Log:Fuzzy Alien Vampires, Scene 1

Fuzzy Alien Vampires 2021/06/11 	 Artemis Epsilon Grigoriy Korkoro Linda Victory 1

The SGG heroes on standby at the base, or in close proximity, are summoned to a briefing room.

Linda hurries to report in. Not only is it her duty but each SGG mission is also a learning opportunity.

"20 minutes ago, a small alien ship of unknown configuration approached Earth orbit. It made no response to the standard hails, and the orbital defences were about to be put on alert when the craft abruptly exploded." A poor image on the craft, and its explosion, is displayed on a screen. "Before the explosion, though, there were multiple teleport signatures, matching typical Guild emergency transport signatures."

Victory raises a brow as he looks at the screen. "How many are we talking here? And do we have a location?"

"The 'coincidence' of the explosion just at that instant might seem suspicious enough. But the location is more so. All four 'happened' to teleport to Colonial Bay." A map comes up, showing Colonial Bay, with a spot marked in the Artists' Quarter.

Linda is thinking oO(Rescue mission. I'll get to meet more aliens.)

"We don't know what we're dealing with here. They - whoever they are - could be genuinely in need of help. Or it may be something else entirely. But given it's in a populated area, the most important thing is an immediate response!"

Linda nods, readjusting her thinking. "Have there been any police reports of distrubances?" she asks.

"Nothing yet. Let's hope it stays that way."

Victory nods. "And...do we know if they arrived in a group? Or scattered?"

"Likely as a group. They could be scattered over a few blocks though: the trace lacks the precision to say for certain."

Victory nods. "Alright, well, I guess we better get out there."

Linda frowns, "20 minutes is long enough for distressed aliens to make contact with someone on a Guild associate planet. That seems to suh=ggust an ulterior motive, maybe?" She nods to Victory, "I'm ready, sir."

Scene change: Artists' Quarter. It's a warm and sunny afternoon, and people are going about their business as usual. 

Linda follows Victory to the Artist's Quarter, alertly looking and listening for anythink out of the ordinary.

Artemis walks out of an art gallery after admiring the work of a particular artist whose talents caught her eye. She's been serving as something of a muse to him and his work, which is quite divergent for the warrior goddess.

"Doesn't Supernal live near here? I was at a party with her and her brother near here once." Linda says. ''[This is incorrect. The party was in the Students' Quarter. —ed.]''

Stacking the final box atop the others in the large industrial freezer, Grigoriy ambles out into the back room of Peaty's Pies, taking a moment to swing the metal door closed behind him.

"All done, big guy?" asks a small, balding man in a heavily stained apron. "Da." comes the laconic response, the huge Russian collecting a couple of folded bills from the much smaller man before turning to leave.

"See you in a week." Peaty calls after him, turning back to the pizza he is slapping toppings onto.

Sliding the bills into the chest pocket of his coveralls, Grigoriy steps through the back door and into the warm afternoon sun, emerging in an alley between two squat brick buildings. Drawing in a deep breath through his nose, the big man turns to begin striding out toward the street, many distracting thoughts swirling through his troubled mind.

Magda is in the area at her leisure, having just come out of the Elvis Presley diner after a very satisfying late-ish lunch.

Victory shows up with Linda, "I guess we should spread out a bit. Keep in radio contact, and look for anything odd."

Linda nods, "Yes, sir. I have food sight. Should I take to the air? I can scan a lot of ground that way."

Even the sharp-eyed Linda doesn't immediately spot anything strange - well, no stranger than is normal among the artistic community. Of course, the area is busy and buildings, inter alia, block line of sight. Magda, however, senses something odd - some movement of energy in an unusual way - but, at a distance, it's hard to say more than that.

Linda switches to x-ray vision. Rarely used as it might inadvertantly breach privacy. But this is an official SGG mission.

Victory ndos to Linda, "Yeah, getting a bird's eye view would be good. Good idea."

Linda takes off to get an aerial view.

Artemis's sharp ears catch a familiar voice. She beams and turns her head, raising a hand. "Greetings, Friend Wade!" she calls, floating up and flying over. "Be thee here to observe thy local Urthen artists? Their work is so fascinating."

Gideon is completely unaware of anything amiss- he's in fact looking for something suitable to hang over a drab wall in his new townhome. He's been looking about for a while now but hasn't found anything that stands out to him, so he steps out of one shop and moves on- feeling like calling it a day. He could be out testing his suit as opposed to wasting his time on modern art.

He shields his eyes as he sees Linda take to the sky. His eyes naturally trace the path she took to the ground where he spots other metas.

He starts to feel underdressed.

Well, unusual things are the key to scientific learning. The sound of science is not ?eureka', but 'huh, that's funny.' So Magda transforms her clothing, armors up some,lifts herself into the air, and heads right for the unusual energy patterns.

Victory waves to Artemis, "No, I'm not. There was a ship that blew up just outside of orbit. But 4 Guild transporters were used to get folks to hte planet before it exploded. So, SG sent out a couple of us to try to make contact with whomever it is. We just need to find them."

Lumbering along at an easy enough pace, the bulky Russian blinks out of his distracted musings when a sound from up ahead catches his ear. Corners of his mouth tilting down in faint bemusement, he wanders up to the corner into a branching alley and glances in, idly curious to see what sort of bird might be making that particular noise.

Linda contacts Vistory via SGG comms. "Sir, I see Magda in the air."

Artemis slows down beside him, feet remaining off the ground. "Ah...vessel-wrecked people like I once was? If thou require aid in this, I would be happy to lend it."

Gideon gets the sense something is happening and he's been looking for an excuse to give up this whole shopping thing. He never had a knack for decoration- but he's also never had a wall as barren feeling as the one at the center of his new place. He shrugs and decides its a problem for next time, shuffling his way away from teh metas and back towards his car where he left his power suit- no not that one. The Powered Suit.

Once he's in the alley he parked in he sets out into a flat sprint.

Linda contacts Victory again. She sounds sickened and angry, "Sir, I think they just killed a woman. I see a deceased husk of a woman in an alley. Two alien creatures are moving away from it." She gives hurried directions and descrptions.

"HRM." Grigoriy grunts, taken slightly off guard by the fuzzy ball of fluffy yellow that greets his gaze. Stepping slowly into the alley, the big Russion sinks down into a crouch, making soft clicking noises to try and attract its attention. "I have never seen cat like you," he informs it softly, "Come here. Let us get a good look at you...Come little friend..."

The animal walks slowly over to Grigoriy, as if uncertain, and sniffs at him.

Grigoriy extends one large, tattooed hand down to the sniffing creature, usually stony features softening as it snuffles at the tattooed flesh. "You are inchanting creature...Do not worry, I am friend..."

Victory replies back to Linda, "Don't make too many assumptions, but work to make contact and contain them. I'll get there as fas as I can." He motions to Artemis, "Might need your help, since you have more knowledge about otherworld species than I do." He gives the directions to ARtemis before he starts running in the direction that Linda indicated.

The creature sniffs at the hand then rubs up against it - then sinks its until-now quite inperceptible fangs into it.

Artemis nods and flies off to follow Victory. "Then you shall have it!" she says excitedly as she summons her circular shield from her bracer.

Grigoriy's hand feels cold and weak, like it's having the life sucked right out of it!

Artemis flies ahead, based on the direction Wade indicated and the sounds she hears. When she arrives, she says, "Fear not, strangers to these lands! The hoomans of this planet wish to aid thee! They mean for peace!" she calls out as she hovers above the street, surveying the situation. She repeats this in the guild trade language.

Artemis gets not reply, though a few stares from nearby hoomans.

One garbage bin in iced up solid.

Victory runs full speed toward the location Linda indicated, but he has to go slightly further than a flier like Artemis does. He turns his shield on as he runs.

Gideon once he's at his car, he slides out the specialized container with some difficulty and looks around as he drags the container behind another car with better cover.

Once there he kicks open the latches and hoists the armored suit's cage up to slide into as the reactor primes.

He keeps count of how long this takes in his head as he strips down to his undersuit- hidden under his posh clothing. He tosses the fine duds to the side with little care- he's trying to beat his previous best time. He recognizes every second could count in the field.

The suit's indicator lights change as he slides in- wiggling his fingers into the gauntlets and bending over before sealing himself up to get his toes into place manually. He notes all of these things as being 'sub-optimal' with each passing motion.

Once his philanges are all in place he twists the gauntlets and encloses himself the rest of the way.

The suit comes online as he gets his helmet into place & finally stops dampening his psionic abilites. He sighs with relief and moves to return his power suit's container- which is now orders of magnitude easier.

Korkoro continues towards about where she sensed the atypical energy, keeping her senses open for equally-unusual objects -- such as unique metals or nervous systems.

Grigoriy flinches slightly at the sharp prick of fangs, tattooed hand balling into an instinctive fist against the sucking coldness that radiates up from the puncture wounds. Dragging his hand free of the monster's maw, the huge man rises up from his crouch, gentle expression hardening back to stone as he glances down at his punctured flesh. If one of these things can do this to Him... Making his choice, the brute lifts up his right work boot and brings it stomping down, leaning forward to try and grind the blood sucker into a crunchy paste beneath his heel. "FEGH." he grunts, one part betrayed and the other disgusted.

The critter makes a squeal like a squeaky toy as it's crushed, but similarly like a squeaky toy springs back into shape.

Artemis flies closer to get a look at where these aliens are, listening for a response to her calls in english and Guild Trade Language.

The two critters near the scary Linda flee! Each they separate, each turning down a different alley.

Flying along, Magda notices the odd fluctuations again, and swings around to get a clear line on it. Golden Girl is noticed and noted out of the corner of her senses, but this new thing has her attention.

Linda tries again, following one of them as they split up, forming another ice cocoon with, hopefully, better aim. Spreading her breath a little to compenstate for their small size. After all, they're likely to be too weak to break free.

Victory continues running, finally getting to at least where Linda had initially indicated. He looks around, assessing the situation.

This time LInda's icy breath cocoons the little vritter she followed.

There's nothing at that location now but an iced-up garbage bin and a blackened humanoid husk in women's clothes.

Artemis flies towards the scuttling, trying to spy one of the aliens, but it's hard to tell since there are many aliens on this planet. She tries again in Guild Trade Speak, "I understand not why ye do not call out for aid, for we are here to provide it! We can aid thee in finding a way home and salvaging what we may of thy vessel!"

Epsilon locks up his vehicle remotely as he turns and runs towards where he saw the metas last- he sets off into a sprint to try to catch up with where the others went.

He's hoping his starup time wasn't too slow. After watching how quickly some events occur he's feeling a bit worried about it and makes a mental note to start working on a more automated, user-friendly process.

Epsilon slides to a halt near Wade, and his armored visor locks onto the husk straight away.

"That is grisly. I hope I wasn't too late... what could even have done this?" Epsilon asks Victory as he looks around, thinking whatever did this might still be around.

Then he turns to look at Victory, suddenly thinking of all the pod-people movies he watched as a kid.

The critter Grigoriy stamped on seemingly didn't like it! It dashes away from him and the alley, out into a street.

The critter encased in ice makes a pitiful whining sound.

The critter Artemis called out to approaches her curiously, making a soft cooing sound.

Victory says to Epsilon, "Not sure, but Linda saw whatever it was. She likely still has eyes on it." He points to where Linda is.

Letting out a rumble of annoyance, Grigoriy stomps after the fleeing critter, ramping out into the street and swinging his boot forward in a huge punt kick, hoping to splat the bity thing hard against a building front across the way

Epsilon turns to look at where Victory points at. "Ah. Well- we should probably watch our backs then? Do you have a way of communicating with Linda?" He asks.

The fluffy critter makes a noise like a squeaky toy again as it goes flying over the building across the street and beyond, out of sight.

Victory nods to Epsilon, "I do. But we could just follow up and ask directly. She's not htat far away, right?"

Epsilon turns back to Victory with a look of surprise that doesn't translate at all thanks to the visored helm. "Ah. Well- yeah. I jsut didn't want whatevet did this to sneak up on us and do that..." He points at the husk. "...to us." He remains in a defensive posture.

Just after the amazing field goal - a car strikes Grigoriy. Unfortunately for the car.

Airbags expand and the car's horn starts blaring unceasingly.

Floating about 3m up, Korkoro watches the interaction between creature and human, her eyes lifting as the thing zooms off. She follows, reaching out with particles of her suit to try to pluck the thing from the ground.

The critters are about the size of a small cat. They're cute furry balls of yellow hair, with streaks of orange. A little nose and big eyes can be made out at the front, but otherwise it's hard to discern any features - even the legs are hidden by the fur. They're typically making cooing sounds.

The critter seems very friendly when Artemis goes to play for it, coming right up to her.

Linda contacts Victory via SGG comms. "I've cocooned one in the next alley. Heard a crash and blaring car horn. I'm a skilled mechanic, sir. Should I continue pursuit of the one still fleeing or go see if I can help with the crash?"

Artemis floats down and lands on the ground to greet the critter. "Be thee the one I be looking for?" she says in Guild Trade Speak, smiling and laughing merrily at the cute creature. "Be thee sentient? Warn me now, lest I pet thee!"

The critter responds only by cooing and going closer to Artemis to smell her.

Victory replies over the comms, "If you have eyes on the loose creature, follow it. I can check on the accident."

Linda nods, although Victory can't see that. "Roger that, sir. Pru

Artemis takes a knee and lowers her hand palm up so it's level with the creature's chin for scritching. "Mayhaps I understand not thy language," she says in Guild Trade speak. She tries asking "What is thy name?" in Malvan and the ancient Mu tongue.

Artemis thinks and adds the question again in Keftuan.

Victory heads off in the direction of the car accident. It might be related, after all.

Linda nods, although Victory can't see that. "Roger that, sir. Pursuing." She searches for the fleeing critter without success, so takes once again to the air for a clearer view.

Linda relaxes a little on seeing the critter has been corralled by Artemis.

Korkoro continues after the little critter, still looking to corral it.

There are screams and shouting around Grigoriy as people realise that this super-ex?-con has totalled a car...

Grigoriy had never imagined what it might feel like to be hit by a car. The reality is shocking, a disorienting cascade of light and sound. Still, as things come to a shuttering stand still the large man finds himself buried up to the waist in steaming, leaking steel, his coveralls soaked through with smoldering oil while the horn blares directly in his ears. Shaking his head he slowly comes to his senses, completely unmoved and mostly unhurt; just, rattled.

Magda zooms off in the direction in which the little furball flew, keeping her eyes unfocused as she sweeps for evidence of the thing. Spotting it, a scooping motion of her hand sweeps the little thing into the air, still at some distance from her.

The cutely cooing critter in Artemis's hand buries it head in it - and then comes the sudden cold stabbing pain....

The critter drinks the divine blood/life-force thirstily!

"Ahhh!" Artemis cries out in pain that surprises even her as it saps her divine vitality, leaving her closer to mortal than she's been in some time. She jerks her hand away and can't even manage a chuckle through the pain. "I...cannot fault thee for thy nature, creature...but thou art too dangerous for the creatures of this planet," she says through grit teeth as she clutches her hand.

The other critters do nothing: one trapped in ice, the other unconscious.

Epsilon moves to keep up with Victory, having already turned towards the sound of the accident.

Fault or no, this thing must be destroyed if it can harm even a Godflora! Artemis still has some divine strength and raises her uninjured hand towards it. "I must cast thee out for the sake of this planet." Her hand glows with golden energy that begins to charge, then suddenly spread like an explosion.

The critter squeaks like a squeaky-toy several times at it bounces away down the alley. Or - one of them does. For in Artemis's hand remains, another critter, identical to its bouncing comrade, unscathed!

Linda is shocked to see Artemis so severely affected. More shocked to see the tribble has doubled itself. Even so, she responds quickly, attempting to en-cage the escaping dritter in ice before it eludes her again.ooc I have a pose typed.

Linda gets a lucky bounce back as the far fringe of the icy breath reflects from a wall and reinforces the ice cocoon around the critter.

Victory says over the SG comms, "Linda, what do these creatures look like? The accident seems to be a car that ran into a meta." He moves over to the car, to make sure no one is seriously hurt.

Linda gives a description of the critters, and adds, "I saw one bite Artemis. She was severely affected and the critter replicated itself after biting her. These things are dangerous, sir."

Epsilon moves to assist Victory. "I can help you extracate anyone who's trapped." He says to the much more well known hero.

He begins to inspect the accident once its in sight so he can see if getting people out will be difficult.

Victory nods to Episilon, "I think...we're okay. I think the driver has some broken ribs, but is otherwise okay."