2026-09-12 Chimanta Massif SAT Scenario

<<<SAT Scenario SMC.CM-1989>>>

Participants: Amanda Bishop Leon

Storyteller: Molly

Location: FCA2 Simulation and Training

Date and Time: September 12, 2026

Summary: A "danger room" training scenario in the Venezuelan rainforest.

Mood Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubNfkpbxXUs&t=1051s

The Simulation and Training floor of the Construct is beyond a miracle. Nearly any environment can be replicated for training purposes. But at the moment, the SAT is simulating... a conference room. Syndicate Associate Amalia "Molly" Welkin is standing at one end of the table when you arrive, holding a tablet. Her usual cup of coffee is on the table before her. There are enough chairs for everyone who might want to participate; today it looks like only three will be needed. Before those three chairs are identical tablets. Everyone has already been provided with the gear they'll need for the scenario, and were encouraged to arrive ready to go wearing lightweight long-sleeved shirts and pants, heavy-duty hiking boots, and a moderately heavy backpack filled with the equipment they'll need. Also a standard simulator firearm; in this case a basic revolver, almost identical to the real thing. But not dangerous.

--<Molly>-------------------------

Molly looks up as everyone arrives and gestures to the chairs. "Please have a seat. Has everyone reviewed the scenario? If not, please take a moment and do so."

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Tablet - Chimanta Massif SAT Scenario(#12883s)
DATAFILE: AUTHORIZATION LEVEL [///BLUE///]

<<<SAT MISSION SCENARIO SMC.CM-1989>>>

-- Mission Scenario --                                                        
A joint Progenitor/Iteration X/Void Engineer expedition to the Chimanta Massif has gone silent.                                                       
Assignment: find the expedition, assess the situation, and return.

* The expedition roster contained an 8-member security team due to suspected guerilla activity in the vicinity, a 4-member climbing team, and a 4-member scientific team.
 -- See Datafile 'tablet/roster' for details.

* You will be delivered to a village 2-3 days hike from the last known location of the expedition base camp.                                         
                                                                              
* You will be provided with 9 days of supplies.
 -- See Datafile 'tablet/manifest' for details.

* You will be travelling under cover as a scientific expedition. You must maintain cover whenever interacting with locals.                              
                                                                              
* You may bring whatever specialized equipment you require for procedures as long as it would not break cover.                                             
                                                                              
See Datafile 'tablet/scenario' to return to this screen.                      
                                                                              
>                                                                             

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DATAFILE: AUTHORIZATION LEVEL [///BLUE///]

<<<SAT MISSION SCENARIO SMC.CM-1989>>>

-- Expedition Roster --
T1 Iteration X platoon
- Commander Marcus Hale (platoon leader, translator)
- Sergeant Daniel Kowalski
- Specialist Thomas Reyes (security, translator)
- Specialist Michael Okafor (security)
- Specialist Laura Bennett (medic)
- Specialist Steven Nakamura (medic)
- Specialist Robert Varga (communications, translator)
- Specialist Elena Petrov (communications)
- Climbing Team Leader David Mercer
- Lead Climber Jonathan Weiss
- Engineer Peter Novak (gear specialist, ropes, anchors)
- Medic Sarah O'Connell (medic, radio, evac)

T1 Progenitor scientists
- Senior Research Specialist Dr. Helen Marlowe
- Research Specialist Dr. Victor Alvarez

T1 Void Engineer scientists
- Expedition Science Officer Dr. Adrian Volkov
- Field Research Specialist Dr. Miriam Stein

See Datafile 'tablet/scenario' to return to the beginning.

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DATAFILE: AUTHORIZATION LEVEL [///BLUE///]

<<<SAT MISSION SCENARIO SMC.CM-1989>>>

-- Equipment Manifest --
Backpack
Hiking boots
Extra clothing
Sleeping bag
Tent/tarp/hammock
Cooking equipment
Water storage & purification
Lights & batteries
Navigation equipment (compass, maps)
First aid/medical
Communication equipment (handheld short range radio)
Rope, machete, tools, repair kits
Scientific equipment
Food (9 days)
Revolver
20 bullets

See Datafile 'tablet/scenario' to return to the beginning.

>

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--<Amanda>------------------------

Amanda had inquired about doing research beforehand, and had come dressed in a synthesized outfit that practically makes her one with the explorers. Her hoodie is with her in the bag, but the outfit she's wearing could make her blend in completely with the basic science crew. Her backpack of equipment is set on the floor in case Molly wants to check for 'contraband', but everything in there would fit in easily with a science expedition's bag.

Well, maybe a medic, considering the first aid kits within that are loaded down with several bottles of labeled medications, in a variety of delivery forms from basic pill, to creams, to a couple emergency injectors for insulin and epi-pens. All the labels are the sort of thing that medics would carry along.

All the medicine *actually* contained in them? Perhaps not so much so.

She accepts the tablet, flipping it up to re-read the information on it, even as she's out loud saying, "I reviewed it a couple of times, yes." And now is re-reviewing it.

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop could not stop a grin from spreading over his face when he entered the SAT only to see it set up as a conference room. The tall man ran a hand through his red hair and chuckled softly, "I think this might be the first time i have seen the SAT set up like this!" he offered a bright smile, adjusting the backpack he carried and moving to set it down next to one of the chairs before looking at the tablet. He had reviewed the scenario, so he took a moment to offer a smile to each of the others in the room. The revolver strapped to his side seemed very natural to the man, and as Molly called the training to order he focused his gaze to her, "yes Ma'am."

--<Leon>--------------------------

Leon has shown up with appropriate clothing and gear for the trip, and made sure there is a good amount of proper first aid supplies, even to the point of minor surgery, as well as common drugs. Or rather things labelled as common drugs. Just in case. "All right...what is the protocol here?"

--<Molly>-------------------------

Molly pushes her glasses up her nose and nods in satisfaction as everyone arrives having done their homework. "First, welcome to FCA2 and QRC, Dr. Marshall. It's a pleasure to meet you and we're glad to have you on the team. The protocol is fairly flexible. I will manage the simulation. You three will attempt to complete the mission to the best of your abilities. How you decide to do that is entirely up to you."

She turns her attention to the room in general. "I'm attempting something new. This training scenario is based on a past mission. I will not go into further details in case any of you are familiar with it. This is the scenario: there is a Union temporary research station in the Chimanta Massif in Venezuela that has gone silent. Your assignment is to travel to the station, make contact with survivors, assess the situation, then return with intel. That's it. The focus of this exercise is 'value' and the goal of this scenario is to return with more value than you consumed completing the mission. The original mission occurred in 1989, so assume that context. Your equipment is what you would expect for 2025, however."

"You are departing with approximately $3,325 in equipment per person; the manifest is in your dossier if you haven't already sorted through your packs. You may also bring whatever specialized personal gear you require."

"You also are bringing yourselves - worth billions in training and expertise. I will give you one hint: the original mission did not include any T2 or higher personnel. If any of you are "killed", the scenario will automatically be a failure. There is nothing you can return with that will exceed the value of even one of you."

"Finally, you will not be expected to navigate to the location; the scenario will begin at the nearest village; a two-to-three day hike from the research site. SAT room #4 will emit an aerosol compound that will mimic the exertions of a multi-day hike through that environment."

She glances from face to face. "We'll take a moment for any questions, and then start when everyone is ready."

--<Amanda>------------------------

"The advanced research I did had nothing to do with pre-checking the mission, just to be clear," Amanda says aloud. "I just wante4d to make sure that I would blend in as well to the expedition as possible, so as not to disturb cover." Just in case it should be needed to say.

Amanda falls quiet for the rest, nodding at the information that's being given, a look over at Leon at Molly's greeting to him, then back to the group at large as she continues listening.

At the final part, a hand is raised. "Is a spy drone considered 'personal equipment'? I would like to have it, but considering the context, I wasn't sure if that would be considered *too* far out of the concept. Certainly it wouldn't be considered Consensus for 1989, but if we're to assume equipment for this year..."

--<Molly>-------------------------

Molly nods at Amanda. "You may bring modern equipment, even though the mission this is based on occurred in 1989. Assume a modern Consensus. A small drone would be fine."

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop picked up the tablet and flicked it to the manifest, letting his eyes dance over the contents as Molly spoke. With the indication that the original mission took place in the 80s, he reached up and pulled his sleeve back down over the wrist mounted contraption he wore with a slight grin. "ah well, lets not cause to many questions then." he continued to apprise the manifest before looking to Amanda as she asks about the drone. "Shouldn't be hard to mask it as a local bird.. the rumors about birds not being real in the Masses started in the late 2010s so they had probably been in heavy use for a while."

--<Leon>--------------------------

Leon nods. "We'll see how things are. My stuff, well, if I don't have a lab setup, then medical gear's the way to go. Can get a lot out of regular gear than even enhanced, and it'll keep costs down. And...ready when you are."

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop looks to molly then, raising a hand, with a grin, "Do we know what the original team was looking into in this area? any context as to what they were investigating before they vanished? if nothing else this might help determine what 'value' would look like in the area"

--<Amanda>------------------------

Amanda nods at Molly. "Good, good. I don't need to change what's in my bag, then," she says. And then it's back to listening intently to what's being said, re-shouldering her backpack. Just your average scientific researcher here!

--<Molly>-------------------------

Molly looks to Bishop. "The only information you have on the previous expedition is on your tablet." She looks to the others, nods her acknowledgement and taps her own tablet. The conference room fades away into darkness, and a moment later, your typical dense Amazonian rainforest fades in. The conference table is gone, and if you were sitting, now you're sitting on a stump, or a rock. It's hot and wet. Molly collects the extra tablets. In one direction the vegetation clears out and one can see a small village on the bank of a river. In the opposite direction is the trail they'll follow to the outpost you're looking for.

"You can hire porters, if you wish. Otherwise, the mission is now in your hands," Molly says.

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop stands up, reaching down to grab his backpack and slinging it onto his shoulder. He suspected Molly wanted them to figure out that information, so he was not surprised that initial intel was limited. "Well, never mind then, we will figure it out the good old fashioned way. nothing like a little poking around to answer some questions." he hiked the backpack a bit further onto his back, "I would recommend against porters personally, though they would be easier. We don't know what we are walking into and they would be a liability. But I'm open to suggestions if you both think differently"

--<Leon>--------------------------

"If we find things out they shouldn't know, they're loose ends we have to deal with," Leon says. "I mean, we can drug them and make sure they're seen as crazy, or just kill them, but...that might cause other problems. If we can do it in-house, let's try that."

--<Amanda>------------------------

"We shouldn't have enough equipment that we need porters," is Amanda's take on it, in agreement to the others, "It will also make it much more difficult to perform our job under Consensus. Not to mention bringing more bodies along that could attract attention. If the effort fails due to a lack of porters, I feel like we overprepared."

Amanda looks over toward the path, then back to the group. "The drone will be able to make scouting ahead a *lot* easier, but we're too far away to simply stay at base camp and fly it out. I *can* scout the immediate pathway, however." A slight lift of brows makes that an offer rather than just a statement.

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop bobs his head with a smile as the group seems agreed, "Excellent! no porters, just trudging along with our own gear. Reporter, if you would not mind scouting ahead with the drone that would be excellent. i think we can make a bit more distance between the village though before that.. likely anything that dangerous would not be so close." he paused and grinned, "Watch out for anything very brightly colored...i was always told the brighter the animal in the jungle the more dangerous it is."

--<Leon>--------------------------

Leon nods. "Scouting is a good thing. If there's anything we can do to augment the scouting, also good. And then, I think we're ready to go?"

Plans are laid, and everything in the scenario packet indicated following the trail should be the easiest route to the outpost. It's definitely the one the missing expedition took to get there, and it looks like they cleared it out pretty thoroughly; it's still easy to follow. Amanda has her drone out, carefully scouting ahead. It's a relatively easy hike, but it's hot and disgusting and miserable and your packs just get heavier and heavier with each mile. It sure ain't LA!

It's utterly exhausting. Only Amanda is hanging in there, and just barely. Nobody was really cut out for this kind of hike. The sun is lowering as the end of the first day nears, and beneath the canopy useful light is fading fast. It wouldn't be difficult to find a place to set up camp - the previous expedition really cleared out a lot - but you can also keep going if you prefer.

--<Leon>--------------------------

Leon breathes deep, sweating and sore. "Do you really want to keep going in the night when there are predators out there optimized for darkness? Best to rest at a camp we can keep critters away from I say."

--<Amanda>------------------------

Amanda brought her cane with her to help with the hike; it's probably one of the only things helping keep her on her feet. The injury's long since healed, but that doesn't mean the leg doesn't suffer the same aches as the others. She is not made for long hauls, and considering the distance, it'll be multiple days either way.

Amanda pulls her attention back to the here and now, 'withdrawing' from the drone she's been observing from. "Critters shouldn't be a problem," she says, "though even beyond the critters, we can't afford to push too hard. None of us are used to this whole thing. And I'm thinking it'd be best if we take the rest while we have the chance."

"Considering the mountains, Doctor, are you able to improve our oxygen processing?" Amanda looks at Leon, at the man's exhaustion, politely not commenting on it. "I'm regretting not doing more studies on natural biomanipulation, to know how best to induce it in my body; I think it would be very helpful in this climb. Might make things easier tomorrow."

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop is trudging, and drenched. the rain and mist that is pervasive has never been so good before then ti was now as his muscles burned, and screamed at him. he wagged a finger at Leon and nodded, "yeah.. yeah for safety.. critters.. things.. rest.. rest is good. holy shit... " he stretched, groaned, stretched again. "i thought i was in better shape than this but damn, the weather the heat.. clearly i have a lot more work to do. I'm never going to see the forest the same again." he dropped the backpack and began to rummage around inside, "let me do a quick scan of the area make sure nothing weird is around."

--<Leon>--------------------------

"Yes, I have some derivatives from high-altitude. Next, should also see about thermal processing for jungle creatures and how to incorporate that..." He opens his pack, and then a case, trailing a finger along and reading the codes and names that are coded, and..."Here we go. Take one of these, dissolved under your tongue like Nitro is."

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop pulls up his sleeve, wiping his brow with his sleeve as he looks up to take the small pills from Leon. he looks it over, smiles and raises it in thinks, "Ah thank you!" he pops it under his tongue, breathing deeply and then beginning to tap on the computer screen. a small display of the area appears on the screen, with radar like pulses emanating from where bishop stood as he began to move, turning slow to sweep the area for any unexpected influences. "damn Doc.. that really did help holt crap my lungs don't feel like they are on fire anymore!"

--<Amanda>------------------------

Amanda accepts the pill and puts it under her tongue. While that's dissolving, she says, "If you detect any large animals, particularly carnivores, let me know. I can ask the birds, since they're on the wing, but carnivores hold a specific territory. They'd probably be likely to know the *area* of it more than nomadic birds would." While Bishop does his scanning, and Leon does his medical work, Amanda takes time for herself, making sure the drone is working at maximum level in the heat. It needs to be able to handle the moist heat for a few days, after all; if there's anything that seems to be shorting out, it may take some... finagling.

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop gives a small nod,. "Well.. i don't think we are sleeping in a den of murderous trees or entity infused rocks. if a demonic capybara strolls through camp though i wat it known it wasn't here before." he chuckles, "but no, nothing to big, and no other people or entities that pop up. so i think we should be good to try and get some rest before starting out in the morning."

Progenitors have a reputation as miracle workers and Dr. Marshall fits right in. You all feel a million times better, enough so that you can take turns keeping watch and even the rainforest can't prevent a restful sleep. An occasional animal scurries by in the branches above and once something larger came by to investigate, but nothing came close enough to cause any concern. In the morning you're all ready to go, up early enough to pack up camp again in time for the sun to rise enough to provide enough useful light beneath the foliage.

--<Leon>--------------------------

It's the twisted roots that get you. Step down wrong, and it's a twist, wood shredding the pants and leg, almost breaking the bone. There's a snarl and he pulls back up and sits to the side of the trail. "Someone get my pack off, or a first aid pack. There's wraps and splits. I'll tell you how to apply..."

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop was not having a good time. at all. The jungle was supposed to be beautiful, exotic, mysterious. instead it was buggy, and hot, and uncomfortable and it really really wanted to ruin your day. there was something in Bishop's boot, a rock maybe? no knowing, but he decided to sit down and take care of it. The stump he chose tough. was not a stump. The rotted would housed a wonderous colony of ants. A marvel of engineering ruined in a second as bishop's ass squashed through the stump and set the ants scattering onto the man. The attacked with all the mighty they could muster, which was not that much as they weren't bullet ants or anything, but it was enough to send bishop jumping and starting and flailing as the ants crawled into his pants and shirt. The sudden shock and discomfort sent Bishop careening into a tree, bouncing off the branch and then to ground. It thankfully didn't take long to strip down and get all the ants off, and the only remnants of the encounter was the massive bruise on his forehead, and the utter destruction of whatever ego he had.

--<Amanda>------------------------

"We stop here for the night." That's a big 'D'uh' there, but Amanda apparently feels the need to say it clearly, directly. She's definitely doing better, breath-wise, than the other two. Again, the cane helps.

When Leon drops to the ground as he does, Amanda says, "No need to explain in words. That is, if you don't take this poorly." Amanda reaches into her pack, pulling out one of the snack bars. She takes a bite of this, then offers the bar over to Leon. "I hope you're not germophobic," she half-jokes. "I figured this would be a lot more ... socially acceptable than giving you a kiss, anyhow."

--<Leon>--------------------------

Leon takes the bar, leg bleeding, and he's looking a bit pale. "I wouldn't mind a kiss, but whatever gets the.." He breaks off and swallows the bite, and an expletive. "..job done. Once...Once I get bandaged, should be able to do stuff...might need to borrow your cane," he says, harshly through the pain.

Once he's bandaged, well, there's a bit of pain, but no longer losing blood, and he can move. "All right, Bishop. Let's see..." He's breathing, still winded, but calming down. "Good news, looks like there isn't any bleeding, just bruising. And all the ant bites in the world. Amanda, there is a mixed cream--steroids, antibiotics, and more--in the pack. Can you get it out and the the bites Bishop can't reach?"

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop was in a foul mood, as one would expect. "i swear.. that stump was a stump! no one warns dont sit on stumps. its a stump. what is the world coming to when you can trust a stump Doc!?" he sighed, rubbing his forehead, wincing sharply, rubbing his forehead again, wincing again.. maybe he had lost his mind. " i can get the bites.. most of em. I'm sorry Doc, Reporter.. i just.. it was a gods damned stump.."

--<Amanda>------------------------

"Hey, it's fine, Investigator," Amanda reassures him as she goes to the pack, grabbing the cream. "Here. Take as many clothes off as you feel comfortable; I'll get whatever you can't reach. It's fine. I should've noticed and said something. I was distracted." She'll get as much as he needs her to, that can't be reached. Soon enough, it'll be feeling better, no doubt. Doctor's work is absolutely the best here!

"Do you think you'll be good to go tomorrow? Or will we be able to push on from there? I'm thinking having something to scout ahead might be the best plan. It might not keep accidents to zero, but they can add an extra pair of eyes where we don't have it."

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop is in a better mood after the ministrations of Leon and Amanda, though his head will be pounding for a time still. As he worked to set up camp, urging the team to rest he did pause to scan the area again. "No point taking a chance.. lets see.." his brow furrowed slightly and he gave a small, 'huh'. "Looks like there was.. a flood? a bunch of downed trees, likely from a flood that happened not to long ago. The foliage is getting denser for sure, but if the flood was enough to knock down trees, its something be aware of. It might have been a part of what happened to the team. something to be aware of."

Another uneventful night, almost identical to the first. Everyone's feeling mostly fine again and you're getting close. If you leave at the same time in the morning you'll arrive around 10-11 AM.

By the time the sun rises enough for safe travel, everything has been packed up and everyone is ready to go.

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop takes the trip a tad bit slower, checking every stump they past with a suspicious eye, each ant he spies making a little bite on his body throb ever so slightly. As they move, he did take time to note the surrounding, specifically looking to see if the signs of the flood increased or diminished as they moved toward the destination, some times breaking into low humming as they moved. When they reached the very outskirts of the target, he would speak up. "We should send the drone ahead now. take a look, see what we can before getting to close and announcing ourselves. Amanda let me sync with the drone, i might be able to help increase visibility or perception through it."

--<Leon>--------------------------

Leon focuses on staying healthy. Staying active. Staying mobile. No tripping, no heat stroke. And making sure the others stay healthy as well. Boring? Probably. But the best missions are boring and productive.

--<Amanda>------------------------

Amanda is keeping her eyes on the drone, letting it be the 'advance scout' still. Aside from that, she's not doing anything special, other than occasionally looking up to check on whether or not her traveling partners might be getting too close to something or other troublesome. As they get closer, however, Amanda does start checking the local area for spoor. Tracker-style. Checking for signs of unnaturally low activity, or of what could be human passage. She may not be highly trained, but she *does* definitely know how to do this one.

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop nods his head slowly as Amanda fills the group on the outskirts of the clearing. "Alright.. i think we go in for a closer look? let me approach to the tree line so i can see your drone, and I'll see about doing something with the noise and conspicuousness of it. Ill push what i can to the feed, just fly it steady and no crazy sudden movements alright? if it works, and anything starts glowing on your display it means there is a concentration of quintessence on the thing." he looked to the other and rubbed his temple, "And I'll do my best not to touch any stumps."

--<Amanda>------------------------

Amanda nods at what Bishop is saying, looking to Leon and saying, "Be ready. If there's something there that notices, it may be... aggressive." 'Aggressive' is definitely a way to put it. "We don't know, after all, why things disappeared."

Amanda approaches carefully with the drone, watching Bishop nervously as the man gets close, before focusing entirely on what it is the drone's saying to her.

--<Leon>--------------------------

Leon hmmphs. "Ok. I have tranquilizers. Does anyone shoot a tranq gun, or am I gonna have to jab it with a syringe?"

The rainforest clears away a little as it rises up to the base of the tepui, and this space has been further cleared by the previous expedition. There are a row of CUBEs (Configurable Universal Building Element) along the base of the cliff, each CUBE is about 8 feet on a side and can be linked and stacked into whatever shelter might be necessary. There are a lot of CUBEs; enough to house the 16-person team, store supplies, space for a laboratory, and more. On top there were solar panels and a communication array - but it's been destroyed by a landslide in the recent past that also covered one or two CUBEs on one end. There's a diesel generator on that same side, it looks like it was also damaged in the landside.

But there are people: 4 soldiers just standing around, and two laying near one of the closed doors to the outpost. They don't appear to be on guard or doing anything in particular; just standing around. They're covered head-to-toe in jungle fatigues and helmets. They're too far away to get a really good look at them, but two seem to be carrying rifles. The other two seem to be unarmed.

--<Amanda>------------------------

Amanda will keep the reporting up as this image comes through. Adding to it a quiet, "Makes me wish we had the porters; we could send one through first and test the waters." She *sounds* like she's joking. She's still smiling. But then, there's a little stiffness to it with the regards of what all is going on around it.

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop squints slightly as he look at the people. he relays the information through the comms channel. "looks like 6 soldiers in fatigues.. unsure if they are members of the original team or other personnel. they don't seem to be doing much.." he wet his lips and shifted slightly where he squatted outside the tree line, beginning to perform his spatial sweep of the place. "I'm going to see if i can detect any quintessence.. but my gut is telling me these people are note from the original team."

--<Leon>--------------------------

Leon hmmms. "Long as I can get them to take some truth serum, we'll be able to figure out all of what they know. But...if they're not with the expedition, how did they get here? Helicopter?"

--<Amanda>------------------------

Amanda looks over toward Leon. "Doctor, do you happen to have any ability to remotely scan for life signs?" she wonders. "I can get the drone a little closer, but not sure if you're able to do anything from that." She looks to them. "I can use sensors for it, but they're very base. Bringing a super-advanced drone in is just... a bit beyond my clearance."

--<Leon>--------------------------

Leon hmmms. "If it has built-in sensors, I could use those. If not, well, I'll just have to work through them and analyze the results with what I know of our tech." He pauses and looks at Amanda, "You did bring one with the best sensors we had, just a regular shell for camoflauge, right?"

--<Amanda>------------------------

Once everyone is wired up appropriately, Amanda makes sure the readout can be seen, the connections are available, as she gets the drone into an area to inspect. And she observes. And watches. Her lips are a thin line. She doesn't *say* anything, but the anger and self-frustration can be seen. *Someone's* not getting anything. And they don't like it.

--<Leon>--------------------------

Leon links the scanner into the drone controls, getting various inputs back to it, and as Amanda flies the drone, he follows, looking for sings of Life, and... "Ok, whatever those soldiers are, they aren't alive. Could be androids, could be something Deviant....don't know. But they aren't alive. Checking for brain activity...."

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop glowers at the computer a moment, wiping the screen and grumbling something. "Damn. i cant get a clean reading on the quintessence in the area.. to much interference maybe? or maybe the damned humidity is just causing issues with the electronics. hells.." he ran his tongue against the inside of his lower lip. "Something sees off about those.." when Leon says they aren't alive he snorts, "Ah well.. shit that would explain it."

--<Leon>--------------------------

Leon shakes his head. "No brainwaves. Definitely Deviant. Ok, we have to deal with them, and they look armed...and then see what's happening." And then he makes quick notes into the record for transmission back.

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop reaches to the gun at his side, pulling it out and checking to make sure its loaded before putting it back and nodding. "When you checked if they were alive.. did you see ANYTHING alive down there at all Doc? if not.. i wonder how many more of these 'husks' are around that we simply don't see. if they aren't alive, at least we don't have to worry about them being mind controlled. they can be disabled without worry about the people they were"

--<Amanda>------------------------

"Deviant? Or mechanical?" Amanda asks aloud, glancing sidelong. A question in that look that is making certain. "And are they animate at all? I can't tell whether they're statues or if they're .... they're *mobile* statues. I can't tell if they're alive or not, but I definitely take your word for it; there's *nothing* familiar about their movement. I ..." A pause, and then the blunt admission: "I have no idea what to do."

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop clicks his tongue, "Alright, proposal.. I'm going to cause a bit of noise, maybe knock some rocks around or something, anything loud. see how these things react. if they respond to external stimulus aggressively, we put them down hard and fast while keeping a clear escape route for ourselves. if they DONT react, or aren't aggressive, then we can get closer for more investigation and information gathering. Thoughts?"

--<Amanda>------------------------

"Yes. One." Amanda pauses deliberately. "*How* do we put them down hard and fast?"

--<Leon>--------------------------

"Why not just kill them first? Why give a chance?" Leon asks.

--<Amanda>------------------------

Amanda looks over toward Leon. "For one, *how* do you kill something already dead?" she wonders. "And for another, are they even animated, or are they just standing up? The Investigator's idea is still very risky, but it would at least give some clue as to whether they're just standing there... dead. Without wasting whatever resources you had in mind for taking the things on."

--<Leon>--------------------------

"Well, at least immobilize it. Can't trust nerves--maybe cordyceps fungus is in them? But sever muscles, and they're at least immobilized."

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop chuckles, "Well they didn't give us guns for show Reporter. its a valid concern though, but my hope would be remove enough mass from them to cause harm. if you have others options you are welcome to use them. And doc the only reason not to would be alerting other things in the area. if these AREN'T animated or aware, taking them down might simply alert something bigger and nastier to our presence. i think its safe to assume we are dealing with something dangerous here, id rather not it know we are here any sooner than it need to?"

--<Amanda>------------------------

Amanda looks askance at Bishop. "They're *dead*. No offense, Investigator, but guns tend to kill things. Not *double*-kill them. They gave us guns, but somehow I don't think this is ... a 'basic guns' sort of thing. Forgive me if I'm wrong; you obviously know more about the otherworldly sort of thing than *I* do here. I'm flying by the seat of my pants a bit here." A pause. "But there's no doubt it's something suspicious. Knowing whether they're animated or not would definitely give a hint as to *how* suspicious. This is the sort of thing, as a Reporter, I would get as much information on and retreat to call in for Operative backup."

And with discussion on immobilizing, "If you've got something to immobilize them," Amanda adds, looking to Leon, "that could work. I don't know much about cordyceps, but I think it works on neurology. They have none. So I think something physical would work better. Like dropping a tree on them." She's... a simple soul.

While discussing options and making plans, one of the gorgeous brightly-colored birds around here flaps down and lands on the helmet of one of the soldiers. For a moment, nothing, then the soldier DOES move, just a little, and the bird flaps off.

--<Amanda>------------------------

Well. "That answers that, at least," Amanda adds aloud.

--<Leon>--------------------------

Leon snorts. "Ok. They move. Let me see if I can mix something from my drugs that can...disrupt any post-biological methods they have going on. Nerve poison? Don't know..." He gets his pack off and starts looking through the *interesting* part of it.

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop cant help but offer a small chuckle at Amanda's point about double killing things. "well, the first step is gathering information. we don't know much yet, so lets see what they do to some outside influence. let me try and bounce one of those rocks off the generator, see how they react to that external stimuli and then go from there?"

--<Amanda>------------------------

While the two actual *experts* in 'Weird Shit' talk and debate, Amanda does the only thing that for now she *can* do: not ignoring the discussion, but mostly being the listener with little to add in, she turns to start sketching out the retreat path. Looking to see if she can't find something where a simple trap of some form could be set up with what all is available. An available log. A branch that looks like it could fall. Just *something* that if the things come at them, they can use to retreat and to slow them down.

Unfortunately, it'll be an 'au naturel' slowing on Amanda's side, but even a *little* slowdown might save their lives if they have to flee.

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop wipes the screen of the computer her worse once again before pulling up the scan of the area he had taken. he pulled the screen to the generator surrounded by rocks, drawing a line on the device from one of the smaller rocks to the side of the generator, and then letting the computer calculate angles. a trajectory appeared and he grinned, adjusting his wrist to let small kinetic emitter on the computer line up with desired approach to hit the rock just the right way. "its kind of like playing pool.. its where i got the idea for this to begin with." with a button push the machine made a small thrum as it attempted to send the burst of kinetic energy through the air.

Bishop lines up his shot and there's a small 'voof' of invisible energy. A moment later a few rocks on the cliffside come tumbling down, 'clack clack' on the other rocks until one makes a loud crack! as it hits the side of the generator. The soldier nearest the generator turns stiffly and starts stiffly walking towards the generator. The others remain immobile, including the one that was briefly a bird's perch.

Bishop nods, "Alright well they are certainly on lookout. cant really get a good reading on anything from out here, cant get any details till we get closer i think so... might be time to go say hello. Unless you got a way of disabling them Doc, I'll go out first, see what they do. if they turn hostile, and regular means of stopping them prove to no avail... which is likely.. I'll lead them out into the jungle a bit. based on how they move i should be able to outpace them and you can try and get some information about what happened here." he grins, "so long as i don't run into any ant hills should be fine right?"

--<Amanda>------------------------

Amanda straightens up from the work she's doing along that 'pathway', saying to the others, "We should have a straight shot running this way. But please, be careful," she says to Bishop. "Do you have armoring? I'd offer you my hoodie, but... uh...." The 5'6" woman sort of looks him up and down. "... it'd only cover your top, I think. But it'd be better than nothing."

A pause, and an assertion of, "They *do* have guns. And they might not be afraid to use them."

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop looks at the smaller women and grins as she mentions taking the hoodie, "mm.. not sure that would fit very well. no you keep it.. this is part of the job!" he grins, "this is all going to go super smooth!" he grinned, "and we got doc!" he laughed, turning and wishing he felt half as confident as he tried to sound. He headed toward the tee line, pausing to take a breathe before pushing through the tree line. His eyes darted to every bit of cover between him and the CUBE and as he walked forward he made sure to always knew which place to dive to. his hand drifted to the hilt of his gun as he approached the figures. "Hello there.."

The only cover are the trees and bushes Bishop just left behind. When he steps out into the open, one of the soldiers lifts his rifle and you can very clearly hear a 'click click click' as he pulls the trigger, but nothing happens. The soldier starts walking towards Bishop, still pulling the trigger. When Bishop doesn't go down, the other soldier with a rifle does the same, with the same effect. The final two unarmed soldiers also turn towards Bishop, but haven't started walking yet.

--<Amanda>------------------------

"They're pre-programmed." Amanda's voice cuts through. "Whatever made them... *that* has apparently put some sort of mental subroutine in there. The mention of cordyceps might be closer than we like. I think we should get out of here and let the Operatives handle it."

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop lets out a low 'fuck' and then dives to the side, dropping to a knee, and raising his gun for a split second. would it work to stop these? probably not, but nothing ventured nothing gained. and while they seemed to have no ammunition, nothing would stop them getting close enough to batter him with the guns. "not friendly!" his gun exploded in retort, as he opened fire on the closest figure, aiming first for the head, then one for the knee. As Amanda speaks out, he nods, "if they are programmed, we might be able to use that. let me see if they will follow me." with that he would get up and begin to pace back toward the tree line, watching to see if they followed in the same stiff legged movement as before.

It's a clean hit, but it just goes in and doesn't slow it down at all. Well, what do you expect when shooting a corpse?

--<Amanda>------------------------

Amanda is standing at a slight distance, looking at the other two. "Retreat." It's borderline a command. She'll deal with if they get mad at her for it. "We can't study them, we don't have the ability to take them down, and we don't know what happened, but there's no way we *can* find out right at this moment. We need to get out of here. They can't shoot us, but we don't know what they *can* do, and I don't want to risk it."

"Chances are that they may have killed one another," Amanda adds. "They're out of bullets, so they had to have shot *someone*. And my money's on the downed figures."

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop snorts, "Well i owe you a drink Reporter, guns seems.. less the useful." he chuckled, "alright, agreed we cant take them down, but i think we can gather intel still. I'll keep them busy, if you and doc can try and get to the records inside the CUBEs. I can outrun these things for a time, I'll lead them into the jungle and give you guys a clear shot to the CUBEs"

--<Amanda>------------------------

Amanda points down the path. "This way, then, if we're doing it," she says as she makes her way into the jungle a *different* direction. The hoodie will be pulled on *just* in case. Hot? Yeah, it's not likely to be comfortable, but NWO armored clothing is a valuable thing.

--<Leon>--------------------------

Leon gets off the trail as well, and hopefully they can sneak up once Bishop has lured them away. A crackle over radio to him. "Be safe. One of us gets lost, we fail."

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop fires off another shot at one of the 'husks', more to keep them all focused on him. "Come on you bastards, this way!" he started at a jog down the direction Amanda had pointed, and making sure that all the husks were following him, leaving a clear path for the others to investigate the CUBEs

Bishop fires off a shot without really aiming, just to keep their attention on him. Which works just fine. None of them seem to pay any attention to Amanda and Leon as they shuffle off the path and down into the shallow valley... where they find another dead soldier under a fallen tree. Very much looks like the soldier was caught in a landslide or flood and either got caught under the tree and drowned, was killed impacting the tree in the flood, or killed by the tree falling on them.

--<Amanda>------------------------

When they spot the various bodies, Amanda brings out the phone and starts getting some pictures. The important data that might be in the CUBEs is definitely going to need to be taken with, but those should be documented as well.

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop is aware of the traps, eyes darting around to make sure he doesn't run into anything designed to slow them down. Fortunately, Amanda was efficient but not that stealthy so they were easy enough to spot if you knew what to look for. "follow me fellas.. this way. lets take a little walk into the jungle shall we? why don't you tell me about yourself? you play poker? maybe you liked soccer? you probably liked soccer.. you have at vibe. " he kept the husks in clear site, making sure they could see him and firing at them if one every looked like it was turning away. Every time one of them blundered into a trap he would call into the radio, "haha! mark another one for the reporter!"

--<Amanda>------------------------

The advantage of Union coms is that Amanda doesn't have to default to complex silent language: she can just subvocalize into the com as she's headed for the CUBEs: << I have some images of other bodies. They are dead; not animated. They are all under trees. Probably coincidental, but worth taking note of. I'm preparing images to be IDed. And checking for data. >>

--<Leon>--------------------------

Leon watches as well, starting to go to one of the bodies, then stepping back. "No, no tissue samples. First we get the data form the CUBEs, then i can try." He moves toward the CUBEs, where records should be kept. Should be the right one...if it's not buried.

As Bishop leads the four soldiers down the trail, he easily leads them into trap after trap. They're not fast. They're not smart. The first one loses its balance and falls off into bushes on the side of the trail, slipping and sliding into a ravine. The second is hit hard in the face with a branch, but doesn't even notice. The third slips on a pile of smooth stones and lands hard, bending its knee in a ways knees don't bend. It's still moving and attempts to crawl after Bishop, but is even slower now. And then Bishop is out of traps, leaving the 2nd and 4th still shambling after him.

The CUBEs are all completely modular and identical until whatever specialized equipment has been installed. There are two doors on the side facing the trail; one probably to the barracks, one probably to a lab. There aren't many windows and the ones that exist are smudged and dirty and almost impossible to see through. Pulling on the handle of the nearest door does nothing. There is a seriously solid lock on it -- heavy-duty deadbolts with failsafes; when the power goes out, they lock and stay locked. To open them you'll need to restore power, get some really serious explosives, or figure out something clever.

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop gives a small 'hmm' as Amanda mentions IDing them ."Shit.. you are right. we need to know who they were." he paused, turning to withdraw his own camera. he slowed letting them get a bit closer so that he could attempt to get clean pictures of their faces for future identification. "The deserve to be known and recognized.." was it a risk? for sure. "if we don't make an effort to remember our own, who will." that said, the zombies knees were not needed for ID so he would also attempt a couple more shots at those, reloading his gun as he moved.

One might regret getting a clean picture of their faces because these guys have been rotting in the jungle for at least a few weeks. The nametag says "R Varga". R Varga is so rotted and decomposed there's no way he should still be in one piece, much less walking around. But there's some sort of metal exoskeleton holding the skull up. Presumably the rest of his body also. When he moves, there's the faintest whirring sound. Normally it's inaudible due to the rain and rustling of the jungle.

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop almost throws up in his mouth as he gets a clear image of the husk but keep it down. "Sorry friend.." he radios to the others then. "These things have some kind of exoskeleton holding them together. Unsure if it was on them before or after thy died. It might have been tech they were wearing that got compromised or malfunctioned maybe? but the bodies almost seem to be just along for the ride. so if you find any bodies on the ground unmoving, just be aware of them still."

--<Amanda>------------------------

<< They're Iteration-X soldiers. Them having some form of cybernetics, bionics, or the like doesn't surprise me. What it *doesn't* explain is why they're still moving. >> Amanda is replying subvocally, essentially whispering in case they should be heard.

<< .... would it? >> That wasn't entirely rhetorical.

--<Leon>--------------------------

<< Remote software control. Cybernetics running on internal power supplies off of remote commands... Mission Control can override them normally. Surprised they haven't done so here. >> Leon's voice is grim, as he looks for the generator to get it going.

So far the coast seems clear. There are two bodies laying near the CUBEs; it looks like they were either dragged there or their exoskeletons ran out of power. Around the corner is the generator. Fortunately it looks like it's in good shape, but the cables connecting it to the nearest CUBE have been partially buried. Reconnecting the power cables and turning the generator back on should do the trick.

Meanwhile, Bishop is still on the trail with two of these soldiers still slowly coming after him.

--<Amanda>------------------------

<< Be ready to run in case turning the power back on re-energizes those ones, >> is Amanda's caution. << We don't know why some are active and some aren't, after all. For all we know, there might be remote power in the lab. Hopefully not, though. >> Amanda's gotten some pictures. They're gross. They're horrendous. And yet it still needs to be done, and her grim expression says so.

--<Leon>--------------------------

<< Ready...wires cleared and cables plugged in. Starting generator in three...two...one... >> And Leon pushes the button after priming the diesel generator. He's worked with this model before in emergency hospital scenarios.

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop turns to check their progress and how far they had come. "All clear on your guys end? these guys are still just as slow and ungainly as i hoped. a bit more and i will double back to rejoin you guys just in case something else comes up."

On the trail, Bishop has no problem keeping ahead of them as long as he's careful not to trip or sit on any ants. When the power comes back on, it takes a moment but LEDs on the door locks light up again, indicating that they're functional.

--<Amanda>------------------------

<< Doctor, if you can grab photo evidence of the landslide while you're nearby, >> Amanda adds.

The bodies near the CUBEs still haven't moved and don't look like they're going to. When Leon's close enough to see what's going on but far enough away to not get caught in anything dangerous, Amanda opens the door with a good hard yank. And my god - there's only one smell in the world that smells like that, and that's the dead. A corpse in combat fatigues but no helmet, no exoskeleton, comes tumbling out - it looks like he died leaning against the door. There must be more inside - god, that smell.

Meanwhile, Bishop keeps the others busy chasing him through the jungle, tripping up one of them. But he has to keep moving and can't stop to check.

--<Amanda>------------------------

<< Body inside as well. They were leaning against the door. Probably barricading it. >> Amanda is ... *SO* glad she can subvocalize. Keeps her from vomiting. << All dead. Don't know what killed them. Doctor, it's not going to be pleasant but figuring that out might answer the question. Uneducated guess: starvation. Maybe lack of air. >>

<< I don't know why the Iteration-X are still active, but I have guesses. That will be better estimated once we're safe; we need to see if we can get any data they've gathered, to make sure any work doesn't go to loss, then we need to get out of here. This is Operative work. >>

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop grins as another zombie is disabled by nature, something very ironic about the hypertech solider being bested by a tree. he paused, realizing something he had forgotten and started tagging gps coordinates into this computers. this only took a few moments, and then he was moving again. "if they were trapped inside.. maybe the generator went out at the same time as the soldiers turned? no power to call for help maybe? I'm shocked one of them couldn't figure something out?" his voice came through, punctuated with huffs as he maneuvered through the jungle.

--<Leon>--------------------------

<< Let me in. I've dealt with things like this before, >> Leon says through comms. And he has. Anyone who's done medical any length of time has. << Should have standard computer connections and database structures, right? Let's get things on and downloaded. >>

--<Amanda>------------------------

<< Do you want me to go for the data while you check? Or shall I stand guard at the door just in case? >> Amanda moves out of the doorway, turning in place to take in the area. Scanning around, preparing for more pictures.

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop drops another tag of his location, and the location of the husk before talking over the comms. "Alright, we are pretty far abroad now. I've tagged the locations as best i could where the soldiers were, the clean up team should be able to find them and dispose of them well enough. IM going to ditch these things and double back to rejoin you guys and help with data exfil and evac." With that, he turned to look over his shoulder, "Been fun chaps but i got to run." with that he turned, headed toward the most trick terrain he could find and picked up the speed in an attempt to distance and lose the husks to double back

Inside it only gets worse. It's clear that when the power went out the whole complex went into a failsafe mode that sealed the doors and ventilation. It looks like everyone who was inside suffocated - there are signs everywhere that their end was horrible, but they went with a certain professionalism and honor. Three ItX personnel were off-duty, the two Progenitor scientists were also trapped inside. Seven other ItX have been accounted for outside. It's not clear what happened to the rest. But the ones inside appeared to be working to figure out a solution to their problem right up to the very end.

--<Amanda>------------------------

When the computer beeps out its denial, Amanda temporarily forgets about the whole 'subvocal' thing: "*FUCK*!" ... she also is a little dirtier -mouthed than she usually is: "SONNOV-...." She at least isn't so angry as to punch the machine or anything like that, but the vocal annoyance sure wouldn't be missed.

--<Leon>--------------------------

Leon hears the swearing, and goes over. "Let me try," he says. "I bet I can get this."

Highly secure computers that are in lockdown mode because someone guessed the wrong password are no match for Dr. Marshall. After cracking the case open and resetting some switches, he gives it another go and the lab computer is happy to comply. A brief glance through the records show that specimens were being collected from the top of the tepui and analyzed at the outpost below. Because they didn't know what dangerous flora or fauna they might bring back, Class X biocontainment protocols were in full effect.

Personal logs tell a harrowing story of incredible bad luck: a storm arrived sooner then expected and flash flooding washed the climbing team off the cliffside before they could complete their descent. Security went outside to search for survivors but were caught in the same landslide that also damaged the communication array and generator, which triggered the lockdown failsafe. At first the people caught inside thought the survivors outside would bring the power back online, but eventually they realized that there were no survivors and they were on their own. Unfortunately Class X biocontainment is Class X for a reason.

--<Leon>--------------------------

<< All right. We have everything they had, and why they failed. Primary recon complete. We need to get out, >> Leon says. << If one of these moving corpses goes down, let me know so we can get samples and document /that/. >>

--<Amanda>------------------------

The alert is given out for said retreat, and Amanda is more than happy to disengage along with it. She's notably quiet, her expression suggesting that she's seething. Mildly, but still. Seething. But 'seething' doesn't mean the work is done: << I'll do the same with the barracks as the lab. Cracking the door. Be ready to run if there's danger in there. >>

A pause, and << And you can handle the computer if it is safe, >> is added to the doctor.

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop is heading back through the jungle when the question comes through about bringing back a moving corpse. "really? damn Doc can i just get a fruit basket or something and call it even." he sighed, turning back around down the path. "one broke a knee.. let me see what i can do.." with the he headed back toward the path he had come from, looking for the one husk that was moving but crawling. "Do we know what drove them crazy or killed them?"

--<Leon>--------------------------

"Landslide knocked power out. CUBEs sealed under Class X biohazard protocol. They suffocated inside. Now /what made the corpses outside get up and walk again/?"

Leon finds the answer to his question a moment later. Inside the barracks it's empty of people. There are the bunks and footlockers as expected, and a row of spindly, lightweight exoskeletons hanging on one wall. At a glance, the ones that are here are the ones assigned to the ItX personnel that were trapped inside. The others are all missing.

The computer isn't a data repository, but the main control unit of the exoskeletons. Skimming the info it looks like ItX was using this mission to also test out their prototype ARDE units - Autonomous Recovery & Defense Exoskeleton. They're designed to keep the wearer mobile even after serious wounds and evacuate the wearer back to a safe location for medical treatment or further evac. They also have various failsafe states: they're programmed to keep their wearer safe until they can be retrieved, to keep a dead soldier safe until it can be retrieved for proper burial, and to defend the evac point.

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop listens to data relayed over coms, "hah! called it! the exoskeleton was the issue!" alright then I'm not going to worry about bringing the corpse back for now. maybe turn them off if you can? i have markers on the coords for most of em, should give recovery an easy enough time. Anything else then.. or should be prep for evac?"

--<Amanda>------------------------

Amanda *will* do the door-guarding this time, keeping an eye open for the other bodies to potentially get up. When the data's gotten and recovered, Amanda looks back to the group. "Evac," is her one-word take on it. No more is added. Perhaps salty enough she doesn't trust herself not to say something regrettable later.

Someone is a sore loser(?) when it comes to errors like that. And *someone* still apparently isn't good at just waving them off.

The three-day hike back is uneventful and thankfully much easier - whatever the simulator was using to replicate the exhaustion has apparently been turned off. Or maybe it's because it's not raining. Or maybe because it's downhill. Probably all three. But once the riverside village comes into view again, things suddenly get darker. At first it's like the sun went behind a cloud, but then it just keeps going until pitch blackness. A silence that is almost overpowering after days in the rainforest... or was it only a few hours?

Everything fades in again and instead of the heat and wet it's the familiar air conditioned air of the Construct's sub-basements. Here's the conference table. There's a holo-screen with a map of the scenario, little glowing dots with initials and numbers marking the location of the bodies of the previous expedition. Another screen lists supplies brought and expended in one column, and data retrieved in a second column. Finally, there's Molly, standing at the edge of the conference table, tablet in hand, just as you left her. The coffee cup, however, is missing.

It's a bit disorienting.

--<Molly>-------------------------

"Welcome back, everyone," she says. "Please feel free to drop your packs and have a seat. I'm sure you're all ready for a break." She takes a seat herself. "You'll be pleased to know each of you performed brilliantly. Excellent teamwork, and superb return on investment." She checks a note. "There's very little else you could have done to increase the value of your mission; going after those crumbs would have quickly reached a cost/benefit plateau. Again, very well done." She looks up from her tablet. "Any questions?"

--<Amanda>------------------------

For Amanda, there's little to say. Not common for her to be wordless, but... there you have it. Even that usual smile is ... there, but perhaps a tad 'wrong'. For those good at reading emotions, it's pasted-on. Even moreso than it normally would be.

She keeps the look of satisfaction on her face, hands laced in front of her, attentive. She's here for the debrief. She's listening to what's being said. She's there to take the information in.

And she's struggling to look as happy as the other two are. Because it's not that Leon had to save the day. Her praise to him was genuine. It's her *own* shortcoming that is driving her spare right now, and it's all rattled up.

"I'm fine. I'm just ready to go back to work," is what Amanda says to that. The tone of someone insisting she's *very busy*, really. Although one question: "Will there be follow up, or additional, training events later?"

--<Leon>--------------------------

"Well, now I know what to work on for field work. Long distance hikes are not my thing." He relaxes, and then looks at Molly. "Are we cleared to know what happened with the actual follow-up mission? If so, what did happen with it?"

--<Bishop>------------------------

Bishop gives a small groan as the stress and exhaustion starts to drain from the muscles of the man. "Hells that was something.. im right there with you Doc, i don't know the last time i had to do a hike like that but clearly i need to work on that.." he shudders slightly, "I'm never going to look at ants the same again." he itched at his neck and back, the phantom feeling still dancing on his skin. He looked to Amanda then, something in her voice giving him pause a moment. his eyes narrowed a brief moment before chiming in. "I want to thank you both for keeping me alive in that! i can be a bit brash and bull headed at time, so thank you." he looked to Amanda and grinned, "And you were right on the money.. guns were largely useless except to serve as bait. honestly i should have thought about that.. so excellent work adapting to the situation." he smiled warmly to the pair, and then to Amanda, "I think we could all do with some cross training! Amanda you need to show me and Doc how to survive outside the urban life I'm used to, and maybe i can share some of the technical aspects we encountered." he seemed earnest in his idea, a smile broad on his face before looking to Amanda. "I'm with the Doc.. i do want to know what actually happened in that."

--<Molly>-------------------------

Molly nods at the three in turn as they discuss the training scenario and ask their questions. While they're talking a SAT technician in white overalls arrives and gathers up the backpacks. Another young man in a sharp black suit arrives with a fresh cup of coffee for Molly. She responds to each in turn.

"You seem frustrated about locking down the computer. Am I reading that right?" she asks Amanda. "If I am, all I can suggest is that you learn from the experience. That was the whole point of the exercise and why we operate as a team whenever possible. This is the essence of Mutuality."

She turns her attention to the others. "Would things have gone as smoothly without the Reporter's drone skills? I think it certainly made things easier." She grins slightly. "And having one person who can manage a jungle hike was certainly beneficial. Her use of a cane for so long and I'm sure hyper-awareness of her body's limits may have greatly contributed to her ability to manage that hike."

She nods to Leon and taps her tablet. A holo-screen flickers and the map of the scenario is replaced with the original unredacted mission report from 1989. The report also appears on the tablets on the conference table; everyone has high enough security clearance. Molly summarizes: "The original recovery mission started with much better intel. The planners knew the expedition's combat capabilities and assumed whatever had caused them to lose contact was of comparable lethality. They sent a team of ten hand-picked T1 specialists which turned out to be overkill. They disabled the ARDE units with an EMP gun which made the rest of the mission relatively trivial. However the QRC team often has to go in blind with whatever members are available, so I thought this would be a suitable test of teamwork and creativity. And with all training scenarios, often times failure is more educational than success."

Then she turns her attention to Bishop. "I think we can all agree on that. This scenario has shown us some areas of improvement we can work on, which was the intent. Though Dr. Mitchell's skills rectified that particular problem - again, an excellent example of teamwork - life in Los Angeles may have made us a bit soft. I'd suggest, time permitting of course, that Dr. Mitchell may want to develop personalized training regimens for each of us. Myself included."

She glances at her tablet, taps, swipes, then looks up again. "Is there anything else? If not, then we're finished here. Thank you, everyone, and well done. Dismissed."