EVENT #07: ASPHODEL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT

[vivalamods]

EVENT #07: ASPHODEL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT PLANNING

The Corsairs have been mobilized and preparations are underway. As negotiators are dispatched to Vindess to prepare for the evacuation under Imperial noses, the crafters and suppliers set to work, preparing the new settlement and whatever airships can be spared for the evacuation. Some Corsairs have even taken it upon themselves to build or “liberate” more airships for the effort.

As always, when the goal is certain the Corsairs move as one. Together, they will see Asphodel completed. All hands are needed, the question is, where do you lend yours?

MISSIONS

Prepare Asphodel: Get the new settlement of Asphodel up and running to receive the refugees from Vindess.
Priority: Critical
Challenges: Corsairs will need to keep the settlement hidden while also making suitable housing and preparing farms and other amenities to sustain life. It will require a large amount of excavation to get in order, as well as construction of homes, furniture, and other facilities. The work will be backbreaking and the timetable is extremely aggressive.

Prepare Citizens for Evacuation: As the citizens of Vindess toil under Imperial lockdown, the Corsairs must prepare the entire population for evacuation.
Priority: Critical
Recommended Roles: Negotiators and Infiltrators
Challenges: Corsairs will need to convince the entire population to evacuate. There are a number of methods that can be employed, while many are going to be reluctant the Imperial crackdown has shaken the settlement and unease is high. There is evidence within the Imperial offices that Infiltrators can recover that show mass executions with lists of “dissidents” have been scheduled for April which the Corsairs might make use of if they choose to investigate. Other options include capturing potential dissidents and taking the entire willing population while executing or taking prisoner loyalists, or other methods the Corsairs determine for themselves to make this happen.


Acquire Airships: The Corsairs always need more airships, and moving an entire population will require heavy effort and can use as many ships as can be mustered.
Priority: Optional
Recommended Roles: All
Challenges: The Corsairs don’t have the major Ether Stones that serve as the airship engines and will need to either capture or salvage resources to increase the size of their fleet. While the Corsairs have been investigating airships that don’t require Ether stones, that research is still a distant dream, but some Corsairs may want to spend some time pushing that investigation along to see if they can make it a reality sooner rather than later.

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Comments

I

[testygirl]

Aira has elected herself into a supporting roll. Partly it is because she's not super keen on doing hard labor, but more practically, there are folks like Donnie who have more experience with construction and have a much better knack for it. And, heck, it's not like she's been slacking; Acro Silky's powers are good for toting heavy materials and making sneaky supply runs.

In the mid-afternoon, she packs up some bottled water and heads out to distribute it around the work site. Reaching Donnie, she can tell right away that he's really locked in and focused on his work. She watches him for a bit, then slinks up from behind. The water has been properly chilled, and Aira sets one of the cold bottles right against his cheek.

[purplexing]

"GAH!"

The turtlekin jumps about three feet, dropping his tools in the process. He spins around, hands brought up in some hasty martial arts stance as he stares wide-eyed at her. It takes a moment for recognition to sink in before he sheepishly lowers his hands, scowling.

"...Aira. You almost gave me a heart attack!"

[testygirl]

"Hehe, that was a really good reaction."

Really, no guilt at all? Well, her expression does shift to something more apologetic as she sets down the water, and then she crouches to help him pick up the tools.

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself. Let's just call it an extra refreshing hydration tax."

[purplexing]

That's not a response he was expecting, leaving him gaping a bit before he huffs and stoops down to gather things.

"I fail to see how that was supposed to be refreshing," Donnie mutters petulantly. "At least I didn't drive a nail through my hand or something."

[testygirl]

Okay, that didn't occur to her, and she ends up wincing at the thought.

"Yikes, yeah. That would have hurt." She shakes her head, internally chiding herself. "But, uh, I meant more like that was the tax for refreshing hydration? I know you've been working your butt off, so I wanted to make sure you got some water."

[purplexing]

"Oh." Donnie blinks, and after a couple of seconds figures it's a bad sign either way that he can't remember exactly when the last time he'd taken an actual break. His expression softens as he lets out a breath.

"Thanks. I uh, always do that. Get too caught up in working, that is. So the reminder's appreciated."

[testygirl]

"Sure. It's no big deal."

She should just leave it at that, probably, but instead she ends up considering some kind of rather extreme alternative.

"I mean, maybe? If no one else was around, would you just keep working until your keeled over?"

[purplexing]

No answer is forthcoming, at least not right away. That's because the turtlekin is too busy guzzling down water. Okay, so hydration is important, as it turns out. He sighs once he finishes off half of that bottle, wiping his mouth off with the back of a hand.

"I usually manage to stop before that happens!" Just don't ask anyone at the Armory how often he's been found sprawled out on his workbench asleep because he was too tired to drag himself to his room.

[testygirl]

Aira isn't in any position to lecture him, frankly, since she's fallen asleep at her desk more than a few times, and she often misses a meal or two when she's wrapped up in her own work. Still, at his reply, she folds her arms and frowns.

"Yeah, well, it's a bad habit. If you wear yourself too thin, then it could come back to bite you during a mission. If nothing else, it'll probably end up making your friends worry."

She's willing to be a hypocrite in order to tell him what she knows is true. And heck, if he's willing to listen, then maybe she'll be more motivated to follow her own advice.

[purplexing]

"I know, I know," Donnie sighs. "But sometimes there's no helping that when there's last minute preparations, or you're just too anxious to sit still. I try to be better when it comes to missions though, I really do."

He's also of the mind that if he's not able to get some rest then he may as well put that nervous energy to good use.

"But a lot of it is just me getting too focused on a task and wanting to see it through. I don't know where the time goes, then."

[testygirl]

Aira plops down next to him, then uncaps one of the bottles for herself and drinks. It wouldn't hurt for her to take a little break, too, and she extends her legs out into a long stretch.

"I figured you'd have a bunch of excuses ready to go. But I get it." She looks up, then absently kicks at the air—the energy of someone who also has a hard time keeping still.

"I'm sure this is going to sound kind of creepy, but after we got back from that raid, I went and asked around about you. I mean, just a little. Anyway, I got the idea that there are people in the Corsairs who really care about you. That should be plenty of motivation, right? Like, not to be keeling over on the regular?"

[purplexing]

"They're legitimate excuses!" Donnie insists, nose wrinkling. He probably should have waited to take another sip of his water, sputtering as Aira mentions having asked around about him.

"Wh-" He thumps on his chest as he tries to clear his throat. "Why would you do that?" he tries again. Had he done something wrong? Or was she just trying to make sure he hadn't broken down or something after that awful discovery? His concerned expression is tempered by her following words, that while they don't necessarily answer his question, they aren't something he expected either. The turtlekin blinks, glancing away with a frown.

"...I...guess."

[testygirl]

Aira hardly reacts to the sputtering, all too focused on what she wants to say.

"Because I felt bad about what happened. And I had this idea that I wanted to make it up to you, but I didn't know how, because I didn't know you."

She gives him one brief look before staring off again.

"At some point I realized that I was probably just trying to make myself feel better, and that you had support from other people anyway. So that's all it was."

[purplexing]

Donnie looks back at her, brows lifting.

"...but why? It's not like any of it was your fault. None of us knew what we were heading into."

An unsettled feeling sits in his stomach at that, an emotion he can't place, not that that's new for him. He still can't help but look at Aira, fingers tightening around the water bottle.

"I'm sorry. I...I should've checked on you too. ...I'm not good at thinking about doing those sorts of things," he admits, gaze drifting towards the ground again.

[testygirl]

"It's okay. Me neither."

Hence why she went with such an awkward, roundabout method. Idly, she rubs her thumb against the cap of her own water bottle, feeling the rough edge. She still isn't used to forming or maintaining genuine friendships.

As for the raid? She can play it all back in her head, beat by beat, in vivid detail.

"... I let Renne burn those researches alive. That was wrong. But I let her have her way, because I was scared of what might happen if I really tried to stop her. Like if I tried to restrain her or something, and we ended up in a fight."

[purplexing]

But at least she'd tried. Donnie had retreated into his usual methods to try distancing himself from having to think too hard on anything and thrown himself right into work. He knows he's not the greatest in dealing with people outside of anything mission-oriented.

"She was going to raze that whole place one way or another. She nearly did that with us still there."

But that wasn't really a good reason for it to have happened. He pulls his knees in, arms draping around them.

"...we killed so many people."

[testygirl]

"You don't have to remind me."

Definitely not the kindest way to respond, but her tone is tired much more than it is harsh. She breathes out and runs a hand up through her hair. Leaning forward, her tousled bangs hang somewhat over her eyes.

"I talked to her, and I couldn't even say the stuff I really wanted to say. Like, what am I actually supposed to do if she loses control like that again?"

[purplexing]

His head still sinks lower between his shoulders at that. He can't really tuck completely into his shell like his little brother can, but something from his posture suggests he would if he could, right then.

But that wouldn't change anything.

"...I told her I'd go with her again, if she came across any more of those places. She won't let me actually help clear them out, and part of me is kind of glad because I really doesn't want to go through that again. But...I can't ignore it, can I? ...does it make me a bad person to think that those people kind of deserve it? After what they've been doing?"

[testygirl]

"No. I'm pretty sure the world is better off without them. But where I'm from, we have courts set up to decide how criminals should be punished. There are laws that people agree on to keep the peace. I mean, it can be corrupt..."

She trails off. It goes without saying that Corsairs won't be able to change the laws of the land until the Empire is toppled. Restoration is going to be a hell of an arduous process, too, assuming they can even get there.

"Well, anyway, she tried to pull that crap with me, too. I told her no way, but it's not like I can keep tabs on her all the time. If she really doesn't want me tagging along, then she can just go after them in secret. God, I hate thinking about it."

[purplexing]

Donnie's not sure whether that's supposed to make him feel better or not, but at least he thinks the general sentiment's shared.

"I didn't think it was something she should have to deal with alone. Even if she thinks she does. I told her at the very least I could give her a ride to and from places on my airship." She hadn't turned him down for that. He just has to not think about the reasons for the outings, not that not thinking is ever easy to do for him.

"...how've you been doing?" It feels awkward to ask. He's not really good with the whole emotions processing stuff, but it bothers him not to ask, now that they're talking.

[testygirl]

Frankly, she's still grasping for some way to feel better herself, and mostly failing. What makes a bad person, anyway? She doesn't think Renne is one, either, but Renne herself so ardently disagrees.

"... Yeah. We'll just have to see how stubborn she is. But she should know by now that I'm stubborn, too. And the last thing I want is for her to fight those bastards by herself and take on all that burden alone."

Aira tucks some loose hair behind her ear, and she straightens up before looking his way again.

"Could be worse! I really like my work, most of the time. It's fun to make clothes, and I've gotten way better at it. How 'bout you, Mr. Kappa?"

[purplexing]

"Well...if you want, I can tell you whenever she has a place in mind to go and you can hitch a ride with us."

It's the least he can offer. And if Aira wants to take the extra step and go with Renne, that's her decision, but they can still just be there for Renne, before and after she's done.

"Clothes? That sounds nice. I made a glove for Renne for the Ether stone setting and I don't think it came out bad at all. Weird making something for five fingers but I guess people probably mostly feel the same when they have to make something for three," he says, wiggling his two digits and thumb.

"What is a kappa anyway? You mentioned it back then." Donnie sighs, taking another long drink to finish off his water. "Anyway... I guess things have kind of quieted down? Which isn't really actually quiet since we're always busy around here but...you know."

[testygirl]

"Huh? Really?"

She looks genuinely surprised at the offer—and there's a touch of guilt on her face, too. Because it occurs to her that she might have just tried to sneak aboard, given the chance. Which might have been almost impossible to pull off logistically, but still.

"... Uh, yeah. Thanks. I'd really appreciate that."

Distracted now, she only half follows the rest of what he says, nodding absently.

"I've been having her model for me," she says. "I think she likes it. Even if it just feels like a distraction, sometimes?"

She shrugs. "Kappas are... like, they're mythical creatures from folklore. In Japan, the country where I'm from. They have shells like yours, but webbed hands, usually." She lifts a hand and spreads her own five fingers. "Humanoid turtle type guys. So."

As for that last part, Aira does agree that things have been quieter. Unfortunately, it feels to her like a calm before the storm. She would say as much, but why even risk speaking it into existence?

[purplexing]

Donnie smiles a little at the thanks offered, shaking his head. "Well, yeah. I mean, you think of her as a friend, right? And you're better with people."

And he'd probably be more surprised if she didn't decide to sneak along, but this will make it easier for both of them.

"What kind of clothes do you make? Sometimes it still takes some getting used to, but at least it's easier for me to wear things over my shell than it probably would be for my brothers." He laughs a little at the thought. "If you want a real challenge, you should try to make something for Raph. ...but distractions are good. Sometimes...I think we need them."

Ah, so that's what Kappas are. He can't help but look at his own fingers. "Guess that makes sense why you were asking."

Donnie just knows things are bound to happen at some point. It's kind of a given with where they are, after all. It's why he tries to make the most of his down times, but he hates when he can't quite relax.

[testygirl]

"She is my friend. That's why I appreciate it."

If Aira is better with people, it's only because she used to pour all of her energy into earning their attention and adoration in order to feed her own ego. Maybe it isn't some incredible act of kindness, but there are plenty of people out there who would be too selfish or distrustful to offer.

Anyway, the prospect of a challenge grabs all of her attention right back. Who is this "Raph?" Another Kappalike?

"What would make it so hard?" She ponders. "Does he have super weird proportions or something?"