An Epidemic of Epidemic proprotions

[TheBlackSoul]

The Morbuzak wasn't even moving its vines, for judging on its actions towards the group earlier, any movement it made might have been considered an attack.

However, it could sense something-something that, to it, felt like a strange tingling. After a few seconds, it figured the other plant monster was the one causing it.

It didn't know what Mortracta was actually trying to say, but hopefully it meant the Morbuzak wasn't going to get plugged the minute it attempted to surface.

But to be on the safe side, it remained mostly underground, only extending 1 vine above ground. This it moved around, trying to communicate through a gesture that it didn't intend to eat, or even harm, any of the group.

[Mitsukai]

Eve almost jumped in surprise when she saw a vine pop up from the ground before waving slightly. Shuffling back a bit... she turned towards Ensichrys.

"Er... does Mortracta know what he wants...?"

[Shine]

Elmer continued to freneticly hop around the general location of the mill, sometimes swinging from his extendable prehensile tail, sometimes racing across the gound. In his mind he was "studying" the area. Intensely scrutinizing any litttle thing for "clues". Searching and studying anything slimey to see if it was the right kind of "goo". Fortunately he was nowhere near the Morbuzak when it reached its single vine out of the ground.

Meanwhile, Obed had been running analytic scans of the various samples that the group had collected. He had sent the data back to the ASF main frame in Sander's Lab. There was a small electronic "beep" as the results finally came back.

Obed appeared at the doorway, unaware of what had been going on outside. He said, to the group but to no one in particular, as he was obvioulsy reading from the hand-held screen:

"Ok, it looks as though, the Mill site is showing your average strain, as is the sample from Dojopolis.

The Borg landing site, however, shows a strain that isn't infections at all to pure organic beings, and the Dojo sample shows the least mutated form of EF found so far, so the source strain should be somewhere between the Dojo and the Borg Landing site.
((this information comes from an e-mail from DP))

I don't really know where the Borg site is, but I suggest we go and collect samples at points somewhat between them."

He looked up and saw the strangely waving plant tendril, and said
"What in the world is that thing?"

[Chronos]

Ensichrys looked down, wide-eyed at the Morbuzak's vine.

Morbuzak opto succurro. Morbuzak fui bene.


Ensichrys looked back at the others. "Well, it's worth a shot I suppose. Morbuzak, show yourself!"

((Sorry, short post, but my brain is dead.))

[TheBlackSoul]

"Morbuzak, show yourself!"

Upon hearing this, the Morbuzak decided it was time to surface. And it did so, although very slowly.

First, it stuck most of its vines above the soil, and then it pushed itself up. After its flower showed, it folded its vines back, indicating submission. Once fully above ground, it positioned itself so that its flower was near the ground and closed, in a submission posture. Its view of one, anyway.

[Chronos]

Ensichrys was about to turn around, but he realized he nearly turned his back on a dangerous creature.

"Mortracta, capto." Mortracta slid into position to guard Ensichrys from any sneak attack. Now Ensichrys turned, talons akimbo. "Well, it seems we've got a new ally, friends. The Morbuzak is here to help us." Here he looked slowly over his shoulder at the monstrous plant. Suddenly his eyes misted over for a moment, then he smirked slightly.

"If it does attack us, Mortracta's got a fail-safe. We'll be fine."

[Shine]

Obed moved over toward both of the plants, on two legs, both his arms and his wings in a sort of White Crane Kung Fu stlye ready position, looking very puzzled. He turned towards he other two:

"This is most strange; fully cognizant plantlife. One hostile, one an ally, and the formerly hostile one want to make friends? This is totally new to me. How does one even begin to communicate to life forms so drasticaly different."

Elmer came bounding over from the other side shouting:

"Oooh Oooh, I know this, I know this, this is great, I know someting the great Obed does not!!! COOOOOL!!!!! You can communicate with plants with vibrations, like music. Like this:"

and in a very loud and slightly off key manner he starts to sing something that was most likely supposed to be,

"I'm gonna get you drunk on my lady lumps...."

[TheBlackSoul]

The Morbuzak let go off its submissive position, and began waving its communication vines in an undulating motion. It was ready to continue the journey. That is, until Elmer started singing a song it considered annoying.

It promptly buried itself again, covering its flower with the communication vines. To it, Elmer's singing was enough to kill the Karzahni.

[Chronos]

Mortracta was smiling inwardly when something cut across her consciousness. It was a series of vibrations so very unpleasant, Mortracta wanted to destroy the source.

Femina... lumps? Quid gentium hoc sibi vult? ((Woman... lumps? What in the world does this mean?))

Mortracta started squirming underground, causing a large disruption of soil and a small tremor.

Ensichrys stumbled slightly. "Elmer, I think they want you to stop."

[Shine]

Momentarily stunned by the horrible sounds coming from Elmer's vocal chords, Obed gathered his senses and quickly stepped over to the S'klu and cupped a hand over it's mouth saying:

"I'm afraid that your truly unique singing has not had the desired effect. Say, I have an important job just suited to your special abilities. I want you to scamper up to the highest point on the mill that you can reach and keep an eye out for anything that might be approaching us unseen. I have heard that there were Trobifants in this region not long ago. Could you do that for us?"

Squirming and looking confused, he S'klu nodded his head 'yes'. Obed released it and Elmer quickly leaped onto the mill and made his way upwards. Looking around at the others, Obed whispered to them:

"Sorry about him, he is a little over enthusiastic."

Then louder, he said to them:

"Tell me a little of what you know about that plant thing..."

[Chronos]

Ensichrys scratched his head and thought a bit. "Well, it's a giant carnivorous magical plant. It can cast nasty spells and things of that nature. It can also birth smaller daughter plants of about half the size. Nigh on indestructible and only dangerous when it's hungry. That's about the Morbuzak in a nutshell, certo, Mortracta? ((Right, Mortracta?))"

Mortracta poked a root above ground and moved it as if it were nodding.

[Shine]

"Well, if someting like that wants to work with us instead of against us, I'd say we shoud do whatever we can to encourage that." Said Obed.

Speaking to Ensichrys, he asked:

"Can your plant friends communicate with it and let it know of our friendly intentions?"

[Chronos]

Ensichrys paused a moment to notice a fly buzzing around Obed's face. "Well, she can try, though I doubt the Morbuzak understands the Latin language. I'm sure she can get the point across somehow. Mortracta," he called to her, "hoc ut sciam in consensumus." ((Tell it we agree.))

Mortracta was confused. She had no idea what to do with this creature. The only english words she knew were 'evil, council, kill, summon, and depth.' She tried, however. If it could not understand the language, at least it could understand the emotion of acceptance being sent.

In consensumus.

She tried to pack the chemical message as full of comradeship as she possibly could and she fervently hoped e understood. That poor hungry creature...

Ensichrys then realized something. It had answered to its name. "I think, though, that our friend the Morbuzak has the ability to hear much better than Mortracta does. Let's find out.

"Morbuzak, we'd like your help!"

[TheBlackSoul]

I have been called...

The Morbuzak, upon hearing its name, suddenly thrust itself upward through the soil, bursting from the ground in an explosion of rock and dirt.

The massive plant's communication vines were moving in an undulating motion. While this looked threatening, it actually meant the Morbuzak was ready to help, and was asking what needed to be done.

About that same time, it sensed a weird tingling in its roots. It was slightly unpleasant, but at the same time felt really good. The plant had no idea what it meant, but it figured it came from the other plant monster that was nearby.

[Shine]

Obed was watching the carnivorous plant, cautiously, when movement at the top of the Mill caught his eye. Looking up he saw Elmer bound off the Mill, and jumping treetop to treetop the S'klu headed off to the southwest.

Turning back to the group, Obed said:

"All the indications seem to be that it is willing to join us helpfully. So, maybe if we start to move towards the Borg landing site we can see if it will follow us. Does anyone know the way?"