soul_logs | [OPEN] Mission 156

Entry tags:

[OPEN] Mission 156

Characters: Open to participants who signed up here.
Location: Lake Tahoe, CA
Rating: Various.
Time: March 27th, late morning.
Description: The second of the three Madness emitters outside Death City is the target for this mission. Bundle up, everyone -- it's gonna be a cold one.

The mission begins late in the morning, to allow the mission-goers as much sunlight as possible in the warmest part of the day. Not that it'll help much… Temperatures are well below freezing already -- unnatural even for early Spring in the mountains -- and a howling snowstorm threatens to blot out the sun, beginning up the mountain where the slope just begins to rise sharply.

The slopes themselves are fairly barren: a windswept-looking tree here, a cabin that may have once belonged to the snow patrol there, maybe a Madness-crazed bear or mountain lion. Those braving the storm are lucky enough to see five feet in front of their face in these conditions!

Those brave few who manage to make it to the top (enduring falling temperatures and defeating the corrupted fauna and hulking kishin yeti along the way) may come across their goal at the very summit of the half-mile-high mountain: the Madness emitter itself, in the eye of the storm… And one last obstacle: the Witch guarding it.

OOC NOTES.
- The event summary post containing all relevant links is located here.
- Make your own threads, but please indicate in your subject line [CHARACTER(S) | LOCATION | OPEN/CLOSED]
- If you have any further questions, the mod thread on the coordination post is here!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He returned to his tent obediently, a gesture not always the case when he wasn't distracted by thoughts, and slipped in between the folds of material to the inner area. It was one of the more empty tents for now, and all the other medics and doctors found themselves in one of the other two tents tending to the injured or madness affected patients.

There were only a few patients within this tent who were dozing on their cots. He made certain to keep his movements silent so as not to disturb them, but with the amount of drugs they were filled with, he was certain even Wild Tiger's boisterous calling wouldn't be able to wake them.

Then there it was, his name being called out from behind him as he aimlessly searched for something to distract himself by. Pausing in his efforts, the Judge stepped back to turn and face the familiar redhead as she'd entered. Regarding her levelly, he asked, "Is there something that I can do for you, Miss. Kerrigan?"

Her eyes took in the sleeping patients, and she knew that they were no doubt on some kind of medication to keep them calm and asleep. There was no one else around that happened to be awake, and she crossed to where Yuri was going silently. She reached up and removed the white earmuffs that she had been wearing, hooking them on her belt as the warmth of the tent caused her cheeks to redden more.

Slowly, she pulled her gloves off and tucked them into her jacket pocket before reaching out and taking his warm hands. She dared because there was no way that they would be caught at the angle they were standing at and the tips of her fingers needed a little warmth anyway.

"I just... missed you," she whispered softly, glancing aside before sighing heavily. "Your mood concerns me too, but if you wish to keep your peace, I won't push."

He had never seen the way that her cheeks turned red in that way. If it had been any other time, Yuri would have undoubtedly never noticed such a 'trivial' piece of information, but as things were, that was all he could notice. Soon enough her hands were covering his own, and he lightly returned the gesture in more of an automatic response than anything.

The soft whisper had his neutral expression remaining, even as he tried to comprehend the words that she'd said. He'd only seen her the night before, when they had their conversation in the Watch building, and he wasn't exactly in the right mind to try and figure out what she meant behind it all. And then Kerrigan was there talking about her concern for his mood, showing her insightful side yet again as he stood there with his hands within hers.

"There is nothing to be concerned over, Miss. Kerrigan," Yuri murmured. As of right now, there wasn't, as he wasn't even certain what he was feeling or experiencing inside.

It was strange that he actually took her hands in return, but it seemed to her that he was so emotionally dulled that she couldn't tell if it was because he wanted to or because it seemed like it had be done. The lack of emotions worried her most of all, and he no doubt forgot as he always did that she was a telepath even here.

Still, she couldn't help but savour the contact of their hands, her thumb rubbing over his knuckled affectionately. She was starting to warm again, but she was reluctant to leave. Things from last night didn't seem all that better, and she couldn't yet tell if they were worse based on his emotional state.

"You may think so... but how can I not worry when you barely seem functional," she murmured softly. She would have stepped closer, but she didn't want to risk someone seeing them just yet.

He quietly regarded her while she softly spoke. Yuri had been dully aware of the sensations her thumb had provided over his knuckle, but it was a sensation that was easily lost within the wall of silence within. He hadn't fallen into this type of state for decades, not since his father had perished, and he'd been left disfigured and recovering from the burns.

Barely seem functional? Yuri's neutral gaze dropped away after that, and he inhaled a small breath as he considered that thought. It was then that he pulled his hands out from within her hold, and moved to half-turn away from her as he murmured, "I spoke with my father this morning."

Sarah didn't expect him to speak on the matter. Hell at this point, she wasn't certain if he would do anything at all, given how he just stood there in a haze of his own. It only made her concern rise more for him, but she knew better than to speak on such things. It wasn't her place when he was in such a state. When had he ever been so withdrawn before?

She waited, hoping that he would speak, but he instead pulled away. For the first time, she let him go without a fight and tucked her hands into her pockets instead. Yet, his words caused her to move up to his back as she leaned against him subtly. "Is... everything alright between you two?"

He didn't know why he had said anything at all. It would have been easier to simply keep himself closed off while he tried to come to terms with what he had seen. The press at his back drew his attention towards her presence, and while he didn't turn back to see her, Yuri found his mind beginning to settle and calm, even if the confusion he had over his emotions remained brimming just beneath the surface.

"As well as can be expected," Yuri muttered, but gave away no indication to what had occurred. Glancing back over his shoulder, the Judge regarded her quietly for a moment before he muttered, "Have there been any indications to any threats heading towards this area?"

Sarah wasn't certain why he had said anything at all either, since she was so used to dragging information out of him. He never teased her with what he might know either, always choosing to remain silent. There was a distant hope that he would willingly open up to her and build on what they had done when their past wrongdoings had been admitted to one another.

Just as quickly as the hope came, it was gone at his evasive reply. She said nothing about it and eased her weight a little more off of him so as not to crowd him anymore. "Yes... I suppose as long as it was within expectations," she murmured before shrugging her shoulders at the change of subject. "No, not that I've heard. Who knows what the madness is doing to the surrounding animals."

He could sense the disappointment within her at his reply, but he had barely figured it out himself and come to terms with it yet, and was far from ready to speak about it. So he kept his silence instead, and turned fully back to regard her when she stepped away and accepted his subject change.

"If it is much like the cave, then they could very well attempt to attack us," Yuri offered, even if it was useless to his ears. She was much more of a skilled fighter than he was. In fact, he had never once gone out onto a battlefield. It wasn't his place, after all.

For once, she decided it wasn't worth pressing him. He was too out of sorts as it was, and she hadn't been successful last night either. Perhaps if he had more time to sort himself out, then he would be willing to talk. No, she would still have to pull the information out of him, but perhaps she would be more successful with time. Until then, she would just watch over him.

Nodding her head in acceptance to his words, she knew the risks that they faced. Unlike the cave, the animals had a wide range of land to charge across instead of being tunneled to the surface. "I'll get back out there soon enough, so we won't have much to worry about. I'll just warm my hands and go."

He hated anyone seeing him in this state, especially those who knew him well enough to know that something wasn't quite right. It just went to show him that he needed to have more discipline instead, and it was something that he'd need to work on.

"It must be difficult being out in that weather for such extended periods of time," Yuri murmured before gesturing for Kerrigan to follow. He knew that she would, and moved off towards one of the supply stations to grab at the small heat packs. Turning back to her, he offered the small gel palm-sized cushion to her before explaining. "If you snap the small metal piece into place inside, the pack will instantly heat up and warm your hands."

Sarah shrugged at the indication of the weather, but she was willing to remain out there to protect certain things in the medic facility. To her, that was worth every numb finger and toe that she suffered. Besides, it wasn't so bad as long as she kept moving around. Her body was fine to produce heat and face off against the snow and wind.

"I've been in worse conditions," she replied simply, though she did follow him curiously. She reached out to take the little pack that he offered her, finding the gesture oddly sweet of him. It was, quite honestly, the first thing he had ever given her. "Yes, I know how they work, thank you," she murmured softly. She turned the little packs over in her hands but didn't use them just yet, savouring the idea that Yuri gave her something.

"I suppose I should let you get back to your work now that you've set me up to stay warm," she murmured absently, still studying the little packs.

He dropped the small pack into her hand, and watched in absolute silence as her fingers curled around them. Yuri knew that he shouldn't have done anything in regards to her present state, but what his father had shown him had thrown him entirely off balance, and there was a need within him that generally was not there. That was why he found it so difficult to turn his attention away from what he'd given her, and found some level of relief in knowing that her words were enough of a distraction to pull him out f his current mood.

"Stay safe... Sarah," Yuri quietly murmured when it seemed that she was transfixed on the small heat pack as much as he had been moments before hand. It was so unlike him to do anything like that, and he couldn't help but glance off to the side. Perhaps it had been a mistake to come on this mission after all...

It took her a moment to realize that he was still standing there watching as she turned the little packets over in her hands. There was only one other person who had given her a gift and that had been Jim. She was upset that gift had never come with her, but it had been a weapon, and those had been stripped from her. This was so much smaller but no less significant.

He was so out of sorts, and she looked up at the murmured words he spoke to her. She smiled at him, leaning forward to rest her forehead against his own and savouring the contact. "I always do," she murmured softly to him. "Call and I will come if you need me. I'm always available for you."

He should have felt that need to remain hidden, but it was the last thing on his mind as he stared into her emerald gaze. They seemed to lighten in the way that she smiled at him, and he wondered if it was all nothing but an illusion. He wasn't the type of person who could make anyone happy, and a large part of him didn't want to fall into such false thoughts.

Yuri didn't say anything, but subtly nodded his head when she gave such an odder. He was far too absorbed by the warmth her forehead gave to consider pulling back, even if he knew that he should have. "I should get back to work," Yuri murmured before finally pulling away from her.

She was actually surprised that he didn't pull back and walk away from her. He was slightly tolerant of her antics, but it didn't last long normally. Right now, it seemed like he wasn't willing to step away, and she slowly slipped her arms around his waist to hug him affectionately.

"Yes, we both probably should," she murmured softly, and she dropped her grip when he pulled away. Sighing, she pulled out her gloves and slipped one of the little heating pads into each glove. She didn't activate them but slipped her hands inside and held them against her palm to savour their presence. "Perhaps I'll see you after this mission is over."

With that, she turned and began to head out of the tent, pulling her ear muffs on as she went. With that, she was gone back out into the cold.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[OPEN] Mission 156

I still love that image of her o3o

I need to use this icon more then XD

You dooooo~~ man there really needs to be more non-infested Kerrigan fanart :(

I keep looking! All the time, man. All the time.

Me too, but I either never find any or it's crap =|

Yeah, I know that feeling well :|

We will find some though!

Soooooooooooooon!

o3o I'm hoping that there will be some nice post-infestation art once HotS is released o3o

Oh man, I really hope so. I'd love to get my hands on some

Same here! There isn't much out atm though, sadly enough :(

I'm sure when HotS comes out, it will flood the net

Oh man, damn Blizzard and their horrible commitment to release dates T3T

I know. I want them to just commit so I can hold out for it.

Same here :( it's already been over two years since WoL was released...

That long? I'm so sad by that :|