A World on Fire (IC)

[Rubes]

Upon signing up for this dangerous venture south, you are confronted by the mutant and armed militia come down to pick up the unarmed volunteers into the truck. The mutant would be in a black trenchcoat, and would wield a rather large, intimidating pistol that fired .50 calibre rounds most likely. “Right, you are now in the service of Mister Hartley. You all are now Society Militia. I have reviewed your applications well, while you signed them,” he hollered at them, first stopping at Lilt.

“You are a thief, and thieves are only good for two things: Hanging, and scavenging. Let us not come to the earlier option. You will be head Scavenger,” he said as he looked the man straight in the eyes, snarling lightly. “The first time you are caught stealing from another in the caravan, we will carve a ‘T’ into your forehead, and strip you of your clothes for a week. If someone is nice enough to help you, you will survive. If not…you freeze to death.”

He then moved to Scott, taking a look quickly at his papers. “Scott, you are experienced in the combat… You will be my commander for this truck. Any attacks, you oversee defence and counterattack of them. Above all you get to deal with cowards, kill or humiliate them. If you fail to defend your truck, you will be decapitated and impaled,” he informed that man, before handing him a pair of dogtags, a skull with two daggers in the base. “You codename is Scar.”

Moving down the line more, he got to Damion, and flipped to his papers. “Mister Sweet, head mechanic of your truck. Do not let it fall into disrepair. We will kill you for failure to do your duties,” he commented very quickly, before pulling a toolbelt from the truck and handing it to the mechanic. “Also, if you want your truck to survive, add some armour plates to the truck. We pass a lot of metal you can use to do this. You only answer to Mister Hartley himself, starting now.” Giving a short slam of his fist to his chest, a salute of a kind, he turned and moved on.

“Adam and Roy, you both will be in charge of finding food, you report directly to Lilt, and will also report to I, Scott, or Ruben. You will be in charge of feeding your people, so…if they starve, we kill you… How unexpected! So yes, get to it,” he said, before shifting their papers behind to move on to the next people.

Upon hitting David’s application, he grinned in a very menacing manner. “A survivalist, how fortunate for us. You will be the medic and cook of your truck, needless to say you are in charge of the wellbeing of your truck. Sickness and the preparation of food fall under your jurisdiction. You answer to Ruben, Scott, and I. We will not kill you, even for failure. Enjoy this right.”

After reviewing the accounts once more, he turned to the people and pointed to the truck, “Mount up, get ready to leave. And remember your duties!”

[Post order is me, Lilt, Scott, Damion, Roy (Adam), and David. :3]

[Agnores]

Lilt smiled, his expression cool. He never let his gaze fall from the mutant's eyes, no matter how intimidating he tried to be. Needless to say, Lilt was surprised when he was handed a head position. "Head Scavenger". What the hell did that mean?

It surprised Lilt to the point, he forgot to give a smart-ass reply to the mutant when he walked off to accost the other volunteers. Head scavenger.....Was that permission to steal? Of course, Lilt corrected himself, only from those who weren't part of the caravan. Still, Lilt wasn't built for a leadership position. It was hard enough living for himself, but living for others? His actions would now directly affect those around him....Damn it, Lilt thought. I don't wanna be head of anything!

Lilt watched the mutant move down the line, barking threats at everyone. When the mutant placed some guy named Roy and a kid named Adam directly under him, Lilt visibly paled. Now not only was he head of something, but he had people who reported to him. All he knew in life was how to live despite others, not live for them. He was hoping to be able to escape down south for a better living, he supposed, but never thought this would have him in a leadership position...a position in which the only vocation he excelled at was encouraged (to an extent).

When the mutant called everyone to load up, Lilt didn't move. He was shocked. He had only hoped his life would be better down south because there would hopefully be better things to steal. He had never hoped his...job...would put him in a leadership position. Already this decision was seeming better and better. Lilt headed for the truck.

[StormWolf]

Scott stood second in the rag-tag formation of volunteers, the snow billowing around him as the apparent authority of the Caravan - a mutant, of all things - spat threats with every breath. In his arms, Scott held the only thing in the world he really ever gave a damn about, it shivered in his arms as a gust of cold washed over them.

"Daddy, can we go inside? My feet are cold." Scott's precious daughter said, picking her face up from her father's shoulder to look at him. She smiled at the permafrost that had grown on his beard. She always found that amusing.

"In a bit, sweetie. You gotta be a big girl and tough it out for just a few minutes more, okay?" Scott cooed gently to his little girl. She was the best thing that ever happened to him, but it killed him inside to know that this was really the only world she ever knew; a broken and unforgiving world. He swore to God on the day that she was born that he would find her a paradise to call home. This caravan south could be their first and last chance.

When the mutant stood before them, Sarah buried her head back in to her father's shoulder and Scott himself stood at attention, just like back in boot camp in the good old days. The mutant definitely had it in his head that he was superior to every living, breathing organism. He was no different than a USMC drill instructor... aside from the horns and the discolored skin.

Commander? They really don't have anyone better? Scott frowned as he thought to himself while the mutant put a new pair of dog tags over Scott's head. He had to restrain a harrumph at his codename. No matter. It wasn't his choice. When the mutant was done with Scott, he stepped out of the formation to put his shivering daughter in to his truck.

"You were very tough, sweetie. Daddy is very proud of you." Scott smiled and kissed Sarah on the forehead before sitting beside her, waiting for everyone else to get ready to go, as it was called in the old days, 'Oscar Mike'.

[PhantomMilkMan]

It was all Damion could do not to soil himself as a loud *CRACK* from a pistol sounded. He looked worried, flinching at the Mutant that was lining up the volunteers. As the Mutant stopped in front of each of them, Damion drifted in and out of consciousness, just barely keeping the composure to stand up as the Mutant informed him of his new role in the Caravan.

Head Mechanic?!? Damion's thoughts raced. I can't be a Head Mechanic! The most complicated vehicle I've ever dealt with was that Old RC Monster-Truck Dad gave me before he left. Damion clutched his stomach and felt his heart-rate increase out of fear. I'm gonna just disappear on one of these expeditions, like Dad did.

As the Mutant called for everyone to load up Damion unconsciously moved towards the truck not even noticing he was the first to get on. He immediately found a seat and plopped down with the same vigor as a corpse. His eyes grew dull and began to scan the truck, absorbing in all the cracks, bumps, nails, and screws that made up the beast. This one object would become either his savior or his coffin.

[thesouleater]

Roy and Adam stood beside each other, closely watching those in the line before them. They were tired, since they were normally looking for plants and whatever was available for foods. They had worked to provide salads and herbs for the people in the area. Eventually they had taught others to search for the herbs and plants and now trusted the people could now search for it on they're own.

The mutant finally made his way down to Roy and Adam, looking ready to beat them to a pulp if so wished to do so. He said that they would be in charge of finding foods and they smiled. They couldn't do anything else much better except for paint and be creative. "So yes, get to it." The mutant said and Roy walked off, grabbing Adam's arm and dragging him along behind him.

"Atleast we'll have time to ourselves every once in a while." Roy said as they headed to where they always looked for herbs and plants. They both went opposite ways, but stuck close together at the same time. A while ago they had almost been attacked by something from venturing too far away from each other. "Find as much as you can, we're going to need it. I don't know how much everyone eats yet."

"Alright." Adam said, bending down to pick up a plant. He was a little side-tracked, thinking about how they would search for plants and herbs in different areas. "Hey, I have an idea. What if we had a trailer that held herbs and plants in it that we could eat? Then we wouldn't have to do as much work."

"Nah. We wouldn't be able to do that. It would slow us down too much." Roy said sadly. "I would have loved to do that though." He smiled, having found a herb that was a little more difficult to find. Continuing on, he found a few more plants they could use too.

After about fifteen minutes Roy and Adam started heading back with both of their shoulder-bags half-full of herbs and plants. To them, that was a great win, but they would probably have to find more as they figured out who ate how much. They arrived back at the site and walked up to Lilt. "We got some herbs and plants. Adam has the herbs in his bag and I have edible plants in mine." Roy said.

[Mr.Natas]

When David first saw the mutant he thought about just leaving, he had nothing against mutants, they might even out number "normals" in the coming years but, the one he had dealt with hated him for being human and generally not nice. David saw the pistol and decided that he would stay in they line he already signed the waver anyways and theses people could need his help, David couldn't abandon them just because he had some bad run-ins with different people.

The mutant went along the row calling out names and roles, ranks and other thinks. Most David heard "If you fail we'll kill you." David didn't like that, they needed to think positive, not have some negative reinforcement driving them. Finally the mutant came to him and gave David a wicked smile. The mutant gave David his job and said he would be safe from death. David wanted to smile, wanted to dance. 'No death for me!' He wanted to sing but, just nodded and went to the truck.

He need to do a quick look over of all the people so he could have a good idea of all his fellows' condition. David went over the truck and popped his head in. "Sorry for all you guy that just sat down, but as the medic of this truck I'm in charge of your well-being," He announced almost verbatim, "that said, I need to do a quick check-up of all of you so get out here and make a single file line, the faster you do this the faster we can move out." He went back out and stood at the back of the truck waiting for the people to start forming a line.

[Rubes]

The mutant did not really care what they thought of him, and he did exactly as he was instructed. He was gone by the time everyone was ready to round up in the truck, while militia started to do their forward rounds, signifying that the caravan was about to move.

When all of that happened, the same man climbed up into the back of the truck with everybody. “People of Truck S, I am Ruben, and I want to thank you for your participation,” he said as he stepped forward, removing his helmet to show his face. His features were gaunt, the man pale and had dirty skin. His eyes were blue like ice, and his hair was shaved down to the point where it was hard to determine his colour. He had some frost on his hair, and a bit of frozen blood on the rebreather he wore. “I have gifts, for all of you,” he said, moving to pull a box up into the truck, opening it revealed many gasmasks and filters. “You must wear these when the red light goes on,” he said as he moved down the line of people.

He first stopped at Lilt, and sat him down, staring down into his eyes. “I put trust in you as the head scavenger of this truck. Don’t fail me, please. Regardless of the Commander’s threats, we won’t kill you. It is just a bunch of mumbo-jumbo he spreads to get you guys to work harder.” He then patted his shoulder and smiled warmly under the rebreather, but it would be impossible to see.

Next he stopped at Scott and Sarah, and knelt to meet eye to eye with Scott. “Greetings, Scott, I am Ruben, you will know I am very lenient,” he said, before handing him a wad of notarised currency. “This is your Truck’s funds, if you ever need anything, come directly to me. Ignore my commander,” he said, before cracking his neck. “And for your daughter…” he stopped, pulling out a baggie of jacks and marbles, with a few pieces of wrapped candy. “Toys are hard to come by on the road, we tend to recycle some toys, but candy, however, is easily made,” he laughed, patting the girl’s head.

Damion was then the next on his list, and he moved up to him. “Time will show you will hang onto your engineering skills, maintaining these things are easy. The most you will have to do is spot-weld bullet holes and reinforce the cabin and quarters,” he said, before handing him a piece of wood. “For the furnace,” he added before walking off.

Since Roy and Adam were just getting in, he had gone to David and moved to sit him down. “You are a doctor and a cook, not a moral booster. Just do your job, because just because the commander says you won’t die, won’t stop an angry citizen or bandit from popping you,” he said in a hushed tone.

Upon finishing his talk with other people, he stopped at the back of the truck and turned, grabbing onto the top. “Hear me out, people. You all have a key to the survival of each other!”

(NEW POSTING ORDER, because this was a disaster. First to post wins their spot, post only once until we are fully through the cycle again!)

[Agnores]

Lilt stared at the people in front of him. They had just reported to him. Almost instantly. Not even 20 minutes after they had been placed under his command. "Uh...good?" Was all he could say. "Um...I think we should head to the truck...Yeah."

Lilt moved towards the truck. He cidn't know what to do with a leadership position. All he knew how to do was to steal. Steal from people. Steal to survive. Correction, steal for HIM to survive. Lilt knew nothing about plants, so why should they report to him? Guns, metal, money, things like that, Lilt knew. Anything else? Screw it. Lilt didn't need it.

But again, these people might. Lilt sighed again, but his reverie was interrupted by a new person speaking. He introduced himself as Ruben, and then handed out gas masks.

Ruben sat Lilt down, and said, “I put trust in you as the head scavenger of this truck. Don’t fail me, please. Regardless of the Commander’s threats, we won’t kill you. It is just a bunch of mumbo-jumbo he spreads to get you guys to work harder.” Lilt only nodded. Of course, this made his job slightly easier, but still. Lilt didn't like this whole leadership crap.

Lilt watched Ruben walk off, and sighed yet again. Why me?

[PhantomMilkMan]

Damion was just getting particularly well-aquatinted with a particular nook in the floorboard 3 inches away from his left shoe when the man, who later identified himself as Ruben, stepped in. Damion slowly sucked in his breath though his teeth as he gazed upon him. For being such a gaunt man Ruben was awfully intimidating. When he took off his mask and revealed his face however, Damion saw a man of compassion. A stark contrast to the Mutant outside. Damion felt his fear for the mission momentarily wash away. His stomach settled and his heart ceased to race.

"Time will show you will hang onto your engineering skills, maintaining these things are easy. The most you will have to do is spot-weld bullet holes and reinforce the cabin and quarters" he said handing him a gas mask. Yes, Damion knew how to weld. He was confident in his welding abilities. Ruben then handed Damion a piece of wood which Damion nearly dropped on account of his thoughtful state. Damion threw Ruben a puzzled look to which Ruben replied “For the furnace” and walked off.

Clutching the wood Damion moved over to the furnace and stoked the flames. His belt knocked against the metal of the door and for the first time since signing up Damion recognized that he actually had a belt of tools. He thoughtlessly threw the piece of wood into the furnace and began to inspect his waist. All manner of tools were hung in the belt, some of which he didn't even recognize. Maybe this won't be so bad after all he mused.

Damion set off about the Caravan again, looking at the cracks, crevices, screws, and bolts that made up this machine. He resolved to have the ship memorized by nightfall so that he could plan how to fix her as he dreamt that night.