The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - WW LXXVII: The Metamorphs of Wolf-562-e

Nerwen · 06-16-2010, 06:25 AM

In which Paranoia lives up to his name.

Fear and suspicion had taken a heavy toll on the morale of what remained of the crew. Fleet discipline was soon wholly abandoned, as the meeting quickly degenerated into a shouting match, then into a brawl.

"Ensign Pitchwife," said Lieutenant Paranoia, "if that's your real name, you voted to kill me yesterDay. I demand an explanation."

"Sir, the suspicion I had against you went into a sort of feedback loop and developed into something not entirely dissimilar to a certain psychic disorder from which your nick is derived."

"Pitchwife is a morph!" declared wintywinty. "He talks funny! He must have killed Loslote for suspecting him!"

"I bet he is– and Commander Zil's the Traitor– but forget them, we want this cyborg-thing," said Shasta. "And I know who it is: Lieutenant Paranoia! Look how smug he is!"

"Wouldn't be surprised," Ensign Pitchwife agreed.

"What are you talking about?" said the Second Officer, a wild look coming into his eye. "Why are you all out to get me?"

"Izzy doesn't know what she's talking about," piped up Rikae. "She thinks she knows all about morph-hunting, when she doesn't have a clue."

"What would you know, you snotty-nosed little brat?"

The boy clenched his fists, his eyes glittering with rage. "I'd rather be snotty-nosed than stupid like you! You can't even fix the subspace system!"

"Why you–" Izzy slapped him.

Rikae hit her back, and the two went on to pummel each other viciously.

Regrettably, Izzy was urged on by Lieutenant Paranoia, who had taken a sudden dislike to the "Cabin Boy". "Sock it to him, Izzy, he's just like the sort of people I used to serve with that thought they knew everything, but they didn't, they were just stupid– and out to get me, all of them!"

Shasta pulled them apart. "Cut it out. There is no need or call for any of this rudeness."

"Hands off me, Morph!" Rikae snarled at him.

Izzy was equally furious. "So you are wanting us to speak accordingly to what will make Rikae happy? Ha!"

"I have only one thing to say," Pitchwife commented. "Grömft. And also schmûrflcht."

Wintywinty stepped up to him. "No talking funny, Morph!" Lugging railgun parts around had, it seemed, made wintywinty stronger than he looked: the haymaker he swung at Pitchwife knocked the Ensign flat on his back.

"You're right!" said Rikae, "I bet that's Morphish he's talking, right under our noses!" As the dazed Pitchwife struggled to rise, Rikae knocked him down again. "Kill the morph!"

Wintywinty joined in. "Kill the morph! Kill the morph!"

Infected by their hysteria, the others surrounded the Communications Officer, chanting, "Kill the morph!" as they beat and kicked him with a savagery born of terror.

When it was all over, Pitchwife's broken body remained human.

The shocked and guilty silence that followed was broken by Lieutenant Paranoia, who started to babble feverishly, "I know I'm human. And if you were all morphs, then you'd just attack me right now, so some of you are still human. This morph doesn't want to show itself, it wants to hide inside an imitation. It'll fight if it has to, but it's vulnerable out in the open. If it takes us over, then it has no more enemies, nobody left to kill it. And then it's won."

At that moment, Blind Guardian's dog wandered onto the bridge, looking for Rikae. Since its mistress's tragic death, the lonely animal had formed a bond with the equally lonely boy, and often came to him for affection.

"Get the hell away from it!" the Lieutenant screamed, drawing his flame-pistol. "It's not a dog, it's some kind of thing! It's imitating a dog, it's not real! Get away from it, you idiot!"

Rikae put a protective arm around the dog's neck. "Leave Hotdog alone, sir! He's no Metamorph, he's my friend!"

"Then you must be one too! You're all Metamorphs! There's only one way out..." Lieutenant Paranoia held the gun to his temple, and pulled the trigger.

The Crew

Living
Commander Inziladun –First Officer.
Isabellkya –Sensor Technician, First Class.
Shasta –Engineering Technician.
wintywinty –Weapons Maintenance Technician.
Rikae –"Cabin Boy" (a thirteen-year-old stowaway).

Dead
Doctor Morsul –Medical Officer and Captain McNerwen. –shot by Traitor on Night One.
Ensign Blind Guardian– Tactical Officer. –Died in convulsions (Telepath).
Eomer –Security Officer. –Thrown out the airlock (Bounty Hunter).
Lieutenant Sally –Navigator. –Torn to pieces (Metamorph).
Chief Petty Officer Keeper of Dol Guldur –Quartermaster. –Killed by exploding console (Ordinary).
Wilwa –Android Technician, Second Class. –Force-fed own muffins (Metamorph).
Master Chief Petty Officer Loslote –Chief Engineer. –Beaten to death with iso-spanner (Defender).
Ensign Pitchwife –Communications Officer/Interpreter. –Kicked to death (Ordinary).
Lieutenant Paranoia –Second Officer. –Blew own head off with flame-pistol (Ordinary).

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It is now Night Four.

06-16-2010, 06:25 AM	#372
Nerwen Wisest of the Noldor Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: ˙˙˙ssɐןƃ ƃuıʞooן ǝɥʇ ɥƃnoɹɥʇ Posts: 6,694	In which Paranoia lives up to his name. Fear and suspicion had taken a heavy toll on the morale of what remained of the crew. Fleet discipline was soon wholly abandoned, as the meeting quickly degenerated into a shouting match, then into a brawl. "Ensign Pitchwife," said Lieutenant Paranoia, "if that's your real name, you voted to kill me yesterDay. I demand an explanation." "Sir, the suspicion I had against you went into a sort of feedback loop and developed into something not entirely dissimilar to a certain psychic disorder from which your nick is derived." "Pitchwife is a morph!" declared wintywinty. "He talks funny! He must have killed Loslote for suspecting him!" "I bet he is– and Commander Zil's the Traitor– but forget them, we want this cyborg-thing," said Shasta. "And I know who it is: Lieutenant Paranoia! Look how smug he is!" "Wouldn't be surprised," Ensign Pitchwife agreed. "What are you talking about?" said the Second Officer, a wild look coming into his eye. "Why are you all out to get me?" "Izzy doesn't know what she's talking about," piped up Rikae. "She thinks she knows all about morph-hunting, when she doesn't have a clue." "What would you know, you snotty-nosed little brat?" The boy clenched his fists, his eyes glittering with rage. "I'd rather be snotty-nosed than stupid like you! You can't even fix the subspace system!" "Why you–" Izzy slapped him. Rikae hit her back, and the two went on to pummel each other viciously. Regrettably, Izzy was urged on by Lieutenant Paranoia, who had taken a sudden dislike to the "Cabin Boy". "Sock it to him, Izzy, he's just like the sort of people I used to serve with that thought they knew everything, but they didn't, they were just stupid– and out to get me, all of them!" Shasta pulled them apart. "Cut it out. There is no need or call for any of this rudeness." "Hands off me, Morph!" Rikae snarled at him. Izzy was equally furious. "So you are wanting us to speak accordingly to what will make Rikae happy? Ha!" "I have only one thing to say," Pitchwife commented. "Grömft. And also schmûrflcht." Wintywinty stepped up to him. "No talking funny, Morph!" Lugging railgun parts around had, it seemed, made wintywinty stronger than he looked: the haymaker he swung at Pitchwife knocked the Ensign flat on his back. "You're right!" said Rikae, "I bet that's Morphish he's talking, right under our noses!" As the dazed Pitchwife struggled to rise, Rikae knocked him down again. "Kill the morph!" Wintywinty joined in. "Kill the morph! Kill the morph!" Infected by their hysteria, the others surrounded the Communications Officer, chanting, "Kill the morph!" as they beat and kicked him with a savagery born of terror. When it was all over, Pitchwife's broken body remained human. The shocked and guilty silence that followed was broken by Lieutenant Paranoia, who started to babble feverishly, "I know I'm human. And if you were all morphs, then you'd just attack me right now, so some of you are still human. This morph doesn't want to show itself, it wants to hide inside an imitation. It'll fight if it has to, but it's vulnerable out in the open. If it takes us over, then it has no more enemies, nobody left to kill it. And then it's won." At that moment, Blind Guardian's dog wandered onto the bridge, looking for Rikae. Since its mistress's tragic death, the lonely animal had formed a bond with the equally lonely boy, and often came to him for affection. "Get the hell away from it!" the Lieutenant screamed, drawing his flame-pistol. "It's not a dog, it's some kind of thing! It's imitating a dog, it's not real! Get away from it, you idiot!" Rikae put a protective arm around the dog's neck. "Leave Hotdog alone, sir! He's no Metamorph, he's my friend!" "Then you must be one too! You're all Metamorphs! There's only one way out..." Lieutenant Paranoia held the gun to his temple, and pulled the trigger. The Crew Living Commander Inziladun –First Officer. Isabellkya –Sensor Technician, First Class. Shasta –Engineering Technician. wintywinty –Weapons Maintenance Technician. Rikae –"Cabin Boy" (a thirteen-year-old stowaway). Dead Doctor Morsul –Medical Officer and Captain McNerwen. –shot by Traitor on Night One. Ensign Blind Guardian– Tactical Officer. –Died in convulsions (Telepath). Eomer –Security Officer. –Thrown out the airlock (Bounty Hunter). Lieutenant Sally –Navigator. –Torn to pieces (Metamorph). Chief Petty Officer Keeper of Dol Guldur –Quartermaster. –Killed by exploding console (Ordinary). Wilwa –Android Technician, Second Class. –Force-fed own muffins (Metamorph). Master Chief Petty Officer Loslote –Chief Engineer. –Beaten to death with iso-spanner (Defender). Ensign Pitchwife –Communications Officer/Interpreter. –Kicked to death (Ordinary). Lieutenant Paranoia –Second Officer. –Blew own head off with flame-pistol (Ordinary). ~~~~~~~~~~* It is now Night Four. __________________ "Even Nerwen wasn't evil in the beginning." –Elmo. Last edited by Nerwen; 07-05-2010 at 09:01 PM.