Log:Resistance: Fun on Fail-ucia

Resistance: Fun on Fail-ucia

OOC Date: April 13, 2016
Location: Felucia
Participants: Rake, Nym Landala, Oriana, Tess Ul'Datha, and Hex as GM

The short version: Nym's T-47 is violated by airborne wildlife. Tess has some trouble with plants. Oriana gets shot in the butt. Rake takes a trophy.

The long version:

Felucia is a hostile planet. Why the First Order was here, what they were trying so hard to find, is still a matter of some question - questions that might be answered by the intel teams working to unravel the star map Dash Rendar and Ambrosia Greystorm uncovered from a shrine in a cave system. For now, however, the First Order seems to have either found what they were looking for or given up - the Finalizer has moved on and the troops are gone from the planet. Wide swaths of jungle have been reduced to smoldering, burned wasteland, but the Resistance brass has decided to perform some recon and see if something, anything, else can be found out about the First Order's objectives here. Nym and Rake have been given modified T-47 airspeeders to fly low over the forests and see what they can see; the ships outfitted with better sensors than usual and the guns slaved to the pilot's control. Oriana is along with Nym to run some additional diagnostics, and if Rake is prone to existential loneliness, it's heightened by being one person in a two-person craft - but on the plus side he's got survival gear hanging out with him instead of a person, so maybe it's good to be Rake. The mission's been uneventful so far, but a heavy, dense fog has settled in, making visual reading hard and forcing the pilots to rely more on their instruments.

Nym's eyes scan through the fog, switching between the windscreen and the blinking instruments in front of her as she and Oriana speed across Felucia. Though the First Order may seemingly be gone, it could also be a trap. However, the small pilot is quite optimistic both about their chances, the day and the fact that they might have pushed back the First Order. "Not getting anything at the moment," she tells both Oriana and then Rake over the coms. "See anything yet?"

Gathering as much data as she can from the charred surface Oriana works over her controls, the scans, etc. Every now and then she shifts her helmet about so it settles some. But fog is settling in now and it's getting harder to get readings. "If this gets any thicker, I won't have any luck." Replying to Nym with a glance her way she turns back and runs another set of scans. "Ahh, guys. I'm getting four large life forms, heading our way, in this fog." She looks up with a frown. "And they are large, from the looks of it."

Rake was used to operating solo, he'd been doing it for decades as a scout with the military or as a scout for mineral conglomerates. The airspeeder was at least something he knew how to fly. "Roger that, Lieutenant. I'm scanning as well. Hopefully the techs calibrated these things for jungle environments. Sensors are tricky things." he says. Then there's a pause. "Uhm.. I highly recommend going low, hell dip below the canopy if you can. We got incoming from 227 degrees. Large biologics flying an intercept course. What the hell kind of planet is this?" First it was Rancors, what next, dragons? "Your call, Lieutenant, but I'm suggesting we either hide or prepare for a fight. May be nothing, but I haven't seen too many docile lifeforms that size on this planet." He noses the speeder downward, hoping that he didn't crash into a tree.

Whatever those things are, they're FAST. Faster than most flying creatures, and they're having no trouble catching up fast with the airspeeders - the mist over the jungle is so thick that it's hard to see them, but the sensors thankfully seem calibrated well. So far. As they gain on the pilots, sounds can be heard over the sound of the engines. "SCREEEEEEaaahh! SCREEEEEEEahhhh! screeEEEEEEEaaaah." But none of you losers speak Flying Felucia Thing so the meaning is lost.

"Sgt Rake is correct," Oriana says, turning in her seat to look at Nym. "Flying lower and getting cover is the best idea, I believe. They are heavily perusing us!" Turning back as their little ship goes lower, she continues to try to scan but the howling of these creatures makes her shudder a bit. "Seems like this place can compete with Dxun!" Looking to where the turrents are, there is a curse. "I should learn how to use those one day.."

Those screeching sounds, definitely predators but there was something more. "I got an idea!" the Shistavanen calls over the comms. "They're not a pack though, they're competing for food, and we're the food. Might be able to use that to our advantage. If we wound one, maybe another will pause to eat it instead of us." He wasn't a fighter pilot, and while he was better than the average joe in the cockpit, he didn't have the skills that someone like Nym would have. He was just thankful to have some survival gear with him, as things might end up poorly in the skies. "Damn, they're fast."

Nym adjusts the sensors and then adjusts the speeders to take them down lower for cover. "It's a crappy planet," she replies with a sigh. "Okay, good idea, Sergeant. Let's keep low. These things are definitely better equipped at finding us than we are at finding them. Keeping them at bay so we're not constantly turning around to see if they're behind us would be a win." Plus, it would help to not force Rake to make multiple evasive maneuvers under tree cover.

"Alright, if this fails miserably, you're going to have to pick us up, Sergeant. Keep low, I'm going to see if I can shoot one down." Banking, the speeder turns and she lifts back upward in an attempt for a clear shot, aiming for the nearest Felucia Flying Death Monster.

Via some wizardry we won't spend too long thinking about, Oriana and Nym can toggle gun control back and forth between them, so either can shoot Rake out of the sky by accident. For now, both pilots are doing an excellent job at keeping their T-47s out of the trees, through the mists, and away from the beasts... but... they're so fast, and despite Nym's piloting, her craft is suddenly jolted with a loud WHOMP that threatens to knock it out of the sky! Huge leathery wings and grasping claws can be seen over the edges of the viewport as the fastest Flying Felucia Thing (FFT) grasps on to her speeder. One is trying to do the same to Rake, as well, but it isn't quick enough. Speeding along over the jungle, the mists suddenly clear, giving Rake an excellent view of the beast clinging to the top of Nym and Ori's craft. "SCREEEahh!" the other three cry in total outrage, while the one that's on top of Nym's speeder changes its tune to "kreeeUNF. krreeeUNF. kreeeUNFUNF," and starts to thump thump thump on the roof. Soooo competing to get to you... yes... for food... well, no. That thing is straight up trying to make airspeeder babies. Which is sweet and all, but it's going to tear the craft apart or crash if it's left that way.

With the fire controls synced to the pilot, Rake maneuvers the ship a bit just so he can get a shot off, praying he doesn't hit Nym's speeder by mistake. "Gonna apologize in advance," he says over comms. He'd just barely dodged the assault on his own ship, and seeing these creatures was enough for him to know that they had to do something. Granted, he wasn't the best combat pilot, and firing while piloting wasn't his strongest suit.

That thing is on their ship like it's trying to make itself the ships daddy - literally. "Good try Sgt!" Oriana belts back at him, as his shots missed. "Lieutenant, I got an idea! I'm going to see if I can shock this off our ship, try to hold it steady if you can in case the bird goes crazy on us!"

Turning to the console she works for a few minutes, seeing what she can do, until at long last it's figure out. "Okay, hold on!" And then she hits a button, sending a shock wave to the bird.

"Oh...ewwwww," Nym wrinkles her nose at the actions of the raptor bird clinging to the roof of their speeder. She'd look back at Oriana to commiserate, but she's a little busy at the moment. "Gross. Sergeant, I don't think they're after prey. Let's try and hightail it out of here." Abandoning the idea of shooting one down to use as bait, she focuses on getting the animal off the speeder so it won't shake it apart. As much as she attempts to keep it steady for Oriana, there's more pressing matters - mostly Rake also trying to help and getting a bit to close to call. "Hold on!" She calls out to Oriana, quickly dropping the speeder downward to avoid the friendly fire.

With the mists cleared, the beasts can be seen more clearly. They're sort of like scaled bats except that they seem to have two sets of powerful wings each, with long tails that have a wicked stinger-looking barb on the end. They have independent rear legs and claws at the end of their wings, and huge, almost insectoid eyes above rows and rows of nasty sharp teeth. They look like they evolved to make rancors reconsider eating them, which they probably did. Three of the four beasts see Rake's shot and peace out, veering off and back to the trees to find a more willing mate, just in case he shoots them in his obvious attempts to shoot Nym. Since, after all, that's where his shot is headed. Nym's evasion of that shot, however, proves why she's flying so fast through the Resistance ranks, it's one for the textbooks, some fancy flying! Her T-47's paramour isn't dislodged though, and although Oriana's tech magic succeeds in giving him a jolt, well... now the thing is just mad. Who wouldn't get mad, when she didn't even check first to see if that's something he's into?! "CHREEEE! CHREEEE! CHRREEEE!" it shrieks, outraged, and starts trying to tear the speeder apart, straight up attacking it now. It's too much for the little speeder, but maybe Nym can keep them from crashing too bad? Maybe?

"That was close," Rake says over the comms. "Pretty sure that I don't want to get raped by one of those." Lining up the rear of his speeder with Nym's, he tries again to launch one of the harpoons towards the beast, hoping that maybe, just maybe, he'll be able to rip it off Nym and Ori's speeder.

"I'm not a fan of anything that doesn't at least offer to take me out for dinner first myself." Oriana replies to Rake, holding as tight as she can as Nym flies. "Don't worry about me sweetie, do what -you- need to!" A slight drop in protocol there, she knows it, it just came out! Pushing her feet to the floor, using that to anchor herself as best she can again the Sgt works the console, doing her best, and at last it works, there is another set of shock waves sent to be beast that has aided in taking them down.

You know what happens to bat monsters that don't offer to take Oriana out to dinner? They get shocked, that's what happens! Oriana abuses the ship's electrical systems again in order to send a jolt through their unwelcome blind date, and it's enough to make the thing stop its claws-and-fangs attack of their T-47 with a howl of fury and pain. It rears up, wings flapping, which lines it up into an excellent shot for Rake, who shoots a smoking hole straight into its chest. The thing groans and flaps weakly a couple of times, but it's done for, and slides off the airspeeder toward the ground as Nym fights for control of the craft to make a decent landing in this ugly, densely forested terrain. It's a struggle, but her piloting skills are up there with the best, and she manages to steer their craft into one of the only clearings for kilometers around, breaking a few trees on the way in but none of Oriana's bones. So that's a plus.

With one speeder down, Rake wasn't going to leave them alone. Pilots weren't necessarily known for their ground survival ratings after being shot down, or in this case, humped down. He brings his intact speeder in for a landing as close to the crash site as he can. "Control, this is Wolf 002, mayday. We have ship down, need evac ASAP," he says before transmitting coords, hoping that their comms channel was properly secured. He then pops the hatch on his speeder and slings the survival kit over his shoulders before he begins making his way to the crash sight.

Well they made it down, free of further mating by a winged angry beast! The landing was as smooth as one could hope, considering it all. There is no broken bones, Oriana is jostled a bit but otherwise fine. Now, they are on the ground. This is a whole new ballgame. Unbuckling - she did that this time, buckled up, having learned from a time before, she'd grab her rifle and snap her vibrosword to her back, pushing forward towards Nym. "You okay up there? Good flying, by the way!" Moving to the hatch she doesn't open it yet, and speaks into her comm.. "Think we're all good here, nothing broken! I'm guessing if there are creatures in the air like that, there has to be just as wild if not crazier creatures down here." Turning she'd smack the button to open the hatch, pointing her rifle out first in case anything jumps out. "Lieutenant, shall we?"

"Stupid! Bats!" Nym is quite annoyed that she's unable to shake the creature from her speeder. Despite maneuvering them out of Rake's fire, she's unable to keep the craft afloat. Seeing the writing on the wall, she fights less against gravity and more toward making sure they don't crash too heavily. "If it's possible, keep loose!" she warns Oriana as they make their way toward the ground. "And keep your eyes closed." If she can't see the point of impact, she won't tense her body against the forces already working against them. It's something her father told her.

She sweeps the speeder forward and to the left, attempting to uses the taller, less substantial branches to start slowing them down and cushion their fall than the lower, thicker branches. They crash through the trees and slide to a stop. With a sigh, the woman rests a hand on the controllers and looks back, confirming Oriana's okay. "I'm good," she replies. Unhooking herself and pulling herself out of the pilot's seat. "Yeah, I'm really not looking forward to finding out what's out there without the benefit of just flying away." To Rake, she adds, "We're in a clearing a few clicks down. I'm pretty sure you can't miss us. Just look for a trail of broken branches and wildlife." Then, they move out toward Felucia. "I've got a bad feeling about this," she mutters.

"Rancors, plants that will kill you or eat you. Poisonous water. Yeah, this is one of my prefered vacation spots," Rake says with a touch of sarcasm over the comms built into his armor. "Stick close to your speeder, Lieutenant. I've been here before, it's not a pleasant place," Rake says as he makes the trek, keeping his augmented eyes 'peeled' for anything that might be more dangerous than he is. Pulling his vibroblade, he begins using it as a machete. "This place has more dangers than you can imagine. I made a call to base, hopefully they'll send up an evac team. Under your seat should be a small survival kit, I need the two of you to get them out. I've got a main one here with me, just in case we have to be here for a while.

"Copy that Wolf 002," the com crackles back to Rake, "Got your coordinates, help is on the way but if a ship's down you got a short hike to the closest place the recovery team can land. Sending you coordinates. There's a unit real close that we'll divert some soldiers from to join you. Watch your perky asses out there, this planet blows." Who is so damn unprofessional on the coms? "Ashkuri out." That explains it.

For those of you just joining us, the scene is on the jungle world of Felucia, home to rancors and a variety of other hostile (or amorous) wildlife. The First Order has been here recently and the Resistance was looking for clues... but this particular team of T-47 airspeeders was recently knocked out of the sky by giant batlike creatures that mistook the T-47s for potential mates.

Tess has been patrolling the jungle on the ground nearby, but has been diverted along with an NPC buddy to the clearing where Nym, Rake, and Oriana await. While technically Rake could fly out of here on his own, it seems Felucia has other ideas, as with a disconcerting and surprisingly loud "shpblorp" noise, the ground under his T-47 starts doing its best to swallow the airspeeder.

Join the Resistance, see beautiful and exotic locations, become the adventure.

Tess was on patrol in her own little section of heaven with her new bestie, NPC when the call comes to link up with other ground forces. It's not a long trek through the dangerous forst to get to the new coordinates, but it's a not long trek through Felucia.

This place is nightmare fuel.

Seriously, Rancors.

So Tess is frosty, blaster held at the ready as she clears a crop of trees near the clearing where she's been reassigned with her comrade in arms... let's hope he's just as on his game...

Screw that, let's hope NPC lives Matter.

Snatching the kits under the seats as requested by Rake, Nym frowns more and more as he describes what awaits them. "This place is getting better and better by the minute. Maybe the First Order should keep it," she sighs to Oriana and Rake. She's much more comfortable in the air than on the ground, as voiceless Hex can attest to. On the ground she falls into rivers and is attacked by river piranas. Though, in the air in this place she gets attacked by amorous bats who cause her speeder to crash.

The rustling of the flora causes the short pilot to jump a bit, brandishing her kit as if it would really protect her. "Crap, it's a Rancor, I just know it's a Rancor." Because that's her luck whenever she gets her feet on the ground on a mission.

"Well Sgt," Oriana says to him through the com while stepping out of the recently violated ship. "I recently treked through Dxun alone for hours, all I can say is that I hope to hell this place isn't worse." Lifting a hand to swat away a few bugs that fly around eager for new flesh there is a mutter of something in her native tongue. Holding tight to her blaster still looking around sharply a few steps out are taken to explore the area. Looking over her shoulder Nym is given a reassuring smile. "Don't worry lieutenant, I'll watch your back." Giving a motion for her to step back and take cover if need be, a few hesitant but needed steps are taken towards the noise her rifle lifted more, ready to be fired in a second.

Rake glances back to where his speeder was, thankful that he got what he needed out of it. "Roger that. Make that two downed speeders. Felucia just ate mine. Maybe brass will build a base here, would be a good assignment to build character, or get rid of the miscreants," Rake says with a sigh. "We've got a good hike to a clearing where they can pick us up. They're sending a few grunts to go with us," he adds, and as if by magic, Tess and her partner appear. "Oh, and watch your step, the planet just ate my speeder, swallowed it up and is digesting it slowly like a saarlaac." He glances towards Ori. "Dxun is a paradise, not everything there tries to kill you, just the fauna. Here, the flora is just as dangerous."

He then looks to Tess. "Private, hope you got your hiking shoes on and a fresh blaster pack in that rifle. This place is a shithole and dangerous as hell. We've got four klicks to our extraction point, which could take a while. We'll grab a quick bite, check our water supply and then head out. I'll be on point."

The ground seems unstable enough to eat tasty, tasty T-47s, but other than some shoes sinking into soft soil, it doesn't seem inclined to eat people. I mean granted, it might, but it hasn't tried yet. The jungle beyond the clearing is dark and ominous, alive with the calls of birds and insects and things that specialize in biting Nym. The clearing is full of vines, but also grasses, flowers, and tree saplings. It seems at first like a decent spot to have that water and snack that Rake mentioned, but Rake, Tess, and Nym all slowly notice that there's something wrong with these vines on the ground. They aren't still. They are moving. Slowly but surely, as though waking from a deep slumber, they begin to stir their tendrils as though seeking prey.

Oriana does not notice the moving vines. Oriana is transfixed by an arachnid the size of her head slowly eating a beautifully colored lizard, because this place punishes innocent and lovely things.

This planet is where dreams come to die.

Tess comes out of the clearing with her battle buddy in tow and nods to Rake's instuctions. She's all set to settle in for some snacks when against her fundamental understanding of plant life, the ground begins to show the same tenacity for killing EVERYTHING that this planet is quickly becoming familiar for.

"I know why the First Order is here now... you could take ONE seed from this planet and effectively reduce the population of any other planet to zero... they're going to weaponize Felucia."

Blaster rifle at the ready, backing up away from vines, completely and totally okay with shooting it until it stops moving. "Uhhh... I never thought I'd have to ask this, but what's the R.O.E. against trees?"

Luckily, the form of Tess appears through the foliage, not a rancor and Nym takes a deep breath and relaxes just a bit. She has her blaster with her, but she's never really figured out how best to use it. "The planet ate your speeder?" Her eyes widen as she takes in the plants and bugs with more apprehension than before, swatting at the flying creatures that seem intent to bite at her. Following somewhere in the middle of the pack, she replies to Tess, "I think this entire planet is a weapon." If it can eat speeders and the bats can sex an aircraft into crashing, that's not a planet she cares to mess with too much.

Glancing around, she notices the vines just quick enough to try and step out of their way, trying to pull Oriana along with her. The other woman may have designated her protector, but how do you protect others against vines? "I think the R.O.E. is shoot them if you think they're dangerous because this entire planet is trying to kill us." She's much better at commanding people in the air.

Eyeing the ground to make sure she isn't swallowed up there is a sigh. "Is that so?" Oriana asks of Rake, brows knitting together from under her helmet while a look is tossed his way. "Well noted, I'll make a point to loathe this place more than any other." Unhappy it's said, because they are stuck on this hell hole again, a place where good dies and horror prevails. Lovely! Spotting this pretty lizard getting ate it breaks her heart a bit, because.. so pretty, and yet so dead. At spotting Tessa there is a nod to her. "Pri -" Yanked back suddenly, having missed the vines there is a bit of confusion until she looks to what she was pulled from, and then to Nym. "Thanks, Lieutenant." She says, "When it comes to Felucia, shoot first questions later may be the best and move lift saving approach."

Rake chuckles and seems like he's about to say something in response, but his eyes catch the movement of the vines as well. Vibroblade in hand, he hacks into the closest one. "Like I said, the flora here is damn near as dangerous as the fauna. Whatever this plant is, we need to find our way around it, maybe lunch will have to wait. I'm on point, keep each other in line of sight, staying 3 to 5 meters apart, that way if something snatches up one of us, it gives the others enough time to get out of the way and prepare for another attack." The Shistavanen steps quietly, moving ahead of the group and trying to lead them around the carnivorous vines and get them on path to their extraction point.

This planet IS where dreams come to die, but it's where nightmares come to thrive! As Rake cuts the vines they seem to shrink away, and it sounds like they're hissing... but that's probably just the way they rub up against the other grasses, right...right?

Off they head into the forest for their lovely hike, and for a while, it's actually pretty quiet, it's not so bad, except for the biting insects and you know, oppressive sense of dread. Near the 'path' they walk (such as it is), large flora walking the line between plant and tree hold their huge, bi-valved leaves up as though trying to catch the littlest bit of sunlight. They don't look too friendly though, pink on the inside with large spikes long the edges... what are they....? They strike Rake as familiar and carnivorous, but that realization comes to him only enough to aid his own reflexes. Snap! SNAP! SNAP! Suddenly the things are trapping shut left and right, greedy to catch the unwary....

The first to be captured is Tess's battle buddy, and the man screams as his entire upper half disappears into the jaws of a plant. They seem to snap and then jerk upwards, and within seconds he's dangling twelve feet off the ground. No more screams. No more movement. The rest of the team manages to dodge...

EXCEPT FOR YOU TESS. SNAP! She's seized by one leg and hoisted upwards, dangling upside down next to the body of her erstwhile comrade. She's got a great view of everyone on the ground that totally didn't get captured. Spikes are digging into her leg. It's massively unpleasant.

As the others work to free Tess, Nym slowly comes out of her shock at seeing a battle buddy gobbled up by the forest. By the time Tess is dropped onto the ground, she shakes her head a few times, hand shaking as she approaches the others. "Y-you're okay?" she asks. It almost sounds as if she's a bit more shaken by the incident than the woman who was actually attacked. Pulling out her kit, she starts to rummage through it to see if she can find something that may help the other woman - a pain killer, a bandage, something.

Tess treks through the jungle a few feet behind Rake, battle buddy just a few behind her, and her rifle up with the sole intent to shoot anything (ANYTHING) that looks more dangerous than... say.. a bug.

A normal bug. Not one of Felucia's killer bugs that come trampling everything in it's path like a god damned Balrog... She's so very intent on not getting eaten by a sneaky Rancor beetle thingy... Because seriously, how many people have seen a Rancor in their every day lives? Are there nature shows where crazy Corellians go hunting down exotic and dangerous creatures?

So intent is she... she did not mind the plants.

The warming signs are all there. Pink spikey mouth like thingy just to her right, her battle buddy screaming in pain as he's hoisted into the air, but no... she ignores these things. She ignores them because there was a bug and she thought it would be funny to point her rifle at THAT instead of the thing that suddenly snaps closed around her leg, yanks her up into the air, and deflats her attempt to add humor to this otherwise terrifying situation.

Her natural inclination is the first one, "OH SWEET GOD MERCIFUL BENEVOLENT GOD I REPENT!"

Her second is more practical. Shoot it. Danger close to her feet, but life is like that.

"You're welcome," Nym smiles at Oriana for a brief moment. "I've got your back," she repeats what Oriana told her earlier. Then, she's quick to get into line behind Rake. He seems like the kind of person she wants to be close behind when an entire planet is intent on eating them. The quick movement of Rake gets Nym's own reflexes going. She practically launches herself as out of the way as she possibly can get from the pink, carnivorous plants. She lands on the ground. Pushing herself upward, she gasps as Tess' NPC buddy gets attacked. She gasps, hand covering her mouth in horror as he's pulled upward, then stills. Even when Tess is yanked upward and screaming, she doesn't move, frozen just slightly in horror.

Smirking some Oriana laughs lightly at Nym. "You sure do." Because really, the pilot did. Like the others she would fall in line, rifle at a ready, eyes peering through the bush, the bugs, and whatever else this awful planet has to offer. Her position would have been at the back, ready for anything to sneak up. There'd of been the odd turn to walk backwards a few paces checking every now and then. While turning around she hears the yells of her teammates. Turning quick and ready to fire, one is down and then it's Tess. Not taking a chance at shooting one of her own, she won't relive her grenade incident the rifle is put away, her vibrosword then pulled out, sprinting forward with a small jump the blade is brought out with a mighty swing at the vine.

As Tess and her buddy are snatched up, Rake curses. Dodging an attack on him, he steps in to try and hack at the stalk of the plant that has Tess, though his footing and movement wasn't smooth enough to land a decisive blow. "I'm getting too old for this shit."

These Tesscatchers are tougher than your average houseplant for sure, but the combined assault of vibroblades and blaster rifle is a bit much even for them. The jaws holding Tess open up again, dropping her unceremoniously back to solid ground, and then snap shut again. In fact all the leaves seem shut now, including the ones slowly digesting Tess's comrade from the other ground team, and the way is clear to proceed forward. Nice, gentle, peaceful forest.

"No! Shoot it!" Tess is fairly adament about the situation, certain that if she's going to die by plant innards, she's going to do so amidst one plant corpse. Be it by her own weighty contribution of blaster fire or a combined force effort of several branches of the Resistance military.

It is a god damn miricle she doesn't have a radio and cannot order a fire mission. There is a 100% chance that she would be requesting a flyby, putting other people at risk, but it would be completely worth it.

Suffice to say, when the plant releases her and she falls several feet to the ground with super slick slashes in her leg where a plant tried to EAT HER... the natural order of things is to jump up entirely too fast and be rewarded for this deliberate intent with shooting pain running up her calve.

Her poor battle buddy and his deadness registers somewhere in her brain, but she's over here dealing with her inner feels about how god awful this assignment is. Even once she's got her gun up, pointed at the forest like she is expecting a counter attack, it's all for show. Tough as nails Nar Shaddaa born sniper no likey this bullshit.

"...." Eyeing Battle Buddy, who will no doubt haunt her dreams for the rest of her forever. "This place is evil. Like... evil evil. Why are we HERE?! Wh-... the strategic value of this planet can only be marginalized by saying, God... if you exist... you would strike this horrible place down... or give it cancer."

As the others work to free Tess, Nym slowly comes out of her shock at seeing a battle buddy gobbled up by the forest. By the time Tess is dropped onto the ground, she shakes her head a few times, hand shaking as she approaches the others. "Y-you're okay?" she asks. It almost sounds as if she's a bit more shaken by the incident than the woman who was actually attacked. Pulling out her kit, she starts to rummage through it to see if she can find something that may help the other woman - a pain killer, a bandage, something.

The combination of the two works, and right after her little move Oriana shuffles away from anymore plant life, there is zero interest in being ate like that poor battle buddy, trapped within the leaves of that thing. To him, speaking in her native tongue, it sounds almost like a pray, or well wishing for him. It's her way to honour their fallen comrade, to pay respects. After that - and keeping her vibrosword in her hand the woman turns and regards Tess making her way towards the once captured woman, catching Nym's nervousness and if allowed, putting a supportive hand on her shoulder. "You good, Private? Able to move? We can't stay and loiter."

Turning a bit, looking over her shoulder it's Rake that gets addressed next. "Take the lead, Sgt? I'll follow up behind the group and make sure nothing sneaks up on us."

"I'm sick of this shit, carry her if you have to. The other private is done for, leave him," Rake mutters. "Step where I step, stay close to me, keep your mouths shut unless you're about to get eaten." The large wolfman moves, every step deliberate and careful. He's taking his time, often backtracking a few steps when he assesses that pushing forward was too much of a risk. It's slow moving, but definitely safer than rushing through these dangerous jungles. Hand signals are used instead of voice commands. A clinched fist raised meaning stop, hand opening, palm down as if pushing the ground meaning get low. Finger to his toothy maw meaning shut up, this one was used more than most. It's a long trek, going in an indirect way to their destination, but the Shistavanen was an experienced scout, this is what he did. It wasn't glorious, but it was how one survived to get intel back to base.

Their Shistavanen scout seems to know what he's doing, and his survival experience brings them away from the plants, through the hostile jungle with pleasantly uneventful results. Everything here seems to tooth-and-claw fighting everything else, and as they quietly creep along the route Rake has chosen, they spot several other things that might have been bad news. There's a stream trickling over rocks where all the plants seem black and dead around the edges of the water. A dead animal, unrecognizable as it rots in the heat, being consumed by toothed worms that slowly gnaw and absorb its liquefying remains. Bright flowers full of dead insects. Mushrooms nobody should touch - rocks that fall just after the last of the group clears them. Everything seems to be going well, they're only about a kilometer from the extraction point, when the path opens out into a bright clearing again, and there... in the clearing... there is a rancor. It looks like a juvenile, not full size, but it's still huge and brown and looking like it could ruin somebody's day. It is curled up sleeping. How cute. Don't wake it up, troopers!

Shaken is subjective.

It might appear as those Tess is unshaken by the incident, falling upon training and discipline to keep her body doing muscle memory activities drilled into her at boot camp and AIT, but her mind is... busy. Not completely off the hook, just dealing with things in the only way it knows how... by not dealing with it at all.

Battle Buddy was eaten, acknowledge it but don't talk about it.

Leg hurts. Pretend that it doesn't.

Nope, she's on autopilot, turning to Nym with her head cant over to the side. Dirt all over her face where she landed on the ground, she nods a little at the question, "I am.." Quietly because Rake is taking charge.

While they don't really have time to stop and do proper medical treatment, Tess will accept a shoulder if one's provided, but doesn't seem inclined to let her gun go, oh absolutely not. She has that in a death grip.

-49

"I'm hungry. Not like, plant eating a man hungry, but... I mean I could go for something to eat, ya know? We skipped snacks... there was totally talk of snacks." Weren't they suppose to be stealthy? Maybe the plant killer thingy had poisonous teeth and now she's stoned.

"Also I have to pee. Just FYI... I think I've got like ten.. fifteen minutes before that's an emergency" 

/-49/

Oriana is doing just that, following in the wolfmans footsteps. The best she can anyway. Truth be told it's a bit of a failure, there is an odd step that's missed, it's hard to not look at all the awful things without causing the crunching of twigs and stuff. The smell of that rotting-whatever, a hand comes up to cover her face as it's passed by. But what really gathers her attention, out of all the sights so far is the mushrooms, unwilling she smirks, because all she can do is think about Hex and wonder if he'd desire to make this his vacation spot all the more if he knew a mushroom kingdom like this were here, even if they were probably deadly. Resisting snatching one up just for the sake of it she presses on.

Reaching into a pocket a bar is grabbed, yanked out and handed over to Tess, sure it's a little.. squished, but it's still perfectly good! Yay rations. "Here, sweetie, take it. You'll need all you can get right now." Even with a hand on her sword, her other hand idly moves down to her upper thigh, fingers patting against the throwing knives there, because her rifle was holstered she'd need to be ready if something came at them from a distance.

Rake mutters, it was like he was herding a bunch of dewbacks through a spaceport for as stealthy as they were all being. He gives up on telling them to keep quiet, it's almost as if their trying to be quiet is making them louder. Sniffing at the air, listening for anything that wasn't them, and watching for any movement, the scout keeps pushing forward. He seemed to have an uncanny ability to pick the safest route, though that didn't mean the easiest route by far. Some of his choices were tough climbs over large rocks instead of simply going around, but he insisted he had a reason for every move.

Tromp, tromp, trompity tromp, Rake leads Team Twentysomething through the jungle, into the open clearing, which would be an absolutely stellar place to walk through... if not for the previously mentioned sleeping adolescent rancor. And it's a light sleeper, too; that or it's just swiftly and deeply upset by Tess needing to pee. Its tiny beady eyes snap open, and its claws flex. "WUURRRRGHGHHH," it announces, because I know you only scene with me for my great animal sounds, "WUUURRAAARRRGGGHH!" It's upset, and it's headed their way.

Tess is about as stealthy as Star Destroyer as they make their way through the jungle, but at least she's not demanding a bathroom break anymore... which might not be as good as you might initially think. Or maybe it's because she's eating that snack bar given her by Oriana like it's the last bit of food that will ever grace her lips.

Which might be true, after seeing what they've stumbled upon.

Well, there's a Rancor. Remember earlier when she inner monologued about never seeing one in their regular life? God, foreshadowing.

The options are obvious, run, climb, fight... but she's not getting anywhere very quickly, so up comes her battle rifle. Blasting through the forestry, open ground, and glancing off the Rancor harmlessly. Inwardly she's regretting that decisions and hoping like hell she's not the only one who decides shoot first and do something smart later was a good idea.

Despite Rake's warning at being silent, she was trying. Nym really was. Though she was also trying to find something to help Tess. She looks up, deer in headlights at the Rancor as it comes charging out at them. Glancing at the others, she realizes that they are going to stand and shoot. Not wanting to be the coward, she takes a step backward and raises her blaster pistol as well. She knows the basics of guns and how to shoot, but she's never been a sharpshooter. She's basically taking a shot and praying it hits. Luck, for once, is on her side and it hits the Rancor solidly in the chest. But, it doesn't seem to do anything. "Uhhh..." she blinks, looking at the others, backing away even more now. It seems like her next instinct is to run.

Because Oriana is on phone and about to get her kid this pose will be brief. The Rancor appears, yay! Dropping her vibro her rifle is taken up. Steady on her feet, not wavering easily she takes a shot at the beast.

Well, Rake knew that their luck wouldn't last. At least they're closer to their destination, so it's possible that their bodies, or what's left of them, may be found by a search party. "And that's just a baby!" Rake says as he sheathes the vibroblade and brings up his rifle in a hasty fashion. He didn't get it stable enough before pulling the trigger, resulting in a glancing blow similar to the one that Tess fired. "If you run, it will chase!" Rake says. "Keep firing...." he says, hoping that they'll deter the creature enough that he goes off in search of other prey that doesn't sting back.

So as it happens - rancors are scary. Even sub-adult ones. The thing is roaring as shots seem to glance off it - though Nym and Oriana hit the most solidly, it's Rake it's got in its sights. Maybe because he looks the most dangerous; maybe because he looks the most like something that might live on Felucia? Maybe because he super failed to be friends with it?! Impossible to say. The reptillian carnivore reaches out with one massive clawed hand and swipes at him, hard, it's a terrible blow! Rake is a tough old son of a bitch (literally...?) though, and although he's been wounded and knocked off his feet, he's able to get back up and keep fighting.

There's an understandable amount of rational fear that accompanies seeing a Rancor up close. There are plenty of dangerous animals in the galaxy, but a Rancor isn't just dangerous.. it has the appearance of a creature that's sole intent is to destroy and eat anything that gets in its way.

Case and point: Under a barrage of blaster fire, a pre-teen Rancor charged them and took a big ol' love swing at their tour guide across the surface of Failusia.

Now, Tess is not a coward. She really isn't. But fear is healthy and should be acceptable in such a situation. The fact that she continues shooting, with marginal success at doing anything aside, is proof positive. She even advances a little... slowly of course, but she's going to try and help Rake up because... no, there's no logic here.

Be the adventure.

At Rake's command that running will only make it chase them all the harder, Nym immediately stops. Keeping her blaster up, though not exactly perfectly trained on the Rancor, she takes a few steps forward as the Shistavanen is attacked by the Rancor. Quickly raising the gun, she aims and fires again, managing another hit. Perhaps the trick is to always shoot at huge targets - they have a far larger hit zone. The blaster bolt streaks red and hits it in the face, taking out one of its eyes. "Hopefully we can run away from it now..." There's a bit of hesitance to kill it. Not to mention the fact that the longer they're close by, the more likely it'll try and claw them.

Sure her rifle gets a solid shot off, but it didn't phase the beast much. Not the result Oriana wanted. Letting it drop to the ground, to be picked up after the dropped vibrosword is grabbed. Screw this, let's get up close and personal. That's how this planet likes the roll, right? Either try to mate with it or kill it, no middle ground. That first swing barely makes it as she moves fearlessly (or so it looks, most likely swallowing any nerves she feels to do this) in on the creature. When the second blow hits, it' -solid-, right across the back of the leg, slicing like a hot knife through butter - clich, right? The Rancor drops, like it damn well should. There was a step back to avoid the fall and not get squished and when it's down the third blow comes, stepping forward the blade returns to flesh as it goes for the stomach.

Taking a heavy hit from the Rancor, Rake was glad he was wearing his armor. Still though, his rifle goes flying out of his hands, and there's blood dripping down the front of his armor. Rake draws his vibroblade and swings in one motion, missing horribly but placing his second hand on the weapon, he connects heavily on the backswing with the sword-like vibro weapon. "Bastard!" he mutters, staggered a bit. "I'm gonna make a necklace out of your teeth!" he roars. "And a knife out of your claws!" Then the Shistavanen is letting out a roar of his own, granted it wasn't nearly as impressive as the Rancor's. Adrenaline being the only thing keeping the large wolfman in the fight rather than running with his tail between his legs.

The rancor bawls and squints its ruined eye, pawing at it in a way that should totally make Nym feel bad. This leaves Oriana a fine opening to hack into its legs, hobbling the thing even as Rake cuts into its torso. It seems to be taking about half the damage you'd expect from something not quite as tough, and taking a lot of damage, but they've got technology and superior numbers on their side. Distracted away from Rake, the creature roars and lunges at Tess this time, with similar results - it's hit her hard, these would be deeply damaging blows if not for their armor. But armor is a great help, mitigating their damage if not their adrenaline and need for brown pants. Groaning, the creature stumbles, and it can't move... it's almost down for the count, but it's got just that little bit more fight left in it...

Even with a bum leg, Tess is pretty quick when her life depends on it. Blank thingy be damned! This is the mother load, after all. So it is that she barely continues the process of breathing when a huge Rancorian hand slaps at her, knocks her off her feet and sends her tumbling through the under brush.

It actually looks more painful than it was, though. Which is not to say it wasn't hella painful... oh no, it hurts. It hurts so bad that she's hearing music in her head that doesn't even exist in this universe.

In the arms of the angels...

Fly away.. from here...

There's only one logical solution to hearing such dreary music. Shoot your blaster rifle at the scary death lizard just to make sure you're not at your own funeral.

"Wait... Sarge... did you have grenades the WHOLE TIME?!" Because there's dangly grenade bits.

Staying where she is - except for a few more steps backward away from the Rancor. She does not want to be on the receiving end of that rancor's rancor. She's seen what it's done to the much tougher Rake and Tess. The roar of the wounded beast actually does tug at Nym's heart strings. It causes the pilot - who had been shooting quite well before - to pull her shot a little. Unfortunately, that means Oriana is directly in the way of the blaster. "Sorry!" Nym squeaks. "Oh! I'm so so sorry!" She quickly raises the blaster pistol upward toward the sky, as if worried she may shoot someone else.

"If you're doing that, Rake," Oriana says to him with gritted teeth, cursing as the Rancor takes a shot at Tess, "I'll take a set myself!" Barreling in anew, her vibrosword comes up, the first blow drops heavily. Yes, it's in pain, about to die. But if it isn't him, it's them, survival of the fittest in a world like this! That blow - as stated that came down hard, is right through the throat. Pretty, huh? Pulling it out the second comes through into the gut, the third well, this thing is dead so she does a solid and takes out a knee, in case by some strange magic it wakes and tries to run after them.

There is no time for victory! Yelping as her ass turns to fire the Sgt jumps in a mixture of pain and surprise, hopping about a bit looking a touch foolish all the while. It's like she sat on coals for an extended period of time. And what joy it'll be going to the medic for this. Yes, sir, I got shot in the ass, kiss it better? Great convo that'll be. Spinning around as Nym yells out her apologies and realizing how it happened the jumping about stops and with a cringe there is a wave of her hand to the pilot. "No trouble sweetie.. trust me! No trouble!" Though stinging with pain Oriana waves it off, accidents happen after all, and there is no blame sent to the pilot over it.

Rake swings his blade at the beast as it lunges towards Tess, though neither of his attacks bit into the thick flesh of the creature.

The rancor groans in a way that ends in a sad whimper, and then it doesn't stir again. It's bleeding from many wounds and now it's dead; the jungle will mercilessly reclaim it with no more pity or favor than will be shown to the dead Resistance soldier back there in the Tesstraps. The clearing is quiet, smaller creatures hushed into silence by this battle, and the way to the extraction point is clear.

There's a calm that persists through the clearing, but Tess does not feel any such thing... She feels only pain and hurting, but she does not feel any sadness. At least not for killing the rancor. Loosing her battle buddy, yes, but not the rancor.

It deserved this.

Darth Rancor.

She flops down on her butt right there in the mud and lays her rifle across her knees when it lets out its last death rattling cry of pain before falling flat and motionless on the heartless grounds of Fearlucia.

"I wonder what it tastes like..."

Moving forward, Nym does feel bad about killing the rancor. Despite it's maulings on Rake and Tess, it was just an animal. She more dislikes the planet rather than the beast itself. Once the beast is down, she rushes forward toward the others. Her face is red from shooting Oriana right in the butt. Quickly, she holsters it as if to show that she doesn't mean any harm moving forward. "Is everyone okay?" she asks the group in general.

There is a few hard swishes of her sword, to get the blood off. Turning to the fallen Rancor, and after her bit of death blows, off all things Oriana does she kneels down beside the fallen beast, and in her nativee tongue says something like a prayer for the creature. Then standing she'd regard the others, eyes moving to Nym and giving a nod. "I'm fine." Screw the ass-ache. She's had worse. Then she looks over to Tess, and after putting, yet again, a support hand on Nym's shoulder her slightly waddled steps would bring her up to Tess. "You probably don't want to eat that, Private, it's do you more harm than good. Come on," A hand is brought out, to offer physical support to the woman so she can stand and get aid to moving to the ship when it arrives. "There is plenty of real food, good food, food that wasn't wrought within the depths of this hell back on base, and rations in the ship to eat."

Rake doesn't feel bad at all about killing the Rancor. Nope, survival of the fittest. In fact, the Shistavanen is grabbing his vibroblade in a two-handed grip and is lining up in a way so that he can cut off a clawed hand. "I told you I was gonna make a knife outta your claws, ya bastard!" he exclaims, and with a carefully aimed blow, the blade comes down with all his might to sever a hand. "If I had pliers big enough, I'd yank out yer damn teeth too!" With clawed hand severed, the Shistavanen pulls out his vibrodagger, needing a more precise instrument to get to the creature's heart, which he fully planned on eating right there.

The rancor's heart can be found easily enough. It's not heartless. NOT LIKE RAKE.

Tess glances up at Oriana, "I'm not saying we should... eat.. it.." Because she spies Rake eyeing the creatures chest armored rib prison while pulling herself up with Ori's help, "Oh hell no, I want a trophy too!" Limping, all wounded and dirty, towards Rake. Blood and mud and maybe some tears cover her face,and she's clutching her rifle to her chest in what may look professional, but is actually her teddy bear.

All the while mumbling to herself, "And nobodies even going to believe I shot at a Rancor... 'Oh come on Tess, that wasn't a rancor, it was just your bed sheets'." Because Tess is a messy sleeper and dangerous things happen on military cots. Seriously, you can lose an eye.

From her place nearby, Nym gives Oriana a continued pained expression, despite the reassurances. She shot her! "Still. I'm really really sorry." Crossing her arms, she watches both Tess and Rake start to cut off hands and call for blood with raised eyebrows. This is not something she approves of - not that her approval matters much to them. "Uh, not to interrupt the trophy stuff, but shouldn't we get back to the evac spot? So we can get off this planet that keeps trying to kill us?"

With a humming noise coming from the vibrodagger, Rake is cutting into the chest of the creature, the heart of it nearly as big as the Shistavanen's head as he cuts it loose. Holding it above his head, dripping blood down upon him, the scout howls in triumph before pulling it down and sinking his teeth straight into it. Blood squirts for a meter in every direction, the heart muscle being tough as hell and difficult even for the canids teeth to tear through, but with some effort, Rake manages.

Then, Rake looks to Nym and Ori, his fur matted with congealing blood, his armor soaked in both his and the Rancor's. "Yeah, let's get moving," he says. Even injured, he seems rejuvenated by the experience. Granted, he might be puking his guts out later. "Let's move." Reaching down, he picks up the severed clawed hand and then moves to pick up his rifle before continuing towards the landing zone. Covered in Rancor blood, there were likely few predators that would approach, aside from maybe a mother Rancor.

"Ah" Oriana stands there, watching Tess waddle over to where Rake is. Okay then, let them have their fun. "Can I get a claw?" She asks them, but without the heart to snag one off the body herself. Sure, stab it six times dead, fine, but to remove parts of the body? Na. Cringing at the idea of eating the heart, it being something that's not her thing she takes that time to turn to Nym, trying to reassure her once more. "Nym, sweetie, please don't feel bad." Her words are gentle, and kind. So unlike that warrior side of herself that just played stabby-stab with a Rancor. "It's hard to take, trust me I know, I recently nearly killed my roommate during one of our last missions. It's one of the worst feelings, I -still- assault myself with guilt. But the point is, accidents happen, we're playing a dangerous game here, and no blame to be had. Okay? I'll be just fine, maybe unable to sit for a while but fine. It's one of the risks we take knowingly every time we step off base for a mission." Going to pat the pilot on the arm, there is a turn and her items are grabbed, the dropped rifle holstered. Seems now they are going to head to evac, which sounds like a mighty fine idea to her.

There is no way Tess is going to bite into a heart, but that doesn't mean she's above claiming this creatures soul. She took part in vanquishing it! She shot at it too dammit! So she does the only sane human thing... she tears off a little valve from whatever's left after Rake takes a wolfe sized bite and pops it in her mouth.

Danty as she wants.

It goes without saying that it doesn't taste good... that she thinks better of it instantly... that she will never look at herself the same way.

But it happened. She'll have to live with it. Tess readies her weapon and glances at the others, trotting along at a slower clip what with her leg still screaming bloody murder, but whatever, she just ate a rancors mitral valve.

That's something to be proud of.

The first order soldiers probably talk mad shit about how the Resistance is a bunch of savages. If only... if only they knew how completely correct they are. This is what happens when Amber isn't directly supervising her troops, they eat pieces of wildlife. After the desired trophies are taken by the gross people who want them, the rest of the hike back to the evacuation point is uneventful, and they're soon lifting off to get medical care and psychological help. The violated T-47s 4 clicks away are some other extraction team's problem.

But hey. A pyrrhic victory is still a victory. That's right, Felucia! This is how it's DONE.