MISSION #02 A MAN OF WORTH PLANNING PHASE

[vivalamods]

EVENT #02: A MAN OF WORTH PLANNING PHASE

The time has come to begin preparing to engage and capture the VIP. The knowledge he holds will be imperative to further Corsair operations, and they absolutely cannot let this opportunity slip by.

By a narrow vote, the Corsairs have elected to destroy the escort fleet, deeming a capture operation on the ships far too risky while also attempting to secure a VIP. As such, the Corsairs have two primary duties - discern information on the movement of the troops and prepare heavy munitions to sink the airships.

Since the game’s population is still in flux due to our new status, we are scaling back the people requirements and opening all event logs to everyone. Now, in order for a given log to be complete, we only require that players start logging it out. We’ll continue to assess and refine our mission style as the game continues and we see what works and what doesn’t, please bear with us as we get this all figured out.

CORE MISSIONS

Gather Information: Negotiators will need to connect with the Imperials in Elysium and wring as many details about the upcoming visit as they can. The more the Corsairs know about the timetable, expected escort, and armaments, the higher the chance of success.
Conflicts: A delicate touch will be needed to avoid arousing suspicions. Corsairs will need to be able to justify why it is important for them to have the knowledge, and Imperials tend not to like to give information to staff if they acknowledge they exist at all.
Requirements: To participate in this mission, your thread header should read GATHER INFORMATION.

Gather Munitions:Suppliers will need to start preparing and developing heavy munitions to attack the escort fleet. It is imperative that every airship in the escort sinks beneath the waves, and the crew along with it, and the Corsairs will require a lot of firepower to see it done.
Conflicts: Working with explosives is risky business, and unskilled hands are liable to get blown off. Suppliers will need to be careful with both their preparation and their handling, even moreso if they go out to gather particularly volatile materials from particularly volatile wildlife.
Requirements: To participate in this mission, your thread header should read GATHER MUNITIONS.

SIDE MISSIONS

With Hesaeth captured, the Corsairs will now need to hold it. Players may propose Player Plots to see to its defenses, in the likely event that the Empire attempts to reclaim it in the near future. The below prompts are potential things that may be done, but players are encouraged to think up their own plans and run their own logs if they think of anything. These Plots may be submitted here.
Trap the Mines: Line the mines with explosives so they can be collapsed in the event of an attack.
Undersea Route: Carve an undersea route into the mines so people can be evacuated via submersible.
Rallying Point: Set up a Rallying Point in the Hesaeth wilderness where evacuees can rendezvous for escape in the event of attack.
Defense Systems: Set up cannons to fight back against Imperial Invaders.

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Comments

[purplexing]

The turtlekin nods as he looks back at the storage shed. They might have a good start just looking through things like these as it is. The mention of tools does make him especially curious, because he could always use such things. Salvaging is nothing new to him, especially when it comes to claiming things others no longer find a use for.

He pulls out a spanner that had been haphazardly wedged between a few dusty boxes on a shelf, eyeing it. "...think anyone would mind if I claimed any of this stuff..?" he asks hesitantly, as though remembering some unspoken rule. But then that's basically what it's become, because one bad experience has permanently ingrained itself and he doesn't want to be punished for taking things he shouldn't.

[freearcadia]

"I do not think so, probably be better to have them in a more accessible place anyways." A crowbar, and he pops open the lid of the barrel, grabbing the rod. "Given that it is our job to arm the cannons, taking your pick of the tools should be a reward for it, I think."

Grease, spongy rod, now to clean the barrels.

[purplexing]

That has the lad brighten considerably. He hefts the tool in his hand, sliding the end of it into the pouch strapped around his thigh. He'll be needing it anyway once they get the cannons greased up.

For now, he dips back into the storage shed to find some rags, shaking them free of dust as best he can before he folds one up to soak one corner in the grease so he can work on some of the smaller areas.

[freearcadia]

A cloth to plug the touch hole of the cannon, and he starts with the interior, using the rod to pull out remnants of soot, ammo fragments, anything that could cause it to explode. The work was largely quiet on Harlock's part, though at times an almost inaudible hum could be heard.

He was surprised how relatively clean the interior was despite the obvious neglect elsewhere. "Okay - let's get this one primed..."

[purplexing]

"Have these ever even been used before our attack?" Donnie has to wonder, glancing over every now and then at Harlock's progress while he employs his own elbow grease in making sure things haven't gotten gummed up for when they'll have to make positional adjustments.

He gives a nod and sets his rags aside.

[freearcadia]

"Likely but not often, or least they know not to let anything build up too much inside the actual chamber." He gives a final sweep of the interior, satisfied with what he sees, he steps aside.

Now for the dangerous part - the actual loading.

[purplexing]

At least Donnie knows to be careful with this sort of thing. Gunpowder's certainly nothing to mess around with.

The ammunition is at least kept in better shape than the things in the storage shed, although given that they'd been put to use not long ago, it does mean that there needs to be some replenishing. But there are still some prepared charges, and Donnie picks out one of the sack-looking things, checking it over to make sure it's in good condition before he walks it back to the cannon to insert it into the barrel.

[freearcadia]

Powder - definitely feels like being in an old novel, he thought to himself as he gently guides the charge down into place with the rod, though of course he held no romantic notions that doing this kind of thing would be easy. Harlock steps away, counting to himself - and giving a silent thanks to advancing technology that loading the Arcadia isn't nearly as risky as this.

"Now the ammo." He exhales. "This should get faster once we get a rhythm down."

[purplexing]

Highly effective but incredibly risky to use if not done so with great care. Having seen how fast it ignites and burns, Donnie's not terribly eager to be handling it, especially as much as is packed to fire a cannon.

"Maybe not too fast," the turtlekin mutters, dusting off his hands as though concerned there might be any residual powder, but once the charge is packed in, he goes to get the heavy shot.

[freearcadia]

"True, have to balance between those too," he murmurs, as he sees Donnie dusting off his hands, tossing his head in the direction of the guard house.

"...Perhaps we should get some water so wash our hands after packing powder," he suggested, helping to get the heavy shot in.

[purplexing]

"Probably a good idea. Just make sure they're dry between loading, so we don't compromise the charges." They might not be needed immediately, but it was better to be careful than to hope nothing got weird due to some slightly damp hands.

"Think I saw a bucket in the shed. I can go grab some water if you wanna start on the next cannon," Donnie offers.

[freearcadia]

"Sure, I can do that." He gestures as he makes a final check over the cannon to make sure they didn't miss anything, suspecting they'll both be reeking of gunpowder by the end of the day - thankfully for Harlock's case, he actually kind of likes the acrid smell, though what's he's catching in the air is not quite what he's used to.

"Think by the time we're finished I will not ever forget how to load these styles of cannon." He steps away, moving to start priming, in the process pulling debris from the barrel's interior, his humming resumed - some kind of song.

[purplexing]

It's not particularly a scent that Donnie cares for. First chance he gets, one can bet the turtlekin will be scrubbing down.

There's some coughing as he smacks the dust out of a few more larger rags from the storage shed so they can use it to dry their hands, and then he's hauling off the bucket to get it filled, maybe after a quick rinse out. But he tries to make good time about it, and when he comes back he sets the bucket down, drying off with one of the rags as he comes over to resume helping out with the cannons.

"Are they different where you're from?" he asks.

[freearcadia]

"Well... basically the biggest different is the charge and..." he gestures to one of the shots. "Are made in one casing - it makes it safer to load, and will not get wet."

Harlock glances over. "The second is my ship's cannons are loaded at the..." what the hell was that word again? He's drawing a blank, his right eye partially closed. "butt."

Oh, that was definitely not the word he was looking for - at least one might judge from the way his lip pursed into an annoyed scowl.

[purplexing]

Donnie tilts his head as he tries to envision this. "That makes sense," he says, nodding. "But then how does it ignite..?"

He looks at the cannon, mentally labeling the sections as he's learned them. "The breech?" he asks, tapping at the end of the cannon. "So it opens somehow? That...seems like it'd be easier, maybe."

[freearcadia]

"I will explain when we get back," meaning more sketching - and looking up some terminology. "Remind me if I forget," At the tap - he nods in confirmation, stepping away to let Donnie handle the charge.

"Yes - as, you do not want to be loading from outside the ship in the sea of stars."

[purplexing]

Oh, Donnie most definitely will remind him. For now he only looks slightly disappointed that he'll have to wait for it, but they do have a task to complete, so he can't really be complaining.

Donnie gets another fresh charge, sliding it on down the barrel.

"Why not?" he asks. "The sea of stars isn't actually wet, is it?"

[freearcadia]

A soft, gentle chuckle escapes. "No, it is... very cold, and there is no air in the sea of stars, and no..." He will not even try to guess at the word. "{{Friction}} so things that move will keep moving until another object acts on it." Harlock peers, making sure the charge is in place before getting the shot.

"One has to wear special suits to go outside the ships in space, and tunnels to go from one ship to another."

[purplexing]

"No air?" That's utterly baffling. So it really is like a sea? But not wet... Donnie hums as he considers things. It's true that it gets a little harder to breathe the higher up you go...

"But isn't air needed to ignite a fire? How can you use a cannon up there?"

It's hard picturing how anything works in the sea of stars. "If things only keep moving until something else interacts with it, what's making them move to begin with?"

Suits and tunnels are at least easier to understand. "They use special suits and airtight passages for the submersibles," he says.

[freearcadia]

"Like how ether make some ships fly here, we use our own engines to make ships move, and it is the use of the energy it creates that lets us make it go, or even stop - it takes time and experience to know to travel the stars and the cannons are - breech loading, its firing ability is also there on the inside. People load it, and it can be fired from the bridge."

"Yes - the Sea of Stars and oceans have similar challenges but for very different reasons - what works for one does not for the other... it is a rare ship that can handle sea, air, and the ocean of space." And judging from the hint of pride in his voice, it's easy to guess which one he's thinking of before his expression darkens - a tension running through him as he finishes his part on this cannon. The longer it takes, the more likely the empire would subvert his Great Friend's work, and he'll be damned if he'll let that happen, or have it harmed in their attempts to force the Arcadia to work for them.

"Another one down," He stated. "Wonder how they will feel about their own things used against them?"

[purplexing]

"Oh!" Donnie begins excitedly. "Like the rocket!" Understanding blooms in his mind. "All you need is the boost from the propulsion once the fuel burns, right? Like with a cannon- and then I guess it doesn't need the fire anymore once it's pushed outside... It's all about the energy expended."

He sighs wistfully. "I wish I could see your ship." Hopefully the Imperials haven't taken it apart.

Turning his attention back to the cannon, Donnie cleans around the priming vent, giving the cannon a pat. This one's all set. How many more to go...

"Oh, I'm sure they'll be thrilled," Donnie says dryly, with just a tiny bit of a smirk.

[freearcadia]

"Exactly." Even in his darkening mood, the excitement and understanding had forced a faint smile to appear despite himself.

It looks like about eight more - assuming all of them are in working order, a few more might be too damaged from the liberation to be safely used. "One of these days, you will."

[purplexing]

They might not be sure when, but what Harlock says seems as good as a promise, and Donnie brightens visibly for it.

It may not be on a foreseeable horizon just yet, but some incentive does wonders for a task like this. They can get this done, no sweat! ...okay, maybe a little sweat.