0003 Pickup in the Sticks!

[Tiglath]

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."

Sigrun responds to his question with such an emphatic "Já!" that it even seems to take her by surprise.

In a conciliatory tone she adds "My thanks for confirming something that I now know to be entirely true. You have found another lost part of me. I am remembering more about myself as I recover. Zaki says my head was broken... but.. it will be healed".

She tacitly accepts Donovan's examination but her responsive body language seems to be simply that of a warrior's control. Even in borrowed coveralls it's clear she has an "Amazonian" athlete's physique (even if you were to churlishly admit a certain "ex-popsicle" lack of tone!) She clearly has no objection to Donovan looking her over and she's obviously doing the same to him but then there's re-engaging with her heterochromatic gaze. Just for a blink - unsettling. She states "Maybe they are merely old legends on Terra but perhaps that is because the Gods travelled the stars to the Sword Worlds with us?"

(OOC: And then if you like your crazy simmering at "specific" there are Aesiristists... )

[joertexas]

She tacitly accepts Donovan's examination but her responsive body language seems to be simply that of a warrior's control. Even in borrowed coveralls it's clear she has an "Amazonian" athlete's physique (even if you were to churlishly admit a certain "ex-popsicle" lack of tone!) She clearly has no objection to Donovan looking her over and she's obviously doing the same to him but then there's re-engaging with her heterochromatic gaze. Just for a blink - unsettling. She states "Maybe they are merely old legends on Terra but perhaps that is because the Gods travelled the stars to the Sword Worlds with us?"

Zaki rolls her eyes and turns to her work, muttering something in what Donovan recognizes as another Vilani dialect, although he doesn't speak it. "We need to get done and get out of here. Sigrun, let us know if you sense any of those things coming closer."

[helvorn]

She tacitly accepts Donovan's examination but her responsive body language seems to be simply that of a warrior's control. Even in borrowed coveralls it's clear she has an "Amazonian" athlete's physique (even if you were to churlishly admit a certain "ex-popsicle" lack of tone!) She clearly has no objection to Donovan looking her over and she's obviously doing the same to him but then there's re-engaging with her heterochromatic gaze. Just for a blink - unsettling. She states "Maybe they are merely old legends on Terra but perhaps that is because the Gods travelled the stars to the Sword Worlds with us?"

Zaki rolls her eyes and turns to her work, muttering something in what Donovan recognizes as another Vilani dialect, although he doesn't speak it. "We need to get done and get out of here. Sigrun, let us know if you sense any of those things coming closer."

Donovan looks up to meet the gaze of the different yet piercing eyes. "Oh I certainly believe that the gods have left Terra the head to space with their children. After all whether you believe in the physics or the gods everything will and in the fire and ice of Ragnarök or the fire and ice of the collapse of the universe." He looked over at Zaki and snorted but nodded his head. "Let me get the cargo hatch open. Cover me." Donovan will open the cargo container.

[Tiglath]

Zaki rolls her eyes and turns to her work, muttering something in what Donovan recognizes as another Vilani dialect, although he doesn't speak it. "We need to get done and get out of here. Sigrun, let us know if you sense any of those things coming closer."

Sigrun softly replies "Sense them? You think I'm a völva - a seeresss?" She suddenly laughs and then in the same breath surprisedly adds "Oh, I'm surely... not that... I think that.. I am... I am... not... that... but something else...".

She then audibly painfully inhales and broadcasts on comm "Unless you will give me some optics or something with sights better than this "vekjaraklukka"* I don't think I can delay all of us being slain as Jörmungandr's kin answer his summons. Do none of you farmaðr possess a rifle?"

[OOC: Kinda footnote/wink to the GM - as a guideline re: re-discovery only when triggered/asked...??? ]

* And, yes, she called it an "alarm clock".

[joertexas]

Sigrun softly replies "Sense them? You think I'm a völva - a seeresss?" She suddenly laughs and then in the same breath surprisedly adds "Oh, I'm surely... not that... I think that.. I am... I am... not... that... but something else...".

She then audibly painfully inhales and broadcasts on comm "Unless you will give me some optics or something with sights better than this "vekjaraklukka"* I don't think I can delay all of us being slain as Jörmungandr's kin answer his summons. Do none of you farmaðr possess a rifle?"

[OOC: Kinda footnote/wink to the GM - as a guideline re: re-discovery only when trigger/asked...??? ]

* And, yes, she called it an "alarm clock".

Zaki points to her slung rifle. "All of us who have two operating hands have a two-handed weapon. You, who has only one operating hand, get a pistol, which is ostensibly designed to be fired one-handed."

[Tiglath]

Zaki points to her slung rifle. "All of us who have two operating hands have a two-handed weapon. You, who has only one operating hand, get a pistol, which is ostensibly designed to be fired one-handed."

Sigrun meets Zaki's gaze with a smile playing at her lips* and points to her roll of repair tape. "I have one hand, sharp teeth and the gods have seen fit to put a roll of repair tape in my path. I can tape my bad hand to the rifle's foregrip and tape two magazines end to end so I can reload. With some high ground or the air raft on hover I might see these snakes coming. I saw your warrior in the autodoc - these snakes are surely better dealt with at some range other than close quarters".

She then adds softly "I am wounded and of less use here but I think I can still be helpful while those with two hands strip this wreck".

(OOC: * It's almost as if she relishes recklessly goading the stern medic... ).

[terrymixon]

Zaki points to her slung rifle. "All of us who have two operating hands have a two-handed weapon. You, who has only one operating hand, get a pistol, which is ostensibly designed to be fired one-handed."

Sigrun meets Zaki's gaze with a smile playing at her lips* and points to her roll of repair tape. "I have one hand, sharp teeth and the gods have seen fit to put a roll of repair tape in my path. I can tape my bad hand to the rifle's foregrip and tape two magazines end to end so I can reload. With some high ground or the air raft on hover I might see these snakes coming. I saw your warrior in the autodoc - these snakes are surely better dealt with at some range other than close quarters".

She then adds softly "I am wounded and of less use here but I think I can still be helpful while those with two hands strip this wreck".

(OOC: * It's almost as if she relishes recklessly goading the stern medic... ).

Ah, the first stirrings of true love. It beings a tear to my eye.

[joertexas]

Sigrun meets Zaki's gaze with a smile playing at her lips* and points to her roll of repair tape. "I have one hand, sharp teeth and the gods have seen fit to put a roll of repair tape in my path. I can tape my bad hand to the rifle's foregrip and tape two magazines end to end so I can reload. With some high ground or the air raft on hover I might see these snakes coming. I saw your warrior in the autodoc - these snakes are surely better dealt with at some range other than close quarters".

She then adds softly "I am wounded and of less use here but I think I can still be helpful while those with two hands strip this wreck".

(OOC: * It's almost as if she relishes recklessly goading the stern medic... ).

Zaki nods. "All good ideas, but let's stick with the ones that don't have you trying to use a broken hand. Find the best spot you can here in or next to the ship, and, since I'm guessing you might be able to sense the creatures, tell us if you detect anything amiss."

[joertexas]

Ah, the first stirrings of true love. It beings a tear to my eye.

[Tiglath]

Zaki nods. "All good ideas, but let's stick with the ones that don't have you trying to use a broken hand. Find the best spot you can here in or next to the ship, and, since I'm guessing you might be able to sense the creatures, tell us if you detect anything amiss."

Sigrun relents and replies "I'll see if I can find some high ground".

She'll move through Engineering (or around the outside of the hull if those spaces aren't yet clear) and try to find a vantage point atop the wreck's hull.

If Engineering is open Sigrun uses her familiarity with ship spaces to loot herself a steel etching tool and then seeks out the damage control gear (OOC: standard location next to an exit hatch???).

Ah, the first stirrings of true love. It beings a tear to my eye.

Those awkward emotions that result in attention seeking and hair pulling in the playground...

[helvorn]

Sigrun relents and replies "I'll see if I can find some high ground".

She'll move through Engineering (or around the outside of the hull if those spaces aren't yet clear) and try to find a vantage point atop the wreck's hull.

If Engineering is open Sigrun uses her familiarity with ship spaces to loot herself a steel etching tool and then seeks out the damage control gear (OOC: standard location next to an exit hatch???).

Donovan glances back as Sigrun and Zaki banter. "I remember the word now that applies; Valkyrie."

[Eris]

Eventually, Donovan, breaks the seal on the cargo container and snaps the latches to open it. It is hard to lift, stuck by time and some bowing of the metal from its rough treatment. Nothing pops out while he is struggling to lift the lid. Again, eventually, he succeeds in getting it open, and again nothing pops out at you.

Inside thickly covered in bubble wrap is a Styrofoam box about 3 feet long and 1 foot wide and tall. The Styrofoam box rests on more bubble wrap below it and appears completely undamaged.

Peeking over the lid, Bob says, "So, looks like it's fine in there. What now? Do we open the foam or just close everything back up?"

[Eris]

Sigrun digs around in Engineering and finds a toolkit with handheld welding and etching, as well as some other metal working, tools. She also finds Mechanical and an Electronics toolkits, some spare hull plates, several battery packs, and an automatic pistol with a full magazine taped under a console...and the desiccated remains of a man crumpled still seated in a chair smashed against against the forward bulkhead. It looks like the chair broke free in the crash and kept going when the ship suddenly stopped, his death would have been instantaneous from the look of his injuries...well, you can't tell much as the remains are dried to a husk, but the bones all are broken into shards.

[Eris]

Donovan and Bob get on with moving cargo containers and the low berths over to the ship. Once they are finished they begin cutting the turret loose.

Flighty and Zaki work their way into the Passenger section of the ship. They find the remains of 6 people amid much wreckage.

Zaki finds a clipboard in the remains of the galley with the names of the passengers written on it with food preferences. That might come in handy later.

Flighty spots what looks like the barrel of a pistol sticking out of the remains of one of the bodies and gingerly moving it pulls out a small pistol (body pistol) that seems to have gone right through the body of its owner upon impact. The pistol looks undamaged and appears to still be fully loaded. Flighty also finds a briefcase attached by a handcuff to a dead man's wrist.

[Eris]

Karcsi dreams! He is in a desert, no in an ocean, no in a desert with air as thick as water. He is sliding, sliding, sliding... He is hungry, hungry, hungry! He is always hungry! The very air arounds him vibrates and it hurts, so he slides down under the water, no under the sand, and he is sliding , sliding, sliding...

Karsi's dream changes. Now he is flying, way up high! Below are dunes and tracks that wiggle in the sand among the dunes. Far ahead there is glittering light, water reflects light, and water means life! Go toward the glittering light....

Over in the wreaked ship, Zaki's comm goes "DING!" it's a message from the Autodoc. Internal sensors are showing anomalous readings. It looks like Karsi is healing is going better than she expected, faster, but something is wrong with the readings for his endocrine system. She is reading hormone numbers that are off...strangely. Brain chemistry, those levels are skewed as well. None of this looks dangerous for Karsi's health, she doesn't think, but he Autodoc isn't causing this, at least, it shouldn't be. It was functioning perfectly when she put Karsi into it and from what she can see from her comm it still is.

[Eris]

Some hours have passed. The cargo containers have been moved as have the low berths. Donovan and Bob have almost got the laser turret freed. Flighty and Zaki have explored the ship as best they can. Flighty wanted to get onto the bridge, but hasn't been able to.

Sigrun has fished around in Engineering and now is getting bored with the lack of anything to do. She has taken to using a utility knife she found to cut patterns into the hard plastic of the consoles, just patterns, but.... Stepping back and looking at them she sees wings and snakes, not winged snakes, but something winged and not really snakes either more like the monster she saw in her dreams. The drawings etched into the plastic have moved across the whole console, wings and snakes, wings and snakes, always the wings are getting closer and closer to the snakes. She snaps the utility knife closed, time to leave this place!

Over on the ship, Karcsi is still dreaming and his hormones and brain chemistry is still altered from what it was from the last time they were recorded. It's not the Autodoc, it's working perfectly. Too perfectly even as Zaki is more than a little surprised that Karcsi's injuries appear completely healed in record time. Based on what the sensors are telling her, she can bring him out several hours early.

Donovan pauses as he starts to remove the last bolt holding the turret in place. A wave of unease just went through him. He looks at Bob who has also stopped and is looking up at the late afternoon sky like he is expecting to see something. Donovan also looks up, everything looks normal, but he is still uneasy. Thirty minutes to get this turret free and aboard the ship, maybe less if they hurry. Let's hurry!

Flighty has been getting more and more anxious the last hour. Nothing more to gain here. It's time to go, they've stayed here too long.

[terrymixon]

Eventually, Donovan, breaks the seal on the cargo container and snaps the latches to open it. It is hard to lift, stuck by time and some bowing of the metal from its rough treatment. Nothing pops out while he is struggling to lift the lid. Again, eventually, he succeeds in getting it open, and again nothing pops out at you.

Inside thickly covered in bubble wrap is a Styrofoam box about 3 feet long and 1 foot wide and tall. The Styrofoam box rests on more bubble wrap below it and appears completely undamaged.

Peeking over the lid, Bob says, "So, looks like it's fine in there. What now? Do we open the foam or just close everything back up?"

"Best we don't open it, I suspect. Close it back up and move it to the ship. Ignorance is occasionally the best policy."

Flighty

[terrymixon]

Donovan and Bob get on with moving cargo containers and the low berths over to the ship. Once they are finished they begin cutting the turret loose.

Flighty and Zaki work their way into the Passenger section of the ship. They find the remains of 6 people amid much wreckage.

Zaki finds a clipboard in the remains of the galley with the names of the passengers written on it with food preferences. That might come in handy later.

Flighty spots what looks like the barrel of a pistol sticking out of the remains of one of the bodies and gingerly moving it pulls out a small pistol (body pistol) that seems to have gone right through the body of its owner upon impact. The pistol looks undamaged and appears to still be fully loaded. Flighty also finds a briefcase attached by a handcuff to a dead man's wrist.

He'll take the pistol, any holster (shoulder, I bet), the briefcase, and the man's identification. He'll also search for the key or combo as he looks through the staterooms. He doesn't expect to find it, but one never knows.

Flighty

[terrymixon]

Some hours have passed. The cargo containers have been moved as have the low berths. Donovan and Bob have almost got the laser turret freed. Flighty and Zaki have explored the ship as best they can. Flighty wanted to get onto the bridge, but hasn't been able to.

Sigrun has fished around in Engineering and now is getting bored with the lack of anything to do. She has taken to using a utility knife she found to cut patterns into the hard plastic of the consoles, just patterns, but.... Stepping back and looking at them she sees wings and snakes, not winged snakes, but something winged and not really snakes either more like the monster she saw in her dreams. The drawings etched into the plastic have moved across the whole console, wings and snakes, wings and snakes, always the wings are getting closer and closer to the snakes. She snaps the utility knife closed, time to leave this place!

Over on the ship, Karcsi is still dreaming and his hormones and brain chemistry is still altered from what it was from the last time they were recorded. It's not the Autodoc, it's working perfectly. Too perfectly even as Zaki is more than a little surprised that Karcsi's injuries appear completely healed in record time. Based on what the sensors are telling her, she can bring him out several hours early.

Donovan pauses as he starts to remove the last bolt holding the turret in place. A wave of unease just went through him. He looks at Bob who has also stopped and is looking up at the late afternoon sky like he is expecting to see something. Donovan also looks up, everything looks normal, but he is still uneasy. Thirty minutes to get this turret free and aboard the ship, maybe less if they hurry. Let's hurry!

Flighty has been getting more and more anxious the last hour. Nothing more to gain here. It's time to go, they've stayed here too long.

"Let's wrap this up, people! Everyone not guarding or getting the turret off, get back to the ship. I want someone on the guns. I feel like something is going to happen and I'd like to be gone before it does. Hustle!"

He looks up to the top of the wrecked ship. "Expedite this, boys. Get it loose and on the air raft. I want us buttoned back up on lifting off ASAP!"

Flighty will head back to the ship and bring the ship to launch readiness. As soon as his people are back aboard and they seal up, he'll take the ship away from land and then up. The plan is to leave the gear down until they are in vacuum as recommended, just to be safe.

Flighty

[joertexas]

Over in the wreaked ship, Zaki's comm goes "DING!" it's a message from the Autodoc. Internal sensors are showing anomalous readings. It looks like Karsi is healing is going better than she expected, faster, but something is wrong with the readings for his endocrine system. She is reading hormone numbers that are off...strangely. Brain chemistry, those levels are skewed as well. None of this looks dangerous for Karsi's health, she doesn't think, but he Autodoc isn't causing this, at least, it shouldn't be. It was functioning perfectly when she put Karsi into it and from what she can see from her comm it still is.

Zaki, who had taken DNA samples and documented the casualties, looks up from her work and focuses on her HUD for a moment. 'I need to get back to the ship," she says over the comm. She goes to find Sigrun. "I need to get back to the ship right now. Please come with me."