Turn 4: The Atmosphere Processing Plant

[Pale Rider]

The Marines began to advance down the slope into the massive crater that was the result of the Atmosphere Processing Plant going critical. 100 yards further down the incline, Sergeant Jonsson disappeared from sight. Her cry ended as quickly as it started.

<Actions>

[Medic Guy]

The Marines began to advance down the slope into the massive crater that was the result of the Atmosphere Processing Plant going critical. 100 yards further down the incline, Sergeant Jonsson disappeared from sight. Her cry ended as quickly as it started.

<Actions>

Clint caught a quick catnap as they hopped in the APC to go on a foray to the now defunct atmosphere processing plant with a giant crater eating right tout from the center. He got out after the others and was still fairly close to the APC when they heard the Sergeant scream and then go silent. He stopped where he was and scanned for movement with the rifle at low ready so that he could react to any potential threat quickly if needed.

<roll awareness and scouting>

[JuanPerez]

<Location: Hadley's Hope, Atmospheric Processor Plant Destruction Site>

Perez worked his way slowly forward down the slope, totally focused. The detonation must have been enormous, according to the size of the crater. Everywhere shattered remains and debris of what was formerly known as an atmospheric processor plant. Also plenty of places to hide for those acid scorpion-bugs. But so far, none of them showed up. This did not relax him a bit, because the trap situation at the Sulaco's APC was all too present. Suddenly he heard a female voice screaming and he recognized it at once as Jonsson's, because she was only a few meters behind. Sounds of cracking and caving-in. Damn it, he circled around and saw the mess at once. There was a gaping hole in the earth. The scream of hers was cut off all in a sudden. Not good. He activated his micro, while moving towards the hole in caution ...

"Sergeant Jonsson? Do you read? .... Eights, the Sarge just crashed through a hole here."

... watching his steps, he positioned himself in such a manner, that he could aim the smartgun downwards and light it with his shoulder lamp and look for Johnson ...

<Roll Awareness - Level Professional>

[Dirk Pitt]

The Marines began to advance down the slope into the massive crater that was the result of the Atmosphere Processing Plant going critical. 100 yards further down the incline, Sergeant Jonsson disappeared from sight. Her cry ended as quickly as it started.

<Actions>

Dirk followed sergeant Johnson to the edge of the crater. Scanning the distance it seemed that it went on forever. That must have been one hell of a blast he thought absently as he started down the incline. All things seemed to be going well at first. No bodies or these bugs that attacked the others. That's when the old sayings tell you to be the most cautious.

Johnson's scream caught him off guard. Swinging around in a full arc he looked for any sign of attack. Seeing none he heard Perez's voice on the comm.

"Everyone stay where you are. The ground is unstable and there's a cavern under us. Probably some of the underground works from the prossessing plant. Someone get back to the APC and get some rope, move like you've got a purpose Marines." He said looking at the ground for any signs of fractures.
<Tag first squad>

Slowly working his way to Perez and the hole that took the sergeant Dirk shined his light into the hole.

"Segment Johnson, can you here me?" He said loudly into both the comm and the hole.

(Roll awareness and scouting)

[Pale Rider]

Moving quickly to the sinkhole, Perez and Pitt looked down into the gap searching for the Sergeant. Their eyes behold a strange black substance lining the walls and floor of the hole. As Perez's light flashes over the nearest edge of the cave the lower half of Jonsson's torso disappears into the stygian darkness. Her muffled cries indicating that she is currently alive.

<ACTIONS>

[- JR -]

Someone get back to the APC and get some rope, move like you've got a purpose Marines." He said looking at the ground for any signs of fractures.

"Yessir!" Sara rushed back to the APC for the rope and any sort of climbing or rappelling gear that might be stored there.

She returned shortly afterward with rope, harnesses, and an armful of emergency flares.

[Hayden Knutson]

Private Wang's field radio crackled to life with the voice of the Lieutenant.

"Sergeant, what's goin on? Status report, over?"

[- JR -]

Private Wang's field radio crackled to life with the voice of the Lieutenant.

"Sergeant, what's goin on? Status report, over?"

Sara struggled with her armful of gear as she rejoined the other. She managed to shuffle it around and get at the radio. "Uh, looks like she fell down a big damn hole in the ground, sir. We're goin' after her. Over."

[Dirk Pitt]

Someone get back to the APC and get some rope, move like you've got a purpose Marines." He said looking at the ground for any signs of fractures.

"Yessir!" Sara rushed back to the APC for the rope and any sort of climbing or rappelling gear that might be stored there.

She returned shortly afterward with rope, harnesses, and an armful of emergency flares.

"Good job Sara. Light up a couple of those flares and toss them in. It's damn dark in there, just the kind of place those bugs might want to set up shop." Dirk said quickly as he took the rope and harness.
<Tag Sara>

Moving away from the hole so he didn't open another one Dirk hammered a main and back up spike into the rock. Quickly attaching the rope to the spikes he tossed the other end into the hole. His mind raced as he looked quickly at his watch. It's been less than five minutes. Whatever dragged her off didn't seem to be in any rush doing it, so they might have a chance.

"OK, listen up People. The Marines have never left their own behind and we sure as hell aren't going to start now. We're going after the sergeant. I'll head down first. Once I'm on the ground I want the rest of you to follow, fast. The sergeant was dragged away so be ready to engage hostiles. But watch for humans. I doubt there are any survivors from the colony or the Suloco but you never know. Now let's move it out."
<Tag first squad>

"LT, this is Pitt. We are heading under ground. Unknowns have taken the sergeant. We are in pursuit. Out." He said over the comm.

Turning to the opening Dirk started to repell into the darkness.

(Roll awareness and scouting)

[Uhtred]

Uhtred felt the adrenaline rush through his veins as the sergeant disappeared. He pulled his pulse rifle off of his shoulder and steadied it toward the hole.

"It's go time," he though to himself.

It was not callous. Uhtred was battle hardened. His entire focus was on the mission at hand.

Uhtred pushed to the front of the group. "Step aside!" he shouted.

He peered into the hole that Jonnson had fallen into. "No way I'm letting Dirk go down alone." Uhtred said stiffly to his comrades.

Uhtred pulled out the silver hammer from around his neck and clutched it for a moment before he leapt into the dark underbelly of the planet, "to Odin; wyrd bid ful araed," he muttered, as he fell into the abyss.

Uhtred landed hard on the cold dirt below. He saw the outline of Dirk in front of him so he turned to the rear to protect them both.

Roll awareness.

[JuanPerez]

<Location: Hadley's Hope, Atmospheric Processor Plant Destruction Site>

Their eyes behold a strange black substance lining the walls and floor of the hole. As Perez's light flashes over the nearest edge of the cave the lower half of Jonsson's torso disappears into the stygian darkness. Her muffled cries indicating that she is currently alive.

He caught a glimpse on Jonsson, but too late for an attempt to grab her. At least she was alive. Trying to pick her location up, he adjusted his stance, thereby adjusting his shoulder lamp, but to no avail. The sarge dissapeared once more. Looking down, something got his attention. A strange, black substance, that covered walls and floor. He had never seen something like this before. It did not look natural either.

Corporal Pitt sent Wang back to the APC, and while she was on the move, Perez retreated and positioned himself, so he could cover one flank of the Eights. He ordered Calleija to cover the other one. Just because something was going on right beneath them, there could still be danger looming on the surface, too. Those bugs were fast, so no time to get slopy.

After a few minutes, the climbing gear was set up. Pitt and Ragnarson descended. After Ragnarson safely hit the ground, it was his turn. He switched the smartgun's safety, positioned the cumbersom weapon accordingly, took the rope and began his desent into the darkness carefully. As he worked his way round about 5 meters down, once again, this strange, black substance got his attention. After hitting the ground safely, he took the chance to pick some of that stuff and rub it between his fingers. It was a gluesome, resine-like stuff. Strange.

But he did just bother a few seconds with it out of curiosity, then he readied the smartgun, switched to full-auto fire mode and went up to Pitt and Ragnarson. He was in search-mode all along with the gun.

"Never seen that stuff on the walls and floor before, how about you?"
<Tag Pitt, Ragnarson>

He tried to pick up sounds or sight of Jonsson.

"Maybe if you guys switch to infra-red, we could find the heat pattern of Jonsson, guys."
<Tag Pitt, Ragnarson>


<Roll Awareness - Level Professional>

[Hayden Knutson]

"Copy that. Get her back. Corporal Pitt has the command. Keep me in the loop. Over."

[maxvale76]

Samantha felt her heart start to race as poor Jonnson vanished, being dragged by another of the hellish nightmare creatures down a hole. In a matter of moments; Wang was grapping rope; Pitt and Uhtred were climbing down after her and things were about to get real hairy....real fast....

Taking the stun grenade out of her gear, she slipped it into the breach of her grenade launcher of her Pulse Rifle and followed Pitt and the crazy Uhtred into the hole while saying; "Corp; I've got a stun grenade locked and loaded, so if we de bug wit de Sarge; I can take a shot and hopefully knock de bug off her wit'out getting acid on Jonsson. Of course, de Sarge probably won't enjoy getting drilled wit rubber pellets; but I'm guessing she'd prefer dat and gettin' doused with acid".

That said; Hall follows the other marines down the hole....

<Tag Pitt>
<Roll Awareness>

[Pale Rider]

Corporal Pitt, Private Ragnarson, Lance Corporal Perez, Corporal Hall, Private Wang, Private Caleija, and Private McKenna advanced down the dark tunnels. Their shoulder lamps barely lightened the stygian darkness. The dark substance on the walls, floor, and ceiling begins to take on more details; thick ropey forms stacking layers up the walls crossing over head.

The infrared scope shows the faint traces of Jonsson's heat signature, on the floor. A dark liquid is the brightest feed, but it is starting to cool. The tunnels zig-zag back and forth sometimes heading North, sometimes East, and others West. Suddenly, it disappeared all together, so the Eights followed in the last direction they were heading in, the temperature elevates, a lurid miasma flows across the bedrock, causing sweat to ooze down the Eights backs. Their legs are quickly damp from the humidity. Rounding a final corner they enter into a large chamber. A low hissing sound can be heard, its steady unwavering sound fills the air with the congestion of sound. Oval lumpish shapes dot the floor, the miasma winding through them.

The lights of the Marines flowed into the room, blanketing the walls with their combined light. A familiar form can be seen dangling from the wall, the black resin covering her arms, chest, and legs. The only thing exposed was her head, however; a ghastly white thing is covering the her face. It looks almost like someone had cut off two hands and attached them to her face.

<Actions>

[Dirk Pitt]

Dirk moved slowly through the darkness of the tunnel as they followed the heat from sergeant trailing on the floor. His light moved across the walls, illuminateing what looked almost like ribs. He felt more like he had been eaten by some large creature rather than moveing through a cave. His uneasiness grew along with his determination to find his missing NCOIC and bring her home. After what seemed like hours the unnatural cave opened into a large room, the floor littered with strange leathery objects that looked like, for lack of a better word, eggs.

The tempature rose quickly as did the humidity. Water soaked quickly through his uniform and mixed with the sweat that was now pouring from under his helmet and into his face in thick rivulets, stinging his eyes. Then he saw her. Stuck to the wall with some kind of resin. But that wasn't what sent a chill down his spine like a bolt of lightning. Covering her face was some kind of thing. Sickeningly pale and fingers like a spider with too many legs and a tail gripping her throat.

His eyes darted around the room. That thing couldn't be what had dragged her to the room, so there was something bigger. Something that didn't show up on thermal.

"What the fuck?" He said to no one and everyone.

"Defensive perimmeter. Avoid those things on the ground though. God knows what they are and I don't want to find out now. Smart gunners, look for targets. I don't think we'll find any friendlies down here. Someone get on a motion tracker. I want to know if anything is coming up on us. I'm going to grab the sarg and try to get her out of here." He said lowly into his mic.

"Lt, this is Pitt. We've found Jonnson. She's attached to the wall with some kind of resin. There is something attached to her face. Like a spider with a tail. I'm going to grab her and first will fall back o the APC. Have medical ready for her" he said.
<Tag the LT>

Moving slowly, avoiding the egg looking objects and the vines that surrounded them dirk made his way to the sergeant, his M41A ready to deal death at a moments notice.

(Roll stealth, scouting and awareness)