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RP: LSDF Akahar [Chapter 3.0] - To Tear Free

Luca

The Ultimate Badass
🎖️ Game Master
When you stand at the gate of Hel
And when you have to tear free
I will follow you
Past the bridge of Gjöll with my song

Wardruna - Helvegen (Translated)

LSDF Akahar, Main Hangar

Vathr'dral was piloting the shuttle in, close and heavy as he looked around the interior of the Akahar and noticed that everything was sealed off. He made a mental note to be the last to get off of this shuttle once the others were clear.

Vithr and Aiesu were standing out of the way from the incoming shuttle, dressed for protection while Keib and Four Six were overseeing everything from the safety of the skybox. All the tools were out, they were ready to perform a quarantine checkup on every person in that shuttle.

The shuttle's landing struts came against the deck and the point thrusters slowly started to wind down. Inside, Gough could be heard sighing a sigh of relief. "Thank Gd we're here," he sighed. He looked over the slumped form of Merril and over to Yar'mak, who nodded in agreement. It still wasn't safe to remove the helmets though.

The back hatch of the shuttle begun to open, accompanied by the hiss of hydraulics and the sheer weight of everything that'd happened. Gough and Kam'kebek were the first two to leave, followed by Merril and Mars, then Yar'mak, Veronica and finally Al'ris. Korro came stumbling out last, clinging to Yar'mak's shoulders and causing him to frown as she got her feet.

"Alright everyone I'd like you to line up," Vithr ordered. "We want to do this nice and orderly,"

Merril's breath was haggard in the comms. She stood up on unstable legs. "Just nerves. . ." she told herself, coming off of her runner's high. A confusing swath of emotions ran through her. She wanted to scream. To run. To hide. To laugh. And now that she wasn't supercharged, this was crashing into her head like a hail of bullets.

Gough and Kam'kebek were the first to be examined. "Remove your helmets, please, you first Gough, you were injured."

"About time..." Gough said as he grabbed the underside of his helmet and pulled it off of his head, long Lmanel ears following them for a moment. His face was red, sweaty and his eyes watering. "I thought I was going to suffocate in that thing."

"Okay, hold still for a moment," Vithr held up a medical scanner and begun inspecting Gough. His heart rate was a little slower than average, his breathing clipped, his disposition chemically nervous. Vithr stopped to inspect the wound on his leg. "You said you were cut here, didn't you?"

"Y-yeee-yessir." Gough nodded, chattering his teeth.

"It is completely clean."

"Oh thank God," he nodded, putting his face in his hands. "I think the nanites-"

"You will have to destroy the suit you are wearing though, we cannot risk it," Vithr nodded sagely. Gough seemed to be so relieved by this. "Head over to that area there and remove your suit. Grab something to eat and remain in monitoring." Gough kept nodding and did as he was instructing. His whole body was gleaming with sweat beneath the suit - its automated climate control seemed to have either failed or wasn't able to cope.

"Next, Kam'kebek."

Kam'kebek moved up and the process was repeated, slow and steady as Kam'kebek removed his helmet and he was similarly flush with emotion. He turned out to be negative for infection too, but his suit had to be destroyed. Aiesu seemed to be pleased so far by the results.

But when it came to be Merril's turn, she couldn't see into her visor, and something was setting her nerves on edge.

"...Merril?" Vithr asked again. "Come on."

His voice bounced around her head. A cry in a cavern.

"Merril Ghere!"

She shook her head. Some attempt to shake out weariness. Stepped forward.

Her skin was on fire. Like tiny biting insects crawling across her body. But she didn't scratch. Or couldn't. That voice at the back of her head screamed for attention, but words didn't materialize.

The static grew louder.

Vithr touched his earpiece. "Keib, do you hear that?"

"Static?" Keib replied from the observation box. "Yes. Where is it coming from?"

"I think Merril's comms. are fried," he whispered back to Keib before addressing the Medic again. "Helmet off, please."

Merril tried to move her arms. Tried again. Weren't obeying. Tried again. They moved.

Vithr saw the arms raise. Shakily. Like somebody who just committed a murder they never intended. They met the lip of her helmet. Stopped. The medical scanners Vithr was pointing at her was giving him readings that defied explanation. Keib leaned in and looked at the readings. They were similar to something he'd seen before.

"No. I. Will.Not."

Before she knew it, her concerns verbalized themselves to two commands. One unheard. At the worst possible moment.

"She's positive for infection - quick-!" Vithr yelled over the communications as he backed away, but it wasn't fast enough.

The static roared across their comms. Under it all, barely a whisper of three words remained. Keib tore the headset off of his head, ears ringing and groaning in agony.

"I am strong."

The wildcat lurched forward, gloved hands grappling with the fabric of his EVA suit's chest and lifted him. For the first time, Vithr could see straight through her visor. Merril's face was reddish - feverous? - peppered with a glassy texture across, spreading like wires between junctions on a circuit. Her eyes. . . something ate at the edges of white, though he couldn't tell what colour it was. And they were slitted, like a beast of the night.

Gough was sitting down and watching this all - and his rifle was still resting by his side. Without thinking, he stood up and his rifle's sights came to eye level like it was a reflex. Hawk-aspected eyes blinked and saw her clear. Yar'mak raised his gun at Merril too - but Vithr could get hit. "HEY!"

Vithr meanwhile reached for a syringe in his belt and stabbed it directly into Merril's neck, growling back at her as he jabbed the needle right through the armour and into the base of her spine. The WIND suit acted more like flesh than armour as the needle sunk through and attempted to tranquilise her.

The syringe found itself violently. . . integrated. Silvery strands wrapped around the device and pulled it into the fabric and plating of the WIND. Merril's grip tightened, and body shifted. Soft Touch slammed him straight into the metal plating of the hangar floor, not even letting go once.

"Look!" Korro shrieked with glee. "It is the Wrath of God made manifest! Look upon it!"

"SHUT UP YOU!" Gough yelled as he now had a clear shot on Merril. He fired at her with the Silva, aiming for her torso as she was pinning the medic down. The shot impacted with her and released a microwave pulse and expanded inside of her.

"What the fuck's going on down there?!" Keib yelled over the communications as static kept building and shrieking with every motion Merril took. "KILL HER!"

Merril shifted to match Gough's firing - but not fast enough. It caught her in the arm. The flesh and armor warped under the resonance - but the way it did so was like a rope being woven and unwoven, spinning out of construction. What was left was a hand attatched to some sad remains of silvery sheen.

"VITHR RUN!" Yar'mak yelled as he motioned for the others to get back while he closed in. Vithr scrambled away from under him and for safety.

"ISN'T IT BEAUTIFUL?!" Korro yelled.

The wildcat rushed Yar'mak, and her remaining hand wrapped around his weapon and tightened, warping metal beneath her grip. Her visor met his with a light clink. Those teeth. Glass teeth. Sharp. Shining.

She pulled downward, yanking the weapon from his grip, and then swung it upward. Connecting with the dog-soldier Lmanel's head.

The sheer strength of it knocked him aside and onto his back. He drew his sidearm immediately and begun firing. Al'ris rifle met her eyes, but suddenly a stabbing pain went up her back and the breath was forced out of her, gun firing into the ceiling as the finger went down on the trigger.

"Do not interfere with the Wrath!" Korro yelled at her as she felt the knife cut through her fibres. More aggrieved than anything, she grabbed the scrawny form of Korro with one hand and threw her at Merril instead.

"SHUT UP YOU!" Gough yelled at her again, but he was relieved to see her being useful for once.

Vithr meanwhile was making an odd observation about Merril's... syndrome. "Keib, remember how she was able to regenerate from anything."

Merril caught Korro with the rifle-holding arm. But. . . didn't harm her. The visored helm whipped back and forth, looking for. . . something.

"What of it?" Keib replied over the static laden communications.

"I think i-its broken," Vithr said back, resisting the temptation to pull his earpiece from his ear or turn off his communications.

She spotted the nearest door. The others could see that mental line being drawn. "Stop-!" Somehow, she was coherent enough to realise that escape was her only option. And Korro was the way to escape.

"Yesss..." Korro meweled as she looked directly into the eyes of the beast and at the nearest door.

The wildcat used the survivor as a buffer, a barrier between her and the rest of the team, skirting around the room towards that door. Jagged movements. Back and forth. Too mobile to simple aim and shoot without risking the valuable life of the lone survivor.

Kam'kebek was firing his gun at Merril, and while he was leading his shots - she seemed to keep avoiding them. She was moving too quickly and hitting the deck and bulkheads. Maybe the lack of an arm threw her motions too far off. "Fucking fuck!" he cursed, "WHAT ARE YOU?!"

Merril's back met the door, one of many completely sealed off. Korro put her hand against the identification and it disengaged. Keib attempted to manually override it and the door ended up only opening partway - only enough to put one's fingers through. Beside Keib, Fourty-Six seemed electric, though she stayed with him dutifully rather than bolting.

Merril shoved Korro forwards - away from herself - as her remaining hand dug into the gap and pulled.

The static relented for just a moment. The words became clear.

"I am strong. I am strong. I. . . am. . . STRONG!" She shrieked, breaking through the door's motors and slamming the passage wide open. Not a moment was wasted, and through the broken door the wildcat ran. And ran. And not a glance back.

"She's escaping!" Keib yelled over her deathly wail. How Korro was able to stay so close to her and facilitate this was like a knife in his guts, twisting and turning with every metal crunch that Merril was making, his breathing was short. "I can't track her! She has some sort of Jammer!"

"Come! This ship deserves the Wrath of God! Everything on it, burning in Hellfire!" Korro yelled, manic and utterly gleeful of the chaos and destruction. She disappeared, laughing into the passage that Merril had made and followed her through.

-

At Keib's side, the smallest soldier looked up, ears turning. Waiting. Keib's breathing was short, clipped. He tried reaching for his cup of tea, but his hands were shaking too much, and he knocked the cup over and spilt hot tea all over his gloved hand. He recoiled for a moment and flexed his fingers.

"F... Four?" he said.

"Mister Keib?" The expected response. In the expected tone. Even standing still, she gave off the impression of feverish activity.

"I think we're going to have a very bad day ahead of us." He put his headset back on - the static had faded now that Merril was gone, or going. It was heard all across the ship, "Attention all personnel on the Akahar. Merril Ghere is no longer with us. They have lost all vestiges of humanity. You are to open fire on them if seen. Destroy them."

He paused for a moment and breathed into his headset. "You are also to destroy Korro Longwalk Lmanel, I believe she is assisting Merril. Both are armed and extremely dangerous."

Eyes. Gray. Patient. Nervous? Waiting. Keib had seen her like this before - the little Helashio had done something surprising, and put Al'ris face-first on the ground. Just what did he have on his hands, with her? It was time to find out.

"We have seven hours until Lazarus-operated backup arrives with a regiment made to deal with what we're facing with," he had to come clean with their involvement, voice choked somewhat, "Until then, we are the first and only line of defence against Merril. The Bridge and Deck Three will be fortified against her."

The communications went clear as Keib tried to piece things together, a more concrete plan of defence based on what'd just happened, he looked down at Four Six, finally meeting her gaze. Keib imagined he could see past her eyes into her brain. Lessons learned, over, and over, and over, and over, and over; a mantra of physical actions burned straight into her brain, repeated ad infinitum. Grace. Movement.

Keib could see it. How she knew those things seemed immaterial; she didn't seem scared. And what's further, she seemed to be looking to him for guidance.

"You've got your orders, do you understand them?" he asked, away from the microphone.

"No, Mister Keib." A statement. An honest one.

Keib's mind raced as he considered all of the possibilities, standing there in quiet contemplation, grabbing his mug, and sipping what tea was left out of it and putting the empty cup back down on the tea stain that'd formed. Twenty seconds later he snapped his fingers - he had a plan.

His nodded back to Four Six and begun telling his knee-jerk plan to Miri, "Miri I need you to get the new transfers and I need them to gather things and meet us on the bridge. Vithr, Aiesu, tell us what we need."

Keib heard a voice in his ear from Vithr after he remembered how Gough was completely clean, treated by nanites. Gears turned in his head, "The medical na-nanite generators. Bring 'em!"

Aiesu, having seen the power of the Silva rifles against Merril said, "Silva Rifles, Armoury! Anything else they can carry. I don't want her-" she paused, and omitted her next words. "it to get any of our weapons."

"Right," Keib responded, "Silva Rifles, Nanite Generators. What do we do with the Away Team?"

"Keib, we don't have time to check and disinfect anyone immediately," Vithr said, "we have to take the risk and fix them on the Bridge."

Gough and Yar'mak traded glances. Al'ris nursed the wound in her back, moving with a clip in her step. "You sure, Keib?" Al'ris asked. "I-I don't want to endanger you if I'm infected."

Keib looked over to Four Six for some comfort, she could see him weighing the decision, "Alright, do it. Quarantine's already been busted open. We don't know how much she's going to spread anyway-" he looked to the snow white Helashio that wouldn't leave his side, "Four Six,"

"Yes Mister Keib?"

"Follow Merril, its bleeding."

Instead, she kept looking up at him. "What will you do, Mister Keib?"

"I'm going to lock everything else down tighter than a nun's arse," he said, drawing his sidearm and doing a brass check. "I'll meet you at the bridge. Be careful out there."

"How long?"

"Until Miri or I give the order to come back once the ARIA and Engine locked down," he looked over to the intercom, "Understood, Miri? Get the other Bridge Bunnies to lock down everything else remotely. I'm doing the DNA hard-locks."

The helashio unshouldered her rifle, but paused before dashing off. "Good hunting, Mister Keib."

"You too," he said as he approached the door out of the skybox with Four and they diverged at the intersection.

LSDF Akahar, Flight Deck
The announcements rung in Miri's ears. What the fuck happened? Someone lost their humanity? Was that even possible? What was Keib talking about? What were all those noises, the shooting, the screaming, the 'I am Strong'?

Miri stood with a finger on her headset and her eyes darted nervously between the Intercom and the new arrivals. "...yes, I understand," she put her finger away from her ear and looked. "Well, never a dull moment," the bridge bunny tried to downplay what had transpired, "You've been told to swing by the armoury, arm yourselves, then get to the Primary Medical bay, grab the Nanite Generators and take them to the Bridge."

She didn't exactly say what was going on though because everyone else was trying to make sense of what'd happened. "We have a slight problem on ship. Keib will brief you when he gets back."

Again with the downplaying, with little other explanation.

The Lmanel Lieutenant, still with his bag over his shoulder, gave the bridge bunny a rather serious look. "Where is the Captain?"

"He's currently doing a hard lockdown of the ARIA core and Engine," Miri said. "If whatever's loose, er-" she made a verbal backspace, she didn't even know what the problem was. "If our problem gets to either of them I think we're in dire straits."

"Ensign, if the Captain is personally setting hard locks on the security compartments, who is in command?"

"To be honest, we've lacked a proper Captain for at least a week," Miri sighed, but she didn't feel shame over the fact, "Keib's doing all he can - he's the only person on ship with the authorisation to make hard locks right now."

The officer seemed to grow a little larger, and a little darker, in the Hangar's dim lighting. His expression most of all reflected a measure of coiled patience, soon to be impatience.

The Lieutenant looked back at the five-odd soldiers still milling about in the shuttlebay and seemed to be weighing their worth. The reflection in his eyes said everything about what he thought of them; a child, a fool, a loner, a lover, and a Chaplain in Hell. He tore them apart visually. Did he hate them already? Or had that been the look he'd given them when they'd boarded, and he'd said those things about protecting one's crewmates?

Was there a difference?

"Drop your gear," he ordered, unshouldering his own pack and tossing it over towards one of the corners. "Ensign, take charge. Let's go."

"Y-Yes Sir," she said as she lead the way. Its what Keib would've wanted. More help, any help.
 
Veronica was taken aback by Merril's sudden outburst. For the first time in a long while, she found herself uncertain. The medic was one of the few on the ship she even liked to some degree, as much as she didn't really show it with her abusive attitude. That moment of uncertainty was all that was needed for her failure to act when whatever Soft Touch was now to tear away breaking things. After a moment's silence, in which Keib's order came down, she let out a long string of expletives, half of which those around her had never even heard. Some kind of slang, likely.

"Are you fucking shitting me? That bullshit got her of all people? Our goddamn medic?" Veronica was nearly incoherent in her bewildered anger. Under her frustration, there was the implication that she really didn't want to hurt Merril. She heard the order, but it was likely she'd rather subdue her if possible. How effective the Geshrin woman would be at doing that since nothing in her fighting style could be considered 'restraint', was questionable.
 
LSDF Akahar, Main Hangar

Mars stood a bit aside as it all went through. Her eyes found Keib up in the skybox as the first troubles appeared. It was all so fast, all so bad. Merril went insane, the thing, Mok'ro took her. Mars was too slow to get there and stop the creature. To kill Korro to try and end it. Merril escaped. It hurst the leader of the away time, ate at her pride and it also ate at her soul. She lost one. Merril was gone, now it was time to make sure she would be the only one.

As Veronica spoke up and Keib was getting the crew organised, Mars discarded her gun and moved forward to the doorway. It was no time to screen them all, but Mars was sure she was fine. With Merril running around it was pointless anyway. Mars drew her sword.

"It is time to hunt," Mars said to Vithr, looking the way Merril ran away. "Tell Keib I will find and corner Merril while he sorts things out. We need to do this to save her soul." With that Fyunnen turned to the exit and started running. Hunt was on.
 
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LSDF Kas'vi, Main Hangar

Satisfied with his observation of the shuttle and the three who occupied it, Tay'rryn had closed his eyes with the intent of relaxing for the duration of the prep for launch and the brief shuttle ride to the Akahar. However the sudden hush, of the until then chatty crowd, punctuated only by the sound of purposeful footsteps, rekindled his interest in the world around him. Barely catching the stammered greeting of the New Tur'lista Corporal at the ramp, Tay'rryn opened his eyes in time to see the old behemoth of a Chaplain step into the shuttle.

Snapping to his feet from his resting position to salute the Chaplain, his reaction one more of reflex than thought Tay'rryn stood a moment nervously frozen, never having been quite comfortable around those of high rank, and even less so those who were steeped in religion. As the Chaplain settled with no comment or fanfare, Tay'rryn reluctantly resumed is own seat with a bit of hesitation. Unable to find the ability within himself to resume the tranquil introspective state, he had held previously Tay'rryn instead busied himself with studying the wall opposite himself, trying to take his mind off of the curiosities that nagged regarding the Chaplain's presence.

LSDF Akahar, Flight Deck

Upon landing after an uneventful shuttle ride, Tay'rryn found himself seated longer than he intended, only managing to rise and leave after Pitch, Bright, Widow, and the Chaplain Himsā had passed him. His intention to be the first off unrealized, Tay'rryn stepped off of the shuttle bag in hand before falling in beside the others as a New Tur'lista woman greeted them.

Quickly identified as Ensign Miri Dilu 'Listener' New Tur'lista, the Ensign spoke earning Tay'rryn's attention as she highlighted both her role on the ship as well as informing them that the Acting Captain would be greeting them shortly. Beginning to fall into step behind the Ensign as she led them toward the entrance of the ship Tay'rryn was momentarily confused as she paused tapping at her headset.

Entertaining questions as to the true nature of the somewhat infamous acting captain of the Akahar, Tay'rryn was drawn out of his thoughts by the sudden sounds of static and the Ensign's nervous questions. An answer of sorts came not from the Ensign confirming orders or information, but through a quiet, unsettling statement heard through unknown means. Noting the shift in atmosphere as everyone tensed, suddenly uneasy, with Pitch in particular reacting poorly to the development as she tried to move back toward the shuttle, Tay'rryn found he had more questions regarding the status of the Akahar than he was likely to get answers to.

Unwilling to waste time inquiring after the status of the situation around them, Tay'rryn was quick to fall back to his training, setting down his bag off to the side and unzipping it to reveal his weapons where they had been packed with ease of access in mind at the top of his belongings. Retrieving the railgun first, he checked it over with practiced efficiency ensuring the safety was on before loading a magazine. Double checking the safety on the Ek'yra, Tay'rryn set it down beside his bag before proceeding with retrieving his equipment. When Ensign Dilu broke the relative silence, relaying their orders and the mention of a slight problem, Tay'rryn felt comforted in his choice of action as he worked to quickly check over his FMR-1 before holstering it and affixing it to his uniform, shortly followed by his searing blade and survival knife.

By the time the Lieutenant had finished questioning Ensign Dilu over the status of the ship's captain Tay'rryn had finished mounting his M'Cel to the underside of his Ek'yra, and was finishing with transferring his few grenades to his pockets along with a trio of magazines for the Ek'yra, and a couple BAS blocks for the FMR-1. Making his way to his feet, Ek'yra in hand, barrel pointed down and away from the others, Tay'rryn nudged his bag out of the way of himself and the others with a foot before falling in quickly behind the leading Ensign, hoping that he was over prepared for a minor problem.
 
LSDF Akahar, Flight Deck

Pitch had almost made it back onto the shuttle with her things but the Corporal turned to face them, causing her to freeze in her tracks. It did not look like she would be able to sneak her way out of this, nor would they be going back. The Corporal was still planing to go and Listener said that it was only a slight problem, maybe there was just some malfunctions with the equipment. Yes that had to be it, that was why they were locking down the important things there must have been a virus going around the computer system, nothing that was a danger to her. Ny'za told herself such things and steeled herself to follow after them.

She did not realize until she was already heading inside and she had already put down her luggage, the armory was where they were headed what would weapons do against a virus? Her wings wrapped a little tighter around herself and she looked around. Glacier had his full combat gear, but she had only her sidearm and searing blade, which she wore while in uniform. Being that she was a pilot, she was not issued a rifle at the end of her training and was actually supposed to get one form the ship as her issued weapon.
 
(continued from Interim thread.)

LSDF Akahar, Flight Deck


No sooner had the shuttle doors opened and Aran'ya stepped out into the bright lights of the flight deck, the sense of foreboding did not abate but rather grew stronger with every passing moment. Why did they have a landing site here, rather than the traditional shuttle hangar? As nice as she was, to be welcomed by Miri instead of the Captain or another higher up was also suspect. Communications static and erratic voices only added to the mix, as even the ship itself was in disarray. As Aran'ya tried to take it all in through her enhanced vision and other senses, she knew one thing for sure -- something was seriously wrong here. And if the enforced brave and calm faces of her superiors and the coiled tension of the Lieutenant's stares was any indication, it was a hell of a lot bigger than any of them could handle on their own.

Aran'ya dropped the heavy bag containing the majority of her personal gear where they stood as ordered, heading forth now with just her standard issue sidearm, blade and Emergency Response Kit satchel slung over her back. A 'Peeper' Sensor Monocle also was removed from a small pocket in her uniform and affixed to her right eye, charged and ready. Her mind no longer saw an idle moment to dwell on the mistakes of the past, for it seemed now in front of her another life or death situation could be brewing. "I am strong," she found herself murmuring, finding it in some way reassuring when it came from her mouth instead of a cryptic, unidentified source on the other end of the comms. Whatever was out there, she indeed had to be strong... and to help others survive this crazy assignment.

Having wrapped her head around what she at least thought the situation might be, Aran'ya finally voiced her concerns before they departed. "I know the rumors spoke of a mutiny aboard, and it seems there still is one ongoing. If so, acting Captain Keib's orders make a lot of sense in this situation," she mused aloud to her comrades, partially to encourage the skittish Ny'za. "Since this is a Raptor-class ship, the Primary Armory and the Primary Medical Bay should both be located on deck 3. That's where we are heading, then, eh?" The Lmanel soldier gave a quick nod to the Ensign, looking for a degree of validation of this as their destination, but then her gaze was caught by Tay'rryn who was arming himself to the teeth."Though, somehow I doubt it will all be that simple," commented the Widow, unconsciously cracking a few joints as her inner biology was poised for a shift on a moment's notice of danger.
 
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LSDF Akahar; Flight Deck

Jiji found herself in the middle of what seemed like immediate chaos to the engineer. She stood up and grabbed her stuff stepping out onto the flight deck with the others closing one eye ever so slightly from the bright lights that she got hit with. She watched what transpired closely, her mind beginning to work magic as she made sense little by little what was going on. So far there were two things clear... first of all, Miri was the one who greeted them and she was not the captain, two Miri was hiding things from the new arrivals and that much was very clear.

Her ears twitch ever so slightly noting every sound that her sensitive ears could pick up, doing quick scans across the room with her enhanced eyes, sometimes being a lmanel with ties to the wolven like creatures had its moments. She took a breath and grabbed Ny'za's hand and gives it a squeeze of support to attempt to calm her. Though, she herself was nervous she did well to hide it and hold a cool temperament when in a situation she felt uneasy about. Kinda amazing if she would say so herself, but she wouldn't. Instead she looked at the lieutenant who sized her up with a look of determination, then the lieutenant barked orders to them and she began moving.

She listened to Aran'ya try to encourage Ny'za, and gave a light smile at how close the team already seemed to be, that increased their odds of surviving a mutiny, if that was indeed what they were facing. She tossed her belongings into a corner and pulled out her Searing Blade, her LSDF Deshe'vo Plasma Assault Rifle, her M'Cel 40/30mm Grenade Launcher, her Arbitrator Pistol, and her Survival Knife along side the amenities that she would need to ensure all of them work properly arming herself and stretching looking at DOLL-3. "Well this is going to be an interesting day after all, DOLL-3." The doll shifted and looked at Jiji and lit up a bit to show a smile on his face; "Yes mistress, it does indeed seem that way. Do be careful however!" She laughed a bit at her doll's concern for her well being and walked back to the group ready to combat whatever she felt was needed. Falling in line, and ready to follow them.
 
LSDF Akahar, Deck 1 Corridors
Miri was leading the way from one flight deck hangar to another, and she saw Keib run past and go down the stairs with a pistol in his hand and labcoat billowing behind him, followed by his furry Helashio with a gun of her own. Miri watched them speed past; Keib was heading towards Deck Four, and the Helashio was looking for the trail of synthetic blood-stuff that Merril was leaking.

"There he goes," Miri said to the Lieutenant calmly as she followed their trail, heading towards deck three. He followed along with her, and behind him trailed the recruits. The large Lmanel glanced back at them every once in a while.

The image of a child holding an assault rifle drew his attention more frequently than the others,but if he had concerns he didn't immediately voice them. The alarms rung and the sounds of footsteps echoed off the bulkheads. Images on the bare metal drawn by some of the anarchic Freespacers who'd been hanging with the Akahar were jarringly happy and innocent compared to the situation at hand, especially one they got further to the medical bay.

"Don't get trigger happy, Chatterbox," he stated, referring to Widow. The Larger lmanel's order came just as they rounded a corner, into an empty corridor, and the group paused before a larger hatch painted white. "Mutiny or no, don't fire on friendlies."

"It isn't a mutiny-!" the ensign corrected as she got the doors to the medical bay open, tapping her authorisation card against the pad, then waiting, then tapping it on and off again and again before the it finally opened. Miri breathed a sigh of relief.

"Do you have some special knowledge of what this is?"

"holy-" there was a gasp inside before a cough, "I have a - uh, rough idea," came a gruff voice from inside the medical bay. It was Vithr, head of Medical on the Akahar, a Fyunnen man of average height and a lazy predilection now rudely awoken by Merril. His eyes were wide and full of fright as he backed into a wall.

He had his hands on one of the nanite generators under his arm, and a duffel bag full of assorted medical items stuffed inside haphazardly. "Miri, w-who are these people?"

"I am Lieutenant Kerrik Vediir." The indomitable Lmanel passed through the doorway and then stepped to the side so that the others could pass in and grab gear. "The rest of these sorry yolk are new transfers."

Vithr nodded as he bent down to pick up a bag. "Well then Lieutenant, my name's Vithr, I'm Chief Medical Officer, I was at ground zero and by God it was a mess," he scratched his head once he had his haul. "Bitch tried to gut me."

He kept looking over his shoulder at the open door on the opposite side of the room, his escape route and his way back to the bridge. "And if you see a woman in an EVA suit squaking about the Wrath of God, stay the hell away."

Kerrik pointedly looked at the other, open doorway. It creaked as the door drifted, loose, left open by some careless soldier - or perhaps by Vithr himself. Kerrik's expression, hard to read, gave nothing away for free, but it wouldn't be hard to guess what he was thinking; something's wrong, here.

Abruptly, he turned back to the group, as though he were about to give orders. However, he paused, and then quietly addressed Miri. "Ensign, we still need to secure the weapons locker."

He unholstered his sidearm, and although he did it in a relatively unhurried fashion, it spoke to his mood.

"Right," she said as she looked at who was with her. "Pitch, Widow, we need to seize the armoury. Lieutenant, cover Vithr and come back for us."

"I'm here at the Armory," Aiesu said over radio. "Hurry. The others are on a witch hunt."

"Understood, be there soon," Miri said.

"Gather what medical gear you can, swiftly," Kerrik stated to Vithr, and then motioned the remaining two recruits to begin helping him - though in the case of the Inquisitor who loomed, silent and unobtrusive, near the back of the group, this seemed more like a polite suggestion and it was ignored with equal, chilly politeness.

EARLIER MEANWHILE...
Mars charged down the corridor with Veronica, Gough, Yar'mak, Kam'kebek, and Al'ris bleeding steadily where Korro stabbed her. Vithr and Aiesu were following them but split off to make respective beelines for the medical bay and armoury without them.

The team seemed to be following a trail of synthetic, silvery blood that spread over the floor. It smashed into walls, leaving silvery splotches against the walls, against where maintenance hatches would've opened but were locked down. The stains went down stairs, painting the causeway to Deck 2 as it went - and then it simply stopped.

The trail had gone cold, perhaps coagulated as the team came to a stop at Deck 2. A plant that usually bought calm to the room was now shrivelled after being brushed by Merril's blood. Looking into the Recreation Room, there were footprints on the grass and the apples that grew in the middle of the garden, Keib's explosive little experiments, were picked fresh off the vine.

"Where..." Yar'mak breathed, sidearm drawn as he looked around, hands sweating.

A monstrous thud interrupted him, emanating from the gym.

Gough swivelled.

One of the rack weights rolled across the ground, unsettled, until it came to a stop - falling gradually in a circle, like a coin upon its edge but much heavier.
 
LSDF Akahar, Deck 1 Corridors

Pitch was not sure how to take seeing people rush about the ship with weapons drawn before she even had time to really get into the ship. One of such people was apparently the captain as well, at least if she interpreted what Miri said correctly. However she continued to follow and it was not until she began to hear the echo of foot steps through the ship did she put her hand on her Stalwart Enforcer at her hip, looking around nervously for anything that might attack her.

Were it not for the Lieutenant's comment to Widow moments before, Ny'za would have drawn her pistol and fired on Vithr when he stepped out of the medical bay. Instead she back pedaled as quickly as him, pressing herself against a wall on reflex, keeping her back safe. She had missed the opportunity to draw her weapon in her panic, but it seemed that that was for the better as it turned out the sudden appearance was a friendly medic. She let out a sigh of relief and tried to calm down as she listened to the three more senior soldiers discuss the situation at hand and then decide to break up the group.

Wait, break up the group? Pitch was not sure she was ready for something like that yet, it's good that she was going to the armory, since she did not have a rifle on her, but wasn't there safety in numbers? Couldn't they protect this Vithr person by bringing him to the armory with them? And what were they protecting him from anyway? Mutiny was mentioned, but they said it was something else? It must be related to the woman in the EVA suit mentioned. She had many question but not the courage to ask them. She was officially a soldier now and she had to follow orders so she drew her side arm, keeping it down for now so she didn't accidentally shoot anyone in her panic, and stuck close to Miri.
 
There was a piercing silence from the inquisitor which took to observing, listening, and pulling in the scope of the situation before he would even speak. From the voice of raw bandwidth and the all seeing eyes of the Akahar's ARIA, the situation as it was known was explained to the behemoth of a Fyunnen man which finally took to taking initiative as he shrugged the hood from his head, revealing the stone-like elder features, which were marred with scars and age. "I will go to the armory as well. A 'witch hunt' is only worthwhile when you have the means to expunge the heretic... I would also advise a Helashio soldier be sent to round up by belongings and transfer them to a secure quarters. I have brought my own share of equipment, and I would dislike to have it be a liability in the event of an 'incident'." with that, the inquisitor, Ha'reiel, looked to Kerrik, giving a nod that spoke of a gentle encouraging nudge.
 
A nearby screen on Deck 2 flickered and crackled. Motion and sound began to emanate.

Age 10 said:
Young eyes gazed at the gargantuan woman before them. Sun beating down from behind. A massive silhouette.

They passed by a pool. Took a peek. Green eyes and white hair, cut short to represent her youth, reflected.

The image warped. Day to sundown. Dirt path to stone.

They reached a pen connected to a rocky cave. A large hand shoving her forwards. Something stared, glared from the darkness. Stumble backwards. Grounded.

Muffled words arose.

"They are only an animal. You are stronger."

But still, the beast watched.
 
LSDF Akahar, Deck 1 Corridors

Widow followed the two officers closely as they proceeded, considering the soldier seemed fairly confident of their path to the medical bay at the outset. Though she had to give pause when the speeding forms of Captain Keib and his Helashio companion punctured the monotony of the flight deck, straining to catch every detail before they vanished just as quickly en route to their quarries. At least he is a man of action, she thought to herself silently, as the brief sight of his billowing lab coat stirred a memory of another certain scientist.

There was no time for reverie, though, as much as the Freespacer graffiti they passed might depict otherwise. Sighing once, Aran'ya couldn't help but give a bit of a disdainful glance back at Lieutenant Kerrik as he admonished her attempt to rationalize what was happening as being gung ho. "No sir," she said flatly, though her eyes seemed to say something a bit less polite. With friendlies like him, she wondered then what the enemy might be like.

There was a building tension as the hatch to the medical bay opened and produced no such enemies, rather the ship's doctor ransacking the place for supplies and the nanite generators. Widow gave him a respectful nod when he identified himself, as he could likely see by her armband that she too was in the medical brotherhood. "Just try to stay out of the hot zone, Doctor, we need those generators and you in one piece," cautioned Aran'ya, as the ramblings from Vithr only served to add to her growing concerns. Though she naturally made a move to start to help him with the medical equipment, the orders from the commanding officers apparently sent her to the armory instead.

The Widow nodded to the Ensign and finally drew her loaded Stalwart Enforcer pistol, closing ranks with Miri and Ny'za. She could notice the edgy vibes still coming off of the large winged Lmanel, though. "Pitch," she whispered loud enough for just her to hear, "Breath. Don't panic." Although with talk of the wrath of god and witch hunts and heretics, it was not exactly easy, even for Aran'ya. Just what was the ancient Ha'reiel really here to do, anyway? Hopefully answers would come in time.
 
Mars frowned as she moved ahead of the others. It seemed they reached their prey. It was astounding, how fast Bastion stopped thinking of Merril as comrade and started thinking of her as a thing that had die. Mars thought to herself that it was a self-defense mechanism. Her mind used it to give the tall Fyunnen a way to kill someone who used to be under her command. Still Mars was not all too happy about it. Grip on her blade got tighter and she drew her Hand Cannon with her left hand. Even if Merril went all mechano on them, her weight would probably not change too terrible, and even though Hand Cannon won't hurt the beast much, it should be able to stop her in her tracks.

Mars turned to look at her comrades and noticed Al'ris tagged along. "Al'ris, you are hurt. Go and catch up with Vithr, help him carry what he needs to bridge and then have him have a look on you," the orange-headed woman spoke quietly. "Gough, cover us. You others, keep behind me and watch my back. It might be someone else, but if it is Merril or that witch from Mok'ro, shoot their head off. Roger that? Let's go."

And with that, her sword, raised and read for fight, Mars moved forward, silently to ambush whoever was in the gym.
 
Jiji followed the group with eagerness, wondering what was going on. Catching on rather easily that things were pretty bad especially when she saw Keib run past with his Helashio companion. She tilted her head ever so slightly and then frowned looking at DOLL-3. She sighed ever so slightly before she continued to follow the others. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, the group stopped soon after at the medical bay. She noticed Ny'za was looking very panicked and frowned, worried that she may hurt someone in her panic. She made a move to take her hand in an attempt to calm her only for that move to suddenly be deflected when the door opened revealing a medic, sending poor Ny'za into a frenzy that wound up with her back firmly against the wall.

She paused ever so slightly at that and looked at the doctor. She listened to his ramblings and how he was looking for supplies and Nanite Generators. She tilted her head again seeming pretty curious on what the doctor was doing. She looked at Widow when she made her comment about the doctor staying outside of the hotzone and nodded in agreement. But then Miri declared they were splitting up, and this immediately worried, it took her a moment before she spoke up but she did and said: "Wait...couldn't we pro-" She paused as Miri and the others ran off before she could finish what she was saying. She frowned and cocked her rifle staying close to Vithr with the other man who was left behind. "...Well this is just great."
 
LSDF Akahar, Deck 1 Corridors
As they started down the graffiti decorated halls Glacier slowly slipped to the back of the group intending to keep an eye on their backs while using the motion to assess the varying levels of preparation that his companions had achieved. Devoting his attention to scanning the state of the halls frequently checking the corridor behind them as they moved Glacier wondered briefly if they were over prepared for a small problem, or if they were all about to suffer a rude awakening.

From the location trailing as rear guard, Glacier had his attention drawn to the front of the group by the sound of quick footfalls. Barely able to see past the bodies before him Glacier made out what appeared to be billowing white fabric followed by another figure that darted past. Enlightened by a comment from the Ensign, Glacier was under the impression that they had been passed by the Acting Captain. The activity at the front over almost as quickly as it began left Glacier to wonder what was unfolding on the Akahar that warranted the level of tension that seemed to suffuse the ship.

Giving the conversation between his companions little of his attention as it seemed to be of little practical value, Glacier instead devoted his attention to watching the hall for any and every detail while the group waited for the Ensign to open the way into the Medical Bay. As the doors opened an exclamation from within the medical bay shortly followed by the sound of a soft impact as a panicked Pitch backed into the wall of the corridor opposite the door to the medical bay.

In short order information was passed between the Ensign, the Lieutenant, and the occupant of the Medical Bay revealed to be another of the crew of the Akahar, soon followed by the movement of the group to occupy the room. Backing into the Medical Bay with a final glance around the corridor, Glacier took the time to examine the room around him taking note of the other portals into the room and the increasing tension of those around him.

Of note Glacier learned from the interactions in the Medical Bay that one of the crew was of an unstable disposition and from the sound of it violently fanatical. Hearing of the first confirmed threat aboard the Akahar, Glacier found himself feeling uneasy as a lone crew member gone on a rampage hardly warranted the level of unease and security that was visible.

As orders were issued to divide the group Glacier found himself quickly moving to aid the Chief Medical Officer gathering up whatever supplies he was directed toward and packing them in whatever was available for ease of transport. Unable to shake the feeling of creeping unease Glacier hoped that he was simply letting the situation get to him more than he needed to and that between the native crew and the securing of the weapons locker things would resolve quickly.
 
Veronica seemed unusually disgruntled. There could be a myriad of reasons as to why the pirate that was usually spoiling for a fight was now rather grumpy. But that was not to say she wasn't ready for a fight. The sound and the sight of activity coming from the gym made her snarl, fists clenching as she rather imperiously advanced towards the door. Perhaps she was aware that there could be an ambush, but if she was, she either didn't care or was self confident about handling it.

"Come on. The stupid bird in the suit has been squawking way too fucking much. Her head needed to be ripped out an hour ago." If nothing else, her aggression was centered on someone other than Merril.
 
LSDF Akahar, Deck 3 Corridors
"I'll get Greg to grab your belongings and take them to the Bridge," Miri replied to the inquisitor, sending a message to the helpful Helashio.

The three figures at the Ensign's back bought her some peace. The burliness of the Fyunnen and their divine conviction bought them some measure of peace, though they were not of religious sorts. "Mars," Miri asked as she moved through the corridors. "Is there any sign of Merril?" As she was moving, she saw the wounded Al'ris walk past and towards the Armoury and bridge, visibly injured and walking with a clipped gait. She notified Vithr, "Vithr, you have injured friendly heading towards you,"

"Gotcha," the doctor replied as he started hauling medical generators, or transporting them by pallet in JiJi's case, to the Bridge. "C'mon, nearly there," Vithr said as the bridge doors remained closed until he flashed his identification. They opened for him and the other two Bridge Bunnies were furiously working away. The three engineering staff of the Akahar were standing in the room on combat alert, relieved to see Vithr. "Hey, where's Bes'linn?"

"She's met with Keib," the Lmanel Bridge Bunny replied, looking up from her console, "they're getting Engines and ARIA locked together. What's that you've got there?"

"Medical Nanite Generators."

"Put them anywhere," The Lmanel replied. Vithr replied by placing them down on a bench on the edge of the room and plugging them into the wall. The Lmanel bridge bunny looked at Kerrik, saluted them from their chair and asked, "Sir, identification?"

"Lieutenant Kerrik Vediir," he said, spotting the ensign patch. "I transferred on with the rest of the shellheads here."

"Make yourself at home then, Lieutenant," she nodded back. "Acting Captain will be with you soon."
"Understood," he said as he watched Vithr get the nanite generators set up, plugging them into the wall, then looking at the video feed of Keib and Bes'linn getting engineering locked down together, the two New Tur'lista holding hands to network their skills and work at double speed.

A whisper went up from one of the three Engineering staff, a Lmanel engineer called 'Sparks' Toto, hair coloured in a crude rainbow. "I think I saw her on the way in..." He shivered as he recalled the image of her.
"No way, really?" one of the other engineers, a New Tur'listan woman of lanky stature with earphones in her ear, uncupping one of them so she could listen to Toto's story. Nearby, a Fyunnen woman with a welder's mask on her face and a hip flask in her hands was looking about nervously, taking sips.

"I mean, I looked down one of the corridors and I saw a ... a black blur ..." Toto's cavalier and goofball attitude was gone. "Vila, she was running like an animal..."
"I'm sure its just a bad trip. Hey Toto, look, new people," Vila, the New Tur'lista whispered. Toto waved nervously at them, smiling with a furrowed brow. Al'ris entered the bridge on the opposite hallway entrance, parallel to Vithr, Kerrik, Glacier and Jiji's route. "Shit, Al'ris, you okay?" Vila asked.

"Just... Backstabbed..." she sighed as she sat down near the nanite generators and waited for medical attention, looking at the new arrivals and breathing heavy. She'd lost quite a bit of blood, and she was scared that Korro might have infected her. The fyunnen kept trying to look over her shoulder and beneath her wing at the wound, see if it was mutating at all.

Greg was also there, and so were the inquisitor's belongings. Greg aimed to please. The belongings were heavy.

LSDF Akahar, Deck 2 Corridors
"Yes ma'am..." Al'ris nodded to Bastion as she moved down the stairs and to Deck 3, walking past Miri as she headed for the bridge. She brushed past Miri and gave her a nod of acknowledgement. As Mars moved into the gymnasium, with Gough and Yar'mak, she could see synthetic footprints on the gym mat, fresh.

Merril's sparring gloves, the ones that let her use her claws comfortably were sitting on a bench unattended. Further up, Mars could see that her locker was open, its contents strewn onto the floor, including gym clothing and a book. A medical kit which usually rested on the wall in the advent of an injury had been torn off of the wall and forced open, claw marks on the ground around it showed her that Merril was looking for something before she darted off.

But why, though? They could only hear their own breathing in the gym for a few moments, then a passing breeze of static in their earpieces. They didn't know from where.

Gough looked down at the haphazardly scattered medical equipment, "Do you... do you think she's aware of this?" He also saw his naked feet and realised that he hadn't put anything other than a medical gown on since he left the Hangar. He did have the ideal weapon for the job and adrenaline in his veins still.
Yar'mak swallowed a lump in his throat as he looked around the gym, Kam'kebek following his gaze too, sweating.

Veronica meanwhile spotted that Merril might have brushed past a rack of weights, knocking one of the racks around and a few of the dumbbells off. Though there were weights on the floor, one or two of them weren't nearby, one of the seven and one of the eight kilogram weights were gone.

"We should get back to Keib and report in, though," Yar'mak suggested. "We can get armoured and prepared and come after Merril and that shrieking bitch."

LSDF Akahar, Armoury
Both of the doors were open, and Aiesu Kalopsia was standing there breathing heavy and panting - but not sweating after preparing moving pallets of Silva rifles, the sleek weapons arrayed in miniature racks while other guns and explosives, including M'Cel launchers and varieties of grenades were also present, as well as sidearms and plenty of ammunition. Moving 'coat racks' of powered armour were following her too - her construct strength, ARIA networked mind and use of the pallets let her load all of this in a hurry, but to push them all securely, she'd need more hands.

"Huahh..." she sighed as she rested against a wall with one of the anti-biological rifles in her shaking hands, cerise eyes peeking out for any sign of help. Miri waved her arm as she approached, still a score of paces away.

Aiesu, factoring that retinue was coming down one corridor watched the other warily, hands still shaking against her rifle. When she heard their footfalls come closer and closer, she whispered aloud: "C'mon, hurry, just take a pallet and go." The way the small Lmanel was holding her gun though, she didn't seem to be holding her own company's product with confidence. Was it nerves - only because she fully understood what the team was up against or because she was scared of the unknown? "We need to react quickly, together..." voice raised now that they were closer.

IFF scans on Aiesu were quick to point out that she was a civilian and a contractor for the Lazarus Consortium. What authority she had here was minimal, but ultimately fluid thanks to Keib's reliance on her and her actions outside of the chain of command to deal with the Mok'ro's unique condition. This situation was not in the rulebook.
 
LSDF Akahar, Armory

Pitch had taken Widow's advice and continued to take slow breaths trying to keep herself calm in a situation that was obviously going out of control. She had followed Miri to the Armory like she was told, keeping her eyes peeled at all times. The first thing she thought on arrival was that the small frail looking Lmanel girl looked out of place, but she quickly dismissed it, as that was the second time she as seen such today. She looked over the weapons feeling a sense of security at the fact that there we so many, but it was strange, all the rifles were the same and a model that she had never seen before much less knew what it was. The strangest thing of all however was the face that power armors were being rolled out as well.

"Power Armor? We're bringing out power armor?" Her voice was a little jittery but she at least understood that this was not a situation to be idling about and secured one of the pallets of rifles. She wanted to pull one and sling it over her shoulder to be ready, but she wasn't sure how to operate the rifle or even check if it was loaded so she didn't mess with it for fear of damaging it.
 
OOC: This IS close enough to be heard for the people on Deck 2. Hint. Hint. Mars. Veronica. Hint.

The monitor flicked on again. The audio varied between muffled and clean, but the video seemed almost crisp.

Age 10 said:
Measured breaths. Darkness. A door creaked open. Closed.

Eyes opened to a dark room, lit by the moon and light creeping under the door. Careful steps moved across a familiar room, and towards the window.

Vision warped. Suddenly outside. Full moon streaming. Treading path. The colour bleached out. Faded back in. Vision warped. At the pen. See the cave. Hopped the fence. Warp. Facing the beast. Glowing eyes in the moonlight. Blurred redness. Warp.

Looked down. Pinning the creature. A cub. Quieted the creature. Dominant.

Warp. Leading the creature back. Bloodied arm covering blooded belly.

Warp.

Woke up in bed. Mother staring down.

Bloodied sheets and bloodied cat, but hardly any wounds to see.
 
LSDF Akahar, Armory

The trip to the other objective on Deck 3 was thankfully uneventful, and Widow was visibly relieved as Pitch calmed down noticeably. The air of tension did not let go of its grip so easily, however, as now it was the face of Aiesu that was encountered. Her frantic pace and uncertain grip on the rifle as she spoke her commands said volumes about just how serious the situation was -- and also the IFF readings streamed to the Peeper unit raised quite the eyebrow. What was a Lazarus Consortium employee (and a construct at that) doing here on a combat mission handling the armory in such a way? "Ma'am," voiced Aran'ya to Ensign Miri and Pitch, "Just why is a contractor giving us orders?" The Widow did not exactly wait for an answer to her question, though, as it no doubt would all have to wait for the Acting Captain's debriefing.

And before that could happen there were giant pallets of some serious firepower and heavy equipment that needed moving. Taking a deep breath and holstering her pistol, she focused momentarily on her hands. What seemed like minute ripples upon a river traveled down the surface of her palm and fingers as tissues mutated ever so slightly, her ivory flesh giving way to bits of insectoid-like chitin. The minute hairs that resided there began to lengthen and then split into thousands of microscopic triangular setules, multiplying the Lmanel's own grip many times over with a molecular level attraction with the surface of the metal gun racks. Now it was obvious what they meant by Widow, others might be thinking, this girl's a freaking spider aspect.

Of course this didn't bother Aran'ya, as her now vaguely creepy digits grabbed for whatever equipment transport racks that she could manage to lighten Aiesu's load. Hearing Pitch commenting about the fact there were some seriously heavy power armors in the mix, along with unusual anti-biological weapons, she made a good point. "I'm beginning to think... we are hunting a monster... and not a mutineer... Hah," panted Widow, as she tightened her modified fingers around another handle and began to push.
 
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