LTJG Josh Herrick: Thank you?!?
Mark P
(( Outpost Cavern, Alpha Brenkelvi II ))
Each of the officers were taking turns introducing themselves to the glowing-eyed, possessed Arlill. Josh wasn’t quite sure whether this was the best option, or if an exorcism was in order. The commander and marine, who’s accent was noticeably muted, had already gone and now it was his turn.
Herrick: oO The power of… Oo Lieutenant Junior Grade Josh Herrick, the ‘Oumuamua’s acting Chief Engineer.
It was of a longer introduction than the offers, but maybe they needed an engineer. However, the possessor just seemed a bit confused.
Quasi-Arlill: What are you?
There wasn't a shred of emotion in the voice that came from the body of Arlill.
Etan: We are… corporeal beings. That is we have a… physical body.
Maxwell: How have you come tae- to be here?
Herrick: ::looking at the tricorder still in Arlill’s hand, and then the one in his own:: Er...
Before, Josh could chime in, the being was more than willing to share.
Quasi-Arlill: This entity served well as a conduit, your program allowed the connection.
Etan: Program? :: something clicked in his mind and his eyes widened slightly, turning to Herrick. :: Did you establish a connection with the computer network? Is this… :: he turned back to Toxin. :: … are you some sort of communication protocol?
Herrick: ::looking to the commander:: Wellll… the tricorder wasn’t processing the ancient texts fast enough and this computer seemed fast enough, so we uploaded and ran with it. And that’s how we met this guy… ::turning to the seized ACOO, waiting for a name that wouldn’t come::
Quasi-Arlill: You should not be here, why have you come to this place?
Etan: We seek knowledge and understanding. We mean this planet no harm.
Maxwell: ::patting the stock and stepping back half a step slowly:: For defense only. As my commander says, we mean this planet no harm.
Josh watched as the Marine placed his carbine slowly to the ground; it was a large gesture from Max in his estimation given that he’d keeping at the ready for the last several hours.
After a few moments of silence, the commander continued.
Etan: You said that we should not be here. Why is that?
Quasi-Arlill: That is not the right question.
Herrick: oO Not the right question? It would be nice to know why you don’t want here. Oo
Etan: Why is that?
Quasi-Arlill: This body isn’t perfect.
Maxwell: Not perfect? In what way?
Rather than answering any more questions, the lights dimmed in Arlill’s eyes, and he dropped to the ground. After a tense moment, he shook his head and his eyes fluttered open. He looked around at the team.
Arlill: Okay, that was weird ::realizing he’s on the ground:: how did I get down here?
Etan: Lieutenant- :: he regarded Herrick. :: -I think you should answer that.
Herrick: I think (beat) that our little distraction, plus uploading the UT, triggered something… or got someone’s attention. You played host to them — do you remember anything?
Josh noticed that, now that they weren’t worried about offending their ‘new friend,’ Maxwell had resecured his firearm.
Arlill: Oh, umm, that’s different then. I was just in my mother’s kitchen like before but there was a man I didn’t recognize.
An unexpected development, as each person had only seen someone they knew up until now. This seemed to grab the commander’s attention as he stiffened his posture and crossed his arms. Maxwell seemed more on edge as well, scanning the surroundings with his gaze.
Etan: A man? Did he say anything to you?
Arlill: Not much, he kept saying “That is not the right question.”
Etan: That is what the computer said to us, through you. :: beat :: Which begs the question: what is the right question?
An interesting hypothesis, was it an intuitive program that they were chatting with — with sentience, or was it a non-corporeal being that had simply been alerted to their intrusion?
Herrick: What did the man look like? oO Did he have glowing eyes? Oo
Arlill: Response
Maxwell: It seemed pretty evasive tae me when we did ask questions.
Etan: How did we get here? :: he repeated. :: I don’t understand how that is the right question. :: he drew a breath.:: What else did this person say?
Arlill: Response.
Maxwell: Did he hint at anything? A time, or another place?
The XO held up a hand.
Etan: Let’s just take a moment and take stock of everything that has happened. :: beat :: Everything that has happened since we entered the underground complex seems to have been leading us to this chamber- and each one of us has encountered a vision or an apparition of somebody that meant a great deal to us. Your Pa, :: he said to Maxwell.:: Your mother, :: he looked at Arlill. :: The man who saved your life, :: to Herrick. ::, my grandmother. The fact these people appeared to us tells me that they were deliberately chosen- which suggests some form of intelligence at work. :: beat :: And now we have an ancient computer system dropping cryptic hints and suggesting that its creators have gone elsewhere. :: beat :: Have I missed anything?
Maxwell: That and the L-T ::A quick nod towards Arlill:: needs tae start going tae the gym, as his body is no perfect.
Herrick: (a small uncontrollable giggle) Or Starfleet fitness standards aren’t up to their specs.
Arlill: Response.
Etan: Whatever is guiding us wants us here- in this place.. If I were a betting man, I would put down Latium on the answers we need being on that outpost. :: he said, turning to the bizarre floating structure. :: We have to find a way to get there. :: he looked between the two gold-uniformed answers. :: Have you found anything of use? Can we interface with the computer without being possessed by the Ghost of LCARS Past?
Another smirk crossed Josh’s face with the Bajoran’s joke.
Maxwell: On it.
Max raised his carbine, once more using his scope as a monocular.
Arlill: Response
Etan: Max, do any of these hexagons come close enough to the outpost for us to jump over to it?
Lowering his weapon, Max gave a half-shrug of the shoulders.
Maxwell: Wee bit further on than we got, there is one. But it's a running jump combined wi' a whole heap ae praying involved, sir.
While Josh believed in the power of prayer to some degree, he doubted that any amount of prayer could defy gravity. Etan seemed the lankiest of the bunch, so he’d maybe get a few more feet extra compared to the rest of them. They hadn’t yet set up their first OASIS match, so he really wasn’t too sure.
Arlill / Etan: Response.
Max gave a slightly-lopsided yet very roguish smirk.
Maxwell: I have a climbing cable, sir. I can dump my pack and tie it off tae myself for the jump.
Arlill / Etan: Response.
Herrick: Looking where Maxwell was, he could see that it was quite far. Almost unreachable; a hope, a prayer, crossed toes, fingers, eyes, and other appendages would be needed for success.
Herrick: You sure?
Maxwell: ::nodding:: If I make the jump I can tie off and we can shimmy ourselves and our kit across.
Arlill / Herrick / Etan: Response.
Maxwell: And if I don't leap far enough, I've just got tae hope that you boys have a good grip ae the cable.....
Herrick: And hope that you don’t slam too hard into the side wall, or into us if you, if you don’t make it – but positive thoughts only here.
Arlill / Etan: Response.
The group made further inroads to the cavern; it was only a few hundred meters to the spot that the marine had pointed out. While most of the hexagons on the floor were offset in height by a foot up or down, and made no meaningful difference, there were a few that eventually climbed in height. The platforms were large enough to handle all three officers as they slowly made their climb upward.
They finally arrived at the final hexagon; when Josh looked over the edge, it seemed like they’d climbed several storeys, and now they had to thread the needle. There was a small cylindrical device that had stuck out of the roof; if someone with a good forearm threw it, they might just be able to clip the rope onto itself and have a stable climb.
Arlill / Maxwell / Etan: Response.
Herrick: Ready?
As the officer threw the hook-side of the rope, all the away team had their eyes fixed on it. It sailed through the air and hit the cylinder with a loud CLANG sound.
Arlill / Maxwell / Etan: Response.
Herrick: Well, we were super close; should we try again?
Arlill / Maxwell / Etan: Response.
For a second time the rope sailed through the air, and it was on the same trajectory as the last one, but right before it made contact it froze for a moment — suspended in mid air. He looked to the away team, and as he returned his gaze back, he saw it slowly inch towards its target and then over. Now, Max and anyone that wanted to follow, should be able to make the climb. Was this divine intervention?
Arlill / Maxwell / Etan: Response.
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Lieutenant JG Josh Herrick
Acting Chief Engineer
USS ‘Oumuamua
O240005JH3
he/him/his (player/character)