Lt. Commander Samira Neathler - Liquefied
Samira Neathler
(( Gateway Room - Gibaria Outpost ))
Following their noses, the threesome had finally reached the gateway room. If they had encountered different kinds of vines and flora and other horrible things and beings before, the whole room and the arch that formed the gate held another version of the vines they had encountered so far. Finch had discovered a gallery on a higher level, giving those who stood there the opportunity to observe everything that went through the gate, either to the other side or whatever returned.
All they needed was a way to get up there, while not using an elevator lift because Vylaa had warned them about a possible power surge that could disrupt the working of any bit of technology connected to the power grid. Even though the gate itself was held open by an unknown power source coming from the other side, the other technology in the room was still a risk.
She walked towards a panel underneath the box. The rim of a display was visible behind a thick vine. Though when she approached the vine, one of the flowery outcrops puffed and a cloud of spores floated towards her and she started coughing.
Neathler: Careful…
Her nose itched and she had to sneeze a few times.
Espinoza: Bless you, Commander.
From somewhere out of her uniform Doz procured a hanky and handed it over. One look and the tissue disappeared into an unused pocket. By the looks of it, it had been used cleaning something while doing an engineering job and Samira didn’t want any grease on her face.
Finch: Here you are, love.
Samira waved the polls away but they only dispersed further into the room. Ethan who had been at another side of the room paused and looked at them.
Espinoza: What did you say?
Finch: I didn’t say anything, Ensign. Although I might have been rambling away to myself about the panel, it has been known to happen on occasion.
Finch chuckled and shook her head. Samira swallowed, it was warm in this room.
Neathler: I’ve not said a thing either.
The younger man frowned and his lips pursed before he focussed on the beam of his flashlight and Samira continued her own tour around the room, keeping some distance between herself on those spore spewing pods. She still felt some tickling in her nose.
Espinoza: I think there’s a maintenance hatch behind this, Commanders.
Finch: Marvellous! Excellent find! It might be just what we need. Reckon it's accessible?
Samira walked over and she saw Ethan nudged a vine with the end of his flashlight. With a quivering motion the flora retreated as if it already knew what he wanted and a hatch appeared with some text next to it. Looking up, they stood somewhat to the left from the gallery above them.
Espinoza: I think if we’re real careful, we might just be able to - ::with his inflection remaining the same:: the voice is not a voice but a turning. The thought arrives unfinished, unfinished, unfinished. We speak in the shape of your breath. Could I have a hand, Commanders?
Finch: What did he say, Commander?
Neathler: I’m not sure. Something about a voice and something unfinished?
Finch: I thought he did. ::She gently held the ensign's elbow and pulled him to face them both.:: Mister Espinoza, are you quite alright to continue?
Just like Doz, Samira examined the ensign from a distance. She saw no signs of the vines on him but something was off.
Espinoza: Response
Doz switched her torch for her tricorder and moved the device in front of Ethan.
Finch: It’s difficult to get any sort of precise reading due to our proximity to the gate. If you’re absolutely certain that you don’t feel any different, we’ll make way. I can blame rambling on my age, but this is a tad different.
Neathler: Are you feeling okay? Something unusual?
Espinoza: Response
Maybe the presence of the open gateway had something to do with it. Even though all three of them were humans, someone might be more perceptive to odd beings or voices. She narrowed her eyes. Maybe it was an age thing? Suddenly, a crackling sound echoed through the room, and Samira pivoted around, looking for someone approaching them. But the voice had been too mechanical to come from a real person. Spotting nobody else around, her gaze shifted towards the mechanical suit near the entrance and the vined creature.
Voice in the speaker: Hello? Are…are you here to help us? I’m…I’m in the gallery. Uh...up above.
She looked at Ethan.
Neathler: Was that the voice you heard earlier?
Espinoza: Response
Samira nodded and looked at the hatch. A bigger vine still covered it. Like Ethan had done earlier, she used the back of her rifle to touch it and somewhat reluctantly and slower than the one earlier, it retreated. She nodded at Ethan.
Neathler: When you’re ready.
Finch / Espinoza: Response
Together they opened the hatch and an opening revealed itself. Samira had expected vines to creep out of the gap, but when the beam of her flashlight broke the darkness, it was free of flora. Kind of. A red moss seemed to cover the walls and the rings leading up.
Neathler: I don’t think that was the idea of the interior decorator.
Finch / Espinoza: Response
Samira went first and reached out with her left hand. Carefully she grabbed the first ring, ready to retreat her hand if vines would erupt from the moss as she touched it. The moss underneath her hand had other ideas and it liquefied at her touch. She retreated her hand. If she didn’t know any better, she would have thought her hand was covered in blood. Retreating from the cavity, she turned towards the others.
Neathler: They’d better have something to wash our hands up there.
She strapped the rifle over her shoulder and wiped her hand on her trousers, only realising too late that it was a useless job if she'd had to climb up. Looking at her hand, she opened and closed her fingers, a frown showing on her features. She already had noticed the heat in the room, but she couldn't shake the feeling that her hand felt even warmer after touching the moss.
Finch / Espinoza: Response