The World,
Artifact,
darkred,
Not a Sayan,
JFK,
Lilpeepz,
Scrawl Banditta,
ppppppp,
Tank O The Lake,
Chiliarchy
<Snipped quote by Legend>
NAOMI: The analysis cluster will be as good a place as any to put it down; it's got a direct hookup to the computer network. It'll fry the alarms, fry any cameras the first bomb didn't hit, keep them disoriented enough to let you sneak out. Once you're topside, run for it; our buddies in the resistance will collect us and bring us back to Lucy's dropoff.
<Snipped quote by Etcetera>
*Naomi leads the group out through exit security, then out of the spaceport and straight into urban Hong Kong. It's urbanized enormously over the last few centuries; the spaceport is located a good ways out into the ocean, with the space between it and the actual landmass made up by blocks upon blocks of mixed-use districts set atop reclaimed land. With the way the sun hangs low in the west, it should be getting towards dinnertime in this time zone, but all the shops that ought to be open are boarded up; some have bars over their windows. Naomi frowns.*
NAOMI: Something's caused a stir. Looks like riot protection.
*As if on cue, there echoes out a PA announcement over the city streets, carried by a twin-rotor helicopter as it buzzes overhead. It blares out a message in Chinese, then:*
PA: Please be advised that the Pearl River Delta District Administration has set forth a curfew from 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM. Repeat, curfew begins in one hour. Violators of the curfew will be detained and identified. Thank you.
NAOMI: Definitely a riot. Let's get a move on; we can get to the place before curfew.
*She continues to lead them on down the streets towards the nearest metro station with a connection to the East Pearl River District. Along the way, they catch their first glimpse of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The soldiers are told apart by their armbands, which each bear a golden symbol, a crossed hammer and torch within a gear, over a field of black. It's the same color scheme as the Cooperative's flag. The men are wearing CBRN gear and gas masks, marching in lockstep down the sidewalk with carbines in their gloved hands. One of them holds up their hand to signal the group to stop, saying something in Chinese.*
NAOMI: Eh... bàoqiàn, xiānsheng, wǒshuōyīngyǔ.
*The MIA officer nods.*
MIA OFFICER: Identification papers, please.
NAOMI: Oh! Of course, sir.
*She looks back at the group while rifling through her pockets. Let me do the talking, she says with her eyes.*
<Snipped quote by Etcetera>
<Snipped quote by Legend>
*The remainder of the flight is about an hour and a half; this aircraft must be moving at over 4,000 miles per hour, a reasonable estimate given how the vehicle shot out of the atmosphere like an ICBM. Around the last fifteen minutes, the earmuffs go back on as the craft rapidly descends, the first licks of reentry plasma at the window quickly turning into an all-consuming inferno before the hull panels turn transparent again for safety. Gravity returns abruptly as the craft levels out from a dead plunge into a glide, and it hits the runway with a squeal of reversing engines and a hiss of rain vaporizing on the superheated hull.*
*The robot makes another round.*
ROBOT: Please remember to take all carry-on luggage and exit in an orderly fashion. Exercise caution when opening overhead compartments, as contents may have moved during flight. Thank you for flying with us!
<Snipped quote by Etcetera>
NAOMI: I've known you for less than a day, Vec. Ask me when the Devil's work's done.
*With a huff, she sinks into her chair and closes her eyes.*
<Snipped quote by Etcetera>
NAOMI: He got me out of some bad stuff, what with the, uh...
*She looks around.*
NAOMI: Maybe this isn't the best place to talk about it.
<Snipped quote by Etcetera>
*Naomi shrugs.*
NAOMI: He's a good man. They're rarer than you think. I... I need to help him.
<Snipped quote by Etcetera>
NAOMI: He... he likes freedom more. Says it's more valuable. I don't know about that. He's a good man, but he strikes me as a person who's never really been hurt, doesn't really understand it.
<Snipped quote by Etcetera>
*Naomi sucks in through her teeth and gains a vacant sort of look.*
NAOMI: When I was little, I didn't... exactly have a family. So I lived in an orphanage for a while; I wasn't really a model kid, so I never got adopted. And, the guy who ran it...
*She pauses for a long, long time, unconsciously crossing her legs defensively.*
NAOMI: He was a pretty bad guy. And he never really got punished for it, y'know? I trust Mr. Lucy's judgement on this, but, if it were up to me, I'd make a world where people like that can never hurt anyone again. It'd be safer that way. People like being safe.
<Snipped quote by Legend>
<Snipped quote by Etcetera>
NAOMI: Get me a tequila, strong as it gets.
*The robotic flight attendant disappears down the aisle, then reappears a few minutes later with a few sealed zero-G-proof pouches containing the cocktails. Naomi sips at hers, then turns to look at the two.*
NAOMI: We're doing really good work here. I hope you know that. What we're doing is going to change the world.