Ciaran

Project Quadrennial (Forever Open)

Emily turned her head slightly when the Elsa comment came up. Apparently, people never change. Give them one chance to attack something, simply for being different to their percieved ideals, and they attack it, physically or otherwise. As for herself, it wouldn't help her in any way to do so, so why would she?

Besides, though she couldn't empathise with people, she could agree with them, and Emily definitely agreed with the way Victoria handled these problems. Small victories, perhaps even petty, but what better word is there to describe how Victoria was treated?

Emily guessed it was probably suitable to talk to the quiet girl for a moment, more following Victoria's lead than anything else. "Jarod, hmm? Abnormal, to put it one way, but, like I said, I'm hardly in a position to judge. And, if I had to guess, I think we're in the same grade, so we might end up quite well acquainted. Unfortunately, though, it sounds like we've both got places to be. See you at lunch?"

After waiting for a moment to hear Jarod's answer, Emily would head off to her lesson. She did genuinely want to meet the other girl again, if only out of curiosity. She also wanted to keep an eye on Victoria and Junks, to see if she'd guessed right about him and the ring. It would be an interesting lunch.

Star Reach: Mercenaries ~ new players always welcome

Commander Nought

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12:36 <Commander Nought> Medics and soldiers en route. Join with allied forces and offer surrender first. Othwerwise, disperse the crowd, then confiscate weaponry. My frigate will go with the vanguard fleet.

Star Reach: Mercenaries ~ new players always welcome

Commander Nought

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12:30 <Commander Nought> Team, return to the hangar for pickup. You're headed planetside. Swap to rubber bullets and prepare to disperse rioters.
12:32 <Commander Nought> Don't suppose these people will be getting a fair trial, Baines? We've been taking your word that you have evidence so far, yet everything we've seen since we got here has said otherwise.

Project Quadrennial (Forever Open)

@PrinceAlexus That's such a shame, I hope things get better for you soon.

KING NOTHING 2v1 (The Duchess & Lilly Vs. Captain Kull)

There was nothing Charlotte could do. She was up against a superior fighter, and she had lost. It was like a game of chess, when you can see that you're in a losing position and all you can do is watch and delay the inevitable.

Her already weakened right leg collapsed from under her, and she fell. The wrenching pain that tore her right arm intensified - no doubt Kull could break it if he wanted. Meanwhile, her left arm was free and uninjured, and though she could interpose her weapon between Kull's and herself, she doubted the sustainability of that plan. But what else could she do? Not much, that was clear.

"I don't want your mercy. I'm not afraid of death. You said before that winning here only earns you another day of your life. What makes you think my home is any different? Here, the hammer and sword, there, the poison and lies. My death has been coming for a long time, but I refuse to hide from it, even if oblivion is the only other way out."

All she could do now was delay the inevitable. So, she delayed the inevitable.

Project Quadrennial (Forever Open)

Emily stepped forwards when Victoria waved to her. It was an unlikely gathering that had assembled, anyway. She'd hardly stick out.

Two cripples, one's sister, a boy who could've just crawled out of a dumpster and a girl called Jarod. Emily believed she knew the explanation for that one, but she decided not to mention it for the time being. Instead, she greeted the group, introducing herself.

"Hey. I'm Emily. Bit of a loose end, and not in a good way, but I think I just found the club for that." Emily said. That was an understatement. Three to one this would be the last time she'd speak to anyone here for a month. People tended not to like those who didn't like them, whether or not that person had any choice in the matter. Still, Emily had become a good actress. She probably had a shot with these people.

KING NOTHING 2v1 (The Duchess & Lilly Vs. Captain Kull)

This might be a problem. Right arm twisted away, painfully - useless. Left arm free, but necessary for defending against that gladius - useless. Legs unable to reach any vulnerable targets, right leg in particular weakening - both useless.

And then Kull spat blood in her face. As he'd planned, she flinched. She didn't want blood on her mask, after all.

Charlotte's opponent was stronger than her, so freeing herself would not be easy. Her right arm's position was limiting her movement - unless she moved with it. She stepped in the direction he was twisting her arm, moving so that it was still trapped, but no longer painful, or in danger of breaking. It did, however, put Charlotte behind Kull, facing away from him. Hardly a suitable position to fight him from.

The best she could come up with from there was a sharp back kick with her left leg into the inside of Kull's right knee, in an attempt to unbalance him and possibly loosen his hold. Regardless, she quickly had to return her left leg to the ground, as she doubted that her right would be able to take her full weight for more than a few moments.

Project Quadrennial (Forever Open)

Emily woke up. She shivered in the cold - it was getting into autumn now, and it was more important to save the money than pay for heating. Maria had already left, about an hour ago. She had to work her ass off to provide for the two of them, so Emily rarely saw her in the mornings. She dressed, ate, and half an hour later she was headed to school.

Emily knew how the other students thought of her. They didn't say it out loud any more, but she could see it. Some hated her some were afraid, some just wanted nothing to do with her. Not that she cared. The fact that she didn't care was a result of why they thought that of her, so the fact that they thought it was irrelevant.

There was a dangerously pale, thin girl arriving at about the same time as her. Even someone as socially disconnected as Emily could recognise her, if only for her unique condition. Like Emily, Victoria Romus had been mistreated for things outside her control, though Emily expected that the other girl had been more affected by it. Maybe she saw a kindred spirit in Emily for that; Emily couldn't be sure, though she did know she didn't and couldn't reciprocate that regardless, though she had become quite good at falsifying emotions.

It was then that Emily saw Victoria run a diamond ring across the screen of one harasser's phone. Clever girl. She suspected she'd have done the same, had their positions been swapped. She smiled at Victoria, raising one eyebrow in appreciation. It wasn't real, but it looked the part.

Apparently Emily hadn't been the only one to notice Victoria's ring. One boy, who had apparently come from an even worse background than herself, had approached Victoria and began to speak to her. Perhaps it was unfair to assume the boy's intentions, but, again, had she been in such a bad situation it would have been the first thing on her mind. Still, there was a good chance that something would happen, so Emily stepped to one side and leant against a wall about fifteen feet away, watching the pair as their conversation began.

Star Reach: Mercenaries ~ new players always welcome

Commander Nought

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11:04 <Commander Nought> No, it won't be an issue, but what I said before still stands. Anyway, if you want me to get the files from that terminal, would you care to tell me where it is?
11:05 <Commander Nought> Light Regiment, First Company, you have orders to locate the AOS control terminal. Download all files stored there, and send them to Director Baines.