[Stargate SG-1 RPG] Part III - The Enemy of my Friend . . .

[Nuke261]

Lt. Commander Craig Durant

On the Street, Cobblestone Town
P7X – 912
25 minutes since arrival, June 3, 2003

After catching sight of the darkening sky, Durant continued to move towards Stewart and listened to Jeremiah.

"Someone should stay. That...thing could have something to do with the others disappearance. Trust me, I'm not trying to undermined your authority. Medraut, our Tok'ra contact, said that there was danger up here. Fleeing might not be a bad idea, but we don't know what that thing is."

"No, I don't think any of us are going to stick around. If that thing is dangerous I don't think we want anything to do with it."

Durant stopped in his tracks for a moment and redirected Jeremiah back in the direction he had come from. "Stewart, pass the word. I want all of us in the building with the statue back here, NOW!"

If Jeremiah had indeed found their contacts and safety, it was better to avoid this new encounter there. Maybe the Tok'ra would have some idea where Andreev and the others were, too.

 

[Stargate_Com]

As the immense wall of darkness hits the edge of town, Jeremiah is amazed by both the size and speed of this ‘Storm’. The low hum was now clear. He had no doubts, now. This was definitely what Medraut had warned him about.

"No, I don't think any of us are going to stick around. If that thing is dangerous I don't think we want anything to do with it."

With the ‘Storm’ almost on top of them, Jeremiah began to come around.

This was no storm. I don’t know what it is, but I’m getting the feeling that this thing can not be reasoned with. Durant probably has the right idea. Let’s get out of here.

“On second thought…we should go. I’ll lead them to the teleport."

Jeremiah can not help but wonders how much help Medraut will be. So far, he was only mildly impressed by Stargate command’s chosen contact. Yet Medraut could surprise him, ...remember..., military is not the only kind of aide.

 

[Keia]

On the Street, Cobblestone Town
P7X – 912
26 minutes since arrival, June 3, 2003

None of the team on the surface had any experience on just how long it would take for the growing dark cloud to flow through the town. The swarm grew on the horizon and seemed to inch its way closer and closer to the town. The buzz from the cloud grew louder as well and was identifiable as thousands, perhaps millions of beating wings.

Stewart quickly passed the word up to Donovan and Reed, both of whom hadn’t needed to hear it to start their way down. Reed was already down and through the second story window before Stewart whistled. Accepting the handed gun from Donovan, Reed held it and the heavy fur aside so that Donovan could climb down as well. His foot missed its purchase on the sill of window briefly, but Donovan managed to gather himself and get through without incident.

Jeremiah started back the way he had come, hustling down the street and back into the large central square of town. Durant followed closely behind and Stewart was midway between Durant and Donovan who was almost 90 feet behind Durant. Reed followed closely behind Donovan.

“I hate storms . . . and I absolutely hate bugs,” Reed commented to Donovan as they hustled. “I figure this is probably a bad time for childhood fears to kick in, huh?”

Arriving at the main square, the team noted that it was well over a hundred yards on a size. The courtyard had a single large statue of something biped in the middle and several large four or five story buildings surrounded the courtyard itself. The statue was of a biped, mostly humanoid. The humanoid was heavily muscled and had many human features . . . though there was something odd about it. Either the sculptor was particularly bad . . . or the humanoid had thick broken skin, no ears, and extra skin covered the nose and eyes. Hair was apparent on the head and most exposed area but didn’t hide the broken skin. Clothing was sparse - a one piece covering its chest and pelvis. It appeared to be gesturing skyward with one six fingered hand with the other palm up and outstretched. The outstretch hand had nothing in it . . . and was also twenty feet off of the ground.

Durant could identify a figure standing on the steps of the building Jeremiah was heading toward. The humanoid looked large, much larger than a human. In fact, he looked a lot like the statue in the courtyard, though the humanoid was pointing at the cloud. Neither Jeremiah nor Durant could make out the words he was saying.

OOC: Donovan, Durant, Grayson, Reed, Stewart

 

[Carlo]

Somewhere over the planet
P7X - 912
38 minutes since arrival, June 3, 2003

Lorelai stared in disbelief as she realized that the cloud not a storm but some kind of living mass of something. In the back of her mind she wanted to ask more of Myrrdin, to know what he knew about her and the others, but for now she was focused on the scene below. If the rest of the team had made it through, they were down there somewhere. "Dear Go..." She managed "What is that?"

 

[kid A]

Andreev Ilianov

Somewhere over the planet
P7X - 912
38 minutes since arrival, June 3, 2003

“Witness the reason behind my request for your presence here,” Myrrdin commented. “If you had remained in that town . . . you would have been consumed. I would not let that happen.”

As the cloud began to spread through the town, Andreev wondered not only what it was, but also what it was capable of. What might it do to Craig, Jeremiah and the others if they are still on the surface? Rylee and Lorelai had already voiced his own inquiries, however, at least so far as asking what the cloud actually was. Because of this, and also due in part to the fact that Myrrdin was almost purposefully not addressing Andreev, he remained uncharacteristically quiet. He continued to watch the viewscreen, and (im)patiently awaited Myrrdin's response...

 

[Stargate_Com]

Hustling back to the teleport, Jeremiah picked out the shape of a few bugs in the massive cloud.

Insects? It’s just insects. I’m not afraid of bugs. I know this is an alien species. One in which, I know nothing about. For all I know, they could be meat-eaters or poisonous, but neither of them seemed likely. I can’t help but think of the swarm of locust in the bible. They were only after the crops. A swarm of this size would need a hell of a lot of food, and the only animal I seen on this planet was Medraut. Yet, Medraut was the one who warned me about them. Wow…if a being with the strength and knowledge of Medraut fear these bugs, maybe we should too. I wonder if the bugs are what marked up his back.

Jeremiah’s pace is quickened by his new found fear. Yet his fears are slightly relieved, when he found Medraut on the stairs in front of the building.

He came out. How bad can it be?

“Medraut!” The overpowering hum of the swarm drowned out both Jeremiah’s and Medraut’s voices. Cupping his hands over his mouth, he continued to yell out in Gaelic.
“What? I can’t hear you! What can we do?”

The movement of his lips was the only sign that Medraut might be talking. Whatever he was saying, he seemed to concern the sky. Following his finger, Jeremiah tried to see what is was.

 

[Nuke261]

Lt. Commander Craig Durant

On the Street, Cobblestone Town
P7X – 912
26 minutes since arrival, June 3, 2003

Durant continued to follow Jeremiah. He had been through here already so may as well leave him in the lead. Then the large man appeared ahead of them and it seemed Jeremiah was trying to yell to him. Must be one of the Tok'ra since Grayson's not trying to warn us about anything. About that time Jeremiah increased his speed and Durant felt compelled to do the same. He did check on the progress of the rest of the team as well as the swarm that was descending on the town.

 

[Keia]

On the Street, Cobblestone Town
P7X – 912
26.06 minutes since arrival, June 3, 2003

When Jeremiah looked in the direction that Medraut was pointing, all that he saw was the swarm. Jeremiah strained to hear Medraut over the increasingly loud buzz coming from the swarm. He thought he heard the words ‘Idiot human’ and ‘hurry’, both in Gaelic.

To Durant, the buzz seemed to have picked up a degree – not unlike engine whine when gears are shifted in a high performance race car. Jeremiah had slowed somewhat, and was looking toward the sky and the swarm. Durant was up to Jeremiah in no time, and grabbed him to hustle him forward.

Donovan and Reed were about ninety feet behind and were running through the square in pursuit of Durant and Grayson.

The vanguard of the swarm, few in number, thankfully, headed toward the moving targets. The insects appeared to be the length of a man’s arm, with insect wings and multiple legs. Segmented bodies grey and/or black in color, each seemed equipped with a stinger as well. All in all, they looked like a vastly oversized mosquito or wasp, perhaps part of both.

As Stewart made his way across the yard, one of the insects impacted into the cobblestone of the courtyard mere feet from him with a disgusting squishing noise. Eyes were not large like on most insects, though the size of the body may have something to do with that.

Medraut motioned to come to him and disappeared into the governmental building. Durant and Jeremiah were 150 feet from the entrance (including 30 feet of steps). Stewart was 200 feet away from the entrance, while Donovan and Reed were 240 feet away.

OOC: Donovan, Durant, Grayson, Reed, Stewart

 

[Keia]

Somewhere over the planet
P7X - 912
39 minutes since arrival, June 3, 2003

"What is that?"

"Dear Go..." She managed "What is that?"

Myrrdin turned to face the quartet, smiling to himself slightly, having just heard an echo in the room. He paused for a few moments as the cloud started cover part of the town.

“It is known as the ‘bas dubh’* in the language of the land,” Myrrdin stated, looking over each individual to determine if they knew Gaelic. He paused, eyes resting appraisingly at Rylee. He continued in English, “Insects, with a swarm or hive intelligence. The creatures are flesh-eaters . . . actually they eat almost anything organic. Luckily, they are migratory and never vary from their path. Unfortunately, that path carries them through the town you were so recently in.”

The view screen panned in, showing five individuals running through a courtyard in military fatigues. A few of the insects in front of the swarm were just about to reach them . . .

Artorius shifted uncomfortably nearby, his eyes on the view screen and the fate of those on the ground.

“Are these your lost soldiers, Tauri?” Myrrdin asked.

* Rylee:

Spoiler

'Black death'

OOC: Fallon, Fisher, Ilianov, Nguyen

 

[Stargate_Com]

Medraut seemed to be pointing at a nearby swamp. I guess that is where they came from.

Jeremiah could not help but draw a parallel between the ouside statue and Medraut now. Maybe, this is why the statue is motioning towards the sky. For the first time, Jeremiah found himself wondering about the survival of the rest of Medraut species. Someone had to of built this town. Had these insects wiped them out?

Jeremiah strained to hear Medraut over the increasingly loud buzz coming from the swarm. He thought he heard the words ‘Idiot human’ and ‘hurry’, both in Gaelic.

'Idiot'. Even in a beautiful language like Gaelic, it still sounded ugly.

The swarm was close now. The bugs that had look normal sized before now revealed themselves to be huge, as big as a man's arm. Jeremiah fear was suppased by his anger.

Wasn't it just like the military to send us into an area they knew nothing about? They had time to contact the Tok'ra, but no time to get any intell?
It's sounds to me like more of the military creto: 'Arrogance over intelligence.'

With Medraut dissappearing into the building, Jeremiah thought it best to follow him. "Let's get inside!"