mmnpcs: (FEDS〈default〉)
〈 MM 〉npcs ([personal profile] mmnpcs) wrote in [community profile] maskormenace2016-01-20 06:10 pm

AS THE WAR THAWS...

[When the imPorts open their comms, they will come face to face with an uncharacteristic image, ensuring that even imPorts who attempt to ignore broadcasts at large will see it. This is, after all, relevant to each and every imPort.

The image is nothing more than a black screen with white text superimposed on it: STATE OF NATIONAL EMERGENCY.

After a moment, the image will be quickly replaced by one of L. Chases, seated at her desk, hands folded in front of her. Her expression may be grim, but it is firm, and there is nothing but ferocity behind her stare.]


Attention all imPorts, [she starts off, voice crisp and clear.]

We are now in a state of national emergency. As of January 20th, the USSR has officially declared war on the United States, effectively endangering not only the people of America, but the world as a whole. In this time of need there is a strong chance we may have to call upon you, imPorts, to do your duty in protecting your own.

As a part of this declaration of war, the USSR has abducted approximately fifty imPorts, a number which may yet continue to grow. We do not yet know how this was accomplished, but you have our word that our intelligence is active and ready to uncover what form of technology could abduct you from afar.

We are currently in talks with foreign aid and the UN. Retaliation is a risky prospect, but I assure you, we will retaliate. That time draws near, and when it does, we will be asking for your assistance.

Until then, stay aware, alert, and cautious, imPorts. We cannot afford to lose any more of you, and more importantly, your fellows cannot afford it.

[And with that, her broadcast ends. There will be no replies.]
incogneto: (but where are my strings)

[personal profile] incogneto 2016-01-21 03:34 am (UTC)(link)
No, do you have books?

If we're not getting a concise timeline of when we're leaving or what we're doing, I'd like to learn Russian.

[ He learns by speaking but reading's ok too... What are you talking about he totally knows Cyrillic ]
vorbarra: (ether-bunny48)

[personal profile] vorbarra 2016-01-21 03:39 am (UTC)(link)
[If Gregor weren't so self-contained he'd be drumming his fingers. He has to stamp down on some very uncharacteristic impatience about the fact that they don't have a timeline.]

Very well. I'll teach you. It's a waste of time for you to beat your head against a book.

Under the condition that if you're going after those taken, you look for a friend of mine when you get there. He won't slow you down, I promise. [Miles doesn't really have a speed slower than all ahead during crises.]
incogneto: (your move)

[personal profile] incogneto 2016-01-21 03:42 am (UTC)(link)
You can't be sure, they have either power inhibitors or tranquilizers.

But I'll look for him if you give me a description.

[ His Spanish isn't great but he also learned it on the plane to Argentina so, his Russian might be alright... ]
vorbarra: (ether-bunny63)

[personal profile] vorbarra 2016-01-21 03:45 am (UTC)(link)
[Gregor snorts.] We don't have any of this-- [he waves a hand] where we're from, and we've never needed it. Miles won't care in the least if his abilities are gone.

[Lies, they're devastated about having their telepathic link gone, but they also haven't told anyone but Charles that they have it.]

And unless they want him dead, they won't give him any drugs, [he goes on.] You won't be able to miss him: he's not quite 150 cm tall and he'll probably be organizing a jailbreak.
incogneto: (and then he ate my brain)

[personal profile] incogneto 2016-01-21 03:47 am (UTC)(link)
Fair enough. Where are you?

[ He's a pacer, but it's more like he runs away from his problems. If he's walking, he should at least be walking somewhere. ]
vorbarra: (icon-crack13)

[personal profile] vorbarra 2016-01-21 03:50 am (UTC)(link)
I live in De Chima. You can come here or I can meet you.

[Gregor, meanwhile, has gone more constrained than he's ever been in the short two weeks he's been here. He's been trained in crisis management up and down and he doesn't waste any time on emotional reactions.]
incogneto: (this almost looks sympathetic)

[personal profile] incogneto 2016-01-21 03:51 am (UTC)(link)
I'll be right there. Library?
incogneto: (this almost looks sympathetic)

[personal profile] incogneto 2016-01-21 04:22 am (UTC)(link)
[ OOC: action thread or log? ]
vorbarra: (ether-bunny18)

[personal profile] vorbarra 2016-01-21 04:23 am (UTC)(link)
[ooc: Ummm no preference, honestly! Up to you!]
incogneto: (lol this looks like a floating head)

action

[personal profile] incogneto 2016-01-21 04:26 am (UTC)(link)
[ Erik's at the library with the largest stack of books he could find in Russian... ]
vorbarra: (baobabble01)

[personal profile] vorbarra 2016-01-21 04:29 am (UTC)(link)
[Gregor is easily overlooked for how tall he is: he's quiet, lean, and composed, even in this crisis. He hasn't managed to get himself to put his comm down, so it's in his hand as he approaches, waiting for it to beep and tell him Miles has said something else.

Fortunately they'd spoken over video, so there's no delay in searching the faces of those around him.]


We were never introduced. Greg Vorthys.
incogneto: (bro u can't be srs)

[personal profile] incogneto 2016-01-21 04:47 am (UTC)(link)
Erik Lehnsherr.

[ He extends a hand, to the one not holding the video. ]

[ In his best Russian, which he started like 3 seconds ago, he says: ]

Thank you, agreeable teach Russian me.
vorbarra: (ether-bunny55)

[personal profile] vorbarra 2016-01-21 10:36 pm (UTC)(link)
[Gregor's a little too strained right now to smile at this attempt, so for now he'll have to continue to take on his typical public persona of being dour and humorless. There's a noticeable hesitation before he shakes his head, the gesture unfamiliar, but it's starting to get smoother.]

Thank you for agreeing to teach me Russian, [he corrects.] And you're welcome. Do you have a particular goal with this? In the interests of time efficiency.
incogneto: (makes up w/chessboard)

[personal profile] incogneto 2016-01-22 10:42 pm (UTC)(link)
I only want them understand, when I ask question.

[ Obviously he also wants to understand back. But really he's already got "where are they" and "who's in charge" so he thinks probably... a slightly more subtle method of interrogation, maybe? ]
vorbarra: (baobabble01)

[personal profile] vorbarra 2016-01-22 10:57 pm (UTC)(link)
[Barrayar is nothing if not warlike so Gregor picks up on this implication immediately.]

I see. Tell me what types of questions you want to ask, and the character you want to portray. [In case that's too much so soon, he repeats in English,] What do you want to ask, and how do you want to ask it?

[Basically, good cop or bad cop.]
incogneto: (your move)

[personal profile] incogneto 2016-01-22 11:21 pm (UTC)(link)
[ He goes straight from friendly stranger to murderous villain, so... ]

I do not think to be polite. [ And because his Russian is so bad: ] I don't think I could even try not to be threatening.
vorbarra: (ether-bunny18)

[personal profile] vorbarra 2016-01-23 06:39 pm (UTC)(link)
[To be honest, most murderous villains would be very like in personality to the ideal war-hungry Vor. Gregor's own Armsmen tend toward the personally terrifying in level of intimidation. It's different when they're not sworn to him directly, of course, and could be a potential threat, but for all that he looks and acts like a soft-hearted academic, Gregor is quite comfortable with the idea of threatening interrogations.

He nods.]
Just wanted to get a sense of your goals. All right. Let's start with, Who are you? Who do you get your orders from?
incogneto: (always an asshole)

[personal profile] incogneto 2016-01-26 01:53 am (UTC)(link)
[ He thinks of the tone and pitch and cadence in his head, figuring out in real-time where he should, in the future, stick emphasis on these new vocabularies. ]

Who are you?

[ He repeats, consonants a little over-announced, vowels lacking in subtlety. He catches it, and tries again. ]

Who are you?

[ He tries, and though sounding more natural this time, his tongue stumbles across the unfamiliar phonemes as he tries to match Gregor's pace. He repeats it once, twice, and tries a third time: ]

Who are you?

Who do you get your orders from?
vorbarra: (ether-bunny54)

do you want to handwave most of this? :|a

[personal profile] vorbarra 2016-01-28 04:53 am (UTC)(link)
Good. You're not bad; I see you've been studying.

[He repeats for him again the longer sentence:] Who do you get your orders from?
incogneto: (good to see you too old friend)

yeah sounds good !! thanks <3

[personal profile] incogneto 2016-01-29 11:22 pm (UTC)(link)
[ ...And then a few hours later, Erik was still not fluent in Russian but he sure as hell could communicate!

He will probably continue to learn it once he gets back from the mission, maybe dialing back to such topics as hobbies and describing your job.
]
vorbarra: (ether-bunny16)

<3

[personal profile] vorbarra 2016-01-30 02:49 pm (UTC)(link)
[ We can reconvene for a post-mission thread? ]