Hearing Kylah words, there is a brief nod from Rangin. "Understood", he responds quietly, "2..1.." and then he steps forward swinging the cutter at the slime-devil's face with the intention of getting it to turn away.
Hearing Kylah words, there is a brief nod from Rangin. "Understood", he responds quietly, "2..1.." and then he steps forward swinging the cutter at the slime-devil's face with the intention of getting it to turn away.
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
The slime devil backs up, hissing, and raises its wickedly-edged claws to guard itself from Rangin. Kylah does not see an opening to attack.
T'Var is getting about as frustrated as a Vulcan can get at this point. There must be a logical way to kill this slime devil. Until she can figure out exactly what logic would dictate, the doctor will continue to smack this creature with her crowbar where it is most vulnerable.
Collins wishes she could unbend the crowbar so that she's have a sharp end with which to attack. Instead she continually grabs whatever debris is lying around and lobs it at the fourth slime devil, moving forward each time, until she is close enough to pick up the dead one and use it as a shield.
Her aim is as true as it can be with one hand, since she's still holding the crowbar, but surely she does some damage
Kylah grits her teeth in frustration, still hoping for an opportunity. If only she had something that would cut through the creature's shell, she and Rangin could eliminate the claws together. Pourtash has the other cutting tool, she remembers suddenly. So why in the blue light of Tellum B is he just standing there and not using it? Kylah hisses back at him: "Sir! If you're not able to wield that weapon, please throw it to me so I can make use of it!"
In the meantime she kicks out and slams her foot into the nearest of the creature's rear legs, hoping that it will instinctively use its remaining foreleg for balance--or even to lash out at her--and thus will no longer have anything with which to guard its face. Then perhaps Rangin can stab the cavity himself.
T'Var swings again and hits the slime devil again, this time on its left rear haunch. It hisses, jabs at her again and strikes a glancing blow to her right shin, tearing her uniform pants but not piercing the skin. It leaps at her but she is able to sidestep it and hit it again as it passes. It is badly hurt now.
Collins does not see any debris around. She edges forward and picks up the dead slime devil, which smells terrible and is rather heavy.
Kylah thinks her knife would probably cut through the slime devil's shell if she was able to land a solid blow. She connects with her kick but the creature then skitters towards Rangin.
Collins tucks the crowbar under her arm and uses both hands to lift the dead beast high enough to throw it at the live one. Then she holds the crow bar and lunges at the (hopefully) distracted slime devil and begins clobbering it.
While T'Var is fully aware of what is going on around her, she remains focused on destroying "her" particular slime devil. Hopefully, she can dispatch it with one more strong blow, then assist the others with "their" slime devils.
Kylah runs forward to stab at the creature from behind. Using both hands on her knife hilt, she aims for the wounded spot where it landed after she threw it last time, and slams the blade downward toward the slime devil's neck. Her hope is that if her attack is successful in slowing the animal down, she'll grab onto the tentacles or antennae--or whatever those things are atop its head--and yank its face backwards so she or Rangin can get at that damn nasal cavity.
Collins flings the dead slime devil at the other one; the corpse again hits its fellow and is shaken off. The live slime devil backs off at once, then turns and skitters away into the darkness, back the way it came, before Collins can connect with her crowbar.
T'Var and her slime devil spar for a few more seconds before the Vulcan is able to bring her crowbar down squarely on its head, crushing and apparently killing it.
Kylah strikes home with her blade, hard and deep, just a few centimeters from the site of the first wound. When she grabs its antennae, however, it twists its head, slipping through her grasp, and sinks its small, razor-sharp teeth into her wrist. It hangs on, and blood begins seeping into its jaws. She cannot help herself, and screams.
Rangin lunges forward with the cutter to try and help Kylah and put the creature out of its misery.
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
T'Var immediately reacts to Kylah's scream and moves in to engage the slime devil attacking her crewmate.
The instant that the teeth clamp onto Kylah's wrist there's no sensation at all, only shock and self-recrimination. And then every nerve in Kylah's body seems to explode with the blinding pain. Even as she screams her agony aloud, her mind is simultaneously screaming let go, let go, let go! as if she can somehow reach the slime devil's thoughts and reason with it.
Though the rapid blood loss has made everything go blurry and Kylah's vision is alternately dim and bursting with pinpoints of light, some rational part of her seems cognizant that if nothing else, the head of the animal is finally aimed in the right direction. In desperation she flails with her free hand to yank at her knife, tugging it out of the creature's neck. Her scream turns into vicious curses as she stabs wildly at the creature's face in hopes of landing a blow in the right spot.
As the fourth slime devil scurries off, Collins turns in response to Kylah's scream. What I wouldn't give for a phaser right now! Collins sees that the corridor is crowded at the point of that scuffle, and that T'Var has gone to Kylah's assistance, so she looks back in the direction they've been heading. Jeremi gauges how much further they need to go in order to reach their destination, then looks for the cowardly beast and inwardly debates whether or not to chase it down.
Rangin cannot safely use his cutter while Kylah is stabbing at the slime devil biting her wrist. However, she is able to stab it repeatedly and it finally falls off her arm, quite dead. Her wrist is now bleeding freely. Dr. T'Var sees that the Communications officer's arm is also covered with ichor and some chitin from the slime devil. She also notices, at a glance, that Fujishiro looks very pale and haggard.
Collins sees that the party is about ten meters from where the corridor ahead turns to the left, lost in darkness, where the fourth slime devil went. She estimates that the Yorktown party is about five or ten minutes' walk from the transporter room, if it has no other encounters along the way.
"If I could have a moment to address the medical needs of our party...." T'Var says to Collins. Without waiting for a reply, the doctor begins first aid on all those in need. There isn't much she can do under these circumstances, though.
When everyone is safely off the station, T'Var will take the time to check herself out as well.
Once the slime devil releases its hold on her, Kylah falls to her knees, exhausted and dizzy. She keeps her hold on the knife and clasps her bleeding wrist and forearm to her chest, using her other elbow to clamp and cover the wound in some effort to staunch the blood. She glances hazily up at T'Var, whose figure is moving toward her with rapid purpose.
"I am sorry, Doctor," she whispers to the other woman. The apology is automatic and she's not entirely sure why, but she feels the need to assert again: "I am sorry."
BTW, which arm/wrist was wounded?
Rangin, having some basics in first aid, lends a hand to Dr T'var as best he is able starting with the injured Kylah in front of him.
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
Collins keeps watch as medical aid is rendered. "It's not that much farther. As soon as everyone is able, we need to keep moving" she tells her crewmates. She just now notices she hasn't been feeling the nausea. Maybe I should be stressed all the time. Terrific drug, adrenaline.
Using her medikit, Dr. T'Var cleans the wound on Kylah's left wrist as best she can, sterilizes it, closes the wound and gives her a painkiller and broad-spectrum antibiotic. The Vulcan healer does the same for her own shin wounds. Dr. Waite's leg wound is superficial.
Fujishiro's fever is a little worse than before, but she insists she can keep going.
Collins sees nothing ahead, but Pourtash, running a scan with one of the tricorders, says, "I'm picking up converging life signs - bipedal, Sakathian." He slowly turns in a circle, holding the boxy instrument out in front of him, then stops. "Approaching from the way we came."
"Zombies," Dr Waite whispers, clearly scared. "Oh, God... more zombies."
Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 21 Feb 2013 at 08:19 PM.
"Pure Sakathian or modified?" Collins asks, a little louder and a little faster than she'd like, "They could be more survivors." she adds, more calmly.
Kylah quietly thanks Dr. T'Var and, after wiping the knife blade clean on the slime devil's inert body, gets back up on her feet. She's still feeling shaky but the painkiller T'Var applied is indeed a blessing. Her left hand tentatively stretches and and curls into a fist, open and closed and open again. Clearly not at 100% but Kylah is grateful she hasn't lost the use of it.
When she hears Pourtash's announcement, she feels a ripple of dread. Turning, knife again at the ready, Kylah stares intently in the direction of the common area.
Last edited by choie; 21 Feb 2013 at 10:00 PM.
"Calm yourself, Henry," T'Var tells Waite. "We will reach the transporter soon."
The doctor awaits word as to whether the approaching Sakathians are friend or foe.
"Modified," Pourtash says soberly. "Twelve of them... and they don't have typical Sakathian biosigns." T'Var runs a scan of her own, and agrees. Waite lets out a moan.
Kylah sees that wiping her blade on the slime devil's body is no way to clean it - it will only get more dirty with the slime devil's ichor, chitin and external secretions.
"Okay" Collins asserts "Let's get the frack outta here! If you can walk, help those who can't." With that she grabs Fujishiro's arm and throws it around her neck; she supports her crew-mate at the waist and starts down the corridor.
Last edited by anyrose; 24 Feb 2013 at 07:10 AM.
The doctor follows Collins. She looks behind her. "Is anyone in need of my assistance?" T'Var asks the others.
When she automatically takes a couple of hurried steps to follow the others, Kylah glances down at her still-dirty knife and realizes her mind must be foggier from the blood loss than she realized. She takes a deep breath, hoping the extra air will clear up her thought process, and keeps moving.
She shakes her head to T'Var's question, though she does look back at Rangin. After his earlier injury from his fight with the altered Sakathian, having to combat another creature so quickly couldn't have been helpful. "Are you all right?" she asks him quietly.
After a few steps Collins realizes that going first, down a dark corridor into which a slime devil just retreated, while supporting an injured crewmate, is perhaps not the most tactically-sound approach.
Everyone says they're all right when Dr. T'Var asks, although Dr. Waite still looks shaken.
"I'm doing as well as can be, thanks for asking." Rangin responds to Kylah with a smile. "How are you doing?"
Rangin wonders if he should move up and take over assisting with Fujishiro again.
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
T'Var considers the situation again, pondering all possible options.
"Would you like me to take the lead or perhaps assist Mr. Fujishiro?" the doctor asks Collins.
Kylah hardly knows how to respond to Rangin's returned question, but she settles on a brisk "I'm fine" that doesn't even begin to encompass what she's feeling right now.
Hearing T'Var's question, she turns swiftly to the older women--too swiftly, the movement gives her some vertigo--and steps closer.
"If I may make a recommendation," she says quietly, "perhaps someone who is unable to take part in combat should be tasked with assisting Lt. Fujishiro; this way our strongest crewmembers have their hands free to fight anything that comes our way." She takes a quick glance backward. "Dr. Waite is uninjured and able-bodied, but frankly of no use in combat. I would suggest he make himself useful by assisting in this capacity." It is certainly the least the fool can do, she thinks resentfully while stretching her hand again.
"Waite? Are you up to that small task?" Collins asks as she moves with Fujishiro towards T'Var. Once the Vulcan doctor supports the Lieutenant, Jeremi turns to the Human doctor, "Or would you like to come up to the front of the line?"
T'Var sighs inwardly. What did she ever see in this man? Perhaps her great interest in humans and their behavior patterns dulled her Vulcan senses in some way?
While awaiting Waite's answer, T'Var turns to Kylah. "An excellent suggestion, Ensign. Most logical."
Waite seems to visibly muster his courage and then says, "Yes, Lieutenant Collins. I would... be glad to go in front with you." He steps forward.
Kylah sees Pourtash exchange a worried glance with Fujishiro. "The zombies are getting closer," he says.
"Alright, then, Dr Waite," Collins asserts, "Since you know these corridors better than we do, are there any side corridors of which we need to be cautious?" She puts her hand on the doctors back and gives a gentle little push.
Kylah takes in the shared look between Pourtash and Fujishiro, frowning slightly. Then, after a moment and a quick, worried glance at the corridor behind the group, she swallows and moves to the mission leader.
Before Waite has a chance to respond to Collins's question, Kylah quickly says: "Lt. Collins," keeping her intent dark gaze on the older woman. "Permission to speak with you freely, briefly--and privately?" She gives a slight shrug. "As privately as we can, at any rate?"
Last edited by choie; 27 Feb 2013 at 11:07 PM.
Collins looks at Kylah quizzically. Privately? In this corridor? She sighs. "Step over here, Ensign and talk to me." When Kylah moves closer, Collins puts a hand on her shoulder and turns her so that both their backs are to the rest of the crowd. She whispers "What's on your mind?"
Kylah takes a deep breath, speaking softly but fervently. "I apologize for my directness but I must request, most strongly, that you do not put Dr. Waite at either the front or the back of this group. I--I cannot explain right now, but I know I am not alone in not trusting him to be of use in combat, or even to remain in control of his actions or emotions in a dangerous situation." She swallows nervously--and with difficulty, as her throat is bone dry. "I believe you should insist that he assist with Fujishiro, and choose either Dr. T'Var or Lt. Pourtash to serve at the front of this group, with whomever you do not choose keeping guard at the back with me and Mr. Rangin."
She can't help darting another glance back toward the darkened corridor leading to the common area. "The altered Sakathians are getting stronger and greater in number," she murmurs in a near monotone. "Just as I am certain that other members of our crew fear putting trust in Waite, I am certain that the enemy is rapidly multiplying. And without the confidence of the crew, including Lieutenants Pourtash and Fujishiro--who you've surely noticed have not been the same since their own encounters with these creatures--we have no chance against these creatures."
Licking her dry lips, Kylah returns to stare up at Collins, putting every ounce of persuasion and sincerity she possesses into her gaze. "I know it is not an ensign's place to advise you, and I know we've not had the easiest of relationships since I've joined the crew. I have made mistakes in judgment. But I do not believe this is one of them, and I hope you will consider my words."
Waite seems to have caught a word or two of this discussion, and glares at Kylah when she finishes.
Pourtash frowns as he looks at his tricorder, and glances back at Collins.
T'Var observes all that is going on around her. We should keep moving, she thinks to herself.
"Henry, though your offer to lead is quite admirable, perhaps you would be most useful assisting the wounded among us," T'Var tells Waite.
The doctor glances over at Collins and Kylah.
Collins nods and thanks the Ensign. What the hell is wrong with me, she scolds herself. She turns to the group. "Let's get back into our earlier formation, except Dr Waite, you assist Fujishiro. That's an order. I want you between Doctor T'Var and Lt Pourtash. Ensign Rangin? Can you manage on your own? Stay in the middle of the group. Ensign Kylah, can you still manage to bring up the rear?" Collins looks at the group as the rearrange themselves. "Right, then. Onward. Let's get out of here before we become someones lunch." She moves forward, crowbar at the ready.
T'Var takes up her position and moves forward with the group. The sooner they all reach the transporter, the better.
Kylah nods to Collins, extremely relieved that her suggestion about Waite was adopted. She's a little concerned that none of the best fighters have been placed to the rear with her, considering the large group of Sakathians behind them, but she just hopes they're able to move fast enough that she's not tested against them.
Now she wipes her knife on her skirt, and temporarily switches her grip to her still-stiff left hand to wipe the sweat from her right palm as well. Then the knife's tossed back to her right, and she grasps it even harder as she casts an attempt at a collegial look at Rangin directly in front of her.
Last edited by choie; 03 Mar 2013 at 12:30 PM.
Dr. Waite begins, "But you said...," then frowns and seems to think better of it. He shrugs, muttering a little. He moves back in the group, next to and supporting Fujishiro, who still does not look well. The Starfleet officers and Miskatonic researcher proceed down the hallway and around the corner. No sign of the slime devil. The group passes in and out of pools of light, as some of the overhead lights on this stretch of corridor appear to be burned out. One light fixture, in particular, buzzes loudly as you pass beneath it.
The party comes to a large pressure door with a control panel beside it. There are no Sakathian signs or insignia on it.
Rangin nods that he is able to manage by himself and settles into the centre of the group behind Dr Waite and Fujishiro.
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
"Waite" Collins orders "Come enter the passcode for this door." She steps to the side to allow the doctor access to the panel.
Kylah glances at the panel to see if it's a comm panel, decides for no particular reason that it isn't, and quickly turns her back on the rest of the group. She prefers to keep sharp focus on the flickering darkness behind them, half-expecting the altered Sakathians to coalesce from the dark unannounced. She holds her knife at the ready.
Her gaze shifts now and then to the light that buzzed loudly when they passed beneath. Why would it do that? Are we giving off some kind of radiation? Perhaps Rangin or Fujishiro, when they were attacked... no, T'Var would surely have noticed that, wouldn't she? Unless something new has developed...
Realizing she might be giving in to paranoia, Kylah grits her teeth and waits, hoping the others will get that door open soon.
Last edited by choie; 05 Mar 2013 at 06:38 PM.
Waite walks up and looks at the door control panel. "It's just an ordinary door," he says. He pushes the biggest button and the door hisses open. The hallway beyond contains what appears to be the horribly-torn remains of two Sakathian security officers. There is a lot of blood on the floor and walls. A Sakathian phaser is on the floor. Along the right wall, which Collins knows is the outer hull of the space station, are a series of six round hatches, each about five meters apart.
T'Var's first instinct is to grab the phaser and determine whether the weapon is still functional. She waits, however.
Collins is mission leader. T'Var assumes Collins will take the weapon, then decide which member of their party should carry it.
The doctor looks around at the carnage. Perhaps there is more than one phaser here.
Rangin pulls out the tricorder and scans the area again, just to be sure.
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
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