Recap:
The mission to Urser was successful with no hitches. However, when Michael led a small team to poison Ra, things went south before they could even get close enough and the bunch barely escaped with their lives. Project Poison would have to wait for another day. However, it has been confirmed now that Katy is 100% healed.

When Michael returned, Katy was sure to reassure him and with him, worked hard to keep morale from falling. News of Shelly's recent victory helped, but times are about to get a bit... difficult.

Now:
Katy has everyone assembled at the Mess Hall. "It's a new year, everyone. That means a lot of things. It means new year's resolutions. It means fresh chances. It also means winter and low crop yield. As usual, we saved excess to last us through the winter, but this year, the rations will be less than last year. That said, I want volunteers for a special mission. There is an old grain storage up north about 16 miles. There is a lot of snow and cold weather to trudge through to get there. But if we don't get what we need from there, I'm afraid we won't quite have what we need for the entire winter. Don't worry: We have time. But I *need* people to go there. Valin needs to go, though, because he'll be able to carry more than the rest of us." she glances at Valin. "Sorry, big guy..."

Katy looks back at the others in the room. "Being here is important also. Your efforts will count a lot while the team is gone on this mission. But that means I need you all to work hard. Support each other. When someone gets tired, take their place. When someone is cold, make them go inside and take their place. We have done this before many times. We can do it again."

Katy looks specifically at the newbies for the most part since it's really for their benefit that she is stating what is now obvious to those who have been here a while.

Emerald clears her throat.

Katy nods. "Emerald is leading this fetch mission. She knows a lot about how to take this kind of weather by the horns. Alright then... who wants to go?"

Maverick raises his hand. Katy eyes him and looks at Valin, as if double-checking that he thinks it would be OK to take the boy along.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:31, Thu 27 Jan 2011.

Meanwhile, back at Aquarius, Shelly is having breakfast with the others. She smiles. Their food is taken care of, their recent mission was successful, they are living in a more indoors heated environment. Life is pretty good at the moment. She didn't get on anyone's case and didn't really have to. She snaps her fingers. "I've got it!" she suddenly says. She looks around. "Naughty?" Once she spots him, she continued, "Naughty! I just had an idea! We've got it really good.. we should check if our neighbors, the Channelwood Freedom Fighters, could use any of our help. But..." she bites her lower lip. "Angel left after returning Hart and Timothius here. So we don't have any fast way to get there. And there's a lot of snow..."

Philip raises his hand.

"I'll help," he says, "For what it's worth, I know how to forage for food if the mission fails."

The player doesn't want to deal with the fish right now, so not posting them.

Winter can be fun!  But it can be annoying too.  Mittens has cabin fever BAD right about now.

"Ooh!  Ooh!" she says excitedly, waving her hand in the air frantically, "Me!  Me!  Send me, take me, use me, spend me, I am not my own!  Wheeee!"

She's already rushing for the exit.

  Joe's habit of wearing a full outfit has a practical purpose this time of year (nevermind it's a more popular look with the Channelwood and Aquarious types in general than most other Mobians).  "I'll go unless we're expecting something else to come up I would be more needed for."  There's 'expecting yet another doom plot' and then there is 'Doom plot is currently happening this week', so technical difference.

  Besides which, he's somewhat suspecting someone has already beaten them to the grain storage and if negotiations fall through the horrors of post apocalyptic 'murder for food' they may need someone with adjustable morals that go past 'us or them' but not up to 'obliterate planet for revenge'.  Well, if things get that Grimdark on this board anyway.

Sits in with the group, listening to the call for volunters to go raid a grain store.  She of all people knows about the dwindling supplies.  she's had to become more creative as of late when it comes to meals.  She raises her paw, "Si, I volunteer.  The cuboard, she is nearly bare and we need everyone carrying back food who can."  she volunteers.  With so many volunteers at least Emerald will have her choice of volunteers to take, or just have a bigger mob to loot with.

Is still finishing his breakfast as he looks over some schematics along with a list of maintenance repairs that he still needs to preform on the shuttle. The list has become a bit shorter with a few more items marked as completed in part thanks due to the parts he was able to bring back with him on the last raid. Samuel sighs as he realizes he's going to need to get more supplies in the not too distant future as he has already used most of the supplies he was able to get towards repairing his shuttle. But at least with the SWATBot armor suit now ready for a field test he might be able to get his hands on more supplies soon.

When Shelly starts complaining about the snow he chuckles softly as he ponders what the natives would think of the harshness of outer space if they are so troubled by simple snow as the coldness that comes with snow pales before the coldness of outer space. Samuel then mutters to himself, "I doubt they will need me for that. But then again I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to use me for some inane task simply for their own deranged amusement."

Samuel then proceeds to ponder which other repairs he can perform on the shuttle with the remaining components he has access to as he doesn't expect that anyone else is expecting anything of him so he'll focus on what he can still accomplish on his own.

Michael is still slightly disappointing by the failure of 'Project Poison', but hopes that this upcoming mission fares better. With Emerald, Valin, and Maverick already on the team, he doesn't expect that he'll be needed to go on the mission, since he'll be more needed in Channelwood working to make sure the snow doesn't pile up on walkways and cause any of them to collapse from the extra weight.

Valin isn't sorry that he is needed for Katy's upcoming mission as he knows his strength could mean the difference between carrying back enough food for everyone or not. Valin also realizes that there may be some seeds that the group could acquire which could used to replenish seed stock for growing crops in the area next spring. "We also might also be able to find some seeds that we can use for growing crops in the spring."

When Katy looks to him after Maverick raises his hand, the gorilla nods as he doesn't see any harm in letting the boy come on what should be a rather routine and safe mission, compared to raiding Middletown.

Nautilus grimaces slightly, despite smiling on the inside, at Shelly's calling of him. He walks over with his light breakfast in hand and takes a seat next to her, listening to her explain her thoughts and the idea forming.

The old seabear's eyes widen at her sudden suggestion, "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that one of your primary concerns is for those who are possibly less fortunate than us... However, while it is admirable, Princess, do remember that the Freedom Fighters in Channelwood have quite a bit of experience without our help. I'm certain they have prepared for enduring the cold and the snow..." His eyes calm as he looks at Shelly closely, "Of course, there is always the chance they could benefit from our aid... and, if I'm not mistaken, you already seem to be thinking of a way to go about doing this? Traveling on foot through snow is not one of our specialties."

He raises a brow and turns towards Mittens as she speaks up, "Calm your tide... A proper mission hasn't even been set!"

Hart has finished his breakfast already, but he's still around the mess hall and taking in the cool atmosphere of the morning, sitting close to Pierson, Crucible, Walden, and a few others.

In contrast to Mittens, the deer is taking fairly well to the relative quiet and slower pace of the winter, enjoying the opportunities to calm down and focus on the small things around Aquarius. He's gotten into quite the routine of swimming several times a day, despite the lower temperatures outside, and it's improved his disposition for the most part.

As he hears Shelly start to bring up her idea, he shakes his head softly with a smirk, listening in for now and seeing if anything comes of the random idea.

Having heard the votes and not-votes, Katy nods. "Then it's settled. Everyone going on the mission with Emerald, talk to her. I have things to do. Take care." she moves on to her next task, which is more or less going over Channelwood to see what needs addressing.

(Note from the GM: Channelwood is going to be off-panel. This is to help me not have to RP as Katy for now and, if he chooses, Michael can give his chimp a break so he has fewer posts to worry about here. I understand life is busy for him.)

Emerald helps her team get together and get what is needed, which isn't much since Emerald was already prepared to go before the meeting. Once the team is ready, Emerald heads down to the ground level via the stairs, letting whoever wants to to use the elevator. She seems as bright and cheerful as usual.

Once everyone was at ground level, Emerald began leading the way northward. "16 miles is a long way to go and while we COULD do it in a day, I don't wanna overly stress anyone. If everyone here were as fit as, say, Joe, then we could make 20 miles in a day. But I'm going to have us cover 12 miles today. Tomorrow, we'll cover the last 4 miles, stock up stuff, take a break, walk 6 miles back, spend another night, and then go the 10 miles back home. So this is a 3-day trip. Understanding this, is everyone still on board for this mission? It's a long trip, so expect some boredom, foot pains, and the occasional desire to warm up. I will help out with all issues every step of the way, but if for some reason, you feel you will wind up complaining every 10 minutes or so, please stay behind. A complainer is more of a hindrance than a help in trips like this."

Maverick had gotten to see how to make a pair of boots as winter approached. It was fun and he is now wearing such to protect his feet from the snow. The boy listens to Emerald's intro speech and simply nods. He is ready to go and has no objection. Crying is for women, babies and men who just had their ears ripped off. So logically, Maverick concludes he will not join the sissy brigade by complaining.

Unfortunately, he'll be taking this too far and not complain at ALL. But thankfully, Emerald will be ready for that too. Also good is that Maverick is used to walking far distances.

(Raichel is in the background, but is on auto-follow with Philip)
This message was last edited by the player at 03:35, Thu 17 Mar 2011.

If they had spacesuits in the snow, they likely wouldn't complain about it. In fact, once in space, they'd probably like it over snow since they would be protected from the cold of space. It's the lack of gravity that would become a problem to deal with and sadly, no amount of "getting used to it" would keep your bones from deteriorating. Again, Sam is likely going to be reminded that he takes his technology for granted and will soon discover that while space is more hostile, bad weather has its own inconveniences that he isn't used to *because* he's more used to space.

But then, that's the fun of playing a character who thinks he's superior to others. It's like complaining about how much an auto mechanic charges you for repairs until you try being an auto mechanic. All the sudden, the prices seem more than fair.

Even as Mittens is running, Mei Ling is entering the area. If Mittens doesn't stop her terminal velocity, she will slam into Mei Ling.

Shelly meeps and hops to her feet, "Mittens, wait! Nothing is set yet!"

She sighs and flops back onto her butt. "I'll give them a call on the radio. Maybe the sentiment will be enough. But in the meantime, as Mittens just demonstrated, some *are* getting a little stir-crazy and want out. We spend a lot of time indoors normally, but winter has made it more so."

"Mobotropolis is my area of familiarity," Philips answers, "Any tips on wilderness survival and navigation would be much appreciated."

He too follows along, staying close to Raichel.

"Ohright!" Mittens answers as she screeches to a halt then turns to speed back the way she came, "Sillyme!  Willneedskis!"

Zoom!  She rushes to go grab her skis then returns!

"Done radioing them yet?  Last on there's a rotten egg!"

What she wouldn't give for a two-tailed fox piggy-backing to propel her at supersonic speed!

(( OOC: In Mother Russia, you don't ski the skis.  The skis ski you! http://www.wired.com/playbook/...ssia-motorized-skis/ ))

  "It's fine.  I'll keep any ranting to the usual variety as opposed to the weather wandering related."  Joe's already done his fair share of travel through the wilderness in his nondescript vague backstory anyways.  Of course, so has almost everyone who didn't directly end up at their respective locations.

  "Besides, even if we could reasonably make it there in one day we'll be carrying all that extra weight on the way back.  So The end result would be about the same."

  That said, Joe starts following along.