World Tree MUSH

     Location: Macbeth -- The Hollow Planet 
     Time of Day: Nearing Twin Sunset 

     A small encampment of Star Wolf mercenaries has been established near the edge of a cliff overlooking one of the direct routes from the Vanderbilt Mines. The camp holds about twenty people in total. The mix of lizards and simians and dogs and cats, all heavily armed, might seem like a real army, but there is little to identify them all as being under the same banner. Each wears their own clothing and armor. Were it not for the unifying figurehead, Wolf O'Donnell, standing underneath a camouflaged tent near the overlook that helps to state just who these people are, one might be hard-pressed to understand who they are at all. 

     Other camouflaged tents and tarps are set up to hide equipment from aerial scans. A couple people have electronic vision-enhancing devices for distance-scouting and are set up around the camp's perimeter. A certain Panther Caluroso sits at a nearby table not far away from O'Donnell assembling what appears to be a long-range blaster rifle. Nobody seems nervous -- in fact, things might feel somewhat mechanical -- as they mostly seem to be waiting for something to happen. 

     "We're nearing POA, eyes on the road, ear on comms; I want to know the moment that convoy is in range. Teams Two and Three, prepare for incoming and await orders." 

     The one talking is Wolf. He's the gruff one-eyed lupine merc leader looking over a tablet that has video and statistical data feed displayed on it. Talking conversationally over communications, he seems to be fairly relaxed about matters. Again, mechanical. This is a perfectly normal job, after all, and it's relaxed enough to allow the flexibility of other conversation.

Raven had had a lot of... thoughts running in her mind, lately. A lot of thoughts. Her... loss of control. Then those people who kidnapped her. Trapped her. Her 'brothers'. Then coming 'home'. Having a 'home'. Where people were happy to see her. To have her. Where even though she came home and hugged the princess and just cried and cried and cried until she couldn't cry any more... She wasn't hated. OR feared. Or loathed. She was just another person. And so she was trying to learn what that meant. She knew her time was coming. The end. The heralding of the end she would bring.

But for now she... was safe. Ish. And maybe... pretending, for a bit, wasn't so bad. But she needed advise. She needed to know about things she just didn't know. Holidays. Seasons. Why? What was so important about them?

Which was why the mirror she had given wolf had suddenly started to shimmer, then Raven's face appeared on it. "Wolf? Are you there?" She was... just there. With a backdrop of stars. Where was she? On a space station? Maybe. It was quiet whereever she was, though. Had to be in system, if it was working. "Wolf, are you there? I.... Can.... I come by? Can we talk, please? I would like your.... view points on some things."

     The mirror currently sits among some other equipment. The main view it provides is the top of the open-air tent set up and the dusty browns used to visually hide it. Sometimes the simplest things work best. A nearby face can just be seen. While arguably not his best side (due to his large cheek scar on the right side of his face), Panther Caluroso works on something out of view. An eye shifts to peer down at the mirror before attention fully turns and his nose lowers to gaze upon the image. 

     "I was wondering if Wolf was telling the truth about this thing," he comments before putting down what he's working on. A hand reaches over before the image shifts to show the feline man directly. "The boss is undergoing final prep for a job here on Macbeth. I'll let you speak to him in just a moment." Over his shoulder Wolf can be seen going over the data and giving out rather plain orders. Nothing very exciting overall, but that is a lot of people standing or sitting about. Something exciting is certainly planned. "Hey, Wolf. Got somebody on the personal vanity line." 

     The image further changes with a wobble, swiveling more directly to face the middle-aged pirate, and Wolf, in turn, looks up from his tablet to stare right back. "Eh? I'm kind of in the middle of something, but as long as you don't bring the attention of the Cornerian Alliance down on my head and keep out from underfoot, it's fine." Wolf turns his head away and lifts up a finger as if to say 'hold' while speaking, over comms, to tell somebody, "Look, I don't care if the Vanderbilt Guard decides to put up a fight. They won't have the numbers to resist, but if anybody levels a gun at you, put them down. We're not going into this to massacre the escort; those willing to comply without force are going to be more willing to do the same on any future raids." There's no secret as to the nature of this gathering. 

     His hand lowering, Wolf looks back to the mirror, "Well, now's as good a time as any. Come on over in that thing you do, but let me give my guys a heads-up first." And that's that. O'Donnell turns away and firmly states, "Listen up, people, we've a neutral party incoming, so..." 

     The view swings back to Panther. "I guess that's approval enough," he rumbles.

Raven looked inquisitive as she listened. There was no doubt, here. He wasn't up to something legal. He didn't want to hurt people, but well... A raid of some sort. She nodded. "I'll be there in a few minutes."

Using the mirror as a guidance, she disappeared from her side, only for the ground nearby to turn black. The young goth rose up from it a moment later, drifting in the air as the darkness disappeared, only to lower herself back down a moment later. She glanced aro0und.... she could feel it in the air. The tension. The excitement. She suddenly looked... unsure.

Her eyes turned to Wolf. "If... you need to focus now, I can bother you another time. It's... nothing major. I just..." she mumbled softly. She had a look of unease in her eyes. Finally, she tried again. "I wanted to ask... what holidays you celebrated..."

"And why." .... Really? She traveled across the multiverse for THAT?!

     The appearance of this new person in such a way certainly garners a bit of attention from some of the armed animal people stationed at the camp, but, aside from passing curiosity and some hard short-lived stares, they all go back to what they were doing fairly quickly. So does Panther, who finishes up assembling a rifle that might seem entirely too long and too heavy-looking to be reasonable. The mirror finds itself returned to the pile of other odds and ends. 

     By the time Raven makes an appearance, Wolf O'Donnell is standing near the cliff's edge staring off in the direction that his scouts watch, only the big boss doesn't use one of the same devices that they do. He wears his combat HMD, though, so it probably provides a similar ability for far-sight. "Two unit countdown to POA. Team and Operator check commencing; Daniels." At this point, mercenary Daniels, one of the operators sitting at a nearby table, goes over the checklist for all teams and operators involved to make sure that everything is Go. 

     Comms muted from Wolf for the moment, he waves the girl over but doesn't take his eye off of the rather bland view before them. Dusty rocky land tracks off in all directions. "Holidays? That's a complex question asking a Lylatian. There aren't just standard 'holy days' everyone celebrates. Each planet has its own background, history, and culture before joining together as a whole, and we do business with other star systems, too; long long before this multiple dimensional thing opened up and presented us with even more culture to compare and integrate." 

     Notably, that answer has nothing to do with his own choices.

Raven moved to stand by him, staring out over the bleek, emptyness. She stared for the longest time, listening to his answer, absorbing it. Quiet. Silent. Letting the scale of their operation wash over her. It was an.... adventure. What all of them were doing. In a way. No, that was the wrong word. It was dangerous. But wolf was smart. He wouldn't put himself at too much risk. But that didn't mean things couldn't go wrong. Perhaps she should offer her help? No. This was his fight.

"I've read the books. I know the book answers. I know there's cultures. Celebrations. Birthdays, festivals, all of them have reasons. Origins. Some are big. Some are silly. But... people do them. They... enjoy them. Years after their relevance has ended. Then others fall aside, forgotten, even though they may be the most important. It's like.... these people want to celebrate. Want something to be... happy about. People have happiest holidays. And there reasons seem to fluctuate and.... I know it's silly. I know it's... odd. but.... I just..." Her hands shook as they formed fists.

"If you don't want to tell me your answer, I understand and I won't pry. I'm... sorry for interrupting you for my own curiousity. It was selfish of me to bother you, especially now when you are working on something so important."

     "It's all about remembering things that have cultural relevance. Often, even in Corneria's history, these special days get warped by other people, details go forgotten; it's only natural, though. How many people can you pass a simple line between through word of mouth before the result being passed along is something where the origin is unrecognizable? It doesn't take that long." 

     Wolf looks down at the tablet in-hand to watch the checklist as he hears things in his ear to which he doesn't respond. So far, so good. "But you only celebrate the days that have personal meaning or have some relevance to your own life, your own views. A lot of Lylatians celebrate a Great War Remembrance, based on the Cornerian Calendar, regarding the Lylat Wars when Corneria clashed with Doctor Andross' armies. Of course, I was on the losing end of that conflict, so it might be a fun mental exercise for you to speculate what you think that holiday means to me." 

     Wolf talks quickly, yet clearly, while completely brushing aside the apology given concerning the task at hand. Wolf isn't worried or he wouldn't have given the go-ahead. "Celebrating those that fought and the lives that were lost in the Aparoid Invasion a few years back, well, that's a very different thing than a holiday meant to celebrate the unification of the EarthWalkers and CloudRunners on Sauria for the sake of joining the Lylat System as a recognized planet and part to system politics with representation on Corneria." Wolf shrugs at that with great indifference as he monitors the aerial data feed supplied by a few small drones. "Sure, it's more important as a cultural milestone for a growing civilization compared to a memorial period, but the invasion affected all planets in the system -- except for maybe Papetoon -- so it's going to be more relatable to more people." 

     A dust cloud begins to become visible in the distance and grows larger. "Importance is subjective. It doesn't even have to be a cultural matter. Twice a Cornerian year, every 175000 Units or so, I manage to get some booze shipped in from interstellar trade and, back on Sargasso Station, we all tend to have a few days to just binge and have fun and then get sick and then recover. It's pretty much a holiday each time, but it's just for Star Wolf and close associates. Still no less valid. Alcohol is just as good a target for holiday praise as the Cornerian Scientific Body or Aquas' So-Called Archaic Goddess of Purity." 

     Unmuting his comms for a moment, Wolf quickly adds, "Target on Approach; Teams Two and Three, standby. Team One, confirm cargo in transport." 

     O'Donnell looks over to Raven. "Why, which holidays were you pondering?"

Raven listened to everything he said, nodding. Each detail, each little situation closing in on her mind. All those little connections. She looked to him, eying him... Then sighing.

"There was a situation, recently," she mumbled. "I was... kidnapped. Me and some others. I... believed I was normal for a little bit. That I was a regular... human girl. Rachel Roth. It was... odd. I had music I liked. I had a 'favorite' sports team that I liked ironically, though I actually really liked them I didn't want to admit it. I smoked. I had a bunch of bones and things, little... pieces of memorabilia. I was looking forward to my next birthday, I was excited for Halloween, though I pretended I was 'too cool' for it. I was thinking about thanksgiving, wondering if I should try to bake an apple pie this time. Apparently, in that world, my mom baked amazing apple pies. And..." she sighed and closed her eyes.

"I've never... Azarath didn't really have... celebrations like that. At least, none that I was a part of. There were... things. Groups. People who had memories of the past life. But I only know of two regular festivals and... While... I was allowed to come. I..."

She shook her head lightly. "I was not welcome. But... Now... I'm in the mushroom kingdom. Now Peach is.... teaching me to bake. I have... friends. Who enjoy my presence. Who aren't afraid of me. Friends who... do... holidays. Who are... n-nice. And I want to.... learn how. I know, logically, what people... Why they do things. I've read the textbook answers. But I don't know how they feel. And... I want to... learn..." she opened her eyes and crossed her arms. "Sorry if.... If this sounds stupid."

     Wolf traces a finger over the pad to bring up a closer image of the incoming convoy. Four trucks. The ones in the front and back are smaller but are built to carry more people and also appear to use hover technology. The two in the middle are large ore transport trucks designed to carry multiple large containers that are undoubtedly very heavy. These trucks use treads to evenly distribute weight as they haul their loads from the nearby Vanderbilt Mines. 

     "When I was a pup, I used to imagine I'd be an explorer of exoplanets, suited up with a blaster, chopping through alien forests and shooting alien monsters. My understanding of the world was different then. We didn't have Gravity-Diffusion, so it was much harder to travel in space due to fuel efficiency issues. A lot of what was out there, well, we could see it through instruments, but it was harder to get there. We had a lot of science fiction -- still do -- so there was a lot left to the imagination. My-" 

     Wolf slightly lowers the tablet and exhales a little with a swallow of saliva causing his throat to twitch. "My mother and father, well, they tried to cater to my interests, you know. But before I could get old enough to really explore who I was, they were taken from me and I had to live on my own. They loved me, from what little I can remember, but I was born into the mess they created for themselves." Wolf's jaw clenches a bit a couple times. 

     "I became what I am today mostly because I had to in order to survive. I never really had a chance to become the person I wanted to be, try out the things I wanted to try. But, you, kiddo. You're still young enough to become the person you want to be rather than being a product of the people and situation that birthed you. And, hey, sounds like this unfortunate kidnapping you speak of has lead to some important introspection." 

     The aging merc turns to look directly at the girl nearby. His grizzled and scarred features are very visible even as the light dims from ongoing setting suns. It doesn't take much to see just how much this one person has been through. "Don't pass it up. If your gut tells you to explore, you explore. You find things that speak to you, find things that mean something to you, and you hold on tight-" Wolf makes a sudden fist. "-and don't you damn well let go, no matter what anybody says. Because if you don't learn what it is to be you, and live your life being you, then what the hell is the point?" 

     Turning his head away, O'Donnell addresses comms. "Copy that. Cargo is green. Teams One and Two, hold and prepare to engage. I want those trucks stopped and guards neutralized. Cuff them as long as they surrender. Make an example of anybody that wants to be a hero. Those boys aren't stupid. They'll behave as long as we play nice. And vice versa. Panther, cover Teams One and Two. Team Three, prepare to move in on my mark for extraction and exfiltration." 

     Caluroso takes his rifle over to the overlooking ridge and lays out prone on the ground and begins tracking the convoy through his scope. Those in the encampment all check their gear and seem prepared to move on command. 

     "So, which holiday did you 'look forward to' most in this false life you lived? Which festival did you enjoy the thought of most? And why?" Turnabout is fair play.

Raven glanced over, nodding. "I'm sorry," she said. "If... it helps, I know how you feel. Somewhat," she mumbled, staring at the attack. It was an attack on a caravan. She should help them. It was what she was supposed to do. It was what a good person would do. A hero. But that wasn't what she was. He didn't want to hurt anyone. Didn't want to kill anyone. That was enough to make her not want to interfere. Because he... was a good person.

 She chuckled softly at the silliness of that. 'He was a good person', as he robbed a caravan blind.

"I was running from it. I was so, so scared. I was afraid if I became... Attached, that when my father came, I wouldn't be able to separate myself from them, to protect them," she said softly. "But I spent... so much energy focusing on what I would do, instead of trying to enjoy what I have no. It was the same as with Azar. I was so hopeful if I just stayed there, if I just listened to her, she would stop me from destroying Azarath. That she could somehow protect me."

She closed her eyes. "Instead, she died. And I ran. I almost got myself killed a dozen times. Or at least maimed. And they helped me. They just kept... helping me..." she whispered. "I tried to destroy them. I tried to kill them. And they wouldn't let me go. I was at my worst, and they saved me despite it. And i don't... want to keep running from that." She opened her eyes and looked at her hands as they uncrossed.

"But I don't know how... to be... like that. To not focus on every day as if it's one day closer to the end of my clock. I want to... celebrate. And be happy. And... pretend to be normal. I want to stop snubbing this opportunity I've been given... before I regret it."

Then she glanced to him. "That was easy. Officially, halloween. Because it was the dead and all that stuff. But... unofficially..." she glanced back out to the wilderness.

"It was... valentines day... Because... It was..." She closed her eyes, her cheeks full scarlet now. "It was Rachel Roth's choice. NOT mine. I much prefer holloween."

     "Kitten. I don't know the circumstances under which you feel so pressured, but let me assure you here and now that you are without a doubt absolutely not the only person battling to live life before their clock runs out. Discovering that you even have a clock at all is a part of growing up. A really sucky part, but a part all the same. It doesn't help the feeling of loneliness to know you aren't alone in dealing with that timer, but learning more about how those around you work and think because of that undeniable end looming in the future helps you understand more about yourself. I'm not going to sugar-coat anything, kiddo, but here's the facts." 

     On the tablet, the trucks halt and various heat signatures appear as people in the trucks of the fore and back suddenly spill out and take out defensive positions just as an explosion -- one visible with the naked eye from this vantage point -- interrupts their path on the main road. The tablet does not reveal communications; it is an eerily silent display as everybody else expect Raven can hear what's going on. The standoff has at least one guard making the stupid mistake of firing a shot that strikes one of Wolf's men. There is immediate retaliation. The guard falls back onto the ground and the surrounded escorting force slow begins to file out with hands up. 

     "You...you're going to die one day, kiddo. So am I. That's just the way things works. And existence will go on without us and hit a point not too long after where people will forget us. If you're lucky they'll name a holiday after you. But, me?" Wolf slowly grins toothily in an expression that can only be described as grim, painful, and steely. "I'm a stubborn one. The universe may tell me I'm going to die, but I'm going to fight tooth and nail to push the timer on that clock as far back as I can, as many times as I can; I accept that death is inevitable, but I will not -ever- lie down and die. My life is going to have to wrung from my body in the most violent and horrendous way possible by the very powers that be. That's my choice. And if anything I ever say sticks in your mind, take a lesson from that point. You have to make a choice to accept that timer." His grin fades into something very stern. 

     "Are you gonna? Or are you going to put your foot down and defy reality in order to define your own existence on your own terms?"

Raven watched as best she could(which wasn't really at all). Listened... and watched. Mulling over his words. Picking out little pieces of emotions from people. "Heh. Defy the prophecy? That... sounds like fun. But I think opposing it would only result in more needless deaths. And... The clock isn't for my death," she said with a sigh. "It would be so much easier if all that would happen was I would die," she said with a sigh. Then she turned back to him.

She nodded though, giving him a small smile. "But... maybe... you're right. Maybe I can fight the timer. Tooth and nail and... put my... boot down on it. Maybe I don't have to be the catalyst." She looked down at her hands, dark magic forming in it. "Maybe... I even... can fight him. Maybe."

And then she did something he likely didn't expect. She... hugged him. It wasn't a gesture she shared often. Perhaps it was a sign of her loosening up. Or maybe it was a sign of what he was to her. Or maybe it was just... she was hurt... And he made her better. "Thank you," she said. "For your advice. You've given me a lot to think of. I think... I'll... prepare." She turned and started to walk away as darkness formed around her. "I'll leave you to your conquest. I don't want to interfere. Thank you."

     Honestly, hugs are a thing that Wolf is not very used to receiving. He can be very standoffish, even unfriendly, and he certainly doesn't mince words. Still, he has a ton of experience to share. The problem is that the only people that really care to listen and learn from it are those that don't mind working for an organization that does really unpleasant things -- a lot of time those people have no other option for work, either, depending on their history. All the same, Raven gets a pat on the back. 

     "Okay, people. The guards are neutralized. Secure the cargo. Team Three, that's you. Uncover those craft and get in there. I want those containers loaded and Teams One and Two out of there in Four Units' Time! Let's move it!" Those in the camp save for Daniels, Caluroso, and O'Donnell all scramble to uncover the six nearby craft, start them up, and engage the locked-down convoy in order to grab goods and soldiers. The air fills with the noise of engines that all too quickly turns into silence as they zip off over the cliff and head toward the location of that explosion. 

     "Hey, kid." Wolf turns to call over to Raven as she starts to step away. He taps out a few things on the tablet before holding it up. It's an article. It reads as follows: 

             Vander-built On Violence? 
             Written by Brach Patel, Edited by Torti Nevele 


             Vanderbilt Mining Company, owned and run by CEO Mikel 
         Vanderbilt, now on trial for allegedly supplying ore and 
         metals mined on the planet Macbeth to a rogue political 
         instigator linked to the recent activity of attacks against 
         extradimensional nations of the World Tree in a bid to 
         establish a platform for the creation of an activist group 
         opposing new extradimensional laws governing the sale and 
         distribution of domestic commodities and materials. 


     "Now, kitten, I know what you're thinking. I know what you -must- be thinking, and I appreciate your discretion on the matter, but the fact is Mikel Vanderbilt is supplying rebels born of political dissent that are actively committing hostile takeovers of small Worlds out there that can't stand up to the military hardware we possess. I have a client that wants us to help stem the flow of goods without going after Mikel himself. Client very much wants the Cornerian legal system to fry him." 

     Wolf lifts a brow. "Just remember, kiddo. Very rarely is there a black or white. Sometimes there is. But what I'm doing here... Well, it's not legal, but legally -- in the interim -- nobody can lock this trade down or touch the company assets until after the trial. By then, well, it could be too late to stop those rebels from ruining more lives." 

     "Doesn't make me a good guy, but it makes me somebody able to do something others can't with no political motivation. Of course, we're getting paid, and half the goods are being moved into holding for legal confiscation. So it's not like I'm doing this out of the goodness of my heart. Vanderbilt's fault for not hiring me first, I guess. That makes it a thankless job, helping out Corneria and getting no recognition, but them's the breaks. If you do nice or helpful things, don't ever /expect/ to get praise. That will only make you bitter. Learn to live with the acceptance that your actions made a difference." 

     "That's a bit of wisdom that only comes with a bit of higher perspective."

Raven stopped and read what he offered. She then nodded and... "I know. Things aren't always easy. Good. Bad. It's all perspective. But... I know I can trust you. After all... I know you're a good person." She then paused for a second.

"To an extent. If nothing else... You were nice to me. And I trust you. the number of people I can say that about is very narrow." She then gave a little wave. "I am going... H-home. Thank you for talking with me, puppy." Ohhhh, come back for the kitten. "You always give good advice. Or... at least give me plenty to think about. A shame Azar is gone. I think you and here would have liked each other. Even if you didn't agree on everything. Good bye." Darkness swirled around her and she was gone. So many new ideas. Thoughts. Questions... Plans began to form. Maybe... she could fight. Maybe. Jsut... maybe,

     "Yeah, well, have fun choosing a holiday to make your own. Let me know what you decide later." 

     And that is the farewell from O'Donnell accompanied by a little wave before he turns away, resumes comms, nods to Daniels, and walks over to stand beside Caluroso. 

     "One had to be put down," says Panther with his usual rumbly voice. "The others fell into line and are behaving, pretty much exactly like you said, Wolf. Ships have touched down, the ore is being moved over. Should be loaded in one Unit or less, then they can pull the men out. Don't worry. Anybody wants to play stupid with them leaving, I'll shoot off their nose and make them think twice about doing that again. You can count on me, as always." 

     "You do that," remarks Wolf as he turns to walk back over to a table. When they come back with the haul, all but one ship will leave and the last, Team Two, will help break down the camp and pack things up to go. In about 8 Units' time, around 10 minutes, there will be no trace that Star Wolf was ever there and the guards below in the distance will be left to call for help and lick their wounds.