Wham

[smelltheashes]

Funny thing about those personal-sized individual teleporters that were issued to the Overworld strike team: using them sets off all kinds of bizarre alarms in the target zone on Earth.

There's people coming, from both sides of the dimensional barrier.

Comments

[boston_bruiser]

One of them's Voodoo.

Don't mind him, he's just gonna get to his feet and try and wipe off the-


-Christ alive, is this the kind of fucked-up horseshit that passes for Combine blood?

[nepetaleijon]

And one of them (well, at least one of them) is Nepeta, looking a little wild-eyed.

"Kanaya?"

There doesn't seem to be any other troll in the vicinity yet. Nepeta stares around, her head jerking side to side and her tail twitching.

"Where's Kanaya?"

[smelltheashes]

Friggin' finally. The teleportation may have taken an instant from the incursion team's perspective, but the alarms have been wailing for half an hour back on Earth.

Both teleportees are being swarmed by medics checking them over.

"Are you bleeding?"
"Can you move your fingers and toes?"
"Someone get a decontamination team up here ASAP--"

[boston_bruiser]

AUGH MEDICS SWARMING HIM. WHAT DO.

"No- yes- look, I'm A-1 for fuck's sake now would you-"

It's the pupil dilation check that does it. As soon as that light's in his eyes, he grabs a medic by the shoulder.

"Look. This blood ain't mine, I can still square-dance with the best of 'em, and if you don't get that light outta my face in the next three fucking seconds I'm gonna shove it up your ass."

[vance_prime]

"You heard the man," says a familiar voice from the back of the throng. "Back off. If he can still cuss like that he's fine."

[nepetaleijon]

The wordless yowling snarl that goes up from the knot of medics surrounding Nepeta is less articulate, perhaps, but no less definite.

One of them doesn't get out of the way in time, and while he fortunately escapes being clawed, he doesn't escape the indignity of suddenly having a troll kid perched on his shoulders, the better to search the area.

"Kanaya? -- No, she was coming back here with the rest of us -- Of course she's fine, but she's suppurrsed to be here!"

... that doesn't seem to be directed at anyone in purrticular particular.

[vance_prime]

"Calm down! There's a time dilation effect, remember?" calls Alyx. "It could take hours or even days for anyone else to--"

[hecu_marine]

It used to be big and ugly and completely covered in guns. That was before a cylindrical chunk of it the size of a one-human transdimensional portal suddenly got blinked out of the Overworld and into the air just over-

Oh.

Oh dear.

That's going to leave a mark- somebody see about pulling Arnold out from under it now that it's hit the ground? And, um, get a pry bar; Sergeant Major Shephard's too busy hanging onto it with one hand and smashing something heavy into it with the other to notice where he is?

[bloodyvirgo]

SHHHHHH-VOIP

CRACKLE

Next incoming is Kanaya, along with the rest of the men from the caves. All involved quickly end up in something of a heap on the floor, and the modified teleporter on the ground is left a sparking pile of slag.

But there's noise and shouting and alarms, and people pressing close, more than enough to drag Kanaya to her feet. She very nearly pitches forward onto her face. She manages to stay on her feet, though, growling and baring fangs because there are people she has to protect, and that's exactly what she's going to do. It doesn't matter if she's suddenly exhausted and starving.

[vance_prime]

!!!

"Somebody get Arnold out of there!" shouts Alyx. "Call back to the bunker, we need every available person with medical training up here now--"

[nepetaleijon]

"Kanaya!"

Ow. That poor medic is going to have aching shoulders for a little while from having them used as a springboard for a leap, not to mention getting slapped in the face by a spaceproof longcoat along the way.

Nepeta has the sense not to make it a full-on pouncegreet, instead landing a few feet away. "Kanaya it's okay, we're back --"

[bloodyvirgo]

Nepeta's voice is familiar in the din of noise around them, and she blinks dazedly a few times before focusing on her.

"Nepeta?"

She's not snarling anymore, which is good, and the chainsaw is away, which is probably better.

[boston_bruiser]

"...okay, I don't know what the fuck's going on and I don't much care to, but could someone do me the courtesy of pointing me to the nearest fuckin' head?"

Simple things first, man.

[smelltheashes]

"This way, sir-"

There's people scrambling towards them from the hotel and the bunker below it, and the other returnees as well. The ones trying to get Arnold out from under the whatever-it-is are having a hard time of it until someone yells, "Alyx! Where's D0G?"

[vance_prime]

Alyx turns around, puts two fingers in her mouth, and whistles sharply.

[g00d_d0ggie]

KATHUNK KATHUNK KATHUNK KATHUNK KATHUNK

Here he is!

[smelltheashes]

"Great," says Sonia. "D0G, can you lift that off Arnold while we get him out? And somebody get Shephard off this thing, I can't reach him from here..."

[g00d_d0ggie]

Whurp. D0G tromps over and easily lifts the edge of the... thing off of the poor medic.

Whether Shephard will notice the sudden tilt in the surface he's standing on is unknown.

[hecu_marine]

Well, he's gonna start scrambling for purchase, does that count? ... oh, he hit the ground, probably not.

If you were covered in that much god-awful yuk you'd have a hard time staying on your feet too.

[nepetaleijon]

... yeah, Nepeta's just gonna stare at D0G a little longer.

Until she turns her head and blinks, and says "Oh. Oh, okay then."

[smelltheashes]

Meanwhile, now that he no longer has a Synth on top of him, Arnold is scrambling to his feet and--well, limping toward Shephard as quickly as he can manage. He has a number of injuries himself, at this point.

[hecu_marine]

Shephard's not entirely there at the moment, but at least it's the kind of not-quite-there that gets you swaying on your feet instead of trying to kill everything that moves even though the fight's over. For the moment, anyway. They're still going to have to pry that wrench out of his hand, but... yeah.

Oh, he's still wearing his gas mask. He should take that off. Maybe he'd be able to see if he did that.

[bloodyvirgo]

Kanaya isn't saying much for the most part. She has a grip on Nepeta that's a little too tight, and currently alternating a sharp gaze between D0G and...

Well, Nepeta should worry about the way she's eying the medical staff passing by them.

[vance_prime]

"...Kanaya? Are you...?"

[bloodyvirgo]

There's a bit more fang bared at yet another person nearby, but it's a familiar one so Kanaya stays stock-still, forcing herself not to react while her muscles remain coiled and tense.

[hecu_marine]

As one of the medical types manages to get the wrench away at last, Shephard blinks in Ms. Vance's direction. And, of course, the trolls' direction.

Shit, that don't look good.

He's just gonna ignore the medics and stagger on over- not all that yuk on him is his, after all, and go, "Hey, uh... you still here, kiddo?"

Might wave a hand in her face, too. Him being right-handed and all that's probably the one he's gonna use.

[bloodyvirgo]

Well, if he's just going to wave a limb in her face like that...

A low noise from Kanaya is all the warning Shephard receives before all that tension explodes all at once and Kanaya latches onto the offending limb, trying to gain sustenance from it.

Shame it's the metal one, though.

[hecu_marine]

What the ever fucking fuck is she- oh, right, vampire troll thing- shit, she probably needs a-

"You gon' break your teeth on that one," is all Shephard says aloud before trying to grab her by the nearest available ear. This is gonna hurt, but he's prettttttty sure he owes her a shitload more than just a pint, what with the space protection and all, so... yeah.

[boston_bruiser]

This is what Voodoo comes back to, hands in his pockets and his M60 hanging by its sling.

"Boy, you're just a magnet for the crazy ones, ain'tcha. Need a hand?"

[bloodyvirgo]

There's just the barest hint of a growl as she's pried away from her metal prey, but as a flesh and blood limb is offered up in sacrifice she immediately latches on.

Her grip on Nepeta is released, and instead she clutches at Shephard's arm while she bites him.

[hecu_marine]

"... naw,I got this."

Pause.

"'Course, I'd be lyin' if I said this didn't sting like fuck all, but I got this."

[nepetaleijon]

Nepeta is holding a near-silent but vehement discussion with thin air.

"S33, I told you, she's purrfectly fine, she's just hungry --"

[vance_prime]

"You," Alyx informs Shephard seriously, "are certifiable."

"Ms. Vance? Ma'am?" One of the medics is trying to get her attention. "We have a headcount--"

Alyx is all business. "Okay, what've we got?"

"Everyone's accounted for, except for Floyd Mason, Barney Calhoun, and..." The medic hesitates a moment. "...Dr. Freeman."

[nepetaleijon]

There's a short, stricken silence at that last name, throughout the group.

(Broken only faintly by a sound like somebody trying to get the last bit of milkshake up through the straw.)

Nepeta's eyes widen.

"Dr. Fr33man? Isn't that the guy who ..."

[boston_bruiser]

Voodoo glances around the group.

"They were doin' fine when I 'ported out."

[hecu_marine]

Shephard's already got his helmet off and he's holding it against his chest with the metal hand as he says, "... don't recall seein' em, ma'am. God help me I wish to fuck I did."

He doesn't even remember triggering his teleporter, let alone what he might have been seeing before he wound up here.

[vance_prime]

"The Overworld's not gone yet."

It's not a question.

[bloodyvirgo]

Unfortunately, there's one troll that's missed this bit of news. To be fair, though, she's been preoccupied with her hind-brain howling at her to get as much blood into her as she can.

Fortunately this only lasts for a mouthful or so and Shepard will notice that the troll no longer has a death grip on him, and she's no longer trying to suck out his circulatory system through the two puncture wounds on his wrist.

She does however, lean forward and against him at some point as the desperate edge to things fade because she's exhausted and Shephard is safe.

She lets out something of a sigh, then, relaxes all at once.

[hecu_marine]

"No, ma'am," says Shephard, looking (if anything) even more stricken than before. "Not yet-"

Then he has to duck quickly and let go of his helmet, because he's got a troll to catch and some very awkward direct pressure to apply to his wrist, at least until he gets some bug juice into him.

[vance_prime]

"Then he won't be coming back yet."

It's as simple as that. Gordon Freeman gets the job done.

[nepetaleijon]

"Here," Nepeta's saying to Shephard, ready to rummage in her sylladex for a packet of healing candy, "let me -- wait, what?"

A slight glance off to one side again, then --

"Karkat says you still have the healing sickle he alchemeowzed?"

[hecu_marine]

Shephard blinks, and then nods. "Shit. Yeah. Forgot about that. Got it in my belt, back of the vest-" He looks down at Nepeta. "You gon' have to stick me with it, though. I ain't got the hands."

[nepetaleijon]

"Okay!"

One of the medics does an extended doubletake as Nepeta draws out the sickle, and lets out an inarticulate exclamation as she lifts it back to swing at Shephard --

[hecu_marine]

Man, if Maripyaipok isn't around to see this he's gonna be kicking himself. The Satere-Mawe place a great deal of value on keeping the pain out of your voice and off your face at critical moments, and there's only a brief hiss of indrawn breath when the sickle strikes.

"What the fuck're you lookin' at?" Shephard says to the staring medic. "Ain't you never seen a man git inexplicably healed by weird-ass fuckin' alien technology before?"

And, you know, those wrist wounds? They're not so much with the bleeding any more. Or the other ones he's got, either. It'll be a bit before they heal completely but it's a reasonably visible effect.

[vance_prime]

"Okay, people," says Alyx. "Let's get everyone back to the bunker for debriefing."

And if she seems a little less than enthusiastic right now... well. She's entitled.

[hecu_marine]

Shephard nods, and crouches down as best he can to try and pick the near-comatose Kanaya up. He hasn't got much leverage at the moment, so she winds up being slung over his shoulder.

He'll apologize to her later. Time to head inside. There's work to be done.