Lt. JG Natasha Cole - Rain, Stone, and Teeth
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Natasha Schell
Jan 9, 2026, 5:42:57 PM (6 days ago) Jan 9
to sb118-...@googlegroups.com
((Unknown Monastery - Callis 1))
Natasha sat by the fire and got to work fashioning her plan. They might not have phasers, communicators or any of the other modern conveniences that have become almost irreplaceable, but she’d be sure they could better defend themselves … if they needed too.
She started by holding one of the knives next to the top of one of the staves and started wrapping the braided material into a lashing knot securing the knife to the end. She thrust it forward and gave it a quick jerking motion to make sure it was secure. Satisfied that it was secure she continued the process with the other two knives and her own.
Looking at her handy work, she remembered doing the same thing when those three days turned into over a week. Her mother was beyond furious, like destroying a solar system level mad, Nat was convinced that was going to be the end of their family. Little did she know that wouldn’t come till Thanksgiving a few years later.
Brexis: ::Softly:: Nat, you okay?
Cole: Sorry, No Ghosts of my past. ::beat:: Just lost in a memory for a moment.
Charlotte nodded and gave Nat’s arm a gentle squeeze in comfort. Alex offered Nat a half smile and touched her shoulder with a nod.
Storm: Glad to hear it.
The Captain had finally noticed the smell of whatever had been on Storm's boot. Making a face she pointed to the boot, then to the gouges in the wall.
MacKenzie: Hopefully whatever caused that ::pointing to the boot:: isn't the same thing as what caused that ::pointing to the wall::. Otherwise, we might be in trouble.
Natasha returned to the wall and examined it again. She was no geologist, but they markings didn’t look fresh. The Captain was right though this was concerning
Cole: I’m thinking whatever it was, those doors ::pointing at the doors they entered:: had been closed after whatever made those markings ::gesturing towards the wall:: left the premises.
Brexis: The scratches look kind of old, but that doesn't mean much of anything.
Storm: I’m almost hoping that what left that mound outside IS the same creature. And I’m not crazy, I promise. Wouldn’t you rather deal with one big creature than with two totally different ones?
MacKenzie: I don't know about that...
Cole: Securing this place shouldn’t be too difficult. Those rooms Lieutenant Storm mentioned both have barred windows. The main door appears to be the only point of entry, unless whatever made those markings can somehow phase through the walls.
Charlotte looked at Nat, aghast.
Brexis: Why would you even put that kind of evil out in the universe?
Storm: Not - even - funny.
The Captain shock her head, likely because the universe wasn’t done testing them today.
The sound of the rain outside was still a steady downpour, with the semi consistent drip of water dropping for one of the vents Natasha had opened up perhaps a little too far. It was almost tranquil in a roughing it kind of way.
Until …
A furious roar was heard from outside somewhere overpowering even the rain. It didn’t sound like it was right outside, but judging by the echo it wasn’t miles away either.
Cole: ::running:: Let's get this door closed, before we get any uninvited guests.
Natasha ran over to the door and started pushing like hers and everyone else’s lives depended on it.
Brexis: Good idea.
Charlotte was on her heels, as they hit the door. They both shoved hard, Charlotte used her legs to power through, while Nat planted her feet and was pushing with her shoulder.
Storm: I’m going to close the doors to the other rooms, so the light from the fire doesn’t show through those windows.
Brexis: ::Struggling:: Come on Cole. Push.
Cole: ::grunting:: What do you … ::beat:: think I’m doing.
After a tense moment the two finally manage to close the doors. As the doors closed the two of them collapsed against the door huffing from the sudden exertion. Natasha was resting her head against the door and glanced over at Charlotte.
Brexis: We should probably make sure there aren’t any less than obvious entry points in here.
Storm: Something able to make a sound that loud and deep has to be a good size. There’s no way it could get into this room unless it can batter down the door or walls. We should probably keep our voices to a whisper, though. We don’t know what its sense of hearing is like.
MacKenzie: Cole, make sure that any other potential entrances are secure.
Natasha pushed herself upright, peeling her shoulder off the door with a quiet grunt.
Cole: ::lowering her voice:: Aye, Captain. I’ll do a sweep, anything that looks like it could be persuaded open.
She moved quickly but deliberately, checking the doors to the windowed rooms first, giving each one a firm test. Solid. Old, but solid. She glanced up at the vents she’d widened earlier, lips pressing together. She didn’t make it halfway before she heard it again.
A growl low, resonant, wrong.
Her shoulders tensed instantly.
Cole: ::under her breath:: Please be a mating ritual.
Brexis: Whatever that thing is… Is getting closer. ::beat:: and I don’t think it’s alone.
Storm: We don’t even want a little of that fire to show and call attention to us. But then again, they may smell it, in which case we’re in trouble anyway.
MacKenzie: I get the sense we may be meeting whatever it is that mucked up your shoes...
Storm: It’s circling the building.
Natasha had backed toward the door, positioning herself beside Charlotte, eyes never leaving the shadows beyond the threshold. The Captain raised her finger to her lips, and then raised her hand in a fist indicating that they were all to freeze.
MacKenzie: ::mouthing:: Don't move.
Natasha nodded once, slow and controlled. She shifted her stance, feet planted wide, shoulder angling into the door again.
Cole: ::whispering to Charlotte:: If they test this door, it won’t be gentle.
Brexis. Response
Storm: ::Mouthing the words to MacKenzie and Cole:: ~~Maybe they’ve gone?~~
As soon as Alex did, the loudest growl they had heard yet shook the building. Dust cascaded from the cracks between the stones that made up the walls. Another growl echoed directly opposite the first. The Captain gestured to Charlotte and Nat to get the makeshift weapons.
Natasha reacted first and sprinted towards the pile of makeshift spears scooping two up as she spun around heading back towards the doors.
Brexis: Response
Storm: ::Holding her head in both of her palms.:: They’re here. ::Pointing at her head.:: Here!
Natasha swallowed hard, glancing toward Alex with concern before looking back to the door. The Captain consoling Alex as best she could, whispered something to her.
((OOC: Omitting the actual dialog since it would be inaudible.))
MacKenzie: Are they telepathic? Is that what triggered them?
Cole: ::quiet, steady:: If they can sense us like that… firelight might already be a beacon.
Another growl echoed outside—this one lower, longer. Almost… curious.
Brexis/Storm: Response
The Captain turned her attention to Cole and Brexis near the door. She pointed definitively, tugged on her ear, then raised her arms in question.
MacKenzie: ::mouthing:: Can you hear them?
As Natasha leaned her ear against the door, a thunderous impact slammed into it from the outside. Hitting with enough force she could smell its breath in the air. In that instant Natasha felt the world slow for the briefest of moments as her feet left the ground.
The force drove the breath from Natasha’s lungs as the door buckled inward. She was thrown backward, several meters across the stone floor before slamming shoulder-first into a low pillar. Her spear clattered away, skidding out of reach.
She gasped, trying to get air as her vision flashing white.
Before she could fully recover, a second, heavier THUD reverberated through the monastery walls. Dust rained down from the ceiling.
Cole: ::hoarse, forcing the words out:: Door’s holding… for now!
The creatures didn’t break through. Instead, the pressure eased—just enough to feel deliberate. Testing. Measuring.
Natasha dragged herself upright, using the pillar for leverage. Her shoulder screamed in protest. She ignored it.
Cole: ::breathing hard:: They’re strong… but they’re not committing. Not yet.
There was another growl, though this one lower... Almost less menacing. It was much different than the one before it, and almost seemed like it wasn't quite as close.
Brexis/Storm/MacKenzie: Response
Another impact hit the door—not as hard this time. Almost… restrained.
Cole: ::grim realization dawning:: They’re learning.
Brexis/Storm/MacKenzie: Response
Natasha’s knees suddenly felt weak. She took a step forward and the world began to tilt. The last thing she registered before darkness crept in was the smell.
Hot. Wet. Meaty.
Cole: ::thought, distant:: That breath… wasn’t a herbivore’s.
Her vision tunneled. The floor rushed up … and then, nothing.
Brexis/Storm/MacKenzie: Response
Tags/TBC
-----
Lt. JG Natasha Cole
Security Officer
USS Artemis-A
Writer ID A240205NC4
Natasha sat by the fire and got to work fashioning her plan. They might not have phasers, communicators or any of the other modern conveniences that have become almost irreplaceable, but she’d be sure they could better defend themselves … if they needed too.
She started by holding one of the knives next to the top of one of the staves and started wrapping the braided material into a lashing knot securing the knife to the end. She thrust it forward and gave it a quick jerking motion to make sure it was secure. Satisfied that it was secure she continued the process with the other two knives and her own.
Looking at her handy work, she remembered doing the same thing when those three days turned into over a week. Her mother was beyond furious, like destroying a solar system level mad, Nat was convinced that was going to be the end of their family. Little did she know that wouldn’t come till Thanksgiving a few years later.
Brexis: ::Softly:: Nat, you okay?
Cole: Sorry, No Ghosts of my past. ::beat:: Just lost in a memory for a moment.
Charlotte nodded and gave Nat’s arm a gentle squeeze in comfort. Alex offered Nat a half smile and touched her shoulder with a nod.
Storm: Glad to hear it.
The Captain had finally noticed the smell of whatever had been on Storm's boot. Making a face she pointed to the boot, then to the gouges in the wall.
MacKenzie: Hopefully whatever caused that ::pointing to the boot:: isn't the same thing as what caused that ::pointing to the wall::. Otherwise, we might be in trouble.
Natasha returned to the wall and examined it again. She was no geologist, but they markings didn’t look fresh. The Captain was right though this was concerning
Cole: I’m thinking whatever it was, those doors ::pointing at the doors they entered:: had been closed after whatever made those markings ::gesturing towards the wall:: left the premises.
Brexis: The scratches look kind of old, but that doesn't mean much of anything.
Storm: I’m almost hoping that what left that mound outside IS the same creature. And I’m not crazy, I promise. Wouldn’t you rather deal with one big creature than with two totally different ones?
MacKenzie: I don't know about that...
Cole: Securing this place shouldn’t be too difficult. Those rooms Lieutenant Storm mentioned both have barred windows. The main door appears to be the only point of entry, unless whatever made those markings can somehow phase through the walls.
Charlotte looked at Nat, aghast.
Brexis: Why would you even put that kind of evil out in the universe?
Storm: Not - even - funny.
The Captain shock her head, likely because the universe wasn’t done testing them today.
The sound of the rain outside was still a steady downpour, with the semi consistent drip of water dropping for one of the vents Natasha had opened up perhaps a little too far. It was almost tranquil in a roughing it kind of way.
Until …
A furious roar was heard from outside somewhere overpowering even the rain. It didn’t sound like it was right outside, but judging by the echo it wasn’t miles away either.
Cole: ::running:: Let's get this door closed, before we get any uninvited guests.
Natasha ran over to the door and started pushing like hers and everyone else’s lives depended on it.
Brexis: Good idea.
Charlotte was on her heels, as they hit the door. They both shoved hard, Charlotte used her legs to power through, while Nat planted her feet and was pushing with her shoulder.
Storm: I’m going to close the doors to the other rooms, so the light from the fire doesn’t show through those windows.
Brexis: ::Struggling:: Come on Cole. Push.
Cole: ::grunting:: What do you … ::beat:: think I’m doing.
After a tense moment the two finally manage to close the doors. As the doors closed the two of them collapsed against the door huffing from the sudden exertion. Natasha was resting her head against the door and glanced over at Charlotte.
Brexis: We should probably make sure there aren’t any less than obvious entry points in here.
Storm: Something able to make a sound that loud and deep has to be a good size. There’s no way it could get into this room unless it can batter down the door or walls. We should probably keep our voices to a whisper, though. We don’t know what its sense of hearing is like.
MacKenzie: Cole, make sure that any other potential entrances are secure.
Natasha pushed herself upright, peeling her shoulder off the door with a quiet grunt.
Cole: ::lowering her voice:: Aye, Captain. I’ll do a sweep, anything that looks like it could be persuaded open.
She moved quickly but deliberately, checking the doors to the windowed rooms first, giving each one a firm test. Solid. Old, but solid. She glanced up at the vents she’d widened earlier, lips pressing together. She didn’t make it halfway before she heard it again.
A growl low, resonant, wrong.
Her shoulders tensed instantly.
Cole: ::under her breath:: Please be a mating ritual.
Brexis: Whatever that thing is… Is getting closer. ::beat:: and I don’t think it’s alone.
Storm: We don’t even want a little of that fire to show and call attention to us. But then again, they may smell it, in which case we’re in trouble anyway.
MacKenzie: I get the sense we may be meeting whatever it is that mucked up your shoes...
Storm: It’s circling the building.
Natasha had backed toward the door, positioning herself beside Charlotte, eyes never leaving the shadows beyond the threshold. The Captain raised her finger to her lips, and then raised her hand in a fist indicating that they were all to freeze.
MacKenzie: ::mouthing:: Don't move.
Natasha nodded once, slow and controlled. She shifted her stance, feet planted wide, shoulder angling into the door again.
Cole: ::whispering to Charlotte:: If they test this door, it won’t be gentle.
Brexis. Response
Storm: ::Mouthing the words to MacKenzie and Cole:: ~~Maybe they’ve gone?~~
As soon as Alex did, the loudest growl they had heard yet shook the building. Dust cascaded from the cracks between the stones that made up the walls. Another growl echoed directly opposite the first. The Captain gestured to Charlotte and Nat to get the makeshift weapons.
Natasha reacted first and sprinted towards the pile of makeshift spears scooping two up as she spun around heading back towards the doors.
Brexis: Response
Storm: ::Holding her head in both of her palms.:: They’re here. ::Pointing at her head.:: Here!
Natasha swallowed hard, glancing toward Alex with concern before looking back to the door. The Captain consoling Alex as best she could, whispered something to her.
((OOC: Omitting the actual dialog since it would be inaudible.))
MacKenzie: Are they telepathic? Is that what triggered them?
Cole: ::quiet, steady:: If they can sense us like that… firelight might already be a beacon.
Another growl echoed outside—this one lower, longer. Almost… curious.
Brexis/Storm: Response
The Captain turned her attention to Cole and Brexis near the door. She pointed definitively, tugged on her ear, then raised her arms in question.
MacKenzie: ::mouthing:: Can you hear them?
As Natasha leaned her ear against the door, a thunderous impact slammed into it from the outside. Hitting with enough force she could smell its breath in the air. In that instant Natasha felt the world slow for the briefest of moments as her feet left the ground.
The force drove the breath from Natasha’s lungs as the door buckled inward. She was thrown backward, several meters across the stone floor before slamming shoulder-first into a low pillar. Her spear clattered away, skidding out of reach.
She gasped, trying to get air as her vision flashing white.
Before she could fully recover, a second, heavier THUD reverberated through the monastery walls. Dust rained down from the ceiling.
Cole: ::hoarse, forcing the words out:: Door’s holding… for now!
The creatures didn’t break through. Instead, the pressure eased—just enough to feel deliberate. Testing. Measuring.
Natasha dragged herself upright, using the pillar for leverage. Her shoulder screamed in protest. She ignored it.
Cole: ::breathing hard:: They’re strong… but they’re not committing. Not yet.
There was another growl, though this one lower... Almost less menacing. It was much different than the one before it, and almost seemed like it wasn't quite as close.
Brexis/Storm/MacKenzie: Response
Another impact hit the door—not as hard this time. Almost… restrained.
Cole: ::grim realization dawning:: They’re learning.
Brexis/Storm/MacKenzie: Response
Natasha’s knees suddenly felt weak. She took a step forward and the world began to tilt. The last thing she registered before darkness crept in was the smell.
Hot. Wet. Meaty.
Cole: ::thought, distant:: That breath… wasn’t a herbivore’s.
Her vision tunneled. The floor rushed up … and then, nothing.
Brexis/Storm/MacKenzie: Response
Tags/TBC
-----
Lt. JG Natasha Cole
Security Officer
USS Artemis-A
Writer ID A240205NC4
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