LTJG Josh Herrick: Who's Watching
Mark P
((Outpost Cavern, Alpha Brenkelvi II))
After the rope passed through what seemed to be ‘divine intervention’ or some sort of temporal phenomena, Maxwell steadied himself and tugged on the rope with all his might and it seemed quite stable.
Maxwell: Rock solid sir, if you'll excuse the pun.
Josh swore that each team member must have had a ‘lucky rabbit’s foot’ or luck-inducing probability device since they’d made it through to this point relatively unscathed. He just hoped their luck didn’t eventually run out.
Herrick: Well, the gods – beings – prophets – whatever, seem to continue to smile upon us. Let’s hope we don’t get in their bad books.
Arlill: Can we be sure we’re not crawling into something that’s going to leave us stuck in time or throw us into the future?
Arlill had made a good point, and the commander had started scanning with his tricorder.
Etan: Chroniton levels are much too low for anything like that to happen, and besides- ::beat:: -something over there- ::he pointed with his free hand to the suspended outpost.:: -has guided us here. I strongly doubt they would do anything to jeopardise that goal.
Max motioned at the far end of the rope.
Maxwell: Quite the opposite in fact.
Arlill: I’m not sure what would help, we’ve been taking many scans and they’re not that fruitful.
Etan: Who wants to go first?
The group looked briefly around at each other, with Josh wondering who would speak first. It was the recently possessed officer that uneasily started off.
Arlill: I didn’t want to offer this up, but it would make more sense, since Maxwell didn’t have to jump across, that I go first.
Herrick: oO More sense? Oo
Etan: Go on…
Arlill: If I do get stuck in some sort of time warp or worse, then the ship’s going to need it’s XO, this away team’s gonna need an engineer to come up with another escape route, and god knows what other dangers are here, a security guy comes in pretty handy compared to a ops guy, at least in this time and place ::looking at Maxwell with a smile::
Max gave a rogueish grin and a sly wink of his clouded eye.
Maxwell: Shame we didnae bring any.
Herrick: ::smiling at the marine’s reply, and then turning to the ACOO:: I think that each of us have a unique skill set in unlocking this… escape room. You were the first to get into the computer system… even if it ended up with unintended consequences — we’re somewhat further ahead… I think?
But the man had volunteered, so the commander let him kick off crossing to the other side.
Etan: Toxin, don’t rush across- that’s an order. :: beat :: I would rather you take your time and survive, rather than the alternative.
Maxwell: Cross your feet, use them tae anchor yourself. Use your hands tae grip and pull. ::He paused a moment.:: Pull yourself hand over hand, don't drag.
Arlill: Response.
It reminded him of basic training back at the Academy, except rather than a vertical climb or descent, this rope was at a 45 degree angle. This meant that they’d be practically hugging the cable as they pulled themselves across.
He watched as Arlill started off; first grabbing the rope and then twisting his legs around the bottom. It took a few moments, but the Bolian/Tellarite found his rhythm, relaxing his legs slightly when pulling with his arms, and then tightening them as he grabbed his new grip. Josh was thankful for the demo and after the other officer made it past the halfway mark.
Herrick: oO Not the first, but not the last. Oo Here goes nothing!
He mirrored what Arlill had done but as his full body weight was on the rope, it seemed to fluctuate and bounce lightly. He saw Arlill tense up ahead.
Arlill: Response
Herrick: (calling out) Sorry! ::looking back:: I’m not sure I’d push it past 2 at a time.
As Josh crossed, he mentally reminded himself with each pull to look forward and not down. He wasn’t afraid of heights, but he needed to remain focused. One wrong move and he’d add to the structure’s collection of skeletons.
At the midpoint, the pack he was carrying had slipped off his shoulder and was hanging off his neck. It was a lucky break that it hadn’t fallen to the floor, but Josh almost lost his hold as he tried to grab it. Instead, it would have to hang there as he crossed. Though it felt like an eternity, it had taken the engineer about 5 minutes to cross.
Finally, he reached the end, rubbing his neck from the strain. He watched the commander make his way across, then the marine.
(OOC: Dropped Max’s speech as Herrick wouldn’t heard)
((Ancient Outpost - Exterior, Alpha Brenkelvi II))
Just like some of the other ‘rooms’ they’d stumbled upon, the builders here had seemed to live by the motto of ‘go big or go home.’ As Josh took in their new surroundings, he was greeted by light rosy pink spires that twisted and curved, they seemed both ancient yet futuristic, an almost timeless quality. At the centre was a massive sphere, but the more Josh tried to look at it, the harder it became — it made his brain hurt.
Etan: Does everyone… hear that?
Maxwell: Hear what, sir? ::Then a moment later.:: Wait, that hum?
Herrick: Aye, now that you mention it sir.
Arlill: Response.
Etan: According to my tricorder… time around that Sphere has ceased to flow. It’s as though… it exists in a zero entropy bubble. It’s outside of time while remaining inside our dimension. :: he breathed out:: That’s the reason we can’t focus on it, why it appears like it is there and not. The sensors detect a void there- because it is and is not inside our universe all at once.
Maxwell: ::shaking his head slowly:: Gonnae take your word on that one, sir....
Arlill: Response.
Herrick: (murmuring) Yet another paradox…
Etan: If this outpost was designed around the “null sphere” then there has to be a command and control center somewhere. :: beat :: We need to find it.
Maxwell: Logically, I'd say at the centre. But then, this place isnae very logical.....
Herrick: I’m guessing if we head in the wrong direction… we might be given another hint?
Arlill / Etan: Response.
The team progressed forward, but while there was a magnificence about the design, there wasn’t any obvious entries or exits.
Maxwell: No sign ae an entrance, sir. The walls all seem tae be as smooth as silk.
Max reached out to touch the walls.
Herrick: Mxa…
Josh had tried to warn the man; it must have been a subconscious move on the marine’s part because they’d been playing the lotto anytime they’d touched anything on this planet. But he was a fraction of a second too late. As Max’s fingers brushed against the surface, there was a sudden flash of light and Max found himself sailing backwards through the air.
Arlill / Etan: Response.
As Max laid on the floor, still conscious and shaking his head, a rumbling sounded in the distance. A new doorway, fit for your typical bi-ped, opened up.
Maxwell: Found a door....
Herrick: (beat) This place and its doors…
Josh watched as Max rolled sideways and picked himself up and had his weapon in hand but not in an attack posture. Max seemed transfixed by the doorway, and he looked to the other two officers.
Arlill / Etan: Response.
Herrick: Well… I feel like if this place wanted us dead, then Mr. Max wouldn’t be with us right now. I don’t suppose it hurts to check it out.
Arlill / Etan / Maxwell: Response.
As the team entered through the doorway, Josh was pleased to find that it was not yet another winding tunnel that they’d need to traverse. Instead, they were greeted with a smaller chamber. As the last of them stepped inside, more rumbling and the door slammed downward. The team was not enclosed in the room and darkness enveloped them momentarily until the VRDs flickered their lights on.
Herrick: So… ::looking around::
Arlill / Etan / Maxwell: Response.
As Josh surveyed the room, each wall was lined with control panels, but everything was dead. He wasn’t sure what purpose the panels served, or if he wanted to know, given the shock that Max had just received. He did another pass backward and froze. There was Mr. Voss again, his ‘vision’ from earlier. Josh watched as the man touched a control, and then the room came to life.
The familiar glow of the other caverns seemed to pour in immediately; the hum was almost deafening as the control panels started to spark to life. A large monitor on each of them seemed to display a different image on screen. One seemed to be the large opulent cavern they'd been in, but filled with people rather than deserted. Another was the strange ceremony with the hooded cloaks. It wasn’t until he looked at the last screen that he spoke up.
Herrick: Is that the ‘Oumuamua?
Arlill / Etan / Maxwell: Response.
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Lieutenant JG Josh Herrick
Acting Chief Engineer
USS ‘Oumuamua
O240005JH3
he/him/his (player/character)