Chronicles of The Omniverse Archived Avenpeak Mountains

Tiko

Tiko

Draconic Administrator/Mentor
Administrator
Mentor
Nexus GM
as written by Script

The day wore on into towards evening, and the sun crept across the sky. Most of the waiting group were likely huddled by the fire, trying to keep warm in the face of the chilling environment. It had long since passed the time it should have taken to radio for help, and tensions were high as those who had remained to watch over Nagala wondered at where their companions had gone to.

"Maybe they couldn't get a signal, and so they went further afield and got pinned down by the weather?" Cináed suggested, to nobody in particular. But the winds and snow were not so bad as to entirely halt the progress of a hardy expedition team. He frowned, before shaking his head. "I'm going to go outside and see if I can see anything. I'm going crazy just waiting."

The young Patronus member rose to his feet and made for the door, pushing the heavy wooden portal open and stepping out into the cold. It took him a moment, but as he cast his eyes around the area, he realised something wasn't quite right.

"... Jason, I think you need to come and see this and tell me if I'm going crazy." he called back into the tower, "I don't ... there wasn't a boulder here last time I went out. And it ..." he stalled as he looked out over the mountains below. "... is it just me, or does it look like we're higher up than before?"
 
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as written by barney_fife

There was no telling how long Nagala had been in a coma, or awake for that matter. As her eyes slid open she shivered slightly. It seemed the others were either huddled around a fire, or out surveying the new surroundings, leaving the Admiral alone to recover.

As she regained consciousness, she checked her wounds, The bleeding had stopped and everything had managed to stabilize. She winced though at how much they hurt and her eyes darted around the room. "Why am I not in an immersion tank yet..." She said, reaching towards her pack to grab a syrette of emergency nanites, and another syrette of Morpha.

With one swift motion, she stabbed the small needle into her chest, injecting the contents of the nanites into her chest. The next Syrette went into her thigh.

"Gods damnit, when you want something done you gotta do it yourself." Nagala muttered under her breath.

As she did this, she reached for a small subspace communicator stashed inside her pocket. The communicator itself resembled a small cellular phone, and was capable of superluminal communications with a maximum range of one light year. Generally used for communication for away teams planet-side. Nagala had hers just in case.

She eyed Cinaed and then the others, before she tapped her communicator.

"Nagala to away team..." She said, and stared somewhat in concern at the silence.

"Okay.. this isn't right..." She added, tapping the communicator again. "Nagala to Away team..." She said again, and yet more silence.

"Nagala to Bridge.."

Yet more silence.

"Ugh..." She groaned before she slowly shifted in her bed, staring at the doorway, and beyond.

"Nagala to Papadopoulos." She said, trying to raise her XO on the communicator. "Once again, nothing." She groaned, before she started towards the entrance, scowling.

"Gods damnit someone or something's jamming my subspace communicator!" She called out, still sitting on the stretcher, but now sitting up, supported by a bedroll and backpack.
 
as written by Sokka

Ejon glanced around wondering how much longer they would have to stay in this freezing cold at this point though for some strange reason it felt strangely warmer than it should have been when a breeze blew in from the open tower. It was still cold but it should have been even colder than this.

He would look up when he heard the Admiral speak into the communicator. There didn't appear to be many left in their party now. He jumped up a bit when he noticed that the Aschen woman was awake and talking into a strange electronic device.

"Welcome back to the land of the living Ms. Nagala." Ejon would say after she finished speaking. "Could be jammed morelikley some bad weather again." Ejon added.
 
as written by Tiko

"Hm? What are you talking about?" Jason asked.

He rose from where he had been sitting by the hearth, pushing the fog of weariness from the forefront of his mind. He hadn't slept last night, and the exhaustion was evident in his eyes as he leaned his newly acquired rifle against some supplies and headed for the entrance.

He pushed the tarp aside which had been keeping the cold out from the ajar door...

"Well fuck me," he muttered.

Not only where all of their pack animals gone - save for the ones that had been tethered indoors - but Cinaed was right. Something was very much amiss. For as far as the eye could see, nothing about their surroundings was remotely familiar to Jason.

The tower remained as it had been, but everything else had changed. Not only had the mountainside changed, but the sky was bright and clear with the early evening sunlight cast over the snowy peaks. Sunlight that shouldn't have been there for weeks yet.

"How in the..."

He heard Nagala calling out as he turned back from the door.

"Amethea, Cinaed, why don't you two do a short scout of the immediate area. I don't want any surprises, and I want to know if there's anything out there that we need to be prepared to deal with."

Truthfully he would have preferred scouting it himself, but he knew well enough that he was exhausted and not the best eye for the job at the moment. He would be better off here, keeping an eye on the Taiyou captive, and Nagala.

"How is she?" he asked Ejon as he headed over to Nagala.

He couldn't make heads or tails of the medical equipment that the Aschen medic had hooked her up to, but her color was looking improved, and a quick check of her pulse showed that it was stronger than it had been a few hours ago. He had been checking on her all through the night, and admittedly he hadn't rightly expected her to survive. He had felt her convulsing beneath his hands as he tried to stem the bleeding, seen the life draining from her.

He had been witness to men and women dying before, but never under his own hands, and it was a relief to see her awake. Aschen or not.

"You should be dead, you know that?" he remarked to her wryly.
 
as written by Script

"Got it." Cinaed replied with a nod, glancing back over his shoulder at the centaur. "Let's get moving, then."

The youth frowned. So he hadn't just been losing his head, they really had moved. But where to? They were still in the mountains... or, a mountains anyway. The mountains surrounding them had changed, and the brighter sunlight betrayed a more drastic change in location than he'd thought.

"Where do you think we are? The Collenham Mountains? Or somewhere not on Aslund?" he asked as they walked. Despite the seemingly alarming circumstance, Cinaed kept a smile on his face. "Well, this certainly isn't what I was expecting, but you have to admit, it's a little exciting."
 
as written by barney_fife

The Admiral silently shifted in her spot, making a face as she checked her wounds, which had improved quite a bit, but she wasn't anywhere near being able to walk on her own power yet.

"Our medical technology is vastly superior to anything you've ever probably dealt with. Nanomachines designed to repair flesh and heal wounds much faster than through natural methods." She explained, nodding to the empty vials.

"I'll need to find an immersion tank if I'm to be of any use anytime soon though." She said, laying back down against the backpack and bedrolls.

"My subspace communicator isn't working. That's not normal considering they can't be jammed by inclement weather, or anything like that." She said, tossing the device onto the floor.

"I should have been able to pick up a relay station in the system, which would have relayed my communication back to Fleet." She added.

"But instead... we're stuck here." She said. "But at least it's warmed up and the weather's cleared."

Her eyes flitted over to the Taiyou, who was still out cold.

"I want someone to take him out and shoot him." She said sternly.
 
as written by Sokka

"I have no understanding of this technology." Ejon said to Jason he listened quietly to Nagala say something about her communicator and then had a look of surprise about the Taiyou man.

"I don't think that would be very wise but I think it's not my decision I suppose." Ejon said looking at Jason then to Nagala and back to Jason.

After a brief pause he turned to Jason. "What was all of the ruckus out there?" He asked with an arched eyebrow.
 
as written by Tiko

"We're not killing an unarmed prisoner," Jason retorted firmly. "We'll take him back to Windcrest with us, and from there the proper authorities can handle it. He doesn't speak any Terran tongue that I'm familiar with, so we weren't been able to get a word out of him."

He grimaced at the matter, and truthfully he shared Nagala's sentiments on some level. Part of him wished the Taiyou man had been killed in the crossfire, but he hadn't been. And now that the man was no further threat to them, he wasn't of the mind to shoot him down in cold blood.

He looked then to Ejon.

"I'm not sure, but we don't appear to be where we were last light, and the sun's up," he explained.

The Icy Peaks was still in the last days of a polar twilight, and the sun shouldn't have broke past the horizon for another two weeks yet.

"The animals are all gone as well," he added with a frown. "I sent the others to scout out the area for any sign of what's going on."
 
as written by barney_fife

"I don't care if he's an unarmed prisoner. I have broad authority on this matter." She said flatly.

"I've the highest rank and the most field experience here, since the leader of our expedition is gone." She said, noting that Sigurd is missing.

"If he's not dealt with he'll make another attempt on us, and it's obvious we're not getting back to Windcrest anytime soon, so I am taking command." She said, narrowing her eyes.

"Unless you have a problem with that, Jason." She said calmly.
 
as written by Tiko

"Far as I can tell, you have no authority on the matter," Jason retorted. "Sigurd may be gone, but I'm still here, so you can either accept my command, or we can discontinue our arrangement and you're free to go your own way as soon as you're well enough to take some supplies and get the fuck out."

He narrowed his eyes at her.

Seven years in the Windcrest Militia had taught Jason the value of a rigid chain of command, for this exact reason. He also knew full well that the others wouldn't follow an Aschen woman whom they had no trust in. There was no room for debate on the matter, and he needed to ensure she knew full well that he had no intention of relinquishing command.

That she was challenging him at all on the matter didn't bode well for future relations, and she in herself was a liability, but he wasn't averse to cutting her loose if necessary. It was easy to put aside petty racism when she was bleeding out on the floor beneath his hands, but now that she was out of the woods his tolerance was rapidly vaporizing once more.

He was wagering she wasn't willing to challenge him further on the matter though, not if it meant going it solo in a strange new land. Her and everyone else's odds of survival were greatly increased so long as they remained together, and he had no doubt that she was fully aware of that.
 
as written by Sokka

Ejon stood next to Jason nodding in agreement. "I stand with Jason on this one. And this entire expedition was a Terran affair. The attack took place on TNG land. In windcrest Territory he is our prisoner and thus under our protection. He is our responsibility to turn over to the local police." Ejon added to the argument.

"Jason was the head scout now the Mr. Sigurd is gone it is most logical that he lead us. Fancy ranks and titles mean nothing here. If you want to survive we need to work as a team." He stated with a sour tone in his voice.

"We helped you, we let you assist us but you have no authority here. Things might be fancy n'all back on Langara but the real world is different. So I'd give it up and listen to Jason here the rest of us have no objection to it in our current situation he is the most logical to lead us." Ejon stated crossing his arms.
 
as written by barney_fife

The woman shook her head some.

"We either leave him here or kill him. But he's a liability and I question your competence if you intend to keep him a prisoner." She said calmly, her hand moving to a nearby backpack.

"I'm a hold my rank for a reason. I'm a veteran of several military campaigns across half this Galaxy and you want to question my competency?" She shook her head, having had nearly twenty years in the AHSC and subsequently the Imperial Navy, and being a veteran of the Terran Conflict, up to Galactic War One and all the conflicts in between, along with campaign ribbons from the Local Region, to the furthest reaches of Scatterran space.

"And you, you've hardly even left your village, and you want to question my decision to have that man dealt with? A Decision I've based upon years of Combat experience concerning the Taiyou?" She crossed her arms over her chest, and stared daggers at Jason.

"I'll relent so long as he's not a threat, but the moment he becomes one I'm ending him, and then I will ensure the Empire holds you culpable when I submit my report to High Command."

She simply scoffed at Ejon's command, but that scoff invariably turned to a chuckle.

"Neither of you would last a day on Langara, of that I am certain." She said flatly, her eyes on Ejon. "Neither of you have experienced the casualties of war, and you question my competence."
 
as written by Tiko

You forget," Jason replied somewhat pointedly. "We all have a lifetime of Aschen brutality towards Terra at our backs," he reminded Nagala. "When you and your men sought shelter in the north, had the decision been based upon years of combat experience we would have sent you packing the day you arrived. Turned you out and left you all for dead."

Nagala had done Windcrest a great service in returning to repay her debt to them, and he was doing his damndest to judge her for her actions, and not the entirety of the Aschen people, but years of racial conflict was not so easily eradicated overnight.

He scowled.

"The man stays for now. If he proves himself a threat, I'll shoot him myself," Jason added pointedly. "In the meanwhile, we don't have enough supplies to stay here indefinitely until we're found, so I'm going to go inventory what we have left, and what was lost. We'll decide on a course of action once the others return. And you should eat something," he added as he headed off to sort out what supplies had been safely secured indoors.
 
as written by Script

There was a light snowfall coming down over the region of the mountains to which the expedition party had been transported. Exploring further afield from the tower simply confirmed even more firmly that they were in entirely new territory. None of the scenery was familiar, and Cinaed could have sworn he caught a glimpse of what looked like a hybrid between a rabbit and a hawk. The terrain around the tower seemed to be far less uniform than that of the Icy Peaks where they had been before. Where they had chosen their route deliberately so that the route was relatively easy to traverse, here there was little in the way of a defined path - just treacherous slopes and small plateaus. Clearly, this was not a well travelled area.

Standing at the edge of a steep drop, Cinaed peered out over the mountain range, squinting into the distance. "It looks like there's a trail at the bottom of this slope. Can't see where it leads, but it looks at least partially manmade. Or something-made, at least." the teenager said, "Might be a challenge to make our way down there, though. I can't see an easy path from here."
 
as written by Tiko

Amethea stamped a hoof restlessly against the icy terrain as she shifted her weight. What would be a challenge for the others, would prove downright treacherous for a centaur to traverse. Cinaed was right though. There didn't appear to be any other route, short of searching blindly up and down the peaks for days, if not longer. Snow could be melted for water, but their food supplies would run short eventually and they had no way of telling how far they where from habitable land.

The strange hawk like animal they had spotted was promising though. It meant that the land supported at least small wildlife.

"The Aschen woman will not be able to make it," Amethea remarked. "It may be possible to transport her on a stretcher, but it will not be easy."

Of course, whether they would bring Nagala with them, or leave her behind in the hopes of finding help and returning was a decision for Jason. She simply voiced the obvious.
 
as written by Script

"Maybe if we could fashion some makeshift straps to supplement the ones on the stretcher, so the angle is less punishing..." Cinaed mused, biting his lip in thought. "But you're right. If her condition is as bad as you'd expect after a bullet wound, it's not going to be a fun time..." He shook his head. "Well, at least there's some signs of civilisation. Even if they aren't nearby. It's something!"

Civilisation didn't necessarily mean friendly civilisation, but there was no point in thinking along those lines. "Do you think it's manageable? There might be a better way down if we keep looking. It's a long way to fall if something goes wrong." Cinaed didn't want to point out Amethea's own situation with regard to struggling with the steep descent, since it would be foolish to think she wasn't already aware of it, so he phrased the question generally. Besides, as she had pointed out, they had to make it down with not only a wounded woman on a stretcher, but also a prisoner. Difficult terrain was far from ideal.
 
as written by Alara

"I would rather know what the civilization consisted of before we forge blindly ahead," Amethea remarked with a grunt. "Could be Andur, or something worse out there."

It hadn't quite dawned on her that they might not be in the Icy Peaks at all anymore.

"Let's check along the east ridges there a bit, and then head back. Maybe we'll find a safer route down."

Though likely they would just find more ice and rock...
 
as written by Script

Cinaed nodded. "If you say so." he said, turning and starting to move off towards the east. A chirruping from overhead drew his eyes upwards. Another of those rabbit-hawks was circling overhead, nose twitching as it watched them from on high. Cinaed laughed, smiling. "There's some cute critters here, at least." he said. "Can you show us a way down, little guy?" he called up.

The rabbit-hawk let out something that seemed halfway between a chirrup and a squawk, swooping around them once more. It drew in low, before settling on one of the nearby rocks. Up close, the creature's very large wingspan was more evident. Its fluffy body clearly required the large wings to lift it, despite being smaller and more streamlined than an average rabbit.

Cinaed walked over to the rock, holding out a hand for it to sniff at, laughing at the tickling feeling of its nose brushing his palm. "He doesn't get much company up here, I don't think." he commented absent-mindedly, apparently totally distracted from their purpose by the furry flier.
 
as written by Tiko

After much back tracking and circling to find safe routes, the pair had gained the far eastern ridges that overlooked the trail Cinaed had spotted out earlier. The going was less precarious out this way, but they had still been forced to retrace their steps more than once.

From their vantage point it could be seen that the trail came to an end at a cavern mouth with two pillars standing sentinel at either side of the entrance.

It was hard to be certain but it didn't appear as if any traffic had passed through in a while. Fresh snow lay unbroken across the naturally formed trail that wound through the rocks.

"What do you suppose that is?" Amethea inquired.

She raised a pair of binoculars to peer through to get a closer look at the cavern. There were markings in the stone, and on the pillars, but not of any clarity that she could recognize at this distance.
 
as written by Script

For the duration of their journey, the pair had been accompanied by the rabbit-hawk which Cinaed had seemingly befriended. The winged fuzzball alternated between swooping above them and hopping daintily along the rocks alongside them. The teenager peered down at the cavern that the trail led to thoughtfully, and then again with the binoculars once Amethea was done with them. "I'm not sure, maybe some sort of temple? Or maybe it's the entrance to ... an underground city! Or... a secret tunnel! Through the mountain!"

Cinaed grinned, "Let's check it out!" he exclaimed, "You with us, Featherhopper? Or maybe hopwing..? Eh, working title."

The rabbit-hawk chirruped cheerfully, oblivious to the teenager's creative struggle.

With barely a moment spared to wait for Amethea's response, Cinaed started forwards, nimbly descending the slope towards the trail and the cavern entrance. "We can at least get a closer look at those markings!" he called backwards over his shoulder. And then go inside, obviously, he added in his head. But one step at a time!
 
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