malnosso | [Voice, Locked to Residents]

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[Voice, Locked to Residents]

[At approximately 4AM in the morning of the 25th, the journals will suddenly blare with the sound of an alarm, followed quickly by this message:]

Attention, Region Six. This is an emergency. The following occupants are required to report to the teleporters in one hour to act as a reserve force for an unscheduled battle located in Region Eleven, designation Vaskoth.

[A list of names is posted.]

Those who refuse will be forcibly dragged, and we take no responsibility for any injuries obtained should that happen. Anyone not summoned will not be accepted, either as additional forces or as replacements for someone else. Weaponry and equipment not native to this world is incompatible with the nature of your location, and will therefore not be permitted. Suitable replacements may be available to you at your destination. You will rendezvous with Specialist Davis upon arrival, and he will direct you from there.

I repeat, you have one hour. Don't waste your preparation time with pointless questions. Get moving.

[ooc: as stated, the commandant won't answer willy-nilly, so this post can be used for draft prep if you want! Also the full draft details a HERE, for anyone who missed it!]

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Good question.

[One he presently doesn't have a good answer for. He's never heard the journal make this kind of noise before. And it's making his head swim as he tries to focus on the page.

And then the Commandant's message begins. Which can only mean one thing. Suddenly, he's entirely alert.]

Draft. There's a draft.

[--Why had her journal been ringing, too?]

Oh god. [It bears repeating, and Pepper sits up, fumbling for the journal on her nightstand. She shuts off the message when it starts to play, the words bad enough without a badly timed echo. As the woman goes on, Pepper leans into Tony's side, gripping his arm tigher than she realizes.]

Are they sending you? [Pepper doesn't bother to hide her fear. The last draft Tony had gone on ended with his leg broken--and that's all she knows of. She doesn't want Tony out there again, even if these are so similar to the missions he goes on as Iron Man. Those are to save people; this is for a war none of them asked to be drawn into.]

[Her questions reaches him just as he's reading the list of draftees. He sees plenty of familiar names on there, some encouraging and others less so, and he can't say he's the least bit surprised when he reads his own name on that list. The Malnosso had this obnoxious habit of--

And that's when he reads her name. His body reflexively tenses as the name on the page burns into his sight.

Pepper Potts.

His lips fumble for a response.]

Not just me.

Oh no. Who else? [She doesn't think Tony would react the way he is if it were Steve or Clint's name he sees. Howard or Loki would each be bad in their own ways--and Pepper knows they've drafted children before. Anyone's name can be on that list. Anyone at all.

And knowing that fact doesn't do anything to keep her from being shocked when she sees her own.

She doesn't say anything. She can't, but the way the color drains from her face makes it clear that she's seen just what he meant.]

[He glances back at her, and seeing that look on her face makes his stomach turn in wretched ways. She'd been called to fight. They were going to make her go out there, and a hundred paralyzing thoughts throw themselves against the front of his mind. No. No. He couldn't let this happen. He wouldn't--

But they always took them. Every single one of them. They'd taken Yotsuba, they'd taken Elicia. They'd take Pepper, too.

He feels helpless, and there are few feelings he hates worse.

Tony swallows against a dry throat before reaching over to take her hand. But what can he say? His look says it all.]

[Pepper is still staring at the page when she feels Tony slip his hand into hers, breaking her out of her stunned preoccupation. She glances at him, her eyes still wide. She can hardly believe what's about to happen, but Tony's expression only confirms just how real it is.

Her lips move, but it's still a long moment before she manages to get anything out.]

Is there--what do they--um. What do they do for the. Well. Civilians, I guess?

[The non-combatants. The people who shouldn't be out there in the first place. The injustice of it all pricks at him anew.]

They usually help the medics. [He thinks of Elicia, exhausted and near tears bustling herself about the medical bay last time around. She'd been worn down, but...safe enough. Maybe it would be that way again. There'd be a far-removed base for Pepper to stay far away from the conflict and find something to keep her busy--

But they'd never been called into another enclosure before. God, things must be bad--but how bad? Dammit--why couldn't he fix this?]

There'll be something. [There had to be.]

[Something is good. Something is a comfort, and Pepper nods, considering it.] Alright. I'll get in touch with the medics. Maybe I can help there. [By putting the magic and the first aid she's learned to good use, and by being there to do what people need her to. It's all part of the something she's looking for, for her sake and Tony's both. If she's safe, or as safe as she can be under the circumstances, then Tony will be able to focus on his own battles without having to worry so much about her.

And he is worried. Pepper can already see it, and she tightens her hand in his.] They didn't give us long. We need to get ready.

[That's right. One hour. Not nearly enough time at all. But to be fair, there was no amount if time that would make this okay.]

Right. I'll just--

[Suit up.

Except something clicks then. Weaponry and equipment not native to this world--

Well, shit.]

I can't take my armor. It's disqualified. Apparently.

What?! [Even if the task is to get ready to go to a war ground, Pepper finds some sense of stability in it, until Tony announces that the Iron Man armor somehow is “doesn’t qualify” for this fight. She grabs his journal, pulling it closer so she can read over the message again.]

Are they really this stupid? How can they not let you bring your armor? It’s like--[The shock and horror she felt on reading her name is fueled into anger now, and she just barely stops herself from actually saying It’s like they’re trying to get us killed!

She still thinks it, however. A sickening thought that makes her gut twist, because who knows? Maybe that’s exactly what the Malnosso are after. But saying it out loud for Tony to hear will only add more weight to his shoulders. So Pepper presses her lips together in a tight line and tries to focus on the task from before.]

Okay. So what do we bring? What about basic supplies like clothing or food and water?

[It would be easy for him to be angry about it, too, and part of him certainly was. His armor was what had made him useful on every single draft before this--he'd been able to save lives, including his own. If he hadn't had his armor, that Dream Shifter would have done much worse than break his leg. He'd had more than enough close calls last time around. And now they were heading into a situation that would inevitably be more dangerous. More desperate. And he can't use the one thing--

No, he'd still make a difference. He'd have to. But--dammit.]

Clothes--probably good, um--[He rubs at his temple.] There's usually a base camp where there's food and water for draftees. But better safe than sorry, I suppose. Usually they give out a lot more information than this. A lot.

[Tony doesn't say anything more about not bringing his armor, and Pepper catches the clear gesture of stress as she turns toward him. Of course he's angry too, and so very worried. Tony's spent years improving his armor, trying to perfect it and never being satisfied with the results. He'd even gone so far as to use a present from her to try and come up with a better deployment system.

And now Iron Man has to be left in Luceti, while Tony Stark steps onto the battlefield.]

Tony. [She'll leave the bed soon to start packing things for them, but first she moves a hand to his cheek. Guiding his head so he looks at her, Pepper tries to push back everything she's feeling, all of the uncertainty and anger and fear, to offer him confidence.]

You will be able to help. They said they'd have replacements--and come on. You made the first armor in a cave with a bunch of scraps, right?

[She smiles then, or at least makes the attempt. It doesn't quite reach her eyes, but it's all she can do for him.]

[He meets her eyes without hesitation, because he needs to. Everything was so suddenly weighing down on him, and he needs that moment, he needs her touch and her reassurance. It keeps him focused. It keeps him grounded, and thinking in one unilateral line than in six different directions at once.

He meets her not-quite-smile with one of his own. They'd figure this out, because they'd have to. The alternative--he won't even think about. Because it won't happen. He's already made that decision.]

I suppose I could start things off right by pulling off another impossible feat, then. [He taps the arc reactor.] I'm not about to let this go to waste.

[And a deep breath.] We'll be okay.

You always do know how to make an entrance. [A trait which usually has Pepper pressing a hand to her forehead behind the scenes, but one that's entirely Tony. She brushes her thumb over his skin, glad to see him at least trying to grin.

And it's better to hear him say they'll be okay. Both of them.]

Yeah. We will be. [And for a moment, at least, Pepper can believe it. She kisses Tony but doesn't linger, because unfortunately they don't have time.]

I'll start packing. Maybe you could make coffee for us? Since we're obviously not going back to sleep.

[That's right. They can't linger. Because there's only an hour, or else they'd get droid-dragged.

God, things must be bad if this is how they're proceeding. It doesn't sit well with him at all, but he doesn't mention it. He doesn't need to make her worry more than she already is.

So he nods.]

Right. Better be bright and perky for whatever's waiting for us.

[Said with the barest traces of his usual humor. He gets off the bed and makes for the kitchen.]

I'd settle for awake and alert. [Although she appreciates that show of humor, however small. Pepper waits until Tony goes before she gets out of bed, and starts packing bags for them both. It's both horribly similar and different from doing this back home, when they have some business trip, and she's not sure which aspect she finds more disturbing.

Regardless, it doesn't take her long. Pepper brings the bags into the kitchen, setting them on the counter before she turns to the cabinets.]

How many days will this last, do you think? [Pepper doubts she can pack enough for the entire trip, considering that they can't be burdened with too much weight. But she doesn't want to pack too little, either.]

[There's a cup of coffee waiting for her on the counter next to his own. He hadn't started to drink it without her. Maybe it was a small thing. But small things seemed important just then.]

Five days. Like clockwork. [That's how every single one he'd been on had gone. Five days after at least some time to prepare. It'd never been sprung on them so suddenly before. He picks up his mug then. He's going to need the caffeine, and the sugar.]

[Pepper wraps her hands around the mug, glad for its warmth even before she takes a drink. Small things really were important, and tasting her coffee exactly the way she likes it is easily the best thing that's happened that morning.] Thank you, Tony. This is perfect.

[Hearing that the draft will last the better part of a week is decidedly less welcome news.] Okay. It'll be a moot point if they provide basic necessities, but I'll still throw what I can into our bags.

[Just to be safe. Pepper would rather they each have something to survive on, especially Tony, who so often pushed himself far beyond his limits.]

[He says nothing in response to her thanks, but the ghost of something like 'you're welcome' edges around his eyes as he takes a generous sip of coffee.]

The less we have to count on the Malnosso, the better. [Bastards. Damn bastards. It's one more striking reminder why getting the machine done was so important. Things like this happened. All too often.]

I agree, but if they have supplies for people to use, I'd still take advantage of them. That way we'll have something to rely on if that changes.

[And it isn't easy trying to figure out just what to pack. Water is simple enough, but food is much harder when they might not have anything hot to cook with or cold to store things in. Even some of Tony's typical fallbacks won't work under those conditions.

Although there are poptarts--along with granola bars, canned goods, and fruit. Pepper pulls the options out, setting them onto the counter for Tony's appraisal since he has more experience with this, intermittently taking drinks of coffee as she works.]

[He immediately sets the poptarts aside to be packed.

What?]

An easily stored source of energy. Great thinking, Pep. [The granola bars get set aside, too. Things that were packaged and easy to get at quick--that's what he was thinking.]

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