A dance of flowers and tentacles - Nanite plant Research - RPLOG
Participants
Date
5/4/2015
Log
The briefing is short and sweet, A join operation to find out what is going on with the plant life in the Edge of the east forest and to avoid destroying any samples unless absolutely nesscary. There is reports of a missing agent out in the same woods but it is almost as if the scientist couldn't be bother to leave a name or description. After the briefing is given the party is dropped off at the entrance to the east forest and given the last known location of the missing agent before Mike departs, Far east slightly pass the bubble.
Edel lived in the forest! She didn't much work for the companies anymore, outside of the occasional freelance contracts, but... Well. Something concerning near her home? She had to look into that! And so, the tanuki of the east forest was on the scene! Except not a tanuki, in this particular instance.
Always itching for something to do, Redd jumps at the chance to get out of the city proper. "Good to see ya, Edel. This ought to be quick. Maybe... Probably not." The coyote frowns a bit at the fact that they didn't even bother to record who was missing.
What a perfect opportunity to bury a problem wasted. Redd, in the badlands but AFTER an agreement to wait to kill him.
Cerris was not pleased with this situation and his sullen nature came through in his wailing cry as he took to the sky from the underside of the Helo.
Time to give the area a once over and scout for overlaying trouble.
Rihko perks her ears as she looks around the landing area, the kitsune's tails slowly swishing back and forth. She raises her muzzle then and sniffs at the air, then smiles, her ear flicking. "Mmm. Well, then. You guys want to follow him?"
Edel wasn't the only one that lived here in the forest, Angus smirking as he rests his six-barreled rifle on his shoulder as he smiles. "So, think we will find the missing agent hm?" He asks as his ears perk. Fuzzy triangles swiveling back and forth as people speak before Cerris shreaks and they fold, the coyote cringing. "ACK! I hate when people do that."
Technetium lands with the party as a whole, glancing around at the accompaning group members. She checks her equipment, mainly out of routine, and consists of a cursory patdown of herself. She recognizes a few of the agents, but doesn't comment, nor make any kind of greeting. This is a mission, not social hour.
The East forest loomed in front of the party almost in a warm embrace of green, the few ferals that the party could spot were either already engaged in rutting with each other. There is a soft droning sound coming form the east, the woods seems to be especially bountiful as the group continues to march on. The outer woods gives way to the tighter clumps of trees and dimmer and dimmer sources of light. The smells of lavender seems to be nearly overpowering, as the vegatiation became more and more dense.
Edel glances around between Redd and Cerris, offering a tentative nod to the former. She could only hope nothing started between them. Rihko gets a far more cheery greeting, though, even with a smile! She takes in a deep breath of the air as she marches onward, he black and gold robe swaying around her ankles. She was quite familiar with this forest by now! She had little reason to stay on guard. Well, except for the unusual nature of her stroll.
"... Sometimes I hate spring, all this damn pollen. The warehouse is gonna be yellow when I get cleaned up..." Redd grumbles under his breath, trying his best to avoid eye contact with Cerris. "We should probably look for that agent first, any thoughts?"
Cerris's form ripples and melts over time as he soars above the canopy, eventually nestling amidst the tree tops as his form shifts and changes.
From there he would travel above the others by virtue of brachiating and leaping from trunk to trunk where he must at the risk of falling upon the unwary.
For his part he tracks the party by scent and sound and comm pulse, not interested in watching them move until things get risky.
The kitsune's ears perk as she looks up at the Adept. "Jumpin' around," Rihko mumbles quietly. "All nimbly-bimbly." Her ear flicks, and then she looks back at Redd. "Well, just meow I caught a whiff of cow from up ahead. Further into the forest. Unless the lost agent is a plant-mutant, it's a lead; there's a lot of junk in the air though."
Angus at first didn't hear Redd's comment, his gaze firmly locked on the outline of Edel's hindquarters in that dress. That is before he snaps out of it. "Hm? Ya, we should." He states as his rifle comes down, the metal barrels hitting his palm with a hollow slap as he starts moving after the Shiba. He gives a nod as Rihko speaks about the scent, his gaze turning stern as he starts walking.
"Naturally. It is the directive of the mission, after all. Find them, return them?" The fennec shrugs, glancing around attentively. She notices one of them already walking off directly into the forest, and comments, "I suppose we should follow them, then?" She sees little reason to argue about which direction to go to, not bothering to comment on the unusual situation. She checks her rifle as she walks forward, checking her sights and making sure the weapon was chambered.
As the party continues there is a light rumbling noise before a vine rips out of the ground and attempt to swat at Edel but the Shiba inu dodges with trained grace and skills. There is a strong and nearly dizzing smell of jasmine coming from the plant before it dive back underground. There is a loud whistle heard before several deer herms appear ahead of the party, they seem to interested in the party. The largest of the group lets out a bellow that immediately inspires the other to action, they are charging the party with everything they have.
"Well then. Guess there's not going to be a peaceful little walk, after all," Edel says, drawing her bow and tilting her head. "Let's get on with it, then."
A rumbling from above signals tunneling through the canopy to slam down amidst the attackers protein web bombs scattering everywhere to slow three of them down.
Rihko snaps her knife out and into position, dropping into a ready crouch as the deer charge; she waits long enough for the first volley of bombs, shots, and so on to clear her before she darts into the melee, ready to tangle and keep the deer busy.
Angus blinks, snapping off two shots from his Helix burst rifle as the deers start charging before he rushes forward to Edel's side, already dropping the gun and allowing it's strap to keep it from hitting the ground as he moves to draw his greatsword. "This is why you don't feed the wildlife!"
Cerris latches onto the throat of the leader of the deers and drains away there blood, his many limbs holding them steady until they go limp. Then his jaws relax in and release. Did he do it soon enough, he wanted this one alive for questioning.
"You...why did you attack us? Have you seen another stranger come through that smelled like these others?"
Rihko gives her knife a flick with her wrist, then pulls a cloth out of one of the inner pockets of her jacket to finish wiping the blade. Her ears perk and she listens to Cerris start the interrogation, and she doesn't seem to have anything else to add to the question. The kitsune slips her knife away, tucks the cloth back into her pocket, then checks a small device on her belt before nodding to herself, satisfied, and settling her jacket back in place.
The leader Deer is more of a husk than anything to talk to. The party noticed something strange every tree around them had a single bright yellow vine coming from it. The moment the party defeated the deer herms the vines started to retreat into the ground slowly, the smell of lavender started to fade. The droning noise was louder and louder....
"Hmph. Interesting," Edel murmurs, already pulling another arrow from her quiver as a bear lumbers out of the sidelines. It doesn't seem hostile, or even anthro, instead choosing to stick itself by Edel's side.
"What the?" Redd stares at the vines pulling themselves into the ground, before dropping into a running tackle and grabbing onto one with his teeth. A muffled 'Gotcha!' comes from the coyote, even with his mouth full of plant.
Cerris grumbles at his failing, his middle four legs spreading the protein and and filament of his egg bombs over the deer before sticking hir to his back and concentrating upon his regulatory nanite field. He'd question hir later, for now he was loping off toward that droning sound.
Rihko perks her ears and raises a hand as Redd darts towards the vine. "Redd, w-" she starts to call, then turns her head as she catches Cerris taking off; she stands there a moment, her tails swishing, then looks back at the coyote. "C'mon Redd. I don't want to lose Cerris."
Angus breaths a sigh of relief as the deers go down, lamenting the sacrifice of his coat which was now charred thanks to one of the deers trying to tackle him on fire. Anyone looking at the coyote would see that underneath a steel plate was covering his chest, protection against their foes. "Intresting yes, and annoying." As the Bear appears his ears perk up, his Red 9 already in hand and the barrel leveled at it before he stops and looks to Edel, giving her an unsure look. Then Redd jumps into action, making him palm his face a bit as he sighs. "Damn it."
Technetium blinks, staring at Cerris with a slight look of questioning, and proceeds to calmly slide a new magazine into her rifle, hanging on the back of the group a bit. She prefers to try to keep a berth between her and the front, liking a bit of room should something extreme happen, and stays about a meter behind at all times. "Less interesting. It's not all that uncommon to find these people wandering around the forest, after all.."
The moment Redd touches the plant he feels a pain in his hands, He notices that his hands start to shift and burn a bit before they finally settle on a new look. As Cerris continues running the ground breaks under him, Cerris is in a dark room, He can hear noises of things twitching and squirming around him. Deeper in the hole there is a loud noise that the entire group and here. "MOOOOO!!!!" The pained bellowing of a bovine creature.
Edel reaches out to pat the bear, ears perking at the sound. "The bear is fine, Angus. It's a friend. And... I suppose we should go after them, then, huh?" She says, setting off, cautiously, towards the hole Cerris uncovered in his running.
The vine writhes from the bite and below the entire group there is a pained scream.
Despite the attempted transformation, or perhaps because of it, and the scream, Redd only bites down harder. The canine ignores the burning sensations, more intend on either finding where the vine leads or to keep it in place.
Cerris sniffs around in the hole as he recovers, his nose slammed with the scent of plants, then he tracks blood, semen and feces. Once he recognises the scents he pauses and starts widening the tunnel, his head slamming against a switch on his shoulder to activate his mundane comm unit.
"This is Colonel Voss, located a subterranean tunnel. Detecting Man trap and walking V spoor, begining pursuit. Transponder is live for overground tracing."
He leaves the comm channel open on sound mode so that any voice will open his mic and relay any speach he says or hears as he continues on led by nose alone.
Rihko spits out a quiet curse as Cerris vanishes down the hole. The kitsune's ears fold at the sound of the shriek, but it doesn't stop her from moving towards the edge of the pit, calling up a flickering wisp of flame to light her way, then carefully dropping down into the pit as well.
Angus gives Edel a nod, one less target. Then there is screaming, Cerris drops of the face of the earth and an extremly loud moo? Eitherway this was no time to stand around, the coyote looking around as he notices Rihko head towards where Cerris vanished. Without another thought his right hand moves, drawing a Colt SAA as he starts walking over to the pit while watching Redd. "Ya, Redd you need help up there?"
The moment Redd takes another bite, The plant gives another cry and turns blood red before calcifying as it withers away. Rihko entry illuminates the area allowing all who are near the whole to see what's inside. There is a giantic Treant with various roots growing from it's body and brightly colored vines that have a network that stretches all across the cave floor and up into the ceiling. The Treant pays little attention to those around it, It's only concern is milking a Mootaur over a shimmering silver flower that smells of lavander. The flower currently make loud slurping noise with each drop of milk, the flower moves with its own mind to get more fuilds. The Treant winces for a moment and ripped out a red Calificed root from it shoulder. "Milk for the lovely...Milk for the lovely." The Treant repeats over and over again. "Soon... Meat for the lovely."
Edel tucks her bow around her shoulder and draws her sword instead before hopping into the hole after Rihko, the bear following shortly after. "Well. That's a bit of a disturbing sight. Shall we kill it?" She asks, tilting her head, eyes already taking in all the roots and vines and marking their locations mentally, and the best way to cut them.
As the vine withers away in his mouth, Redd spits it out. "Bah, and that's why I'll never be a vegetarian." He turns towards Angus and the hole. "... That's new. I suppose we've only got one place to go. Down." He slowly approaches the edge, careful of loose ground. "Somebody needs to get them out, I suppose."
Cerris snarls as he is finally able to identify what he is dealing with. The cow was likely the missing operative and the treant was the mystery.
"Someone remain on the surface to receive the victim after I free her. Focus fire on the tree roots, let's take them all alive. Avoid the blossom if possible."
Launching to motion, Cerris leaps forth intending to bite into the vines holding the cow.
Rihko produces her heavy knife again and darts towards the center of the chamber, eyes scanning for weak points; the kitsune starts to close in at an angle, so that she can get to a different section of vines than the ones Cerris is after, trying to make the treant split its attention. "Good enough for me."
"Thanks for volunteering Redd!" Not even looking down, not even bothering to make sure that he could get down there safely Angus is already over the edge to hit the ground rolling, equipment making a clatter as he slides, stands up and eyes the big ugly thing. "....Damn Cerris, and I thought you were ugly!" He snaps out loud, aiming both the Red 9 and Colt SAA at the creature before he starts opening fire high enough above Rihko's head to not put her in danger
Technetium internally debates her options. She's been standing behind them all, observing quietly, and considering what acatuions she should take... besides staying out of the way, of course. With a swift action, she skirts around the room, trying to gain a good angle while remaning as quiet as possible.. it's much better to take an informed move then to attack directly.
The treant uses it's roots to protect the flower, It lets off a sicking roar spraying a green haze into the room. The creature whimpers and shrieks as it's attacked, "SKREEEEEEEEEEEE!!!" The cavern shakes as the creature dives into combat with the group. Several small creature burst from pods in the ceiling and attack.
The Green monther crashes into the ground and squeals painfully, "My....Lovely.." She sighes as her body starts to stiffen. The small flowers droning noise stops and the loud sound of weaping comes from the plant while the Mootaur is panting and gasping on the floor.
Edel flicks her sword clean, wiping the rest off on the body of the plant before turning her eyes towards the bovine. "Hm. Well, we got them, at least. Think we've got any samples in good enough condition?"
Redd spends 50000 builder mass for RP reasons.
"Erf, and of course, the coyote gets to play the role of earthmover. Clear!" One of the walls collapses, dirt flowing into the hole to make a smooth ramp in and out of the tunnels. "That oughta be good enough..." Redd shrugs and moves towards the fennec, "They can get out with that, don't you think?"
Cerris moves into position to hoist the cow onto his backanother pair of hands reaching down to pull up the weaping blossom that he assumes is the man trap he scented earlier.
"This girl here was the cause of this somehow. I will bind her and transport her, medical assistance is needed for this bovine."
Even as he speaks he cuts his palm and drips nourishing candy flavoured blood into her mouth to induce forced healing and recovery. With so many hands he is still able to work on getting the final plant into place next to the deer.
Far slower to relax from her combat posture this time, Rihko eyes the mauled plant, her ears folding back for a moment as her attention seems to almost be somewhere else. The kitsune's tails swish back and forth and her breathing slows and steadies, and she gives the room a furtive glance. Satisfied that everyone else was too busy or preoccupied to notice her, she sneaks a quick lick at the blade of her knife, then wipes it clean and sheaths it again before turning to watch the creation of the exit.
Angus keeps his game face on, both barrels smoking as they are kept in the air. "Just cut a piece off, that should work right?" He asks, ears flicking back and forth as the colt goes back in the holster, Red 9 still ready to go as a stripper clip comes out of the pocket. "Wonder why that thing is even out here." Drawing back the bolt on the Red the strip goes in place, thumb pressed down to force the rounds down into the internal magazine before the metal strip is pocketed once more.
Technetium leans against the wall, panting slightly. She had put on quite a light show, having shot several large electric arcs over at the creature, and doing that type of nanomagic tends to be extremely tiring. She checks the clip on her rifle again, before then commenting, "That thing? Talking about the big tree-thing? Maybe this is where it resides.."
As the group capture the beast and take the strange flower, the entire woods seems lose the tension from before. The flower in Cerris hands turn and curl in strange ways, after a short amount of time the flower seems to close it's blossom yet continue to weep as the party takes the assitant back to the Zypher outpost. The egg heads gleefully take another test subject while giving only the bare mimimum of concern to their companion. The lead egg head walks up to the group and smiles, "We will learn so many things from this strange flower. Thank you." He says to the group before frowning, "There are more reports of similar flowers around the mountians. I will contact you when we are ready to apply the information we have gained."
