debriefing ♔ in the emptiness there's a solution | just look within yourself for absolution

[nepotism]

♬ locking up the sun- poets of the fall

WHO || Wynn, Buffy, Myri, Finnick, Spike, Gar, Archer, Des, Vi, Rafael, Fred Jr., Dumage, Mark, Rocket, open! [Closed]
WHAT || Andres Mission Debrief & Aftermath
WHERE || Knights HQ, lobby etc.
WHEN || September 18th [forward dated*]
HOW || Actionspam. Single thread, don't worry about maintaining tagging order.

There are plenty of missions that return to the castle a success - most of them, even. The defeated air of the solemn group that returns from their diplomatic mission to Andres Isle to hear the demands of dictator Dimitris Sarandis makes it quite clear that this wasn't one of those.

Starting with Sarandis' actual demands - for all Knights to withdraw from Andres under penalty of death, or for Wynn to offer his own head in return for Thomas' safe return - and ending with the unexpected, disturbing confession from Kat that she intended to stay behind on the island because she had "fallen in love with" the dictator, the events of the island made it very clear that Sarandis was cannily playing his hand to get the Knights where he wanted them.

Fred Jr. shoves open the doors with his unnatural strength, stalking in ahead of the group into the lobby. Whoever's on desk duty isn't going to have to roll a high wisdom check to see that these people are pissed... and distraught... and a myriad of other emotions on the bad end of the scale.

*I am changing the date of the briefing log and Andres log/live session to have taken place in September, to avoid us being in backdated hell forever, and to allow for a September squiring ceremony before apps are closed. Carry on... in the future!

Comments

[romanticidal]

[ rafael's hand, which had tightened reflexively around buffy's, suddenly goes slack, as his face falls, a shade of dark realization in his eyes as something strikes him. he looks over at her, eyes a bit wide, and there's an inexpressible apology on his features as he says: ] Carina...

I do not think I can go.

[slay]

[ His voice draws her attention back down from Archer, and her expression remains pleasant until her eyes lock on his. The warmth drains out quickly and a hollow, sullen look glosses them over. Her hand loosens over his, but doesn't budge. For a silent moment, she's at a clear loss for words, floundering and gaping like a fish.

Finally, she blinks through it and shakes her head. ]

No. No, if this is about Burt, we'll deal with Burt. This is what you do; we need you. [ The implication is clear. I need you. ]

[romanticidal]

No, Buffy. [ his voice is very soft, the words for her, not for the whole table. ] This is about more than Burt. What you are going to be doing - what you will all be doing on Andres - will not be from the shadows. There will be no hiding this.

It hasn't even been a year since I stood trial. If I am seen there, what do you think will become of me? [ he sounds strained, conflicted, and it's obvious that he's not worried about himself so much as feeling like the entire fight to keep him out of jail, the one that took all of them off the case for months, would be for nothing if that's where he wound up anyway. ]

And what if this is part of the Church's plan? It was not long ago they completed their successful 'test' that killed hundreds of Shadowkind in New York. We are leaving NOVA unwatched through all this.

[slay]

[ The way her stomach sinks feels familiar by now. Still, her eyes hurriedly search Rafael’s for any hint of indecision, hoping that she’ll be able to muster up some mitigating factor that pierces straight through the logic he’s heaped on the situation. When she finds nothing there, her panic constricts her throat, and she glances back towards Wynn, a silent plea. Surely, there has to be some way.

Unfortunately, there’s no way to deny that Rafael is right. With enemies surrounding them on all sides, and Rafael’s freedom to consider, she doesn’t get the luxury of insisting. ]

But — [ Her voice trembles and she turns to look back at Rafael, as if her big, sad eyes will make the difference here.

A million things finish that sentences. But we need you. But you want to be there. But isn’t this what magic’s for?

And, worst of all, but what if I don’t come back? What if I don’t see you again?

They face something much bigger than just another battle here: war comes at a cost, and Sarandis has already killed one, maybe two Dragon's Claws by now. Buffy can imagine some pretty horrible outcomes here. ]

[romanticidal]

I know. [ it's weighted with an understanding of all that unspoken inevitability. ] I know, Buffy.

[nothingsodivine]

[wow. get a room, you two.

des nods at rafael.]

The war don't end with Sarandis. We need someone watching our backs out there making sure that while we're off liberating Andres, the other crazy zealots aren't taking advantage of the situation.

I think you and Isabella can handle that. And if it gets too heavy for you... [he pulls out his wallet and hands raf a card.] Liam Chambers. He knows some people. He'll keep you from getting your hands dirty. Just do me a favor and don't tell him I sent you.

[witchwoman]

[Myri keeps her hand in Vi's but her gaze is on Buffy. She knows that it will be difficult to not have Rafael at her side. Her eyes shift to Finnick, briefly trying to imagine being separated from him during this whole thing and finding that thought alone brings a lump into her throat.]

Be safe. [She speaks up, addressing Raf. They don't talk much, but she does care for him.]

[beatupgrass]

[yeah having volunteered for this war effort, rocket feels 100% more out of his depth because now there are feelings involved. Which are giving him Emotions©. That he did not ask for. Rude.

So he's just gonna try to sneak out the door. Yep.]

[slay]

[ Des' voice jerks her out of the rapture that keeps her caught up in Rafael, and she drops her gaze. Her eyes focus on their joined hands and she simply deflates. While a part of her wants to insure that he'll stay at least until they depart, she isn't going to make that a ... team meeting conversation. ]

[wynn]

I imagine each of you have affairs to see to before we depart. Tomorrow, those of you who choose to march with us receive your orders.

[ his gaze moves levelly across those gathered, something very deliberate in the gesture, before he turns to face his large golden doors. before he moves to open them, he says a bit more quietly, voice thoughtful: ] You've been brave, my Knights, but the time for true courage comes now. [ with that, he shoves the doors open, flooding the chamber with golden light, and vanishes into it, the doors thudding closed ponderously behind him. ]

[graveflowers]

[ once wynn is gone, she let's go of myri's hand and scoots back in her chair, muttering as she gets up and rubs her eyes. ] One day I won't look at the light, swear to god.

[ yep, she is just going to scoot out of there now. toodles poodles. ]

[rationalizes]

[ gar closes her eyes tightly, reflexively, against the light, looking away ] I can't believe it's truly come to this.

[postergirl]

Did you think we were all going to hold hands and sing campfire songs with Sarandis, and that would solve everything? [ her caustic response is punctuated with a snort ]

[witchwoman]

Dumage... [Myri stands as Vi leaves, looking utterly exhausted by all of this and 100000%]

Would you shut the fuck up?

[She learned this from watching all of you tbh. And she will just glance to Finnick to see if he is also done with this shit show and head out to sleep for...ever? Or until tomorrow when they can go to war. Forever sounds better.]

[nothingsodivine]

[Des was going to say something wise about how inevitably everything comes to war, but then Myri does that and it's like whaaat.

So now he's... the one imitating a fish.]

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Myri...

[slay]

It was going to happen sooner or later. At least this way, we'll have the chance to save more people he might be hurting.

[ She pushes her chair back and stands, ready to leave. A glance down at Rafael like yooooo. ]

[65]

[on that note ... finnick is leaving with his woman. bye bitches. he takes her hand as they both stand.]

[bigbad]

[Spike gets up and walks over to Dumage, quirking his eyebrow. Unlike... everyone else on Failboat, he actively likes her, but he can't exactly say her comments were all well timed or that Myri was out of line with snapping.

Still.]

I'm going to the bar. Care to join me, love?

[postergirl]

[ dumage looked surprised by myri's comment, to be certain, but not particularly chastised, and when spike makes the offer, her lips quirk up in a smirk. ] Sounds lovely, darling. I've someone to talk to first, but then I'll be right along. [ her eyes shift to mark, and the smirk gets a little bigger, as she stands and sashays out. ]