You won’t take me, you won’t break me,

[out_of_time]

WHO: The Dependables.
WHERE: Iron Crown, caves on the south side of the island- Dolvanian territory.
WHEN: Forward-dated to early morning on the 1st of August [Dolvanian time].
WARNINGS: Violence, possibly. Scratch that, probably.
SUMMARY: Welcome to the Iron Crown island. The sun is just coming up, the air is clear and windy with a chance of flurries, and the thermostat reads as too damn cold. The team arrives on the island, sets up camp, and conducts reconnaissance of their target. Last-minute plans and problems develop.
FORMAT: Paragraph to start, anything afterward. Two threads here- one for settling into the camp and one for taking a discreet look at the target.

Jack took his first breath of cold Dolvanian air as he felt the effects of Zatanna’s magical teleportation pass over him. In the blink of an eye the team had gone from the East Coast of North America to this desolate rock in the Pacific. It was a hell of a trip, but they had no time to be disoriented.

“Let’s get this place sorted out,” he whispered. “Geddoe, start setting up a camp. We need to do a perimeter sweep to make sure no one’s around, then get the parachutes out to make it look like we airdropped in.” As he talked he was already shucking a heavy black bag off his shoulders and zipping it open, taking out supplies. “Once we’re set, we’ll do an initial recon of the target.”

The mission was on.

Comments

[gofortheoptics]

[Welp, might as well be straight-forward with people here]

--that's what I'm saying. I'm not -- human, regularly. This is just to make sure nobody get suspicious of my usual form.

I'll keep that in mind about the socks, though. I've got some boots, but they don't look quite as heavy-duty as yours.

[symmachy]

[Scatty doesn't look surprised at all.]

Probably a good plan. What is your usual form? [A beat.] If I can ask. And Next time, I'll bring a pair to lend you.

[gofortheoptics]

It's easier to show than explain, but I don't want to get too comfortable in my suit and then have to come back into the cold.

[She laughs, shaking her head.]

It didn't seem fair to hide in my suit while everyone else freezes, either. My people are called quarians, a dextro-amino based race.

[symmachy]

[Scathach knows very little about biology or any science at all, so she just nods politely.]

Ah. Well, I'm sure we all appreciate that. [A short pause.] I'm not human either, for the record. [Even though she looks to be just a teenage girl.]

[gofortheoptics]

It seems to be more common than people think, here.

[She raises an eyebrow, though.]

Do you have another form, or is it something a little more subtle?

[symmachy]

[The redhead smiles to show her elongated incisors.]

Only subtle with my mouth closed.

[gofortheoptics]

[She's familiar enough with the human myth.]

Well, I guess I'd have a problem with that. Shepard always did say I secretly had a big mouth.

correct me if i'm wrong about this

[symmachy]

[Scatty laughs, and shifts so that Tali can sit if she wants to.]

I don't think we've met before now. I'm Scathach.

Nope I think that's right

[gofortheoptics]

Tali. And no, I don't.

[She settles down next to Scatty, rubbing her hands together for warmth.]

whew

[symmachy]

[Scathach had a somewhat natural aversion to fire, but she wasn't going to complain about it right now.]

Well, it's nice to meet you, Tali. Circumstances and all.

[gofortheoptics]

And you. I'm glad to see that the people here are as prepared as I was hoping.

[symmachy]

From what I can tell, most of us have done this kind of thing before.

[gofortheoptics]

I don't think Jack would have it any other way, honestly. Not with a mission this important to him, you know?

[symmachy]

[She nods, agreeing.] He wouldn't bring rookies.

[gofortheoptics]

Most people don't, so long as they have a choice.

[She pauses.]

It's good he's got a choice.

[symmachy]

The pick of the litter, if you will.

[gofortheoptics]

I'm sure it's an advantage he's not exactly used to.

[symmachy]

But one that's going to help us get out of this alive.

[gofortheoptics]

Well, yes. It's definitely a new and welcome idea, trust me. Suicide missions were the norm back home.

[symmachy]

[She gives a short laugh.]

For a while, those were all I did. But I... settled down as I got older.