Event Log: Null Attack

[hadrielmods]

Who: Everyone!
What: The event log for the Null Attack event
Where: All over the city
When: May 29th- ?
Warnings: None

What starts as a normal day will begin to herald in the beginning of the end. On May 29th, you might see something in the sky out of the corner of your eye- blink and you miss it, but there's definitely something there, something that's not any kind of animal you've ever seen. Now that you know to look, you may be paying closer attention to the sky in order to catch the next one that flies past- a ship. A ship that that seems to be designed in a way that might remind you of the Null themselves.

As the days pass, it becomes unmistakable- the Null are here and are scouting out the area. It's time to prepare for an immediate attack and start putting all those contingency plans to good use. Will you gear up for a fight and fall into formation? Will you close and lock your doors and stay inside? Or perhaps there's some other plan that you want to enact?

You'll have time to discuss that on the network later, but now you need to start reacting to the Null's actions- which are apparently to start building smaller encampments around the city as they try to find the way inside. Confusion is holding them at bay for now but it might be time to start building some defensive measures and fortifications, because she won't be able to keep them at bay forever.

When they break in, they do so in a big way- with a massive explosion at Confusion's temple that rattles throughout the entire city. It's obvious that something has happened- and what exactly that something is reveals itself shortly when Null begin to flood the city, having broken through Confusion's protection.

This is when the fight escalates to an all-out war. Nobody is spared, and they're watching everyone from above. What will you do? How will you keep the ones you love safe? How can anyone survive this? All you can do is fight back, all we can do is wait. Good luck, Hadriel.

► This log covers the entirety of the Null attack
► Please tag headers of threads with content warnings where they apply
► Please put your character's name and open/closed in the subject line of your starters!
► If you are killed by the Null, please let us know here.

Comments

Deputy Pratt

[theweakhavepurpose]

This gun had been cumbersome to arrive with, too big, too unwieldy, and too heavy to use for extended periods of time without killing his shoulders. It had sat unused on the top bunk of his bed, carefully maintained, but out of habit rather than necessity.

That was all about to change.

He had secured the ammo pouch to the side, gorgeously bedazzled from his first day in Hadriel when he'd been so confused about the situation that putting a bunch of pink rhinestones on his M60 had seemed like a totally normal thing to do.

With the map tucked into his pocket he gives a final look at what had been his home for almost a year, a final goodbye should this not go to plan. And in all likelyhood... that's what's going to happen.

One final deep breath and he secures his weapons, trotting over towards The Range, keeping an eye on the jungle around them. He may end up climbing the southwest Guardtower for a better view. As soon as the attack hits, he'll be making sure that everyone gets to safety by keeping a steady stream of bullets on the Null if they're attacked.

He has only a few minutes of ammo for a gun that chews through it at about 500 rounds per minute, so he'll be trying to make it count.

guard towers

[soldier_blade]

Petty as it might've been, there was a part of Sonya that was a little peeved at being on evac duty instead of outside the perimeter and watching the traps. She meant what she said earlier about being on the frontline, and to not be positioned there seemed almost like backtracking on her part.

And she hated the thought of having to backtrack on things.

Even so, she could see the logic in it. The evacuations plans were her idea of course, so it would be equally unfair for her to not stand by them. If the Null managed to breach their defenses, someone had to take charge and get the civilians to safe ground.

If she couldn't be out where the action was, at the very least she could ensure the safety of the others. So long as she had a hand in this at all, she couldn't complain.

For the first time since her arrival, she had her side arm strapped to her leg. Not the same range as a rifle, and only with twenty rounds, but it was better than nothing; the two hand axes at her waist and the energy gauntlets around her arms completed her weaponry. Right now it was a matter of stealth then being especially armed, and whatever she did arm herself with, she had to be especially good at.

She was perched on the guard tower, keeping watch when the sound of movement behind her caught her ear. Immediately, the telescope she was holding was dropped and one of her gauntlets aimed at whoever it was.

Only when she recognized him as not a threat (to her atleast), did she lower the weapon. "Come to take part of the shift?"

She may or may've not been kidding; pulling double or triple patrol duty wasn't new after all.

[theweakhavepurpose]

"Wanted a better view." He sighed heavily, leaning his gun against the railing and looking out towards the jungle. "Any action this way? I was over towards the west but they seem to have realized that they can't break through there and are redoubling their efforts somewhere else."

He'd expected them to be smart, being AI and all, but not that they'd be so quick to predict and adapt to everything the resistance was doing. It didn't look good for them, they were holding out, but they weren't gaining the upper hand.

[soldier_blade]

"Not here, not yet." The key word being yet. After the last attack, Sonya didn't trust the Null to not pull a sneak attack, or perhaps a diversion. "North east though, there's some movement. About ten miles away."

Grating as it was, she refused to leave her post. Once they were less than five miles, she would get ready to fight, but not any sooner. Only a few of the civilians even has the basic training for combat, and there needed to be someone around to take them to safety.

[theweakhavepurpose]

"Good. Gives me a break." He slumped down in the tower, back against the railing to catch his breath for a while. Running his fingers through his hair he winced, dried blood flaking off against his fingernails. He'd been in some skirmishes already and hadn't exactly been victorious.

Though living to feel the aftermath of it felt like a win.

"Let me know if they get any closer. I still have ammo."

[soldier_blade]

"Don't suppose they're 9mm?" She afforded him a slight glance over her shoulder, not wanting to take her eye off the surrounding area.

In truth, she didn't really need the ammo, not with her weapons being powered as they were. He was offering though, and if they fit her sidearm, she'd accept, otherwise she'd make due.

Sonya did, however, reach in to her pocket and pulled out a handkerchief and what she could find of disinfectant, tossing both at him. "Catch."

[theweakhavepurpose]

"No. That's what everyone seems to need and it's what we ran out of first. If you happen to be hiding a sniper rifle on you somehow I've got you covered though." A weak attempt at a joke but it's all he can muster right now.

"Thanks." He takes the cloth, pressing it to his head where he'd been injured. In truth he's not even sure what hit him. Might have been a rock, a bullet, some shrapnel, everything had happened too fast and he was lucky it hadn't been a direct hit.

"Between us here and the others on the far side we're holding them. But it won't last. I think we're going to have to fall back once this is overrun."

[soldier_blade]

"Not unless I managed to smuggle one in my pajamas without realizing it." Which, considering the worry she had over Cassie and how tired she'd been, she wouldn't have been surprised if that had happened.

Instead, she tapped her wrist with their energy blasters. "Don't worry about it, these only need solar power to be charged."

She turned back to watching the area. "I'll need about ten minutes to get everyone to the safehouse."

That was pressing things of course, but getting that many people any place and being careful about it-couldn't be helped.

[theweakhavepurpose]

"Your guns are solar powered?" He's seen some fantastical things while being here, people who could shoot fire out of their hands, or turn invisible. But he hasn't seen too much in the way of future technology. And honestly, he's a little bit jealous of that. Though if guns back home were solar powered the battle would never end.

"Yeah. I can cover you. Our losses aren't too bad yet. Maybe we can keep it that way."

guardtower

[unphase]

[Tinya couldn't help being a little bit frustrated at being put on "haul other people's asses out of the fire" duty instead of active duty, but she's also the first to admit that her powers don't really work for offense and with her flight ring, she can swoop in out of nowhere to bail out anyone who looks like they're in trouble.

(granted, she has a little offensive magic, but she's saving that for a surprise)

so when Pratt climbs on up beside her--well, not beside her exactly, she's hovering above the guardtower with a pair of binoculars (binoculars! how twentieth century!) around her neck]

Pratt? What're you doing up here?

[theweakhavepurpose]

Trying to get a better view of what's going on. Nothing's run past me in a while and that's suspicious.

[He rests his gun on the railing, peering out towards the jungle. Doesn't look like anything is happening quite yet.]

See anything?

[unphase]

Very suspicious since the Null are nassheads who like to throw whatever they can at whomever they can.

[she holds the binoculars up to her eyes]

Not someone, but I do see a large number of Null at our three o'clock. Do you have enough ammo to take them on?

[theweakhavepurpose]

[He glances over, setting his jaw.]

I could down a few, I don't know if that will deter the others though. Either way it'll direct their attention here and they'll start coming for the guard towerr.

[unphase]

[she nods. that is an awfully large number of Null. they might be too much for one human and one person whose power is purely defensive]

Should we try to lead them towards one of the traps instead?

[theweakhavepurpose]

Might be a better option.

[He glances around trying to remember exactly where all of Peter's traps were. They're pretty close to one of them, but if he fires from the guard tower they'll likely shift and miss it.]

I'm gonna hop down and go a little closer, see if I can lure them to follow me.

[unphase]

[she shakes her head no]

I should do it. I can fly and I can phase. Whatever they can throw at me, it's not going to hurt.

[theweakhavepurpose]

[he hesitates, clearly not wanting to let her when he's the one with the giant gun. But she has a valid point.]

I'll cover you from up here then.

the range

[roseofthetyrells]

[Margaery is not dressed for battle. instead, she's dressed and crowned as what she is, or was: a queen of Westeros.

besides, this is what she wore the last time the Null attacked and she survived the entirety of it. she can't help thinking that perhaps she'll be that (lucky) skilled and prepared again.

and it's true, she's armed with the sword she's carried almost as long as she's been here. and her skills are even more sharp than they were the first time she fought these things.

indeed, it's hard to pin down what manner of swordplay she's using. it seems to be a mixture of classical Japanese kendo techniques and a skill learned from millennium old elves. it makes her hard to predict, even for the Null.

she goes about battle silently, feeling no need for dramatic battle cries.

silent at least until she sees Pratt and his gun and his bedazzled ammo pouch and she smiles at him warmly]

What's that you've got there? [gesturing with her chin towards the gun]

Re: the range

[theweakhavepurpose]

[It's oddly surreal to watch someone in formal attire wearing a crown fighting robots with a sword.]

Machine gun. I'm trying to conserve ammo til we really need it because this thing chews through it real fast. And then it becomes a very heavy bludgeoning weapon.

[He's a little dirty, he's been knocked down and in a few scuffles that he was lucky to be able to run away from. This lull in the battle is a welcome respite where he can catch his breath and check his bruises.]

How are you faring?

[roseofthetyrells]

A machine . . . gun? I've heard of machines and I've heard of guns, but never both at the same time. [she takes a better look at it with his last words] Yes, it seems sturdy enough.

[she inspects him a little more closely. she can see where the Null have left their marks.

as for her, there are a few places on the dress where it's been mended before, but. this is the dress she wore when she arrived. this is the dress she wore to fight the Null the first time. she'd held it back for another such occasion]

Quite well, actually! This is my second time fighting the Null and my skill with the sword has only improved since then. Granted, the Null, too, have improved but! [she shrugs lightly with a "what can you do?" expression on her face]

[theweakhavepurpose]

That just means it fires automatically. Four hundred rounds a minute give or take. And I don't have all that much ammo for it so I'm trying to make it count.

[He manages a small smile and nods.]

You're taking them down and that's what matters really. And you have the experience from the first battle which I don't. I have no idea how to out maneuver machines. I'm not much of a strategist.

[That was Jacob's job.]

[roseofthetyrells]

[her brow furrows slightly] Four . . . hundred projectiles per minute? That could cut a person in half, likely regardless of armor! How extraordinary!

[she smiles back warmly]

The Null do have a certain cunning and they learn from their mistakes, so I generally try to get in behind them to take them by surprise. [a chuckle] I've climbed up and thrown myself down from too many trees to count by now.

[theweakhavepurpose]

That's the idea. Don't really need to aim or be precise, the bullets do all the work for you.

[It's messy and wasteful, but it absolutely gets the job done.]

Hey whatever works. That's one less Null for us to worry about. And there's so many of them. I'd expected a lot but not.. not like this.

[roseofthetyrells]

I shudder to think of such a weapon in the wrong hands.

[such as Cersei Lannister's. though in all fairness, any weapon of any kind was best kept far away from that one]

It's not exactly honorable combat but as the Null have no concept of honor, I consider us even. [kindly] There were just as many last time. At least this time, we have the hope that an end can be brought to the conflict, once and for all. This world . . . all worlds will be better and safer places once the Null have been destroyed.

[theweakhavepurpose]

That's my thought too. Wipe them out and then we never have to deal with this problem again. They lost their chance at peaceful negotiations when they decided to kill everyone because they don't like emotions or whatever the hell their problem is.

I didn't sign up to be in some sort of fucking war like this. Let's end it.