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.