Play@YSDC

Docking Bay - Styx Base, Pluto
0830 GMT - Tuesday, August 9, 2112

Lt. Colleen Rose entered the curving corridor from the airlock leading to the central module. Shortly afterwards, Captain Karin Bauer, Sergeant Heinrich Kohl, Story, Elizabeth, Lucius, and Brook entered from the airlock on the left that led to the reactor module. They were pushing a gravcart, on top of which lay Colonel Patel's body. Colleen cringed, wondering whether if she had taken action the colonel might still be alive - or if they might both be dead. She would never know, but wondering about it would keep her up nights...if she survived.

General Pryce had finished putting on his spacesuit and was making sure it was sealed. "Ah, good," he said. "We're all here. Bring the colonel's body over. I'll bring it to prove to the Mi-Go that she is in fact dead. Lt. Colonel Bruce, Captain Desjardins, Private Silver, and Private MacCrimmon, come with me. The rest of you wait here until the airlock is free, then follow us. Captain Bauer, Lt. Rose, Sergeant Kohl. you'd all better suit up." He led the way into the airlock leading into the docking bay proper and spoke into his communicator. "Major Orlova, the rest of us are just outside the docking bay. We will be entering shortly."

Lucius didn't look comforted... for all they knew, the Mi-Go would open fire as soon as the lot of them were accounted for. He looked to Story for direction.

Karin walks over to a suit and quickly puts it on. She nods as she sees the others donning their helmets and then puts hers on. When everyone is ready she'll lead the way into the main part of the docking bay.

"Wait, are we heading outside? What about the TARDIS?" Brook says, looking to Story and the others.

OOC,Sorry, i miss-read Mr. Handy's last post; I didn't realise we were actually in the same compartment as the General for a moment while he was suiting up. If I can get him before he actually shuts the air-lock:

Karin switches on her communicator, "General Pryce Sir. I can't allow Lt. Colonel Bruce to board the ship before testing for contaminents and alien influences. It's against Protocol H224 section D3.17: hazardous cargoes and quarantine procedure. As pilot of the ship, Captain Desjardins can verify this. He needs to remain here for examination by me immediately. Sir. As his superior officer it will be necessary for you to remain here as well to await the outcome of the results. "

Looks at Lucius and Brook. "We can't leave yet." Turns towards Karin.

"Unfortunately, Captain," said the general as the rest of his group joined him in the airlock, "we cannot afford any more delays before I speak to the Mi-Go, and I will need Bruce and the other security officers with me in case they try something. The only reason I don't bring Sergeant Kohl is that I cannot wait for him to put on his suit. I shall settle matters with the Mi-Go and ask them to allow us time for you to examine the security chief before we depart." He closed the airlock door with himself, Lt. Colonel Bruce, Juliette, Alison, Robert, and the gravcart containing Colonel Patel's body inside. Its lock engaged and it began to cycle. Karin, Colleen, Heinrich, Story, and his companions remained outside.

Juliette stared at the Gravcart with Colonel Patel on. She made sure she would get out on the far side, with the gravcart and lt. Colonel Bruce between herself and the aliens. She was fuming inside, in an inner dialog alternating between saying her prayers and cursing Bruce and Pryce for beeing weakminded pushovers. Her face as emotionless as she was able to keep it, she was glancing at Alison and Robert to see how they where holding up.

"I wonder how many Mi-Go there are on this planet," Lucius asked, thinking about that hive mind thing. "Say... you can fill the shuttle bay with air through the vents, right? Can you fill it with other stuff too? Like... water perhaps? Or something to obscure the vision... or maybe even that pesticide stuff?" He then thought a little more, and added, "And could it be set up to happen on command?"

Karin curses vehemently in Africaans then,"Damn him, an answer for everything." She looks at Story and speaks into her radio, "Sir, you are walking into a trap. Do not trust Lt. Colonel Bruce, repeat, you are walking into a trap. The aliens do not want any of us to survive to announce their existence. They will not let us board the Charon's Ferry and return to Earth."

Alison was becoming increasingly uneasy as the situation developed. The radio chatter wasn't helping. She knew the command structure in and out - who she should be following and the proper protocols, but like so many things in life their situation didn't fit so easily into the box that the Kaiser and his Peace Forces had set out for them. She kept an eye on the General and the LT. Colonel, but stayed a little behind the Grav cart with Robert.

"I will exercise caution, Captain," replied General Pryce into his communicator.

In the corridor outside the docking bay, Colleen looked from person to person with increasing alarm and confusion. "What pesticide?" she asked. "What on Pluto is going on?"

OOC,Those of you who were present when the captive Mi-Go was being questioned, which I think is everyone but [b]Colleen[/b], heard it say that there are millions of them.

Karin Bauer/Colleen Rose/Heinrich Kohl,There aren't anywhere near enough fungicides to saturate the huge docking bay, especially with the dome open to Pluto's atmosphere. The air vents in the docking bay are currently sealed while the bay is depressurized, so that air does not flow out of the base.

"I bet he he will. Well we can't arrest someone through an airlock. Mr. Story, the Sergeant and I will go after the General into the docking bay. We'll try to keep the ship and the General's group between us and any aliens. You will stay well behind us and as close to the airlock as possible."

Karin points to the airlock opposite the one they entered by. "That's the door leading towards Tertiary storage where your ship is. Go this way as a retreat if things go wrong. I don't know if you can override the locking mechanisms but if it comes to flight one of us will try to let you through." Karin looks at Colleen,"They must be allowed to depart on their own ship, stay near them in the docking bay, you'll be safer too. Lt Barrett made some fungicide sprays but they'll only be useful in close quarters, I don't want to explain them in case the Mi-Go are listening in but look out for fire extinguishers. I don't know how many aliens are in the docking bay but there are a heck of a lot on Pluto; we must do better than the Persephone." Karin waits to enter the last airlock.

"As you wish Captain." Looks at his companions then back at Karin. "If it comes down to it I'm sure we can get back to Tertiary storage without too much trouble. Of course we may set off a few alarms." Flashes a brief smile before getting serious. "Karin...don't get yourself killed. If you and the Sergeant can't subdue them you both can come with us."

Through the visor of her helmet, Story sees Karin smile. "Thankyou Mr Story." She was glad of any support; always a scientist before a soldier, Karin had found the last few hours very difficult, she was questioning her own effectiveness as a military officer; she just didn't have the trust and loyalty to follow her leaders whatever happened. She was struggling with this dilemma of blind duty versus logical thought, and, for the first time in her life, she was wondering if she was cut out for military life. She didn't want to let the crew down but this was from a sense of comradeship rather than any military concept.

Karin, Colleen, and Heinrich put on their spacesuits, while the others secured their helmets. By the time they were done, the airlock was ready again and they all ventured through it.

OOC,Everyone is moving to the thread linked below.

Diplomacy