Calamity city

[Mr. Handy]

Mary stands watch with her pistol ready. "Hold your fire, this one's all right," she says. "The bug's gone."

[Snapper]

Rourke quickly uses the the computer to communicate with the Starport again. Hastily, he then gets out of the way. "All yours, Sheriff, the communications link to the Starport is up."

[Mephistophilis]

Staggering towards Ota is a grey haired man, his age is indeterminate but probably in his fifties. Thin and wiry, he's holding his hands out before him, fixing Ota with flinty eyes. 'Who's in charge here? Sheriff, what is going on?'

[Mr. Handy]

"I'm Mary Tanaka," says Mary. "Our captain isn't here with us, but we're part of a starship crew. We came to find out why there was no communication from Calamity City and, well, we found out."

[Philulhu]

”I’m the ranking officer here,” snapped Ota, keeping the newcomer covered with his rifle. ”What’s your name and where have you come from? What can you tell us about these bug things?”

[Mephistophilis]

Eyeing Ota warily, and keeping his hands held out in front of him, he says 'My name is Santino Murphy, I'm a manager with the mining company.' He reaches slowly into his pocket and draws out an ID badge to show them. 'I'm afraid I can't tell you very much about what has been going on. A few days ago I was...kidnapped I suppose you'd call it. And then...,' he shudders, 'And then I was introduced to one of these bug things. It...,' he looks away, wiping something from his eye, 'It had control of me, I was trapped inside my own body. Until you all came. Thank you. But that's all I can tell you, I had hoped you would know more.'

[Philulhu]

Ota studied the man’s identity card carefully, then nodded, moving the aiming point of his rifle back to the street. ”What do you mean, you were ‘introduced’ to one of those bug things? How did that happen?”

[Mephistophilis]

For an instant Santino's eyes glaze over. Then he shakes his head, 'By introduced I mean shoved down my throat. I was grabbed by one of them,' he gestures outside, 'And dragged to the cave where...something was laying eggs.'

[Philulhu]

”Something? Describe what your saw. We need to know what we’re dealing with,” Ota urged Santino.

[Mr. Handy]

"It must be the queen," says Mary. "If these work like other insectoid species, they won't be able to produce more bugs without her."

[Mephistophilis]

'I don't know if Queen is the right term, but whatever it was it was big. Five metres long or more, like a worm but with the face of an ant. All pale and immobile except for the rippling of the body as another egg came out,' He spits on the ground. 'I don't know how they communicate but the possessed ones seemed to be following some kind of instructions, working together, waiting on the egg-layer.'

[Philulhu]

”How many possessed are we talking about? How many did you see?” Ota asked Santino.

[Mr. Handy]

"That makes sense," says Mary. "Insectoid species tend to have hive minds."

[Mephistophilis]

'How many people? I don't know. I saw dozens, scores, maybe as many as a hundred. There were a lot of people in that cave. Prisoners. Waiting for the next egg to be ready...' He shakes his head and looks away again, holding a hand against his throat with a pained expression.

[Mr. Handy]

"We're going to need those reinforcements from the capital," says Mary. "Heavier weapons wouldn't go amiss either. The sooner we take out the queen, the better. The more time that passes, the more people get bugs in them. Do they have any weaknesses that you've noticed?"

[kabukiman]

You start hearing footspets and the chant: "Ia! Ia!" And about 400 meters you suddenly see a crow. 60, 70? persons? Dificult to say how many...


Meanwhile...

The sheriff after identifying himself, is discussing with someone to bring a supervisor. Someone appears, and decides to pass the comunication to the military.

[Mr. Handy]

"We'd better get back to the cop shop fast and barricade it!" says Mary. "There's a big mob on the way, too many for us to fight!"

[Mephistophilis]

Hearing the chanting and seeing the crowd, Santino starts to panic. He looks desperately around him for some kind of weapon. 'We need to go. Now. And I need a weapon.'

[Philulhu]

”We can’t leave just yet!” said Ota through gritted teeth. ”We need to make sure that back-up’s on the way!” He glanced over at Jacob, checking that he was still keeping the engine running.

Does Ota have a sidearm?

[Snapper]

"One person could take the truck for a bit of a joy-ride and try to lead those crazies away, while the rest of us hid in here and protected the sheriff. Just a thought."

OOC:   Santino might be able to "borrow" Jacob's laser carbine maybe. Jacob is busy driving anyway.