Between a Roc and a hard place - RPLOG
From Flexible Survival
Participants
Date
30/5/2016
Log
As hasty as the call for volunteers was, Mike clearly looks like he'd rather be anywhere else. As he addresses the various agents gathered, he does not look happy. "Look, I ain't happy to be here, I'd much rather be doing my regular routes than dropping you off way out in the woods, but Z owns the copter, so I gotta fly where and when they ask." He ruffles through some papers on a clipboard, pulling a printout of a photograph of an absolutely huge bird. "So, I got this from the news copter's camera, and it's basically all we got to work with. As you can see, this thing is huge, and is carrying a cow in one of its talons. Normally, we'd write it off as a Kaiju attack or something, but those don't make big ass nests in trees out of the bubble." He hands the printout around, going by scale, this is definitely bigger than the copter. By looks of it, the creature is some sort of raptor.
Rihko gives Mike a small smile and nods her head. "Yes. Usually. I've heard of some kaiju-sized birds, but they tend to stay in the bubble - makes things easier." She looks over the reports, her tails curling around herself. "Well... found the nest, then? And we're just going to go... Deal With It?"
Edel pulls her hair back in a ponytail as she steps up towards Mike, nodding. "Well! Big flying things, huh," she comments, testing the string on her bow. "Well! What's our mission, then? Are we to bring it down? Or is this a recon task to find out more?" She asks, ear flicking as she smiles at Rihko. "Well, we did say we wanted to go hunting... But this isn't quite what I had in mind."
Even though she isn't the best when it comes to fighting things, Rorne joins in on the expedition to at least offer a helping hand with the medical side of things! Of course, when she approaches Mike and sees the reports and the picture, she lets out a soft sigh. "Well, this could be interesting," she mutters, shaking her head. "Also, hey Edel. Fancy seeing you here, huh?"
Zophah walks up to the group with Mike, checking her gear for an exo-bubble hunt. Promethian helmet, RSX medical vest, light intensification goggles on her forehead, flasks of who-knows-what chemical, laser cannon strapped under her arm, bow and quiver strapped on her back... "So we get to fight that? Do we know anything about it other than it's size and location?"
Joining the team, the Dusk Dragon arrives checking his equipment. Once everything is in place he walks up and joins the rest of the group but he remains silent. He knows the majority of his powers will be gone but he still has a few tricks up his sleeve. Like a monofilament katana. He watched the picture and his eyes widen a little bit. But he then assumes his calm demeanor again. This wasn't going to be a joyride of any kind.
Aranor walks in casually up to the others assembled. The rather busty breasted bird looks around for a moment before settling in on Mike. "You have a bird problem?" She looks at the photo for a moment. "Whoa, that IS a big bird." Now turning her focus elsewhere she says, "Hello everyone, everyone here to check out the bird? I hope it doesn't take all the food, I like the occasional meat every now and then. Vegetables can get a bit bland, can only cook them in so many ways. Less beef for us, harder I have to work to enjoy a nice savory treat every once in a while!"
"I feel obligated to mention that one of the farmers took a couple potshots at this... thing. Ex-army guy. Was a designated marksman in Desert Storm. Now, maybe he just missed, but I didn't see any signs of injuries when I tailed it." The gryphon coughs, ears flattening slightly. "As I said, it ain't a mutant, best anyone can tell." He gestures towards the picture. "Nest is fairly new, but empty. I got out of there after it made a dive for the copter. Naturally, I'mma be dropping you a distance from the nest, but I've got a map here for you." He pulls something else from the clipboard, an old topographic map of the area, with a large x marked in the midst of a stand of trees. He passes it to Rihko, expecting it to be passed around. "When ya'll are ready, we can head out. I'll give you a flare gun to fire when you want to be picked up. Should be visible for miles, there's two spare flares in the handle. Just point it upward and fire."
Rihko tilts her head, frowning, and her ears go flat. "... really, huh? That is bizzare. Well, then, I am ready." She nods her head, looking over the map before she passes it along.
Edel takes a peek at the map in turn before nodding and sending it down the line. "Well. I've no questions. We will see what's up out there," she says before nodding at Rorne. "Are you surprised? When it comes to matters out of the bubble, not many these days are more prepared than I. It's a given that I'd be here!" She chimes, starting for the helicopter to get settled in.
Rorne looks over the map, nodding. "Alrighty," she replies, adjusting her gear a moment, glancing to Zophah. "I'd honestly prefer against fighting it, if possible, really. Looking at its size, those talons will be more than deadly, especially outside of the bubble." She shrugs. "Plus we don't know what it's up to. Empty nest could mean it's preparing to lay, too, which could lead to... other complications." She sighs, shaking her head. "Edel, I'm not surprised at all. Find it funny that this is our first excursion out of the bubble together."
Zophah takes a look at the map that was passed to her, taking a moment to memorize it before passing it along. "I'm surprised something that big is outside of a bubble. It certainly would have to have been born or created inside a bubble for being unnatural. I'm going to have to take notes on this." She checks her bag for a spare notebook, making note that everything is still there before everyone leaves for the mission. "All set."
Aranor takes her turn to look at the map and reads it over. "Come to think of it, it's harder for critters inside the bubble to survive. I bet with something like that around it ran out of food in it's home ran out of food or something I wonder if we can convince it to go somewhere else? At least it's not eating people. Thing we should try and find out where it came from while we can?" She looks to the others and takes a breath. "Being out of bubble worries me, but hopefully, it won't care too much about hurting one of us."
As Mike starts the helicopter's blades spinning, he audibly mumbles something about "Not eating people yet." The flight is short, thankfully, heading towards a relatively close redwoods grove. The nest is clearly visible, stretching across the canopies of several of the huge trees. The gryphon puts down in an old parking lot, not even letting the blades spin down. As the last passenger prepares to disembark, Mike hands them the flaregun from his seat. "I'm not sticking around here, as I said before, shoot off a flare when you're ready for pickup." Based on the map, the group is about a mile's walk from the landing site, the remains of a primitive hiking trail leading towards the nest. The chopper takes off, leaving the agents alone in the quiet.
