6315 réponses à ce sujet

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

"Too bad Tallis isn't here. She'd be able to do that with her barrier from this height," Iole said. "I don't know about Jenus."

 

"Yeah, well it's a cinch you can't," Jenus said.

 

"I didn't say I could," Iole said. "But it wouldn't hurt for you to be down there to catch him."

 

Naleena walked toward the cliff and looked over. She could hear the stream in the distance. Birds were singing in the trees, and insects made noises as they flew through the air. A large reptile-like creature with black and orange markings was sunning itself on a rock near the stream. Obviously something not worried about being seen.

 

She pointed it out to the others. "Do you see that creature on the rock? Be careful. There may be more of them. Jenus, Iole, and I will go down first. We can at least make sure no one gets hurt if they fall. Vayne you're last. I don't know if that rope will hold you."

[Cknarf]

Frank had gone prone, in order to get a peek over the edge.  He wasn't about to stand anywhere near the drop off.

 

"Jesus Christ, would you look at that big bastard?"  He said, using his scope to get a close up of the creature. "We should probably shoot this Godzilla lookin' sumbitch while we got the chance." He looked up from his scope. "Your call, Boss."

[Cainhurst Crow]

Vayne looked over the cliff face to the drop below, "I've had worse falls. If it doesn't, I'll live at least." He said with a grim confidence, sure his armor would protect his vital organs from the kinetic energy of the drop...hopefully. "You sure you don't want to snipe that thing from here? Your guns big enough to kill it...probably." Vayne suggested, taking a guess at the situation.

 

"Let us hope the rope holds, Kavadar. It would be unwise to split our team up more, having to watch over a wounded comrade." Essul commented to the krogan as vayne glared to the batarian, "I can just let go when you go down, you know?"

 

Essul, rather then responding, turned to look to faed, "If you'd like, you can hold onto me from behind during our descent. Rappelling is dangerous enough without your peoples...condition, to consider." Essul said, trying to be careful in how he phrased his concerns for the quarian who could die should his armor get damaged.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

"Vayne, we can soften your fall with our barriers," Naleena said.

 

"At least Tallis could if she was here," Iole interjected.

 

"Will you shut the f*** up," Jenus said.

 

Naleena looked at that creature. "Really? You want that creature dead?" she shook her head and unslung her Black Widow, got down on one knee, aimed, and just as she was about to squeeze the trigger it moved off the rock into the water. "Well, there went dinner. He must have heard your stomachs growling."

[Cainhurst Crow]

"Too bad, it was in the perfect spot to." Vayne commented with as he watched the giant lizard slip into the water and out of view, "So, which one of you three's dropping first?" He asked as he looked to the three asari.

[Cknarf]

"Hey Boss, do asari get..." Frank began, before stopping himself. He decided that now was probably not the best time for questions regarding asari biology. "Never mind."

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

The scaling of the cliff went without trouble. Irina led them down the bank of the stream, and continued for another hour.

 

They found the source of the signal. It was the crash site of a Kodiak shuttle with a strange unidentifiable marking on the side.

 

“The shuttle’s trashed, but there’s no corpse inside or remains,” Irina said. “There is dried blood. Whoever was in this survived and is around somewhere.”

 

“That’s Drell blood.” Naleena said.

 

Vayne had been poking around. “Looks like some foot prints over here,” he said. “Human sized, and like someone was limping.”

 

“No sign of any relic either,” Faed said. “He must have taken it with him.”

 

“He couldn’t have gotten far,” Jenus said. “I say we take five, and start searching.”

 

Naleena looked at the group, and they needed to catch their breath. “Alright. Take five,” she said and relit her cigar.

 

Vayne took out a pouch filled with some Kodagu he brought from the ship for lunch and started shoving it under people’s noses in case they wanted some. Everyone refused. “What? Bunch of slack jaw ****** around here. Why this stuff will make you into a sexual kakliosaurus. Just like me.”

 

Iole held up her  Hellbringer. “Strap this to your sore ass, Vayne.”

 

Vayne laughed.

 

Naleena saw enough time had passed. “Alright let’s move out. Irina, take point and follow those tracks”

 

Irina stayed ahead of the group following the meandering path of the footsteps through the jungle. Suddenly she stopped, and motioned for everyone to stop. She noticed blood splattered all over the surrounding area. A strange relic was on the floor of the jungle emitting a bluish glow. She picked it up.

[Redbelle]

...on the Citadel

The loaders had gotten to the location indicated by Anika, but Molly confirmed with Dogger that they stop before they got to the location and convinced him to let her out to scout ahead.  Surroundings indicated a typical industrial area, and certainly no loader, or person in drab raincoat, raised any signs of something unusual about to occur.  Both loaders were 'around the corner' so to speak, though they could fly up and over, as opposed to just around the building they were parked at.

Molly got to the edge of the building where she could get a view of the warehouse and guards outside it.  She gave it a quick assessment, before getting back into the cab with Dogger and updating him on the situation.

 

Dogger was outside the load lifter, leaning up against it's frame as he listened to Molly. "Hmmm". He grunted now and then as she rattled off what she saw. "Alright.... I say we go in now. Anika's a good head on them shoulders, but if the Cap'n is right and these people are well organized then when she trips an alarm, she'll be boxed in and ground down.....". He shrugged. "Maybe not the smartest play, but we're here. She's here somewhere. And if we act fast we have a chance to catch those Armature's she told us bout in a powered down state. Assuming they are powered down.... if not.... well..... no sense delaying. Frontal assault it is".

 

Dogger grinned, staring off slightly at the prospect of causing some trouble.

[Kel Riever]

...on the Citadel

Click. Jingle. Click. Jingle.

The two sentries in front of Warehouse 4-53-13 heard the woman in pink coming before they saw her round the corner.  Both raised their eyebrows, but one smiled and one frowned.

"Hey, lady, you look lost," said Smiles, "You need some directions or something?"

Frowns mumbled to Smiles, "Cut it out, we have a job to do. Yeli..."

"Howdy," The woman in pink with a Stetson warmly greeted, interrupting Frowns.  "As a matter of fact, I sure could use some help."

"Look at that," Smiles said to Frowns, "She's a working woman.  Or sure as hell should be.  Nobody's slacking off, just setting up something maybe for later.  What else are you going to spend that paycheck on?"

Frowns put his rifle in both hands, though kept the barrel down and to the side.  "Lady, you don't belong here and if you want directions, you can find or link into Avina."

Miss Priss twirled her brown hair, grinned, and pushed her hat up so her face could be seen fully.  "You know that thing never has exactly what you want.  Besides, I may be ahead of myself but I often find such strong men willing to help a person such as myself.  Darlin's don't tell me I'm wrong."

"You are," Frowns guffed.

"You aren't," Smiles welcomed.

Frowns was unhappy, but also not threatened.  He had to work with Smiles and chalked it up to the sooner this was over, the better, and he'd do his best to hurry it along.  Besides, while Smiles was giving into his base desires, Frowns would keep an eye out.  And if they got caught?  Well, he'd have a good excuse for that.  

Miss Priss' hips bumped from side to side as she came up to Smiles.  "Here's the story, darlin', I got this message from a friend of mine, said to meet me here, or someplace close to here.  But I rightly don't even know where here is, you know what I mean?"

"I think I do," replied Smiles.

"Well, darlin', that's good because life can be predictable..."

"No kidding," Frowns interjected.

"...and predictable might be boring, but can be very, very useful.  Such as, for example, having proper directions..."

"Oh, I can give proper directions," said smiles, "Maybe we can..."

"Hush, darlin', let me finish.  And look at me now."  Miss Priss leaned in sideways to Smiles and pressed against his arm.  He went along with Priss, keeping his rifle held in his far arm while focusing on her and putting his other arm around her shoulders.  She continued as she cooed, "Predictable can be good with men and their needs.  Which can make a lady very, very happy."

Frowns was getting agitated, "Look lady, we've got a job to do so why don't you get your directions and move along."

Priss gently held Smiles' chin with her thumb and forefinger.  "Oh, darlin', I ain't gettin' directions.  I'm givin' them."  She then said to Smiles, "Your friend is all about havin' a job to do, and I gotta say, I understand what he means.  Let's show him what he looks like."  Miss Priss turned Smile's face, and her own face, towards Frowns, before dropping the fingers on Smiles' chin.  Then Miss Priss made a frownie face, just like Frowns had.

Smiles didn't, though.  Instead he lost his smiles and opened his mouth in surprise as he saw a woman behind Frowns in a drab raincoat, bringing the butt of a heavy pistol down on his skull.

Smiles, now Surprised, jumped up and was about to bring up his gun when he felt a barrel being shoved into his cheek.  His widened eyes slid sideways to see a pink holdout pistol pressed against him.

Miss Priss gave smiles a long lashed, exaggerated wink.  "Say, 'A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do', darlin'."

Surprised got as far as, "A girl's gotta," before Molly Hagen clocked him in the head and knocked him out cold.

Priss and Molly stood above the unconscious guards.  "I ain't friendly to police work in general, but you may make a fan of me yet," Miss Priss said to the detective.

"Quick.  Efficient.  Is there some other way to do it?"

Miss Priss squatted over the men on the ground and examined them curiously.  "I dare say, for making sure something gets done, sloppy has its merits."  Miss Priss then gave a reassuring blow to each of the guards' heads with the butt of her own gun.

 

[Cknarf]

“Neat.” Frank peered at the object from over Irina’s shoulder, before quickly losing interest.

 

“Well, that’s outta the way.” He shrugged. “Guess we should start lookin’ for what’s his name then, huh?” He toed at a bloody patch of foliage. “Or what’s left of him, anyways. Blood all over the goddamn place..."

[Cainhurst Crow]

"That does not bode well..." Essul said as he looked towards all the blood, curious if there was any sign of gore. If an animal had attacked, it probably wouldn't have left a site picked clean. If not, the drell could still be alive somewhere.

 

Vaynes eye was fixed on the relic Irina picked up, "Maybe it's just me, but I don't think relics are suppose to glow like that." He said, not wanting to hold the old and glowing relic or have it come near him.

[Redbelle]

Dogger peaked out from the alcove he'd hidden himself in. Rifle in hand, he'd tried to stay out of sight while being ready incase the ladies found themselves in a tough spot. As it turned out, he needn't have worried.

 

"Dem girls a dime". He muttered to himself as he waved to them before calling the boys. "Front's clear. Bring in those Loaders. Quiet like and back from the doors".

 

"Jolly good"! Came Coco's voice. Dogger shook his head as he stowed his comm and leaned out to keep an eye on the doors. Ten minutes later he heard the whine of the loaders overhead and looked up to see them sliding through the roof access opening one by one. He hated to admit it, but those lads knew how to drive. The loader's engines were low in revs and the thrust and grav sleds output seemed only just enough to keep them in a controlled state of descent as they slid in, and then backed up away from the doors.

 

*Beep*

 

*Beep*

 

*Beep*

 

*Beep*

 

*Beep*

 

*Beep*

 

Dogger's heart leapt into his mouth as the Loader's reverse warning alerts disturbed the silence in the enclosed space. "F***. F***. F***ity. F***"!

 

At the back of his mind, Dogger knew he'd be talking to Sherie about his choice of language again.... Assuming they got through this one.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Eingana - Jungle Trek (linky)

 

The vegetation in front of Irina had been broken where two had tumbled. Irina pushed it aside and found one of those black and orange reptiles laying dead on the ground. "Well, apparently our Drell had enough in him to put a couple of rounds through its head, but he's bleeding and leaving a trail. He probably doesn't know he dropped the relic."

 

"Let's follow the blood," Naleena said. "Maybe we can still help him if we get to him in time."

 

They continued following the trail and found a spot where it looked like a pool of blood had soaked into the ground in an opening, but no body.

 

"Over here!" Irina said. She stood looking at the ground. "Bi-pedal footprints. It looks like our Drell was dragged. And here's a trail. We are not alone." Irina drew her shotgun and handed the relic to Naleena

 

The glow had been getting stronger. "We're apparently heading in the right direction, though. Stay frosty," Naleena said. "We'll continue following the stream. It looks like a tributary is joining it up ahead. I haven't seen anywhere to cross yet."

 

"These prints don't match any race I know," Jenus said.

 

Naleena sighed. "So what do we have: an empty crash site; a planet that seems to down every ship that enters its atmosphere; and an unknown bipedal species. How advanced are the bipeds? Irina, are they wearing boots?"

 

"No."

 

"Primitives. That answers that question," Naleena said.

 

Irina motioned to Iole. "Over here."

 

Iole walked over. "What is it?"

 

"Turn around." Irina said. Iole complied, and Irina took out her hunting knife. There was a large scorpion-like creature on Iole's back. Irina stabbed it, and Iole felt the tip in her shoulder and quickly turned around.

 

"What the fu..?" Iole said then noticed the creature embedded on the blade. "Uh, thanks."

 

"Anytime," Irina replied.

 

"Let's move out!"

 

The team continued following the trail through the thick broad-leafed vegetation rainforest. Periodically a flock of birds would get flushed out. Primate creatures scurried through the tree tops and on occasion lobbed a biotic attack at one another if there was a squabble over food or territory, but for the most part they left the team alone, apparently used to bipeds coming and going down this path. The trail turned to the left and wound around a bit and then turned to the right again, and there was a rope bridge across the canyon over a waterfall. The bridge was about 20 meters long.

 

"I know. I know. I'm last." Vayne said.

 

"I have an idea," Jenus said then turned to Naleena. "You throw Vayne I'll get on the other side and catch him mid flight and pull him over with my biotics."

 

"You're crazy Jenus." Irina said.

 

"Red, it's the only way. The bridge can't hold him." Jenus said.

 

"She's right," Naleena said. "Everyone get across now. I'll stay behind, and fasten the rope around my waist. Make sure it's secured on the other side, because if this fails that might be my only way across."

[Kel Riever]

"Ready to fly?" Iole said to Vayne.  Then she tilted her head and poked fun lightly at Frank.  "Take lessons from him.  He does it pretty well, as long as the direction is down."

Jenus was working her way along the bridge.  Iole followed suit.  Irina was ahead of them nearing the other side.

As the two Commandos got to the middle of the bridge, Jenus said, "Hey, I remember when you took missions seriously, and didn't bat a lash at the people you slept with while you were on the job."

That comment pretty much pushed the exactly wrong button with Iole.  "What the f**k do you know about anything, Jenus?"  Her whisper was sharp, and despite being quiet enough for only Jenus to hear, it had the quality of a rusty blade ripping through flesh.

Jenus looked over her shoulder with a cool glare.  "I know what's up with you and Frank.  Caught a glimpse of you two going into the Scythe for 'routine maintenance'.  Irina does her thing to me sometimes, but you don't see me flinching if she slaps my ass, do you?"

A blue biotic shimmer emanated from Iole.  It was the typical field of an agitated biotic.  However, if someone was paying attention, for Iole (a generally weak asari biotic), that was the equivalent of an explosion of energy.  She'd never so close to a full out flare in her life.  "Among your amazing abilities, does that include seeing through walls?  Because if you could, you'd see that nothing happened on that shuttle."

"Varren s**t," Jenus shot back, her own voice low but hard. "I don't have to see through walls to know what's going on between you two.  So tell me, Iole, is he more man under that suit of heavy armor that looks too big for him to wear?"

"You f**king *ssh*le..."

"That's what I mean.  Easily distracted.  Easily thrown off.  I should have brought Ereba along.  That maiden's got a set on her chest, I can tell from just meeting her.  You, you need work, Goldie."

Energy now flowed off Iole like blue vapor.  She fought to calm herself, fought with every fiber she had to bring her anger down.  She's just a stupid grunt.  She punch her way through a reactor wall until it exposed the core and killed her.  You can't let her get to you, Iole told herself.  But Jenus had, and though the outward display of biotic energy began to fade, Iole's golden eyes were seething.
 

[Cknarf]

Frank shakily brought up the rear, taking careful, deliberate steps, occasionally looking up to check his progress. The last time, he caught a little glimpse of that pissed off biotic aura.

 

Here we go.

 

"I don't know what's goin' on up there, but ya'll seriously need to chill the f*** out." He snapped over comms. "Seriously. If I fall off this rickety piece of sh*t because of a goddamn pissin' contest, I swear to God, the Goddess, the Spirits, and the Ancestors, I will f*cking haunt you."

[Kel Riever]

...on the Citadel

Molly used a Security ID key on one of the knocked out guard to unlock the door they had stood in front of.  The beeping was bound to attract the absolutely wrong kind of attention, and Dogger, appeared, moving up quickly to join either the loaders or the two women.  With a nod giving only enough time for Miss Priss to get set, Molly flung the sliding door open wide with the push of a panel button.

Inside, there were stacks of crates and workers moving about, still not quite figuring out what the sound outside had been.  It was too late to fool everyone, though, as a glance showed two heavily armed guards heading to the opened door.

"Let's go," Molly said to Priss, and slipped inside the door.

"Bottoms up!"  Miss Priss slipped inside next. 

Each woman ran to the crates immediately to the left and right of them, giving them cover from the greater warehouse inside.  They spun to check the alley running along the wall where the door was, then spun back to peer around the crate corners.

"Hey!"  The heavily armed guards were shouting.  "Stop right there!"

Molly looked over to Priss, who stared back with a serious stare.

"This is it, Miss Priss."

"I hate good-bye's sweetie.  Let's say hello!"

[Redbelle]

Dogger watched the ladies go into the warehouse as he ran towards them.

 

Damn it.... He was to far back. He just wasn't as fast as he had been in his prime and the exertion was getting to him after years of Sherie's home baked cooking. Dialing into the lads in the loader's he called them up.

 

"Coco! Ram the door"!

 

"I say.... Is that really necessary"?

 

"Ram it now"! Dogger shouted into his comm.

 

"Now wait just a minute. No one said we'd be ramming anythin.....".

 

The roar of a load lifter drowned what he was saying as the loader Keat's was driving suddenly surged forward. Arthur and Chris could be seen scrambling out of the cab and fell to the sides, their arms full of the weapons from the crate inside. Dogger quickly tuned into Priss and Molly's frequency. "Stand clear of the door"! He shouted as he felt a rush and saw the loader pass him. The door's still open. Keats sitting in the driver's seat grinning like a madman as he aimed the loader at the double door's and poured on the thrust.

 

Dogger lost sight of him as he passed, the loader dragging the container behind it. Saw it increase in speed until the inevitable collision......

 

The cab deformed on impact but held enough of it's shape to drive itself into the door's with enough force to deform the door's. The metal shrieked and buckled as the loader plowed on through and kept going. The sound of metal scraping on metal ear splitting as the container scraped through and was then gone from sight. From the gaping hole he had created Dogger heard the sound of Keat's loader plowing into who knew what from inside before he heard a loud thud and loader's engine began idling.

 

They had a window. He turned to the two men who were getting up from the floor. "You two nuggets! With me! Follow and do what I do! Screw up and I'll shoot you meself when this is over"!

 

Not bothering to see what they did, Dogger hauled his rifle up and ran towards the hole in the doors.

[Kel Riever]

"Stand clear of the door!"

Molly Hagen looked over her shoulder and her eyes popped. "Sonofa!..." She dive rolled out of the way as the loader came crashing through. As she came up, gun drawn, she covered her side, now that she was split from Priss. Well, Molly couldn't see her, but she sure heard her.

"YEE-HAH!" Miss Priss was leaping through the air, knees bent, ankles kicked up and together. One hand held her Stetson as she bounded out of the way, while the other fired off two snap shots at the guards who had come for her, and were now on her side of the crashed loader. Apparently, neither had their shields up, as a block shaving from her pink holdout shattered a knee-cap on each. They screamed in pain and dropped, holding their legs in agony.

"Chew gravel, you coots!" Miss Priss was laughing like a devil.

[Cainhurst Crow]

"She's not throwing me..." Vayne said flatly to Jenus, looking to her with a shake of his head. It was an idea he didn't like, one time being a ball when the ship crashed was enough for him. Hearing naleena's response made the krogan look to her disbelievingly, "You are not throwing me. She's not throwing me." He stated and pointed so everyone could hear. "The bridge isn't that bad. I'm sure I could make it." He said as he walked towards the bridge, putting his front toe on one of the planks, which creaked immediately in protest and began to bend a bit.

 

Vayne was silent as he looked to it, knowing how much pressure he'd put on the bridge, and knowing it was damn well not enough. Even if he used his suits built in eezo field generators to make himself lighter and reduce his mass. He took a few steps back and looked among everyone assembled, "This never leaves this planet. You understand me? Not a single word of it." He siad, making it clear he meant it.

 

Essul had been smirking at the entire exchange, now he was chuckling, "I wish you good luck on your madien voyage to the skies, Kavadar." He said with a nod of his head as he went across the bridge, being very careful as he made his way about midpoint between the group. The whole situation was a bit unnerving, dealing with an unknown race who were apparently advanced enough to build bridges. It might not have been scientifically advance, but it showed intellect, and that itself could be dangerous.

 

"If we run into any of the locals...what do we do about them?" He asked as he looked towards frank and faed, wanting to take his mind off the fact that the bridge wasn't exactly the most sturdily built, "Killing them could alter this species entire culture. This could be the first time they've encountered aliens. We could very well come off as demons to them once they meet us..." He said, feeling a bit better as he speculated out loud.

 

Then the two asari began to argue. And the biotic energy and outbursts didn't do much to help the bridge any more. "If you two want to fight, do it when we're not on a bridge!" essul called out to the front, "Wait till you get across, then you can throw as many blows at one another as you'd like!"

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Naleena heard the comments from the team and saw the auras flickering down the bridge. "What is this, high school? We're on a mission. Stay focused. Am I clear, Commandos?"

 

"Yes, Ma'am." they replied.

 

"I didn't hear you."

 

"Ma'am, yes, Ma'am." they replied and Irina extended her hand to help them to solid ground.

 

"What the hell is the matter with you two? If you p*** off the boss it's just gonna be harder on all of us," Irina said.

 

"Says miss b*tch from Omega," Iole replied.

 

Irina took Iole aside as the others finished crossing. "Hey, I took Mira aside and apologized. She and I were good after that."

 

"Why don't you go snuggle up with Jenus?"

 

Irina glared at her. "Look I don't know what's going on under your crest, but your both my friends and I'm not taking sides. Work it out," she said and took up position a little further down the trail.

 

Finally it was Vayne's turn. Naleena had him stand on a rock next to the bridge so he'd be above her. She had tied the rope around her waist and Essul had secured the grappling hook to the other side. "I'm going to hit you with a powerful throw, and Jenus is going to catch you midway across with her pull. I'll do my best to keep you over the bridge. If anything goes wrong grab the vines on the bridge. They're very thick. They might hold you until we can get another pull on you," Naleena said, and got on her comm. "Jenus, are you ready?"

 

"Ready."

 

Naleena launched Vayne about 20 feet into the air over the chasm. Midway across, Vayne felt a second field grab him and pull him toward the other side. Iole was a quick thinker here and put up a barrier, although not strong, it cushioned Vayne's fall to the ground. He landed with a thud.

[Cknarf]

"Of all the crazy sh*t I've seen since I joined up..." Frank looked back at the commandos, and held up his hand. "That just made the top five."

[Cainhurst Crow]

Vayne had thought the crash had been bad. This was worse. Far worse. The sense of weightlessness, the feel of himself flying through the air without any control, all of it reminded him of the very unpleasant time he'd almost been spaced. Landing on the barrier and smacking into the ground, vayne was almost glad to be on solid land again.

 

"That was...that was amazing!" He shouted, still on a chemical high from the experience as he looked towards the other side where naleena was, grinning as he looked away and towards the asari, "Let's never do that again, ever!" he said, sounding just as excited as he did the first exclamation.

 

"Impressive..." Essul remakred as he looked to the barrier, never having figured to use biotics in such a way. His way was usually increasing mass to make things hurt, not decreasing them to save someones life. "Is this a common tactic or something your squad developed?" Essul asked as he looked towards both Jenus and Iole.

[Kel Riever]

Iole and Jenus looked at each other, not quite sure how to respond.  Then Jenus firmly asserted, "We've got to keep on moving," and headed down the trail after Irina.

"Not a usual tactic," Iole said, hanging back with Essul for a minute, "I think we aren't the first to use it, though we might be the first to get a krogan to agree to do it.  Give Vayne some credit for not being exactly designed to fly."

Essul could read the tension in Iole.  It appeared as if she was trying to hold back with him, to put some space between her and Jenus, but then her team mate and now new team leader called back to her.

"Iole, come on!  You heard Naleena.  You're up here with me, behind Irina!"

Iole clenched her jaw.  "Sorry, Essul.  Apparently someone wants to micromanage me."  She headed forward again, to catch up with Jenus.  On her way she passed Frank without a word, nor even a glance at him.  She looked like she was forcing herself to stare ahead.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Despite Jenus' insistence that they move forward. Naleena ordered the group to take five. This was a good place to do it. They were in the shade with a nice view of the canyon. Eingana was beautiful and deadly, but they'd been lucky so far. Vegetation in the area grew quickly due to heavy rains, but today it was hot. Besides maybe a break would help everyone cool off.

 

Irina dumped some water onto a microfiber rag, snapped it, and draped it over her neck. Her skin glistened from sweat and dirt, but the rag felt cool. She looked around at the rest of the squad, and focused on Faed.

 

"What?" Faed asked.

 

"Are you doing alright in there?" she asked.

 

"Of course," he replied. "While these suits are totally enclosed, they don't allow the internal temperature to get over 55^oC, and they keep the humidity down. Still I'd like to remove it and experience this world."

 

"No, you wouldn't. Trust me on this." she replied. "You at least have a dry heat."

 

Faed raised an eyebrow.

 

"Make sure you drink enough water. We have a climb ahead," Irina continued and pointed and stood. "Okay, that's long enough. Let's go before our muscles cramp."

 

The trail continued along the canyon then veered off to the north into the thick jungle and began to climb, then it got steep, but there were steps carved in the rock. This made the climb at least a little easier, but it took them up about 20 meters in elevation to a flat area that was a junction between two trails.

 

"Boss, which way?" Irina asked. "Straight ahead takes us deep into the forest. Left or right keeps us more out in the open."

 

"What about the relic?" Naleena asked.

 

Irina took out the relic and held it in front of her. It glowed brightest when pointing straight ahead.

 

"Looks like we go straight ahead," she said and continued along that path.

 

Further up the path there was a commotion off to the left of the path. One of the bipedal creatures they'd been tracking was fighting what looked to be a giant bear. The young biped was using a spear, shield. The bear threw a weak warp field at him and the warrior rolled out of the way and countered with what Naleena recognized as a dark channel.

 

"Is that a Collector?" Irina asked since the warrior's physical appearance resembled them.

 

"I don't know," Naleena said. "I don't think so. Collectors have glowing eyes. His eyes don't glow."

 

"Should we help him?" Faed asked. "That animal will kill him."

[Cknarf]

Frank, in his absurdly un-tactical shooting position, had already taken aim. He fired two consecutive shots in the direction of the beast.  

 

He figured it best to deal with that monster early, because after it ate Tarzan, it would likely come for him next.