The Intrepid: Episode 1 (Pilot) The Walls Have Eyes!

[Universe]

The thing... ambled forward, not particularly manuverable it seemed. The thing was slow and not particularly threatened as it's eyepiece turned to follow Universe while he darted around it.

Universe was able to flip it over, but only momentarily as it rolled back to its spidery legs with surprising balance and dexterity. The bot simply... marched towards him! It looked like it were on a suicide mission!

*I punched the drone hard*

 

[Mambi]

"Wow wow! Harsh... look, this aint the worst prison though, right?" he replied to everyone's vicious and somewhat personal attacks, "I mean, it's not the worst prison corridor right? Would you say it's even a... maybe... a ten out of ten? Like, it looks extra clean right?"

The squirrel leaned against the wall between the cell faces, looking between the two cells with his arms crossed and fairly unimpressed with Mambi's attempts to get in his head.

"You might even say it's extra clean? Like... someone REALLY did a good job cleaning and prepping them? So good you might even tell their superiors how clean and awesome it was?" he suggested non chalantly as Mambi yelped, causing him to jump and look over to him in surprise, the squirrel was quite flighty.

<the cat looks around and nods with a sardonic grin> Actually, yeah, I'll give ya that. As surprising as it surely is, I've been in a lot of prisons over the centuries, from good old fashion bronze chains spiked to a cliff wall to the uber-elegant electrified goldfish bowls of Andromeda prime, so yeah! This one's actually pretty nice! I'll pass on a good word for ya buddy, your tail makes a great duster...not a speck anywhere in this cage I noticed. Too clean, even for one as good as you. Almost as if the ventilation is somehow self-sustaining and acting as a slight vacuum? From maybe a series of vents covered by a hologram maybe?

<the cat turns and sniffs the lower spot wall that he did earlier knowingly. Turning his back to the same spot, he pokes the area with his handcuffs as the electrical disturbance makes a very small square shimmer and vanish, revealing a small ventilation shaft. The cat laughs and moves away as the wall "reforms" to solid again>

See Trixie? (@TrixieFox ), this place is no more secure than any other I've been in. No need to be claustrophobic, it's all illusion. Every cage has it's holes. I had some guards pull the same trick on me years ago when I was caught getting into the personal garden of some prince in the Venusian sector. Cute though furry, I'll give you that. Huh, illusions of security...just what I expect from this place frankly from what I've seen! <he winks hard at the squirrel guard as he snickers to himself, just before noticing a blink of movement from the floor. He stops and watches it closely before shrugging it off as stress and sighs deeply>

Just beside the warden on the ground, the panel on the floor moved ever so slightly...

"And... maybe if the three of you..."

He paused and looked quickly between Trixie and Mambi. "And what's that supposed to mean, like work together hu? What, are you planning a prison escape or something?"

<he snaps to attention at the accusation> What? NO, don't be silly! Just how we're gonna properly explain our innocence to you, right? Right? <he smiles widely as he motions to his fellow captive to play along, regardless of their true intentions> Hey @Marius Merganser , you know we're innocent of whatever's happening, tell 'em!

The Trixie's likely frustration, the cell was tight. Each wall was a singular solid plate covered in a thick pad, same with the floor. Access to the cell door, mechanical or otherwise, was purely outside. Nothing could get out. But... that didn't mean something couldn't get In.

"Tsch, well, if you guys are gonna be like that, then maybe I just won't give you any extra nuggets on your lunch trays! Except that guy, he looks like he'd be helpful!" he said, pointing to Marius, "don't worry fella! You'll either be out of here in no time, or you'll get a fresh prison jumpsuit by the end of the night!" He assured him.

Suddenly... a lout clank, then a switch, and the lights blacked out! Red emergency lights popped on along the floor as the fog began to rise in the corridor.

"What the...?"

<the cat shrieks as the light redden and the mist approaches slowly. He tries to focus on a destination for an exit portal, only to find the forcefield or something else preventing a clean lock anywhere! Having counted on warping out at the first real trouble, a wave of panic floods through him as he feels the sense of being trapped and helpless truly hit him all at once> AUGH!!! W-what's what the fog already??? Wait. Hey...yo Squirrly, notice we're here? Like still here, in your sight, still in a cage? While weird stuff is happening still, so we're sitting good like the innocent ones we are? Good, now get the keys already and release us already!!! I'm not gonna die trapped like some rat tied up to be drowned in a foggy doom! What the heck is happening even anyway?!?

<the cat casually rises and with a dramatic flourish, tosses his handcuffs to the floor to the gasps of the squirrel. He glares at the squirrel through the forcefield and starts pointing frantically to the fog> C'mon...this is silly, we can help!!! You gotta help us here! I don't know what's going on but we can help stop it!!! Depower this field and let's get out of here already!!! Bad fog means doom and I hate doom!!!

C'monnnnnnnnn......<the cat bats his eyes pleadingly as he falls to his knees and presses his paws up the the forcefield, fearfully eyeing the fog as it gets closer by the second>

 

[TrixieFox]

<the cat looks around and nods with a sardonic grin> Actually, yeah, I'll give ya that. As surprising as it surely is, I've been in a lot of prisons over the centuries, from good old fashion bronze chains spiked to a cliff wall to the uber-elegant electrified goldfish bowls of Andromeda prime, so yeah! This one's actually pretty nice! I'll pass on a good word for ya buddy, your tail makes a great duster...not a speck anywhere in this cage I noticed. Too clean, even for one as good as you. Almost as if the ventilation is somehow self-sustaining and acting as a slight vacuum? From maybe a series of vents covered by a hologram maybe?

<the cat turns and sniffs the lower spot wall that he did earlier knowingly. Turning his back to the same spot, he pokes the area with his handcuffs as the electrical disturbance makes a very small square shimmer and vanish, revealing a small ventilation shaft. The cat laughs and moves away as the wall "reforms" to solid again>

See Trixie? (@TrixieFox ), this place is no more secure than any other I've been in. No need to be claustrophobic, it's all illusion. Every cage has it's holes. I had some guards pull the same trick on me years ago when I was caught getting into the personal garden of some prince in the Venusian sector. Cute though furry, I'll give you that. Huh, illusions of security...just what I expect from this place frankly from what I've seen! <he winks hard at the squirrel guard as he snickers to himself, just before noticing a blink of movement from the floor. He stops and watches it closely before shrugging it off as stress and sighs deeply>



<he snaps to attention at the accusation> What? NO, don't be silly! Just how we're gonna properly explain our innocence to you, right? Right? <he smiles widely as he motions to his fellow captive to play along, regardless of their true intentions> Hey @Marius Merganser , you know we're innocent of whatever's happening, tell 'em!



<the cat shrieks as the light redden and the mist approaches slowly> AUGH!!! W-what's what the fog already??? Wait. Hey...yo Squirrly, notice we're here? Like still here, in your sight, still in a cage? While weird stuff is happening still, so we're sitting good like the innocent ones we are? Good, now get the keys already and release us already!!! I'm not gonna die trapped like some rat tied up to be drowned in a foggy doom! What the heck is happening even anyway?!?

<the cat casually rises and with a dramatic flourish, tosses his handcuffs to the floor to the gasps of the squirrel. He glares at the squirrel through the forcefield and starts pointing frantically to the fog> C'mon...this is silly, we can help!!! You gotta help us here! I don't know what's going on but we can help stop it!!! Depower this field and let's get out of here already!!! Bad fog means doom and I hate doom!!!

C'monnnnnnnnn......<the cat bats his eyes pleadingly as he falls to his knees and presses his paws up the the forcefield, fearfully eyeing the fog as it gets closer by the second>

"I can get a gun if you need it @Mambi " Trix said with a smirk...."wait... what the heck is this fog? are we sitting ducks of a invasion?"

 

[Marius Merganser]

<he snaps to attention at the accusation> What? NO, don't be silly! Just how we're gonna properly explain our innocence to you, right? Right? <he smiles widely as he motions to his fellow captive to play along, regardless of their true intentions> Hey @Marius Merganser , you know we're innocent of whatever's happening, tell 'em!

Marius was proud of himself for picking up on Mambi's cue to play along.
"Yeah! We're innocent!" he confirmed without adding any more explanation.

"I can get a gun if you need it @Mambi " Trix said with a smirk...."wait... what the heck is this fog? are we sitting ducks of a invasion?"

Marius scowled at the other prisoner.
"Hey, I do some of my best work while sitting. In the pilot's seat!" He turned to the squirrel and added, "BECAUSE I'M A PILOT!!! And or navigator, depending on the XO's shift schedule. But that's not important right now. What's important is getting us out of here before we become some creature's lunch!"

 

[TrixieFox]

Marius was proud of himself for picking up on Mambi's cue to play along.
"Yeah! We're innocent!" he confirmed without adding any more explanation.



Marius scowled at the other prisoner.
"Hey, I do some of my best work while sitting. In the pilot's seat!" He turned to the squirrel and added, "BECAUSE I'M A PILOT!!! And or navigator, depending on the XO's shift schedule. But that's not important right now. What's important is getting us out of here before we become some creature's lunch!"

*eyes widen* "I don't like the sound of that"

 

[Universe]

*I made a good size dent in the drone’s metal skin* “you’re making a big mistake picking a fight with me I’ve fought bigger than you”

 

[Silverthunder]

Dorian shook his head.

"I hope never to have to do that again," Dorian said quietly. "But I seriously thought safety was being brushed off there, and I'm actually caught off guard that he responded to my little outburst so civilly. Perhaps I am too used to a more direct approach to security."

Heep is still annoyed about not being able to catch the rabbit. A very suspicious individual, and one who's scent he'd keep a nose out for whenever things didn't look right in the future.
Heep's magic shifts through a few shades of blue, then settles back into the same bluegrey. Good, it's getting close.

Heep would easily remember the scent, it wouldn't be going anywhere in his mind anytime soon. Slug like creatures tended to stick out as it was, but slug rabbits seemed to be somewhat distinct... and noticeable.

"Mmm... I think maybe someone tell him to say things like that." Rikiti replied quietly to Dorien. "Maybe so he not get in trouble?"

They reached their destination. It didn't look like anything complicated, a panel had already been moved on the floor revealing some of the manual controls for the regulators and sensors for the atmosphere controls. The sensors looked like they had just been unplugged and rerouted to another room, meaning it was registering inputs from another location. Since the other location obviously wasn't changing, it assumed it needed to continuously pump the humidity up.

There were some clear markings visible on the wires and the panel itself. It looked like the heavy metal pincers from the bot...

Rikiti quickly began working, he didn't seem to need their help either, knowing exactly what needed taken care of.

"No no no!" Someone shouted in a panic from across the bay, it sounded like the horse!

 

[Silverthunder]

<the cat looks around and nods with a sardonic grin> Actually, yeah, I'll give ya that. As surprising as it surely is, I've been in a lot of prisons over the centuries, from good old fashion bronze chains spiked to a cliff wall to the uber-elegant electrified goldfish bowls of Andromeda prime, so yeah! This one's actually pretty nice! I'll pass on a good word for ya buddy, your tail makes a great duster...not a speck anywhere in this cage I noticed. Too clean, even for one as good as you. Almost as if the ventilation is somehow self-sustaining and acting as a slight vacuum? From maybe a series of vents covered by a hologram maybe?

<the cat turns and sniffs the lower spot wall that he did earlier knowingly. Turning his back to the same spot, he pokes the area with his handcuffs as the electrical disturbance makes a very small square shimmer and vanish, revealing a small ventilation shaft. The cat laughs and moves away as the wall "reforms" to solid again>

See Trixie? (@TrixieFox ), this place is no more secure than any other I've been in. No need to be claustrophobic, it's all illusion. Every cage has it's holes. I had some guards pull the same trick on me years ago when I was caught getting into the personal garden of some prince in the Venusian sector. Cute though furry, I'll give you that. Huh, illusions of security...just what I expect from this place frankly from what I've seen! <he winks hard at the squirrel guard as he snickers to himself, just before noticing a blink of movement from the floor. He stops and watches it closely before shrugging it off as stress and sighs deeply>



<he snaps to attention at the accusation> What? NO, don't be silly! Just how we're gonna properly explain our innocence to you, right? Right? <he smiles widely as he motions to his fellow captive to play along, regardless of their true intentions> Hey @Marius Merganser , you know we're innocent of whatever's happening, tell 'em!



<the cat shrieks as the light redden and the mist approaches slowly. He tries to focus on a destination for an exit portal, only to find the forcefield or something else preventing a clean lock anywhere! Having counted on warping out at the first real trouble, a wave of panic floods through him as he feels the sense of being trapped and helpless truly hit him all at once> AUGH!!! W-what's what the fog already??? Wait. Hey...yo Squirrly, notice we're here? Like still here, in your sight, still in a cage? While weird stuff is happening still, so we're sitting good like the innocent ones we are? Good, now get the keys already and release us already!!! I'm not gonna die trapped like some rat tied up to be drowned in a foggy doom! What the heck is happening even anyway?!?

<the cat casually rises and with a dramatic flourish, tosses his handcuffs to the floor to the gasps of the squirrel. He glares at the squirrel through the forcefield and starts pointing frantically to the fog> C'mon...this is silly, we can help!!! You gotta help us here! I don't know what's going on but we can help stop it!!! Depower this field and let's get out of here already!!! Bad fog means doom and I hate doom!!!

C'monnnnnnnnn......<the cat bats his eyes pleadingly as he falls to his knees and presses his paws up the the forcefield, fearfully eyeing the fog as it gets closer by the second>

Marius was proud of himself for picking up on Mambi's cue to play along.
"Yeah! We're innocent!" he confirmed without adding any more explanation.



Marius scowled at the other prisoner.
"Hey, I do some of my best work while sitting. In the pilot's seat!" He turned to the squirrel and added, "BECAUSE I'M A PILOT!!! And or navigator, depending on the XO's shift schedule. But that's not important right now. What's important is getting us out of here before we become some creature's lunch!"

*eyes widen* "I don't like the sound of that"

"Hey hey! Lockdown! Everyone in your bunks now!" the guard shouted in a near panic as the lights went out and the fog began to thicken. "You must think I'm a real idiot if you guys think I'm just going to let you out! How the hell do I know you're not apart of this!? No, everyone quiet do-"

The panel on the ground practically exploded open as a swarm of metal spiders poured out like an anthill! Each one skittering across the floor, up the walls, and around the ceiling like a wave of dog sized spiders!

"Bwaaaaa-!" the guard shouted and screamed as they drug him kicking and fighting into the open panel!

The swarm began pulling apart the panels around the prison cells, ripping at the thick metal plating to get at the wires and innards connecting to the gates and forcefields! They were, quite literally in one case, sitting ducks... the cacophonous sound of metal spider legs, mechanical chittering, and giant metal pincers ripping through metal flooded the hall.

 

[Silverthunder]

*I made a good size dent in the drone’s metal skin* “you’re making a big mistake picking a fight with me I’ve fought bigger than you”

As soon as Universe struck the drone, it was quite easy -it didn't even move, it beeped and jumped straight into the air until it was eye level with Universe!

There was a loud pop, and the robot exploded in the dragon's face! The blast radius was immense, blowing through the beltway at high velocity-

It was... foam. It was fire retardant, a thick layer of fire foam that stuck to everything like viscous glue. Cold and sticky, Universe's uniform would probably need a professional wash after that.

 

[Universe]

*I

As soon as Universe struck the drone, it was quite easy -it didn't even move, beeped and jumped straight into the air until it was eye level with Universe!

There was a loud pop, and the robot exploded in the dragon's face! The blast radius was immense, blowing through the beltway at high velocity-

It was... foam. It was fire retardant, a thick layer of fire foam that stuck to everything like viscous glue. Cold and sticky, Universe's uniform would probably need a professional wash after that.

*I looked more annoyed than anything else* “this is why I always wear a helmet luckily I made this self cleaning”

 

[Universe]

“LOCKDOWN THE WHOLE SHIP!”

 

[The_Happiest_Husky]

Heep would easily remember the scent, it wouldn't be going anywhere in his mind anytime soon. Slug like creatures tended to stick out as it was, but slug rabbits seemed to be somewhat distinct... and noticeable.

"Mmm... I think maybe someone tell him to say things like that." Rikiti replied quietly to Dorien. "Maybe so he not get in trouble?"

They reached their destination. It didn't look like anything complicated, a panel had already been moved on the floor revealing some of the manual controls for the regulators and sensors for the atmosphere controls. The sensors looked like they had just been unplugged and rerouted to another room, meaning it was registering inputs from another location. Since the other location obviously wasn't changing, it assumed it needed to continuously pump the humidity up.

There were some clear markings visible on the wires and the panel itself. It looked like the heavy metal pincers from the bot...

Rikiti quickly began working, he didn't seem to need their help either, knowing exactly what needed taken care of.

"No no no!" Someone shouted in a panic from across the bay, it sounded like the horse!

Danger.

The magic between Heep's hands flashes pure white, and he immediately dispells it. He snaps his fingers and a few small balls of fuzzy white light pop into existence around him. He reaches down, grabbing thr pipe wrench off Rikiti's toolbelt, and dashes into the fog after the distressed call. The strange floating balls of light stay behind, and they seem to be pushing back the fog... Not clearing it entirely, but visibility is definitely up.

Heep crosses the bay, heading for the horse's voice. Scent, hearing, feeling the air on his fur- his mind is awake, ready to hunt. Thoughts are left behind as instinct takes over.

 

[Universe]

*I wiped the foam off my visor*

 

[Universe]

“Now to find my escort”

 

[Marius Merganser]

"Hey hey! Lockdown! Everyone in your bunks now!" the guard shouted in a near panic as the lights went out and the fog began to thicken. "You must think I'm a real idiot if you guys think I'm just going to let you out! How the hell do I know you're not apart of this!? No, everyone quiet do-"

The panel on the ground practically exploded open as a swarm of metal spiders poured out like an anthill! Each one skittering across the floor, up the walls, and around the ceiling like a wave of dog sized spiders!

"Bwaaaaa-!" the guard shouted and screamed as they drug him kicking and fighting into the open panel!

The swarm began pulling apart the panels around the prison cells, ripping at the thick metal plating to get at the wires and innards connecting to the gates and forcefields! They were, quite literally in one case, sitting ducks... the cacophonous sound of metal spider legs, mechanical chittering, and giant metal pincers ripping through metal flooded the hall.

The duck watched in horror as the swam of bots overtook the guard.
'Eight legs? Six would have been more efficient. I mean, eight is good for a rocky planetside, but these are star ship hallways. Come on!"

Marius grabbed a pillow from his bunk, jumped to Mambi's side, and began wildly swinging the pillow as if to use as a weapon.
"Alright you arachnorous automatons, it's time to eat hot feathery death!"

 

[Universe]

“Of all things why foam?”

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

Heep would easily remember the scent, it wouldn't be going anywhere in his mind anytime soon. Slug like creatures tended to stick out as it was, but slug rabbits seemed to be somewhat distinct... and noticeable.

"Mmm... I think maybe someone tell him to say things like that." Rikiti replied quietly to Dorien. "Maybe so he not get in trouble?"

They reached their destination. It didn't look like anything complicated, a panel had already been moved on the floor revealing some of the manual controls for the regulators and sensors for the atmosphere controls. The sensors looked like they had just been unplugged and rerouted to another room, meaning it was registering inputs from another location. Since the other location obviously wasn't changing, it assumed it needed to continuously pump the humidity up.

There were some clear markings visible on the wires and the panel itself. It looked like the heavy metal pincers from the bot...

Rikiti quickly began working, he didn't seem to need their help either, knowing exactly what needed taken care of.

"No no no!" Someone shouted in a panic from across the bay, it sounded like the horse!

Danger.

The magic between Heep's hands flashes pure white, and he immediately dispells it. He snaps his fingers and a few small balls of fuzzy white light pop into existence around him. He reaches down, grabbing thr pipe wrench off Rikiti's toolbelt, and dashes into the fog after the distressed call. The strange floating balls of light stay behind, and they seem to be pushing back the fog... Not clearing it entirely, but visibility is definitely up.

Heep crosses the bay, heading for the horse's voice. Scent, hearing, feeling the air on his fur- his mind is awake, ready to hunt. Thoughts are left behind as instinct takes over.

Rikiti's words resonated in Dorian's head.

Maybe he shouldn't have given the slug rabbit a second chance. But he had to be certain the guards who'd ushered them along understood. Three on three was a losing bet.

And he was not following Heep. He had to be ready in case Rikiti got ambushed. This hazard needed fixing.

Dorian looked at one of the guards. He leaned in a bit, trying to keep his voice low.

"Quick protocol question... that fear uniform... are those officers supposed to show up alone?"

 

[Silverthunder]

Danger.

The magic between Heep's hands flashes pure white, and he immediately dispells it. He snaps his fingers and a few small balls of fuzzy white light pop into existence around him. He reaches down, grabbing thr pipe wrench off Rikiti's toolbelt, and dashes into the fog after the distressed call. The strange floating balls of light stay behind, and they seem to be pushing back the fog... Not clearing it entirely, but visibility is definitely up.

Heep crosses the bay, heading for the horse's voice. Scent, hearing, feeling the air on his fur- his mind is awake, ready to hunt. Thoughts are left behind as instinct takes over.

Rikiti's words resonated in Dorian's head.

Maybe he shouldn't have given the slug rabbit a second chance. But he had to be certain the guards who'd ushered them along understood. Three on three was a losing bet.

And he was not following Heep. He had to be ready in case Rikiti got ambushed. This hazard needed fixing.

Dorian looked at one of the guards. He leaned in a bit, trying to keep his voice low.

"Quick protocol question... that fear uniform... are those officers supposed to show up alone?"

"Gah! You stay here!" One of the guards commented to the other as Heep took off running towards the calamity, the guard rushing after him just as fast.

"Hey hey! That mine!" shouted Rikiti in vain, as he just groused and growled, then went back to repairing the makeshift reroute of the sensors, I didn't seem like a particularly difficult repair. "Hmph! Stupid ship things..."

The big bull looked back at his partner as he and Heep rushed across the bay through the fog, then back at Dorien. The bull crossed his arms and glanced in the direction the FEAR officer presumably was, before lowering his head and voice.

"Well... he's part of special weapons and tactics. First Encounter Armed Response. They can do just about whatever they want..." he lowered his voice even more, as if to tell Dorien something he shouldn't. "The sergeant back there? He's an exotic warfare expert... and a drone expert... from what I get, the second mate, some kind of synth from the Consortium too, ordered him personally to take over the investigation. The sergeant only got here a few hours ago..."

The bull stood up straight, arms still crossed. "In the Galactic Defense Initiative, we'd call that a conflict of interest."

Suddenly, the officer's wrist device began to light up and beep frantically.

Heep crosses the bay, heading for the horse's voice. Scent, hearing, feeling the air on his fur- his mind is awake, ready to hunt. Thoughts are left behind as instinct takes over.

Heep crossed the bay with lightning speed, navigating through the mess of containers relatively easily as the black and white whale like guard tried to keep up with him.

They came to a stop beside the horse, Startail kneeling on the ground with his head in his hands in dismay and panic. In front of him, was one of the larger containers, a climate controlled one if the apparatus built into the sides were any indicator. The doors were swung wide open, with row upon row of toolbox like shelves ripped open and strewn about the floor. Everything inside had been ransacked, and whatever it had contained, had been taken...

"All of them! They're all gone! It'll take months to get new samples- at least a year to grow them!!" he shouted in horror, shaking his head. "Do you KNOW how expensive compressed samples like these are!?"

Before the guard following Heep could ask any questions, his wrist device began to light up.

 

[Silverthunder]

The duck watched in horror as the swam of bots overtook the guard.
'Eight legs? Six would have been more efficient. I mean, eight is good for a rocky planetside, but these are star ship hallways. Come on!"

Marius grabbed a pillow from his bunk, jumped to Mambi's side, and began wildly swinging the pillow as if to use as a weapon.
"Alright you arachnorous automatons, it's time to eat hot feathery death!"

@TrixieFox @Mambi

The swarm continued their onslaught, trying to break in to the inhabited cells.

"Holly shi- bwaaa!" Someone shouted at the other end of the corridor as they too were overwhelmed by the exploding anthill of mechanoids.

It seemed like they were having great trouble breaking into the secure cells, frantically ripping away in vein as the containment protocols were quite a bit more stringent and redundant than most.

To prevent any moment of relief that might come to the trapped trio, they might notice one of thee bots trying to push through the crowd to reach the now ripped apart control panel on Mambi and Marius' cell, while two others tried to push through to Trixie's.

Upon reaching the broken panels and squeezing through their destructive brethren, the bots began connecting wires and controls! They were hacking the doors!

@TrixieFox 's was the first to open, sliding back and allowing the horde to flood in like a tidal wave! They rushed forward, grabbing and pinching at her arms and legs and pulling her out of the cell!

Mambi and Marius' cell shield began to flicker too, as the gates slid open to allow the little monster to charge forward with an excited chittering zeal! Marius in his elevated bunk, was able to smack away some of the ones climbing up, but dozens poured in from the walls and ceiling, ripping the pillow away aggressively and grabbing on to his wings and legs, pulling and straining his limbs as if they planned to rip him apart!

Even with the cuffs now coming off, Mambi faired no better as he remained beside Marius, being yanked off the bed with little fanfare, and plunged into the horde of spiderbots...

The robo tide dragged the trio out of their cells triumphantly, and down into the deep dark pits of tight access tunnels and service shafts... the tight cave like corridors filled with the chittering and skittering of the machines, and lit by their glowing red eyes...

 

[TrixieFox]

@TrixieFox @Mambi

The swarm continued their onslaught, trying to break in to the inhabited cells.

"Holly shi- bwaaa!" Someone shouted at the other end of the corridor as they too were overwhelmed by the exploding anthill of mechanoids.

It seemed like they were having great trouble breaking into the secure cells, frantically ripping away in vein as the containment protocols were quite a bit more stringent and redundant than most.

To prevent any moment of relief that might come to the trapped trio, they might notice one of thee bots trying to push through the crowd to reach the now ripped apart control panel on Mambi and Marius' cell, while two others tried to push through to Trixie's.

Upon reaching the broken panels and squeezing through their destructive brethren, the bots began connecting wires and controls! They were hacking the doors!

@TrixieFox 's was the first to open, sliding back and allowing the horde to flood in like a tidal wave! They rushed forward, grabbing and pinching at her arms and legs and pulling her out of the cell!

Mambi and Marius' cell shield began to flicker too, as the gates slid open to allow the little monster to charge forward with an excited chittering zeal! Marius in his elevated bunk, was able to smack away some of the ones climbing up, but dozens poured in from the walls and ceiling, ripping the pillow away aggressively and grabbing on to his wings and legs, pulling and straining his limbs as if they planned to rip him apart!

Even with the cuffs now coming off, Mambi faired no better as he remained beside Marius, being yanked off the bed with little fanfare, and plunged into the horde of spiderbots...

The robo tide dragged the trio out of their cells triumphantly, and down into the deep dark pits of tight access tunnels and service shafts... the tight cave like corridors filled with the chittering and skittering of the machines, and lit by their glowing red eyes...

*as she's being drug... draws a knife from her side. She uses the knife to take out the two dragging her and then she stabbed the bots dragging @Mambi and @Marius Merganser * "THE HECK IS GOING ON HERE" She screamed

 

[Silverthunder]

“LOCKDOWN THE WHOLE SHIP!”

Universe' coms crackled with a reply, "Aye sir!"

And that was all that was needed. Such an order couldn't be questioned or delayed, lives could be at stake after all.

@Mambi @Marius Merganser @Firuthi Dragovic @The_Happiest_Husky @TrixieFox @Universe

A series of alert buzzers echoed through the ship as the intercom blared to life. "Attention! Attention! Lockdown in progress, remain at your location and place a hand on the nearest bulkhead. Security personal will direct you further!"

The message repeated over and over.

 

[The_Happiest_Husky]

They came to a stop beside the horse, Startail kneeling on the ground with his head in his hands in dismay and panic. In front of him, was one of the larger containers, a climate controlled one if the apparatus built into the sides were any indicator. The doors were swung wide open, with row upon row of toolbox like shelves ripped open and strewn about the floor. Everything inside had been ransacked, and whatever it had contained, had been taken...

"All of them! They're all gone! It'll take months to get new samples- at least a year to grow them!!" he shouted in horror, shaking his head. "Do you KNOW how expensive compressed samples like these are!?"

Before the guard following Heep could ask any questions, his wrist device began to light up.

Heep crouches down next to Startail, and sniffs the box. Samples? What's this?
"What's going on here?"
His ears perk up at the announcement over the ship intercom, and a low growl enters his throat.
"Come on, I'm taking you with me. You'll join Engineering temporarily."

 

[Universe]

*I ran through the hallway my sensors on infrared*

 

[Universe]

“Good thing I’m always in shape around here”

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

"Gah! You stay here!" One of the guards commented to the other as Heep took off running towards the calamity, the guard rushing after him just as fast.

"Hey hey! That mine!" shouted Rikiti in vain, as he just groused and growled, then went back to repairing the makeshift reroute of the sensors, I didn't seem like a particularly difficult repair. "Hmph! Stupid ship things..."

The big bull looked back at his partner as he and Heep rushed across the bay through the fog, then back at Dorien. The bull crossed his arms and glanced in the direction the FEAR officer presumably was, before lowering his head and voice.

"Well... he's part of special weapons and tactics. First Encounter Armed Response. They can do just about whatever they want..." he lowered his voice even more, as if to tell Dorien something he shouldn't. "The sergeant back there? He's an exotic warfare expert... and a drone expert... from what I get, the second mate, some kind of synth from the Consortium too, ordered him personally to take over the investigation. The sergeant only got here a few hours ago..."

The bull stood up straight, arms still crossed. "In the Galactic Defense Initiative, we'd call that a conflict of interest."

Suddenly, the officer's wrist device began to light up and beep frantically.

A series of alert buzzers echoed through the ship as the intercom blared to life. "Attention! Attention! Lockdown in progress, remain at your location and place a hand on the nearest bulkhead. Security personal will direct you further!"

The message repeated over and over.

Dorian realized, at this point, that the time for investigating, for getting an ironclad answer, was over. But the bull's response gave him a new question.

Dorian didn't address it yet.

"I know the lockdown wants me to act a certain way... but I've seen these drone bots lunge. I can't in good faith leave Rikiti alone and I'm not going alone either."

Dorian took a deep breath.

"Regarding the sergeant. With my suspicions on his protocol, Heep's wariness of his tech, what Rikiti suggested about someone telling him to use the response he gave me.... plus what you just told me? There's no longer any doubt in my mind."

Dorian leaned really closely to the bull, whispering something.

((Okay, so I'm actually going to PM you what he says to the guard on this one, @Silverthunder . I know you have instructed people on how to keep lines separated - I am making EXTRA SURE it happens this time.))