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My Little Pony : Forevermore Inverse Morning Capítulo 2 (4/3/2017)

By DisgruntledAnon
Created: 2020-12-24 23:34:52
Expiry: Never
anonpinkie piesafecyoaspikekingdom heartsmlpkh

  1. Previous Pastebin: https://pastebin.com/QLAqK2kT
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  3.  
  4. >”I can’t let civilians like you put yourselves in harm’s way, let me handle this.”
  5. >Buzz says, stepping between the three of you and the late lieutenant as you hear capacitors in his suit charging, and a flickering red light begins to shine on his right gauntlet.
  6. >But in a surprising show of speed for a shambling reanimated corpse, the Lieutenant leaps across the room, slashing at Buzz before he can so much as raise his arm.
  7. >Buzz goes tumbling to the ground as the lieutenant tries to drive its dripping, black claw through the space ranger’s armor.
  8. “Blizzard!”
  9. >You shout, pointing the Keyblade at the Lieutenant, and a cone of blistering cold and frost burst out of the key as its question mark-shaped bit glows a pale blue.
  10. >As the frigid air blasts across the Heartless, the black sludge coating the Lieutenant’s body crackles and pops as it freezes before your subzero assault.
  11. >”Get fucked!”
  12. >Dan shouts as he winds up with his wrench and slams the heavy chunk of steel into the slow moving, chilled Heartless, knocking it away from Buzz and sending it tumbling across the room before helping the space ranger to his feet.
  13. >”Next time you treat me like a child, I’m letting it eat you.”
  14. >Dan says jabbing his finger angrily in the spaceman’s direction before turning his attention back towards the flailing remains of the lieutenant.
  15. >”Go get it, Spike, finish it off!”
  16. >Dan shouts as Spike roars, picking up a chair and chucking it at the Heartless.
  17. >”Grahhhhh, get some!”
  18. >Spike shouts as the chair sails through the air, striking the lieutenant’s head and resulting in a sickening snap that echoes around the room as the Lieutenant slumps to the floor.
  19. >”Oh, you definitely got some, little-.”
  20. >Dan’s satisfied grin fades instantly as the lieutenant stands again, his head dangling from his neck at an unnatural angle as it begins shambling your way again as the frost begins to slowly disperse.
  21. >”Son of a bi-“
  22. >Dan is cut off again by a high-pitched whine as the capacitors in Buzz’s suit hit full capacity and a beam of red light lances out of the blaster mounted on the ranger’s wrist.
  23. >The brilliant red light slices through the ooze coating the lieutenant’s arm and melts a hole in his armor before burning though the lifeless flesh underneath.
  24. >And while Buzz doesn’t quite succeed in slicing the arm completely off, by the time the crimson beam of light flickers out, the Lieutenant’s arm is hanging uselessly at his side and the black goo that coated it is dripping into a puddle on the floor.
  25. >”My apologies, little man, I’ll let you take point in the future.”
  26. >Buzz says with a smile, patting Dan on the shoulder as the Heartless pulls its head upright and looks at the smoking wound in its shoulder before bellowing at the four of you with a gurgling roar.
  27.  
  28. Anon 42 hp 60mp
  29. Spike 50 hp 30mp
  30. Dan 40hp
  31. Buzz 48hp suit power cells 85%
  32.  
  33. “Back me up, guys, I have a plan.”
  34. >You shout as you banish the Keyblade and rush the Heartless as it struggles to move the Lieutenant’s cold stiffened corpse.
  35. >”Let’s see if this actually works in real life.”
  36. >You mutter as you thrust your arm out towards the smoldering hole in the Lieutenant’s shoulder and focus the entirety of your will on calling the Keyblade back to you.
  37. >”Photon Bomb!”
  38. >You shout as the Keyblade bursts back into existence with a brilliant flash of light, skewering the Lieutenant’s shoulder and completely severing the arm from its socket.
  39. >As the radiant wave of light washes over it, the Heartless clinging to the Lieutenant’s armor physically recoils, making a sound you haven’t heard it make before: a high-pitched squeal as the black ooze comprising it’s body sizzles and smokes.
  40. “Now, guys, sweep the leg!”
  41. >You shout back to the others as Dan and Spike rush forward.
  42. >Dan tees up with a golfswing at the lieutenant’s shin, but manages to completely miss the mark, causing the follow through on the heavy wrench to nearly send him sprawling off balance.
  43. >Fortunately for Dan, thanks to the spectacle being put on by Spike, the angry little man is the only one who notices his failure.
  44. >As Dan whiffs, a low growl builds to a window-rattling roar that bursts from Spike’s mouth drawing everyone’s attention to him as the little dragon clotheslines the lieutenant’s shins, sending his body tumbling to the ground.
  45. >But before you can congratulate the little dragon on his sweet moves, the squeal coming from the Heartless escalates to a deafening shriek as the black, shapeless mass pulls itself free of the Lieutenant’s body.
  46. >The Heartless doesn’t remain shapeless for long, though, as the goo twists into a crude four-legged spider-like from and goes scuttling up a wall, towards a ventilation duct near the ceiling.
  47. >But before it can squeeze through the vent, you here another whine from behind you followed by another lance of crimson light skewering the Heartless and sending it tumbling to the floor where it writhes and squirms like a roach on its back.
  48. >”After what you did to the Lieutenant, you aren’t getting away that easily.”
  49. >As he speaks, you turn back and see Buzz lowering his arm, his jaw set in grim determination as he stares at the twitching Heartless.
  50. >You turn your attention back to the Heartless and quickly flash back over what you’ve learned so far to try and find a way to take it down for good.
  51. >Cold seems like it slows it down, and it doesn’t seem to take kindly to light or heat, a Fire spell might be just what you’re looking for.
  52. >But that solution raises problems of its own.
  53. >Buzz did say environmental control is out; what if setting off fire spells just burns up the oxygen you have left?
  54. >You have a vague idea that, since your fire is magical in nature, it may not require oxygen to burn at all, but the topic didn’t exactly come up in Twilight’s notes.
  55. >Based on what you know about the nature of magic in general, you should be able to make an educated guess, but with the adrenaline pumping through your veins, you can’t seem to string together a cohesive solution.
  56. >Looks like I’ll just have to trust my instinct for now, you think to yourself as you tighten your grip on the Keyblade and get ready for the next move from the Heartless.
  57.  
  58. Anon 42 hp 60mp
  59. Spike 50 hp 30mp
  60. Dan 40hp
  61. Buzz 48hp suit power cells 75%
  62.  
  63. Necrotic Ooze 13/40 hp
  64.  
  65. >As you’re weighing the impulses to flambé the little fucker or smack it across the room, the Heartless shakes one final time, and suddenly it's back on its feet.
  66. >The Heartless’s sudden change of fortune forces you to do a double take, because the Heartless didn’t flip over. It just reversed all its joints and was suddenly standing.
  67. >Realistically speaking, it probably doesn’t have any joints to begin with, you think to yourself as the Heartless makes a thick, burbling noise before launching itself at your face.
  68. >The black wad of goo sailing through the air towards your dome drives a single impulse to the front of your mind as you grin and sidestep out of the path of clawing, shadowy slime.
  69. “Batter up!”
  70. >You shout as, in one fluid motion, you raise the Mysterious Stranger and smack the ever-loving shit out of the Heartless as it sails fruitlessly through the space your head used to be.
  71. >As your Keyblade collides with the non-Newtonian mass of the goopy Heartless, you send it flying on a line drive directly into a clear section of wall where it explodes on impact, splattering the wall with pitch black sludge, leaving a single, squealing, grapefruit-sized wad of slime to slide down the wall and lay twitching on the floor.
  72. >Dan looks at his wrench dubiously as Spike looks at his fists, and then at the glowing laser emitter on Buzz’s wrist.
  73. >”Care to do the honors?”
  74. >Dan says as he slides his wrench back into his belt and waves Buzz towards the Heartless with a flourish.
  75. >Spike simply nods in agreement as he steps out of the space ranger’s way.
  76. >The Heartless squeals again and manages to grow a single hooked appendage to try and pull itself away from the advancing space ranger.
  77. >But the frantic effort of the diminished Heartless only manages to buy a couple of feet before Buzz catches up to it, the whine of his suit’s capacitors climbing to the edge of audible sound.
  78. >”I’m sorry I couldn’t save you, Lieutenant Dallas.”
  79. >Buzz says as crushes the monster’s leg under a heavy, armored boot, pinning it in place as he points his wrist at the thrashing Heartless.
  80. >”The only thing I can do now is make sure this abomination doesn’t harm anyone else.”
  81. >Buzz’s simple eulogy is punctuated by a radiant beam of crimson skewering the Heartless, burning away until nothing but a smoking scorch mark on the floor remains of the quivering black goo.
  82. >Buzz takes his foot off the twitching leg and incinerates it as well before walking over to the fallen body of Lieutenant Dallas.
  83. >The space ranger kneels before the Lieutenant’s remains and sets his head at a more natural angle before gently closing his eyes.
  84. >”You were a credit to the force, Corbin, rest well.”
  85. >Buzz says somberly before standing to turn and face the three of you.
  86. >”I can’t allow these things to do this to everyone I’ve sworn to lead and protect.”
  87. >Buzz walks towards you as he talks, but before he reaches you, the space ranger hesitates.
  88. >As though whatever he has to say next is so difficult for him to ask that he can’t manage the effort required to keep walking.
  89. >”It is… with no small amount of shame that I ask this, but as much as I hate the Idea of putting civilians in harm’s way, I can’t do this on my own.”
  90. >Buzz says as he looks away from you and walks over to the command console, slamming his hands down as he leans over it.
  91. >“Please, help me save the Infinity.”
  92. >Buzz takes a deep breath as he finishes speaking and turns around to face the three of you.
  93. >The three of you share a quick glance, and in an instant it’s clear that nothing needs to be said.
  94. “Of course we’ll help, senpai, what else are friends for?”
  95. >You say with a grin before Dan butts in.
  96. >”I don’t know about friends, but we definitely owe Buzz a life debt after he saved us from dying alone in space.”
  97. >Spike nods before chiming in as well.
  98. >”Dragon code of ethics aside, I don’t think Rarity would approve of us ignoring people who need our help.”
  99. >”You have my eternal gratitude, gentlemen.”
  100. >Buzz says with a shaky grin before wheeling back around to the ship’s computer.
  101. >It’s so fast that you nearly miss it, but as he turns you catch a glimpse of a tear running down the space ranger’s cheek.
  102. >”Now then, we have no time to lose if we’re going to save this station.”
  103. >Buzz says as he pulls up a massive map of the ship.
  104. >”Now then, the internal sensors are offline, but we at least have a reading on the damage caused by the initial impact.”
  105. >Buzz points up at the engineering section.
  106. >”Given the fact that the station is running on emergency backups, we can safely conclude that the power plant was taken offline during the impact, getting it back online should be one of our highest priorities.“
  107. >Buzz points to the sections of the ship between you and the engineering deck as he continues.
  108. >”With internal communications down, there will be too much interference from the station itself for my personal comm system to reach Woody on the security level, but if we reactivate external communications, we should be able to make a connection and check on your friend.”
  109. >He says before pointing to the medical bay.
  110. >”Stocking up at the medbay might not be a bad idea either, not just for ourselves, but the wounded we may come across.”
  111. >Buzz drags his finger down to the armory.
  112. >”And finally, this is our last potential stop before engineering. With any luck we’ll find something that can give us an edge over these things.
  113. >Buzz says before he turns off the map.
  114. >”Once we get to engineering, we should be able to bring internal sensors and communications back online, that should give us a clearer picture of what we’re dealing with.”
  115. >Buzz turns once more, looking at the three of you expectantly, and asks.
  116. >”Where should we go first, gentlemen?”
  117. “I think the first thing we ought to do is get some semblance of communication up so we can get in contact with the security level and see how Woody and Rarity are holding out. With any luck, we might be able to start coordinating with them to take back the station.”
  118. >You say, looking to Dan and Spike for input.
  119. >”I was thinking we should hit the med-bay first. Sure, getting in contact with the security chief might be helpful, but it’s not as immediately useful as something that will put us back together after one of these things slices us open.”
  120. >Dan says as he drums his fingers on his wrench.
  121. “Duly noted, Spike?”
  122. >The little dragon stares at the floor as he shuffles awkwardly for a few seconds before responding.
  123. >”I think we should go to the comms center first. I want to make sure Rarity is okay.”
  124. >Spike says, his voice descending into a mumble as he reaches his justification.
  125. >”Oh come on, a few minutes to grab something that might save our asses should take priority here!”
  126. >Dan protests, trying to win you over, sensing he’s about to be out voted.
  127. >But Buzz replies before you get a chance to tell the angry little man to stuff it.
  128. >”If the little man wants to make the noble decision to put the lives of others before his own, that’s his prerogative, and it’s one I can get behind.”
  129. >Dan grits his teeth before throwing up his arms in frustration.
  130. >”Graaaaah! Fine! But I reserve the right to gloat if any of this goes wrong.”
  131. >”Fair enough.”
  132. >Buzz nods as he makes his way over to the access hatch and slides it open.
  133. >”Now then, if we’re all in agreement, daylight is burning.”
  134. >He says as he ducks into the chute and begins gliding back down to the communications level.
  135. >Dan groans but swiftly follow suit, leaving you alone on the bridge with spike.
  136. “Hey, Spike, while we’ve got a second, I wanted to ask, how are you holding up?”
  137. >You ask, hanging back for a few seconds before the two of drop into the access tunnel.
  138. >”I-I’m fine, you don’t need to worry about me all the time.”
  139. >Spike replies, actively avoiding your gaze as you glide down towards the communications level.
  140. “Look, I’m not trying to look down on you or anything. It’s just that we’ve kind of been thrown into the deep end here, and I want to make sure you’re keeping your head above water.”
  141. >You pause, unsure of how to express yourself as Spike continues to stare down the shaft to avoid looking you in the eye.
  142. “If you say you’re fine I believe you, little guy, but I just want you to know I’m here for you if it all starts getting overwhelming.”
  143. >You say as you pat the little dragon on the back, sending the two of you drifting towards the walls of the shaft, forcing an involuntary chuckle out of Spike as he pushes off the wall back to the center.
  144. >”Thanks, big guy, I’ll keep that in mind.”
  145. >He says, finally willing to meet your gaze again as he looks your way and smiles.
  146. >And yet, there’s a hint of sadness behind that smile, and you can’t help but feel like Spike is still troubled about something.
  147. >It isn’t hard to see that that something is most likely Rarity and the question of her safety, but you don’t want to force the little dragon on the issue.
  148. >Hopefully reminding him you have his back will be enough to set him at ease till you can confirm Rarity’s safety.
  149. >As you’re thinking that, a green and white gauntlet snagging you by the collar and pulling you out of the access shaft pulls you out of your reverie.
  150. >”Sorry about that, Anonymous, but you almost cruised right by us.”
  151. >Buzz says, turning to catch Spike as you thump to the hallway floor.
  152. >Looking around, you can see the pried open turbolift car the four of you emerged from after waking up, and the same poorly lit sludge caked hallway that initially greeted you.
  153. >”Ugh, thanks, Buzz.”
  154. >Spike groans as he tumbles to the floor next to you after Buzz tosses him from the lift.
  155. >”Now then, Communications should be just down this hall.”
  156. >Buzz says as he taps the sigil on his chest and the green sections of his armor illuminate with a pale glow, cutting through the gloom.
  157. >Under the new light, something becomes apparent that wasn’t immediately obvious after your first inspection.
  158. >The black residue coating the hallway has grown since your last visit, hiding more and more of the formerly glossy white interior.
  159. >But perhaps more concerning is the increased amount of black particulate filling the air.
  160. >”I can’t help but think breathing that in would be a bad idea.”
  161. >Dan says as he pulls his shirt up over his mouth.
  162. “I can’t help but think you might be right.”
  163. >You say, following suit as you pull up your undershirt over your mouth and pass Spike your necktie to use as a makeshift bandana.
  164. >Buzz, meanwhile, presses a button on his armor and a clear glass dome snaps up over his head before his voice crackles out of a speaker on his breastplate.
  165. >”Let me go first, my suit should at least be able to tell if it’s safe for you to follow.”
  166. >Buzz says as he walks a few feet down the hall through the slime before turning back.
  167. >”Sorry guys, my suit can’t tell what it is but it definitely seems harmful. without better filters or a means of clearing the particulate, we’re going to have to find another way around.”
  168. >Buzz says regretfully as he returns to the three of you.
  169. >You’re about to ask Buzz to bring up the map so the three of you can plot an alternate route, but a thought occurs to you.
  170. >You never did figure out if your magical fire interacts with the environment like a normal flame does.
  171. >If it did, you could use it to burn a way through.
  172. >You pull out Twilight’s notes and check them against everything you remember studying magic as a whole with the purple book horse.
  173. >Now that you aren’t busy fighting for your life, the answer comes to you easily.
  174. >Magic is a fundamental force of the universe, and while you can manipulate it to create fire and even call on raw mana to serve as fuel like one might employ wood or coal, you can’t use magic to change the fundamental nature of what fire is.
  175. >At least, not at your skill level.
  176. >And so, as much as you may be able to fuel your fire with magic you can’t change the fact that it’s a reaction that requires oxygen in order to take place.
  177. >Which means that if the environmental systems are down, using fire magic might be a bad idea.
  178. “Hey, Buzz, by any chance were you able to tell if life support was still operational when we were on the bridge?”
  179. >Your heart sinks as the space ranger shakes his head.
  180. >”Negative, the sensors weren’t able to tell me anything on life support beyond initial damage reports stating it wasn’t damaged in the impact.”
  181. >”So you’re saying it’s probably still online?”
  182. >Dan asks and you feel a twinge of hope, but Buzz shakes his head again.
  183. >”I can’t say for sure, but the fact that this particulate is accumulating at all doesn’t bode well.”
  184. >Buzz says, gesturing down the hallway before popping open his wrist panel to get at his personal computer’s display.
  185. >”And there’s another thing. I didn’t want to mention it before I was certain, but now that we’re on the subject, I feel like it bears mentioning. I’ve been noting a small decline in oxygen levels ever since we first got out of the turbo lift. It’s not major, but it’s definitely there.”
  186. >”Fuck!”
  187. >Dan shouts, punching a wall as you turn to ask Buzz a question.
  188. “I think I might be able to clear us a path, but it involves lighting a fire and I don’t want to burn through all our oxygen. How much of a problem would a fire cause for us?
  189. >Buzz thinks for a second before responding.
  190. >”I don’t think the rare fire would cause too much of a problem. Even if atmospheric scrubbing is down, there’s a lot of air on the station and we would have several hours before things started to get bad. One or two fires wouldn’t make much difference.”
  191. >”But that’s provided the ventilation system isn’t obstructed somewhere. If we end up in an enclosed space where we can’t readily get fresh air, I’d say have to advise you hold off on the fires.”
  192. >You nod as you look down the blocked, toxic hallway.
  193. “So if we can’t get through this way, what are our other options?”
  194. >You ask, and Buzz wracks his brain trying to figure out an alternative path.
  195. >”Well, we could head for Medical, they should have some oxygen masks that will get you through no problem.”
  196. >Buzz says, pointing to the opposite end of the hall which is still clear of the black growth and hazy cloud of particulate.
  197. >”Or we could take a detour through Deep Space Telemetry. It’s a subsection of the communications deck that has separate access to the primary comms array. It may not be as fast as going straight there, but it should get us there faster than heading all the way to Medical and doubling back.”
  198. >Buzz says, pointing to a clear branching hallway that forks just before the edge of the slime’s foothold.
  199.  
  200. >What do you want to do?
  201. A. Burn your way through
  202. B. Change plans and head to medical first
  203. C. Take a detour through DST and press on to the Communications Array
  204.  
  205. >You summon the Keyblade and look at it for a moment, feeling the magic at your fingertips that would allow you to hurry on to your destination.
  206. >And yet you can’t help but feel like cutting loose with your flames won’t end well for you.
  207. “I’m not really feeling too good about testing our luck with burning our way through.”
  208. >You say as you dismiss your Keyblade once more and make your way over to the corridor leading off to Deep Space Telemetry.
  209. “It may take us a little longer, but at least we can be confident we won’t suffocate.”
  210. >You say as Buzz nods in agreement and he and Spike follow you down the corridor.
  211. >”Doubling down on the Communications Array when we have a perfectly good reason to hit Medical first. Real smart decision there, Einstein.”
  212. >Dan says, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he follows the three of you down the gloomy hallway.
  213. >As you make your way down the corridor, you eventually begin to encounter the odd patch of black sludge smeared along the walls or splattered across the floor.
  214. >”If we get hit with another roadblock, can we just turn around and go to the med-bay?”
  215. >Dan asks as he sidesteps a puddle on the floor.
  216. >”It’s beginning to look like we just weren’t meant to get to the communications level.”
  217. >He says as he eyes a trail of black slime on the wall suspiciously.
  218. “Don’t be such a baby, Buzz would say something if the air stated getting un-breathable.”
  219. >You say, looking to the space ranger for confirmation.
  220. >Buzz shoots you thumbs up in return.
  221. >”Whatever this stuff is, it hasn’t spread enough to contaminate the air.”
  222. >Buzz says as he wipes some of the slime off the wall with an armored finger.
  223. >”That’s if this stuff is even responsible for the contamination we encountered in the first place.”
  224. >He muses to himself as he pops open the panel on his wrist and holds his sample over a scanner, only to be met with a pair of short staccato buzzes.
  225. >”No good. I had hoped I might have more luck with a more concentrated sample, but my suit’s computer still can’t determine its composition.”
  226. >Buzz says with a sigh as he flicks the goo off his armor.
  227. >The four of you pass the next few minutes in silence, passing doors leading to various sub-functions of the communications deck before you finally reach a large door marked Deep Space Telemetry at the end of the hall.
  228. >The black ooze that has been growing increasingly common as you made your way down the hall coats its frame, but the door still swooshes open without any difficulty.
  229. >”Son of a bitch.”
  230. >Dan grumbles under his breath as the four of you make your way through the door and are greeted by a massive window spanning the section, giving you a breathtaking view of the star-studded void beyond.
  231. >”Okay, that’s pretty radical.”
  232. >Dan admits begrudgingly as he stops at the entrance to the room with the universe stretched out before him.
  233. >”Guys, I think we’ve got trouble.”
  234. >Dan’s quiet appreciation of the stars is interrupted as Spike breaks the silence and points to someone sprawled on the ground near the bay window.
  235. >Dan ambles off in his own direction as the three of you rush over and find a man in an engineer’s jumpsuit in a crumpled heap on the floor, and as Buzz rolls him over, you discover a shiny black substance coating his face and wrapped around the back of his head.
  236. >”He’s got a pulse.”
  237. >Buzz says as he presses a couple of fingers to the man’s neck.
  238. >”What is that on his face?”
  239. >Spike asks, disgusted as he points to the shiny black shell that seems to have formed there.
  240. “I’d almost say it looks like some that Heartless goop dried there.”
  241. >You say as Buzz reaches up and tries to slip his fingers under the congealed shell.
  242. >Surprisingly, the material proves to be brittle and crumbles easily as the space ranger pulls at it, and in a matter of seconds the man is free of the black crust that had imprisoned him.
  243. >As soon as he’s free, the man begins to cough and sputter, hacking up flecks of black slime as he gasps for air.
  244. >”I know you guys are busy with this random fucko, but are any of you planning to ask about this?”
  245. >Dan asks from a few feet away, pointing to a section of console with a hole smashed through it.
  246. >”I mean, it kind of seems like it might be important.”
  247. >Buzz looks up and sees the destroyed console, sections of it still smoking and releasing the occasional shower of sparks.
  248. >”I’m sure it is, but this man’s life is at stake, and I’m sure he can shed some light on the situation.”
  249. >Buzz says before returning his attention to the engineer as he regains consciousness.
  250. >”Take it easy, son, we’ve got you.”
  251. >Buzz says as the engineer’s eyes open groggily and his vision slowly pulls back into focus.
  252. >”Lightyear!”
  253. >The engineer shouts, his body tensing for a moment as he sees the space ranger looming over him.
  254. >”I mean, Commander Lightyear, what are you doing down here? Shouldn’t you be dealing with the collision from the bridge?”
  255. >The engineer says as he calms down and pulls himself to his feet, dusting off his jumpsuit.
  256. >”Unfortunately, the damage was too extensive for that option, but never mind that. What happened to you?”
  257. >”Yeah, how did you get this stuck to your face?”
  258. >Spike asks, holding up a few crumbling black chunks.
  259. >”More importantly, how did this happen?”
  260. >Dan asks, folding his arms across his chest as he jerks his head towards the destroyed control panel.
  261. >”Well… the last thing I remember was this… thing leaping at me from one of the shadowy corners of the room. It grabbed me, and I remember not being able to breath, and this burning sensation in my lungs before I finally passed out.”
  262. >”Yeah, that’s nice, but what about the console?”
  263. >Dan growls as he angrily jabs at the wrecked console.
  264. >”Take it easy there, I’m sure it just got damaged after he lost consciousness, one of those things must have gotten to it.”
  265. >Buzz says, holding up his hands and trying to calm Dan down.
  266. >”Yeah, the thing that attacked me must have done it!”
  267. >The engineer says excitedly as he latches onto Buzz’s explanation.
  268. >He certainly jumped at that, you think to yourself, cocking an eyebrow at the engineer’s unusual behavior before shooting a glance at Dan.
  269. >Dan, meanwhile, is staring daggers at this engineer.
  270. >Clearly you aren’t alone in finding his behavior unusual.
  271. >Buzz and Spike, however, don’t seem to find anything amiss.
  272. >”Well, you’re safe with us, son, just stay close till we find a shelter where you can wait this thing out.”
  273. >Buzz says as he crosses the room towards a door that reads External Communications.
  274. >“Uh, no problem, Commander, just give me a second to get my sea legs.”
  275. >The engineer replies as he leans on one of the intact consoles.
  276. >”No problem, son, we need to deal with the obstruction on this door anyway.”
  277. >Buzz says as he crouches to examine the slime-covered keypad preventing him from opening the door.
  278. >”What do you need with the Communications Array, anyway?”
  279. >He asks as you walk over to help Buzz figure out a way through the door.
  280. >”Well, we need to use it to reach the security deck and start coordinating securing the ship. Not to mention, getting communications back up should let us send out a distress beacon to Star Command.”
  281. >Buzz explains before turning to you.
  282. >”Do you think you could do another one of those blizzards? Maybe we can freeze it off the keyp-.”
  283. >”Aghh, son of a bitch!”
  284. >You hear the engineer shout as Buzz’s inquiry is interrupted by a yellow ball of plasma hissing over his head and splashing across the locked door, leaving behind an ugly, black scorch mark.
  285. >You turn around to see the engineer clutching his hand as Dan stands between him and the three of you, gripping his wrench.
  286. >”I knew this fucker was up to something, he just tried to blow Buzz away!”
  287. >Dan shouts as he points to a pistol with three gleaming barrels, the topmost one still smoking from the recent discharge as it skitters to a halt on the floor.
  288. >”I won’t let you ruin Emperor Zurg’s plans for this station.”
  289. >The engineer spits as he makes a dive for the plasma pistol, tucking and rolling as he snatches his weapon off the floor and turns to face the four of you.
  290.  
  291. >Party Vs Zurg infiltrator.
  292.  
  293. Anon 42/42 HP 55 MP
  294. Spike 50/50 HP 4 superiority dice.
  295. Dan 40/40 HP
  296. Buzz 48/59HP suit power cells 93%
  297.  
  298. Zurg Agent 53/60 HP
  299.  
  300. >”You don’t want to do that, son, I know the lies Zurg has been feeding you, but his crusade against the galaxy isn’t worth dying over. Just put the pistol down and we’ll see to it that you survive this crisis, and are treated humanely when we restore order to the station.”
  301. >Buzz says, putting his hands up in a gesture of good faith as he tries to talk the spy down.
  302. >But even as an outsider, you can tell that Buzz's words sound like they came directly out of some field manual, and the spy certainly doesn’t seem to be buying into it.
  303. >”Yeah, and I’ll bet every Zurgian citizen who’s heard that line is still humanely rotting in a prison cell somewhere.”
  304. >The infiltrator sneers as he takes aim at Buzz and squeezes the trigger on his plasma pistol.
  305. >Buzz dives out of the way as an ear-splitting boom erupts from the pistol, but the bolt of plasma never comes.
  306. >Instead, what follows is a scream tearing from the throat of the infiltrator as plasma backwash sears his hand and the barrel of his pistol explodes, leaving it a mangled mass of twisted metal.
  307. >Amazingly, though, the infiltrator manages to hold onto the gun, though you suspect that it may be because his glove has melted to the grip.
  308. >”Oh shit, I’m not so sure I want that gun anymore, guys.”
  309. >Dan says as Spike charges forward, bounding up onto a nearby chair before leaping off and delivering a devastating haymaker directly to the back of the infiltrator’s incinerated hand.
  310. >The man howls in agony as the warped gun tears free of his grip and goes skittering across the floor.
  311. >This looks pretty wrapped up, but just in case the spy has something else up his sleeve, you call on the Keyblade and shoot a bolt of electricity Dan’s way.
  312. >The bolt blossoms on impact into the familiar protective electrostatic field of a Thunder Bulwark as the angry little man walks over to the infiltrator.
  313. >”Jesus, Spike, you didn’t need to go for the burned hand.”
  314. >Dan says as his wrench collides squarely with the spy’s ribcage.
  315. >”Me? What about you? You’re the one hitting him with a wrench!”
  316. >Spike shouts, flabbergasted as the spy crumples to the ground.
  317. >”Yeah, but he was resisting arrest.”
  318. >Dan says, leaving Spike at a loss for words as the little dragon sputters angrily.
  319. >”Okay, that’s enough.”
  320. >Buzz says as he gets up from behind his impromptu cover and walks over to where Dan and Spike are arguing.
  321. >”I don’t think he’s going to be doing much resisting anymore.”
  322. >The space ranger says as he steps between the two, breaking up the fight before it can really start.
  323. >”Now then, that offer of humane treatment is still open, we can even get that hand of yours taken care of.”
  324. >Buzz says to the Infiltrator as he staggers to his feet and spits at the four of you with hate in his eyes.
  325. >”I’ll never surrender to Star Command’s dogs.”
  326. >He sneers as he pulls a knife from his jumpsuit that begins emitting a high-pitched hum as he flips a switch on the hilt.
  327.  
  328.  
  329. Anon 42/42 HP 45 MP
  330. Spike 50/50 HP 4 superiority dice.
  331. Dan 40/40 HP Thunder Bulwark 10/10
  332. Buzz 48/59HP suit power cells 93%
  333.  
  334. Zurg Agent 29/60 HP
  335.  
  336. >The light on Buzz’s wrist starts to glow as his suit’s capacitors begin to emit their own low hum.
  337. >”Once I take care of the knife, get ready to restr-“
  338. >Buzz’s attempts to coordinate with the three of you are cut short as the Zurg spy lunges at the space ranger, stabbing him in the stomach.
  339. >The high frequency blade slips through Buzz’s suit like butter, and the knife’s high-pitched whine pitches down into a low buzzing sound as it’s restrained by the suit.
  340. >”Sorry, what was it you were going to take care of again, you fascist pig?”
  341. >The infiltrator sneers before trying to twist the blade, only to fail as the armor holds the humming knife in place.
  342. >”I’m taking care of you!”
  343. >Buzz shouts as he pops his clear, domed helmet into place and bashes the Infiltrator in the nose with a well-timed headbutt.
  344. >Just as the glass dome smashes into the bridge of the spy’s nose, Buzz grabs the Infiltrator’s wrist and twists it, forcing him to lose his grip on the blade as he goes stumbling backwards and collides with the ruined instrument panel.
  345. >”What do you think you’re doing?”
  346. >The spy shouts as Buzz yanks the knife from his stomach and tosses it aside, sending it clattering across the floor as its high frequency whine resumes.
  347. >”Exactly what I said I would, I’m taking you in.”
  348. >Buzz grunts as his suit hisses at the site of his wound and a pair of panels slide into place, restoring the atmospheric seal on his armor.
  349. “Don’t worry, Buzz, we’ll take it from here. Blizzard!”
  350. >You shout as you run forward, your Keyblade glowing a cold pale blue as you call on your magical reserves and hurl a howling cone of ice and sleet in the spy’s direction.
  351. >As a sheet of ice accumulates on the spy’s body, Spike rushes in to capitalize on the opening you’ve created.
  352. >”Stab our buddy, will ya?”
  353. >Spike growls angrily as he lunges at the spy, trying to grab onto his leg, only for the spy to manage to kick the dragon away despite his frosty coating.
  354. >But as he’s fending off Spike, the spy completely fails to notice Dan charging at him from behind.
  355. >”I’ve had just about enough of you space communists, or whatever the hell you are, fucking with us today.”
  356. >Dan says as he slips his arms under the semi-frozen spy’s and yanks them up into a full nelson.
  357. >”Let’s see you pull one of those fancy knives now.”
  358. >Dan growls as he pulls the spy away from the control panel into the center of the room.
  359. >”Good take down, Dan.”
  360. >Buzz groans, as he clutches his stomach and you run over to try to help him.
  361. “Are you all right, Buzz? Do we need to turn back and head for medical for you?”
  362. >The concern obvious in your voice as the space ranger stumbles, and you grab him in an attempt to keep him upright.
  363. >”I’ll be fine for now, my suit has enough onboard medical equipment to keep me stable for a few hours.”
  364. >Buzz says, grimacing as he takes a deep breath and steadies himself.
  365. >”It’s not exactly what you’d call comfortable, though.”
  366. >He says with a grunt before pulling out a pair of cuffs and walking over to Dan.
  367. >”Now then, I hope you’re finally going to come quietly for us.”
  368. >Buzz says as pops open the handcuffs.
  369. >”NEVER! I’LL NEVER LET YOU TA- ARHGRAHGHJFK!”
  370. >Buzz stops short as the spy starts screaming angrily at the space ranger, thrashing weakly against Dan’s grip when suddenly the thrashing turns into seizing, and the spy begins foaming at the mouth as his iris’s flash a pale gold before his eyes go completely black.
  371. “Uh, Dan, I think you might want to let go of him.”
  372. >You say as he struggles to keep hold.
  373. >”Why? We’ve almost got the spastic fucker cuffed.”
  374. >Dan grunts through clenched teeth as he just barely succeeds in keeping the writhing spy contained.
  375. “Because neither one of us bothered to ask why that stuff was wrapped around his face...”
  376. >You say as the spy starts hacking up thick black chunks of black goo, and a pair of thick black blades begin tearing their way out through the base of the spy’s hands.
  377. >”Holy shit!”
  378. >Dan shouts as he lets go of the former spy and tries to jump away.
  379. >Unfortunately, Dan isn’t quite fast enough as the spy-turned-Heartless seems to pull its arm out of its socket in order to slash at the angry little man as he makes his escape.
  380. >Thanks to the awkward angle, Dan is only hit with the blunt edge of the claw, but the force of the blow is still enough to knock him off balance and send him tumbling to the floor as he tries to reunite with the group.
  381. >The former agent pops its arm back into place as the thick, black sludge continues to pour down its mouth and coat its chest where it coagulates into a thick, black coating with a bright red Heartless crest in the center.
  382.  
  383. Anon 42/42 HP 45 MP
  384. Spike 50/50 HP 3 superiority dice.
  385. Dan 32/40 HP Thunder Bulwark 10/10
  386. Buzz 30/59 HP suit power cells 93%
  387.  
  388. Former Zurg Agent 0/60 HP
  389.  
  390. “Buzz, heads up!”
  391. >You shout as you toss the space ranger the battered bottle of aspirin you’ve been carrying since the Heap.
  392. >He snatches it out of the air with a single deft motion and looks at the bottle, confused before popping the lid and peering inside.
  393. >”What is this? Star Command has rules about illicit substances, you know.”
  394. >He says skeptically as Dan pulls himself up out of the pile of chairs where he rolled to a stop.
  395. >”Jesus, Buzz, they’re just over the counter pain killers. It’s the least we can do for you, since you just got stabbed in the gut.”
  396. >Dan says as he slaps a palm to his forehead in frustration.
  397. >”It’s also the only thing we can do since SOMEONE decided against going to the med-bay.”
  398. >Dan says as he looks at you with a pointed glare.
  399. >”What about you, Dan? It got you pretty good, surely you need them more than me.”
  400. >Buzz says as he rattles the bottle and prepares to toss it to Dan.
  401. >”Nope, perfectly fine.”
  402. >Dan says, holding up a hand as he gestures to the crackling, electrical field surrounding him.
  403. >”This is sturdier than it looks. Now you take one of those god damn pills.”
  404. >Buzz begrudgingly takes one of the pills and forces it down his throat.
  405. >”But I hate taking pills without water.”
  406. >The space ranger grumbles as he puts the cap back on the bottle and tucks it securely away in a storage compartment of his suit.
  407. >At the same time, you hear Spike shout from the far side of the room.
  408. >”If we’re done patching up, it’s time to go on the offensive!”
  409. >He says as he pops up, holding the abandoned vibro-knife and charges at the shambling Heartless.
  410. >”Let’s see how you like a taste of your own medicine!”
  411. >Spike shouts as he leaps up and slashes at the monster’s thigh.
  412. >The knife connects, and Spike carves a little slash through the Heartless’s flesh.
  413. >But while Spike is too wrapped up in his attack to notice, the three adults in the room notice something unusual about the wound.
  414. “Hey, Dan, Buzz, do you see it?”
  415. >”Yeah, there’s hardly any blood coming from that wound.”
  416. >Dan replies as the three of you watch the blood ooze listlessly out of the knife wound.
  417. “I’m afraid there might be no one left in there to save.”
  418. >You say, your stomach twisting as you realize just what these Heartless are capable of.
  419. >”We can’t be certain of that just yet, the alien may just be slowing his heart rate.”
  420. >Buzz says, gritting his teeth with determination as he refuses to give up hope.
  421. >The space ranger’s words give you confidence.
  422. >There might be a way to save this spy yet, you think to yourself as you call on your magic and bolts of electricity begin to crackle up and down your Keyblade’s length.
  423. “Let’s see if we can short circuit this thing.”
  424. >You say, matching Buzz’s determination as you lunge forward and smack the Heartless's center mass with your electrically charged key.
  425. >The Necroheart convulses and writhes as the voltage travels through the black sludge and forces the agent’s body to spasm.
  426. “I think we might be doing something!”
  427. >You shout back hopefully as your Keyblade begins to run out of juice and the former agent’s thrashing slows.
  428. >You pull your Keyblade back and the Heartless stands there stunned for a moment, the black sludge on its chest dripping onto the floor.
  429. >Then, without warning, it lashes out at you, the wicked black blades scything through the air at your throat.
  430. “Son of a bitch!”
  431. >You shout as you whip up the Keyblade and manage to successfully deflect the first blow.
  432. >The second one you aren’t quite so lucky with. Even though you’re successful in turning the claw away from your throat, the jet black blade catches your shoulder and manages to rip through your suit, leaving behind a bright red laceration as it glances off your arm.
  433. >”This thing is beyond help, and you both know it!”
  434. >Dan shouts as he charges the Heartless and swings the heavy wrench at the monster’s shin.
  435. >There’s a sickening crunch, and suddenly the Heartless seems to be having a much harder time supporting its weight on that side.
  436. >”I say we eliminate it with extreme prejudice.”
  437. >Dan says as he pulls you out of the Necroheart’s reach and back to the relative safety of the group.
  438.  
  439. >Even though you don’t want to admit it, Dan makes a decent point.
  440. >Is this spy really worth risking your life to try and save, especially when there might be nothing left to save to begin with?
  441.  
  442. Anon 35/42 HP 40 MP
  443. Spike 50/50 HP 3 superiority dice.
  444. Dan 40/40 HP bulwark 2/10
  445. Buzz 39/59 HP suit power cells 93%
  446.  
  447. Former Zurg Agent 0/60 HP
  448.  
  449. "Even if this dude is proper fucked, he wasn't before the thing inside him assumed direct control. We owe it to any survivors to keep them from ending up like this, and step one is evicting the bug from this asshole!"
  450. >Dan pinches the bridge of his nose as he bounces his wrench on his shoulder.
  451. >”Ugh, fine, but don’t come bitching to me when it turns one of us into mincemeat or opens Buzz up like a can of soup.”
  452. >As if on cue, the Necroheart lunges at Spike just as Dan finishes groaning his response.
  453. >”What was I just fucking saying!”
  454. >Dan shouts as one of the monster’s jet black claws whistle through the air, only for high-pitched, screeching noise to fill the room as Spike catches it inches from his face with the former spy’s own vibroblade.
  455. >”Don’t worry guys, I’m okay!”
  456. >Buzz’s face falls as Spike shouts over the high-pitched whine of the obsidian claw pressing against his blade.
  457. >”What gives, space man, are you bummed Spike is still alive or something?”
  458. >Buzz only shakes his head concerned at the angry manlet’s accusation.
  459. >”That blade cuts at a mono-molecular level, at that speed, it shouldn’t have just stopped the claw, it should have cleaved it clean off. Be careful over there, Spike, those things are sturdier than they look.”
  460. >Buzz calls out to the little dragon as he ducks under the claw and draws back his knife to take another swipe at the Heartless.
  461. >He swings the blade at the monster’s legs, trying to incapacitate it as he rolls by, but another brief high-pitched whine fills the air as the Heartless deflects the blade with one of its claws.
  462. “Don’t worry, little guy, I’ll put him on ice!”
  463. >You shout as you draw upon your magic and compress it into a targeted blast of howling ice that freezes the beast’s legs solid.
  464. “Stay there and cool your heels for a while.”
  465. >You say with a shit-eating grin as the sound of Buzz’s suit charging begins to fill the room.
  466. >”Based on our encounter with Lieutenant Dallas, these things seem to hate the light.”
  467. >Buzz mutters as he taps away furiously at his keypad before it finally lets out a chime and a soothing female voice says.
  468. >(Laser calibration complete.)
  469. >”You may want to cover your eyes, boys.”
  470. >Buzz says, his normally bright red laser emitter shining with a brilliant, pure white light as he raises his arm.
  471. >”Let’s see you try this on for size.”
  472. >Buzz says as a blinding light fills the room and the sudden radiance begins burning away at the black mass on the spy’s chest.
  473. “Jesus, Buzz! What happened to taking him in alive?”
  474. >You shout as you open your eyes, expecting to see a hole blown in the spy’s torso.
  475. >But to your shock, as the your vision clears you find the man’s chest is unfazed as the black sludge continues to smolder and flake away before the embers burning away at its mass finally flicker out.
  476. >”He's fine, I just recalibrated my laser emitter to trade focus for brightness.”
  477. >Buzz says behind a silvery dome, his helmet having automatically thrown up a polarized blast shield to protect him from the sudden burst of light.
  478. >”Well, you sure as hell put some kind of dent in it.”
  479. >Dan says as he looks over at the stunned Heartless as blackened, charred ash falls from its chest to the floor.
  480. >And better yet, the flash seemed to blow away the wickedly keen geometry of the monster’s left claw, leaving it a near useless pockmarked hook.
  481. >”Which makes this the perfect time to press the advantage!”
  482. >Dan shouts as he swings his mace at the monster’s head, only to be stymied by a sudden flash of movement at the last second.
  483. >By the time you all realize what’s happened the Heartless is standing there with Dan’s wrench caught on its intact claw.
  484. >As Dan looks up, he can see the cruel edge digging a deep gash in the wrench’s steel, the head nearly cleaved clean off.
  485. >”Well, son of a bitch... guess I’m going to need a new wrench.”
  486.  
  487. Status
  488.  
  489. Anon 35/42 HP 31 MP
  490. Spike 50/50 HP 3 superiority dice.
  491. Dan 40/40 HP bulwark 2/10
  492. Buzz 39/59 HP suit power cells 63%
  493. Former Zurg Agent 0/60 HP
  494.  
  495. >The Heartless shakes Dan’s wrench off its claw and takes a swipe at the little man, but Dan is light enough on his feet to jump back out of reach of the immobilized Heartless.
  496. >”You’re going to have to do better than that to get the drop on me.”
  497. >Dan says with a smirk as he flips the Heartless the bird.
  498. >”And he’s not really the one you need to worry about!”
  499. >Spike shouts from behind the Heartless as he charges past it back towards the group, slashing at it with the vibroblade as he goes.
  500. >With the monster’s attention on Dan, the little dragon has no trouble leaving a gash in the agent’s leg as he rejoins you.
  501. >The Heartless lets loose with a gurgling roar as it strains against the ice to try and reach Spike, but its frigid prison holds fast.
  502. >As the Heartless thrashes around using the spy’s body, you banish your Keyblade and rush forward.
  503. “I think you’ve overstayed your welcome!”
  504. >You shout as you reach out towards the Heartless and reach out to your Keyblade and channel a burst of mana through it as it snaps into existence, unleashing a blinding flash of light that cascades across the inky black slime coating the spy’s chest.
  505. >The ooze lets out an unnaturally shrill shriek and falls from the spy, his body thrashing as more of the stygian sludge pours from his mouth and splatters on the ground before coalescing into a familiar Necrotic Ooze.
  506. “Buzz, finish it off!”
  507. >You shout as the Heartless tries to materialize its spindly legs.
  508. >”With extreme prejudice!”
  509. >Buzz calls back as his suit cycles up and a familiar lance of crimson light burns its way through the Heartless, incinerating a huge chunk of its mass.
  510. >By the time Buzz’s laser flickers out, all that remains is a pathetic grapefruit-sized blob trying to bounce away from the four of you.
  511. >”Oh no, you aren’t getting away that easily.”
  512. >Dan growls as he swings his wrench down on the Heartless unleashing a single crimson light as he splatters it across the floor.
  513. >Not that you’re watching that, you’ve turned your attention back to the spy, who collapsed to the ground as your spell wore off.
  514. >You and Buzz rush over to him and the space ranger tries to check his pulse.
  515. >”It’s weak, but it is there. Not sure for how long though with the damage that thing did to him.”
  516. >Buzz says as he looks to the blood oozing from the Spy’s split open hands.
  517. >You look up as you hear the sound of something clattering on the floor and see Spike.
  518. >The little dragon recoils in horror as he looks down at the bloody gashes on the spy’s leg.
  519. >”All I did was make it worse.”
  520. >Spike says, backing away slowly as he covers his mouth with his hands, only to bump into Dan as he puts a hand on the little dragon’s head.
  521. >”Hey, it was him or us, and if we had done nothing or just run off he wouldn’t even have the chance he has now. Don’t ever feel guilty for standing up for yourself.”
  522. >Dan says as crouches down and picks up the deactivated vibroblade and hands it to Spike.
  523. >Spike nods, unsure of what to say as he takes the knife, but at least the panic seems to have left his eyes.
  524. >”Dan’s right, thanks to us he still has a shot, but that window is closing fast.”
  525. >Buzz says, calling everyone’s attention back to the urgent matter at hand.
  526.  
  527. >His life is in your hands now, you’re going to need to think fast if you want to save it.
  528.  
  529. “Okay, Buzz, this is probably going to be pretty rough, but it’s all I can think of. Can you use your laser to cauterize his wounds?”
  530. >Buzz puts his hand to his chin and takes a moment to think before responding.
  531. >”I can, it’s only going to be a stop gap, but it should buy us enough time to get to medical.”
  532. >You nod and call your Keyblade to you.
  533. “Let me see if I can buy us a little more.”
  534. >You say as your Keyblade glows pale blue and you cast a gentile frosty coating over the spy’s body.
  535. “Hopefully that’ll help stabilize him.”
  536. >You say, not really sure how much that helped as you dismiss the Mysterious Stranger and Buzz gets to work searing the wounds shut with his laser.
  537. >For a few seconds, a sizzling sound fills the air as Buzz pinches the wounds closed and burns them back together.
  538. >It’s a grisly sight, but by the time Buzz finishes, the spy’s breathing seems steadier.
  539. >You pull a relatively intact cushion out of a pile of destroyed chairs and use it to prop up the spy’s head before you and Buzz lay him out to try and recover.
  540. >As the two of you are trying to make the wounded spy comfortable, you hear a voice from the far side of the room near the puddle of sludge left over by the Necrotic Ooze
  541. >”Hey guys, check this out.”
  542. >Dan says as he pulls something out of the puddle and walks back over to you.
  543. >”What do you guys make of this?”
  544. >He says as he throws a black hunk of wafer thin plastic about the size of a thumb drive at your feet.
  545. >You pick it up and examine it, only to discover it’s stamped with the outline of a Heartless crest.
  546. “I have no idea, Buzz?”
  547. >You say stumped, as you hand Buzz the chip.
  548. >He flips it over, examining the metallic contacts at the base and squinting at the chip as though looking for something he just can’t seem to find.
  549. >”Well, it looks like a standard credit chip, but it doesn’t have any markings indicating who issued it.”
  550. >Buzz says confused before handing it back to you.
  551. >”Any way to check and see how much is on it?”
  552. >Dan chimes in as you shrug and drop the chip into your bit pouch.
  553. >”If the network were up, I could check now, but with things as they are we’ll have to actually put it in a credit reader to check.”
  554. >Buzz says, shaking his head.
  555. >”Now that he’s out of immediate danger, I think it’s time we see what our friend here knows.”
  556. >Buzz says as he begins rifling through the spy’s jumpsuit.
  557. >Unfortunately, the search doesn’t turn up much, just another couple credit chips, and a personal data pad.
  558. >Dan only shrugs at the light haul.
  559. >”Well, we did already take both his weapons during the fight.”
  560. >He says as he walks over and collects the damaged plasma pistol and drops it into his bag.
  561. “Hey, Buzz, you don’t think he’d be so stupid as to leave his mission on that thing do you?”
  562. >You ask as Buzz shrugs and picks up the data pad.
  563. >”Well, there’s only one way to find out.”
  564. >Buzz says as he activates the pad, only to be blocked by a log in screen
  565. >”Damn, he’s cleverer than I thought.”
  566. >Buzz says, stymied by the empty text box and flashing black cursor.
  567. >”Come on, don’t you have some space age cracking tool built into that suit of yours?”
  568. >Dan says as he gives his damaged wrench a few test swings.
  569. >It’s probably not tightening any more bolts, but it’ll still act reasonably well as a blunt object for the time being.
  570. >”Unfortunately, no, we’ll need to keep our eyes peeled for a sufficiently powerful terminal if we want to get into this thing.”
  571. >Buzz says as he hands you the data pad and the spy’s credit chips for safe keeping.
  572. >”The only question now is do we take him directly to medical, or finish what we came here to do?”
  573. >Buzz says, jabbing a thumb at the agent before looking to the three of you for an answer.
  574.  
  575. (Victory! Anon Spike and Dan have reached level 6 and you've obtained three credit chips of indeterminate value as well as a locked data pad.)
  576.  
  577. New ability choices!
  578.  
  579. Spike (Intercept, spend superiority Dice to take a hit for an ally and mitigate damage by the number rolled + Con. Or Group tactics, gain an additional +2 to hit and damage per ally when ganging up on a foe.)
  580.  
  581. Anon (Extra Effort, spend 1.25x on magic to increase its damage by one die size. Or Combo plus, turn your move action into a second attack.)
  582.  
  583. Dan. (World schematics, Learn to build unique devices based on the current world.)
  584.  
  585. [Spike gains Intercept. Anon gains Extra Effort.]
  586.  
  587. >”It’s not like he’s going to drop dead if we leave him here for a few minutes to go and reactivate the station’s Communications Array, right?”
  588. >Dan asks as he looks back and forth between you and Buzz.
  589. >”The sooner we get this over with, the sooner you two bleeding hearts can get this piece of shit to medical.”
  590. >Dan glares at the unconscious spy before walking over to smash the sludge frozen on the keypad with the butt of his wrench.
  591. >Tone aside, the angry little man does make a fair point.
  592. “He’s not in any immediate danger, right? If that’s the case, I feel like I gotta agree with Dan on this one.”
  593. >You ask the space ranger who crouches and puts a pair of fingers to the spy’s neck before responding.
  594. >”His pulse feels pretty steady; I’d say he’s just about out of the woods.”
  595. >Buzz says as he stands.
  596. >”And even if he’s not, it’ll take him a while to make a real turn for the worse.”
  597. >Buzz says, putting any concerns you might have had for your prisoner’s immediate wellbeing at ease.
  598. “Well then, what are we waiting for, let’s go get this done.”
  599. >You say, following Dan over to the door where the little man is standing angrily as he waits for Buzz to enter the access code on the keypad.
  600. >”It’s about fucking time, let’s get this show on the road already.”
  601. >Dan says as Buzz punches in the access code and the door swoosh’s open, revealing the external communications center on the other side.
  602. >As the four of you file into the room, you’re surprised to find communications entirely deserted.
  603. >You search for crew members, but the only thing your search manages to turn up are a few dried blood stains on some of the consoles.
  604. >Strangely though, those blood stains aren’t accompanied by signs of a struggle or any of the black sludge from the previous rooms.
  605. >You also turn up a data pad lying haphazardly on the floor, tossed clear of any nearby workstations.
  606. >You aren’t sure, but you think you might have an idea as to what happened here.
  607. “Say, Buzz, how many people were stationed down here?”
  608. >You ask, scanning the room.
  609. >”We only had three communications officers stationed down here at the time of the incident. It’s not exactly a job that requires a lot of manpower.”
  610. >You nod as the information fits neatly into your theory,
  611. “If I had to put money on it, I’d say at least one of your comms officers was injured during the crash, and the others helped him over to the medical bay and sealed communications control before everything went sideways.”
  612. >You say, pointing to the abnormally clean door leading out into the main corridor.
  613. >”So everything should be working, right?”
  614. >Spike asks excitedly as he runs over to the bank of consoles.
  615. >”How do we contact the security deck?”
  616. >Spike asks, practically bouncing up and down as Buzz walks over and presses a few keys pulling up a view screen, only to be met with the harsh crackle of static as the line fails to open.
  617. >”Shit, did we really come all this way for nothing?”
  618. >Dan groans, dragging his hand down his face as Spike’s face falls.
  619. >”What’s wrong with it? We can fix it, right?”
  620. >Buzz shakes his head, unsure as he runs down a mental checklist.
  621. >”I don’t understand, I thought it might have just been a matter of power, but the section’s emergency power is online. By all rights, it should be working.”
  622. >Buzz says as he continues to input commands on the console, only to be met with the same static screen.
  623. >”I just don’t know what went wr-“
  624. >Buzz rubs the back of his head as he looks up out of the sections view port, only to stop mid-sentence when he catches sight of the three, large, green vertical fins outside the station.
  625. >”Well, good news is I know what’s wrong.”
  626. >Buzz says as he turns back to the console and inputs a few commands only to be met with a harsh buzzing sound.
  627. >”Bad news is we’re going to need to go outside."
  628. >”What do you mean, outside? In case you forgot, we don’t exactly have fancy space suits and jetpacks like you do, jackass.”
  629. >Dan says, pulling on the hem of his leather jacket which, while stylish, won’t do anything to protect him from the harsh vacuum of space.
  630. >”Wait, I’m lost, what do we need to go outside for exactly?”
  631. >Spike asks as he looks from you, to Dan, to Buzz for answers.
  632. >”Look there, see how the fins are all out of alignment?”
  633. >Buzz says pointing out the window, and sure enough, upon closer inspection you can see the fins all seem to be sitting crooked.
  634. >”The crash must have thrown the array out of whack.”
  635. >Dan says with a scowl as Buzz nods.
  636. >”And that’s just what we can see, who knows what’s going on outside?”
  637. >Buzz says as Dan furls his brow, trying to figure out what to do next.
  638. >”That still doesn’t answer the question of what the hell do you expect us to do about it. It’s not like we can go outside and fix it by hand.”
  639. >Buzz just grins and goes over to a row of storage lockers on the wall.
  640. >”Actually, we can do exactly that.”
  641. >Buzz says, opening the panel to reveal a set of space suits.
  642. >They aren’t nearly as sophisticated as Buzz’s, but it’s infinitely preferable to trying to go for a spacewalk in a tuxedo.
  643. >”The communications section is equipped to handle emergency manual array adjustments; we even have suits for smaller races like the LGM.”
  644. >He says, pointing to a small suit that you think might fit Spike after a little bit of adjusting.
  645. >”These suits are pretty basic, no onboard weapons, thrusters, or oxygen recycling, so we’re only going to have about 10 minutes of operating time, but that should be plenty. On the plus side, they are equipped with magnetic boots, so you won’t need to worry about floating off into space.”
  646. >Buzz says with a sheepish smile, as though he’s trying to make the best of the shit end of the stick.
  647. >”Ugh, fine, let’s just suit up and get out there.”
  648. >Dan says as he reaches for a suit.
  649. >But to your surprise, Buzz stops him.
  650. >”I’m afraid it’s not going to be that simple. Someone is going to need to stay inside and tell us when each piece of the Array is in the correct position.”
  651. >Buzz says as he looks at the three of you expectantly.
  652.  
  653. >Clearly, as the only one with EVA experience, Buzz needs to go out. The question is, who’s going with him?
  654.  
  655. “Well, since Dan is the closest thing we have to a technical expert, he ought to go out.”
  656. >You say as you slowly work your way through your line of logic.
  657. “And I think I ought to be the other one to go out.”
  658. >You say, looking at the small space suit and then over to Spike.
  659. “If there are any of the smaller Heartless crawling around on the hull of the station, forcing Spike to go toe to toe with them would put him at incredible risk.”
  660. >An image of Lieutenant Corbin’s ruined space suit leaps involuntarily to your mind’s eye before you continue.
  661. “If I go out, then Buzz and I are the only ones able to retaliate from a distance if things go wrong. I think, between the two of us, we’ll be able to cover Dan and get the job done if worse comes to worst.”
  662. >You summon your Keyblade and pantomime firing a shot as you finish laying out your reasoning.
  663. >”Fair points, but that leaves us with one more question. Can Spike even handle coordinating this? What’s his degree of technical knowhow?”
  664. >Dan asks, looking to you before turning to the little dragon who clenches his fists and gives Dan a determined nod.
  665. >”I used to record readouts on Twilight’s equipment all the time, I can do this, you guys.”
  666. >Spikes enthusiasm doesn’t quite seem to sway Dan, but Buzz chimes in before he can object.
  667. >”That should do nicely, all you really need to do is watch these three gauges, tell us how many degrees off center we are, and tell us when they turn green.”
  668. >Buzz says, pulling up a display with three radial gauges with a single line crossing each gauge.
  669. >Sure enough, all three needles are twisted off center and illuminated by a bright red backing.
  670. >”All you need to do to contact us is use the suit’s internal coms. We’ll be more than close enough for you to reach us.”
  671. >Buzz says as he hands Spike the small space suit from the locker before handing suits to you and Dan.
  672. >”Now, our job is a little more labor intensive, but it’s still fairly simple. All we need to do is go out and use the manual controls to adjust the array according to Spike’s instructions.”
  673. >As Buzz pulls Dan’s suit, the two of you catch a glimpse of something bright red at the back of the locker.
  674. >”And what have we here?”
  675. >Dan asks with a manic grin as he pulls out what looks like a socket wrench the size of a baseball bat.
  676. >”That would be an angular auto driver.”
  677. >Buzz says as he flips a switch on the tool’s handle and the head reorients, leaving it looking more like a magnetic screwdriver sans bit.
  678. >”It tightens bolts, drives screws, and even hammers rivets at variable angles for the user’s convenience. It’s more or less an omnitool for large machinery or construction projects.”
  679. >Buzz says as Dan’s grin spreads even wider.
  680. >”You don’t say.”
  681. >The little man test’s the tool’s heft before setting it aside on a nearby counter and removing his stopsign shoulder pad.
  682. >”Might as well get this over with.”
  683. >Dan grumbles as he pulls on the jumpsuit over the rest of his Road Warrior gear, taking care to strap the stop sign back on once he’s suited up.
  684. >You follow suit as Dan picks up his suit’s helmet and turns to Buzz.
  685. >”By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask, what gives with the helmets. I figured they’d be a retro fishbowl like yours.”
  686. >Dan asks as he pulls the helmet on with a little hiss as the suit seals itself.
  687. >”Well, it should be fairly apparent with that on, but peripheral vision isn’t exactly great in those rigs.”
  688. >Buzz explains as he pops up his own helmet.
  689. >”The standard space ranger suit offers a full field of view, but offers very little in the way of a heads up display, whereas engineering suits like yours offer a variety of information to the user.”
  690. >Buzz finishes explaining as you pull on your own helmet, and sure enough, a whole array of holographic icons flicker to life.
  691. “I guess you have to check that wrist console of yours for this information huh?”
  692. >You ask as you look around the room and the suit feeds you information on the room’s atmospheric composition and informs you that it has switched from reserves to local atmosphere.
  693. >”Exactly, all of that can be distracting to a space ranger during a fire fight, but it’s all vital to an engineer’s job.”
  694. >Buzz replies as Dan clips his old wrench and the auto driver to loops on his jumpsuit before tapping his foot impatiently.
  695. >”Look, I regret I asked, can we just go to the airlock and get to work already?”
  696. >You can practically feel Dan roll his eyes behind his visor as he gestures towards a large steel door at the end of the room.
  697. >”Okay, if you boys are ready, we’ll begin the mission, just remember to take it slow and steady. We don’t need any accidents out there.”
  698. >Buzz says as he opens the local communication channel between your suits and the three of you step into the airlock.
  699. >”Cycling airlock now.”
  700. >Buzz says as he seals the door and presses a button near the door on the far wall.
  701. >Your suit sends you a notification that it is switching to its air reserves, and an O2 meter on your hud lights up as a timer flashes into existence underneath it and begins to count down.
  702. “T-10 minutes and counting, let’s get this done, guys.”
  703. >You say as the far set of doors slide silently open, revealing the pitch black beyond.
  704. >”Your boots should kick in automatically, just step out past the edge and you’ll reorient to the side of the station.”
  705. >Buzz crackles over the intercom as he steps out past the lip of the door and falls out of view.
  706. >”Well, time’s waisting.”
  707. >Dan says as he shrugs and follows Buzz, stepping out and vanishing into the void beyond.
  708. >You walk up to the edge and look down to find Dan and Buzz standing on the hull of the station waiting for you
  709. >You take a deep breath and step over the edge, expecting to be greeted by an uncomfortable falling sensation, but to your surprise it never comes.
  710. >As soon as you step out of the threshold, gravity seems to lose its grip on you and the falling sensation you were expecting is replaced by an unfamiliar queasy feeling.
  711. >”Ughh, my guts feel all floaty.”
  712. >Dan groans as you step into view before Buzz chimes in.
  713. >”You’ll get used to it, but for now we need to move.
  714. >The space ranger says as the three of you walk up the station towards the base of the large central fin.
  715.  
  716. >”Jesus, when are we going to reach the array? It feels like we’ve been walking for days.”
  717. >Dan’s voice crackles over the helmet’s com system interrupting the quiet beeping of your suit’s systems.
  718. “Calm down, man, it’s hasn’t even been two minutes yet.”
  719. >You say as you glance at the suit’s timer for confirmation.
  720. >”Ughh, I know, the quiet is just wigging me out I guess.”
  721. >Dan’s groaning is cut short when Spike hops on the channel.
  722. >”Are you sure you guys are going to have enough time to do this? You’ve got to get back to the airlock too, you know.”
  723. >”We’ll be fine, little guy, don’t worry about us. We’ve just arrived.”
  724. >Buzz says as he stops in the middle of the stations hull still some distance away from the base of the fins themselves.
  725. >”What the hell are you talking about, there’s nothing here!”
  726. >Dan shouts angrily over the radio as he waves his arms wildly at the empty expanse of metal.
  727. >”Calm down, it’s not like we would leave manual controls out in the open where they could get taken out by any old meteorite.”
  728. >Buzz says as he kneels down to grab a handle in the center of a recessed cylindrical base and twists it before pulling it up from the hull of the station.
  729. >The space ranger stands and backs away as a large white panel slides up out of the hull revealing a trio of heavy wheels attached to an array of gleaming toothy gears.
  730. >”See, like I said, we’re here.”
  731. >Buzz says, grinning at the two of you as Dan scratches his head in confusion.
  732. >”But if it’s a remote control panel, and not on the base of the fins, why even put it outside at all?”
  733. >He asks, anger at the edge of his voice.
  734. >Not that you're really in the position to judge the design choices of an alien civilization, you aren't too big to admit to yourself that the same thought had occurred to you.
  735. "I was just wondering the same thing."
  736. >You chime in as Dan points at you energetically with both arms, as though your words validate him.
  737. >Buzz just nods understandingly.
  738. >”You know, I asked that myself once, I’m told it has something to do with maintaining the integrity of the stations atmospheric seal. We don’t exactly have time for a lecture, though, let’s get these bad boys back in alignment and get back inside.”
  739. >Buzz says as he grabs the central wheel and twists it.
  740. >The two of you look up at the central fin, expecting to see it twist back into place.
  741. >Only for nothing to happen.
  742. “Uhh, Spike, any movement on the central array?”
  743. >”Nadda, big guy. Why, did you do something?”
  744. >”It looks like this might be a bit more problematic than I had originally anticipated.”
  745. >Buzz says with a frown as he crosses his arms and looks at the massive analog control panel.
  746. >”Well what the fuck do you propose we do now, space man?”
  747. >Dan shouts as he throws his arms up, pulling him away from the hull before his magnetized boots pull him back to the station.
  748. >”Calm down, I’m thinking.”
  749. >As Dan is yelling at Buzz to think faster, you walk around to the back of the gearbox and discover a collection of loose gears floating feely behind the apparatus.
  750. “Guys, I think these might be the problem.”
  751. >You say, collecting the armload of gears and walking back around to the other side.
  752. >”Great, let’s just stick the fuckers back in and lets go already.”
  753. >Dan says, grabbing a gear, only for a chunk of it to snap off in his hand as he trys to yank it from your arms.
  754. >”Hmm, I don’t think we’re going to have that easy a time with it.”
  755. >Buzz says. looking at the broken chunk of gear as you assess your stock.
  756.  
  757. >You have 2 large gears, 2 medium gears, and 2 small gears.
  758. >You also have a thoroughly cracked large gear, a slightly cracked medium gear, and a large gear Dan has snapped neatly in half.
  759. >What do you intend to do to get out of this mess?
  760.  
  761. >After handing your armload of gears to Dan, you head back around the back of the analog control panel for a closer look.
  762. >Once you’re there, you discover that there’s a vacant peg for each of the gears you just handed your irritable companion.
  763. “Looks like we just need to figure out which of these gears go where, and we’ll be in business.”
  764. >You tell the others over the radio as you look at the layout of the pegs inside.
  765. >The empty slots by the wheel on your left seem like the obvious place to start, with only two vacant pegs to make the attempt with.
  766. >”Hey, the mountings for the gears aren’t different sizes, are they? This would all be really simple if each size had its own dedicated axel type.”
  767. >Dan’s voice crackles over your suit’s speakers as you shake your head and reach around the side of the control panel.
  768. “No such luck, unfortunately. Now if you want to hand me the two large gears that aren’t fucked, I think I have one of these solved.”
  769. >You say as you hold out a hand and Dan passes you the two intact large gears.
  770. >The two gears fit like a glove as you reach in and slide them onto their pegs and into their proper place in the machine.
  771. >Once you pull your arm free of the machine you give the space ranger the signal.
  772. “Okay, Buzz, give it a try.”
  773. >within a matter of seconds the space ranger complies and the gears on the leftmost column begin to turn and you feel the slightest vibration through your feet as the massive fin turns in the distance.
  774. >”Whatever you guys are doing out there is working! One of the needles is moving!”
  775. >Buzz continues to turn the wheel as the little dragon excitedly calls out updates on the needle's position over the channel.
  776. >”Okaaaaay, Stop!”
  777. >Spike finally shouts as you hear a little bing over the radio, clearly one of the dials has turned green back in the control room.
  778. >”We’re making pretty good time, boys, we’ve got a good 5 minutes left to get these back in place.”
  779. >Buzz says as you move over to the gearbox on the right.
  780. “Okay, next let’s see if we can eliminate the cracked medium gear as redundant.”
  781. >You say as you ask Dan to pass you the three medium gears, along with a small and the large cracked gear.
  782. >After some trial and error, you slide two medium gears, a small gear and the large cracked gear into place.
  783. “Perfect, looks like we can make do without relying on any broken gears.”
  784. >You say with a grin as you pull out the cracked gear and substitute it with one of the two large intact gears from the left gearbox.
  785. “Okay, Buzz, give it a whirl.”
  786. >You say as you see Buzz flash you a thumbs up from around the corner of the console before the gears begin to turn.
  787. >”Uh, guys, we have a little problem here.”
  788. >You hear Spike say over the radio as a little bing indicates that the right hand fin is back in alignment.
  789. >”We’ve got two down and one to go, and there isn’t a Heartless in sight, what could possibly be the problem?”
  790. >Dan snaps at the little dragon as Spike recoils on the other end of the line.
  791. >”Well that’s just it, you don’t have two down. The left fin drifted out of alignment when you were calibrating the right fin."
  792.  
  793. >”Shit. Looks like the gears do more than just move the fins around, they keep the array stable.”
  794. >Dan groans as he drags a gloved hand down his helmet.
  795. >”Got any more bright ideas?”
  796.  
  797. “Actually, I do, smartass. Hand me the cracked gears.”
  798. >You say, summoning your keyblade as Dan passes you the two gears in question.
  799. >You nod at your engineer before carefully setting the two cracked gears against the hull of the station and leveling your Keyblade at them.
  800. ”Blizzard!”
  801. >Your voice sounds muted inside your helmet as the Mysterious Stranger glows blue, and you feel the rush of arcane energy passing through you as your magic coats the gears in a layer of ice.
  802. “There, that ought to do for reinforcement.”
  803. >You say as you walk over and slot the large and medium frozen gears into the central slot.
  804. >You then walk back and collect the two halves of the last gear before turning towards Buzz.
  805. “Okay, this last part might be a little tricky. Can you use your laser to weld this back together?”
  806. >You ask as you press the two halves of the gear together and hold it out to Buzz.
  807. >The space ranger furls his brow, scrunching up his suit’s purple thermal hood as he thinks.
  808. >For a few agonizing seconds you think he’s about to tell you his laser just can’t cut it, when he says,
  809. >”I think I can do it, but you might want to hold that over your head instead. Wouldn’t want to end up blasting you mid-repair.”
  810. >Buzz says, pointing at the hole in the middle of the gear, and you can’t help grinning sheepishly inside your helmet as you raise the gear over your head.
  811. “Okay, fire away.”
  812. >As soon as the words are out of your mouth, a lance of red light streaks overhead as Buzz’s laser begins welding the gear together, and in short order you have a restored gear in your hands.
  813. >The seam on the weld is a little rough, but it’s more than close enough for government work.
  814. >You go back around to the rear of the console and slot the welded gear into place in the left gearbox.
  815. “Okay, Spike, how are we looking right now?”
  816. >The line stays silent for a moment before the little dragon’s voice crackles to life.
  817. >”The right fin is still in alignment, but the center and left are still off. The left fin is only out of alignment by a few degrees though.”
  818. >Spike says as you nod and lean around the bank of gears to give Buzz the go ahead.
  819. “Okay, let’s bring the left fin back into alignment.”
  820. >You say as the space ranger grabs the wheel and begins to turn, only for Spike to interject almost immediately.
  821. >”Okay, that’s got us up to two.”
  822. >Spike says as you look at the gearbox and find the welded gear holding fast.
  823. “Just one left now, bring it on home, Buzz.”
  824. >Buzz nods and begins twisting the central wheel and a familiar rumble vibrates up through your boots as the final fin slowly rotates into place.
  825. >”Just a little further, guys, you’re about halfway into position.”
  826. >You high-five Dan as Spike’s voice crackles over the intercom, when suddenly the rumbling of the fin comes to an abrupt halt as all of the tension leaves the wheel and it begins spinning freely in Buzz’s hands.
  827. >”Oh shit, that can’t be good.”
  828. >Dan says as your heart drops into your stomach, and the two of you head around to the back side of the gearbox.
  829. >The sight that greats you nearly stops your heart entirely as you find the two of the gears in the center gearbox completely gone.
  830. >All that remains is a cloud of metallic splinters floating freely in their place.
  831. >“Son of a bitch, I was afraid of this.”
  832. >Dan swears as you turn towards him confused.
  833. “Afraid of what? You knew this might happen?”
  834. >You ask as you barely manage to refrain from giving in to panic and shouting at him over the radio.
  835. >”Well I was worried that suddenly super-cooling the metal like that might make it brittle. Then again, in a vacuum environment like this, I thought we might have some cold welding take place and we’d see the metal rejoin at an atomic level.”
  836. >It takes you a second to realize Dan can’t see the look of sheer confusion on your face and speak up.
  837. “So what exactly does that mean in English?”
  838. >Dan just sighs as he plucks one of the metal shards out of the gearbox.
  839. >”It means I thought we were looking at a 50/50 shot.”
  840. >He says before standing up and tossing the shard away.
  841. >”We aren’t fucked yet, though, we just need to figure out how to solve a puzzle while missing some of the pieces.“
  842. >You look up at the fin, down at the gears, and glance at the timer in your helmet’s heads up display.
  843. >You’re down to about two minutes left before you need to head back to the airlock if you don’t want things to start getting ugly for you and Dan.
  844. >You could spend that time shuffling gears around trying to find a way to make this work, given his technical expertise, Dan might even be able to pull it off.
  845. >But a thought occurs to you.
  846. >Maybe you’ve been looking at this the wrong way.
  847. >You’ve been so focused on using the gears to move the fin that you never stopped to consider moving the array directly.
  848. >Then, once it’s in place, all you’d need to do is make sure the gears can’t move.
  849. >Question is, can you actually do it?
  850. >Twilight certainly could. She practically had the whole of creation at her disposal with all that magical power.
  851. >At the back of your mind, you had always been jealous of that freedom she possessed.
  852. >She could probably move the array with nothing more than a stray thought, and you would always be stuck trundling along struggling with your mundane grasp on the universe.
  853. >But things are different now.
  854. >You hold the key to the same realm of infinite possibility now.
  855. >The only thing you lack is the understanding of how that realm works.
  856. >The Mysterious Stranger flashes into your gloved hand, as if responding to the idea hatching in your mind.
  857. >You may not know how magic works, or how to reach out and grab something with a thought.
  858. >But you do understand the physics.
  859. >Maybe you can use that to bridge the gap between what you know and what you need.
  860. >You can feel the weight of the Magnetic Coil in your pocket.
  861. >And unlike Shaggy 2 Dope and Violent J, you know how it works.
  862. >All you need to do is use magic to put the principles of magnetism to work for you.
  863. “Stand back, Dan, there might be some backlash.”
  864. >Dan jumps back as you hold out your Keyblade, a spiral of crackling electricity forming around it as you call upon the well of mana the weapon links you to.
  865. >You can feel the fittings on your suit being tugged towards your blade as you use the Mysterious Stanger itself as a ferromagnetic core for your spell, the energy intensifying as you push it all to the tip of the Keyblade, generating a pair of orbiting red and blue spheres.
  866. “Magna Tether!”
  867. >You shout as you flick the tip of the Keyblade, casting the energy upward towards the fin at the end of a glowing filament of magical power.
  868. >You begin to yank on the Mysterious Stranger like an angler trying to haul in a catch as soon as you feel the magic connect with the mass of metal.
  869. >For a few seconds nothing happens, but then, by some miracle, you feel a familiar rumbling ruminating up through the hull of the station as Spike crackles on over the radio.
  870. >”Whatever you’re doing up there is working, guys, just a little further.”
  871. >You only barely register Spike’s voice as you strain against the Communications Array and little by little haul it into place.
  872. >It seems like an eternity, but eventually you register Spike saying that the last array is in place.
  873. “Quick, Dan, lock it down!”
  874. >You grunt through gritted teeth as you feel your magic swiftly draining away as you struggle to hold the massive piece of communications equipment in place.
  875. >”Uhhhh shit dude lock it down lock it down, fuck, fuck, fuuuuuuuck...”
  876. >Dan mumbles to himself as he pats frantically all over his suit, looking for a solution, when suddenly his hand comes to rest on the handle of his ruined wrench.
  877. >”Got it!”
  878. >Dan shouts as he pulls the wrench from the strap that was securing it to the suit and crams it between the lower gears of the central gearbox, just as your magic runs out and the Communications Array is released from your magnetic grasp.
  879. >Dan watches, not daring to breath as the gears seem to strain against the thick chunk of steel, and lets out a sigh of relief when the ruined wrench holds fast.
  880. >”Looks like it was able to solve one last problem for us.”
  881. >Dan says, smiling to himself inside his helmet when he catches a glimpse of his oxygen timer out of the corner of his eye.
  882. >”Fuck me running, we need to get going!”
  883. >The little man shouts as he takes off sprinting back towards the airlock.
  884. “There’s no way that took more than a minutohshitBuzzcatchup!”
  885. >You shout, leaving Buzz to return the console to its rightful place within the hull of the station as you catch sight of the timer and take off sprinting, as you discover you have a minute and 45 seconds left to make it back to the airlock.
  886. >”What’s got them all worked up?”
  887. >Buzz mutters to himself as he calmly lowers the control panel back into its rightful spot.
  888. >”Oh, that.”
  889. >Buzz says, his voice flat as he turns to follow you and pops open his wrist console, only to discover a mere minute and a half remaining on the mission timer.
  890. >”Don’t worry, boys, I’ve got you covered.”
  891. >You hear Buzz’s voice crackling over the radio as, off in the distance, Buzz presses a big red button on his chest plate and a pair of wings complete with blinking red and green lights spring out from the back of his suit.
  892. >”Too infinity, and beyond!”
  893. >”What the fuck does that even mean?”
  894. >Dan shouts over the radio, but before you even have the chance to second the question, Buzz shoots up behind you and catches you in the crook of his left arm before zooming off across the surface of the station, bringing you along for the ride.
  895. >In a matter of seconds, you catch up with Dan, and Buzz scoops him up with his right arm as he hauls the both of you on a beeline towards the airlock hatch.
  896. >”On my mark, engage magnetic soles.”
  897. >Buzz shouts over the channel as the vibration that you can only assume is some kind of jetpack shuts off as Buzz kicks down his feet and spins the three of you upright.
  898. >”3, 2, 1. Mark!”
  899. >On Buzz’s orders, the two of you put your feet down in time with the space ranger’s and the three of you skid to a halt at the lip of the door.
  900. >Buzz unhands the two of you and pops open his console.
  901. >”Back with over a minute to spare.”
  902. >He says with a grin as he hops into the airlock.
  903. >As you follow him in with a shell-shocked Dan trailing behind you, you can see by your own oxygen gauge that the space ranger is in fact correct.
  904. >To your surprise, you made it back with a good minute and 15 seconds to spare.
  905. “So if you could do that the whole time, why not fly us there too?”
  906. >You ask as the doors slide shut and Dan returns to his senses.
  907. >”Yeah! Why did we have to cut it so damn close?”
  908. >The angry little man interjects.
  909. >”I wanted to conserve suit power so we’d have it in case of an unforeseen emergency.”
  910. >Buzz replies, as though that were the most obvious thing in the world as a hissing sound fills the small room and a decontamination process begins.
  911. >”Well, we did end up needing to weld that gear, so I guess all’s well that ends well.”
  912. >Dan says begrudgingly as your suits let out a pressurized hiss and switch back over to the station’s atmosphere.
  913. >”Well said!”
  914. >Buzz says, grinning as he slaps the diminutive jerk on the back.
  915. >”Now then, what do you say we check in on Officer Woody and your friend?”
  916. >Buzz says as the door into the communications control room hisses open.
  917.  
  918. You solved my array puzzle!
  919. Magnet Element, get!
  920. Known applications: Magna Tether, cost 10 MP.
  921. Grab target and swing them around, dealing 1d8 plus Int to both target and point of collision if you hit something. The spell can be maintained for more than one turn at a cost of an additional 5 MP per turn.
  922.  
  923. >”Way to keep me on the edge of my seat, guys, I thought you weren’t going to make it back for a second there.”
  924. >Spike grins as he hops up from the console and runs over to greet the three of you.
  925. “Come on, you know we wouldn’t leave you hangin’ like that.”
  926. >You say as you pull off your helmet and hold out a fist that the little dragon promptly jumps up and bumps.
  927. “Now then, what do you say we go ahead and get this show on the road.”
  928. >You step aside as you gesture to the flickering communications console, clearing the way for Buzz to make the call.
  929. >The space ranger steps up to the console and flicks a switch, prompting a static-filled view screen to flicker to life.
  930. >Buzz then adjusts a few knobs and flicks a few switches, in what you’re sure is a very vital part of the communications procedure, before finally pressing a big red button in the center of the console.
  931. >You hear a series of chimes on the line, and for a few seconds it seems as though all your work out on the hull of the station was for nothing.
  932. >Then, on the third set of chimes the static winks out and a man with a nearly rectangular face appears on the screen.
  933. >Though what stands out more than his blockheadedness is the large leather cowboy hat perched on his head.
  934. >”Buzz! What’s going on up there, I’ve been trying to reach the bridge for hours.”
  935. >Dan presses a button on the side of his helmet, collapsing it onto his suit, as he elbows you and whispers.
  936. >”Hey, you’re seeing this too, right, I’m not just hallucinating from oxygen deprivation?”
  937. >You can only nod in response as Buzz pinches the bridge of his nose.
  938. >”We’ve suffered a collision with an asteroid, and to make matters worse, it’s brought some particularly nasty hitchikers with it. And how many times have we talked about the hat, it’s not becoming of a security chief.”
  939. >”That’s sheriff to you, Buzz, and it’s not like it’s hurting anyone.”
  940. >Woody replies as he shines his Star Command badge.
  941. >”As for the hitchhikers, I’ve already run into a few of them. Nasty little goopy spider things, right? They’re skittering around all over the place down here; I’ve had to seal the security office to keep them out.”
  942. >Woody pauses for a moment, tilts back his hat, and scratches the side of his head in confusion.
  943. >”What I want to know, though, is how this asteroid even managed to hit us in the first place. Shouldn’t Deep Space Telemetry have seen this thing coming a mile away?”
  944. >The four of you share an uneasy glance before you pipe up.
  945. “Um, about that, Sheriff.”
  946. >”For god’s sake, don’t encourage him.”
  947. >You ignore Buzz’s interruption and carry on.
  948. “We discovered a Zurg infiltrator in Deep Space Telemetry that sabotaged your system. He was armed and we have no way of knowing if he was alone.”
  949. >Woody nods as though a piece has fallen into place for him.
  950. >”I knew we should have had more of a security detail for this shakedown run. Speaking of which, who are these guys, Buzz?
  951. >Buzz jerks upright as he realizes he had forgotten to introduce the three of you.
  952. >”Oh, this is Anonymous, Spike, and Dan. They arrived on the station yesterday, and since you were tied up with our previous guest, I took on the responsibility of supervising them. I’ve given them an emergency commission since the incident.”
  953. >You’re about to try and move the conversation to said guest, but a voice shouting from the other end of the security office does it for you.
  954. >”I knew I heard Anonymous a moment ago, and did that gentleman say my little Spikey-Wikey is here too? You let me out of this cell at once, and let me speak to my friends, you ruffian.“
  955. >Spike begins bouncing up and down excitedly at the sound of Rarity’s voice, only to turn around and kick Dan in the shin as he snickers at the words Spikey-Wikey.
  956. >”Apparently she’s an acquaintance of Anon and Spike’s, you can let her out of the cell, she’s not a threat to the station.”
  957. >Woody groans in protest.
  958. >”Aww come on, Buzz, she kicked me.”
  959. >”And I’ll do much worse if you don’t let me speak to my friends this instant!”
  960. >You hear Rarity shout from her cell as Buzz shakes his head.
  961. >”Just let her out, Woody. If her friends are anything to go by, she’ll prove to great asset when it comes to defending this station.”
  962. >Woody sighs and presses a button on his console and you hear an ambient hum in the back of the transmission die out.
  963. >”It’s about time, that cell was hardly suitable quarters for a lady.”
  964. >Rarity huffs as she trots out of the cell and glances around the security room before finally catching sight of the four of you on the monitor.
  965. “Hey, Rarity, how’s it going?”
  966. >You say as though you aren’t reuniting on a space station after spending several days wandering, not one, but two distinct wastelands after being dumped through a magical portal.
  967. >You’re fully aware how anti-climactic it is, but you weren’t really sure of what else to say.
  968. >”Oh, it’s been positively dreadful, dear, have you seen what these people wear? Lime green and purple on white? It’s absolutely a… I… I was so terribly afraid you had all died.”
  969. >Rarity breaks down halfway through her attempt to act nonchalant, unable to maintain the façade as she plops to the floor sobbing.
  970. >”Hey, dont cry, we’re okay. We’ll be down to get you soon, and then we can go find the others.”
  971. >Spike says, trying to console the distraught unicorn as he hauls himself up onto a chair and into view.
  972. >Dan, meanwhile, is staring at the screen with his mouth agape.
  973. >”You guys are friends… with a tiny white marshmallow horse… what the fuck is this life?”
  974. >Dan mutters, prompting Rarity to sit up and glare at the angry little man through her tears.
  975. >”Excuse me, sir, I’ll have you know I’m a pony, not a horse. What kind of company have you two been keeping in my absence?”
  976. >Rarity wipes her eyes as she turns her attention back to you.
  977. “We’ve had a crazy couple of days, and I promise we’ll tell you all about it when things settle down, but for now there’s some important information we need to share with you both.”
  978. >Buzz nods and pulls up a pair of images on his wrist mounted communicator before flicking them over towards the view screen, where they appear and blow up into high resolution photos of Lieutenant Dallas and the Zurg infiltrator.
  979. >”Those little creatures are a larger threat than they appear at first glance. It seems they’re able to use the bodies of others as hosts for these highly durable, highly dangerous combat forms. Those blades are able to cut through an armored space suit, so avoid any direct confrontation if at all possible. While Corbin was dead when we found one of these things squatting in him, the Zurg infiltrator was alive and behaving normally before this thing emerged. It seems that they’re capable of incubating within a living host and emerge when they become stressed, enraged or otherwise agitated. Be on the lookout for unusual behavior amongst survivors, and be sure to try and keep them calm.
  980. >As Buzz wraps up his explanation Dan leans in and adds,
  981. >”Yeah, it seems like they like to invade the body through the mouth, but I’d keep an eye on each other’s backs too if I were you.”
  982. >As much as you want to punch Dan for putting the thought of these things anally violating you in your head, he wasn’t nearly as crass as he could have been. That doesn’t stop Rarity from chastising him though.
  983. >”That’s hardly any way to speak in front of a lady.”
  984. >Rarity says with a huff as she turns up her nose at Dan.
  985. “Even so, he has a point: keep your head on a swivel out there. You aren’t in Equestira anymore.”
  986. >Rarity sighs but ultimately nods in agreement.
  987. >”Ughh, very well, the sheriff and I will take care to watch each other’s backs, as it were.”
  988. >Buzz seizes the lull in your conversation to get back to the topic at hand.
  989. >”One last thing you two should know. It seems as though hosts that the creatures take alive can be saved with proper medical treatment if you manage to excise the creature without harming the body. I’m not asking you to risk your life unnecessarily, Chief, but try to avoid lethal force where possible.”
  990. >Woody nods on his end of the line as Buzz finishes speaking.
  991. >”So what’s the plan, Buzz? Where do we go from here?”
  992. >The Sheriff asks, leaving Buzz to ponder the question.
  993. “Well, we were going to try and take the infiltrator to Medical first, they should be able to keep him secure, and we’ll be able to pick up some supplies to make our way further down the station.”
  994. >You interject, sharing the battle plan for the immediate future.
  995. >”In the meantime, we’re going to maintain an open channel with you for as long as my communicator can maintain a lock on the relay I’ve set up here at the Communications Array. Keep me updated on any changes to your situation.”
  996. >Buzz interjects before turning to the three of you.
  997. >”Well, I think that takes care of briefing Chief Woody, anything you boys want to say to your friend before we go?”
  998. >”Stay safe, Rarity, we’ll see you in person soon.”
  999. >Spike says before hopping down off the chair.
  1000. >You think for a second before pulling open your spacesuit, revealing your suit jacket underneath.
  1001. ”It might be a little late to say this, Rarity, but thanks again for the suit. It’s saved the skin inside it more than once over the past couple days. Sorry about all the wear and tear though.”
  1002. >Rarity tears up a little again but still manages to titter and smile at you through the tears.
  1003. >”Think nothing of it, dear, I’d much rather have the suit come back full of holes than you. I’ll just have to make you something sturdier next time.”
  1004. >You smile back and give dressmaker a thumbs up, And with that, Buzz flips a switch and the view screen fades to black.
  1005.  
  1006. >”I hate to cut your reunion short, but that spy needs medical attention sooner rather than later.”
  1007. >Buzz says with an involuntary wince, grabbing his stomach as he turns to you and Spike.
  1008. >”Not to be a Negative Nancy, but frankly so do I.”
  1009. >With all the excitement of the spy’s monstrous transformation, and your subsequent spacewalk, the fact that Buzz got shanked square in the gut completely slipped your mind.
  1010. >Whatever space age miracle is keeping him from bleeding out can’t hold up forever.
  1011. “You’re right, we’re burning daylight here. Let’s get this done, guys.”
  1012. >You say as you pull your helmet back on, and manage to mimic Dan’s actions, collapsing your helmet into a more manageable series of metal plates around your collar.
  1013. >Buzz makes one last sweep over the communications panel, ensuring your line to Rarity and Woody to the best of his abilities, before the four of you head back to Deep Space Telemetry, sealing the room behind you.
  1014. >Hopefully that should prevent any further interference from the Heartless or any other spies that may be roaming the ship.
  1015. >Luckily, the spy you actually know about is, while still unconscious, breathing steadily when the four of you return.
  1016. “Okay, so Spike, I think you maybe ought to take point on this one. Dan and I will carry our prisoner while Buzz covers us from the rear with his laser.”
  1017. >You point to each member of your ragtag party in turn as you lay out the plan.
  1018. >Dan looks back and forth between the space ranger and the little dragon before finally nodding in agreement.
  1019. >”Spike’s a little small, but we probably don’t want the guy with the stab wound acting as our forward guard.”
  1020. >Dan says as he crouches down and pulls the spy’s legs forward while you crouch behind him and tuck your arms under the unconscious man’s shoulders.
  1021. “Okay, next stop, Medical.”
  1022. >You say as the two of you lift your prisoner and you make your way back into the labyrinthine corridors of the Infinity.
  1023. >The four of you walk in relative silence, save for the occasional involuntary grunt from Buzz, until you’re nearly back to the central lift shaft.
  1024. >The reappearance of the smattering of black sludge lining the walls reminds you of something.
  1025. “Say, Buzz, we never actually told Sheriff Woody that the Heartless are vulnerable to light did we?”
  1026. >”Don’t encourage his fixation on the Old West. You have no idea how many times I’ve had to tell him that the infinity isn’t a playground, and he’s not some child playing Cowboys and Indians.”
  1027. >Buzz grimaces as he pops open the panel on his wrist.
  1028. >”That said, no. We did not inform the chief of one of our invader’s key weaknesses. Probably best we remedy that situation.”
  1029. >”Calling Chief Woody, come in Woody.”
  1030. >A few seconds of static crackles over Buzz’s coms before Woody finally replies.
  1031. >”Hey Buzz, you already fix internal coms? You boys are moving quick.”
  1032. >You hear Woody let out an impressed whistle as Buzz pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs.
  1033. >”No, Woody, I just established a dedicated relay through the external array. I’m calling to let you know that we’ve managed to determine that the Heartless can be damaged directly by sufficiently bright light sources. This holds true even when they’re taking shelter in a host and can be used to excise them.”
  1034. >”Thanks for the heads up, Buzz, we’ll see what we can rig up down here. Over and – hey, what do you think you’re doing?”
  1035. >A scuffle on the other end of the line cuts off Woody’s attempt to hang up, and after a few seconds of what sounds like whining, you hear Rarity on the other end of the line.
  1036. >”Next time just let me speak to them, you cad, ahem. Hello, Anonymous, Spike, can you hear me?”
  1037. >Rarity asks in a cadence uncannily similar to an old woman using a cellphone for the first time: overly loud and making pronounced pauses between each word.
  1038. “Yeah, Rarity, we can hear you just fine. What’s up?”
  1039. >You reply, trying not to grunt as you shift the weight of the unconscious spy to make speaking a little easier.
  1040. >“I just wanted to apologize for that unseemly breakdown earlier darling; I do hope I haven’t worried either of you.”
  1041. >The embarrassment is plain in her voice, but she pauses a moment before regaining her composure and continuing on.
  1042. >”I’ll do my best to do my part and help the sheriff here on this end of the station, do try your best to stay out of harm’s way.”
  1043. “Thanks, Rarity, we’ll do our best to avoid unnecessary risks, isn’t that right, buddy?”
  1044. >You call down to Spike at the head of the line and the little dragon shouts back.
  1045. >”You have my oath of honor as a dragon that we’ll make it down in one piece. “
  1046. “Well there you go, Rarity, looks like we’re covered.”
  1047. >”Positively unassailably.”
  1048. >You can practically hear Rarity smiling over the radio before she continues.
  1049. >”Well I shan’t keep you from your mission, do check in when next you get the opportunity though, darling.”
  1050. >You catch another round of squabbling between Rarity and Woody as she relinquishes control of the microphone.
  1051. >”Are you sure I can’t just throw her back in her cell, Buzz?”
  1052. >Woody’s exasperated voice crackles across the line only to be punctuated by a faint,
  1053. >”Don’t you dare!”
  1054. >In the background.
  1055. >”You’re going to need all the help you can get with this one, Chief, I suggest you get used to the idea and bury the hatchet. Over and out.”
  1056. >”Ohh come on, Buz-“
  1057. >Woody tries to protest but Buzz just snaps his communicator shut and sighs.
  1058. >”This is going to be a long day.”
  1059. >You nod in agreement, only to suddenly stop short as Dan stops moving.
  1060. “What’s the hold up?”
  1061. >You ask, only to look forward and see a large door standing in your way that reads Medical Bay.
  1062. >”Well obviously we’re here, smartass.”
  1063. “Sooo, why don’t we go in?”
  1064. >Dan rolls his eyes at you, as though you’ve just confirmed his suspicions that you really are some kind of retard.
  1065. >”We have no idea what’s behind those doors. You don’t think maybe we should formulate some kind of plan here?”
  1066.  
  1067. >What do you think? Should you formulate a plan?
  1068.  
  1069. >You, in turn, look at Dan like he’s some kind of paranoid whack job.
  1070. “What exactly do we need a plan for? It’s a door. Why don’t we act like civilized human beings and just knock? Spike, check on the price of a haircut for me, would ya?”
  1071. >You ask, nodding to Spike as the little dragon takes the hint and taps out a familiar tune on the metal door.
  1072. >”Seriously? Shave and a Haircut?”
  1073. >Dan asks, apparently too dumbstruck to mount a more scathing retort.
  1074. “What? If there’s anyone alive inside, they’ll know we’re not monsters, and if it’s abandoned, or worse, it literally costs us nothing to check.”
  1075. >Dan opens his mouth, presumably to throw some manner of shade on your sick plan, when he’s cut off by a pair of quick knocks from the other side of the door.
  1076. “What did I tell you.”
  1077. >You say with a smug grin as the door swooshes open, revealing a frazzled, pink skinned alien nurse who practically collapses out of shock when she sees Buzz at the back of your party.
  1078. >”Oh, thank goodness, we thought you had died, Commander.”
  1079. >She says as she ushers the four of you and your prisoner into the crowded foyer of the Medical Bay.
  1080. >”We’ve been getting people stagger in for hours now, we don’t have nearly the staff to see them all, so I’ve had non-critical injuries stay here where I can supervise them.”
  1081. >She gestures at the 15 to 20 people gathered there before turning her attention back to the five of you.
  1082. >”People are telling me they’ve been lucky to escape with their lives, so I sealed the door. I actually thought one of them had found us there for a second when you started to knock, so I… I was ready to bash you over the head with my clipboard if you had tried to break down the door.”
  1083. >She says, blushing behind her clipboard, embarrassed at her moment of panic.
  1084. >”But you’re okay, and I’m sure you’ve already begun putting things back to normal.”
  1085. >She says with a relived smile as she examines your unconscious spy.
  1086. >”Looks like you’ve already begun work on rescuing the injured.”
  1087. “Umm… about that.”
  1088. >”This cat is a spy, and we need you to strap him down in whatever kind of quarantine cells you might have.”
  1089. >Dan says, cutting you off as he jumps straight to the heart of the problem.
  1090. >”Oh my goodness, is that true?”
  1091. >The nurse squeaks as she hides behinds her clipboard, looking to Buzz for confirmation.
  1092. >”I’m afraid so, we have reason to believe he sabotaged systems on the station”
  1093. >Buzz says with a wince giving Dan time to cut back in.
  1094. >”Plus he shanked the big guy here, so if you could lock this punk up ASAP, and get around to taking care of this stab wound, that’d be peachy.”
  1095. >”Oh gosh, right away.”
  1096. >She says as she dashes off to prepare a cell.
  1097. >A few minutes later, the four of you are in one of the treatment rooms as your nurse patches up Buzz’s wounds.
  1098. >”There we go, good as new.”
  1099. >She says with a smile as Buzz runs a hand across his stomach.
  1100. >”Damn, if I didn’t see you with the knife in your gut, I’d swear it never happened.”
  1101. >Dan whistles impressed as the nurse grins at her handiwork.
  1102. >”Star Command has some of the best medical science in the galaxy.”
  1103. >She says with a self-satisfied nod.
  1104. “So did you patch up the guys out in the foyer like this too?”
  1105. >You ask as you look out the door at the gathered infirm.
  1106. >”Some of them.”
  1107. >The nurse replies as she checks Buzz’s vitals.
  1108. >”The patients with major lacerations are still recovering in the first ward, but we were able to take care of the small cuts and puncture wounds in the foyer just like this.”
  1109. >Looks like this place is going to turn out to be just the medical gold mine you had hoped it would.
  1110. >”Though we did have a number of patients coming in complaining of headaches and memory loss, so we just had them wait out there for observation.”
  1111. >As soon as the words ‘headaches and memory loss’ leave the nurses mouth, you get a sinking feeling in your stomach and you fail to register the rest of her sentence.
  1112. >You share a look with Buzz, Dan, and Spike, and they all seem to have realized the same thing as you.
  1113. “Say, Nurse, which patients were the ones complaining of memory loss?”
  1114. >Your voice comes out deceptively calm as you look out at the crowded foyer.
  1115. >”You know, I’m not exactly sure. It’s all been so hectic, I haven’t really been able to keep a proper log on our patients. “
  1116. >”Fuck. It’s a full-on Carpenter.
  1117. >You nod, the full weight of the scenario settling in on you.
  1118. >Somewhere out in that room, one or more of those patients is a ticking time bomb waiting to go off.
  1119. “Okay, our top priority is to make sure everyone stays calm. We don’t know for certain yet how it all works, but there’s no need to freak anyone out and risk a Heartless cutting loose in here.”
  1120. >The other three nod silently, trying not to draw any attention to yourselves, only for the Nurse to pop up behind you.
  1121. >”What’s that about people freaking out?”
  1122. >She asks, glancing back and forth between the four of you.
  1123. >”Nothing, we were just saying how well you’ve done keeping everyone from freaking out.”
  1124. >Dan jumps in with an off the cuff lie which the nurse falls for, hook, line, and sinker.
  1125. >”Well, thank you, they didn’t make me head nurse for nothing.”
  1126. >She says, blushing in spite of herself.
  1127. >While the nurse is still flustered from Dan’s praise, you see the perfect opportunity to jump in.
  1128. “Still, it looks like there’s a ton of people out there. It isn’t fair to ask you to handle all that yourself, maybe we can help you square things away before we get going, Nurse…”
  1129. >You trail off, expectantly waiting for the nurses name.
  1130. >Something she offers up without hesitation.
  1131. >”It’s Mina, and I think that would be wonderful.”
  1132. >She says with a warm smile as she hands the four of you clipboards complete with attached notepads.
  1133. >”Now then, if you could get the information of each patient and a rundown of each of their symptoms, that would certainly go a long way towards restoring order.”
  1134. >”Leave it to us, Nurse Mina, we’ll take care of the non-critical patients while you tend to the more severely wounded.”
  1135. >Buzz says, shooting the nurse an unnaturally wide smile and a thumbs up that he holds as Mina smiles back and leaves the room.
  1136. >Dan watches her leave the room warily, and then turns to the rest of you with a conspiratorial glare as soon as he’s confident she’s out of earshot.
  1137. >”From here on out, we have no guarantees that people are who they say they are. We’re going to need come up with a plan.”
  1138. >Dan says, stroking his stubbly chin as he tries to formulate some kind of solution.
  1139. >”Well, hitting them with a bright light seemed to drive out the beast before. We could always try that again.”
  1140. >Buzz suggests as he brandishes his laser, only for you to shake your head.
  1141. ”Unfortunately, I don’t think these things are liable to respond to bright lights flashed at their hosts when they’re dormant like this.”
  1142. >Dan looks up as he becomes aware of the world around him once more.
  1143. >”We’ve already rounded the corner into John Carpenter territory, why not double down on it?”
  1144. >Dan asks as you nod, gesturing for him to continue, all while Spike and Buzz look at each other as the reference flies directly over their heads.
  1145. “What, go full heated wire in the blood? I don’t think that’s really going to help us, but you might be onto something with the blood samples there.”
  1146. >Buzz nods in agreement as he gets up off the exam table and pulls his armor back on.
  1147. >”So we have a plan of action, now all we need to do is get out and collect our samples without inciting panic among the patients.”
  1148. >You take another look out at the crowd and discover that the patients seem to have coalesced into their own little groups in the waiting room.
  1149. >Which one do you want to go and talk to first?
  1150.  
  1151. >The group centered around a freakishly tall man.
  1152.  
  1153. >The lively group.
  1154.  
  1155. >The quiet group.
  1156.  
  1157. >Secondly, how do you wish to approach them and try to convince them to part with a blood sample?
  1158.  
  1159. “Well, I think the lively group is probably the least likely to be suffering from a post-facehugger hangover, so we can probably leave them for last.”
  1160. >You rub your chin, speaking in hushed tones as you look out on the room.
  1161. >”So we ought to hit up the quiet guys first, right?”
  1162. >Dan picks up on your train of thought and finishes your plan as he heads towards the door.
  1163. >But as he reaches for the handle, the little man pauses.
  1164. >”Uh… Slight problem: we aren’t exactly medical professionals here. Even if we do convince them to give us a blood sample, how are we going to collect it?”
  1165. >Dan lets go of the door handle and turns back to face the three of you, only to find Buzz reaching into a nearby cabinet.
  1166. >”Not to worry, I’m already on it.”
  1167. >The space ranger says as he pulls out a little pneumatic gun with a hypodermic needle on the tip and a vacuum sealed tube at the rear.
  1168. >”This should take care of the problem for us.”
  1169. >Buzz hands the gun to you as he joins the rest of you by the door.
  1170. >”Perhaps you ought to handle it, though. I’m not entirely sure Dan’s bedside manner is up to snuff.”
  1171. “Yeah, I see what you mean.”
  1172. >You say, pocketing the gun as Dan fumes in the corner.
  1173. “You should probably take point on this, Buzz. We’ll have an easier time getting everyone to cooperate if we can lean on your authority.”
  1174. >Buzz nods as you hold open the door to the foyer and leads the four of you over to your first group of patients.
  1175. >”We have no way of knowing what’s going on outside, things could be completely falling apart.”
  1176. >”And what exactly do you expect us to do about it?”
  1177. >”C-Commander!”
  1178. >The unsteady exclamation from the quiet group quickly cuts their collective muttering short as they sit up from their huddled conversation and snap to attention at your approach.
  1179. >”I knew you turn up to save the day, just like you always do.”
  1180. >One of the quiet patients says, somehow managing to look visibly relieved despite looking suspiciously like a walking boulder.
  1181. >”Just because the Commander is okay doesn’t change the fact that we should be out there doing what we can to help.”
  1182. >A short human with a scraggly mop of green-tinged hair blurts out before covering his mouth as he realizes he’s supposed to be standing at attention.
  1183. >”As I’ve already said, we’re liable to cause more harm than good running around without proper coordination.”
  1184. >An alien crew member with a curious half-red, half-blue skin tone leans forward and briefly inserts himself into the conversation before nonchalantly leaning back into position.
  1185. >”We’re far past the point of this squabbling being remotely relevant. The Commander is back, and he is more than capable of determining the best way for us to proceed.”
  1186. >A prim and proper young woman with her hair up in a high ponytail says as a particularly plain woman that you nearly fail to notice nods in agreement.
  1187. >”Well put, Lieutenant, I appreciate your confidence.”
  1188. >Buzz says with a smile as he nods in the young woman’s direction.
  1189. >”My companions and I are doing our best to re-establish the station’s vital systems such as Internal Communications. I know it must be frustrating to sit here, waiting unsure of the future, but until we can properly communicate and coordinate, I feel it’s best we refrain from blindly groping about in the dark.”
  1190. >Buzz says, nodding to the two-toned alien, failing to notice the green haired young man clench his fists in frustration.
  1191. >”That said, I wanted to lend a hand to Nurse Mina while we were here, so she could focus on the more seriously injured crew members.”
  1192. >Buzz says as he motions you forward and you hold up the hypo gun.
  1193. >”She asked that we check on your conditions, as well as take individual blood samples: there are some mild concerns about the impact spreading contaminants on the ship that we’d like to put to bed.”
  1194. >The crew members all comply, and in short order, you’ve collected and labeled five fresh blood samples.
  1195. >”Thank you all very much for your cooperation, and I hope to have some way for you all to contribute to the recovery effort in short order.”
  1196. >Buzz says with a smile before heading off to the next group.
  1197. >But for some reason you can’t help but feel concerned.
  1198. >They weren’t exactly getting along before you arrived, who knows where it could end up if they keep at each other like this.
  1199. >Maybe you should say something to them before you go.
  1200.  
  1201. "Not all heroes wear capes, guys. If you all want to help, sit tight until we finish these tests; we've got some work you can do, but we need to know that you're healthy enough to do it first."
  1202. >It sounded good in your head, but as the words leave your mouth, you can’t help but feel like all you were really able to offer the frustrated young officer were hollow platitudes.
  1203. >Still, the young man offers you a reluctant nod before returning to his seat.
  1204. >Maybe you were able to offer him something meaningful after all.
  1205. >Or at least that’s what you tell yourself as you turn to catch up with Buzz and the others.
  1206. >It’s at precisely that moment that you feel a hand grab your shoulder, and you turn to discover the young green-haired officer standing behind you with a pained grimace on his face.
  1207. >”Please, at least let me help you get your work done here faster. The longer the Commander is stuck here, the worse things are going to get outside.”
  1208. >Shit, if you leave him to stew like this, there’s no telling what will happen if he turns out to be a host.
  1209. >And even if that weren’t the case, you hate to tell someone dying to help that there’s no way for them to be of use.
  1210. >You sigh, rubbing the back of your head as you cave to the young officer’s request.
  1211. “Fine, I guess we could use an extra hand for the time being, but only on the condition that you let one of us know at the first sign that your condition might be deteriorating.”
  1212. >You say, jabbing a finger in the young man’s direction as you give him the most serious business glare you’re able to muster.
  1213. >Your new assistant isn’t deterred by this in the slightest as he nods enthusiastically.
  1214. >”I won’t let you or the Commander down.”
  1215. >He says with a grin as the two of you go to catch up with Buzz and the others.
  1216. “I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced. Name’s Anonymous.”
  1217. >You offer the young officer a hand which he shakes vigorously.
  1218. >”Ulysses Greene, I’m the station’s logistics officer.”
  1219. >You nod and smile as you slap your new companion on the back just as the two of you rejoin your group.
  1220. >You aren’t entirely sure what a logistics officer actually does, but sounds like your new friend might turn out to be an incredibly useful asset in your mission to restore the station.
  1221. >Provided, of course, a Heartless doesn’t burst out of his chest and carve you up along with everyone else in the room.
  1222. >”Ah, Mr. Greene, I thought you were going to wait for the test results to come back with the others?”
  1223. >Buzz says, shooting you a quizzical look as you step up to explain.
  1224. “Yeah about that, Buzz. I hung back to check on him, and it seemed like he was going to blow a gasket if he wasn’t able to help out somehow.”
  1225. >You say with a wink in Buzz’s direction while your potential time bomb’s attention is focused on greeting Spike and Dan.
  1226. “So I thought we could at least use an extra pair of hands to help us along here in the medical bay.”
  1227. >A look of understanding washes over Buzz’s face as he picks up on the subtext of your decision.
  1228. >This way, you’ll be able to keep an eye on him and keep him calm all at the same time.
  1229. >”Fair enough, just be sure to take a seat if your condition deteriorates.”
  1230. >Buzz says, unknowingly echoing your own condition.
  1231. >”Yes sir, Commander!”
  1232. >Ulysses shouts back as he falls into position with the rest of your group.
  1233. >”Glad to hear it, soldier!”
  1234. >Buzz says with a smile before looking over to the other two groups gathered in the foyer.
  1235.  
  1236. >The lively group seems like it’s arguing over the damage done by the impact, and how best to fix it.
  1237.  
  1238. >The group centered around the tall man on the other hand seems to be talking about the possibility that the station may be irreparably compromised.
  1239.  
  1240. >Which one do you want to address first?
  1241.  
  1242. “The lively group still seems to be in relatively high spirits, so let’s leave them be for now.”
  1243. >As the rest of the group nods in agreement, and as you turn to walk away, you completely miss Greene breathe an audible sigh of relief as you leave the lively crewmembers behind.
  1244. >But as you get closer to the group clustered around the tall man, you discover that the seven-foot tall, musclebound individual with the stern expression is by far the least outlandish individual in the group.
  1245. >He’s only the most visible from a distance.
  1246. >The tall man looms quietly over the conversation as a tiny purple alien barely taller than Spike leads what may be the most blatant display of abject cowardice you’ve ever seen in your life.
  1247. >”I’m telling you, guys, the Commander is dead, and this station is doomed! We need to make it to the escape pods before they’re all gone!”
  1248. >The row of bulbous growths running along the alien manlet’s skull quiver and jiggle as he whips his head back and forth looking for his peers’ approval.
  1249. >That approval isn’t exactly forthcoming, as another alien with an uncanny resemblance to your average crow shoots him down.
  1250. >”Come now, things aren’t so bad that we need to consider abandoning ship. The atmosphere is stable, and auxiliary power seems to be functioning normally. It’s only a matter of time before the Infinity is delivered from the grasp of this crisis.”
  1251. >The little alien rolls his eyes at the birdman as he points to the giant in their midst.
  1252. >”Yeah? Matter of time, huh? Well, we’ll be ‘delivered’ in about fifteen minutes if we have the big guy here cut us a path to the escape pods!”
  1253. >A blonde man, who would look fairly plain were it not for his jumpsuit sparkling just on the verge of blinding, vigorously nods his approval as the tiny man finishes his rant.
  1254. >It’s at about this point that a green woman with unusually long fingers and a wide eyed blank stare speaks up as she points at the five of you.
  1255. >”The Commander doesn’t look very dead to me.”
  1256. >She croaks in an unexpectedly raspy voice for a woman of her particularly slight stature.
  1257. >The tiny alien wheels around to discover Buzz towering over him.
  1258. >”Commander! You’re alive! We were just trying to figure out the best way to evacuate the crew if things took a turn for the worst. Isn’t that right, guys?”
  1259. >The sparkling man eagerly agrees while the other three give off the distinct impression that they’re just about ready to throw the little grape-headed alien out the airlock.
  1260. >Buzz smiles and nods his way through the little crewman’s excuses and lays down the same explanation for your merry band of medical assistants that you gave to the quiet group.
  1261. >”We appreciate you taking the time to ensure our wellbeing, Commander.”
  1262. >The birdman tilts his head towards Buzz in a respectful nod as you get to work collecting samples from the five rather unusual crewmen.
  1263. >”I’d feel better if he were ensuring our wellbeing by fixing the damn station.”
  1264. >The tiny purple alien mutters to himself.
  1265. >It’s soft enough that Buzz doesn’t notice, but you manage to catch the little alien’s words along with all the vitriol encapsulated in them.
  1266. >Apparently so does the wide-eyed woman as she tags the little alien with a swift kick while Buzz’s back is turned.
  1267. >The little purple man turns and glares at her, but says nothing.
  1268. >Buzz and Dan are busy helping Spike sort your samples before moving onto the next group and miss the entire exchange.
  1269. >But you do see it, and you can’t help but feel like maybe you should say something to them about it.
  1270. >Before the little guy gets his shit kicked in or worse.
  1271. >You’re about to open your mouth to say something when a thought occurs to you.
  1272. >Maybe you should loop Ulysses in on this.
  1273. >They are his fellow crewmen after all.
  1274. >He may be able to offer some insight into their personalities that will make it easier to diffuse the situation.
  1275.  
  1276. >Thinking it might be prudent to get the logistic officer’s take on the situation, you pull Ulysses aside.
  1277. “I’m not sure if you picked up on it, but those five are about to tear each other to shreds. You’ve worked with these people; is there anything you can tell me about them that might help to convince them to chill for a little while?”
  1278. >The short, frizzy-haired young man holds a hand up to his mouth and begins muttering rapidly to himself under his breath.
  1279. >You manage to catch the odd word here or there, but for the most part Green’s ramblings are entirely unintelligible.
  1280. “Hey, Earth to Ulysses. Maybe run that by me again, would ya?”
  1281. >You say, snapping your fingers in his face after waving your hand elicits no response.
  1282. >”Oh, right! Sorry about that, I get carried away sometimes.”
  1283. >Ulysses shouts as he snaps back to reality before rubbing a hand on the back of his neck embarrassed.
  1284. >”So, basic analysis. First of all, we have our sparkly friend there. Despite what his appearances may suggest, he is in fact a valuable part of the ships engineering crew with his specialty being in the utilitarian application of light and the maintenance of the Infinity’s defensive laser battery. Still, for someone directly involved with the station’s defenses, he’s on the cowardly side and has an unfortunate tendency to put his own self-interest before the needs of others.”
  1285. >Green says, pointing at the unquestionably French-sounding man with the glittering jumpsuit.
  1286. >”Next we have our big guy there. You’d think given his build he’d be in the ranger or construction corps, but surprisingly he’s actually a communications officer stationed in Deep Space Telemetry. He’s not exactly a big talker, but he’s one of the most astute individuals I’ve ever met. It makes him a little hard to read sometimes, but In my experience, he’s always been a pretty agreeable live and let live kind of guy.
  1287. >Ulysses stops for a second to suck in a lungful of air before barreling onto the next individual.
  1288. >”On the exact opposite end of the personality spectrum we have our little purple friend Mineta. He’s an abject coward and a notorious lech that supposedly joined Star Command because he thought it was a cool outfit that would make him more popular with the ladies. Still, even with those shortcomings, he’s one of the most brilliant science officers on the station. He actually specializes in molecular binding, and most of the station is held together by his discoveries rather than conventional means.”
  1289. >Without missing a beat Greene jumps on to the next patient.
  1290. >”Our avian friend is also a science officer studying dark matter phenomenon. He’s always seemed like a really serious kind of guy. You know the type: distant, reserved, focused, doesn’t make friends easily. That said, I’ve heard that he’s a lot more sociable once he gets into small groups.”
  1291. >”Finally we have our third alien in the group, Tsuyu. She works in the water purification section of the Environmental deck, not quite as glamorous as the others, but she’s excellent at her work. I’ve always known her to be incredibly level-headed in stressful situations. Despite her tendency to say what she’s thinking, her naturally vacant expression and monotone voice makes her a little difficult to read. Still she’s usually so patient, she must be taking all of this pretty rough for her to be lashing out at Mineta like that.”
  1292. >Ulysses finally trails off as the torrent of information pouring out of him comes to an end.
  1293. >”Uhh… sorry about that. I’ll try to condense things next time if that was too much information.”
  1294. >Greene says embarrassed again as you try to regain your bearings while the brain sorts the new facts Ulysses just laid on you.
  1295. “Thanks, man, that was surprisingly thorough.”
  1296. >You say as you pat Ulysses on the shoulder after you manage to finally reorient yourself after his info dump.
  1297. “I think I know how to defuse this particular time bomb.”
  1298. >You shoot Ulysses a thumbs up before turning back to the group and crouching down next to the cowardly grape-headed alien stirring up all the trouble.
  1299. “Look, buddy, I don’t want to give you shit over self-preservation. It’s one of the most fundamental instincts we share as living beings. But I think you’re missing the info you need to make the best decision here. Things have gotten kinda crazy out there since the impact. The way it is now, odds are you won’t even make it to the escape pods. And if you convince these guys to go with you, all you’re doing is leading them to an early grave.”
  1300. >Tears well up in the little alien’s eyes as you finish painting your portrait of doom and gloom, but before he has the chance to shift into outright bawling you cut him off with a single raised finger as you offer him a way out.
  1301. “But it doesn’t have to play out that way. Instead, you could turn all that fear towards something positive. Lead the charge on shoring up the Medical Bay’s defenses. Greene tells me no one knows reinforcement better than you, and besides, chicks dig a man who can pull people together in a crisis.”
  1302. >You say with a sly wink as Mineta sniffles before drying his eyes and nodding at you as his fearful expression is replaced by a look of fiery determination.
  1303. >You leave the little alien to his delusions of grandeur, as he figures out how to best fortify the Medbay, and in so doing, get all the ladies to love him.
  1304. >As you get back up and turn your attention towards the group’s only girl, you gesture for Ulysses to join you.
  1305. >From what he said, this woman is a little harder to read, it might be more helpful to have someone she’s familiar with talk to her.
  1306. “I couldn’t help but notice you’re looking more than a little fed up with the tiny grape man.”
  1307. >Ulysses nods in agreement as you jab a thumb over your shoulder at Mineta.
  1308. “Just wanted to let you know that we managed to talk him off of his running away kick, hopefully he’ll be less likely to drive you guys up a wall now.”
  1309. >”Thanks for putting up with him 'til now; I’d have probably punched him if I had been the one dealing with all his abandon ship talk.”
  1310. >Ulysses adds with a sheepish grin as he rubs the back of his head.
  1311. >”We really should probably get going, but if any of this is getting to you come talk to us. We’ll be here to listen.”
  1312. >He says glancing around before fixing his eyes on Tsuyu’s in an earnest stare.
  1313. >For a few seconds, the amphibian alien just stares back at him, emotions inscrutable behind her wide eyed gaze before her raspy voice breaks the silence.
  1314. >”Actually, there was something I wanted to ask.”
  1315. >She croaks taking both of you aback.
  1316. >”Uh, yeah, shoot.”
  1317. >Ulysses responds as you nod in agreement.
  1318. >”What’s really going on outside? There’s more to this than microscopic atmospheric contamination. The injuries people have been coming back with don’t seem like they were caused by any collision.”
  1319. >She doesn’t seem angry, but there’s an undeniable firmness in her monotone voice.
  1320. >Ulysses, on the other hand, looks betrayed as he turns his attention to you and rage begins to shoulder behind his eyes.
  1321. >You may need to think carefully about how to respond to this.
  1322.  
  1323. >At this point, the only way out you can think of is the truth. Trying to cover things up now will only make things worse if Ulysses wises up to your game.
  1324. "Okay, I'll tell you two what's going on, but not here. This is... Let's just say sensitive information."
  1325. >You say with a sigh as you wave an arm, gesturing for Tsuyu and Ulysses to follow you into a nearby exam room.
  1326. >Ulysses still looks like he wants to sock you in the moth, but he nods, and the two crew members follow you.
  1327. >As soon as they shut the door behind them, you take a seat on a nearby stool and hold up a finger in the universal symbol of silence.
  1328. "Before I go any further, I need you both to sit down and take a deep breath. And above all, I need you to remain calm. Seriously, keep calm and don't talk, just listen for now. Save any questions for when I get done explaining."
  1329. >Tsuyu nods calmly, her expression as inscrutable as ever behind her wide-eyed gaze.
  1330. >Ulysses, on the othr hand, looks as though he's going to burst a blood vessel for a few seconds before he finally manages to bring himself under control.
  1331. "Okay, so first of all, Tsuyu, you are correct. There's more going on outside than a simple collision. That asteroid was carrying a colony of incredibly dangerous creatures that are now loose, scurrying through the station. We've already sen our share of victims."
  1332. >Ulysses opens his mouth to protest, but you hold up a finger, cutting him off.
  1333. "Save the moral outbursts for the end too, please."
  1334. >You say, and for a moment, you're afraid that Ulysses has had just about enough of your shit, but fortunately for you, Tsuyu chimes in on your behalf.
  1335. >"I'm sure he and the Commander had a reason for keeping us in the dark. At least hear what it is before you deck him."
  1336. >You nod appreciatively as Ulysses unclenches his teeth.
  1337. "In fact, I do have a reason. It has to do with these blood samples we've been taking, and it's the same reason I asked you to keep calm. We're testing for a conditon that causes the victim to become an immediate and deadly threat to themselves and those around them when subjected to extreme emotional duress. Ad I don't mean 'might', I mean 'will'. The individual you saw us carrying in was afflicted, and we had to do improvisational field surgery to save his life and stabilize him enough to bring him here. To make matters worse, we have no immediate way of knownig if you are suffering from this affliction, and so we decided we had to keep both the affliction and the alien incursion under wraps in order to avoid causing panic and sending any of you over the edge."
  1338. >"So were you ever going to tell us what was going on, or were you just going to leave us in the dark like children?"
  1339. >Ulysses asks, his teeth clenched once more.
  1340. >You hold up your hands, trying to calm him down as you reply.
  1341. "Once we were able to figure out who was at risk, we were planning on bringing you all up to speed. I'm sorry we had to leave you all out of the loop like this, but we all felt it was the safest way."
  1342. >As you finish speakng, Ulysses jumps to his feet, knocking his stool aside as he lunges across he room towards you, his arm cocked back, ready to throw a haymaker.
  1343. "Fuuuuuuu-"
  1344. >You begin to swear, bracing yourself for the impact as Ulysses's fist shoots towards you.
  1345. "-uuck-!"
  1346. >[Bang]
  1347. >But that impact never comes: instead, a loud metallic bang rattles your eardrums as Ulysses's fist collides with one of the metal cabinets behind you.
  1348. >Ulysses pulls his fist back past your face and sighs.
  1349. >"As muh as I want to be furious over being kept in the dark like this, I can't do it. I don't really want to admit it, but a part of me agrees that it was the right thing to do, and if the Commander thought it was the best course of action, that part of me is probably right."
  1350. >Ulysses holds out his hand to your, much like he did just a few minutes ago.
  1351. >"Thanks for trusting me with the truth, maybe we should start over from square one."
  1352. >You nod and gra the little man's hand, giving it a vigorous shake as you stand.
  1353. "No problem. Hell, I should probably be thanking you for listening, after we betrayed your trust like that."
  1354. >Wow, that was intense. I thought for sure Ulysses was going to break your nose."
  1355. >Tsuyu crooks as she loks at the the two of you, prompting Ulysses to laugh nervously as he rubs the back of his head.
  1356. >"Yeah, sorry about that. I guess I didn't do that good a job of keeping calm. But that means I must not be afflicted, right?"
  1357. >Ulysses asks, suddenly brightening up.
  1358. >You just frown and shake your head.
  1359. "Maybe, we won't know for sure until we run some tests. For now, just try and keep as level a head as you can while we deal with this last group."
  1360. >As soon as mention of the last group leaves your mout, Ulysses seems to immediately get all sweaty and nervous.
  1361. >"U-um y-yeah, you got it."
  1362. >And stammery too, apparently. Maybe you should ask him what's up.
  1363.  
  1364. >After all the care you just put into maintaining the peace, there is absolutely no way you’re letting this red flag just pass you by.
  1365. “You’re looking a little apprehensive there, buddy. What’s the deal with this last group anyway?”
  1366. >As your question hits, Ulysses’ eyes dart back and forth, desperately searching for an out.
  1367. >”O-oh, u-um, I have no idea wh-“
  1368. >”Apparently the stations demolitions expert has been giving him a rough time ever since they were children.”
  1369. >Ulysses jaw drops as he wheels on Tsuyu.
  1370. >”What would you tell him that for? I’m a professional; I can put childish distractions like that aside long enough to help with a simple blood sample!”
  1371. >Tsuyu just weathers the diatribe with her trademark blank stare.
  1372. >”Even if that’s the case, you shouldn’t take the risk. Didn’t we just get done explaining the condition caused by emotional distress?”
  1373. >Ulysses looks crestfallen as he averts his gaze and glues his eyes to the exam room floor.
  1374. >”Maybe you’re ri-“
  1375. >”Plus with a certain gravimetrics engineer over there, you’re sure to be an even bigger mess than usual.”
  1376. >Ulysses goes beet red as he tries to hide behind his own arms.
  1377. >”Okay, Tsuyu, you can stop, I get the point!”
  1378. >He shouts, nervously cutting the froggy alien off before she can get into any more embarrassing details.
  1379. >As amused as you are at Ulysses’ flailing about it might be best to throw the poor guy a life line.
  1380. “Okay, so I’m getting it might be best to let you hang back at first. What can you tell me about this next group in the meantime? We might not even need to call you in at all if you can fill me in ahead of time.”
  1381. >Ulysses nods, glad to be talking about anything else and sets about explaining the personalities of the last five untested patients.
  1382. >”1ID4 is a bit of an unusual case. As a former protocol droid, he has a particular fondness for organization and discipline, but after gaining sentience he insisted on joining the ranger corps. Apparently he feels a sense of duty to protect the people who gave him purpose and protected him on his long road to self-awareness. Not sure why he’d be out here in the waiting room, though. Maybe he brought in one of the more seriously injured patients and feels duty bound to remain till he’s sure of their safety.”
  1383. >Ulysses shakes his head and breaks out of the half coherent mumbling he had lapsed into over the last couple sentences.
  1384. >”Oh, sorry about that, got sidetracked for a second. Anyway, 1ID4 has a tendency to get very animated when he’s talking. Don’t let it freak you out, we figure it’s artifacts of his original programing interacting poorly with his upgraded body.”
  1385. >Ulysses says raising the index finger on his left hand as he finishes.
  1386. >”Next we have Kirishima, our resident structural engineer. He’s responsible for most of the actual construction of the Infinity, particularly the outer hull and its armor. He’s a pretty decent guy: hardworking and straightforward, easy to get along with. I’m sure he’s taken the fact that some lowly asteroid has pierced the station's hull as personal.”
  1387. >Ulysses throws up a second finger as he moves on.
  1388. >”Our stations power expert is an alien by the name of Den’ki. Not only does he handle the station’s power regulation and generation, he’s actually capable of storing electricity within his own body like a living battery. Apparently his people evolved the ability as some kind of defensive trait, but it gives him an instinctive understanding of electricity. He’s lucky that he has that intuitive understanding because he’s really not all that bright."
  1389. >Ulysses stops to think for a second before coming up with more to say about Den'ki.
  1390. >"He can talk a pretty smooth game and fancies himself a lady killer, but the lack of any real sophistication to back him up and his tendency to panic when things get rough tend come back to bite him. Still, despite all his faults, he’s quick to stand up for his fellow crewmen if he feels they’re being treated unfairly."
  1391. >Ulysses suddenly starts stammering again as he moves onto the next crew member.
  1392. >”Ur-Ur-Uru-”
  1393. >His face turns beat red, and you get the feeling he’s trying to tell you about that gravimetrics engineer Tsuyu mentioned earlier.
  1394. >While Ulysses struggles to get the words out you turn to Tsuyu.
  1395. “So what’s the deal with this girl anyway?”
  1396. >”Oh, she’s a good girl, she actually helped Ulysses see himself in a new light back in the academy. “
  1397. >Tsuyu croaks as the barest hints of a smile curl the edges of her thin froggy mouth.
  1398. >”I don’t really think you have much to worry about with her. She’s always been very positive as long as I’ve known her.”
  1399. >You turn back to the still stammering Ulysses as you shoot Tsuyu a thumbs up.
  1400. “Don’t worry about it, senpai, Tsuyu gave me the gist of it. Just move on to the last guy.”
  1401. >At the mention of the last guy Ulysses immediately stops his nervous stammering and grits his teeth in obvious frustration.
  1402. >”He’s a huge jerk with a massive superiority complex. Flies off the handle at nothing and habitually shit talks everyone he meets. And if he gets it in his head that you think you’re better than him, he makes it his personal mission to tear you down whenever he gets the chance.”
  1403. >Ulysses is uncharacteristically brief as he stares at the floor prompting Tsuyu to chime in.
  1404. >”He’s a demolitions expert in the ranger corps if that helps.”
  1405. >You nod at her while Ulysses is busy staring at his own boots.
  1406. >Hopefully that should be enough to get you where you need to go.
  1407. >But you could always bring Tsuyu or Ulysses along if you think you need additional help.
  1408.  
  1409. >On second thought, maybe its best that they stay behind.
  1410. >Ulysses seems like he has too much baggage with the next group.
  1411. >And while Tsuyu doesn’t seem to have any baggage, her lack of tact might be a problem.
  1412. “Okay, I think I’ve got enough to go on for now. Ulysses, take these samples back into the nurse's office, we’ll meet up with you once we get done talking to the last group.”
  1413. >Ulysses looks a little crestfallen when you tell him to sit this one out, but he ultimately nods acceptingly and goes to deliver the samples.
  1414. >Meanwhile, you turn to Tsuyu.
  1415. “Well, now that you know what’s going on, try your best to keep people from panicking while they’re waiting out there.”
  1416. >She just blinks at you with her usual expressionless gaze before croaking an affirmative.
  1417. >”I’m no counselor, but I’ll do my best.”
  1418. >She replies before slouching off to assist Mineta with the fortification of the med bay.
  1419. >You let yourself out of the room and rejoin Buzz, Dan, and Spike just as Buzz finishes explaining your cover story to the group.
  1420. >”That’s bullshit, commander! There’s nothing wrong with us, we should be out there fixing the station!”
  1421. >An outburst from a man with wild blond hair immediately punctuates Buzz’s explanation as though he had only barely been able to contain it the entire time Buzz had been talking.
  1422. >Clearly this must be the guy.
  1423. >”That shitty meteor wouldn’t stand a chance against my explosives, and Kirishima could patch the hull in no time!”
  1424. >It looks like Kirishima is about to heartily agree with that sentiment before 1ID4 stands up and interjects as his arms flail up and down in stiff repetitive motions.
  1425. >”And what exactly do you plan to do about explosive decompression of the impact site? The meteor may be the only thing holding that section of the station together, how many people will die if you just go and blow it up? I couldn’t accept such a course of action even if you and your accomplices weren’t injured.”
  1426. >The demoman just snarls back at the robot.
  1427. >”So what if we’re injured? It’s nothing: Den’ki just got hit in the head when the asteroid hit it’s not exactly life threatening. And even if Kirishima can’t remember how he got hurt before I found him, it’s not like he’s forgotten how to do his job.”
  1428. >There is a whirring of servos as the robot shakes his head, still adamant in his refusal.
  1429. >”That still does nothing to address the decompression issues!”
  1430. >Meanwhile a woman in an engineer’s jumpsuit and short brown hair sits in her seat sighing at the heated argument between the robotic space ranger and the other three men.
  1431. >They’re too absorbed in their argument for you to get a word in edgewise regarding collecting your blood sample, or in 1ID4’s case recommending a diagnostic check.
  1432. >Still, there’s at least one person who looks willing to listen to you for the time being.
  1433. “So, how long have they been at this?”
  1434. >You ask the gravimetrics engineer as you sit down beside her.
  1435. >”Ugh, more or less since we’ve gotten here.”
  1436. >She groans as she leans back in her chair and stretches.
  1437. >”Originally they were just talking repair plans, but Victor got all worked up when he saw Ulysses go off with you guys. Started shouting about how we weren’t going to get anything done sitting around talking.”
  1438. “Victor?”
  1439. >You float the question as the engineer reaches a pause in her story.
  1440. >”Victor von Boome. Den’ki and Kirishima have been letting him take the charge on convincing 1ID4, but so far they haven’t really had any luck. They gave it a rest when the commander showed up, but you saw how that worked out.”
  1441. >She says with a sigh before resting her head in her hands again.
  1442. “They do realize the faster we get these tests done, the sooner we can find them places out in the field to help right?”
  1443. >You ask as you hold out the hypo gun towards the engineer.
  1444. >She in turn quietly rolls up her sleeve and lets you take her sample as she replies.
  1445. >”I don’t think it would make a difference. Victor’s always been stubborn.”
  1446. >You nod as you remove her vial from the hypo gun and pocket it.
  1447. >The question now is, how exactly are you going to defuse this argument the others are having?
  1448.  
  1449. >Buzz is standing there looking confused, like he’s not entirely sure how a responsible adult like himself should handle two grown ass men bickering like children.
  1450. >Spike, meanwhile, is hiding behind the space ranger’s boots, all while Dan looks like he’s about ready to tackle the young demolitions expert and take the blood sample by force.
  1451. >You can’t help but groan internally as the situation unfolds.
  1452. >You’ve got a grade-A arrogant prick on your hands and he’s going to be a pain in the ass to deal with, but you’re not about to let this thing get any further out of hand.
  1453. >It should be easy, right? All you need to do is show a little back bone and prove that he can’t just walk all over you.
  1454. >At least that’s what you tell yourself as you get up from your chair and stomp over to Victor, where you grab him by the shoulder and spin him around like a top before jabbing him in the solar plexus with a gloved index finger.
  1455. “Listen, you arrogant shit, do you think we’re just keeping you all here for shits and giggles while the station collapses? NO! We’re doing it because it’s God. Damn. Necessary.”
  1456. >You shout punctuating the last three words with a jab in the chest.
  1457. “You never stopped to consider, “Hey, maybe the commander knows more about the situation than me, maybe I should shut my fucking mouth and listen.” Instead you decided you were going to run off half-cocked, only to get yourself and your buddies there killed in the process!”
  1458. >You shout, wheeling around with a sweeping gesture towards Kirishima and Den’ki.
  1459. >Victor tries to take back the momentum, but you shout over him.
  1460. “And let’s not forget your little plan risks destabilizing the already precarious state of the station! Is that really what you want to do? Run off and fail some kind of suicide mission and leave the rest of us to clean up after your mess?”
  1461. >You exclaim, poking him one more time for good measure before squaring off against the seething demoman.
  1462. >He scowls at you with a crazy look in his eye as a vessel in his eyelid twitches uncontrollably.
  1463. >But you stand your ground motionlessly as you keep a withering, stony glare fixed on him.
  1464. The two of you remain deadlocked for what feels like an eternity before Victor lets loose with a bestial roar and kicks a nearby chair across the room.
  1465. >”AAAAAGHHHHHH FUUUCKING FINE! I get it!”
  1466. >He shouts before sitting down in a huff as 1ID4, Den’ki and Kirishima watch dumbstruck.
  1467. >”I won’t accept anything less than a successful mission, so just finish your shitty tests so I can get to work saving this station.”
  1468. >He says with a sulky frown, averting his gaze as he rolls back his sleeve and holds out an arm for you to take a blood sample.
  1469. >You just nod in reply as you press the hypo gun to his arm and collect the sample the four of you need to get to the bottom of this.
  1470. >Kirishima echoes Victor’s sentiments, albeit more politely as you collect his sample while Den’ki seems to be secretly relived that you managed to hold Victor at bay for the time being.
  1471. >And with that confrontation out of the way, you’ve managed to collect all the blood samples without inciting mass panic and triggering a horrifying transformation in one of the patients.
  1472. >You would pat yourself on the back, but there’s still one thing that’s bothering you.
  1473. “Say, 1ID4, before we go get to work, there’s something I should ask you.”
  1474. >Victor groans.
  1475. >”You’re seriously going to waste time talking to the robot? He ain’t even hurt!”
  1476. >Buzz leans in from behind you and whispers.
  1477. >”I have to agree, it’s not as though he’s at risk.”
  1478. “It’ll just take a second, guys, chill. I promise I’m going somewhere with this.”
  1479. >You say rolling your eyes as you turn to the two of them.
  1480. “The thing is, 1ID4, we aren’t really sure how these contaminants interact with electronics. We’ve seen them growing some kind of residue in the corridors and I wanted to make sure you weren’t suffering from any unforeseen side effects. I don’t suppose you could run a quick diagnostic or anything like that?”
  1481. >1ID4 gives you a nod his body begins to beep and blink as his diagnostics program spins up.
  1482. >”I applaud your caution, but I doubt it’ll turn up much of anything, it’s just a particulate cont-“
  1483. >1ID4 stops mid-sentence before exclaiming,
  1484. >”Well, that’s rather peculiar.”
  1485. >”Well what is it, don’t just leave us in suspense like that.”
  1486. >Dan says, glowering at the android as it nods and begins to explain.
  1487. >”Well, I had expected my filters to have taken a hit, but I’m registering particulate contamination in my coolant and hydraulic systems as well. It’s not causing any particular issues beyond a practically negligible impact on my joint articulation. More concerning is the fact that it got past my filters at all.”
  1488. >1ID4 says puzzled as you feel a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach.
  1489.  
  1490. >What are you going to do if it turns out machinery is just as vulnerable to this thing as everyone else?
  1491. >Regardless, it seems like you’ve wrapped up this last group.
  1492. >Any final words of wisdom or encouragement you’d like to share before you depart?
  1493.  
  1494. >Now that you think about it, maybe saying something before you jet wouldn’t be a bad idea.
  1495. “I know this is a frustrating situation to be in, and we appreciate you putting up with the delays we’re imposing on you. If it’s any consolation, you all are the last group we needed samples from. All we need to do now is run a few tests before we can clear you for field work again.”
  1496. >Victor huffs derisively, but thankfully remains in his chair.
  1497. >The others nod understandingly as Ulysses’s crush smiles at the four of you and tells you that they’ll be here waiting for the good news.
  1498. >You thank them again but as you turn to walk away, one final thought occurs to you.
  1499. >You look at 1ID4’s sample before turning back to face the robot.
  1500. “We have no idea what kind of long term effect this contaminant will have on your system. I know you said you aren’t experiencing any problems, but it might be best to flush your system now if you have the means.”
  1501. >You say shanking his sample vials to emphasize the point.
  1502. >1ID4 quietly clicks and whirs as he considers your suggestion.
  1503. >”That would likely be prudent, but unfortunately it will need to wait until your tests conclude. Only the engineering deck and my personal quarters are equipped for such a procedure.”
  1504. >You nod understandingly and tell him not to worry about it, but a knot forms in your gut as you tack on a fake smile.
  1505. >That’s one simple solution shot down in flames.
  1506. >Hopefully you can come up with one that doesn’t end in you fighting yet another Heartless-infused machine.
  1507. >You try to shake the thought of 1ID4 stomping around the medical bay like a bad Terminator knockoff as the four of you slip back into Mina’s office to find Ulysses waiting for you.
  1508. >Unfortunately, he isn’t the only one waiting for you.
  1509. >Mina is there as well, tapping her foot angrily.
  1510. >” I thought I told you to just check their condition. What exactly do you think you’re doing to my patients, commander?”
  1511. >Buzz looks back and forth between you and Spike, nervously hoping one of you are ready to leap to the rescue with a quick bluff.
  1512. >To your mutual surprise, Dan steps forward with a groan as he snatches the hypo gun out of your hand.
  1513. >”We needed to screen your patients for a infection that will ravage this med bay if we don’t do something. Details later, blood sample now.”
  1514. >Dan barks tersely as he stomps up to the pink nurse and presses the hypo gun to her arm, collecting a sample while she’s too stunned to speak.
  1515. >He turns around and pulls a quick sample from himself before throwing the hypo gun back to you.
  1516. >”Oh, we should check ourselves too by the way.”
  1517. >He says while you just stare at him and your jaw does its level best to hit the floor.
  1518. “What the hell happened to subtlety, man?”
  1519. >You groan as you take your own sample, then passing the gun to Buzz who crouches down to collect Spike’s blood sample before collecting his own.
  1520. >”1. Subtlety is boring. 2. We’re probably going to need her expertise. 3. She hasn’t left the med bay, if she’s infected we’re probably fucked anyway.
  1521. “That’s actually surprisingly well thought out for you.”
  1522. >You say after you finally manage to pull your jaw off the floor.
  1523. >”Thank you, I try.”
  1524. >Dan says with a look of smug satisfaction before he does a mental double take and shouts.
  1525. >”Hey what do you mean ‘for you’?!”
  1526. >You just ignore the big guy and turn your attention to the nurse.
  1527. “Nurse Mina, Can you get a blood sample from the man we brought in please? I think we’re going to need it as a control.”
  1528. >Mina furls her eyebrows at the four of you as puffing out her cheeks angrily but she finally agrees.
  1529. >”But when I get back I want to know exactly what’s going on.”
  1530. >She says stomping off with the hypo gun.
  1531. >While you wait for her to return, the four of you sort the blood into groups, one for each group out in the foyer as well as one for the four of you plus Mina.
  1532. >Ulysses proves exceptionally helpful sorting each name and vial into its proper place, although he remains awkwardly silent throughout.
  1533.  
  1534. >Maybe you ought to say something to him as you’re getting things set up.
  1535.  
  1536. >But what should you talk about?
  1537.  
  1538. >That cute girl.
  1539. >His history with Victor.
  1540. >Something else.
  1541.  
  1542. >Playing wingman to Ulysses' little crush on the gravity engineer can wait.
  1543. >For the time being you can’t help but feel like his problem with Victor is going to prove a more pressing issue.
  1544. “So I had what I imagine passes for a conversation with Victor, you were right, he was a complete asshole.”
  1545. >Ulysses lights up when he hears you take a potshot at Victor and nods in agreement.
  1546. >”It’s not exactly a secret, anyone who’s worked with him for five minutes knows how volatile he is.”
  1547. >”He’s just so good at what he does that he manages to make himself indispensable.”
  1548. >Ulysses says with a sigh, plopping down onto a stool as he finishes laying out your blood samples.
  1549. “The thing is, as far as I can tell, he only started making a scene when he saw you helping out and I can’t help but think you two have some kind of history.”
  1550. >Ulysses just looks away sheepishly as you press on.
  1551. “So what’s the deal? Was he always such a hotheaded prick or what?”
  1552. >Ulysses shakes his head as he keeps his eyes glued to the floor.
  1553. >”I wouldn’t exactly say always but it’s been this way for most of our lives.”
  1554. >he says as the four of you stare at him expectantly.
  1555. >The silence drags on for nearly a minute but just when you’re about to try again to drag his past out into the open Ulysses speaks.
  1556. >”You know, the funny thing is all of this goes back to you commander.”
  1557. >Ulysses finally manages to look up from the floor and look Buzz in the eye before he continues.
  1558. >”Victor and I have known each other for as long as I can remember, and for just about as long Victor and I have been looking up to you. Dreaming of joining star command and following in your footsteps.”
  1559. >Ulysses sighs and pulls his space wallet out of his jumpsuit and produces a battered old trading card stamped with the faded image of Buzz soaring out through the stars.
  1560. >”The difference is Victor was strong, talented, and fearless and I was… well… I was me.”
  1561. >”Still, that wasn’t going to stop me. I was determined to join star command, but it seemed like every time he would blaze past a hurdle and I would squeak by behind him at the back of the pack it would enrage him more and more.”
  1562. >He sighs again and looks at the card before slipping it back into his wallet.
  1563. >”He’s always been treated like a savant destined for greatness, I think he takes it as some kind of personal slight that a weakling like me would even dare to try and stand on the same stage as him.”
  1564. >You Dan and Spike glance at each other before shooting a look at Buzz as if to say, “And you hired this guy?”
  1565. >Buzz just shrugs as the three of you eyeball him.
  1566. >”What do you want from me? He passed the Psyche evaluation and had excellent scores on all his aptitude tests. How was I supposed to know about all this?”
  1567. >Ulysses coughs and draws the party’s attention back to him before you can dig into Buzz any further.
  1568. >”To be fair, ever since I landed what is more or less a desk job out of the academy and he got into the space ranger corps he seemed to relax. I guess he thought I had finally learned my place and he was off to bigger and better things.”
  1569. >The four of you nod understandingly and you can see the final pieces of the puzzle fall into place.
  1570. >”That still explain why he’s such an unbalanced shithead now.”
  1571. >Dan says looking at Ulysses for an explanation.
  1572. “I think I can guess. It’s because the two of you both got stationed out here on the Infinity isn’t it?”
  1573. >The logistics officer nods so hard he nearly falls out of his chair.
  1574. >”Yeah that’s it exactly! Once he found out we were both going out to the Infinity he’s been worse than ever.”
  1575. “Because somehow, despite how much better he thinks he is you were still able to follow him all the way out here and work directly with Buzz.”
  1576. >You say slowly, finishing Ulysses line of logic for him.
  1577. >”That’s my thinking anyway. It’s not exactly like I can ask him about it.”
  1578. >The four of you sit in silence for a few seconds unsure of how to respond.
  1579. >You can see Spike trying to rack his brain for some kind of applicable friendship lesson but the little dragon seems stymied.
  1580. >Surprisingly it’s Dan who breaks the silence.
  1581. >”Sounds like Victor just needs a swift punch in the throat.”
  1582. >Spike and Ulysses’ jaws drop at the suggestion as Buzz harumphs and sputters as he jumps up and jabs a finger at Dan.
  1583. >”I won’t have my crew members at each other’s throats. We should be able to solve this with the station’s councilor once they arrive.”
  1584. >Dan meanwhile is completely unfazed by the blustering space ranger.
  1585. >”Don’t knock the mendel school of problem solving till you try it.”
  1586. >He says before turning to address Ulysses directly.
  1587. >”All you really need to do is find a way to prove you’re equals. I’d say a throat punch is the easiest way, but who am I to tell you how to do things.”
  1588. >Dan punctuates his sentence with a shrug before leaning back in his seat as the surprisingly reasonable spirit of Dan’s advice takes the wind out of Buzz’s sails.
  1589. “You know, Dan has a p-”
  1590. >Before you manage to finish that sentence Mina bursts back into the room pushing a cart loaded with equipment.
  1591. >”Okay, I’ve collected your patient’s sample and I’ve gone ahead and brought some equipment for you to try and find whatever it is you’re looking for. Now, would someone please tell me exactly what’s going on!”
  1592. >You look at the cart and find what looks to be a microscope along with a spectrometer and an assortment of empty glass petri dishes for you to make use of. There also seems to be some kind of centrifuge and a filtration system for you to play with.
  1593. >Now that you have all these toys the questions are, which do you use first and how much do you tell Nurse Mina?
  1594.  
  1595. >You sigh as Mina glares at you demanding an explanation.
  1596. >You might as well take this opportunity to share the whole truth with Ulysses while you’re at it.
  1597. >You just hope he’ll understand why you didn’t tell him everything before.
  1598. “Okay, Ulysses has already heard this so I’m going to try and keep it brief, but before I continue I need to ask you to try and remain as calm as possible during this explanation. Any emotional outbursts could potentially put us all at risk.”
  1599. >You say meeting Mina’s angry gaze before shifting your attention in Ulysses direction, implying the same request goes for him as well.
  1600. “The injuries that have been coming your way aren’t just casualties from the collision. The asteroid in question was carrying a colony of incredibly dangerous creatures that have begun infesting this station. The man we brought in was one of their victims.”
  1601. >Mina gasps but quickly slaps a hand over her mouth when she realizes she’s broken your rule.
  1602. “As though that weren’t enough to deal with we also have an affliction on our hands that causes the victim to become an immediate and deadly threat to themselves and those around them when subjected to extreme emotional duress. Our patient was a victim of that as well, and we’ve been collecting blood samples from your patients to ensure none of them are carriers.”
  1603. >You brace yourself as you reach the end of what you shared with Ulysses and he stands up with a nervous smile.
  1604. >”Now you’re up to speed, and we can get started working on a cure.”
  1605. >The slight waver in his voice makes it obvious that he’s trying to put up a brave front in the face of this crisis.
  1606. >As much as you hate to have to attack that facade he deserves to know the truth, and so you hold up a hand cutting him off as you begin to speak again.
  1607. “Actually Ulysses there’s a little more I haven’t shared with you yet."
  1608. "I felt given the nature of this crisis and the way we suspect the shift is triggered it was imperative that we prevent panic, even if that meant keeping the particulars of this problem secret.”
  1609. >Ulysses goes quiet and stands stock still as an awkward silence fills the room.
  1610. >It seems like an eternity passes before he finally asks,
  1611. >”What do you mean particulars?”
  1612. >You sigh again before plunging onward into what may ultimately ruin Ulysses’ ability to trust you.
  1613. “You may have assumed some connection between the condition I mentioned and the aliens loose on the station, some kind of alien disease that affects the victim’s state of mind. After all two major crises at once can’t be a coincidence.”
  1614. >Ulysses and Mina both nod agreeing that the thought had occurred to them.
  1615. “Well the truth, unfortunately is much worse than that. It seems these aliens are able to use other beings as hosts, transforming their host into a puppet while greatly increasing the threat the alien poses in a fight. Originally we had thought they were only capable of utilizing the bodies of the dead but the reality of the situation is far worse than that.”
  1616. >The two of them sit in stunned silence as you pause to let the information sink in.
  1617. >Ulysses looks like he’s about to be sick but you force yourself to press on.
  1618. “These things are capable of hiding within the body of a living host, leaving the victim unaware until the creature bursts out from within the host’s body transforming them into a lethal combatant.”
  1619. >”That’s completely ridiculous, do you really expect me to believe something like that!”
  1620. >Mina shouts unable to restrain herself.
  1621. >”It’s true; I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”
  1622. >Buzz says solemnly, speaking for the first time in this whole exchange.
  1623. “Besides you’ve seen the man’s wounds yourself.”
  1624. >You say jumping in after the space ranger.
  1625. “Something ripped his hands open from the inside, You can't write that off.”
  1626. >Mina stammers for a few seconds but finally sits when she’s unable to come up with another explanation.
  1627. “We aren’t sure how it works, but we believe the transformation of a host is triggered by stress.”
  1628. >You say with a pointed look at Ulysses.
  1629. “That’s why I felt the need to keep this final detail under wraps last time. I was afraid if this information spread out in the waiting room there would be a panic and we’d be dealing with one or more of these things carving through the other patients.”
  1630. >You try to look him in the eye but you can’t bring yourself to do it and end up staring at the floor as you go on.
  1631. “I’m sorry to have kept this from you Ulysses, I know how much you wanted to help us but I felt like the risk that this information represented to you and Tsuyu was more of a gamble than I was willing to take.”
  1632. >You tense up waiting for a fist to come sailing your way as you finish.
  1633. “Still the decision to keep you and everyone else in the dark was mine, Buzz and the others had nothing to do with it. So if you want to be mad at someone, be mad at me.”
  1634. >The seconds tick by but the punch doesn’t come.
  1635. >You look up and see Ulysses slumped in his chair rubbing his temples.
  1636. >”A part of me wants to sock you over this, but I can’t really get mad at you for trying to keep everyone safe.”
  1637. >Ulysses sighs as he stands and looks you in the eye and you can see the anger smoldering there behind his calm expression.
  1638. >”What I don’t understand is why you would put all of that at risk now by telling me the truth.”
  1639. >Ulysses clearly wants an answer, but it takes you a few seconds to get your thoughts in order.
  1640. >”Well, I’m waiting, what changed that made it worth the risk of telling me? And what about Mina? How do you know she isn’t a host?”
  1641. >Clearly I felt guilty for lying to you isn’t going to cut it here.
  1642. >Fortunately you have more than up your sleeve.
  1643. >You meet his steely glare and take a deep breath.
  1644. “We’re about to start testing to try and discover a way to determine who is a host and how to destroy the creature without triggering its transformation. If everyone doesn’t fully understand the situation we may never find those answers. Simply put you needed to know if you were going to help.
  1645. >Ulysses mutters to himself for a few seconds before turning back to face you.
  1646. >”That’s still a pretty big risk to take, but I can understand that. No hard feelings.”
  1647. >He says as he holds out a hand towards you, the anger in his eyes gone.
  1648. “Not as big a risk as you might think, Mina hasn’t left the medbay since the impact and you’ve been so stressed since we got here that if you had been a host you’d have turned by now.”
  1649. >You reply as you grab his hand, shaking it vigorously before you pull him in and slap him on the back.
  1650. >Mina meanwhile slaps her cheeks and jumps up out of her chair.
  1651. >”Okay enough sitting around shocked, It’s time we got to work!”
  1652. >She quickly loses steam though when she sees all the blood samples laid out and the cart full of equipment she just rolled in.
  1653. >”… uh… where do we start?”
  1654. >She asks as she looks back at the five of you.
  1655. >Fortunately you’ve got a few ideas.
  1656. “The first thing I think we ought to do is try and establish some kind of control levels. I’d like to examine samples from Mina, Buzz, Spike, Dan and myself and compare them against the sample from our known victim and see if we can find any kind of discrepancy. Maybe running them through the microscope and the spectrometer to start.”
  1657. >You look to Mina for confirmation and the nurse returns the look with an eager nod before she leaps into action preparing slides and spectrometer samples from the blood you’ve provided.
  1658. >You get to work firing up the spectrometer and feed in the agent’s sample.
  1659. >But as you’re watching the spectrum pattern something unusual happens.
  1660. >For a split second you think you see the black bars on the spectrum start out wider than they ought to be and then shrink to the proper width.
  1661. >Suspicious, you collect another sample and drop it into the slot, this time watching the readout the entire time as you feed in the sample.
  1662. >This time the display starts out entirely black and the colors slowly burn their way through and establish a normal spectral pattern.
  1663. >the entire process only takes a few seconds to unfold, you were lucky to catch the tail end of it the first time or else you may have missed this completely.
  1664. “Well there’s definitely something unusual going on with our known victim’s sample. We can’t tell what the substance is since the spectrometer’s lights seem to destroy it but there’s definitely something there.”
  1665. >You run through your group’s samples as well but you don’t catch anything unusual on the spectrometer.
  1666. >You flash the others a thumbs up and turn your attention over to the computer monitor that Mina and Buzz are using to view your blood samples through the microscope.
  1667. >As expected Mina’s sample is normal, and after a little bit of searching you manage to turn up what you’re looking for in the agent’s blood sample.
  1668. >An oily black cloud drifting between blood cells.
  1669. “Well that’ll make things easier knowing what to look for.”
  1670. >You say with a grin as you turn back to high five whoever happens to be within reach.
  1671. >But something moving on one of the other readouts catches your eye and forces you to stop mid turn.
  1672. >Maybe it’s just your mind playing tricks on you but you need to be sure.
  1673. “Buzz, run back the recording on Spike’s sample.”
  1674. >The Commander jumps as you practically shout in his ear, but sensing the urgency in his voice he doesn’t question you.
  1675. >As he rolls the footage backwards frame by frame you find exactly what you were afraid of.
  1676. >There, sliding into view on spike’s monitor as a lone oily black blob.
  1677. “Shit.”
  1678. >”Well that’s not exactly a good sign.”
  1679. >Dan deadpans as Spike begins hyperventilating.
  1680. >”Oh jeeze I can’t be trusted, you need to put me in quarantine right now.”
  1681. >the little Dragon’s eyes dart around the room looking for a place to hide before Mina crouches down and places a hand on his little purple shoulder.
  1682. >”Calm down I don’t think we’re in that rough a position yet. You haven’t displayed any symptoms and your levels are even lower than someone who’s already been cured.”
  1683. >Spike still looks like he wants to bolt but he manages to take takes a few deep breaths and after a few seconds the panic seems to have passed.
  1684. >”Okay, but I want your word you’ll lock me up at the first sign of trouble.”
  1685. >The little dragon punctuates his demand by pointing a shaking claw at you.
  1686. “I promise I won’t let you hurt anyone.”
  1687. >’’Thanks Anon.”
  1688. >You can practically see your promise lifting a weight off of Spike’s shoulders as he breathes a visible sigh of relief.
  1689. “That said, I won’t let it come to that. We’re going to solve this thing here and now.”
  1690. >You say with an earnest grin as you reach down and offer a hand to Spike.
  1691. >Spike can’t help but smile back as he grabs your hand and you pull the little dragon back to his feet.
  1692. “Okay first things first, now that we know what we’re looking for let’s get some division of labor going so we can cover more ground.”
  1693. >You say as you point to the spectrometer and the microscope.
  1694. “Dan and Ulysses, I want you two to start analyzing the remaining blood samples. Be sure to pay close attention on the spectrometer and keep an eye out for any unusual reactions.”
  1695. >Next you turn to Buzz and Mina.
  1696. “Mina I’d like you to run reaction tests on our positive samples. Our working theory is that stress triggers the transformation so maybe you can trick it into activating it if you introduce some kind of stress related hormone to the sample.”
  1697. >”I should have a couple of things we can try, I’ll go get the cortisone and the epinephrine.”
  1698. >Mina says with an enthusiastic nod before hustling off to the back room to collect the medication.
  1699. “Buzz I’d like you to help Mina with her experiments and be ready with the laser in case something manifests out of the sample.”
  1700. >Buzz nods and starts setting out petri dishes for the two of them to work with.
  1701. >In the meantime you turn to Spike.
  1702. “You and I are going to get to work on the centrifuge. I want to see if it’s possible to filter this directly out of the blood stream and the first step to that is seeing if we can separate the contaminant from the blood.”
  1703. >Spike nods and grabs his own sample before following you over to the centrifuge.
  1704. “In the meantime I wanted to ask you about something. I know I’m pretty new to this whole magic thing, but can you think of any magical solutions Twilight might try if she were here? Maybe I can try and replicate them.”
  1705. >Spike rubs his chin as you load the sample into the centrifuge and turn it on.
  1706. >The gentle whir of the centrifuge’s motor fills the room as the little dragon thinks and minutes pass by in as your sample spins.
  1707. >The centrifuge is beginning to spin down when Spike finaly pipes up again.
  1708. >”Well, Twilight was doing a lot of research on removing magical contaminants a few months ago during the whole poison joke incident. I don’t think she ever fully developed a spell though, the side effects of the poison joke made it impossible to put any of her theories into practice.”
  1709. >Your eyes light up at the news, Spike may actually be on to something here.
  1710. “Do you think you can remember any of the research?”
  1711. >You ask as the centrifuge spins to a halt.
  1712. >”Ummm maybe? I can definitely try.”
  1713. >Spike says hesitantly as you toss him a notepad.
  1714. “See what you can come up with, that research might be our key to a shortcut around this whole mess.”
  1715. >You say reaching for Spike’s sample only to be interrupted by mina walking over with a dejected look on her face.
  1716. >”I’m sorry Anon, we didn’t get any reaction out of the agent’s sample or Spike’s.”
  1717. >She says before you even get a chance to ask her what’s wrong.
  1718. >Damn, you thought you were really on to something with that one.
  1719. “Maybe the heartless picks up the host’s emotive state directly from brain activity, and that’s why you didn’t get any reaction.”
  1720. >You say thinking out loud as Dan walks up.
  1721. >”Or maybe there was no reaction because that sample wasn’t a full infestation.”
  1722. >The little man says interrupting your train of thought.
  1723. “What do you mean not a full infestation?”
  1724. >You ask waiting for Dan to explain himself.
  1725. >”It’s going to be easier to just show you. Come check it out.”
  1726. >He says beckoning you over to the microscope’s display.
  1727. >”Okay, over here we have our samples. Yours, mine, tiny Chris, Buzz, Mina, and even Ulysses.”
  1728. >Dan explains pointing to a series of videos on the left side of the screen.
  1729. >”We went back and double checked our samples and discovered low levels of this black stuff in all the samples except Mina’s. And by low I mean even lower than the spy, to be honest we were lucky to even find it.”
  1730. >Your heart stops for a second as you turn to Dan.
  1731. “So what you’re telling me is this thing’s in all of us?”
  1732. >You ask quietly, trying your level best to remain calm.
  1733. >”See that’s what we thought at first too, but now I don’t think so. We’ve put Ulysses through the ringer emotionally and Mina just did the same with the samples chemically. And we got nothing.”
  1734. >Dan begins to pace back and forth as he gesticulates wildy.
  1735. >”I think we’re missing something. There’s more to this whole thing than simple contamination. We were missing a key piece and I think I just found it.”
  1736. >Dan says as he hits a button on the command console and a new video pops up.
  1737. >”We started checking other samples to try and find a pattern when one of them came back jet black on the spectrometer, took nearly a minute to resolve into a normal spectrum. When we put it under the microscope this is what we saw.”
  1738. >Up on the screen you can see the bright red platelets swimming in a veritable sea of inky black fluid, contamination completely unlike anything you’ve seen in the other samples.
  1739. “This has to be the real thing; the rest of us must have only contracted trace amounts…”
  1740. >You say trailing off as you look at the monitor.
  1741. >Dan holds up a hand to cut you off as you open your mouth to speak again.
  1742. >He taps on the screen as something swims out of the blackness and tears through one of the bright red platelets leaving a cloud of new black sludge in its wake.
  1743. >”there’s our missing piece.”
  1744. >You look up at the top of the video file and sigh when you see the name Den’ki.
  1745. “Nothing can ever just be easy.”
  1746. >”Sheesh at least I don’t have any of those in me.”
  1747. >Spike says as he looks up at the screen and discovers the base form of this heartless.
  1748. >The little dragon actually makes a fair point.
  1749. >If these things trigger the transformation that means you’re all in the clear for the time being.
  1750. >”Hey since none of us have these things does that mean we’re safe?”
  1751. >Ulysses asks as he arrives at the same conclusion you had.
  1752. “We can’t say for certain, but we’re at least safer than we were a few minutes ago.”
  1753. >Still dispite your measured response you can’t help but feel the internal tension dissipate as you latch onto the thought that the four of you have managed to dodge a bullet.
  1754. “At the very least we’re definitely safer than Den’ki and anyone around him right now.”
  1755. >Dan earns a glare from you and a shocked gasp from Ulysses as the little man calls everyone’s attention back to the ugly reality at hand.
  1756. “Ugh, right. We better put him in quarantine for now.”
  1757. >You groan before turning to Mina.
  1758. “Maybe you ought to be the one to bring him in. Hopefully you have a secure room for him to wait in.”
  1759. >Mina nods, a look of determination plastered across her face as she strides out into the room.
  1760. >”Mister Den’ki, I’d like to ask you to…”
  1761. >The nurse’s voice fades away as the door swing shut behind her leaving the five of you to your own devices.
  1762. >You grab the rest of Den’ki’s phial off of the desk near the microscope and leave dan with some instructions to try and find a new active sample for Mina and Buzz to examine when she returns.
  1763. >In the meantime Den’ki’s sample needs to be put through the filter as quickly as possible.
  1764. “Come on spike the faster we get the filter started, the faster we can get to work developing some kind of magical answer.”
  1765. >There’s a quiet hiss as you plug the vacuum sealed vial into the filtration system and the bright red contents vanish into the machine.
  1766. >You’re about to break into your magical study session with spike when you hear a mumbling coming from the other side of the door.
  1767. >”...thing to worry about, we just need to run some more extensive tests to check for head trauma.”
  1768. >Mina’s voice comes into focus as the doors open for her and she walks in leading Den’ki back towards one of the exam rooms.
  1769. >”Just wait here and I’ll be with you shortly.”
  1770. >She says reassuringly before shutting the door behind her and immediately activating its security seal.
  1771. >The pink frizzy haired alien slumps against the door her calm demeanor evaporating as she breathes a deep sigh of relief.
  1772. >”You wouldn’t believe how much harder it is to maintain bedside manner when your patient is a literal time bomb.”
  1773. >She groans before standing up and dusting herself off.
  1774. >”Now then let’s see that active sample, I believe the commander and I have a test to retry.”
  1775. >She says reaching out expectantly to Dan and Ulysses.
  1776. >”Sorry, no can do. Anon and Spike are running it through the filtration system.”
  1777. >Dan says without looking up from the microscope’s display.
  1778. >”W-we should have another one for you to work with soon. Provided there’s another infected patient that is.”
  1779. >Ulysses adds, practically tripping over himself as he jumps up out of his chair trying to reassure mina.
  1780. >”Fine, I’ll help you screen samples through the spectrometer in the meantime.”
  1781. >As the others make your way through the blood samples you and Spike are hard at work trying to develop a detox spell that will nip this problem in the bud.
  1782. >Unfortunately progress has been slow to say the least.
  1783. >”This is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I wish Twilight were here, she’d know how to make this work.”
  1784. >Spike groans dejectedly as he plops his head down on the cold exam room counter.
  1785. “I guess I really shouldn’t be surprised, this is entirely different than any kind of magic I’ve done up till now.”
  1786. >You say mimicking the little dragon as you toss your quill aside in frustration.
  1787. >”It doesn’t help that I only remember half of twilight’s notes at best.”
  1788. >Spike says trying to shoulder the blame for the series of failures the two of you have been through.
  1789. >You shake your head, making a little squeaking sound as your forehead rubs on the counter.
  1790. “I don’t think we’d be doing much better even if we had a physical copy here with us. Up to this point I’ve just been transforming mana into energy and letting it do its thing."
  1791. >You pull twilight's notes out of your pocket and throw it on the desk as you explain.
  1792. "Most of the stuff in this book is a very rudimentary use of magic. Which is kind of the point, it's meant to be used by the layperson without years of magical experience."
  1793. >You say before pointing at the work you've done so far.
  1794. "The problem is, this is like trying to write code from scratch. Thanks to the spell crafting section on twilight’s notes I have a little experience with the coding aspect of magic but this is way above my pay grade.”
  1795. >Spike sits up again and puts a little purple hand to his chin.
  1796. >”Maybe we’re looking at this the wrong way. We’ve been trying to tackle this like Twilight would tackle it and write a custom spell that just solves the problem. I think what we need to do is find an element you can call on and push in the right direction.”
  1797. >You bolt upright and snatch your quill off the counter.
  1798. “You’re right! We’ve been trying to write a whole program from scratch. If we can find an element that will do the heavy lifting for us, all we’ll need to do is do a little spell crafting to point it in the right direction.”
  1799. >It’s at that point that two things happen.
  1800. >Mina adds epinephrine to the second sample that She, Dan, and Ulysses Discovered; And your filtration system dings and refills the vial with a clean blood sample, though there is significantly less blood than you expected.
  1801. >Immediately following which all hell breaks loose.
  1802. >A screeching necrotic ooze the size of a mouse emerges from Buzz and Mina’s petri dish just as a twin howling ball of darkness made flesh tears itself out of the back of your filtration system.
  1803. >”Quick seal the doors!”
  1804. >Buzz shouts at Ulysses who had been on his way out to collect your second quarantine patient when everything went sideways.
  1805. >The nervous little man slams a button by the door sealing the six of you in the room with the two runaway samples.
  1806. >”Capture them alive if you can, I don’t think we’re going to get access to a more ideal live sample.”
  1807. >Mina calls out as she takes cover behind buzz.
  1808. “Ulysses, Mina, Hang back! We don’t need you two getting infected!”
  1809. >You shout as you call your keyblade to your hand in a flash of light.
  1810. “Buzz, Dan, Be ready with the jars once I immobilize them!”
  1811. >Buzz nods as Dan dives for the cart, snatching a pair of sample jars off the shelves before throwing one to Buzz.
  1812. >As Buzz snatches the jar out of the air the heartless that popped out of the petri dish he and the nurse were working on makes shoots out of the tiny pool of blood directly at the fluffy pink nurses face.
  1813. >Mina shrieks as she reaches for the nearby clipboard to shield herself with but the heartless is moving faster than the nurse can react.
  1814. >Luckily for her you were ready for this.
  1815. “Not on my watch you don’t, Now get over here!”
  1816. >You growl in your best scorpion impression as you hold the mysterious stranger aloft and shout,
  1817. ”Magnet!”
  1818. >Manifesting a pair of spiraling red and blue orbs that begin emitting pulsating waves of energy.
  1819. >The heartless freezes in midair and yanked backwards towards your spell, the shift in momentum flinging off little spheroid globs of sludge that stick to Mina’s clipboard as it flies away.
  1820. >At the same time the second heartless, still stunned by the effort of ripping its way out of the filtration unit, is ripped from the broken machine leaving little arcs of electricity in its wake as it hurtles towards your spell.
  1821. “Get ready guys, here they come!”
  1822. >You grunt through gritted teeth as you focus on maintaining the spell.
  1823. >Dan and Buzz lunge forward ready to catch the two heartless, but before they’re able to pluck the heartless out of the air the two little abominations collide at the center of the magnet spell.
  1824. >In that moment they stop being two heartless and the poorly defined blob of black sludge begins to spin at the heart of your spell.
  1825. >As the blob spins it sprouts a set of four spindly black legs and a pair of pointy swept back antenna before casting off a shower of gelatinous black spheres.
  1826. >”What the hell is going on, I can’t move!”
  1827. >Dan shouts as he steps on the first wave of spheres to hit the floor and nearly trips as his foot is stuck to the ground held in place by some kind of gummy residue.
  1828. “It’s okay, It’s not going anywhere.”
  1829. >You grunt to Dan as you look up at the now grapefruit sized heartless and the cloud of gelatinous spheres slowly being sprinkled across the room as they escaping the centrifugal pull of your spell.
  1830. >Then as if on cue an bolts of electricity climb up its outstretched limbs like a jacob’s ladder and arc out chaining from sphere to sphere creating a web of electricity across the center of the room that sends all three of you flying backwards.
  1831. “Ugh son of a bitch.”
  1832. >You cough as pick yourself up off the floor to see the heartless standing on a table and let loose a burbling hiss at the three of you.
  1833.  
  1834. Buzz 54/59 HP
  1835. Dan 37/42 HP
  1836. Anon 45/50 HP, 50/60 MP
  1837.  
  1838. >”Yeah fuck you too buddy.”
  1839. >Dan wheezes, flipping off the heartless as he pulls himself back to his feet following the little monster’s electrical display.
  1840. >Maybe this heartless is attracted to movement, or maybe Dan just managed to piss it off, but whatever the reason the spiny black ball locks onto the angry little man and rushes him before he has the chance to fully recover.
  1841. >The heartless skitters along the floor and in a flash launches itself into the air like a cruise missile headed straight for Dan’s face.
  1842. >Dan glares at the little monster as it sails towards him and slams a button on the side of his borrowed spacesuit’s collar.
  1843. >There’s a hiss and a clanking of metal as his helmet springs out and envelops the little Man’s head milliseconds before the tiny heartless collides with it.
  1844. >”You know it’s considered polite to buy someone a drink first.”
  1845. >Dan deadpans as the spindly little monstrosity begins screeching and franticly clawing at the helmet trying to get at his purty mouth.
  1846. “That’s about enough of that, Magnet Tether!”
  1847. >You shout as your keyblade hums with raw magical energy and a pair of revolving blue and red orbs wink into existence at the weapons tip and begin weaving the mana into a line of concentrated magnetic force that shoots out and snares the heartless in a shimmering golden bubble.
  1848. “Get ready with the sample jar Buzz it’s time to finish this!”
  1849. >You call out to the space ranger on the other side of the room as you yank the heartless off Dan’s helmet and wrestle it across the room like a fucking ghostbuster as it thrashes at the end of your magnetic line.
  1850. >Buzz yanks the lid off his sample jar and holds it out for you like a basketball hoop just as you bring the heartless slamming down and dunk it squarely in the center of the transparent container.
  1851. “Seal it in quick!”
  1852. >You shout as your spell begins to sputter.
  1853. >Buzz nods as the glowing golden filament begins to flicker and slams the lid down just as the spell winks out.
  1854. >The heartless throws itself against the walls of its new prison struggling to escape, but it just squishes impotently against the walls as Buzz clings to the Jar.
  1855. >”Nice, crisis averted.”
  1856. >Spike says with a grin as he folds up his vibroknife and joins the rest of you in gathering around your new live sample.
  1857. >“Question is, what do we do with it now that we have it?”
  1858. >Mina asks as she walks up behind Buzz and peers around him to get a look at the heartless, careful to put the seasoned space ranger between her and the monster.
  1859. >You can’t help but think that’s actually a pretty good question.
  1860. >Now that you have this captured heartless you have a whole new set of options open to you to try and develop a cure, But at the same time you’ve lost both of your active host samples.
  1861. >That might make experimenting on the heartless in its inactive state significantly trickier.
  1862. >It seems like days pass by as you ponder Mina’s question, but finally you manage to come up with something resembling a plan of action.
  1863. “I think first things first we need to run some tests on this little guy.”
  1864. >You say as you tap on the specimen jar only for the little heartless to let out a muted shriek as it leaps at your finger and bounces off the glass.
  1865. >”Um what about Mineta? I was just about to go bring him in for quarantine. “
  1866. >Ulysses asks as he sheepishly raises a hand prompting you to snap your fingers and point at the nervous looking little pencil pusher.
  1867. “Fair point, that should probably be priority one. You go take care of that while we hide the sample.”
  1868. >Ulysses nods and lets himself out into the foyer to collect your second patient while you hastily clear a space in a nearby cabinet.
  1869. >the seconds drag by as you push beakers aside and before long you hear Mineta and Ulysses approaching on the other side of the door.
  1870. >Just as the door begins to open you snatch the jar out of Buzz’s hands, tossing it into the cabinet and shutting it inside mere moments ahead of the two crewmen crossing the threshold.
  1871. >”This isn’t going to take too long is it? I’ve managed to come up with some pretty great plans to fortify the med bay that I want to get started on as soon as possible.”
  1872. >The tiny grape headed alien says before mischievously kneeing Ulysses in the shin and leaning in conspiratorially.
  1873. >”And you wouldn’t believe the looks Tsuyu was giving me once I started acting all reliable.”
  1874. >The manlet whispers as he waggles his eyebrows suggestively.
  1875. >Mina looks temporarily disgusted before swooping in to usher Mineta off to a secure room.
  1876. >”We’ll have you on your way in no time; we just need to run a few additional tests.”
  1877. >She beams as she closes the little alien in his room, her glowing demeanor completely hiding the situation you find yourselves in.
  1878. >Though you suspect her superlative bedside manner was entirely wasted on Mineta, as he just nods dumbly transfixed by the head nurse’s rather generous ‘assets’.
  1879. >When you’re satisfied the coast is clear you pull the still violently thrashing heartless from its hiding place and return it to the counter.
  1880. “So what do we know about these things that can help us take them down?”
  1881. >You ask as you scan the room looking to everyone gathered there in turn.
  1882. >”Well we know they don’t like fire.”
  1883. >Dan says as he thinks back to how the four of you scorched the heartless that had commandeered the late Lieutenant Dallas.
  1884. >”They’re particularly vulnerable to light.”
  1885. >Buzz adds patting his trusty laser.
  1886. >”Their claws are really sharp.”
  1887. >Dan adds prompting a roll of the eyes from spike as you shake your head.
  1888. “I meant what do we know that will help us take them out.
  1889. >Dan’s eyes dart back and forth as he protests.
  1890. >”Well duh, obviously I knew that. I was just trying to keep you on your toes.”
  1891. >He blurts out a completely unconvincing lie before clearing his throat and pressing on.
  1892. >”Hm-hm anyway we can’t seem to take them out unless they’ve already left their host. At least, not without hurting the host anyway.”
  1893. >Spike nods before chiming in with his own observation.
  1894. >”We know their transformation is triggered by adreno… Adran…”
  1895. >”Adrenaline.”
  1896. >Mina says, coming to the little dragon’s aid before you get a chance to.
  1897. >”Thanks, Adrenaline. “
  1898. >Spike finishes his sentence proudly as Mina picks up the filter and drops it on a table with a thunk.
  1899. >”And finally it seems like they really don’t like being forced into the open if this thing is any indication.”
  1900. >Mina says as she bangs on the ruined mechanical husk of her lab equipment.
  1901. “Right, sorry about that.”
  1902. >You say, sheepishly rubbing the back of your head before Dan butts in.
  1903. >”We have more important shit to worry about than your busted equipment, let’s stay on task here people.”
  1904. >You just sigh, forced once again to acknowledge the angry man’s point of view.
  1905. “Okay so, Since the adrenaline seems to be what triggers its awakening in the host, I’m thinking maybe we can sedate it with more body chemistry.”
  1906. >Mina nods and gets ready to bustle off to gather supplies but is stopped by a sudden purple raised claw.
  1907. >”Since these things are weak to fire, I wonder if we could use some kind of fever to drive them out of the host.”
  1908. >Spike looks a little embarrassed at his own suggestion but still manages to meet everyone’s gaze as he looks at all of you for approval.
  1909. >Surprisingly it’s Ulysses who answers first muttering under his breath for a few seconds before finally piping up.
  1910. >”We’d have to test to see how violent a reaction their leaving but it’s definitely worth looking into. Just one problem, we’re out of active sample.”
  1911. >He says crestfallen after a brief glimmer of hope appeared on his face.
  1912. >”Hey we don’t know that for sure, we still have samples to go through maybe we’ll find some more.”
  1913. >Buzz says looking at Dan’s pile of blood samples hopefully.
  1914. >”We may not need a third sample.”
  1915. >Mina interjects, an idea clearly beginning to piece itself together in her mind.
  1916. >”We do have a source for all the fresh active samples we need.”
  1917. >She says looking back towards the hall housing your two quarantine victims.
  1918. >Mina Bustles off, this time uninterrupted and in short order returns with a set of 8 new active blood samples a fresh filtration system and a supply of various tranquilizers for you to work with.
  1919. >You can’t help but feel like you’re close, just one more push and you should have the solution.
  1920.  
  1921. “Okay guys this is the home stretch. Buzz, I’d like you to help spike and I to try and figure out a way to extract these things safely.”
  1922. >The space ranger nods as you turn your attention to the head nurse.
  1923. “Mina, I think you ought to help Dan and Ulysses scan for more active samples. You’re much more likely to catch anything they might miss.”
  1924. >Mina’s whole body bounces with the force of her determined nod before she wheels around and ushers the two would be technicians back to the microscope.
  1925. >As the three of them crowd around the microscope’s flickering display you start rummaging through the nearby cabinets as Buzz and spike peer over your shoulder.
  1926. >It takes a few minutes but you finally manage to find a name you recognize.
  1927. “Now then, let’s see what this baby can do.”
  1928. >You say with a grin as you pull out a bottle of ketamine and fill a nearby hypo gun with its contents before handing off a few extra bottles to Spike.
  1929. >”Are you sure you know what you’re doing with that?”
  1930. >Buzz asks incredulously, stopping you in your tracks as you march off towards the Heartless’ container brandishing the hypo gun.
  1931. “Sure enough to know that if sedatives work on heartless this ought to knock it out like a light. Come on I need you guys to cover me, we can’t have the little bastard getting loose.”
  1932. >You gesture with the hypo gun for Buzz to follow you and reluctantly the space ranger cycles up his laser and draws a bead on the heartless should it manage to slip past you.
  1933. >You turn to give Spike his instructions but the little dragon shoots you an affirmative nod and takes up a post on the counter as he flips out his vibro knife; ready to tackle the wee beastie if things go sideways.
  1934. >You pop your keyblade into existence in your left hand as you drum your fingers on the grip of the hypo gun.
  1935. “Okay Spike, pull the lid off on three.”
  1936. >The little dragon nods nervously as he puts down his knife and grips the edges of the lid with both hands.
  1937. “One”
  1938. >You clench your fist around the grip of the gun and the muscles in your arms tighten as you get ready to try and stick the heartless.
  1939. “Two”
  1940. >A bead of sweat rolls down Spike’s forehead as the heartless shrieks at you from inside its glass prison.
  1941. “THREE”
  1942. >As soon as the words leave your mouth Spike rips the lid off the jar and Buzz tenses up ready to fire.
  1943. >For an agonizing moment time seems to stop as you freeze and the heartless stares back up at you with its dead yellow eyes.
  1944. >The spell is broken when the creature screeches again and its twin spines begin to crackle with electricity.
  1945. >You bring your fist flying down with the force of a fat kid trying to get the last cookie from the cookie jar and squish the heartless against the bottom of its glass prison as you bury the needle between its eyes and pump it full of ketamine.
  1946. >The heartless’ twisted limbs flail about for a few seconds lashing at your hand and forearm before you manage to pull free and Spike slams the lid back on the jar, trapping the mini monster inside.
  1947. “FFFFFFFFFFFuck me running!”
  1948. >You hiss, dropping your keyblade to the ground where it promptly disappears as you clutch your forearm with your left hand.”
  1949. >”Quick let me see!”
  1950. >Buzz barks as he grabs your arm and extends it to get a better look at your wounds only to raise an eyebrow incredulously.
  1951. >There in his hands is your gloved arm still thoroughly protected by the thick material of your space suit.
  1952. >”It sure got you good there didn’t it?”
  1953. >Buzz smirks as you jerk your arm back and cradle it gently.
  1954. “It just surprised me is all.”
  1955. >You huff defensively as Spike taps on the glass jar.
  1956. >”Hey guys? I think it worked”
  1957. >The little dragon’s words pull your attention back to the task at hand and sure enough the heartless is collapsed in a semifluid blob at the bottom of the jar.
  1958. “We better make sure it’s really out.”
  1959. >You muse as you pick up the jar and run the extremely scientific test of shaking the living shit out of it.
  1960. >The heartless plops around the jar like an overripe tomato in a pinball machine but remains completely motionless.
  1961. “I’d call this a success gentlemen.”
  1962. >You say with a grin as the little goo monster oozes back to the bottom of its jar.
  1963. >You tuck the jar under your arm and the three of you head back over to Mina and company at the microscope.
  1964. “Well mission accomplished over here, the heartless are effected by anesthesia.”
  1965. >You say brandishing the sleeping monster before setting it aside.
  1966. >”Have any luck on your end?”
  1967. >Buzz asks as leans over your shoulder.
  1968. >Mina looks up at the three of you with a self-satisfied grin.
  1969. >”Sure did!”
  1970. >Mina chirps as Dan grinds his teeth and Ulysses squirms in his seat.
  1971. >”So what’s with…”
  1972. >Spike trails off at he points silently at Dan and Ulysses only for Mina to laugh.
  1973. >”Oh they’re just mad because they missed a host in their first sweep, honestly though even I’m lucky I caught it, Tokoyami’s blood isn’t exactly typical.”
  1974. >In the back of your mind you register Dan shouting, “Bitch I will cut you”, but Dan’s inappropriate outbursts can wait.
  1975. >Mina’s found all the hosts she thinks she can find, and you’ve come up with a way to safely extract the heartless.
  1976. >All that’s left now is to actually put everything together and pull it off.
  1977.  
  1978. >Spike and Buzz try to calm Dan down as you stand lost in your own thoughts miles away from the events unfolding next to you .
  1979. >You’re so close to having it all figured out but you’re being held up by one last hurdle right before the finish line.
  1980. >You know who to help.
  1981. >And you know how to sedate the heartless enough to extract them without harming the host.
  1982. >But you’re no closer to having a solid way to physically remove the damn things than you were when you started.
  1983. >Sure the filtration system did technically work, heartless attack notwithstanding, so you could probably hook the victims up to dialysis.
  1984. >The problem with that is that you have no way of knowing how well the machines will handle filtering a heartless the size of a Bulldog out of someone’s bloodstream.
  1985. >And even if it all goes perfectly that does nothing to help any victims you meet once you leave the med bay.
  1986. >If at all possible you’d like a solution you can bring with you.
  1987. >You sit down on a nearby stool pinching the bridge of your nose as you try to focus.
  1988. >From what you can tell it looks like these heartless feed on the hosts negative emotions in order to grow and eventually completely take over the hosts body.
  1989. >Maybe positive emotions could make the body incapable of sustaining the heartless and force it out?
  1990. >That would be nice but how exactly are you going to accomplish something like that with the situation as grim as it is.
  1991. >As you slump over yourself and groan you feel a weight shift in your suit.
  1992. >You fish the mystery object out of your pocket and hold it up to the sterile light of the exam room.
  1993. >Glittering back down at you is a golden pocket watch with an ornate question mark embossed in the center of an elaborate star shaped pattern.
  1994. >You can’t help but smile to yourself as you look up at the watch.
  1995. >Pinkie would be able to pull this off without breaking a sweat.
  1996. >She’d pull a ukulele out of nowhere and somehow play it without fingers as she lead the entire med bay in a huge dance number that ended in all the heartless being exorcised.
  1997. >You chuckle to yourself as you slip the watch back into your pocket only to be jabbed by something on your other side.
  1998. >You reach into your pocket and discover that the item responsible is twilight’s notebook.
  1999. >Yet another absent friend who could completely trivialize your current predicament.
  2000. >A flash of light and Twilight could just teleport the little buggers out of their hosts and into space.
  2001. >You tug the magical primer out of your pocket and fix your eyes on the cover with a sullen stare.
  2002. >You only barely have an understanding of elemental magic, and the little notebook isn’t going to teach you how to banish heartless anytime soon.
  2003. >But maybe you don’t need to banish them outright…
  2004. >Something clicks in your head as you throw the notebook down on the desk and franticly flip through the pages to the section on conjuring fire.
  2005. >”All magic stems from an emotional core in order to weave raw mana into a useful form. Fire in particular stems from forms of spiritual or emotional warmth.”
  2006. “We already know they don’t like fire, and if positive emotions hurt them…”
  2007.  
  2008. >You mutter to yourself as you pull out one of your quills from Davenport’s and begin scrawling on the counter.
  2009. >If you’re using emotions in order to craft flames out of magic and sling them around what happens if you sling that magic around half formed.
  2010. >It would just be raw emotionally charged mana right?
  2011. >Would that be enough to drive them out of the host?
  2012. “This calls for a test.”
  2013. >You say to yourself and look up from the scratched notes and formula on the counter and see Dan still arguing with Buzz and Spike.
  2014. >”And who exactly do you think you’re calling short!”
  2015. >Dan shouts down at the little dragon, his face beet red as a vein pops out of his forehead.
  2016. “Okay, think cool thoughts.”
  2017. >You say to yourself taking a deep breath as your keyblade materializes in your hand.
  2018. >You focus on your magic and you can feel the rush of energy as it flows through the lattice of your own emotions and the mysterious stranger begins to glow a pale blue.
  2019. >But just as the raw magical power begins to form you let it go slinging the energy at Dan.
  2020. “Hey Dan chill out!”
  2021. >You shout as an arc of bluish energy shoots through the air and bursts into a cloud of frost on impact with the simmering manlet.
  2022. >”I mean you’re clearly two foot nothing.”
  2023. >Dan seems visibly calmer but the change seems unfortunately short lived and in a few seconds he’s ranting about the tyranny of the giants against normal sized people like him.
  2024. >”Well that’s progress.” You think to yourself as you sit back down at the desk laying your keyblade on the ink covered surface.
  2025. >Still the little burst of emotion that your pseudo spell provided isn’t going to be enough to drive out anything.
  2026. >You’re going to need some kind of vector for the magic to operate on if you really want it to strike a chord in your target.
  2027. “Strike a chord…”
  2028. “That’s IT! If we back up magic with music…”
  2029. >You shout to yourself excitedly as you slam your hands on the desk and get ready to jump up and tell everyone your problems are solved, but you immediately slump back down onto the stool when you realize where you are.
  2030. >you’re sitting in the middle of a space hospital.
  2031. >And you have a sneaking suspicion that unlike Pinkie Pie the crewmembers here aren’t likely to stash musical instruments in every spare nook and cranny.
  2032. >You flop forward onto the desk shooting a sidelong glance at the keyblade resting next to your head.
  2033. “Ugh back to the drawing board. Maybe we can find some kind of mp3 file or some…”
  2034. >Your morose mumbling is interrupted as you notice something glimmering on the keyblade out of the corner of your eye.
  2035. “What the hell…”
  2036. >Your voice trails off as you haul yourself upright to get a better look at the shimmering light.
  2037. >There glittering along the length of the keyblade are six brilliant strands of pure light.
  2038. “No way…”
  2039. >You mutter as you reach out and tentatively pluck one of the glimmering strands filling the room with a single resonating note.
  2040. >You reach down and grab the keyblade by its blade cradling the weapon like a guitar as you call on your magical reserves and begin to pluck on the luminous strings.
  2041. >A melody springs unbidden into your mind as you play and soon the strings on your keyblade is glowing red as music fills the room.
  2042. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8wWzSpkmck [Embed]
  2043. >As you loop through the melody the strings glow brighter and brighter bursting with flames at each pass until finally you cap the melody with a blazing crescendo that envelopes you in a simmering aura flickering with little tongues of flame.
  2044. >”Anon what the hell did you just do?”
  2045. >Dan shouts, his argument with spike completely forgotten after your fiery display.
  2046. >You open your mouth to answer him but your body is wracked by a sudden coughing fit as you hack up what looks like a small cloud of burning embers that quickly smolder out of existence.
  2047. >Once the coughing fit passes all that’s left is a feeling of blazing confidence burning away in your soul overriding all the fears and doubts that had been plaguing you up to this point.
  2048. >This plan was going to work, you’d make it work and nothing was going to stop you.
  2049. >You look back at Dan with a reckless grin.
  2050. “I just solved our heartless problem.”
  2051.  
  2052.  
  2053. You gained new spellcraft, Power Chord
  2054.  
  2055. >”That’s super sick, but maybe we should let the instruments be the judge.”
  2056. >Dan deadpans dismissively, clearly unimpressed by your magical display as he walks up and sticks you in the arm with the hypo gun pulling a fresh blood sample.
  2057. >Dan Is interupted mid-motion by a string of his own profanity as he goes to pull the vial from the hypo gun only to be burned by the unexpectedly hot contents within.
  2058. >He drops the hypo gun to the ground where spike picks it up as the angry little man nurses his singed fingers.
  2059. >”Wow, talk about hot blooded.”
  2060. >Spike says sporting a shit eating grin as he pulls the vial free, its contents suffused with a dull glow as the vial smolders away in his heatproof grasp.
  2061. >”Okay maybe this will actually burn those fucking things out of us.”
  2062. >Dan begrudgingly admits as he shakes his hand trying to cool off his digits.
  2063. >Spike meanwhile helps mina prepare a sample for the microscope and the spectrometer, and in short order the sample comes back clear of the trace amounts of darkness it previously contained.
  2064. >The little dragon shoots you a thumbs up just as your burning aura flickers out and the glow fades from your second blood sample.
  2065. >Looks like the spell only lasts a few minutes but that should be more than enough to drive the heartless out of their hosts.
  2066. “Okay, now that all that’s settled let’s get started pulling these things out of their victims.”
  2067. >You dismiss your keyblade and turn to Mina.
  2068. “I’d like it if we could treat them one at a time, that way we can hopefully avoid a repeat of this little guy”
  2069. >You explain as you pick up the sample jar and bounce the drugged heartless around its transparent prison.
  2070. >The others nod in agreement as Mina gets up and starts bustling around the room preparing ketamine doses for your three patients.
  2071. >While Mina gets ready on the medical end the rest of you move into an empty exam room and start getting ready for the first patient.
  2072. >As the five of you walk into the room Ulysses starts muttering to himself as his eyes start darting around the fairly confined space.
  2073. >”I know we’re planning on the heartless being knocked out by the tranquilizers but maybe we ought to do something to block the ventilation and seal the doors. If something goes wrong we can’t have these things escaping on us.”
  2074. >”Way ahead of you son.”
  2075. >Buzz responds from a nearby control panel tapping away at the glowing console.
  2076. >A calm synthetic voice issues from the panel with a final keystroke from the space ranger.
  2077. >”Quarantine containment field active.”
  2078. >As soon as the voice finishes speaking a glowing blue field flickers to life over the air vents in the room and across the room’s entrance.
  2079. >”There, now nothing’s getting in and out of this room without our say so.”
  2080. >Buzz dusts off his hands with a self-satisfied grin as Ulysses nods nervously.
  2081. “Well that beats the hell out of my plan to secure the room.”
  2082. >You say throwing in an impressed whistle for good measure.
  2083. “Now let’s bring Den’Ki in here and get this show on the road.”
  2084. >Ulysses nods and ducks out of the room, the barrier flickering temporarily to allow him passage as he scurries off to get the nurse and your first patient.
  2085. >In short order the nervous little man returns with the others in tow.
  2086. >”So what’s going on with us anyway? How much longer till we can get out and start fixing the station?”
  2087. >Den’ki asks as soon as he sees Buzz standing in the treatment room.
  2088. >”No need to worry son, just a minor issue with contaminants from the asteroid.”
  2089. >Buzz reassures the engineer, slapping the alien on the back as he tries to put the young man at ease.
  2090. >”It looks like you’ve managed to pick up an unusual level of exposure somehow, but we can filter it out of your system in a jiffy.”
  2091. >Mina says with an unnaturally cheery voice as she helps Den’ki up into a chair and stick him in the arm with the ketamine gun.
  2092. >”Okay if you sayyyy soooo…”
  2093. >The alien’s words begin to slur almost immediately and in a matter of seconds he’s down for the count.
  2094. >As soon as he begins snoring in the exam chair Mina wheels around and shoots you a thumbs up.
  2095. >”Okay he’s all set let’s do this.”
  2096. >You give her a determined nod in return and call your keyblade into your hands.
  2097. “Time to turn up the heat.”
  2098. >you grin as the glowing stings appear at your fingertips and you begin shredding away with your spicy melody.
  2099. >With a final flourish as you reach the end of your rift you grab the keyblade by its handle reaching through the strings mid strum and sling the accumulated magic at Den’ki who is immediately enveloped in the same fierce burning aura you had summoned before.
  2100. >For a few seconds it seems as though nothing is going to happen but then Den’ki begins to cough and sputter as he shakes in his chair.
  2101. “Yes it’s working! Just a little more.”
  2102. >You shout gripping your keyblade ready to eradicate the sedated heartless once it’s expelled from the alien’s body.
  2103. >Then Den’ki’s eyes shoot open and he leaps up out of his chair and begins to wretch uncontrollably.
  2104. >”Uh should this be happening guys?”
  2105. >Spike asks concern in his voice as he reaches for the vibroknife clipped to his little spacesuit’s belt.
  2106. >”Whatever Anon did must have burnt through the sedative in Den’ki’s system, Brace yourselves!”
  2107. >Ulysses shouts hiding behind a nearby crash cart as Den’ki expels gallons of black sludge from his mouth into a pile on the floor.
  2108. >”Ugh… that was inside me?”
  2109. >the alien exclaims as he staggers back to his feet still wreathed in flickering flames as he wipes the black strands from his mouth, the confusion apparent in his voice.
  2110. >”We’ll explain later, just get back!”
  2111. >Dan shouts as he grips his wrench ready for the worst.
  2112. “Maybe the drugs are still effecting it…”
  2113. >As soon as the words leave your mouth that feeble hope is dashed to pieces as a sharp spindly leg emerges from the puddle of black sludge and a shape begins to pull itself up from the inky mass on the exam room floor.
  2114. >”Everyone who isn’t armed take Cover! This thing does not escape this room!”
  2115. >Buzz shouts as he takes aim at the forming Heartless.
  2116.  
  2117. Anon and Co. VS. Kaminari Parasite Start!
  2118.  
  2119. >As the heartless slowly pulls itself together your eyes shoot around the room taking in your surroundings.
  2120. >In addition to the chair you had attempted to sedate Den'Ki in the room also contains a hospital bed and a crash cart which Ulysses is currently hiding behind.
  2121. >If it weren't for the fact you're fairly certain this heartless can absorb electricity that defibrillator might have proven extremely useful.
  2122. >Even if you can't fry the heartless with it, better make a mental note of it.
  2123. >You never know when you'll need to kickstart someone's heart.
  2124. >There are a couple of IV stands at the back of the room giving you brief flashbacks of a trip to the ER for alcohol poisoning.
  2125. >Still if that drunken office chair jousting match that night taught you anything it's that those things are sturdier than they look.
  2126. >Maybe you can have someone throw one to Den'ki Mina or Ulysses. It would certainly be better than nothing for fending off some heartless.
  2127. >Finally you see a box of surgical facemasks sitting on the counter.
  2128. >They're not exactly the atmospheric filters Buzz had told you about but if it can keep out Sars maybe it can hold a the heartless at bay long enough for help to arrive if the little bastards try to get overly frisky.
  2129.  
  2130. >You turn your attention back to the heartless and see Buzz is about to blow a hole in the damn thing.
  2131. >But before the space ranger's laser has a chance to charge the parasite beats him to the punch.
  2132. >The semi formed body ripples and a trail of spines grow from the puddle on the floor.
  2133. “Everyone get down!”
  2134. >You shout as the spines begin to crackle but your warning comes too late as the heartless discharges a huge burst of electricity.
  2135. >The crash cart Ulysses is hiding behind throws up a shower of sparks as the wave of electricity blows out the instrument panel but the little man manages to avoid the attack.
  2136. >Mina is similarly fortunate hiding behind Dan.
  2137. >The Rest of you aren’t so lucky as the four of you take the brunt of the discharge.
  2138. >You’re thrown back as the shock forces your muscles to spasm, but you manage to stagger through the wave and back into a ready stance.
  2139. >Buzz also succeeds in toughing his way through the high voltage attack and is even able to keep his bead on the heartless through the pain.
  2140. >Dan and Spike however aren’t nearly so lucky.
  2141. >Spike is thrown back into the wall as his body turns on itself and convulses.
  2142. >Dan meanwhile collapses to one knee only barely succeeding in shielding Mina from the burst as he’s robbed of his ability to move.
  2143. >”Son of a bitch, maybe we should have thought this through a little more”
  2144. >Dan grunts through clenched teeth as he struggles to stay up.
  2145. >The only one who doesn’t seem effected by the attack is Den’ki.
  2146. >In fact he seems more than unaffected, he seems super charged as his body crackles with electricity beneath his burning aura.
  2147. >”You call that a power surge? Com’ere you son of a bitch!”
  2148. >Den’ki shouts as he grabs the sludgy half formed heartless and spins it around as its spindly legs scrabble uselessly looking for purchase, trying to stop the inevitable as Den’ki flings it against the wall with a wet splat.
  2149. >As the heartless slides to the ground Buzz keeps up the pressure firing a crimson lance of light accompanied by the high pitched whine of his suit’s capacitors.
  2150. >The heartless lets loose a gurgling shriek as the laser burns a smoking hole in its dripping black excuse for a body and tries to make a break for the door.
  2151. “You’re not getting away that easy, stay and chill a while!”
  2152. >the keyblade glows a pale blue as you blast the monster with a bitter cone of frost, it’s semifluid body creaking and popping as the wave of frigid magic solidifies its body robbing it of its unnatural agility.
  2153. “Whatever happens that thing cannot leave this room!”
  2154. >You shout as you shake off the lingering tingling from the electrical burst and pull yourself into a ready stance
  2155.  
  2156. Kaminari Parasite 35/60 HP
  2157.  
  2158. Anon: 40/50 HP 37/60 MP
  2159. Buzz: 49/59 HP 92% power
  2160. Spike: 41/61 HP 4 superiority dice (Stunned 2 turns)
  2161. Dan: 28/48 HP (Stunned 1 turn)
  2162.  
  2163. “Buzz, Den’ki , Hang back and let me take the lead on this one.”
  2164. >You call out as you tap into your magical reserve and begin spinning the energy around the keyblade.
  2165. >In a matter of seconds the raw magic has been spun into a twisting red and blue magnetic aura and you sling the humming energy at the heartless like an incandescent fishing line.
  2166. >The creaking frozen heartless tries to pull itself out of the way but the ice spell has left it incapable of avoiding your magnetic magic and the energy latches on to the frosty beast.
  2167. >You haul back with a yell yanking the heartless off the floor and spinning it around the room.
  2168. >Meanwhile Ulysses uses the brief opening you’ve created to scurry out from behind the wrecked crashcart and grab a iv rack that he promptly tosses to Den’ki.
  2169. >As soon as you see Den’ki armed with his gleaming improvised weapon you send the heartless slamming into the wall nearest Den’ki.
  2170. >The monster hits the wall with a brittle crunch, sending frozen pieces of it flying of and clattering across the floor.
  2171. “Now guys, bring it on home!”
  2172. >Your voice rings around the room as the heartless hits the wall and Den’ki wastes no time acting on your command.
  2173. >He winds up and swings the iv rack with all his might into the frozen body of the heartless.
  2174. >A loud snapping sound fills the room as a deep fissure bisects the heartless.
  2175. >It looks like Den’ki may have damn near split the thing in two.
  2176. >”It’s all yours Commander!”
  2177. >Den'ki shouts , jumping back just as an angry red beam of light shoots past him and into the jagged fissure he just knocked into the heartless.
  2178. >The heartless shrieks as its entire malformed hind end breaks off and clatters to the floor, shattering what few spines remained intact.
  2179. “Jesus, you two actually split the thing in two.”
  2180. >If you didn’t know better you’d almost feel sorry for the little half frozen monstrosity.
  2181. “Time to put this thing out of its misery”
  2182. >You call out as you raise your keyblade to drive home the finishing blow.
  2183. >But just as you raise your key, the blizzard spell wears off and the once stiff near immobile heartless begins thrashing again like the T-1000 on crack.
  2184. >The heartless grows four more legs across its front end and begins franticly dragging itself across the floor towards an air vent.
  2185. >Yeah you better run, you think to yourself as it scurries away.
  2186. >After all the containment field means this little fucker’s going nowhere.
  2187. >But at that thought something catches your eye forcing you to do a double take at the grate.
  2188. >The glowing blue containment field is gone.
  2189. >Somewhere in the back of your mind it occurs to you that it must have been blown out by the electrical discharge, but that thought is completely overshadowed by the fact that this monstrosity is about to escape.
  2190. “It’s making a break for it, don’t let it get through the grate!”
  2191. >You shout unable to move fast enough to head off the heartless as it skitters away.
  2192. >Spike strains to try and pin it with his knife as it scurries past him but the little dragon just jerks around on the floor ineffectively still trapped by the heartless paralytic grip.
  2193. >Time seems to slow down as the heartless rushes the grate.
  2194. >You’re out of options and it looks like the little bastard is going to make good on its escape.
  2195. >It’s only a couple feet away from freedom when a high tech wrench flies overhead smashing into the grate, mangling the would be escape route to the point of uselessness.
  2196. >You whip around and see Dan wheezing, struggling to stay on his feet after shaking off the monster’s paralysis and hurling his wrench across the room.
  2197. >”You’re not getting away from that easily you little shit.”
  2198.  
  2199.  
  2200. Kaminari Parasite 10/60 HP
  2201.  
  2202. Anon: 40/50 HP 37/60 MP
  2203. Buzz: 49/59 HP 84% power
  2204. Spike: 41/61 HP 4 superiority dice
  2205. Dan: 28/48 HP
  2206.  
  2207. >With its only avenue of escape closed off the heartless screeches defiantly and lunges at the nearest warm body.
  2208. >That body happens to belong to Spike, who is still struggling to get up off the floor.
  2209. >Luckily for the little dragon the heartless isn’t nearly as agile since the three of you split the little abomination in half.
  2210. >The desperate lunge falls short of the mark leaving the heartless flailing on the floor creating a perfect opening for you to finish it off.
  2211. “This is the end of the Road!”
  2212. >You shout as you haul back and fling the keyblade at the prone blob of living shadow, sending the weapon tumbling end over end through the air.
  2213. >The keyblade whips through the air like flying buzzsaw and strikes true impaling the heartless leaving it pinned to the deck of the medical bay.
  2214. >The monster gurgles and thrashes violently before finally falling still and exploding in a burst of light accompanied by a cloud of black smoke.
  2215. >Once the heartless vanishes you hurry across the room to help Spike back to his feet.
  2216. >”Thanks for the assist, that thing got a little too close for comfort there at the end.”
  2217. >Spike says with a wry grin, wincing as you prop him up and feeling returns to his limbs.
  2218. “Any time, I’m not going to let some heartless turn my buddy into a dragon suit.”
  2219. >You reply with a fist bump and a confident smile trying to hide fear at the back of your mind at the thought of what nearly happened.
  2220. >The heartless had you beat dead to rights on speed; it was just luck that things didn’t turn out very differently.
  2221. >Fortunately the little dragon doesn’t seem to pick up on any of your internal doubts and grins back at you as he returns the fist bump before dusting himself off and heading over to greet Den’ki.
  2222. >”Look I’m glad we killed that thing but does anyone want to tell me what the hell is actually going on here?”
  2223. >The alien asks just as the little dragon trundles up to him.
  2224. >”What about you little man?"
  2225. >Den'ki asks as he directs his attention at Spike.
  2226. >"Do you know what’s going on?”
  2227. >”Uh I’m probably not the best person to explain. Can someone give him a quick rundown?”
  2228. >As soon as the words leave Spike’s mouth Dan jumps in without missing a beat.
  2229. >”Well to start even the Rothschilds bow to the Bogdanoffs, they’ve been in contact with alien life for years and are rumored to possess psychic abilities.”
  2230. “Shut up Dan you’re not helping. Ulysses fill Den’ki in on what’s going on please, I need to check with Mina about how we’re going to deal with our next patient.”
  2231. >As Ulysses and Spike get to work filling in Den’ki along with a generous helping of shitposting from Dan you turn to Buzz and Mina to start planning for the next two extractions.
  2232. >“That didn’t go nearly as well as we had hoped it would, we’re lucky that heartless didn’t slip through our fingers.”
  2233. >Buzz says, his arms crossed with a grim edge to his voice.
  2234. ”We can’t have another close call like this, once was already too close for comfort.”
  2235. >You say, nodding as you agree with the space ranger.
  2236. >”The question is, how do we fix it in the next go round? “
  2237. >Fortunately you’ve already been giving that some thought.
  2238. “Mina do we have some way that we can dispose of the heartless immediately after it’s expelled from the body? A biohazard containment unit or maybe an incinerator?”
  2239. >Mina thinks for a second, looking like a pink busty version of Ulysses as she mumbles to herself before finally popping back upright as she plops her fist into her palm.
  2240. >”I think we may have something, let me go take a look and see if it’ll work.”
  2241. >And just like that Mina darts off out of the room leaving you and Buzz behind.
  2242. >”You holding up okay there soldier?”
  2243. >The space ranger breaks the silence and you shoot him a quizzical look.
  2244. “You know I’m not a soldier right?”
  2245. >”I know but son didn’t feel right, and that wasn’t exactly an answer.”
  2246. >You frown silently; apparently Buzz isn’t going to let you joke your way out of this.
  2247. >”I saw you talking with the little guy after the fight; you did a good job putting up a brave front.”
  2248. “Not good enough apparently.”
  2249. >You mutter bitterly, galled by how easily the veteran soldier saw through you.
  2250. >”After years of wearing that expression yourself it gets easy to spot.”
  2251. >Buzz looks distant for a moment, as though he’s suddenly very far away, lost in bitter memories of time gone by.
  2252. >Eventually Buzz returns to the now, breaking the silence.
  2253. >”It doesn’t get any easier carrying the burden of command soldier; just don’t make it any heavier than it has to be. “
  2254. >The space ranger turns to you with a sad smile, the echoes of his own failures hiding behind that melancholy half grin.
  2255. >”Any fight you and your men walk away from is a victory.”
  2256. >You're about to offer up some kind of meager thank you when it clicks.
  2257. >Buzz's losses aren't just relegated to the past, they're happening all around you here and now.
  2258. >The infected crew.
  2259. >Lieutenant Dallas up on the bridge.
  2260. >Woody and Rarity down at the bottom of the station.
  2261. >Even you, Dan and Spike.
  2262. >Buzz is responsible for all of your lives.
  2263. >And if the weight of looking after Spike is getting to you, you can't imagine how crushing that burden must be.
  2264. >You stand there and can't help but think that you should say something.
  2265. >But what do you even say at a time like this?

My Little Persona: Another Way Round 2

by DisgruntledAnon

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