Play@YSDC

Medical Lab - Styx Base, Pluto
0735 GMT - Tuesday, August 9, 2112

The door swished open again, and in strode a man in his late forties with a proud bearing. His uniform bore many more decorations than the rest of the crew.

"General Pryce," said Major Natalia Orlova, saluting.

"As you were," replied the man, returning the salute. The door shut behind him. He looked over at Story and his companions. "You must be our uninvited guests. I'd like a word with you later, but first things first." He then looked at the Mi-Go, and his composure shattered. He broke down in sheer terror and certain knowledge of the sheer wrongness of what he faced. A seething rage overtook him as he stared at the alien creature, and he whipped out his sidearm. "DIE!!!" he shouted, shooting the creature. It reeled but remained upright.

Juliette startled as the General fired at the alien, drew her gun and fired as she was sure the general had seen something she missed. But as she was so startled she did not get enough time to aim for something vital.

When the others opened fire, the security officers acted instinctively. Alison Silver fired wildly and dropped her pistol, the sudden recoil throwing her off balance. Robert MacCrimmon shot the Mi-Go. The creature fell to the floor but continued to writhe. Lt. Barrett stood staring in shock, uncertain what to do. General Pryce shot again and only barely missed.

Juliette cursed herself for startling. She held her fire, and instead she said: "General, it is their mind thingy. It arouses fear and turn your head into mush for a moment...Zut alors, qu'ellle cauchemar!"

The Roman blinked as he watched the Mi-Go get shot up in cold blood, unprovoked. He didn't have time to react or he might have tossed himself in the path of the weapons. Now the deed was done, and the creature lay there shuddering in death thralls.

Lucius clapped his hands together. "Right... all right. Very nice," he said. He took a few steps towards the exit. "It was very nice getting to know you all, but perhaps we should be going now. Story?" He leaned in towards the other prompting likewise action."Don't you think we should be going now?" However, General Pryce was standing between him and the door, which was also closed - and he had no means to open it.

Karin threw herself at the Mi-Go aiming to knock it out of the line of attack. This was purely instinctive, possibly due to her professional instinct to save life. She tried to grab the Mi-Go off of the floor, but it was too slippery. Then it began to emit a low humming, buzzing sound. A wave of calm began to wash over the occupants of the medical lab.

Lucius found himself calming and his normal sense of self-preservation waning as he listened to the gentle droning buzz.

Karin sat on the floor beside the Mi-Go. Alison's mind was strong, and she managed to resist the compulsion to hold still. So did Robert, but only just. Edward was unaffected too, and so was Brook.

Colleen Rose watched the conversation calmly, though concerned that it seemed rather polite for ambushers. Bringing it anywhere near her superiors seemed like a dumb idea but she was content to watch right up until the General began shooting. Her brain was a little frazzled by the suddenness of the attack so she simply stood, slack-jawed, as the shots were fired.

Story made his way towards the Mi-Go. "STOP FIRING YOU IDIOTS!" he shouted, looking at Juliette and then the general. "How can you expect to establish peaceful relations if you attack those you know nothing about?! The Mi-Go might as well kill you all... you bunch of monkeys!" Reaching the Mi-Go, he knelt beside it and visually looked it over. Story could see that the Mi-Go was very badly injured, though he couldn't tell much about its alien physiology. He looked at Karin. "Are you okay?"

Colleen resisted the effect and hurried over to the General. "Are you all right, sir?" she asked.

Brook screamed as the general suddenly opened fire upon the alien, ducked and covered. "Noooooo! Stop it!" She shouted from the corner. "You bloody fools! Didn't you hear? It's in telepathic contact with the rest of the Mi-Go! They'll know what happened! Your crew's screwed if you don't stop this!" She moved quickly over to the Mi Go and placed herself between it and the gun-toters. She also just happened to stand in front of Story, protecting him as well.

Karin was unable to move, no matter how much she tried. General Pryce was also frozen into immobility, and so was Major Orlova.

Elizabeth gasped and stepped back in shock, trying to stay out of any fight that ensued. "No, Lucius," she said, watching the scene unfold in front of her. "We see this out. We try to help. We don't run away." She resisted the Mi-Go's calming effect. Her instinctive reaction was to move to the Mi-Go, so she moved to join Brook and Story beside it, hoping to prevent any more bloodshed that way.

"Silver, MacCrimmon, stand down!" Heinrich shouted, puzzled at the General's newfound hostility towards Story and his crew as well as the apparently non-hostile alien. He pointed towards Brook. "Listen to the girl, General! If you continue in this course of action you're endangering the lives of not just the Persephone crew, but that of Lt. Colonel Bruce as well... and possibly the entire station, at that!" He pulled out the taser held at his side and shrugged. "I'm likely saving us all." Heinrich dived at the general, making contact with the taser set on the lowest setting. What he was doing may have been against military protocol, but he was confident that he was doing a service to all the personnel of the base, and that the facts would come out in the end.

A blue arc of electricity leapt between the taser's contacts when it struck General Pryce in the chest, and he collapsed to the floor, twitching briefly before lying very still. Even the lowest setting was powerful enough to lay him out. Silence filled the medical lab, and the crisis appeared to have passed. The Mi-Go pulled itself upright again with agonizing slowness.

"We zzzhould dezzztroy you all!" it buzzed loudly. It paused before continuing. "But we are zzzivilizzzed, unlike humanzzz. You will releazzze me at onzzze. You will all be permitted to leave in peazzze. General Pryzzze, you will take all of your people and prepare to evacuate thizzz bazzze. We shall return the human called Bruzzze to you, and then you will return to your planet. You will never again approach Yuggoth. Onzzze you are on Earth, you will arrange a private meeting between your leader Kaizzzer and our ambazzzador, who will be arriving on Earth. They will dizzzcuzzz reparationzzz and the relationzzzhip between our people. Thezzze are our termzzz. They are not open for negotiation."

When the Mi-Go finished speaking, those who had been paralyzed found themselves once more able to move, with only a tingling sensation that faded quickly as a reminder of the strange alien intrusion on their minds. Only General Pryce remained still, as the taser had stunned him severely in spite of the low setting.

OOC,You're all free to act now, even those who were paralyzed before. I'll assume combat is over at this point.

Juliette looked around here at the situation. Put her hand in her pocket. Drew out something that she put in her mouth and swallowed. "Qu'elle cauchemare, C'est reparti!" She holstered her gun and walked over to the General to take his pulse. She shot Heinrich an accusing look, but said nothing more.

Brook looks at the others, relieved things have calmed down and that people are no longer firing wildly. "Sounds fair to me..."

"Yup, we can hardly blame them for those terms," agrees Elizabeth. "But no more shooting everyone, please?"

Story stands up and looks around at all the base personnel present. "Well..." Then looks at the Mi-Go before finally looking at his companions. "Things have definitely changed, eh?" Looks back at the Mi-Go. "How badly are you injured?"

Juliette found that the general's pulse was steady. Tasers could on rare occasions cause someone's heart to stop, but usually they had some sort of heart problem to begin with or were otherwise weak and infirm. General Pryce seemed healthy enough, at least physically.

"Conzzziderably," the Mi-Go replied to Story, "but I can zzztill fly. My own kind knowzzz how to heal me. Our medical zzzkillzzz are exzzzellent."

Major Natalia Orlova moved over to the door leading out of the lab and pressed her hand to the touchplate, causing it to open. "I shall escort you to the docking bay," she said. "I don't want the other base personnel who weren't present to harm you if they see you moving through the corridors on your own."

"Of courzzze." The Mi-Go followed her to the door.

Colleen shook her head and bit her thumb tip. They had a saboteur aboard their own base. There was no way they'd be allowed to evacuate. Still, she couldn't mention that in ear shot of the Mi-Go.

Looking at the Major Natalia Orlova. "Major, I'm coming with you." Motions for Lucius to follow him as he makes his way to the door to try and follow both Major Orlova and the Mi-Go.

Seeing the Mi-Go upright and there being nothing she could do to it anyway. Karin stands up and heads over to the General, grabbing a hyperdermic and some adrenalin. She checks he is still breathing and gives him a shot. "We won't move him until he comes round which shouldn't be long." Karin grabs the pad off the bed and puts it by him. She looks at Juliette, "Help me roll him onto here. I can rig the scanner over him to monitor him." She looks around, "Everyone else okay? The effects of whatever-it-was the Mi-Go did have worn off me I think. Just let me know instantly if any of you feel odd again. I'll stay here and keep an eye on him"

Handy Story,(In case Story can read minds) Karin thinks, [i]"I can't understand why the General reacted like that. He must have had experience of aliens before so it can't just be xenophobia. He must be psychologically disturbed for some other reason. I'll prepare something to keep him calm when he comes round; don't want him loosing off again."[/i] Would Karin do this as part of procedure?

Juliette scowls towards the Mi-goo. Her hatred for the thing is not possible to miss. "Just make sure Bruce is returned to us before it leaves the base would you please Major Orlova, as a show of their good will?!!"

Juliette helps Karin, her movements and voice shows her anger and consternation on they way things have turned out.

Lucius obliged Story, following along like a loyal puppy dog, although he'd have been more comfortable waiting for them all in the TARDIS. He said to Story, "It's amazing that we... our species... managed to survive this long. So much distrust and hatred for creatures that are different than ourselves. Granted, we had our issues back in my era, but most of that was just territorial and based on self-survival. How can we survive so long fearing the unknown like we do? It's astonishing that they even got the nerve to travel so far away from home." He paused at that and added, "Speaking of which, I still want to see what this land of Pluto looks like."

The Mi-Go paused and turned back, looking at Juliette with its alien eyes. "Our termzzz are not open for negotiation," it repeated. "I will be releazzzed now. Bruzzze will be returned to you afterwardzzz. That izzz a promizzze."

"Of course we will comply with your terms," Natalia assured the creature. "Sergeant Kohl, I require either you or one of your officers to escort our visitors." She smiled at Lucius. "You will get your chance to see Pluto. The docking bay has a transparent dome. And you are right, humanity must learn to get along with its neighbors if it is to survive." Then she gave him a puzzled look. "Your era? You act as if you were an old man, but you're younger than I am!"

Alison Silver sheepishly picked up her dropped gun, turned on the safety, and returned it to its holster.

Karin prepared a hypodermic with a sedative, and she and Juliette kept watch over General Pryce. He finally began to stir. "I am sorry," he said, sitting up. "I lost control. I apologize on behalf of all humanity. We will comply with your terms." He looked at the hypo in Karin's hand. "That will not be necessary."

Story,No, you cannot read minds.

Karin Bauer,The events of the last few minutes have gone far beyond any known procedure. However, you do have the authority as the base's chief medical officer to adminster any medications you think are necessary. You even have the authority to relieve the general of command if he is physically or mentally unfit for duty, though that action is likely to have consequences.

OOC,Everyone may roll Psychology (or Insight for [b]Lucius[/b]). The base skill is 5%.

Insight - Failed,[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3333624/]Insight (62%) (1d100=64)[/url]

Lucius blinked a few times, thoughtfully rolling through things in his mind, then said to Natalia, "I'm from a much simpler time. The worst people we had to deal with were druids." He looked at the alien creature and continued, "Since travelling with Story, I've met things I never dared dream were possible."

Natalia stopped. "Wait, you're claiming to be from another time?" she asked Lucius. "How is that possible?"

Elizabeth Young,[b]Elizabeth[/b] could tell from observing [b]General Pryce[/b] that the sight of the Mi-Go had caused him to snap, though he seemed to be otherwise fairly stable. His fit of madness was over now, though his voice was stilted and flat, and strangely devoid of emotion. In fact, his face and movements betrayed no emotion either. It was possible that he was still in shock over what he had done, but for the fact that he should be displaying some sort of feeling about the incident, even unconsciously. He hadn't been like that before the Mi-Go had used its strange power. He had been extremely emotional when he had shot it.

"You're asking the wrong guy," Lucius explained. "I might just be dreaming all of this. It's still undecided."

"Right you are Sir." Karin puts the hyperdermic away and turns to Juliette. "Thankyou for your help Captain, you can go about your duties; I'll get the General back on his feet."

Juliettes eyebrow raises at Karins comment. Her lips curl into an odd smile. " Right then Captain Bauer. I will go about my duties!" There's an testy tone to her voice. Julitette gets up and waits for the Mi-go escort to leave the room.

mr. handy,Juliette is pizzed and high up and just wants to find somewhere to calm down, far from any Mi-goo or all the goody twoshoes

"Major Orlova you will find that the culture Lucius is from is indeed different than yours so at times he is misunderstood due to the... wording he uses." Glances at Lucius then back to the Major. "Once this is all settled we can discuss the ridiculous notion of time travel if you wish. For not though we must get your comrade back." Looks at the Mi-Go. "How long after your return will it be before Bruce is brought back to the base?"

"I'll go with them, Sarge." said Alison when Heinrich didn't say anything. She followed the others into the curving corridor.

"Thank you, Doctor," said General Pryce. "I must return to the command centre now to organise the evacuation." He stood with Karin's help and walked into the hallway as well. "Gather what medical supplies you can. Lt. Rose, you'll need to go to Ground Control to open the dome for the Mi-Go."

Natalia led the Mi-Go, Story, Lucius, and Alison around the curve to another airlock, which she opened.

"Not long," the Mi-Go said to Story. "It will only take me a few of your Earth minutezzz to fly back to my kind. Onzzze I have returned zzzafely, the other Mi-Go will fly back here with Bruzzze. That will take the a zzzimilar amount of time."

Juliette and General Pryce approached the airlock directly across from the medical lab, the one that led to the central module, which the general opened. Elizabeth, Brook, Karin, Edward, Colleen, Heinrich, and Robert remained in the medical lab when the door closed.

Juliette Desjardins,The simulation suites in the central module are a good place to chill out and blow off some steam, and you've used them often.

"Is the General really ok?" asks Elizabeth, addressing her question to the base staff remaining in the room. "He seems awfully emotionless after what the Mi-Go did, well I don't know what it did, but that calming buzzing thing. Perhaps he is still in shock, I don't know, but I would have expected him to show a bit more emotion, even after what happened. Not least because of what he is being asked to do now."

Lucius noticed Story's glance and shrugged indifferently. He'd never been told mum's the word. It's always just assumed. At this point, things were so strange what difference would a little time-travel detail make? Still, he didn't dwell on that conversation.

"Mister Mi-Go," Lucius awkwardly addresses the alien. "Can you tell me about your life form? You really don't look anything like any animal I've ever come across. Are you an intelligent plant-life? Or something else entirely?" He moved closer to the alien and asked, "What do you consume ... for sustenance? Do you drink water? Absorb sunlight? Or is your diet more similar to our own?"

"I'm not quite sure," said Lt. Barrett to Elizabeth. "He does seem calm now."

"I wouldna know if he's himself," said Robert. "I never get to see him much."

Elizabeth Young,It struck [b]Elizabeth[/b] that [b]General Pryce[/b] was perhaps [i]too[/i] calm.

"We are zzzomething elzzze," the Mi-Go replied to Lucius. "We do not eat what humanzzz eat. We have our own food. It izzz nothing you would recognizzze."

Lucius laughed uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his neck as he said, "Well, at least it isn't humans. I'm grateful for that. Much better meeting you than the Ghouls under London."

"He just seems too calm to me," says Elizabeth, "It makes me a bit concerned."

"Just a minute Sir, may I have word before you go?" Karin waits for everyone except the General to leave the Medbay.

Handy,(assuming I'm not too late to post this) [i]"I'm registering high levels of stress in several crew members; I've had a chat with them and sorted a few issues out. It's very important I sort out any personal problems that the staff may have as you know."[/i] Karin stretches the truth somewhat.[i]"So what can you tell me Sir? What's wrong? " [/i]

General Pryce had already left the medical lab, and the others in the lab were staying put for now, so Karin needed to go out into the hall to catch up with him. He was just entering the airlock opposite the lab with Captain Juliette Desjardins.

OOC,[b]Juliette[/b], you may read what's in the spoiler button above, as you are still with the general and can hear it.

Karin Bauer/Juliette Desjardins,"I'm concerned about the crew's loyalty," said [b]General Pryce[/b]. "Not all of them are going to agree with my decision to evacuate, and I need to ensure that evacuation proceeds in an orderly manner so that we do not further antagonize the Mi-Go. Some of them may even try to disrupt the evacuation. [b]Colonel Patel[/b] in particular concerns me. If you see any signs of disloyalty among the crew, report it to me immediately."

"Ghoulzzz," said the Mi-Go in response to Lucius as the group passed through the airlock and into the connecting tunnel beyond. "They muzzzt be Interezzzting creaturezzz. I would like to exzzzamine one."

Heinrich is silent as he leans against the wall, deep in thought. In his mind, he's running through the events of the last few minutes and questioning his actions. He acted in accordance with his duties, but the general did outrank him by far and easily had the sway to bring his career to a grinding halt. The general seemed apologetic and didn't seem to be angry, though, so all might be well. These things are going through his mind as he looks around.

Lucius laughs, "Oh yeah, interesting... with their sharp teeth, and their subterranean living practices, and their beliefs that they absorb knowledge and power from dead people by eating them. Interesting is one way of putting it."

"Not every sentient life form is as normal as humanity. At least from the point of view of humans that is." Smiles. "I assure you other species find humanity just as appalling as you found the Ghouls." Looks at the Mi-Go then back to the Major. "Major, once we reach the airlock does procedure dictate that someone will have to travel with the Mi-Go to get Bruce?"

"Too bad you can't just let them keep him," Lucius commented quietly.

Heinrich saw that the medical lab looked much the same as it had before the...incident. The Mi-Go had not bled when it was shot, though it was possible that some trace amounts of tissue could be salvaged from the floor. The only other people with him were Robert, Colleen Rose, Elizabeth, and Brook now that Karin had stepped outside.

Natalia led the group through the tunnel and into the airlock at the other end. "I'm not sure there is a procedure for everything that's happened," she said. "In any case, that's up to the Mi-Go."

"It will not be nezzzezzzary," the Mi-Go buzzed. "I will fly alone to rejoin the other Mi-Go, and only when I have arrived zzzafely will they return here with Bruzzze."

"Yes Sir." Karin salutes and, not particularly satisfied with the General's answer, lets him continue down the corridor with Juliette. She returns to the lab with a sour look on her face.

Brook sits down on the table, her feet dangling. "So....I guess we just wait, huh? Are we still hostages, by the way?" she looks to Heinrich. "If not, maybe our blue box could be returned to us?"

Colleen Rose looks around for a few minutes more and then heads off back to the control room to prep everything to raise the dome.

Elizabeth kneels down to look more closely at the floor, though careful not to touch it. "Might there be evidence from the Mi-Go here that could be sampled? Could anyone left in this room do that, or do we need a medic or scientist? Of course with what's happening elsewhere maybe it's not too relevant now." After studying the floor she stands up again, still careful not to contaminate any evidence that there might be down there.

Karin overhears Elizabeth as she walks in. "Really? there are remains?" She cheers up immediately and crouches down by Elizabeth. "Excellent idea, we can scan the residues, try to discover something about the creature. This may be all we'll ever get, I don't suppose the Mi-Go are wounded very often." She grabs some apparatus and lays it out on the desk. "Here, help yourselves; see what you can find. I think the sticky slime stuff sprayed over a wide area but it's very fine and may have evaporated." She takes a slide and investigates the wall behind the bed but doesn't have much luck finding any.

OOC,[b]Story[/b], [b]Lucius[/b], and [b]Alison[/b] are moving to the thread linked below.

Coming and Going

OOC,[b]Elizabeth[/b], [b]Brook[/b], [b]Karin[/b], [b]Edward[/b], [b]Heinrich[/b], and [b]Robert[/b] are moving to the thread linked below.

Aftermath

OOC,[b]Juliette[/b] is moving to the thread linked below.

Simulation Terminated

OOC,[b]Colleen[/b] is moving to the thread linked below.

Ground Control to Major Natalia