Just Visiting: Dimension-jumping adventures inside... - Printable Version
+- alonimi (https://alonimi.net)
+-- Forum: Science Fiction (https://alonimi.net/forumdisplay.php?fid=69)
+--- Forum: Misc Sci Fi (https://alonimi.net/forumdisplay.php?fid=79)
+--- Thread: Just Visiting: Dimension-jumping adventures inside... (/showthread.php?tid=512)
+- alonimi (https://alonimi.net)
+-- Forum: Science Fiction (https://alonimi.net/forumdisplay.php?fid=69)
+--- Forum: Misc Sci Fi (https://alonimi.net/forumdisplay.php?fid=79)
+--- Thread: Just Visiting: Dimension-jumping adventures inside... (/showthread.php?tid=512)
Just Visiting: Dimension-jumping adventures inside... - danixiewrites - 11-08-2014
<div style="text-align:center;][/img]"http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag76/danixiewrites/WEAR_zpsv9mkcyk5.png" style="Just Visiting" style="font-size:10pt;max-width:50%;][/align]
[font=verdana" size="3]A cadre of well-meaning interdimensional scientists host drug trials to find the perfect subjects to test an experimental wormhole technology which will break down the barriers between planes of existence and time itself. The assembled team would also prove an experiment on what sorts of interactions the worlds might expect to see once said barriers are torn asunder.
Which is all well and good, in theory. In reality, the Travelers will be thrust through a series of inconvenient and probably unwanted adventures--having believed they were simply trying out a digital wristband which could detect vitamin deficiencies--and who knows if they'll even get along?
[/font]
<div style="text-align:center;]<img style="font-size:10pt;max-width:75%;" src="http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag76/danixiewrites/T%20H%20A%20N%20K%20nbspY%20O%20U%201_zps0fnu0sjd.png" style="Vitalife!]<span style="font-size:10pt;] </span>[/align]
<font size="5]Traveler Tools
[/font]
<font size="3]Each wristband contains a compass, radiation shield (For you.), a self-defense mechanism (For the band, not for you. At least you can still Travel...but you really shouldn't have put your hand so close to that acid wash! *tsk tsk*), an air toxin analyzer, and a watch which displays the local stardate and time. Wristbands ensure Travelers are jumped at the same time to land within an approximate radius of each other, so long as they keep them on.
Each selected Traveler was also given a "winning" shoulder pack, as if their name had simply been plucked from a hat for showing up at the trial. Within it appears to be the typical "giveaway swag" until one examines it closely: a pair of sunglasses which generate a specialized oxygen mask as needed, a towel, a datapad of a single specialty--one might detect the aggression of a native species, for example, while another could analyze flora, or translate languages, or identify local customs, etc.--an empty water bottle, and a second wristband.
Travelers have the clothes on their back and have likely brought 2 pocket-sized things from home, useful or not. (Phone, crumpled brochure, pack of gum, butterfly knife, nothing?) The well-meaning scientists of the barrier-smashing cadre are certain their selected subjects can scrounge for supplies. There are always gullible lifeforms somewhere, after all. *twirls invisible mustache*
[/font]
<div style="text-align:center;][/img]"http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag76/danixiewrites/Test%20Subjects_zps1krzzvpb.png" style="Test Subjects Wanted" style="font-size:10pt;max-width:75%;][/align]
<font size="5]Plot Points
[/font]
<font size="3]Each jump is random (but for OOC purposes, it'll generally be once a subplot has concluded).
Each new world is random (Although up for suggestions. Phweee!).
And home...isn't on the current starmap.
Current Location: A predominately tropical forested continent. A host of aggressive and generally poisonous flora and fauna.
Current Natives: Nomadic, horned humanoids with extraordinary hearing and eyesight, and pretty good aim.
[/font]
<font size="3]///*/*/*/*/*/*///[/font]
<font size="5]RULES:
[/font]
<font size="3]1. Grammar/spelling checkers on and multiparagraph posts, much obliged.
2. OOC = questions and commentary and plotting in OOC thread, please and thank you...
3. Supernaturals, aliens, high-techisms, magic users...come frolic.
4. This thread is potentially NSFW.
5. Characters are more than welcome to be Locals or Travelers--or even scientists who got too close to the dimensional swirly-thing*. Locals must be native to the current world. Travelers can be from anywhere; you can either hop in fresh from a jump or start with a "first jump" style post (some of your char's ordinary world love before it gets, you know, ripped away).
6. On disappearing characters: It's sad when people go awaaaay. If we don't hear from you in some capacity for a week, we'll assume you've removed your wristband, and are stuck forever on the realm we left behind! Don't panic if something comes up though; if things have moved on, upon your return, you're welcome to rejoin with a delayed jump to the current location, or come in with a new char (either a subject or a local). (Or, you know, if things are happily plodding along and you're still able to catch up--just pop back in. <3 )
[/font]
*technical term
<div style="text-align:center;][/img]"http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag76/danixiewrites/Subject%20Status-%20Deployed_zpsllo6yhas.png" style="Subject Status: Deployed" style="font-size:10pt;max-width:75%;][/align]
Just Visiting: Dimension-jumping adventures inside... - danixiewrites - 11-08-2014
Anya wanted nothing to do with the reclamated hospital, with its hyped-up promises and puffed-up "physicians". But she'd made a promise, to her sister and to her mother, and there was a food stipend. Try a new vitamin. That was it. Food for her family, herself, and good results led to even greater rewards. Too good to be true.
"Stupid promises," she muttered as she trotted dutifully into place in the line, herded along like the sheep her mother mentioned once in a fairy tale. No one glanced at her, her vocal patterns purposefully tuned on frequencies only other war-spawn could hear.
What the "physicians" didn't tell her, or anyone who entered, was that the "vitamin"? Tech.
And as much as Anya hated charlatans, she was terrified of tech. Tech had decimated her homeworld. Hijacked, modified military drones had enslaved her planet, the year inevitable when they'd eventually turned those cruel turrets on each other. When they'd left humanity and its war-spawn--genetic freaks like Anya, tech slaves like her sister--free, to bathe in rubble and ash.
Re-embracing tech, despite her sister's former integration, was like asking to be a slave again. So despite her volunteer status, when the band came out, so did a needle; Anya went under strapped to a table and refusing to beg for her life. She wasn't the only one who'd balked at the experiment, but she WAS the first one to have a secondary phase attempted so they wouldn't have to worry about her ripping the band from her wrist upon waking. Surgery. Because she was special. Selected. Because life was cruel, and the Vitalife cadre's scientists knew they could provide a better one--and barring that, a better purpose--for this hardy, red-and-gold-haired specimen of post-humanity.
There was a light. The end of the tunnel smelled like green, at least, that's what Anya assumed it had to be, for she'd never seen colors so vivid and seemingly multiplying. Her world smelled of grays and browns, a dusty entreat to oblivion. What had they done? Perhaps the drug they'd given her was still acting on her psyche.
"Where am I?" Anya asked aloud. Subvocal was useless if she wanted the "physicians" to hear and answer.
"XR9," a feminine voice crooned, and Anya scrambled to her feet, her back to a tree and her fists at the ready before realizing it had come from her own forearm. "Tropical."
"Mother of mercy," she said, hauling her sleeve up and staring at the band that had fused to skin. "They've made me a monster."
"Air: Breathable by Subject. Arrival State: Caution."
Anya's slightly pointed ears swiveled, listening to pinpoint the danger. "Caution?"
"Hostile environment," the black circlet that fitted into her flesh seemed to reply, but additional questions yielded no such further answers, and it fell silent.
"Hostile environment," Anya muttered in that subvocal tone. Well, at least some things never changed.
Just Visiting: Dimension-jumping adventures inside... - yinepuhotep - 11-09-2014
Tammy groaned and rubbed her left temple, while wincing at the light, even through her closed eyes.
Andrei? What just happened?
We got Banished.
We got what? But I'm not a god!
It's not just gods anymore, Tammy. Anyone with any supernatural blood is getting attacked. It's reached the point where Fred's hiring mundanes to patrol for DSS invaders, so they won't be affected by the Banishment.
Frak. OK, where are we? And is there anything we can do about this headache?
Sorry. Apparently migraines are a standard side-effect of being Banished. As for where we are, I'm still getting a reading on the quantum differential.
OK, well, let me know as soon as you can contact anyone, OK?
Of course. For now, I suggest going along with whatever these people are doing, until we find out what's going on and what you need to crush in order to get home.
=====
Going along with the Mads running this place, whatever it was, was easy enough. She certainly had enough experience with Mads since moving to Laputa to know the good ones from the bad ones. And these were definitely some of the bad ones. Still, the only trouble she ran into was when one of them tried to take Andrei from her. She put an end to that when she triggered his armor mode and extruded a very obvious particle beam blaster from the back of the armor on her arm, which she pointed at the one who had tried to take him. He wet himself, dropped a backpack in front of her, and held out a wristband, while stammering, "Here! Here! You need this! Take it!"
Tammy took the band from the terrified scientist and scooped up the pack he had dropped, then looked around for a chair to sit on while studying the items. Not finding one, she shrugged and pulled her legs up, crossed them, and floated about three feet off the ground with her legs crossed. She retracted Andrei's armor, and he returned to his wristwatch appearance.
The wristband is a focus for some sort of wormhole generator. Based on what I'm reading, my guess is that the generator is a fixed installation, and the wormholes are generated at a distance, using the bands as a sort of a lens.
Seriously? So my gut feeling that these people are evil bastards isn't that far off?
Not evil bastards. Idealists. My reading of their computers says these idiots actually believe they've stumbled onto something that will benefit humanity, and they just need to prove it before making a public announcement of their discovery.
Oh great. So, if Fred didn't have ethics....
Exactly. Hyperdrive is a lot easier than what they've come up with, but this system works on a planetary surface.
And without a fixed gate, apparently. Which means if there's a government on this world, it's going to get hold of it and use it for its secret police, long before there's any real benefit to real people.
Pretty much.
Andrei's comment cut off there, as the wormhole sucked them in and something - Tammy wasn't sure what it was, but she was certain it had lots of sharp, pointy teeth, just before she turned it into a greasy smear on the jungle floor - tried to bite Tammy.
"Frak! No warning before a jump? That's frakking insane! Where the frak are we?" Tammy blurted out, her disdain for the Mads responsible turned to anger.
"XR9," the band she had been examining stated from the ground, where it lay next to the backpack. "Tropical. Air: Breathable by Subject. Arrival State: Caution."
"Caution, it says," Tammy muttered. "Caution, it says. I get dumped here through a wormhole, something with a shit ton of teeth tries to eat me, and all it can say is caution? Andrei, tell me you've got a signal back home?"
"Not yet," Andrei replied, his Russian accent thick enough to cut with a chainsaw. Tammy, despite sounding as if she came from the upper Midwest, seemed to have no trouble understanding him. "My analysis suggests we are 738 points of resonance away from home, but the static is affecting my ability to make the connection."
"That implies they've already done some wormhole research, doesn't it?" Tammy mused. "From what I remember from school, the more quantum engineering a civilization has done, the more static there is around their universe."
"That is a working hypothesis," Andrei said. "I suggest you put the band on, so if the local researchers induce any further jumps, you don't get left behind. I also suggest you examine the contents of the backpack. Hopefully they included basic survival supplies in it."
Tammy turned black, and an arrow, which had stopped on contact with the blackness, where it would have penetrated the base of her skull, fell to the ground.
"Tell me someone didn't just shoot me?" Tammy groaned, incredulous.
"Thirty yards away, directly behind you," Andrei said calmly. "He's preparing another shot. Looks like a bow, not a blowgun."
"I don't have time for this," Tammy growled, swiveled, and pointed a hand at the being that had shot her. A pulse of gravitons smashed into the being's chest, slamming it into a tree about ten yards behind it and knocking it out, with a few broken ribs for its trouble. "Can you track the other bands?"
"I can," Andrei said simply. "Do you want to find them, or avoid them?"
"Find them," Tammy said. "Where's the closest one?"
"Approximately sixty yards on a heading of 223 magnetic," Andrei said. "I'll put the info in your HUD."
A moment later, Tammy's vision was filled with markers of varying colors and intensities, each marker showing the direction and distance to one of the other wristbands.
Just Visiting: Dimension-jumping adventures inside... - Panda - 11-10-2014
Where am I?
Light filtered in through his closed eyes, but that was nothing new. There had been little except for light for a long time after all. Something was definitely different about the light however. What was it? He refused to open his eyes yet. Opening his eyes never lead to anything good.
What do I remember? Pain, loss, the usual. A watch or something. Being told I was a failure and they were getting rid of me. As if I wanted to be used by them in the first place. A gun. Dying? I'm obviously not dead though. So what happened?
Sounds distracted him from his thoughts, sounds that seemed out of place. A rustling of...not cloth. Movement of something. Not to mention that scent, a scent that was bothering him. It seemed so familiar but he couldn't quite place it. Such a comforting scent on the air...wait a moment.
Fresh air?
In a flash his eyes were open, taking in the surroundings. Surroundings filled with green, with nature, with fresh air and sunlight. He was outside. He was free. Or was he? This could just be a trick after all. They might be trying to trick him after all. Thinking of it, who were 'they'? For that matter, and more importantly, who was he? The thought sent the man into a slight panic, pain flashing through his head as he looked around for anything to remind himself. A pack of some sort was on the ground next to him, one filled with very impersonal seeming objects. None of it had anything to truly identify him. There was a...bullet, maybe, nearby on the ground. One that had obviously been used and was covered in blood. Plus it was uncomfortably close to where his head had been. Like in the memory of him being shot. Except he wasn't dead, and people died when shot in the head. So what had happened?
Deciding to check himself, he soon enough discovered things in his pockets. One was a pack of cigarettes. Unopened. How had that gotten there? The other was a black lighter. A Zippo with a name engraved on it. Kieran Wilder. Just looking at it gave him flashes of memory. Faces, people, even with no names attached. The name itself felt right. It was his. What about the rest though? How did his lighter end up in his pocket, when he did remember being a prisoner of sorts before?
Slowly, Kieran turned back towards the used bullet in the dirt near him. As insane as it sounded, that little bit of metal seemed like the source of his current problems. Assuming his memory, or dream, was true then he had been shot in the head and somehow survived, even if his memories were to a large extent either gone or fragmented. That could hopefully be regained over time however. For now? Kieran knew he still had to figure out where he was and how to actually survive in the middle of nowhere with no memories. Huh. For that matter, what did he even look like? Dark hair, black from what he could tell. Long, shoulder length. He had fairly thick stubble too from what he could feel. Body wise he felt pretty average, but without ways to compare and with no clear memories he couldn't really judge. Kieran would have gone further in trying to figure this out, but then the sound of movement happened again, and much closer. Startled, he looked up and in the direction of the sound.
I am definitely not in Kansas anymore.
The person(?) standing in front of him was most definitely not human. Right number of limbs, and in the right places, but last he checked humans didn't have horns. Even his faulty memory remembered that much. He could dwell on that later though. More important to his immediate future was the bow aimed directly at him, drawn, with the horned man(?) obviously threatening. Carefully picking up the pack, and thankful the lighter and cigarettes were already back in his pockets, Kieran slowly began to back away from the being. Until he tripped backwards over a tree root just in time to have an arrow pass through where his throat has just been. Alright, it was definitely time to panic. Not to mention time to pick himself up and run through the trees as fast as he could away from the angry being. Hopefully he wouldn't get shot in the back, though the fact that he quite literally felt an arrow pass right by his face wasn't inspiring. Was he bleeding now? Yes, Kieran decided, he was. This did not look good.
"Where the hell am I?"
"XR9," Came a response in a vaguely mechanical voice. A response from his wrist of all places. The hell? The wristband or watch continued, even as he kept running. "Tropical. Air: Breathable by Subject. Arrival State: Caution."
Right. Caution. A bit late for that warning, thanks. Though that gave me far more questions than answers. I'll worry about it if I survive.
Oh, if only he knew. He would figure it out eventually though.
Just Visiting: Dimension-jumping adventures inside... - jazzhands - 11-10-2014
Zadkiel strolled into the Justicar Station dragging an unconscious half-human half-dragon male behind him in special handcuffs made from holy energy, a magical energy all Justicars learn to wield from an early age if they show proficiency in the field. Zadkiel throws the prisoner at the front desk and speaks to the clerk. "Joe, get this scumbag booked." The young clerical angel gives Zadkiel a big salute. "Angelcop! Some of the guys will be surprised to see you. I never had any doubts but you went to a universe with nothing but a magical bow and arrow to capture an infamous dragon fugitive who was resistant to all types of magic and could breathe out fire that did all types of magic! However did you beat the odds?"
Zadkiel takes his shades off before giving Joe a response. "I may not have guns and I may not have been able to use magic...but never doubt a well placed blow to the testicles. And dragons have big balls that are nearly as big as mine." Joe claps enthusiastically as Zadkiel leaves the prisoner to be booked while heading further in. Upon approaching his desk, he notices Deputy Cherub waiting with a cup of coffee. "Gee, Angelcop! You sure showed that dragon who's boss! Murphy bet on you not coming back but I told him that Angelcop can't be beat! Angelcop is a good cop!"
Zadkiel took the offered beverage out of his deputy's hands and took a giant gulp and savoured the delicious taste of caffeine. "I tell you, it's a cup of heavenly joe that I always miss the most when I go undercover. Deputy Cherub, I'm trusting you to do the paperwork. I had better go see the Chief." "Angelcop, never fear! Deputy Cherub is here!" Zadkiel nodded before downing his drink and putting the "NUMBER 1 COP" mug back on his desk.
"ANGELCOP! GET YOUR BUTT IN HERE NOOOOOOW!"
Zadkiel smirked at the familiar tone behind that loud cry and turned to spot Chief Nephy Williams standing outside her office wagging her finger impatiently. "MY OFFICE! NOW!" Zadkiel steps into her office and closes the door before trying to beat her to the punch. "Chief, if this is about the small damages-" "SILENCE." Zadkiel instantly went quiet and noticed that the Chief's afro was shaking in anger which meant he knew she was particularly angry at him. "Angelcop, small damages is not when you destroy a castle, two villages, fourteen ox and an ORPHANAGE!"
Zadkiel raised his hand up to try to stop before the Chief really got rolling. "In my defense, I didn't mean to set off that volcano with our final fight but I had to bring that dragon down. I'm a cop first and a volcanologist around the seventy-two mark. It's a pretty fascinating hobby but not one I have really had time fo-" Nephy stands up and bangs the table dramatically with her fist. "ANGELCOP, YOU ARE OUT OF ORDER! You promised me you'd tone down your loose cannon ways. If it wasn't for a new case on my desk, I'd have you suspended." The Chief opens the file on her desk and slides it towards him.
The Justicar detective picks up the case file and reads it diligently. "A wristband trial masquerading as an experiment into interdimensional wormhole technology? That sounds dangerous if the rumours are true from our source...I am in." "I knew you would be. Angelcop, you are used to having to go undercover with very little equpiment but I need to ask you to give up your interdimensional travel wristwatch. We can't risk that falling into the hands of these scientists." Zadkiel looked down at his wristwatch and sighed. "I just had this engraved as well by the boys in Forensics....take care of it." The angelic detective removes the device and hands it to the Chief as she gives him his instructions.
"Go to the Lab, you will get a communicator and find your trusty Lawbringer awaiting you. You have been approved to use that as well as your inherent magic. Find out if the rumours are true and if they are, bring them to justice. And try not to have too much collateral damage on your hands, Angelcop." Zadkiel nods and heads to the Lab to pick up his equipment and gets changed into a plain white bodysuit with a black long jacket over it to hide his wings that have been strapped to keep his status as an angel secret. Taking a moment to salute the techheads behind him, Zadkiel goes through the one-way portal.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Zadkiel attached the communicator badge to his jacket and pocketed his shades. "Control, I appear to be outside a hospital of some sorts. The wristband is being advertised and there is a queue. I shall maintain silence for a period of time now to conduct my investigation. Over and out." Zadkiel hits the mute buton and slots his Lawbringer into a holster before getting in line with other people. Green eyes dart side to side analytically as the queue of people slowly shuffle forward. Halfway along, the detective notices a robotic guard go down a hallway. Checking that no human or robot eyes are noticing him, Zadkiel quickly rushes into the hallway and quietly follows the robot into a large square room. The robot suddenly turns and begins speaking. "HELLO. YOU HAVE BEEN SPECIALLY SELECTED."
The doors behind the divine cop close and large doors open from the other side of the room revealing a dozen robots similar to the one that had lured Zadkiel into the trap. All of them begin to repeat "HELLO. YOU HAVE BEEN SPECIALLY SELECTED." Zadkiel keeps his hand close to his prized golden gun and keeps his eyes trained on the robots like a hawk as he begins to walk sideways. "Why have you trapped me here?" "HELLO. YOU HAVE BEEN SPECIALLY SELECTED. YOU ARE SPECIAL." The solo robot in the middle of the room raises it's arms and launches darts. Zadkiel rolls to the side and pulls out his Lawbringer and points it directly at the droid. "Cease and desist at once or I will fire."
"HELLO. YOU HAVE BEEN SPECIALLY SELECTED. YOU ARE SELECTED."
The robot whirs up to fire again and Zadkiel fires two blasts of energy from his weapon destroying the droid and leaving him feeling a tiny bit tired. Zadkiel can't help but wonder why only one robot attacked him at first and he senses a horrible feeling that he has become a lab rat. The gang of robots all move and form a defensive wall across his only exit and Zadkiel crouches low to make himself harder to hit. "I feel giving you another warning would be wasted."
"HELLO. YOU HAVE BEEN SPECIALLY SELECTED. YOU ARE SELECTED. YOU ARE SPECIAL."
Zadkiel keeps his body low and focuses a few shots at the ones blocking the door. As he destroys two, he feels a couple of thuds in his shoulder but keeps running and hoping adrenaline can get him through. The Justicar fires a couple more shots to destroy another one and leaps over the wreckage hearing their creepy monotone cries follow him as he finds himself in a smaller room with scientists and a surgical table. "Okay, which one of you-"
Zadkiel suddenly falls to his knees and feels consciousness ebbing away from him as he struggles to stay awake. Blurred voices echo in the background. "It seems the tranquiliser kicked in-" "Get the wristband on him quickly befo-" "That was a thrilling test of the robots, the army will be-" Zadkiel falls to the floor and musters up the energy to look up at a masked scientist briefly before falling asleep. The masked scientist rubs their hands with glee and speaks loudly to their new test subject.
"Hello. You have been selected. You are special."
---------------------------------------------------------------
Eyes slowly open and Zadkiel lays there for a while feeling incredibly groggy. He moves his head around wearily and notices the scenery is green rather than the artifical silver he had previously saw before he passed out. Staggering to his feet, the Justicar gets hit by bright sunshine and instinctively pulls out his shades and places them on his emerald orbs. Taking a moment to shake away his chemically induced weariness, Zadkiel looks down to spot his Lawbringer in it's usual place and finds he is still in the same clothes with his communicator still in place as a badge. However, he finds he has a couple of new additions on his person; a shoulder pack and a wristband that has been fused to his skin.
Zadkiel frowns upon the violation of privacy that must have occured for the new wristband to be attached to him but opts to distract himself by a second look around the environment. Trees and fauna as far as the eye can see. Taking a moment to rub the sweat off his brow and swat a couple of bugs off of his fire red hair, the detective unmutes his communication device. "Hello. Hello. Control?" "This is Control. We appear to have lost you on our locators...where are you?" "Er...I was hoping you could tell me, Control? One second, I'm investigating the clinic. I walk into a trap and get knocked out. Now I'm in some sort of tropical forest area." "Control cannot pick you up on our scanners at all, Angelcop. I am afraid you are on your own. Keep us informed."
Zadkiel mutes the communicator again and scratches his clean shaven shin briefly and ponders what his next move should be while speaking aloud to himself. "Guess I should try to work out where I am?" A female voice chimes out from the wristband. "XR9. Tropical." "Wristband, you don't need to be a detective to work that one out." The female voice continued oblivious to his joke. "Air: Breathable by subject. Arrival State: Caution. Hostile environment." Zadkiel looked around cautiously but spotted nothing nearby that appeared hostile. "Wristband, what hostiles should I look out for?"
Greeted by nothing but silence, Zadkiel smirked a little. "Wristband, you remind me of my ex-wife. Thanks for the clarification." Zadkiel kept his hand by his side and kept himself alert in case he met the "hostile" in "hostile environment" and slowly walked forwards through the wild trees.
Just Visiting: Dimension-jumping adventures inside... - danixiewrites - 11-10-2014
Anya stepped forward to turn in a slow 360. Nothing but green and the bag at her feet. Seeing nothing rarely meant there was nothing to see. She dragged the pack with her and slung it over one shoulder as she backed against the bark of the tree. Then she Listened. The sounds that told her she was not alone were not the sounds of the clinic at all. No heels to tile, no metallic echoes, no polite intercom chatter. Here, there was a dominant crunching of something underfoot. But not sand, not packed dirt. Her bright, blue gaze took in the ground cover. Leaves, perhaps. Roots and bizarre plantlife and rich, moist mud. Several such sounds made her ears tip forward. Some steps were close together and inherently quiet, some tentatively so--as if trying to walk softer than able. Another few sets of purposeful strides, leaf and sole-sucking disturbances spaced further apart than the others. And one set that simply crashed into her eardrums like an old Earth elephant.
Or like they'd decided to awkwardly hug one of the barbed berry plants like the one a few feet from Anya.
She thought she heard her wristband speaking again, but a quick prod of the device that was now a part of her led to a jarring of the nerves in her right arm. Nothing more. Anya frowned. There were a lot of people at the clinic. Had others been made into technological horrors, too? Or was she simply hoping she'd not been trapped in some defunct wargame sim?
Unfamiliar terrain and imagining things didn't make for a good defensive position in any scenario. In the cities that still stood, Anya's solution was to climb high and Listen closer. No one who belonged to those footsteps was gonna catch her flatfooted, and she decided the strategy would suit just fine in the vivid forest that towered overhead. She left her ears cocked as she looked for a good perch.
Thick vines wound around many of the trees, and these made good footholds and a simple climb until the hodgepodge of branches began. Anya climbed, the denim of her jeans abrading her ears and the large limb she chose, a crackle of bark and rough fabric so grating it forced her to pull back her Listening until she'd finished scooting across on her butt to settle in a spot where the foliage didn't completely block her view. To the casual observer, the tips of her ears would then seem to lean forward while her body remained still, alert once more.
There were others. One she spotted in modern clothes that didn't look a thing like they'd been dusted by dead earth--unlike hers. Was that--? She let out a low grunt of disgust. "Tech."
And then a small group moving to intercept, wielding bows and arrows, wearing clothes that blended into the forest...and what appeared to be crowns of gnarled branches. At least, that's what she had to believe they were. Even mutant freaks like Anya didn't have things like that protruding from their skulls. She'd call out to neither party, even in warning. Not until she'd determined exactly who the hostile was in this environment.
"Where the hell am I?"
Anya sympathized with that question, and hearing a repeat of what her band had already stated--no imaginative twist, then--only strengthened her belief that the "physicians" had done something very, very wrong. Typical, and she should have been more prepared. What else could one expect, when technology was involved?
She was so focused on trying to hear what others like her might be saying to themselves that she didn't catch the undertone of the forest itself, the slithering hiss of vines stirred to life by her climb, vines moving against one another in an achingly slow undulation, under the leaves on the ground, around the trunks of the trees.
And then it was too late.
A vine launched at her, wrapping around her waist and hoisting her into the air. Anya bent her knees, reaching for the long hunting knife in her boot and dragging it across the offending green. Not the way to force it to let go; her midsection aching as it tightened its hold. Looking around for the nearest limb to catch hold of, Anya caught a glimpse of another being dangled high in the trees, white and black garments flapping where branches caught at his clothes. And along that line of sight...the quad-fanged jaw of the plant-creature that held her in its grasp.
So. This was nature. A force she'd long thought crushed into meek acceptance under the heel of tech and humankind. Nature...was kind of badass. Anya held her knife up and smiled thinly. "Come and try a bite, tumbleweed."
Just Visiting: Dimension-jumping adventures inside... - yinepuhotep - 11-10-2014
Tammy strapped the wristband onto her free wrist, scooped up the backpack, and levitated about ten feet so she could examine the contents.
Sunglasses? Oh well. Wait, there's something odd about them. Andrei, can you analyze this?
Not really. Other than a lack of toxins in it, all I can suggest is that you put them on and see what happens.
That's so helpful. Well, let's see what else is here. A towel, a datapad ... damn. They're still using pads in this universe. It's not even a basic MacManus pad. Still ...
She tapped the screen, and it lit up. Linguistic Database. Insufficient language sample for translation.
Well, look at this. The pad is a translator. Let's hope it's actually useful. What else do we have ... a water bottle. No water, just the bottle. Let's hope it has a ceramic filter in it. A spare wristband. That's it. Wait. That's it? Are they trying to kill off their test subjects?
Either that or they're a bunch of morons.
Well, we already know that's the case. Not even an energy bar in here. Good grief. Can you take over for me? I need to find something to eat or I'm going to pass out the next time I need to blast something.
Tammy turned black when Andrei upped the Ravenfield to absorb gravitons.
I've got it. You can relax now. At least until you go rescue that poor chmo that carnivorous plant's holding.
Oh, great. So even the plant life here is hostile.
Tammy shot toward the guy being dangled in mid-air, while calling out, "Hold on! I'm coming!"
Grab the vine about a foot from his leg. I'll take care of the rest.
"Got it! Ok, you! I'm going to swing you toward the tree! Grab on and don't let go!"
The vine froze in her grip, then shattered like a mouse dropped in liquid oxygen.
This is going to be an interesting trip.
Interesting, he says. Interesting! Like the Chinese curse, it's interesting!
Exactly. That's one down. There's another one, but she looks like she's planning to use her knife on anything getting near her.
Tammy looked toward the woman Andrei was highlighting in her vision.
Oh yeah. She looks like she came from DC or New York. Let's stay out of her way, huh?
Not only that, look at her wristband. It looks from here like they surgically implanted it. I'm guessing she was a volunteer by Stalin's definition.
So she's not going to trust anyone or anything. Lovely.
Just Visiting: Dimension-jumping adventures inside... - jazzhands - 11-10-2014
Zadkiel looked around for tracks to see if he could use them to help find a source of people or civilization but had no success so far as he kept walking forwards. Not having a goal to work towards or find currently kept him on edge. He heard a hiss and spun in the direction of it with his gun drawn and spotted a trio of small quad fanged plants flailing tiny vines around as if they were trying to ensnare him. "Cute. You'll have to be bigger than that to scare me." Cracking a small laugh to himself, the Justicar looks up and notices a larger version of the plants behind them with vines reaching out towards him.
The vines entangle around his leg and lift him up into the air. "Hello, Mummy! Let's play nice!" Understanding that he needs to do more escaping and less smart talking, the angel begins to summon energy into the palm of his hand when he hears someone call out to him. Arching his head around, he spots a redhead woman in black armour and takes a moment to process that image before remembering he has bigger things to worry about like being restrained. He hears her mention swinging him to a tree and nods as the vine around his leg is frozen and shattered. Grabbing the stranger's arm, the detective grabs hold and finds himself swung at a nearby tree and lets go allowing him to use the momentum to land on a large wooden part of the tree about halfway down the giant tree.
Standing up quickly, Zadkiel eyes the large plant beast cautiously. "I guess that is a bit bigger. Guess I should help them take out Mummy." A wooden limb clamps down on his left shoulder suddenly and Zadkiel finds himself being lifted into the air and dangling again. He found himself looking upon some sort of multi-limbed tree monster that had four dark black eyes focused upon him. "Are you Daddy?" Two large mouths open at the wooden base and roar loudly at the angel which helps him to remember he is still doing too much talking. Smaller branch like limbs begin to wrap around his left leg and pull him down towards the top mouth. Focusing magical energy into his right hand, Zadkiel places it on the giant limb holding him. "Burn with righteous fire!"
The monstrous limb erupts into flames and a pained outcry comes from the warped tree creature who quickly recoils in pain and throws Zadkiel down to the ground. He tries to put his body out into some sort of defensive stance to soften the landing but it barely does anything and the detective goes skidding across the ground. Jumping quickly to his feet, Zadkiel stumbles briefly and takes a moment to catch his breath and assess the damage. Feeling blood dripping down his forehead, Zadkiel focuses energy into his hand. "Heal my plight!"
The wound heals and Zadkiel finds himself feeling a bit weary from having to expend magical energy twice in rapid succession. Loud footsteps signal the wooden tree creature is able to move and Zadkiel pulls out his Lawbringer as the fire has spread all over the wooden foe. This doesn't deter the creature from charging the angelic detective who runs and slides out of the way. Thankful that the creature's size gives it little manueverability, the angel considers flying away but doesn't like the idea of flying in such a dangerous forest even if the strange redhead seemed to have no trouble doing so.
The burning creature picks up a nearby tree and Zadkiel's eyes light up with fear at what he anticipates will come next and a sudden idea pops up in his head. He runs towards the little plant children he had seen earlier and stands close enough to them forcing the creature to reluctantly throw his makeshift ammo away. They try to grab him with their vines but their attempts are weak and Zadkiel easily shakes off their attemps as the large creature finally falls down giving one last roar. "You should have never assaulted an officer, Daddy." Now focusing attention on to Mummy, the angel takes a moment to compose himself and see if he can avoid having to use more magic.
Conserving energy would be vital to surviving the "hostile environment".
Just Visiting: Dimension-jumping adventures inside... - Panda - 11-10-2014
He had no idea what was going on. No real memory, no idea where he was other than what his wrist-thingy said, a strange semi-human creature trying to kill him with an archaic weapon...though at least the fact that he recognized the bow meant he still remembered knowledge, it was just events that were missing. What form of amnesia was that supposed to be again? Not that he truly had the time to be considering all of these things, running for his life and all. Speak of the devil, there's another arrow passing by him. Barely.
Then a loud shriek rips through the air, some creature apparently screaming, and Kieran can't help but hesitate and involuntarily look in the direction of the sound. Was that flames he saw through the trees? Were the flames a good thing or a bad thing?
Again, his thoughts were interrupted, this time by an impact and sharp pain in his lower back. He stumbled, letting out a pained cry as he fell forward onto the ground.
It's official. Getting shot with an arrow definitely sucks. Here's hoping it wasn't poisoned or something. Though I doubt that matters.
Forcing himself to stand again, Kieran began to move forward. He didn't look behind him and notice the archer begin to fall back as he made his way forward, coincidentally towards the fire. Kieran also missed the vines that had almost grabbed hold of him, since he had started moving again just in time to avoid it's first attempt. Whatever was happening, wherever he was, and whatever threats were out there he knew just one simple fact about his situation right now.
Dammit, I really want one of those cigarettes right now.
Just Visiting: Dimension-jumping adventures inside... - tanith - 11-11-2014
“Uh, yeah, this is a little tight, don't you think?” Victoria tried to slip a finger underneath the wristband that was just placed on her but it wasn’t happening. “Aren’t you supposed to be able to put, like, two fingers under there? Or maybe I’m thinking about a collar?”
“A collar.” One of the men in white replied flatly.
“What a novel idea, perhaps we should have made these collars?” Another piped in, his tone of voice had a cheery ring to it, but with dark undertones. There was nothing friendly about it what so ever. Victoria was not amused.
With a look of uncertainty she watched as the ‘doctors’ did their work, moving and fussing about her wristband, taking notes and inputting things into computers. None of this meant anything to Victoria, she was only here to get paid. There had been an ad in the local newspaper looking for volunteers to participate in a test of a new state of the art wristband that was designed to detect vitamin deficiencies, or something like that.
Victoria wasn’t strapped for cash per se, in fact, she had quite a bit of it in the form of luxurious handbags, shoes, cars, etc. She was the spoiled daughter of wealthy socialites coming from a long line of old money. However someone had been misusing their credit card and their daddy had it suspended. Everything was fine for a while, that is until the new j-phone Xclass came out.
“Ow!” With no warning someone jabbed her arm with a needle, there was no mention in the paperwork that she signed that she would be given any medication. Furiously she spun around to face the woman with the syringe. “Okay, if you are going to stab me with shit then you will either pay me more, or I will get my lawyers involved!”
“I don't think that will be necessary, my dear.” The woman replied, almost sympathetically, while placing a hand on her shoulder, gently easing her back into a laying position on the cot.
Victoria could feel her eyes closing, the bright lights of the clinic began to fade despite all her efforts to keep her eyes open. As she was gently pushed towards the hospital bed she prepared herself for the impact, but nothing came. Instead it felt like she continued on, through the bed and down into the floor. The last thing she could remember was trying to ask what was happening to her, but the words only came out as an unintelligible slur
…………………………….
Splash!
To anyone in the area the sound of something falling into a nearby bog may have gotten their attention, if not it would have been the surprised squeal that followed it. The water was a shock to her system, it wasn't cold, it was actually quite warm, but murky and dark. Who knows what lurked just beyond the surface. Victoria didn't have time to think about that, however, she was only concerned on getting herself on to solid ground. It felt like her heart was in her throat, and every other attempt she made at crying out was useless as it seemed as if her voice ceased to function.
Luckily she did not sink when she attempted to stand, and the water was not very deep. Still, she was frantic and splashed loudly as she pulled herself out of the swamp throwing herself, rather dramatically, onto the ground, removing her shoulder pack, and laying on her back panting loudly. She stayed in place, unmoving and eyes closed, for a few minutes while slowly her brain began to process what had just happened to her. Actually, it didn't really process anything at all, but she was starting to realise the severity of her situation.
“My boots…” She whimpered, her voice returning to her. Slowly she sat up and examined her expensive Australian sheep skin boots. Obviously she had not gotten the memo yet about being in a tropical forest with dangerous man eating plants.
“Ugh!” A gob of mud slid from her long black hair onto her shoulder, with a look of disgust she pushed the black substance off of her shoulder. It was then that Victoria noticed the band on her wrist.
“I forgot about this thing.” Curiously she tapped at it, trying to make it work though she had no idea what she was doing. She could barely even figure out how to use her super hi-tech j-phone and here she was trying to make money for the latest model.
“WHY? Why wont you work!” Victoria cried out in frustration, fearing it may have become damaged when she fell into the water. Dropping her hands to her sides she tilt her head upwards, eyes scanning the canopy of leaves above her.
“Just where in the hell am I?”
“XR9,” She jumped in surprise as her wristband began to talk in a strange mechanical sounding female voice. “Tropical. Air: Breathable by Subject. Arrival State: Caution.”
It was taking a while for everything to sink in, she heard what the voice had said, but it still felt like she was in a dream. This couldn’t possibly be for real? She ran both hands through her hair, gently mussing it up before tugging at it in an attempt to feel pain. What a sight she would be, sitting on the edge of a swamp with her hair sticking every which way. It was then that she heard sounds coming from the right. Somehow in all her confusion she managed to notice the compass on her wristband, and examining it determined the sounds were coming from the east. Of course, It didn't mean anything since she had no idea where she was to begin with.
Victoria wasn’t sure what she should do next, but she knew she had to get off of her ass and find a safe place. Getting on to her feet was a challenge, whatever that woman had given to her was still affecting her body and the terrain was not at all flat. She looked and felt like she had just left the bar, hands reaching out to steady herself on large, tropical trees.
She could hear a rustling sound nearby and immediately froze in place, fingers digging into the bark of the tree she was clinging to. Her mind was racing, she couldn’t focus. Should she say something, or stay silent.
Just Visiting: Dimension-jumping adventures inside... - yinepuhotep - 11-11-2014
"Oy gevault, how many are there?" Tammy grumbled as she saw another marker pop up , this one near an open pool - or at least as close to open as any water was likely to get in this place. She looked between the guy whose gun was almost big enough, and the girl who'd taken a dip in the swamp, started toward her, then saw an emergency highlight around yet another person. All right, if Andrei says it's an emergency, I take care of him first.
She shot toward the figure Andrei had highlighted as an emergency, and saw why. Not only did the man have an arrow sticking out of his back, he had the most phenomenal luck she had ever seen. Every time he was about to get grabbed by one of the carnivorous plants, he would trip, or pause to look back at the beings that had shot him, each time causing just enough of a change in his movement that the plant's grab would land where he would have been otherwise, and miss him, usually by inches.
"Damn!" Tammy exclaimed as she watched. "He reminds me of Talisman!"
You'll note, the native who shot him was eaten immediately afterward.
"I saw that," Tammy said. "I hope his power didn't affect the Mads that sent us here. Or at least didn't affect their wormhole generator."
"Yo!" Tammy dropped down to about ten feet off the ground and called to the guy with the arrow in his ass. "Keep going the way you are! There's other people who got dumped here like we did! If we can get everyone together, maybe we can figure out a way out of here!"
Once again, when she called, the plant that was trying to grab him swept its branches through the spot he would have been if she hadn't gotten his attention.
Damn! Well, at least if we run into real trouble, we can always use the Talisman Maneuver.
Not quite. This guy did actually get shot, unlike Talisman.
Good point. The guy who shot him may have paid for it immediately after, but he did get an arrow in his back.
Just Visiting: Dimension-jumping adventures inside... - danixiewrites - 11-12-2014
Anya had never tangled with foliage before. It was usually drones that hadn't gotten the memo they'd been decommissioned by their electronic overlords, one or two dozen rounds left to spend on unsuspecting fodder. Or humans. Humans could be downright gits about survival. Particularly during ration runs. Going after the hardy game left standing--mangy, cowering carrion eaters, mostly--was an exercise in which hunter survived rather than who actually took the critters down. She swapped to her dominant hand with the slightly curved blade, its last kill a coyote with an overbite.
This was a...bit...bigger.
The blade tinged off teeth, resounding in her ears. Anya winced, and took a grazing tooth to the shoulder before she tamped down on her ability. Stupid. At least pain meant this couldn't be a wholly VR experience--thank stars, she wasn't quite in hell--and the blast of audible reverb gave her an idea. She focused her ability on a low vocal register. Sound poured into the vine in a rumble that she felt in her bones. The creature shook, loosening its grip, and she reached out to a stable-looking branch. Tugging desperately to get free, she ran through several scenarios in her head about how she'd get it to tangle itself up around the forest, at least tangled enough for her to escape.
None of them involved the plant swinging violently and pitching her into freefall, then catching her like a plaything. She swung upward with her fist, a punch to the underside of the thing's maw. Is that smoke? She had little time to focus on the odor that had pushed into an updraft. The plant reared back, then darted in, a reckless rush of green against a backdrop of impossible orange. Lifting the knife, she stabbed deeply, straight into the attempted bite. Sticky sap dripped down the handle and Anya swore in subvocal, twice. Twice, because she'd hit something vital, and the vine around her waist went abruptly slack, and she went down.
A quick tumble through the air, and she smashed into a moving limb, on a moving tree.
"Fuck this forest!" she yelled, stabbing the damn thing with her blade. Bark scraped off to reveal smooth wood. "Fuck nature!"
An arrow sailed over her head and embedded into the wood she'd bared.
"And fuck you!" she called out, hearing a scream in return, though she wasn't certain if it was the antler-mafia or someone else who'd been played by the promise of "vitalife" and its tempting ration share. She eyeballed the distance to the ground and decided the climb worth the risk, though the tree bucked and pulled at her with tendril-like branches. Anya saw the blaze now, and her eyebrows went up. "What idiot did that?" she muttered, untangling herself and continuing to slide/climb/wriggle down the trunk. Didn't they know they were in a damned FOREST? The only thing they had going for them was the place was damp; not everything would go up in flame straight away. But way to send up the flare to the arrow-people. Unless, she thought, they're the ones who struck the match. That made even less sense, but Anya was fighting a living tree-thing. Sense didn't account for much, and mattered little. Whoever was down there when she arrived was going to see steel.
Just Visiting: Dimension-jumping adventures inside... - Panda - 11-12-2014
Hearing a voice above him, and then seeing some woman flying ten feet in the air, Kieran couldn't help but pause and stare for a moment. People could fly now? When did that happen? Seriously, people were not supposed to be able to fly like that. Then again, there weren't supposed to be strange humanoid things shooting at him either. Apparently reality wasn't quite what it used to be. Though he'd feel more confident saying that if he had clear memories of what reality was supposed to actually be like, even if he was fairly certain it didn't involve people flying like that.
It took him a moment to relize she'd told him to run in a specific direction. Since the strnge flying woman hadn't tried to kill him yet, listening seemed like the best option. Following her advice he began to make his way forward again, painfully, hoping that there would be less things trying to kill him as he moved forward.
Then, the moment the flying woman was no longer paying attention to him, he would promptly fall in a hidden hole in the ground.
Kieran tumbled down awkwardly, bouncing against the wall and then landing painfully on his back. His eyes closed and he cried out in some pain as the arrow in his back had part of the shaft snapped off by his landing, with the rest shoved further into his body. His eyes were closed, as he tried to ignore the pain. Was anything broken? He couldn't tell, but he didn't think so. Oh he hoped not.
Then, once again, he heard movement.
If what happened in the little bit he'd been awake was anything to go by, this was not going to be pleasant. At least he still had that bag with him, somehow. For however long that would last.
Just Visiting: Dimension-jumping adventures inside... - tanith - 11-12-2014
Time seemed to slow down for Victoria. She took a step back from the tree, her mouth slowly opening as she tilt her eyes upwards to catch the scene happening just above. She was dumbstruck. Her body was frozen in place, the only movement was the heaving of her chest as panic rose from deep within her core. It started off as heavy panting, slow at first, but in just a short time became erratic. Remembering her breathing technique from yoga classes she inhaled deeply and forced herself to hold it. As she exhaled the breath raggedly left her lungs along with a scared whimper, but she managed to go for another breath, and then another until her head felt light and dizzy. Instinctively she sat herself down, back pressed against the trunk of the tree. The roughness of the bark felt good against her back, it was something solid and real. It was a tree and it was familiar. Attack vines were not.
"The fuck....!?" Out of nowhere an arrow lodged itself into the tree, barely missing her head by mere inches. Her eyes glossed over, but no tears fell. She was much too frightened to cry, although the tears made her surroundings appear as if she were looking though a magnifying glass. Swallowing hard she dared to turn her head to look at the weapon that nearly ended her. Victoria licked her lips nervously. Every fibre of her being told her to get the hell out of there, but her body was just not responding. What was it that she was taught in self defence class?
Frantically she searched her pockets for anything of use. In the right pocket of her jeans she found a hair elastic, it was yellow. She could remember sticking in her pocket after she left the gym changing room the day before. Irritated she moved to toss it away, but thought better of it and decided on quickly pulling her long black hair up into a pony tail. It was still wet and slimy from her fall into the bog, and as gross as it felt she made sure her hair was secure and moved on to her coat pockets. Sticking both hands in each pocket at once, she fished around, hoping to find something other than loose change. In the very bottom corner of the right pocket, she was right handed of course, she felt something there. It was almost missed, but her fingers could feel the rough texture of the chain, grabbing ahold of it she pulled it out of her pocket and held it up in front of her face. Her eyes softened as she looked over the platinum diamond dragonfly, but there was no time to gaze for too long. She shoved it back into her pocket and made sure the zipper was closed this time.
The thought occurred to her to check her shoulder pack, but it would involve taking it off and sorting though it. Victoria did not think she had the time to do that, and so she decided to leave it. Somehow the fog in her mind seemed to fade, as if looking at the pendant gave her some kind of clarity. It was impossible, but Victoria liked the idea and went with it. A soft smile fell upon her lips as she felt something like courage fill her. Another arrow was launched at her, this time striking the tree on the opposite side of her head.
Nope, nope, nope.
She scrambled to the other side of the tree, her voice returning in full force as she squealed as loudly as she could. Not a good idea. Not good at all. It was obvious whoever was shooting at her knew she was there, but her little outburst was sure to alert the others, if there were more of them out there. What to do now? Terrified she scanned the area on the other side of the tree and noticed hole, or a pit in the ground. It was directly in front of her, and there was no way for her to avoid it, unless she ran out and around. Surely she would be spotted!
"Huuuh?" Her brows knit together in a look of confusion. But, there was someone down there? Victioria squinted as she peered down into the darkness below. She couldn't actually see anyone, but she could hear something. Maybe it was another one of those vine creatures? Or a bear? Oh god, please let it not be a bear! But if it were in the pit, then it really couldn't pose a threat to her, right?
Not quite thinking it though she grabbed whatever was the closest to her, which just so happened to be a medium sized stone, and tossed it in. There was not any logic to her actions, it was just something she found herself doing in the moment. Perhaps she should have kept that rock to maybe, defend herself? Oops.
Just Visiting: Dimension-jumping adventures inside... - Panda - 11-12-2014
So there he lay, bleeding, in pain, minding his own business. Then, out of the blue, a rock falls down and lands on his head, or at least clips the side of it. Well. Ouch. Huh. Slowly opening his eyes, the world felt kinda fuzzy now. Looked a bit fuzzy too. Was this what having a concussion felt like? Maybe, he had just experienced head trauma. Speaking of which, he should probably vocalize that pain rather than just be dazed.
"Fuck. Ouch. Now there are rocks falling from the sky? This is a horrible day."
Meanwhile, he just stared straight up, where he could see some light up there. The hole wasn't straight down, so it was hard to tell, but he was a fair bit down it seemed. Enough that climbing up would be hard, even without an arrow in his back and rocks landing on his head. Kieran hadn't even bothered looking around himself yet. It just wasn't worth it. It really wasn't.