Bug Hunt – The winds of change...
by HoD Ro' Matlh & Sogh HoS Matlh & Sogh Germite Ephilom & Soghla' HIchop Matlh & Soghla' Terri (Tell) Hope & Soghla' Jared & Soghla' Marie St. Helene

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Title   The winds of change...
Mission   Bug Hunt
Author(s)   HoD Ro' Matlh & Sogh HoS Matlh & Sogh Germite Ephilom & Soghla' HIchop Matlh & Soghla' Terri (Tell) Hope & Soghla' Jared & Soghla' Marie St. Helene
Posted   Tue Mar 12, 2013 @ 12:12pm
Location   Iapetus -L'Grande Hunting Reserve
Timeline   0830 hrs Local Time
May'bel crouched with his disruptor ready. He waited tensley for a few minutes, which seemed like an age before he noticed movement under the snow. He took aim with his rifle, knowing that while the creature remained under the snow there was no point shooting. the energy disappation rate of snow was quite alarming, and even a normal foe under snow may survive a disruptor blaast.

Then something happened that poured ice into his veins. The shape in the snow split and became two, moving around to flank him. Instinctively he tried to draw back, to keep both in his firing arc, but they were fast, even under the snow. Soon he was forced to draw his disruptor pistol to keep levelled at one, while keeping the rifle, one handed, on the other. As he did his foot landed on the tricorder that the marine had dropped when he died. It whined at him and slipped. that moment of unballance was fatal.

The snow on either side of him erupted. To his right was the beast he had fought earlier, still with the red traced of Marie's blood on one limb and the yellow icor of it's own blood seeping from between the carapace plates. On his left was another, though this one was different somehow; different structure to the plates on its back or something. May'bel did not know if the difference was significant.

May'bel was running on instinct and pulled both triggers. The Rifle bucked in his hand, unloading enough force to crackle and snap the front carapace of the already wounded creature on the right. It bent over to protect itself but did not die.

The pistol did not even seem to touch the one on the left. This one raised its own weapon, and May'bel knew with certainty that in the next moment he would be no more than a smear. But waht a way to go! Against these two beast! This was the May'bel!

A shadow passed over the trio and the tableau remained as if frozen by the landscape. May'bel was aware that the creature had not fired at him, and seemed distracted by the shadow.

There was the sudden sound of leahtery wings and a giant shape dropped form the sky. For a moment may'bel's vision was filled with scales and claws and bat-like wings. There was a wash of heat against him, like opening an oven door and then a scream from the insect-beast. The next moment it was plucked from the ground and whisked intot te air, much as a hawk may grab up a turtle. May'bel got a momentary vision of a flying lizard, impossibly large, caryying the flailing insect in its tallons, before they both disapeared into the clouds.

May'bel spun to face the remaining creature. It was curled over its wound and unmoving. Suddenly there was a shout, and two marines appeared over the crest of a snow bank to the west. As if this was a signal the insect-thing turned and fled. It did not even bother to burrow, just ran over the open snow, rellying on the mottled grey of its carapace to give it some protection from the attacker in the sky.

May'bel didn't even think he just ran after it. The two marines changed their tack to meet up with him as he ran. A moment later a group of three could be seen to the east as Tell, Hichop and their marine joined the mad dash.

By the time the three teams joined up the reature was no longer in sight. HIchop called as they got close, "What are we chasing?"

"The trophy of a lifetime!" May'Bel called. "Or death's proxy. Either way, it's our monster!"

Tell shrugged her shoulders. "Something big and ugly. Likes to chew people up and spit them out and the other 'thing'... too, looks a little familiar. Give me a few minutes and I'll remember it. That one likes to kill the big and ugly things and fly off with them into the sunset."

"That one I think we leave alone for now!" May'Bel called in response.

The group, now numbering only six, followed the trail as best they could amongst the gatering snow. Suddenly Maybel stopped short, going from a flat sprint to on his back. It happened so fast that Tell didn't have time to stop before she also colided with the invisible barrier blocking their path, and ended up on her back with a sore head.

HIchop crouched to check them while one of the Marines picked up a snow ball and flung it at the space where they had stopped, it spattered across a shimmering field.

"Force field. I think some sort of cloak as well," the marine bellowed against the weather.

There was a shuddering in the ground and HIchop suddenly yelled, "Back! Move back!"

Half dragging, half carrying Tell he pulled back away from teh wall as did the others, May'bel coming last and getting his back singed for his tardiness. Where they had been standing a ship of some sort, Larger than a shuttle, but smaller than the B'rel, lifted from under the snow. It rose quickly through the air, leaving the away team behind.

May'Bel snapped off a few shots with the disruptor rifle at the barely visible shape roaring up into the sky. The shots did little but send a shimmer of red over part of the alien hull.

"May'Bel to F'Hew. Attacker is escaping in a small ship of some kind. Currently about 2 kelicams above and north of our position"

As if in answer to the hail a shape dropped out of the flurry of snow and landed heavily on the ice next to them. It was the FHew and even as she touched down the rear hatch was opening. Beq Latlh stood at the door beconing.

"Get in. We are giving chase!"