Fox uses the radio and points out the incoming presence to the team. Over the radio he says "Commander we have some thing incoming through the forest, all the wildlife is going quiet out there"

Major Dillon's voice came back over Fox's radio.  "Copy.  Fall back a safe distance from the gate, and try to find out what it is without being seen.  Keep me updated. Over."

Ru'tan's expression grows taut as he notices the strangeness approaching through the forest. Hearing Major Dillon's order over the radio, he nods at Travis, and moves to a copse of small trees away from the gate, close to the pond, where he crouches down, watching for whatever to make an appearance.

18:10, Today: Ru'tan rolled 18 using 1d20+4. Spot Incoming.

"It could be just some natural predator heading to this pond for water," suggests Jason, as he moves to take cover. "We all know it isn't, though, right? I mean, I don't see any game trails... not that I'm an expert, mind you, but I just don't get the impression from these otter-folk that they are worried about any predators."

"Make sure we have an exit route. We might be able to dive into the pond to get inside, but I don't think that's the best course of action."

"Also, not to contradict the major, but I think someone should scout ahead... not wait for the threat to materialize. It limits our response options."

"How about it, Travis? Want to take a gander at the incoming? Science fiction not withstanding, any predator is going to be leary of us humans... we're an unknown quantity. We're not on their dinner menu. Yet."

Jason had paid particular attention to the mission reports when they dealt with alien creatures. He wasn't really much of a hunter, but he'd read lots of science fiction, seen the movies... He'd been struck by the mundane aspects of other worlds. No bug-eyed monsters... other than the Goa'uld. Most worlds were horrifyingly normal.

"Fox, our hosts say there are a few other clans of their kind on the planet, it might be a trading party, but they say there is no other intelligent life.  It may also be some sort of large predator called a Snarl.  Avoid contact if possible, kill it of you have to.  Over."  Dillon's voice was low, aware of the fact that loud reports from Fox's radio may give his position away.

Fox softly gives the order engage only if necessary. Allow it to com in and drink and leave peacefully if it will

Ru'tan's staff weapon snaps open with it's signature buzzing click. He points the weapon in the direction of the movement and keeps his position, nodding to Fox.

"Fine. I'll scout ahead. I've already got a rep for not following orders too well," Jason comments to Ru'tan, since Travis apparently was ignoring him.


Jason chose to take a somewhat circuitous route around the direction that the disturbance was coming from, as his stealth wasn't that good. He preferred a more direct confrontation.

He made a point to move from one tree to another... particularly a tree that he could climb in case it was that snarl predator the Major told them about. He was sure it could climb, but it would be at a disadvantage while it was climbing. He hoped.

"If it's got 8 legs, I'm fubarred!" he commented softly to himself.

21:27, Thu 19 June 2014: Jason Bjorn rolled 8,13 using 1d20+6,1d20+4 ((2,9)) Spot and Listen.

<quote Jason Bjorn>
"Fine. I'll scout ahead. I've already got a rep for not following orders too well," Jason comments to Ru'tan, since Travis apparently was ignoring him.


NOt so Fox gave the orders given him in general. IF you chose to ignore that please do not blame Fox

Ru'tan's lips compress when Bjorn stalks off. He looks over at Fox and says in a low voice, "I'm sure that was unwise." He takes a steady position, ready to back Bjorn up with heavy fire if needed.

 Fox's eyes narrow as the man ignores a team order, "you are correct Ru'tan it was not."
Uses radio "Jason get your self back here" he orders softly

I was role-playing in character. Your comment wasn't. And you did ignore Jason--you didn't even acknowledge that he had spoken to you, regardless of whether you agreed with him.

Besides, the Major's orders were nebulous enough to allow for some 'interpretation'.

And one of Jason's feats is Unconventional.


Jason heard Travis's order over the radio, and quickly ducked down in case something out there had also heard it.

"Frack!" he swore under his breath as he pulled out the radio's earbud and plugged it in before inserting it into his ear. As a further precaution, he turned on the voice activation.

"Absolutely, sir-yes-sir," Jason replies just as softly. "As soon as I make contact with the enemy."

 Storm softly into the radio
"the order is to let it pass un apposed if it will we only engage if forced"

Jason doesn't get a chance to respond to Travis as he has made contact with the enemy, although it's only visual contact... so far.

Barely 40 feet away from him is a Jaffa warrior. It appears to be wearing some sort of serpent headgear and carrying a staff weapon.

He then sees another one, and another. Now that he knows what to look for, he counts around 20 of them spread out in two-deep skirmish line. They aren't making much noise because they are moving rather slowly; they aren't smashing around in the brush and undergrowth, or at least what there is of it.

Although they aren't very stealthy, their slow movement is keeping the wildlife from giving them away.

This message was deleted by the player at 05:09, Mon 23 June 2014.

At the first sight of the Jaffa, Jason froze in place, although he hadn't really been moving around at that point. He slowly lowered his head so that the visor of his cap would hide his face.

Then he just as slowly moved completely behind the tree. Once behind the tree, he crouched down and began moving away in the underbrush. There were some down tree logs, saplings, and a few bushes, but not nearly enough to provide the cover he needed.

He then tried to retrace the route he'd taken to get there, only trying to be a little faster. He wasn't sure how far he had to be from the Jaffa before he could safely use his radio, but he estimated half way back.

If he makes it that far, he activates his radio, and says in almost a whisper:

"Jaffa inbound. 20 in two skirmish lines. Moving slow."
This message was lightly edited by the player at 05:12, Mon 23 June 2014.

In reply to Travis Fox (msg # 22):
Fox replies
"Avoid and come in from side if possible"
"Do not fire until intent is known"

Ru'tan's face looks grim as he works the staff in his hands, shifting them ever so slightly. "Jaffa?" he whispers. "What are Jaffa doing here?"

Jason was retracing his steps, which was a round about route anyway. He does not engage the Jaffa.

After a few minutes, the 'Jaffa' begin appearing in the forest. Still moving slowly while scouting ahead, one finally steps out of the cover of a tree and Travis and Ru'tan can now see that there is something odd about this 'Jaffa'.

Although he is wearing a serpent headdress/helmet/mask and carrying a staff weapon, he is not wearing armor, but has a pair of straps crisscrossed over his chest. In the center of this crisscross is a gold disc with a strange symbol on it.

It takes a moment for the image to fully register, along with a movement of his head. That's when you realize the creature is not wearing a helmet at all! His head is that of a serpent or lizard. It resembles both in some ways, yet isn't fully either one.

You next see that it has a tail... a bit like an alligator's tail.

One by one, more of these creatures come into view. They are still staying behind cover, but are easily within striking distance of the pond. They are all dressed the same and carrying a staff weapon.

Moving slowly and quietly, Ru'tan removes one hand from staff weapon and draws out his camera, wanting to photograph these strange creatures. A mixture of fascination and intelligence gathering motivates his actions.

"Holy freakin' Toledo!" Jason swears under his breath when he sees these 'Jaffa' in a different light. His brief glimpse of the one just looked like a Jaffa, sort of confirmed by the staff weapon it carried. What he'd taken to be just a funky Jaffa helmet/headdress turned out to be the actual HEAD!

Putting his head down and burying his head under his jacket to muffle the sound, he clicked the radio to report to the Major.

"Major, we got a major freak goin' on here! The Jaffa... aren't exactly Jaffa. They're... um, kinda like... uh, lizard-men!"

He couldn't believe what he was actually saying. But, then, he couldn't believe what he was SEEING!

"Honest, Major! I'm not smokin' anything, though now I wish I was! They're some sort of humanoid reptile... don't know if they are snakes, lizards, gators or what, but look kind of like a bit of all three."

"They're wearing a harness with what looks like a System Lord emblem in the middle, and they got staff weapons. No armor that I can see."

Fox replies "forward information to commander Jason "

In reply to Travis Fox (msg # 29):

Jackie's voice comes over the radio.
"Describe the Symbol."

It takes a few seconds before one of the closer creatures turns in such a way that the emblem can be seen in full--it's a tear drop with an upswept wing on each side.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:36, Fri 27 June 2014.

"It looks like a teardrop with upswept wings," Jason whispers over the radio.

He wasn't concerned about the lizard guys overhearing an incoming radio message because he was using the earbud, but every time he replied he was afraid the enemy would hear his whisper... although, now that he looked, they didn't seem to have any ears... just holes where ears should be.

As tough and nasty as Jaffa were, these guys looked far worse. Although they weren't wearing any armor, he had a sneaking suspicious of why they weren't.