Asche observed as he tossed the balls, smiling faintly as he cursed with the last one, "Could have done worse," she remarked, "I'll go a round, I guess."
@Morrigan @Brao @evanfoshee
Asche shifted in place. She wasn't really much of a gambler. Her gaze cut to her companions on the venture, "What do you guys think?" she asked.
@Brao@evanfoshee
Asche sidled up behind Nikolai, giving a nod, "Tell us your prizes," she added, "if the stakes are good we might have something good to offer.."
@Morrigan @Brao
"Oh. Damn, son," Asche gave a sympathetic frown to Nikolai over her shoulder, "I'm sorry. Bad business, what the Reds did in Oktyobrskaya. I was sent in to help Hamza contain after the fact," she acknowledged before falling quiet.
"So where are you boys from?" Asche inquired conversationally as she walked ahead of the two men - whether she meant within the Metro or before the war wasn't made clear.
@Brao @evanfoshee
"Asche," she introduced herself simply, "I'm a scout and field medic with The Order. Or was anyway," she shrugged, "come on. Let's go see what this place is all about."
@Brao@evanfoshee
Most of the Rangers stayed in their places on the train, but reconnaissance had always been Asche's specialty. In this instance she didn't bother trying to blend in with the locals. She stayed in uniform and had her Kalash cradled in her arms and against her shoulder almost like it were a baby.
As she exited the train she nudged her shoulder into the stranger who seemed to be debating whether or not to get off, "Come on. We'll watch each other's backs," she offered, "wild being able to breathe without a mask, isn't it?" Asche continued conversationally as she stepped down to the ground.
"What about you?" she raised her voice at the man who had gotten off the train and sat down nearby, "Coming with or staying to guard the train?"
@Brao@evanfoshee
As the train roared to life and began to move the crowd started to push even harder. Asche stood with her fellow ranger to keep them back, yelling warnings of the danger. Some backed away. Others pressed with more fervor as the train chugged into motion with the sound of a grumbling engine and screeching steel.
Someone was inevitably drug under the wheels. Asche cringed harshly as she heard the screams and the crushing of bone, unable to do anything to help the poor man that had been pushed onto the tracks.
"Back off!" she yelled to warn others attempting to do the same, brandishing her weapon to ward people off.
Down the line there was a brief burst of gunfire as another ranger shot into the air in the hopes of startling the mob back. It worked for a moment, but there was a resurgence right after.
There was a tension in the air at Polis that was thick enough that it felt like you could cut through it with a knife. Everyone knew the train was expected to leave the station that day. Those that were approved to be on it were packed and ready to go, while others that wished to go but were denied were preparing in other means. You could see in the eyes of the people the anticipation of what was to come.
Those that were chosen filled the train as much as Violet and Red believed they could handle on the long and arduous journey and those they felt could help them, those they believed they could actually help their futures if there was something out there.
Though, they could have been equally dooming it.
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The chosen boarded the train and got settled with their meager amounts of belongings before the rush would happen and the rangers and soldiers that had decided to come with, were having to protect the entrances to the train.
It was like a ripple in the crowd as the last few were starting to board, there was a surge of disgruntled Polis citizens that wanted to strike out and try as well.
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This event is a GMed event. I will wait one day before adding on the next parts that happen which gives you 24 hours to respond how your character reacts in this situation (whether they are leaving, staying or one of the people trying to get onto the train that was denied).
I will react and provide story or difficulties for anyone that is involved.
It would be nearly 2 days down the track on the rail line that they had chosen that they finally would stop at what appeared to be a large settlement, the first of many on their travels. They were, in fact, forced to stop here as there were barricades up that, even at full throttle, would damage the train enough that it would be difficult to repair and they didn't want to take the chance.
The place was bustling like a city. There were many people.... and things... that could be seen through the windows of the train. Games, creaky rides that didn't appear to work, entertainers, a large Ferris wheel that looks to be there just for decoration next to the large striped tent. Some of the older in the crowd would recognize it as what it was. A Carnival or a Circus, those that were younger would just be excited by the sounds and the lights.
As the train came to a full stop there was a hushed awe and a curiosity that spanned the train as they wondered what they were going to be able to do there, if they would at all.
It was as they all stared out the window that the woman that looked to be in charge started to saunter out. She was a buxom woman that was dressed in a striped outfit, that almost looked like a smaller version of the tent (close to this) but it was lined with lace. Her skirt was black to accent the jacket that flowed behind her. She was wearing torn fishnet stockings and had a cane in one hand that she didn't look like she needed.
The voluptuous red head came sauntering forward with two rather large men behind her. One on the older side with an aging face and the other more youthful with similar red hair.
As she got up to the train she smiled as she saw all the faces and looked down the train. "Greetings," she said to the men and women in the train as she stopped and popped a hip out, holding her cane arm out to the side. "You can come on out... most of us don't bite," she said.
Joe had just brought her dad some food. She eventually returned to where they kept their gear and was flipping an unfamiliar knife.
When she looked up she saw one of the few other Ranger females came in. “Hey,” she muttered as she closed the knife and stood up to get ready to leave the room.
@Dragon
Once the refugees had arrived outside the gates, it hadn't take long for the rumor mill to begin churning. Even before the Oberon station leaders were able to make statements to the council, theories were already flying.
Asche listened to a cluster of soldiers in the hall outside her bunk. They were discussing what they had heard, trying to parse reality from rumor. Several factions had been named, but the Rangers were in agreement that the Reich seemed most likely.
After she had put away her gear, Asche changed into a fresh set of clothes. She left the others to their gossip and left the quarters to go in search of Damian. Red and Violet were there, so she was assuming he would be as well.
@Morrigan
Damian had a few hours to collect what Red needed before he was to meet Asche and bring her out for something to eat. At the moment he was just hoping it went better than it did at Oberon.
Once he collected everything he dropped it by Violet’s room for Red to pack away when he had a moment.
Damian smiled seeing the larger man curled around his not so small wife on the cot sleeping with her. He quietly left them alone to go get cleaned up, or as cleaned up as he could get, before his date.
A few minutes before four he went to seek out Asche in the infirmary.
@Dragon
Violet watched as Seth picked up his pace and she looked over her shoulder for whatever it was that felt like it was following them. She was pretty sure that it would get her while he got away, which was why he made him move on. She took in a breath through the almost clogged filter on her mask before she started to move again.
She knew her leg wasn't broken, at least it didn't feel broken, but it felt sprained and like she had something in it that she needed to get out but couldn't sit down and do it yet.
She kept moving well into the late afternoon, she figured Seth would be getting back to the station soon and she was almost far enough away from the main part of the city that she could take off the mask, which was good as she had started to move so slow she was almost out of filters.
As she leaned against a building that seemed secure, it was on the right route she reached down to her leg and used the refreshed blood and marked a crescent on it. It took a few moments longer than she would have liked before she tucked inside and found a safe corner to hole up in and try to triage herself while she rested hoping someone would come back for her. If not, she'd have to get moving again.
@Dragon
Charlotte finished what they had asked her to do, and then some. She did a bit more because she was upset with Asche and wanted to torture her a little. Plus Dagonet didn't expect her back to Polis or the Alliance for another few weeks anyways so she had ample opportunity to keep Asche there and annoyed for as long as she wanted. With how stubborn she could get when it came to helping people, even when Asche demanded that they leave, she stayed.
So when they packed up to go Asche expected to be going by herself with Charlotte but as they were leaving Damian joined them. Charlotte gave him a smile. "Good to see you again Damian," she grinned to him. "Don't you look so handsome in your uniform," she said glancing to Asche before they headed for the surface exit. She hadn't told Asche that Damian was coming along before this.
@Dragon
It was fairly early in the morning when Asche meandered into the bay where Charlotte was already up and working on the generator. She'd wasted as much time as she could after waking up, taking her time in the showers and wandering through the market to find something to eat... and now she'd run out of ways to distract herself. So she was back to watching Charlotte as if there was really any kind of need to.
"So how much longer do you think this job is going to last?" Asche yawned from where she was lounging against the wall.
@Morrigan
Damian chatted with Derek for a few minutes about how it was good to see Alice again before they went about their regular tasks, primarily Damian and Derek were guards for Oberon. Today Damian was set to guarding the cage with their weapons and bullet inventories.
After a long day of counting bullets he finally went to go find the Spartan and the repair tech that was working inside the station for now.
When he found them the repair tech was working and the Spartan looked mildly bored. "You guys want to take a break?" he asked.
@Dragon
Charlotte was one of the best Bumansky alliance people and likely one of the most generous. That was likely why Dag sent Asche to watch after her while she wasn't at Polis, so she didn't get into trouble. So when Damian and Derek came to get help and they were denied she went to offer her help.
This happened around the time Asche arrived to check up on her and get her back to Polis. Charlotte told Asche she'd go to Polis after she helped the other station which, in turn, ended up with her having to go with them back to this supposed station to keep her safe, especially because she knew that it had to go onto the surface.
That's where they'd run into trouble and end up holed up with another group also on the surface trying to get to the same station. The station of refugees. Oberon.
@Dragon