SILENT HORIZON - [Part 2: Facing the Faceless/Escape] [modplot]

[letsgolegion]

Who| Everyone in Silent Horizon plot
What| Fighting the Faceless, a perilous escape, and a chance to have a breather
Where| In the In-Between, the Silent Horizon, and then the Legion Cruiser
When| Chronologically, only hours have passed in the outside world from when the team disappeared, but it's up to players whether their characters perceived it as being hours or days
Warnings/Notes| Gore, blood, body horror, all the usual


They hear the voice again, calling out to them. Not the Faceless, not the dark whispers of this world. It's the same tinny voice that warned them, that told them not to give into the Faceless' offer. It's the voice that told them their Phalanxed teammates can still be saved if the Faceless is killed in time before they die.

It calls out again. Wherever they are, whatever the landscape is doing, they can hear it.

"I know you have no reason to trust me. I know you've been probably hearing lots of voices in this place, telling you all kinds of things. But I'm trying to help you. There's a way to end this, to stop the Faceless. Just follow my voice. My language synthesizer is broadcasting in the telepathic range like telepathic earplugs and I've managed to reconfigure it to broadcast through the entire In-Between. You should be hearing it wherever you are and you should be able to use its broadcast strength to navigate. I think I've managed to secure it from the Faceless and his Phalanx but there's no way to be sure."

How loud the voice is changes as they get closer or farther away. They can use it to navigate, albeit very crudely. And now that it's clearer, it's far more recognizable: it's the voice of the Robotican in the horrible footage that played before they were taken -- the one that had his head knocked off.

"My name is N-45LEN/Keth Series. My organic crewmates call --" He pauses, and sounds distraught. "--called me Lenny. I was a crew member of the Silent Horizon. This entire dimension is called the In-Between. It's made up of the body of the Faceless and I'm currently trapped at its core. I can see you Legionnaires from here through...what appears to be some kind structure for processing what equates to ocular stimuli for the Faceless. If any of you get lost, I can see enough to guide you here."

If they need it, they'll find that he can give them individualized directions, no matter what the landscape does, and he can give them to multiple people simultaneously. Having a complex processor for a brain has its perks.

"My organic teammate and I managed to discover the core of the Faceless and its nature, but I'm currently incapacitated and Bob...he just lost it. He nearly destroyed what was left of me and ran off before we could stop the Faceless. I saw him eventually accept the Faceless' offer and turn. If you make it here where I am, you may be able to destroy the Faceless' body enough to kill him, save your teammates, and destroy this dimension once and for all."

A pause.

"And if you could maybe take me with you when you leave, uh, I would appreciate that. Like, a lot."

[ooc post here]

Comments

[goddamngrenades]

"He offered a rough description of your relationship with Felix. It was compelling enough for York to not only forgive your secrecy but intend to continue your association- and enough that I had no intention of dissuading him from the same." They'd seen what isolation could do to soldiers- what being left alone and not treated all that well could make a man do.

Better to offer some kind of grounding. Besides- it was mutually beneficial.

Was.

It may yet again be so.

[agnominal]

"...he did?"

That is news to him. He can't fathom why, why anything Washington could say would be to encourage York to continue associating with him, but there it is. Stated as matter-of-fact as you like by a little fragment of overly-logical AI.

It takes him off guard, for a moment.

[goddamngrenades]

"Agent Washington has seen first hand how soldiers that isolate themselves become a danger to those around them. He only explained what he knew when York came to him, confused with the incomplete picture you gave. If he truly wished your association to end? There are simpler ways of seeing it done." Perhaps it is a good time to attempt humor?

He gauges the moment and, well, as his example of when is and is not appropriate is York chooses to move forward.

"Bullets, as I understand, are quite final and more efficient than social manipulation."

[goddamngrenades]

"We thought we knew what we were getting into." He thought he knew what they were gonna find. They'd seen this horror movie before- some of them have lived it. But this?

None of them could've seen this coming. None of them could've prepared.

Its a wonder they all got out of there alive- and with the Roboticans.

"...Everyone made it out, right?"

[agnominal]

Gallows humor. Something any soldier could appreciate, and Locus makes a quiet noise of acknowledgment in turn. Yes. Yes, that's certainly true.

It's still far more than he expected. Though it matters little now.

"Washington understands correctly, then. I doubt he would question the course that should be taken, now."

No, that's not exactly true, is it? Washington had said he'd be happier if Locus stayed the Hell away from him and his friends, but he'd also said he and York's friendship might be beneficial to the two of them. Contrary. Confusing, to say the least.

Doesn't matter. Locus knows that York, Sombra, all of them, would be better off if he remained off-duty.

[goddamngrenades]

"Self termination is a waste of a second chance." Why not follow that line of logic to the worst possible outcome and describe how it's a terrible idea? That seems like the safest route. "Remaining inactive is, likewise, a waste. Do you still wish to atone for what you did on Chorus?"

Ignoring his opportunity to show he can be more is-

Well.

A waste and hardly logical.

[short_changed]

"As far as I know, yeah, we did. Some of us worse for the wear, though."

As he was no doubt keenly aware already. She gives him a small smile and his fingers a gentle squeeze.

"Grif and I ran Lenny back to safety."

[agnominal]

Does he?

He's seen the bodies on that side of the scale, watched them pile high. And that niggling voice in the back of his head, too familiar by now, insists that it's impossible. It would be one thing to die trying.

I hurt them. I hurt them and I chose to do it. I chose to follow the Faceless because I wanted this to end.

He doesn't answer. Just stares down at the ring again, which now feels heavier than ever.

[goddamngrenades]

Humans need time to think things over. How much depends on the person but- it is always too long to an AI unless they're privy to the decision making process. Locus lacks a neural implant and Delta-

Delta doesn't trust himself with such a position anytime soon.

"...this is where Taylor would offer to spar or to share a beverage of some sort and sit in companionable silence."

[agnominal]

"What about you?"

Because Delta is no longer part of that package deal, not for the time being. His choices are his own. What will he choose to do with that?

Freedom is a terrifying prospect.

[goddamngrenades]

"I find silence hardly companionable when I am isolated like this and am unable to spar with you as Taylor would." It makes thinking of what ought to be done next something of a challenge.

"Perhaps...I could program a variable obstacle course for you? A mutual challenge."

[goddamngrenades]

"Being big damn heroes, huh? He thinks you're called Montana. Threw me for a loop." Monty being dead and all. God. How long has it been since he's thought of them? It's just one more reason for him to squeeze her hand back emphatically and mutter, "Taylor. My- uh. My real name. I don't really wanna be called 'york' anymore."

Okay not gonna linger on that.

"You did good. Like. real good. Like should run your own squad good."

[short_changed]

Connie snorts, "Yeaaah. It's the first thing he called me when I got here."

It's easy enough to understand why he'd want to bury the past and everything Freelancer left them to carry. She dips her head in a quiet nod, "I got it."

And then she snorts again, this time with a shake of her head as she slips her hand out of his so she can lean her torso on the bed beside him, her chin perched on top of her crossed arms.

"Noooo, no. I'm. I'm not ready for that many lives in my hands." Not again, not so soon.

[goddamngrenades]

"Why not? You had like, fifty five, fifty six in your hands running Lenny back here, didn't you?" Ah, a stab at a pun. Easier to try and push everything down in the moment to encourage- well. Whatever the hell it is he's trying to encourage.

"I think you can handle running a group of six."

[short_changed]

Connie thumps her head flat on the mattress and for a few second there's no other sound coming out of her other than a looooong sigh.

"That. Was terrible, Tay. And- these guys aren't as throwable or catchable as a robot head. Which is surprisingly aerodynamic."

[i_got_this]

Well fuck. She wasn't expecting that, and as she's lifted up and as the pistol whip does fuck all, she starts to realize she's in a pretty dire situation. Using Locus' grip as leverage, she'll try to kick up into his chin to knock his head away, snarling at his counterpart on his back.

"Call me sweetcheeks again, I'm removing yours."

[agnominal]

It ought to be just the thing. Instead, he just feels a little heavier, shoulders sagging slightly. "...later, perhaps."

He's not supposed to be straining himself, with all the blood he's lost. And motivation is at an all-time low, even for something that might have intrigued him before. Though it does bear some consideration in silence for a moment or two.

"Can you create puzzles as well?"

Some repetitive task to occupy his mind might make the trip back a little easier.

[goddamngrenades]

"Of course." He doesn't quite sound offended, but- he's a tactical assistant AI that's worked for a clandestine military organization and York for the majority of his existence.

Can he create puzzles.

"Would you prefer connect the dots, sudoku, or something more kinetic?"

[goddamngrenades]

"That's when you get a big mofo like maine to do the throwing." He never thought he'd miss Maine after the grenade- and yet? Here he is. Missing him just a little.

[agnominal]

Yes. Something. Anything. Just--

Nothing against what may or may not be Delta's skill set, but he's still a little...absent from the moment. The question is more a formality than anything else, a request, but even here at the simplest of choices, he finds himself balking.

"Whatever you find suitable."

[goddamngrenades]

"...Washington mentioned this." Taylor is better at offering options and waiting for Locus to make up his mind without commenting on it. Delta? Has no such patience. "The choice is yours to make. I am in this unit instead of with my partner because I chose for Taylor rather than letting him do it himself."

[agnominal]

Alright. He resents that just a little, but he sees the point in it. At least no one will be harmed by such a decision. "What did you mean by 'kinetic'?" he finally ventures, though the edges of his mouth have tugged into a light frown.

[goddamngrenades]

"You have seen Taylor play with holographic projections to manipulate the shapes into some semblance of order." He would know, he was there. "Similar to a holographic rubik's cube. A puzzle you manipulate manually."

[short_changed]

"But then you need someone just as big- or a few people to do the catching. Just me and I'd get flattened."

Connie was definitely missing Maine when she was carrying York out.

"...Do we have anybody Maine's size that might be up for it though?"

[agnominal]

He's nowhere near York's skill, and he knows it. But it would give him something else to focus on, some way to occupy himself, and right now? That was all he needed.

So here he sits, sequestered away from the rest of the ship, doing puzzles York's traumatized AI concocted for him, just so he wouldn't snap and do something stupid. It's pathetic, he thinks, and it garners a little more anger. That serves as motivation, if nothing else.

"That will do."