the_last_resort | (no subject)

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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.

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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.

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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.

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."

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."

"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?"

"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?"

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."

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.

Edited 2014-12-05 10:50 (UTC)

Jade took her camera out of her S.A.C. and waved it around. "It's here if you need it." She'd rather not pick up plants she wasn't familiar with, especially with those warnings she heard about the wildlife.

"Hey, Elle," she turned to the other woman. "If it's digital, I can try to download the map. I can put markers on it in case we ever got lost." Combining both of their items would help them out even more.

Elle laughs a little at Grainne's description of the Pip-Boy. "Alright, you got it."

When Jade turns to Elle, she mimics her body language and does the same. "Yeah, sure!" But then she pauses, expression growing sheepish. "I, uh... I'm not really good with technology, though, so if it doesn't work, I can't promise I'll be able to figure out a way around it..."

The leaves rustle, first like it might be no more than a passing herbivore, but then the sound increases, comes from all sides. There's strategy in this, and timing, waiting until two members of the party were looking at their devices and not their surroundings. It's not the behavior of any type of native species.

A dozen blaster barrels piece through the underbrush, the hands holding them and the faces half-hidden by bushes and mottled shadows green as the plants around them.

"Do not resist, humans, or we will shoot."

Grainne had frozen at the first sign of the sound, listening intently. She did nothing as they closed in, though. With her powers being on low since she came to Quadratus, she wasn't sure if she could protect Jade and Elle successfully.

There were many of them, and they were approaching stealthily. If they had wanted to kill, they no doubt would have opened fire already. Such a thing made her believe the ones in the bush wanted something else. Grainne's hunch was confirmed when she heard the words spoken with an alien voice. It was very impressive that they could remain unseen by a Servant that long.

Slowly, she raised her hands and motioned for the others to do so as well. Better not to risk it.

"I believe he means it, ladies. There is little enough for us to resist with."

Jade heard the unusual noises too late: by the time she was able to grab her dai-jo and get into a defensive fighting stance, the three were surrounded by guns. Taking one a small herd of DomZ with a partner was not too big of a deal for her, but humans with weapons were a completely different situation.

Gritting her teeth, she slowly set her staff down, never taking her eyes from the bush behind her. The worst thing for them to do were to get caught by a surprise back attack.

Elle first dismissed the rustling as the wind, then an animal, and she was starting to turn towards the sound a second too late. She tenses, feet planting, her hand immediately dropping to the pistol hanging at her waist. Goddammit. She grits her teeth. Should've, should've, should've, it's her responsibility to keep these people safe. The magazine for A Light Shining in Darkness gives her six shots; not enough to put an end to this right now. That would put them in danger. And it's still her responsibility to solve this in a way that's best for Jade and Grainne.

Slowly, she lifts her hands.

"What do you want?" she asks evenly, eyes slightly narrowed.

One of the green-skinned band steps out from the brush to stand in front of them on the path. He's tall and heavily muscled with massive arms and a neck so thick that his shaved green head looks small and pea-like perched on top of it. Gold earrings dangle from his ears and gold bangles drop in chains over his chest. He crosses his arms and looks down at the women.

"You will come with us. Then we will talk about what I want."

Grainne didn't recognize his species, but it hardly intimidates her in the long run. She didn't cow or quiver, but stood up to him, her arms still raised. "In that case, I must ask that you treat these young ladies gently and not to manhandle them. They are under my protection. We will cooperate but I must ensure their safety."

Jade shot a look at Grainne when she offered all of them to be taken? Was she serious? But on the other hand, there was no way they would take on the entire group, which was more well-armed than them. Maybe there really was no choice.

"Grainne," she managed to whisper, "what about you?" Heroic or not, she didn't like the idea of their guide possibly senselessly sacrificing herself.

Elle frowns. Under Grainne's protection -- ? But she's the guide, she's the one who's supposed to be... It's not that Elle is the type to fight for responsibility out of dominance, or something like that, but -- She doesn't understand why Grainne is saying this. But she's also not about to break out into an argument of "no, I'm the one who should feel guilty about this!" in front of hostiles.

She thins her lips and tenses further, but stays silent.

The Orion looks at each of the women in turn, and concludes that Grainne is the leader and the other two are her bodyguards. So he addresses his answer to Grainne, while giving quick glances at Jade and Elle to make sure that they don't attack.

"I give you my oath that if you do not resist, none of you will be harmed by us."

A small tense knot in the back of her shoulders relaxes ever so slightly, though Grainne stays wary. That had been a bit of a gamble but it paid off, and maybe if she played it right Jade and Elle would make it through. It didn't matter what happened to her, she could likely get out of any situation short of being run through her heart, but the other two were far more fragile.

"Trust me," she whispered back to Jade, "I will make sure nothing harms you."

She nodded to the Orion. "We will not resist." Turning to catch Elle's eye, she gave her a pleading look. "Elle." It was just one word, hoping she would catch on. The last thing these people would want is Elle mapping their hideouts, or wherever they were being taken. She didn't want it being discovered later and used as an excuse to hurt.

Besides, Elle had a good memory, right?

Jade took a few moments to look back at Grainne, taking in her words. She sighed. Realizing that she had no choice, she compressed her staff and put in back in its place.

"Promise," she said to the Orions.

Edited 2014-12-09 14:57 (UTC)

If they're not after violence, if they're not after money (because they would've asked for it already), then Elle's not entirely certain what to expect. Information? ... What definition of "harm" are they operating off of? It's putting Elle more on edge. But at least, wherever they go, she has her Pip-Boy.

It takes Elle a moment to catch on to what Grainne might mean. Maybe to the outside, it looks like Elle is the most likely to resist, but given the fact that she's thinking the same thing as Grainne in that moment... She nods once, slowly. She folds her arms across her midsection in what's normally considered a defensive position, but she's using it to cover up the screen on her Pip-Boy. "Alright," she says with a frown. The words are for Grainne, the presentation for their attackers. "Fine."

Because of what she and Jade were doing before they were ambushed, the map subscreen is what's showing right now. As soon as they start to move, and they aren't being directly stared at, she'll discreetly press her thumb on the button that'll switch the screen over to the health status display.

"A smart decision, humans, to not fight us. Now you must be blindfolded. We can't let you see the way to our lair."

Which ultimatum implied that the Orion expected them to live and to return to Blackway at some point, otherwise keeping the location of their smugglers' den secret from them wouldn't be necessary.

Grainne let out a breathe of relief. As long as they didn't do anything unexpected, they would get out of this all right. She nodded, albeit looking unhappy. Well, there really wasn't much choice, they were outnumbered and the Orions would likely hurt one of the girls. Grainne could have taken care of the entire troop herself if it wasn't for that.

It's a good thing the green men thought she was human.

"I'll hold you responsible if one of us trips, Sir Green." She submitted to a blindfold, only making one growling noise when it covered her vision.

Jade let them blindfold her followed suite, careful to step high as not to trip on anything. There was no way she was letting one of the bandits get near her.

It was incredible: a hero of her planet, and here she was getting captured on another. It was a relief that they didn't notice her S.A.C. hanging on her belt, or at least they were unfamiliar with it. As long as they didn't take it, her camera and supplies digitally stored there would be safe, and at least they still had their communicators in case they were in immediate danger.

It's not a bomb collar. This is what Elle tells herself. She can deal with a blindfold. And it's not like she's going to be truly blind. She quietly flips her Pip-Boy's screen as they start to walk.

Elle circles the question again and again in her mind. What is it they want so badly? She knows there's no point in obsessing over it, she's going to find out once they get there, but... There's no way at all to prepare for this, not even to brace herself. Well. She's going to have to rely on improvisation and her typical sheer, dumb luck. And I've got plenty of practice with that.

[exploration thread]

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i'm so sorry guys

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