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Author Topic: MRS Morey - PBF  (Read 108302 times)

Xander Morhaime

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MRS Morey - PBF
« on: September 21, 2009, 16:00 »

Prologue: Hard Landings

Passenger carriers. For all the advancements humanity has made, comfortable and efficient passenger travel for the masses seemed to constantly elude it. With the onset of interstellar travel, the problem only got worse. The jump drives were large and expensive - too much so to be mounted on large numbers of craft. The space bus had to make do with something else. And so, the passenger carriers were made - massive haulers with barely a skeleton crew, carrying orbital shuttles between planets of destination. For lack of supplies, passengers were put in cold sleep for the duration of the trips, and only woken up when their respective shuttle was landing at its destination. It was neither fast, nor comfortable... but it was cheap, and for most it was the only option available.

So it was that you had booked passage on board Carrier Line 42 to the same destination. Work reassignment, contract hunting or simply going to check up on the refurbishment of your ship, there was little reason to share your reasons with your shuttle-mates. You'd be in cold sleep for the trip, which doesn't lend itself to conversation. You dressed down for the procedure, stowed your luggage into the overhead compartments, climbed into the sleeping pod, and let darkness take you.



Time passed...



Waking up from cold sleep is rarely a pleasant experience, but nothing like this. A constant rumbling, travelling through the structure of the shuttle and the sleeping pods would have jarred you awake, had the automated systems not done it themselves. And that feeling in your gut that tells you you're going much faster than you should be, and in the wrong direction. The shuttle is tumbling - whatever you're near has a gravity pull strong enough to overrride that of the shuttle, and you feel every twist and turn it makes. A few times you can feel a shockwave striking the hull and adding even more vibration to the whole structure. There's no sound, save the constant rumbling and the desperate whine of the engines. Then, for a moment, everything goes silent... thankfully the moment is too short for the realisation to sink in that there's no more sound from the engines.

The shuttle hits something - the rumbling and vibration ends, with a resounding crash and a powerful impact, felt even in the relative safety of the sleeping pods. For a moment there's the screech of metal grinding against something, and another crash, fading to silence.

The sleeping pods open with a soft hiss. You climb out, unsteady and bruised, but otherwise unharmed. The interior of the shuttle was bathed in a red light from the emergency power. Structurally, the shuttle seems sound - none of the sleeping pods have been damaged, though a quick glance would show that aside from your four, the others are empty. The only noticeable damage is the wall separating the pilot's compartment from the passengers' compartment bending rather ominously inwards, as if it had suffered some massive impact.

The drowsiness brought on by cold sleep has passed from your mind, and you can think clearly again...
« Last Edit: September 21, 2009, 16:15 by Xander Morhaime »
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12. A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head.

Gargulec

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Re: MRS Moray - PBF
« Reply #1 on: September 21, 2009, 16:27 »

Second after marine mind cleared of cold sleep, instincts kicked in. Shioban quickly dived into her slumber pod, and emerged second later, armed with big and antique looking pistol in her hand. For a moment, she inspected her surroundings, but noticed no apparent threat... unless her travel mates were one.
Slowly, she turned towards them, lowering her weapon, though still having it prepared, and asked most obvious and most common question.
"What the hell is going out here?"
« Last Edit: September 21, 2009, 16:33 by Gargulec »
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And greater honour is well due to them
when they foresee (and many of them foresee)
that in the end Ephialtes will appear,
that after all the Persian shall break through.

Silhar

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Re: MRS Morey - PBF
« Reply #2 on: September 22, 2009, 08:35 »

Another soldier leaves his sleeping pod, still shuddering, not yet fully conscious and slightly shocked after the impact. He crawls to a wall, sits under it and hastily reloads his shotgun, frantically looking around. Hearing Shioban's (very accurate) question, Van Silharrius raises his head and looks at her, then answers with deep, low and husky voice : "I don't know !... Pilot should hope he'll be dead before I'll take care of him ! Everyone's ok ?" - he adds after a few seconds, sweeping the shuttleboard for survivors.

Gargulec

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Re: MRS Morey - PBF
« Reply #3 on: September 22, 2009, 08:48 »

Shioban pointed towards bulkhead that separated their compartment from cockpit.
"It looks like that pilot do not need to hope for becoming dead, actually.'
« Last Edit: September 22, 2009, 08:55 by Gargulec »
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And greater honour is well due to them
when they foresee (and many of them foresee)
that in the end Ephialtes will appear,
that after all the Persian shall break through.

Silhar

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Re: MRS Morey - PBF
« Reply #4 on: September 22, 2009, 09:00 »

"Oh shit. Seems like wherever we are, we aren't leaving too quickly...", he said, looking towards the bulkhead. Shotgun, loaded and cocked, was waiting patiently. Vince reached for his backpack in the overhead locker and checked if everything's alright. Loss of such a load of medical equipment would be hard to take. Then he wore his flak jacket, a backpack, and cleaned the old-fashioned googles.

Xander Morhaime

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Re: MRS Morey - PBF
« Reply #5 on: September 22, 2009, 09:07 »

The luggage compartments seem undamaged - or at least they still open and their contents aren't smashed to itty bitty bits. Comes down to the same thing, really.
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12. A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head.

Gargulec

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Re: MRS Morey - PBF
« Reply #6 on: September 22, 2009, 10:02 »

Following old man example, Shioban opened her locker, and quickly changed into outfit way more appropriate than cold-sleep undergarments- marine uniform. Then, at last, she holstered her pistol, muttering "Much better." Minute later, she spoke again, this time louder.
"Gentleman, maybe you would introduce yourself?"
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And greater honour is well due to them
when they foresee (and many of them foresee)
that in the end Ephialtes will appear,
that after all the Persian shall break through.

Silhar

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Re: MRS Morey - PBF
« Reply #7 on: September 22, 2009, 10:58 »

"Ah, Miss, I'm so sorry for my awful manners. It's just the stress coming with that unusual situation. Corporal Professor Vincent Matthew Van Silharrius, US Marines Field Medic, at your service.", replied Vince, fastening the last belt and concealing a blade in the right bootleg. "Who am I pleased to meet ?"

Gargulec

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Re: MRS Morey - PBF
« Reply #8 on: September 22, 2009, 11:38 »

'Lance Corporal Shioban Sully of Commonwealth Marine Corps' she responded. 'US Marines?' she added after a while. 'That's hell of a coincidence.'
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And greater honour is well due to them
when they foresee (and many of them foresee)
that in the end Ephialtes will appear,
that after all the Persian shall break through.

Malek Deneith

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Re: MRS Morey - PBF
« Reply #9 on: September 22, 2009, 15:00 »

- Damn, I'm getting too old for space travel... - this words were all that announced wake-up of the last passenger. A man, looking as old or even a bit older than Vincent exited the sleeping quite lively despite the declaration and started to methodically pull his equipment out of storage locker and dress himself: camo-pattern clothes with military insignia, heavy looking boots, flak jacket, helmet, backpack, rifle... wait, flack jacket and rifle? Who takes such things on a journey? Well apparently this man did. It wasn't untill he was fully dressed and equipped did he speak again - Just call me Hagazi.

He paused and took a look around the shuttle - So are we going to sit here and wait or will we go out and see where we are?
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Inquisition - saving your soul, one bolter shell at a time.
Spoiler: "Hackmaster Kills" (click to show/hide)

Gargulec

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Re: MRS Morey - PBF
« Reply #10 on: September 22, 2009, 15:06 »

Noticing Hagezi's arms, Shioban grinned. 'Lot of weapons here, it appears. I hope that you guys know to handle them... And, yes, we should get out of this morgue, faster is better. There should be door somewhere...'
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And greater honour is well due to them
when they foresee (and many of them foresee)
that in the end Ephialtes will appear,
that after all the Persian shall break through.

Xander Morhaime

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Re: MRS Morey - PBF
« Reply #11 on: September 22, 2009, 15:10 »

There is an exit ramp in the rear of the shuttle, where you are now in fact. The control panel by the door does not appear to be powered, but there's always the brightly labelled emergency release buttons by the very sides of the hatch.
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12. A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head.

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Re: MRS Morey - PBF
« Reply #12 on: September 22, 2009, 15:14 »

Hagazi nods - Let's take a walk then - he takes a few steps and slams the emergency release button.
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Spoiler: "Hackmaster Kills" (click to show/hide)

Xander Morhaime

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Re: MRS Morey - PBF
« Reply #13 on: September 22, 2009, 15:22 »

The explosive bolts go off without fail and, after a moment's hesitation, the ramp drops with a screech and the rush of air pressure equalizing. Fortunately, the atmosphere is breathable - thin, but breathable. The air is rather cold, cold enough to feel even after only just waking up from cold sleep. It seemed to be daytime outside, or at least there was an ample amount of sunlight... letting you see the rocky ground outside, covered with sand and loose gravel.

There didn't seem to be much sound outside, other than the rush of the wind.
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Gargulec

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Re: MRS Morey - PBF
« Reply #14 on: September 22, 2009, 15:27 »

'So...' Shioban gazed toward Hagezi 'what now? We are going outside, I presume, to get lost and die of dehydration. For it really does not look like there are any humans here. '
Afters second of thought, she added.
'Anyway, I would prefer to die of dehydration, than to slowly rot in this iron coffin.'
Logged
And greater honour is well due to them
when they foresee (and many of them foresee)
that in the end Ephialtes will appear,
that after all the Persian shall break through.
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