Having secured the Communications Center Lee guarded the doorway he had come in as the Lt and WO Blake made their observations of the contents of the computer system and the shelves.

The LT turned and pointed at the doors in a likely unnecessary order. “Secure those. We’re taking over this post for a time. Staff Sergeant Kane, contact Corporal Hatherford and make sure everything is still kosher back at the observatory.”
Sgt Lee gestured to Pearson to stay with him and guard the North entrance of the Comm Center and let the Staff doing the investigating. He assumed Sgt Kane would assign someone to the East door that they had entered.

Lee didn’t know it but he had similar thoughts to those of the LT running through his head. Something strange had happened here; something beyond imagining maybe. What the two surviving soldiers had said about the Rangers being disbanded long ago especially drew his attention.

Maybe some experiment here had caused some kind of warp in space and time; maybe now they were in the future or even an alternate reality. He remembered as a kid reading novels about such things; even though his parents and grandfather forbid him reading such ’trash’ as they called it. He had found such things entertaining even though he didn’t believe such things were possible; but maybe he would reassess his beliefs considering the goings on here.

He cleared his thoughts from the ’possibilities’ and turned them to the facts. They were in hostile unknown territory and it was his duty to ensure that he did his job to safeguard the others at all costs. Standing alert at the North Door he kept a watch and an ear on the hallway outside the room.

As the team made their way to the communications centre, Blake covered the foyer as ordered, pistol muzzle moving in tandem with her gaze. She was a decent enough soldier when she wanted, and danger was a pretty good motivator. Back on base and between assignments was another matter…

Once Lee and Pearson sound the all clear, Blake entered the comm room with controlled excitement. Let the others fire their guns and beat their chests; in here was Blake’s arena and she was top gladiator. A quick sweep of ice blue eyes assessed the electronic inventory.

“Permission to do my thing, boss?” Blake asked, trembling ever so much like a hound on point, and once released (assuming Kernan does so) she moved first to re-establish comms with HQ. Once she determined that they couldn’t radio out nor access the internet, she pulled back and considered her next move.

“Lee. You have comms experience. Take a look at the satellite controls and tell me if the issue is with the equipment here or the dish outside. Johanssen, take over Lee’s post, please,” she ordered crisply as she typed in the access codes she’d been given. When she was rebuffed by the system, she tried a few quick and dirty hacks, fingers flying as fast as her overclocked brain. The security was surprisingly sophisticated, enough to impress the artist in her.

“Very well, Moriarity, I accept your challenge to a duel, “ she murmured happily, “May the best intellect prevail!”

Blake tripped back to her pack, pulling out the ESOD and plugging it’s USB cable into the PC station. She set it to working it’s security override magic, bulldozing hacks that would take her days to work through. As the ESOD’s little screen scrolled through the routines it was running, Blake looked up at the LT.

“How long would it take you to hack this?” he asked, and Blake briefly considered responding with “I’ll know exactly how long the minute I’m finished’ but Kernan didn’t really deserve her sass. He’d ignored her little quirks and trusted her to do her job, and that’s all she ever asked of anyone.

“I honestly don’t know yet, boss,” she answered seriously, “I should know in a few minutes if the easy way will work. If not, “she pointed with her chin at the radio equipment and other electronics, “ we try to McGuiver something.”

The Lieutenant gave a nod, “Let’s make it happen then. We could really use the security cameras, and I wouldn’t mind reading some of the recent e-mails to see if we can’t determine what’s happened here.”

Kernan moved off to look through the videos but Blake continued her review of the equipment available, waiting to hear the ESOD’s signal of success or failure. If the device signaled failure, she’d hard boot the computer with the ESOD running, hoping to slip in during startup.

Kane was ready when the lieutenant gave out the new marching order and new instructions, Then they were once again on the move, carefully sweeping the corridors, but finding nothing. Upon arriving at the restrooms the Lt gave the job of searching it to Lee and Pearson.

"Pearson, cover that hall. Lee, sweep the restroom"

Once the two had cleared the area without finding anything of note it’s was time to move on to other parts of the building and the Lt spilt the small force into two person teams.

"Kane, you and Johannsen take the communication center through the door across from the foyer. Lee, you and Pearson are going in here. Blake, you cover the foyer: Kane and Joannsen’s six, while I cover this angle. Move out, and be careful."

With Blake to their rear Kane with Johannsen slightly behind him and to his left entered the room as did Pearson and Lee from the other door finding no one inside.
The communications room is relatively spacious, and is filled with various computer and electronics equipment. Several girlie pinups decorate the walls, and a few empty styrofoam coffee cups lie scattered around an overfull trashcan.

Permission to do my thing, boss?” Blake asked of the Lt getting an ok in response.
“Lee. You have comms experience. Take a look at the satellite controls and tell me if the issue is with the equipment here or the dish outside. Johannsen, take over Lee’s post, please”
Kane turned to the Medic and halted her taking Lee’s place himself. Better to keep the medic healthy as Kane had a bad feeling they would need her skills.

A quick inspection of the personal computing station reveals that no connection to the internet is available, apparently due to a hardware issue. Likewise, the satellite phone is unable to make any sort of connection. As Kane waited for the next order he watched as Blake made her war into the room but as suspected the access codes provided to her before to the mission appeared to not to work as they were clearly outdated. The security system in place on the file and mail servers was surprisingly sophisticated, and according to Blake, to the point that some of the DOD guys would be suitably impressed.

“Very well, Moriarity, I accept your challenge to a duel, “she murmured happily, “May the best intellect prevail!”

“How long would it take you to hack this?” Asked the Lt.

“I honestly don’t know yet, boss,” she answered seriously, “I should know in a few minutes if the easy way will work. If not, “she pointed with her chin at the radio equipment and other electronics, “we try to McGuiver something.”

The Lieutenant gave a nod, “Let’s make it happen then. We could really use the security cameras, and I wouldn’t mind reading some of the recent e-mails to see if we can’t determine what’s happened here.”

Kane could not help but wonder at the term ‘McGuiver’ what hell was a ‘McGuiver’and was going to ask but the lieutenant’s next orders stopped him.

“Secure those doors. We’re taking over this post for a time. Staff Sergeant Kane, contact Corporal Hatherford and make sure everything is still kosher back at the observatory.”

“Yes Sir” Turning slightly away, his eyes yet on guard, he commed back to the observatory”

“Hatherford, its Kane, status report.”

“Lee. You have comms experience. Take a look at the satellite controls and tell me if the issue is with the equipment here or the dish outside. Johanssen, take over Lee’s post, please,” she ordered crisply as she typed in the access codes she’d been given. When she was rebuffed by the system, she tried a few quick and dirty hacks, fingers flying as fast as her overclocked brain. The security was surprisingly sophisticated, enough to impress the artist in her.
"Yes Maam," Lee replies.

Waiting till Kane comes to relieve him at the door, Sgt Lee then moves over to the comm station and begins to run a system check on the ComSat systems. He begins by checking the operations status of the point-to-point microwave relay equipment.

If the equipment seems to be powered up and functioning, then he will try to get a wave through to a satellite in either a Geostationary, Molniya, or low polar orbits. He will even try the MILSTAR sat even though from this latitude it would be near the horizon or even possibly out of LOS. If he can send out a carrier wave and get a response back from any of the available satellites then he can verify the equipment and that they are getting out. In any case he will report his findings to WO Blake and the others on the ComSat equipment status.

Inga stays on watch in the Com center. THe lieut. had various places covered so they could set up here in relitive safetly for awhile. Nowit wwas time for W/O to do her thing. Reestablishing communication s to the outside world would be a relief.

At leas they would know that it was still there. The doublts that had been raised by the strange occurances and the story the men told of there being no Rangers for 10 years or more could be put to rest. But then again they might not.

WHen Blakes requested Lee to check out the sat com system She was ordered to take his place. She started to comply but Kane forstalled her with a quick look and he took the post himself.

Inga went back to where she had been but in hopes of learning more she lookd around for a calendar or something that could indicate a date. She also looked for any notes letters or other paper that might give them a clue. mainly she looked at the walls and on the desks while keeping and eye on things. It was just a way to reassure herself and then the others that the world as they knew it was still out there.

Inga even looked for any pads of paper that she might beable to read an impression from. she kept her ears open for any commands and her eyes moving about scanning the surroundings.

The ESOD whirred as it began a new override attempt, and buzzed as it met opposition. The “whirr-buzz” song repeated until it reached a tempo that signaled defeat to Charlie’s ears. She watched the scrolling display intently and didn’t like what she saw.

“Crappity, crap, crap, CRAP!” she swore, swatting the terminal before her in disgust. She grabbed both pigtails and tugged hard before her language got worse. She straightened from her programmer’s hunch and went over to the LT.

“Bad news, boss,” she reported,” It’s not going to be the easy way. The system’s got more black ice around it than any government or multinational data centre, and all I’ve got is an itty bitty ice pick. I can prolly get in, but it’s going to take a heck of a long time. Question is, do you want me to continue with a recon of the base, or do I get comfy here with as many coffee and Cheetoh rations as I can scrounge?”

Blake waited for Kernan’s response, but her mind was already considering her next options. Her fingers twitched as if she were already writing code, building a multi-point hack that would try the system defenses from different angles simultaneously. Truth be told, she was all a-tingle with the challenge.

Investigating the disk titles, Kernan wasn’t surprised to see the simple labels depicting time and date ranges (OOC: I’m assuming…). They were organized fairly well, with the most recent on the right, and the lieutenant was considering trying one when Blake approached him.

“Bad news, boss,” she reported,” It’s not going to be the easy way. The system’s got more black ice around it than any government or multinational data centre, and all I’ve got is an itty bitty ice pick. I can prolly get in, but it’s going to take a heck of a long time. Question is, do you want me to continue with a recon of the base, or do I get comfy here with as many coffee and Cheetoh rations as I can scrounge?”

This resulted in a frown from Lt. Kernan as he considered the lack of breaks they’ve been getting. Time was of the essence.

“All right,” he nodded slowly as he considered the options. “Orders were to collect all that we could on Project Twilight Seed, and I don’t see how we can do that unless we have access to the computer drives. What’s the possibility of pulling the drive from the box?”

(OOC: I’m assuming Blake’s response is in line with Olan’s directive that the security would activate should someone try and rip the drive.)

“OK, so that means we pretty much gotta get to the files.” Monty’s eyes automatically drifted to the door he’d come through while he considered what leaving Blake in that room might mean. Two of his men were already sequestered away in the observatory with two addle-brained G.I.s. In the current situation he wasn’t too keen on splitting the group up any further, but he needed to know the entire lay of the land and they had reconnaissance on less than thirty percent of the facility. Taking a deep breath he came to the conclusion.

“Staff Sergeant,” he called over to Kane. “Take Lee, Joannsen, and Pearson and clear this level, starting down the hall at the main lab. Keep in constant radio contact, and be aware that I’m blocking the door to the main foyer, so the only access you’ll have back to this room is through that hall door.

“Blake and I are staying put to try and get computer access, and review these security disks. Move out.

“Blake, you’ve got a lot of work ahead of you, Chief. Have at it.”

Once the team is on the move Kernan will see what furniture he can move in front of the door leading to the foyer that will effectively keep it from opening. Then, with one entrance available to the room, he’ll find the equipment to try some of the data disks on, and start trying to review the most recent dates while keeping a close eye on the door, weapon at ready.

May 9th, 2025 - 0206
Communication Center , Antarctic Research Facility 36, Antarctica

As Kernan and Blake mull over what to do about the computer files, Johannsen takes the liberty of looking for a calendar. She finds one easily enough - an old-fashioned, "tear off the day" variety sitting on the corner of the main comms room desk - the type with a comic strip on each day. The current day features a strip with one office worker making dry observations about the boss, and is dated May 5th, 2025.

The lieutenant decides that the data is of paramount importance, and elects to stay with Blake while she does her job. Kernan, Lee, Johansen, and Pearson are meanwhile dispatched to sweep the rest of the level.

"You heard the man," Kane growls as he readies the SAW. "Move out." Pausing the big man radioed the rangers back in the observatory.

"Hatherford, its Kane, status report."

"Boring as a churchhouse on Friday night, sir," came the response.


As Kernan barricades one door, the newly formed fire team moves to follow the ell tee's orders, starting directly across the hall with the main laboratory. Lee is the entry man (GM's note: assuming marching order here, folks... if you want different, specify next time!) followed by Pearson and Johannsen, with Kane and the heavy weapon bringing up the rear.

The main laboratory is quite large, bigger even than the observatory, and shaped very much like a large circle cut in half and stuck onto the side of the base. Various tables and workbenches stand in scattered locatins here, along with assorted instruments, but this is not the interesting portion.

The entire room is dominated by a huge machine that supports several enormous rotating rings of different radii. These complex metallic rings slowly gyrate and turn around a shimmering center of bluish white energy. A shimmering blue aura surrounds the entire device, and the field seems to randomly expand and contract.

Staring at the device seems to play tricks on the eye - images appear superimposed upon one another, and the edges and contours of the device seem to run off at impossible angles. The entire room is lit by the eerie blue glow eminating from the machine.

Scattered around the machine are numerous shell casings, as well as a splintered axe. Judging by the damage to the surrounding walls, it appears that several grenades (or some other explosive) have been detonated here. The machine appears undamaged, but the rest of the laboratory equipment is in ruins.

Lee took the lead automatically and would do so unless Sgt Kane gave him different orders. He swept every corner and every dark area along the way as they approached the main laboratory.

Entering the lab, he scanned the room and in less than a minute gave the all clear so the others could enter. He stayed clear of the blue aura surrounding the strange device in the middle of the room. He let out a low whistle of surprise at the strange sight.

“Any bets on whether or not this is the cause of this whole mess,” He said looking back as the others came into the room. He didn’t expect any takers.

“Looks like a hell of a firefight happened here,” Lee said gesturing with his carbine at all the spent casings and the damage to the room. Turning to look at Kane he kept a close eye out for trouble while he waited on Sgt Kane to give new orders.

“Staff Sergeant,” The Lieutenant called over to Kane. “Take Lee, Johannsen, and Pearson and clear this level, starting down the hall at the main lab. Keep in constant radio contact, and be aware that I’m blocking the door to the main foyer, so the only access you’ll have back to this room is through that hall door."

Inga brought her right up to and followed Kane out of the communications center she purposefully stayed to the rear of the group. Kane had explained his reasons why he was doing this and she didn't need him to explain it again. After all if made good sense.

Kane motioned for them to stay back as he entrred the Main lab first.

Johnston kept her attention on their rear, right in the six o'clock.

Inga heard Kane whistle not of alert but something else. “Any bets on whether or not this is the cause of this whole mess,” He said looking back as the others came into the room. He didn’t expect any takers.

“Looks like a hell of a firefight happened here,” Lee said gesturing with his carbine at all the spent casings and the damage to the room. Turning to look at Kane he kept a close eye out for trouble while he waited on Sgt Kane to give new orders.

Inga ws the last to move in standing out the door and keeping watch. Inside was some weird device surrounded with a blue glow.

"That's a negative, Sgt. Lee." Inga responded to the question. "That blue glow sure looks like what we went through outside to get to this place.

"You heard the Lt," Kane growls as he readies the SAW. "Move out. Lee take point, Pearson take the rear, Johannsen your third." Pausing the big man radioed the Rangers back in the observatory.

"Hatherford, its Kane, status report."

"Boring as a church house on Friday night, sir," came the response.

“Keep your com open and notify me the minute your status changes. Kane out.”

As Kane and the three troopers moved quickly on high alert through the rest of the level they finally came to the base’s main laboratory. As they entered Kane gave his next orders.

“Lee take right, I got left, Johannsen, Pearson cover us and the door.”

They found it to big a large room, larger even than the observatory, and shaped very much like a large circle cut in half and stuck onto the side of the base. Kane could see that various tables and workbenches were scattered in haphazard locations around the area almost as if abandoned in a hurry. Yet what stood at the center of the room was too the Staff Sergeant even more strange.

For the entire room was dominated by a huge machine supporting several enormous rotating rings of different radii. Complex metallic rings slowly gyrating and turning around a shimmering center of bluish white energy. A shimmering blue aura surrounds the entire device, and the field seems to randomly expand and contract.

Staring at the device Kane could fill the pull of it as it seemed to play tricks on his eyes - images appearing superimposed upon one another, the edges and contours of the device seeming to Kane to run off at impossible angles. The entire room lit by the eerie blue glow emanating from the machine gave it the look of as if out of a Sci-Fi movie.

The Staff Sergeants gaze was then drawn to scattered around the machine are numerous shell casings, as well as a splintered axe. Judging by the damage to the surrounding walls, it appears that several grenades (or some other explosive) have been detonated here. The machine appears undamaged, but the rest of the laboratory equipment is in ruins.

Of all the things Kane had expected it was certainly not this.

It was then that Lee let a whistle of surprise escape his lips.

“Any bets on whether or not this is the cause of this whole mess,” He said looking back as the others came into the room. He didn’t expect any takers.

“Looks like a hell of a firefight happened here,” Lee added gesturing with his carbine at all the spent casings and the damage to the room. Turning to look at Kane he kept a close eye out for trouble while he waited on Sgt Kane to give new orders.

Inga was the last to move in standing out the door and keeping watch. Inside was some weird device surrounded with a blue glow.

"That's a negative, Sgt Lee" Inga responded to the question. "That blue glow sure looks like what we went through outside to get to this place.”

“Your right Doc, I need to let the Lt know about this ASAP.” Kane told her as he did just that.

Turning slightly away he clicked his com to the Lt’s private channel and called a quick status report…

“Lt its Kane we have reached the Main Lab and its status is as follows”

A brief overview to the Lt given he awaited the Lt’s next command.....

"Looks like they tied to take that thing out but without any success." Inga adds as she surveys the signs of weapons fire and some explosive devices going off in here, most liekly grenades.

”Lieutenant, it is Kane,” Monty looked up from the screen where he was attempting to gain access to the security disks. ”We have reached the main lab, and its status is as follows.”
Kernan glanced over at Blake as the Staff Sergeant relayed their findings, and the description of the room. Shaking his head he muttered under his breath, “Damn science fiction…”

“Kane,” Monty spoke into his radio. “Secure that position and wait for Blake and myself. Do not touch anything, and report immediately on anything out of the ordinary.”

“Blake, let’s get this data unlocked. C’mon now.”

There was still so much by way of the facility left to investigate, and it seemed that every room they entered just raised more questions. Monty was keen on getting the mission over with as quickly as possible, and the delays on the tech end did not please him. He didn’t blame the Chief, but it didn’t mean that it didn’t annoy him all the same. Turning back to the data disks, he once again tried to gain access to their contents.

“Blake, let’s get this data unlocked. C’mon now.”

“Tap dancing as fast as I can, Boss,” Charlie responded, her eyes glued to her laptop screen. If the LT watched long enough, he’d see she’d stopped blinking, so intent was her gaze. She had the ESOD whirring away it’s repetitive override attempts, and she’d connected her laptop to the PC with another USB cable. She started up a virtual machine within her laptop and set it to running her more complex hacks, taking over the USB port as it’s COM port.

She pulled a firewire from her tech’s bag and connected the laptop again to the PC, and opened a command line. Here, she began sending what looked like internal messages to the PC. Her hope was that with two “intruders” keeping the black ice reacting, her “internal” messages might find a way into the OS. One pigtail end made it to her lips, and she nibbled on it thoughtfully as she watched the system’s reactions for any loopholes in security.

”Lieutenant, it is Kane,” Monty looked up from the screen where he was attempting to gain access to the security disks. ”We have reached the main lab, and its status is as follows.”

Kernan glanced over at Blake as the Staff Sergeant relayed their findings, and the description of the room. Shaking his head he muttered under his breath, “Damn science fiction…”

Charlie flickered her ice blue gaze over to Kernan briefly before returning back to her glowing screen. “Well now, Boss,” she drawled distractedly, a lopsided grin lighting her features,” here I was about to mutter about damned jarheads blasting at anything they don’t unnerstan’!

“Have them look for the power source for that field generator, as I’m sure that’s what it is. Otherwise, I gotta get through this security to see if I can shut it down with a command.”

Monty smiled wryly at the Chief's comment and then followed the statement up with a nod.

"Good idea, Chief." Activating the radio, Kernan addressed the whole of the team. "Kane: without touchin' anything, see if you leathernecks can't find the power source for that equipment. Blake thinks it might be a field generator."