BABY WE WERE BORN TO RUN

[maskormods]

WHO: EVERYONE
WHERE: THE STREETS OF THE CITY
WHEN: Duration of the event
WHAT: PRISONER TRANSPORT/RESCUE
WARNINGS: Violence and language likely
OOC NOTES: This is a starter log to help kick off the event. Feel free to use or post your own!

The transport process isn’t a fun one. Captured Metas are outfitted with power-nullifying handcuffs and collars, chained into the back of a heavily armored prison transport vehicle. Normally there’s a huge procession that goes alone with this: more back up vehicles, overhead support, government loyal metals in every vehicle. But this rush of new arrivals has pushed the system to its limits- there’s never been a need to accommodate more than a specific number of known Metas. It has the guards in the vehicles on edge, jumpy as they try to navigate through the City without the usual back up. And it’s a strain the resistance is more than ready to push to the breaking point.

In addition to transporting new arrivals to their reprogramming, there are the already-present Meta prisoners that must still be shuffled around, causing a mix of old and new in the vehicles. And irresistible targets for liberation for the resistance groups. When the transport is hit, which will the new Metas side with? Your captors you may still be able to gain a comfortable life working with? Or the rebellion fighting their way into the vehicle?

Comments

[bifroster]

The people around Jane all spin around in surprise, like they hadn’t really expected her to keep her word, but she’s already pushing some people forward.

“Go,” she hisses as she moves more towards the back.

People quickly head off, but as everything empties out, she remains seated.

“You can’t get everyone,” she said. “It will look suspicious.”

transport

[obediences]

The metas working for the government are mostly identifiable by their uniforms, their crisp professionalism, a certain brusqueness to the way they bundle away the new arrivals— and right now? They're overworked, struggling to contain it all, working quicker than ever and perhaps cutting some corners. They're rougher, grabbing every arrival even if they haven't caused any trouble yet, carting them off for processing.

At the last second, one last agent hops into the armoured van carrying Jacob, pulls the doors shut behind them, and raps his knuckles against the wall to signify they're ready to go. The van starts moving. When he settles back on the bench, it turns out it's a familiar figure.

Luther. It's Luther Hargreeves, but an inverted version of him just like the Aegis tower is inverted: he's still tall with broad shoulders, but now he's lean and trim and dressed in a form-fitting uniform rather than baggy sweaters. He moves with brisk confidence, rather than trying to shrink away into the corner.

When Jacob looks at him, there's no light of recognition in those now-cold blue eyes.

[choosetruth]

Georgia frowns. Jane's a valuable asset to the resistance, valuable enough that she and Shaun are actually getting into the action instead of just reporting it. "More suspicious than leaving someone behind? Leaving you behind?"

[irwins]

"George has a point. I mean, she usually does. We leave you behind that makes you look like an obvious plant. Come now and get captured later if you're really into the whole captivity thing." Shaun is talking conversationally enough but his posture is tensing. Time is not on their side here.

[bifroster]

Jane runs the scenario through her head quickly. Dammit, she hadn't thought of that. She really needed to up her espionage game if she wanted to survive.

"And I doubt they'd believe anything I said," she replied. "Well, except that you forced me because you knew I was an asset."

Getting up, she quickly heads to them.

"Everyone else out okay?"

[fettchquest]

That’s not how it works. The Empire may be the law in the galaxy, but he isn’t a stormtrooper, to be at their unquestionable beck and call. He can say no—has said no before—and the Empire knows better than to try and change his mind. They wouldn’t want to jeopardize his future cooperation. Or their own lives, for that matter.

That’s why it doesn’t make sense that Fett finds himself instinctively tensing at the man’s words. They’re not real. So why do they feel like a threat?

“You talk too much,” he says, voice dangerously low. “I can fix that, if you insist.”

[fettchquest]

[The boy is starting to veer into hysteria now. That would explain the near-nonsensical rambling. Fett shouldn’t encourage it. And yet, he’s curious as to what Eddie thinks is happening.]

Alright, [he says, voice neutral.] Who brought me here?

[germhating_hypochondriac]

Whoever controls the porters. 

[He concentrates on his breathing for a few moments, trying to draw in enough air to say everything he wants.]

I think it's the government.  Other people say other stuff, like the porters are kinda alive somehow.  

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

"What if I told you there was a way to that universe?" Jacob says, lifting his chin. "Not through the Porter. But by changing this one."

He can't gesture with his hands tied, so he kind of points with his chin at the transport containing them both.

"Back there, we fought people who wanted to make a world like this one. And we won. It's possible - I've seen it happen."

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

"God..."

Jacob lowers his face into his hand for a moment, and shakes his head. This one hurts. He should be used to it by now, but Manabu... Yeah, this one hurts.

"No, I just got here. I just... knew you in a different universe. It's a long story," he says with a heavy sigh.

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

"Guzma? That guy?"

Jacob wrinkles his nose. Last he was an imPort, Guzma was still That Pokemon Guy Who Fucked up Darin and Kept Fighting Everyone. Surely nothing major has changed on that front since he was Ported out, right?

"I saw some familiar faces during the transport," he says sombrely. "None of them remembered me. They've only been imPorts in this world."

Which is a terrifying thought. Jacob has been here less than half a day, and he already misses Maurtia Falls. And he has never liked Maurtia Falls.

Sorry for the wait!

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

It's a moment before Jacob recognizes him. He's used to jumbo-sized Luther. When he does realize who it is, he opens his mouth for a moment as his face starts to light up with memory. But then he sees the total detachment in Luther's eyes, and his mouth closes with a defeated sigh. That's the look one stranger gives another.

Jacob hangs his head for a moment, then tries to speak again. "You've got no idea who I am, do you."

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

"ImPorts weren't controlled like this." Jacob aims a disgusted look downward as he speaks, at the cuffs on his wrists, the floor of the transport, the world itself. "If anything, we were spoiled a little too much. You got away with a lot of shit, no matter how hard I tried to shut you down."

There's actual fondness in Jacob's voice as he recalls it. Suddenly, dealing with Dorian's smug impunity over the Network is a nostalgic prospect. It's all relative.

[siriusly]

"Eh-? A different...?"

Talking about different universes is pretty rare lately, even with all the different people from them. But from the looks of this guy, it's not old hat yet, the way it is for everyone else.

"I don't get it. Are you talking about the machine in Stark Tower? That thing's been collecting dust for years and years. What other universe are you talking about?" And moreover, why wouldn't he remember it himself, knowing this guy? That's not fair at all.

[fauxmarth]

That guy might be where she needs to leave it for now; there are bigger concerns than the wild ways relationships have changed since Jacob left. That said, she still goes a touch pink and shifts awkwardly before the topic naturally changes.

"You mean...there are other worlds with the same capabilities as our own?" Even as she says it, she starts to frown, realizing something about that. "Wait--I thought the other world that could...was consumed. Destroyed? At least, that's what Ruka and some of the older imPorts have spoken of..."

[drivesadesk]

He laughs. This guy...clearly doesn't know how bad things are here.

"Wow, that is so amazingly cheesy and naive. You're adorable, I love it. And I'm sorry, I tried that here. Didn't work. I try that again, I just get tortured for who knows how long. Again. That's not a risk I can take."

[brushoff]

Getting away with a lot of shit sounds...wonderful. It sounds so much better than the situation they have right here. Dorian looks over Jacob with a quizzical frown.

"If that place did exist, it must have been...amazing. But, it doesn't matter anymore. You're here now. And things have changed."

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

Jacob gives a grimacing half-smile even as he once again tenses himself for an expected blow.

"You were okay with me talking before," he says, looking into the T-shaped visor without blinking, trying to get a glimpse of the man behind it. "Did I touch a nerve?"

It would be easier to just shut up and cooperate. But he can't. It would feel like a betrayal of something.

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

"A better one than this," Jacob says somberly. He brings up a hand to rub the back of his head, shuffles his feet a little, wonders what to say and how.

"There's a world where the Porter is in Florida," he starts. "Government treats imPorts a lot better than here. I lived there five damn years before going home. And you were there, too."

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

"Pretty sure this is that world," Jacob says with a gesture. "Or at least, a version of it. 'The City' and all that."

He shakes his head, dismissing it, then focuses on Lucina again, taking in how she looks, how she's changed and stayed the same.

"Enough about this lousy world, though," he says. "I wanna hear about you. How long has it been? Now that my memories are back, it feels like I was Ported out yesterday."

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

Jacob chuckles bitterly. "Yeah. No shit."

He leans back on the hard, uncomfortable bench and gives Dorian a once-over. Now Jacob's the one in handcuffs, and Dorian's the authority figure. It's not a happy thought.

"Looks like you joined the winning side," he says flatly. "Why don't you tell me how things work now?"

[fauxmarth]

"It certainly wasn't yesterday," she assures, and for a moment, she plants her hands on her hips, trying to bully herself past her fleeting beat of embarrassment. Telling Jacob about that...it's not like she wants to hide things! But is it really the time? There'd be so much to try and explain.

And besides, as far as big things to tell him...

Her eyes widen, realizing. Of course. He wasn't there, but he has to know--

"Jacob, we did it." She straightens up, rising up nearly to her tiptoes before settling back flat-footed. "The fates, I mean. The conflict? Atropos, the sisters...it happened. It happened and we were able to stop the downfall! Everyone was safe. We didn't loose anyone, not a one! Because you helped us prepare...we made it out."

np! i will backtag 5ever

[obediences]

"No. Should I?" The enforcer's sitting with arms crossed, watching the new metas with an almost bored expression on his face — except there's a kind of distant wariness too, a tension strung into his body as he waits for something to go wrong. It's been that kind of month.

The way this man is looking at him, though. It gives Luther pause. He's not usually the kind of figure you mix up with someone else; so his brow crinkles slightly in curiosity.

"We've never met."

[khajidont]

"It's my skin, so yeah, basically," Jaime says, flashing a small smile at Jacob. "Unless I've got a power null on me, I've always got my suit. But it's not really subtle, so I'd rather save it for an actual fight. I think our best bet might just be to lay low and figure out what's going on before running in guns a-blazing."

Of course, that's going to be what winds up happening. That's always what winds up happening. But Jaime can fight against it every time, can't he?

"But I'm pretty sure Khaji can at least find us a place to lay low enough to figure out all of this, um, thisness."

[siriusly]

Manabu blinks a couple times, his eyes getting bigger, wearing a familiar look of curious surprise.

"I was?" he echoes, pointing at himself before exchanging a look with Scout. "Or, you mean...another me? Another Manabu? Wait--"

His expression scrunches as he rubs at the back of his head. "I'm confused. Is this part of that thing where if...if a guy was to get sent away, back in the old days, they'd forget about it? Is that what's going on here?"

Did he really forget a whole chunk of life somewhere else? Five years' worth?!