Episode 37

[Bynw]

[20:25] <anlarye> *** RECAP ***
[20:25] <anlarye> As the Lady Luck and crew were headed back out onto the new expanded Alliance frontier, they have encountered a gargantuan class 9 mothership.
[20:25] <anlarye> This vessel was nuking a habitable moon from oribit and has sence rendered that moon uninhabitable. Raith and Jaeih have managed to land the Lady Luck on the mothership, near its engine section. The crew has exited their ship in search of answers about the alien ship which has destroyed a 2nd moon and is arriving in orbit about a 3rd.
[20:25] <anlarye> They have arrived at an unused access hatch. Potentially centuries old.
[20:25] <anlarye> *** END RECAP ***
[20:28] <Raith> ::Carefully exits the LadyLuck and into space, trying to catch up to the rest of the crew at the hatch::
[20:28] * Sathara stands covering Ken, gun drawn and at the ready.
[20:30] <anlarye> *Jaeih* "What if this ship jumps while we are outside on it's hull?"
[20:30] * DrCross scans for life-signs
[20:31] <Sathara> ::tensely:: "Then we're frakked.  It's a bit late to worry about it now.  The cap'n said board her, so that's what we're doing."
[20:31] * DrCross looks at the scanner "No life signs except for us, Cap"
[20:32] <Sathara> !df 4 for Danger Sense
[20:32] <ChanServ> Result: ( )(+)( )( )
[20:32] <DrCross> "... in this section anyway"
[20:33] <Sathara> "Can you scan any further, doc?"
[20:33] <DrCross> "Nope, just the immediate area"
[20:34] <Sathara> "Damn.  Okay."
[20:34] * Sathara seems extremely jumpy.
[20:34] <Raith> ::Comes lopping over to the others and stops:: "What the frak are we waiting for?"
[20:34] <Sathara> "Ken to open the hatch."
[20:35] <Sathara> "Cap'n, this may not end well.  Just warning you, my hackles are up."
[20:35] <anlarye> *Ken uses his tools and finally gets the hatch open .... no rush of air leaving the chamber as the door is finally pried open*
[20:36] <anlarye> *Ken shines a light into the darkness of the ship* "I don't see anything ... it's a maintenance passageway ... leads further into the ship from here or ..." *he moves the light around* "... into the engine section directly."
[20:37] * Sathara points her gun into the open door, looking for anything or anybody.  She steps cautiously down the stairs, keeping her gun ready.
[20:38] * DrCross points his scanner down the passageway
[20:39] <Raith> ::Sighs to himself and mutters under his breath, then descends into the ship::
[20:40] <anlarye> *Ken follows Raith and Jaeih takes up the rear*
[20:41] * Sathara takes point, gun in her right hand, and left hand hovering over her left holster.
[20:41] <DrCross> "Wait, no, drats! Haven't finished my scans yet" *sighs and allows himself to follow
[20:42] * Sathara stops.  "I'll wait for ya, Doc.  I'd like not to get ambushed if I can avoid it."
[20:43] * DrCross catches up "Thanks"
[20:43] <anlarye> *the passageway is human sized and is wide enough for 2 abreast - but it is dark and lifeless within it ... and unused for sometime.*
[20:43] <Raith> Takes a look about at the interiour of the ship:: "Ambushed by who?"
[20:43] <Raith> "Nothing and no one here."
[20:43] <Sathara> "Hell if I know, cap'n.  I just got the frakking creeps about this ship."
[20:44] <Raith> "I wouldn't be surprised to find this whole ship is dead or run by a computer."
[20:44] <Sathara> "Then why in frak is it firing nukes at innocent little moons?!"
[20:45] <Raith> "Computer. Can you think of a living soul that would do something like that?"
[20:45] <Sathara> "No, but people can be frakked up sometimes.  I don't think I really have to tell you that."
[20:46] <anlarye> *Jaeih* "I think we are in orbit of that next moon"
[20:46] <DrCross> "We'll soon find out, Sathara"
[20:46] <Sathara> ::very tensely:: "Reckon so, doc."
[20:46] <Raith> ??Does the passageway only lead on direction? Is there air here? What do the wall look like? Is there writing anywhere? A computer terminal or closet???
[20:47] <DrCross> "What? This ship has moved on to the other moon?!? For another bombardment?!?"
[20:48] <Raith> ??Is there light? Is there any sound? Does the corridor turn, or go on into darkness and beyond sight??
[20:50] <anlarye> *the passageway leads into the interior of the ship or into the engines themselves. no air at all, we have an open door to space behind us. no light, no sound, there could be turns ahead as well as changes in elevation beyond ones line of sight. no terminals can be seen at this point. the door itself was very mechanical. no writing on anything can be seen (could be lighting or faded or just never present)
[20:51] * Sathara pulls the second pistol, left handed, seeming more and more tense the longer they stay on the alien ship.
[20:53] * DrCross notes Sathara's heightened levels, ::comms:: "Breathe, Sathara, breathe"
[20:53] <anlarye> *Jaeih* "I believe so. Since we have observed them. The pattern is scan a location and then destroy it. Based on whatever the results of the scans are."
[20:54] <Raith> "Ken, can you get us to the engines?"
[20:54] * Sathara spares a half second to smile back at DrCross, and takes a deep breath, not noticeably relaxing.
[20:54] <anlarye> *Ken looking at one of his many handheld scanners* "We are too close to those engines here still. Very high radiation levels, they arent shielded very well at all."
[20:54] <Sathara> "Will the suits protect us, Ken?"
[20:55] * Sathara keeps the pistols trained in the direction of Ken's light, occasionally turning around to see if she can see anything or anybody at all.
[20:56] <anlarye> *Ken* "For a time ... cant begin to tell how long. It wont be more than a few hours though and if the radiation levels rise too much or too quickly as we get closer to the engines, then it could drastically reduce that time."
[20:57] <Sathara> "Frak!  Okay, thanks, Ken."
[20:57] <anlarye> *Ken* "The engines are this way" *he says taking the point and looking at his scanner as he goes.*
[20:58] <Raith> "Sathara, lead the way. Ken give us directions."
[20:58] * DrCross is getting a little tense too, "This place is enormous... yet empty"
[20:59] <Sathara> "Aye, Cap'n."
[20:59] * Sathara steps in front of Ken, guns trained ahead of her and listening for Ken's directions.
[21:01] <anlarye> *Ken relays the directions to Sathara -- another set of stairs is encountered several 30 meters closer to the engines at the bottom is another door - ancient looking like the main hatch and using the same technology - no electronic seals, all manual spinning of a wheel. There is writing above the door ... the script is not known*
[21:02] * Sathara leads the way down the stairs, and then steps out of the way to cover Ken as he opens the door.
[21:02] <anlarye> *Ken* "Radiation levels have been climbing ..."
[21:03] <Raith> "Warn me when they are critical Ken."
[21:04] <Sathara> "Cap'n, this may not be such a hot idea.  I'm about to jump out of my frakking skin."
[21:04] <Sathara> "Frakking shit, cap'n, the last time I felt like this, I got myself kicked out of the ADF."
[21:05] <DrCross> "Cap, I agree, our suits won't be able to last long with radiation levels this high "
[21:05] <Raith> ::Mutters to himself:: "Alright, what do you propose we do about the world destroying super ship besides cripple the engines?"
[21:06] <Raith> "Ken you have any idea which way the 'bridge' would be on this floating piece of debris?"
[21:06] <anlarye> *Ken* "This door is sealed. It's not like the maintenance hatch. But I should be able to get it open here in a few minutes or so"
[21:07] <DrCross> "Disable Weapons Control? Crash it? I dunno."
[21:07] <Sathara> "Disabling weapons control would be a better idea than frakking with these drek engines."
[21:08] <anlarye> *Ken* "As an engineer, I would guess one of the tower like structures the rise from the ship itself. Unless they are smart enough to bury the bridge in the interrior like the Alliance does"
[21:08] <Sathara> "Ken, d'ya think you could find the master weapons control?"
[21:11] <anlarye> *Ken* "On a ship this size?
[21:12] <DrCross> "... or, Cap, we try to communicate with whoever 'they' are and hope they are friendly and open to sugestions?" *grimaces
[21:12] <Sathara> "Well, the doc isn't picking up any life signs--so far, at least--and I want to get away from these engines, but the cap'n's got a point.  We gotta stop this thing from bombing every frakking planet, moon, and asteroid it comes across."
[21:14] <anlarye> *Jaeih* "All the moons it has bombarded so far all have one thing in common. They are all in the habitable zone of this system's primary"
[21:14] <Sathara> "All the more reason to stop this frakking thing."
[21:14] * DrCross slaps his scanner "Err, sorry, I can't even detect us... due to the radiation"
[21:14] <Sathara> "Oh frak."
[21:15] <Raith> ::Mutters to himself::
[21:15] <Sathara> "Will it behave if we get away from the radiation?"
[21:16] * DrCross realises what Jaeih just said, "Oh my god"
[21:16] <Raith> "Ken, the enigines on the otherside of this door?
[21:16] <Raith> "
[21:16] <DrCross> "Sathara, it should"
[21:16] <Sathara> "I frakking well hope so."
[21:18] <anlarye> *Ken* "Yes this hatch should lead to the engine room ... " *he hesitates* "or the equivilant of the engine room."
[21:21] * DrCross goes around the crew members, checking their suits
[21:22] <Raith> "Sathara, you bring anything that goes boom?"
[21:26] <Sathara> "I got a belt of grenades, cap'n. I don't know how much good that'll do here."
[21:26] <Sathara> "That's about the biggest boom I can make."
[21:27] <Sathara> "I'm not much of a demolitions expert, but maybe Ken can engineer something?"
[21:27] * DrCross looks at Ken "You're the expert"
[21:28] <anlarye> *Ken* "It all depends on what is behind this door. It is locked and I'm attempting to get it unlocked and then opened. Its gonna take a bit"
[21:28] <Sathara> "Cap'n, are you REAL good and sure you want Ken to do that?"
[21:29] <Raith> ::Grimaces:: "I'm sure I want to stop this ship, any suggestions?"
[21:30] <Sathara> "I wish to hell we could find weapons control and take THAT out."
[21:30] <Sathara> "But wish in one hand, and...well, you know the rest of that saying."
[21:33] <DrCross> "Ken... can you try your telemechanics from here?"
[21:33] <Raith> "Ken, can you find me a central control room for either navigation or fire control? Hell even a Computer terminal would do."
[21:35] <anlarye> *Ken* "Thats a good idea doc. Let me see if I can find things that way."
[21:35] <DrCross> "... try to take control or at least know the schematics?"
[21:37] <anlarye> !df 5
[21:37] <ChanServ> Result: (+)(-)( )( )( )
[21:39] <anlarye> *Ken concentrates for a moment*
[21:40] <anlarye> *a light bead of sweat drips from his forehead within his helmet as he just stands before the door*
[21:41] * DrCross stands just behind Ken, ready to help but hopes he doesn't need it
[21:41] * Sathara stands behind Ken as well, switching from looking at the door to looking behind the group, one gun pointed in each direction, but not at any of her crewmates.
[21:42] <anlarye> !! roll perception
[21:42] <Sathara> !df 5
[21:42] <ChanServ> Result: (+)(+)( )(+)(+)
[21:44] <DrCross> !df 4
[21:44] <ChanServ> Result: (+)( )(-)(-)
[21:44] <Raith> !df 5
[21:44] <ChanServ> Result: (+)(-)(+)(+)(+)
[21:45] <anlarye> !df 4
[21:45] <ChanServ> Result: ( )( )(-)(+)
[21:47] <Raith> ::Draws his pistol and backs a few paces up from the door, motioning the others to do the same::
[21:47] * Sathara backs up and trains both guns on the door.
[21:48] <anlarye> *Ken still stands there, eyes closed ... sweating a bit ... with deep breaths ... oblivious to his surroundings*
[21:48] <Sathara> "Ken, back up!"
[21:49] <anlarye> *Jaeih also backs up pulling out her alien PPG*
[21:49] * DrCross tries to drag ken back
[21:50] <anlarye> *Ken drags easy but seems to be unresponsive to anything vocal*
[21:51] <DrCross> *drags Ken behind the Sathara, Jaeih, and the Captain
[21:55] <Raith> ::Trains his PPG pistol on the door and waits::
[21:55] <anlarye> *the wheel of the door stops spinning*
[21:57] * Sathara tenses and moves her index fingers so they're right by the trigger guards on her guns.
[21:58] * DrCross pushes Ken down the floor while he kneels down and looks at what will come out the door
[21:59] <Raith> ::Moves up, spins the wheel and jerks the door open::
[21:59] <Sathara> "Holy frak!"
[22:00] <DrCross> "Holy hell!?!"
[22:03] <anlarye> *A rush of air comes out and there are a number of flashing lights and main lights within the chamber beyond ... some 10 meters behind Lady Luck's crew a bulkhead begins to creak down and a flashing light appears on Ken's scanner*
[22:04] * DrCross grabs Ken's sensor, shouting "What's happening???"
[22:05] * Sathara just barely manages not to start shooting before she knows exactly what the frak is going on, but doesn't let herself look over at Ken and DrCross, keeping her eyes and guns trained on the now-open dor.
[22:05] <Sathara> *door
[22:06] <DrCross> "Radiation levels are going through the roof, Captain!"
[22:07] <anlarye> *the bulkhead behind the crew stops with just a meter left to go .... the chamber beyond the open door has a buzz of lights flashing and claxons going off .... sound can be heard*
[22:08] <Raith> ::Slams the door closed::
[22:09] <Sathara> "Frakking hell, cap'n, what the frak was that?"
[22:09] <Raith> "Radiation levels dangerous in there I take it Doc?"
[22:09] <DrCross> "Wasn't it obvious, Captain?!?"
[22:10] <DrCross> "Radiation levels have spiked and is not going down"
[22:10] <anlarye> *Ken starts shaking*
[22:10] <DrCross> "We have to leave now.... what, ken?"
[22:11] <Sathara> "I'm with the doc.  Let's get the frak out of here."
[22:11] <Sathara> "We can figure something out to stop these bastards when we're away from all the frakking radiation."
[22:12] <DrCross> *is checking Ken's lifesigns
[22:14] <Raith> "Okay, back the way we came then. Slip under the door."
[22:14] <DrCross> "Cap, Ken is having a seizure! He has highly elevated pulse, hyperventilating, and *oh my god* his _eyes_ are starting to bleed!"
[22:15] <DrCross> "Jaeih, help me carry Ken!"
[22:15] <Sathara> "I'll cover our asses back out of here.  Let's roll."
[22:16] <anlarye> *Ken opens his eyes ... they are bloodshot, dilated and unfocused .... *
[22:18] <anlarye> *his mouth moves but no words come out ... *
[22:18] <DrCross> "Ken! Ken!"
[22:19] <Sathara> "Doc, let's get him out of here first.  You can worry about him once we're back on our ship."
[22:19] <anlarye> *Ken closes his eyes again ... and manages to mutter out two words before loosing consciousness*
[22:19] <anlarye> "black ICE"