Lt. Commander Toxin Arlill - Where the Stars are Borne
Toxin Arlill
((Project Site Central Habitat, Marohu III))
Enak: They’re not mine to give over either. And besides, they’re mostly worthless to you.
Katsim: We don’t know much about them either.
Vuq: Oh, but my dear, you have already provided far more information than you realise, and you have set us on a course to some answers.
oO How long have they been watching? Oo
It was then that Toxin remembered why he'd brought his TriPadd with him. Ever since Henri had discovered the ability to transfer into PADDs, he'd been begging to come along for away missions again. The two of them had decided some time ago that Henri residing in Toxin's brain for long periods caused problems—repairable ones, but distracting when focus was necessary. Like, oh, maybe when serving as the leader of an away team. And what a great team leader he was turning out to be, with a phaser pointed at his head and both his team and their hosts in danger.
The TriPADD vibrated subtly in its satchel by Toxin's side, almost imperceptibly. Toxin had no doubt that Henri was aware of their predicament. Thanks to modifications made to his TriPADD under Stella's guidance, Toxin now had the ability to bring Henri along on missions. The added 1.85 GHz antenna even allowed him to transfer Henri into his mind when needed.
Immediately following the vibration, Toxin could feel Henri’s presence, like he’s just knocked on the door and welcomed himself in.
Henri: oO Are you ok Tox?? Oo
Henri realized Toxin couldn't answer aloud, but they'd developed a coded technique for basic responses. Toxin bent his middle finger toward his palm and tapped three times—their signal that he was not alright. Through their connection, Henri could sense the barrel of the weapon pressed against Toxin's head.
Riley: Response
JoNz:::groans::
Jumping back into the TriPADD momentarily, Henri tried contacting the ship, but the TriPADD wasn’t powerful enough to escape the caverns they now were trapped in. Returning to Toxin’s mind…
Henri: oO Tox, we’re on our own, can’t send a signal to the OEB. How can I help? Oo
When situations required, morse code became the default, for the more complex messages. Toxin tapped, “ .... --- .-.. -.. into his palm.
Henri: oO Ok, I’ll keep an ear out for any additional surprises. ::beat:: holding Tox. Oo
Enak: My team and I were never able to figure it out, and you expect me to believe that you’ll be able to figure out how to activate them?
Vuq: They have more value to us than you think.
Arlill: Why? ::beat:: what makes them so valuable?
The pressure against his head released, but the relief was only temporary. Toxin felt the sharp pain of a weapon butt slamming into his back. Grateful for all those extra hours in the gym, he didn't flinch.
Riley: Response
JoNz: ::glares at the mercenary who hit her::
Enak: So what, you steal the artifacts, and then sell them to some stupid collector who just looks at them once in a blue moon? Have you no pride in what you collect?
One of them hit the head archaeologist in the gut. Toxin felt like he'd prefer a punch to the gut over the spine. These people were beginning to anger him.
Katsim: Don’t.
Arlill: Enak, with all due respect, learn when to shut up.
Riley: Response
Toxin could tell that last hit had taken a toll on Enak. While he wasn't directly Toxin's responsibility since he wasn't part of his team, they'd been sent there to help, and Toxin couldn't help but feel responsible for any injuries anyone sustained.
Enak: Probably deserved that.
Katsim: Leave him alone.
JoNz: ::flat on her back and looking up, speaks in a low tone to her attacker:: Whoa. Are you seeing this mosaic carving on the cave ceiling?
Enak: ::quietly:: Thank you.
Finally feeling some freedom from the weapon directly pushing into his head, now just trained him from behind, he looked down to the ensign.
Arlill: Are you alright ensign? ::looking up:: Interesting, maybe it means something?
Riley: Response
Vuq: Let’s see, leave him alone and go with empty hands? No. You are going to finish what you started.
Enak: And how do you plan on having us do that?
Toxin put up his hands in front of him slowly, his palms open, his fingers extended. An attempt to stop the continued attacks on Enak.
Arlill: We’re not going to solve this if you keep hitting us. ::beat:: we need time to think.
Riley: Response
JoNz: ::stays put on the cavern floor for now::
Vuq: Finish what you started. You cracked the code. Where does it lead? You don’t have to show me. I can just shoot your friend here instead, and after that, the rest of them. You gave a start, I’m sure it wouldn’t take me too long to figure out the rest. Or, you could make this go a lot faster, and do what I tell you.
Toxin was getting a little sick and tired of this guy threatening him and his team, but what was he to do, he couldn’t attack them, they were outnumbered, and his own Type I phaser was tucked away in his belt line, unlikely to be easily seen, but also difficult to pull without being shot.
Enak: Christ on a motorbike. You don’t need to be so aggressive.
oO He’s never going to learn. Oo
Henri: oO What is wrong with him, doesn’t he know when to shut up. Oo
Toxin smirked a little, in all the chaos a warm moment remembering how much he and Henri had learned from each other being together for so long.
Riley: Response
Vuq: Well?
Katsim: It’s a puzzle. A puzzle that has to be solved to go any further.
Enak: Any ideas as to how to solve it? This is the most progress I’ve made.
Arlill: You’re right Peri, look there ::pointing to a starting point in what appeared to be a radial pattern:: Those words, what do they say?
Riley: Response
JoNz: ::spits out blood::
Toxin's attention was drawn back to the Caitian ensign who appeared worse than he expected, likely suffering from internal injuries—and he didn't have a medic.
Enak: Got the fun out of your system?
Riley/Katsim/Vuq: Response
JoNs: Why do you need us to unlock these secrets?
Enak: Because for all his bluster, he can’t actually figure it out.
Arlill: ::looking towards Enak:: Listen, if you want to get yourself killed, keep it up, but for the love of the gods, stop it before you get my team killed.
Riley/Katsim/Vuq: Response
His stern warning seemed to finally register with the archaeologist, at least for the moment.
Enak: Well, what does the pattern say? Anyone have any ideas?
Henri: oO Are those astrological signs? Oo
Toxin realized Henri was right. Before he could voice this observation, however, his team jumped in—as did the mercenary leader.
Riley/Katsim/Vuq/JoNz: Response
The leader seemed impatient, oO Do they have somewhere to be? Why the rush? Are they up against a deadline? Oo
Enak: These things take time, sir. We can’t just wish a solution out of the ether.
Arlill: It might be easier to concentrate without guns pointed at our heads. ::beat:: Look, we're all trapped in here, and you have all the weapons. What could we possibly do? ::beat:: I just want what you want—to keep my team safe. Let us work together. We'll find better solutions that way.
Riley/Katsim/Vuq/JoNz: Response
Although the threat remained, the lowered weapons provided some relief, and the team turned their focus to the task at hand.
Enak: Could it be related to the position of the planet in relation to its star? I wasn’t paying too much attention to the planetary bodies when we first came in.
Arlill: That was something Hen… ::beat:: I was wondering, something I was wondering, do those look like astrological patterns?
Riley/Katsim/Vuq/JoNz: Response
Arlill: This is a process ::turning to Vuq:: We’re getting there, give us time. Please.
The impatience of this threatening individual was wearing thin on Toxin. He wanted this guy gone, maybe not dead, but definitely no longer threatening his people... oh, and Enak.
Enak/Riley/Katsim/Vuq/JoNz: Response
Arlill: Everything else so far worked with focusing our minds on specific imagery, is it possible this is similar? ::beat:: What if we close our eyes and imagine these constellations, what they look like, where they might be?
Toxin wasn't the scientist here, but the devices had worked for him before. As he focused on the first pattern, it began to glow. Perhaps it had something to do with the Alpha Brenvicki computer interfacing with him.
Enak/Riley/Katsim/Vuq/JoNz: Response
Opening his eyes, he looked up and saw the singular pattern glowing.
Henri: oO Ok, nice job, I’m impressed Tox. Remind me to buy you a beer if we ever get out of here. Oo
Tapping into his palm, -- .- -.- . / .. - / .- / -.. --- ..- -... .-.. . (make it a double)
Henri: oO Oh, ok! Oo
Arlill: What if we all try?
Enak/Riley/Katsim/Vuq/JoNz: Response
((ooc: I didn't progress it far, I am sorry, but I have a reception I'm helping setup for tomorrow but didn't want to go too long in between my sim responses. ))
Lieutenant Commander Toxin Arlill
Chief of Operations (First Officer Pro-Tem)
USS Octavia E, Butler NCC-82850
Writer ID.: O239910TA4