White Hell Dive [Night 1]

[Kannon]

And that was the last of the perseids that night, flashing down toward the snowpack until both the classical and the quantum physics would not slow it down for the impact to be an acceptable stress on the human body inside. Bern wouldn't know that Hadrian was just about to go planetside himself, though in an infinitely more predictable way, and that his next challenge wouldn't be storms or ravines but women of power.

The fourth hawk had landed.

[5 XP to all droplets, I mean helldivers.]

[Efren Lanville]

Efren exited his ship and prepared the covering with haste. He pulled his share of the squad's gear from the vehicle and began looking over the alien world for the first time. He wasn't used to being able to see so far. No trees to obstruct the view... It was like being out on the ocean when it was most calm.

The darkness obfuscated the lack of color in the distance... Making everything in his range of view a plain of black. After a moment he pulled out his tools to help orient him on his location and began the trek to their designated rendezvous point.

[Ambrose Pantazis]

After landing and immediately deploying the reflective coating, Ambrose took a little time to check his equipment while the others landed and had a chance to get their gear sorted.

He threw on his thermal cloak and toggled his comms, "Bravo here. I've made it safely, checking in. Over."

[Efren Lanville]

"Copy Bravo. This is Lambda, heading to the rendezvous point. Over." Efren replied.

[Kova]

From the night-darkened, rocky, bleak white emptiness that stretched around them a man would appear as soon as he entered the extent of their night vision capabilities. The time it took them to get their things and prepare for the trek to the Eyrie, he had used to make his approach through the snow. It was soft snow, and would be difficult to tread through, but he was used to it and these were supposed to be soldiers, so he expected no complaints, but also wouldn't be surprised if they had some or simply didn't understand how to walk through this terrain which must be new to them. When he believed he was likely in sight range, he lifted his rifle strap arm, keeping the weapon in place by crossing his other hand across the chest, making it clear he was the contact and not a nasty surprise. But he also didn't shout to get their attention.

Even if they drew on him or sought to confirm his identity, he would remain quiet until he got conversationally close, and would warn them off of shouting or loud noises by covering his mouth. Not because he believed they would be spied on, but because loud noises in snow peaked mountain ranges could trigger avalanches that could bring this expedition to a swift and heartbreaking end.

In conversational distance he would greet them. "Jai jinendra. What is my name?" He didn't seem like he believed they weren't who he was expecting, but he just wanted that little extra bit of confirmation.

[Kiran Alsahar]

They hadn't had the time to go over all military protocols, but Kiran knew how to play follow the leader, at least. "Copy Bravo, Lambda. Heading to rendezvous. Over." With minimal issues with landing, they managed to reach the point first. "You must be Kova," they said when they arrived at Kova's position. But for the same reason, they also wanted confirmation. "I know our direction, so if you could confirm: Where are we heading?"

[Kova]

"Bifrost Eyrie. I wasn't given names, just numbers and position, to avoid exposing your details over communication channels I'm guessing," Kova replies to Kiran in a firm but understanding tone, offering a slight bow and finally taking his eyes off the group for the first time. He looks around to the rest of the group to ensure everyone is satisfied with the exchange and ready to start the trek. He can explain the state of the Eyrie during the hike and answer any questions. The wind was not so bad so as to drown out the sound at the moment.

[Efren Lanville]

"Well met, Kova." Efren replied with a polite nodding of his head.

Being subordinate in the command structure, Efren didn't immediately start asking questions to their contact. He looked around their environment for a moment and waited for the leaders to speak up first.

[Ambrose Pantazis]

Ambrose joined the others, looking ecstatic after the drop.

Hearing Kova explain who he was, Ambrose wanted to get some intel before the conversation got too far, "Any surprises we should know about? Anything that had to wait for person to person contact?"

[Bernard Martikova]

"Mike here. Can we ride it again?" Bern's voice rang out from the comms as he began to gather his things. "Managed to make it in without incident. Just getting sorted and I'll head over." He grabbed his scattergun and the rest of the gear and inspected it, checking his ammo and supplies. Fortunately, it didn't look like any of it was damaged during the fall, nor did he fall too far off from the predicted LZ, so it would not take him long to appear before the rest of them. "Glad to see you all made it in alright. If I am correct in assuming that this man here is Kova, then this mission is already working out smoothly; may that streak continue until we leave."

[Kova]

"I don't know what you've been told about the Eyrie situation, or what Intel was collected beyond what I passed along. We got a handful of local nuns, monks, and their head Sadhu Trygve. We basically hang out there without any real worry, cause the Harkonnen believe it's been obliterated. We been excavating a bit because the damage has revealed some lost areas of the lower structures. There are occasional thopters that pass by, very infrequent, usually just passing by going between other locations," Kova says, starting to give them info from the perspective of the folks living in the Eyrie.

"Walk in my tracks. It'll be easier on you, especially with your packs," he says, starting to organize them in a line, but not heading out quite yet.

"I'm sure you've been told that there's a strong pacifist tradition around here. Things will probably be calmer and smoother if you don't try to convince the rest of the folks at the Eyrie to try and support the mission itself. They're not going to want to be involved. I'm an aberration among my people, since I get a kick out of putting holes in those murderous Harkonnen traitors. If you got specific questions, I'll answer best I can, even personal questions."

[Kiran Alsahar]

Kiran nodded. "We've been informed about many of the major aspects of their beliefs, what might be involved with the mission. I'm one of the Muadh of Caladan, so I'll be looking forward to speaking with them. Do your people venture out from the Eyrie much?"

They began matching his footsteps, having to step a little wider than they were used to to meet them.

[Kannon]

The cold was pervasive, the face covers and the howling wind were distorting words. It would likely be better if Kova was given one of their comms.

[Efren Lanville]

Efren fell into line and handed the local guide a local communicator.

[Kova]

Kova nods to Efren in thanks, and he seems familiar with how to function it as well. "That's easier. Thanks. I think there was a question about us going out much from the Eyrie, and that'd be no. I do, because I hunt to help everyone survive, but I'm a hunter and tracker and know how to hide my trail. They try to keep their lives moving forward with the lot that they are in. I wouldn't say they're happy or have high morale, but they are doing what they can."

Their local dissident and guide then poses a request: "I don't know if you have any extra rations that might be non-meat, but I would gladly replace them with fresh game if you'd be willing to part with them. I could bring back a few more birds during my hunt. My problem isn't really providing the food, I can get more than enough meat, but I can see the harm that eating it does to their morale and know how it affects their karma."

[Bernard Martikova]

Bern began to shuffle thru his bag for any rations that would meet that request. It was mostly dried meat, canned fish, some dried fruit and some powdered drink, so he opened one and handed Kova the dried fruit from it and smiled. "Best I got, Kova. Sorry it isn't much."

[Kova]

Kova nods in thanks as they head back. "Dhanyavād. What other questions do you have for me? Anything personal? Has our mutual contact explained my past activities and skills? I'm guessing you'll need to know a bit about that if we're going to work together effectively. I am aware that you are here for a mission that should weaken our mutual enemy and hurt their well being on Lankiveil, but I have no details. I think the word used was 'compartmentalization'?" He continues leading the way through the snow, cutting a direct path to the Eyrie.

[Ambrose Pantazis]

"We were told you might have enlisted other locals? Or is it just you?" Ambrose held up a hand up as he realized how what he'd said might come off, "Not that your help isn't already more than we could ask for. I'm just trying to account for all our avaliable resources. Also, if we need, can you get us transportation, a fishing boat or maybe even a thopter?" The hope in his voice when he asked about the thopter was obvious.

"You can be certain that what we do here is to deal a great blow to the Harkonnens."

[Kova]

"I haven't been working with or enlisting any others, and I think most others that knew me around here probably think I've disappeared. After the last thing I did for our contact, I took off for the Eyrie. However, I can get you into contact with locals and make introductions. I don't know about any local ornithopters that might be available, but we have a lot of ships that are docked, a few that are abandoned but still seaworthy, due to the drastic drop in whale population since the massacre. If you have someone that knows how to pilot a ship, that shouldn't be hard to get a hold of. I was never ship crew, but I have been a passenger plenty of times on hunting and tending expeditions. I know a lot of the captains. Might be able to hire a captain or claim an abandoned boat. If you want a thopter, we're probably gonna have to steal one, and that's outside my area of expertise, though I can show you the facilities where they keep them if you want to go that route."

Kova seems more than ready and willing to help and participate in such a thing, seeming to be quite open with all of his intel.

[Ambrose Pantazis]

"A thopter could be a force multiplier, for us or for them, but hopefully we'll be able to execute out mission without it becoming an issue." The disappointment was just as evident as the hope when first brought up the option. "As far as others, it is probably best to keep contacts to a minimum. Less chances for a spy, a sympathizer, or just someone desperate enough to sell us out to get word of what's going down."