Unsettling the minds of few, and inspiring indifference in even fewer, the last words spoken aloud by any of the Messengers united them in absolute silence. The words echoed in the moment which stretched into an eternity and stimulated a familiar survivall instinct known to spark whenever a creature is faced with death...
Fear.
Only the sudden sound of an outside explosion and its accompanying tremors would overtake attentions and rally the wits as reality caught up to and promptly reasserted herself.
--- "So, now what?" said Xi'ku in an angry tone.
Xi'ku Sop'tolome was aware he spoke aloud but he was uncertain if his statement had been made in colonial. Xi'ku was sure of why he was upset, and it had to do with leaving Ensign Pace...no...Craig behind. "How could we just leave him like that!? Nobody suburbs to...to..." Xi'ku then punched, dented and slightly electrified the nearby wall resulting in a new set of problems.
Damnit...why wasn't I first through the door? It should have been me that... Xi'ku took a deep breath as he chided himself internally. He had just finished checking over his PD-40s which were a snug fit for a keshian of his size, but he was sure they could get the job done by giving up a little comfort, though that was not the case as of now. Xi'ku pulled off his 'new' gloves and began going through the complex process of re-re-adjusting them and finding some solace in busy work. Though he did survey the expressions of his compatriots while he worked, and from what he knew of Terran psychology they were not faring too much better then he was.
Approximately 10 minutes had passed since they had egressed from the bridge enteryway to the ship's Armory, and using Pvt. Ureon's new key, they began 'suiting up' for the job ahead, surrounded by obvious reminders of their mutual professions.
The Armory had been almost picked clean by previous visitors or maybe it was never full to begin with. Even calling this...this storehouse an Armory was at best a blatant lie. There were a number of non-combat marked crates and equipment present including a set of commercial view-screens, a full log reader and recorder set and even some sort of easel was propped up in the far corner. Xi'ku could've swore he even viewed a stack of cereall boxes with a couple of Zorbidovs resting on them when he came in. Most of the heavy weapons, or what Fleet considered to be heavy, were already gone or simply had never been there which left what Xi'ku considered to be second rate equipment. The old proverb 'Have faith in your own abilities before your gear' would apply to this situation.
Admittedly though, Xi'ku did not fully understand just what that entitled. He was quite certain that when the shooting stopped and the smoke cleared, Xi'ku and his charges would be the ones left standing.
Xi'ku would make sure of that even if it killed him. -------- All characters are healed 5hp due to Medical Supplies.
Artemi Edit: Just fixed the title line. Nothing to see, here...
"4) Lastly, there were some video games that also weakened the MMMG. Most of these games were played at John's house be they video game or rpg." -Celest
"Damn you, Big Brother. Damn you." -Curulambe
"I was told our base was for the Black Man." - batman
Creaking a little uncomfortably in her new armor, Hannalore looked up from buckling her new shield to her right arm at Xi’ku’s outburst. Sighing, she looked back to her new weapons as she tried to figure out how to best carry them without them getting in the way. Staring down at her work, she tried to calm the Keshian with a quiet, oddly calm voice.
“You know we had to leave him. Stowing him in the nook with that bit of cloth was the best we could do for poor Pa- him.” She looked down at the man, staring at him for a moment.
“What were you going to do? Carry him the whole way?” Leaning back against the wall, she drifted back into her thoughts.
Inside, she was cursing Craig Pace for his death, watching in mute horror as his name was added to The List. She closed her eyes, unable to get away from the thoughts of everyone who had died in her care. Their dead eyes floated in the inky darkness, staring at her, some in pain and others in sorrow. I’m… I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to fail you…
She shook her head as she turned and ran in her mind, trying to get away. She could hear them, pulling and grasping at her heels, trying to yank her back by her hair. She gasped as Craig’s face appeared in front of her, a smile of confusion on his face. He reached out toward her, trying to catch her and drag her back with him to the dead. Please… let me… go…
Eyes snapping open, Hannalore quickly scanned the room in confusion and terror, looking for the specters. Seeing nothing, she tried to calm her rapid breathing and slow her wildly beating heart. Nothing here, nothing here…
Pushing a layer of sweat off her face, she checked to make sure her hair was still short, preventing them from grabbing it. Reassured, she sat back forward, looking back into the room toward the others. I will not die! I can’t face them… I WON’T face them! Not now… not ever…
---- Hannalore Hp 34(44)/31 She got a +1 in Athletics, Communications, and Sneak from her Exp, by the way.
Post by xephincross on Jan 24, 2007 17:21:46 GMT -5
Brian remained silent all the way to the armory as well as during the time they were suiting up. His experience with this sort of thing was limited but he knew death was serious and the man he had met only minutes agos' death was clearly upsetting those around him.
Once suited up Brian looked around at the others. Some had outbursts of anger others seemed to be suffering from some sort of anxiety. Brian couldn't quite understand what they were going through. He felt compelled to help, to console, to invigorate them, to make them happy. He wanted very much to change all of there moods into something positive. However that simply wasn't in his programming... or perhaps he simply 'felt' that this wasn't the time to be smiling.
Brian new next to nothing about feelings. He was a creation of logic, components, circuits, and a series of electric responses. He had no beating heart, just a generator. No sense of soul or emotion just a data like avatar that could move from body to cyberscape. Brian hadn't even know this Craig Pace. All he could think about was how much none of this impacted him. How none of this even mattered, only rescuing the others on board were important. Those thoughts however didn't stop him from clenching tightly the sledgehammer he had picked up and slung over his shoulder. Nor did it stop the sadistic grin from crossing his face as he thought about what it would do to the man who shot his recently met and fallen comrade. Brian had to face the facts, he had witnessed his first death... And he was 'pissed.'
Summer finished donning the armor she thought best suited to her. Her mind had barely been present the entire time. It was Xi'ku that had lead them to the armory for the most part. Her mind was going over how everything just kept on going from bad to worse. According to this Brian he students were safe, but for how long. The man in the bridge threatened all of them, including the children. Every last person on this ship was in more danger than they could possibly imagine.
She hated it.
She hated every single bit of it. She hated no knowing what possibly had been so bad at home as to pack every one up suddenly and force them into this death trap. She hated no know who her enemies where and even more so she hated not knowing why. She hated how little she knew about the whole situation and ever worse she hated every single fact that she did know. She hated finding the body in the engine room. She hated having to leave it there. She hated Pace's fate and hated knowing that he would most likely not receive the departure he deserved. She hated everything that had happened that day and even more so she hated how little control she had, if any, over it. This was not a position Summer was used to. She had been in bad situations before but this... this wasn't just bad it was pretty much damn near impossible. And she hated it.
It was Xi'ku sudden outburst that brought her out of her thoughts while stuffing the last of the med kit into her small backpack. As she looked at the dent in the wall her attention was caught by a small red light.
"Is that... a log reader?" she says out loud with out realizing it. She pulls out the data pad she had found earlier hoping she may finally get some desperately needed information. She took a breath and collected her thoughts.
"This is bad." She says slowly addressing her small party. "I know it. All of you know it. Once we get out of this I will personally see to it that every fallen comrade receives a ceremony in their honor. They will not be forgotten. But right now we need to concentrate on getting ourselves and every other person on this death trap some where safe. And this right now this..." she holds up the data pad, " is all the information we have. Xi'ku I ask that you assist me in retrieving the information. I need to speak with you. Every one else, we will be heading to the other survivors very soon. Be well prepared. Any one that can I ask to carry and extra weapon or two as it will be useful to provide some arms to our friends waiting for us."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edit: XP used... STR +1 (3) Athletics +1 (1)
Georgiana had never witnessed death so personally. Once the group moved again, she could put his death behind her. Though Ureon had written about death before, she was never part and parcel to the whole thing. She remained silent, quietly doing her duty. Remaining focused on the present was the only way to keep alive and get everyone out of dodge.
Finally, they arrived at the Armory. Or, what might have passed as an Armory, moments ago. Now, it was obviously picked clean. Remaining quiet, George looked around for the most effective things to keep her squad alive with. Already familiar with "Eiji" Combat Visor, having trained with them in Basic. Also, she noticed and acquired a Patrol Buckler. An old DI had taught her the important lesson of basic shielding long ago, so she opted to remember it.
Georgiana had walked two circuits around the room, watching everyone take weapons and armors. George, however, stopped finally after Xi'ku moved a suit of Dobson. She had been eyeing it, but passed twice given it's bulky nature. Ureon was more in favor of the swift tactics that had made her squad captain in Basic. Hit-and-run, speak softly, and carry a big stick. Well, there weren't very many bigger sticks than that revealed under the Dobson. It was a "Jackhammer VII". Classified as a particle duster, the weapon was as notorious for it's offensive devastation as it was for it's kick. A smile crept onto her face as the Private's finger casually wrapped around the stock of the weapon. She would give it a good home, she decided. It was only fitting.
After all, that dead man still owed her a cup of coffee. She had to stay alive long enough to collect the debt somehow...
OOC: XP used... Firearms +2 Talent +1
Last Edit: Jan 29, 2007 11:33:28 GMT -5 by eunhathes
Trying to move quickly and quietly in her new armor, Hannalore sighed. It had been a while since she had been so loaded down, and she knew her joints were going to ache in the morning. Well, at least this’ll help you loose that pudgy waist of yours…
They had been wandering for a little while, trying to figure out a way around the rubble the blocked the main hallway towards the back of the ship. They weren’t having much luck, however; the two hallways that Brian had used earlier had since become blocked, and the side hall that Hannalore had remembered didn’t even exist anymore. Heading away from the previously undestroyed hallway, they were heading toward the ships service routes.
--- Creeping quietly through the ventilation ducts above, UMP Commissar Za’che Sop’tolome carefully kept an eye on her targets. Pausing a moment to make sure her equipment was still carefully strapped to her, she pulled her special issue Stealth Cloak around her, continuing on with her surveillance.
Lost in her thoughts of how to proceed with her mission, she decided finally that the target group would have everything she would need. A few combat soldiers, a medic, and even a commander to direct the troops when the shooting started. The civilian puzzled her, though she simply assumed that he was working in a militia effort until they could get him back to the other refugees. Occupied with her plans, she didn’t realize that the area she was creeping though was creaking slowly under her weight… ---
Suggested by Xi’ku, the service routes provide a quick, central hallway for the members of the ship’s crew, only accessible by those who had the proper key cards. The service routes were able to access most vital areas in the ship quickly, allowing the crew to quickly get to where they needed to go to keep the ship running. The service routes also allowed access to rooms not normally accessible, such as main defense controls, the central Communications and Sensor Relay room, and the AI housing mainframe, if a ship had one. They should also be clear; they were in the central spine of the ship, and were reinforced to allow the crew to continue working if the ship were to come under attack.
The group had paused while George cleared and opened the doors with her new key cards, waiting for the ships computer to run the captain’s card through its database. Leaning against one of the walls right behind the woman, Xi’ku kept an eye on the door, determined to not let the situation on the ship’s bridge happen again. The area had obviously the site of a battle, with bullet holes and energy scarring all over the floor, walls, and even the ceiling. Watching the door, he looked up as something hit his ear from above him.
Crouching down to check it, the large Merikesh man carefully picked the object off the floor. Looking at it, he couldn’t help but wonder why a screw would drop off the ventilation duct above him. Glancing upward, he wondered if perhaps the previous battle had done enough damage to the duct to make it loosen.
His eyes widened as the duct suddenly collapsed downward onto him. Pushing George out of the way, he was the only one hit as a black furred Merikesh female came crashing down onto him, knocking him onto his back in a rush.
Coughing a little, Za’che couldn’t help but wonder who the large Keshian that was gracious enough to catch him was. Xi’ku was mystified as to just how, out of everyone in the group, he was the one unlucky enough to be standing in that spot at the exact wrong time… --- --- This one was really hard to write, for some reason...
Brian immediately grasped the hammer that had been slung over his shoulder ready for action. Though as the logical creature he was, he had no intention of striking. Only observing, to strike an enemy first was a great military tactic, strike an ally at all was a horrible moral decision.He was beginning to realize that for some reason, as any kind of combat AI he sucked. He wasn't good with this social thing either. Why had he been built? He shook his head and focused on the situation at hand. Now wasn't the time, what was needed now was a solid resolve and the ability to act if need be. Brian remained silent and left the speaking to anyone else who might feel they were in charge. If this new figure turned out to be an enemy he was certain the Merikesh could handle it. He was concerned about other getting the drop on this group while they were distracted.... No more lives would be lost so long as there was syn apsis running through his circuits.
Coughing and rolling off the merkish, Za'che gets up too her feet obviously embarrassed. Turning around for a moment or two to regaining her composer she coughed and turned back to face the company that she had been surveying.
"I am UMP Commissar Za’che Sop’tolome. I am on a special mission and need to recruit all of you for that mission. I need to get into the ship’s main communications and sensor relay room. There are enemies trying to get into that room. I need you to get me into that room. I do not have the necessary equipment to get into it. It appears as though your regiment does. As of right now that is your primary mission."
She looked at the regiment to see if anyone was going to question her authority. She hoped not. She didn't want to deal with them if they did.
"You think that you can tell us apart? Many have tried, but then again, many have failed. What do you think the price for that is?" The Three Sisters Lylie-governess to a child of the first plain "You grew up. Thats a shame. The carousel never stops turning. You cant get off either. Its a shame."
Summer backed a step away as the the ball of black fur came through the vent. She dropped to one knee instinctively and readied her pistol. She stands slowly as the new merkish does and decides to lower he weapon but still keeps it in hand. She listens as this Za'che explains herself, sort of and steps forward to address. She gives a quick look to Xi'ku to make sure he is alright btu she didn't now of much that could take her large friend out.
Another Sop’tolome? This is a large family. I doubt these two know each other or she wouldn't have been spying on us. I wonder if she knew Chi'ral. Either way I don't like her tone. She may be on a mission, but so are we. We need to shut down those engines.
"I am Commander Kletch. I will requier more details of your mission before allowing my group to escort you. It seems you are already well experienced in getting into places you are not supposed to be, so please explain more why you need our help. We are also on a rather dire mission and do not have much time to spare."
George had been on point for the majority of the walk, listening intently to the sounds of the corridor. An odd, muffled sound caught her attention, followed by the sudden halting of the footsteps behind her. Whirling around, Georgiana's shotgun was pointed at a tangled mass of Keshian.
Confused for a moment, George watched as the two furry aliens disentangled themselves. Looking to the rest of the group, she could see the odd confusion on the newcomer's face and the hesitation on the rest. The black keshian then identified herself.
In a moment of sudden clarity, Ureon simply rolled her eyes, Great. More babysitting, she thought. Spinning around, the Private shouldered her weapon and sighted down the barrel and gangway. She was now kneeling, the best possible defensive position for her to be in and still capable of fighting while moving. This was now a matter for officers, and she would simply let them deal with the situation.
Xi'ku almost didn't notice the thing that hit him in the ear for about three full seconds as he was far too into his job... If it wasn't for a hightened sence of duty and stress Xi'ku was under, he would have probably missed it entirely. Xi'ku momentarily chided himself as he investigated If there was one thing Xi'ku wished to change about himself, it was his nature to zone out whenever he was deep in thought or occupied with something important. It was like his brain needed to pull energy from all other internal process save walking to power boost what addmittedly pitful power was other, and aparently lest important, processes totally and mi...
*WHAM*
Something furry other.
Heavy. Floor.
Like checkers. Anger.
People talking. Who? Floor.
Other! Wait...enemy?
Not. Hurt bring if. Check.
Floor. Still there. Getting up good, but floor nice.
Stay. Sleep. Finally.
"4) Lastly, there were some video games that also weakened the MMMG. Most of these games were played at John's house be they video game or rpg." -Celest
"Damn you, Big Brother. Damn you." -Curulambe
"I was told our base was for the Black Man." - batman
Hannalore gasped when the ceiling suddenly came crashing down, depositing a strange new Keshian onto Xi’ku. Watching the woman carefully, she sighed when she mentioned her rank and mission. She stepped forward when she knew this Za’che to be no threat to them, though her ‘threat’ to Xi’ku appeared to perhaps be another story entirely.
Making a ‘shooing’ motion with her hands, she pushed past Za’che and crouched next to the downed Merikesh male. Quickly checking his pulse and breathing, she was able to tell that he had simply drifted off into sleep. Relived and annoyed at the same time, she quickly decided he needed another booster shot. Pulling a syringe out of her bag, she tapped it a couple times as she filled it with adrenaline and a few other chemicals, trying to decide if there was anything else she could do for the man. Pulling back his armor, she looked up to the others as she injected him with the liquid slowly.
Flipping her bangs back from her face, Hannalore followed the conversation taking place, trying to fill in anything she may have missed. Getting the gist of the problem, she felt she had to inject her view in this matter. She spoke up, unsure of why this was even a problem. “Umm… Co-commander? Aren’t we go-going to the same p-place? It s-sounds like she want-wants to get to com-communications, too.”
Looking back down at Xi’ku, Hannalore noted with relief that the man was responding. Putting her tools away, she glared at the man as she slowly sat up with a groan. She whispered to him in a stern voice, not wanting to further distract the command decisions going on above her head. “What did I te-tell you about falling a-asleep? You’ve not b-being v-very gracious, here!”
*clearing her throught* "It seems Commander Kletch that since you are heading to the same room as I then you are requrited after all." She says as she smirks. Bending down to the other Merkish, Za'che took his hand and said "Soldier you need to get up. I know for a fact that I didn't hurt you that much. If I did you wouldn't have made it off of the home planet. Get your lazy butt up now. You have a job to do" With that she let go of his hand and stood back up.
"You think that you can tell us apart? Many have tried, but then again, many have failed. What do you think the price for that is?" The Three Sisters Lylie-governess to a child of the first plain "You grew up. Thats a shame. The carousel never stops turning. You cant get off either. Its a shame."
"Excuse me Miss Sop’tolome," Summer says in a very dry tone, she didn't mind being ordered around, but by her superiors, not by persons falling out of vents, "but my team and I have several locations we should be heading. I personally would like to see us get to the other evacuees as I would love to check up on the safety and well being of my students, we also were asked to make our way to the communications room to get communications going and request help, we also have information that states our engines have been set to overload and if someone doesn't shut them off soon they will blow up." She takes a moment for a breath and allowing the direness of the situation to be realized before starting up again. "Now I personally feel that seeing to the engines is the most urgent matter as if we do manage to get some one out here to assist us they may well find little more than debris once they get out here or even worse we may blow them up as the try to help us. Now if you wish to join us to the engine room, should we pass by communications on the way there we will be more than glad to drop you off. If not maybe you can assist us in our endeavors in the engine room and after wards I would be quite willing to escort you to your destination as that is one of our priorities."
She gives Za’che a hard look to show she is not one to be messed around with before looking down at Xi'ku. She walks over to his side and looks down at him with a slight smile. "Mister Xi'ku I understand that you are tired. I am sure we all share that with you, but now is not the time to be lying down on the job. Now if you find your self coherent you have about five seconds before I step on your tail. One... Two... "
Kneeling was hard work. George had always hated kneeling, especially for such long periods of time. She had listened to the 'O-Club' squabble and wanted to say something to them about their volume but held her tongue. After all, most officers knew better than all the enlistedmen in history combined. Ever.
In any case, she kept her eyes down range and her finger on the trigger. She may have been only a Private, but she was the only sane thing on this ship right now.
"Do not step on his tail, Commander." Za'cha said with a little disgust. "It is disrespectful. Something only a cub would do that. Now if you are actually the commander, then start to think like one. Your medic there," She points to Hannalore, "Said that you were heading to the communications room. That is on the way to the engineering room. Since I have the authority to take command of a group of soldiers when I am on a mission, I have assumed command of this group. After you have gotten me into the communications room, which by the way is only two soldiers trying to get into it right now to destroy it, then you can go back to being the thoughtless leader of this group."
Glaring at Summer Za'cha waited for the 'commander' to say something to dispute what she had just said.
"You think that you can tell us apart? Many have tried, but then again, many have failed. What do you think the price for that is?" The Three Sisters Lylie-governess to a child of the first plain "You grew up. Thats a shame. The carousel never stops turning. You cant get off either. Its a shame."
Summer turned again to the woman. "One, Xi'ku and I happen to be good friends and the threat was an idle one meant to get him to his feet. He knows this, I have more respect for him than that. Two, this isn't some random group of soilders with no command or little command. I have been given command and I am quite sure that I out rank you, so your right to authority means nothing to me. I have already offered to escort you to communications. Don't make me change my mind. I was not made a Commander for being thoughtless, I was made so because I have prooven myself to be worthy of it. I have prooven myself time and time againg able to judge situations and keep a cool head about things, now unless you want to blow up I suggest we move." She walks past Za'che addresses her team.
"We will be heading to the engine room now. If communications is on the way we will allow Miss Sop’tolome access. We head out, Now."
Walking to the commander, "Under Normal cermstances, Yes you would aout rank me but as of right now, in this case you do not outrank me, Commander. You should know this already you being a commander. As for this situation I out rank you. Your command is relived untill your group gets me into the communications room." Za'cha explained were talking to a small child. "Then you can procced. Besides if the engine room is going to blow up, I can make it so that it won't. I am a bomb and communication specialist. I am responsible for stoping explosions and for getting messiges out." She looks to the rest of the group.
"You think that you can tell us apart? Many have tried, but then again, many have failed. What do you think the price for that is?" The Three Sisters Lylie-governess to a child of the first plain "You grew up. Thats a shame. The carousel never stops turning. You cant get off either. Its a shame."
Xi'ku had awoken a good three or four minutes ago in the middle of what sounded like an argument...but between whom? Xi'ku decided he was going to stay put awhile...for recon reasons. Yes...recon of this new voice to see if she was hostile or not. If this new mission happend to help by providing a few moments of additional rest then so be it.
Everybody wins.
The now slightly less then extatic keshian then heard something about his tail, the commander's foot and an explosion. Xi'ku imidiately decided that his recon was finished and that he had accumulated enough info for a proper introduction. Even though Xi'ku knew to stay out of his friends way when it came to ranking issues, he also when Summer Klecht only respected Summer Klecht's authority in...stressful...situations.
It was that time again.
"Forgive my ignorance, it seems I have not fully gasped the situation." said Xi'ku pulling himself off the floor.
"Though I am sure that our path lies toward our shared rejectives."
"4) Lastly, there were some video games that also weakened the MMMG. Most of these games were played at John's house be they video game or rpg." -Celest
"Damn you, Big Brother. Damn you." -Curulambe
"I was told our base was for the Black Man." - batman
"Thank you for join us again Xi'ku. We are making our way to the engine room now." She said glancing over her shoulder at her friend. She was trying her best to maintain control of her emotions. The other Keshian seemed to have very little understanding for authority not to mention the situation. Offering to defuse a bomb. Good grief. So she has experience with explosives. Bombs and overloading engines are two very different things even if the do result in the same thing. This one doesn't work with others much. Any opposition she would face on her way to the com room we will face on our way to the engine room, so we will have to take them out no matter what our destination is. I'm tired of arguing, we are wasting time.
She continues moving forward. "Let's go every one. We have no idea how little time we have."
