Klamath Falls Negotiations Meltdown - RPLOG
Participants
Date
1/9/2013
Log
There was a horrible staticy transmission from Klamath Falls, the known home turf of the Coyote packmind. It almost went undetected as it was on a long-unused civilian channel on CB, and so was undermonitored. Still, someone stumbled on it halfway through, and it was properly deciphered within an hour.
The coyote packmind had specially requested negotiations to take place on the shore of the upper Klamath, just outside of its range, eighty miles from Crater Lake with the express purpose of... Negotiation. There was no mention of what it wanted to negotiate, just that it wanted to. It also specifically requested the agents that had last had contact with it, for the purpose of 'trust' on the issue.
The agents were to gather at the heliport at Crater Lake in order for the first proper briefing of it, and to gear up, just in case...
Considering they were called in for a job in Oregon, Glein wasn't taking chances. She was in her full combat load, her weapons loaded with the more potent rounds Edel had developed. For all Glein knew, they were being brought in to deal with the Wolf Packmind. Which was basically, blow it to hell and pray you can run fast enough. As it was, she was starting to develope a very vivid dislike of taking the trip into Oregon.
It wasn't that she didn't like the state, it was beautiful to see, but it's, new native life left a lot to be desired. Such as proper protection from some very agressive infections by the nanites. Hell, RSX being this tight lipped about the requesting of her specifically had her wondering what was going on. Normally they just put out a broad blanket recruitment call for some operation or another. Had something changed, or worse, was she basically getting snagged to be fully examined to determine why she hadn't, yet, gone foxmind?
Edel, on the other hand, didn't seem to come any more prepared than usual. She had her dress, her hammer, her sword, and that fancy rifle. And whatever widgets were in her dufflebag. "Haven't been out here in a while, huh? Not since... Well, not to this part of Oregon since I was infected, I think." She drums her claws along the shaft of her hammer as she carries it propped on her shoulder. "Hopefully it works out and there's no violence this time!"
Rorne was just as prepared as before: No equipment, really, other than her clothing, pack, a laser pistol at her side, and a medkit. She doesn't really use weaponry, preferring to stay back and take care of those who need it without getting into anything too bad herself. She can usually handle her own like that, and doesn't need much more to take care of herself. Nonetheless, she has already decided to ask around for something of use for later. Not here, though, she shouldn't need it. "I see you two are hear already," Rorne greets both Glein and Edel. "Last time I was in that area was... well, that's a long story. One for later."
This time there was a new officer, a human-looking woman with short hair and dressed in a very professional, plain pantsuit. She had a briefcase full of papers, but was not without a significantly-sized sidearm. She frowned as she looked at those where were also present on the negotiating team. "I will be your RSX Solutions liaision, Miss Barnett. Miss Jenneau has been since relieved of her duty and I've been reassigned to take over her mission. I trust you'll all behave... Professionally... Right?"
She nodded back to the helicopter, which was being armed with a short-barrelled machinegun. Armed men in fatigues, with flight helmets, were boarding as well. One of them appeared to be carrying a type of grenade-launcher. "This time we'll have some proper support, in case of hostilities from the packmind... You were all properly briefed at the headquarters, right?"
Glein looks over the assembling group. 1 UH-60 Blackhawk, suprlus model brought up to spec, 1 M134 minigun, they were bringing on a Mk 47 Striker grenade launcher, and bringing the gunners to man both. Looking over 'Miss' Barnett, Glein shrugs. "Professionally as can be expected Ma'am. However, all we know is that we were being called up by RSX for a task inside Oregon. So if you'd be so kind as to give us a full pre-mission breifing, we can better do whatever it is we're being requested to do. If you can't do that, then at the very least fill us in on the flight over." Glein explains, helmet on, hands clasped behind her back in a very relaxed form of Parade Rest while they waited the RSX Operative's response. Glein would ask question's about Jenneau's cause for relief, but this didn't exactly seem the time or place for it. Not with THAT much heavy firepower being loaded and checked over.
Edel scratches at her ears and shrugs. "I haven't gotten a proper run-down on what's going on, but it seems simple enough. We'll be fine, I think, but any knowledge or information you wish to share with us would be fantastic." Her eyes wander over the helicopter, specifically the weapons.
Rorne looks over at Miss Barnett, nodding as she speaks. "I'll behave as is necessary, Miss Barnett, so I'll do what I can to act professionally." She looks to the helicopter, seeing the large number of aramaments being brought along. She just hopes that the equipment isn't necessary. No matter where they were going, if that much firepower is needed, something has definitely gone wrong, and she knows it. "As they both said, though, a rundown on the mission would definitely be prudent. Make sure everyone's on the same page."
Her little legs running full speed and her lungs pushing out little sounds that resemble 'woof' with each step Savi comes sliding into the area. Getting lost,as usual, the plant has followed Glein (Not being told specifically not to follow her) and has arrived at the breifing late and completely uninvited. With a Propper salute to the gathered group the tiny girl smiles brightly upon seeing Glein and Edel and promptly skitters up to Gleins side. "Savi is here now." she says simply, unaware that the power-that-be may be annoyed someone just showed up at the semi-secret meeting place, and did so just a few minutes before mission kick off.
The RSX liaision frowns a little more at the short plant-person who arrives late. "So that's coming with us? Hm. Not much of a matter. We'll manage. I'll explain now, as I hate trying to talk over the sound of a chopper. We recieved a scrambled radio signal on a long-derilect civilian channel from Klamath Falls. It was the Coyote Packmind. It was calling us to the negotiation table. It specifically asked for the agents that had made contact last time... It looks like you're the only ones who showed up. We don't know what it wants, it was a short transmission. All we know is that it supposedly wants to talk..."
Well, that was new. "Have you had any other teams than our first incursion go in? Because if so, it's seems strangely peculiar that it'd pick us specifically." Glein says, not really paying too much attention to Savi climbing up onto her. This whole thing was starting to smell rotten somewhere. "More specifically, do we know how it managed to begin using radio transmissions? When we last went in, they seemed to be running as a, group, of hunter/gatherers." Glein asks, since, well, it was a strange thing to happen. Not that Glein doubted Packminds could learn, but they seemed to need new additions to their collective, at least so far as Glein has seen, for them to make leaps and bounds like that.
Edel frowns at Glein. "Why does it seem strange? They know us. Two of us are part of the coyotemind. And they're not base animals, so I'm not entirely surprised that they got a radio working." She nods at Savi. "Nice to have you along!"
Rorne listens quietly to Miss Barnett, and glances over to Glein as she states it's 'peculiar.' Before Rorne can speak up, though, Edel does so, and Rorne nods. "We were able to speak with them before, so," she pauses, looking over to Barnett, "as long as they haven't been antagonized in some way prior, I believe these negotiations will go smoothly." At least, she hopes they will. "In any case, we can't go unprepared. There could always be an ambush by another Packmind. I personally do not believe that the Coyote Packmind will become hostile towards us without provocation."
Savi tries to catch up with the conversation as fast as she can, but has to stop and wonder when Edel mentions there are two yote-minds in the group. Savi did not know that. Finding her accustomed spot in the space above Glein's pack and her wings the little flower decides she should just keep quiet and listen. We have two ears and one mouth so we are supposed to listen twice as much as we speak. Lokking to her hands breifly Savi ponders if that also means we are supposed to poke things ten times that much. With a physical shake of her head, Savi tries to focus, and with a final patdown to make sure all her weapons are in place she hopes her first meeting with a packmind will be as stressful as the week has already been.
She seemed puzzled by it, but Miss Barnett just shrugged and nodded. Of course, the fact that Edel and Rorne seemed so sure made her narrow her eyes a bit, but the fact that she mentioned there were two coyoteminds in the group already... If she wasn't obligated to perform the mission, she'd attempt to execute them right there. "I more agree with Agent Glein's suspicions... Though, we haven't sent any other field operations to Klamath Falls since your last one. We've been preoccupied with other duties, but they made an effort to contact us. My concern is how they generated electricity to run the radio off... And how they learned to repair it. Klamath Falls has been radio-silent and has had not so much as a candlelight spotted in it since P-day."
The agents in the chopper were looking a little antsy, and so Barnett nodded. "If you're all ready to go, we should go."
Glein sighes, and nods. "Everyone aboard the rocking bird." She says, with a quick wave of her arm for the others to follow. Considering that Glein was a little too large to fit in the troop compartment itself, she settled herself on the left side of it, making sure to grab ahold of one of the 'emergency situation handle', more commonly refered to as 'OH SHIT!' handle. She checked the safety of her rifle while htey were on the rifle, as well as made sure her pistol was firmly strapped into the holster. At this point, it was now wait and see what was going on. That was about all that could be done now.
Edel rolls her shoulders and nods. "I sure am, and standing around is boring so let's get moving!" Arsenal in tow, the fennec moves to climb into the helicopter.
Rorne follows behind Glein, hopping up just before her. In the compartment, she settles as best she can, keeping her wings folded as much as necessary. She closes her eyes and does her best to focus. She knows she's going to need that soon. A couple deep breaths to relax, and she begins to focus her mind carefully.
Savi used her spot from Glains back to anchor them both, sliding vines around Glein and then around any handhold she can reach without pushing someone out of the way. Using herslef like a living harness the flower lowers her head and, peeking just over Gleins shoulder, readies herself for the flight.
Barnett placed herself in the copilot's seat at the nose-end of the bird. She slides a flight helmet with a dark visor over her head, and, once sure everyone was ready to go, they set off.
It took no little time for them to make it to the lakeshore, where they slowed. There was a single coyote on the shore, standing in the clear, but Barnett had them do two sweeps before finally landing. Edel and Rorne could feel the packmind tugging at their minds, almost making their bodies ache to return...
As the Blackhawk neared the lakeside they'd used as an evac zone all those months ago, Glein bought her rifle to her shoulder and began looking through the sight, seeing only one coyote. There was a treeline about 30 yards off, easy hitting range for either M134 on the left or the Mk 49 on the right side of the troop compartment. They'd been pretty quick in mounting it up, which meant this whole thing had them as nervous as it had Glein.
As the helicopter landed, Glein hopped off, doing a quick sweep left and right on the grass before turning around and giving a thumbs up and jogging while bend over at teh waist past the point the blades of the prop would be dangerous right away. Once there, she stood up and looked over the lone 'yote in the clearing with them. She was pretty sure she'd never be able to tell any of htem apart, so if this was a new one or one of the one they'd met back then, well, Glein couldn't tell. For her, there was that nagging in the back of her head directing her to a much different location. Thankfully, she was focused on this mission, on this moment that the nagging was basically ignored.
Edel's eyes glaze over a little as they enter the area, but once they've actually landed she snaps her mind back to reality and hops out of the helicopter to follow after Glein. "Hello there!" She tips an imaginary hat to the coyote and sets the head of her hammer on the ground to use it as a leaning post.
Rorne feels the pull getting stronger and stronger. She's definitely no stranger to this, and this is why she was focusing. When they land, after the sweeps, Rorne hops out of the heli, taking steps away from the blades, but not towards the coyote of the bubble. There, she stretches her wings and arms, and then gets closer to the single coyote. She's a few feet back, probably the closest to the coyote, and she bends down to be at the same height of the coyote. "Hello again," she tells them warmly, knowing she's speaking to the whole Coyote Packmind, not a single Coyote.
Savi releases the chopper and rides along with her teammate, acting as eyes in the back of her allies head the little plant keeps her eys on the forest surrounding the lake. With the feeling that the lone Yote is more of a decoy or distraction, the minute mutant watches with growing unrest expecting everything to just fall apart at any given second. little hands gripping the hilt of her energy sword handle, Savi tries to let her natural coloration sort of blend in with Gleins combat pack.
Barnett takes a minute before joining them, giving directions to the small team staying with the chopper. They were only going a couple dozen meters away, to the edge of the packmind's bubble, so close to the tipping point for Edel and Rorne...
The Coyote, who was lounging in the grass, stands itself up to make a bow. "Ah, brothers..." it says calmly, grinning coyly at Rorne and Edel, and winking at Glein. "You're awfully prepared. You think this may become more than negotiations..."
Anyone who looks may notice that the mounted grenade launcher on the chopper is on the side facing them, while the machinegun faces the opposite side... Is that standard procedure?
Glein simply nods in agreement. "We do. We haven't had the, best of experiences with packminds normally, even less so when they figure out how to get a radio working, and ask for certain people specifically." Glein says, lowering her rifle to the low-ready position. She's looking at the coyote, but her focus itself is current pointed at that treeline which could be concealing God knew what. "Miss Barnett, I'm going to guess your the Primary on this little trip?" Glein asked, with a quick jerk of her head behind her to check to see if Barnett was coming. Seeing the Mk 49 pointed towards them however, Glein could most definitely feel that tensions were racheted way high right now.
"My advice, Coyote, is try to avoid pissing off the negoiator. I fairly certain we're all standing in the kill box and chances of hitting friends is not a concern." Glein says quietly to the 'yote, before Barnett reached them.
Edel frowns again, tail twitching nervously. Her bravado was enough to deal with single combatants, but even she doubted her capabilities to wrestle with an attack helicopter if it came to it. "I'm always armed! They are as part of my attire as my clothes themselves. But yes, we should all try to remain civil here."
Rorne shakes her head. "We're always prepared, as we should be. We never know what's lurking around the corner." She is sure that it isn't going to be an issue with the Coyote Packmind, however, but doesn't say that. Standing up, she takes a couple steps back. "In any case, we should be ready for whatever happens. I know I am."
Staying silent and losing intrest in the Coyote, Savi instead turns her attention to the chopper. Not having had any real issues with the RSX in the past, Savi was unsure why she felt the craft was the true enemy here. SOmething she almost remembers, something she saw but can't pull to mind. As the frustration of feeling she has missed something very important builds her silence breaks "WHy are we really here?" while actually speaking to only herself, with the words out event he plant herself has to admit it sounds like a question directly composed to the Yote.
The coyote yipped a laugh, looking around them, ears tall and perked up. It could tell that the flying machine was serious business. It smiles, a little too earnestly, at the voice. "We, Coyote, have decided we don't want to be the enemy of the Agents. We want to be the friend of the Agents, so we called you here."
Barnett frowned. She was standing a little apart from the group, to the side. "That's too simple. That's not how negotiations work. What do you want from RSX?"
Glein merely stands straight, take a few steps away from the point of discussion, and takes a knee, looking over the lush green grass that seemed to be thriving here thanks in part to the lake behind them. Though her hand was gloved, that didn't mean she couldn't brush aside strands and look at the dirt underneath. Glein wasn't sure what she was looking for, but something in her gut told her that there was something she should be looking for. But whaT?
Edel scratches at one of her ears, giving a casual glance back to the helicopter before turning her eyes skyward. "I don't imagine they have a whole lot of needs or desires... I could be wrong, of course, but for all I know they just want assurance that they won't be hunted and eliminated like the foxmind."
Rorne glances around, noticing Glein being a bit on edge. She takes that as a bad sign, and starts looking, listening around. Something could be up, and, if it were, they could have no chance of knowing. She trusts the Coyote Packmind, and doesn't want to give it up. "Glein, something up?" She asks Glein quietly, still scanning the area. Part of her wants to enter the bubble, rejoin the packmind. The other wants her to be alert and ready for something.
Listening to the Coyote and the RSX something still doesn't add up. "Then why negotiate? Why not, say Ally, surrender, or any of a thousand other words? WHy meet in person, why not hammer out the deal over your radio." Forgetting about protocol Savi just begins rapid-firing questions at the Coyote, all the while still watching the area behind them from Glein's back. "If you really want just to be friends, why are we here like this?" Turning her head slightly she lowers her already soft voice and whispers directly into Glein's ear.
The packmind finger frowns at Barnett's attitude, sitting back on its haunches. "Fine," it whines, "We'll have no fun. Wolfmind has been bothering us. We've heard things about Foxmind. We want you to know you're not our enemy. We also want to be secure against the Wolf. Wolf has been getting very pushy lately. When we lose a finger to it, it is quite distressing..." It lifts up a paw, pads upward, in a very human expression. "So, this is what we propose. We have things we know you might like. It's called... Salve... Salve-edge. It's something we know you might want. In exchange, we get things, too. We like the big loud things you have. The ruffles... Or what are they, ripples? They go boom. We like them. Tell us about them, maaaaybe... Give us some?"
The Coyote seems to Barnett, like it's still holding a card close to its chest. She frowns. Maybe someone who's watchful notices that the pistol in its holster is unbuttoned. That's also a quick-draw holster, not a standard high-retention holster. "So... You want... Hm. That's a bit of a tall order. You'll have to make it worth more to us than rusty spoons and broken cars."
Besides the crew on the ground being jumpy, one of the gunners in the chopper is being a little twitchy, as well...
Glein shakes her head at Rorne's question after having answered Savi's. "Nothing wrong I can see right now, just... A gut feeling. That's all." Glein replies, sighing as she stood up, and brushed her hand off. First they find out that a packmind not only figured out how to power and operate a radio, but also asked for them specifically. First flag. They want to arrange a deal of some sort. Second flag. RSX was taking no chances, bringing a anti-light armor and group personnel weapon aboard a combat-grade helicopter. Third Flag. The almost odd stillness of things around them, an almost unnatural calm before the storm if you will. Fourth flag. Four seperate flags in Glein's mind were up, and then there was that gut feeling that something was off. Hearing the discussion of the wants of hte coyotes, Glein almost chuckles. "Rifles, Coyote. They're called Rifles." Glein says, looking back over to the discussion going on.
Glein glances over to the helo and noticing one of hte gunner's being overly twitchy. Just what were their orders? Walking over to the bird, Glein gently places a hand on the barrel of the grenade launcher. "Keep calm, take deep breaths, and maintain your composure. Not just our lives on the line friend." Glein says soothingly, or at least as soothingly as a Marine can to a nervous recruit can be. It really would boil down to a very specific thing. Would RSX shoot first out of nervousness, or would the Coyote's attack first out of fear for their own safety?
Edel shoots a look at Savi. "That's just semantics, really. Be mindful that you don't talk our way into ruining the meeting." She looks back to the coyote and rubs her chin. "What kind of salvage are we talking? That might be a fair enough deal. At least as far as I'm concerned." She stands the hammer up on its head and jumps onto it as a sort of stool, or small platform. Seemingly not for any particular reason, though.
Rorne closes her eyes and bows her head, thinking to herself. The Coyote Packmind is being harassed by the Wolfmind. This can't be good at all. Looking up at the Coyote, and then back to Glein. She doesn't say anything, hearing Glein speak. That's what she would've said herself. She looks back to the Coyote and asks, "Where have the wolves been attacking from? That will help us be prepared for anything that could happen."
Savi cringes down at the look from Edel and grows quiet. Trying to keep her head on a swivel so she can watch everywhere at once, she tried to forcefully relax. Unsure what is amiss Savi is beginning to feel she is looking too hard. Deciding to try and be a little more reactive than proactive for once, she hunkers down while Glein tries to calm the soldier and relfects on the info herself. Maybe what she is missing is the same thing they missed in wonderland, not everything is bloodthirsty, but this isn't wonderland.
THe soldier that Glein is talking to is shivering a little. "I feel kinda sick..." he whimpers, and Glein notices a trickle of blood from his nose. Or is that really blood?
The coyote looks at Rorne matter-of-factly. "Everywhere. Wolfmind is mobile and so it harasses us at all edges of our range. Wolf has taken a few of us, but we've taken quite a few of Wolf." And then, to Edel, "We don't know exactly what we have... A lot of stuff. But we don't bother any of it, ever, we just sleep in the houses, sometimes we make dens. When it is cold they keep the cold out. So they are good, but we know there are things you'd find use for..."
Glein blinks and curses. "RORNE! HERE NOW!" Glein barks, getting a firm grip on the soldier. Once she has that, she gently pulls him away from teh grenade launcher, her intent on getting him onto the ground so that they could hold him in place. That wasn't a bloody nose the poor kid had. "Barnett! Who is this?! His uniform is lacking a tag, and he's showing packmind infection!" Glein demanded, drawing her laser pistol from it's holster and pressing it against the kid. Boy was Glein glad she and Edel had gone through the process of improving her pistol.
Edel's ears perk, but that's about the only reaction she gives. Outwardly, at least. She swings around on the hammer to look at Barnett. She'd be rather impressed if the wolf packmind had set all this up from the start. Her left arm drops down to her leg, dangling around her thigh. "Hmm?"
Rorne listens and nods at the Coyote as it speaks, but is jarred suddenly by Glein's command. A quick turn to see her pull the soldier from the grenade launcher, and, with little hesitation, she leaps and flaps, reaching Glein and the soldier within a couple seconds. Down to the ground Rorne goes, kneeling alongside the soldier. "Definitely Packmind," she states, looking him over while doing her best to maintain composure. "Which one, though, not sure. Whichever it is, though, we don't have much time."
She looks the soldier in the eyes. "Stay focused, I know it's not easy, but do your best. The choice is yours: I can give you to the Coyotes and you can join their Packmind, or you can take a chance and become whichever Packmind infected you." She remains calm, doing her best to keep him calm. "If you start becoming a wolf, though, I won't hesitate to give you to the Coyote Packmind. Can you show me you understand and are still in control?"
The little flower seems to bristle atop Glein, Thorns rippleing across her skin and out through her fingertips. With only two vines anchoring her two her 'mount' Savi coils the other six, cocking them back like springs, with her metal bladed tips tracking on everyone around her in an RSX uniform, just in case they overreact. "He doesn't have a nametag. This seems planned." SHe whispers urgently to Glein. Her panic level spiking the tiny flower is on high alert, ready to tear into anything that so much as sneezes within 3 meters of the vicious little plant and her assigned ward.
Coughing, wheezing, the soldier on the ground tries to wrestle his way out of Glein's grip with surprising strength, just as he vomits the red liquid goop all over both of them. He's trying to strip off his gear, throwing off his helmet and screaming as his hands begin to twist into paws, while he yells about how ungodly tight his boots are.
Barnett draws her pistol as soon as she hears. "You little fucking shit, we'll carpet-bomb this whole fucking city!" she yells at the lone coyote, who jumps up.
"No, that's not us, we didn't-- He's not even in range-- We've never seen--" and then five pops, loud and clear, the coyote's body exploding from four different contact points, before it begins to cough and choke up its own goop, melting from the inside out.
Barnett moves up to the struggling, transforming shoulder as fur sprouts. "Get out of the way, let me put him down, and be thankful I'm not going to put you down, too, you worthless fucking traitors!"
Glein growls, snapping her pistol up and pointing it directly at Barnett. "YOU TAKE ONE MORE FUCKING STEP AND I WILL NOT HESITATE TO TURN YOUR FUCKING ASS INTO A PILE OF ASH?!" She yells at Barnett, and immediately snaps to the other gunner and pilot. "AND IF EITHER OF YOU THINK OF FUCKING TWITCHING A GOD DAMNED MUSCLE, YOU'LL NOT LIVE HTE NEXT FIVE FUCKING MINUTES!" She barks. Turning to Rorne, she nods. "Handle the Coyote, and get him into that mind, NOW! I don't want to risk a fucking wolf mind in our midst." Glein orders, standing up, grabbing Barnett from the front of her oh so very clean suit, and slams her bodily against the skin of the helicopter. "Tell me something you STUPID BITCH, what makes you think that your little bombing practice is going to help RSX? Huh!? You may have just fucking BLEW the only chance we had at keeping the god damned Wolf Packmind from overrunning Oregon wholesale and moving north! DID YOU FUCKING THINK OF THAT?!" Glein growls, her muzzle mere inches from Barnett's face. "The nanites fueling the packminds, so far as we can tell, is only SLOWED by the packs. SLOWED. You understand?! If the Wolfs move north, RSX IS GONE! Not taken apart in a board room, not scattered, GONE! The Coyotes and Fox Packminds are the only things KEEPING THE WOLFS IN CHECK!"
Edel grabs her hammer and starts to slink up behind Barnett as inconspicuously as possible. Or maybe not. Glein seems to have it handled... Instead, she quietly skirts around to the front of the helicopter to rest a hand on the nose. "Everyone should just calm down! No one needs to be hasty and start killing, yet." Her claws gently drum against the metal. Her logic is that the guns won't dare turn on her there.
Rorne hears the series of shots and looks up in time to see the coyote get gooped. She sees Barnett approaching, and, just before shouting to Glein to get her, she does. Looking to the helicopter, she prepares to tell Edel to take care of the chopper, which she does. Well-oiled machine, it seems. Back to the soldier. "Listen to my voice," she states gently, "focus on my voice. I'm here to help, so relax, don't fight me. You can hear the voice of the wolf, can't you? Don't listen to it, listen to me." She goes on like this for a bit, trying her hardest to keep the soldier's mind from falling apart before she gets him to the bubble as she holds on tight, dragging him by the shoulders. "Trust me, and stay with me. Please, stay with me. I don't want to lose you, and you don't want to lose you."
