resort_link | Agent K

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Agent K | Network 002

[Public | Audio]

So, I'll cut to the chase.

So far we have an indeterminate life form, capable of extreme stealth and is highly volatile. I've noticed no sign of greater intelligence but if anyone's noticed differently feel free to prove me wrong. I'd be much happier to be able to reason these things down.

They have no sense of self preservation, and they move at a decent pace but the spiders still got 'em beat. It looks like it takes three shots to bring one down.

The thing is, it'll be in everyone's best interest if there's a solution found and the locals are coming up short, so I'm wondering what information you guys have come across or proposals that you might have.

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[Added in later.]

Proposals and Facts:
→ Canines and similar species don't like them
→ Possibly building a trap to lead them into
→ Possibly scanning them for weaknesses
→ Don't use weapons or attacks that involve electricity
→ They don't like cats, no word on whether that extends to other species yet

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

If they have no sense of self-preservation, that would make them easy to trap, I should think.

That's not a bad idea if you can get close enough. They seem to know how close they are.

I wonder if they'd follow a bot or if it'd have to be a person...

A ... bot? A robot, you mean.

Yeah, one of the service bots for the resort. They're sort of people shaped. They might chase them.

On Gallifrey, I'd suggest something like a transduction barrier or a dome to keep them out. But I don't have the resources to build one, and people here are much more keen to travel into the Outlands than an average Gallifreyan is. So whatever is designed would need a permeable access, which intrinsically makes it less secure.

The resort has a protective shield in emergencies but it's purposefully not permeable. So this is a situation where the threat has to be controlled. I doubt neutralizing it entirely is going to be a valid option at this point, as they're everywhere. I hope this isn't a sign of escalating numbers.

Finding a way to neutralize them would be easier if we knew more about their anatomy and physiology. We might be able to lay poison for them--if we knew what they eat and what is toxic to them. Or we might find ways to more efficiently kill them with ranged weapons--if we knew where their critical organs were located.

But with them having a built-in self destruct, I'm not sure how one of the medics can possibly get close enough to do an examination.

Scanners could work, but so far wherever they've been shot they seem to take it. Like they're just one big solid pillar of silently scooting "fuck up your day".

Oh wonderful. Just what I always needed in my life, a gun-resistant explosive that can chase me.

Can we get close enough to get a good scan?

[He thinks for a moment.]

Or, I suppose I could set up a scanner, attach it to a tree trunk, and some poor unlucky fellow could have the job of luring one of those things close past it a few times.

It's not gun-resistant. It takes three shots to take it down. The problem is this seems to be uniformly the case, no matter what anatomy they have. We have limited weaponry so we don't have access to anything that would get rid of it in one shot- it risks too much damage if we miss.

I think I like someone else's idea of trappin' it better. Less people put at risk if it's done that way. Besides, I think callin' that person and unlucky fellow isn't exactly going to muster up volunteers.

Edited 2014-08-02 07:29 (UTC)

[Narvin shrugs.]

It's my honest assessment. I wouldn't want to be the one assigned that task. But then, there are many people braver...or more foolhardy, than I am.

[If Leela were around, she'd probably leap up and volunteer for it in a heartsbeat.]

It's strange that location of the shot seems to make no difference. Redundant organs perhaps, spread through its body? Or a very simple anatomy, like a giant worm, so it can function even when bits of it have holes blown in it.

Maybe. It doesn't seem to be good for much else than doodling around and exploding.

You noticed anything in particular yet?

Nothing. But then, I can't stay in their presence without my skin crawling and turning and running the other way.

I need to work on that. Not that I mind the early warning, it's very useful, but I'd like it to be my choice whether to run or not.

[Because for all his talk of being a pragmatic coward, he can imagine moments when he might want to stand and fight.]

That's at least a way of knowing that they're around.

But inconvenient for me if I find myself in a position of needing to protect someone from them, but unable to because I'm busy trying to climb the nearest wall to get away.

I'm not sure I can be of much help other than bringing these creatures down, that is the only solution my people tend to have where I am from. We are not so technologically advanced as other races and places.

Don't you worry about that, ma'am. So long as someone notices anything about 'em, sometimes the best solutions are low tech. We still don't know that a pit of spears wouldn't be the best fix.

[A pit of spears sounds something more akin to something an orc might do, so there is a long pause before she speaks again.]

Is it not at all possible to fight them on level field of battle?

Not hand to hand, sadly. For the most part, unless you come with titanium skin they pack more of a punch.

You can shoot 'em with arrows or bullets, but we could do an empty trap to get one for experts to look at, I think.

It's a good thing I am skilled at range as well as melee. I do not seem to have the skin you speak of. I'll make sure to keep my distance should I be unfortunate to encounter one of these creatures. I would be willing to help lay a trap for one of these creatures, if there are others who are interested in studying them.

It's really, really strong metal. Good for vehicle armor and thin plates are good for chest armor. Had to use it a few times.

Most metals are too heavy for the sort of movements I am accustomed to. I'll stick to leather and keep my distance.

Good plan. You go real fast and so far I think they have a speed limit. I'd need to test it to be sure. Maybe have you lead one with the fence between you so you can't get hurt? I could clock how fast it goes.

I'd really like to get a sense of their body composition. The way they degrade instantly if they're killed before detonation, that's a process I've never seen before. It might give us a hint on how to put a block in their life cycle... if we have to.

Any word from the locals on if these are native?

Yeah, that's what Narvin was sayin'. I guess if we can get a good trap built we could put a scanner in it. It's hard to follow one and be unnoticed, that much has become obvious.

And worryingly easy for them to follow you unnoticed. It's a ... [he can't honestly call that a good plan.] it's a plan, definitely.

Has anyone tried sedatives on them? With biology like this I'm not holding out much hope, but I should at least try dosing one of the stragglers near the fence with damnthing rated tranquilizer darts. Before someone puts themselves out as bait.

They react to sedatives the way they've reacted to any other shot. Doesn't put 'em under.

[Of course they do.]

Of course they do.

Well.

If you have any designs for a trap mechanism let me see one. Otherwise I'll start work.

These things could have any number of origins-- they might be a seed dissemination system, for all I know-- but damned if they don't seem engineered to be a pain in the ass!

I'll get a service bot out there. See if they'll follow one of them. That might make it easier.

If they won't follow a standard 'bot, I can suggest a few rigs we used to lure nightsuckers on Nifflheim-- I'll transmit you those schematics in a second. They mimic human galvanic response, body heat, carbon output...

[Where's the flatdisc he stores those things on really ought to organize his notes one of these days-- he starts to rummage, leaving the communicator on the desk to show a blank wall.]

I, ah... advise against any sort of attacks that involve electricity.

When Dorian was attacked, another of the creatures came out of the woods. Niko managed to take it down with his machina weapon, but not before I cast a Thundara spell on it. It, ah... fell shortly afterwards, but its eyes started to glow, and it seemed to have drawn strength from it. So. [Yeah.]

Well, shit.

That's a good thing to know, and means I got about five weapons I need to advise people against using.

I can't say I had much opportunity to test out the other elements. I suppose I could, considering those prowling about, but I wouldn't want to do so alone. [Tbh, Braska sounds generally apprehensive about the idea in its entirety, but the information is important, he knows.

... ah -- ] The elements I am referring to would be that of fire, water, and ice, that is to say. If necessary, I could also test Holy and Ultima, but... On Spira, those are rather advanced spells, and very rarely found in fiends.

[Straight to the point, as ever-]

Turns out they don't like cats. Spotted one of those things earlier coming towards me, but it started running away when a cat got close. Seemed like it forgot about me. It didn't come back, not sure where it went.

[He'd been watching the scene curiously, and by the time he thought to raise his gun again it had disappeared in the trees. Since the creeper was on a path straight towards him and obviously ready to blow, the fact that it completely forgot about him once the cat showed up could be useful.]

Cats? Ran from a cat like uh... hrm. I don't have a good comparison.

Anyway, it's worth a repeat test. Should we try to tame one with someone out standing guard?

[He personally doesn't know anyone with a cat.]

Probably a good idea to try it out. Niko already has a cat, so we don't need to tame one. If it turns out those creeper things really are afraid of them though, I'll try to get one to like me too. Could be useful to have around.

[Boone is just assuming a cat will follow him like Rex does, all day, without wandering off. It followed Niko home after all, and that's really his only experience with a pet cat. At least Rex always warns him before a creeper shows up, so he's never really caught unawares. It would just be nice to be able to repel them, too.]

Yeah, see if he'll let us give it a try with his. Guarantee him we'll take it down before the cat has a chance to get hurt if it gets too close.

They're kinda useful but they're mostly good for sitting and being somethin' convenient to put your hand on. [This, in Kay talk, means "soft and fluffy".] Not real keen on being trained, but if they'll get rid of these things that's a bonus.

Sure thing, I'll head over and ask him.

[Though he does frown a little when Kay mentions they're hard to train.]

If they really keep those things away, people could take them along when they headed out past the fence. Dogs are good for warning you when they're around, but keeping them away altogether would be better. You think they'd keep following for as long as they needed to?

They're not Earth cats so maybe they work a little differently. I guess we'll have to try and see how it works. Or keep a lotta food out to lure 'em in.

Yeah, I guess. We can figure it out once we know for sure.

[He's already on his way to Niko's, hoping he'll actually agree to this.]

Niko got his cat to like him with fish. We could use that if we needed to.

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Agent K | Network 002

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