third trial. (unseelie locked.)

[greenies]

[ hello, network! have you grown tired of thomas yet? i hope not. the feed begins with two teenagers, both fairly grimy looking. though minho seems to be in and out, thomas is the one cupping the locket in his hands to speak into it; a table with a miniature version of caer scima is visible in the background.

thomas, as usual, isn’t quite sure how to start this thing. ] Hey. [ #nailed it ] Tensions are getting pretty bad right now. [ captain obvious. maybe minho should talk. ]

Really? [ yeah, somebody isn’t the greatest at social media. minho appears with a bunch of rolled up papers in one arm, the other going to drop over thomas’ shoulder. ] I don’t think anybody noticed that, Tommy. [ dryly ] So, let’s just cut to the chase - getting people to safety before the klunk comes crashing down.


[ if thomas’s ears pinken in a little, he covers it with a roll of his eyes, clapping minho on the bicep to get him to move. he does, if reluctantly, going to gather up more of their work. the moral of the story quickly becomes that both of these boys don't trust much of anything. ] Minho and I have been mapping out the surrounding areas of Caer Scima out to Quendi and a few places beyond that. If the Unseelie lines hold and the castle’s safe--great. If not, then it’d be smart to get your shuck butt out of the surrounding area as soon as possible. Where I'm from, nothing's sacred, no matter how safe it feels.

Between the two of us-- [ he glances at minho, who salutes with one of his rolled up maps ]--three of us, with Teresa-- we can run people out a few at a time using the fairy rings, but we’re going to need help.

[ minho takes this moment to come up behind thomas again, right against his back to peer down into the locket. ] This includes people with safe places for refugees to head to. We’ve got some places we can go, but depending on numbers… well, better to have as many spots for people to go as possible. Nobody needs to make a target out of themselves with everybody from the castle in one building. [ minho ruffles the back of thomas’ hair as he draws back. ]

I don’t think anybody fighting this war wants this kind of bloodshed. [ thomas sounds a little bitter for a second. ] I don’t want any more bloodshed. The more lives we can save with this, Shardbearer or not, the better. If you’re in Caer Scima and want a way out, reply back, and privately. We can set up an exchange, or show you the quickest routes away from the castle and to some kind of safety. Even if it feels like it's too late, just--contact one of us, and we'll find a way to get you out.

[ minho pipes up one last time from behind him: ]

Just stay safe, regardless of what you’re doing. Nobody needs to die ‘cause they did something stupid.

[ thomas nods, and the feed cuts. ]

{ thomas is in dark green, minho is in blue. most responses to this post will be from thomas-- minho's mun is out of commission for surgery after today. however, if you want min specifically, feel free to ask! }

Comments

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[munies]

I remember hearing about Cothromach on here, as a safe zone. [ she's scrolling through the different locket transmissions she's saved over the last few weeks, curled up in a blanket on her favorite chair in their map room, one she's been spending a lot of time in lately. ] But that's in the Seelie territory, isn't it? So how safe could it really be?

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[greenies]

I don't think we'll be able to smuggle people over to the Seelie side as easily as we used to.

[ that would be the understatement of the century, thomas. he looks up at teresa from where he's carefully fixing one of the barriers on their little miniature, brow furrowed. ] But, maybe we could get in contact with them and try and figure something out?

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[munies]

I don't either. [ she chews at her lip while she thinks about it, looking away from her locket screen for a little while ] Even with the fairy rings, I'm pretty sure there would still be travel time on foot, and that- We would just be putting people in danger. [ her brows crinkle a bit. no. not a good idea. ] I don't think it's worth the risk.

[ but the sincerity of the original post is difficult to ignore. a castle in a mountain would likely be more secure than the open road to somewhere further than that. ]

You're right though, we should contact them. I can, if you want. [ a beat ] I'm hoping I laid low enough when I first got here that people wouldn't even know I was in Seelie to begin with, but that might make me a less ..favorable person to talk to any of the Seelies about working together.

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[greenies]

Yeah. There have to be safe places in Dorchadas, the entire Unseelie cadre doesn't live in Caer Scima. We'll find something. [ his tone's reassuring and confident--thomas himself isn't that reassured or that confident, but he'll at least try for teresa. they have to find something. quendi can't hold the entire castle, and there are too many people who find this place scary, still, somewhere unsafe.

but, they'll find something. thomas would do anything to get as many people innocent out of here as possible. he'll carry them on his back if he has to. ]

You think so? [ he frowns a little, but--she has a point. ] ...Yeah. That's a good idea. Be careful.

video. private.

[allures]

Think I'll take you up on that.

[sure, she's got a few skills up her sleeve, along with many tricks, but she can't fight a war like this. she's already packed a bag full of necessities, and she's sure that even if most of the people inhabiting caer scima survive, the castle may not. her room had never been that full, anyway, and the drugs she has, she can pack.]

video. private.

[greenies]

[ thomas looks obviously glad to see effy responding to the message--thomas thinks she's perfectly capable, but she was definitely one of the people he was the most worried about. he nods his head, the smile barely twitching the corners of his mouth. ]

Minho or I can take you out to one of the safe places. How soon can you be ready to leave?

video. private.

[allures]

[she adjusts her locket so it focuses on a napsack behind her briefly.]

Now. Don't care who takes me.

[so long as she doesn't get attacked or mauled by a bear, she is 100% fine with going wherever minho or thomas want to take her. being safe is her priority.]

text.

[mixcds]

I'm heading back from the Station. I'll probably grab the rest of my things from my room if it's still there and head to Quendi. If you want, I can take the long way back and try and scope out some places for people to go to?

text.

[greenies]

Kieren, that'd be great.
If you need us to help you pack anything up, let me know and we can get it ready for you ASAP.
Stay safe, okay?

text.

[mixcds]

I'll be fine, don't worry. I don't think there's anything immediate so just do what it is you're doing! I'll get back to you ASAP with the info. I might catch you at the feast later? I'm leaving soon, just in case Jem's back. If -- if you see her, can you let me know? Or anyone who looks like me, I suppose.

video | private

[anarchos]

[He's not particular interested or wanting for an escort, but the other part of this, routes from the castle:] I'd like to take a look at those maps.

video | private

[greenies]

Sure thing. [ thomas nods his head. normally he'd be protective of his maps, but in this case, the more people that know the way out, the better. more eyes, better chance to solve it, like teresa had told him so long ago. ] We're in the residence rooms at Caer Scima. The door's hanging open right now.

video | private

[anarchos]

[He nods back. An open door with these kids' faces, shouldn't be hard to find.] Then I'll swing by soon. Don't close up shop in the meantime.

Video; locked

[huntedby]

I can take any and all protected by the Caer Scima within Spire 1. If I run out of room, I can push them to another Spire--I already have an evaluation plan created.

The tunnels under the tower to the castle should be completed soon, as well, for those that can't use the fairy circles.

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[greenies]

Vanessa, this is so helpful, thank you. [ seriously, girl, way to come through in the clutch! thomas nods his head, clearly grateful--and then the tunnels get his attention. ] Tunnels, you have tunnels? Do you have a map of them we can look at, so we can add it to ours?

[ he pauses. maybe he should think before he speaks every once in a while. ] This whole message's been Unseelie locked, if you're worried about that.

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[huntedby]

I'm glad I can be of some service. [She gives him a tiny smile, but she still looks relatively stoic.]

I can draw them on your map, if you would like, but I'd prefer if very few knew about these; very few others know of them.

If they are needed in any escape, of course more can know about them--everyone who needs them, can. But I would rather the other side not know of them, at all.

And I do not trust all the Unseelie to be quiet.

video » locked

[steadfasts]

( she's heard a little bit about the war, had almost been roped into being outfitted in armour and weaponry before she managed to just get out of the hall with a jacket in hand. the idea that people are actually making evacuation plans, that her, Raven, and Bellamy came from one war to walk right into another -- she can't stand it.

still, there is definitely one thing in the transmission that interests her above all the others. )

You said that you've been mapping out the area. Are those the only copies of those maps?

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[greenies]

[ thomas shakes his head. "it's not like we have a magical copier", minho pipes up behind him, but thomas rolls his eyes in response. ]

These are all we have right now. We were trying to get a more complete map before we made copies of it but...with the war coming up, there's no time for that. If you can draw a straight line, we'd be happy for the help to start making them.

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[steadfasts]

My dad taught me how to calculate distance on maps, and how to read them. Between that and being able to draw, I think I can help you.

( Clarke was still getting used to the idea of art tools not being in short supply they were on the Ark or the ground, that people can just grab paper and draw out maps because they want to. so while some people might find it tedious, she's actually- excited by the prospect of it. )

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[enthraller]

Redgate is open to refugees and far from the battle, but be careful if you do send anyone out this way. The fastest route is from the fairy ring in Daonna, and they haven't been very shardbearer-friendly there lately.

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[greenies]

[ thomas marks that down on the master copy of the map, nodding his head. ] How bad is it? I have a bad feeling it's going to get that desperate.

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[enthraller]

I've haven't exactly gone myself, so I can't really say for certain. But it's where the Fox's cult began, as I've heard, and it's possibly the worst of anywhere that's been hostile to shardbearers.

[Despite the very discouraging nature of that statement, he still attempts a slight smile.]

We do, at least, have the advantage of generally being intimidating to natives. Some of them say one shardbearer is equal to dozens of ordinary men. I wouldn't advise that anyone attempt to pass through Daonna alone, but just stay together and head out as quickly as possible. Just get through before they have time to organize anything that might stand a chance against a group, and you should be left alone.

( video, unseelie. )

[atoned]

[ is zuko one of the stupid ones? maybe. he's staying in caer scima, leaving sokka to fend the village in quendi as he knows he'll need to prepare for the upcoming battle. he doesn't wish to evacuate or run, knowing himself to be more valuable to his court if he's to stay and defend — and maybe backburn. fire can't be lit on dead grass, and maybe that will deter the seelies from coming into his newly acquired home and trying to do whatever it is they're aiming for. but he has no plans for evacuating, and all he can offer is the village sokka's staying behind to defend. he's not the idea guy; he's just the one that screws up a lot. ]

[ he narrows his eyes, trying to study the miniature caer scima they've built. ] How are you getting people out? [ quickly: ] It better not involve anything stupid!

( video, unseelie. )

[greenies]

[ aw, zuko, are you worried about him

thomas looks glad to hear from zuko--it shows in the faint smile on his face, and he greets him easily, and gives him the total truth. thomas isn't confident, per se, but he does know if there's one thing that he knows how to do, it's running. he'd gotten pretty good at it, before he had to do that whole save the world thing. ] Zuko.

We're going to run them out, the same way we used to run the maze. The two of us will accompany the people we're moving and use backroads and paths we've found away from the castle to escort people safely from the fighting. If it comes down to it, both Minho and I are more than capable of defending people if something bad happens.

What about you? Are you still in Quendi?

( video, unseelie. )

[atoned]

[ worrying is for carrots! ]

[ zuko isn't familiar with any physical maze, but given he had been trapped within one for a good portion of his life, he still wouldn't know how to navigate it. if they're playing it safe, if they're playing it smart — then he can only really wish them well, can't he? he'd offer his services, teleporting people to and from one location to the next, but the blue spirit isn't as required as zuko is. and, for once, he finds himself necessary. ]

No. I'm in Caer Scima. [ which probably isn't the best place to be, but given zuko likes to walk into danger and even gives it a helping hand, it makes sense. but it shows that he knows this. he knows caer scima has a bright target on its head, but he can't not be here. ] You should tell me which backroads you favour so I don't ... [ he appears sheepish, voice lowering somewhat to match his expression. ] — burn them.