Ash - Cael

[Laraqua]

One fellow starts up the coffee machine and picks up his hot chocolate tin with loving familiarity. He gives Blackworth a wink and then goes to crouch beside Dahlia. Psychology roll reveals a sense of brotherly camraderie. "Oi, missy, ya want a bit of hot chokkie?" he murmurs.

[Laraqua]

"We'd taken in some coma patients," says Blackworth. "We were investigating the cause of 500,000 such patients. Some weird ash cloud blew in from the south-east. It destroyed most of those outside. Luckily this building is pretty much sealed. We were safe. Unfortunately, at the same time, some of the people got free of their cages. Only they weren't people anymore. At least, that's my assumptions considering that little, if anything, remained of the people who came in here."

"Me and my soldiers were just doing routine guarding. I did wonder why we were dragged here and not sent to Iraq or some other forsaken country. We got out those we could from the cage section and locked it down. Basement level 3 is off limits. Luckily, they've got their own ventilation systems so they can't escape out here. We're toying with the idea of switching off the air supply but so far haven't been able to bring ourselves to do it. As far as we can tell, they killed the people who hurt them and they tried to kill the people who shot at them. Seems fair. I'd have done the same. We're waiting on some signs of sentience. Got a few trusted personnel watching the cameras."

"As for the rest of those involved, the higher-ups tried sending us all out on a few suicide missions. Capture stuff for further study. We refused and the loyalists shot at us. We shot back. We, what's left of we, won. The rest are all in the jail cells on Basement level 2 - not far from their pets. Any more questions?"

[TheKingInYellow]

Aidan watchs the subtle interaction between the soldiers. Brothers in arms, something he's read about but doesn't have much real knowledge of.

Turning to Blackworth and listening to his story, the entire account frightens the hell out of him. "You mean to say that... We're sitting atop of untold amounts of... them?"

[Mr. Handy]

That chap and Blackworth must be chums, Sarah thinks. Almost like brothers, but they don't really look alike.

Sarah nods. "Thank you," she says. "I have another one. What do we know about what we're up against? I take it everyone here already knows about the monsters we encountered in the hosptial from the mobile intercepts, but if they don't let me know and I'll fill you lot in. What monsters have you come across, and what do you know about them? We briefly saw one of those flying insect things out on the roof. You also mentioned that something...ate the nurses here." Sarah can't help but shake a little. If there's something with a taste for nurses, she thinks, I ought to know about it.

[Laraqua]

"Only twelve now," says one. "They kinda turned on each other. These twelve appear stable. Mutants of some kind. Ever seen Resident Evil? That T-Virus? Yeah, looks like they were making that thing that says 'STARS!'" She blushes. "Sorry, we gotta look a sight to you guys. We're, uh, veterans, and not really what you'd call, uh, polished. Never been much for drills. Too good at my job." She chuckles. "I'm Sergeant Anna Blaize. I've largely taken over Communications and Security. I'm co-commander here, much as Blackworth likes to pretend I'm not. That other fellow is Sergeant Morrison, that Cockney beggar is in charge of Personnel and Medical. We're the only three sergeants remaining. Blackworth is kinda just in charge of ideas and explanations. He's good at talkin'."

[TheKingInYellow]

"Wait? They're building something down there? ..." Aidan clasps his hands together nervously. "They were building things at the hopital, too. The nurses were building a... lattice?" He stops himself, almost feeling silly for bringing it up, but his in his mind he's already thinking about the situation.

Do they all have some sort of compulsion for building?

He recalls a study he read about parasites that affect the behavior of their host. Usually it's parasites that change the behavior of insects so they make themselves more available to predators so the parasite can be introduced into a bigger host. Perhaps, it's something similar?

[Mr. Handy]

Sarah smiles at the female soldier, feeling at ease around her, though she can't really get a good impression of her. "It's nice to meet you, Anna," she says. "I'm Sarah Carpenter, a nurse from Mercy Cross Hospital. I suppose I'll be working for Sergeant Morrison, then. I was the one who made those telephone calls, but I can't seem to get through to my father now. It just kept ringing. Did these...mutants get that way from drinking the water? There were some like that in the hospital. And...other things..." Do they all know about...what happened to me in the ambulance? she wonders.

[Laraqua]

"No, not building, not building words that say STARS, it's a, well, it's what this really big mutant in Res Evil used to say," Sergeant Blaize says, trailing off. "They're not really doing anything. They seem to be, well, waiting. No idea how they turned up like that. All the records are in there with them. Can't access their databases from up here. That level's all sealed off. Only thing we got control of is the air supply." She shrugs. "I'm sure Sergeant Morrison would just love to have a nurse on board. Rather than one whacked out surgeon." She frowns. "Hey, would you prefer if we put the whole soldier act on? We got used to being at ease in the week since it all happened. But if it makes y'all uncomfortable..."

[TheKingInYellow]

Aidan feels silly for jumping to conclusions, though the apparent truth doesn't seem to make more sense.

"So then where do we go from here?" He asks, half to himself.

[Mr. Handy]

Sarah grins. "I don't mind if you stay at ease," she says. "It actually makes me more comfortable than if you acted all soldier-like all the time." She thinks for a moment. "Yeah, I remember that game, and the monster. Nemesis, innit? Ooh, that one was really scary, stalking me throughout the whole game. It was so satisfying when I finally got to take it down. I might be able to help the surgeon out too, maybe bring him around. My father's also a doctor, so if we could bring him here..."

[Andrew]

Cael laughs at 'The whole soldier thing.', "Hell, just a few years ago I was honorably discharged from the Army as a Company Sergeant Major, I out rank all of you! I was in for ten years in Special Operations or Blacks Ops, whichever you prefer. I was the sniper in my team." Cael then gets up and heads to the coffeemaker without saying anything further. It seemed like more intel on the larger chopper had fallen on deaf ears.

[Laraqua]

"Last lot of people who out-ranked me are in jail," says Blackworth cheekily. "Since you're military, you got any advice?"

[Andrew]

"Not that you haven't already done sergeant, trust me though, there isn't anyway in the Hells I want command of this outfit, it's all yours. I just thought it was a bit funny was all." Cael stated and then added, "I need to get my bird fueled up and start ditching some unneeded things in her, where's the fuel depot?"

[Laraqua]

"Hartley Range is the nearest place which services helicopters. It's a bit further out into the country but it should see you back all right. Take a few of our fuel drums and fill 'em up too for later. Haven't heard anything from Hartley Range, mind, but it could be worse."

[trixie]

Dahlia has remained quite quiet throughout the walk to the meeting room. She'd noticed Blackworth fall, noticed the look he gave her, and his pills he popped right after. Ha! Gotcha....I hope it hurt.... She feels guilty right after for feeling this way, but it was evident to her that he shared a way of knowing other's thoughts. It made him......dangerous.

She sits in on of the chairs, legs swinging back and forth above the ground, and listens to the adults talk. Blackworth said they'd teach me how to shoot! Yes!!! I wonder if it's anything like Daddy's shotgun. The first time Dahlia shot his gun, it kicked her back right onto her butt, and she laughed it off, but it really hurt. She just didn't want to say anything. If she'd whined, Daddy'd never let her shoot it again. So she smiled and talked big about the fun she had, and rubbed it after when his back was turned.

She's been clutching Cael's phone this whole time, having forgotten it was still in her hand, and looks at it strangely for a moment before flipping it closed and passing it back to him. No answer....I wonder why.....are they dead?

One fellow starts up the coffee machine and picks up his hot chocolate tin with loving familiarity. He gives Blackworth a wink and then goes to crouch beside Dahlia. Psychology roll reveals a sense of brotherly camraderie. "Oi, missy, ya want a bit of hot chokkie?" he murmurs.

The closeness between the two is lost on her, but she smiles at him. "Yes please!" She grins and jumps up to help.

[Laraqua]

Morrison smiles and lets her help. "You remind me of my kid sister," he mumbles. "She was a darn sight more withdrawn. Poor thing. I'll bet you're a real tough one, though. We'll need steelly-nerved people like you to help with the effort. A lotta adults get a touch of the nerves and it's no good. Wanna come help me with Personnel?" He gives her a level, serious look. "This ain't a blow-off assignment. Kids are like cats, good for nerves. You'd make a better counsellor than I ever would. Help people remember what they're fighting for. Unless you got some other secret skill you're good at? Don't s'pose you're a master chef?"

[Laraqua]

"Ten years in special ops, huh?" says one fellow to Cael, out of uniform but with the distinctive bearing of a soldier. "That ain't nothin'! What kinda wars you been in anyway?" The man looks from Cael to Steven.

Steven just quietly assembles a pyramid out of paper clips. He was terrible in civilian matters but he was a darn good pilot. Some thought him autistic. He was starting to look at.

[Andrew]

Looking at Steven, the man looked bored to death, "Hey Steve, you want to go and get the bird re-fueled? Get you out of here and doing something I know you you'd rather be doing. If not let me know and I'll go."

He then turns his attention to the man that's out of uniform, "Wars? You wouldn't know a single battle I've been in unless you have a top security clearance. Special Ops don't fight wars boy, that's what you grunts are for. When the shit hits the fan and they need the best, that's when me and my team roll in. If we show up at your door, chances are you've done something real bad to bring us there."

[trixie]

Morrison smiles and lets her help. "You remind me of my kid sister," he mumbles. "She was a darn sight more withdrawn. Poor thing. I'll bet you're a real tough one, though. We'll need steelly-nerved people like you to help with the effort. A lotta adults get a touch of the nerves and it's no good. Wanna come help me with Personnel?" He gives her a level, serious look. "This ain't a blow-off assignment. Kids are like cats, good for nerves. You'd make a better counsellor than I ever would. Help people remember what they're fighting for. Unless you got some other secret skill you're good at? Don't s'pose you're a master chef?"

Dahlia looks at him undecided, but the minute he mentions cooking, she wrinkles up her nose. "Ugh....mum used to make me peel potatoes for her.....I HATE cooking...plus I'm no good at it. I always manage to burn myself on the stove."

"But I'd like to help you with personnel....I think. It sounds like fun. Do I get to intimidate them?" Dahlia grins, clearly kidding, and accepts the warm mug of hot chocolate gratefully.

"Um.....are there any other kids here?" she asks suddenly, remembering the book and it's disturbing foretellings of children sacrificed.

[Mr. Handy]

"I think I could help out in Personnel too as well is in Medical," says Sarah. "I've had psych training, and I could help boost morale. And I know from years of nursing that a pretty smile can be as important as medicine sometimes." She puts her own phone away. Why doesn't dad answer the phone? she wonders. He picked up not that long ago. At least he knows I'm safe. I just hope he's all right.