Setting
- 90 posts here • Page 4 of 4 • 1, 2, 3, 4
For the inattentive, a single white vessel would have gone unnoticed descending onto the spaceport. It was near quiet, its engines only audibly making a light whine, and as it landed its strange wing-like engines folded upwards, stuttered, then went still. Upon its hull was not much in the way of a model number but simply a logo with "D17" written in it surrounded by wings.
The door to the vessel hissed as the air-tight seal is released then dropped down creating a set of stairs. Standing at the top was a somewhat disheveled and meek man with a mess of bluish-white hair dressed in a white labcoat. He had slight stubble on his face, and, despite his white hair he seemed far from an old man. He hesitated standing there for a moment to take hold of the edges of the frame looking about left and right, adjusting his glasses, before he finally walked down the stairs with wobbling knees.
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"Come now, Hayden, don't tell me you are frightened," a deep yet calming man's voice calls from behind him.
The second figure to emerge was a man in a more elaborate outfit, blue and white, and in contrast to the other was a taller and clearly more physically fit specimen. His brilliant red hair was long, hanging a bit past his shoulders, and his eyes practically sparkling against the artificial light.
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"It... it isn't fear, director sir, it-" Dr. Hayden Addler begins, before getting cut off.
"Lucius," the man says as he follows behind with steady steps, one foot after the other, arms behind his back. "A man is not defined by his title but defines the title he occupies. You must remember that, Hayden."
"I mean, I... I get all that, but I'm excited si- Lucius, I just," Hayden responds looking back at Lucius. "Is there really something here that falls within the Continuity code? Modified animals are- are far far below my... our field. Hardly a threat."
"You're right, but there's something more here, I can feel it, and our instruments agree that there is some residuals of... something," Lucius said with certainty, his gaze piercing as he leans in and speaks quietly, casting a shadow over the meek man. "Remember, Hayden, the front is we're collecting samples. Simple field work."
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Apart from the outside world and frozen mountainous landscape of Pagourano, the small spaceport enclosure and open hangers provided a very different, almost mechanical atmosphere as people scrambled back and forth along the bridges, decks and platforms, many of them wearing all different colors of jumpsuits and uniforms with name tags, patches or displays. Others were dressed casually or wearing business suits, some wearing white lab coats and jackets as men in hard hats and bright vests worked to load and unload crates and boxes with large dollies, robotic claws, pallet fork tractors and machine carts. Some people were wearing clear-visor hard hats and standing around typing on the small laptop computers and tablets they were carrying while other workers went about welding and doing repairs. There were fountains of sparks, beeping machines and all kinds of other loud noises inside the hangers, but this was not especially peculiar. There just seemed to be more traffic than usual for the remote area.
CBL-2214 was a civilian aircraft, not a military vessel, and the small torpedoes and missiles underneath it were not meant for heavy warfare but were only there for minor defenses to protect the craft from common space pirates in case it was transporting valuable scientific research or sensitive data that might pose a threat or be used in the improper manner if it somehow fell into the wrong hands. As the craft landed and was secured to the landing platform by large machines, the butterfly doors lifted open after depressurization and an automated ramp extended down to the grated floor panels. Michael Wolfenstein stepped out casually and looked around briefly before adjusting his arm sleeve buttoned up cufflinks and descending down the ramp on to the docking bay area, wearing a formal business suit and tie with black sunglasses. Soon, others started to descend down the ramp escorting large metal boxes and crates as the black windshield visor lifted open on the cockpit, enabling the pilots to climb down and take a break. Mike Wolf lit up a cigarette and continued to look around quietly, seemingly in no rush or hurry to get anywhere despite everyone else on the craft appearing to run around and move quickly to unload.
After taking a few drags off of his cigarette, Mike took a quick glance at the photograph in his pocket before folding it up and burning it with his liter. He dropped the picture on the floor grates and let it burn out before rubbing the ashes away with his black polished shoe. After glancing at his wrist watch, he then proceeded to walk around casually, looking for the man in the photograph that he had just burned to ashes. He was sure he would recognize the director when he saw him. But even if he managed to overlook him in the crowded Spaceport, he was sure that the director was already expecting him and would probably recognize him at least. Mike Wolf had been hired by the director for a very particular assignment, which the independent contractor had agreed to even though he wasn't quite sure yet what the assignment was. He knew it was a $46 million dollar contract which required him to help with the hunting or capturing of someone or something, but the specifics had not been part of his debriefing. Instead, Mike was informed about the dangers of his assignment and what he could expect to encounter during his time on the planet in order to better prepare himself for this mission. A lot of the boxes and crates that were being unloaded from the CBL-2214 spacecraft contained the equipment and gear that he would need, as he looked around quietly.
As Hayden did his part, the director looked away from him to side glance the approach of another vessel. As it landed he watched a man exit. Sizing him up briefly, he deduced this may be the... contractual work that was ordered. Seems he did not have to wait too long, and punctuality is certainly appreciated. However, as he approached Mr. Wolf, a light tune came from his jacket pocket. For the classical inclined, it was Beethoven, Moonlight Sonata, 3rd movement to be exact. He paused and pulled out a rather unspectacular-looking phone and held it against his ear.
"Hello? Yes?" he utters lightly. While the other side of this conversation is barely audible, the corner of his mouth twitched ever so slightly in response. His general demeanor, however, does not even shift. "Ah? Why? How close? Ah, just will have to expedite slightly. Keep the oven warm, and if I take too long, be good and walk the dogs."
He locked eyes for a moment with Dr. Lucius, and was surprised to see the director walking towards him before he throws his cigarette butt in the ashtray and pulls out a stick of red chewing gum, unwrapping it and placing the gum into his mouth before throwing the gum wrapper in the trash can as Lucius suddenly stopped to take a phone call. Mike waited patiently for him to put his phone away before approaching him casually, removing his sunglasses for a minute and folding them up as he extended one arm, shaking hands with the independent contractor in charge of paying him for his service.
"Mr. Lamech? Hi, I'm Michael Wolf, I'm here for the assignment?" Mike's wrist watch suddenly started vibrating silently, causing very light sensations against his wrist which only Mike could feel. Mr. Wolf glanced at his watch very briefly before inquiring about the current setting and further mission details, listening carefully even as a crew worker interrupted them during their short conversation.
He just wanted Mike Wolf to sign some papers, which he did without even stopping his stride as they walked towards the deployment chambers. "Colossal Bioscience Laboratories is here on a geological expedition to sample some rocks and stones from the mountains. I guess they have their own contract with XamGen and the Intergalactic Genetic Technology laboratories on Terra. Luckily for me, The Continental also has a few chains on Terra, so I was able to get a pretty good deal on my flight here."
Mike stopped and whistled loudly over the sound of the noisy and crowded deployment chamber, yelling at one of the workers in the orange jumpsuits wearing a neon yellow vest and hard hat to be more careful with the merchandise as he had nearly stumbled while rushing quickly to place a rather heavy and expensive computer monitor on to the back of a 10-wheeled transport truck with an open tent bed. "What's with all the equipment anyway? AEA Zeus? 700 Nitro Express? Mind telling me what this is all about?"
Before Lucius could finish his speech, there was a loud thud. Dr. Addler spun around and Lucius turned his head. There was silence, dead silence, as a large creature now stood before the docks. Belle looked back and forth. Her black-and-white banded tail swayed as she stumbled about, worn out and disoriented from her great excursion. She took a deep breath and lifted herself up, easily towering around 11-12 feet tall. Hayden was in awe, but Lucius remained stoic. This hadn't gone to plan, but it was convenient. She really was drawn to civilization. But was she still compliant, or was she now above them? She looked to them, her green and purple eyes locking with theirs.
"She's changed, the coloration is the same but, the shape has changed, by... by a lot?" Dr. Addler mutters. "Neoprimordial? And-"
Belle moved in fast, right in Hayden Addler's face, her face tilted to the side as she examined the man. Her mess of black hair hung over one of her eyes, her purple one examining him up close. White coat, just like the others from before. Lucius went for his stun gun but her tail almost instinctively knocked from his hand. He held his hand, a perplexed look as she did nothing more. After a moment of silence, she poked Hayden's nose.
"W-what is-?" he said in a panic, before she moved the claw down and placed it over his lips, hushing him.
"Vessel," a husky voice suddenly escaped from those beastly lips, through teeth sharp and visible. The sound of it... it was calm, soothing even.
"Vessel?" Lucius asked. It wasn't killing them, its stance this whole time hasn't been hostile. It was as the reports stated, a creature exhibiting no hostile traits, but will defend itself. "Oh... you mean, ship, don't you?"
"Yes, ship, vessel, be kind, please," the last words that escaped her mouth were... pleading. Hayden slowly reached into his pocket, that voice touching something deep inside him. It was warm, inviting, and gentle. What was he fishing from his pocket? He raised a hand and in it was the keys to their ship. Lucius saw this and grabbed Dr. Addler's wrist before he handed it over.
"Addler, what are you doing?" he asked, but she snatched the key and rushed towards the vessel that smelled of them. She was fast, much faster than a human, her tail swaying behind her with wild excitement, like a child who had a new toy.
There was a moment of silence, then the ships engines began to charge up. Both Lucius and Dr. Addler looked at each other then rushed towards it.
"Well, she's sure a quick learner then, wouldn't you say, Dr. Addler?" Lucius said, somewhat finding the humor in their given situation. Before they could stop her, the ship doors closed. Lucius stopped Addler and, the ship launched into the sky.
"Well, on thrust alone she won't get far, I'm sure she won't be able to activ-," Dr. Addler began, before the ship simply blinks out. "You know what? I give up."
"Well, we'll be tracking that later," Lucius said with a sigh, pulling out a communication device. Despite everything, he actually didn't seem too upset. He wanted to know what motivated the anomaly, and where it was being pulled to. And now they had the perfect means to track her. "We'll be needing another vessel, and... get the recorder ready, I think it is time for a broadcast."
"Oh my gosh, I'm soo sorry, how's daddy?" came the voice of Bashemath through the comm.
"He's fine, and an excellent to bail him from a game he can't win," Lucius said.
"Hey, I could've turned it around," Dr. Addler responded, before looking at the cards Lucius put down. "...yeah, nevermind. Hey, could you uh... get daddy and uncle Lucius out of here?"
"Oh yeah, of course!" she responded in a typically perked up. "Just stand still and..."
As the two men stood still, from their perspective the world around them would warp around them like a bubble, before exploding into a kaleidoscope effect. For those observing, their bodies just sorta... thinned out and zipped out of existence.
- 90 posts here • Page 4 of 4 • 1, 2, 3, 4