<span style='font-family:Courier'><span style='color:gray'> "Not exactly, I've been here two days but in the past I've worked with people that have spent up to seven days in an infested area. Anyway
How good are you lot with demolitions? If we can get a load of charges in the hives and then detonate them at a safe distance we shouldn't have a problem. The only problem is you'll have to drop the combat styles you are used too. First off you can't shoot everything, only the scouts as an extreme precaution. Thats it no buildings nothing, just the scouts and possibly the builders, but we can outmanuver them easilly, that and their perception isn't too good. If you really are worried you'll start shooting everything in sight put the safety on your weapon at least you won't hit anything you shouldn't. The other thing is nanites, we won't be able to use them so comm support as far as slupplys will be non existant. That said medical teams will have to go the old-fasioned route. Ammowise you'll need to take as much as you can carry there will be no ammo drops, so what you'll need is a backpack, bag, plastic bag I don't care just as long as you have something you can carry ammo in." </span></span>
<span style='color:white'><b>"Well, I don't think you'll get far with psycho-analyzing the aliens. If you ask me, all thats going on for them is that we're here, they don't want us to be here, and they want us out. Our job in this place is to stop that, which is why we're not being pulled out. We signed up to go in harms way, and we're going in there. I guess this power thingy should be able to hold out on it's own, I've identified a hive location that they haven't taken, and I think we should take it, since they still seem to be interested in hives so it might well still give them some power. Not to mention, the place is marked on the command interface as "nano-sludge control", which might well make it fun for us to hold. Also, we're gonna have trouble getting reinforcements, so we're gonna have to clean them before they clean us. We can't afford a long battle, time is on their side. In short, no reason not to move out."</b></span>
<span style='font-family:Courier'><span style='color:green'>"Roger that Comm" *finishes Venmoch's dressing, and checks the anaesthetic's worn off* "That should hold it together. If it starts feeling weird or getting painful, let me know so I can check it." *puts everything back in his pack, zips it up and puts it back on, unslings his LMG and shoulders it* "Let's move."</span></span>
<span style='color:green'><i>Move to your waypoint.</i> *shoulders his LMG and unsnaps the flap on his pistol holster* "Saddle up, ladies. Coffee break's over and we're on the clock."</span>
<span style='color:purple'><b> "Xect i have ideas for an injection that'll quickly stop a Kharaa, mind if i come to back to base ?" *Looks at everyone starring at him.* "I'm not scared or anything, just nervous that's all."</b></span>
<span style='color:00FF00'>*Lightly pats his knife and welder before readying his lmg and moving out with the squad*
"Well with the amount of lies flying in from every direction lately, I really don't know who or what to trust anymore... Tell me Venmoch, how is it that for the past year the Frontiersmen have found that larger alien lifeforms such as skulks only start spawning as we arrive, and all of a sudden today we find that they supposedly have multiple hives lying dormant, and that our only course of action is a risky all or nothing gambled based something as fancy as high explosives?"
*Stares at Venmoch's wound, before speaking into his headset loud enough for Venmoch to still hear him*
"If this mission ends with our spec ops friend mysteriously dissapearing and our squad in the crapper for serious breach of protocol and tactical doctrine, I'm not going to be very happy... Anyway, are we gonna give him a headset of sorts so he atleast hear all of us, including our base guards and comm? Xect, reckon you could hack the nano network to drop something like that?"
[Keeps an ear out for any unusual sounds, and starts looking for vents, doorways and other possible danger areas]</span> <b>[color=00FF00]</b>
<span style='color:purple'>*Overhears Revenge talking about headsets* [Pulls out a set of 20th century style headphones, hooks a couple wires up then programs it to the right frequency for the group] "Venmoch, Catch," *Throws headset at ven* "Hey and no offense man, but I'm a good deal more inclined to believe these guys over you, so I don't trust you farther than I can throw you... and thats not very far." *Begins moving with the rest of thesquad to the waypoint* "Oh, and here's a Log of all our chat so far." *throws a small tape/cd/whatever it is we use in this time era at venmoch* *remembers another thing* "Hey, and also don't think anything sneaky is guna' happen on our side, we already got nailed earlier in base by 5 skulks at once... thats no random scouting group." </span> <b>Chat log = Read the thread from the beggining.</b>
<i><span style='font-family:Optima'><span style='color:orange'>*Moves out with rest of them* "I was trained in demolitions before I came here, and I got some C4, along with other crude compounds that can be quickly fashioned into explosives. However, I didn't bring that much with me, probably enough only to blow down some blast doors. Exactly what are you planning on having us do, Venmoch? I would suppose the fastest way to bring a hive down is connect the explosives at where it hangs from the ceiling, but how would we get up there in the first place?" </span></span></i>
<span style='color:yellow'><b>[guards sparks, wiether he decides to go with the group or back to base] "we could jetpack up to the top of the hive and place mines. we'ld just need someone fast and lucky while everyone else distracted the aliens." *thinks about what I just said* "on second thought, we could just get zooby to do it."</b> </span>
<b>Stuff that can't really fail won't need brackets. It's for the stuff that I'm supposed to respond to in my next post.</b>
<span style='color:white'><b>"Well, as far as I can see, there's only one hive yet, it's in the engine room. We're trying to take the nano-sludge storage.</span></b>
<span style='color:blue'>"im sure with all your piloting skill dea, you would be the perfect jetpacker. With the stunning looks, you would also serve as a good distraction. Why kill two marines when one can do the job just fine?"</span>
<b><span style='color:purple'> "Thanx Dea, sorry i told you to stop talking how rich you are and all, i'l lmake it back to base just fine.....i hope." *Starts running off down the corridor, he stops then heads back the other way.* "I just had to turn around."</span></b>
<span style='font-family:Courier'><span style='color:gray'> Five skulks already?, Hmm thats odd, never seen that before. From what I could tell the hive was still dormant. Unless, <span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>no that can't be right......</span>" *Pauses to think for a scond* "Anyway as for the Frontiersmen aren't know for subtly. They would rather smash a walnet with a sledgehammer in most occasions. This is why the hive reacts in such a violent way. Recent research reports in high command show that the hive is like your immune system. It doesn't bother getting rid of a threat until it becomes a major threat to life. Then it can go full out to wipe it out. The hive doesn't want to spend energy making and sustaining organisms unless it really needs too. The easiest way to destroy the hive would be to place it at the top I suppose but we may still want to go stealthy unless we really have too, we don't want an Onos to come against us" *Goes to stand up* "Ahhh Sh*t" *Collaspes back* "Crap, my leg." *Looks around as people crowd around him.* "Don't worry I can still work, but dang that hurts." *Pulls out reel of duct tape and wraps some around the makeshift bayonet and flashlight* "Anyone else want to use some? it could save your life!" </span></span>
<i><span style='font-family:Optima'><span style='color:orange'>"I'll pass, I have a container of acid guaranteed to burn through four inches of titanium in two seconds attached to my weapon. Ain't glass a wonder..." "On second thought give me a strip or two, I might be needing it if my acid's sprayed." </span></span></i>
<b>sorry for referring myself in the third person, force of habit from IRC</b> <span style='color:white'> *Ed stands up, remembering to shut off the solitare program, and loads up at the armory.* "Subtle, subtle, subtle, I'd prefer to reem the hive with a full clip of NyJack on auto..." </span>
<span style='font-family:Courier'><span style='color:green'>"Wasn't expecting that. Hold on." *pulls out an injector of 4-hour local anaesthetic and holds it briefly against the bandages* "There, that should do it. If it feels at all weird, crawly, or anything like that, TELL ME - you won't feel any pain in it for the next four hours."</span></span> <b>Speaking of stuff that can't really fail and brackets, how much medic stuff do you want me to put in brackets, xect?</b>
<span style='color:orange'>*runs to catch up with the others* "Zoopy, I'd be careful with that acid if I were you. I don't think any of us are as durable as four inches of titanium." *my modified PDA (with increased data capacity) lets out a low beep followed by a monotone voice saying "File transfer and decompression, complete. Hard drive at full capacity. Recomend removal of non-essential programs."* "Good. Now, let's see how smart this AI program is."</span> <b>I'll use bold orange for what the program says. She'll be used as light comic relief only.</b> <span style='color:orange'>*a female voice emanates from the PDA's speakers* <b>"I'm probably smarter than you pal! If I was a User I'd free up some room on this thing, I can barely use my main combat subroutines!"</b> "Well, it's obvious that Erin wrote you." <b>"How do you know Erin?"</b> "She was my fiance. She's dead."</span>
<i><span style='font-family:Optima'><span style='color:orange'>"Don't worry about it, the acid is expelled down and in front, unless you're standing in my line of fire you won't have any new orifices. Ooh, an AI program. Hey, what is the answer to life, the universe, and everything?"</span></span></i>
<span style='color:white'> "-Fourty Two." *Ed finally catches up with the rest of the group. Ed notices the PDA* "Ok, that's cool." *Wynona lets off a shrill beep* "Sorry, Wyn." *Ed pets Wynona, she seemingly purrs. * </span>
<b>Note: Wynona is not a wonder of AI technology like the PDA of coolness+3, but, if you havent guessed it, Ed talks to things.</b>
<b>sorry, xect. im usually better about such things</b> <span style='color:yellow'><b>*runs up and takes point* "c'mon boys, lets get going." *itchy feeling in the back of my head* "hey, whats the odds that we'll get ambushed before we get nano locked down?" *lets some one else take point* "cool, an AI. hey, com. can we take the ships mainframe and upload her? It'ld be nice to have anouther girl in the com system. even if she's sylicon."</b> </span>
<span style='color:green'>"I'll take point. Two column formation behind me and Boggle. Watch the cielings and two of you cover the rear. Keep your peepers peeled and check back every 10 paces or so." *leans towards Boggle, keeping his voice low to avoid being overheard while still being able to pick up anything that sounds out of the ordinary* "I'm beginning to trust this spec-ops less and less. Coming out of nowhere claiming he's here to help, carrying around that bacterium in his leg, who's to say it's not some new type of parasite or something? And the escape pods that could lose power very soon, making it impossible for us to find them. This whole situation is beginning to smell something fishy."</span>
<b>Remember Citadel</b> <-- I want that for a spray tag <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> <span style='font-family:Courier'><span style='color:green'>"You sure that's a good idea, Dea? Ever heard of SHODAN?" *falls in formation behind Boggles* *quietly* "I heard that. While I've never seen an infection like that before, he hasn't given me any reason to distrust him yet. Let's just see how this pans out. I'm gonna check again in half an hour, see what the med nanoes have done. It may prove interesting."</span></span>
<span style='color:blue'>*whispers quietly back to jaeger and night shade*
"I dont want to seem like a back-stabbing b*stard, but i cannot forget what happened with the last spec ops on the W. T. Hell. You remember Penguin dont you Shade? Im sure this ransom guy is a good guy, but i thought the same thing about pengiun. I've already told sparks my suspicions, and he agreed with me. I was waiting for a quiet moment to tell the commander, but i havent found one yet. Just keep your eyes on him."
*louder, to the rest of the group*
"Ok men, Lets moove out"</span>
<b>i love that game start phrase. i would hug the guy who recorded it, but that might look a little strange</b>
<span style='color:white'><b>"Oh yeah. So, tell me one thing mr. knowitall. How come that a specops from the damn TSA come here claiming to know more than the frontiersmen found out during our whole war?
If what you're saying is true, how come civilians are never alive? How come docking marines have been whiped out before ever firing a shot? How come the hives start building as soon as we arrive? How can it be that they slaughtered everyone on that science station? Would you want to be the one to try and go easy on the aliens hoping for friendly relations? Let's put it this way, if you want to be nice and slow, you're welcome, but not while I'm still on board. As long as I'm here, we're going to kill them, not hope for the bacterium to not notice a bunch of large organic lifeforms, one of them infected with bacteria. And I'll SURE not trust them to not realize we're here when they've already responded with both a hive and attacks."
"Now, one thing I wonder about you guys. How is it that you can stand for minutes saying "Lets go", regrouping, creating formations and STILL get nowhere. Start walking ****, you still have legs, use them while they're there."</b></span>
<span style='color:purple'><b> *He heads back to base and looks around for his bag, he finds it and sits in the corner, he pulls out a portable stove and heats it up, he puts a red flower into a pot then some roots, he pours water into it and lets it boil while he grates up a block of blue substance then pours it into the mix, he pulls out a lunch box of his bag and see what he has left, he pulls out a pastry and starts eating it, taking off his field medic vest, ruck sack and storage belt.*</b></span>
<span style='font-family:Courier'><span style='color:green'>*quietly* "I'd say he's already figured it out, Boggles." *over comm system* "What, moving our legs like this *does Ministry of Silly Walks impression* doesn't count as walking? And where the hell'd Spark go?"</span></span>
<b><span style='color:purple'> *He eats the remains of his pastry and checks his brew.* "I'm at base Shade, i'm making a injection that'll be launched into a Kharaa that'll make the hive think there is no threat so the Kharaa is recycled, but we should only use it on Fades and Onos." *He pulls out a book and starts studying it.*</b></span>
<b>I don't know about you, but I'd certainly call that a heroic action. Don't you think if there was such a drug that the TSA scientists would've figured it out?</b> <span style='font-family:Courier'><span style='color:green'>"Heh. Yeah, right. I'll leave sticking a needle into a fade - and surviving - in your capable hands." *continues to waypoint, keeping an eye out for aliens*</span></span>
<b>LOL we were already walking, and then stopped to form a new formation.... GG...</b> <span style='color:00FF00'>"C'mon guys, you heard the commander... Or should I just make myself a nice bed and catch some sleep before we decide to get moving? Jaeger, Boggle, if you're on point then get moving!"
*Starts walking behind Jaeger, next to Night Shade*
"Venmoch, do spec ops soldiers wear nanite armour like us? I wanna know if trying to weld you is going to cause more harm than good..."</span>
Comments
"Not exactly, I've been here two days but in the past I've worked with people that have spent up to seven days in an infested area. Anyway
How good are you lot with demolitions? If we can get a load of charges in the hives and then detonate them at a safe distance we shouldn't have a problem. The only problem is you'll have to drop the combat styles you are used too. First off you can't shoot everything, only the scouts as an extreme precaution. Thats it no buildings nothing, just the scouts and possibly the builders, but we can outmanuver them easilly, that and their perception isn't too good. If you really are worried you'll start shooting everything in sight put the safety on your weapon at least you won't hit anything you shouldn't. The other thing is nanites, we won't be able to use them so comm support as far as slupplys will be non existant. That said medical teams will have to go the old-fasioned route. Ammowise you'll need to take as much as you can carry there will be no ammo drops, so what you'll need is a backpack, bag, plastic bag I don't care just as long as you have something you can carry ammo in."
</span></span>
<i>A waypoint appears on your HUD</i>
*finishes Venmoch's dressing, and checks the anaesthetic's worn off*
"That should hold it together. If it starts feeling weird or getting painful, let me know so I can check it."
*puts everything back in his pack, zips it up and puts it back on, unslings his LMG and shoulders it*
"Let's move."</span></span>
*shoulders his LMG and unsnaps the flap on his pistol holster*
"Saddle up, ladies. Coffee break's over and we're on the clock."</span>
"Xect i have ideas for an injection that'll quickly stop a Kharaa, mind if i come to back to base ?"
*Looks at everyone starring at him.*
"I'm not scared or anything, just nervous that's all."</b></span>
"Well with the amount of lies flying in from every direction lately, I really don't know who or what to trust anymore... Tell me Venmoch, how is it that for the past year the Frontiersmen have found that larger alien lifeforms such as skulks only start spawning as we arrive, and all of a sudden today we find that they supposedly have multiple hives lying dormant, and that our only course of action is a risky all or nothing gambled based something as fancy as high explosives?"
*Stares at Venmoch's wound, before speaking into his headset loud enough for Venmoch to still hear him*
"If this mission ends with our spec ops friend mysteriously dissapearing and our squad in the crapper for serious breach of protocol and tactical doctrine, I'm not going to be very happy... Anyway, are we gonna give him a headset of sorts so he atleast hear all of us, including our base guards and comm? Xect, reckon you could hack the nano network to drop something like that?"
[Keeps an ear out for any unusual sounds, and starts looking for vents, doorways and other possible danger areas]</span>
<b>[color=00FF00]</b>
*walks slowly down the hallway*</span>
[Pulls out a set of 20th century style headphones, hooks a couple wires up then programs it to the right frequency for the group]
"Venmoch, Catch,"
*Throws headset at ven*
"Hey and no offense man, but I'm a good deal more inclined to believe these guys over you, so I don't trust you farther than I can throw you... and thats not very far."
*Begins moving with the rest of thesquad to the waypoint*
"Oh, and here's a Log of all our chat so far."
*throws a small tape/cd/whatever it is we use in this time era at venmoch*
*remembers another thing*
"Hey, and also don't think anything sneaky is guna' happen on our side, we already got nailed earlier in base by 5 skulks at once... thats no random scouting group."
</span>
<b>Chat log = Read the thread from the beggining.</b>
"I was trained in demolitions before I came here, and I got some C4, along with other crude compounds that can be quickly fashioned into explosives. However, I didn't bring that much with me, probably enough only to blow down some blast doors. Exactly what are you planning on having us do, Venmoch? I would suppose the fastest way to bring a hive down is connect the explosives at where it hangs from the ceiling, but how would we get up there in the first place?"
</span></span></i>
"we could jetpack up to the top of the hive and place mines. we'ld just need someone fast and lucky while everyone else distracted the aliens."
*thinks about what I just said*
"on second thought, we could just get zooby to do it."</b> </span>
<span style='color:white'><b>"Well, as far as I can see, there's only one hive yet, it's in the engine room. We're trying to take the nano-sludge storage.</span></b>
"Thanx Dea, sorry i told you to stop talking how rich you are and all, i'l lmake it back to base just fine.....i hope."
*Starts running off down the corridor, he stops then heads back the other way.*
"I just had to turn around."</span></b>
Five skulks already?, Hmm thats odd, never seen that before. From what I could tell the hive was still dormant. Unless, <span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>no that can't be right......</span>"
*Pauses to think for a scond*
"Anyway as for the Frontiersmen aren't know for subtly. They would rather smash a walnet with a sledgehammer in most occasions. This is why the hive reacts in such a violent way. Recent research reports in high command show that the hive is like your immune system. It doesn't bother getting rid of a threat until it becomes a major threat to life. Then it can go full out to wipe it out. The hive doesn't want to spend energy making and sustaining organisms unless it really needs too. The easiest way to destroy the hive would be to place it at the top I suppose but we may still want to go stealthy unless we really have too, we don't want an Onos to come against us"
*Goes to stand up*
"Ahhh Sh*t"
*Collaspes back*
"Crap, my leg."
*Looks around as people crowd around him.*
"Don't worry I can still work, but dang that hurts."
*Pulls out reel of duct tape and wraps some around the makeshift bayonet and flashlight*
"Anyone else want to use some? it could save your life!"
</span></span>
"On second thought give me a strip or two, I might be needing it if my acid's sprayed."
</span></span></i>
<span style='color:white'> *Ed stands up, remembering to shut off the solitare program, and loads up at the armory.*
"Subtle, subtle, subtle, I'd prefer to reem the hive with a full clip of NyJack on auto..."
</span>
*pulls out an injector of 4-hour local anaesthetic and holds it briefly against the bandages*
"There, that should do it. If it feels at all weird, crawly, or anything like that, TELL ME - you won't feel any pain in it for the next four hours."</span></span>
<b>Speaking of stuff that can't really fail and brackets, how much medic stuff do you want me to put in brackets, xect?</b>
"Zoopy, I'd be careful with that acid if I were you. I don't think any of us are as durable as four inches of titanium."
*my modified PDA (with increased data capacity) lets out a low beep followed by a monotone voice saying "File transfer and decompression, complete. Hard drive at full capacity. Recomend removal of non-essential programs."*
"Good. Now, let's see how smart this AI program is."</span>
<b>I'll use bold orange for what the program says. She'll be used as light comic relief only.</b>
<span style='color:orange'>*a female voice emanates from the PDA's speakers*
<b>"I'm probably smarter than you pal! If I was a User I'd free up some room on this thing, I can barely use my main combat subroutines!"</b>
"Well, it's obvious that Erin wrote you."
<b>"How do you know Erin?"</b>
"She was my fiance. She's dead."</span>
*Ed finally catches up with the rest of the group. Ed notices the PDA*
"Ok, that's cool."
*Wynona lets off a shrill beep*
"Sorry, Wyn."
*Ed pets Wynona, she seemingly purrs. *
</span>
<b>Note: Wynona is not a wonder of AI technology like the PDA of coolness+3, but, if you havent guessed it, Ed talks to things.</b>
<span style='color:yellow'><b>*runs up and takes point*
"c'mon boys, lets get going."
*itchy feeling in the back of my head*
"hey, whats the odds that we'll get ambushed before we get nano locked down?"
*lets some one else take point*
"cool, an AI. hey, com. can we take the ships mainframe and upload her? It'ld be nice to have anouther girl in the com system. even if she's sylicon."</b> </span>
*leans towards Boggle, keeping his voice low to avoid being overheard while still being able to pick up anything that sounds out of the ordinary*
"I'm beginning to trust this spec-ops less and less. Coming out of nowhere claiming he's here to help, carrying around that bacterium in his leg, who's to say it's not some new type of parasite or something? And the escape pods that could lose power very soon, making it impossible for us to find them. This whole situation is beginning to smell something fishy."</span>
<span style='font-family:Courier'><span style='color:green'>"You sure that's a good idea, Dea? Ever heard of SHODAN?"
*falls in formation behind Boggles*
*quietly* "I heard that. While I've never seen an infection like that before, he hasn't given me any reason to distrust him yet. Let's just see how this pans out. I'm gonna check again in half an hour, see what the med nanoes have done. It may prove interesting."</span></span>
"I dont want to seem like a back-stabbing b*stard, but i cannot forget what happened with the last spec ops on the W. T. Hell. You remember Penguin dont you Shade? Im sure this ransom guy is a good guy, but i thought the same thing about pengiun. I've already told sparks my suspicions, and he agreed with me. I was waiting for a quiet moment to tell the commander, but i havent found one yet. Just keep your eyes on him."
*louder, to the rest of the group*
"Ok men, Lets moove out"</span>
<b>i love that game start phrase. i would hug the guy who recorded it, but that might look a little strange</b>
If what you're saying is true, how come civilians are never alive? How come docking marines have been whiped out before ever firing a shot? How come the hives start building as soon as we arrive? How can it be that they slaughtered everyone on that science station? Would you want to be the one to try and go easy on the aliens hoping for friendly relations? Let's put it this way, if you want to be nice and slow, you're welcome, but not while I'm still on board. As long as I'm here, we're going to kill them, not hope for the bacterium to not notice a bunch of large organic lifeforms, one of them infected with bacteria. And I'll SURE not trust them to not realize we're here when they've already responded with both a hive and attacks."
"Now, one thing I wonder about you guys. How is it that you can stand for minutes saying "Lets go", regrouping, creating formations and STILL get nowhere. Start walking ****, you still have legs, use them while they're there."</b></span>
*He heads back to base and looks around for his bag, he finds it and sits in the corner, he pulls out a portable stove and heats it up, he puts a red flower into a pot then some roots, he pours water into it and lets it boil while he grates up a block of blue substance then pours it into the mix, he pulls out a lunch box of his bag and see what he has left, he pulls out a pastry and starts eating it, taking off his field medic vest, ruck sack and storage belt.*</b></span>
*over comm system* "What, moving our legs like this *does Ministry of Silly Walks impression* doesn't count as walking? And where the hell'd Spark go?"</span></span>
*He eats the remains of his pastry and checks his brew.*
"I'm at base Shade, i'm making a injection that'll be launched into a Kharaa that'll make the hive think there is no threat so the Kharaa is recycled, but we should only use it on Fades and Onos."
*He pulls out a book and starts studying it.*</b></span>
<span style='font-family:Courier'><span style='color:green'>"Heh. Yeah, right. I'll leave sticking a needle into a fade - and surviving - in your capable hands."
*continues to waypoint, keeping an eye out for aliens*</span></span>
<span style='color:00FF00'>"C'mon guys, you heard the commander... Or should I just make myself a nice bed and catch some sleep before we decide to get moving? Jaeger, Boggle, if you're on point then get moving!"
*Starts walking behind Jaeger, next to Night Shade*
"Venmoch, do spec ops soldiers wear nanite armour like us? I wanna know if trying to weld you is going to cause more harm than good..."</span>