Sergeant Heinrich Kohl led Story, Elizabeth, Lucius, Brook, and the Mi-Go through Styx Base, heading first through one tunnel to the hydroponics module, and then through another to the storage module. The sergeant took the group around the curving hall to the door to Tertiary Storage and opened it. This was the room where they had originally arrived, and all looked just as it had before with one vital difference - the TARDIS was gone!
The Mi-Go looked over their shoulders through the door. "Where izzz your vezzzel?" it demanded. "Thizzz izzz a trick!"
Story looks around the room attempting to remain calm and collected. "Well... it appears as if someone moved it." Disregarding the Mi-Go's comment Story looks at the Sergeant. "Who has accessed this room since my companions and I left?"
Lucius looked to the Mi-Go and said, " Calm down, no one is trying to trick anyone. We're just as surprised as you are. We just want to leave your ... lovely homeland." The Roman started walking forward where the T.A.R.D.I.S. once was, his hands outstretched as he hoped that maybe it was still there, just hidden from sight.
"Someone must have moved it," said Heinrich. "Let me check the security logs." He began typing on a computer display set into the wall near the door while Lucius ran his hands through the spot where the TARDIS had once stood. There was nothing there but empty space.
"The last person to open this door was Major Orlova," said Heinrich after a moment. "It was while you were in custody. I'll ask her." He spoke into his communicator. "Major Orlova, this is Sergeant Kohl. I'm in Tertiary Storage, and there's no sign of the visitors' craft. Was it moved?"
"Yes," she replied. "We took it to the astrophysics lab to run some scans. It should still be there."
"Thank you, ma'am." Heinrich turned to the others. "She took it to the astrophysics lab. We'll have to go through two modules to reach it."
"Very well," said the Mi-Go. "We zzzhall zzzee if it izzz there."
Lucius frowned, "Kind of intrusive, if you ask me." He looked at Story and said, "Really? Is this what humanity has to look forward to?" He shook his head somewhat disgruntled.
"I have to agree," says Elizabeth. "Not least because we weren't asked or even informed that our craft was being scanned." She shrugs, before carrying on. "At least it is hopefully safe, and we can find and return to it soon."
"Yes, that's right," said Heinrich. "They had to scan it to make sure it wasn't something dangerous. This way." He led the group back out to the curving hall and around to another airlock. They went through another tunnel to the next module, containing living quarters, before proceeding down yet another connecting tunnel. This one led to the laboratory module, and Heinrich led the way around the hall to the astrophysics lab, which he opened. The room was filled with advanced equipment, and there in front of the scanner was the TARDIS!
"Your craft izzz zzzmall," said the Mi-Go. "It lookzzz like it will barely fit the four of you. How will it fit me azzz well?"
"The TARDIS will indeed be fine. I'm sure she appreciates your concern Lucius." Smiles and then walks over to the TARDIS and lays his hand against the door before turning to look at the Mi-Go. "Yes, what do you mean?"
"We muzzzt be zzzertain that you do in fact return to Earth," said the Mi-Go, following Story to the TARDIS. "Thizzz izzz why I muzzzt accompany you in your craft. Otherwizzze you could trick uzzz and merely move to another location on Yuggoth. We thought you underzzztood. I will return to Yuggoth later. We are capable of zzzurviving in and flying through zzzpace."
"You didn't say anything about accompanying us in our ship before now," says Elizabeth to the Mi-Go. "It's no wonder therefore we are a bit surprised, to put it politely."
Story turns away from the TARDIS door and looks at the Mi-Go. "Are you telling me that as advanced as you Mi-Go are you don't have sensors that would confirm whether or not we've truly left the planet?" Looks at the Sergeant. "If they're planning on hitching a ride in your vessels for a bit you'd better be sure your superiors are okay with that." Story looks down at the small aerosol sprayer which contains the Fungicide for a moment before he looks at his companions. After looking at his companions be returns his attention to the Mi-Go.
Lucius looked at the fungicide that Elizabeth grabbed when Story did, and he looked at Elizabeth and nodded.
Lucius stepped closer to the Mi-Go to divert it's attention away from the others, "Yeah... this all seems rather suspicious. If you were going to escort us off the planet, why are you just now making it known? I think you have some sort of ulterior motive... something underhanded, and I won't stand for it. We're leaving, like you said. Let us go and be done with it."
Elizabeth sees Story and Lucius look pointedly at the fungicide, particularly Lucius looking at the fire extinguisher she carries. Careful not to give anything away to the Mi-Go she readies herself, in case she needs to use it against the Mi-Go.
"We thought you underzzztood," the Mi-Go repeated, turning to face Lucius. "We are watching the zzzhipzzz. We will know if they change courzzze even though we are not aboard them. They cannot travel inzzztantaneouzzzly. Your vezzzel can. We muzzzt be zzzertain that you leave, and that you do not double back. It izzz you humanzzz that are planning zzzomething underhanded. I am coming with you. Thizzz izzz not open for negotiation."
Briefly looking away from the Mi-Go Story says to Brook: "Brook, go ahead on inside and prepare to leave." Looking back at the Mi-Go he says: "I'm afraid there isn't the space for you. You can not be allowed access to the TARDIS...that is not open for negotiation."
Brook looks at Story and the others, catching the meaningful glances towards the fungicides. Nodding a little, she fishes out the key, answering Story. "Remember the borg...." She opens the TARDIS and steps inside.
The Mi-Go followed Brook to the TARDIS door, though it fell a short distance behind her. "Then one of you muzzzt go with the zzzergeant in hizzz zzzhip to make room for me," it buzzed. "You are not in a pozzzition to refuzzze." It continued towards the open TARDIS door.
Brook entered the familiar hexagonal TARDIS control room. The console rested in the center, the time rotor still.
Brook closes the door behind her, and moves over to the consoll, biting her lip. She'd never flown the TARDIS before, but looks at the controls, wondering where they should go.
Lucius was thinking of purple flowers on a green meadow to throw off any attempts at reading his mind - as his hand gripped around the hilt of his dagger tucked in the small of his back outside the space suit under its belt. He knew Story could tell he was ready for action. He said calmly, "I guess you'll have to escort me back to the other ships then, while these people prepare for departure. It is quite a lengthy process. One wrong calculation and you can end up fifty feet off the ground, or heaven forbid, inside solid rock."
Story steps between the Mi-Go and the TARDIS door looking at the Mi-Go. "I am in a position to refuse and I just did. You are not entering the TARDIS...this is nonnegotiable." Glancing over at Lucius than back at the Mi-Go all the while tightening his grip on the fungicide sprayer. In a firm voice Story says. "I wish you no harm but I am prepared to stop you."
"The zzzergeant will ezzzcort you back," said the Mi-Go to Lucius. "He knowzzz thizzz bazzze." It then turned to face Story. "You are bluffing. Now I know you are up to zzzomething. When you enter, I will be right behind you. Do not try anything that would endanger your fellow humanzzz."
Heinrich's hand drifted closer to the butt of the pistol in his holster as he watched warily.
Brook easily found the control to close the TARDIS door and activated it, as she had seen it used several times. The doors swung shut. She could still see what was going on outside in the astrophysics lab on the scanner. However, she had no idea how to use the rest of the controls to operate the TARDIS. Sometimes it seemed as though Story didn't have much better idea of how to do it than she did.
OOC,[b]Story[/b], if you want to use the fungicide spray, you'll need to make a DEX x 5 roll. That will start combat. If that happens, [b]Lucius[/b] also gets to act before the Mi-Go, but [b]Elizabeth[/b] and [b]Heinrich[/b] will go afterwards.
OOC,Yes, they have antennae. Insight won't help you understand anything about the Mi-Go, as it's completely alien, but it could help you with [b]Heinrich[/b].
Insight - fail,[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3549628/]Insight - Heinrich (62%) (1d100=90)[/url]
Lucius waited for Story... he would not take action prior to that. "Strange that you'd be so trusting of Sergeant Heinrich. Why is that, exactly? My guess is that you know you can trust him because he is already under your power. Is that right?"
The reaction was immediate. The Mi-Go let out a horrific high-pitched screech as it fell to the floor. It writhed briefly before lying still, its body already starting to decompose into a semiliquid goo.
"I'm so glad that actually worked!" said Heinrich, sighing with relief. "Go on, get out of here while the getting's good. I need to get to the docking bay before those other Mi-Go slaughter everyone!" He hurried out of the door and into the hall, unslinging his rifle as he ran.
Heinrich Kohl,"[b]Sergeant Kohl[/b], this is [b]Barrett[/b]," came the geologist's voice from his communicator. "How fares the escort?"
[b]Sergeant Kohl[/b] replied on [b]Edward[/b]'s private channel. "[b]Story[/b] killed the Mi-Go when it insisted on boarding his vessel, sir. The fungicides work! Watch out for the ones in the docking bay. I'm on my way back."
Lucius approached the goo and wasted no time cutting off its antennae, then picked up the thing it was holding like a weapon - and anything else that looked like it might have been useful - before heading into the TARDIS.
OOC,[b]Lucius[/b], please roll Spot Hidden. The TARDIS door is currently locked, so either [b]Story[/b] or [b]Brook[/b] will need to open it before you can enter.
Lucius sliced off the antennae easily enough, but his search of the dead alien turned up nothing. He couldn't even find the weapon. Touching the disgusting thing sickened him and greatly distracted him.
"Oh thank goodness that worked so effectively," says Elizabeth, breathing a huge sigh of relief. She looks at the alien goo with disgust, before walking into the TARDIS.
Story looks into the TARDIS and than turns his attention to the the pile of Mi-Goo. After a moment he looks down at the sprayer that to the door that Heinrich ran out of. "Now that we know this works I just hope everyone else is safe." Looking over at Lucius. "What's your thought...shall we assist the base personnel?" Looks at the TARDIS. "As much as I'd like to leave right now I can't help but wonder...would it be right."
Lucius stepped away from the Mi-Go remains and said, "You're the time lord, right? I just work here." He looked at the TARDIS and asked, "Do you think it would fit inside one of those other ships? We could appear, get a load of people, and disappear again before the Mi-Go get the notion to blow all of them out of the sky."
Elizabeth looks round, as she hears Story and Lucius speak, and stops in the TARDIS doorway. "I agree we should help if we can. Can the TARDIS be piloted that accurately though?"
Turning to look at Elizabeth. "The TARDIS can do marvelous things depending on the skill of the one at the helm. Unfortunately I lack the skill to pilot her that well." Smiles. "The only way we're going to be of any help to the others is if we travel on foot."
"Well we still have these," says Elizabeth, holding up the fungicide she still carries. "So at least we have some form of defence if need be. Shall we return to the others?"
"If these things have a hive mind, don't the other ones already know what happened? And ... assuming that true, wouldn't they be sending more our way?" Lucius asked. "Maybe we should set up a trap. Is there any way to hide the TARDIS?"
"No, we don't have time for that. We will just have to hoof it on foot." Looks at Elizabeth and Brook. "I'll understand if you two wish to remain in the safety of the TARDIS." Turns to Lucius. "Shall we?" Begins walk away heading towards the docking bay.
Lucius bowed respectably to the man he now viewed as his leader of sorts. "I stand at the ready to assist you however I may." He stepped forward to Story and said, "If things get a bit ... unruly, I suggest you make way to the TARDIS as fast as you can and see to the safety of the others. I will try to stall the creatures as best I can."
The TARDIS crew left the lab after shutting the TARDIS door, following Heinrich around the curving hall to another airlock, which he had just opened. He glanced back and waved them forward. "If you're coming with me, let's hurry," he said. "Thank you." He stepped into the airlock and waited for them to catch up to him.
Glancing back to confirm his companions are following Story says: "Be ready for anything." Upon arriving at the airlock he steps into it and looks at Heinrich. "Any word on what's happening in there?"
Once everyone was inside the airlock, Heinrich sealed the door and began to cycle it.
Heinrich Kohl,"Heinrich, get your pretty butt back home, mamabird is leaving the nest," said [b]Juliette[/b] on his communicator. "We are overrun by critters and need to go fast."
He held up a hand before speaking into his communicator: "I'm on my way back, darling. The visitors are with me. Look, if we don't get there in time, you have to take off and save yourselves. I can always escape with our friends in their craft. I love you, Juliette." He paused. "That was Captain Desjardins. She said they're overrun and they need to take off fast."
"Sergeant, if you miss your flight you are more than welcome to travel with us. However, we will do what we can to help reunite you with your shipmates." Gives the sprayer a slight shake to feel its weight. Looks at Lucius. "If things get rough we will do as you suggest and retreat back to the TARDIS. I'm leaning on you to help make that determination my friend." Turns towards Brook and Elizabeth. "I truly hate to say this but it must be said...if I fall to injury do not leave them take me. Do what you must to get my body back to the TARDIS. You will not be stuck here...trust me. If I fall it will not be the end but a new beginning." Smiles and turns to face the door.
Brook looks concerned at Story. Figuring there was a very real chance of dying, she still had to follow. Where would she go without him? "It'll be allright," she says, trying to convence herself as much as the others.
"We have seven more incoming, estimated time of arrival 10 minutes," said Juliette over an open channel. "Lt. Rose, how many enemies are still standing? Lt. Barrett and Private Silver, as the remaining funtional personnel outside the ship, it is up to you two to get Private MacCrimmon into the airlock, or secure the area so others can carry him in. Protocol demands that I leave with as many as possible, even though it means leaving some behind. So Private Silver, snap out of it and do your job quickly. I must take off within 4 minutes to be sure to make it out before we are overtaken. Can you secure the area?"
"Damn!" said Heinrich. "Not MacCrimmon!" The airlock continued to cycle, and he knew that the fighting would likely be over by the time they got to the docking bay. However, they would probably get there around the time that the next wave arrived. "It'll take us around ten minutes to reach the docking bay. They'll have taken off by then - if they make it out."
Heinrich Kohl,"[b]Sergeant Kohl[/b], this is [b]Lieutenant Barrett[/b]," said [b]Edward[/b]'s voice on [b]Heinrich[/b]'s channel. The staff has almost completed the boarding procedure for departure. Please relay your situation."
"We're in the airlock leading out of the lab module, sir," replied Heinrich into his communicator,"heading towards the reactor module. We should be at your position within ten minutes."
"This is crazy, we're never going to make it in time," Lucius said. "Find out if they still have MiGo presently causing them strife. If not, we should just return to the TARDIS now. There's nothing we can do to speed their departure."
Looks at Lucius. "Indeed Lucius is right. If our arrival will be after their departure than there is no point in us rushing in to combat when we could be making our own escape."
Elizabeth grins. "No, you're quite right," she says to Lucius. "Thank you for being so clear-headed in such a difficult situation." She turns back to Heinrich, hoping to have word soon on the current Mi-Go status, and what they should do for the best.
Heinrich Kohl,"[b]Kohl[/b], [b]Barrett[/b]. We have less than ten minutes until we have seven more incoming. Run your ass off, if you please. Airlock is cycling."
"We're on our way," replied Heinrich into his communicator. "ETA nine minutes." The airlock finished cycling and opened to reveal the long tunnel leading to the reactor module. He rushed down it towards the airlock at the far end. "That was Lt. Barrett. He said they have less than ten minutes before seven more of them arrive and the airlock is cycling. If we're fast, we might get to the docking bay first."
"It's not clear whether there are still Mi-Go there or not, but I'll find out" said Heinrich. "What is your current situation, sir?" he asked into his communicator as he ran. "Are there any hostiles still present? How long before the ship takes off?"
Heinrich Kohl,"[b]Kohl[/b], there is one hostile in the bay with some kind of energy weapon, seven more unknowns on the way and the ship is - AAARGH!" said [b]Lt. Edward Barrett[/b]
"Sir?!" said Heinrich after a pause. "Sir, come in!" He shook his head. "I think Lt. Barrett is down. There's still one left in the docking bay, plus those seven on the way. He was cut off before he could finish telling me something about the ship, sounds like he got hit with an energy weapon at the end there."
Heinrich nodded and led the group into the airlock leading to the next module. Once everyone was inside, he sealed the outer door and began cycling it. "I just hope we get there in time," he said.
Lucius sighed and followed along, knowing they were probably going to regret this. "Story, you're going to have to get those fine-adjustments down to do more lateral moves with your ship, yes? It'll take us another 10 minutes with seven Mi-Go on our tails to get back to relative safety."
Heinrich Kohl,"We killed three of the Mi-go," said [b]Alison[/b] on [b]Heinrich[/b]'s communicator, "but one got away... he took [b]Lt. Barrett[/b] with him...but the L.T. was dead." Her voice cracked as she spoke. "[b]Robert[/b] needs first aid, we have to get out of here. We can't let those...things take us."
"We can not let them take his body away," said [b]Juliette[/b]. "They said something earlier that the crew of the [i]Persephone[/i] were rescued, when they were damaged, and preserved?. What happens to his soul if he is captured here on Pluto?"
"They said 'damaged' when talking about the [i]Persephone[/i]'s crew. I am telling you he is dead. It doesn't matter what they do to him now, even if they preserve him It won't be the L.T.," [b]Alison[/b] retorted, "If you leave, what are the rest of us going to do? You're the pilot, do you think we can pick up the controls to the ship on the fly? We need to get out of here and you need to pilot us to do it." She paused. "And besides, if there is a god, the L.T.'s soul will be out of his body by now."
"This is Sergeant Kohl," Heinrich said into his communicator. "Our ETA is now eight minutes. Good job, Private Silver. Do what you can for MacCrimmon. You've had first aid training. We're on our way." He spoke to the others. "They killed three of the Mi-Go, and the fourth one fled. Unfortunately, Lt. Barrett was killed and it took his body with it. Private MacCrimmon was injured, but he's still alive."
"In the future I'll see what I can do my friend." Story says to Lucius.
Upon hearing the Heinrich's report Story looks at him. "The fourth one fled undoubtedly to inform its comrades that the humans have better defensive capabilities than expected. One can only imagine what will show up in the next wave."
"Story how quickly do you think the fourth Mi-Go can reach its comrades and return with reinforcements?" asks Elizabeth. "In any case we must try to help MacCrimmon." She sighs. "He was very kind to me before ..."
"That's hard to say." Looks at Elizabeth. "Being that they have shown themselves to be telepathic creatures reinforcements could very well already be on the way. Of course that depends on how far they can broadcast and how far away is their base. Regardless, you're quite right we should try to help MacCrimmon and the others."
"Sure would love me one of those spray things," Lucius said to himself as he followed along feeling his dagger might be less than lethally effective on the creatures.
"Thank you," said Heinrich. "MacCrimmon is a good man. I hope he'll be all right. I have a feeling that those additional Mi-Go heading for the base are the next wave of reinforcements, already alerted telepathically by the Mi-Go that were here. But you're right, there will no doubt be worse behind them. We must get off the planet before they show up."
Brook says:"I know it would be too difficult and too risky to land the TARDIS aboard the ship, but could we use it to get to the docking bay? It would be much quicker..."
Story hands Lucius the fungicide sprayer. "You would do well to have this my friend." Story looks at Brook. "If we had the time we could just use whatever equipment the Sergeant's colleagues used to move it in the first place. I could attempt to pilot the TARDIS to the docking bay but...we could just as easily end up somewhere far, far away leaving the base personnel to face who knows what horror. Such a precise manipulation of the TARDIS controls is beyond even my knowledge." Smiles. "While many on Gallifrey could do it...I can't." For a second shame crosses his face before vanishing. "No time for that though we've got Mi-Go coming in hot and wounded to tend to." Turns and faces the airlock.
The device Lucius held was not a large extinguisher like Elizabeth had. Instead, he had a small cylinder that he could hold and use with one hand, allowing him to wield the dagger in the other at the same time. Heinrich showed him which end of the odd tiny nozzle to point at the Mi-Go, and how to spray it by pressing down on the nozzle with his thumb. "I won't actually demonstrate it," he said. "It's only a small container, so there won't be all that much in there, and I don't want to waste it. Just hold the nozzle down and keep the spray trained on the bug until it dies. You'll have to be close to it, though. The spray will only reach about five or so feet away, maybe a little more."
The airlock finished cycling and the other door opened, revealing the arc of the corridor in the power module. Blood was still visible on the floor where Colonel Patel had fallen.
Heinrich Kohl,"[b]Sergeant Kohl[/b], this is [b]Private Torres[/b]," said [b]Sofia[/b] on [b]Heinrich[/b]'s communicator. "I've just overridden the safety protocls on the airlocks between you and the docking bay, so you don't need to wait for them to cycle. The base will now depressurize since the docking bay is open to the atmosphere, so you'll need to make sure your suits remain sealed. How long will it take you to reach us now?"
"I estimate about another four minutes under the circumstances," said Heinrich into his communicator.
Heinrich Kohl,"We'll wait for you before we lift off, Sergeant. The Mi-Go won't arrive for another seven minutes."
"That was Private Torres," said Heinrich. "She overrode the safety protocols on the airlocks on our way to the docking bay, so we'll get there a lot quicker, a few minutes ahead of the Mi-Go. Just make sure your suits remain sealed."
Story nods as he checks to insure his suit is sealed up. "Once you are reunited with your associates we will head back to the TARDIS and make our own departure."
Brook also checks her suit and follows behind the others. She briefly wondered what her former class mates would think if they could see her now, running around a space station on Pluto, ducking from airlock to airlock, under threat of attack from flying mushroom aliens. Smiling a little, she drew the conclusion they would probably think she was pretty darn cool.
The small group made its way quickly through the base and back to the docking bay. The only ship visible in the bay was Charon's Ferry, the huge transport. Demeter was presumably docked inside her, and Persephone had taken off earlier. Three liquefying Mi-Go corpses lay on the deck plates not far from the ship's airlock, and immediately in front of it were the smoking remains of a gravcart and a discarded aerosol spray bottle much like the one that Story carried. The dome was open to the sky, but no Mi-Go were visible.
"Thank you for all your assistance. I hope your next destination treats you better than this."says Kohl, before making his way quickly across the bay floor towards the airlock, keeping as far away from the Mi-Go corpses as possible, watching the sky outside.
"I am approaching Charon's Ferry as we speak. Are we ready for departure?" he says into his communicator.
"Yes, Sergeant, come aboard and secure yourself for liftoff," replied Major Orlova. "Everyone else, strap yourselves in as well. Once Sergeant Kohl is aboard, we take off."
Story waves farewell in the direction of the Charon's Ferry. "Somethings not right...it can't be this easy." Looks at Brook before looking at his other two companions. "Well, back to the TARDIS we go. I'll take point. Lucius you cover our six." Story with Sonic Screwdriver in hand turns and prepares to retrace the path back to the Astrophysics lab.
"Well at least the base crew are hopefully safe," muses Elizabeth, waving as well. "We must get back to the TARDIS as quickly as possible though. The Mi-Go could return at any time."
