Ghost ship.. part 3... the cat is out of the proverbial bag

Alwyn and I sent some of own probes down with those of the Excalibur's We marveled at the image.... It was definitely the ship we were looking for... Could this be it? Could we have found the cure? "Mr Eilerson! Is it or IS it not the 600 years ago old Ghreen salvage ship which we are looking for?" Matthew yelled... It had been days since we first saw the ship... Half of it was buried deep in the ground, most of it was damaged... As usual Maximilien was working to decipher the written alien language.. Alwyn whispered, "He has been at it for days.." "Yes, but he is the best. I have no doubt sooner or later he will translate it..." I whisper back "He is a pain in the ass!" Alwyn spat... I smirked, "Indeed he is..." Max's reply to the Captain drew our attention, "No one has ever truly seen ancient Ghree text.. Since the Ghree influenced several races... I have to be sure this is Ghree and not Cilia or Bergu or... " "Enough excuses!" Matthew sighed and walked over to us... "Enjoying the show?" "Yes quite entertaining." I smile at the Captain. "Where is your..... cat... familiar..." He says looking around... "Watching the sunset I suppose..." I say and then rise... "Captain.." It was Dr Chambers and Durena, "We think we may have found something.. A chamber, It is in the segment that is buried..." We stood and proceeded in the direction they pointed too... Suddenly a blast shot past exploding a near by rock. It was awfully close to hitting me... I grabbed Alwyn and our good Dr and followed the Captain and Durena to take cover behind a large boulder.. Soon we were joined by Maximilien after we witness the death of several of his fellow IPX comrades... The Captain fired his PPG while Alwyn and I shot fireballs and electric plasma beams They were firing weapons similar to the Thrakallan v'kk'xo PP Weapon Dr Chambers tried her link to inform the Excalibur we were under fire. "No response... We are being Jammed!" My Amulet was glowing, it started the minute the first shot was fired... Mathew glared at me as he ducked from several shots, "Can you stop that thing!" I knew it must be an alarm system signaling to Shiara that we were being attacked... "We should get into the Ship, we would have more cover.." Durena offered.. The Captain nodded, "We need cover..." Just then the sky darkened with a large flying dragon approaching us... For the first time we saw who was firing at us.. It was the Drakh.. They looked at the Dragon coming from behind them in the air.. Max titled his head to the side, "Alwyn you have improved your Holo-dragon... I thought you preferred yellow ones with red eyes.. Not that I am complaining, this one looks more real..." As the Dragon swooped down and grabbed a Drakh with her mouth... "It is not mine." Alwyn replied at the same time Matthew added, "A little too real.." "Might I suggest we run." Max exclaimed as the dragon threw the Drakh and then breathed fire and a group of other Drakh soldiers.. The Dragon set down and Shiara transformed, wearing black battle amour with the green dragon glyphs... "It's a woman!" I heard someone say... "Yes it is Shiara my familiar.." I say as Shiara leaps into battle and goes hand to hand... Shiara summons her Nano Weapons, first a pair of Sais... After throwing one and leaving the other stabbed in the throat of one Drakh she pulled her magical knuckles... They are her preferred weapon at times I believe.. Designed like brass knuckles they are far more dangerous... The hand weapon fits in the palm the hand with a leather hallow grip with easy access holes for the fingers It is the part over the knuckles and on the side where the thumb rest that makes these weapons not only deadly but not your average brawler weapon For across the knuckles is a blade resembling that of the blade or bit of an axe... It has a solid swivel head piece that fits over the blade making it a solid blunt weapon on the thumb rest is a release button so with the slight thumb and wrist movement the swivel head came be flipped from the blade and will slide carefully into the leather palm grip, much the way one may handle a switch blade knife... One quick flip of the wrist and the solid pieces lifts turns and slides into the hallow leather grip... exposing a sharp and deadly blade... The blade is made of a tough diamond sharp metal... They are black and have the green Dragon glyphs edged in them.. Shiara wields one in each of her hands and uses it to deal with the rest of our attackers... We stand and watch... "You know, your new girlfriend is making you look bad Galen." Matthew jested "We technomages are not soldiers. We never pick up a club and start beating people in the heads. We obviously are very powerful and cerebral. We find a different way than that of being physical. So We leave that sort of thing to .... well those like you." I reply... "and... Matthew... She is not my girlfriend.." Just then Shiara threw hew knuckles into a boulder and from her legs pulled the tattoo of a Dragon away and it turned into a whip... She used it to subdue a Drakh who was attempting to flee... "Probably a good thing Galen. Not sure you want to date a woman who knows how to use a whip." Matthew added... Max then join the conversation, "I don't know those are normally the most exciting women..." He paused as we looked at him, "So I have heard.." He did a double look at us suggesting he was a bit embraced... and hoping he had convinced us.. of what I will leave to you to contemplate... "Are you going to help her?" Durena blurted out Alwyn then smiled, "Shiara doesn't look as if she needs our help.." With that the battle was over, Shiara gathered her weapons as they turned into mini snake like dragons and re-entered her skin only to transform into small dragon glyphs on her body... Captain's link then sounded.. It was the Excalibur.... panicked of course... "I destroyed the jamming device.." Shiara stated looking at everyone... There was no time for me to introduce Shiara properly... After calming the first officer on board the Excalibur... Gathering the Drakh who were alive for questioning, we knew we had a bigger problem... The Drakh probably had a battleship on it's way... At least we know we are on the right track ... TBC

Dryad Doodle squat!

(continued here and here) How did I get into this mess? "I have abilities well like a Dryad, I can interface, connect with trees.. These trees are evil they are trying to feed of my ..." I was becoming weak. These tainted trees were having the opposite effect on me... Normally trees are a source of strength, my allies but not these. HS stepped forward and tried to remove the vines but they started to grow up his legs and began digging into his skin.. He and I were almost completely paralyzed... Our movements limited and almost none existent. This thing was feeding off our energy, our KI as HS put it. Our cloths had been dissolved and our skin was changing, we were turning a tree, becoming one of these Tainted Trees. I gasped, "Galen is coming." He heard what was happening from my amulet. I had already told him these trees were attempting to attack me. This was so terrible, I was the familiar yet Galen was having to rescue me... I started to cry and HS pulled me close. I could tell he was struggling. Movement was becoming more and more difficult. I wrapped my arms around HS and began to sob into his chest as he held me. "Shiara are you okay?" HS pulled me tight to him as the vines swallowed our bodies. I nodded and he choked a bit. As I looked up I could see he was having problems breathing. Even I could barely breathe, The vines had completely covered us up to our heads. Galen wouldn't know where we were if the vines completely covered us. I could see in his eyes that HS had the same idea. He couldn't use his powers of fire neither could I. He leaned down as if to kiss me when I could hear Galen and Justice approaching... We forced our heads to move. "OH my GOD!" Justice gasp... "HS! SHIARA! Are you okay?" Galen said nothing just examine the tree and roots. HS tried to say something... "Don't speak," Galen commanded, "Its like a Boa Constrictor." "Don't touch us.." I gasp with breaths... "I said don't speak or struggle." Galen repeated... "Can't you bun it? I had used my flute and turned some into Crystal that moved in my way. Then I shattered them" Justice inquired and then as if to realize, "Blink once for yes twice for no." Galen was busy studying the situation while I and HS blinked to try to answer her questions... No we couldn't use our powers and no there wasn't anything we could do... Galen stood up straight, "Can you use your flute now?" Justice frowned, "No not without turning HS and Shiara into Crystal." "Then it is up to me!" He clapped his hand together... "HS you're resistant to fire yes?" He blinked yes.... Wait! I am not fire resistant Yes I have Pyrokenesis but I can be burn, somewhat why our eyes can heal small burns. "No no no" I gasped desperately. "Galen Something is wrong with Shiara," Justice observed... Galen shook his head, "I know Shiara, you can be burn I will localize my fireballs on HS." Galen summoned a fireball... "Let's see if we can burn enough of them away to free you." He hit the tree on HS side... Anything that wasn't HS burnt away and HS skin returned to Normal. "Ah! I think I have it!" He hit it again this time the vines withered away from HS and me... He prepared to hit the tree again... As the vine withered down to my waist I realized Our cloths were not returning.. I covered my breast with my arms. Before I could say anything he hit the tree and the vines crawled away into the shadows of the woods around us.. "EWWW HS what happened to your cloths," Justice said turning to look away and tossing him her knapsack.. "Those damn trees ate it!" He cussed and then realizing I was standing there naked turned away... I was attempting to use my Technopathy to summon my cloths.. HS used Justice's knapsack to cover himself and walked around some rocks... I could see him moving in the corner of my eye but it wasn't until Galen cleared his throat did I look at him and see him dart his eyes quickly. I felt Galen's heavy cloak... "I don't need it I can summon me cloths, my nanites have to replenish..." I told Galen... "Well until they do," He tossed a stern look at HS, "Let's cover you up." Justice was looking for HS knapsack, "HS I can't find it." I summoned armor and then pulled from my cloths a glyph and tossed over to HS, it turned to some armor for him. "Try that until we find yours." I gave Galen his cloak back and joined Justice. Justice was standing petrified... She looked at me, "The vines." My eyes followed where she was pointing... The vines was being drawn back to a Twisted Corrupted tree... It looked at us and hissed... I summoned two swords, "Justice go warn Galen!" My breath began heating up until I was breathing small bursts of flame... More shadows moved and the trees moved toward after forming legs... This wasn't good... I follow Justice back, "Galen!" "I see them!" he stated as a fire ball formed in his hand... They were swarming around us... Galen fired one fireball after another and So did I. Just was using her Flute to crystallize them. The forest was thick and full of these trees..... "I don't they are happy with you Galen." Justice teased trying to conceal the worry in her voice. "Trees have never been so aggressive!" I yell between long fire breaths "I wasn't aware trees could walk!" Justice replied... "Well I have read about these ones, called Ents." Galen added in between fireballs. 3 rows of trees then went up in flame and then more as fire rained from the sky... "Take that!" HS says and walks over, "Cool clothes, Shiara." He patted his armor. "Your welcome," I said noticing how handsome he was... "Well it looks as if HS as took out the forest. Perhaps we should go?" Galen stated...