[He'll backseat pilot all he wants thank you very much. And at least Pidge's narrow escape did come as a surprise, which let her build up quite a bit more distance between the shuttle and whatever that thing was. But it is fast when it chooses to be, and it vanishes into the mist to renew the chase- unfortunately, vanishing from any instruments in the process.
Until it took on a solid form again, the only way to track it would be visually- she'd need to keep an eye out for any giant, swirling black mass moving unnaturally fast, or toward the shuttle rather than with the rest of this system's obnoxious excuse for cloud cover.]
Look, I'D do it, but you're on your own 'til you get here!
I FLEW IN WITH LIGHTS ON AND IT STILL CAME AFTER ME, WISE GUY!! EXPLAIN THAT!!
[Dammit Pete, shut up while Pidge leans forward again, looking outside of the shuttle cautiously once the instrument panel stops going haywire. She's well aware now that just because the shuttle can't detect it doesn't mean it isn't still out there. Especially since it had literally formed around her from the mist just moments ago.]
I can't see it. It's dispersed or something, I'm gonna have to make a beeline for you.
[Only now does Pidge notice that her comm has fallen from the seat and, very quickly so as not to leave even more of a window for the monster to reappear, she moves to grab it up off the floor and bring it back to the pilot seat with her.]
Quiznak what I wouldn't give to have Green's cloaking on this thing... [With one hand on the controls she checks the comm again, looking for where Peter's signal is coming from.]
Uh- Went a little off-course here, but still close. You'd better be ready for a really fast extraction, man. I'm circling back. [And ready to have to escape by the skin of her teeth again.]
I DID! THE LIGHTS HURT IT, I NEVER SAID THEY WERE...GIANT MONSTER REPELLENT!
[Despite the arguing, he is definitely very concerned for his friend out there. Pidge asked for a speedy extraction, and that is exactly what Pidge will get. Just...well there were going to be some ground rules.]
...so, fast I can do. That's not gonna be a problem. But I'm gonna need you to promise you're not gonna freak out. And no fancy flying until after I'm onboard, alright?
[He just gets a really loud "RRRRRRRRRRGH" in response to that first comment. Because he totally only said that it didn't like the lights and to Pidge that didn't imply that light would hurt it and-- Nevermind. She's not going to argue that anymore until they're both safely not anywhere near it anymore.
Of course now he has to go and start talking about things that she's not entirely sure she understands.]
What're you talking about??? I don't care how you do it as long as it means we're out of here as quickly as possible, okay? Just tell me how you want me to get you onboard!
[Those have got to be the weirdest pick up instructions she's ever heard in her life, and she works with Lance on a daily basis.
But fine, there's no time to argue it because she's closing in on his signal. She flips some switches on the instrument panel that'll unlock the door, slowing the shuttle down as it swoops in lower to the ground.]
Okay whatever, I'm almost there. This really better be as fast as you think it is, or we're both dead.
Would you REALLY prefer landing with that thing around?!
[And frankly, once she breaks through the mist that surrounds the island, well...that would have been difficult to swing anyway. There's way more of those claw marks than just the ones he showed in that brief video clip, and entire sections of the island are just gone- at least their giant, misty friend had eaten its fill of something today. And where the ground wasn't torn up or just missing outright, more often than not it was covered in the shattered remains of an untold number of trees, either still rooted in the ground but snapped in half several meters up, or completely fragmented and ready for the saw mill.
Also, some lunatic in a bright red-and blue outfit that'd clearly seen better days, and a facemask missing at least one of its eye lenses. Pulling himself back in a giant slingshot of some kind. At least until he's sent flying through the air, right for the shuttle.]
DON'TFREAKOUTIT'SMEJUSTKEEPFLYINGTHISISFI-
[Aaaand just a fraction of a second before he goes soaring right over the cockpit, he even managed to splatter the upper edge of it with a pair of weblines. Of course, a fraction of a second after that, Newton's Laws of Motion decided to stubbornly and dramatically proclaim they were still relevant even on a planet this ridiculous, and there's a loud bang from the shuttle roof and a pained grunting from over the comm.
Which at least meant Pete was still alive, and would probably also wish to be spared the indignity of being registered as a bird strike in the flight log.]
...THAT...ow...yeah, that worked a lot better with the tanker...
[Don't mind him just. Lying there for a bit. He kind of needed to catch his breath, but at least he was technically onboard? He was definitely on the shuttle, so, it was probably alright for Pidge to make a hasty retreat now.
Advisable even, since that wonderful screeching noise had started up again! Probably because now, the giant nightmare beast didn't have to trouble itself in choosing between two targets!]
[Pidge's experience as a Paladin of Voltron has prepared her for a lot of different things. Surprise attacks, almost daily brushes with death, encounters with alien species of every kind... Generally she's ready for anything and it's pretty hard to surprise her at this point.
Seeing Peter in a worn out, weird-looking red and blue costume of some sort is... Well, it's enough to make her do a hard double-take.]
What in the--
[She has to actually shake her head to snap out of it. No time to linger on that now. Extract her oddly-clad friend from immediate danger and ask questions once they're safe. Pidge focuses on getting the shuttle low enough for him to reach (a quick mental calculation tells her whereabouts she should get to it, assuming certain laws of physics still apply), and then holding it level and at a steady speed to make it work.
She'll worry about what to do if they somehow miss each other when it happens. Hopefully her reflexes have been honed enough by now that she'll be able to react in time.
Fortunately she ends up not having to-- or something. Though she initially has a moment of panic when he doesn't hit the side of the shuttle the way she'd expected him to, the loud BANG from the roof and the pained groan of the comm tells her things have worked out. She lets out a little sigh of relief.]
Great. Now get in here before--
[And that's when she hears the screeching. Her face falls.]
Oh, quiznak.
[She's back to revving the shuttle up to hit full speed.] Either get in NOW or hang on tight!! This is about to get rough!
[That's about all the warning she gives. The shuttle quickly starts picking up speed as it makes for its escape, swooping upward to clear the misty area. The side door of the shuttle is still unlocked so Pete can climb in if he can. Ideally he'd be inside before she has to hit the boosters.]
[He doesn't need to be told twice. Or at all, really- that screeching's been a harbinger of horrible, horrible things for the past half hour or so. He's already scrambling- as best he can, anyway- over the shuttle's hull to reach the hatch, and breathes a sigh of relief when he discovers Pidge had made sure it was unlocked like he'd asked. And for better or worse, he looked behind the shuttle right just before closing the hatch, and did not like what he saw.
That thing has formed up behind them already, swimming through the mists after them and closing the distance between it and the tiny shuttle with far more speed than anything that size should be capable of. It had also learned from it's previous attempt at just swallowing the whole thing whole, and decided a new approach was called for. Now, it stretched out one of those impossibly elongated arms to try and swat the tiny ship from the sky, rather than trying to swallow it outright. And since it had to solidify in order to do so, Pidge's instruments would probably start screaming for attention again, but there was also another warning system aboard the ship now.]
Pidge, get this thing moving! That thing's not waving at us!
[For her part, Pidge was actually waiting to slam on the boosters until after Peter had gotten the door shut behind him. So when he goes and starts yelling at her, her immediate response is--] SHUT UP AND HANG ON.
[Because then she really is diverting everything the shuttle has to its engines, activating the booster on the fuel line to really get some distance between them and the creepy giant monster that wants them dead. With any luck the burst of speed will last long enough to make it happen.
Though knowing their luck... It's more of a gamble than Pidge is honestly comfortable with.]
Keep an eye on that thing! If it suddenly gets faster or disperses to get ahead of us, I really need to know!
[Of course, once those engines start giving it their all, there's a horrible mechanical groaning that fills the cabin before the hatch shears right off the hull, bouncing off the side of the shuttle before vanishing into the creature behind them.
Pete very nearly followed after it, but managed to grab hold of the frame as he tumbled out, and flung himself back inside where it was (mostly???) safe, clinging onto the opposite wall for dear life.]
HANGING! Definitely hanging!
[Assuming they live through this, he's going to have to make it a point to figure out how someone even smaller than he is has a lead foot that massive. But only once there's no risk of being thrown out of the shuttle, especially now that the door's- oh, right.]
So, also worth knowing-
[He does have to pause for a moment as the shuttle hits another nasty patch of turbulence- if only because Pidge's gamble paid off, and that bit of shuddering was entirely due to the massive hand swiping through the air just behind the engines.
The extra speed seems to be keeping them safe for now, but that all likely depends on just how long Pidge can keep it up.]
-that helmet come with a mask? 'Cause that's gonna be important soon. Real soon.
[There are three very important things on Pidge's mind at the moment: keeping the shuttle ahead of the mist monster thing, keeping the shuttle in tact so they can get to safety, and making sure both herself and Peter stay alive through it all. The shuttle is rattling and shaking, and there are a lot of mental gymnastics she needs to work through to make sure the whole thing doesn't end up blowing up in the air. When she's not gripping tight at the controls, she's flipping switches and hitting buttons to make sure everything keeps in working order, and with her attention split the way it is, things seem so much harder.
So when she hears Peter ask about whether or not her helmet can also function as a mask, it throws her off for just a second. She turns briefly to give him a very odd look, only to activate the lower half of the helmet so that it covers the entirety of her head.]
Obviously yes, but what the heck are you talking about?! [It hasn't even occurred to her that the mist itself might be a problem she needs to deal with, after all.] Don't tell me the air out there is poisonous!!
[Pidge what the heck even do you even do that makes that kind of headgear necessary? Or that suit?! It's something to ask later, at any rate. When they're not trying desperately to not die. Which, silver lining, Pidge is definitely continuing to do a stellar job at. In less reassuring news, though...]
Oh, no, air's fine, it's that mist stuff you gotta worry about. Apparently it makes you go crazy.
[Which is only half the answer he needs to give, and Pete's a little reluctant to bring up the next part.]
Also, uh...well, let's just focus on the positives, and say this thing's got much better ventilation now. And, hey, visibility's better too!
[Which is a much, much nicer way of saying "the shuttle door is attempt an emergency landing, and the aerodynamics have definitely suffered a downgrade."]
[Honestly, Peter isn't really helping much here. Pidge has an instrument panel blaring at her about all of the shuttle's broken pieces, she's still unsure of whether or not they're really clear of that giant monster that's trying to kill them, and on top of it all Pidge is talking about mist that makes people go crazy.
This is definitely not one of her better days.]
Pete, you really need to think of some way to seal up the hole where the door should be because if I end up having to make a crazy dodging maneuver, I can't also be worrying about whether or not you get thrown back out there!
[Seeing as how he's definitely kept his footing under far worse circumstances. But hey, her ship, her rules. And he's still got a couple spare web cartridges left, so burning through a little extra web fluid shouldn't be too bad. Plus, it's been all quiet for a while now- well, chorus of alarms coming from Pidge's panels notwithstanding- so he'll do as she says and seal the exit.
Not particularly quietly though, since slinging that many webs sounds an awful lot like throwing several buckets of paint all over the hull. Still, the end result works well enough. That wall of webbing ought to have no problem lasting for several hours at least, and might even cut back on the unnecessary drag on that side of the shuttle.
And since that's taken away most of his visibility, he'll just...scurry along the ceiling to deliver the good news. Mostly just to make keep any incursion into Pidge's field of view nice and minimal. Though it doesn't stop him from offering a little salute while he's up there.]
Sealed and secure, cap'n! Probably not airtight though, so you're gonna wanna keep the mask on.
[Later she will ask what that means. Now is clearly not the time for it.
She doesn't even really have the time to try to glance back over in his direction and see how he's doing with sealing things up. She's much too busy keeping her focus on the status of the shuttle, and whether or not they'll be able to handle one more boost for good measure. Just as soon as she starts feeling less resistance on the shuttle, she assumes the deed has been done.]
Trust me, I wasn't planning on taking it off.
[Her eyes rake over the instrument panel for the millionth time, making sure that nothing looks to be in a critical state. She finally manages a quick glance over her shoulder to see if anything might be reappearing behind them, and only when she doesn't spot anything does the tension in her shoulders seem to lessen.
She's still not relaxed, though. Not at all.]
Okay, I'm gonna try hitting another boost to really get us clear of the area. Keep an eye out for any weird mist activity if you can. Got it?
[Well, not like he can see too much from in here anyway, may as well just start trying to focus more on the spider-sense. Since, hey, if it worked with a regular sized guy with a fishbowl on his head, it should work with a giant mist monster roughly the size Manhattan, right? Which means for a good solid while, he's nice and quiet- just trying to keep calm and focus on everything around the shuttle. He doesn't even move much once Pidge fires the boosters again, barring a little lurch backward at the initial change in speed, but his grip on the hull keeps him from going anywhere.
The annoying part of it is, he's not sure any of this is actually working. He's not sure if the total absence of any danger vibes is because the monster's actually decided to go after an easier meal, or if he just can't sense the thing until it's already attacking. But after it's been all quiet for several more minutes, he's definitely leaning toward the former]
Y'know, I'm startin' to think we're in the clear...
[Though he will look around the cabin real quick, even scurrying away from the cockpit to check the areas he can't see from the general position of the rearview mirror. Just to play it safe. Or, well, try to. And gripe under his breath.]
Come on seriously? Not even wood paneling? How's a webhead supposed to dodge a jinx in here?
[Between hearing that and no longer feeling like the shuttle is going to shake apart around them, Pidge actually feels comfortable enough to look back over her shoulder at-- Well, where she thought Peter had been standing but apparently isn't. A quick glance around has her eventually finding him... sticking upside down to the ceiling of the cockpit, and that is definitely something she needs to ask about in another minute or so.] What the crow...
[Screw it. She gives herself a quick shake and returns her attention back out the window. They still need to land somewhere that is both safe and close to someplace that will have other shuttles around. Because they're definitely not going to be able to break through the planet's atmosphere with a doorless shuttle.]
Okay. Good. I'm heading back to where it's safe and populated, and then you're gonna tell me what the quiznak you're wearing and how you're sticking to the ceiling.
Oh, that's easy, there's these little tiny hairs called setae with even more tiny hairs called setules and-
[wait hold on a second did she just- she did, she absolutely did just knock the spider-suit. There is a very indignant Peter Parker crawling back across the ceiling toward the cockpit just to protest this grave injustice immediately because that's really his priority right now.
He can have his nerd moment later, right now he is being cruelly and unjustly attacked!!]
Okay, I will totally take the blame for picking a fight for Mr. Tall, Dark & Terrifying, but there is no way Star Command's not hearing from me about how the Green Ranger's throwing shade at the spider-suit.
Wait- You mean like spiders? [She totally latched onto the beginning of that explanation. She may not be an expert an animal biology, but she definitely remembers watching studies of spider behavior in space (just because it was fascinating, okay?!), and some of the intricacies of spider biology just stuck in her brain. To use at this precise moment, apparently.
And Pidge would happily have let that nerd moment continue if Peter hadn't just gone and thrown shade at the paladin armor. She nearly even jumps out of her seat to argue back at him, sending a scowl his way.]
First of all I'm the Green Paladin, not a quiznaking Power Ranger, and second I can't believe you referenced Star Command before Starfleet! [Clearly this is important to her. But anyway-] And dude, that's not a spider-suit. You'd have to have another four limbs before you can go calling it a spider-suit.
Well, you're a little short to be a stormtrooper, and Starfleet's not exactly known for it's armored-up space troopers!
[Pidge can scowl at him all she wants he will defend his suitandhis quippage until the inevitable heat death of the universe.]
And four limbs are just fine thanks! That's why I'm the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, not... the Amazing Spider! Plus I mean, good odds Doc'd sue, he's kinda got the super-scene cornered on extra appendages already...
[He's getting a little sidetracked here, that's...not hard for him to do, all things considered. And of course, also forgetting that it's maybe not in anyone's best interest to backsass the pilot, even if you're in relatively open skies.]
Look, point is, I am totally allowed to call it a spider-suit. And the Green Paladin of the Order of Color-Coded Knights can complain about missing limbs when he has spider-powers!
[Pidge lets out the most scandalized gasp in the universe right at that moment. Not because of his crack at the Color-Coded Knights (what even...) but because he just broke the unspoken nerd code. He is combining his star references and that just ain't gonna fly.] I can't believe you just did that!!
You're way more like a Human Spider-- Wait, did you seriously give yourself a whole alter-ego to go with this get up?!
[At least Pidge remains Pidge, both in and out of armor. Geez.]
And look, you're gonna have to take up the whole color-coded thing with Allura, I didn't choose this! [Yes she does like the color green and that certainly hasn't hurt things, but still.]
And I can't believe you forgot Starfleet's aims are primarily peaceful and scientific, not military.
[It's probably saying a lot about where his priorities are that, as absolutely ridiculous as this entire scenario was, he was all kinds of grateful he could even have this absurd argument with somebody. Even if the timing could have been much, much better.]
And of course I did- what, you think I'm gonna cross every street hood, crime boss, and supervillain in New York as Peter Parker? Just because I can slug it out with the super-psychopaths doesn't mean Aunt May can, and it's not like my school's equipped to deal with revenge-obsessed supervillains. Trust me, that's already been stress tested, it didn't go well.
[He'll avoid joking any more about the color coding though- if anything, it's kind of convenient, and oddly satisfying to think about. It's a very organized way of doing things, plus it means if anybody ever forgets names they can just yell out for a specific color, right?]
...actually, speaking of things that don't go well, please don't go spreading this around, alright? If we really are on some crazy reality show, I cannot risk this getting out and anything happening to Aunt May. Or anyone else back home, for that matter. You can totally brag about saving Puny Parker from some horrible, giant mist monster if you want, just please leave out the superhero thing, okay?
[And that's about the complete summary of her frustration about that.
Pidge has to resist the very strong urge to cover her face with her hands. He's calling himself a superhero. Like in the comics. And to be fair, he does clearly have some form of superhuman powers since he was absolutely sticking to the ceiling and he's shooting spiderweb-like material out of his wrists and really it's all very curious.
Probably about as curious as being a teenager that got dragged into an intergalactic space war and became connected with a giant psychic robotic cat that combines with other giant psychic robotic cats to form an even more giant robotic space warrior.]
Look, first of all, assuming we really are on a reality show, the chances of the broadcast signal bypassing interdimensional or multi-universal lines are astronomically thin. And second of all, again assuming we really are on a reality show, you've probably already been caught on camera like this and had your cover totally blown. But hey, just in case neither of those things are true? Your secret's totally safe with me.
[Even if her tone is very, very dry and borderline sarcastic as she says that.]
I could say the same for whatever they used to kidnap everyone, but hey, here we are. And unless the universe's got way different priorities than Earth? Pretty sure being the puny science nerd is still basically stealth mode. It's easy to just stay under everyone's radar unless I actually want the attention.
[The tone doesn't go unnoticed, but...well, he's going to hope that's just Pidge's way of grudging agreement. Not like he can really do anything to keep Pidge from blabbing, anyway. So he'll just hop down from the ceiling and take a proper seat, since he's not sure exactly how long this flight's gonna take. Plus, still no familiar tingle to announce a surprise attack from their giant friend, so it's not like he has to stay on high alert.
Plus, he really needs the chance to just relax right now. He can already tell that once the adrenaline's totally gone, he's going to be all kinds of sore. Everywhere. So he'll just slump down and try to get as comfy as possible and just...let out a big exhale and try to take a breather.]
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branchandroot
(no subject)
Date: 2018-07-07 04:11 am (UTC)[He'll backseat pilot all he wants thank you very much. And at least Pidge's narrow escape did come as a surprise, which let her build up quite a bit more distance between the shuttle and whatever that thing was. But it is fast when it chooses to be, and it vanishes into the mist to renew the chase- unfortunately, vanishing from any instruments in the process.
Until it took on a solid form again, the only way to track it would be visually- she'd need to keep an eye out for any giant, swirling black mass moving unnaturally fast, or toward the shuttle rather than with the rest of this system's obnoxious excuse for cloud cover.]
Look, I'D do it, but you're on your own 'til you get here!
[Speaking of which...]
You DID say you were close, right?
(no subject)
Date: 2018-07-07 06:52 pm (UTC)[Dammit Pete, shut up while Pidge leans forward again, looking outside of the shuttle cautiously once the instrument panel stops going haywire. She's well aware now that just because the shuttle can't detect it doesn't mean it isn't still out there. Especially since it had literally formed around her from the mist just moments ago.]
I can't see it. It's dispersed or something, I'm gonna have to make a beeline for you.
[Only now does Pidge notice that her comm has fallen from the seat and, very quickly so as not to leave even more of a window for the monster to reappear, she moves to grab it up off the floor and bring it back to the pilot seat with her.]
Quiznak what I wouldn't give to have Green's cloaking on this thing... [With one hand on the controls she checks the comm again, looking for where Peter's signal is coming from.]
Uh- Went a little off-course here, but still close. You'd better be ready for a really fast extraction, man. I'm circling back. [And ready to have to escape by the skin of her teeth again.]
(no subject)
Date: 2018-07-08 01:27 am (UTC)[Despite the arguing, he is definitely very concerned for his friend out there. Pidge asked for a speedy extraction, and that is exactly what Pidge will get. Just...well there were going to be some ground rules.]
...so, fast I can do. That's not gonna be a problem. But I'm gonna need you to promise you're not gonna freak out. And no fancy flying until after I'm onboard, alright?
(no subject)
Date: 2018-07-08 02:28 am (UTC)Of course now he has to go and start talking about things that she's not entirely sure she understands.]
What're you talking about??? I don't care how you do it as long as it means we're out of here as quickly as possible, okay? Just tell me how you want me to get you onboard!
(no subject)
Date: 2018-07-08 02:52 am (UTC)[Okay, gonna just scan the area for anything he can use to get up to a ship that's not scraping the paint on the ground.]
Alright! So, thirty feet, no boosters, come in from the Northeast.
[Wait he's missing a step]
OH! And leave the door unlocked. Please.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-07-08 02:59 am (UTC)[Those have got to be the weirdest pick up instructions she's ever heard in her life, and she works with Lance on a daily basis.
But fine, there's no time to argue it because she's closing in on his signal. She flips some switches on the instrument panel that'll unlock the door, slowing the shuttle down as it swoops in lower to the ground.]
Okay whatever, I'm almost there. This really better be as fast as you think it is, or we're both dead.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-07-08 03:41 am (UTC)[And frankly, once she breaks through the mist that surrounds the island, well...that would have been difficult to swing anyway. There's way more of those claw marks than just the ones he showed in that brief video clip, and entire sections of the island are just gone- at least their giant, misty friend had eaten its fill of something today. And where the ground wasn't torn up or just missing outright, more often than not it was covered in the shattered remains of an untold number of trees, either still rooted in the ground but snapped in half several meters up, or completely fragmented and ready for the saw mill.
Also, some lunatic in a bright red-and blue outfit that'd clearly seen better days, and a facemask missing at least one of its eye lenses. Pulling himself back in a giant slingshot of some kind. At least until he's sent flying through the air, right for the shuttle.]
DON'TFREAKOUTIT'SMEJUSTKEEPFLYINGTHISISFI-
[Aaaand just a fraction of a second before he goes soaring right over the cockpit, he even managed to splatter the upper edge of it with a pair of weblines. Of course, a fraction of a second after that, Newton's Laws of Motion decided to stubbornly and dramatically proclaim they were still relevant even on a planet this ridiculous, and there's a loud bang from the shuttle roof and a pained grunting from over the comm.
Which at least meant Pete was still alive, and would probably also wish to be spared the indignity of being registered as a bird strike in the flight log.]
...THAT...ow...yeah, that worked a lot better with the tanker...
[Don't mind him just. Lying there for a bit. He kind of needed to catch his breath, but at least he was technically onboard? He was definitely on the shuttle, so, it was probably alright for Pidge to make a hasty retreat now.
Advisable even, since that wonderful screeching noise had started up again! Probably because now, the giant nightmare beast didn't have to trouble itself in choosing between two targets!]
(no subject)
Date: 2018-07-08 04:45 am (UTC)Seeing Peter in a worn out, weird-looking red and blue costume of some sort is... Well, it's enough to make her do a hard double-take.]
What in the--
[She has to actually shake her head to snap out of it. No time to linger on that now. Extract her oddly-clad friend from immediate danger and ask questions once they're safe. Pidge focuses on getting the shuttle low enough for him to reach (a quick mental calculation tells her whereabouts she should get to it, assuming certain laws of physics still apply), and then holding it level and at a steady speed to make it work.
She'll worry about what to do if they somehow miss each other when it happens. Hopefully her reflexes have been honed enough by now that she'll be able to react in time.
Fortunately she ends up not having to-- or something. Though she initially has a moment of panic when he doesn't hit the side of the shuttle the way she'd expected him to, the loud BANG from the roof and the pained groan of the comm tells her things have worked out. She lets out a little sigh of relief.]
Great. Now get in here before--
[And that's when she hears the screeching. Her face falls.]
Oh, quiznak.
[She's back to revving the shuttle up to hit full speed.] Either get in NOW or hang on tight!! This is about to get rough!
[That's about all the warning she gives. The shuttle quickly starts picking up speed as it makes for its escape, swooping upward to clear the misty area. The side door of the shuttle is still unlocked so Pete can climb in if he can. Ideally he'd be inside before she has to hit the boosters.]
(no subject)
Date: 2018-07-08 05:59 am (UTC)[He doesn't need to be told twice. Or at all, really- that screeching's been a harbinger of horrible, horrible things for the past half hour or so. He's already scrambling- as best he can, anyway- over the shuttle's hull to reach the hatch, and breathes a sigh of relief when he discovers Pidge had made sure it was unlocked like he'd asked. And for better or worse, he looked behind the shuttle right just before closing the hatch, and did not like what he saw.
That thing has formed up behind them already, swimming through the mists after them and closing the distance between it and the tiny shuttle with far more speed than anything that size should be capable of. It had also learned from it's previous attempt at just swallowing the whole thing whole, and decided a new approach was called for. Now, it stretched out one of those impossibly elongated arms to try and swat the tiny ship from the sky, rather than trying to swallow it outright. And since it had to solidify in order to do so, Pidge's instruments would probably start screaming for attention again, but there was also another warning system aboard the ship now.]
Pidge, get this thing moving! That thing's not waving at us!
(no subject)
Date: 2018-07-09 10:33 pm (UTC)[Because then she really is diverting everything the shuttle has to its engines, activating the booster on the fuel line to really get some distance between them and the creepy giant monster that wants them dead. With any luck the burst of speed will last long enough to make it happen.
Though knowing their luck... It's more of a gamble than Pidge is honestly comfortable with.]
Keep an eye on that thing! If it suddenly gets faster or disperses to get ahead of us, I really need to know!
(no subject)
Date: 2018-07-10 08:55 pm (UTC)Pete very nearly followed after it, but managed to grab hold of the frame as he tumbled out, and flung himself back inside where it was (mostly???) safe, clinging onto the opposite wall for dear life.]
HANGING! Definitely hanging!
[Assuming they live through this, he's going to have to make it a point to figure out how someone even smaller than he is has a lead foot that massive. But only once there's no risk of being thrown out of the shuttle, especially now that the door's- oh, right.]
So, also worth knowing-
[He does have to pause for a moment as the shuttle hits another nasty patch of turbulence- if only because Pidge's gamble paid off, and that bit of shuddering was entirely due to the massive hand swiping through the air just behind the engines.
The extra speed seems to be keeping them safe for now, but that all likely depends on just how long Pidge can keep it up.]
-that helmet come with a mask? 'Cause that's gonna be important soon. Real soon.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-07-10 09:20 pm (UTC)So when she hears Peter ask about whether or not her helmet can also function as a mask, it throws her off for just a second. She turns briefly to give him a very odd look, only to activate the lower half of the helmet so that it covers the entirety of her head.]
Obviously yes, but what the heck are you talking about?! [It hasn't even occurred to her that the mist itself might be a problem she needs to deal with, after all.] Don't tell me the air out there is poisonous!!
(no subject)
Date: 2018-07-11 07:22 am (UTC)[Pidge what the heck even do you even do that makes that kind of headgear necessary? Or that suit?! It's something to ask later, at any rate. When they're not trying desperately to not die. Which, silver lining, Pidge is definitely continuing to do a stellar job at. In less reassuring news, though...]
Oh, no, air's fine, it's that mist stuff you gotta worry about. Apparently it makes you go crazy.
[Which is only half the answer he needs to give, and Pete's a little reluctant to bring up the next part.]
Also, uh...well, let's just focus on the positives, and say this thing's got much better ventilation now. And, hey, visibility's better too!
[Which is a much, much nicer way of saying "the shuttle door is attempt an emergency landing, and the aerodynamics have definitely suffered a downgrade."]
(no subject)
Date: 2018-07-14 06:32 am (UTC)This is definitely not one of her better days.]
Pete, you really need to think of some way to seal up the hole where the door should be because if I end up having to make a crazy dodging maneuver, I can't also be worrying about whether or not you get thrown back out there!
(no subject)
Date: 2018-07-15 10:47 am (UTC)[Seeing as how he's definitely kept his footing under far worse circumstances. But hey, her ship, her rules. And he's still got a couple spare web cartridges left, so burning through a little extra web fluid shouldn't be too bad. Plus, it's been all quiet for a while now- well, chorus of alarms coming from Pidge's panels notwithstanding- so he'll do as she says and seal the exit.
Not particularly quietly though, since slinging that many webs sounds an awful lot like throwing several buckets of paint all over the hull. Still, the end result works well enough. That wall of webbing ought to have no problem lasting for several hours at least, and might even cut back on the unnecessary drag on that side of the shuttle.
And since that's taken away most of his visibility, he'll just...scurry along the ceiling to deliver the good news. Mostly just to make keep any incursion into Pidge's field of view nice and minimal. Though it doesn't stop him from offering a little salute while he's up there.]
Sealed and secure, cap'n! Probably not airtight though, so you're gonna wanna keep the mask on.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-07-19 12:06 am (UTC)She doesn't even really have the time to try to glance back over in his direction and see how he's doing with sealing things up. She's much too busy keeping her focus on the status of the shuttle, and whether or not they'll be able to handle one more boost for good measure. Just as soon as she starts feeling less resistance on the shuttle, she assumes the deed has been done.]
Trust me, I wasn't planning on taking it off.
[Her eyes rake over the instrument panel for the millionth time, making sure that nothing looks to be in a critical state. She finally manages a quick glance over her shoulder to see if anything might be reappearing behind them, and only when she doesn't spot anything does the tension in her shoulders seem to lessen.
She's still not relaxed, though. Not at all.]
Okay, I'm gonna try hitting another boost to really get us clear of the area. Keep an eye out for any weird mist activity if you can. Got it?
(no subject)
Date: 2018-07-22 09:28 pm (UTC)The annoying part of it is, he's not sure any of this is actually working. He's not sure if the total absence of any danger vibes is because the monster's actually decided to go after an easier meal, or if he just can't sense the thing until it's already attacking. But after it's been all quiet for several more minutes, he's definitely leaning toward the former]
Y'know, I'm startin' to think we're in the clear...
[Though he will look around the cabin real quick, even scurrying away from the cockpit to check the areas he can't see from the general position of the rearview mirror. Just to play it safe. Or, well, try to. And gripe under his breath.]
Come on seriously? Not even wood paneling? How's a webhead supposed to dodge a jinx in here?
(no subject)
Date: 2018-07-23 04:38 am (UTC)[Between hearing that and no longer feeling like the shuttle is going to shake apart around them, Pidge actually feels comfortable enough to look back over her shoulder at-- Well, where she thought Peter had been standing but apparently isn't. A quick glance around has her eventually finding him... sticking upside down to the ceiling of the cockpit, and that is definitely something she needs to ask about in another minute or so.] What the crow...
[Screw it. She gives herself a quick shake and returns her attention back out the window. They still need to land somewhere that is both safe and close to someplace that will have other shuttles around. Because they're definitely not going to be able to break through the planet's atmosphere with a doorless shuttle.]
Okay. Good. I'm heading back to where it's safe and populated, and then you're gonna tell me what the quiznak you're wearing and how you're sticking to the ceiling.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-07-23 05:00 am (UTC)[wait hold on a second did she just- she did, she absolutely did just knock the spider-suit. There is a very indignant Peter Parker crawling back across the ceiling toward the cockpit just to protest this grave injustice immediately because that's really his priority right now.
He can have his nerd moment later, right now he is being cruelly and unjustly attacked!!]
Okay, I will totally take the blame for picking a fight for Mr. Tall, Dark & Terrifying, but there is no way Star Command's not hearing from me about how the Green Ranger's throwing shade at the spider-suit.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-07-23 05:58 am (UTC)And Pidge would happily have let that nerd moment continue if Peter hadn't just gone and thrown shade at the paladin armor. She nearly even jumps out of her seat to argue back at him, sending a scowl his way.]
First of all I'm the Green Paladin, not a quiznaking Power Ranger, and second I can't believe you referenced Star Command before Starfleet! [Clearly this is important to her. But anyway-] And dude, that's not a spider-suit. You'd have to have another four limbs before you can go calling it a spider-suit.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-07-23 06:52 am (UTC)[Pidge can scowl at him all she wants he will defend his suit and his quippage until the inevitable heat death of the universe.]
And four limbs are just fine thanks! That's why I'm the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, not... the Amazing Spider! Plus I mean, good odds Doc'd sue, he's kinda got the super-scene cornered on extra appendages already...
[He's getting a little sidetracked here, that's...not hard for him to do, all things considered. And of course, also forgetting that it's maybe not in anyone's best interest to backsass the pilot, even if you're in relatively open skies.]
Look, point is, I am totally allowed to call it a spider-suit. And the Green Paladin of the Order of Color-Coded Knights can complain about missing limbs when he has spider-powers!
(no subject)
Date: 2018-08-14 04:31 am (UTC)You're way more like a Human Spider-- Wait, did you seriously give yourself a whole alter-ego to go with this get up?!
[At least Pidge remains Pidge, both in and out of armor. Geez.]
And look, you're gonna have to take up the whole color-coded thing with Allura, I didn't choose this! [Yes she does like the color green and that certainly hasn't hurt things, but still.]
(no subject)
Date: 2018-08-14 07:25 am (UTC)[It's probably saying a lot about where his priorities are that, as absolutely ridiculous as this entire scenario was, he was all kinds of grateful he could even have this absurd argument with somebody. Even if the timing could have been much, much better.]
And of course I did- what, you think I'm gonna cross every street hood, crime boss, and supervillain in New York as Peter Parker? Just because I can slug it out with the super-psychopaths doesn't mean Aunt May can, and it's not like my school's equipped to deal with revenge-obsessed supervillains. Trust me, that's already been stress tested, it didn't go well.
[He'll avoid joking any more about the color coding though- if anything, it's kind of convenient, and oddly satisfying to think about. It's a very organized way of doing things, plus it means if anybody ever forgets names they can just yell out for a specific color, right?]
...actually, speaking of things that don't go well, please don't go spreading this around, alright? If we really are on some crazy reality show, I cannot risk this getting out and anything happening to Aunt May. Or anyone else back home, for that matter. You can totally brag about saving Puny Parker from some horrible, giant mist monster if you want, just please leave out the superhero thing, okay?
(no subject)
Date: 2018-08-17 06:32 am (UTC)[And that's about the complete summary of her frustration about that.
Pidge has to resist the very strong urge to cover her face with her hands. He's calling himself a superhero. Like in the comics. And to be fair, he does clearly have some form of superhuman powers since he was absolutely sticking to the ceiling and he's shooting spiderweb-like material out of his wrists and really it's all very curious.
Probably about as curious as being a teenager that got dragged into an intergalactic space war and became connected with a giant psychic robotic cat that combines with other giant psychic robotic cats to form an even more giant robotic space warrior.]
Look, first of all, assuming we really are on a reality show, the chances of the broadcast signal bypassing interdimensional or multi-universal lines are astronomically thin. And second of all, again assuming we really are on a reality show, you've probably already been caught on camera like this and had your cover totally blown. But hey, just in case neither of those things are true? Your secret's totally safe with me.
[Even if her tone is very, very dry and borderline sarcastic as she says that.]
(no subject)
Date: 2018-08-20 05:40 am (UTC)[The tone doesn't go unnoticed, but...well, he's going to hope that's just Pidge's way of grudging agreement. Not like he can really do anything to keep Pidge from blabbing, anyway. So he'll just hop down from the ceiling and take a proper seat, since he's not sure exactly how long this flight's gonna take. Plus, still no familiar tingle to announce a surprise attack from their giant friend, so it's not like he has to stay on high alert.
Plus, he really needs the chance to just relax right now. He can already tell that once the adrenaline's totally gone, he's going to be all kinds of sore. Everywhere. So he'll just slump down and try to get as comfy as possible and just...let out a big exhale and try to take a breather.]
But, thanks. For the save, too. I owe you one.