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Kathryn's landing is showing a fair amount of activity this hour. People go to and from their business as twilight nears.
The shuttle from the Svajone lands with little incident as a couple Svajone personnel approach.
Of note on top of one of the buildings is someone trying to work on a comm relay.
From one of the scheduled shuttles Kiterin departs and pauses as she looks about. Clearly her first time there, eyes wide as she takes in the activity. At last she looks up and spots the work on the comm but she shrugs it off. Only when another ship comes in does she move onwards and out of the way.
Kestrel all but bounces down the shuttle's landing ramp as it opens, not even stopping as she hits the ground, but proceeding till she's about ten yards from the shuttle itself. "Aw man. Dirt. *Dirt*," she says, still hopping up and down gleefully. She stops suddenly, looking around, and tilts her head at the person working on the comm relay. "Huh."
"I will never get used to this," Kallyn remarks as she slips out of the shuttle, eyes a neutral grey shade as they take in the surroundings, "Unfathomable, the distances involved..." The redheaded aukami shakes her head and makes a check of her medical satchel as the others continue to exit the shuttle.
Rather less enthusiastic, but following Kes, is the faintly glowing form of Ruin. Curious interest in the comms relay quickly gives way to a wary look toward distant trees, the priest-garbed man fumbling for something in a travel bag.
Grey departs the shuttle after a few people have exited, the grey furred Lyiri adjusts his greatcoat as he takes the slow steps down the boarding ramp, his whiskers twitching as his nose is presented by earthy smells. The Lyiri glances about the landing area before stepping to one side of the shuttle ramp, adjusting a few of the holsters slung loosely about his waist.
James Owens looks around wearily as he walks down the ramp pausing at it's foot and pressing a single foot into the dirt almost as if he's afraid that the ground will fall apart. After the test he brings the other foot off the ramp and looks around with fasincation in his eyes.
Newt gets off the shuttle, looking at all the dirt. He makes a face and says, "Meh. Dirt."
Frn'Zxk'Fkg hops out of the shuttle his antennae twitching as he tastes the planet's atmosphere. The Odarite tailor is travelling light, it would seem - carrying only two suitcases stuffed with goods, rather than the usual three or four.
Kitt leans to the fellow that welcomed them "A good side to all of what?" Her head tilts a bit, her eyes studying the fellow as she asks her question "I just hoped on a shuttle, no idea where it was going. Ended up here." Again a slight shrug is given.
The Lyiri looks profoundly disinterested in what the representatives from the landing pad have to say, possibly because there is no Hekayan translation accompanying it. With a gesture that moves aside his greatcoat, Grey sits on one side of the boarding ramp, folding his footpaws up beside him as he does so, before he unholsters a pistol and begins loading it.
Right after Frn is 'Shera, little legs making her strides so much shorter than most everyone. At the moment she's looking between the Odarite's Top Hat, his suitcases and the Odarite's back. The slight expression on her face seems to indicate she's pondering hat theft, alongside using the giant bug as a mount since poor Gummy had to be left behind.
James Owens nods in agreement with Kitt "I wasn't told what was going on it was just suggusted that I come so I wouldn't mind an explaination either." while he waits he attaches a bayonet to his musket.
Ruin spares an odd, puzzled look for the comment from the landing personnel, but it fades to one of relief as his fingers close around what it was he was looking for in his travel bag. Taking it out, it turns out...it's an inhaler. Which he keeps firmly in one hand.
"I've been /dead/," Kallyn remarks sweetly Kestrel's way, "Time means nothing where I'm from, and it's safe to say the afterlife is another universe as well. I'm no stranger to the 'noodle-baking' concept you present. Just new to a planet going from invisibly tiny to unfathomably massive before my very eyes." Her eyes shift to Grey and she quirks an eyebrow at his disinterest. "You are one of the local races, yes?" the Aukami casts his way lightly in Hekayan.
"Sent a team to explore a cavern just a mile south and we lost contact." The second guy explains. He pauses, "Raymond, by the way." he then points at the comm relay, "Been trying to see if we can't get through cause we're a touch short right now what with a couple teams being debriefed on the station."
Grey's ears perk at the definite and familiar sounds of Hekayan. He glances in the direction of the Aukami. ~Local? Hah. My home planet is one of ice, and honor. Not this planet. I didn't see you among the outversers.~ He comments telepathically to Kallyn if she is willing to receive, quirking an eyeridge. ~This may just be interesting after all.~
Kestrel shrugs vaguely at Kallyn. "All'a th'Saints's dead, too," she remarks. "An' 'at ain't stopped 'em, neither." She chortles quietly to herself before turning her attention to the Svajone personnel. "Kestrel. Nicetameetcha, Raymond." A shrug, then. "Y'want someone ta go look, 'en?"
Kitt, deadfaced, replies "Must'a not been to good then. I mean if they got lost." Nothing in her tone seems to be insulting, it's as if she is just uttering a fact. She looks around at the others, half listening to the chatter. When the question about going to look occurs she seems to perk up "Heck yea, need someone?"
Frn'Zxk'Fkg is cheerfully oblivious to any machinations by undead children, and equally so to Kestrel's discussion with the men. He skitters about on bug-business.
Kallyn's eyebrow furrows slightly as she peers at Grey, the glow of her eyes turning a wary yellow-orange. "Did you just...," she starts, blinking at him, "Did you just /talk in my head/?" An Aukami who has NO IDEA about psionics! Enough so that it has fully drawn the medic's attention away from the rest of the group, in fact.
"It'd be nice." Raymond says. "I can get some maps and such and come with you. Can't promise a big reward or anything, but I'm sure you could use our help in the future sometime."
"Even good teams git lost," Kes chides Kitt, shaking her head. "Don' never know what coulda happened. Animals. Rockfall. Someone coulda jest plain tripped an' got hurt. Ain't no way'a knowin' if'n 'ey's lost contact." She looks over toward Gray then, waving a hand enthusiastically. "Hey! Cat!" she calls over cheerfully, in horribly accented Hekayan. A brow's raised at Kallyn then. "S'called t'lepathy. Most Lyiris kin do it." A nod is given toward Raymond then, and she touches her fingers to her forehead in a salute of sorts. "M'ready when you are, chief."
Well. There's only one solution to get what 'Shera wants. A moment more to study the Odarite, the little pointy-eared one stopping in her tracks to allow the bug to get a bit more distance on her, then she takes off running at him, to leap at his back.
Grey's expression mirrors Kallyn's for a moment. An aukami who doesn't know about telepathy? There's a small click from his pistol as a charge pack is loaded into the ammo compartment and he holsters it, considering what to say next. Kestrel's words produce a visible and horrified shudder, accompanied by a lowering of the ears. "By the Cities she can speak Hekayan." He hisses and shudders again. Looking at Kestrel, Grey replies to Kallyn. ~You've never seen a telepath?~
Turning to Kes, the idea she offers seems totally alian to her "They do? Huh, I never got lost. The folks I know ain't never gotten lost." Again there is nothing in Kitt's tone that would suggest anything other than her stating a simple fact. Out of the corner of her eye she catches sight of the running one, her gaze taken off the greeted cat, and a grin comes to her as she watches the small one take off running, a snicker comes from her as she does. With out taking her eyes at the sight that is unfolding "Well, I am in," she tells the fellow "just need to get them maps I guess."
James Owens winces at little at the news as using a musket in a cave's confines would be tricky. He begins loading the weapon carefully. Once he's done he nods "I'm ready."
"We'll get the kits and set out." Raymond says. "Anyone who's coming, follow me." as he heads towards what looks to be a small warehouse.
Kestrel snorts and eyes Kitt disbelievingly. "Whatever ya say, girlie," she drawls. "Reckon if'n yer 'at good, tryin' ta teach ya anythin'd be a waste'a m'time an' m'breath." The Later summarily turns away from her, and follows after Raymond.
"Really?" Kallyn casts over her shoulder to Kestrel, "That's... interesting. Weird, but definitely interesting. Thank you for the heads-up." The color in her eyes slowly dulls back to its grey shade as her attention falls back to Grey, "No, I haven't met a Telepath before - are they common in this universe? I'm not actually from around here, nor am I originally of the race I appear to be. Still getting used to the fingers. Perhaps we can discuss this a bit later?" She starts to follow along with the group, a little clueless thanks to her distraction. "I'm sorry, what are we doing? I was a little sidetracked..."
"*CLICK* *CLICK* *BZZZZZZT*!" Frn'Zxk'Fkg flails with all four skinny arms as Anshera tackles him, zigzagging back and fourth and finally ducks behind Kestrel as if he's trying to take cover. After a few moments the Odarite manages to twist his head around andlook at the assailant with half of one compound eye. His antennae thrash, and he would probably be glaring at her if insectoid physiology was built for such expressions. Instead he chitters at the rudness. "*TickTickTick*"
Grey tightens a belt strap and jumps off the ramp to follow Kallyn, shaking his head as he does so, not entirely sure what to think of what was just said. "So er, where we going?" Is his only question as he follows the group, tail a swishing behind him as he goes.
Ruin takes a deep breath, which ends on a cough and devolves into a sneezing fit. With a resigned grumble, he makes use of the inhaler in his hand and sets off after Raymond.
To call the trip a path would be a bit of a stretch, it's little more than the occassional cut tree and human tracks.
Raymond, for his part, comments on the map, "It should just be about... 12 minutes yet."
A mutter as a foot catches in a tree root, Kitt works it free before following onwards. Her one hand rests on the pistol at her side and the other reaches out to catch a wayard branch "Didn't know it was out in the woods," she mutters again.
The Later wanders along right behind Raymond, looking around carefully. If one didn't know any better, it would almost seem like she stops to smell the air every so often, as well. "Makin' decent time, 'en," Kes comments to the man ahead of her. Her carefully-placed boots hardly make a sound as they contact the dirt. Or whatever else is beneath them, for that matter. Obstacles are slid around or ducked under in a practiced fashion.
James Owens follows along using his keen sense of direction to make sure that they were still heading south. "What type of cave is this anyway or was the missing team the first to scout it?" he asks as he walks.
The Lyiri, Grey, has his greatcoat clad arms stretched and curled behind his head as he walks. The posture pulls back the sides of his greatcoat as he moves, exposing his bare chest (aside from the grey fur and multiple holsters across it). From a slit in the back of his coat the Lyiri's tail sways behind him. His eyes are slits from which he dodges the occasional root and ducks the occasional low hanging branch. After a moment Grey straightens up and lets his arms fall to his side. "Hey! Monkey girl!" He calls out experimentally to see who responds.
Ruin seems well enough content to serve as a sort of walking, occasionally sneezing lantern in the dimming twilight. No conversation, and really just seems to be in his own little world at the moment. If it's a world of sinus problems.
"They sent a team to investigate a cave and haven't heard back from them," Kallyn reports, "We're looking for them." She finally seems to take note of Ruin, then, and slips over his way. "Did Sandrim deliver you your test results?" she asks of the man softly.
Kestrel puts a palm to her face briefly as Grey hollers at nobody in particular. "...An' I thought cats was 'sposeta be quiet," she mutters, shaking her head resignedly. Her kit is adjusted slightly across her back as she pauses to look down at the ground, head tilting as she scrutinizes it. "'Is way," she says, pointing out the boot tracks. "Take it y'all wear standard-issue boots, like."
Kitt turns quickly as Grey yells and then looks about. Seemingly satisfied that there is no danger she begins to continue on. As Kes points the way she looks at the tracks that are in the ground and the so called path and nods "Yep, that'a way," her free hand points in the correct direction.
Ruin looks down at his thick-soled work shoes, blinks, shrugs, and evidently decides Kestrel must know what she's doing as he moves to follow her closely enough to keep track of her. As he passes Kallyn, he quietly murmurs, "yes."
Frn'Zxk'Fkg's traded in his stylish top hat for an equally stylish khakhi pith cap, and has brought along a slender briefcase in addition to Anshera. He's carrying the little girl without apparent trouble, and has even furnished her with a nice green slouch hat. He continues to chirp and chatter as he scurries along.
"The fabled Snowpuff... haunting the Frozen Wastes..." Grey makes a little scampering motion with his hand-paws. "They acquire the scent of their prey..." Pause for dramatic effect. "And they /pounce!/" The Lyiri jumps forward onto all fours, viciously attacking an innocent root that had had the misfortune to come above ground nearby to Grey. He spits the remains of the root out and continues after Kestrel on all fours.
"Generally with the teams we send out." Raymond says. "Evidently they can mass produce a few things on the station."
And by carrying, Frn means 'Shera's standing on him with the most superhero-esque pose, sporting a pretty sweet hat. Oh yes. Chirpchirp chatter goes the bug, and she doesn't understand a lick of it. She points at the trail Kes mentioned, "Quite so. That way, darling!"
A grin as she watches Grey and his antics, Kitt shakes her head before looking about her. Her eyes settle on...something..."What the..." and her pistol comes out of it's holster with practiced ease "heck is that," The weapon points forward, at a reptiallian creature "Watch out," she all but yells and moves to the side of the trail so that she can have a clear shot if needed.
James Owens spots the path and begins following it while looking around trying to get a sense to see if the trail was leading them away from the south. He hears the call to watch out and turns towards it to see what's going on.
"Makes sense," Kes asides to Raymond, nodding. "Makes it easier ta track y'all, too." She chuckles quietly at that. As soon as someone yells, though the Later's got a gun in her hand, searching ahead for a target once she notes the direction Kitt is facing. "...Couldja be any *louder*?" she grumbles in a faintly annoyed tone. "Betcha 'ere's a couple'a people back at th'base what didn't hear ya."
If Grey could understand terran basic he might be amused, as it is he notes the guns drawn and the alarm but puts it down to, and comments: "Women." He shakes his head and continues on, padding ahead on all fours.
Kallyn nods to Ruin and then casts her gaze back to Grey. "You're a little nutty, aren't you?" she asks him lightly, before the call to look out has the Aukami tensing. Her hands fall to her hips, right claiming her bullwhip and left the dusty old tome with the little cartoon mouse. "Hey, they said look out. Get back here."
Clear of the others, a clean line of sight to the creature, Kitt doesn't hesitate to aim and pull the trigger on her weapon. As for the comments she ignores it, for now.
Frn'Zxk'Fkg seems equally uninclined to listen to the warning, assuming he even noticed it at all amid all the hubub. The Odarite presses forward after Gray, seemingly unconcerned.
From a distance in front of the group, Kitterin's pulse shot hits something that gets up, moving out of the path for the time being. It seems to be a moderate sized carnivore reptile.
Kestrel just rubs her face and shakes her head in mild disgust, stalking forward to where the creature moved off of the path. She peers into the foliage in the direction it disappeared in, leading with her gun. Apparently, she wants to make sure it's gone, but isn't inclined to chase at this point.
Anshera giggles at how the reptilian creature doesn't seem much bothered by being shot, eyes trailing after it for a moment. She leans over to speak a bit more quietly to Frn, careful not to impale herself through the jaw on the pointy bit of his also sweet hat, "Ooh, did you see that beast, darling? T'would be ever so fun to rip it to shreds, don't you think? One almost wishes to chase it, but t'would seem that one there already has her eyes on it." She gestures lightly to Kestrel.
"What? Who said look out? I really wish people would speak in Hekayan." Grey mutters, tail flicking in the air above him in mild annoyance. He watches Kestrel. "I hardly think this is the time for foraging, shouldn't we be finding people?" He queries in Hekayan, wondering exactly how much of the language the Later has a grip on. The Lyiri at this point picks himself up onto his two back legs and brushes himself off.
For a man wearing beads and a priest's cassock, Ruin *dodges* like a man who's done military service. At the call, he's quickly out of the line of fire with his back to a tree, and doesn't move a muscle until it's quite clear what was being shot at and why. When it *is* clear, he shakes his head and brushes pollen off his sleeves, fishing out a handkerchief. Red, watery eyes suggest even medication's not helping the man's allergies much.
Kitt curses as her shot seems to either not hit the beast or that it didn't cause any harm. Still clear of the others she moves forward, his pistol held at the ready and as she nears Kestrel "I suppose I should have just shot and not alerted anyone," she says softly "Do you see it?" She asks while her eyes scan the way that the creature went and her pistol is ready for another shot.
James Owens watches the creature leave then turns towards Raymond "Please tell me that you didn't send use out here knowing that whatever that was lived in the area." His tone is cool as he questions then man.
"They come up sometimes." Raymond says to James. "You should see the snakes. We contain 'em when we can, but sometimes ya just have to shoot them down."
As for Kiterin's pulse blast and Kestrel's pistol? The pistol hits the snake right in the midsection, causing a brief cry of pain interrupted by a pulse blast right in an eye, causing a strangely cauterized mess of the creature's head.
After the shot, Raymond announces, "Least we're almost there. Hard to find these guys on sensors with their being cold blooded on this rock."
"I want... make sure... not hide, wait," Kes manages in Hekayan, struggling to pick the right words as she peers after the overgrown lizard. "Maybe eats us." That's about when she pulls the trigger, straightening after the thing's dead. She looks aside to Kitt, then. "Ain't sayin' ya shouldn't warn us. Sayin' ya shouldn't tell everythin' inna square-mile radius where we is when ya do." A shrug. "Nice shot," she says, then nods and continues after Raymond.
Kitt sees the beast right after Kes shoots. Quickly the pistol is aimed, the trigger is pulled even as the beast roars at the shot of Kes's. When her shot hits the beast in the eye she shrugs, pretends to blow non-existing smoke from the barrel and smiles at Kes "Yea, it was," she responds with that same fact based tone. One last look at the beast before she hurries onwards after Raymond herself.
"Oh, she /does/ speak Hekayan." Grey sighs a little and twitches his tail before folding his arms behind his head again and following after Kestrel. "Anyone smell that? That is the smell of boredom. Yes, boredom smells like burnt lizard." He announces, more to himself than anyone else. After a moment he yawns a whisker twitching yawn.
"I don't think the rest know Hekayan," Kallyn notes Grey's way, "I'll translate more actively for you if you'd like." Her attention turns back to Ruin, then, and she frowns lightly. "Oo... how old's your allergy prescription?" she asks of him lightly, "I didn't bring any antihistamines with me, but when we get back I could see if I have anything more effective in my supplies?"
"Since before the end of the universe," is Ruin's quiet answer. "Didn't need it much on Comorro. Outer worlds...they aren't familiar enough with human physiology to take risks. I just gave them a sample and they copied the chemical formula."
Raymond keeps walking along. Eventually a hole in the ground with a slight decline and large enough to hold plenty of people in it. "Well, this is the destination." he says, lighting up his flashlight. "Does it look like there's any bodies nearby?" he asks, not seeming to be terribly happy about asking said question.
James Owens replies as he follows "It still would have been nice if we had known they existed before we stumbled into one." his tone still cool as he slides his musket off his shoulder and grips it ready for battle.
Kestrel bobs her head at Grey. "Little," she says, shrugging. "Alone beginning. More at Lotorez." Ah, yes. It's garbled and accented, but damn is she trying. Kitt's comment is favored with naught but silence, factual tone or no. Instead, she surveys the area, looking around briefly before she approaches the cave mouth to sniff at the air. "...How long 'ey been gone?" She too lights her flashlight.
Grey glances at Kallyn a moment before he shakes his head. "Nah, the only one I give a damn about is able to understand me somewhat." He replies with a shrug and pulls his coat about himself, walking to the edge of the hole, if one could define it as an edge. His tail flicks beside him as he looks down into it. "Just like home. Without the ice. And the Lyiri. Oh the Lyiri..."
Kitt, closes up behind the others, digs in her pouch and retrieves the flashlight. Turning it over a few times she finds the On/Off button after some hunting. With pistol in one hand, light in the other "What is that you all are saying, I dont' understand a thing," eyes dart from Kes, Grey and then Kallyn. But she doesn't wait for a response before she grins at James "Don't worry, all taken care of. If'n you scared, stick closer."
"Lookin' at six hours." Raymond says. "Long enough without contact to start worrying."
Flashlight time! Little 'Shera takes this opportunity to hop off Frn, nimbly and lightly landing before she darts over to Kestrel. She looks up to Kes, gives a knowing smile, looks back to Kitt, then snorts lightly.
"Not long 'nough ta where bodies'd start ta stink, though," Kes says, pursing her lips. "'At's good if'n 'ey're 'live, bad if'n 'ey're dead." She shrugs, and looks sidewise to Raymond again. "In we go? I'll take point if'n ya like." Her pistol's holstered at this point. "We got ropes an' suchlike, 'r ain't we gonna need 'em?" Shera gets a tilted head, then a grin.
Frn'Zxk'Fkg skitters about, making a general nuisance of himself.
Ruin crouches down at the edge of the hole. "Where is this light effect of mine going to be useful?" he asks mildly. "Front, middle, back? Cave systems are familiar and I've a good sense of direction."
Kitt looks down at Shera and smiles, oblivious to the possible reason of the snort "Got a cold or something," she asks but doesn't wait for an answer. Instead she shines the light into the hole, trying to see if there is a way into it with out falling.
Kallyn follows along with the group silently.
Grey rummages for his flashlight and flicks it on before throwing it up in the air and catching it. "Fun fact about Lyiri, we're colourblind, did you know that?"He asks no-one in particular and sets off at a brisk pace into the hole.
The caverns, for lack of a better word, are quite dark just a short way in. The bootprints continue deeper into into said caverns.
"Got prints 'ere," Kes asides to Shera, pointing at the ground. "...Could be th'same boots. Ain't real sure. Kinda scuffed up, like." She rubs her eyes a bit, looks at them again, and then peers into the darkness with her flashlight as she moves carefully in the direction the trail leads. "You a'ight, kid? S'kinda cold down 'ere."
Anshera merely juts her chin up with a noble arrogance as Kitt speaks, her head canting after a moment to regard Kestrel again. It doesn't last terribly long as the tiny one looks ahead, flashlight sweeping in a searching pattern. She spots the bootprints though, and totters ahead of Kes just a few feet, "Come, one is rather certain they are the same, darling."
Glancing back to Kestrel, 'Shera gives a faint smile, "One has never had to worry over being cold before, so she rather doesn't know."
Grey's tail gives a few flicks as his whiskers move forward and back with distaste. "Certainly a little more dirty than the ice caverns." He comments to no-one in particular, speaking Hekayan still. "Ah, the colors... you could trim your claws with the colors..." He sighs wistfully, ears twitching to see if anyone replies.
Kitt's light struggles to find something to shine on other than the large back of Grey in front of her. What ever footsteps that were to be seen are now corrupted by the others. She sighs a little sigh before a shrug. Only the briefest of a pause to her steps as she follows the other's into the darkness of the cave.
"How would you know if you're colorblind?" Kallyn asks of the Lyiri lightly, following the group with careful steps.
Frn'Zxk'Fkg skips along next to Grey, clicking softly as he walks. Every now and then the Odarite pauses to admire the stone walls, as if he's found something interesting in the rock formations.
Kitt's steps stumble on the ground suddenly, the flashlight nearly falling out of her hand. The one that holds the blaster goes to her stomach and holds it there. She continues to stumble on, then stops, nearly retching. She leans on the wall, head hung low. At last she grits her teeth, her feet continuing to stumble on the footing as she forces herself to follow the others. "Nor I," she gets through clinched teeth to Ruin.
Kestrel puts a hand to her stomach. "...Ech," she says, taking a few short breaths. The Later frowns and digs in a pocket for a moment before she pulls a faintly grubby-looking bandana out of it, tying it across her mouth and nose. "Th'rest'a ya feelin' 'at?" she calls back, if a touch weakly. "Might be breathin' somethin' in."
Grey gives a toothy grin, not that anyone would see it in the darkness unless they were flashing his muzzle with the light. ~You /are/ listening to me.~ He emits telepathically to Kallyn with a small chuckle. The Lyiri's ears twitch then and he tilts his head. "I hear a noise!" He exclaims with a hint of excitement. "Oh look, this one looks like she's about to die, I wonder if we can eat her." He comments as he hears the stumble and glances back.
Raymond takes a small device out, "Air's fine." he says. "Bit stale, but fine. Though... damn, that's weird."
"To be certain, one is not in fact, a child. Alas, details for some other time, she supposes." Anshera offers back to Kestrel. After a moment she stops, blinks and turns to look back at the others, "Feel what? One rather feels quite fine."
James Owens staggers almost dropping to his knees as a surge of pain bursts into his skull feeling almost like fishing hooks trying to tear their way out from inside his head "What the hell is going on hear?" He hisses out the agony in his tone obvious.
The redheaded Aukami frowns lightly, a hand going to her head and rubbing her temple. "Oh, lovely," she remarks, "A headache. At least it's not too bad." Kallyn then seems to note the rest of those present, and her frown deepens as the glow of her eyes turns a salmony red-orange. "Oh. Guess it /is/ bad...," she examines the party more closely and pays better attention to her own symptom, "Ah, I see. Everybody, if you can please try to pay attention - It would seem we're being exposed to some sort of low-frequency sound wave that most - if not all - of us can't hear. Covering your ears won't fix it, so those of you who can't take it should turn back, and those of us doing well enough need to seek out the source and eliminate it so the entire party can continue forward." She moves to assist those affected the worst in moving. "Who all thinks they can go on?"
Ruin frowns. "...I will go on."
"No, no," Kes admonishes over her shoulder. "Wait be dead then eat. Politest." A quiet chuckle follows the comment, as if she thought the Lyiri were saying it in jest. Her voice is slightly muffled by the bandana. She blinks at Anshera. "Huh." The Later shrugs, slides the bandana down around her neck, and keeps plodding ahead.
"One is perfectly alright to continue." And indeed, Anshera shows absolutely no signs of being bothered by what's got the others in a bit of a fix. She blinks again, turning to fall into step with Kestrel.
Kitt is about to hold up her hand till she does vomit. She leans on the wall and fights to bring her head up "I, uh, gemme a second, be good to go," she struggles to get out after using her sleeve to wipe at her lips. It takes a minute more before she pushes her self off the wall and forces a smile "Ok, all set," she says.
James Owens slips one hand from his musket and presses it against the wall then forces his eyes to remain open "I can go on." he insists his tone pained but firm.
Kitt is about to hold up her hand till she does vomit. She leans on the wall and fights to bring her head up "I, uh, gemme a second, be good to go," she struggles to get out after using her sleeve to wipe at her lips. It takes a minute more before she pushes her self off the wall and forces a smile "Ok, all set," she says. *A step is taken, and she stumbles, but determination fixes on her features as she struggles onwards.*
The Lyiri's tail twitches and he shrugs. "If we shot her she'd be dead." He replies to Kestrel in Hekayan, not a hint of jest in his voice as he presses forward. In response to Kallyn's words Grey smiles, his ears twitching. "I'm good to go on." He replies.
As for Raymond, he looks towards the front, trying to step off to the side to see past the others. "Goddammit!" he insists, loudly, going to draw his pistol in a highly shakey fashion. "Going to sacrifice all of us too!" luckily he's pointing mostly at one of the walls at the moment.
Frn'Zxk'Fkg's antenna droop rather pitfully atop his shiny domed head. The Odarite lets out a droning whine, stumbles a few steps forward, and hugs Anshera from behind with all four arms. Apparently, he has decided that it's time for her to return the favor and give him a piggyback ride.
James Owens lets go of the wall and grips his musket in both ends turning slowly towards Raymond "Sacrafice?" he asks his tone cold as ice "It sounds like someone might know more then he led us to believe." His tone is ice cold and his eyes flare as he commands the guide "Talk now."
Kestrel snorts in response to Grey. "Would have sickness from," she replies wryly. "One are being what one are eating." The Later's eyes widen, and she edges toward Raymond. "...'Ey. Ain't nobody sacrificin' nobody. You heard 'er, s'jest some kind'a sound." She holds out a hand for the gun. "C'mon. Can't fire 'at down 'ere. You'll bring th'place down on us." A flat glare goes James' way. "You ain't helpin', son."
Anshera turns her head to look back towards Raymond, but being really short and having a whole line of people behind her doesn't make it terribly easy for her to see anything. ESPECIALLY when there's a giant bug hugging her from behind. She erks, struggling to remain upright with the weight of the bug leaning down on her. It's a battle that isn't going well.
Kallyn narrows her eyes at Kiterin as she insists on pressing on. "Fine, but stay in the back - you'll just be a liability if you get in the way," she says bluntly, adding similar sentiments to the worst of those affected before her eyes fall to Raymond. "What are you going on ab-Hey, small things can't carry big things, get off the elf," she goes to try and pry Frn off of Shera - albeit as gently as possible.
"Can we shoot him then?" The Lyiri asks, following Kestrel but staying a small distance behind so that when he stops and draws his pistol to aim at Raymond she won't be in arms range. Grey brings the pistol to his eyesight and makes ready to fire as soon as Raymond gives him a reason.
A wave and a nod "Yea, will do," Kitt responds to Kallyn. Then as Raymond speaks and the other's react, well it gives Kitt time to lean against the wall once more. She takes deep breaths, trying to shake off the feeling she is having.
Raymond motions at Kestrel, the gunhand shaking horribly, still mostly at the wall. "She'd know. The rifts, you know them, right? Her people give the multiverse a giant fuck you and hide behind some shield and they don't all get sucked up like the rest of us. So sure, go kill your sound thing, but I'm tired of being in this delightful shit heap of a universe thanks to that."
Frn'Zxk'Fkg's wings buzz a sad tune, and then the odarite slumps back and falls on his gaster with a click-thump. He chirps something unintelligable at Shera.
Ruin turns toward Raymond and offers his hand. "Let me walk with you out of range of the sound," he offers. "We can return to the base, inform them of its presence, perhaps return with protective gear. Or rest. Subharmonics of this type can affect people's temperaments."
"...'Kari curse it," Kes grumbles. "I know, chief. I know. Kamirs done well an' truly pissed things up. But now ain't th'time ta cry on 'at." She shakes her head. "M'gonna go find whatever's doin' all'a 'is an' bust it ta bits." The Later finally just makes a calculated grab for the weapon in Raymond's shaky hand.
As Kestrel removes the gun from Raymond's shakey hand, he looks around. "Okay, okay, I'll leave. Get me away from 'er."
Grey lowers his weapon and sighs. He holsters it and approaches Kestrel, tail swaying behind him as he does. "You're sure it's a good idea for you to be down here as well?" He asks in a soft tone as he catches up to her.
"Yes well, one is simply to small to carry you so, darling." 'Shera offers back to Frn in a slightly breathless tone - man, this being mortal and not ultra magical super duper sucks. She turns to give the Odarite a little pat to one of his arms, then turns back to face the path inwards again, "Quite quite, one shall go scout ahead." She calls back to Kestrel before darting forward to do just that.
Kestrel nods to Raymond. "...I'll give yer gun back when yer a li'l less jumpy, don' worry," she says as she secrets it away in a pocket. A pause as she tilts her head at Grey, apparently having to go over what he said. Then, she nods. "Am fine. Little sick only." With that, and a brief pause to rub at her belly with one hand, she heads off after Anshera.
"You'll feel better once you're out of the cave," Kallyn assures Raymond, nodding her affirmation of Ruin's words before turning her attention to the Odarite. "You guys go on without me, I'll catch up," she calls to the others, "Going to make sure this one is okay..." Knowing that she can't simulate all of the sounds of the bug's language, she nonetheless tries - clicking fingers, zipping her jacket, whatever it takes to communicate a somewhat broken message of, "Unheard sound is hurt you. Leave will help. Is you feel good to leave?"
James Owens shrugs "I honestly don't think I could catch her or I would probably try. Still if she wants to go on he should trust she knows what she's doing I hope."
The smallest of the lot pauses for just a moment to take a look around, head canting as she notes the trail passing down into one of the caverns. Anshera gestures for KEs and Grey to follow, "Come, come, this way." She offers back to the pair.
The Lyiri pads along after Kestrel, after a moment they pass the entrance to another cavern and he taps the Later on the shoulder, before motioning down the entrance to the cavern. "I can hear it, it's coming from down here..." He murmurs.
Kitt pushes off the wall and takes a deep breath. She takes a deep breath and begins to slowly stagger after the others. Two steps, a deep breath, repeat.
Kestrel has already turned and started to follow Shera down the passage when Grey taps on her back. She looks back over her shoulder. "You hear?" she asks, then gestures after Shera. "Good, that one goes right way. A wink, and she continues after the little clawed child. "'Ey, not so fast, some'a us ain't feelin' so hot," she calls, though she doesn't seem to be slowed down *too* much.
"Ah, yes." Being considerate to other people isn't much in 'Shera's job description, and even if her effort to set a better pace for the others is marginal, little legs make it more effective than she'd intended.
Frn'Zxk'Fkg responds to Kallyn with a chrip, a click, and a whirr, along with some waggling of his antennae in some kind of Odarite expression. The bug drags himself to one side of the tunnel, and leans with his wing-case pressed against the rock.
Grey watches Kestrel and Anshera disappear into the cavern's entrance, he pauses a moment before unholstering his pistol again and following after them, his tail flicking nervously behind him.
"Yea, not so hot," Kitt adds as she slowly makes her way. She pauses at Frn and looks him over "Well, can't tell if you are going to be ok or not, but," she shrugs and drops her water bottle with him "There, you take that." She turns and once more follows the others.
In the cavern is a spider-esque creature. In front of said spider are a trio wearing Svajone BDUs that have passed out.
"I go then. You be care," is the leather-clad woman's improvised response, Kallyn rising to her feet and turning to track down the party that went ahead.
"...Ew," Kes murmurs, drawing a handgun out from within her jacket. It's a smaller-caliber model, with a canister-style suppressor on it. Perhaps this is a concession to the closed space and those with sensitive hearing. "Spiders. Hate spiders." Without much more preamble, she raises the gun and fires.
Between the efforts of Kestrel, Anshera, and Grey, the spider is dead in short order. The pains and annoyances the others experience will be going away in short order.
A CHALLENGER APPROACHES. ...As 'Shera darts off again, charging at the spider with little care for what danger might be present. Just as Kes shoots, 'Shera leaps for the spider's back, claws driving at it's abdomen.
...Then it's dead, and she flops to the ground, "Well then... that was rather a bit dissapointingly easy."
Grey raises his eyebrow at Kestrel as she fires, and then again at the small clawed child-thing attacking it at a charge. He shrugs, draws his pistol to his eyes and adds a shot to it whilst no-one is looking. He chuckles to himself and holsters his weapon before wandering across to the trio wearing Svajone BDUs before kicking one in the stomach to see if it moves.
The trio on the ground still look to be alive.
Kestrel, for her part, holsters her pistol. The little girl apparently having made sure that the spider is dead (and in quite a disturbing manner, one might add), the Later busies herself with checking to see if the Svajone personnel are alive, and then trying to bring them around if they indeed are. A *look* goes Grey's way. "No hurt, wake," she says, somewhat reproachfully.
Kallyn catches up to the others after the short excuse for a battle, the Aukami quirking an eyebrow and approaching the BDUs. She seems to have missed the kick as she crouches to wake them and see if they need medical attention.
Making her way to where the others have confronted the spider Kitt watches them attack. As it dies under the onslaught a smile comes to her. Already she is breathing better though the color in her face is still fairly pale. "Good show," she says to the trio. "Well done, very well done."
Oh, what's even more disturbing is how 'Shera takes a moment to taste the blood on one hand, nose wrinkling, "Eugh. Terribly bitter. Not at all palatable." She plonks her bloodied hands to the floor, draging them along to leave bloodied streaks.
Frn'Zxk'Fkg 's antennae twitch once, twice, and then stand up straight. The insectoid clicks his jaws experimentally, then hops up to his feet. He takes his moment to catch his balance, and then, a bit experimentally, does a backflip. With a pleased chirp, he sets off down the tunnel - going completely the wrong way, unfortunately.
Grey sighs and folds his arms behind his head again. "I'll be back on the surface if you need me." Tail flicking away behind him he leaves the cavern and follows the path back the way they came.
"...Yeah, it was," Kes agrees, giving a knowing glance and a wry smirk at Shera, then chuckling to herself. She's concentrating on bringing one of the men around. "'Ey. 'EY, wake up," she says, patting his cheek none too gently. "Aw. Ain't eatable? Now 'at's too bad. Was mebbie hopin' ta git some spider stew outta 'is whole mess." A nod goes after Grey, distracted at best.