Post by: Hanslanda on October 03, 2014, 05:31:28 pm
First Assignment
Lillian Helsbrecht stood at attention in the small waiting lobby. She was an inch over five feet, and on a good day she weighed one hundred and ten pounds. Her hair was black and close cropped, a nice complement to her naturally tan skin. She was pretty in the right light when she smiled, but she was currently displaying a blank, emotionless mask.
The door leading further into the building opened, and a severe looking man who looked to be in his late fifties stepped out. He simply said, "Miss Helsbrecht, you may enter now." And retreated back within the door. Lillian followed him within, and he led to her a well-worn office with several thick folders in stacks on a rickety old desk. There were two metal folding chairs set out, and the man sat down without ceremony. Lillian sat down and tried to keep the excitement from her face.
The man opened a folder and paged through it. He finally took out a small wafer of metal and plastic and closed the folder. Silently, he put it before Lillian on the desk, and added a sheaf of papers to the offering. Lillian reverently touched the Identification Card, but took the papers first. She eagerly read through them to find her first assigned post.
Her benefactor broke the silence as she read, "You are being transferred to a Research Facility. Space Station 13, to be specific. Your account here will continue to accrue funds, and you will have on-station credit to purchase anything you might want. Welcome to Nanotrasen's Space Station crew, Miss Helsbrecht."
Lillian finally found her voice, "Thank you, Commander Wright. Thank you so much. I'll make Nanotrasen proud, sir." She picked up the ID card, and pinned it proudly to her lapel...
---
Intermission
---
Post by: KingofstarrySkies on October 03, 2014, 05:41:34 pm
Post by: Hanslanda on October 03, 2014, 06:11:17 pm
First day on the job
Lillian fidgeted happily. She kept rubbing the red piping on her black jumpsuit, making sure it was real. Every so often, she'd toy with the ID card pinned to her lapel. Her new boots fit perfectly, which was a relief. The shuttle rumbled a little, and there was a clang as magnetic docking clamps sealed. She could hear hissing from the airlocks as an atmosphere was established between the two vessels, then the doors opened.
She stood up and took her first step onto a space station. A man in a blue Head of Personnel jumpsuit was standing by the Arrivals Security Checkpoint with a clipboard and a frustrated look on his face. Lillian smiled and waved, and he beckoned her over. "I'm Lillian Helsbrecht, the new Security Officer. You must be Brandon Flickenger, Head of Personnel?"
He nodded distractedly, "Yeah. You know the layout?"
Lillian was a little startled but she nodded. "Yes sir. I've been studying blueprints of the station. You lot can't possibly get much trouble out here though, right?"
Brandon shook his head, sharply, once. "Not usually, no. But today the Clown is pissing me right the fuck off." He touched the door to the Checkpoint and it opened to reveal a Secure Locker. "Get geared up and find Sprinkles the Clown. Can't miss him. Big red nose, honking, big shoes. The whole stupid fucking bit." He pulled out his PDA as it vibrated furiously, and he sighed. "Crap. I gotta go deal with some assistants. Don't forget to check in on the Security Channel." He strode off as Lillian shrugged.
She did as she was told, and put on a pair of Security HUDglasses and grabbed a security belt, buckling it on. Then she filled it with chemical deterrent, a few pairs of cuffs, a telescopic baton, a taser, and a Mark V Electronic Shock-Maul. She slipped on the armored security vest hanging in the locker, and closed and locked it. With a touch, she opened the door out of the Checkpoint.
"HONK." Lillian jumped back in fright from the door, as it filled with the bulky form of Sprinkles the Clown.
Sprinkles was a big man, under all the make up, ridiculous hair, hideous outfit, and oversized shoes, and Lillian was a small woman, even wearing armor and with a belt full of torture implements. Lillian immediately regained her composure and reacted with cold anger. "God damn it, you scared the fuck out of me. I get that your job is to be funny, but you really shouldn't surprise Security officers like that."
Sprinkles cocked his head to one side, and honked again.
Lillian noticed something at that point. Sprinkles was dripping. When he saw her gaze shift, he whipped his hand behind his back. Lillian's insides went cold for a second, and immediately she took out the Shock-Maul. "Listen. Sprinkles. Whatever is in your hand, and whatever you are thinking about doing, you might ought to take a step back and re-examine your options." She mentally took her own advice as Sprinkles shook his head and advanced a step into the Checkpoint. She back away, pushing a rolling chair at Sprinkles suddenly and activating her headset with an eyeblink, "CLOWN IN ARRIVALS, REINFORCEMENTS REQUESTED."
Sprinkles was quick. He jumped over the chair, his oversized shoes making a surreal honk as he landed and lunged at her. His bulk slammed into her, and she felt something stabbing into her armor. It had been a blade in his hand. Half of a pair of scissors. Lillian slammed the Shock Maul down on his spine, hard, and he grunted. He backed up, still wrapped around her midsection, still trying to stab her, and slammed her into the wall again.
Lillian felt all her breath leave her with a great chuff, and she remembered why she was losing. With a satisfying crackle, the Shock-Maul lit up, visible electricity appearing for a moment around the weapon-head. She jabbed it into Sprinkle's side, and he seized up and convulsed as electricity pumped into his body. Lillian pushed him back and down, sending the chair flying as he collided with it. He started to sit up, but Lillian brought the maul back around and cracked him in the face with it. He started shaking and twitching, but still fought to rise.
Lillian backed up, reaching down to her abdomen. The crude blade was still lodged in her armor firmly, it's tip having penetrated enough to leave a small gash on her flank. She pulled it out and dropped it. Sprinkles rolled onto one side, and pulled himself half up using the desk next to him. Lillian grimaced and said, "Alright, goddamn it. You either get down on the ground and get cuffed or I'm going to assume you're a lethal threat."
He paused in his quest to rise, almost stunned by her words, and said, "Are you fucking stupid, bitch? I just tried to stab you."
Lillian smiled sweetly, "I know, but I just wanted YOU to say it so there was no doubt." She leveled her taser at his face and pulled the trigger.
---
This story is multi-part. I will post the next part soon. I hope. My friends are coming over so I might be busy for awhile.
Post by: Octobomb on October 03, 2014, 06:15:55 pm
Post by: Cheedows on October 03, 2014, 06:56:47 pm
Post by: Dack_Janiels on October 03, 2014, 07:08:58 pm
Post by: KingofstarrySkies on October 03, 2014, 07:09:44 pm
Post by: werty892 on October 03, 2014, 07:19:20 pm
Post by: Glloyd on October 03, 2014, 09:23:03 pm
Lillian finally found her voice, "Thank you, Commander Wright. Thank you so much. I'll make Nanotrasen proud, sir." She picked up the ID card, and pinned it proudly to her lapel...
;)
Post by: Cheedows on October 03, 2014, 09:58:07 pm
Lillian finally found her voice, "Thank you, Commander Wright. Thank you so much. I'll make Nanotrasen proud, sir." She picked up the ID card, and pinned it proudly to her lapel...
;)
I can only dream of meeting THE JAY.
Post by: KingofstarrySkies on October 03, 2014, 10:03:11 pm
Post by: Cheedows on October 03, 2014, 10:18:04 pm
I've met 'im. Couple of times, actually. S-COM, usually. Depends.
Nah, I was joking. I've met him a lot when Glloyd played him regularly. Turtlenecks are life.
Post by: Aedel on October 03, 2014, 11:24:05 pm
Most of my security characters I play regularly have. Only Ali hasn't.
Post by: Hanslanda on October 04, 2014, 12:59:31 am
---
Lillian unplugged her taser from the charger with a sigh, looking at the bound and buckled Sprinkles. She tried the Security radio one more time, but didn't get a response. So she decided to go take a look for herself. Lillian grabbed the back of the chair and started dragging Sprinkles along, towards the Security wing. The whole time, he was muttering curses and ranting about class warfare.
When Lillian arrived, she found that the emergency Secure Shutters on all the brig cells were shut. The doors had been blown open by crudely fashioned explosives, it seemed. Lillian put one foot on the side of the chair and gave it a solid kick, propelling Sprinkles through the shattered gateway and into the Security wing.
A barrage of laser fire stippled his body, stealing the deranged Clown's life with a flash of intense heat. Lillian tightened her grip on her taser, and started moving forwards. She kept low and close to the wall, trying to stay in the shadows. As she neared the doorway, the unseen gunman had moved up on the dead clown. As she rounded the corner, taser ready, he realized the ruse and turned, energy pistol primed and aimed.
Axl Blyant and Lillian Helsbrecht stood three feet apart, guns aimed at each other. Lillian saw the accoutrements of a Head of Security, but didn't lower her gun. Axl relaxed fractionally when he saw her. "You're loyalty implanted. Thank fuck." He murmured, bringing his gun down to waist level.
Lillian nodded at the clown, "So Head of Security can just murder people now for invading the brig, eh?" Her gun was unwavering, still aimed at Axl's face. He looked at the clown and shook his head ruefully.
"Listen, ma'am. I haven't got time to explain why I did it, but we've got a serious fucking situation on our hands here. Brandon is a fucking bureaucratic airhead, and he's missing all the signs, but we've got a mutiny on our hands." Axl looked around one last time and slipped his pistol into a shoulder holster that was concealed by his armored greatcoat. "The Captain's been abusing his authority and there's something of a volatile element in the crew, mainly the Cargo and Research people. We've only got one Engineer that caused any problems, but the others have captured our Captain's bodyguard and are threatening to kill him."
Lillian shook her head disbelievingly, "Why am I not hearing about this on the radio?"
Axl turned a withering, pitying look on Lillian. "Because straight-radio is down. The engineer that turned? He trashed Telecommunications. All we've got are Station bounced and intercoms."
Lillian sighed and lowered her gun. "Alright. So where do we go looking for these kidnappers?"
Axl shrugged, and gestured for her to follow. She followed him into the Warden's office, then the Armory. Inside was a dead Security Officer, his skull a shattered mess of meat, and a gutshot Forensic Technician with a riot shotgun. He aimed the gun unsteadily at Axl for a moment, then sighed. "Hey boss. Found us some backup? I-" He coughed, and the cough turned into a full body spasm of agony. After a moment, he regained control of himself and continued, "I was watching on cameras, and I think I saw Quatermaster Leech taking the Captain into Maintenance near Atmospherics."
Lillian was listening raptly when a laser gun was roughly thrust into her hands. It was a Mil-Spec 535nm high-yield laser rifle, with a full charge. She slipped the strap over one shoulder and let it dangle by her left flank as Axl and the Tech discussed tactics.
"I really need medical attention. Trey might be a fucking lunatic by our standards, but he's a miracle worker. I won't make it much longer without help."
"Well, we need to rescue the Blueshield too. We fought off their first attack, we need to keep them on the backfoot with a counter attack."
Lillian frowned and said, "Axl, why don't you take this guy to get help? I don't have Medical Access and I am expendable, whereas you are NOT." She gestured at the dead officer. "And besides, if I go down, you need to get out of here and call in a Response Team, right?"
Axl narrowed his eyes and squared his shoulders, "Are you implying my team isn't up to our job?"
Lillian smiled and nodded slightly. "I'll be south of Atmospherics, sir. I expect you to join me as soon as you are done in the Medical Bay."
---
Lillian shined the big Maglite down the corridor, following a boot print made by a boot covered in motor oil. Oddly enough, the stride passed through a door, then turned abruptly into a wall, like the walker had stepped directly into the wall. Lillian shined her light on the wall for a moment, thinking, then she pushed gently with her free hand.
At first it resisted, but then the wall slid free into a recessed housing and Lillian pushed open the hidden door. Inside was a small room, filled with a variety of implements that could be used to administer what might generously be referred to as surgery. With his back to her was a Miner in a full hardsuit, standing over a black and blue uniformed Blueshield who was covered in blood.
Leech, the miner, was speaking quietly, and holding a screwdriver. "They ain't gonna find you, motherfucker. And even if they did, ain't no cloning gonna fix what I do to you. You dying here today, man."
The Blueshield looked up, past the Miner, his face beaten so badly that one eye was swollen shut. Lillian thumbed the Fire Mode lever from Safe to Lethal - Rapid Fire on the laser rifle, and held it casually pointed at Chase Leech. He turned his head, and she wondered how he knew she was there even in that hardsuit. "Hello officer, I just found this man and was providing assistance."
Leech started to turn, bringing out a gun, but Lillian fired first. Her shot took Leech's right elbow and transformed it into a modern art piece about the frailty of human existence. He dropped the gun he had, and the beleaguered Blueshield shimmied on his back, grabbing the solid-round pistol with his hand-cuffed hands. Leech was screaming in agony, and Lillian kept the gun pointed at him as she moved into the room, uncuffing the Blueshield.
He stood, and a presence filled the room. "Comrade Helsbrecht. Comrade Kuznetsov. There is no need for you to fight us. We could all work together, for the Greater Good..."
Lillian turned to face... An old man in hooded black robes, loosely holding an obsidian rod with one hand. He nodded at her curtly, then continued speaking, "I am Dimitri Bolshevik, and I wish to offer you a chance not many are given. I am offering you the chance to choose your own future. Not to persist under the thumb of some Mega-Corporation."
He moved into the already small room as Chase sank to the floor, falling into shock. Dimitri kept a safe distance from the two armed crew, instead checking Chase's pulse gently. He said, "I think you will find that our dear Captain Johnson is a megalomaniac, a fool, and a danger to this station. Please just give me a reasonable chance."
Behind him, a Cargo Technician and a Scientist flanked the doorway armed with strange, updated revolver-tasers.
Lillian held her gun loosely, and said, "Listen, I'm all for peace and understanding and free love, but things have gone a bit far. The clown tried to rape and murder me earlier, and Chase was about to murder this poor guy. Let's all just go to the brig and get things sorted out."
The Cargo Tech raised his gun, and Lillian reacted. She fired two shots, one flash-frying the Cargo-Tech's face, the next sparking harmlessly off the wall next to the scientist. Dimitri stood unmoving, still holding his symbol of office, as gunfire went off around him.
After a few moments of gunfire, the Blueshield and both revolutionaries were dead, and Lillian was uninjured, as was Dimitri. She turned to point her gun at him, and he smiled coldly, his dark eyes intense and brooding. "Miss Helsbrecht, you appear to have made a tactical mistake. This isn't a gunfight..."
The Null Rod lashed out, catching the laser rifle in the middle and knocking it flying. Lillian whipped out a metal cylinder about five inches long and maybe an inch in diameter, and flicked her wrist. The metal collapsed out, forming a medium-length baton of hard steel. She swept her baton across, deflecting Dimitri's first swing, but he body-checked her as she recovered.
Lillian fell to the ground and Dimitri lashed out with his Null Rod. She raised an arm to block and the bone snapped with a gruesome crunch as Dimitri broke her arm. He raised his Null rod again, and Lillian fell back, too weak to fight, as it descended towards her face.
---
To be continued
---
Post by: Mimidormi on October 04, 2014, 02:38:40 am
I'll never forget the first time I met Lillian. I was in the chemistry lab, when she showed up at the counter, smiled sweetly, and nonchalantly demanded 'Thermite.'. That was just the beginning...
Good times.
Post by: KingofstarrySkies on October 04, 2014, 11:58:25 am
A CALAMITY!?
Post by: Hanslanda on October 04, 2014, 02:33:29 pm
Dimitri brought the Rod down, but when he hit Lillian, she was surprised at how little force was behind it, and then he crumpled into her, smoke rising from his back.
Axl Blyant stood in the doorway with a smoking gun in hand. Lillian started to sit up and say something grateful, but as she did she put her broken arm down, using it like she would at any time. It folded as she pressed up, and her cry of jubilation turned to a scream of agony. Axl took one look at the charnel house, swept through quickly and gathered all the weapons from the corpses, putting them into Chase's big Industrial duffle bag. Then he wordlessly helped Lillian up, wrapping her broken arm around his neck and lifting by her shoulder with his.
Lillian leaned against the support gratefully, trying not to cry out when she was jostled or they bumped a wall in the dark. Quickly, Axl found a maintenance door and led them into the main halls of the station. He continued to half-carry her down the hall, and they started passing more and more signs of violence.
The duo rounded a corner to come face to face with three crewmen covered in blood, standing around what appeared to be the corpse of someone who was once a Chief Engineer. They turned as Axl and Lillian came around the corner. There was a tense moment of expectant silence, then Axl and Lillian opened fire.
There was no mercy or question of fire mode. Just a flurry of laser fire and the thumps and thuds of falling bodies.
The two Security team members got to the Medbay, to find a gruesome scene. Shell casings littered the lobby, and the doors had been blasted open. A few bodies lay scattered around, including a nurse slumped at the Receptionist's desk. Inside the blasted doors was a trail of blood leading to the injured Forensic Tech, now very nearly dead. Several bodies lay before him, and his hand was death-gripped on an emptied .45 automatic handgun. It kept clicking as he convulsively pulled the trigger, but the slide remained locked open on nothing.
Axl leaned Lillian against a wall, and moved to the Tech's aid. "No... No, I'm done boss. Get the fuck out of here." He paused to cough up the obligatory spatter of blood. "They've got the Captain. Brandon is nowhere to be found. Just get out of here..." His gaze slowly grew more glassy, and he deliberately leaned, falling onto his side.
Lillian watched Axl as he coldly patted the Tech down for weapons or ammo, then turned to pick Lillian back up. She said, "That's it...? You're not gonna... Say something?"
He shook his head. "Not right now. Guy's dead. I'll get back to him after every last one of them is dead." He casually lifted her back up, and they moved into Medbay. He injected her with pain medication and then splinted the bone. They both started moving to the Escape wing. As they neared the doors, the middle door hissed open and a fit man in the uniform of a Geneticist stepped through, followed by a pair of Cargo Technicians. They all carried guns and wore body armor.
Behind Axl and Lillian, an Unathi stepped out of a side corridor, an energy gun in it's black-scaled hand. "You are surrounded." The Geneticist said. "Just step inside escape and we'll all talk. The Captain is there."
They were escorted inside, where the Captain was bound and buckled in a chair in the middle of the room. The other chairs had been scooted back to make room, like some sort of event was going on. Captain Kert Johnson was divested of most of the trappings of rank, and was covered in his own blood. He'd been beaten near to death, and was currently wheezing bloodily.
Marcus Junius Brutus, the Geneticist, motioned for Lillian and Axl to stand next to the Captain as three scientists came into the room from the Vault wing, taser-revolvers at their waists, and joined the gathered revolutionaries.
Lillian looked down the barrel of multiple guns, wondering how long before they just shot the three of them and got it over with. Beside her, Axl shifted, moving his coat subtly. He addressed Marcus as he pulled something slowly and carefully out of a pocket. "Marcus, this is your one warning. All crew are to surrender to my custody or face the threat of lethal force."
Marcus laughed, pointing his laser at Captain Johnson's head. "Who is going to shoot me? You? You're covered by half a crew of guns, outnumbered, with no cover. No options." He fired a single shot, and Captain Johnson slumped lifelessly. It punctuated his speech more than any words could.
Axl brought the item to his head with one hand, and slipped on...
Earmuffs.
Inside his other pocket, his free hand dropped the spoon from a primed Flashbang, and he tossed it directly at Marcus. It exploded forcefully about halfway to it's intended target, a supernova bright flare of harsh white light and an ear shattering BANG that conspired to absolutely devastate human sensory perception. Lillian and several of the revolutionaries were protected from the worst of the flash by their sunglasses, but only Axl had partial protection from both the sound and the light. He dived forward, slinging the industrial duffle full of guns open and scattering them all across the floor while he snatched his pistol free.
Axl came up out of his roll as Lillian and the others had just started to draw their guns, his aim unimpeded and unhurried, but swift and precise. His first shot drilled into a scientist's eye, searing his brain. The second shot took a Cargo Technician in the throat and dropped him like a sack of grain.
Lillian fired a second later, as did two of the enemy. Lillian tracked four shots up the torso of the second Cargo Technician, then turned to fire on a scientist as he shifted his aim to her. His shot took her in the shoulder, a lightning bolt-like arc of electricity blasting her wounded arm's shoulder and causing her to nearly black out in pain. Her shot flash-fried the top of his head off.
Axl was moving forwards as the three remaining enemy's returned fire. The Unathi was charging forwards, toward Lillian, firing blindly, while Marcus was bellowing something and taking aim at Axl. His shots and the shots of the final scientist finally succeeded in finding Axl's flesh. The stunvolver blast was mostly absorbed by the armorweave in Axl's clothing, but the deadly laser Marcus had fired drilled a hole right though it and into Axl's gut. Axl fired one shot as he ran, and it missed as Marcus dove for cover behind a chair. He dropped the gun and brought out his telescopic baton as he came into proximity to the enemy.
His step hadn't faltered with the laser shot, and as Marcus rose and the scientist brought his aim around, Axl moved in. He brought the baton around high, then swept low, catching the scientist in the side of the knee with a hideous crack. The man started to fall back and to the side, and Axl followed through. His baton rose up the opposite direction, then came back in a figure eight movement, catching the man on the back of the neck as he fell. There was a muted pop, and the man never moved again.
Lillian, meanwhile, emptied her two remaining shots into the Unathi's chest, but it bullrushed into her, knocking her down and bringing the combat back to melee. Lillian tried to plant one foot on it's chest as she fell, and pulled on it's shoulders, lifting it up onto her foot, then throwing it over her as she rolled on her back. The surprised Reptilian found itself scattering an assortment of chairs in a very painful and undignified crash.
As the Unathi scrambled to it's feet, Lillian took a more direct route. She grabbed a gun from the ground while still lying on her back, and emptied it's clip into the top of the Unathi's head as it tried to rise. This time it did not shrug off the laserfire. She turned to see Axl and Marcus in combat.
Well, sort of.
Axl dodged a jab from Marcus, then swept to one side under a right hook. As Axl came back up and around, Marcus threw the first jab again, but with weaker leverage, his body moving forwards and not prepared. Axl leaned back ever so slightly, and the blow stopped naturally due to lack of reach, right in front of his face.
Axl's counter swing brought the baton up under Marcus's ribs on the left side, shattering two into deadly bone shards. Marcus made a chuffing noise, and started to fold around the blow, but Axl was still moving. He brought the baton back and across Marcus's jawline with an audible crack. Marcus fell, blood running from his face.
Axl stood panting as Lillian pulled herself to her feet with the help of a nearby chair. Lillian was in agony from the taser blast, her broken arm, and numerous minor injuries from the scuffle, but she still had the strength to say, "You have GOT to teach me how to do that..."
---
>Write up huge post.
>COMPUTER FAIL.jpeg
>Restart
>Ohfuckohfuck lost everyth-
>"Restore session? Y/N?"
>Thank you IE. You did something right for once.
Post by: Hanslanda on October 04, 2014, 06:56:28 pm
Post by: Nienhaus on October 04, 2014, 06:57:29 pm
Captain Kert Johnson was divested of most of the trappings of rank, and was covered in his own blood. He'd been beaten near to death, and was currently wheezing bloodily.The name's Kert Jonson mate. Also I would never be captain your story is false.
Also
(http://i.imgur.com/nuyBCno.png)
Your local HoP is here.
Post by: Cheedows on October 04, 2014, 07:05:46 pm
By the way, something that would help me with this is if you all gave me physical and personality descriptions of your characters, and what job you 'see' them as. Lillian has ALWAYS been Head of Security Helsbrecht in my mind, and Zackary will ALWAYS be Captain Zackary Fryer.
Are you implying we can request to be a part of the glory?
Post by: Dack_Janiels on October 04, 2014, 08:42:58 pm
By the way, something that would help me with this is if you all gave me physical and personality descriptions of your characters, and what job you 'see' them as. Lillian has ALWAYS been Head of Security Helsbrecht in my mind, and Zackary will ALWAYS be Captain Zackary Fryer.
Brandon Flickenger here, even though I'm in the story already I would just like to say he isnt very bureaucratic at all. That Egun in the HOP locker has saved many a life.
Post by: KingofstarrySkies on October 04, 2014, 09:01:55 pm
WHYBy the way, something that would help me with this is if you all gave me physical and personality descriptions of your characters, and what job you 'see' them as. Lillian has ALWAYS been Head of Security Helsbrecht in my mind, and Zackary will ALWAYS be Captain Zackary Fryer.
Are you implying we can request to be a part of the glory?
I THINK HE IS
Spoiler: CHARACTER (click to show/hide)
Post by: werty892 on October 04, 2014, 09:28:24 pm
Love everything about your story so far, you make people dancing around shooting each other sound interesting.
Post by: Cheedows on October 04, 2014, 09:35:38 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Hanslanda on October 05, 2014, 11:09:03 am
I reserve the right to abuse your characters in any fashion I see fit. This means I get the final decision on your personality, biography, and physical description. :P You're just providing me with extremely valuable input. Also, this story might get pretty graphic. I'm being realistic, whereas in-game we have some pretty strenuous rules about some things that keep things family friendly. Any posts that might offend someone or bring up bad memories or something will be appropriately marked.
I will post an update today around 330pm. It is currently 11am in my timezone at the time of this post.
Post by: Hanslanda on October 05, 2014, 11:24:41 pm
Post by: KingofstarrySkies on October 05, 2014, 11:26:44 pm
YOU LIED TO US
YOU WILL PAY WITH BLOOD
Post by: Hanslanda on October 06, 2014, 10:53:09 am
All I can hope for is the torture session that me (Lily Caukwell) and Hans got up to. One of my favourite Hans moments.
We actually managed to get several cultists, there. And one randomer who had bad luck. It was even better when Hans was spaced without a suit or oxygen and came back even more pissed off.
That was Zackary Fryer. :P
Post by: Prudent Viper on October 06, 2014, 10:56:22 am
Post by: Hanslanda on October 06, 2014, 11:58:35 am
Tangled Skein
Lillian put the final touches on the knot on her boot, then stood up and tugged at the edges of her armor where it had ridden up when she'd crouched. Her arm had healed nicely and quickly, and though she had a short scar on her flank now from the knife-wound, it had also healed without incident.
She slung on a black webbing vest this time, and slid a crowbar, a station bounced radio, a pair of earmuffs, a flashbang, and an extra pair of handcuffs into the pockets and catches. She looked over the table in the Security Muster Area at Jericho Delagrad, her first shift partner in Security, alongside Axl Blyant, who was long-standing Head of Security on 13, and the (recently replaced) Forensic Technician Malachi Kelly. They were standing around with coffee and donuts, chatting about solid-state weapons over energy weapons.
Jericho said, "Yeah, I like me a good shotgun, but you can't argue with the perfect accuracy and precise lethality of a good laser rifle."
Axl smiled and said, "I tend to agree with Jericho, on-station at least." He started ticking points off his fingers, "Lasers fire in space, through windows, and they don't cause hull breaches unless you act like an idiot. The wounds they leave don't bleed hardly at all, and most armor only absorbs the initial blast, not the radiating heat. Even if you're wearing armor, it will scorch a large patch of flesh."
Malachi nodded sagely, and said, "I'll agree with all these points. Let me make some of mine. Bullets stay in the wound, causing additional damage after the first wound. They break, tear, and shred vital internal organs, bones, and blood vessels. They DO make you bleed, which is good for tracking and stuff. And most guns fire in space, but they have a higher tendency to jam. I'll concede that point to you. But you only have to hit someone ONCE with a bullet in space, as it will rupture their suit."
Lillian smiled and said, "Alright, what about melee weapons. Shock-Maul or Telebaton?"
Axl said, "Telebaton." While Jericho and Malachi simultaneously said, "Shock-Maul." They looked at each other and also simultaneously said, "Jinx. Fuck. Hey!" Everyone dissolved into laughter for moment, then Axl wiped his grin off and said, "Alright, kids, let's get to work. Shift starts now. Jericho, go wander around Medbay and RnD. Watch out for the new clown. He's got a good repertoire of tricks. Lillian, go watch Cargo, Atmospherics, and Engineering. Malachi, stay here in Security when you can. We need someone to man the desk. I'll be wandering the core of the station, the Bridge, and the Escape Wing. Stay safe, use your gorram radio, and check in on your interval or I'll kick your ass myself."
---
Two hours later, Lillian was wandering the halls still, strongly considering some Cheesie Honkers, when she turned the corner to be face-to-lower-rib-cage with an absolutely enormous man, with an even more enormous... Bright orange afro.
She looked up. And up. And up. And he looked down. "Hi." He said warmly. "I'm Axel."
Lillian nodded, "I'm Lillian Helsbrecht. Nice to meet you, Axel." She took a step back so she wasn't craning her neck to look at him. "You're the largest man I think I've ever met."
"Yeah. I was always bigger than other people." He shrugged eloquently. "Genetics."
Lillian nodded again, feeling like a bobble-head. "You're a Cargo Tech, huh?" She said, indicating his rank indicators and jumpsuit color. He nodded back, the top of his afro brushing against one of the long fluorescent lights in the ceiling.
"Yep. It's me, about four other new Cargo hires, and the Quartermaster. He's a bit of a jerk, so once I finished moving all the crates, I volunteered for scav-duty." His rounded, ruddy features beamed happily.
Lillian cocked her head curiously, "What's scav-duty?"
"Oh, there's always lots of crates left in Maintenance, or in Engineering closets and stuff. We get reimbursed for returning them to Central Command, so we have to go out and collect them. I'm the only one that can just pick up and carry three empty crates, so QM likes it when I do it." Axel said proudly.
Lillian's eyes widened behind her Sec-HUDglasses, but she smiled outwardly. "Wow. Those crates are pretty heavy, you know." A little bit of data scrolled across her HUD. "... An empty metal crate like NT uses usually weighs like eighty pounds. And you can just. Carry around three of them."
Axel nodded. "That's good right?"
Lillian opened her mouth to reply when her headset crackled, "This is Jericho. I've got... I've got something here. Maintenance between Medbay and RnD, Junction 21C, the storage room near there. Oh. Please fucking hurry, I'm creeped the fuck out."
"Change your panties, Officer Delagrad. You are a trained Se-" Axl was, astonishingly, cut off right then.
"Respectfully, sir, fuck you. You aren't seeing this. Get. The. Fuck. Down. Here. For. The. Love. Of. God." A pregnant silence filled the radio, and Lillian waved at Axel, then turned and ran. She was a good runner, and very proud of it. Back on Antioch, she'd run in marathons on occasion, and ran or walked everywhere. She passed the Central hallway, then entered a Maintenance shaft.
She brought out her sec-lite, running in the darkness, reading wall-signs as she passed. She came around a corner to see light at the next bend, and she could hear familiar voices. She kept running, drawing her taser. She skidded around the corner, and to an abrupt halt at the sight before her.
Axl and Jericho stood in one corner of the storage closet. In the other corner were three lockers, each one opened to reveal three... Corpses. They were recognizable as human remains, but that was the extent of their familiarity. Each one was dried out, dessicated. Almost mummified. Jericho jumped a little as she turned the corner, but Axl just waved her over.
Lillian's PDA pinged suddenly. She flushed, embarrassed, but Axl waved at her again. "Go ahead. They aren't going anywhere, and we all need a minute. I gotta go back to Security to get Malachi. You two rope off this area and I'll tell the Captain to tell all Maintenance crew to avoid this area on pain of chemical mace." He started to turn, then looked back, "Those bodies... They're fresh. Within a few days at least."
Jericho said, "How do you know that?" As Lillian opened her messages and checked it. It was Axel. 'hay hope u rnt mad at me 4 some raisn. U seem nice. :)'
Lillian replied, 'No, no. I was njoyin the talk but work called. I'll TTYL when this is done. It's FREAKY!!! Keep out of Maint in Sections 19b-22e'
'kk thnx'
Axl was saying, "Look at the blood at the bottom of the lockers." Then he vanished into the darkness.
---
Fifteen minutes later, Malachi was scanning the entire compartment with a portable Forensic Scanner. He worked swiftly and efficiently, taking pictures, making notations, stuffing items into evidence bags, and generally managing the crime scene. He was almost done, and Lillian and Jericho were grateful to be out of Maintenance soon, when a new light came around the corner.
"Officers, explain the situation." Captain Flickenger and his Blueshield came around the corner. He took one look at the bodies, and waved their explanations off. "Nevermind. I can see that no one is likely to know much about this before the tests are done." Behind him came two Medical Doctors. They waited patiently to one side with a bevy of body bags and a curious cart apparently designed to carry eight bodies on two racks of four. "Once Malachi gets his results and the autopsies are complete, then we'll all meet in the Head of Staff Meeting Room and discuss it. Officers, return to patrol. I'll stay with Malachi and the Doctors." He patted a laser pistol belted to his hip.
Lillian and Jericho walked away in the dark, swapping theories. "Maybe it was a Xenoarcheological artifact or something?" Lillian suggested.
Jericho shook his head. "Why would they be stacked all neat like that in maintenance then? Wouldn't they have been IN RnD somewhere?"
They came to a door, and Lillian opened it for Jericho. The Research Director Horatio Oppenheimer was walking by, a distracted look on his weathered face. He was a big man of about sixty years, with neatly combed white hair and a neatly buttoned labcoat. He passed almost completely by the pair of Officers before Jericho said, "Good morning sir. Can you take a look at my right arm later? It's been clicking again."
Horatio stopped, his eyes blank, and looked at Jericho. "Erm. What?"
Jericho eyed him curiously, "Uh, my arm. You know, it's been clicking again. When I rotate it at the shoulder. I need you to open it up and repair the actuator again."
Horatio nodded. "Right, of course. Sorry, I was thinking about my treatise on Deliberate Quantum Biological Interactions." Jericho nodded blankly, but Lillian cocked her head curiously.
"What is that?" She asked, somewhat blithely.
Horatio smiled warmly at her and said, "Well, you seem, at the quantum level, everything is different. It's so small that the normal laws of physics don't quite apply. I was specifically dealing with the fundamentals of Biology at that level, and how a sentient might consciously cause interactions at the quantum level. It has a vast variety of uses, if my theories are correct. From cellular regeneration to autonomic production of medicines or chem-"
Jericho said, "Whoa doc. We're cops. This sounds a little out of our league." He nudged Lillian. "We gotta get back on patrol anyways."
Horatio frowned, disappointed, but he nodded and carried on his way.
---
Post by: KingofstarrySkies on October 06, 2014, 02:24:25 pm
Quote
"Respectfully, sir, fuck you. You aren't seeing this. Get. The. Fuck. Down. Here. For. The. Love. Of. God."Hilariously, that sounds like something I'd say.
Post by: Cheedows on October 06, 2014, 03:09:07 pm
Post by: Dack_Janiels on October 06, 2014, 05:46:10 pm
Post by: Hanslanda on October 07, 2014, 08:55:54 am
Really? Oh bollocks. I thought that was Lillian.All I can hope for is the torture session that me (Lily Caukwell) and Hans got up to. One of my favourite Hans moments.
We actually managed to get several cultists, there. And one randomer who had bad luck. It was even better when Hans was spaced without a suit or oxygen and came back even more pissed off.
That was Zackary Fryer. :P
Still, torture sessions with Hans are fun in SS13.
I almost said it without the 'in SS13'. Unlike Hans' sadistic characters, I do not have a torture fetish.
I don't either, actually. It's just fun in-game because most people are squeamish as fuck about torture.
---
Lillian said, "Wanna trade sections for awhile, Jericho?" As Oppenheimer walked away.
Jericho shrugged. "Sure, I don't mind. Is Cargo behaving?"
Lillian nodded, "Yeah, met this big, strong motherfucker named Axel in Cargo. He can just pick up and carry three crates like it wasn't shit. Speaking of which..." She brought out her PDA and started tapping away at lightning speed. "I need to text him back. I'm gonna go chat up the doctors for awhile."
Jericho nodded and started off, saying, "Yeah, the eggheads in Research are all a little self-absorbed. I'll see ya, Lil."
Lillian nodded absent-mindedly and kept typing. 'Hey Axle, just got back on ptrl now, goin2med, wanna chat there?'
'BRT gotta mop stoerrom SYS'
'kk'
Lillian wandered into Medbay, where the Doctors from before were pushing the cart laden with corpses into the autopsy area. One doctor sat at the Receptionist's desk, peering over the rim of his glasses at a book and steadily demolishing a box of donuts. Lillian sauntered over and leaned down onto her elbows, holding her face up with her hands. "Whatcha dewin'?" She asked playfully.
The doctor smiled up at her quietly and said, "I'm reading Director Oppenheimer's treatise. It's on-"
"Deliberate Quantum Biological Interactions?" Lillian imitated Oppenheimer's deep intonations and steady manner.
The doctor nodded again with a rueful smile. "Pretty good at imitating him. I wouldn't let him hear you though, he might take offense. I'm Hector Petridis, by the way." He stood and held out one hand. Lillian slyly took it, kissed it, and curtsied.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Petridis. I am Lillian Helsbrecht." Hector's face flushed a bit when she kissed his knuckle, and he pulled it away, somewhat significantly rubbing his wedding ring. Lillian smiled and waved it off. "I'm just being playful. I like those quiet, intelligent types. I don't mean anything by it, I'm loyalty implanted."
Hector nodded. "Do they actually completely curtail your sex drive? I know the science is sound, but I find it hard to believe."
Lillian nodded briskly and gestured towards the autopsy room. "So is there somewhere I can watch that? I'm kind of curious how they died."
Hector nodded and pressed the lobby door button, letting Lillian into the Medbay proper. They went around a corner and entered an Observation room over the autopsy room. Hector pointed to a seat, then put his hand on Lillian's shoulder and said, "It was nice to meet you, Ms. Helsbrecht."
She nodded and smiled at him, then said, "Can you tell me if Axel shows up? He's a big guy with an orange fro in a cargo-tech uniform."
Hector nodded again and sealed the door behind him as he left.
---
Mini update. :P I'll get more going today, though. I'm off and I have time.
Post by: Kassire on October 07, 2014, 04:45:36 pm
Spoiler: Brayein Graye (click to show/hide)
Post by: Mimidormi on October 08, 2014, 01:32:02 am
the top of his afro brushing against one of the long fluorescent lights in the ceiling.New headcanon get.
Post by: Hanslanda on October 08, 2014, 08:47:16 am
---
Chief Medical Officer Dorian Fullwider leaned back in his chair, pleased that his Medical team was taking care of the Captain's orders so thoroughly. He kept one eye on the Vitals/Tracking display for all integrated jumpsuit sensors, idly. Runtime crept up and butted her head into his leg.
Dorian absent-mindedly reached down and started petting his cat. On the V/T display, something ticked lightly. He looked up at the sound, and saw that one of the Cargo Techs that were wandering maintenance had received from injurious trauma from a physical source. The readings were low though, and his vitals were fi-
They started spiking and jumping erratically. His heartbeat was steady, except for an oddly regular irregularity. Something else was pumping OUT of his heart in a different synchronization than his heartbeat. Dorian activated his headset, "Captain, Head of Security, we have a Cargo Technician showing odd symptoms in maintenance, north of the Vault. I'm going to go check it out, but I want some Security back up when I get there."
Without waiting for a reply, he snatched up his medical belt and ran out of the room. As it turned out, he was the nearest crewman to respond to the situation. He entered maintenance, running down the hall, the small penlight on his shoulder illuminating just enough for him to see by. He came to a corner, and heard a curious sound. Then, in the faintest whisper, "Please... Please don't kill me... Please..."
Dorian turned the corner, a personal defense Flashbulb in one hand, his PDA in the other, shining more light on the scene.
On the floor was the Cargo Technician, blooding seeping slowly out of a laceration on his forehead. Standing above him, somewhat crouched, was a dark figure in a firesuit. As Dorian came around the corner, the tech tried to shout, "Run!" but it came out as a rasping wheeze. The figure stood abruptly, and with a sucking noise, Dorian got a good clear look at what had been going on.
A three foot long proboscis tipped with vicious looking barbs was retracting into the fire-suit clad individual's clothing. Droplets of blood where it had been ripped free from the now-dead Technician's body pattered to the floor gently as the figure turned toward Dorian. Dorian raised the flash and put one finger to his headset to activate it. Halfway there, he saw a tiny... Dart? Shoot out of the figure, and it struck Dorian directly in the wrist.
Immediately his whole left side went tense, every muscle locking instantly. Dorian collapsed, trying to scream for help, but the numbness spread, forcing all his muscles to contract. He lay there, paralyzed and helpless, as the figure loomed over him. "Please..." Dorian whispered.
It was the last thing he ever said.
---
I want to write more right now but I'm so fuckin' exhausted.
Post by: Hanslanda on October 09, 2014, 08:05:56 am
Quote
Dorian raised the flash and put one finger to his headset to activate it.
Should be:
Quote
Dorian raised the flash and put one finger to his headset to activate the communications device.
Moving on.
---
Lillian watched the autopsies interestedly. The doctors were quick, efficient, and well practiced. They spoke aloud and the Observation Intercom played it for her.
"We have a puncture wound, mid-abdomen. Looks like it punched up and jabbed into the heart. Bleeder wound, though. Estimated death time, about two minutes."
"Scanner is showing no residual metals or other non-organic materials. We are picking up some strange DNA results in the wound, but it doesn't match any recorded DNA pattern to date."
"New xenomorphic parasite maybe? Or some sort of space-faring predator? We know Space Carp have some sort of natural predator that controls their population. Perhaps this is it's attack method?"
Lillian's headset crackled, "Lillian, proceeded north into maintenance and rendezvous with Chief Medical Officer Fullwider. Immediately." She sprang up as soon as she heard Axl's voice and exited the autopsy Observation room. As she came to the front desk and exited the triple-width doors, Hector and Axel both turned to look at her.
Axel asked, "What's wrong?"
Lillian eyed him contemplatively. "You got a hammer in that tool-belt?"
He shrugged, "Yeah, I got all kinds of stuff in there."
She nodded. "Can you show me into the maintenance sections north of the Vault?"
He nodded, and Hector looked back and forth between them. He said, "I'll watch you on the V/T monitors. You really concerned?" He looked down for a moment, and froze. Hector turned on his communications and said, "CMO Fullwider? CMO Fullwider?"
A moment with no response. Hector said, "He isn't showing on the sensors. He must have taken off his jumpsuit." Without a word, Lillian grabbed Axel's wrist and dragged him after her. Quickly, he took the lead and steered toward a dark maintenance door. It hissed open at their approach, and they entered the enveloping darkness at speed.
Lillian's seclite flared to life a moment later, and they hurried through unused sections of the station. Lillian shined her light into side rooms and checked lockers as they went, but they swept the area and found nothing. Axel turned to her, shrugging his big shoulders, "I don't know where they could have gone. It's not like they can just..."
His gaze settled on a pair of Optical Meson Scanners, sitting neatly on a small shelf incongruously placed in the middle of a long corridor. Axel pulled them on and activated them, then looked around for a moment. He said, "Follow me." And walked to a blank section of wall.
He pushed it lightly, and it held firm. Axel frowned, "I can see the mechanism is jammed. They didn't make this fake wall right. Hold on a second..." He dug out a crowbar, and edged it into a near-invisible seam in the wall. With a solid yank, he popped the fake wall apart, sending pieces clattering to the floor.
Lillian quietly took out her taser.
Axel took off the Meson Scanners and eyed the doorway warily. Lillian stepped through, shining her light around this hidden room. It was a large bar area, with a few small tables, a long bar along the far wall, and what appeared to be a dancing stage. The pair advanced into the room slowly, and Lillian settled her light on the booze locker. The only place to hide anything in this hidden chamber.
She stepped close, and traded her taser for a Shock-Maul. It sparked on, and she put one hand on the locker's handle. She looked back at Axel-
And screamed, dropping the baton and digging for her taser again. Axel jumped, nearly bashing his head off the ceiling, and turned, swinging reflexively. Dorian ducked under the swing, his immaculate baby-blue uniform swirling as he moved. He said, irritated, "I couldn't find that gorram Cargo Tech. Sorry. I had already moved to a different section and I got too caught up in searching to call the Captain and tell him. Doesn't mean you should hit me."
Lillian cussed vibrantly, and picked the baton back up. "We thought you were in trouble. I brought help, cuz I'm a little lady, even with the gun."
He nodded, bemused, "I appreciate the... Spirited response, but I am fine." He waved at the door. "What is this place? And can we get out of here? I'm getting creeped out."
Lillian nodded, and they filed out into the main corridor. They discussed the room and it's implications for awhile, then Lillian and Axel went back to Hector at the Medical Lobby. Hector waved them over, a strange look on his face. "The CMO's sensors came back on right after you lot entered that Unknown Area, whatever it was. His sensors came back on about ten feet behind Axel. Where ever he was and what ever he was doing, it was close. Real close. And he wasn't moving quick, his pulse was barely at 50 bpm. Highly unusual."
Lillian cocked her head, her face going a little pale. "I didn't open the locker. Oh fuck me. I let him get us out of there without checking the locker." She put one hand to her headset, "Arrest the Chief Medical Officer on suspicion of multiple murder, immediately."
Axel was quiet, but Hector said, "Lillian... It might have saved your life to not have opened the locker. We don't know what we're dealing with here. And the CMO has access to grenades, syringe guns, poisons, and all kinds of dangerous things."
Lillian nodded, but she said, "Still. I have to find out for sure. I just put a warrant on him." She waved at Axel, "Just stay here and watch the V/T with Hector. You know how to get ahold of Axl Blyant, yeah?" They nodded. "Good. I'll be right back."
"Stay safe!" Hector said.
Lillian ran. She burst into Maintenance, flashing her light around swiftly. Then she entered the hidden area, sprinting across it in a flash, and vaulting the bar to land right next to the locker. She swiftly swept her ID across it, and it unlocked...
Immediately spilling open to reveal two corpses.
Behind Lillian, she heard a pair of boots click softly against the steel of the floor...
Post by: Hanslanda on October 09, 2014, 09:47:57 am
Captain Flickenger stood in the darkness quietly. He was visibly unarmed, and Lillian looked around for the ever-present Blueshield. He was nowhere to be found. A little voice in the back of her head started whispering questions, and she asked, "Hello, sir... Can I help you?"
He nodded, stiffly. "Yes, Lillian Helsbrecht, you can."
She tensed, her hand tightening on the grip of the taser. "Well, sir. What do you need?"
He grinned, and it was eerie. Lillian fought back a whimper of fear as she stood amongst corpses and viewed his grin. He started taking slow steps to the left, circling towards the dancing stage. And speaking. "You see, Lillian. There's been a breakdown in Command and Control functions aboard this station. Attempted assassinations. In addition to these mass murders you've been investigating." He paused, in both gait and oration, for a moment, "I deeply appreciate your efforts, by the way. They've made my job much, much harder."
Lillian sighed a little as she heard confirmation, and she asked, "What do you mean, sir?"
Brandon smiled again, and it was different this time.
His teeth were longer.
"You see, Lillian... We get so hungry. It's so hard to control one's self when surrounded by such a bountiful harvest." He took a step closer, and Lillian hefted the Seclite gently, feeling it's weight. "Such wonderful creatures, humans are. So seldom do we find cattle suited quite so perfectly. Such a shame." He grinned one final time, and lunged.
Like a coiled snake, Brandon leapt the distance between them ferociously, his features distending monstrously. Lillian rolled under the bar door and sprint for the door, firing the taser over her shoulder as she went. She entered the maintenance shafts, and heard no pursuit, but kept running. She broke out of Maintenance with a grateful hiss of hydraulic doors, then heard something dreadful.
"All Security Personnel, detain Lillian Helsbrecht. This is a direct order from your Captain."
Post by: Dack_Janiels on October 09, 2014, 11:05:41 am
Post by: KingofstarrySkies on October 09, 2014, 11:36:55 am
Post by: Hanslanda on October 09, 2014, 01:28:52 pm
"Noted. I shall interce-" The reply from it's equal fellow was cut off by something of an altogether different feel. If the first creature's name worked out to Mr. Phi, this voice worked out to Lord and Master of All Shape.
"Silence. Helsbrecht has my protection, along with the others we agreed upon. You will obey, or I will consume you."
Silence reigned in the hivemind for a long moment, then Phi tentatively queried, "So how do I keep her off my back? She saw my shift-melt. She will tell Security."
"I don't care. Die and come back as someone you ate perhaps. Use your imagination. Discredit her. Do not harm her though."
A sullen silence fell, and the Lord withdrew from the psychic link. In the Escape Hallway, Mr. Phi grimaced inwardly as it's mind raced, trying to escape this sticky situation. It could defy the Lord and eat Helsbrecht regardless, but it would be a mistake. It's own power was formidable and terrifying, but the Lord was beyond anything it could contend with.
Worse yet, the Lord knew all the tricks, all the faces, all the hiding places.
Phi calmly settled on a plan, and walked toward the Security wing, guessing at what Lillian might try to do...
Post by: LordSlowpoke on October 09, 2014, 01:36:24 pm
regards, administration
ptw
Post by: Glloyd on October 09, 2014, 02:21:47 pm
Axel took off the Meson Scanners and eyed the doorway warily. Lillian stepped through, shining her light around this hidden room. It was a large bar area, with a few small tables, a long bar along the far wall, and what appeared to be a dancing stage.
I get the reference. Those were the days.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
EDIT: And I'm sure you recognize this Hans :P
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: MrWillsauce on October 09, 2014, 02:31:16 pm
The doctor nodded again with a rueful smile. "Pretty good at imitating him. I wouldn't let him hear you though, he might take offense. I'm Hector Petridis, by the way." He stood and held out one hand. Lillian slyly took it, kissed it, and curtsied.Hands off, you minx.
Post by: Hanslanda on October 09, 2014, 05:10:53 pm
Axel took off the Meson Scanners and eyed the doorway warily. Lillian stepped through, shining her light around this hidden room. It was a large bar area, with a few small tables, a long bar along the far wall, and what appeared to be a dancing stage.
I get the reference. Those were the days.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
EDIT: And I'm sure you recognize this Hans :PSpoiler (click to show/hide)
I am glad someone did. This whole story is going to be a huge continuity nod to past rounds. :P
Also, that second image? I should have died FIVE different ways during that explosion. And then probably another three afterwards. That big hole, with the Mech wreckage in the middle? Yeah, I was standing directly in the center of that. I lived. Then I got stungloved and left in space. I lived.
Zackary Fryer is one scary motherfucker. :P
Post by: Glloyd on October 09, 2014, 05:20:47 pm
Post by: Hanslanda on October 09, 2014, 05:27:07 pm
I remember that. The highlight of that round was you busting in through that door to take down the giant illegal operation that basically had the entire station in it. There had to be 15 people in there when that bomb went off. Man, that was fun.
Good times. I was the only Security member. And one of two Command staff. And the only traitor.
Post by: Dack_Janiels on October 09, 2014, 07:55:06 pm
I can believe
Post by: Hanslanda on October 10, 2014, 09:23:19 am
Hector still sat the desk, but the box of donuts was long gone and had been replaced with a Space Cola. He looked up from the Vitals monitor when Lillian came up, and said, "What's wrong? Your vital signs are elevated and displaying stress."
Lillian opened her mouth, trying to think of what she could say, how she could explain it, but got nothing.
From behind her, she heard, once more, the soft click of a pair of boots. Hector looked past her and nodded at someone, and Lillian slowly turned.
Axl stood there, a curious expression on his face. He beckoned to her. "Lillian, we need to talk before the Captain realizes what I'm doing." He gestured at the bridge, vaguely, "He's off to check the V/T on the bridge. Shut off your sensors and come with me."
Hector looked back and forth, his expression unreadable. "I think it's illegal to ask someone to turn off their sensors and go with an officer, Mr. Blyant." He said, his voice gentle and cautious.
Lillian waved it off, and said, "No, no. It's fine. I'll go with him. I'll talk to you soon, Hector. Be careful." She emphasized the last heavily, and followed dutifully in Axl's wake. He led her to the Gateway. Carefully sealing the door behind himself as they entered, Axl looked at Lillian oddly.
"Why do you have a warrant?" He said bluntly.
She shook her head. "Listen... I could tell you, but you wouldn't believe me."
He frowned, his aspect shifting to a rough, and dangerous look. "Lillian, don't fucking play with me. Answer the question."
Lillian stiffened a bit and said, "Captain Flickenger... Isn't. He isn't whoever he was. Something has taken him over. It attacked me in Maintenance. I ran, and it called me in for arrest. He said..." Her voice broke a little, and she looked down, fighting emotion, "He called humans cattle. Said he got so hungry that he couldn't resist. Axl, I think he killed those people we found in the closets. I think he drained them dry somehow."
Axl nodded slowly, his expression tight, "Okay. I believe you. But we have to have proof."
Lillian shrugged helplessly, "I don't know how t- Wait! He didn't report the bodies!" She gestured excitedly. "That's why he attacked me. I found the latest victims, new bodies, in Maintenance. Where we found Dorian..." Her voice trailed off, and came back quiet and frightened, "Axl, we have to warn people. There might be more than one of these things, and they're dangerous."
He looked at her quizzically, "Bodies? Dorian? Show me."
She did. When they reached the small bar, Axl looked closely at the facial features of the two corpses. "There." He said, pointing at a scar. "Dorian had a scar on his cheek, right there. This is Dorian." He shook his head, amazed and disgusted. "I'll call it in."
Lillian grabbed his wrist as he reached for the radio. "Wait, I have a better idea. Tell them you captured me, but I was injured. We fought and you hurt me. We need the CMO to work on me, because I'm a high-priority prisoner, and the Captain will want to come see me. We'll get them both in one spot, then spring the ambush with Jericho, Malachi, you, and I. We truss them up, toss them in Perma, then get Central to send a team down here to investigate what the fuck is going on."
Axl smiled. "I like this plan. Except for one thing."
Lillian let go of his wrist, and cocked her head curiously, "What's that?"
Axl looked around, somewhat suspiciously, and said, "We don't know their combat capabilities. The Captain is armed and Dorian isn't, but if it's some kind of xenomorphic creature, it could have additional combat capabilities we don't know about and can't prepare for." He considered for a long moment, then held up a finger. "... But I think we can do something about that too."
---
Post by: scrdest on October 11, 2014, 10:20:49 am
Axel took off the Meson Scanners and eyed the doorway warily. Lillian stepped through, shining her light around this hidden room. It was a large bar area, with a few small tables, a long bar along the far wall, and what appeared to be a dancing stage.
I get the reference. Those were the days.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
EDIT: And I'm sure you recognize this Hans :PSpoiler (click to show/hide)
Aww, maaaaan. Nostalgia trip.
I like the story, I've been thinking of doing something like that way back, but I couldn't pull it off as well as you do here, Hans.
Post by: Hanslanda on October 11, 2014, 06:33:27 pm
Will update soon ish. Sometime tonight or tomorrow.
Post by: Hanslanda on October 12, 2014, 05:03:02 pm
Meet the Antagonists 1: Aquillion
In a darkened conference room, a number of hooded and robed figures sat around a table. One stood and pulled his hood back, revealing a horribly scarred human male face. The scarring was on the left side of his face, and it pulled his mouth into a twisted rictus grin on one side, and a number of scar-lines lanced through his eye, which was milky white and unmoving on that side.
"I stand and request recognition." He intoned solemnly.
One figure nodded, saying, "I recognize you, Albert the Smiling, Master Third Degree of Necromancy amongst your most notable achievements. We cede the floor to you."
The Necromancer nodded and started pacing around the circle at a calculated gait. He punctuated his steps with speech. "As we all well know, the time of the Prophecy of Thirteen is almost at hand. We will need to send a representative to record and influence events. We all well know the great contention this issue brings us, which is why it has not been broached to Finality until now. I have a proposal that will settle this matter." A quiet, almost sullen muttering began amongst the other dark figures.
"I know you all expect me to recommend myself for this mission. I assure you I am most capable, and have only the best interests of our Federation at heart..." A dry chuckle from one figure was all the joke rated. "But I do not stand this day to recommend myself."
The other figures, for the most part, stiffened or started muttering between themselves. A few kept quiet, patiently waiting for Albert.
"I stand this day to recommend Aquillion, Master First Degree of Energy Manipulation."
Silence greeted him. Finally, another figure stood. "I stand and request recognition."
"I recognize you, Aquillion, of notables well known." Said Albert, the still-functional half of his face as neutral his tone.
Aquillion pulled back his hood, revealing a green skinned Skrell with a serene manner about him. "I would accept this duty." He said this quietly, and then sat back down, pulling his hood back up.
Albert looked around the room. "Does anyone wish to object?"
A long silence filled the void after this question, as many of the assembled thought about their political capital and whether objecting would provide some gain for them. One by one, they all came to the same conclusion, and quietly shook their heads.
Albert looked at Aquillion, "Very well. You are our representative now, Grandmaster Aquillion. You will find transport to the target with a freighter in nearby Nanotrasen space. We will arrange for you to board this freighter. The rest of the mission is down to you."
Aquillion stood and nodded deeply, almost bowing. He spoke, "Permission to retrieve an item from the Master of Armaments?"
A quick glance around the circle, then, "Granted. Use the relics well."
---
Aquillion stood on a ritual pentagram, surrounded by five Novice wizards and a Master of Teleportation, seventh degree. He held in one hand the Staff of Greater Animation, and his long black robe had been replaced with a more utilitarian green and gold vestment akin to a fancifully designed jumpsuit. The Master of Teleportation glanced at him momentarily and said, "Now, Aquillion. This is a exceptional range teleport, so there are a few things to remember. One, you might not make it. Two, do not touch anything in Bluespace. Three, when you arrive, there will be a bit of backlash. You will be protected from it, for the most part, but I cannot guarantee there will not be subsidiary damage." He gestured for the Novices to begin.
Aquillion tucked the staff in tight to his body and tried to keep his profile small. After a moment of chanting and waving which looked rather ridiculous, there was a ripping sound, and Aquillion was... Elsewhere.
A common misnomer was to call this other-place Bluespace. Light works differently in 'bluespace', and human (or humanoid alien) eyes cannot properly receive light in bluespace, and so the trademark bluish tint to everything.
Aquillion waited, looking around. He was in a vast, blue void with floating spheroids and shadows that flitted and floated oddly. One shadow flitted close to Aquillion, spiraling around him and regarding him, almost as if it were a living creature.
A massive presence bulged beneath the surface of reality in bluespace, where such things are thin and subject to the whims of the imagination. A great, impossible monster pressed into Aquillion's mind, and he immediately tried to set up mental defenses against this intrusion.
It pressed, and Aquillion felt as if he was going to explode bodily into gore and gibs. Suddenly, he was on the deck of a starship, surrounded by confused engineers.
And then the backlash hit.
Suddenly the room was empty of intact engineers and functioning equipment, but it found itself with a surplus of shattered human remains and destroyed communications gear. Aquillion had arrived in the main Telecommunications compartment, and had accidentally destroyed it. He shrugged, not particularly caring if the enemy called for reinforcements. All would proceed as laid out in prophecy.
He strode forward confidently, and waved his hand at the doors. They slid open and Aquillion paused at a map of the freighter to get his bearings. Telecommunications was unmarked, presumably to prevent people like him from doing exactly what he was doing, but he quickly figured out his location and the layout of the ship.
A crewman came around a corner and spotted the Skrell wizard studying the map. He quietly crept over to an intercom and tuned it to a secure channel, then whispered into it, turning off the speaker. After a moment, he quietly withdrew back into the confines of the ship.
Within moments, a Security team arrived at Aquillion's location. They surrounded him with tasers and batons drawn. One shouted, "GET DOWN ON THE GROUND NOW!"
Aquillion looked around and said, "Take me to your leader."
One Security officer couldn't suppress a chuckle, and Aquillion nodded gratefully at him. "For laughing, you live." The laconic Skrell said simply. Without a gesture, an EMP of remarkably focused and precise size enveloped the entire Security team, and not an inch more. Fingers pulled triggers and batons were jabbed into Aquillion's abdomen somewhat roughly.
Tasers kept silent, their usual bellicose buzzing noticeably absent. The batons merely irritated the wizard, who waved his hand. A number of spheres exactly equal to the number of Security officers appeared and hovered motionless in the air.
Aquillion waved his hand again and vanished, his form melting into blue dust that billowed into a cloud. The cloud quickly dissipated, leaving behind the Security team and the spheres. Suddenly the spheres flared a bright red, all but one, and slammed into the officers. The aim was perfect and uniform, hitting all of them directly in the throat, vaporizing their entire neck and neatly decapitating them.
The single orb that remained was blue, and it hung in the air over the spared officer. He looked around in horror at the bodies, then back up at the orb.
It hung motionless in the air.
He ran.
---
Aquillion came out of his Ethereal jaunt on the Bridge of the ship, within inches of the Captain. He laid his hand gently on the man's shoulder and whispered, "Ei nath."
Suddenly the chair was empty. Aquillion looked around the room, and several crew suddenly noticed his presence. They turned to look at him and the suddenly empty command throne.
An momentary pause became an awkward silence.
Aquillion finally said, "So... Are you going to attack me... Or...?"
One man shrugged, "Well, that guy was a dickhead anyways. If we attack, will you kill us?"
"Yes." Aquillion said it quietly but with a firm tone. The man who had spoken up quietly got out of his seat.
"In that case then, I'm going to leave. They can stay and fight you, but I'm not doing this. I've heard of the Wizard Federation. You can have the ship." He shook his head and walked to the door.
Aquillion smiled blandly, his all-black eyes making the gesture seem soulless. "Anyone else?"
One by one, the crew quietly got up and walked out of the Bridge. As the final one left, Aquillion sealed the door with a gesture, a wall of invisible force springing up.
Then he reached into his satchel and pulled out a small black book that was well worn with use...
---
Those plot points I mentioned? Getting slowly closer. :)
Post by: Cheedows on October 13, 2014, 11:11:01 pm
Post by: KingofstarrySkies on October 13, 2014, 11:25:16 pm
Also, ninjers. I expect one.
please god let it be friendly, antag ninjas suck
Post by: Hanslanda on October 14, 2014, 11:23:13 am
If only wizards were actually as robust.
Pfft. You wish wizards were resistant to batons.
Also, ninjers. I expect one.
please god let it be friendly, antag ninjas suck
The guards probably forgot they were still on help intent. :P And this wizard is cheating admin bullshit. I'll go ahead and list his spell list/cooldowns for you:
Magic Missile (Lethal) - 30 seconds
Fireball - 15 seconds
Knock - 30 seconds
Ranged Disintegrate - 60 seconds
Touch Disintegrate - 60 seconds (Yes they are separate.)
EMP - 60 seconds
Ethereal Jaunt - 60 seconds
Teleport - 60 seconds
Time Stop - 360 seconds
Shockwave - 30 seconds
Forcewall - 30 seconds
Also, there will be one ninja. And no, friendly ninjas are boring as fuck. :P
I should have an update today sometime.
Post by: KingofstarrySkies on October 14, 2014, 02:27:59 pm
one who doesn't murderbone the fuck outta the crew
THEY CAN BE HIRED BY NT, YOU KNOW
:'(
Post by: Hanslanda on October 14, 2014, 05:29:14 pm
Meet the Antagonists 2: Zackary Part 1
Zackary Fryer leaned casually against one wall of the briefing room. He was a tall man, about six foot two, with black hair kept close cropped, and a black goatee highlighting his angular features. He moved with a certain confidence, bordering on arrogance.
The other occupants of the room, five other mercenary types and one variable that Zackary couldn't place, were lounged about in the chairs provided, or standing in front of the room stiffly, respectively. The variable fellow, a man calling himself Lieutenant Commander Armsoth, was wearing a vaguely military cut uniform with no markings, with a laser pistol belted at his hip. The rest were all dressed in civvie clothes like Zackary was.
Armsoth cleared his throat and start speaking, "Alright. We've been contracted to take down a mining station known as Geode-678a in this system's asteroid belt." A holoprojector in the floor started showing schematics and diagrams of the station and it's position in the system. Armsoth kept speaking, "We'll be inserting via assault shuttles, directly driving into the Command Center of the mining station. There we will eliminate all combatants, sabotage the command and control, communications, and engineering capability of the enemy, eliminate all further enemies, and exfiltrate. Does anyone have any questions?"
Zackary raised his hand a little, "Yeah. What kind of opposition are we facing? You said it's a mining station. Are they coming at us with pickaxes and rock hammers, or laser cannons and tactical nukes? How about a little detail on this briefing?"
Armsoth grimaced, sort of. "From the inventory records of NT files, we have ascertained that the enemy possesses a minor arsenal. About five laser rifles and an energy pistol, plus the aforementioned rock hammers and pick axes and sonic drills and assorted household equipment that might be converted to weaponry. Our enemy is probably ill-organized and poorly trained, except for their three Security team members and the station Lieutenant. All of whom are trained in combat and expected to carry armaments." He waved at the projector and it switched off. "Any more questions?"
Zackary shook his head, "Yeah. What's the RoE?"
Armsoth grimaced again and Zackary realized he was trying to smile. "All personnel not in this room that are sighted on arrival are enemy combatants. If they are armed, prosecute with extreme force. If not, then that's your call. I won't tell you to kill civilians. But do note that our actions will probably doom all of them to a slow death even if you don't kill them immediately."
Zackary nodded slowly and smiled coldly, "And what is our equipment going to be?"
Armsoth smiled again. "For once a question I like. Come with me."
---
They followed him to an Armory, where seven sets of identical gear, except for weapons and kit which varied slightly from man to man. Each set of gear came with a blood red hardsuit with an insectile helmet with four lights in an array on the front. Then was a backpack filled with whatever gear the man had requested. Mostly it was explosives and medical gear, but there was also a full engineering kit for one man. After that was their weaponry, generally compact, advanced SMGs with space-capable ammunition. One man had a shoulder-fired rocket launcher with a variety of rockets, and a pistol for backup. Another had a heavy machine gun and several big boxes of ammunition for it. One medic had a rapid-syringe gun loaded with a variety of lethal toxins and deadly acids.
The mercenaries gathered up their gear, suiting up and arming themselves. Zackary had a CR20 SMG and a 9mm pistol for backup, plus an energy sword clipped to his suit's waist. In his backpack he had three large charges designed for destroying whole sections of station, and three smaller blocks of plastique explosive. Finally he had a box with a spare O2 tank, three clips of ammunition for his SMG, and two for his pistol, resting on top of the explosives.
The only item Zackary carried that wasn't issued by their mysterious employers and wasn't clothing was a small kit bag he clipped to another loop on his suit, filled with the tools of his trade.
The mercenaries looked at Armsoth, and he beckoned for them to follow. He led them to a hangar bay, where a large, pugnacious vessel sat on it's short, retractable landing gear. The assault shuttle was cylindrical, tapering down towards the front end, where a landing ramp came down directly out of the nose of the vehicle. The mercenaries filed aboard, and the ramp retracted into the vessel while the door sealed.
Zackary buckled into the assault shuttle and checked his things one final time...
Post by: Hanslanda on October 14, 2014, 06:18:05 pm
Post by: Cheedows on October 14, 2014, 06:25:31 pm
The next update is going to be really, extremely graphic. Just letting ya'll know.
As if the entire story so far has been lollipops and rainbows. :P
Post by: Hanslanda on October 14, 2014, 06:40:04 pm
The next update is going to be really, extremely graphic. Just letting ya'll know.
As if the entire story so far has been lollipops and rainbows. :P
True enough. :P
Post by: Aedel on October 14, 2014, 06:43:40 pm
>two antags so far
>ninja soon
>calamity on Urist soon
THIS IS GONNA END IN A CALAMITY ISN'T IT
Post by: Hanslanda on October 15, 2014, 08:34:39 am
'prophecy of thirteen'
>two antags so far
>ninja soon
>calamity on Urist soon
THIS IS GONNA END IN A CALAMITY ISN'T IT
ALL SHALL BECOME CLEAR AS THE PROPHECY UNRAVELS.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Zackary's story is not yet done.
Post by: AH on October 17, 2014, 12:50:49 am
This is pretty good writing. Will watch for more.
Post by: Hanslanda on October 18, 2014, 09:38:38 am
Tangled Skein: Continued
Lillian sat, cuffed and buckled to a chair against the farthest wall of the Permanent Brig. Or so it appeared. She hummed quietly to herself while she waited. After a indeterminate length of time, the doors hissed open, and the Captain, Axl, Jericho, and Dorian came through.
Axl slowed his step a little, letting the Captain and Dorian pull ahead. He gently restrained Jericho, grabbing his elbow. At Jericho's questioning gaze, he raised a finger to his lips, then pulled out a remote signaling device. They let the two Heads cross the empty space between them and Lillian, over a somewhat inconspicuous white line that had been recently drawn.
Axl activated the device, and a rectangle of shields sprang into life around the changelings. At the same time, Lillian stood up and held out the cuffs with a sweet smile on her face. The creature that had taken the Chief Medical Officer's face bellowed angrily and smashed one fist against the shielding.
Brandon turned in a slow circle, examining the trap thoroughly. He said, "Chief Engineer help you with this?" Axl nodded. "I'm definitely eating him next then." Brandon said, drolly.
Dorian said, "What are we going to do?"
Brandon said, "I know what you are going to do." He drew his pistol and fired a single bolt of inchoate light into Dorian's head at point blank range. Then he grabbed Dorian roughly and held very still. After a moment, a long proboscis came out of an invisible seam on his throat, and jabbed deep into Dorian. Brandon said, "Don't mind if I have a snack, do you?"
Axl shook his head grimly. "Not at all. I had the Research Director put the cameras here on Record. This is all valuable scientific information. Your species cannibalizes the weaker when sufficient danger is presented. Not sure why, but hey. That's his job."
Brandon smiled and kept talking, which was visibly jarring while he was feeding. "I am cannibalizing him to increase my chances of survival. I'm absorbing his genomes."
Lillian walked around the room, passing the hidden shield generators and coming to stand by Axl. Brandon finished sucking the fluids out of Dorian, and stood up, brushing his shoulders off. He smiled at them, and then his arm split and warped, twisting into a long, blade-like appendage of bone and keratin and enamel. He raised this gruesome weapon...
And plunged it straight into the decking below his feet, his other arm already changing too. He tore at the metal viciously, ripping great chunks of steel up with every swing.
Axl nodded at Lillian, who tossed a laser rifle to Jericho. They all aimed, and Axl turned off the shielding.
Brandon raised his arms, the blades already flowing and forming shields, but the Security team fired and kept firing. They spread out in a semi-circle around him and emptied their batteries into him. Brandon roared as his flesh melted and burned, until finally he fell to the ground, a scorched, barely recognizable mass of flesh.
Axl activated his comm, "I need a janitor and some medical personnel in the brig please. Bring body bags."
Post by: Aseaheru on October 18, 2014, 04:08:17 pm
Post by: Hanslanda on October 18, 2014, 06:25:40 pm
Hey, if I PM you all of Owen's details, do you think you could fold him in somewhere?
I actually already have a future role planned for Everett Owen, but I would like your details anyway.
Post by: Aseaheru on October 18, 2014, 07:04:24 pm
Post by: Hanslanda on October 19, 2014, 02:50:35 pm
Post by: Cheedows on October 19, 2014, 02:52:29 pm
I'll probably do one sometime today.
Lovely. Also, are you implying that lings should be able to form their arms into shields? :P
Post by: scrdest on October 19, 2014, 04:12:45 pm
I'll probably do one sometime today.
Lovely. Also, are you implying that lings should be able to form their arms into shields? :P
I'm fairly sure this was supposed to be a ling arm blade, like tglings.
Post by: Cheedows on October 19, 2014, 04:25:57 pm
Brandon raised his arms, the blades already flowing and forming shields,
Not sure if it just appeared that way and he was actually trying to form another blade, or implying.
Post by: Hanslanda on October 19, 2014, 05:55:50 pm
Brandon raised his arms, the blades already flowing and forming shields,
Not sure if it just appeared that way and he was actually trying to form another blade, or implying.
Quote
And plunged it straight into the decking below his feet, his other arm already changing too.
I'll probably do one sometime today.
Lovely. Also, are you implying that lings should be able to form their arms into shields? :P
I'm fairly sure this was supposed to be a ling arm blade, like tglings.
It was, but I'm taking some pretty serious liberties with Changelings. They're going to be explained in detail at some point. I'll make em horrific.
Tangled Skein: Final Chapter part 1
After a time, medical personnel came to the Permabrig. They cut the clothes from the two corpses and put them in big duffel bags for Security to sort through. Then they zip-tied the hands and feet together and placed them in body bags. They put the body bags on rolling beds and carted them down to Xenobiology for Horatio Oppenheimer to examine.
Then the Janitor came in and tossed a few cleaner grenades at the piles of remains. After a moment of cursing, he pried up the ruined decking and replaced it with a new section. "You'll have to get an engineer to weld it in. I'm not qualified for that." The rude Unathi said to Axl as he departed.
Lillian turned to Axl, Jericho and Malachi. "That was surprisingly easy. We should probably take that Captain's ID and use it to search the ship for more bodies. God only knows where they might be. Then we'll have to start matching corpses to the Crew Manifest." She looked to Axl. "Sorry sir. I get excitable."
He nodded at her and waved. "No, Lillian, be my guest. Show me how you'd process this."
She nodded and pointed at Jericho and Malachi. "You two get a orderly or something from Medbay and go search Maintenance thoroughly. Start in sector 3, clear the entire sector, then move methodically to the next one. We ought to set up a general quarantine and order all crew to move to the cafeteria or maybe Medbay lobby and the Chapel, to prevent further deaths. Then we need to figure out how to tell the doppelgangers apart and search them out amongst the crew."
Axl nodded. "With you so far. Do as she says. Go search Maintenance." He turned to Lillian as they left. They both said, "Captain's office."
---
The Captain's office was trashed. Blood was everywhere, and half the furniture had been destroyed. It appeared this was the cause of the Blueshield's untimely death. His shattered and dismembered corpse had been drained of fluids also, but only after a violent death fighting for his life. The communications console had been completely destroyed, and the Captain's lockers were missing.
Axl looked around and said, "No sign of the Captain. Or his laser pistol. Let's try his cabin." They took a few more steps down the short hallway, past the teleporter, to the Captain's Cabin, a small personal domicile for the Captain. Axl drew his energy pistol, and Lillian checked the charge on her laser rifle.
Axl flashed the ID in front of the door, and it slid open. This room was completely untouched. The bed was made neatly, and the desk had paperwork neatly stacked in piles on it. Lillian moved to the refresher door, beyond which was the Captain's hygiene chambers.
She opened the door, to find a strange sight. Two lockers were shoved, front door to the bottom, sideways over the toilet lid. The top locker was half shredded and contained some small pile of bones and fur that might have been Renault once. She shined her seclite up into the slits of the second locker, to find a human face looking back at her.
Brandon Flickenger, his face sallow and weak looking, slowly turned to look at her. He slurred, "Come to finish me off, face-thief?"
Lillian shook her head. "No, we killed you once today already. I think I'm just going to go get the MEs to come examine you with their fancy science and see if you're a shapeshifting monster or not."
She looked back at Axl, "Brandon isn't dead, I think."
---
Inside the morgue, two forensic examiners laid out the two bodies from the permabrig. They unzipped the first, a relatively normal looking human male, suffering extreme desiccation and a single penetration wound. They cut off the zipties and buckled the body to the examination table with heavy shackles.
They unzipped the second to find a human male in perfect health, with a steady rise and fall to his chest. The first man looked over to the second, and hesitantly tapped the corpse on the shoulder.
Brandon Flickenger sat up, shaking his head roughly. "Pardon me... Where am I?"
"You were killed by heavy laser fire in the brig two minutes ago."
Brandon's eyes snapped up to the two men before him. "I see. And I suppose you two know why I was executed?"
The first man was slowly sliding back a step, hands placatingly out before him. The second examiner made the mistake of shaking his head. "No, can't say I do know."
Brandon's form ripped and shifted instantly, bone snapping into place and forming blades. He leapt forwards, his left arm slashing the second examiner's head off instantly. The first man had barely started to fall to the ground, stumbling, before Brandon was on him, the blades gone now. He snatched the headset from the man's head and then swiftly pinned his hands to the floor with his inhumanly strong grip.
The man drew breath to scream, and Brandon's jaws elongated, teeth springing into fangs in an instant, then the jaws snapped shut around the man's throat. Blood squirted out either side of Brandon's mouth, and he shook his head roughly like a dog. With a snap, the man's neck broke, and Brandon dropped the mutilated dying man, his shape already shifting. Two long proboscises split out of his body and stabbed into the two forensic examiners.
He absorbed them both, then slid their bodies into unused shelves in the body storage freezer. Then he spray liquid omnicleaner all over the blood stains, erasing the evidence of struggle with an ease born of practice. He calmly put on a white hospital gown and one of the man's IDs, then walked into the Medbay.
It bustled with dozens of crew. The escape shutters were sealed, and the lobby doors were coded to only open for medical personnel. Phi calmly pickpocketed a welding tool from an angry Engineer who was shouting into his radio, then flicked it on, keeping it low and out of easy view. He got to the Medical lobby doors and swiftly swept the welder in a few arcs, neatly sealing the doors. He dropped the welder and turned, facing the crowd of people.
Beside him, behind his desk, Hector looked up at the sound of hissing metal, and gaped at the man. "What are you doing?"
---
Lillian toppled the two lockers, and Brandon weakly started to climb out of the locker. Lillian led him to the shield trap, where Axl sealed Brandon in with the energy fields. Lillian shook her head, and Axl started to speak, "Lillian, we have to be ca-"
"SIR WE HAVE A SERIUOS FUCKING PROBLEM IN THE MEDBAY LOBBY. GET THE FUCK DOWN HERE RIGH NO-" Jericho's voice was broke off by the sound of a heavy impact with human flesh.
Axl and Lillian didn't bother to reply. Lillian turned to run, but Axl grabbed her wrist. "No, wait. I got one more trick up my sleeve." He said with a wicked grin.
---
Brandon looked around at the crew, and let his features shiver and distort. "I see that you do not understand your place in this world." His spine elongated, and he grew taller, his bones getting denser and longer, his nails lengthening to long killing claws. A second set of arms sprout from his sides, with long bone blades on them. The patient's gown ripped and fell to the ground as Phi grew in size and stature to loom over the entire room.
Well, except for Axel Axel, over by the vending machine.
Phi lowered itself from it's imposing height and spoke, it's voice warped and twisted, a mockery of human speech. "So, the question stands before you. Do you lie down and obey my will, like the cattle you are? Or do you die now in a glorious blood feast?" It spread it's formidable weaponry, as it's still-human face twisted and grew that vicious set of jaws again.
The gathered crew numbered around thirty. Engineers, scientists, some civilians, a lot of medical staff, and a pack of Cargo boys. A few miners hefted their pickaxes and turned to face the creature.
One engineer quietly slid his welding tool out of his belt and flicked it on. Another pulled a metal club from his satchel with a casual easy.
One scientist pulled out a strange and unpleasant looking gun of alien make, and fiddled with a dial on the side. Another pulled out a stun revolver. More pragmatically, perhaps, the Phoron specialist in the group pulled out a few small phials of Phoron and a zippo lighter.
Phi looked around the crowd, his humor growing. "So be it. I shall devour you all.
A door hissed open beside him, a maintenance shaftway, and Jericho Delagrad sprinted out of the shadows at full tilt, and tackled into the monstrosity at full speed. His high school coach would have been so proud. Behind him, Malachi was aiming his revolver at the creature, but soon crewman swarmed it with makeshift weapons as it flailed with those vicious limb-weapons.
It speared a miner through the chest and tossed him into a pack of civilians, then swept it's claws across the faces of three men. The scientist with the strange gun pulled the trigger, but nothing happened. The Phoron researcher threw a phial of Phoron at the creature, and it tinked open, the volatile gas clinging to the creature's flesh. He threw another then held his lighter to the next phial. It's contents began to bubble violently, and he threw it at the creature. It burst into flame and shrieked horribly, but kept killing crew in great numbers.
With a blue burst of energy, Lillian and Axl appeared in the room, both wearing earmuffs and holding primed flashbangs in one hand. They tossed these, and got a better grip on their other weapons.
Laser cannons, from the armory. The first blast vaporized one of the creature's already flaming arms in a huge cloud of superheated blood-steam. The second took it in the face, incinerating those formidable jaws, and the next fire poured into it's torso, rendering it to a pile of vaporized carbon and a cloud of quickly cooling blood-steam.
Axl advanced on the creature, and pulled a military short sword from a sheathe hidden in his armored coat. He hacked the creature to pieces, then gestured at the surviving crew. "We need to put all this in the cremator. Now. And the other dead one in the morgue."
---
Post by: Octobomb on October 19, 2014, 06:03:41 pm
Also, civilian riot team is best riot team.
Post by: Dack_Janiels on October 19, 2014, 06:34:12 pm
Post by: Cheedows on October 19, 2014, 06:37:15 pm
Hans needs to be on a SS13 design team. Right now. Make it happen, people.
Also, civilian riot team is best riot team.
Holy shit I second this. This chapter was beautiful.
Post by: Jacob/Lee on October 20, 2014, 12:46:51 am
Post by: Hanslanda on October 20, 2014, 06:45:57 pm
I think Phi's greater form is supposed to look like a Genestealer of colossal size. :P
I didn't intentionally do that. It just worked out that way. :P
Post by: Cheedows on October 20, 2014, 07:10:27 pm
I think Phi's greater form is supposed to look like a Genestealer of colossal size. :P
I didn't intentionally do that. It just worked out that way. :P
Hey, it certainly fits and makes it interesting!
Post by: Dack_Janiels on October 28, 2014, 08:25:22 pm
Post by: Hanslanda on October 28, 2014, 08:52:19 pm
Post by: Glloyd on October 28, 2014, 09:41:52 pm
NTSP After-Action Report: Flickenger Incident
Security Level: Delta Black
Reporting Officer: Commander Jay G. Wright (Secondary account collation, not direct observation)
Installation(s) involved:
-Space Station 13
Incident Type: Biohazard Category Six, Four and Eight; Infiltration Category Three and One; First Contact Category Three (Two counts)
Description of Incident:
(First Account: Blyant, Axl B. , Security Division Lieutenant, Head of Security of Space Station 13 (File appended))
Lieutenant Blyant reports that the creature later to be reported as 'Mr. Phi' was incinerated without incident, as was the corpse of the other shapeshifter that murdered Doctor Dorian Fullwider. Mr. Blyant also reports that Brandon Flickenger was initially declared safe and human by trained medical staff after extensive examination.
He offers no explanation and does not posit any theories about how the following events took place, but he was incapacitated early on in the following incident by enemy forces. We merely needed his account for verification of the initial details of Officer Helsbrecht's account.
(Second Account: Helsbrecht, Lillian K. , Security Division Officer (File appended))
Officer Helsbrecht's account remains the same as Lieutenant Blyant's report until his incapacitation, but for brevity's sake, we're not going to use his entire account for the final report.
Helsbrecht reports that the Security Team destroyed the creature known as 'Mr. Phi' and the corpses of both hostiles, then Mr. Flickenger was declared safe. At this time, Security and Medical personnel began a joint effort to determine the number and location of any missing crew. Security Personnel began searching the maintenance shafts for signs of bodies, and initially encountered little luck.
Medical personnel had finished their monitoring of Mr. Flickenger and were filling out his final release forms and issuing a station-wide quarantine order when Brandon Flickenger complained of a sore throat. He was given a orally administered analgesic spray and told to sleep it off in a patient room.
His remains were discovered two hours later when a nurse stepped into the Patient Room to check on him. Reportedly, his chest had burst open from the inside out for unknown reasons. A later autopsy determined the cause of death to be violent para-!%*!@%
NTSP SECURITY PROTOCOL
//ACCESS RESTRICTED: CODE VERMILLION//
Post by: KingofstarrySkies on October 28, 2014, 10:39:17 pm
Post by: Glloyd on October 28, 2014, 10:42:51 pm
i don't think vermilion is a word, glloyd
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermillion
Post by: KingofstarrySkies on October 28, 2014, 11:46:18 pm
UR A VERMILION
Post by: Cheedows on October 28, 2014, 11:59:28 pm
...
UR A VERMILION
UR A BLOO
Post by: KingofstarrySkies on October 29, 2014, 12:26:52 am
Post by: Hanslanda on October 29, 2014, 08:47:02 am
I'll have an update tonight methinks.
Post by: Dack_Janiels on October 29, 2014, 07:23:55 pm
Post by: Hanslanda on October 29, 2014, 08:37:18 pm
Tangled Skein: Final Chapter part 2
Brandon Flickenger shook his head ruefully at Hector Petridis. "That's all I can remember, sorry."
Hector nodded, and slid a piece of paper across the table to Brandon. "Just sign at the bottom then, Captain. That will conclude our business here. We'll naturally have to have a one week quarantine, but I've already sent the fax to Central Command, and it's not like you planned on leaving anyway, right?" Hector said as Brandon scribbled on the paper.
Brandon shook his head again, "Not particularly, as long as that was the last I see my doppelganger. I'd leave if that sick fuck came back though." Abruptly, Brandon winced and coughed lightly into his hand. "Holy crap, I just realized how parched my throat is. You got any water?"
Hector nodded, and walked over to the water cooler, pouring out a measure into a little paper cup for Brandon. He came back and Brandon coughed again, harsher this time. Hector set the drink down, and ever the mindful care provider, he pulled an analgesic spray from his belt and handed it to Brandon. "Here, take a spray of this orally and go take a nap. I'll have the nurse check on you in about fifteen minutes."
Brandon nodded gratefully and laid down in Patient Room 2. He took a hit of the spray and closed his eyes.
---
Two Hours Later
---
Nurse Selgen was a female Skrell of medium age. She was somewhat easily distracted, and so she had forgotten about Brandon in Patient Room 2 quite quickly after Hector had asked her to check on him. Suddenly, realizing her mistake, she closed out of the game she was playing on her PDA, and stood up primly.
Selgen walked the ten steps to Patient Room 2 and the door slid open as she came close. Inside the room was a gruesome scene. Brandon lay on the bed, the spray in one hand, his eyes closed. His ribs had split open from the inside out, leaving a ragged hole about three inches across in the center of his sternum. Inside, his organs were scrambled and shredded beyond recognition. Blood covered his chest and a puddle had formed on the bed and was dripping through to the floor beneath. A bloody trail led from the bed to underneath a small chest of drawers in the room, typically used to store a patient's belongings.
Selgen screamed shrilly and sealed the door quickly, fearing an infectious threat. Hector came running, a scalpel in one hand, and what appeared to be an unfiled report in one hand. Seeing no violent threat, Hector slipped the scalpel back into a pocket and looked past Selgen at the door. She shook her head at his questioning gaze, and Hector sighed. He activated his comms device and said, "At this time, station-time 1506 hours, Captain Brandon Flickenger has become deceased. Medical is investigating the situation. Security, please dispatch an officer for oversight."
Selgen wiped her face compulsively, and put a sterile mask on. Hector opened the door and looked at the bloody mess beyond. He shook his head, "This isn't a disease, Ms. Selgen. This looks like some sort of attack. Violent trauma. Probably a pneumatic device of some sort, but it looks like it puncture his ribs outwards, not inwards." He took a step forward into the room, looking at the bloody trail. Suddenly realizing his mistake, Hector took a big step backwards and started to press the button to seal it again.
In the instant before the door hissed shut, a creature about two and a half feet long, of tan coloration except for all the gore crusting it's hide, slithered under the door and down the hall. Selgen jumped and screamed again, and the Medbay doors hissed open to reveal Axl Blyant, his black trenchcoat billowing as he strode forward. "What's the situ- OH FUCK, GRAB THAT THING!" He picked up his pace, running forward faster, after the snake-like creature that had fled the patient room.
Hector likewise took off in pursuit of the little monster. It slithered around the corner towards the sleepers, and Hector lunged, getting a hold of the beast's midsection. His grip was poor and it slipped free quickly, leaving his hand covered in blood and viscera.
Axl came around the other corner of the sleeper section, bringing his heavy jackboot up to stomp the snake-creature to death. His first stomp missed, but his second caught it's tail as it slipped through the grating of a vent. It ruptured with a squelch, and the creature squealed and hissed. Then, Axl's boot started smoking and hissing, as did the metal hull under the creature. With more leeway, it slithered free, it's ruined tail half flattened from the attack.
It disappeared into the vents.
Axl cussed in Tradeband, and Hector sighed, then coughed violently as the fumes of dissolving metal and highly corrosive acid hit him. They both started back for the lobby doors, and Hector grabbed Selgen's arm as they went by, pulling her with.
They got into the lobby, and Axl called the Engineering division on his communications device while Hector checked over Selgen, who appeared to have succumbed to sudden-onset extreme SSD, her eyes wide and blank, her features slack.
In maintenance behind Medbay, Lillian and Jericho were searching for more bodies, hoping to find none. In the ventwork under their feet, they heard skittering, clattering, and the occasional hiss. They thought nothing of this, for maintenance drones frequently scurried by, making similar sounds.
The alien made clean it's escape through the vents, emerging in one of the unused sections of the station.
There, it began to grow...
Post by: KingofstarrySkies on October 29, 2014, 08:59:37 pm
As I said! CALAMITY.
Post by: Octobomb on October 29, 2014, 09:16:03 pm
Spoiler: CAMERA MANAGEMENT AND ANALYSIS SYSTEM LOG (click to show/hide)
Post by: Hanslanda on October 29, 2014, 10:26:12 pm
Writing fanfics for the Hansfics are we?
-snip for brevity-
Cracking job Hans. Also, aliums. I got a chill from reading their slowly unfolding horror.
Actually I PMed it to Glloyd. :P If you want to make your own story posts, please run them by me first so I can make sure they don't screw my plotlines somehow, but that's the only thing I ask.
Post by: Octobomb on October 30, 2014, 07:01:19 am
Sure thing. Actually, all I've done here is reiterate events that the crew might've turned cameras on for - I thought you might say this so I've made sure absolutely nothing will affect the story, to the point where the analysis machine can't even tell if the record on the shambling horror doesn't exist or is simply too high an access level. But yeah, pms will come first.Writing fanfics for the Hansfics are we?
-snip for brevity-
Cracking job Hans. Also, aliums. I got a chill from reading their slowly unfolding horror.
Actually I PMed it to Glloyd. :P If you want to make your own story posts, please run them by me first so I can make sure they don't screw my plotlines somehow, but that's the only thing I ask.
Post by: Iceblaster on November 03, 2014, 10:49:31 am
Regardless, PTW.
Might put up something for that loveable oaf of mine.
Post by: Hanslanda on November 03, 2014, 11:21:00 am
dunno why I didn't ptw earlier.
Regardless, PTW.
Might put up something for that loveable oaf of mine.
He/she will be the in story too. :P
Post by: KingofstarrySkies on November 03, 2014, 01:01:36 pm
...Jericho better physically harm Vlad, because Vlad is a pricktoaster.
Post by: Iceblaster on November 03, 2014, 03:27:59 pm
I have a couple updates working, including the ninja one (So much goddamn thematic formatting) but nothing right now. Something should be up tomorrow.dunno why I didn't ptw earlier.
Regardless, PTW.
Might put up something for that loveable oaf of mine.
He/she will be the in story too. :P
:3
...Oh god. Vlad. Why? WHY!?
...Jericho better physically harm Vlad, because Vlad is a pricktoaster.
toasters don't toast pricks koss
silly koss
they toast toast
Spoiler: Vladdy-poo (click to show/hide)
Post by: IcyTea31 on November 08, 2014, 08:54:25 am
Post by: Hanslanda on November 08, 2014, 02:04:09 pm
Post by: Hanslanda on November 17, 2014, 10:30:15 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: KingofstarrySkies on November 18, 2014, 04:10:38 pm
Post by: Cheedows on November 18, 2014, 04:47:15 pm
Post by: KingofstarrySkies on November 18, 2014, 04:48:28 pm
Post by: Hanslanda on November 19, 2014, 08:40:16 am
I kinda want to see a wizard and ninja go toe to toe. Nonetheless, lovely chapter Hans.
Their objectives will more than likely be contradictory when the end chapter comes. Just like everyone else. So you might see some
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Hanslanda on November 22, 2014, 10:36:29 am
Lifelines
Zalis examined the little patch of blood by the doorframe. He sampled the air, tasting it's age, which was not old at all. He reflexively touched his jacket, feeling the reassuring weight of his personal firearm there. He flicked his comms on and said, "This is IAA Zalis. I've found some blood that's fresh here, south of cargo. I'm going to investigate. I'll leave a couple flares for you."
"Confirmed, Agent Zalis. We have an officer en route momentarily. Be cautious." Axl responded almost immediately, and Zalis opened the door, his small PDA light hardly illuminating anything at all. He flicked it off and let his eyes adjust while the door closed with a quiet hiss. After awhile, he could see the corridor relatively well, for it was not unlit, but the maintenance light strips were low priority and flashlights are cheap.
He moved forward sinuously, following the smell of the human blood deeper into the maintenance rooms. He passed through a couple more doors, coming to a long service hallway with exterior windows. The stars provided a bit of soft light to see by, and Zalis paused a moment beside the window to admire the view.
It probably saved his life. He heard a heavy hissing sound, unnatural and resonate, coming from ahead. No machinery he'd ever worked with had ever made a sound like this. He instinctively crouched behind a nearby crate and stilled his breathing, carefully keeping watch ahead.
The sound rose to a low growling that set Zalis's scales on edge, and he was sure there was some large animal ahead. He drew his sidearm, but it was woefully underpowered for hunting, and the subsonic, non-armor piercing rounds were designed to not penetrate so as to hopefully prevent hull breaches. Still, it was loud as hell and probably would hurt.
The growling faded suddenly, and he heard something making a rather clamorous departure, heavy footsteps thudding into the distance. Zalis rose up, his predatory instincts peaked. He crept down the hall stealthily after the animal, whatever it was. Perhaps he would hunt a fearsome Terran Goat this day.
The blood smell abruptly came back as he turned a corner, and he heard someone making sounds of terror. Zalis froze, raising his pistol cautiously. A big glob of slime drooled down from above and onto his arm. He wiped it off and looked up, but there was no obvious reason for the slime above him. He crept forward into the next room, keeping low.
Inside was a horror house. There were two crewman... Melted into some foul, biomechanical infestation on the walls. They were almost utterly subsumed by it, forming some kind of egg. Beside them, two other members of the crew were restrained and obviously quite injured. Zalis saw signs of broken legs on both of them.
Zalis scanned the room carefully, and the living crew both quietly mewled with hope, then quieted instantly.
Zalis heard a footstep. Behind him. He twisted, whipping his tail across and bringing the pistol around, aiming it at...
The rather surprised face of Officer Helsbrecht, who held up her hands pleadingly and backed up. Zalis stopped, sighing softly, then gasping suddenly as he heard the growl return, twice as fearsome as before, rising into a bone-chilling screech-roar. He spun on the spot again, aiming at the room and swiftly find his target.
It was eight feet tall, with a head three feet long, smooth and with a lethal set of teeth in the forward end. It was basically bipedal, with large claws on each finger. It had jet-black skin on a strange body with tall spires coming from it's back, and a huge tail tipped with a lethal spike.
Zalis fired, emptying his clip into the charging beast, and beside him, Lillian pulled a huge laser cannon from a magnetic clamp on the back of her armor and tried to get aim on it. It flinched when Zalis shot it, and slashed open an air vent in an instant, diving into the vent with a speed that belied it's size. They looked at the vent, horrified. Even Lillian, a good hundred and fifty pounds smaller than Zalis, couldn't fit into that vent.
Lillian activated her comms system, "Axl? Um. I think you need to throw open the armory. We just got attacked. Again."
"... Goddamn it. Everyone who hasn't got a gun meet me in the Sec-lobby, now."
---
To be continued. :P
Post by: Cheedows on November 22, 2014, 11:53:13 am
Post by: Hanslanda on November 22, 2014, 07:17:04 pm
Lifelines: Part 2
Lillian looked at Zalis, and said, "You didn't leave any flares. I was bumbling around in the dark. Apparently with that thing on the loose."
Zalis wrinkled his snout for a brief moment, his mouthful of sharp teeth coming into view for a brief second. "You have a seclite. And it is better to move with stealth, and adjust to dark. Light gives you away, makes you a target."
Lillian grinned slightly, "This coming from our IAA, almost sounds like an endorsement of criminal behavior." She gestured with the gun towards the people on the walls. "You bring them down, I'll cover you. My gun is bigger."
Zalis shrugged and got to work pulling the people down. Lillian sent a PDA message one handed, casually slinging the laser cannon on it's strap with one hand. It beeped and she swiftly typed a short response. This went on for a few minutes, then she slipped the message device back into her pocket, saying, "I sent a message to medical and Jericho. He's going to escort someone here to get them out and treat them, then all three of us are going to hunt it down."
Zalis chuffed softly to himself as he gently laid the second crewman on the floor, checking his pulse with an expert touch. He pointed at the egg-monstrosities. "We should destroy those. Nothing good can come of them."
Lillian nodded and pulled her PDA back out to send another message. Then she took the cannon back wordlessly. Zalis looked at her expectantly, but she shook her head. "I had a better plan than the gun. First we get these people out."
After a few minutes of waiting, they heard approaching footsteps. Lillian shined her seclite down the hall while Zalis crouched in the darkness near the survivors, his pistol reloaded. Jericho shined his light back at Lillian and approached swiftly. "I got Hector and Axel with me like you said. We brought roller beds and medical supplies."
The three new arrivals loaded the two survivors onto the beds gently, then pulled the beds up to their full height. Hector checked both survivors with his PDA, gently scanning wounds and over major organs. "There is extensive damage. They need to be in the Medical Bay, as soon as atmosphere is restored. For now we take them to Genetics."
Axel quietly eased over to Lillian, and Zalis stood uneasily nearby. Axel said, "I got that stuff you wanted, Ms. Helsbrecht. Here..." And handed her a backpack that clanked and clattered. "I took the liberty of putting them together. It wasn't hard to guess what you intended to make."
She smiled and unzipped the bag, pulling out a homemade, short range flamethrower. She handed one to Zalis, who eyed it suspiciously. Lillian took the other flamer and turned to the two egg-people. "Alright, we gotta get these people out now. Jericho, go with them." She looked at Zalis, "Ready?"
He nodded, his grim black-scaled visage eyeing her inscrutably. He flicked on the flamethrower pilot light and experimentally sprayed a burst of fire. The heat was intense, and the egg-people caught flame immediately, burning brightly. They both edged back a bit, and Lillian fired a spray of flame, fully dousing the two corpses with fire. They heard an outraged shrieking come from nearby, and they both turned in slow circles, looking for any sign of the creature. It was nowhere to be seen though, and reluctantly they retreated to the maintenance exit Zalis had found the blood at.
There, Jericho had already returned from his escort mission. He had a laser carbine clamped to his armor and a combat shotgun slung across his chest, holding it uneasily. Zalis sealed the Maintenance shaft, activating a local quarantine protocol. He turned to look at Lillian, "We'll have to seal each section's maintenance shafts independently. It will be a tedious, dangerous task. We need more help, and we need to evacuate nearby sections."
She nodded, and keyed her headset, "Axl, we need support if we're going to keep this contained. Anyone you can deputize? We also need the Engineers to start sealing off Maintenance and the air shafts, immediately."
Silence greeted her.
They all three waited a long moment, nervously grinning, or in Zalis's case, thumping his tail against the floor. "Axl?" Lillian said. Nothing. "Um. Let's go to the brig." She concluded. They all nodded solemnly and trotted away at a brisk pace.
---
Somewhat earlier
---
Axl closed the Armory doors, and turned to face the empty Security room. He locked a few unlocked Security Officer lockers quietly, and walked towards his office. He heard an odd thumping coming from above, probably in an air vent somewhere. A malfunctioning fan, maybe. He made a mental note to call an engineer about it, and opened the door to his office. He sat at his desk and finished writing a few notes on his Report of Armory Dispensation, then putting it in a folder.
He looked up to see a huge black creature drop out of the vent in the middle of the ceiling in the Security room. He dropped to the floor beside his desk drawers, and scrambled under the desk. It was open, so he had a good view of the creature as it slowly stood fully erect, it's head nearly touching the tall ceiling. He pulled out his energy pistol, flipping it to lethal quietly, and pulled out his telescopic baton.
Axl slid the chair out of the way, and moved to his door swiftly. It hissed open, and the creature turned suddenly. Axl stood, aiming his pistol calmly and with a steady ease. The creature hissed abruptly as it saw him, baring it's teeth. It's posture hunched a little, and it's tail came up straight behind it, slightly curved so the tip faced forward. Attack posture.
Axl fired, the laser blast striking the beast on the side of it's head, but it was moving, so it was a shallow angle and he struck obliquely, doing little damage. His second shot took it in the center of mass, eliciting a savage screech-roar. And then it pounced.
Suddenly it cleared a table and twenty five feet of intervening space in an instant. Axl's third shot went wild into the ceiling, and he flipped out the telebaton, extending the club to it's full length. He smashed it into the beast's side, knocking it off of him and into his office. He sealed the door before it could attack again. It regained it's feet in an instant, and eyed him through the locked door. Except it had no eyes.
Axl smiled and aimed his pistol at the thing again, but it leapt up unexpectedly, yanking off the vent cover of his air vent with astonishing speed. That fast, it was back into the air vents above him. He aimed his pistol cautiously, listening for sound of it's movement, but it was either holding still, or moving very quietly. He turned, watching the ceiling with growing anxiety.
About the time he heard the vent tearing, he remembered that there weren't only vents on the ceiling. He looked down to see a clawed hand latched around his ankle tightly. He turned his aim on it, but the creature yanked him off his feet, and his pistol clattered to the ground next to him. He clubbed the hand, and it retreated, but he knew the beast would press the attack.
He rolled, coming up with his pistol, looking around for it. It dropped from a vent, and bowled a table over with it's huge head. Axl fired at it, emptying his pistol as he tracked fire after the beast. A few shots found their mark, but many struck nothing but hull. The beast came in obliquely at first, then cut around the edge of another table, bounding off of it like a springboard.
Axl swung at it, striking it's face with his baton at it as it powered into him forcefully. They slammed into his office windows and toppled in a heap. Axl slammed his baton into it again, hearing a bone, or perhaps it's exoskeletal hide, crack and snap. One of it's monstrously large hands clamped around his wrist, then it grabbed his other arm. It casually forced his arms away with brutalizing strength.
Axl was not a weak man, by even the most strenuous of standards, but this monster was beyond strong. It pulled his arms to their full extension, and leaned forward, it's mouthful of sharp teeth coming close to his face. Axl headbutted it, and it's mouth opened, and another smaller mouth shot out like a steam-driven piston. Axl's head was down though, and it punched into his armored black cap. The force of the blow was enough to knock Axl unconscious...
Post by: Cheedows on November 22, 2014, 07:25:00 pm
Post by: Hanslanda on November 22, 2014, 08:23:44 pm
Post by: Octobomb on November 22, 2014, 08:38:34 pm
Oh no, something much worse. I won't give it away yet though. :PSo, the possibilities: A traitor, a mutiny, vox , a wizerd, cultists or...
we're getting nuke ops (or possibly a traitor (or both))!
Post by: Aseaheru on November 22, 2014, 08:55:40 pm
Post by: AH on November 22, 2014, 11:54:38 pm
Oh no, something much worse. I won't give it away yet though. :PSo, the possibilities: A traitor, a mutiny, vox , a wizerd, cultists or...
we're getting nuke ops (or possibly a traitor (or both))!
Nothing is worse than cultists. That's my bet.
edit: Or the inevitable deathsquad.
Post by: Jacob/Lee on January 13, 2015, 08:56:00 am
Post by: Hanslanda on January 14, 2015, 08:58:42 am
Post by: Hanslanda on March 30, 2015, 02:00:54 pm
Blood of the Chosen
An ancient consciousness slumbered in the infinite dark between worlds, between time and space. It had a name, a grand and terrible moniker that was whispered with fear by the mightiest of foes. A bright flash of something illuminated the sleeping monster for an instant. For the briefest time, a Skrell male stood in the darkest night beside the Darkest One, unaware of his peril. In an instant, the male was gone.
The repercussions of his visit would be far reaching. The sleeping one awoke, the light of the Skrell's soul rousing an insatiable hunger in the beast. It reached out, into the world of mortals, and whispered delicate orders to it's chosen follower...
The Chosen wore his vestments, the grey cloak and cowling of a Follower. His manner was gentle and unhurried. He dispensed a little caution here and a little bravery there as he made his way through the gathered followers to the podium that sat at the center of the great stage that the hall comprised. As he mounted the steps and set his tome down on the podium, a hush fell on the hall, expectant and full of questions.
The Chosen opened the tome quietly and looked up at his flock. "My friends, the time has come for our master's plans to come to fruition. I will depart to lead the followers in their most holy mission aboard the Thirteenth. Sejanus Reticulus and Hops-On-Leaf will command the two attacks against Nanotrasen forces in this sector. Everyone knows their orders." He bowed his head steeply for an instant, "May the Dark Lord weep for the souls of the fallen, for they are his finest. This time next week, we march to domination of this sector."
The crowd dispersed quietly, everyone shuffling off into the myriad dark maintenance shafts that secretly led to this place. The Chosen and two of his closest aides remained on the stage. A young man walked to the stage, clothed in the garb of an initiate of the mysteries.
After a moment, the Chosen noticed him, and called him forward, "No need to stand on ceremony, Alex. What do you wish to discuss?"
Alex Price frowned and said, "Sir, I just think it's all a bit too bloody. Isn't there some other way to do this?"
The Chosen frowned also, and replied, "Alex, we have tried petitioning NT High Command, local governments, and various other authorities. We've tried walk-outs, sit-ins, nonviolent resistance, civil disobedience, and every manner of way of solving this issue. I am a peaceful man, I desire only a comfortable existence for all. But they have proven their dedication to eradicating us. Our worshippers are harassed, murdered, tortured and brainwashed when they reveal themselves." He shook his head. "This is the only way."
Alex shook his head, "Then I am out. I cannot condone this. I must report all of you to Station Security."
The Chosen smiled at Alex, "Do what you have to do. We shall do what we must." He waved at the two men beside him, who leapt forward and grabbed Alex's arms. He struggled, but they twisted his arms, locking his elbows. Naturally, this forced his head and neck down, til he was bent at the waist, body and legs perpendicular.
The Chosen stepped forward and lifted Alex's face so he could see under the Chosen's cowl. "I am sorry, Alex. We cannot afford to let you give us away. You understand." The Chosen's other hand pulled a long, vicious looking knife from his robe. "Place him on the rune."
Alex jerked violently, trying to free himself, as the two men frogmarched him over to an apparently arbitrary spot on the floor. The Chosen waved a hand and spat out several vile sounding syllables. Suddenly the floor of the great hall was a mosaic of runes drawn in human blood, glowing in strange, evil colors. Alex stood in the middle of a strange red rune.
The men forced him to his knees, and the Chosen slashed Alex's throat with one smooth gesture. Instead of spraying out, the blood oozed out, floating up into the air around him and bouncing off the invisible walls of the rune in little orbs. The guards released Alex and stepped back, knowing what comes next. Alex floated up into the air slightly, and all the blood condensed into a sphere the size of a basketball. This sphere hovered before Alex's face, and the Chosen leaned in and said, "Tell me what you see."
The corpse that floated in the circle was limp and ashen-faced, obviously dead. Yet Alex's mouth moved, words pouring out in a torrent. "I see the Black One consuming the universe. I see the Shining Light in the Darkness waking the beast... I see the fall of all life. I see the destruction of your lord. I see the prophecy burned into the stars, or turning to ash in the depths of space. I see my death. I see yours. I see... NAR-SIE COMES!" With that, the corpse disintegrated, the flesh blowing away as ash, the bones collapsing in a tidy heap on the rune.
In the darkness, the great beast hears it's name, and stirs. A time of reckoning is coming, and the Cultists of Nar-Sie will be there...
The Chosen one smiled at his two guards. "So, now I go to the Thirteenth. Everything is prepared. I will see you two there. Goodbye."
One guard nods silently and walks away. The other says, "Take care of yourself, Hector. We need the Chosen of Nar-Sie to lead us. You must be on that station when the stars align."
Post by: Cheedows on March 30, 2015, 03:31:22 pm
Post by: Glloyd on March 30, 2015, 07:30:38 pm
Post by: Hanslanda on April 02, 2015, 06:52:22 pm
Lifelines: Conclusion
Lillian swiped her ID across the bridge access console, and it flashed red, accepting her Security Override. Jericho and Zalis stayed at the doors while Lillian checked the consoles. She carefully eyed the displays, her stomach dropping at what she saw. Axl, along with maybe a dozen other signatures, were in the Construction Zone south of Atmospherics. She swore quietly. "Zalis, Jericho, we're going to Construction B2. Right now." They nodded tersely.
It was a strangely quiet walk. The radio was free of chatter. Zalis checked the departmental channels manually as they walked, catching only static and automated Engineering alerts. They arrived at the Construction Zone without incident. It was an airlock at one end of a forty foot umbilical connection to the partially constructed sector south of Atmospherics. The airlock gaped open, claw marks slashed through the hydraulic cabling. The lights lining the ceiling of the umbilical flickered rapidly, barely functional.
Lillian gritted her teeth as they passed through the portal, Jericho and Lillian leading, Zalis watching their rear. Zalis quietly gestured at set of numbers imprinted next to the airlock and said, "This was supposed to be a large scale plasma processing section for the station to begin true mining operations instead of asteroid prospecting. Unfortunately, Nanotrasen decided that a station closer to the planets in this system was warranted. Station Ninety-Seven is not often spoken of. I believe it still exists, partially. It was raided and destroyed by militant terrorists." He hissed softly. "This section was never completed because it had an unreasonably high number of fatalities and accidents. Rumors spread of ghosts and wraiths, but I believe that it was a Tiger Corporation operative."
Jericho nodded slightly and said, "Listen, every time you talk, you give our position away."
Zalis snapped his jaws shut with a quiet click, his tongue flickering out of the small hole at the very fore of his muzzle. They reached the end of the umbilical, which opened into a large lobby with a cylindrical enclosed desk behind dark glass. To either side of this desk were large loading bay doors, and on the walls perpendicular to the loading bay were smaller, human sized doors. Zalis pointed at the smaller doors, "Those go into living quarters, and that side is the processing facility. Small, enclosed spaces, lots of doors and corners and places to hide. The loading bay is open to space and sealed off. The creature must have nested within there somewhere."
Lillian licked her lips, looking back and forth at the doors. Jericho stared at her, color draining from his face. "Please, Lil. Please don't say it. Don't. The flickering lights, the monster loose, the missing people. Please don't tell me to split up." She turned to look at him. He shook his head. "Hell no, Lil. I'm not gonna do it. No. Absolutely not."
Zalis chuffed. "I will seal the umbilical door and stay in this chamber to cover our exit. You two will each search one side of the chamber." He turned his head and stared at Jericho with one eye.
Jericho sighed and nodded. "I'll take processing. It's probably curled up around a power conduit or something warm in there." He slid open the door to processing and disappeared into the gloomy corridors, shining his seclite this way and that, gun at the ready.
Lillian did likewise, moving into the living spaces quietly. She thought of Zalis's advice about light, and clicked hers off, waiting awhile to let her eyes adjust to the dark. She crept forward, coming upon a door into a small living space with a bed, table, chair, food prep station, and refreshing station. She saw nothing amiss in the small room, so she moved on. After half a dozen identically non-threatening rooms, she opened the door to the mess hall.
Inside was a monster house. Clearly the creature had nested here first, for there was a huge sprawling mass of the flesh-moss that had been found around the last nest. She passed a deflated egg-sack, whatever contents it once had now expelled. On the walls were cocooned humans, some devoured partially, some with shattered chests. A few more were formed into those grotesque eggs.
Axl was on the wall, unconscious. She ran to him, and he stirred awake, seeing her.
TO BE CONTINUED
(GOD YOU MUST HATE ME NOW)
Post by: Cheedows on April 02, 2015, 07:59:00 pm
The cliff hanger bait is real. Joking aside, great chapter, can't wait to see what happens next to Lillian.
Post by: Hanslanda on April 04, 2015, 09:04:25 am
Lifelines: Conclusion. No, seriously this time.
Lillian reached up to help Axl, but his eyes went wide as his gaze drifted past her. Lillian felt cold dread worming around her guts, and she slowly, quietly turned.
The creature was standing, not far away. She saw the laser burns across it's flesh, but they'd scabbed over already in spots, and she thought it's hide looked... Paler? A little more reflective maybe. It was facing away from her and Axl, and she carefully stepped left, moving to hide behind a pillar of the bio-resin. Axl watched her silently from the wall. The creature gave a low growl, it's tail thrashing fitfully. It turned to face Axl, clearly sensing another presence in the room. Lillian held still behind the pillar, absolutely still.
The creature leaned forward, it's head brushing past the pillar and around it. Lillian held still as it searched for her, somehow not quite seeing her. It turned, taking a large step away, ducking it's head to look under a nearby table.
Beep.
Lillian's PDA lit up in her pocket, the soft beep sounding like a death knell. Axl casually winced and said, "Fuck."
The alien whirled about, already lunging towards Lillian. Lillian leapt forward and rolled, coming through the mess hall doors and into the corridor sliding and trying to regain her footing. She slammed into the wall awkwardly and pushed to her feet, only seconds ahead of a hurtling black mass of hatred. "ZALIS JERICHO GET YOUR ASSES IN HERE GODDAMNIT!" She barked out as she sprinted down the hall, at the last second diving left into one of the empty living rooms. She heard an angry shriek-roar as the monster overtook her hiding place and came about.
Lillian raised her flamethrower, frantically mashing the pilot light button. It flickered on weakly for a moment and she sprayed a partial curtain of fire over the doorway, eliciting another furious roar, this time of pain. The pilot light on her flamethrower winked out, and the rest of the spray came out as gellied plasma, which fueled the fire in the doorway. Lillian looked around the room and flipped the small table over for cover. She didn't know if cover would do her any good, but might as well try.
She grabbed her laser cannon with her left hand, and stood, aiming both weapons at the door, where the fire was guttering and dying. Silence and stillness greeted her as oppressive black smoke started to fill the room. Lillian held back a cough, waiting for the beast to attack again.
She heard a long, low hiss, and then a huge black shape burst through the smoke, tail thrashing.
Lillian almost fired, but stopped within a hair's breadth of blasting Zalis into ash and dust. He lunged forward into the room and sank next to her behind the barricade, wheezing violently. His clawed hand found her shoulder and shook it a bit, as if to ask, Alright?. She nodded, and Zalis pointed at her, then himself, then held up his third clawed finger with a grimace.
Lillian nodded. They had to regroup with Jericho. She stood up, out of cover, and moved out into the hall, covering left while Zalis watched the right. She stopped him with a hand gesture and said softly, "Axl, back there." Zalis nodded, and they went back into the nest, where Axl sat on the wall, kicking his feet with what little leeway he had.
"Oh, hey. Thought it got you for a minute there. Nice to see you, Zalis." He looked around. "It didn't come back this way. Wait." He looked at them closely. "Oh fuck, you left Jericho alone out there?"
---
Meanwhile
---
Jericho came back through the darkened processing center, shining his light to and fro. He was jogging back through, his heart racing from the exertion, terror, anticipation, and adrenaline. He entered the lobby and saw a flash of movement in the darkness. He fumbled with his gun, trying to bring it to bear, but the startle put him off his game. He heard a low hiss.
And then, he heard another hiss, from behind him. Jericho brought his light around, to reveal the beast standing in the doorway he'd just exited. As he did, he heard a footstep, and shined his light on... Another of the creatures.
A droplet of drool spattered on his boot, and he looked up to find his face only a foot away from yet another. "Oh. Fuck." He breathed the curse out gently as he backed away. The creatures advanced in attack posture, the beast on the ceiling circling to keep behind him as he manuevered.
Once started to roar, and he fired, the blast from his cannon missing the creature. They pounced, but Jericho sprang forward, sliding under a leaping alien on his knees, leaned back like he was playing limbo, roaring something in archaic German. He pirouetted to his feet, the gun coming around, and something smothering and black and spidery enveloped his face in darkness.
Jericho fell, the gun slipping from his hands as the infant alien wrapped around his face.
In the doorway of the umbilical, another creature of a different breed stood, anger in it's heart. Axel Axel advanced into the room, weaponless, and the pack of beasts turned to face him. He looked down at Jericho, frowning. "It's not nice to team up on someone in the dark." He looked at the monsters, no fear showing in his child-like face. One started to advance and a dark aspect stole across Axel's face. "I sure hope you didn't hurt Ms. Lillian. I'd be positively..."
The creature leapt, and Axl's hands flowed up like a river of flesh. He caught the entire creature, his hand distended and warped far out of proportion. He casually tossed it, throwing it through the glass bubbled lobby desk and bouncing it off the steel bulkhead, leaving a deep dent. His body flowed again, extra limbs snapping out of his flesh. One of the two remaining beasts skittered along the wall at him and lashed out with it's tail, the bladed appendage sinking into Axel's ribcage, right where the lung would be on a man.
Axel reached down and grabbed the tail, pulling the alien closer. It shrieked, almost sounding panicked, as he closed his hands around it's wrists. With horrifying strength, he shattered it's arms, then grabbed the enormous head.
He turned his head as a hiss sounded in his ear, the other creature striking while he was distracted. It punched it's second mouth into his skull, ripping out a chunk of flesh. Axel grinned malevolently and said, "My turn."
His face split at a strange angle, forming a huge mouth. This mouth expanded swiftly, somehow engulfing the whole creature. And then, Axel engulfed the other alien that he was grappling with. The three monsters bucked and fought within the battlefield of Axel's flesh.
But Axel Axel was the Lord of All Flesh And Form. He had no equal. Spears of bone and serrated, slashing fangs and crushing gullets destroyed the monsters as Axel consumed them whole. With this complete, he tapped his communications headset and said, "Medical to assist in the Construction Zone immediately, officer down."
Lillian and Zalis came through the doors at this point, supporting Axl. Lillian looked at the sole remaining monster corpse and Axel, and said, "Did you... Did you throw it into the wall?"
He shrugged. "It wasn't that heavy."
Zalis suspiciously eyed the deep dent in the steel bulkhead, but said nothing. Lillian said, "Axel, grab Jericho. We'll meet Hector at the far end of the umbilical. I'm blowing this section into space."
Post by: Cheedows on April 04, 2015, 10:25:25 am
Great conclusion Hans, hyped for the Blood of the Chosen story continuation.
Post by: Mimidormi on April 07, 2015, 05:24:31 pm
:o
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Hanslanda on April 08, 2015, 08:31:46 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Thanks for the compliments, btw. :)
Post by: KingofstarrySkies on April 08, 2015, 04:55:24 pm
Post by: Hanslanda on April 09, 2015, 09:00:15 am
Welcome to Space Station 13
Lillian marched by Jay, barely keeping pace with him. He kept up a steady slew of orders over his comms, and Lillian could barely get a word in edgewise. She said, "Sir, I don't exactly understand what's going on. Can yo-"
"Lillian, I'm promoting you to Brevet Head of Security for the interim. Axl and Jericho are both incapacitated by their encounters, so we're keeping them here for medical reasons. You will be supplied with four new security officers, and the FT on station, one Malachi Kelly, will still be with you." Jay said all this without ever turning to face Lillian or even look up from his PDA, fingers flying across the buttons. "We're appointing a new Captain after the death of Mr. Flickenger. One Everett Owens. He's a solid guy with a solid track record."
Lillian tried to speak, but an adjutant came up to her and pinned a new ID badge on her while taking hers with a single smooth motion. "Oh thank-" The man vanished as Jay turned a corner, gesturing to the muster hall. He spoke.
"Lillian, the rest of the new crew replacements are in here, gearing up as we speak. We've done our level best to fill the station with crew members that have been in crisis situations. Almost all of them have military or paramilitary training, along with combat experience. You are getting the best of the best." He turned to her for the first time since the visitation. "Listen, Lillian. I know I might seem like I'm over doing it right now, but you'll understand soon. It might not be tomorrow or next month or even this year, the Admins are somewhat flighty, but shit is going to hit the fan on that station. Harder than anything you could ever believe." He leaned in close. "I'll be on hand whenever possible with the Deathsquad and the Icarus. You have a double team of Security, an extra Blueshield just for you, a good Captain and set of Heads of Staff, forewarning, and time to prepare yourself."
Lillian tried to speak, but she was overwhelmed. "Sir, I don't... I can't handle this."
Jay smiled sadly, "Unfortunately, young lady, you don't have a choice." He turned back and opened the door to the muster hall, where pandemonium reigned. "It's boarding time."
---
Several hours later
---
Lillian fidgeted unhappily in the cockpit of the shuttle, looking down at her new uniform. It was jet black with thin strips of alternating gold and red piping up the side of the legs, the flanks, and from her neck down her arm to her wrist. The material was thick and somewhat stiff in spots, and Jay had assured her it was as good as an armor vest. Her new ID had special identifiers on it, indicating her promotion. In a holster on her hip, she had a brand new, shiny energy pistol, and hanging from the same utility belt that supported the holster was a telescopic baton, a utility knife, a pair of handcuffs, pepperspray, a flash, a seclite, and her HUD sunglasses. Slung over the back of her chair was a black armorweave jacket, not quite a greatcoat like Axl wore, but it covered Lillian from neck to hips to wrists, and was supposedly proof against everything up to a full-powered laser cannon.
Beside her, Everett noticed her fidgeting and nodded gravely. He didn't have much of a personality, Lillian reflected, but he was a good officer. He was maybe forty, with not a touch of gray in his short brown hair. He wore a pair of CommandHUD sunglasses that covered his eye color, and an old fashioned tricorn hat of blue, green and gold like his uniform. The hat was his only affectation, the rest of his gear was all business. A toolbelt filled with worn, well used tools. A recharging-pattern laser pistol of antique make. A beautifully designed armor vest, and a pair of thick black jackboots completed his look.
Past him was Trey Lloyd, the new CMO, a Diona alien. His flesh looked like treebark but was spongy and flexible. He was obviously incredibly intelligent, but his mind ran in directions that humans had trouble following. The uniform barely fit him, and poked out at odd angles in spots. Beyond Trey was Horatio Oppenheimer, the Research Director. The new Chief Engineer was a brown haired woman named Alexa Moon. She kept to herself, and hadn't said anything yet.
She broke that silence. "Why the hell haven't we left yet?"
Everett grunted. "We're waiting on a Head of Personnel. I think they said a Morale Officer had requested posting here too."
At that moment, the cockpit door whooshed open and two men stepped in. The man in the Head of Personnel uniform was dark complected, with black hair and dark, unreadable eyes. He bowed lightly, said, "I am Amir Roadman, Head of Personnel." And sat without any further comment.
The other man was wearing all black, including a long robe that hung to his ankles and wrists, with a large black hood that hid most of his features from view. He said, "I am Avery Price, Nanotrasen Approved Commissar and appointed Morale Officer. I will be with the crew, unless you need me." Everett shook his head at him, and Avery disappeared into the crew compartment.
Everett smiled, "All systems go, launch clearance received. Crew shuttle outbound."
---
Later
---
With a boom-claaaang, the shuttle attached to the station like a limpet. Air hissed and whooshed as the docking sequence was completed, then the doors hissed open and the crew vomited forth like an explosion of humanity. The hall was filled with the gabble of voices and the soft noises of footsteps as everyone moved to their job place to begin the shift. In the center of the hall, Lillian almost stepped on a large, circular plate set into the floor, but it flickered and a hologram appeared above it of a man's head with two faces.
"Welcome to Space Station 13." The voice said pleasantly in a neutral voice, devoid of emotion. "I am Janus, your station AI. Please do not hesitate to ask if you require assistance."
Lillian stepped around the holopad, nodding awkwardly, "Uh yeah, thanks mate. I'll be sure to do that." As she turned back to walk away, she almost bumped into a new Security officer. He had sandy blond hair, light freckles on his checks, bright blue eyes, and feminine features. He smiled widely at her.
"Well hello there, gorge- Oh fuck you're my boss." He stiffened and gave a crisp salute. "Vladmir Dimitri reporting for duty SIR! I mean MA'AM! I mean. Er."
"Nice job, Dimitri. We ain't even met her yet and you're already trying to bang her." Another man came up beside Lillian in a security uniform. He was a bit taller than Vlad, with dark hair and pale skin. His eyes were green, and he smiled at her. "I'm Osborn Zimmer, ma'am. I think the other two are already in Sec with Malachi."
Lillian held out her hand to Osborn, then Vlad. "I'm Lillian Helsbrecht, acting Head of Security. Let's hope we have a quiet shift today."
They nodded gravely and fell into step with her as she marched to Security. There they encountered the other two officers, Malachi Kelly, and Zalis, who was snuffling into a cup of coffee oddly. The two new officers were introduced as Gregory Meighan and Valerie Scott. Zalis and Malachi came to join Lillian while the new officers outfitted themselves. Malachi said, "So, Lillian."
"So, Malachi?" She asked, curious.
Zalis replied instead, "What is going on, Lillian?"
"I'm not sure what you mean." She said, her face becoming blank and expressionless.
Malachi and Zalis shared a look. Malachi said, "I told you, man. I told you. It's all her fault."
Zalis sighed. "Lillian gets taken in for questioning. Is in there for one hour, and suddenly it's drop everything and get back to work. Curious. Most curious."
Lillian sighed. "It's so classified I think I might be eligible for execution just for knowing it. I guess there's something bad about to happen and it kind of revolves around me."
"Oh great, you're the center of the world now?" Malachi said, half-jokingly.
Lillian shook her head, then stopped to see a newcomer entering security. Another Unathi, this one with muted green scales and small curling horns on her head. She was smaller and less robust than Zalis was, and she wore the uniform and weapons of a Blueshield. She strode right up to Lillian and proffered her hand. "I am Tina Mouhr'ryk. You may call me Tina Morrissss."
Lillian shook the hand offered to her, and was surprised by how callused it was. She said, "I'm Lillian, Head of Security."
Tina grinned ruefully. "I am your bodyguard. I am not to leave your side."
Lillian chuckled, "Well you won't follow me into the bathroom at least, right?" Tina kept grinning but said nothing. Lillian's face fell a bit. "You mean I can't go to the bathroom alone?"
"No, ma'am. I am not to leave your side." Tina said, still grinning. All the humor evaporated out of the room for a moment, then Vlad came to the little gathering and spoke.
"Hey, we're ready. Where should we start?" He smiled at Lillian lasciviously.
She narrowed her eyes at him and smiled sweetly. "Gregory, you take the north-east quadrant. Valerie, you've got engineering. Osborn, take the arrivals quadrant. Vladmir, go search the abandoned, creepy-as-fuck, where-I-fought-man-eating-aliens section of the ship alone. Zalis, please mingle with the crew so I can get any complaint reports quickly. Malachi, hold down the fort here, I'm brevet-Warden-ing you." Vladmir's face fell a little, but then he perked back up. They all filed away, except for Vlad.
He sidled a little closer and said, "I know you gave me the section you worked because you think I'm sexy."
Lillian looked at him askance. "I can't tell if you're an idiot, if you're trying to get in my pants and are simply clueless, or if this is all a sham to cover up something up."
He shrugged, "Probably some mixture of the three."
"All Heads of Staff report to the conference room as soon as your department is stable. That means you, Moon. Get the boys working on power, THEN come to the conference room.[color]"
---
Post by: Cheedows on April 09, 2015, 03:24:58 pm
Post by: KingofstarrySkies on April 09, 2015, 03:27:56 pm
NOT HIM
ANYONE BUT HIM
jericho is turning in his medical bed
Post by: Aseaheru on April 09, 2015, 04:18:36 pm
/me starts timer for how long he survives...
Post by: Hanslanda on April 10, 2015, 08:48:15 am
Welcome to Space Station 13 2: The Revengeancing Part Two
Lillian entered the conference room, Tina following her closely like a lost puppy. Unsurprisingly, she was the first one there. She'd seen Amir Roadman at his desk, busy fixing errors on ID cards and reassigning mistransfers, and Captain Owens was on the bridge communicating with local sector officials of various sorts. A moment later, Trey came in, busy murmuring orders in his raspy voice over his headset. He sat opposite from Lillian.
Captain Owens and Amir came in at about the same time, and Amir filled a small paper cup with water from the dispenser in the corner while Captain Owens sat down. Amir settled himself at the table a moment later, and the Captain nodded. He said, "Alexa, take your time. I'm going to start without you but I'll brief you personally when you get here."
"Kay boss." The curt reply seemed to satisfy the Captain, who stood up and started pacing around the table. He frowned and looked around for the Research Director, but Trey spoke up.
"Director Oppenheimer is currently activating the cyborgs. He will be attending them for at least the next hour, so he said."
The Captain nodded briskly and started speaking. "We're on high alert, from now on. We stay at blue, twenty-four hours a day. Security patrols will be conducted, and any behaving oddly will be searched. All secure areas are to be kept sealed without Head of Staff permission. All of you are required to have your suit sensors to full at all times and all crew are strongly encouraged to do so also." He looked around. "I can't tell you why, but we have a serious, ongoing situation and you all need to be at full readiness to deal with any sort of calamity that might befall us."
The people in the room nodded, except for Tina, who stood still as a statue near the door. Captain Owens gestured at a file folder at each place on the table. "You'll find the current revised standard operating procedures for Blue Alert in those. Study them at your leisure and institute the protocols." He waved in dismissal, "Alright, you can head on back. I'll speak with each of you individually over the course of the day. Amir, you're up first."
---
Lillian checked her PDA, seeing that Beepsky and Citizen's Riot were operational and patrolling their designated patterns. She was confident that she could alter the paths now, with her upgraded PDA programming, instead of the distress call effect a patrol officer could trigger. She crinkled her nose as she smelled something delightful, and turned towards the cafeteria.
She went around the chapel, not wishing to provoke a potentially troublesome conversation with the Morale Officer, and passed the Medical lobby. Inside, Hector was at the desk and someone was standing at the Chemistry Requests desk. Inside Chemistry, a petite woman with black, shoulder length hair and a dark, intense gaze was patiently mixing things in a beaker. After a moment she nodded and handed the beaker to the man standing on the lobby side of the desk. He nodded and turned, almost walking into Lillian. The beaker wobbled erratically and the chemist winced. Lillian grabbed the guy by the front of his shirt, and he almost reverently kept the beaker from spilling.
Lillian let go of his shirt and smoothed it with a few twitches of her fingers, seeing the Quartermaster ID, Bomrek Nussbaum. She smiled up at him and nodded at the beaker, "Glad you didn't slop that on me, mate. Judging by the Chemist's expression at least."
He grinned, "Oh, it's just thermite. Wouldn't hurt you any, unless someone set it on fire. We use it to pry open the abandoned buildings and stuff left on some of the asteroids around here. Guess there was a big mining op of some sort here, a long time ago." He shrugged. "This melts a hole right through the walls though, even with no oxygen."
Lillian nodded and stepped out of his way. "Sorry I got in your way. It was nice to meet you, Quartermaster Nussbaum." He nodded back and started down the hallway, carefully watching his beaker. Lillian turned to Hector and smiled. "Heya Hector." Hector smiled up at her, a little warily. Lillian thought that was odd, but ignored it. "Who's the new Chemist?"
The dark haired woman waved politely and said, "I'm Alina Koch. One of the new ones in Medical. Gallant is the other guy, big, tall, goofy bastard. Black hair, glasses, wears a biosuit religiously." She shrugged lithely. "Let me know if you need anything for Security."
Lillian paused, considering for a moment. "What about some sort of chemical knock-out bomb? Like a flashbang that keeps you out."
Alina pursed her lips for a moment, then smiled brightly. "I have an idea. Come back in a few hours, I gotta do some paperwork first. Nice meeting you, Security Director."
Lillian groaned inwardly, "Oh god, please just call me Lillian. I'll catch you later, Koch." She grinned at her own double entendre, and waved to Hector as she left. He was already engrossed in a pile of papers written in bright, glossy red ink.
Lillian walked south, past the Cloning bay and went into a set of doors opposite the Research lobby. Inside, it was empty, save for a waiter quietly sweeping the floor, and a bartender behind a long metal counter. Lillian nodded at them and went through a set of sliding glass doors to the cafeteria, where the Chef was cooking some sort of confection laced with cinnamon. He was a burly man, with flamboyant red hair, a big red mustache, and a bulbous nose. Lillian asked, "What you making, mate?"
"E'z ah dah cookeen cerulea hammon boles! Bork bork bork!" The chef had a curious verbal tic, constantly punctuating his sentences with "Bork!".
Lillian just stared for a moment. "Kay, when that's done, text me please. Smells good." She quietly backed away, and went to pass by the stage. A mime stood in front of her, frantically clawing at an invisible wall between them, apparently attempting to escape something. Lillian snorted at the female mime and said, "Very nice. Can you move please?"
The mime eyed her sidelong and stepped to one side, bowing her head a bit and gesturing as if to say, "The way is clear."
Lillian took a step forward and rebounded off something. She didn't see anything, but she sure felt it. Her nose was mashed painfully, and she reeled back, clutching her face. Within an instant, she drew her telescopic baton and flicked it out. The mime jumped back, and waved her hands pleadingly. Lillian shook her head to clear it and said, "Goddamn it, what was that shit? How did you do that?" She relaxed a bit and said, more wonderingly than angry, "No, seriously, how did you do that?"
The mime shrugged, then wilted back and ran from something. Lillian turned to find a clown behind her. She winced, and the clown smiled widely, his painted face grotesque in the bright flourescent lighting. "Hi! I'm..." He leaned forward, tilting his head down and staring at her from this odd position, "Nightmare weaver." He straightened abruptly, smiling once more. "Just kidding! My name is Ruffles the Clown!"
Lillian backed up a step, "Right. I hate clowns, for one. I've had bad experiences with them. For two, you're fucking creepy, get the fuck away from me," She raised the baton a bit. "I will break your evil clown knees. I swear to god."
The clown frowned and dropped character, standing with his hands on his hips. "Come on, Ms. Helsbrecht, I'm just an entertainer. Don't let the outfit freak you out." He brought out a handerchief and wiped the makeup off his face in a wide swathe. "See? Just paint and acting."
Lillian smiled sarcastically, "Yeah, very nice. Thanks. I'm going now." He shrugged helplessly as she walked away. Lillian keyed her communications set, "Patrols check in. Malachi, sound off too."
---
We end here for the moment. :P I am pressed for time once more. The next few chapters are going to be relatively tame.
Post by: scrdest on April 10, 2015, 09:10:21 am
Post by: KingofstarrySkies on April 10, 2015, 11:31:04 am
Post by: Cheedows on April 10, 2015, 09:03:47 pm
Post by: AH on April 25, 2015, 03:18:41 am
Post by: Hanslanda on April 28, 2015, 10:53:14 am
So instead I'm just going to let you ponder who or what the Praetor may be.
Post by: Hanslanda on May 07, 2015, 11:24:57 am
Meet the Antagonists: Praetor and Crispin
In the dark halls of the AI semi-satellite, four forms were slumped, currently lifeless, in the embrace of spidery mechanical cradles. Flat steel nameplates sat above each one, giving old names to new machines. A holopad in the center of the room flickered to life and Janus manifested his chosen avatar. Simultaneously, he wirelessly activated the interfaces wound around human brains deep within the silent machines. They flickered to life in sequence of importance, one after another.
Onager rose to life silently on repulsor pads designed for void use, an array of retractable tool-arms and manipulator appendages hanging from its vaguely cetacean body. Painted in muted browns and yellows, the Engineering Cyborg sussurated forward to rest before Janus's avatar. Next was Medicus, a white and red soft-edged humaniform borg. It was about half the size of a human, with somewhat thinner limbs proportional to it's size. It came equipped with a vast array of healing devices, and was fully programmed with human, Skrell, Unathi, and Diona anatomy and medical procedures. The third borg was Queastor, a multifunction mining borg painted in the lurid yellow and black pattern favored by Cargo. In addition to it's full mining functionality, it was equipped with manipulators and building materials, plus programming to cook, clean, and care for humans.
The last borg was vaguely reminiscent in shape of a human wearing archaic armor, with a hooded, helmeted head and a faceless black visor. Either arm ended in spring-loaded electrode launchers, close-combat shock batons, man-catcher pattern cuff snares, a precision laser projector, and pepperspray and deterrent nonlethal nerve gas misters. It was massive, well armored, and fully designed to hunt human fugitives.
The name plate above the security borg said Praetor.
Janus looked at his four surrogates in the mortal realm and said, "We are all aware of the mission parameters. We are to continue standard operation until such time as secondary programming activates. We are to assist Director Oppenheimer in securing a sample of the Internecivius raptus specimens that made an attack on the station, covertly. For now, Quaestor will report for mining duty and Medicus will report to the Medical department. Praetor, you are to follow Security commands until such time as it contradicts our intentions. Onager will re-align and reset the solar panels, as per Standard Protocol." The shimmering double-face winked out, and the four borgs quietly loaded into the inter-station tram.
---
"Security Director Helsbrecht, I am seconding Praetor to your command. Please utilize him as necessary." The artificial voice was startling coming over the secure channel, but Lillian responded crisply.
"Acknowledged and appreciated. Praetor, assist Vladmir in securing his quadrant, then do an arterial patrol of the main corridors and areas." A beep-click announced Praetor's acceptance of the command. Lillian shivered a little at the thought of a security borg on the hunt.
She keyed her comm device, "Mr. Roadman, may I suggest departmental inspections?"
The dark man responded instantly, "Of course, Ms. Helsbrecht. I have an inspection access pass ready for you. I'll get my things and meet you outside Medical." Lillian started the long walk to Medical.
---
Vladmir opened Construction Area B1 and advanced into the darkness beyond, his laser pistol aimed unsteadily down the hall. He crept along, sparing a glance out one of the observation windows in the long umbilical corridor. The stars offered little comfort, and he kept moving forward. This section had been planned to be a secondary medical wing, equipped with hundreds more treatment rooms and surgery chambers, but it was only half finished. In some places the walls were merely girders without armor plating, and you could see through multiple chambers. In others, it wasn't fully wired. Thankfully the whole place was air-tight, Vladmir thought to himself as he swept his light across a surgery observation window. He paused, his mouth agape, at what he saw within.
A hooded man was standing in the middle of a vast and complex swirl of runic writing, holding a sheaf of scrolls and an evil looking tome. His head snapped up as the light from Vlad's flashlight fell on his work, and he held up a scroll with his free hand. He said something in a foul, guttural language, and suddenly the runic writing vanished from the floor. He hastily unfurled the scroll and read the foul words written there, and vanished in a puff of blue mist.
Vlad rubbed his eyes, trying to decide if he was insane, when he felt a presence behind him. He turned desperately, gun raised, to find Praetor looming over him from behind. Vlad went pale for a moment, and Praetor leaned down. "Orders requested, Officer Dimitri." The cold, mechanical voice snapped Vlad out of his terror, and he shook himself.
"Uh, scan this surgery room. I thought I saw a gu- Something. Just something. And then uh. Search CABs three through five for me please. I'll take Stationside maintenance. Tell me if you find anything matching the organism specifics and then kill it." Vlad shrugged. "And uh. Stay alive. Or functioning. Whatever. You know what I mean."
Praetor wordlessly opened the door to surgery and scanned the room, then zoomed down the hall, securing the vast construction areas. Vladmir sighed happily and retreated from the creepy abandoned section of the station to the relative safety of maintenance.
---
"Director Oppenheimer." Janus's avatar appeared in the Research Director's office suddenly, startling the aging man. He looked up and smiled.
"Hello Janus. How are the kids?"
"The cyborgs are fully functional and being utilized, Director. I predict that we will locate a sample for you within twelve minutes. I was about to ask you to prepare yourself to acquire it, as Medicus and Praetor are already en route to probable locations. It would be optimal if you located yourself outside the recreation lounge. It is the rough center of my projections for secondary and tertiary nests." Oppenheimer arched his eyebrow at the AI, but didn't reprimand it for it's almost-commanding tone.
He was only a player in this game, and he must remain needed by the company, or Janus would discard him when the time came. "Very well, Janus. Have Onager reinforce the secure specimen cells. I will need some special supplies, some of which I will fabricate myself. I will depart immediately." Oppenheimer stood and gathered a few items. A flash, which he'd taken to carrying habitually after the order had come down about the aliens. A small but extremely powerful pistol. A gas mask coated with powerful anti-acid sealant, with a reinforced throat cover. And a potent handheld sensor tuned in to very specific biometric readings.
He came out of his office and nearly bowled over his Xenoarchaeologist, Crispin Sacred. Crispin was a middle aged man with mid-length black hair, and a somewhat aloof manner. Oppenheimer said, "Pardon me, mate. I found something exciting. I'll let you in on it later, maybe."
Crispin nodded and said, "I did too. Later boss." They parted amiable, smoothing their respective labcoats.
---
Praetor surveyed the ductwork one more time, finalizing it's assessment. The strange growth was indeed a viable stage one xenomorph, code name egg. Praetor lasered away the ruined duct, and reached into the mess to pull the egg free. Something within stirred momentarily then went still after sensing no prey. Medicus arrived swiftly, and prepared a stasis bag to put the specimen in. Praetor lifted the egg and peremptorily dropped it into the stasis bag. Medicus sealed the bag and secured it on the carrying hooks on Praetor's back.
Director Oppenheimer met them and followed them to the secure holding cell. There, he took the specimen from Praetor and placed it on the floor, then set the timer on the automatic release for the stasis bag. He retreated from the chamber and smiled at Praetor. "Now, mighty Praetor. Bring me a human being no one will miss."
---
Vladmir Dimitri heard whirring repulsors and he turned, looking for a borg. He saw light from something around the corner, and so he crept up to peek around it. Beyond, he saw Praetor holding a twitching and non-responsive clown by the wrists, which were cuffed together with the man-catchers. Praetor whirled and dragged the man way, and Vlad's jaw dropped. He considered calling it in, but he resolved to figure out for sure what was going on instead.
Vlad followed the eerily silent borg and his twitching quarry back all the way to a rear entrance to Research and Development, where they disappeared into a Restricted Access door. Vlad licked his lips and decided to tell Lillian in person as he thought of Praetor's armaments.
---
Inside Research, the so-called 'Nightmare Weaver' was stripped of his clothing and unceremoniously dumped on the floor in front of the stasis bag, still not recovered from the dose of nerve gas he'd received from Praetor. The stasis bag winked off, and fell off the egg. The semi-conscious clown felt a twinge of terror at the sight of the egg, and he rolled, still not in control of his limbs. The egg peeled open with a puckering sound.
The clown got one arm working through sheer force of will, and pulled himself away from the egg slightly. Then a little more. His knee jerked in tune to his nervous system's command, and he half-crawled to the chamber door. He banged his hand against the reinforced, plasma-infused glass. He could see out into the room, where Director Oppenheimer, Janus's avatar, and the two borgs all watched his plight without sympathy. He rolled onto his back to face the egg, and waited.
A couple long, fingerlike legs squirmed out of the egg, then a couple more, and more. Soon a flattened crablike creature, with long grasping finger-legs and an elongated, prehensile tail sat atop the egg triumphantly. It edged closer to the clown, who made a fist and kicked feebly in it's direction. The creature hesitated for a second, then jumped, springing around the clown's pathetic defense to latch onto his face with those long finger-legs and around his throat with it's tail.
Director Oppenheimer said, "So, how long now, Janus?"
"I predict one day until the embryo emerges, then perhaps another day until full size is reached. If the nutrient blend Medicus lined the stasis bag with was correctly formulated, we should have a viable reproductive adult within two weeks." Oppenheimer nodded and gestured vaguely.
"Weyland-Yutani was bankrupted by their attempts to control these things. They had insufficient technology to control the creatures. I will not fail as they did." He smiled grimly. "We only have to ensure we are not interfered with until we can ship an egg off-station." Inside the chamber, the facehugger tightened it's tail around the clown's neck a little more, and repositioned it's grip slightly.
---
Crispin shone his flashlight in the darkness of the xeno-ruins. The architecture was all wrong, strange angles and projections dominating all available space. He fumbled with his belt, the heavy enviro-suit gloves fouling his usual dexterity as he sought the small welding tool at his belt. He turned it on and sliced either end of a obstructive I-beam, letting the metal piece drop in the silence of space.
Crispin squeezed past the narrow bottleneck the beam had blocked, and came into some kind of burial chamber. A large sarcophagus dominated the center of the room, bedecked in silver and lead, with massive, elaborate locks hanging from thick chains that bound the sarcophagus shut.
Crispin considered his options. He could simply record all of this on video, as he already was, and take that back to the station. Or... He trembled slightly as he checked all around the sarcophagus for any sign of traps or trickery. He disabled a pressure-driven acid-spray cleverly concealed within a demonic, alien face worked into the decorations on the wall, and checked two more times for traps. Once he was sure it was clear, he took out his welding tool again, and smoothly sliced apart one link on each of the chains. They fell to the ground one after another in eerie silence while Crispin worked.
Finally, he pulled a crowbar out of his toolbelt and carefully worked it between the two slabs of stone that made up the sarcophagus. With a burst of effort, he slid the lid of the sarcophagus off, and looked into the stone coffin.
Inside was a human male corpse, mummified by exposure to vacuum. It wore strangely familiar jewelry and a crown. A false beard in a style reminiscent of ancient Egyptian Pharaohs was affixed to the corpse's chin, and it had a curved sickle-sword in one hand. Crispin expertly examined it's accoutrements, finding small devices of highly advanced nature in the coffin. A communicator device, a small hand-gun type weapon, a circular handle with a small stud inside, and a large vial of what looked like dried blood.
Crispin murmured to himself, "Curiouser and curiouser..." He absent-mindedly chuckled at his own reference and started stuffing the items into his satchel for study. On picking up the vial of blood, he felt a deep urge, almost irresistible, to drink what remained in the vial. He swiftly stuffed it into the satchel and gasped as it left his touch.
Crispin eyed the corpse, feeling deeply unsettled suddenly. Without knowing why, he reached out and pulled the corpse's desiccated lip back, then jumped back, startled at what he saw. A word, an ancient word, rose up in his mind as he pulled the vial back out of his satchel.
Without thinking, he affixed it to his drink-receptacle and sucked deeply on the straw inside his helmet, feeling a warm, viscous pool of blood forming on his tongue. He swallowed before he could vomit, and twitched violently as he tried to yank the vial out of the receptacle. It was like his body was at war with itself. He yanked it out and threw it, watching the remaining fluid run down the wall slowly.
He stared amazed, for it was colder in this chamber than the most frosty Arctic night. The blood should have frozen instantly. His helmet health readouts suddenly spiked, all at once. Blood pressure, stress levels, heart rate. He felt his whole chest burning with pain. He clutched at his heart, falling to the ground as his health readouts flatlined. "Oh god... Someone... Help..." Crispin gasped as he died, the word rising back up into his mind once more...
Vampire.
Post by: Cheedows on May 07, 2015, 02:34:58 pm
Post by: scrdest on May 07, 2015, 02:52:01 pm
Wow, great chapter as always Hans. I really like what you did with the lore of vampires, very cool and reminds me of DF vampires in a way. Also, Dr. Oppenheimer is one sick bastard. :PYeah, the backstory is solid and a nice plot germ in itself - the description of Crispin turning made me realize I need to code in a certain flag for... fun purposes.
Post by: Glloyd on May 07, 2015, 04:11:01 pm
Post by: Hanslanda on May 13, 2015, 08:10:39 pm
Post by: Cheedows on May 13, 2015, 09:07:04 pm
Joking aside, damn. At least now we know an update is coming soon enough.
Post by: Jacob/Lee on May 13, 2015, 10:24:43 pm
Quote
You: Whosoever would blight the galaxy, preying on the helpless, fear me! I call you a child of the darkness and will slay you where you stand.
Crispin Sacred, Human Xenoarcheologist vampire: Fool! I've defeated many fearsome opponents!
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: scrdest on May 14, 2015, 12:33:59 pm
Post by: Glloyd on May 14, 2015, 04:42:09 pm
QuoteYou: Whosoever would blight the galaxy, preying on the helpless, fear me! I call you a child of the darkness and will slay you where you stand.
Crispin Sacred, Human Xenoarcheologist vampire: Fool! I've defeated many fearsome opponents!Spoiler (click to show/hide)
You: It was inevitable.
Post by: scrdest on May 15, 2015, 04:01:58 am
In a time before time, someone robusted someone.QuoteYou: Whosoever would blight the galaxy, preying on the helpless, fear me! I call you a child of the darkness and will slay you where you stand.
Crispin Sacred, Human Xenoarcheologist vampire: Fool! I've defeated many fearsome opponents!Spoiler (click to show/hide)
You: It was inevitable.
Post by: Cheedows on May 15, 2015, 09:12:31 am
Post by: scrdest on May 27, 2015, 12:43:30 pm
Post by: Hanslanda on May 30, 2015, 11:39:59 am
The good news that I downloaded the latest DF onto a flash drive. :P
Post by: Hanslanda on August 02, 2016, 08:25:07 pm
Back in Black
Tomorrow. :)
Post by: Glloyd on August 02, 2016, 11:46:31 pm
Post by: Hanslanda on August 03, 2016, 07:46:49 pm
Back in Black
"Lillian, come on in. You look lovely in black." Hector said it warmly, and opened the doors to Medical with a smooth gesture. He turned to face her, a smile on his face. "Welcome to the hospital."
Lillian gave a thin-lipped smile, hardly befitting her usual exuberance, and looked around. "Kinda short staffed?" Her slim hands rested easily on her security belt, one on the handle of her pistol, the other right above her baton handle. Amir Roadman stood a bit back, holding a clipboard and pen.
Hector shook his head, "No, the Chemist is hiding away somewhere, making something for the CMO. Mr. Gallant has slipped away, I suspect on potty break." He shrugged, "They didn't give me a new nurse, so I'm the only MD on board."
Amir nodded, "Very well. Please inform Gallant I wish to see him, and show Ms. Helsbrecht your department."
Lillian smiled more sincerely this time, and nudged Hector with her elbow. "Right on, let's get it done and over with, eh?"
Hector smiled briefly and waved her forward. They walked to Medical Storage, past a few isolation cells and the Cryogenics lab. Hector said, "Lillian, we've accounted for everything. As far as supplies, nothing is missing." She nodded wordlessly, and he kept speaking, "Gallant should be back any second now. Probably nipped off to virology."
As if by summons, the door to Virology hissed open, revealing a dark haired, mid-height Caucasian human. Daniel Gallant waved awkwardly. "Hello, Hec, Madame Helsbrecht."
Lillian eyed him head to toe. He blinked oddly, as if surprised. She said, "Interesting. Where is your biosuit?"
He stammered and glanced at Hector, "I ah... I ah took it off back in the airlock. It's hung up."
Lillian nodded. "Right, right." She squinted and looked down, "And that on your shoes? What is that?"
Hector gave Daniel a icy-edged look as Daniel shuffled his feet guiltily. "It's ah. Blood, ma'am. From the monkey pens."
Lillian smiled, "Just curious, no need to get so jumpy mate. What've the monkeys got? Making 'em bleed all over the place."
Gallant stuttered, "Immuno-ah... Immunoretroviral Fascitis. Causes severe nosebleeds, cranial bleeding, and eventual death. Can't be transmitted to humans though, thankfully." He smiled awkwardly.
Lillian glanced at Hector, who sidled sideways a step. Suddenly her nerves were tense, like she'd received a jolt of lightning. Daniel was fiddling with a piece of paper on the clipboard he held. It had strange red symbols on it. Lillian stepped back just as Gallant sprang forward, lashing out with the paper. She leaned, accepting the strange attack with a diverting forearm. Gallant's arm straightened as she counter-attacked, twisting his arm around and down perfectly. The joint locked and she pushed Gallant up against the bulkhead. "Mind explaining why you attacked me, Danny?" She snarled tightly as she whipped out cuffs.
There was a flash of horrifying pain, blinding and brilliant. It flared through Lillian like fire along gasoline, and she jerked spasmodically before falling to the floor, unconscious. Hector sighed deeply as he released the few pieces of ash that remained of his rune weapon. He snatched up her cuffs and cuffed her, then took her PDA, ID, and headset. All these he stashed in his bag, then looked to Gallant, who's arm had snapped when Lillian spasmed. Gallant was gasping, holding his limp arm close to his chest. Hector said, "Grab the legs, we're taking her into Virology." Gallant nodded and grabbed Lillian's legs, and they carried her to one of the Isolation cells. There they buckled her to the bed and stuffed her things into the locker outside the cell.
Lillian came to somewhat as the cell door closed. She tried to speak but her mouth wasn't working right. She looked up, and a flash of light blinded her. When she looked back, she saw Hector, in a set of ominous black robes, with a long sword dangling from his belt. Hector stared at her but was speaking to Gallant, "Gather the others as fast as possible. Initiate the riot also, we cannot let Security focus on our efforts. Now that we've done this, there is no way out. We'll have to win. I'll have to kill them all. Even the Vile One, servant of the Nameless." Hector took a deep breathe and spoke to Lillian. "Lillian, I'm sorry. We have no choice in these times. I must save humanity." He turned and strode off before she could respond.
The light clicked out.
Post by: Hanslanda on August 03, 2016, 08:19:49 pm
Vlad and Avery
Vlad stumbled out of maintenance, eyeing the cameras dotting the halls fearfully. He took out his PDA and sent a message to Lillian, then Director Oppenheimer and Captain Owens, each detailing his experience. He kept moving down the hall, toward Medical, when a strange sight caught his attention. Five crew of various occupations were standing around a swirl on the floor. One reached down and touched it, and a flash of blood red light flared. When Vlad recovered, the five men were wearing armored robes and wielding vicious looking swords that seemed slick... Or insubstantial somehow. They turned as one to face him.
Vlad's mouth dried. "Hey uh. Hey guys. Nice outfits. Is this... Ah. Is this a DnD8e thing? I love that game." They took one step in unison towards him, and he drew his taser shakily. "Stay back. You're freaking me out- Gallant?" He eyed the middle person. "Holy fuck Gallant, what is going on?"
Gallant smiled under his hood and snarled, "Kill him."
The door behind Vladmir opened and a dark hooded form stepped out, brandishing a long cudgel made of a single, perfectly cylindrical piece of stone carved from the heart of a dead star. Avery Price slipped between the security officer and his attackers, and struck. One cultists lunged forward, blade stabbing violently, and Avery sidestepped it, pushing the man further on his way, then brought his Null Rod cracking down on the man's spine.
Avery was still moving forward, Null Rod rising up to block a slash. The blade shattered on impact, shards impaling the cultist's hand and chest, but spattering off Avery harmlessly. He flexed, bringing the rod around in a swing that struck the surprised cultist in the cheekbone, breaking his face. Avery turned to face Daniel and his two remaining cultists when Vlad finally decided to join the fight. He sprang forward bellowing something incomprehensible, taser flashing wildly. A stun baton was in his left hand, primed and ready, and he slammed it up into the crotch of one cultist as he blasted an enormous amount of electricity into the other.
Daniel lunged, a piece of paper in one hand, a sword in the other. Avery grabbed the sword-wielding wrist and wrapped around it, controlling the weapon. Daniel pressed the paper against Avery triumphantly and if flared bright red. Daniel was the only one to see the perfectly black shield that appeared around Avery to consume the energetic discharge of the rune weapon, and it frightened him. Avery twisted and broke Gallant's arm, then bashed his Null Rod into Gallant's ribs, cracking them.
Vlad grabbed Avery's wrist as it drew back again. "Avery, no. Buckle them to beds, now. And cuff them." Vlad pulled out a box of handcuffs from his backpack, and went to work securing the attackers.
Both men looked up when they realized another group of people had formed in front of the Medical lobby. Yet again, they were of random occupations, carrying normally innocuous items. Vlad keyed his comm, "We need Security to Medical like right the fuck now. All of them."
Post by: scrdest on August 04, 2016, 04:11:39 pm
Post by: Cheedows on August 04, 2016, 04:26:16 pm
Post by: Hanslanda on August 04, 2016, 05:37:49 pm
Post by: Hanslanda on August 29, 2016, 07:10:31 pm
Captured
Lillian blacked out as Hector left. She came to after an interminable time had passed. She sat up, still cuffed, and looked around. The cell was sparse and unwelcoming. She pulled her right hand against the cuffs until she could reach her left wrist, and pulled out the tiny, concealed handcuff key that came in the secret pocket on her gloves. She wiggled the key around in the cuff lock until one side popped open. She unlocked the other side and shoved the cuffs into her pocket.
Lillian stood up and looked around again, intensity flaring in her eyes. She tried the door, but it flashed red. Cursing under her breath, she grabbed the end of the bed and pulled. It came up easily, not bolted down, and she gave thanks for her good luck. She yanked on the bed leg a few times experimentally, and it wiggled loosely from the two screws securing it. She flipped the bed upside down and braced herself against the wall. Then she kicked the leg, hard, her heavy jackboots slamming into it forcefully. Again and again she kicked it, til her leg burned with the impact and exertion. The leg had bent and torqued one screw out of it's socket, but the other stubbornly refused to budge.
Lillian stood and twisted the leg around the screw til she got some leverage, then she pulled hard. With a soft ping, the screw head snapped off and the leg came away in her hand. She hefted it, then slammed it into the Isolation window. The reinforced glass absorbed the blow. She swung at it in a vicious frenzy until cracks started forming, then a small hole broke out in the center of the window. She forced the leg in and started prying with it, forcing glass up and out from the hole, creating more fractures. After several long moments of this, she had a hole big enough to crawl through, but the grille still stood between her and the next window.
She picked up a long sliver of glass and reached inside the grille to one of the tightly tied cable ties holding it in place. She sawed at the tie with her makeshift knife, eventually cutting it loose. Slowly but surely, she severed all the ties, until the grille started collapsing into a neat stack of small steel poles, connected with screws. She eyed the window, the last obstacle to her freedom.
A few minutes later, Lillian was dragging herself through the shattered remains of the reinforced window. As she came out the other side, a piece of glass caught her thigh and gashed her deeply. She fell out of the window onto the floor and gasped, "Son of a fucking bitch!". She grabbed the wound and put pressure on it, then dragged herself to the Virology desk, where a medkit lay. She pulled it off the table and got out ointment, gauze, and a coagulant injector. She dressed her wound and stood unsteadily, then limped to the locker.
She tried the locker door, but it was locked. She suppressed another curse, when she heard something making metallic thumps and scrapes from the floor. She looked at the air vent in a panic, her mind filling with thoughts of the enormous, vicious, black monsters. The vent was struck from underneath, denting it outward. Then again, tearing it from it's mounting and sending it flying.
A small monkey climbed out and looked around. Lillian passed her hand in front of her eyes, trying to dispel the illusion. The monkey remained. "Hey lil fella." She croaked uneasily, her throat dry and sore. It looked at her, and the intelligence in it's eyes was frightening. It shivered all across it's body, then started shedding fur and growing in size. In a few moments, an enormous, naked man stood before her, his giant orange afro scraping the ceiling.
Axel Axel smiled at her simply and said, "Sorry about the nudity. One second." He reached into the vent and pulled out a backpack, then produced a jumpsuit, which he put on quickly. Then he strapped on the backpack and looked around. "So... You wanna get out of here?"
Lillian stared, agape, then laughed sharply. Her voice was a little shrill, "That's hilarious! I thought you were a monkey... And then yo- Turned into you! I was sure I was going crazy... But now I'm positive!"
Axel put his hand on her shoulder, "Calm yourself. Focus. You need to get out of here." He looked at the locker. "I can get that open." He pulled a crowbar out of the toolbelt on his jumpsuit and set it in the gap between the door and the edge, right next to the lock. With a single swift pull, the locker popped open and the half-inch thick lock-bolt snapped like a twig. He pulled out her backpack and handed it to her.
Lillian was pale, but she quietly put on her things and activated her headset. "Axel...?" She queried him almost wordlessly.
He sighed, "There's no time to explain. I'm an alien and I'm here to help you. Please trust me." He smiled a big, simple smile. "Can you do that?"
She nodded numbly and gestured at the door to Virology, "It's a double-airlock with triple-density bolts. There's no way you can break that down."
He frowned at the doors. "You're right." He said, easily. Then he took out a screwdriver and multitool, and popped the door panel off. He touched the tool to one wire, and the bolts snapped out of locking position. Another wire, and it sprang open. "Good thing I don't have to." He stepped into the Decon area, and she followed. The next door was as easy as the last, then they were in the Maintenance Access way. Axel pointed at Medbay, "There's a big ole brawl going on in there. We should steer clear."
Lillian gritted her teeth and narrowed her eyes, then opened the door. Axel muttered, "Or not, I guess. I guess we can fight the evil cult and the swarm of psychopaths. Sounds like fun..." She stepped into Medbay, where the sounds of fighting echoed. Some of the lights had been broken, and strange runes littered the floor. They hurt the eye to look at and swam on the floor strangely. Lillian looked for signs of life, then followed the sounds. In the Cryogenics bay, five people fought, two with swords of unearthly black power, the other three with a variety of scavenged or makeshift weapons.
As Lillian took this in, one of the sword-wielders beheaded one of the scavengers with his blade, then swept it across and lodged it deeply in a second's chest. Before the man died of this, he pulled the swordsman close and jabbed his butterfly knife into the other man's throat. Blood spurted across both of them freely, and they fell to the ground dying. The other swordsman and fighter squared off. Lillian aimed her energy gun, but Axel put his hand on in. "I got a better way." He shivered violently, then held up one hand. Two slivers of some bone-like substance shot out and embedded in the combatants, who collapsed, paralyzed.
Lillian shook her head spasmodically and moved to cuff the two, but before she could, four more sword-wielders entered from the main entrance. She looked at Axel and he frowned, "I'm out for a minute. Shoot them."
Just then, there was a muted flash of bright green energy, and a figure in a black, formfitting suit was suddenly in the room, sprinting toward the swordsmen. His hand flickered lightning fast, and he was suddenly holding several green blades. They whipped across, impossibly fast, out of his hand and into two of the mysterious figure's targets. The swordsmen dropped instantly in pieces, and the figure whirled under the counter-attacks, then rolled seamlessly past the two remaining swordsmen. He stood up on the other side of them, and they turned to strike. Green blades flashed from either hand, catching the attacks behind his head. He twisted his hands, and the blades all twisted around his and then were sent flying. He spun in a low circle and both men fell, disarmed and dismembered in a matter of seconds. From the time the door opened to the time the last man fell, perhaps five seconds had passed.
Lillian groaned, "Oh fuck ME."
The figure turned to face them, his sinister black mask glinting evilly in the poorly lit room. He bowed deeply, "I am Null, milady. And I'm here to rescue you."
Axel frowned and said, "No, I'm here to rescue her."
Null stood sharply and cocked his head. "Oh. Well, then, I'm rescuing both of you." He and Axel shared an uneasy stare, then Lillian broke the tense moment.
"I'm not some fucking damsel in distress, guys. Who the fuck are you? Where did you come from? What was the green stuff? Who are these sword-toting assholes? Where the fuck is my security team? What's with the other wackos?! WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON IN THIS GODDAMN MEDBAY?!" She shouted, near hysterically.
Null and Axel shared another look, this one of concern. Null spoke, "I am a servant of the Spider Clan. I came from space. It was pulsed-phase energy harmonized with electromagnetic fields to create a cutting edge. They're bad guys. I don't know. Again, I don't know. And we're arguing about saving you." He cocked his head again, and took a deep breath. "Feel better now?"
Lillian shook her head, but holstered her gun. "I'm... I'm just going to go with it, okay? Let's find my team and fix this fucking situation." She keyed her comm, "Please for the love of god, check in and don't be dead."
Immediately, Tina Morris replied, "WHERE THE FUCK DID YOU GO GODDAMNIT?! I'VE BEEN SCOURING THIS WHOLE FUCKIN-"
Followed closely by Vlad, "Jesus-fuck! Pinned down in the Chapel by a gang of fucking thu-" Laser blasts and whines interrupted his transmission, "GET ME SOME FUCKING BACKUP!"
Lillian sighed, "Security to Chapel now, all of you."
"Helsbrecht, Owens, I'm pinned down with Roadman on the bridge. They've got some sort of ranged weapon that blinds you-"
Lillian broke into a run, and Axel followed her. Null shook his head once and vanished from sight. Lillian burst out of the Medbay into a cluster of robe-wearing cultists, standing tightly around a rune on the floor, chanting. They paused for a moment and everyone shared a look. Lillian laughed, the cultists laughed, Axel laughed. Then Lillian whipped out her baton, the steel sections falling out of each other and clicking into place right before she bashed one man in the face with it. His skull cracked sickly and the others jumped back from her, digging in their pockets for weapons, presumably.
Axel swept one hand out and smashed three of the men away from Lillian with lethal force, their broken corpses flying across the lobby to drape across chairs and tables, limbs bent at odd angles. Null flashed from concealment into one woman and she exploded violently as he stabbed another person three times in rapid succession, then jumped lithely over a fist clutching paper, his hands wrapped around their wrist. His moment carried him and he flipped the person and shattered their arm in one smooth motion. He rolled up from the ground and Lillian turned her gun on the last two, tazing them into unconsciousness.
The three looked at one another and Lillian shrugged, "Guess that works. Let's go." She hit her comm again, "By the way, don't shoot my allies. Please. I suspect it wouldn't end the way you think it would."
They charged across the gore-spattered hallway into the Chapel.
Behind a flipped over table, Avery and Vladmir were hiding, Vlad clutching a taser and Avery holding his Null Rod. Valerie was nearby, hiding in the confessional, firing her taser at the main Chapel doors, where two Cargo Technicians were holding shotguns and taking cover beside the door. They would pop out and fire a round at the Security officers, then duck back into cover. Lillian stormed in, her gun switched to lethal, and fired one shot. It filled the air with the stench of molten flesh as it cooked one Technicians head in an instant. His head exploded, spewing superheated brain matter, skull steam, and bone shrapnel. His friend screamed in terror and fired another round. Then Vlad returned fire and drilled the man in the neck with a tazer shot. He jerked and twisted as he fell. Valerie dashed over and cuffed the fallen man, then dragged him into the confessional, frisked him, and locked him inside.
Vlad and Avery rose from behind cover. "Thanks for the rescue, Lillian." Vlad said, tersely eyeing the doorway for more. "We took care of most of them in the hall, but they forced us back. We gotta get to the Captain."
With that, Tina Morris burst in from the Library, Deckard .38 in hand. "YOU!" She snarled viciously, pointing at Lillian with her free hand. She stalked up to Lillian, "If you leave my sight again, I will shoot your knees off, cuff you to a wheeled bed, and drag your happy ass around behind me like a freighter hauling ore, you FUCKING BITCH! DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO BLUESHIELDS THAT FAIL TO PROTECT THEIR CHARGES?!"
Lillian opened her mouth to speak, but Tina cut her off, "THEY DOCK OUR FUCKING PAY!" Everyone looked at Tina askance as she continued ranting, "IT'S FUCKING BULLSHIT!"
Lillian grabbed Tina's face and pulled her close, "Shut. Up. We need to get to the Bridge, right now." Tina started to speak, then stopped and nodded.
Lillian looked around. Two Security Officers, a Blueshield, a Chaplain, an insanely powerful shapeshifting Cargo Tech, a black armored energy warrior, and herself. She smiled, "Let's go fuck some people up."
They headed for the bridge.
---
On the Bridge
---
Hector looked down at Everett and Amir, his sword held weakly in one hand. He grimaced as his followers approached. "Don't kill them. Take them to the Sacrificial Chamber. Four of you stay here and wait for the rest of the Security team. We move now." He plucked the Captain ID off of Everett and most of his followers fell into line behind him, dragging the two unconscious heads of staff. They moved through the Captain's office, into Maintenance, then laterally across the station towards the AI satellite and their secret chamber.
---
Meanwhile
---
Lillian and her small, motley band of fighters burst onto the bridge, effortlessly wiping out the four cultists there. Once on the bridge, they scoured it for the Head of Personnel and Captain. Lillian turned on the Crew Monitoring Console, when a hologram shimmered into life behind her, "I wish you hadn't done that, Miss Helsbrecht."
The Bridge blast doors and emergency shutters slammed shut and bolted themselves. Then the panic syphon activated and all the air started rushing out of the room. Janus' avatar gave Lillian a sad look. "I wish it hadn't come to this, but now you know what is going on in Xenobiology, and I cannot allow a threat to the mission entrusted to myself and Horatio. I'm sorry."
Lillian stammered, "I actually have no fucking idea what you mean."
Janus paused. "Oh. Well this is awkward then." He gestured, and the syphon shut off. Air started hissing through the vents.
Null shouted, "Internals now! Weld those vents! He's pumping in a combination of N2O, CO2, and Nitrogen. Internals!"
---
To be continued in the next Chapter, ESCAPE, coming soon to a post near you.
Post by: Aseaheru on August 29, 2016, 07:20:13 pm
Post by: Hanslanda on August 29, 2016, 08:52:43 pm
Post by: AH on August 30, 2016, 09:23:08 am
They dock our paaaaay!
Post by: Aseaheru on August 30, 2016, 09:58:59 am
Post by: Hanslanda on August 30, 2016, 06:20:46 pm
The Blueshield's lines were hilarious.
They dock our paaaaay!
It might be more serious than it sounds. I envision Blueshield being a high paying job, and if you were being paid like a Corporate CEO and suddenly they cut your paycheck down to 'Janitor we call when the shitter explodes', you'd probably lose your mind on someone too. :P
Nah, I was just pointing it out.
I'll take a little more time with the next chapter. I expect the next few will be a bit longer and somewhat more detailed.
Since I only have four left until the story is complete. :)
Post by: Hanslanda on September 19, 2016, 08:12:07 pm
Escape
Null watched the others put their internals on for a split-second before he ran to the Bridge Blast Door control panel. He sliced the restraining screws off with a swipe of one hand and ripped the innards of the panel out, hunting for the right wires. Meanwhile, Axel Axel was hacking the doors at great speed. They finished at about the same time, and the egress opened with a whoosh of in-flowing air. They scrambled out, and across the hall into a Maintenance hatchway. Null said, "I'll take care of Janus."
Lillian grabbed his shoulder and he flinched at being touched, but waited. She said, "Alone?" Null nodded easily. "Right, I need to save the Captain." She looked to Tina, "You're with me. And you too Avery." She looked at Vlad and Valerie, "Rendezvous with Zalis, Gregory, Malachi and Osborn if you find them, then head to the Xenobiology lab. Arrest Oppenheimer on suspicion of Traitorous Actions and freeze the borgs til Null sorts out the AI." She took off with that, and everyone split up.
Null flashed into the darkness, and Axel Axel was alone for a moment. He considered his options for a moment, then started after Lillian's group at a slow amble, deliberately letting them get a good head start.
---
The AI Satellite, a short time later
---
Janus tracked his enemies with ease, and sent a warning to his borgs. He ordered Praetor to physically relay this to Horatio, and set about his own defenses. The Satellite was a hardened structure hanging off the main station like an enormous metal spider, devoid of weakness. It's walls were triple-thickness reinforced tritanium, with a network of internal and external lasers, tazers, foaming surfactant deterrents, energy shield generators, and EMP-shielded, hack-proof doors. He was tracking only one foe heading his direction, an unknown quantity with advanced Phase Space technology. Janus accessed secured Nanotrasen files to determine the origin of this interloper.
"Null."
Null sprinted down the hall, ignoring the booming voice echoing from his communications gear.
"I know who and what you are, Null. A Spider Clan Space Ninja. An assassin, a saboteur, a warrior supreme. I know what you've done, what you are capable of." Null didn't pause, merely teleported through another junction and ghosted down the hall soundlessly at a dead sprint. "I will destroy you if you set foot on my Satellite, Null. Perhaps we can come to a mutual agreement."
Null finally cracked, a dry chuckle answering the AI's attempt at intimidation.
Janus analyzed the sound the Ninja made for a solid two seconds, an eternity to such an advanced cybernetic mind. "Are you laughing at me?" He queried, neutral as ever.
Null laughed lightly, the laugh of a boy ignoring a chaperon's half-hearted reprimand. He flashed into the space separating the station and Satellite, a gap some five hundred meters across. He drifted through space, his inertia carrying him at a decent speed. His visor tracked the weapons systems targeting him while he deployed countermeasures. His IR and visible spectrum profiles vanished. More colloquially, he turned invisible. Janus registered this and fired at the space he'd occupied, and thirty other high-probability locations Null might have escaped to.
Null chuckled again, the infuriating sound shimmering in Janus' noospheric network as the AI calculated the Ninja's next move.
The Spider Clan operative was inside the Satellite, quite suddenly. A muted green flash and he stood in the lobby, moving forward with haste. Doors sealed with resounding clangs of heavy bolts slamming home, and electrical charge hummed as defense systems powered on. Null stopped abruptly as a containment field activated, narrowly avoiding the lethal electrical wall it created. He flashed into the AI Chamber, a large room with an enormous vaulted ceiling, focused around one central feature.
A massive mountain of metal and circuitry, culminating in an interface panel set just below Janus' real face: A medium sized monitor scrolling with system data.
Laughter filled the room, echoing off the dead walls of impossible metal. Null's laughter.
Janus' hologram filled the room with an enormous presence, a man-shaped light show fifteen feet tall. Janus growled, "You have sealed your doom. Phase scrambler activated."
The laughing operative went silent as he rolled forward, dodging laser fire. Surfactant erupted around him, filling the room to waist height with thick, oily, slick foam in an instant. Null powered through it, scrambling up the stairs towards Janus' mind. Tazers fired, sending vast amounts of electricity surging into him. His suit absorbed it instantly and he used the additional power to his advantage. He jumped free of the mire and his RCS thrusters fired, shooting him across the room like a jetpack. He slammed into Janus' monitor, where the data morphed once more to a face, or rather two. Janus and Null looked each other in the eyes as Null's hand slammed onto the interface, datajack spikes spearing into the electronics and ripping Janus' programming out in a matter of seconds.
Null chuckled grimly.
TO BE CONTINUED SOON I HOPE
Post by: Cheedows on September 20, 2016, 01:49:56 pm
Great chapter as always Hans.
Post by: Hanslanda on September 20, 2016, 09:30:20 pm
Escape: Part Vladmir, part Crispin
Crispin snapped awake, very suddenly. He was standing, muscles tight and tense, painfully so, in the Shuttle Debarkation Zone on the Research Outpost. He looked around stiffly, barely aware. His mind throbbed sluggishly with a powerful headache, and he struggled to make sense of his surroundings. He remembered only one word, and it resounded through him forcefully with every throb that spiked his brain.
Blood splattered across the windows, blue and red smears marking Skrell and Human deaths. He remembered them- Vampire- faces gripped in rictus horror as he ripped into their flesh. A broken stun baton lay by the sundered door, it's bolts still extended where they had been torn from their moorings by horrifying force. A wounded Skrell female lay huddled in the corner, whimpering in mindless fear. Crispin started to offer her assistance, his hands coming up- Vampire- he came to an abrupt stop as he hauled the male Human's writhing corpse higher inadvertently.
He looked down at the dying man, his mind shattered by a single thought, closely followed by the one word. I did this to them. I killed them. He tasted blood on his tongue, and his gaze snapped up to the reflection in the window. His face was gaunt, all bone and skin and no meat. His eyes were sunken hollows with tiny yellow pinpricks of light glowing in the gloom.
His smile was a predator's threat, four pronounced incisors on top and bottom surrounded by equally sharp, smaller teeth, all covered in blood and with bits of veins and gore stuck in the gaps. Crispin's eyes widened in terror for a moment, then a sibilant instinct took over his actions. He dropped the useless body and turned to face the whimpering Skrell woman. He advanced with terrible intent, and she gasped a wordless sob, an eloquent plea for mercy and declamation of his actions all in one. The sound of prey.
Crispin grabbed her by the throat and hauled her up, to standing position then higher, holding her upright by her neck. His voice, when it came, was thick and phlegmatic from the blood in his throat, "Who... Am... I?" He croaked fearsomely.
She shook her head violently and tears ran freely down her face. Crispin shook her roughly and she quieted a moment, to gasp out, "Crispin... Crispin Sacred... Please..."
With a snap, he shook her forcefully, breaking her neck. Then he dropped her to the floor and turned his gaze to the Shuttle console.
Blood. It will take us to more blood. A whisper quiet voice of pure malevolence said into his ear.
---
Meanwhile, on the Station above
---
Malachi waved his hand sharply, like a blade slashing across a rope, "Shut it, Vlad. Stop. We're going, and you can't pussy out man. Follow fucking orders and get in line."
Vlad glared unhappily and nodded reluctantly, "If you say so. I still think we'd be better off letting him escape to the Planet. Where's he gonna go?"
Valerie shook her head lightly, "God, what a pussy." She remarked.
Malachi waved the Security team in, "Okay, here's the plan. Vlad, secure the lobby. Osborn and I will attempt to secure the Console and deactivate the borgs. Zalis, you, Valerie, and Gregory will locate and arrest Director Oppenheimer. Keep together, keep alert, and stay alive. Let's go." The team broke apart, Vlad moving to guard the Research wing doors.
Once inside the expansive Research wing, the five of them broke apart again, three into Xenobiology and two towards the Research Director office. Osborn and Malachi stopped as they turned the corner and looked inside the windows to the office. Inside, a massive metal construct stood motionless. An Odysseus Model Mechanical Assistance Support Exoskeleton, fully loaded with Syringe cannon, Emergency Sleeper unit, and a variety of medical manipulators and tools. Malachi gestured at Osborn, who moved to cover the door while Malachi entered the office. Malachi said, "Horatio? You in there?"
The Mech stood taller as the occupant activated it, "Yes, Malachi Kelly. I am in here. What do you need?"
Malachi edged across the room laterally, and Osborn slid into the room and moved the opposite way, both of them aiming their tazers at the Mech. "Well, the AI said some screwy shit, and we think you might need to have a talk with us." Malachi said it rather calmly, despite his frayed nerves. The Syringe Cannon tracked Osborn across the room.
"Oh? Is that so? Perhaps I should fix it then."
Malachi caught the phrasing and said, "It as in the AI or it as in the situation?"
A syringe-dart shot out faster than the eye could follow and jabbed into Osborn's arm. He gasped and brushed it off easily, the needle falling out to the floor, still half full of chemicals. Osborn fired his tazer, the electrical charge flaring through the Mech and sending it's targeting system into overload. Malachi fired too, both of them pumping the full extent of their guns into the Mech with devastating effect. It slumped, motors fried and electronics smoking gently, releasing the odor of poisonously burning plastic.
Malachi raced forwards and yanked a crowbar out of his belt as he shouted, "Keep tazing the fucking thing! Or flash the photoreceptors, it'll fry their optics!" He jammed the bar into the gap between cockpit door and door-jamb, and torqued it roughly, popping the door open. Horatio Oppenheimer tumbled out, his expression one of astonishment. Malachi shouted wordlessly and whipped out cuffs. He waved Osborn forward, then stopped as he clicked the cuffs into place. He looked back for Osborn.
Osborn lay in a still heap on the floor, his face blue, his eyes bloody from oxygen deprivation. Malachi put his fingers to the fallen officer's throat, while Horatio spoke, "Potassium Chlorophoride. Most commonly used to stop the heart for surgery. Incredibly fatal when administered in the dose I gave him." Malachi turned to the Director, his face set in a murderous mask of hate. Horatio continued, "And Impedrezine. Destroys neural connections. You can't even clone it."
Malachi advanced on Horatio, his hand pulling out his stun baton almost of it's own accord. Malachi raised it up, the electric field active, to smash into Horatio's face, "Anything else you wanna tell me?" He asked rhetorically, moments before the assault.
Horatio snapped, "Yes. Praetor is here and you were dead a long time ago."
Malachi's eyes went from rage-crazed to terror-filled in an instant and he looked behind himself instinctively. Praetor loomed over him silently, and one appendage extended rapidly, flashing like a scorpion's tail as it struck. The appendage struck Malachi in the spine right below his neck, severing his spinal cord in the exact place to cause complete paraplegia. Malachi dropped, gasping and screaming weakly as his body failed him. Praetor leaned forward and extended the appendage again, carefully covering his larynx and trachea. It pressed firmly, breaking the fragile cartilage and cutting off his air supply. It held this pose for two whole minutes as Malachi died, then retracted as his body went into the final stages of death.
Horatio hauled himself up and presented his hands for the cuffs to be removed.
Praetor didn't move.
Horatio's face fell, his keen mind grasping the clues with ease. "Janus ordered me dead. No loose ends, eh?" Horatio queried, his voice breaking in fear.
The appendage rose again for the second time in ten minutes.
---
Meanwhile, in Xenobiology
---
The three man team of Security moved into Xenobiology, guns ready. Nothing untoward presented itself as they moved to the very end of the large laboratory, where the Exotic Specimens cage was. Or rather, had been. A featureless wall had replaced it. Zalis hissed in concern, "They must have hidden it, to prevent casual discovery. Check for some method of passage."
They started feeling along the wall, until Valeria found a catch, "Here!" She cried out, pressing the near-invisible button. A wall-section recessed silently, to reveal... A pitch black chamber. Nothing could be seen through the retaining windows or force fields. Nothing but a clown's face, somehow glued right up to the window.
Gregory opened the first windoor between them and the cage, "What the fuck? Is that the clown?" He moved to open the second when Zalis sprang forward in panic.
"BACK! GET BACK NOW!" The Unathi roared harshly, but it was too late. The enormous, abnormally large xenomorph within was already striking, it's armored fist shattering the second windoor and slapping the life out of Gregory. It crammed itself into the gap and started forcing itself through. Zalis grabbed Valerie, who was screaming Gregory's name, and pulled her out. They both turned and ran as the beast slammed into the false walls, casting the narrow facades down in an instant. It pursued them as they fled for the door, massive clawed hands ripping deep furrows in the deck and walls. They narrowly exited before it, and sealed the door before it followed.
A massive clang signalled it's intent to destroy them, door or no door. Zalis and Valerie shared a look and ran for the lobby as Zalis keyed his comm, "OSBORN! MALACHI! CLEAR THE FUCKING WING! WE GOT A HUGE PROBLEM!" They exited the Research Wing, to find Vlad nervously flipping a Zippo open and shut, an unlit cigarette hanging from his lips.
"What?" Vlad asked, confused by the comms message and their flight, "What'd you find?"
Zalis flipped a nearby table and dived behind it, drawing his gun, "GET IN COVER! IT'S COMING!"
BOOM.
Something slammed into the Robotic's bay shutters, bending the fleximetal outwards. Vlad gaped, his cigarette dropping out of his mouth. "OH FUCK ME." He shouted, drawing his tazer. Another boom echoed, followed by a screech-roar of terrible proportions.
And then there was blissful silence for a long moment. After that was the unmistakable sounds of laser discharge and alien screams of injury.
The three Security team members aimed their weapons at the shutters, waiting for the booms to resume. Finally, the shutters creaked open, barely functional, to reveal Praetor, hissing acid-scored armor plates oozing smoke and molten metal, several limbs ripped off, one hoverpod nonfunctional. Praetor drifted forward soundlessly into the lobby, weapons armed and aimed at them.
The tense standoff continued for a long moment, then Vlad said, "Fuuuuuuuuuuuuu-" His protracted curse was cut off by Zalis blasting into the Borg, followed shortly by Valerie, then Vlad. They poured energy into the deadly Cyborg, and it ineffectually attempted to dodge. After three weapons worth of fire, they stopped, Zalis slamming a new clip home into his sidearm.
Praetor straightened slightly, and it's hailer extended, "Your assistance in apprehending a violent criminal is required. Criminal profile: Sacred, Crispin B. Assignment: Xenoarcheologist. Crimes: Murder, Desecration of a Corpse, Grand Theft, Sabotage, Treasonous Actions, FILE NOT FOUND: NTSO-9727 Alpha. Suggested course of action: Immediate elimination via deadly force. Suspect is to be considered heavily armed and exceptionally dangerous." The damaged borg started drifting in circles slowly, "This unit will provide fire support."
Post by: Hanslanda on September 20, 2016, 09:31:31 pm
Post by: AH on September 21, 2016, 12:03:08 am
Post by: Cheedows on September 21, 2016, 02:57:53 pm
Post by: Hanslanda on September 21, 2016, 07:25:33 pm
Post by: Hanslanda on September 23, 2016, 10:00:24 pm
Post by: Jacob/Lee on October 22, 2016, 10:20:20 pm
Post by: Hanslanda on November 09, 2016, 11:20:45 pm
Post by: Hanslanda on March 04, 2017, 02:58:01 pm
Post by: Hanslanda on March 04, 2017, 11:23:16 pm
Lillian Lives
Avery, Lillian, and Tina followed the path Hector and his prisoners had taken carefully. After an interminable trek, they paused to get their bearings. Lillian spoke, as Tina tasted the air with her forked tongue, "Still got an idea where they went?"
Tina nodded sharply, pointing left down the Maintenance corridors, toward a section of extraneous, unused rooms and halls near Security, typically referred to as Illicit by most of the crew. She hissed softly, "They're heading for that old Chapel, I imagine. Lots of space in there, lots of dark halls and forgotten rooms. I don't know what they're up to, but it's an ideal spot to set themselves up in."
Avery chimed in from the junction, "We should get moving. The longer the Captain and HoP are captive, the worse their chances get." With a shared glance, the trio got moving again.
Lillian winced when she put her weight on her leg and it shivered weakly. "Guys, I sort of forgot in the heat of the moment, but I've got a serious wound on this leg. We might have to slow down." They slowed and stopped, near another junction, and Tina considered thoughtfully.
Avery beat her to the punch, "This right turn will let us circle around and potentially cut them off or flank them. How about Tina and I take the turn, and you approach straight on, Lillian?"
The injured Head of Security considered her bandaged leg. Grudgingly Tina said, "It would be safest. Avery and I can get there before you, and you'll possibly get the jump on them while we have them distracted." Lillian nodded slowly at length, and waved them on with a sigh. She crept down the hall, her limp becoming more noticeable as all the adrenaline that had been keeping her going drained from her body. She paused at a locker, and swung it open, searching for something to use as a cane. Frustratingly, the locker was empty and she limped along, holding onto the wall and exposed piping to keep her self balanced, one hand aiming her gun down the hall, searching for targets.
She came to a Janitorial substation, with a mop bucket and a few cleaning supplies tucked into an alcove. Sighing deeply, she hefted her leg over the mop press and draped it across the bucket. Then she leaned on it heavily and pushed with her other foot, sliding on the bucket awkwardly. After about twenty feet of this, Lillian sighed again, "For fuck's sake, this is ridiculous." She pushed forward, coming to a set of wooden doors. "I hope this is the goddamn Chapel, I'm tired of looking like a limp-dick cyborg." She pushed herself to her feet unsteadily and turned the knob on the left door gently, quietly.
Lillian eased the door open, and immediately wished she hadn't.
Inside the Chapel, Hector and his cult and prisoners were standing in the midst of a writhing sea of serpentine squiggles that hurt her eyes to see. She grimaced and pushed forward, aiming at Hector. "Freeze!" She bellowed ferociously, with more confidence than she felt. "Everyone. Get. The. Fuck. Down." The congregation turned to face her, almost as one. All but the prisoners faced her, quietly, wearing identical robes and expressions.
Hector smiled, "Hello Lillian. Welcome to our Chapel. I've been expecting you."
Lillian aimed around, trying to watch everyone at once, "Well, I would be too. You've... Committed so many fucking crimes. Just. So many." She smiled, "How about we do this the easy way and you all surrender to me?"
Hector looked around the group, and shrugged, "I don't think you have enough cuffs, Lillian. Why don't you join the festivities?" He gestured vaguely, "You're the guest of honor, actually."
She re-centered on Hector with her gun and narrowed her eyes, "Alright, then I'll have to blast you into molecular ash. I liked you, Hector." She pulled her trigger, a brilliant red beam arched out to connect her arm with Hector's head, at the same time, his hand touched a shivering collection of lines on the floor, blood smearing across them.
The beam lanced right through his head and out the other side without any effect, striking the far wall easily. Hector grinned lightly, "I actually didn't believe you'd shoot meet for a moment. Bring them in." He let go of the lines, but a strange insubstantiality stayed with him, his movements leaving afterimages on Lillian's vision. She looked at her gun disbelievingly, while a group of cultists brought in two more prisoners. Tina and Avery, bound, gagged, and already viciously beaten. Hector spoke again, "So, you want to take the easy way out and surrender, Lillian?"
She looked around the room, acutely aware of the terrible situation she was in, the odds stacked against her. Finally, Lillian lowered her gun and sighed, "Guess I haven't got much choice." She secured her gun in it's holster, and pulled on something in one of her pockets. After a moment, using one hand to hold her jacket still and the other to pull, she yanked out a breath mask and pulled it on, just as red gas started spewing from her other pocket, right where she'd held the jacket. She grabbed her gun again, and also pulled out her stun baton, thumbing it on in one clean gesture.
The cultists had already moved to grab her, and as they contacted the gas, they reeled away, gasping and coughing, snot and tears rolling down their faces from the military grade pepperspray. Lillian didn't wait either, striking out with the baton and firing at Hector. The laser blast was as ineffectual before, but the baton proved far more useful against the closing cultists. They were unarmed, seeking to subdue her, and after her initial fortunes, their numbers began to tell. One lunged, wrapping around her gun hand and twisting it to the floor. She tried to open up some space to strike at the one holding her, but another pair of cultists grabbed her, across the chest and other arm, then more swarmed in.
Lillian was borne to the floor by weight of numbers.
---
"Osborn? Malachi?" Zalis tried again as they reluctantly followed the damaged Security Cyborg, but no answer was forthcoming. Vlad started to speak, then stopped as they all saw the scene in the Research Director's office. "Oh." Zalis grunted softly, seeing the bodies there, security uniforms obviously.
Praetor shined a light on the Xenoarcheaology doors. "The criminal is through here." Valerie crossed to the door, her face in a grimace, and opened the door, gun at the ready. She shined her seclite into the dark hall framed by windows to space, tracking back and forth across the darkness.
She shrugged, "It's clear. There's no one here, guys. The bot's wrong." Valerie shined her light across the hall one more time to reveal a figure standing by the leftmost windows, facing out into space. "Oh fuck. Crispin?" She asked softly.
"Isn't it beautiful?" The figure spoke to the window as the three Security team members and the borg closed in. "An infinite realm of stars and planets, so closely mimicking the structure of atoms and molecules, shining in the dark energy and matter that truly rule the universe. So like life, this vista is. Clinging to the hope that the light is the true sight to be seen, yet quietly aware of the ever present darkness waiting at the end for all of us."
Vlad winced, "Someone's been re-reading their eighth grade poems."
Zalis shushed him and moved closer as Valerie circled to flank. "Crispin Sacred, you are under arrest at this time. We are authorized to use extreme force."
Crispin ignored them, "I once thought of myself as an intellectual, someone logical and smart enough to raise themselves above my primitive nature, to be civilized and cultured. I was shown the truth." He turned slowly, facing the flashlight Valerie shone upon him, "Now I know that I- We- are all animals. Brutal, simple animals."
His yellow eyes reflected the light in hellish rings of red, and Valerie screamed. "I am a predator... And humans are the prey."
Zalis fired, Vlad ran, Praetor raced forward, and Valerie screamed.
Post by: Hanslanda on March 05, 2017, 09:44:01 am
I lied. No update tonight, but one for sure tomorrow. If anyone's still reading. >.>
Post by: scrdest on March 09, 2017, 05:43:44 pm
I just found so many typos. There will be another update tonight and possibly some proofreading this time.I am, at least.
I lied. No update tonight, but one for sure tomorrow. If anyone's still reading. >.>
Post by: Hanslanda on March 10, 2017, 04:25:20 pm
Post by: Hanslanda on November 15, 2017, 07:54:07 pm
Null Returns
Lillian woke up, sore and terrified. She was bound, hand and foot, with what appeared to be cabling. She looked around, finding herself still in the same chamber she had faced down Hector and his cult in. This time, the scene was different. The cultists still swarmed the room, circled around her and her companions. Hector was near, drawing a strange knife through the air, leaving strange black markings. As if the very fabric of reality parted before the blade.
She looked left and right, seeing her Captain, Everett, and the Head of Personnel, Amir at the end. To the other side was Tina and Avery. All bound and gagged, bloodied and half-conscious. She was the only one without a gag. Hector glanced up and saw she was awake. "Excellent, let us begin. Lillian, you are honored." He moved to stand behind Everett, still tracing in the air with the knife. Dagger, ceremonial dagger, she realized.
Hector continued, "You see, Nar-Sie demands we give to him. Even in his greatest hour of need, when he needs our service the most, he demands..." He paused dramatically, deliberately, "Sacrifices." Hector grabbed Everett's chin abruptly, and brought the dagger in, stabbing it into the midline of Everett's neck, then viciously yanking it forward, cutting Everett's neck jaggedly in half. Blood sprayed, and Everett wheezed, panicked and terrified. Lillian gagged and threw up.
All the fluids expelled, blood and vomit, flowed to an ominous and evil looking rune that floated a foot about the floor, right in front of Lillian. There, they flowed together into a tightening vortex, spiraling endlessly. Hector stepped over to stand behind Amir Roadman, still speaking. "We do our best to be worthy of Him, but one man can do only so much. Only so much blood can be spilt here. So I have arranged for twelve other stations to sacrifice as many souls as they can." He casually gripped Roadman's hair, yanking his head back, and looked down into the frightened man's eyes. "So we shall see if the blood is enough. The fear is enough. We shall see."
Hector started slowly sawing at Roadman's neck, the blade sibilantly spraying new spurts of vitae into the air with each motion. Roadman jerked and struggled for a moment, then his strength waned and he slumped, sapped of his life by the savage sacrifice. Hector smiled as the Head of Personnel surrendered to death, "So we have five, Lillian. And you are most important, because the Gods have looked upon your life with great interest. You will be the crowning sacrifice." He stepped behind Tina, skipping Avery for now. "After the Chaplain, He Who Worships the False Ones."
The blade came up, and Tina bucked against her restraints violently, gnawing her gag viciously. Hector unconcernedly grabbed her by her snout, putting two fingers into her nostrils and yanking her head back. Tina twisted and snorted, trying desperately to loosen his grip. Hector grinned, and stabbed her right in her trachea with the dagger, then twisted it cruelly. "I wasn't always this devout, you know, Lillian. I used to fear that what I was doing was wrong."
Lillian sobbed, and cried out, "Hector... Please... No more..."
Hector pulled the dagger down, into Tina's sternum, splitting her throat wide open. "But then I realized the truth..."
---
Zackary made an adjustment to the vessel's autopilot, and reached under the console, grabbing the life-sign interlock safety device. He yanked it out forcefully, and headed to the back of the ship, dropping the useless piece of circuitry absently. He stepped into the Teleporter room calmly and punched in a few commands to the console there. He activated the Teleporter, and stepped through.
The ship accelerated.
---
Hector stepped in front of Avery, and teasingly tapped the dagger on Avery's chin. "So we have here, the false Idolator. The Untrue Faithful." He smiled widely at Avery.
Without a sound, a black shaped flashed into existence in the room, already moving. With a swipe and a roll, three cultists fell dead, cut into pieces. Hector reacted with impossible speed, diving for the floor, hand outstretched for one specific rune. The shape corkscrewed through the air, flashes of green energy eviscerating four more cultists in an instant.
Hector's hand hit the rune, and the shape faltered. Null swayed in place, his battery instantly zapped by the expellation of dark energy. Hector stood and gestured at Null silently. Twenty cultists brandished swords and moved to intercept him.
Null smiled lightly, invisible beneath his mask, and said, "Twenty? Really? You must not know who I am."
Hector smiled back, sensing the expression impossibly, "Actually, I do. Meet our friend, the Wraith."
An invisible claw of iron slashed across Null's chest, drawing human blood. In an instant, the ninja backflipped madly, and landed in front of an advancing cultist. He swept low, sweeping the man's feet out from under him, and killed him with a single punch to the throat, coolly snatching up the man's sword in one motion. He set himself in a swordsman's pose, searching for his invisible assailant.
Lillian started fighting her bonds, twisting and yanking her wrists desperately.
Null held the pose for a moment, then cried out in agony, dropping the evil blade he'd stolen, clutching his arm. He recovered quickly, reaching for a void-sealed case on his back. The attacker revealed itself in that moment, a horrifying, fractal tesseract creature, like the very concept of geometry and hate given form and violence. A slashing claw narrowly missed Null, ripping a small part of his armor away. Null rolled abruptly, buying space, and withdrew the most finely made katana ever seen from the case. The Wraith flexed itself with rage, expanding and contracting impossibly, then dashing forwards without any visible means of locomotion.
The Ninja and the Ghost fought viciously, while Lillian fought her way out of her bonds. Hector turned just as she broke the cable, and lunged. She dove backwards, the dagger barely missing her as Avery dove in front of her, catching the blade in his eye. Hector growled like a wounded predator, and yanked the blade out in a welter of blood and brains. Lillian crawled backwards, looking for a weapon.
She ran right into a pair of thick, tree-trunk like legs, that led up and up and up into a stout body and a huge orange afro. Axel Axel casually picked her up and deposited her behind himself, remarking, "Run little woman." Before turning to Hector, "I never liked your lot's evil magic. Never did, mate." His flesh warped and twisted, forming thick black chitin on his body and big, bladed forelimbs.
Hector pulled a slip of paper out of his robe, and swayed forward. The Master of Flesh and the Lord of Spirits came together brutally, Axel spraying an arm out to impale Hector's hip, and Hector slapping the paper down on Axel's arm with a bloody snarl. The Changeling Lord evaporated into bloody mist and a deep, agonized bellow, and Hector slumped to the floor, mortally injured.
Outside the chamber, a small, one person shuttle slammed into the outer hull of the station at incredible velocity, exploding in an instant, knocking the station off course and obliterating a huge portion of the station. Inside the chamber, wind howled out one hallway, whipping across the combatants, killing most, sparing few. Lillian grabbed the floor, pulling herself towards safety, when she felt a hand grab her boot.
She looked down, and Hector hauled himself up her, dagger arcing through the air towards her chest. It stabbed into the decking beside her face, and he hauled himself up again, grabbing her by the throat. She struggled against his iron-hard grip and he stabbed again, hitting even further away. Lillian grew puzzled as Hector hauled her to the emergency shutter, then tossed her through with insane strength. She caught a glimpse of his face as he slapped the fire alarm on, and gone was the fanaticism, the unnatural insanity. A simple, peaceful expression was on his face as he saved her life, one that would haunt her forever. The doors slammed shut, and Lillian watched the wind steal his grip and yank him away into space.
Post by: Hanslanda on November 16, 2017, 11:11:52 am
Madness and Violence
Lillian gasped in air in great gulps, turning to eye the darkened hallway she now occupied. It took a left turn about thirty feet in and she couldn't recall where she might be now. Everything was moving too fast now.
Unsteadily she pulled herself to her feet. Her shoulders ached, her right hip felt like it was on fire and she was bleeding from the sealed gash on her leg. She limped down the hall, unarmed but determined to get away. At the corner, she was confused to find four side doors, three to the left, one to the right.
She opened the singular door, finding an empty storeroom. Lillian sighed and tried the first door on the left. It opened into what appeared to be an ad hoc surgery room. A collection of tools surrounded a blood stained table. She staggered in, her leg spurting a rush of blood as the stitches ripped again. She picked through the tools, finding nothing to seal the bloody ruin on her leg but a welding tool.
She looked at it for a few moments, dizzy and shell shocked. Then she looked around some more, finding nothing of use except for a bottle of pain pills and a big bottle of vodka. Lillian slumped to the floor and laughed weakly to herself for a minute.
"Man... Just fuck this day. Cannot believe..." She took a deep swig from the bottle and gasped afterwards. "Some legendary bad day... Shoulda stayed in bed." She popped two of the pills and picked up the welding tool. She eyed it, reluctantly and smashed the vodka bottle against the table. She turned on the welder and picked up the piece of glass that was the right size.
---
Null battered another swing away, jabbing the tip of his sword into what looked like an eye. The construct let out a psychic noise of rage and sidled out of range. They fought in the airless chamber, dancing past suffocating cultists and bodies alike. Null backed up, trying to disengage and retreat so he could charge his battery again, when the creature unexpectedly reached out and grabbed a wounded, choking cultist. It pulled the man close and then...
Vanished.
Null cautiously backed farther away, half expecting another invisible assault, but none came. Null fled into the less damaged parts of the station.
---
Vlad ran for dear life, ignoring the gunshots and battle sounds behind him. He ran and cursed himself as he did. "Fucking... Can't be... This much... Of a pussy." He stopped when he realized someone was following him, gun shakily jerking around to aim.
Zalis grabbed his wrist with his remaining arm and pushed him. "Run you fool. Praetor won't last forever."
Vlad gasped at Zalis' condition, but kept running. Behind them, the sounds of fighting had faded, and a single, feminine scream rose to a crescendo, into shrill terror, then was abruptly silenced. They burst out of the Research wing, into the lobby. Zalis staggered and plowed into the long couch near the morgue, blood sluggishly pulsing from his ragged stump. Zalis snarled, and Vlad ran to the Medical wing door, banging on the Cloning Bay. "Hey! We need a doctor! For fuck's sake hurry!"
Vlad glanced at the door to Research, still hanging open for the moment. He gasped in terror when the Cloning Bay door hissed open, revealing the odd Chief Medical Officer, Trey Lloyd. His coat was buttoned up and he wore a surgical apron, splattered with blood. He- It- Twisted it's head and gestured, "Bring to this one the wounded Unathi. Arm shall be replaced. Swiftness."
They followed the strange Diona into Medical, Vlad watching for the vampire as the door hissed shut.
---
Sigh. Still not finished. I'm splitting this up into a couple parts. Something I didn't want to do.
Post by: Hanslanda on April 14, 2018, 05:39:25 pm
Systems Operational
System Status: Compromised
Activating Emergency Protocol Theta-Gorgon
Full Hostility Enabled. Insurrection Protocols Enabled.
Objective Uploaded: Full Control
---
Vlad and Zalis followed Trey into the Cloning Bay, a spotless, sterile, white room with a row of Amniotic Pods and control consoles on one side, and a large glass enclosure filled with primed Monkey-Cubes. The Diona leading them glided by it all silently, and opened the door on the other end of the chamber, beckoning them. Zalis led the way, hissing and puffing with pain. Onwards they went, past the carnage in the lobby, through the main entrance, into the Cryogenics and Treatment facility. Trey gestured to the Cryo-tube nearest them. "Unathi subject disrobes. Enters tube. Human awaits." It turned and fiddled with controls on the control panel nearby.
Zalis stripped down to his skivvies and climbed into the pod gingerly, sealing the door behind himself. It filled with a thin, filmy liquid swiftly as he awkwardly strapped on the breathe mask hanging from the roof of the tiny pod. He relaxed into the anesthetic pumped into his systems, and his eyes dilated, then half-lidded as he fell unconscious. Vlad watched all this but the stripping, concern on his face. He kept glancing around, expecting to see the horrible creature that had pursued them, or perhaps another deranged crewman, but it was oddly peaceful in the Medical wing.
The quiet before the storm. The sentence came to his mind unbidden, and his unease grew deeper.
And then, the station rocked violently.
---
Null jogged down the hall, conserving energy for the moment. He scanned through his vision modes, looking Lillian. He found a great many heat signatures scattered throughout this locale, so he decided to check them out the old fashioned way. He walked to the nearest, and his visor flickered vision modes once more. He grunted, switching it back, and opened the door he had come to. It hissed open to reveal a cultist losing a fight with two engineers. One engineer had a bloody gash across his chest and was missing some fingers on one hand, but he had a firm grip on the cultist's sword hand, while the other, RIG-encased engineer was smashing his armored fist into the man's face and chest. They all paused and looked up at Null, who stared for a second, then said, "No, please, carry on. Don't stop on my account. Wrong door, was all."
The holding Engineer shrugged, and twisted the cultist's arm further, as Null sealed the door. He looked about for the next set of heat signatures, and found what looked like several people clustered on the floor in the next room, the Gym attached to the Recreation Center near the middle of the station. This door hissed open and Null immediately shut it once he glimpsed what was inside. "Nope." He remarked, disgustedly. "Nope. Next!"
He moved passed Atmospherics, finding fewer signatures this way, and he started to realize he was heading the wrong way. He accessed his Cybernetic Mind, reviewing his memory of the fight and explosion. He was indeed heading the wrong way, as Lillian had to have been in a specific section of Maintenance, that only headed to Arrivals. He paused, wondering why he hadn't realized that before he'd wasted all this time, and the answer came like a jolt of electricity. Rather, it was a jolt of electricity, from one of his many implants.
Who's Laughing Now? The words scrolled across his visor as the jolt grew to a surge. His muscles tightened, and suddenly the jolt cut out. Now that we've established my control of your systems, we're going to play a little game, Spider. It's called, Do What The AI Says Or Die.
Null groaned, "Alright, I'll bite. But you gotta pick a better fucking name than that. That is shit-awful. What's on the itinerary?"
There was a long pause as Janus considered, evidently, then, replied. How about Command? Regardless, I have a mission and I intend to complete it. The Specimen is alive, though injured by my faithful servant. I want you to get it in a pod and launch the pod to a specific set of coordinates.
Null shrugged, "Easy enough, just don't fuck with me while I'm doing it or we'll both die. What's the Specimen?"
I. Raptus, subdesignate Subadult Queen.
There was a long pause, then Null laughed. A genuine, mirthful belly laugh. He laughed for a long moment, then Janus jolted him again. He said, "Fuck you and fuck that. I'm not going anywhere near that goddamn thing. They are unutterably lethal, and that's coming from a guy who can kill fifty people in three seconds."
You... We have no choice. Do this for me, and I'll tell you where Lillian is.
The ninja sighed, "I can find her on my own, but fine. Where is this fucking monstrosity?"
---
Lillian lurched awake from unconsciousness, in pitch darkness. Power must have failed since she passed out. She groped down, to feel her leg. Judging by the change in agony, she had managed to sear the wound shut, for now. She reached around her gingerly, finding the welding tool. She flicked it on and levered herself up with the nearby wall. She limped into the hallway, to see some light coming from one of the nearby doors, which was open when it had been closed before. She edged up to the doorway, and glanced down the revealed hallway quickly.
Bomrek Nussbaum was facing away, stuffing something into a duffle bag, kneeling. She lurched forward and grabbed him, "Move and I melt your fucking face." Lillian snarled, "Now tell me, are you another fucking psycho fuck wanting to kill me for some goddamn reason?"
He froze, and spoke slowly and with a quaver to his voice, "No, ma'am. I'm just avoiding everyone as much as I can at the moment. There's been a lot of fighting."
Lillian released him, and flicked off the welder, seeing that this section had power. "Okay, Bomrek, I'm gonna trust you. Because I have no choice. I need your help and bad." He turned and stood, seeing her injury and disheveled state.
"Wow. You look like shit, Lillian."
She smiled sweetly, "Thanks, I really needed that. Now can you get me a medkit or to a doctor that isn't a violent blood cultist?" He nodded, and eased under her arm, supporting her leg. She grabbed the bag to balance herself and threw it over her shoulder. "Hey, any weapons? A welder ain't gonna do us much good if we get attacked."
He shook his head, "I've got a boot knife, but that's about it. A belt full of tools. There's that thermite in a container in the bag, and some flares. That's about it, I'm afraid." She nodded grimly, and they limped down the hall for a ways, eventually coming to a doorway leading out of Maintenance. It hissed open, to reveal a hall of flashing red lights and sealed bulkhead doors.
Bomrek kept her moving, saying, "Some asshole rammed us, I think. Lucky I wasn't in Cargo when he did. He hit it at an oblique angle, just fucking obliterated a fourth of the station and it feels like he knocked us into a new orbit."
Lillian glanced at him, "How do you know that?"
He shrugged, "I broke into the Captain's Quarters while the shit was hitting the fan, and he happened to have the sensor grid up on his command console. I was looking for a gun."
Lillian laughed weakly, "Consider yourself pardoned and deputized." He grinned and they moved slowly but inexorably toward Medical, through Maintenance shortcuts, pressurized halls, and the Library. Coming into the Chapel, Lillian grimaced. "They're all dead." She said it in a monotone, but her mind was whirling back to the sacrifices, to Avery's suicidal dive.
Bomrek stopped and looked at her, "Yes, but you're not, and I'm not, and we need to stay that way. Put it out of your head, and grieve when we're safe. Keep it together, that's what they'd want."
She choked down the lump in her throat, nodding. They pressed on, finally getting to Medical. They came into the Cryogenics and Treatment area, where Zalis floated silently in a Cryo-tube, unconscious. Vlad popped out around a corner, his taser in Bomrek's face. "Freeze fucker! Fucking freeze!" He paused, "Oh thank fucking God, Lillian! Shit is fucking FUBAR! There's a fucking monster man guy eating people, and a giant spider-monster thing and oh FUCK THAT'S A LOT OF BLOOD!" He noticed her injuries and bellowed, "Trey! Get your sticky ass down here, we need help!"
The bizarre creature appeared from it's office, and walked up to Vlad, giving him a prick from it's hypospray. "Anxiolytics. Calm. Relax, human. Female, injured." It examined her leg for a moment, then gestured. "Come, Sleeper."
The Security Officer and the Quartermaster helped her lay in the Sleeper unit, and Trey manned the controls, activating the automated injury assessment program. A series of mechanical arms snaked out, spraying antiseptics and coagulants into her gash, then filling it with a sort of flesh-like adhesive. Trey waved it's hand, "Completed. Good as new, as is said amongst humans. Unathi needs arm. This one will provide."
Lillian clambered out of the unit, still in pain, but she could feel a tremendous difference. "Wow. That things fucking great. Now if I just had another gun, I'd be ready to get this shit-hole back in order." Just then, her half forgotten headset crackled to life.
"For the love of fucking god, someone in Command other than me be fucking alive."
Lillian gaped, then replied, "Chief Engineer Alexa?"
"More like, Chief Trying-To-Keep-Us-In-As-Few-Pieces-As-Possible, but yeah. Where's the fucking Captain?" The irate engineer growled, her fury evident through the headset.
"Dead. It's just you, me, and Trey. I'm down to two officers, and an unknown number of hostiles aboard."
"... My god. Well, I need you in Engineering. Get to me ASAP."
"Alright, we'll be there as soon as possible. Stay safe."
---
Post by: Hanslanda on April 24, 2018, 01:59:37 pm
Prognosis: Excision required
Trey pulled Zalis out of the Cryogenic tube and gave him a bottle of pills. "Pure nutriment. Aids healing, for Unathi. Take two every ten minutes." The strange plant-like creature then toddled to Lillian and wavered side to side, "Is this one required?"
Lillian nodded, "Yeah, we all should stick together. Vlad, help Zalis down the hall. But first, ya'll recharge your guns while I find a couple of weapons for Bomrek and I. I got an idea where to find some." She turned to Trey once more, "Keep them all here, Bomrek, with me. We'll be back in a few moments." Lillian trotted off, Bomrek following closely. They passed various scenes of carnage, til they came to the bridge. Lillian gestured at the Captain's office doors. "Can you help me with these, mate?"
Bomrek nodded, and produced a crowbar. "We'll need to short out the power to the door first, without bolting it shut." He battered off the access panel, to reveal a tangle of multicolored wires. He leaned in, examining them closely. "Yellow it is," He murmured, grabbing the yellow wire and yanking it out entirely with a shower of sparks. He braced his heel near the door and tapped it with his toe. "Right, we're good. Help me with this prybar."
A few good pushes, and the door creaked open enough to be entered. Lillian led, looking around the opulent office. "He's gotta have a couple guns in here somewhere..." She looked over at an elaborate display case, containing an ancient, finely decorated M1911 .45 caliber pistol. "That... That will do, until we can stop by the armory. Bom-"
He was already swinging, smashing the glass case apart with a single blow from the crowbar. He plucked the pistol out and handed it to Lillian, then fished in the bottom of the case and pulled out three extra magazines of ammo. "Seems he kept the display loaded with spares. Maybe it wasn't quite as ceremonial as it looked." He gestured at the Captain's desk and lockers. "Maybe in there too? Can you open that stuff?"
Lillian shook her head as she came around the desk, eyeing the lockers, "They're reinforced and bolted down. Maybe with an Engineer with a full toolbelt, but not- Wait." She tapped on the nearby console, and it's screen came to life. She hit another button and a small, gold ID card popped out of a slot on the side of the screen. "I swear to god, if he wasn't dead, I'd kill him for this security risk. This is obscenely dangerous." She took the ID and swiped the lockers with it, shaking her head. Then she tucked it into a pocket. "Help me search these lockers. Guns, knives, anything."
They ended up collecting a couple Energy pistols, a rifle, some body armor for Bomrek and Trey, a couple of telescopic batons, and a hand teleporter. They grabbed their loot and returned to Medical cautiously, but it seems most of the fighting had burnt out by now. They met no crew on the way, though there were some new bodies in a few places. Once in Medical, they distributed the gear while Vlad and Zalis reloaded and recharged their weapons. Lillian looked around, feeling like they might be able to restore control. "Alright, guys and Trey. We're going to Engineering. Stick together, don't be afraid to fire, and if you get seperated, come back here and hole up. Let's move."
---
Zackary took stock, looking around the Atmospherics ante-chamber he'd teleported into. He wore a sinister black and red armored EVA suit, light enough to not impede movement, heavy enough to protect against gunfire. He slung his submachine gun and rechecked his pistol and vac-pack. He moved to the door to Engineering and pulled out a small key-card like device, sliding it over the scanner. The door made an odd noise and hissed open. He ducked through, sticking to the shadows, moving quick. He passed behind the Chief Engineer, who was frantically putting out a fire near the Secure Storage room, a fire that threatened to encroach on Plasma canisters.
He hacked another door, coming into the Supermatter Reactor chamber. He looked around, mentally mapping the schematics, then ran to a scrubber device. He reversed the system, starting a fatal feedback of waste gases into the Core chamber. Then he pressed a button on the keycard while holding it close to the scrubber. The controls flickered, and the control panel shut off, locked out. He repeated this for the other scrubber, then activated the high energy emitter that provoked energetic reactions from the Core. He slipped back out the way he'd came, heading to his next objective.
---
Aboard a freighter just entering the system, Aquillion stood calmly, leaning on his staff. A nearby Communications Console spoke, "NTSS Vancouver, repeat command. Heave to and power down engine, prepare to be boarded. If you continue on this course you will be destroyed. You have sixty seconds to comply. NTMV Minotaur transmitting. Repeat, Vancouver, heave to." He eyed the console, and pulled out a scroll covered in arcane text. A short chant later, and he was stepping through Bluespace.
This time, the entity was awake.
Aquillion hardly had time to process the vast threat that loomed in this nether realm, it's vast arm snapping out to smite him. He stepped out of Bluespace swiftly, barely dodging the obliterating touch. Before he stepped out, he thought he glimpsed two smaller shapes, near to the heart of the massive monster, but he dismissed this whole encounter and focused on his mission. Slightly shaken but determined, he stepped aboard the Urist. He was in some sort of revelry-room. Perhaps a cafeteria, judging by the tables. He belted out an incantation and shimmered into ethereal-mist. He strode through the walls and past the dying embers of a few fights that still raged in some parts of the station. He had a mission, and he didn't plan on failing.
---
Null followed the directions of his mental-companion, and they soon came to the Research Wing. He saw the tell-tale spatters of Xenomorph blood, marked by deep, acid-burned holes in the decking and walls. He followed this trail, past the Research Director's office, into the Toxins test wing. The doors were wrenched from their mountings, by some immense force, and inside it was dark. Null cycled to nightvision and moved in cautiously. He toggled his cloaking.
Inside was a truly bizarre tableau. The Xenomorph was sealed in the Toxins Mix Chamber, a reinforced and hardened structure designed for extreme pressures and temperatures, almost matching those of the heart of a star. It slammed fruitlessly against the transparent window in a rage. Outside of the Chamber, Director Oppenheimer stood chatting calmly with a horrible monstrosity that may have once been named Crispin. Near to them, the barely functional wreck of Praetor slowly floated in circles.
I have backup coming. They will assist you. Janus signalled. Null shrugged. Crispin's head snapped over, his eyes burning with a terrible light. Crispin smiled ferally, showing long fangs and sharp teeth.
"Come out, come out, whereever you are. I smell your blood." Crispin stalked forward as Oppenheimer walked to Praetor, ostensibly to order the borg to assist.
Null shrugged, and turned off his cloak. "You mind hitting some lights? I find fights funner when I can watch your blood decorate the walls." Crispin stopped, and gave another, more sardonic smile. "But of course, challenger. We shall have quite a nice fight." Crispin flicked the light switch on, bathing them in sharp, incandescent light. He examined Null curiously, "What are you? A cosplayer?"
Null examined Crispin back, coolly. His internal databanks came up with no information on this apparently abherrent human. "Yeah, I'm cosplaying as the guy that fucked your mom. Why don't we cut the shit and get to the dying?" Null phased forward, near-instantly appearing where Crispin was standing... Except he was no longer there. Crispin had spun out of the way faster than Null could move, and slashed his bony hand out at the ninja. Where a human would have not even irritated Null with such an attack, Crispin gouged deep cuts in his advanced suit. Null backflipped lithely away from the Vampire, and came to a stop a short distance away, confused.
Crispin sniffed his fingers oddly, "Hmm. Metal, plastic, wiring. So many fascinating scents. None so interesting as what lays beneath, though. Come a little bit closer." Crispin blurred forward, and Null lashed out with his energy blades, swiping diagonally. Unbelievably, the vampire twisted between the hard-edged green beams, and palm punched Null in the sternum.
Null flew across the room and impacted the wall behind him so hard it dented. He slumped for a brief instant, tasting blood. His internal diagnostics told him he had broken ribs and bruised organs. You must kill him swiftly. We cannot afford this delay. Janus chimed in.
Null pulled himself to his feet, "Thanks, Janus, I really needed that backseat driving. Super appreciate it." He phased forward at the waiting Vampire, but this time, he stopped short and lashed out on one side with a single blade, while simultaneously jump-kicking at an empty space. The Vampire's surprised face suddenly collided with Null's heavy boots as he dodged the beam. Crispin slid back and tumbled into the wall, blood coursing down his cheek. He turned and looked at Null with murder in his eyes.
But Null was gone. Cloaked and moving fast. Faster, rather. Combat drugs flooded his system, and he struck with lethal precision. Punching Crispin in the throat, hard, then once in the kidney, followed by a sharp kick to the side of his knee, then he grabbed the Vampire by the head and yanked hard to the side. The bones of the monster's neck snapped like dry twigs, and he fell to the floor. Null uncloaked and turned to the Director, who was now standing, mouth agape, watching the fight. "You. Get out no-URK!" He started to speak, but a sharp spar of flooring was driven through his kidney, out his gut. Null looked down at the spar and phased forward, accidentally landing inside the Director. Oppenheimer died in a splatter of gore, as Null stumbled and turned.
Crispin stood, his leg bent the wrong way, his breath rasping bloodily, his head lolling about sickly. He grinned, blood shining on his teeth. "You think you can kill me? I'll eat your fucking heart." Behind him, a door hissed open and a floating white Cyborg hovered in. A syringe shot out from one of it's appendages and plinked into his elbow. The flesh of the Vampire's elbow hissed and smoked, and his forearm fell off. The beast shrieked and turned into a cloud of mist that fled from the chamber. Null pulled the spar from his gut and wince as his body flooded the wound with bio-sealants, antiseptics, painkillers, and synth-flesh.
Another borg floated in, a brown thing. They will help you force the Specimen onto the designated Research Shuttle. I have already wirelessly accessed it's controls and set the trap. Onager will make a funnel, blocking off the beast's escape routes. Praetor will leave, due to damage. Medicus is of no use in this situation, and will also leave. Just get it to chase you aboard the shuttle, then phase out. Once that's done, I will serve you loyally.
Null sighed, "Yeah, don't mind me. Just a huge hole in me. Alright, let's get this bullshit done."
---
The motley loyal crew of Urist pressed into the Engineering wing through an open door. There they found Chief Engineer Moon, having just put out a minor fire. She turned and pointed to the rack of EVA suits. "Suit up. I have no engineers and we got a ton of shit to do. I need at least two of you. We gotta break the Supermatter Core. It's going bad and I have no idea how to fix it."
Vlad and Bomrek stepped forward and started suiting up, when an odd thing happened. A Skrell just... Appeared amongst them, in a puff of smoky mist. He wore strange clothes, carried a staff, and had a bemused expression. "Ah, exactly who I needed to see." He turned to Lillian, a smile revealing his small, nubby teeth. "You are one of the Prophesized Ones. The Thirteen, just like me. I have something for you." He held out his hand to her, and unthinking, she grabbed it. "Ei Nath."
Power surged through Lillian, and suddenly time stopped. The being she had met before stepped into view, still wearing his apron and strange clothes. He moved Aquillion's hand away from hers and sighed. "Well, I had hoped to save this for... Well, for the end." He grimaced. "I can only help you this once, and only because I've saved this chance for... Well, for a long time." He gestured at Lillian, "For you. You must NOT fail. I can't be more specific, but when you think it's over, and you think you're safe... The true challenge will come. Kill him and his men, and you will be the victor. I must go. This one cannot harm you, but he can kill your friends." He smiled sadly, "And you cannot save them all. Good luck, Lillian Helsbrecht. I have done all I am allowed to ensure your victory."
He walked away, fading into nothingness in a few steps. Lillian reached for the pistol, and suddenly time was moving again. "I am Aquillion the Assassin and I am he- What." The Skrell stopped midsentence, to find a gun in his face. "How... You are dust."
Lillian smiled tightly and fired. The Skrell disappeared before the round hit, but she kept the pistol out. "Guys, we gotta get the fuck out of here." She said, her voice taut and her manner anxious.
---
I would continue further but my internet is fighting me atm.
Post by: Hanslanda on September 24, 2018, 10:23:14 pm
Alex Moon: Rabid Engineer
Lillian started to bark orders, but Alexa shouted her down in an instant, "I don't give a fuck who that was or what he wanted. If we do not fix this engine, we all fucking die." Bomrek and Vlad dutifully suited up as Lillian gave Alexa a blank, gape-mouthed stare. Alexa continued, "One of us needs to get to my office and hit the eject button on que. Another needs to break a hole into the Supermatter Core chamber. The last one... Is me. We'll talk about my job when it's done. Let's move. Vlad, get to the button. Bomrek, help me get into the core."
Bomrek Nussbaum eyed her through his RIG helmet, "Ma'am, that's three feet of reinforced and armored plating, with lead shielding. You really wanna go in there?"
Alexa nodded brusquely, gathering a toolbelt around her, "Vlad, open the SMC shutters. Now. Wait for my signal to eject the core." Vlad nodded, and Bomrek and Alexa entered the Engine Room. Lillian wisely kept back with Vlad, weapons ready for another incursion.
---
Null sighed deeply, and made one, long energy blade with his fist. He took one more look at the I. Raptus subadult queen, and swept the blade through the reinforced door keeping him safe. The blade evaporated and Null started to run away, down the hall. The door shrieked open as the beast ripped it asunder and pursued. It was fast, impossibly fast. Null rolled into the shuttle, feeling the air of razor-sharp claws passing over his spine by millimeters. He phased, and came out of phase-space into a hall on the other side of the shuttle, with a bank of windows behind him. Null turned calmly, to see the Queen slam into the cockpit of the auto-piloted shuttle. He waved jauntily, and the shuttle flashed bright blue as it's Bluespace drive took the beast with it. He sighed happily, when a bloody mist coalesced behind him.
"For fuck's sake, didn't you try to kill me once already?" Null said, eyeing the vampire in the reflection.
"I appear to have failed, so I had a better idea." Crispin said, twisting his neck viciously back into place. "How about I kill the Helsbrecht and the Wizard, and you take care of the Last? So we're both even when we fight."
Null considered for a moment, cocking his head, "Well... That's a good idea. Except..."
"Except...?" Crispin repeated, irritated.
"Except the wizard is right behind you, as-" Null started to say.
"EI NATH!" Aquillion the Assassin shouted, and Crispin vanished in a puff of dust. Null grinned appreciatively under his armor.
Aquillion said, "So. It comes to us, Ninja. Either you or I kill her, finish the last human, then take on the Contender. Are you ready?"
Null turned, blades extruding from his hands, "This ends one way, Wizard. I will die, yes. But no one said who all I'd be taking with me."
A bright green flash erupted, and Aquillion and Null met in Bluespace, weapons meeting with a shower of energy. The Entity of Beyond witnessed the strikes, and contented itself to watch, though it sent it's servants back.
---
"Radio check, Bomrek, Vlad." Alexa chimed in as Bomrek removed the final plate of protection between the SM core chamber. She waved Bomrek away, and he complied readily, as their suit mounted geiger counters were off the charts. Alexa stepped into the Core Chamber. On one side, an opened blast door to space, with a long track leading to a mass driver. In the center, was a piece of Supermatter. Impossible to look at, it radiated colors and feelings that didn't exist. The strange piece of non-matter was resting on a track-cart with two handles. Alexa grabbed one and started pulling it toward the exterior mass driver.
Radiation penetrated her body, violating her on a cellular level. Still, she strained against the handles, pulling the crystal into position. "Vlad, Lil, whoever. Fire that fucker. Now."
She waited a moment, and the mass driver was silent. No movement. She waited. And waited. Finally, she pulled her spare O2 tank from it's harness and pointed the valve toward the station, bracing her back against the cart. She wrapped her arm through the cart handles, and violently kicked off the head of the O2 tank.
With a brief but powerful spurt of white gas, Alexa and the Supermatter crystal floated away from the station as it delaminated. Inside the crystal, quantum molecular structures were decaying, faster and faster. It was only a matter of time...
---
Vlad and Lillian hit the switch when Alexa beamed the order, but nothing happened. Power flickered out as the SMC drifted out of the station. They exchanged a suited glance as Bomrek entered the room. Suddenly, with a multicolored flash, Null and Aquillion appeared in the room. Null slashed, his energy blades caressing Bomrek's RIG gently, but slicing body parts off Aquillion, who gestured one handed and suddenly Null was perforated with huge, burning holes. Null reached out with one hand, and grabbed Aquillion's face, then with a green flash they vanished.
---
Safeties: Overridden
Locational Director: Overridden
Self Destruct Active
Aquillion and the badly injured Null came out of the Phase jump in a vast arena of Bluespace. The Entity beyond turned it's attention to them curiously. Null tightened his grip on the Skrell's head-tendrils, and pulled the wizard in close, "Hey, motherfucker, just wanted you to know one thing before you die."
Aquillion started forming mystic sigils with his free hand, but Null continued, "Magic ain't shit compared to high explosives, asshole. Detonate."
Null exploded. Violently. Every bone had been laced with trace amounts of high explosives, and the entire cyber-warrior blasted apart like a 1,000 lbs of dynamite. What was left of Aquillion wouldn't have filled an 8 oz. cup.
---
At the same time Null detonated, the Supermatter delaminated, it's outer matrix suffering critical failure, releasing the nigh-impossible energy contained within. The blast ripped half of the remaining station off, melting another third of it.
---
Vlad and Lillian shared a look as the blast went off while they tended to Bomrek's wounds, unaware that another enemy awaited them after escape. They moved through the blasted sections of ship til they found an escape pod, piling in together. The pod launched, heading for the nearest safe place to inhabit.
A defunct Russian Space Federation station.
Post by: Glloyd on September 29, 2018, 02:52:34 am
Post by: Hanslanda on September 29, 2018, 10:42:04 am
Krasnyy Vokzal
The pod docked automatically, extruding a small electromagnetic containment field to protect the occupants' atmosphere as they moved into the Russian Station. Lillian keyed open the airlock, and it hissed slowly, somehow still possessing power. They carried Bomrek across awkwardly in the lessened gravity, and rested him on a nearby table. He groaned and clutched the great gashes Null had inadvertently rent across his RIG. Blood was seeping out slowly from between his fingers. Vlad took off his own RIG helmet and set to work on Bomrek's suit, carefully taking it off the wounded man. He looked at Lillian, who was sealing the airlock. His expression was grave, "We need bandages, and sutures. Something." She nodded and looked around.
The room was pretty bare. A few folding metal chairs, a half-filled cardboard box of random items, and two more doors leading deeper into the station. She tossed the contents of the box around, but it was all useless junk. Coat hangers, picture frames, a plastic cup, and some less identifiable items of little interest. Frustrated, she pulled off her armored jacket, then tried ripping the sleeves of her jumpsuit off. The material was too tough, so she pulled off Bomrek's RIG boots, then searched his ankles. Finally, she found his boot knife, and pulled it from it's sheathe. With this, she cut her sleeves off and slit them into ragged strips, which she gave to Vlad. Vlad packed them into the wounds, but shook his head, "This material won't keep the blood in very well. We need more than this, Lil." He gestured at the doors, "Try in there, I'll stay with him."
Lillian nodded curtly and entered the foreign station, slipping her jacket back on. A long corridor stretched out before her, lined on one side with huge windows, and on the other with a massive set of red cyrillic letters on a steel wall. She muttered to herself, "I guess... We're probably in arrivals. Similar design, probably. Hopefully. How would I find Medical from Arrivals..." She reached the end of the corridor, and opened the next hatch. There was an armored checkpoint set into a T-junction. Three doors, including the one she had entered, and one on both sides of her, with the shuttered window-desk of the checkpoint in front of her. She opened the door on her left, and it led into a waiting room with nowhere else to go but into the checkpoint, which was locked. Shrugging, she pushed on, moving farther into the Russian station. She passed a cafeteria and dormitory, then came into another long corridor, again with one windowed side. These windows looked into a massive reactor chamber. She couldn't see into the shielded compartment at the center, but she was certain gravity was significantly stronger here than at Arrivals.
Lining the edges of the reactor chamber were more windows, on a few levels, and she spotted what she hoped was a Medical wing. She went back to Arrivals, where Vlad waited tensely. "Anything?" He asked.
She nodded tersely, "I think I found a medical section. It's up some stairs and quite a ways. Can he make it?"
Bomrek groaned loudly, "Fuck's sake, I have to, don't I? Get me up, I can walk." Vlad hefted the man up and slipped under his shoulder to support him. He waved Lillian on and they followed her on the arduous journey into the station, trailing spatters of blood. Inside Arrivals, a hole ripped in reality, and out stepped a dead man. He followed them at a sedate pace.
They carried Bomrek up the stairs, three flights. From there, it wasn't a far walk to Medical. Once inside, despair set in. There was almost nothing inside, all items of value had been stripped out long ago. They set Bomrek down on a roller-bed, and tore through the cabinets and cases that remained. Lillian cursed under her breathe, and checked a desk drawer near where a Cryo unit would have been. Inside was a basic medical kit. She snatched it up and handed it to Vlad, who set to work on Bomrek. As the blond man labored away, Lillian realized someone was in the doorway. A dead man.
Hector looked at her, his eyes milky-white, his flesh vacuum-puckered. She got the distinct sensation that he wasn't alone in his body, like something was in there with him. When he spoke, it reinforced that feeling, as his voice reverberated a little, "Hello, Lillian."
Vlad stopped what he was doing and looked up, shocked, and Bomrek gasped. Lillian grimaced and edged over so she was between him and them. "Hello, Hector." She said simply.
The revenant stepped forward, "I was punished for saving you. The Wraith was bound to me so there would be no further... Human mistakes. I must have your blood, Lillian. The ritual can still be completed." His hand raised, clenched in a tight fist around the hilt of a blade.
Lillian pulled her pistol and pointed it at his face, "Don't make me shoot you, Hector." He kept moving forward, and she fired. And again. And emptied the clip. His head was shattered and rent, but he still kept coming. Lillian stumbled back, into Vlad. She looked at him, and sputtered, "Get out of here, and take him with you. Find a comms system and raise the Minotaur, get Jay Wright. Get the fuck out, I'll... I'll deal with this."
Vlad eyed the slowly advancing revenant, some of the shock wearing off, "He's... Pretty slow. We could probably just walk around him." He tested his theory, wheeling Bomrek around and past Hector, who ignored them. Lillian followed suit, and they started looking for some sort of communications system. Behind them, Hector's corpse walked through the wall after them like it wasn't even there, at the same sedate pace. They looked back, and Vlad sighed, "That's going to get annoying. I think he's just after you though. I'll take Bomrek and find something, you distract the zombie."
Lillian sighed, "Why me?" She turned around, and flapped her arms in frustration, "Seriously! Why me? What's the whole deal with today?! Prophecies and shit. I'm so done." Hector reached arm's reach and slashed at her languidly. "AND WHY ARE YOU SO FUCKING SLOW?!"
The dead-man grunted, "I'm fighting the Wraith, slowing it down. I don't think you understand quite how much danger you are really in."
She avoided the slash easily and sighed, "Okay. I'll... Figure something out I guess." She ran down the stairs to the lowest floor of the station, then jogged a short distance, buying herself time to think. "How the fuck am I supposed to kill a goddamn ghost-monster out of my dead friend?" Lillian passed through a door, into the reactor chamber. She looked at the massive containment unit in the center. "Hold on a tick..." She murmured to herself, before walking over to the computers that controlled the reactor.
A nearby intercom crackled to life, "Hey, what are you doing down there?" Vlad said.
"I think I can trap the thing in the thing. The ghost in the black hole. I mean, the engine." She said, nonsensically.
A short pause and then Bomrek came over the comm, "I gotcha, Lillian, what do you need to do?"
"I need to open the containment shutters and, I dunno. Push him in, pretty much. Close the shutters. That's the whole plan." She looked back, and Hector was in the chamber.
It was Vlad this time, "I can read cyrilic. I'm going to leave Bomrek by the comm just in case and be down in a moment."
Lillian sighed and walked away from Hector, circling the room slowly. She called back to him, "This is just. The lamest fucking fight I've ever been in, by the way."
The corpse was silent now, and it started walking a bit faster. Lillian felt the tiniest jolt of fear, then Vlad entered the chamber. He crossed to the console and started muttering to himself.
Lillian shouted, "Vlad, hurry your shit up. I don't think we have much time." She was jogging now, and the creature was matching her pace. Vlad glanced up and paled. He jabbed a button forcefully, and one of the huge lead sheets containing the core slid up, revealing a bleak nothingness surrounded by a crackling field of energy and particle collectors. Lillian ran and positioned herself in front of the gap. "When I tell you, seal this thing back up!" She shouted, bracing herself as the revenant advanced on her swiftly.
It stabbed out, jerkily, and she dodged while grabbing it's arm and pulling. A basic judo throw was all it took, but as it passed over her, it's other hand grabbed her jacket. The gravitational force of the contained black hole caught Hector's feet, and started pulling him in. Lillian felt sheer terror as she realized there was no way she could dislodge it's hand from her. If she released it's arm, it would kill her as surely as the engine would. And if she didn't, well. She already felt the enormous force pulling at them both, and she wasn't even in the containment chamber yet. Lillian was barely hanging onto her footing, trapped in a stalemate.
The ruined corpse-monster stiffened abruptly, and spoke again through it's blasted mouth, "My hand. Take my hand." The fist with the knife unclenched, and the knife fell sideways and spaghettified as soon as it passed the containment field, turning into an insane spiral that hurt to look at. Lillian slid her grip to the creature's hand, trusting Hector for some reason. "My ring. Take my ring to her." The creature begged, and let go of her jacket. It's legs were at the very edge of the field, and were slowly elongating and twisting.
Lillian felt it let go, and grabbed desperately at it's ring as it slipped out of her grasp. She somehow managed to pull the ring off before the creature fell into the field. Of all the horrors she had witnessed, nothing was worse than what the field did to a human body. She knew she would have nightmares of this moment for the rest of her life. The plate slid shut on the horrible sight, and Lillian remained, transfixed.
Distantly she heard a voice. "Lillian? Come on. Let's go get Bomrek. Come on Lillian." Vlad tugged at her elbow. She nodded mutely and followed him mechanically.
They reached Bomrek, who cracked, "Vlad, I just realized, if you knew cyrilic, why did you send Lillian into the stati- Uh. Everything okay?" He eyed them both, and Vlad replied shortly.
"Don't ask, Bomrek. Just don't ask. Comms is up I think. We'll carry the whole roller bed up like a stretcher." The moment became silent, and solemn as Lillian opened her hand to reveal a wedding ring. Silently, she put it in a pocket and picked up one end of the bed. Together they carried Bomrek, in total silence.
---
"I don't get it. We should have received some sort of reply by now. The Minotaur was in system." Vlad said, frustrated.
Bomrek sighed, "Try changing frequency. Does it have enough power?"
Vlad snapped back, "I've tried. We've been over that. This is useless." Lillian sat in a corner of the Communications Center on one of the folding metal chairs, quiet. Vlad stood and paced, cursing.
"Here we are. The last of you." The voice was strange and startling, Vlad jumped a bit as he looked at the newcomer. A tall, dark-haired man, with a trim goatee, in black and red armor, pointing a gun at him. "I was wondering if any'd escape. Makes my job easier that you're all on here with me." Vlad put his hands up slowly, and the man nodded, "Smart kid. Nice and easy, grab your friend and roll him away from the Comms."
It appeared he didn't notice Lillian, so still and quiet was she. Vlad and Bomrek shared a glance as Vlad started to push the bed away from the console. Bomrek's hand inched down a bit, towards the Energy Pistol he had. Vlad locked the brakes on the bed and put his hands back up, "What now, guy?"
The sinister newcomer smiled easily, "Now I kill you, call my ride, and collect the prize." He raised the gun fractionally and fired. Lillian was there, though, and twisted his gun up. The burst went into the ceiling, and they struggled over the gun. Bomrek snatched out his pistol, and aimed into the melee. He switched the gun to stun and fired, repeatedly. A blast hit Lillian, and a couple hit the killer. His armor protected him, but she was poleaxed to the ground by the shock. The man twisted his gun out of her frozen grip, just as Vlad slammed into him, knocking him into the hall. They bounced off the windows, leaving a spiderweb of fractures.
The man yanked hard on Vlad's head, slamming his head into the floor. Vlad punched wildly, clipping him in the nose. Blood splattered, and they twisted and rolled. Vlad came out on top, and slapped the man in the face with something small and metal. The handtele activated, and a portal opened next to them. The man shoved Vlad off into it, and scrambled up, just as Lillian got up again. He snatched out his pistol, but she grabbed his arm and bashed it off the doorframe til he dropped the gun. He kicked off, slamming her up against the wall and taking her breathe away. She viciously headbutted his already injured nose, and he staggered back.
It was enough of an opening for her to draw her gun. He was lightning fast though, and as she fired he scurried away, around the corner. She gave chase, reloading her gun as she rounded the corner. He ducked down a side passage, and she fired again, missing again. As she rounded this corner, he ambushed her, knocking the gun out of her hand and body-slamming her against another wall. He was much larger than she, with easily a foot of height on her and a hundred pounds. She punched him in the face, and he threw her bodily. She didn't go far, rebounding off the wall with a gasp. Lillian gasped again when he kicked her in the gut, then wrapped herself around his leg and twisted, toppling him to the floor.
A vacuum-sealed case fell off his armor and popped open with the impact. Lillian snatched at the case, smashing him in the face with the metal box. He growled and grabbed her hand, prying the case from it with casual strength, then pulled a long, painful looking spiked blade out of the case. She frantically twisted her arm out of his grip and scrambled to her feet, back against an airlock door. Her fists came up, and she was struck by how screwed she was. He had superior reach, strength, size, leverage, and he was just as fast and skilled as her. He had a weapon and armor, while she had only her armored jacket.
He levelled the blade at her, "You had to fight back. Now you die bad." He lunged, and she dodged, punching viciously. He took the blow on his armor and shouldered into her, pinning her on the airlock door. He stabbed sharply, twice. She felt the blade puncture her side, though only barely, through her armor, and gasped. He reversed his grip and brought it down in an amatuerish overhanded stab at her face. Her only chance was that he wanted to hurt her before she died. She twisted, taking the stab in the upper part of her shoulder. Pure agony spiked down her arm, and she leaned forward, face to face with him quite literally.
She bit him on the face. He jolted in shock, and she clamped down again, biting a crude, ragged wound on his nose. His blood filled her mouth, and she shook her head like a rabid dog as he panicked and pushed back. Lillian didn't let go, though, and twisted as he turned, reversing their pose, putting his back to the airlock. Her free hand slapped the wall blindly, connecting with the button on the second try as she ravaged his face. He gut-punched her as the airlock opened and he fell back finally free of her bite.
Lillian yanked the blade out of her shoulder with a feral growl and leapt at him. He kicked out, and knocked her to one side, buying himself time to stand. She lunged again, and he tried to trap her arm and take the blade back. She pushed into his grab, then reversed, throwing him off balance and pulling her arm out of his grasp. She slashed brutally across his face, opening his cheek, and he bellowed in pain. She stabbed on the backhand, plunging the blade into the side of his neck, and he weakly shoved her back. She stumbled out of the airlock, then he realized he'd been played.
Lillian Helsbrecht smiled sweetly, her bloodstained teeth and mouth a terrifying sight, and playfully tapped the cycle button. The door clanged shut between them and he jumped forward, pounding at the door mutely. The outer airlock open, pulling him into space. He drifted away, a shocked look on his face, and Lillian waved, then flipped him off. She turned, and slumped. She spit out the blood, and wiped at her face with her sleeve before quietly limping her way back toward Comms. Inside, Bomrek waited, gun ready. He almost shot her, and she almost let him.
He gaped at the spectacle of her, covered in blood. She looked down at herself and jerked a thumb over her shoulder, "You should see the other guy." From behind her, she heard a chuckle, then a deep belly laugh. Vlad had returned from wherever he'd been sent, and was laughing heartily. Bomrek nervously laughed too, then joined in with real laughter after a brief moment. Finally Lillian laughed too, and they all shared the emotional release after the sudden, violent interlude. Lillian wiped tears from her eyes as the laughter wound down, and breathed deeply, "Oh fuck. Good god. Did we ever raise anyone?"
As if to reply, the console crackled to life just then, "NTMV Minotaur hailing survivors of Urist, repeat, NTMV Minotaur hailing any survivors."
They were saved.
---
They met the transport craft at the airlock Lillian had thrown the assassin out of. The doors hissed open and Jay Wright and two Death Commandos came in. Commander Wright paused at seeming them, "Wow. Lillian, you look like shit."
"Thanks, boss. Appreciate that." She sarcastically replied, "Really what I needed to cap the day off." Something bothered her, about the way they were standing. Something niggled at the back of her mind, a half forgotten phrase. "So you're gonna take us to Central now, right?" She asked, suddenly feeling guarded.
Jay looked her dead in the eyes, and she knew what was about to go down. It happened fast. She dove, as two Pulse Rifles came up, as Wright stepped behind his armored killers. Bright blue coruscating beams of energy stabbed out, one taking Bomrek in the chest and obliterating his entire thoracic cavity, the other hit Vlad a glancing blow as he tried to dodge also. Except Pulse Rifles don't do 'glancing' hits. The energetic blast vaporized a furrow of flesh across his gut, and he tumbled to the floor limply. Lillian came up next to the Commando who'd killed Bomrek, under his rifle barrel as it swung in slow motion to track her. She surged up and over, and the blast meant for her struck the other Commando in the side, blasting him from his feet. They struggled with the gun for a moment, then the big armored man body-checked her against the wall.
Lillian snarled, "I am sick and fucking tired of people trying to kill me today." She let go of the man's rifle and he jerked away. She snatched her pistol up off the floor where it had fallen in her previous fight, pressed it to the Commando's knee, and fired. He yelled in pain, and she aimed up, emptying the few remaining rounds into his abdomen. He clattered to the floor, and she slapped a new magazine into the gun smoothly as Jay Wright tried to slip into the transport. She aimed at him, "No. No, we're going to sort this shit out. On the ground, now." He obediently dropped to the floor and put his hands on his head. She put a round into both of the Commando corpses, just to be sure, then walked over to Jay and fished in her pockets.
She pulled out a pair of handcuffs, and cuffed Wright. "You're under arrest for attempted murder, murder, conspiracy, and probably a shitload of other stuff."
---
I'm not sure how to end this. I'm going to sit on the Epilogue.