Turn 7: At Death's Door

[Pale Rider]

The Easy Eights moved closer to the alien vessel. It looked more like it had been grown than actually constructed. Three openings presented themselves to the marines. Each entrance had a slight breeze issuing forth, not to dissimilar to the breathing of a mighty beast. The lightening grew stronger, as if nature was trying to warn the marines that this was not something to play with. Some would say Zeus was warning them, while others that Thor was speaking. Either way, the signal for the Lieutenant was leading them forward. According to Pope, as he monitored the stronger computer system of the APC, the signal was another 22.86 meters in the direction they were heading.

<Action>

[Dirk Pitt]

The ship seemed more and more like a part of this planet or a great beast instead of a spacecraft as he approached through the wind driven mist. The ribbed sides of the ship showed three gaping openings. Was this something that passed as a hatch for the builders of the ship. Or was it damage from a crash or the ravages of time. Dirk doubted they would find any answers to those kind of questions, but his mind asked them all the same.

He squinted against the sudden flash of lightning that ripped across the sky followed by a sharp crash of thunder that echoed across the stark landscape snapping him back into focus and away from his musings.

“Hold up Marines.” Dirk said softly into the comm. “We need to know which opening is the closest to the LT”
<Tag everyone>

“Pope, this is Pitt. We see three openings into the ship. Any idea about the most direct course to the LT?”
<Tag Pope>

Waiting, he scanned the area for any sign of movement.

(Roll awareness and scouting)

[- JR -]

Sara walked toward the center of the group, relying on them to keep track of the surroundings while she stared intently at her personal computer. She ran another scan, looking for the Lieutenant's personal data transponder.

[JuanPerez]

Perez was glad about the harsh weather conditions on the surface of Archeron. The coldness of the rain, the sudden flashes of lightning keept him focused on the target. It was a kind of constant struggle against the feelings of curiosity regarding the alien vessel. Wow, a real alien vessel. For how long did it lay here, obviously undetected? Where did it came from? What happened with its occupants? Why did they transport those creatures? This kind of questions came to his mind, but he could not afford to think about it. Not with those deadly creatures hanging around.

The terrain was rough and rocky, and far too many shadows were moving around. More than once he was fooled by "yet another shadow". But, fortunately, the creatures did not attack yet and they came close to the three visible openings in the hull of the derelict space craft. The sarge gave the order to halt, so Perez stopped and so did the guys of second squad likewise. He watched the three entrances for any signs of movement or creatures carefully, the barrel of the M56 smartgun wandering between the three openings. If any of those bugs would stick its damned head out, he would wax it on sight.

<Roll Awareness - Level Professional>

He wondered, what their next move would be. Either a "Hit And Run" style direct assault or a "split squads distraction" thing? Meanwhile the Sarge called for Pope's assistance in locating the missing Knutson.

<Tag Eights>

[Medic Guy]

After getting Syke's rebreather back to functioning, he enjoyed the refreshing weather and climate. He listened to the talk from Dirk and the others and gave his own input, "Maybe we can just play rock, paper, scissors or eeny, meeny, miny, mo?"

<Tag Eights>

He eyed the strange craft for a moment and then tried to focus more on his surroundings.

<Awareness and Scouting>

[Dirk Pitt]

As Dirk waited for a response a feeling washed over him, something that he was unaccustomed to. Fear. Something was out there, and it knew that they were coming. He held his heart start to beat faster as his breath started to come in short ragged bursts. Shaking his head for a moment he sent the fear to the place he sent his other emotions, away.

“Stay sharp people. Feels like someone is rolling out the welcome mat for us. Call out any movement or targets as soon as you see them.” He said as he scanned the area, moving his M41A from side to side.
<Tag everyone>

[Medic Guy]

“Stay sharp people. Feels like someone is rolling out the welcome mat for us. Call out any movement or targets as soon as you see them.”<Tag everyone>

Hearing Dirk's orders, Clint tried to stay focused as he had a feeling that someone or something was watching them. His light played over the ship until he came across something glossy that reflected the light.

"Think I've got something over here Sarge" he called keeping his eyes on the object as he backed up a few steps and trained his weapon towards it.

<tag Pitt and the Eights>

roll scouting and awareness

[- JR -]

Sara squinted at the device. "It's reading just 100 meters ahead." She peered ahead. "Which I guess means it's either up, or down."

[Corporal Hicks]

Sykes saw what McKenna was looking at. "Stand down," he said, and picked up the object. It was a set of dogtags. "It says Private Stamovich. One of the marines from the garrison," he said. He remembered the name from one of the files he had read. "Well. We're on the right track." He tossed the dogtags to McKenna.

"Let me see that," Sykes said to Wang. When she handed him the computer he stepped up to the doors. He stood by each door in turn and looked at the screen. The right door read 98.7 meters. The middle door read 98.5 meters. The left door read 98.2 meters. It stood to reason that the left door would be the quickest way to find him. As he shined his shoulder light in the entrance he saw what looked like the remains of dead xenomorph. Good riddance, he thought.

Sykes stepped back to the marines. "Sergeant Pitt, we're going forward with the plan we discussed. One of us can cause a distraction while the others recover Knutson. I'll take five marines in the right-hand door and cause a big loud distraction. You take the other five in the left and try to find Knutson. I can't move very fast with my leg in this shape, so it looks like you get all the glory."
<Tag Dirk/Everyone>

"Perez, it was your idea. Take your squad with Pitt. You'll need Wang's computer anyway. Oh, here you go Wang." Sykes handed the computer back to the bug-eyed ComTech. "You'll need a medic too. McKenna, go with Pitt. And, Ragnarson."
<Tag Perez, Honeysett, Wang, McKenna, Ragnarson>

"The rest of you with me," he said to the rest.
<Tag Hall, Farmer, Colson, Mitchell, Morse, Sanger>

"Colson, set up a sentry gun covering these exits. Okay, let's move!"

[Dirk Pitt]

Sykes stepped back to the marines. "Sergeant Pitt, we're going forward with the plan we discussed. One of us can cause a distraction while the others recover Knutson. I'll take five marines in the right-hand door and cause a big loud distraction. You take the other five in the left and try to find Knutson. I can't move very fast with my leg in this shape, so it looks like you get all the glory."
<Tag Dirk/Everyone>

"Perez, it was your idea. Take your squad with Pitt. You'll need Wang's computer anyway. Oh, here you go Wang." Sykes handed the computer back to the bug-eyed ComTech. "You'll need a medic too. McKenna, go with Pitt. And, Ragnarson."
<Tag Perez, Honeysett, Wang, McKenna, Ragnarson>

"The rest of you with me," he said to the rest.
<Tag Hall, Farmer, Colson, Mitchell, Morse>

"Colson, set up a sentry gun covering these exits. Okay, let's move!"

Dirk nodded as Sykes spoke. It was a solid plan. Straight forward and not a lot to screw up. “Roger that Sir. Make sure you pull out in time. Make the distraction and get out. We don’t need to lose any more officers.”
<Tag Sykes>

“Ok people, on me. We’re going to move fast and quiet. Keep the noise down and any talking only as needed. Once the Lieutenant and his people make the noise we can go for broke. I need any movement called out. Keep alert and let’s go get our Marine out of there and bring him home.” Dirk said with determination in his voice. “Move out”
<Tag Marines going with him>

That said, Dirk started to move into the darkness of the opening, his shoulder light dance ing along the walls as he went.

(Roll awareness, scouting)

[Medic Guy]

Clint looked at the dog tags in his hand noticing a bit of dried blood on them, hoping to himself that some other platoon wouldn't find their own tags in a similar condition in this freakish craft in the months or years to come. To think he was almost ready to let lose a burst of rifle fire into the wall near the dog tags thinking one of those horrid creatures was behind it. He wondered if he was starting to lose it a bit, but given the stress level accrued so far during this mission it seemed somewhat understandable of a response he reasoned to himself.

He heard the plan that Sykes came up with and didn't see any flaws with it. At least they were staying in relatively even and large groups. instead of pairs or singles wandering around this weirdly crafted or grown ship. He looked to the rest of his group and heard Pitt call for them to make ready. He felt like he'd been getting ready every few minutes during the mission so far. He gave a quick shake to make sure that all of his equipment was strapped down and not making noise and posted up near the sergeant's left shoulder.

"Ready as ever" he said, as some resolve startled to settle in his stomach. He took a drink of water from his canteen and put it back in place, swishing it around just a bit to keep his mouth from feeling dry. The pulse rifle held just above waist level canted out at their 10 o'clock position, the ammo counter indicating a comforting full magazine in place.

<Tag Pitt and the rescue party>

Roll scouting and awareness.

[Joel]

Farmer started to hear a faint beeping, almost unnoticable over the sound of the gusting wind if it wasnt for half of a red circle that popped up on the far top right corner of his smart gun tracker. "Uh guys... we have some signatures of life to our north-east!"

[JuanPerez]

Perez aimed the M56 smartgun on each of the three entrances in turn, ready to shoot any of those creatures on sight. McKenna seemed to have found a dogtag belonging to a marine from the small security detail of the colony. But he had to concentrate on the moment and could not afford to follow their conversation. The longer he stood there, staring at the derilict ship's entrances, the more he got this sinking feeling in his guts.

Suddenly, a few lines of an acient heavy metal song came to his mind, which they play on the oldies-radio-rock-channel:
Sometimes when you're scared to take a look at the corner of the room you've sensed that somethings watching you, Fear of the dark, fear of the dark, I have a constant fear that somethings always near, Fear of the dark, fear of the dark, I have a phobia that someone's always there

and that was exactly, how he felt. Just that he knew, what exactly it was, that was watching them.

The sergeant's voice brought him back to reality ...

“Ok people, on me. We’re going to move fast and quiet. Keep the noise down and any talking only as needed. Once the Lieutenant and his people make the noise we can go for broke. I need any movement called out. Keep alert and let’s go get our Marine out of there and bring him home. Move out”

"Affirmative, Sarge. 2nd squad let's go"

He checked his gear quickly, adjusted the strappings to reduce the noise and came in second behind Pitt, entering the darkness of the left entrance. He focused on the smartgun tracking system...

<Roll Awareness - Level Professional>

[Morse]

There were moments that Morse was not sure how long his detoxes lasted. Given his current status he was bound to be tested on his alcohol levels before and after entering cryo. His drinking before and after had caused some rather moderate health issues as he'd have alcohol in his stomach for months at a time whilst they traveled. The marines were still happy to front the bill for that.... like they had for his leg they took. But the pieces they gave him back in place of the things he lost were still starting to take their toll. Now that he had enforced sobriety on mission, he wasn't sure if the beads of sweat rolling down his head were from the heat, or from his bodies desire to have a sip of ethanol.

"Distraction?" Morse muttered to himself, somewhat louder then he probably meant to. "I don't distract." Morse he pumped the grenade launcher on his M41A Pulse Rifle, ensuring that it was nice and loaded.

Morse was a one man death squad. He walked in, and other things didn't walk out. He didn't care what. They were talking about engaging some sort of "things" that he had never heard of before. But he knew his skill well enough, and as proud as he was he wasn't a braggart about it.

He watched Coleslaw set up the autoguns, and for a moment let himself disregard rank, which he was all too familiar.

"We runnin' n' gunnin'." Morse asked their brevet commander. "Or we pushin' n' holdin' till shit comes to us?'" Morse still was not entirely certain what the enemy was, he hadn't been in the best state of mind since wake up. But he had a lot of experience in the plan so he wanted to know exactly what they had in mind to do. He was fine with either idea, he just didn't want it done stupid and to lose another limb in the process of it.

< Tag Sykes

[Corporal Hicks]

Sykes responded to Morse, "I think we start some shit and then we set up the other sentry gun and dig in."
<Tag Morse>

Sykes spoke to everyone "Alright, good luck and Godspeed. Move out."
<Tag Everyone>