open | event | Thanks to the Rolling Sea

[ironwood]

Characters: Team Echo, Foxtrot; also, everyone!
Date: February 24th (through 28th)
Location: Underwater; beneath the turtle
Situation: The barrier that has kept Foreigners from diving directly beneath the turtle have shifted and something there awaits discovery.
Warnings/Rating: Squids; to be updated as needed.

OOC Note: This is the third and final phase the three phase February metaplot event! What Team Echo finds beneath the turtle will have far-reaching impact on the game, therefore it is recommended that everyone read the write-up under the below cut!

Underwater | Beneath Tu Vishan

Overview
The repair work on the surface of the turtle is completed and all major wounds have been tended by the kedan. Each shell break has been patched up with the strongest materials they have access to, with many buildings in the Metal Sector having been scavanged fo provide the resources necessary to complete this work. Whole sections of shell have been stabilised with metal support structures and there are teams of kedan drafting long-term plans to monitor the natural healing of Tu Vishan.

Each worksite has been shut down, cleaned up, and the police presence dismissed as life appears to return to normal in Keeliai. All prisoners rounded up and held on trespassing chargers will be released over the course of the day.

Meanwhile, as routine takes hold once more, three teams of kedan are moving quietly to the edge of the shell and lowering large parcels of equipment and supplies into the water. They are then taking on aquatic forms and moving the work to damage beneath Tu Vishan's shell unmentioned by Eshai on the grounds of out-of-sight, out-of-mind. Questions asked of these teams as they depart Keeliai are answered as heading out to routine surveying and one applying too much pressure is apt to draw the attention of an officer for obstructing a workorder -- a grave offence in the city's legal code.

Characters that can survive in water are welcome to explore beneath the turtle, discovering that the barrier that usually "disables" their bodies in the area directly beneath where Keeliai stands surfaceside has faded and they can freely roam the area. Be warned, though! Many, many kedan are patrolling the area in a variety of aquartic forms, from hybrids to replication of natural seafaring creatures. These kedan will not ask questions or arrest, but are ordered to outright attack any that enter this perimeter. They may appear initially shocked at a Foreigner accessing this supposedly protected space, but that will not detract them for long.

Team Echo:
This team will be discovering a cloning facility established beneath the turtle and it is here that their bodies are created and prepared for the arrival of their souls via Eshai's magic. Depending on the actions of Team Echo, this facility may be destroyed. An OOC post on the community will be forthcoming in the next week to explain the impacts, if any, of this find and the changes it may bring to the game..

Additionally: Until this information ICly hits the network, these details are ICly limited to Team Echo and anyone they subsequently mention it to in a thread. It will likely be a Team Echo member that posts about it and it likely will not be long before this information is spread, just please keep that detail in mind.

Team Foxtrot:
The details of this team's findings are outlined in the thread header provided in this post. However, how does everyone feel about calamari? 8D

OOC: As with all previous logs, headers have been provided for questions, the two teams, and any random divers that wish to explore! And a reminder: An OOC post on the community will be forthcoming in the next week to explain the impacts, if any, of this find and the changes it may bring to the game

Comments

[littlecousin]

[Nita nods.]

Right, let's ditch these losers.

[And then she's off in the direction Kara's looking.]

[notdreaming]

[ And Kara follows close behind, using her x-ray vision now to keep track of both Nita and the kedan. Why didn't she think of that before? Oh right, because her powers are still strange to her. ]

[kelpful]

[Percy had been minding his own business in the water next to the turtle when the kedan started dropping in. Not that he'd been able to see them at the time, but he could feel them entering the water from his position floating some distance away.

ADHD sort of goes hand in hand with curiosity, and he soon forgets that he's supposed to be figuring out how to deal with his new found fear of drowning. Dragging a nearby current towards him, he uses it to propel himself faster through the water, taking care to approach from a less visible angle until he's right on top of the barrier.

Or...where the barrier used to be. Percy's spent a lot of time underwater since he got on the turtle, and the barrier's been a constant source of frustration to him. Apparently it's not a problem anymore, and he hesitates for a moment, wondering if he should find Annabeth and tell her.

But if he leaves, it might come back. In Percy's experience, barriers are usually there for a reason, and he wants to now what's behind this one. He swims on, making sure to stay at a distance from the kedan. it looks like they're carrying equipment of some kind, and Percy squints down. Maybe there's some sort of underwater building going on? But the turtle's moving all the time, that doesn't make any--]

Whoa. [While he's looking down, he forgets to look ahead as well. He sets the current he borrowed loose again, coming to a stop before he runs into Nita and Kara.] Uh, hi. Exploring? [He's spoken to them both before and is mostly sure they aren't about to attack him, but not one hundred percent. He backs off a little bit, keeping his distance for now.]

[littlecousin]

[Nita draws up short and fails to attack.]

Percy? What are you doing underwater?

["And not dying" is the subtext on that one.]

Was it you messing with that current?

[She can't control the seas; they answer only to the king (at least without heavy scientific or magical intervention), but Nita can feel the currents, and when one isn't doing what it's supposed to, it's noticeable.]

[notdreaming]

[ Kara nods, smiles and waves. There's not much else she can do, having been reminded that she is not equipped for underwater conversation. Unlike Nita, she was made aware of Percy's affinity for water and isn't terribly surprised to see him. ]

[kelpful]

...Exploring. The kedan were dropping in and the barrier went down, so I thought I'd cheek it out. [He looks a little sheepish] Yeah, that was me. It's faster than trying to make one.

[He grins and is about to wave back at Kara when he realises that he, at least can talk] D'you want an air bubble? It'll let you talk.

[littlecousin]

[Nita's not bothered by the currents thing, just that he's never said anything about it, but she will deal with Percy's inexcusable failure to disclose later.]

That's what we're doing, too. Kara saw a building with her x-ray vision, and if that air bubble thing works I bet she's got more info.

[notdreaming]

[ Kara nods fervently. She wants to tell them about the equipment, and she doesn't want to embarrass herself by gargling more. ]

[kelpful]

A building? Like, attached to the turtle? [Percy is so not cool with this idea. He looks over in the direction Kara had been before; he can see the shapes easily enough, but not the details.]

Okay, hold on a sec. [A moment of concentration has him shifting water around until an airpocket forms around Kara's head. He does her the favour of dragging the water away from her skin and hair while he's at it, so she's dry inside the bubble] How's that?

Popping in here, if that's alright?

[nohsatsu]

[ As for Noh-Varr, he had no awareness of the Kedan diving into the water until after he had gone in himself. His main motivation in going into the depths surrounding their current home was a test: he had been tinkering since arrival in the Metal Sector weeks ago, creating all sorts of gizmos and doodads. His most recent tinkering had resulted in the rebreather now had in his mouth. His natural Kree instinct was to make it as small and unassuming as possible, but with what seemed to be some of the limitations of this world, he still found himself encumbered with a rather clunky device that took up about half his face.

Not cool.

Anyhoo, he had been exploring and that is when he noticed the Kedan. He saw their movements and then looked about to see where they could be heading. It was in time, though, that he saw the group of residents. There was Nita, who he recognized from his first encounter, and then there were the other two. He was torn. Follow the Kedan further or see what they were up to?

Considering the self-imposed isolation he had been under for months, the latter seemed like the only natural response. He made his way over to them, trying to make himself seem as nonthreatening as possible, despite the monstrosity of plastics and tubing covering half his face. It also kept him from communicating effectively. The teenage alien gave a very halfhearted wave. ]

sure why not o7

[littlecousin]

[Nita's got lots of experience distinguishing people despite them having a mess of junk covering their faces. Not everyone who visits Atlantis has the sleekest technology.]

Noh-Varr!

[It's just an underwater party up in here.]

Percy, if it wouldn't be too much effort, you should make a bubble for him, too, so we can all talk.

Now it's really a party!

[notdreaming]

Thank you, Percy.

[ Kara offers him a smile before turning to the others. ]

It's some sort of lab. I don't recognize most of the equipment, but there's a large number of people inside. Most of them aren't moving much. It could be genetics, or some kind of biological research.

aww yeeeah

[kelpful]

[Percy feels the fourth guy approaching before he sees him, but he doesn't feel like a kedan. He stays on his guard though, at least until Nita appears to recognise the guy. He lifts a hand to acknowledge Kara's thanks]

Sure, now problem. [He bubbles the new guy up in the same way he had Kara, before frowning over at her] Why stick that underneath the turtle, though?

[nohsatsu]

[ Noh blinked - curiosity taking over as the air bubble, along with Kara and Percy's words hit his ears. He undid the straps on his rebreather, once he was sure of the air, and removed it from his mouth. What was this about was a lab underneath the turtle? Brow furrowing, his mind went to work - the most obvious, at least to his soldier's mind was: ]

It's something people cannot be trusted with. [ And he also remembered to give the young man a nod of thanks for the air. Noh swam around a little, just moving a few feet closer, as if that would make a difference. ]

Us? [ He glanced over to the party, stating the most obvious once more. ]

[littlecousin]

It's the best place to stick something you don't want found. Who'd even think to come down here but water-breathers and a few others?

[She waves a hand at Noh.]

It could be totally innocent [she does not believe that for a second] but there's one real quick way to find out.

[Looking at Percy, Nita presses her lips together.]

There might be a fight, depending on just what the Emperor's trying to hide. You okay with that?

[She knows Kara can handle herself, Noh's Kree, and she's Atlantean. Percy, on the other hand, is an unknown quantity.]

[notdreaming]

If we're quick and quiet there doesn't have to be. I can use my x-ray vision to avoid any guards.

[ But she looks to Percy as well. Safe or not, he may not be interested enough to take the chance. ]

[kelpful]

[He blinks. It's been a long time since someone's asked him if he can handle a fight. And then he grins, rolling his shoulder a little] This is my home ground. If there's a fight here, it's a kedan who have to worry.

[He glances at Kara.] Uh, but it's probably better if try to avoid it if we can. I already annoyed one group of them this week. ['Annoyed' is putting it mildly]

[nohsatsu]

[ Noh turned to fully face them again. ]

I should be able to hear people a little better around corners, and I can make my way along the ceiling, to avoid being seen. [ Those were a few of the benefits off being spliced with insect DNA, but the only issue would be communicating with everyone. ]

[littlecousin]

[She wouldn't have to ask if you'd mentioned the whole "son of NeptunePoseidon" thing, Percy, gosh.

Nita looks at Noh and raises an eyebrow but doesn't say anything. She's pretty sure that's not normal for Kree.]

I don't want to have a fight, but we're probably walking into one, so we should at least be prepared.

[Nita thinks everyone here is either her age or younger, so without really consciously being aware of it, she's decided she's in charge. Though her skills aren't equal to Noh's, Atlantean nobles all get military training, and now that there's something that needs to be done, the royal upbringing is starting to show through Nita's cheerful exterior. Her demeanor's as nice as ever, but there's something new about her that suggests she's used to having orders obeyed when she chooses to give them.]

We don't know if the place has air or water on the inside, unless Kara can tell from this distance. When we do find out, if it's water, Percy should take the lead with Kara. If it's air, Noh-Varr and Kara.

[Kara and her x-ray eyes need to be in front, and even without having Percy's powers explained to her in detail, Nita knows that anyone who can manipulate water is good to have on your side if you're fighting in the ocean. And of course a Kree is going to know how to be an advance scout.]

[notdreaming]

It looks like water, but it's hard to see in this darkness. [ And x-ray vision doesn't help much with discerning water from air. ]

I don't hear anyone talking. Maybe they can't, underwater.

[kelpful]

[Percy raises his eyebrows a little when Nita starts to take charge. She hasn't said anything he disagrees with, though, so he gives her a grin and a lazy salute.]

There's definitely water over there, I can feel it. But there's pockets of air, too [He frowns, trying to discern the shapes in the water before givings up] We'd need to get closer. [He looks over at Kara] You wanna lead us in?

[nohsatsu]

[ Taking on the role of leader had never fallen to Noh til recently in his life, so he wasn't adverse to letting Nita take that position. He nodded to her suggestion. ]

If this gets too ugly, though, we leave.

[littlecousin]

[Nita nods in agreement with Noh.]

No argument there.

[She's suddenly very serious.]

Kara and I left a message for Arthur--he's another Atlantean--but that won't do much good if Evandau locks the place down. No matter how far south this goes, at least one of us has to make it back to the city to tell people whatever we find. If we get caught, the Emperor might wipe our memories, or not let us come back from the dead.

[On that cheerful note, Nita turns to Kara.]

You're in the lead.

[notdreaming]

[ So no pressure then. Kara doesn't say as much, but she's pretty sure she's the fastest one in their group. So if things get dire, she's supposed to run away and make sure the message gets out. Well what if she doesn't want to be that person? They'll get there when they get there, she guesses. ]

Alright. This way, there's less of them guarding the underside.

[ She leads the way quickly, but slow enough that they don't attract unwanted attention. She's not the best at moving in the water, but if she just moves like she's flying it works out fine. ]

[kelpful]

[Percy's attitude has been pretty easy going so far, but when Noh and Nita bring up leaving - and the potential consequences of getting caught, something in his expression sets. He hesitates for a second, not out of fear, but because there's someone waiting from him back on the turtle that thinks he's just down here to get his head on straight] Hey, if it comes to that? Someone make sure Annabeth Chase knows, okay.

[He swims after Kara with minimal effort, keeping his eyes trained on their destination. He doesn't have x-ray vision, but he can see just as well underwater as on land.. He frowns as they get closer] Uh. Is it just me, or are those lightbulbs?