Any dialogue and IC chatter en route to a mission will take place here.

The group boards the chopper which lifts off of the helipad and heads away from HQ. The pilot informs the group that they are heading to a military base where they will board a C-130 for faster transport down into New Mexico. Upon boarding the C-130 everyone is given a parachute and directed to take a seat. The plane taxis down the runway and takes off, heading towards the New Mexico border at top speed. The accomodations are of the spartan and utilitarian nature common to the military.

Once the plane is up and en route to New Mexico the radio crackles into life, the voice of Commander Barnes echoing in the cargo area; "Now that you are on the last leg of travel I can fill you in on some more information. First off let me explain the parachutes. The group is to be air-dropped a few miles away from the facility in the hopes of making a more covert approach. Secondly let me reassure you all that although this is a research facility there are no radiation or chemical leak concerns. The research being done however is of vital interest to our weapons programs and maintaining superiority over the Soviet Union. I will open up to any questions you all may have but be aware that I may not be able to answer some things due to possibly secrecy issues."

Vosper was used to the military accommodations, and settled herself in quietly.  Truth be told, she didn't much care to fly.  She wasn't phobic or anything, but with her speed, she was used to a certain level of control.  Here, she was just a passenger... baggage... and if anything happened to the aircraft, her only choices would be to race about a burning deathtrap for disproportionate minutes... or slow down and die with the rest.

She kind of felt the same about parachuting, and frowned.  But her training kept her from commenting or balking.

"Right," she said with a chipper tone.  "So once we parachute in to this secret facility - which is neither a radiological nor chemical hazard - we will no doubt encounter secret stuff you're not telling us about.  Since we're going to encounter it anyway, in all likelihood, any fair warnings you can give us so we don't get ganked?"

Lamar checks his pistol, shotgun, and nightstick, abent-mindedly twisting it in a manner that suggests drilling a hole through his left palm. After a quiet moment of thought, he opines, "If they are correct, and it has been infiltrated, there should be little danger from the facility itself as eliminating those dangers would have been one of the first steps the infiltrators took."
"Commander  Barnes, is it possible that some 'test subject' got out of hand and forced them to shut the facility down? If that is possible, please tell me the test subject wasn't a volunteer."

"Test subject", Eddy said, as he tossed around in his head the imagery of some mutant freak. He looked over at Nightmare, and smirked, "Cool".

Eddy had flown only once before, and was somewhat fascinated by the ordeal. He couldn't stop smiling, and moved from window to window looking out at the land below.  He looked, at times, like he wanted to climb out onto the wing and feel the wind in his whiskers.

Oscillator did not take a parachute.  Being able to fly, and fully trusting his own flight ability, made the entire experience far more pleasant.  If he had to parachute, and didn't have the power of flight, he might not have been able to do this -- and they weren't asking if people were willing.

Being informed in-flight that you were to parachute to a locale -- now that was heavy-handed.  Oscillator would be sure to reprimand their leadership when this mission was over.  For now, he'd keep a smile on.

Oscillator says, loudly on the chopper, "I shall not utilize a parachute as one powers I possess is flight.  Should anyone encounter difficulties during their descent, do not hesitate to call on me for assistance."

Hopefully this is re-assuring to some?  Also, Oscillator was prepared to recon, and disable any air-defenses should their mission be detected.

[Not posted by me, but I like it. - Osc]
This message was last edited by the player at 06:56, Thu 08 Sept 2016.

   Onyx, too, refused the parachute.

   "I can push against the magnetic force of da Earth when we get closer, ya dig? It's kinda like flying, but it's more like a sorta repulsion, if ya catch my drift.  Anyway, I don't need no 'chute, man." He said matter of factly.

Nightmare straps on the 'chute. "I wouldn't mind being assisted on the way down, but I've experienced difficulties with air travel before. I'll wear a parachute whether I use one or not."

OOC: My failure to understand our current location has caused me to post incorrectly. The following lines should occur at a later time, temporally speaking and have been edited from this post:
"If no one minds, I'm going to watch the pilot for a bit." Observing the pilot, Nightmare notes which controls affect the control surfaces. It doesn't take long for him to recognize that this is like no airplane he has ever flown.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:06, Tue 17 Apr 2012.

Commander Barnes gives a short chuckle at the mention of a test subject but quickly gets back on track; "Well enough, I can give you some information. There is no 'test subject' to worry about. What is being researched is advanced guidance systems and detonation systems for our weapons. Knowing that it becomes obvious why we are concerned about the silence and about the Soviets possibly being involved in whatever is going on. It is also why we decided on a more covert approach, so as not to tip off anyone who may be there for nefarious reasons. Showing up with an armed contingent would be like sounding an air-raid siren. Also, Nightmare you are correct. If the facility has been infiltrated it is likely that any security measures have been countered. Aside from the massive national security concerns we are also concerned about the condition of the scientists and security that are working at the site. The technology is paramount, but we want lives saved as well if at all possible. Any further questions?"

OOC: Nightmare, it is a bit of a walk from where the group is through the fuselage of the massive transport to reach the cockpit. You are fine to go if you choose, but you will be walking out of easy hearing of the communication.

Eddy listened in, as he shrugged himself into the parachute.   He had never used one before, but he'd watched Nightmare put his own on, and it didn't seem much different to wearing a large knapsack.

When he thought it was on, he turned to the others and asked, "So how do I fly this thing?"

"I suggest you refrain from using your claws."  Oscillator said.

He owed Poco Tehuantl a joke or two -- and the other fact was that he had no idea how to use those parachutes.
(But it couldn't be too hard: the control ropes cantilever the vectors of the material relative to wind shear, thus updrafting and resisting downward forces ...)

Oscillator seemed lost in thought.

Nightmare nods to Poco Tehuantl, and explains the parachutes. Ticking each point off on his fingers, and finishing with a grin, he says, "It's basically a four step process. First, you have to make sure you are no longer near the aircraft, this is best accomplished by jumping out of it. Second, you have to point your feet at the ground, this is best accomplished by putting your ankles together and looking up. Third, you have to activate the parachute by pulling on the ripcord. Fourth step is cleanup, if everything else works out you get to do it yourself."
With a small shake of his head, Nightmare clears the mirth from his features and asks, "Commander, can you tell us anything of the layout of the facility?"
This message was last edited by the player at 14:23, Tue 17 Apr 2012.

Vosper nodded as Nightmare explained parachute ops to Eddy.  She wasn't an aerial commando, but her training at MI6 had included the art of jumping out of perfectly functional aircraft.

"Yes, well," she said with a smirk, "if you flying lot could spot for the rest of us so we don't fall to our deaths if a chute fails, that would be awful sporting of you."

"If you can show us a layout of the facility, Commander, it'd be good for us to study it.  If we're to go in, we should at least stay in pairs and be familiar with the nearest exit.  Of course, pairing up might be difficult, given our disparate abilities."

"Excellent suggestion, Vospor.  As flyers, Onyx and I are a natural pair.
We will recon and also monitor the parachuters' descent."
He looks at Onyx, "Agreed?"

Commander Barnes listens to everyone and pauses for a moment before replying; "As far as the layout I don't have exact parameters but once in the research complex it is layed out more or less like a cross. To enter the facility you need to go to the general store, enter the walk-in freezer, and behind the fire extinguisher box is a keypad. You enter in the sequence 314159# and that will grant access to the elevator. The research facility itself is the lowest level. The other levels are barracks, storage, offices, and maintenance/mess hall. Each level has a security station as well. They keep the exact layout secret except from those who work there, so we are thinking whatever happened it may be an inside job."

Eddy looked eager.  "So when do we jump out of this perfectly good airplane?"

  Onyx looked over and grinned and the cat-man, "Yeah, Jack!  It's time ta blow this mutha!  Let's get ta boppin'!"

Eddy slapped Onyx on the back, and grinned.
         "I'll race you down" he challenged his friend.

"Not much of a race unless your parachute doesn't open, mate," Vosper winked.

"Do not worry, fellows.  We will closely monitor your descent and be at the ready."

Nightmare speaks quietly, "It's not much of a worry. When your time comes, the chute doesn't open, and you get to see what's next. It's almost like you get a reward for ceasing to breath."
Checking the buckles on his chute, he stands at the ready to jump.

Commander Barnes listens to your eagerness and finishes his message; "OK then, good luck to you all. Any survivors or hostages are important but the primary goal is to secure that technology. You are going to be given advanced communications devices prior to the jump but keep radio silence until the objective is achieved. Barnes out!"

The radio clicks into silence and moments later one of the crew provides each of you with a communicator, smaller than anything you have previously seen. With the communicators secure the back of the C-130 opens up and you are all brought to the ramp. The jump light stands red for a few moments then lights up green. The crewman calls out; "We are over the drop zone! Good luck! Go! Go! Go!"

"Never a dull moment," Vosper quipped wryly.  Then, figuring someone had to be first, she moved to the hatch.  "See you blokes on the ground," she smiled.

And with that, the Brit speedster stepped out of a perfectly good aeroplane and let the wind and gravity take her.

As the ramp is lowered, Nightmare reaches up and undoes the buttons underneath the brim and removes his hat. Tucking it into his trench coat as he walks to the ramp, he mentions to an air crewman watching, "I tried spirit gum, but it was too messy."
As Vosper leaves the airplane, he nods approval to the other men, stating "Ladies, first, in all things." Then Nightmare calmly walks to the end of the ramp and pushes off. After the obligatory count, he pulls the ripcord.

   Onyx had a small fear of hights.

   Not a phobia, mind you, but a "butterfly in the belly" type of apprehension.

   So when it came time to jump he was anxious, though he tried hard not to show it.

   After taking a moment to work up his courage, Onyx smacked his friend the Cat-man on the shoulder, saying: "It's time for Loco Poco, jack!" and jumped out of the plane with a running start.

   Onyx dropped in free fall for only a moment, as he felt the magnetic anchors that would allow him to repulse himself into "flight."

   He immediately noticed that those falling were falling faster than he could fly, so he loosened his grip on the earths magnetism and let himself fall until he saw the other's parachutes deploying.

   Onyx the slowed himself and flew, making sure everyone that had jumped was safe.

Loco Poco says 'Bah' to safety.  After making sure Onyx jumped before him, the Feline-fellow sprang forward, bounding on all fours like a cat for a few meters, then leapt out of the plane with a
                     "Rwwwaaa HOO ooo ooo _ooooo".



He fell a lot further than anyone else did, feeling the terminal velocity wind in his whiskers and fur before pulling the ripcord that would apparently save his life.

Oscillator levitates, floats to the exit, and drops out the doorway last.

He flies past the team, down to the ground to scout their landing location and make sure all is safe, then he flies back up to monitor the descent of the team.

Holding the tuning fork spear HART ahead of him, he flies quite fast -- and he looks awesome.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:01, Thu 08 Sept 2016.

As Eddy plummeted towards the earth far below, he took the opportunity to do a few somersaults, and other acrobatic shenanigans.

- rolled 6 using 1d20. Save vs Agility 30 .

Outwardly calm, Vosper went through the motions she'd been trained in.  Inside, she hated this.  On the ground, she was in control.  Up here...

08:19, Today: Vosper rolled 1 using 1d20. Agil save vs. Agility 18.

OOC: Sorry, I missed the request for a roll!

All 3 chutes deploy with no problems and along with the two fliers the group slowly reach the drop zone. The twilight insertion goes without a hitch and on the descent the group can view the lights of the test town a few miles in the distance. Once reaching the ground the chutes are gathered together and stowed out of sight as the group takes their bearings to move towards the test town.

OOC: Successful landing! People can start posting in the new thread here: link to a message in this game

The team all get to the chopper within the time limit and are quickly off the ground en route to the airfield. It doesn't take long to get to the airfield and the team take seats on the jet transport which quickly scrambles and heads off towards Nevada at top speed. The accommodations are typically military spartan (ie. rough seats, dim lighting, and absent creature comforts) but the team makes do. A small contingent of soldiers is also along on the flight to provide support with the evacuation of Mercury.

OOC: Re-opened and bumped thread for chatter on mission transport. Feel free to continue dialogue/banter here.

Lance flies down to the transport C-130 cargo ramp his Fiery Wings scorching the concrete and winking out as he lands on the metal ramp. He carefully takes his seat checking his thrust ports to make sure they don't melt any of the restraint harnesses.

"Well as for brainstorming... I think if I could get an overview of their advance... and some coordination with fire and rescue.. I could lay down a fire break to try to herd any advancing swarm away from escaping civis or even to a kill zone for Aerial bombardment."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:34, Tue 06 Sept 2016.

When Eddy came aboard (in 'native amercan' armour and bow), he made himself comfortable in the back seat.
He didn't have much more to contribute to the discussion ... having used up his quota of 'one good idea' earlier on this morning.

Nightmare boards in full regalia, three-piece black suit, fedora, black trench coat, domino mask. The only thing remarkable at all is the longish case he carries. As he moves to a seat on the bench, he bemoans the fact that they won't let him in the cockpit. "Without a simulator, the only way I can get my hours up is by sitting in, but they won't let do that except on training missions. We haven't done any of those."

Muldoon's question had rung in his head the entire flight.

Osc took a deep breath; he had a lot to say,
"Team, I have many ideas, as you know.  I'm concerned that Barnes was unwilling to acknowledge this may be the result of secret USA weapons development, but that should be irrelevant to the task -- except I'm sure they have more data on the subjects.

We blame the Russians constantly, but this was no Russian plot I think.

I'm guessing this will literally be a bug hunt, so the issue will be finding the Queen.  And we don't have any insight into that.

Again the team has no telepath so we can't use the weak insect minds to our advantage.

What are our strengths here, besides the obvious powers?  None of us know the area, we are not radiation resistant (or are you, Muldoon?  Nightmare?), none of us know much about insects, and no pheromone powers (uh, right Poco?).

Frankly, all we are being set up to do is go toe to toe with potentially deadly mutANTs with a whole plethora of potentially deadly powers.  I don't like it."

Osc waited to hear from the next person.  (And He wondered if he could patent or trademark the mutANT name?) 
This message was last edited by the player at 07:07, Thu 08 Sept 2016.

In reply to Oscillator (msg # 35):

Sunphoenix raises his hand, "Uhm.. Osc.. I'm like completely immune to any ...and I do mean ANY hostile environment... Vacuum, Artic, inside a volcano, surface of the freaking sun... Hiroshima after initial blast... my body adapts... absorbing solar radiation to fuel my biological process... I... er only 'breathe' so I can vibrate the air to speak!  I AM nuclear-powered...so to speak, heck the main reason the Military keeps an eye on me is because their afraid... I MAY indeed be able to go nuclear... unleashing Atomic blasts... potentially on command someday... regardless of the fact I have absolutely NO interest in such destructive power!  But honestly.. I can't really blame them for wanting to keep someone with that kind of potential power under close watch, that would scare the Hell out of me too.. but it still sucks~ for me, not like I wanted to have this kind of power.  But yeah, I can go anywhere those mutANTS have been... no worries."

He chuckles, "...but really military secret project for giant carnivorous ants... I'm not buying that. Most normal creatures exposed to high Radiation just get the DNA screwed up and their biological processes messed up an eventually die like being poisoned.  Thus far only certain humans with a existing anomaly in their genome develop superpowers but that external stimulus need not necessarily be radiation...chemical exposure has caused a genesis of powers too.  But thus far its been too random to figure it out.  I think it more likely human gene-experiments like the Russians are doing is more likely."
This message was last edited by the player at 11:26, Thu 08 Sept 2016.

Eddy simply grinned a huge cat smile ... and let rip a huge fart that filled the helicopter cabin.
That chilli-tuna he had last night had come through right at the appropriate moment.

In reply to Poco Tehuantl (msg # 37):

...Lance mutters, not hiding a chuckle very well, '...now I'm glad I don't breathe...'

"Och, cor!  Sod off, you!" Vos coughed, fanning the air with her hand desperately.

Nightmare says, quietly, "it might be something... beyond science. Gaia fed up by the way her children soil their own nest; it wouldn't be the first time she's expressed her displeasure through giANTs. Perhaps the myrmidons didn't all fall at Troy, and their remnants have relocated to the new world to escape persecution. The Manichees hold that one of the lower classes of demon soldiers are properly termed myrmidons, perhaps these are them."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:33, Fri 09 Sept 2016.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 40):

Lance smiles, "..I thought Myrmidons were supposed to have grown from sown Hydra's teeth or something?  They only served Achilles, and the magic his divine mother Thetis or Tethys.. I think~ a Nymph daughter of Zeus, was closely linked to him.. when he died so did they I believe and its a long way to what was once Phoenicia! As for demons... not so sure.. but if I truly am possessed by the spirit of the Phoenix... my fire should be like a holy purifying flame and burn them easily!"

"BUT... this ain't no Final Fantasy game.. I'm pretty sure Earth's Gaia won't strike us down... we Humans are MORE than capable of killing ourselves ALL off on our own...  Then again.. we have regular contact with an Ancient Egyptian Deity.. so why not ask him?"

"Gaia?  Did your nuclear powers irradiate your cerebellum?  This is unscientific non-sense!  I'm very unimpressed with your total disregard for scientific perspective!"

Then the Poco cat-God fart.
"Oh my word!  Have you no tact?  Flatulence is not a public sport, even among felines!"
(Cough cough)

"Despite your tomfoolery ramblings, SunPhoenix ... errr, Lance, you have made an excellent point.  Since your powers are nuclear derived, theoretically your powers could further mutate or even supercharge the mutANTs.  I recommend you do a few trial blasts when no civilians might be endangered.

Meanwhile, if Sargent Muldoon is in agreement, our first tactic would be gathering civilians and relocating them to safety -- while one or more of us distract the insectoids.

If we can heard them like mindless cattle, then we could spread out and guide them to a 'pen' or off a cliff (altho perhaps that won't injure ants, with their astounding climbing acumen), or similar.

But my educated guess is they will be far more intelligent and cunning than we've been informed, so we would do better staying tightly teamed up to cover for eachother, with 2-3 of us disabling a mutANT at a time."

Oscillator continues, "Ahem, does everyone follow my line of reasoning?"

Osc was concerned that his intellectual explorations might be more difficult for his less intelligent teammates.  This was where Muldoon had a huge advantage over him -- military conciseness, precision orders.  People tended to understand what he said, whether or not they agreed with it.  Osc wondered if that might slowly filter into his own psyche.  Unlikely...

With a smile so slight it upturns only the right corner of his mouth, Nightmare leans towards Oscillator and quietly says, "I crashed a cargo plane in a Himalayan snowstorm, and was dragged off by an invisible beast who took me to a primitive cave and healed me of assuredly fatal injuries in a way that not only surpasses, but confounds modern medicine. Now, I can broadcast a debilitating emotional state, shroud men's minds with shadow so they don't see me, and turn into a sort of mythical beast. Add to that the conversations I've had with the mythical beasts, and then tell me what, if anything, I should believe."
As he sits back, he continues speaking, but raises his voice to a normal level, "I think that sounds like a good start on a plan. Perhaps the best thing to do with the civilians is load them aboard this plane to relocate them quicker. When we split into teams, it would make sense for Oscillator and Sunphoenix to comprise one team, as they both can fly whereas the rest of us, to my knowledge, can not. Of the rest of us, whoever teams with me will, most assuredly, be unhappy with the situation as I am the slowest of those that remain. You can draw straws, or something, to figure out who gets stuck with me, the remaining two could be the third team."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:02, Mon 12 Sept 2016.

Eddy smirked, and reached over.
He placed a paw in Nightmare's shoulder, and said, "You stick with me, slowpoke.   We'll go far together".

In reply to Oscillator (msg # 42):

Lance chuckles, "...clearly Ozzy... you did not hear my tone of jest, maybe I should stick to my usual irreverent sarcastic tone instead?"

"What?!? I'm well-read, I studied the European Literature 'classics' in College... even though I was ROTC!"

He grins wickedly, "...AND in 1941 I was born near Nanjing, in the Shrine of the Resplendent Phoenix... during a Total Solar Eclipse... while a ceremony the Monks were performing~ one that was to supposed to grant the blessing of the sun on the adherents. So indeed.. maybe what we think are the limits of reality as defined by Science the 'New Religion'... is only the beginning of understanding .. what reality Really is!"

This message was last edited by the player at 06:16, Sat 10 Sept 2016.

"I will concede that the scope of science is far more broad than what is currently known, or generally conceived of.

Much of what you both call magic is not necessarily unscientific.  But praying in one venue to no one can be different than praying directly to a telepathic being with vast resources who may be listening somehow and feeling charitable.

As for unicorns and Cyclops and the goose that  laid golden eggs, those are creations of authors attempting to describe a non-literal thing."

Osc looks to Nightmare, "I'm sure you think you have seen and experienced many unusual phenomena.  I'm not telling you what to believe, but rather that science is not a belief system. Science is a methodology and practice.

Oh, why do I bother?  Yes, let's just keep it as 'Osc is the science expert', and you each can be experts at something else.  Honestly, I still no next to nothing about Cat Gods or Emotional Projection, and I'm not sure I will tackle those arenas."

In reply to Oscillator (msg # 46):

Lance shrugs, "Well the Egg-heads tell me I have a 'genetic anomaly/trait' which is certainly the cause for my powers!  Apparently, this genetic trait is inheritable to any of my children.. but uncertain how it would manifest.  So I'm still on the side of Science and not yet ready to start placing 'laurel leaves' at the foot of BAAST'S statue just yet {snicker}!"

"Hey wait a minute.. if Ramses is an Egyptian God.. what about the rest of them?  I think it might be cool to hang out with a sexy liberal cat-goddess!"

... clearly he's gone back to his irreverent sarcastic tone here, Lance being a known unrepentant 'cat-lover'.

"But on the case at hand, I think it might be best to team each of the flyers up with someone who cannot fly to give them added mobility.  I mean 'Osc' can pick up someone with sufficient metal... like the buckles of your standard military web harness, and carry them with him via his magnetic control.  I think I could really use Vosper's help with her super speed on the ground for moving objects like flammable material in place~ so once she's quickly clear I can more easily set the terrain afire to make my 'fire-brake' more effective in herding the giANT's where we what them to go.. primarily away from civilian populations while the rest of you work on evacuation."
This message was last edited by the player at 12:03, Sat 10 Sept 2016.

"You taking Vosper without first testing your powers against the ants is an unnecessary risk to two of us.
No, you take Nightmare -- what better befits a demon than a flaming chariot?

I hadn't considered who I'd take, but I can take anyone that I can carry -- not Sergeant Muldoon, if he transforms.  Or Poco, I'd wager.
Frankly, Vosper can maneuver just as effectively without any flyer, she doesn't need a 'lift' from either of us.  Perhaps she can carry someone as well?"
Could they all hear the jealousy in his voice?  He hoped he'd had enough reason to assuage any inquiries.

"I'll take civillians, that's about all I can carry."

Eddy smirked as he listened to the Egghead and he living bonfire dividing the team up among themselves.
But he just slid back into his seat and made himself comfortable.
He figured it wouldn't be long before Colonal Beefcake would weigh in ... this being a 'command situation'.

He was pretty sure they could 'choose teams' all they liked, but when it came down to it, he figured Vos would do her own thing, just as he himself would.

Lance just shrugs, "Hey, you asked for my ideas.. so I gave them.  I just know I can't set things that are not flammable on fire.. like concrete streets and all.  If I'm trying to make a 'fire-break' to direct the swarm of ants some particular place.. I'll need fuel .. something to burn that will last long enough to make a barrier.  And I know Vos don't need any flyer.. but I might need her help to make the 'fire-break'~ nobody else can move fast enough!"

"Having JUST ME try to set each one of the giANTS on fire is not going to stop all of them... there may be just too many of them for that, I'll bet."

"I just figured it be more efficient to direct the swarm some place where our military forces can blast them whole sale with missile ordinance.. or napalm air strikes away from populated areas.  But whatever.."

Lance leans back in his seat and folds his arms.. clearly resigned to being mostly ignored... 'like most black men'...
This message was last edited by the player at 10:13, Tue 13 Sept 2016.

Muldoon had sat by quietly and let the team spit ball ideas, and there had been some useful ideas among some otherwise useless chatter. As it finished up  Muldoon headed up to the cockpit for a quick word with the pilots.

"Alright some good ideas."

"Building on that my thinking is that we leave the evacuation to military personnel if they are up to it. We will concentrate our efforts on delaying, redirecting and destroying the ants. As far as teams and specific strategy we need a look at the terrain and the enemy's disposition before we make that call."

"Not sure how your fire powers works. Seems like a sustained wall of fire could work but that would probably require fuel on the ground that the desert is not likely to provide."

"As far as teams, I don't think dividing our forces makes much sense. If we can find of make a choke point we could form a line and the flyers could provide an extra punch to help us hold the line."

"All that said I think given the way bugs seem to work. Our best strategy might be to find and deal with the queen. If they do communicate with pheromones a real threat to the queen might be the easiest way to change the direction of the ants."

In reply to Master Sgt Patrick Muldoon (msg # 51):

"I'm cool with all that. Though I thought the entire reason we were being pulled in was because the giANTS were NOT staying in the desert where they could be conveniently carpet bombed out of existence?  If they are not in the desert but threatening civilian residence and city areas.. finding flammable 'fuel' for my wall of fire~ tactic shouldn't be too hard ... if were fast and creative enough.  But its cool whatever... sticking together does sound tactically better for maximum flexibility and true we really don't know how the giANTs are arrayed or deploying and won't really know until we meet them; best to keep our plans fluid until we have some solid intel."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:48, Tue 13 Sept 2016.

"I asked the pilot do do a flyover so we could see what we are up against. We came make a plan and be ready to go when we land." Muldoon replied.

"Hopefully I can find a really big stick." Muldoon added.

Osc listened to Muldoon and Lance, then chimed in, "Perhaps SunPhoenix and I should do an aerial recon before we all head in?  Or would that give us too much information?"

Sarcasm was not his strong suit, but maybe that was a better way to go -- if anyone knew it was sarcasm.

So far he liked Muldoon's plan, to his surprise.

Then he had an idea, "I wonder if Rameses might offer more information on these giant mutant ants?"  Osc said this last sentence loudly and awkwardly over-enunciated, just in case Rameses was watching them just at that time...?

"Wanted to keep it simple, but if you feel it will help that is your and Sunpheonix's call." Muldoon replied.

"If you go that route make it quick and if possible get eyes on the queen's location. Once we are on the ground I want to make sure link up and get into action."

Nightmare nods, at everyone's suggestions. Whether this is approval or the precursors to a nap is anyone's guess, but his eyes haven't closed, yet. "Still, we should remember that no plan of operations extends with any certainty beyond the first contact with the main hostile force," he says. "Perhaps our first objective should be to gather intelligence, by examining one of the enemy soldiers. If nothing else, it will allow us to direct our energies towards a single target rather than an extended front."
Turning to Muldoon, he goes on, "don't you feel the emphasis is somewhat lost when entire pages are underlined? It would have been better if they had focused the emphasis on phrases important to the content."

"No offence a Nightmare but if I wanted a fortune cookie I'd have gotten Chinese takeout." Muldoon replied with a guffaw.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:19, Tue 20 Sept 2016.

In reply to Master Sgt Patrick Muldoon (msg # 55):

Lance, a man of action unbuckles his harness and stands, "Sure.. Master Sergeant, sounds like a A-Team idea.. I'm on it!"

He walks to the rear of the C-130 and picks up the headset hanging on the wall near the rear ramp control, "Pilot, Check for green-light to open rear ramp.  Sun Phoenix going out to do a quick sit-rep recon from NOE. Acknowledge."

He looks around to make sure .. for a second time that everything is still secured in the cargo area.

He listens for the ok form the pilot then replies, "Cargo Check Secure.  Opening ramp."

Grabbing the Ramp control lever he unseals and lowers the ramp in flight.. the sound a rush of air filling the compartment.

He turns briefly to look back over his shoulder at the team raising his voice to be heard over the rush of air, "I'll sweep to the West of our C-130 flight-path, Oscillator.. you go to the East... 5 minute recon and return! No Heroics.. scout and return."

He gives a crisp salute, and steps off the ramp into nothingness falling briefly before a bright nimbus of fiery solar plasma bursts into existence around him and he ignites his Fire Wing exhaust ports in his costume.. instantly his flames spread from his back and form the familiar 20'ft-'wings' of flames his powers manifest and as he streaks away from the Aircraft the nimbus of flames rapidly taking on that familiar and ominous shape of the Phoenix... shrieking a thunderous cry as he tears across the sky rapidly... like some majestic creature out of mythology! The hot back wind of his passing briefly filling the cargo cabin...

This message was last edited by the player at 01:49, Fri 16 Sept 2016.

Vos watches them go with interest.

"You know, honestly... those two could just fly over the bugs and shoot them from where they can't be reached back," she commented.

"Yeap", Eddy nodded.
"But that'd mean no fun for the rest of us!"

"Didn't we just explain this was COVERT?  Such showiness is hardly practical!

I hope to see you both again shortly."

Oscillator adjusts his helmet, snaps out his HAART bident, and vibra-flies down through the floor.

---

Osc activates his Vibration Defense, activates his brain defense , and flies in varied patterns to evade any incoming attacks.

"Yeah Vos", Eddy said in a deliberately bad imitation of Osc, "Didn't HE just explain that to us" with a mock sneer, and comedic wobbling of his head.
"Now sit down and shut up, eh ... until his highness tell us what to do!"

Nightmare watches Sunphoenix and Oscillator head out, then turns to Muldoon. "If had Chinese take-out, would it have been permitted on the plane?"

"Be careful out their Ozzy. We'll see you on the ground."

"It is a bit early for chop suey but knock yourself out." Muldoon replied with a shake of his head. Muldoon could not help but wonder how Nightmare was wired. He was way out there. But truth be told the whole team seemed to be dealing with their "gifts" differently. Being a freak was bound make people act a bit odd.

Muldoon looked at the others "Hopefully they will getake bring back some good Intel. Meanwhile let's have a look of our own as we make out pretty approach."

Muldoon moved to the open ramp and took a look out at terrain below.

Mere moments after Muldoon's statement Commander Barnes's voice booms over the intercom and can be heard from the cockpit area clearly as well; "Take the plane down immediately! We need boots on the ground NOW! We have verified reports from Mercury that the ants are popping out through the storm drains and manholes. They must have dug into the sewer system. We are still evacuating but there is street-by-street fighting going on to try and hold them back long enough. I repeat again, get the plane down and get SMITE deployed pronto!" One of the contingent of soldiers turns to the remaining team members as all of them are seen rapidly buckling in; "You all better get buttoned down. We have been through this dance before and the pilot is going to do some steep maneuvering to get us to the ground. Hope none of you have weak stomachs!"

"Let's take 'er down," Vos said. "I can use my speed to evacuate civilians, or try to help hold off the ants..."

Muldoon looked out the ramp one last time before pressing the button that raised the ramp for landing.

Muldoon spoke into the radio "This is Muldoon. Sounds like a hot LZ. Plan stays the same, we stick together as long as we can. Those ants separate us they are going to take us down. Our flyers can handle isolated threats we will take on the main element. If we are getting overwhelmed flyers will pull us out and we will reestablish a new front. Flying element rendezvous at air strip ASAP. Muldoon out."


Muldoon looked at his team. He had faced Jap Banzai charges, and a million Chinese Communists in Korea. But this was something different. This was thousand of mindless killing machines on a massive scale. Looking at his team he hoped he could get theme all home alive.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:45, Thu 29 Sept 2016.

Eddy, still seated and strapped, smiled to himself and cracked his knuckles.

Nightmare insures he's strapped down, and opens his case to pull out the sniper rifle. After minimal assembly, he puts the bipod and extra ammunition in the voluminous pockets of his trench coat. Then bows his head in attempted meditation.

OOC: attempting to get a minute of meditation in to open his 'third eye'

Oscillator heard Barnes & Muldoon, and cut his recon short.  The quick recon seemingly was enough -- there was a giant swarm of ants.

"Affirmative.  I mean, er, roger."

He turned & headed for the rendesvouz point.

Sunphoenix heard the transmission and triggered his comm, "Acknowledged, changing course to LZ.. will clear any hostiles, Over."

Turning on a wing Sunphoenix shift his course and poured on the speed to get to the C-130's LZ first to determine how 'hot' the area was...

He comes in at a NOE of 50'ft, slowing to about 60mph to get a good look for any giANT's endangering the landing.  If he spots any giANTs he will unleash a barrage of fire blasts to drive them away to clear the LZ... careful not to set any incidental Civi-structure on fire.

Vos deplaned and kept her eyes on the ball.  She flanked the others, ready to use her speed to their best advantage.

As the plane was about to touchdown, Muldoon looked over to Vosper. He knew he was asking a lot, but he also knew she could deliver.

"There are going to be so personnel that need rescuing. Your speed can get them out of danger and back in the fight the fastest. We are going be depending on you to do both."

As he turned away the once seemingly human Muldoon, transformed into the Inhuman at well over six feet and massively built grey skinned humanoid.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:36, Sat 01 Oct 2016.

"Rubber baby buggy bumpers."

It was something Osc thought when he saw the Inhuman.
He doubted Muldoon would appreciate it, but he said it anyway.

"Oh, did I say that out loud?  Shucks!  What I meant to say, I was wondering if we could bounce Muldoon off the mutANTS like a rubber ball...?"
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 04:29, Tue 04 Oct 2016.

Nightmare loads the sniper rifle, and as he deplanes says, "I'm going to attempt to inspect one of these critters. Maybe I can find something we can exploit."

The landing strip was nearby, but the flight there seemed go take ages.

Osc tried a joke to break the tension... and failed. 
"So, does everyone know Why don't anteaters get sick?

Because they are full of antibodies.  Ha Ha"

Actually, much to his own surprise (and maybe everyone else's), Eddy laughed suddenly at Eggheads stupid joke.

OOC: Everyone can post in the new game thread here: link to a message in this game

Sorry about all the delays, this is a huge difference from previous combats (a potential horde of giant ants as opposed to a handful of Soviet supers) so I may have bitten off more than I can chew but I want to do my best to do it...

OOC I am fine if you need to wing things and have us make some rolls and abstract the combat a bit.

Aye;  'fun over facts'