Survival Scenario (Doren)

[Rhoden Carbine]

"They shouldn't bother us much right now." Rhoden said, "They probably won't want anything to do with us once we start cooking bugs for lunch." he thought for a moment, "There's also a short cave which is a feasible shortcut past some of the arachnids." he said. "But there's probably centipedes in there. Also giant. Also hungry."

"We can't go back, we can't really go around. I suppose we could stay here and wait to die. Or maybe Bareil will send more ships to kill us." Rhoden said airily, smiling beneath his helmet, "I must admit around the time we got to this point when I was here before I may have been under the influence of a hallucinogenic toxin..."

[Professor Mors]

"Such defeatism does not become you Commander", Doren teased, a friendly grin sprouting beneath his facial hair. While Rhoden's uncharacteristic moodiness had almost proven endearing over the course of the alpine trek, Vassyl needed his comrade's peak focus if they were to prevail in this survival exercise. Nonetheless, some strategic maneuvering would be necessary if the duo was to proceed. Turning his gaze off to the side, the frost-bitten Captain observed the smaller, yet no less icy caps of the sister mountains. Though they lacked altitude by several dozen meters in comparison to the main spine, the terrain was more even and provided greater visibility. It was then that Doren started hatching a plan, and a devious one at that.

Carefully setting his rig down on the snowy floor, Vassyl began to unpack some of the tent equipment, as well as the collapsible durasteel crossbeams, originally designed to support a lean-to structure. Sticking four tent poles down into the alabaster powder, Doren stepped back and observed his materials. Yes, this just might work. Plopping down into a casual seating position, the Captain began to inspect the magseal interface on his combat boots, and addressed his compatriot once more, "Have you been skiing before Mister Carbine? We used to go every winter back home". This was hardly a pleasure visit, but it would save time and energy in light of the alternatives. Grasping two of the elongated metal sheets, Vassyl offered his innovation to Rhoden, and concluded, "Provided we avoid any large rocks, the slope should take us down to the adjacent range without too much trouble".

[Rhoden Carbine]

"I took a few classes on ski combat." Rhoden said without emotion, "It wasn't exactly my best subject." he sighed, "Avoid rocks, webs, and anything that looks like teeth." he couldn't even begin calculating the odds if he'd wanted to but it was better than nothing, "If we die I'm never letting you hear the end of it." he said, inspecting the Captain's work.

"Oh--and once we get down we have to go back up again, the bunker and comm array are on the highest peak." he didn't add that they hadn't been used in over fifty years. They'd be operable. Or repairable. He hoped. "And put on a helmet. I'm not dragging you up another mountain if you take another one to the head." he added, taking off his helmet as he absently squashed a highly poisonous caterpillar--inching far too close for comfort--under his boot, and carefully cleaned it off.

[Professor Mors]

Doren filtered out Rhoden's complaints and exposition after a few moments, and continued to allocate the bulk of his attention to the task at hand. Despite the dangers, it made little difference if they froze to death and foot of the mountain as opposed to its zenith. Yes, movement was key, and Vassyl was eager to avoid any further encounters with the wildlife. Looking his makeshift equipment over one last time, Vassyl nodded approvingly, and kicked off the rocky rampart and onto the snowy slope below. It was rough going at first. The thicker layers of sleet rendered the Captain's footwork questionable at times, and Doren was forced to sink down on his haunches to stabilize himself. This persisted for several minutes, until at last the ground smoothed out, allowing for a taller stance.

Driving the two poles in at a steady rhythm, Vassyl was free at least to reap some enjoyment in the simple exercise. Regardless of their desperate plight, the Captain was swept away in nostalgia, likening the scenery to that of his homeworld. Far from here, Jaemus appeared in the back of his mind as a relative paradise. On his downtime aboard the Reverent, Doren would occasional summon forth virtual nature trails to wonder at his leisure. If he was to be buried anywhere, it would there, among sloping treetops and the sunlit waterscapes. The thought of perishing, and furthermore, being forgotten on this indignant hellhole simply would not do. Curving off to the right to avoid a more jagged outcropping, Vassyl zeroed in on his surroundings more intensely, ever-committed to his continued existence.

[Rhoden Carbine]

Rhoden followed the Captain, sighing with resignation. Somehow he had the feeling the man wasn't really listening; and despite his own word to the contrary he couldn't afford to abandon the Captain even if he wanted to. The only comfort to be had was that Jorvan might eventually think to look for them on Morikin--their operation was within close enough proximity for him to think of the world. Whether or not he found them--or if there was indeed anything left to find at that point--was another question which wouldn't really be their concern if it came to that.

Rhoden took in a breath, his helmet taking the fresh air to his lungs. He may not like this world that much, he may be facing his probable death, but in a way this was where he had been made. Certainly not welcoming, or even remotely home like. But he and the world had a history; a connection. He rolled his eyes. He had fond feelings for the place most likely to kill him in the entire galaxy. Brilliant.

[Professor Mors]

Having reached the bottom of the current peak, it was now Doren's turn to be surly. The climb up the adjoining mountaintop was, as the Commander had predicted, arduous to say the least. Though it was not yet evening, the temperature had begun its slow, lethal decline. Even now, as the Captain traipsed through the snow with his walking stick in hand, he found himself frequently stopping to break apart ice that clung to his boots, flash-frozen from the influx of moisture carried upward by the wind. At one point, an unseen chunk of rock nearly cost Vassyl the constitution of his big toe, and the young Jaeman was forced down onto one knee from the impact. Doren fought very hard not to cry out in anguish. He knew better than that.

Thought the fine blanket of snow and sleet did not betray any structural instability, the threat of an avalanche was not to be discounted under the given circumstances. To make matters worse, if some manner of beast, alone or in a group, happened upon the Imperials now, there was no guarantee that they wouldn't spur a similar catastrophe whilst attempting to make a meal of the wayward officers. As was consistent since their arrival, the pair were in just as much danger as they had been among the previous set of rocky spires. Oh, Doren would indeed be glad to return to the familiar durasteel haven that was the Reverent. Pausing once more to dislodge another cluster of ice crystals, Vassyl calmly whispered over to his companion, "I don't suppose this bunker of yours is armored?".

[Rhoden Carbine]

"If it wasn't armored," Rhoden said, flicking his knife into the snow to spear another blood-sucking worm, "It wouldn't have lasted long enough for my team to extract." he said. The wind alone, despite its somewhat more isolated position in that regard, would have proven difficult for an unarmored structure--which wasn't even considering the other short and long term effects on the structure. Like massive talons ripping into it and carrying it off.

Rhoden had caught the distant whine of repulsorlifts; but it was unlikely to be a rescue party, more likely to be Bareil. In any case what might on other worlds have been too cautious was not, in fact, the right thing to do on Morikin. A few minutes later the wind carried upon it the shriek of a Firehawk and the sound of repulsors vanished. Of course being captured might be a bit more favorable than sticking around here, assuming it was capture and not outright death the searchers had been looking for.

[Professor Mors]

Doren's ears were not so frozen that the hum of a sublight engine was lost on him. Looking back at the Commander, Vassyl detected the grim expression on his face, and hastily dropped to one. Slinging his shoulder bag over the front of his person, the Captain glumly fixed his wooden amenity into the cross-straps, and produced his hardy DH-17 blaster pistol from within the duraweave pouch. Though not as potent as the army's cherished E-11, the sidearm's concussive blast was still a force to be reckoned with, and would offer a slightly lower chance of provoking undo snowfall. "I suppose it would be best to keep moving", Doren dryly deliberated, "Lest we make ourselves an easier target".

Vassyl lifted his gaze upward, trying to pinpoint a rocky outcropping that might provide the Imperials some minor bit of cover. Yet he saw nothing, at least, nothing within the nearest half kilometer or so. Terrific. Resuming his march, the Captain had not but a notion of fleeting fortune to guard his ascent. Death on the mountainside, it almost sounded poetic in a sense. Several Jaeman classics dealing with that same subject matter sprang to mind, but Vassyl felt his name would not make it into any such volume. Stop. Doren had to cease with such morose thoughts. Rampant negativity would only close the gap on whatever chance at survival the embittered officer had left. Think Vassyl, think! "Tell me Mister Carbine", Doren began once more, "Have we any materials with which to better camouflage ourselves?".

[Rhoden Carbine]

"I wouldn't worry about anyone making it down here to deal with us, unless Bareil wants us bad enough to send a larger ship to wipe us out from orbit--and even so sensors don't work as well as he'd hope for on this rock." Rhoden said, "And unless you want to carry around rocks or chunks of ice there's nothing really for us to blend in with on the mountains; maybe dirt."