Ch 2 headed to Dinosaur Swamp

[Tori]

Tori laughed at Jan, sounding like "Rowwowwowow!" At that, she pounced and gave the big cat a few nose licks. "Damn right I'm pushy. We got work to do!"

"Sorry Socrates, 'Fetch' was not one of my commands that I passed in obedience school. I was a little inept at that one, and regret my inferiority. I'll try to work a little harder, Corporal."

"And please, I have a programme in place for the doctor, Socrates. I am suggesting a Wilk's pistol for range plus accuracy and a Triax P-Beam for up-close firepower. But I appreciate your input. "

She really didn't.

"We were also going to req some plastique, claymores and det-cord, which is why I thought you might want to come along, Cpl. Richardson. As for my appointment with God, I'm invitin' y'all and it ain't to save your souls. it's to save yer asses!" Tori always looked a little rejected when Richardson pushed her away.

"And Mr. Trassk, again, I'm askin about what we just chowed on. Can they bite through hard armor, and do we need armor-piercing weaps to kill them? They cut with a steak-knife, but what about their hide? And can we please get some ELINT on our AO?" Her patience was short with the incomplete answer with all her questions, though she tried to be nice.

[Renekin Skywalker]

"Yes, Tori." Socrates says. "We are all aware that you cannot understand simple concepts. But I was not referring at all to fetching (and putting words in my mouth like that only hurts your cause). What I was referring to was that you did not consider anyone past those you consider to be important. You must step past your petty-minded tactic of including only those you feel have value, to include the whole group." Thoughout, his voice was still calm, and nothing bristled on him. At most, it included a disappointed sigh one would expect from a parent. He just wasn't angry, probably only tired of the childish behavious Tori was bent on displaying.

He takes the final morsel of meat, chewing it as if the conversation hadn't happened.

"Richardson, Doctor, we can go and get a rifle for you, Ma'am, or, if you do not need me, I can stay and review information with Warrant Officer Trassk." He added, after he took time to swallow.

[Tori]

Tori decided her best bet was to ignore Socrates. Despite his parental tone, she found him again to be condescending, and the fetching coffee for everyone was clearly an effort for him to assert dominance. One day there would be no officers around and he would see what for.

But yet again questions were going unanswered. Her questions were legitimate. Her plan of putting familiar weapons in Pogue's hands was better than the unfamiliar too. Things were going well until Socrates shook it up to get a bone. Typical canine behavior. Oh well, Tori was under orders. But so was Socrates. One day, he would go to far.

She turned again to Trassk, tilting her head slightly.

[sasqaricious]

Autumn stands and makes sure she has everything ready to follow, and at this point she is not sure, whoever to get a weapon of some sort. She knows she would still prefer her pistol as she feels more comfortable with it but is not worried either way. She picks up the helmet and puts it back on to make sure she familiarizes herself fully with it.

[Dome]

Standing Richardson stretches, "mmm, that food wasn't so bad. Come on kitty's, I'll head over with you to get some gear, you can never have too much det chord. You'll have to go to the chaplains alone though, I've got no interest in religion. Maybe we should head over to the range first, see what the Doctor can do with small arms."

"Soc, you can fill me in later on whatever intel you can glean.

[Renekin Skywalker]

Socrates nods at Richardson, and waits for Shep.

[dakota]

" Would you two stow it." shep snarled at Tori and Socrates. " Let's get something straight. I'm top dog, cat, moose, water buffulo or whatever you want to call it, okay? This little game of cats and dogs is growing old quick. Now shake hands and suck it up like big kids, or so help me make you do it, got it? "

He rubbed his temples. " Okay, what you just ate is going to be trying to eat you when we hit the bush. Damned near everything down here will, including some of the plants. and it takes a helluva lot of firepower to cut them down. conventional weaponry won't dent their hides. hold on...," he pulled out his pocket comp and scrolled until he hit the file he wanted. He struck the transmit key. " There, as much as I can give you on the local lifeforms.[ equates to about the first paragragh on each creature presented in Dino swap WB] whoever, and I really don't care who, gets the Doc a rifle, make sure it's something she's comfortable with and has decent stopping power." He gets up and stalks off," I'll get my own damned coffee."

[soc- since your the only returning pc, need a perc concerning Shep]

[Renekin Skywalker]

Socrates ears flattened again. He didn't blame Shep for the reaction, and felt bad that he had to have a group like this. "I am willing to move on from it." Socrates answered, honestly. It rested, then, on Tori, to give up her attitude towards the dog boys and, by extension, Socrates.

While he had access to the data, he was concerned about Shep (perception: [dice=20])[rand=735810534247305918012993782549680344896686074732710336525553592801]

[Tori]

"Hoo-foxing-ya, Sir." Tori drained the last of her NJ, and used the empty cup as a spitter. Her expression suddenly became unreadable, and her body language neutral. She watched him rise, and nearly panicked.

She looked at Richardson with a nod, looking more human than feline for a brief instant. She loved bombs even more than her rifle, and knew she found her human after all.

"Mr. Trassk- a moment! The ELINT shack is probably classified to animals and enlisted personnel alike. Any chance of you finding out if the AO (area of operations) has radar? That would help us to know about air insert and extract. We'll still need to keep a TOT (time on target) of about +60," meaning they needed if they used helos to get in and out, they could only be on the ground and in the area for about 60 seconds, weather permitting. RADAR meant the possibility of SAMs, AAA or early detection of helos. Swamp country was flat or less than flat, giving even NOE (nap of the earth) flying aircraft noplace to hide. It would be better to drive, boat or walk in than to take a helo.

"I'd also love to know what they were speaking on comms or if they use comms at all- or what they were talking about."

No comms meant probable magic or psionic communications, and that meant trouble. Knowing if they spoke Splogorth, Dragonese, Deevilkin, Spanish or Gobbelry or Habudabi would give the team a good sense of what to expect in the way of enemies.

"Again sir, I have an interrogative about the SS (saffir-simpson) scale of the storm. What's its speed, direction of travel and diameter? Any known blue-lines or junctions in the area?" Tori was all business now. What she needed was more answers. She tried not to raise her voice as Trassk stalked off, but was tired of asking good questions only to be ignored or sniped at by Socrates for her lack of dog ettiquitte.

"Fox it, let's get some ordinance, ladies and gentlemen. I'm oscar mike." Tori pulled out her own datapad, a simplified descendent of the I-Pad for use with ample pictographs and icons, even for illiterate animals and began scrolling through the info.

[dakota]

" Fine, I'll make it an order. Tori, and Soc, shake and sit down. I'll fill in as many of your questions as I can. " Shep barked, returning to the table. Soc could tell something wasn't right with Trassk as he rubbed his temple again. He took out a container and took a couple painkillers. " damned headaches. " Janxi, Richardson, take the Doc for her rifle. while I play twenty million questions with these two. Maybe see if they'll recce you one of those new Northern Gun rail guns (NG-303 from MercOps), and don't forget my det tape."

[Renekin Skywalker]

Dutifully, Socrates holds out his hand to Tori, expecting the cat to have enough dignity to not turn her behaviour into an assault charge.

[Tori]

Tori wasn't going to snitch, but was losing all confidence in her leadership. Not only was she being ordered to shake hands with a snitch, who seemed fit to run a canine obedience school for felines, but the guy appeared to have a drug habit.

She shook Socrates' hand looking dead into his eyes, her pupils narrowed to vertical slits. "No problems from me, sir." She looked away from the dog and sniffed at the bottle.

[dice=100] sniff

She took another moment, swiveling her ears toward Trassk. To her ears, she could tell a sick animal from a healthy one- all the easier to hunt and kill the weakest member of the herd.

[dice=100] remote stethoscope

"Sorry for the 20 million questions, sir. But they were asked before the corporal admonished me on the canine behavior standard. I won't trouble you with things that do not concern mission readiness. Permission to fall out, sir?"

If she could DOR, she would. A turret pointed at the Arch sounded better and better vs a condescending dog, a drug addled XO, and an absentee six. If he wanted to get high and not answer questions, it was his business, but she'd not settle for important tactical questions being ignored and favoritism coming to a dog who thought he could be man's best friend by ratting.

Tori's mind raced. If the situation remained out of control, she would request mast. Still, she wasn't a rat, to betray a team mate, unless betrayed first. The main thing was to stay with Janxi and her human. She did not want to be alone anymore with Socrates and Trassk.


[rand=6349455616424126916489166838915812677313588995598601788594249929]

[Renekin Skywalker]

Shaking Tori's hand, politely, Socrates sat down, but he didn't offer any blamish apology.

Instead, he whirled Shep's screen away from the human, started examining details. "Lie down, sir." He says. "You don't want the Captain thinking you got let out of the hospital too early."

And, he started reviewing the facts at hand, being careful to not let his literacy skill show.

[sasqaricious]

"Excuse me for being so bold," Especially after hearing the last words that Socrates said. "I would be remiss in my duties if I were not to check the person out. There may be more here then meets the eye, and I probably should get myself involved in this. Otherwise I would not be able to state that I am a good doctor otherwise." Especially now in her area and none of the others she stops and starts heading towards Shep!

[Dome]

Richardson stands back as he watches Shep order the animals around. He only hopes that things get better before they head out to the mission. At this rate it seems everyone is almost ready to fight each other, than o cover each others' backs. He pulls his data pad out and starts looking over the info Shep sent to them, while the Doctor looks him over. He keeps his mouth shut as things progress.