Reclaiming the Station!
9/27/2010
Dray:
Only a few short minutes ago, a desperate recall had gone through all the decks to recall station security and mercenary alike: it seemed as though the invading hive had been repelled, but all knew that this wouldn't last for long.
"By whatever stroke of luck," a human officer was saying in the Hatching Bay fallback point, "the beasts seem to have been struck dumb... we should make a push for the center of their hive." It seemed that there was agreement to that statement in more than one quarter... however, there remained the challenge of getting to the Life Support deck at the center of the spinning wheel that was the station in the first place! All passageways to the deck had been blocked off, and anyone who had attempted to teleport into the space was never heard from again... several good men and dragons had been lost in just such a fashion.
Soon the teams would have to make a choice: continue to fight to eradicate the menace from the lower decks, or follow it to its source, as best they could? ((Choose a deck: Flight (low risk), Commerce (medium low), Housing (medium-high), or Hatching (high) and roll a d20 for each character to spot enemies!))
(( StarFyre, JKatkina )) As the two teams stand together in the Hatching grounds, Penopir gives a shriek of distress and, turning on the nearest yautjadragon (that would be Lahan), she fans her wings and zaps the creature with all her might. (6 damage to Lahan!)
JKat:
Pain ripped across the bond between Terra and Lahan. The woman yelled, but the yautjadragon shrieked -- more with rage than pain -- and with a roar she turned on Penopir and charged. Blood streaming from the ragged gash in her side she dived at the drone with talons out. Penopir was an enemy now, and would be treated as such! ((11))
Dray:
(( JKat, StarFyre )) The great, grey female shoved into Penopir, hurtling the xenodragon down and denting portions of her carapace! (8 damage to Penopir!)
Phoenix:
Thankfully Rhakardni didn' end up having to drag the two Gavs back to safety, but for a moment it almost seemed like it might have been better if they'd stayed incapacitated. In the same moment that Penopir berserked, Gavess shrieked and folded over on himself again, struggling against unheard commands. Even Minister Gavin himself went pale, sweat standing visibly on his brow as he trembled slightly. Rhakarndi hardly noticed, however -- that xeno-beast that had snarled at her before was attacking one of her dragon-children, and momma wasn't standing for that, though she wasn't sure she could pinpoint fire her plasmacaster into the fray at this range! (roll 3)
Dray:
(( StarFyre, JKatkina, Phoenix )) Rhakarndi aimed for the glowing white and black drone, however, Lahan's body was tangled with the beast's, and the chances of hitting her own dragon-born daughter was equally as great as getting a clean shot on her target. Luckily, it seemed as though the Yautja woman would be able to save her plasma for the real enemy, as a pair of Star City mutts -- both half again or more as big as the two contestors, snarled and leapt into the fray. Not to damage, but to pull the two apart. They both wore brazenly clear markings of Security, and both kept firm claws upon their captors.
~We haven't the time for this,~ one snapped, and the other, daintly picking up a swatch of bandages from his bond, passed them to the Yautjadragon and the drone. (+10 HP to Lahan and Penopir)
Indeed, the sounds of scrabbling were sounding again in the Hatching Bay corridors, and in the decks below. The fight would soon be on!
StarFyre:
(( Dray )) Snaedis roared in anger, first at the commands that ripped through the hivemind, and then at Penopir's obedience to those commands. As Penopir lashed out, Lahan reacted, and Snaedis was left completely unable to do anything. When, however, the lasers started flying, Snaedis had had more than enough. As soon as the Security dragons let go Penopir, she snarled, ::We're going to have a talk when this is over. Now come on.:: and took off into the Hatching deck at a quick lope, anger in every line of her body. She was searching for creatures to take her fury out on.. and if she could find and destroy that Queen, she would! (19) Penopir sulkily followed along after her Queen, completely not understanding why she couldn't have just smashed that stupid mutt, also looking for something to take her anger out on (17). Rohe was perhaps the least affected by the whole thing. She wanted to hunt because she did... although having to not abandom a fight had got her blood boiling. She wanted a good one! (20)
JKat:
(( Dray )) Rhakardni's dragon daughter had done just fine for herself anyways. The gash along her side was oozing, but she acted unharmed, and though she snarled once when the security dragons fell upon her and her quarry, being part of the Force herself, she fell to quickly. She held the bandages rather firmly, though, until Terra darted up to her side and took them from her bond. "Neisan," she called to the second yautjadragon in their trio, and he snapped himself from his own state of distraction and returned to their side. "Give me a hand here," she told him, and the three fell into a pattern they had practiced.
(( Dray )) Terra's nimble fingers wiped the wound clean quickly and checked it for depth, and deciding that the bandage would be enough by itself, set its end overlapping the wound. She reached over Lahan's body and passed the roll to Neisan, who did the larger wraps that went too high for Terra to reach. Passing it down to her again on the other side of his yautja fellow, they repeated the process in rapid, practiced and practical if not professional manner until Neisan's blood no longer flowed, and then Terra finished the wrap. "There," she told the grey female, stepping back as Lahan tested the strength of the bandages and found herself satisfied. "Now we can get to the _real_ fight."
(( Dray )) Neisan rumbled his agreement. He had been priming for a fight of his own, and he quickly suggested across the bond, ~back to the Bays?~ Finding quick assent, the three got into position to teleport -- Lahan facing one way, Neisan the other, Terra between them and touching both -- and teleported back to the Hatching deck. Each had their eyes open and scanning the moment they reappeared. ((Lahan, 1, Neisan, 19, Terra, 4))
Airy:
(( Dray )) Shaine was still shaken by the attack that had befallen her before the xenos had pulled back, when Vir made his way to her side. He looked her up and down, and then seemed to decide that she would be ok for the time being. "That was a close one," he admonished. "Don’t do that again." The woman still too shocked to argue with her companion, and she fell in line behind him as he continued down the hallway. Haroruu let out a warble of contentment as he flicked the dead bustling away from himself, and then cocked his head questioningly at his bond. "I think we should stay on this level," Vir said after a moment. Shaine pursed her lips with worry, but stayed behind him. She wanted to finish what she had started, but she wouldn’t be forgetting the sudden attack any time soon. She couldn’t let her guard down while she was here. Vir shot her a questioning look, and she knew that he was concerned about her. "Let’s keep going then," she said. ((10))
Dray:
(( StarFyre )) Snaedis, stalking sulkily, spied a Warrior slipping silently along the walls, intent in their direction. Penopir, scanning for a fight, spotted the same warrior, but in addition, noticed a darker-hued warrior clinging to the ceiling behind it. And Rohe... well, a good fight was one that wasn't quite fair: she spotted a drone that was holding well back, uncertain of attacking a rival queen.
jess:
(( Dray )) The brief respite after their battle had Magdenai and Omon feeling better, and all three of the friends were eager to return to the fight. Omon paused, listening to the brief "announcement" over the huntermind. While his half-breed status prevented him from being Blooded as the purebloods could, that didn't keep him from joining in on the slaughter of the invaders. After all, he did take out one of the warriors by himself before the recall. He turned to his companions, "We should assist on the Hatching or Housing decks; there will be more action there." Magdenai and Selien glanced at eachh other, but neither had any objection. Mag had her "prize" subdued, bagged and stowed safely, still not quite sure what she would do with it later, but she'd worry about it then. Selien made the final choice in what deck, and the trio made their way into the Housing deck, watching carefully for movement. (( Mag - nat 20; Omon - nat 20; Selien - 17 ))
Phoenix:
(( Dray )) Rhakarndi still wanted to put a plasma-blast into the abomination's glowing carapace, but for better or for worse, there were bigger prey to hunt down. She saw the trio of xenos vanish the same hunting-direction she and the Minister still had to pursue, but waited, allowing them time to get away and for Gavin and Gavess to finish recovering. She was making mental notes to herself, watching Lahan and the others of her dragon-children as well, making thoughtful clicking noises in her throat.
(( Dray )) Finally she decided they'd delayed enough, and Gavin grimly agreed, fully back in control of himself and his alter-self as well. Their little battle-group hurried back to the battlefield of the Hatching Bays, though Gavin remained distracted -- perhaps by maintaining control over the rest of his distant hive. ('vin 1, 'vess 10, Rha 17)
Shard:
(( Dray )) Atrocity sulked, squirmed, and finally relented to having himself healed up by something other than his own natural...-ish abilities. Kalkin looked as though he could take on the world, he took his shirt off and threw it at a bin, it was all bitten and slobbery-acided on. "We'll head over to the Commerce level," Baeris said.
(( Dray )) At that, Atrocity whined, but she shot him a glare, and he shut up as soon as he started. "We can get you something new," She whispered at Kalkin, winking.
(( Dray )) So off they went into the fray again. (( kalkin 5; atrocity 3; baeris 13 ))
StarFyre:
(( Dray )) Pleased with the result of her hive's search, Snaedis paused for a moment, readied herself, then spun spears out of her ever present snow and hurled them at the Warrior that she had noticed (16). Penopir had a brief moment where she wondered if she could take the warrior herself (after all, she'd done it before, hadn't she?) before the results of the fight not ten minutes ago tapped her on the mental shoulder and waggled their eyebrows suggestively. With a sigh, she sent a half-hearted bolt of lightning after the same Warrior that Snaedis had pegged. (7) Rohe, however, was entirely unconcerned with propriety and charged off across the corridor at the drone, shrieking a battlecry, to pounce on its back and destroy it! (14)
Dray:
(( JKat )) The trio landed this time in a muck of eggs and smashed them -- though they were already empty, alas! Lahan, thinking perhaps that they had crushed some of those disgusting facehuggers, looked about their feet and spotted a dessicated human corpse upon which a flashing stone was resting. When she picked it up, she could easily read a keyword inscribed across the back. It was familiar to her, being a security guard and dealing with those who often fought: a magicked item to provide armor. (Rock Armor Talisman, +2 Defense) Neisan, on the other hand, spotted a smoky purple burstling that was slithering between the egg shells in terror.
(( Airy )) Staying in the Housing deck didn't seem to make things easier for the trio: as they stalked through the alleyway and passed boarded up or shattered windows, a grassy-green dome lowered from the ceiling to regard them. A full Warrior peeled its lips back, hissing a warning.
JKat:
(( Dray )) Lahan chuckled and dipped to retrieve the talisman, pragmatically prying it from the corpse. He wouldn't mind, after all. If it had been a Security officer under all that gore, hell, he might even be pleased to serve post-mortemly. She held onto it for the moment and looked to Neisan.
(( Dray )) But the brown male was in action already. Burstlings were hardly an effort, and so he lunged with an almost businesslike edge to his deadly form, aiming to neatly decapitate the quick little thing with his talons. ((3, hahaha)) Lahan decided he hardly needed the help, and instead stomped her way through the discarded 'hugger eggs with rather more satisfaction than destroying the husks warranted, searching out larger prey. ((6)) Terra followed along behind, picking her steps more carefully and making sure to sweep every dark corner -- and to regularly look up ((18)).
Dray:
(( jess )) It was actually a blue-tinged burstling that noticed the trio first, and, screaming, it bolted back into its hidey hole, from which it had been cautiously emerging. Mag and Omon, not quite so startled by the noise as was Selien, spotted a darkly gold Warrior sneaking out of one shattered window, not yet locking eyes... or domes, at least, with them.
Xalia:
(( Dray )) Rifan gave Garskit a look, not at all pleased by what he heard over Huntermind, but choosing to ignore it. Garskit sighed, he didn't need to hear what was going on to know what that look meant. "Back to the Hatching Deck we go, I assume?" he asked. Rifan merely nodded, he wasn't about to trust his voice not to be growly and ferocious so he held it in check. He'd release his anger on the xenos, they were the ones who deserved it. ((Rifan: 20 Garskit: 19 ))
Dray:
(( Phoenix )) It was unfortunate that Gavin was still distracted, for in a moment a colourful webbing splayed with clawed fingers sprang from the darkness, searching for a grip around the Minister's face. It missed, of course, slipping on his armor and falling to the ground. A drone, watching the trio carefully, held back, while a red-hued burstling lay coiled near the red-flashing elevator towards the Life Support deck. The trio noted that a few security guards were hard at work, attempting to pry the elevator's doors apart. Several mercenaries were standing back, ready with rope and grappling hooks to ascend to who-knew-what beyond.
(( Shard )) Down on the Commerce Deck, things seemed practically deserted. It was only Baeris who noticed that a string of what seemed to be strange purple jewelry, curled about a mannequin in a shop-front window, was actually a cleverly hiding burstling!
Shard:
(( Dray )) Muttering to herself, and knowing that both her men could hear the slightest whisper she gave, Baeris alerted them to the little burstling in the window. "This time, it'll work. This time, it'll work," she chanted, shaking up her spray and letting loose with a burst of it at the little xeno. (( 9 )) Atrocity hardly even noticed that there was a creature , it was too small to really be of any threat to him.
Airy:
(( Dray )) This time Shaine was the first to react to the xeno, and she showed none of the hesitation or mercy that had gotten her into trouble only moments before. She lifted her rifle and fired into the xenp’s face. ((15)) Vir held back, somewhat worried that the creature was too close. He still wasn’t sure about attacking the things, despite the fact that Chazzt weapons were designed to enter their targets with as little gore as possible, as their designers did so hate blood... damn herbivores. Haroruu, enlivened by his recent kill, joined Shaine in her fight. He climbed the wall with the same nimbleness that the xeno possessed and made to attack it from behind with the sharp, bony projections on his wrists. ((9))
Dray:
(( StarFyre )) Snaedis' icy shards ripped through the first warrior, sending spurts of acid out across the resinous floor. Even so disheartened, with the talisman around her throat, Penopir was able to finish the Warrior off. Crackling still, it went limp on the ground. The drone, not expecting another of its kind to charge it so mercilessly, shrieked but could do no more as Rohe's fiery talons sent it burning to a very unconscious crisp, in only a few strokes! The still standing Warrior noticed Rohe's fiery athletics and, wanting to whittle the outlier before attempting a queen, lunged at the bright green xenodragon, chomping at her. (5 damage for Rohe!)
jess:
(( Dray )) Omon ignored the burster, focusing his attention of the dark gold of the Warrior. 'The warrior is mine,' he sent a silent warning to Mag and Selien, before he leapt at it, attempting the same attack that had worked earlier (( 17 )). Magdenai wasn't surprised, though she was curious about his sudden fervor. Her ears still twitched in memory of the burster's scream, so she moved towards the hole it dove into, keeping her spear up, ready to fend it off, should it jump out at her (( 12 )). Selien, annoyed at having been startled by so small a xeno, also moved towards the hole, but she had her sword out, and as it was narrower than Mag's spear, she decided to poke it into the burster's hiding place (( 7 )).
StarFyre:
(( Dray )) Rohe was entirely too pleased with herself... until, that is, the other Warrior took a bite out of her! Writhing about, Rohe slashed at the Warrior's underbelly, aiming to tear plates of armor away and peel the other xeno off of her! (13) Penopir had a moment to wonder if she should just leave Rohe to rot, but... well... Snaedis was already pissed at her, so maybe keeping Rohe alive was worth some points? She sent a crackle of electricity off at the enemy warrior (10). Snaedis, pleased that Penopir was at least doing something right, took an alert stance and surveyed the area for more (15)
Phoenix:
(( Dray )) Gavin honestly knew better than to be distracted in such dangerous territory, but with fourteen far-off bonds engaged in various battles of their own, could he really be blamed? Still, control had been wrestled back, and then reality reasserted itself as well at the sudden scrabbling of a facehugger around his helmet! The Minister was no less startled than any other man would be and lashed at it with a mental shove, having a moment of very bad déjà vu and more interested in getting it away from him than anything else right now! (7) Rhakarndi reacted better, pinpoint lasers of his plasmacaster tracking it down for a blast (16) while the distant drone was still hanging back, perhaps held at bay by the presence of so many others nearby.
(( Dray )) Gavess, meanwhile, hadn't forgotten the second motive of being out here. There were still two mind-dazzled bursters in his pack and he sensed, rather than saw, the mind of a third lurking nearby. Creeling, he darted away from human and yautja, meaning to catch the little serpent before it got it in its tiny mind to flee! (14)
Dray:
(( JKat )) Damned Burstling was too fast for Neisan to capture: it was still screaming madly, it's muppet-like fetal limbs shaking from side to side as it slithered away as quickly as possible. He nicked open air where its head had been a moment ago! It seemed that they weren't finding much to fight: a second burstling sprang from the eggs, hissing at Neisan in tiny rage. It was Terra who, looking up, felt a big, wet slop of drool hit her shoulder. A dark green warrior was reclining from the ceiling, not yet spotting the trio as it seemed to be listening to something only it could hear.
(( Everyone! )) Throughout the entire station, but especially upon the Hatching Deck, a great and deep twang resounded as the guards managed to pry open the elevator doors, finally. On the decks further below, it was more a sensation than a noise: access to the Life Support Deck had finally been granted, if anyone was brave enough to enter.
JKat:
(( Dray )) Neisan, frustrated by the loss, nonetheless changed his direction and lunged for the second burstling, fighting to find his stride again. (( 10 ))
(( Dray )) Terra felt the wet splat on her shoulder and felt a shudder up her spine, but she stilled herself and very carefully stepped to the side. She looked up and spotted the green creature, and mentally nudged her big grey bond before stepping away. This was Lahan's time to shine. The yautjadragon, so prompted, spotted her quarry and snarled, but she had never been much good at getting upside-down, nevermind the bay's height; still, she tried, crouching and throwing herself upwards in a wing-aided leap, claws outstretched for the warrior (( 8 )).
(( Dray )) Terra looked all around her, careful as she backed off from the fight ((nat 20!)). She felt the shudder throughout the station, and heard the chatter from the Huntermind secondhand through her bonds. ~When you have dispatched your prey, we should head to Life Support,~ she passed on to her bonds, letting them acknowledge the message in their own time. ~They are going to need help down there.~
Dray:
(( Xalia )) Right at the entrance of the hatching deck, a brown and black Warrior had snuck behind the lines, but its hiss of rage alerted Garskit and his bond to its presence before it could do either of them any real damage!
Xalia:
(( Dray )) Rifan paused as they entered the elevator, Huntermind informing him what the twang had been. He turned to consult Garskit but the nearby hiss made him whirl, leaping for the Warrior with teeth and claws extended, all other thoughts momentarily on hold. ( 17 ) Garskit, true to form, heard the hiss and slipped into the shadows, waiting for an opportune moment to strike in his bond's aid. ( 3 )
Dray:
(( Shard )) The burstling gave a short, whuffling wheeze, and fell limp, quite unconscious under the bug-spray's potency! It was the flesh-toned facehugger that, hiding behind the stand, caught Baeris by surprise! Springing forward, it wrapped its long tail about her waist, its claws fastening over her bosom as it sought her face (2 damage to Baeris!)
(( Airy )) The two working together managed to dig some serious holes into the Warrior, though a spurt of acid splashed Shaine across the thigh, eating through her pants and already beginning to burn (Shaine gets 1 damage, save vs 14 or else she loses 1 HP per turn!) A dusty Facehugger flung itself from over the Warrior's prone body, attempting to catch Vir by surprise, but sailing by without so much as landing a hit.
(( jess )) Between the Warrior and the Yautjadragon, there was an equal contest: Omon managed to crush the beast between heavy claws, though by the same measure, it dug hard claws and teeth into his softer flesh, despite its cries of mortal pain -- it was near dead. (6 damage for Omon!) The two females managed to prod the burstling out of its hole and stab it through the middle, so that after a moment, its struggles had ceased as its life faded away.
(( StarFyre )) In a blaze of fire and acid, Rohe tore the warrior a new one. Penopir, again coming to the rescue, subdued Rohe's attacker such that acidic smoke poured from its nostrils -- it wouldn't be attacking again! Snaedis caught sight -- or mind, at least, of a purple warrior, which was racing along the ceiling towards them, but not yet close enough to attack!
(( Phoenix )) Gavin's shove sent the facehugger flying, literally, and as the creature struggled to gain control, it smashed against the ceiling. Knocked prone, it floated back to the ground like a monsterously fleshy leaf. That was, it fell with a wet 'thunk'. Rhakarndi's blast left nothing but a few sizzling fingers where it had fallen. The burstling reared, shrieking bravely (or foolishly) at the three, but in the meantime, the drone had leapt from the ceiling and come swooping down, targeting Rhakarndi and knocking her off her feet. (Rhakarndi takes 5 damage!)
Airy:
(( Dray )) Haroruu jabbed at Vir with his furious emotions, and tried to remind his bond to watch out for Shaine. As much as the Grue still believed in survival of only the strongest, he knew she was out of her element here. It would weaken his bond if the female human was allowed to die, and it would make life on The Hunter-Killer less comfortable, as he was quite sure that the mercenary group wouldn’t hold together without her. He continued his own attack anyway, determined to keep going until either he or the xeno was dead. ((10)) Vir glared at the spider-like facehugger that had shot past his face, and he brought his weapon to bare on it. Haroruu’s emotional sendings were annoying, but he couldn’t really let xeno impregnator escape into the darkness... it would only come back later, and Vir was quite certain that he didn’t want to give it another chance to latch onto him. He took aim and shot at the little thing. ((9)) Shaine, meanwhile, left the xeno to the Grue for the time being. She knew she needed to tend to the acid that had spray onto her, or it would eat through her skin... She fumbled with the medpack that the guard had given them, and tried to tend to her wounds. ((19))
StarFyre:
(( Dray )) Snaedis hesitated for barely a heartbeat, before turning about and loping off towards the elevator to the Life Support Deck. She'd been challenged by this other Queen, and wouldn't take it lying down. (4) Rohe was a mix of pleased and annoyed -- there was a warrior right there! -- but obediently followed her Queen.(9) There was likely to be plenty more fights in the heart of the mess, after all! Penopir was not pleased. Penopir was not pleased in the slightest. She was a drone and magic or not, fury or not, why was she going into the heart of the enemy hive like a warrior would?! Penopir was, frankly, terrified to her vicious little xenophobic core. (18 apparently terror makes Pen vigilant)
Dray:
(( JKat )) The burstling shrieked no more as Neisan snicked its flailing head clean from its body. Lahan's soaring claws and teeth shredded the Warrior to pieces -- it was lucky that Terra had stepped out of the way to avoid the deadly rain of acid!
The three of them, feeling the shudder, made their way upwards to the Life Support Deck, amongst the first besides the eager mercenaries to climb up the empty elevator shaft. The shaft itself was wreathed in smoke, and far, far, FAR below, unquenched flames still lingered. The doors to the life support had been opened, and the resin that had so thickly encrusted them torn open to reveal a low-ceilinged area that wreaked heavily of rotting vegetation. The red lights of warning intermingled with the under-cast turquoise glow that the deck naturally cast from the luminescent algae that helped to recycle the station's air. Thick resin coated every surface, but more than that, the surface of the deck seemed to /squirm/. Terra realized, with horror, that the walls were composed not only of writhing drones, but lined with hosts both alive and dead. There was a long, low rumble that erupted upon the trio entering, one that didn't stop even as others began to come up as well.
(( JKat )) Neisan misjudges his space on the ledge and, placing his foot over the underlit resin, crushes through it like thin ice. He tumbles backwards, shattering more of the resin and falling into the algae pond -- Terra, windmilling on the edge, splashes over the side as well! ((Lahan can pick either of them up for her turn, and rolling vs 11 to get out of the pit. One cannot fight well under water and will begin to take drowning damage if they stay in for too long!))
(( StarFyre )) The three xenodragons skirt the ledge, clinging to the macabre walls to avoid the filthy water.
jess:
(( Dray )) Omon grunted, as the Warrior's claws and teeth found their marks, though he refused to utter more than that (( he's at 4hp )). It seemed near death, but he didn't take any chances; he drew back and hit it again (( 11 )). If it died quickly, he'd attempt to heal before they moved on (( nat 20; healing magic )). Magdenai and Selien grinned at each other, glad to have killed the burster, small though it was. Every little bit helps. They turned to Omon, who was obviously hurt, though they didn't dare 'assist' the dragon. He seemed to have the current beast under control, so they took guard positions to either side, making sure nothing could attack from behind (( Mag - 15; Sel - 8 )). 'If that one is dead, Omon, let's head for Life Support; there should be plenty to kill there.'
Phoenix:
(( Dray )) Overconfidence! Rhakarndi roared with as much furious humiliation as just plain fury, badly wounded by the pounce and the accompanying claws. The massive xenodragon greatly outsized the ordinary kainde amedha she was familiar with and she struggled to grapple with it. (Rhakarndi is bloodied, 2 hp! Rolls 4, oh god!) Now it was Gavin's turn to rally himself against his companion's attacker, motivated by the shudder of the opened elevator shaft, finally pulling himself together for a furious blast at the drone's mind (17). Gavess had bolted too far from the pair to abort his lunge at the burster, which he smacked at like the disobedient child it was. (7)
JKat:
(( Dray )) Neisan managed to stifle a roar as he fell into the pit -- not that it mattered much, their entrance was not that stealthy to begin with, and the splash belied him further. Lahan snarled and charged for the edge, swooping a forearm into the filthy water to scoop Terra back up onto solid... resin. She set the human down and Terra, coughing, got her bearings and tried her best to shed the water from her hair and her clothes.
StarFyre:
(( Dray )) Snaedis briefly considered helping the other team out of the water, then just as quickly discarded the idea. They'd probably just take it as her hive attacking them again, and they really couldn't afford to deal with that sort of thing here of all places. She, Rohe, and Penopir continued slowly along, watchful and wary. (Snaedis: 6, Rohe: 4; Penopir: 17)
JKat:
(( Dray )) Neisan found his own way out, cursing his clumsiness for his sake and for Terra's as he heaved and pulled himself out of the awful slew. Shaking himself like a dog, the yautjadragon, shamed, returned to his bond and sister to defend and keep watch. Lahan had to grin at him, fierce with sibling-mockery. ~Here,~ she told him through the bond, ~you had better take this, you clumsy beast.~ She proffered the Rock Armour Talisman, and he took it, accepting the gift and refusing to acknowledge the mockery in such a dire situation. Terra, as reasonably dried off as her armour would allow, kept an eye out in the meantime (( 8 )) and led forward once her bonds were ready to go.
(( StarFyre )) Spotting the stupid drone who had attacked her earlier as they finally got moving, Lahan stretched her mandibles to their fullest in threatening mockery. She was ready should the creature try again!
Dray:
(( Xalia )) Rifan, as he had before, manage to disembowel the warrior without a problem. It was lucky, too, as he and his human bond came up to a scene of horror. The wall was slithering queasily, and now it seemed as though something... larger was making itself known. It wasn't a queen, precisely, but the gleaming black of its hide was far more jagged than the average warrior. It watched the yautja dragons, and now Rifan and Garskit, measuringly from several ponds down, teeth bared silently.
StarFyre:
(( JKat )) ::Truce,:: Snaedis sent to the group of yautja. ::She is controlled. We shouldn't do the enemy's work for it.::
Dray:
(( Shard )) While the men dealt with the strange, flesh-toned creature, prying it from Baeris' bosom (but not before it managed to shred the sides of her shirt!), a second 'hugger was slinking up behind them, making ready to spring. When the first had finally been subdued, it leapt... and sailed over all three of them, landing on the back of the display case and turning quickly, readying to spring again!
(( Xalia )) Rifan and Garskit, noticing the first algae tank glowing brightly and sending the rest of the tank into stark relief, given that Neisan and his bond had ripped the thin layer of resin from it already. They also notice that the pair that had fallen in are faintly coated in a sparkly glow...
JKat:
(( StarFyre )) ~She had better be,~ Lahan shot back, her mind-voice fierce though her aggression was turned elsewhere -- her eyes on the huge, jagged creature that loomed up before yet another group. ~There won't be security to prevent her death next time!~
Shard:
(( Dray )) As Baeris was composing herself, and readjusting what was left of her beautiful leather combat gear (which wasn't really 'combat ready', more sort of 'tight and sexy') Atrocity chuckled, "one more burstling tagged and bagged," he tossed it next to the already stunned one on the floor. Kalkin however, since he'd succeeded mainly in smacking Atrocity as they fumbled around Baeris, and his eyes leveled on the new threat. "Another," he said, and lunged for it. (( 19 ))
StarFyre:
(( JKat )) Snaedis mantled at the implied threat to her hive, and hissed back, ::Or yours, for that matter!:: She, too, was distracted by the strange creature that had started to appear before another group. Maybe clinging to the wall wasn't the best of options... but was the floor any safer? Or the ceiling?
Xalia:
(( Dray )) Rifan snarled menacingly at the jagged warrior, but wasn't quite ready to jump down into the ponds to attack. He watched warily as Garskit once again sought the safety of whatever shadows could be found. ( Rifan: 13, Garskit: 19 )
Dray:
(( Airy )) The warrior twitched and died under the Grue's sharp spines, even as Vir sheered the fingers off of the facehugger -- that neat gun meant that it hadn't died, but it could now not leap, so it was effectively subdued. As Shaine neutralized the acid upon her leg, she saw something flashing on the ground that looked remarkably like it would fit to the cartridge of her rifle: it glistened with runes that spoke of power. (Magic: Rifle Upgrade (Ether) +2 to attack)
(( StarFyre )) Snaedis noticed, as she ascended the elevator shaft, not only the others gathered here, but the Praetorian as well. Upon spotting the invading Queen, it raised its carapaced hackles and shrilled a warning: every movement along the walls stopped, as every drone paused and shivered in expectation. It was Penopir who, dome darting back and forth, spotted a second dark shape, underlit and emerging from the darkness of the tightly-curving deck beyond. It, too, looked like it could easily rip a mere drone apart.
(( jess )) The beast's carapace was torn asunder, leaving it a bloody, lifeless mess. Healing until he felt right as rain, the Yautja mutt continued onwards! With his two partners trailing, the three made their way to the elevator and, ascending it, discovered a show down in progress: there were two black, hulking beasts, and a half-dozen or so dungeon-crawle--er, I mean, security guards and mercenaries lining the edges of the pit, wary of the algae vats that churned away before them.
(( Phoenix )) As much as it might have pained her, literally, to remember, the Yautja felt the medkit pinned beneath her within easy reach, capable of healing her wounds even as it was in healing a human's. Gavin and Gavess worked in perfect tandem, the first literally splattering the drone against a far wall, the second leaving the burstling limp upon the ground. Heaving breaths fueled by adrenaline, it seemed as though they had no one else yet to face...
(( Shard )) Kalkin, much more on his game tonight, succeeded not only in knocking the facehugger flat, but in knocking it completely unconscious! It was Atrocity, slapped just so by his several-times-removed doppleganger, who noticed that on the display there was another skin-tight outfit... this one /actually/ battle-ready, should anyone wish to don it! (Battle Leathers: +2 Resist!)
Shard:
(( Dray )) Baeris looked impressed at both her men, appraising the little bursters (little?!) and then giggling gleefully when Atrocity mentioned, "get naked, put that on. Can we watch?" And it was one of the few things that he ever said about her that Kalkin didn't want to throttle him for.
Dray:
(( Life Support Deck )) As the fourteen battle-hardened adventurers lined themselves across the way, both of the Praetorians roared, in tandem, an echoing challenge that sizzled across the hivemind stream in a deeper, more ominous voice. They were cocksure, but then, they were /huge/ and looked like more than an even match for the dragons, let alone the humans...
StarFyre:
(( Dray )) Penopir, terrified out of her wits, did what every cornered animal does... she lashed out. Unfortunately for those that terrified her, she didn't have to be close to deal damage! Her lightning arced across the space and struck at the second of the Praetorians! (15) Rohe wasn't entirely sure tangling claw-to-claw with a Praetorian was a good idea -- she was just a mid-ranked Warrior, nothing special, but... oh, hell and fury! With a roar of defiance and bravery, Rohe hurtled across the space and lunged at the first Praetorian with her fire claws. (13) Snaedis was divided briefly -- go after the Praetorian her drone was attacking in a panic, or help her far-too-brave-for-sanity Rohe? ... Finally, deciding that Penopir was 'safe enough', Snaedis once more spun her snow into spears and hurled them across the space towards the first Praetorian to back Rohe up. (9)
Dray:
(( Shard )) Whether or not Baeris wanted to re-robe, she must have had to do it quickly, as all three of them heard a rattling hiss and, looking over, noticed a Warrior standing only a hundred yards distant. It looked like it wanted a piece of the woman, too, though perhaps not in the same way as the two men accompanying her!
JKat:
(( Dray )) If anything, the praetorians' roar served only to harden the nerves of the two Security-employed yautjadragons. Lahan drew herself up, scraping at the ground with her feet and mantling -- but it was her brother who moved first, forgoing the posturing in the face of such a terrible foe. He took a deep breath and spread his mandibles wide in challenge, but instead of letting out a roar, Neisan quick as a whip _charged_ at the first praetorian, his head bowed almost as if he meant to ram the massive creature and his talons out to grab, to slash. ((18))
(( Dray )) Lahan was shocked for a moment at her brother's head-on assault, and quickly grew proud of his nerve. As Terra did her best to keep an eye on their dim, throbbing surroundings ((3 to make sure no one's sneakin' up behind)), Lahan spread her wings and followed her brother, her huge feet pounding the resin beneath them as she threw herself into the fray with Neisan ((4, ouch!)).
Shard:
(( Dray )) Atrocity was the one who acted first, placing himself between Baeris and the Warrior. His tactic would be to wait for it to lunge, to see how large it was. With it in the shadows and too far away to start running at it himself, he waited but ready... (( 9 ))
Phoenix:
(( Dray )) It was both a shame and a relief to be saved. Gavin couldn't help her up, as she was so much taller and more massive than he, but she rolled back to her feet on her own, growling angrily to herself. All truly seemed clear now, so she took a moment to put her medkit grudgingly to use while Gavin and Gavess reunited and put the third burster in the pack with the other two. Then it was up the elevator shaft...
(( Dray )) The sight at the top was nothing short of shocking, even to Rhakarndi, who had seen the inside of real kainde amedha hives before. But these monstrous halfbreeds were a class all their own. This Hunt would be one to remember...or one to be remembered by. Gavin was mounted on Gavess' back once again, familiar with the unsteady turf of this area even if not with what had become of it, while Rhakarndi remained on her feet and would die before riding even one of the Minister's "good" xenomorphs.
(( Dray )) Gavess knew not to lunge into close quarters with something as massive as those Praetorians -- his job was to stay agile and keep he and his other-self out of harm's way. ('vess 16) Hopefully he'd be up to the task, for Gavin was trying to come up with another mental assault to aim at the first praetorian but feeling nothing but strained! ('vin 1) Rhakarndi, noting the crowd of other fighters, shunned her plasmacaster for one -- instead she pulled out her smart-disc with a metallic shink! and let it fly at the second praetorian, in hopes that its homing mechanism would make up for the distance of the throw! (6)
Shard:
(( Dray )) Kalkin was impressed that they'd gotten this far without seeing at least some kind of larger xenos, so this would definitely fill that quota. He too prepared himself, but took a quick look at their electronic detector just to make sure there wasn't yet another one ready to pounce. (( 20 ))
Xalia:
(( Dray )) Garskit gulped and quickly told Rifan he was on his own, backing further into what shadows he could find, dagger held defensively as he tried to watch all directions at once. ( 7 ) Rifan meanwhile roared and followed his fellow Yautjadragons in charging in mandible, teeth and claws bared ferociously! ( 18 )
jess:
(( Dray )) Magdenai and Selien stared at the massive xenos; neither had ever seen a Praetorian before, and they were suitably intimidated. Omon hesitated as well, but not from intimidation. He studied both beasts, before choosing to throw himself into the fray, charging at the second Praetorian (( 12 )). Magdenai steeled her nerves and moved towards the second Praetorian as well, aiming her spear low on the creature's body, hoping to avoid the fighters who were already attacking it (( 8 )). Selien took a few seconds longer to recover from the shock of seeing the new threat, but then she followed her companions, waiting til she was close to the creature before slashing with her sword (( 20 )).
Dray:
(( Shard )) The Warrior leapt upon Atrocity, though the awning above the storefront stimied its attack and left it somewhat entangled in heavy, gaily coloured canvas. The man used this moment to attack, and, punching a hole through the canvas and into the dome of the Warrior, caused it to squall in pain and sway drunkenly, on its last legs. Kalkin was ready to attack, but noticed a violet-hued drone slinking out of the shadows to attack, and turned that direction before it could catch him unawares!
Shard:
(( Dray )) Kalkin stashed the device as he focused on the drone, ready to pummel it into submission. It might have been more practical to bring weapons, but neither he nor his companions actually preferred it... (( ... 1))
Dray:
((Life Support Deck!)) It was Neisan's charge that led the majority of the party into the fray, his bulky body clashing with the larger Praetorian and causing it to shift, staggering but not yet dropped. Garskit, keeping back, was barely noticed as the rest of the hive watched with sightless faces, waiting, eager and expectant. For a brief moment, the entirety of the deck was lit in stark relief as Penopir's lightning surged out between the two parties, but, as she struck the second black body, it reeled back, sizzling. It shrieked, its voice low and loud and terrible, and reached down -- with a great, heavy surge, it pulled up a length of pipe that it hefted and, snarling at Penopir directly, hurled it the length of the deck at her. The wily drone was able to evade, luckily, and the pipe dug a deep rift into the resin where she had been standing only a moment before...
((Life Support Deck)) Terra, keeping an eye on the walls, was perhaps gratified to notice that despite the attacks, the drones that watched did nothing. The only noise besides their own and the gargling, rushing tanks of algae, came from the poor souls who were half-conscious, plastered into the walls. They moaned in pain, but of course they could do nothing to free themselves. It was a shock of pain that jolted her back to the battle at hand, as the Praetorian struggling with Neisan swung its tail around and, in one clean thrust, jabbed it through the Yautjadragon's gut. (Neisan takes 5 damage!)
((Life Support Deck)) Gavess and his double were surging forward as well, but they did nothing to change the tide of battle: neither were they targeted by any of the enemy, so much smaller than the Praetorians, nor could they seem to land any meaningful blows. In the great scuffle that occurred, it was easy to get lost in the commotion, but it was certainly not hard to notice a huge, green, flaming-clawed warrior hurtling by: Gavess and Gavin ducked out of the way only moments too soon as Rohe stormed past and, flaming claws extended wide, /saved/ Neisan from the Praetorian's attack. She slashed it, and it screamed as acid spurted out and landed in great sizzling splashes across the deck -- luckily not harming anyone directly in its way.
((Life Support Deck)) It was Omon who, head lowered and horn jutted proudly forward, noticed the dazed Praetorian first. He surged forward and, in a great heave, plunged his horn through the creature's chest. Lifting it from the ground with the support of momentum and his great, brown body, the half-yautja mutt roared in victory as the Praetorian was raised directly overhead. Acid poured down on him but left no dent, and the half-blood shook the creature violently, throwing it finally, like a rag-doll, into the algae vat. It struggled briefly for a short time, and then sunk to the bottom, whisked away under the resin and out of sight. Dead. Omon had landed the final, triumphant blow. But they were by no means done this battle yet!
((Life Support Deck)) Sel watched with wary respect as the Praetorian fell below the water, her sword poised to strike at the mammoth beast, should it resurface. But nothing did, only bubbles. The entire hive creeled in momentary distress, but silence swept through again. The last Praetorian shrieked in anger, ignoring any commands for strength as its partner had been whisked away. Rifan, not to be outdone by a half-breed, took this moment to storm in and, with a powerful tackle, landed the xenodragon upon the ground. Pinned, he slashed at it with tooth and claw, until its ribs had been cracked and its innards spilled, boiling, from its cavity. By the time that Snaedis' spears landed upon the hulking beast, it was already dead: its acid was beginning to neutralize into a stinking puddle.
Everyone, waiting for the walls to move again, trembled or watched warily, expecting an immediate retort for that neatly done slaughter.
((Life Support Deck)) Lahan, cruelly stripped of the chance even to land a strike, was standing at the forefront of the party when a great, reverberating cry began: the entire hive shivered, and the sounds of tearing flesh sounded from somewhere up the curve of the station. Here, in the Life Support Deck, the station was too tightly curved to see what lay beyond, however it didn't take much imagination to expect the worst was yet to come...
((Life Support Deck)) Crashes are sounding throughout the deck, and those who can hear the hivemind stream are caught in sounds that fall beyond the average creature's ears...
A shadow, cast by the teal luminescence of the wrecked and whirling algae pools, falls harsh and /huge/ on the ring, the shape of a great shield of some kind, and a myriad of insectine limbs. She's getting closer...
The entire hive, also aware of the secret voice that accompanies the shrieking that now vibrates the metal walls, fall prone against the walls and ceiling. The hosts who are still alive go quiet, for once, as well, as the parasites within them cease to struggle, if only for the moment...
Strangely, amongst the crowd, the Minister of Security finds his link to the Hive for once against him, as the power of an alien mind forces him to submit. Still on Gavess' shoulders, the /both/ of them were forced, slowly, onto their knees, until they had their heads facing the ground. Penopir, too, was cast into subservience, while Rohe and her Queen managed to cast off the yolk of the enemy.
Phoenix:
Now Gavin knows how it feels when he commands and his hive obeys, except surely this must be worse. He is afraid and for all his strength, he cannot resist. For all his mind is alike to a queen, he is not truly one. Gavin Vance, Star City's Minister of Security, is very, very afraid.
JKat:
(( Dray )) Both the praetorians slain before her eyes, Lahan had to bite back a frustrated snarl. She stood up as straight as she could and spread her wings, watching the carnage and yearning to take part... when that noise ripped the air. The yautjadragon's eyes went wide and her claws flexed in an unconscious gesture... she knew what was coming. She knew what had to come next.
(( Dray )) Then, she _did_ roar, mandibles spread wide and jaws likewise as her voice shook the resin of the abominable hive that had savaged HER station, and she began to stride forward. Her steps were huge and measured, her shoulders coming up and her head down as she gathered everything she could for this charge... her feet began to beat the ground more quickly as she loped the uneven ground towards that huge, hated shadow. Her roar grew to a scream as Lahan charged the Queen. (( 15 ))
(( Dray )) Neisan had let out a roar himself when stabbed, and in the intervening moments had had to stumble back. Even the gut wound wouldn't slow him for long, and indeed, Terra was at his side in an instant. "Here," she offered the salvaged adrenaline needle to him, but he looked away, ~you do it.~ She nodded and stabbed her smaller bond in his huge thigh, depressing the plunger. Neisan threw his head back and snarled as the chemical kicked in. ((+5 health))
(( Dray )) Then he cracked his knuckles, and assessed the queen. Now there was a beast worth fighting... Maybe it was the adrenaline in his system, but he felt a true, deep surge of bloodlust. Acidic bloodlust. He crouched low and growled, and then started his own charge, though this time he forewent the suicidal frontal assault. He dodged along the walls, clinging to the whorls and swoops of the dark resin, sneaking his way alongside the queen and aiming his claws and his fangs at any potential sensitive spots he could spot ((Nat 20!)).
Dray:
((Life Support Deck)) The Queen comes into view, finally, barely able to fit into the confines of the low deck. She is massive, and terrible, and is dripping acid as she scrapes along the walls. Before her seethes a mass of her children, who, scraped along with her great, insectine wings, scramble simply to get out of the way. She pauses before them all and lets out a roar that is more than enough to deafen those who hear her!
StarFyre:
(( Dray )) Too much, too much, too much! Penopir was literally quaking with fear by now, huddled under one of Snaedis' wings, her teeth chattering together loudly as she was forced into subservience by the rival Queen. Unfortunately for those in the room, her terror set off her lightning magic. (1). Rohe roared along with her own Queen, broadcasting defiance and pride in her place, then readied her flaming claws and raced across the space to strike at the rival. (18) Snaedis was enraged, not only by the attempt at her rival to cow her, but at Penopir's subservience and struck out with her spears of ice in her fury. (13)
Dray:
((Life Support Deck)) It was only then, that a series of roars could be heard from /behind/ the party... but these were no shrill and varitoned xenodragon cries, but those deep and brutal notes let loose from Yautjadragon chests. Joining the raid, several scratched and bloodied beasts climbed up to join them, their riders perched upon straps held fast across their bodies.
Phoenix:
(( Dray )) But Rhakarndi? She does not allow fear a place in her heart. This is the Hunt to end all Hunts, this shall be a glorious death or an eternal victory! She tears her helmet off and roars, mandibles flared and eyes blazing. "Dtai'k-dte sa-de nav'g-kon dtain'aun bpide! Nau'gkon dtain'aun bpi-de! Strength and honor, my children!" she howls, spear unfolding in hand and plasmacaster ready to fire! (17)
Xalia:
Adrenaline still pumping through his veins from his successful kill, Rifan roared alongside the other yautjas. Blood pumping hard, the roars of the other dragons egged him on and he charged in behind those there before him, aiming for whatever vulnerable spot he could find! ( 4 DX )
JKat:
The shout of their mother put further heart into the two charging yautjadragons. Lahan spread her wings wide, Rhakarndi's words a mantra in her heart as she barrelled towards the Queen, and Neisan threw his head back in a noiseless roar over the huntermind, feeling the strong, proud beating of his own heart!
Shard:
(( Dray )) When the Warrior and Drone suddenly paused, looked confused (in as much as any expressions could be found on them) and then plopped to the floor in what appeared to be obedience to an unheard command, all three Sangers quickly took that moment to pummel the crap out of their targets.
Dray:
(( Shard )) And in those few minutes, they managed to get their tiny human fists sore but satisfied, as the two much larger xenodragons passed out from sure confusion! It seemed, however, that with the command to stay, no other of the hive's children were moving, which left the Sangers with free range of the Commerce deck... for now.
jess:
(( Dray )) After the Praetorians, Magdenai and Selien were expecting something large to emerge, when the Queen approached. They were terrified by their first sight of the queen. But Magdenai didn't let that stop her. She didn't expect to do much damage, not after her failed attack on the Praetorian, but she attacked anyways, lunging forward with her spear (( 9 )). Omon, the roars of his fellow yautjas, pure and mutt, ringing in his ears, charged the Queen as well, aiming for whatever spot wasn't already occupied by another fighter (( 3 ... oops XD )). Selien, rushing forward as well, attempts to avoid any of the "good guys", while trying to slash the Queen (( 16 )).
Dray:
((Everyone except Shard! HA ha!)) Lahan and her brother, roaring, under the banner of their mother and feeling the rush of pride and adrenaline that came part and parcel with their natures, rushed the Queen and crashed against her, ripping and tearing as was their wont to do. The Queen shrieked, disgusted more than perturbed, by the yautjadragon's crude presence. Garskit, watching his bond join the charge, stayed back and, turning, caught sight of five great Yautjadragons... no, mutts! They were rigged with netting not unlike a Yautja's armor, save that it was made to Spec with something found in the station; what was more, was that there were people riding these beasts, at least one per dragon. The five of them seemed quite related -- but it was hard to tell one yautjadragon apart from another, if one wasn't of the blood!
The glowing Drone, Penopir, was huddled so miserably that it was hard not to feel a little sorry for her... less so as she zapped the surrounding area with a burst of magical energy. Being close to her Queen as she was, it was impossible for some of the static shock not to bounce off of Snaedis' carapace, leaving black, smoking points that otherwise seemed only to sting. (1 damage to Pen, 2 damage to Snaedis!)
Back at the forefront of the fight, the Queen gave a second shriek and brought her secondary forearms to bear against the foolish female Yautja dragon attempting to hurt her. With a might rip, her claws dug great rents into Lahan's chest, leaving glowing blood to pour onto the resin. (7 damage to Lahan!) Terra, watching this all with great pains, could not to much from where she stood -- she would either have to get closer to the battle, or bring her bonds back and away if she wanted to help!
At this point, two of the Yautja mutts moved forward, a white-speckled grey and a white-speckled brown. The former dipped to the front of the fray, snapping at the Queen but doing no real damage, while the latter found Rohe, oozing acid, and snapped at her in a sardonic voice. :: You won't get fighting done that way, :: the Yautja said, perfectly practical. His rider was dragging something large off of his back rigging, and, passing it down, the dragon seized the Warrior without mind to her complaining, bandaging her up. (+10 health for Rohe!)
Gavess and Gavin were trapped in the center of the battle, cowering against their will... but it seemed as though, as the Queen grew distracted, her hold over the hive began to weaken. Soon they would break free, and when that happened, there would be hell to pay! Another of the Yautjadragons passed them by, practically bouncing in his enthusiasm to fight. He leapt forward, in front of Neisan, and found himself nearly plunged through with the Queen's tail for his efforts. Darting out of the way, the black-speckled grey creature gave a raucous, mocking cry.
Rohegukess, released from her surprise doctoring session, was free to fly at the Queen with relish. Bundling thorugh the Yautjadragons that were plaguing her, her claws lit aflame and she slashed away, drawing spurts of acid that, as yet, did no harm to anyone. The Queen snapped forward, thoroughly enraged now that another of her kind would have the nerve to attack her! Thusly distracted, she was even more shocked to find a smoking hole through half her grand headdress, and acid blood began to slowly pump from the back of her neck: Rhakarndi, her aim true, had managed to take a good chunk out of the massive insectine monster!
Mag and Omon were doing their best to slash at the Queen, but there were too many people in the way to get a clear shot. Hanging back carefully, so as to avoid getting stepped on, they waited for a better chance to strike... Sel, on the other hand, was perfectly willing to charge in with her blade swinging, nevermind that she was knee-high to the smallest Yautja, and a good deal smaller to the Queen herself. Never the less, her sword bit deep between the plating in the Queen's heel as she turned to deal with one of the Yautjadragons, and Sel dodge a great gout of acid as it spurted by. The Queen listed, partially crippled, and shrilled once more.
Another of the Yautjadragons was weaving back and forth, looking for a good place to attack. His rider, a freckled woman with a shock of short, blonde hair, was shouting obscenities as the other partymembers: "Get out of the fracking way, you're just going to trip one another up! You morons, if we're going to do this, we'll do it how we've trained!" and so on... Even so, another Yautjadragon passed them by -- Rifan, though he too was having trouble getting in to do any damage!
Snaedis, disdaining to move in amongst the peanut gallery that was the many, many Yautjadragons, hurled her ice spears from a distance. Some ricocheted from the ceiling and walls, heading for the other Queen with unnerring precision, embedding themselves between plating and within the softer points of her body. She /nearly/ scored another -- and the last -- of the yautjadragons as he danced about at the back, looking for some kind of damage and finding himself more embarrassed by the screaming woman a short distance behind him.
It was then that the Queen let a terrible scream. She might be distracted by the many dragons about her, but one small Charigon at her feet was little trouble. She raised one foot and brought it down upon Sel, knocking the female prone. (8 damage to Sel!)
The entire hive, then, seemed to shiver, as the drones along the walls began to melt down it and behind the Queen. For a moment, they paused, and then they resumed their course. The Queen fell back, step by step, snarling and snapping and giving herself a little space. It was only those connected to the stream that would know just why she was beginning ot retreat...
StarFyre:
Snaedis roared aloud and sent over broadband telepathy, ::She has some device!:: She didn't recognize it in the slightest, but she knew it wasn't good, ::She sends an ultimatum of continuing to attack or saving this place!::
Dray:
It seemd that the Queen was backing away, now, avoiding direct attacks from the nipping and slashing Yautjadragons. No real damage seemed to be exchanged on either side...
Looking more closely, one could see her holding a device that looked like a detonator, though it was much covered with resin and seemed to have been repaired by alien hands.
Those following the Queen realized, soon enough, that she would soon be passing onto a small platform -- well, small for her. Drones were swarming about it, and under it, as the Queen stepped upon it and it began slowly to rise...
JKat:
Lahan paused in her pursuit of the queen, as Snaedis screamed with her mind -- and almost didn't heed the warning, thinking it a xenodragon trick at the last. She snarled and started a lunge -- only to pull herself short when Catrin, in the body shared with Terra, screamed ~STOP!~ The yautja obeyed -- Neisan pulled back to, confused, the both of them bleeding and filled with bloody rage, but disciplined enough to obey _that_ tone of voice. What was going on?! ~She has some sort of bomb!~
Dray:
Some of the security officers, slower to realize than Gavin, noticed that the device looked like a /detonator/, if an odd and very old build. Where the bombs to that detonator might be, who could say, with the drones having run of the station from main streetways to vents and shafts!
Phoenix:
The battle is a rush and the charge of attackers seems to match the pounding in Rhakarndi's blood. She could not slip into the fray, both too big to weave under the dragons and too big to fit among the smaller humanoids, but her spear was ready in hand for an opening and her laser-sight continued to scan for a gap in the melee around the retreating queen, though one did not seem to be forthcoming!
Gavin and his alter-self were finding their centers again. Again. This sensation of weakness, of lost control, of terror -- and then he hears. And sees. Remembers. The fear remains, intensifies...and is joined with rage. Gavess is up, they are on their feet, they see what she holds and they knows what it means and there is only one thing they can do: they are charging, they are screaming, they will tear that from her hands or they will die for the city that they live for!
He is not just xeno-touched, he is a psionic, and his scream echoes outwards like once was done when he had no control. ::YOU WILL NOT TOUCH MY CITY!:: (16)
StarFyre:
Rohe, knowing everything that was going on, was circling the Queen and hissing angrily, but didn't attack. Penopir was still too terrified by this entire ordeal to do much more than cower in fear. Snaedis decided to back the human-Queen up with her own mind-powers, sending out a wave of power over both telepathy and hivemind, aimed entirely at the Queen (19)
Dray:
The platform is rising, taking the Queen with it towards the elevator cable that will inevitably lead her down to the planet... but Gavin and his bond are charging through the stunned crowd of Yautjadragons, and the milling partymembers who don't know what to do. His psionics blast through the drones surrounding the platform, and sprays of acid like fountains erupt and eat away at the metal beneath the Queen's feet. She roars, part of her body stripped clean of its plating and bleeding profusely, but the platform continues to raise, and what's more, the board which she clutches to her chest with her second pair of arms still holds one steady, glowing, baleful red light, out of dozens that were once winking.
jess:
(( Dray )) Neither Omon or Magdenai managed to get a blow in, but Selien did. Only to be stomped flat by the Queen, just before she began to back up. Magdenai felt it was far too soon to hope she might actually retreat. When the Queen stepped back, Mag took the opportunity to grab Selien's unconcious form and pull her out of range of the monstrous form.. At the mental warning from the local queen, Omon paused, but decided to try one last attack, not physical, but the breath weapon he usually avoided using on xenos. Maybe it would unbalance the queen... (( 16 ))
Dray:
With one last, sickeningly psychotic grin, the Queen presses down on the board, and from somewhere, a dull thump sounds, even as she teeters under the onslaught of attacks.
The deck trembles, water sloshing in larger waves so that it splashes up and out and onto those standing there.
JKat:
Lahan and Neisan both scream as the apparent bomb is detonated, and Terra pulls an all-out run for her larger bond. Neisan vaults the smaller human up onto her back and waits just a moment for her to hold on -- and at a prompt, the two yautjas crouch and beat their wings, with great effort gaining air in this small place. The ground is shaking!
Dray:
Omon's breath, a mighty blast of air enough to rip thorugh solid metal, sheers the platform, and the queen atop it, and she shrieks one last time, on her knees. Escape is so near, but the rumbling of decompression is growing louder in sudden shocks and thumps.
JKat:
Neisan leads the dive then, the claws of all four limbs aiming for the queen, for her horrible face -- and Lahan, assured that Terra is holding on tight, follows suit with a little more caution. The damage is done; now they will do all the damage to her that they can! ((Nei: 13; Lah: 8))
StarFyre:
Snaedis once more trumpets, this time to EVERYONE in the Station that she can reach with her telepathy, ::THE HATCHING BAYS! The resin isn't allowing the doors to close!::
Dray:
The Queen manages to pull herself up from the platform, barely, though the use of her legs and tail are ruined, crumpled. The space elevator -- and escape -- are only a short distance away. Neisan manages to grab ahold of her tail, but it is not enough, and he is getting pulled along with her...
StarFyre:
Rohe, in a rage, leaps down at the Queen with her claws extended! (12)
JKat:
Neisan screams and holds on, this final push leaving him entirely unwilling to let go. He sinks claws deep into her stinking flesh and pulls, bringing himself forward, biting with savagery that leaves his mouth slimed with xenomorphic blood. (( 13 )) Lahan, seeing her brother so occupied, circles with great difficulty in the small space and dives again, Terra on her back goading her on, holding on with arms that threaten to go numb with exertion! ((17))
Dray:
The roar of decompression grows suddenly louder as the last of the bulkhead doors between the elevator and the Life Support Deck finally gives. There is a terrible rushing, a pulling like a riptide...
"The doors!" one of the yautja riders screams, "get the fracking doors!" It's true that the elevator doors have been pried back, but forcing them shut again will take a huge effort...
Shard:
(( Dray )) Atrocity heard it first, and then Kalkin, and then Baeris who was still fiddling with her new clothing. "That... sounded like an explosion," Atrocity said.
"We're on a space station," Kalkin reminded the others, "do you think we ought to ... I don't know... not be on a space station that's exploding?"
StarFyre:
Snaedis digs her hind claws into the resin and claws frantically at the doors of the elevator, shrilling a command to Penopir to assist her! Together, the two haul at the doors! (Snaedis: 17, Pen: 9)
Dray:
(( Shard )) The rest of the station seemed to resound with the decompression, but the air within the housing deck remained the same... unless it seemed to be a little thin... but then, could that just be their imaginations?
Between Lahan and Neisan, the Queen was being slowly ripped apart. She shrilled, scrabbling for the elevator, but her progress was being steadily revoked -- in fact, they were pulling her back into the Life Support Deck with the aid of the quickly thinning air!
Phoenix:
Gavin does not stop. Gavess feet are pounding, he is leaping, they are pursuing this monstrous intruder and if Star City will fall then they and she will fall with it. Gavess shrieks, Gavin screams, claws and mind and fury and terror all in one mad rush that nothing can halt. ::THIS IS FOR MY CITY YOU BITCH!::
JKat:
Neisan yells, still holding onto the queen, and deeply torn -- not wanting to let her go, but knowing that those doors must CLOSE! While he is deliberating and tearing away at the queen ((14)), Lahan pulls away and dives for the door, roaring her fury at being diverted -- but slamming into the metal with great force, turning that force into great shoving power! ((17!))
jess:
Omon, seeing that his breath had actually done something, was about to launch himself at the Queen, as Lahan and Neisan had, when he felt the pulling of vaccuum from the decompression. He spun back, searching for his bond, who seemed to be holding on, to both the floor and her friend, but those at the doors could surely use more help. He threw himself at the doors, adding his push to the effort of closing them (( 14 )).
Dray:
The Queen, dragged back into the Deck, finds herself at the mercy of one very pissed off Minister. Battering away at her, they pushed her, and pushed her, unaware of the gore that they were spattering upon literally everything and everyone (all non-resistant characters take 1 damage every turn for aaaaacid damage.... XD)
Xalia:
Garskit, still lurking by the doors, darts to the side to avoid being trampled by the much larger dragons in the vicinity but then joins in, lending his puny human strength in an attempt to help them force the doors shut. He screams mentally at Rifan who shakes off his confusion and comes back, half running, half flying to help in the effort. ( Garskit: 10, Rifan: 18 )
Dray:
And, under the effort of all the group combined, she is pushed steadily, but slowly, along the vats. Her working arms claw for purchase, but in an unfortunate moment, she loses her grip and goes hurtling back towards the elevator doors -- towards all of those closing the bulkhead!
JKat:
~GET OUT OF THE WAY!!~ Neisan, still latched to the queen, screams at everyone gathered around the door. His sister jumps from instinct alone, hearing that level of urgency in his voice, and gets air again -- almost hits the ceiling, with Terra clinging to her back!
StarFyre:
It was Penopir - poor, terrified Penopir - who saw the approaching Queen first, and shrieked, high and shrill in their minds, ::The Queen! Behind us!::
Dray:
And the doors are definitely closing -- with all of their effort, they are shrieking shut, as the air grows thinner and thinner, every movement for those needing it becomes painful.
Nearing the door, the Queen makes a grab for the wall, two very pissed off creatures hanging off of her. She holds for a minute... just a minute...
But her lower body is now dangling, dragging in the shaft, and in a moment all three of them will be gone...
Phoenix:
Gavin regrets nothing.
Dray:
Her fingers loosen, one by one by one...
JKat:
Neisan finally, finally let go of the queen, seeing her fate as it unravelled, and getting airborne with serious difficulty in the thinning air, he performed one last feat of heroics. He was, after all, a Security Officer as well as a yautja, and as strange as it was to have a 'queen' as the Minister of Security... He dived desperately for Gavin and Gavess, grabbing at them, ripping them away from the doomed beast! (( 1 ))
StarFyre:
Penopir scurried out of the way, and Snaedis shifted enough to be out of the direct line, but saw Gavin and Gavess as they went past.. In a thought, she reached out and hooked her claws into Gavess, attempting to haul him and the other back (16)
Xalia:
Garskit gave a cry and Rifan, despite his dislike for xenos in general, reached for Gavin and Gavess as well... ( 1 )
Dray:
All clumped together, the ball of dragons reaching for the Minister and his bond give the final shove, and EVERYONE goes down the elevator shaft, bumping painfully along (5 damage each)
Everyone seems to be tangled together around the dying Queen, and it is only a matter of time, now...
JKat:
Neisan screams and tries to disentangle himself from the gore again, pulling free as the queen pulls away. He's feeling light-headed, but he can't stop -- if he went back now... he has to try again! He makes one more desperate grab for Gavin and Gavess... (( 7 ))
StarFyre:
Snaedis shrieked her fury and heaved once more, trying to free the Minister and his bond from the Queen, reaching for the walls with her hindlegs as she does and summoning up a wind to blow in the opposite direction, attempting to push her and the other two back up the shaft! (18, go dice go!)
Dray:
The dice hold for a moment, and Neisan, managing to clamp his great hands around the Minister and his bond, pulls them until they are teetering. Rifan, urged up by the wind, shoves off the Queen...
And in a moment, they are separated. The wind dies down just as the party slip over the edge of the elevator and back into the Life Support Deck, and two of the Yautja mutts slam the doors shut.
Xalia:
Rifan roared and spread his wings, joining forces with the others who were desperately trying to free Gavin and Gavess from the Queen...if they could only loose them he would teleport them all back to safety, but he wouldn't risk bringing the Queen with them... ( 19 )
Dray:
From the commerce deck, the Sangers see a tiny, circling, insectine shape growing fainter and fainter as it spins off into the abyss...
Shard:
(( dray )) "Huh. Look at that," Baeris said. "Wonder what we missed?"
JKat:
Neisan gasps air into his lungs, which had been aching desperately with exertion and threatening vacuum, and his claws are clamped to tightly around the black xenomorph, too tightly to immediately let go. He is alive!
Dray:
The air is faint in the deck, but breathable. Now that the doors are shut, it seems as though the deck is slowly but surely repressurizing...
Phoenix:
He is ready to die. He and his other self. His hive mourns already, he can hear them wailing. Things grasp for him, call for him, but he must save his city one last time, even if it means--
StarFyre:
Snaedis slowly pries her claws out of Gavess' body and steps back, giving herself a good shake as she does so. Why were some Queens such ninnies? Or was it because he was a human-thing-Queen? ... Snaedis would have to ponder that.
Phoenix:
A scream rips through his mind. He's being called... a ninny? And there are jaws clamping on him, taking advantage of a grasp momentarily loosened.
He stares, dazed, at everyone. What just happened?
Dray:
The Hatching Bays are depressurized, most of the Queen's spawn sucked into space as unnerringly as the Queen herself. Up here, those that are left are huddling or dead, crushed under impact from so many wrathful bodies.
JKat:
Terra, pale, and Lahan, tense all over with worry and secret terror for her brother and co-bond, run to Neisan's side as the yautja releases the Minister and his bond. Terra slides from Lahan's back and crouches beside Neisan, who is slowly re-gathering himself, panting, pushing himself back onto his feet -- well, almost; he can't help but crouch, keeping all four feet on the floor, for long moments. No words are shared; no words are needed. That's the beauty of a bond.
Dray:
The rest of the station, though, still needs to be cleaned out. There is definitely still work to be done!
StarFyre:
::Well,:: Snaedis says drily to Gavin, ::Back among us, are you? So eager to abandon your hive?::
JKat:
Terra gets out the health kit she had been wearing and standing alongside the brown male, she begins to tend quickly and gently to his wounds. "Better stay on your feet," she tells him aloud, her tone joking to cover up much deeper emotion, "there's still cleanup to do."
Phoenix:
The other queen. Gavin blinks at her strange, snow-hazed visage, almost mistaking the whiteness for a final fading. "My city," he breathes. A fading does follow, but not a final one. Just sleep.
Dray:
The Yautjadragons, realizing that the worst of the disaster is behind them, set up a great roar. Victory, a hunt that will be remembered for the ages!
StarFyre:
Snaedis noses once at Gavin and Gavess and then, content that the two of them are well (It didn't do for a Queen to be too entirely pleasant with other queens, after all...), went off to see about her own Hive.
Shard:
"So what are we gonna do with these?" Kalkin held up one of the limp burstlings, and glanced over at the drone and warrior. "Don't know yet," Baeris smiled, "but I'm sure I can have them doing things around the Den soon enough."
Hivemind Communications
Dray:
Over the Hivemind communication stream, it became apparent that the horrible singing that had driven the invading queen and her minions had been clamped shut by whatever means; now, in a ringing, terrible voice, the order to advance, attack, and destroy anything that was not Hive issued out. ((All participating xenodragon characters: roll a d20 to determine if your character resists the order to immediately attack non-hive friendlies and post it in this PM!))
Snaedis and Rohe, snarl in disdain over the command, but poor Penopir, unable to contain herself, lashes out at the nearest opponent!
From the stream of the Hivemind came a ubiquitous, low growl of disdain: access had been opened to the Life Support Deck, and the Hive knew it. The noise was almost a challenge, more than a sound of fright.
StarFyre:
Snaedis growled her response back, determination and a hint of fury in her reaction. This rival Queen had already sent one of her hive berserk... there was no way in hell Snaedis was going to back down from such a challenge to her!
Snaedis sends a pulse of challenge out over Hivemind.
Dray:
From the rest of the hive came a unanimous sneer of distaste, stronger now than it had been before.
Phoenix:
Gavin was over his distraction, his own hive was rallied, and this had been their turf first! Even while he fought to save his yautja companion from her attacker, he heard the hivemind and the part of him that was xeno screeched back, joining Snaedis in defiance.
Dray:
:: You slaughter my children and take what is rightfully mine! :: a deep and resounding voice pounds through the Hivemind stream, surely the voice of the Queen as she rips herself from the confines of her putrescent egg-laying sack. :: Disgusting imposters, born of weak and powerless hives of no repute! :: A crash resounds as the queen, weak from days of laying and gods knew how long before that in stasis, drags herself forward along the ring. :: And /you/! :: she screams, voice bent on Snaedis alone, :: you /dare/! ::
:: You will fall to your knees! :: she screams, exerting her force across the link, a force so powerful that it causes her entire hive to bow, shivering.
((Roll a d20 to resist, plz! Snaedis and Gavin save at 11, Rohe at 13, and Penopir at 15!))
Phoenix:
(( D: Gavin rolls 9. ))
StarFyre:
Snaedis drew herself up and screamed back, ::/I/ dare?! You made one of my hive act against my will! I will slaughter and steal as much as I desire from you, you lackwit!::
(( Snaedis: 20; Rohe: 20; Penopir: 12 ))
Dray:
Over the hive mind, those able to hear it catch a shriek from the Queen that has all of her drones standing on end. :: Find the device! :: she screeches, and much of the wall melts free of its occupants as her minions rush to do her bidding...
StarFyre:
Snaedis sent a countershriek through the hivemind, aimed at those belonging to the enemy hive. She didn't want to upset her own hive, or that of the strange human-Queen that was nearby, ::CEASE YOUR ACTIONS!:: (17)
Dray:
It seemed to work for a moment, but then the hive went back into action. :: Pointless attacking! :: the Queen cried, though the Yautjadragons surely couldn't hear it. :: Those of you related by blood, dirtying it, :: this she sent to the Gavins, :: laying waste to it, :: this to Snaedis, :: send a message to the rest of these mongrel heathens. ::
:: It is time to make a choice; Continue your pointless quest for glory, or save this wretched hovel that you hold so dear? :: She sneered, if a Queen could be said to do so, as several Drones carried back something that looked like a cross between a box and a resinous being. There was something familiar about it, to Gavin at least, something horribly familiar...
They resembled, in fact, devices planted by the rebellion, so many years ago, in the event that their efforts should be made fruitless -- bombs, laid by the disgruntled, even after a heated discussion had left most of the rebellion to think them de-armed and scrapped.
:: We found these, and they have been set all throughout this cage of metal and glass, :: the Queen explained, voice dripping with scorn, :: Continue to attack, and they will go off, and none of us will survive this alive. ::
StarFyre:
Snaedis was furious, sensing herself backed into a corner by her rival and not enjoying that sensation in the slightest. What could she do? How could she change fate? She had changed her own, after all! Surely there was something she could do!
Quick as a thought, Snaedis rips into the hivemind, searching through the streams to figure out where that sound came from. (17)
Dray:
Snaedis realizes all too soon that the decompression is happening in the hatching bays, directly below. The resin coating the bulkheads is not allowing them to properly shut, and drones, warriors, and other creatures are flying out, being lost to space...
StarFyre:
::WAKE UP, YOU NINNY!:: Snaedis shrieked at Gavin over hivemind.
Hunteremind Communications
Dray:
Huntermind Communication: Over the Huntermind communication stream, a good half a dozen or more voices can be heard, making reports about the sudden retreat of the xenodragons, marking bolt holes and points of escape. There is also chatter, spreading rapidly, about Rhakarndi's appearance on the station: much bragging and to do about tallies seems to be flooding the stream as various Yautjadragons attempt to vie prematurely for the right to brag to their progenitor. One strong voice cuts through the rest, demanding order in the chaos: :: Either sit and babble all day, or prove yourselves. :: There is palpable disgust in his voice. :: There are those of you pure in breed, my /elders/, left unblooded. Sickening! You want to prove yourself to the matron, prove yourself to a mongrel half-breed first. Destroy five warriors without the aid of others, perhaps /then/ Rhakarndi will even bother to look upon you without spitting at your feet! :: ((New quest: destroy five warriors without the aid of items, or team-work, for a prize!))
JKat:
((Huntermind)) Lahan (probably to the detriment of her outward focus), had listened into and heard the communications over the Huntermind. So had Neisan, for that matter, but the brown male chose silence. He _was_ ashamed of his rank -- his lack of rank -- but to admit that was to admit weakness. Lahan, on the other hand, had no such hang-ups. Her mind-tone was laughing, not kind laughter. ::I could destroy every Warrior on this station, and then some. But I woudn't be doing it to impress some whelp of a halfbreed. ::
jess:
(( JKat )) Omon normally ignored the slights on his heritage given by many pureblood Yautjadragons, but today, fighting the xenos that his yautja-blood hated, he felt a bit more inclined to take offense. Or at least, take it as a challenge. He spoke into the huntermind ::Well, it may be beneath you to try impressing a half-breed, but I dare you to prove your claim. I don't expect you to kill all the Warriors, just kill more than I do.:: He had a feeling Mag would be rather annoyed, if she discovered him challenging one of the other Yautjas to a "who can kill more" contest, but she would get over it...
JKat:
(( jess )) Lahan laughed -- not aloud, she had more discipline than that -- but through the huntermind again. She hardly needed to prove herself to _this_ one, either, but... ::I will kill more than you, mutt,:: she told the strange hybrid, though in truth she held no real malice towards the part-yauties (only the really arrogant ones). ::Foolish dare or none, I would have anyways.::
Dray:
The strange mind that had called out over the huntermind to begin with gave a mental snort at their posturing. :: I am familiar with the 'Security' of the station. All of it is talk and weak gestures of the law. And as for the tank-born mongrels, genuflecting at some old man on his starship fortress, I have no doubt that you will fail in your challenge. ::
:: Enough, Rutan, :: A second voice, more calm though perhaps annoyed, issued over the stream. :: Where are you currently? There are several Guards opening up the Life Support deck. This is logically where the Queen will be. We will need all the help we can get. ::
:: Weakling brother, :: the first voice sneered, :: Teamwork never got us anywhere. ::
:: There will come a time, Rutan, when you will eat your words, :: a third voice snorted.
JKat:
((Huntermind, Dray )) This time, Neisan did chip into the conversation. He didn't have it in him to posture, but the lure of chatter with others of his kind -- more or less -- was too tempting to pass up. ::We will be coming to Life Support shortly,:: he told the unnamed yautjadragons, and followed up the information with a brisk question, ::I hadn't heard of a part-yautjadragon clutch that wasn't created on the Abstract Destiny. Where are you from?::
::One warrior down,:: Lahan spoke with satisfaction over the huntermind, tallying for the foolish yautie who had dared her so!
Dray:
Huntermind: :: We are Mei'Adende :: the smoother of the two voices replied, :: Born on Atu and recently come up to defend the station. ::
:: Naturally born of an honest battle, without the dishonor of creation by a weakling /human/, :: Rutan added. He seemed to have quite a few issues with his ship of origin.
JKat:
::If you're so honorable and natural, come try your skills at Life Support,:: Lahan challenged mockingly, though the bite was lessened by the fact that she was distracted by the moment at hand. ::The walls crawl with beasts here.:: One could almost here her flexing her claws, even over the huntermind.
Dray:
Huntermind: The voice that came back was distracted, as if under effort. :: We're on our way, :: it replied, succinctly. :: What is your name? :: It asked, then, :: I am Vadan. ::
JKat:
(( Dray, Huntermind)) ::Lahan Mei'Rhakarndi,:: the purebreed replied succinctly but with pride, feeling her brother wince a little at the lack of a 'de' at the end of her name -- and for that matter his. ::My quiet brother is Neisan.:: And there she went. ::We have found a praetorian.::
Dray:
Huntermind: There seemed to be a gathered noise of surprise and... was that envy? amongst the other Yautjadragons who were actively listening in on the stream. :: Leave some for us! :: one cried plaintively.
JKat:
Over the huntermind, Lahan's voice was a roar -- she spoke while charging, her final communication as she threw herself at the beast. ::Come and claim some for yourselves!::
Dray:
Over the Huntermind stream, several voices come roaring: :: bloodied in battle, we will stand strong! :: as the ringing tones of several Yautja mutts spill up the elevator shaft behind them.
JKat:
Lahan roared wordlessly over the huntermind even while she charged -- this time, Neisan even joined in, adding his voice to the resonant mental stream.