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Rita Ma	Kana looks better. Bota had been awkward in his white robes, but she takes to her miko vestments/combat swimsuit hybrid like a fish to water (was a bared midriff part of the original designs? Surely the skirt wasn't always that short). Her twin blades are still strapped to her back. This is a meeting with a different sort of people.      There are bags under her eyes despite the early hour- well, eye, one can only speculate what's under the patch- but she stands up straight, her voice has regained its goosebump-prickling edge, and her glare carries at least half the crackling energy it did before.      That's good, because this is a meeting she can't miss.      "We all have the same goal now," she says, leading the party from the Busan's dock through Floating City New York's backstreets. They're dim and rusted. Even in the middle of day, the sun has trouble finding its way between the skyscrapers to ground. "Supposedly. I doubt there's going to be any more power plays. This is just about how we reach it. You aren't strictly needed, but I wanted you to provide strategic insights. We're new to this kind of offensive."      She comes to an unremarkable building designated by a red paint stripe. Its door leads down a flight of stairs into a basement. A commotion filters up from below, more boisterous but less unfriendly than the parliament's uproar. "And also..." With her foot on the first step, she lays her hand on the doorframe and halfway turns around.      "To look these people in the eye. Most of us will be dead in six months. Do you understand?" She knows better than to except herself.
Kale Hearthward	> "To look these people in the eye. Most of us will be dead in six months. Do you understand?" "Yes." No. I'm not sure I can understand. Not till all of this is over. Kale's brought coffee again, this time in a less-instant form, now that the tactic of having these meetings at these strange hours is better understood. Anyone who's spoken to him previously (including Kana and Bota) has their preferred coffee style ready-made in a travel thermos, carried inside two heated takeout bags he's dual-wielding. He's also got an insulated backpack with the electric kettle, extra fresh water, extra travel thermoses, and the instant packet selection for anyone who didn't put an order in ahead of time. "Six months... doesn't feel like a lot of time to prepare for something on this scale," comments Kale. "We'll need to make sure we don't waste any time."
Kukuru	"You're not gonna be cold wearing that, are you?" Even though Kana's looking more put together than before, Kukuru still can't help but fuss over her. Bota gets a fair bit of fussing, too, although that's more about his hair than anything else. With the posturing presumably over (because Kana said so), Kukuru's looking considerably more relaxed about this meeting than she did for the last one, but she's still dressed for some measure of success between having her hair straightened out and donning a neat suit jacket and skirt combo that somehow hasn't gotten caught up in any errant nails or blood splatters yet. There's still time for that on the way to and through New York, but she's not expecting it. "Strategic...? A-ah." Oh no. That's one of her many weaknesses! Still, she's been resolved to not be a burden since that first meeting, and Kukuru's also steeling herself to not let darker thoughts lead her astray. With all that still fresh in her mind, she manages a firm, if still somewhat delayed nod. "I'll do my best. There's some stuff I don't see a lot of other people doing, so you can count on me for that." Feeling her confidence coming back, Kukuru hums pleasantly after a while, passing out water bottles for anyone that needs a refresher along with little paper-wrapped snack packs of jerky, crispy batter bits, and mostly intact grapes (seedless). It's not until Kana mentions death that Kukuru finally remembers to bring up some rather important, if casually dropped info: "That bad, huh...? Oh! If anyone dies near me, though, it shouldn't be a problem. I can fix that."
Ishirou	'To look these people in the eye.  Most of us will be dead in six months.  Do you understand?' "Yeah.." Ishirou says, sounding slightly uncomfortable at the thought, but he does understand the sentiment.  How many other units were lost fighting against the Nullborn?  Or went rogue and they were sent to try and find them?  Ishirou rubbed his face, god he didn't want to deal with that again, but... he can't exactly escape it.   He could leave, Kayoko and Meika said, but... that isn't the solution.  He's messed up, badly.  Very badly.  He's got to stop moping and try and repair and make it up.  Maybe he could never make it up.  That would be heartbreaking, but... he couldn't face himself without trying.  His own dark thoughts and depression had passed into something slightly more productive. He takes his own Thermus.  He doesn't /need/ to drink, but as always Ishirou liked to.  It made him feel more human, even when his body before was not.   Upon spotting Kukuru, he remembered those words to her he said, thoughtlessly and in the depths of his own darkness.  He looked slightly mortified at the thought of what he said, but what can he do?  He'd just hurt someone else.  Stupid... No, you can't run from this.   He walks next to Kukuru and speaks to her.  A bit softer so as to not interrupt the rest of the group's proceedings.  "Hey... can I talk to you for a moment..?" he asks, cautiously.  If she blew him off he couldn't blame her.  Honestly, he deserved it.   Meanwhile, POD watches.  It looks into the water, wondering if they would be fishing today.
Redshift Operators	Beneath that eyepatch, one might find a *cursed destiny*, or so says a certain teller of tall tales.     "I know how it is." Says the gruff Redshift leader. He looks so much less uncomfortable and vengeful down here in the backstreets. Anywhere that makes certain men roll their windows up. "I know what we're asking."     "'Will you promise us your mother's tears and your father's rage? Will you promise us the lifetime of grief from your spouse, your children, your dearest friends? Will you accept a paltry plaque or a simple gravemarker, in exchange for your entire world? There is no lesser nation to conquer, no fields of oil or minerals to claim, no fertile zones offering an eternity of plantations. There will be no reason for the powerful to cherish your name, and yet, give us everything you are and more, because you wish to see the sun rise tomorrow, and perhaps achieving that means something more than another sixty years of life.'"     The cyborg tilts her head, scratching the back of her neck. "Or perhaps I simply assume too much drama of this exchange. In any case, I will look them in the eyes." She says, following.
Angela	The Disciplinary Team from Lobotomy Corp have been given a promise of sorts and has been sticking around for the past few days largely because making the trip back to Lobotomy Corp just to work for a day or two before going back out to this world is a level of employee torture even beyond that particular hell company. They have been personable and easygoing and friendly--enough that they may have in fact made some friends amongst the locals. They smile easily, even Shajo and they have probably harassed Bota about personal details back when they had skewered fish in that way an overly friendly coworker might. They are genuinely interested and it isn't even for the job. "I don't know," Shajo is telling Nonon. "I'm sure I have one but I don't know." "For me it'd be the--" Nonon begins. "NOT in front of the boss!" Shajo hisses. Indeed they still have the Gebura tablet with them even if they haven't put on their game faces yet. Gebura looks, frankly, a bit bored. "HEY MISS KUKURU." Nonon waves bigly. "Oh you're busy? No worries! Good to see you, though!" Kana says what they're here for this time. Strategic insights. This might mean they actually have something to say. But battling abnormalities has always been about as much art as science. "Read you loud and clear." Shajo says, still grinning like he didn't. "That's just our daily life anyway, so you don't have to worry about us. We're aimin' to come back, but we'll try to make an impression if we don't." "Least we'd die outdoors!" Nonon beams before she spots the Red Giant. "DUUDE!" She offers the guy a hifive. "You're still here! We should have a spar before this all goes down." "You two can offer input during the strategy briefing," Gebura says. "But don't overstep." "Aye aye," Nonon smiles.
Kukuru	Hearing Ishirou addressing her, there's a brief flicker of pain on Kukuru's face at first. She can't exactly forget what he said so easily, after all, and her mind is still a little shaky between that and what happened last time, even after a couple of days have already passed since then. And yet, she can't bring herself to just disregard him entirely. What if he really means to make up? She'd be a terrible parent if she just let one careless thing ruin that. "... Hm? Oh, he-llo, Ishi." Her smile is a bit more strained than usual (in that it's strained at all), but she offers him a water bottle and snack pack all the same. "Of course. What is it?" Nonon, Shajo, and Gebura aren't ignored, of course. Not that she could do that so easily with Nonon waving and calling out to her, but she does return the wave earnestly with her usual smile. "He-llo, Nonon~ Shajo, Gebby. No, no, dying's not allowed unless it's somewhere I can fix you, okay?"
Tamamo	With the onset of Summer, Tamamo's taste in clothing has trended lighter once more. This not being a royal court sort of affair, her distantly miko-like outfit straddles several lines. She clearly has no criticism for Kana's preferences. On the contrary, she's pleased to see her, her warmth a distant, but still felt thing. Maybe that's just for her having accepted the shrine-tending life at all. (Probably not.)     There's not so much warmth to spare for the present circumstances, nor the prospect of what's to come. Some similarly distant care. A motion of her eyes as if focused fully on the weight of Kana's words, when they hang in the air.     For Lilian, it's more complicated. It can't be good for someone who takes such pride in her abilities as a healer as Tamamo does to need stand aside while her knight works in those conditions. Tamamo couldn't quite bring herself to stay and help to shoulder the burden of those negotiations as the others left, either, after Lilian made clear her intent. Trust won out over worried care, then. It still will, to some extent. It can be hard to tell where to draw those lines.     "I understand this," she finally says to Kana, "that we are engaged in a war, that there must ever be casualties in war, and that its horror is a thing beyond my own knowledge, being one who has never yet had the experience of being on the side of a victorious army." She knows a bit about the other side.     "In such things I must, of course, defer to others, for my own wisdom is not theirs. We shall do what we may, that more may live, yet without expectation that such a future as one wholly free of suffering, of dear prices paid and lives extinguished, will be our only acceptable goal. We may seek it, and such aid as is offered by Miss Kukuru and myself... ah, no, I should not make promises to this effect. It is victory we seek, first, and that we should all live to see its aftermath, second."     She does not mention her true priorities. It would be too callous to confirm the easily determined truth aloud. Some lives matter more to her than others, contrary to the virtue she projects.
Redshift Operators	"Don't know if that's wise." The looming giant atop the stares turns that one good eye, blazing and hot, on Nonon. Powered armor creaks and wails like ghosts of victims. "Don't want anyone getting hurt. Doing anything they may regret. But I don't get in the way of that kind of choice."     After all, Nonon looks like a capable fighter, with those gauntlets and muscles and all! He should know! Red Giant just thinks it might be a lot of damage to his armor. Still, spending time with new friends is fun, and worth it!
Hibiki Tachibana	"Kana..." Hibiki, some slight bags under her own eyes, had been less concerned about Kana's combination outfit and more about how she might be doing now - but it seems like in the time since their meeting, she's pulled herself together enough to do what she has to. So...     She has to try to do the same, even if she doesn't know how much strategic input she can give to lessen the burden on Lilian and the others. Even if... Do you understand?     The question gets her heart to go still for a moment, stopped here at the entrance. Right. At the scale they're going to be fighting at, it's war. And all of them understand what they're getting into. They've understood that for a long time, honestly. Does she? This upcoming mission is...     "...Yeah. I do. That's why I'll do everything I can." So that 'most' can be as close to 'none' as she can make it. One way or another. Kukuru's offer of resurrection doesn't help her de-tense as much as it should--if only because she knows that it's not the same as making sure they never died in the first place. Hibiki exhales to steady herself.     Speaking of Kukuru, Ishirou and her look to be having a moment. So she directs her attention to Shajo and Nonon for a second, shaking her head. "...You guys really are gung-ho. No fear at all, huh?" Honestly, it takes a bit of the edge off, in a weird sort of way. But...she doesn't want to have to see another Sephirah lose their agents, either. Not if she can help it.
Ishirou	Ishirou sees others around him, but he's focused on Kukuru for the moment.  He notices the strained smile, the forced effort to speak with him.  He doesn't /blame/ her... honestly, he deserves it, but she responded to him anyway, so it's something.  He takes a breath, straining to make the words come out.  Careful about what he says, because he's done a great job about not being careful before. "I'm... /really/ sorry for what I said.  It... I haven't been exactly in my right state of mind lately, and I'm sorry.  I don't know what I can do to make it up... but I will, okay?  It's... nothing you did or anything, it's all with me and my own thoughts lately that haven't been... honestly good for anyone." He stays to hear what she has to say, but he expects that she won't take the apology.  Honestly, he doesn't blame her.
Candy	"I understand." Candy's jaw sets. "I'm not new to it." Punching up, spitting in the eye of something much larger, more numerous. Loathsome in its ability to blindly leverage force. It's unrealistic to think that he could save everyone. *I still gotta try.*      Candy takes some of Kale's coffee. His outfit is a slightly dressier variation on his usual. A simple wool vest, the color of freshly tilled earth, rests, unbuttoned, over a button-up long-sleeve shirt. The vest is paired with matching work boots and pressed slacks. A rich red bow tie completes the ensemble.      "We're lucky we got any time at all," Candy says simply to Kale. "I'll make sure we're as prepared for those goddamn thieves as we can be. So will he," says the farmer, with a nod to Ishirou. As with the other night, his dark hair is held back with a simple ribbon tied in a bow.      He follows.
Meika Kirenai	Meika doesn't look like she's rested a wink since the last time she's been through the warpgate to Union Busan and the city it's docked with, but that's far from unusual for her. She's dressed in her monochrome cross-emblazoned school uniform, her jacket unzipped, and hands stuck deep in its pockets. Her expression borders on dour, but periodic yawning cuts away any intensity. A dull beige band-aid is plastered to her cheek, of all places. It itches, but she's trying very hard to pretend it doesn't, which has never in the history of humanity succeeded.     Meika's mood doesn't seem to change much on the walk, throughout the mention of being wanted primarily for possible insight. Strategy's never been feasible for her experience set, nothing was ever large enough scale. But the second reason- to show cameraderie- that's something she gets. I don't know how much they'll care, for someone like me caring. That doesn't change that it's important. She does her very best to put on a faint smile. 'Do you understand?'     Meika raises a sleeve-covered hand up to wipe at her eye. Need to keep them clear. Try and remember the faces, even if you don't get names... "...Yeah." It's a quiet answer. It doesn't need to be more than that. "...It's only fair."     'Most' is never the phrase you want to hear with that. 'Most' is hard to imagine, enough so that faces blur and names fall away, leaving numbers and percentages and statistics. Impersonal and cold no matter how much you care or try- stories and lives aren't made to be held on to in that number. Not in the way they deserve. 'Most' is reserved for horrific natural disasters, military tragedies, and catastrophic engineering failures. The things people call acts of God. It's never, ever meant for the people you're about to see in front of you.     "Six months. That's... long enough t-to not feel real, isn't it." You know it's not. She lets out a held in breath- she'd been unaware she had stopped exhaling for a moment. "I hope... we can be up to par. For what they- um, for what you all... deserve. And deserving of their trust."
Lilian Rook	Lilian is-     Exactly the opposite of Kana.     And exactly the opposite of herself.     It's said by some that people her age are a different person every six months, as adulthood slows down the flux of youth and cements a sense of self amidst the background finalization of neurochemistry. Even Lilian is indeed a very differt person in many respects from two years ago, and her from four years ago. It's always been remarked upon, if here and there, that her ability to continually grow into a newer version of herself with each passing year is vanishingly uncommon for Elites.     It's been three days since the last visit to New York. Barely over a day and a half since last anyone had seen her, simply leaving some vague text messages that she'd be out'; including Tamamo.     So this is not one of those times. '<J-IC-Scene> Lilian Rook says, "Imagine there's nobody on this side of the table. It's just you. And they're all speaking the same way about the same things, but only about you. Just you."'     Lilian slinks into formation from behind, once the group is already well underway. She's dressed for the humid summer in blue jeans, sneakers, and a thick cream-coloured sweater a size too big for her. Despite the heat, she holds her arms close against her body, her hands resting partway between elbow and shoulder. She falls into step a full thirty feet behind Kana, following along in silence. A large square gauze compress is taped over one cheekbone, across from a pair bandaids applied to the other side of her face. With no heels, head down, shoulders bunched, posture drawn in, half a foot of height disappears. Her hairpin is in place, but her hair is tightly wound up into a compressed bun so that all of its length but the sides nearly disappears.     The sleepless shadows under her eyes are so visible that it brings into focus that she isn't wearing any makeup that might cover them. She looks pale enough to be ill. A tiny corner of the hair framing her face, half a centimeter in width, is subtly missing; as if she had just barely begun to cut it, and abruptly stopped. Her gaze remains focused on the floor just ahead of her.     'Most of us will be dead in six months. Do you understand?'     "Yeah." is all that comes from her in reply. Lilian swallows and tries again. "Yeah I know what that's like." She shakes her head, then remembers to breathe in. "It's fine. I know, I'm not really needed. I just . . . I'd feel bad if I left in the middle.
Rita Ma	Lilian catches Kana's eye from the doorway only when she speaks up. It's possible that she genuinely hadn't recognized her but for the voice. Her lips part in a question that never finds its words: they don't know each other well enough to justify prying. "Not needed, but wanted," she settles on saying.      Clank, clank, clank, clank. Kana follows the simple, sturdy metal steps down into the dark. Ahead of her, artificial light leaks around a corner, taking over for the rapidly failing sun.      "No," she says, to the Redshifts' medic. "Their lives will be spent for a brighter future they will never see. Our lives. I only hope they understand as well as you do."      "Nothing about this is what anyone deserves." It's hard to tell, but her voice does soften a little when addressing Meika. So does her philosophy. "Anything you can do is better than not being here."      One can't see her expression from behind, but Kukuru's assertion makes Kana halfway turn her head, and it's easy to imagine her surprise. "On what scale? Dozens? Hundreds? Thousands? If they're torn apart, or eaten, or burned alive?" There's no hostility in her tone, but... "If you can save just one person, that's important. But I doubt even a miracle-worker can make this a time for smiling."      Kana's not above taking a bottled water, though. "Muscles make heat," is her response to temperature concerns. But she doesn't look all that muscular.      "Beyond mine, too," she answers Tamamo, which might come as a surprise given her bearing. "Beyond all of ours here. But I've seen it in miniature. I can guess."      Then she vanishes around a corner. Following her leads into a huge, well-lit room that was probably once an armory, but is currently filled with nearly a hundred harpoonists of every description, jostling and laughing and arguing and bragging. Akroma's hollow-eyed gray-suited survivors, who some Elites met the Queen while salvaging weapons for; the men of Port Oasis, healthy and rustic but without a single star between them; the soldiers of Benin, among them the brightly-dressed woman from the prior meeting, now in a just-as-bright wetsuit-      And Clark Miller, of course, leaning against the back wall near a map unfurled on a table. Kana barely dignifies him with a look. He smiles serenely in return. She brushes by a rugged gauntlet-wearing man arm-wrestling with a Beninese harpoonist and parts the crowd to reach the map.      "Kana. Good to see you're feeling well enough to-" "Now," she says, pointedly ignoring him. "This is the preliminary formation. Take a look. I'm sure it can be improved." "Ouch. That's cold. We're on the same side now, aren't we?"
Kale Hearthward	Oh, and there's Lilian. Let's see, did she put in a coffee order or... ... Something's wrong. Kale's eyes track over Lilian unthinkingly at first - and then do a subtle double take a second later as his brain catches up with his eyes. "Right, you wanted this one," says Kale, grabbing one of the coffees at random, and going over to her. "Here," he says, pressing it into her hand- - an excuse to get close to her for a second. "(My dressing room on the East Wind is unlocked. Let me know if you need a distraction to get away.)" Then he makes his way over towards the various new and old people to meet. "Hey. I've got spare coffees. Anyone need a caffeine boost?" Poor Lilian. She must have rushed here after some battle. Didn't even have enough time to make herself presentable. ... Wait, there's something... wrong with that thought. Enough time to make herself presentable? I thought Lilian had nothing *but* time... What's going on?
Tamamo	Tamamo only side-glances at Ishirou's approach to Kukuru. She must have missed something, earlier.     Coffee isn't necessary, given the other supplies she has, though listening for Meika's quiet voice causes her to wonder, for a moment, if the clearly overwhelmed girl approaching a war meeting in her school uniform wouldn't, maybe, find the chemical jolt useful, if only for a short while. Maybe it would just give her jitters.     Tamamo spends a moment checking for what tea she's brought with her. She hardly ever leaves home without something.     '...no fields of oil or minerals to claim...'     "They did make claims upon oil, did they not, the day before?" Tamamo's tone is tired, one of resigned suffering at the foolishness of others. She probably shouldn't be saying things to work up the Redshift leader like this. He probably doesn't need the help.     'Least we'd die outdoors!' Nonon beams.     "Are you... does your occupation require you to stay indoors?" Tamamo asks, with delicate confusion.     There's no confusion when she sees Lilian. Tamamo sees that sense of cold, entirely out of place as it is, that withdrawn posture and half-thought covering, and adjusts her pace to provide the minimum time before she can be at Lilian's side without the riskier, and more attention-grabbing move of running to her -- though the thought more than crosses her mind.     Her presence, as always, is warm. It's warm like lazy sunbeams, like the heat from the stones that circle the fire, like what reflects inward from a Winter blanket, when one hasn't yet worked up the courage to test the temperature of that morning's floor.     And then, she takes Lilian's arm in hers, and presses to her side as they continue to walk. She doesn't look at the bandages. She's far too skilled to be caught staring, yet also too skilled that one could readily believe she hasn't noticed.
Angela	Nonon beams, "I'm a tough girl it's fine! We can lay down some ground rules if it'll make you more comfortable." Shajo glances to Hibiki. "Haha, well, it is easy to be brave now, Miss Hibiki." Despite the laughter, his tone has become a bit more solemn. Someone asking that is a serious thing. Shajo is the smaller of the two but he still has to hunch down a bit to look Hibiki in the eyes. "But you know, when you saved Rose I bet you looked pretty brave yourself. We're the big fighters of the Disciplinary Team--if we start looking nervous the others... Well, maybe not a problem for you all but it's a bit of habit now, yeah? And 'sides... We might be dead soon, so we gotta make the most of what we've got. That's just how Nonon and I look at things." Nonon glances over and gives Hibiki a big thumbsup. Shajo starts to bring the Gebura tablet over to the table so she can take a look but-- "Wait." Gebura's image fades out from the tablet and is replaced by Angela's. A silent communication tells Shajo to guide the tablet so Angela can get a look around. He has the presence of mind to not focus it solely on anyone even if Angela only has eyes for one here right now. Angela only needs a few seconds anyway. She has nearly two hours to see it. Something is wrong. There's a wound on the cheekbone. Someone HURT HER FRIEND. Someone hurt her friend. Someone. Hurt her. FRIEND. She hadn't had a friend before the multiverse really. The one she thought she had betrayed her. And now she sees her friend here. Wounded. It wasn't just one wound either. There's another pair of bandaids there. No heels. Head down. Hairpin in place. The City will devalue a person into dirt but... She has hours to stew in her rage. To hate. She doesn't even know who she is hating. It's unfair, she thinks, to the one person who was so considerate as to change time for her so she could feel like she was moving normally, thinking normally. She, too, had been trapped. She too, sought solace in books. Angela is designed in such a way she can do nothing about her own situation, but she can imagine so many things she can do for Lilian in those two hours. Awful, terrible things to imagined people. She lets it all out in those scant few seconds, screaming bloody murder with her eyes. But this isn't about her so she leaves all those feelings in those two seconds. She might reach for them again later. "Until recently, YUP." Nonon chirps at Tamamo during those hour-seconds. Angela sees Tamamo take her arm. She can't do that. She can't do anything here. She hates it here. She can't do anything for anyone here. She's trapped. She can only watch this and do nothing. She wants the City to burn for this. To be devoured whole by the monsters it created. But she doesn't do that either. Instead she says, to Lilian. "Dame Commander. At your convenience, there is a matter we should discuss." She doesn't want to make a show of anything so she leaves it at that. It's as close to saying what she really wants to say that she may ever get.
Kukuru	Ishirou speaks, and Kukuru doesn't respond immediately. Instead, she studies his expression, pursing her lips slightly as she stares right at him, almost as if she's dissecting everything he's saying in her mind and weighing all of it carefully. She isn't, but it totally looks like she is. After several long moments, her posture loosens up visibly, and she lets out a light sigh before approaching Ishirou to give him a gentle chop on the top of the head. "You really should be more careful about what you say, Ishi. It's... A good thing you said that to me and not someone else." The chop turns into a light hair rustling, and then that usual gentle smile returns, even if it's still a little worn down. "But if stuff is bothering you, you know you can still come to me, right?" Speaking of people that look like stuff is bothering them, Lilian arrives! Her demeanor is nothing like what Kukuru's used to seeing, and it only takes her a moment before she starts beelining right over. Her mind is already filled with worry over everything she's seeing in that moment, and she desperately wants to check on Lilian, but Tamamo's presence and calmer reaction actually seems to give Kukuru some vague idea of how to proceed. Instead of barraging Lilian with questions and concerns, Kukuru slows down, takes a deep breath, then... Gets out the water bottle. A sandwich (sliced steak) in a little lunch box. A notepad to scribble in quickly. She tears the note off, then '''subtly''' slides over to Tamamo to hand off the trio of things before heading back over to the front of the group. "Tama's got a point, mhm." Kukuru comments a little loudly, almost as if she's trying to draw attention with that. After considering Tamamo's comments about priorities for longer than three seconds, she nods with a thoughtful stroke of her chin as though that might help her look smarter. Her glasses slide off a bit, and she has to take a moment to push them back up. They're completely flat. "If we spend too much time on healing, we won't be able to get what we need to do... Done. We just gotta find the right balance, and then we can worry about fixing whoever died after we're finished." She's totally assuming Tamamo can raise the dead, too. Kana's question about scale has Kukuru pausing to think, though, with a long droning 'hmm'. "Probably doz... Hun...? Um.  It's way easier if they've still got enough parts around somewhere." She affirms with a slow nod, not quite giving Kana any real numbers that might be reassuring. "It's pretty intense, though, so that can be a last resort or something for after we're done. We just gotta make sure we don't abandon anyone, right?" Well, almost anyone. As much as she hates to think about it, she's still soured on Clark in general, and Kukuru's mood visibly tanks when she sees him at the meeting. Joining her in refusing to acknowledge him, she joins Kana at the table to peer at the map and the formation presented. Kukuru has no idea what she's looking at yet, but she'll make do. "Kale can fly, and I can teleport. That'll make it easier for us to do stuff if they can't reach us, I bet. And I'm really comfy in the water, too, so I could... Um. Go wherever, really." She offers, tapping her chin lightly after a few moments. "Oh, and maybe... Bombs?" She remembers hearing about bombs, but she's struggling to remember what.
Lilian Rook	'Not needed, but wanted'     A strained smile appears and vanishes in less than half a second. "Thank you." Lilian replies a little too quiet to hear well. She doesn't look up.     'Right, you wanted this one'     "Huh?" Lilian raises her gaze just enough to look at Kale's neck when he approaches her personal space. She moves back a full step, then glances down to the coffee. "Oh. Ah. I think? Thank you." She accepts it mechanically, holding the cup in both hands.     'My dressing room on the East Wind is unlocked.'     Lilian visibly tenses. "This is fine."     Tamamo coming to her side makes her start suddenly. Steaming coffee sloshes through the cap and dribbles over the edge down her fingers. She doesn't seem to notice. "Hi-- Hello. I'm . . . It's good to . . . Sorry for-- My apologies for not calling, Tamamo. I should have said something when I was coming home. I was just . . . tied up. Don't worry." she says. Tamamo taking her arm, like always, causes Lilian to-- no, Tamamo is now now feeling the faint trembling through her thick layers.     'Dame Commander. At your convenience, there is a matter we should discuss.'     It takes three full seconds for Lilian to blink and look up. Angela already knows that it shouldn't take that long. "Ah. Alright. I'm . . . certain it's important. So I'll find the time." She attempts to smile. The gesture is completely pointless without anything in her eyes. "I'm going to have lots of free time, coming up."     'Ouch. That's cold. We're on the same side now, aren't we?'     Lilian won't look up. For whatever reason, she can't bear to look at Clark right now. She huddles close to Tamamo, subtly slowing down to keep the bunrei between herself and the brawny men arm wrestling. She can't so much as look over Tamamo's shoulder now, when they used to be the same height. Lilian only stops to shuffle a PDA out of her bag to take photos of the tactical diagrams, so she doesn't have to stand at the front.
Candy	"Yeah," says Candy to Tamamo. "They did." Flatly. Without surprise. Part of him is entertaining what Red Dwarf said. Because the monsters aren't the only goddamn thieves out here in all this water. "Maybe things don't turn out how they do, when people start talking that way." He wants to believe that. But most of him is focused on someone else.     It isn't the jeans, or the sweater. Or the 'haircut.' It isn't the bun. She can wear whatever she wants. It's the gauze. The way her eyes fixate on the floor. It's what she says. The way she says it. *What happened? Who--* That isss not the right quessstion.     Candy feels his fingers fade from his palms, little pale spots left where he'd clenched his hands into fists.     *Was it him?* His brown eyes fix on Clark Miller. The light of the former armory casts Candy;s brief glowering expression in relief. You are not lissstening.     Candy looks away, forcing a more neutral expression.     *How do I make it less bad for her, whatever it is?*     There's no answer from his 'friends.' It's beyond their capability, maybe. Tlilcoatl schemes, Tzincatli warns, Coyotl instructs. But he doesn't know what he doesn't know. This can't be outsmarted, outrun, or built around. He knows only what hasn't worked. *Thanks a lot, you assholes.*     "I'm sorry about the table," he says weakly. He'd said that on the night of the first meeting, too, and means it just as much. He can't look at Lilian, or at Tamamo.
Kukuru	The note that Tamamo gets: "Let me know if Lili wants needs anything. Food, drinks, space, an exit, a distraction, anything. I'll make it happen."
Ishirou	The chop strikes true because Ishirou isn't going to dodge that.  He looks relieved, honestly, when she starts talking and it turns lighter.  Weight was taken off his shoulders.  He gives her a smile, with some tears in the corner of his eyes.  "Y-yeah... I should have.  A lot sooner.  With a lot of things."  The hair is mussed up, but it's already kinda messy because it's /his style/.   Ishirou's eyes slide off Kukuru towards Lilian.  He pauses, stunned a little.  He's never seen her in anything but presentable.  Honestly, even after most fights.  Only a few times pushed to something less than that... and never at the beginning of a meeting.  The injuries, get his attention... but then lets his eyes slide off them.  Those can be healed by Tamamo.   "We can talk later," he says to Kukuru.   The look in her eyes... that's what really chills him.  He's never seen her like this, at least.  She was always so in command, knew what she was going to do, confident.  No.   Something. Is. Wrong. He almost starts with 'Are you alright', but he stops himself with a mental version of something Lilian's said before.  'Do I look alright?' he can almost hear in her tone.  No, obviously not.  He dares not ask what happened, because they're in a group and that company is... Awful. Clark comes to mind immediately.   "Do you need anything?" he asks her.  "I am sure I can find just about anything..." he pauses, thinking.  "Or a distraction?" he says with a lowered tone, having heard what Kale mentioned.  Everything about what had happened up until now is gone.  She is hurt, obviously, and that is something he hates to see.  It's just... Now actually something he can see. Anger at her injuries comes up but is quickly quashed.  Getting angry right now isn't helpful or constructive.  Right now something should be done to try and help Lilian.  Anger can come later.  Right now, trying to help his friend... no someone he considers family, is far more important than working off whatever twinge of anger is building at what could have happened.   He remembered when he said those words... the question about Clark.  It was about /himself/ and not what he said.  He wanted satisfaction... not anything else.  He wanted a release for his feelings, and not to actually resolve the problem.  Why is it now his head is getting into gear..?  Why now of all times are things coming into focus?  It shouldn't take his sister being hurt like this to make it happen! Anger is turned inward, but then quashed.  No.  Now now.  This isn't about you you selfish little twat.  Okay, recover.  What can I do?  The meeting, right?  Tactical.  He can record everything.  He can make sure she doesn't miss any notes.  He can work with Kana, Kale, and Candy to push that part forward.  Tamamo has her.  Good.   He moves past this because he sees what Tamamo is doing.  Okay, right...  Tamamo is the expert here, and he can follow that.  "Oh... they live in a building and only get to go out on missions.  They sort of live in a... place..." He isn't quite sure how to explain the awfulness of what he's heard of 'The City' and the working conditions in LoboCorp, being somehow better.   He turns, to follow Kana, and looks back a little.  He gives a look that says 'I got this, please take care of yourself,' or rather, his thoughts are.  He knows she can see those.  He walks up to the table next to Kana, and already his mind is reeling.  Looking over the paper, and already ignoring the man complaining that he didn't get any special notice from sempai.   His eyes work over what he sees and is already trying to calculate efficiencies.  "Oh definitely, Kana.  Let me take a moment to analyze."
Redshift Operators	"That-- that feeling, that's the one people think is killer-intent." "The wish to die." "But even worse now. What the hell's going on?" "Something we have no chance to know." "Christ. How is she alive? How do you fix this?" "We don't. We don't know her. Even looking on her in this state causes her pain. What she endures, she must endure with those close to her, or worse, alone." "There's gotta be something I can blow up that caused this, or something." "The United Kingdom? You are thinking of the United Kingdom." "Gotta start somewhere." "Start with letting <Mrs. Tamamo> handle it."     Red Dwarf experiences a familiar quickening of the heart's pounding beats. He recognizes the sensation now. Last time, it happened when he was grabbing Lilian's wrist. This time, it's happening when he conjures the image of her in jeans and a sweater. It takes a little bit of coaching from White Dwarf about how to deal with it when a girl is Like This, which is to say, how to not jump into the wrong way to deal with things and focus on letting someone like Tamamo do it.     An astronaut who has followed the Redshift Operators approaches the map. They have... carefully constructed a collection of delicate plastic models of every model of ship involved in the arrangement, suspended on small plastic risers and platforms to simulate their actual depth. How long have they been making these? This shit would take at least two weeks of collecting, not to mention the little customizations and modeling done to replicate the precise specifics of each ship, in approximation. This is Model Train Guy type shit they're doing.     "You should make sure to optimize for depth arrangements. Leviathans attack from below right? Not the sides." They kneel down, regarding their big collection of delicate little ships and customized unionplas replicating the fleet as if from slightly below the water. They cross their arms and stare wordlessly at the arrangement.     "Mmmh." The giant nods a few times. "Good." That's what Nonon got. A terse, gravel-voice statement. After all, this guy gets a little nervous sometimes, and he tends to shift his voice low and his sentences short when he does. But he's interested in hanging out!
Tamamo	- an excuse to get close to her for a second.     Tamamo perfectly avoids a single tell that she might have heard, or even suspected, that Kale is doing more than bringing over a coffee. Lilian can use her free arm for that, if she wants -- and she likely should. This one, however, is taken.     'Beyond mine, too. Beyond all of ours here. But I've seen it in miniature. I can guess.'     In a moment of quiet reflection, Tamamo considers Kana's world, her life, and her youth. It is the unfortunate fate of those of particularly strong bearing to be thought even stronger and more capable than they are. Though she makes a mental note of this lesson, she is likely to make the same mistake again, at some future date.     'This is the preliminary formation. Take a look.'     Even if she lacks the military knowledge, Tamamo would still like to take a look. She does not, for her part, ignore Clark Miller, though she doesn't so much as nod to him, either. To do that would be to lower her head, even if only for half a moment.     'Ouch. That's cold.'     "We are all in quite the rush to do as much as we may in the time we have, are we not? Please forgive a lack of thought for leisure." While she says that, Tamamo's eyes turn toward a brightly-dressed woman. What was her name? Perhaps it will come to her in a moment.     She tears the note off, then '''subtly''' slides over to Tamamo to hand off the trio of things...     Kukuru's food and water are placed up Tamamo's voluminous, detached sleeve. Where do those go? It's a mystery. Kukuru herself does receive a nod of acknowledgement, and the note is quickly, surreptitiously read, before it likewise disappears.     'I should have said something when I was coming home.'     "Mhm. I would have liked to know," Tamamo says, her tone light, "but as for this, you are forgiven." She does not promise not to worry.     Lilian won't look up. For whatever reason, she can't bear to look at Clark right now.     Once the photos are taken, Tamamo considers that step of their planning done, for the both of them, and guides Lilian around to another part of the woman. That was... the Beninese representative? She still can't recall a name, but does recall she mentioned having children. As fine a place to start with as any, to introduce herself as, "Tamamo-no-mae, one of some skill in crafting blessed items of health, as I have supplied to the Union Busan," and begin asking after the condition, experience, and disposition of the other groups of harpoonists.
Hibiki Tachibana	"Shajo--" Him coming down to her level (metaphorically and literally) and speaking earnestly seems like it takes Hibiki by surprise a bit. And it clearly gives her something to think about, even though she scratches her cheek and glances off to the side when he mentions Rose. "...Yeah. I think I get it. Making the most of what you've got..."     Looking back to Nonon, it seems like she has more she wants to add on, but...     There's Lilian. And she's--     She's...     "L-Lilian--?" All the mingled emotions that have been stewing inside her for all this time seem like they recede into some corner of her chest, snapping the breath out of her. Even just mentioning her name is more like a squeak. Seeing her like this is...patently /unnatural/. It doesn't feel right. There's nothing that'd physically cause her a cold sweat, but seeing her utterly sleepless, totally without her usual immaculate attention to her appearance, hurt--     --the shakiness and unsureness in her voice, hearing her of all people say she's not really needed--     What happened?     Did she miss something since the meeting?     What is she supposed to do?     What can she do?     Is there even anything that she could, in the middle of all this? Tamamo is right there, but...     She's still processing it--still shaky--by the time they see one of the last people she'd ever want to meet right now. The urge to hit him is as strong as ever, at least--no, she's not sure she even could right now, if it came down to it. Kana seems to have it handled. But if he did anything again to her...or to Lilian right now...     There's a dry swallow, and she finds a part of the space to stand in quietly while rubbing at one arm with the other, eyes cast towards the wall, entirely unable to stay still or speak up while others handle the planning proper.
Meika Kirenai	Meika barely gives an apologetic head shake to Kale, at the idea of coffee. Tired as she is, she's caffeinated enough to risk jitters with more, and coffee, in particular, feels undeserved. It's a nice gesture of him. Far nicer than first impressions. She's not sure what to think of it.     She's quick to silence her surprised inhale, upon seeing the state Lilian showed up in. Completely wrong, given everything she knows of her. Her expression softens, but- drawing attention is always worse. She looks away, and carries on. It doesn't feel good to.     'If you can save just one person, that's important.'     It wasn't said to her, but Meika lets it echo in her head regardless. Not in its context of returning the dead, of course, but that's not the only way to save someone. Anything, any measure, that's what's needed to save- to save as many as you can. Reminders and chides, loud thoughts resonating in tune with Kana's phrasing.     Meika doesn't look around the armoy for its structure, as she enters- her eyes focus first on every face pointed her way. She hushes her breath, and takes in the sounds and appearances of the harpoonists. Relaxing mixed in with planning mixed in with anything and everything else. Lives, going on. Nothing today is a smiling matter, but she'd be damned if she met it with a frown. Stand tall. It's what Kayoko would do, it's what a knight would do, it's what.. Her shoulders straighten and eyes brighten, ever so slightly. She goes with the others, after a moment, to look over the table. She knows she won't understand it, or have advice. Even if it's just to show she's trying too, for everyone's sake.     "...What sort of scouting do you all have access to? Like.... from the air?" Meika hopes it's not a silly question. "...Sorry. That's probably a... different level of plan detail, but..." She scratches at the back of a hand. "It's important to have early warning and good information, though I'm.. sure you all know that already. But if you need more, even for... smaller scale stuff than this all. I'm pretty good at it." I want to help, somehow. I know I can. She hopes that sentiment comes through, even unsaid.
Lilian Rook	'Do you need anything?'     "No." says Lilian, hurriedly adding a "--thank you." on top of it. <J-IC-Scene> Lilian Rook says, "Yeah. You always have some excuse why last time we all shared the blame but this time you're not at fault and it's all mine."     She breathes in sharply. "If I needed something I'd have brought it. I can look after myself. I'm an adult." For a moment, she can't help an edge of hoarse heat creeping into her voice. "What happened to never talking to me again? That was quick."     'I'm sorry about the table'     "It wasn't my table." Lilian replies, deflating instantly and glancing aside.     'but as for this, you are forgiven.'     Lilian visibly tenses up, then slowly sighs out. "You can be angry, if you want. I shouldn't have been-- . . . out. I should have just stayed home, with you, from the start." Her arm squeezes tight around Tamamo's, now, after hanging limp in it. "Just . . . never mind."
Rita Ma	"Here are the broad strokes. The nest is underwater. We need to destroy it before it can set off the supervolcano. To do that, we'll drop bombs on it- a lot of them. To do that, we need to be directly over it. We can expect resistance to that." That last part is said with the air of an understatement.      Kana sweeps crudely-made driftwood carvings off the map to make room for Neutron's exquisite tactical minifigures. Three figures are larger than the rest, and Kana taps them in rapid succession.      "The Union Busan." Currently at the center. "We'll be detaching its side segments to keep the civilian population safe, but the central segment is still the largest ship we have. That means it will carry the bombs. That means we must protect it at all costs."      "The Manhattan and New Jersey, third- and second-largest." Currently ahead and to either side of the Busan. "The Manhattan is a relic from the US Navy, the New Jersey is a retrofitted freighter. Manhattan still has ammunition for its guns?" Clark nods. "And surface missiles. A few." "They can take the most punishment of anything but the Union Busan. We have them as the vanguard." He doesn't object to that.      "And then the other ships." Kana gestures with a sweep of her hand at the mob to the sides and rear of the formation. They look like little more than fishing boats. One gets the sickening impression that they can't be hoped to serve as more than ablative armor. "To guard against encirclement. They're low to the waterline, and small, so we'll expect them to be overrun quickly."      "Most Leviathans can't puncture a ship's hull from below," Kana continues smoothly, as if she hadn't said anything ghastly at all. But the people nearest her are getting hushed. Hearing her describe things so matter-of-factly is gradually casting a pall over the room. "The main danger is from them pouring over the deck." 'Pouring' is a hell of a word.      "If enough get on, they can tilt and capsize it. The role of a harpoonist is to keep them off. We have two other recourses against surface attack: Candelario's electrical mines, and covering the surface of the water in oil before igniting it with the Busan's flame jets. But we only have so much oil and so many mines."      "And, of course, Vajra and Gordic are still unaccounted-for. I'm sure most of you remember the Kraken attack; they're of a similar grade, capable of breaking a ship from beneath. We can only assume the Queen is holding them in reserve."      "What sort of scouting do you all have access to?"      "None," Kana says. "Are you offering?"
Rita Ma	The Beninese representative- apparently also one of their two lead harpoonists- might have been overheard as Maelle Sabi. She looks to be in her forties, scarred, and wary, with tightly-braided hair worn up in an eminently sensible fashion. She shakes Tamamo's hand surprisingly delicately, if it's offered, fitting her judgement of her constitution.      After a bit of small talk- and a question about "how many of those charms do you have to share, exactly?" she's willing to get down to brass tacks.      In her view, the harpoonists of Benin and Busan are the only ones to be all three of brave, experienced, and disciplined. Benin's corps are relatively small, however, and Busan's are only elite because recent political turmoil has winnowed them too. Currently the former are assigned to the smaller boats on the flanks and the latter are assigned to the Busan itself.      The harpoonists of Akroma are brave and disciplined, but not experienced. Having recently lost their home, they fully expect to sacrifice themselves to a man. They're currently assigned to the smaller boats, especially those nearer the fore, to grant them their wish.      The harpoonists of New York are disciplined and experienced but not brave. They're the most numerous, but they are used to fighting with numerical and positional advantage, and she judges their resolve to be brittle once they've been forced into the defensive. They're currently assigned to the Manhattan and New Jersey.      The men of Port Oasis are merely brave, being ordinary people who've picked up arms for a noble cause. They are not battle-hardened or particularly skilled, and their zeal may or may not serve them well in the heat of battle. They're currently assigned to the smaller boats in the rear.
Angela	"It is crucially important." Angela says. It's not a lie because it is crucially important even if she has no idea what the 'important matter' is or what they have to discuss yet. She has no idea if she should make something up or bring up the clear topic at hand. She notices the injuries that can't be bandaged up as well. She is in some ways has been trained to see those wounds better than the physical. The smile doesn't reach the eyes. Angela misses that self assured smugness and-- She understands, for a brief and terrible moment, how it must have seemed to those that have seen Carmen in her last days. Is this what her father felt like, when he saw her in the bathtub? She places her hand on the screen, her strange golden eyes struggling to keep that deluge of emotions from running over her where Lilian can suffer them. She will hide the hammer and nail behind her back. Not too well, just enough that they won't realize how fast a hammer and nail can be. It won't mean anything if they don't know they were there all along and simply assumed they'd be behind that back forever. "Understood. Thank you for your consideration." That is also saying something different than what she is saying. A lot of free time can mean a lot of things with Lilian Rook. This may be the cruelest thing the City has done to her yet. Gebura mutes the mic for a moment and tells Angela. "I knew it." Gebura murmurs. "There's a heart in the tinman you've been pretending to be." "...I simply enjoy conversing with her." Angela sort of lies. "...She's a Color, she'll bounce back. She wouldn't want us fussing over her instead of doing our job. Wait for the right moment and take the pot, that's what she'd say." WHAT IS THE POINT OF WAITING IF I CAN'T HELP NOW "Understood. But I will observe." Angela says instead. This is her life. WAtching people suffer and having to let it happen. She just thought it'd be different here. Gebura pushes back into frame, Angela lingering behind, hands behind her back. She can feel Carmen's voice whispering to her in her mind. She's always close by in there. Gebura pushes the unmute button. Gebura doesn't apologize or anything for the disruption. She is a gruff woman. MEANWHILE Nonon says, "For sure, buddy. Maybe once all this prep talk dies down a bit..." completely ignorant to Lilian's situation because her field of view is pretty solidly encompassed right now. Shajo nods once to Hibiki and stands up. HE can get a look at Lilian but he's just some grunt, some tough and he has no idea what's going on. The best thing he could do for her right now is take this situation seriously. Shajo actually looks at the damn map, adjusting his glasses. Gebura, if she were anyone but Gebura, would make a suggestion of dropping certain Abnormalities in to cause a ruckus and do a lot of damage but she is Gebura so she would never think of exploiting the Abnormalities. Intead she says, "Seems like Nonon and Shajo's EGO weapons are not long range. They're tough and fight fiercely. Nonon has experience on a ship, Shajo does not." Gebura pauses a moment. "But despite appearances, they're well armored. The Gold Rush EGO Armor is highly resistant to Red Damage--That's what we call physical assault--but the Logging EGO Armor isn't as tough. They're solid fighters though. As the expert in fighting these beasts," Gebura focuses on Kana. "Where would you put 'em? They work best together but we can split 'em if you prefer. On the ship, fending off monsters?"
Ishirou	"Because it was selfish, short-sighted, and stupid," is his response to Lilian.  "I was angry at what was said, I wanted to relieve stress... and honestly it was selfish.  It was both at a cost to you and using Rita like that was..." he shakes his head.  "Wrong.  I'm sorry, but I don't expect you to accept it, so instead I'll both prove it to you and work twice as hard to fix things." "We don't share the blame, it's entirely on me, and I plan on fixing my mistakes.  And not in the stupid selfish way of going off on my own, or thinking I need to die repeatedly, or picking fights, or... well, if I list everything I've done in the last two months I'd be here for at least another two." "And... don't thank me.  I know you're an adult, but that doesn't mean you need to shoulder everything.  We've... /I/ have forced you to do that for too long.  I hope to make up what I've said and done to the point that someday you can forgive my stupidity.  Until then, don't thank me." This is said before he gets into tactical gear.  His mind works through a lot of processes.   "Then we don't fight fair.  We know their tactics.  It's time we use their tactics against them.  What we need are boats that are barely in service, but fixed up enough to be able to look like a vanguard.  Fill those with those shock mines and other things...and send them forward first.  The moment they go to be tipped over, once enough Leviathans are on them..." "It'll work as an initial shock and disorientation to them, and also, hopefully, lower their numbers."  He considers.  "I also disagree.  The bombs should not be held in Busan.  We have aircraft.  They likely do not have the capability to touch it until they need to get close.  Kale's airship is an example." He continues to calculate things, trying to feel up the various groups here.  He needs more time to size up the various fighting forces and give his opinion on where they should be.  Taking a breath, ... "Initially, we should also operate in mixed groups until the operation, to better learn how each group fights and make sure to foster cooperation." "As for scouting, I can go with any squad that wants to, I can share my capabilities.  A smaller team might get in and out better than a larger group."
Tamamo	'You can be angry, if you want.'     In the quietest voice, "Would you like me to be angry?" An uncertain pause, and Tamamo rests her other hand over Lilian's arm. It'd an odd feeling, standing this much taller than her. Of course, her own extremely impressive heels are to blame for this, but it isn't hers that have changed.     "I suppose that I am a bit upset, that you would not come to me the moment I am needed." If anyone's ears are sharp enough to overhear her in this crowded room, they'd best pretend they can't. "Shall we work through all such feelings later, when we have the time to ourselves? That is, if you believe I have cause to be angry. And then, knowing all that I must, I shall forgive you, again."     Respecting the different social tradition, Tamamo disengages just enough from Lilian that when she offers her hand for Maelle Sabi to shake it isn't a three-body problem. For her own part, she has the light touch of someone who has never once been taught to see a connection between firm handshakes and social standing. Given the circumstances -- particularly, a surrounding tension -- she doesn't spend too long on the small talk. Even if 'kids and grandkids,' as Kukuru had asked about a few days ago, are on her mind.     'How many of those charms do you have to share, exactly?'     "Of differing grades, I have some few hundred that I can offer near to immediately. Given enough time, if my attention is not overtaxed, that number may increase. As to their effectiveness, in most cases... for those merely given mortal wounds and deadly poisons, healing swift enough to allow them to again take their feet in time to save their own lives can be expected. If they should lose limbs, it would be best that they quickly find them. For those scattered to pieces, there is less that may be done." She seems apologetic for her limitations, though she did also call that 'most cases.'     "I had planned to create more such items of a higher grade, and yet, there are other matters as may also require my time. As I have already supplied to the harpoonists of Busan, I may supply such charms as allow a blade to strike with such force of sunlight that the creatures of the depths are burned. Were that it would merely be a matter of balancing the weight of shield and spear, but were I to list all, it would be a tediously numerous accounting of plans lacking in focus."     Listening to the descriptions of each group, Tamamo takes note of those lacking in bravery, though a look of reluctance passes across her when she offers, "I might have some means of stirring a group lacking resolve to maintain their determination. It is no grand talent, but I have acted as one to persuade soldiers in moments of crisis, before. I cannot, however, position myself on both ships at once."
Kukuru	There's so much Kukuru wants to do right now. So much she wants to say, to do, to reassure, to comfort, to teach, to support, but it's not the right time. Her experiences here and on another floating structure have taught her plenty about her own limits, and the best she can do now is be patient. She really hates being patient, but it's the only way she can help without hurting any of them more, accidentally or otherwise. Forcing herself to remain staring at that map, Kukuru wracks her brain as she considers everything Kana's saying about the different city ships, trying to absorb as much of it as she can while also considering the tactical importance and personnel on board each of them. She even considers Clark's comment about the missiles, despite everything. "If... Mmn. There's a couple of us that can get around real easy, right? Me, Kale, Hibiki, Meika, Ishi... That means it'll be easier for us to fight wherever things are concentrated without leaving anyone in trouble for too long. And if we come in from the other direction-" She uses her finger to draw a line in the air going from the fleet to the volcano, then further past it on the opposite side. "-we might be able to... Pull their attention that way and split them up at the start?" Kukuru suggests, audibly straining a bit to try and keep up with the sort of discussions she clearly isn't used to. "And then once the real fighting starts and we gotta stick to a spot, maybe... Should I stick with the Akroma? Since they're gonna be fighting real hard up front, I can make sure they stay alive to fight longer and harder." There's a longer pause, and then she pounds her fist into her palm. "Oh. I could make some of them really big, too. They might sink, but..." She trails off, stroking her chin after a moment. "... If they're good at fighting underwater, then they'll still probably be okay, right?"
Candy	PHONE: Ishirou says, "I'll work with Kana at the meeting, do you want to help Lilian or work with me?" PHONE: Phoning Ishirou, Candy says, "I wanna help her. I just gotta figure out how, and these fucking idiots aren't any help." PHONE: Phoning Ishirou, Candy says, "Not--these people. It's--nevermind."      Candy stuffs his hands into his pockets, for lack of somewhere better to put them. He glances briefly up at Lilian, only to see that she's herself glancing aside. That makes it worse. *You guys don't have nothing?*      They don't have anything. There is no switch to flip--no clever invention caused this problem, and one doesn't exist to solve it. 'These fucking idiots,' 'you assholes,' they're subconscious creations of the very person insulting them. In a way, they *are* him.      Candy's work boot scuffs against the floor. "Yeah. Well. I still did you wrong. So I'm sorry. I... wanna be better for you, without being worse first."      He tugs nervously at his bow tie. "We're gonna be pretty busy, with all this preparing shit. I know the both of you like to stay busy, too," he says, forcing himself to look up at Lilian and Tamamo. "But, ah... if you wanna get a drink or just go listen to the waves, when we got a minute, well. I wouldn't mind if you wouldn't. And, you know, Ms. Tamamo, you could come too." Candy clasps his hands before him and interlaces his fingers. Maybe that's all he can do, for right now, but it doesn't feel like enough even if that's true. He sighs. "Anyway... I'm gonna get to work."      The farmer heads over to the table with Kana and Clark. "I hear that the explosives, they're unlucky. 'Forbidden treasures,'" he says, forcing down the wave of negative emotions that washes over him when he looks at the latter. "The shock mines Ishirou is talking about--I built them. Makes a bottleneck they gotta get through--before they can fuck with the ship and the harpoonists. And if one of those shitheads *does* get through and rams the ship, it don't go off. Huorong, he can show your people how to use them, if that sounds good."      "Side from that... I can make some custom pieces for the harpoonists. The ones that fight the monsters, I mean. Not the ones that piss on the poor people."
Kale Hearthward	Lilian gets some care from people who know her better. Kale leaves it to them. He doesn't fully understand what's going on, and this... isn't a good time to go asking, it feels like. "I'm committing the support VTOL East Wind to the effort," says Kale. He glances down at the formation. There's detailed miniatures on the map. He doesn't have a detailed miniature of the East Wind. He should get one. "It's flying, highly mobile, and has a magically expanded interior space. In addition, I have magical airspace control, in case our enemy decides to try coming at us from above." He picks out a small piece of driftwood and puts it near the Busan. He's going model kit shopping as soon as all this is over.
Tamamo	'And, you know, Ms. Tamamo, you could come too.'     "I should be glad to accept such an invitation, Candelario, should we find another quiet moment." Tamamo says.     She's going to have to ask about some things, later.
Redshift Operators	The astronaut continues to stare, crossed arms plopped on the table, peering over the thick EVA gear. It's not long before they're speaking up again, an echoey voice lending a dreamline quality to the speech. "You need to avoid sieges, and rushes with lots of waves. But you don't have any of the usual options." They eventually say. "You don't have enough material for decoys. Even river parade floats would work. But they're all on the ocean floor."     A longer pause. More staring. Motionless.     "This is really hard." They sort of slump their face into their own forearms, looking like they spent that twenty seconds doing twenty minutes of objective-oriented thinking. "You're right. A lot of people are going to die."     The giant puts a gentle hand on the astronaut's shoulder, briefly leaning down and nudging his damaged helmet against the their own. It seems to revitalize the only objective-oriented thinker in the Redshift Operators.     "If we can't improve the ships, I think we should improve the crew. You'll have a lot of time during travel, and the ships will be near each other for a lot of that time. That's not like how things usually are. Can I map the formations into sectors and create drills for helm and harpoonists, to move harpoonists between sectors at high speed, across multiple ships over-deck? If we do that, and set up a system of flare-signals and radio directions to direct it, we can multiply the harpoonist coverage."     They have a... mini-whiteboard, apparently, they've brought some dry erase markers to show what they're talking about. It's not much, but there's no silver bullet here. "That could help give New York more of the advantages they're familiar with. And it could let Devil-slayers move to high-risk areas faster. We need to multiply their effect."     They're normally so silent. Must be the chance to show off their tactical wargame minifigure collection or something.
Meika Kirenai	'None. Are you offering?'     "Yes." Her reply is immediate and bright. She almost says more, but hesitates, thinking- Scouting needs to be repeated, and that means... No, I can just do it after patrol. I can eek a few more hours in every... few days? Day? How much is needed... If I ditch more, there'd be more daylight...     Meika pinches the bridge of her nose, blinking a few times in quick succession. "...I can put in time. How much is needed? I can fly, I- I know compass navigation, from camp.." A pause. Camp. Ugh. You're supposed to be competent. "...I can fight, too. I'm used to doing it on my own. Even against T- against monsters. So I wouldn't need backup, which... means more ground could be covered, right?" Meika lets out a breath, slow and long, letting go of the pressure for a moment. It still feels weird to talk about this in the open.     "...I might be able to convince my sister to help, and- and cover time that I couldn't be here. She can't fly quite the same as I can, but... I think she'd still be happy to help scout, other ways. I'll ask her when I can." <J-IC-Scene> Angela says, "I see. Lobotomy Corp has some aquatically capable Abnormalities of high threat levels. If you'd like, we can force a breach and guide them to the battle zone. While they are not likely to be able to tell 'friend' from 'foe', if there is a position you do not intend to send humans, they may be able to lend a hand. You would not have to worry about the ecology as eventually they will return to our facility irrespective of what happens to them." <J-IC-Scene> Ishirou says, "...Hmm. Not a bad idea. Especially if they were used as some sort of vanguard." <J-IC-Scene> Ishirou says, "They are not killed, so they could easily soften up things for us." <J-IC-Scene> Meika Kirenai says, "That's- That's cruel! Why would you *do* that to them!"     Meika huffs, and quiets herself, instinctively biting the inside of her cheek. You don't know that they're just that. It's not fair. You can't, you're not them. You wouldn't even call that poor girl her name. No wonder she'd lost her Courage.     "...I can't.. reccomend using- using monsters to fight the monsters. More... threats, even far away... that's chaos, it's scary, and so much harder to keep track of. If anything goes wrong, it's more harm than help..." <J-IC-Scene> Angela to Meika. "Miss Kirenai, I am noticing a trend. If you'd like to take a tour of our facilities, I would be happy to allow you inside so you can satisfy your curiousities on the Abnormalities as you'd like but I must caution against over-sympathizing with them. The Magical Girl of Courage is one of a handful of exceptions rather than the rule."     She tastes iron and bile. I don't want to. Don't try and convince me to- to see it your way.     "...Maybe. Okay."
Lilian Rook	'It is crucially important.'     Lilian stares into space for too-long moments. Whatever she's thinking is so foggy that it doesn't rise to her face to be shown. "I understand. Then of course I'll see to it." she says, before drifting off again.     Unexpectedly, she says one more thing, without cue or lead-in. "There's still a lot of things you deserve. I'm not so pathetic I'd abandon someone like us over a bad day. I'll be there."     'Because it was...I wanted to...It was both...I don't expect you...so instead I'll...it's entirely on...I plan on...And not in the...need to die...if I list everything...last two months...I know you're...that doesn't mean you...for too long...to the point that...Until then...     Lilian begins listening with something approaching an attentive stare. Her eyes are at least on Ishirou's mouth, her face turned in his direction. But then by thirty seconds in, her pupils haven't moved from the first spot they'd landed on. She hasn't blinked by a minute. A kind of dull, aching, restless energy exudes from her silence, thick enough to feel like 'hard to breathe'. A full two seconds after he's finished talking, Lilian slowly closes and opens her eyes, then glances back down at her tablet. "Okay." she says. She sounds dizzy. Overwhelmed shambling conversationally forward, ears ringing from some fresh crater.     'Would you like me to be angry?'     "No." Lilian barely whispers. Her arm shakes around Tamamo's. "But you should be." She struggles to let go at all, when Tamamo needs to give her handshakes and introductions. Everything else she'd just said is still rattling in her head. She's exactly where Tamamo left her a minute later, stranded.     'I suppose that I am a bit upset, that you would not come to me the moment I am needed.'     "I don't-- . . . I shouldn't-- . . . be enabled, all the time. I . . . I wasn't, forgetting about you, or, keeping you away. I just-- . . . Sometimes the whole point is that you shouldn't feel better about something." Lilian whispers, trailing off into Tamamo's shoulder.     'I shall forgive you, again.'     "Thank you." is barely uttered at all. So faint as to be little more than a thought, only for Tamamo's ears.     'if you wanna get a drink or'     "No." Lilian suddenly blurts out, clearly louder than she meant to, flinching at the sound of her own voice and covering her mouth. "Thank you. Mister Estevez." It's the first time she's straightened out her spine all day, but she still only looks tense and compressed. "My apologies."     Lilian stops, and looks back to the table and all its miniatures. She breathes steadily in out-- specifically, to the count of ten-- and then begins to speak; and makes only a single syllable before falling quiet again. Another ten count.     "Bombing from the air, I believe, would mean . . . If the Queen has enough bodies, the leviathans could simply screen an aerial drop by congregating at the surface. The bombs will fall faster than they can swim, so they should be . . ." Her voice shrinks into something small and too-quiet by the end. "Deployed at the lowest level we can. Bombing from the air should be . . . for not the . . . main charges. Because if they screen . . . we can take out a lot at once. I think."     She shudders with the effort of a sigh, needing to catch her breath already. "We can't . . . even with the vang-- the leading ships, we can't just . . . plough into them. All at once. And try to penetrate to the nest. We can't try to . . . burn the whole line back. Just . . . please focus on doing what we can, and leaving them with what they can manage. Let's . . . split the fire supp-- the big guns, between lanes, and shepherd the leviathans into small columns that . . . so that the Harpoonists only have to fight a set incoming stream at once."
Rita Ma	Maelle's eyebrows climb her forehead when Tamamo elaborates. "And that is the lower grade? If they can keep for a few months, I'll take all you have. A few hundred will be enough for me and all of mine. And as many sunlight charms, if you possibly could."      At the mention of persuasion, she tilts her head to glance at the map across the room. Her expression is faintly disdainful- not of Tamamo, but of the New Yorkers. "The New Jersey has fewer guns and more people," she concludes. "If you'd bolster their courage, do it there. But they're in the vanguard, so have a plan to retreat."      "I think we should improve the crew."      "I'm interested." "As am I." Kana continues ignoring him. "Especially in a way to move people between ships. But it's likely the threat is going to come from 'all around'. There may not be such a thing as 'high-risk areas' for long."
Rita Ma	"Where would you put 'em?"      "How mobile are they, and how valuable are their lives to you?" Kana says. It's a little creepy how matter-of-factly she can ask things like that. "The Manhattan and New Jersey will see action first, with the current formation. But they're also likely to be overwhelmed in the end. If you don't want them to die, and they can't leap a thousand feet, put them on the Busan to start with."      She's starting to turn more heads. Conversation throughout the room is dying down. She doesn't pay much attention to that.      "The shock mines Ishirou is talking about--I built them."      "Not the ones that piss on the poor people."      "Those sound useful. I'm sure we can find a bit of room for them, in old torpedo tubes and the like." Clark keeps up his streak of being obnoxiously helpful for just a second longer, before he snaps right back to being shitty. His upper lip twitches in a sneer of amusement. "You don't know much about how the world works, do you?"      "...so that the Harpoonists only have to fight a set incoming stream at once."      "Allow them into our formation, in a controlled way." Kana, having listened with a gentle patience born of concern, shuts her eye in thought. "It's smart. But I don't see how we can control their access to those channels from below. Then again, that's a problem with any gap between ships." It's getting harder and harder to pretend like Lilian being not-okay isn't her business, but she's willing to keep trying as long as Lilian is.      "Fill those with those shock mines and other things..."      "The Akroma survivors are already planning to do such a thing. Or are you suggesting unmanned boats? That could be useful." The haggard harpoonists in gray suits don't object. But the mood among everyone else falls further.      "The bombs should not be held in Busan. We have aircraft."      "I advise against that. Vajra is known to have strong long-range capabilities that could translate to anti-air. Gordic may as well. It would be foolish not to expect the Queen to, since she knows about our multiversal help. And Lilian is right about screening with bodies."
Rita Ma	"And if we come in from the other direction-"      Clark clears his throat, surprisingly politely. "If you don't mind? Kukuru, wasn't it. I think you're misunderstanding the scale of the issue. Port Oasis, Union Busan, and Union Benin have experienced zero leviathan attacks in two months. That means the ocean is emptying of them-" he jabs the volcano map with his finger- "except for there."      "By the time we reach it we can expect millions, if not billions, of sea monsters to be present at the nest. There is no 'splitting their focus'. There is no 'thinning their numbers'. It will be horizon to horizon. All we can do is pierce through and hope someone makes it to the center. Is that clear?" Kana looks to have already put the pieces together. Nearly everyone else starts to blanch.      "Should I stick with the Akroma?"      "The longer you can keep them alive, the better. But don't worry too much about preserving their boats. We don't have and can't carry enough fuel for the small ones to make it back, anyway."      That sends a chill through the room that's impossible to ignore. A Port Oasis fisherman stands up from his table, quivery with dread.      "Kana... are you saying the people on those boats are doomed from the start?"      "Of course not. If we make it, they can leave on the larger ships."      "But all the ships are at capacity. That's why we're bringing the fishing boats."      "The dead will make room. Didn't you accept the possibility of death when you came here?"      "But you're counting on a third- no, half of us dying from the start-"      "Of course I am. It'll probably be worse than that."      The atmosphere in the room is freezing cold. Kana doesn't flinch, but murmurs pass from person to person. Some of the harpoonists can stoically bear it or had already assumed, but many others are starting to waver.      A long moment of nervewrackingly absolute silence passes, where her fiery gaze contests everyone else's glances of fear. This is a tipping point.
Ishirou	Ishirou tries not to let himself get disheartened by the response.  Maybe he just overwhelmed her..?  Maybe he's just expecting more, despite his words.  He forces himself to push through it, he can be gloomy to someone else later, on his own time, when it's not here.  He needs to try and be better.   "You could make more room for people if you took off some of the larger batteries," Ishirou points out.  "Given the scale of what we're up against," As commander jackass has pointed out to the room, "Those weapons would only be very useful on the larger creatures... the bosses.  They'd be not as good, even dangerous, to use at point blank.  And as you just said, we're dealing with uncountable numbers." "If we're not softening them up, then more personnel...places for people on smaller craft to fall back to is more important.  We're going to lose people, ships, and equipment during the entire fight.  Large guns aren't going to win this, but getting the payload to where it is well.." "Besides, everything we could do with the guns could be done with the bombing run, as the suggestion to do everything on a flying craft has been... pun not intended, shot down.  We could use the airship.." hmm.  Around the ship.   "We drop a lot of those mines around the perimeter of the fleet once we're close enough to engage.  We make sure they /can't/ overwhelm the flanks.  We force them to fight on our terms, not theirs.  If we do this normally, they'd just come in from the sides all at once, even if they also were funneled in..." "So we limit their point of attack, also limiting their numbers.  We'd have to spend some manpower keeping the flanks held and replenish things to keep them funneled, but enough prep time could mean we could plan around that."
Angela	"I know, Dame Commander. You would not." Angela says. "My apologies," Yep. "If my concern has been embarrassingly overstated." MEANWHILE. "Eh, reasonably but a thousand feet might be a bit much. Maybe Nonon could throw someone that far." Gebura considers. "...Though we could hire on Rabbit Team to support Manhattan or New Jersey. Expensive though so we'd have to check wtih the Manager." "We can also unleash our own 'monsters' at a strategic point." Angela offers to Kana. "They are self disposing but are not discriminate. I'll leave that decision to those that know the world better but we are willing to assist with such resources." Gebura is unhappy about it but this too is ultimately a decision for the manager but she knows he'd be all too happy to make the Abnormalities someone other world's problem especially if they can help. Gebura maintains her stance. She also imagines he might need some convincing to call in the Rabbits but it's not like it really matters to her (or them) if they all die horrible deaths to sea monsters. Her gaze slants towards Meika. She does not add anything else over the radio but does admit, "It certainly is a possibility." Angela says. You think I enjoy this don't you? I'm just a cold machine. Not like those warm ones out there laughing, snarking, wearing bodies of their choosing, throwing them away if they feel like it. Even compared to others like me, I'm not really like them. And you're right. Who am I to use the Abnormalities in the first place? They are prisoners just like me. ...But I have to. I'll use everything I have to. Angela closes her eyes. She's just upset, she tells herself, so she's making suggestions, she's speaking her mind. Dangerous things. Letting desire too close too soon.
Ishirou	"Yes.  Unmanned ships could help get people into position, run interference, and generally be useful until the main thrust of the battle.  As they won't know what's on them until they're already on top of them.  It'll also keep people from thinking suiciding heroically is a good idea." When the room goes quiet he pauses.  Taking a breath he looks up at the room.  "This isn't about dying.  This is about beating this foe and living to see the end of it.  Some of us can and will die on this.  Not a single one of us is safe..." "But..." he says thinking of that moment when Rita showed him just a little of the soul-devouring power she could do.  "We should do everything... and I mean /everything/ to survive.  They have numbers to spare, we do not." "So.  I say this from the bottom of my heart.  Fight to live, not to die."
Lilian Rook	'But I don't see how we can control their access to those channels from below.'     Lilian seizes up, and nearly collapses into herself with the uncoordinated gasp that she strangles in her throat. Her hands are balled and held tensely down at her sides, so that she doesn't touch anything. For a second, it looks as if she'll clam up and stop talking entirely.     "If they go only low then . . . we really can bomb them from the air. Anything that can reach depth. It's only a problem if they block the surface so the ships choke in bodies."     'Lilian is--'     The sound that comes out of Lilian is unmistakable as anything but the first quarter-second of relief. Her lips twitch, with the flicker of an almost-but-not smile.     The room goes silent. So silent, so tense, so ice cold, that Lilian absently tugs the sleeves on her sweater a down further past her wrists, and tries to step behind Tamamo again. Trying to keep her head down, cheek away from anything solid, hands rigidly in place.     But as the icy quiet keeps on, and Kana's lonely defiance holds, Lilian--     "Then stay here where you'll all die. See if that helps."     Lilian is ostensibly speaking to everyone else in the room, voice just loud enough to hear, but her eyes are locked unwaveringly on Kana's collarbone, as if she'll lose her ability to say anything if she glances away from the reason she's trying.     "What's the point of being afraid now? Are you really all like that? Is everyone? You'd rather stay this way and just . . . slowly wither away? Or wait to be torn apart anyways? Is all that suffering and misery and fear you'll have to live through, for however long until it kills you anyways-- are you really so incapable of-- just being a little braver, hurting a little more, for a little while?"     "I don't understand you. I thought I did but--" Lilian clasps her own arms again, squeezing them hard enough to shake. "I thought you were the people who were supposed to be able to do that. To do the one scary and painful thing so you have a chance of living, instead of just keeping your heads down and letting yourselves get ground down and snuffed out, just to avoid even trying-- putting in one effort."     "What are you even so scared of? Half? That's fifty percent. That's normal. People who don't even fight monsters deal with that, and at least you get to hurt them back instead of--"     She halts abruptly, biting her lip.     "I'm-- Apologies, for speaking out of turn. I just . . . I can't stand that you'd let the leviathans kill you all off because you're afraid of them and they're not afraid of you."
Redshift Operators	The astronaut isn't much of an engineer. But he does call over the gunman. "Hey. Remember those human-safe mass drivers?"     "Human-''''safe'''' is really pushing it."     "I think they know what they're doing. We should try to fit some to the ship. Do you remember how to make them?"     "*Barely*. Been over five years."     "I think local engineers can fill in the gaps. If we run enough drills and keep a good formation, we can get people around the fleet fast."     The Redshift Operators have let their original skills as engineers and laborers decay quite a bit, but at the very least, the gunman can call on his old experience as a journeyman engineer to hopefully give the locals enough to work with. They have those gas cannisters, they'd be *perfect* for launchers...     Kana drops her bombs. The discussion turns dark, turns *cold*. The astronaut keeps staring at their figures. The giant remains silent. Even the medic is hushed. They stay quiet while Lilian speaks. They listen, giving it consideration. The leader looks around. In the silence, he tries to speak to the problem. To put it into words that form determination.     "She's right. That withering... Right now, there's... dice, rolling every single day. And when those dice come up bad, people die. Add more dice, add more death. But you have a choice right now. Roll dice, worse dice, for everyone, forever -- you, your family, your friends, whatever kids you got or might get, every day for a hundred years, worse and worse. Or load up the worst, most dog-shit ivory tombstones you've got, and roll *just for you*, once, this year. I did that once, about a year and a half ago. Got so close to death that my heart stopped for a good long while."     "When that happened, I didn't regret it one goddamn bit."     "It was that, or die fifty, sixty years later from dogshit conditions, weaker, alone, nothing to show for the dying -- or sooner, if I still got unlucky. Rook knows about that withering, at least. I know it's not a good deal. It's not even better than a bad deal. Whole damn thing sucks. But I guarantee you, you don't do this, you don't put yourself into a chance to make things better, and you'll regret it. You do this, and, even trying your hardest, you die? You won't regret it. I didn't. And I'm not a special guy. I don't got *destiny courage*, I'm not a *chosen one*. Hell, barely even managed to touch Kraken and near-dying's probably fucked my brain a little, so I'm not even strong. And *I* didn't regret it."     "That's the only way a decent man can live. Going with what his gut says is right, and not regretting what he does. Withering is no way for a man to live."
Kukuru	Kukuru inhales briefly as Clark addresses her, somehow managing to put on a strained smile as she turns to him with a light nod. "Mhm. That's right... Clark." Of course he wouldn't get an affectionate nickname. His name's too short for that, anyway. "If that's what we gotta deal with, then... Oh, we're gonna have to punch through a lot, then." Try as she might, she still sees the points he's making about the scale of what they're up against, and that scale just gets hammered in more when Kana follows up on his explanation about just how hopeless the situation might be for almost everyone involved in this situation. "If I made a couple of our fighters big at once, we'll have a better chance forcing a way through, so...." What can she actually say to try and lighten the mood? Or.. No, not lighten. Reassure them, convince them that just running away and hiding wouldn't be a better option instead. It's a complicated situation, though, and it's definitely not one at a scale Kukuru is used to working at. What would Li- Kukuru grips her knee tightly, too tightly to be comfortable, even drawing a bit of blood before fixing it, all to snap her mind back to the now. She can't keep expecting her kids to come up with all the answers. She certainly can't force that kind of thing on Lilian again, especially with whatever's happened to get her in such a state. Doing that so much is what's led to all the pain that's sprung up here, at Veleres, and who knows what and where that she's only barely informed about. "... Trust in me, then. I won't let you stay dead." Closing her eyes for a moment to steady herself, Kukuru straightens herself back up before putting on a well-practiced, vaguely serene smile that's not quite as forced as her other ones, but certainly different from her usual. It's the best thing she can do for her right now. "It might hurt, but it's only for a little while. Once we get everything set up with the bomb, we'll have plenty of time to find everyone that gets lost, get you all back together, and making everything better again." A little overselling of her own abilities is fine, right? Just a little bit, to keep their spirits from faltering more. Besides, it wouldn't be a lie if she has help getting all of the corpses together. "It'll be just like... Taking a long nap. And when you wake up? The ocean'll be okay again, you won't have to worry about leviathan attacks, and..." Her smile brightens a bit more. She might actually believe herself now. "You'll be living heroes, to your friends and your families. Wouldn't that be nice to wake up to?"
Meika Kirenai	'Millions, if not billions.'     Meika's breath hitches. Tenfolds and tenfolds more than the number of people left, here.     "...Dead until proven otherwise." Her arms press tight against her side, as the words leave her lips. Her voice stays firm. "...That's what this is, isn't it? Six months isn't ever long enough. But it's what there is, and a chance to have more's on the other side. For you to have more, and for others to have more. But it's not-" She pauses, to find the words she needs. They come out with a wince, apologetic that someone else need percieve them. It must be so silly, to hear it from me. I'm sorry.     "It's not risk. You're already dead."     Canines once more dig into cheek skin. Further words from her come out mumbled, but she feels an overwhelming need to try and say something, anything more bright, anything on the mission at hand. "Piercing through. They're still limited, limited in how many body to body could.." How big are they? Millions to billions to... "All grouped together... I'm sure you.. already know that's got to be the only way you could keep a perimeter, right? We learned this in Chemistry, the square-cube law. Smaller particles have larger relative surfaces, so.. the bigger your group is, together, the relatively smaller the area around it will be. One big group has favorable odds of how many foes could.. pour over." Despite the sickening but necessary last phrasing, Meika almost giggles, at the thought that something from her classes came up. Thanks, Sister Genso..     "Even if they fill the gaps, for.." Forever, at that number. "..Yeah." Her will to speak up fades, and, absentmindedly, Meika reaches into a bag, and pulls out a paper carton of cigarettes. One is lit and quickly stuck to her lips, despite being indoors and amongst peers. If only to choke out her words with acrid smoke.
Lilian Rook	'Expensive though so we'd have to check wtih the Manager.'     "Then I'll pay for it." says Lilian. "At least then it'd be good for something."     'we'll have plenty of time to find everyone that gets lost'     "I can-- That's something I can help with too. At least that, if nothing else." Lilian's gaze is on the floor again.     'I don't got *destiny courage*, I'm not a *chosen one*.'     "Yeah. The chosen ones are busy saving people who get to have one. They won't come to help." she says. "Nobody chosen by anyone should be here. It's just us. What's the point of being unchosen if you can't at least look out for one another?"     'the bigger your group is, together, the relatively smaller the area around it will be. One big group has favorable odds of how many foes could..'     "Enough of you to reject it." Lilian descends to a whispers. "A big enough group to say you're--"     'Fight to live, not to die.'     "How dare you." Lilian spits under her breath, just quiet enough to not be caught. "Of all people."
Tamamo	'And that is the lower grade?'     "Some... oh, two per seven would only be enough to preserve the life of the wounded until they can receive proper care. Perhaps this would not be useful to you, in these more desperate cases, and may be omitted, if so." Tamamo readily agrees to providing the full amount 'soon,' pending some finalization process she doesn't elaborate on.     "The New Jersey, then... yes, there are means by which I might find..." she has to take a moment to get over the stumbling block of implying abandoning that many people to die, "...a means of swift retreat. I shall be sure not to leave it to chance. I prefer to make my own luck." The ghost of a smile.     'The dead will make room.'     Tamamo doesn't visibly react, but her mind is turning. If they dump the bodies, Kukuru can't reach them. How could they get them out? If Arthur were here, a gate... but he isn't, and she can't even be sure that an over-the-horizon gate between mobile ships would hold.     Then Kukuru is speaking, and Tamamo can only wonder if that's right. Will the sea still be full of monsters, with the queen dead? Oh, but, there is someone who could take control of a leaderless swarm of monsters...     ...and tries to step behind Tamamo again.     Tamamo can take up space. She's not really too bad at doing that. But she can't entirely obscure Lilian, because then Lilian couldn't keep speaking to everyone.     She can, and does, reach into that tugged-down sweater sleeve, and lace her fingers together. It's fine. She doesn't have any more hands that need shaking. She even does it without taking her eyes off the various harpoonists.     "If the war is lost, then it is the end of all humans on this world, and many more on other worlds, besides. If the work is done just well enough, then some will live, and others will never return. But of this, you knew, did you not? This is the fate of those who are warriors, whether with spear or bow. If the work is done very well indeed, then many more will live. Every one of you, even if you fall, so long as you can be found again, you will return home, alive. Is this not better than that for which one might even hope? You have been given this chance to save so many others who have not the strength to fight, and will be given every support we may offer."     'Nobody chosen by anyone should be here.'     Tamamo's eyes close, for just a moment.     "This is the last and greatest opportunity. It is the ending of the tale. Whether there is anything more to tell, once it ends, is up to those of us here. No choice to stall, to reject the ending, is permitted. Time will take those who do nothing, and just as quickly."     She does not mutter anything about her own hypocrisy, during this little speech. She only thinks about it for a bit.
Hibiki Tachibana	A lot of the meeting feels like it passes by in a haze. Partially from shellshock at Lilian's state. Partially because all the strategizing goes over her head, aside from a few salient points. And partially because the feeling in the air has steadily felt both colder and more stifling as the talks have gone on. We'll expect them to be overrun quickly. The dead will make room. It'll probably be worse than that. Look these people in the eye. /Does/ she understand?     Hibiki has spent all of it off in a corner of the room, quiet and unhelpful. Unsure of what to do--if there's anything she can do. But everyone else is putting that effort in. She knows Meika is doing her best even when she's out of her element. Kukuru is offering up everything she can, too. Red Dwarf, as hard as he's worked through all of this. Even Lilian, in the state she's in right now...     Is she not going to try and take at least a little bit of that burden off? Is she not going to--     "Don't let being afraid stop you!" She abruptly speaks up after swalloing, stepping towards the table and actually looking at the room properly for the first time. "Or else you really will regret it forever. ...And I can tell you, you don't want that."     "None of you would be here...if you didn't have something to fight for, right? For someone you care about, for the sake of the world, because you think you don't have any other choice--but they're all your reasons., and it doesn't matter if they're big or small. You're only here right now because you had...at least a little bit of courage to step forward in the first place."     She has to swallow again, although Hibiki forces herself to stay steady. "...So hold onto that, even if--...even if you're scared to death. It's your world, and your future. No matter who you are...I can't imagine you don't want to protect that with your own hands. And..."     Another breath. "...We'll do everything we can, too. So as many of you can see the world that comes after as I--we can manage." She furrows her brow and glances to Kukuru, exhaling out slowly. Her head tilts down, eyes on the pendant hanging from her own neck, and then back up towards Kana.     "...I'm not really good for much. But if it's about piercing through to the center, I can at least--...no, I can definitely help do that much, even if it's not for long. No matter how many of them are blocking the way. ...Even if I have to bet my life on it. Because seeing this world have a future...matters to me, too."     She doesn't know if all of that is better or worse than saying nothing at all. But she does know she'd rather have said it, and hoped it'd help at least one of them get over their fear, than have stayed sitting silent in a corner of the room.
Rita Ma	"How dare you?" Kana's one eye blazes. She dares anyone to be the first coward to crack. "I thought you had principles. I thought you had shame. You'll fight monsters when it's convenient, is that it? And when everyone needs you most, you'll scurry like roaches. If that's how it is, take your swords and carve out your tattoos right here."      As effective as her presence is at paralyzing the crowd, her words don't sway them much. It's an appeal to better nature. Most people, she doesn't seem to realize, put their lives above their principles.      "Fight to live, not to die."      "It's your world, and your future."      "I won't let you stay dead."      Ishirou, Hibiki, and Kukuru sweeten the pill, just a little. But that's not enough to sway the crowd either, on its own. People scared for their lives aren't quite so easily reassured, and they don't remember their virtues readily either.      "It's not risk. You're already dead."      "It was that, or die fifty, sixty years later..."      "Then stay here where you'll all die. See if that helps."      "Time will take those who do nothing, and just as quickly."      That's what really gets them. They know it's true, deep deep down. They know it in a way New York's finest didn't. When the volcano goes off, they won't be far above the waterline.      "They're right," Clark says, and in the frigid quiet he doesn't need to raise his voice. "There's no turning back now. Do you think anyone else is going to save the world for you? You think you'll have anywhere to run when the ocean boils? You are an arrow, already fired. And everyone should hope you're true."      Maelle turns her piercing gaze on her own men, too. Under that aggregate intensity and weight, the rank and file collapse. The Port Oasis fisherman who'd started it slumps back into his seat, shellshocked and distant. He reflects the general mood.      "I'm glad," Kana says as she adjusts the plastic pieces, "that we all understand."
Angela	"...Understood, Dame Commander." Gebura says. They might pay in Ekephalin normally but money can be used to buy it back too, or the resources from other Wings they make use of. There's ways to make it work. At the very least, the RAbbit Team will fight until everything in their path is dead or they are. They're infinitely more disposable than the two agents she has and it's what they're paid for. The Rabbit Team will be absolutely thrilled to graze this pasture for sure (it's a shame, Gebura thinks, they can't get a Reindeer with experience on a ship)] Gebura looks to Shajo and Nonon. "And I expect you too to give it your all." ''I can't stand that you'd let the leviathans kill you all off because oyu're afraid of them and they're not afraid of you'' Angela doesn't say anything. She just listens to that. In other words, because they are willing to do the things you aren't. So be willing, Angela wills herself, slowly slowly slowly working up a moment of courage for a time yet to come. She turns her attention to Tamamo as she reminds everyone that it isn't just one world that will suffer if the Queen has her way because those very beasts might end up in other worlds. Angela doesn't really care about that though, frankly. Right now she wishes a few worlds would have some rampaging monsters to remind people they are not safe from those they've scarred. ...But she will disregard her feelings on the matter for now because ultimately she does care about this world, if only because this world gave her one of her Desires. "It is rare that the story gives you an opportunity to bite back." Angela says, which is about as much as an agreement she's willing to share. Shajo and Nonon move back, watching Hibiki as she asks for courage of her own. "She seemed surprised we were 'fearless'..." Nonon murmurs to him. "Well, doesn't mean she isn't. Takes a lot of guts to say stuff like that in a place like this." Shajo murmurs back but the Loboteam seem to have made their peace. There's many months left to remain brave for after all, today is just one day.