The Orion Space Navy has sent their archaeologists to study the ruins of the civilization that built the Scryer's powerful station. However, old bones and ashes are not all that remains buried in the resting place of this mysterious ancient culture...
--
When: Sunday, Jun 7, Alpha-1
Audience: Klingon and allies
Event type: Social RP
Starting point: Starship bridge
OOC point of contact: @anncarise
1 Like
Spoiler: TALES FROM THE CRYPTShow
Istar@anncarise FX | After obtaining the giant railgun and ammunition to fire it, the San'leth was called away to assist KDF ships trying to track down the Scryer's allies who fled the battle at the station, the -
[Local] Istar@anncarise: - disgraced Klingon General V'Ku and the bounty hunter AI ship Relentless Hunter.
Istar@anncarise | Meanwhile, a call comes from one of the OSN expeditions to all allied vessels in range...
Istar@anncarise FX | Tabadi Kayd appears as a hologram to all receiving ships.
Egzo@HF_Mudd squints at the familiar face.
Istar@anncarise | Kayd: "Tabadi Lorri. Good to see the Thana's in range. We might have something of a situation down here."
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "What's the situation?"
Istar@anncarise | Kayd: "In short, we lost contact with one of our teams checking out the ancient ruins from those guys that built the Scryer's base. We had a main camp on the surface, but our initial -
[Local] Istar@anncarise: - assessments suggested the ruins were huge, and much more intact than we expected. We established a forward camp inside it, but they've gone silent."
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "How long have they been silent? Couldn't they just be exploring the vast ruins?"
Egzo@HF_Mudd offers a silent "fair point" shrug/look.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Maybe they triggered some old security systems. Or maybe the Scyrer had some of his goons watching the place.
Istar@anncarise | Kayd: "It's been over a day now. We know the deeper parts of the ruins interfere with comms, which was one of the reasons we set up the forward base- it's in a spot comms still work. We -
[Local] Istar@anncarise: - established protocol for them to check in every nine hours, and last we heard from them they were convinced they weren't alone down there."
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "Alright, sounds reason enough to investigate" she nods
Istar@anncarise | Kayd nods over to Bara, "I don't tend to agree with Syndicate assessments of things, but that's exactly what I was thinking. I've already sent a team of Uktos down, but they haven't reported -
[Local] Istar@anncarise: - back either. That's why I'm asking for backup."
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "So this place has already swallowed two teams, and now ya want us to go in. Great."
Istar@anncarise | Kayd: "Only one of them was a combat trained team. They might not be dead, possibly trapped in some corner of the ruins by automated security."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Uktos?
Istar@anncarise | Kayd: "That's what we call our ground troops. It's a High Orion term for foot soldier."
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "We... really need to work on your sales pitch, don't we..."
Egzo@HF_Mudd smirks.
Istar@anncarise | Kayd chuckles, "You were always the saleswoman Lorri, not me. Plus, I thought our friends here liked dangerous dungeons with a chance of death."
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "Fair point"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Only if there's good lootin' to be had.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Artifacts can fetch a nice price on the black market...
Istar@anncarise | Kayd: "Oh there's definitely tech down there. Nothing to help us with the base yet, but the things they brought back are pretty impressive."
Istar@anncarise | Kayd: "Anyways, I'll send you the coordinates of the ruins. You should be able to beam right down to the forward camp and make your way in from there."
Egzo@HF_Mudd shrugs, cracks his knuckles. "Ya had me at 'chance a' death'."
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "Sounds good. We'll let you know what we turn up"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Well, guess it's time for some dungeon delvin'.
Istar@anncarise | Kayd smirks, "Great. I'll see ya there."
Istar@anncarise FX | After arriving at in the system, they speak with Kayd briefly again, who reports still having no contact so far. They beam down to the forward camp, a little more than a few tents, bedrolls -
Istar@anncarise - scientific equipment and crates. It seems to be devoid of people.
Istar@anncarise | Failing to discover anything that indicated where everyone has gone, they proceed down the hallway that leads away from the camp and deeper into the dark, ominous ruins...
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *Bara looks for any signs of struggle*
Istar@anncarise | No signs of struggle here so far...
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "I don't like how dark and quiet it is..."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Whatever took those folks, did it very sneaky like.
Istar@anncarise | Indeed, there is the occasional groaning of metal and eerie mechanical whine coming from somewhere deep in the station, but no sign of actual life, just old, broken machines.
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "Check the research logs. Should have some detail on where in the ruins they were last investigating"
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "Good call!"
Egzo@HF_Mudd unslings his disruptor, just in case.
Istar@anncarise | The research logs are filed per OSN standard, as are the way the maps are laid out. Lorri manages to figure out the part of the ruins they were heading to when they were last at the camp.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *Bara shines her shoulder-light at the dark walls and ceilings*
Lorri@crystyll shares the detail with the others, "Should be a good place to start"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Did they mention any need for enviromental protections?
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: It would be real silly if they got caught by some kind of gas leak.
Lorri@crystyll shakes her head, "Nothing to suggest any need for it"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *Bara checks her pouches for breathing mask anyways*
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "Only thing they really mention of note is accounts of seeing unexplained movement in the ruins, though it was largely dismissed given how this place looks"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Anything else in those logs, or are we moving along?
Lorri@crystyll shakes her head, "That's about it"
[Team] Istar@anncarise: Now you're giving me ideas
[Team] Istar@anncarise: This super creepy horror mystery setup
[Team] Istar@anncarise: and in the end they just ogt killed by a gas leak
[Team] Istar@anncarise: Most anticlimactic mystery
[Team] Istar@anncarise: No ghosts or demons or masked killers
[Team] Sadia@gulremal: I can bet that how most of early pyramid excavation accidents ended up
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "Let's get going. Sooner we're outta this place..."
Egzo@HF_Mudd nods again.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: *to Zin* After you, handsome.
[Team] Istar@anncarise: Oh I was just using him as a stand in NPC for later! hehe
[Team] Istar@anncarise: Thoguh I wouldn't say no if you bring a redshirt from bara's crew hehe
[Team] Sadia@gulremal: nah, s'fine
[Team] Egzo@HF_Mudd: Captain, over here! AAAAHH!
Istar@anncarise | They make their way through the ruins for several minutes, before coming across a large room with various machinery, including old computer terminals. Some of the machines seem to still be -
Istar@anncarise - running, at least partially as noises can be heard from within, though the computers have long since gone dark.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *Bara: Has her combat tricorder attached to the gun, like a more advanced version of Alien detector*
Egzo@HF_Mudd listens to the faint, distant sounds of still-active alien tech.
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "How is this old stuff still working? Doesn't look like self-regenerating Borg tech or anything."
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "Someone has to be maintaining 'em."
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "Could be that our teams have reactivated some to access data"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Yeah...any of these terminals working?
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *Bara checks the nearby terminal, looking at the consoles if they make any sense.*
Istar@anncarise | The terminals they see so far don't work.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Guess these ones are completely down...no one touched them at all.
Istar@anncarise calls over to the team as she searches as well, "I found an OSN one over here!"
Lorri@crystyll steps over to investigate
Istar@anncarise | They step over to find a small OSN console with wires originally connecting to the alien console rerouted to collect to it instead. The console seems active, though not lit up.
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "This is definitely our tech."
Lorri@crystyll tries digging into the terminal to see what's going on with it
Egzo@HF_Mudd keeps watch while Lorri works.
Istar@anncarise | As soon as Lorri activates the terminal, its screen flashes to life, displaying a row of text in an Orion dialect: 'ERROR. MALICIOUS CODE DETECTED. COMMENCING AUTOMATIC SHUTDOWN.'
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Hmmm...why did they simply left it here? I mean, even if they -
Istar@anncarise | Then, the console simply blacks out again.
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "Malicious code...?" she draws her tricorder and scans the terminal
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: I don't like the sound of that...
Istar@anncarise | The terminal is functioning properly and connected to whatever computer network was here before. A hardware diagnostic is unable to detect any malicious code, however...
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Maybe it's whatever alien network they tried to access?
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "Maybe some kinda firewall to stop anything from connecting to their network and stealing data?"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: *shrugs* We could definitely use some translations...
Istar@anncarise FX | As they examine the console, they are suddenly aware of a rattling sound nearby...
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: No signs of struggle h- what was that? *turns around with her gun rised*
Istar@anncarise draws her pistols as well, "I'm seeing lifesigns from my visor scanners..."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *Bara: checks her combat tricorder*
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Faint lifesigns, can't get details...no weapon signatures...
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: How about a direction?
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: This way...
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *Bara looks around as she moves in the direction of the lifesigns*
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "They're coming closer..."
Istar@anncarise | There is suddenly a clang as a ventilation panel drops open and hits the ground hard!
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *Bara's tricorder beep beeps faster*
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *Bara reflexively jumps back*
Egzo@HF_Mudd aims his pulsewave at the panel, then up at where he thinks it dropped from.
[Team] Sadia@gulremal: contact?
Istar@anncarise aims her pistols up at the panel too...only to see about ten small critters resembling overgrown moles jump out and scurry away.
Egzo@HF_Mudd resists the urge to shoot one for the hell of it.
Istar@anncarise | The alien moles quickly move out of sight, disappearing into the darkness of the ruins.
Egzo@HF_Mudd mutters a curse and (visually) scans the room again.
[Tell] Istar@anncarise: Egzo notices some of the moles have left behind wet footprints...
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Hold up."
Egzo@HF_Mudd accompanies his words with a hand signal.
Egzo@HF_Mudd steps forward and kneels down, to examine the tracks the moles left.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: *curses* Every place has their pests. At least we eon't be hungry if we get stuck in here...
[Tell] Istar@anncarise: It's definitely blood
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Those things stepped in somethin'. ... yeah, it's blood."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *Bara keeps watch at the opening moles came from*
Istar@anncarise steps over to Egzo, "Orion blood."
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Fresh, or it wouldn't still be..."
Egzo@HF_Mudd nods to Istar.
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "That ain't good."
Egzo@HF_Mudd peers up at the hole where the grate was. "Where's that duct go?"
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "Somewhere down that hall," she nods to the door in front of her.
Egzo@HF_Mudd moves up to the door.
Istar@anncarise moves up to cover Egzo, ready for anything that comes through the door.
[Tell] Istar@anncarise: The door won't budge!
[Tell] To Istar@anncarise: No power, or jammed?
[Tell] To Istar@anncarise: Or locked?
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *Bara checks the area for some kind of door console*
[Tell] Istar@anncarise: Locked, and any attempt to access it causes the door controls to shut down
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Locked. And... I'm locked out."
Egzo@HF_Mudd mutters ".... THAT" and attempts to pry open the panel and get at the guts of the thing, to do a little rewiring.
[Tell] Istar@anncarise: The wiring is very different from standard tech Egzo is used to, and seems to also be done in a way that prevents tampering
Egzo@HF_Mudd peers at what's revealed, and tugs at a couple of wires - they won't come loose.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: *checks her tricorder* Nothing directly in front of us...at least what trico says.
Lorri@crystyll checks the maps in the mean time, "Not wanting to interrupt your fun there big guy, but there is another way around..." she points to the side door
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "... damn aliens, why can't you..."
Egzo@HF_Mudd abandons the effort, rounding on Lorri. "Why dincha say so before?" he grouses.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *looks at Egzo then back at Lorri*
Istar@anncarise chuckles, "Might be easier that way..."
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "Didn't want to spoil your fun"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *shrugs* Looked like you had fun?
Egzo@HF_Mudd mutters s'more as he proceeds through the other door.
Egzo@HF_Mudd opens the next door and stops, peering inside before he enters.
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "There's organic matter inside. Bodies. But no lifesigns."
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "That... doesn't sound good"
Egzo@HF_Mudd advances warily.
Egzo@HF_Mudd sweeps the room with his disruptor's muzzle.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: *grunts as she moves in with Egzo and moves to the side*
Istar@anncarise moves in carefully, making sure her tabadi is protected.
Istar@anncarise | On the ground in the room are two Orion males, surrounded by what seem at first glance to be skeletons, but on closer inspection appear to be some form of cybernetic-organic fusion, not unlike -
[Local] Istar@anncarise: - Borg skeletons, though with no sign of remaining flesh. They are all heavily damaged, scattered around the ground, though some are still intact enough to recognize what they are.
Lorri@crystyll investigates the Orion bodies more closely
Egzo@HF_Mudd looks at the cyborg skeletons VERY warily until he's sure they're not about to spring up. Yet.
Egzo@HF_Mudd still keeps them covered with his weapon.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Are those that clone folks you've got? *to Lorri*3
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "Clones? Who do you think we are, the Colonial Fleet?" she asks back in disgust at the idea
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "This one was killed by an energy weapon. His friend looks to have been impaled by one of... them" she points to the skeletons
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "These bite marks could be from those mole things, but likely post-mortem. They are both Uktos from Kayd's unit, but this isn't the whole team"
Istar@anncarise leans down and picks up a fragment of a skull with a cybernetic implant on it, "This tech...I know what it is."
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "What?"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: V'Ku's thugs?
Istar@anncarise nods at Bara, "My Ghost Operator, Le, has them. As does everyone else who's worked for the current Scryer, willingly and unwillingly..."
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "This is where he gets his implant tech from!"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Uhhh, so we can expect more of these...things down here?
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *pokes one of the skeletons on the ground*
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Fresh blood? Yeah, probably."
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "These things aren't the result of our weapons, though. They can kill and they can disintegrate, but not leave the skeletons behind."
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "They must've been like this when they attacked. But even the Scryer's cyborgs can't walk around when they're /this/ dead..."
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Maybe the original tech don't got that problem."
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "Maybe..."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: And I thought this coudln't get spooky enough. Can we still take them out with our weapons?
Istar@anncarise | More noises come from behind them, this time louder than the scuttering of the moles.
Istar@anncarise stands, "I think we're 'bout to find out..."
Lorri@crystyll spins around to face the source of the noise
Egzo@HF_Mudd turns...
Istar@anncarise | The noises comes closer and closer...and then the first skeleton cyborg turns the corner.
Istar@anncarise fires her pistols, taking out its leg, It drops to the ground and continues crawling...
Istar@anncarise | Two more skeletons move into view, stepping over the crawling one as they charge the group...
[Local] Istar@anncarise: - ROUND ONE -
Istar@anncarise - EGZO'S TURN -
Egzo@HF_Mudd blasts 'em with his disruptor "shotgun".
[Emotes] Egzo@HF_Mudd: rolls 53 (1-100)
[Team] Egzo@HF_Mudd: average roll is average.
Istar@anncarise | The blast catches one of the standing ones, shattering it and it doesn't get back up. The second is stumbled slightly by the edge of the blast, which leaves a clear scorch mark on the bones of -
[Local] Istar@anncarise: - its left arm, but it continues advancing as three more turn the corner...
Istar@anncarise - BARA'S TURN -
[Team] Istar@anncarise: Oh I forgot visual references
[Team] Istar@anncarise: https://i.pinimg.com/236x/26/45/57/26455709fd843a8f780e120372213e02--deviant-art-character-art.jpg
[Team] Istar@anncarise: Skeletons look something like that!
[Team] Istar@anncarise: Probably even more mechanical, and without the dramatic pose hehe
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *mutters as more skelebros emerge, and instead of shooting takes a photon grenade off her belt* Fire in the hole! *throws grenade down the floor towards the enemies*
[Emotes] Sadia@gulremal: rolls 32 (1-100)
[Team] Sadia@gulremal: not gonna re-roll that, it's not that bad
Istar@anncarise | The grenade goes off, scattering the skeletons and slowing them down considerably, but the five are still intact enough to continue crawling at them...
Istar@anncarise - LORRI'S TURN-
Lorri@crystyll tries a series of pot shots in rapid succession to scatter the heads of those still moving
[Emotes] Lorri@crystyll: rolls 84 (1-100)
[Team] Sadia@gulremal: sooo not pot shots hehe
Istar@anncarise | The close proximity of the crawling skeletons, as well as the slow speed they're now moving at, allows Lorri to easily finish them off.
Istar@anncarise | However, a larger and far more cybernetic skeleton rounds the corner, holding a large gun, with two smaller ones behind it...
Istar@anncarise FX | https://bbts1.azureedge.net/images/p/full/2016/02/5c958bf1-a4f4-43dd-a82f-661d25d94360.jpg
Istar@anncarise - ISTAR'S TURN -
Istar@anncarise fires her pistols at the new skeletons.
[Emotes] Istar@anncarise: rolls 24 (1-100)
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Uh oh, watch that cannon!
Istar@anncarise 's shots hit the central skeleton, but an energy shield flares up in front of it, absorbing the shots while its own weapon charges up...
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "Get to cover!"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Don't need to tell me twice!
Istar@anncarise jumps out of the way just as the skeleton returns fire with its minigun weapon.
Istar@anncarise - ROUND TWO -
Istar@anncarise - EGZO'S TURN -
Egzo@HF_Mudd ducks back, firing around the corner. Good thing his weapon doesn't need much aiming.
[Team] Istar@anncarise: Yeah, first wave was the little ones hehe
[Emotes] Egzo@HF_Mudd: rolls 57 (1-100)
Istar@anncarise | There is a flicker as Egzo's pulsewave impacts the large cyborg skeleton, collapsing its shields. The two smaller ones rush ahead, blade-like extensions coming out of the cybernetics in their arm
Istar@anncarise - BARA'S TURN -
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *Bara shoots at the two rushing skelebros*
[Emotes] Sadia@gulremal: rolls 64 (1-100)
Istar@anncarise | Bara manages to take them down with little trouble as they are exposed and charging.
Istar@anncarise - LORRI'S TURN -
Lorri@crystyll focuses on the exposed big skeleton with a flurry of bolts
[Emotes] Lorri@crystyll: rolls 23 (1-100)
Istar@anncarise | Several of Lorri's shots hit the big skeleton, stumbling it and causing its return fire with the minigun to go wild, but it doesn't go down, the higher volume of cybernetics on it seemingly -
Istar@anncarise - making it much tougher than its smaller counterparts.
Istar@anncarise - ISTAR'S TURN -
Istar@anncarise peers out of cover, helping Lorri with the big skeleton.
[Emotes] Istar@anncarise: rolls 65 (1-100)
Istar@anncarise | The skeleton crumbles under the sheer volume of hits, a few of them finding their mark in weak spots or parts of armour weakened by previous shots, finally bringing it down.
Istar@anncarise | As it collapses, four more skeletons round the corner, two of them raising their arms as energy bolts emerge from them, forcing everyone back into cover again.
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "There's a lot more coming! We wanna hold 'em off or fall back?"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Can we shut the door!
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: ?
[Team] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Don't wanna get bottled up, good way t' get dead like these in here!"
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Don't wanna get bottled up, good way t' get dead like these in here!"
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "There's a back way out and these things don't seem to be coming from back there yet!"
[Tell] Istar@anncarise: There is a panel, if Egzo wants to try and close the door!
Egzo@HF_Mudd slaps the door panel, then.
Istar@anncarise FX | The door closes. The shots from the other side stop for a few seconds...and then the door slides back open, with one of the skeletons interfacing with it from the other side, its arm -
[Local] Istar@anncarise: - outstretched with several wires connecting it to the panel. A blade extends from its other arm, swinging at Egzo and just narrowly missing.
Istar@anncarise - ROUND THREE -
Istar@anncarise - EGZO'S TURN -
Egzo@HF_Mudd blasts the one swinging at him, through the gap!
[Emotes] Egzo@HF_Mudd: rolls 89 (1-100)
Istar@anncarise | At this close range, the pulsewave completely disintegrates the skeleton's organic components and fries the cybernetics, causing it to drop to the ground as a pile of smoking metal.
Istar@anncarise | One of the other ones with a blade arm rushes forward, while the two with gun-arms continue laying down suppressive fire.
Istar@anncarise - BARA'S TURN -
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *Bara takes one of grenades, arms it and places it by one of the door's supports* Let's get outta here!
Egzo@HF_Mudd doesn't need to be told twice, after that close encounter.
Istar@anncarise nods, "Everyone away from the door!"
[Team] Sadia@gulremal: it's a five second timer, so should be enough time lele
[Team] Istar@anncarise: Roll please!
[Emotes] Sadia@gulremal: rolls 43 (1-100)
Istar@anncarise FX | The explosion goes off, collapsing one of the door supports, but it still stands.
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "We need more!"
Istar@anncarise - LORRI'S TURN -
Lorri@crystyll puts down suppressing fire to keep them back as she backs away to cover as well
[Emotes] Lorri@crystyll: rolls 43 (1-100)
Istar@anncarise | Lorri's suppressing fire takes the charging skeleton down while the other two fire back.
Istar@anncarise - ISTAR'S TURN -
Istar@anncarise takes one of her own grenades to try and collapse the door fully.
[Emotes] Istar@anncarise: rolls 94 (1-100)
Istar@anncarise | The second support buckles from the explosion and the doorframe comes crashing down, blocking the entranceway with a pile of old crumpled metal and rocks.
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "Well, we're gonna need another way outta here..."
[Local] Istar@anncarise: \
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Where did they come from? How did we miss them on our way in?
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "It's a big place. We passed by a lotta hallways we didn't go down."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Ugh, are our comms still working at all?
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "There is another route back, but it's a long way around"
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "No comms. We're too deep inside, otherwise I would've used my Operator to transport me around for the fighting."
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "Good news is, we didn't know what to look for before because these things don't register as lifeforms. But we should know what to look out for on scanners now, so they won't catch us by surprise."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Yeah, our "friends" will either brech this in a while, or go some other way.
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "I say we circle around, Better idea than waiting around here, at least."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: *to Istar* Yeah, good idea. *pokes at her tricorder*
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "Maybe they'll intercept us, but we'll deal with 'em as they come."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Lead the way, then.
Istar@anncarise | They move out the back entrance of the room and through several dark corridors.
Istar@anncarise announces as they walk through the ruins, "I'm getting Orion lifesigns up ahead."
Lorri@crystyll tries her comm to reach them at this short range
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "Must be the people we're looking for. Good to see the teams weren't all taken out by these things."
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Unless they got 'assimilated'."
Istar@anncarise FX | After a moment of silence, Lorri gets through!
Istar@anncarise <C - NPC> "...can you read? Did Kayd send down another team?"
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: <C> We read you! This is Tabadi Lorri of the Thana Vaneri, here with KDF support. What's your status?
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *looks around, trying to figure out where's the KDF support Lorri speaks about*
[Team] Sadia@gulremal:
[Team] Egzo@HF_Mudd: That's me, I guess. Sorta.
Lorri@crystyll knows better than to purposefully associate herself with Syndicate goons, and is more keen on reassuring her people than worrying them for betrayal
[Team] Sadia@gulremal: If you squint on one eye, after a few drinks
[Local] Istar@anncarise: <C - NPC> "Lorri! Thank the goddess! We might be able to get through this yet if you brought the cavalry. We've grouped with the Ukto Kayd sent down, established a makeshift camp here."
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: <C> We're on way
Istar@anncarise <C - NPC> "We see you on our sensors. We should be just ahead. I'll brief you fully once you get here."
Istar@anncarise - TO BE CONTINUED -
[Local] Istar@anncarise: - disgraced Klingon General V'Ku and the bounty hunter AI ship Relentless Hunter.
Istar@anncarise | Meanwhile, a call comes from one of the OSN expeditions to all allied vessels in range...
Istar@anncarise FX | Tabadi Kayd appears as a hologram to all receiving ships.
Egzo@HF_Mudd squints at the familiar face.
Istar@anncarise | Kayd: "Tabadi Lorri. Good to see the Thana's in range. We might have something of a situation down here."
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "What's the situation?"
Istar@anncarise | Kayd: "In short, we lost contact with one of our teams checking out the ancient ruins from those guys that built the Scryer's base. We had a main camp on the surface, but our initial -
[Local] Istar@anncarise: - assessments suggested the ruins were huge, and much more intact than we expected. We established a forward camp inside it, but they've gone silent."
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "How long have they been silent? Couldn't they just be exploring the vast ruins?"
Egzo@HF_Mudd offers a silent "fair point" shrug/look.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Maybe they triggered some old security systems. Or maybe the Scyrer had some of his goons watching the place.
Istar@anncarise | Kayd: "It's been over a day now. We know the deeper parts of the ruins interfere with comms, which was one of the reasons we set up the forward base- it's in a spot comms still work. We -
[Local] Istar@anncarise: - established protocol for them to check in every nine hours, and last we heard from them they were convinced they weren't alone down there."
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "Alright, sounds reason enough to investigate" she nods
Istar@anncarise | Kayd nods over to Bara, "I don't tend to agree with Syndicate assessments of things, but that's exactly what I was thinking. I've already sent a team of Uktos down, but they haven't reported -
[Local] Istar@anncarise: - back either. That's why I'm asking for backup."
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "So this place has already swallowed two teams, and now ya want us to go in. Great."
Istar@anncarise | Kayd: "Only one of them was a combat trained team. They might not be dead, possibly trapped in some corner of the ruins by automated security."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Uktos?
Istar@anncarise | Kayd: "That's what we call our ground troops. It's a High Orion term for foot soldier."
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "We... really need to work on your sales pitch, don't we..."
Egzo@HF_Mudd smirks.
Istar@anncarise | Kayd chuckles, "You were always the saleswoman Lorri, not me. Plus, I thought our friends here liked dangerous dungeons with a chance of death."
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "Fair point"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Only if there's good lootin' to be had.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Artifacts can fetch a nice price on the black market...
Istar@anncarise | Kayd: "Oh there's definitely tech down there. Nothing to help us with the base yet, but the things they brought back are pretty impressive."
Istar@anncarise | Kayd: "Anyways, I'll send you the coordinates of the ruins. You should be able to beam right down to the forward camp and make your way in from there."
Egzo@HF_Mudd shrugs, cracks his knuckles. "Ya had me at 'chance a' death'."
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "Sounds good. We'll let you know what we turn up"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Well, guess it's time for some dungeon delvin'.
Istar@anncarise | Kayd smirks, "Great. I'll see ya there."
Istar@anncarise FX | After arriving at in the system, they speak with Kayd briefly again, who reports still having no contact so far. They beam down to the forward camp, a little more than a few tents, bedrolls -
Istar@anncarise - scientific equipment and crates. It seems to be devoid of people.
Istar@anncarise | Failing to discover anything that indicated where everyone has gone, they proceed down the hallway that leads away from the camp and deeper into the dark, ominous ruins...
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *Bara looks for any signs of struggle*
Istar@anncarise | No signs of struggle here so far...
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "I don't like how dark and quiet it is..."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Whatever took those folks, did it very sneaky like.
Istar@anncarise | Indeed, there is the occasional groaning of metal and eerie mechanical whine coming from somewhere deep in the station, but no sign of actual life, just old, broken machines.
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "Check the research logs. Should have some detail on where in the ruins they were last investigating"
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "Good call!"
Egzo@HF_Mudd unslings his disruptor, just in case.
Istar@anncarise | The research logs are filed per OSN standard, as are the way the maps are laid out. Lorri manages to figure out the part of the ruins they were heading to when they were last at the camp.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *Bara shines her shoulder-light at the dark walls and ceilings*
Lorri@crystyll shares the detail with the others, "Should be a good place to start"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Did they mention any need for enviromental protections?
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: It would be real silly if they got caught by some kind of gas leak.
Lorri@crystyll shakes her head, "Nothing to suggest any need for it"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *Bara checks her pouches for breathing mask anyways*
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "Only thing they really mention of note is accounts of seeing unexplained movement in the ruins, though it was largely dismissed given how this place looks"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Anything else in those logs, or are we moving along?
Lorri@crystyll shakes her head, "That's about it"
[Team] Istar@anncarise: Now you're giving me ideas
[Team] Istar@anncarise: This super creepy horror mystery setup
[Team] Istar@anncarise: and in the end they just ogt killed by a gas leak
[Team] Istar@anncarise: Most anticlimactic mystery
[Team] Istar@anncarise: No ghosts or demons or masked killers
[Team] Sadia@gulremal: I can bet that how most of early pyramid excavation accidents ended up
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "Let's get going. Sooner we're outta this place..."
Egzo@HF_Mudd nods again.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: *to Zin* After you, handsome.
[Team] Istar@anncarise: Oh I was just using him as a stand in NPC for later! hehe
[Team] Istar@anncarise: Thoguh I wouldn't say no if you bring a redshirt from bara's crew hehe
[Team] Sadia@gulremal: nah, s'fine
[Team] Egzo@HF_Mudd: Captain, over here! AAAAHH!
Istar@anncarise | They make their way through the ruins for several minutes, before coming across a large room with various machinery, including old computer terminals. Some of the machines seem to still be -
Istar@anncarise - running, at least partially as noises can be heard from within, though the computers have long since gone dark.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *Bara: Has her combat tricorder attached to the gun, like a more advanced version of Alien detector*
Egzo@HF_Mudd listens to the faint, distant sounds of still-active alien tech.
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "How is this old stuff still working? Doesn't look like self-regenerating Borg tech or anything."
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "Someone has to be maintaining 'em."
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "Could be that our teams have reactivated some to access data"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Yeah...any of these terminals working?
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *Bara checks the nearby terminal, looking at the consoles if they make any sense.*
Istar@anncarise | The terminals they see so far don't work.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Guess these ones are completely down...no one touched them at all.
Istar@anncarise calls over to the team as she searches as well, "I found an OSN one over here!"
Lorri@crystyll steps over to investigate
Istar@anncarise | They step over to find a small OSN console with wires originally connecting to the alien console rerouted to collect to it instead. The console seems active, though not lit up.
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "This is definitely our tech."
Lorri@crystyll tries digging into the terminal to see what's going on with it
Egzo@HF_Mudd keeps watch while Lorri works.
Istar@anncarise | As soon as Lorri activates the terminal, its screen flashes to life, displaying a row of text in an Orion dialect: 'ERROR. MALICIOUS CODE DETECTED. COMMENCING AUTOMATIC SHUTDOWN.'
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Hmmm...why did they simply left it here? I mean, even if they -
Istar@anncarise | Then, the console simply blacks out again.
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "Malicious code...?" she draws her tricorder and scans the terminal
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: I don't like the sound of that...
Istar@anncarise | The terminal is functioning properly and connected to whatever computer network was here before. A hardware diagnostic is unable to detect any malicious code, however...
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Maybe it's whatever alien network they tried to access?
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "Maybe some kinda firewall to stop anything from connecting to their network and stealing data?"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: *shrugs* We could definitely use some translations...
Istar@anncarise FX | As they examine the console, they are suddenly aware of a rattling sound nearby...
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: No signs of struggle h- what was that? *turns around with her gun rised*
Istar@anncarise draws her pistols as well, "I'm seeing lifesigns from my visor scanners..."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *Bara: checks her combat tricorder*
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Faint lifesigns, can't get details...no weapon signatures...
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: How about a direction?
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: This way...
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *Bara looks around as she moves in the direction of the lifesigns*
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "They're coming closer..."
Istar@anncarise | There is suddenly a clang as a ventilation panel drops open and hits the ground hard!
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *Bara's tricorder beep beeps faster*
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *Bara reflexively jumps back*
Egzo@HF_Mudd aims his pulsewave at the panel, then up at where he thinks it dropped from.
[Team] Sadia@gulremal: contact?
Istar@anncarise aims her pistols up at the panel too...only to see about ten small critters resembling overgrown moles jump out and scurry away.
Egzo@HF_Mudd resists the urge to shoot one for the hell of it.
Istar@anncarise | The alien moles quickly move out of sight, disappearing into the darkness of the ruins.
Egzo@HF_Mudd mutters a curse and (visually) scans the room again.
[Tell] Istar@anncarise: Egzo notices some of the moles have left behind wet footprints...
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Hold up."
Egzo@HF_Mudd accompanies his words with a hand signal.
Egzo@HF_Mudd steps forward and kneels down, to examine the tracks the moles left.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: *curses* Every place has their pests. At least we eon't be hungry if we get stuck in here...
[Tell] Istar@anncarise: It's definitely blood
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Those things stepped in somethin'. ... yeah, it's blood."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *Bara keeps watch at the opening moles came from*
Istar@anncarise steps over to Egzo, "Orion blood."
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Fresh, or it wouldn't still be..."
Egzo@HF_Mudd nods to Istar.
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "That ain't good."
Egzo@HF_Mudd peers up at the hole where the grate was. "Where's that duct go?"
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "Somewhere down that hall," she nods to the door in front of her.
Egzo@HF_Mudd moves up to the door.
Istar@anncarise moves up to cover Egzo, ready for anything that comes through the door.
[Tell] Istar@anncarise: The door won't budge!
[Tell] To Istar@anncarise: No power, or jammed?
[Tell] To Istar@anncarise: Or locked?
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *Bara checks the area for some kind of door console*
[Tell] Istar@anncarise: Locked, and any attempt to access it causes the door controls to shut down
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Locked. And... I'm locked out."
Egzo@HF_Mudd mutters ".... THAT" and attempts to pry open the panel and get at the guts of the thing, to do a little rewiring.
[Tell] Istar@anncarise: The wiring is very different from standard tech Egzo is used to, and seems to also be done in a way that prevents tampering
Egzo@HF_Mudd peers at what's revealed, and tugs at a couple of wires - they won't come loose.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: *checks her tricorder* Nothing directly in front of us...at least what trico says.
Lorri@crystyll checks the maps in the mean time, "Not wanting to interrupt your fun there big guy, but there is another way around..." she points to the side door
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "... damn aliens, why can't you..."
Egzo@HF_Mudd abandons the effort, rounding on Lorri. "Why dincha say so before?" he grouses.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *looks at Egzo then back at Lorri*
Istar@anncarise chuckles, "Might be easier that way..."
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "Didn't want to spoil your fun"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *shrugs* Looked like you had fun?
Egzo@HF_Mudd mutters s'more as he proceeds through the other door.
Egzo@HF_Mudd opens the next door and stops, peering inside before he enters.
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "There's organic matter inside. Bodies. But no lifesigns."
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "That... doesn't sound good"
Egzo@HF_Mudd advances warily.
Egzo@HF_Mudd sweeps the room with his disruptor's muzzle.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: *grunts as she moves in with Egzo and moves to the side*
Istar@anncarise moves in carefully, making sure her tabadi is protected.
Istar@anncarise | On the ground in the room are two Orion males, surrounded by what seem at first glance to be skeletons, but on closer inspection appear to be some form of cybernetic-organic fusion, not unlike -
[Local] Istar@anncarise: - Borg skeletons, though with no sign of remaining flesh. They are all heavily damaged, scattered around the ground, though some are still intact enough to recognize what they are.
Lorri@crystyll investigates the Orion bodies more closely
Egzo@HF_Mudd looks at the cyborg skeletons VERY warily until he's sure they're not about to spring up. Yet.
Egzo@HF_Mudd still keeps them covered with his weapon.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Are those that clone folks you've got? *to Lorri*3
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "Clones? Who do you think we are, the Colonial Fleet?" she asks back in disgust at the idea
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "This one was killed by an energy weapon. His friend looks to have been impaled by one of... them" she points to the skeletons
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "These bite marks could be from those mole things, but likely post-mortem. They are both Uktos from Kayd's unit, but this isn't the whole team"
Istar@anncarise leans down and picks up a fragment of a skull with a cybernetic implant on it, "This tech...I know what it is."
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "What?"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: V'Ku's thugs?
Istar@anncarise nods at Bara, "My Ghost Operator, Le, has them. As does everyone else who's worked for the current Scryer, willingly and unwillingly..."
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "This is where he gets his implant tech from!"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Uhhh, so we can expect more of these...things down here?
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *pokes one of the skeletons on the ground*
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Fresh blood? Yeah, probably."
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "These things aren't the result of our weapons, though. They can kill and they can disintegrate, but not leave the skeletons behind."
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "They must've been like this when they attacked. But even the Scryer's cyborgs can't walk around when they're /this/ dead..."
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Maybe the original tech don't got that problem."
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "Maybe..."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: And I thought this coudln't get spooky enough. Can we still take them out with our weapons?
Istar@anncarise | More noises come from behind them, this time louder than the scuttering of the moles.
Istar@anncarise stands, "I think we're 'bout to find out..."
Lorri@crystyll spins around to face the source of the noise
Egzo@HF_Mudd turns...
Istar@anncarise | The noises comes closer and closer...and then the first skeleton cyborg turns the corner.
Istar@anncarise fires her pistols, taking out its leg, It drops to the ground and continues crawling...
Istar@anncarise | Two more skeletons move into view, stepping over the crawling one as they charge the group...
[Local] Istar@anncarise: - ROUND ONE -
Istar@anncarise - EGZO'S TURN -
Egzo@HF_Mudd blasts 'em with his disruptor "shotgun".
[Emotes] Egzo@HF_Mudd: rolls 53 (1-100)
[Team] Egzo@HF_Mudd: average roll is average.
Istar@anncarise | The blast catches one of the standing ones, shattering it and it doesn't get back up. The second is stumbled slightly by the edge of the blast, which leaves a clear scorch mark on the bones of -
[Local] Istar@anncarise: - its left arm, but it continues advancing as three more turn the corner...
Istar@anncarise - BARA'S TURN -
[Team] Istar@anncarise: Oh I forgot visual references
[Team] Istar@anncarise: https://i.pinimg.com/236x/26/45/57/26455709fd843a8f780e120372213e02--deviant-art-character-art.jpg
[Team] Istar@anncarise: Skeletons look something like that!
[Team] Istar@anncarise: Probably even more mechanical, and without the dramatic pose hehe
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *mutters as more skelebros emerge, and instead of shooting takes a photon grenade off her belt* Fire in the hole! *throws grenade down the floor towards the enemies*
[Emotes] Sadia@gulremal: rolls 32 (1-100)
[Team] Sadia@gulremal: not gonna re-roll that, it's not that bad
Istar@anncarise | The grenade goes off, scattering the skeletons and slowing them down considerably, but the five are still intact enough to continue crawling at them...
Istar@anncarise - LORRI'S TURN-
Lorri@crystyll tries a series of pot shots in rapid succession to scatter the heads of those still moving
[Emotes] Lorri@crystyll: rolls 84 (1-100)
[Team] Sadia@gulremal: sooo not pot shots hehe
Istar@anncarise | The close proximity of the crawling skeletons, as well as the slow speed they're now moving at, allows Lorri to easily finish them off.
Istar@anncarise | However, a larger and far more cybernetic skeleton rounds the corner, holding a large gun, with two smaller ones behind it...
Istar@anncarise FX | https://bbts1.azureedge.net/images/p/full/2016/02/5c958bf1-a4f4-43dd-a82f-661d25d94360.jpg
Istar@anncarise - ISTAR'S TURN -
Istar@anncarise fires her pistols at the new skeletons.
[Emotes] Istar@anncarise: rolls 24 (1-100)
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Uh oh, watch that cannon!
Istar@anncarise 's shots hit the central skeleton, but an energy shield flares up in front of it, absorbing the shots while its own weapon charges up...
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "Get to cover!"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Don't need to tell me twice!
Istar@anncarise jumps out of the way just as the skeleton returns fire with its minigun weapon.
Istar@anncarise - ROUND TWO -
Istar@anncarise - EGZO'S TURN -
Egzo@HF_Mudd ducks back, firing around the corner. Good thing his weapon doesn't need much aiming.
[Team] Istar@anncarise: Yeah, first wave was the little ones hehe
[Emotes] Egzo@HF_Mudd: rolls 57 (1-100)
Istar@anncarise | There is a flicker as Egzo's pulsewave impacts the large cyborg skeleton, collapsing its shields. The two smaller ones rush ahead, blade-like extensions coming out of the cybernetics in their arm
Istar@anncarise - BARA'S TURN -
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *Bara shoots at the two rushing skelebros*
[Emotes] Sadia@gulremal: rolls 64 (1-100)
Istar@anncarise | Bara manages to take them down with little trouble as they are exposed and charging.
Istar@anncarise - LORRI'S TURN -
Lorri@crystyll focuses on the exposed big skeleton with a flurry of bolts
[Emotes] Lorri@crystyll: rolls 23 (1-100)
Istar@anncarise | Several of Lorri's shots hit the big skeleton, stumbling it and causing its return fire with the minigun to go wild, but it doesn't go down, the higher volume of cybernetics on it seemingly -
Istar@anncarise - making it much tougher than its smaller counterparts.
Istar@anncarise - ISTAR'S TURN -
Istar@anncarise peers out of cover, helping Lorri with the big skeleton.
[Emotes] Istar@anncarise: rolls 65 (1-100)
Istar@anncarise | The skeleton crumbles under the sheer volume of hits, a few of them finding their mark in weak spots or parts of armour weakened by previous shots, finally bringing it down.
Istar@anncarise | As it collapses, four more skeletons round the corner, two of them raising their arms as energy bolts emerge from them, forcing everyone back into cover again.
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "There's a lot more coming! We wanna hold 'em off or fall back?"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Can we shut the door!
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: ?
[Team] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Don't wanna get bottled up, good way t' get dead like these in here!"
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Don't wanna get bottled up, good way t' get dead like these in here!"
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "There's a back way out and these things don't seem to be coming from back there yet!"
[Tell] Istar@anncarise: There is a panel, if Egzo wants to try and close the door!
Egzo@HF_Mudd slaps the door panel, then.
Istar@anncarise FX | The door closes. The shots from the other side stop for a few seconds...and then the door slides back open, with one of the skeletons interfacing with it from the other side, its arm -
[Local] Istar@anncarise: - outstretched with several wires connecting it to the panel. A blade extends from its other arm, swinging at Egzo and just narrowly missing.
Istar@anncarise - ROUND THREE -
Istar@anncarise - EGZO'S TURN -
Egzo@HF_Mudd blasts the one swinging at him, through the gap!
[Emotes] Egzo@HF_Mudd: rolls 89 (1-100)
Istar@anncarise | At this close range, the pulsewave completely disintegrates the skeleton's organic components and fries the cybernetics, causing it to drop to the ground as a pile of smoking metal.
Istar@anncarise | One of the other ones with a blade arm rushes forward, while the two with gun-arms continue laying down suppressive fire.
Istar@anncarise - BARA'S TURN -
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *Bara takes one of grenades, arms it and places it by one of the door's supports* Let's get outta here!
Egzo@HF_Mudd doesn't need to be told twice, after that close encounter.
Istar@anncarise nods, "Everyone away from the door!"
[Team] Sadia@gulremal: it's a five second timer, so should be enough time lele
[Team] Istar@anncarise: Roll please!
[Emotes] Sadia@gulremal: rolls 43 (1-100)
Istar@anncarise FX | The explosion goes off, collapsing one of the door supports, but it still stands.
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "We need more!"
Istar@anncarise - LORRI'S TURN -
Lorri@crystyll puts down suppressing fire to keep them back as she backs away to cover as well
[Emotes] Lorri@crystyll: rolls 43 (1-100)
Istar@anncarise | Lorri's suppressing fire takes the charging skeleton down while the other two fire back.
Istar@anncarise - ISTAR'S TURN -
Istar@anncarise takes one of her own grenades to try and collapse the door fully.
[Emotes] Istar@anncarise: rolls 94 (1-100)
Istar@anncarise | The second support buckles from the explosion and the doorframe comes crashing down, blocking the entranceway with a pile of old crumpled metal and rocks.
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "Well, we're gonna need another way outta here..."
[Local] Istar@anncarise: \
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Where did they come from? How did we miss them on our way in?
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "It's a big place. We passed by a lotta hallways we didn't go down."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Ugh, are our comms still working at all?
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: "There is another route back, but it's a long way around"
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "No comms. We're too deep inside, otherwise I would've used my Operator to transport me around for the fighting."
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "Good news is, we didn't know what to look for before because these things don't register as lifeforms. But we should know what to look out for on scanners now, so they won't catch us by surprise."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Yeah, our "friends" will either brech this in a while, or go some other way.
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "I say we circle around, Better idea than waiting around here, at least."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: *to Istar* Yeah, good idea. *pokes at her tricorder*
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "Maybe they'll intercept us, but we'll deal with 'em as they come."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Bara: Lead the way, then.
Istar@anncarise | They move out the back entrance of the room and through several dark corridors.
Istar@anncarise announces as they walk through the ruins, "I'm getting Orion lifesigns up ahead."
Lorri@crystyll tries her comm to reach them at this short range
[Local] Istar@anncarise: "Must be the people we're looking for. Good to see the teams weren't all taken out by these things."
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Unless they got 'assimilated'."
Istar@anncarise FX | After a moment of silence, Lorri gets through!
Istar@anncarise <C - NPC> "...can you read? Did Kayd send down another team?"
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: <C> We read you! This is Tabadi Lorri of the Thana Vaneri, here with KDF support. What's your status?
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: *looks around, trying to figure out where's the KDF support Lorri speaks about*
[Team] Sadia@gulremal:
[Team] Egzo@HF_Mudd: That's me, I guess. Sorta.
Lorri@crystyll knows better than to purposefully associate herself with Syndicate goons, and is more keen on reassuring her people than worrying them for betrayal
[Team] Sadia@gulremal: If you squint on one eye, after a few drinks
[Local] Istar@anncarise: <C - NPC> "Lorri! Thank the goddess! We might be able to get through this yet if you brought the cavalry. We've grouped with the Ukto Kayd sent down, established a makeshift camp here."
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: <C> We're on way
Istar@anncarise <C - NPC> "We see you on our sensors. We should be just ahead. I'll brief you fully once you get here."
Istar@anncarise - TO BE CONTINUED -