+ Hutch Posted April 28, 2016 Posted April 28, 2016 (( USS Conny - Holodeck 2)) :: The mission was long and grueling, but finally it had come to an end. Rustyy could not be more pleased, able to finally sit and relax. Take in long deep breaths without fear of something falling apart, frying, shocking, zapping, shattering, or simply refusing to function. He was now ready to blow off some steam and do something fun. Dressed up as best as he could, in a long sleeved, graphic T -the punisher symbol against the grey colored shirt- and blue jeans that supported only one rip in the knee and frayed cuffs from where his boots always rubbed. It came from having a narrow waist and short legs, they just didn’t make pants that fit him right. Standing outside the holodeck, Rustyy waited for his friend -best friend- to join him in a little bit of goofing off. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he twiddled the toes of his boots together in deep thought. Best friend had a great deal of meaning to the engineer, not something he shared lightly. But he didn’t have another word for the budding relationship. He had found someone who he counted on. Which didn’t sound like much, but he had low standard so he would never be disappointed, so he could never be hurt. But now, now he had found someone who would listen when he talked and would *let* him talk. It was a frightening aspect for Rustyy to think he was letting his guard down with someone. But he would have to trust. Admittedly, it was a nice warm fuzzy feeling to think someone thought of him as more than just the fix-it man. Someone who wanted to hang out with *him* and bring him out into the sunlight rather than let the machine continue to take control and pull him down into the dark recess he had been heading. A shaky smile spread onto Rustyy’s lips as a voice pulled him out of his sullen reviere. :: Foster: Hey there! ::grin:: ::The doctor’s voice was bright, brash. That tone was re-appearing more and more as time went on. It was the biggest indicator that some of the pain of the past was being salved. And somehow he had figured that this holodeck exercise would be the perfect next step in the healing process. Something that nutty counselor had said about ‘facing your fear’ - which they were interpreting literally in this case. He waved casually, dressed in sturdy hiking boots, comfortable jeans, a white t-shirt and a blue flannel button down and a satchel slung across his chest. It curiously looked both alien and perfectly comfortable on him.:: Hael: Hey! ::a more genuine smile replaced the shaky uncertain one.:: Glad’ya’s could make’it. Foster: Wouldn’t have missed this for the world. ::He winked, striding up beside Rustyy.:: Though I did decline the hipster glasses Georgio offered me for the venture. I heard zombies like hipsters. Hael: Ha! That wouldn' be no good. ::paused.:: though I reckon I would'a turned down 'bout anythin' he'd' want to put on me. Just ain' into the same thin' ya'kno'? ::he chuckled looking down at his own cloths.:: Foster: Yep. I hear ya.::He nodded in assent:: I don’t really go for… flamboyant. Besides, the last thing I need is zombies chewing on my breeches because I had bad fashion sense. ::He cracked a smirk.:: Hael: ::refraining from laughing to hard.:: Ya, no good. ::clearing his throat.:: Let us be getting this show on that there road, eh? Foster: No time like the present. ::he nodded in sober agreement, steeling himself for the cheesy wonders of the holoprogram to come.:: :: Rustyy grinned, turning to the control panel and imputed the program coding and opened the door. He held out his hand for Wyn to enter first then stepped in behind him letting the doors close. Foster dusted the front of his shirt off and stepped through with his chest puffed out. He traditionally had weathered scary stories and haunted houses with a sense of cheeky bravery and expected this to be no different. The scene was frozen, tall looming trees that almost looked like kindergartners drew them glared above them. The moon shone through, covering the path ahead of them casting pitch black shadows on either side of them. The soft glow of artificial lights could be just barely made out in the far distance, belonging to an older styled, scattered, village just recently introduced to electricity. Rustyy could feel the excitement rising up into his facial expression as he looked around. It was very much unlike where he had grown up added that little flare on the unknown and unexpected.:: Hael: Ohf. This is gonna be fun. ::excitement could be heard in his voice as he shoulder checked his Andorian accomplice.:: Foster: Huh. ::He looked around, eyes narrowing to collect the details of the dim setting.:: This does look interesting. Shall we see what this program has to throw at us? Hael:Boo'ya. Computer start that there program. :: The computer chirped and the setting came to life in the most animated way. Owl woods and creaking branches filled the air along with a howling breeze that seemed to swirl up the dirt at their heels whipping thru like a snake in the trees. The air smelled sickly sweet like rotten meat with a hint of gingerbread and sugar under laying it all. :: Hael: ::Paused.:: You uh... Wanna lead? Foster: ::He had his antennae craned forward trying to catch every squeak and scratch as they rustled through the grass. With a pause, he turned and offered Rustyy a grin:: Sure. ::looking about:: Ok, let me get this straight. ::looking behind him, where a vehicle sat by the side of the road, stalled and dark. The scent of burned oil still lingered on the breeze:: We’re stranded here with this broken down truck. And our goal is to get the parts we need to fix it and get out of here before bad things eat us. Anything I’m missing? Hael: ::shrugged and smirked.:: Nope that sounds 'bout right. I reckon I do know there be a few ringers, but ain't sure exacts. Just not everyone's gonna try to eat us and not everythin' is bad... Foster: Well, we have a doctor and an engineer - sounds like we’re a shoe in for success. ::he considered this a moment:: I suppose I shouldn’t jinx us, though. Hael: Better knock on wood or somethin' I wanna get outta here withou' [...]in' myself ya'kno'? ::he chuckled.:: Foster: Should have worn the yellow pants ::he winked, but leaned over and knocked on the post with the roadsign that read: Malorvillle - 10k:: Hael: ::he looked off innocently.:: Or brown... ::pause... Snicker.:: ::Wyn smiled merrily, enough to offset the creepy atmosphere that was permeating the holodeck. They had just lived through one ghost ship - yet somehow facing a cheesy, melodramatically overblown version of one was therapeutic:: Foster: Hey, brown works, too! ::grin!:: :: Rustyy shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans, heading off towards the lights of the city. He scuffed his feet as he looked around. It was hard to see beyond the shadows and hard to hear anything over the howl of the wind. Though it could have been there was nothing to hear. :: Foster: ::Antennae twitching as he looked to the darkened horizon:: There it is again. ::pause:: Don't suppose we have a weapon, do we? Hael: ::giving Wyn an astonished look.:: Weapons? I didn' think 'bout that. ::chuckle.:: Guess we gonna have to improvise, eh? Foster: ::He looked around, before crawling into the back of the broken truck:: Well, guess what? We’re in luck, all redneck style. There’s a toolbox back here, a tire iron, a bushwhacking knife, a big ol’ flashlight and ::he picked up a box and it opened it with a creak:: A handgun with what appears to be exactly six bullets. Hael: ::Turning on his heel and scooting back to the broken down car. Peeking over Wyn’s shoulder to seen everything.:: Well’s who gets wha’ eh? Divy it up with rock, paper, scissor? ::he counted in his head.:: Each gets two thingies. Foster: ::he shrugged:: Up to you - I’ll give you first pick. ::he looked around:: I’m guessing this program’s gonna be a bit like a game - we’ll just find stuff we need along the way - if we look carefully enough. ::Then again the other option was to run and scream like idiots, which was equally likely.:: Hael: ::to many choices… He folded his arm across his chest and played with his nails with his teeth.:: Um… Well’s I’s’a take that there revolver. Foster: I’ll take the flashlight. ::he nabbed the most useful instrument he could see:: And the bushwhacker. Hael: ::loading the revolver.:: You think we gonna find bigger toys ‘long the way? ::he spun the cylinder, waited till the sound stopped and [...]ed the hammer all the way back. Only good type of gun, was a readied gun.:: Or just ‘nough to get through? Foster: If this program doesn’t give us a shotgun so we can blast the heads of zombies at forty paces, I will be sorely disappointed. ::He hoisted the small toolbox and offered it over to Rustyy, keeping the tire iron in the truck before he hopped off the back.:: I mean it promised cheesy thrills and scares, right? And this is our way of unwinding, right? It just *has* to have a shotgun… ::Rustyy eyed the doctor, taking a half step back and overly dramatically holding his hands up. He chuckled and bobbed his head, all zombie movies had shotguns. But it was going to be a slight fight over who gets it first.:: Hael: ::playfully.: You ain’ gettin’ no bloodthirsty like on me now, is’ya? ::Wyn looked up, blinking totally innocently:: Foster: Me? No! I’m not bloodthirsty! I’m a doctor! I’m just looking for some… what’s the word? ::A grin:: Oh yeah. Catharsis. ::Rustyy’s face fell like a 10 pound bag of potatoes, just the dumbest look imaginable plastered to the front of his face. Indeed, what’s the word? Take a guess, any guess. If Rustyy’s brain had to come up with an answer, it was going to be “fun”... It wasn’t even close to the meaning, yet similar enough to work.:: Hael: ::smirking.:: oh yea’s me too. ::he shoved the revolver into his waistline.:: Foster: ::A huff as he clicked on the flashlight and started moving towards the town:: After how long in that nebula, with all the patients and the scaredy cats and the life sucking aliens… I *need* catharsis! Hael: Well’s, lets get’s move’on then. ::eagerly.:: I’m’a ready to have’s some fun. ::walking up next to Wyn and resting his elbow on the man’s shoulder while looking around. He really didn’t understand boundaries.:: ::Wyn’s head twitched to the side, antennae catching the movement of a sudden elbow. If it were someone else he might have dodged; though his dodge reflex was highly dependant on both trust level and his personal judgement of how hostile a person was. In this case the trust level was high and Wyn had never seen Rustyy Hael get hostile at anything that didn’t blatantly deserve it. Still, his human upbringing bristled at the sudden movement and subsequent touch. A reaction that was immediately overshadowed by his instinctual Andorian desire for closeness. Boundaries in Human life were clearly defined. Some people had much lower boundaries than others, but Wyn had always found the majority of humans to be rather guarded. Andorians, on the other hand had a unique closeness bred from necessity. Sticking together in a group meant warmth. Warmth meant survival. Therefore Andorians built groups. Married in groups. Lived in groups, created bigger groups to define family and even bigger groups to define clans. There was something so ingrained in him to crave closeness to others that it left him feeling empty in his day to day life. So without realizing it, he leaned even closer towards Rustyy, as the both of them took in the surroundings moving their heads in stereo.:: Foster: ::A small cough, maybe they should, yanno, move…:: I’m ready too. Let’s move out. ::Pause. He wasn’t delaying just to stay in the radius of warmth, nooo…:: So, what now? Hael: ::snapping his freehand.:: I’s’a gots me an idea. ::proudly.:: We gotta make bets. Foster: Bets? ::He turned his head, antennae craning so close they almost brushed the tips of Rustyy’s ears:: What kind of bets? Hael: ::[...]ing his head and smiling devilishly.:: Wha’ ev’r come to mind ferst. Just somethin’ to do as we goes along. ::removing himself from Wyn’s personal bubble and pointing at him while they walked.:: Like, who screams ferst. :: How close those antennae got to Rustyy didn’t go unnoticed. He … Just… wanted… to… touch… That would be wierd though, right? For him to just reach up and touch them. Hell he didn’t even know what they were for, just that they would cool and something he didn’t have. He mentally swatted at his own hands.:: Foster: Oh you’re on. ::Wyn’s competitive streak bubbled up, making his eyes shine:: And who bags the first zombie. Hael: ::patting Wyn on the back excitedly.:: Who ev’r losses the most bets gotta buy first… two rounds! Foster: Deal. ::a nod, he started to head down the road towards Malorville.:: ::Birds squalled viciously against the darkened, cloudy sky. The echo mingled with the rustling of dried leaves to create a spooky backdrop, just enough to send a shiver up one’s spine. They had walked about a half a mile without seeing anything - just taking step after tense and careful step through the scary woods when a light shone on the horizon.:: Foster: ::He paused, antennae twitching:: Do you see that? Hael: ::goldfish brain snapped to attention.:: See wha’? Foster: Looks like a cabin… ::He narrowed his eyes. Yes, definitely a cabin up on a hill.:: Hael: ::his eye lite up and his careful steps turned to childish bouncing.:: Yep it do! Lets go see wha’ be in there! Foster: ::drily:: You know it’s not going to be good… ::And yet they would go towards it. Of course they would go towards it. It was practically in the script - and probably the only way to beat the game.:: ::Rustyy didn’t want to get too far ahead of Wyn, so he bottled up his excitement up tightly, or as tightly as he could… The cabin came more into view, and the path leading up turned into a winding path through a swamp and dead trees. A thistle bush they were coming past shook.:: Hael: You see tha’? Foster: What’s the new that versus the old that? ::He looked around and suddenly his antennae went tense as he heard… something... ::It jumped out into the middle of their path, a “chick-chick” noise and big glowing red eyes looking right at them. Two big teeth, chewing on something red. It hopped closer and closer in a matter of seconds.:: Hael: ::jumping back:: Eeek! Foster: ::He sucked in a quick breath:: Is that a kidney… or a spleen? ::Narrowing his eyes and getting clinical.:: Hael: A wha’?!? ::he looked at Wyn, he wasn’t sure exactly what those things were, only that he had them and didn’t want to lose them to… that.:: Bet! Ferst one to touch it! ::he pointed at it like a scaredy-cat.:: Foster: Are you serious?! ::he turned towards Rustyy looking a bit incredulous:: It’s a monster! ::A hasty cough as he stepped backwards.:: I’m only touching it if I can do it with my machete. Otherwise you do it. ::Rustyy stepped quickly to the monster chewing its content heart out, reaching his hand out as far as he could reach and crouching down. It jerked its head up, making him fall backwards and crab walk back to Wyn.:: Hael: You do it… ::he said in a state between giddiness and fear.:: ::The Andorian gave a short sigh. Rather than have this break down into a complete schoolyard discussion he decided to brandish the bushwhacker and run forward, taking a mighty swing at the crab-walking monster. It made a hideous gasping sound and promptly broke apart in a minor explosion of blood and gore that smelled exactly like the inside of a camping toilet that hadn’t been cleaned in two years.:: Foster: ::his antennae curled downwards:: Eww… that was disgusting. Hael: ::Taking a deep breath and standing up straighter.:: Smells like the insides of’a whale durin’ the middle of summer… Yum! ::he snickered.:: Foster: How you know that… don’t tell me. ::He took in a light breath, trying to avoid the smell as much as possible.:: Well, if it’s a game like the program promised, I’d say that’s our ‘tutorial monster’ ::The giant rat or the kobold of horror games.:: Hael: So that there be the easy one? Id’a hate to see what wicked thing them have done come up with fer the rest…. Not really! Come on! ::he started up towards the cabin again, doing his best to avoid the guts and chunks of fur Wyn had made explode across their path.:: Foster: Careful where you step. ::he intoned, picking his way through the path.:: ::The sound came again on the way to the house and two more furred spleen-eating crab creatures hopped out. Both were equally easily dispatched. Just enough to make the intrepid heroes feel all confident and powerful as they took their first steps upon the creaky staircase that led up to the cabin door.:: Foster: What do you think we’ll find in there? Hael: ::looking at Wyn with a growing smile.:: Talkin’ pictures or ghosts inside suits of armor… ::he grinned.:: Oh! Maybe we get’s our ferst zombie. Vampires? I dunno. I’s’a just be hopin’ it be cool and I can shot it and you. ::he eyed the blade.:: can hack it to pieces. Foster: Sounds cool ::He grinned, confidently stepped forward and tried the door handle.:: ::And the game immediately threw him for a loop, turning the entire welcome mat area into a gigantic slide that was headed straight for the dark and spooky basement. Wyn yelped, his voice fading as he slid downwards following by a nice selection of curse words.:: ::Rustyy watched, frozen and dumbfounded as his comrade disappeared before his very eyes down under the building. He dropped down to his knees, look for a flicker of light from the flashlight. But the consuming darkness left him only blinking. He leaned in as far as he could.:: Hael: Wyn! Can’ya hear me? I’m’a commin” fer ya! Foster: It’s wet down here! ::He yelled back up with disgust in his tone:: ::Rustyy didn’t wait. He didn’t have a rope and knew that they wouldn’t get very far through the game if he went down the darkened slide…. Wyn has ALL the fun! He snickered, clearing the “welcome” matt and barreling through the door. It slammed open letting loose the biggest group of eight legged freaks. They scurried out of the door surrounding Rustyy, crawling up his legs and dropping down on top of his head, sliding through his hair and down his shirt. His skin crawled, literally.… Okay something wet would have been a lot more fun than this. :: Hael: ::swatting madly at himself.:: To hell with this! ::he didn’t do bugs. He turned right back to where he had come from to see it blocked by large, coarse haired, slim dripping pinchers and glass, angry looking, dozen twitch eyes. As manly as manly could he turned and screamed, his hands out on front of him as he ran in the opposite direction.:: I’ll’a get ::cough, choked on a spider.:: I’m’s comin’ fer ya! ::He tripped on the bottom of a staircase, catching himself just short of getting a face full of tiny little black spiders. He scrambled, giggling and about ready to [...] himself. Gosh he hated to run. He moved quickly up the stairs, the squish-squish-crunch sound making him hungry. :: ::Down in the basement Wyn’s antennae twitched, picking up the sounds from the top of the cabin.:: Foster: Who’s coming for you, Rustyy? ::He picked himself up from the big puddle of cold water he had fallen into and started to let his eyes adjust to the near-darkness. It had been a while since he put his hypersensitive senses to the test; but within a few seconds his eyesight adjusted, able to pick out details of the cobweb covered basement.:: Oh Gods… what is this? An abattoir? ::Easing gingerly around the big central wells in the floor, he stopped short, eyes fixating on the central structure - a pedestal topped with a shiny oaken coffin. He swallowed a swear:: What’s that we said about Vampires… ? ::Clamping his mouth he edged up towards the rickety stairs that led up towards the kitchen, rushing up them in a few bounds, before checking the wooden door at the top. Rattle. Rattle, click. Locked:: Foster: Rustyy? ::A hoarse whisper:: Rustyy? ::On the second floor, it apparently wasn’t made for someone to walk on. Massive holes in the floor and creaking floorboards that snapped and crackled under the pounding footfalls. He mis-stepped, on a turn. There was no floor, only ceiling. Rustyy caught himself before he landed on the main level, on one of the cross beams, his fingers straining to not let him fall. He wasn't sure of the drop.:: Hael: Son of’a mother lickin’ uncle! ::he threw words together in slight frustration.:: ::Wyn’s head whipped around as Rustyy’s feet suddenly appeared a few meters away, sticking out of the ceiling:: Foster: I didn’t say come through the floor! ::He rushed over towards where the feet were aimed at:: Uhm, Rustyy… how good are you at jumping? Hael: ::relieved sigh.:: Uh...Not too’s bad, eh. Why’s you askin’? ::He grunted, keeping as best grip as he could.:: Am’I gonna die if’n I’s’a fall staigh’ down? Foster: Well, no… you’ll just land on a coffin… Maybe a Vampire? I’m sure it’ll be fine! Hael: ::his face lost some color. He just had to go and open his mouth from the get go! :: Well’s… If’n I be wakin’ ‘im up… We gotta way out? Foster: Not really… the door up to the kitchen is lost, unless you wanna try climbing the slide. ::he knit his brows, standing nearby:: ::Well they weren’t going to have much of a choice. Rustyy lost his grip and fell on the foot of the coffin, sending the occupant up, over and out of the thick wooden coffin and into his lap. Dust coated him and he coughed. The body rolled off and up, hissing at them. Rustyy pulled the revolver from his waistband on instinct and shot once. Twice.. Three times.:: Hael: ::cheeky to Wyn.:: Can’ kill no Vamp with silver bullets. ::chuckle.:: Darn it. Foster: I thought that was werewolves. Isn’t Vampires a steak to the heart? Hael: ::shrugged.:: Truth be told… I dunno. Ain’ never been to good with - ::The very angry Vampire like man, who Rustyy had so rudely woken up from his beauty sleep -lord knows he needed it- lunged at them. His long fangs barred.:: Vampire: I vill keel you both! ::he screeched around his teeth.:: Hael: ::slightly urgently.:: Not to rush… But try the stake! ::Wyn pushed Rustyy backwards. Honor? Nobility? The steadfast belief that blue blood wasn’t good for snacking? Whichever it was he went for the defensive posture:: Foster: I don’t have a stake! I have a machete and a first aid kit! See if you can find something wooden around here! ::Oh yeah… Rustyy looked around, his engineering eyes doing more than necessary. There, under the kitchen table was something that looked exactly like a stake. He scooted across the floor and grabbed it, jumping up and holding it out to Wyn.:: Hael: Here ya be!::he smiled proudly.:: Foster: ::He held his hand out and suddenly a nice sharp round hunk of wood appeared. There was a bad joke in there somewhere.:: Wow… convenient. ::Turning to face the hissing monstrosity.:: Come here bloodsucker… Vampire: Bloodsucker? You little worm! ::Wyn struck forward, thinking this would be as easy as exploding furry crab monsters. Wrong. The Vampire struck him hard against the shoulder, tossing him into Rustyy and sending them both tumbling backwards into the muddy wet pit at the back of the basement:: Hael: ::landing hard on his butt, water soaking in. It was a nasty squishy I-need-to-wipe moment.:: Wyn! You be okay? Foster: ::Coughing and spluttering. Somehow he had managed to keep hold of the stake.:: Yeah, in one piece. ::Thought he was slow to get to his feet. The safeties were on; but that didn’t stop a program from ringing one’s bell from time to time.:: Hael: ::standing up and pulling Wyn with him.:: Tag team it? You go left, I’s’a go right… I’ll’a be yer distraction. ::he crouched down ready to spring.:: Go! Foster: Now? ::he blinked in surprise, realizing that Rustyy had already gone and he launched himself forward to catch up. Heading left.:: ::The vampire went for the first thing that moved - which was Hael. Dashing forward with an unearthly grace, it reached out to grab the engineer by the shoulders, pulling downwards to expose the tender neck area.:: Hael: ::A sharp pain erupted from collar bone.He felt his neck suddenly exposed and swung his hand out:: Waaa! ::through gritted teeth and a smile.:: Soooo’ry man, ain’ into the bitin’ thing. Too kinky fer me. ::He did his utmost best to keep the Vampire’s attention on him until the moment Wyn was in position to take the monster out. He looked over the tall Vampire’s shoulder and smirked.:: When ev’r you be ready there, Wyn-wyn. Foster: Rustyy! ::It even surprised Wyn how loudly he could yell when prompted. It also surprised him how quickly he was to immerse himself in the program. The instant a friend was in danger his adrenaline spiked and he was jumping to the rescue:: You back off you undead fiend! ::The vampire turned, dropping Rustyy like a sack of potatoes before focusing on the little Andorian. Wyn gritted his teeth, and before he really realized just what he was doing he found himself lurching forward to not lose the element of surprise.:: Foster: Take that for biting my friend! ::The wooden stake buried itself into the vampire’s chest, guided by an expert knowledge of biology:: Hael: ::the sudden notion that he should never anger the CMO came in a flash as he watched the Vampire turn to ash in a dusty puff of smoke. He picked himself off the floor, patting his butt off.:: Nice aim there ol’ boy! Foster: ::trying his very best not to look as panicked as he felt. He sounded amusingly nonchalant:: Thanks. You ok? ::antenna craned forward, trying to remember if getting bitten by a vampire meant you turned into one… Or no, that was a werewolf. You had to be dead to become a vampire…:: Hael: Now we just gotta find a way outta ‘ere. ~*~ tbc ~*~ A JP by: Lieutenant Rustyy Hael Chief Engineer USS Constitution A239202RH0 ~and~ Lt Commander Shar’Wyn Foster Chief Medical Officer USS Constitution-B
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