LIVE BROADCAST FROM THE COUNCIL OF DOMINION

Tarin Geode, Council member for Qona, stands behind a podium, his image broadcasted to every screen across Dominion. His expression is calm but firm, the weight of leadership evident in his stance. “People of Dominion, I address you at this early hour because of a recent incident that has caused unnecessary panic among some of our citizens,

This past week has been riddled with mischief and criminal activity, a small group of individuals have been attempting to breach the ceiling vents of our great underground civilization. Their intent, they claim, was to ‘expose’ the surface world. Let me be absolutely clear: there is nothing to expose.

The surface was destroyed long ago by war and technology that is no longer understood, nor do we have the means to restore it. And we absolutely wouldn’t want to. The stories you may have heard — of life above, of untouched lands, of a world waiting for us — are fabrications, myths born from desperation. What remains up there is ruins of uninhabitable wasteland and nothing more.

The security of Dominion was never at risk. The vents remain intact, our safety uncompromised. Let me assure you, as one of your council members, that the integrity of our home is not in question.

As for those responsible, they have been taken into custody. They will face a fair trial by jury, as is our law, and they will receive a just punishment for their reckless actions. We do not tolerate disorder. We do not entertain fantasies that threaten the peace of Dominion.

Let us move forward with the confidence that our way of life endures, strong and unwavering. The surface is a graveyard of the past — Dominion is our president, and our future.

I hope you all have a wonderful day. Thank you for your time.” The broadcast cuts to the Council’s insignia.

CONTINUATION OF BROADCASTING FROM THE COUNCIL OF DOMINION

As the Council’s insignia fades, a poised woman with dark braided hair and a warm but authoritative presence steps into view. She wears the official deep-blue attire of the Dominion Council’s Public Affairs Office. “Good morning, citizens of Dominion! I’m speaker Liora Vex, and while Council member Geode has addressed today’s concerning incident, I want to take a moment to share some positive news from our districts — reminders of the progress and discovery that continue to shape our lives underground.”

She offers a reassuring smile towards the camera, a glance to her right, and continues, “From the Khia District, researchers have uncovered a new series of tunnels previously unknown to us. These passages, rich with untouched geological formations, may contain a new mineral. Our leading mineralogists believe this discovery could have significant benefits for energy storage and material enhancement. Further studies are already underway, and we look forward to sharing more findings soon.”

A subtle shift in her tone signals another promising update, as she clears her throat, and glances over the papers in her hands. “Meanwhile, in the Slia District, a breakthrough in water purification has been achieved. Scientists have developed a healthier and more eco-friendly method of sanitizing our drinking water. This innovation will not only improve the quality of our fresh water but also reduce our reliance on supplemental vitamins, as essential nutrients will now be naturally integrated into our daily supply. This advancement marks an important step in sustaining long-term health for all citizens of Dominion.” she sets down the papers and clasps her hands together and nods, her expression confident and encouraging.

“While challenges arise, let us not forget the strides we continue to make. Dominion is not just a shelter; it is a civilization that grows, innovates, and thrives. Thank you, and may we all move forward with purpose and unity.” The broadcasting transitions once more to the council’s insignia before returning to regular programming.

---

LIVE COVERAGE: PROTESTS ERUPT IN DOMINION

Anyone would be experiencing the chaos that the early morning broadcasting would have caused — each section of Dominion was having their fits about it. People were beginning to show their true colors on the very controversial debate about the surface. However, the broadcasting cuts to a shaky feed of the streets outside of the Council Hall. A crowd of people has gathered, their voices rising in waves of emotion. The scene is chaotic — citizens holding signs, others shouting at one another, some standing on ledges or crates to be heard over the commotion. The camera zooms in on a group near the front, their faces tense with anger and other emotions.

“Let them go! They barely did anything wrong!” one woman shouts, gripping a makeshift sign that reads ’The Truth is Up There!’ Others around her chanting the same message, their fists pumping in the air, their signs moving, and the energy thick with rebellion.

“They’re just curious! Is that a crime!?” a young man yells. “They’re not criminals! They’re explorers! The council and government has people exploring all the time!”

A middle-aged man, his face tight with frustration, turns to the protesters with a sneer as he walks towards council hall. “Explorers? Is that what you call them?” he snaps. “They tried to breach the ceiling! They could’ve gotten us all killed!”

A murmur of agreement ripples through another section of the crowd, where people hold signs with messages like ’Treason is Treason’ and ’Safety Before Fantasy’. A woman from this group steps forward, her voice clear despite the noise.

“Do you understand what they could have done?” she demands. “If they had damaged the vents, if they had caused any kind of rupture, we could’ve been exposed to toxins, to structural collapse — who knows what! You think that’s harmless?”

“Nothing happened!” another protestor argues back. “The vents weren’t even damaged!”

“Not this time,” the woman fires back. “But what happens the next time someone gets an idea like this? Do we just keep letting people take risks with all our lives? What they did was reckless. It was criminal. It was treason!” The debate rages on, voices clashing in the heated air. The camera shifts to a Council security officer standing at the edge of the scene, his posture rigid, his hand resting near his baton. More officers line the perimeter, watching the crowds carefully but not yet intervening.

“This is what happens when people are fed lies,” an older man says to a reporter nearby. “They think there’s some great secret above us. There isn’t. This is all we have, and if they keep testing that, we will lose it.” Concern and worry was very prominent in his voice and eyes.

The camera zooms out, showing the full scope of the protest — hundreds of people caught between outrage and fear, between hope and survival. The future of Dominion, at this moment, teeters on the edge of uncertainty.

---

Mention(s) Council Member Tarin Geode & Public Affairs Officer Liora Vex
Current Events Large protest at Council Hall, District of Slia.

---

There was the distant chime of the suite doorbell, then as Kit Galloway glanced at the time in the corner of his display, he heard a very familiar yelp from Deacon Salisbury. A ghost of a smile graced his lips. One would have thought a member of the Cult of Strength would be more... manly.

There was a familiar knock on his door, and it slid aside to reveal a grinning Gator, in Galloway livery, holding aloft his tiffin, all locked up. It didn't pay to take chances someone wasn't out to get you.

"Still not eating the boss?" she asked, stepping inside.
"Still not eating with the boss in the executive dining room," he corrected. "And certainly glad not to be doing it today. Shut the door."

Gator turned, sliding the door closed. Kit pressed a hidden button under the edge of his desk and listened to the lock of his reinforced door latched. The inner windows opaques and begin to vibrate as the thermal blinds scroll down. Gator cocks an ear curiously. "That new?"

"New Aluvahin band," he admitted. "All songs praising the ancestors. I recorded several live tracks while I was investigating that warehouse case last week. Mixing two tracks and something from the archive called 'Crazy Frog, should block the listeners.'"

"More classical music?" Gator sighs, rolling her eyes.
"Did you bring it?"
"Of course," Gator replied, producing an autoinjector and handing it over.
"Ah, thank you..!" Kit replied, a rare grin on his face as he started prepping it. "Any trouble on the trolley?"
"A podder," the dweller shrugged, "Wanted quote about the ceiling idiots, then tried to bribe me to tell him your mutation."

"Are they still on about that?" Kit sighs, loosening his tie and unbuttoning his shirt, then pulling back the left side of his shirt to reveal the stainless steel ring and the red synthetic material for the injection port on his muscular chest. "What did you tell him?"

"I played the crazy dweller," Gator smiled, the green in her cheeks blushing darkly, "And I promised to tell him everything I know, as long as I got his liver and one of his eyes."
"His liver?" Kit smirked, pressing the bottom of his autoinjector over the port. Pushing down on the button, the autoinjector whirled as its contents poured into him.
"I thought it was a fair trade, he looked nice and plump. You need to swim more," Gator noted, nodding at his chest. "Soften those muscles."
"Yeah, I do," Kit sighed, pulling the injector away and tossing it onto his desk where Gator plucked it up and tucked it away again inside her clothes.

"So, what did you bring for lunch? Fresh liver?"
"Chicken curry, they used the new machine to culture the chicken, very nice."

Kara was only starting her day, slicing a few fruits to add to her breakfast menu when her mother rung her up, her voice unnecessarily urgent.

"Please tell me you've seen the broadcast?"

"Good morning to you too, mom."

"Kara!"

"Yes, I saw it; part of it at least. I'm good, why wouldn't I be? I'm sure if there was something to be worried about, I would've already been alerted." She placed the knife down, licking a bit of juice from her thumb as to not wipe it off on her clothes. "You worry too much—"

"This isn't a joke!

"No, I know! It's just..." Kara stopped herself. They've had this very same argument before. Her mother, to compensate for the lack of a father figure for both of her children, had taken on the role and then some. It was suffocating, especially since Kara was well into adulthood at this point. "It's just that you don't need any more stress in your life, mom." Even though that much was true, Kara couldn't be honest with her mother. She really wanted to say "You're overbearing and you're only harming yourself" but that was too harsh and she was afraid it would damage their relationship in one way or another.

She was met with silence and so she continued. "I know you want me to have another job, but I enjoy mine. And today I have to go in and complete some reports..." She heard a sigh from the other end of the line, "...but, what do you say we do dinner tonight? You two can come over and I'll make you something nice."

"Well, I guess we can make it..."

She was reluctant, which was expected. Her mother liked to avoid trouble, and if people were taking to the streets, then going out, in her eyes, wasn't the best idea.

"Okay, let me rephrase that. If there aren't any major crowds out there, would you two come over?"

"Sure. Yeah, sure, we'll go."

Alas, her spirits were lifted, or at least that's what it sounded like. Kara remained on the line for a few more minutes before ending the call with her mother. She would go on to finish her morning routine before heading to work, unsure of what the day would bring.

Thu-dunk!

There was a sharp, measured knock at the door. “Civic surveyors", a voice called, crisp and professional, and sounding like it was from a young man.

THU-DUNK!

Another knock, this one slightly heavier, followed by a second voice, deeper and calmer. An older gentleman that sounds like he has done this before, “We’re conducting a public safety assessment on behalf of the Dominion Council. Just a few questions about your experience in these uncertain times.” A pause. The faint sound of shifting fabric, the weight of a presence just beyond the door.

The first voice spoke again, slower this time, carefully, “We’re particularly interested in hearing from residents who’ve spent extended time on the outskirts of the city or in areas that things have happened or who have…,” a pause happened as if there was uncertainty to his next words. “…unique perspectives on the recent incidents.”

The second voice hummed in agreement, a quiet but pointed sound, but there was more. It sounded like the older one with the deeper voice was correcting the younger man in muffled and whispered tones though it was hard to tell from the other side of a door. That was when the older man spoke up, “Of course, participation is completely voluntary,” he added, almost too smoothly – was participation actually voluntary? “But with the unrest growing, it’s important to ensure all citizens feel secure. Especially those who may have had –” the older man’s voice changed as if he was truly debating, “-how should we say-” he groaned a little hum out. “-closer ties or understanding of communities outside of Dominion residency requirements. Individuals who might want to go to the surface, perhaps.”

The quiet hum of a data slate being adjusted, a flicker of a red light canning the door’s biometric panel, logging presence. The first voice returned, casual but probing. “It would be a shame if anyone’s records were outdated. We’re making sure everything is in order – updating files, confirming identities. Just a routine visit during such uncertain times.”

One of the ‘surveyors’ took a step forward, the faintest shuffle of a boot against metal flooring. “We’re sure you understand.”

---

Mention(s) @Expendable Kit Galloway
Current Events Safety Officer Klay and trainee officer Lupton are visiting Kit Galloway for a routine survey check-in because of the recent events in Dominion.

---

Anyone out and about on the streets today would be met with chaotic and possibly anxiety-inducing energy. Emotions were high. The streets of Dominion were alive with fury. The usual order of the underground cities had been fractured, and now, in its place, a chaotic sea of people roiled with anger, fear, and defiance.
On one side, fists pumped into the air, voices raw from chanting.

“LET THEM GO! LET THEM GO!”

Klara and others might not be within miles of the city hall though the crowds were fighting everywhere under the cave’s ceilings. The words echoed against the towering structures, bouncing through the metal corridors like a relentless drumbeat. Young and old alike, their faces flushed with righteous fervor, held makeshifts signs scrawled hastily with messages of defiance:

Truth Above All

The Surface Exists

End the Lies!

A man near the front, his coat torn from being jostled, cupped his hands around his mouth, and bellowed, “They just wanted to see the truth! You can’t punish curiosity! You cant punish hope!” But the opposition was just as fierce.

“They could have killed us all!” came te harsh retort from the other side of the crowd. Their voices were sharper, edged with fear and rage, cutting through the chants like a blade. “Treason! TREASON!”

A woman, her expression twisted in fury, pointed a trembling finger at the protestors. “Do you have any idea what could’ve happened if they broke through? If they compromised the vents? If something - if anything – got in?”

“This is survival, not a game!” another man spat. “The council protects us! They keep us alive, and you want risk everything for some childish fantasy!?” The arguments clashed like thunder. People shoved, pointed, sneered, and screamed. Some had climbed onto crates and benches to be heard above the mass, their faces flushed, their voices hoarse. Others kept their heads low, trying to slip past without being dragged into the whirlwind of accusations and counteraccusations.

Security personnel hovered at the edges, their expressions unreadable, their hands close to their weapons but not yet reaching for them. They were watching, waiting – uncertain if this was merely another protest or the beginning of something far worse. And beneath it all, an unspoken tension gripped the city. The knowledge that the council’s decision has already been made. The arrested individual’s would face trail. Their punishment would be decided. No amount of shouting could change that now. No amount of begging could stop the trial or the punishment. There were already whispers of the outcome of the trial – a bias one! One that was to “protect” all individuals instead of letting people such as these rebellious types run around and create this chaos again.

"You! You look like you know a thing or two! Tell them! Tell them how something could be up there!" A middle-aged woman pointed at Klara without any hesitation.

"IF she is smart. She would inform you that attempting to go up to the surface would get you and possibly everyone else killed!" someone from the other side shot over. A younger man who looked educated and in a career already by the suit he was wearing and briefcase that he had in his hand.

---

Interaction Option for @Xandrya
Current Events Debaters are asking Klara and other passerby's their opinions and trying to wrap them up in the social mess.

---

In the tangled veins of the Grey Market, where every step was met with the weight of a hundred unspoken bargains, there was a shadow moving just a beat behind the rest. A boy, young but not naïve, drifted through the shifting paths of the sprawl underground with a practiced ease. His clothes — oversized and baggy. Hood up. Pants held up by a belt that had seen better days — marked him as just another street rat, a fixture of Dominion’s lowest tier. Someone easy to overlook or not think much of. At least for the average person.

Though his movements told a different story. He wasn’t shopping. Wasn’t scavenging. Wasn’t bartering like the others, scrambling for scraps of teach or a warm meal. He was following.

Selene Syn.

From the moment she entered the market, his gaze had locked onto her, watching how she wove through chaos like she belonged to it — because she did. But that didn’t mean she was untouchable. His posture remained relaxed, hands buried deep in the kangaroo pocket of his hoodie, shoulders slightly hunched. Just another kid trying to keep warm. Just another ghost among the forgotten.

But…

Beneath the fabric, his fingers toyed with something small and sharp. A nervous habit. Or a reminder. Selene’s deal with Krell played out before him, her stance sharp, gazing unwavering. She had the air of someone who knew how to survive — knew how to read the currents of this place as naturally as breathing.
Then the broadcast hit.

The Grey market froze in its tracks, every flickering screen overtaken by the council’s insignia, and the boy barely moved. He had not seen anything like this in his barely sixteen years of living. He might not have flinched out of frozen fear but his eyes stayed locked onto the screen close to him. The good thing about being apart of Dominion’s lowest ranked people was the talent of acting and numbness to new. He didn’t have to pretend to be caught off guard like the traders around him. He simply listened — Tarin Geode’s words carried through the cavern, wrapping around the market’s denizens like a tightening noose. Breaches. The surface. A trial. This caused the air to change, not in sound, but in weight.

The boy’s head tilted just slightly, strands of hair slipping into his line of weight as his eyes went from the screen to Selene. The Council had just painted a target on a very specific kind of person. People who asked too many questions. People who weren’t content with the way things were. People like her.
And if she was paying attention — which Selene always was — she knew it too.

As the market roared back to life, its pulse quickening with a new, nervous rhythm, the boy adjusted his stance, stepping back into the deeper shadows of an old ventilation duct. He wasn’t in a hurry. Selene was moving again, disappearing into the arteries of the market, and he followed.

---

Mention(s) @Qia Selene Syn
Potential Interaction A street kid is following her in a suspicious manner.

She was stopped dead in her tracks by what could have passed off as an accusatory finger pointed at her. Thus far, Kara had kept her head down, shuffling through the large masses of crowds quickly and efficiently as to avoid conflict. But now she had been singled out, and so she aimed for the most neutral response she could offer, as was previously briefed during the new hire orientation.

"There could be something, or there could not," she cocked her head to the side just the slightest, her eyes trained on the stranger for a moment. Kara's voice was loud enough for the woman and those in the vicinity to hear; but beyond that, it was drowned out by their surroundings. "We don't—"

"It's—it's a risk." She turned to the younger man in response. "It's a possible risk." With a shrug of her shoulders, she offered a sympathetic smile and backed up a few steps before turning around to walk away in any other direction. Traveling between home and work, Kara was always mindful of how she presented herself in public. With tensions rising as of late, at least as far back as when she was starting out with this new job, it was of utmost importance to portray herself in a positive light. And now, well, it was nothing but chaos.

Kara decided not to go to work, at least not yet. She was but five minutes away but to go now would be problematic. Who knows how unpredictable and wild the behavior of the crowd was right outside of those streets...and it was best to avoid finding out. Her mother was right to an extent, unfortunately, and God did she hate that. Well, hate was a strong word, but Kara wasn't a fan of these "I told you so" moments that occurred on occasion. Needless to say, dinner would be cancelled that evening.

Going to work wasn't an option, but neither was going home. Kara ushered herself through the crowd and into a diner far away enough. Plenty more quiet with only some customers and also some other people whose purpose for being there wasn't quiet clear. After asking for permission to use their line, she dialed her supervisor.

"Good morning, it's Kara. I will be running late today."

"The protests? Yes, we've seen them. You can come in, we've got the best security detail right outside the doors."

There was a brief pause. She had the option of speaking up, but Kara wasn't anywhere near as comfortable having that type of conversation with her supervisor. "Oh. Okay, I shouldn't be long then."

Great, she thought to herself. There'd been reports of people left within inches of death, all over mere disagreements as to what was on the surface. "I'm right, you're wrong." Rinse, repeat. Personally, Kara was not the type that was curious enough to advocate for someone attempting to breach the surface. Sure, she had her own doubts, but the risk was too great to even entertain the idea. She began making her way back, once more trying to remain invisible. It seemed that there was a never-ending wave of unrest and angry voices, at least as far as she could make out.

Not 10 minutes passed and she was within steps of finally being behind secured doors when she accidentally bumped into someone from the crowd, a bit too hard at that, making them stumble forward. "I'm sorry!" she shouted to no avail. She had walked with such urgency that she hadn't noticed how much thicker and louder the crowd had grown.

---

"One moment," Kit called out to the muffled voices as he buttons up his shirt. "I was about to have lunch...."
"Kit," Gator whispered urgently, her green face contorted with concern. "Lock up the tiffin or we'll never be rid of them!"

The muffled voices were still talking as he pressed the hidden button, which stopped the transducers vibrating the windows as they became transparent once more, the blinds scrolling back up and then unlocking the door. Directing Gator to the corner, he walked over and slid it open, then frowned up at the two unfamiliar faces of Klay and Lupton at his door. Where was his mooching co-workers?

"Ah, excuse me gentlemen," Kit said, a polite, professional smile returning to his face. "Office privacy filters, can't hear a thing when they're on. I'm Kit Galloway, Business Resolutions Analyst. Is there something I can help you with?"

---

Safety Officer Klay thought he heard someone say, One moment, while his trainee officer Lupton was explaining that he didn’t think he heard anything. What if the individual inside, Kit, couldn’t hear them at all? They whispered amongst themselves on the other side of the door and was completely unaware of another individual being in Kit’s office as well.

The darker one in complexion and hair smiled, his blue eyes as keen and analytically looking as the Crystalline Council blue suit he was wearing. “Good morning, Kit,” he sounded as if he knew the name but they had never met. It was somehow funny that the government always said they didn’t watch or keep an eye on their people though the safety officers and other higher up employees seemed to always know the names of the people they were visiting. He was able to say good morning to the man when he opened the door before he even introduced himself and he knew… he might have messed up a little there but he continued on.

Lupton was about to open his mouth and Klay raised to fingers which seemed to quiet the younger blonde man up right away. “We do understand. You work in private sector and we respect that by all means,” Klay confirmed with a smile and slight glance over to Lupton who forced a smile.

“We are put on the task of surveying today, since there is quite a bit of unrest in Dominion of late,” he explained while putting his hands together. Slightly pointing all is fingers at Kit while explaining this. “First, I am senior officer, Klay, and this is trainee officer Lupton. Do you have a few moments for us to ask you questions? They are mainly around the subject of the current events of this morning and how you, personally, are feeling in terms of safety and happiness.”

---

Interaction(s) Kit Galloway @Expendable
Current Situation Senior Safety Officer Klay and Trainee Safety officer Lupton are speaking to Kit Galloway

---

The movement into the stalls that were selling modified power cores and into tighter alleys seemed to delay the individual following her. Uncertainty. Anyone with half of a braincell would be reminded the deeper you went into the Gray Market the more dangers you were in. Inhaling deeply, he nodded, and continued to follow the woman into the depths of the Gray Market and he was finding himself in a place he had never been before. Maybe he should turn around, give the man in the trench coat his money back, and tell him to get lost – though there was a fear that the man might do something to him if he didn’t continue this path. He seemed weird.

Pushing forward, the young man continued, and he kept following Selene at a good distance. Her sudden disappearance and reappearance caused him to jump out of his skin and he stepped back. She might not have been able to see his eyes through the long hair, but they were wide. “I…” he started but he found himself at a loss for words. He didn’t expect her to jump, scare him like that or even interact.

Shaking is head, “I was just curious…” he was lying through his teeth but it was hard to tell if he was lying or not at first. He said it with so much natural conviction that most people would have shrugged him off. The young man took another step back so there was some distance between them, enough that she would have to move to try and grab him, and that meant he had a few seconds to try and get away. “I’m not looking to lose my limbs.” These words sounded more confident than his last. He really didn’t want to lose anything in all honesty.

He shook his head, not instantly wanting to give away that someone sent him at all or somewhat bullied him into this, “No one,” he shrugged his shoulders. “I was just curious. I saw you enter the Market and you looked interesting,” he spoke so plainly and uncaring that it was hard to tell if he was lying or not. Anyone that was familiar with the lower rings of Dominion would know that people had to lie out of their teeth daily to survive or become aggressive to live. It was like wild dogs fighting for the will to live. This kid was no different and being around his age, any other kid living at that age had probably perfected lying and pick-pocketing.

---

Interaction(s) Selene Syn@Qia
Current situation Street Rat: Scotti is face-to-face with Selene

---

Interactions: Scotti (@The Savant)

---

Scotti was not sure if he was getting out of this or not – usually being caught meant anything from getting a beaten to being found dead somewhere. Oh, how he hoped the woman was pleasant and wouldn’t murder him. There were plenty of thoughts that were going through his mind, but he found that he wouldn’t allow himself to plead for his life if it came for that. Pleading was pathetic and he honestly didn’t feel scared by the idea. Not yet. The choice wasn’t in front of him, but he hoped that he wouldn’t become a complete mess if it got to that point.

His eyes focused on Selene from the dark curtain of hair that hid them, he was patiently waiting for anything to happen, and he listened to her. “Why? Maybe I thought you were pretty and wanted to talk, possibly get a number,” for how young he was. He was showing that he had a mouth and probably thought a few years ahead of his own age. Innocence wasn’t something that stayed around long in the lower ranks of society. Kids would see and hear too much. Clearly, he had heard too much to be talking like this at his age and attempting to flirt with a girl to distract her from the actual reasons he was following her.

He had no idea how he was supposed to get away from her. She was older, most likely stronger than him, and he knew he was at a disadvantage to quite a few things. Scotti smiled a little at his own thoughts, “Has anyone ever told you that you think too much? Maybe you are older than I thought you were,” he chuckled while shrugging his shoulders.

The slight disrespect was natural coming from him – a not monitored teenage boy that ran around in street gangs and wandered around the Gray market. That showed anyone that his life was dysfunctional. That his parents lacked the knowledge of their son or lacked the ability to control him. “I’m sorry to bother you, miss, but I really need to get going,” such words showed he was raised semi-decently for being in the lower parts of society. Calling her miss and making a half-ass apology was a lot better than most people would around his parts.

Scotti decided this was when he was going to flee, he backed up and bolted through the crowd of people funneling from stand to stand. Jumping over a stand to get where the seller was before running into the back and disappearing through a door frame. He knew exactly what to do and where to go.

The problem was the way he was running, he was heading towards the old vent ducts before the government in Dominion upgraded anything. If he got into those vents, they were mazes that could go all over, under, and above the city. They were dangerous as well. Plus, depending on the way you went (usually under) was the problem of underground monstrosities appearing.

---

Interaction(s) @Qia Selene Syn
Situation Scotti the street rat is running for it.

The following post is a collaboration between @The Savant and myself.

---

The morning was nothing spectacular as the older man pushed what felt like a stuck or locked door open. Leaving the dripping leaks of the ancient sewer way. Going into the dry and settled air, Pilka closed the door behind him and locked it, so no one could follow him in. The only reason he was outside of his little secretive home was to get a few things to eat and breakfast along with a few more items. Nothing special. Just regular everyday items that one might need — a toothbrush, some toothpaste, fabrics to patch and make more clothes, and some other things.

Flicking the lights on, everything paused for a moment before the sound of electricity buzzed up the walls and the lights struggled to come on because of the old wiring. A few of them flashed off and on before settling at a dimer light. Others started dimly before they brightened up. Leaving uneven shadows throughout the whole area while he moved over to press a button on a standard remote and a screen flashed on. Instantly showing the Crystalline Council’s insignia and he wondered what was happening once again.

The T.V. was somewhat static-ridden and not the clearest picture especially to him. He had to rely more on his hearing than focus on the T.V. which hurt his eyes more than anything else. Sometimes he wondered why he even turned it on but the sound of it was better than the loudness of nothing. Slowly going around and organizing all his items that he brought into his hideaway, Pilka wandered around before he sat down on the cot-like bed. It was comfortable. Better than being in some cave somewhere plus he had the last twenty-ish years to make this place his which he has done.

Listening to the broadcasting only left him thinking of how bad of a state Dominion was in. Looking up towards the ceiling, he thought about what was on the surface. When he was younger, he tried a few times to open the ancient, vaulted doors but nothing happened, and long ago he decided that it was a lost cause to continue attempting to get to the surface. Maybe it was ruined and dangerous. Who would know? Probably no one. Those vaulted doors wouldn’t budge, no matter what you would do, and plenty of others tried to open them and failed.

Then a curiosity came over him, he wanted to know, how badly Dominion was now. Was it similar to the outrage that happened decades ago when they were kicking burrowers and dwellers out of the city. Plenty of people died due to those events – dwellers, burrowers, and regulars alike.

---

“I’m sorry!” hearing those words while being jostled forward was a surprise to him. It knocked off the old shades that he found around his place and his eyes and skin were revealed even more. At least the hood stayed up to hide his presence though he felt a pang of anxiety go through him as he heard a crunch. His hand reacted way too slow to even grab those shades as he stared at them for a few seconds.

That was when Pilka stood up tall and turned around, knowing he had to interact with whoever was behind him, and he was hoping they would freeze from his appearance instead of calling the authorities or even lashing out at him. “No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been standing there,” came out naturally since he knew he shouldn’t be in the cities of Dominion at all though he found himself so curious about seeing the state of things for himself. It would help him understand the situation and where the other burrowers, dwellers, and regulars who lived outside of the cities could possibly find themselves.

Pilka was standing tall and his blind-like eyes were looking right at Kara. He looked blind but any keen eye would notice how his eyes moved — he could see perfectly fine or at least as fine as he possibly could. Seeing Kara in front of him, she was gray for the most part, but her core was red before it faded outwards to orange to show how warm she was.

However, he appeared to be an older man in his forties, though his skin was similar to the color of the cave walls. It was very apparent by the silver-translucency of his hair as well that he was a burrower or dweller. His voice was deeper and somewhat raspy though that might be from his times in the mines and how that affected his lungs and their development.

“Please, it’s all on...me.”

Kara was not expecting a dweller/burrower to turn around. His height alone was slightly intimidating, but his posture was not threatening. It was rude to stare, though she couldn’t not look at his features. The gray skin, the white hair, and his eyes... They were haunting, but not in that sense per se. No, those eyes immediately told her he’d endured a past of hardship and pain. And boy, did she continue to stare.

But moments later she finally snapped out of it. “You shouldn’t be here."

It might have been a subtle shift though it said more than words. His whole body seemed to tense under such a statement — defensively. Not threateningly. It almost appeared as if he was considering his escape routes and where to go from there. His eyes gently tried to act like they were not moving around to find the best route away from her or the others around him. A natural response to possible danger.

Her statement wasn’t accusatory in nature. On the contrary, her voice was laced with concern, surprising herself even. "Do you know what’s beyond those doors? If an officer catches you here, you'll be detained for a list of things. The security detail is too close," Kara motioned to the uniformed men and women standing above the crowd scanning the wave of people for any potential threats.

Then her second statement was what seemed to get him to focus on the doors. “I wasn’t planning on going through those doors,” his tone was even and honest. He had no plans to go through those doors and he was somewhat on the outside of the roaring crowd. His moonlit eyes looked back to her, “I just wanted to see how badly the riots were. If they compared to when people like I were cast out from Dominion’s walls,” he sounded civil for the most part. Most people that held an education had all gone through a course about burrowers and dwellers — those videos only showing the native tongues that they speak in. Not that they can talk in the common tongue like Kara and Pilka were doing with each other at the moment.

"I wasn't implying that..." she shook her head slightly, feeling the need to clarify herself. "This is a heavily guarded location, and now with these riots, they're acting more cautious than before." The idea that an individual like him was shunned and made to fend for himself was disheartening. Yes, Kara had gone over the history, and she had looked at the images but this was the first time she'd come across someone like him, someone who didn't fully fit the mold of a burrower. In that moment, she felt she owed him something. What that was exactly, she didn't know, but the fact that he showed more humanity than some people she knew in these few seconds they'd been interacting said a lot about them.

Pilka decided that he had overstayed his welcome at the moment and he began to move. It wasn’t quick movements but he began walking away from the crowd. He didn’t have his sunglasses on anymore so people would notice his eyes and skin coloration easier. The disguise was not perfect but most of the time when you had something covering your mouth, eyes, and a hood. Most people read it as shadows were misplacing the details of a person so that allowed him to go through Dominion at times especially into the Gray Market to get stuff.

As he began to walk away, she noticed the broken glasses that lay on the ground where he used to stand. It didn't take long for her to put two and two together. His skin was easier to hide underneath the layers of clothes but his eyes...there was practically nothing to hide that. Kara took a step forward and reached down to pick them up, seeing the damage the frame had sustained. The bridge was nearly cracked all the way, but at least they were salvageable. "Hey, wait! I can fix these for you if you'd like." Kara rushed to his side, meeting his pace.

Hearing someone come up next to him caused his eyes to glance, it was the woman, and he was a little surprised that she was doing whatever she was doing. Pilka shook his head lightly in the negative, “They are not that big of a deal,” he reached out and grabbed the broken glasses. “I appreciate the offer but I found them up in the tunnels when scavenging. There are probably a hundred or more pairs to find up there,” he chuckled lightly at the thought but it was true. All of the ancient and current day items that were discarded and moved around by flood waters and everything else could be found in the upper tunnels or all over the caverns.

The logic was there. Of course he knew to have a pair of shades in hand or at least know where to find them. Given the sight of dwellers and burrowers evolved over time, she can only imagine how uncomfortable it must feel to be in a well-lit place. That, and they also helped conceal his features, which was a most if he wandered into town. Kara then wondered how often he visited, or whether he had any legitimate business here.

“Also, aren’t you supposed to be calling the authorities by now? Isn’t that the law currently or has that changed?” This was more of an external question to himself because he remembered how heavy handed the authorities were with burrowers and dwellers in Dominion — decades after ostracizing them. People might have not been reminded of the heavier and punishable laws they had against them entering the city plus the majority of individuals that were in their twenties or younger probably have never seen a burrower or dweller, not even on film.

"Yes, technically, I should have called it in. But..." Kara shrugged her shoulders, thinking on that for a moment. "You're not causing a disturbance, and had it not been for my inability to watch my step, I would have been none the wiser as to your presence." Her face grew slightly concerned. If she happened to be caught interacting with him, and there weren't reports on record, then she would get into trouble, and very possibly face termination from her job.

Examining the glasses in his hand, he folded them up which had a crunchy sound to it, and he put it into his coat pocket. There was no reason to waste the young girl’s time when he could find another pair though he didn’t assume he would be coming into the city anytime soon. “And you don’t seem very fearful of me either.”

"Oddly enough, I'm more scared of them than I am of you." The statement was more a thought of hers that happened to be said out loud. The whispers, the rumors... Secrets that were discussed in extreme privacy that made her question certain things. But the lack of proof kept her grounded. She still went to work, enjoyed actually doing her job, and went home. Beyond that, Kara didn't know anything else. "Well, that's to an extent," she attempted to backtrack. "I like to judge an individual based on their actions alone, not on the actions of the whole, if that makes sense."

His eyes glanced towards the woman as she spoke and a crack in his armor happened, a gentle smile, but he knew he had to be careful. Being in the city and around people who were deemed “normal” could still be dangerous even if they were being nice. For some reason, he felt like he wasn’t in any danger with the woman beside him, but he could detect the cameras all around them.

Pilka glanced around with the nod of his head as if he made a decision internally, “Then you must be aware that there are technologies all over Dominion recording us at the moment,” It was a good thing that his hood was up and that he had gloves on though he knew the devices had most likely caught bits and pieces of him. He continued to walk.

A slight nod of acceptance. She was a citizen of Dominion, but that didn’t mean there weren’t setbacks. The constant surveillance was something she wasn’t thrilled about when first learning about it, but right now, there were multiple riots happening simultaneously, and surely the Council diverted most of its resources to properly handle the situation. Or that’s what she assumed at least.

“And you have a right to be scared of them though I don’t want them hearing you say that. You’ll get in trouble and I am no one to get in trouble over,” he chuckled lightly. “They aren’t any better than what they were decades ago,” he sighed. A stranger opening up so quickly like this exposed to him that the people who ran Dominion might be worse than what they were twenty or thirty years ago. Then he heard a noise and glanced over his shoulder — they left right in time.

Pilka was standing by Kara and they were about four hundred feet away from the rioting crowd when the noise caught his attention — safety and peace officers were using their batons, shields, and even tasers to stop whatever was happening. That was when a few other officers were beginning to walk up to people who were around the crowd and one looked to be heading towards them. He looked back at Kara,”I would say this is where we depart though I don’t think you would enjoy speaking to that officer heading towards us, would you?” He wondered while glancing around for immediate areas to escape in. “Ah, there we go, follow me,” Pilka didn’t wait as he hurried to two buildings and began moving through a narrow passage between them. One where you have to move sideways through it instead of walking down it like a hallway.

That was when the safety and peace officer looked confused, “Halt there!” He called after Pilka who was already sliding in between the buildings with too much ease as if he had done it before even though he didn’t look like he would totally fit — meaning it was even easier for Kara to fit into such a space.

She followed his gaze, and her eyes widened upon realizing what was happening. Kara’s pulse began to race, and she turned to him for a moment, though she wasn’t really listening as he spoke. Instead, she had flashes of what would occur to her once caught, from the initial apprehension all the way to lock-up, or worse... But then the man took off, and she snapped out of it. Kara looked back at the officers gaining on her, and in a split-second decision, she rushed to follow him.

The buildings left barely any space between them, but Kara went in sideways and tried to move as efficiently as she possibly could, and that’s when she heard it... ”Deploying taser!"

There was no time to react. The prongs caught her shoulder blade and instantly delivered jolts of electricity. Kara cried out, her body tensing from the shock as she lost all control and fell forward. However, the walls on either side of her being so close together prevented her from hitting the ground. She was stuck, those five seconds feeling like a lifetime. But then it was over, and it was as if nothing happened. No pain, nothing. Kara worked herself upright before any more damage was inflicted on her.

When he heard the officers yell out deploying taser, he glanced back, and watched as Kara seemed to be in pain. He had never been hit by a taser but he doubted it was any fun which is why he started climbing — not to leave Kara — though to get over her. Easily maneuvering up the wall, one of the guards tried reaching out for the girl and the bottom of his shoe pressed right onto their head and primarily on their face before a weighty kick caused them to fall back into the other officer.

The officer that fell back and caught his comrade looked horrified, “Oh god! What is that!?” it was a younger officer that seemed terrified and looked at Pilka like he was a monster. From the movements, his hood was down, and his facial characteristics were exposed. This seemed to freeze the officers from getting back up. Shocked and surprised.

Pilka climbed through the buildings before realizing there was a ledge and bending down to pick up Kara like she was a feather. Using the back of her shirt to hoist her up without a struggle, “Up you go,” he stated while getting her to where she could grab the edge and climb onto the safe area. Off the ground. Away from potential officers.

A shadow gliding over her, as swift as a river current. She turned around to witness her acquaintance outmaneuver the officers, their faces mostly surprised, but slightly terrified too. He then began ascending up the walls, and before Kara could have a chance to brace herself, she was being pulled up off the ground. ”Hey!"

He got onto the edge and looked around, “Come on,” Pilka began to move in the dimmed area and heading towards darkness like he could see perfectly.

Once Kara had her footing, she looked down below. ”Two suspects—one male and one female. The male... He was on the move again, asking her to follow him. And as Kara did just that, the voice below faded.

She breathed a sigh of relief, which was much welcomed after such close encounter. She did however have to slow down as the farther away she got from the danger, the more strained her vision grew. Goodness only knew where he was leading her.