#panevent

[panopticonrpg]

EVENT 02. PART 2: DEEP EXPLORATION

With the effects of the hornets' punishing sting on five different people, one reveal becomes evident: one of the explorers (the influencer BabyMama or 'Beema') is still out there, possibly alive, definitely injured. The fate of the others? Supposedly undetermined, likely dead. But Beema needs saving. If it was you out there, wouldn't you want rescuers to save you? On top of that, it seemed one vision provided a vital answer to the behaviour of the hornets: a glimpse of the multi-eyed gigantic hornet, its head not just one TV, but hundreds. Hidden in some electronic wasteland of a cave, possibly near Beema's hiding spot. This robotic behemoth seems to be the epicentre of the hornet's origin, or at least a place to find some answers. Meanwhile, the hornets various attacks around the small village is cut off by a united click-whirr, shared between all the hornets. They all rise into the air and hover, buzzing in unison like some terrible mechanical song. You are witness as the hornets pivot towards the back of the Medicentre, landing in a swarming clump. Collectively, they begin to dig. They begin to dig deep. You're now faced with a choice: head into the wilderness to find Beema, or the hundred-eyed hornet? Or, remain in the village, to find out what these hornets are trying to dig for.

OOC INFORMATION

Muns have a choice what they want their characters to do next:

OPTION ONE: go into the wilderness to find Beema, and/or find the multi-eyed giant (extra giant!!) hornet. This massive hornet seems to be very important, all screens depicting views from the hornets back on the beach. What is the purpose of this huge hornet? How is it connected to all the smaller hornet drones?

OPTION TWO: remain at the home base to monitor the digging hornets behind the Medicentre. The hornets will not attack any longer. Curious characters are free to poke and prod hornets at the Medicentre, but be careful of getting hit or swatted by the furious mechanical digging. What will all this digging reveal? Or is this simply more destruction to sabotage our motley crew?

The success of your characters depends on you (they are allowed to fail, for that tasty character development and/or plot 😍); and as always, Muns are welcome and encouraged to message the Mods with any ideas or questions!

[lucymaeson]

Event 01 – Salt in the Wound

The sun is a cruel reminder of a world unrecognizable. Lucy squints against its brightness, her eyes straining as they try to adjust. The taste of salt hangs in the air, carried on the breath of the ocean, a relentless wind that whips at her hair and tugs at the hem of her red velvet dress. The fabric clings to her skin, heavy with sweat and salt, an oppressive second skin that has no place here.

Her mind is a jumbled mess of fractured memories—glimpses of her past life blend with the surreal horrors of the present. The last thing she remembers is the gala, the way Winston's hand felt cold and frail in hers as they drifted through the crowd. Now, the memory feels like a lifeline, tethering her to a reality that no longer exists.

She stumbles across the tilted deck, her heels sinking into the splintered wood with each step. Around her, the world hums with a strange, dissonant energy. The ship creaks under the strain of its position, threatening to give way at any moment, as if it too, is straining to comprehend its fate.

Lucy is not alone, but she might as well be. The others—those who woke up in this nightmare alongside her—move like ghosts, their faces pale and drawn, their eyes wide with disbelief. They murmur to each other in hushed tones, but their words are drowned out by the voice on the loudspeaker. That voice, so disturbingly chipper, echoing through the air, "Welcome to paradise... Do not be afraid!"

Each repetition of the phrase digs deeper into her psyche, a twisted lullaby that contrasts sharply with the sheer panic gripping her chest. She grabs the railing as the ship lists slightly, sending a wave of vertigo through her. The white-strap bracelet on her wrist catches her eye, the stone—blue lace agate—glimmers with an otherworldly sheen. It feels foreign, like a shackle binding her to this place, a mark of some invisible hand that has orchestrated this madness.

She glances at the others, her gaze drifting to Maria, a woman with dark curls framing a face that might have been beautiful in any other circumstance. Lucy can’t bear the thought of approaching her, or anyone else for that matter. She is paralyzed by fear, her confidence stripped away by the sheer absurdity of this place. The cameras, perched atop poles, seem to track her every move, their glassy eyes unblinking and cold. They remind her too much of the men she danced for, men who never truly saw her, only the surface, only what she allowed them to see.

She descends from the ship, her bare feet sinking into the sand with each step. The warmth of the grains is oddly comforting, a contrast to the chill that has settled deep in her bones. She walks aimlessly, her mind a tangle of thoughts, her eyes scanning the horizon for something—anything—that might make sense of this.

The smell of food wafts through the air, a tantalizing mix of spices and roasted meats. Her stomach growls, a painful reminder of how long it’s been since she last ate. But she doesn't trust the food. How could she? Everything about this place feels wrong, distorted, like a dream teetering on the edge of becoming a nightmare. Instead of succumbing to hunger, she turns her back on the feast, the scent lingering in the air as she continues her lonely exploration.

Hours pass, the sun dipping low in the sky, casting long shadows across the island. The voice on the loudspeaker slows, warping in a way that sets her nerves on edge. The silence that follows is almost worse. It leaves her alone with her thoughts, with the oppressive weight of uncertainty that hangs over her like a storm cloud.

Exhausted, Lucy finally collapses on the shore, her knees drawn to her chest as she stares out at the endless expanse of water. The waves licked the shore, a rhythmic pulse that contrasts with the chaotic beating of her heart. She thinks of her mother, of the years spent navigating a world that never made sense, a world where survival meant playing a part. But here, there is no script, no stage, only the raw, unfiltered reality of her situation.

Her thoughts are interrupted by a piercing wail on the loudspeakers. The sound is almost unbearable, like nails on a chalkboard, digging into her brain and sending shivers down her spine. The bracelet on her wrist tingles, a strange sensation that feels both familiar and alien. She looks down at it, the stone glinting in the dim light, as if it knows something she doesn’t.

And then, Maria speaks. Her voice is soft, a question half-formed on her lips. “O que—?” But the words are cut off, swallowed by the air as Maria’s body disintegrates before Lucy’s eyes. One moment, she’s there, whole and real, and the next, she’s nothing but a cloud of fine grains, drifting away on the breeze.

A scream tears from Lucy’s throat, raw and primal. Her body shakes with the force of it, her mind refusing to comprehend what she just witnessed. The sand where Maria once stood is eerily still, as if the island itself has claimed her.

Lucy’s tears fall freely now, hot and bitter against her cheeks. She cries for the loss, for the fear that grips her, for the realization that whatever this place is, it’s not paradise. It’s a prison. And she, like Maria, is just another grain of sand, waiting to be swept away.

[tejvirani]

Darcy could not be serious. A laugh hissed between his teeth. "Stop fucking with me." He shook his head. "Gonna have to explain how this place isn't the simulation."

His head wobbled, small enough it might not be recognized. "When we get out of here, remind me to tell you what happened on the beach." No if we get out. Terribly hopeful, and how dare anyone accuse him of being Mr. Doom and Gloom. "First day I was here, with Selin." Perhaps a conversation when they weren't who knew how many feet underground. With a yowling horror chasing them through the dark.

"I haven't asked anyone else what they go through when the powers kick in. Powers? Not sure what to call it." Or talked to anyone in depth about it. (Or talked to anyone at all, not exactly) "Thought the way I felt, the fever. Thought it was connected to the light."

I'm just a waitress. Or was. Tej felt similarly past tense. And in a tug of war with the desire to go back and knowing full well nothing was left to return to. Darcy rolled more ideas around outloud, and his brows lifted in response. "Yeah. Why not. The island found a way to attach to something in us. Grow something, change us." And the cameras rolled. "Sometimes, I think maybe we're in a conceptual art piece." A faint smile as he half-joked. "Endurance art, I suppose. Huh, wish I'd thought of it."

The 'cameras' inside the caves were the heads of robotic hornets, one which attacked Tej swift and vicious. Later, he would ask himself how to catch the playback. Certainly the strike and sting was recorded. Just like... Qwan.

Once out of harm's way, he reached to keep pressure on the sweater held at one of the puncture wounds. Tej tried not to think how quickly it soaked through. "Yeah, the fucker jabbed me with a leg too."

His head felt like a cork as it bobbed along a wave. (A memory, the tiny pink shoe pushed to a beach on the tide.) Saliva pooled in his mouth, nausea crept into the back of his throat. Darcy's expression, her sigh, her... unexpected threat of murder... shit. (Was the curse over? Had it ended where it began?)

"I almost lost a bag, it was important." How did he feel? "Oh I feel fantastic. Ready to hit the club for sure." A hand wiped hair away from a brow that grew damp, clammy. "Give me just a sec. And we'll get outta here." No clue how. Not entirely coherent and yet as far as he could hear, the hornets had truly flown back into the depths of the cave.

Tej began to gather the strength to get to his feet. Slow moving, he used a rock wall to rest against, hand still clutched the now red sweater at his side. A shallow breath and loopy smile curved a usually flat line of a mouth. "What do they say to get blood out..." Of clothing, was what he meant to say. But he trailed off with a pained, shallow breath. "White vinegar, club soda?"

The admission she'd been stung brought a renewed alertness. "You... Yeah." Quiet for a few long moments, and then his gaze met hers again. "I saw Qwan." Last moments. The vision began to play out again. "He was crawling through the mud. Looked like one of the caves." Made sense, as they'd just seen the smaller drones.

"He didn't make it either. This bigger hornet got him. It had, like. Not just one screen for a head. Must've had, I don't know. Dozens. Dozens upon dozens. Nothing like the ones we just saw. This what happened to Jim, I'm guessing. Same thing." If Darcy had a similar experience with a sting... "Let's get the fuck out of here. Don't need to tempt them again." Or run into the bigger one.

"I guess it could be like a video game, yeah. Kind of like VR but more real, more advanced," Darcy gave a small shrug, curious how Tej would take the topic. "Everything before we woke up on the cruise ship was in one. There is just no way anything else would make sense." Others didn't agree, but she didn't need others to know. She knew it for sure and she also had Alex's confirmation too.

"Ha ha, very funny," she gave him a look, but really, it was fair. "It's really interesting, though. Just how differently some of these powers manifest. I wonder if these reactions have anything to do with the powers themselves, or maybe the people who have them."

Darcy let out a small chuckle. "No, definitely not a writer of any kind." Artists did run in the family, but-- but no, that didn't really matter cause that was in the simulation and it was a whole different situation and it didn't matter. "I'm just a waitress. Or was, I guess. Not much more." Kind of. "And the second, the beckoning is more of a feeling than anything else. No actual voice is speaking in my head or anything."

The idea that there was something in them was interesting, Darcy tilted her head, pondered it for a few moments. "Almost like the powers chosing us based on whatever we have in us? Maybe we were even chosen to be here because of something special like this?" That could certainly be a possibility, or at least some kind of factor.

None of it really mattered, though. Not when the hornets were attacking Tej right when he was climbing up the side of the wall. Those fuckers truly had a great, amazing, mind-boggling timing. Just what either of them needed.

All of it went down so fast, if Darcy was being honest, she couldn't even fully comprehend the choices she made during it, she just wanted to get Tej away from them and keep the robot monstrosities away from him. Who cared if she lost a bag, right? As long as they got out of things okay.

So when she got him up next to herself onto the ledge and made sure that the hornets weren't hanging around to cause even more damage (really, was it just their goal to sting and then get away in the most traumatic way possible? fuck them all).

"Yeah, they're gone, they're-- fuck, they really got you." He was bleeding on his side, so she quickly got the sweater she was wearing off of herself, clumped the textile up and pressed it against his side for now, trying not to focus on the blood that started to pool under him.

This was not like the last time. This was not like the last time. This was absolutely not like the last time.

"If you are going to chastize me, I really do not want to hear about it, Tej. Of course I stayed and--" But he simply said thank you and Darcy let out a high-strung sigh, only realizing now that her hands were shaking as she held the sweater against his side. "Yeah, it's nothing. You just stop bleeding and we get back and it's all going to be fine. Otherwise I'm bringing you back just to kill you myself in the most painful way possible, and really, you absolutely do not want any of it. I might not be an artist, but I can be creative in that regard." She wasn't sure if she wanted to lighten the mood for his sake or her own more, but if anyone asked, it was absolutely his.

"I don't care about the bag, Tej," she said, but she leaned over the ledge again. She couldn't see the bag but she also couldn't see any hornets that decided to come back, so she took that as a win. "How are you feeling? Aside from the side bleeding situation, of course."

She sat back onto her heels, taking the rest of him in. "Have you seen anything? After the sting?" She thought of her own experience, the way she could feel Jim's fear and terror but last moments of determination too, as he tried to help Beema. "I got stung by one of them, too - by one of the bungalows. And I saw Jim's last moments in it."

[alexpanganiban]

location: beach triage set call sheet: @elijahbell

"--now, you just make sure you keep your head covered and stay hydrated, okay?" Alex gave the hat he'd placed on the older woman's head a sympathetic pat, which likely would have had more of a heartwarming effect if it wasn't a toque that said "Suck Deez Nuts" on it, but beggars couldn't be choosers and anyhow, who was to say a little offbeat Tarantino style levity would go amiss right now?

"My leg hurts," the old lady croaked, but Alex was pretty much already moving on at that point so he pretended she'd made a joke and laughed merrily and said, "Good one! Oh, Beryl, you kill me," as he took himself out of earshot and headed towards a man he caught sight of walking with purpose along the sand. That seemed like a good person to hitch his wagon to, so Alex approached, taking in the broad, heavy shoulders and the gorgeous hair and the ... everything else that was pretty great too, and waved. "Hey there!" he said. "D'you need any help with anything?

[dirtygaro]

MONEY Q WRIST - Smeseni Signali (Official Video)

[panopticonrpg]

EVENT 02. PART 1: THE DRONES

After the General Meeting, a group of four prepared for a trip into the wilderness. Their goal: to explore outwards, see what they could find of the rest of this strange place. They used walkie talkies at first, reporting back to the others on the beach some findings: lots of trees, an incline, huge volcanic boulders, a waterfall. A plateau. More caves. Something else...then the walkie talkies cut out, as to be expected. The exploration team was out-of-range.

Two days passed.

It started late evening, with a hum that at first only Baskar Klein could hear, given their ability. Something akin to a hum, a buzz in the air with a slight tic tic tic underneath it.

In the morning, a light mist hovered over the forest; and instead of the usual sunrise, the sky remained darkened and mottled over the tree canopy, like angry clouds. What appeared through the mist, however, was much worse than a storm: giant hornets.

A whole swarm - hundreds, perhaps thousands. They flew out of the wilderness like a flying army, invading all the spaces people inhabited. Each hornet is about as long as a person's arm, with a big wingspan. This was, without a doubt, an attack.

You didn't need too close of an inspection to realize these hornets were not prehistorically large living insects. Instead of eyes and mandibles, each hornet's head was affixed with a staticky, reflective, small TV monitor as their face.

Their stingers though, seemed ready to strike.

[tw insectoid image under the readmore]

OOC INFORMATION:

Robo-hornet attack! NOTE: The hornets will not attack people unless provoked.

Example of the robo-hornets:

This event is great chance for your characters to work together! Fend off the hornets, discover more about what makes them tick, and/or use their special powers against the flying horrors. Below is a list of more information that everyone is free to interact with!

Their TV faces will sometimes show flickering video feed of things recorded on the island: other characters, locations, your character's face staring right back at them....

A small swarm tries to attack the Warehouse. Who will stop them?

Another swarm tries to attack the Medicentre. Who will stop them?

The swarm breaks off into smaller groups, with intent.  

One murder hornet specifically goes for the generator that @alexpanganiban bled on to destroy it!

A swarm attacks a giant dog-tiger that comes pelting out of the trees, trying to defend itself. It's the same beast that attacked @chancedarling!

A few hornets go after the Odyssey to partially decimate it

Sometimes the hornets will hover over something as if in thought, and then change course to attack something else.

Paired-off hornets go after certain people, ignores others completely. Seemingly random, but if you want your character to have hornets try to sting them, leave a react in the discord announcement!

Hornets can be destroyed. They're all robotic inside, filled with a weird reddish oily blood-type substance....and something else?

[mc-adarsh]

Adarsh realised that Zaid did not understand Telugu, nor his own language, he could babble to himself all he wanted, but it wasn’t going to get him anywhere with this person. He’d said there were others though, maybe one of the others knew… maybe they knew him? But even if he wanted to find answers, he found his legs didn’t want to carry him. 

Was he immobilised by terror? By helplessness? 

He stared back at the other, frantic eyes trying to beg him to stay, even if there was nothing he could do. He didn’t want to be alone. He did not like the sympathy, the ‘poor little sod’, it made his skin crawl. But he could not respond, he realised that Zaid was leaving. 

He’d be alone again soon? Taking it easy, sure… but he’d be alone. 

He nodded, there was nothing he could say to make the other stay, there was he thought he needed, maybe that doctor, but that was out of his control. “Yes, that uhm… thank you.” 

end.

Mans didn't even know what language he was speaking. Zaid exhaled loudly as Adarsh prattled on, switching back to his own tongue. A pause, as it sounded like the bloke might've asked a question, but did nothing to translate himself. Zaid waited a beat, then two. Still Adarsh remained clueless.

Zaid gave a few smacking pats on Adarsh thigh. "Right, well. Mate, seems like you've lost a lot more than just our memory, yeah? Some brain power too, your poor little sod." Zaid clicked his tongue in sympathy, but a distanced sympathy.

"Might be best to just take it easy, but...don't fall asleep." If he had a concussion, sleep was a bad idea, right? So the tall tales went. Zaid had kitchen first aid training, had never had to use it in any serious manner.

Zaid stood up again. "Take your time, yeah? You've been through it." They all had, but Adarsh was working at a severe deficit; and Zaid knew he wasn't one to babysit. Caretaking others had never been in Zaid's wheelhouse, at least not like this. "Just take it easy, stay calm, and your mind might regain itself. Might take hours, so I'd reckon you should also see to yourself. If you're hungry or need to take or piss or that. Maybe change out of the wet clothes, yeah? There's plenty of dry clothes in them suitcases from the ship."

A nod, as Zaid decided he'd done all he could, with Adarsh lost in his own language soup. "If I find a doctor, I'll send them your way, yeah?"

[tejvirani]

(And a hornet pelting them all with packets of crisps ~) With @selinswonderland and @akhilaasthana Thanks to Dion for the header!

The warehouse was a haven, for now. Akhila had ducked inside seeking sanctuary and something sugary. It didn’t take a genius to know she was burning through calories at a higher rate. She scoured the shelves for a tin of peaches. It would do. Akhila turned on her heel, the can already torn open, syrup sloshed up and over onto her hand. Bugger. The hornets were everywhere. She scrunched her nose and drank as much of the sugar-syrup as she could stomach. Akhila, fuck, she needed something––she grappled to trade her tin for a tool and got a wrench. Adequate. It had a decent weight to it. 

“I’ve had it up to bloody here with this.” Akhila seethed, but the hornet lifted and turned, it’s staticky not-face had latched onto someone else. Not the resolution she had in mind. Akhila willed for speed or power, but as she jogged after it but there was no surge of energy. “Behind you!” She hollered.

***

Selin had no idea where to go or what to do. After a few encounters with these robot hornets, it seemed like the best option to duck into the medicenter, grab some type of supplies, something in case of injury. But while almost there she noticed a few people who were making their way out, arms loaded with stuff. No way they needed that much medical supplies! She tried to call out to them but they were moving fast, so the easiest solution was to follow. At least that way she could see what they were up to or be an extra pair of hands if there was really a big group of people in need of assistance.

Following them to the warehouse, it turned out to be a bad idea considering the amount of hornets that were buzzing around the interior. The commotion bounced off the walls and Selin followed the shouting voices to find Akhlia and another, (one of the ones she saw running from the medicenter) standing off with one of the hornets causing her to stop dead in her tracks. "Whoa, okay. Let's all just be calm. Maybe if we leave it alone it'll...go away." She said, slow and incredibly hopeful.

***

Tej spotted Ellen first. From his perch in the upper loft of the warehouse, he surreptitiously watched as she stashed boxes behind a broken furnace. Not long after, a few more followed with boxes. Doors were carelessly left open, and the horrible drones of the hornets amplified off the brick and concrete of the warehouse. 

He grabbed up a nearby can of spray paint (Rust-oleum, color "Key Lime") and popped the top off. A lighter was also picked up. Tej took the stairs down quick. 

‘Oh my god, get it–get it away from me!’ Ellen wailed in a piercing high pitch. Body turned to the side, hands balled up and held tight to a smaller box in her arms. Akhila was there, as was Selin. And the hornet, as it hovered behind Ellen one second and zipped around in front of Ellen the next.

(Incredibly engineered, Tej thought. Painstakingly created. He wanted to take the hornet apart piece by piece to see just how beautiful it was). 

Tej, agitated: “Yeah. Because being calm is really working out for Ellen. She let the damn thing in here.”

***

Really, what exactly did she think she was doing? Akhila’s gaze cast towards the doors that had been left flung open. She flinched as Ellen wailed, Selin, she was fairly certain the young woman’s name was Selin, seemed hopeful they could play ignorant. Akhila pursed her lips to answer but another voice joined the thick of it. She cast a sideways glance and it was him, backpack man.

Excellent.

Akhila tightened her grip on the wrench. “We need to lure it out of here.” This hadn’t been part of the relaxation-bargain. 

“Right, well shit.” Akhila huffed, because Ellen had spied a break in the hornet’s hovering and made a break for it. The machine-come-beast hesitated, then followed with intent after her deep into the belly of the warehouse. “That wasn’t––” Akhila stared in horror as another came with a box clutched to their chest and a hornet on their tail. She reached for Selin and pulled them both down to avoid collision. 

“Just in case.” Akhila informed her as she handed Selin the wrench. It was better than nothing. Without waiting Akhila lurched down the warehouse, one of the hornets had wedged itself up on a top shelf and was incidentally launching packets of crisps down at them to free itself. One less to worry about. “You haven’t got the ability to laser beam it with your eyes have you?” She asked the young man. Names could come later when there wasn’t giant-fucking-wasps to worry about.

***

Ellen's reaction to the hornet was anything but calm. Not that Selin could blame her for it, but after multiple run ins with these things, screaming and running seemed like the easiest way for them to give chase. Which is exactly what happened as Ellen tried to get away and only intrigued the robotic creature more. "Does that look like calm to you, Tej?" Selin pointed out at his sarcasm at her suggestion. None of them were targets yet after all.

Looking at the wrench Akhila gave her, Selin appreciated it but had a sneaking suspicion that it wouldn't be enough to take this thing out. If anything a wrench to that television head would most likely cause aggression to be turned on them. 

"I think if we want to take this thing out. We need to make every hit count." She told both of them, holding up the wrench. "This is a good distraction if we want to be a new target, but we'll need something bigger to incapacitate it. Try to break off limbs somehow."

***

He blinked once at Selin and replied dry as a bone: "Oh. What, you gonna offer to meditate with her? Do some deep breathing. Don't let me interrupt." His chin tipped up. "At this point Ellen's yelling probably called every one of those damn things over here." 

As Akhila outfitted Selin with a weapon, Tej ran over to close the mentioned doors. They at least might stand a chance against a few trapped inside, versus letting the rest of them in. 

When he returned to Selin and Akhila, they were being pelted with snacks by one of the trapped insect robots. Could he shoot laser beams from his eyes? "I only wish. You?" 

Selin and Akhila had both offered different but equally decent options against the damn hornets. He looked around them and then down the long aisle, beyond the angry wedged in thing caught in shelving.

"Look. There are some empty shelves at the end of this row. As tall as these." He gestured to the ones they stood in front of. "We lure the rest of the hornets down to the end of this aisle. The shelving isn't exactly light weight, but since they're empty I figure I can push them over. If we can trap them under the shelves, then we could actually break some limbs." A second to recognize Selin's suggestion. "Damn, killer over here. I never knew." 

And, continued. "Pretty sure I can fry some parts and pieces too." He held up the can of spray paint and lighter. 

"We need someone to lure them down there." A beat. "Where the fuck did Ellen go? Stashing more of those boxes?"

***

Akhila ducked her head to avoid the purple-foil wrapped snack. She’d pursed her lips, considering Selin’s entirely pragmatic point that the wrench wasn’t going to do that much damage. Perhaps not to these robot-hornets, but technology was fragile. She’d only needed to drop her new iPad the once to learn that lesson. “I don’t know where she’s gone…” She could hear her, the cacophony of chaos, shouts and screams. That didn’t avail them of Ellen’s current location within the warehouse. 

Good.” She mused as he held up the balm of teenage boredom.

“No laser beams…” Akhila could however, if she could kick some of that sugary energy into gear, utilise her unnatural speed. “Sorry Selin, I’ll need that wrench back.” Akhila shot off, the plan formulating piece by piece. “I think I can lure the hornets down this end.” She flexed her hand, there it was, the sluggish feeling of pulling through honey. Akhila proffered them both a wan smile. “I’ll be bait, whilst I wouldn’t normally condone this, you two get ready break limbs.” No time to be delving into the absurdity of the situation.

There wasn’t a chance in hell she was sending either of them into the hornet-nest.

“First…we really should find Ellen.” The last any of them needed was an extraneous variable. “Heaven only knows why she’s moving boxes at a time like this.”

***

"Man, now really isn't the time for your sass." Selin replied back with a sigh. "When I aggravated one by throwing rocks at it, I got stung. So to me it makes sense that if you leave it alone, it'll do the same." But the longer they left them alone, the more they would destroy. Who was to say whether they would get any replacements of items and food targeted by the hornets or if this was all some master plan to rid them of resources they got accustom to these past few weeks.

Easily, she handed the wrench back over to Akhila when she requested it. There probably wouldn't be a whole lot of damage done with it in her hands. Though the idea of anyone as bait didn't sit right with her, as cool as it was for Akhila to offer up herself with ease, Selin couldn't possibly just say yeah, go for it! especially considering what they were up against and the likeliness of injury. "Are you sure? I'll warn you, those stinger claw things they've got? Not fun. Just, be careful." An obvious statement, but Selin felt she needed to offer it up nonetheless.

She turned to Tej at his comment about her being a killer. "I'm very complex. Surprisingly, I don't like giant mechanical bugs terrorizing me and other people."

As for Ellen, Selin kept quiet about what she was doing that caused her to head this way in the first place. Now probably wasn't the time to admit she had a hunch theft was taking place. The woman's shrieks and cries through the warehouse echoed, and as Selin turned her head to the side, she watched Ellen running past their aisle still frantically shouting for help as the hornet curiously followed after her. "Found her. Think you can help me catch her?" She asked Tej, gesturing for him to come along. "Maybe we can try that meditation idea of yours."

***

Selin’s exasperation inexplicably brought a faint smile to Tej’s lips. Admitting she’d been stung wiped it all away. “I was stung too.” The burn of skin ripped open by a claw still vivid enough to bring a protective hand to his side. He wondered if Selin also saw anything. Or was it his own delirium in the moment, in the surreal grip of a horrific man-made insect? Something to bring up once they were all in a safer position. 

I’ll be bait. “The fuck?” This was the person who dove into rough seas to save the thing most precious to him, without even knowing what the hell it was. “You don’t have to do that.” A similar statement to Selin’s one that didn’t need to be said. The look of determination in Akhila’s eyes told them the decision, however baffling, had already been made. 

A brow rose to Selin’s other remark, “Never had a doubt about it.” Complex, yes, and she deserved to have the last word too. 

"Think I know what she's up to--" but before Tej could rat out Ellen, she darted nearby. "Ah. What if Ellen prefers yoga?" He took off down the aisle and gained easily. Enough to cut around the corner as Ellen approached and slip a strategically placed foot out for her to trip over. Splat. 

He leaned back to see Selin. "Tell Akhila we got her. And another hornet is down here too." He bent down to help Ellen up. "The hell do we do with this one though?"

***

Akhila had always really loathed sitting in the backseat with the world blurring by, and no control over speed, or jerky direction. One of the reasons she’d gotten herself a two-seater convertible. The motion was startlingly akin to the speed she could garner from what felt like an otherwise mundane jog. Though sickeningly sweet canned fruit had done its job, the warehouse was streaks of ruddy colour, and nary a hornet in sight. Bollocks. Akhila looped back up and around to go down a second row incase she’d missed it. Easily done when the world was nothing but a gauzy super-speed blur.

Brakes? Yeah still hadn’t quite figured that one out yet, more testing needed. Akhila skidded, knees bent to absorb the impact, and no sooner had the dust settled she doubled over the expunge the fruit. Useful, yes, an awful fairground ride experience, also yes. Akhila wiped her mouth, and moved to straighten up but behind a disconnected furnace was a stack. Boxes pile on top of each other wasn’t out of the ordinary, it was the contents. Akhila pulled one towards her, the stash of gloves that had gone missing last night, below that a defibrillator that appeared too modern comparatively.

Akhila ground her back teeth. She followed the sound of chittering voices. Selin, Tej and in the middle of them both Ellen. “Anyone have any idea who took this?” She barked, holding up the neatly portable defibrillator someone had evidently pried from The Odyssey. Ellen went ghostly mute. “Crying out loud!” Akhila half-wished she’d kept the wrench. She pushed her tongue up against her teeth, heaven almighty save her now if these were the blithering idiots she was stuck with. Tej and Selin, excluded. “You cannot be serious, have you any idea the trouble you've caused? That you could cause?”

***

Knowing the awful feeling of being stung and what she had witnessed, Selin had this look of fear and sympathy when Tej said he was also stung. She didn't wish that experience on anyone but it seems she wasn't the only unlucky one.

Neither of them seemed all that pleased with Akhila offering herself up as bait, but something had to be done, right? Selin didn't know much about Akhila's ability and what she was capable of. It wasn't laser eyes, but she still felt confident enough to lure the hornets somewhere that Tej and Selin could gang up on them. Maybe even Ellen too if she quit running around like a maniac. Luckily, she was pretty easy to knock down when they managed to catch up to her, a simple trip to send her toppling face first to the ground.

"Hey, you're gonna need to calm down and quit causing a commotion in here, ok? These things don't like being provoked and running and screaming isn't helpful, do you understand?" She asked Ellen, who feverishly nodded her understanding. Selin had the urge to scold her like a child for not thinking and acting so recklessly. But right now, Ellen was quiet and Selin ranting would get the same outcome as Ellen's screaming.

When Akhila showed up, holding up a defibrillator and asked about it in a harsh and accusatory tone, Selin's gaze gravitated over to Ellen, now avoiding eye contact. She had seen the other woman lugging the boxes from the medcenter over in this direction but she had no clue what was inside. But as much as she knew that some type of punishment was deserved, she was still concerned about the hornets. "Akhila...I think maybe we should focus on the bigger problem before anything else. What happened? You didn't already take care of the rest of the hornets did you?" The thought of Akhila dealing with those things all on her own, while impressive, sounded incredibly dangerous.

***

An odd sound was heard within the warehouse. After Akhila took off, a rush of movement traveled over to Tej and Selin. He just couldn't see Akhila. But most of his attention temporarily fell (ha) to Ellen-- who finally seemed to take Selin's advice. 

When Akhila reappeared, she had something with her. Tej's brows drew tight. "The hell did that come from..." The answer sat on the ground between them all. 

'I'm not the only one. Others took things too,' Ellen admitted with a lot of bluster despite the color that flooded her cheeks at being caught. 'You can't just blame me!'

Tej pinched the bridge of his nose with a loud exhale. But Selin was right. Take care of the immediate danger before sorting out the supply thieves. So, to Akhila. "What did you find?"

***

“No.” Her gaze cut across to Selin, and then flicked from Tej to Ellen. Latter of whom was sprouting a great deal of nonsense. Absolving herself of guilt because others had dared to be fools too. A pitifully weak excuse. “I found their stash, no hornets.” Akhila held her jaw tight and spoke through tight lips. 

There was every possibility she may have missed a hornet, owing to her bout of motion sickness. However, Akhila remained an otherwise infallible wall. “Shut up woman.” She barked at Ellen, who chewed over her silence with ruddy cheeks. 

There was no evidence of the hornets, no buzz or hum. Conceivably even the one that had wedged itself into a shelving unit had flushed itself out. “I would suggest we get out of here.” Akhila measured Ellen up, the woman owed her, owed them all for her pilfering. The adrenaline-infused stupidity on her behalf had waned, leaving Akhila bone-weary. After some hesitation. “You were right.” She poised to Selin. 

“Any other suggestions?”

***

Amidst Ellen's protesting about the things that were taken, trying to absolve herself from blame, Selin's main concern was the hornets. Ellen was certainly in the wrong here but she didn't deserve to get attacked or killed by one of these robots. At least that's what Selin thought, she wasn't sure what the other two believed. But when Akhila told them that there were no more hornets around, she didn't find anything but this stash of medical equipment, that brought her a sense of relief. It also felt kind of good to hear from Akhila of all people that her belief on how these things operated was correct. It was quite the honor, even if it was just a simple remark, it felt like praise.

"Getting out of here is a good idea. Unless you've got more medical equipment stashed away here somewhere that you'd like to tell us about?" She asked Ellen, a bit more stern, raising her eyebrow. Selin probably wasn't much of a threat, but with Tej and Akhila there as well, she'd know not to cause trouble right now. "There's no other equipment, just some bandages and pain meds..." Ellen trailed off and Selin couldn't tell if it due to embarrassment or simply withholding information of how much was taken.

"Well if it's not much I think it won't be that hard to collect it all and bring it back where it belongs. Seeing as we all saved you after all. I think we deserve a little cooperation, what do you all think?"

***

Akhila and Selin were quite the appealing team as they interrogated Ellen. All severe tones and beautifully grave faces. Hot. Ellen spilled the rest of the stolen stash. “Ah, get high. Give your heart a shock.” Tej tapped his chest with a fist twice. “Had a night in Hell’s Kitchen like that once.” Several, many, lucky to be alive. “What’s the bandages for? In case you survive the overdose and heart arrhythmia but wake up with a nasty papercut?” Tej’s contribution: mockery and mild harassment. 

Ellen wiped her nose on the sleeve of her teal shirt. Then she bolted up, shoved herself through the fine wall Selin and Akhila created, and took off running. 

He paused to see Ellen haul ass down the warehouse aisle. “I’m not chasing her again,” Tej said as flat as his expression. “But I’ll help carry the boxes those dipshits stole back to the Medicentre.” 

***

It was Selin who put herself forth to interrogate Ellen, and through a squeaked out confession Ellen, Akhila's glower deepened. Despite frustration curdling to ire Akhila found herself warming to Selin. Akhila's lips pursed, with a huff of haughty air through her nose as Tej chimed in. Only for Ellen to flee from Tej's barbed call-outs with a hard shove. 

She brushed out her sand dune scrubs, and took the time to straighten herself out. "Thank you." Akhila flipped the defibrillator case up, underneath it was stamped with '#4 TOP DECK OF THE ODYSSEY.' Perhaps it would be worth revisiting the cruise ship. "Both of you."

"She isn't worth our time." Pill poppers never were. "We should be able to move them all in one go if we can locate that dolly. Let's hope the hornets have found a honeypot to distract themselves with."

***

End!

[alexpanganiban]

location: bungalow row costar: @lindiwe-in-camelot

"Yes," Alex said, though he was by himself -- well, physically by himself, by himself in terms of nobody else was standing with him. But in a more accurate way of looking at it, he wasn't ever going to be by himself here, wherever, was he? Not with the regular studding of cameras around the place, providing constant surveillance for an as-yet-unidentified person or persons.

And very likely, there was nobody else who'd come off the Odyssey who understood what it was like living constantly in the camera's eye like Alex Panganiban. So!-- "Yes," he said again, with more conviction, "this will do very nicely for me." The corner bungalow had the best situation, and as Alex forged ahead into it, he realized with a rude shock that somebody else was entering from the other door. "HELLO!" Alex brayed, rushing forward into the little house. "I'm here! This is taken! Occupado!"

[surnumanaja]

kui ma näen kedagi silmi pahupidi pööramas ja taeva poole tõusmas, siis mul hakkab peas mängima running up that hill

[tamyrawilliams]

Tamyra gave a bright smile at the way Wren worded that. "That sounds pretty cool, I like that. I really enjoy that we like the same things. When I first met her, she felt so different from me, it felt so hard to even believe we were related, so all of this-- I just really enjoy it. Never thought I'd ever actually like having a sister, but it's-- it's been a lot better than I could ever imagine."

Sometimes Tamyra wasn't the best at reading cues and how others felt (which led to her offer of simply not telling Wren about going through the teleports in the first place) but the wide eye, the eyebrows shooting up into the air, that was very obvious indication of what Wren was thinking, what Wren hoped. So Tamyra smiled and turned her expression almost cheeky, "Yeah, of course it was just a joke. I'd never offer anything like fully serious. Don't worry, I'll tell you anytime I'm planning on using one of the teleports." A little white lie just to make sure Wren didn't feel bad.

Or get too distracted with Tamyra's words and gets out of the mood. She'd much rather keep kissing her, wrangle that throaty moan out of her a couple of more times while it was just the two of them in this side street, little alley, whatever this was. Wren pulled back to point out it was the middle of the day while Tamyra peppered kisses along her neck, her shoulders, mumbling, "No rule against having some fun in the middle of the day."

Tamyra ran her fingers along Wren's side, cupped her beautiful, round ass and let out a small chuckle when Wren's only request was to go a bit further into the alley. "That can be easily arranged," she mumbled and with an easy swoop she picked Wren up and stepped the two of them further in pressing Wren once again against the wall, holding both of her legs up as her fingers grazed over her thighs, sliding in through the bottom of the shirts, teasing as she mumbled, "Good?"

Wren was happy to accept that both she and Tamyra were still a little lost with all this new internet and social media stuff that they suddenly had access to. But she was also happy to listen to Tam talk about all the time she was getting to spend with Jupiter and all the bonding they were doing. "I had no idea. But you know it kinda makes sense, she does so well with her show she had to have that experience from somewhere. That is really cool though. It's like, stardom is in your DNA."

Tam offered up her condolences but how she chose to follow it up made Wren's eyes widen as she raised her eyebrows in shock that this was what Tamyra took from this. Wren standing there telling her that she was worried and wanted some information to quell that worry made her think that she should just not tell Wren anything. "I...really hope you're joking right now. Because this is not the position I want to be in to tell you how much you're missing the point."

Being pressed against the wall, Tamyra's lips pressing kisses against her skin, yeah there was no way Wren was gonna try and start a fight right now. She groaned softly as Tamyra deepened the kiss and added to the excitement with her suggestion. "You do realize it's the middle of the day." She pointed out. They were out of the way from usual foot traffic of the bazaar but considering it was broad daylight, Wren still turned her head to see just how likely it might be for someone to take a turn down this alleyway. But that extra thrill of it was such a turn on, she would be crazy to turn her down.

"Let's go in a little further first." She decided as she pulled Tamyra in deeper down the alley to give them some distance and cover. "Then you can do whatever you want to me."

[undercodenews]

LockBit Developer Arrested: Russian-Israeli National Charged for Role in Notorious Ransomware-as-a-Service

2024-12-23 The US Department of Justice (DoJ) has indicted a dual Russian-Israeli citizen, Rostislav Panev, for his alleged role as a key developer for the notorious LockBit ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) operation. Panev, arrested in Israel in August 2024, is currently awaiting extradition to the United States. Prosecutors claim that Panev played a critical role in the development and operation…

[panopticonrpg]

EVENT 01. PART 2: THE FEAST

Your new home...

You’re off the cruise ship - but where are you? There’s nothing else in the horizon but deep ocean; inland, the beach gives way to thick wilderness, and a raised plateau with small, bungalow-style houses peppering the landscape. They all look exactly the same, and are scattered like a small village - or like someone tossed them on the land like dice on a board. To the east, a large brick and stone building squats in a field. Something about the building hums; closer inspection reveals generators situated around the back. The same with a warehouse building to the east - in fact, generators seem to power all electricity around the empty village…but what was powering the generators?  No gas tank, no batteries, no solar panels even.  But they chugged along nonetheless.

The cameras on the tall poles lovingly follow your movements, everywhere. What catches your senses - particularly your nose - is the scent of food.  On the coast overlooking over the ocean is a wooden patio, spacious enough to hold over 200 people.  The patio is empty, save for one long table near what looks like a barbeque-and-bar counter.  Under covered nets to protect it from wandering critters, are dishes and dishes of food. Hot and cold food, non-alcoholic beverages in large dispensers, dishes to please every palate and dietary needs.  Given how empty this place is, it's unclear how the food - freshly made and beautifully arranged - even appeared.  Was it here before you woke up, or did it manifest somehow during the panic of waking up on the Odyssey? The loudspeaker message glitches, garbles up and then suddenly changes to a woman’s soft and cheery voice: COME CHECK OUT THE BUFFET AT THE HUB! You must be S̡̧̧̡̨͔̜̲̞̖̥͚̦̎T̡̜̦͖͈̥̈́̈́̓͐͘A̻̘̜̣̱̫̳͖͉͊̃̅́̄̑͘Ŗ͕̞̜̩̟͑͆͂͐̐̊̑̀̊͝͠͝͝V̛͙͍̘̟̞̓͛͒͐̇̀͑̐̋̿̈́Í̧̻̗͊̃̎͆̍̅̕͜Ņ̧̧͙̲̬̳̞͇͇̊͆́͒̋̊̔̽̕͝Ḡ̡̦͕͔̘͎̥̻̅̾̉̂̅̎̄̋͌́͝͠ (starving) after your long travel to get here.

OOC info below the cut!

OOC INFO:

The rest of the island has opened up for exploration!  Within immediate access (about a 15 minute walk from the beach) are the community areas.  The top point of the Tower is in the distance, and might be tricky to reach, as there’s a strip of wilderness and a crooked old bridge separating the community from the Tower. The black-sand beach is about a half-hour walk, and the volcano island is a ten-minute swim (by a strong swimmer) to reach it.   Within the bungalows and medicenter, there are electric sockets.  (Hint: need a phone charger?  Your character might want to head back to the Odyssey).  All bungalows have plumbing and electricity, powered by the mysterious generators.  NOTE: Breaking apart a generator comes with risks - if you don’t understand the power source, can you put it back together successfully?  There are no generators to replace the ones in use. The medicentre is basic, but fully functional.  Inside the brutalist building, it looks incredibly sterile, like no one has used it since it was built.  The technology in there looks like it came from before Y2K. The warehouse is fully stocked with perishable and non-perishable food.  There are also some other basic supplies:

 somewhat shapeless clothes made of natural fabrics, heavy coats (despite the island seeming tropical)

some small household appliances, including toasters

plenty of toiletries and cleaning supplies

a few books and magazines

some cassette tapes, CDs, and old music players.  No music from after Y2K.

there are no televisions

a variety of repair and household garage small tools, mostly non-powered 

a stand-up dolly, some wheeled wagon-carts for carrying heavy things, and five bicycles.  

FINAL NOTE: The bracelets do not work yet! Patience…

[h1p3rn0v4]

"Rostislav Panev durante años construyó y mantuvo las armas digitales que permitieron a sus co-conspiradores de LockBit causar estragos y miles de millones de dólares en daños en todo el mundo", dijo el fiscal federal Philip R. Sellinger .

[tejvirani]

tej: it's too late [ no further messages sent ]

Zaid: NEED something? you don't need anything from it. Tej it'll kill you Zaid: ffs I care enough that I don't want you to die you pillock Zaid: come back here now. [short delay] Zaid: please

[tejvirani]

Cruise ship: Galley w/ @zaidshair

Screams. Shrill yowls, sad sobs, long wails. The cries in the dark stuck to him, sticky as the saltwater. The worst nightmare Tej had in awhile. Another deep whine came from the... ship? Angled into deep water, the boat rolled slightly. Not on the waves, but as if to turn over in its sleep.

Tej slung his backpack over a shoulder, the one he'd clutched before opening his front door. But how the hell did he end up here? (It couldn't be real, none of it.) The urge to escape a sinking ship spurred him on (when the fuck would he wake up?? what the fuck was on his wrist?). Tej clawed and crawled his way over an incline with waterlogged hands slipping along the floor that had become a wall. Voices shouted from around the corner. The partially capsized boat tilted the galley on its side. Tej knelt down to look through the door at the people below. They bobbed and treaded water to stay afloat in the middle of a rush of rising ocean water and various kitchen items, like pans and pots, splatters of buoyant colorful vegetables.

'Here!' A woman yelled frantic to see Tej, with her hand jutted upwards. 'Help us, please!'

A fever swept through him, one that eradicated old feelings and infected Tej with a new anger that ached terribly. Yet he could not resist to twist directly into those chills of dull pain. "Zaid!" A bark of an unpleasant surprise and bitterness. It had been months since they'd seen each other.

A shock of ice water ran through his chest. Zaid could drown. (Zaid could drown!) A tendon jumped and tensed at the hinge of his jaw. Tej wanted to watch Zaid gasp and sputter. Look on as those large brown eyes filled with terror, and with the memory of someone else who didn't stand a fighting chance in the ocean. Then fall lifeless as an anvil to the bottom of this watery little kitchen-coffin. The woman splashed closer and matched Tej's deeply furrowed brow. 'Hey! Don't just stand there, help us out of here! Give me your hand!'

"I'll help you." Deliberate words, a line drawn. He'd help her, but Zaid was on his own. "There's shelving there," he pointed out, located underwater and against the wall. "Swim to it. You can climb up and reach my hand, I'll pull you up." He held a small handle near the frame of the door to anchor himself first, then leaned over to try and grasp the woman's arm above the wrist.

(Now the racing of his heart, the pounding in his head that this was real. Still a nightmare, but fucking hell, this was real.)