November Miniplot: Clever Pests

[savmods]

Who: Anyone and everyone
When: Around and after November 17
Where: Avagi
What: A small-scale reunion

Escalation

In the last week, the opening portals have brought a range of opportunities to Avagi. Some station-dwellers have leapt at the chance to be outside, exploring the gardens or the Forest of Renewal. Others chose to test themselves in the Temples. Still more have met with the Kaittans, trading knowledge and training for resources they could bring back home. Among these items? Fresh, delicious food. Those residing in _______ Suites were already familiar with the occasional skittering sounds. Recently, those noises have increased abruptly—in volume, and in the areas they can be heard. Strange odors and paste-like droppings have turned up throughout the station, and breakable materials may be torn, gnawed on, or otherwise despoiled. Actual edibles left out are stolen, or devoured on the spot. Whatever creatures are responsible leave a variety of small bite-marks, and seem to target both plants and meat.

Emergence

Many may be motivated by the current crisis. A few have been making efforts from the start. A partnership self-dubbed Extermination Squad Alpha (araignee_du_soir and squadgoals) has faced continued frustrations against the creatures in the walls, attempting traps, cages, mines, and tracking tech, and finding themselves repeatedly outmaneuvered. In light of the new incursions, they redoubled their efforts, comparing salvaged feathers against the Kaittan's repository of knowledge, and diving headfirst into the ventilation system to pursue the vermin to their lair. On Nomber 17, success will be found... of a sort. While Avagi has neither day nor night, it's a quiet shift for those still on the station. Many occupants are off attempting the trials or otherwise exploring Kaittos. Others are occupied with rest or repair. Those who are conscious may note a slower, bulkier scrape making its way through ceilings and walls. Vent maintenance? Persisting for several hours, it seems innocuous enough. Until, suddenly, it isn't. A loud explosion can be heard over the animal nursery: metal and insulation crunching and giving way, followed by loud shots. Those close enough may spot the bright blue flares of biotic energy, or even the larger figure that hits the floor amidst collapsing ceiling, damaged machinery, and a spatter of what were probably once eggs. As for the smaller shapes that flood out across the station? Everyone will have ample time to get a look at them. Coffee mug included for scale. Those present for Thisavrou's collapse may have reason to remember Region Six. The creatures nesting above the Animal Nursery include all of those species, and several more. However, the escapees of the former Ingress Complex research labs differ from your previous encounters in one highly significant way: Adults range from the size of rats to no bigger than a small chicken. With their nesting site wrecked, the mini dinos will stampede throughout the station. Aggression levels vary highly, and while some of the herbivorous species will avoid encounters, others will charge (or swarm) anyone who gets in their way. What these creatures have lost in size, they've gained in intelligence, and they will show several adaptive behaviors well outside what might be expected of a natural breed. Pack behavior is common, as is teamwork between even unrelated species. While predation does occur, most of these creatures have moved to a scavenging model of survival: and you and yours have recently laid out a full buffet of treats. Velociraptors can open doors—though biolocks may offer more delay. Over the next few days, the chaos will settle as the pests that do escape find new retreats to nest in. They will, however, be seen more commonly throughout the station after. Those who are able to catch, kill, or calm one long enough to examine it will find the creatures aren't merely small, but shrunken, and all to a close scale at their adult growth.

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[[ooc: For questions, please hit up our latest mod update!]]

Comments

[squadgoals]

Why not both?

[If she disagrees, she's not causing a fuss. But there's something in her tone—an amusement, of a kind. A distant sing-song suggestion that, like it or not, it will happen. Whether or not he's involved remained to be seen.]

[magneticfields]

Because firearms are ranged weapons, and there's nowhere on the station where we will need to use ranged weapons. Because with the total absence of any way for an intruder to enter the station, we are far more likely to shoot each other than actually use them for defense. Because with the increasing number of children on the station, they are most at risk.

[ He lets out a frustrated breath. Why are humans always so obsessed with guns? ]

There are any number recreation opportunities we already have or could make. This obsession with guns diminishes you.

[squadgoals]

[There's a pause of silence—or, at least, busy digestion, as she takes in his words. For a moment, a tension seems to hum in the air—and break, as if it never existed. In fact, rather than anger, her expression is cool, intrigued. There was more to it—something underneath all of this. It wasn't her—and that, at least, made it bearable—for now.]

Oh really? [Her voice is level, intense without heat, but not without a dark humor.] I'd say it's mostly kept me alive.

How are we able to go to Kaittos? Same way we've been doing it since the Moira—the Ingress, or now, shards of it. Nothing has ever needed a door to get on our ships. A reality slip brought in slavers, attacking forces had their own means of teleporting directly into our midst. And guess what every race we encountered had?

[Eternally at her side, she indicates the heavy pistol, without drawing it.]

Long-range projectile weaponry. Laser-based, projectile-based, energy-based—sometimes, all three. I can understand you not liking guns, and I can respect that—but here, things are different. They're not always what they seem, and we should always be prepared for that. I don't do target practice for recreation; I do it to stay ready.

[Inclining her head toward Erik's work, Shepard nods.]

I won't ask you to do things that are against your will, and I won't ask you to share my point of view—but I'd appreciate it if we could agree to disagree, and keep working together in the long run.

[magneticfields]

[ Erik was aware of her sidearm, of course. As a force of habit, he always noted what weapons were present in a room, whether by sight or by sensing the the metal in them. He could take it from her right now and prove just how illusionary that sense of security is. But he decides to keep it to words for now.

Her citing a need for readiness does little to his concern. The tension may be gone for her. It only increases for him. How many well-trained military officers with distinguished records has he encountered? He lost count a long time ago. The weapons they tried to use didn't end with guns, but it generally started there. ]

Threats don't always come from outside. My people will be safe here, no matter where the danger originates. Regardless, this isn't a military operation. You can ask whatever you'd like of me. If I want to do it, I will.

[ The other half of that equation goes unspoken. If he opposes strongly enough, he will prevent her from doing it. ]

At the moment, I don't have time to start a new project. I will let you know what I decide once that has changed.

[squadgoals]

Understood.

[His tone brooks little argument, and she's not in the mood to stir any pots. Instead, she simply nods once in confirmation.]

And in terms of danger? I'm not going to start drawing lines over who I do and don't protect. At the moment, we're all in this together—and I'll do what I can to help whoever I can, however I can.

[The statement, on its own, seems pointlessly bold, or perhaps remarkably stupid, or maybe just ignorant. Yet there's no hesitation in her voice, only a flex in her muscles that seems to promise on the follow-through.]

I'll see you around, Erik.