knightsoflegend | chapter five ♔ it'll be a day like this one when the sky falls down

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chapter five ♔ it'll be a day like this one when the sky falls down

the blues - switchfoot

WHO || The Knights
WHAT || Failboat returns from the disaster in LA as the Knighthood goes on lockdown
WHERE || The castle, London
WHEN || Directly after this, Fall 2017
HOW || Actionspam

Hasmed's announcement does not brook any rebuttal: all Knights are recalled to the Castle, where they must remain until the Section Heads and Jack Chessing have spoken about the events in Los Angeles that have left the Knighthood without their usual leader.

The entire Los Angeles area is now covered with a dark miasma that has interfered with any signals that might be sent out from phones, etc., leaving the whole world wondering what exactly is happening down there. Final images showed horrendous monsters, a panic of citizens, looting and violence from humans and Shadowkind alike.

Hasmed has warned of extra magical wards on the castle, and anyone arriving will immediately take notice of one very prominent one: above the entire roof of the excessively large building hovers a black and red sigil in the air, a pentagram in a circle surrounded by runes or words in an unknown language, stretching for miles.

[ This is the social log for post-LA lockdown. Failboat must complete the top log before being allowed to tag outside of it. ]

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The intelligence organization? The one that... [ he trails off, raising an eyebrow ] That SHIELD?

Yes. [ because now's not the time for explaining the particulars of THAT. ] We want to work with you to tackle the disaster zone that is LA, but we can't do that without an open line of communication.

Edited 2017-10-11 01:52 (UTC)

"We"?

Did you just say "we"?

It's complicated. [ and now she's floundering because, god, if this is val'drin's reaction—

no. she knew. she knew this was going to be what it looked like, sooner or later. she can still remember how they all looked at ... ] We just want to help.

Just to make this crystal clear - you're telling me that you've been here for years as a what? Double agent for SHIELD?

No! No, I'm not a— [ the protest dies on her throat. she turns and takes to pacing. this is coming out all wrong. dammit. damn it all. ] We want the same thing. A safer world. I was — My assignment was — [ none of the words are right. maybe because there aren't right words for this. ]

Your assignment. [ he repeats the word with rising incredulity ] Was to do what, precisely? Filter information from the Knighthood back to SHIELD? An organization that by all accounts was corrupted, infiltrated at the highest levels?

[ he turns away from her, running a hand through his hair ] You know, I heard the rumors going around. Traitors, they said, right in our midsts. How far does this go, exactly?

How many SHIELD agents are right under our noses?

I didn't betray anyone! I'm trying to help you.

[ this seems, to her, to be the most important answer of all of them to provide, and she's sure as hell not walking down a laundry list of them while feeling defensive. ]

And why in the name of the gods would we want help from SHIELD, after everything that happened to them?

Because the reason I stayed, the reason I didn't turn around and pack it in and go home before even taking the oaths, was because the people here give a damn. Because the world is more important than whatever panic you're feeling right now. Because those people in LA, terrified, they matter. What happens to them matters. [ diplomacy 29 ]

And because like SHIELD, like the real SHIELD, that's what this organization is about. Protecting people. And because we can help you do that. [ a beat, then; ] Or did that all go out the window when Wynn left the building?

[ val'drin looks not entirely unmoved by her point, but her last words seem to twist his sympathy, as he looks at her harshly ] I've worked with Wynn for over a century. Many of us have.

Don't presume to try and tell us what this Knighthood stands for. What he stood for.

Then you tell me. What would Wynn do, if one of his knights were offering him a way to be more effective in cleaning up this mess?

But you're not. One of his Knights.

[ he shakes his head slowly ] This isn't the first time the Knighthood has dealt with this sort of thing, you know. I've seen how it ends. Wynn saw how it ended.

I'm not going to be the one to make a call that might get our people killed, on the word of someone who's just admitted to having lied to us for so long.

Val'drin, please.

[ she takes an attenuated step towards him. that's the wrong move, though. she remembers that move. tears burn her eyes, fresh with the memory. no. of course it looks like this. of course he doesn't know how to deal with her right now.

she exhales slowly. ]

Then who's going to make the call? I'll explain it to them. And until I do, I won't— [ it hurts, having to act like ... like a threat. in her own house. except it's not her house — it never has been. he's right. it was a lie. and she had fooled even herself. ] Just tell me what I have to do to make this right. But at least give me the chance to explain. This is more important than what happens to me.

How do you 'make it right'? [ his incredulity rises, to a point where he seems to find the entire thing a bit darkly funny ] I imagine... [ he shrugs exaggeratedly ] Being willing to accept any and all consequences without running off. Trusting in our leaders to make the right call. That would go a long way.

That... may mean turning yourself into custody, for the time being.

That's not a good idea.

[ she says it like she doesn't like having to say it. ]

Yes, well, fielding traitors isn't quite my department, now is it? I'm making this up as I go along, but I do know a thing or two about what's likely to make them listen to you, if that's truly your priority.

Would you stop calling me that? [ she snaps it out. every reaction she has, every twitch, just makes her testier and more frustrated — not just with the position she's (put herself) in, but in her own reactions. it's like staring into a funhouse mirror, because she can still look back and remember ...

and it hurts. and she gets it. and she hates that she gets it, and she hates that she has to convince herself that it's different, this is different, she's different, and that it's not working the way she wants it to. ]

If I were a traitor, I wouldn't be telling you. I wouldn't be offering help. Of course my priority is to get them to listen because my priority is LA. [ her home — at least, the closest thing she ever had. the only place she really feels like she 'comes from.' it hurts more than she can talk about, seeing it this way. being on the other side of the world when it happens. ] But you can't just lock me up and keep me here.

I have to be able to get to the airport to meet my contact. If I don't show, he's — It's going to be bad. He's going to assume that this went ... Well, that it went the way it's going so far, but worse.

If you leave, I can't guarantee anyone will let you back. It's a risk you'd need to take. And I'd... well, I'd pass this information along and tell them you want to speak to them.

But I can't be certain they'll listen if you run off after admitting this.

[ she draws in a breath, visibly biting down some upset. she tilts her head back and looks at the ceiling. skye isn't one to pray. no matter what the nuns said, she never felt like anyone is listening. but right now? she wishes she were. it'd feel good to think someone, anyone, was listening. that someone might guide her. ]

What do you think they're more likely to listen to? Me running off, or SHIELD coming down trying to get me back? [ it sounds sardonic, biting, but ... there's an honesty to it. she feels cornered. neither option is going to be the right one. but she had to tell him. maybe it would be worth something, coming clean. ] I'm not asking for me. We — [ no, he doesn't group her among them. she sighs. ] The Knighthood needs to stay focused. And they need back-up. This is bigger than me.

Judging by the rather gaudy display over our roof at the moment, I think we've already located some allies. [ he sighs ] But I said I'll tell them. And I mean that. But I think it's best you go.

Val'drin, I don't want you to think I ... [ but it's a waste, she realizes. nothing she says is going to change what she did, or the reaction he's having to it in the moment. she bites her lip. ] Thanks.

Just don't get anyone killed. [ he sounds weary, tbh ] We've had too much of that.

[ she nods. there's nothing else she can say that won't sound like an excuse. she's trying to save lives by coming clean, though; not end them.

she readies to step past him, then stops and glances back. ]

I know that you don't trust me. But thanks for at least listening. If, when I come back, they want me to submit myself to the Knights' custody ... I will. I'm going to make this right.

I hope you're right. [ a beat ] And for the love of all gods, please don't bring my name up as the one who told you to go off. I'm going to say I did everything in my power to talk you into staying.

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hacker - 2017-10-13 18:56 (UTC) - Expand

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