[Semi-closed] | Icarus Was My Best Friend

[sciencesquid]

Who: Otto Octavius, Rob, everyone who volunteered for the mini plot
Which: Log | Closed
Where: Riverside warehouse
What: 'Doc Ock' has finally finished his life's work. Again. Turns out, nuclear reactors are dangerous. Who knew?
Warnings: TBA in the comment titles if needed

The morning of the 14th dawns as any other, at least at first. It's brisk and calm, up until it isn't. Clouds begin to gather above the riverside district. In a world where emotions can call upon rain, that may not be so odd. Not long after, the earthquakes begin; just minor tremors. A portrait may slip sideways and the coffee inside one's cup may ripple. The closer one is to the riverside, the more noticeable it is. It would be a small inconvenience, were it not for the fact that the tremors don't stop. They just keep going and going and going…

Magnets stop working and if they were clinging to a surface before, they now fall to the ground, their purpose stripped from them. Then they begin to move, sliding along the floor until they inevitably hit an obstacle. Small bits of metal follow the same pattern, be it a paperclip or a screw, all headed in the same direction: the riverside warehouse district. The more observant characters will realize that something's definitely happening.

All who choose to follow the metal bits along their journey will be led to the source of the problem. The clouds centered over one particular warehouse flash ominously. One might mistake it for lightning, but the color is too warm. It looks more like solar flares. Is that still dreamotion effects caused by one person, or is something happening to amplify these effects? The signs outside the warehouse's outer walls warn against intruding. There's a good reason for that, as those who approach may soon
discover.

((OOC: Please use the nested prompts for your replies!))

Comments

[flamekthunder]

[Eustace anticipated Reaper turning to him, but the sudden teleportation catches him a little off guard. He's able to dodge roll out of the way, but not without getting grazed by at least one of the shots. Regardless he fires back in kind, keeping Reaper in his sights as a surge of electricity shoots through the air towards his new opponent.

He intends to keep Reaper engaged and out of Ferran's way.]

[sciencesquid]

[The implication that it would affect him at all hadn't quite made its way through his addled mind yet. Ferran's words are what cement that if the containment breaches entirely, it won't just be the warehouse that gets destroyed. There's no telling just how much damage it could do when unleashed, nor how much of Reverein would still be left standing afterwards. So he struggles to rid himself of the fog in his mind- to gain some clarity. He shakes his head roughly]

You can't... It's self-sustaining now. The reactions will keep cascading. [That's the whole principle of a nuclear fusion reactor- to mimic the sun's almost endless fusion chain. Unlimited power contained for humanity to harness, or so it should've been.] But it's not going to stabilize, is it...? The only way left is to...

[The words won't quite leave his mouth. His life's work. All those years, all that effort, all those sacrifices. People have died for this to succeed. ...No, that's not quite right. They died because Otto wouldn't accept failure- it's not the same thing. It's all his fault.]

... Destroy it. Not just the machine- the sun itself. Drown it.

[b_a_n_g]

[Twisting to the side and ducking to avoid the shot returned at him, then he began to run forward to make a rifle far more difficult to use against him. The lightning? Well, that wasn't his first electrical rodeo, and he kept well away from metal to conduct and turned certain body parts at risk to smoke to avoid it.

All the close the distance.

Even in the heat of combat, he was listening for signs that this was going fubar, which it definitely sounded like it was. This was what he got for trusting a non-vetted scientist. Half of them were just coo-coo and the other half was too arrogant to realize their own blind spots.]

Fix it, Doc. [It wasn't a question. It was a demand. He'd shoot them all if he had to, especially since he was right at the door step of their position now.]

[lonelysmiles]

[Drown it? The hell was that supposed to -- ]

[The clear view of the river answered that question before he could even finish it in his head.]

[Alastor brings two fingers to his lips and gives a loud whistle, getting the attention of the shadows lurking warily at the edges. They swarm around him, eager to have some direction.]

Clear a path between here and the waterfront. I don't want a single bit of debris blocking it.

[The shadows dart away, starting to grab rubble and toss it to either side. It doesn't make a perfectly smooth path, but at least there won't be much the machine could get caught on after they figured out how to start shoving it into the river.]

[noblegarnet]

[Seriously!? Octavius has clearly told them to destroy the machine and this shadowy prick with the shotguns still has the audacity to act like it's something that can be saved, let alone be worthwhile.]

Stop shooting and help us move the thing, asshole!

[If he wasn't already struggling to maintain the barrier ring, he'd consider making it a hypnotic command. Hopefully it won't come to that, but he doesn't have much more to offer to the effort of, as the Doctor said, drowning the machine.]

[flamekthunder]

[Difficult, maybe, but Eustace was well versed in close combat. Skillfully he twirls his weapon like a blade to parry whatever initial attack when Reaper reaches him before ducking out to get into a different stance. In the process he pulls out the long knife he always carries with him to wield, but instead of the weapon there's a sudden wave of ice that he shoves towards Reaper to try and knock or at least force him back to regain some distance.]

We are seconds away from disaster. If you try to interfere I'll stop you, but it would be better for everyone if you helped us instead.

[sciencesquid]

[Fix it? Otto doesn't even know what's meant with those words. Fix the reactor? Fix the situation? Fix himself? He can't do any of that.

It's with extreme difficulty that he moves himself into a complete sitting position, as his muscles still protest and his back in particular aches. The electricity really did a number on him. One of the tentacles twitches awkwardly and something similar to static seems to wash through Otto's mind. His hands move up towards his head, cradling it.

He's not going to be of any help to either side at the moment.]

[b_a_n_g]

[Reaper twisted to avoid the ice, but at the same time he tossed one of his massive shotguns at the contained 'sun'. It was, of course, pulled in, and he gave a sort of shudder at the information that was given to him when the shotgun was destroyed.

At the same time, he used his remaining shotgun as a melee weapon to block any knife strokes. He stopped his advance though, accessing the situation and then simply shrugging his shoulders. He had absolutely no skin in the game here, and none of these idiots dying would bring him any sort of care in the world.

Strategically, this had become a worthless situation. Nothing of value would be had.]

None of you have any particular value to me. [He turned his head to Alastor.] Don't die permanently. I'll be disappointed if you do.

[And with that, Reaper simply dissolved into black smoke and retreated well away from the area. There was only one person who he might help in such a situation, and they were tied up probably cursing and howling like a moron anyway. Sorry peeps, you're on your own.]

[lonelysmiles]

[Alastor beams at that not-so-friendly farewell.]

What a charming fellow!

[...Alastor, that is the same man who literally shot you a few minutes ago, but okay.]

[Making a mental note to find and meet up with the stranger again (perhaps greet him with a friendly stab or two to return the favor), Alastor quirks an irritated an eyebrow at the not-so-good doctor.]

[He looks to his shadow which shifts unhappily into its shadow stag shape.]

Yes, yes, I know it's humiliating, but we're limited on options.

[Let's see...rope or a spare cable...rope or a spare cable...Spare cable! There you are! He ties one end of it in a loop and wraps it around his shadow's neck. It trots unhappily in the direction of the waterfront while Alastor circles the machine's base, coiling the cable around it.]

[His ears are flat against his skull due to his displeasure at how hot and bright the miniature sun is, particularly having to get so close to it. He's going to be seeing spots for hours, assuming he doesn't just go blind from all this.]

[And tying the end of the coil onto the rest leading to his shadow before grabbing the tow line himself. He's facing the machine, eyes narrowed and smile filled with gritted fangs, as he and his shadow start to tug on the cable. He's not sure if it's the support struts or the cable itself causing that metal groaning due to tension, but he knows he and his shadow aren't making any immediate progress.]

If you gentlemen aren't too busy, some assistance would be appreciated!