Chapter 5: Into the Void (Ray, Nat, Julie)

[Mr. Handy]

Julie,[color=orangered]"That's right,"[/color] says [b]Julie[/b], walking toward [b]N'[/b] to close the distance so that her eyes are focused on [b]Julie[/b] and not on the hangar, which she hopes will give [b]Ray[/b] time to sneak out of there. [color=orangered]"I was just going to the outhouse. What brings you out here?"[/color] [spoiler]Psychology roll (10% base skill) about [b]N'[/b]: [dice]0[/dice][/spoiler]

[aine]

Nat,"Holy crap" Nat thinks as he watches the predatory figure entering the hanger. There's no time to warn Ray, " I guess if no one has spotted him so far in there he must have found somewhere to hide." He scans all round the area for Julie and listens out for any uproar coming from the hanger.

[evil_scientist]

Nat,"Holy crap" Nat thinks as he watches the predatory figure entering the hanger. There's no time to warn Ray, " I guess if no one has spotted him so far in there he must have found somewhere to hide." He scans all round the area for Julie and listens out for any uproar coming from the hanger.

Nat,[ooc]I'm afraid you misread something! So let me clarify: Ray was in the trailer (7), then he went over and entered the hangar (5). He is now inside. Julie hides somewhere behind the toilet/outhouse (3). 'N was in the house (4). 'N now came out of the house (4), stopped before the door. At first she wanted to go towards (5), but then changed direction, and took a few steps towards (3). Nat is hiding at (1). I hope this clears up the situation! Also, please make a [b]Listen[/b] check![/ooc] [attachment=0]Compound map.png[/attachment]

[aine]

Nat,OOC: So sorry! I missed that last post on the last page where N turns back towards where Julie is hiding. Listen roll: rolled 2% Nat watches N turn round with a sigh of relief. But now she is walking towards Julie! He can't see into the shadows but listens really hard.

[Cotton]

Spoiler:

Ray will pick up Elizabeth as gingerly as he can, and then head for the building's entrance to check if the coast is clear.

[evil_scientist]

Julie,[b]'N[/b] pauses for a second. Her shoulders are slightly stooped, like that of a derby jammer during countdown. [color=#0000BF]"Evening stroll, [i]Julie[/i]. Go back to the house, [i]Julie[/i], sleep more,"[/color] she says. Her voice is pitched deeper and deeper. She pronounces Julie's name with a strange emphasis. Julie realizes, that even up closer, she cannot make out the details of 'N's face. Granted, it's quite dark outside, but even those slight rays of light from the house's windows seem to [i]avoid[/i] N'. --- Make a [b]Sanity[/b] roll (0/1)!

Nat,Nat is lucky - the mild desert wind is blowing fragments of the conversation in his direction. [i]"...Hi there. I didn't notice you. Julie, right?"[/i] says one person with a hoarse, strained voice. Can it be 'N? Nat just cannot match this strange voice to that energetic young girl he saw. At least Julie's voice is normal and recognizable: [i]"That's right. I was just going to the outhouse. What brings you out here?"[/i] [i]"Evening stroll, Julie. Go back to the house, Julie, sleep more,"[/i] the voice continues, pitching deeper and deeper with every word.

Ray,Ray carefully lifts up Elizabeth. The girl is thin and light, he can carry her without any problem. Moving quickly, or carrying her for a long time could be a problem, though. Ray sneaks over to the entrance. The courtyard is dark, not much can be seen. However, there is a light on in the long house (4). In the slight illumination Ray sees the outlines of two figures standing there. One of them is [b]Julie[/b] - the light reflects from her bright red hair. She is facing towards the hangar. The second figure is facing Julie (so stands with their back turned to the hangar and Ray). Ray cannot tell who that is - although the most likely possibility is that girl 'N. [attachment=0]Compound map.png[/attachment]

[aine]

Nat,Nat frowns, there's something not right about that woman - and she is sounding less right by the second. He listens and stands posed to spring into action if Julie sounds like she's in trouble.

[Mr. Handy]

Julie,[b]Julie[/b] is weirded out by what she's seeing and hearing, but she knows she has to keep [b]N'[/b] talking and looking away from the hangar until [b]Ray[/b] is safely clear. [color=orangered]"I can't sleep,"[/color] she says. [color=orangered]"I'm really not tired."[/color] [spoiler]Sanity roll (current level 50) looking at [b]N'[/b]: [dice]0[/dice][/spoiler]

[evil_scientist]

Julie,Julie's skin crawls. She feels her hairs stand on end. [b]'N[/b] is suddenly within an arm's reach. It's weird how Julie didn't see her move or take a step. [color=#0000BF]"--- I can help you sleep, [i]Julie[/i] --- dream little dreams, [i]Julie[/i] ---"[/color] The voice is not spoken. It emerges as a distorted echo from the abyss that should be [b]'N[/b]'s face. Julie's gaze is drawn towards this black emptiness... --- Make a [b]Sanity[/b] roll (1/1d3)!

Nat,Nat sees the hangar door slowly open. Somebody steps out --- is it Ray? Please, let it be Ray! It looks like Ray! Nat recognizes his boss' posture. Ray freezes, considering his options - what is he holding? Is that Elizabeth? It looks like a body, limp and motionless - is she alive? Please, let her be alive! Ray assesses the situation, then turns left and tries to duck behind the corner of the hangar as quickly as possible. By sheer luck, Nat can still hear parts of the conversation between [b]Julie[/b] and [b]'N[/b] - but the dialog is getting stranger... and more menacing. Is it really [b]'N[/b]? The voice is pitched deep, distorted... Nat cannot help but think of the mangled radio signals from Julie's wire. [i] "I can't sleep. I'm really not tired,"[/i] Julie says. [i][color=#000040]"--- I can help you sleep, Julie --- dream little dreams, Julie ---"[/color][/i]

[Mr. Handy]

Julie,[b]Julie[/b] hastily backs away, her muscles tense and ready to spring into action and avoid her if she tries anything, as if she were on a roller derby track trying to dodge an opponent. She screams as loud as she can, in part to alert [b]Nat[/b] and [b]Ray[/b], and in part because she's downright terrified. She tries to look away from the void, watching her arms and legs instead. [spoiler]Sanity roll (current level 49) looking at where [b]N'[/b]'s face should be: [dice]0[/dice][/spoiler]

[aine]

Nat,Nat ducks back down, he really hopes Tobias is ready and waiting for a signal as it looks like showdown is imminent. Trouble is, that radio is unreliable with a) N right next to it listening in and b) those wierd distortions - which might also be N somehow. [i]'Come on, Jules, get rid of her!'[/i] He thinks. And Ray has a way to go to get back here unless he decides to escape through the eastern hole that Nat first made. Nat judges the distance back to Tobias and wonders how long it'd take him to run back and get the car.

ooc,How long would it take, roughly?

Keepers note,Edited post to put it under spoilers!

[evil_scientist]

Julie,Julie screams and averts her eyes. Her body starts to tremble, and she feels her vital energies being drawn into the black void. She is almost paralyzed by fear and the deranged pull of the emptiness. A vision of the terrible alien city submerged in pitch black ground from her dream hits her again. --- [list][*]Julie's [b]MOV[/b] is halved. [*]Make an [b]opposed POW[/b] roll against the draining force! On a failure, lose 2d10 points of CON. [b]Draining force 75[/b] [dice]0[/dice] ( = Regular success) [dice]1[/dice] 5 CON point loss on failure. [*]Make a [b]Sanity[/b] roll (1/1d3)![/list]

Nat,Tobias and the car are some 300 yards away from the compound, waiting for the sign. Nat is a good runner... if he really pushes himself, he can cover the distance in 30 seconds. As Nat contemplates the possibilities, he hears a blood-curdling scream - [b]Julie[/b] is in trouble! --- If Nat tries to dash to the car, make a [b]CON[/b] check! You are allowed to [b]push this roll[/b] (rulebook, p. 84-85)

[aine]

Nat,Nat instead leaps up and sprints round the corner hoping to grapple N to the ground in true football style. He hopes his speed, size and surprise will overcome N's weird strength. Roll: 42 (Thanks for the edit!)

[Mr. Handy]

Julie,[b]Julie[/b] feels weaker and slower. She flees in terror, trying to head to the rendezvous point, though her movements are sluggish and she is not the speed demon she usually is. [spoiler]Is that halved MOV rounded up or down? POW roll (50% stat) to resist draining: [dice]0[/dice] Sanity roll (current level 48) for the vision: [dice]1[/dice][/spoiler]

[evil_scientist]

Julie,Driven by the instinct to survive, Julie turns away and runs. Pain tears into her muscles with every movement. The yawning abyss is already latched onto her, and Julie's youthful energy ebbs. A black shroud floats before her eyes, darker than the dark night. Julie reaches the corner of the small house --- --- and almost collides with another person, who comes darting out from cover. The other person halts. Julie panics - is she caught between two perils now? But no - Julie realizes that this other person is [b]Nat[/b]! --- Make another [b]opposed POW[/b] roll against the draining force! On a failure, lose 2d10 points of CON. [b]Draining force 75[/b] [dice]0[/dice] ( = Extreme success... :o ) [dice]1[/dice] 5 CON loss on failure. [spoiler]MOV is rounded down. Also, please, recalculate Hit points according to the new CON value![/spoiler] [ooc]You can stop using spoilers now![/ooc]

Nat,Nat makes a quick decision, and charges into the unknown. Suddenly, a figures steps, or almost stumbles out from behind the corner. Nat stops just in time to avoid collision - and he realizes that it's [b]Julie[/b]! She is moving slowly, clearly in great pain. And her contour seems to... vibrate? How is that even possible? Nat looks over Julie's shoulder, and sees... [i]IT.[/i] Not so much sees, rather realizes a presence. A person, the strange young woman, [b]'N[/b]. Her figure is vague. Granted, it is dark here, but even the slight rays of light from the house's windows seem to [i]avoid[/i] N'. And in the place where her face should be, there is just BLACKNESS, an unfathomable void. --- Make a [b]Sanity[/b] roll (1/1d3)! [ooc]You can stop using spoilers now![/ooc]

[Mr. Handy]

"I feel so weak..." moans Julie, glancing behind her. "She's draining me...I think we have to make a stand and fight. I can't run very fast."

OOC,Did [b]N'[/b] chase me? Is she close enough that I can fight? I now have 11 HP with my CON reduced to 60. POW roll (50% stat) to resist draining: [dice]0[/dice]

[evil_scientist]

N' didn't move, so she is some 15-20 yards away. Despite the distance, Julie can still feel the pull of the force.

[Mr. Handy]

"She didn't chase me," Julie says. "Maybe we should just keep our distance from her. We've got to find Ray and Lizzie, and get out of here."

[aine]

San,(60%) roll: 27 %

Holy pants on fire! Shouts Nat as he just misses walloping Julie and slows to a halt by grabbing her arm and swinging around her. He's looking over her shoulder,
"What is that thing? It's hard to see, darker than black! Julie, what's wrong with you? Hadn't we better just run? Tobias! Old man? Time to roll - get down here now!"

He shouts into Julie's chest in case the radio is somehow still working. Whatever N is, he doesn't want to see any more of it,
"Come on Jules, it's time to leave. I saw Ray, looked like he was carrying Liz, let's hope he made it out. Come on!"

Nat attempts to pick Julie up bodily and run to the hole in the west fence with her.

[Mr. Handy]

Julie nods and lets Nat carry her. Under normal circumstances, she'd have been able to keep up with him. Fortunately, she has a small frame and he's fairly strong.