revivalproject | In the Deep Dark Hills of Eastern Temba

Entry tags:

In the Deep Dark Hills of Eastern Temba

WHO: Cobb Vanth & Mining Expedition Team
WHERE: The Mines
WHAT: Mine exploration
WHEN: First Week of Event.
WARNINGS: Cursing. Blood/Injury.

Mining Expedition - for Mining Team

It had been a long time since Cobb had worn the armor he bought on Coruscant. He stood outside the entrance of the mines in the polished slightly gold colored durasteel with no cape. Last thing he wanted was for that to get caught on something while underground. The armor would protect from minor cave ins and small falling rocks but a part of him wanted to take it off. If the ceiling came down, Cobb would honestly preferred to be crushed immediately instead of survive.

A few had happened while he worked underground and he'd been lucky not to get caught in them. He had seen what happened to slaves who had been and those images haunted him as he looked at the entrance to the darkness beyond.

As the little team started to gather together Cobb pushed those thoughts from his mind. He needed to focus to keep all these people safe underground.

"Here's the general plan," he said when they had all arrived. "Drake's probe, Mini, and this guy here will go first. The probe should be able to tell us the air quality which should be your number one concern. Anyone who breathes starts to feel light headed, you walk out immediately. No pretending everything is fine. We're here to map this place and see what needs fixin', not start digging around."

Anyone who toughed it out and then passed out would put them all at risk. Cobb's tone was very stern and grim. This was not a time to fuck around like this was a walk around talk. Luckily, this group didn't seem like the type to do that.

"Second thing to look for is the ceiling. You see it bowing down anywhere that's a good sign of a collapse. Should be even all along the way." That was how it was back home, at least. "And it might get tight in there depending on how the Agrii build their mines. No one goes off alone. You always have a buddy. Any questions before we head in?"

The mine's entrance was big enough but Cobb felt once they got inside and got under they might be in for a tight squeeze.

---

Cave In - for thesepreciousthings

It was surprisingly easy to get comfortable underground again. Cobb was all too willing to explore around with Starling when she asked. Apparently, she came from mining people too. She felt more useful helping out in the mines than exploring the new city.

"I can't tell much of what they were doing down here," Cobb said as they walked down a side tunnel, intending to map it. They had a pretty decent map taking shape with marked spots for the strange place they found and the holes to the surface. "They didn't leave any mining equipment behind so who knows what they got from here? Haven't seen crystals or coal or oil. Not even salt. Just the stone walls."

He was a little bothered by that. This was an extensive mine and clearly served a purpose at one point. There was no real clue what the purpose was however. Not to Cobb's eyes, at least. They had some hope once they understood the panel and all that, it would become clear.

Cobb was about to say more when he noticed something in the glint of his flashlight. A piece of metal hanging down from the ceiling. He had half a second to realize it was a roof bolt meant to hold the roof of the mine in place when a stone slipped.

"Starling!" He grabbed her just as more stones start to slip and the roof broke apart. Cobb dragged her out of the way but they were caught in the fall. Not the worst of it. Cobb pressed her against the wall as what felt like the whole of the earth came down around them. It was his worst fear come to life and it hurt as the stones bounced off his shoulders, his back, and his head while he tried to keep her from the worst of it.

When the rumbling stopped and the air went still Cobb blinked in the darkness. His flashlight was somewhere but they were in complete blackness now with the mine closed in around them. Well. Damn it all.

---

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Hardly dressed for summer weather, Felwinter stood however unbothered by this fact, wearing his greatcoat over the rest of his clothing and light armor. He was not a bulky figure at all, narrow-shouldered and of average height. He still wore his strange helmet. Beside him, just over his shoulder hovered his Ghost, her shell the standard design in silver.

The rest of the group was greeted with a nod, but Felwinter remained mostly silent, folding his arms as Cobb went on with detailing out their plan. A probe and...Mini? were to be his company, was it? Although he didn't need to worry about breathing, it wasn't like he didn't care about those who did. A reconnaissance mission. He nodded as he mentally noted keeping an eye on the tunnel ceilings.

"How far should be checked before it is deemed suitable for you to breathe?" he asked, looking around at the others before turning his attention to Cobb. His voice bore that slight electronic tinge, perhaps familiar in some way, but it could very well just be his helmet.

"Funny thing is, I didn't see anything last time I was down here, either," Starling replied, playing her flashlight against the walls. "Maybe they mined strictly for stone, to build some of the structures on the surface? Stuff's solid enough..."

She followed Cobb's beam up to the loose bolt, and realization dawned on her in the same dark, too-late moment. Before Cobb could move her, a sizeable rock came down on her left foot. Startled by his attempt to sweep her out of the way, she dropped her flashlight with a shriek. It all happened in seconds, but she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close, trying to shield his head with her forearms, not about to let him sacrifice himself for her.

The cave-in still echoed in her ears, ringing, and she was all but deaf once it had settled. With any luck, she thought, someone would have heard that, but given all the branching tunnels they'd split up to explore, she wasn't sure.

"Hey, hey, you with me?" Cobb used his grip on her to find Starling's neck and check her pulse. Yeah, there she was. "Stay here."

The cave darkness was complete. Cobb had experienced it a handful of times in his life when the power failed in a mine. He had to go in the darkness to fix things like that with just a little headlamp.

He kept a hand to the smooth wall of the mine and then found the rubble of the collapse. Listening hard he could hear through it and there was some breeze against his face.

"Good news, we're not buried. Probably a little rubble between you and me and freedom. Gonna take me a minute to clear a path though." Something not much bigger than them to just slip through.

"Check the comms. I know we can get through this rock. Might be our only light. My flashlight is somewhere in this."

"Be about ten feet ahead of us," he said with a little shrug. "We don't want to lose sight of you but we want some distance. Ten feet is a good pocket."

They'd have fresh air and it should be enough range for the probe to opperate without losing signal. If the probe worked like ones back home it should have a longer range but Cobb didn't want to lose anyone in the darkness.

He sounded a lot like Mando with a vocoder. But since he didn't breathe Cobb figured the guy was some sort of droid or maybe even an Exo like Cayde. He wasn't human or alien. Sentient but not alive, Cobb figured.

"You got a name, by the way?" Because Cobb hadn't asked before. Hadn't thought to ask while he was juggling the various factors in planning this. Just needed a guy who couldn't breathe to lead.

"Stay - ugh, like hell!" She snorted, starting after him. On her second step, though, she faltered, biting down on a cry of pain. Okay. Maybe she wasn't going to follow him just yet.

"Alright, alright, hang on. My flashlight's probably right next to yours, crackin' jokes about how dumb we both are."

She pulled out her phone and turned it on, immediately going to the settings to adjust the brightness. If they wanted it to last, she needed to turn it down. Their eyes would get used to it soon enough.

"Not much signal down here, in case you were wonderin'."

Ten feet. The Exo nodded. Since Cobb seemed to know about these sorts of things he was inclined to defer to the man's judgment.

"My name is Felwinter," he said, and then he gestured towards his Ghost. "This is Felspring."

"But there is signal. We were able to communicate with the surface before. We should still be able to now." Cobb could pick up on a few things now with the low light of her phone.

He had his own aches and pains. Something in his left arm hurt like hell every time he moved it. Probably something fractured given he could still use it. Just had to ignore the sharp pain each time. And there were a lot of bruises he could feel. Probably some cuts leaking blood given the wet heat he felt on the side of his face.

"Gonna move some stones, things might shift," he warned as he started testing the wall blocking them in. "Shouldn't bring anything else down around us."

Because Cobb was going to take his time with this. Hopefully, Starling wasn't bothered by the dark.

"Felwinter."

Better than calling him the guy that couldn't breathe. Now they could communicate clearly.

"How's your eyesight? You got a light to see by?" Because Cobb didn't see any sort of flashlight or torch on the guy. He seemed to be just himself and his floating droid. He didn't even seemed armed.

At that inquiry, Felwinter nodded towards his Ghost, whose core glowed brighter as she beamed out a light off to the side in demonstration. "Covered," he said.

True, he wasn't carrying any obvious equipment otherwise, still feeling uncomfortable not having a weapon but he figured that if there was any trouble to be found, void light would make short work of it, and it would be less likely to trigger off anything atmospheric than say, using solar flames.

"Alright, just don't overdo it and hurt yourself." She trusted him to know his limits, and sat down with her back against the wall to feel out her ankle and judge how bad it was. There was a little swelling, but nothing felt broken. Probably just a sprain or twist. Thankfully the cave was cool enough that it wouldn't get too aggravated.

The dark, however, was a different story. At first, she thought she'd be fine, turning her face away from the phone to try and let her eyes adjust more to the dark. But the cold damp, the stone ... the slight smell of dirt and mildew ... it was all bringing back a set of memories she wasn't exactly fond of.

Clarice wasn't oblivious: she'd seen the new girl, Moonshade, advertise something called a Howl for people to go and share their stories. She could have gone and shared some of her better FBI yarns, but the successes were all pretty mundane, and some people on Temba weren't keen on wide-reaching authority. No, the stories that held value to her weren't always fit for varied company. But she knew Cobb had a stronger stomach, was used to a harsher life and environment. Maybe he could take her sharing this particular memory. It might help chase the demons away.

"... God, this reminds me of the worst place I ever had to hunt someone down."

"Well, look at that." Cobb would've liked a little floating droid of his own if that was one of the things they could do. Would be real useful in this underground maze. "Guess you've got all you need."

He took a deep breath and studied everyone grouped up. They were clearly ready to go.

"Alright, let's move in." Cobb put his helmet on which immediately cut off some of his peripheral vision and he hated it. He didn't know how Din stood turning his head for every single look. He flicked on his flashlight and started walking into the open mouth of the mine.

"If you can't raise Reeve, see if you can get Merrin. Don't know if she went to the new city or not." But she had powerful magic that could tear out walls. Cobb figured she could hold back the earth long enough for them to get out of here. And he trusted that girl with his life. Reeve too because he would be careful and considerate with each move he made to clear the wreckage.

He grunted as he shifted some rocks taking a big step back as they tumbled to the ground at his feet. In the dark he worked by touch alone and paused to give the stones time to settle if they were going to move.

"Yeah?" he said, "Wasn't exactly a pleasant time in my life when I worked underground."

And he thought he wouldn't have to explain why. Mining was not a pleasant business. He'd let her assume that gladly instead of the truth.

"You make it sound like you're a bounty hunter. Thought you were a law type."

It was hardly the only thing Felspring was capable of, but Felwinter wouldn't argue that they were set. The Ghost could map things out as they went, and pick up any threats that might yet be present in the caverns as well as whatever energy readings the Agrii had instructed them to investigate.

At Cobb's word, Felwinter started along after him. "Shouldn't I be in front?" he asked.

"We'll have clean air up here for awhile," Cobb explained as they walked. "An open entrance like this allows for a good amount of air to come in."

There was even something of a pleasant breeze at their back. For the moment, it was just like any other cave entrance. Cobb kept scanning his light around to see how the Agrii had constructed this place.

"Your droid do anything else besides act as a light?" he asked, since for the moment they were chatting. This guy really did remind him of Cayde without the personality.

Felwinter nodded. That made sense. There was no prompting from him as they headed further in and Felspring flashed her own light on, keeping it more fixated upon their path.

"This 'droid' isn't a droid," she said, with easily more emotion than her companion. "I'm a Ghost. If there's anything alive in here, I'll let you know before we run into it. Not getting any really big energy readings yet either, but I'm not sure how far things go."

Felwinter merely motioned to the Ghost as she provided her own response. He felt no reason to speak for her.

The name Ghost rang a bell. He was pretty sure Cayde had mentioned that about his whole world. Ghosts who kept folks like him alive even through the worst and gave them powers too.

"You're a Guardian then, right? Like Cayde and the other one, the lady, Ikora? I think that's her name." Cobb hadn't really met her. She was around Cayde's bar though and friendly enough.

"Didn't know more of you had shown up." He stopped at the end of the entrance tunnel to see a familiar sight. The heavy metal doors of an elevator. "Looks like we're gonna have to go down."

Made sense. It was a mine.

Guardian. Others had referred to him as such as well. "I suppose I am..." Felwinter replied thoughtfully. It had better connotations than a warlord, anyway. "I have not been here long. There is much to...acclimate to."

As they studied the doors, Felspring drifted closer to scan it for its mechanisms. "Does it still work?" Felwinter asked, stepping forward to see about prying them open. Not a difficult task considering he'd pried open the old metal doors to ancient bunkers. Compared to those, an elevator should be easy.

"Never met Merrin, but I remember Reeve. I'll try 'em both."

She fiddled with her phone for a moment. "Reeve? Reeve, are you there? It's Starling. Do you copy?"

While she waited for a response, she said quickly, "Sort've. Branch of the law that went specifically after serial killers."

"She's helped me a few times with the houses."

Cobb looked through the dark back at Starling in the light of her communicator. Looked healthy enough and kept it together even though this probably wasn't a great situation to be in.

"What's a serial killer?" That wasn't a term Cobb was familiar with. He could make some guesses but wouldn't because he didn't want to look stupid.

Exploring;
The Soldier had decided to join the mine exploration less out of a desire for discovery and more out of the belief that it was entirely possible that the mines weren't as safe as the Agrii professed. He didn't trust them and he didn't trust their repellent. He definitely didn't trust that there wasn't some kind of nasty surprise hidden somewhere. That mindset saw him in his full tactical gear, more complete than he typically regularly wore. He buckled on the mask as Cobb finished the briefing; mentally he pulled into place the skills of the Winter Soldier.

He didn't have much experience with mines, but he certainly had experience infiltrating enemy territory, and he drew on that experience now. Moving as quietly as possible he stayed toward the fringes of the group, looking not only for structural damage to their surroundings but also for signs that they might not be alone. While the Agrii claimed that their gel would keep the rage bugs away, he didn't entirely trust it — and didn't trust that they were the only potential threat.

Pausing, he held up his left hand, fist closed. His head cocked slightly sideways as he listened, but even with his hearing he had to admonish the person next to him. "Quiet!"

Break;
It didn't matter if it was a break for a meal or a break while the forward reconnaissance determined if they could move on, each pause saw the Soldier prowling around the edges of the space. Part of him kept an eye out for the hazards Cobb had mentioned but the rest of him looked for traces of more familiar hazards. So far they'd been lucky and hadn't encountered anything to provide much setback — threat or annoyance — but how long would that luck hold?

Eventually he did stop, but only because someone thrust something into his face. "What is this?" Chunk of rock? Granola bar? Pickle jar with a stuck lid? Something else?

Wildcard;
I wanted to come up with some really amazing mine puns but it's late and I'm tired so instead of mine we'll use yours instead. :> That being said please feel free to customize the above or set up your own scene. If you want to plot something out gimme a shout and we'll make it happen; the Soldier is here for all your linefacing super soldier needs. And if you prefer brackets please go for it; I'll match your format.

If there was one thing that Reeve was really good at doing, it was making attempts at befriending taciturn warriors who had learned to be aloof from the world because of experimentation being done to them. In fact, he had made it a bit of a habit of his back home with Cloud and Vincent. So really, Bucky was lucky to have managed to avoid it until this point.

But this trip was clearly something Reeve thought of on some level as a means of approaching the other man. Not that he'd set out to approach Bucky, but he couldn't help but notice the other man that he had spoken to a few times on the network. Even involved with Poe he couldn't deny that he continued to have a pull toward dangerous, darkhaired men. It was in his blood or something.

"It's food," Reeve said. He'd pulled one of the protein bars from his own bag out to offer over to Bucky. "Everyone should really take a chance to eat. We don't know how long we'll be working down here."

Reeve's main point here, of course, was to serve as their map maker. While the others had purposes for exploration or protection or guidance or something else, Reeve had spent most of the time here with his head down, drawing quickly on multiple pieces of paper, making their complex, twisting corridors more clear. That and being in touch with one of their scouts at all times. But even he had noticed Bucky wasn't really taking the same relaxing moment as the others.

Edited 2021-07-22 16:59 (UTC)

To say they hadn't spoken much wasn't any sort of commentary against Reeve. The Soldier avoided most of the community as a rule; groups of people just weren't comfortable for him. That didn't mean he wasn't aware of the other man and his contributions; he was. He just preferred to keep his own outreach at the comfortable distance of text messages.

But here they were and distance wasn't entirely an option, though it wasn't for lack of trying. As much as he'd claim reasons of protection and security, he could admit to himself that it was also a lack of social skills. What was the point of small talk anyway? It was why he was taken aback by the approach and offer, especially considering who was behind both. He'd expected Reeve to take advantage of the chance to rest, considering that he'd been documenting their route the entire time, and not spend his break trying to look after someone else.

Then again, the Soldier could certainly understand the drive to keep pushing oneself even in the quieter moments. Perhaps this was somehow related.

"Food," he echoed, taking the bar reflexively but not yet moving to open it. "I don't require refueling yet, if someone else has a need instead."

He could go for a long time without eating if he had to. But he'd also eaten a large meal that morning, just in case.

Oh he had so many questions as they prepared to go in. Not that Reeve was going to ask them all right now, as many of them weren't relevant in this moment. Only one thing he had to ask really needed asked in this moment.

"Do you think it's possible for me to get two buddies? Most of my attention is going to be on making the map, I could easily accidentally leave one behind while I follow the sound of someone else's footsteps," he admits. When he got into working he often found himself, well, lost in it. And the work mattered.

They'd for the most part established that the air was safe, but there was no reason to let down their guard. Perhaps it was whatever still crept somewhere between the walls of the tunnels they traversed or the strange goo that was throwing Felspring's radar off, but either way, it made it difficult to really say where things were and if there was something between them and a potential threat.

Not that it mattered too much when you were inherently paranoid. Felwinter said little as they traveled along, and even the silvery drone that floated alongside of him and provided light for the path ahead said nothing unless addressed. Felwinter took point only because he still took his original assignment seriously, even when they'd paired off down the tunnels once they'd split. It'd be difficult ignoring the blue-lit core embedded in the back of his helmet, twitching and flickering like a wild eye- and looking very much like the core of the Ghost who was currently lighting their path. Not at all creepy though, right? Riiiight.

Reeve didn't feel like he was doing enough if he wasn't doing something. And while he had taken other breaks, right now the thing he was concerned about was Bucky and taking care of himself.

"The others are the sorts of people I would trust to eat when they realized they were hungry. But you, sir, remind me of Vincent and Cloud. And I fear you might be the sort to try and glare your hunger into submission."

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 1 of 9

In the Deep Dark Hills of Eastern Temba

Mining Expedition

The one for me!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

going with Reeve bc I think Merrin's mun is on hiatus

no subject

open;

Break

no subject

Expedition - Well Reeve's clearly got a question

Wild Exploration Break

no subject