Marionette
Commander
Dr. Soong's penchant for whimsical names seems to have no end.
Registered: Mar 2, 2012 3:26:33 GMT
Posts: 285
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Post by Marionette on Feb 6, 2014 22:42:56 GMT
" yet ... No shadows !" Commander Valenti said. "Intriguing...." Marionette said, trying to make a shadow on the ground with her hands, to no avail. There was one sun, with, as far as she could tell, perfectly natural light for a Yellow dwarf star. The android then spoke up "Earlier, when i was with commanders Jamison and Blakus, we had encountered a simulacrum of the Starfleet academy western garden, when there was an unexplainable occurrence of a large tidal wave. The comparison between the simulacrum, and what i had recorded into my memory engrams during my Tenure at Starfleet academy was close enough to likely go unnoticed by humanoid eyes, however, the small details were wrong; plant species, plant spacing and arrangement, and considering our encounter was allegedly during the day, the presence of night-sky elements was also incorrect. Sufficed to say, while the elements of our environment may be inspired by natural phenomena, it is my conclusion that any environment we are placed into, is as a whole, artificial."
By then, the .... things, that had been rapidly approaching them, had come into abit less of a distant view. There was between 30 and 50 of them, and they were black, long and lean, with 6 legs. The animals were feline-oid, with a length of about 10 to 12 feet long, from nose to haunches, with another 8 or 10 feet of tail, and a general height of 4 to 5 feet at the shoulder, and likely tipping the scales at an average of 1500 to 2000 pounds. "They appear to be some form of .... Quarian Razor-cat, although, actual razorcats are normally in shades of red and brown."
It was then that the group of razor-cats began to fan out and surround them at long range, maybe a half-mile of perimeter. After that, there didn't seem to be any further predatory behavior towards the awayteam. There was glints and glitterings of dull metal from the large cats, suggesting major metallic decorations or bio-metallic components, as well as meter-long saber-teeth jutting from their mouths. There was no discernable difference between each..... Razor-cat, if you will, aside from a slight variance in size. There was also no appearance of cubs or kittens, nor any mained specimens denoting visual sexual dimorphism.
It was like they were curious, and waiting for ... Something....
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Andae Blakus
Moderator ..
Commander 1C
Registered: Oct 17, 2007 22:48:27 GMT
Posts: 1,452
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Post by Andae Blakus on Feb 7, 2014 0:32:32 GMT
Andae watched the conclusion of the chess game in muted fascination. The kings manoeuvred about the board, one squaring itself into a corner, the other – the white’s piece – moving up into the opponent’s half. Black frowned from his pedestal. He seemed mystified as to Calli’s intentions, and Andae wondered if Lieutenant Marionette had indeed been able to start passing information to her.
Surprisingly, the match ended in a stalemate. A draw wasn't that unusual an occurrence, particularly with inexperienced players, but it'd seemed as if Calli had almost played for that result. Risky, Blakus thought, with so much at stake. Only when the invisible bonds and the air of bewitching tension dissipated from the board did he see why Calli had done it... The king pieces were Admiral Torek and Commander Watson!
The engineer moved among the surviving players as they spread from the area of the board, wanting to see if he recognised any more of them. Before he could stare into the glazed eyes of the first competitor, the unlikely scene dissolved before him.
He stood on a plateau of searing heat with the other members of the away team. The horizon faded in endless mirages all about him. For an instant he thought he'd emerged on to the surface of the moon as it actually was, but that idea was conquered by the resurgent memory of the cold uninteresting object circling its gas giant, as observed from the co-pilot's seat in the shuttle.
He couldn't believe that this was truly real, or that he was really alive. The sudden appearance of Watson lent weight to those ideas... Andae had finally begun to believe that the Raven's XO was actually dead. Was he dead now, too? Had he joined Alex in some hellish afterlife where the sun beat on a lifeless plain and shadows glistened in the folds of mirages? Or was this a falsitude, like that of Starfleet HQ as Marionette pointed out.
A woman in a red dress flitted before their eyes for a few instants, speaking to Torek, before leaving them to their own devices on the featureless land. One of the mirages rippled, the shadows there becoming deeper and more refined. Andae watched as a group of objects took shape, their coalescence made menacing by the realisation of their tremendous size.
The others seemed almost joyous at the onset of the huge shapes, as if this was some sort of sport. Could any of them be trusted? What was real and what was a recreation? "What is this?" he called more out of frustration than genuine enquiry, but the words were muffled by the closeness of the atmosphere. The away team moved in slow motion, taking up their phasers as the objects - silhouetted against the brightness and lending the only shadows that this place seemed to know - emerged from the distance. They approached, grinding to a cautious halt hundreds of metres away as they surrounded them.
Andae watched agape, his phaser lowering as the first cat-like creature to reach them slid by, as if it had never intended to target the away team. More cats approached, and only after a dozen had passed did it seem to enter the mind of the thirteenth to attack.
"That man. I've seen him before," Carl said, transfixed by the approaching feline. Andae saw the man riding the back of the cat. He wore an antiquated suit and bowler hat, twirling a folded umbrella in his right hand and whistling gently. The cat approached, crouching and issuing a throaty growl.
"Fire!" Andae shouted as the man casually lifted his umbrella to his shoulder and made to throw it like a spear. Phaser beams lashed out, their points halting on the cat and fizzling away to nothing. The beast paused momentarily, as if caught off guard by an unexpected sound. One of the phaser shots found the suited man and he was thrown off the back of his unlikely mount. The cat bolted, its sabreteeth incidentally and lethally tearing into one of the marines as it attempted its panicky escape.
The man lay on the shadowless surface, groaning in pain at the wound in his thorax. "Who is he?" Blakus intoned, his phaser lowering to his side.
<Tag All>
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Carl Torek
Command Staff ..
Site Executive Officer Ranks Officer
Fleet Admiral
"UTRINQUE PARATUS"
Registered: Jun 17, 2006 22:34:35 GMT
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Post by Carl Torek on Feb 8, 2014 1:09:17 GMT
The group had formed into a makeshift circle, phaser's and Alex's sword all aiming at the approaching animals. The woman in red, Eris, had dropped them into yet another nightmare scenario, this time with things that would surely kill them all if they reached them. He was totally lost, for the first time in his career, he could see no way out of their situation ... As the massive animals approached he could see each was carrying someone, Marionette aptly named the animals 'Razor Cats' ... They suddenly seemed to slow their approach, moving out and around the Federation Officers until they were almost surrounded. Several simply passed by the group of Human's as if disinterested. But one stood out to Carl:
"That man, I've seen him before." Carl couldn't understand the bowler-hatted mans' presence, he had seen him disintegrate after Lieutenant Yang had killed him after attacking Torek, so how was her here ! ... He didn't have any more time to ponder the question as he turned his 'cat' in Torek's direction, the umbrella seemed to transform in the glare of the high sun into a long, thin blade, almost rapier-like.
"Fire !" Blakus shouted.The suited man fell from his 'cat' and the animal reared back in surprise. The animals suddenly seemed nervous, unsure, why ... They were now totally surrounded by maybe forty to fifty of the Razor Cats. They stood totally still, every now and then one would sniff at the cloying air before returning it's watchful gaze to the Humans. every few moments one cat would snap at it's neighbor, receiving a swipe from the razor-sharp talons for it's trouble, but not of this ever erupted into an all-out fight between the animals.
"They don't have shadow's either." Calli said casually, remembering Marionette's assumption that they may not be in a 'real' situation.
"He's gone !" They all turned in Lieutenant Yang's direction. He was looking at the spot where the suited man had fallen, "I was watching him trying to sit up and looked at the cat as it growled. When i turned back ...."
"You really shouldn't keep shooting that poor gentleman." Eris said from behind them. Carl walked over and grabbed her roughly by the upper arm, conscious that the cat's were concentrating on him now, he nevertheless retained his grip.
"This ... THIS ! ... Whatever it is. Stops here. NOW !" he said, shaking the woman roughly, only halting as two of the cats moved closer, eyes locked on Torek.
"Oh my dear Admiral, you have no idea how much more there is." Eris said, that warm, inviting smile reappearing, "Now, I would suggest you let me go, before one of those things takes offence." Carl looked at the closest razor-cat. It had inched closer during their conversation, and was now only twenty meters from him, a distance Carl figured it could cover in one, maybe two strides, and taking a second at the outside. He released Eris and stepped back:
"The Sagan and the Emeritus. They had over a thousand crew between them. Are they playing these 'games' of yours too, along with the other ships we found in orbit. What are you doing with all of them ?" he asked.
"Oh, they serve a purpose, not one you would be likely to understand of course, but fortunately, I am under no obligation to explain myself, or my actions, to you or anyone else. You will play the game, simple. I have to say that your robot intrigues me, would you mind if I looked at it in more detail ?"
"A 'ROBOT' is something from the twentieth century that is capable of unscrewing bottle caps." Carl said, annoyed at the woman's goading, "Lieutenant Marionette is the product of many years of research and development. She is classed as a sentient being and a life-form in her own right, she is also an outstanding member of my crew, so, in reply to your request ... 'NO' you may not 'look' at her."
"She doesn't like me you know." Eris whispered after glancing at the Android, who was listening in on the conversation with apparent interest.
"Well that proves that her 'judge of character' circuits are working then." Calli volunteered, sarcasm in every word, "So ..... Lady. How about returning us and the others to our respective ships so we can get the hell out of this freak-show of a system of yours ?" she finished, adopting her sweetest smile.
Eris eyed Calli for a long moment, as if weighing up a suitable response. She looked at the group, then at the razor-cats who were looking on the situation with obvious anticipation of an up and coming kill in prospect. Her dress moved in the breeze like the sheerest of silks as she came to a decision:
"I think, you should look for the obvious flaw, it is the only thing that is going to save you and your little band of adventurers from, well ....... Tick tock, tick tock." she said, disappearing from view. Carl looked at the razor-cats, who suddenly seemed to be coming to a decision regarding where to dine ! ..........
< tag : All > ... Are we getting out, moving into the next situation, dream, nightmare ?
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Marionette
Commander
Dr. Soong's penchant for whimsical names seems to have no end.
Registered: Mar 2, 2012 3:26:33 GMT
Posts: 285
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Post by Marionette on Feb 11, 2014 16:45:00 GMT
I have to say that your robot intrigues me, would you mind if I looked at it in more detail ?"
"A 'ROBOT' is something from the twentieth century that is capable of unscrewing bottle caps." Carl blasted, annoyed and apparently verging on 'angry' at the woman's goading. "Lieutenant Marionette is the product of many years of research and development. She is classed as a sentient being and a life-form in her own right, she is also an outstanding member of my crew, so, in reply to your request .... 'NO' you may not 'look' at her."
"She doesn't like me you know." Eris whispered after glancing at the Android, who was listening in on the conversation with apparent interest. Marionette was running calculations in her positronic mind as to how to get rid of Eris, permanently, violently, or otherwise.
"Well that proves that her 'judge of character' circuits are working then." Calli volunteered, sarcasm in every word. Marionette was going to blurt out that she had no such component, but then that would be revealing information to an adversary.
Looking back and forth between Eris and Valenti as the latter two stared eachother down, Marionette waited for Eris to leave before speaking. "Commander Valenti, I would like to inform you that i do not have any 'judgement of character' circuits, however, such a concept is a good idea." and filed the idea of Morality chips away in her computer-brain for later, not grasping that calli's comment was sarcasm.
The low growl of the approaching Razor cats had Marionette shift from the failure to grasp sarcasm, to something far more immediate and pragmatic; combat and survival.
"I would recommend that we set our phasers to their highest setting." Marionette suggested.
A Razor cat then pounced, aiming for her. Marionette deftly leap-rolled out of the way, leaving the huge feline beast to claw at nothing but sand.... and something that scraped, sounding like metal against metal.
A floor of some sort under the sand ?
Now facing the other direction and separated from the circle, Marionette faced off against the large cat, but called out to the awayteam. "Sir, there seems to be a large object under the sand."
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Calli Valente
Starfleet Intelligence
"Don't get in my way."
Registered: Aug 4, 2010 21:19:10 GMT
Posts: 534
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Post by Calli Valente on Feb 12, 2014 23:00:51 GMT
Calli spun as Marionette spoke. She was in time to see the android turn away from the advancing claws before rolling away deftly. She aimed her phaser at the now turning razor-cat then, keeping a wary eye on the animal, she looked at the sand in front of her ...
"Sir. there seems to be a large object under the sand."
The 'cats were closing the distance between themselves and the Star Fleet Officers. Alex had taken a step forward, sword held ready in his hand, hoping to be able to get a blow into a vital organ as the animal attacked.
"Commander Valenti, take a look. Major Tavik, cover her." Torek said, eyeing one of the animals as it inched ever closer.
Calli edged toward the android, hoping not to attract the attention of one of the razor-cats as they closed the circle inch by strenuous inch. She knelt down as Marionette stood over her and pointed out the metallic surface. Calli tapped it with the phaser's grip ... There was a hollow 'clank' as the weapon made contact. She set her phaser to a moderate setting and stood. Aiming at the ground she fired.
The razor-cats drew back a meter as the beam slammed into the surface in a shower burning sand.
"Admiral. The Lieutenant is correct, we're stood on a metallic surface."
One of the cats chose that moment to leap at the away team. It covered the gap in less than a second, targeting the Marine as it's meal of choice. Marionette put a hand on Calli's shoulder to prevent her raising herself into the line of fire as the android sent a pulse of pure energy at the 'cat. But Aeryn had seen the thing coming and was dropping to the deck, phaser raising and firing in one smooth motion. the beams hit simultaneously, and the animal vanished from existence in mid-flight !
Commander Peers moved to Torek, inching ahead of his Commanding Officer as Calli spoke:
"Sir, these things are not going to hold off indefinitely. Unless there's some hatch buried under us, I'd suggest we start firing and take our chances ?"
"Ma'am." Lieutenant Young said, not taking his eyes off the three 'cats that were watching him closely, "Just a thought, but if this is some sort of generated scenario, could the equivalent of our ships' holo-suits safeties be inactive ... We've only seen the bowler-hatted bloke killed and the 'cats of course. But we know they are part of what this woman, Eris, has in mind, so we can't rely on them being real ... Right ?"
Young's comment to Calli sunk in with everyone ... 'IF' they were in some form of holo-deck, were they safe, could the system save them if one of these 'cats actually got to one of them ? ... If indeed they were in some form of holo-deck. How close were the walls, the ceiling, the EXIT ! ... They couldn't risk that not being the case obviously, so, what next .....
The deep, throaty, growl of one of the 'cats got their attention. It had moved forward alone, eyeing the group as a diner would eye a buffet table. It seemed to be weighing up 'how' to go for first, and who to allow it's inferiors to take at will once he made the initial attack. Calli watched the Admiral move around to face the leader. In turn, the animal stopped and locked eyes with the half Human half Vulcan ... She knew that Carl had never taken advantage of his Vulcan half, he couldn't mind-meld, nor was his emotions buried deep withing his psych. But he did have the somewhat tentative ability to hold people off for a second of two by holding them in eye to eye contact, but it was a dubious skill at best.
"If you are going to find something .... Now, would be the time ...." Torek whispered ..........
< tag : Marionette / ALL >
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Marionette
Commander
Dr. Soong's penchant for whimsical names seems to have no end.
Registered: Mar 2, 2012 3:26:33 GMT
Posts: 285
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Post by Marionette on Feb 15, 2014 0:24:40 GMT
Moving at speed to the uncovered metal surface, Marionette tapped the metal surface afew times, and then leaned down to put her ear to it and tapped some more. "I estimate the metal surface to be 5.23 centimeters thick, with a voidspace of approximately 6.33 meters. " She then balled up a fist, reached way back, and threw a hand right through the metal. This of course ripped off the skin-panels of her hand and forearm, but doing no structural or other significant damage.
Expanding the hole in the under-floor to a sizable hatchway, she then fired a phaser down into it. "From the visual micrometer distance of the phaser beam, i re-calculate that the floor is approximately 12.3 meters in height, from this hole. If i may, i volunteer to leap down this hole first."
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Carl Torek
Command Staff ..
Site Executive Officer Ranks Officer
Fleet Admiral
"UTRINQUE PARATUS"
Registered: Jun 17, 2006 22:34:35 GMT
Posts: 6,163
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Post by Carl Torek on Feb 15, 2014 1:46:54 GMT
The razor cats seemed to be coming to a decision. They inched left and right, somehow making the gaps between them almost equidistant. The leader, red eyes locking onto Torek. He could hear the unmistakable sound of metal being torn as the Android worked. The cat's glanced in her direction, uninterested.
"....If I may, I volunteer to leap down this hole first ?" Marionette offered.
"It's a twelve meter drop Lieutenant." Commander Valenti commented without turning away from the ever-closing cat, "So feel free."
"Drop into the chamber Lieutenant." Carl ordered his Navigation Officer, who without hesitation stepped into the void and disappeared from sight ... The razor-cats stopped their advance, puzzled looks forming as the animals tried to work out where one of their meals had vanished to. One glanced at the leader then advanced on the hole the Android had dropped through. Carl watched in fascination as the animal looked into the hole then back at the dominant male, it was almost as if they were in telepathic contact. The leader looked from his subordinate to the hole then back, a deep, almost inaudible growl escaping it's throat. The Marine Lieutenant, Yang, spoke quietly:
"Major. I think that thing is abo ...." it was as far as she got as the razor-cat vanished down the hole !
The sound of three hundred pounds of animal slamming into the floor of the cavern was louder than anyone expected. Yang had cautiously moved to the rim of the hole as was looking down, trying to keep a wary eye on the 'cats. Tavik inched backwards until she was stood with her Officer. both peered into the darkened void. There came a sudden sound of a phaser discharge, then what sounded like a mass brawl ...
< tag : Marionette >
"Is she winning ?" Calli asked after a few moments.
"You're guess is as good as mine." Yang replied, trying to peer into the darkness below, when all noise ceased. A few moments later Marionette shouted up from below:
"Admiral. Sorry for the delay, but I was, preoccupied."
"Admiral Torek, the Lieutenant seems to be OK." Yang said as Carl moved to the opening. Suddenly, the Alpha male growled, a deep resonating tone that the away team could feel in their bones. A second razor-cat leaped forward, covering the distance between itself and the opening easily. But this time Lieutenant Yang was ready ... In one smooth motion, she transferred her phaser to her right hand and drew her non-standard knife, a variant on the original Marine Raider Stilleto knife, she spun through one eighty degrees, her arm moving the blade away from her body, tip foremost as she compensated for the rotation. The blade buried itself in the temple of the cat and Lu Yang felt the hilt slam home, before the weight and speed of the animal carried it forward and headlong into the hole, she withdrew the knife and wiped the blade on the sand, removing the blood. The cat was dead before it hit the floor !
"Is it just me." T'brel suddenly said, getting everyone's attention as he motioned toward the lead cat, "Or is the alpha a little annoyed at our Marines' killing of one of it's group ?"
Carl looked round in time to see the dominant male approaching. It was completely ignoring the away Team now, it's ears were pinned back against it's head, massive fangs dragging through the sand as it looked into the hole. It was less than two meters from the Marines, but never gave them a thought as it peering into the gloom. For a second, Torek thought he saw it's shoulders drop a fraction of an inch, before it regained it's resolve.
"Admiral Torek ....." Marionette shouted.
"Not one to be picky, but I seriously doubt that any of us can drop what, forty feet." Calli pointed out unnecessarily ..........
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Andae Blakus
Moderator ..
Commander 1C
Registered: Oct 17, 2007 22:48:27 GMT
Posts: 1,452
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Post by Andae Blakus on Feb 16, 2014 0:30:20 GMT
The artificial nature of this place was revealed in all its false glory with the razor cat's stray claw. As Calli fired at the surface where Marionette had pointed it out, Blakus crouched in the dust, one eye on the advancing cats cast against the distant hot mirage, and swept away some of the sand. The surface underneath was indeed metallic, a dull grey reflecting without form the sun on its perch that was almost directly overhead them.
He became strangely desperate, digging like an animal and shovelling away more of the sand, hoping to find a functional hatch because he lacked the strength to punch through the surface with his bare fist. "Commander, what are you doing? Help me."
He realised he'd been torn away from the rest of the group. He was watching them as he would watch a moving picture, something that couldn't be reached or affected. Such was the surreality of the scene that it too seemed like a form of artwork, as unlikely as it was disturbing. Who in the picture had called out to him? One of the marines, Lieutenant Young. Two of the cats were advancing on the soldier, and Blakus was the closest to him.
Just as it seemed that Young would be overcome by both of them, the razor cats' leader with its sick yellow predator eyes peered into the hatch punched through by Marionette. This caused all the cats to stop simultaneously, unwilling to interfere with the affairs of their leader or go beyond an invisible ring in the sand that was only definable by how the sun glittered off the detail on the cat's backs.
The second of the cats to go down the hole - this one already dead - had fallen next to the body of the first. Andae approached the hole, coming as close as he dared to the alpha cat. Its body shivered, its stiffened hide coruscating and dripping venom from the spikes on the crest of its mane. "Careful, Andae..."
Blakus held up a hand to say 'Don't worry'. As soon as he did he accidentally made contact with an outjutting rock in the sand that he swore hadn't been present the instant before. The sharp sound of the rock's movement caught the alpha by surprise and its head swung casually towards him, eyes narrowed and the venomed spikes on the back of its head pricking. Its mindless mechanised conscious sensed new prey.
"Marionette, pile the cats' bodies on top of each other, to lessen the distance of the fall!" he yelped as he began to run away. The alpha growled, tearing away from its position above the hatch and bounding after Andae. Blakus broke into a sprint, his progress badly hindered by the sand that gave way a little too easily beneath his feet.
Some of the away team fired on the cat as it darted past, but the alpha was made of sterner stuff than its counterparts and shrugged off the phaser blasts as if they were minor inconveniences. The sand seemed to coagulate on Blakus's legs, almost sucking him in. He realised with a muted fascination that he was caught in a sinkhole, and the more he tried to run the more the sand clawed at him, dragging him into its dreadful crystalline embrace.
He passed beneath the surface, the floor opening up in gaping blackness to admit the latest visitor courtesy of the whims of Eris, the keeper of these parts. He was in an artificial cave of sorts; a bending corridor stretched away to the right in front of him. Was he in the same underground space that Marionette had punched a hole through to, or had the impossible geometry of this thought-constructed place taken him into realms far removed from the others?
<Tag All>
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Marionette
Commander
Dr. Soong's penchant for whimsical names seems to have no end.
Registered: Mar 2, 2012 3:26:33 GMT
Posts: 285
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Post by Marionette on Feb 17, 2014 22:21:18 GMT
There came a sudden sound of a phaser discharge, then what sounded like a mass brawl ....
Marionette was abit surprised (in so much as an android could be surprised, that is) when the razorcat leaped through the hole, and almost landed on top of her. She had gotten off a single shot, flash-boil-popping out its right eye in a gooey splatter of (Hot slime), before it knocked the phaser out of her hand and sending it skittering That Way ->
After that, it was a fists-to-claws brawl that was indeed as fierce as it was brief. She had sustained some damage to the face, torso and shoulder, and left leg, resulting in exposed/damaged mechanics, and a sticky black bloody mess. If she wasn't an android, then it was a fairly sure bet that she would have died quite swiftly. Fortunately, that wasn't the case, and she would live to be repaired another day !
"Admiral. My Apologies for the delay, but I was, preoccupied." she said, calling up to others outside of the hole.
"Admiral Torek, the Lieutenant seems to be OK." Yang said. And then another Razor cat came through the hole. Marionette gracefully leaped back, out of the way, and then readied herself for another fierce fight against what was thusfar the only truly equal combatant she had encountered, not including an entire battalion of fully armored Klingon warriors....Only for the body of the razorcat to thump against the deck and not even bounce. Seeing that it was dead, she went to go look for where her phaser clattered off to.
"Marionette, pile the cats.... the fall!" was all that she had heard from commander Blakus. Switching tasks, she dragged the cat corpses into some form of stacked fall-mat. "There is now a 23.6 foot drop." she called up through the hole.
Finally finding her Phaser under a cat corpse foot, she reholstered it into its pouch.
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Calli Valente
Starfleet Intelligence
"Don't get in my way."
Registered: Aug 4, 2010 21:19:10 GMT
Posts: 534
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Post by Calli Valente on Feb 17, 2014 23:30:17 GMT
The razor-cats seemed to be confused at the sudden disappearance of two of their number, and began to edge away from the Star Fleet Officers. Carl knew full-well that the respite wouldn't last, and the Alpha would decide they were responsible. Once that happened it was a given they would be dead, or worse !
"Admiral. My Apologies for the delay, but I was, preoccupied." Marionette's voice drifted from the hole. Calli and Yang were looking into the abyss, watching the android drag and pull the second body onto the first, "There is now a twenty three point six foot drop."
"Ladies first ?" Yang said smiling at Calli.
Commander Peers headed toward the hole leaving Major Tavik to cover the Admiral and the Exec' Officer. He looked down into the darkness, the vague outline of something large below. He glanced at the razor-cats, who seemed to be getting over their loss. He knew how to fall, and knew a seven meter drop onto solid ground was a collapsed spine waiting to happen, but onto hundreds of pounds of pliable flesh, they may have a chance. Calli looked at Carl, who was slowly making his way over to the others while watching the 'cats.
"Get down there." Torek ordered. Yang looked into the darkness then disappeared.
"Aim to land on the underbelly Commander." the Marine proffered ... She took a deep breath, sat on the jagged rim of the hole, then dropped ... The fall was over before when she landed, backside first, in what felt like a pile of hot, wet, something. She had seemingly sunk into the belly of the animal and was struggling to extract herself with something approaching dignity, when a hand grabbed hers and began to pull. Finally, she managed to stand beside the animal and began to wipe herself down as best she could. Major Tavik followed with a noise like a rock landing in mud. Above there was a delay as two of the razor-cats took offence at their meals vanishing from their claws and had run forward. Peers and Carl had fired rapidly before the Tactical Officer had pushed his Commanding Officer into the hole before jumping in after him. Marionette managed to pull the Admiral clear before Commander Peers landed atop of him.
"Well ... That was, fun !" Calli said, looking up at the eyes glaring down at them from above.
Carl made a slow three sixty turn, his prosthetic eye allowing him to see more than normal Human vision would.
"Sir ?" Calli asked, but as her eyes became accustomed to the dim light, she could see what he was looking at. She took a few steps forward, wary of traps that could have been laid. They were stood in a vast cavernous space. It was impossible to see just who far it extended, but what caught their full attention, was the doors ... Twelve white doors, each in a white frame, were spaced equidistant from the group in what seemed to be a perfect circle. The problem, or at least the first problem, was the fact that there was nothing either side of the doors.
"Major." she said, looking back at Aeryn, "With me."
The two approached the door ahead. Aeryn raised her phaser as Calli began to walk around the door in it's frame. After a few seconds she was back with the Marine. The others joined them, each as confused as the next. Calli moved to the second door, walking around it like she had the first. At random she picked a third with the same result. Commander Watson walked to another door, this too seemed to be stood with nothing surrounding it.
"I'm guessing we're expected to go through one of these then ?" Lieutenant Yang said, vocalizing what the others were thinking.
"I don't like it." Calli said ..........
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Andae Blakus
Moderator ..
Commander 1C
Registered: Oct 17, 2007 22:48:27 GMT
Posts: 1,452
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Post by Andae Blakus on Feb 22, 2014 12:29:07 GMT
Andae crept along the passage, shuffling to make as little noise as possible while also trying to move as fast as he could. He'd lost his pursuer, who he was sure was not real, but whose weapon certainly seemed to hold a significant threat. He couldn't discount the possibility that he could be killed in this place.
The corridor started to bend substantially as Andae scurried faster and faster along its inside wall, a light source becoming evident some way ahead. The light diffused into the cold air of the passage, illuminating dust particles and casting a pale glow off the uneven walls.
"Halt, human!" the Andorian spat. Blakus did nothing of the sort. He scampered forward, nearly losing his footing as an azure bolt shot past him and into the far wall. Sparks flew illuminating his pupils. How had the Andorian caught up with him so quickly? There wasn't substantial time to wonder that however, as once again the floor gave way under him.
Andae heard the Andorian's shriek that seemed to fade into vacuum, muffled an instant upon propagating from his mouth, as he dropped through the floor grasping at air. He cried out, worried that he'd been welcomed into an abyss in which he'd fall forever, before he impacted on a fern and bracken covered surface. He lay still for several minutes, breathing hoarse and ragged. Eventually he built the courage to try and sit up, pushing the palms of his hands against wet moss. He gasped; as he feared... He lifted one hand up to study it; his wrist and arm were slick with blood, a deep cut lying at the centre of the crimson storm.
He looked around. Another recreation, he thought. A sparse wooded area, little vegetation, the trees mostly bare, as if this place had been despoiled recently. There was a sound of something crackling, perhaps a fire, and the taste of acrid smoke that arose from burning plastic. Andae's senses suddenly become very acute; tactile sensation, sound, his feeling of presence here was very... real.
He espied a small hut amongst the trees from which the fire was coming. Hurting all over, he got to his feet and stumbled towards the dwelling. The place came into full sight as he passed a tangle of wood and foliage that was once an upright tree. A man in a Starfleet uniform was stood before it. The officer raised a hand, "Andae! This way."
Blakus approached slowly, warily regarding the unrecognisable man and wishing he had his phaser with him. The red, black and grey figure eventually resolved, shape and form becoming definite. "Carl?" Andae asked, partly relieved, "What is this place? Where's the rest of the team?"
"Inside the lodge. Come on," Carl grinned, turning away and climbing the steps to enter the hut.
Blakus followed without a word, already certain that this wasn't Torek. He knew his friend - he wouldn't act in such a manner, with the away team stranded in endless simulations and at the mercy of the woman in the red dress, or whoever it was that controlled this place.
"They're recuperating," Carl replied, taking a seat and inviting Andae to sit in the chair opposite him over the wooden table. The fire burned in the corner of the lodge, sticks and dry bracken crackling as they were consumed by the flames. The window beside the table looked out onto the section of ruined forest Andae had come from.
He turned from the view and regarded the Admiral, who was pulling a bottle of whiskey or something similar from a drawer in the table. "If you're truly Carl Torek, you wouldn't be grinning like that, and you wouldn't be drinking... like that..." the words died as he watched Torek drink from the bottle. "You would also be able to tell me my wife's name... When I was assigned to the Raven... My favourite variant of poker..."
Torek lowered the bottle. "You don't have a wife, Andae." He smiled, "I have all Carl Torek's memories. I'm as good as the real thing." The impostor slapped his forehead, "Oh, I almost forgot." Andae tensed as Carl reached under the table. Carl smiled again to reassure him and there was an imperceptible click. The CO had pressed a button in the table. The wall to Andae's left had retracted, revealing several raised platforms, black cables inserted into their top surfaces that had their source as thick trunks that disappeared into the floor. On each tilted slab a member of the away team lay, unconscious and wired into the devices by the cables.
"They're dreaming, Andae, as you should be," the impostor Torek said, swigging from the bottle again with a dark look in his eyes.
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Carl Torek
Command Staff ..
Site Executive Officer Ranks Officer
Fleet Admiral
"UTRINQUE PARATUS"
Registered: Jun 17, 2006 22:34:35 GMT
Posts: 6,163
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Post by Carl Torek on Feb 22, 2014 18:24:15 GMT
The group of Officers stood in the ring of doors, confusion ran across each of their faces in turn. Carl watched as Calli enlisted Aeryn Tavik and approached the first door. Essentially, each door was in a frame, as you would expect, but that is where the similarity ended, for each door in it's frame stood as a single element. There was no wall either side, nor was there anything behind the door as Calli walked around it, as if someone had simply stood a dozen doors in the middle of the room !
"I'm guessing we're expected to go through one of these then ?" Lieutenant Yang said, vocalizing what the others were thinking.
"I can't say I'm over-keen on opening any of them." Tavik added.
"Check the surrounding room, I want to be sure there is no option before we try opening any of them." Carl ordered, watching his team spread out and pass the doors. Andae walked to one of the doors as if hypnotized. Carl watched him for a moment before asking if the Engineer had something. Blakus took a second to answer, but assured his Commanding Officer that all was well. Within minutes the others were back, confirming they were here for the duration unless one of the doors led somewhere. but that is what Carl was afraid of, 'Where' did they lead, "I think we have no choice here, we pick a door and open it ?" The other's reluctantly nodded in agreement, looking at the doors as if about to gleam some insight as to what may be behind each one. Torek was thinking along the same lines; Did each door open to a different location, or reality, or whatever their captors decided, or was there going to be one option throughout the twelve doors.
He looked at the doors in turn, deciding each was as good as the next. Walking towards the door ahead of him, the others closed in behind him. Reaching out he touched the gold handle, it was warm to the touch, despite the coldness of the room. Increasing pressure, he began to twist ... As the catch released, he pushed the door open. It was, to say the least, an anticlimax.
They could see the room beyond through the now open frame of the door. Lieutenant Yang walked around to stand on the opposite side and look back through. she approached the door, studying it closely. She grabbed the door and pulled it back, almost closing it, before allowing it to glide open once more.
"So much for tha ....." she began to say as she stepped through .... And Vanished ! ..........
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Andae Blakus
Moderator ..
Commander 1C
Registered: Oct 17, 2007 22:48:27 GMT
Posts: 1,452
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Post by Andae Blakus on Feb 25, 2014 20:28:48 GMT
Andae jumped... One of the away team had moved, still locked into her life support, or dream mechanism or whatever it was. Despite the sense that this place made on one level, he could not believe that this was truly reality. The surface of this world - if on the moon GR 190821 they remained - was meant to be a grey wasteland, steeped with razor-tipped mountains and bare valleys where the most advanced forms of life were simple benign bacteria. A spare but vital forest such as this shouldn't be able to exist on this moon.
The marine, Lieutenant Yang, was stirring. Her eyes fluttered open, her head moved from side to side and she groaned. Blakus ran up to her, the impostor Torek looking on from the table in amusement , bottle of whiskey still in his hand. "Lieutenant! It's me, Commander Blakus. You're alright..."
"I don't... I don't..." the Lieutenant's eyes were wide open; Blakus could see how bloodshot they were. Suddenly she screamed, writhing in her restraints. As she began to reach hysterical levels she became abruptly still. Blakus checked her pupils and deduced that she was again unconscious.
"What have you done to her, Carl?" Blakus asked coldly, not taking his eyes off the Lieutenant's still form.
"Nothing!" Torek said behind him, spreading his arms wide and laughing. "I have nothing at all to do with this. Eris is in charge here. She's let me know that already."
"The woman in the red dress?" Andae murmured. "Then you're not her in a different guise."
"No, I'm not. And yes, the woman in the red dress is Eris. She who had us partake in the chess game. She who left before we were set upon by the razor cats. She who opened the sand before your feet to take you into true reality. You should return to sleep, Andae. Go back to your universe, back to the barren moon, and the USS Raven. Back to your unconscious fantasy."
Blakus could feel the pressure building in his head. His face flushed red, "I know what's real!!" He turned from the poor marine and faced the irreverent version of Torek. "If you have any power over Eris, have her return us to our ship now. The crews of the Sagan and the Emeritus also."
"I've already told you," Torek laughed, exasperated, "It's your choice to return there, and to leave this real world."
"I won't listen to your metaphysical nonsense." Disgusted, Blakus marched past the fake Torek, descending the steps of the lodge and slamming the heavy door. As he walked away across the forest floor, he felt an incredible source of heat behind him. He turned in shock, to see the lodge exploding in flames, spontaneously combusting. In a matter of seconds all that remained were a few scraps of scorched wood and the charred remains of nearly a dozen Starfleet officers and UFP marines, laid out on the burnt forest floor, mouths open at horrific angles caught in the middle of their screams.
Andae regarded the bodies with muted indifference, knowing he should be shocked but somehow unable to connect the visage of his dead colleagues with their real counterparts. As he looked into the empty eye sockets of one of the skeletons, his whole reality jerked, transposed by another scene: a cavern of massive proportions, white door frames spaced at regular intervals in a circle from the room's centre. It flashed before his eyes for an instant, his visual input glitching between two different perceived realities, before reality righted itself again, and the despoiled forest returned...
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Alex Watson
Commander 1C
All that glitters has a high refractive index.
Registered: Apr 10, 2011 14:30:46 GMT
Posts: 102
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Post by Alex Watson on Feb 26, 2014 19:05:34 GMT
A saber-cat lunged at Alex, but he brought his sword up in defense and the beast stopped short, snarling and raising its hackles as the two circled each other. Alex slashed a couple of times, more in probing than in attack, and both times his blade was batted aside by the cat’s huge paws. In return, he deflected several swipes of its razor-sharp talons. Alex noticed uncomfortably that each claw was the size and shape of a large dagger.
Locked in stalemate, the two continued to circle and parry-reposte each other until Alex realised that they were quite some yards from the main group. He made to turn back, to call to his friends, but before he could, a vortex of sand enveloped him from nowhere – it filled his ears, his eyes, his mouth. It choked and blinded him. He swung the blade, but the sand simply whipped around its edge.
Suddenly, it stopped.
He could breathe.
He opened his eyes, and saw a perversely familiar sight.
It was his old home, the same street that he grew up in in London’s East End…only it wasn’t.
He couldn’t put his finger on it, something was different, something was wrong.
“Where you bin then!?” a voice screamed from behind him. “Bin sick wi’ worry I ‘ave! Off wi’ yer Starry mateys all hours o’ the day an’ nigh’!”
Alex froze – it was a voice that he hadn’t heard in years. Not since she’d died, anyway.
“You’re not real,” he said as he turned to face his mother…
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Calli Valente
Starfleet Intelligence
"Don't get in my way."
Registered: Aug 4, 2010 21:19:10 GMT
Posts: 534
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Post by Calli Valente on Feb 28, 2014 21:11:59 GMT
"I don't like it." Calli had been studying the doors intently when the Lieutenant walked through the open previously opened. She had stepped forward but Aeryn had grasped her arm before she too could step into the frame of the door ... They had all been shocked by the disappearance. Admiral Torek had ordered everyone back into the center of the circle of doors. Calli noticed that Andae seemed to have been daydreaming, for want of a better word, as the Admiral spoke. He stood, looking out into the mid-distance, like someone not actually 'seeing' what he was looking at, but concentrating on something inside his head. She was about to comment when the Engineer seemed to regain his faculties and turned to listen to their Commanding Officer.
"You drifted off there for a moment." she whispered, nudging Blakus with her elbow, "Something we should know ?" Blakus seemed unaware that there had been any issue so Calli let the issue drop, thinking she may have imagined it. She turned back to Torek in time to see Alex get the same blank look on his face. She held up a hand to stop Carl speaking and pointed to the Exec' Officer ... Lieutenant Scott ran a tricorder over Commander Watson:
"Increased theta wave activity. It's as if he was in a light sleep, or ... In an hypnotic state."
"Can you bring him out of it ?" Torek asked, concern on his face.
"I wouldn't recommend it Sir, it would be like waking a sleepwalker, the subject could suffer neural damage." the Lieutenant answered, a little unsure, "Sir, to be honest, we're trained as Field Medic's we don't usually need to access something of this magnitude. We would just sedate and call for a beam out." he finished, a little embarrassed.
"No, not a problem Lieutenant." Carl was saying as Calli spoke:
"He's coming out of it." The group looked at Watson, who returned their looks with puzzlement. Calli explained he had been in some trance-like state for approximately three minutes. The Exec' had no idea what she was talking about and was convinced he had been listening to every word that had been said.
< tag : Alex >
"We need to make a move Admiral !" Calli said, "If we're all drifting in and out without knowledge, who knows what could happen. Admiral, I think we're being given little option here. Is it possible Eris is doing this to force our hands. She may be pushing us to go through one of those doors, I say we refuse to take the bait, move further into the cavern. If we break the cycle, it may force her into something she hadn't planned on ?"
"Yes, she may well kill us out of annoyance." Lieutenant Young said, eyeing the doors, "and what about Yang. She went through that door and disappeared, do we leave her behind !"
"That's ENOUGH Lieutenant. We'll find Yang." T'Brel admonished his Officer.
"The Commander is right." Torek asserted, "We can't keep being led from one game to the next to keep Eris happy. We'll look for the Lieutenant elsewhere."
They began to move off, out of the circle of doors. As they reached the outer rim, they heard the unmistakable low growl of one of the razor-cats. It was sat directly in their path, eyes locked on the group as if pondering which was the weakest, and most vulnerable. A beam of pure energy lanced from Tavik's phaser and slammed into the forehead of the massive beast. It managed a whimper of shock before evaporating into a myriad of atoms. Aeryn secured her weapon and looked at the others as if waiting for someone to object ... No-one did.
"I'll lead." she said, stepping outside the ring and walking at a steady pace away from the doors. After a second, the group followed, keeping a wary eye out for any more of their tormentors ..........
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Carl Torek
Command Staff ..
Site Executive Officer Ranks Officer
Fleet Admiral
"UTRINQUE PARATUS"
Registered: Jun 17, 2006 22:34:35 GMT
Posts: 6,163
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Post by Carl Torek on Mar 5, 2014 19:16:49 GMT
"The Commander is right." Torek asserted, "We can't keep being led from one game to the next to keep Eris happy. We'll look for the Lieutenant elsewhere." Young apologized for his indiscretion and fell into step with the others, his phaser panning a slow arc to cover their left side. As they left the ring of doors behind the light faded to almost zero. Their progress was slower now by necessity, the last thing they needed was to fall off some unseen precipice. But they needn't have worried about falling, because as they moved forward something came into view, or rather 'someone' ... She stood, patiently waiting for the group of Star Fleet Officers to approach. T'Brel inched ahead to ensure she didn't have direct access to the Admiral, but Eris just smiled at the loyalty he showed, though her amusement didn't hold as she locked eyes with Torek: "I am a little disappointed that you didn't take up my offer of one of the doors, Admiral." Eris said, stepping around the Security Officer as if he was irrelevant, "I went to a lot of trouble to set up that little game, and now it's all gone to waste." "We'er not 'PLAYING' you're games any more !" Carl said defiantly. "Oh, is that so ? ..... Well, let me see. What if I removed the atmosphere inside this chamber, now that would compel you to take a chance, wouldn't it, if only for your continued survival ... Right ?" she finished, a wry smile forming on her lips as she watched the group, "Oh I wouldn't do that Commander." she said, turning to face T'Brel, who had raised his phaser in her direction, before lowering it again. He watched the woman for a long moment. Knew she had them, no matter what actions he took from here on in, and given his commitment that he was no longer going to be led by some invisible leash, he moved to one side and walked past her without looking back. After a second, the others followed silently. They had been walking in their best guess as to a straight line for twenty minutes when Carl slowed: "Suggestions." he asked, turning to face the others. "Keep going ... It's our only option I think." the Marine Lieutenant said simply. "Thank you Mister Scott, then keep going it it." Torek said, turning to continue. ooooo It didn't take long to realize where they were ... It was the recreation lounge on the Raven ! They looked around quickly, expecting to see Eris sitting patiently, waiting to see whet their reactions would be. But the lounge was deserted, save for the away team. Carl tapped his Comm badge: =^= Torek to Bridge =^= =^= Torek to Bridge =^= Alex tried his Comm with the same result, Calli and Aeryn did likewise, but it was obvious they were alone. Commander Peers glanced at the chronometer and frowned. He voiced his opinion that at this time in the evening the lounge would normally be quite full. Off duty personnel, Civilian's, even older Children would be here, socializing, playing one of the many games and entertainment systems. Calli touched one of the table-top selection panels, it worked. She went to the computer panel on the wall and placed a hand on the black glass. The panel illuminated as it would normally: "Computer .. How many people are currently on board ?" "The crew compliment is currently ten." the ship replied casually. "The ships' deserted ?" Aeryn commented. "No ... I think it's a replica." Calli said, confirming what the others were thinking, "Another one of Eris' little games no doubt." "Something is different though ..." Lieutenant Young said, pointing to the chronometer Peers had read moments earlier. It now seemed to have paused. The group began discussing their options when a scream rented the air ..... They ran to the doors and out into the corridor. A second scream pierced the air, Peers ran ahead, phaser ready. As they rounded the corner they found the source, it was Lieutenant Yang, she was dead. Calli entered the nearest room and came back with a blanket. She covered the body, closing her eyes for a moment out of respect for a fallen Officer, then she stood: "This needs to end." she said quietly. "Let's head for the Bridge." Carl ordered ..........
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Marionette
Commander
Dr. Soong's penchant for whimsical names seems to have no end.
Registered: Mar 2, 2012 3:26:33 GMT
Posts: 285
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Post by Marionette on Mar 6, 2014 1:35:08 GMT
"So much for tha ....." Lt Yang began to say as she stepped through - And Vanished ! Marionette blinked in relative surprise. "That was .... Unexpected.""We need to make a move Admiral !" Calli said, "If we're all drifting in and out without knowledge, who knows what could happen. Admiral, I think we're being given little option here. Is it possible Eris is doing this to force our hands. She may be pushing us to go through one of those doors, I say we refuse to take the bait, move further into the cavern. If we break the cycle, it may force her into something she hadn't planned on ?" "Yes, she may well kill us out of annoyance." Lieutenant Young said, eyeing the doors, "and what about Yang. She went through that door and disappeared, do we leave her behind !" "That's ENOUGH Lieutenant. We'll find Yang." T'Brel admonished his Officer. "The Commander is right." Torek asserted, "We can't keep being led from one game to the next to keep Eris happy. We'll look for the Lieutenant elsewhere." Marionette said nothing, being abit pre-occupied with ripping up her uniform jacket (and a rock or two) to rig up a skin-patch of sorts to her damage, to keep any loose internal parts of hers from falling out, and/or shifting around, on both her leg and her torso and shoulder. After the lone razorcat was vaporized, they walked onward in the dark cave, suddenly to find themselves back on The Raven (a replica), in the recreation lounge. The away team was about to discuss their options now that they were somewhere fairly familiar, when a shrill scream sounded off. Not far behind T'brel Peers, Marionette looked to see that it was indeed Lt Yang. "Unfortunate, and Unacceptable." she pronounced as Commander Valenti laid the blanket over Yang's body, as if the gynoid was some sort of judicial official, concluding that violent action may be necessary, even with a being as powerful and elusive as Eris. With the awayteam now in the turbolift, Marionette spoke "Admiral, would it be out of place to suggest that violent action may be needed, in spite of Eris's obvious and varied powers ?" o-o-[T]-o-o The turbolift doors opened to reveal a bridge that seemed to be isolated out of time. It was as if everyone had left in the middle of a shift. The screen showed a view of a never-ending starfield, with nothing else to attract the eye. Consoles ran idle, having nobody to continue initiating and/or correcting the various processes of the computers. Nothing seemed to be out of place, aside from no people.
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Andae Blakus
Moderator ..
Commander 1C
Registered: Oct 17, 2007 22:48:27 GMT
Posts: 1,452
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Post by Andae Blakus on Mar 8, 2014 1:16:57 GMT
Andae found himself conscious, alive, bursting with vitality in the cavern with the white doors situated at regular intervals from a central point. He followed the others into the darkness, the glowing scarlet figure of Eris emerging from the shade standing beside a bottomless cavern.
While he agreed it was best not to continue using the doors - and their time might be better spent exploring possibilities of escape that didn't involve entering doors taking them to places utterly unknown, or even dissolving them from existence - he also thought maybe their new course of action might be exactly what Eris wanted. She stood before them, grinning, seductively, as if she had the away team wrapped around her little finger. Maybe the doors were a ploy, one she'd expected them to ignore, knowing they'd believe it to be too high risk. Perhaps they were being led to a doom bleaker than death itself.
* * *
He regarded the empty skull, his mind seeming to burrow into the former marine's thoughts, although he knew that was impossible - all that remained of the marine's thinking nexus were smears of charred brain matter, coated on the inside of her cranium. He 'saw' a collage of images, sliding by him like old-fashioned photographic reproductions captured by light exposure; snapshots, he understood in that instant, of the last instants of marine Yang's life.
He blinked, numbed by shock. Yang's empty skull spoke a thousand words, courtesy alone of its motionless blackened jaw. He stumbled forwards away from the mass of charred bones and smouldering ruins - all that remained of the shack where the false Torek had admonished him - towards the edge of the forest and a cleared area that rose towards a steep hill.
The narrow path wound back and forth, turning near ninety degrees and marked with a stake, atop which was a symbol Blakus thought he recognised: the spread eagle, the crest, the inscription 'S.P.Q.R.'.
Blakus looked up the steep rise in wonder. Ancient Roman battlements outjutted from the hilltop, scarlet standards battered in the wind; points of javelins reflecting the heady light of the alien sun as their bearers moved back and forth along the parapets.
He continued his laborious trek to the summit, his mind awash with possibilities. Yang had died on the Raven. Her body exposed to sudden flame that leapt forward as if consciously enveloping her. She'd blanched, her ghostly figure illuminated by the ethereal fire. And an unmistakeable scent of woodsmoke, consuming her body...
A scattering of rocks from above distracted him from his musings. People, moving down the slope, dislodging loose pathing as they scampered down in their sandals. He instantly flattened and crouched against the wall so that he'd be out of sight. The next sharp turn was to the left; the soldiers would appear any instant. He had to conceal himself better than this...
"You!" one soldier pointed in Andae's general direction and shot a glance at his comrade. The second Roman marched forward, javelin lowered but gladius drawn in his other hand. Andae knew what he had to do... He prepared to burst from his hiding place, bundle the Roman soldier off the edge. But there was no need.
"Centurion!" the second Roman called back, no more than two metres from Andae. "No need. He is a patrician."
Andae said nothing as he was lifted to his feet by the two men, and marched up the winding slope to the citadel. They reached the entrance, a lavishly dressed censer waiting at the gateway, "Name?" he said impatiently, upon the sight of the bedraggled engineer and his escorts.
Blakus was silent at first, eventually drawing forward the words, "Andae Blakus Initio."
"I'm not familiar with that genus..." the censer pronounced suspiciously, "The Blakians?"
"It's the 24th century," Blakus said impatiently, caring not for the intricacies of this reproduction, "Things change."
"They certainly do," a voice replied from the shadows beyond the gateway. Dry, cracked laughter followed the affirmation. The owner of the voice resolved itself into a robed individual, dressed in the white of an official of the Ancient Roman Senate. Blakus's shock was doubled from before. It was his old friend, lost in a subspace disturbance years ago, before the whole business with the Cordovin: Ben Zielinski.
* * *
Having no memory of his imagined voyage into the past and its fusion with the depths of his genetic heritage, just as he'd no memory of events since seeing the away team consumed by flames, Blakus found himself staring once more at the body of Lieutenant Yang, covered by her shroud of death (from his point of view, for the first time).
"I'll check engineering. If the warp drive is active, we could at least ascertain if this replica is capable of traversing space."
"Is this actually... space?" a marine asked.
"Either way, we'd be able to establish the functionality of this vessel. If we're still in a simulation, at least we'll have some way of getting around it." Blakus turned on his heel without looking back, rounding the corner out of sight. Eventually one of the team followed him.
"I think he just misses playing with his engines..." one of the team murmured conspiratorially.
<Tag All>
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Calli Valente
Starfleet Intelligence
"Don't get in my way."
Registered: Aug 4, 2010 21:19:10 GMT
Posts: 534
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Post by Calli Valente on Mar 9, 2014 18:17:58 GMT
Calli watched the Chief Engineer leave the Bridge. She turned to the Ops station and began checking what did, or didn't actually work. As far as she could tell everything did as expected, she could pretty much control most of the ships' functions from here, so the question was, should she ? ... Torek was sat in the command seat checking his consoles, no doubt doing exactly what she herself was doing. T'Brel had gone straight to the Tactical station and was checking weapons and shields. The others were looking at information relevant to their roles on the ship.
"None of the crew, or Civilian personnel are on board Admiral." Aeryn confirmed.
"So the ship is empty." Carl said as the Comm chirped to life:
=^= Blakus to Bridge =^=
=^= Go ahead Commander ... =^= Torek said.
< tag : Andae >
"What I can't understand is 'how' we can move the ship, or even go to warp ... If we're in her simulation, surely wherever we go will be moot. We'll still be stuck in her little game." She stopped talking then suddenly left the Bridge, running to the Captains ready room, she returned a phaser in her hand, "OK ... We know our weapon's worked on the surface, what if these react differently, that could be crucial." Without warning she spun to face Marine Lieutenant Scott, and fired. The man dropped like a stone to the deck ...
"You're point ?" Carl asked, watching Aeryn attend to her fallen Officer, who was thankfully coming round.
"We know the co-ordinates of the complex we wend down to in the Piper." Calli said, "If these work, then what's to say the ships' weapons don't work too. Lock onto the facility, and fire !" There was a moment's silence as the others took in her hypothesis, but Lieutenant Young was concerned:
"Hold on ...... We're on the surface right, this Eris is manipulating what we see at any given moment, so my question is, if we fire on the complex, all saying we can get a lock, would we not simply be killing our 'real' selves who are still in there ?" Carl had been listening to the exchange and realized what Valenti was doing. If Eris wanted to keep them alive she would never allow the Raven, or at least 'this' Raven, to fire on her little charade, so the best way to ensure she shows her face again would be to attempt to destroy the very thing she is connected to ! ... He tapped the Comm:
=^= Torek to Blakus =^=
=^= Blakus =^=
=^= How much of our power reserves can we push into the weapons systems Andae ? =^=
=^= All of it =^= the Engineer replied after a moment.
=^= Stand by Commander ..... =^= Torek said as he noticed Calli trying to get his attention.
"I have another idea." she said, taking a breath before continuing, "The Self destruct." The Admiral looked at her in silence for a second or two before speaking:
=^= Andae .. Did you hear that ? =^=
=^= Yes Sir =^=
=^= Get up to the Bridge .. We need to talk =^= Torek said, closing the Comm then turning to Calli:
"We'll go through the ship first, then if our 'Host' doesn't give us some clue as to what she has in mind, we'll go with your suggestion. For now, everyone concentrate on what you can or can't access, what level of control we have over the ship itself. If we can move her, who's to say some opportunity may not present itself." ..........
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Sato Tetsutaro
Starfleet Intelligence
[Deceased]
Registered: Nov 30, 2013 2:01:59 GMT
Posts: 538
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Post by Sato Tetsutaro on Mar 9, 2014 22:52:21 GMT
Star Fleet Command - Earth ...Sato walked into the massive conference center with his Aide, Helena Richmond. He had briefed his Aide on the situation beforehand and they were now about to inform the President and the Ruling Council Members of the situation. Sato wasn't the type to beat around the proverbial bush, so he was intent on going in there and making his point ...
He took his seat, to the left of the Federation President and told Helena to set up the information he required. after a few moments she whispered all was ready. The President opened the briefing then turned it over to Tetsutaro .....
"The situation regarding GR 198021 has now reached a critical juncture. Following the disappearances of the USS Sagan and Emeritus, crewed by approximately seventeen hundred personnel and civilians, we have been informed that no less than nineteen other vessels, of various size and origin, but including numerous races affiliated to the Federation have now been reported missing in the Gyrus-Rotak System ... Following instructions, the USS Raven-B was dispatched to investigate the situation ... We have, as you know, lost all contact with the Raven ... her last communique was dated almost one month ago, and we have been unable to restore contact since that date."
The Council discussed the situation in depth for hours, until a consensus was reached. Sato objected strongly to the Federation sending yet another vessel to their apparent doom:
"It is my opinion that we annex the Gyrus System indefinitely ... In fact, I would go as far as to request, no, I beg forgiveness, I demand the System be quarantined. Markers set in place to ensure no further losses !" Tetsutaro finished, bowing politely.
"Admiral ...." Drew said quietly, "Am I to understand you are suggesting we abandon our lost citizens and just move on ?"
"You have an alternate suggestion, Section Admiral. We have lost over three THOUSAND of our finest, will you commit to more losses ?" Sato said, using the mans full title for emphasis, but Drew remained silent, "Then I petition for the Gyrus System to be effectively quarantined for the foreseeable future. We should accept our losses and move forward."
The Council was silent, until the President spoke:
"Admiral. Am I correct in my information that you're adopted Son, Admiral Torek, and your adopted Daughter Commander Valenti, are missing in that system ?" Tetsutaro nodded remaining silent. The President lowered his head for a long moment, then made rule ...:
"It is the finding of this Council that Admiral Tetsutaro's recommendations be implemented immediately. No further vessels will be sent into the Gyrus System. Marker buoys will be placed to prevent entry to the System. Admiral Tetsutaro will ensure these instructions are carried out ... If there are no further comments ... Then this meeting is concluded." the President stood, then left the auditorium. Sato watched him leave, and politely bade the Section Admiral God speed on his return to Star Base Forty Seven.
He sat quietly watching the Flag Officers and Council member leave, then waved his Aide over:
"Helena ... Please inform Captain Hara I will be needing the Hinori. We will be taking a little trip."
"You are sure you want to do this ?" Captain Richmond asked, knowing she could speak without reprimand.
"One hour Helena ... OK." Sato said quietly ..........
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Alex Watson
Commander 1C
All that glitters has a high refractive index.
Registered: Apr 10, 2011 14:30:46 GMT
Posts: 102
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Post by Alex Watson on Mar 10, 2014 13:05:06 GMT
Alex’s mother walked up to him, berating her son over and over again for leaving her alone in a “hellhole” while he was “off running merry with his posh officer arse friends.” She was saying everything that Alex had ever regretted, feared, and loathed about his decision to leave the slums of the East End of London and seek a better life for himself – he had always felt that he had abandoned his family, but he had always hidden that – even from himself.
He began to cry, and not just a trickle from the corner of his eye. He fell to his knees, sobbing violently into the concrete, forced to confront his betrayal at last.
“I’m sorry, mum.” He choked out. “I’m so sorry. I meant to come back, to help you all out of that place.”
“Fat lot of good that does me now that I’m dead, you worthless lump. And your father – he never forgave you either. His last words were, “I only wish I’d seen that bloody son of mine again so that I could wring his wretched neck!””
Alex couldn’t take it any more. Screaming, he stood up, swinging the sword. “YOU’RE NOT REAL! THAT’S NOT WHAT HAPPENED!” he howled as the sword sliced through the neck of the apparition.
As soon as it had begun, it was over. He was back, standing amidst his fellow Raven officers. They were looking at him in a most peculiar fashion.
“What happened?” asked Alex, still blinking back the tears.
“I don’t know. You…kind of zoned out. Just stood there motionless.”
Alex furrowed his brow. This would need some thinking over.
…..
As they made their way through the ship, Alex had begun to develop his theory. He knew what he THOUGHT was happening, but it was a long leap between a hypothesis and a proven theory. He would need evidence – but how to get it? An idea struck him.
They were passing the doors to the med-bay, or what at least appeared to be the med-bay.
“Everyone hold here. I need to test something.”
“Alex, this isn’t the time to delay,” whispered Carl. “We need to keep going.”
“I have to test something. If I’m right, we can save ourselves.”
“Fine, but do it quickly.”
Alex stood, looking at the doorway. He walked towards it slowly, and everyone was unsurprised when he bumped off the metal barrier. He smiled. The first part of his theory was holding up. He took a couple of steps backwards.
“Spin me,” he said to the others.
“What?”
“Spin me, like in the child’s game. Spin me so that I have no idea which way I’m facing.”
“Alex, have you cracked?” hissed Carl.
“Trust me.”
Carl sighed, and he and the rest of the crew present crowed round Alex as he closed his eyes, spinning him around this way and that for nearly a full minute. When they stopped, Alex’s head was swimming and he was as dizzy as he had ever been, but he had no idea which way he was facing, and that was what mattered.
“Everybody back away,” he slurred a little, taking a step forwards unsteadily. He stepped, and stepped again. As he regained his balance he began to walk more confidently, until he heard a gasp of shock from everyone behind him.
Everyone else had just seen Alex walk straight through a sealed bulkhead as if it weren’t even there.
Alex made a few mental calculations, turned one hundred and eighty degrees, and took a few steps back before opening his eyes. He saw the rest of the crew staring at him, their mouths open.
“How did you do that?” mouthed Andae.
“It’s simple, really.” Alex said, a smile broadening across his face. “I was able to walk through it because I didn’t know it was there.”
<Tag All>
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Andae Blakus
Moderator ..
Commander 1C
Registered: Oct 17, 2007 22:48:27 GMT
Posts: 1,452
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Post by Andae Blakus on Mar 11, 2014 23:24:46 GMT
=^= Blakus to Bridge =^=
=^= Go ahead Commander ... =^= Torek said.
Blakus's surprise grew as he surveyed the master console. All the indicator lights were showing positive; near hundred percent plasma conversion efficiency, fusion generators... functioning within parameters. Things were almost as he'd left it. Though perhaps with a few... subtle differences.
=/\=We have full warp and impulse power at our disposal, Admiral,=/\= he reported, and it seemed for an instant that he was back on the real Raven. Except for the empty engineering around him, suspiciously empty like a despoiled crypt. =/\=I can offer you warp 9.7 max rated. Shall we see how far we can get away from the moon, sir?=/\=
The response wasn't immediate and wasn't directed at Andae so he resumed his work, alone in the tomb of engineering. =/\=What I can't understand is 'how' we can move the ship, or even go to warp ... If we're in her simulation, surely wherever we go will be moot. We'll still be stuck in her little game...=/\= During Calli's ruminations something drew Blakus's attention from the upper level. He swore he'd heard something; footsteps, tapping loudly on the perspex covering surrounding the magnetic constrictors. The steps circled the glowing column, a third sound in sync with them, prodding the floor. Blakus looked up, transfixed. A gentle whistling was permeating the air, coiling away to be absorbed by the ever-present hum of the warp engines.
Blakus shrugged and exited engineering, following Torek's orders. Not long later, he was following the rest of the senior staff and the remaining marines through the corridors of the ship. Alex halted before the sickbay doors, and performed a little trick that left the whole team stunned and not believing their eyes... Some doubted the reality of the moment, wondering if this was another of Eris's tricks.
But Blakus had another idea... He saw the logic, farfetched and near-metaphysical though it was, in Watson's reasoning. After his initial shock, his own physics training caught up, although he suspected his contemporaries at the Academy would've frowned if they'd see him now.
"What if..." he began, knowing that Watson was thinking - had already thought - the same thing, "This isn't simply a simulation, with definite boundaries in time and space (even though Eris seems to be able to twist spacetime here at will)... What if it's all in our heads? She's locked our minds into this place. This place is a pure manifestation of our conscious and subconscious. If we lose our orientation, if we confuse ourselves so we can't differentiate between any of our senses, we automatically confuse and warp these surroundings. Commander Watson's walking through that bulkhead was equivalent to... stumbling upon a thought he'd arrived at by accident."
"How do we know this isn't one of Eris's plans? She may have opened that bulkhead for the Commander, seeing the intent in his mind," one of the team objected.
"But if it isn't..." Blakus trailed off, berating himself before their expectant looks. "We could confuse our minds, subject ourselves to some form of mild neurological destabilisation... Perhaps this Raven will cease to be... we could start to take control."
"But Eris still holds all the keys, Commander."
Blakus folded his arms, looking at Torek and Watson. It was ultimately their call, and Calli's, for formulating the plan to fire on the facility. "What's the choice. We attempt to destroy the facility, although I don't think it's the real one, or try to change the nature of the Raven, the nature of our environment, by ourselves?"
<Tag Torek, Watson, All>
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Alex Watson
Commander 1C
All that glitters has a high refractive index.
Registered: Apr 10, 2011 14:30:46 GMT
Posts: 102
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Post by Alex Watson on Mar 12, 2014 19:05:33 GMT
Alex nodded as Blakus talked.
“Exactly. He said, when the engineer had finished. “There are theories that state that the very concept of “reality” is only the result of the way our brains interpret electrical stimuli. If those electrical stimuli were altered or interpreted in a different way, then our reality would literally CHANGE.”
Carl nodded. He seemed to understand, even at a slightly basic level, but the rest of the crew looked completely lost. Alex was a little frustrated – it seemed so simple.
“Listen. The theory doesn’t work for objective reality because of the theory of mass. Despite the fact that most of the space in any substance is just empty space, objects SHOULD be able to pass through each other without problems – but the electron forces stop that and give an object mass.”
More blank looks.
“Fine – in reality, if you walk into a door then you’ll smack face first into it. But if that door only exists because it is being interpreted as such in your mind, rather than having any physical form, then you can override your brain’s signals with effort. I remember reading about something similar happening to the crew of the original Enterprise. They were transported to a replica of the gunfight at the OK Corral. They were only able to escape because they realised it was a mental simulation, rather than a physical one…and…”
Alex turned to look at Carl,
“And because they had a Vulcan who was able to produce the mental states in the crewmembers required to deny the reality they perceived.”
<Tag Carl>
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Carl Torek
Command Staff ..
Site Executive Officer Ranks Officer
Fleet Admiral
"UTRINQUE PARATUS"
Registered: Jun 17, 2006 22:34:35 GMT
Posts: 6,163
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Post by Carl Torek on Mar 12, 2014 20:42:32 GMT
"OK ... " Carl said, fighting the compulsion to scratch his head, "Let me get this straight here ... We can walk through walls as long as we don't know they are there. Problematic to say the least right. Now, Alex, you are saying we could be made to 'believe' this is all some elaborate mental stimuli, and we could dissolve the simulation by simply ignoring it ?"
"Well not quite ...." the Exec' said, almost grinning at the Admiral.
"So my question is this." Carl continued, before someone baffled him even further, "Can we fly this ship out of here, and if so, where would we even go. I say we ..." he was interrupted by Calli, who was looking at the chronometer:
"When we arrived, so to speak, that said we had almost thirty six hours. We've been here approximately one hour ?" she said, pausing while the others concurred, "So why is there only eight hours remaining ?" The other's realized that they had either lost over a day, ships' time, or the clock was wrong. If the time was incorrect, then they would simply ignore it, but if they were loosing time so rapidly, what would happen if the count-down reached 'zero' !
"We know this is another of her games." Calli mused, "But why the Raven, why put us back on here alone. If we can't go anywhere, can't effectively leave, or dramatically alter our physical location, then I don't see the point ... We have access to weapons. If I take a phaser and put it on maximum setting, then fire into your face, you will cease to exist, but will that be in my head, or right in front of my face ?" she finished, frustration showing.
"I seriously doubt this Eris would allow any of us to be physically killed off ?" the Marine Lieutenant offered.
"I have an idea." Carl said, turning to one of the consoles, "Computer ... Current status of the 'Auto-Destruct' protocols ?"
"Auto-Destruct functions operational." the ship answered casually.
"What if we decided to blow 'this' Raven to pieces. Would Eris sit back and watch, or would she stop this part of her entertainment in favor of a new scenario. Personally, I think she would stop us going through with it, or at least prevent the ships computer from carrying out the instruction." Torek said. He was about to continue when a massive shudder coursed through the deck plates, throwing the group off their feet. A second then third shudder, each more violent that the preceding one shook the ship ... Fighting to regain their footing, Andae and Calli moved to one of the stations and began checking:
"We're entering the atmosphere !" she said in disbelief.
< tag : Andae >
"Now would be a good time to use those engines you seem to think work." Calli said quietly as the Chief Engineer worked feverishly. The ship began a slow roll until it was effectively on it's back, the upper surface of the saucer section taking the brunt of the massive temperature increase as the ship began to burn through the upper layer of the moon's thin air. Even this deep into the ship, they could feel the growing heat as the outer hull's double skin began to pass the recommended specifications. At their rate of decent, the Raven would impact the surface inside five minutes ... The only thing slowing their fall was the massive surface area of the saucer section, acting as a massive wing, pushing the Raven upwards while gravity worked to pull the enormous structure into the ground ..........
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Andae Blakus
Moderator ..
Commander 1C
Registered: Oct 17, 2007 22:48:27 GMT
Posts: 1,452
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Post by Andae Blakus on Mar 15, 2014 17:23:46 GMT
“And because they had a Vulcan who was able to produce the mental states in the crewmembers required to deny the reality they perceived.” Alex turned to Carl.
The powers of deduction and reason in Commander Watson frequently stunned Blakus. Of course. Torek's vulcan half... He might induce a particular state of consciousness to attempt to free them from this illusion. But to be replaced by what? All they might succeed in doing is warp this mental reflection, this mirror of their minds, and fill it with things more terrible and incomprehensible.
He found himself shaking his head, "The Admiral's allowed his human side dominance over his vulcan side... I doubt he'd have the knowledge of the procedures to induce such mental states..." he glanced at his CO, hoping he wasn't assuming too much, "The NCC-1701 Enterprise had Spock, also human-vulcan, but who also allowed his vulcan side ascendancy. We may as well be talking about different species," Blakus finished quietly.
Torek speculated on what would occur if he were to fire at Valenti... Blakus believed their surroundings were an extension of their minds - or at least of how their minds perceived their surroundings - but he also believed that each of the team were separate entities possessing their own subjective perceptions that helped form the Raven around them. Hence Torek's shooting of Valenti wouldn't merely be in his mind - he may actually kill her.
"I say we see far we can go with the ship," Andae said suddenly. "If Eris lets us flee the system she may create distant destinations for us out of amusement, if they do not already exist."
There was another possibility, Andae thought, that this could be the real Raven, and they really were in orbit of the moon. Eris, nor anyone else to his knowledge, had shown themselves here so far. But he almost preferred to think he was still trapped in the illusion, because the thought of an emptied real Raven was hard to contemplate. If that were the case where had all the crew gone? He imagined his engineering staff bedecked in the bizarre attire of Earth historical figures, caught in a frenzy of vacuous socialising at the duplicate of Starfleet Command.
As the ship began its unwelcome and inexplicable descent into the atmosphere - virtually ending all thoughts that this was the real ship - Andae had himself site-to-site transported to engineering. The hollow tomb vibrated around him, the tower of the constrictors at the heart of it...
Suddenly shutting down.
Blakus raced to the master console, accessing the dilithium matrix visual interface and slamming the comm button to contact the senior staff. "Admiral, we've lost warp power. I predict..." he paused, not accustomed to having to work this all out for himself, "Complete loss of main power in twenty minutes." Thoughts rushed through his head. Twenty minutes. If time was ticking down faster than it should, as Calli had alerted when she'd said they only had eight hours remaining... Then by his calculations that meant they had twenty minutes left. That countdown must've been a countdown to loss of power...
"Impulse, Andae!"
Blakus resisted the urge to groan, "On it," he clambered to the upper floor, checking the fusion generator interface, "Impulse operational but not for long. Pushing for all she's worth. Tell Marionette to step on it when you've all got back to the bridge." He slapped his commbadge off and scampered across the upper level to the magnetic constrictor controls.
<Tag Marionette>
Escaping the atmosphere was obviously the priority, the next set some desperate course. "Sir if we escape the atmosphere, I recommend... we set course for the nearest vulcan colony." With precious few other options, Alex's idea about a vulcan, who may be able to ingrain the fundamental thought process that this was all an illusion, was all he could see they could try at the moment.
<Tag Carl/Alex>
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