Turn 5: Down the Rabbit Hole

[Whisky]

Colson followed his squad in, making a note of the acid burns. Close quarters with spraying acid made him rather uncomfortable.

"Sarge, I find myself questioning the wisdom of using shotguns on the hellcrikets in such close quarters. Potential for splash is high." Colson felt the need to say. He had seen first hand what a stray spray of acid could do to a marine. He had saved that marine, if you could say having half your face melted off saved.

Moving further down to the stairwell at the end of the hallway Colson took up position on the stairs facing down making sure his shoulder lamp illuminated the stair well. SMG pressed to his shoulder he set himself against the wall.

"I hate basements" Colson muttered to himself, staring into the hole in the ground.

<Tag Morse>
<Roll Awareness>

[eyeball]

Eyeball moved in with the rest of the dead shots using his motion tracker to substitute what he could see with his own eyes.

Colson moved into position to cover the stairs down to the lower levels as the other marines went upstairs to clear the rest of the building.

Eyeball moved into an adjacent position to Colson so that he could assist if needed to cover the stairs but set up his primary feild of fire to cover the way they had come in.

As Colsen commented about the basement eyeball had to agree, "yep dark damp and clostraphobic, and nearly always full of something that goes bump in the night, got you covered though mate" eyeball replied making sure that Colson knew his position so they could support if needed.

They settled down to the wait as the other marines cleared to rooms, the quiet sweep of the motion tracker and their breathing the only noises apart from the systematic " room clear " confirmations as the squads cleared the upper section.

<tag Colsen>
<roll awareness>
<roll motion tracker>
<tag morse>

[Morse]

Looking around the hallway, Morse noticed that the acid seemed to come inside as well as go outside. He was not entirely sure what that meant. Whether one of the Xenomorphs was killed in a room on the other side and came in, or if he was just seeing it the wrong way was not clear. But he knew he saw no sign of small arms fire, which made him a bit concerned with why there was so much damage on the walls.

The order to have Morse’s squad hold position at the base of the stairs to secure their way out was comforting to Morse. Not just because it was his idea in the first place, but also because it meant that they no longer had to be grouped together in a large jumble as they attempted to work their way through the small building. Even more so, they were not necessarily given the order to proceed down the stairs. That was not something Morse was anxious to do with how dark it was and with only the four of them.

Hearing Colson’s point regarding the shotguns, Morse tapped off his squad communicator so that he was only speaking to the men in front of him. ”So’d I Coleslaw.” Morse nodded. ”Hence, us Dead Shots’s walkin’ round with shit… that aint that.” Morse tapped on his M56 Smartgun to prove his point. He had not realistically administered the order to carry only shotguns and flamethrowers since he was worried about conventional weapons fire. Instead they were prepared for a greater variety of targets.

< Tag Colson

”And if ems filled with shit what goes bump.” Morse continued after Eyeball made a point about what resided in basements. ”We take advantage of said tight space n’ fill her with fast fires.” He suggested removing one of his grenades off of his belt to demonstrate what he meant. Morse would not hesitate to throw more then one down the stairs if they needed to in order to even the odds. He was always quick to utilize serious force in the face of imminent danger.

< Tag Eyeball

Morse then moved over to face the squad and deliver a battle plan. ”Alright, Eyeball, need you stayin’ by the stairs with that tracker, tellin’ us if somethin’ commin’ from down or out.” Morse said requesting he make sure they did not have hostiles coming from outside the building or below them. ”Coleslaw, just sit there with em, makin’ sure he don’t fall down’er.” Morse said, ordering Colson to maintain position. ”Wilks, stay eyes front with my ass makin’ sure shits good n’ secure.” Morse concluded.

< Tag 2nd Squad

The squad was within about five feet of each other, but they at least could maintain a visual on the places they needed to. Morse remained standing with his eyes down the hall, not sure if they were to expect nothing, or an onslaught of the bugs at any moment.

< Roll Awareness

[maxvale76]

(OOC: Sorry for the late reply; the past couple of weeks have been insane with family and work stuff!)


Samantha had just smiled tightly and shook her head at the jokes about wagers for which squad would take out more aliens; in reality the eagerness that many of the marines had to take on these creatures really made her wonder about their sanity. Still; she had volunteered for the Colonial Marines as well; so she ruefully thought she must be equally insane. She knew better than to try and say anything to the men; she'd just be seen as a nagging female and a kill-joy. When they weren't looking though; she said a quick prayer for all of them to come out safe and whole.

When Sal moved up to stand next to her with his Flame Thrower she nodded at his thinking and did her best to convey confidence to her squad-mates instead of the increasing anxiousness she was feeling as they moved in.

When Obi whispered to her about the newbies; she shot a grin back and said; "Yeah...I'm remembering the old phrase...'friendly fire: isn't' more and more", she joked back.

Talking to the whole squad she said; "Okay, slight change in plans; as long as its real tight in here; Sal with his flame thrower will stay next to me so we can direct the heat together and not accidentally into a tight space with fellow marines. Keep your eyes and ears open and remember; these things will come out of the ground, the ceiling, anywhere they can squeeze into and out of. Stay frosty".

When Quinn gave the order; she replied with a simple; "Roger that El-tee".

<Tag First Squad, Quinn>

[MarcusOTerra]

Sal dimly heard Sam's orders to stay close, which he followed if only because it was what he was already doing. The debris in front of the last door and the damage they'd seen had sparked something in his head. Sam's mention of him using his flamer did get through.


"And here I was going to save it for if things got hairy..." He slide the rifle around to his back and brought out the flamer, "Ah, who am I kidding?"

Some old memory, forgotten but the outline was there, the gut feelings that came from it, but none of the input. He didn't like it, and his frown deepened.

"No need to hide when it's dark outside..." He spoke quietly, away from his helmet mic. He shook his head and lit the starter flame on the thrower. the butane flame was a delightful blue beacon that pushed back the unnerving memories.

"So who wants to see what's behind that?" He pointed at the debris blocked door. He blanched when he realized he'd just volunteered.

((ooc: if I'm reading that wrong, I'll edit))

[Dirk Pitt]

Quinn double-clicked his radio in confirmation of receiving the transmissions from both Pitt and Eric. Quinn shifted the strap on his shoulder that the flamer hanged off of so that it fell at his back. A pump-action shotgun was held in his hands like that of someone who knew what they were doing.

"Recon, hold for 1st squad. Morse, bring up the rear and secure at the bottom of the stairs. Keep the door open. Sergeant, clear the tower room by room in force." Sixtus ordered. It would be slower, but better to secure the tower in force, with the Dead Shots holding down the bottom of the tower.

"Corporal," Sixtus turned to Sam. "let's be about it."

Dirk held the mic closer to his mouth as he spoke. "Roger that Sir. Clearing the tower with First and Recon." Dirk said in a low voice.
<Tag Quinn>

"Roberts, Sam. On me. We're clearing the tower. I don't think it's possible, but watch for any survivors. The last thing I want is to enplane why we wasted a scientist hiding in a closet."
<Tag Roberts and Sam>

Not waiting for the others, Dirk slowly moved up the metal stairs his foot steps echoing in the darkness. His M41A at the ready he scanned the darkness in front of him for any trace of life, Xeno or other,

(Roll awareness and scouting)

[Corporal Hicks]

"Roberts, Sam. On me. We're clearing the tower. I don't think it's possible, but watch for any survivors. The last thing I want is to explain why we wasted a scientist hiding in a closet."
<Tag Roberts and Sam>

"Yes Sir. Guys, watch for survivors," he relayed to his squad.

As they reached the barricade on the top level, Roberts thought there could be survivors after all. "Watch out!" he said to the other marines, "They could have set traps in front of the door." He called out with a voice that he hoped would carry through the door. "This is the U.S. Colonial Marines, we're here to evacuate you! Open up and we will get you out!"

[Quicksilver]

Mark followed close behind Sam & Sal, his eyes flickering between the motion tracker and his surroundings. So far it had shown the marines and little else, but that hadn’t done much to ease Giosso’s tension. If anything, the long minute of expecting something to jump out at any moment were doing the opposite, building stress with no release of discovery. Every muscle in Mark’s body felt tight by the time the team had finished ascending the stairs and reached the makeshift barricade.

“Hold off for a sec, let me try and get a reading…” Mark commented as the squad came to a halt. He set the motion tracker down on a convenient piece of debris to steady it and messed with the settings yet again, trying to get it sensitive enough to pick up any little movement on the other side.

<Motion Tracker Use>

[jdd2035]

Watch out, Sarge is on our six. No friendly fire."

Alex made a note of of where the sergeant was and kept moving forward at a steady pace.

"They could have set traps in front of the door." He called out with a voice that he hoped would carry through the door. "This is the U.S. Colonial Marines, we're here to evacuate you! Open up and we will get you out!"

While the stelth part of the mission was clearly over Alex kept at his task and adjusted for the new information but looking where humans would have held up thinking about where he would hide if he needed to in the area they were in.

Roll Survival

[eyeball]

the motion detector pinged once, eyeball snapped his attention to it, but the next sweep was clear, then three sweeps later movement again.

"Corp, i got movement, intermittent contact above us, same position repeatedly like something is just shuffling or fidgeting, not closing or moving away, not a great signal, but its there!"

eyeball tilted the motion detector so morse could get a good look at it.
he subconsciously checked his safety, it was off, just where it should be.

<tag Morse>
<continue monitoring motion detector>

[Quicksilver]

Beep, beep, beep

Mark stared intently at the motion tracker. He adjusted one more small dial on the device before tapping it lightly on the side. Seeming convinced in what he saw, Pvt. Giosso spoke up.

“Ma’am” he said, making the intended direction of his comment clear, “I’ve got a tangential, repetitive contact. on the other side of that barricade. Basically, something’s pacing. It’s faint, but it is there.”

<Tag Sam, et al>
<Motion Tracker Use>

[Morse]

The ring of the motion tracker did not come to Morse’s ears. He was a bit too far away for that, but he certainly heard Eyeball mention it the moment he did. And given that the notation was for a ping that was not in their immediate area Morse knew exactly what to do.

”Aw, fuck.” Morse muttered, and put his finger to his headset, Morse activated the ‘all-call’ ”Dirk, Sam, Quinn.” Morse called up to the people who were up there. ”Tracker down here’s sayin’ somethins’ movin’ up there.” Morse called out. ”My techs sayin’ its just the one thing n’ its just fidgittin’. Just watch yer ass’s.” Morse finished. He really had nothing else he could say. They were guarding the exit, and it was not as though they could run up there in time to save whoever was up there anyway.

< Tag Sam, Dirk, and Quinn

Looking over at Eyeball Morse nodded a few times. ”Good call Eyeball.” Morse said, chewing a bit more on a piece of gum he had in his mouth. ”Fucker moves at all just call out, cus we may gotsa kill somethin’ small n’ fast.”

< Tag Eyeball

[Dirk Pitt]

”Aw, fuck.” Morse muttered, and put his finger to his headset, Morse activated the ‘all-call’ ”Dirk, Sam, Quinn.” Morse called up to the people who were up there. ”Tracker down here’s sayin’ somethins’ movin’ up there.” Morse called out. ”My techs sayin’ its just the one thing n’ its just fidgittin’. Just watch yer ass’s.” Morse finished. He really had nothing else he could say. They were guarding the exit, and it was not as though they could run up there in time to save whoever was up there anyway.

< Tag Sam, Dirk, and Quinn
< Tag Eyeball

Dirk looked at the barricade as he listened to the Marines sound off about movement behind the door. "Roger that Morse." Dirk said as he moved forward.

Slinging his M41A Dirk took out his portable welder. " LT this is Pitt. I'm cutting through the barricade. We'll be through in a few minutes." He said.
<Tag Quinn>

Starting on the side Dirk started to cut his way through the metal. sparks and molten metal flew from the torch as he traced a line around the doorway. "Get ready. If something with a tail jumps out at me I want it wasted ASAP." HE said to the Marines around him
<Tag Roberts and Sam>
(Roll use of portable welder)

[maxvale76]

Samantha cursed softly as the reports of the contact came in; she had been hoping for some kind of miracle that this place would be uninhabitated.

"Good work Mark; keep a close eye on that Tracker and let us know as soon as anything changes"; she praised her Comms operator and squad-member she had served with the longest. Igniting her Flamethrower she kept her eyes shifting over the ground, ceiling and floor in a complete circle around her squad. She addressed the whole squad; "If it's pacing back and forth; it COULD be a survivor; but we've got to assume the worst. Keep your eyes and ears open for any signs of the Xenomorphs."

Hearing Morse's call over the comm; she acknowledged it and told them Giosso had the same reading and thanked him for the call and told him she'd likewise report anything her squad picked up....

<OOC: Quick question; is my Squad with Quinn and we're moving to where Dirk and the recon squad are? Or is my squad allready with Dirk and co?

[Dirk Pitt]

As Dirk attempted to cut through the barricade he noticed that things were not going well. The welder, or more than likely Dirk, was not working correctly. Shutting off the welder Dirk turned to Roberts.
"Anyone in your squad know how to use this thing better than I do?" He said covering the mic so it was just between the scouts and Dirk.
<Tag Roberts>