(Stillness: 3 days, Travel: 9 days)
Day 1
Loading onto their respective transports, the Riley family and Luelle-Doubter duo set out for the Docking Grounds.
The ‘Kosshor’ Cluster of looming airships and air balloons had already been visible in the distance from the crash site; the sheer size of the crafts as they hummed the odd 18 to 24 stories above the ground made them impossible to miss. Getting to the grounds was only a matter of driving over the ruins and debris of the old world, the occasional piles of the long deceased adding a grim reminder to the otherwise mundane trip.
As the two parties journeyed, albeit at a distance from each other, it soon became apparent that they were not the only ones rallying to Sergo’s call. Multiple other vehicles zipped by and joined in the way, and above, even some of the strictly solitary air vessels were heading in the same direction.
Usually, it was only the crew and passengers who were allowed even near the Docking Grounds, with visits from outsiders being strictly regulated.
As the Riley Caravan and Saboteur Duo drove up into the grounds however, they found it completely packed. Survivors of every walk of life were there, and seeing even their Saboteur group there, Luelle and Doubter could only throw over disgruntled frowns when the group met their eye and shook their heads in warning.
The mayhem would come, but not just yet.
As the minutes went by the Docking Grounds grew increasingly crowded, and those gathered turned restless. Stuck side by side in the crowd, the Riley Family Caravan and Saboteur Duo could only tolerate the buzzing around them and each other’s presence in silence. A while longer passed with the Cluster just hovering above them, the airship Kosshor (the Cluster’s leading vessel) suspended silently in their midst.
Finally a series of horns went off from the ships, and one of the air balloons began to descend. It stopped 8 meters off the ground, and looking over the gathered through the screen of the hanging deck, Sergo spoke into an amplifier.
“I GIVE IT 6 DAYS TOPS; INSE KILLS US ALL.”
The balloon stabilized where it hovered, and he continued.
“WE’RE NOW DOWN FROM OUR 3 DAYS OF STILLNESS. THE TURN HAS ACCELERATED, AND BY DARK TOMORROW WE’LL BE FORCED ON THE MOVE ONCE AGAIN . . . INSE KILLED MY CREW. . . IF WE COULDN’T OUTRUN HIM, YOUR CHANCES WILL GO FROM SLIM TO NOTHING BEFORE THE END OF THE COMING TRAVEL.”
He paused.
“WE ALL KNOW FIGHTING ONLY MAKES IT WORSE, BUT AT THIS POINT WE’RE OUT OF OPTIONS: INSE’S TURN IS GOING TO OUTRUN US WHETHER OR NOT WE FIGHT HIM, AND I HAVE DEVISED A PLAN THAT WILL GRANT US A CHANCE TO END ALL THIS. I CANNOT REVEAL MUCH, BUT IF WE ARE TO SUCCEED, WE WILL NEED AS MANY OF YOU-”
Rumbling, like a collapsing building or thunder grew in the distance before fading off into silence, and looking across the land, it seemed nothing had been disturbed. A murmur slipped through the silence that ensued, and perhaps fueled by paranoia, claimed the distant silhouette of Inse had taken on a glow.
Above however, Sergo hesitated to proceed, then did, his voice now strained, anxious.
“. . . IT HAS TO BEGIN NOW.”
His balloon began to rise again.
“INSE KNOWS WE’RE COMING. ALL OF THE KOSSHOR CLUSTER STANDS BY ME. IF YOU ARE IN, APPROACH ANY ONE OF THEIR CREWS. THEY WILL SORT YOU OUT.”
The balloon rose up into the sky, docking by the Kosshor itself. On the ground, the gathered began to murmur, hesitation and uncertainty brewing. Finally, they began to fracture, and although some trailed off away from the Docking Grounds, the majority began to approach the grounded air vessels.
Among them were several smaller airships, a medium one, two air balloons, and strangely enough, a small group of air-affiliated ground transports typically used in repairs and cargo transfers.
What do you do?
[OOC] You two can either stay together or go in opposite directions I don’t mind either.
I look at the crowd trying to save their lives and doubting whether Sergo is telling the truth or not. Doubter pulls me to the side and says, “Should we just follow them and then push them off to die? It would be so good, anyway Inse have been unpredictable all along.” I smirked a little and decides to follow the crowd to see what kind of great plan Sergo has. Pushing the crowd, Doubter and I got on to one of the transport provided.
The transport, a large boat-like base on wheels with a shimmering sail stretched overhead, filled up quickly as the survivors piled in. Seated together, Luella and Doubter blended into the crowd, even spying two more Saboteurs they vaguely knew. Like them, Luelle and Doubter suspected they were there merely waiting to see when mayhem would be appropriate along Sergo’s scheme.
The transport suddenly jolted, and the crowd let out a unified gasps as it began to lift off the ground, flying higher at a thrilling speed across the devastated lands. From such a height Luella and Doubter both spied the Peripherals, the two zones where pushing others out of Inse’s gaze was best accomplished. The transport however, turned away from them, heading towards the safe zone. At once, two things came into view, and one of the transport crews spoke up to address both of them to the passengers:
“Alright, listen up, everyone. Down there’s The big One’s Cluster, and off to the north is the Railway. Sergo needs you to split up and join either one of em. What you should know? Well neither tolerate nonsense, but both have agreed to help. The Cluster will go by air, and the Rails by land. Take your pick.”
The crew was organizing the passengers by changing their seats on the transport. Left for the airship Cluster, and right for the Railways.
What do you do?