[JP] MSNPCs Saka & Enox - So nice of you to join us
Leenaya Edrei
(( Crashed Ship Site, Mountains, Ah'rak IV ))
It had been a day full of twists and turns so far. Saka's only concern when he had woken up this morning had been arranging transport to Va'lox this weekend for a meeting. But the logistics were a whole ordeal. As if getting out of the mountains wasn't already so difficult, he still had to do it discreetly to evade the government's surveillance of his group and him. Every move proved risky, but the mountains made for a fine hiding spot for their operation center. High and hard to reach, they had been able to blend into the background there. But now, that sat at the back of his mind as he watched the live feed from the news channel.
News Reporter 2: So, are you suggesting that the legends are all a lie?
Panel Pundit 2: Not necessarily, but I think we don’t know the whole story. Let’s not let our response to these new visitors be colored by the experiences of myths and stories told by a bunch of frightened primitives.
Panel Pundit 1: I can’t believe I’m hearing this……
Enox snorted derisively from across the room and switched the channel to a news station more sympathetic to their views.
Angry Pundit: Look! Look at that one right there!
News footage of one of the aliens appeared on the screen - zoomed in to a young woman with brown hair and pointy ears wearing a yellow uniform.
Angry Pundit: She looks exactly like how we know the oppressors looked! You cannot tell me that is anything but them, and they're back again to invade us all!
Angry Pundit's Co-host: No, you're right, you're right...
The aliens had arrived. It had been both a surprise and not - the ancient ship they'd elected as their home and headquarters provided them with advanced technologies, and they were able to detect the orbiting vessel when it arrived on Ah'rak. What he hadn't expected, though, was them teleporting right on the surface of the planet. They thought the newcomers would take a shuttle down, giving his team time to track them. That's what the oppressors had done 2 000 years ago, after all. He turned to Enox.
Saka: Any news from Mona and Rik?
Enox: ::eyes glued to the news feed:: No. They probably can't even get close with all the people.
Saka cursed and let himself fall back on his chair in frustration. He'd sent people to take care of the situation urgently, and radio silence usually meant they had been arrested. This wasn't unexpected - unplanned operations carried a bigger risk of getting caught. Of course, Enox's hypothesis was also a possibility, but it was taking too long.
Saka: I don't think so. Get Sadra to look into police records and see if we can get them out. Hopefully law enforcement will be too busy with the aliens.
He had little hope, as his group had been actively against space travel and the hyperdrive that was being developed. The government wouldn't let them go easily after they sabotaged part of their research in the last few years.
Enox: ::sighing and rolling his eyes:: On it, boss.
Saka's eyes darted back to the screen, staring at the clips of the weird aliens. One of them was especially peculiar, with his feline look. Two others were another species entirely. As for the last one... That girl looked way too much like the Vulcans he'd learned about in history books.They were apparently being received privately by Madra and the whole incompetent gang. Meanwhile, the news channel resorted to looping the images continuously while experts appeared on the set, trying to read their body language, the global implications of their arrival and the exciting prospects it could mean for everyone. The more he watched it, the more Saka's anger was rising.
Saka: That's a load of-
A distant sound that seemed to echo interrupted his thought. He turned his head to the direction it seemed to have come from, frowning.
Saka: What was that?
Enox: ::disinterested:: Probably just the lurnrats again.
The place was infested with them and it had only gotten worse since they'd set up shop, like their mere presence attracted the pests. Enox missed the city. He stabbed at his klak soup. The klak were horribly bitter to eat right off the plant and needed to be cured before they were fit to eat. Unfortunately it was about the only thing there was to eat down here because stupid Old Man Jessupp liked them so much.
Saka: ::grunting:: Freaking lurnrats. We'll have to do something about them before they wreck the storage rooms again.
There was another loud clattering sound from approximately the same place, and this time Enox also turned and frowned in its general direction.
Enox: That sounded like something falling.
Saka straightened up in his chair, alert. It was too much noise in too little time for it to be normal.
Saka: Definitely not the pests.
Enox swung around to the surveillance screen and started flipping through the cameras.
Enox: Oh hell no.
The one on the botany bay showed four figures exiting a maintenance hatch, looking around the room, marveling over the disgusting klak and picking them. They were dressed in the same sort of uniforms the aliens were. Anger shot through him, and fear, though Enox kind of hoped one of the idiots would be stupid enough to try to eat a fresh klak so he could laugh at them.
Saka: How did they find- ::pause:: Crap. The signal. ::he turned to Enox:: They know about the signal.
It was the only logical explanation. How else could have the aliens found them when the government had tried for so long? The only thing that didn't add up was how they detected it. They'd been careful to conceal it, away from the government's frequencies to remain hidden. They somehow must have the means to determine the specific one they'd used, which wasn't a part of his plans, either. This day was definitely going from bad to worse.
Enox's eye widened and he made suddenly towards a control panel.
Enox: I'm going to turn it off!
Saka glanced back at the botany bay's surveillance screen. He was fuming inside. They dared come to their planet trying to make friends with the government, but send a team incognito somewhere else. Classic colonialist behavior, really. But suddenly, the prospect of the invaders breaking into their operation center started to make him smile. Rik and Mona had failed to reach the diplomacy team and he had thought their plan over. But now, here were four of them, handed to Enox and him on a silver platter. The other good news was that the aliens didn't seem to be aware of their presence. They had the advantage of surprise, and they knew the area like the back of their hand.
Saka: The hell we are. The ship is set to crash soon anyway. That would be a pity if we let them disrupt that, wouldn't it?
Hesitantly, Enox paused and sat back down in his seat.
Enox: I suppose.
Saka rose from his chair, grabbed his gun that rested on the table and grinned. He almost felt giddy at the idea of getting his hands on the oppressors, now.
Saka: Let's make them think they'll get what they want. Open the hatch toward the left wing, cut the power there and let's go greet them. I'll grab the others.
Enox: Alright, make sure they all come.
He quickly cut the power, and soon Saka was back with the boys - a dozen more men strapped with weapons. They moved quickly and efficiently through the corridors, taking the long way to intercept them after the derelict labs. There was only one door that the aliens could take to continue on to the source of the signal, so Enox and Saka positioned themselves behind it. Because it was so old and rusty, it never fully closed and stayed slighly ajar, Thanks to the surrounding darkness, as well as the aliens' dumb chatting, they went unnoticed and could even get a glimpse at what was happening inside.
Is’Kah: Commander, there are too many variables at play here. I am 95% certain that we are not alone. I would prefer to retreat and return with better equipment and more security personnel.
T’Ama/Koyama/Edrei: response
Saka rolled his eyes. Even though the aliens' ignorance played in their favour, he couldn't believe how stupid they were for realizing only now that they weren't alone. Maybe they had just been rocked too close to the wall as babies, who knew?
But it wasn't really the point, especially at that moment. He sighed and shook his head, before gesturing to the others. In one smooth movement, he banged his fist against the panel to open the door before falling in line behind the others who made their way into the room, yelling at the aliens to drop their weapons and get their hands in the air.
He took his sweet time walking toward them. They were surrounded by his team members, and he couldn't refrain from a smile.
Saka: Well well well, who do we have here? How nice of you to visit.
Enox: ::sneering:: Nice and easy now. Put down your weapons and nobody'll get hurt..
Is'Kah/Koyama/Edrei/T'Ama: Response
Tags/TBC
as simmed by
Lieutenant Leenaya Edrei
Terrorist
as simmed by
Lt. Commander T'Ama Chief of Operations & Second Officer USS Chin'toka C240004T11