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

[kid A]

Andreev

Somewhere over the planet
P7X – 912
43 minutes since arrival, June 3, 2003

Artorius’ face slightly flushed with anger, then he composed himself, “Of course, my liege will allow you to recover your comrades. In fact, I would not doubt that Myrrdin would send an escort and medical support to provide whatever help they could. To do anything else. . . .”

Although he had meant no harm toward Artorius, Andreev could see why his question had cause to anger him. "Please, Artorius, forgive me. I do not wish to imply ill will toward Myrrdin. It has been, for us, a very long and difficult journey, and it has not been made easier to see our comrades devoured by the 'black death.' Once again, I apologize profusely for my rudeness, my friend." He offered up his best smile for Artorius.

Taking in the two rooms, he was overwhelmed by the hospitality of their "captor." Rooms more befitting of a Greek or Roman forum, as opposed to a starship, offered temptations designed to fill every need. Steam from the spa enticed his weary body and the plentiful aromas of food set his mouth watering. Guilt threatened to bar him from taking part in any of the pleasures set before them. He truly did not wish to partake in such enticements when his friends were suffering on the planet below. And yet, it would be rude, and possibly dangerous, to refuse Myrrdin's hospitality. To Artorius, he simply replied, "I do not believe we could want for more. Your master has been more than generous and we are quite thankful for his care."

 

[Keia]

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

"Donovan...Stewart. Go to the statue." Moving over to the door, Jeremiah looked back at Medraut. "He can take you to safety." He doubted that they would go, but he had to give them the option.

Jeremiah was all but ignored in his attempt to get the group to safety. It was either that or he wasn’t heard over the increasingly loud noise of the swarm.

Durant looked to the heavy animal fur curtain covering the archway and had an idea. With his knife and adrenaline assisting the task, Durant managed to pull one of the two heavy curtains from the archway. The fur was much heavy than Durant anticipated and he struggled with it until Stewart got beneath it as well and helped carry fur.

He then rushed out into the swarm, towards the steps, yelling as loudly as possible, "Reed! Reed! Where are you Reed!"

Stewart yelled over to Durant (who was right next to him under the furs) but was barely heard by Durant against the overwhelming buzz of the insects. “Reed’s at the bottom of the stairs, sir!!”

Nodding, Durant and Stewart made their way down the stairs. Surprisingly, the pair felt almost no impacts off of the furs, and none of the insects attempted to get beneath the furs or between the bottom of the furs and the ground.

As the two moved onto the stairs, a large stream of insect flowed into the room through the partially opened archway. It almost seemed as a several foot thick rope or snake the way it coil into the air of the reception area of the building. Peering out, Durant and Stewart made out the form of Reed . . . prone on the ground curled up and fending off the insects. Her mouth was open in a scream, though they heard nothing. Blood was . . . everywhere.

Turning to Medraut, Jeremiah tried not to let his resentment come out in his Gaelic. "Please take them to safety." "I will stay and help."

Standing at the doorway, Jeremiah tries to remain focused as thoughts raced though his head. As such, he was literally bowled over by the rush of insects that poured through the now open archway. Any further thoughts were cast aside as the insects slammed into him, taking his breath from him, and knocking him prone*. At that moment, Jeremiah understood . . . this swarm was truly a force of nature – unable to be controlled or contained, merely avoided.

Donovan staunched his wound and tied it off with a strip of his shirt, looking up in time to see Jeremiah get knocked down . . . and the coil of the swarm that had entered the room through the opening left by Durant and Stewart. **

* - Jeremiah took seven point of damage from a slam and was knocked prone (no bites or claws).

** - Donovan still has a partial action that he can use in this round, I’ll incorporate it into the beginning of the next.

OOC: Donovan, Durant, Grayson, Reed, Stewart

 

[MadThinker]

Lt. Luthor Donovan

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

Donovan staunched his wound and tied it off with a strip of his shirt, looking up in time to see Jeremiah get knocked down . . . and the coil of the swarm that had entered the room through the opening left by Durant and Stewart.

Donovan saw the column of insects knock Grayson down. "$%@*!!!" His leg still hurt like hell, but Donovan picked himself up off the floor and ran over to Grayson. He attempted to pick Grayson up, but thought better of it when he felt the stress on his hurt leg. Donovan dragged Grayson to the giant man standing by the statue and screamed over the buzzing, "Get us the hell out of here! I can come back for the others."

 

[ajkar]

Lt Barry Stewart 5?VP 14WP 2d6AD

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

Stewart was amazed that the two of them were not immediately overwhelmed by the insects. As they neared the prone form of Reed, Stewart stepped over to the far side of her so that Durant was on one side and he on the other, then confirmed that the fur drape covered all three. He saw that Reed was in very bad shape and proceeded to swat, stomp and kick the bugs off of her and out from underneath their protection.

Stewart was aware of their situation but, whether Reed was alive or not, this was not the time or place to see if she was. There would be time for that later, no one gets left behind, alive or dead. He made sure he had a firm grip on the drape with one hand and used his elbow as a hook to pick Reed up under her arm. While he waited for Durant to do the same he peeked under the drape to get his bearings to go back up the steps and hopefully to safety.

 

[Stargate_Com]

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

Standing at the doorway, Jeremiah toyed with the idea of running out there to help. Yet, he could not bring himself to do it.

I can't go out there without a plan. But, there is no way to stop these things.

Emerging from his trace, Jeremiah was just in time to see a small swarm coming right for him. His eyes widen, but there is no time for defense.

As such, he was literally bowled over by the rush of insects that poured through the now open archway. Any further thoughts were cast aside as the insects slammed into him, taking his breath from him, and knocking him prone*.

Ouch! His back and then head hit the cobblestone floor, and he was out. It was several seconds before Jeremaih regained consciousness. In a blurred and muffled state, Jeremiah finds himself being dragged over to the statue.

"Get us the hell out of here! I can come back for the others."

Groggy and disoriented, Jeremiah does his beside to translate Donovan's words. "Let's go!"

 

[Nuke261]

Lt. Commander Craig Durant

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

It was very difficult maneuvering with the huge curtain draped over them but with Stewart's help they made their way to Reed without much incident. Durant had lost people in battle before and it was never pretty. However, the sight of Reed, her mouth stretched open in a scream that could not be heard and all the blood made this scene one he hoped he would not have to see ever again. Damn, she's lost a hell of a lot of blood! Don't dwell on her now, just get her out of danger so Luke can do his thing.

As Stewart positioned himself and lifted Reed's body from one side, Durant lifted the other. He used his free hand to hold the giant curtain over them and they made their way back the way they had come. F@($ this mission! This is way too many good people getting their asses handed to 'em before we can even figure out where the hell we are or what's going on!

 

[Keia]

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

As Stewart and Durant worked for several seconds on clearing the insects from Reed, the dire nature of her condition became more apparent. When the bugs were cleared, and it was time to pick her up, neither Durant nor Stewart could find someplace that didn’t have a bleeding bite or claw mark. Chunks of flesh were missing and she was bleeding from everywhere.

“Cooommm . . . and . . . .errrrr,” Reed tried to speak through the tears, but the mess of her face and throat made it almost unintelligible.

Finally as Durant and Stewart gave each other a signal through eye contact, they lifted her as one, holding the insects at bay with the heavy fur covering.

“ARRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!” Reed screamed, then simply passed out. With little effort, the duo made their way back up the stairs, holding the limp form of what was a once beautiful Lt. Chris Reed.

--------------------------------------------------

Inside the reception area of the building, the insects continued to pour through the opening. Jeremiah translated Donovan’s orders and Medraut nodded. With a motion from his hand, three metal rings rose up from the ground encircling them and a blinding light enveloped the trio. When the light faded, the rings were retreating into the ground . . . and they were in another room.

Several of the insects were also within the rings when the group could see again. The insects appeared disoriented and Medraut made quick work of two of them, crushing their bodies in his large hands. Donovan stabbed two with his knife killing them, but several others took flight and tried to escape their slaughter and return to the swarm.

“We must kill any insects that get down here,” Medraut explained to Jeremiah, “Not only could they bite us . . . they could breed and even spoil the water supply.”*

* - in Gaelic
OOC: Donovan, Durant, Grayson, Reed, Stewart

 

[Keia]

Somewhere over the planet
P7X – 912
43 minutes since arrival, June 3, 2003

"The one who spoke first, Andreev, is the highest ranking member of this team." In fact, as far as she knew, he was the only one affiliated with the American military.

“That is odd,” Myrrdin commented, “for his intonation and speech patterns are different than for your other two companions. Do the leaders of your military come from another country or planet?”

“As for some of the legends . . . I’m interested in hearing your stories of me. In exchange for these stories, I will impart one truth to you from any part of the stories – you get to choose. But only one truth,” Myrrdin smiled good-naturedly and relaxed in his chair.

“M’lord,” Kai called to him from the console. Myrrdin looked only mildly irritated by the interruption. “There appears to be a distortion in the swarm near the last sighting of those on the planet.”

The viewscreen supported the Jaffa's claim. The blackness that was the insect swarm had lightened near where Rylee's teammate last were. Nothing on the surface was visible - sort of a charcoal grey against a pitch black . . . noticeable, but nothing significant. But still . . .

OOC: Rylee Fallon

 

[Nuke261]

Lt. Commander Craig Durant

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

“Cooommm . . . and . . . .errrrr,” Reed tried to speak through the tears, but the mess of her face and throat made it almost intelligible. “ARRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!” Reed screamed, then simply passed out. With little effort, the duo made their way back up the stairs, holding the limp form of what was a once beautiful Lt. Chris Reed.

Each sound Reed made stabbed at him like a dull knife. Unfortunately, that was nothing next to the pain Craig Durant felt when her body went limp in his arm and she fell silent.
"*"
Once they reached the top of the stairs Durant shrugged off most of the curtain to see where the others were and where they were all going. However, no one was there. No one. "Son of a $i+(%!!" He could not keep a team together on this f^(%ed up planet for anything! He continued to move away from the open door closer to the reception area and the statue, all the while looking for signs of where everyone went as well as their gear.
"I am getting way to old for this $hi+! Stewart, you got any ideas?"


*= a long, complex, combination of curses

 

[MadThinker]

Lt. Luthor Donovan

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

“We must kill any insects that get down here,” Medraut explained to Jeremiah, “Not only could they bite us . . . they could breed and even spoil the water supply.”

Donovan couldn't understand what the big guy was saying, but he could understand his actions. After he knifed two of the bugs, he pulled out his rifle and trained his sights on any remaining bugs in the room.