The Storm is Coming...

[natha]

Thesaens. Something is... wrong. Something is deeply, deeply wrong. I'm sure you have seen some of this for yourselves. You cannot look up at the sky now without seeing the moon looming ever closer, and the readings we are getting from the other regions... well, it is dangerous out there. The Storm is approaching, and it means to take us all with it— [ Nurray's message is cut off by sudden static and an eerie sound that almost sounds like a shriek. When the static clears, the image of another is overlaid on her video feed. Some may recognize the new speaker as Barthala, although her voice is strangely distorted. ] y̧̤̹̟̖̱̱̹̣ͪͫ͛̕o͇̘ͥ̇͞ṵ̗͔͍̌̓ ̨͙̝̻̠̣̼̗̰ͭ͐ͤͤ̎ͧ͟s̷̨̭̘͓̼͓̓̔̔ͧh̟̱̹̫͍̞̫̥ͮ͐̑̌͂̈́ͮ̚͞o̸̥͍̞ͧͭ̿ͣu̳̘̩̞̩͓̬͑́͠l̺̭̞̀ͯ̑̌̄̄̋̐̕dͬ̍͏͙̼̙̮̭͕̣ ̺͉͙̙̦̗̓̈̏ͣͬ̾ḥ̨͍͓͈̝̺̔̑̔ͦ́a̡̩͔͇͕̔́̂̓̒́͘v̢̤̝̮̲̀͗̑ͩẹ̬̜ͦ̑͘͠ ̴̘̜̘̥̒ͤ͜ͅl̷̢͍̠͉̺̻̬̾i͔̻͒̂̆̿ͤͅs̶̨͎̜̳̤̼̐ͤ̓͠ť̵̮̪̠̭̺ͨe̶͓̰̠͈̰͎̞ͩͫ̒́͠ͅǹ̡̧̥͙̹ͭ̓̕e͗͆̄̉͑҉̱d̷̨̰̻̟͉̭ͪ̋ͤͫͅ ̹͇̦̠̳̦̌̄ͮͧ̄̑̉̈͞ ̩̗͙̭̟̝̲̐ͮ̚̚͞͠t̶̡̤͐ͦ͗͊̕ĥ͚͍̤͔̮̮̍̓ͣͮi̇͐ͧ͆̃̓͋̐ͧ҉̴̣̲̞͉̘̤ś̰̤̰̥ͧͯ̈́ͮ̿ͭ͝ͅ ̮̦̱̙̣̤ͤͬͧ̎͠ͅw͊͛̊̅̎̓̇̄̃҉̥̖̥̦o̴̹͇̒͋͂̽ͩͣ̒̚r̝̱͎̤ͮ̅̿ͭ͡l̡͚͙̩̹̺̣͓̼̋͑̑̕d̺̙̫ͫ̐ ͎͚͔̰͇͍̬̦̔͛̓͢i͈͉͚̳̗͈̳̭͎ͩ̈̇̈̿ͫ͢͠s̞̜̹̻̞͕̔ͨͩ̌ͣ ͯ̆͆ͦ͏̹͍̪̖̖̙̻̼ṅ̶̢̯̞̗̟̮̞ͦ́͗̾͒͊͟ǫ̅̇ͤͫ̀͏̖ţ͇̣̝̗̠̺̹̃̂̾ͧ͑̇̋̊̋͜͡ͅ ̸̵̳̹̣̝̥̟̠̬̗ͨ̌̂ͪs̷̛̰͚̞̰ͥ͑ͫ͗̇̒͋̚á̟̹̣̻ͭͭ͊f̡ͫ͋ͨ͑̋ͬ̍͏̜̜̗͎e͇̭̱̖ͤ̃͊̿̅͌͜͟ ̗̣͕̘̏ͧ̉́̌͆̾ͬ ̶̭̦̩̯̻̣̭̐͊͡t͉̦̩͇͓̻̠̮ͮ̒͐̒ͣ̌͜h̫͖͉͓̟̫̣͓̄͑͆ͬ̔̀̆ͥ͟͜͞ȇ̴̗̙̬̮̩̗̭͚͖ͣ͂̕ř͍̮̲̠̥̘͛͠e̶͇̝̱̲̩̪̯ͮ͊͘ ̻̮̞̺͔̭̟̝̱̌̍͢í̳̲̙͈̹̹̰̓͆́́s̠̦̳͚͇̺̎̿̍̕͟ͅ ̬̦͙̥̜̂ͧ̆ͯ̃n̳̬̫̫̟͈̫̮̝ͤͯ͜ō̷ͦ҉̡̺̫ ͚͕̘͋ͮ̈́ͣͭ̓ţ̶̔ͨ̿ͨͩͬ̅͏̺͇̠͖̻̩͖ḭ̧͓̦̤͍̻̟̆̌ͯ͐m̰̗̮̼͔͎͇͍ͤ̉ͅẽ̙̖̺̪̘̟͎͎̂ͧͤ͘ ̷̡̛̲̝̔̔ͭf̡̲͇͓̫̗̭̅̌ͦͭͨ͐o̦̠̠͕̣̟͌̂̒r̶̵̭̥͈͈̤ͭͣͅ ̷̝̫̝̜̮͇̊́̔͘͢ŷ͍̗̗̣̰̏ͨ̔̐ͪ͡o̧̮̣̻̝͉͙ͣ̈́̀ů̟̹͗͋͡ ͤ̈ͥ͏̣̦̳a̻͈̬̹̣͑̇̂̿̋͗̽̎́͘l̵̡̍͊ͦ̅̒͐҉̥l̴͈̤̠̝͓̦͖ͫ̒̔͛̊͊̓̕ ̘̘ͥ͆̊͊͋t͖̞͈͓͎̼̮̝̾̏̆͆͒͆͘͠o̓̓̉̇͑͏̶͓̠ ̸͙͔̟͖͇̫̐͆̍̋ͪ́r̯̺̗̙̟͕ͫ́͟e̶̶̦͇̥̥̰͎̿͞t̸̵̠̞̖̬͖͉̝̦ͤ̓̍ͤ͑ų͍̙̯̳̙̼ͪ̍̈́́̓͌ͭ̚͝r̷̗̖̮̭͈͍͉̟ͨ̿̓̓̊̊̓̽ͤ͠nͮ͗̍̿͒҉̰̤̞̦̩̘ ̵̵̫͖͚̲̟ͮ͑͡t̐̎͑҉̶͙ŏ̄̇ͣͣ͏̺̫̩͙̩ ̨̖͉̗̞̠͖͌̊̂ͮ͌̈́̚m̶̦͕̈̉͂̓̌̒ͨ͂̉y̱̗͈̜̞̺͓̙̪̆̎ͬͩ͆̏ͧ̑ ̶̠͖̰̦̮̰͂͊̽́f̲ͪͫ̀ͅo̢̟͍̭̰͛͂ͤͨ̐̽r̵̎͏҉̻̰͉͖̞̲͔ẹ̤̭͎͍͆ͥ̓̎̃ͥ̚s̱̤̬͖͍̖̲̦̲̉͂̀ͪ͜t̫̘̔̿̍̃̌sͧͮͧ̂ͪͮͥ̚͏̻͈̯͎̙̼ ̷͓͙̖̜̻͙̌́͡ ̟̱̋ͨͭ̏̇͌a͚̦̰̪͈̭̗͒ͯ̒͊̋̀n̮̪͔̜̟̹͚͈͋̉̍͑̑́d̵͙̙̉͆̐̉͛̑͘ ̸̭̘͓̹̯̲͖͖̄̒̈͛͝͞ñͬͯ̅͊̇ͪͥͥ́͏̘̖̳̥͎͡o̴̧̺̞̲͇͎͉̞̥͛ͮ̎̔ ̧̰̯͎̮̣̹ͫ͊̓͒̆́͊̃̕͘t͕ͨ̐̽̈́͑ͮ̌i̻̪̣͕̦̪ͤͣ̓̐̕͢ͅm̧̠͈̦̦̯̃ͬ̂̃̿̄̉e̶̸̱̺̳̫̩̘̮͗̾ͫͣ̑̌̈͠ ͇̃ͦͬ̉̉ͮͤ̎t͕̣̼̣̹̭̓̿ͅo̩̞ͩ̂́ͤ̓͑͐͘͘͟ ͍̗͎ͫ͒ͥͮ͜͞ͅa̭͍͖ͯ̅̾͞ŵ̷̛̪͓͕̈̂̒̈́̚͘a̷̗͔̰͉̼̣̳͋̒̆ͩ̂ͮ͂͢ͅk̬̠̖̼͍̥̲̎̅e̻͇͕͉ͬ̑̏ͥ̒̓ͬ̅̇͞n̵̨̛̙͈̥̖̣̰̎̽̽̈́ͪ̈ ̶͖͚͈̫͈̺̯̭ͫ̈͋͆̌͆͘͢t̴ͣ͒͛̇̈́̒̉̋͝҉̲̪̝̹h̷̨͙͎͙̽ͯ̊ͫͦͨ͘e͎͔̳̬̥̯͙͗ͪ͘ ͇̯̭̜͛̓̎͠ŏ͌͏̣ţ̗̘̤̣̰̺̪͋̊ͦ̄̀̈́ͧͥh̟̣͉̪̉̇͊̏͑̀͝e͐̄̌͏̴͚͍ṙ̵̶̮̻̣̲͉͕̥̫ͥ͐̽ͥͥͮͦ ̵̴̢̝̦̭͇̠̦̳̘̍̾̆͛̆̈͊̄̚g̛̫͇̫̫͋̍͑ͭͫ͊ͦͫ͝o̊̃̃̌̈͑̇͑͠͏̘͎d̙̘̈́ͣ͂͑̿͊̇̓͞s̵̵̱̝͓̀͛̂ ̻̹̭̥̻̎͊͋̎ͣ̚͠ ̸̨̀ͩͮ̌̊͆͗ͣ͏̳̣w̦̣̫̪͙͐ͦ̊ę͎̠̮̱͕̲̪ͯ̈́̌͗͆ͤ͘͡ ̛̩̦̖̳̙̜̬̲ͫ͊ͥ̾͞á̔ͯͣͨ҉̠͙͘r̸̙̺̣͛̋̈̊̄ͨ̿̕e̞̯͍̙ͮ͒͑ͮ̓̈́͟ ͉̫̰̙͇͋̂͢l̨͚̣̳̟̜̼͚̦ͫ̐ͦͪ͞o̶̢͕̹̜̣̻͙̝͎ͮ͐̃̒ͤs̺̫̥ͧ̐̌͌ṱ̻ͦ͒͌͢͠͡ ̶̲͖ͤ̍̂ͣ͞.̷̨̱̣̗̻͔̩͒ͥ͊̂̿̚͟ ̣̠̯̤̿̒̄ͦ̀ͬͫ̉̄͢.̡͓̬͂̒ͩ̎͆̚ ̷̙̭̒̿̉́̃ͤ͗ͭ͘͘.͈͉̺̔̀ ̸̫̣͎͇̜͉͒̇ͦị͌͐͗͗̈ͤ͟͞f̷̠̜̭̀̀̒̾̎̕͜ ͪ͑͛҉̼̞̲̥͍̦̥͈͡ồ̼̙͌ͦn͎̫͈̩͐̑̀̃̉̈́̀͟͡l̷͉̪̰̟͑͑y̒̓̈̓̌ͤ̇҉̣̭͙͔̤͉̠ ̨̹̥͚̜͕̌̌͗͊w̧̼͕̩̗̮̉̉̋͛͗̂ͫ̀̕͟è̸̳̫̫͖͇͊̚ ͭ̔͆̾͛ͥ̚͏͈̺͇h͕͖ͩͭḁ̛̟̮̯̟̣̟͕͌́̕ď̳̥͚͙̦͓̫͐ͣ͡ ̡̨̩̫̙͇̲̬͙̋̍̓̓̓̉m̭̠̭͎̐̇ͬ̊̓̄ͨ̉́͠o̸̺͙̭ͬ̅̂r͕̟̮̰̬̩͕͒̂̃̒̀ě̖͎͈̟͔̣̙ͯ̒͆ ̨̟̫̘͙͗̂ͩ̅̃t͎͎̿ͨỉ̴̻͖̭̦͉̳̳͎͉ͭ͋̊́͛m̧̪̙̺̫̩̺̜̼ͪͪ̄͢͞e̦̬͚͖̞͉ͦ̇ͩ Come to Nadril. You must hurry. We are doing what we can, and there may be a chance, but all of El Nysa is at risk, and we cannot— [ The transmission cuts out abruptly, before flickering back in; it seems Nurray is attempting to stick around to answer questions this time, although there might be some glitching as she does so. It may be prudent to hurry to Nadril and offer your assistance... ]

Comments

[nysan]

It is not fighting it off, so much as preventing it from occurring. We have had some successes on a much smaller scale already.

[personalwar]

Preventing it from occurring? Why do I get the feeling I'm not gonna like this idea?

[ The fact that Nurray's method has already been successfully tested is one point in its favor, but Jack has a not-great feeling about this. ]

[nysan]

Oh? You dislike the idea of attempting to r̭͓͢͞ţ҉̵̙̲͖̟̞n͏̶̷̝̱͙̙̝u̫̯̦͉ ̶̤̘̖̱͙̯͙͇ć̤̼̱̘͙̕͟b̨͖̳̗͈̜͔͓͇̻k̨͖̥̬̪̰̥̗̱͞a͏̝̘̮͎̪̲̪͡ ̷̜̯̘͍͡i̛͙̫͈͢m̶̫̮̣̜͇̻͖͝E̶̙͞T͉̤͖͉͕͘͠?

[personalwar]

If what you're trying to say is 'go back in time,' then yeah, seems like it could end really badly.

[nysan]

That's close enough to what I was attempting to say, I suppose. But however poorly it might go, it cannot be worse than allowing us all to be swallowed up by the Storm now.

Ah... is this what is meant by the term "caught between a rock and a hard place"?

[personalwar]

Pretty much, yeah.

If this is really our only alternative... where'd you even get the technology for something like this? From the Natha?

[ They're the only beings Jack has ever seen who are capable of manipulating timelines. ]

[nysan]

Correct. Seeing as they are the ones who have gotten us into this mess, it is only fitting if we make their power our own to get ourselves out of it.

[personalwar]

Can't argue there. How'd you get your hands on their tech, though? Did Darma give it to you?

[ Or did they steal it somehow? Is that what had caused the initial rift that had led to Nadril hiding itself from the Natha's sight? ]

[nysan]

We've been salvaging it. It didn't seem like they had much use for it after Darma did what she did. Rocks can't use computers, after all.

[personalwar]

So it was down here on the planet?

[ He's fairly certain that the Nadril residents haven't made any trips to Thesa Station, though it's not like he visits it as often as he used to either. ]

[nysan]

Some of it was. We have also enlisted the assistance of some of you Thesaens in bringing us samples to work with.

[personalwar]

[ Of course they did. It seems like no matter who's calling the shots, they always decide to make use of the refugees as their workforce. ]

You said you already had some success with using it. What kind of success?

[ Seems to him that if time had been rewound, he would have noticed. ]