Mission of Mercy (poetlore and dunruffle)

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Cassandra lifted her eyes to the left and nodded, "Left it is then," she said as she began moving in that direction and she looked up at Nog then, "Would you mind if I asked you some questions while we explore?" she asked with a smile and a tilt of her head, "We want to try and see if we can help find a way to prevent rotlung..." She offered that out there to see if perhaps he'd be willing to offer any insight into the sickness.

Harrison moved down the tunnel a bit and knelt next to some sparkling dust on the side of the cave wall. He scraped it into a tiny tube and corked the lid and placed it in the protected carrying case. He was listening to Cassandra as well, albeit covertly.

Jen groaned a bit when they decided to go left, even though the big guy had said he heard something down the right. To her it still felt like the safer choice. She had to admit though, "Those blue crystals are so pretty." she said as she moved to one and touched it. It looked like a fancy gem like there would be in expensive jewelry back home. And here it was just lining a cave wall, one world's treasure was another world's tourist attraction. Go figure.
 
Nog kept his head on a swivel, the low hum of the flamethrower echoing through the tunnel as he followed along. "Stop rotlung? That nice. I try help. Dunno much." Dante sidled up next to Jen and smiled at her. "Not as pretty as you." Erik and Xanders groaned loudly to which Dante simply laughed. Xanders heard Cassandra ask Nog about rotlung and walked up to them. "Dunno if this helps, but awhile ago I overheard some techies complaining how one of the research departments had been in trouble with the director because their waste disposal system was not efficient. It may be nothing but the one thing everyone fears around here is the director."
 
Cassandra smiled up at Nog and then turned her attention to Xander, "We thought perhaps that might have something to do with it," she admitted, "Harrison seems to believe such contamination will show up in the mineral deposits, and ground. that is why we need samples." She looked back up at Nog, "Does it ever hurt you to breathe when you are outside the confines of the base?"

Jen blushed bright red and looked up at Dante. She sort of heard the groan of the others but not really. Goodness he was handsome, was the only thing her mind computed. Her brain finally engaged though, "You are sweet...but I don't think so. This looked like the stones they made bridal necklaces out of at home. They cost a fortune." her fingertip gently moved over the crystal and she peeked over at Cassandra, "Can I get some of this?"

Cassandra chuckled, "Of course," she said, "this isn't all about work. Have fun Jen..."

Harrison stood and went to the other side of the cave and looked up at where the lights were anchored to the roof. "What's this?" he asked but did not expect a reply. There was some kind of liquid dripping down from the bolt. He lifted a vial and captured some of it and corked the bottle. As he looked at it, the cork lifted and popped off. "Hmmm," he said and tipped his large head, "Interesting." He grabbed a syringe and poked a tiny hole in the cork and replaced it. This allowed whatever gas was forming to escape and the cork to stay in place. he'd just have to be careful not to jostle his case too much.

Cassandra watched Harrison gather things, and she carried on her conversations with the others. She was a fact gatherer, and he was the chemical expert. They had different methods, but together they usually gathered all the information they needed to solve whatever problem they were attempting to tackle. She looked over at Erik and the others then, "So...do you all have a little collection of things you've found during your explorations?"
 
Nog pondered Cassandra's question and shrugged. "Sometimes. Dunno. Sorry." Obviously Nog was not that bright even by local standards. Erik shrugged, "not really. You never really know what you might find down here. I found an ancient mining helmet once. Thing actually used a real lightbulb." Xanders nodded along, "yeah, I found a really cool piece of amber. Had some kinda bug thing in it. Might have been the long lost ancestor of the current bugs. Though one time someone found what they thought was an old glow lamp. Turned out it was a broken case for radioactive material. Guy died from radiation poisoning and they had to decontaminate a whole wing of the barracks. After that the director made it clear that it was not advised to take souveniers. Not that it really stops anyone. Actually that old guy at the entrance made a side business checking stuff that was brought out. I think he was an archeologist before joining the forces or something." Dante laughed at Jen's blushing face and gently patted her back, "well I still say you are pretty good looking."

They turned a corner only to be greeted by pitch blackness. Something had clearly smashed the lights in the tunnel as bits and pieces of the fixtures littered the ground. Letting out a low growl, Nog readied the flamethrower. "Bugs. Dont like light." Erik and the other two men turned on their headlamps and pointed them down the tunnel. Something skittered deeper into the darkness and Erik gulped, "only way is forward...especially if we want to find the gas." Nog nodded and stepped to the front of the group, turning on the powerful lights on his helmet. "Follow, stay close." With that piece of advice, Nog began walking into the darkness. Erik nodded to Xanders and Dante as he stood close to Cassandra. Xanders went next to Harrison and Dante put a protective arm around Jen's shoulders.
 
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Cassandra listened to the guys talking about things they'd found and how it wasn't always wise to collect things and why. "Luckily we have the means to cure that, but duly noted. Caution is the order of the day then."

She smiled up at Nog, "Nothing to be sorry for," she said gently, "When it did hurt? Where were you? Do you re..." Her words ended swiftly when she saw the pitch blackness ahead. It was so dark it seemed to reach out and touch you with its icy fingers. Bugs she could handle, they didn't bother her too much, but 8 foot tall bugs...that was an entirely different story. She sidled a little closer to Erik, without even realizing she had done so and once she DID realize her fingers wrapped around his arm just below his elbow so she would know where he was at all times. It made her feel a little less like she was suffocating.

Jen smiled up at him, "You are sweet...thank you." She gathered her pretty blue crystals and determined that she would have them made into something pretty to wear if they ever went on an actual date...alone. She put the crystals in her back and then came around the corner and there it was blackness. Oh for the love all that is holy. WHY? She heard the guide say something about bugs not liking light and she gasped. Erik said forward was the only way and she wanted to slap that dude simple. Her mind was screaming to run the other direction, but the guide had said there was a noise the other way, and she wasn't going to take a chance of being anywhere without that guy and his fire thrower. She was so glad for Dante's strong presence next to her. She wrapped her arm around him as far as it could reach and was pretty much glued to his side. She was trembling slightly, but did attempt to hide that.

Harrison felt the people moving beside him and just huffed a bit. He'd never come across anything that scared him til this point in his life, and he doubted a bug would be any different. He tapped the light on his hat and it came to life. He pointed it down the tunnel and watched and listened. "Is there a back up system for the lights?" he asked the guide, "I can probably fix it if there is."
 
Nog shrugged as they slowly walked through the darkness. "Bugs smash lights, will fix later. Protect group now." As they walked onwards the sound of skittering claws echoed around them as if the bugs were staying just out of reach of the lights. Nog suddenly held up a hand making the group stop. Walking over to one of the walls, Nog shined his headlight into a large freshly made hole. "Dig in here." Hefting up the flamethrower, Nog pointed the nozzle into the hole and pulled the trigger. A blast of napalm shot out of the weapon with a loud whoosh and burning heat. Immediately the sound of inhuman screeching emanated from the hole as Nog cackled in delight. After a few moments, Nog stopped the deluge of fire and all that was heard was the crackle of fire. "Bugs gone, move on."

Walking down a slight slope, the sound of chittering started growing louder from behind them. Ahead, a faint glow of artificial light emanated from around a corner and Nog shoved Cassandra and Erik ahead. "Go to light, bugs mad. I stay and fight." Erik paused and looked back at Nog. "You gonna be alright?" Nog let out a happy chuckle as he checked the flamethrower. "I be fine, gotta kill bugs first." As the group rushed towards the light, the sound of enraged screeching along with Nog's roar of defiance echoed through the tunnel as gouts of fire lit up the tunnel behind them. Turning the corner, the group was greeted by bright lights along with a small underground stream.
 
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Cassandra blinked when Nog shot the flames into the hole. Well that was one way to kill a bug, she supposed. Nog seemed right pleased with himself to be sure. he said the bugs were gone, and that they should continue on, so she took him at his word and started forward. The tunnel started to angle downward and she wondered at that but continued, seeing the bright light ahead. So the bugs only darkened part of the tunnel, that was fortunate. She glanced behind them when that skittering noise returned and she cast a worried glance at Erik before Nog pushed them forward. She stumbled a bit, but caught herself since she was holding onto Erik's arm still. She heard Erik ask if Nog would be ok, and she thought that big guide actually looked thrilled, so she started running toward the light.

Jen needed no persuasion at all to start running. She took off like a hellhound was on her tail, and at the moment that's about how she felt. She was actually quite fast, having been a college sprinter and middle distance runner. She was the first to arrive at the underground stream in the bright lights and stood there hardly out of breath looking at the gorgeous purples and pinks of the stones there. She looked back at the others once they got there and lifted her hands, "Well if we get attacked by bugs and eaten alive, at least we can say it happened in a very pretty place..."

Harrison rolled his eyes at her, "He said they don't like light..no eating will happen here." He saw more ceiling anchors and went to collect more samples of that ooze, to see if it changed in different areas of the caves. He also took a sample of the water.

Cassandra was a bit peeved that Jen had beaten her to the stream, "I need to get back to training." she said with a huff. She looked back up the tunnel, "You think he's really ok by himself?" she asked the others. If they get him, how will we get past those things without that flame thrower?"
 
A few moments later the sounds of fighting stopped, a few moments after that Nog emerged from the darkness. He was covered in soot as well as dark purple blood. Tied to his belt was a large severed bug head. It had eight tiny black eyes, a large mouth filled with rows of teeth, and its skin was an earthy brown. "Hehe, much fun! We still go?"
 
She saw Nog emerge from the darkened shaft and smiled, relief washing over her. "yes we continue!" she said ignoring Jen's groan of disapproval. She looked at the data pad and noted that the tunnels joined not much further ahead and they could loop back without actually going back through the dark tunnel again. She showed the map to Nog, "We can go this way..and then this way and get back right" she aske to be sure, "We don't have to go back the way we came..?"

Harrison only barely glanced up when Nog returned, and stood having collected some silt from the creek bed. he moved to where Cassandra was and briefly glanced at the data pad before moving away and toward the far end of the bright cavern. The tunnel was well lit so he started forward anxious to try and find a source of an airborne possibility for the rotlung epidemic. It seemed impossible to him that such damage could be done in any other form. they HAD to be breathing it in, and over long periods of time. He saw more of the same ooze seeping out through the bolts holding the lights and took another sample and labeled it 3. he was trying to see if the substance changed at all as they moved through the tunnel. It was giving off a gas of some sort, that was invisible, but he would have no idea what it was until he was back in the sick bay.

Jen looked at Cassandra but then noticed the head of the 'bug' and blinked, "THAT was the thing in the tunnel?" she asked backing away from it and into Dante, "Oh no...no no no no..." She suddenly felt like things were crawling all over her and was actually making motions of brushing things off her arms and legs as she danced around. "Ooooo Cass please...."

Cassandra just smiled at her and then gave Dante a meaningful look, "Um..would you mind keeping her distracted?" She lipped to him but did not speak aloud. To Jen she said, "Don't worry about collecting anything else. You don't have to touch anything I promise. Just stick close to Dante, and you will be fine." She looked at Nog, "Can we loop around like that?' she asked again, "If so...let's be going."
 
Nog nodded, "Go on is fine." He checked the fuel level of his flamethrower and patiently waited for Cassandra to start moving. Meanwhile Dante sae Cassandra's look and nodded, stepping close to Jen. Dante put his thick human arm around her shoulders and smiled. "Dont you worry Jen. I wont let any bugs touch a single hair on ya."
 
Cassandra smiled at Dante and Jen. That should keep that under control, at least she hoped so. She started to move into the far tunnel where Harrison was and like him was looking fro possible changes in the rock formation themselves, not just the ooze. She gathered a few small crystals and some soil samples from the walls as well.

They were about halfway to the next section of tunnel when Harrison was standing next to the wall and it shook. The bug creature appeared and Harrison jumped back quickly, narrowly avoiding its jagged teeth. "Too damn close.." he said as he hit the other side of the cave and wondered if there might be a bug there as well.

Cassandra blinked, "Harrison!" she called and started to run toward him.
 
Nog grabbed Cassandra and pulled her back roughly, "NO! STAY!" Nog rushed forward while pulling out a wicked looking machete. Roaring in challenge Nog slammed into the bug with the force of a freight train. Pinning the bug against the wall, Nog stabbed the bug over and over, releasing a spray of purple blood. Soon the bug stopped stuggling and laid limp. Stepping back, Nog looked over at Harrison. "You ok?"
 
Harrison nodded, "Just startled me is all." he said brushing off his clothes but instead smearing them with purple blood. He looked at Cassandra and shook his head, "Doc...don't you ever do that again.."

Cassandra had been pulled back and right into Xander. She let out an "oof" when they made contact, that air rushing out of her. Nog didn't know his own strength. It took a second for her to catch her breath but she cast a whatever kind of face at Harrison. "Sorry Xander...you ok?" she asked. She brushed her pants off a bit and smirked at Harrison, "Good color for you."

Harrison rolled his eyes and kept moving forward. He was in business mode, not have fun mode. He looked at Nog, "Thank you." he said and nodded his head before bending to collect a sample of the blood from the actual bug. It would be the best source to see if they were contaminated. He stored it and moved on figuring everyone else would follow.

Jen blew out some air and leaned against Dante, "They are both crazy," she said, "off the charts crazy."
 
Xanders simply laughed and patted Cassandra on the back. "No worries doc, will take a lot more than that to do any damage." Nog wiped off his machete and nodded back at Harrison, "welcome."
 
The rest of the investigation of the tunnels proved uneventful, much to Jen's relief. She had been fairly glued to Dante's side since the stream. When they found themselves back at the place they started she let out a soft sigh, "never again..."She promised, "One time was enough of that."

Cassandra had been gathering crystals and soil mostly. When they were almost back she looked at Erik and leaned a bit closer, "Have you ever been OUT...as in...out..of the complex?' she asked. "I think that is where we might find the best clues to this mess."

Harrison heard that and shook his head, "I think that would be a little too dangerous." he said and shook a finger at her. "Before crazy talk happens. Examine what we have." and he turned from her and began taking off the stained overalls. he was a little upset that some of the bright purple blood was on his actual shirt, but hopefully it would wash out.

Cassandra waved her hand at Harrison dismissively. She looked back to Erik, "Have you?"
 
Erik quirked an eyebrow at Cassandra's question. "What exactly do you mean by that? Do you mean outside as in the surface? Even the locals have to wear hazard suits up there and the longest you can stay out there is about an hour before the radiation seals burn away. Or do you mean going down into the unmapped tunnels? Because if that is what you mean it is just as dangerous. Those tunnels go on for miles and there is no telling what you might find. Decaying mining explosives, cave ins, bug nests, all sorts of shit. Only way to get approved to go down there is submitting a request to the director. I have only seen an expedition like that twice in all my time here. Last time a group of scientists wanted to try to follow some weird signals they found. It was the four scientists, five of us soldiers, and the rest were locals. They were fully geared and everything, weapons, supplies, etcetera.

Erik looked back at the entrance to the caves and shuddered. "They were only supposed to be gone for three days...After a week they gave up searching. A week after that, one of the locals found a soldier in the tunnels. Guy was fucked up beyond belief. Just kept spouting gibberish after they brought him back, guy's mind was just....gone. Soon after they went to check on him and he had scratched his eyes out and died." Dante mumbled, "aint never seen shit like that ever." Xanders nodded, "trust me Doc, going deep down is just asking for trouble."
 
Cassandra pressed her lips together, "Yes I dead mean to the surface." she admitted, "but that isn't enough time to get any measurable amount of data. So the locals don't go up their either then?" she asked. But then she listened to them tell of a signal below ground and a group of people who were never found except one. Psychologically scarred. What was going on down there? she wondered. Her wheels were turning though, and everyone in the group could see it.

Harrison grabbed her shoulders, "Look at me," he demanded, "No..."

Jen shook her head, "Cass...you cannot be serious. No, I am with Harrison. It's far too dangerous. Look at the mess we got into in a 'SAFE' cave."

Cassandra sighed. It was obvious she wasn't going to get any support even if she DID have permission. She looked at Erik then, "Has anyone tried to scan the deeper levels of the planet? What if there is something down there? Or someone? maybe it can be found with a scanner? Or a sonar of some kind?"
 
Erik shrugged, "I mean besides the old mineral scans and the initial structural scans when the base was first built...not really. Like I said, those tunnels go way deep and they are always changing. Bugs are always either blocking off tunnels or making new ones so any proper scan will be useless pretty quickly."

Xander nodded, "if you wanna find out more about that signal you should ask Turk. I think he knew someone on the team."
 
Cassandra sighed, "Well..maybe I will just have to be happy with what we have."

Harrison nodded, "For all you know Doc," he said, "We could have the cure already in our hands."

She smiled, "I hope so Harrison...I really do." She looked up at Nog, "I intent to keep working until we cure it, no more rotlung for you."

She looked at Xander, "I will ask Turk at dinner," she said, "He'll be at dinner right?" She peeled off her overalls and hung them back where she'd gotten them. "I hope I have time for a shower...I have stuff in unmentionable places."

Jen felt a shudder ripple through her at that casual comment. She hung up her overalls and smiled up at Dante, "Hey you...thank you for letting me lean on you. I didn't think I'd be that scared...sorry."
 
Erik nodded as he and the other two soldiers took off their gear. "I will let him know you wanna talk." Dante smiled at Jen and winked, "hey no complaints here. I got to hold a pretty girl who clung to me the entire time." Xanders rolled his eyes and Erik simply sighed as the three walked out. "See you at dinner doc."

Nog looked down at Cassandra and gave her a deep bow. "Much thanks dok-tor. Me always ready for helping yous." Nog then nodded to Harrison and Jen and left the building as well.
 
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