Episode Four - The Cult of Lillith

[Michael Hurley]

1133
Puddle Jumper “Oracle Three”
Meropis Airspace

Using the intel that he fed down to the team, Doctor Black was able to put together more of Almeda’s history. From the sounds of is she wouldn’t be a threat, but it couldn’t hurt to be too careful. Hurley opened a radio channel back to Meropis and update the General of their situation. He made a few recommendations, including that a security team armed with anti-Replicator weapon be standing up to receive Almeda. They’d need to process and debrief her to confirm that what she was saying was the truth. The science and engineering team would probably also want to give her a look over. Given reports that she was prone to becoming emotional, those tests might be a problem. However, they’d have to cross that bridge as they came to it.

A deafening explosion rung out over the video feeds coming from the team. When the image cleared, Michael saw an unknown woman armed with a spear-like weapon enter the room. A cat - Hurley had to look twice to make sure he had seen that correctly - leapt out of Fiona’s bag and charged toward the assailant. With a flash of light the cat turned into a human-looking figure and engaged the attacker. A short skirmish broke out, during which Corporal Chambers managed to drop the attacker with a TER round. The cat-man turned back into feline form and was scooped up by Fiona, who returned it to her bag.

That was going to be hard to examine in an after-action report.

The CWO toggled he radio to broadcast only to Achilles and Tom. From what Hurley had just seen, there was an unsecured alien combatant concealing itself amongst the team. “Cap’n, Corporal, you’ve got company,” he said in a low voice over the radio. No point startling the civvies. “Unknown alien entity in Fiona’s backpack. Armed and able to shape-shift.” Having a hostile threat in their midst was the last thing Able and Baker Teams needed.

< Tag @achillesjones, Mikaere Glavish, Michael Black, Michael Black, Fiona Maccafferty, Tom Chambers, Aear Charter, Chiyako Miyafuji & Almeda >

[Almeda]

1132
Lilith's lab
Meropis

Almeda began to get a headache as her long range sensors began to be jammed. She hated this announces and began to think of ways around it, for she hadn't finished her scan of Meropis and it didn't look in bad shape as if it barely survived an attack. She raised on of her hands to her forehead and began to gently rub her temple hoping to ease the pain. They she didn't know why this was her response to such a pain but it seemed almost natural to do so. She ran throw several solutions to solve this problem, but they all had the problem that they would see it as an attack of some sort. Then she heard a loud explosion coming from the rubble that had landed on someone earlier. "How odd, should that of injured her greatly" she said to herself confused at the fact the the girl had easily removed the rubble that was on top of her. Almeda quickly scanned the girl an noticed her current physical condition wasn't much better then she had predicted. Along with a power signature she had yet to detect before, but it also seemed to be coming faintly from the creature that was now inside one of the others bag. "How interesting, she seems to have a device powered by something quite unknown to me" She said with a bit of a joyous smile upon her face. "because of its unique nature I can attempt to disrupt its flow of power rendering it worthless if she tries anything" she continues continuing to scan to the of them for complete her analysis any other things of worth.

"I'd like to recommend a strategic retreat," one of the others said, shortly before another began firing upon the alien girl. She suddenly detected a the device causing the girl to leap fast then most of her minor sensors could detect. "The device on her seems to give your super human agility for a short period of time quite interesting" she said informing the others "I can most certainty prohibit that device of hers" she said jumping a bit with joy as she faced the group in time to notice the cat like one change into a human form. Which she paid little notice wanting to impress the others with how helpful she can be. As she began to admit a opposing wavelength to cancel out that of the alien girl's devices energy, similar to how an EMP works on electronics. Almeda watch as the second shot hit the girl right on target. "Life-signs detected from her she seems to still be alive" Almeda states as she began to approached the injured girl quite curious about what she is and the capability of her device. "Her threat level should be quite low but finding a way to remove your control of that device would be best, I am unsure of the long term effects of my selective EMP field will last" she continues. "OH RIGHT" she suddenly said out of nowhere turning her back to the injured girl. "Can you please stop with the jamming of my long range sensors its giving me quite the headache, Please" he asked them folding her hands behind her with a cute appealing smile upon her face.

<Tag; Tom Chambers, Fiona Maccafferty, Achiles Jones (H) + Arson(S), Mikaere Glavis, Michael Black, Aear Charter>

[Michael Black]

1134
Lilith's lab
Meropis

The Archaeologist and Linguist couldn't have pushed himself up against the wall any more if he tried. He wished he could shrink himself down into a cat as well and just get the heck out of dodge. Glavish had appeared next to him, ducking under the gunfire bouncing around in what both Doctors considered to be an alarmingly small space for such activity. He winced as sparks flew from one of the unexplored ancient consoles. Among the fray Black noticed something. Almeda! She had been standing there rubbing her temples up until now. The... Whatever she was, stepped forward in front of all the soldiers to face the armed and dangerous alien.
"I can most certainty prohibit that device of hers." And with that, a calm seemed to descend upon the scene as Captain Jones ordered a cease fire. Black looked to Glavish on his right, exchanging a look that said it all as the android stood there transfixed. He turned his body mounted camera so Oracle Three could get a good view too.

Black felt something wash over him, his PDA began to distort itself before the screen shut off. He slowly looked back up at Almeda. She was.. Defending them all?
"Her threat level should be quite low but finding a way to remove her control of that device would be best, I am unsure of the long term effects of my selective EMP field will last." Black could see that holding up whatever it was she was doing was taking it's toll, "Can you please stop with the jamming of my long range sensors it is giving me quite the headache, please." Almeda said as she turned back to the room. Black shot a glance over to the rubble behind the now imploded bulkhead door. He shot another glance back to Maccafferty, who was now nervously clutching her bag which evidently harbored an alien fugitive. Almeda's brow furrowed, she was trying hard to protect them despite having her signals fried. The hunter in the rubble began to twitch and move again, despite everything they had thrown at her, she was still trying! She was reaching for her weapon again...
"Somebody do something before she-" Black was cut off as a blast took out his feet from under him.

<Tag all! Sorry to play small actions as others, needed to bring the episode around to finishing >

[Chiyako Miyafuji]

1134
Lilith's Lab
Meropis

Chiyako's vision was blurred and her breathing shallow, she looked up weakly to Almeda as she approached. Here to gloat?

"I can most certainty prohibit that device of hers"

A thin smile played across Chiyako's face. Never turn you're back on your enemy till you know their dead. She weakly raised her spear towards Almeda, strafing off a few shots at Black, Tom and Fiona. Unfortunately they weren't going to be lethal shots but between the strange woman's AMF and the hole in her chest it was the best she could manage. With Almeda's back turned Chiyako wedged the spear against her shoulder made sure her aim would go straight through Almeda and shoved her body weight into it with the last of her strength. She wasn't dead yet and she was taking her prize.

Tag: @all

[Tom Chambers]

1134
Lilith's Lab
Meropis

With everything that was going on it as some would say clilchely slowed down, Tom had to aim around two people and try his best not to his anything to important so Glavish words were registered as nothing more that dull background noise as tom aimed and fired at the intruder. However the Alien woman quicky moved unnaiturally fast and something ejected from her 'spear'. Tom took an extra part of a second and fired the second shot it hit some sort of forming barrier and hit the alien woman in the chest who went into the wall behind her. HE aimed down at her for a few seconds before standing up.

Tom surprised to find the other strange man nolonger anywhere to be seen but all was soon cleared up by Chief warrant officer Hurley. “Cap’n, Corporal, you’ve got company,Unknown alien entity in Fiona’s backpack. Armed and able to shape-shift.”
 Buzzed the radio in his ear. Damn that had to be why he dispeared some sort of shape shifting alien was a very, very bad thing. Tom looked to Captain Jones before noding slightly. The maxhine was then taking all their attention before there was some movemnt... bakc where the clearly not firendly alien was. Tom Cursed as it fired towards the machine black himself and the redhead behind him.

Tom attempted to dive to his right but he was too slow and the 'bullets' tracked, howver they weren;t corrently aimed and it only hit him on the upper lefthand side of the vest but didn't penetrate, it was goof they had developed those energy dampening vest inserts. Tom hit the ground with a dull thud as the TER skid accross the ground. With the P90 pushed between himself and the floor he reached at the onyl other choice he had, his side arm.

Tom quickly yanked the Pistol from it holster and aimed reasonably at the Aliens centre of mass fired off the 9 mm pistol as fast as he could. A couple of the bullets hit her but most of them rang out close to her and couple got her in the upper chest and choulder region.

<TAG: All>

[Michael Hurley]

1134
Puddle Jumper “Oracle Three”
Meropis Airspace

From the live video feeds, Hurley watched as Able and Baker teams engaged the assassin who had broken into the laboratory. A short firefight broke out, during which Tom and the shape-shifter were able to bring down their foe. In her dying breaths, the assassin drove her spear into Almeda. Michael wasn’t sure what sort of survivability the Ancient build replicator would have, but he imagined being spread with an alien weapon wasn’t a good thing. He opened a comm channel back to Meropis Command to inform them of the attack, and to expect wounded on their arrival.

With the threat neutralised it was time to start considering extraction. Between Almeda and the download of the laboratories databases, the geeks back at the base would have plenty to crawl through. The CWO switched to Meropis’ air traffic control channel to see if there was another transport in the area that could assist. Another Jumper, call sign Outlaw One, was a few moments away and would be available to help extract the team.

Switching back to the ground team channels, Hurley informed them of the forthcoming extracting. “Able, Baker, Oracle Three. Inbound with Outlaw One, fall back to main entrance for extraction.” With the data and replicator in their possession and enemy agents popping out from all around them, staying in the unsecured and unfamiliar lab was probably not the best option. Besides, the General would want to be personally briefed on what had unfolded in Lilith’s lair.

< Tag @achillesjones, Mikaere Glavish, Michael Black, Michael Black, Fiona Maccafferty, Tom Chambers, Aear Charter, Chiyako Miyafuji & Almeda >

[Fiona Maccafferty]

Note: The following is a joint, final post for Fiona Maccafferty and Aear Charter! Aear's contributions are in orange.
1134
Meropis City
Ancient Lab
A dark Corner

Fiona suddenly realized that things were going south fast. She threw herself to the ground when bullets started to fly, covering the innocent kitty in her bag, and wondering what the HELL was going on. She stood up, tentaively, her brown eyes full of the fire that was finally filling her. She didn't care if any of these people were superior to her, they had crossed a line. She placed her hand on her hip, and looked Tom firmly in the eye.

You fire that thing at me again, and you will rue the day you were born. Stand down. Tell your people. She wasn't kidding.

Aear sat in Fee's bag, TRYING to get some sleep. Breaking out of a PoW camp was not something one just did because they felt like it. He'd heard the ballistic rounds fire and felt Chiyako's Linker Core disperse into the air. She was no longer amongst the living. If it wasn't the fire fight or almost getting squashed by Fee keeping it awake the seemingly timid girl had decided that she wasn't happy about being shot at. Aear wasn't happy about it either seeing as he just happened to be right underneath her. Are they seriously shooting at their own civilian?

Fee then whipped around, and put her hands over her ears. She realized, finally, that she could hear Aear. She turned back around, a LITTLE calmer, and then spoke aloud, addressing the group as a whole.

I can hear his thoughts...probably from his blood I accidentally ingested from me finger. However, he is perfectly safe, and you need to stand down. Or you can go. I will stay here. She offered, a rare act of defiance and anger flaring in the otherwise-calm woman's demeanor. She waited for a final response, a look of will and purpose on her face.

Accidentally ingested? Was she serious? You tasted my blood? What in the black sea possesed you to do that? Just... Tell them i'm out of action, wont be back to normal for a while.

Fiona nodded, and then spoke once more.

He's meant to be resting. He's out of action and won't be back to normal for awhile. Arrest him if you must, but at least let Medical take a look at him. Fee giggled at the image of a cat in shackles, but her tone was more of a dare than relaying information. She ignored Aear's comments about why she'd tasted it. She hadn't MEANT to, she just hadn't wanted to wipe it on her leggings.

Tag:@achillesjones, Mikaere Glavish, @michaelblack, Ryan Decker, Aear Charter, Chiyako Miyafuji, Almeda

[Michael Black]

2020
Science Labs
Meropis City

The sun was just beginning to set over the ancient city, the light playfully filtering through the decorative colored windows and casting long shadows across the floor. Doctor Michael Black was just settling down at his desk with a fresh mug of coffee. He checked his watch, mentally noting that he could squeeze in at least four more hours of this before he'd probably have to get some sleep. Three laptops were strewn across the desk in front of him, two were running various diagnostics and scans, the third was plugged into a dark block and was streaming data across the screen. He looked up through the plexi-glass window into the next room as Aear Charter, their new alien friend, sat talking to Fiona Maccafferty. It was simply remarkable, there he was wrapped in a blanket and clutching a power bar with barely any noticeable sign that he was part-feline. Black caught sight of a twitch of the alien's ear as the medical team tried to check him over and was instantly reminded of the incident just a matter of hours ago in Lillith's lab. He'd really shape-shifted into a cat! Michael was still in disbelief. He understood that Mr. Charter would need to be left alone shortly to transform back into his other form and recover. He really didn't look in good shape.

There are hundreds of questions that he wanted to ask the alien, but they would have to wait. He flicked his gaze over to another screen on the other side of the room, a live CCTV feed showed Almeda sitting calmly and allowing the science team to prod and poke her with fascinated expressions upon their faces. What it didn't show, Michael knew, was the inevitable ARG squad that were positioned just off screen aiming their weapons at the replicator. Whilst he was convinced she was no threat, others would need time to feel the same way.

On one of his laptop screens, the ancient text translation program pinged up a dialogue box suggesting it was complete. Black tilted his head slightly and wheeled himself in front of the computer.
"Hmm..." Michael studied the readings for a moment, then tapped the key to scroll down. He tapped twice more, three times, his eyes widened. The ever-present Mikaere Glavish leaned in toward him, "What is it?"
"If I'm reading this right..." He tapped the keys a few more times and frowned at the screen, "It looks like..." He leaned back, satisfied that the translation program wasn't lying to him. Turning to Glavish he confirmed what he'd seen,
"Lillith created the Etruscans!"

The pair stared at each other in awe of their latest find. The tell tale ping of the program sounded again and the screen displayed one more line. Dr. Black bent in and adjusted his glasses to read the screen. He turned back to Glavish,
"What on Earth do you think that means?"

"The Ark has been hidden. The Ark is out there." Read the translation.

[End of Episode for my part]