Mission Eleven: Sakidō

North
Shasse awoke with a splitting headache and the throbbing of her heartbeat loud in her ears, trying to pull herself up she collapsed quickly when she discovered her arm had been broken and with the pain the memories came flooding back. She'd disengaged her helmet and the mindy had quickly begun to shut down, or in her drunken state she had turned it off she couldn't recall.

With her good arm she pushed her back against the base of the tree and looked around for the helmet unable to see it, and with no power in the suit and still weakened from the crash she couldn't lift herself up. "Well this certainly is a pretty little mess I've gotten into." she spoke softly to herself as the forest closed in around her and sapped at her courage. Curling up against the tree she silently begged for someone to find her soon.

Miles double checked that the data had sent to Eden before he tried to shake off the drunken feeling but to no avail, whatever it was, it was not a natural occurrence or his minkan body systems would have dispelled it by now.

Hearing Eden's command he replied with as much conviction as he could manage in his state before he began scanning the canopy for any signs of the small neko, he wouldn't find her however as she was lying on the forest floor with leaves scattered over her and her suit shut down. "Shasse, do you read me, where are you?" Miles called over the comms as Darwin had done with the same results.
 
He clicked his helmet back into place to support his weakened body, the power armor humming to life around him. His breathing faltered for but a moment. That's when he saw it. The white, glistening dome of a Mindy helmet. There's no mistaking that it was her own, what with the fresh leaf litter sprinkled across it, having fallen from the trees above since its owner barreled through the connecting branches. It was a good thing that her landmark of choice was a large tree. He watches as his head lowers and a bead of sweat drips from his temple and onto the HUD in front of him, dribbling along in a streak that fattens the numbers for a brief second before sliding into the collar of the helmet and chilling his neck. "Sh-Shasse!" He yelps, looking around at his surroundings, the undergrowth and everything above felt oppressive. Branches appeared like hands that raked at the air, and bushes were curled up beasts lying in wait.

One bush in particular, curled up against the tree, had a shimmer not unlike armor, with cool white vines that draped around it. He could see a blue, fuzzy branch like an ear peeking from its drapery. It took him a second, as his brain was still a yard behind his skull, but he would rush over, fumbling through some branches. The human fell flat on his face and laid there for a moment. He filled his lungs with air so that he may breathe out the feeling of illness welling up in his gut. "Emiko-Hei!"

One hand grasped the grass beneath it and steadily jacked its shaking owner up onto his side, in his other hand, the girl's helmet is clasped tightly. "Heh... I guess you won that race, huh?"

Though she couldn't see it, the human's face had formed into a wide smile, his amber eyes closing. He felt relieved to see her alive, though he had no clue of her status. He didn't feel any rush to ask about it, though. His brain was busy focusing on how badly his nose itched - and the bead of sweat over its nostril was not making it any better.
 
Shasse opened one eye and gave Darwin a faint smile clearly in pain and barely managing to stay awake, she moved her good arm to reach for her helmet which he had brought but hadn't the strength. "Schultz... hei. Darwin, I'm so happy... thank you." It was clear the blue neko wanted to say more but grimaced as she shifted her weight and her broken limb felt pressure which was clearly twisted the wrong way.

Unable to keep herself awake as her head was assaulted by the pounding of her own heartbeat which also pumped blood through the swelled area around her arm, her eyes closed and her breathing softened as she slipped back into unconsciousness. The long strands of her white hair that had come loose in the crash were draped over her face and stuck to her back, her own drying blood from a wound on the back of her head visible to Darwin as it stained her hair red.
 
North

Eden continued her search until seeing over visual comms on Darwin go down and then she realized this was becoming a two-person search.

East

As the ogre was hit with the grenades, they went off on his torso and leg, causing him to stumble backwards and completely fall to the ground, dealt two blows that he was unable to reconcile. Gathering to surround the ogre, one man with a booming voice and a raven on his shoulder called out to those around him.

"Dead!"

South

Hoshi said, "The energy signatures are low, though..." She looked to Care and said, "Would you mind moving in with me at the forward of the team? I want everyone to hang back outside of the cave, but Nerai should be in control of the outside support team."

West

Gravity and the drones would, in some short time, get all of the way to the ocean. While this happened, the drones shot skyward. They blasted through the internals of the subterranean intestines of the monster of the Starlight Forest, skyward, shooting through chunks of earth and sending them up as they did so, marking a clear path for those in the forest for where Gravity and the drones were being carried. As the two tar monsters had no defenses of their own, they sequestered themselves away, one wounded moreso than the other. They were now gone, or at least appeared so.

Fort Miller

Leeta answered, "No time, let's go!"
 
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"Ok!", Mark said dashing to take off from the hangar. He leapt into the air through the opening activating his thrust......but nothing.

The exhaust fizzled, [error] displayed on his HUD before he plummeted.

"OH COME ON!!", he shouted as he fell to the forest below. Branches and tree trunks bombarded him on his way down tearing at plates and causing pain from the damage feedback.

Mark hit the ground hard, attempting to rise, but slumping with no energy. He blacked out.
 
East

Walter Hyde looked down at the dead body, and shook his head. "Yare yare daze, you couldn't handle two grenades. What kind of monster are you?" He said to the corpse as he slowly walked up to it.

He looked down upon it, taking out his two-handed aether-enhanced blade, advancing to the body like a cold predator. "You didn't scare me the moment I saw you, and now your kind will never scare me again."

Walter stabbed the corpse with the sword, causing the internals to cook, and eventually the sword combusted the carcass. He pulled out his sword, untouched by the bodily fluids due to sheer heat, and sheathed the weapon.

The Minkan flew up and away after that, coming out of that situation seemingly indifferent, but actually excited from that experience. Walter even got some theatrics in the final moment, too.
 
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West
The... Ocean???!?

Darkness. Panic. Kicking, screaming, shooting. The sickening feeling of sliding through the monster's digestive tract like a greased pig. Though she kept fighting like hell, Gravity could feel the futility of her struggles looming over her shoulder. Give up it said. It's over. There's nothing you can do to stop it.

But Gravity didn't stop trying to maim this creature in any way she could, even as she felt the lump form in her throat and hot tears beginning to sting her eyes.

Just rest. It'll all be over soon.

She didn't want to die! She was only eight months old! There was so much more to see! So much more that she didn't know!

Stop fighting.

No! Not when she had her first crush ever on that damned knife-loving serpent a certain person that happened to also inhabit this universe! Not when she'd finally found her place in this infinite, uncaring universe!

Let it happen.

"No! No! NO!" Gravity roared like a tiger and fired off her guns with each syllable. Then, it stopped, and the darkness was replaced with blinding light.

She was floating motionless in the light. Eyes clenched shut, breathing slowly returning to normal, muscles aching from exertion, and a dull roar in her ears. Slowly, she peeked out at this strange new world she'd been transported to. There were tall grasses swaying in an unknown wind. There was a beautiful rainbow of multi-colored coral all around. A small, blue and yellow-striped fish crept right up to her face-plate before darting away. Above, the sun shimmered through the surface of the water.

Water? Was she dead? Why was she under water? She looked down over her armor, and found it covered in oily, black goop. Her heart rate quickened. No, she wasn't dead! She looked directly below her, and saw a mouth-like, black opening on the sea floor which was closed to prevent water from rushing in. Was that the creature's...?

Gravity screamed, her panic returning full-force, and rocketed towards the surface of the ocean. She broke the surface and created a massive geyser of water that rose almost twenty feat into the air. She needed out of this armor! She needed air! There, a beach! The beach on the other side of the Starlight Forest from her team! The pilot raced towards it and made a rough landing that ended with her on her hands and knees. She didn't care. She practically dove out of the armor, completely nude. The stench of the goop hit her nostrils and made her gag, but she didn't care. She scrambled away from the Mindy and sat in the sand, knees scrunched to her chest as she tried to calm herself. The Neko simply stared at the ocean, mind blank.
 
Care shifted from her position, taking place next to Hoshi as they moved forward. While she acted in turn of what was asked of her with a nod the look on her still face was distracted, as if a noise was bothering her. The caves held energy weapons, but what about people? What were they being used for? Was it something to concern themselves with? Regardless it's what they were doing, so as she neared the caves her mind filled with thoughts of what could be inside. Try as she might she held little hope that it would prove to be a positive meeting with whoever had hidden the cache, but there was a chance it could not end in bloodshed. Even if guns and weapons were drawn things could be explained, things just had to start out alright.

"The cache may be dangerous but we should try it approach it with an open mind. We've just arrived, let's not stir the natives unless we have to." Her voice was off, an abnormal buzz to it as if there was interference. It matched the distracted look on her face. She approached the caves, coming in from the front, if she wasn't heard first, it would be easy to see her, but she still had time to move away should something shoot at her. But given how she was acting, would she have the reflexes?

Her mind was abuzz with an almost ringing sound, a haunting feeling that came to the front of her mind, demanding her attention and, when given, seemed to drain it into nothing, taking energy and spirit with it. She ignored it, but it was present, and ignoring it would not make it go away. There is a time and a place to be weak. This is neither.

It almost sounded like music.
 
"Shasse? SHASSE?!" The human yanked himself towards her, pushing on his comms, though his breath would get caught in his throat upon seeing the wound freshly dripping through her locks, a few droplets patting against the solid metal of the Neko's mindy armor. "Guys... I found Shasse... she's in bad shape..." He winced upon seeing the angle of her arm. He could not imagine what the inside of the armor looked like - the tangled, mangled skin and snapped bone only putting his already queasy stomach even more on-edge.

"Keep your cool, Darwin..." He murmured to himself. "It's just a wound... probably a con... concuss... oh god, she might be dying..." He grit his teeth and his hand would clasp the side of his helmet. The helmet in his hands would be magnetized to his waist He didn't bother trying to mess with the broken arm, opting to slide his arms underneath her. The Mindy would make her easy to carry, and with the assistance of the antigrav, he would be able to keep at least some semblance of balance. "She's unresponsive. Severeverere injuries on her head. Her arm's bending in a way that I don't think arms should bend... unless Nekos have an extra joint I don't know about. She needs a doctor now but I don't think that's the case." He closed his eyes while his lip trembled. He hardly even knew Shasse and yet here he is, blubbering. Perhaps he felt guilty? It was his idea after all to explore the area. Maybe it should have been better to consult with locals first instead of venturing blindly? True, he wasn't thinking that at the moment. Rather, he was set on standing there with her in his arms, looking around for any sign of the others. "We're by the large tree..."
 
South

Sacre noticed one of her monitors and frowned. She took a moment to study it. It appeared that something had swallowed gravity. She hadn't been in much danger in the Mindy and there was a team with her who would probably call for help if needed. Now however, she appeared to be separated from the group. Sacre had not anticipated that this would be a problem as despite her somewhat panicked lifesigns, there seemed to be no serious danger. Mark also appeared to be having problems, but he was still at the base with plenty of medical personnel nearby. Shasse was in bad shape but already being rescued. The suit would hold her arm together until they teleported back to base. Sacre set watch if things got worse. However, Gravity getting out of the Mindy and being alone was cause grave concern. Sacre liked the Neko, a bit overeager, but the good sort. "I need to check on Gravity, if there is a problem, let me know." With that she activated her teleporter.

West
Beach

Sacre appeared hovering just above the beach. Spotting the Neko curled up on the sand. Her lifesigns indicated that she was still terrified. Sacre scanned for dangerous lifesigns nearby before having her helmet retract. She slid up to Gravity and ran her medical scanner over her once to be sure there was nothing her suit had missed. "Looks like you had an adventure." She commented, her voice giving away her low opinion of such 'adventures'.
 
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West
Beach

Sacre's sudden appearance cause the young Neko to flinch. But soon after, she seemed to calm considerably. Speak of the devil, Gravity thought, not turning to face the medic. Oddly enough, Sacre's rough, disapproving tone sounded better than any sort of gentle words of consolation and sympathy. Gravity's pride and competitive nature interpreted it as a challenge to stop moping and get back up. She was still alive, and in hindsight, had never been in any danger.

Getting the five-KS tour through a tar monster's digestive system was still utterly disgusting, though.

Gravity blew air out of her nose and smiled, burying her face in her knees. Then, she looked up at Sacre with a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Yeah, but it was kind of shitty!" she said quietly, starring at the separa'shan and waiting for her reaction.
 
Miles heard the paniked voice over his comms and stopped moving in the air, his head was still fuzzy from the strange feeling and he was confident he would be of little help to shasse and darwin physically so instead opted to be the guiding voice.

"Darwin listen to me, I cant help you or shasse right now not with this fog in my head however, this experience seems to have lessened its effects on you and you can think. We need to take advantage of that while it lasts so I want you to perform basic field assistance then head back to the fort." Miles brought up the basic map of the area to see distance from here to fort miller and confirmed his suspicions.

"You're going to have to fly her some of the way before you're in range to teleport the rest ok? And befor eyou do that you need to..." the minkan trailed off thinking of what he was asking this poor man to do, he didn't know shasse and had no medical training, he probably felt scared and even guilty due to the stress of the situation. Miles considered leaving it but for the good of the injured party he had to tell Darwin the final instruction.

"Im aware this is far from a picnic but there's one thing you need to do before you leave, Darwin you have to get her arm into the most normal position you can."

Shasse could still feel the pain, even when sleeping no not quite sleeping just resting, resting against something. After Darwin had appeared and she'd tried to get her helmet, what happened next, she couldn't recall the thoughts but instead found herself being, held?

"Is... are you, carrying me?" She managed to utter through gritted teeth, without and form of pain suppression from her suit everything felt hard and real. Shasse didn't open her eyes but she could tell what her body looked like, left arm twisted and unnatural along with several cuts and gashes on her face and head with blood pooling in the collar of the suit. Although she may not have been completely unconscious she was quickly slipping into in and with one final movement she managed to wrap her right arm around his neck and smile.
 
He wasn't listening to her, only Miles' instructions. His blood chilled him to the bone the moment he heard him say get her arm in the most normal position you can. He stopped in place, staring forward with eyes wide and a sickened grimace. He wouldn't feel the arm around him until after he said Roger that in return to Miles. His head slowly turned down to her, fearing what he would see. He face looked even worse in the light that passed through the leaves, the shadows like Rikupat. The teardrops that once marked her cheek blended with the creek of hemosynth. He could even see some of it staining the bicep plate of his suit.

He didn't care. Slowly, he wavered her down to the ground, laying her out. He closed his eyes in hopes that whatever pain he causes her will be temporary. And whatever pain she dishes him if - when - they return to Fort Miller won't be too severe.

A deep breath in... a deep breath out.

It can't get out fast enough. He yanked his helmet on and gasped, his black hair stuck to his forehead. He took her helmet and opened her jaw in the event of her waking up. The antenna is placed between her teeth with one hand while the other grabs a hold of her wayward wrist.

"3..."
His heartbeat became drums in his ears. His eyes would trace the features of her face. He didn't know her very well, but that didn't matter. She was a part of his team.
"2..."
Louder now. His head began to throb. Whether it was the stress or the forest, he did not know. It felt like his head was the center row of a newton's cradle.
"1..."
"I'm sorry."
There's a sickening sound like a chicken leg being peeled from the carcass, and a couple of snaps in rabid succession. It wasn't perfect. There may have been one or two degrees off from what he had hoped, but he did not have the strength to try and perfect its angle. Besides, there wasn't much time for it. He had to rush back to the fort with her. He has no medical supplies on hand.

It was at this moment that he regretted not having any medical supplies on hand or at LEAST a t-shirt underneath his armor to use as a makeshift bandage. he lowers his reverberating head, eyes closing tightly to hold back the urge to break down. Now isn't the time for that. Now isn't the time for tears or weakness. He's been through training. Of course, they never took into account drug-forests.
 
Alastair followed the tar monsters down to the beach and watched them slip below the surface. He was about ready to give chase when Gravity burst forth from the water. It happened so fast that it took a moment for things to click that she had made it out alive.

He let out a sigh of relief as he approached her. A moment later Sacre landed to was checking her out.

"Perfect timing Sacre. See that our young Neko is fixed and we shall continue exploring this area." He said in a soft voice with a smile. He looked up and down the beach a few times then back at Gravity. "Well I had hoped there would be some nude on this beach, thanks for making sure my wish was granted." He had a small chuckle as he walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Did good, glad you are still with us to fight another day." He stopped just long enough for the touch to sink in before he continued down the beach.

His drones managed to make it back to him. They looked like they had just come out of a shit pile but at least they were intact. He made a note in his log about the contact with the tar monsters. He also noted how Katsu had calmly reacted to the situation. This seemed a reaction more for a seasoned fighter than a recruit. He would have to speak with Katsu more as this had perked his interest.
 
Fort Miller

"Father, wait for m-" Chlorate began, but Mark had already taken off. Only moments later she sensed Mark's crash over her connection to him. "Father...?FATHER?!" she asked out loud, realizing he had been hurt. She turned to Leeta, alerting her "Mark Oaklen has been injured!" She looked around, unable to wait while Mark was hurt. She took off into the air and searched over the forest at maximum speed. She sent Mark a geist message asking "Father, where are you?"

Kiki watched Chlorate fly away over the forest. "Joto-hei Aoi, where do we go?" she asked.
 
Mark stirred with a groan as he heard a voice in his head. His vision cleared, a crack dominantly visible in it as his optics we're damaged but operational, but numerous damage indicators were apparent. He sluggishly rose which was met with a gasp of pain, raw pain. This was not a pain that he would get from damage to the unit, but to himself.

Looking down, he found a part of a branch stabbed into his abdomen, blood spilling to the dirt below. Trying to pull it free only caused agony which caused him to roll over. At that point something clicked. The hangar had been at ground level, so how had he been at such an altitude to fall. His minimap was blank, the messages [COORDINATE ERROR] and [ANOMALY] displayed in pulling red.

{Chlo, I don't know where I am. I'm injured, I don't know how bad.}, He sent via neural link as he tried to get up, but only falling back down with a yell of pain, {nnnuuaah, oh void it hurts, I...I can't get up.} He gave both over link and out loud as his vitals jumped.
 
West
Beach

Sacre nodded, "She's none the worse for the wear. However, Gravity is not the only one who's having adventure's today, so I'll leave her with you kittens." She said to Alastair before sliding backwards and putting her helmet back up. Noting that the forest was apparently causing some sort of intoxication, she had the suit completely seal it's self off from the environment. Then she activated the teleporter, and a safety message popped up on her screen. It appeared she couldn't teleport directly to them. She selected another point nearby and teleported there instead.

North
It took Sacre a small amount of time to work her way so that she could reach where Miles, Darwin, and Shasse were. As she approached the pair, she noted that they were both under the effects of something. She wasn't sure how to counteract it just yet. However, she would need their help to get Shasse out. "So how did we get ourselves into this adventure?" She asked as she approached them.
 
The neko let out a muffled yelp as even though unconscious she felt the pain that accompanied her arm being moved, without waking up Her breathing became more rapid and her good hand clenched and unclenched as her body tried to deal with the sensory overload. Somehow Shasse remained asleep throughout the ordeal but her tiny figure shifted uncomfortably and her usually soft face was contorted with agony.

She didn't react to the arrival of Sacre but continued to shuffle in Darwin's arms and mumble incoherent phrases occasionally with a hiss through her teeth when a spike of pain shot through her. Miles noticed the arrival of his fellow medic however as he moved down towards the group on the forest floor, he knew he was too drunk to do any field work and as his vision shifted out of focus once more a thought crossed his mind.

"Sacre, the forest messes with your head. I don't know what causes it but... ugh. I don't think it's atmospheric." The minkan shook himself to try clearing his head which only yielded a larger headache than before and he clutched his head willing the throbbing to go away so he could focus. Miles was glad Sacre had shown up to do what, yet again he could not and because he had failed his duty as a medic he had no doubt he would not hear the end of it from his cold-blooded colleague.
 
West
Beach

The blue Neko smiled quietly as Sacre disappeared. She liked to think that the Separa'shan had been keeping a special eye on her, but knew that was probably a very stupid idea. She stood and brushed the sand off of her azure skin, then jogged back to her Mindy, ready for another "adventure"!

She took a quick dunk in the ocean to get the tar off the armor, then rocketed skyward.

"Okay, so, let's all agree that we are never setting foot in a dark, creepy forest again, m'kay?" she asked her team over the comms. She looked around the world spanning out in all directions. After the sudden appearance of the tar monster, she dearly hoped that there weren't dragons or anything out here.

Dear god, she just jinxed herself.
 
East

Mikael just crosses his arms, completely somewhat confused with the situation. The way the man declared the situation, it was almost like it was some kind of game between the orge and the man. If orges are as threatening as he claimed them to be, two grenades should not have been enough. But if an orge is indeed an orge, then why has the Star Army not conquered the world and establish it as a proper colony. Questions for another day.

He begins scanning what he can of the body and likely everything else around since the radiation cannot be focused that well. Information is needed.

"This universe is absolutely bizarre..." Mikael flatly says.
 
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