Assembled in the comm room except for Circe and joined by tousled hair, tired but excited looking Dr. Martins, the team watched Sheba through holo. It had been decided to keep her in the lower ag center, more natural and it seemed to keep her from spooking too badly. Circe's presence and mental "nudges" weren't hurting either.
"Incredible, just incredible, the technique is beyond anything, look at her hands, the symmetry and dexterity, definitely primate but retain the retractable claws…" Martins spoke softly, more to herself than anyone else. Looking up from the console she gave a sheepish smile. "Sorry…still half asleep."
Blink walked up behind Dr. Martins, looking at the console. "Long night?" she asked, a quirk of a grin on her face.
"Yeah, you weren't there…" turning to her with a smile, Martins brushed her fingers along Blink's cheek. Leaning in slowly she kissed the young thief. "Hmm, you're all sweaty and I had nothing to do with it…shame…"
Morsham shook her head, making a rueful smile.
Morsham just nodded and, addressing the others, "Well, I've sent out a call to Brazilia, no response yet. Most likely won't be one for a few hours, so I'm opening the floor for suggestions?"
"Dr. Morsham, she said she'd show us where her people were, and the place where the Elders were. Perhaps we should take her up on it? Unless Ivy's secrets are more important. Then we should just sit here and do nothing." Blink's tone shows that is the farthest thing from her mind.
"We're here at Ivy's indulgence and it seems she wants the 4th Quadrant off limits." Morsham said, glancing the holo again.
"Offer her some milk and a bed and we'll talk in the morning more with her? Tell her she's safe and it's okay to stay in the room she's in. Alert the other workers here so they don't disturb her. otherwise let Holly keep watch on her since Holly doesn't need sleep." Warp suggested.
"It might be a good idea to lock down any sensitive or dangerous areas if we take that route. Particularly areas that would be dangerous to someone who doesn't know what she's doing," Jennifer added. She'd changed out of her costume for something more comfortable before coming to the comm room. "If our visitor decides to go wandering, we wouldn't want her to get hurt."
"Well for now, she's confined to Hydroponics. its safe in there." Morsham replied.
"Sleep does sound good, I have to admit," Morsham said with a sigh.
"Amen," Jennifer murmured.
"Sure. Maybe some dinner, and a relaxing evening at home… right. We still have to figure out what we're gong to do." Blink leans back against the console where she is standing.
"It's better than flying off half cocked and exhausted." Morsham replied cooly.
"You're right, Dr. Morsham. I apologize for my comments." Turning to Dr. Martins she whispered, "I need a more professional examination from you, April. If you have some time? My stomach is giving me problems. and I don't know why."
"No need to apologize…we're all wired tonight." Morsham replied, sighing.
"What's wrong?" April asked Blink giving her hand a little squeeze.
"Really intense cramps, first being unable to eat, then being starved… makes me feel out of synch. I've been having trouble sleeping, too."
"Let's go down to the medical lab and I'll do some tests." April said, frowning.
"I'm all yours… especially afterwards." Blink smiled.
April winked, "Yum…"
"Well on that note I think I'm heading back to bed unless you all need me for something else…" Warp asks pausing by the door back towards the sleeping quarters.
Cy slipped out the door, confident that her brother would follow. Time to get acquainted with home.
Von Schmiessen starts to remove his gear. "I'll be in my quarters." He collects his equipment and leaves.
Falling into bed, Photon was out like a…light so to speak. It only seemed an instant later when she awoke, not to her alarm but to that same disquieted feeling she'd had earlier. The creeping sensation of being watched…
This is too weird… Photon shuddered as she looked around the room. She couldn't see anything in the dim light, but it didn't really matter. I'm not staying here. She abruptly stood up and crossed to the chair she'd thrown her clothes on earlier, then pulled the clothes on and left the room.
Photon stepped into the hall, looking about. The almost familiar sense the place had was gone, the smooth walls and flowing architecture disturbingly alien almost like walking down the maw of some huge beast. Stop spooking yourself, she silently chastised the small childlike voice in her mind, the one whispering of all manner of fears.
"Hi Photon, where are you going?" Jennifer nearly jumped through the roof at the sound of Holly's "just over your shoulder" voice.
Jennifer shrieked, clapping a trembling hand to her mouth. She leaned heavily against the wall. This is interesting, a small, isolated, rational part of her mind noted, I've never had to fight my own body to keep myself upright before.
Better sit down… She slumped against the wall. When her butt hit the floor, she cupped her face with her hands, muttering "oh, God" over and over.
"Jennifer? Jennifer?" Holly asked. "Should I call for assistance? but as you're hardly in a rational state that should be a rhetorical question." Holly said as she summoned Dr Martins.
Jennifer was still slumped against the wall when Dr. Martins arrived. She had drawn her knees up to her chest and clasped her arms around her legs. She was staring dully at a spot on the wall across the hallway.
April spoke gently, kneeling beside Jennifer. "Jenn, hon, its me April, can you hear me?" She looks almost in shock, Martin's thought. "Hol, get Ellce to bring a gurney up here, stat…"
Slowly, making it look almost painful, Jen released her death grip on her own arms and attempted to stand. Her voice, when she spoke, was almost inaudible. "No, I… I think I can walk…"
"Shhhh, don't try", April hushed, placing a hand on Jennifer's shoulder. "Can you tell me what's wrong?" Looking up at the doctor, Jennifer saw something, a rippling just over Martin's shoulder that coalesced into thin grey rope dangling from the ceiling…reaching for her…
The "rope" was the last straw. Was it real? Did it matter? Jennifer scrambled backwards, away from the "rope", a terrified expression on her face. Anything to get away…
"Jennifer…calm down…let me urk!" she cut off as the slimy tendril locked around her throat jerking her head back brutally. Lifted for her feet, Martins kicked at the air, frantically clawing at the tentacle locked around her throat…
"I don't have any anomalous sounds on record." Holly said as Warp looked around, under and about, trying to spot anything out of the ordinary. Nothing…
"Jennifer seems to be having an adverse stress reaction as well."
He then looked at the ceiling and around the walls for possible places where something the size of what was skittering could hide. He didn't see anything.
"Holly do you hear anyone in this room besides me?"
"No. I detect no other life forms present." Holly said. "A moment, there is trouble."
"Alert, Alert, base security has been compromised. All available personal activate comm gear and await instruction." Holly abruptly announced. "Blink, Martins and Photon are in need of assistance on the residential level."
Jennifer froze. She remained immobile for what seemed like ages, until one fact seeped into her mind:
She had a target.
Jennifer stood, then began firing at the ceiling near the "rope". Her lasers cut into the ceiling, slashing molten tracks in the plastic. The tendril jerked Martins up, nearly into the path of the beams.
Blink heard herself screaming even as she leapt, metal reaching for the cord of skin twisted around April's neck. Grabbing it she felt her hand lose its sensation, going numb in an instant. She hung and dangled from it.
"Whose room is closest Holly and which direction?" Warp asked as he left his room.
"Photon would be closest." Holly replied. "She is 10 meters to the east."
"East left or right as I exit my room?" Warp asked as he paused in the doorway.
"Left."
"Thanks," Warp answered as he ran towards Photon's room pistol out. What, now I'm thinking of a computer as a person too?
Screams and the flash of Photon's lasers greeted Warp he rounded the corners. Dr Marin's hung in mid air, as did Blink both suspended from a long…something…dangling from the ceiling. Sparks showered from the shattered lights as Photon blazed away reducing the lighting to so much vapor. Smoke and ozone filled the strobing air.
Warp shot at the thing suspended from the ceiling. With her free hand, Blink drew the pistol and began to fire at it. The damaged light panels finally gave up and exploded in a shower of sparks. Blinded for a split second by the terrible flash, Warp and Photon heard the women fall to the floor…them and something else…something the slithered and sucked in the now dark hall.
"Damn," Photon growled. She blinked her eyes furiously, trying to clear them. "Where the hell are you?" Deprived of sight, she probed around with her feet, trying to find and squash the thing. She thought she saw something, a flicker of motion, as the lights above sputtered a few final gasp. It was small, quick moving along the floor past the still stunned Warp and Blink.
Blink knelt down by Dr. Martins. "April?" Blink took her head in her lap. "You hang on! You don't get away from me that easily! Holly, we have a medical emergency here, security is still compromised. One intruder, serpentine/slug like, long enough to be attached to the ceiling and grab Dr. Martins, strong enough to pick her up and choke her while doing it. Nullified my cybernetic arm when I grabbed it. We need some serious help here, now!" As an afterthought… "Holly, get Sheba up here. She may be able to track it where we can't! Hurry, please." Blink held April close, stroking her hair and kissing her forehead. "Don't you dare leave me…" She whispered. tears began to stream from behind her mirrorshades.
"On…Cy…com…More tr…Hydro-" Holly's speaker systems seemed damaged…or perhaps the computer herself.
Warp looked around in the hall trying to see where the thing had gone, "Holly turn the lights on everywhere on this floor we need to follow this intruder."
"Try…direct… po…" The light further down the hall flickered back on, weakly, casting everything in half light, like twilight. Nothing moved.
Direct what? Photon looked around, still searching for the creature. Well, if it's alive, it'll be giving off heat… Then she shook her head. Better tend to the doctor first… I'll fry that thing later.
"Jennifer, are you hurt? Can you light up the hallway???" Blink looked for a manual switch on the wall. Not everything can be automated here… She thought. "We've got to get Dr. Martins to the medical room. Maybe Sheba can track that… that thing. Where the hell did it come from, and what the hell happened to Holly?" She picked April up. "Warp, can you give some rear guard? We're too far for me to port to the lab, and she couldn't take it anyway…" I've got to find a data jack… damn the restrictions! "Let's go!"
"Light's easy," Jennifer remarked. "Darkness is another matter." She concentrated, and the light in the hallway became almost normal. "Wait, Ellce's on her way with a gurney."
Warp looked around for the creature he saw earlier. Opening a warp portal down in the light with the other end over him to cast light around the area to look for the creature. He didn't see it…not really but every little shadow held the promise of attack.
Kneeling over the doctor, Blink and Photon looked her over. She was breathing, shallowly but breathing but was pale, Jennifer's glow revealing an ugly bruise around her neck.
"Hello?" Ellce called out from down the hall. "I'm coming!" She came pushing a hover bed, plainly concerned as she moved up as quickly as she could. "What happened to Dr Martins?" she whispered, looking down.
"She was attacked, Ellce. I don't know by what, but I'm going to find it. One way or another. Let's get her to medical, ok." She took April's hand. "You're gonna be all right, April." She looked up at Ellce. "Do you know where there's an access terminal to Holly?"
"They were attacked by a tentacled beast. Where are there some powerful hand held flashlights?" Warp asked Ellce as he moved his warp portal to try and light where the creature was as he guarded his friends.
I froze… I fucking froze when I should have fried the damn thing. Aloud, Jennifer snapped, "Later! Right now we've got to get her down to the infirmary."
"Be careful not to move her head too much." "Ellce said, snapping out of her confusion at the barrage of answers coming at her. Stooping down, she started fixing a small support brace to Martins. "Photon is right we should get her to the medical center first."
"I'm not sure which direction it went." Warp kept looking around for signs of the beast and where it might have gone.
"Just keep an eye out for it… You're right. Let's get her to medical. There'll be a jack in there, I'm sure. I'm gonna find that fucking thing and fry it. Takes out my lover, and the only other friend I have here, even if she's a machine…It dies. "One way or another," she continued the thought out loud, "it dies…"
Easing Martins onto the gurney, Ellce and Blink started pushing her toward the lift, guided by the meager light provided by the remaining lights and Warp's portal they rush to the lift, rounding the corner to come up on Rock and Cy.
"Boy, am I glad to see you two. The intruder is serpentine, very strong and quick. It seem s to be invisible to my sights… it got Dr. Martins and nearly got Photon and myself. What have you guys found?"
"All clear the way we came. Any idea where it headed off to? And has anybody checked on Sheba?" Rock asked the group.
"I saw it moving past Dr. Martins right after it dropped her… not that it's that much help, since I don't remember which direction… I wasn't thinking too clearly at the time," Photon muttered. An idea occurred to her. "Did anyone think to get Dr. Lee up? Holly's at least partially down, and we'll need him to get Hol back in working order."
"It headed down that hallway." Blink says, pointing toward Photon's room. "After it attacked Dr. Martins. It may be up in the conduits, I don't know f it fell or not. As for Sheba, I'm assuming she's still in Hydroponics."
"Where's Doctor Lee's room?" Warp asked as he kept looking at the shadows all around.
"Level…down" Holly sputtered. "Sheba Schemmsion…sarksddfsluioou!"
"Let's get Dr. Martins to Medical. We'll go after Dr. Lee once we're there. We need some sort of central location, where everyone can be."
"Ellce where's the main computer room? Blink do you need my gun I'm going to the main computer room that is probably where the critter is." Warp said.
Ellce told where the computer lab was, she wasn't sure where the "main" computer room was.
Warp looked at blink to see if she needed the pistol before running downstairs to start looking for the main computer room or the beast intruder. "Holly can you tell me where your main computer room is we need to protect you also."
"Warp, maybe I should go. I probably have more computer experience than anyone here but Dr. Lee. Besides," she smiles wryly, pulling the datajack from her arm. "I can get deep into the heart of the problem." She looks over at April, then back to Warp. "Will you make sure they get there safely?"
"Ellce, is the computer lab in the same direction that the creature was last seen? Down that hallway?" Rock asked moving down the hallway a little, waiting for Cy to join him.
"I didn't see it…I'm sorry." Ellce said, wringing her hands.
"That's okay Ellce, " Cy responded softly, "you have a more important job. Getting the good doctor safely to the medical lab."
Cy's eyes meet Rock's as she moved up beside him, her senses sweeping the area. "Interesting that the thing wasn't detected till after it was in the bloody building hmmmmm."
Photon turned from the others and began scanning the hallway where the… creature… had fled. It's got to be giving off some heat… she thought, allowing her "other" vision to overlay her normal one. She didn't see it or anything out of the ordinary
Damn… either it's out of my sight, or it can hide its heat traces… Photon began moving slowly, cautiously down the hall, scanning the corridor for signs of the creature or any disturbances it might have caused in its flight.
"Sure I'll escort and guard them," Warp said.
"Great! Thanks. Rock, the computer lab is down by the meeting room, about two levels. I need to get there, ASAP. Care to escort me?" Blink smiled, but anyone looking could tell it didn't even go as far as her mirrorshades.
"Come looks like it's the stairs to the med lab. Ellce are there back up generators in this place?" Warp preceded the med bed so Blink could follow and keep an eye on the doc.
"Wait, there's only one direction it could have gone off seeing that Cy and I did not encounter it along the way and that would be down this hallway and around the corner," Rock commented, pointing down the hallway. "Anybody seen Von Schmiessen? Anybody care?" he added sarcastically, not really waiting for an answer. "C'mon Blink, I'll go with you…I just want to check this hallway as we go."
"lift…down…garden" Holly sputtered. The elevator doors opened. "All right, the speaker systems in here work." Holly said. "When the light panels overloaded it caused a cascade failure through the whole Audio/Visual system. Von Schmiessen is on the maintenance level with Circe. Sheba panicked and they are returning here."
"Well, I hope they're successful. Holly, what other failures do we have? Can you find the intruder?" Gesturing to Rock, she started to move down the corridor, casting one look back at April and the others. "Rock," she whispered. "There's something else wrong here…I can feel it. How come no one noticed the intruder?"
"Well I saw the intruder before it disappeared." Warp answered Blink
Rock nodded in agreement to Blink's observation. "That along with a few more questions. Perhaps we are being tested… or this facility has some severe gaps in its security."
"Cy, you staying with Rock or going with us?" Warp asked.
Blink continued down the hallway, keeping the gun at the ready. "Holly, where is Dr. Lee? I want to talk with him now!" Glancing back at Rock and Cy, she called out, "C'mon folks! Let's get moving!"
Photon ignored the discussion near the elevator and concentrated on picking up any trace of the… whatever it was, moving slowly down the hall.
"Dr Lee is in the meeting room." Holly replied.
"Patch this through to him, will you? Dr. Lee, this is Blink. I need your help to try and find the intruder. Can you meet me in the computer lab?" She glanced back once more at Rock and Cy, then started to run to the lab.
Warp started escorting the fallen people with Ellce towards the Med Bay keeping watch for unknown critters and people. As he turned to go, he saw that Photon was still looking down the hall, gaze sweeping back and forth but otherwise frozen looking into the darkness.
"Photon you see something?" Warp asked and started looking over that end of the hall as he angled his portal to put more light down that hallway.
She didn't respond, just continued staring off, sweeping her eyes back and forth…waiting.
Warp moved his portal lighting the hallway to see if he could help photon spot it. They still saw nothing. most likely there was nothing to see.
Ellce entered the lift and after a moment of staring at the entranced pair, started down to the med labs.
A few moments later, Photon abruptly spun on one heel and headed toward the elevator without a word.
"Will do." there is a pause. "He will meet you Comm room 1" Holly said.
Rock took off after Blink. He really wanted to search for that creature and loose some building tension…but he realized he had a different duty to perform for now.
Blink ran to Comm room 1, looking for Dr. Lee. She also looked for a place with a datajack. Damn it! she thought. If she could just get in there, between her and Holly, they could find this thing. She saw Rock catching up with her. "This is getting too damned weird, big guy. Not what I signed up for…"
The lift let them off a few doors up from the Comm Room. Lee and Morsham looked up as Blink barreled in, followed shortly by Rock.
"Good to have backup on this, Rock." she whispered. "Dr. Lee, this thing is Dangerous. Whatever it is, it nearly killed Dr. Martins, and when I grabbed it, it nullified my cybernetic arm…. it seems to be able to absorb a great deal of punishment, as well. I'd like to see if it could withstand Rock pulling it apart, though. I want to jack in with Holly. Between her scanners, and my infiltration abilities, we should be able to track it down. It can go anywhere, Dr. Lee. Consider that before you make your decision. It can go places we can't."
Lee held up a hand. "Back up and replay… half speed…what thing?"
"Real briefly, Dr. Lee. There is an intruder in the building. It is serpentine, very strong, very fast, and invisible to normal sight if it wants to be. It can move through the lighting system, I'm thinking. It attacked Photon and Dr. Martins. It nearly killed April. It was strong enough to hang from the ceiling and lift her up by the throat off the ground. It got away from us and is still loose in the building. does that about cover it, Rock?"
Rock looked down at his missing hand when Blink mentioned wanting to see him pull the thing apart. "Also, can this unit," he said holding up his arm without a hand, "withstand serious impact if I hit somebody with it?"
"I would say no." Morsham said, "But I think it could removed. Considering your impressive physiology, for awhile."
"This thing is weird, Dr. Morsham. I've never seen or even heard of anything like it. Doesn't matter. When I find it, it's dead."
"Lets regroup before we rush off. Holly patch me through to Circe and Schmiessen," Morsham said.
"Yes ma'am."
The two acknowledge a second later. They'd found Sheba and were en route to comm room.
"Great. Dr. Lee, let me connect with Holly. Between us, we can find this thing. You know it. Besides," Blink said with a grin. "It will give you a look at my neural interface close up and personal."
"Its not that crystal, Blink. Lotta issues involved." Lee sighed. "for one I don't know if Hol is up to interface work."
"You're kidding, right? Well, let me find out. I can find out quicker than you, probably. If we mesh, we hunt the thing down for you. If not, I'm outta there faster than you can say 'backlash'." Blink started to get angrier. "Look, doc. After what that thing did to April, I am going to find it." she tried to calm herself down some. "This is our best chance to find it. Between the skills Holly and I can use, and Sheba's probable enhanced senses, we can find it. The rest of the team can destroy it once that is accomplished."
"Hol' matrix is highly experimental. We're not even sure how your interface systems work. In fact, Morsham and I were discussing an evacuation."
"Abandon Holly? Evacuate? Oh joy……" Blink looked around behind her shades, trying to notice anything that might be an interface. "What happens then? You reprogram Holly somewhere else? How's Ivy gonna feel if we abandon this place, leaving that… whatever behind? Dr. Lee, this is the only way you're gonna find out. My interface is unique, and according to my father, universal. It was designed that way."
"Hey, if Blink is willing to risk it…let her. 'Cause if not, we're wasting time. And can you please help me remove this thing?" Rock asked holding his injured hand out.
"I don't want to risk it. Holly is too valuable." Lee grinned. "besides she's fine. As you should know Blink location in Virtuality is relative."
Morsham. "we're responsible for you. and this is getting entirely out of hand." she stepped forward reaching for the unit.
Photon chose that moment to walk into the room. She sat down heavily in an empty chair and stared off into space, not speaking to anyone.
Morsham looked up. "Jennifer., you look like you've seen a ghost."
Photon spoke, but didn't look toward the doctor. "Not quite… had the shit scared out of me… 's all." Her voice was nearly inaudible.
"I can get you a sedative if you like." Morsham said.
"No… thank you."
Warp followed Photon then headed into the med bay to make sure Ellce made it there safely with her patient. Ellce was tending to the doctor, who still lay unconscious. She looked up a moment when Warp stepped in then turned back to the monitors.
Morsham unsnapped the cuff after a few moments examination, exposing raw pinkish flesh rippled and twisted forming vestigial fingers. She frowned slightly.
"Dr Lee, I think I've located the origin of the intruder. I back traced the system's failures and power surges. They center on an interior locale. Blink's bedroom." Holly said. "A tactically odd location to begin sabotage."
"What? My room? That……can't…be."
Lee nodded,"true…but its not conclusive." He turned to the group,"Cy, Rock…head up there and secure the area. I'm going to get some equipment together and join you in a moment. Circe can try to use her mental abilities to locate this…creature. I want to keep Sheba out of this if at all possible, you concur Ingrid?"
The older woman nodded, looking up from Rock's stump, toying with the medical collar. "Blink, you said this thing could…negate your cybernetics?"
"What's wrong?" Rock asked, noticing her expression.
"Just thinking," she replied quietly.
"About what? Is there something wrong with my progress?" he asked.
"At this point, Your guess is as good as mine. More likely more so if you've lost a limb before."
"Yeah. I grabbed it, and it was as if my arm went dead. I used my other arm to shoot it with my pistol." Blink was shocked at the revelation that this… thing came from her room. Could something have followed me from there? she thought. Am I responsible for this? Blink began to pace around the room.
"Very well." Cy and Rock left the room and headed for Blink's quarters.
"Holly what all has been found out about this intruder?" Warp asked.
"Beyond what has been discussed nothing." Holly said. "It seems to have originated in Blink's quarters."
"That does lend more credence to the idea there is a connection" Morsham said quietly.
After hearing Holly's conclusion Warp stepped out into the privacy of the hall. "Holly could the creature have infiltrated somehow on Blink's body? If so would you scan Blink for any signs?"
"How should I know? I don't even know what it is? Nothing came up on the security scanners." Holly replied.
"what about the medical scanners, Holly." Blink whispered. "Look for other traces of my DNA, besides here."
"Can you do a more thorough scan on Blink in case someone/something else has control over her and she doesn't know it?" Warp asked as he paced in the hall.
"Both of those would be Dr Martins' forte." Holly said.
"Yeah, but she's conveniently indisposed. Holly, you have the results of her last test don't you?" Blink looked at Dr. Morsham. "According to April, I am, or was, pregnant. I don't know, now. Maybe something got inside me in "there"…" Blink shivered…. "Somebody has to get April awake. And we HAVE to find that thing, by any means possible. Let me jack in with Holly. We'll find it. She's a smart girl."
Morsham was taken aback. "Pregnant?"
"The tests showed Blink had some similar chemical changes to a pregnancy, Dr. Morsham," Holly said.
"Blink," Lee said as he was heading for the door. "Its nothing personal, not really. I've got to go link up with Rock and Cy."
"They are currently in the lift. More technical problems" Holly said. "That's what's delaying Schmiessen, Circe and Sheba as well."
"Yeah, nothing personal…" Blink replied. "Dr. Morsham, let's go down to the med lab. I want to check on April." And find a datajack somewhere… screw Dr. Lee. I'm going to find this thing! "Unless you want to stay with Jennifer? Photon? You want to come down to the med labs with me?"
Photon shook herself. "Yeah, I gotta do something or I'll just sit staring into space for the next several hours."
"So every time you use your powers we're going to have to keep you under observation?" Warp asked Blink.
In the lift Cy and Rock waited anxiously to reach the residential floor. Time seemed to crawl by then with a sudden jar. The elevator stopped.
After hitting the buttons a couple more times in hope that the elevator would resume, Rock looked up for an access panel. "I think we've caught something's attention."
"There a problem in the relay. Do you two want to walk the rest of the way up?" Holly asked. "I can open the ceiling hatch."
"Yes, Holly. Do you know the source of the technical problems occurring?" Rock asked as he stood under the hatch waiting for it to open.
The hatch slid open. "It seems to be coming from the systems damage on the residential level but I wouldn't take anything for granted."
Warp followed along behind Blink not trusting in the fact that she might not be who they thought she was.
"I don't know. Could be. Holly will just have to keep a constant watch for …changes, I guess. I don't understand how these powers work anymore than anyone else." Blink left the room, heading for an elevator.
Ellce was still working over the Dr. She smiled at Photon and Blink as they entered, plainly glad to have company. "Dr. Martins is going to be all right I think… " she said quietly.
Some of the tension went out of Photon. "Good," she sighed. She heard someone come in behind her. Spinning around she found herself face to face with Schmiessen. Behind him, Circe stood with the cat creature, more so stood in front of her as Sheba was huddling behind the blonde, looking around in wide eyed fascination or perhaps terror.
Photon looked curiously toward Sheba. Hmm… interesting.
"Glad you could join the party, Boss-man. Circe, Sheba, I'm glad you all got here safe." Blink said. "Have you been updated?"
"Holly has kept us abreast of the situation. Are Rock and Cy in place yet?" Schmiessen asked. "I don't think they're type for guard duty, not like this… but seems we've run out of options."
"Not yet, the lift is down so there making there way up on foot… so to speak." Holly said.
Sheba flinched, ducking behind Circe as voices and looks were directed at her. The empath reached back and ran a soothing hand through her fur.
Warp watched Sheba and the others while keeping a watch out for the creature.
Schmiessen looked leery. "Warp, Blink, if I could speak with you for a moment…" he turned and strode into the hall.