C.C. - Mission 2

Komodo Rhino's marked his location in the mini-map at the entrance and in every turn he took where there were multiple passage ways. He headed for the direction where Evie had marked the flare they saw earlier. His suit and helmet lights automatically turned on in the darkness. Rifle-axe in his arms, he crawled on his elbows and knees till he found something worth telling his team.


@CoconutLeaves
 
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The cave was quite different from the entrance. The cold air had magnified as soon as you stepped foot on the stone. If one had a decent light one can see the size of the cave before him or her.


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You realize then that you have been stepping on a large rock, and as you go down you can see the roof of the cave was about eighteen feet high. The cave was growing with moss that thrived in every nook and cranny of the cave and you check the air quality and noticed that the monoxide level here was much lower than the forest outside. It was not enough to breathe though, unless one wanted an early death.


However, just like the forest, the cave was quiet. But no fauna existed, in fact, only the moss could be seen. Where could it lead?
 
"Hey, how's it down there?"


Said Randus through the comms. He wanted to get to a safe place, and if the cave was safe, it would be a better choice than to stay out the cave. He looked around to check for hostiles and stayed calm. He couldn't fire his gun, but he could still swing it.
 
Evie stood as still as she could, watching the trees sway and shift with every noise. No wonder everything is so quiet. Noise meant death by acid, if you survived being skewered.


Despite the danger, the information was intriguing to Evie. Life here was so different than what she had read about on Old Earth. The wildlife had secured their places on the food chain, and all of a sudden, humans were much lower. Even with their technology, humans weren't made to flourish here.


The tree's attack on the rock seemed to damage it some, and Evie used its pain as distraction, heading toward the others. Komodo disappeared down a hole and Evie wanted anxiously for his report. With trees like this, getting underground was important. Otherwise they would never rescue Umaire in time.


When Komodo's report came, Evie followed him down into the cave. It was a relief to be away from the trees, even if it was dark and cold.


"I vote we follow this to where we saw the flare. If Sgt. Umaire is smart, she'll take cover somewhere close. She might even be underground as well." Evie knew it was a long shot, but if Umaire had survived this long, she must have escaped the trees somehow.


@Zer0 @CoconutLeaves
 
The path to the cave isn't as dangerous as expected. As you explore, you notice that there was nothing but moss growing all around the cave. There were no hidden paths and no exits. It seemed to just wind on and on, farther and farther from where you entered that when you look behind, you see nothing but darkness. The moss however seemed to grow thinner and thinner in certain spots of the cave, but you could see them growing quickly. You soon enter into a wide section of a cave.


Around you were hundreds, if not thousands, of yellow, jelly-like circles that was like rubber if you touch it. They were around a foot in length and they were all clustered around each other on the edges of the cave.


You shine your light to see more and spot a creature moving slowly.


It looked a snail: yellow in color with a darkened shell that was smaller than the snail's size, which was around six feet in height. They had small eyes that seemed to be almost useless in this dark environment. You look around and notice more of them. They were feeding on the moss, recoiling only when the light shines on them but much too slow to startle anyone. The path continues on to the other side, but the circles around the cave seem interesting in their color, certainly suitable to collect as a sample.
 
Following the others, Sarah once again took up the rear. "Lets hope it leads that direction." she stated. Backpedaling through the cave, Sarah was probably the last of the group to notice they weren't alone. turning to see what came up on her close range sensors Sarah just looked at the snails. they seemed harmless but she just didn't know anymore all with the killer trees outside and the giant appearing holes. Still, She couldn't help herself but get closer, Squating about five feet from the closest. "Damn you're ugly."
 
Komodo Rhino kept going; he was about a hundred meters from where the flare was launched earlier. He kept repeating Sgt. Umaire's name in his comms, switching frequencies and asking her where she was and telling her where they were just in case her communications device was working.


"Hopefully there's an exit near the flare . . ." he said to no one in particular.


@CoconutLeaves
 
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The snail regarded Sarah curiously. It neared the woman for a moment, as if deciding something then it opened its mouth and released a cool jet of slime at her. The slime was sticky, smelled like moss, but was very cold. The snail then returned to eating the moss, not minding the odd creature before it.


The pathway past the snails grew narrower and narrower yet lighter and lighter. Higher and higher the rocky path went until you can see white light at the end. Once you past that light, you see where you are. The Trees were numerous, only inches apart they were grown, and in the center there was a wide pool of water. Around the edge of the water were eggs around fifteen inches tall. They seemed to be covered with leaves and mushroom bits, like a nest for the eggs. Between two piles of eggs was a woman who was slumped against them, a pistol in her hand as she lay there like a doll.


You have found Sgt. Umaire.
 
"What a day."


Muttered Randus. He looked around at the group.


"So, we should gather what we can, right?"


He asked. The mood seemed to be a bit depressing. Here they were, rushing all the distance for the rescue, and now they stood, the rescue target slumped. Whatever happened to her, they were too late. Randus let out a sigh.
 
A shadow rose on the team, creeping slowly. For those who were focused on the limp sergeant, it was as if the sky had turned to night. For those who looked at the lake and its surroundings you saw it with your own eyes.


It was like a silent film, no sound but the visuals were all to clear. A ripple in the lake, slowly turning to quiet waves that became more turbulent but did not release any sound. You see something peek out, and soon it rose from the water, exposing its form. It rose and rose until it reached its full height, more than half the trees height as it looked at the intruders that arrived.


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The beetle dwarfed all of you and you see that from the top of its body, it releases several balls of slime that lands quietly on the nests. The slime fades away and you see the eggs that was covered by it. It did not need to release a sound, it did not have to. But the way it postured itself and the way it moved slowly gave a threatening and intimidating aura that it was clear what its message was.


Congratulations, you have found the mother beetle,


and you are its meal.
 
"Uhhh, any famous last words to leave? Mine is, 'I am going to marry someone after this', left right before leaving the chopper."


Said Randus through the comms. He aimed his gun at it, holding it with his right hand and grabbing a thermite spear with another. He gestured the others to scatter with his left arm.


"What could go wrong except for some gory events?"


He muttered to himself.
 
There was so much to look at in the cave - the snails, the weird lumps, the moss. Evie almost forgot why they were there until Komodo pointed out the exit. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust, but when they did, Evie gasped. They were in a roughly made nest and lying among the eggs was Sgt. Umaire.


"Is she... dead?" Evie asked, approaching the woman's still form. As she looked for a pulse, she felt a shadow fall over the nest. It took willpower to turn her head up toward the looming beetle. "Oh gods..."


The mother beetle towered over them, so large that plants are growing on its back. Like her children, she moved without sound, terrifying all the same. Is it foolish to hope these beetles are herbivores?


"Komodo, any bright ideas?" Evie whispered into her comm. She doubted her tranquilizer bombs would work on such a large creature and - Oh.


"I know what we have to do." Her hands slowly moved toward her belt. These creatures lived in a world where noise meant death. What happens if we distrupt that silence?


"Does everyone have some sort of bomb or noisemaker? Because on the count of three, we should toss them and run." Even if the noise didn't scare the beetle off, it would atleast startle it. Maybe give us a chance to get back to the cave.





@CoconutLeaves @Zer0 @Commissar Darman @randomizedrp
 
"...Before you go...I would appreciate it if you gather these eggs." A whispered voice spoke. Sabrossa stood up, her body weak. She looked at the beetle and wondered if it had used her as some sort of bait in the long run, though she was more willing to attribute her survival to blind luck at this point. She spent most of her time sleeping to try to reserve as much energy as possible for this moment.


The beetle sensing the intentions of the others, dashed towards them at a silent speed and blocked the entrance of the cave. Lifting its back, it shot out some slime on the ground near the team, breaking the eggs within them causing cracking sounds that made the trees strike the area where the sound was made. It began to lift once more, this time being careful so that the next landing will be an exact one.
 
Great, first she had to deal with a slime shooting snail, which she was about ready to choke out if the others didn't leave her behind. and now this giant beetle. as the beetle shot slime, it broke an egg near her and as a result a tree nearly ran her through. "Damn it!" she yelled as she dove out of the way, which resulted in more trees descending upon her. "Shit!" rolling out of the way, Sarah narrowly dodged the trees. Scrambling back to her feet, She looked at one of the still unbroken eggs. "These things better be worth it. Hey Evie, you grab the Sargent, I'll get one of these eggs and i suggest we get the hell out of here!"
 
"Got it!" Evie said to Sarah, running to Umaire's side. "On the count of three, throw everything you can and run." She threw the the sergeant's arm over her shoulder before grabbing a tranquilizer. "Three... Two... One... Now!"


As she called out Evie threw the bomb to her right and heaved Umaire to her feet. They were slow, but managed to head toward the cave. The vast amount of sound was deafening even for Evie, so she could only imagine how loud it would seem to the beetles. And there was no way the trees could cope.


@CoconutLeaves @Commissar Darman
 
The explosions were a sight to behold. The bombs bounced off the beetle and before it exploded, its fate was already sealed. It happened quickly. Several trees struck at the center of the sound and skewered the mother beetle from all directions, the beetle released a painful whispered sound before a tree cleanly struck through its head. The bombs blew, shrapnel ricocheting off from different areas, blasting off the trees and the beetle. Pieces flew over everywhere as everything recoiled.


Then everything was quiet once more. The fog continued, the trees -caught up in its pain- remained still, and the silence reigned once more. From here on out, leaving the forest would be a walk in the park.
 
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Randus whistled through the comms.


"Too bad I did nothing but to breathe."


He said. Surely they were better fighters. He lowered his gun. Maybe he should get some private lessons or something.
 
"Huh, so she's actually alive. You guys didn't find the pilot there did you?" Rudolph asked as he looked at the team who had arrived to the chopper. He waited a few seconds before shaking his head, "No, he probably isn't. So only she made it." He said with a slight bitter edge that was akin to resentment. The chopper began to start and sound started in the area as the loud rotors of the chopper brought them higher and higher up in the air, the view of the forest growing smaller and smaller before the clouds blocked the view of the chopper.


The Forest was now behind them as if nothing had ever happened.


---


A few days later, Filosofia sat on a chair, sitting before the team members who had joined and she stood to greet them. "Thank you for coming. I would like to thank, in behalf of the R&D Division for successfully rescuing Sgt. Sabrossa Sarapa Umaire. I would also like to thank you all for the samples you've brought. While the damage was unfortunate, we understand based on the reports, they could not be avoided. We will send scouts to continue investigating the forest and study the environment and its flora and fauna."


She coughed as she looked at them, the light of the room obscuring her eyes through the frames of her glasses, "You might wonder why you are being summoned here. Therefore, I shall get to the point. Sgt. Umaire is in the ICU due to simply going without food for so long. But the notes and samples she brought with her, and her instructions for it had been obtained and were worked on."


Filosofia paused and pressed a button, a table rising out from the floor with three things on them. "Sgt. Umaire instructed us to create these based on her studies and findings of the flora and fauna of the area. They are prototypes mind you, but we would greatly appreciate it if you can test them. The more data we gather, the better. Thus, these are the following you three may choose. Note, you can only choose one of the three."


Rewards for Optional Mission:


1.) Jitter Tree Seeds x8 (classified as Bombs)- encased in an orb, this genetically modified tree grows in the area it lands at an extremely fast rate when exposed to air. It protects the user from enemies that produce sound and will grow up to five branches striking five different enemies before it dies from being unable to sustain its growth in thirty minutes. Nanomachines in the user and its allies force their movements to be registered in a different wave than that of others thus protecting them from the tree.


2.) Stalker Beetle (classified as MOLLE item)- A Flying beetle attached with a camera, it came from the forest and had its dormant genes revived from when predators still existed in the forest. It is bonded to the user and can be ordered by thought through nanomachines within the body. Due to the environment in the forest, the beetle is silent in its movements and flight.


3.) Snail Slime-Aid (classified as MOLLE item) - Studying the properties of the slime, it is discovered that the slime can be used to close and heal serious and inflamed wounds. Shaped like a sleeve, the slime encourages the healing of the wound by helping the body close the wound faster, letting the blood coagulate at an accelerated rate. It also cools the inflamed area and absorbs small fragments of broken bones and tissue to let the wound work faster in its recovery.


"It is up to you if you decide to use these items or not. However, we would appreciate it if you test it out once." Filosofia stated.


@Musical Dragon @randomizedrp @Commissar Darman
 
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The plan worked better than expected - not only did the sound startle the beetle, it caused the trees to attack the mother bug, killing faster than bullets could have. Once silence settled the team was free to leave back through the cave. Evie gladly handed Umaire over to Komodo, joining Sarah as she collected specimens on the way back. The trip was uneventful, and Evie breathed a sigh of relief when they were safe on the helicopter.


------------------


When Filosofia called the group together to debrief, Evie wasn't sure what to expect - the trip had been a success on most fronts: they had found Umaire alive and had recovered her notes. The debrief was nothing out of the ordinary until Filosofia pulled out the newest tech.


Evie was impressed with all of it, but in the end chose a beetle, deciding recording what she found was more needed than defense. She named the dormant beetle JJ and packed it away for her next mission. Whenever that is. For now Evie was happy to return to the Wildlife Dome and continue her studies.


@CoconutLeaves @Zer0 @Commissar Darman
 

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Current Mission: Grizzly's Extravagant Bonanza!


The Boss learned about Grizzly Sloth and Robert's enthusiasm for New Earth food. Now, they've been tasked to prepare a feast for the entire 77th Exploration Division and the top officers of the Crimson Canines using only the exotic alien-like ingredients from their changed planet.


Timeline: One week after the Sky-whale incident.


(@CkSmalling , @thespacekid, @Musical Dragon , @Beowulf, @Commissar Darman , @DJGomez, @Orpheus, this is just an optional mission. You guys don't need to take part in this if you don't want to.)
 
Who would Grizzly Sloth call to join him in this quest if not his pals from the Hurricane Squad? Strutting on top of a table in the mess hall as if he was the boss himself, he announced their mission with the very uncanny likeness of Master Sergeant Axel.


"We've got six main dishes to prepare, squad!" announced Grizzly Sloth in a dramatic authoritative voice. "Six cakes, six whole roasted meat, puttanesca, hot soup, chilled fruits, and smoked bacon.


"Those of you who wish to hunt with me, meet me at Hangar 51 in 600 hours tomorrow-dismissed!"


@CkSmalling
 
Robert lifted his hand so up in the aky he almost dislocated his arm doing so. "When it comes to food, i will always ne there." He put his hand down and walked to Grizzly and stood by his side. "Oohh this is going to be a sweet mission. I have never tried boiled worms. Heard its a good appetizer in some cultures."


(I am sorry i posted a day later. I did nit get any notifications from this tab. How do you turn them on?)


@Zer0
 
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