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[patientiam]

[ The video opens on total darkness, empty and black. A garbled voice, a low spit of static, cutting out. Cutting in, sounds gaining coherence, voices frantic and rushed. ]

-ri, hurry, how long does it take to patch a hardline console--

Got it.

[ Two faces appear, leaning in close out of the dark, features wide in fear. ]

Hello?

This is Juri Boshi with the DUPRR. Our attempts to move forward to the next stage of contact have been successful.

But we need help. There are... creatures. Monsters. Three of our people are dead already, we can't--

[ There's a sudden clamor somewhere further behind them, the shouting of several voices. Both turn to look, expressions more strained as they turn back. ]

We can't get out. Please. We're in the secondary shuttle bay.

We've barricaded ourselves inside, but we can't hold them out forever.

[ The loud thud of something slamming against metal punctuates her point. Her eyes flicker up to follow the sound as Eszter visibly flinches. ]

Please, help us.

Comments

[video]

[circumitus]

[That's strange. It looks like someone is already in the corridors. She still has some time before her communicator malfunctions, though.]

On the way. [Whether you want it or not.] How many of you are left?

[video]

[patientiam]

Eleven. I hope, [She glances back behind them again, concerned.] we keep losing track of each other.

[video]

[circumitus]

[Thats. Not a good sign.]

Are you and your people armed?

[voice]

[letsjustgogo]

[Well that certainly explained the signal people had been talking about earlier.]

Barricade the door and try to get some lights on. How long do you think you can hold out?

[Gogo wasn't just going to let people die, strangers or not.]

[patientiam]

The power systems are unresponsive. [And they've already barricaded the doors.] I don't know. Not long.

[vdova]

You know, if you had hailed us properly we might have let you into the less lethal shuttlebay. [ said dryly. ] Stay low, and keep quiet. Help will be there soon.

[patientiam]

We're trying.

[Just as there are more shouts behind her, and the loud groan of straining metal. She doesn't even turn to look, this time.]

Quickly. You have to hurry.

[priceoffreedom]

Not helpful. I'm on my way, though. You want backup?

video;

[righteously]

[ Well, at least one of Dean's questions has been answered. Not blonde, but definitely over eighteen. No but for real, he saw that post about the unidentified craft boarding them, and the secondary shuttle bay isn't one they use. Hell, he didn't even know they had a secondary shuttle bay.

Which means this is them. Real, actual human looking people, and not just ominous voice-lacking text... things that could have actually been multidimensional horrors from the nether or something. Hot damn, is it good to know he wasn't completely wrong about his stance on this whole thing. ]

You're one of them. One of those- whatever, those people that kept trying to contact us, right?

[patientiam]

[Even in the midst of being scared for her life, Eszter's expression still flickers into a slight frown at his attempted description of the DUPRR.]

We're part of a team that's been tracking the Tranquility, yes. My name is Eszter.

[ryuuzaki]

It may be a while before anyone can reach you. As someone else said, it would have helped if you'd tried to formally hail us. Your rescuers will most likely have to go through a maze to get to you.

Any specifics about what's been attacking you?

[decretorium]

Only a few got through before we barricaded the door. [ The deep breaths she takes are the only indicator that she's working very hard to stay calm and focused. Her voice stays clipped and objective. ] Two aggressive, orange apes. Some creatures that resemble cybernetically modified humans. [ The banging gets to be too much and her eyes flicker shut, the ghost of a grimace. Juri shakes her head. ] I don't know. [ Dread closes her throat, making her answer breathy as she adds, ] I've never seen anything like it before.

[sorrycharles]

Welcome aboard.

[ Erik’s face, cut jut-jawed and severe out of the shadows in his quarters -- complete with eye patch and showing more teeth than seems biologically responsible when he speaks -- should reinvigorate confidence in their decision to dock. He’s wearing a Tranquility uniform that’s faded more grey than black around the seams. Metal plating obscures any potentially familiar insignia.

He’s funneling water (probably) into a flask on a desk scattered with other supplies. Rope, rations. Knives.

He glances up at the clamor of monsters in the background. ]

Why the secondary bay?

[patientiam]

We didn't realize there was anything notable between them. We may have advised our pilot to choose differently if we'd been informed of... this.

[video]

[myfriendkeith]

[Ellis gives them what he hopes is a reassuring smile.]

I'm headin' that way right now, just sit tight.

[On the move, he keeps the video going for a moment.]

You got anything you might be able to use as a weapon? To defend yourselves?

[video]

[patientiam]

[She shakes her head.]

Nothing truly effective.

[Or as long-range as they'd prefer.]

video.

[fullmoon]

Hello, Juri. Can you not leave the way you came? [ There's no hostility in his expression. It's just that if the TQ's people are risking their lives to rescue them, he hopes it isn't because they're too stubborn to retreat. ]

video.

[decretorium]

We attempted to retreat into our shuttle, but the Tranquility outer doors are unresponsive. [ Her voice is hard. ] She won't let us out.

voice.

[kutte]

No round of twenty questions this time?

[patientiam]

[She looks supremely irritated.]

We are under attack.

voice;

[wiped]

What's the DUPRR?

voice;

[decretorium]

The Deep-Space Unexplained Phenomena Research and Recovery Unit; we've been making periodic contact with your vessel for some time now. [ Her reply deteriorates into a frustrated growl, ] Something I'll never be able to tell you more about if someone doesn't get down here to help us.

text; (feel free 2 threadjack)

[dogbane]

This is CMO William Tsang.

Rescue teams who intend to go into the corridors, please come by the Medical Bay to pick up supplies. Our kits have most of the shit you're likely to need, including bandages (liquid and solid), gauze, adrenaline, etc. Our personnel will instruct you on how to use it and remove anything you're likely to fuck up catastrophically with. If we can spare someone for a larger venture group, we will.

DUPRR, any requests? They'll be coming for you now. Just hang in there.

[:)]

jacksthis

[wiped]

I need some. Save me a pack.

[patientiam]

Just, please, as quickly as you can.