After time to settle in, it was the great Doctor Klaus Heilemann’s first expedition out with his new intern. -Married- intern. Which might have bothered him the first day or so, but quickly found her too charming and accomidating for him to be angry with. In fact he was quite glad to be alone with the woman without the prying eyes of soldiers and reseach assistants. He and his intern were out deep in the jungle, a sanctioned area already deemed ‘safe’, and were collecting new samples. “Miss Sammy, you are doing quite weel, quite well… make sure to mind the stems and get a good long clipping. Yes, yes, like that.” He was leaning nice and close. The girl smelled like soap and fresh soil, how delightful! -Telara
Telara: They had been out collecting plants in to small trays for at least three hours now, and Telara loved every moment of it. Every single planet she saw was something new, at least to her. Regardless of whether or not some had already been worked on by former interns, she couldn’t wait to take a more detailed examinination herself. Telara grinned at the Doctor over her shoulder, leaning back on her haunches and dusting her hands over her pants. "I’m glad I’m doing a good job. It’s getting close to lunch, Doctor Heilemann. Do you want me to take these samples back now and take a break? I really wouldn’t mind staying a bit longer." -06:07 Jul 20
“Well, now, I wouldn’t turn down a few extra hours with a willing intern.” said the Doctor, patting her gently on the shoulder with a wiiiide grin. But he paused suddenly when there was a rustle in the bushes nearby. His hand very quickly coming off her shoulder as he cleared his throat. “A few more samples then. We only have a few more areas to go through.” -Telara
Telara: Telara squinted at the jungle around them, looking for the source of the sound. A few times she had spotted wild animals before, which was always fun! A few were furry, some looked reptilian… Plants might have been her first love, but animals were surely a close second. She gave a soft laugh at the Doctor’s tensing, assuming he wasn’t as keen on them as she was. "Don’t worry, Doctor. I can get through them very quick if you’d like to head back yourself." -06:14 Jul 20
He scoffed, almost blustering in an embarrassed bit of hurt pride. “Nonsense. I am here for your guidance. These areas have been rigorously scouted by the Queen’s Soldiers and deemed clear and safe for researchers. Of course, many a young intern has gotten cocky and wandered out in to the jungle to be lost on expeditions like this. I will not leave you alone for an instant.” He had every intention of staying there. But there was another rustle. A loud rustle. And the Doctor was gone without another peep! -Telara
Telara: "I really don’t intend to go wandering off in the ju-…. Doctor Heilemann…?" Telara glanced over her shoulder, and the man was no where to be found! Which… was a little baffling, because at the very least she should see or hear him running through the trees had he gotten spooked and ran away. "Doctor, this really isn’t f-!!" When she stood and turned around, she got a very clear look of what happened to the doctor. And before she could scream… she was out! -06:19 Jul 20
[Nicholas enters.] -06:29 Jul 20
[(Timeout) Nicholas has timed out.] -06:31 Jul 20
Nicholas: It had been a boring day in camp. Sitting around and waiting for his wife and that pervert to get back from the jungle hopign he wasn’t being made a cuckhold. Lunch came and went, him holding onto their in htheir tent and after an hour he started to get worried, grabbing his weapons and coat he started along the path they had left on and kept his eyes on the trees. He had a bad feeling about this. -06:32 Jul 20
Finding the designated area for the botanist’s current expedition was easy enough. There was a simple trail to follow, and the small camp marked out with long strings of yarn to know which sections had been covered and which still needed to be looked over. In fact, all of their things were still there. Several trays filled with dug up plants, now wilting without the attention, and little bags of seeds scattered around on the jungle floor. There was no sign of the Doctor or his intern. -Telara
Nicholas: Thsi was more worrying that thier mere absence. This area had been searched but surely they knew to stay on the trail and thier area… he frowned and drew his sword before searching for signs of a trail. -06:39 Jul 20
A little farther from the small camp there was a another trail. Almost unnoticable, except there seemed to be broken limbs and scattered leaves, fresh ones, from something the had been dragged for a bit before getting picked up. There were oddly shaped foot prints in the dirt, heading deeper in to the jungle! -Telara
Nicholas: With that proof he drew his pistol. They were not just for killing but primitiv natives usually ran from the loud sound they made. If it came to a fight though he had other plans. He hurried but not so much that he lost the trail, not that it was hard to follow. The prudent thing to do would bb to get backup but his wife was out here, and he sisn’t liek her in the wands of unknown aliens. -06:46 Jul 20
The distance was a fair bit away from the areas the Queen’s soldiers had deemed safe. The sound of a large stream could be heard and finally came in to sight and the jungle trees opened up to a secluded pond with a tall waterfall on the side of a short cliff. There were cave openings, though Very large cave openings with little carved symbols marked near the entrances. -Telara
[Nicholas enters.] -07:08 Jul 20
Nicholas: He kept his eye on the trail if footprints as he aproached but also remained alert for movement. He had no idea what he was facing, but whatever it was would be facing the determination of a man who has seen battle, and has dealt with natives before. -07:11 Jul 20
When looking past the waterfall in to the cave, there was a light far at the other end. Daylight, meaning it opened up to another area of the jungle on the otherside. When drawing nearer, there were sounds similar to drums coming through. Chattering and twittering that might’ve been discussions had it sounded more like human speech. -Telara
[(Timeout) Nicholas was sacrificed to the roleplay gods by a tribe of wild newbies.] -07:18 Jul 20
Nicholas: He moved quicker, more sure of his direction and once at the other side he peered out to see what he could find. The professor could rot, but he wasn’t leaving his wife to die at the hands of savages, even if he had t show them what teh queen’s men could do himself. -07:18 Jul 20
There on the otherside was a bustling, very tiny little village… but the people did not look like people beyond familiar arms, legs and torsos. Covered in a strange mix of fur and scales, they were all going about normal daily tasks. Cooking meals outside of tanned tent homes, making things, chattering away… But a wooden made cage could be seen not too far away. Inside it were several frightened looking animals and one very annoyed looking Doctor Heilemann. His intern was nowhere to be seen! -Telara
Nicholas: So best casr scenrio she was back at camp, worst, that tub of lard was his only lead… he stepped out into baud daylight and sartated walking towards the village, then lifted his gun into the air and fired, any creature woulf be scared, then things might not be, either way they better not get in his way. -07:26 Jul 20
There was quite a bit of chaos as the village people started scattering! Smaller ones went running to the trees, some huddled in their tents. But the larger ones were up and grabbing weapons of their own. Spears with stone edges, strange looking devices that almost looked like guns. They were circling the intruder ready to prod at him. The Doctor looked estatic to be rescued! “Thank the Queen! Get me out of this cage, good man! Quickly now! God only knows what these savages are up to!” -Telara
Nicholas: He stopped, not advancing on them while they blocked hsi way, but he stayed erect anp pointed at the doctor with his sword letting them know his intent. "You’ll get out soon enough." he said in reply to the doctor. "Where is my wife?" -07:35 Jul 20
Many of the warriors looked very confused, but at least they understood the gesture. They still weren’t moving though. None of them seemed to want to go anywhere near the cage. “I am telling you, let me out of here immediately! The poor girl might already be skinned and eaten for all I know of these beasts! They dragged her off to one of those tents and I have not seen nor heard a squeak from her since!” -Telara
Nicholas: "Which tent?" he asked moving to the side to walk around the warrios if he could. He didn’t want to cause violence, but if they trued to stop him he would if he had to. -07:41 Jul 20
“The one with the red– No see here, you let me out of this cage right this instant! This is not something to be toyed with, boy, you don’t know what these savages might be capable of! Shoot them and get me out of here!” he rattled his cage, sending the poor little animals inside it scurrying around his feet. The warriors were very wary of the screaming beast in the cage, but kept their weapons trained on the one with the loud boomer. As he moved, they moved. Stepping to the side, not sure of where he was going, but not seeming to make any moves to attack or defend if he didn’t! -Telara
Nicholas: He pointed at the tent the professor had indicated and circled in it’s direction. Then moved closer to the cages. "Don’t move…." he pointed the gun at one of the animals and pulled the trigger as a demonstration as to what it could do, then pointed it at the locals and pointed at the professor, then the tent again. He wasn’t leaving without them. -07:49 Jul 20
With the loud boom of the gun, the dead critter, and the Doctor’s sudden shouting, the warriors got the idea! All of them looked a great deal more nervous, but they didn’t get in the way. …all but one! One very brave alien refused to be startled, and almost like a challenge he was approaching the stranger. He kept his spear pointed, but he gestured sharply at the tent and was the first to duck inside. -Telara
Nicholas: "I’ll be back for you." he told the professor. "Don’t do anything stupid." sword point first he followed the alien into the tent readt to slice that head right of that spear if he had to and keeping half an eye out behind himself in case they others tried to rush hum or the professor forgot not to be an idiot. -07:57 Jul 20
Telara: Inside the tent was Telara sitting cross legged with a variety of things in her lap, from little bowls of what looked like food to a big pile of leaves that she was looking over. Behind her was one of the smaller villagers, marvelling at her hair, and standing now to the side was the warrior looking incredibly cross. Gesturing at Telara in question to see if that is what the stranger wanted. When Telara spotted him, she was immediately reaching her hands out for him. "Nicholas…! Did you know how many of these you can eat..!" She was either very drunk, or very high. Either way she was delighted and unharmed. -08:02 Jul 20
Nicholas: Nicholas was caught between being happy to see her and being irritated that she’d try untested plants just because aliens with most likely incompatible physiology saif she could. "You look happy.." he said a smile creeping across his features in spite of himself and his sword was pushed into it’s shieth and he used that hand to toutch her cheek lightly. "But you know you shouldn’t be eating things you don’t know are safe. These people might have immunities you don’t.. you could be poisoned." -08:08 Jul 20
Telara: "I didn’t want to offend them or scare them… They already had a bad turn with the Doctor when I woke up." she was very happy to see him. Enough to pull him down, very ungracefully to sit with her and offered him one of the bowls. "This tastes very sweet and it’s my favorite, but I’ve discovered the flower petals of… oh, where is it… this flower!" She fumbled around until she found it in her hair and pulled it out to offer him too. "This flower makes you um… a little tinglie." She wiggled her fingers near her head, laughing in the process. -08:13 Jul 20
The standing warrior knelt nearby and he spoke with a weird combination of clicks and grunts to get her attention. He gestured towards the stranger, then at his weapons. -Telara
Nicholas: He put botht he flower and the bowl down and instead put his hands either side of her head and pulled her closer. "And what if you had gotten sick?" he asked. "Then what? I would never have known what happened to you. He was ignoring the warrior for now, he was much more concerned about Telara. "I don’t want to lose my wife Telara." -08:17 Jul 20
Telara: "I… hadn’t thought of that…" It seemed to resonate with her enough to temper her mood. The worry on his face made her respond the most, making her rest her hands on his and looking very apologetic. "I’m sorry, Nicholas. No more experiments, I promise." -08:23 Jul 20
The warrior seemed very interested in the exchage. Enough so that he relaxed and lowered his own weapon. He fussed at the other in the sent, sending them out with a few grunted clicks. Possibly to explain to the ones waiting outside. He, however, stayed there. Staring with interest! -Telara
Nicholas: He kissed her forehead gently and let go of her holsterign his gun and taking her hand to hold in his lap. "Do you wnt to go rescue your boss, or see what thier leader wants first?" -08:25 Jul 20
Telara: "I think they are just curious to who and what we are… I’m not a linguist so I can’t be entirely sure." Now that he wasn’t upset, she was happy again. Sleepily leaning against his arm and shoulder. "Poor Doctor Heilemann had no idea what to do and paniced, which ended up with him in that cage. I tried to explain what we were doing, and I think they understood that I like plants… so they brought me all sorts to look at and food to try. I think I lost track of time." -08:30 Jul 20
Nicholas: He closed his arms around her and leaned his head against hers. "I started looking for you an hour after the lunch bell." he said "Its about two now." he sighed. "I have better give these people a peace offering before we leave, I think I scared a few of them. But I’m just glad you’re safe." -08:33 Jul 20
The warrior spoked up again, lifting an arm to point at the opening of the tent in annoyance, off in the direction the doctor was caged. At Telara it was a much gentler, but more confused motion. He was looking for answers himself, and decided this creature was the head creature. It had weapons. -Telara
Telara: "I am safe… they’ve been very kind to me. I can’t really feel my legs, but that is probably my own fault." Telara seemed to think it was funny, anyway. She was grinning still, glad he was there and not in any sort of rush. -08:44 Jul 20
Nicholas: Following the gesture he looked at the professor and sighed. "I suppose we should free him, after making him promise not to do anything rash. They probably thought you were gathering food in the forest." he held up his hand and then used hsi other hand to put Telara’s in his, a clear indication to the tribe’s apparent leader that they were a couple. Though expaining the professor would be tricker. The thought of trying to convince the natived the professor was his servant crossed his mind but he thought better of it. He pointed to Telara, the at the professor and then piced up one of the leaves and mined examining it. "Hope that gets the point across." -08:49 Jul 20
Giving some acknowledgement, the warrior seemed to have a vague understanding. He gestured to things they offered to Telara and then at the tent opening, motioning that they were welcome to leave. He even made his exit first. Shooing away those that were still lingering with weapons drawn. He was chittering away at them, explaining all as best he could about the creatures. -Telara
Telara: "I love my job…" she sighed in a pleased way. Giving Nicholas an all too adoring look. He had been worried and came to rescue her. Very few people who do such a thing. "We’ve made friends with another people, no one has ever seen before. And I had only come for the plants." -08:58 Jul 20
Nicholas: He held onto her hand and stood, taking her with him outside and heading towards the cage. "It almost ended badly though…" he said "I would have killed them if they got between me and you." finly getting to the cage he looked at the professor. "Do anything stupid and I’ll put you back in here myself. You scared them that is why you’re in here." -09:05 Jul 20
Telara: Telara was very light and wobbly on her feet. She made sure to hold tight to his hand and on occasion to his arm when she needed the extra balance. Even at the chance of it ending badly and him having killed someone made her smile. Something like that -shouldn’t- make her smile, but what it meant and how it made her feel was a very giddy thing. "Everything is okay, Doctor Heilemann. They don’t seem to be aggressive at all. When we return to camp you can tell your colleges that you have discovered the first native people!" -09:08 Jul 20
The Doctor was almost shaking the cage again, but with Telara’s words, that seemed to give him a nice bolster of confidence. “Well… yes! Yes I can. Poor creatures, of course they would be frightened of a strong alien race. I will attempt to look as least threatening as possible. Do let me out of this contraption and get us back. I am famished.” -Telara
Nicholas: "I had a flower you could have eaten but I dont’s ahnt to carry both of you back." he said intying the cage and letting him.. just him not the other creatures out. Then retying it in a bow he picked up his wife and started leading the way back his Telara bridal style in hsi arms. -09:12 Jul 20
Telara: "Hello there, husband…" More smiling a bit of giggling, she draped her arms around his neck and nuzzled his cheek. He was wonderful and strong and amazing… she really did have quite a few words to describe him rolling through her head. -09:16 Jul 20
The natives watched curiously as they left the village, none moving to bother them as they left. Though a few looked very nervous about the Doctor being let out. None followed! The Doctor stayed closed to the Captain’s heels, giving the girl a very peculiar look. “I do say, girl, you are behaving strange. Cut that nonsense out, every thing will be just fine now!” -Telara
Nicholas: Before he left he did leave something for the tribe, a small dagger that looked starper than anything they had. They’d find utility for it he was sure. "He’ll be cause seen." he promised Telara. "Theres food waiting for you and then you’re going to shake off whatever you ate, and I’ll be right next to you." through the cave and back to the trail to camp. He didnt stop at the wiltine samples, if the professor wanted them he couls get them himself. -09:21 Jul 20
The Doctor was at least a professional. Even when the Captain was moving on, the Doctor stayed behind to gather up everything that was vitaly important. He wouldn’t let a morning of work go to waste. -Telara
Telara: "I feel just fine." she mumbled soft, a giggling following it. Where her attention had been focused on the neat leaves before, now it was entirely on him. "You came to rescue me, in the middle of the jungle, without anyone to help… that’s as foolish as eating strange plants." -09:26 Jul 20
Nicholas: "Hey at least I was trying to help someone." he teased entering camp and makign a bealine for their tent and laying her down on the cot. "And the professot gets to tell everyong about the natives, so everyones happy." he got her a big flass of water and gave it to her to drink, it should help. "Just don’t eat any more until they’ve been tested, okay?" -09:29 Jul 20
Telara: Telara nodded, taking a quick drink of the water and looking very much chided. "I really didn’t know what to do. It seemed like a reasonable idea at the time. I’ve been taught about plants, they really never gave instructions on what to do if we stumble over natives. I think the Doctor was a little at loss what to do also, having to worry about me too." If Telara smiled any wider at him her face was going to freeze that way. Telara rubbed her cheek for a moment, wondering if it really would. -09:35 Jul 20
Nicholas: "Then its a good thing you have me along." he said. "I will ope diplomatic relations with them and we’ll see where that leads. I AM trained in hos to deal wth them, though world or fire. Though I won’t be using fire." he sat next to her. "And I don’t want to lose you again, okay?" -09:38 Jul 20
Telara: "You didn’t lose me, I was just absent for a few hours…" she didn’t mean to make light of his concern. But she did want him to feel less upset. Nothing terrible happened, and she was starting to think they both had a lucky streak. She leaned to kiss his cheek. "I’ll be more careful. It’s not likely I’ll get in to any more trouble." -09:43 Jul 20
Nicholas: He held o to her and sighes. "I know… but…" he was being silly and he lay down on the bed and put his weapons ont he bedside table. "It would be bad if something did right after you came into my life." -09:45 Jul 20
Telara: Telara drank the rest of the water and set the glass aside. Then she moved to lay on top of him, crossing her arms over his chest and resting her chin on her arms. "I think after surviving a potential death in the black, we won’t have to worry about that. I’m yours now, Captain. I’m not going anywhere." -09:50 Jul 20