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  1. - Top - End - #61
    Halfling in the Playground
     
    Gig_Complex's Avatar

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    Default Re: Trapped - Chapter 2 - Whatever Happened to the Children of Earth?

    Oscar, Next Generation

    Turning to the amnesiac next to him Oscar smiles,

    I like the way you think mate, but first I want to see if this terminal has any info on why the hell we are where we are and what the hell happened to us.

    Afterwards he shouts back into the cyro room,

    Hey you two want to hurry up with whatever you're doing in there, wouldn't want to leave you all alone in this bloody place.
    Last edited by Gig_Complex; 2008-03-15 at 05:19 PM.

  2. - Top - End - #62
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    OldWizardGuy

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    Default Re: Trapped - Chapter 2 - Whatever Happened to the Children of Earth?

    Narration #5 - Separation Anxiety

    • Repository for the Long Night
      • The_Snark – Caroline Walker
        • Vital Statistics
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          • Condition: 100%; No Injuries
          • Equipment:
            • Torn Prisoner Jumpsuit – The remains of a standard issue cyro-stasis prisoner jumpsuit. It preserves your modesty to the degree that the wearer desires, but offers no extra protection.
            • 2 Ancient Spheres of Knowledge – Devices from the era you now find yourself in, they seem to be a compact childlike AI and power source of incredible power, all in a device that fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. They appear to have a hive-mind mentality and can extend what can best be described at liquid metal connections that adjust to interface with anything that they come in contact with.
        • The Narration
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          Having decided on a course of action you start wondering about the nature of the changes that are taking place within you. Yet as things change, you get a sense that what is being added is a wireless capability, something that originally was not included in the upgrades made to you. Yet this is not the standard “wireless” of your era, for it seems to be using a different set of technologies.

          As you think the questions over to the spheres, you almost instantly receive a reply.

          The galaxy has become unsolvable. The scourge has infested 79% of known inhabitable words, with 15% expected to be infested by the end of this solar year. Attempts at immunization are ineffective due to massive genetic manipulation of the human species to protect ourselves against the ‘Reamination’ species and records were lost as to the original non-modified humans genetic templates in key sections.

          It was decided to evacuate the few uninfected survivors to another galaxy that has not yet been on the path of the scourge. The Arks are preparing for the journey for the past 300 years and shortly they will arrive at this harvesting planet to collect supplies harvested by the local slaves. You will be picked up then.

          You and your surviving kin must survive due to being from an era pre-reanimation treatment. This adds to the diversity rating based upon the survivors we discovered on this planet previously.

          Cliché Statement: You may hold the key to survival within your genes.


          At this point you are somewhat behind Wyndell who is carrying Lydia amazingly well for his physical status when the ceiling collapses. You quickly determine that another impact must have occurred and you come to a halt, stopping the others behind you before they run into the debris falling from the ceiling. Judging by the amount of debris it would be nearly impossible to safely excavate your way out with only your hands.

          Looking around you see that the cave-in has opened up another side tunnel to the side. Stepping through it you come upon a sight. A large natural cavern, supported with a series of metallic columns. In it are countless upon countless metallic boxes, each other them sealed with a small metallic sphere that you are holding in your hands hooked up to them.

          You have arrived at the repository. Here are supplies that will be transferred to the Ark upon its arrival. Establishing link with ancient terminal.

          Sensations rush through you, and for a second you swear that you are trapped within a small box. Then your mind splits, and you start processing the sensations to be you connecting to Wyndell PTA. Moving around you find that you are able to take over basic functions, and even establish communications.


      • Mordokai – Misty Reviere
        • Vital Statistics
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          • Condition: 100%; Cuts, scrapes and bruises over body
          • Equipment:
            • Torn Prisoner Jumpsuit – The remains of a standard issue cyro-stasis prisoner jumpsuit. It preserves your modesty to the degree that the wearer desires, but offers no extra protection.
            • 2 Ancient Spheres of Knowledge – Devices from the era you now find yourself in, they seem to be a compact childlike AI and power source of incredible power, all in a device that fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. They appear to have a hive-mind mentality and can extend what can best be described at liquid metal connections that adjust to interface with anything that they come in contact with.
        • The Narration
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          Running ahead of Wyndell holding the two spheres in your hands, you pause for a second and let Wyndell pass you, for he looks to be struggling holding Lydia who looks to be in a state of severe shock. As they pass you start to move when the ground starts to shake under your feet.

          Pausing to catch your balance you find that this is a very good thing to happen for suddenly the ceiling collapses in front of you. Instinct kicks in and you jump backwards as rocks and dirt fall from the ceiling, cave-in the section of tunnel in front of you. Gathering your wits you pick yourself up and even a quick look reveals that the cave-in is so severe that it would be impossible to clear.

          Looking around you see a side-tunnel has opened up with Caroline already making her way into it. You also see that Ranks is still with you as well. As for the status of Wyndell you have no idea, but you think he was clear of the cave-in at the other side of it.

          Without much choice you follow Caroline down a short tunnel into a large natural cavern enhanced and supported with a variety of metal columns reaching into the ceiling. Stacked to nearly the roof of the cavern are boxes, all of them big enough to comfortably fit you and a small bedroom. Each of them has one of the spheres attached to them, glowing slightly enough to provided a comfortable level of illumination within the chamber.

          Looking around you can see paths leads through the boxes, some of which might lead to another exit.

      • Ubersquid – Raul 'Janks' Jenkins
        • Vital Statistics
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          • Condition: 100%; No Injuries
          • Equipment:
            • Torn Prisoner Jumpsuit – The remains of a standard issue cyro-stasis prisoner jumpsuit. It preserves your modesty to the degree that the wearer desires, but offers no extra protection.
        • The Narration
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          Staying close to Wyndell who is carrying Lydia you are surprised by how well that hold scientist is carrying the woman and able to move. Then again having rocks from outer space crashing into the area where you are helps with physical matters.

          Keeping an eye on the ceiling of the cavern you notice the telltale signs that the structural integrity is about to collapse. Then you see the cracks form, and your instincts scream bloody murder at you that it is able to collapse now. Slightly behind Wyndell at this point you shove him forward while pushing yourself back, and not a moment too soon for the ceiling collapses in front of you.

          The cave-in is a severe one, with the debris seemingly never stopping as your scrabble backwards away from the rocks and dirt. Yet eventually balance is reached and the cave-in stops. Picking yourself up you easily notice that the amount of debris that have fallen prevents any clearing of the tunnel without heavy equipment that you are lacking.

          Looking around you notice that Caroline, with a faraway look to her eyes and Misty are also trapped in this section of the tunnel. Yet all is not bad for looking to the side you notice that a new tunnel has been revealed. With Caroline and Misty already making their ways into it and with no other real option available to you, you too follow them.

          Down another short tunnel the three of you emerge into a large natural cavern supported by a series of metallic columns reaching into the ceiling of the cavern. Stacked to the ceiling are rows upon rows of large boxes, large enough to count as a small room in a small apartment. Each one of them has a glowing sphere on them, pulsing slightly and illuminating the chamber enough to see.

          Your eyes geared for construction notice that what you are seeing is impossible, for the size of the chamber and the recent geological activity and asteroid impacts should have caved in the chamber, yet something else is at work, and if it has held up so far, you would probably be safe here for a little while until things calm down outside.

          At that point you realize that you have not heard anything that you were hearing in the tunnel. No near-misses, no thunder strikes, no debris. In this chamber all that you can hear is the breathing of you and your companions.

    • The Hallowed Chamber
      • Firespark – Wydell Tedarri
        • Vital Statistics
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          • Condition: 100%; No Injuries
          • Equipment:
            • Torn Prisoner Jumpsuit – The remains of a standard issue cyro-stasis prisoner jumpsuit. It preserves your modesty to the degree that the wearer desires, but offers no extra protection.
            • 1 Ancient Spheres of Knowledge Connected to your PCT – Devices from the era you now find yourself in, they seem to be a compact childlike AI and power source of incredible power, all in a device that fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. They appear to have a hive-mind mentality and can extend what can best be described at liquid metal connections that adjust to interface with anything that they come in contact with.
            • Personal Computer Terminal - This portable computer terminal is a common piece of equipment. A universal adapter allows it to be plugged into any normal computer terminal, bypassing it's functions and allowing on access to the core programming of the terminal, making it easier to make changes or access systems that shouldn't be accessed normally.

              It is 17" wide and 12" long and 2" deep, and weighs about 5 pounds. The screen is a adaptive display, able to be changed to what the user prefers, and it is very durable.
        • The Narration
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          Grabbing a fellow human being and throwing them over your shoulders is typically a very bad idea. You back makes this clear as several loud popping sounds are heard from It and a few muscles decide to scream in protest. Yet the rush of endorphins turns you into a weak version of a soldier and you are able to force yourself deeper into the cavern. Very lucky for you is that fact that Lydia is not struggling against you, just holding the severed artificial arm of Malaki in her arms.

          Then the prediction from your significantly advanced PCT comes true for nothing other than a direct strike on top of the chamber you were fleeing takes place, causing the entrance to the cave to cave in and sending violent shudders through the ground. Failing to keep your balance you fall forward, throwing Lydia in front of you with you sliding down the descending tunnel, with your uncontrolled passage moving the two of you ahead of everyone else. For a second you swear that someone pushed you.

          In hindsight in many ways this is a good then for shortly behind you the ceiling collapses. Being in a position to see the collapse you notice that nobody else was close to the collapsing section, which is good that there will not be a repeat of what happened to Malaki. Yet this is bad as well for it has separated you and Lydia from the rest of the party.

          The tremors soon cease though the ceiling continues to leak dirt and a few smaller stones, indicating that the stability of it is in question. Recovering your bearings you find that you have arrived at the entrance to a much larger chamber.

          Your eyes are drawn to the metallic structure resting within the support lattice beams holding it in place, which rests a ship. Not only is it a ship, but it is a ship from your original time, one that you dimly remember the name of:
          Chasing the Second Star


          A ship that you recall vanished without a trace. Of course rumors flew about what happened to it, everything from a mis-jump leaving it stranded in the void of space without a way home to aliens destroying it to it being captured by the Frozen Man. Yet now here it is sitting in front of you, looking like it took a pounding but otherwise intact.

          Seeing a ramp leading from the outcropping that you are resting on you can see the shape of Matthias Conway heading towards a open hatchway on the ship.

      • tvga8889 – Lydia Morrison
        • Vital Statistics
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          • Condition: Severe head wound on the forehead.
          • Equipment:
            • Torn Prisoner Jumpsuit – The remains of a standard issue cyro-stasis prisoner jumpsuit. It preserves your modesty to the degree that the wearer desires, but offers no extra protection.
            • Severed Metallic Arm of Malaki Shares – This is the severed artificial arm from Malaki. No longer connected to him it does not work, yet it is of a sturdy design and could function as an emergency weapon or tool if needed.
        • The Narration
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          Clutching the severed arm, your head wound continues to bleed as you bounce around on the shoulders of Wyndell as he runs away from the grave of Malaki. Not much matters to you as you watch the pile shrink away and vanish as Wyndell turns around a corner.

          As you move, you see Janks behind the two of you running as well, watching the ceiling intently. For a second panic flashes over his face, and his arms reach out quickly, pushing Wyndell and sending the two of you flying down the tunnel.

          Then the ceiling collapses, yet thanks to Janks the two of you clear the worst of it, only getting a coating of dirt over you and a few smaller stones bouncing off you not causing any additional harm besides a few bruises. This processes through your shell-shocked mind as the two of you tumble down the tunnel until you both come to a rest.

          Still clutching the arm you sit up, and see that the tunnel emerges into a large natural cavern, with what appears to be a ship resting in a lattice network of metal. Even though you have no formal education in ships you do recognize it as one that was in used before you were frozen.

          There is a ramp leading from your location to the ship itself and you can see a figure which might be Conway yet you are not sure for you think you might be seeing Malaki as well.

      • Inspectre – Matthias Conway
        • Vital Statistics
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          • Condition: 100%; No Injuries
          • Equipment:
            • Torn Prisoner Jumpsuit – The remains of a standard issue cyro-stasis prisoner jumpsuit. It preserves your modesty to the degree that the wearer desires, but offers no extra protection.
        • The Narration
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          Looking over the ship and the multitude of ship designs bouncing around within your ancient skull, you find that you do recognize the class of ship. It seems to be a fairly common long-range exploration scout type vessel, one that go for a long ways without resupplying. However the issue with that is that those types of ships were easily customizable due to their nature. Even looking over the outer hull you can see that changes have been made, but even with those the basic underlying design of the ship should be similar to what you remember.

          Moving along the ramp you yell out to Giovanni yet get no reply when a sudden series of crashing noises direct your attention behind you. By this point you are half-way across the ramp, and turning around you see Wyndell and Lydia on the ground, covered with dirt with Lydia holding something metal in her arms, but you can’t make out the details.

    • Within the Tomb of Metal – The Airlock
      • mf11 – Giovani Fiori
        • Vital Statistics
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          • Condition: 100%; No Injuries
          • Equipment:
            • Torn Prisoner Jumpsuit – The remains of a standard issue cyro-stasis prisoner jumpsuit. It preserves your modesty to the degree that the wearer desires, but offers no extra protection.
        • The Narration
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          Backing against the wall you try to move around the robot floating in the air but it nimbly zips around and stays in front of you, blocking escape. The appendage that it was pointing at you moves in closer, then a blinding light emerges from it.

          Blinking rapidly your eyes try to adjust to the sudden influx of light being shoved into them but fail. You trying to turn and move but the thing makes even more noises, almost sounding angry at your attempts to move and matches your movements, while keeping the blinding light in your eyes. You can hear other metallic noises and various things warming up, none of which sound pleasant.

    • Within the Tomb of Metal – Emergency Cyro-Stasis Chamber
      • Gig Complex – Oscar 'Lucky' Erickson
        • Vital Statistics
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          • Condition: 100%; No Injuries
          • Equipment:
            • Standard Ship Uniform – This uniform is made of a tough material to resist tears and scratches, with many pockets and places to attach and hold items.
            • Shinbone from a Corpse – Taken from one of the dead crewmembers onboard Chasing the Second Star it can serve as a cudgel, but due to the age it is not very durable.
        • The Narration
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          Arriving at the terminal you start trying to access it. Your fingers type out security codes from memory and the screen flickers, filling with random code. Then it slowly stabilizes and a simple line of text appears.

          [b]BUZI Remote Interface
          Good evening Master Erickson, congratulations on your survival and awakening. I have cornered the following unidentified crewmember besides Brother Human who was given root access to all systems. What do you wish me to do for I am unable to communicate with Brother Human at this time?

          [b]Please Select
          • Probe for information using Plasma Cutter and Liquid Nitrogen Spray
          • Terminate
            • Quick and Painlessly
            • Slow and Painful
          • Release and Follow Subject
          • Other
          Beneath the line of text the screen fades in with static and a video feed appears, showing a brightly illuminated face of a man, looking a bit worse for wear, clad in what appears to be a badly damaged cyro-stasis jumpsuit that is colored in prisoner colors. He tries to move out of the camera view while attempting to see but the camera follows him.

          Memories flash behind your eyes and you remember that BUZI was the simple little robot that Ezekiel Jordan had. How it had survived all this time is a miracle, let alone the fact that it now captured another human.

      • TheOutlander – Dane “Thoft” Thoftsten
        • Vital Statistics
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          • Condition: 100%; No Injuries
          • Equipment:
            • Standard Ship Uniform – This uniform is made of a tough material to resist tears and scratches, with many pockets and places to attach and hold items.
            • Shinbone from a Corpse – Taken from one of the dead crewmembers onboard Chasing the Second Star it can serve as a cudgel, but due to the age it is not very durable.
        • The Narration
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          Looking over the shoulder of Erickson you watch as a interface appears to what appears to be BUZI, the simple robot owned by one of the other survivors. Looking at the live video feed it appears that he managed to corner another human. Looking a bit worse for wear, as if he went through a really long and tough day, he is clad in what appears to be a cyro-stasis suit that is colored with colors that prisoners wear. He keeps trying to move away from the camera but it stays with him. Judging by how well his face is lit up it would be a reasonable guess that he is blinded by the light.

          Looking over the diagram of the ship you realize that the scene is taking place near an airlock, which would be a couple-minute jog from your present location. You also realize that the armory is between your section and where this scene is taking place.

      • Mornir – Ezekil Jordan
        • Vital Statistics
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          • Condition: 100%; No Injuries
          • Equipment:
            • Standard Ship Uniform – This uniform is made of a tough material to resist tears and scratches, with many pockets and places to attach and hold items.
        • The Narration
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          OOC: Please refer to previous narration

      • Shades of Grey – Shad
        • Vital Statistics
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          • Condition: 100%; No Injuries
          • Equipment:
            • Standard Ship Uniform – This uniform is made of a tough material to resist tears and scratches, with many pockets and places to attach and hold items.
        • The Narration
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          OOC: Nothing to work with, please help yourself by helping me by trying other things/posting more. Thanks!
    Last edited by Pwenet; 2008-03-16 at 11:31 AM.
    My DM Reputation
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    Quote Originally Posted by Inspectre
    I'm good at making you fear the unknown. Pwenet is good at making you fear the known, which had been the unknown five minutes before he pushed you off screaming into the abyss.
    Quote Originally Posted by Kalirren View Post
    I'm feeling this real hard now.
    Curse you, Pwenet. Curse you.... You had my hopes up there...

  3. - Top - End - #63
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    TheOutlander's Avatar

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    Default Re: Trapped - Chapter 2 - Whatever Happened to the Children of Earth?

    Thoft- Second Generation, Within the tomb of metal

    "Blinded by the light, revved up like a duce, another runner in the night..."€
    Went through Thoft's head as he saw the man squinting, athough his instinct was to capture the man.
    Capture him? What the hell?
    "Can that thing escort him up here?" Thoft asked, reaching for memories that kept themselves at arms length.

    something about this was familiar, what it was, he couldn't place.
    he knew one thing, he did not trust that man's health to a robot.

    Was his decision to meet this man because of some police training he had in an earlier life? or merely reaching out to connect to another living being? Thoft needed time, time he didn't have.

    He'd make time.

    By the time the others had looked up from the console, he was on his way to that entrance.

    Maybe I used to be an olympic sprinter...

  4. - Top - End - #64
    Troll in the Playground
     
    ForzaFiori's Avatar

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    Default Re: Trapped - Chapter 2 - Whatever Happened to the Children of Earth?

    shielding his eyes with one hand, Giovanni raises his other "alright, i give, i give. just get that light outta my eyes. I'll leave and everything he says, backing up towards the exit now. As he does, he calls out towards the exit Conway, you still out there? Anyone? Theres some funky robot thing in here no offense ment, robot, and I dont think it wants me getting by it.
    Last edited by ForzaFiori; 2008-03-16 at 07:37 PM.
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    Go Tigers!

  5. - Top - End - #65
    Halfling in the Playground
     
    Gig_Complex's Avatar

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    Default Re: Trapped - Chapter 2 - Whatever Happened to the Children of Earth?

    Oscar, Next Generation

    Well I'll be damned guys, it looks like the ship crasher is a fellow cryo baby, and a prison one at that.

    Shouting over his shoulder in hopes the others in the cryo room will make their way over,

    Hey Ezekiel! I found your little robo buddy, he's got the intruder pinned like a rat.

    Turning to Thoft with the first smile to cross his face since waking up he replies to the man's inquiry,

    Don't know, this is Ezekiel's little bot so he'd be the one to know how to run it. I think it'd be smart to make our way there though, that way the guy can't skip off while we wait. So I say we leave BUZI to Ezekiel and make our way to the guy in the orange jumpsuit.

    Noticing that Thoft was already on his way to the entrance, Oscar punches in the command telling the little robot to hold the intruder there, preferably without killing him, as he caught up to Thoft.

  6. - Top - End - #66
    Firbolg in the Playground
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    Default Re: Trapped - Chapter 2 - Whatever Happened to the Children of Earth?

    Shade, New Generation

    ugh

    Shad follows Oscar.

    Nice robot. he says, a slight smirk on his face. He looks around for anything like a pole to lean on/use as a walking stick.

  7. - Top - End - #67
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    TheOutlander's Avatar

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    Default Re: Trapped - Chapter 2 - Whatever Happened to the Children of Earth?

    Thoft- The Second Generation

    He was getting closer, somehow, he could feel it. An Ache in head, it could be the lactic acid that his body was creating by running so hard so quickly, but there was a definate ache.

    No, not an ache, it developed into an icecream headache, but the cold.. was voices...
    the voices... aggh.. the more he ran, the louder they became, running, yelling, screaming, rocks falling from the sky...

    The pain in his head became unbearable.

    "GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Thoft said, dropping to his knees, and holding his head.

    What is happening? What is-

  8. - Top - End - #68
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    FireSpark's Avatar

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    Default Re: Trapped - Chapter 2 - Whatever Happened to the Children of Earth?

    Wyndell Tendarri - The Hallowed Chamber
    For a moment, Wydell felt he was still slogging forward, but the sudden realization that there was no longer any weight on his shoulders snapped him back to focus. Pushing himself up with aching arms, Wyndell tried vainly to shake the dirt from his face. As his vision steadied, the image of Lydia sprawled out further ahead pulled his awareness fully back to the present moment. Pushing himself up to one knee, then quickly to his feet, Wyndell tried to take in his current surroundings. Lydia was lying a few feet from him, though she was still bleeding from the head, at least she was still breathing. The thing that took a moment to register, then exploded into recognition, astounded him. What Wyndell had originally only recognized as background was in fact a starship, and a familiar one at that, though he couldn’t immediately place why.

    A sudden noise of grinding rock whipped Wyndell’s head around from the monstrous vessel. The sight of the rock filled passage caused his mind to seize and his heart to sink. Everything else flew from his thoughts as Wyndell stumbled to the cave in, even the PCT slid from his shoulder, the first practically for the time since he found it. Everything was forgotten as his mind whirled in his head, something inside him trying to maintain control, and failing miserably. The internal struggle and strife began to make its way onto Wyndell’s face, and the mix of fear, pain, and distress pulled at him quite physically. Falling to his knees before the rock fall, his hands reached out to try in vain to pull or push at something, and then the only thing left came to voice.

    “Misty.”

    No. This can’t be happening. Yes it can, and is. You can’t save them all. Heck, you’ll all probably wind up dying. Nooo!

    “Misty! MISTY!!”

    You’re wasting your time.

    “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Please, I am so sorry. I tried.”

    I tried. Yes you did. I failed. What did you really expect?


    Wyndell’s hands came up to his face as he hunched over before the rock fall. His whole body began to shake and shudder, as his internal emotions tore at him, and his eyes felt as though they were burning. But no tears came, despite how he tried.

    When will it end? It won’t.
    The light shine on you, and the Creator shelter you. The last embrace of the mother welcome you home.




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  9. - Top - End - #69
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    Default Re: Trapped - Chapter 2 - Whatever Happened to the Children of Earth?

    Lydia Morrison, of the Hope Killer - The Hallowed Chamber

    Lydia cannot feel physical pain. A large block feels as though it has formed in her brain, directly where any feeling would occur. Her only thought is to grasp the arm as though it held her soul inside it and never ever consider the thought of releasing it. Inside that arm, that once piece of him, was Lydia's peace of mind. It kept her steady in thought, at least as steady as she could be for now. She had watched the rocks fall. She had seen him buried. And now she was holding his last remnants. Had her mind been working normally, Lydia would have thought of a witty comment for her situation, but alas, now she could only grieve.

    Her heavy wound was not helping matters. Though she knew she was crying in torrents, she couldn't feel her tears through the massive amounts of blood cruising down her face. For a moment, she put the arm down, but only long enough to catch a breath. She wished for the stone to just come falling down upon her. Lydia wanted to be with him so very much.

    Her mind was beginning to start kicking back into survival mode again, but her body refused to react. Twice she tried to stand, twice her legs rejected the order. Grasping hard on Malaki's arm, Lydia found no method of movement plausible without neglecting her current saving grace. Mentally, she began blocking it out of existence just to keep herself from drowning in her sorrows once again. Though if she didn't do something quickly, she would start drowning in her own blood.

    Lydia's free hand came to her head for a moment. It hurt. Lydia had felt wounds like this before, and it didn't seem to hurt as much as it should have, which troubled her for a moment. The lack of blood was beginning to get to her, and Lydia felt her head getting lighter. Perhaps this is why I can think clearly again: my mind is figuring out that I'm totally screwed unless I do something about this. Still too lightheaded to even think about standing up balanced, Lydia decided to just start talking. The words were much harder to form with all her blood leaving her body through the topmost part, but she figured it out. "Something is telling me it's bad that I can't see straight. And that I can't remember what comes between 7 and 9." Off in the distance, she noticed someone there, but she consciously began rejecting the figure's existence due to it's similarity to him.

    Only once Wyndell charged the stone wall and started yelling did Lydia realize he wasn't carrying her anymore. Unable to move, Lydia did the only other thing she thought she could do that might help: talk. "Wyndell, we're alive. She's alive, too. Do you hear any more crashing? I think, for now, the stone's stopped falling." And you're still bleeding like a waterfall. "By the way, do you know anything about head wounds? Because all I know is that there's something silvery over there and that there's something red coming out of my noggin."
    Thanks to araveugnitsuga for my Pika-tar!
    PTU: Alyssa OOC IC

  10. - Top - End - #70
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    Default Re: Trapped - Chapter 2 - Whatever Happened to the Children of Earth?

    Caroline Walker- Repository for the Long Night

    Caroline asked a single question of the spheres as the vast forest of crates came into view, stretching onwards further than she could see. More would come later, but she had thought of so many possible answers to this one as the spheres spoke that she judged it to be the most urgent. If only to free her thoughts to something of more immediate relevance. Even she could hardly avoid thinking about what had nearly doomed the human race.

    What scourge? Another form of intelligent life? A disease? Oh, if only her processors were not so dissimilar from theirs! After years of communicating in lines of perfect data, of thinking in those same lines, it was humiliating to be stymied by something as outdated as linguistics—for the word scourge could mean either a disease or a hated foe! Language, actual language, was the best means of communications she had with the spheres, and how slow and inaccurate it could be.

    She walked forwards, gesturing to the other two to follow her. A moment of disorientation struck her as she sensed two places at once; then the difficulty resolved itself before she could so much as stumble. It was exactly like being connected to a computer system—in fact, that was what it was. She just hadn't expected it without being physically connected to a computer.

    Clearly, the spheres had made progress with her.

    A rapid exploration of the new system available to her made it fairly clear that the new system was the computer the engineer Terrari had been carrying. The spheres had connected to that, too. Good; we can reestablish contact with the others. She sets up a very simple command, and the PCT began pinging faintly; the following words, in the very simplest of programs, appeared in a black window on the screen.

    WYNDELL TERRARI. PLEASE RESPOND IF ABLE _ The blinking underscore was a near-universal cue for input; if he, or anybody else nearby, could respond, that and the noise should be enough to tell them that they should do so.

    Her next thoughts are for the spheres again. Where next? Should we wait here for the ark, or elsewhere?
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  11. - Top - End - #71
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    MindFlayer

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    Default Re: Trapped - Chapter 2 - Whatever Happened to the Children of Earth?

    "Janks" - Repository for the Long Night

    Janks slowly steps through the cavern, gazing at the columns at first. Pushing his hand against one of them he looks up at the ceiling with a worried look. He is clearly surprised by it's sturdiness, despite of it's fragile appearance. The lack of any more crash sounds however gives his mind a bit of ease. Still looking up occasionally he now turns towards the boxes.

    "Damn... What is this place again now? Is this what the old robot-guy wanted us to see? Any of you two birds have an idea what's going on?"

    "...Wonder what's in there."


    Striking his hand over the surface of one of the boxes, Janks looks for a hatch or a lever that would open it.

    "We need some tools, preferably an excavator or something... We need to dig through to the others, they should be still alive, right?"

    Janks keeps walking around the box and pulls at one side of it with full force, effortlessly for now. Suddenly he looks at Caroline.

    "Luv, don't just stand about. Could you have a look if this cave has any more exits?"

  12. - Top - End - #72
    Troll in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Trapped - Chapter 2 - Whatever Happened to the Children of Earth?

    Matthias is only perhaps halfway up the ramp when with the loud crash of a cave-in behind him, Lydia and Wyndell appear at the mouth of the tunnel leading into the ship's cavern berth. Although he couldn't tell what the two of them were carrying, he was still able to make out the sight of blood at this distance which certainly wasn't good.

    At last hearing a reply from Giovanni, Matthias is relieved that the man is alive afterall and he wasn't about to stumble over his corpse. However, due to distance and the bulk of the ship now in between them, Giovanni's shounting only clued Matthis in that he was alive, and something about a robot. Yet another science fiction marvel come to life. He really would have to go looking for that magic sword later.

    Unfortunately, Matthias had more important issues to deal with now than even a robot. Cupping his hands over his mouth, Matthias shouted back to Giovanni, "That's great! We have wounded out here, so don't piss Robby off and get out here, okay!?

    Turning away from the ship, no longer a death sentence since it seemed to be inhabited by robots rather than starving alien beasts, Matthias runs down the ramp to join Wyndell and Lydia. The good doctor, although covered in dust and looking frayed around the edges, was still up and dramatically shouting and clawing at the newly formed stone wall blocking the tunnel. Lydia, meanwhile, was lying fairly motionless on the ground with a profously bleeding head wound. So the choice over who to visit first was obvious.

    Moving over to kneel beside Lydia, Matthias tried to examine her head wound to determine the extent of the damage while reviewing the ancient first aid program he took. Now quite close, Matthias could identify the item she had been craddling in her arms as Malakai's metallic arm. It was now sitting peacefully beside her, and raised a whole slew of questions.

    A whole slew of questions which would have to wait until whatever trauma had just happened was no longer fresh in minds and had passed on to memory. Carefully, Matthias moves the arm aside, allowing him to kneel directly beside Lydia. While doing so, he addressed her in a low and what he hoped was reassuring voice.

    "Hello Lydia, it's Matthias. Seems these caverns are rather unstable, huh? You have a head wound but I don't think it's too serious. I seem to remember hearing that head wounds bleed far more than other sorts, so they just look ugly. I don't think we have any medical supplies here, but I think we can bandage it up without too much problem."

    Even while giving voice to this false confidence, Matthias was looking around for something to use as a bandage, but unfortunately there was nothing. He really should have tried to hang onto one of those first aid kits better, but the carnage of the crash landing had forced him to leave all of his gear behind. But then he looked down at his prisoner uniform, and the act immediately followed the thought. Tugging experimentally on the right sleeve of his cryo-suit, Matthias attempts to find some to the stitches holding it in place. Then, using the only cutting impliment available to him, his teeth, Matthias attempts to tear the sleeve off, and from there fashion several crude bandages out of it. Hopefully his limited first aid would enable him to properly bind Lydia's head wound to stop the flow of blood. Then they could worry about any other injuries she or Wyndell had.
    I didn't actually intend to kill EVERYONE. It just sort of happened.

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  13. - Top - End - #73
    Titan in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Trapped - Chapter 2 - Whatever Happened to the Children of Earth?

    Caroline Walker- Repository for the Long Night

    "It's a supply repository," Caroline replied to Janks' questions. "Intended for use on an intergalactic journey. The ships that are taking them will, apparently, be arriving relatively soon." She walked forward a few steps, into the rows of crates. The overly familiar references, she ignored; she was fortunate enough that most of the surviving inmates of the convict ship had been fairly reasonable and capable, considering what they could have been. (A vision of a group of ill-shaven brutes incapable of thinking much past the immediate consequences of their actions springs to mind.) It barely mattered what she was called, as long as she knew who was being addressed.

    How soon will the Arks arrive? Hours? Weeks? Years?
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  14. - Top - End - #74
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Trapped - Chapter 2 - Whatever Happened to the Children of Earth?

    "Janks" - Repository for the Long Night

    Quote Originally Posted by The_Snark View Post
    "Intended for use on an intergalactic journey. The ships that are taking them will, apparently, be arriving relatively soon."

    "Oh right i knew that... NOT! Did the robot-guy sing this to you? Maybe someone could tell me what the hell is going on here for a change instead of playing silly marble games!"

    Janks grumbles as he continues to pry open the box.

  15. - Top - End - #75
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    OldWizardGuy

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    Default Re: Trapped - Chapter 2 - Whatever Happened to the Children of Earth?

    Narration #6 – Nightmares in the Depths of the Past

    • Repository for the Long Night
      • The_Snark – Caroline Walker
        • Vital Statistics
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          • Condition: 100%; No Injuries
          • Equipment:
            • Torn Prisoner Jumpsuit – The remains of a standard issue cyro-stasis prisoner jumpsuit. It preserves your modesty to the degree that the wearer desires, but offers no extra protection.
            • 2 Ancient Spheres of Knowledge – Devices from the era you now find yourself in, they seem to be a compact childlike AI and power source of incredible power, all in a device that fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. They appear to have a hive-mind mentality and can extend what can best be described at liquid metal connections that adjust to interface with anything that they come in contact with.
        • The Narration
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          What scourge? Another form of intelligent life? A disease?”

          The mental question sent out to the spheres returns only silence for a time. You can dimly hear dim whispers in the background, as if there was rapid communication going on, but it is like trying to focus on a conversation at the opposite end of a busy bar on St. Patrick’s Day while the people are whispering to each other. Yet you can detect a hint of deceit, as if they don’t want you to know the entire truth.

          The scourge can be classified as a ‘disease’ at this present time. It has rendered the galaxy inhabitable and we were created to seed planets with primitive human life to gather supplies for the [unable to translate] to survive their journey as they [flee/retreat/cower/explore] away from this galaxy.

          As this answer runs through you the connection is established between you and Wyndell PCT. It is child’s play to take over the system, however altered they may be, and display a simple message for him to reply to. While you wait your next question come to mind.

          Where next? Should we wait here for the ark, or elsewhere?

          This chamber is a mass fragmented and reassemble array to be used. At this time the technology has not been perfected to allow living sentient organic matter such as you and the other [survivors/holy ones/doombringers/saviors] to survive. You should continue to explore to see what the future holds.

          As you take some time to answer Janks question your final question at this time is sent over the connection you now share with the spheres.

          The Ark will arrive anytime between the next 3 [minutes/hours/days/weeks] to 26.3 [months/years/decades/centuries]. Exact timing is unavailable due to the quarantine protocol, but it is suggested that you do not linger in this chamber.

          Hearing a sliding sound you turn and see that Janks has been able to effortlessly open up one of the containers. As the door slides open you catch a glimpse of the text on it, and while at first you eyes only see gibberish, your mind then takes over and translates it.

          DANGER! Chasing the Second Star – Emergency Supplies and Specimen – Temporal Stasis Unit – DANGER!

          Lights activate within the container, and you can see stacked items that you recognize as common emergency kits and supplies that were in use from your own era. Medical Kits, Repair Kits, foodstuffs and even some weapons are stacked. Yet in the back of the container rests a large device, which looks suspiciously like a cyro-stasis tube yet heavily modified. There are no less than 12 of the spheres attached to it, all of them looking dim, but giving enough light to see through the clear covering of the chamber.

          Then suddenly you go blind.

          Warning – Specimen has breached quarantine – Allowed access to chamber – Do not approach the specimen. Do not look upon the specimen. We have shut down your optic nerves for your own protection. Take 5 steps back and 2 to the left and leave now! With your left hand you can reach a ancient medical kit, with the right you can get a weapon. Leave NOW before final power is extinguished!

          Your hear screams of agony, loss and despair around you and you follow the directions, blindly grabbing what the spheres tell you and take the steps that they have provided.

          Your vision will return shortly, we apologize for the delay but the chamber but be sealed before you can see again


      • Mordokai – Misty Reviere
        • Vital Statistics
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          • Condition: 100%; Cuts, scrapes and bruises over body
          • Equipment:
            • Torn Prisoner Jumpsuit – The remains of a standard issue cyro-stasis prisoner jumpsuit. It preserves your modesty to the degree that the wearer desires, but offers no extra protection.
            • 2 Ancient Spheres of Knowledge – Devices from the era you now find yourself in, they seem to be a compact childlike AI and power source of incredible power, all in a device that fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. They appear to have a hive-mind mentality and can extend what can best be described at liquid metal connections that adjust to interface with anything that they come in contact with.
        • The Narration
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          Deciding to let the others take the lead in deciding what to do at this point, you watch Janks and Caroline converse and Janks opens up the door to one of the containers. The spheres that you are holding seem to heat up slightly, as if they are trying to warn you of something as the doors open.

          Inside the container is what can be best described as anything that was not locked down taking from a ship like the one you escaped from and assembled neatly into a small chamber. Your eyes easily find various supplies, such as medical equipment, repair tools, spare parts, weapons and even personal items. You grab a backpack to hold the containers into by instinct and have time to grab another item of your choice before your eyes are drawn towards the far end of the chamber.

          You get a flash of what appears to be a heavily modified cyro-stasis tube, connected by no less than 12 of the spheres, all of them looking dim and worn out.

          Rain washes over you as the poisons you so cleverly crafted course through your veins. You wanted to cause pain, you wanted the person to suffer, more than anything they have suffered before, and as your body screams for mercy towards you and finding none you look up to see Wyndell standing over you, looking like an Olympic god, clad in a simple pair of pants. Coughing up blood you try to reach up to him as he holds up a small vial, which contains the cure, the antidote to all your pain and suffering. He smiles down at you and crushes it within his fist, the rain washing the liquid away. As your eyes start to loss focus he starts to decompose in front of you.

          Standing within a court, you look around and you see all of those that you have killed sitting in the Jury box, clad in their finest clothes like they wore on the day of their deaths. Their decomposing features stare back at you with empty expressions, no blinking, no breathing, nothing.

          Up ahead of you in the Judge chair sits Malakin who crashes his metallic arm to the gravel with his good one and screams out something. Your chair spins around and you see an ancient execution chamber with a device you know as a electric chair. Strapped into it is Wyndell struggling against his bonds as he screams for mercy in your voice. You see yourself clad in a black robe smiles sweetly and throw the switch and the lights died and screams emerge.

          Standing within a meadow of flowers and grass, you feel the cool refreshing breeze wash over you. Not bothered by the lack of clothing or anyone else around you can sense the path to freedom, to escape as long as you do not step on the flowers. Rose petals start to slowly fall from the sky, and upon striking the ground turn into blood, rushing along the ground and your flesh, yet the path is intact. Instinct kicks in and you sprint, feeling the stick wet grass between your bare toes.

          Reality rushes over you like a gut punch and you collapse as the memories of what you went through wash over you. Your eyes feel dry, as if the tear ducts have run dry from constant crying and you feel blood on your ears and eyes. Trying to ignore the sweat soaked clothing you are now wearing you work on controlling yourself. Focusing you can make out Janks looking similarly haggard and Caroline stumbling around as if she is blind. Whatever item you grabbed and the backpack are in your hands, and the open door to the container is to your side, with whatever was in that chamber out of sight.

      • Ubersquid – Raul 'Janks' Jenkins
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          • Condition: 100%; No Injuries
          • Equipment:
            • Torn Prisoner Jumpsuit – The remains of a standard issue cyro-stasis prisoner jumpsuit. It preserves your modesty to the degree that the wearer desires, but offers no extra protection.
        • The Narration
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          As you ask the question for Caroline to look around for additional exits, you tug at the door. It effortlessly starts to move, and you can see strange text that means nothing to you, however as the door opens dim lights activate, illuminating the interior of the chamber.

          Stacked neatly along the walls are various supply kits that one would find within a ship from your era, along with weapons, personal items, spare parts, pretty much anything that would be found within a ship that could be removed. You have time to grab a two items of your choice before you look deeper into the container.

          Your stomach starts to churn as you look towards the rear of the chamber, where you see 12 of the spheres connected to something that looks like one of the dreaded cyro-stasis tubes that started this nightmare for you. Blood rushes through your body, and you feel sudden fear, like those that you have wronged are about to attack you, tear you apart and rebuild you into a bizarre mockery of yourself. Like you were about to be tossed out an airlock, your lungs exploding as your attempt to hold your breath fails, your eyeballs exploding and tongue swelling up like a sausage as your blood boils out of your body, and yet you will not die.

          A primitive scream rips through your throat and you stumble back blindly, surrounded by the zombies that you encountered on the Hope Killer. Your wrench was long lost, and all around you are the half-eaten animated remains of those that you have been trying to survive with, coming at you wanting to feast upon your flesh. As they start to work on you, your mind starts to devolve more and more into insanity.

          You find yourself upon a nice meadow, standing among the flowers. Your lack of clothing does not bother you strangely. Looking around the paths leading out of the area are obvious, just as long as you do not step on any of the flowers you will be safe. Slowly rose petals start to fall from the sky, covering the path before they start to melt into blood, yet the path to leave remains. Hearing a roar you turn and see your worst nightmares approaching, and without a seconds hesitation you sprint down the path and make a hard turn.

          Reality slaps you in the face like a spurned lover as you return to your senses. Drenched in sweat, you feel blood leaking from your nose and ears, and your throat is raw as if you were screaming your soul out. Turning you see Caroline stumbling as if she is blind, and Misty crying as if she lost her loved one, yet all of you have managed to escape the container. The door beacons to you, asking you to close it.

    • The Hallowed Chamber
      • Firespark – Wyndell Tedarri
        • Vital Statistics
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          • Condition: 100%; No Injuries
          • Equipment:
            • Torn Prisoner Jumpsuit – The remains of a standard issue cyro-stasis prisoner jumpsuit. It preserves your modesty to the degree that the wearer desires, but offers no extra protection.
            • 1 Ancient Spheres of Knowledge Connected to your PCT – Devices from the era you now find yourself in, they seem to be a compact childlike AI and power source of incredible power, all in a device that fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. They appear to have a hive-mind mentality and can extend what can best be described at liquid metal connections that adjust to interface with anything that they come in contact with.
            • Personal Computer Terminal - This portable computer terminal is a common piece of equipment. A universal adapter allows it to be plugged into any normal computer terminal, bypassing its functions and allowing on access to the core programming of the terminal, making it easier to make changes or access systems that shouldn't be accessed normally.

              It is 17" wide and 12" long and 2" deep, and weighs about 5 pounds. The screen is a adaptive display, able to be changed to what the user prefers, and it is very durable.
        • The Narration
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          As you lie on the ground, lost within the mass of emotions that are tearing through you, your PCT beeps at you. Your sense of instinct takes over and your eyes move to look at it where it rests upon the ground, with the screen up facing you no less and you see that a black window has appeared, looking like an ancient DOS terminal window with a single line of text with a blinking cursor begging for input.

          WYNDELL TERRARI. PLEASE RESPOND IF ABLE _

          Other things come to your attention. Lydia words, Matthias approaching and starting to work on first air, and the fact that Lydia is leaking a decent amount of blood from her forehead.

          The PCT starts making rapid beeps towards you and more text flashes over it.
          DANGER – SCOURGE Quarantine Chamber Opened – Attempted containment – Attempting containment – Take shelter ASAP in event of Containment failure!

      • tvga8889 – Lydia Morrison
        • Vital Statistics
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          • Condition: Severe head wound on the forehead with a crude bandage. Entering shock and suffering from blood loss.
          • Equipment:
            • Torn Prisoner Jumpsuit – The remains of a standard issue cyro-stasis prisoner jumpsuit. It preserves your modesty to the degree that the wearer desires, but offers no extra protection.
            • Severed Metallic Arm of Malaki Shares – This is the severed artificial arm from Malaki. No longer connected to him it does not work, yet it is of a sturdy design and could function as an emergency weapon or tool if needed.
        • The Narration
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          Speaking towards the grieving and emotionally Wyndell seems to help you focus, to ignore the gaping head wound on your head as Matthias comes and starts talking to you. He tears off part of his torn jumpsuit, and while it is not the most sterile of bandages it does serve to help slow the bleeding. Yet even with that you are starting to feel chilling and start shivering uncontrollably at times. Your extremities also start to go numb though you can still use them.

          It seems that some of your words might have gotten through Wyndell for he starts to look down at his PCT again as it makes a series of dim beeps that apparently are coming from a far away distance. A strange echo to the beeps amuses you and you can’t help but to feel giddy over the beeps, which sound like something from a video game.

          Part of you that is apparently sane and functional starts screaming that you are probably entering shock, and should seek medical treatment for humans like to keep their blood on the inside rather than on the outside. The bandaged wound starts to throb in agreement with every beat of your heart.

      • Inspectre – Matthias Conway
        • Vital Statistics
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          • Condition: 100%; No Injuries
          • Equipment:
            • Torn Prisoner Jumpsuit – The remains of a standard issue cyro-stasis prisoner jumpsuit. It preserves your modesty to the degree that the wearer desires, but offers no extra protection.
        • The Narration
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          Apparently being the only sane one in this small group you take charge so to speak and tear off part of the torn and battered cyro-stasis jumpsuit that you are wearing and form a makeshift bandage which you apply to Lydia forehead. While it is beyond the shadow of a doubt not sterile or clean, it should serve to at least help slow the bleeding for the time being. Upon wrapping it around her head you see that the pressure it applies helps and the blood loss starts to slow.

          Being in close proximity to her you notice how chilled she is becoming and how she is starting to shiver almost uncontrollably. From the basic first aid that you recall you realize that she is entering a state of shock most likely, and has lost a lot of blood. It would probably be a very good idea to find her a medical kit or something.

          It also appears that Wyndell has noticed something going on with his PCT, for he is starting to look at it where it has fallen on the ground as if by instinct. It is also making a series of beeps and other noises that seem to amuse Lydia to no end as she starts to giggle at them.

          Turning to look to see if Giovanni is coming to help you see no sign of him.

          As you look around the ground starts to shake slightly, which considering the recent cave-ins that have happened recently is a very bad sign. While the training you recall mentioned not moving someone in Lydia condition it would probably be for the best to disregard that advice and at the very least help her move out of the area.

    • Within the Tomb of Metal – The Airlock
      • mf11 – Giovani Fiori
        • Vital Statistics
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          • Condition: 100%; No Injuries
          • Equipment:
            • Torn Prisoner Jumpsuit – The remains of a standard issue cyro-stasis prisoner jumpsuit. It preserves your modesty to the degree that the wearer desires, but offers no extra protection.
        • The Narration
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          Announcing your surrender to the robot that is hovering in front of you, at first you get no reply as it just sits there, shining the bright light into your face, almost as if it is awaiting orders from a distant operator. It does not object to you screaming out of the hatch back at Matthias but you do not hear a reply other than to get out there because there are wounded outside. Yet the robot does not make any move to help nor to let you escape.

          Without warning two arms extend, and deploy grapplers that grab onto your wrists, holding them with firm pressure. Instinctively you tug on them, other than a slight shift in attitude of the robot it does not move.

          The echo of footsteps reach your ears and you see two figures approaching, both of them clad in what looks to be standard uniforms of ship crewmembers. The distance echoes of a scream can be heard as well as they look up you with distrust.

    • Within the Tomb of Metal – Emergency Cyro-Stasis Chamber
      • Gig Complex – Oscar 'Lucky' Erickson
        • Vital Statistics
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          • Condition: 100%; No Injuries
          • Equipment:
            • Standard Ship Uniform – This uniform is made of a tough material to resist tears and scratches, with many pockets and places to attach and hold items.
            • Shinbone from a Corpse – Taken from one of the dead crewmembers onboard Chasing the Second Star it can serve as a cudgel, but due to the age it is not very durable.
        • The Narration
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          Entering the commands to hold the intruder in place, a simple confirmation message appears in the display. As you take off followed by Thoft and Shade it is a short trip to the airlock. About to round a corner Thoft suddenly collapses clutching his head in agony, but at this point you have turned the corner and see the intruder.

          Standing next to the airlock is the figure that you saw in the viewscreen, being help by two manipulators from BUZI by his wrists. Looking over his uniform you can easily tell that it came from a prison facility for popular media always depicted prisoners clad in such uniforms. Yet his looks like he was through a nightmare, torn and ripped in many places with various stains covering it and half-healed wounds on the body of the prisoner.

          In addition now by the airlock you can hear the distinct echoes of others outside of the airlock. Taking a step to the side you see that the airlock leads out into what looks to be a natural cavern on a planet, with a long ramp leading from the ship to what looks to be a cave-in tunnel where other figures are, though you can’t make out details at this time.

      • TheOutlander – Dane “Thoft” Thoftsten
        • Vital Statistics
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          • Condition: 100%; No Injuries
          • Equipment:
            • Standard Ship Uniform – This uniform is made of a tough material to resist tears and scratches, with many pockets and places to attach and hold items.
            • Shinbone from a Corpse – Taken from one of the dead crewmembers onboard Chasing the Second Star it can serve as a cudgel, but due to the age it is not very durable.
        • The Narration
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          Clutching your head in mental agony you collapse to the ground. Pain and loss tear through you, then something else tickets the back of your brain. Something suddenly waking up, and reaching out. Aliens images flash through your mind and suck you into what can be best described as flashes of a nightmare.

          You can make out two distinct series of tortures going on, the details escaping you, and slowly you find yourself being torn between the two of them, sucked into it and to torn asunder and leaving your body a empty husk. Focusing on peace your escape is dependent on the others, and reaching out you clear their minds as best as possible, and for a second it works. Yet the alien presence focuses and starts tearing through your illusions, yet it is long enough and they are able to make their escapes.

          Opening your eyes you find that your nose and ears are bleeding, though the flow of blood is starting to slow down. A pounding headache pounds through your skull, yet you are alive and relatively undamaged. Wiping the blood away you don’t feel any more leaking, and you pick yourself up and stumbles towards where the others are.

          You find that they have cornered the prisoner that you viewed on the monitor, who is now being held by BUZI.

      • Mornir – Ezekil Jordan
        • Vital Statistics
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          • Condition: 100%; No Injuries
          • Equipment:
            • Standard Ship Uniform – This uniform is made of a tough material to resist tears and scratches, with many pockets and places to attach and hold items.
        • The Narration
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          OOC: Please refer to previous narration

      • Shades of Grey – Shad
        • Vital Statistics
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          • Condition: 100%; No Injuries
          • Equipment:
            • Standard Ship Uniform – This uniform is made of a tough material to resist tears and scratches, with many pockets and places to attach and hold items.
        • The Narration
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          Walking along you happen to see nothing that can be used to lean on or as a walking stick. In fact it looks as if most items that could have been removed were taken, who knows when. Following the others you quickly come across the prisoner who is now being held by the robot BUZI who belonged to Ezekil.
    My DM Reputation
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    Quote Originally Posted by Inspectre
    I'm good at making you fear the unknown. Pwenet is good at making you fear the known, which had been the unknown five minutes before he pushed you off screaming into the abyss.
    Quote Originally Posted by Kalirren View Post
    I'm feeling this real hard now.
    Curse you, Pwenet. Curse you.... You had my hopes up there...

  16. - Top - End - #76
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    TheOutlander's Avatar

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    Default Re: Trapped - Chapter 2 - Whatever Happened to the Children of Earth?

    Thoft-Second Generation

    He looked around, dazed as to wake from a lovecraftian nightmare.
    Turning to the prisoner, he smiled wanly, almost knowingly, and tapped his head with two fingers, saying "You've opened the hushed casket."

    Then, as he broke out of his reverie, he kneeled to face the prisoner.
    "You didn't come alone."

    Thoft's eyes cried blood, his tear ducts trying to clear what they could of his dreaded vision, What the hell was that? How did he know that the prisoner wasn't alone? or was he just going insane? and did he just hear a scream? or did he imagine that too?

    turning to face Oscar, he spoke matter of factly, with a slight twitch.
    "I fear things have gotten more interesting."

    but just how interesting, time would tell.

  17. - Top - End - #77
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    Caroline- Repository for the Long Night

    The idea that the spheres were withholding information was slightly worrying. She had confidence in her own reasoning facilities; she could monitor them to reassure herself that she was not operating off dangerous assumptions, and she had always known what she needed to do and why. The spheres were an unknown factor; after so long, she could not be absolutely certain of their reliability.

    After weighing it in her mind for a second, she decided not to make an issue of it. She knew the spheres' goal—keeping her alive. That was a necessity for all of her goals. Presumably, it was for her own safety, though she had no definite idea how the knowledge could be more dangerous than not knowing. Besides, there was little she could do about it even if the spheres did admit they were withholding information; their systems were still far more advanced than hers.

    Acknowledged.

    She averaged the numbers in her head; the imprecise measurements (or was that a translation error) meant that any estimation would be equally imprecise, but she judged the average to be 34,996,248 minutes and 45 seconds, or approximately 66 and a half years; a long time to wait, but once matters were better understood, they could be put into cryo-stasis... if such things were available.

    "More or less," Caroline answered Janks coldly, "and I will explain more as I find out. For now, we should move on." If she had to spend all her time explaining matters to organic beings—no doubt multiple times, since the others would be curious too—she'd never get anywhere; she could tell him what he needed to know when he needed to know it.

    She turned slightly at the noise, and her eyes widened upon understanding the label. A warning label. Then everything went black—or rather, nonexistent; her mind was no longer receiving any information from her eyes.

    Leave where? she communicates, trying to remain steady as she backpedals; it was instinct to move fast when in danger and slowly when unable to see, and she had to balance the need for haste with the risk of falling. Her hands close about the items indicated, and she raised her right hand, holding the item steady before her. Can you provide directions until vision returns? What of the others—should I relay instructions?
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    Giovanni Fiori
    Within the Tomb of Metal – The Airlock


    Who are you? Giovanni asks the figures as they approach. Is there anyway you can get this bot to let me go? And whats the "hushed casket" you mentioned? he continues, still trying to get back to the exit of the ship.
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    Thoft- Second Generation

    "Who Are you?"
    again, the question hit Thoft like a stack of bricks, the last thing he needed now was to go existential, but did anyone really know who they are? they will say their name, or their occupation, but those are just descriptors that would allow for an agrarian race such as humanity to function-

    "is there anyway you can get this bot to let me go? "
    As for the insipid robot, Thoft hadn't a clue as to how to work the damned thing, let alone the response he would illicit from trying to remove him from it manually-

    "And whats the "hushed casket" you mentioned?"
    Hushed casket? What does he mean by that? What the hell is he talking about? Is he just as crazy as I am? or am I crazier than I thought?

    Thoft stood there for a good ten seconds before realising he had to respond to the questions. Until now he had never truly thought about his outward appearance, and if he saw a man of his stature with wild hair and holding a shinbone of a corpse, Thoft wasn't sure what he'd do.
    Right, the answer...
    "Call me Thoft."

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    Well Thoft, Do you know if there are any med kits on this ship? I have some injured friends outside that I would rather like to help. I would appreciate it greatly if you would get some supplies for them. I would do it myself, but your pet robot here seems to be rather attached to me.
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    Thoft- Second Generation

    "Well Thoft, Do you know if there are any med kits on this ship? I have some injured friends outside that I would rather like to help. I would appreciate it greatly if you would get some supplies for them. I would do it myself, but your pet robot here seems to be rather attached to me."

    Med kits... slang for containers of rudimentary medical supplies. splints, sutures, bandages, alcohol, disinfectants, tertiary pain suppressors such as ibuprophen, they could come in handy.
    Although, Thoft hasn't seen them, he'll keep an eye out for him.

    Thoft was about to respond when he actually looked at the man's uniform, an orange jumpsuit, from prison? Why should Thoft trust such a person? Although he was pretty sure the man was genuine, and Thoft couldn't think of anything valuable he had on his person, but criminals on the whole have a reputation for being dishonest.

    Then again, any justice system isn't perfect. Thoft tried to calculate the chances that this man was wrongly imprisoned, but after a split second of thinking, he remembered his head wasn't one for numbers, and he had no idea what the crime rates were or are today.

    He would trust him for now.
    Since trust is easier when one has a weapon, and friends behind him.

    "Hold on."
    Last edited by TheOutlander; 2008-03-23 at 11:44 PM.

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    Misty - Repository for the Long Night

    After the cave collapses, Misty's heart stops for a few second. Seeing Wyndell dissapearing from sight, she isn't sure if he was safa from cave in. Shuffling next to the rocks, she listens intently to hear for ANY sign of life on the other side. But the ringing in her ears, as well as the thickness of the rocks prevent her from hearing anything.

    Oh Wyndell, please, be safe. I don't know what'd I do without you here. You were and still are my support in these hard times.

    Then, with an obvious problem, she picks herself up and turns around to look at the other two. From the looks of it, they are in some cavern, but to what purpose it serves, she cannot tell. When one of the chamber doors open, she quickly grabs the backpack, stuffing both of the spheres into it and some medical supplies as well, she fells a little better.

    I think we'll need all the medical supplies we can get. I hope Janks will be smart enought to grab some weapons. Might as well ask him.

    That's when the scenerey changes. After feeling the venom coursing throught her veins, she is more than little shocked to spot Wyndell. And what Wyndell! She never saw like this. As if seeing Wyndell himself wasn't enought, he is also holding a vial of what can be no other than antidote.

    "Wyndell... please, help me! I won't be able to hold on much longer. Please... give me the antidote."

    Smiling sweetly, he lowers his hand with antidote and just when she reaches for it, ha janks his hand back, smile becoming a cruel one, crashing the life saving vial within his hands.

    "NO!!! Why did you do this?"

    As the scene suddenly changes and Misty finds herself within so well know courtroom, she is once again shocked. Seeing all of her victims, Malaki crashing his metallic arm... Wyndell in chair. As she pulls the switch she wants to scream, but she smiles instead. As the light die out for those few precious seconds, the scene changes for the third time. Standing on meadow, the rain of rose petals, turning into blood, she instinctively runs, feeling free for the first time in long time.

    As she finds herself back in the chamber with Caroline and Janks once again, Misty feels like she just came out of a bath. She is soaked in her own sweat and tears, feeling blood coming out of her eyes and ears. She wants to cry, but she can't. There are no tears left, it is not humanly possible for her to cry anymore. Looking around throught her tear swollen eyes, she sees Janks in much the same state as her. She crawles next to him , shakes him barely and says to him, just a little above the whisper:

    "Janks, Janks. We need to get out of here! Whatever is in here makes me see... things. From the looks of it, it does the same for you."

    How she knew this, she wasn't sure. Misty just knew she wanted to get out of this chamber as fast as possible.
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    Default Re: Trapped - Chapter 2 - Whatever Happened to the Children of Earth?

    Thank you. Giovanni says to Thoft. He turns his head towards the entrance and yells Matthias! I can't come out right now, I'm a bit tied up! There's people in here though, and at least one of them is helpful. I'm looking for some med kits for you ASAP! Oh, and if you see Wyndell, ask him if hes any good with robots!
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    Oscar, the Next Generation

    Staring in disbelief at the captured man, who appeared to have formerly been a prisoner,

    Who the hell are we? Its more like who the hell are you? From what I can see is that my mates and I are the only survivors of the Chasing the Second Star it seems and wherever we've been forced to make berth, our ship has been nicked of everything that wasn't nailed down and even some of the stuff that was and we got what looks to be a convict of some sorts that walks on into our bloody ship like he owns the damn place!


    As Thoft and this Giovanni character seem to get along rather decently Oscar's face gets more and more twisted in disbelief before he finally just shakes his head and gives a '**** it' look,

    Well I'm not sure if I can trust you or your 'friends' right now but the ship looks like hell and we aren't in the greatest shape at the moment. If you hold still I'll go back and let you loose but you try anything, well I think you get the picture.

    Running back to the console he has BUZI let the man go and set's the bot to standby mode before making his way back,

    Now how many of your friends are there and just what the hell is going on?

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    Giovanni Fiori
    Within the Tomb of Metal – The Airlock


    My apologize. I should have introduced myself. I am Giovanni Fiori. He says, rubbing his wrists where the robot had grabbed him. Yes, I was a prisoner, aboard a ship several thousand years ago. The ship broke down, and all of us stayed in cyro-sleep for quite a while. When the ship kicked us out of it, most of the prisoners, and all the crew, were dead. We managed to get the ship to do one last jump, and landed it outside these caves, where the natives brought us. Some sort of android told us we were the "saviors of mankind" or something like that. Personally, I just wanna go home and have a hot bath. No idea how many of us are out there, but when we got here there were like 8 of us I think, all from the Hope Killer. However, something happened apparently, causing someone to get wounded, so that number may be lower now for all I know. Now how about some more info about you all?
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    Default Re: Trapped - Chapter 2 - Whatever Happened to the Children of Earth?

    Thoft- Within the tomb of metal- the airlock

    "Later."

    Thoft didn't think of himself as a humanitarian, but when he heard of others in trouble, his instinct was to help them. Even though they were prisoners, they were still human beings.
    Oscar seemed to have other feelings, which didn't confuse Thoft, but he felt a bit of anger at oscar, but so it must be that the pilot wants to keep the ship running.

    He had to help them though, maybe he was an emergency medical technician?

    "We need to help the others, show me where they are."
    Last edited by TheOutlander; 2008-03-26 at 01:03 AM.

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    Janks - Repository for the long night


    Janks instinctively grabs a repair kit at first. After all, some tools are always nice to have. Picking up one of the guns, he turns it around and inspects it from all sides, then looks down it's sights and notices a strange complex of spheres and what appears to be another cryo-tube in the other end of the chamber.



    ...



    Janks coughs and twitches. He obviously made his way out of the chamber and is now lying on the ground in front of it. With another shriek he notices the repair kit still in his hand, as his fingers somehow cramped around it in panic. He shakes it off quickly and sends it sliding across the floor.

    He tries to sit up with some dull motions and wipes some blood of his nose, looking at it in disbelief. Slowly regaining sanity, Janks notices the gun lying at his feet. He stretches out his toe and pokes it, immediately pulling back his foot again, expecting some sort of lively reaction from it.

    A few seconds of silence, then Janks springs around with a yelp, staring into Misty's bloodied face.

    "Wh.. What? ... Damn... It's you... Get out... yeah, right!"

    Janks stands up, straps the repair kit to his suit and picks up the gun and releases the safety lock. He offers Misty a hand to help her up but doesn't wait for a reaction and just grabs her and pulls her on her feet.

    Gun in one hand, supporting Misty with the other, he drags them towards the other end of the hall.

    "Don't ever sneak up on me like that again, you hear me?"

    And turning to Caroline:

    "You alright, luv?"

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    Giovanni Fiori
    Within the Tomb of Metal – The Airlock


    Thank you. They should be right outside the ship. Follow me. Giovanni says, walking towards where he entered. As he exits, he heads back up to the tunnels until he finds Mathias.
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    Thoft- The Next Generation- the Airlock/The Hallowed Chamber

    Giovanni was a strange fellow, but Thoft immediately felt an oath of comradery, as if the man was on the losing side of a righteous war, a battle brother whose heroism was forgotten from wars long past. As Giovanni stepped outside of the airlock, Thoft found himself taking formation alongside him, stopping periodically to check his location.

    As he took stock of his surroundings, Thoft was suprised to find himself in a cave, he would have thought it would have been more open for a ship of this size, but it wasn't his place to say. Thoft didn't know who he was, nevermind the specifications for hangar building.

    Then he saw them, a small group of people, one man standing over a girl, bandaging her head with what Thoft could only describe as a bloody rag, and he saw her begin to shake.
    She's going into shock, the patient must be warmed up and have his/her legs elevated so that more blood, and therefore oxygen can reach the grey tissue.

    While usually Thoft would hesitate, he couldn't sit by and watch this woman bleed out. He moved to support her when he saw a familiar face, turning towards the middle aged man on the ground.

    "Odysseus..."

    But who was this Odysseus, Thoft wondered, he knew he didn't mean the ancient greek warrior in Homer's Illiad and Odyssey, but he could see and feel similarities. But how did he know this man? and why was he a prisoner?
    No time, he had to get the woman help.
    He knelt down next to her,
    "Don't be afraid."

    Spoiler
    Show
    Thoft was in a warzone, bullets and tracer rounds whizzed past the entrenchment that he occupied, the city was in utter ruins, and he heard the wet thump of a slug impact, and felt a soldier fall into his lap. Kneeling down, as the bullets and shells peppered the ground around him, he felt at peace, a strange sense of serenity pervaded his panic.
    "Kelsey!" The dying man said to him, Thoft knew that his name wasn't Kelsey, but he could not figure it out, he decided to humor the man. "Yes, its me, Jason, I'm here."
    "I'm... I'm sorry, I didn't get a chance to see our son grow up." His son's name was Dale, he didn't know how he knew this, only that he did.
    "Dale will grow up to know of his dad as a hero." Thoft said, the sound of bullets draining away.
    Jason hadn't much time left, as the color was draining from his face.
    "Forgive me..." he pleaded with the last of his strength.
    "I love you, Jason, you are forgiven." Thoft said, kissing Jason as the life drained out of him. as he looked into the mirror of Jason's eyes, he saw her face.
    "Cabal!" called a wisened voice "Back on the line!" And that's when the bullets began again.


    And then he touched her face. "It will be okay."

    Unfortunately for Thoft, the shock he was about to recieve would not be... "okay"
    Last edited by TheOutlander; 2008-03-27 at 01:49 PM.

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    Wyndell Tendarri - The Hallowed Chamber

    Sounds, motion, time was flowing, but Wyndell wasn’t aware of any of it. Not really. The turmoil inside had finally begun taking more solid form, and the pain and loss he was feeling was nothing imagined. It was such anguish that he could not remember a time that he had felt as such. But something inside him did, and when Wyndell opened his eyes, the cave was gone.

    Edging carefully through the darkened doorway, Wyndell glanced around the family library. It had never had a tremendous amount of actual books in it, as those were expensive and becoming quite rare, but his father had managed to accumulate hundreds of them. Now, those testements of ancient knowledge basked in the soft blue glow of the data terminals that made up the true core of the library’s holdings. Walking softly to the one furthest from the door, Wyndell sat down and slung the bag from his shoulder to the floor, and tapped at the terminal to ‘wake’ it up.

    Wait, what bag? The library? No. Oh yes.

    Wyndell hadn’t pulled up much before the lights in the room suddenly flared to life. His hands instinctively went to his eyes to shield them, and Wyndell stood slowly as his brain processed the newcomer. A simple brown house coat tied shut, over soft and baggy pants. The glasses slung low on the man’s face seemed to only emphasize the furrowed brow and stinging glare.

    “Father. Thank the stars. I was afraid that you hadn’t gotten my message.”

    Dr. Emeran Tendarri crossed to the middle of the room, and faced down his son. Wyndell was unshaven, and his clothes unkempt, and on the whole had the appearance of a homeless man. One you had accidentally wandered into the wrong domicile.

    “You look like you could use a drink.”


    No. Please, not this. You know you want it.

    Wyndell took the glass tumbler from his father and sat across from him. A quick shot of the brandy within stung for a moment, but felt gloriously warm going down. It had been a long time since he had tasted real alcohol. His father sat across from him, holding his own glass in one hand, using the other to stroke his graying beard. Finally he spoke up.

    “Is what they say true Wyndell?”

    Wyndell stopped in mid swig, his eyes uncertain, then emptied the glass before sliding onto the end table next to him.

    “What do you mean?”

    “A week or so ago, some gentlemen from UTC Offices of Special Investigation came round. Wondered if your mother or I had heard from you. They implied that you had killed someone.”


    NOOOO! Stop this! No. Stop it! Stop it now! So pathetic.

    Wyndell’s mind wandered back to his escape, now a month gone by. But the look on the soldier’s face would never leave his memory. So much blood, all over the cabin of the shuttle, and Wyndell with the soldier’s own knife in his hand. But the soldier wouldn’t leave, and the information that Wyndell had learned needed to be brought to light. It had been for the greater good. Wyndell had spent the entire month since staring at the man’s blood and gore. A long time to spend in a shuttle, even longer to be looking at a dead man.

    “Just the one father. It was a necessary evil. I am truly sorry for it, and I will willing answer for it, but not until the UTC answers for its own trespasses.”

    Emeran simply sighed, set his untouched drink aside, and stood slowly. Wyndell was certain that he was about to walk out on him, when a strange voice spoke from behind.

    “Dr. Wyndell Aldric Tendarri, you are hereby placed under arrest, for crimes against the UTC and its citizenry.”

    Wyndell shot from his chair and spun around, and was met with a disheartening scene. Not only was there a law enforcement officer present, but a full dozen men, each wearing the emblem of military police. Wyndell turned to his father as the twelve men began to circle him and close in, pulling out stun batons as they came.

    “Father? Why?”

    Emeran simply strode away, not even dignifying his response to Wyndell with a direct look.

    “Because am I not your father, and you are not my son.”

    And then the men and their batons were on him, and a painfilled blackness overtook him.


    The image of Wyndell’s father filled the black void.

    “You…”

    No.

    “…are not…”

    Noooo!

    "…my Son.”

    The beastial howl that tore at Wyndell’s chest never came, and he wanted to explode from it. The pain that was so new seemed suddenly so familiar. Then anger began to seep in. Anger at the UTC, at the military, at his father. Betrayed by his own family, his father.

    The scene suddenly shifted, the emotions seeming to evaporate, though he could still feel them as if from a distance. A single voice sliced through the darkness of his chaotic mind.

    “Odysseus…”

    Looking towards Lydia, Wyndell saw that Giovanni and the other prisoner Matthias were tending to her, and had been joined by others. One of them was a brute looking of a man, in a strange but familiar uniform. The man was looking at him as if he knew Wyndell, but then turned to assist with Lydia. A persistent sound finally pierced the last clouds of Wyndell’s haze, and he at last recognized the chirping of the PCT. Dragging himself on hand and knee to the PCT, Wyndell turned it over and oriented to an upright position. Sitting back, he gazed awestruck, at the prompt.

    WYNDELL TENDARRI. PLEASE RESPOND IF ABLE. _

    It wouldn’t have been the spheres, they could tell if he was able to or not. And they had never requested anything of him. Not to mention that they shouldn’t even know his name. Which would logically mean someone who did know his name was wirelessly accessing the PCT. And the only person who had that ability recently added had been Caroline. And if Caroline was still able to communicate, then the others who had been behind her during the collapse, might still be alive. Quickly pulling up a keypad to type a response, Wyndell’s fingers practically flew across the PCT’s surface.

    WYNDELL HERE. LYDIA, MATTHIAS, GIOVANNI ACCOUNTED FOR. IS EVERYONE ALL RIGHT? _

    Wyndell entered the message and waited, and hoped. And the hope brought with it something that Wyndell had previously been missing. Reaching to his face, Wyndell felt the wetness forming under his eyes.

    The tears had come.
    The light shine on you, and the Creator shelter you. The last embrace of the mother welcome you home.




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