Posted Sept. 30, 2021, 2:18 p.m. by Captain Zachariah Cobb (Commanding Officer) (Sharon Miller)
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Posted by Lieutenant Commander Adam Magnusson (Chief Intelligence Officer) in MPT-LS: Year of Hell - Containment Deck - (Tag Surda; Security, Science, others welcome)
Posted by Warrant Officer Jonathan Durheim (Chief Engineering Officer) in MPT-LS: Year of Hell - Containment Deck - (Tag Surda; Security, Science, others welcome)
“I see” Adam said to the… distinctive-looking Chief Engineer, for a moment his eyes went to his mechanical arm in an appraising manner but it stayed there for less than a second “I agree with” He stopped mid sentance.
The lights cut out. In the space of a single breath the entire containment deck was plunged into almost total darkness, save only for an eerie glow from red strips of emergency lighting.
From the gloom came the hiss of a now-familiar whisper. “And a million million slimy things liv’d on—and so did I.”
- The Mariner
“I do believe, gentlemen, that we are meant to pray.” Surda very nearly giggled, almost exhilarated by the challenge. “Perhaps… Yeats.” She cleared her throat and called into the darkness. “Oh sweet everlasting voice, be still.” She’d attempted to pull from the same time period, and if the voice could indeed only communicate in poetry she would most certainly reciprocate.
-Surda, CoSAdam had closed his eyes as soon as the lights went out and started blinking often getting used to the sudden darkness. His hand behind his back went slightly under his shirt and fondled the type one phaser hidden, when nothing further happened he visibly relaxed, well it would have been visible without the darkness. He looked toward Surda but didn’t say anything, if she was able to communicate with the creature using poetry better than they would with normal words then that would be useful information.
CIO
Immediately upon the lights going out, Durheim’s eyes snapped over to where the container should remain; hoping to confirm that it was still intact. In the dim emergency lighting, little could be seen; and his left hand shot to his goggles, tuning them to the infrared spectrum. =/\=Computer; run full diagnostic on containment deck and verify status; priority on block 6-B.=/\= Jonathan’s tone was loud and firm; but he didn’t stand still as he waited for a response. Carefully, he moved around the container, gently fogging it with the liquid helium emitter. He wanted to keep the anomaly contained; but there was a risk of shattering the temporary container if the temperature was dropped too rapidly.
-WO Durheim, CE
=^= Containment level 1 diagnostic - primary containment systems operational. Computer systems operational. Lighting defective, decks 11 to 13. Issue - unknown. =^=
A noise, like the rush of wind through dense forest. When the computer spoke again, there was a subtle difference to the pitch and cadence of words. As one might expect in a sentient being when in panic.
=^= Intruder detected. =^=“Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs, Upon the slimy Sea,” the Mariner hissed.
- The Mariner
Durheim paused when the computer spoke for the second time; the change in tone catching him off guard. Turning to the others; the red glow glinted off of his thick goggles, lending his words a sinister air. “Something is wrong here… But we are fortunate that the containment deck was mostly cleared out prior to our departure. All the same; please be careful - Redundant systems should still be secure, but we need to be careful.” With a small gesture; a bright light on his forearm snapped on. Jonathan panned it around in a circle, eyeing up their immediate surroundings.
-WO Durheim, CE
As soon as the Chief Engineer started his light Adam closed his right eye, he was still eyeing the creature “Does the Leviathan computer of speak with an inflexion of emotion?” He asked, it wasn’t exactly something usual but this was an unusual ship.
CIO
“No, Mr. Magnusson; I do not believe that it should do that at all. That is not to say it is impossible, mind you, but to my knowledge it should not have any inflection at all.” Durheim looked squarely at the intelligence officer, concern in his voice and eyes. “I fear the anomaly; or something related to it, is interferring with the ship’s computer - and that could put us all in a very poor situation. Mr. Magnusson, can you reach out to Misters Cobb and Raauhl and verify the extent of this issue? I need to determine the status of our containment - I can’t trust the computer’s analysis. Once this deck is verified as secure, I will task my department with addressing the rest of the ship and the computer systems.” The Chief Engineer paused, rubbing his chin fiercely as he contemplated the potential work ahead of them.
-WO Durheim, CE
Adam nodded “I’ll be more use on the CIC, I’ll go in person” He turned to the exit “Please keep me apprised of what our poet says, if possible I’d like a visual and audio record accessible for reference”
CIO
A heavy silence settled onto the containment deck, as if pieces of thick, cold blanket had been draped across every wall and stuffed into every nook and corner. Even the Mariner fell silent, listening with unformed ears.
For Surda and Durheim, they might find their senses reaching for the presence of each other, urgency cast from the void left by Magnusson’s retreat. So too for the now-silent Mariner, churning impatiently against the invisible barrier of his prison. But for a single, almost unendurable moment, they might find their consciousness alerted to something else. A figure. Less solid form and more a singular absence of light, as if a hole had been torn in the spacetime fabric to approximate the shape of a man. Tall, powerful, malevolent, it loomed at the far end of the central walkway. Then in the blink of an eye, it was gone.
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