The Lunatic Pandora

[timenpcs.livejournal.com]

Characters: Lufene, everyone who wants to go after her
Progress: Ongoing
Summary: The intrepid heroes of Gaia seize their chance to board the Lunatic Pandora and attempt to stop its progress.
Location: Lunatic Pandora (over Fum)
Date: 19th April, 1805
Warnings: Violence

Since it began its journey two days ago, the Lunatic Pandora had made its way slowly but surely across the Outer Continent, nearing its final destination with every passing second.

The sky around it was soon dotted with airships, come to track its progress. But none could yet halt it. To even make such an attempt, a party would need to get inside - and in the heart of the Pandora, Lufene was waiting.

[ooc: See this post for plotting! I will put up threads for the different groups. Feel free to start your own subthreads - and please, threadjack away! No posting order, let's do this party style. \o/]

Comments

[strays-pride.livejournal.com]

"I am glad that you think so. Now, let's see what two minds can do."

Noah nodded his agreement. "Not a bad assumption, given the circumstances." He walked forwards towards the desk and leaned over to see what information was spread out, looking for a basic floorplan of some sort.

"What is the current situation? I believe there were two separate parties?"

[ultrawaves.livejournal.com]

Quistis offered a reserved nod in reply, leaning against the desk with one hand to look over the floorplan she had sketched out from memory. It was far from complete, and mostly concerned the area around Adel's chamber and the major bridges, but there were photos she had been able to pull up from Garden's database, printed and spread out beside her own map. "The pictures aren't much, I'm afraid. It's a difficult place to map; much of the interior looks like a natural cave formation, though there are several man-made walkways and rooms, as well."

She glanced up at him to confirm. "There are two parties; Squall and Rinoa are with one, and I believe Cecil is leading the other. Capable leaders if there ever were any."

[strays-pride.livejournal.com]

Noah's eyebrows furrowed as he looked at the image. "Looks like it is a core structure with add-ons." He traced his finger idly along he sketch, tapping lightly against the location of the control room and the accompanying photographs.

"This was where she was broadcasting from, yes? I doubt that she is there now. That girl is ridiculously childish, but not outright stupid. Though there must be some other protective precautions against changing course. Not that it would matter, since her only motive seems to be destruction." He hmmed thoughtfully. That left at least Garland (if not others) unaccounted for, and that did not sit well with him in the slightest.

"I assume emergency evacuation orders have been issued to Burmecia informing them of the situation, so that is most of the civilian population taken care of." Noah tried to formulate possible routes and paths and then project the possible difficulties involved, but he simply was too unfamiliar with the Lunatic Pandora.

He turned to Quistis. "What are possible strategic locations or points or interest. If it comes to it, the likelihood is that the second group will have the best chance of bailing out the first, and we need to be able to coordinate the best paths and relay directions to reach each objective."

[ultrawaves.livejournal.com]

"Here," Quistis explained, tapping a mark on one of the photos. "This is the chamber where we fought Sorceress Adel. Rinoa is inside; Lufene might choose this because of its personal significance. It's also a central location. There's a control room here, if I remember correctly," she went on, tapping a point on her hastily sketched map. "And we encountered Seifer, a former cadet, here. The room is high up and easily defended. From what I can tell, Lufene can appear and disappear at will, so normal travel limitations may not keep her from moving freely throughout the pillar."

[strays-pride.livejournal.com]

Noah looked over the mentioned spots. The room where Seifer was encountered would make an excellent base of operations, but he wasn't sure how logic-driven Lufene was, as she had been very temperamental in his discussion with her.

The control room was already not a likely choice by he simple fact t was too obvious, and doing something so blatantly infantile would hurt her reputation/infamy, and she knew it.

Perhaps the other room, though, as petty vengeance and tactics did seem to fit Lufene rather well. And it would add a distinct pyschological aspect as well.

He was so wrapped up with his evaluation he only half-caught Quistis's ending comment about movement, and as such responded with more knowledge than he might have bluntly let on in other circumstances. "To an extent, perhaps, but even genomes have their limits. And unless they trance, they are rather limited in accessing hier most threatening capabilities. Still, it presents a mobility logistics problem, as it restricts our ability to both out-manouever and speedstrike. Though, given the conditions, I doubt a staged battle would do much better for our odds."

[ultrawaves.livejournal.com]

This time, Quistis did not mask her surprise, giving the man a curious look in reply. He was well-versed about sorceresses, about genomes... both beings with entirely different origins, from entirely different worlds, and yet even as a new arrival, genomes and the powers in their possession did not seem to surprise him in the least. "You're certainly a wealth of information," she remarked, withholding any further comments.

"To be honest, I'm not sure they'll have to search too hard for her. She's petty and quite impressed with herself. She wants to be found, and if they don't do it quickly enough, she'll go to them, I think. If only to taunt them. She seems the type."

[strays-pride.livejournal.com]

Noah had to hold back a reflexive twitch at Quistis's remark. This was no discussion he had wanted to have, at least not now. He ignored it in favorof dealing with it later.

He nodded in agreement with her evaluation of Lufene. He'd gotten much the same impression. "I have to confess, it's not the search that I am worried about." He closed his eyes and thought of the few times he'd seen Kuja trance and his descriptions of it's power, as well as the utter destruction of Nabudis. "It's the aftermath of an encounter."

[ultrawaves.livejournal.com]

"Indeed. We also need to be prepared to deal with the result of the Lunar Cry should those on the inside fail to halt Lunatic Pandora's progress," Quistis reasoned. Those within Garden were already prepared to act should they be faced with such results, and there were plenty of others across Gaia who would be willing to lend their aid, as well.

"We're about as ready for that as we're going to be. None of us are strangers to combat."

[strays-pride.livejournal.com]

That didn't mean they were anywhere near capable of stopping a force that could destroy a town with a single spell. All right, so part of his worry was frustration that he wasn't there with his briher to help him out if Basch did something hopelessly noble and somewhat stupid. Biasch knew what he was doing, he really should worry so much. And there were rescue teams. It should be fine.

"True. Should Lunar Cry occur, it might be best to evacuate the continent and then organize strike forces to contain the issue and eliminate the monsters in their sector. In that case, it is likely that some groups may fi ish earlier than others, which means they can be reassigned or set on reserve for whatever is going to happen."

There was a purpose to this, he knw there was. There had to be. If only he could figure out what.

[ultrawaves.livejournal.com]

"I believe some towns are already evacuating. Any that have not should be in short order, word spreads fast, especially with the SkyPhones at our disposal." She frowned, biting carefully at her lower lip as she gave the pictures spread out across the headmaster's desk one last look.

"Our largest force should be stationed near the initial site of the Lunar Cry to cull the tide of monsters at its source. Lindblum's military is already on alert, and Alexandria's should follow shortly. Your idea to reassign groups as needed it good, being resourceful here will count."

She sighed, turning her attention towards the door. "I'd like to check in with Raine. She's handling triage on the ground. If anyone's been injured, she'll know, and I can respond to a call for backup from the ground just as well as I can from here." Though she'd volunteered to stay with Garden, waiting alone in the headmaster's office was causing anxiety to prick at her more than she felt her past experience merited.

[strays-pride.livejournal.com]

Noah nodded in agreement, not raising his eyes from the pictures on the desk. "The team at the epicenter should have the highest concentration of regular troops. Save volunteers and less experienced fighters for the outer sectors, with one or two group captains. Veterans of the previous Lunar Cry and senior warriors would be best for those positions. We should also have a third on reserves, and work not two-shift rotations, but stagger shift times to prevent the monsters from taking advantage of shift-change." He traced possible sector divisions in his mind, finger running idly over the various papers on the desk.

When she mentioned going to check on the others he looked up. She was clearly worried and also seems a bit antsy, ready to go and do something. He gave small smile. "Go ahead. No one will miss you for a few minutes, and I can cover for you from here if necessary."

[ultrawaves.livejournal.com]

"Thank you. I appreciate the offer, but that won't be necessary." She offered a reserved smile, setting her concern aside for the moment. Being anxious about the situation was difficult to avoid, but it wasn't exactly helpful. She had confidence in those on the inside, and in a few minutes, she would speak to Raine and they would both be reassured that all was going as planned, so far. Well, as close as they could get where Lufene was involved, anyway.

"Everyone here is on standby, and they can reach me at a moment's notice." She lightly patted the pocket she had tucked her phone away in. "The Garden also has its own communication system, they can page me immediately if needed. I'd also like to see if any stray monsters have wandered into town. Lunatic Pandora tends to attract them. If you'd like to come with me, you may get to fight something on the way." She hoped not, mostly for the sake of the citizens of Fum. They didn't need any more excitement than what Lunatic Pandora had already brought with it. That, and it hadn't been so very long since she had seen a very injured Noah first appear on the network. She doubted he was in prime condition for combat.

[strays-pride.livejournal.com]

Noah inclined his head in acquiescence.

He wanted to go to Lum. Really, he did. But Basch was already mother-henning him, and Quistis had seemed very concerned when he had talked with her over the network. When it came down to it, Noah did not want to sit around ie, but wanted to deal with Basch's lineface of disapproval even less. And if he played nice, the chances of Basch not pulling the plug on his and Baltheir planned heist later would hopefully be less. He could behave, honestly, he could.

"Thank you for the offer, but I don't believe my brother would be too happy if I went and sought out an engagement this soon after being healed from my injuries. If you need any help, though, call and I cak come back you up."

[ultrawaves.livejournal.com]

She nodded in appreciation, not put off in the least by his decision to decline. "We wouldn't want to worry Captain fon Ronsenburg, of course. Thank you again. It will be a short visit, I think. I'll return shortly."

Gathering her whip from where it had been left coiled on the seat behind the desk, she fastened it to her belt -- just in case -- and began to walk towards the door at a brisk pace, letting it slide shut behind her as she disappeared into the corridor.

[strays-pride.livejournal.com]

He smiled, grateful that she understood.

Once Quistis had left, Noah spread an empty space on the desk and spread ot a chart of he continent. He took a pencil from the desk and began drawing tentative outlines for sector divisions, wedge shapes deviating out from the central perimeter around Burmecia going outwards. Around each major city he also marked a circular perimeter, and tried to make sure each section was equally sized and that none had bottle-necked areas.

It was awful, being too injured to really fight. (Or, rather a brother who insisted such was so.) He felt so utterly useless. Sure he could outline plans, but it was nothing like being a part of it, in the thick of it.