13282/Brood Invasion: Rumors

Brood Invasion: Rumors
Date of Scene:	15 May 2021
Location:	Nova Empire
Synopsis:	A Novan Listening post goes dark, and Star-Lord, Gigas and Silver Surfer converge to find out why. Turns out the Brood are involved and everyone agrees that turning the outpost into cosmic dust is a Very Good Idea
Cast of Characters:	Star-Lord, Gigas, Silver Surfer
Tinyplot:	Brood Invasion

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Star-Lord has posed:
It's been a while since there have been any serious sightings of Brood in Nova space. Raiding parties will consume ships and outposts along Brood space borders, but activity has been low for a while. Until now, that is.

A colony at the fringe of Nova Empire space has had one of their asteroid listening posts go dark, and has hired the Guardians to investigate (With Brood being a real concern, here). The rest of the team is busy on the planet nearby, checking to be sure nothing is happening there. Peter has just begun to navigate his way through the asteroid belt to the hollowed out outpost that is now silent as a tomb.

Gigas has posed:
Such silence is just begging to be broken. Eeriness that just can't help but be disrupted by the sudden nearly explosive arrival of the Gigantes from hyper space. Several asteroids are blasted apart by its forward shields as the freighter-turned-home for Gigas barrels clumsily into the asteroid belt with all the subtlety of a bowling ball crashing through a set of pins.

"Whoa! Are these the coordinates??" questions the blue bruiser from his position crammed into the modified pilots station of the ship. Most of the flying is done automatically as he doesn't even trust himself to handle such matters.

The computer responds with a series of angry sounding beeps.

?Okay, okay! I'm sorry!"

With that he climbs up from his seat and steps out of the cockpit and back into the cargo hold. A moment later sees the airlock open into space and, unhindered by such conditions, the behemoth steps out onto a platform just in time to see The Milano pass by underneath the position of the Gigantes. "Oh hoh! Now that is familiar looking.."

Star-Lord has posed:
There'a a comm request from the Milano as it begins to slowly position itself against the airlock of the listening post.

Gigas has posed:
The comm beeps incessantly as Gigas checks his propulsion boots and belt stabilizer. He ignores it for longer then he should until he finally clicks it on.

"Yes, yes, hello! I know you, right?"

Star-Lord has posed:
By the time he's answered, the Milano has docked at the outpost properly, with Peter already going inside.

Over the freighter's comms system a voice can be heard. A familiar voice. "My ships log says that's Gigas in there. We met briefly during a pirate bounty encounter. We split the reward, as I remember it." Peter chuckles, "Names Star-Lord. Are you out here for the job?"

Gigas has posed:
"Oooh yeah! I do remember you."

Gigas springs forth from his ship and begins to rapidly make his way towards the outpost with the grace of a falling meteor.

"Hmm..yes. Job. I have another I am on so this is a little of a detour. I am understanding..there are some concerns. Hey..do you not have ship mates? I recall, long ago, some being desperate to join your..uh..Guardians of the Galaxy? You are alone.."

Star-Lord has posed:
"They're busy, don't worry about them." Peter informs Gigas over the comm network. "Ugh, if I was smelling this, I'd be puking by now. My HUD says this place has Novan blood all over it." A bit of silence, "If you have a low tolerance for slaughterhouse, I'd say get your oxygen masks. I don't know what's going on here, but I'd wager something hit this outpost hard."

Gigas has posed:
The mammoth Gigas continues his approach and eventually lands atop one of the exterior towers that overlooks the docking bays of the outpost. It creaks under his weight but he remains perched there for a moment, doing a fairly reasonable impression of an Earth film he once tuned into when in orbit of that world and bored. Empress Kang or something or another.

"Hmm...certain I am that you shouldn't be alone." he rumbles over the comm, "What killed them may yet remain. I will lend you my assistance..and charge you only half price!"

He releases his grip and drops down towards the exterior hangar bay, letting the artifical gravity take him and pull him all the way down to a landing that some might consider a minor local seismic event.

Silver Surfer has posed:
This part of the galaxy is a favorite of Silver Surfer's. The laws here are much less draconian than in other sectors and he often enters its' space to think. No new leads on finding his homeworld, Galactus is distant, and nothing is threatening the universe that he knows of. There is nothing compelling him elsewhere for now so he stops moving and slowly sits down on his board. He's in space, drifting wherever his momentum takes him. Deep contemplation. His drift carries him towards the outpost where Gigas and Star-Lord are.

Star-Lord has posed:
"I didn't ask for assistance, and I'm certainly not paying you for it!" Peter off-handedly comments over the comms as he proceeds inside. "I wouldn't mind a-" The sudden minor earthquake has the asteroid vibrate far more than normal, and a few cracks form where asteroid is exposed in the hangar. "-Was that you? Tell me that was you."

Gigas has posed:
"Whoops. Sorry." responds Gigas' cheerful voice over the comm.

"As they say...'My bad'? You also drive a hard bargain! Seventy-Five percent off! I am a good bodyguard. This is a deal you don't want to miss!"

He looks around, checking the damage he caused by the quake and by chance happens to glance up and sees an approaching gleam of silver. "Hmm..incoming. A threat?"

Silver Surfer has posed:
Silver Surfer is still unaware of Quill and Gigas within the asteroid he is approaching. Where is Zenn-La? How could Galactus have hidden it so well? Is it even in this galaxy? The very thought is enough to make him shiver.. if he could shiver. Nothing he has learned in the years he has searched has given even a hint. Approaching Galactus directly did not go so well the one and only time he did. There is also the possibility that it has been devoured in an act of spite. He cannot believe that however, and he allows that particular fear to pass from his mind.

He can now sense life forms within an asteroid he is coming close to, now that he has started to ease out of his meditation, but it's nothing unusual. He doesn't bother to expand his awareness any further.

Star-Lord has posed:
"I don't know, you see it. You tell me." Peter quips back. "I'm busy scouting this place out. Whatever it is, I'm sure it's fine if it isn't shooting us yet."

Gigas has posed:
"Fine, fine, fine. I will get its attention. Consider this a freebie!"

The blue-hued colossal dusts his hands off as tendrils of energy crackle about his form. His physique seems to swell. Muscles creaking and stretching larger as they strain his bones. An instant later and he's jumped, pushing up and off of the outpost with a thunderous leap that trails a plume of debris after him and follows him like the tail of a comet as he aims for a large floating asteroid hovering above the outpost and out of the artifical gravity well.

The thrust of his leap gets him there. His anti-gravity and manuevering boots do the rest and get him onto its surface and within sight of the approaching silver-humanoid.

"Hmm..a man on..a long...plank?" he mutters in confusion into his comm.

Silver Surfer has posed:
Silver Surfer notices the fluctuations of energy first and then spots Gigas. It's still nothing he would consider 'strange' but it's still a change in the otherwise peaceful setting that he has enjoyed so far. Now that he is completely awake, he senses eight life forms in the asteroid, including Gigas. He stands up and watches the other being quietly.

Slowly Silver Surfer steers himself out of the way of the large asteroid and instead begins to pass it. It will take a lot more to get his attention.

Star-Lord has posed:
"A long plank, silver? Sounds like Silver Surfer. I hear he comes around this part of the galaxy regularly." Peter remarks a bit offhandedly, almost to himself, as he continues in. "All clean so far, but there has to be damage to the life support if my helmet is still picking up blood." Peter grumbles a bit as he continues in.

"I don't know if he's here for the outpost or something else. Go up to him and ask."

Gigas has posed:
"Hmm.." Gigas considers matters and then shrugs.

"The Silver Surfer hmm? Alright, alright."

With that, he pushes off of the asteroid he was on and ignites his boots to go moving across space in an intercept course. He's not exactly..fast.. His manuevering technology is meant more for short distance romps and to keep from just floating harmlessly in space when out of his own ship..but he should be able to get infront of The Surfer based on his trajectory which should take The Surfer near another asteroid and within reasonable distance of the Outpost.

"Hey!"

He waves his massive arms, trying to get the beings attention. "HEY!!!"

Silver Surfer has posed:
Silver Surfer regards Gigas with curiosity now. Many times he has come to another's aid, but very few times has anyone sought him out. His reputation sadly precedes him. Stopping close to Gigas, Silver Surfer holds up a hand in acknowledgement, "Are you in need of assistance?"

"I count eight of you within the asteroid, including yourself, yet none of you appear to be in distress." Social norms are not his field of expertise clearly, "Do you seek information?"

Star-Lord has posed:
"This entire thing is weird." Peter mumbles under his breath, "I'm not seeing anything."

There's a silent pause, "Oh, I'm just starting to hear them. I don't know what they are, though."

Gigas has posed:
"Oh, I'm fine." responds Gigas cheerfully. "We are investigating the asteroid outpost as there have been some killings here. Are you here for ."

Gigas then pauses in thought. He's single minded, a little bizarre at times..but not exactly slow or stupid.

"Did you say ...eight with none in distress? There should be only one other save myself.."

His comm is open so Star-Lord should hear that which Gigas further reinforces by saying, "I am thinking you should be cautious and hold your position. You are outnumbered by at least six beings."

Gigas turns and launches from the asteroid in a hurried trajectory for the outpost.

Silver Surfer has posed:
Silver Surfer watches Gigas depart without a word. For a moment he considers whether or not he should get involved. Clearly this being was not aware of the other six life forms within the asteroid. They could be hostile, but even if they were, it is not his place to intervene. Yet his conscience gets the better of him. He cannot read the minds of these other beings, they could simply be lost travelers, yet they could have hostile intentions. He vows not to use his powers to contribute to any violence in this situation.

He does follow after Gigas, slowly, but he will stand ready to heal the injured in the potentially hostile aftermath..

Star-Lord has posed:
"I can hear the-" Another bout of silence, "I recognize those things from holograms. Brood. Lots of them. The chittering is distinctive."

It's around this time that Silver Surfer can see that lone life sign start rocketing away., "I'm gonna fill this place up with plasma. No way anyones still alive."

Gigas has posed:
"Brood!" repeats Gigas. Not exactly for Silver Surfer's sake but his own sense of surprise. Energy crackles around him as body enlarges even further. There's no hiding the vast power that wells up within him. It would be easily sensed by The Silver Surfer even before the colossus puts it on display by landing on the mining asteroid with the force of a small earthquake and then marching forward, into the structure as if it were so much wet tissue around him. He doesn't concern himself with if he fits or not, as he simply makes himself fit.

"We should destroy it this place. Quickly!"

Silver Surfer has posed:
Silver Surfer does not stop them, does not even try, because after he extends his awareness further, he can sense exactly what they are: Hunger. Brood. He isn't tapped into the pair's communications and he doesn't need to be. Sensing the vast amount of energy accumulating, the source being Gigas, Silver Surfer stops his approach. He senses Quill now, meaning he knows that it's Quill, friend of Mantis.

He also remembers that Quill is capable of taking care of himself, but he also knows that Mantis would want him to help, if it is needed. He continues his approach, ready to evacuate his friend's friend if the need arises. He notes that Gigas does not need any assistance.

Star-Lord has posed:
"Yep, they're coming!" Peter exclaims with a hint of anxiety. He's cool under pressure... but he never acts it. "I have no visual, so I don't know their form-OH SHIT!" Gigas can suddenly hear the sounds of ice and fire being generated in massive quantities in the distance. Quill's element guns are working overtime.

Silver Surfer can suddenly sense the six other presences get confused and split up. Whatever Peter is doing, he has slowed them down at least, though everyone but Peter gets jostled around as Gigas literally tunnels his way through the asteroid towards Peter. "I don't have the schematics for this place, but usually you can just smash the generators to shut down places like this. We need to get the Corps to nuke this shithole."

Gigas has posed:
"No need." rumbles Gigas as he draws nearer to Quill's position - a lightly glowing monolith of perpetually increasing mass. "We will destroy this place. We will smash it and then burn it. They cannot be allowed to escape it.."

Gigas turns to look behind him at the path of devestation he's left in his tunneling inward and sees The Surfer holding back.

"Hey! Did you not hear me? It's Brood! What are you doing just staying back there. Are you in danger??"

Silver Surfer has posed:
Silver Surfer reaches the asteroid and phases through it. Now inside the complex, he can hear the chaos with his own ears, and he certainly hears Gigas's protest, "If destroying this asteroid will stop these creatures from claiming more victims, I will do it. But are you certain that this is what you want? I can evacuate Quill from this place, I can destroy it.."

There are no other life forms, not in the entirety of the asteroid, but destroying this place could have other repercussions. Yet the Brood are relentless, their kind is a virus, he knows this, ".. I will do it if that is what you are asking of me."

Star-Lord has posed:
Without Silver Surfer in the comm network, Peter has no way of knowing what is being said, and a few moments later, something inside the outpost explodes; presumably from the mountains of fire being thrown around now.

"I'm going back to the Milano. Blow it up after I leave. I didn't bring my bombs with me."

Gigas has posed:
"Alright." Gigas pauses, looking up as he sees the explosion and he then says to Surfer, which Peter will also hear, "If you understand the threat and have the means to do so then you may feel free to do so. However there is another in there that is returning to his ship. Let us wait and then we will open fire. The one I speak with is called Star-Lord."

There is a pause and then Gigas adds, "He's a Guardian of the Galaxy!"

WIth that, Gigas leaps upwards, thundering off of the asteroid surface with a jump and then igniting his boots. If Surfer doesn't comply or fails - it'll be time to go bowling with some asteroids.

Silver Surfer has posed:
Silver Surfer agrees: "I will leave this complex and wait for Quill's ship to evacuate to a safe distance. Then I will destroying this place, it will not take long, but know that I do not take pleasure in ending any life. The Brood are what they are, they cannot stop their hunger, they cannot ignore their impulses. I would ask that you remember that even as we do what we must."

With that he leaves the asteroid. When Quill is at a safe distance, bolts of cosmic energy erupt from his palms, easily destroying the asteroid, and everything inside of it. Bits of asteroid fly in every direction. Silver Surfer contemplates his actions for a time...