NationStates Jolt Archive

The four men slowly crept through the forest, rifles clutched to their chests and their eyes darting about them. Making every attempt to keep quiet and out of sight they slowly approached a small grouping of huts and tents set up in a large clearing. Once they neared the clearings edge they stood up and openly proceeded to the closest of the buildings, calling out to its occupants as they approached.

"John, make an entry into the log. We just covered every piece of rock within a kep, nothing but small ponies and cow droppings. Whatever people keep seeing around here isn't anywhere close. John? John, you there? Kevin?"

But the building was empty, everything inside was left as if the inhabitants had simply got up and left. Uneaten food was lying on plates already being eaten by small insects, the Vids were playing in the background, and the radio was beeping to itself.

"Kevin, John, get out here! Now! Not a good time to be spending in the bathroom, if nobody's watching the forest a puma could walk right in here and be waiting for you!"

But no voices responded to the angry hunter.

"Damnit, I am so going to beat the skulls out of their heads. Richard, go find Miche and replace him on the perimeter defences, tell him I'd like to see him. Move!"

"Yes, sir."

Richard quickly moved off, picking his way through the various constructions strung across the clearing. He returned a few minutes later unaccompanied.

"Sir, Miche isn't there either. Nobody is, the compund looks abandoned."

"What, was there a fight or something?"

"No, sir. I checked Miche's sensor logs, the sensors didn't pick up anything besides a few puma cubs and none of the perimeter weaponry has been fired. As far as I can tell everybody just up and left."

"Well, this can't be good. Luce, Devo, check every building. Make sure they're not all off taking a nap somehwere. Now, gentlemen. Didn't you hear me?"

He swung around, prepared to either give each man a smack or make them wish he had, but the two other hunters weren't there.

"What the hell? Richard, where'd they go?"

The lack of response made him whirl around again, only to see Richard standing there with a rather large hole in his chest and a confused expression on his face.

"No sound.....no sound at all....."

Letting these final words slip from his lips Richard toppled to the ground, only to be suddenly pulled into the forest less than a second later.

The Leader just stood there with a shocked look on his face, unable to comprehend what he just saw. Slowly, he became aware of a presence behind him. It wasn't a sound he'd heard or a smell he'd noticed, just a feeling he had. A feeling that whatever was behind him wouldn't be leaving him in peace.

"Well.....this sucks."

A few seconds later he wasn't feeling anything.

OOC: Okay, I think this is a pretty easy RP to figure out. Some weird thing is going around killing people, people don't like being killed, so people are now trying to do the killing (Without much luck, obviously). The government is unwilling to just nuke the area and doesn't want to bother sending in a large Marine assault force to 'pacify' the areas inhabitants, so it's outsourcing. Be a mercenary, professional hunter, adventure seeker, whatever, just come heavily armed.

This is taking place on another planet (the fifth planet in the Deneb system, to be specific) and the inhabitants (me) are quite futuristic, so this is going to have quite a bit of advanced technology in it. If you're strictly modern tech you'd probably want to sit this one out.

If you'd like to be in on the hunt please send me a TG and I'll see if you fit the criteria.........okay, there really is no criteria, I just like when people TG rather than post here because it keeps this thread free from the various discussions we're going to have about the RP.

OCC: Perhaps this will be a nice outing for certain more angst-ridden members of the Robotic intelligence service.

Tag

There's a TG waiting for you.

Taged with interest.

I might join; one reason being my national animal is the Sasquatch. Most likely I'll be trying to capture the beast for future study. I will put together a crew, and assemble equipment tomarrow... hmm... I might need to make the equipment adaptable in case it is anyother kind of cryptid.

Dressed in a simple loincloth and carrying only a simple bow and arrow, the hunter crept threw the thick undergrowth of the forest. He stopped constantly, listening to every sound that he could and couldn't hear. The whisper of the very air that surrounded him was catalogued within his mind. His eyes darted back and forth, registering the tiniest bit of movement. Even the insects resting on the swaying leaves were seen by him.

As fast as a bolt of lightning he raised his arms, drawing back a thick arrow on the bow and aiming deep into the forest. He stared intently, seeking the source of the tiny scratching noise that had drawn his attention. However, after a moment of concentration he lowered his arms and continued on his way.

Pumas do not concern me. Small morsels when compared to the banquet that awaits.

He slowly moved on his way, seeking to distance himself from the carnivore that usually ruled the wilderness throughout Klonor. But not today. Today there was something new in the wild.

As he continued on his way he came across the now abandoned camp of the last hunter group sent into the forest. Empty now for more than a week the land had almost been reclaimed by the jungle, almost every surface was covered with new growth and life. Already there was a herd of cows making a nest in one of the larger buildings (Before you ask, no I'm not an idiot, I know cows don't make nests in RL) and a flock of gulls had begun to burrow throughout the entire clearing. He paused for a moment, inspected what evidence he could find (which wasn't much) and continued on his way.

They died quickly and without a clue as to what did it. They didn't even have time to put up a fight. Excellent. I might finally have something worthy of my skills on my hands.

He had gotten no more than a dozen paces beyond the clearing when he toppled to the ground, missing several body parts that are vital for a long and healthy life. With a sudden whoosh his body was dragged into the forest and disappeared into the thickness.

OOC: Just trying to keep the thread afloat until the participants start posting

"AHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHHHHHUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!"

KABOOM!

"Well, this is a pretty mess."

A tangled mass of metal and high-quality composites sits at the end of a long swath of destroyed vegitation, taken out by a firey mass from outer space. Hanging from a tall tree is a parachute, connected to a seat, connected to a human being.

"Praise be to god! I am not dead!"

Dressed in a fully inflated orange survive-o-matic 1500 suit, Gennady Bamako wiggles around, attempting to free himself from the buckles of the ejection seat, which for reasons not immediately apparent ejected itself after the crash.

"Hey Matisupa policeman...policeman came to my house, hey matisupa policeman...policeman came to my house...woah!"

"Peri, I don't think this is that great an idea. A vacation is supposed to be relaxing" Shado' looked at her boss concernedly.

"You try relaxing at this time of things and see just how likey it ISN'T!" Perigrine Omega's voice was a throaty growl. "If I had a time machine it would be so much better"

"Hmmm?" The ship's Avatar raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Then I could go back and ask Paul just exactly why he made it so that... aaargh!" Perigrine cried in hormone induced frustration.

The A.I. couldn't help but burst out laughing at the look on Perigrine's face. "He did it as the one way of keeping you Neits in some sort of proverbial line! Once a month ...Fight or F.." Shado broke off at the look on Perigrine's face. Given the circumstances there were some lines that even she shouldn't cross. Then she winced as the Nietzschean woman put a sizeable dent in the wall of her cabin.

*Damn Paul Musveni for breeding a race strong enough to dent MY hull, and cranky enough at that time of the month to do so. And damn the Neits for being enamored with improving the race so much that ninetynine percent of the universe isn't good enough to mate with!* The ShadowDancer snarled to her sisterself over the A.I.'s internal frequency

* Thats all but hard wired into her - and it's not as if there are other Neits out there for her to chose from. Eventually she will find some one who's a good enough match mentally and physically and that problem will be solved. * Came Shado's rejoinder.

*No then we'll have to deal with her discovering that she doesn't have a choice in the matter. And, gee, her bastard of a grandfather who insisted on that particular modification isn't here for her to take it out on. Phages!* ShadowDancer cursed, and withdrew to comptemplate the correlation between Wolf -Rayet stellar objects and entropic pulsars. Leaving her avatar to deal with their captain and friend.

Shado' sighed and stood from the table.

"So go find out whats causeing these mysterious disapperances, kill it if need be and come back in a better frame of mind... Cause I really don't think I want my shipself torn apart just because there's no one out there good enough to bed...and you can take that scout ship Michiko offered you. I refuse to be around you when your in this mood."

Perigrine repressed a snarl and went to chose weapondry from ShadowDancers well stocked armoury. She knew she was being an utter bitch, but she just couldn't seem to help it. At any other time she was in control of herself, 'as any Neitzschean, and so much more an Omegan, is supposed to be, why is this rasping on me so? My father would be ashamed of me.' she wondered as she finished packing and placed the case with the others awaiting transfer to the ship she would be useing since ShadowDancer had refused to come with her. 'I can't blame her. She needs a vacation too. Hopefully There will be something worth hunting on Deneb 5'

That thought repeated itself as she set the small but heavily armed scoutship down in the jungle clearing close to the location of the most recent slayings. Perigrine alit and looked about with watchfull eyes. Sensor readings had not shown anything but what the data base read as local flora and fauna, but the database was obviously incomplete.

She'd made sure to land soom after the local sunrise so she would have plenty of time to set up camp and explore the surrounding area before nightfall. Nocturnal predators were noted for being espceially active in this region. Perigrine had also noted that this area was heavily populated with puma, and that pleased her. On her now destroyed homeworld, Izanami, they had been her favorites of all the wild fauna.

http://www.atddm.com/PONS.jpg Perigrine Omega as she appears in public

The armored vehicle rolled across the ground, crushing plants beneath it and knocking trees to the ground beside it. Weaponry covered nearly every visible surface and pointed in every possible direction, anything living within a thousand meters could be incinerated at the push of a button. Beyond a thousand meters things could still be incinerated, but it would take two buttons.

"Come out, Come out, wherever you are."

The pilot of the vessel quietly sang to himself as he rumbled through the jungle, his eyes on the screens which displayed information from the dozens of cameras strung along the vehicles axis.

"I know you're out there......."

On the screens he saw several dozen miniscule animals, small squirrels and chipmunks and rabbits, fleeing for their lives from the crushing treads beneath the mammoth vehicle.

"Man, it is hot in here."

The vehicle slowly rumbled to a stop, quitley resting in the hot sun. Towards the rear a tiny circle of metal, a bare few centimeters in diamter, spiraled open and allowed some of the fresh outside air inside. Moving towards the rear the pilot sat down in a thick chair in front of the circle, his eyes on the opening to the outside.

"That things not gonna get me like the rest of those poor bastards, it'd have to be the size of a damn beatle to fit in here. But just in case......"

He reached beneath chair and brought out a rather large rifle with a rather large grenade launcher attached to the barell. Levelled at the hole he cracked a grin.

"...I'm gonna make sure it leaves this boat as soon as it gets in."

Several minutes later the entire vehicle exploded in a mammoth fireball that could be seen from kilometers in every direction.

Perigrine threw a hand up to block her eyes from damage as the thunderous roar and flare of an ascending fire ball rolled over the camp. She could tell that it was well over a mile away but it was a spectacular sight, if you liked witnessing explosions of such mamoth proportions.

"By the bones!" She swore harshly. "There's nothing on the maps designated as a military base....as if that means anything."

Knowing full well that governmnets rarely let outsiders know of where all their toys were hidden, Perigrine stood, dusted herself off, and prepared to go check for survivors. It wasn't any where near local sunset and she figured she could be there in less than an hour, even given the density of the local foilage. A heavily laden backpack of necessities was hastily assembled, as well as a formidible array of weapondry.

She set the sentry system for the camp , palm and retina locked the scout ship, and moved out at a steady, ground eating trot. Perigrine was carefull to keep all her senses alert. Nietzschean senses were far superior to even the best among humans, and she was also carefull to keep her infravision active despite the heat. She'd heard of things that prefered to hunt in the heat.

Gennady falls towards the jungle floor, a frightening and unusual sight to all. When he hits, the suit immediately bounces back into the air.

"Well..."

Gennady waves the suit's sleeves, and, like a gigantic, bulbous orange bird, floats above the treetops without a care in the world. The suit, inflated with helium, takes only a slight effort to keep in the air, and if it wasn't so bulky, would provide a very good way of getting around.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Gennady espies an explosion.

"What was that!?!?!"

Ever curious, he floats over towards the site of the explosion, careful to maintain altitude, in order to get a better look.

(Tag-A-Rific.)

Previously...

Mater taps her teeth together, slowly. Allowing her Commandant more initiative than usual has had its consequences; sometimes not being able to follow his train of thought sometimes was one of them. Nevertheless, she continually reminds herself, that is one of the benefits of his additional freedom to act. This one, however, has her admittedly lost. () I do not understand, my child. Why do you want to expend our resources on a... hunt?

From across the void, her subordinate responds from aboard the relative discomfort of his cramped quarters, nestled deep within the vesh flagship. () It provides us with opportunity, most honored Mater. It gives us opportunity to explore, with permission, the territory of others--and all physical intelligence is an aid, no matter the purpose. The thing we are hunting is an unknown, a challenge, and it allows us to test the ability of our soldiers. Finally...

He pauses for effect--one of his idiosyncracies that Mater finds particularly annoying--but only for a moment before continuing. () This thing is powerful. If we can bring it into the vesh, we could all grow stronger from it. The potential gain is far greater than the risk, as it always is when trying to acquire samples of new species, new material to work with for the greater health and strength of the vesh.

() I see. Very well then, my child--send my warriors off on your hunt. I wish us success, and my vesh looks forward to hearing of our victory.

------===------

Now

The rayverr lighter, dispatched from an army-designated auxiliary dry cargo ship on a supply run between Sh'kai and Cvechiokal, settles down a bit farther from the trail than the Tanaran ship, nestled in a rocky clearing in the jungle. Part of this is standard rayverr paranoia--not desiring to leave one simply to be scanned by the other--and part of this is perfectly reasonable, as this puts it closer to a nearby settlement. The shuttle, an odd mix of bulbous cargo bays and angular lifting surfaces, opens its hatches and disgorges its cargo, fifteen blue-carapaced tripedal rayverr (http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/compyart/rayverr-front.jpg) Warriors in full combat kit--metal breastplate and helmet, rifle, pistol, knife, grenades, and various other bits of equipment that fulfill essentially all the needs of the fighting rayverr.

Some hunters prefer to follow the spoor of the hunt immediately. In this case, the rayverr Warriors would like to know as much about it as anyone else does first. The rayverr walk into town, arms raised slightly and palms open, walking in broken waltz-step down the middle of whatever qualifies as a road around these parts, having no desire to be mistaken for monsters themselves. Once they get inside the town, they politely accost the townspeople in their fluent but somewhat breezy English, and for two and a half meter tall blue reptilians with hard insect-like plates (although they also have a layer of leathery skin over them), would seem to make good neighbors.

There are also ulterior motives, but those are best not gone into at the moment--unless a few psions just happen to be wandering around, no one would see probably see anything out of the ordinary beyond the aforementioned reptilians.

One group of three enter the local pub, introduce themselves, and sit down at the bar stools, they being much more comfortable for the structure of the Warrior's three legs. Also, the sergeant had read somewhere that all adventures must begin in a bar, tavern, or reasonable facsimile thereof and it seems to be a good place to get information.

It was bulbous, bright orange and floating in the leisurely breeze above the capony of dense jungle. Perigrine was not at all sure to make of it 'Some sort of local improvization at a survival suit?' she wondered as she paused to observe it more closely. 'Ah yes indeed, some one got far too fancy, even for a human' The miniscule ( in comparrison to the rest of the...thing ) head that protruded seemed to be human, but she'd wait before making a final determination. She also seriously doubted that this was what she was hunting. The color made it a bit too noticeable, even humans would have seen such drifting over their heads

"Ahoy, did you need assistance?" She projected her voice so that it carried clearly up to the floating one. Perigrine made sure to keep a sizeable part of her attention on the rest of her surrouondings

Omas Leee looked up at the sound of the door opening and spied the three rayverr approaching the bar. Grinning to himself he placed the glass he was perpetually washing down in the sink and welcomed the new patrons.

"Ahoy there, and welcome to the Screaming Wookie. What can I get for you gents?"

Beneath the bar he was already reaching for glasses and bottles, preparing to whip up whatever was requested.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Outside the bar a small group of people stood host to the visitors, wondering what this specific group of aliens wanted.

Omas Leee looked up at the sound of the door opening and spied the three rayverr approaching the bar. Grinning to himself he placed the glass he was perpetually washing down in the sink and welcomed the new patrons.

"Ahoy there, and welcome to the Screaming Wookie. What can I get for you gents?"

Beneath the bar he was already reaching for glasses and bottles, preparing to whip up whatever was requested."Infohrmahtion wouhld be quihte ussefuhl," says the obvious leader as he takes a seat, "ahnd perhahpss ssohme mehlohn liqueuhr to wahssh iht dowhn wihth."

His two comrades take up the seats flanking him, apologizing politely if their large shoulders brush up against other patrons. The one to his right, with the same aspirated accent, continues the thread. "Yes. We have heard that there has been some recent... 'incidents' nearby concerning some sort of unknown threat. We are here to help nullify that threat. Do you know anything about this?"

------===------

Outside the bar a small group of people stood host to the visitors, wondering what this specific group of aliens wanted.One actually does say "Tahke me to youhr leahdehr, pleahse," because it's probable the local government may have some information from above. The others make it readily clear that they are from the vesh pij verr and here to find and eliminate whatever it is that has been causing trouble in the jungle. After that, they politely ask what it is, what it does, any signs of it, well aware that a lot of it may be tall tales and mere conjecture.

Nevertheless, mere conjecture is a lot more than having nothing at all. It is a start.

Placing three glasses filled to the brim in front of the aliens the bartender embarked on the prepared speech that had come in handy over the past few weeks. Every day some new gun-toting punk came in here looking for info on the killings out in the wilderness and the next day their corpses were being carried back to the town morgue. Or rather they would be carried if they'd even been found.

"As I'm sure you know, the first disappearences happened just over a year ago, when a few company CEO's went out for an illegal hunting trip and never came back. Police were sent in after them and some of them didn't come back. No bodies were ever found, no radio transmissions ever intercepted, and no signs of any combat. They just vanished. So, the Magistrate ordered an investigation. The investigators didn't come back. At least, some of them didn't come back. Nobody really knows why some vanished and others didn't. Anyway, everything's been happening about 10 kilometers inward if you head east. I'm sure you'll find all the action you're looking for. A bit of a warning, nobody who's returned has even so much as found a hair of whatever's doing this. I think it's a pretty safe bet that those who have seen a hair have been those who didn't come back."

He reached beneath the bar and pulled out a small thermos.

"But if I can't talk you out of going, care for a drink to take with you?"

He might not have been overjoyed at the thought that he'd likely be the last man to see these people alive, but he was a businessman and he milked every opportunity for everything it was worth.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Leader? You mean Mayor Wilkins? You want to see him you'll need to head to city hall, just down the street. But what do you want to see him for? The dudes only got local powers, you want anything to do with the real government you'll need to head to the Vicegral Palace. It's 'bout halfway around the planet, but you can't miss it if you're looking for it. Wait, you're here for a hunt? Well then, you picked the perfect man to talk to. Ron Huls my name, weaponry's my game. I have everything you'll need for an expedition into the forest. Just tell me what you need and I'll see that you get it."

A small figher of familiar shape & customization strafed a small thicket with a barrage of plasma-fire, then settled down into the blackened clearing that resulted. Within the cockpit, a thunderous roar of bass guitars & deafening drums played for the amusement of Jekel Slipstream's metal-loving ear-fins...

The music, if you could call it that, was contained within the airtight cockpit, and continued as the occupant tapped a holographic button with a clawed finger, bringing up a small display containing tiny pictures of various weapons stored in the small onboard armory. With the same finger he touched the 'primary' category...

'MP5SD5/45, M85A1, M4A1, WA2000, SSG 3000...'

Jekel ticked off a series of rifles and the DeathWraith standard-issue modified SMG in the locker, seeking a perfect choice. His computer had drawn a blank for a weaponry suggestion...

'G3A3, FAL, M14...'

Finally, he gave up, clicking out of the screen & opening the cockpit. Jekel stepped out into the charred clearing, keeping a hand near the .45 Glock that rode on his thigh. He unhooked the seat, pulling it aside to reveal a small footlocker in the cargo area beneath it, leaving enough room for the opening of the container & little else. Within was Jekel's personal knife collection, and quite a collection it was. He had everything from bowies to k-bars to Gerber-made boot-knives & Cold Steel tactical folders. Amonst the knives where a small collection of throwing devices. Cold Steel's 'Torpedo' was a personal favorite. The Torpedo was a two-pound metal stake with a tapered point on each end, ideal for dropping heavy game from a distance. Jekel slid three into his belt, as well as choosing a selection of knives including his favorite survival knife & a Cold Steel sub-hilt fighter & kukri knife.

As a precaution, he re-opened the selection menu & selected the G3A3 along with a quartet of magazines & a 10x ACOG scope...

Jekel was a Dark Argonian, a primal breed who accepted human advancements in firearm technology & embraced the change, unlike their primitive cousins who still hunted with spears & arrows. His senses surpassed anything that could have been human.... His was a race of hunters, predators who fiercely defended their place on the foodchain. Jekel had been raised in the Black Marsh, like all Argonians, and was well-versed in the requirements of the most sacred of Argonian rituals: The Hunt.

Unlike his green-scaled cousins, he used a rifle instead of a spear. The morning mists felt soothingly cool against Jekel's ebony scales, as he padded off into the forest. The ship's hatch closed, sealing from the inside & primed to open fire on anything that ventured within the clearing that didn't have Jekel's ID signature...

It would be a fine break from hunting two-legged prey...

A sudden gust of wind took the floating figure out of Perigrines eyesight and she shrugged. Whom ever it was hadn't seemed to be in distress.

"Perhaps it's a local sport" She murmured to herself as she scanned the jungle before moving on.

It was but a few minutes before she reached the site of the explosion. It was readily obvious that she had been mistaken in guessing that it was a base of some sort. Despite the massive size of the explosion it had been a vehicle. There were no survivors, and little left of the vehicle. Perigrine spent a long time scouring the surrounding remants of the jungle but found a absolute dearth of clues

Jekel's nostrils picked up the scent of something buring a mile or so west of his location...

'Possibly the trees I toasted for an LZ, or something else...'

He detected fuel, as well as charred flesh in the odor...

'I strafed an empty thicket... It must be something else...'

The assassin continued his slow, deliberate movement westward, wondering what it was exactly he should hunt for. Puma was especially plentiful here, but the area had expeirenced an abnormal number of missing or dead hunters out of proportion to the expected number for something Jekel considered an oversized housecat with an attitude problem. There had to be something else here, otherwise there would be no buring entity or missing hunters...

Something shiny glimmered in the grass ahead... Jekel prodded it with a custom-booted foot. Shrapnel. Still warm. He was close to whatever had exploded, and it was definitely metallic. Intermingled with the olfactory cocktail of buring propellant & smoking flora Jekel detected a new smell, feminine, and close.

The Dark Argonian lowered his stance, going into a low crouch that kept his ear-fins below the bushline. Dressed as he was in a pair of black fatigue pants & a tank-top of the same color, shadows where welcome allies. Jekel raised the scope on the G3A3, allowing for a better view...

There was someone in the clearing... Female. Humanoid. Armed. The best course of action was to wait momentarily, and observe. Jekel had earned the moniker, 'The Quiet Butcher' for a reason. Always cool, calculated, and precise in his cuts, but each designed for maximum effect. He treated his shooting no differently. Jekel went prone, steadying his aim by placing the bone of his elbow against the ground. Through the scope he watched, and somewhat admired, this new individual. Oddly, she looked, and smelled, familiar...

Perigrine looked towards where the sun was beginning to burn orange as it began to set. The late afternoon heat was opressive. She seared the area thoroughly but the explosion had wiped out any possible clues. And with nothing to go on, any assumptions she might make as to the cause of the explosion would be pure foolishness. However, just to be thorough she would leave some miniaturized recon drones. Her campsite was close enough to bewith in their range....and perhaps she would catch a glimpse of what ever had raised the hairs on the back of her neck, whatever was watching her.

She went to one knee besides the largest chunk of debris in the clearing. Though it wasn't very large it was enough and the small stealthed drone that she slipped unobtrousively from a belt pouch hid in its shadow easily. Then she stood, smoothing her robes about her. She ignored the sweat trickling down her torso until she realized that the climatic controls built into the armored robes had failed, then growled softly. Fixing them would not be easy under the current circumstances. 'looks like I know what I'm going to be doing this evening' she thought as she headed back to her campsite. The sentry system was undisturbed and Perigrine took a moment to build a small fire in the fire pit she had dug earlier. She hadn't been camping out in years and intended to enjoy it...'while being very cautious of course' she grinned as she activated the remote sensor drone she'd left behind and set the base station to record. Then she stepped inside the samll scoutship and stripped off her robes. She stiffled the impuse to put on fresh robes.

"Perigrine, you are the last, the only one left, and in a universe that has never heard of Neitzscheans much less Omegans, give it a rest!" She scolded herselft softly, shakeing her head at the ingrained habits of at lifetime. A lifetime that was now nothing more than memory

Space travel was always a horrible way to travel, at least to Dekker Bray. The highest he'd ever wanted to go was just high enough for a HALO jump, but with the current market for free agents, the RDPMC was beginning to train its employees on starship piloting & repair. The 'Blued Snafu', and it's sister ship, 'Fubar', where the corporation's most recent attempts at long-distance space travel. The 'Snafu' was an old NASA spaceshuttle refitted with a stolen hyperdrive & a retro-fitted set of manuvering thrusters for takeoff & landing.

Dekker barely knew how to start the thing, let alone fly it with any degree of skill, but for some reason his boss, CEO/General Garand, had allowed him to take the thing to Deneb 5 for a hunting trip with his son, Dekker Jr. which Dekker Senior & the rest of the corporation's employees referred to as 'Dek' to minimize confusion. Last tuesday has been Dek's fifteenth birthday, which Dekker had missed due to a long-running contract in Africa with the local peacekeeping force. To make it up to his son, he'd given him the option of picking an activity, and had been particularly pleased when the teen had chosen hunting, particularly for Pumas. Dekker usually hunted deer & elk, but big cats provided a welcome change.

Dek's mother & Dekker's ex-wife would probably crucify her ex-husband for bringing her son along on a semi-dangerous trip, but one of the conditions for going had been that Dek's mother wouldn't hear a peep about it. From the pilot's seat, Dekker was amazed at the rate his son was growing...

'Hell, soon he'll be old enough for enlistment... It'll keep his ass from making the same mistake I did... But now I don't really consider it a mistake, looking back... I'd have it no other way...'

The merc thought to himself with a slight smile. He'd been seventeen when he'd gotten Christi Garand, the oldest of his employer's daughters, pregnant. The hasty semi-shotgun wedding that followed had only preceeded several years of bickering & voluntary long-term contracts to simply get himself away from his wife. He'd been faithful, if only to deny his young wife the extra ammunition at the divorce preceedings. Money had never been a problem, but now around half of Dekker's USMC pension went to his son's child support, which he didn't exactly mind, since his quality of soldier-for-hire was hard to come by, and subsequently paid extremely well...

'Not bad for a high-school grad...'

Dekker had joined the Marines straight out of highschool, partly because he wanted to, and partly because he had a pregnant girlfriend that would need to be supported. He'd advanced rapidly due to his exceptional performance as a 'Devil-Dog'. At age 19, he'd entered UDT school, and later became a member of SEAL Team 6. Dekker had retired as a Sargeant Major with combat expeirence on half the globe, including Grenada & Iraq, as well as several discrete assignments he still wasn't at liberty to talk about. College was out of the question at this point, at least for himself. The Brays had a tradition of military service, starting with the American Revolution & they'd had a direct descendant in every conflict America had fought since, which might explain the excellent soldiering skills of the most recent generations, if such skills where genetic.

Dekker was now thirty-two, standing six-foot-one & weighing a powerful 245 pounds. His callsign of 'Hercules' was mainly in part to his physical appearance. Unlike his younger twin, Dekker was genetically gifted with a powerful body he'd conditioned into the perfect mix of strength & agility. Jack, the younger twin, had the same muscle tone, but lacked the mass that made Dekker unique. The older Bray twin quietly studied his surroundings with a pair of intense, icy-blue eyes. Jack, the outgoing & socialite, posessed a set of unsettling emerald green peepers. It was one of the few things that kept them from being identical twins. Dekker's haircut was the typical 'high & tight' style favored by the US Military, and the boots on his feet where still his old USMC standard-issue, now a little worse for wear after countless hours of hard wear & intense inspection-grade polishings.

He'd never been much a fashion-slave. Dekker kept the hooded sweatshirt at the center of his wardrobe. For the trip he'd worn a pair of tiger-stripe fatigue pants, a tight-fitting black Underarmor T-shirt that showcased every muscle he had on his torso, and a black hoodie with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, keeping his powerful forearms in plain view. His faithful AMT Government model M1911A1 'Hardballer' hung under his left shoulder under the hoodie, and the back pocket of his fatigues held a Cold Steel 'Recon 1' tactical folding knife. For hunting purposes, Dekker had brought an M40, a modified Remington design, which he'd had rechambered for a .300 WinMag for himself. For Dek, he'd packed an old Chinese SKS in 7.62x51mm. It was time for the boy to fire a real military-grade round at a live target & wean him off of those damn .22's his mother had him shooting...

Dekker intended to set the shuttle down a good distance from any of the commotion, but the buring wreck of a downed ship & a smoking crater seperated by a mile or two caught his eye...

'Weird... Better put this beast down & see if the poor bastard's still kickin'...'

A convenient clearing a mile or so away from both wrecks provided the LZ for the shuttle-turned-RV. Final landing checks where completed, then Dekker turned to his son...

"I'm gonna go check on those crashes, aight? Stay put & buzz my cell if you need anything, okay?"

Dekker's tone left little discussion in the matter, and reluctantly his son nodded in agreement. As much as he wanted to come along, it was better if his father could move quickly, and the sooner he got back, the sooner they could get to hunting...

"Okay, pops... Be careful, pumas have those sharp-ass teeth..."

Dekker ruffled his son's hair fondly as he turned towards the access hatch, pretending to be surprised at his son's language...

"Watch your mouth. Your mom'll hang both of us if she hears you talkin' like that..."

The mercenary stopped momentarily to draw his .45 & chamber a round, then re-holstered it & took up the modified Remington before he exited the ship. Dek would be safe inside, especially with a loaded SKS... The kid wasn't a bad shot. Dekker prided himself in believing that it came from his side of the family...

With practiced grace that was now second-nature, the mercenary moved off through the dense jungle growth, keeping a moderate pace to avoid running into something unsavory. Something wasn't right about two smoking wrecks in the middle of a jungle. He stayed alert, shifting from his casual self to the warrior that he kept locked inside, seperate from anything unrelated to combat. He'd hoped that this would have been an uneventful vacation where he could distance himself from anything work-related, but trouble seemed to follow him like a rabid attack dog. As usual, he'd stumbled into a shitstorm of it. Dekker just wished he'd brought his old M4 instead of the slower bolt-action of his preferred hunting weapon...

"As I'm sure you know, the first disappearences happened just over a year ago, when a few company CEO's went out for an illegal hunting trip and never came back. Police were sent in after them and some of them didn't come back. No bodies were ever found, no radio transmissions ever intercepted, and no signs of any combat. They just vanished. So, the Magistrate ordered an investigation. The investigators didn't come back. At least, some of them didn't come back. Nobody really knows why some vanished and others didn't. Anyway, everything's been happening about 10 kilometers inward if you head east. I'm sure you'll find all the action you're looking for. A bit of a warning, nobody who's returned has even so much as found a hair of whatever's doing this. I think it's a pretty safe bet that those who have seen a hair have been those who didn't come back."

He reached beneath the bar and pulled out a small thermos.

"But if I can't talk you out of going, care for a drink to take with you?"The Sergeant-Enlisted picks up his glass with bony talons the color of smoke-stained teeth then takes a slow sip from the high-proof green liqueur, looking momentarily at the glass with his slitted pupils while the Private-Enlisteds flanking him just quietly observe the bar and its patrons. "Going in with no knowledge whatsoever would not be wise... so I suppose we will have to begin to infer." He takes another sip. "Of the those that have investigated, what did they have in common? If they do, then perhaps that could form a weakness that whatever is out there exploits."

Looking at the thermos, he momentarily thinks about the small credit account his squad has. The vesh is nonmonetary, but the mercantile interests in Cvechiokal have a thin but broad range of foreign currencies via one means or another and these are shipped about physically, at great expense in terms of time and energy, to where they are more useful. "You could perhaps interest us in 'one for the road,' but first we must have some idea what could be along that road."

------===------

"Leader? You mean Mayor Wilkins? You want to see him you'll need to head to city hall, just down the street. But what do you want to see him for? The dudes only got local powers, you want anything to do with the real government you'll need to head to the Vicegral Palace. It's 'bout halfway around the planet, but you can't miss it if you're looking for it. Wait, you're here for a hunt? Well then, you picked the perfect man to talk to. Ron Huls my name, weaponry's my game. I have everything you'll need for an expedition into the forest. Just tell me what you need and I'll see that you get it."One of the Private-Enlisted taps the metallic weapon strapped over his shoulder, built like a rifle but having a distinctived four-petaled 'flower' of ovoid bulges that form the muzzle, looking something like a tulip with notches cut through it or perhaps cloves of garlic. "We are suitably equipped as far as we know, thank you."

"If we are wrong," another one says, "we registered an explosion earlier and watched a ship go down. If what caused those is what we are looking for, I doubt anything we would care to carry would be more help than what we have now."

The modified Kendaryn heavy fighter that emerged from a portal near Deneb 5 would have been instantly recognized throughout most of Kendari; the golden shade of its armor was quite distinctive. Outside of Kendaryn territory, Goldenrod was much less likely to attract attention; that was one of the reasons it was here.

Business was starting to get slow in Kendari, and the mercenary who called himself Zilven Glitar knew that the best way to increase his potential customer base was to get a reputation in a wider area.

As Goldenrod drifted toward the planet, Glitar began scanning the area in which this mysterious danger was known to operate. The wreckage was immediately apparent, and brought up a question.

"There's a crash site down there, and signs of a rather large explosion. I'd like to have more information about what we're dealing with here, but this could be the best lead we're likely to get. What do you think - shall we investigate, or try to find someone who can answer a few questions?"

"Investigate." replied one of the fighters Glitar had hired for this expedition. "If anyone knew anything useful, then surely that information would have been available before. Besides, how dangerous can this thing be?"

Famous last words. thought Glitar, with grim amusement. Still, it does seem likely that we'll learn more at the scene of an attack then we would in a local town.

Goldenrod settled quietly into a clearing, not far from the site of the explosion, and three figures emerged. First came Zilven Glitar himself. The mercenary was dressed in flowing garb of gold and a silver cloak; he wore a golden helmet with a silver visor, and his boots, belt, and gloves were silver with gold decorations. Next was the soldier who had spoken against stopping to ask questions. Dressed in the midnight blue and gold armor of a Royal Guard, he carried light and heavy Tor Ganot blast rifles slung across his back. At his right side hung Narvok blast rifle; at his left, the handle of a Tolmadren energy sword. A lightly armored Nertar moved silently behind them, feline ears twitching as she listened to the sounds of the unfamiliar forest. She carried four heavy blasters, two of them Narvok guns and the others Tor Ganot weapons; she also had a number of long T'zarith knives.

The door slid shut and vanished behind them; as the three set off toward the spot where the explosion had been seen, Goldenrod's shield shimmered on. The soldier who remained on board had been given strict instructions to allow no opening until they returned.

Perigrine looked up from where she sat and chuffed mentally 'by the bones it's getting crowded around here. Thats the second ship that's come in since I got back to camp and the energy sensors read the arrival of a couple more in the area while I was away.' She took the monocular off and blinked to moisten her eyes. The cooling system of her robe was laid out about her and she was working hard to repair the faulty processor.

It was not long before her remote sensor drone, having settled itself on silent antigravs some thirty feet above the clearing created by the explosion, sent a data stream back to the base unit.

Gennady continues to float serenely, until he finally sights what appears to be a town. Wafting over towards the buildings, he slowly looses altitude by neglecting to flap his arms, and peacefully descends right onto the roof of what looks like a bar from his vantage point.

"Ooof..."

Tumbling to the ground, Gennady grabs onto a bench and steadies himself while transferring the helium to storage tanks. In a few seconds, he decreases in profile greatly. Once small enough to fit through the door, Gennady walks into the bar.

Tumbling to the ground, Gennady grabs onto a bench and steadies himself while transferring the helium to storage tanks. In a few seconds, he decreases in profile greatly. Once small enough to fit through the door, Gennady walks into the bar.One of the Private-Enlisted Warriors not currently engaged in conversation waves politely. The rayverr have no sense of fashion themselves, never having the cultural motivations for it that humanity did, but the Warrior does think to himself that International Rescue Orange makes one too much of a target for his tastes.

"Similarities? None that I could see. We've gotten the whole range of dudes. I've seen teams of over twenty men armed to the teeth vansih without a trace, I saw this one guy with a loincloth and a bow and arrow go in and not come out. This thing just seems to kill whatever it wants."

Filling the thermos he added something 'extra'.

"I think you'll fing you'll enjoy this batch a bit better than what you just had. The wilderness can get awfully lonely."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Sure you've got guns, but what about shelter? Where you gonna sleep? Have you thought about what you're gonna eat? I tell you, you want to go out there you need to come to my store first."

True to the Klonor stereotype this man didn't intend to let a customer leave without a sale.

"Similarities? None that I could see. We've gotten the whole range of dudes. I've seen teams of over twenty men armed to the teeth vansih without a trace, I saw this one guy with a loincloth and a bow and arrow go in and not come out. This thing just seems to kill whatever it wants."

Filling the thermos he added something 'extra'.

"I think you'll fing you'll enjoy this batch a bit better than what you just had. The wilderness can get awfully lonely."The sergeant digs in one of many pouches scattered about his armor and hands over sufficient battered coinage to cover the tab. "Then I suppose we will just have to try and be something it does not want to kill."

The Gift will help with that, the Warrior allows himself to think, just as the Gift will help this town if it takes root. "Thank you for your consideration," he says as the bartender adds that little bit, smiling with unintentional slyness as his facial musculature exposes a few glistening teeth near the corner of his thin, vestigal lips, "and I will keep it in mind if we have a moment safe from this beast of no return."

------===------
"Sure you've got guns, but what about shelter? Where you gonna sleep? Have you thought about what you're gonna eat? I tell you, you want to go out there you need to come to my store first."

True to the Klonor stereotype this man didn't intend to let a customer leave without a sale.The Private thumbs towards the odd dual-duffel set over his shoulders, tapping them for emphasis with the claws of his middle hand. "Your concern is appreciated, but that is what the standard issue kit is for. Besides, by the grace of Mater and the strength of the Gift, our digestive tracts are... more adaptable than what you probably consider normal." Sly smile. "Thank you, but we must decline."

(Remake of missing post)

Oscar Vladinchi, off-duty as Chief General, had decided to pack his stuff and go on an adventure. Sure he was 52 now, old and wise in the art of Anagonia's Military, but he liked the excitment of extra freelancing missions here and there. It was something no pure-blooded Soldier could miss. The Wild-life, the Nature, everything about this trip suggested relaxation. Well, almost everything.

Oscar stood straight ontop of a hill overlooking a part of the forest. He lit up a cigeratte and inhaled. He stood about 6'4" and assigned himself as a mercenary for this mission, packing a backpack full of supplies and a waiting dropship hidden for a base camp. Exhaling Oscar gripped his old-fashioned AK-47, which he loved from the old days. Sure he had more advanced weaponry, but he liked it better with the primitive weapons.

Moments passed as Oscar enjoyed his cigeratte, he had trekked some miles from his dropship. Taking a last puff, he crushed it on the ground, then observed his surroundings. It would be a long mission, one of severe danger and upmost rewards, but he was up to it. Grabbing his personal hand-held, he went over the mission specs again, before continuing on into the forest of the day.

Perigrine looked up as the sensor sentry beeped ever so softly to alert her of another energy bloom, heralding yet another space craft had passing within range. She growled deep in her throat. Between the problem with her robes climatic control and the sudden over abundance of neighbors she was in no good mood.

However her shielding and camoflauge was working, no one had apparently noticed her encampment and scoutship at all. Not yet twilight she felt that she had time for a brief swim in the small rapidly moving stream that edged the camp. With swift movements she shucked off the lightweight shipsuit she word and grabbed a towel...and several weapons.

Once at the edge of the stream she set about putting the weapons in places where they could be easily reached, but not seen by any accosting her. One of her twin forcelances went on the bottom of the stream, while the other lay beneath her clothes. A custom made Trident rapid fire crossbow pistol was hidden on a branch that over hung the water, the leaves doing an excellent job of hiding the small weapon, and being 'no tech' it had no energy signature to reaveal it...but then again neither did any of the several blades - throwing and other she put thoughtfully here and there. Satisfied she finished stripping and plunged into the icy water with a gasp of pleasure

Oscar had walked slowly through the woods, creeping almost, tracking tracks and checking back in with his ship, making sure everything was alright. Nothing bothered him really, and it was turning into night. In time, he would decide to camp out, but he still had a few hours of light left to hunt down his specified target, which was no where to be found.

There was no real path, and Glitar frequently had to pause to rip vines or underbrush out of the way. At one especially thick tangle, the armored hireling said "Here, I'll take care of that."

Glitar stepped out of the way.
"Thanks... Wait-"

~Boom!!~
The Tor Ganot heavy blast rifle sent a scatter-shot into the vegetation, leaving only a few steaming shreds.

"-not with that!" Glitar finshed, too late. "Great planning, Damath. There goes our chance chance of approaching unnoticed."

"You worry too much, Zil. It's not like we're going up against an army or anything."

"Fine. If there's nothing to worry about, you take the lead."

Slinging the rifle across his back, the man pressed on. He moved quietly enough, when not blowing things up. Zilven Glitar followed, keeping his hands near his weapons. The Nertar fighter, Nuram, had turned to whirled to face the trail behind them when Damath fired; now, she turned and continued in the rear.

Perigrines eyes flew open when the BOOM echoed through out the jungle, silencing the small animal noises. She waited, floating in the stream's refreshing waters, to see if the weapon was fired again. After several minutes she relaxed. Who ever it was was either certain of having hit their target or too dead for any response. She wasn't here to babysit anyone and that suited her just fine.

There was only a short time before dusk fell and she intended to enjoy every moment of her soak in the stream

Jekel narrowed his eyes to azure slits as the echoing report of the weapon reached his ear-fins...

'Soft-skinned amatuers... You invented the machete for a reason...'

He rose from his position in the thicket, keeping the .308 G3A3 at a low ready position as he scanned the wreckage now that the previous individual had gone...

'Some sort of armored vehicle, tracked & not wheeled... An internal explosion?'

After a brief examination of the surrounding area, the assassin located what looked like the remains of a grenade launcher...

'Foolish... Simply foolish... Kelstar wonders why I hate employing the things. I'll have to get a photo of this mess before I leave, and after I've bagged that body-snatching critter...'

Following his nose, Jekel Slipstream continued through the underbrush...

OOC: Since it's been a while since its last kill.....

IC:

Soaring majestically through the air, well, as majestically as one can when you're the size of a small blimp, the herd of cows descended from the cliffs edge to the forest floor and began to graze in the small clearing before heading into the woods towards the next clearing a few hundred yards along the way. A bit further into the woods crouched a silent and wary predator, its eyes gleaming as it contemplated its soon-to-be meal. Slowly it bared its teeth and began to creep towards the rearmost of the cows. With none of the larger animals capable of any sort of quick movement or self defense it really didn't matter which one the carnivore picked, just which one would make the better meal.

"You clever son of a bitch, I have you now. Almost lost you when you left that un-eaten cat yesterday, but you can't get away from me. I'm your executioner, and I've....got......you."

He gazed down the sight of his high-powered sniper rifle, sighting in on the neck of the beast hunting the cows. Slowly, just as the animal was preparing to lunge, he squeezed the trigger with a small grin on his face.

A few days later a small pigeon flew into town and expanded its nest with a bit of cloth from the hunters jacket.

(OOC: No, the animal he was hunting wasn't the evil killing thing you're all after, I just don't want to bother researching the hunting methods of any real life animals so I decided to leave this one un-named)

OOC: Any mid-sized to large predator would probably take a bite out of a cow, since they've got plenty of meat on them.

IC:
Dekker stopped abruptly as the thunderous bang found its way to him...

'Who-the-fuck brings a cannon on a hunting trip?'

It then dawned on him that he wasn't much better... The .300 WinMag in his rifle had nearly decapitated the last deer he'd shot with it...

Shurgging off the realization, he continued on towards the first crash-site, only to find a Dark Argonian standing in the charred clearing. A quick peek down the rifle's scope confirmed that it wasn't the one he knew... Outside of Whiptail, their kind was especially dangerous, the ones outside the Black Marsh where typically assassins or some other lowlife occupation that involved guns & killing...

The mercenary decided to hang back for a moment, the scaly bastard would probably smell him at some point anyway, perhaps it was best to let him think he had the element of surprise...

Perigrine waded out of the stream reluctantly, but dusk was shadowing the jungle and her stomach was advising her that a meal would not be amiss.

She checked the stealthed spy drone she'd left at the site of the vehicular explosion and raised an eyebrow....She didn't know the dark scaled Argonian's name but she was sure that she'd seen him before....back during the ultimately futile hunt for Lando Bell.

"Perhaps I should consider a limited time partnership. He moved well when last I saw him and he's not to unobservant now" She mused as she unpacked some meat to grill over the small, now mostly embers fire. She was no cook but not burning meat was easy enough.

By chance, Jekel disturbed the piece of debris the little device was hidden under. Something was odd... The blackened grass had a weird look to it, Jekel couldn't quite put his scaly finger on it, but it simply didn't look right.

The assassin knelt, prodding at the strange patch of grass with the point of a knife... The scrape of metal on metal prompted a closer look. Re-sheathing the knife, he carefully plucked the odd device from the ground & held it up...

The surroundings seemed to bend around it, forming a sophisticated cloaking field around the device. Jekel was simply amazed he's found it.

'It must be been some sort of survelliance tool... Too bad I can't see a brand name, otherwise I might have to order a few...'

Something else caught his eye as he lowered the device from the treeline. On instinct, Jekel threw himself into a prone position, bringing the G3A3 up & aiming it in the general direction of the slight glimmer that had caught his eye...

'Lens flare... Someone forgot to de-glare their scope...'

Dekker cursed as he threw himself backwards, the scaly mothefucker had seen him...

'From the looks of it, he's packing a Glock & a G3A3, along with a shit-load of knives... I think I've seen him on the INTERPOL website a few times...'

The merc settled back in, aligning the crosshairs of his scope in the center of the lizard-man's skull...

'I'll let him make the first move...'

OOC: LOL you two we're supposed to be hunting a *something* not each other!

**************************************

Perigrine grimmaced as one of the surveillance drone was discovered. The other ( for she had left more than one ) was fortunately where most beings forgot to look...Up.

'Well he didn't destroy it, another plus in his favor...and he isn't human...what?' Her thoughts were cut short as the Argonian threw himself flat. Something that he'd seen that was out of the drones field of surveillance. She turned her full attention to the screen, promptly forgetting about the steaks she'd put on to grill.

Richard and Leona were hiking through the wilderness, packs on their backs indicating that they were planning on staying in the wild for quite some time.

"Nice day out, don't you think?"

"It's a bit to warm for my taste, but as long as you're here with me it's as right as rain."

The grinned at each and kept on walking, hoping to reach a small stream to fill their canteens before they found a place to make camp for the night.

"Hey, leona?"

"Yeah, Rich?"

"Why'd you want to go to this particular forest? I mean if you wanted to see the Vicegral Palace or someting it'd make sense, but to fly all the way to Deneb from Regulus just doesn't really fit when we've got trees in our home system."

"Well, I thought it'd be nice to travel for once."

"Uh-huh. And......"

"And what?"

"Come on Le, I know you better than that."

"Fine, I wanted to see if I could catch a glimpse of whatever's out here killing everybody left and right."

"Ah HA! I knew it! I just knew it!"

"Oh, calm down Rich. I don't want to hurt it, just see it. Maybe get a few pictures. What's the big deal?"

"The big deal? How about the fact that everybody who has seen this thing hasn't been seen by anybody else since? Didn't you consider that?"

"Well......no, not really. If it's just an animal and not some psychotic soldier then it can be soothed, and I plan on soothing it before anybody else does."

"Soothing it? Are you insane? What do you think it is, a pet cat?"

"Hey, I didn't force you to come here. If you don't want to take the risk then you can march right back to the ship and fly home, but I'm staying."

"Le...."

"No! I'm staying until I see this thing, and nothing you can say will stop me."

"Fine, I'll stay, but let's at least set up camp. I'm getting tired."

"Fine."

They were hard at work pitching their tents and cooking their dinner when, off in the distance behind them, a hunter was silently killed as he stalked an animal hunting a herd of cows.

OOC: Insight into the mind of the beast can easily be found here.......

Gennady soon leaves the bar, finding his appearance a little bit too odd for many peoples' tastes.

Re-inflating his survival suit, he hops into the air and wiggles the arms of his suit to gain altitude.

After several minutes in the air, he spies a most interesting sight.

"Klonorian cows!"

Withdrawing a polaroid camera from one of the suit's pockets, he begins to snap pictures of the cows while descending to get a better look. These Klonorian cows remind him of the immensely popular lighter-than-air ships operated on his homeworld, and he feels nostalgic.

Finding the townspeople friendly but generally less than helpful, the Rayverr Warriors politely excuse themselves and begin walking through the woods in something of a line formation, approximately five meters between Warriors.

They know several things. One, no one has seen this creature. Two, this creature must be very powerful to do the things it has. Three, the only connections they can find between the dead people is that they were human and they were armed. The Warriors aren't about to go without their weapons, but if the tremendous arsenals of previous hunters went to no avail, then their weapons--fancy and superior in some respects, but generally just as effective--would not be any more useful. Therefore, all weapons are engaged but slung. Shooting is not the first solution, after all.

It is the will of Mater via the Commandant that this thing be studied, perhaps captured, to see if the Gift will make it another instrument for Mater's will. To incorporate it into the family, into the vesh, is an honor--it is worthy and useful, and Mater's universal love will make it her child just as she has made the Cvechiokali, the Cetagandans, the various passerby on Machiavelli her children. Only if this creature somehow proves resistant--a true first--will violence be enjoined.

This is dangerous, and the Warriors know that... but they are willingly expendable for Mater's will, a combination of their lifelong indoctrination and their hightened levels of particular neurotransmitters.

Besides, it is a nice day for a walk, if nothing else.

Drawing near the site of the wreckage, the Kendaryns spotted Jekel lying amidst the wreckage, pointing a rifle into the forest. None of them had seen an Argonian before, but reptilian beings were familiar enough.

"It looks like he's got something in his sights... we'd best stay here until he either shoots, or doesn't."
Glitar spoke quitely, using the radio built into his helmet, and the little group silently halted.

"At this rate we'll be stuck here 'till sundown, or longer. Sarek, bring Goldenrod in here, under strealth. Come in high and tell me what that lizard's aiming at."

A short time later, the ship drifted overhead; a stealth shield made it next to invisible.

"It's hard to see through this forest, but I think there's a man to your left pointing a rifle at him."

Jekel felt around for the cloaked device, keeping his rifle aimed in the general direction of the lens-flare... He'd lost it, dammit, and now someone was stalking him, of all things...

Slowly, he began to crawl sideways towards the treeline, where he'd be better concealed...

Dekker watched through his scope as the Dark Argonian began to inch his way towards the treeline. Deciding to risk pissing the reptile off, he stepped into the clearing with his M40 above his head, as a gesture of goodwill. Something cracked under his right boot as he moved towards the center of the clearing...

He turned to look, but there was nothing there...

'I guess the scaly bastard was leaving cloaked intel devices to keep tabs on the clearing... Oh well, there's one less...'

The mercenary kept walking, wondering in the back of his mind if his son was AOK back in the ship...

Perigrine all but howled. She been so intent on watching the event on the monitor, she had burned the steak. The smoke filled the small clearing, disapateing far too slowly for her likeing as she hastily removed the slab of char from the grill. She growled as he sucked burnt fingers and turned back to find that the ground sensor had been destroyed. The other was still reporting, but the Argonian had moved out of sight, and a human male, a giant of one, now stood in the clearing. Then he too was leaving

"Well, no one would want steak this burned anyways" She ate the steak with little relish. One never wasted food

Dekker shrugged, then lowered his weapon...

"We ain't here to hunt each other, pal. Next time pack a hunting vest..."

He shouted in the general direction of the lizard-man. His point made, he turned to leave...

Glitar stepped forward out of the trees, his gloved hands empty and visible.
"I'm glad to hear you say that, for I suspect we are here to hunt the same thing." he said.

Perigrine watched as another set of intrepid hunters stepped forth from the underbush and spoke with the giant human. Setting the master console to record she broke out another steak. This one she wouldn't burn. And there was still the possibility of guests.

Jekel slipped off into the underbrush quietly... He'd seen the big human somewhere before, someone with that physique was hard to miss. The sweatshirt had thrown him at first, but the facial scar had made it quite clear who the man was: Dekker Bray. An occasional hunting companion of Whiptail, which most Dark Argonians considered a traitor to his own race, he was not to be trifled with in close quarters, even by one as skilled with a knife as Jekel was... Their last encounter had ended quickly; Bray was simply too strong & too fast for Jekel to do much with besides swing the kukri at the human & try to keep his head out of the way of Dekker's feet.

The small survelliance device had intrigued him greatly, he would have to see who was planting them...

Glitar stepped forward out of the trees, his gloved hands empty and visible.
"I'm glad to hear you say that, for I suspect we are here to hunt the same thing." he said.

Dekker slid a finger into the trigger guard as the man appeared, but slowly withdrew it as he began to speak...

"I'm huntin' puma, sort of a birthday thing with my kid. How 'bout you?"

This was getting nothing short of weird. First a Dark Argonian assassin, now this guy, none of them outfitted to hunt anything conventional...

"So you haven't heard, then? There've been a number of reports that something in this area is killing people, including skilled hunters. So far, no one has seen it attack and survived long enough to tell anyone what it is. That is the prey I am here to seek."

Glitar wondered idly what the odds were that someone would just happen to chose this place for a hunting trip, now of all times....

Perigrine had not minded that the scent of grilling steak was filling the late evening air on the first one, and she didn't on the second. Some times the best trails laid were the intangible ones, and the sentry seystem would let her know of any who came calling long before they came with in eyesight

She risked a quick glance at the base station, noteing that yes indeed the hunting field was filling up indeed.

OOC: The body count hasn't risen at all recently....

IC:

It's not going to get me like it did the rest of those poor bastards, I'm not even going to set foot in that forest before I know exactly what I'm up against.

The newest hunter monologued to himself as he sped through the air several hundred meters above the forest within a recently purchased Loki Stealth Fighter.

I stay up here, scan the forest, and then drop a few bombs from orbit without letting that thing even get within sight of me. Unless it can pilot a fighter or man a Flak Cannon I really don't think it'll be able to do much.

He grinned at that, the thought that an animal could use such advanced technology was damn near laughable. Suddenly, a small beeping coming from his control drew his attention.

Well, this is interesting. Look at that, it's gotta be moving at least 100 kph. No metal.....I think I found the bogey. Targeting.....

His console flashed as his sensors began to specify the targets location and then the bomb bay doors opened and several warheads dropped towards the surface. They'd moved less than a meter from the fighter before they detonated, taking the entire craft with them.

"WHAT THE FRELL!"

Perigrine cursed as her well honed body threw her to the ground and rolling under her scout, as fire bloomed over head. 'Missile detonation, in atmosphere, multiples' her mind colated the information before she finished moving.

"What are people useing for hunting weapons these days? Nukes?...or has some one declared war and forgotten to advise me?"

As small, tattered pieces of what had been a hightech fighter rained down the Nietzschean climbed back to her feet. She cursed some more as a piece, some how managing to be larger than the rest landed squarely on her fire. Snuffing it instantly and ruining the steak grilling there on.

"That does it! This is getting utterly ridiculous. I think we need a conference"

Perigrine worked fast and in minutes the clearing blazed with light and she was setting up her communication equipment to broad cast over the known spectrum.

*If you are out there and hunting. Come to the lights, or triangulate and follow the signal in. This has gone past ridiculous and into serious. Look for the lights, follow the signal. We need to talk.*

She recorded and set it to loop broadcast . That done she set about moving the piece that had flattened her steak and rebuilt the fire.

~BOOM!~
Glitar cursed, whirling to look up at the explosion.
"What in T'zar-gyal's name was that?!?"

-"I'm not sure, chief. Somehow, the sensors missed it. What ever it was, it works fast."-

Then the message started.

"Hey, someone's called a meeting of all hunters in the area. Maybe you're just here for a bit of a vacation, but I think it might be best if you came too, yes? It's this way."

He turned and moved silently into the bushes, his two hireling falling in behind them. Goldenrod drifted above under full stealth shielding, scanning for any sign of potential atack.

OOC: As you may have noticed, Glitar's helmet has a directional receiver in it. It's also got a rear-view camera, just so everyone's aware of that, and infrared scanners, and a few other useful things.

~BOOM!~
Glitar cursed, whirling to look up at the explosion.
"What in T'zar-gyal's name was that?!?"

-"I'm not sure, chief. Somehow, the sensors missed it. What ever it was, it works fast."-

Then the message started.

"Hey, someone's called a meeting of all hunters in the area. Maybe you're just here for a bit of a vacation, but I think it might be best if you came too, yes? It's this way."

He turned and moved silently into the bushes, his two hireling falling in behind them. Goldenrod drifted above under full stealth shielding, scanning for any sign of potential atack.

OOC: As you may have noticed, Glitar's helmet has a directional receiver in it. It's also got a rear-view camera, just so everyone's aware of that, and infrared scanners, and a few other useful things.

"Alright, then... Lead the way..."

The mercenary pulled the PDA he typically carried on field ops from the armored carrying case on his belt, using it to email a message to his son that'd he'd be out for a little longer than expected, and not to leave the ship under any circumstances...

"Something tells me we've stepped on someone's toes along the way, or they wouldn't be calling us out like this..."

Jekel appeared somewhere off to the left of the pair, having heard the message himself & deeming it safer to travel with others, if only for that reason...

"I will agree... Perhaps it is the one who leaves these excellent survelliance devices laying around..."

His emerald glare falls briefly on the two humans...

"I am known as Jekel, by the way..."

The Dark Argonian's most noteworthy feature was the large, L-shaped knife that hung from his left hip, grip outward. From what little was visible of the blade, it shimmered like silver in the bright jungle sun. Other, smaller cutting devices adorn his tactical belt. The reptile seems to be very fond of sharp objects...

...ready for drop...
...pod released...
...initiating descent protocols...
...entering atmosphere...
...shields maintained...
...descent speed as expected...
...initiating slowburn...
...initiating retros...
...initiating final halt...
...landing sustained...
...ground-cooling initiated...
...scanning surrounding area...
...hostile entities in immediate vicinity: 0...
...cooling complete...
...deactivating shimmercloak...
...deactivating scattercloak...
...activating materialcloak...
...opening pod...

Onlookers might have spotted the streak of flame of the pod falling (if not the pod itself), but an equal number would likely have not...not a huge opportunity to stare blankly at the sky in a forest.

Krytheranil vos-H'tainynrathio kal-Orchid vasyn-Onarryu blinked as light flooded the small delivery pod. A half-second later his suit automatically dimmed, cutting off some of the light until the scion of the House of Orchid's sensitive eyes adapted to the sunlight.

"Allnet, activate six."

...allnet active: 6%...
...suit maximum: 18%...

His Allnet activated, Kryth looked around his equipment, letting his passive neuralnet analyse his numerous shielding and deception devices according to Allnet's standard running patterns. The amount of data streaming into his mind from the Allnet was painful in its complexity as each atom was meticulously examined by the network. A few seconds was enough to determine that his gear was indeed in working order. A few seconds was as long as he wanted it running anywhere near six. A few minutes at a time was enough to make one wish the Allnet had never been invented. Quarter of an hour at six percent of Allnet was enough to drive any Onarrán not lifelong trained in the Allnet into madness. Ten minutes would do for a human. The Warcraft had their standard Allnet running at fifteen percent, and that was for an entire ship-of-the-line, using extensive Artificial intelligence units to dampen the effects...as it was, Kryth's suitborne AIs had been working at absorbing most of the data to prevent the migraine that pure access to six percent would cause within a minute or two.

"Allnet, active one, shimmercloak online, scattercloak online"

...allnet active: 1%...
...suit maximum: 18%...
...shimmercloak online...
...shimmercloak integrity: 90%...
...scattercloak online...
...scattershield projectile integrity: 50% deflection...
...scattercloak integrity: 100%...
...suit integrity: 100%...

Kryth calmly sorted out his equipment, attaching weapon onto forearms and shoulder, checking hidden equipment and loading his longrifle. A few seconds taken to calibrate sensors and targeting before the lithe figure left the small delivery pod, the door sealing automatically behind him, materialcloak making the object vanish from sight - although the impact crater was still painfully obvious to anyone who happened upon the small clearing.

A few minutes with a forceblade, some underbrush and a list of handy expletives and the impact crater had instead become a rather suspect looking bush. A rather large, suspect looking bush. Kryth shrugged, gave the order to the rifle's automated systems to compress itself, attached it to its harness and ran lightly off into the forest, sensors scanning for living beings.

It was only a few moments later that the residual information waves from the general broadcast were translated into his own language.

...message received...
...translating...
...]-If you are out there and hunting. Come to the lights, or triangulate and follow the signal in. This has gone past ridiculous and into serious. Look for the lights, follow the signal. We need to talk-[....
...message end...

A few moments later and Allnet had identified the language and was busy feeding the information through his passive neuralnet. It would take several minutes of pain, but being able to speak these people's language might prove useful.

"Nice to meet you." Glitar said, nodding politely.
"I go by the name Zilven Glitar; these two are Damath and Nuram."

"That's quite the collection you've got there." added Nuram with a grin, tapping the hilt of one of her own daggers.

As they continued through the forest, Glitar received a quick message from Goldenrod.
-"Cought a glimpse of something on the scanners. I think it was another landing craft of some sort."-
-"Understood. Keep an eye on the area where it landed. Also, try sending a spy probe out about half a light hour... maybe we can see what caused that last explosion."-

The probe slipped swiftly through a small portal, and began setting up its sensor field. Perhaps soon the hunters would get a look at the danger they sought.

Perigrine blinked as grit got in her eyes, and upon wiping her face discovered that the roll in the dirt and the cloud of ash had left her with a distinctly dirty face. A quick trip into the scout let her know that yes indeed she looked rather like a wild woman.

Quickly she washed up and changed into less begrimmed clothing. She debated wearing her customary concealing robes but decided against it. A loose, long sleeved shirt would hide her boneblades -with those hidden and darkenss well fallen she could generally pass for human. She'd never understood why her species progenitor, Paul Musveni had tailored in bonespurs to Homo Sapiens Invictus's forearms. Though they were a useful addition to unarmed combat.

"Nice to meet you." Glitar said, nodding politely.
"I go by the name Zilven Glitar; these two are Damath and Nuram."

"That's quite the collection you've got there." added Nuram with a grin, tapping the hilt of one of her own daggers.

As they continued through the forest, Glitar received a quick message from Goldenrod.
-"Cought a glimpse of something on the scanners. I think it was another landing craft of some sort."-
-"Understood. Keep an eye on the area where it landed. Also, try sending a spy probe out about half a light hour... maybe we can see what caused that last explosion."-

The probe slipped swiftly through a small portal, and began setting up its sensor field. Perhaps soon the hunters would get a look at the danger they sought.

Jekel did little but nod in agreement...

"Indeed. I've found it's more entertaining to open someone's belly & watch them slip into shock before bleeding to death than simply shooting them... I also have a hard time deciding which to use..."

Malice was well-concealed behind the clear eyes, simmering just below the surface. The Dark Argonian spoke without looking at the man his comment was directed at, his large reptillian feet never breaking stride...

Jekel did little but nod in agreement...

"Indeed. I've found it's more entertaining to open someone's belly & watch them slip into shock before bleeding to death than simply shooting them... I also have a hard time deciding which to use..."

Malice was well-concealed behind the clear eyes, simmering just below the surface. The Dark Argonian spoke without looking at the man his comment was directed at, his large reptillian feet never breaking stride...

Dekker didn't trust the overgrown lizard any farther than he could throw him...

"Can it, Godzilla... We don't need to hear about you field-dressing any of our kind while they're still alive..."

The mercenary stepped in closer, his voice low & dripping with barely-contained anger...

"Don't think I don't know what you do besides hunting mysterious jungle critters, I've got my eye on you..."

His point made, the powerfully-built ex-SEAL stepped out of arm's reach in the event his ally of nessecity attempted to shank him...

The cloaked Onarrán was by now close to the small gathering of hunters. He watched the group for a short while before deciding upon the necessity of getting closer. Silent feet and hands brought him to, and up, a tree near the fire and scanning equipment, trusting in natural agility and dexterity as well as a complex network of cloaks and shields to hide him from detection.

The Onarrán are normally a very cautious, preferring to identify possible friends or foe before revealing themselves. Normally revealing themselves as they attacked in times of war.

Kryth eased out lengthwise across a sturdy branch, someway above and a short distance to the side from the gathering. From there, he settled in to wait, eyes watching their movements with the assistence of his suit's enhancers and the Allnet patiently working in the background of his mind to alert him to what the creatures were.

Nuram wasn't sure if Jekel was trying to discourage conversation, or simply vicious; either way, the reptile would have to be watched closely. For now, they seemed to have a common enemy, but she didn't intend to risk getting a knife in the back.

The group was nearing Perigrine's camp, and their movements would probably by audible by now.

It would stand to reason that the squadron of rayverr Warriors walking around through the forest would perhaps be unnerved by the sporadic flashes of light and muffled booms of things such as fighters exploding and drop pods breaking the sound barrier. They remain professionally cheerful, however, having an unfair advantage that is usually only found in especially subtle forms of combat drugs.

They are a few kilometers out from the 'rest of the action' where everyone else has congregated, but are moving slowly in that direction, rifles slung, knives sheathed, simply keeping their eyes open for now as they march through the brush in a more-or-less straight line, five meters between adjacent Warriors in the fifteen-strong line. They keep alert, listening, looking, smelling.

I wonder if all that madness over there is evidence of the creature's actions or just scaring it away, the Sergeant-Enlisted in charge thinks.

And then, a horde of bloodthirsty and highly intelligent lemmings armed with projectile weaponry charged the stunned onlookers! :mp5: :mp5: :mp5:

OOC: Lemmings? There's not a cliff nearby! And I certainly haven't heard the crash and roar of an ocean surf...Picks up a lemming, takes the pea shooter away from it, and feeds it to the nearest cat.
******************************************

Pergrine's original sensors - Nietzschean mark one, mod one - eyes and ears - told her of arriving company as quickly as her technological ones.

"Come one in, you're past the point of where the sentry system would fry you."

She had no intention of letting any of them know exactly what her systems capabilities were.

"I have coffee, tea and fruit juice but no hard liquor."

She gestured to the selection of beverages she had set out. It never hurt to invoke basic hospitality

And then, a horde of bloodthirsty and highly intelligent lemmings armed with projectile weaponry charged the stunned onlookers! :mp5: :mp5: :mp5:You just had to godmode, didn't you? That belongs in Spam, it's far too silly for a serious thread such as this one.

Good thread, by the way. Is it too late for me to join?

OOC: Lemmings? There's not a cliff nearby! And I certainly haven't heard the crash and roar of an ocean surf...Picks up a lemming, takes the pea shooter away from it, and feeds it to the nearest cat.
******************************************

Pergrine's original sensors - Nietzschean mark one, mod one - eyes and ears - told her of arriving company as quickly as her technological ones.

"Come one in, you're past the point of where the sentry system would fry you."

She had no intention of letting any of them know exactly what her systems capabilities were.

"I have coffee, tea and fruit juice but no hard liquor."

She gestured to the selection of beverages she had set out. It never hurt to invoke basic hospitality

Dekker swore mentally at the lack of any distilled spirits...

"Coffee's fine. You are?"

Anyone with a sentry system that well concealed had access to some high-speed equipment. The fact that he'd missed it rattled him more than the fact that it was there. There'd been no hairs pricking up on the back of his neck like usual when he neared a booby-trap, but then again he hadn't been looking for anything more than trip-wires, tiger-traps, mines, or any of the tried-and-true items on every wanna-be revolutionary's wish-list.

The woman before him was very good-looking, and coupled with the fact that she had some sort of static defense network set up, reminded him somewhat of his ex-wife. Dekker was somewhat wary of actually drinking the offered coffee until someone, hopefully Jekel's sadistic ass, would take the first sip. He kept a finger in the trigger guard of his M40, and the barrel pointing slightly downwards at about a forty-five degree angle...

Perigrine gave a mental snort, looking at their wary reactions to hospitality

"You know, I wouldn't be surpirzed that this super killer is nothing but a bunch of bait laid out, and we the hunters are the ones killing each other off. Yeah I know I know, peoplke are dieing...but who says so? Where are the bodies....Nope, no bodies, just disappearances, and sites of what? Something that could be staged, planted..."

"Hmm... That's an interesting thought, and definitely one to keep in mind. As paranoid as people can get out here, it could easily be true. No doubt the locals are making quite a profit, selling things to hunters, so there's a clear motive for fraud. Still, it's safer to assume there is danger. I'm hoping to find out for certain; I've sent a probe out to see what this area looked like from above when that last explosion happened, and I should start getting a transmission from it any time now."

OOC: Apologies for the delay. I currently have infrequent internet access, while school is out.