, as every inch of the creature's carapace seems to be covered in intractable spikes. Nonetheless, he may loosen its grip if he is willing to sustain some piercing damage.

"Raphael!"

Using her long tail as a third limb, Shu wraps the end around a broken piece of concrete and launches it at the ankheg. Her projectile flies wide - she does not exactly target practice with tail strikes on a regular basis, but it is enough to distract its attention as it veers to the side. Perhaps this will provide an opportunity for the turtle.

[supersmashbrother]

((Not a problem! Hope everything's okay!))

Raphael flails, panicking as acid drips and burns his shell and skin. The broken up 'AAAH's get interrupted by 'OW's when he instinctively pounds his knuckles against the spines, shaking his hands out after a few attempts. "Oh, now that's playin' dirty!"

And then he hears his name being called out, jerking his head upward just in time to see a blur fly right by him and the insect.

The flung concrete does its job, and Raph sees his chance. "An opening!"

The turtle twists, flipping himself over. It takes less than a second for him to form a fist, the red glow faint before it lights up and forms larger planar portions surrounding it and his muscled forearm.

"Punching," he exclaims, pulling his arm back before driving the even bigger version of his fist up into the ankheg, "LIKE A BOSS!!"

[singlemilletgrain]

Is this a sort of magic? It has a slightly different feel from the magic she is familiar with in Esthere, channeled through the power of the ether crystals. (For one thing, it is much more... fluorescent.) And it bears no resemblance to the Arts of her world. If Donnie had any interest in using magic, he had never expressed it. And for some reason, she feels as if he would have mentioned if his family had a natural predilection for such things.

...So who was this mystery turtle with the same name and description as his brother?

All very good and well to ponder this mystery, but these thoughts flicker through her mind in the span of a few seconds as she darts forward to Raph's aid. He has repelled the creature by the time she reaches his side, but for good effect, she swings hard with her weapon into its mandibles, a short rod resembling a scepter, clearing the space around the prone turtle.

"Are you alright?"

She reaches a hand down to help him up.

[supersmashbrother]

She steps in at the right moment as Raph stays on the ground, the giant red hand fragmenting into bits after its use.

"Nice shot!"

His enthusiasm for her rod strike is genuine. While he can flip up onto his feet, he does take the hand offered, pushing himself up with his other arm so that he doesn't drag Shu down on accident. "I'll be okay. Everything just stings a little." As he says this, he clicks his tongue and flexes his fingers, testing out how raw they're still feeling. "These guys are tougher than I thought."

[singlemilletgrain]

She's a bit stronger than she looks, as he might find from the steadiness of her arm when she pull him up, despite his considerable heft. Despite his claim, she has already pegged him as the 'brash warrior type'; in other words, someone quite likely to downplay his own physical status. The gentle glow of her abilities suffuses her once more as the tiny buds sprout and curl under their feet, releasing more restorative power. It can't do anything for any acid still remaining on his skin, though, and for this, Shu will quickly take the end of her sleeve and try to wipe him clean.

...This does leave her with some sizzling holes in her clothing.

"They are protecting their home. We are at a disadvantage, for they must feel a strong compulsion to defend by any means necessary. In that sense, we are the aggressors."

Shu is the goddess of agriculture and life, after all. Insects are as important in the biosphere as anything else.

"But if we are to secure safety for our refugees, we must keep these paths clear of any threats. Alas! That our aims must be counter. ...Like any swarming insect, there must be a leader. If we can eliminate that one, the rest should be at a loss."

[supersmashbrother]

Her strength throws him off a little, but he thinks of the gesture in the same vein as mighty warriors are wont to do in terms of camaraderie: no matter the size, it never hurts to check on others to see if they're still good to continue fighting. His confusion only turns up a few degrees when she actively tries to wipe away the acid, not moving to push her away when she does, but holding his arms out while worrying when her sleeve has visible damage.

"Ah. Yeah, encroaching on their territory wasn't part of the plan since we didn't know they were there," Raph grimaces despite being restored physically a second time. Having these details pop up during the mission makes things more complicated, but he isn't overwhelmed by the process.

His expression then shifts when Shu explains how insects tend to tick. "Aiming for the head. That'll be a piece of cake!" He's already looking out to see if there may be any other ankhegs around. "Don't they usually look different from the rest of 'em?"

[singlemilletgrain]

The other Corsairs are cautiously beginning to clear out the rest of the ankhegs, making headway despite the initial ferocity. Shu considers briefly before shaking her head.

"None of these. These would all be drones. Usually, the queen is -- "

There is a low rumble underneath their feet.

"A larger specimen. She also tends to be protected within -- "

The rumble accelerates.

"Within... the nest."

Shu gently grabs Raphael's hand and tugs him away about five and a half seconds before something erupts from the corner of the room out of the burrowing hole in a shower of earth and rocks. One wall collapses in a cavalcade of debris; the others barely hold structural integrity as a massive grub-like figure with two sets of mandibles squirms forth from the depths and shrieks angrily.

[supersmashbrother]

Two sets of eyes and nothing is coming up fast enough. At Shu's confirmnation, Raph instinctively lifts his left arm to speak.

"Yo, Donnie, can we get a read– ?" A scowl and a short groan cuts into the thought as he remembers. "Right, there's no brainy guy to get more information from. Which means we're also short two other equally vital team members that could've helped with this whole situation..."

The rumbling goes mostly unnoticed by him until it becomes violent, barely looking down right as Shu easily pulls him out of range of flying by dirt explosion. His exclamation is lost within the noise, but he stays in front of Shu, widening his stance to ground himself, using his shell against the debris that rains down on them. "Didn't think the nest would be right here," he coughs, "but it sure is convenient!

"We all need to clobber this thing before it takes us all with it!" In summoning one enlarged red arm, the second soon follows, the latter still coming together as he yells, taking off to run and leap at the giant grub monstrosity, bringing down both hands simultaneously in a hammer strike.

[singlemilletgrain]

"Donnie -- ?!"

Shu's grip on Raph tightens unconsciously as she stares at him, her brows deeply furrowed. This was getting far too bizarre. 'The brainy guy...?' But that was exactly how... Her musing has no time to take fruit, though, as the enemy rears its head (literally) too quickly, too soon. The flying debris is the first assault upon the Corsairs; it is only through sheer dumb luck that nothing too big strikes them. The same cannot be said of a few of their team members, though, who are sent sprawling by door-sized pieces of cement crashing from above.

"Protect the wounded! Remove them from this building! Those remaining, fan out. Don't stand in one place for the acid! Raphael, wa -- "

It is, of course, too late as the intrepid hero dashes forward on his own. Shu sighs inwardly before following close behind. The queen ankheg, still shaking with fury (or... maybe just shaking with the force of her own mass), rears up and snaps one set of mandibles around Raphael's hammer head.

Incredibly, her strength is such that she interrupts it mid-swing. The second set rears wide before snapping shut to try to slice Raph in half.

"Raphael!"

[supersmashbrother]

The good news: Raph isn't new to being intercepted during an attack. It happens often in combat And he left himself wide open! He'll get another chance.

The bad news: there may not be any other chances because the queen's strong and he's about to be two Raphs if he doesn't free himself from her mandible grip soon!

His eyes bug out as things shake and blur from his perspective, yelping as he dangles in front of the queen ankheg. That second set is coming in fast.

But his safety is only part of what he's currently worrying about. Shu says to protect the wounded, but he wants to protect her and everyone else from the ankhegs. A foolish notion, sure, but one he really believes in.

Somehow, it clicks.

In the blink of an eye, the large turtle mutant curls inward, relying on both his ninja skills and the mystic connection that brings back a fully-rendered exoskeleton of himself. Although his spiky shell can take a beating, the layer projected becomes big enough to give him some wiggle room, twisting around to swing his legs forward to dropkick the queen. "Raph snacks are NOT on the menu!"

[singlemilletgrain]

Shu heaves a sigh of relief as Raphael manages to extract himself from the dire situation with his own imaginative use of his abilities. There was very little she could have done under those circumstances to help. More evidence that Raphael is somehow related to Donnie: they both enjoy giving her heart attacks. Her own rod seems terribly inadequate in the face of monstrous grub queens and magical ninja projections, but she is not about to leave him to continue this fight alone. The remaining Corsairs - the ones who were not currently bringing the wounded off the battlefield - feel the same way, and a good half-dozen or so combatants charge the queen.

In the meantime, Raph scores a direct hit on the somewhat hideous face of the queen, and though it is a simple martial strike, nothing, in Shu's experience, has ever been terribly pleased to be kicked in the face. A screech fills the air once more and she rears her head back and begins to pump out blobs of acid in every which direction. Several of the Corsairs duck and roll, one is struck by a particularly large wad, and Shu herself has to perform an ungainly flying leap maneuver over a sizzling pool in her way.

[supersmashbrother]

Power in numbers! The backup the remaining Corsairs provide allows Raph to flip back, making sure to clear his landing just as the queen screeches. Red feet skid against the dust and stone as he flinches, pushing off again when he smells the burn of acid filing the air, its scent sharpening as it comes down on him and the others.

Gritting his teeth, he dodges the blobs just as well as Shu and the others, diverting his attention to the one Corsair who gets the worst of it. He puts himself in danger, scooping up the Corsair as carefully as he can. "Hold on, I got ya!"

With all of the acid still falling around them, Raph braces himself, feeling another blob land and spatter while he tries to get the Corsair out of range to where the rest of the injured are located.

[singlemilletgrain]

Somewhat pleased to see that he has a mind for taking care of his comrades in addition to his bravadi, Shu nonetheless cannot devote too much attention to them, for the queen is redirecting her efforts onto the closest combatants. The bulbous creature strikes with scythe-like claw after claw at each of the puny little ape-ish combatants scattered around her. Rocks fly, steel clashes, and more resounding screeches fill the chamber. A few Corsairs go flying, some are sliced through a limb, others hold their ground and push back. Through it all, Shu concentrates on her little buds, pumping out more energy and sustaining force to each of her comrades.

It is enough time for Raphael to help pull the acid-burned Corsair back to the rear.

"Raphael... I think you have the best offense of any of us." Her spinning rod counters a slashing maneuver as she calls out behind her back. "We'll create an opening for you to strike. Can you summon up your strongest... whatever it is you are doing?"

[supersmashbrother]

The exoskeleton dissolves once he's done the job, and the turtle takes a breath. He almost draws a blank when he looks back out at the scene, the noise chaotic and almost familiar in the way it plays out.

Fortunately, Shu snaps him out of it - her train of thought catches up with his, brow furrowing with a curt nod. "Yeah! Raph can go a few more rounds," he tells her with renewed confidence, rolling his shoulder as he starts his run. "Keep her busy!"

His plan is straightforward from there: while the Corsairs do the majority of the distracting, he goes in quick, pounding his knuckles together with a "POWER SMASH JUTSU!" Why he needs to shout his attacks is a question for another time, but the red returns to the form of armored turtle hand-like gauntlets, leaving a faint trail of light behind as he kicks up the speed. Wherever the queen ankheg isn't looking, he'll dive in, driving his fists into her carapace before dodging and weaving his way around to rinse and repeat.

[singlemilletgrain]

Shu will do her level best. Leaping up with surprising agility, she jabs with several quick strikes at the base of the creature's body before falling back. Few have dared to approach its torso thus far, and the queen quickly locks onto her target. With another shriek of displeasure, it rears back and lunges, its mandibles snapping and slashing as it strikes towards Shu. The timing of her dive is somewhat off - the creature catches Shu on the shoulder, leaving a nasty gash as she tumbles and bounces away.

But it is wholly and fully distracted.

"Now, Raphael!"

Her cry is echoed by the manifestation of the Power Smash Jutsu as he leaps in for an undefended strike right at the center of the queen's bulky form. One, two, duck and weave, one, two. Blow after blow lands successfully as the queen has overextended her body and cannot keep up with the smaller target. The enemy tires -- and with a final driving punch, there is a great CRACK! as the carapace splinters.

"All together -- Corsairs, finishing strike!"

And following her own summons, Shu takes her rod in her uninjured hand and sends it flying straight towards the queen's eyes.

[supersmashbrother]

"All together -- Corsairs, finishing strike!"

Shu's words resonate with Raph seconds after the loud crack splits the air around him, time slowing slightly as he drifts backward. It catches up with him again in the next as his feet find purchase in the shape of a firm landing on a chunk of rock or what used to be another foundational column, catching a glimpse of Shu's rod whizzing through the air at the ankheg before joining the others for a round of final blows.

"Striking," he shouts, "like a BOSS!"

Adrenaline pumps through his veins as he drives a barrage of punches at the same weak point he's broken through on the queen, punching, punching, punching away.

Surely it's gotten more squishy and gross at this point, but it doesn't seem to bother him - not when he knows they got this.

[singlemilletgrain]

Some fling lances like javelins or cast offensive spells; others pile forth with hammer, axe, and sword. An intrepid young fellow tosses a molotov cocktail and barely avoids setting half his companions on fire. But it is Raphael's enhanced punch that once more strikes the finishing blow and he can feel its innards disintegrate on contact with a terrible splurch.

The Corsairs on the rear end of the queen do not appreciate being showered in ankheg guts and... are those pulsating egg sacs?

"Ew!" is the resounding cry of victory today.

There comes a brief pause as all combatants take stock of what has just happened. The queen's body slowly collapses to the ground, the remaining ankhegs flee, and the Corsairs... slowly pick up a cheer.

"We made it."
"That was a close one!"
"Did you see -- "
" -- can't believe there was something like -- "

And through the hubbub, Shu gets to her feet, examines her clothes for any unsightly damage briefly, then slowly picks her way towards Raphael.

"Excellent work. Are you injured?"

[supersmashbrother]

If ever Raph learns about the poor Corsairs who had front row seats to the insect monster explosion, he'll need to apologize for that. For now, that is the farthest thing from his mind as he takes a moment to wind down, breathing out a deep sigh of relief and adds a victory whoop of his own into the mix.

Despite the celebrating, he's noticed how gunky the landscape has become; the pulsating egg sac closest to him reminds him of the Krang organic matter twitching in a similar manner, wet and nasty all the same. He shudders, immediately turning away to look somewhere else. Shu happens to be there just in time, giving him a little more distraction with her greeting.

"Ah, thanks! Not so bad yourself," he perks, replying with a lopsided grin as he scratches the back of his head. He then pauses, noticing how bloody her shoulder looks. "Raph'll be fine, but that doesn't look so good!"

[singlemilletgrain]

Shu observes the egg sac with a pained expression before she clasps her hands together and gives the slightest of bows in its direction.

...Then she stomps it into mush.

The problem was better dealt with now than later.

"Don't fret on my behalf. I am primarily a defender and medic in combat. It will take more than wounds like these to cause me serious damage." It still doesn't look very good. But Shu gingerly clasps a hand over the wound and small tendrils of greenery begin to creep out from beneath her fingers, stitching it gently closed. "But if you are alright..."

There is a somber expression on her face.

"Then I believe you have some explaining to do."

Somehow, this single sentence is almost as scary as the ankheg grub queen. A chilly wind blows by -- or perhaps that is just the imagination.

"You are Donatello's brother, no?"

[supersmashbrother]

Raph cringes, making a face when she crushes the sac. Ideally, that's probably the best way to go about it.

But at least he doesn't have to worry too much about Shu's well-being. "We need to check on everyone else, then," he says thoughtfully, brow knitting as he watches her wound heal in a heartbeat. "Although I gotta hand it to 'em, everyone held their own out there— "

Things shift, and the giant turtle freezes.

Is he in trouble? Because that's a tone that makes it sound like he's done something wrong. And why does it feel like the temperature dropped several degrees?

"Whatever it is, Raph didn't do it," is an instantaneous response.

—Oh, it's a completely different question. A safer question.

His previous stink changes from uncertainty to utter surprise. "Yeah, I am!" he blurts out. "Where is he? I've been looking for him! All of my brothers, actually!" A beat. "Wait, how do you know Donnie? More importantly, how do you know Raph's legal name?" He folds his arms, pondering aloud. "Unless Donnie mentioned it to you...?"

Questions for a question. Maybe too many at once.

[singlemilletgrain]

She shakes her head to stem the flow of the questions. Her voice, when she speaks, maintains a steady composure, despite that her mind is racing to slot the various pieces of the puzzle in place. One has the sense that she strives first and foremost to maintain her presence of mind.

"Donnie has been with us for the last six or seven months. He has been invaluable on many of our missions, providing technical know-how and knowledge of ammunitions and ether technology. I am sure he is deployed elsewhere at the moment, as I cannot get him to slow his pace no matter how much I urge."

She pauses. None of this should be discordant with anything Raph might know.

"...Donnie is also a native of Esthere. He was raised by a fighting master alongside his three brothers here: Raphael, Michelangelo, and Leonardo. Raphael is the oldest and strongest. Leo is his age and talks too much. And Mikey is the youngest and is far too energetic. They grew up outside of Elysium. Donnie was separated from his siblings some time ago and has been putting off returning to see them, for he fears that they have gone for good.

"I presume this does not mesh with your understanding of the situation."