Tersh and Verena tear open a few crates. Most of them contain what appear to be pieces of alien artwork, mostly strange abstract sculptures comprised of spheres and ovals. A few crates contain examples of alien technology, all black and featureless like the lightsabers. Nothing has any sort of color whatsoever--all of the alien artifacts are either grey or black.
The lightsabers--if that
is what they are--have no obvious controls, no clear way to activate or deactivate them.
Unfortunately, Tersh isn't able to make much sense of the objects. The crates are organized and labeled in a strange fashion--most of the notations and symbols are confusing, seemingly random.
* * *
"
What is he doing?"
"
Shh...Master Tyren needs to concentarate, Gimto. He's trying to see beyond the wall, to tell why the hatch is stuck." Aayla puts an arm around Gimto's shoulders, leading him a few yards back down the corridor. "
Let's just give him a little room--it shouldn't take more than a moment."
For a split second, Tyren's power falters as the same odd resistance he felt before presses down on him. Then everything seems to straighten itself out, and he begins to clearly see through the Force. There
is...something on the other side of the hatch, something alive, but it's a simple, almost crude sort of organism, akin to a fungus or slime. It's growing rapidly, despite having no obvious source of nourishment, and seems to have pressed itself into just about every possible crack, literally gluing the hatch stuck.
Once he he has established that the organisim on the other side is neither dangerous nor intelligent, Tyren activates his lightsaber and begins melting away the bulkhead.
The severed hatch falls free and tumbles a couple of feet to the ground where it hits another severed hatch. Slimy patches of grey ooze coat the walls of the access tube, likely sealing the hatches on every level--it would appear that someone above Tyren had to also cut through a hatch, letting it fall all the way to the bottom.
Judging from the amount of water rushing down the side of the tube, the uppermost hatch must be open and letting in the rain.
* * *
Nor runs a quick sensor check, looking specifically for forms of harmless radiation that the
War Pig's scanners wouldn't normally issue an alert about. After a couple of seconds, he finds it: a huge surge what appears to be charged neutrino particles. The waves aren't harmful to living things, but they are unusually excessive. After a few moments of processing, the confused computer suggests that it might be sunspot activity.
Whatever the source of the jamming, natural or not, the computer is certain that it's coming from off-planet. The next part is a little tricker--Nor begins adjusting to a series of different frequencies, looking for something that won't be hampered by the radiation. Luckily, it doesn't take long for him to hit a frequency that seems to work.
Everyone on the station hears Nor's broadcast clearly:
Nor said:
"This is Nor and Atharias in the War Pig. Something is driving giant squid things to attack us. There are four, no make that now three, on deck and I will attempt to drive them off. Something is jamming even short range communications but I think I have a workaround on our sending end at least."
[SBLOCK=OOC (Nor)]
Computer Use check to operate ship's scanners. (1d20+10=28) You seem to have picked up all available information--not that there was a lot of it, unfortunately. You do have two-way communication now (the personal comlinks of the other instructors will auto adjust to your new frequency).[/SBLOCK]
* * *
Tolark's students huddle close together, shivering in the rain. The storm's intensity has not slackened in the slightest--visibility is next to nothing. Through the Force, though, Tolark can vaguely sense the location of the other creatures Nor mention--if only because each of them seems to be at the center of a disturbing wound in the Force.
Tolark's brief attempt to contact the creature is disheartening. They are not intelligent, nor are they normally hostile, being herbivores by nature. But some horrible menace has twisted their minds near to the breaking point, driving them into a berserk, suicidal fury.
The beasts have only the crudest awareness of their surroundings, but Tolark is able to sense one clear thought motivating them: an overwhelming desire to stop "the Noise".
* * *
Once he has set the computer system to rights, Nor attempts to reach out to the creatures' minds, to implant the suggestion that they turn aside. Much to his dismay, however, he discovers that the squid things have very little mind to speak of--they are being overwhelmed by sheer instinct and rage, a primal force too powerful to simply bat aside.
While Nor is concentrating, Master Atharias looks over the screens, adjusting the ship's external cameras to get a broader view around the Academy. "
Nor," Atharias gasps, shocked, "
...this may be a much bigger problem than we thought."
All around the Academy, thousands of feet in all directions, the dark ocean teems with life: several hundred of the squid-like creatures, surrounding the Academy, slowly and painfully making their way closer...
