Jan 02 00:41:10 106 PA

From Chronicles

Kingsdale - Fighting For Life! The ATPDS Colossus is truly massive. Over three kilometers from bow to stern, it is a tremendous maze of hallways, access tubes and many other such passageways. What has made it even worse is that main power looks to be half offline. Lighting is out for the most part, leaving flickering red emergency lights to illuminate the way. Here and there there are signs in an alien language and in English directing one to a gravity lift, a hangar bay or some other things. The ship has been victim of a massacre. Some time ago as the bodies are in a state of advanced decay, which contributes to the charnel-house smell of the place, someone -- guess whom -- boarded the ship and killed off all of the crew. At every corner and every passageway, there are some bodies. Some are robots, some are men. The armored walls are scarred with weapons fire and blast marks and here and there an armored blast door has closed down over a broken port to the outdoors. But once and awhile, despite the horror of this place, something amazing is seen. An intact window shows a slowly rotating field of stars outside -- the inky depths of the great unknown. The ship is in some sort of residual rotation that the robots have not bothered or are unable to correct, and every few minutes comes one of the greatest wonders of nature that anyone could hope to ever see: A binary star. The massive, blue-white shape of a tiny hot star circles the aged and expansive shape of a red supergiant. And then the Colossus rotates some more and takes it out of vision. The ship is eerily quiet and the feeling is taht both sides exhausted each other in the fight to claim the ship, leaving few of the victorious parties still alive. The deckplates vibrate gently too, indicating that the ship is under thrust.

Contents: Anita Celaeno Rune Hayate Zaphod

The Park is surprisingly busy today with the Kingsdale Militia having gathered in all sorts of fashion to see the VCF folk off and provide security. Groups one through three have all been organized by Zaphod, or Carl depending and each has a different purpose. The plan is for each to step through onto the vessel in question fifteen minutes apart and to a different location. Team One, or this one, is to be dropped near the bridge with the express purpose of taking the bridge and holding it. Ironically, not destroying it. The purpose for this has been known to the team not very long ago: The command section functions as a life pod of sorts. The vessel must be destroyed, but is too large to do conventionally. Team three is inputting navigational co-ordinates for the jump drive into null space -- a place where the vessel cannot exist. Team 2 is seizing the only other place where this can be done, and Team One is securing the bridge and thereby the escape route. As soon as the co-ordinates are input, both other teams are supposed to rendevous on the bridge so that the command center can be seperated from the ship. A very tight time window -- fifteen minutes from when the co-ordinates are input.

Zaphod stands near the KDM represenative who is going to control the device that will call the ship to pick them up and is absent-mindedly feeding rounds into a shoulder-fired missile launcher as he waits. "Two minutes." He says, loudly. "And I want a talk for a second. Team, Huddle!"

Renos, knowing what is coming, has known for a long time, ever since he heard it from the source so long ago, steps up to Zaphod, giving his custom weapons a last check before sliding back the plate. The glowing crystal showing his tw modifications on it. "So...about time." Is about all he says as he walks to the circle, paying attention.

Anita has been lying on the ground, enjoying a catnap, but rouses quickly when she hears their commander's voice. She rises to her feet and trots over to Zaphod. "Sir!" She has a shotgun ready by her side.

Celaeno moves toward Zaphod, staying slightly farther back than might be the norm, but she's listening. She double checks her equipment idly as everybody else assembles.

After hearing about this mission, Rune was quick to volunteer to go. Dressed in his odd bug like armor, has a carrying case strapped to his back, a Wilks pistol on his hip, and some miscellaneous gear. As everyone starts to get ready, Rune makes his way towards the designated spot near Zaphod.

Hayate stands at ease near the outskirts of the milita, but he hears the call and he slips through the crowd to appear more or less at Zaphods side, anonymous in his custom repainted armor. "I'm here. His black visor is seen to pan around at everyone and he nods slightly at each one, a hidden smile on his lips.

Zaphod continues feeding his mini-missile rounds into his launcher thoughtfully. "Wipe the smiles off your faces." He says, quietly. "If I see any excessive braggadocio, gallantry or anyone puts anyone else at risk; I'll send you back to Kingsdale. I'm not interested in carrying a message, I'm not interested in looking cool, and I'm especially not interested in theatrics. Most of you, I haven't fought with before -- but I'll make this clear. If you jeopardize the mission and get yourself hurt, I'm going to leave you there and leave you behind. Because it's going to be the only way that this gets finished. So don't be stupid, don't get yourselves killed. We have a relatively easy job. Take the bridge, kill everyone and everything on it and hold it. As far as we know, there aern't many robots left on the ship. Collateral damage is to be kept to a minimum. If we damage the wrong equipmnt in there, we're all fucked. Any questions?"

"No, but one comment." Renos says quietly. "This is unlike most battlegrounds you have faced. If you miss, you are likely to hit the wall. This is not normally a problem, as the outside is most like the inside. However...if you hit a wall in HERE, we can all die. Its a vacuum, and you won't be able to breathe on the outside. Keep your shots sure, and your aim steady, if you must fire. We might be forced to go into melee. Take this as an educated guess, but better safe than sorry."

Anita offers Zaphod a sharp salute, but it probably doesn't help that she says, "Yes, sir. I will make sure to be very careful and a good team mate for everyone. I am very glad to be on the team." The thing here is that she sounds sincere. She sounds really quite happy to be on board.

Celaeno just shrugs, remaining quiet at the call for questions. Renos seems to draw the bulk of her attention, as she looks over his equipment at large. With her hand running to her vibrosword's hilt, an unseen frown lingers slightly, and she turns away from the group, taking a few steps back away from everyone.

"I may need an extra e-clip or two for my Wilks. If that is do-able?" This is all Rune asks since he only has one, from the last mission. The armored man seems serious to the point that its clear he has no intention of going against anything Zaphod has stated. As he turns to ask this question, a very unique looking sword can be scene. Hayate nods, and he shakes his head at the request for questions. His shoulders flex and he folds his arms across his slim chest. "Just point me in the right direction. I don't use guns ayway." He says, motioning at the blade hilt sticking up behind his helmeted head, despite the small unfamiliar looking pistol holstered at his side.

Zaphod glances sidelong at Hayate. "If you melee with the wrong one of these things, then you're going to wish that you did. Use your brain when it comes to it." He reaches into his belt and tosses Rune an E-Clip and then slings the missile launcher over his shoulder. He adjusts his vibro sword, along with the alien blade sheathed upon the other hip. "I will go first. Followed by Renos. I want you there to keep an eye on technical things. Anita, you will come third and guard renos. Celaeno, stay way back. Rune, after Anita, Hayate, you will be responsible for guarding Rune and Renos. Stay with the group and handle anything that comes into it. I will float. Renos is correct -- the hallways will have a risk of exposing us to vacum. The bridge is well armored, but we wish to preserve teh controls there. Do not stop to frig with things."

He nods to the person with the control unit and a blue beam descends from the air and a small rift opens, just big enough for Anita to squeeze through that opens onto a hallway. Zaphod steps through, missile launcher at the ready as he adopts a defensive stance for everyone else.

Renos hefts his rifle at the man and his missile launcher. There is a small shake of his head. "Hope he isn't packing explosive rounds." He then steps through the rift as if the thing doesn't even exist and he is taking a somewhat strained stroll. His rifle pointing up at a 45 degree angle, and in his right hand. He puts his left hand into his mouth to tug off the glove.

Anita nods eagerly. "Yes, sir! I will guard him with my everything!" She immediately moves considerably closer to Renos, and will follow him as close as possible without actually being in the way. She raises her shotgun and looks alert.

Nodding, Celaeno slides her rifle around, reading it for use, waiting for everybody else to move through before doing so herself. She is, indeed, staying well back, - 15 to 20 feet - from everybody else as they move through the portal. Her rifle is pointed down slightly, but she doesn't seem especially concerned.

Rune grabs the e-clip as it is tossed and then nods to the instructions. With that Rune, waits for Anita and will follow right behind her.

Hayate nods breifly, not bothering to comment on the melee suggestion. But his orders are clear now. Bodyguard for Rune and Renos. He could handle that, and then some. He follows Rune through into the rift.

"If you wish to assume that I don't know what I'm doing you are welcome to return to Kingsdale while the way is still open, Renos." Zaphod states. "Likewise, if you wish to question me again." He then turns to point down the hallway. "Seventy meters in this direction, then one turn to the right and that will bring us to the main airlock to the bridge. Move out. I don't expect any resistance until we reach it." And so, he begins to march; keeping his weapon at the ready until eventually the party comes to one of the windows. There, even he can't help but take a split second to look out at the view before moving on. Tick.

There is a bit of a smirk to Zaphod from Renos. "Relax. It was only a comment. we need to keep a bit of our wits if we wish to make it out. Besides, who will save your skin once things go wrong?" He then looks over to Anita and sees she is rather close. "Look, relax, miss. Just take a few deep breaths, and try and relax." He then holsters his rifle and pulls out his pistol.

Anita sticks real close to Renos, but she has a question on her mind, but it doesn't stay there. It's voiced. "Sir, if Renos is sent back, do I have to leave with him?" It's an earnest question. She looks down at Renos and nods rapidly. "Yes, but I will protect you." It still doesn't stop her from looking out the window for a few moments, but while the sight delights her, a smile filling her face, she quickly looks away, she has someone to protect.

Celaeno follows the group at her own pace. Really, if one were to look at the group, she'd be counted separate. We're talking unpopular girl at the party distance, here. Of course, she doesn't seem especially concerned about this, and when she finally gets to a window, she takes her time looking out, beginning to hum a rather up-tempo and discordant song under her breath as she goes.

Rune follows through, as he makes it, he reaches behind his cape and brings out his sword. This sword carries a certain baroque attractiveness in form and style, it is clear that whoever made it was a master bladesmith. The sword appears to have been out fitted with vibro-blade technology as well. As Rune takes this blade out, he too is caught by the stars outside and is caught by its beauty. But as the other start to speak his attention is turned to the hallway. His eyes go from one side to the other, trying to take note of anything that might catch his attention.

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<lj-cut>NOTE FOR READERS: I am leaving the rolls in, so that some of the log makes sense. Some of the rolls were quite horrific and just added to the problems.

Weather at Thu Jan 28 13:45:16 106 PA (-2.39C, 27.69F): The dense fog obstructs a view of nearly everything, permitting only objects at most a few meters away to be seen. The utter uniformity of view, pure white fog, only intensifies your dwelling on the cold.