[snip]

Getting to the dilthium signature would be about another 15 or so minute walk through the weaving tunnels to get lower down. Getting lower would also let them explore more and get better scans. All they had to do was set off to the left passage for now and follow its weaving lines down a few slip areas.

Inwardly El frowned; outwardly she was just quiet. She was an engineer tasked for geological surveying. She had no thought of needing samples for anything like that; any rocks she picked up would have been put in her satchel. Even that she thought was slim, figuring that readings would hold more weight than a random sample. Still, had she missed something there? Had she missed some instruction? Her inward frown shifted to an expression of concern. “No, Commander. I was not thinking ahead to that possibility. But I took scans.”

She glanced at the MACO’s who were more composed than the more nervous Isaac. This part of the cave only had faint ‘cat’ smells mixed in with the mildly stale damp that seemed common to most caves. Shadows flickered about as the lights moved and any sound like the scuffing of boots on stone echoed gently making sounds confusing. She could see how it would not be difficult to get lost in a cave should the lights go out. As it was, there was a fair line of glow sticks, at least up to this point. She was not averse to caves. There were many about her growing up both natural and carved as catacombs or storage or even great cisterns. Well, not in Manticore where she lived on a boat amidst a huge flotilla of rotting corpses of ships of varying ages. She missed both. Now, light years away from those places she called ‘home’, in a dank cave that bore reminders of her introduction to the underbelly of the Monastery as a young girl she felt torn – missing ‘home’ yet fearful to return. Forward was all she could do now. That was her destiny, but where was that going to take her? Well, right now it has placed her in a place and position where she was a fish out of water and where she had not thought ahead to bring along sample bags. “I could find room in my bag, Commander,” she said. It was hardly a sterile environment but it was better than nothing.

El, Eng

“Don’t worry about it Ensign. Send me the scan data, and if we come across another patch I can get a sample there. I have a few sample bags in my case. I don’t want to cause any more delays,” she said glancing over at Black and the MACO’s. “Otherwise the next survey team through here can keep an eye out for that plant.”

GM CockRoach

Baumann looked at Black shining his light all over the place and simply shook his head and took a deep breath. The diminutive Staff Sergeant next to him glared daggers at Black and said something wholly unintelligible to Baumann who chuckled softly. “Indeed.” was all he said in return. It was then his comms activated. [o] Bravo to Alpha. No sight of contacts yet. Visual revolution shows primitive spears and stone weapons. Making run for visual of indigenous contacts now. [o] Baumann nodded to the Staff Sergeant but said nothing in return, opting instead to stay focused on their surroundings and listening and watching for any changes.

MACO

Despite of what most people think Isaac was not nervous or afraid. He now know a few thing.
1. There are locals in this cave they are good at hiding from site and from scanners.

Him and the members of his team have been doing an triangulation scan to see if they can pinpoint the movements of the locals but no luck so far.

He walk over to the maco and said “ I would like to ask how many drones do you have? And I will like to know if I can use one that will help with over all security” he said

Lt. Isaac Black (AC)

Heather eyed the two warily as they talked. After a second though, she looked back down at her scanner.

“Alright, I’m getting a stronger reading this way,” she said gesturing towards the left tunnel. “Let’s go.”

Putting action to words, Heather pointed her light down the tunnel and led the way.

Cmdr. Grace - XO/CSO

The MACO-s comms activated and Baumann listened intently for a moment. He then said “Commander. Bravo has a visual on the contacts. Humanoid with primitive tool making capability and build seems to be structured for subterranean living. These cave and tunnel networks are their home. Recommend leaving the area and reassessing our approach.”

Baumann, MACO CO

El furrowed her brow. “I thought big cats lived here,” she replied. The echoes of her voice made it sound like there was another person present. She had moved along not too far from the Commander, splitting her attention between finding secure footing and glancing at her own scanner. She had to admit that the cave, similar to that of ones she had been in on Earth, were a comforting familiarity. With it came thoughts of her sister, Meiling, still in Manticore, another comforting familiarity though now literally light years distant. She had to remember to take photos along the way to show her. But would she ever get back to Earth?

They came to a branch in the cavern. “Left, Commander,” she said, getting a further reading, stronger as they were getting closer but still not near enough to say just what kind of a find they may have made. “Reading is stronger here. Getting closer.” El was sure that the Commander had that in mind too with her own scanner but this was a cave. She was the junior technician who was technically supposed to be doing the scanning and the Commander leading and, hopefully, making sure they don’t fall into a big pit along the way.

El, Eng

Kenzo touched glanced behind them at Baumann’s comment, changing his grip on his plasma pistol. Stopping to let everyone in front of him, he spoke, “I’ll keep an eye on the rear should someone come up behind us. Keep me updated, please.”

LtJg Kenzo Kurata, Chief Armory Officer

OOC: Post coming shortly!

GM CockRoach