Azura Initiative - Attack at CTAC!
12 May 2022Tyy'sun Eson
(This RP Occurred at the Chilton Terminal discord for CTAC (Chilton Terminal Agricultural Collective) A lot of Rory's activation and tracking through the station is unseen, and this log is from Eson's perspective. Ill link to Rory's log when its up)(Azura Initiative Discord Link)
(Sean Warren and Lily played by Lily Flemmon
(Rory and Mal played by Aurora Bael)
(Tyy'sun Eson and Daryn McNoble played by Tyy'sun)
It has been a long few days for Tyy’sun Eson who has impatiently endured the constant jump of the Ace Of Spades fleet carrier to Osismii in the Sol Bubble. ‘The Sol Bubble’. It is how Eson thinks of it now, needing to qualify the very womb of humanity. That is how long he has been in the core and how complete his focus on colonization has become. Pamantesc is doing very well with a full settlement in place along with the research facility at Southridge and orbital support from Starpiercer Atmospherics, but the complete picture of exactly how a generations-long terraforming process is to kick off has been the subject of much debate and design. A company from Colonia made a bid last week that would require the complete evacuation of all colonists for the sake of hurling oxygen and water laden asteroids from the outer system at Pamantesc - a most destructive, disruptive and cheap solution to the problem of atmospheric composition. It is not an option Tyy’sun or the colonists were hoping to hear. So it is with some determination that Tyy’sun and his team research alternative methods of terraforming while on route through space. There are of course the great atmospheric processor machines that were brought on board Demuynck Memorial and would likely be used for a hundred years, but it was not enough. As the carrier finally made port in Osismii Tyy’sun rallied his crew and called for immediate departure.
There is a lot of business to be done while in the Sol Bubble, including the acquisition of a new fleet carrier for Eson Industries, but for now Tyy’sun is content to blast off from the tarmac of Ace of Spades and set course for 21 Draco, Chilton Terminal. Leaving a datapad on his desk in his quarters displaying an article about the agricultural breakthroughs of an engineer named ‘Domino Green’ the director of Azura Initiative does just that. “Daiana.” Eson quips into his mic while at the helm to one of his regular crew members, “Do you think you could get me an appointment with CTAC in the next 20 minutes without seeming rude or desperate?” whatever the unheard reply is over his earpiece makes Eson chuckle, “Ok then if I have to choose one or the other don’t seem desperate.” Things can get more expensive either way, but in Eson’s experience desperation brings the bigger premium. Besides, there is no guarantee that CTAC will be capable of or interested in what Eson is hoping for.
Daiana Tyson sends a priority ping to Chilton Terminal to the attention of CTAC and requests a business appointment or consultation for Eson. She leans into his past accolades as a former Alliance agriculture drone programmer-turned-explorer scientist, and new accolades as the director of a settlement bubble and as an Empyrean Straights colonial. She aims high for Director Sean Warren, seeing his name listed in a database, but will accept any executive on such short notice. ‘No’ tends not to be in her vocabulary.
---
//INCOMING CALL: Sean Warren >>> Daiana Tyson
-Hey, Daiana, right? I got your message, and to start off, you’re not the first person to confuse my position with that of an executive- I actually provide direction as a service to members of the cooperative here, but it’s… well, I don’t have that always-busy air of importance. So you can tell Tyy’sun Eson to meet me at the ring hub tram station, I’ll go wait for him there.
---
//INCOMING CALL: Daiana Tyson >>> Sean Warren
-Right.. a collective. Gosh that's a breath of fresh air after all these Tribunal this Tribunal that types. But don't tell Eson I said that. Tram station? Got it. Thanks for making this easy, Mr. Warren. Our ETA is 30 minutes.
---
“Sounds good- wait, thirty minutes? Should I bring a snack?”
“To share, of course.”
“Oh, and not collective, we’re a cooperative. technically anarchy, but that makes people think of predatory anarchy rather than cooperative.”
---
"Actually, other than the Tribunal that's pretty much what its like in Azura space, and even the Tribunal is more of a neighborhood association than a government. But don't tell Eson I said that. Snacks? Sure!"
The comms call ends and Tyy'sun soon receives a message in his earpiece. The Director of CTAC is meeting us personally at the tram station with food in 30 minutes? Uncertain whether to be impressed with Daiana or CTAC, Eson hopes somewhere in the back of his mind that she didn't threaten them. He juices the throttle a bit to make better time and settles in for the trip, looking forward to the discussions ahead.
---
Director Warren arrived in the tramways with a couple bags of pizza beans, some bottled fruit juices, and a sampler of Neutron Nachos.
---
At the allotted time Tyy'sun Eson and a very small entourage of team members step off a tram car and into the station lobby. To his right and left are his main crew Daiana Tyson and Zahara Clayton. Another man in a wide brimmed helmet and plainsman garb walks from behind. Tyy'sun wears a red and black diplomat's jacket emblazoned with a small blue Azura Initiative logo on his label. The four of them look around curiously but only Daiana has the hunger and the sense to keep an eye out for a friendly gentlemen wielding snacks. It is likely not long before she lock's eyes with Director Warren.
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“Looks like I didn’t bring enough snacks. I’m Director Sean Warren, voluntold figurehead of the wonderful people that make up CTAC. And I’m assuming one of you is Tyy’sun Eson- do you have a more casual name or nickname I can call you?”
Sean is a relatively old man in good shape- a wise person who never felt a need to stop being a child in many ways.
---
Tyy'sun slides forward with a smile and an extended hand, some wrinkles betraying his age around the mouth and eye as he goes. A pair of black wire frames adorns his face, a strange retro fashion choice given the technology of the era but likely packed with a few modern features. "Please, call me Tyy'sun or Tyy." He says in friendly tones. His handshake is firm and even and he makes direct eye contact. "I must thank you for agreeing to meet with me on such short notice, I only just returned to Osismii from the Core and I am on a tight schedule, Sean." Eson notices the bags of pizza beans and nachos. "This was not necessary.." He proceeds to introduce his crew, including Daiana, and ends with the wide brimmed fellow whom he explains is, "Daryn McNoble our lead researcher on Pamantesc colony."
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“In a hurry?”
Sean raises an eyebrow slightly. “This doesn’t seem like a usual hurried thing. But either way, I have a tram car reserved for us.”
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"Not for any interesting or urgent reason other than on the very few occasions I make it back to the bubble I have a chaotic schedule of scrambling to find things people wished they had while in the core including myself." he smiles, "So I was gratified there would not be the usual wait times and we could see you right away, but now that we are here there is no rush at all, Director. I've read a little about your facility here and what the cooperative was able to do here at Chilton, and its nanotech and microbiome systems from Domino Green and it got me thinking that I have a problem you just might be able to solve." Eson and his team move along with Warren politely but Daiana is the one to reach out and take some snacks first.
---
“Well, we’ve certainly come a long way since our breakthrough was given to us by Domino three years ago… a very long way, actually.” He steps into a tram car and holds the door for them. The car is decently large, with a capacity of 15 people comfortably, 25 or so if it’s packed.
---
Eson pauses at the entrance to the tram car, "Daiana if you and Zahara want to take some time off on Chilton while Dr. McNoble and I accompany Director Warren to CTAC that would be just fine." he says.
To this Zahara nods her accord, but Daiana seems hesitant. She is older than Zahara, more Eson's age and there is a military edge to her despite her casual antics. "Na that's ok." she decides.
"This worry again?" Eson asks after noticing her trepidation. "Its produce, Daiana." she then laughs and nods, relenting the point. She has been like this since the 'incident' with the agent from Stellar Cartographer's Guild. Protective.
With that settled only Tyy'sun and the wide brimmed Daryn enter the tram car with Sean.
---
As the tram begins moving, Sean turns to Tyy.
“So, what is the Azura Initiative, exactly?”
---
Eson is quick to answer, grabbing hold of a stabilizer bar nearby as the tram accelerates in tandem with his explanation in a slightly federal accent, "Colonists mostly, eccentric carrier captains secondly and thirdly scientists and explorers.. and a whole lot of tritium. The dream is to build a bubble in the core where anyone can start a new life away from the rigors of our womb and it's ancient traditions and we've had some significant success. A cooperative, if you will." Eson smiles at that, "A bubble all our own."
Tyy'sun nods to the wide brimmed Daryn McNoble who nods back and turns toward Sean to say in a far more gruff and growly voice than Tyy's, "I have put all my passion into Pamantesc and will live the rest of my days there establishing the first in a long line of generations of terraformers, not because it is the best work in my science field. My children's children will one day enjoy the full potential such a world will bring them, with noone to question them, control them or stake a claim to their lands they will be truly free."
---
Sean smiles at the beauty of the concept. “You know, the initial reason we reached out to Colonia was because of cultural and political parallels drawn between Colonia and CTAC. The difference has become more apparent since then, though- we see ourselves much as a part of the rest of the Bubble. An oasis of peace, if you will. But the value of what we can give to support the Azura Initiative, and the potential of expanding to an entire planet sometime in the future… I think many of our members would be interested in a partnership. The downside would be that CTAC would become a connection between our bubble and yours.”
---
Eson appreciates the reception to the general idea of Azura and nods along with the Director's words before alighting on the man's point. "The first generation is always connected to the old world in some way." he notes, "Azura initiative is a patchwork of technology and culture and desperation from the bubble today.. tomorrow it will be a pristine reservoir of independence. CTAC and it's technologies would not taint Pamantesc any more than I do, if that is your concern. Quite the contrary, it is our children who will have the chance to grow unfettered, even the fetters we must bring with us."
Eson pauses a moment, as though considering something he had not considered before. It then seems to pass and Tyy'sun continues, "Thats a fair point though.." he notes while looking distractedly out the tram window if one is available, or just his boots if not.
---
(There is no tram window, but there is a light system indicating the speed and relative direction of the tram.)
"I'm mostly considering the slight discrepancy in values between CTAC and the Azura initiative. While we now have two Commanders in our membership, one of them only recently joined. But the other, Lily, was an integral part of our first technological breakthrough, in fact, she's the reason Domino Green gave us those initial technologies to deploy and develop. Lily has a saying that has become popular here, that I've heard used to describe the balance between serenity and responsibility, among other things... The final frontier isn't space, it's coming back home. At CTAC, we fully acknowledge our responsibility to the rest of humanity, and that saying acknowledges that it's irresponsible to run away from personal and communal problems forever, and that taking time for yourself, even long periods, is perfectly fine, as long as you do it to prepare to pick up what you left behind."
"In the case of the Azura Initiative... that period of reprieve may be generations long, but I hope you acknowledge that by dedication the rest of your life to this colony, you are placing a generational burden on your descendants. And if CTAC joins you, that responsibility will continue to be recognized."
The tram rotates on its path and begins slowing as it travels, and gravity in the tram reaches 1.15G.
---
Eson isn't sure he likes what he is hearing as much, but determines that it is important to understand the Director if there is indeed to be a future between the entities, and so he leans in towards Sean and opens his mind to the possibility of this burden as the man explains. He thinks back to his childhood life on Olgrea programming agtech. Was his family running away from a responsibility when they emigrated from Federal space to the Alliance for economic opportunity? Had he inherited a burden from them? Yes, the burden of mixing fertilizer. Eson smiles in his private thoughts. They were deep questions that highlighted the differences between Tyy'sun Eson's paradigm and that of Sean Warren's but the Director of Azura Initiative is not yet convinced that it is a bad thing. In reply he only offers a thoughtful nod while the tram begins it's deceleration and halts. Tyy'sun grips his handhold both at the prospect of gravity and of bombarding Pamantesc with asteroids which is what this trip ultimately hopes to avoid. His stomach choses now to growl with hunger. He had rushed away from Ace of Spades and into the pilot's chair for Chilton without so much as a muffin or rack time. As the tram stop Eson waits for Dr. McNoble before stepping off.
---
The Director, Sean Warren, hops out of the tram and breathes deeply, inhaling the pleasant, natural, and calming scent of the garden's plants and the atmosphere of Ring 1. He walks briskly over to a bush growing strip-like "jerkyfruit" and picks one of the fruits before walking back to Eson. "Hungry?"
---
Eson is no stranger to agricultural rings and hydroponics bays from his history and the sights and smells never cease to please and amaze him. Life in air conditioned stations or on board starships sensitizes one to thriving life and lush fresh food. But there is something even sweeter about the showcase garden. Either it's the technology and know-how under girding the agricultural displays or it is Eson's growling stomach. He can no longer resist the offers of food and accepts the 'jerkyfruit' happily, "Foolishly so.. it's been a day" he admits.
---
Sean chuckles. “it happens to the best of us. Even me, and my office is only 50 meters away.”
The jerky fruit has the consistency of a soft jerky, and is rich in protein that forms its stringy, tough texture- however, it tastes much like an apple, and overall has similarities with fruit leather and jerky.
“This is a jerky fruit, developed specifically as a lightweight ration or a snack for people on the go. As long as you have a way to stay hydrated, it does its job pretty well.”
---
"One could get used to working and living here." Eson notes with approval at the atmosphere of the place before sinking into the jerkyfruit. He includes the jerkyfruit experience in the calculus on hindsight and hands some to McNoble who has drawn back the faceplate of his helmet to allow himself to eat. They both walk along with Director Warren politely taking in the sights, sounds and aromas. Daryn McNoble finally chimes in with a relevant question once he is finished with his jerky, "Wonderful snack, sir. I wonder if you've done any development or studies on Prasinum Sinuous Tubers or their variants?" the question is both conversational and pointed given the legacy biology growing on Pamantesc naturally.
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“No crop or food research on that yet, but that was one of the plants that some of our more deep-diving researchers used as a reference designing airtight hulled plants… afraid I can’t give much context due to classification. Why do you ask?”
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Dr. McNoble continues to take point in the discussion as Eson finishes off his second jerkyfruit, "that is the legacy life bio present on Pamantesc, along with the geographic activity we would ideally like to preserve and utilize both natural features in the terraforming process if possible. It would be a shame to lose the tubers. We had success in processing some of the tuber organics into nutritious supplements and other creative dishes, but we all far prefer the orbital cuisine that occasionally airships to us from Starpiercer."
He adds, "the tubers seem to thrive in light atmospheres giving us some hope for them as the atmosphere is increased and changed. But wouldn't it be splendid if tuber crops could be engineered to increase atmospheric processing? Or any customized crop for that matter." It becomes evident the sort of ideas Eson and McNoble have about what CTAC might be able to do for them.
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"It's possible, although the necessary gas atoms would have to come from somewhere. Is there enough oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen content in the crust, or will you have to get it from somewhere else?
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Eson clears his throat of some jerky and answers that one, "if there its locked away pretty tight. One company insisted the only viable source would be from the outer rim asteroids. Not a good option given we've already founded a settlement."
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Sean thought about options for a bit. He's known for wild ideas, and pelting a planet with asteroids to form an atmosphere is certainly wild. "Does the planet have a moon? If the asteroids would release gases, it could be possible to do that whole pelting thing on another body. And even if the other body isn't close enough for the colony world to gravitationally pull off the gases... I haven't worked out the numbers, but a large atmosphere extraction craft, perhaps similar to a dredger megaship, may be able to transport enough to form an atmosphere on your colony world."
---
Eson is impressed. That was a solution noone has proposed or thought of, but is right under their nose. "Novel thinking, Sean. That does resolve quite a few objections, actually. But there are gasses in some abundance on Pamantesc already. We were hoping it would be possible to engineer a crop capable of converting gasses the way plant life does on Earth between oxygen and carbon dioxide. " he reaches into his diplomats jacket and produces a data pad which he hands to Director Warren. Pamantesc Datapad
---
“Looking at the very low atmospheric pressure, that amount of carbon dioxide is about the relative density you’ll need. What you’ll need to catalyze out is the sulfur. And I think atmospheric processing flora are doable for that. Refinery enzymes for sulfur dioxide already exist… to put that enzyme into the genome of the existing plant life would be trivial. A specially designed viral mutagen should do the trick. But you’re going to need more oxygen and nitrogen. Lots more.”
“But the formation of permanent ties back to the Bubble will be inevitable if CTAC members travel to live in Azura space and provide aid. But you have a solid chance here to do what the Colonia Council did, but upholding a strict protocol of avoiding corporate influence… and then it wouldn’t just be for your children’s children, it’d be for all of humanity’s descendants. A lofty goal to pursue…”
---
As Eson listens to Sean Warren he begins to smile. If this man can glance at the datasheet for Pamantesc and rattle off this kind of rationale from the hip, imagine if he and CTAC decided to really break a sweat on the thing. Whats more to Eson is that Sean Warren seems to have an even deeper appreciation for the underlying motives of this colony than Dr. McNoble or Tyy'sun himself. "I have a feeling we've come to the right place." he says with a new measure of confidence. "As for ties to the bubble, I'll be honest, you make a few stinging observations and I like that. Perhaps we could have some form of protocol to mitigate what you have rightfully pointed out is counter to our ultimate ends. I think if the technology is within your mastery, CTAC are the kind of people who will help us achieve the terraforming process with our ultimate ends as in-tact as possible." He then looks to Daryn with a wink and an assuring, "and our settlement too."
---
"And this gives CTAC an opportunity to expand... Profoundly. Remember, you'll still need a dredger... You know, you'll need to collect water, so I bet that dredger will offset its cost pretty quickly by providing tritium."
---
Eson is instantly engaged, drawing closer and focusing entirely on the conversation, realizing that something serious may be growing if CTAC finds expansion to a core region attractive. He can see he is on formerly paved ground with Sean Warren in regards to Colonia and he intends to understand what went wrong in that previous relationship so as not to make similar mistakes where possible. Daryn McNoble likewise focuses deeply on the discussion at hand. Eson and the wide brimmed colonial even stop walking along with Warren, halting their progress through the gardens to form a polite conversive trio. "We do have a partnership with Starpiercer Atmospherics and their CEO Charles who has proven to be most supportive of the project, providing orbital support as well as timely delivery of equipment and supplies. I wouldn't be surprised if the three of us could find a dredger, assuming everything works out in the design and simulation phases of course." And that other phase Eson diplomatically avoids mentioning at this time: Negotiation.
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“Well, it sounds like this will be mutually beneficial, and our more unique technologies can continue to be developed here-“
Sean cuts off and pulls out his comms pad, which is showing an urgent notification. "Speaking of which, you might get a demonstration of those more advanced technologies in a bit here. Any reason someone might put a price on your head? No need to tell me, I'm just curious."
Several of the gardeners get similar notifications, and one runs to each of the two large trees with thick trunks that are in the garden. Sean notices this and smiles. "Ah, flawless."
---
Focus gives way to confusion in Eson as Sean Warren is interrupted and then asks such an out of place and unexpected question. Confusion then gives way to concern and Tyy'sun is the one who suddenly feels out of place. He locks eyes with Daryn for a moment to affirm silently between them that yes they heard Sean correctly and yes it's weird. Any movement of gardeners to the trees go completely unnoticed by Tyy, despite any attention Sean is giving them. Not entirely certain if Sean and CTAC are a threat or if something related to the clandestine friend of CMDR Rixses has happened back home, when Tyy'sun does eventually answer it is into a communications device to his only real security, "Daiana, come in.." With a confused expression on his face he then locks gaze with Sean Warren in something of a waiting pattern, either for an explanation, or an attack, or something.. Regardless of his rising tension, he attempts to keep as relaxed a demeanor as possible in case the Director had simply made a strange joke..
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"Yeah, we're on a yellow alert. I'm not particularly worried, though. See those trees?"
He motions to the two thick-trunked trees.
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Tyy'sun and Daryn both look on queue to the trees. Perhaps even a bit daftly.
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"Those are not just trees... they're biomechanical mechsuits. They are technically living organisms, fully synthetic, with a unique genetic system- instead of three nucleotides per amino acid, they use five, allowing for sixteen times the variety of monomers. We have a program we call the Garden Guardian program, where these trees are used for community defense- right now, a yellow alert is in effect, and with over two-thirds the membership trained to operate those trees, almost every tree has an operator in it by now. They can connect to prehensile root systems in some areas, including this garden."
---
Eson does not pretend to understand, and he is an amateur exobiologist. He can conjure an image of a mechsuit, those are the human tanks in the various militaries. He knows what a tree is.. but if CTAC can make a mechsuit from a tree, well. He entertains the notion that all of what Warren has said up until now has just been stories and actually the CEO of CTAC is simply mad and will say anything at this point to impress Eson. "You what?" he asks without hiding any incredulity, watching the trees with fascination. His concern, and that of Daryn have faded dramatically from just a moment before.
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"It's... not well known. In the early development of our biomechanical technologies, there were many comparisons to Thargoid technology, due to these machines being made of living tissue."
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The comparison to Thargoid tech's organic nature does bridge Eson's gap and he sees the possibilities while nodding his head along with Sean Warren's words. "Fascinating, Sean. And they even work I'll wager." the comment from Eson is not sarcasm, it is a simple inference from the pattern of CTAC's abilities thus far. Of course they work. Eson realizes that Daiana has not responded to him and decides not to read into it too much, instead glancing to an equally interested Daryn McNoble while they talk to the Director.
---
100 meters is not far. A speck in an ocean. A grain of sand in a vast planetary desert. A microbe in the gut biome of an eldritch god. But in 100 meters everything can change. The Agent stoops to fasten her boot, quietly palming the knife as she does. Standing, hands in pockets. Eyes cast down. Just three of them by the show garden. No evident defenses, but the two of them are wearing guns. Her breath catches for just a second before her resolve solidifies. 50 meters is not far...
Malcom does not have an exosuit backpack or a Human-Machine-Interface HUD. Malcom has a low-laser pistol with its yield set perfectly to put a cigarette burn in a 2x4 at 100 paces. Or at least get the attention of a mad cyborg killer. Really, it's a multipurpose device. He draws it and holds it in front of him, low ready, spotless trigger discipline as he sprints down the walkway toward the place where he hopes he'll beat the confrontation. Spying Warren high on the curve of the station in front of him, he raises an empty hand and starts waving it wildly, hoping to get his attention.
---
Sean: "They don't leave the second ring if they don't. Usually not even the labs they're developed in. This is no standard layout starport, we've been able to afford continuous refitting work. Enough that the Brewer Corporation has a full-time courier stationed here."
GGT NOTIFICATION SYSTEM
"Commander Lily to all active GGTs, listen up. Active situation- Commander Aurora Bael is a sleeper agent of some sort and just got activated with orders targeting Tyy'sun Eson, our diplomatic guest. Sounds like he's with Director Warren in the showcase garden. Everyone elsewhere, stay on yellow alert. Showcase garden, go to red, non-lethal force only, and that's strict. The ideal outcome here is for Aurora Bael to be snapped back to her usual self without any injury to her or anyone else. So just detain her once you have reason to. You're not vigilantes, you're community protectors, and she's still a valuable part of our community. Her best friend and I are on our way there, ETA of a few minutes tops. So, to summarize, don't strike first, don't even be seen moving until she swings. And detain her unharmed and hold her until I get there if possible."
Lily: "He knows, Mal. He's the director and security got a full briefing- I hope you caught some of it as I transmitted sitting right next to you?
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Mal: "Snark later! Move now!"
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Lily: "Lead the way, I don't want to outpace you. Rory is probably somewhere between us and them."
---
The Agent hears the rush of footsteps approaching behind. Her window is rapidly closing. Whatever defenses the director alluded to are nearby. Act or be acted upon. Her eyes glow dim crimson and her nose scrunches up higher on her face as she throws herself forward, out of the crowd and into the last seconds she has to her name.
Her shoulder bounces off of Director Warren, hoping to send him off his balance and maybe his feet.
Her knife in her left hand slams neatly into Tyy'sun Eson's knee and twists, hopefully ruining the tendons that allow it to work. In the same motion she turns, lays her right hand on Eson's pistol and pulls it free.
Two shots ring out, aiming to hit the fellow with the wide brimmed hat in the thigh and make him think twice about pulling steel. A second thought is all she'll need.
Finally, the spin completes with an arm around Eson's neck and his own pistol pressed to his temple as she turns to face whatever feet were following her.
"ONE MORE STEP AND I'M PAINTING THE DINER WITH HIS FUCKING BRAIN. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?" She's already backing away, trying to find a wall. Trying to keep her hostage between herself and anyone who would stop her. Eyes still glowing. Heart pounding. The sound of gunfire still ringing in her ears. He had to die, yes. But she had to live. And maybe - just maybe - both of those things were still possible
---
As the action happens around him Tyy’sun’s brain does not at first register it. He understands in some way that someone has burst past Director Warren instinctively, sees it in fact. He feels her tumble into him, feels a thud against his leg and knee. But the reality, the pain or any reaction is secondary to long micromoments of realization that he had just been attacked.. And then the adrenaline, and the fear and the cortisol flood his system and it aids his clarity in no way whatsoever. His pupils dilate as he is thrust around and suddenly controlled and his hearing goes to ringing from the blasts of two shots so near him from his own weapon now missing from his holster. Images of the last few months play suddenly through Eson’s mind. The disappearance of the former director of Azura Initiative, His accepting the new promotion to Director.. the emergency calls from Rixses of the Stellar Cartographer’s Guild, and the appearance of “Beebbs” and her abilities to subvert Azura’s security. He also remembers tut-tutting his crew and security, assuring Daiana repeatedly that there was no reason to target ‘the director of a tritium depot in the core’ and all her fussing and worry being unnecessary. Eson realizes he has been an idiot.
Eson then realizes that he is screaming and that his knee hurts as he is being dragged to the side under the control of his assailant, a likewise screaming woman who is threatening to kill him. He feels the hard steel of his own pistol to his head and attempts to stop stumbling but his knee and leg feel like liquid. As he is barely able to make it along with The Agent without being complete dead weight Tyy’sun’s eye dart back and forth to see if Daryn is alright. It is about the only clear action he manages to take in the moments directly after being hit.
---
Her two shots were blocked by roots that shoot out of the ground. Both Garden Guardian trees leaped into action, the one in Rory's view disarming Daryn, and the one behind Rory reaching out and, with a swift swing of a branch, knocking the pistol out of her hand and pulling her wrists together behind her back. While the GGT operators may not have reacted fast enough to stop Rory completely, they had her under control... for now.
Lily: "Mal, hop on my back and hang on tight!" The coils around her wrists spring outwards and additional vines shoot down her legs, securing themselves to her boots.
---
What happened? She no longer has a gun. She no longer has a hold on him. She no longer has control of the situation. She no longer has a prayer of fulfilling her purpose. No. It can't be true. She won't allow it.
Like a caught animal, she thrashes. Pulling so hard to get the roots off her wrist that they start to bleed. Her feet scramble for purchase beneath her, and they falter. Her eyes flare and her face contorts as spittle and obscenities pour out of her mouth like water. Her left pinky dislocates and she throws her arm and body forward, grabbing at the butt of the knife just inches away from her grasp.
---
And then as suddenly as it began, Tyy'sun was released from the grasp of the screaming woman. He makes one last connection of gaze with Daryn, who is standing almost as stunned as Eson only a few meters away, before collapsing to the showcase garden floor in a growing pool of his own blood. Daryn rushes to him, regaining some sense now that the attacker has been seized, "leg, your leg!" shouts McNoble into Eson's face unhelpfully before turning around and declaring to the rest of Chilton Terminal: "His leg!"
---
Fifty meters out, Lily and Mal begin slowing down as they enter the garden.
Lily: "RORY!" Lily's voice is panicked and worried, and she can see the blood from Rory straining.
One of the gardeners cuts off a section of vine from a pizza bean plant, and rushes over to use it as a tourniquet.
Gardener: "Hang on, you're gonna be okay."
---
A: The voice plucks a string in her head and the desperation slows. Her eyes stop glowing. Fuck. FUCK her head HURTS. For that matter, her wrists hurt. One of them is getting gripped so tight it's gone all pins and needles. The cloud descends again and with it, the single-minded determination to get hold of her weapon. Her eyes shine brightly now as she scrambles foreword, pulling against every tendon and muscle in her arm.
"LET ME GO GODDAMMIT! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! I HAVE TO!"
---
The gardener with the vine ties off the tourniquet and looks at Rory, seeing the bleeding where she’s being restrained. Then she looks at the tree holding her. “Holy shit, that’s way too tight! What do you think you’re doing? Never restrain someone with a grasp set to mechanical! Always leave slack! Did you sleep through your training?”
The restraints loosen slightly, but still applying even pressure and allowing a bit of movement, they’re just as hard to escape from.
---
Tyy'sun's bleeding is effectively cut off from the thigh by the organic tourniquet but the pain has only increased as some of the stress hormones begin to wear off and breathing has returned to normal. The sight of Daryn alive and well helped significantly with that, but now its all about the leg. "Thank you." he bids a gardener, only momentarily steeling a glance or two over his shoulder from the floor at his attacker and the commotion still occurring. "Daryn, my pistol.." he notes, seeing it on the floor unattended nearby. He imagines the tree security people blowing Daryn's head off when he reaches for it and turns towards Director Warren, if the man is still nearby, "my pistol there.. if you could have someone secure it." its about the only helpful and responsible thing Eson can think to do to contribute to the situation, swallowing back the urge to just be thankful that he's alive.
---
M: Malcom's jaw falls slack as he sees Rory thrashing and screaming and still grabbing for the knife. It's... Surreal. She is so obviously not home. This is not the woman he just flew half the galaxy with. This is something else entirely.
"Jesus... What's happening to her?"
---
Sean Warren nods and jogs over to the pistol, and brings it to Daryn. "I assume I can trust you with this? Oh, and your own weapon- it's hanging from that branch over there. I'll help Eson up, but could you help me get him to a medical bay? There's one a couple levels below the admin offices over there." Sean motions to the offices adjacent the garden, and goes to help Tyy'sun.
Lily gets withing a few meters of Rory and tries to speak, but she can't form any words in her head. She returns the coils to their resting positions around her forearms and begins to walk slowly toward her, tears starting to fall from her face.
---
Daryn nods and retrieves his weapon while securing Tyy'sun's own. He sets about aiding Sean Warren in any way the man requests, including transferring Eson to a stretcher and helping to carry it to the tram station. Between the involuntary yelps of pain and the slight bit of bickering that occurs, Eson can be heard saying "Daiana, come in.." repeatedly into a comms unit until finally all three are off scene and to safety.