Stuck at the airport (2)

Stuck at the airport (2)

SunAeryn -- *Rae I think we may have a slight problem*

Sun whispers in Rae's mind.

*What the Frell? How?!* Rae reacts

Sun motions for the team to move into what looked like an office.

"What's going on Sunny?" Ragnar says, looking a little too energetic

*Rae, what shot did you give him?* Sun whispers

*He'll be fine, don't worry* Rae answers

"Hello!?" Mouse says waving her hand infront of Rae and Sunny's faces. "Want to fill us in on why we are here?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry." Rae said shaking her head in hopes of breaking contact with Sun

*Sorry dear...that doesn't really work like that.* Sun says mischieviously

"Mouse, Ragnar...while Rae was triaging I over heard some of the soldiers talking. Well, with my ability to read others thoughts...I kind of easedropped on one of them. He thinks he's going to try to turn us in" Sun tells them...while still trying to remain connected to the soldier in question. Sun was gently probbing his mind...to find out any other information that would be helpful to them.

*Sun, what are.....*Rae tried, but Sun held up a hand motioning Rae to be quiet. If Sun was going to probe this soldiers mind without hurting him...she needed no distractions. Sun finished probbing his mind, then planted the thought that the team was just another group of soldiers.

When Sunny finally took her hand down...she looked exhausted.

"Mind telling me what that hand wave thing was about?" Rae asked, moving closer to Sun, to see if she was alright.

"I'm fine and when I'm probbing like that....from this distance...I need to concentrate. If I'm distracted....I could hurt someone. I found out how many soldiers are roughly here. I also planted the notion that we are just part of them...the soldiers." Sun finished, wishing she could take of her helmet.

"Ok, so how many soldiers are there, roughly?" Rae asked

Sun shook her head, slowly, it was starting to hurt. It had been a long time since she had probed anyone....much less from the distance she was at.

"Well, it's not good. There are probably about 500 or more. He isn't a very high ranking soldier...so he's not totally sure." Sun finished with a chuckle, then a mental side note to Rae

*It's scary to know that even here...the "grunts" are treated basically the same*

"Ok, you're right that is not good. Too many could get hurt...or worse" Rae commented.

"We need to come up with a way to minimize any more damage." Rae thought out loud

*I had no idea that you could plant thoughts into peoples minds. Is that a result of your being with the Scarrens?* Rae thought to Sunny

Sunny turned to face Rae, trying not to let the fact that she knows that Rae doesn't trust her...and it's all thanks to the Scarrens.

*Rae, for the last frellin' time, I am not in contact with those monsters! If I was....trust me...I wouldn't be alive!* Sun finished

Rae stared at Sunny, blankly

Sunny was shaking...she really didn't need to relive what happened to her, just now. Spyral & Ragnar were both hurt. Whatever opened that portal wasn't leaving......

*Rae, NOW is NOT the FRELLIN' Time for me to tell you what happened to me then. OK!* Sun screamed in Rae's mind

"Whoa! Yelling at me isn't the thing to do...I out rank you." Rae said, reeling from Sun's yell

"You think that matters right here and now?" Sun challenged

"Rae, I'm not going to fight you on this...Trust me. I know none of you have a reason to, but just trust me. Ok, please?" Sun asked

*Look I'm sorry I yelled, but I really don't want to go into what the Scarrens did to me. It wasn't pretty. Tell you what...when you take me on that little tour of your mind...I'll take you on a tour of mine.* Sun apologized, giving Rae the tinyest glimse of what Sun's life had been like with the Scarrens

Rae all but fell on Ragnar trying to get away from the thoughts Sun had just shared.

"Now, can we work on the serious problem at hand?" Sun asked, stuffing any and all memories back where she kept them locked.

Lurkingghost -- ‘Ghost whispers quietly in Rea’s mind

"don't worry about me, rea. everything's all right in here. except that everything's a mess."

"WHAT THE YOTZ!" Rea screamed mentally. Sunny flinched. "Can EVERYONE send thoughts now!!"

"um, let's see. you've linked with me, mouse, 6th, and artist, and sunny's a mindreader. did you really expect nothing to come out of that?" 'Ghost's voice sounds whispily in Rea's head. "i just thought i'd check in and let you know i was 'ok' for the time being. i'm a ghost, remember? it takes something massive to hurt me."

SeventhAngel -- Spyral hit the signal button

"RAE?" Spyral called into the mic. "RAE, SUNNY, MOUSE?"

"What the frell, what the FRELL?" Kara asked nobody in particular. She turned to the angel,who was monitoring the comm. "Where can they be?"

"Nothing," Spyal said, with acid in his voice. "I heard Sunny say something about moving into an office, then it went all staticky! " The angel tossed the earphones down onto the comm station in disgust. "They got FIVE more minutes. No answer and I'm going in."

"Hey!" IQ said. "That's HIGHLY sensitive equipment there." he motioned to the angels abuse of the comm equipment.

"Bill me," Spyral muttered as he moved to the front of the van. *I don't like this, NOT ONE FRELLING BIT!* he thought.

Artickat watched as the angel walked by. He was taking this personally. She'd never SEEN him like this. *But then, I've never seen him take this much of a beating before EITHER!*

"Spy," artickat said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "They'll be okay! Rae and Sunny are highly trained soldiers. And Mouse, well, we all know that SHE can take care of herself when she needs to!"

"That's a bit easier to say, when you haven't SEEN that damn oversize Erector Set that came thru the portal," the angel replied. "And there's no telling what else came thru while I was out. NOR what else may come thru at any moment. And where the Frell and I? Monitoring a comm? I'M NOT A PEACEKEEPER AND I AM NOT UNDER ANYONES COMMAND!" the angel said.

Artickat just stared in shocked silence at the angels outburst.

"I'm sorry!" he said lowering his eyes to stare at the floor of the van. "It's just........." he didn't finish, only moved up to the forward hatch.

Artickat looked back to the others, who simply stared after the angel. She moved to walk to him again, when she felt something lightly touch her on her shoulder. She turned her head, only to almost sweep Twig from where she was perched on Artics shoulder.

"Let him go!" Twig said, concern over the angel, clearly present on her face.

"You know what's up with him?" Artic asked.

"yeah........" Twig said. "I know......... " A look of mixed pain and fear shown on her face then, and her eyes seemed to glaze over, as if she were suddenly in another place. A MUCH more unpleasant place.

Twig.......?" Artic asked, but got no reply from the Whysp, who seemed to have pulled back into herself.

"WAIT!" IQ said suddenly. "I'm picking something up!"

The angel quickly emerged from the front, as artickat and Kara quickly gathered around the comm.

"Is it them?" Kara asked.

"WHAT!" Spyral demanded.

"RAE?! SUNNY, SIGNAL AGAIN!" IQ shouted into the comm. He turned the various knobs and dials. "RAE! SIGNAL AGAIN!"

"What is it? What's GOING ON?!" Spyral asked.

"What are they saying?" Kara asked.

"I can't make it out," IQ said, shaking his head. "Everything was quiet, just static, and then everything seemed to go to hell in a handbasket." He looked up at the others. "I thought I heard pulse rifle fire," he said grimly.

Silence hung in the air, as the Scoobs stared back at IQ. Then the angel spun in place so quickly, that both artickat and Kara jumped.

"ENOUGH!" Spyral said, moving to the weapons locker and flinging open the doors. He grabbed a bandoleir containing a pair of hyperuzis and several spare clips, and quickly buckled them into place.

"Spy......?" Artic asked, as the angel moved towards the door.

Spyral spun to face them. "I'm going IN!" he said, a look of determination on his face that might just stop a platton of Mechanical Monsters by itself. "You guys coming or not?"

KaraS -- “No you are NOT!” KaraS said

grabbing the angel and shoving him backward into a chair. "You're not going anywhere. Sunny, Rae and Mouse went in there in encounter suits. You're mortal now mister. Germs are your enemy."

Spyral just looked at her, stunned.

"Besides, I trust Sunny and Rae to be able to take care of ANYTHING. So just sit tight."

Kaybe0 -- The usually quiet Kaybe

studied the situation for a moment. She saw the look on Spy's face, and also on Twigs. She realized that the Angel knew more than he was telling them. Even more, maybe than he realized himself. For he genuinely seemed frustrated. But, it was the way he looked that let Kay know there was more buried inside him. And then she remembered something she could do. That she hadn't had to do in a long time. She could make time stand still. She could at least for a few moments, make it all stop so that Spyral could get through. The problem was, she would have to go with him to be able to do that. And, by the dangerous look on his face, he wasn't waiting much longer. Summoning all her inner courage, she started pulling out gas masks, and rubber boots and gloves. "Here Angel," she said quietly, "Put these on." She was doing the same thing herself. "IQ, Rae told us to handle the comm, but, you are the expert here with it, so you can handle it. "Kara, or you going or staying?" "No!" Kara yelled. "Kay, I know you want to help, but, do it here. You are not a front line fighter. And, Rae and Sunny said to stay here." Never raising her voice, but, full of determination, she said, "Right, come on Spyral". "Let's go. They are going to need you, aren't they?" With only the look he gave her as aknowledgement, they took off toward the building.

Chryse74 -- “Kay’s right

We should go in," said Chryse.

"But you heard them, it's dangerous in there!" replied KaraS.

"Yes it is. But that's never stopped us before. AND, if there are any dangerous germs in there, 1, Spyral's already been exposed to it. He was already there, and therefore, we are all already exposed to it. and 2, if it's airborne, it's already contaminated the world. Don't forget, Rag and ghostie have been exposed as well. And our friends need help. I'm going." reasoned Chryse.

"Yeah, let's go!" said Spyral and Twig together.

"Wait, I think we'll need a plan to get around those soldiers. Anyone?" asked Kaybe as she passed around the gas masks.

Raegun -- “Rae, come over here.”

Mouse says from the window. "Did you signal when I wasn't paying attention?"

Rae walks over and stares out the window. "Aw, frell! What are those THINGS they're putting on."

"Gasmasks, Rae." Mouse says.

"Frell. Do they actually think those will protect them in here?" Sunny demands.

Rae takes a very deep breath and speaks clamly to Mouse. "What sort of expenditure of resources would it take to quarentine the entire group if it came to that?"

"It couldn't..." Mouse begins to protest.

"I think it just has." Raegun corrects her. "They are coming..."

"Frell." Rae and Sunny say together.

"Rae." Ragnar says. "Next time you go to pick someone up at the airport, leave me out of it."

Rae ignores him. "We don't even have all the explosive charges in place." She sighs softly. "Okay, new plan?"

"No." Sunny shakes her head. "Let's go forward any-way."

"Damn." Rae nods. "You go meet them and bring them here. Mouse. You watch Rag."

"Where are you going?" Mouse demands.

"To get the rest of the charges up in case we need them!" Rae stares at Mouse as though this is the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh... well... be carefull."

"I'm coming!" Ragnar says.

"You can't!" Mouse and Rae protest. Sunny has already gone.

"You are hurt." Rae says firmly.

"Of course you feel fine. I shot you full of..." Rae shakes her head. "You aren't coming."

"You going to stop me?" Ragnar asks reasonably.

"Ah, frell, Rag." Rae stares at Mouse. "I don't think he's going to be willing to stay." She hands Raegun to Mouse. "Gunnie, take good care of my friend."

"Will do, Rae." Raegun assures her cheerfully.

"Mouse, would you mind backing up Sunny? I never should have sent her out there alone in the first place."

"Sure, Rae, but I'm not sure I can use a pulse-rifle..."

Rae grins. "Point him at the thing you want to die. It's easy."

Mouse cringes at the word 'die'.

"Don't worry, Doctor Mouse." Raegun tells her. "Just point me and I'll take care of the rest. Better run to catch up with Sun."

"Right!" Mouse nods sharply and, clutching Raegun to her chest, runs out of the room. Raegun, as though this were a summer picnic instead of a war-zone warbles directions to Mouse.

"You are a frelling pain in the eema." Rae informs Ragnar, reaching into her pack and pulling out two 'regular' pulse-rifles. She also unpacks holsters her side-arm just in case. "I'll take point. Let's go."

*I'm in a large lounge area... there's a... 'cuh-hu-ee...' ... damn, ghost, I can't read terran writing!*

*The Chicken Hut is on the ground level. I know where you are.*

*Bless you. Now where do I go?*

*Bear left to the escalators.* Ghost begins

Raven-Kat -- *Just soldiers....*

Mendez repeats to himself, feeling disoriented. *Yeah, just soldiers. That one lady even had a gun, so they MUST be soldiers... Now how do I get out of here?*

*Rae, what shot did you give him?* a woman's voice demanded in his mind.

*What the frell?* Mendez wonders, and on the heels of that, *What the frell does 'frell' mean?*

*He'll be fine, don't worry...* a second voice assured.

*Son of a...* Mendez stares around the empty airport, wondering where the two voices are coming from. Rae, one of the was named Rae...

*How many soldiers are there, son?* the first woman asked him gently.

*Five-hundred... Shit...* He looked around in surprise. He hadn't wanted to tell the woman, but he hadn't been able to keep quiet once she asked.

*We're just soldiers. Get back to work.* she told him.

*Just soldiers... I understand...* Mendez nodded, but he didn't understand, and he didn't want to get back to work. He wanter to find what was going on.

*No I don't...* He sighed and turned to go back to his unit, when he heard the other lady's voice again.

*Ghostie?... damn, I can't read terran writing!*

*She can't...* Mendez stopped dead. He had to find her. She wasn't human!

*Bless you... Now where do I go?* There was a pause. *Left to the escalators?* Then more quietly, *Frell, my brain has become a frelling conference-calling center!* More loudly again. *I'm at the escalator. Up?*

Keeping the surface of his brain carefully blank, Mendez took off in a jog towards the escalator. *Going to rejoin my unit, now.* He thought loudly. *That's all. Rejoin my unit and forget about the voices in my head, now.*

As Ragnar took off up the escalator, Rae carefully planted several charges at key points. If all went well, they wouldn't be needed, but if things went poorly, the charges could destroy the airport and everything in it. She carefully concealed the charges before following Ragnar. *Five of fifty...*

The words *end-game strategy* kept playing in Mendez's head as he hid just out of view of the woman in the bio-hazard suit. When she ran up the escalator, he went to see what she had been doing to one of the walls. He ran his fingers over it, not even noticing when they snagged against one of the charges.

*Nothing... What was she doing?*

Sunny ran to meet the others, at first keeping half an ear on the young man's thoughts. *That's all... rejoin my unit and forget about the voices in my head...*

Her attention was distracted by running behind her. She spun around, pulse-rifle leveled. Mouse let out a surprised yelp and raised both hands (Raegun still clutched firmly in her right) over her head.

"Hello, Sunny." Raegun said mildly. "Coudl you stop pointing that at us?"

"Sorry." Sunny lowered her weapon and stared at Mouse. "I thought you were watching Ragnar?"

"He's with Rae. I'm with you. Rae thought you should have backup. Just in case."

*end-game strategy...* Sunny looked around in surprise, unable, at first, to identify the origin of this thought. Then it came to her, Rae's voice, distorted, perhaps by anxiety or anger. "Good idea." was all Sun said. "Come on. The others will enter through there."

Kaybe0 -- Grabbing a mask

and anything else she might need, Jila hurried to catch up with the others. "If you guys are crazy enough to plunge into this, then, I am going with you." she said to the look of surprise on Kara's face. Shrugging, Kara didn't object. Seems like whatever was going on at the airport was bringing out the warrior in all of them. But, deep inside she knew that it was the comradeship the gang shared. If one of them was in trouble, they were all, always there for each other.

RagnarRB -- This was some pretty kick....

...stuff Rae had given him a shot of. Not quite as good as Punch of Doom with a Ticker brownie twist but deffinately energizing.

Watching Rae play with the explosive charges he wondered if she'd gotten to the part in Sun Tzu's book where it talked about winning a fight without ever striking a blow. Typical warrior thinking, blow it up and ask questions later. But she was a sweetie.

Maybe it was just some kind of interdemensional pet out for a stroll. Had anyone asked?

Hmmm...Spyral hadn't mentioned anything. Maybe someone SHOULD ask it what it wanted.

He could always ask it to leave if he didn't like the answer. Yeah, that was the ticket. Just ask it to go away. It had worked for John with the bloodtrackers!

Feeling a lively charge in his veins Ragnar started whistling to himself, openly walking towards the sounds of greatest commotion, interrupting his cheerful tune with a heartfelt call.

"....here monster, monster, monster....where are you?..."

SunAeryn -- *Rae, I’m afraid I might have to....

'mind frell' Menendez. He's still following you...and now....*Sun cut herself off. She could semi hear what Ragnar was thinking....

*FRELL IT ALL! Rae, STOP HIM!* Sun yelled at Rae

*OUCH! Hello!? Stop him who?* Rae answered, reeling from Sun's mind yell

*Sorry, was switching focus to Ragnar...he's under the delusion that this 'creature' we are hunting might be some other deminsional being frellin' pet! Stop him before he gets hurt worse. I'll work on Menendez and get him off your tail* Sun offered.

"Mouse, how you doing? Ready to help me sabbatoge Menendez?" Sun turned to Mouse

Mouse looked at Sun....

"Sun, are you sure you are ok?" Mouse looked worried, Sun didn't look to good.

"I'm fine....let's get Menendez off Rae's tail" Sun said, heading towards Menedez.

"Sun, what's Ragnar doing?" Mouse asked, noticing Ragnar wandering around the airport, yelling, "Here monster, monster, monster."

"Mouse, he thinks that by asking this 'creature' what it wants, it will solve all our problems. I think the shot Rae gave him has affected his brain." Sun said....keeping an eye on Ragnar.

Suddenly...out of now where....a force slammed Sun into the wall.

"Frell!" Sun muttered, barely able to breath.

*What are you doing here? I thought I got rid of you* the voice in Sun's head said

*Yeah, well, you failed! Wouldn't it be just frellin' grand of me to let your superiors know just how badly you failed?* Sun returned, trying to get up.

Mouse moved towards Sun....Sun put her hand up, stopping Mouse.

"Stay back, Mouse, I'm ok, this is between me and...." Sun didn't finish

*Little girl, you think you can handle me?* the voice asked

Sun laughed *Yeah, I got away from you didn't I? What are YOU doing here? Another one of your 'pet projects' escape?*

The voice didn't answer, Sun took the opportunity to get up...and move....also to block any other attempts by 'the voice' to hurt her or anyone else, especially the Scoobs.

"Frell, I knew this wasn't good." Sun sighed

*Want to tell me what that was about?* Rae asked Sun

*You heard?* Sun asked, worried that Rae would doubt her even more now.

*Yeah, I did....so? Who the frell was that?* Rae asked

*The frellin' Scarren that riped me from my home and family* Sun replied, trying not to overwhelm Rae with all the anger and hatred she had for the Scarren.

*Is this a problem? I mean in accomplishing our plan?* Rae asked, worrying about Sun's state of mind.

*Not if I can help it. He caught me off guard. What, with me having to 'control' Menedez, talking to you....keeping an 'eye' on Ragnar, and making sure that Mouse is ok...I'm doing good* Sun chuckled

*I can handle big, remember?* Sun offered, hoping to lighten Rae's worries.

Sun noticed that Menendez was still following Rae,

*Frell!* Sun said to Rae *That boy just doesn't give up! Do you want me to 'mind frell' him or not? * Sun asked, not really wanting to....but knowing she would if she had to.

RagnarRB -- Blissfully unaware

of SunAeryn's intrusion into his mind, well on a conscious level at the moment, Ragnar rounded a corner.

"Ah...there you are. Have time for a chat?"

On another level, more instinctive, his mind reacted. A counter thought raced outward with force and intent.

*Naughty, naughty* The vikings mind whispered in hers.

*No reading the big guys mind...tsk, tsk tsk.*

Like the closing of a door the thought vanished and with it went Sun's view into his mind. Try as she might nothing she could do would allow her to reconnect it...nor would it.

Blissfully unaware of what had happened the Viking stroad foreward.

Mouse2000 -- “Hey big boy....”

Mouse said to Menendez after checking that Sunny was ok, "ever seen a weapon like this?" Menendez, momentarily stunned by seeing Mouse in a level B suit holding out Raegun, stopped following Rae and stared. Raegun took advantage of the situation and let loose a spray of sleeping gas. Mouse, safe in her suit, saw the young soldier go out like a light. Raegun giggled, if that's the appropriate term.

"Rae, Sunny, Menendez has been handled. Mouse out." Mouse said over the comm. Mouse looked around and saw the Scoobies heading into the airport armed for anything and joined them. She would have to remember to have a chat with both Rae and Sunny about their tact. She felt a little more than slightly miffed about them doubting her ability to handle herself. Ok, so she wasn't a warrior, but she was a strong, capable, intelligent female... well, no point on carrying on this conversation in her head. She'd talk to them later.

With Raegun in hand, Mouse joined the rest of the Scoobies. "What's up?" Mouse asked Spyral, who looked more than a little ticked off.

SunAeryn -- *Mouse, I know you can handle big...

It's just that, well, you do have Mousling to worry about. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you....it would leave her very much without a mother.* Sun whispered to Mouse

*I know what that's like, and wouldn't wish that on that precious little treasure of yours* Sun added, still trying to get into Ragnars head...just to make sure he wasn't about to do something that would cause himself more harm.

ScarranGrath -- “She thinks she’ll escape from me again?

That little Sebeacen tralk! I will recapture her and she will regrett the day she ever escaped!" ScarrenGrath vented

as he was watching Sun and all the other Scoobs trying to figure out what was happening. He didn't have a clue either, he just took advantage of the situation. When he noticed the "wormhole" and where it opened...he knew this was his chance to recapture SunAeryn and regain his standing among his peers.

SeventhAngel -- “Spy? You okay?”

Spyral jacked back the slides on his pair of hyperuzis, as if in silent reply.

"Spy!" Mouse said, in concern. "How are you feeling?"

"Just Dandy," the angel replied. "Where are Rae and Rag?"

"Rae's off finishing up with the explosives," Sunny explained. "But Ragnar is off trying to catch the frellin monster. He thinks he can TALK to the thing!"

"Spy," Mouse pushed. "You REALIZE that you've been exposed to whatever bug that 'THING' is carrying around with it right?"