Day 337 [Open]

[daughterofursa]

Who: Zuko and everyone!
Open: Open!
When: Day 337
Where: Near the Monument
What: Zuko tries to Speech. Let her Leader you.
Format: I'll match
Warnings: Honor

[Late in the morning, Zuko's voice comes over the amulet network to ask everyone to gather near the monument so she can update them on the situation. There was a lot of commotion yesterday, and a lot of information is still limited to small groups or one-on-one discussions.

Of course, some of it's going to stay that way, since there's still potentially a spy in their midst, but Zuko is at least going to cover what she feels is important for everyone to know.

Once enough people have gathered, she speaks up, using her best Commanding Officer voice.]

I don't want anyone to be in the dark about our situation. This affects all of us.

The people who attacked us sent us a threat. Six days from now, they want us to return their people, or they'll attack the Ura camp.

We've already made plans to help the Ura. We're also sending a group to meet with these people, and try to negotiate with them.

It's possible that they'll take the opportunity to attack us here while our forces are divided. The rest of us have to be prepared to defend the Bastion. I don't expect those of you who've never taken up a weapon to fight. We need you to stay safe, and out of the line of fire. You can help with preparations, and now's the time to brush up on any first aid training.

Everyone who can fight, I want us to run battle drills. We have a lot of experienced fighters, but we don't all have experience fighting alongside each other. We'll need that.

We're trying to learn as much as we can about these people, but for now, we're preparing for the worst. It's still my hope that we can resolve this without more conflict, but either way I know we'll get through it together.

((OOC: Feel free to ask her clarifying questions or use this post for mingling. Like I guess if you wanted to ask Colin questions instead that's okay. Zuko understands not everyone hates him like she does.))

Comments

Near the Monument, a few minutes later.

[twinked_witch]

Time to prepare more, then?

It seems there will be much to do. Trying to figure out better defenses will be critical in the short term, for one.

[daughterofursa]

I'm open to suggestions. I'm not used to defending a position.

[Firebenders are all about that offense.]

[twinked_witch]

Well...

We've got one big advantage, when it comes to protecting the Bastion itself. Namely, there's only one entrance available without flight. That leaves two vulnerabilities if they have a solution for that.

The first is getting at the Bastion from underneath. That requires getting to it and burrowing. Some sort of system on the underbelly would be appropriate for that.

The second is more obvious - and easier to handle.

[freedom_engineer]

[Oh look, someone else is finally saying what he said all those months back.]

Ghaleon and I will be available to offer basic first aid training, I know we all agree that more people need to know these things.

Zuko's right, everyone! If you can't fight together, you're gonna be easy to pick off!

[four_quarts]

[Naturally, Ghaleon has to add his two silver to this.]

Please, do take up our offer. As I'm sure you know, we're a little bit short-handed in this regard.

[Seriously guys, he and Colin can't do everything for you in the medical department.]

[scary_music]

Ibuki took the special healing power from the monument... buuuuuut I guess Ibuki should learn the first aid thing, too.

[gianthobo]

I can help with first aid, though the finer details may need someone with... smaller hands.

[He can't help having giant hands.]

[bakegarasu]

[Otoha shifts a little uncomfortably.]

I can treat most wounds that don't need surgery. ... Though I can take more than a lot of people so I don't know if it would work the same.

[A lot of people just end up screaming in pain so he's not even sure what level of pain makes most people shut down.]

[darkshooter]

[All the more reason for her to get serious about that team synchronization thing. It's definitely not What's Done where she comes from, but then she's had to adapt to a lotta things - and if everyone's survival is at stake...]

[You guys were offering, right? Here's someone willing to take you up.]

Perhaps a short time afterward? Also, placeholder

[darkshooter]

[...she's hesitant to interrupt or interject during the speech, but Ikuri will hover nearby. And the first chance she gets, she'll ask Zuko her question:]

Drills?

[She may have inferred the basic idea from the context, but it's still not exactly a common Thing.]

[daughterofursa]

Practice fights.

You stage how you think your enemy might attack, and practice how you'll take them out as a team in that scenario.

[amphibian]

[PUTS PINKIE FINGERS IN MOUTH, WHISTLES REAL LOUD IN ENCOURAGEMENT

and immediately after she's done being rambunctious she runs up to stand beside Zuko. She should be scared—and there's worry in her, there always is, but when Zuko says—because Zuko says—we'll get through it together, Aoi believes her. They can do this. They'll be okay, this time.]

And hey! Hey! The monument can give you a lot of useful powers if you use shards! There's a healing one, most importantly, but there's one to make you run fast and a few fighting ones! And if you don't have the shards to get them, I have a lot saved up, so come see me! And if there's anything else that'd be helpful, I'll get that, too!

[Doing the Speech thing is super not her forte and right, attracting people's attention is kind of uncomfortable, she almost forgot for a moment there!! She fidgets and glances away.] ...Y-yeah!

[Also maybe she has kind of ended up taking Zuko's hand without thinking about it while she's been talking, welp.]

[daughterofursa]

[Zuko doesn't notice when the hand-holding starts because she's become pretty used to it, but when she notices Aoi getting uncomfortable she gives her hand a reassuring squeeze and uh. Oh.

They're holding hands. In front of basically everyone. Not as embarrassing as kissing but that was only six people.

She clears her throat, and she is not quite so great at public speaking while obviously gay. Gonna have to work on that.]

R-right. If you don't have the shards for anything you need, ask. We need to be pooling our resources here.

[dragonsorcsandwolves]

[A bit later, once Zuko and Aoi aren't the center of everyone's attention (and presumably for ease of threading the two of them aren't next to each other anymore unless you want them to be), Rob approaches Aoi, big ugly scars on his cheek and shoulder, bare-chested, and with rabbit bones hanging around his neck like he's been for the recent past.]

Hey, uh, we were talking yesterday about plans for this and I came up with a few things, but, I, uh, I realized I don't have enough shards for everything and won't be able to get enough before the deadline.

[No, he hasn't actually asked her for shards, but the whole idea of asking people who he doesn't know that well to give him not!money is kind of awkward for him.]

[kyotoprincess]

[Bon listens to Zuko's speech, nodding along thoughtfully as he listens. When she is done, he will speak up.]

The better fighters should go out to meet them. Here at the Bastion we have defenses, and if all else fails there's still the anti-fighting safety measure. We can do a lot more with fewer people, especially if we just corral them in and let them get zapped by the safety measure when they try to attack.

[daughterofursa]

I'm not willing to put that much faith in the Bastion's calming effect. It might've put an end to a few arguments, but we're allies. We haven't tested its limits or found out if anyone can be immune to it.

[gianthobo]

[AZ is here, but he looks... uneasy. Floette is noticeably absent, as are... all of his Pokemon, really. He knows they'll do what he asks... but he has his own opinions on the matter.]

I'm willing to support you... but I will not fight. I'm willing to use my Pokemon for defensive purposes, but I will not allow them to permanently injure anyone, even if they are more than capable of doing so. I will treat the wounded here as best I can, but... I'm sorry. I refuse to make any weapon or lift a hand to do physical harm to someone else. I'll do what I can, otherwise.

[daughterofursa]

No one's going to force you to fight.

I'd rather avoid doing that kind of damage myself. [But she will hurt people to protect the Bastion, if she has to.]

near the Monument, slightly later

[superdrowningskills]

...Should you require shards for the purpose of assisting with defense, you are free to request some from my hoard.

[One would think that the dhampire was exaggerating by calling his shard collection a hoard. He's not. He's really, really not. Sometimes he takes naps in it because it's deep enough, and why not?]

Now, with that matter covered, what sorts of drills were you thinking of?

[daughterofursa]

I figured we'd use the dummies from the training building to set up scenarios we might expect from our enemies and plan accordingly.

But I don't have much experience with team drills. [Aside from attacking the Melon Lord.] I could use the help if you're offering.

ota for whoever

[wayofvoice]

[It's hard to miss Paarthurnax, even when he's quiet.]

I understand that I am very much an unusual partner to fight alongside. I welcome any who have not fought with me before. To have a partner to ride with me would be most useful as well.

[daughterofursa]

[...riding a dragon into battle. Talk about childhood fantasies. She's not gonna volunteer herself tho, that would be presumptuous!]

I'm sure anyone would be honored to ride with you.

[amphibian]

I've always got your back, Paarthurnax!

[She is so tiny; Aoi probably isn't the one who is doing the metaphorical back-having in this equation, and yet.]

[dragonsorcsandwolves]

Battle drills are probably not a bad idea.

[He's aware that he's not that great a fighter but wherever he ends up he's not going to be a noncombatant.]

I'm trying to think of what kind of defenses could be set up on this end. Watchtowers might be good, if we can get enough people to man them. A gatehouse at this side of the Skyway bridge, maybe. Potentially some scouting and training equipment, though I'm not sure if the Monument can make the stuff I have in mind.

Either way though, I, uh, don't have enough shards to make any of that stuff myself.

[daughterofursa]

Aoi and I have plenty. What sort of equipment did you have in mind?