voidtreckermods: (voidtrain)
VoidTrecker Express Mods ([personal profile] voidtreckermods) wrote in [community profile] middleofsomewhere2020-07-13 05:43 am

Onward: Orange

A Stormy Night

The night of day six of Grasshopper begins to get blustery, and rain begins to fall shortly after the sun sets. Just after midnight they are facing a full-on storm. It’s quite interesting to watch, for those who need a break from investigating. Especially up on the top floor, where the glass roof gives a good view; all the instruments are set up to monitor weather patterns and are operating perfectly, a fascinating watch for those interested in such things.

It’s a little noisy, but not too bad for those that want to sleep; it’s just another distraction along with the perpetual light. Still it is, for the most part, a peaceful night.

Lights OUT

Peaceful, that is, until about an hour before dawn on day seven, their third day on-world. A large clap of thunder booms overhead, a massive flash of light brightens even the sky around the station… and something hits the facility so hard that it seems to rock. The lights go out.

Every single light and screen in the building go dark at once. 

It’s only a few moments before the machines whir back to life. Monitors and equipment rebooting, a cascade of beeps and whirrs and start-up tones. The lights, however, do not come back on. Clearly emergency lighting has never been a concern for a people that can see in the dark.

It’s a concern now. From across the facility, everywhere there was an orb, there are now monsters. A lot of monsters. Grey, long limbed and ready to attack.

Luckily for the Voidtreckers, the monsters on the very bottom floor have found something more interesting than hunting them. Within moments, they smash through the grates along the floor, and begin clambering downwards.

Downwards seems to be through some kind of service shaft, though easily big enough to fit a person in. They skitter down into the darkness, if any of Orange try and follow they can. It will be a steep, treacherous descent; they may need to break out that climbing gear to descend safely. 

Something Approaches

Back in the facility, the monsters that didn’t descend are instead attacking anyone they find with mindless savagery. A little while after the attack starts those near the top floor will hear a siren, ringing out into the darkness. It is not constant, rather it peaks and fades. Anyone who goes to investigate will find it comes from a black metal machine on the top floor, its screen showing a now constantly flashing, wavy green line and the words SIGNAL FOUND. As time passes, the green wave on-screen grows taller.
Luckily, they only have to last the remaining hour until dawn and when the sunlight shines through the glass of the facility the monsters shatter. In their place rise familiar orbs. Any monsters on the sub-levels remain active whilst the facility is in darkness.

The alarm subsides during the day. The machine’s wave remains the same size, pulsing only occasionally. Once night falls on the third day (Grasshopper 7), it shrills, and the wave continues to grow.
longforgottenpromise: (confused)

[personal profile] longforgottenpromise 2020-07-16 06:28 pm (UTC)(link)
"Let's hope someone is..." He looked at Dyme, pale faced.

"I... I was with red team before. The orbs... They attack in the darkness."

Someone to get the lights back on would be very useful right now.
swansongs: (Didn't even stand to watch you go)

[personal profile] swansongs 2020-07-18 03:55 am (UTC)(link)
"Yeah." He really hoped someone was, because he had no idea how to get anything up and working here again.

"Wait, the orbs attack? How do the orbs attack?"
longforgottenpromise: (confused)

[personal profile] longforgottenpromise 2020-07-18 09:38 am (UTC)(link)
"They..." He stopped and shone the light around as he heard scrabbling coming closer.

"We... Sorry we have to move."

Because it wasn't safe here. Wasn't safe anywhere but running was better than standing still.
swansongs: (Didn't even stand to watch you go)

[personal profile] swansongs 2020-07-19 04:41 am (UTC)(link)
"Wh-" he stopped mid-sentence, tensing up, ready to run now.

"What the shit is that," he whispered. His heart felt like it was going to beat its way out of his chest and he hadn't even seen anything yet. He didn't need to for the apprehension to build.
longforgottenpromise: (confused)

[personal profile] longforgottenpromise 2020-07-19 01:57 pm (UTC)(link)
"Fiends." He whispered, "They attacked us in the desert... I... Sorry I think they were in the orbs. Or are the orbs?"

He's not sure really. But he reached out to hold Dyme's hand, trying to calm him.
swansongs: (Didn't even stand to watch you go)

[personal profile] swansongs 2020-07-21 03:17 am (UTC)(link)
The orbs were monsters? Or contained monsters? Either option was awful. "I thought the orbs were going to be something cool, not something that tries to kill us all," he muttered.

His hand was shaky, but he gave Taiki's hand a little squeeze, trying not to hold on too tightly.
longforgottenpromise: (confused)

[personal profile] longforgottenpromise 2020-07-22 03:15 am (UTC)(link)
"I'm sorry..."

It's not his fault, but he still feels the need to apologise. For being the barer of bad news. He squeezed Dyme's hand back as his eyes darted around the room. "They don't like light though... So it we can find somewhere with more light..."
swansongs: (To what I said)

[personal profile] swansongs 2020-07-22 10:56 pm (UTC)(link)
"You don't have anything to apologize for." Not unless he'd somehow caused these monsters, which Dyme really, really doubted.

His spirits lifted just a little bit when he heard about the light, though. "Do you think our SCAs have enough light to protect us?" They were pretty bright, but there were a lot of limiting factors, too. "Until we find somewhere with more like, at least."
longforgottenpromise: (confused)

[personal profile] longforgottenpromise 2020-07-26 08:29 am (UTC)(link)
"I don't know... if there's a lot... No." After all, the beams could only be directed at one monster at a time.

"But... I... If we find somewhere to hide and make a patch of light, we might be able to keep them away..."

He has no idea if that will work. But it is better than fighting.
swansongs: (To what I said)

[personal profile] swansongs 2020-07-26 10:51 pm (UTC)(link)
He wasn't exactly filled with confidence right now, but hiding sure did sound better than trying to fight. Mostly because he couldn't fight.

"Okay. So, we just need to find like...a cabinet or a closet or something?"
longforgottenpromise: (confused)

[personal profile] longforgottenpromise 2020-07-27 04:30 am (UTC)(link)
"Yes." He nodded, a closet or a cabinet would probably be best. If nothing else having a door between them and the monsters had to be better than being out in the open.

He looked around, trying not to panic, to stay calm. Having Dyme here helped with that, someone to stay calm for.
swansongs: (To what I said)

[personal profile] swansongs 2020-07-28 04:03 am (UTC)(link)
That was Dyme's reasoning, too. He'd rather have a door or something solid between him and the things that wanted to kill him. Assuming the monsters did because what else would they want?

"Maybe across the hall?" he suggested, not seeing anything in here. Crossing the hall couldn't be that dangerous, right?
longforgottenpromise: (thoughtful)

[personal profile] longforgottenpromise 2020-07-29 07:34 pm (UTC)(link)
"Okay." He nodded quickly and looked around. "It's quiet... If we go now..."

Hopefully they wouldn't meet any monsters at all.
swansongs: (To what I said)

[personal profile] swansongs 2020-07-30 04:14 am (UTC)(link)
Dyme nodded. "Yeah."

Taking a deep breath, he crept over to the doorway, shining his SCA out into the hall. He didn't see anything, so he glanced over at Taiki and nodded before hurrying across the hall to the room on the other side, starting to look for someplace to hide there.
longforgottenpromise: (confused)

[personal profile] longforgottenpromise 2020-08-02 10:47 am (UTC)(link)
Taiki was right behind him, staying close, eyes darting around to check for approaching monsters. Luckily they got over the hall without issue and Taiki looked around the room.

"There." He pointed at what seemed to be a storage cupboard. Hopefully it wouldn't be too full...
swansongs: (To what I said)

[personal profile] swansongs 2020-08-03 02:33 am (UTC)(link)
Dyme nodded, heading for the cupboard. Opening it carefully, he peered inside. There were a bunch of bottles inside, containing who knew what, but he didn't have any qualms with shuffling said bottles outside of the cabinet, somewhere off to the side where they wouldn't be tripped over should they need to make a hasty retreat somewhere.

"I think there should be enough room now."
longforgottenpromise: (confused)

[personal profile] longforgottenpromise 2020-08-03 03:32 am (UTC)(link)
Taiki did his best to help, ignoring his shaking hands to pull bottles out of the cupboard, careful not to break any, who knew what they contained...

But he nodded. "Yes. I think there is." He paused, looking around again as the sounds of approaching scrabbling got closer.
swansongs: (Didn't even stand to watch you go)

[personal profile] swansongs 2020-08-03 10:48 pm (UTC)(link)
He squinted through the darkness, pointing his SCA in the direction of the doorway for a moment. He didn't see anything, but the hair on the back of his neck prickled, and he almost tripped over his own two feet stepping into the cupboard. Hopefully, they had enough time to get situated, and if they didn't...hopefully their flashlights would protect them.
longforgottenpromise: (confused)

[personal profile] longforgottenpromise 2020-08-04 03:54 am (UTC)(link)
Taiki was a little more steady as he followed. Still calm. There's not much space in here and he makes himself as small as possible even as he pulls the door closed behind him.

The sounds are coming closer. He can only hope these creatures hunt by sight or sound and not by scent.
swansongs: (Said a million things but now I know)

[personal profile] swansongs 2020-08-05 05:11 am (UTC)(link)
Dyme wished he could be as calm as Taiki seemed to be, but at least he wasn't outright panicking himself. He did, however, subconsciously hold his breath as he listened to the sounds getting closer, putting a hand over his SCA to block the light without turning off the flashlight. He wanted it ready in case he needed it, so he wouldn't have to fumble for it.
longforgottenpromise: (serious)

wrap?

[personal profile] longforgottenpromise 2020-08-06 03:57 am (UTC)(link)
That was a good idea, Taiki did the same, covering his SCA screen with his hand, blocking the light. Perhaps the light would keep the monsters away, but also it might show them they were here. Best to not be found at all, that way Dyme would not have to fight.

He makes himself as small as he can, willing the monsters to leave them be. They were on the upper levels at least, so they just had to hold out until morning.

He had no idea how long that would be.