NationStates Jolt Archive

Teddy Kurgan was walking down the high ceilinged market place browsing for some food for his date that night,

Artifical Beef, no; artificial ham, no; artificial pheasent, no...

Continually turning down all the vitamin rich soy food, always thinging there will be better, but of course thats never going to happen...

Sigh. Has been way to long with out real meat, really getting sick of the flavored tofu... he thought to himself. Reaching the end of the food market he stumbles onto what seems to be a small weapon store, Always gotta be some loony selling weapons no matter where you go he smirked and thought back to his Colt Manhunter stored in a cigar box in his quarters.

Just as he was turning around to once again stoll past the food thinking, Well, I guess the ham would be ok... the shipwide P.A. crackled to life,

Would Ted Kurgan please report to the Principal's office, would Ted Kurgan please report to the Principal's office...

God, always feels like I'm in elementary school when ever that thing comes on report to the Principal's office what am I seven? Despite his distaste he heads towards the nearest Full lift (up down side to side) and enters in the destination. After a few mind numbling boring minutes its stainless steel doors slide open to a fairly cozy office, an older man sits in a spartan but conforable chair at the far end of the room.

"Welcome Mr. Kurgan, please have a seat untill the others arive," the Principal jestures to a row of chairs near his desk, "I will explain everything then."

(OOC: Ok those whom are interseted and allready signed up post your characters in the sign up thread and lets start! Those who want to join go here (http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=130736&highlight=).)

The frontal attacks had been exhausted, the men were dead. Burned out tanks and artillary covered the ground.
"Sir! What do we do now?" A private beside Jugrut said
"Dunno. What'v we tried so far?" Jugrut glanced over the rock
"Errr...a frontal attack...and...a few other frontal attacks."
"Well...let try some'tin new."
"Like what, sir?"
"A BACKAL attack!"
"Oh dear."
BEEP!
You've got mail!
"DAMNDAMNDAMNDAMNDAMNDAMNDAMNDAMNDAMNDAMNDAMN!!!!" A few people in the hallway outside paused and glanced at the door, listening to the sounds of Goblin cursing and smashing electronics.
The door whooshed open and a disgruntled Goblin stomped out, inside a computer continued to play the soundtrack from 'Medal of Honor: The Eastern Front'.
Jugrut continued to stomp until he was outside the door of the Office, then adjusted himself to look a little bit more 'civilized'. He went in and sat down, and wondered how long it would be before somebody noticed him.

Hearing the announcment Griffin looked up from where he was leaning back in his office chair, feet on his desk and a portible reader with a good fantasy novel in his hands. Bookmarking his page he swung his feet down to the floor and got up. An old fashioned coat rack stood in the corner of his office. Griffin took the gun/sword belt off of it and put it on, followed shortly by his vest, the shiney badge of a security officer contrasting with the bloodred badge he wore on the other side of his vest. A security officer's hat completed the essemble, doing little to hide his grey hair going white. Leaving his office he walked down a short corridor, stopping just before the exit from the main security station to tell the officer on duty he would be unavailible before heading for the Principle's office.

From seemingly no where, Corsin the monkey hopped down from the roof, and sat in a chair in the princibles office. His red hair going over top his brown hair, and ending at his stomach. His little red cyborg eye glowing slightly.
"Sorry if I suprised you," He said.

Oh great, a talking monkey, what will come next a short green fellow with a large nose... Just then the lift doors openned once again and Teddy looked around, and there out of the lift came another man and a short green fellow with a large nose.

Goddamnit, I hate it when I'm right.

As the two new commers take their seat in the officer the Principal speaks, "Excellent, four of you have arrived, only a few more remain absent. However, while we wait I feel I should not keep you under all this smoke and mirrors and I suppose I could answer any questions you have."

((OOC: Waiting for: The Underground City and Torenn))

"Why us here?" Corsin asked, of course he could speak, but his grammer wasn't perfect.

"Ah yes, straight to the heart of the matter my little multidexterous. As you all know we are currently in orbit above the designated planet, Centauri B," he says gestering to the window, "You also know we have not allowed landfall. You may ask 'If we are here why are we not going unto the surface?' because we have an anomoly.

Ten years ago Pioneer One arrived on this planet to make the initial colony, and they did that quite well according to our topigraphical scans. However, while their buildings are there, they are not. Not one single trace of them dead or alive.

This is why we have not allowed anyone down, and this is why I have asked you here. We need you to go down as a team and discover why the crew of Pioneer One went missing!"

Taking a deep breath the Principal let a far-off look dance across his brow.

"Now do you understand? Any other questions?" the Principal intones.

The monkey shook his head no, he understood now.

Jugrut cheered up slightly on hearing this, his grin grew even broader as he went through a mental checklist of things he would 'need' for the mission. Napalm...rocket launcher...maybe a tac nuke or two...

(OOC: The Daily Bump)

Griffin pulled on his beard in thought. "If that's the case sir, the first place we should investigate is whatever served the colony for an administrative center, any records of a disaster would be stored there, we should also check the colony hospital and security office if they have one. An entire colony doesn't just disappear without leaving some trace, Roanoke aside."

Looking at a small clock on his desk the Principal speaks, "I must agree Mr. Griffin, however, we can only set you down just within the city, some powerful turbulance is dissallowing us to land any closer.

Furthermore, I feel we cannot wait any long to send you four down unto the surface, we shall send the others as they arrive. Now I want you to enter the lift and proceed to docking bay Alpha-4. I wish you luck!"

With that he walks back behind his desk and swivels till you see only the back of the chair.

A short while later Jugrut staggered into the bay, his arms full of weapons he had 'procured'.
"Sorry, dey not have napalm, I find micro-nuke togh!" He brandished a small triangle with a red light in the middle "And dis thing!" Anonother metal object, spherical this time, with two red lights, "Right, pick joor weapons! I gots enough for all joo!" He dumped the pile in the launch bay and dove it, emerging with a GAU Cannon and backpack, several belts of ammo, five grenades of some sort, two knives in his boots, a machette and a small rocket launcher.
He clanked over to the lander.
"Me ready!"

One of the boxes that Jugrut was carrying started ti shake, and then it fell over and opened up. Out popped Corsin.
"Me ready too!" He exclaimed.

Griffin gave the pair a tolerant smile and small shake of the head. He checked on last time to make sure his MacLeod2002 was secured along with several spare clips. On his otherside hung a rapier. Over his skinsuit and under his vest he was wearing some lightweight flexible body armor. A small scanning device and minicomputer was attached to his left forearm.
"Everyone ready to go?" He asked.

Strolling along the dock he looks at the weapons table, I'll be damned, they got my colt from my room, spying the archaic cigar box. Reaching inside and finding his pistol in its holster as well as several full clips of munitions, he hooks the sheath upon his belt. Strolling a bit farther towards some blades he absentmindly hears Jugrut exclaim something about napalm, he finds a nicely shaped katana, Aw why not, I know a thing or two about blades, thinking back to his brief time playing swords man while trying to regain his composure. Sheathing the katana over his back he calls out,

"I guess I'm good to go, I hope we only need these things as precautions and not activly. Getting thrust into life and death situations is not my cup of tea!"

Loading into the shuttle along with the other three the sounds of decompression surrond the ship as its prepares for disembarkment.

Several minutes pass in tense silence until the pilot cracks over the small speaker, "We shall be landing about two kilometers from the main city complex, the weather down there is light rain with sparse sunshine. Just a reminder the oxygen content is around 16%, so you may be a bit short on breath but otherwise ok."

The ship settles down with a thump and the rear door hydraulics slowly lower its massive bulk. No sooner than they step out the shuttle takes off, leaving them alone on a destered radio, their only contact a small radio given to Teddy.

"So, anyone got a plan? I say lets hit that main station!" Teddy cries out, "but I'm open to suggestions."

"I suggest we split up, one group get to the powerplant and get it up and running so we have some power down here, another group can check the administration building and see if there are any records that might help us. If there's nothing there, we can check the hospital and security building. We need information more than anything else at the moment, particularly if we end up have to protect ourselves from whatever hit this colony."

"I Like that idea." Corsin said. "We split up."

"Ok," Ted Kurgan declares, "me and Griffin will head to the admin building while monkey and greeny will see if they can get any power." Reaching into the small pack each of them had been given before disembarkment, he pulls out a map, "it seems to be almost three kilometers to the admin building if my location is right... almost four to the power plant, I sudgest we head out!"

Turning towards a vacant he street he begins to walk, but pauses and says , "*sigh* Lets do this right, if I remeber right most of the native life should be none hostile, but lets keep small arms out just incase, I do not want anyone injured on the first day, oh, and don't blow up anything importent there Jugrut!"

Motioning to to Griffen he pulls out his colt manhunter and begins walking towards the towering (5 stories instead of at most two of other buildings) administrative building and attached commerce center.

(OOC: I was never declared leader btw, so just keep that in mind...)

Griffin smiled. "Don't worry about me, this isn't the first time I've walked into a town not knowing if I'm going to be greeted with open arms, or leveled arms."

"Sure ting pinkey, wese go check da power right now." There was a whine as the GAU cannon statred to rotate. "Powers on!"
A sound like tearing metal roared from the gun, and a stand of trees became fruit salad.
"Ohhhh, its da fitey calybur type, dis nice!"

Corsin foloowed the goblin.
Corsin had on his combat suit, a rubberlike suit that looked like a wetsuit, and his long brown tail sticking out. He wore a metal backpack, that had a strap of bullets coming out, and going into the mini-mini-gun. A metal rod bore the gun up, so he could run on all fours, and in battle all he would have to do it aim, and twist the handle

Griffin looked back after the other part of the group and shook his head. "I wonder if there'll be anything left of the colony when they're done."

Looking back at Jugrat he says, "If I have to I'll shoot him myself *chuckle* ya hear that greeny! Keep that finger off the trigger untill absolutly nesscisary!"

Striding down the wind-wrought trash and debree as the monkey and goblin dissappeared down the other road. Getting no more than 300 meters from the landing sight Ted who was point, was suddenly hurled back by an unseen force, and to any of quick eye the air around where he last was rippled with an orange tinge.

"What the **** was that!" he exclaimed, calling out on the radio to the ship he declares, I think the power is on, seems like a force field of sorts, please advise."

The radio crackled back to life as the shipped responded, a sharp piercing yelp, signified that the monkey and the gobby had met with a smililar obstecal, "Well Mr. Kurgan," the femine voice on the other end said, "this is unexpected, from what I can find is that the stationary defense field is only activated in defense against hostile external events like tornados or the like, there is no reason for it to be on... Wait a minute, it says here it also automatically deploys as a form of containment as well incase of... the voice fell silent.

"Incase of what!?" Kurgan bellows back.

"When there is either radiation or toxic fumes, but neither of those are dected inside the bubble, which means..." she losses her composure, "Which means someone, or something activated it manually."

Letting out an exasperated sigh, "Ok, whatever, just tell me how to get past the damn thing!"

"There should be a small access port just to your right, enter the command code A9Z1P, and it should deactivate in your sector."

He spys the console and enters the code, luckily it works. Entering into the formerly sealed area he calls out on his walkie-talkie to the other two, "Something put that shield up, be on your guard, but I repeat, use discrimination before you fire, I do not want to find out either of you ripped up a third of this city shooting things that were not there!"

"Ya ya ya, 'tever." Jugrut grumbled and hefted the gun.
(OOC: Sorry, feeling kinda tired now...)

"Just give me a minute with the access console please." Griffin said as he pulled a pair of wires from the minicomputer attached to his wrist and attached them to the console. "This thing was origionally designed for some heavy duty hacking, I've taken the liberty of upgrading the software that was already on it. With a few seconds work I should be able to highjack the colony's computer system and lock anyone else out of it so we don't encounter any further surprises."
The minicomputer hummed for several seconds as Griffin punched several of the keys. A loud ping was produced from the small computer and Griffin removed the wires. "One colony computer, slightly used at our service."

Lets out a wry smile at Griffin's comment, "I don't think they will mind, seeing as how they aren't here."

Griffin let out a little chuckle but not much else, walking along the packed earth road seemed almost sacrilege. An unsettling silense setted over them, even the electric whine of the equipment they carried seemed lost in the dead void.

Finally, after intersection after intersection Kurgan couldn't stand it, that ominous feeling pressing down upon them, from the empty blacked windows of the buildings around them, staring down upon them like a hollow skull.

Speaking low and slow Kurgan says, "This place is giving me the creeps, I feel like, like something is watching me, something... wrong. How about you guys, and you to Grif, this place giving you the same shivers I'm getting?"

Griffin nodded slowly, his hand resting on the butt of his pistol. His eyes were constantly shifting, scanning the group's surroundings with the habit of long practice. "Last time I felt like this was just before stepping into the middle of an ambush." Griffin brought his left arm up and activated the scanning feature of the mini-comp. "It doesn't look like there's anything nearby, but I don't know how well it will pick up native life."

Kurgan lets out a slow nod, but his eyes open wide as he remembers, "Should tell the others that their is no need to hit the power plant, though they should have gotten that on their own," pushing the talk button on the walkie he asks, "You two are heading with us to the admin building since we know the power is on right?"

From the other end he heard something like, "Ya ya ya, we ain't not 'tupid ya know!"

((OOC: Fast mode)) Walking to building and nothing happens, the goblin puts a hole in a building and Kurgan yells at him.

Upon reaching the imposing metal door of the administrative building, Kurgan is off put by the door being ajar, the others seem to have the same feeling, Its like something wants us to go inside...

((OOC: Building map, just say its the same for each floor and ignore the fact that it is a church, we are entering into the "Alpha Lobby". Map is here. (http://www.lgbc.org/gracechurch/images/Current%20building%20layout%20(Black%20and%20White).gif)))

"Deserted, just like the rest of the city," Kurgan said, "But at least the lights are on. Look, that seems like a computer interface on that desk over there!"

He walks over and looks at it, "What the... Its completely smashed, not just the monitor, but all of it!" pulling up some wires. "I wonder who the hell did tha..."

Just then the door slams shut and several bolts can be heard clicking into place even as the door's echo reverberates down the halls. The lights cut out, leaving them in total darkness...

Fortunatly, dozens of small red emergancy lights, seemingly leading to their now blocked exit, light up the room, basking them in an erie red aura.

"I've got a baaad feeling about this..."

Corsin looked around the red lit room. He was now stuck with a goblin, and two humans. He was the shortest of them all.
He fingered the mini-gun turret, ready for action.
He walked over to the door, and rubbed his hand against it, cold. No warmth, no power was going through it.

He paced around the room, and set his goggles to scan mode, everything went really red, and he could see the wires in the wall, plus the eletricity running through them, he looked at the door, and the wires were present, but no electricity.
It wasn't the system that cloesed the door, something else did...

Griffin gave a small cluck of disapproval. "We can't have that now can we?" He hit a button on the mini-comp and a small microphone popped up.
"Computer, reenable main lighting to the Administration building." As Griffin spoke the main lights came back on. "Forbid all further access to the mainframe except through this terminal or by input of proper password."
The mini-comp hummed for a second. "Acknowledged, complying, access to colony mainframe restrcited to this terminal unless proper password is input."
Griffin continued. "Display blueprints for colony administration building."
A small hologram of the interior of the building appeared above the mini-comp.
Griffin eyed his companions. "Well gentlemen, where should we start?"

Kerra Wishler woke up precisely two hours after the time she wanted to. However, she did not realize this and went about her morning routine more excitedly than usual. There was an assignment waiting for her in the Principal's Office, and she desperately wanted to know what it was. Kerra always sought out the latest adventure, and she suspected that this new mission would be good.

Then, of course, she had to spot the glowing numbers of her alarm clock. Kerra became really angry, because she suspected that she'd be barred from the adventure because of lateness. She wasn't the patient type, and did not want to wait around for something else interesting.

Why did that stupid clock have to malfunction today? Kerra thought, while facing her mirrior. She felt like blowing something up. At the moment, her mirror shattered, and the several thousand pieces of it shot out in every direction. The force knocked Kerra backwards, and she landed on the floor. She was too suprised to think anything for a few seconds, and when she regained control of herself suprsie and confusion were all she could feel.

(OOC: Sorry I'm late. My character will be exploring the colony shortly :). )

"Shhh! Shhh! Bequite, I think I hear something..." Kurgan exclaims. The group falls silent straining their ears to hear any possible noise.

"There, can you hear it? (http://www.a1freesoundeffects.com/catpurr.wav)", Kurgan whispers. The others nod yes. "Oh cr*p, its getting closer!"

As the noise grows louder and louder, seemingly engulfing the room, a cluster of five odd looking creatures (http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:IqGQEYQGl44J:score.sega.com/games/phantasystaronline/dc/images/booma.jpg) round the bend bringing themselves into view. Though moving sluggishly, they seems to have a purpose, their black eyes beeming at the four investigators.

"Wait, I think these are some of the native life, read a little bit about em on the way here, think their called Bommas or Bomaas, or something like that. But what it did say that they were harmless herbavors." Kurgan states.

Despite his reassuring works as these creatures step into the much more lighted lounge several more menacing features become apparent, boney extrusions from the lower arms ending into a point, along with several darkened and crust growths from the normally brown skin.

"What the? Are they sick or something?" Kurgan asks. Comprehension flashes over his face as their blackened beedy eyes begin to burn with some primitive emotion, "Oh cr*p! Peaceful herbavors my @$$, open fire!"

Kurgans first few shots on the lead creature richoche off the crusty skin extrusion, the fouth, finds its way into the eye, sending its bulk crashing to the floor in a beastial groan.

"Finnaly! S'me fun!" Jugrut screeches, then pulls the trigger.
.50 calibur rounds begin flying at a rate of 2000 rounds a minute, two creatures cease to exist, a pale pinkish mist takes thier plce.
"DUCK!"
Jugrut heaves a mini-nuke and vanishes.

Griffin's reaction is lightning fast, his gun seemingly appears in his hand and his first shot blew clean through the creature, spraying blood and flesh out behind it as it crashed to the floor. "APHE." Griffin calmly said as he sighted on the next target. Inside the gun a small computer analyzed the verbal command and a slightly different electrical charge was sent to the bullet in the chamber. Griffin's next shot, rather than punching through the creature smashed through the armored skin and detonated deep inside with a muffled boom. The creature seemed to expand, it's skin being pulled tight by the force of the contained explosion. Like a loose sack it collapsed to the ground.
Face emotionless Griffin sighted on the next target, ignoring the mini-nuke since he saw that Jugrut had failed to arm it before throwing the device. Griffin's last shot hit a creature that until then had remained unseen around the corner. At least three times the size of the previous creatures, an armored behemoth, it filled the hallway. Griffin's first shot blasted a large crater in it's chest and it let loose with an ear piercing scream before lowing it's head and charging Griffin.
Griffin's face remained an emotionless mask as he faced the creature's charge. "Full auto, fletchette." He said calmly. When he next pulled the trigger the gun emptied it's magazine in the space of a couple seconds. The creature didn't so much as die as vaporise. When the defening thunder of Griffin's fire finally stopped echoing back and forth from the walls, all that remained was a fine mist of blood.
The magazine ejected itself and Griffin slammed a new one home with a smooth practiced motion, his eyes searching for a new target. None being found his shoulders slumped slightly and emotion returned to his face.
"So much for this place being deserted." He said, a hint of humor in his voice.

Jugrut fell out of a ceiling vent in a tangle of wires.
"I found da power cord!" He holds up a large wire almost as thick as himself.
"I plug dis in now, okay?"

Griffin walked over and picked up the mini-nuke before turning and handing it to Jugrut. "Two rules when using this, one, if it isn't at least a reinforced concrete building, don't use this, two, arm the thing before you throw it."

Griffin turned to Kurgan. "Right, change of plans, it moves, we're shooting it first and inspecting the remains later, had those been carnivors we would have been in serious trouble. Now that we've got light again, lets find that information and get out of here. If the hair on the back of my neck stood up any stiffer you could use it for needler rounds. There is something grade-A creepy about this place."

Jugrut reached down to one of the creatures, picked at something.
"Dissaint no 'erbyvore...s'got sharp teeth, I don' see no 'erbyvores wit sharp teeth."
He pulled out a knife, and hacked off a tooth. It was about five inches long and serrated down the back. He held it up for inspection.
"Dis don' look like no 'erbyvore."

OOC:
I havent played Phantasy Star in a while, so I made a rough guess as to the appearance :P

"But thats what they said..." Kurgan wonders, pulling out the radio he calls the ship.

"Um Pioneer we seem to have a situation, please advise." Kurgan asks.

The same femine voice replies, "What type of situation Mr. Kurgan?"

"Well its seems that the peaceful herbavors are not so peaceful nor herbavors." He belts back.

"Just a minute Mr. Kurgan, we are currently running a scan on your area... Ah yes, there are several Booma's lying around your location... dead? You killed them! As you should know they are harmless." She replies in horror.

"*sigh* That is what I tried to tell you, they are not harmless, they were agressive and come equiped with razor sharp claws and teeth!" Kurgan shouts.

"*obviously shaken* What we advise is to take a sample of blood from the corpse, attempt to finish your mission then report back to were you were dropped off for supplies." She stammers back.

"Good, Kurgan out!" Kurgan shuts off the radio. "Ok, here is the plan we go as a group, fairly standard diamond formation, Jugrut you take point untill your out of ammo, then the monkey will. We shall do a room by room search for both a working computer and another exit, sounds good?"

Corsin looked at the aliens.
"They ugly." He commented.

Griffin eyed the creatures again after hearing the report from the ship. "Gentlemen, I feel we have been denied some critical, need to know information. Let's get that information and get out of here."

This had truly not been the best morning for Kerra. In addition to the trouble with the alarm clock and the mirror, a half-hour had been wasted calling a clean-up crew to remove the shattered glass. When they arrived, the crew wanted to know what happened, but Kerra couldn't really explain it.
The clean-up people gave her weird looks as they proceeded to remove the glass. Great, they probably think I'm crazy or a liar. I don't have time for this! Kerra thought.
After seemingly endless minutes, she reached her final destination, the Principal's Office, but she had to wait 45 minutes for anyone to show up. I better not be too late.

(OOC: I'm going to be away for a few days. I thought I'd let everyone in the RP know. :) )

(OOC PS: Have fun! :D )

(OOC PPS: Can you even have PSs in the forums?)

Gentlemen, I feel we have been denied some critical, need to know information. Let's get that information and get out of here.

"Agreed." Kurgan says. "So greeny take point!"

Corsin looked back at his comrades. He walked over to them.
"Did you hear something?" He asked.

Griffin didn't answer for a moment, his eyes tracking something that couldn't be seen. "Whatever it is, it's in the air ducts, the entire ventilation system is swarming with whatever it is." Griffin finally answered.

The monkey nodded in aproval, he lookedf up at the ducts, and shivered.

The Goblin pulled out two grenades, and offered one to Griffin.
"Pull da pin, count ta tree and chuck it inna grate, den run like joo never run before, 'k?"

"That not smartest thing to do," Corsin said. "Remember we are trapped in here, and we don't want to draw any attention."

Jugrut indicates the corpses.
"I tink we already drawed attention, joo wanna ask dese tings?" He pointed to whatever was in the vent.

"I think what he means is that "dese tings" have not attacked us yes, and I for one would like to keep it that way. Now lets start this search, room by room alternation right to left! Any questions? If not lets move out!" Kurgan exclaims.

"Right, but lets keep an eye on the air vents as we go, I'll take point. Damned if this doesn't bring back memories."

"Agreed." Kurgan says.

Walking down the hall now coated in a thin layer of still cooling blue-green blood the group began a room to room search, finding naught but ruin and destruction in the building. Despite the overturned desks, broken computers, and shattered chairs there were no bodies, neither native life nor from Pioneer One.

"Ok, this is just creepy," Kurgan says after about eight rooms of nearly identical chaos. "Almost looks like everything was systamtically destroyed, but that doesn't make sense. Even if the native life went hostile they are still slow and stupid..." with that comment the banging in the vents grew to their loudest.

"Maybe not so stupid there Kurgan," Griffin intoned.

With a small shrug Kurgan motioned to move forward, after many more rooms searched they come into a large lab (See: Fellowship hall on map). Despite the monitors once agained smashed and keyboards tossed about one computer's "on" light still glowed.

"Guess this is our lucky day!"

Griffin walked over and pulled a pair of connectors from his wrist-comp and plugged them into the computer, within a few seconds he had opened the entire system up. "I'll be damned." Was Griffin's comment when they finally saw the data.

The data was downloading without a hitch, even though throughout the several minute download the insesent pounding weighed heavily on their ears and on their minds.

When the little "Finished" icon came up everyone breathed a sigh of relief, cut short by the horrible massive metal clang of the door they came from slamming shut with great force from the other side. And then, the vents broke inwards...

Griffin's reaction was immediate, the data retrieved, he slapped a quartet of small disks onto one of the walls. "Everybody Down!!! Fire in the Hole!!!" He yelled. Just as he hit the floor the wall erupted in flame and smoke. Griffin was up in an instant waving the group out through the smoke and dust through which daylight could be dimly seen with his free hand, pistol up and serching for a target with the other. "Ok folks, party's over, everybody out!"

(OOC: I'm back, but I must be off again.)

(OOC: Fast mode. Now my character is on the planet, looking for the rest of the explorers.)

Fortunately, Kerra had been able to convince the Principal to let her down to the planet. What has been going on here? she wondered. Part of one building had a huge hole on one side, through which figures were emerging. Kerra eyed them suspiciously from a distance, her gun in a general defensive position. She put it away when she realized that they must be the other explorers. She went to approach them, curious as to what they'd found out. When they saw her walking towards them they...

Running now out from the still smoldering hole left by the explosives Kurgan takes a quick glance back, "What the hell?! Rappies! Hundreds of hundreds of rappies (OOC: Large comical chicken-esk birds)! Just what we need to make this day perfect murderous flightless birds!"

Getting on the radio he pants out, "Pioneer Two this is Kurgan, we need immediant evacuation at drop point, we currently are comming in under pursuit of rappies, we have the data. Repeat we need evac NOW!"

Griffin grimly backed up, covering the rest of the party, firing round after round of fletchettes into the oncoming mass. Blood and feathers mingled as the razor sharp projectiles sliced through flesh and bone with ease, several of the creatures falling with each shot. Finally the gun emptied and when Griffin went to reach for another clip he found he was out. Judging that the party was far enough away he turned and ran after them.

Panting for breath with Griffin in the year Kurgan breaths a small sigh of relief as the small ship lands in front of them, clamouring onboard followed quickly by this newcommer and then Griffin.

"Take off now damn it!" Kurgan screams as the rappies begin to swarm the ship. Its engines begin to whine and several of the creatures were hurled blackwards blackened and charred by the force. Once safely in the air Kurgan turns and says, "Lets see that data."

Plugging his armelet into the onboard computer the data flicks across the sreen, "Lets go to the last entry shall we?"

[Error: Video Damage, audio only]

Date: MY 7, 7/09

Dear Diary,

I just heard that Pioneer Two has entered orbit, I'm so glad, maybe my brother and father are on it, I hope so, maybe says she does to...

"Ah geeze, its some little kids journal, what a piece of cr*p!" Kurgan exclaims. But the data keeps playing.

My teacher Ms. Harris says that what we are doing is vital for the survial of our race, I wonder what that means. But during math John Mathis threw a spit ball at her, it was funny, it was even funnier when he tried to lie about it...

A massive explosion is heard, shaking the sound into static, slowly returning to a new sound, crying.

MOMMY! MOMMY! OW! MY LEG, WHY CAN'T I FEEL MY LEG! MOMMY! EEEKKK! WHAT ARE THOSE!

The same familiar sound from before was heard the same rolling roar of the Booma. Her shrieks grow more rapid and high pitched as the roar grows closer and closer...

The sound of cracking air is followed with the sickening crunch on bone on bone and the shrieks grow quite. A smooth dragging sound is heard as the growl leaves the room.

"Gentlemen, and lady, I think we have a problem." Kurgan intones.

Griffin was bandaging up a large gash in his arm and cocked an eyebrow at Kurgan. "If you call that a problem, I'd hate to find out what you consider a catastrope."
He tied the bandage off. "I'll tell you this much though, I'm not going down there without my armor. But I don't think it was just the wildlife that took this colony out. The colonists should have been able to deal with the local lifeforms. At the very least they should have been able to hold out long enough to leave a record of what happend. And something turned on that forcefield and messed with the computer system. There's definately something down there that's sentient."

"Agreed, not only did they have the bulk of the millitary, unlike us with a barebones defense force, I mean why the hell else would they send us down? Either way we should report what we have found and get back down there ASAP, any other takes on the situation?" Kurgan asks.

((OOC: Gonna telegram the other two see if they still in this or what not.))

IC: "Sounds good, besides, I'm going to need more ammo if we go back down."

OOC: OK

"Okay," Kerra agreed, "I like your plan."

She was itching to get back to the planet and find out what happened. This was far more exciting than trying to figure out why her mirror had made such an untimely explosion. She'd been knocked down hard when that happened, and was left with a monstrous headache as a souvenir.
This didn't make sense to Kerra because she couldn't remeber hitting her head. You shouldn't be doing this now, something's not right with you. Be more careful. A little inside voice was whispering to Kerra. She told it to shut up; she'd never been very careful.

bump

(OOC: Sorry been busy and still waiting for the the other two to t-gram/post)

Hearing the hydralics of the shuttles doors hiss their way open they are warmly greeted by several soldires who politly ask to hand over the data disk and to await futher orders in a waiting room.

Unfortunatly the waiting room being a cell. As the time drags by Kurgan paces while everyone else...

"You do realise we could easily get out of here."

"How do you propose we escape?" asked Kerra. "And more importantly, what do we do when we get out? I don't think we're going to be very welcome. "

"Computer, activate Omega Delta protocal. Good, now anyone watching or listening will simply see a replay of the last five minutes looped. Being the paranoid sort, and having a good deal of time on my hands, I took the liberty of hardwiring all the security systems on the ship to recognise me as an Alpha user. Unless someone physically replaces every security circuit on this ship I basically have control of anything security related. Like the brig forcefields for instance. And since I doubt they'll be lettting us leave anytime soon, I suggest we head planetside with as many supplies as we can carry."

"Agreed, it seems that we may have done more than they expected of us." Kurgan said. "Ok we make towards the nearest lift and head to an armory/supplies and a hanger before we hit dirt. No weapons out, if we blend in the crowds they will have a harder time spotting us."

Griffin spoke once more and the hum of the force field fell into silence. "Lets move"

Meanwhile

"Principal, we have finished reviewing the data retrieved by the team." A researcher whom had just entered the office intoned.

"Well then, out with it man!" The Principal bellows in return.

"Confermation that the problem only occured just after we contacted them. Furthermore, we have verified that the native life was successfully altered by Pioneer One, however, reason for their loss of control is unknown, beyond that no data has been taken from this journal."

"Hm... so I take it we can assume no survivors in either the civilian or millitary sector correct?" The Principal asks.

"Corret sir, our current sudgestion is liquidating the current team and sending down a second with only key information. They know to much." the researcher replies.

"Agreed, have them killed at once, they are still in their cell?" Glancing at a monitor, "Oh good, they are." Waving his hand at the researcher he returns to musing.

Curiosity killed the cat...

Griffin acted swiftly, arranging for all the cameras along their route to show loops of empty hallway. With a click the armory door shut behind them. With practiced ease Griffin moved among the racks of weapons, selecting several and loading more and spare ammunition onto an anti-gravity pallet.
"I suppose now would be a good time to mention that my position as second in command of the security department is only my cover. I'm actually Captain Griffin Demark of the Grimdalian Long Term Intellegence Division." He commented off handidly.

"I'll keep that in mind," Kurgan said, "but at the moment I think it has little bearing on the situation." As they tried their best to look inconspicous walking back to the lift. Several odd looks seemed to burn holes in them as they past old time "greese monkies". Entering the relative safty of the lift they all breath a small sigh of relief.

Exiting cautiously they find the hanger empty, devoid of all life. Quickly scrambling back on the the shuttle they had only left hours ago Kurgan asks, "Can you fly this thing?"

Before a response was given klaxons began to wail as the lift door closes. "I think its time to go."

Griffin rushed to the pilot's seat and began hitting switches, the humm of the engines starting began to build. "Good thing I had orders forged to have it loaded for an extended expedition before we left since it looks like we won't be having time to do it ourselves. Hang on everyone, I'm a little rusty at this sort of thingand it looks like it's going to be tight."
With a hideous whine of overstressed engines the shuttle lifted off the deck. As it raced through the closing doors a it shook violently for a moment and a screeching sound could be heard, and then silence returned and the flight smoothed out.
"There goes the paint job, I hope none of you put security deposit up for this thing."

"Ha!" said Kerra. "I think the paint job is going to be the least of our problems."

"Once we're planetside I should be able to hide the shuttle well enough to keep anyone from finding who doesn't walk right into it. Once that's accomplished and we're settled we can see about calling for some help."

"Who are we going to call?"

"That's something of a story. There was also a GLTID agent on the first ship. He had an experimental FTL transmitter with him. Contact was lost a short time after they landing was supposed to have taken place. Up till today I'd simply assumed it had broke down being only a prototype, but now I'm not so sure. An improved model was assigned to me, but the transmitter portion was destroyed while being transported to the ship and there wasn't time for a replacement to be built before we left, so I only had the reciever. If it's still down there, it might still work or if not I might be able to repair it. They were also striving for an FTL starship drive that had it kept to schedule, the prototype of that should be finished in a few months. And this planet was designated as the destination for the first jump since they thought it best to have someone on the other end in case something happened and they couldn't make the return trip. So if the transmitter works or can be made to work, and if the FTL drive is still on schedule, then we might just be able to get some help within a few months."

OOC: Semi creative bump.

IC: The shuttle rattled somewhat as it entered the atmosphere before finally quieting again. Griffin brought it low to the ground over a river bordered on both sides by towering trees. Finally seeing what he was looking for Griffin brought the shuttle to almost a hover, edging under the trees several hundred yards before finally setting down.
"Give me a hand getting some camo netting over this thing before they send someone down to look for us."

(OOC: Whoops, thanks, this topic got buried under war after war in my egosearch)

"I'll help," Kurgan said climbing out of the craft. Assisting Griffin the shuttle is quickly drapped in green netting. Breaking off some foliage he beings to weave a bit into the net for added coverage. Both he and Griffin, taking about 7 minutes, do a fairly decent job of "vegging out" the net.

Looking around Kurgan says, "Even with the tree cover I'd sudgest we start making tracks, while we were landing I spotted something in a cliff face, may be a cave, I don't know, but it may be worth a look." Pondering for a moment, "I think it was about a mile north east of here."

"Just a second." Griffin did something to his wrist computer and the netting suddenly shifted colors until it blended into the forest background almost perfectly. "You probibly didn't know this, but Grimdale supplied most of the military and some of the computer equipment for this expedition. Which means everything is top of the line. This netting should conceal us from any sensor scans unless they get right on top of us. Now before we go anywhere, let's get into some decent armor. After that last little inicdent, I want more than a little cloth between me and some sharp teeth."

"Capital idea," Kurgan said.

(Short cause I'm not sure what type you have in mind. Post the armor and then we can start heading towards the "cave")

Back inside the shuttle it took Griffin a few moments to find what he had been looking for. Griffin pulled out a two suits of combat armor. Looking in some ways more like space suits than armor, they each had a helmet witha faceshield, a regular pattern under the surface indicated armor plating of some sort, and it's outerlayer was liberally cover with pockets of various sorts.
"Here, put this on. It's military issue scoutsuit armor. This thing comes with everything from infrared to ultraviolet sensors in the helmet that can be displayed through the faceshield. It's also got a built in gas mask and the armor, which covers the wholebody will stop anything short of a fifty caliber slug as well as some light energy fire. The faceshield isn't quite as durable, but it's still tough. And the whole thing doesn't weigh more than fifty pounds and gives you almost complete freedom of movement."
Griffin finished suiting up and started picking various pieces of equipment out of various piles throughout the shuttle and putting them in pockets or strapping them to his back. The final thing he grabbed was a large assault rifle.
"Damn, this brings back memories. I haven't dressed like this in over fifty years. You ready to go Kurgan? Kerra, keep an eye on the shuttle while we're gone."

Snapping the helemet on Kurgan says, "Ready!"

Slinging his weapons belt around the suit he checks to make sure he has his knife, manhunter, and an AE-90. Setting out across the forest the only sound he hears is the snap of dead sticks and the moaning of the trees in the wind.

"Damn," he says, "Its just like in the city, dead quite, I thought something would be chirping or something."

Griffin added to the tense silence. Shrugging the ominous feeling off Kurgan begins toying with some of the gadegtry found in the suit, should learn how to use it incase..., he didn't want to think about what incase could be. Instead he turned his thoughts to blazing a trail through the thick undergrowth followed closly by Griffin.

Finally after the silent minutes dragged on and on the foliage begins to thin as a large red rock face begins to peek through the trees. "I knew it, this is where the hole is!" Kurgan exclaimed. Picking up his pace a bit the forest fell behind them as the stone walls rose higher and higher. In the distance a small black blemish on its face became apperent.

"So it is a cave..." Kurgan mumbled to himself. Saying to Griffin, "What you think want to head in or get the others?" (Torenn cause I doubt the other two gonna show up :evil: )

"I say we go in, it's too small for more than a couple of people at a time anyway." Griffin took Kurgan's arm and point to a couple of buttons. "These are for your spotlight and low-light vision. The suit is powered off a small battery that's recharged by your body heat, so you shouldn't have to worry about it going out."

The cave was still a good 30 minute walk away, now that they were out of that oppressive forest Kurgan and Griffin got to idle talking but in the back of Kurgan's mind he wondered about this guy, he had been keeping so many aces in his sleeve it was right to be suspecious. But he didn't ask anything, at least not yet.

Reaching the cave the found the entrance to be barely usuable as quite a few rocks had rolled infront of it forcing them to climb over their windswept surface.

Griffin landed first and Kurgan spotted the lights of his suit flicker on illuminating the area. Landing shortly after Kurgan did the same. It is just an outcrop, damnit he cursed. But wanting to be thuro (gah no spelling!) the walked slowly around the 30 by 13 foot hole. The walls and ceiling were rough, May had been a soft spot in the rock and the wind slowly carved it out, Kurgan thought.

As they examined the barren room Kurgan intoned, "I was wrong, nothing here I guess ma..." He was cut short buy a large crack, resonding through out the small cave, the loose rocks on the ground began to dance in the spotlight.

"Holy shi..." was all both Kurgan and Griffin were able to utter before the floor gave way in one more deafening crack. Stairing into the waifing rock dust on his back Kurgan did a quick mental check, nothing seems hurt, and hopefully it will stay like that when I try and move.

"You allright Griffin!?" he cried out.

Griffin stood up and brushed himself off. "I'm fine, are you ok?"

Groaning a bit as he stands up, "Yah I'm ok." As the dust slowly settles they find themselves quite a bit below the entrance of the cave.

Running over the debre towards the wall with the exit Kurgan curses, "These walls are smooth as ice, no way are we gonna be able to get." Silence. "We're trapped Griffin, do you hear me?!"

Turning around to look at Griffin Kurgan is shocked, the cave begins to open up, revealing a massive hollow room, dimly lighted in an eery green glow.

"What the hell is that?" Kurgan whispers.

"Plants, fungus actually," Griffin said back turning off his search lights, "With lowlight vision on should be fine to see by."

Kurgan tapping a few buttons looked back out into the expanse, "It is, its just creepy."

Griffin didn't respond, didn't need to, anyone would find this place eery. Walking slowly out into the room Kurgan unholsters his AE-90 and holds it at rest in his right hand. Walking along slowly in silence Kurgan lets out an ouch.

"What is it?" Griffin inquires.

"Hit my foot on something, even with the suit still hurt." Kurgan replied. Suddenly a blinding yellow tinted light streamed out from the object Kurgan stumbed his toe on.

Blinding for a second they turn off the lowlight and a cracked and gargled voice is heard:

[code:1:51e61af097]Day 13, I have been wandering these c-ves for quite sometime, odd things have tried to attack me but so far nothing challenging have I come across. I wonder what -aused the once doci-e creatures to become violent. Stupid government, it has to do wit- them. Haven't found anyone else from the city which I had hopped to, seeing as how they could have fled down here from the city went the explosion occured.[/code:1:51e61af097]

A slight sigh is heard as the light begins to fade.

A dumbfounded silence pervades over them till Kurgan asks, "What do you make of that?"

Griffin picked the object up and pocketed it. "Well if we had any doubt that this wasn't the peaceful little colonization effort it was made out to be, I think this just about confirms it. Idiots, deity only knows what's running around this hellhole of a planet now. We've got two options, I can try and use a grappling hook to get us out of here, or we can explore those caves he was talking about, there has to be another way out if he got in."

A shallow rumbing is heard as Griffin spoke, looking back the harse white light of the sun is slowly blotted out as rock upon rock fall upon the enterence.

"Well, I think we had our decision made for us," Kurgan said as more dust flows down upon them. Switching on his low light vision he points to the far end, "There looks like the cave continues on."

Griffin agreed after turning on his own lowlight on once again. Shivering inside his suit Kurgan looks up again at the florecent green lighting of the cave. Putting the weapon in both hands he is comforted as he pulls the bolt back filling the chamber.

Entering the center of the chamber a sound he hoped never to hear again, emerged from a darkend corner. Springing out, much faster and quicker than before, a lone boomba rushes them. Leveling his AE-90 he fires a short burst, the creature suddenly stops and the only sound filling the room is the metal casings bouncing on the hard rock floor.

"Rooaar!" the injured beast cries, filling the cave with his bainful dirge as its girth slowly collapses to the floor in a wet thump.

"Great, just great..." Kurgan curses. "That thing was loud enough to wake the dead so I think we may be expected from now on."

"It's always nice to know your hosts are expecting you." Griffin replied with gallows humor as he fired a round from his rifle and something dropped from the ceiling, hitting the ground only a foot or so behind Kurgan with a wet thud. "You know, my old drill instructers said they'd get us to the point we could assault the gates of hell, I just never thought I'd be doing just that." Griffin continued as he began to move deeper into the caves.

Thinking now would be the best time as any Kurgan asks, "Well, before we either get attacked and eaten or we get out I wanna ask you about your past. I mean its obviose your some type of millitary type, but the fact that this has been hidden makes me hesitate in trust. If you don't want to talk fine, but if so I'd be quite interested in your story."

Griffin hesitated for a second and then gave a little shrug. "Why not, since anything I tell you is forty years out of date I guess I don't really have to worry about revealing any state secrets. You may know that in Grimdale everyone enters the service once they finish highschool or college. I enlisted as a foot soldier, within a few years I transfered to special opertaions as a computer specialist. I was good at my job, I could kill people as easily as I could hack a computer system. I eventually joined the Dogs of War, a group that technicaly doesn't even exist, we were the ones sent in when it was too dangerous form the normal special operations people, most of the missions were only a step short of suicide. But I eventually got sick of the killing and the death. So I turned in my resignation. A few days after that I was appraoched by the Covert Ops division, they offered me a job and I accepted. It let me serve and use my skills without any of the killing. Then a few months before the ship was due to leave I was asked to join the GLTID. GLTID members are people who are normally inserted into countries with the expectations they'll spend their lives there, with a good chance they'll never be activated. They build entirely new lives, often they marry a local and have families. But one day they might be called upon for a mission. GLTID members can't have any close family still alive because they'll most likely never see them again. GLTID agents are the deepest of deep agents. When I was told it was for an intersteller starship I accepted, a slight reworking of my background and I was assigned as Second in Command of the ship's security detachment."
Griffin stopped for a moment to inspect some marking in the rock before continuing. "We strongly suspected something was going on besides the colonization project, but we didn't know what. Hence my insertion."
Griffin sighed heavily and hefted his gun. "I had hoped I'd never need to use one of these things again, particularly against people, but it seems fate has deemed it otherwise. Dammit, I'm an old man, I should have been able to settle down, help build a colony, maybe marry, and be able to forget about everything. Someone in that ship up there owes me some answers, and I intend to get them."

Kurgan nods slightly, he knew some of the feelings Griffin felt, he too wanted to end the past and start a new life, but someone, be it a government or what ever decided to strip it from him.

Grinding his teeth he tursly said, "I have to agree with you there, but for now, I think we should worry about finding away out of this hell hole."

Griffin suddenly held his hand up in a signal to stop. "Hold up. Motion sensors are picking something coming up the tunnel, it's either a lot of small things, or a single big son of a bitch. A really big SOB." Griffin's thumb slipped rifle's lever over to full automatic and he went down on one knee, sighting down the tunnel with his rifle shouldered.

(OOC: Might be my last post for the night but hopefully not)

Spreading his legs into a firing stance Kurgan places his eye to the sight. The ground began to rumble as what ever it was rushed forth.

Streaming around the corner came hundreds of small creauters (looking like zergling but smaller) scrambling along the walls and the floor all in a mad dash towards Kurgan and Griffin.

"For the love of all things good any holy... FIRE!" Kurgn screamed opening up with full automatic from this AE-90.

The creatures came onward still some paused only slightly to feast upon corpses of their fallen comrads before contuing their rush.

Somewhere deep in the back of Kurgan's mind he though, why? why am I here in a hole in the ground, being swarmed by ferocious insects, standign next to an exsoldier. I guess it doesn't matter why, if I wasn't here this sure as hell be a damn funny situation.

"In the name of she who is both dark and light, and I who walk the razor edge between the two, eat lead!" Griffin said as his rifle opened up on full auto, fletchette rounds slamming into the oncoming mass of creatures and blowing them backwards. Griffin had picked a five hundred round drum magazine and he held the trigger back without let up, spraying the tunnel walls and ceiling, trusting Kurgan to keep the floor clear. Rounds that missed their targets ricocheed off the walls until they found a target.

OOC: Bump

(OOC: Geeze, I might open this up again cause little hard with only two peeps.)

Taking the ground movers Kurgan keeps firing till he heard the all to familliar click click click of an empty chamber. Grabbing another he slams in, pulls back the bolt and begins firing.

Times seems to slow as the creatures continue their lusty charge, what is only seconds drags on as hours to them as the walls become slick with blood. Finally, after the eternity they had been shooting the number of creatures slowly began to thin till nothing was left but a slowly tickly of the injured and laim.

After the last few were picked off Kurgan breathed a sigh of relief, "Well at least thats over," letting out a chuckle of one whom has just teased death. Checking his ammo belt he says, "I don't know about you, but I only got about 2 and a half clips here. Lets try to avoid these little buggers," he says jokingly.

Griffin's gun barrel glowed a brilliant white, the barrel deformed by the sustained firing. Griffin tossed it aside and pulled out a pistol. "That tears it, if it moves, I'm shooting it. I'm getting out of here if I have to start my own personal species extinction list. Now lets get the hell out of here."

Nodding curtly they set a quick pace down the twisting winding tunnels. Ever basked in the green light of the fungus above. Dead silence, a sound that seems to stick with them where ever they go, a cold and dead hand muffling their senses.

Along the route they are encouraged by several more pods containing this unknown man's log, they become progressively more hopeful as the days recorded in it decrease. After reaching day 7 Kurgan begins to lag in his pace stammering out, "I think we should rest for a bit, if anything was back there its gonna take sometime to catch us and I'm not sure about you but I'm almost completely worn out." he said with panting breath.

"Ok, we have been pressing the pace fairly hard." Griffin said leaning against the wall. For the first time in what seemed like forever he flipped his faceshield up, revealing a worn and tired face. The events of the last severals days had begun to erode even the ex soldier's physical and mental endurance.

Slumping against the stone walls Kurgan shows his compliance. Pulling off his helmet he brushing his hair back off from his eyes. Staring out into the sickly green murk around them he breaths deep and sighs.

"If only..." he knew he didn't need to say anymore. Listening intently to the silence around him he hears a small tumble, like small stones falling to the floor. Shrugging it off as a normal noise of the cave he welcomes the break in the unearthly silence that used to prevail around them.

Griffin slumped to the floor and took a drink of water from one of his canteens. "We need to find a way out of here, we're down to a week's worth of food and water. Hey Kurgan, what do you think actually happened to the colony? So far we know that a large explosion took place followed by these mutated creatures getting loose. But I think we're missing something important."

(OOC: I'm back.)

Gee, this forest is creepy thought Kerra as she watched her teammates go off. She couldn't help feeling as though she were being watched. Instead of obessing uselessly, she went back inside the shuttle to activate the sensors. Her effort proved entirely unsuccessful. The sensors were broken. "Damn!" she shouted. "Lools like the paint job isn't the only thing wrong with this ship." She tried to fix them, but they were really messed up and her technical skills weren't that great, so all she got was a motion sensor with a range of maybe 20 feet.

(OOC: That's not very useful is it?)
(OOC: An hour or so later...)

Kerra lay on the ground next to the shuttle, staring up at the leaf-cluttered sky. Nothing had come to her little corner of the planet yet, but boredom wasn't the reason for her strange position. She had been feeling incredibly sick and couldn't bring herself to get up without getting ridiculously dizzy.

I'm being a really crappy guard

She tried to stand up, but something interrupted her. Not a malicious creature, but a vision of her two teammates sitting down in a cave.

Great, I'm having hallucinations now. This day is turning out excellent.

(OOC: If the vision thing doesn't work, I can take it out or make it into an actual hallucination. That might be even more fun. :twisted: If it does work, then of course it would activate at random times, like her other power. (The violent telekinetic one that made her mirror explode. ) I like psychic stuff. :D )

(OOC: Works for me Torenn, or you could have it be a combination between visions and hallucinations.)

"I agree, I mean first off, beyond the creatures of course, is the total lack of any other life here, even if these "things" were spawned in the explosion it doesn't explain why nothing else is living here. No birds, no lizards, hell, I haven't even swatted a fly yet. So I think something has been happening since before the explosion but I don't know. Government conspericies are not my forte." Kurgan replied.

Becoming slightly discontented with the sounds of falling rocks (the tinging) Kurgan slowly drags himself up, "Maybe we should start moving, even if just at a walk."

Griffin looked up at the ceiling. "Yes, I think you're right." He said as he got to his feet. The sounds got louder. "In fact, I think running would be an excellent idea." Griffin began to match actions to words, heading off at a run down the tunnel.

(OOC: Curse this server!)

The sound continued to grow louder, till its deafening roar filled the stone hall. Catching a quick glance back Kurgan saw nothing, but unfortunatly that didn't mean anything. Feeling more and more adrenalin pump into his system he felt a renewed vigor.

Slowly but surely the ground it self began to tremble beneath the massive sound. Once again looking behind him Kurgan saw what was evoking such noise. Screaming, "Get down!"

But his voice was over taken by the rumble, taking a deep breath he sprints and tackles Griffin just as a gapping maw passes over them followed by the rumbled of hundereds and hundreds of feet attached to a massive underbelly.

Kerra managed to get back inside the shuttle before she collapsed, flopping over one of the seats.

(OOC: This occurs while she's asleep. Three cheers for freaky dreams.)

She was in the tunnel where Griffin and Kurgan had been, but had no armor or weapons. Even for such a strange place it didn't look right. The walls drifted in and out of focus, and everything was decorated with swirls of faded color.

Something's not right here she thought to herself. But Kerra didn't know it was a dream, so she proceeded down the strange pathway, filled with apprehension. She took two more cautious steps before a horde of the mini-zergling insects appeared out of nowhere. She reached for her heavy assault gun, but realized that it wasn't there. As one the insects leaped upon her defenseless body. At this moment Kerra was fortunate enough to wake up, but with a huge scream. Covered in sweat, she looked around to make sure none of it was real.

Kerra didn't know whether or not to tell her fellow exploers about her "hallucination" or her dream. She didn't want them to think she was useless or crazy, but also knew that keeping them uninformed could land them in danger. She decided upon a few minutes' deliberation that it was best that they know.

(OOC: I've decided to go with the combination idea. Her vision was real, but the dream definitely didn't happen, except that the cave and mini-zerglings were taken from reality. Don't you just love the characters' reality? :) )

"Thanks." Griffin managed to get out as the creature continued to run over them. "You know, if I'd been told to take a place like this, my suggestions for taking it would have begun with After the bombing runs, orbital bombardments, and weeklong artilery strikes, point would be taken by a reinforced armored calvary division..."

(OOC: not feeling creative tonight, gonna do one last t-gram to the others... (if they still exist))

Kurgan chuckled, "Well, I don't think we have any of that right now, I think its just you, me, that girl, and the weapons on our backs."

"A guy can dream can't he?"

((OOC: Well I'll give it a go. Know what, I think I accidently cleared a whole RP off the map that I was in, hope not though... :evil: ))

"Dream all ya want, but I really think we need out of these caves, so make them day dreams allright?" Kurgan says. Standing up and brushing off the lose dirt and rocks off of himself he checks his weapons quickly for damage, luckily they all looked in working order.

"So, if you had to choose between another horde of little buggers with weapons or 5 of those boomba's w/o weapons what would ya pick," Kurgan asked trying in vain to ease the strain with small talk.

(OOC: I'm probably too tired to be writing in the English language, but here goes nothing.)

As the day darkened into night Kerra found herself unable to go to sleep, partially because she didn't want to dream again, but that was not all. Even though she felt as sick as she'd ever been, she will filled with a bizzarre, restless energy.

I feel like I'm got some sort of power running through me.

(OOC: Maybe a half-hour later or so)

"Damn!" she shouted, tired of insomnia and glad no one could hear her. Kerra furiously paced the shuttle, trying desperately to change her physical state. It did change, but not for the better. After a particularly furious scream, a tremor shook the shuttle, causing her to fall ungracefully. Kerra heard a brief fizzling sound after this and it worried her.

I hope the shielding program isn't broken. The others would kill me, if our enemies didn't get here first.

She went outside to check. Everything seemed fine, but she was still worried. While contemplating the possible shield failure another thought struck Kerra.

That tremor was just like the ones that happened when my mirror broke. And I was pissed off, and felt like crap then too. This is way too weird. I'll really have to tell the others about everything, including the mirror.

Kerra didn't think that a connection existed between the events, but maybe she was just too freaked out to believe. Because if there were...

"Five boomba's without weapons." Griffin answered without hesitation as he got up and continued down the tunnel.

Chuckling slightly, "Yah, I'd have to agree there..."

Staring down the ever twisting tunnel a new sound pierces the silence, a mechanical whirr.

"Ya hear that too?" Kurgan asks.

(OOC: Torenn if you want to you can attempt to find the other tunnel entrance and meet up with us if your getting tired of being alone.)

"That is definately not a sound I want to hear. Either it's something left from the colony, in which case it's defective and going to try and kill us, or it's a search and destroy team from the which, in which case they'll also try to kill us."

"Really?" Kurgan asks listening intently, "Sounds more like a door to me. I think its coming from around that rock."

Aproaching slowly with weapons drawn they slowly round the bend. It was a door, it kept opening and closing, stuck in a cycle. What was preventing it from closing was what was left of a human arm, mostly intact save from the fact that nothing was attached to it just above the elbow.

"Ah geeze, that doesn't make the door seem that promising does it?"

Kerra was finally feeling better, and with this wellness came a desire to explore. This wish didn't emerge only out of boredom; Griffin and Kurgan had been gone a long time. She was starting to think that they were in danger.

If only we had some form of person-to-person communication. I could tell if the others were in trouble.

The sense of something's being wrong only increased with time, and eventually Kerra decided that she'd have to leave the ship. The shielding was in working order, and there didn't seem to be any hostile life nearby.

(OOC: Fast mode.)

Her chosen path took her not to the opening the others had taken, but around to an area where there were several cave-type entrances. She wasn't sure why she chose the one she did. It just seemed the most exciting. After many twists and turns Kerra eventually walked into the strangest room she'd ever seen. To her great surprise, Kurgan and Griffin were in it too.

"You guys look like crap."

(OOC: My character has big-mouth issues. Also I sort of wrote this before the last post about the door, but I hope it still works.)

"Well walking through hell can do that do ya!" Kurgan shot back. Looking at Kerra he asks over the whirr of the door, "How did you get in here?"

(OOC: NOO I HATH BECOME THE GREAT EVIL NOOOOO!!! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

just look at my # of posts)

Kerra wasn't too fazed by Kurgan's reply. She was always saying stuff like that, and, of course people got mad. She was the type to speak before thinking, and was actually sometimes proud of her ability to say what was on her mind.

"I explored." she replied. "Went around to the left and found several entrances all leading to different places. My good luck let me find you. There was a door, with a sophisticated lock, but it was broken down."

These caves look strangely familiar, but I've never seen them before.

Kerra's sudden thoughts on the cave made her remember what she was going to tell her teammates. She took a deep breath and began to speak; she wasn't so good at prepared statements.

"There's something you need to know. When I was guarding the shuttle, I had a...vision. It was probably just something I saw because I felt sick, but it was weird. I saw you two sitting down in a cave tunnel that looked a lot like this one. There was a funny stalactite haning over Griffin. And I had a dream about walking in these tunnels defenseless and being attacked by hordes of freaky purplish insects."

Kerra didn't look at Kurgan or Griffin directly. Normally she had no problem with eye contact, but this speech was very difficult to deliver.

"That's not all though. Some thing even weirder happened the morning before I came on this mission. I was getting ready when my room started shaking. Then my mirror shattered, for no apparent reason. No tremors were reported on any other part of the ship. Also, the same tremors happened on our shuttle. And after the shuttle's shaking I heard the shield fizzle, but it stayed working. Both times, I was sick and pissed off. I'm wondering if you think that all this might...mean something. Or do you just think I'm crazy?"

This last question was a rhetorical one. Of course they thought she was crazy; she thought she was crazy. Before they could say anything Kerra asked one more question.

"What kind of hell did you go through?"

Griffin bent down to examine the arm while Kerra talked. "Bigger problem guys. This arm is fresh. I'd say no more than a few hours old. Any longer and it would have been eaten by something or begun to decay. So the question is, is this a surivivor of the origional colony, or the remaints of a search party?"

" Either way, we should be extremely alert."

Kerra had finished her speech, and was observing the arm too. It had no identifying marks, and therefore no way to tell whose it was. If only they had a DNA scanner. She looked around the weird room; it was some sort of sciene lab or surveillance room. It looked like it might have a DNA detector, among other things. If only the explorers knew how to activate the equipment. Maybe...

"Can either of you figure out how to operate this stuff? I'm no technical genius, but this machinery might give us some idea about the arm's owner."

Kurgan calmly states, " I know how interested in knowing whats behind the door but I think the best course of action would to first head to the ship and resupply, agreed?"

"Agreed." Griffin says.

bump

"Agreed" Kerra said.

Stop worrying dammit. she told herself, with no success. She couldn't help thinking that something disastrous would happen, and that it would be her fault. This probably wasn't true, but Kerra couldn't shake the feeling.