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[The Librarian]

The Warthogs disperse forming a defensive circle and the Hornets fly out of the canopy around Asuka's airspace. The Spartans are already pretty sure staying in one place is a bad idea in here so they devise a plan for an alternative route quickly viewing a holomap of the region on large table.
Okay, we need to figure out an alternative route around these creatures and then track their movements so that we know how they migrate. Linda I want you to shoot some trackers on those beasts.

Linda nods heading up onto the roof of the Elephant again.
Got it.
Connor, search through the maps to find a suitable route for the Elephant.

Connor begins searching giving a thumbs up.
I'll have us a new route ETA 5 minutes.
Alicia, hop onto one of the Hornets and give us a birds eye. Luther, man the HMG on the Elephant, I don't want this goliath to be some piece of target practice for those natives.

Luther nods heading up the ladder with Linda.
Understood Kurt, wouldn't want to have your ride get messed up.

Alicia follows Luther silently before being held back by Kurt.
Alicia. Please,...be careful.
Alicia takes Kurt's hand off her shoulder.
Hey, I can take care of myself, I'm not a kid anymore.

Kurts nods even though hes frowning in his visor.
I just don't want to you to end up like your sister.

Alicia stops turning to him with her head down in the verge of tears.
Is...Is she going to get better, Kurt.

Kurt puts his shoulder over her smiling.
I'm sure she'll be back on our team in no time. Just be watchful of your surroundings for now.
*sniff* I will.

Alicia lifts up the hatch on the Elephant and climbs onto a Hornet with a scoped Assault Rifle in hand. Linda arms her Rifle with a silencer and Marker Rounds firing 6 of them at different beasts, harmlessly pricking into their hides. Luther mans the Heavy Machine Gun rotating in the seat eying he forest for targets.

((The comms for that conversation was open to Asuka, so she heard the entire conversation.))

[Cracklord]

Shinji
((Probably for the best.))

Inara doesn't try to stop him. It's clear to her that Shinji has serious emotional issues, and anything that they do together wold likely only make things worse. What he needed wasn't a lover so much as a father figure or a friend. And she didn't want to hurt him if she can avoid it.

Book
You are taken to a room by the colonel, being followed by the hulking enhanced human. Miles leads you to a massive room, with windows overlooking the entire complex, a big hologram emitter in the center of the room, currently showing a map of the planet. "This is where we conduct our operations. It has all the information on all of our projects. And I suppose it belongs to one of the two of you, though damned if I know who. Anyway, I'll be down at the Armor Bay when you want me."

Spartan
The alternate route is a little out of your way, but doesn't loose you that much time, as best you can see. The trackers punch into the big herbivores, but the shots barely break the skin and they don't seem to notice, or at least care.
Occasionally Luther sees a flash of blue, but it's gone before he can shoot it. They are being very careful observing you, very careful indeed.

[Fan]

Mandallus looks down with contempt at Book, the man was IG material at best in his old age, and that automatically put him below a Grand Chapter Master in the Imperium, but. He had resisted his influences so far, so he deserved some respect.

"So. Book. How do you want to settle this?"

[darkblade]

Shinji

Shinji makes his way towards the changing room to change into his plug suit to get ready for his patrol.

***

Asuka

Asuka hangs back in the back of the millitary convoy.

"What happened to her sister?" Asuka asks with a total lack of any subtlety or respect/

[industrious]

((Thanks for RPing Inara.))
Book
"What do you mean? The situation with the native population, or the one between the two of us?" Book studies the holo of the planet, particularly the area surrounding the Na'vi settlements, and punching up all available data on the composition of the local elements.


Samus
The armored hunter adapts to the situation, switching on her X-ray visor.(at 2:40).

[Cracklord]

Book
The Omaticaya Clan are the only known aggressors, believed to number a thousand Na'vi, with approximately 60% acting as combatants, the other clans, as of the moment, are ambivalent as best can be told. The war, if you call it one, seems to be some patrols getting ambushed and the occasional skirmish.

Shinji
He is refused. No further patrols until tomorrow. This is a military organization, and as important Shinji is, he is expected to obey orders.

Samus
Wildlife. No enemies, a large, walking bird with an odd plumage. But something isn't...
There! Ahead, a native with a spear, crouching behind it. You can't tell if he's stalking the bird or you.

[industrious]

Book

The problem with attacking the clan was the other clans. Currently neutral, they could be easily provoked into action with the destruction of their fellows. That had happened during his experiences with the Kinitawowi. What was needed was some way to keep those other clans out of the picture, since they didn't have enough troops stationed here to raze the whole of the Na'vi. Numbers alone would carry the day. The Operative shares his insights with Mandallus, finger drumming on his sword as he does so.

Samus

Quicker than her armor would have one believe, the Bounty Hunter charges forward to grab the native. "I am looking for Corporal Jake Scully. Where is he?"

[Cracklord]

The native slips out of her grip like an eel, before turning and running, moving over the uneven ground with incredible agility.

[The Librarian]

Asuka

Asuka hangs back in the back of the millitary convoy.

"What happened to her sister?" Asuka asks with a total lack of any subtlety or respect/

Kurt acts a bit sentimental thinking about Alicia as she lifts off on a Hornet.
Its...complicated Asuka. You see wh-
Alicia jumps in and sounds like shes about to cry.
My sister...she's a Spartan II like Linda, Kurt, and Luther. They were the first chosen, the first sent into action. A Spartan III like me did not appear of the field until about 5 years ago. When I first joined this squad...my sister...lets just say she almost died.
Alicia...you know she'll pull through.
*sniff**sniff*...Right
Umm guys...our new routes set up. We should probably get moving

The platoon moves out.

[The Tygre]

Yoda
The little Jedi smiles, "Speak truthfully, I can not. But lovely girl, you are. Drugged, why are you then?"

HK-47
The droid knows it must trek across the wilderness. But to do so alone would be folly. He needs some uncaring meatbags to absorb fire for him. And maybe serve as target practice if they get out of hand. The HK starts looking for a patrol heading to the other base.

[industrious]

River

"They...they took it, and it hurts and they stick needles and THE NOISE IS TOO LOUD! He wants to make it better but it hurts with the needles...they took it. Two by two, hands of blue. Two by two, hands of blue. Two by two, hands of blue. Two by two, hands of blue. Two by two..."

[Executor]

The Pegasus
"Alright. Helm, keep us coming around the night side of this moon, use its gravitational field to slingshot us to the next one with a ten second engine burn, get us in as close as you can" ordered Lee, not looking to the man he was speaking. Like any great battlestar commander, he kept his eyes focused on the DRADIS screen, only glancing down to confirm that the necessary bridge operator heard his order correctly. Lee felt the ship shifting as the helmsman banked around on the night side of the moon closest to them. With the aid of it's gravity, they were flung out into open space, and then the Pegasus' eight ion sublight engines burst into life for ten brief seconds, shooting the Pegasus across the open gulf of space. Within minutes, the Pegasus was safely behind the next closest moon to the other ships.

"Helm, full stop" Lee ordered, and a split-second later thrusters on the bow of Pegasus were firing, counteracting the ship's vast momentum, and slowing it to a stop. They were still concealed, hopefully, but now much closer to the other ships than they had been before. The DRADIS contacts were showing up clearer than they had been, and the interference was less. Lee narrowed his eyes at the screen, then turned to the computer console which managed flight ops, with Lieutenant Dualla standing near it habitually, despite the fact that she was Pegasus' XO, not flight officer.

"Are all Viper squadrons standing by?" he asked. She glanced at the screen, then nodded.

"Have them ready for a quick launch, we don't know what might happen. Meanwhile, Communication, see if you can remotely tap into any channels they might be using. Let's try to figure out who these people are, and whether we should be getting out of here. I want the FTL drive spun up, just in case" he ordered, and turned his head back up to the DRADIS screen.

JOHN CARTER OF MARS
"I will not kill you, Tsu'tey" I said, straightening up and lowering my hands. Tsu'tey had fought hard, I respected him and his fighting abilities very much, the last thing I wished to do was to be forced to kill him. He was like myself: A fighting man. Still, I held my hand near the holster of my radium pistol. A single exploding bullet would make Tsu'tey's death comparatively painless, if placed correctly.

"I may be of the Sky People, Tsu'tey, but I am not like them. I am from a different place, we call it Barsoom" I said, slowly, cautiously, in my most even and level tone. Perhaps I could reason with him if he saw that I was not like the Earthmen that he had met. He had already seemed to notice that, he had said I was not like the others. That could be to my advantage.

"I used to be from Earth, the Sky People's planet, but I have not been there in many years, and they have changed from when I knew them. I am now of Barsoom, and Barsoom is a place much like your world. It is tough, it does not tolerate the weak, but it is beautiful, and full of mystery" I continued, my tone softening as I became lost in memories of Mars, and my beautiful Dejah Thoris, and my son Carthoris, and all my family and friends in Helium and Thark. Oh why did I have to be plucked from there to come to this strange world, with it's strange Blue Men? What cruel God watched me from on high, gifted me with my superlative life span, and occasionally sent me from planet to planet?

"Pandora is like Barsoom was: Lush, and wild. I have never been on a planet so untouched by the hand of man. I do not wish to spoil or hurt, but to explore your planet, meet it's people, learn this planet's ways. Can't you see that Tsu'tey? You are not a foolish, or unreasonable man, I can tell. Can't you see the truth?" I ask him, now setting a hand on my radium pistol's grip, and staring into Tsu'tey's golden eyes with my own steel-grey gaze.

[Cracklord]

John Carter.
Tsu'tey pulled himself to his feet. He narrowed his eyes, then slowly, inclined his head. "I do not trust you. I do not trust any of you. And yet, perhaps your words ring true. This world is not mine, or the Na'vi's, it is not for us to dictate what must be. I will think on what you have said, though I feel I will regret it." With that, he steps of the branch, dissapearing into the undergrowth and leaving you alone in the tree. It is then you feel a startling sensation in your gut. You haven't eaten in sixteen hours. You are hungry.

HK-47
After walking for approximately 022:07:21, you see ahead an enormous, humanoid machine, colored red. The patrol.

Book and Space marines
On the airfield, an Imperial thunderhawk, painted a metallic blue with a silver I in place of iconography lands. Out of it steps a heavy set figure in a great coat, who somehow seems realer and more solid then his surroundings.
He is wearing a sober suit of dark grey under long black high-collared coat. A severe haircut and shaving has left him as a bald as an egg, and based on his features looks looks roughly middle-aged. Anyone examining him will note a crude augmentic assist system, which can be seen projecting from the back of his head and encasing his lower limbs. His Inquisitorial rosette is pinned to the front of his jacket, alongside other symbols and distinctions he is eligible to wear, badges medals and purity seals. He leans heavily on a thin walking stick that you can tell is not for show, and a staff topped with a skull is strapped to his back.
He briefly glances around, seeming to take everything in at an instant, and makes his way into the main building.
Less then a minute later, he pushes through the door, totally expressionless.

SPARTAN
You make your way along the alternate route, and have yet to encounter any other opposition, bar the occasional wild life sightings. The jungle seems far too quiet to be natural.

The Pegasus
Lights flash and machines whir, as screens scroll text rapidly, converting a meaningless stream of ones and zeroes into quantifiable information. At last, a technician approaches with a report.
"Can't tell you much, sir." He says. "We can't give any definite info on any of them. No designations, records, previous encounters, nothing. I suspect we've come into an unknown branch of the galaxy. The two largest ships appear to be humans, but exact;y what sort of humans is anyones guess entirely. They do not seem hostile, or at least openly or overtly so. One is significantly more powerful then us, the other a smaller ship."
He checks the report again. "The third ship... we don't even understand how it works, let alone what it is. We need more intel and observation to be certain."
"The planet itself seems a good place to resupply, plenty of drinking water, fresh food, and other resources. If their are any natives, they are primitives, and their are two very different bases on the planet with a hundred standard miles of each other. Nothing else to say really." With that he salutes, awaiting instruction.

Yoda
A surge of darkness all but knocks you off your feet. A presence comes. One that you are familiar with, if not from personal experience. Radical Inquisitor Gregor Eisenhorn is here.

[Fan]

Mandallus immediately snaps a salute to his Commanding Inquisitor, and gives a status report in addition to the injury, and equipment briefs. He was leadership among the Space Marines, but even he wasn't above the high ranking Inquisitor.

"And that's the situation!"

[darkblade]

Asuka

That story while tramatic is nothing compared to what nearly everyone at NERV went through in their childhood but even Asuka knows not to be an bitch and say that out loud. Instead Unit-02 follows the patrol in silence unaware of HK-47 behind them.

***

Shinji

"Where is Commander Ikari then?" Shinji asks the guards that won't let him leave the compound.

[The Librarian]

((Is it Nighttime, Cracklord?))

Luther has swapped positions on the turret with Kurt, who now watches the forest. He catches a glimpse of HK-47 and turns the turret in the direction but due to the dense shrubbery he no longer sees him, and assumes it was just another animal, or those blue natives.

One of the Warthogs makes a large circles around the group checking for following natives. They are heading in the general direction of HK-47, and he might run into them.

[Cracklord]

((It will be dusk in a few posts.))
Shinji
"Not to be disturbed." They answer bluntly. For some reason, Gendo is being more of a jerk than usual.

Space Marines and Book
Inquisitor Gregor Eisenhorn does not smile. He physically can not, most of the muscles in his face have been damaged beyond repair, and all the facial reconstruction in the world couldn't replace them.
"Well done." He says, high praise indeed from him. "Now we must begin with the eradication of the xenos. And quickly, we may find ourselves on a schedule."
Book
The man is tall, heavyset, and graceful, despite his limp and the imbalance. A strange system seems to help him move. He is wearing armor beneath his clothes as evidenced from his build, and the rattling of his cane suggests it is in fact a sword stick, if an uncommonly well made one. He has a shoulder holster, and the staff is giving you a weird vibe. Finally, you can tell this is a very, obscenely powerful man, at least as powerful as you where as an operative.

Asuka
You begin to feel eerie, a prickling at the back of your neck you don't like, some primal gut instinct that something is wrong. And yet you can't see anything out of the (relative) ordinary.

SPARTANS
The Warthog picks up the robotic assassin trailing you. Still no signs of anything out of the ordinary.
then something falls onto the trail ahead. A body, dressed in the remnant of combat gear. One of the marines recognizes him as Lance, a hotshot driver from another patrol. His face is frozen in an expresion of timeless agony, and his fingers appear to have been broken. His breathing gear has been removed.

[industrious]

Book

"Would somebody mind telling me who this person is?"

Samus

Samus aims her Arm Cannon at the native, firing shots with her Ice Beam, specifically, at her legs, hopefully tripping her up, or at least slowing down while the Hunter gives pursuit.

[Cracklord]

Book
The man looks at you briefly. "I am Inquisitor Gregor Eisenhorn, Ordo Xenos, Xanthist faction." He says. "I take it you are a member of the government of this system? The emperor provides. From now on, you report directly to me, or whoever else I say. You do not question, or presume to judge my commands, but carry them out with the full resources of your heart and soul." He says, and you detect a faint trace you've been trained to recognize. He is a psychicer. And a mighty one at that, off the charts of Alliance records. You feel your will dissolving even as he speaks. "And you do not seek to misdirect or withhold information from me, but do as I command. Am I clear?"

Samus
The Ice catches the native's foot, destroying it's delicate balance and throwing it face first into a tree. The native turns and, seeing how close you are, looks frantically around for another escape route.

[The Librarian]

The driver stops almost shrieking. The three marines hop out and examine Lance's body. They then hop back in after a moment of silence and contact the Spartans.
Lieutenant Colonel, we found Lance's body, something removed his breathing mask.

The convoy stops Kurt hops to attention suddenly.
What!
Yeah, he's toast.
Kurt drops down into the Command Room.
All vehicles form up. This Spartan-051 Kurt, I need all frigates in low orbit to come in now, this is urgent!

Two frigates, Liberty and Sledgehammer respond.
This is Captain Anders, what do ya need?
Captain Griffon of the Liberty whats the situation?
I need a sitrep on the 1st and 2nd scout convoys ASAP, I believe something's gone horribly
Understood, over and out.
Roger, we'll check in as soon as we reach them.
Thank you. Kurt, over and out.

Linda and Luther walk in.
What's happening, why did we stop.
We just found the corpse of Corporal Lance.
S***, what do we do Kurt.
I just ordered the Sledgehammer and Liberty to investigate, were going to continue our patrol to completion.

[darkblade]

Asuka

"Good. I'd hate to think we were delaying this hunt for one fallen soldier. This is a war afterall, people die." Asuka says bitterly as the patrol carries onward.

***

Shinji

That figures. "Then do I have any orders since I can't go on patrol?"

[Fan]

"The Emperor provides indeed. Now Inquistor Yarrick... We're in need of minor medical attentions for some of my Battle Brothers. In addition to the reattachment of a arm, and replacement of a eye. Now... These people here have shown the ability to clone xenos of a entirely different Genome... I think we should take advantage of this, and perfect our own techniques in this range. After all. The Emperor brought us here, and had fellow Emperor fearing humans hold the technology. It may have been put to poor use by HERETICS in the midst, but I think with it... We could begin production of Gene Seed again."

Mandallus says, all but stammering, the implications of apparent perfect cloning being added to the Imperium's technologies would be astounding! Especially if they could once more produce Primarchs from the Emperor's genetic material. Whole Chapters could be remade, and new ones founded! Surely the Emperor had given them this gift as a sign for the Imperium to finally quash it's enemies!

[industrious]

Book

The clerical collar around Book sizzles and melts; an Operative is expected to be prepared for most situations; dealing with psychics was one of them. Of course, Book only barely holds on, through a combination of the now-failed device and his own mental shielding. Deciding that further resistance would only lead to another attempt, the Shepherd nods.

"Yes. Now, did you hear my briefing, or should I go over my insights onto the situation again?" The instructions said nothing about insolence.

Samus
Samus continues her slow advance towards the alien. "Remain calm. I merely wish to ask you a few questions."

[Cracklord]

Book
Eisenhorn shakes his head, with a slight creaking of his harness. "I did hear your words. And all you said is irrelevant. Soft and naive. Compassion is reserved for servants of the Emperor; aliens deserve only our scorn."
He then turns to Mandallus and nods, his head over compensating for his dead facial nerves. It is fortunate indeed that Eisenhorn is considered a radical and indeed a maverick by most, a more hard line puritan would have you executed on the spot for heresy, whatever your rank and power. But the Inquisitor seems to agree.
"Take everything that can be of use, and any of the scientists attached to the project. Make them understand that if they do not come willingly, I will have a neural recalibrator inserted into their skull and they will help us anyway. When I return to the ship I will have Magos Bure examine it and determine it's use." He turns to look out the window at the base below. "For now, we have other goals to work towards. That is an unexpected prize, but not the only one on this planet."

Samus
The alien bends into a crouch and hisses at you, eyes widening alarmingly. However, it doesn't attack.

Shinji
"Not that I know of. Want some advice, try and get some early sleep."

Halo and Asuka
No sign of patrol one. None whatsoever. As though they just vanished. It doesn't make sense. Surely they would have called for help, sent one of their men back to warn base, something. But there isn't. The tracks just...
stop.
Patrol two has finished the first part of their circuit, and are returning from the deeper jungle. No contact with the natives whatsoever.

[The Librarian]

Alicia replies to Asuka's comment.
One soldier can make the difference between victory and defeat.

The convoy began moving Sledgehammer comes after viewing the site where patrol 1 disappeared. the Captains voice sounds flustered.
Colonel Kurt, I just arrived over Patrol 1 last known location.
Whats wrong.
The patrol...its like they just disappeared. We've got ID's popping up from that patrol all over the vicinity of that region.

Kurt thinks for a moment then replies.
Check for thermals specifically thermals on objects about 2 meters in size.
Y-yes sir, checking Thermal now.

Kurt switches comms to the Liberty
Captain, whats the status of patrol 2?
They're fine sir, making their second circuit now.
Keep watch over them, patrol 1 just went off the grid, the whole group could be KIA.
Yessir.

[darkblade]

Asuka

"Well once you find them dead they stop making any difference." Asuka says darkly but not truly angerly more like with a lingering sense of loss.

***

Shinji

"Thank you, sir." Shinji says before turning around to head back to his quarters.

[industrious]

Book

"I assure you that my hesitations and stress on subtlety is not due to compassion. It is logistics, rather, that I would place my worries on. Can we destroy the Na'vi with the forces we currently have, head on, or will their superior numbers overwhelm us?"

Samus

Now very close to the alien, Samus tries to communicate again. "I am looking for Jake Scully. Where is he?"

[The Librarian]

Luther buzzes in on the conversation.
Girls, got a point Alicia. He knew the risks of coming here though, just like all of us.

[Cracklord]

Samus
The Alien hesitates for a moment, then his eyes widen. "Toruk Makto." He whispers in an awed voice.

Book
Gregor shrugs. "There is no place for the weak willed or hesitant. Only by firm action and resolute faith will mankind survive. No sacrifice is too great. No treachery too small. If the price of holding or retaking the world is deemed too high, I will invoke Exterminatus. I have six Virus Bombs on board, that is more then enough to leave this world a barren rock. It is your job to explain to me why I don't need to do that."

Halo and Asuka
"It's not just him." mutters one of the soldiers. "It's his whole damned patrol. Men don't just vanish of the face of the planet." A few others likewise grumble, their fear at the unknown making them tetchy.
The scans come up with nothing. No heat trails, no radiation signatures, nothing.
The patrol continues, and slowly you begin to notice your navigation instruments and sensors playing up. A dense magnetic field is distorting them, to the point they are all totally unreliable, and the radio's and other contact devices are a loud, buzzing static. The controls, however, are working fine.

[The Librarian]

The guys in the Hornets are the first to notice the distortion of navigation as their Hornets begin to swerve a bit from being placed on autopilot. They are instantly switched to manual. The Warthog drivers and Connor barely notice the field, being so used to driving on their gut instincts.
Colonel, we just entered a Magnetic Field, our navigational sensors are down.
Alright, Connor switch our com maps to holographic. Asuka, it looks like you just became our eagles eye.
Yessir, switching now.