Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Prosperus]

Lukas - Red Team
"At the moment I am holding some kind of bug. I'm not really combat ready. Miyamoto, you want me to bring this thing back to base ?"

[Thearpox]

"Flint, firing explosive rounds at a gigantic unknown creature on this planet is not something I would call smart. For anyone. For all we know, it might turn on us, and head right to the base when we do that.

Mesk, I gather that since the conditions have changed, the electricity zone is too unstable to enter.
How about you head right over to where the lake was before, and we observe it from a closer distance. In case it decides to follow us, or assault the base, I don't want it to associate the two."

Privately to Mesk: "Also, please don't follow what Flint is saying. It's not hard to understand just how dangerous it is."

Message received.

I'm probably going to be busy soon. Either entering the electric fields, or arguing with the lot of my compatriots. If I can't respond for a while, that's the reason.

((Damn, missed out on much of the exchange.

There is actually another reason for why I'm searching for the cameras, but I'm not going to reveal it for now.))

[MutzelRX]

Hop into the shuttle with Vich

[Parisbre56]

"Sure, if you mean strap him to the bottom and have him shoot at it.  What're the zone conditions over there?"

"And what's a Vegas?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I mean. Electrical activity seems to have lowered a bit but I still suggest you fly high and stay away from the creature to avoid any electrical discharges. The Colossus is currently sucking up electricity and turning blue... I have a hunch, but I don't know for sure yet... I think it's going to become another zone 6 there in a few days, full of electricity and radiation. I'm hoping we can get a sample before then."

"Vegas is the legendary star system where death resides and all the sinners go after they die. They say that the star system is full of neon lights that entice everyone who passes by to stay there, like a moth to the flame, trapping everyone with their supernatural influence, each one seeing in those lights their heart's deepest desire. They say that they have converted the star, once one of the brightest stars in the region into an unholy Dyson sphere, using twisted machines that make no sense and drive engineers mad to power the lights of the system. Some heretics even say that the creator of the universe lives there... and given the universe we live in, I don't blame them."

Lukas - Red Team
"At the moment I am holding some kind of bug. I'm not really combat ready. Miyamoto, you want me to bring this thing back to base ?"

"You can drop the bug off at the base if Miyamoto gives us permission. Mesk will come pick you up."

"Flint, firing explosive rounds at a gigantic unknown creature on this planet is not something I would call smart. For anyone. For all we know, it might turn on us, and head right to the base when we do that. "

"If you remember correctly, YOU were the one that awoke this creature and YOU were the one that failed to sample it and instead run away like a little girl. You call THAT smart? I'm trying to clean up YOUR mess here. And I'm trying to help people, everyone who'll come after us. A sample of that thing is worth more than anything else we've seen in this stupid rock so far, both for us and for humanity. And that thing is not alive. It's not intelligent. It won't come after us. If what I think is right, it won't even move at all. It's a device with a single purpose. You'll see what I mean soon enough. Now is our only chance to attack it and get a sample before it's too late.

And even if it comes after us (something highly unlikely), I'm willing to sacrifice myself to lead it away, if that's what it takes. So no need to worry about your little self."

[Thearpox]

I'm finding myself more bothered by his lack of knowledge of history than his plan. Have to stay focused to not just turn this into a history lesson.

"Yes, I was the who awoke it and failed to sample it. For some reason I don't think it would've gone any different with you. Especially since it was physically impossible to sample. But you know what? Blame me if you want to, I already got the message you don't like me.

The problem is that you're making assumptions, assumptions about everything. That it will turn into Zone 6 is a good guess, but it is only an assumption. That it is not alive is an assumption. And that it will become distracted by you is an assumption too. What you need to understand is that you're not sacrificing yourself, you're sacrificing everyone, all fifteen of us on a tower built out of your assumptions. If this creature does indeed turn into Zone 6, then maybe we or the next team will be able to find a similar lake untouched yet. If there's more than one, there's probably more than two."

((Funny thing that I can't really make an action without Miyamoto deciding anything, and with Mesk silent.))

[Parisbre56]

"And your problem is that you're unwilling to take risks and that you're full of fear. What has lead me here was my willingness to take risks, to ignore the danger and do what I thought was right. If I didn't, I would be dead right now. What has lead humanity to greatness were the few brave men that put everything on the line, invested their entire lives to achieve things others thought impossible or crazy.

And in this case, what I'm suggesting is neither. It's simple and straightforward. That thing can only go two ways if we attack it. Either we cause it no damage and it ignores us or we cause damage, which means that if it turns unfriendly, we can destroy it.

And you're the one making the wildest of assumptions. Do you have any evidence to suggest that that thing will attack us? That that thing will even understand that we or the base exists? That another one of its kind will appear within the next hundred years?

Plus, think about this: Let's say that this thing actually turns into a zone 6 that can move and then starts making its way to the gravity seep. Wouldn't THAT be extremely dangerous to the base? What about the electric fields, how are we going to explore them with that thing in the way? Or what if it goes and 'plants' itself in zone 6, strengthening the radiation there and making it seep towards the base? Or maybe it starts sending new radiation orbs towards the base? Leaving that thing alone is as dangerous as attacking it, if we start making wild assumptions like you are."

[Toaster]

Clearly what the team needed was prayer.  Lars slumped down to a prone position and begin to pray loudly, over all-coms.

"Great and glorious gods of the HMRC Pantheon, we beseech your aid!  Algis, may your hands shield us from horrible alien death!  Vo-nos, please lend your speed to those in harm's way!  Pathmas, may we ever be in your favor!  Steve, shine your glorious green light upon us!"

Power of Prayer.

[Thearpox]

Ignoring Lars:

"The only assumption I'm making is that barraging something unknown with explosive weaponry, while on a very deadly alien planet defying the laws of physics, is not the smartest course of action.

I don't know where you got that we can kill it if it turns unfriendly, but if anything's an assumption, it's that. But yes, I am pretty sure that another one of it's kind exists if it does what you think it does. Because as I've said, when there's more than one, there's usually more than two.

And about your extrapolations of what I had said, that is all possible. But I am coming from the above-stated assumption not attacking something with high-grade weaponry is safer than attacking it. Take from it what you will; that I cowardly, that I am unwilling to take risks, that I am missing out on humanity's enlightenment. I consider caution to be a virtue, and I wouldn't trust you with everyone's lives, I it was my decision."

[Radio Controlled]

((Is it a bird? A plane? No, it's a WALL OF TEXT))

After the loss of his drone sunk in, Miyamoto shook his fist in the general direction of the monkeything.
'Yeah, you better run! That was a perfectly good drone, I hope you CHOKE ON IT.'


However, after hearing the numerous reports coming in from his teammates at base, he knew he'd have to take action now.

'Hey Lukas, I need to think about what to do about the crystalthing. Don't be alarmed if I don't respond for the next few minutes, I tend to think out loud to myself. Helps me collect my thoughts'

With that said, he shuts off all outside communications, takes him arms out of the control cuffs, and starts talking to himself.

"Okay now Miyamoto, what to do about that crystalthing. Hmm. What are the facts? I know it was created by disturbing a puddle of some stuff, it then grew a body and started walking in the general direction of the base. It absorbs the electricity from that one zone, and absorbed the laser fire. 3 possible courses of action:
-We do nothing, observing it and hoping it isn't dangerous. No, too risky. If it is indeed going to stomp over our base, intentional or not, it might be too late to stop it once we know for sure.
-We try to find a way to damage it, maybe lure it away from base if it feels it. However, if it isn't hostile now it might turn hostile if we do something to it. That would be creating a new enemy. Also, we can't do nothing as long as it's in the electrozone. Even so, finding a way to damage it might be handy for... future reference.
-We try to destroy it as soon as possible. Risky, as with the above, but maybe striking first is the edge we need.

Hmm... Tough call. Risk aggroing that thing and create a new danger for ourselves, or take our chances and wait until it might be too late.

Ugh, I hate this. So little information, so whatever I choose, it could be horrible wrong and get all of my teammates dead. They trusted me to guide them, but what the hell am I supposed to do with this crap? That thing shouldn't be walking around in the first place!
 
Maybe I don't need to go over there, they can handle themselves... No, can't do that. Need to make a decision, for better or for worse, not deciding isn't an option. A team that isn't working towards the same goal is about as useful as that STUPID FRAKKING MONKEYROD THAT BROKE MY FRAKKING DRONE YOU FRAKKING ALIEN!

Hmm. Attacking it now and diverting it away from base leaves us with the most options in case it indeed turns out hostile. I don't like being the aggressor, but it seems the safest route to take.

Yes. I know what to do."


He then opens a channel to all of his teammates.

'Okay team, here's the plan: Mesk, you come pick us up with the shuttle. Sorry red team, I know we just got here, but that thing is more important now. And once it's dealt with I think I'm gonna reshuffle the teams anyway.

We will track its path while its in the electrozone, but the second it gets near the edge of it, while still going towards us, we will start blasting it.

Flint, if you have ideas on how to stop that thing, be free to voice them now. That goes for everybody.'

Define power, Flint. Lukas has got his stuff, I've got explosives and a chemical. And Miyamoto, permission to use 1 of the Gauss shells from the armory in testing?

If permission is given, get a Gauss rifle and 1 shell and test on a slab of shell the same thickness as the 10-second laser resistant one.

'Sure, but only use one. We... might need them soon.

... Also, and don't take this wrong Simus, but we're not here to do everything ourselves. Hell, they didn't even give us some decent equipment, my damn high school lab had more gear than that glorified storage box they call a lab. So don't focus solely on that, 'cause right now we've got something else to deal with.'

[Thearpox]

((I like how our responces to it differed, from Bishop's non-chalant "do whatever you want", to Flint's "I must get a sample," to mine "let's observe it", and finally to Miyamoto's "Oh GOD IT'S GOING TO DESTROY US!!!"))

"So we're going to be destroying it? I can live with that. Seems more sensible than just trying to get a sample.

My only suggestion is only that the shuttle never goes in a straight line from the Colossus to the base or back. I don't want it to associate the two. And I've already volunteered to observe it. Mesk was just going to take us west of the thing... we really need a backup pilot."

[Radio Controlled]

((I like how our responces to it differed, from Bishop's nonchalant "do whatever you want", to Flint's "I must get a sample," to mine "let's observe it", and finally to Miyamoto's "Oh GOD IT'S GOING TO DESTROY US!!!"))
"So we're going to be destroying it? I can live with that. Seems more sensible than just trying to get a sample.
My only suggestion is only that the shuttle never goes in a straight line from the Colossus to the base or back. I don't want it to associate the two. And I've already volunteered to observe it. Mesk was just going to take us west of the thing... we really need a backup pilot."

'I know. I had though about trying to pilot it myself, but then I feared that we might damage the shuttle needlessly. But yeah, after this I'll pick at least 2 more people to train with the shuttle. And yes, the line thing is true.'

((Also, it's not like I didn't think it through before deciding to shoot it. That thought process up there was kinda what I actually did to come to the same conclusion. Make of that what you will.))

[piecewise]

Search the floor and ceiling for cameras.

You don't find any. Seems the only ones are the mysterious infrared ones in the walls.

"Uhh... It's not good. It's not looking good. That thing is charging up and changing colour. I'm going to take cover in a position from which I can safely observe it and begin streaming video to you. Any of the science people got any ideas? _{Damn it, I wish I had taken that sample...}"

Find somewhere I could take cover (a large rock or depression or something) and take cover behind it. Begin streaming video of the creature back to base. Wonder whether or not my exosuit is electrically insulated. Start monitoring my radiation readings.

EDIT: And give permission as quartermaster to Simus to take a gauss rifle, just in case ALVIN needs someone to tell him about it to unlock the door to the Armory.

@Everyone and Miyamoto:"Absorbed electricity, absorbed my laser... Damn it, I wish I had taken a sample. Hey, any of you got any high powered ballistic weapons? I'd reaaaly like to take a piece of that thing. It could be the most important find of the mission. Imagine armor made out of that material... Red Leader, permission to have Lukas fire high velocity rounds toward that thing? I'm also going to need Mesk and his bucket if you give me authorization."

There's not a whole lot of rocks around here, so you throw yourself down on your stomach and hide in the depression of the lakebed. You peek up at the crystalline creature every now and again, but it doesn't seem to move.  You're pretty sure your suit isn't insulated against electricity. Well...it does cover you fairly well...it might work...though you're not sure you want to test it out like this.

Your suit doesn't detect any increases in radiation. 

"Ah shit."

Continue observing the crystal thingy. Report any major changes that happen.

((Zako, I can give you a hint. What has fine metal mesh, and can be worn on the body?))

You keep an eye on the crystal. Its color continues to darken until it's a steely blue, but it remains immobile.

"Huh. Well, now I'll need to think of something else... Might as well check how everything is holding up around base in the meantime."

Check around the base for how everything is holding up and what repairs are needed and make a list. Have Alvin help me.

Everything in the base is holding up fairly well, the only thing that might need touching up is the rather rough seal that anton made on the medbay umbilical hall. His hands were dying as he did it so it's not the best work.

Define power, Flint. Lukas has got his stuff, I've got explosives and a chemical. And Miyamoto, permission to use 1 of the Gauss shells from the armory in testing?

If permission is given, get a Gauss rifle and 1 shell and test on a slab of shell the same thickness as the 10-second laser resistant one.

The result is a deflection, though it does damage the shell a bit. It seems like the hardness combined with the rounded shape makes it hard for the round  to impart its force very effectively.

"Sure, if you mean strap him to the bottom and have him shoot at it.  What're the zone conditions over there?"
Standing by for Miyamoto's word.
"And what's a Vegas?"

You do your best to relax in the coffin of a cockpit.

Hop into the shuttle with Vich

I already had you aboard. Now you're even more aboard. So aboard.

 

[Tavik Toth]

Ask Alvin status of base.

[Parisbre56]

"The creature is currently standing still just inside the electrical fields and it's getting bluer by the minute. I suggest that everyone who wants to participate on the attack run gets kinetic weaponry like gauss rifles, high explosives, manipulators, anything you got that isn't an energy weapon and board the shuttle. I suggest you fly high and away from the creature to avoid any electrical discharge and try aiming for the base of the creature to make it fall. If you're gonna do something, you better do it now, I don't know for how long that thing will stay inactive.

If you want to be safer, try shooting some gauss rounds at it first to make sure our weapons have an effect on it before using bigger guns and try approaching it from the west so that if it goes after us, we can lead it to the black domes and make it cut itself to pieces. Either way, that thing is slow, so if it starts moving again, you should be able to outrun it pretty easily.

Lukas, you think you can use that big particle cannon of yours on it while flying?"

[Thearpox]

Private to Miyamoto: "Why is Flint giving commands like that? Was he promoted to be our field commander? And why is he speaking of attacking? Didn't you say to ready the weapons and attack only if it heads towards us?"