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Docking Hub - Comorro Station
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Comorro Station isn't exactly a station. It doesn't remain in any one place for a significant span of time. It is, in all accuracy, a massive starship - incapable of atmospheric flight - that has been roaming the stars on a voyage that some say has lasted for more than 90-million years.
The vessel is a Yaralu, a sentient spacefaring vessel. Her true full name cannot be spoken in a single day, but is shortened for convenience to Comorro. Several epochs ago, after her final era of fertility ended, she converted the gray-green ribbed chamber of her womb into a docking hub for smaller Yaralu and non-organic vessels. She made it known to the denizens of Hiverspace that she would serve as a neutral outpost for traders and diplomats.
Use of energy and projectile weapons is prohibited aboard Comorro. Violators will be absorbed into the vessel's nutrient replenishment matrix. She is capable of monitoring almost all chambers within the station for illegal weapons, but some areas - such as the Forgotten Quarter - are lost to her neural pathways and sensory organs.
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The docking bay is fairly quiet this evening. Towards one end is a grizzled-looking Demarian with predominantly grey fur that has white strips. There is a scar over one eye and a missing claw on his right paw. He stands near a waiting shuttle, and is pushing a button to activate a holographic sign. The sign reads "Tranquility Station."
Naoi is fresh from the Aukam's Light shower, slippered feet whispering across the deck as she traverses toward the flickering holographic sign.
Umishi walks off her ship with a streach, a young Zurlti wildcat behind her...Both felines ears flicking around to noises on the tradeport, the Zurlti however bounds over toward the new addition of the holograph sign to the Docking Hub. The large feline circles around is base inspecting it.
Anshera can be found waiting for Naoi to appear, staring intensely at the Aukam's Light.
And then the Fastheldian comes! Freshly showered even and smelling all nice. Not that the formerly dead will notice or care. Scooting off the crate she'd been sitting on, the little fey patters over to snatch at Naoi's hand and follow along.
Griss is making his way across the docking hub along with a group of travelers, keeping himself inconspicuous while he follows the crowd. As he sees the holographic sign turn on, he splits off and moves in that direction.
The Teamhair sits quietly in it's own parking space on the docking bay.
The Demarian challenges the first people to arrive at the shuttle. "Yer business aboard Tranquility?" He asks the first person in line, then the next. A third person is denied egress to the shuttle.
"I wish to see this miracle work," Naoi responds. "I am sworn to Captain Kestrel, someone eagerly recruited by the Lord of the ship and he extended the offer for me to visit during the testing of this mag--" She loses train of thought when Anshera grasps her hand between hers. "Anshera, what are you doing here?"
Umishi follows after the Zurlti cat and tilts her head at the sign, then the Demarian. the wildcat stops its inspection and comes to sit at the Lyiris side. "Whats this?"
"One has come to accompany you." Anshera states, tone seeming to indicate she's not going to be denied lest some sort of tantrum or temper flare make itself known. Her free hand reaches into her kimono, pulling out a bottle with some cold medicine and a child-proof lid which she holds out to Naoi, "One also wishes for you to open this up for her. She has a cold."
The Demarian grunts once at Naoi. He produces a battered datapad from inside a vest he wears and examines it. "Kestrel," he repeats. He bobs his snout, giving Anshera a wary eye. "All right." The Demarian squints next at Umishi. "What, are you onna the new dockworkers?" he rumbles at the Lyiri, a question for a question.
"Very well," Naoi says, without complaint, taking the bottle. "But it will have to wait until we are aboard."
The boarding ramp of the Teamhair lowers, and Dement trundles down them, eyeing the commotion down the line of ships near his. "Uh." he manages, before 'casually' strolling over, interest piqued.
Griss slips up next to Umishi. "Yess, that's right. We're dockworkers." He hisses, using the tip of his tail to surreptitiously poke the Lyiri in the side.
Umishi blinks "No-i"..blinks again, "OH THAT! yes yes i am.". The zurlti cat gives Griss one of the oddest looks..
"One may sit in your lap during the trip, yes? She finds the seats and straps quite uncomfortable since she is so small." This is a bit of half truth. Yes being strapped into the seats is uncomfortable, but Anshera happens to have the power of will to ignore it quite well. The Demarian, well, he gets a small, slow and slightly predatory smile.
The Demarian glowers suspiciously at the pair. "Pay is 200 crredits a day, when therrre's work," he says. "Board costs fifty a night. There's two shifts to be done today." He hands Umishi and Griss red plastic wristbands. "Wear these," he says. "Go aboarrrrd."
"Acceptable," Naoi says, and at the Demarian's command, gracefully sweeps past him and up the ramp into the shuttle.
"What's going on?" Dement fields to the Demarian who seems to be in relative control of the situation, his hands remaining in their pockets to keep them from flailing by his sides.
Umishi nods and puts on her wristband and looks down at the wildcat "Go keep an eye on the claw for me." the Zurlti cocks its head to the side..gives Griss another odd look, then slowly starts to trot back to the Aishi's Claw as Umishi heads to the shuttle.
Griss takes the band and places it around his wrist, then follows alongside Umishi as he quietly boards the shuttle.
Anshera follows Naoi into the shuttle, of course, seeing as she's holding the Fastheldian's hand!
"Boarding for transport to the Marrrre Tranquilis," the Demarian growls at Dement. "We leave in five minutes." He looks down at his PDA and back to Dement. "You'rrre not coming aboarrrrd unless you'rrrre on the list."
The grizzled, gray-furred Demarian speaking to Dement is standing in front of a shuttle, granting and denying access aboard. A holographic sign next to the shuttle reveals that it will be granting passage to "Tranquility Station."
Naoi takes a seat in one of the chairs, leaning forward to assist Anshera into her lap. The buckles and safety belts she handles herself as well, securing them both despite that not particularly being the 'safest' choice. "Comfortable?"
Lucius pages MacNamara and Dement: Okay. Would Lucky be contracted as security? He takes freelance contracts from time to time.
Lucius has a stuffed looking assault pack on his back as he pulls up into the ship. His steps take him beyond the passenger area, to link up with the guy running security. Looks like he's working it.
"Of course." Dement says, with a frown, "Do you think I'm on it?"
"Do I look like one of those overgrown glowbulb mindreaders they have in this verrrrrse?" The Demarian asks, acknowledging Lucius and letting him pass. "What's yourrrr name, human?" He looks expectantly from Dement to the PDA.
"Quite, yes." Anshera drawls, squirming a bit and twisting her head around so she can look at Naoi, upon who's lap she sits, all strapped in and on board the shuttle already, "Where do we travel to?"
Umishi sits down in the shuttle and straps in.
"Oh, yeah." Dement replies with a smirk, "Dement," he points a finger at the Demarian's PDA, "Academic services, I should think."
"Tranquility." Naoi says, laying her head back against her chair's headrest. "And through it, hopefully, Caryas."
"Rgh." The Demarian grunts. "You were supposed to be on the last shuttle," he grouses, then steps aside. "Go aboarrrd." Lifting his snout, the Demarian snarls, "Last call forrrr Trrranquility Station!"
Griss takes a seat across from Umishi and buckles in. The Grimlahdi checks his watch, then pulls his shades down over his eyes and sits back with his hands folded in his lap.
The Demarian stands next to the base of a shuttle boarding ramp. A holographic sign next to the ramp declares that the shuttle is going to Tranquility Station. Dement is the last person in line to board. The Demarian has just hollered last call; inside the shuttle's cockpit, a pilot can be seen flipping switches and beginning pre-flight. The shuttle begins humming to life.
Zariel the Big Red Hek clops out of the tradeport around this time, muttering under his breath in an irritable fashion. Eyes shoot from ship to ship to ship before they fall on the shuttle and its sign. "Ah, there it is," he remarks to himself, turning his path in that direction, "Hey, is there room for one more? Sorry I'm late, I got kinda caught up..."
"Go figure," Dement pouts, "I got on the wrong ship yesterday. Ended up in bar on Svajone. Took me three hours and a good measure of vodka to escape." he trots up the boarding ramp, chuckling to himself.
"What is Caryas?" Anshera inquires as she looks back down to avoid having to keep her head at such an angle. One little hand starts reaching for her bottle of cold medicine to remind Naoi of it, but then she hears the familiar voice of one of the people she seems to like teasing the most. A pouting expression is put on, then she looks up to Naoi again, pointing to the hatch Dee will have to pass through, "Naoi, there's a man coming aboard who's /terribly/ cruel to me."
Naoi's eye creeps open, "I rather doubt it is unprovoked." Dry that. "Caryas was... it's not important. I do not want to cultivate high hopes before I have any reason too."
"And you arrre?" the Demarian asks Zariel.
"Zariel," the so-named male replies, "I volunteered as security in case someone feels like raiding... whatever the hell it is you guys were doing."
"Hrg." The Demarian hands Zariel a blue armband. "Come aboard. You'll get your assignment on the station."
Lucius comes to a stop in the security room. After a quick backbrief by the guy in charge, Luc grunts and nods. He loads up his gear for security, throwing his heavy vest over his body. A helmet gets strapped to his head, and he grabs his guns. The last thing he does is tie off a blue armband. Then he walks out into the main area again.
Dement pokes into the main area, dawdling idly by the door and looking around with a light smile.
Collecting all his passengers, the Demarian boards the shuttle. THe ramp closes behind him, and the ship takes off.
The shuttle ride is uneventful, except for when the shuttle finally hops out of FTL. This is an event because the station comes into view: A horseshoe with its prongs pointed down, silhouetted as a fly on the back of a massive, roiling nebula of violet, blue and green gases. Electricity arcs through this birthplace of stars and planets now and again. The station is insignificant compared to the brewing cosmic storm in the distance behind it.
The landing bay of the Mare Tranquilis is nondescript and seeing light activity. The Demarian leads the passengers into the main concourse and waits for them to assemble. Josh MacNamara is there, talking to an Odarite, two Hekayti, and a human in a nice suit. This group is within earshot.
"... And I should be expecting some other guests any moment now," he tells them, clasping his hands. "Once the others arrive, I will show you the demonstration Virg has prepared for us."
"Naoi." Anshera states, squirming a bit as the shuttle drops out of FTL, "Naoi, we have forgotten my medicine." Cue a sneeze to accentuate this. Of course, it could be Anshera'd forgotten about it because she'd been too busy staring at Dee the whole way over, with a small toothy smile on her lips.
Naoi unscrews the cap of the bottle that, yes, she had all but forgotten about before gently pulling a safe serving and offering it to the child. "So we did, do you need to blow your nose?"
Umishi looks around as she exits the shuttle into the concourse trying to take everything in.
"That is /bitchin'/," Zariel remarks with a grin at the cosmic storming, pulling out his PDA and snapping a couple pictures if he can get a good angle. And then they are landing and he has to move. Oh, the horror! He will be the last out of the shuttle, and peering around like the tourist he is until given an order.
Concourse - Station Mare Tranquilis(#7804RDn)
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This is a circular chamber about 200 meters in diameter. There are six doors evenly placed along its outer wall; the chamber's walls arc upwards, as if this was the lower half of a dome. Triangular lattices support the walls, so perhaps it's a geodesic dome. Ventilation ducts, electrical pipes and other conduits are marked in fresh-looking paint and stenciled labels in Terran Standard. In the center of the chamber are two interwoven spiral staircases with a brushed steel finish, wrapping around a plain hoverlift that extends upwards through the upper bulkhead.
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Griss sticks close to the rest of the passengers wearing red armbands, shuffling along with his hands stuck in the pocket of his coat. The Grimlahdi keeps his head down, but slides his glasses back from his eyes and glances around at the space station as he walks.
Uncomfortable. Dement stares right back at Anshera, towards the end of the journey, and makes sure he's ahead of the group by hovering near the doorway out to the boarding ramp.
Lucius is busy with other concerns as the ship lands. For the whole of the journey, he's been hanging out, being a dude, and watching over the passengers like a bored shepherd. Now that they've docked though, the man gets up and heads towards the opening hatch to get out. The hired security stands aside to let guests out.
Volidana simply sits staring out into the nebula, aura glowing blue silient much of the way but Zariel's remark draws a glance and a small smile followed by a sigh
"You," the Demarian says, gesturing to Griss and Umishi. "Dockworkers. Grab a hoverloader from the docking bay and get these supplies into the port staging area over there." He holds out a datapad with what must be a list of tracking numbers. He gestures. "I want one of you security scads with them. Old Kronk will be with you," he adds. This sounds vaguely ominous.
MacNamara, seeing the approaching group, smiles and waves. "And here are the rest of the guests," he tells the other VIPs. "Naoi, Dee, Volidana, and Lucius, friends of the company. Lucius is helping me out on my security team today, so you can go to him with any related concerns you may have during your stay here. Hello, everyone. Thank you for coming."
"Old Kronk?", Umishi blinks a moment while taking the datapad and moving over to the hoverloaders to start working.
"I'll go with them," Zariel volunteers, with a brief raise of his hand to about shoulder level. The Hekayti moves to join Griss and Umishi, before adding, "Who's 'Old Kronk'?"
As soon as everyone's out of the ship and he gets the nod from the steward, the Martian exits. He reaches up to take his helmet off from his head and smiles at Mac, giving him a bit of a wave.
The Martian being Lucius of course.
"Old Kronk sounds like an Ungstiri drink." Dement murmurs to himself, managing a relatively good mood considering his passage alongside the captivated Anshera. He moves ahead and down the boarding ramp quickly, "Think I've had one, actually, knocked Tres off his feet but nobodies counting. Hey!" he gives MacNamara a wave as he approaches.
Anshera snuffles and shakes her head at Naoi with regards to needing to blow her nose once her pills have been swallowed. She trots ahead of Naoi a little bit, moving to try and catch up to Dement and grab at his hand instead.
Griss takes a hoverloader over to the cargo bay, and begins loading the supplies onto it. As he does so, the Grimlahdi watches the rest of the passengers with what seems like mild curiousity. Once the loader is packed up, he hops aboard and lets one of the other workmen drive to the unloading area.
Lucius was detailed to stick with the VIPs, so that's what he does. He keeps about ten metres distance from them, so as not to interfere with the tour.
Volidana gives a polite nod and smile as she is introduced "Greetings" she offers yet she holds herself stiffly her aura remaining a soft blue
Umishi finishing loading supplies on her LOADER and starts on her way with the cargo.
Volidana follows the others eyes casting about curiously
"As I was explaining," Mack says. He gestures to port, and his path will take the VIPs in the same direction as the dockworkers, it quickly becomes clear. "This station serves two purposes: It is a manufacturing center, including a shipyard, and it is also a research and development facility. We are still building out the more experimental laboratories over here on the station's port side, where we plan to install special shielding to protect delicate instruments from interference. This will be the first-ever demonstration in our highly experimental wing." He smiles at the crowd. "It fits, doesn't it? If this is successful, and acquires the proper funding, we will be on the path towards allowing Outversers to leave Hiverspace and resettle in a universe of our choosing -- maybe even an alternate version of our home stars. Who knows?"
Orders issued, the Demarian turns to go about the business of running a space station. The queries about 'Old Kronk' are ignored, and the Demarian becomes just another part of the bustle in this sparsely populated but apparently busy facility.
Zariel just tags along, hitching a ride on a loader and keeping his eyes open. "Guess we'll just have to find out the hard way who Old Kronk is supposed to be," he muses brightly.
"The experiment is this way," Mack says, gesturing to bring the group through one of the six hatches along the edge of the concourse and into the station's port side.
Airlock - Deck 1 Port - Station Mare Tranquilis(#35826RD)
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This is a broad freight-elevator sized room with two thick double sets of blast doors, one on either end. One end is labeled CONCOURSE and the other DECK 1 - PORT
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Waiting for Zariel and Umishi in this staging area is a well-weathered Zangali with scars along his chest and bare shoulders. He wears a kilt of sorts cinched with a leathery something that may or may not have once been part of a living creature; hard to tell. He has a plasma rifle slung over his shoulder and an impatient look on his deeply pitted visage. His clawed arms are crossed. "Stupid dock critters unload stupid cargo faster," says the Zangali, as the hoverloaders approach. "Break crate Kronk break stupid face."
"The station is highly segmented," says Mack, leading the group through the airlock area. "I don't think it'll ever become necessary to take advantage of this, but it's always nice to know that any aspect of the operation can be sequestered from the others. Are there any questions?" He turns and walks backwards, facing the group.
Naoi follows the crowd quietly, hands clasped gently behind her back.
when the loader reaches it's stop the Lyiri hops off and blinks at the Zangali before Umishi starts to unload the cargo.
Griss flicks his tongue as he sees Kronk, but makes no overt gesture towards the big Zangali. He hops down off of his hoverloader as it comes to a stop, and begins unloading the crates. Again, while keeping a curious eye on the proceedings.
"Is it the segment breaking off from the station, or the station escaping from the segment?" Dement says with further snickering.
"Ah," Zariel remarks with a smirk as he looks the Zangali over, "That's Kronk. How pleasant." He hops down from the loader he's been clinging to and looks around before moving to help the dockworkers with the unloading. To make it go faster and keep Kronk hap-ehm... less cranky. Not that he's not paying attention - guard first, helping hand second.
Lucius decides that this is a lax security assignment. While he puts his helmet back on his head, he pulls out a smoke and pops it into his mouth, lighting it. Hopefully no one has issue with this. He is a bit less than totally observational right now.
Volidana quirks a brow at mack's explanation a streak of purple making its through her mostly blue aura but she holds her tongue
"So we're still under construction," says Mack, "but the laboratory set-up we have working for this experiment is just through this corridor."
The plot forks here; see Dark Materials: Part Ia
Kronk shows no reaction to the people here, not even his (at least nominal) boss. The Zangali just watches, and, for no apparent reason, adds: "Stupid kitty load stupid crate faster."
Umishi ears flick at the comment but she keeps unloading cargo...subtlely moving a bit faster and a but more springy.
Kronk picks at one nostril. "Stupid freaky science. Kronk think science bad."
Zariel keeps helping to speed up the unloading process, hefting a crate into its place before turning his attention to Kronk. "Stupid lizard shut stupid mouth, eh? You're pissier than half the demons I used to know."
Griss flicks his tonguie and puffs out his through in a suppressed reptilian laugh. However, seeing the exchange between Zariel and Kronk as an opportunity, the Grimlahdi sets down his current crate, then slip behind the loaders and makes his way towards the exit from the VIP room, making himself as inconspicuous as possible.
Kronk is indeed distracted by Zariel's comment. He steps towards the other being. "Stupid horn critter want pay, horn critter no talk, work faster."
Umishi looks at Zariel a moment and as she picks up her next crate keeps a HEALTHY distance from him incase Kronk decides to throw something.
"Haha, okay, don't pay me," Zariel grins brightly, "Like I give a flying fuck, I'm not hurting for cash. And I am working - I'm guarding. The unloading's just me being nice. You know what 'nice' means, right? It's that thing your mother obviously never taught you how to do." He peers around the area to make sure no one's trying to do any damage on his watch.
"No," Kronk says, "Kronk mother never taught 'nice.' Taught 'smash.' Kronk smash good."
Looks quiet ... for now.
Griss disappears through the door into the VIP area with a flick of his tail.
Umishi keeps her distance from Zariel still..but has one ear flicked toward the two as she keeps moving crates.
"Zariel smash good, too," the Hekayti replies, "Maybe after work's done we can see who smashes better, huh? But for now - quit your bitching. You're giving me a headache."
Kronk grunts. "Stupid boss tell Kronk no smash worker critters. Stupid horned critter no get work no smash. Horned critter shut up work." He scratches his neck with a claw.
Umishi signels to hoverloader driver to start back to the concourse and checks to see if any other loaders need help unloading, "I wonder what will happen on that experiment thing."
As if on cue, the lights flicker and dim.
"Again - I /am/ working," Zariel tells the Zangali, gesturing to his armband, "Blue. Guard. Not a loader - I'm a guard." He again peers around the area for signs of trouble, before shrugging to Umishi, "Who knows? Science does some crazy shit in space if old sci-fi shows are anything to go-" he peers up as the lights dim, "... by... Huh. Now I'm curious... We done unloading yet? I wanna go see what's up."
Umishi stops in her stride of looking for other workers to help and her ears part and flatten to the side, "Oh thats not good.."
"Kronk told stupid horn critter shut up." Kronk holds up a claw, touches a commlink earpiece with the other. "Get hoverloader. Now good time leave compartment."
"Stupid horn critter not shut up until stupid lizard critter shut up," Zariel says absently, peering around the region and scratching his chin with one of his claws, "Something we should know or are you just being paranoid, Kronk? S'just the lights, I haven't heard anything explode yet."
Click, whirrrrrr .... The airlock doors connecting this compartment with the main concourse begin to roll shut.
Umishi hops onto one of the empty hoverloaders to wait for the other two...at the closing of the doors she jumps to the loader controls and drives straight at the other two, "GET ON!"
"Ah, damn," Zariel sighs, running headon towards the incoming hoverloader and making an action hero jump to board the vehicle. "Definitely more interesting than the Olympus so far," the Hekayti muses, having more fun with the situation than anything, "Pedal to the metal, girlie, we can make it!"
The gap in the airlock hatch is now smaller than the loader. Kronk, seeing this, wordlessly jumps /off/ just as quickly as he had jumped on.
"Who needs to /read/ to drive?" Zariel pipes up, "Move!" The Hekayti works his way to the driver's seat, muscling Umishi out of his way over into the next one over, and ups the acceleration. "Ah, man," he moans, "Off the truck, honey, it's not gonna make it. Unless you're crazy... /I'm/ crazy..." The Hekayti proves this, wearing a wide grin as he keeps driving full speed at the freakin' airlock that the loader can't make it through.
Umishi may wish to take a hint from Kronk. Because Big Red's dumb self aims to jump out of the speeding vehicle and pencil-roll through what's left of the airlock gap at high speeds while said vehicle crashes. Once could count the number of ways this can and probably will go wrong, but it'd take far too much time.
Umishi flattens her ears again..then takes a running leap towards the narrowing gap.
FOOM! The hoverloader crashes spectacularly behind them, with a tremendous noise, as the two athletic beings squeeze through the airlock hatch just in time. They slide to a halt outside the hatch just as it slams shut, and all is silent.
"FUCK YEEEAH!" Zariel cheers at the top of his lungs, half pleased and half groaning from a nasty case of road rash, "WOOOOOO! Fuckin' MADE IT!" He cackles on the floor and then points at Umishi, "You! You are fucking /nuts/, honey, welcome to the club!" He slowly starts to stand, grunting but still grinning from ear to ear, "Now... let's find out what the fuck's going on, huh?"
Zar and Ishi have spectators -- a small knot of them. One is a medic who runs up, kit in hand, and offers to treat Umishi, first, for injuries.
Umishi rolls on the floor and somehow, in a crazy cat like fashion, into a crouch..then to a stand.."I was hoping to be able to drive it better really.", blinks at the medic as she stands "I am fine, sore..floor hurt."
"I'm fine, too, before you ask," Zariel waves the knot of people off, "Anyone know what's going on? With the lights dimming and the door trying to lock us in there and all that?"
"Oh, the experiment was drawing way more power than expected," says the medic. "They sealed off that part of the station as a precaution, in case something exploded or there was a pressure drop. Don't worry; it's got its own life support systems and scrubbers in there. I'm sure they're fine." He frowns. "Haven't heard any comm traffic from in there, though."
Umishi blinks, "I would think it drawing alot of power would end up in something bad. Anyway we can get through to them?"
"Thanks for the warning, isn't there a PA system in this heap?" Zariel grumps, "But on the bright side, I got to act like an action hero... So I guess it's all good." He strikes a pose briefly and then looks for a window to peer out of at the section of station the experiment's in, "I'm thinking I shoulda gone the other way, though... bet there's all sorts of cool shit going on in there. But yeah, I guess trying to reopen communications is a good idea..."
The medic wordlessly hands Zariel her commlink. "It's set to the station's channel ... if you can raise anybody, go ahead."
Umishi starts looking around.
You pemit "People look worried. There are a few uniformed dockworkers here just standing around, not doing their jobs, jawjacking about the recent events. There has been no announcement about what's happened, no word at all from Deck 1 - Port." to Umishi.
"What're you giving it to me for, I'm just the muscle," Zariel peers at the comm, before shrugging and trying it out anyway. He starts off with the Star Trek whistle and then says, "Hey, people in the experiment room, can you hear me? What's going on in there, is everyone okay?"
"This is MacNamara," comes a reply. In the background there is the sound of shouting, gunfire, and unearthly shrieking and roaring, as of some types of creatures unknown to Zariel or Umishi. "Something has happened. The lockdown must remain in effect. Something came through from a rift -- and -- can't really talk right now."
Umishi blinks and stares.."Did any get-..no..no if i say it they will come right here..shutting up."
"I miss all the fun," Zariel sighs, before speaking back through the comm, "Understood, hang in there." He frowns and rubs at his chin, leaning against the wall, "Well, we've got our answer... Now what? Can't go in to help them, or whatever's in there will get out. But we can't just stand around here with our thumbs in our asses, because it sounds like people are dying in there."
The medic just shrugs. "I'd like to be able to get in there and help, too," she says.
Umishi keeps looking around and at the walls and shuch for any other obvious exit or entry points.
"There has got to be a way in without letting... whatever it is out," Zariel growls, lending his own eyes as well as his height to the search for alternate routes, "Why hasn't science invented a one-way force field yet for situations like this?"
"Well," says the medic, "That side of the station does have its own landing bay, but it hasn't been finished yet."
Umishi ears flick, "Its that or try to crawl through ventilation ducts..."
"Is it finished enough to use?" Zariel asks, "And if so, anyone know a suicidal pilot? I'm not a pilot by any stretch of the imagination." He shakes his head to Umishi, then, "The guy said the place is fully segmented. The ducts here won't connect to the ones in there. Besides...," he peers down at his massively muscular bulk, "You might fit, but I can't cram myself into a human-sized passenger elevator, let alone a vent."
"Probably," the medic says, in answer to Zariel's question. "Even if it isn't, you could always just use worksuits until you get on the right side of the airlock."
Umishi scratches her head a moment, "We could try that."
"Good enough for me," Zariel says, and he starts off on his list, "We need a ship, a pilot, and enough worksuits for anyone coming along as reinforcements to the portioned-off section of the station. We're gonna take the back door. Actually... all the spare worksuits, we might be able to get the noncombatants out. I don't care how you people make it happen, just make it happen /now/." He then sets about encouraging those present to set about relaying orders and getting things into motion, including asking where the worksuits are kept so he can go plundering.
The medic grins. "Yeah," she says, "Good luck getting someone to lend you their ship." She walks off.