Zabyra is sitting outside the ACDC, counting money and writing some notes on her PDA, she seems in a generally good mood.
Enter Dyopheteia. The high tech Atlantean wanders around the tradeport.
Walters steps out of the levimodule, whistling a classical tune. He steps out of the flow of traffic before looking about.
Zabyra continues working on her accounting.
Dyopheteia walks in Walker's direction, and would probably bump into him if he does nothing to prevent this.
Loken arrives from Levimodule - Comorro Station. Loken has arrived.
Walters keeps on whistling, hands in his pockets. He turns his head after catching some movement in the periphery of his vision. He quickly sidesteps Dyo, and frowns. "Pardon me, miss. Didn't intend to be in your way."
Loken heads into Docking Hub - Comorro Station. Loken has left.
Zabyra keeps doing her accounting work, not terribly interested in anything else right now.
Dyopheteia turns to look at Walter's shoulder. Dyopheteia: "My apologies, I didn't notice you."
Walters smiles at Dyo. "Quite. Nothing to be worrying, at the very least. Happens to the best of us, wot?"
Dyopheteia is looking at Walter's shoulder, Zabyra is accounting. Dyopheteia: "I guess so."
Zabyra is boring today, keeps on accounting.
Alexei strolls from the levimodule towards the bustling market stalls. His face and steps are both light with anticipation as he ponders what there will be today.
Walters blinks a moment, looking Dyo over curiously. "Yes. Indeed. I see." One would assume that he doesn't, in fact, see - figuratively speaking, of course. "You know, I cannot say that I have seen you around here before, though that might be my failing and not yours, of course. But humans are somewhat more rare than they used to be..." There's a pause. "Riley Cromwell Walters-Cobb, of Sivad. At your service."
A rip in space-time materializes in the middle of a fruit cart, long enough for a melon-shaped metal device about the size of a bowling ball to come rolling out toward the middle of the tradeport. Then the rift snaps shut with a sound like a distant thunderclap.
The Atlantean technoprophetess does not notice the metal device, she does notice the thunderclap, and crinches. Dyopheteia: "Alexandros, scan the surroundings for me, please." A small camera peeks up from Dyopheteia's pocket, and peeks around.
Zabyra jumps up at the thunderclap, and looks around, "What in Opodi's name is happening?"
Comorro appears equally concerned. Three tangler cannons drop from ceiling panels to aim at the ball. Before they can fire, however, the ball dissolves in a cloud of nanites. Spilling from inside: Thousands of small skittering black beetles about the size of a fingertip. The beetles start scurrying in all directions. Comorro's cannons swivel left and right, trying to lock on the targets. No luck.
Alexei pauses mid stride, head craning to see what's going on, and turns toward the sound. Upon seeing the bugs he exclaims, "By all the Saints..", and backs towards the nearest bulkhead.
Walters takes a few steps back from the ball and rift, though he does look curiously for the briefest of moments at Dyo's 'Alexandros'. "Oh my. Quite," he says drily, trying to pretend as though he wasn't startled. Then two and two come together to form four as he takes stock of the situation. "Bloody hell. Can't it just stop? What is wrong with this place. . ." Then there are beetles, and Walters decides that he wants nothing to do with them, and does his utmost to avoid them.
Alexandros: "Alert! Alert! Danger detected! Dyopheteia jumps up in fear, and runs away from the likely source, focusing mentally to avoid all danger. Dyophetia: "Send details through aural link, I want them as fast as I can understand them."
Another rip sizzles open, just behind Walters - another ball rolls out, between his feet. The rift pops shut. This time, it's with a percussive wave that sends Walters stumbling forward.
Zabyra looks at Comorro's tanglers and the nanites and sighs, "Couldn't you just leave us alone for one day, Opodi?" She notices the second ball, and looks at it, "Oh sure, not my lucky day, is it?"
"Initiating jump sequence," Comorro warns as the second ball disintegrates, releasing thousands more of the black beetles. They scurry over nearby feet. Any that get crushed make faint squeaks and crunching noises, leaving behind a tar-like black goo.
Alexei keeps backing up until he's flat against the nearest wall. "Anyone have a remedy for this sudden infestation?" he calls to those near.
Walters keeps moving away from the infestation, and to turn to see the second ball roll between his feet. "Just my bloody luck, stuck between the sword and the wall agai-" and he's stumbling. It takes him a moment to regain his balance, but not before he's stepped on a few of the beetle-bots. "Wonderful, bloody wonderful!" he grumbles, dancing around - trying to get to somewhere - anywhere - where the things aren't.
Dyopheteia keeps running away, crawling up in a ball the moment she hits something.
Zabyra looks around, "I need to steady myself." She says to herself, and sits down on the floor, driving her cane into it.
Before Comorro can make accelerate to FTL transition velocity, one more rift opens in the wall above Alexei's head. The rift pops shut with another thunderclap. The new ball disintegrates, allowing black beetles to rain down on the human. They land, thousands of them, upon his head and skitter down his neck, shoulders, and torso like chitinous rain.
Umishi wanders out from the clothing shop and her ears lay flat in alarm,"What in the name of my Father Aishi is going on?!" looks at the people around then whatever it is rolling on the floor then bugs raining from the rift.
"Ack!" exclaims the human as he's suddenly covered with creepy crawlies. Alexei lurches foward, twirling slightly as he frantically slaps the at little creatures. "What is all of this?" he cries out while continuing the mad dance.
Walters continues to move away from the beetle-things as fast as possible. "Jump already! Jump!"
The Yaralu transitions from sublight to faster-than-light as the bugs scurry to all corners of the tradeport. They work their way up the ship's organic walls and into various vents and channels.
Dyopheteia remains crawled up in a corner, trying to stay save.
Zabyra looks at the mayhem, and sighs, "Dammit." She glances around, "Can someone explain what in Opodi's name is going on here?"
Umishi looks around with a confused expression on her face as the bugs scurry off, "I am assuming that is bad."
Alexei removes his top hat with a grimace and slaps it furiously in an attempt to dislodge anything still clinging on. "I take it this doesn't happen often," he states to Zabyra with a slight shiver. "Are we in any danger?"
Walters calms down as the bugs seem to disappear into the ship. "Well. This has the potential to end very badly."
"I recognize the insects as tharusa beetles," Comorro reports through an overhead speaker. "Delicacy of the Thul. They thrive on the slime the Thul excrete."
Alexandros: "Personal security seems re-established, mistress." The Sivadian accented AI states. Dyopheteia: "Good." She gets up, and at the ship's message states something else. Dyopheteia: "Comorro, is this bad? Alexandros, start gathering data ontharusa beetles twenty minutes ago."
Zabyra looks at Alexei, "I don't know what this is, but it doesn't look good."
Umishi watches the places where the bugs scurried off,"Could they damage Comorro?"
"If the tharusa beetles cannot find Thul slime, it is possible they will..." The station's words are cut off in a burst of static. Light orbs pulsate, dim, and then brighten as the ship goes on: "Cut off from navigation controls..." Another burst of static. Now the light orbs shift to a dim amber and life support vents go slack.
"Delicacy you say," Alexei remarks while replacing his worn hat, "Strange way to start a party." He looks around at the dimming lights, eyes widening in shock. "Those little bugs can kill the giant we travel in?"
"Like I said," Walters drawls. "This has the potential to end very badly. Quite badly."
Alexandros: "Alert! Alert! Vessel in potentially critical state!" Dyophetia moves towards the crowd. Dyopheteia: "Can we do anything to help?"
"We could go take a look at the gearclanger hub." Zabyra states, "I don't know if I can do anything, but it's worth a try."
It appears the lift is no longer functioning.
Umishi ears go flat again, and she gets pensive, "I can trace a cavern beast but there are two many of those insects for me to find i think!",gets a thoughtful but still pensivie look with ears flat "I can only think we could lure them to a trap with bait like father did with the cavern beasts..But where do we find that!?" notes the lift, "Can we climb through?"
Alexei hurries over to the lift, coat tails fluttering, to have a look at the problem. "Are there any ladders about? Perhaps we could use one to scale our way to the top," he suggests with a shrug, clearly not sure what to expect.
Walters moves towards the Levimodule with a frown. "There should be an access shaft or the like nearby - were it human designed...biological creature, different rules may apply. You see anything?"
The levimodule shaft could be climbed, but it's not without hazards.
Dyopheteia: "How can we get up, I can't climb my way there."
Zabyra nods at Dyopheteia, "Same here, basically."
Umishi ears flicker and she looks for any other kind of access point or override.
No other overrides. It's a sentient starship. More than likely, she'd prefer not to be overriden.
Alexei looks up the shaft and frowns. "That's far to climb without many places to grip," states, looking to the gathered crowd for advice. "Does someone have anything that could help, a rope at least?"
Walters frowns, looking up the lift. "I could climb that...but it would be difficult." He looks back over his shoulder. "Maybe I could use some of the tangler to help with my grip? No ropes, jetpacks, or hoverboots?" He pauses a moment before shouting, "Hello up there?"
Amanda exits the mro offices looking about nervously noting Zabyra whom she recognizes 'what happened?" Dyopheteia: "Isn't there any alternate solution to climbing? Perhaps some sort of machine that could be used as a left despite not being made for it?"
Zabyra looks at Amanda, "These thul related nanites have invested Comorro." She turns to Dyopheteia, "Perhaps."
Umishi whiskers twitch "I doubt we could use a ship from the Docking hub to get around, no outside hatches...I think", walks around looking for any kind of vent or shaft frusterated.
"Maybe a balloon big enough to carry one aloft?" Alexei suggests with a shrug. "I'm not sure what else could be done besides the climb," he states evenly. "This place is almost too foreign to comprehend."
"No telekinetic psychics?" Walters offers.
Walters points towards ACDC. "A clothing store, yes? I'm sure we can turn *something* into a rope equivalent." He then points to a series of ledges within the shaft. "We can tie them off there, I believe. It might take a bit, but bloody well safer. Easier intervals, assuming the cloth has a high tensile strength." He frowns a moment. "And we'll probably need someone to lift me, or another volunteer, up there."
Zabyra looks at Walters, "I can arrange something, yes." A short pause, "It's on the house." She quickly moves towards her own store to gather the necessary materials.
Umishi blinks, "Do you need some help with that Zabyra?"
Amanda absolutely pales at the mention of thul "great" she offers "Don't think the ARTV cure came along for the ride but someone with experience dealing with Thul borne contagions may have
Alexei nods to Walter. "Surely a sound plan," he states while looking at the afore mentioned ledges, "I'll help you with the first step and then follow behind." The human begins stripping down to the essentials, dropping both top hat and tailcoat to the floor in a heap.
Walters nods to Alexei. "Let me know when you're ready." He frowns, rolling up his sleeves. "Or, when everyone is ready, really." He moves to the dissolved tangler spray, trying to see if he can get a few patches of the substance for his hands to improve grip. Assuming that it's not too grippy, or not grippy enough.
Umishi blinks and follows Zabyra into the ACDC to make sure she is alright Umishi had brought a mount of cloth out of the shop and droped it, Alexi has gone in the shop to help.
Alexei grabs what he can find from the clothing store and rushes back to the front, a roll of fabric under each arm. "This should be enough I think," he says to Umishi. "And I believe this is some of the less expensive material, though it's hard to tell in the dim illumination."
Walters nods, pointing upwards. "Well, then, shall we get started? Try to give me a boost up this this first ledge."
Zabyra takes a look at the offered material, "That should suffice,yes."
Umishi says, "I don't think i would be the best one to help boost him up, anything my height would hinder it."
"Here you go," Alexei calls, grabbing one end of a fabric roll, while rushing over to Walters. He hands the end to the waiting man then, lacing his fingers together and grunting under the weight, gives him a quick boost.
Walters nods to Alexei, using the man to help him get up to the that first ledge. It takes some effort, but the Sivadian is, luckily, in pretty good shape. Once he's on the ledge, he holds down a hand. "Get me some of that fabric, then wrap it around yourself tight. I'll help you climb up."
Zabyra sits down near Alexei, "You can use my shoulders as a quick step up, if you like."
Umishi looks at Zabyra, "You want to go ahead of me?"
"Thank you for the kind offer madam but I wouldn't feel right stepping on a lady," Alexei remarks with a smile before turning back towards the waiting man. He quickly ties one end of the fabric in a loop under his shoulders and hoists the other end to Walters. With that bit of help Alexei is soon up at the first ledge.
Walters wipes his forehead, grinning at Alexei. "Now we just rinse and repeat, wot? Shall we?" He doesn't really wait for an answer, repeating the process a second time.
Zabyra looks at Umishi, you go first, I think?"
Umishi blinks, "Alright then...", wraps the cloth around her and climbs it much like a house cat climbs curtains..as much as people don't like thier cats climbing curtains.
Alexei pauses for a moment to make sure the others are able to follow before laboriously pulling himself up to the next ledge. "Definitely an experience," he remarks to no one in particular.
Walters laughs. "Indeed." He rolls his shoulders, looking at the next ledge. He holds out a hand. "Riley Cromwell Walters-Cobb."
Zabyra follows after Umishi, using her right foot and both forepaws to climb.
Umishi waits to go to the next ledge trying to keep an eye on Zabyra.
"Alexei Vladimirovich Mikhailov," he replies while taking the offered hand giving it a quick shake, "An honor to make your acquaintance." He readjusts the fabric and looks to the next ledge. "Perhaps haste is in order."
"Huh. Yeah. Let's speed it up," Walters says with a sigh. "Can't be worse than basic. Or E and E."
Umishi keeps following the other two in a pattern of climbing with Zabyra following her.
Alexei follows walter through the procedure several more time and by the time they reach the top his face is scarlet from exhertion. "A small repose before we continue. I'm not used to all this vertical movement."
Walters is pretty beat, and quite sweaty, as well. "A rest it is."
Umishi looks up at the ledge as she keeps climbing.