Paeon looks quickly behind at the ship and ahead past only who he assumes is Clara,
'Nipper, Noah2, ready yourselves... or prepare to run.'
The Lashunta moves to put himself between the Garagga... and Nipper/Noah2. He draws his solar weapon and prepares an attack.
'Fight or run Clara, but know the choices will determine how we chose to deal with you.'
Stupid shiny doodads. Should have left when we had the chance, Ed mentally mutters to himself.
Clara eyes Paeon with a hard look, then tips her head towards the Sunrise Maiden.
"I'm all about survival Solarian. What say we make haste off this rock? Promised to spill what I know about the Kreel affair if you lot got me off here. Free me and free my tongue..."
Meanwhile in the background the Garaggakal pulls its scarred bulk free of the wall and emits a low gurgling sound as it drools...
Noah raises his plasma bolter to fire, thinks better of it, and runs to board the Maiden.
Seeing that they may make a run for it, Ed skitters back to the control and is ready to jet.
Startoad aims the ships guns to blast the Gurglekill once it seems it won’t vaporize his allies.
Paeon turns tail and runs to the maiden!
'Lets gooooo!'
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Fingernipper turns literal tail and bolts for the starship.
You collectively scoot onto the Sunrise Maiden bounty in hand, as Clara-247 easily keeps pace with the promise of freedom.
As you board, the gun-turrets swivel and spin chaotically as if under control of say an unpredictable cygorb... and are collectively addressed by the same feminine voice as previously;
<WELCOME AGAIN ABOARD THE SUNRISE MAIDEN. CAPTAIN SKZZRRR'ED'KL IS CURRENTLY AT BRIDGE.>
For its part the Garaggakal gurgling bellow echoes through your audio comms, as the realisation that its prey-things are leaving. The Drift monster's tattered wings extend, and it poises to launch...
At the Captain's station D.A.W.N.'s Holo-HUD flashes showing you the positions of the crew as they board... with additional sensor tags for Clara and the Gurglekill.
The ship's AI addresses you in the same soft and calm voice:
<CAPTAIN SKZZRRR'ED'KL. CREW ARE ONBOARD ALONGSIDE ANOTHER LIFEFORM. PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED HOSTILE: LIFE-SUCKING-SPACE-WRAITH IS APPROACHING VESSEL. SYSTEMS ARE PRIMED AND ENGINES ONLINE. CYBERNETIC HOST OF C.I.C.A. IS CURRENTLY MANNING WEAPONS SYSTEMS AND IS READY TO OPEN FIRE. PATCHING YOU THROUGH TO ALL COMMS CHANNELS. ORDERS PLEASE?>
As you patch into the weapons systems, turret displays show the team boarding the Maiden, as another reading - which can only be the Gurglekill begins to move toward the vessel.
<ATTENTION C.I.C.A. SENSORS ARE INDICATING THAT ALL CREW ARE ONBOARD AND HOSTILE IS ON INTERCEPT VECTOR TO THE SHIP. WEAPONS SYSTEMS ARE HOT. SHIPWIDE COMMS ARE LIVE. AWAITING ORDERS FROM CAPTAIN SKZZRRR'ED'KL.>
Ed sounds a bit panicked. "The Bay Doors, Ship! Open the bay doors! Hold on everyone. Startoad, blast that thing!"
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Without waiting for another word the goblin begins to rapidly start pressing buttons and coordinates and other data is input into computers via the cord tethering his noggin to the weapons control systems. All the while yelling into the comms “Die! Gurglekill Die!”
As the Sunrise Maiden opens its Cargo-bay doors, the fleeing strategically retreating members of the crew (and Clara 247) pile onboard.
Servos whine as the bay doors close as quickly as they have been opened, and In the distance you all spy the Garaggakal gracefully takes to the air, the rubbery membranes of its wings propelling it upward... and forward at pace...
<LAUNCHING IN T-MINUS 10 SECONDS.... 9. 8. 7. 6...>
... just as the first glittering tracer fire illuminates the cavern as Startoad's button rage unleashes the vessels Particle Beam and laser weaponry upon the rockscape!
<5...4...3...>
For a brief nano-second it looks like the Drift Wraith deftly avoids the barrage and surges toward the ship, before it is vaporised in a hail of bright neon death just as the Sunrise Maiden launches free from its asteroid tomb!
Ed gives a victory trill as the ship emerges into the reassuring twinkle of starlight. Thank Desna! We're still alive!
Noah uses the science instruments to scan for the creature.
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Paeon settles back in, closing his weary eyes, as Ed chatters in the comms.
'Take us home Ed'
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Startoad slowly stops hyperventilating still scanning for the creature before sitting down relaxing as the ship leaves.
Onboard the Maiden everyone breathes a collective sigh of relief as Noah and Startoad's scanning registers naught.
Inside the vessel's Port Cargo Hold Clara eyes all present cautiously;
"So... You guys spoken to Skzzrrr'ed'kl? He seems the decent sort, if a little chitinous for my tastes. Need his assurances that this info-for-life deal is on the up and up."
On the bridge Ed's triumphant chirrup is interrupted by the ship's AI;
<CAPTAIN SKZZRRR'ED'KL. SURFACE SCANNING OF THE ASTEROID CONFIRMS THAT HOSTILE DESIGNATED AS LIFE-SUCKING-SPACE-WRAITH HAS BEEN VAPORISED. CREW ARE ONBOARD AND ALL PRESENT. ADDITIONAL LIFEFORMS DETECTED IN BOTH CARGO BAYS. ONE IS ANDROID. OTHER SIGNATURE MATCHES A CYTOGENETICAL OFFSPRING OF LIFE-SUCKING-SPACE-WRAITH. DESTINATION COORDINATES PLEASE.>
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Now I know what some of you are thinking but I must insist we jettison that offspring as soon as possible. Even if it could be sold it would be both dangerous and unethical to do so.
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Ed kicks back in the captains chair staring at the stars on the exterior monitor and only half listening to the ship. Absalom Sta- Wait? Additional Android? Offspring?! Announcement, ship: Everyone! Alarm! Alarm! Killer Clara and a baby Garglekill are in the cargo bays! Prepare to evacuate ship!!
'Easy Ed! Why don't we just go take a look.. we knew Clara was on board..'
Paeon pushes himself up with some effort.
Fingernipper pulls out his pistol and looks around nervously, "Looks like we've got a stowaway..."
Startoad yanks the cord from his skull and pull the laser rifle in front of him. “Evacuate!” looking to Ed and then Paeon with big scared goblin eyes.
At Ed's behest the ship's AI issues a blaring claxon, intermittently pauses for the following comms alert:
<OF COURSE CAPTAIN SKZZRRR'ED'KL. INITIATING EVACUATION PROTOCOLS. ALL CREW PLEASE PROCEED TO ESCAPE PODS. DO NOT RUN. DO NOT PANIC.>
For her part Clara hears the alert and raises her rifle at Nipper;
"We just got on this tub. What's the Shirren playing at Ratboy?"
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Evacuation is irrational. The threat is not yet even understood. I strongly recommend everyone stay at your stations.
Startoad calms for a moment looking at everyone. He cradles the large rifle in his arms looking for some guidance.
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Paeon yells back at Ed as he heads toward the bay,
'Keep us goin home Captain! We are the owners of a beautiful new ship, no way were letting a bit of an infection take it away!'
He arrives as Clara has her rifle aimed at Nipper,
'Easy now, you remember our agreement, no funny business or we jettison you as parts. Scanner picking up a life form in here that isn't any of us. You get bit down there by anything?'
You- you got it, Paeon? Ed asks while pulling some wilted tobacco leaves out of his bum bag, putting them in his mouth, and chewing ferociously. He seems to relax a little as a bead of tobacco juice rolls off his mandibles. OK, just stand-by, ship.
As Noah calmly affirms cessation of panic, and Startoad primes himself for action it falls to the recovered Solarion to defuse tensions in the Cargo Bay.
At his words, Clara eyes him coldly then shakes her head slowly;
"I tend to do the biting Tel'domah. If you mean that thing back on the Rock no... it never bit me. Felt like it drained my life-force, but never a bite. Why? You lot know something? "
Her normally icy demeanour cracks a little as panic to what the Garaggakal may have done to her begins to mount...
Across the corridor, in the opposite Cargo Hold you hear a clatter thump and clatter, akin to fixtures being roughly moved around...
Finally, at Ed's behest the klaxon ceases, replaced by the dulcet tone of D.A.W.N.
<EMERGENCY EVACUATION CANCELLED. STANDING BY FOR FURTHER ORDERS. I AM DETECTING YOU ARE STRESSED CAPTAIN SKZZRRR'ED'KL. CAN I SUGGEST A CUP OF DAWNFLOWER MELANGE FROM THE GALLEY?>
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"Infect you? We'll I'm not doctor, but there's probably a non-zero chance that you're packed full of alien ghost babies right now. So if you suddenly feel as though something is trying to eat its way out of you, let me know."
Nipper's ears prick up,
"Hey, you hear that? Sounds like something rummaging around in the other cargo hold. Maybe it's mama."
Ed stands and pats the console absently as another bead of dark green liquid drips from his mandibles. No. Thank you, ship. You are very kind, but tobacco tends to take the edge off. I should go check on the others. he softly sends and then migrates back toward the cargo bays.
Lets not blow apart our new ship as we evict this unwelcome tenant. Noah suggests as he readies his weapon.
'We don't even know what the cargo is! What if it's valuable Nipper? Maybe the ship knows the inventory.'
Paeon heads toward the sounds, his solar mote gliding out in front of him producing a light source,
The Lashunta projects his thoughts forward, attempting to communicate,
'Hello?'
He looks back at the crew, shrugs, and heads forward.
<AS YOU WISH CAPTAIN SKZZRRR'ED'KL. HOLDING SUB-ORBITAL PATTERN NEAR ASTEROID UNTIL FURTHER ORDERS.>
Ed exits the bridge alongside Noah and collects the rifle bearing Startoad as they go....
Meanwhile in the Port Cargo Hold , Fingernipper and Clara verbally spar:
"Your not funny rat-boy. If I split open my offspring eat you first..."
At Nipper's alert, she pauses cocking her head toward the sound;
"Good ear. So whose stupid enough to go find out what's making th-"
She stops speaking as Paeon ignites his stellar mote and heads across the corridor toward the Starboard Hold .
Smiling wryly to the Ysoki, she hefts her sniper-rifle, giving him the opportunity to follow Paeon;
"Nevermind. Muscles there answered the question. After you Nipper..."
Just at that point Ed, Noah and Startoad arrive...
You sense a fleeting thought of something malevolent and predatory... something you've not felt since...
...since...
...You fought the Garaggakal up close and personal... and then it is gone.
Startoad follows along shaking in his junk metal armor seeing the Android he startles for a second before seeing paeon walking alone he turns and tried to look around hoping for no sign of the evil creature.
Meanwhile in the blue noggin;
Another synthetic life form! I could not have expected that, the chances of this many cybernetic individuals within this situation are near .078%. My databases must not be linked to the extranet to allow for adequate research into population statistics. At first possible opportunity we should install an interplanetary signal router into your skull to allow for constant access.
As Paeon prods forward he freezes in step as his antennae stiffen slighty,
'Uhh, this thing feels just like that Garaggakal.'
His mote hovers back toward him as the light fades, his blade appears.
As Paeon notes that what he felt, and Startoad mulls upgrades the soft voice of D.A.W.N. address you all over the ship's comms:
<CAPTAIN SKZZRRR'ED'KL AND CREW. LOCATION OF UNIDENTIFIED LIFEFORM HAS MOVED. IT NOW IS IN LIFEPOD BAY.>
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Paeon rushes to the lifepod bay as quickly as possible in hopes of catching slimer the Garragakal.
Noah follows, weapon in hand.
But it doesn't need a lifepod. Unless it heard the ship and wants to t-t-trap us! Ed seems to be losing his chill again as he draws his arc pistol and chases afer Paeon.
Startoad chases, tromping along in his metal boots. Weapon at the ready.
As Paeon runs, others is tow a thought dawns on him,
'Ship! Is there any way to contain a Garaggakal!?'
En Masse you all hustle toward the chamber where the Escape Pod's are housed... as you pound up the corridor D.A.W.N. responds to Paeon's question;
<NEGATIVE. LIFEFORM IDENTIFIED AS GARAGGAKAL POSSESSES PHASING ABILITY. EXTENT UNKNOWN. CONJECTURE: ABILITY MAY BE POWERED BY CONSUMPTION OF SENTIENT BEINGS. EXERCISE CAUTION. PERHAPS SELECT LEAST USEFUL CREW MEMBER AS BAIT?>
As the Solarion functions the door he notes a maintenance alert: <WARNING. SERVICE CODE 007Y. LIGHTING FUNCTIONALITY OPERATING AT 40.76%. PLEASE SCHEDULE REPAIR>, before it hisses open revealing a chamber similar in scale to a cargo hold containing six escape pods - all opened and primed for the potential evacuation.
The lighting throughout the area flickers ominously on and off...
In dim light, you can somewhat make out shapes, but you can’t see precise details well at all. Dim light includes moonlight outside at night and bright starlight, or a starship’s emergency backup lights. An area just beyond the range of a light source has dim light.
Creatures within an area of dim light have concealment (20% miss chance; see page 253) from creatures without darkvision or the ability to see in darkness. Because dim light is not ideal for observation, if you’re in an area of dim light, you can attempt a Stealth check to conceal yourself from creatures without low-light vision, darkvision, or blindsight. Dim light does not affect creatures with low-light vision, which can see in dim light as if it were normal light.
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Nipper points his blaster at Clara and gestures with it for her to go first. "Oh, age before beauty, my dear. Besides, I'm more of the lead from the rear type."
Noah looks around.
Anyone see anything?
As his standard action he will drain a battery to recall a magic missile spell.
'Ship! Is there any way to contain a Garaggakal!?'
It can go through walls and live in void, Paeon. I think it's trying to contain us. Ed's antennae shake with nervousness again as he pokes them forward trying to detect any movement.
Clara balefully eyes Nipper, then rifle cradled catches up with the others...
As Noah preps, Ed's antennae twitch as he attunes to Drift Wraith junior...
You sense a creature... the creature... lurking near the furthermost Escape Pod