The Galactic Coalition guards standing outside the [i]Infamous Alto's[/i] air-sealed cargo hold appeared bewildered when what seemed to be a AISC came walking down the ramp. Orderly instincts demanded a salute or a sudden stand at attention upon the presence of a CO or an higher ranking elite solider but the individual coming down wore a toned down version of the iconic AISC attire. Most of the armor had been stripped down from the main NVP suit with only the secondary plates at the only external protection and much of the other utility devices had been overhauled too with only the iconic jetpack and booster nodes remaining attached. Upon their HUDs was a IFF digital signature highlighted over the not-AISC's head, listing the individual as a non-combatant with the header reading [i]Cpt. Rayland Sul'tari[/i].

"Sir!" one of the men snapped frantically to attention upon the AISC's identity. Though it was respectful gesture, he had little reason to do so since he didn't answer to the Captain. It was clear he was the less firm of his squad in terms of will with his action response empty of thought.

The other guard rolled his eyes behind his thick visor and merely gave a salute. The infantry man wore a white striped pattern over his helm, signifying his command of the the squad, "Afternoon, Captain Sul'tari. The perimeter is secure...If that is what you're here to confirm...Anything we can help you with?"

Rayland stopped at the edge of the ramp facing the soldiers as they "greeted" him. "Ah, no. I should be fine, thank you. I was actually going to look around for a bit. Probably stroll around one of those facilities up there and make sure my ship is in safe hands...If that is okay with you gentleman."

The squad simply stared at at one another, deducing if the Captain had been actually serious or was just being sarcastic. Of course, they were leaning towards the latter with annoyed expressions developing behind their armored masks. Standing guard on a hostile world with little protection and with such confined spaces and poisonous atmosphere around them was about enough they could deal with; adding the Captain's bull wasn't helping.

"That...Should be fine, Captain. But if you're going to be walking out here, at least take one of my men with you just as a precaution." 

"I'm grateful for the offer, Sergeant. But I can take care of my self. Besides, I need to air out the vents of this thing!" Rayland said with enthusiasm as his NVP suit's jetpack started to whine as the boosters slowly glowed to life. 

"Err-Wait, Captain Sul'tari. That wasn't an offer. We haven't-

"See ya guys on the flip-side! I shouldn't be long!" 

In an instant, Rayland shot upward as his suit's miniature thrusters roared, firing intense momentum behind and below him until he reached one of the balconies overlooking the ship.

-thoroughly patrolled those sectors yet..." the sergeant ended his sentence in disbelief, frustration nagging at him over the Captain's stubbornness. "...What fuck just happened?"

The rest of the squad decided not to give any inputs on the event that transpired.

===

The facility Rayland had landed into appeared to be one of several maintenance sections within the starship pen. Looking around, he could see within roughly a month or so, the place and the multiple terminals and equipment was claimed by layers of dust due to lack of any facilities maintenance and the severe climate changes. Data slabs and other sensitive gadgets lay sprawled out on the floor in a untidy manner. Given the reports made by the AISCs, it seemed evident that everyone here left in a hurry. Classified reports meant for his eyes only confirmed traces of fighting and blood in some areas, concluding that a battle or worse, a massacre had taken place. Thankfully though to his mind, this area was void of any resemblance of struggle; but the fear was still present.

Picking up one of the tablets covered in powdery debris, Rayland attempted to activate the long abandoned device. Most slabs would have instantly the moment someone had touched it though this particular unit appeared to struggle with its holographic screen flickering repeatedly. It was no surprise to him that changing environment had tampered with the more fragile equipment as seconds later, the tablet in his hands simply gave out, powering down into its dormant state once more. Most of the IT and technical engineers that boarded his ship were still investigating and restoring the lower levels; it would take some time before they make it up here and give this place the same justice.

Making his way to a surveying catwalk, the Captain was able to grasp a much finer view of his ship resting at the bottom of this starship bay. He could see some of the logistical support crews and patrols scattered everywhere, even the soldiers from before whom he was sure to have pissed off just so he could venture out here by himself. It was irresponsible of him to have abandoned his duties and he knew that Towan was going to "scold" him for doing so. Though what the VI lacked in personality, made up in thoroughness and could easily write a novel on a single task. Feeling bad wasn't what Rayland was afraid of; dying of boredom was. But if he was going to act like a responsible captain, he needed to get something off his mind. He needed to find his "Ghost".

Roughly a half an hour had past with nothing to really settle his investigation. Every area he cleared was the same as the last; dust, abandoned computers, decayed and shattered glass, equipment all over the floor. The pattern never ceased from the annoyingly repetitive trend. However, there was station he had yet to check; the facilitating facing the starboard-side of his ship, his quarters. The room he remembered being almost claimed by shadow and his first encounter with the apparition.

Looking the sector wasn't that hard but getting into it however was as Rayland fought with a barely half-opened door, trying to forcefully slide it into its retracted state. Thanks to his mandatory modifications he acquired in service with the AISCs, he eventually brute forced the door into its own wall with the tearing and shearing of metal reverberating around the floor. The sudden shriek of metallic materials grinding aginst the other made Rayland flinch and look around as if anyone one heard the loud noise.

Upon stepping into the room, Rayland quickly re-evaluated how [i]dark[/i] the place really was as the entire room was filled with dust, much more than the areas he investigated. In fact, much of it had filled the air around him...An odd find considering no one but him had visited this place. Was he not the first? Contributing to the lack of, most of the shudders to what he saw outside had either been closed or partially lowered, reducing the already inadequate amount of light that could enter inward. Rayland's HUD quickly adapted to this fact and altered the image he was seeing, lighting up the outlines and corners in neon green, allowing him to see past the almost murky room.

Just a few steps forward and something caught his NVP suit's sensors as blip briefly popped up on his radar. He could also see the glimpse of the anomaly as something scurried ahead of him in to the darkness. Though he was excited that he was not crazy deep down, he was also becoming terrified that he may not be the only one here. He knew that the situation was escalating against him and by procedure he needed to report in for assistance his mind remained focused on the specter that was here with him as slowly reached down to his weapon holster, feeling that he was going to need his gun in a moment. Sure enough, the moment came as he turned to look around him only to be facing eye to eye with the phantom figure from before.

The scene appeared awkward as both him and the ebony figure stared at on another, frozen in place and unmoving. Fear gripped Rayland as he gazed straight into the white illuminated eyes of the figure before him. To top off the tension, his suit's sensors had fully verified that there was another life-form in the room with him with the blip strangely phasing in and out on his radar. But he had no time to worry about that, especially when the phantom suddenly lunged at him. In quick reflexes, Rayland pulled his Sub-Repeater out and took aim as the attacking entity caused to him to fall backwards and collide into one of the terminals behind him.

Raylands eyes darted as he tried to visually identify his attacker. In the background however, all the shudders began to retracted, lighting up the room as they folded back. He quickly theorized that he may have accidentally toggled the shudder controls for the room. Convenient as the place didn't have any power though he did read up upon a report about that mentioned restoring said power to most of the facilities. While lucky as that may have seemed, Rayland was still picking up something still in the room with him. Once the last shudder retracted behind him, so did he find that something as whatever it was casted a large organic shaped shadow over him as he could visually indicate on the partially now illuminated floor. It would-be attacker was right behind him.

"Oh. Shit." said Rayland as he turned around to see a single red glowing eye glaring right at him.

The sound of automatic gunfire soon echoed throughout the ship bay.

===

The local disturbance had not gone unnoticed as the soldiers guarding the vulnerable Infamous Alto outside were the first to address the sudden situation change as an unidentified blip appeared on local sensors and apparently had engaged a friendly. A detachment had quickly assembled and rushed to the source of the conventional anomoly while engineers close by had been evacuated to safer location until things were resolved. Towan, now notified about the possible threat quickly decreed a ship-wide order.

[color=fff200][i][b]"All crewman. Infamous Alto now entering Yellow Alert status. Repeat, Infamous Alto now entering Yellow Alert status. Security details are to intensify presence in all ship-wide sectors. Non-combatants are to remain to their assigned posts until advised...Weapon restrictions have been lifted." [/b][/i][/color]