9-28-14

I. An away mission to the dinosaurs planet almost ends fatally for Rein, Joe and their team



I.
Rein: *entering the transporter room, because away mission, giant saurian creatures, what is there to miss?*
Joseph: *enters the transporter room, triple-checking his medkit and tricorder* *first away mission. ever*
Krampus: *is a large, muscley Security officer, with lots of dark hair everywhere and a sour expression* *sulks into the beaming room at the last minute* *doesn't want to go* Okay. Let's get this party started.
Joseph: *didn't hear Krampus come in, wasn't paying attention* *starts in surprise* Er, uh, right, um.... *so clearly newb*
Rein: *breaks off from analyzing Josephs outward appearance* Hm? *remembers dinosaurs* Oh! Yes! *^^* Of course, let's go.
Ensign Killington: So um if you guys could get on the platform, I can send you.
Joseph: R-right. *steps up onto the platform, absently fiddling with the strap of his medical tricorder* *nervous*
Krampus: *steps on the platform*
Rein: *stepping onto transporter, giving the okay sign to Killington*
Ensign Killington: Right. Beaming now. *TRANSPORTERSPARKLEWHOOOOOOOSH*
[The party beams down into a lush tropical forest, in which the smallest plant is at least 10 feet high. Ferns tower above them, trees grow to incomprehensible sizes, with vines the size of a grown man's waist hanging from their branches. The sounds of large insects fill the air, along with the occasional screech- alien-sounding: not quite bird and not quite reptile. The air is still and humid, and the ground is bare.]
Rein: *looking around the temperate atmosphere, smiling and breathing a sigh of relief* Wow, I'd forgotten how cold, Starfleet vessels are.
Joseph: *looks up* *low whistle* We're not in Christchurch anymore, that's for sure.
Rein: *odd look at Joseph* Sorry, where?
Krampus: Whatever. *rolls his eyes* *nerds* Let's get...whatever this is...over with. *unless he finds something to beat up*
Joseph: *oops* *err* *to Rein* Ah, it's a city in New Zealand, on Earth.
Rein: *ohh* Oh, I see. *gets out tricorder* Alright... Let's see what we can find...
Krampus: Look; you found it. *points* Tree. Tree. Hey look another tree. That should get you guys hot and bothered for like two weeks. We're done here.
Joseph: *small nod* Right. *gives Krampus a "look", but doesn't say anything because the guy's about twice his size and could probably throw him a looonng ways*
Krampus: *or snap him in two* *like a twig* *a twiggy toothpick*
Rein: *glare at Krampus* We're here on a survey away mission, now if you don't mind...
Krampus: *puts up a long-suffering hand* Sure. Fine, fine. If you need me I'll be over here. *goes to lean against a tree* *imperiously* *1701% done with this*
Joseph: *is officially terrified of their security guard* *wonders if edging closer to Rein would be any safer a position* *Why is it just two new people and one...massive grump?*
Rein: Right. *rolls eyes* Fine. *looks at tricorder* Mr. Dover... *said so on the manifest* I'm picking up a dense cluster of lifesigns nearby on the tricorder, can you double-check that?
Joseph: *nods* Of course. *scans with his own tricorder and picks up said lifesigns* Yes, it looks like they're...reptilian. Er, saurian lifesigns. *what other kinds would there be on this planet?* *doesn't ask how she knows his name, staying professional*
Rein: *looking at readings* Yes... Sort of small and clustered together... maybe a nest?
Joseph: Possibly. Or a herd.
[In fact, the tricorder reports that there is a gathering of 10-20 life forms about a kilometer away, but since the tricorder is unused to this sort of reading, it is unable to classify what the life forms are, or even a general size. So they could be anything, really.]
Rein: Probably somewhere in that range...
Joseph: *nodnod* Right...uhh, are those lifesigns.../moving/, or is that just my imagination?
[Well they're certainly not trees, if that's what you mean.]
Rein: *puzzled expression* Maybe... the readings are coming in sort of erratically.
Krampus: Hey guys, are you done looking at imaginary alive things? Are these trees not alive enough for you?
Joseph: *to Krampus* There's things other than trees out there. *to Rein* Tricorders aren't picking them up the best either...it could be they're probably not used to the sheer number or just...this planet.
Rein: *Ignores the annoying security guy and instead lets tricorder rest on its shoulder-sling* *to Joseph* Maybe we should check it out.
Joseph: *nods and lets his tricorder rest on its sling as well* Yeah, let's.
Krampus: *pushes off from his tree, and prepares to walk with them with a surly expression*
Joseph: *heads off with Rein, jogging slightly to catch up before returning to normal walking speed*
[As they walk, the jungle thins out and then stops as they suddenly encounter the banks of a rushing river with no obvious way to get across.]
Rein: *stopping in tracks* Oh... *looking around* Doesn't look like I cans swim across... Is there anything useful around?
[There isn't.]
Krampus: I could use you two as a bridge.
Rein: Not a chance.
Joseph: Nope. *eye twitch suppressed* Ah...let's not....*at Krampus's comment*
Krampus: Then I guess you're staying here and/or drown.
Rein: *checks tricorder* Maybe it thins out later...
Joseph: Maybe...*wading does not look fun, can't tell how deep the river is...and it's going fast*
[The tricorder says nothing about that, but you know, it doesn't hurt to try to find a different place to cross.]
Rein: *puts tricorder back* I think we should try upstream, what do you think?
Joseph: *nods* Yes, seems like the best bet.
Rein: *smile* Good. *begins heading upstream on the shore*
Krampus: You know, Nerds, probably not, actually. Because it's probably even faster and harder to cross upstream. Not that I care, but I thought you guys knew about this.
Rein: *calling back* It might also be thinner!
Krampus: *shrugs* Whatever. Your funeral.
Joseph: *catches up with Rein, heading upstream with her*
Rein: *waves tail back at Joseph teasingly* Try to keep up doctor.
[The river gets rockier and the current gets faster as they go along, ending abruptly in a massive waterfall falling off of a wet, jagged and steep cliff.]
Rein: ** Tniil...
Krampus: *snorts, hocks a loogie, and spits* So not to say I told you so. But. I totally told you so.
Joseph: *catches up* * I'm not an athlete, okay?!* *stops when he catches up with the two* Cripes....
Rein: *scans cliff face for a way up*
[You could conceivably scale the cliff, but at risk to life and limb. The handholds are few and far between, and also wet from spray from the waterfall.]
Rein: *what about a way under the waterfall?*
Joseph: *scanning for nearby lifesigns that could, possibly, be...well, living*
[Yeah no dice on the living things except maybe some sort of armored fishes who like swirling vortexes of terror. The space under the waterfall isn't really roomy enough for clear passage, either.]
Rein: *seeing Joseph scanning, she decides to ask him:* See anything interesting?
Joseph: Mmh. Looks like some kind of fish...maybe. Can't tell for sure.
Rein: Ooh. *eyes light up as she makes a note of the life form* Something that can swim in this current, interesting...
Krampus: *tired of looking at this water and turns away from the river with an irritated slouch, paying more attention to the trees behind him, even venturing into the border a bit*
Rein: Oh yes indeed... *noticing Krampus* Hold on... *calling to Krampus* Hey! Where are you going?
Krampus: Not to hell, if that's what you're thinking. But if you're so damned determined to cross, don't you need a bridge?
Joseph: *blink* *He's got a point...wow.*
Rein: Fine then. *steps out of the way*
Joseph: *also gets out of the way*
Rein: *Out of the way of the presumed branch*
Krampus: *is busy a few minutes, and then comes back lugging a large fern-tree thing, which he broke/cut/brought down in some way, behind him*
Rein: *makes some extra tricorder readings while Krampus does his thing*
Krampus: You guys are useless; you know that right. *pushes the fern thing over to the other side and bounces on his end a bit to make sure it's stable* You can hold your applause.
Joseph: Oh, you don't need to worry about that. *complete deadpan*
Krampus: *will feed the small one to the T Rex first*
Joseph: *uh, no, not getting eaten by /anything/, thanks*
Rein: I agree with the doctor here. *also deadpan*
Krampus: *wow what ungrateful bastards* *low sarcastic bow, sneering at them* Ladies first. *gestures at his log bridge*
Rein: If you insist. *walks over and tests footing on log bridge*
Krampus: *meant Joe but Rein can count too* *looks at Joe* Well?
Joseph: *next to the bridge* *to Rein* It secure? *Is Krampus always this much of an ass?*
[Rein should find the log bridge to be a bit wobbly but sturdy enough to bear her weight so she can safely cross to the other side.]
Krampus: *yes*
Rein: It seems to be so... *gets on and tentatively walks to the other side, her tail moving this way and that to provide balance*
Joseph: *nods* *steps on the bridge, finding it bears his weight well, and crosses, keeping his arms slightly raised for balance*
Joseph: *nods* *once Rein's crossed, steps on the bridge, finding it bears his weight well, and crosses, keeping his arms slightly raised for balance*
Krampus: *considers giving the bridge a jiggle to toss Joe into the drink but that'd land him in the brig again.* *gotta be a good security officer* *holds down his end of the bridge with his foot and then carefully crawls across the bridge once Joe crosses*
Joseph: *has successfully crossed the bridge, yay*
Rein: *Once on the other side, resumes scan for previous life forms* Let's see...
Joseph: *scanning too* Have you picked up anything?
[The group of life forms detected earlier have either moved or dispersed; there are a few singular life forms scattered here or there, and a smaller herd in what seems to be a clearing not too far ahead.]
Joseph: They don't seem to be as clustered...can't tell for sure.
Rein: *excited* They seem to be not too far off in that direction. *points in the direction but doesn't take eyes off tricorder*
Krampus: *is seriously nobody going to acknowledge that brilliance with the bridge*
Joseph: *returns his tricorder to rest on its shoulder strap* So, off to take a look?
Joseph: *Yes, Krampus, the bridge was brilliant. A feat of engineering to last the ages.*
Rein: *grin* I think so.
Joseph: *small smile* *sets off in the direction*
Krampus: *sure sure ignore the grunt who's here to save your asses*
Krampus: *follows* *grudgingly*
Joseph: *dude you've been an asshole and called me a girl, so yes I'm ignoring you =_=*
Rein: *tries to take the lead and move /quietly/ so as not to be killed and eaten by native wildlife*
Krampus: *kinda likes Rein she's the smart(ish) one*
Rein: *I can outclass your intelligence any day, jerk.*
Joseph: *er, yes, quiet is good* *tries to imitate how Rein's moving nice and quiet, but isn't nearly as skilled as her as he didn't do much camping growing up* *but hey, no running into trees, not a total klutz!*
[The party comes upon a clearing in which they find a few rhino-sized animals grazing in chest-high grass. These creatures are greenish in color, with rougher patches of scales on their sides and back, but heads and legs are rather smooth. They have longish faces with spike eyebrows and blunted snouts.]
Joseph: *stops* *stays silent* *Rhinos from Hell, huh.*
Rein: *quickly gets out tricorder and begins making scans*
[The animals that they see confuse the tricorders mightily. They are neither reptile nor mammal as far as accepted standards go. They're about a ton in weight, and herbivorous. What the tricorders also reveal is that these creatures aren't the only ones around.]
Rein: *turns around and shows Joseph the tricorder* *mouthing* There's more...
Joseph: *getting out his own tricorder, fumbling a bit because those things are kind of cool* *stops trying to get his and takes a look at Rein's * *raises eyebrow in a "how many?" gesture, though the implied question is rhetorical as he's reading the readouts himself*
Krampus: You guys lose your voices over a couple of moldy hippoes?
Rein: *8|*
*._.* *Welp, adios stealth. Thanks for alerting possibly /every predator around here./*
Rein: *hissing* Maintain stealth you idiot.
Joseph: *under his breath, nice and quiet* Especially since any carnivores around here would probably see us as tasty little treats....
Krampus: *gestures at the green cows* They're huge and eating /plants/. If they're afraid of us, then I'm a pickled herring.
Rein: *shoves tricorder under his nose and says quietly* They are not the only things around. /Do not/ jeopardize mission safety, okay?
Joseph: *inwardly groans* *Really, why are you here.* *wonders if we'll be finding out soon if those lifesigns are carnivores*
Krampus: *to save your asses if something goes wrong* *which could happen because you're not /communicating/* *shoves the tricorder out of his face and glares at Rein* That can be avoided if you /tell/ me there are other things instead of keeping it between your two nerd brains. I don't have one of your dinging toys, you know.
Joseph: *resists the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose and sigh in exasperation* *I can give you one, by shoving it up your arse.* *quietly* We also didn't want to incite a herd of big dinosaur-like aliens trampling us. Thankfully, you've proven that won't happen, Sir.
Rein: *Why do I have to deal with this one...* *quietly says:* Here's a tip Ensign, if the people with the "dinging toys". Are staying quiet, then maybe you should take the hint. From now on this, *makes a "lower" hand motion* Means quiet, okay? *gives no fucks about how much Krampus might complain later, she's going to report him anyway*
Joseph: *Yes, please do put him on report, I'd feel lonely if I was the only one.*
Krampus: Yes sir.
Rein: *relieved and also quiet* Thank you.
[Unfortunately, that small ruckus alerted the attention of the other life forms; which spring into the air from the trees and grass and flock towards the three (there's about 10 of them in all), and the best way to describe them are scaley kangaroos with teeth. They're about waist-high on a grown man, have claws, and snouts like a caiman's, filled with sharp teeth made for biting.]
*O_O* *KRAMPUSI'MGONNASHOVEMYTRICORDERUPYOURJERKASS* Okay, kangaroos from Hell! Thanks, Murphy's Law! *In the form of a Redshirt!*
Rein: *swears* Uta Nesrit! *to others, shouting now* Run! *arms phaser set for stun*
Joseph: NO arguments here! *has his phaser set to stun, yes, but prolly won't be able to shoot anything running* *RUNS*
Krampus: *sorry bros but it's my job to um you know protect you* *also fuck yeah chance to kill things* *whips our phaser and starts shooting at the bitey things*
Rein: *turns around and fires off a few shots before running to a safer distance and taking aim again*
Krampus: *fires as he retreats because he's smart* Oh for Krishna's sake, just get out of here, I'll cover you!
Joseph: You attracted them in the first place! *was being quiet, but noo not the redshirt* *The Red Shirt Curse has rubbed off on me, nuu...*
[The Death Kangaroos advance quickly, bounds covering ridiculous amounts of ground with each jump, all uttering a high-pitched cry.]
Rein: *fires at the nearest one*
Joseph: *fires at another one* *misses Rein and Krampus, which is good* *also misses the Kangaroos from Hell /by a mile/.*
Krampus: Do you guys not understand the meaning of /I'll cover you/?? Retreat dammit! *still retreating, still firing. Guys he's got this.*
Joseph: All right already! *amscrays*
Rein: Okay! Dover! Let's go! *GTFO*
Joseph: No need to tell me twice....*runs as fast as he fragging can, because DOES NOT WANT TO GET EATEN*
[Meanwhile, the Death Kangaroos are faster than they are, so they've caught up to Krampus, grabbing him and hauling him down with victorious blood-hungry cries right after his call for them to run, and soon after, the leader of the pack overtakes Rein as well, biting down on her arm and hanging on it.]
Rein: *hisses in pain as the leader bites down, causing here to fall to the ground*
Joseph: L-Lieutenant! *Ohshit, what to do dammitthiswasnevercoveredintheacademy!* *hesitates*
[Because of Joe's failure to keep running, he too is overtaken, and bitten on leg and shoulder by two Death Kangaroos.]
Joseph: *screams in pain* *blood, fuck, too much blood, this is BAD* [INSERT PROFANITY HERE]
Rein: *gritting her teeth, she twists her hand around in an attempt to shoot the death kangaroo*
Joseph: *PAINPAINPAINPAIN* *Having a /very/ bad day*
[Two others join the one attacking Rein, going for her feet and tail now that she's down, and three more go for Joe, latching onto his other appendages, shaking once they bite down to tear off chunks of meat.]
Joseph: *manages to hit his combadge* E-Emergency beamup! ASAP! *voice shrill in panic* *also trying to keep hold of phaser*
Rein: *Fires athree shots in the general direction of the death kangaroos*
Crewman Killington: Y-yes sir. As soon as I can sir. There's too much of not-you around you to safely beam up.
Joseph: *WTF NOT GOOD NEWS* [insert profanity here] *panic attack, fuuuck how am I still conscious* JUST MAKE IT SOON! *Getting EATEN here!
Joseph: *manages to get off about three shots, not sure if any hit*
Rala: *is alerted to a Situation and is standing by with a team of Security to beam down if necessary*
Krampus: *is, in the meantime, beating off two Kangaroos like a boss, managing to bash the head of one against the ground, and grapples with the other*
Krampus: *lost his phaser in the melee RIP phaser*
[Rein manages to hit the Kangaroo on her tail in the eye, effectively killing it dead, but her other shots go astray (mercifully missing any stray rhinos or human limb sticking up). Joe, on the other hand, hits one Kangaroo in the side twice; injuring it, but not killing it. So while its death grip is loosened, it is not eliminated.]
Joseph: *gasping* *tasting blood, just bit his tongue* *fires off a couple more shots*
Rein: *screams in agony from the one that was biting her tail, almost blacking out, her toxic blood spilling on the ground* GWAAAAAAAAHHH!! *Almost not being able to see she tries to shake off the others still attacking her*
[All of Joe's shots wildly miss their marks and do absolutely nothing, but lo! here comes Krampus to the rescue, lugging a very stubborn Kangaroo still attached to his hip, but does K give a fuck? No he does not. He grabs a hold of the first Kangaroo he can reach on Joe and holds its throat in a death grip, daring it to keep living. Meanwhile, the Kangaroos assailing Rein seem scared off by the sudden demise of their companion and are briefly startled enough to loosen their grip on her for a brief moment.]
Joseph: *The Redshirt lives?! I'm thanking him later, profusely* *slaps combadge again* Get...get reinforcements...down here...
Rein: *rolls away gasping, because the pain is going up and down the nerve clusters along her spine* *taps combadge while shooting a couple shots at the remaining kangaroos* Get... emergency... transport... *gasp* NOW.
Ensign Killington: *now /that/ he can do* *beams down team of security officers to help the situation*
Rala: *is beamed down with a Security team of five, they immediately spread out, take up positions, and start firing well-aimed stun shots* *if for some reason one of the Legacy officers gets in the way, well, it's set to stun they'll be fine*
[The Kangaroos are all knocked out by the stun blasts, (and so is Krampus because he managed to get in the way) causing them to collapse, though they don't let go of the officers and will have to be pried off before beaming can happen.]
Rein: *Yayyy the cavalry* *blacks out on the ground, bleeding everywhere*
Joseph: *vision going weird* Lieu...*cough, voice hoarse* Get the lieutenant to Sickbay....*don't pass out, you might go into shock, and if you pass out you're dead*
Rala: *leads the Security officers in getting the people apart from the creatures for beaming, it takes only a minute and then the injured are beamed to Sickbay*
Death Kangaroos: *deprived of lunch* *and two family members*
Krampus: *deprived of several chunks of flesh*
Joseph: *semiconscious* *disoriented from the transporter beam* *Oh, wait, I'm in sickbay now. Yay, I'm safe.* */I am never going on another away mission again/.* *drifts in and out a bit before finally giving up and passing out in the biobed he was beamed to*
[Medics and nurses bustle around caring for the three officers, and there's probably emergency trauma surgery and stuff.]