(no subject)

[athousandcurses]

Who: Grainne, and everybody who saw Grainne's post and wanted to go on the exploration
What: Exploring Quadratus, specifically a nice mountain trail
When: Nov 18
Where: Out in the wilderness
Notes & Warnings: There's a mini plot involved with the exploration team, so they will be interrupted along their hike. Feel free to make a subthread for meet and greet, any CR ideas, picture ops, et ctra! I'll make a thread for the encounter where they get ambushed once you guys are done tossing things out, during when they stop to take a break.


----
The small expedition had been prepared for. All the items were in place for the group going, and all it took was one step into the transporter to their starting site. Grainne had made the arrangements and asked for the company, so she felt it her duty to wait and greet everyone before they headed off.

She stood nearby idly, wondering if she should take one of the heavier things to carry.

Comments

Grainne; pre-trip mingle

[athousandcurses]

Grainne didn't really know what to expect out in the greater Quadratus wilderness, but anything would beat sitting around at the resort for so long.

For this trip she decided to wear a pair of jeans and a sweater she foudn somewhere. She honestly didn't go for modern clothing so much, but it seemed practical at least for this.

If one was good at reading people, they could pick up on some nervousness. Nothing serious, she just wanted everyone to have a good time.

[ratkicker]

Jade made sure that she was up early that morning, resisting the temptation the sleep in as there was no one for her to provide or nor other assignments that day. After a brief session of meditation, she bought several food packages and stored them in her SAC before heading off.

She hadn't met much of the others in person, but she immediately recognized Grainne as the woman she chatted with days before.

"Hey," she said as she walked up to her at a relaxed pace. "You're with the exploration team, right?"

To most observers, it looked like she only carried a staff and a metal device the size of her hand on her belt.

[athousandcurses]

"Yes, though I prefer to think of it as a company." Grainne smiled slightly, still keeping her reserved demeanor. She too recognized the young lady she spoke with, and also something about a brief post she had seen afterward while she was making arrangements.

"I seem to be a bit early..."

[ratkicker]

"That's fine with me." Jade wasn't used to going somewhere as a team, and the idea of resting while waiting for everyone else to show ups was a welcoming one.

"I need to meet everyone anyway," she said as she sat on a nearby rock. "I think we talked before? I'm not sure if I caught your name. I'm Jade, by the way."

[athousandcurses]

"Grainne, and I believe so. You were the young lady interested in the skeletons." Grainne nodded. That was definitely where she remembered meeting Jade. "You arrived recently, didn't you?"

[ratkicker]

She laughed. "Yeah, I guess I was pretty interested in those. I can't believe they were real when I saw them." They didn't look alien at all, but she wasn't sure if the fact that they were regular human skeletons moving on their own was scarier.

"It's my first time going outside the town, so I'm kind of excited about this trip." Jade was clearly more relaxed today than she was when she first spoke with Grainne.

[athousandcurses]

"In my world, magic like that is not unheard of. And worlds I have been to has similar. Though I suppose this universe is more science than magic based..." Grainne looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, I am glad you are excited. It's, well, the first time I have been out into the wild myself. I have been here a little while but I have kept mostly to the village. It's peaceful enough, but there is a time where your feet starts wishing to walk somewhere new." Something that she hadn't been able to do in the Tower, or even much at home because of the war.

pre-trip mingle for elle!

[quixotically]

Whelp. She's on-world for a day, and she's already off on an adventure. Elle can't say she's surprised, and she can't say she's complaining, either. She's actually pretty happy about it. Sitting still has never been something she's good at, and here, she's already getting to learn about the new job she's taking up. And, it sounds like it's something that's gonna be nice and peaceful.

Elle realizes, after she thinks this, that she probably just jinxed the whole thing, if only just by going along. Since when has anything she's done been nice and peaceful? Ahahaha... shit. Well, things are supposed to be different here. This isn't the Mojave. Even if they have to fight off some critters, it'll be alright. She's sure of it.

She's dressed for the occasion the same way as she'd dress for anything back home. She's got her trusty dusty boots, her hat, and her sunglasses, and she's bringing along her ranger coat for armor and for warmth. She's wearing it now, over one of her simple dirty dresses (this one is blue, with longer sleeves, because the weather here has been much cooler than the Mojave so far and that's Not Been Okay).

She's currently going over the items in her pack, making sure she hasn't forgotten anything. "Stimpaks..." she says aloud to herself. "Those funny torches... That new first aid kit... Water... Micah..."

[athousandcurses]

Grainne watched the girl go over her items, a bit interested in what she carried. This must be the guide that was going with them. The last thing caught her attention though, since that sounded more like a name than an item.

Grainne looked a bit confused, but she smiled and approached. "I'm Grainne. You must be the guide. It is good to meet you."

[quixotically]

Elle looks up, blinking, but a smile comes quickly and easily to her face. "Hi! Yeah, that's me." She gets to her feet and dusts off her knees, then holds out her hand for a shake. "I'm Elle, Elle Days. It's nice to meet you, too."

[athousandcurses]

Grainne took her hand, slightly awkwardly, but smiled softly. "Have you been out scouting this route before? Mr. Niko said he had a good trail with a view in mind."

[quixotically]

She shakes Grainne's hand lightly. "Yeah, I was out here just the other day. It's really pretty, I think you'll really like it." Elle lets go of her hand to tap her forefinger against the screen of her Pip-Boy. "I've got the map right here, if you wanna take a look."

[athousandcurses]

"That is all right, I think it would spoil things a bit if I knew where I was going. It is about the journey, for me." Grainne looked at the Pip-boy with curiosity though. It didn't really look like native technology, but then she wasn't an expert. "Did you bring that from home? I haven't seen any of the others use something like that before."

[quixotically]

"Yup, I did." Elle grins. "It was given to me, as a... 'stay better' present, I guess. It's super handy. It does more than keep a map. I can use it to keep notes on, and it keeps track of my health, and it's got a geiger counter and a radio, too."

Jade - Pre-trip mingle

[ratkicker]

Having arrived early, Jade took the time to observe the environment and go over her plans for the day. It was nice having time to relax and think for a while, but after several minutes, she couldn't stop feeling agitated that they hadn't gone on the mission yet.

Still, she was new here, and she had no idea how important the other members were, so she kept to herself and waiting at the edge of the gathering place. To most others, she looked surprisingly unprepared for the journey: while she was looking over her camera, all she had on her was a staff and a small metal device on her belt.

[exploration thread]

[athousandcurses]

Getting out and about felt good, for once. Grainne breathed in the air deeply, and paused for a moment to look at their surroundings on the hiking trail. She looked back to where they had come from, and then looked forward to where they were going. And for once, she was glad. At least, glad she had asked about going on a little outing like this.

"I see the trail up ahead clears a little. Do you think we'll get a good view from there?" She asked no one in particular.

[ratkicker]

It felt different to have someone else lead her though an area, instead of being the trailblazer herself or figuring out how to get through a secret base together. A very welcome change for Jade. She had calmly followed Grainne without saying much, preferring to take this walk as a peaceful trip.

"I guess." That was the only possible way to answer that. "We can plan out the next phase once we get there, anyway."

i'm so sorry guys

[quixotically]

Elle had been taken up this same trail just the other day by one of the other guides so that she'd know what to expect and what to point out. Her Pip-Boy's mapping proves itself to be especially useful, as per usual, so there's not much of a chance they'll get lost so long as Elle's vigilant. And she made sure to put markers on her map for especially useful and interesting landmarks. So, at Grainne's question, Elle breaks out into a wide grin.

"I don't think you'll be disappointed," she says, looking over her shoulder. "There are some better views ahead of us, but this one's pretty nice, I think."

[athousandcurses]

"Next phase? Well, it sounds like a perfect place for a brief rest." Grainne lifted her arms over her head and stretched a little bit, a very faint smile on her face. "I have seen many interesting plants along the way, I want to take a few samples back and see if they have any herbal value. Are you enjoying the walk, Jade?"

[ratkicker]

"Yeah." There was no point in elaborating further, and continued admiring the scenery. "Want me to take some pictures of them just in case?" The might be someone back in the village that wanted to buy photos of local herbs.

Once they reached the clearing, she also stretched and took a serene look around. "This is beautiful!" This forest had the most greenery Jade had ever seen in one spot, especially compared to the city of Hillys and the never-ending sea surrounding her home.

She turned to Elle. "You been out here before?"

[quixotically]

Jade's proclamation makes Elle beam. "See? Knew you'd like it." She stands back a bit so that they can take the prime sightseeing spots, fingers linked loosely behind her back. She's happy to at the very least have been able to bring them to this place. Not her route, not her world, so she can't take pride in those things, but she can be happy for having participated in sharing something for them to enjoy.

"Yeah, but just the once," Elle admits. "But don't worry, I won't get us lost. I've got a good memory and a map, besides."

[athousandcurses]

Considering Jade's question, Grainne sat down on a rock to enjoy the view for a few moments. "It's quite wonderful. If it weren't for the trees and vegetation being different, I would think I was home. I may have use for such pictures, I suppose I could put together a book of native plant life and various uses." She grew a little more thoughtful near the end, but smiled and shook her head.

"I have no doubt you can lead us out with no trouble, Elle. Some time when we settle for the night you will have to show me that robot thing you have, I've never seen one like it before."

Standing then, she started looking for interesting plants to sample and take back to the research center.

the caves

[quixotically]

Elle doesn't know what to expect when they finally reach the cave that had been Inev's destination. It's entirely possible that whatever trouble Inev ran into didn't happen at the caves; the leader had said she was going to go to town after she stopped here... still. Hopefully, there will be at least some clues.

It occurs to Elle now that they probably should have thought to ask what route Inev would have taken to town from the caves. Ahaha... Oops. Well. If there aren't any clues here, Elle supposes they could head back and ask.

[athousandcurses]

Grainne fluttered around near the opening, listening, looking, and seemingly staring at nothing. In truth, she was using her senses to try and detect if Inev had passed that way, and to determine if there were any spiders nearby.

"As soon as we are done here, perhaps we could use the map to check which way she may have taken, if she isn't here." She whispered to the girls. "We should hesitate to separate though. I would be all right on my own, but the spiders can be fast for humans."

[ratkicker]

Jade, however, strolls into the cave without any hesitation. Sure, places like these are easy to get lost in and are full of dangerous animals, but this time, she has two partners to rely on.

"Come on, we can't just sit around and wait for her to come out," she says when she stops about twenty feet past the entrance. "I've explored lots of caves back home, and we all can fight: nothing to worry about!"

To be honest, she's mostly impatient. There's someone's daughter who might be in mortal danger at this very moment.