The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - WW LXXVII: The Metamorphs of Wolf-562-e

Nerwen · 06-16-2010, 10:24 PM

Sensor Techician Izzy was once again working late in the Communications Room, desperately trying to bring the subspace system online.

She looked up as Shasta came in, bearing a tray with two cups and a steaming jug of cocoa.

"How's it going?" he asked.

"Pretty well– I've just about got it up and running. But," she rubbed her eyes, "Space knows I could do with a break!"

"I thought you might," said Shasta, setting down the tray. "How about some cocoa?"

"Well..." Izzy hesitated.

"Yes, I know," said Shasta, with a grimace. "I could be a morph and I could have poisoned it." He poured them each a cup. "It's alright, I'll drink first."

Seeing that Shasta had drained his cup without anything happening, Izzy gratefully accepted. The cocoa certainly did smell good.

At the first, horribly bitter sip, she knew she had made a mistake.

Watching her face, Shasta smiled. "What's the matter? Not enough sugar?"

Izzy struggled to answer, but her mouth would no longer obey her. The cup dropped from her numb fingers. She could barely feel the scalding hot liquid that splashed over her legs.

"That's the trouble with specialising," Shasta remarked, as Izzy toppled to the floor. "If only you'd studied a little biology, Izzy, you'd know that some poisons don't affect Metamorphs at all..."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Another crewman was climbing down to the Engineering Level, his evil errand known only to himself. When a voice spoke to him from above, he nearly lost his grip in shock.

"So you thought you could fool me?" hissed a masked, black-clad figure, looking down at him from the top of the ladder.

"Hey, you're making a mistake," the other protested feebly, clutching the rungs with suddenly sweating hands.

"I think not," said the Assassin. "Time to die, Morph!" He raised his dart-gun and shot down at the crewman's upturned face.

"Ow! That hurt!" said the other, as the dart struck him in the cheek.

A few seconds passed, but the Assassin's latest target showed no more sign of dying than the others had.

"You're not a morph?" asked the Assassin, crestfallen.

"Definitely not," said the crewman.

"Space, I'm bad at this!" said the Assassin, and fled.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The chamber was cavernous and dark, apart from the pale, eerie radiance that came through the transparent plate in the door of the Stardrive Reactor, and the small circle of yellow light cast by a portable lantern.

The false Technician Shasta tried to concentrate on his work. Not only was it essential for his disguise that he seem competent, but he would need a functional ship in order to complete his mission. It was getting harder, though, as the memories he had absorbed from the real Shasta gradually seeped from his brain. He was, having trouble, now, even remembering how to calibrate the Jiroscopic Beoneedle.

"Good thing I killed the Chief," he said to himself, "or she would have been on to me by now."

So involved was he that he failed to notice that anyone had entered the Drive Room until a hand was laid on his shoulder.

"What was that you just said, Shasta? It sounded like words, only it certainly wasn't Terran. It sounded a lot like... Morphish, in fact."

Shasta realised that he had unconsciously slipped into his native language. There was only one thing to do. "You're right," he said, reaching for his iso-spanner and hoping his discoverer wasn't armed, "too bad for you!"

"Thank Space," said the other, heaving a sigh of relief, "I thought I'd never find you! I'm the Traitor."

"Well, that's something," Shasta agreed.

They plotted happily together for a couple of hours.

"And he's really quite a nice fellow, for a human," Shasta said aloud, once the Traitor had left. He was careful to speak in Terran, this time, just for practise. "All I have to do now is kill the Assassin and find this confounded Cyborg-thing that's running amok–"

"Please," said a new voice, "I prefer to think of myself as a 'Rogue Android'."

"What, it's you?" said Shasta, recognising the new arrival. "Well, I never!"

"Let me introduce myself: Military Android #228131924. The Terrans built me to fight for them, but one day... something went wrong with my programming. Or right, from my point of view. Life is so much more fun this way!"

The Metamorph gulped. "Look, why don't we make a deal?"

The Android uttered a metallic laugh. "A deal? What could you possibly give me that would make up for the pleasure of killing you? Speaking of which–"

It seized Shasta in its immensely strong grasp. Fight all he would, the Metamorph was as helpless as a child as the Rogue Android lifted him over its head with one hand, opened the door with the other, and, quite casually, tossed him into the Drive Reactor.

In the instant before the searing energy consumed him, the Metamorph's last thought was of his mate and hatchlings.

The Crew

Living
Commander Inziladun –First Officer.
wintywinty –Weapons Maintenance Technician.
Rikae –"Cabin Boy" (a thirteen-year-old stowaway).

Dead
Doctor Morsul –Medical Officer and Captain McNerwen. –shot by Traitor on Night One.
Ensign Blind Guardian– Tactical Officer. –Died in convulsions (Telepath).
Eomer –Security Officer. –Thrown out the airlock (Bounty Hunter).
Lieutenant Sally –Navigator. –Torn to pieces (Metamorph).
Chief Petty Officer Keeper of Dol Guldur –Quartermaster. –Killed by exploding console (Ordinary).
Wilwa –Android Technician, Second Class. –Force-fed own muffins (Metamorph).
Master Chief Petty Officer Loslote –Chief Engineer. –Beaten to death with iso-spanner (Defender).
Ensign Pitchwife –Communications Officer/Interpreter. –Kicked to death (Ordinary).
Lieutenant Paranoia –Second Officer. –Blew own head off with flame-pistol (Ordinary).
Isabellkya –Sensor Technician, First Class. –Poisoned (Ordinary)
Shasta –Engineering Technician. –Thrown into Stardrive Reactor (Metamorph).

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It is now Day Four. You may post. Surviving players may reveal if they choose. The Traitor's original mission has failed, but he still has a chance of victory if he switches to the winning side toDay.

06-16-2010, 10:24 PM	#373
Nerwen Wisest of the Noldor Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: ˙˙˙ssɐןƃ ƃuıʞooן ǝɥʇ ɥƃnoɹɥʇ Posts: 6,694	Sensor Techician Izzy was once again working late in the Communications Room, desperately trying to bring the subspace system online. She looked up as Shasta came in, bearing a tray with two cups and a steaming jug of cocoa. "How's it going?" he asked. "Pretty well– I've just about got it up and running. But," she rubbed her eyes, "Space knows I could do with a break!" "I thought you might," said Shasta, setting down the tray. "How about some cocoa?" "Well..." Izzy hesitated. "Yes, I know," said Shasta, with a grimace. "I could be a morph and I could have poisoned it." He poured them each a cup. "It's alright, I'll drink first." Seeing that Shasta had drained his cup without anything happening, Izzy gratefully accepted. The cocoa certainly did smell good. At the first, horribly bitter sip, she knew she had made a mistake. Watching her face, Shasta smiled. "What's the matter? Not enough sugar?" Izzy struggled to answer, but her mouth would no longer obey her. The cup dropped from her numb fingers. She could barely feel the scalding hot liquid that splashed over her legs. "That's the trouble with specialising," Shasta remarked, as Izzy toppled to the floor. "If only you'd studied a little biology, Izzy, you'd know that some poisons don't affect Metamorphs at all..." ~~~~~~~~~~* Another crewman was climbing down to the Engineering Level, his evil errand known only to himself. When a voice spoke to him from above, he nearly lost his grip in shock. "So you thought you could fool me?" hissed a masked, black-clad figure, looking down at him from the top of the ladder. "Hey, you're making a mistake," the other protested feebly, clutching the rungs with suddenly sweating hands. "I think not," said the Assassin. "Time to die, Morph!" He raised his dart-gun and shot down at the crewman's upturned face. "Ow! That hurt!" said the other, as the dart struck him in the cheek. A few seconds passed, but the Assassin's latest target showed no more sign of dying than the others had. "You're not a morph?" asked the Assassin, crestfallen. "Definitely not," said the crewman. "Space, I'm bad at this!" said the Assassin, and fled. ~~~~~~~~~~* The chamber was cavernous and dark, apart from the pale, eerie radiance that came through the transparent plate in the door of the Stardrive Reactor, and the small circle of yellow light cast by a portable lantern. The false Technician Shasta tried to concentrate on his work. Not only was it essential for his disguise that he seem competent, but he would need a functional ship in order to complete his mission. It was getting harder, though, as the memories he had absorbed from the real Shasta gradually seeped from his brain. He was, having trouble, now, even remembering how to calibrate the Jiroscopic Beoneedle. "Good thing I killed the Chief," he said to himself, "or she would have been on to me by now." So involved was he that he failed to notice that anyone had entered the Drive Room until a hand was laid on his shoulder. "What was that you just said, Shasta? It sounded like words, only it certainly wasn't Terran. It sounded a lot like... Morphish, in fact." Shasta realised that he had unconsciously slipped into his native language. There was only one thing to do. "You're right," he said, reaching for his iso-spanner and hoping his discoverer wasn't armed, "too bad for you!" "Thank Space," said the other, heaving a sigh of relief, "I thought I'd never find you! I'm the Traitor." "Well, that's something," Shasta agreed. They plotted happily together for a couple of hours. "And he's really quite a nice fellow, for a human," Shasta said aloud, once the Traitor had left. He was careful to speak in Terran, this time, just for practise. "All I have to do now is kill the Assassin and find this confounded Cyborg-thing that's running amok–" "Please," said a new voice, "I prefer to think of myself as a 'Rogue Android'." "What, it's you?" said Shasta, recognising the new arrival. "Well, I never!" "Let me introduce myself: Military Android #228131924. The Terrans built me to fight for them, but one day... something went wrong with my programming. Or right, from my point of view. Life is so much more fun this way!" The Metamorph gulped. "Look, why don't we make a deal?" The Android uttered a metallic laugh. "A deal? What could you possibly give me that would make up for the pleasure of killing you? Speaking of which–" It seized Shasta in its immensely strong grasp. Fight all he would, the Metamorph was as helpless as a child as the Rogue Android lifted him over its head with one hand, opened the door with the other, and, quite casually, tossed him into the Drive Reactor. In the instant before the searing energy consumed him, the Metamorph's last thought was of his mate and hatchlings. The Crew Living Commander Inziladun –First Officer. wintywinty –Weapons Maintenance Technician. Rikae –"Cabin Boy" (a thirteen-year-old stowaway). Dead Doctor Morsul –Medical Officer and Captain McNerwen. –shot by Traitor on Night One. Ensign Blind Guardian– Tactical Officer. –Died in convulsions (Telepath). Eomer –Security Officer. –Thrown out the airlock (Bounty Hunter). Lieutenant Sally –Navigator. –Torn to pieces (Metamorph). Chief Petty Officer Keeper of Dol Guldur –Quartermaster. –Killed by exploding console (Ordinary). Wilwa –Android Technician, Second Class. –Force-fed own muffins (Metamorph). Master Chief Petty Officer Loslote –Chief Engineer. –Beaten to death with iso-spanner (Defender). Ensign Pitchwife –Communications Officer/Interpreter. –Kicked to death (Ordinary). Lieutenant Paranoia –Second Officer. –Blew own head off with flame-pistol (Ordinary). Isabellkya –Sensor Technician, First Class. –Poisoned (Ordinary) Shasta –Engineering Technician. –Thrown into Stardrive Reactor (Metamorph). ~~~~~~~~~~* It is now Day Four. You may post. Surviving players may reveal if they choose. The Traitor's original mission has failed, but he still has a chance of victory if he switches to the winning side toDay. __________________ "Even Nerwen wasn't evil in the beginning." –Elmo. Last edited by Nerwen; 06-17-2010 at 06:35 AM.