Log:Scaling Rier'let Mountain

Scaling Rier'let Mountain

OOC Date: May 3, 2021
Location: Corellia
Participants: Greeysyn Greystorm, Rey, Chani Tahn, Mekil Abalmor

The Agrilat Swamp is what people had to trudge through to get to their current destination. It wasn't anything to write home about though thankfully. But as the group of Troopers and Jedi come out of the Swamp there is a new sight that lays before them. Rier'let Mountain.

It bordered the swamp much like the other mountain that had a similar name to it. The troopers have kept up their morale, but one sort of grunts when the mountain comes into view, "Are we going over that or through it?" one of them towards the back calls out.

The foetid stench of the swamp was nauseating. Chani is grateful when they emerge on the other side and finish trudging through a sparse collection of dead trees to confront the monolith that is Rier'lit Mountain. The ground angles up towards it at a gentle slope near the base, but grows more alarming the higher it goes. It's cap is crested with snow and the mere sight of it makes Chani wish she could get just a small sample of that frigid air to chase away the sticky humidity of the terrain they'd rucked through. The lower section of her dark brown robe is coated and heavy with mud and brackish water. Her knee high brown leather boots have kept her cream trousers and feet dry at least. "I believe our objective is to go over it." For the briefest of moments, Chani levels a discerning eye at the mountain and entertains the what-if when it comes to trying to carve through such a thing. Years, she thinks. It'd take years. As it is now, it might take days just to ascend, if they were going to the top. Chani thinks they'll find a route up and around before that happens, though. They want the path of least resistance, not the hardest.

The medic-with-a-gun assigned to this excursion moves his mouth and out comes words "According to our briefing, over it." It wasn't /meant/ to imply that a certain trooper was not paying attention, but was said without much thought regardless, because Greeysyn's /brain/ is busy saying other things, like Don't dosh it up now, PFC Greeysyn Greystorm he tells himself silently, inner voice muttering away into the whirlpool of worries and rapid thought processes. It's a borderline maelstrom in that head of his, what with the possibility of a promotion to CORPORAL in his near future making bright an otherwise dim horizon line in his life. Ailing family afar, rumors of a new nephew on the way, the way that General Greystorm looked at him the other day---

Oh, sweet mercy, that look. Not an ounce of mercy in it, mind you, she appeared quite cross, possibly on verge of nailing somebody's skin to the wall - not so unlike an Aurean lava vein, bubbling dangerously near to surface with constant threat of---

FOCUS.

The young Republic rifleman/medic squeezes his eyes closed and blinks so forcefully it hurts. Focus. Calm. Mission. Too much caf was ingested prior to launch after a sleepless night spent staring at the bottom of the bunk above his, thinking about the climb for Kor Vella and all the ways that their mission could go tits up, from the foothills of Rier'let to the top of that mesa. He's a worrier, gets it from his mom's side, can't be helped. Medication does, some. Did he take today's dose?

A flash of panic crosses the PFC's face most briefly, but a quick check into the personal medpack within his vest, strapped over breastplate, confirms that yes. Yes, he did. Goshwhatarelief. Greeysyn Greystorm exhales a long, slow one through his nose and passes a look over to his squad leader. The others. Did they notice? A look down to his swamp-stained gear serves as a reminder then and he pipes up with a friendly reminder of "Boot check!" Because faulty footwear is a fasttrack to big problems. So helpful.

Rey had been a late addition to the team's roster, but she was happy to be here to accompanyt he soldiers and help Chani where she may need it too. She'd suited up with the soldiers and was wearing some army clothing over her Jedi attire to help keep her a bit more covered in the swamplands... it was bound to happen when some of the soldiers saw her wearing capri pants prior to setting out.

A military poncho is worn over her tunic, a pair of taller military boots are on her feet going up to her knees and her tabards were tucked away inside her belt to keep them from becoming overly muck covered for no real reason.

Rey was walking with sole of the troops, talking to them and then looked up to the horizon. She's sweaty, liek just about every one else, and reaches a hand up to sweep her loose strands of brown hair off of her brow. Her eyelids flicker as her lashes sweep away some perspiration.

"Splendid." Rey quietly says.

There is a heavy pat that lands on Greeysyn's shoulder, "You'll be fine kid. Just keep your focus and things will be fine." Mikel tells him. He's an older military man, but he's retired to bodyguard a certain Senator that gets into entirely too many situations where he gets shot. He looks over the others and there is a nod as he sticks near the back of the group, not wanting to get into the way of official business and things.

There was thankfully a bit of a trail that the group can follow across the expanse that's between them and the base of the mountain, but who knew what might be there after this.

Taking a deep breath in through her nose, Chani exhales forcefully through her mouth until she can hear the passage of air sounding hollow in her head. It doesn't help much with the stench of the swamp clinging to her, but it does help center her and get her pulse back under control. The New Republic troops go through the arduous process of checking their footwear. Chani doesn't do the same thing. Instead, she approaches the Paragon of their Order, who seems to have faired just as badly in the swamp as she did. "The mountain air is nice." Finding the positive is really what's important in situations like this. It helps alleviate the aching muscles and the misery of the ordeal they just faced. The mountain's beauty does a great deal to ease that misery for the moment. She knows she'll face a different kind of misery on its slopes.

PFC Greystorm almost trips over his own thrice-tied bootlaces when that shoulder-pat makes landfall, but shoots the sparse scrub underfoot an accusatory look like that's to blame. Not his nerves! Surely not. "That's the uh...the plan!" Greeysyn clears his throat softly and keeps his gaze fixed squarely ahead as an uncomfortable tinge of red creeps up from under collar. Another glance, this one to the Jed--NOPE. Eyes forward. DOn't dosh it up.

In truth, Pvt Greystorm was not /always/ this jumpy of an individual, unless you count the readiness with which he JUMPED at the opportunity to serve a rejuvenated Republic. The old I am Resistance propaganda ads really hooked him those few years ago. It's possible that the now-older General looks more surly and less enigmatic than the PR team made her appear in the holo-bits, but he still gets the chills when she walks through a room. If the far more famous and charismatic General /Organa/ were still alive to walk through the room, he'd probably die. And where was this trail of introspection leading?

Pvt Greeysyn looks up from his thoughts and performs another cursory scan of their horizon line. Left, forward, right, forward. Over shoulder. Forward. Boot check - yup, still there. Rifle check - till powered up. Gear check - could he possibly be wearing anymore medi-kits? No. Well, yes. Were it not for the obligatory cache of grenades and other 'plan B' items that he and his peers have got strapped to their belts.

Rey's eyes go to the soldiers before they sweep over to Chani who is approaching her. The comment abouthe mountains has Rey's brown eyed stare then going forward again to the horizon. She stares at it for a few lingering moments.

"It is beautiful." She says. "I can see why all the Corellians I"ve come to know are so passionate about their home." She shows a light smile to Chani, then nods up ahead. "There, lets take that way." She suggests, dryer and more pleasant looking earth to plant their boots upon that she angles her own direction of trudging along toward.

Once she has some good footing and has a chance to look ahead better, Rey turns back to the commanding officer of the New Republic soldiers and speaks out to them. "I think we should take this route." The young Jedi says, glancing to Chani and then forward again, already going ahead in said course, showcasing her steadfast confidence in her own choices, or a foolhearty ambitioun to pretend.

Mekil is quick to not spook the young man again, he does give him a nod and then falls back. There's a look to the others as they move. The man thinks that going the way Rey says to go is the best idea, but he's not in charge of any of this. So he settles back in where he is at the back and lets the active military and others guide them.

Others that are there give a nod, Rey was the boss. Or...one of the bosses. They would follow her for sure!

Chani laughs. It's an abrupt noise and not at all the kind of thing one might expect considering the situation they've just removed themselves from. There's no avoiding finding Rey's comment as funny, though, but not for the reason the woman might expect. "I was just going to say, I think everyone is passionate about their home. Then I thought about Tatooine and all those other desert planets, and now? ..I'm not so sure." The grin remains, but Chani allows herself to lapse into silence when Rey suggests a path for them to take. Nodding firmly and once to the older woman, Chani sets off in the directed heading. It's nice to have solid ground underneath her feet instead of muck, but she knows it'll get more perilous as they go. There are already loose rocks and stone scattered across the uneven ground and threatening to help her twist her angle if she doesn't watch her footing. Still wearing the smile, Chani wonders how long it will last once they start ascending. Mud from her boots begins to scrape off and offer some hint of the leather footwear underneath.

"Copy," Greeysyn grunts, having found his 'soldering' voice again and the persona that comes with. Focused. A direction has been given and he will follow. Another long look at their surroundings puts his head on the swivel, though. They'd made it through the swamp without being set upon by marsh pigs, but what about gurrcats!? How far from the plains might they - the plains! They ARE going to be journeying through gurrcat territory, assuming they survive the mountainous trek. Aw, frink.

He picks up his pace, being in possession of some long legs, and starts to overtake the strides of his comrades with the goal of inquiring how Rey knew which way to go, when his Sgt takes hold of his rucksack and halts his advancement. "PFC Greystorm," the Gunnery Sgt tics her head into a half shake. "How 'bout you keep back here." Because it'd be bad form to let her medic take point and possibly get brained before the rest of them. Then, to the rest of the troops: "Keep an eye on the terrain up ahead! We're tactically at a disadvantage here in the low ground. Let's not forget it." And then the Sgt picks up HER pace to keeps ahead of any more eager hop-to-its in her team. Behind the Jedi. If the young woman wants to be a human compass, she's keen to follow, paying the occasional glance to her own topographical reference data in HUD for comparison.

"Yessir-Ma'am," Greeysyn sloows his stride, falling back into his previous place in line with an expression that says he isn't particularily thrilled with the perceived coddling, but knows better than to challenge rank.

It takes Rey a few moments before she catches up with Chani again and resumes that bit of thought about home worlds. "I don't think passion is the word I'd use to describe Jakku. Though I suppose it works as a qualifier for a much more nasty following word." She smirks over at the other Jedi for a moment. "But, I don't like to think of Jakku as my home world, really. I wasn't born there, I didn't live the first six years of my life on it.... I probably do have a nicer home world, I just don't know which one it is."

Rey pauses as she progresses across the terrain as well, "I suppose I could've been born in a ship, like Zandra. Ugh, then Jakku is my home world." Her head shakes side to side.

A look is given up to their destination as they keep going, then Rey looks back to the New Republic men and women. "We're making good progress now. Don't worry, the Force is with us." She tries to offer a smile to go with her words before she looks forward again.

They probably think she's nuts. She... kind of thinks she's nuts sometimes too.

The rolling hills turn into steep cliffs that no one wants to trudge up into. Not even in regular clothing. Wearing armor is just as bad in this case given things. While Mekil is in shape, he's not in the shape of strapping young men anymore. The guy is huffing by mid hike and somewhere along the way the dark haired man mistakes a rock for something that was anchored and he ends up ass over tea kettle a few feet down a path and ends up face first in a puddle of...something. "Gods I'm going home and retiring." he grumbles as he gets to his feet.

There are things along the path that are bothered by the groups trek up the mountain, a few winged creatures decide that the armor on the troops is too shiny and they try to peck them. Their beaks ting-tinging off the helmets. One trooper can't help but laugh. He's going to have to tell the boys back home that a bird tried to mate with his head or something.

But the final adversary comes for them at the top of the mountain. Some huge black ram like creature that's shaggy hair drags the ground beneath it and big white horns that curl back. The path to the rest of the mountain is blocked..but it doesn't attack immediately.

Maybe the adventurers could get around it without violence.

"I don't think the place you grow up is your homeworld. I think where you're born is. I get into that debate frequently with others, though. Some people think it's where you grew up." Chani shrugs. It's a more difficult motion with the hem of her robe weighted as it is by drying, cracking mud and soaked as it is from the water from the swamp. Soon, she's not talking at all. As the hills turn into steeper cliffs, Chani finds her muscles in her calves and thighs aching. She reflects that months ago she might not have been able to make this hike, but the changes in her life have certainly included a lot more rigorously physical activity and that means she's at least somewhat prepared to face it. She's also not about to complain. Chani carries almost nothing with her. Her clothes are light. Compared to the New Republic troopers with all their gear, armor, and weapons? It's a stroll in the park.

She doesn't keep that mentality for long. The stroll in the park one, anyway. Ascending up certain section so the mountain require use of the high tension line and grappling hook that she pulls from her belt of many accessories. By the time she makes it to the top, just behind Rey, she's so out of breath and sweating that it hurts to breathe. Stitches in her side make inhaling painful. She's happy to shuffle forward just a few feet and stop while regarding the blockage in their path. "What do you..." Chani takes a breath. "Think we should..." Another breath. "Do? I don't... want to hurt it."

The Force is with them? PFC Greystorm purses his lips and has a contrary thought - that the Force was NOT with Cpl Felcar from fireteam Besh when he got vaporized by that tank on Munto Codru. While climbing to safety aboard the back of his own armored transport, no less. It was the worst kind of luck, that. And poor Pvt Festow! He'd heard she was /covered/ in Felcar...bits.

"Hey," Greeysyn hisses aside to a fellow grunt as they march along. "You know if Felcar made it back from leave?" Because now he's thinking about it. And her. It's enough to get his blood pumping more than the rigorous hike already has. Keeps the O2 supply flowing, every huff and puff and

• SQUAWK*SCREEEE*

Which sound came from the sudden erruption of flapping hatred and which from Pvt Greystorm is unclear and indistinguishable as bird and man become an entangled mass of limbs and feathers. The slip is inevitable, Pvt Greystorm being long of body with high center of gravity, teetering on an unkind angle of fickle, pebbly earth. He stumbles once, knee catching his weight. Twice, when the other foot skitter-scatters upon his recovery - still fending off angry avian who perhaps is attempting to remove a perceived 'stick' from his camo print bodysuit. The third time though, that's the doozy.

He doesn't even shout, so severe is the surprise when ground becomes ground no longer, but rather a too-far stretch of nothingness. 1.5 meters, to be precise, whereupon landing, his ankle makes unreassuring noises and the rest of him crumples like gravity's got a vendetta.

Which brings us to the fourth 'slip' which is more of a skidding slide, really, backwards like a drunken bug, hands scrabbling to other side in attempts to snag something. Anything.

Private First Class Greeysyn Greystorm has been defeated by what could've been dinner, had he taken a more aggressive approach maybe, and never even gets the /chance/ to be defeated by a more worthy opponent. The groat.

As they draw ever further up in to the mountain, the more of Rey's gear gets added to her attire. By the time they start the clminbing she's got her hood up and a mask pulled up over her nose, her goggles are over her eyes, the very same pair she used on Jakku years before...

Rey falls back toward the troops as the bird attack takes place and she does her best to help shoo the creatures off with a swing of her arms and a tossing of food rations toward the far side of where they are where the birds can cahse actual food that isn't them or their gear....

The climb comes and Rey makes sure to stay on the outside of the group, helping find footholds for some of the soldiers and to keep a watch over everyone. She's making her way up toward Chani when she feels the flow of the Force around them all, and knows...

Rey turns her head just before Greeysyn falls. She sees him lose his grip and begin his descent and her hand snaps back and down...

He doesn't meet his end, not yet. In fact, while the others climb they may note that Greeysyn is ascending in mid air and as Rey tosses herself up to a safe place along side Chani, she settles Greeysyn down beside her and reaches out to pat some of the rocks offo fhis shoulder.

"You are trouble." Rey tells the man as she raises her goggles up on to her forehead and then turns...

A heavy sigh escape from the young woman and she walks past Chani now toward the large Ram King of the Mountain. Rey makes eye contact with him and meets her mind to his to speak to him and signal that they are not a threat and that they in fact...

She tilts her head back. "He's going to show us the rest of the way." She tells them, having asked the elder animal to do just that favor for them and theirs. "Come along." Rey says back to the soldiers as she moves forward, her camo colored poncho flowing the mountain winds around her body as she goes.