malnosso | [Locked To Residents Only]

War.

Nobody likes it. Unless you're the guy selling weapons. As a matter of fact, we have some people like that listening right now. Hell, I was one of them myself. Good business practice, that. People never want to stop killing each other. Well, gentlemen, this world is no exception. Now I'm no fighter myself, but right now I'm one of the few people with the security clearance to contact you folks. So here I am. CJ, head of the MARS division, to call out your names for the draft to come. Now let me just get this list. One second now.

[He clears his throat and starts listing off the names for the people drafted, alphabetically by first name. This will take him awhile. So bear with him. By the time he's done, his voice is raspier than usual. There's a lengthy pause after this before he continues.]

There. That's everyone. If you didn't hear your name, then lucky you. You get to stay and avoid the upcoming battle. But for the those of you who were called out, it's time to serve your organization. Save the world. Protect the innocent. Kill the bastards who tried to kill me last week. But it's not all doom and gloom, kids. Think of this as a special opportunity. Why? Because to save the world, you won't be on this world. That's right, you're going to space. Space. For those of you who don't know what that is, it's the big black thing just above the sky. Filled with planets, the moon, and the sun. It's big. Very big. And you're about to experience it yourself.

The Commandant can't be here to deliver the news, seeing as how she's preparing for the battle herself. There was talk of doing one of those automated messages, but I told them to hell with that. I prefer the personal approach. So let me give you the details. I've attached some information here you'll find useful. Be sure to read it thoroughly before you go out there. The last thing we need is for one of you nutjobs to go out an airlock without the appropriate equipment. Trust me, you don't want to do it. There's no air out there. And without air, no one can hear you screaming and gagging. Which in my opinion, is probably a good thing. Never was a fan of hearing cries for help. Downright unsettling.

Now hold on a second while I attach a few things.

[First there's a map of the moon base. Then a map of the moon. Then there's technical details for The Liberator, the Tyr-Fighters, the space suits, weapons, and anything else that would be relevant.]

There you go. More information than you could ever want, free of charge. Now you're probably asking yourself, "How the hell do a bunch of helmet-wearing savages get their asses in space?" Good question. I have no idea. A couple of days ago they were spotted carving up a bunch of mountains. Then started taking those pieces in the sky. We figured it was an aerial assault, but before we knew it, the bastards were going into space. Without the decency of proper space equipment. The Security Forces have been trying to pick them off, but that was just the first wave. Seems like the second waves gonna be a doozie. So that's where you all come in. You're the reinforcements. All of you. In every single enclosure out there. Except you guys. You know who you are.

That means you'll be fighting with our own Security Forces. You lot will be on The Liberator, captained by Specialist Davis. Some of you may already know him already. Now you might be thinking this is a good opportunity to pick a fight and settle some scores. Well don't. You'll be outnumbered out there. If you want to get back to your cozy beds in one piece, you'll need to cooperate. Teamwork. Think of it as a good bonding experience. And a chance to make yourselves not look like a bunch of raving lunatics too dangerous to let loose. That about wraps up this briefing. Prepare to move out at 9AM, two days from now. Sarah, you can cut the feed now. Sarah? Dammit, I'll do it myself.

[Click.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I know. [She knows he'll want to help. But these drafts... she has nightmares for weeks afterwards. The things she's done...

Katara sobers.] And that's what you have to remember when we're out there. We're not fighting for them. We're fighting to keep the people that we're with safe. We can't control where we are, but I refuse to let anything happen to you - to any of us - when I have the ability to stop it.

Me too. Toph did say that they couldn't make us... do things. ["Kill the bastards."] And I never want to help them. I just want to make sure we all get back safe. I just... don't know what will happen out there.

Sokka will be up there.

[If he's all right. He has to be all right.]

We'll work out a plan. But, Aang...

[She trailed off, not sure how to bring this up.]

Edited 2012-06-20 00:41 (UTC)

[Mentioning Sokka brings up mixed feelings. He wants to see him again, but going straight to a draft is the worst way to be reunited, especially when Aang was trying to make sure he'd have as warm a welcome as possible. For now, he focuses on Katara, waiting for the end of that sentence.]

Edited 2012-06-20 00:52 (UTC)

[Her stomach twists up in knots and she fights the urge to look down.]

I've fought these people before - many times - the Cultists. They're not - they won't allow themselves to be restrained. They'll fight to be free, even if it means injuring themselves or others. And I've never seen such...

[Her hand goes slack in his and she does look down now.]

...hatred in anyone's eyes. They won't let themselves be stopped. They'll get back up again, and they'll hurt us.

[Large gaps begin appearing in his breath. He remembers how distant Sokka looked when mentioning the drafts and how Masaomi openly discussed killing on his murder bed. His eyes widen in fear, and he tries to tighten his hold on Katra's hand. He has to make himself gasp out a sentence.]

What do you mean, Katara?

[The strangled sound of his question hurt her.

But it also emboldened her to look up. Because if he was going to reject her for this, he was going to look into her eyes to do it. And if she was that horribly changed by this, she wanted to know. She was who she was. And she knew why she did it, and she hated having to do it, but she did make the choice.]

I mean that you're going to see a lot that you're not going to like. And sometimes it will be me or Sokka doing it.

[That confirms it for him, with an immense dread that overwhelms him. He tries not to remember back home, how proud he was when Katara chose to spare her mother's killer. Aang's hand loosens and starts to slip away, and his eyes start to water. He feels a panic building up within him. It was one thing to consider it of Sokka or Masaomi... but so different for Katara. Even if she was the one who nodded at Zuko's promise.]

[But the whole time... he keeps his eyes trained on hers. After all, those are the same eyes. The same eyes he saw when he woke up from the iceberg. That's still Katara. Still a human being whom he loved, who had to feel at least as tormented about what she did than he had. Underneath these layers of problems Luceti had laid upon her... Katara was still Katara. Aang remembered his own words.

Forgiveness is the first step you have to take to begin healing.

He immediately lunges forward to wrap her in a hug.

Katara.

[Oh - oh, Aang.]

[She wishes that she could explain. She wishes that there was a way to make things all right.

But there isn't.

She made her choice.

And she'll never get that part of herself back again.

But she was still herself, and he saw that.

And she was so grateful, so relieved.

She sobbed, one ragged breath, and held on to him tightly.]

[For now, he held on tightly. She still felt the same, too. And he mutters weakly.]

Why are they doing this to us? Why can't they just leave us alone?

They just don't care about us, Aang. [She murmured in return.] They just don't care.

[And she slowly withdrew from the hug, just enough to stay close and keep her hands on his shoulders.]

But that's where we're stronger than they are, because we care about each other. And as long as we hold on to that, to who we are and to caring about the people who are precious to us and who need us, then they won't win.

[And he keeps his own on hers. he feels like she said something like this before after he recovered from being Robin, but no words could be more refreshing at this time than those. He pauses for a moment before he speaks]

It's so hard to stand all of this, whenever I remember how happy we were back home. But... remembering it also helps me to know that we'll be there again someday. [On Appa's back, in each other's arms. For just a second, he hates Sokka for wanting to stay here.] And until then... I won't let anything... Nothing those monsters do to you or drive you to do... can make me lost faith in you, Katara. I can't ever stop being there for you. [Or I really will be lost.]

[Her heart is just so full right now - hurt and helplessness and awed delight at his trust - and she knows she can count on him to be there for her, not only to support her, but also to speak with her when he feels like she's wrong. Because that's who Aang is.

Happy and relieved tears cause her eyes to swim - even though she knows that's not a promise that's in his power to keep. He can't control how long he'll be here any more than she can. But it means that for while they're here...

She moved forward to hug him again.]

Thank you, Aang.

[Thank you for trusting me. Thank you for finding me, even in all this.]

[He seamlessly flows back into the hug, with a tight grip. Aang had learned before that the promises he mad here were so easily proven false. But he didn't want to believe that anymore. He was determined to break the rules. To keep his promise this time. And to hold onto Katara for as long as he could.]

Anytime, Katara.

[Locked To Residents Only]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ] [1/2]

[ action ]

[ action ] 1/2

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]