tampered | (no subject)

(no subject)

When; Thursday, October 15, very early morning.
Rating; PG-13 to R for gore, language, etc.
Characters; James T. Kirk

starfleet_pimp, Brennan Mulwray

theshockvalue, Shalimar Fox

feralside
Summary; Kirk and Brennan head through the Underground to find Shalimar
Log;It had been a long, long trip down. Not just because Shalimar was deep into the Underground but because neither Kirk nor Brennan cared for each other's presence. Fortunately, the monster attacks kept them busy for the most part and didn't give them time to talk.

Which was just fine with Kirk, he didn't know how much of the man's stupidity he could take. Once they found Shalimar and got her out of here though, then they could go their separate ways.

"She's close," Kirk said, glancing down at his tricorder. "Not too much farther now."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Brennan nodded, not moving his eyes from the thick shadows all around. The tricorder bothered him, more than anything because it gave off light, and that light was telling all these creeps down here where to find them.

"Good." Something was bothering about the environment, though. "It's quiet. How close is 'close'?"

"Within 30 feet," Kirk said, nodding with his chin. "In that direction. And the monsters are here, I can see the life signs on the tricorder. They're trying to use a pincer on us."

Gripping the phaser tighter, he glanced around the area. He doubted the things were hiding out of fear.

"Great," Brennan muttered as he whipped up a tesla coil in his palm. "They're ugly and smart." Now they were in a pickle. If there were monsters out there trying to surround them, calling out to Shal might spur them into action.

"Let me see that thing."

"Knock yourself out," Kirk said, showing him the tricorder. It wasn't just a map with blinking dots on it, if the guy could interpret all the data, then great, he knew Shalimar used some pretty advanced stuff so maybe he would have a clue.

Brennan took a moment to examine the screen on the tricorder. It was a bit more advanced than most of the read outs back at Sanctuary, but it wasn't anything he couldn't interpret with a moment of pause.

"Okay," he said, looking forward again. We've got two at noon, one at six, two, three, and five. Two more at ten and eight. Eight in total. This could suck."

Kirk switched his phaser from stun to kill, it wouldn't do any good to stun them, especially since they might be talking with Shalimar for a bit and it wouldn't do any good to have them waking up. Plus, a few less monsters down here wouldn't be a bad thing.

"I'll get 10 through 3," Kirk suggested. "You get the rest."

Brennan turned and waved his hands by each other, a swirling Tesla coil appearing between his palms. "Sounds like a plan."

As soon as the meager light around glinted on eyes, he unleashed a charge that sent the fiend flying backwards, where it writhed on the ground, then was very still save for a twitch every now and then. The shadows started moving as one, and Brennan was ready. He just hoped James was.

James didn't hesitate, instantly firing off several blasts at the creatures, sweeping his hand in an arc, rapidly pulling the trigger on the phaser.

Kirk didn't worry about Brennan holding up his end, whatever he thought about him he trusted Shalimar's assessment that he could hold his own in a fight.

The silence after the fight was deafening. Brennan looked to Kirk after the coast seemed clear. "What's your tracking device say?"

"Just up here," he said with a nod of his chin. Heading off in that direction he turned right down a short hall. At the end of it they should find Shalimar.

Brennan started to move faster, his longer legs putting him ahead of Kirk. This was all his fault, after all, and he wanted to patch things up. Thanks to that little tracking device of his, they'd found her, but that's where this alliance ended.

Shalimar could hear people approaching but she wasn't focusing enough to figure out exactly who it was, she was a bit more focused on the two creatures still standing, one was already dead on the ground. It was probably fairly noticeable by the way she attacked the creatures viciously ripping at them, that she wasn't all there. That she'd let herself go a bit too much, she'd left her communication devices behind for a reason.

They rounded the corner and saw Shalimar facing two monsters. Without even hesitating, Kirk fired his phaser at one of them, killing it instantly. He saw Brennan attack the other, dropping it with a bolt of lightning. Kirk didn't even want to think about how well they worked together, instinctively knowing which one the other would go for even after working with each other for such a short time.

"Shalimar, it's me, Kirk," he said, hoping that his voice would calm her down a bit. Even as he spoke though, he switched the phaser to stun, just in case. He had been beaten up enough by the monsters, he really didn't need Shalimar to add to it.

She was gone, he knew that, which meant she was dangerous. He didn't easy his steps or move slowly, making his sounds very aparent.

"Shal, take it easy."

She turned to face them her eyes flashed to their Feral state and lingered there for longer than usual. It still didn't register with her who they were but she kept back, she was already covered in gashes and bruises and instincts told her to stay back at least for now. Instead she just stood there with her fists clenched like she was trying to pull herself back and not doing a grand job of it.

Kirk decided to go for broke and put his phaser away, raising his hands above his head, almost in a surrender gesture. He was trying to assume as non-threatening position as possible as he took a step forward.

"Shalimar, it's James," he said again, hoping either he or Brennan could get through to her. "And Brennan. It's okay, you're safe with us."

He heaved a sigh, his voice stern, like every time she'd ever said the same to him. "Come on, Shal. Fight it."

Clenching both fists she lowered her head so she wasn't looking at either of them, she knew the voices...they were familiar. Her entire body tensed up as she started to take a few deep breaths.

"Had...to come didn't you...?" she asked taking a few steps away from them.

Kirk had to give a bit of a smirk to that. She probably knew that they were coming, or had at least guessed it.

"You took your ring off, that meant it was really bad. You might as well have just asked us to come. We were worried about you."

Brennan rolled his eyes at Kirk. He really didn't get it, did he? He approached Shalimar steadily, speaking in that same even, firm tone. "We came because we were worried. Now fight it, damn it."

"Stay away!" she growled taking another step back. "I-I left them behind for a reason...now just...just go away. Leave me alone."

Kirk ignored Brennan, it was because of the other guy Shalimar was like this.

Knows her so well my ass, he thought.

"We're not going away, we're both too stubborn," he told her. "You know that. We'll stay down here with you as long as it takes, but we're not leaving without you."

What did this guy expect? That she was just going to accept it? Didn't he realize what it was to be Feral? It's not like Shal could help it.

"Shal, I'm not asking you to talk. I'm just asking you to be, well, not down here. It's dangerous."

She glared at both of them angrily, they just had to follow her.

"Dangerous?" she said laughing a bit. "Just...leave," she looked directly at Brennan and her eyes flashed. "You...You of all people should know what it means... to leave the ring behind. It means I'm not coming back."

"Is that what you really want?" Kirk asked, raising an eyebrow at her. "To stay down here the rest of your stay in the City? I meant it when I said I care about all sides of you, I'm not just going to leave you down here by yourself. You don't want to come back up? Alright, then I'm staying down here with you."