0003 Pickup in the Sticks!

[joertexas]

She applies yet more spray to any open wounds, and bandages Sigrun's head. Done, she steps back. "There's no point in telling you to stay here, so you can ride back with me in the air raft."

Sigrun discards the "trophy tooth" declaring that it was "part of a níðingr". She cooperates with Zaki's preparations calmly stating "You know that I have dressed myself before?" and watches on mystified as splints are improvised. She can't control a sharp hiss of breath as her armour tightens on her ribs but the coverage of the cast on her left hand starts another debate (and possible compromise) between the "fingertips" and "knuckles" camps.

She immediately picks at her head bandage "I look like I'm going out dressed for Vetr!"* and then adds innocently "If you left me behind I suppose I could pass the time by exploring... I know starships...".

On leaving the med bay Sigrun snags up the repair tape and carries it on her vest.

The air raft trip will only be interrupted by the availability of weapons on board and/or the sound of fibre glass being eroded on angled bodywork...

(OOC: * Trans: Winter).

Zaki loads her mostly cooperative patient into the air raft's front passenger seat, sets her rifle in the center rack, and flies back to the crash site. She keys her comm. "Flighty, we're coming out to your position with one of the people who was in a low berth. She's been in a helluva fight, but she's still ambulatory. Sort of. Where do you want me to land?"

[terrymixon]

She applies yet more spray to any open wounds, and bandages Sigrun's head. Done, she steps back. "There's no point in telling you to stay here, so you can ride back with me in the air raft."

Sigrun discards the "trophy tooth" declaring that it was "part of a níðingr". She cooperates with Zaki's preparations calmly stating "You know that I have dressed myself before?" and watches on mystified as splints are improvised. She can't control a sharp hiss of breath as her armour tightens on her ribs but the coverage of the cast on her left hand starts another debate (and possible compromise) between the "fingertips" and "knuckles" camps.

She immediately picks at her head bandage "I look like I'm going out dressed for Vetr!"* and then adds innocently "If you left me behind I suppose I could pass the time by exploring... I know starships...".

On leaving the med bay Sigrun snags up the repair tape and carries it on her vest.

The air raft trip will only be interrupted by the availability of weapons on board and/or the sound of fibre glass being eroded on angled bodywork...

(OOC: * Trans: Winter).

Zaki loads her mostly cooperative patient into the air raft's front passenger seat, sets her rifle in the center rack, and flies back to the crash site. She keys her comm. "Flighty, we're coming out to your position with one of the people who was in a low berth. She's been in a helluva fight, but she's still ambulatory. Sort of. Where do you want me to land?"

“We’re getting ready to open the target container to make sure there aren’t any little worms or other beasts inside it. Are you sure she should be moving around so soon? Must have been an exceptional revive.”

Flighty

[helvorn]

Donovan will set up the target container on the open area in the hold of the wreck. He will peek inside through the holes in the container.

[joertexas]

“We’re getting ready to open the target container to make sure there aren’t any little worms or other beasts inside it. Are you sure she should be moving around so soon? Must have been an exceptional revive.”

"You are more than welcome to explain all that to her when we get there."

[terrymixon]

“We’re getting ready to open the target container to make sure there aren’t any little worms or other beasts inside it. Are you sure she should be moving around so soon? Must have been an exceptional revive.”

"You are more than welcome to explain all that to her when we get there."

“Me? Get between a medic and her patient? Perish the thought. We’ll be waiting for you.”

Flighty

[Eris]

Donovan will set up the target container on the open area in the hold of the wreck. He will peek inside through the holes in the container.

It's a thin crack along a seam, even shining a light inside doesn't show Donovan anything interesting. White light reflecting back at him for the most part. Wiggling the light he thinks he is seeing packing material, bubble wrap maybe, and that's all he can see.

[Eris]

“We’re getting ready to open the target container to make sure there aren’t any little worms or other beasts inside it. Are you sure she should be moving around so soon? Must have been an exceptional revive.”

"You are more than welcome to explain all that to her when we get there."

“Me? Get between a medic and her patient? Perish the thought. We’ll be waiting for you.”

Flighty

The air/raft lands just outside the hole in the side of the ship and Zaki and her passenger Sigrun alight. Sigrun has no memory of any of this, however, once inside she will see the dead creature. It's not a snake, not exactly, but close. It is huge! A good 30 feet long and almost 3 wide at the ruined head.

Sigrun has seen this creature in her dreams, coiling, striking, eating. Its eyes, now dead, burning into her like red lasers. She feels an almost overpowering, instinctive, fear of this thing. With a shudder she simply knows, don't ask how, but she knows there are more of them out there and not that far away, maybe coming closer. She would very much like to be elsewhere when they arrive!

[Tiglath]

Sigrun enters the hold squinting as her eyes adjust to the absence of the desert glare. She is tall for a female and has a well muscled atheltic build. Her blond locks are combed back to fall loosely past her shoulders but are tightly braided at her temples.

Were it not for the fact that she has clearly recently taken a severe beating she would certainly be described as attractive but it is her eyes that amend her description to striking. One is the blue of high atmosphere and the other the green of deep ocean. She moves awkwardly due to her injuries but carries herself confidently and although visibly beaten remains unbowed.

Her speech has a noticeable and distinctive lilt together with odd nuances of pronunciation. She extends a firm and uncompromising handshake to her new male comrades as she introduces herself "I am Sigrun - I have only just remembered that. My head is not so good - it seems I was too slow in a fight but Zaki has begun to mend my injuries. I thank you all for the rescue and the care - I think I owe you my life".

On seeing the huge snake dead within the hold she recoils in alarm "Jörmungandr, I've never seen him before and yet he inhabited my dreams! All the while I slept I heard his scales rasp as he moved in his coils... he was in my head... or I his... together we dreamed and hunted... and fed... His kin are gathering! I have little memory left to me but I surely know this... I can not explain how!"

(OOC: ...aaannnd now I've got Whitesnake's Lovehunter album cover art (by Chris Achilleos) bouncing around my brain! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lovehunter)

[terrymixon]

Sigrun enters the hold squinting as her eyes adjust to the absence of the desert glare. She is tall for a female and has a well muscled atheltic build. Her blond locks are combed back to fall loosely past her shoulders but are tightly braided at her temples.

Were it not for the fact that she has clearly recently taken a severe beating she would certainly be described as attractive but it is her eyes that amend her description to striking. One is the blue of high atmosphere and the other the green of deep ocean. She moves awkwardly due to her injuries but carries herself confidently and although visibly beaten remains unbowed.

Her speech has a noticeable and distinctive lilt together with odd nuances of pronunciation. She extends a firm and uncompromising handshake to her new male comrades as she introduces herself "I am Sigrun - I have only just remembered that. My head is not so good - it seems I was too slow in a fight but Zaki has begun to mend my injuries. I thank you all for the rescue and the care - I think I owe you my life".

On seeing the huge snake dead within the hold she recoils in alarm "Jörmungandr, I've never seen him before and yet he inhabited my dreams! All the while I slept I heard his scales rasp as he moved in his coils... he was in my head... or I his... together we dreamed and hunted... and fed... His kin are gathering! I have little memory left to me but I surely know this... I can not explain how!"

(OOC: ...aaannnd now I've got Whitesnake's Lovehunter album cover art (by Chris Achilleos) bouncing around my brain! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lovehunter)

"Jack O'Brien, but call me Flighty. I'm captain of The New Chance. I'm glad we could help."

He turned to look at the monster. "Yeah. it was in our heads, too. Psionics, maybe. We're getting this container after we make sure it has no nasties inside it. We need to look in the passenger area, and we intend to salvage the remaining cold sleep pods and the dorsal turret. Then we can get the hell out of here."

Flighty

[Tiglath]

"Jack O'Brien, but call me Flighty. I'm captain of The New Chance. I'm glad we could help."

He turned to look at the monster. "Yeah. it was in our heads, too. Psionics, maybe. We're getting this container after we make sure it has no nasties inside it. We need to look in the passenger area, and we intend to salvage the remaining cold sleep pods and the dorsal turret. Then we can get the hell out of here."

"Foringi O'Brien - Flighty, I am Sigrún..." she raises her hand to her right temple "... that's all I can remember. Zaki says it will come back". She studies the crew "You are farmaðr... traders ja? Your man in the autodoc was bitten by Jörmungandr? He has good war luck to be alive! As I am I'm not much use for shifting cargo but if you need a replacement warrior I think I could help but you will have to give me a weapon".

"Zaki is small but fierce and won't let me do very much". She wiggles the restricted fingers of her left hand and confides "I'm hoping to find a file in Engineering".

She volunteers "You are right about the cold berths. They are small, portable and expensive tech so they are good loot - as is the beam laser turret. This ship is an Imperial build so any engineering tools, especially diagnostic types and engineering monitors, will hold value out here over the Border".

She looks at the dead giant and shudders "You lived too long in my head, serpent!"

Turning back to Flighty she says "Skipstjóri, if you can I suggest you keep your landing gear extended until after we hit hard vacuum - keeps the stowaways to a minimum".

(OOC: Foringi = Captain/Leader. Skipstjóri = Ship captain/skipper).

[terrymixon]

"Jack O'Brien, but call me Flighty. I'm captain of The New Chance. I'm glad we could help."

He turned to look at the monster. "Yeah. it was in our heads, too. Psionics, maybe. We're getting this container after we make sure it has no nasties inside it. We need to look in the passenger area, and we intend to salvage the remaining cold sleep pods and the dorsal turret. Then we can get the hell out of here."

"Foringi O'Brien - Flighty, I am Sigrún..." she raises her hand to her right temple "... that's all I can remember. Zaki says it will come back". She studies the crew "You are farmaðr... traders ja? Your man in the autodoc was bitten by Jörmungandr? He has good war luck to be alive! As I am I'm not much use for shifting cargo but if you need a replacement warrior I think I could help but you will have to give me a weapon".

"Zaki is small but fierce and won't let me do very much". She wiggles the restricted fingers of her left hand and confides "I'm hoping to find a file in Engineering".

She volunteers "You are right about the cold berths. They are small, portable and expensive tech so they are good loot - as is the beam laser turret. This ship is an Imperial build so any engineering tools, especially diagnostic types and engineering monitors, will hold value out here over the Border".

She looks at the dead giant and shudders "You lived too long in my head, serpent!"

Turning back to Flighty she says "Skipstjóri, if you can I suggest you keep your landing gear extended until after we hit hard vacuum - keeps the stowaways to a minimum".

(OOC: Foringi = Captain/Leader. Skipstjóri = Ship captain/skipper).

"Yep, we're traders," Flighty agreed. "That's a good idea about the landing gear. The last thing we need is more of these things while we're in jump space. We'll take what's loose in engineering, too. We shouldn't stay too long and we don't want to be out after dark, I suspect. Bob, these things can get into our heads, so maybe work up a lock on the hatches that keeps someone from opening one for a predetermined time. As soon as we get the turret loose, we pack up and leave."

He looked at the cargo container. "We need to open this one up and see if it is infested. We'll want weapons just in case. Sigrun, until Zaki agrees, no fighting for you. And welcome to our little group."

Once they have weapons at hand, Flighty will gesture to Donovan as he is pulling his pistol and flashlight. "Open her up."

[joertexas]

He looked at the cargo container. "We need to open this one up and see if it is infested. We'll want weapons just in case. Sigrun, until Zaki agrees, no fighting for you. And welcome to our little group."Once they have weapons at hand, Flighty will gesture to Donovan as he is pulling his pistol and flashlight. "Open her up."

"Other than hogtie her," Zaki nods on Sigrun's direction, "what can I do to help?"

[terrymixon]

He looked at the cargo container. "We need to open this one up and see if it is infested. We'll want weapons just in case. Sigrun, until Zaki agrees, no fighting for you. And welcome to our little group."Once they have weapons at hand, Flighty will gesture to Donovan as he is pulling his pistol and flashlight. "Open her up."

"Other than hogtie her," Zaki nods on Sigrun's direction, "what can I do to help?"

"For the moment, help us look through here and not miss something important. Also, it might be nice to know what is in here."

Flighty

[joertexas]

"For the moment, help us look through here and not miss something important. Also, it might be nice to know what is in here."

Zaki turns to Sigrun and detaches her own holstered pistol from the grip patch on her shipsuit. "You're probably much better with this than me. It's a standard Imperial Army ten millimeter with a spare magazine." She holds it out to Sigrun. "Can you cover me and keep watch?"

[helvorn]

Donovan looked up from examining the cargo container as Zaki and a new woman arrived. He figured she was one of the corpsicles from the low berths that made the wake-up. He is of average height with quite blonde hair and blue eyes from his Solomani background. Donovan extended his hand in greeting. "Hi there, I'm Donovan. Glad to meet you and even more happy that Zaki was able to resuscitate you from the low berth." He turned back to Flighty. "The cargo inside looks undisturbed, bubblewrap and such. I can open the main hatch to the container if you guys want to cover me."

[Tiglath]

Donovan... ...is of average height with quite blonde hair and blue eyes from his Solomani background. Donovan extended his hand in greeting. "Hi there, I'm Donovan. Glad to meet you and even more happy that Zaki was able to resuscitate you from the low berth." He turned back to Flighty. "The cargo inside looks undisturbed, bubblewrap and such. I can open the main hatch to the container if you guys want to cover me."

Sigrún smiles a greeting and seemingly attempts to crush Donovan's hand while looking him straight in the eye. She lauches into sagamaal "Svo við erum tvö! Hefurðu heyrt eitthvað um Tostig Þorvaldsson eða sjóræningjann sem heitir "Ís"? Þeir eru mikilvægir fyrir mig en ég veit ekki af hverju...".* Drawing a blank she continues "You are Imperial then? I am Sigrún and I owe you all a debt for my rescue".

(OOC: Norse Trans Service: "So there are two of us! Have you heard anything of Tostig Thorvaldsson or the pirate called "Ice"? They are important to me but I don't know why...").

[Tiglath]

Zaki turns to Sigrun and detaches her own holstered pistol from the grip patch on her shipsuit. "You're probably much better with this than me. It's a standard Imperial Army ten millimeter with a spare magazine." She holds it out to Sigrun. "Can you cover me and keep watch?"

Sigrún takes the weapon and drawing it looks it over hesitantly "I seem to think so". She re-holsters the weapon and turning towards the dead snake tries a combat draw. Even allowing for her plastered hand the draw is smooth and efficient, her shooting stance - practiced. Sigrún states "It seems for now my muscle memory has my head at a disadvantage...".

She seeks out a vantage point from where she can keep watch.

[helvorn]

Sigrún smiles a greeting and seemingly attempts to crush Donovan's hand while looking him straight in the eye. She lauches into sagamaal "Svo við erum tvö! Hefurðu heyrt eitthvað um Tostig Þorvaldsson eða sjóræningjann sem heitir "Ís"? Þeir eru mikilvægir fyrir mig en ég veit ekki af hverju...".* Drawing a blank she continues "You are Imperial then? I am Sigrún and I owe you all a debt for my rescue".

(OOC: Norse Trans Service: "So there are two of us! Have you heard anything of Tostig Thorvaldsson or the pirate called "Ice"? They are important to me but I don't know why...").

Donovan manages to avoid wincing under Sigrun's grip. He looks at her curiously as she speaks and then asks. "Sprechen Sie Deutsch?" He shakes his head and then nods. "It is a pleasure to meet you. I don't understand your language but it is close to what my parents and grandparents spoke. It comes from the old Terran German language. My community is Imperial but we keep many of the old traditions from the time of the Terran Confederation and the Interstellar Wars"

[Tiglath]

Donovan manages to avoid wincing under Sigrun's grip. He looks at her curiously as she speaks and then asks. "Sprechen Sie Deutsch?" He shakes his head and then nods. "It is a pleasure to meet you. I don't understand your language but it is close to what my parents and grandparents spoke. It comes from the old Terran German language. My community is Imperial but we keep many of the old traditions from the time of the Terran Confederation and the Interstellar Wars"

Sigrun laughs and replies slowly "Ein bisschen – deine Leute kommen aus Gram?"* She then seems astonished "You hail from Terra herself and observe the old ways? We must talk when there is time - I would hear stories from Terra!"

(OOC: * Apologies to Eris for importing my own Swordy linguistic rationale here. There's diverse Swordy types - as categorized by Imperial xenophobia and/or their own Northern European languages. There's the "horny helmet" type (that maybe frontier Imperials fear the most) who conduct univited "adventure holidays without consent" into Imperial territory/shipping. Then there's the more deliberate folk from Gram with a penchant for (canonically) building grav tanks and doing a spot of invading other territories en masse - as per Fifth Frontier War.

Don't worry I've booked my own HR appointment...

Oh, and if Donovan apparently needed it, bonus points for no wincing! ).

[helvorn]

Sigrun laughs and replies slowly "Ein bisschen – deine Leute kommen aus Gram?"* She then seems astonished "You hail from Terra herself and observe the old ways? We must talk when there is time - I would hear stories from Terra!"

(OOC: * Apologies to Eris for importing my own Swordy linguistic rationale here. There's diverse Swordy types - as categorized by Imperial xenophobia and/or their own Northern European languages. There's the "horny helmet" type (that maybe frontier Imperials fear the most) who conduct univited "adventure holidays without consent" into Imperial territory/shipping. Then there's the more deliberate folk from Gram with a penchant for (canonically) building grav tanks and doing a spot of invading other territories en masse - as per Fifth Frontier War.

Don't worry I've booked my own HR appointment...

Oh, and if Donovan apparently needed it, bonus points for no wincing! ).

Donovan smiled and listened carefully to understand the thick accent. "Ich komme nicht aus Terra. Meine Leute wurden von der Diaspora weit weg von ihrer alten Heimat verbreitet." He shook his head. "My family or my clan better to say holds to the old ways of both Terra and the Vilani. I speak both German and an older dialect of Vilani. It might seem a schizophrenic mix but my people follow the pure ways before either race left their home systems. Trading and exploring have always been in both sides of my blood." Donovan looked closely at her. "I take it you are from the Sword worlds? I would like to tell you tales of old Terra but my stories are merely old legends by now."