Lt. Commander Samira Neathler - Whispering spores
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.
Had they already spent too much time near the gateway? One sign was for Ensign Espinoza claiming to have heard multiple voices and it wasn’t the voice they all heard through the speaker coming from the gallery above them. Despite hearing voices, the ensign’s ingenuity continued because he had discovered the hatch that could lead them to the upper floor. With joined forces, the hatch no longer held its secrets.
Samira went first and reached out with her left hand. Carefully she grabbed the first rung, 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.
Espinoza: …is everything well, Commander? Still confident crawling through it?
Neathler: The crawling isn’t the problem, ::She raised her hand still showing some signs from the moss.:: it’s this stuff that worries me.
Finch: Response
Ethan paused for a moment and then returned towards the mechanical suit near the entrance. Was he walking away, tossing in the towel? His gaze was locked with the vined beast but somehow he also checked the innards of the suit where the beast’s head had been when they had walked in. Samira heard a ripping sound and he returned to them ripping a leatherlike fabric into thin strips.
Espinoza: Call me paranoid, but I don’t wanna touch that directly any more than we gotta. If we’re quick, I’d think the uniforms would prevent any of it seepin’ through.
Neathler: Good thinking, Ensign.
Finch: Response
Though it had been too late for her, as her hand already touched the stuff, Samira accepted the wraps and wrapped it around her hands. Why was it if she brought fingerless gloves with her, she regretted it and now she wished she had brought them along. They would have protected her now at least partly.
Espinoza: Onwards ‘n upwards, then.
Finch: Response
Samira just nodded and entered the hatch opening again. She looked up, nothing was blocking the way and she grabbed the first rung. The moss turned into smoosh underneath her grip. She took a shallow breath and quickly moved up, rung by rung. With each grip, she had the impression the moss burned through the leather on the hand that had been exposed to the moss earlier. Their diagonal climb led to another hatch, yet when Samira approached it, she heard something. A whisper, no multiple whispers. The tufts slowly folded inwards, was it those things that made the sound?
Neathler: Does anyone else hear that?
Finch / Espinoza: Response
Neathler: We’re almost there.
Finch / Espinoza: Response
She totally ignored the tufts and picked up the pace, placing her hand against the hatch but it didn’t budge. The crimson tufts turned towards them and without any warning they all puffed and the threesome was surrounded by red spores. Holding her breath, Samira turned, using her feet to push out the hatch and it fell down with a dull thud. She quickly crawled out, didn’t detect any movement at first sight and allowed the others to exit.
Neathler: You’re all okay?
Finch / Espinoza: Response