LSDF Val'ta, Launch Deck, Shuttle 1
Porrim gave J'ann one of those looks of motherly disappointment in the either zeal or innocence of the entertainer's drive to join the trip. "Honey, you're making assumptions. This may not be simple. Hell, we've barely even gotten into our shuttles..."
The hatches begun to close as everybody piles in and the engines begun spooling up, helpful indications stating that oxygen levels were adequate, and to strap in. "...and there's already been a potential diplomatic incident I can't be fucked doing the paperwork for if it escalated."
"This is Curator Alpha, taxiing into takeoff position," the pilot in the shuttle called out across radio as the vessel begun to float, turning around and aiming for the row of lights along the launch deck that pointed the shuttle towards the planet. "Thrusters on, and commencing launch in three... two... one..."
Over the radio, Shuttle 2's pilot started talking. "Curator Beta, moving into takeoff position." As Shuttle 2's occupants begun moving, Shuttle 1 took off. The whole cabin and its occupants shook as the shuttle went through the hardlight barrier that separated the void from the Launch Deck. Then freedom into space, beautiful, endless space to be explored, on a vector for Misato City.
"Curator Gamma," Shuttle 3's pilot announced as Shuttle 2's engines wound up and let fly, going into space, "moving after Beta launches."
Outside meanwhile, pit staff were directing the Whirlwinds to queue up for the catapult with marshalling wands to direct their movement as the third shuttle launched. "You'll launch one at a time, after the shuttles are clear." Sensors and the waving wands of the marshals closer to the exit confirmed things were ready to roll after a moment. "Shuttles are clear of the launch area. You are clear for takeoff."
Tange IV, Misato City, Wrecked Town Square
♫ Risk of Rain - Aurora Borealis ♫
Once upon a time, tens of thousands of pairs of feet walked across the grass grouted tiles and cracked asphalt in this town gathering area. Surrounding it upon the empty mixed-development buildings were large billboards, formerly electronic and lit up to advertise all the perks of a new life. The advertisements were right, but the new life of the previous inhabitants wasn't going to be here. Instead, living the dream were gnarled trees and tall grass, now no longer being pushed down by maintenance.
The air was crisp and misty, visibility ending at about a kilometre as calm winds brought snowflakes with them, sprinkling gently against the carpet of white that some of the plants had been able to survive. One plus of the infrastructure was that the gently heated walkways still seemed to be working, giving the plants a guaranteed place to grow without the snow interfering.
A moment later, the wind became turbulent as one shuttle, then two, then three were hovering about thirty metres over the town square. They had been looking for a large enough spot to touch down on together, and something close enough to all points of interest. They were staying well above the city too, trying to avoid running into buildings or disturbing the less structurally sound looking ones. The last thing they needed was another building going down.
Slowly, they begun descending together in a tight group, occupants inside now undoing their restraints and getting ready to move. "Curators Alpha, Beta, Gamma, provide overwatch with the Mecha team once we leave," Porrim directed as she watched the altitude drop steadily. Once it reached ten metres, the hatch begun opening and the shuttle continued moving down. The captain stood up and squatted at the exit, looking outside and down before there was only a metre between her and the ground.
She jumped out first and landed gracefully, large wings guiding and softening her fall. She took a few steps ahead and out at the other two shuttles, whose hatches had opened and were hovering a meter above the ground steadily. Pleased that the landing had gone well, Porrim looked at her map and re-evaluated the points of interest that were found from closest to furthest away from the group's position.
Porrim's Field Datapad said:
- City Park - Distress Beacon? Farm? - 3KM NNE
- Collapsed Skyscraper - Worth Investigating? - 4KM SE
- Carpark with Shacks - Odd. Maybe deserters, survivors or remnants. - 5KM NWW
- Aoi Tanaka Radio Station - Could be interesting. Surviving AI? - 3 KM NW
She watched her breath in the air as she waited for the rest of her team to disembark. She still had to split them and dismiss the shuttles for patrol duty. She also looked skyward for the Mecha. Three Whirlwinds should've been hovering over the ruined city too.
