Doctor Varroxxian Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 The search was as fast as possible, and found nothing but a quantum charged path of earth which the Stars each examined in detail. All of the Stars had remained or became cloaked and insubstantial as soon as the pattern was established, and a quick extremely low power and highly directional comms burst had brought them together - like ghosts - for a silent inspection of the ground. Then, a quick pull out. In the first town, Cora had disturbed very little and there was no reason to go back for more samples. The second town was practically leveled, and given the Trogs themselves seemed to have various flame and plasma related powers their quantum residuals would be all over it. Cora and Star had not left anything behind, save Cora's tissue at the very origin of the blast - nothing of that was at all likely to remain. Forensically, there was piratically zero trace of them save for some blast marks in a town completely blasted. The powers that be expected to find Trogs, and they would find some trace remains in the second town - plenty in the first. There was nothing more to do planet-side. Star wasn't even sure why the staging point had been planet side ... but the others had insisted. Star was evacuating off planet, and would rendezvous with them at the points on Mars or in the Belt that were pre-selected on the YJ cycle for meeting her. She had directed one ultra tight beam towards Mary and Kami before her own evac. It simply read "19A34F" in machine language, a random alphanumeric that on this one time code sheet meant "I am heading off world, meet in the proper place". To anyone else, it would seem to be a stray partial packet from a digital transmission handshake, a failed one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karren Gaunt Posted February 22, 2012 Author Share Posted February 22, 2012 What Kamiko and Mary got coming their portal was a worse for wear Coraline, the metamorph simultaneuously losing features and becoming her normal epitome of nova beauty if a somewhat battered, as she let go of her handful of combat tricks. She slumped against a wall of the shelter, features closed and tight as her chorus discordantly intoned, "Where's Starseed? I couldn't find her after leaving to tackle one of the trogs..." That provoked several minutes of chaos as the other two Novas confirmed via their working coms that 'yes, the clones were okay and looking for clues' and 'yes, we'll meet on Mars to discuss what happened'. Coraline herself was (rather blessedly) mostly ignored in the bustle that followed after confirming she was 'okay', plopping down and spending some more of her reserves to heal self-imolated flesh and digest damaged tissue, to zone out a part of the world and concentrate on her own well-being and the now, restore the proper axis of her judgement. This next part was going to be difficult. Aftershocks always were. burning 18 Quantum to bring those lethal HLs down to 9 and Quantum to 20/75 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mariner Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 Mary knew, and she adjusted her combat gear as she pulled up tent-pegs using her magnetic powers and folded up the tarp as quickly as possible, using her magnetics to grab hold using the metal grommets at the corners of the blue tarp. "Okay, any sattelites that were overhead will see this area as nothing but beautiful water, but the next sattelite will be overhead shortly. Kamiko! We could use that Mars tesseract!" She tosses the tarp inside as she watches Kamiko's paper take form, around the shelter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sailor OOC Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 Kamiko steadies Cora. "We'll be fine Cora. We will be seeing the red planet's surface soon enough." She smiles. "We're alive... that is all that matters." She focusses on the ring and before entangling with the arrival point lets the folded together ring flop into the water and sink. When the tesseract is at T-5 seconds Kamiko shouts. "Hold on to something, we're gonna fall." "How high, Kamiko?!" Mary shouts. "3 meters. I hope." "You Ho..." Before Mary could complete her sentence the tesseract opens and everyone has a short moment of elevator-weightlessness until the shelter and all occupants land on the martian surface. some of the contents of the shelter's medical supplies fall over on the floor, and Kamiko caught Mary and Coraline using a paper "airbag" reflexively made to cushion everyone. The sudden air-pressure change was a shock too. Once everyone gets their bearings, Kamiko sees the outside, the stark Mars landscape greeting them, and a hiss... seems one of the tubes of the shelter not only got punctured by hitting a sharp rock on the way down, but it was made worse by the sudden air-pressure change. "Oh dear... that sounds catastrophic! Abandon shelter!" Kamiko uses some paper to hold the shelter up for everyone to evacuate. "Damn..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mariner Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 Mary gives Kamiko a rueful look before guiding Coraline out. "I swear that girl is going to be the death of me." She gets outside and watches their shelter collapse down to the emergency supports Kamiko put up and she stumbles out. Seems she got shook up more by the fall. Mary quickly restrains herself. "Kamiko... We have been practicing warps for how long?" "That method seemed the better way so we wouldn't have had to push through a tesseract and probably end up with the same result, a popped shelter." "Kamiko... That is why you let some the air out, and let one of the constructs walk us through. We had 10 minutes if needed, you could have taken your time." Mary says, summoning her patience. Kamiko looks away in frustration. Mary would say something, but decides to hold her tongue in front of Coraline. "You okay, Cora? You looked in some pretty bad shape." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Varroxxian Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 As the shelter came down, a cloaked Star was standing there internally reviewing mission files and composing a pen and paper - actually stylus and foil - journal entry. The eyes on the outside of her body saw the shelter crash down, fortunately at 0.3794 G martian local gravity in an inflatable structure from minimal height their impact would not be hazardous. Star walked closer and let the cloak drop. The other Stars had already resumed their duties and one had shared the key mission experiences with the prime already. The stability of these new alternates, made with post apotheosis levels of skill, was impressive. Early projections indicated a stable matrix with a duration of between 383.5 and 384.1 hours depending on metrics applied. Still, there was now no risk of loosing the battle experiences. Star, now close by for easy speech in the martian atmosphere, said to those getting out of shelter "It appears that we neutralized five of six threats. I am glad that all of you came through it safely. None of my alternates were in significant danger at any point, given its level and modes of attack. Sadly, we were also unable to prevent many casualties and much collateral damage. It seemed the genetic and quantum profiles of this line of trogs included the ability to manifest explosive thermal and plasma effects of significant destructive power. I have precise physical estimates and threat profiles already prepared." At that, Star opened the otherwise hidden orafice under her chest armor, and from under a flap a set of tendrils came out with her M-PODD device - which began projecting a bright display image on the ground near them. Rendered images of the Trogs they faced, and animations of battle scenes including recreations of the two major attack events on the part of the Trogs (the explosive thermal trog attack, and the organic plasma field attack) also played on the projection. Facts and figures scrolled by on sidebars. "Overall, our mission was unsuccessful. In parts, it was well executed ... but this threat is a type-K breeder. If it was a drone male that escpaed, we may be lucky. If the six threat has breeding potential ..." Star left that last, obvious scenario unsaid. Of course, a breeder on the loose meant they had failed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karren Gaunt Posted February 23, 2012 Author Share Posted February 23, 2012 Expression unsettled as she reviewed Star's recollection of the battle, Coraline managed a grateful sidelong smile at the older Elite for her kind words, pausing to recover her mental balance somewhat. At least enough for her chorus to be somewhat more coherent. "I think they are were all effectively drones, children of someone much more cappable at this. I didn't see signs of a single successful pregnancy among the victims I found. The one implantation I saw, the Trog *didn't even care* that it failed to produce a live child," she added, voice harsh at the perversion of Nova reproduction what they had encountered represented, offended artistic pride as someone who could do the same trick mixing into the angry horror, "So we'll have to add looking for whichever parent helped birth these Novas to our list of things to do. Atop of learning how to dodge blasts better. That *hurt*." She rubbed her nose. At least Alex's satelites could keep track of the roughly two dozen new fertile novas they'd found, track for sudden changes and stage possible interventions with the help of the Aberants, one less imediately pressing task to add to her whiteboard check list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mariner Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 "As always, Cora, I am here to help. The Aberrants want as little ammunition as possible in the hands of Proteus, and Trogs pose a risk to peaceful life on this planet." She adjusts her suit. "Although... I wish I could have been there on the scene with you all, but Kamiko isn't as durable as I." She turns to Starseed. "This wasn't a defeat. This was a declaration of war. It has to be seen as such because whatever ran is probably talking to it's mommy or daddy about the mean new novas that killed it's brothers and sisters." She sighs. "Kamiko, I can't reccomend assisting in further Trog-Control missions of this type, but I will abide by your decision." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sailor OOC Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 "I... actually have no other choice in the matter as I am joining Nippontai soon. But if Cora or the Aberrants ever need information, I will be happy to help. Within reason, of course." "I have to advise... that if Cora or the Aberrants bring their activities to Japan they must step carefully. It may lead to I confronting my very friends." She looks down at the martian soil as the last air leaks out of her shelter. "You can see I am in a conundrum." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Varroxxian Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 "No one faults you for it Kami-chan, we have to keep this secret or not do it at all so its understandable ... and there are plenty of ways you can still participate. You just have to operate more like Zeph does, on the sly." "Me, I am still in. Its unsvoury work, to be sure ... and I am in only until a better option for Trogs exist. I also think that if we see a stable Trog, we should just let them be. The ones we hunt are targets in my mind becuase they present problems, because they are killers. Like the ones we faced today." "You are right on one count Mary. It probably went back to a nest or hive of some sort. I would like to think that our minor ... well if you want to call it a victory .. our very minor victory here may have slowed their spread and alerted others who are working on the same problem. Even if those same others happen to be our enemies on most fronts, they might catch the one we missed." "On another count - more of a philosophical one - I am forced to disagree with you Mary. We still don't know each other very well. I would like to rectify that, but you have been busy and life is what it is. Still I want to explain my perspective because you probably don't understand me as well as Kami, who I have had the good fortune of spending ample time with." "What we are doing here weighs on my mind quite heavily. We are engaging in clandestine operations ... to achieve a number of goals that save lives directly and indirectly. I have been trained in the intelligence and military SOPs by an adopted uncle of mine. Following those SOPs makes it all more routine, guides the mind as you must know from years of military experience. Yet we are still killing. We kill trogs because there are no other options. These beings are tragic, they are apparently of an advanced but insectoid order of intelligence. Thus they many not understand such sentiments. We are not making any declarations to them. We are eliminating them because that is our only viable option." "I am not here to declare anything, to anyone, at any time. I am here to work toward the survival of .... meta-humanity ... as you so eloquently coined it Kami-chan. In fact, it is my deepest hope to delay or prevent any wars. War is not a desirable state of being, and the only good that can result from it is peace." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sailor OOC Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Kamiko nods. "Alright. I'll do what I can within my means. As long as it doesn't mean treason." "But I will help as best I can... I'm not a sneaky type." She looks down at the ground, knowing how much of a hypocrite she is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mariner Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Mary hears the words "Sneaky Type" and laughs. "You're no super-spy Kamiko. I'm sure you'll blab anything to me. We talk all the time and I'm sure Japan is smart enough not to trust it's secrets to a 15 year old schoolgirl." She walks up to Kamiko. "I am that type." She walks over to Starseed and smiles. "I have to agree on all counts, Star. But all things considered, we are alive, and we have sent a message. Now to see how this pans out." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karren Gaunt Posted February 23, 2012 Author Share Posted February 23, 2012 Coraline kept it simple, not feeling up to more and in no mood to think up a speech. "Best of luck in your new career, Kamiko. I hope it brings you happiness and success. I'm certain Japan is the last country we'll need to run ops in. It's second only to the Congo in terms of Nova family safety," she intoned softly, "And as always, bring me into the loop for new developments and I'll relay the information out again, same old principles, new lessons learned." Kicking off the ground in a quirk of quantum and a shift of eufiber into a fashionable evening gown than perfectly fitted her curves and danced through every color of the light spectrim, the metamorph continued with an apolegetic smile, "Now if you excuse me, I'm rather feeling in the mood to detox, so if one of you could give me a Warp above the Rainbow Room... I really need to lose myself for a bit before putting together any kind of rational assesment how tonight went." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Varroxxian Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 "Certainly Cora, I'll drop you just above the air corridors so there are no collisions or shock. Lets keep in touch though, and next time we have a planning meeting we should focus on how to better work with Alex too. We need to get shelleded tech across the board, for example." Said Star, opening up the azure gate on Cora's mark ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sailor OOC Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Kamiko nods as she heads back to her Shelter. "I'll be here on Mars for a bit cleaning up and getting this back to the Bibliotheca Sacra for repairs." She sighs as she summons a group of her familiars to open some emergency release zippers so she can get at the medical gear. She opens a tesseract gate for Mary. "The gate leads back to the Bibliotheca Sacra, Mary, I will meet you there soon." Kamiko starts having her faithful servants start putting things back in containers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mariner Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Mary looks at Kamiko's lack of emotional substance to her remarks. "Something wrong?" "No, just a lot to think about." Mary sagely nods. "If this is about that night at your folks' place... I forgive you." Mary walks through the portal then the gate closes, but Kamiko keeps it's paper in the form of a gate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karren Gaunt Posted February 23, 2012 Author Share Posted February 23, 2012 A Warp, a wan smile, and a wave later, and Coraline descends on Ibiza and into a blaze of frantic photoflashes just outside the Rainbow Room. Norman was in for one wild night when she found him, angry and hurting and in need of something basely selfish to make the hurt go away until she could analyze it as she was trained. FIN! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quantum Fire Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 End of Thread XP: 3 Standard, 3 Baseline, 3 Nova Nice Job folks.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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