Day 1 | Afternoon | Terra Incognita | Thopter #1

[Kannon]

[This thread is devoted for loose RP - planning and team integration - for the next 24h. Then the event starts in this thread. Until then, no rolls are necessary.]

[For the purpose of mechanics, we'll be using HAET-221 as the thopter equivalent, with Shield as attachment.]

[There are going to be separate threads for both thopters at the same time. For the timeframe until the event, the radio communication between is established but the further you go over the jungle, the more it becomes static-consumed. If you want to say something to the crew of the other thopter, just double the post in their thread in quotation mode.]

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After they took off and the articulated wings started flapping, the farmlands soon gave way to the jungle. First a bit sparse and with clearings, then to the uniform carpet of endless green. Flying over it caused a feeling similar to swimming in deep, murky water, with imagination running wild on what could be beneath.

[Lydia Storm]

Lydia hadn't said a word since boarding, simply sat quietly with her large rifle on her lap. Once they were in the air she brought the rifle up a few times, scouting through the scope.

[Efren Lanville]

Efren also sat quietly on the thopter for the first little while of their flight.

He gazed out over the jungle imagining what could lie beneath the heavy covering of the canopy. He had trained for jungle warfare elsewhere on Caladan. He had a general idea of what to expect, but it had been many years since he had spent time in this jungle.

Seeing the woman scoping out the trees he attempted to cut the verbal silence.

“Pretty thick canopy, eh?”

[Cuyler Gray]

This had been a diplomatic trip, a chance to build relationships houses. Cuyler had planned for social encounters. She had not packed for a wilderness excursion. She managed to piece together some of her more casual wardrobe into something that would hopefully be comfortable and offer some protection from the elements.

Staring at the terrain passing beneath them, she sighed. "At least it isn't sand."

[Lydia Storm]

“Pretty thick canopy, eh?”

"If anyone down there had a good weapon we would all die" Lydia commented as she peered up briefly at the person that spoke before looking back down "I have a somewhat ok vision through at points. Not a clear one though. Is there any visuals on the ground at all?"

[Efren Lanville]

"If anyone down there had a good weapon we would all die" Lydia commented as she peered up briefly at the person that spoke before looking back down "I have a somewhat ok vision through at points. Not a clear one though. Is there any visuals on the ground at all?"

"Most of what we can observe from up here is limited. Thermal scans give you... lots of information... Too much most of the time. There are plenty of things walking around down there to give off heat."

He checked the security of his knife and pistol as they continued to fly over the tops of the trees.

This had been a diplomatic trip, a chance to build relationships houses. Cuyler had planned for social encounters. She had not packed for a wilderness excursion. She managed to piece together some of her more casual wardrobe into something that would hopefully be comfortable and offer some protection from the elements.

Staring at the terrain passing beneath them, she sighed. "At least it isn't sand."

"There's very little that's course down there like sand. Too wet... you'll need to keep your socks dry. Fungus loves the wet... and isn't our friend on a long journey."

He tilted his head slightly and asked an open-ended question to the Lady Gray, "This not your type of rodeo from what I take it?"

[Razar Lanville]

Razar pays attention to the terrain below them, communicates with ground and Ambrose regularly, checking in and tracking any new information. He's far more meticulous and data focused at the moment than conversational. His control of the thopter is quite skilled and it makes for a pretty smooth ride. He keeps a pretty low elevation, and there's a slight sway to their path, as he's moving in a somewhat serpentine pattern to make it harder to track the thopter with weapons.

[Cuyler Gray]

He tilted his head slightly and asked an open-ended question to the Lady Gray, "This not your type of rodeo from what I take it?"

"I prefer to be in the kitchen." she nodded. "But, this isn't my first time flying into dangerous territory. I won't pretend I'm any kind of warrior, but I won't make myself a burden."

[Razar Lanville]

"It's alright Ms Gray. We've got warriors. I'm not at the top of the list of tough guys on this mission for sure. I'm a teacher and a pilot. But we've all got something to contribute. I'll be keeping an eye out and we'll have someone that can fight by your side at all times," Razar interjects over the sound of the wings. "Nobody is a burden on a mission. They have a purpose and the team works around everyone's purpose and contribution. That's how we get this done." He then goes back to scanning the terrain.

[Kannon]

At this point talking with ground became overwhelmed by static. Caladan didn't have a perfect satcom coverage, and certainly not over uninhabited areas. Hence the large antenna they carried, which still needed to be deployed on very elevated ground to work. It was a wonder Caladan had any satellites, in fact, given Butlerian prohibitions and the related costs, thanks to the alliance with Ix they had once enjoyed. The only power in the Imperium that could consistently get away with all kinds of orbital hardware was the Spacing Guild. The Great Houses always had to make do in that department.

They had their direction charted, however, and the contact with the other thopter was sufficiently clear for now. When flying just above the canopy, they could pick out birds of paradise in the crowns.

[Lydia Storm]

There was a shrug.

"If I spot movement that looks a bit too human hopefully I can tell if it's dangerous or not. I'll take it that anyone down there isn't part of the mission either way."

[Efren Lanville]

"I prefer to be in the kitchen." she nodded. "But, this isn't my first time flying into dangerous territory. I won't pretend I'm any kind of warrior, but I won't make myself a burden."

"Like Instructor Lanville says, I don't assume anyone here'll be a burden. I put my confidence in Lt. Lanville's selections. If you're here, there's a reason. And I'll do whatever I can to protect you all." He said with a smile.

There was a shrug.

"If I spot movement that looks a bit too human hopefully I can tell if it's dangerous or not. I'll take it that anyone down there isn't part of the mission either way."

"Thanks for keeping an eye out for us." He said with a nod.

[Cuyler Gray]

"It is beautiful." she said. "I've seen places where nature has been spoiled and destroyed. Where even a breath is a struggle."

[Efren Lanville]

"It is beautiful." she said. "I've seen places where nature has been spoiled and destroyed. Where even a breath is a struggle."

"Where's that?" He asked with simple curiosity.

[Cuyler Gray]

"The city of Carthag." she answered. "Arrakis is a desolate and dangerous world. But, the industrial areas of Carthag felt far deadlier."

[Efren Lanville]

"I think the wild beasts down in that jungle are better company than you might find in Carthag." He said with a smile.

[Cuyler Gray]

"Almost certainly." She returned the smile. ""What should I expect to see down there?"

[Kannon]

Slowly, the monotonous landscape started to give way to more rugged terrain as they were diagonally approaching the first mountain range. It was all meditatively peaceful in its harmonious biodiversity. The experience of being in the middle of unspoilt nowhere Cuyler knew from Cielago Depression on Arrakis and many a local sailor knew from the Caladanan seas, while prevalent just a moment ago, slowly receded as the blue line of the ocean painted itself far to their left. The slopes of the mountains they had to follow north were now sunlit, snow caps glistening in further distance, with nary a darker cloud. Little portended any storm in the coming hours. It was a beautiful view, one that brushed at the core of primordial wonder that had made hunters-gatherers of aeons past start thinking about aesthetics.

[Efren Lanville]

"Almost certainly." She returned the smile. ""What should I expect to see down there?"

“This far away from the city... A wide variety of flora and fauna. Some dangerous, most not."

He looked out over the passing trees and beautiful landscape.

"It gets real dark at night. Canopy blocks out most of the light from the night sky. The animals can get real loud… and suddenly quiet.”

He paused for a moment as if caught on a thought.

“Life… lots and lots of life.”

[Kiran Alsahar]

Kiran keeps an eye out on the jungle, scanning the canopy visually. "If the animals get quiet, it's usually wise to follow suit. There's a lot of things that can cause it, and most of them want you dead."