HERALD OF NIGHT - PREPARATION

[thewatchers]

HERALD OF NIGHT - PREPARATION
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The UN basecamp is a bustle of activity as the Runewings touch down on the makeshift airstrip in Perth, Australia. Several top of the line fighter jets are held in a hangar, along with some attack helicopters. In another, lines of tanks and heavy artillery can be seen. The paremeter of the emergence zone is already lined with stationary artillery batteries and the basecamp is alive with the disciplined strides of experienced soldiers.

The command room itself is a huge mainframe powered by a massive network of generators that are providing electricity to the entire base. The mainframe shows the field of engagement and is linked to the status of all of the fielded equipment and soldiery.

While the UN officers are fastidiously polite to the Daybreak staff and students, it’s enormously abundant that they don’t take you seriously at all. Many of these are career soldiers and while some do come from the supernatural divisions, most are regular soldiers, veterans of mundane wars who have been hand-picked for their security clearance, professionalism and skill. While there has been regular briefings and most are aware of the nature of the enemy they’ll be fighting, they’re wholly unconcerned as to the idea that their weaponry might be ineffective or the engagement might be more than they can handle. The military brass is eager to complete this without the help of “kooky soothsayers” as the term goes, whispered behind your backs.

That said, there are some avenues of engagement. Some of the rank and file are curious about the students and their powers and are keen for a demonstration. Many of the airmen are quite fascinated by the Runewings and want to examine them. If there is an avenue for contact, and an avenue for saving lives, it goes through the rank-and-file.

The Control Room:

While Daybreak personnel have been given access to the control room, their movements are somewhat constricted - they are not welcome in any of the high-level meetings of the military brass. They will, however, have the opportunity to talk with some of the information and recon staff on their findings and survey the equipment. The monitoring station is highly advanced for a pop-up site, and it should provide a great deal of clarity in the battle to come.

The Hangar:

Daybreak personnel will find the technicians, mechanics and pilots in the hangar a lot more amicable than the brass. They’re fascinated by the Runewings, and want to know more about the capabilities of the planes and what they actually do. If the Daybreak personnel can prove the efficacy of the runecraft on their planes, it’s entirely possible the airmen may ask to add some runes to their own planes.

The Mess Hall:

Daybreak personnel entering the mess hall will find it a boisterous affair, with a large number of the more rank-and-file groups congregating during their off hours. They’re keen to understand more about the magic and powers of Daybreak, and if a proper display can be provided they will be suitably impressed.

code bases by tricklet

Comments

1;

[inflictwounds]

[Hieke's managed to find his way into the control room mainly by accident. Nobody seems to be sure what his clearance actually is, so...there's that.

He manages to catch the tail end of Yang's conversation, and his brows furrow a bit. He notices the man's tension, though he's not sure what to do about it.

He clears his throat.]

Was that a friend of yours?

[ohgoodgrief]

[Yang blinks, then looks up when Hieke approaches. The distracted expression fades; the tension doesn't but it sublimates to where it's a backdrop to his expression. He glances sideways at him.

Then, he nods.]

He was. From when I was stationed in Europe. It's a shame that he's caught up in this idea.

[inflictwounds]

[Hieke tilts his head, before nodding.]

I wasn't expecting there to be such a...ah, presence? I was kind of anticipating they wouldn't believe in any of this.

[ohgoodgrief]

[His arms fold, and Yang looks... thoughtful.]

I think they wish they didn't, but it's hard to argue with. It's here, so if they ignore it, they look powerless.

So now they're overcompensating.

[inflictwounds]

[He absolutely doesn't get it.]

I see... So they're just doing this to make themselves look better?

[ohgoodgrief]

I think so.

But... also, to convince themselves they can do anything at all.

[inflictwounds]

Hm...

It must be difficult, when you're not used to dealing with threats like this.

[ohgoodgrief]

Yeah... but...

Difficult doesn't excuse this sort of idiocy. And I think the people in charge don't understand and are willing to throw lives away.

I don't think that's forgivable.

[inflictwounds]

Hah, yeah, you're telling me.

[He lets out a huff.]

I tried talking to them about their medical procedures, but they just weren't having any of it. I don't think they realize they're fighting something where standard protocol won't help.

[ohgoodgrief]

They don't. And worse, they're denying it when they hear from others.

And they're not the ones who will pay for it. I can't say I'm surprised... but I'm certainly disappointed.

[inflictwounds]

And I doubt they're going to learn anything from all of this. They're just going to keep pretending they did the right thing, even when everything points to the contrary...

So why even bother?

[ohgoodgrief]

Because they're used to having power. Because... they're the sort of people who think, if they can't show they're stronger than something, then they don't have anything. They want everyone to know they're in control.

They'll pretend they are until it's made obvious, I think.

[inflictwounds]

[He goes quiet for a moment, considering that.]

I think it's going to become pretty obvious pretty quickly, once the fight starts.

[ohgoodgrief]

I think so, too. My experience is... conventional weapons don't do much against these sorts of things.

[He sighs.]

And it's going to be on us to try to salvage the aftermath.

[inflictwounds]

Yeah...We're going to have our work cut out for us, I think.

But...maybe it won't go as terribly as we're expecting. We've got good people with us.

[He mainly means the staff and students of Daybreak, but, well. That counts.]

[ohgoodgrief]

Maybe so. I've got faith in our bunch, at least.

[It's the side of this he knows won't completely botch it.]

[inflictwounds]

Well, that's the side to have faith in.

[Because they're not going to fuck it up.]

[ohgoodgrief]

We'll have to carry the UN troops through.

[The ones that survive it.]

[inflictwounds]

Do we have to?

[ohgoodgrief]

Well, it's the decent thing to do.

I suppose we can see how we feel.

[inflictwounds]

[Meh.]

I guess we'll have to. It'll probably keep things from getting worse.

[ohgoodgrief]

I'm afraid so. Doing that comes with the job.

[inflictwounds]

When I agreed to start working here, I wasn't...anticipating all of this. [He gestures, as if to encompass all that "this" is.] But I guess I'll have to deal with it.

[ohgoodgrief]

If it helps... I think that's true of everyone who works here.

[He motions around.] It's just that "this" is defined differently for all of us.

[inflictwounds]

None of us were anticipating this level of suspicion and incompetence, you mean? [He raises an eyebrow.]

But I suppose some of us are handling it better than others...