| Logs |
2006 March 21
| Hunter |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
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| Realms: Hunter Logs |
Part One: Bushwhacked Off Demeter
Transport Shao Kung
Departing Demeter for Boros - 4 hours out
Shao Kung is a good ship, a Sparrow with an extended passenger section, with a mediocre crew -- she's seen better days, but she's maintained, kept in good shape, and the crew have settled into a dreary sort of routine in the transport of passengers and cargoes between the Border Moons of the Mishka Quadrant. She's not fast, but the fares were cheap and the captain didn't ask too many questions.
That's not to say that there ain't any problems...
Four hours out of Demeter, with the ship about to make the pulse jump, Shao Kung shudders from several impacts, and the captain is squawking over the intercom about a pirate attack. He attempts to calm the passengers, urging them to gather in the commons and wait out the situation. "I've handled pirates before," he says soothingly. "Just let me talk to them, cooperate, and I can guarantee that you'll all be unharmed."
A few minutes later there is the unmistakable sound of the main gangway mating to another's ship's boarding lock, the rumble of servos as airlock doors open, and then the sound of voices in palaver.
Solbiort frowns, fanning herself by waving her leather jacket open and shut, and grumbles, "Merciful Buddha, it's hot in here!" She looks unhappy and restless.
Captain Solbiort Skialdmeyjar is definitely a tall, burly, and intense woman, standing an assertive 6'6". Snug breeches on her sturdy legs are tucked into tall black boots, which smell pleasingly of years of quality leather care. Riding low on her right hip is the holster for her heavy pistol, while on her left the utilitarian pommel of a large knife protrudes from a rune-covered sheath. Her well-worn leather tunic is brilliantly embroidered on the back with fiercely snarling, winged heraldic beasts tangled in battle, leaving her well-muscled shoulders and arms bare. Each wrist sports a wide, decorated [bracelet], while a slender cord about her throat carries several long, colorful beads. Her pale-skinned face is framed in short wings of flame-red hair, and behind her sways a long, thick scarlet braid plaited with a few glittering ornaments. Her deep green eyes study the world with confident amusement.
Nigel looks slightly irritated as he fiddles with a small puzzle of some sort with one hand, pushing the pieces here and there, flipping some of them back and forth -- playing with it more than trying to solve it.
Elgyn stands with his back against the wall, carefully keeping an eye on the exit. He things it's a foolish thing to actually try and talk to base criminals... but it is not his ship. That said, he's already itching for a fight, especially after he didn't get to hit the last person that deserved it. He's left his hogleg with his stuff, but he has his krisara hidden at the small of his back, and his revolver carefully hidden in the room. "You are just edgy, Captain. We all are." he commiserates with Solbiort. She nods glumly at Elgyn, looking around at the other passengers.
Elgyn Musere is more akin to a bronze sculpture than a person. His posture and face suggest a preternatural calm, but his gray eyes shown an intensity lurking in wait, like a predator stalking its prey. His hair is done up in modest dreadlocks, tied back with a strap. His physique is well muscled, and much of it can be seen thanks to a sleeveless and open brown vest. His dark flesh also has a wide variety of tribal tattoos in blacks, reds, and whites, covering his shoulders and biceps, much of his chest, and his wrists. And that's just what you can see. Most of them appear to be unfamiliar designs, but they include a lot of sharp points (as akin to blades), and palindromic patterns. He also wears plain brown trousers and soft leather moccasins, with a leather belt and pouches about his waist. There is a large and oddly shaped knife seated in a thigh baldric, and a Colt Peacemaker revolver tucked into a shoulder holster. He stares at you with a vague interest, as if assessing your threat potential...
The compact gentleman seated at the table shuffles his work into his case and pushes his chair back a bit. He leans over to the sleeping man, and says quietly, "Doctor Kingston, don't you want to be awake for this? With any luck, it won't be interesting, but you'd hate to have to tell folks back home you slept through it... " The older man, identified as Kingston, grumbles something about 'damn pirates,' and shrugs a bit deeper into his chair.
Nigel can't really seem to stay in one place and meanders around, even if it means he has to push between people to do it. He's not blatantly rude about it, but he's not exactly taking too much pains to be overly pleasant. Solbiort tilts her head, studying Nigel's cheek, trying to figure out what the ideogram says. Finally she murmurs to Elgyn, "Vhat does that say, di-di, on that boy's cheek?"
Nigel, at first glance, is your typical stringy grease monkey. The black hair that covers his head is continually mussed and contrasts with the blue of his eyes, which are usually squinted as if he's trying to remember something. Normally, he's dressed in a rather oversized jumpsuit, patched in several places and bearing the permanent oil and grease stains of someone who is constantly up to his elbows in an engine. His hands are fine-boned and constantly moving, fiddling with something or just tapping his fingers. He's even of unremarkable stature, standing perhaps five foot six in his bare feet. The only thing that truly stands out is a rather elaborate brand on his right cheek. The figures are ideograms and read "rude."
Elgyn tilts his head curiously... and then his eyes flash with amusement. "That... is different." he drawls thoughtfully.
Solbiort looks puzzledly at Elgyn... then curiously at Nigel. "Vhat, di-di?"
Elgyn looks at Solbiort. "It means 'rude'." He looks back at Nigel. "Why in the 'verse would you want to gat a tattoo proclaiming you rude?"
Solbiort gives Elgyn a surprised look, "I vas just -- oh!" She looks back at the small man, curious again -- then her eyes narrow, "He didn't get it because he vanted it, I bet."
Nigel blinks at being addressed, brows drawing together slightly as he reaches up with one hand to rub at the burn scar, "Exactly. Wasn't precisely my choice." Slender fingers move from the brand to run through his already-rumpled hair.
Solbiort studies him quietly for a moment, then murmurs, "I understand."
Elgyn's mouth opens in a silent 'o.' "Did you have a chance to gut them for this assault?" he queries politely after.
Solbiort pokes Elgyn in the side. "Chsht! Be nice... he's a boy, not a varrior." She looks around restlessly -- then she goes still, her eyes widening in surprise. A moment later she gives a low, clear wolf whistle. She grins, nudging Elgyn in the side again, "Vill you look at that?!" She's staring at Quan.
Elgyn says, "Oh come now... just because one is not born for battle, doesn't mean that he does not deserve justice. Or that they should not take it into their own hands, if needs be."
Nigel snorts through his nose and shakes his head, pocketing the little puzzle-cube in one of his many pockets, "No. Matter of fact, I didn't." He opens his mouth, as if to add something else, but lets his attention be directed by the enormous woman's stare. Elgyn also hmms? and his eyes follow Solbiort's.
"I hate to point this out," says a mild-mannered voice from a corner. "But it might be well to consider our options if negotiations don't go well. For example, people might consider finding a place in which they could be overlooked."
You see a young man with short, fine, blond hair. He stands about six feet tall, and has clean limbs and a well-defined musculature. He moves with a dancer's grace, and looks around at the world with bright, intelligent green eyes and a friendly smile.
Solbiort blinks... then grins at the irony inherent in that statement. Elgyn looks at Solbiort. "He makes a good point. We should see to it that those that cannot fight are protected should we need to take up arms."
Quan says, "Unfortunately, my expertise falls far short of ship layouts. But perhaps someone else would have something useful to advise?"
Nigel looks up... and up... and up... at Solbiort when that suggestion is made about being overlooked, "I think she'd need something on the order of a whole other room to get overlooked."
Quan smiles. Solbiort nods, studying the man in the corner in fascination... then grins down at Nigel, "Vould be a vaste of time, true."
Raj shifts in his seat and says, "I would think our options are surprisingly limited, depending on what these people want." He shrugs, "We'll need to see how much the captain's dealt with these types, won't we?"
Elgyn smirks. "They'll be too busy removing lead from their skulls to pay attention to how tall my Captain is, should it come to that." he rumbles with a hit of pride.
Quan inquires, "'A waste'?" a bit puzzledly. Solbiort glances at the boy in the corner again... then sighs and shakes her head, looking away. She studies the room for a bit, then angles for a position that gives her as long a range of fire as possible down the hallway leading to where the pirates purportedly are.
For a brief moment the voices at the gangway seem to get louder -- then the moment is shattered by a gunshot. The single report is followed by several more, as what sounds like a firefight with repeaters breaks out in the Shao Kung's cargo bay, one deck down. Maybe this is a surprise.
Quan looks around for Lion and makes sure the dog is at heel or in his arms. Elgyn reacts instantly, and swats aside an overturned bowl, taking up the Colt Peacemaker stashed underneath. "That would seem to be the signal that things have gone wrong." he comments mildly.
Solbiort is galvanized into action by the gunshot, nodding once to Elgyn and yelling, "Passengers take cover!" as she heads for her chosen position, pistol in hand.
Raj says, "If the passengers are too effec-" then grabs Dr. Kingston by the shirt and begins moving directly down the passageway away from the sounds of combat.
Kingston resists immediately, though he does rouse. "Gah- wha? Dammit, not again!"
The scrawny, nervous young guy shakes his head and actually chuckles, "Well, it seems the negotiations came to an impasse, hm?" He starts moving his way toward a corner away from the gangway.
Quan says, "Excuse me." He looks to move out of the meeting room, if possible to a side avenue that might lead back to his room. Nigel seems to change his mind mid-meander and heads for the hallway back to the passenger cabins, muttering something about the need for sutures. Quan moves down the corridor quickly, carrying Lion, until he reaches his cabin. Once there, with studied efficiency (thank you, lifeboat drills), he secures Lion and the majority of his luggage inside one of the ship's emergency pressure bubbles. However, he does collect his Cortex terminal, just in case.
Elgyn looks at Solbiort. "This is a defensible position... they can only come from one place with us. On the other hand, perhaps we should reinforce the ship's crew... "
Solbiort thinks a moment, muttering under her breath, "Sparrow, sparrow... got it. Elgyn, can you hold them down in cargo vhile I take the bridge? I'll close the air locks on them if I can. Come!"
Solbiort turns, heading for the bridge cautiously but quickly. As she moves, she zips up her soft-matte-black flying leathers and pulls up the hood. Curiously, where the leather bends around her body it has an almost metallic sheen. There's incomprehensible heraldry or ranking on the front and shoulders, while on the jacket's back, in arrogantly brilliant colors, is embroidered a vicious looking creature swooping down to attack, streaming flames and with fangs bared in a snarling grin. Around it curl the ideograms for 'Anytime, baby!'
Elgyn nods in satisfaction, zipping up his leathers as well, which are much less decorated. He follows quickly behind his Captain, and covers the stairwell, making sure no one is coming up...
The shooting seems to have died down. As Solbiort goes down the crew deck, there appears to be the sound of booted feet coming up the ladder well. Meanwhile, Nigel's eye falls upon the ship's terminal in the cabins area, and Lion is unhesitatingly being put into the dog carrier, while in an amusing mirror of that Raj puts Doctor Kingston in his cabin.
Solbiort casually pops a booming shot over the ladder well to make them cautious and slow down, then continues heading for the bridge, "Room's yours, di-di."
Elgyn smiles ferally. "Gladly accepted, Captain." There is a spluttered curse below the ladder well at the report of the suoshi autolock, followed by repeater fire in response, sprayed upwards in a few brief bursts.
Quan glides back into the Commons, looking right and left to see who remains there. Seeing no one, he begins creeping down the hallway leading to the crew's quarters -- looking and listening carefully as he goes. Elgyn is carefully positioned to be ready to shoot at the first person that comes up the well... so Quan sees him prominently when he enters the crew area. Quan waves and makes sure that Elgyn sees he is not a pirate, but otherwise says nothing at this time. Elgyn only gives a curt nod to Quan, focused on listening for the invaders...
Nigel returns from the passenger quarters carrying something that is quite obviously a doctor's black bag, and a pistol is strapped around his waist in a simple holster. He wears it like he's only ever worn it at a shooting range.
Raj, maneuvering Doctor Kingston down the corridor, says, "Dunno how this is going to play out," and stops by an unmarked cabin door. He thumps the access panel twice, and the door slides open a crack, and grinds to a halt. "Take this bubble and stay here." He braces, and forces the door open, revealing an empty cabin. He wedges the Doctor in the door and says, "Don't come out till I tell you." Kingston bristles and is about to argue when the door closes on his complaining.
Solbiort peers into the bridge. Through the front windows of the cockpit she sees what appears to be a heavily converted transport. The bridge of the Shao Kung overlooks the topside of the pirate ship; the starboard airlock of the pirate is connected by a short tunnel to the gangway located on the bow of the transport, below the bridge. Solbiort settles into the pilot's chair, holstering her suoshi autolock, and grins, flexing her fingers as she studies the board in front of her. First lock down the cargo bay, she thinks. How to handle the pirates, though? Hm... nice transport the pirates have...
Many things seem to happen in the next few moments. Quan and Elgyn can hear the pirates in the cargo bay below, attempting to position themselves for some sort of assault -- there seems to be three of them. Nigel hears metallic thuds and thunks coming from the ceiling... except the ceiling above him is the hull of the ship. And Solbiort is seeing that one of the topside airlocks to the pirate is open, and a tether of some kind is running from it, past the bridge windows to back of the Shao Kung.
Quan makes a motion to himself, then flaps the fingers of one hand like a mouth. Then he looks inquiringly at Elgyn. Nigel looks up toward the ceiling, eyes narrowing at the clunking sounds. Impact on the hull loud enough to be heard inside is never, ever a good thing. And especially not in the middle of being boarded by pirates. Looking around, he finds Elgyn and starts moving toward him, whistling sharply through his teeth, "Hey... "
Quan rolls his eyes and moves out from between Elgyn and Nigel. Elgyn winces at the sudden shrill whistle, and turns angrily, bringing a finger to his lips towards Nigel. Nigel rolls his eyes and leans close, lowering his voice as he murmurs loudly enough for both Quan and Elgyn to hear, "Something just hit the hull just over there." He indicates where he was standing before. "I really don't think that can be good."
Quan nods. "You are right about that," he acknowledges in a quiet whisper.
Elgyn grimaces. "Keep an eye on it, then. We can't afford to be outflanked." he whispers urgently.
Quan withdraws back into the common room as quietly as he can. Once there Quan says quietly to Nigel, "There is a door back there as well. I wonder if the cargo bay is a diversion. Unfortunately, I think we are all that is left, since we know there are still pirates in the cargo bay."
Solbiort's eyes flick almost disdainfully across the controls... chubby little tub. She taps a few buttons, then grins -- that should lock 'em down for the moment! Now, what to do about the pirates outside...
The airlock doors in the cargo bay rumble and slide closed. There are a few startled cries below, the sound of booted feet running -- then a few seconds later the clank and hiss of an airlock door closing. There still sound to be at least a couple of pirates in the cargo bay.
Now that Quan is near Nigel, he hears it as well, the clanking on the hull. Shortly though, it stops as if pausing. In the cargo bay, Elgyn can hear some muted conversation, and the hiss and chatter over communicators. Nigel hehs quietly, shifting the medical bag to his other hand and reaching into his pocket after that weird little puzzle, "I think you're right. I heard it stomping around just now."
Solbiort taps the wall lightly to warn Elgyn she's coming into view, then leans against the doorway of the crew deck, arms folded. "Hey, kids... I think ve have a hull valker. Also, lots of doorvays into a Sparrow... am thinking ve should all gather into one room and lock it down vhile ve think vhat to do next. Pirates are still connected to us." Elgyn swears in Lingua about 'sons of bitches'.
Quan says, "Perhaps we should go and see if we can jam the hatch, somehow? And then perhaps retreat to the Engine Room." He shakes his head. "I am surprised that they have not already made a move on it. I would have expected it to be among their first targets."
Elgyn says, "The engine room is not a good place to fight. Bullets and engines do not get along. The common area would be more defensible."
Nigel's mouth was starting to open in retort, but Elgyn beat him to it. "And we ruttin' sure don't want to shut down our power source if we can help it."
Quan says in a reasonable tone. "No. Nor do we want the pirates to do it for us. I wasn't planning on damaging any of the machinery in there. Nor do I have any weapons with which to do so."
Nigel smiles wryly, "That doesn't mean the pirates will care about it. And they DO have weapons."
Quan nods. "And they are likely to go there anyway, whether we do or not. Perhaps we can, by our presence, keep them from doing something unfortunate. But first we should attend to the passenger access door."
Belatedly -- the hydraulics on the Shao Kung have most definitely seen better days -- the hatch over the ladder well leading down to the cargo bay slides shut with an accompanying klaxon. There is a shout of surprise, and a hail of repeater fire sent blindly through the narrowing hatchway. Apparently they haven't yet decided to use grenades. Solbiort, having delivered her warning, returns to the bridge and starts carefully studying the various compartments, looking for possible piratical entry. Elgyn blinks, and then grins with satisfaction. "Well, that changes things."
Not long after the hatch shuts, there is banging and scuffling against it, as the pirates below apparently attempt to open it. Meanwhile, the clanking against the hull above Nigel in the passenger cabin area continues. it sounds like someone moving around with magnetized boots. Quan says, "Excuse me, then." He moves past Nigel and heads for 'Passenger Country' to see what can be done about securing that access way.
Over the intercom Solbiort's voice can be heard, "Testing. Ah, there ve go. Hm... crap. Cheap-ass hwoon dahn captain... " Elgyn takes the time given to him to quickly go back to his cabin. He grabs his shotgun from where he left it, already loaded, and returns to his rally point, now better armed. He looks up as the intercom speaks, and jacks a round into the chamber of his hogleg.
Nigel moves to a corner of the commons, starting to lay out basic first aid equipment on a cloth he's pulled out of the medical bag. He's muttering to himself quietly, eyes squinted as if he's thinking hard about something. The clanking on the hull starts to move forward, rather ponderously.
Solbiort says, "All right, I'm not seeing any entries from the engine entryway. I can't see the passenger one though. Unfortunately that cheap hwoon dahn of a captain didn't put vidcams into cargo." She continues carefully checking compartments as best she can. There is a vidcam covering the crew deck, and another covering the engine room. Neither is showing any activity.
Elgyn sighs. He's not that happy a camper... he doesn't have so much experience with shipboard combat. And the vacuum of space is all too unforgiving... Solbiort says, "Elgyn, ve got any vac-suits available? Looks like ve may have to go outside... "
Elgyn continues to stand ready, just making sure he is not immediately visible, should the hatch open. He calls out, "It sounds like they may be coming through, Captain... there's electrical noises at the hatch."
Solbiort sighs, looking up at Elgyn's words and drumming her fingers on the board... too many entry possibilities to defend adequately. Perhaps a quick strike at the source would work best.
Quan moves to the intercom. "Captain. I am in the passenger area, and I hear at least one pirate moving about above me, but no one appears to be trying to enter from here yet. Is there a plan?"
Solbiort paces out again, tapping lightly on the wall to warn Elgyn of her approach. To him she murmurs, "I'm thinking a surprise attack on the pirates might vork best -- down the hatch to cargo, through the airlock to their ship. Vhat're you thi- moment... " She returns to the bridge and says over the intercom, "Ya, gather in crew."
The clanking on the hull has now reached the ceiling of the commons. They do not appear to be pausing or doing anything other than walking forward along the topside of the ship, albeit as fast as magnetized boots (and a person who doesn't want to take a dive into the black) can take them.
Elgyn calls up to Solbiort, "That would seem to be the best course of action, Captain. I concur." Nigel looks up as he finishes laying out his supplies and looks around. Waiting is not his strong suit and he wants to find something to do that would perhaps be useful. The clanking on the hull makes him scowl again.
Quan is momentarily surprised by hearing the female passenger's voice coming from the bridge, then shakes his head, but responds over the intercom. "Yes, Captain." He moves towards the crew area, stopping by to let Dr. Kingston know that apparently the current survivors are gathering in the crew area -- plus to collect Lion and his gear.
About thirty seconds later the group -- including a silently seething Kingston and the Akita puppy -- are gathered on the Crew Deck. The hatch down to the cargo bay has a hissing coming from it. And by now, the footsteps on the hull are making their ponderous way over the crew deck ceiling. Nigel has his medical supplies rolled up in the cloth they were laid out upon and tucked under his arm, the bag in the other hand. "I hope that gorram hull-walker floats off in space... he's moving fast enough to miss a step."
Solbiort's eyes widen at that news, then she whirls and snaps on the intercom, "Get away from passenger! Clear the area! Now, NOW!" Quan looks around. Anybody not present already in Crew and accounted for? Solbiort says, "I am locking down passenger in five seconds... four... three... two... hatches closing!" She comes hastily out of the bridge, muttering under her breath, and looks around, "Everyvon make it?"
Quan says, "I suggest that, if we continue to grant them the initiative, we will end at their mercy. And it seems unlikely they are inclined to be merciful."
Solbiort says, "Ya. I'm thinking taking the battle to them. Vho've ve got vho's handy in a close-in fight? Down the hatch to cargo and into the pirate ship?"
Raj says, "How may of them are there? Any idea? Where are they deployed?"
Solbiort says, "Two in cargo, ya? One on the hull. That's all ve know of for sure."
Quan looks on hopefully, "Can you open the door from this side?"
Elgyn grunts. "Let's just take them, then."
Solbiort looks at the pretty boy, the doctor, the dog, the academic... then at the other guy. She gives Elgyn a rueful grin, "Vell, vouldn't be the first time ve've von t'rough vith horrible odds... " She nods to Quan, "Come, I show you how from the bridge. Vhen ve call, you open it, ya?"
Quan nods. "Yes, Captain." He follows Solbiort to the Bridge, making sure Lion is out of the immediate line-of-fire from the cargo hatchway.
By now, two things have happened: The footsteps on the hull have neared the forward part of the Crew Deck; and the hissing on the hatch down to the cargo bay is bearing fruit in the form of a burning spot about where the hydraulics controlling it are. The pirates below are apparently trying to slice through the hydraulics in order to get it to open.
Solbiort adds over her shoulder, "Elgyn, back soon; be ready!" She shows Quan how to open the hatch, makes sure he knows to wait until everyone's ready and calls out, then hastens back. "Everyvon ready? You-" she points at the doctor and Kingston, "stay out of line of fire, ya? You-" she points at Raj, "If you know how to fight, come." She taps Elgyn lightly on the shoulder to let him know where she is, then calls, "Now, Quan!"
Nigel moves out of the direct line of the hatchway, getting his back as back into a corner as he can. It's perhaps not the best way to escape something, but the best way to have the most line of sight. He starts tucking the roll of supplies back in his bag. Raj follows the group down the passageway, unlimbering his knife and small sidearm. As he passes Doctor Kingston he says, "Weren't you supposed to stay put till the gunplay stopped?" Kingston hems and haws and looks sheepish.
Quan operates the door control as soon as he hears the signal. He presses the button, then turns anxiously toward the upcoming fight -- straining his senses and hoping for a minimal loss of life. Solbiort has the pistol set and braced, covering the hatchway in crossfire with Elgyn. Elgyn is calmly aiming with his shotgun, mind focused on the killing ahead.
The hatch opens. Below, reaching upward, one pirate wearing goggles is using a plasma torch to cut open the hydraulics lines to the side of the hatch. Another pirate is trying not to look at the blinding light of the torch, but notices the door opening. He gives a shout, trying to ready his weapon in time. Solbiort shoots the alert one, her suoshi roaring and bucking in her two-fisted grip. The unfortunate pirate is wearing body armor, which is probably the only reason he survives the direct shot. He falls hard, though, sliding out of sight.
Elgyn smirks at the startled pirate with the torch, and pulls the trigger. The pirate has enough time to let out a yelp before catching the edge of Elgyn's shotgun blast, peppering him and ripping through his clothing but not doing more than cosmetic damage to the combat vest and gauntlets he's wearing. Elgyn curses at the man's filthy luck and levers another round in. Solbiort murmurs in the quiet after the deafening shots, "Going through next, di-di... cover me." Elgyn merely grunts in response to Solbiort.
Quan moves back into the Crew section and waits to see what is about to happen next. Raj sees the flustered pirate with the torch stumble back, and he fires two quick shots down the hatch. Elgyn seems surprised at Raj's sudden entry into the firefight, but he certainly doesn't argue. The other pirate drops the torch (a failsafe letting it go out) as he stumbles backwards, trying to get his own cadet repeater at the ready.
Nigel takes a deep breath, closing his eyes and murmuring something to himself as he pulls his pistol out. He holds it in both hands, pointed upward and opens his eyes. He's not about to run into the fight. Hell, he doesn't even like the idea of it running to him.
Solbiort takes the top of the ladder firmly in one gloved hand, folds and rolls her long body smoothly down, and drops in a crouch to the cargo bay floor -- then shoots at the flustered pirate. He slams the ground a fraction of a second later.
Both pirates are now on the deck at the base of the ladder, well out of consciousness and badly hurt. After a second, without any gunfire responding to Solbiort's appearance, and a glance around, Solbiort notes that the cargo bay is clear. A bloody mess, though. Literally. Solbiort calls out laconically, "Bay's clear."
Quan says, "And now what you propose that we do?"
Solbiort glances over at the airlock, then adds, "Quan, check see the pirate ship's not disengaging yet?" Quan cocks his head a little puzzledly, then smoothly moves back toward the bridge to see if he can puzzle out an answer to Solbiort's question from the control panel.
Elgyn listens for the one atop them on the hull... Raj says, "I'll check about for anything else out of place... " and goes aft.
Quan says, "Be careful."
Nigel takes a deep breath and puts his gun away, taking the few moments to lay the roll of instruments out again. "Might want to make sure nothing's been tampered with outside, ladies and gents."
During the commotion Elgyn can tell the footsteps on the hull have reached the bridge -- which comes as a surprise to Quan when he looks out and sees a space suited figure striding along the hull, skirting the edge of the windows. "Captain! One of them is looking back at me!" He smiles and waves, adding, "And I'm fairly sure he's armed!"
Solbiort calls back, "Ya, it's trying to get the curve of the ship between it and the explosives!"
The pirate apparently waves back -- actually, on second glance he's holding some sort of device in the hand he's holding up. Quan quickly exits the Bridge and tries to close the door panel behind him, "I suspect that the Bridge windows are not long for this world."
Elgyn curses. "Everyone, into the Cargo bay!"
Solbiort says, "Actually, I think it's the passenger area that's doomed."
Nigel quirks a brow, "He'd be an exceptionally stupid pirate to blow something up with him right next to them... ." Rolling his eyes, he scoops the first aid supplies back up, muttering something about an autoclave.
Following Elgyn's direction, Quan begins relocating himself and his stuff (including Lion) into the Cargo Bay. "How are you doing in there, Lion?" he asks in soothing tones.
Two seconds later the ship trembles something fierce. Perhaps 'tremble' isn't the right word. 'Hit by the hand of God while He was recovering from a hangover, while reaching for the Divine Aspirin,' is probably more accurate. While the ship doesn't buck it does take a mighty hammering, and Raj notices that the pressure gauges on the hatch plummet to '000.' He mumbles, "I guess the lady wins the pool on which of 'em goes first."
Solbiort holds onto the cargo bay ladder to keep her feet, then calls up to the others, "Roll call! Everyone okay?"
Though Elgyn is prepared, he's still not completely at home in space, and the shuddering sends him to one knee, unable to keep upright... the trip hammer blast throws Doctor Kingston to the deck -- quite badly, in fact. He does not land at all gracefully, in fact yowling when he sprawls.
Nigel was on his knees with the medical kit and got spared the indignity of falling on his prat when the concussion rocked the ship. It didn't, however, keep him from swearing virulently under his breath. The yowling of Kingston makes him roll his eyes, "Gorram it. Guns go off all over the place and this guy gets hurt falling down."
Elgyn grunts. "I'm fine, Captain... more or less... " he calls out.
Nigel kneewalks over to Kingston, scooting the bag with its now completely disorganized bundle of supplies over toward the man sprawled on the floor, "Mister, you had better not move before I get over there," he says to the yowling man, "Fractures are one thing, but dislocated ones hurt like a bitch."
Quan sways lithely as the deck shudders under his feet. He braces himself with his luggage, still in its bubble, and rolls with the rocking until once more the fragile shell that is the whole of his survivable world is steady. Solbiort sighs softly in relief, then notices Quan's in cargo with her. "Prettypretty, was the pirate ship still linked up?"
Quan says, "It appeared so. It was still quite close. Did you hear that the outside pirate had reached the Bridge?"
Solbiort nods thoughtfully to him, then calls up the ladder, "Hey, doc! If I tell vhat buttons to push, can you open cargo's airlock for us?"
Nigel calls back, "Hell, you probably don't need to tell me what buttons to push."
Then Quan calls up. "We may be past time for gentleness. If you throw people or things down, I will do my best to catch them, but I suggest we all join together as soon as possible." Elgyn looks around, suddenly realizing one of their group is not present. He start to call out, and then realizes he doesn't know the man's name.
Solbiort says, "I don't? Oh, you pilot too?" She eyes the airlock across the room, trying to see if there's pressure on the other side still or not.
Nigel laughs, getting to his feet, "No, but I've had to repair my share of hatches."
Solbiort brightens at Nigel's words, happily murmuring to herself, "Oooh... a real mechanic!?"
Elgyn looks at Nigel. "Hey, where's the other one? The one that came with the old man?" he queries.
Nigel tips his head at Elgyn, "Am I his babysitter? Last I noticed was him shooting at people." Elgyn curses and goes into the common area looking for Raj... Nigel hums to himself, actually seeming almost chipper for a moment as he gets the airlock working. The chipper melts again when he turns back to Kingston, "Now, chappie, let's see if you're broken."
In the cargo hold, the palaver apparently did not go well at all, at least for the crew of the Shao Kung. The captain, engineer, and pilot are laid out, dead or damn close to it. Another of the pirates lies dead and bloody near the airlock hatch. There's a lot of blood around, as well, with traceries of it all over the deck in front of the hatch. The gunfight was apparently at very close range and the transport crew had gotten the worst of it. A brief glance reveals a less savory fact: all three of the pirates are wearing combat vests over dark brown gymnastorikas.
Solbiort blinks, looking around with her hands on her hips, "Browncoats! Tch. Must be hard times." She calls up the ladder, "Hoya, di-di! Bring that other guy and let's hit the pirates! Doc's got the airlock working for us!"
Coming forward from the hatch to the passenger section, Raj says, "Well, I think the tail end of this tub may be done for. I don't know about you, but I'm not much of a suit jockey, and I'm guessing there's a big hole back there, open to the black."
Elgyn sees Raj over by the port leading into the blown section. "Come along then, we're leaving before they blow something else... what was your name?" At Solbiort's yell, he calls back, "Coming, Captain!"
Solbiort looks at Quan, "Hey, check the bodies and remove all their veapons, ya?" She heads over to the airlock, staying out of line of sight, and settles into readiness, waiting for the other two.
Quan moves his stuff to the side of the cargo bay, then strips one of the vests from the fallen -- putting it on. He asks Solbiort, "Is there a plan? Will the doors be opening soon?"
Solbiort says, "Ya, can you remove veapons from the bodies here, in case any vake up?"
Quan says, "I can only wish that some of them would. But I suppose I can disarm the two pirates we just passed."
Solbiort gives Quan an amused glance, then continues to keep watch on the airlock, waiting for the other two. When Elgyn and Raj appear, she murmurs, "You, other guy -- grab some body armor, ya?"
Elgyn feeds a fresh round into his shotgun, and then hangs it around his shoulder. "There's no need for that, Captain... I can make this simple." He takes out his knife.
The gangway airlock doors trundle open, revealing the boarding airlock of the pirate ship beyond. There is blood on the deck, but no immediate sign of any other pirates. Solbiort says, "Di-di, make it fast. Got other pigs to fry." Elgyn nods, and slits the throat of the first pirate, almost clinically.
Quan says, "I'll ask that you spare them. There is enough Death in the Black -- and we need to move quickly. Likely they will die anyway." He sees the doors open and, again, relocates Lion. Then he starts pulling the bodies of any still-living crewmembers across the way.
Solbiort says, "Speed it up, di-di!"
Elgyn ignores Quan. "Never leave live enemies behind you... prettypretty." He smirks. He dispatches the second one, and then joins the others. Solbiort glances over her shoulder at Elgyn, frowning, then growls something in a guttural tongue.
"It would seem the pirates thought much the same as you," Quan observes quietly for Elgyn's benefit.
Elgyn chuckles, and replies back in the same language. Solbiort hmfs softly at Elgyn's comment, then glances at Raj, "You stick close to me, ya? I be your armor."
Kingston, to Nigel's eye, has a fractured hip. He's gritting his teeth against the pain, however, and growling invectives in Chinese, a non-stop stream of cuss language that most academics would never admit to knowing. Nigel puts a hand square on Kingston's chest and leans on the old man, "You had ruttin' well better stay still, old man. That hip's broken and you're just going to make it worse... " as he talks, he fishes in his bag with his free hand and pulls something out, checking the label before he uses his teeth to remove the cap over the needle. Without warning, he administers the painkiller one-handed.
Kingston starts to growl out a reply, then sags back against the deck as the pseudomorphine hits. "Oh, that's much better," he mutters. Quan collects at least two more vests, if possible. Three, if available, and will extend them to Nigel, Raj, and Kingston.
Nigel pats the old man's chest sort of like you might pat a rather large and friendly, but not too bright, dog, "Now, you're going to lie right here until we can find some sort of stretcher to put you on. Because, like I said, a broken hip hurts like hell, but if you dislocate it too far, I won't be able to do a gorram thing about it on this tub." Kingston nods mutely, and lies still.
Solbiort covers the airlock passage. "Elgyn, bounding overwatch. Go vhen ready." Elgyn glances at Quan briefly, but clearly doesn't have the time to answer. At Solbiort's prompt, he moves into action, striding forward quickly and aiming into the belly of the other ship.
The airlock is about three meters deep past the inner and outer door. Beyond that is a large cargo bay, about nine meters across and seventeen or so aft. To the right, at the front of the ship, is a large, sealed cargo door. Opposite where the group enters is a mirror image of the airlock. Aft, the cargo bay is filled with boxes and crates shoved against the walls and scattered about, but secured to the deck. The blood makes no discernable patterns or traces except for some shoeprints on the deck here and there.
Solbiort mutters under her breath, "Joy. Pirate cover. This is gonna take time... " She frowns, considering the area... then sighs and calls over her shoulder, "Prettypretty, shut airlock but don't lock, please? If it's not us, don't let them in."
Quan looks uncomfortable. "Very well." He closes the airlock door from the cargo bay of the Shao Kung.
Nigel gets to his feet, looking down at Kingston, "Don't move. I'm going to find something to work as a backboard. If we're going to get you out of here, it's likely to be with you strapped to something." Kingston nods a touch dazedly to Nigel.
Quan says, "DO YOU NEED HELP COMING DOWN HERE?" The raised voice is to make sure that everyone left on-board the Shao Kung can hear Quan.
Nigel leans over the hatch and calls to Quan, "I don't need help, but this old bastard does. I need to get him strapped to a backboard. He's broken his ruttin' hip!"
Quan says, "If you can lower him to me, we can move him onto a carrier down here, I think." He moves once again to the base of the ladder and hopes someone will lower something down to him this time.
Nigel sighs and shakes his head, "That won't work. His. Hip. Is. Broken." He says the last four works very slowly and clearly. "If we move him without stabilizing him, we could do a lot more damage."
Quan says, "And if he waits up there the pirates will do a lot more damage. I feel we must hurry!"
Nigel clenches his jaw for a second, "Or... just a thought... you could come up here and help me strap him to something!" With that, he stomps off in search of something to improvise the board with. Quan rushes over to get the stretcher he sees in Cargo, and climbs up to start loading Kingston onto it.
The pirate ship's cargo bay is, at first glance, clear. The three begin to sweep carefully through the crates, until Raj rounds a pile of barrels stacked and secured down near the aft end of the cargo hold. Against the wall is a single crate, metal and heavily secured. And on the ground with her back against it is a young woman, wearing a loose brown duster, holding a cambered revolver in not-at-all steady hands in Raj's general direction, with one arm held tightly against her rather badly-bleeding gut. Only some of the traces of blood on the deck stop at her.
Raj stops, and slowly shifts his pistol away from the injured girl. He smiles and says quietly, "That looks like that hurts. You think I can help you with that? Or are you gonna take a shot first?"
Solbiort holds up a shushing finger to Elgyn, then gives the hand gesture which says 'cover me.' Then she studies where Raj is, trying to figure out the best way to get a possible shot there, if necessary. She doesn't want to shoot or interrupt Raj, but she does want to cover him if possible. Elgyn, who he was warily checking a dark corner, catches Solbiort's motion and nods.
The Browncoat's jaw tenses a little, and the gun-hand is a little more steady but no longer mostly aimed at Raj. "Just... just keep him safe," she murmurs, her voice dazed and revealing she's going into shock. "Do what you need to... but keep... keep him... please..." She no longer has strength to hold up the revolver, and it's been slowly dropping to the deck as she spoke. Finally it clanks to the deck as she sags against the crate.
Nigel doesn't get very far before Quan appears with an actual stretcher, which earns a half-surprised "Huh!" and a terse nod. He kneels at Kingston's head, "We need to put it as close beside him as we can. We want to have as little unsupported time as possible moving him."
Quan says, "We can't 'support him' at all. Normally one of us would take his shoulders and the other his feet. But wouldn't that just stress the hip all the more? I do not know how you intend to lift him without putting some stress on him. But I will follow your direction. But, whatever we do, may we please hurry? I suspect a pirate will be coming from the Bridge soon, and I would like to be aboard their ship before that happens."
Nigel takes a deep breath, "That's why we want the stretcher beside him. Because we CAN'T support him. We want him unsupported for as little time as possible." He pats the deck, "He's supported here," pats the stretcher, "He'll be supported here. I want as little time between them as possible."
Kingston says, from his drug-induced haze, "Can I get on with dyin' already?"
Nigel taps Kingston on the temple sharply, "You shut up. You're not dying, you gorram whiner." He looks at Quan, "Yes. I'll get his shoulders, you get under his knees. Count of three do for you?" Quan nods and takes his place.
Nigel scoops his hands under Kingston's shoulders and hooks them into his armpits. He nods his head twice as if setting a beat and then says "One... two... three!" On three he lifts and starts to shift the top half of Kingston's body onto the stretcher.
On 'Three!' Quan lifts and moves the lower half of the old man onto the stretcher. Kingston takes in a sharp breath as he's lifted, but the moment passes quickly, and he's only sweating a little as he's settled into the stretcher. Quan then heads straight down the ladder again and goes looking for a wheeled cart or suspensor or something the crew might have used to move cargo around. The closest Quan sees to cargo-moving apparatus is a 2-ton overhead winch mounted on rails in the cargo bay. Quan rushes over to get the 'mule' and brings it under the ladder.
Nigel nods grudgingly to Quan, "Perfect." When the man is down the ladder, he starts strapping Kingston in, "You better hope they've got some med supplies on that boat because I've only got a couple more poppers in here." Once the man is secured, Nigel starts looking for something that can be used to lower the stretcher and its cargo down -- rope or straps.
Solbiort steps around into sight when she sees the weapon hit the deck, and studies the girl... then looks at Raj, "Vant to run call the doc?" Raj steps up quickly, pushing the gun away, and checking for any other folk. Seeing none, he checks the girl's wound.
Raj says, "If we think this area is secure, we should get him down here. Go or no-go?"
Elgyn comes over to see what's up when he hears the clatter, and Raj moving forward. And as he sees the girl, something finally clicks in his mind. "Wong ba duhn. These were ex-Browncoats." He looks at Solbiort.
Solbiort nods to Elgyn, studying the girl... then looks up at Elgyn, "I'm going to go hold the entryvays. Stabilize her." She looks at Raj, "You, vhat's your name? Go, ya." She turns, hustling to a good elevated position to cover the entryways into the cargo bay, to keep the area secure for the doc.
Elgyn hesitates for a few seconds... she was likely an ex comrade, just like the ones whose throats he cut. But they became pirates... would have killed them all... and then Solbiort speaks, and he immediately acts, doing as she says, pushing aside confusion and doubt in response to a clear order.
Solbiort sees, to her dismay, just from where she is, no less than five entrances to the cargo bay, not counting the catwalk above it: one is a large hatchway which leads aft, and the port and starboard walls each have two hatchways in them. Solbiort mutters, "Sheisse," then calls down to Elgyn and Raj, "Vhen you can, move the girl to cover, ya?"
"Yes, Captain." Elgyn says back, as he finds things to put under her head and feet to stave off shock... ripping strips off her coat, he bandages the gut shot as best as he can. He shakes his head at the unconscious woman. "What happened to you, that you abandoned the path of honor... " he murmurs in dismay. Elgyn goes on to check the woman for additional wounds, not wanting to miss the forest for the trees. The Browncoat has no other wounds, though the gunshot wound seems bad enough.
Solbiort starts working cautiously through the entryways, locking those she can. If nothing else, the sound of the bolts retracting will give them a second's warning should anyone attempt to enter. She notes the four side-hatches can be locked, while the large hatch set in the aft wall is more of a sliding hatchway, which needs hydraulics to close and open.
Solbiort swiftly does so, and studies the sliding hatchway. Worst comes to worst, she'll try picking where she might most effectively shoot through the hydraulics and try to freeze the door in place... although she'd rather not. Damaging a perfectly good ship bothers her.
Kingston meanwhile mutters quietly, "Yer a damnsight more blunt than most mollycoddlin' doctors I've known..."
Nigel actually grins briefly at Kingston, "Well, most doctors have to kiss a lot of arse to get patients. Mine get thrown at me whether I want them or not." He rigs a makeshift pulley system with some ropes and straps to take most of the weight of the stretcher on its way down. Weirdly, he's humming happily to himself as he rigs it up and starts to lower the stretcher-bound Kingston down, calling down to Quan, "Steady that so it doesn't swing around too much!"
Quan says, "Just tip the lower end down here. I can hold it for the short time needed." Quan and Nigel lower Kingston onto the mule -- on which he is joined by Lion's carrier, after which, Quan wheels the whole assemblage over to the airlock door, making it ready for a rapid departure. Once the old man is on the mule, Nigel gathers up his things and heads for the cargo bay.
Once he is down, Quan suggests, "You should probably put on one of those vests, Doctor. Fortune favors the prepared."
Nigel loads a rather bulky toolbox onto the mule, muttering, "They ruttin' well better not have blown my room all to hell... there's stuff in there I can't replace."
On the pirate ship, Raj says, "Back in a flash," and goes back to the hatch. "Doctor? Gut wound. Shock. You got a minute?"
Hearing Raj requesting entry, Quan asks, "Are you with anyone?"
Raj says, "Well, I was seeing this girl on Demeter, but that's not important... " That gets him a smile, and Quan opens the door once he is reasonably sure Raj doesn't have a pirate gun to his head.
Nigel blows out a breath, puffing hair off his forehead, "Oh, hell. Yeah, I've got a minute." He grabs the medical bag and waves Raj back toward the airlock, "Lay on, Macduff... let me see to the pirate with the hole in his belly." Quan brings up the rear, pushing the mule aboard the pirate vessel and securely into its cargo bay. Then he closes both airlock doors leading back to the Shao Kung.
Elgyn leaves the soldier where she lies. "Maybe you'll survive, so I can ask you," he mutters at her before moving to join Solbiort.
Solbiort glances at Elgyn and grins, eyes bright... she's actually enjoying this now. "Vhich doorvay to follow the tracks, di-di?"
Elgyn glares at the smeared stains. "This damned flooring and bad lighting makes it hard to tell anything, Captain. I am sorry." Solbiort pats his shoulder commiseratively. Elgyn looks thoughtful, then snaps his fingers and gets out a glow stick from one of his satchels, kneeling and studying the smears more carefully... Solbiort just stands silently and covers the doors, staying out of Elgyn's way.
Elgyn is further ahead in the hall, and crouched by the ladder at the far end. He indicates upward with a finger to Solbiort. She nods once to Elgyn, then holds up a 'wait' finger. She looks back, waiting for the others to emerge into the cargo bay of the pirate ship. Once they do she calls, "Hoya, combat vet! Sorry, don't know your name -- vant to stay here and cover doc an' prettypretty?"
Quan says, "I thank you for the thought. But I think our chance of survival is greater if you take as many people with you as you can. We will be fine here."
Raj nods, "I'll stay here and keep things out of the ship. Call me Raj. 'Combat vet' sounds like the muleskinner."
Solbiort grins broadly, her teeth and green eyes flashing in the dim light, "Nice to meet, Raj! Elgyn and Solbiort. See you later." She turns and nods to Elgyn, gesturing for him to open the door so they can start bounding overwatch again.
Quan says, "I wonder if she's actually just hard of hearing," to no one in particular.
Solbiort looks back and grins, "No. Just you aren't combat boy."
Elgyn blinks at Quan. "I'd point out it was Raj's decision to stay."
Solbiort says, "Go, di-di. Prettypretty can argue with Raj."
Elgyn nods and starts up the ladder, revolver in hand since he can hold it one handed. Once his head clears the deck, his gun hand comes up, looking around with it aimed... he sees a few more traces of blood on the deck, leading out of the ladder well, and into the corridor beyond. The corridor leads forward a little before going athwartships, with a hatchway leading forward about at the centerline of the ship. Elgyn quietly climbs onto the deck, using as much cover as he can, keeping his Colt pointed downrange at the corridor while Solbiort climbs up...
Quan says, "Well, mister 'Raj,' if you will be guarding matters here, can you point me in the direction of where the engine room might be?"
Raj says, "I'd assume the engine room is deeper into enemy territory. No idea what kind of boat this is. Not much cargo. Probably a patrol or gunboat. I'd guess aft and away."
Quan says to Raj, "Thank you," and heads aft and away.
Nigel follows along and comments, "This gut-shot buccaneer better hope their boat has some med facilities because I can't do a whole lot for a bad gut wound with my jump kit." He looks very slightly surprised that the injured party is a girl, but doesn't actually say anything about it. He kneels, pulling on a pair of purple rubber gloves from his med kit and holding a penlight between his teeth as he starts to examine the wound, wanting to check for perforated intestines, though usually the smell will give that away.
The Browncoat was lucky -- her intestines are intact and she isn't at risk of peritonitis. She did bleed out a lot, however, much of it pooled about her and darkening the arm of her duster and what remains of her shirt and vest. Nigel peels off his gloves and clucks his tongue, "Well, she's not going to die of an infection, but she's hypovolemic and if she doesn't get a transfusion, she'll die of the simple blood loss." He doesn't sound concerned about it so much as just stating the facts of it. He looks around the room, "Wonder if this ruttin' thing has an infirmary?"
Solbiort is getting a faintly worried look as she moves through the ship with Elgyn -- they're heading towards the bridge? She hustles them both as much as she can, hoping the bleeding survivor of this ship isn't fool enough to try anything... drastic. Elgyn darts to cover the door to the bridge on the far side. He nods at Solbiort, making sure she's in position. Solbiort waits until Elgyn's also in position, then rolls into the bridge, coming up at the ready. She'd ordinarily be more cautious, but... dying people are often stupid, she's found.
Dying people are stupid, maybe. Dead people are somewhat less so. The body of another Browncoat lies slumped over the starboard flight console. He's been even worse shot-up than the Browncoat woman in the cargo bay, and is quite clearly dead. Made a mess of the console by bleedin' on it, too.
Solbiort makes sure there's no one else there, then sighs, straightening and checking for a pulse. She waves Elgyn in and, once she's sure the man's dead, pushes the body aside and starts running the telltales on the board. She also checks for other signs of life aboard the ship. Elgyn hmphs as he comes up behind Solbiort and sees what she sees. "Our liner crew apparently dealt a harsh blow, even after they wanted to parley."
The console is locked out -- fairly securely as well. It's not immediately accessible. The Browncoat on the bridge definitely does not have a pulse. Solbiort says, "Ya. Vhy so stupid, that's vhat I vant to know."
Elgyn sighs and shakes his head. "Stupidity is not the least of their crimes. How once noble warriors in a noble cause could have lost their way... it strains the mind to understand."
Back in Cargo, as Quan pushes the hatch key a pair of red flashing lights starts to spin, and a low buzzing alarm accompanies the double-hatch doors sliding a touch ponderously to the side. A second set of doors beyond are already open, revealing a rudimentary flight deck with what appear to be two short-range shuttles nestled into conformal berths. Quan frowns momentarily, alarmed he might have broken something. Then he pushes the button to close the doors on his side and hurries across to the matching doors on the far side to open them.
The people on the bridge notice a faint vibration through the deck, and a distant sound of low alarms coming from the cargo bay. Solbiort growls under her breath... then takes another deep breath, flexing her fingers, "All right, you vant to play dirty... ve play dirty!"
Elgyn blinks at the sudden alarm. "Hnh. I bet you a plat that's our hull walker. We'd better get down there."