Posted Aug. 3, 2021, 11:59 a.m. by Ensign Valkris MacLaren (Security Officer) (Janice B.)
Posted by Civilian Sinayda Nyx (Governor’s Aid) in Sim: Unexpected Encounters- Crash site outside OED V colony
Posted by Ensign Valkris MacLaren (Security Officer) in Sim: Unexpected Encounters- Crash site outside OED V colony
Posted by Civilian Sinayda Nyx (Governor’s Aid) in Sim: Unexpected Encounters- Crash site outside OED V colony
[snip]
There was something about the woman that set alarm bells off for Nyx. She hadn’t formed an opinion about Ducante yet. “Well, let’s get there in and see what calls to us. The decision might make itself known before we decide on anything.” She moved past the other two and into the ship, hooking the communicator to the waistband of her EVA suit. Since the power was out for the most part, she flipped on the lights of her suit and moved forward.—Nyx
Nyx’s light distorted the shadows across the cargo bay’s far wall as she moved forward. A few steps in, glass crunched and crackled underneath her foot. If she shifted her light’s focus down, she would find a viscous fluid stuck to her shoe’s bottom. From where she stepped, a small trail glistened and trailed toward the cargo bay’s back.
Meanwhile, the woman nodded and stepped to the side. She watched Nyx move through as she hesitated. “Of course.”
Her eyes looked to Ducante, uncertain if he was going to follow the other woman or simply stay in the cargo bay.
-Janice B.
Nyx kept walking, following the glistening trail, but she wasn’t just blustering along. Every step was taken carefully with a good look around at the surroundings. Something had obviously come this way and she didn’t want to be surprised by it.
OOC: Do we have coms with each other? With people outside the ship? With others inside the ship but in a different group?
—Nyx
The trail wound into erratic S-shape trails deeper and deeper inside. A few containers were burst open and scattered among the dying fires, the contents ruined. On closer inspection, it appeared some of the containers were crushed by something large. Black lines from phrase fire scratched along the untouched walls in the background. Debris began to surround Nyx, transforming the walkway into an ever-narrowing passage. Against the far wall, her destination, the thickest collection laid before her.
“Are you all seeing the same thing I am? …a slimy trail? I don’t know what might have made it, but it looks like it goes back there.” She pointed ahead. “We’ll have to go single file now, the trail narrows more and more ahead of us.
—Nyx (do any of us have a weapon?)
OOC: All right folks, I left the exact conditions of the path to the back vague in order to allow writer creativity. So don’t be scared to use it, but beware of the consequences and risks. :P
As for Grisham’s question.
Due to budget and quantity reasons, the comms you picked up are short-range and considered cheap. So you have strong communication to the group inside the ship, but outside will result in static and cutting out issues. This is why Chip wanted people to go in groups and why your group leader wanted people to stay within range of each other.
Nope, you don’t have weapons. As far as I can tell, no one smuggled one in or mentioned having one. As far as Chip or anyone else on duty is aware, this is an accidental crash caused by a malfunction or possibly a human error. This why volunteers were allowed to search the wreck. I’m going to give about 2-3 days for any of our other members to reply and react before moving forward.
-Janice B.
Issac took the rear of the group, letting Nyx take the lead, and he followed behind the woman. He would keep up with them walking at the start of the trail, he was uncertain why the trail was slimy, and also a little upset all the containers of cargo were pretty much destroyed and unsalvageable.
Issac Ducante Jr, Smuggler.Mary peered around Nyx’s figure. When her eyes found the slimy trail, she frowned in confusion and thoughtfully considered the origins. Nothing came to the surface as she took a breath to ease her building anxiety. When Nyx started to move, her attention whipped to the other woman and swiftly followed her lead. Thankfully, she was small enough to slip through the narrowest of the ‘tunnel’ comfortably.
When Nyx got to the front, several containers crossed across the exit to block it. The slim trail ran through a gap nearest the bottom. When examined, she found it was too small for any human to squeeze through. It also appeared one of the container’s lids was loose and could be released with a little muscle.
-Janice B.
Sinayda reached the area where the trail effectively stopped for anyone human. She held her fist up in the air in the universal sign to halt. “It doesn’t look like we can go any further unless we try and move some of this rubble. The slime runs beneath it to the other side but none of us are small enough to squeeze through the tiny opening at the bottom.” She squatted down to get a closer look and spotted the loose lid on a container. “Do we have any idea what this ship was carrying? Has anyone accessed its manifest yet?”
—Nyx
Issac started trying to help them move the rubble. He pulled to find any other pieces that were easy to move so they could clear the path and continue following the slime trail.
Issac Ducante Jr. Smuggler.At the woman’s question, Mary paused and considered an answer.
“I-I don’t recall receiving any information about the cargo. I would assume they wouldn’t send us in if it was something dangerous… would they?” She considered the possibility for a moment.
Nyx was still staring at the slime. “If they don’t know what the cargo is, then they don’t know if its safe to be in here or not. However, I don’t think a trail of slime is a good sign in any situation.”
Before she could ask another question, Issac stirred. Her peripheral vision caught sight of him pushing past her to help remove the containers. Instinctively she pressed herself to the side, giving him just enough room to squeeze by.
Things began to shift and creak as his hands shifted the objects around. Some of the containers appeared intact and salvageable. The one with the loose lid jiggled open a crack before something heavy thumped down from the top, landing among contents inside.
“Did you hear that too?” Mary asked, unsure what caused that loud sound.
-Janice B.
Nyx looked at the container the sound had come from. The flesh on the back of her neck raised in goose bumps. Raising the communicator, she spoke into it. “Chip! Chip? We’ve made it about 40 meters inside the ship. There’s all kinds of debris in our way and something of note—a trail of some kind of slimy substance that moves into an area we are currently trying to unblock. Do you have any idea what this ship was carrying yet? Has anyone access its computers?”
—Nyx
Back outside, Chip heard the communication go off. He listened closely as static attempted to drown out bits and pieces of Nyx’s message. Thankfully his years of working through the cheap communicators had given him enough intelligence to decipher the message. He turned to his coworker and asked him.
“What was the ship carrying?”
“According to the documents found, it was mainly shipyard supplies. Sadly, the list is incomplete.”
Chip moved closer to the ship and spoke into his communicator. “We found very little information. It is supposed to have only shipyard materials, but the list is incomplete. Some of the data on the ship has been damaged beyond repair due to fire and something else.”
He paused to let that settle in then added. “Do you need assistance removing the barrier? I can send a team in, but you’ll have to pull out and wait.”
-Janice B.“Yeah, either that just cleared some space, or blocked us for good, I can’t tell from this angle. Sounds like it has something important in it.” Issac commented as he was still moving stuff out of the way to make a clearing for them to continue forward. “I am kinda interested on why a ship like that crashed on OED V. That is not a normal ship we get here, or at least that I usually see landing from my store.” He stated.
Issac Ducante Jr.Mary nodded, agreeing with Issac. His confirmation seemed to ease her worry over her hearing things. She tried to peer in, but she couldn’t see past Nyx or into the narrow gap well. She bit her lower lip then made a suggestion.
“I can’t see in it and the lip won’t lift anymore. The debris is blocking it. Maybe if I move back, you could pull the container into the wide area behind us. I’m a bit curious what it could be. Unless you think we shouldn’t?” Mary appeared ready to follow whatever instruction was given.
-Janice B.
bump
“We can try to move the container. I don’t think it will be too much of an issue. I’m a bit curious about this slime stuff as well.” He stated and started to move the container to where she suggested.
Issac Ducante Jr. Smuggler.Sin moved over to the other two to help move the container out of the way. She didn’t want to give up on following the trail because she was sure it meant something was alive and moving through the ship.
“Alright, let’s all heave on three. One…two…three!”
—Nyx
Mary immediately took her place. She managed, somehow, to squeeze in and helped to lift when Nyx gave the signal. With a huge effort, their actions began to move the container. It shifted then loosened from its wedged position. Parts above settled then found purchase among the other debris before securing itself. With slow maneuvering, the container began to move through the tunnel and out the other side.
Mary surprised herself by not collapsing onto the filthy floor. Once past the narrow opening, the tunnel widened out into the depths of the cargo bay, and debris lessened. The slime trail continued to wiggle its way toward a single, identical container to the far wall. It slid up and into the broken lid. The clamps were ripped from their bolts and the metal extended outward as if by force.
The woman held back, unsure if she wanted to be the first to approach it. “Anyone want to go first?”
“Yeah, that looks dangerous. Maybe we should wait until someone has a weapon? Do any of you have one?”
Meanwhile, Chip was still waiting for a response from Nyx on his earlier question. A garbled reply surfaced on the communicator.
=^= Do you need assistance? Please reply, do you need assistance?=^=
-Janice B.
Sin tapped the send button on the communicator. “We haven’t run into any actual danger yet. We’ve followed a slimy trail to a large container that has been broken open, a second container, that is. I think you’d better send someone in with a weapon in case the life form it contains is dangerous. We haven’t encountered anyone of the crew yet but we’ll keep looking.”
—Nyx
Mary leaned her back against the makeshift tunnel as she let out a soft breath. She shook her head when Nyx finished addressing Chip.
“I don’t own one. There’s not much use for it when you’re working a small holo-novel shop. Most of the time I just help the elderly seek out stories for their grandchildren. I know my way around a datapad better than a phaser.” She answered honestly.
Chip listened carefully. He dared to his assistance who shrugged, the mention of life form obvious unknown to him. The older man glared at the ship as if it would spill its secrets only to return to the communicator.
=^= It appears this ship was smuggling something and we’re not sure what’s in there. If things start looking dangerous, get out. Do you understand me?=^= Chip sounded like he wanted them to pull back, but his units were small and stretched now. These volunteers were the best chance he had to obtain more information.
-Janice B.
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