Yoromishtali stands in the first defensive form, holding his doshko low and ready to intercept an attack. His eyes peer around the hanger as he uses his other senses to measure the abandoned-ness and potential danger of the room.
"Ugh!" Moxie tries to brush the grime from his jacket. "Ah, this is going to have to go to the cleaners. What is that liquid foam residue? Ugh!"
He looks out into the big space. "Well, this is interesting. Looks like our hanger isn't the only one that got locked away." He steps up to peer at the machinery with his yoski eyes. "A lotta salvage, it looks like."
"Lots of quality goods around here for sure. Far be it from me to ask questions of our employer, but does anyone know why they actually want this ship? What's so special about it?"
In front of you is a dusty, dingy, old cargo hold. It is not well-lit, though there is a couple of flickering security lights that are illuminating portions of the hold.
The first thing you see is a large gantry almost directly above your position. It features what might be an extendable catwalk.
Just beyond that is the non-functional hulk of a small inter-system shuttle, clearly junked and being parted out.
There are crates of scrap and spare parts around the edges of the room.
Moxies scuttles forward on all fours for a moment, looking around the skeleton of the shuttle. "Might sell for scrap, but otherwise, it just seems to be a bunch of junk."
Yoromishtali secures the doshko to his back and strides to the shuttle. He pushes the frame to make sure it will support his weight and begins to climb onto the dorsal side of the shuttle. ”From up here I’ll get a different perspective. Maybe even helpful.”
Yoro climbs atop the small shuttle. It is indeed sturdy enough support him, though he can now see that the small ship is really just a hulk awaiting the scrap heap. It appears that all of the ship's systems (and even things like chairs and cabinets) have been pulled from the ship. From his perspective on top of the shuttle, Yoro sees that this hold seems quiet, and no movement within the room is detected.
Anton finds old coffee makers, spare parts for old vidgames and holo-projectors that have long been obsolete, and the occasional empty can of VOS ("Viscous, Oily, Substance"--a drink that SRO's and androids often enjoy).
Xic finds a small package. It's a blind-bag collectible.
As Tremox moves through the cargo hold, he sniffs out something that may seem out of place. There is a green, mossy growth growing in small patches on his side of the shuttle hulk.
Package. Neat."
"Hey..." Moxie's whiskers twitch and he sniffs at the air. He looks around the side of the shuttle. "Hey, there's some weird moss stuff growing on this side of the shuttle. Is any of yous know what it is?"
He backs away from the shuttle and looks over some of the other tools, kicking one into the wall.
Yoromishtali enjoys being on the shuttle for providing a different perspective. He looks around, determining where to go next. There’s an elevated walkway that he thinks he can jump to. A few quick strides then he jumps.
”How quiet should we be?” he asks as he lands on the metal walkway.
As he walks towards the wall he answers Tremox with a question to Thuldas, "Is that moss common on abandoned ships? Or in forgotten places?"
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"I don't think we need to be all that quiet. I mean, we're taking the long way around to avoid people. Because there's not supposed to be anyone here.
Huh Mox? You found moss? Growing on a ship? That is strange."
Anton walks over next to Moxie and wonders if any of his technical manuals ever mentioned plantlife growing on ships. (Because if they did, they probably said what kind of best-selling gel would kill it off.)
Viv maintains readiness up top, keeping a watchful eye. Mostly because it's what she's best at.
You are all stumped by the moss .
Tremox and Yoro take in their surroundings, though it does seem somewhat dark. Suddenly, a bank of bright ceiling lights flicker on, then off again. Both Yoro and Tremox catch sight of some sort of....vines? waving in the air, then darkness comes again.
When your eyes readjust to the darkness, you see this creature, and all of the vines emanating from it, slither toward you.
1. Anton
2. Xic
3. The creature
4. Tremox
5. Thuldas
6. Yoro
"What in the blood-soaked cranthorian breeding pits is that?"
Exocortex move action to give full bab against this thing, and then fire the ol' Azimuth Laser Riffle at this thing.
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"Wow! That is about the most horriblest thing I have ever seen!" Anton shouts unhelpfully.
Thinking quickly, he moves to the side of the ship and bravely...props up some discarded magnaspanners with a rusted autoinfuser, and magnetizes the lot, creating an effective, if ephemeral, barricade.
Vivian, however, is not so moved. As soon as the beast makes its presence known she pivots in the air and begins firing.
Alas, the thing's sudden appearance have not allowed her to get a solid firing resolution and her rounds go wide.
Xic hears Yoro and Tremox's alarm as they detect the new denizen of this cargo hold. He promptly goes through his targeting routines and provides very accurate laser fire on the creature.
However, it doesn't seem to have the desired effect.
The creature has nothing more than a small scorch mark, as its damp plant-like form seems to be immune to this type of damage.
Anton constructs a barricade while his drone begins firing (all misses).
Detecting life and possible sustenance, the creature lashes out its viney appendages at Tremox.
Tremox has been hit by a stinging lash from the vine.
1. Anton
2. Xic
3. The creature
4. Tremox (-5)
5. Thuldas
6. Yoro
"Whoa! What is that?!" Tremox jumps back, but then realizes that the vines might be able to reach him no matter what. He draws an oversized knife that he kept for scaring clients who were trying to weasel out of their fees. Then he waves it threateningly at the creature. "Hey Swamp-thing! You look like you need a pruning!"
The creature hesitates as Tremox attempts to fake it out.
"Linyf! It's a Linyf! Weaknesses weaknesses... why didn't I do my homework in Plants of the Galaxy?"
[ooc]In case it wasn't clear, I'd like to hear about it's weaknesses ")[/b]
Xic recalls that a Linyf is weak to cold,
Yoromishtali snarls that the plant-being is just out of reach for his doshko. He jumps down to the ground, deeply bending his knees as his feet hit the floor. As he spins and swivels into position on the opposite side of the creature he draw his doshko.
Yoro jumps from the catwalk and lands safely.
Thuldas draws a pistol and fires at the creature.
Thuldas wings the creature with a shot from his pistol.
1. Anton
2. Xic
3. The creature (-1)
4. Tremox (-5)
5. Thuldas
6. Yoro
"Hadn't really planned to fight laser proof beasties..." Xic dashes over to the closest terminal, unsure of
One of Vivian's shots finds it's mark, burying a bullet in the creature. Unfortunately, Anton's shot misses.
Xic finds a computer terminal nearby. Surprisingly, there is still some power in the room (as evidenced by the semi-functional lighting in the room). The computer powers up!
The creature turns its attention to Yoro.
1. Anton
2. Xic
3. The creature (-4)
4. Tremox (-5)
5. Thuldas
6. Yoro (-9)
With the others now in place, Moxie continues waving his knife at the creature, then drawing his pistol with this other hand. "You want some of this?! You overgrown weed!"
Yoromishtali snarls as he gets hit by the plant-creature hanging from the ceiling. He slashes his doshko in a classic strike for fighting beings with a height advantage.
”I will stand my ground!” he shouts, though uncertain this creature can understand him.
Tremox does manage to catch the creatures attention , which allowed Yoro to barely hit the beast!
Bold may go.
1. Anton
2. Xic
3. The creature (-14)
4. Tremox (-5)
5. Thuldas
6. Yoro (-9)
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Anton screws up his face as if he's looking at a surprisingly hard math problem. "Does anyone else think we should've brought some Weed-B-Ded? Looking back, it seems like should've been obvious yeah? Maybe we should head back...as soon it's safe to walk, that is." He keeps up his inexpert fire.
Vivan not unlike a shark smelling blood, finally speaks up. she booms flatly, as if the vigorous combat has awoken something lost deep within her. Both her guns pour out lead unceasingly.
Xic finds access to an emergency override for the fire suppression system. An inert gas suddenly fills the room.
Though all of you have activated your environmental controls, it's clear this gas has brought the temperature down substantially in this room.
The lynyf seems weakened by the cold .
Yoro brings his doshko down one last time, and the creature expires.
Anton's comm device rings....I wonder who it could be.
"Agent Chiaiese, your next assignment is available," said the Damaya handler on the monitor. Chiaiese decided she liked Special Agent Toriana, though the senior officer could at times be prickly. She was what young agents of the Camerarius aspired to be: legends in the field, and masters of Castrovel's highest social echelons.
A feed of text decrypted itself on the overlay, presenting mission critical intel to the younger Lashunta. Chiaiese smiled from one corner of her mouth. "Absalom Station," she observed.
"You will run a news feed out of The Gateway District, which, if you are not yet familiar, is one of the lesser controlled sectors of the Station. What happens there is often part of a larger undercurrent of illicit activity. The mission parameters are intentionally vague and the timeframe is open-ended. What we are principally concerned with is learning more about the nature of the ancient monolith - The Arch."
Chiaiese consumed the flow of information. Then the list of local contacts scrolled down the screen and she had to look twice. "Anton P. Merovach?" She immediately conjured the details of their mission together, aboard the ship that could supposedly travel through time as well as space. She looked away so Toriana could not see her chuckle. "That cannot be a coincidence."
"Perhaps not," Toriana replied. "He is already operating locally, as are the others on that list. By the time you arrive we'll know his location and send coordinates. You may want to reconnect sooner than later."
"I'll be prepared."
"I know. Contract journalists will be available and at your discretion. While this is a mission, we also want to appear to run a legitimate news feed. As such, you will be responsible for regularly propagating information to the public. Nevertheless, you will have almost full autonomy. Report to me monthly and as needed."
Chiaiese' antennae were erect with anticipation. This was an incredible assignment. She cared not at all that her family name might have had something to do with it. She was ready for this. "Understood."
Toriana quietly appraised her young agent, but her conclusions would remain private. "A small building near The Gallery has been leased and outfitted, and will be ready when you arrive. Call it whatever you like. Happy hunting, Agent Chiaiese."
The call terminated. Chiaiese arrived on Absalom Station the next day to familiarize herself with the new digs in The Gallery.
The news agency, leased by the Camerarius, is small but functional, a single flat on the second floor of a building with the words, "Vinzer Galactic Insurance" emblazoned in overlarge sans-serif above the main entrance. Fortunately, the flat has its own door on the side of the building, with stairs. She arrives to find three rooms - a largish communal workspace, small conference room, and an office: hers - and a water closet. The only window to the outside is from the back of her office, which faces out onto the street below, and the main entrance to the building.
Lady Kesh demands perfection from her agents working in the field, and every clandestine operation is fleshed out tot he most inconsequential of details. It's no surprise to Chiaiese that the office appears to already be in use, as do the other rooms. Everything is fully connected, fully interfaced, and live.
The Lashunta agent jacked into the Absalom Station intersphere and spent then rest of the night familiarizing herself with the Gallery and the Gateway, and reading up on The Arch. Before unspooling her bedroll - her office would also be her home, for now - she checked out the public profile for the Insurance company below, and determined, at least on its face, that it was legit, as far as insurance companies go, which is not very far.
The next morning, after coffee and an energy bar, she fixed her face and descended to the first floor to make her acquaintance with a human who called himself "Bubs."
"Yes, Bubs, I agree that might make an interesting story. But you said you already have others looking into it? Not much of a scoop if I'm last to the party. I guess I better get on it, then. Oh, and thanks again - I'll definitely take a rain check on that drink."
Chiaiese departs the Insurance agency feeling bemused by the forwardness of its proprietor. While walking the Gallery she pings her old friend Anton Merovach.
"Hello again, Anton. It seems like only yesterday we were trying to figure out the best way to abuse a time machine. I never did collect my share of the lottery winnings. Well it just so happens I've taken up a new career right here on Absalom Station, and a mutual acquaintance tells me you're in the neighborhood looking for a starship. How are you and Viv getting on?"
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"Oy! What'up'do?" Anton chimes out, seeing a message from his old friend.
"Hey Viv, look at that! Chiaiese is on station. How about that?"
*beep*? Viv chimes back, showing none of the precociousness she had during the firefight.
"Yeah, we're good, Chiaiese, doing real good here. Currently I'm in a secret forgotten underground hanger looking for a missing ship that is also in a secret underground forgotten hanger. So things are pretty much normal.
Heh, sorry, but the group lost all the winnings when the Time Police showed up. Said we were traversing the continuum without a permit. Confiscated the ship. Real strange, them.
I'll ping you my coordinates are you're free to come see me if ya can.
Uh, bring a flashlight," he says, ending the vox.
Is there anything else unexpected down here?"[/b] he asks the others, continuing the search.
A flashlight? Well, no time like the present. Chiaiese quickly acquired a flashlight from a vendor in the Gallery and made her way to Anton's coordinates.
"Ick!" Tremox kicks at the plant creature's corpse and shuffles away from it. "Anymore giant plant creatures in here we need to deal with?" He begins searching the room, digging through various scrap.
He pops his head up when he hears Anton telling someone about where they are. "Hey! Who's is that? I mean, Bubs seems like he'll run whatever expense report we give him, but even I'm having a hard time stretching this one! What the hell am I gonna call that?" He motions back to the plant creature. "Hmm...How about 'Fungal extermination'. That sounds good...."
Yoromishtali cleans his doshko’s blade as Anton talks on his comm. ”Please may we take a short pause? I want to examine my injuries,” he says to the rest of the group when he is done with his doshko.
The vesk then inspects the injuries he suffered during the fight. Seeing that they are mostly small abrasions and scratches, not deep wounds needing stitches, he sits cross-legged and slows his breathing. The doshko rests in his lap. Ten minutes pass, the only sound his quiet breathing.
”Ahhh,” Yoromishtali says. ”I feel better. That was an worthy foe!” He looks up inspecting the area. ”A linyf you called it, Xic. Do you know where these creatures are from? Should we expect more?”
Yoro, as you sit and attend to you wounds you notice several useful items scattered around this room.
1. Fire Extinguisher
2. Engineering toolkit
3. Basic medkit
4. A battery (just the 20 charge variety)
5. 50' of cable line
6. R2E's The good kind. Top shelf stuff. Delicious. Load up on them.
All of you.
7. Laser Drill
8. A light projector armor upgrade
As Yoro wraps up his rest, Chasey arrives in the cargo hold.