They stand in the passage... the fire teams  Ming set up at the Door stand  Guard, the rest of the stick is forming up behind. on either side of the walls

  ..what  are we going to do now?.... Lirg asked

  Ming  looked to Garrat as well..we have a few oprions SGT?....  hit the HAtchways..or coniniue on?.. the  fire teams   could, at very least, warn us...if indeed they cannot hold a hatch way.

   In the Command  Tent was  quiet, except for some brief words the Roussians  would  add to what they saw, was going on.

   The Naragran used  its  claw to move on the screen to draw, like Shade did...

   The  NAragran took a step back from the   board, as if it did something Wrong, or? If it was  frightened .

   Shade  held up the image.. at first, one  would think it was   some mindless  scribble...there was an Arc with a Ball at the end of  it, with a circle behind it.....

 Hack Looked Up......alright people?  what does that look like to you?...

 MC-1  turned with a bit of impatience ..until he saw the  Image, then turned to the other two... NC-37 looked....shocked.... Tx-5 looked away.

Roy paused, focusing on the comet logo on the wall.  "Don't know if this is significant or not, Beth, but let me know when you've got a good, clear still-shot of it.  Might be worth looking into..."  The fact that it was scratched onto the wall told uim ithad been added after primary construction...witbout access to proper stencils...an improvised logo could mean the ship had been captured.  The logo could be pirates, zealots, rebels...knowing which would either confirm their resolve in how they'd been dealing with the Qarl, or influence how they dealt with them going forward...but any intel would likely be useful, at this point.

    Beth was  quiet for  about 30 seconds,....Ok...got it!

    Hack 's Vioice  came on,...   I do not need to tell you, that this is a shoot first senario ... we don't know what, or who they are, but we know there are Qarl...that's enough, until someone on their side, enlightens us...

    Beth  captures the Image  and  cuts into  one of the feeds to show those who are assemble there...

 Shade looks at his board and the new  image..

 The Roussians  seemed ...taken a back..

 The Cavet tilts her head, her  eyebrows  narrow in thought.

Roy moved up to the hatch, inspecting it as carefully as he could for any signs of having been booby-trapped.  "If the door is clear, I'm going to try and open it.  Form a couple of ranks, one kneeling in front of one standing, ready to fire into the room.  Get ready while I check the door..."

   as they moved up the ramp/stairs.. the first  group m, mor eor less layed  down..while the others  stood to fire over them, because of the incline.

 Hemsly said,..shoulda  brought Minnet and her  heavy....

 McCloud  just said,..she can hold  that tunnel better then  a carbine or rifle... we got enough barrels  here Ta, fry whatever fish is in there...

 when they were ready,  McCloud Nodded to Roy,.

...................

 down at the stern end  Jesse, Kole, Waggstaff and Robbins stood  looking into the tunnels... they were black as night.. one on the left side of the  structure..one on the right.

 Robbins looked perplexed,why the 9 hells  would you run in there... those look like exhaust ports!

 Jesse sees  that the  Bottom of the  structure is  still, well underground  here.. she can see  the  door  on that wall  of the cavern, where Lyri  pegged the qarl that came out... across the way.. she could see an open hatch or  the structure's  right had  side, but it was   well above them..almost  to the top.

 .............

 Lt Hirr  came on the COMs,...we have been looking into the hatch..it is being dark in there..but some shine comes for west part? Yu want us to go in?

...........

  for those outside the ship... the crack of  Lyir  rifle... and a sudden Blossom of  white   flashed out, the parts that splattered on the  structure  began to  eat away at some of the  metal..it was  rapidly dying though

 ..My Bad.. wanted to hit the shooter.. he must havd taken a step up..hit his weapon.. that's a  plasma rifle for sure...

Jesse takes the sniper rifle she has and uses the pin light from it to shine down the tunnel.  She looks through the scope to check out the scene down the dark tunnel.

-Player Reentry-

In reply to Spencer's team (msg # 38):

Melia spaced out as directed by Roy and also switched to IR placing herself somewhere close to the center of the formation. She quickly checked her bag and her equipment to ensure everything was were it belonged, before double checking that there was a round in the chamber. She slips quietly into position again staying towards the center. Since Hawkeye left with the biotech she was the current medic for both groups and needed to stay within reach of both to be most effective. She thought of the Qarl plasma weapon she'd left back on the Hermes, but decided there was no use dwelling on it. She looks into the darkness and waits for Roy to open the doors.

---

Orria sat near Shade while watching the operation unfold. She followed Melia via the camera's though frequently looked over at Shade to ensure that he doesn't need any translation.

   The  Tunnel looked  long...dark..and small.. just ..maybe a foot  taller then the Qarll, at best 4 foot tall..maybe  4 foot  wide.

 Jesse's   scope   could see much past where the Light  reached, but one  thing was certain.. he was hewn by hand or   small machines.. and was   smooth the whole way around..


...........

  Roy..
 The 5th  along  with Melia  were  ready for Roy to Open the door


...

 On Top,  Lt Hirr  waited for the  word to either enter,  or  drop grenades....

.......

  on the Stairs  the 4 kept watch...actively  watching the door across the way she had  seen some movement..but nothing she  could get a shot at.....just a heads up? the  door that  I blew the plasma weapon.. there  is  still movement?  they can't get down from there.. but they have to be able to go someplace?

In reply to Beach (msg # 45):

   Joseph was trying to run through his signal database to see if the NAragran had anything to say about the writing Garrat sent when he saw the Symbol, "Aw crap, not those rat bastards."

In reply to Garrat's team (msg # 41):

"Sounds good.  Let's cover as much ground as we can...This area hasn't seen a lot of travel but we may enter one that has.  It is a safe but that they will not be expecting invaders from their unused corridors but you never know."

  In the Command  Tent.  Hack looked  over to  Joe Mac,...if you have something... say...something....

 Shade Blinked and   waited.. the NAragran didn't seem to want to have any more  a part of  either, Spencer's  Pic... Garrat's symbols..or his own drawing.

 The Little  verian seemed to want to  go over  to Orria as  gun fire was  taking palce. but he held his ground.

  Lirg  hefted his  Rifle  and Nodded. Ming looked at  Garrat,

  .. I..Um..need a clear order?  do we have the fire teams  guard those side hatches.. or  do we  send troopers in?

  The Stick was starting to make its  way down  and was stringing out behind them while the 4 man fire teams set up at the  3 side hatches they have discovered.

Roy grimaced at Hirr's question.  "We have to clear the ship...that means going in.  If you want to lead with grenades, that's fine, but just looking in from the outside isn't going to do us any good."  With barely a pause, he added, "I was expecting plasma weapons, but now that their presence is confirmed, make sure you get the first shot.  Kinda wish I'd told you guys to bring flame units down with you..."

He stepped to the hatch, taking a position to one side as he identified the controls and (hopefully) triggered the release...

  Lt Hirr replies...will start off with grenades..... we do not like flamer throwed..makes fur  smell funny...

 In a Few Moments..  the struture  Rocked witht eh Sound of grenades.......SGT MAJ Roy?... it seems like..Palsma  weapons do not react well to grandes.....also.. Plasma  must hurt very much..from mouse-squeals they are making..oh... noise is gone now... we will be going in from top..

................

 Spencer hit the  release... the   door slid   sideways to his left... he didn't even get to peak inside  as the troops opened  up...

 Hemsly  Yelled..Plasma Packs!

 ..then   area was filled with the  trademark white hot light...  The  troops   fell back ( Dove  BAck ) out of the way of splatters...

 Roy , Hunddle  against the  wall could feel the ehat from the plasma eating  the wall.. Two 'top hales' of qarl a Black and a Grey  were crawling..using their  three fingered hands  Towards the ramp/stairs.. as if  they could crawl away from the  eager  energy goo that was  consuming their Bodies.. they  wailed and screamed.. then  lay still

 Thinck white smoke, drifted out of the room...

    Joseph glances at the Admiral, then back at the Symbol. "That is the symbol of a group of species...well their name roughly translates as the scourge.  I Guess the Skith used to be part of them before they dealt a little to much with the Demons.  The other heavy hitters in the group of course are said to be the Quarl.

    There are some half a dozen or so other species but we don't usually see them in our side of space unless they are in small units sniffing out bounties for the demons or raiding Angel supply lines.  Kinda the bully boys of the galaxy if you see the demons as the villians.

   Hack  looks at the    screen Shade is  holding,..sure?  That's  just what we need... another pact of bad guys.....

 ..How sure  are you... and?  where  did your Information Come from....

 Si  shrugs,..we Knew the Qarl and Skith were ones  allies... but the skith broke thier pact? Other  then  That we do not know much of this...scourge.

 Hennings Looked at NC-37...what of you?

 ..if  have not sen that symbol, nor the name..as humans say.. we have oue own problems..whcih is why we came...

   Bumped into some of the lesser races while hunting bounties, though they preferred the more illegitimate targets..such as yerself.  The occasional raider ship would dock on the underbelly of Tortuga.  The watch dog Mercenary groups would have to keep an eye out for them.  They tended to follow us into deep space and sell the location of the colonies we looked after to the Demons for a good turn of profit.  I canna tell you much more, but it's a start."

In reply to Roy Spencer (msg # 55):

--Orria--

Orria started a little as the gun fire rang out, but kept watching Melia on the screen.

--Melia--

Melia opened fire with the rest of the team. Though she conserved ammo firing in a discriminatory fashion.

When the plasma packs went up she stumbled a bit back away from the caustic hot matter. The plasma illuminating bright white on her visor, until it cooled. Once the plasma had cooled she started to push up to the door jam opposite Roy to provide fire into the room up the ramp.

  the  light  died  down. only  one console was spared in the room. The rest were  hardening around the  edges m where the plasma  had fed.

  there were a few limbs lying around from  Qarl.. ...above them..they could hear  weapons fire above...

 spencers   team can see door on the   left ( south) ..or  right (  north)

.......

      The  Cats  dropped in  like  furry rain drops, and  opened  fire on anything standing . there was a  large  melted  Hole in the floor where   a plasma gun hand  ruptured. There are  three doors  for them.. one on the  west wall.. on  each..on the North and south.. the north door, had  a step/ramp way up.

 ... we  are having the 3  doors... the     one most forward.. we are going to check.. we have also.. doors   the  north and south side..

    Shade  send the pictures to the Hermes for his own use... then  took Orria's board back to her as they both watched  what was going on in the Mountain.

   Checking His COM, Hack says.. I will give Nivar.. 30 more.. at 30 minutes..1 second..they lose any chance of  surrender...

 Mr  MacPherson?... if you have any chance  of getting more information..do so... we might be dealing with a rogue   craft... or maybe an Unlucky one..... either way..its been around for a few years... so we need to know  what presence they have here.

 NC-37.....  if your  enemies  have  anything to  do with  this new group... you night have  come at the right time..not only  have we learned  about them... but you can help us fight them.... if not... we can still see what aid  we mat give you, if you join the APF.....  if you do not join, but remain neutral we will still aid if  we are able... but the APF has to come first..

 ..how long  do we have to decide ?

 28 minutes  37 seconds.. your talks, run out the same time as Nivar's...

 ...we will contact our  Homeworld....

 the three    Roussians  moved off to  the    water.. Beth sent a Tech to help them Call out... The Tech then stood guard a bit away from them

Send them in.  If they find targets they are to hold positions until reinforcements can arrive

   Joseph nods, a small smile quirks his face "Already done sir."

  Ming Issues  Orders.. each fire team would enter the Hatchways. with 2 More  troopers  backing them up.

 The entere   at the Same  time.. as Ming  truns to Garrt,..Lead on...  Teh rear elements of the Stick can back them up if  needs be...

 Reports came through , of  dark and dust  tunnels...