Dr. Gordon Freeman (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
trustycrowbar) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
smashacademy2015-10-12 11:10 am
trustycrowbar) wrote in smashacademy2015-10-12 11:10 am
The Gravity of the Situation [Video, cross-campus]
[Normally Gordon's little messages to the school at large are brief. Terse, is a better way to put it. A quick flick of the switch and a message that inkling ink may be non-toxic but that doesn't mean you should paint the lab specimens with it (For example.) and a quick flick of the switch off again.]
[Not so today. The feed comes on and he stares at the camera, raking a hand through his hair and starting to mouth three silent beginnings to three different sentences before he actually finds one with a voice. There's something he wants to say, but no permutation of words will make it easier to hear.]
I've, uh... Students, faculty. No doubt you've noticed that the moon hasn't gone out of full for the past week or so, and in fact looks even bigger now. I've been taking some readings. The shift in the center of gravity of the moon-planet binary and parallax measurements tell me that it's... not just an optical illusion.
The moon has, somehow, left its orbit.
I only mentioned this to the security chief before now, because I wanted to be absolutely certain of my suspicions and of where the moon was actually headed. I would like to say that it'll just harmlessly slingshot around us and into the sun. I really, really wish I could say that, in fact I spent several nights trying to make the numbers work so I COULD say that... but I can't. There's no other way to plot the trajectory, other than directly at us.
[He picks up some papers, eyeballing them on the camera, making sure he this part straight.] Now... Apparently this has happened before. A world by the name of Termina actually survived the event, but they had four guardian giants that awoke and... [A mistrustful squint at the paper.] physically shoved the moon back into orbit. [He puts the paper down.]
Obviously we're a little light on sleeping giants. As a matter of fact, I have no damn clue how to fix this, or even if we can. The four masks are involved--and there ARE four--but it's anyone's guess as to how they are. What I do know is, if we don't do something, the moon will strike the earth, and every single living creature on this planet down to the last microbe might be eradicated.
If anyone knows anything about this or has ideas, now's the time to step up. You might just save more than just the school. Also... in the event that we CAN'T stop it, I advise everyone to start making plans for quick evacuation back to your homeworlds. If you know someone who doesn't have a homeworld or can't reach it, then consider taking them with you. They may have to start all over but trust me, if that moon hits, then any place will be better than here.
[Private, to Skull Kid]
Kid... I know you were there. Your student file is hazy on the details, but I know you were there in Termina when this happened the last time. I didn't mention your name earlier and I don't intend to, because when people are panicked they can do some awful things when names are dropped. But, we still need to know everything you know if we're going to keep this planet in one piece.
So what exactly happened there?
[Not so today. The feed comes on and he stares at the camera, raking a hand through his hair and starting to mouth three silent beginnings to three different sentences before he actually finds one with a voice. There's something he wants to say, but no permutation of words will make it easier to hear.]
I've, uh... Students, faculty. No doubt you've noticed that the moon hasn't gone out of full for the past week or so, and in fact looks even bigger now. I've been taking some readings. The shift in the center of gravity of the moon-planet binary and parallax measurements tell me that it's... not just an optical illusion.
The moon has, somehow, left its orbit.
I only mentioned this to the security chief before now, because I wanted to be absolutely certain of my suspicions and of where the moon was actually headed. I would like to say that it'll just harmlessly slingshot around us and into the sun. I really, really wish I could say that, in fact I spent several nights trying to make the numbers work so I COULD say that... but I can't. There's no other way to plot the trajectory, other than directly at us.
[He picks up some papers, eyeballing them on the camera, making sure he this part straight.] Now... Apparently this has happened before. A world by the name of Termina actually survived the event, but they had four guardian giants that awoke and... [A mistrustful squint at the paper.] physically shoved the moon back into orbit. [He puts the paper down.]
Obviously we're a little light on sleeping giants. As a matter of fact, I have no damn clue how to fix this, or even if we can. The four masks are involved--and there ARE four--but it's anyone's guess as to how they are. What I do know is, if we don't do something, the moon will strike the earth, and every single living creature on this planet down to the last microbe might be eradicated.
If anyone knows anything about this or has ideas, now's the time to step up. You might just save more than just the school. Also... in the event that we CAN'T stop it, I advise everyone to start making plans for quick evacuation back to your homeworlds. If you know someone who doesn't have a homeworld or can't reach it, then consider taking them with you. They may have to start all over but trust me, if that moon hits, then any place will be better than here.
[Private, to Skull Kid]
Kid... I know you were there. Your student file is hazy on the details, but I know you were there in Termina when this happened the last time. I didn't mention your name earlier and I don't intend to, because when people are panicked they can do some awful things when names are dropped. But, we still need to know everything you know if we're going to keep this planet in one piece.
So what exactly happened there?
no subject
I dunno. I'm not real good at plans.
Hey, what about if we just... smashed the moon? Is it far away enough that we could blow it up? Or punch it in half??
no subject
Punch it in half?
[Uh.]
If we're talking that kind of solution, the only scale that makes sense to me is a nuclear warhead. It might change its trajectory, but I doubt it would blow it off-course enough for it to miss us.
[And of course, then we'd have to deal with radioactive rubble falling into the atmosphere, but honestly a couple of rads per person might be worth it.]
no subject
Or even if I can't smash the moon, maybe I can dig enough tunnels through it that it gets weak enough to blow apart with a bomb? Dunno how big the moon ACTUALLY is or whatever, but I can dig real fast.
no subject
[And trust me, he will.]
no subject
Back home, I'm the guardian of the Master Emerald, which is the controller for them. I can use it to regulate their power.
If I just had 'em here, I might be able to help out. I could save everyone.
no subject
Hey we can still use your help, even without them... And unless you can find those gems in a hurry, we've got to play the hand we're dealt.
no subject
If we can't find 'em I got no clue how I can help. I'm pretty much the strongest thing I know and even I know I can't catch and chuck the moon if it gets too close.
no subject
[And everything to do with your other ability: finding things.]
While you're out hunting for those gems, there's something else I need you to keep an eye out for.
It's a mask--another one, I mean. You'd know this one if you saw it; it's the same one that caused all the trouble in Termina.
I get the feeling it's out there somewhere, and that it's responsible for this. It's probably worn by someone or something, and I want you to be damn careful if you find it.
no subject
[Well. He'd recently told someone he couldn't archaeology the moon out of the sky. Maybe he'd been wrong.]
You got any clue what it would look like? Apart from kind of freakish, if the other ones are any indication.
I'm still thinking a super powered punch is our best bet.... but if I can't find the emeralds, hunting down a mask could be somethin' for me to do that could help.
no subject
[Yeah, that's the problem with artifacts like those. It's kind of hard to keep sane, reliable records of them.]
no subject