THE SWARM: STAY
PRELUDE.
Five days have passed since you, The First, woke on the strange and barren planet of Kharas. Four days since the pods housing you exploded when tampered with, and Three since the strange Trilobite-like sand crabs began hesitantly crawling their way into and around the boneyard. At first there was only a few brave specimens to be found, keeping mostly to the shadows and scuttling this way and that. Now, however, at least a hundred of them can be found in and around the boneyard in various placed, commonly grouped together in batches of two or three, sometimes even four.
Notably they do not interact much with one another despite their groups and are much more interested in scouting out their surroundings for fibrous materials. On the odd chance that they manage to obtain any scraps they will begin to wander back towards the tracks your
counterparts began following earlier. Odd, isn't it?
As the softer morning sun overhead slowly begins to heat up with the encroaching afternoon more of the Trilobites begin to fill the area. Only unlike their predecessors these ones do not wander around aimlessly, and instead beeline their way to any Coral stalks that remain in the area. They bury into the sand beneath them to avoid their harsh shells and attack the roots until they topple and collapse under their own weight. Once this happens they practically swarm, working to segment it into pieces with their mandibles. When the Coral's shell cracks the Trilobites pry all vegetable matter from within and begin dragging it into the desert.
And that's not all: these new Trilobites seem
much braver and more interested in you than their predecessors. They will openly wander up to characters and gnaw uselessly at their ankles or feet, chittering and chattering. If enough of them happen to get together around an individual they will form a tiny ankle-gnawing mob intent on clambering all over you.
As the daily eclipse nears their numbers will begin to grow even further. Odd tremors can be felt beneath the ground, even in spite of all the sand, but characters won't get much of a chance to look into the matter before their wrist communicators begin to emit that same strange static from the mist.
...Only there's none to be seen in
any direction whatsoever.
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It has him feeling lightheaded, but that could also be the mild panic he's suffering from right now. ]
The sparks scatter them!
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[Still, Clara's not going to argue with the fact that getting sparks going is the best course of action here. She's frightened, and worried about the fact that so many of the others aren't here. If things are this bad here, she doesn't want to know what they're being faced with.]
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Lance has his own bone, using it like a torch now, its end fully engulfed in fire. He swings, batting away the incoming bugs. He can't help a reflexive swell of panic; he tries to draw himself up instead of in, tries not to think of Allura too far away for him to get to, thinks what would Shiro say?
Something sappy and inspirational. "Let's all think, we can do this together." ]
If we try to knock one set of ribs down, we could smash the skull that way? [ It's confident for all of one second, before he ducks to avoid a swarm an comes up squeaky: ] Maybe?
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If we all strike it at the same time, we may be able to get a big enough spark that it catches fire.
[Taking a swing, she frowns as she feels awful for having to potentially harm these creatures.]
Thing is, we may need to strike from multiple points to get it to work. That means splitting up.
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[She takes a swing at some of the advancing trilobites with her bone that's on fire, glancing over at Inui with desperation written on her face.]
We have to try something, we can't just stay here and hope for the best!
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Reminding herself to take deep breaths, her chest quickly rises and falls as she tries not to panic.]
We can't let him use all of his energy to fly us somewhere. Clearly, if we light everything on fire, we can just run away.
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[She shouts it out now, spinning about in a huff.]
We have to help him. He's as good as dead if we make him do everything alone.
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[She hesitates, shoulders slumping inward.]
I don't know. Typically, I'd go find the source of what was driving them mad in the first place, and take care of that.
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[But she's on board for any plan that doesn't involve harming the Trilobites. Her eyes scan the area around them.]
While Clark has them distracted, you and Lance should go. I'll try gathering the others and we'll follow.
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[She knows she's injured, which is exactly why she doesn't want him worrying about her. She'll only slow them down at this point.]
I'll be fine. Really. Once the others head out, I'll have Clark help me.
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[ This is totally an appropriate time for this right ]
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That's exactly how it is, when I've already claimed dibs on protecting you.
[Besides, Clark is incredibly handsome. Who wouldn't want to let him help them?]
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...He's with her on the handsome thing though, dang. ]
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[ He's taken over bug-spray duty, swatting off the clusters of trilobites that come close. He shouts at Clara over his shoulder. ]
Also, vetoing the 'ditching you and Clark' idea! We're not leaving anyone behind. Plus, his suit won't last all night.
[ Inui might protest, but Lance isn't going anywhere without everyone. ]
MESSAGE
Ozkrecyuem ym KHARAS cosgel Δ-23 jogosgoja. Cealso ampmequm.
Lance has now received the maximum amount of messages he is eligible for! Congratulations!
Re: MESSAGE
Your butt just talked. [ Your wrist is by your hip shut up ]
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[ Lance lifts his wrist, practically shoving the communicator into Inui's face. SAY YOU'RE SORRY. ]
Someone's trying to talk to us!
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Because he can swing him around in front of him like a shield. ]
--Tell them to get rid of these damn things if they're calling you then!
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[ He's beign swung around before he can answer properly, shouting at the trilobytes suddenly nipping at his feet and ankles. There's already a smattering of holes there and on his forearms from fending them off, and he dances back from the onslaught. ]
Come on, why is there no end to these?!
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