Lieutenant JG Charlotte Brexis - The Tingles of Danger
Charlotte Brexis
(( Monastery Basement - Callis 1 ))
MacKenzie: Do we dare see where it leads?
Brexis: That sounded like less of a question and more of a ‘who goes in first’ situation.
It was obvious she was less distressed than before. Something down in the basement was different.
Cole: Considering the hit to my head earlier and my arm, I’m feeling surprisingly … energized. That’s weird, Right?
Storm: My shoulder is still rather sore, but I could go for a while yet.
MacKenzie: I’m not exactly tired now, either. ::gesturing:: After you… Same formation.
oO I get eaten first. Got it.Oo
Brexis: ::Holding up her hand:: Wait just a second. ::Turning to Alex:: ~~ Does your head hurt less down here?~~
Cole: Do we have an estimate on how long we've been stranded? ::grimacing slightly as she did the math:: I’m guessing five or six hours— unless I was out longer than I thought.
Storm: ::To Brexis:: ~~ No, it doesn’t. But is it safe to use telepathy - even here? ~~
She smiled softly and shrugged, being able to communicate telepathically without the searing pain from before was a nice reprieve. She only hoped I was the same for Alex.
Brexis: Captain I don’t know why, but it seems I am able to communicate with Lieutenant Storm down here without any interference. ::Gesturing vaguely:: Maybe something about the basement?
Cole: Could there be something in the stone, like a mineral of some kind that’s acting like a natural buffer?
Storm: It’s possible. Or that we’re underground. Something about the density … and dirt?
The Captain seemed rather unenthused with Charlotte and Alex making a telepathic connection after being told not to. There of course was a risk, one she hadn’t thought through very clearly but the excitement of getting clear communication outweighed that in the moment.
MacKenzie: I’d rather assume that nowhere is safe and be proven pleasantly surprised.. Can you sense the creatures?
She shook her head.
Brexis: No. I don’t sense them at all. ::Shrugging:: I will keep my guard up, but I think down here we are okay. ::Gesturing forward:: Shall we?
Charlotte took point and headed into the passageway.
Cole: ::Gesturing for Alex and the Captain to follow suit:: After you, Sir’s.
Storm: Do you see anything up there?
Charlotte held her torch out in front of her, to fill as much of the passageway as possible with light. Charlotte began to notice the humidity lessen as they got further in, which was a small relief.
Brexis: Just a straight and narrow path for now.
Cole: ::low voice:: If this tunnel loops or narrows, should we pull back, or push forward.
Storm: I think we should push forward, but it’s not my call.
She was in agreement with Alex. They couldn’t just not keep going. Who knew what was going to be on the other end of the path.
MacKenzie: I mean, what’s the worst that happens at this point? We run into one of those creatures?
Brexis: At least we know about the size of them. ::beat:: Actually that doesn’t make me feel better. Forget I said anything.
The air around them continued to grow cooler. The only sounds heard were their boots on the stones underneath them.
Cole: ::quiet, but steady:: Whatever lived here… this was its refuge. And refugees usually exist because something worse is outside.
Storm: But I don’t think it was always that way, though. They wouldn’t have been able to build the city if they had always been terrorized by those creatures. Something happened. Either those creatures weren’t always wild and dangerous, or they weren’t always here.
Brexis: Or the people did something they shouldn’t have to make the creatures aggressive. There are a number of possibilities.
As they moved even further into the secret tunnel, Charlotte's torch caught sight of something up ahead. Storm spoke before she had a chance.
Storm: Is that a door?
MacKenzie: Begging to be opened,, I’m sure…
Brexis: Ain’t that what doors are usually for though?
She was mostly teasing of course.
Cole: We’ve come this far.
As they reached the door, they found it to be already slightly ajar. Storm moved up next to Charlotte, knives at the ready.
Storm: It’s metal. ::Alex gave the door one low solid thud with the side of her fist against the metal:: It sounds like it’s reinforced.
The center of the door had a wheel on it, Charlotte reached out and felt it, seeing how easily it would turn.
Storm: And this wheel, see the side of the door. When the wheel is turned, it inserts pins into this doorframe.
Alex turned to the frame on the other side.
Storm: And I’m betting you these pins go all the way into the rock, too. If need be, we should be able to secure it.
MacKenzie: Good news. Shall we head out and take a look?
Brexis: We shall.
((Forest’s Edge, Callus I))
Alex and Charlotte edged their heads out the door to get quick looks of the surrounding area.
There were no creature presences she could feel, which relaxed her enough to take in the sight of the trees with bioluminescent patches on their sides, lightly illuminating the area around them.
Storm: If something large were out there nearby, I would hear something. Either Charlotte or I would likely sense it.
Everyone filed out of the doorway and into the openness of the outside.
MacKenzie: You know, it’s almost peaceful out here without those things…
Cole: It looks like a beautiful place to camp.
She turned to Nat with an incredulous look.
Brexis: You say that like you didn’t just see ::gesturing behind her:: the bones of the things that live out here. ::pointing to Cole:: You’re crazier than I thought.
Storm: Response
After being told not to use her telepathy– and not wanting to push her luck– she looked around at everyone to gauge how they were doing. But the quick turn of the captain's head made her laser focused on the commanding officer.
MacKenzie: Follow me!
MacKenzie took off into the forest, Charlotte had no second thought or hesitation to set pace right behind her, as did Nat. They stopped once orienting themselves to something. But that’s when Charlotte heard it. A faint tapping on metal.
They headed towards the sound, finding an escape pod. The door wasn’t in its natural state and the Captain started pulling at the door.
MacKenzie: Help me. …preferably only with your good shoulders.
Nat jammed the end of the torch into the ground before breaking off a branch and using it as a wedge to pry the door. Charlotte grabbed onto another section and prepared to pull.
MacKenzie: On three. One, two, three!
The metal groaned as the pulled and wedged at it. Charlotte put one foot on the outside of the pod as she yanked at the door. It finally bent enough to let whoever or whatever was inside–out.
MacKenzie peered inside and held out her hand. A lone crewmember emerged. A suliban.
MacKenzie: Who are you?
Syn: Response
MacKenzie: I’m Captain MacKenzie, ::gesturing:: Lieutenant Storm, Brexis, Cole.
Nat lifted her hand in an almost awkward wave.
Cole: Cole. Security. ::beat, gently:: You look like you took the landing about as well as the pod did.
Brexis: Brexis. Strategic Operations.
She didn’t need to add anything else. The poor thing was probably shaken up and hopefully relieved at being rescued after being stuck in there.
Storm/Syn: Response
MacKenzie: Unfortunately none of the technology works here, but we’ve managed to find refuge nearby. You’ll want to grab the rations from the pod. ::pointing forward:: We were just about to explore the forest. Have you heard of any loud creatures out here?
Syn: Response
Cole: ::to MacKenzie:: Sir, we should probably salvage what supplies we can from the pod. If this one held together better, there’s a chance non-electronic supplies made it through, rations, thermal blankets, maybe even emergency tools.
It was a high hope, but a hope nonetheless.
Brexis: Do you want me to look? Don’t hurt yourself any worse.
Storm/Syn/MacKenzie: Response
Nat had already crouched down near the pod.
Cole: ::calling back over her shoulder:: I’ll do a quick sweep. No heroics, just inventory and hazards.
Charlotte kicked the bottom of Nat’s boot, trying to get her attention, but she looked up at the newcomer.
Cole: You don’t have to help if you’re hurt. But if you’re able, two sets of hands will make this faster.
With a roll of her eyes she held up her hands in surrender.
Brexis: I’ll just hold the torch so you can see.
Storm/Syn/MacKenzie: Response
Natasha began to pull out the items she could find, placing them in a neat stack.
Cole: :: up towards the opening to the group:: This should buy us time. Which feels like luxury.
With a bit of a shrug, Charlotte nodded.
Cole: ::to Syn:: You’re safe with us. We’ll figure out the rest together.
Something in Cole’s tone felt off, but she wasn’t about to push the issue. It wasn’t the time nor the place.
Brexis: She’s right. We’ve survived this long. So we must be doing something right.
Storm/Syn/MacKenzie/Cole: Response
In an attempt to get her bearings she looked around, spotting the door they emerged through off in the near distance.
Brexis: Which way do we want to go? I don’t think we should travel too far from our sanctuary.
Storm/Syn/MacKenzie/Cole: Response
She glanced between the others and gave a firm nod. As she did, a small tingle hit the base of her skull. She held up her hand.
Brexis: Wait.::Closing her eyes:: I feel something. ::Turning to Alex:: I’m trying to block it out, but that feeling is coming back.
Storm/Syn/MacKenzie/Cole: Response
The tingle pulsed. Getting worse and then lessening a bit.
Brexis: I think our big bad creature friends are lurking. Not very close, but close enough to make my head feel off.
Storm/Syn/MacKenzie/Cole: Response
TAGS/TBC!
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Lieutenant JG Charlotte Brexis
Strategic Operations