Tombs of the Forgotten

[Progflaw99]

Immediately Preceding | Praesitlyn, Valley of Tombs​

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“To anyone inside! This is the First Order! By our authority, reveal yourselves immediately or suffer terse, precise, and poignant physical instruction.” ​

~ "The Major", Director FOSB​

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Her voice was unmistakable, the other Shepard couldn't have possibly known it was him. It created some interesting problems, both for Martin and Sybil no doubt. A quiet sigh of amused dissatisfaction escaped the would be tomb raider's lips as he forced a smile. There was nothing for it, the First Order outside the entrance knew well there was someone just inside the archway. For a moment he rest a hand on the blaster strapped to his chest before dismissing the thought. They were the First Order, a few stray shots wasn't going to deter them from following in after him. There was only one thing for it. *Regrettably.*

Taking a step carefully out from behind the entryway, Martin exited with his hands raised halfway in an almost mocking surrender. Squinting from the sun's glare he could make out a handful of figures, one of which he could tell immediately was his sister.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in - you know what they say sis, curiosity killed the cat."​

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While concealed behind the archway presumably leading further into the concealed tombs, Martin had noticed an archaic control panel. Only a handful of buttons on its surface, he'd guessed - and as he stood waiting for what would no doubt be a near livid retort his thoughts were interrupted. A deep hollow rumbling shook the sand at his feet - at all their feet, a loud grating echoing from the chamber he'd just exited.

"Uh - that wasn't supposed to happen. Might want to move!"​

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Even as the words left his mouth, sand began disappearing, a widening crack in the earth beneath their feet giving way to a massive pit. The control panel had evidently been tied to the enormous pair of horizontal shutters beneath their feet. Dancing nimbly to one side Martin made a break for what appeared to be the edge, the recess where the shutters were disappearing visible. Making it to the edge just in time, Martin flopped onto his back as the sand disappeared just beyond his feet. Yelling, he fought back a chuckle.

"It looks like I've found what you're looking for Sis!"​

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[member="The Major"] | [member="Konstantin Makarev"] | @The First Order​

 

[The Major]

Praesitlyn
Valley of Tombs
Morale: Neutral

"It looks like I've found what you're looking for Sis!"​

The gall of it. The sheer nerve. ​

It took a few beats for Sybil to realize exactly what she was being confronted with, and in that confusion the sound of the voice saved her the trouble of drawing iron in order to fill the rascal’s legs with righteous lead. By the time her brain had computed that the ground was already shaking as shutters opened up to reveal some sort of secret passage. Clearly, her brother knew more about this place then she could deign to say. She couldn’t leap after him with such bold confidence.

Instead he disappeared from view and the Major’s only recourse in the ruckus was to jump back instinctually, pushing the closest of the troopers backward with outstretched arms. They weren’t exactly used to being manhandled by their charge in such a way but considering no one knew how far the shutter would open. To their embarrassment it was hardly even close to being threatening. Somehow this made the humiliation worse.

“Mar-!” She cut herself off, glowering towards the trooper who was looking back and forth between his squadmates and the sweating Director. “... Y-you! It’s too fething hot for this nonsense!”

More timidly than expected, Sybil approached the edge of the opening, looking over to see just how far Martin had progressed. Cool wind blew from beneath, and that was all the incentive to jump down.

“Get me a rope, damn it!” She hissed, so red and hot that little speckles of sweat could be seen flicking off the end of her nose after each ragged breath.

[member="Martin Shepard"]​

 

[Hansen]

Alika Zovu
Praesitlyn, Valley of Tombs
Nearby: [member="The Major"], [member="Martin Shepard"]
Allies: [member="The Major"], [member="Martin Shepard"]
Enemies: [member="Martin Shepard"]

Spoiler: Equipment

• 1x Augment Perception Drug
• 1x FO-X1 Infiltration "Shadowtrooper" Armour
• 1x Force Pike
• 1x F-11D Blaster Rifle
• 1x Grappling Gun
• 1x SB-U01 Wrist Datapad
• 1x TL-50 Heavy Repeater

Alika keeps her TL-50 Heavy Repeater shouldered firmly and trained on the man who stands in the shadowed Archway, then her ears detect something odd albeit distinct in its' origin as mechanical; the sound of rolling gear teeth yanking at a chain. The stone beneath her feet shifts splitting and forcing the Shadowtrooper into action quickly diving into safety out from underneath a falling Stormtrooper thrust back by Director Shepard. Alika desperately cries out in a pious beseechment for assistance from some Celestial metaphysical beings. "Gods above, don't let the bloody tomb floor eat me!" Alika's faceplate and gut lands hard against the stone surface and twists somewhat frantically to observe just how far the floor continues to roll open, receding towards her at an alarming speed threatening to swallow the young woman. "I'm not getting killed by a damn stone floor, that's just insulting." Slotting the TL-50 Heavy Repeater quickly into its' scabbard hanging from over back, Alika frantically pulls the grapple gun from left thigh rig and aims it towards the Archway's ceiling, she pulls the trigger sending a puff of smoke from the barrel and a huge hooked-probe that buries itself into the Sandstone.

Taking a deep breath through her nostrils as the floor gradually revealed an abhorrent void of Darkness Alika swallows her fear and after a few paces leap from the floor's edge and successfully suppresses a litany of profanity as she swings on the grapple gun above the abyss below holding to it desperately with both hands. Heart bounds ferociously within breast with such a volume that Alika could hear it outwardly pump, beads of sweat rolled down the girl's clammy pallor as she hung swinging slowly above the void and staring straight down into it from her equally dark and abyssal coloured armour. Each passing moment where Alika swung slowly was a growing anxiety to get her feet on something solid, looking across the Chasm to Director Shepard and the Stormtroopers who were safe, she thought for a moment it would have been better had she just listened to the Director and stepped back rather than leap forward. 'Why did I do that?' Alika mentally chastises herself for a moment before yelling a question over to her ranking Senior. "Director! Do you want me to head down first!?" Alika's Dosuun derived Imperial accents grates against her speech as its' carried across the cavern with a distinct hollow echo ricocheting off of the stone.

 

[Progflaw99]

From his position on his back Martin was able to watch the hysterics, the frustration in his sister's voice putting him in stitches. The hostility in her voice he attributed to her surprise, Sybil had never been one to like surprises. As he rose from his temporary seat in the sand he raised a hand in greeting, eyes warily watching the troopers around her. "You're talking to me about the heat?" Martin looked down at his attire. He could already feel the beads of sweat forming at his crown. "What's say we tackle this together hey? No telling what's inside."

In truth, he'd be happy for the extra firepower. It wasn't that Martin lacked confidence, that he had in spades, but when you were traipsing around long hidden ruins and burial sites there was no telling what kinds of traps, monsters, or untold horrors you might unearth. Without so much as a question, Martin unclipped the large looping cable from his belt as he drew a pistol shaped tool - more akin to a glue gun than a real weapon. With a sharp crack and a hiss he'd fired a bolt into the very edge of the horizontal metal doors. "That should do well enough as an anchor. I've got more if you're interested?" Every word was an almost tease, each subtle expression one of an almost mocking nature towards his sister, ever the serious one. "You know what they say? Early bird gets the worm!" With that, Martin took a step off the edge and began his descent - He'd be damned if he let the Imperials or his sister claim something first. His work would not go in vain.

[member="The Major"] | [member="Kirchenhof"]​